Thank you once more for all the reviews!
To LITTLE MY: Even if this chapter is very short I hope it's enough for you to stop pounding your head against the brick wall – I
did update as quickly as I could to prevent you from taking serious harm!!!!
Although short, I hope you enjoy this still…
And please keep the reviews coming :-)
____
Gandalf's hand had slowly withdrawn from Legolas' brow only to come to rest where Gimli's hand had stayed during the last
hours. His eyes closed as he seemed to listen intently.
Gimli's eyes flitted from the Istari's grim face to Aragorn's. What he could read from his features did nothing to ease his fear.
He waited impatiently until Gandalf finally opened his eyes again and his dark eyes came to rest on Gimli.
'It is as I feared.' He spoke with solemn voice. 'But yet it is even worse than I thought it to be. Tell me Gloin, how did you destroy
this creature?'
'With fire.' The dwarf answered.
'You burned it ?'
'Aye. Legolas told us it could only be destroyed with fire, so we did heed his words. And they proved to be true for never have I
seen a living being to be devoured by flames so quickly and completely.'
Gandalf could feel the questioning glances of Gimli as well as Aragorn directed at him.
'He is very weak.' He finally spoke, stating the obvious first. It would not be easy to tell them of this, for he could see the pain
and fear burning in Gimli's eyes and loathed to add to this. And Aragorn did not seem to be any less concerned for Legolas then
the dwarf. Yet they had to know.
'Like you said, Gimli, the creature attacked him and played with his mind. It uses memories and fears hidden away in the
darkest corners to torment its victims and I do not doubt it has done the same to Legolas. It has drained him almost completely
of his strength and without the Miuvar he would not have lived through it.'
This was nothing that Gimli himself had not known and told before. The dwarf could feel there was more to it, something else
was amiss.
'But I fear this is not all.' The Istari paused for a moment to search for words. 'You said he started to scream when the creature
did so. I assume the creature's cries were caused by the fire you used to destroy it?'
'Yes.' Gloin simply answered.
'So the creature was still within his mind.' Gandalf spoke slowly. The tone of his voice made a shiver run down Gimli's spine.
'I know not what it has done to him before but seeing how weak he is I assume he did not have the strength to break the
connection between them on his own. Gauging from what you told me I dare say it was only broken with the creature's death.
But he was forced to experience it all, to feel what it felt, to live through its death as the fire consumed it.'
They stared at him in open shock. Gimli tried to imagine it, the feel of fire licking on his skin, the pain of burning and a shudder
went through him as his mind recoiled from the image.
'How can someone go through this without losing his mind?' he whispered hardly realizing he spoke his thoughts. Gandalf's soft
answer made his head jerk around and agony filled his heart.
'This is what I fear, my friend. For if they were connected until the end, if Legolas truly experienced its death than I can not say if
his mind has been strong enough to survive this. Not after the torment he had already gone through. '
'And what if not?' Gimli's voice was almost too soft to be heard and it took a few heartbeats until an answer came.
'I know not. If his mind has shattered than I doubt he will ever wake again. And even if he did I fear he would no longer be the
one you knew.'
The dwarf's eyes closed in pain at that thought and he could feel the burning sensation in them that spoke of tears starting to
form. But mustering all his will he fought them back.
'It need not be like this.' He spoke quietly. 'We know not of what did transpire. He might regain his strength and wake again.'
'Truly, we know not and will only learn more if he wakes.' Gandalf answered but the look in his eyes told more than his words.
Aragorn had silently listened and watched and only now did he raise his voice.
'is there naught we can do, Gandalf?'
The Istari shook his head.
'If he is to recover than he will do so on his own. It may take some time until his mind calms from what was done to him and the
wounds inflicted can heal. What Gimli did was the right thing, to take him out of the caves and bring him here into surroundings
where he would feel save. I would not know of anything else we can do.'
He rose after this words and moved away, directing his steps towards the entrance to the caves. Gloin followed him and they left
behind a group of deeply concerned people.
Any hopes that Gimli had held upon hearing the soft heartbeat of the elf, signaling Legolas still lived had dimmed considerably.
Even if he should live through this and wake up despite the doubts Gandalf seemed to have there was no knowing if he would
still be Legolas.
But he resumed his silent watch, even as his friends left to be greeted as the guest of high rank they were. Aragorn returned first
and took a seat next to the dwarf.
They spoke not for no words were needed here.
The night had grown late when Gimli raised his head to look at the sky above. With surprise he noticed the clouds had
disappeared and the stars were glowing softly in the perfect blackness of the sky. For a short moment it filled him with a strange
feeling of peace as he sat and looked at them shining down on the elf that loved them so much.
To LITTLE MY: Even if this chapter is very short I hope it's enough for you to stop pounding your head against the brick wall – I
did update as quickly as I could to prevent you from taking serious harm!!!!
Although short, I hope you enjoy this still…
And please keep the reviews coming :-)
____
Gandalf's hand had slowly withdrawn from Legolas' brow only to come to rest where Gimli's hand had stayed during the last
hours. His eyes closed as he seemed to listen intently.
Gimli's eyes flitted from the Istari's grim face to Aragorn's. What he could read from his features did nothing to ease his fear.
He waited impatiently until Gandalf finally opened his eyes again and his dark eyes came to rest on Gimli.
'It is as I feared.' He spoke with solemn voice. 'But yet it is even worse than I thought it to be. Tell me Gloin, how did you destroy
this creature?'
'With fire.' The dwarf answered.
'You burned it ?'
'Aye. Legolas told us it could only be destroyed with fire, so we did heed his words. And they proved to be true for never have I
seen a living being to be devoured by flames so quickly and completely.'
Gandalf could feel the questioning glances of Gimli as well as Aragorn directed at him.
'He is very weak.' He finally spoke, stating the obvious first. It would not be easy to tell them of this, for he could see the pain
and fear burning in Gimli's eyes and loathed to add to this. And Aragorn did not seem to be any less concerned for Legolas then
the dwarf. Yet they had to know.
'Like you said, Gimli, the creature attacked him and played with his mind. It uses memories and fears hidden away in the
darkest corners to torment its victims and I do not doubt it has done the same to Legolas. It has drained him almost completely
of his strength and without the Miuvar he would not have lived through it.'
This was nothing that Gimli himself had not known and told before. The dwarf could feel there was more to it, something else
was amiss.
'But I fear this is not all.' The Istari paused for a moment to search for words. 'You said he started to scream when the creature
did so. I assume the creature's cries were caused by the fire you used to destroy it?'
'Yes.' Gloin simply answered.
'So the creature was still within his mind.' Gandalf spoke slowly. The tone of his voice made a shiver run down Gimli's spine.
'I know not what it has done to him before but seeing how weak he is I assume he did not have the strength to break the
connection between them on his own. Gauging from what you told me I dare say it was only broken with the creature's death.
But he was forced to experience it all, to feel what it felt, to live through its death as the fire consumed it.'
They stared at him in open shock. Gimli tried to imagine it, the feel of fire licking on his skin, the pain of burning and a shudder
went through him as his mind recoiled from the image.
'How can someone go through this without losing his mind?' he whispered hardly realizing he spoke his thoughts. Gandalf's soft
answer made his head jerk around and agony filled his heart.
'This is what I fear, my friend. For if they were connected until the end, if Legolas truly experienced its death than I can not say if
his mind has been strong enough to survive this. Not after the torment he had already gone through. '
'And what if not?' Gimli's voice was almost too soft to be heard and it took a few heartbeats until an answer came.
'I know not. If his mind has shattered than I doubt he will ever wake again. And even if he did I fear he would no longer be the
one you knew.'
The dwarf's eyes closed in pain at that thought and he could feel the burning sensation in them that spoke of tears starting to
form. But mustering all his will he fought them back.
'It need not be like this.' He spoke quietly. 'We know not of what did transpire. He might regain his strength and wake again.'
'Truly, we know not and will only learn more if he wakes.' Gandalf answered but the look in his eyes told more than his words.
Aragorn had silently listened and watched and only now did he raise his voice.
'is there naught we can do, Gandalf?'
The Istari shook his head.
'If he is to recover than he will do so on his own. It may take some time until his mind calms from what was done to him and the
wounds inflicted can heal. What Gimli did was the right thing, to take him out of the caves and bring him here into surroundings
where he would feel save. I would not know of anything else we can do.'
He rose after this words and moved away, directing his steps towards the entrance to the caves. Gloin followed him and they left
behind a group of deeply concerned people.
Any hopes that Gimli had held upon hearing the soft heartbeat of the elf, signaling Legolas still lived had dimmed considerably.
Even if he should live through this and wake up despite the doubts Gandalf seemed to have there was no knowing if he would
still be Legolas.
But he resumed his silent watch, even as his friends left to be greeted as the guest of high rank they were. Aragorn returned first
and took a seat next to the dwarf.
They spoke not for no words were needed here.
The night had grown late when Gimli raised his head to look at the sky above. With surprise he noticed the clouds had
disappeared and the stars were glowing softly in the perfect blackness of the sky. For a short moment it filled him with a strange
feeling of peace as he sat and looked at them shining down on the elf that loved them so much.