Well, y'all asked for the next chapter, so here it is. My goodness, I guess the story finally got exciting or something, because we got a lot of reviews! Thanks to NoxHolly, Sunshine Liquid Rain, horseyyay, and nbowles for following! And thanks to horseyyay for reviewing! This is awesome!

Iris- May 22nd- Rivendell

Okay, I'll admit it. I cried a little bit. I mean, really, the guy of my dreams just left- and lied to me about it- with my best friend! He might have even kidnapped her! I cursed myself. I knew he was too good to be true. I should have stuck to my instincts, but I didn't. Ugh.

So I woke up really early this morning, you know? Because I couldn't sleep very much- you get the idea. Normally, I would have rolled over in bed and tried to shut out the sunshine, but this morning, I got up, went out on the balcony that connected Hallie's, Liz' and my rooms, and danced.

I made my own air storm- there wasn't anything in it, but I could feel it- and I just kept dancing and twirling, loving every minute of it. Being here in Rivendell, learning about my abilities, all of it- even Raordell- was changing me. I could feel it. It was changing Eddy and Hallie too, whether they noticed it or not. None of us had been the same since we came here.

After my morning dancing, I decided to go to the library. I walked down the path that connected our rooms and the main city of Rivendell. I loved this particular path because it went through the gardens, and in the gardens, it was just me and the flowers. There wasn't any outside drama, no love issues, nothing. It's perfect.

I arrived at the library and headed over to the healing section. I hadn't read any book besides the one I'd found on the ship, and even though it contained over 50 herbs and their uses, I had already learned all of them, so I decided that I would trade it out for a different, bigger book. I wandered over to the section marked "Herbology and Healing" and found myself in a corner of the library with a bunch of dusty herbology textbooks that probably hadn't been used in years, including several copies of the one I hoped to exchange. As I slid my book onto the shelf (finding that it fit perfectly in between the other copies), one book in particular caught my eye. It was called The Common Dictionary of Golden Herbs. Arwen had told me a little bit about Golden Herbs. They were supposed to be really rare and really powerful herbs. I picked it up and opened the front cover- and an envelope slid out. It read: For the Healing Outsider in gold ink. How appropriate.

For some reason, I felt that the note was... meant for me. Carefully, I broke the seal and slid the letter out of the following letter, written in elvish, is what was inside:

To the Healing Outsider:

If you are reading this, then you are not of Middle Earth. You were born and raised in a different land and you have only recently happened upon our land... but not by accident. With you, there are three others. Over the past days (or mayhap weeks), you have learned about abilities that you and your friends possess. You are more powerful than you realize.

I have seen threads of the future, and I have seen that one of your own has wandered from her path, and you fret. She is a shadewalker, a rare and powerful breed that once Middle Earth kings called to destroy. And of such, many shadewalkers are bitter towards the royalty of Middle Earth.

In the Shire with a hobbit named Samwise Gamgee is a Secret. This Secret will lead you not only to the heart of your problems, but also to your home.

I have a favour to ask of you, Healer. Give this note to the King Elessar so that his plight may be further explained and he can right the wrongs of the past.

To the King Elessar:

If you are reading this, then I am gone. Currently with you are four outsiders. You have noticed their abnormal abilities and, if I am correct, are currently training one. As you know, one of them has strayed from her path, and your student has come to you for help. I have looked upon the shades of the past and future, and I see momentous things that will soon come to pass.

These four are very important to the survival of Middle Earth. The one who strayed is a Shadewalker, and a very powerful one indeed. You need to save her from herself and from evil. The rest of them- the Healer, the Warrior, and the Seer- are also very powerful. You cannot complete your quest without them.

With Samwise Gamgee in the Shire lies a Secret with which Gandalf the White entrusted to him. This Secret will ensure the safety of Middle Earth and of the four who walk with you now. Find Master Gamgee and complete this last quest that I entrust to you.

Once, long ago, a group of Shadewalkers sided with the Dark Lord Sauron in the wars. Because of this, and because of their power, many ancient Kings attempted to destroy their race. Few still reside in Middle Earth- but without their kind, Middle Earth will wither and die. Do not repeat the mistakes of the past; punishing the many for the mistakes of the few. Encourage the return of Shadewalkers to Middle Earth.

Take care of my daughter.

Lord Elrond

Lord Elrond. Wow. Lord Elrond left a note... for me... in a place he knew only I would find it. Absentmindedly, I picked up my books and began to wander around the library, reading the note over and over again. I was passing by a particular group of shelves labeled "The History of Middle Earth" when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aragorn. I looked down at the note again. King Elessar... duh! I thought. I had heard Arwen refer to Aragorn as Elessar before. I walked closer to him.

"Um... hi, Aragorn."

Aragorn looked up. "Hello, Iris. How are you?"

"I'm doing okay, thanks. The reason I came over here to talk to you is... well, I was looking through some books in the Herbology and Healing section and I found this note. I think it's for you."

I handed the note to him. I didn't want to be creepy and watch him read, so I looked around the library a little more. It was only the second time I'd been in the library, and it was bigger than I thought it would be. There was a lot of natural light and it was beautiful, just like all of the other buildings in Rivendell, only this one was filled to the brim with books. I felt a little like Belle in Beast's castle.

I looked back at Aragorn. He was just staring at the note. He looked from the note back down to his books, almost if asking: I read all of this for nothing? Really? Then he glanced up at me. "Gather the others," he said (in a really commanding kind of voice), "And tell them to pack their things- we head out in an hour."

"What exactly does the letter mean?" I asked tentatively.

Aragorn stared solemnly at the letter. "Your friend Elizabeth is a shadewalker, and she has left with that fellow, Raordell. I fear that their disappearance does not bode well for the future of Middle Earth."

"How?"

"I'm afraid that Raordell is somehow trying to use Elizabeth's power for his own gain. Either that, or someone else will arise to mislead your friend and use her abilities to change the history of Middle Earth."

Then he got up and walked away, the letter from Lord Elrond still in his hand.

I arrived back at our rooms at the exact same moment Eddy did. I ran up to him and said, "Pack your stuff. We're going after Liz this afternoon. I found this note in a herbology textbook from Lord Elrond and it told us that we need to go after Liz and we also need to find this Secret thing that Sam has with him in the Shire."

Eddy looked at me blankly. Then he seemed to pull himself together. He muttered something that sounded like, "Okay," but I couldn't really be sure.

Just then, Hallie ran up, her sword still in hand and her hair tied back from practice. "Aragorn told me that I needed to come up and see you - that it was urgent." I backed away slightly, scared that Hallie might get overexcited and accidentally maim me with her sword. She looked down at me and then seemed to notice the sword in her hand. "Sorry," she said as she put it away. "What's the urgency about?"

Then I repeated my story to her. Hallie's response was a much more coherent, "Awesome! Let's go get that creep!" (And by creep, I guess she was referring to Raordell). We both ran up to our rooms together to pack.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone pack that fast. We were all done with our packing in about 15 minutes or less. Weapons, books, clothes and all.

We met Aragorn, along with Haldir, who wanted to tag along, at one of the entrances to Rivendell, the same one where the Fellowship had started their own journey to destroy the One Ring.

"How are we going to find Liz? We don't even know where they went. The guards don't even remember seeing them leave!" Eddy babbled worriedly.

"We'll find her," Hallie looked out into the sun shining through the trees.

"And we'll bring her back," I said firmly.

"No matter what it takes," Eddy finished.

Hallie - May 23rd - We're off to see the Wizard (I wish)

I woke up to birds chirping and a leaf... falling on my nose. I don't know if you know this, but leaves really tickle. It was really the leaf that woke me up. Stupid leaf.

We were somewhere West of Rivendell (according to Eddy) when we had stopped last night. We'd made a fire (thank you, Iris, since Eddy fails at trying to make a spark) and cooked some meat and herbs over it. Thank goodness for some good old fashioned meat.

Breakfast was ready by the time I finally got myself awake enough to get out of my pile of blankets. I yawned as I ate my breakfast. I had gotten enough sleep, but traveling so much really got to me. We had covered a lot of ground yesterday, determined to reach the Shire as fast as possible.

Aragorn was sitting on a log near the place he had slept last night, speaking softly to a bird. When he finished speaking, the bird flew off. It was obviously a messenger bird. Either that, or Aragorn had gone off the deep end. With my belly now full, I walked over to him.

"Who are you sending a message to?" I inquired.

"An old friend," Aragorn replied, somewhat mysteriously. "If the enemy is as powerful as we fear, we are going to need help from our allies."

I clenched my fists. "Liz isn't the enemy." Or was she? What if when we found her, the darkness that came with being a shadewalker somehow consumed her? What if...what if she didn't want to come with us? I felt horrible thinking such thoughts about my friend, but if it really happened...I wouldn't know what to do.

Aragorn looked at me wearily. "I have no doubt of that. However, I am sure that Raordell has acquired some allies to his cause, and they will stop at nothing to keep us from taking Elizabeth from them." He looked off into the distance. "There is a battle coming. Can you sense it?"

In a way, I could. There was an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and my heart beat in anticipation. I looked back at my friends. Iris and Eddy were some of the kindest people I knew. Would they really be ready for battle? More importantly, would I be ready for battle? Would I be mentally prepared?

We were packed and on our way in a few minutes. Walking single file through dense woods, we covered a lot of terrain. Travel is fun- but not when you're traveling through forest that looks exactly the same at each turn. On foot. With weapons at the ready (or close) so you don't get killed. Oh, and travel is not fun when you're after one of your friends who may or may not be evil. Travel is not fun when you are traveling with your other two friends whose love lives could be the center of a soap opera and your mentor who is also the King of Gondor and one of the best warriors in Middle Earth.

So - to sum this all up for you, this particular journey is not fun.

I was walking at the end of the group because Aragorn felt that we'd be safer if he traveled in front and I walked at the rear. I was bored, I admit- so I let my mind wander. And, my mind, as it often did, landed on strange topics. I wondered what Aragorn must feel like- leaving Arwen behind when he finally thought he was settled in as king and traveling across Middle Earth to discover a secret and save a girl he'd only just met. I wondered if Eddy and Iris were ever going to get together. And I also wondered how in the world they didn't know they were in love with each other. I mean, really. I saw it. Me. How oblivious can you be?

We stopped quickly for a brief lunch (provided by Eddy and his sight) and then we were heading to the Shire again. I'm pretty sure that the Shire is at least a week's walk away or maybe more- but at this rate, we were going to get there tomorrow. I walk a lot for golf, but this was like- you hit your ball really far and you have to walk around 54 holes to find it. That's 15.75 miles, by the way. And around 12 hours of walking. Endless. Walking.

Gosh. This has to be the most boring experience of my life.

We were still walking through some forest when I heard a twig crunch behind me. I whipped around, hand on my sword, and stared through the forest, trying to find the source of the sound. Everything was silent for a long moment, and then I heard Eddy calling, "Hallie! Geez, keep up!"

Taking one last look at the forest behind me, I turned around and jogged to catch up with the rest of the group. "I... I thought I heard something, but I didn't see anything back there."

We resumed our hike. I glanced over my shoulder one more time. Was someone following us?

Of course, I couldn't say anything, or else we'd spend an hour looking around and find out that the snapping of the twig was caused by a rabbit. But I couldn't help feeling like someone was watching me.

We walked for another couple of hours before finally stopping for dinner and rest. Iris let her backpack fall onto the forest floor and she slumped down next to it. Eddy flopped down near her, and I sat on a stump. Even Aragorn looked a little tired (he never, ever looks tired, ever- like, can you give me your special serum or something? I need it for finals week!). I guess the long 15 and a half miles got to everyone. Eddy was too tired to hunt, so I grabbed his bow and tried my hand at it. I came back a half hour later with three rabbits. Hey- not too bad, eh?

So Iris started the fire again and we ate rabbit meat and just stared at the dancing flames. Not long after we finished dinner, Aragorn stomped out the fire and we were left with the darkness of night.

I stared up at the stars that night as I was laying in my pile of blankets. There were thousands- hundreds of thousands- little pinpricks of light in the night sky. In school, a teacher would tell me that they were burning balls of gas millions of light years away, but here in Middle Earth, I could just see them for what they are: stars. Tears in the satin of the night sky, revealing little bits of heaven. In that moment, I felt... whole. Like, my whole life, I had been missing some part of me, and I had just found it under these stars.

"Hallie." I looked up and saw Aragorn returning from wherever Aragorns go when they need to be alone. "It's your watch."

I didn't know how he knew what the time was, but I trusted him, so I got up and sat on my stump. I watched over my friends until my eyes were too heavy to keep open and the light was just beginning to creep into the sky, and then I woke Eddy to have his watch. I glanced once more up at the remaining bits of night sky. I wished Liz could have been with me and seen it too. And then I fell asleep.

What? Lord Elrond left a note for Iris? He sent them off to find a Secret? No way! There go our heroes, off to save Middle Earth! I'm so proud!