"You pick a fine time to come to my forest! My efforts to subdue the balrog are ending. He will arise, and you, child, have the mark on you. He can see it, and he can smell it, and he will come for you!"

Frodo snorted. "You talk doomsday-we-must-all-repent!"

Angela elbowed him so hard he fell down. "That's what I believe, now shut up!"

Frodo turned red. Now he'd insulted her religion.



"Your God isn't due to arrive for a few millennia, now is He?"

"How would you know? You never let me talk about it."

"I didn't think I'd be with you that long, besides the Christians were weird."

"My 'religion'(two fingers up to emphasize) started the day the world began. I believe God made the earth."

"Of course he did."

"Well then why don't you talk about faith, religion and other things?"

"Because you'd go on for hours upon hours, and there would be no break."



Adrian smiled, listening to them argue about the beginning of the world, but when they got to the controversial issue of Jesus Christ, he stopped them, saying, "These things do not yet apply to Frodo, young Angela. What does apply is that the Balrog will come after you, and this tree cannot shelter you for long."

Angela stared at her feet. "Truly, Master Yosef?"

"Yes, child. You need to prepare to fight it, not just cast it out. For, you cannot cast it but a few feet from yourself here. How one so protected as yourself came here is beyond me."

"I was sent here for a purpose, and I intend to carry it out."

"And you will. You will, but you need to learn to be more cautious, and control your temper when foul things draw near. The balrog you fought in middle earth was a mere child compared to the ones you will face here."



Adrian paused, letting his words sink in. "Ones" he had said. That meant more than one, and older than the one she had fought before.



"What must I do?"

"I do not have the answer, but you know perfectly well Who does."

Angela's head fell to her chest, and her knees bent. Adrian looked at her sadly, and turned to Frodo, suddenly fierce.

"If you allow her to come to harm, you shall not live to see the morn. She is in terrible peril, far greater than your small mind can grasp. Few Elves care to remember this dark world, except in tales. For many years, until they kill her, you will live in constant peril. You will sleep in peace in my woods, but unless an Elf Lord were to come to your aid, I doubt your mission will succeed."

"But Master Yosef, I know not our errand for which we come here."

"Do you not? You came for love, to see the one you missed. How much better you thought life would be with her. For some reason, the Higher Power has granted you one last chance to avoid the shadows and live happily. You may send one message to one Elvish Lord, if you wish. But I have but one opening, and you have but one chance. Quickly, tell me who you wish would come."

Frodo thought of Galadriel, Arwen, Elrond, Celeborn, and others, and then he thought of Legolas.

"Though he is not an Elvish Lord, I wish for Legolas Greenleaf to aid us."

Adrian smiled. "A wise choice. How you do not remember that he is prince of his tribe, I do not know."

Adrian strung an arrow on a large bow which was chained to the ground.

"I have summoned Legolas Greenleaf. If he comes, you may yet win this battle. If not, you will despair, and fall."

Frodo shivered, and Angela sighed. Frodo kneeled beside her, and stroked her cheek. "Fly quickly to us, Legolas. We are in great need."