The Haunting

by Bethuviel

A Horror Revealed

Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I still don't own Middle Earth (darn it!) J.R.R. Tolkien's Estate owns it. I also do not recieve any compensation for my work other than the pure joy of writing.

Author's note: It's been a few days since I updated and I apologise. I had to get out of the batcave.

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Legolas almost ran to reach Lord Elrond, such was the need of haste he felt. He did not bother with proper pleasantries, only took Elrond by the arm and pulled him along inside of the Last Homely House. Only when they were standing inside of Elrond's private office did Legolas release him.

Elrond the Peredhil suffered himself to be pulled along by the young Mirkwood prince. He felt reasonably sure that Legolas had a good reason for treating him this way and in his own home at that. He patiently followed Legolas into his office and shut the door behind them.

"Somewhat met, Legolas. Tell me what is going on for you to behave so."

"Forgive me Lord Elrond." Legolas rushed. "My father, our people and kingdom are under attack and are in mortal peril. Adar sneaked me and Captain Uraile out from the palace and sent us to you for aide, lest all is lost and perish to an eternity of torture and torment. Please, Elrond, you must help us!"

Elrond was shocked. He raised his infamous eyebrows slightly and his mouth opened to a small gape. Legolas was staring at him with pleading eyes.

"Legolas, I want you to wait for a moment, I will summon Lord Glorfindel to this meeting also. Then begin your tale from the beginning for both of us."

Legolas nodded his head, and Elrond rang a bell. A few seconds later a servent poked a head through Elrond's door. "Please ask Glorfindel to meet me here immediately, that it is most urgent. And then please bring refreshments." The dark haired head disappeared and Elrond motioned for Legolas to sit in a high backed thickly cushioned leather chair. Elrond watched Legolas fidget in the chair and thought to himself, 'The peril must be great indeed for Thranduil to secret his only son and heir away, and upon their throats for only one personal guard...'

Glorfindel burst into Elrond's office, his eyes questioning. "Lord Glorfindel," said Elrond,"Legolas is here as an emissary from his father, King Thranduil. I did not want the story to be told more than once so I asked for your presence, as it sounds as though we are going to war to aide the Woodland Elves."

Glorfindel gasped and sat across from Legolas, staring at him intently, waiting for the news.

Elrond sat down behind his desk and said, "Tell us Legolas, what troubles King Thranduil's kingdom, that he sends his son for aide?"

"I know not what it is or what it is called. We were woke up two mornings ago by elves screaming. When we surveyed our land, it was besot with a thick white fog that could not be pierced by sight. All but two who have ventured into this fog have perished screaming in agony. Of the two who have survived, both are teetering on madness, one's hair is as an old mans, and both shriek of an entity they call death that rides a pale horse and is coming for us all. The white haired one said the entity has a gaping maw and chews upon the elves it has already taken without ceasing with endless rows of razor sharp teeth. Arrows and swords are no use and even as we speak, my people's time shortens, if indeed there are any left to save including my Adar."

Glorfindel jumped up and went over to one of many bookcases. He paused, pulled out a book, flipped through it and walked over to Legolas. He showed him a picture and asked, "Is this what they describe Legolas?"

Legolas could not believe his eyes. He swallowed hard, and griped the arms of the chair. On the page was the most horrid of creations he had ever seen.

The pages of the book were yellowed, but the image could still be clearly seen. Legolas released his grip on the arms of the chair and took the book from Glorfindel. He was careful to not touch the image, and held the book by the edges. Elrond came and stood beside Legolas, looking at the image also.

The page showed a humanoid figure with elongated limbs, it's skin thin, stretched and leathery. In places, the skin did not appear, but faces distorted in sheer agony peered out. The face was what held Legolas' and Elrond's attention. It was almost as if no skin existed it was so stretched. The head was skeletal, with no eyes but only darkened holes. The nose was partial, and the nasal passage entries had no covering, but only bone openings. But the mouth was of particular interest to the elves. It was open beyond belief, it's chin reaching to almost where the waist would be, and the skin of jaws were not completely formed, but looked like jailers bars. Inside the gaping maw were innumerable rows of teeth with a blacken sliver of a tongue with it's end split into several tips a few which held hapless victims. The creature was clothed in a ratty torn whispy white gown that floated around it. The spectre sat on air a few inches above a pale thin horse that looked dead itself.

Legolas shoved the book back into Glorfindel's hands and shot up out of the chair. He snarled, "Yes, that is what they have described! It is ghastly, an adbomination! And it murders my people even as we speak here in safety!" He turned away and fingered the handles of his daggers. He was angry and his hard breathing told the fact. "What is that cursed thing?"

Elrond and Glorfindel looked at each other, dread clearly upon their own faces. Elrond answered, "It is an evil of old. We are not sure whence it came, only that it exists, and allies itself with Morgorth." Elrond looked down at the floor and held his peace, letting his words seep into Legolas' mind. "A doom of elves has awakened..."

Glorfindel walked over to Legolas and put his hand on the young prince's shoulder. He stood silently lending his strength of presence to his friend.

Elrond looked up and studied their outlines in the window for a moment, then said, "Do not fear Legolas, it can be defeated, but it will be a hard trial for the elves, and many may perish in the oncoming battle. I will send word by the fastest means possible to Lothlorien, and to Gandalph. We will need all our strength now."

Legolas turned and faced Elrond. "As a father you have been to me," he said, "and I submit to your wisdom and authority concerning this thing." He bowed low to Elrond.

Elrond, feeling the love he possessed for Legolas, pulled him up and into his arms in an embrace. "Keep hope Legolas. For yet there is a glimmer of it before my eyes and mind." Elrond released him and stepped back, looking deep into Legolas' gray eyes, "We will leave as soon as my army is gathered and the messages sent. I will leave a remnant for the defense of Rivendell." Elrond cocked his head to the left and said, "Rest for now Legolas, for you have ridden far and fast and yet our ride is not over, and the war of the elves lays before us. Rest and gather what strength you can." With that Elrond left his office and went to call upon his seargent at arms.

Glorfindel led Legolas over to the couch and gently pushed Legolas down onto it. "Rest here, Legolas for we will be leaving within the hour, certainly no more than two."

Legolas' eyes glazed over and he went into the dreams of his mind, resting his body. Glorfindel smiled, and left Elrond's office.

Glorfindel wrestled with his racing thoughts. He had heard of this evil before, long long ago before his fall at Gondolin. It had only been whispered, and never spoken of openly. When the Valar had imprisoned Morgorth to the void, 'it' had disappeared. It had been assumed by all that 'it' had been destroyed and now 'it' had returned. He found Elrond surrounded by elves issuing instructions. He waited until the Lord of Rivendell was finished. At last Elrond turned, saw him and removed himself from the masses.

" Lord Glorfindel, we need to talk."

"Yes, Lord Elrond I am aware."

They stepped away from ears and into the garden. "How can this be? It has returned!" Began Elrond. "Have you any knowledge of this thing and what is it called...the name escapes me..." Elrond was tapping the side of his head on his temple with a forefinger.

Glorfindel watched Elrond tapping and pacing. "Elrond, you will wear a path in your stones if you keep that up. I remember not the name, but when I heard Legolas describing their ordeal, I knew immediately what it was. It is a deadly adversary."

Elrond stopped pacing and inspected his cobblestone. 'I see no path,' he thought then aloud, "Oh no doubt of that, most deadly. And for Thranduil to scurry his son out in secret with only one guard, he must truley fear his people and kingdom are at an end."

"Legolas has always been true of heart and a strong warrior, but I noted the fear in his eyes when telling his tale, and upon seeing the picture of it from the book," added Glorfindel.

Elrond nodded, "Yes I saw it too. And fear of losing his Adar. He and Thranduil share a strong bond of love between them. I do not think Legolas or Thranduil would long survive but succomb to grief should one of them ever die."

"How about we just call it the Spectre of Death, for that is how it has identified itself to others. The name is lost with the passing of time and that book does not give it a name, only that it is a doom on elves from Morgorth himself." Glorfindel whispered the name of the evil one, not willing to speak it aloud.

Elrond waved his hand in the air, "The name does not matter, Spectre of Death, Doom of Elves. What does matter is we must find a way to destroy it once and for all else it detroys us."

Glorfindel's face fell, "You mean you do not know Lord Elrond?"

"Know what?"

"How to destroy this thing."

"I have a good idea, but no, not for sure. Legolas said it surrounded itself in a white fog."

"What of it?" Asked Glorfindel.

Elrond squinted his eyes and looked at Glorfindel, searching his face. "Meaning that it shelters itself, but from what? There is something it does not like, something that will hurt it that this Spetre of Death cloaks itself in this fog."

"Fog will hide the sun, and the darkness of night!" Exclaimed Glorfindel.

"So then it has two enemies, light and dark." Elrond stood as still as a statue deep in thought. "I know how we will kill it. It will take us all to achieve it. Come Glorfindel, the army of Rivendell has assembled and awaits us. I have left Erstor in charge in our joined absence, our armor waits for us in the Hall of Fire. If you will awaken Legolas, I will wait for you there. Then we shall ride!"

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Author's Note: Reviews. I love them. So dangle a few carrots in front of my nose folks!