Author's Note: To answer the question I've received from many, no, this is not a sequel to The Dying of the Light and as of right now a sequel is not in the works, however I'm not saying I wont write one in the future.

Chapter 2: Into the Breach

A fire raged, hot and unforgiving it tore through woods of dark beauty.  Trees, which had stood since time began fell to the flames advances.  There was no stopping them, for they contained an evil, which consumed all.

Mirkwood was falling, nothing could stop that now and all that resided there was dead or dying.

Aragorn paced around the door where the Elven woman recovered.  She had passed out and not moved since.  There were so many questions on his mind he could not think straight.  Only his honor prevented him from running in there and shaking her until she gave up her secrets. 

Elrond appeared in the doorway, quietly shutting the door behind him and leaving down the hall. Aragorn quickly followed.  They exited into a main square where the others waited for news.

"She should be out soon. She has awakened from her slumber and wishes to address all of you as soon as possible." He had not even received a response from the others when the woman appeared in the courtyard. She was dressed in the robes of Rivendell, for the clothes she wore upon her arrival were too dirty to remain in.

"I am Princess Shiara of Mirkwood and I bring word of the evil which had befallen my land." The others looked her over, she looked a great deal like Legolas.  He had mentioned his sister once or twice, that her beauty was well known in his land and everyone saw why.  Gimli took a step forward.

"Where is Legolas?"

Shiara gave a pained look to Elrond.

"My Lord, I last saw my brother on the boarders of our realm.  The evil was quickly approaching and we knew that Arod would not be able to outrun this evil unaided.  Legolas turned and told me to ride and not look back.  He then turned to face the enemy alone.  I did as he told me and did not look back." Tears began to streak down her face.

"I left him. I cannot believe I left him to certain death.  He told me not to look back."

Gimli's face fell.  Could it be possible that his friend was killed by this evil. Aragorn would not believe it, the Elf had to survive, however he might have only a small time left.  They must save him from this fate.

Aragorn stood firm, "We must go to Mirkwood to save him."

Elrond looked at Aragorn with a thousand questions plaguing his mind. One of them screamed out at him, and as much as it hurt him to say it, it needed to be said.

"He sacrificed himself to get her out, to save as many as could be saved.  Do you honestly think he would want you running back into the flames to save him after he gave so much to make sure no more were trapped?"

Aragorn knew the wise Elf's words rang of truth, however he owed more to Legolas than to just leave him to a torturous fate.

"I will go alone and try to discover what had happened to our friend. After all he did for us, we owe him that much. I own him that much." His friendship with the Elf Prince had grown considerably over the time they were together and he had a great deal of respect for him.  He would not abandon that now because the odds were terrible.

"Oh no you don't!" Cried Gimli. "I shall go with you, you will need me to watch your back, Aragorn. Also, that Elf is going to get a good lecture when I find him about the disadvantages of being a stupid, noble Elf."

The wise Elf knew nothing would prevent either warrior from going once they had made up their minds.

"Very well. You shall go and discover where these new enemies originated from and what their intentions are. Hopefully, you will also find Legolas and bring him back into the light." Elrond turned to the Hobbits.

"This journey shall be too dangerous for you.  They must also move very swiftly, so you shall remain here my friends."

The trio was not too interested in missing out on solving this mystery, but they knew Legolas would have a much better chance if the party were able to move much more swiftly.

"We understand." Frodo turned to the Man and the Dwarf. "Good luck to you both and give Legolas our regards when you see him."

Aragorn smiled at the Hobbit's optimism.

"We will, young Frodo. You shall see us, and him, soon."

Later that afternoon when the sun shone high in the Rivendell sky, the duo set out on their journey.  They move swiftly by ground, hoping that traveling without horses would make their presence less obvious on the roads leading to Mirkwood.  Their road was not easy and one of them was awake throughout their journey.  Sounds were all over, of creatures and things crawling in the shadows of Middle Earth.

It was many days of journeying and hiding before the closed in on their destination.  When they finally climbed up where there was a view of their friend's future kingdom, their shock nearly knocked them to the ground. 

Mirkwood lay in ash and flame.  Trees which once stood tall and powerful were now laid to ruin, scattered like dust on the wind.  There was nothing but a field of black, gray, and despair.  All green was wiped away, replaced by a scene too terrible to describe. 

"This cannot be." Aragorn stood aghast.  "This cannot be an Elvish wood."

Gimli thought everything lost. He almost wanted to turn around and head back to Rivendell and report everything in Mirkwood vanquished, but remembered his mission.

"We much search for Legolas."

Aragorn agreed, for if their friend was indeed alive in this land of death, he would be in great need of helping.  For the king knew of another way their Elf friend could be stripped of life. 

If the despair from seeing what happened to his home grasped him fully, the Elf would quickly fall into grief, and it is grief that can kill an Elf as quickly as steel.

They searched for hours, which to them seemed like days.  Every moment they saw more horror as they encountered death everywhere.  The beautiful Elvish society there was lay to waste, their structures destroyed and many of the Elves themselves killed.  They knew that every moment they didn't find him, the less likely he was to be alive. 

The palace itself was completely obliterated, and they agreed not to search it, for if he had been there he would most certainly be dead.

Despair crept into Gimli, "We cannot find him.  He could be right next to us and we wouldn't see him, for all is blackness. What type of Ork could destroy Elves so easily?"

"I do not know, but we should continue as long as there is light left, for he may be in worse peril."

"Worse peril?"

"Yes, friend Dwarf. He might be under torture by these hideous beings."

Gimli quieted and continued with Aragorn. 

Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, they heard noises.  Off in the distance among stumps of ash there were definitely beings alive.  Were they Elves, Orks, searchers like themselves?

The pair readied their weapons and crept up upon the origin of the sounds.  A crow cawed and flew off into the distance as they neared their target.

What was it that could live in this sea of death? What yet remained in the charred ashes of Mirkwood.  Was this finally the answer to the questions that stayed in their minds for the entire journey? The being came into view among the wreckage and spotted the travelers.

No one moved.