Declaimer: No I don't own LOTR (oh why can't I?) And I don't own The Tempest
Anra
By Sailor Book
This author is feeling review deprived! And this chapter will probably be one of the most important ones in the whole story! *sniff* *sob* If I get enough reviews, I'll write a sequel! ;)
Chapter Five: Beginnings
"Somehow I managed to persuade the Elvin smiths to make it longer." Bilbo handed the newly lengthened Sting to John. "It glows blue when Orcs are about. Now, here's a pretty thing." He held up the Moria-silver. True silver. "Mithril. As hard as dragon scales and as light as a feather. Let me see you put it on…"
Henry sighed. The Fellowship had left Rivendale just this morning, but in the dark gloom of night, the Last Friendly House seemed a million miles away. He wanted something, but he didn't know what. A vague memory of campfires and ghost stories hovered in the back of his mind. A story! That was it! As if Gandalf had read his mind, the wizard turned to Elise and asked,
"May we hear the story of the four warriors who protected Middle Earth from the Great Evil? Only the wisest can find fragmented myths of your powerful story." Elise nodded.
"It is a sad tale; full of hope, love, despair, and death. I will tell it if you will listen." The Fellowship was silent. All eyes were upon her…
(Author's note: Anything in parenthesis is a memory, and not part of what the Fellowship gets to hear. ;) The ** are just a vague memory of Elise's coming into play. And ^^ are not a memory, but is still the past.)
"In the beginning there was nothing. No worlds, no suns, no stars, moon, light. There was not even darkness, for that is something. Then, a spirit was created. Whether by accident or no, there was something now to dance among the nothingness. (Curled in a ball, I slowly unfurl. I'm alive! I'm awake! Existence is beautiful! Let me frolic, let me gambol!) And for a time the spirit was happy. One would think that the four spirits who would become Middle Earth's protection would come in the order their elements were created. But it was not so. For in the beginning the spirits were bound by nothing. No shape or duty held them bound. But soon, it became sad, for there was no one with whom to share life's journeys. (So lonely… So, so lonely… I wish for…) But it did not know the meaning of the word friend, having none. Whether it waited only a trillionth of a second, or whether it waited hundreds of billions of years no one can say. But at last, it witnessed creation. Stars, planets, came into being. (Beautiful…) Wistfully it watched with awe, hoping, yet not daring to hope, for a companion. ('Hello! Who are you?' I watch the other spirit dance about me, laughing.) And then, as it looked at the light and dark, another spirit was created. ('Will you be my friend?' 'What is… friend?') And so the first spirit learned the meaning of the word 'friend.'
"The two wandered around the new universe, looking for more of their kind. At last, they came upon a world where liquid water formed. And there they met the third spirit, who rose from the water, and came to greet them. ('My, your handsome! I mean, you don't have a shape, but if you did I bet you would be!' My friend said. I looked at the other spirit then back to it, noticing how they were looking at each other. What is this new feeling? 'What's wrong? You look so… jealous.' Jealous… Yes, that is the word.) It fell in love with the second spirit, and they went off together a great deal, leaving the first spirit alone. Again. (Where are they? I'm so lonely… *Shiver* Don't leave me alone! Alone… Alone… Alone…) They spent billions of years on the world of liquid water and witnessed Life. With Life came the fourth spirit. The youngest spirit. And the first spirit was lonely no more. ('I'll never leave you alone. Ever! I promise.') But with Life came the Great Evil whom Sauron now serves. The spirits defeated It, for It was young and weak. And so life was allowed to flourish for many, many years.
"But they did not defeat It completely. They wandered the earth, changing shape at will, when the first Man was born. After that, the spirits liked to stay in that shape a great deal, white robes and white wreaths they adorned. (Laughter. Twirling. Dancing in his arms. 'Dance with me!') As the three races multiplied they decided to create nineteen rings of power, but Sauron created one on secret:
"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
"With the making of Sauron's Ring the Great Evil once more grew strong. The four knew that to stop Sauron from spreading Mordor's Shadow they would have to defeat the Great one. They also knew that their meager spirit powers would be no match for their enemy. What they didn't know was that the powers they would try to harness will only make them more powerful as time goes on. ('It's come back. What will we do?' my friend shivered in her human form, a petal from her wreath falling slowly to the ground. Our council of war. 'We must gain more powers.' 'What do you mean?' My friend's lover asked me warily. 'We must learn to harness our favorite elements. Only then can we have enough power to defeat It.' 'It's too dangerous!' He replied, venomously. 'We must take the risk.' 'I agree.' My heart warms toward my love. My love. 'I too.' My friend said timidly. 'You are all fools!') So at the urging of the first spirit they bound themselves to each one's favorite element, taking their names from the elements. (We are in a circle. My flowers and robe are changing into purple as I concentrate on making my sword and ring. The other's robes and flowers are changing too. I am Anra. I am Water. I choose to be Water.) Immediately they attempted to defeat their nemesis. But because they were new to their powers they knew nothing. I myself know now more than more Anra did one billion years ago. And so they failed. They lost their powers and became mortal. ( 'It's all your fault! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be stuck in this situation!' Pyroto glares at me as he hugs a weeping Terem. No! Not my fault! Please, don't let it be my fault! All your fault… No!) ('We're mortal now, Anra.' Aniron rocks my sobbing body. 'I know.' Tears trickle down his face as his chin rests upon my head. 'We will be stuck in this shape forever.' Forever… Forever… Forever… 'Don't say that!' 'But it's true.' He says gently. Forever… Forever… Forever…) And yet, being resilient creatures, the now mortals tried to forget their sorrow. One of the good things in life that they were unable to have as immortals they attempted: the creation of life. ('What will we name him?' 'Or her!' I look reproachfully at my husband. 'I would rather have a girl. Just like a man!' 'Has Terem and Pyroto thought of any good names for their child yet? Our children shouldn't have the same names!')
"One sunny day the four decided to climb and look at the view over a cliff whose bottom was the sea and picnic there. Terem and Anra were early in their pregnancies, so such an excursion was possible. After lunch they decided to play a game of back to the base tag/hide-and-go-seek. And that is where the fatal error occurred. For the Evil one does not forget or forgive easily. (I hid. I giggle, hoping Aniron won't find me so soon, for I am actually several yards away from cliff edge. I peek from behind the rock. I can not see the others, but there is Aniron. He's finished counting so soon. He must have cheated! I see a darting figure in purple… But… I'm here… Not there… Oh no! He's seen her, I mean me, Er… They laugh and he chases her. She's going toward the cliff edge! Fool! She's fall over! I'm running, but I will be too late… My double turns. I can see her eyes are not glowing violet, like mine. They're all black. My soul sees Aniron's horrified face. 'You're not Anra!' 'Hehehe…' She pushes… 'Annniiirrrooonnnn!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!' My anguished wail brings the other two out… Almost there… Try to grab his hand… Too far… Falling… 'Anra! Don't!' He calls as our arms stretch toward each other… Closer… Almost touching… Touching… *SPLASH* I stare into your beautiful dead eyes. Aniron, I love you… I love you… Why did you have to die first? You promised me that you would never leave me alone… So lonely… DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE! Please, let me turn back the clock. Give me my powers just this once more. Tears mingling with the water. So we can have a second chance. Water fills my lungs. Good bye, the only one I will ever truly love… Ever truly love… One last kiss… Turn back time… Don't leave me alone…) ^ 'Anra!' Terem sank to her knees. Pyroto placed himself in front of her, protecting her from the Great Evil. It laughed at his puny defense, and he too sank to the ground, pierced by an invisible arrow. 'Pyroto!' Terem shrieked. She too followed him into death, wrapped in the arms of her love.^*She did confine thee…Into a cloven pine, within which rift/Imprisoned thou didst painfully remain…*"
"And so one by one they died." Tina took up the narrative as Elise lapsed into silence. "But Anra's last prayer was heard. And the four Rings of elemental power were sent somewhere, but that I do not know." It was Henry's turn.
"They were all given a second chance. All would have to be stabbed in the heart to Awaken, for if hurt anywhere else they would die." Elise stared into the fire and spoke as if from a long way away.
"Right now I am an Apprentice, practically useless, except for my immortality. But my knowledge will grow. Once I become a Master I will regain all the power I possessed as a spirit. Only Pyroto will be able to kill me." She shivered. Embrace of Fire… "If none of the other's Awaken I will be left alone for the rest of the time and after. There will be no third chance." She stared into the flames, seeing them flicker in the night. She looked as if she wanted to will her fellow spirits back into life, a drop of water falling from eye down her cheek. Tina threw herself at Elise, embracing her as she sobbed, emotion over the story overcoming rational thoughts. "Oof! Tina!" Elise said in a more normal, but strangled, voice. "Can berth! Ger oof! (I can't breathe! Get off!" John, who had remained silent, wished that he too could try to comfort her.
"However did you know what to say after Elise stopped talking?" He asked Henry. The latter shrugged, uncomfortable. The story had made John feel uncomfortable too, like déjà vu. He felt as if he knew that story, just from a different perspective. Oh well. All's well that ends well… But it hadn't ended well… Yet. And as John lay down to sleep that night he promised himself that he would help Elise search for Terem, Pyroto, and especially… Aniron…
To be continued in Chapter 6. Hey what did ya think? Cool or what?
Anra
By Sailor Book
This author is feeling review deprived! And this chapter will probably be one of the most important ones in the whole story! *sniff* *sob* If I get enough reviews, I'll write a sequel! ;)
Chapter Five: Beginnings
"Somehow I managed to persuade the Elvin smiths to make it longer." Bilbo handed the newly lengthened Sting to John. "It glows blue when Orcs are about. Now, here's a pretty thing." He held up the Moria-silver. True silver. "Mithril. As hard as dragon scales and as light as a feather. Let me see you put it on…"
Henry sighed. The Fellowship had left Rivendale just this morning, but in the dark gloom of night, the Last Friendly House seemed a million miles away. He wanted something, but he didn't know what. A vague memory of campfires and ghost stories hovered in the back of his mind. A story! That was it! As if Gandalf had read his mind, the wizard turned to Elise and asked,
"May we hear the story of the four warriors who protected Middle Earth from the Great Evil? Only the wisest can find fragmented myths of your powerful story." Elise nodded.
"It is a sad tale; full of hope, love, despair, and death. I will tell it if you will listen." The Fellowship was silent. All eyes were upon her…
(Author's note: Anything in parenthesis is a memory, and not part of what the Fellowship gets to hear. ;) The ** are just a vague memory of Elise's coming into play. And ^^ are not a memory, but is still the past.)
"In the beginning there was nothing. No worlds, no suns, no stars, moon, light. There was not even darkness, for that is something. Then, a spirit was created. Whether by accident or no, there was something now to dance among the nothingness. (Curled in a ball, I slowly unfurl. I'm alive! I'm awake! Existence is beautiful! Let me frolic, let me gambol!) And for a time the spirit was happy. One would think that the four spirits who would become Middle Earth's protection would come in the order their elements were created. But it was not so. For in the beginning the spirits were bound by nothing. No shape or duty held them bound. But soon, it became sad, for there was no one with whom to share life's journeys. (So lonely… So, so lonely… I wish for…) But it did not know the meaning of the word friend, having none. Whether it waited only a trillionth of a second, or whether it waited hundreds of billions of years no one can say. But at last, it witnessed creation. Stars, planets, came into being. (Beautiful…) Wistfully it watched with awe, hoping, yet not daring to hope, for a companion. ('Hello! Who are you?' I watch the other spirit dance about me, laughing.) And then, as it looked at the light and dark, another spirit was created. ('Will you be my friend?' 'What is… friend?') And so the first spirit learned the meaning of the word 'friend.'
"The two wandered around the new universe, looking for more of their kind. At last, they came upon a world where liquid water formed. And there they met the third spirit, who rose from the water, and came to greet them. ('My, your handsome! I mean, you don't have a shape, but if you did I bet you would be!' My friend said. I looked at the other spirit then back to it, noticing how they were looking at each other. What is this new feeling? 'What's wrong? You look so… jealous.' Jealous… Yes, that is the word.) It fell in love with the second spirit, and they went off together a great deal, leaving the first spirit alone. Again. (Where are they? I'm so lonely… *Shiver* Don't leave me alone! Alone… Alone… Alone…) They spent billions of years on the world of liquid water and witnessed Life. With Life came the fourth spirit. The youngest spirit. And the first spirit was lonely no more. ('I'll never leave you alone. Ever! I promise.') But with Life came the Great Evil whom Sauron now serves. The spirits defeated It, for It was young and weak. And so life was allowed to flourish for many, many years.
"But they did not defeat It completely. They wandered the earth, changing shape at will, when the first Man was born. After that, the spirits liked to stay in that shape a great deal, white robes and white wreaths they adorned. (Laughter. Twirling. Dancing in his arms. 'Dance with me!') As the three races multiplied they decided to create nineteen rings of power, but Sauron created one on secret:
"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
"With the making of Sauron's Ring the Great Evil once more grew strong. The four knew that to stop Sauron from spreading Mordor's Shadow they would have to defeat the Great one. They also knew that their meager spirit powers would be no match for their enemy. What they didn't know was that the powers they would try to harness will only make them more powerful as time goes on. ('It's come back. What will we do?' my friend shivered in her human form, a petal from her wreath falling slowly to the ground. Our council of war. 'We must gain more powers.' 'What do you mean?' My friend's lover asked me warily. 'We must learn to harness our favorite elements. Only then can we have enough power to defeat It.' 'It's too dangerous!' He replied, venomously. 'We must take the risk.' 'I agree.' My heart warms toward my love. My love. 'I too.' My friend said timidly. 'You are all fools!') So at the urging of the first spirit they bound themselves to each one's favorite element, taking their names from the elements. (We are in a circle. My flowers and robe are changing into purple as I concentrate on making my sword and ring. The other's robes and flowers are changing too. I am Anra. I am Water. I choose to be Water.) Immediately they attempted to defeat their nemesis. But because they were new to their powers they knew nothing. I myself know now more than more Anra did one billion years ago. And so they failed. They lost their powers and became mortal. ( 'It's all your fault! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be stuck in this situation!' Pyroto glares at me as he hugs a weeping Terem. No! Not my fault! Please, don't let it be my fault! All your fault… No!) ('We're mortal now, Anra.' Aniron rocks my sobbing body. 'I know.' Tears trickle down his face as his chin rests upon my head. 'We will be stuck in this shape forever.' Forever… Forever… Forever… 'Don't say that!' 'But it's true.' He says gently. Forever… Forever… Forever…) And yet, being resilient creatures, the now mortals tried to forget their sorrow. One of the good things in life that they were unable to have as immortals they attempted: the creation of life. ('What will we name him?' 'Or her!' I look reproachfully at my husband. 'I would rather have a girl. Just like a man!' 'Has Terem and Pyroto thought of any good names for their child yet? Our children shouldn't have the same names!')
"One sunny day the four decided to climb and look at the view over a cliff whose bottom was the sea and picnic there. Terem and Anra were early in their pregnancies, so such an excursion was possible. After lunch they decided to play a game of back to the base tag/hide-and-go-seek. And that is where the fatal error occurred. For the Evil one does not forget or forgive easily. (I hid. I giggle, hoping Aniron won't find me so soon, for I am actually several yards away from cliff edge. I peek from behind the rock. I can not see the others, but there is Aniron. He's finished counting so soon. He must have cheated! I see a darting figure in purple… But… I'm here… Not there… Oh no! He's seen her, I mean me, Er… They laugh and he chases her. She's going toward the cliff edge! Fool! She's fall over! I'm running, but I will be too late… My double turns. I can see her eyes are not glowing violet, like mine. They're all black. My soul sees Aniron's horrified face. 'You're not Anra!' 'Hehehe…' She pushes… 'Annniiirrrooonnnn!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!' My anguished wail brings the other two out… Almost there… Try to grab his hand… Too far… Falling… 'Anra! Don't!' He calls as our arms stretch toward each other… Closer… Almost touching… Touching… *SPLASH* I stare into your beautiful dead eyes. Aniron, I love you… I love you… Why did you have to die first? You promised me that you would never leave me alone… So lonely… DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE! Please, let me turn back the clock. Give me my powers just this once more. Tears mingling with the water. So we can have a second chance. Water fills my lungs. Good bye, the only one I will ever truly love… Ever truly love… One last kiss… Turn back time… Don't leave me alone…) ^ 'Anra!' Terem sank to her knees. Pyroto placed himself in front of her, protecting her from the Great Evil. It laughed at his puny defense, and he too sank to the ground, pierced by an invisible arrow. 'Pyroto!' Terem shrieked. She too followed him into death, wrapped in the arms of her love.^*She did confine thee…Into a cloven pine, within which rift/Imprisoned thou didst painfully remain…*"
"And so one by one they died." Tina took up the narrative as Elise lapsed into silence. "But Anra's last prayer was heard. And the four Rings of elemental power were sent somewhere, but that I do not know." It was Henry's turn.
"They were all given a second chance. All would have to be stabbed in the heart to Awaken, for if hurt anywhere else they would die." Elise stared into the fire and spoke as if from a long way away.
"Right now I am an Apprentice, practically useless, except for my immortality. But my knowledge will grow. Once I become a Master I will regain all the power I possessed as a spirit. Only Pyroto will be able to kill me." She shivered. Embrace of Fire… "If none of the other's Awaken I will be left alone for the rest of the time and after. There will be no third chance." She stared into the flames, seeing them flicker in the night. She looked as if she wanted to will her fellow spirits back into life, a drop of water falling from eye down her cheek. Tina threw herself at Elise, embracing her as she sobbed, emotion over the story overcoming rational thoughts. "Oof! Tina!" Elise said in a more normal, but strangled, voice. "Can berth! Ger oof! (I can't breathe! Get off!" John, who had remained silent, wished that he too could try to comfort her.
"However did you know what to say after Elise stopped talking?" He asked Henry. The latter shrugged, uncomfortable. The story had made John feel uncomfortable too, like déjà vu. He felt as if he knew that story, just from a different perspective. Oh well. All's well that ends well… But it hadn't ended well… Yet. And as John lay down to sleep that night he promised himself that he would help Elise search for Terem, Pyroto, and especially… Aniron…
To be continued in Chapter 6. Hey what did ya think? Cool or what?