As the light-natured banter went on into the night, the Makwraiths gathered at the edge of the forests, within sight of the Company. Their leader held up hand and faceless heads turned in its direction.
"The elf must go first." it said softly. "He is the only one who can see us. He must not be allowed the chance to speak our name."
The others, twelve in all, nodded silently, then pulled bows and quivers from beneath shapeless shadow-cloaks. A few pulled long daggers out instead.
"First the Elf, then the wizard, the Ranger, the Dwarf. The Hobbits will be easy to break. Remember our King's word: Do not return without killing them or bringing them back to him alive." the leader continued.
The shapes nodded again and their steeds shifted silently in place. The leader glanced at the Company, and a slight glint twinkled where its eyes would be. Then it dropped its hand and the Heilres leaped forward.
Where the Company rested, tired now and ready to doze, a wild wind blew. They leaped up, knowing that this was no ordinary windstorm. It was the Heilres, sweeping towards them.
Legolas notched an arrow to his bow in a smooth quick motion, his eyes seeing what the others did not.
"What magic is this?" Gimli asked.
"It is no magic," Legolas started, "These are - "
He got no further. Four black arrows and a dagger hit him almost simultaneously, knocking him off his feet. Legolas fell hard, managing to fire one arrow that struck high on a Makwraith's arm. The second the arrow struck, a flash of dark armor was seen and then the arrow faded into the creature.
"Legolas!" Sam shouted shrilly. The Elf lay on his back in the dust, his eyes closed. Two of the arrows had struck high on his chest, near his shoulder. One buried itself in his side. The last was protruding from his leg. The dagger sank deep into his stomach.
Gandalf knelt at the Elf's side. The others formed a ring around them, sensing the Makwraiths rather than seeing them. Aragorn struck out impulsively, his sword slashing across a Makwraith's midsection. The Dark creature let out a low grunt.
"How is the Elf?" Aragorn asked, not taking his eyes from the darkness.
Gandalf looked up. "I fear that Legolas is leaving us as I speak. I cannot save him."
"Gandalf, surely you can do something." Frodo burst out, his knife, Sting, held in front of him.
Just then, a Makwraith jumped off of his Heilres and landed in the center circle. He knocked the wizard facedown into the dirt and roughly grabbed Legolas, who was starting to stir, despite the fact that he was dying.
The others saw Legolas picked up by an invisible being and stood by uneasily, unsure of what to do. It was Gimli who charged forward and hacked at where he thought the creature was. He guessed right, slicing through the back of the Makwraith. The Makwraith jerked in surprise and almost dropped Legolas. He whistled silently to his Heilres, who charged forward, slamming into Gimli.
Legolas cried out weakly as the injured Makwraith tossed him on the back of his Heilres. The other Makwraiths started to shoot arrows at the rest of the Company. Dodging the arrows frantically, Frodo shouted out, "What are these things, Legolas?"
The Makwraith who had grabbed Legolas moved to knock him out, but Legolas whispered, almost inaudibly, "Makwraiths."
"The elf must go first." it said softly. "He is the only one who can see us. He must not be allowed the chance to speak our name."
The others, twelve in all, nodded silently, then pulled bows and quivers from beneath shapeless shadow-cloaks. A few pulled long daggers out instead.
"First the Elf, then the wizard, the Ranger, the Dwarf. The Hobbits will be easy to break. Remember our King's word: Do not return without killing them or bringing them back to him alive." the leader continued.
The shapes nodded again and their steeds shifted silently in place. The leader glanced at the Company, and a slight glint twinkled where its eyes would be. Then it dropped its hand and the Heilres leaped forward.
Where the Company rested, tired now and ready to doze, a wild wind blew. They leaped up, knowing that this was no ordinary windstorm. It was the Heilres, sweeping towards them.
Legolas notched an arrow to his bow in a smooth quick motion, his eyes seeing what the others did not.
"What magic is this?" Gimli asked.
"It is no magic," Legolas started, "These are - "
He got no further. Four black arrows and a dagger hit him almost simultaneously, knocking him off his feet. Legolas fell hard, managing to fire one arrow that struck high on a Makwraith's arm. The second the arrow struck, a flash of dark armor was seen and then the arrow faded into the creature.
"Legolas!" Sam shouted shrilly. The Elf lay on his back in the dust, his eyes closed. Two of the arrows had struck high on his chest, near his shoulder. One buried itself in his side. The last was protruding from his leg. The dagger sank deep into his stomach.
Gandalf knelt at the Elf's side. The others formed a ring around them, sensing the Makwraiths rather than seeing them. Aragorn struck out impulsively, his sword slashing across a Makwraith's midsection. The Dark creature let out a low grunt.
"How is the Elf?" Aragorn asked, not taking his eyes from the darkness.
Gandalf looked up. "I fear that Legolas is leaving us as I speak. I cannot save him."
"Gandalf, surely you can do something." Frodo burst out, his knife, Sting, held in front of him.
Just then, a Makwraith jumped off of his Heilres and landed in the center circle. He knocked the wizard facedown into the dirt and roughly grabbed Legolas, who was starting to stir, despite the fact that he was dying.
The others saw Legolas picked up by an invisible being and stood by uneasily, unsure of what to do. It was Gimli who charged forward and hacked at where he thought the creature was. He guessed right, slicing through the back of the Makwraith. The Makwraith jerked in surprise and almost dropped Legolas. He whistled silently to his Heilres, who charged forward, slamming into Gimli.
Legolas cried out weakly as the injured Makwraith tossed him on the back of his Heilres. The other Makwraiths started to shoot arrows at the rest of the Company. Dodging the arrows frantically, Frodo shouted out, "What are these things, Legolas?"
The Makwraith who had grabbed Legolas moved to knock him out, but Legolas whispered, almost inaudibly, "Makwraiths."
