Chapter 11The Promise of Light

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters aside from my OC, Aria, the others belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. (Sorry, forgot the disclaimer in the first chapter.)

Note: The Legolas in this story will appear fatherly and knowledgeable. This is due to the events of Hand in Hand, a fanfiction by SolitaryPeak, who has given me permission to use the newly developed Legolas and perhaps her OC Sirya, also I may deviate, I don't know yet. I also changed the rating because there will be violence, pain, insanity, and a bit of mental torture, if this makes you uncomfortable, don't read it.

Please review.

Thanks to those who have already reviewed.

. .ra, SolitaryPeak, Mirkwood Warrior, Celridel, sweetdixie.17, and

KEZZ 1-I know technically your first review was chapter eight, but I didn't get the chance to personally welcome you. Thank you for reading my story. Also thanks for letting me know about the glitch.

KomiXO-Thank you also for telling me. And Welcome as well, I hope you like my story.

Italics is the dream, when it goes back to normal, she's awake for good.

I couldn't stop the screaming pain coursing through me. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything. I was lost in the pain that I thought I'd never have to feel again. I felt like I was screaming, but I couldn't hear it. I tried to dig out the poison inside me, but I wasn't sure that was how it worked, I couldn't remember. All I knew what the pain. It was as if the lava of Mt. Doom was coursing through me like blood, burning every bit of me.

Mt. Doom. Where do I know that name? Where did it come from? I didn't know. I couldn't remember. The pain blocked it all.

Lord of the Rings. I heard the answer from somewhere deep inside me.

Lord of the Rings? I strained through the pain.

Yes. Lord of the Rings. Written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Who is J.R.R. Tolkien? Who are you? How are you making the pain go away? It was going away. I could hear this voice. I couldn't feel myself screaming anymore. I couldn't contact my physical body, but it didn't hurt.

Physical body. Isn't this my physical body?

I'm not making the pain go away. I'm giving you something to concentrate on, so you can block it out. You are in a dream, so your physical body is your actual body, not a dream.

Why? How?

You've done this before, Aria. You've been through this pain before, what you are feeling now is just a memory of that.

How?

Because you were hurt so bad that every detail of the memory is remembered.

Shouldn't it be opposite, I was hurt so bad I don't remember the actual pain?

No, because if you forgot about the pain then the constant fear of feeling it again would be gone and this would protect you from what you are experiencing now.

And what am I experiencing?

The voice sighed. A memory. I already said this.

Who are you?

I am you. A part of your mind.

I'm confused.

I never thought very much into how I came to be, or the others. It should probably stay that way, because honestly we'd probably get a headache from thinking about it.

Others?

Is that all you caught?

Before I could answer, a dark presence entered my mind. A fiery eye full of malice and darkness. It blocked out the voice, broke my concentration, and brought the pain back. I screamed as the pain returned in full force.

I remembered. The presence made me remember. It was a dream. I couldn't get out. I couldn't fight it. I couldn't free myself. I felt my body. I could hear again. Then I realize, I remember somehow.

This wasn't a memory anymore. This was Sauron, using the darkness already inside me to break me more than I was already broken.

Why? I asked. I knew he was listening. I knew he was here.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACT UPON YOUR KNOWLEDGE! YOU SHALL DIE, KNOWING YOU FAILED TO SAVE THOSE WHO HAD CARED FOR YOU!

His words seared through me and I screamed louder, if that's possible. I was giving up, I could feel my strength fading. Where were my Thoughts? Why weren't they protecting me as they had promised?

I scream grew in strength, until I felt my throat finally tear. I couldn't do it alone. I never could and never had.

Finally I stopped. The pain was still there, it still hurt like nothing I'd ever felt before, but I didn't have strength. I relaxed my tense, pain-filled body, the pain coursed through me faster and easier, but I didn't have the strength to fight it or feel through it.

I released everything I could. I felt my desire to live, slip away and I felt myself fading. I felt cold seep over me and after the burning pain, the numb cold was a relief. The darkness was painful though. It terrified me and I was sick of it.

As if on request, a pale light began to glow before me. I began to move toward it, but for some reason it hurt. Dying shouldn't hurt. I should be able to die, that was what he wanted.

When the light form took shape, I realized why. It was Elladan. I don't know how I knew it was Elladan, not Elohir, but I knew.

"Aria, please, do not give in. Aria, fight the pain. Your life has been nothing but pain. Come back and fight for your freedom. Fight for your right to never feel pain again." I stared at him for a long time. Was it worth it? Was it worth Sauron wrath? Why was my life so full of pain? Why me and why not?

"If I come back," I stared at him. He was so beautiful bathed in light, his dark hair flying around him gently in a breeze that I couldn't feel. His gray eyes shone with fear, yet determination. His form was strong, that of a warrior. "If I come back, what is to say the pain will stop?"

His eyes light with hope, I'd answered, I was listening to him. "I cannot promise the pain will stop, we have a great evil that we are fighting, but I can promise that, to the best of my ability, I will protect you."

I stared at him. "You promise, you will protect me?" He nodded. I closed my eyes to him. How could I ensure that he kept his promise? "Swear to me."

"What do you wish me to swear by?" He seemed willing. I thought, what did I want him to swear by? Then the thought came to me. He could swear by what had brought me to Middle Earth in the first place.

"Swear by my necklace."

He nodded slowly, a little confused but still willing. "I swear. I swear by your necklace and whatever powers it holds, that I will protect you from the pain and the darkness. I swear that I will die for you, should it save you from further pain."

I didn't exactly like the last part, but no sooner than he said it than the darkness began to fade. It faded and was replaced by a beautiful landscape, a beach with a really beautiful view of the sea. Elladan looked around in surprise, and I guess he hadn't anything to do with it.

"Why?" I asked staring at him intently. Somehow I know that here, wherever we are, we can talk freely and it won't cause either of us harm and Sauron won't be able to find and/or see what was going on.

Elladan looks at me in return. His grey sterling eyes are beautiful and fathomless. They look young, but also hold years of hurt and pain. "Because, we, my family may have just met you, but already you have captured my father's heart, I do not want it broken again. Because, when my mother was hurt, we couldn't heal her. We didn't know how, I feel like we failed her. With you, we now have a chance to prove ourselves and to gain our confidence and heal. Because you have every right to live and be free of the darkness that has been trying to smother your light, all of your life."

I stared out over the sea. "What happened? How did Sirya react? Did I hurt anyone?"

Elladan shook his head. "You passed out into your nightmares and we took you to bed before you ever started screaming or thrashing. Your screams were loud, but not excessively so, until after you spoke with Ada. Sirya's a little shaken by it all, but he'll be fine as soon as he sees you awake and not screaming again."

I turn my full attention to him. "You are avoiding the last question. What happened after I saw Lord Elrond?"

He sighed and looked away. "You were quiet for a moment, crying softly, but then…suddenly you just screamed…except it was…" He paused, like he was reluctant to describe what my scream sounded like. "It was unearthly, it drove even Gandalf to his knees. It hurt every elf's ears, but even those that hadn't sensitive enough ears, were driven to their knees at the desire to block out the fear it caused."

"Did I hurt anyone?" I repeated, the whisper was soft, borderline broken.

He nodded slowly. "A little. You began to hurt yourself, I couldn't let you do that."

"So you held me down instead of covering your ears?" He nodded. "Is it permanent?"

He shrugged. "We don't know. You are our main concern."

I study him. Why was he so devoted to me? "Ever heard of soulmates?" A very sarcastic voice asks, from behind me. This world wherever it was, was in my mind, in some way, and that meant my Thoughts were here to. I smiled to myself as I turn, ignoring the look of shock that spread across Elladan's face.

A man stood behind me with a cocky grin and a mischievous glint in his eye. He borderline resembled Captain Jack Sparrow, but at the same time was more modern insane asylum, mental hospital patient. He didn't have definite features, due to the fact that he was created in my head and I never really pictured any specific features to him.

I opened my arms to him and he stepped forward for a hug. "Hey, Insane."

He held me tight for a moment. "I'm sorry, Aria. We all are. We messed up, bad, and you went through a lot of pain because of it."

I shook my head and pulled away. "No! Normally, yes, it is your job to be there, but none of this was under our control. Yes, it started out as memory, but that was only to open the floodgates to the darkness and that was what was being sought after. Sauron was manipulating all of us, somehow. I don't blame any of you." He nodded reluctantly and I smiled, before turning back to Elladan, who was exactly as I'd left him, frozen in shock at the appearance of another.

"Elladan, this is one of my Thoughts, Insane Thinking."

"It is an honor to meet you…Insane Thinking." Elladan answered with all the grace of an elven lord, but he acted very uncertain as to what exactly had happened and was going on now.

Insane bowed dramatically. "Pleasure is all mine." He said sarcastically, before adding a mad cackle.

Elladan uncertainty turned to worry and I laughed. "Don't worry, he's balanced out pretty well by the others. Speaking of which, where are the others?" I asked Insane.

He shrugged. "Busy, I think. It doesn't matter, they can talk to you later, what does matter, is that you need to wake up soon or we'll never be able to repair the damage."

Elladan nodded in agreement. "We do. The others will be worried and it is taking too long, they may panic." I can't help the flutter of fear that began to flap about in my stomach.

"How do we wake up?" I asked.

Elladan smiled kindly and held both hands out to me. "Just close your eyes and let me guide you. There's nothing to it." I nod and take his hands, closing my eyes. Insane could feel my fear—obviously—and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Remember what you said to us, Light of Our Lives, sometimes there are risks that have to be taken in order to gain something." I smiled, despite the dark. Insane was weird and quirky and very strange sometimes, but he was what he was, one of my Thoughts, and that meant he loved and supported me, not matter what.

I don't get to judge Elladan's response to Insane's words, because my closed eyes, but when he speaks, I catch a hint of amusement. Except it's more like he probably had a small smile on his face and his words were amused but also awed, kind of like when someone reacts to a fluffy part in an adventure movie.

"Keep your eyes closed until I say." Elladan says to me and I nod. I don't know what he does or how he does it but somehow I become increasingly aware of my physical body, the sensations around me, and Middle Earth in general.

"Okay," Elladan's voice is soft. I open my eyes and the first thing I see is Elladan's eyes. They are so beautiful and perfect all I can do is stare at them, him for who knows how long. He smiles, but I notice blood trailing from both ears and it makes my stomach flutter and my cheeks flush with guilt.

I kind of hear the chaos going on around us, but at the moment all I care about is the elf leaning over me. He helps me into a seated position and as soon as he sits back away from me, I throw my arms around his neck, shocking the chaos into freezing.

I know I'm getting blood in his hair from my scratches, but I don't think he really cares as he hugs my waist back. "Thank you." I whispered into his ear. "I was so close to giving up. Thank you for coming for me."

He chuckled. "I just didn't want to see you fail because of something that even the strongest have a hard time against. And I made you a promise, now, so I will always come for you, no matter the danger."

I nod and my eyelids grow heavy and my body registers how tired it is from my mental breakdown, if that's what you can call it. So not to worry him, as I drift off I whisper in his ear. "I'm just tired. I'll wake up, I promise."

My body goes limp and my world goes black, but it is pleasantly so. I know he will be there when I wake up and my Thoughts are being more careful and more viligant than ever. I rest and sleep deeper than I thought I ever could. There were no dreams or nightmares and the blackness was more of a pale gray because of the light that I knew was there for me and I was content for the first time since Clara Dishma's basement.

I guess I do remember her name.

So I can't help but think this is such a cute and good ending and if I were any less of an author, reader, and good person I would so leave the story right now, but that's would be above and beyond my ability to do. As I said before I am mean and terrible to my characters, but not that mean, and I'm especially not that mean to my readers. I hope you guys liked it and if you want the whole poem from chapter 10, just let me know I have it. Sorry I took so long to update, but here it is. (After thought: I realized, I actually did name the horrendous devil in human form back in like chapter 3 when Aria's Heart first took over, but I felt like it was okay and reasonable that the Thoughts forgot and/ or hadn't thought about her name in a really long time, because their job was took keep the Memories at bay, but they were just as afraid of them as Aria, or more.)