Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Well, here is another update before I return to school. You have Kacy to thank for this…she wouldn't leave me alone. -_-
Chapter 38
Erestor and Kacy made their way up the winding path behind the Last Homely House and left Denis in the care of a small squad of Imladris guards who dutifully carried the unconscious prisoner to the holding cells. They guarded the entrance while Kacy and Erestor sought out Elrond.
Just as they reached the top of the landing Elrond came out from his study down the hall and spotted them. Before she could call out a greeting, Kacy screamed and fell to the floor in pain, nearly falling down the stairs. Erestor grabbed her arm, preventing her fall as she clutched her shoulder in pain and felt her son's distress. So she had formed a connection with her son after all.
Everything clicked into place and horror dawned within her eyes as everything Denis had been saying made sense.
Denis was a diversion…her son probably followed Erestor in the hopes of finding her and got lost. The Witch King of Angmar must have found him, if the searing pain in her shoulder was anything to go by.
Slowly the agonizing pain faded away until a dull throbbing remained. Elrond helped her to her feet with Erestor's aid and looked gravely at his friend.
"Rion is in peril…I have foreseen it."
Kacy looked at Elrond and noticed that he was now fully clad in battle armor and had a supply bag of herbs and other healing tools slung over his chest and shoulder.
"Come, we must hurry. Rion will not have much time."
Kacy did not argue, too weak from her first connection with her son to say or do much of anything. She followed and barely noticed the squad of Mirkwood soldiers join them. Elrond did not stop to investigate the trail or search for tracks. He ran with a purpose, as if he had seen the path that her son had taken.
Before long they had bypassed the glade where her battle had taken place and heard shouts in the distance. They soon found Gandalf surrounded by Easterlings, fighting them off…all alone.
Elrond's Imladris warriors charged forward to aid the gray wizard while the rest of their rescue group skirted around. Gandalf broke away from the fighting to join Kacy and the others and took the lead, already knowlegable of the evil they were to face.
"This way, hurry!"
They ran deeper into the forest, praying and hoping, that by the time they reached the boy…it would not be too late.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
Rion grew weaker and could no longer run on his own two feet. Invisible tree roots kept tripping him up and the Witch King was forced to carry the boy once again.
He struggled against his captor but knew that it was futile. As time wore on and he was taken farther away from the relative safety of Imladris and the power of the elves, his spirit faded.
At long last, the Witch King's revelation hit home and for a moment wondered if he was dreaming, or had even heard him right. Sheesh, he had just suffered a stab wound for crying out loud! Maybe he just imagined it. He supposed there was no reason why he couldn't ask.
"Did…did you say that Aragorn is a relative of mine?"
For a moment, the Witch King did not respond. The nazgul leader decided that it would not change the course of time any if the boy knew the truth—after all, he would soon be lost.
"Earth, also known as the age of men, is the future of Middle Earth. Aragorn's line endured…but it will no longer, now that I have you."
"W-why…th-this doesn't make sense, Aragorn isn't even alive yet! Why can't Sauron actually use what he th-thinks is a b-brain and target Isildor?"
Rion couldn't help stuttering thanks to the chills and fever that were setting in now. His eyes began to glaze over and he felt that dark presence calling for him…beckoning him to join it. He would not give in so easily though and his heart continued to endure.
"Middle Earth will not truly be altered…for the past can not be changed."
"B-but what about…what about S-Saruman? He's dead and he wasn't supposed to die until after the battle at Helm's Deep!"
"That fool will be restored to his original form...eventually."
"So what you are s-saying is that…you can't change the past but you can change the future, right?"
"Precisely…"
Gee, I never knew that one of my favorite quotes could be used in such a dark manner.
Rion began to lose his thought ability and couldn't help but succumb to a short slumber, too worn out to continue.
That's it boy. Sleep…for in sleep, you are at your weakest and soon you shall give in to the darkness.
The Witch King found the glade where he kept his beast of burden and mounted his horse with the boy positioned in front of him. With a bone chilling screech, the animal lurched forward and galloped off, obeying the commands of its master. Before long, Imladris had been left behind, taking the last descendant of Aragorn further from the only ones who could save him.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
The twins heard all of the commotion and followed their father when they heard that Rion was in the hands of the Nazgul leader. Their faces were grim as they ran ahead, their friend's fallen swords sheathed at their sides. They would search the very ends of the earth to get him back.
They stopped when they came across tracks at the edge of the Imladris border. Gandalf sighed heavily and turned to Elrond and Kacy.
"I'm afraid he and Rion are already far from here. If we are to mount a successful rescue mission, we need to be well prepared."
"The longer we wait, the less chance there is of rescuing my son!"
"Kacy, he has escaped with your son on horseback. Unless you can run faster than a horse, we need to go back and procure our supplies."
"I agree," Elrond frowned, clearly not pleased with the situation.
"You are practically condemning him to death!"
"Kacy…have faith in Rion. He is strong and has a good heart. He may make it still."
"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go!"
Before Kacy could run off, a loud galloping sound filled the air. Within no time, Glorfindel along with the rest of his surviving troops followed closely by Legolas and his army came up behind them. Extra horses were brought forth and the Balrog Slayer grinned at the small rescue party's shocked faces.
"Imladris has been secured, my lord. We have won."
Elrond managed a half smile although sorrow could be seen in his eyes.
"Not completely."
Half an hour later and the remaining elven army marched out of Rivendell with a new objective. Legolas had graciously offered to come along after learning of the kidnapped boy's importance. The woodland elves came along mainly because they hated the nazgul and anything else that had the audacity or the nerve to crawl out of Mordor. The main reason however was that they had strict orders to keep the Prince in their sights. King Thranduil did not forgive costly mistakes so easily, especially when it came to the crown Prince's well being.
As they rode into the night, Kacy could not help but stare at Legolas. They had been introduced and everything but she was not the rabid fangirl she had always imagined she would be in this situation. Perhaps it was the simple, yet sobering fact that her son was dying at that very moment. That must have put a dampener on her fangirl persona.
Elrond kept a watchful eye on Kacy, having recognized the bond she now shared with her son. He knew how dangerous bonds could be. If they failed in their rescue…and Rion did die, chances were high that his mother would quickly follow him to Mandos' halls. Their bond may also serve as a saving grace for the boy if he were to hold on to his mother through their heartfelt link.
He had seen a few survive against the odds using bonds. The only problem would be that if Rion did embrace the bond with his mother in his current condition, Kacy would soon be feeling adverse affects as her son's condition slowly became her own. Elrond prepared for the worst.
Kacy rubbed her sore shoulder and winced. The pain was getting steadily worse and she was sure the air surrounding her had dropped a few degrees. Just as she was about to ask Elrond a question, a vision assaulted her senses until she found herself elsewhere.
Glorfindel cried out from behind them and Elrond struggled to reach her in time and cursed when her horse got spooked. It was odd, for there was nothing around that could have spooked the sensitive animal. Kacy leaned precariously from her position in the saddle. She would have fallen off if it hadn't of been for Legolas's quick reaction time. He steadied her as best he could until she snapped out of the daze. She looked at the Elf Prince as if she didn't recognize him and then turned a dead panned gaze straight ahead of them. Without warning, she kicked her horse's sides and urged him into a run.
Elrond by this point wished he had brought his tranquilizer blower along with him.
Confound that woman, she is always running off!!
The troops heeded their commander's orders and matched her pace, catching up with Kacy and simply followed her lead on Gandalf's suggestion.
Kacy barely registered the fact that others were riding around her and focused her deadlocked vision on the tree line that was rapidly approaching. She could feel her son slipping away and had seen exactly where he was.
No one…not even the Witch King himself…was going to stop her or keep her from her only child.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
Rion woke up groggily and the pain in his shoulder flared as the Witch King stopped above a ridge that overlooked a vast plain. Where was this freak taking him anyways? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recognize the landscape.
The towering figure dismounted and picked the boy up by the back of his armor plating and dropped him, unceremoniously on the ground beside him. Rion whimpered when his wound was roughly jarred and clutched one hand over that area, feeling blood seeping again.
He immediately thought of escaping but some invisible force bound him where he sat. The Nazgul knelt down before him and flexed his armored hands experimentally. It was time for the boy to join him. He could sense the bright aura's of the elves steadily approaching. They would be here soon…but not before he had first robbed them of their hope and their pride.
"You will not resist me boy. You will open your mind…and give in to the darkness you have felt calling your name."
Rion squirmed uncomfortably and did not make a move. The armored hand drew nearer to his face and just before the evil being touched him, he rolled away ignoring the screaming pain and stood up weakly. A firey flame burned in his eyes as he found the last ounce of strength and courage he possessed to defy him.
"I…will…never give up…and I will never…give in, Mordor pit-spawn!"
The Witch King hissed in anger and arose to his full height, both armored hands now clenched into angry fists.
"You are gravely mistaken, boy. You can not deny the darkness…it is becoming a part of you as I speak. Soon, no light will be able to penetrate it and you will be no more but a shadow of your former self."
Rion's face paled as his strength diminished, leaving him shaking where he stood. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell to the ground as the Witch King called and beckoned for him to give in and join him. His spirit wavered and he could feel his very life force slipping away but at the same time, an invisible force tugged on his very heart.
A scream caught in his throat and his condition worsened as the poison pounded through him as time quickly passed. The Witch King began speaking in the vile tongues of Mordor, zapping his remaining defiance from him until he was completely helpless on the ground.
Tears leaked from Rion's eyes as he felt his inner resolve crumbling, the beckoning call too strong for him to resist.
Mom…I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me. I…I wish that I was stronger but I'm not. Tell Elrond and the others thanks for everything they did for me. Tell Elrond…it wasn't…wasn't his fault…wasn't...
Rion's barriers crumbled the second the wringraith touched him, sending him spiraling into darkness.
The Witch King screamed loudly in triumph.
At long last…Sauron had finally won.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
Kacy screamed loudly, scaring a few centuries out of the poor elves around her.
"RION!! NO!!"
She broke down in a sobbing heap, leaning heavily over her horse's neck as a flood of tears began to dampen its thick mane.
She had heard Rion's last request and refused to believe it.
Closing her eyes, she summoned every last ounce of her strength and all the love she possessed for Rion and connected with him through her bond. He was still alive…but barely. That brute had nearly succeeded in claiming him but Kacy held on tightly to Rion's presence. Then something came along and tried to rip him away and the bond wavered dangerously as it began to weaken under the strain. Kacy and the Witch King were locked in a deadly game of tug-of-war, neither refusing to let go of Rion.
Anger began to flood through Kacy's veins like hot fire and she knew what she had to do. Her sword inscription began to glow and the translation made itself known.
When locked in a bind…and no hope you can find…Believe and you will set free.
Kacy concentrated and in a blinding flash, disappeared completely, leaving a stunned and shocked group of elves behind.
Elrond and Gandalf traded knowing looks and with a half smile, they urged their horses on.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
The Nazgul leader was thrown violently back when a strong, blinding light exploded around Rion. It sent him reeling back in pain and the black horse squealed before galloping away, abandoning its master. His connection was violently broken with the boy and a small measure of his power was severely drained.
When the light had finally faded the Witch King looked back and stared in utter shock.
Standing before him, clad in armor and wielding a familiar sword was the woman that Denis was supposed to have killed.
This new revelation did not please him in the least. He drew his long, jagged edged sword slowly.
"You"
"Yeah…it's me"
"You are too late…the boy has already faded into the land of shadow."
Kacy laughed maniacally and shook her head in disgust.
"Not by a long shot he hasn't. Look again…"
The Witch King did so and was stunned to see Rion completely conscious and gaining his former strength again. One of Kacy's hands rested upon his shoulder and a glowing light was emanating above his shoulder wound. Elrond would still have to do most of the healing but she did enough to save him from the dark side, so to speak. She whispered something to him that the Nazgul could not hear and he nodded weakly, getting up and staggered away towards the tree line. This only infuriated him even more...the boy could not escape him now, not after he had come so close!
"I will reclaim my prize…after I have first killed you."
"I would love to see you try. Bring it on, biznitch!"
She dropped into a fighting stance and twirled her sword lightly in her hand, raising it above her head. With one hand she mimicked the 'come get me' motion from "The Matrix" with a grin. No one hurt her boy and got away with it. Hell hath no fury…
"No man can kill me…"
At those words, Kacy grinned wickedly.
"I know"
She lunged forward with a battle scream.
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME
Rion stumbled through the tree line, gasping as the pain once again began to worsen with every step he took. He tripped and fell and groaned, crawling back to his knees. The moment he sat upright, he met the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life.
The woods were filled with light as familiar beings rode towards him through the trees. One of them dismounted and appeared to be one of the brightest present. If it wasn't for the voice that soon followed, he might have completely missed who it was.
"Rion, you are going to be fine."
"Elrond?"
"Indeed"
"I…don't…feel so good…"
He shivered and fell forward, their armor clinking against each other as he leaned into the warm embrace of the ancient Elf ruler. Simply being in Elrond's presence helped keep the shadow's call at bay. Elrond placed one hand on his forehead and whispered soothingly in elvish. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep in the arms of the best healer in all of Arda. At last, he was safe.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Author's Note: Well then…this is hopefully a less frightening cliff hanger for all of you, lol. I was nice this time and left you guys a bungee cord if hanging isn't your style. :D