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Everlasting Road: ch. 5
Legolas was awakened by something. He and Gimli had fallen asleep after their conversation. Legolas had no idea of the time for the fire had long since gone out and the small hole in the ceiling did not reveal the stages of the moon. Legolas lay still and listened, there was the same sound again, that of many scuffling feet, in the same chasm they themselves had used to come to the chamber. Legolas closed his eyes with sudden weariness, it could only mean one thing.
Gently, so as not to alarm Gimli, Legolas crept to him and shook his arm. He then whispered in his ear, "The enemy will soon be upon us friend. You must remember a different way out and lead us to it, as I am virtually blind in a place I do not know. Quickly now, but quietly, we have time, but not much."
Gimli bolted to his feet as soon as Legolas withdrew his hand. He could not see his friend or anything around him, but it did not matter. He knew this place better than anybody. Frantically, Gimli tried to remember an alternate route out of the chamber. He did not know of any that would take them swiftly out of the caves, all the passages he knew of led deeper into the cave. He stood still with indecision.
Legolas could barely make out the still form of Gimli, he was not moving. "Make your decision quickly, they are coming swiftly."
Gimli still stood, then said desperately, "I cannot remember the best way without being able to see the paths before me."
Legolas made a quick decision and grabbed a small piece of wood from their dead fire. He relit it, and even the small flame was enough to throw harsh light throughout the entire chamber. Legolas could hear the goblins screech aloud in surprise and quicken their pace when they saw light emanating at the end of the tunnel.
Gimli glanced around, then made his decision and dashed for the furthest door on the left. Legolas followed silently behind him. They reached the door, closed it, and then Gimli bolted it in hopes that it would at least slow the goblins. They then turned and started down another dark chasm that looked a lot like the ones before. They had gone no more than thirty feet when Legolas heard the goblins enter the great chamber room. They stopped and screeched and yelled at each other. They knew that there had been something in the chamber. Even Gimli could hear them now and he started off again at a much greater pace.
After running for some time, Gimli and Legolas finally slowed to a walk. The rest was for Gimli, not Legolas. Plus, Legolas could hear no more from the goblin pursuit. Apparently, they had not known which door to go through. Gimli made a turn to the right, and the smell of goblin hit Legolas once more. They were approaching where they had entered the cave, where goblins were. The scent was different than last time, it was obviously fresh. The goblins must have come inside the cave after they already had. Legolas had a sudden thought for Liria, she had been left at the entrance to the cave. Legolas pushed down the panic he felt and demanded sensibility. Liria never stayed in one place long enough, she always wandered. Likely, she had done so and would come back when she thought they would come out. Legolas breathed a small sigh of relief.
Gimli started to pick up the pace again. He knew they were nearing the entrance and wanted to get out, for the first time he would feel safer outside of a cave. Gimli rounded the last corner that would then lead them straight out, and stopped in disbelief. A pile of rocks stood in the chasm, blocking the way. Legolas stepped next to Gimli, looking at the rocks. He could smell goblin on them, an obvious trap.
"We have to get away from here, it's a trap, they will be here soon." Even as he spoke, he heard the scuffle of feet. The goblins had gone a different way than they, knowing that they would eventually meet the block.
"Is there another way?" Legolas asked Gimli as Gimli made no move to turn a different way.
Gimli swallowed, "I don't know. I always used this way." He turned to face Legolas full on, "I am sorry Master Elf, I did not know."
Legolas did not like the sound of this. The goblins were winding their way down an alternate chasm, they probably had time before they were reached. Legolas reached over and started to remove the rocks by force. Gimli quickly began to help and used his axe on the rocks. Master craftsman of rock or not, it didn't matter and both hewed away at the rocks, desperate for a sufficient opening. They almost had an opening big enough for them to slip through when the first goblin rounded the corner and came charging at them, brandishing his crude weapon high in the air. Legolas dropped a rock in his hands and grabbed his bow and arrow and sent it to the goblin, it fell over dead. It's screams were stopped, but it had alerted the rest of the goblins. Legolas stood ready with his bow and arrow while Gimli continued with the rocks.
Liria continued to pace near the entrance. Night had fallen, but she could not rest, or even walk away. Every time she sat down, anxiety drove her to her feet again so that she had to keep moving constantly. She looked at the sky and wagered that there were maybe five more hours until the sun came up, then Legolas should return from the wretched hell-hole she was sure he must be in.
Liria stopped her pacing suddenly. She heard the sounds of a large group moving towards her. She was upwind, however, and could not smell what the group was composed of. Yet she did not like the idea of waiting around in the open until it was too late to see who it was, so she leapt up onto the mountain and ran up onto a small ledge about thirty feet above the cave's entrance. Then she lay flat on her stomach and waited to see what would come around the corner.
The smell finally hit her before she saw them, goblins. A large group of them, marching towards her. They came to the mountain and seemed to hesitate. Liria tried to blend in with the rock before realizing that her concern was not for herself. The goblins stood in front of the entrance to the cave. They spoke to each other in a harsh tongue that she could not understand, and then turned to the entrance and started filing in.
Liria's breath drew in sharply. They would find Legolas and Gimli, and unless there was another way out, they would be trapped. Liria half- crouched, wanting to stop them, but knowing she was unable to take on such a force single-handedly. Even if she shot them from where she was, she wouldn't get all of them and would only alert the rest to her presence. When all of them had gone into the cave, Liria stood and jumped down from the ledge. She landed hard and in a crouch. Slowly, she stood up, but still could not make herself go into the dreaded cave. She trembled with indecision and fear. Finally, Liria took a deep breath, shook her head as if to clear it, and with an arrow fitted to her bow, advanced into the cave.
She was met with darkness. The only thing she could use to navigate was the sounds of the goblins before her. Having no other choice, Liria swiftly and silently followed them. She was led through miles of passage at a brisk pace to keep up with the goblins while hanging back at the same time so as not to be seen, but she was not tired, and was running on apprehension of what might happen if they found Legolas and Gimli. It did not occur to her that they might not even find them and then she would be alone and lost in the miles of dark chasms. She simply had a feeling that they would all meet up eventually.
Just as Liria was beginning to think that perhaps the goblins had gone a different way from Legolas and Gimli and that she should turn back now to try and find her way back, she saw a light at the far end of a very long tunnel. The goblins saw it too and started to screech and shout at each other. Liria's pulse quickened, she knew who had to have made the light. The light went out again, but the goblins continued, going even faster. Liria still followed.
Everlasting Road: ch. 5
Legolas was awakened by something. He and Gimli had fallen asleep after their conversation. Legolas had no idea of the time for the fire had long since gone out and the small hole in the ceiling did not reveal the stages of the moon. Legolas lay still and listened, there was the same sound again, that of many scuffling feet, in the same chasm they themselves had used to come to the chamber. Legolas closed his eyes with sudden weariness, it could only mean one thing.
Gently, so as not to alarm Gimli, Legolas crept to him and shook his arm. He then whispered in his ear, "The enemy will soon be upon us friend. You must remember a different way out and lead us to it, as I am virtually blind in a place I do not know. Quickly now, but quietly, we have time, but not much."
Gimli bolted to his feet as soon as Legolas withdrew his hand. He could not see his friend or anything around him, but it did not matter. He knew this place better than anybody. Frantically, Gimli tried to remember an alternate route out of the chamber. He did not know of any that would take them swiftly out of the caves, all the passages he knew of led deeper into the cave. He stood still with indecision.
Legolas could barely make out the still form of Gimli, he was not moving. "Make your decision quickly, they are coming swiftly."
Gimli still stood, then said desperately, "I cannot remember the best way without being able to see the paths before me."
Legolas made a quick decision and grabbed a small piece of wood from their dead fire. He relit it, and even the small flame was enough to throw harsh light throughout the entire chamber. Legolas could hear the goblins screech aloud in surprise and quicken their pace when they saw light emanating at the end of the tunnel.
Gimli glanced around, then made his decision and dashed for the furthest door on the left. Legolas followed silently behind him. They reached the door, closed it, and then Gimli bolted it in hopes that it would at least slow the goblins. They then turned and started down another dark chasm that looked a lot like the ones before. They had gone no more than thirty feet when Legolas heard the goblins enter the great chamber room. They stopped and screeched and yelled at each other. They knew that there had been something in the chamber. Even Gimli could hear them now and he started off again at a much greater pace.
After running for some time, Gimli and Legolas finally slowed to a walk. The rest was for Gimli, not Legolas. Plus, Legolas could hear no more from the goblin pursuit. Apparently, they had not known which door to go through. Gimli made a turn to the right, and the smell of goblin hit Legolas once more. They were approaching where they had entered the cave, where goblins were. The scent was different than last time, it was obviously fresh. The goblins must have come inside the cave after they already had. Legolas had a sudden thought for Liria, she had been left at the entrance to the cave. Legolas pushed down the panic he felt and demanded sensibility. Liria never stayed in one place long enough, she always wandered. Likely, she had done so and would come back when she thought they would come out. Legolas breathed a small sigh of relief.
Gimli started to pick up the pace again. He knew they were nearing the entrance and wanted to get out, for the first time he would feel safer outside of a cave. Gimli rounded the last corner that would then lead them straight out, and stopped in disbelief. A pile of rocks stood in the chasm, blocking the way. Legolas stepped next to Gimli, looking at the rocks. He could smell goblin on them, an obvious trap.
"We have to get away from here, it's a trap, they will be here soon." Even as he spoke, he heard the scuffle of feet. The goblins had gone a different way than they, knowing that they would eventually meet the block.
"Is there another way?" Legolas asked Gimli as Gimli made no move to turn a different way.
Gimli swallowed, "I don't know. I always used this way." He turned to face Legolas full on, "I am sorry Master Elf, I did not know."
Legolas did not like the sound of this. The goblins were winding their way down an alternate chasm, they probably had time before they were reached. Legolas reached over and started to remove the rocks by force. Gimli quickly began to help and used his axe on the rocks. Master craftsman of rock or not, it didn't matter and both hewed away at the rocks, desperate for a sufficient opening. They almost had an opening big enough for them to slip through when the first goblin rounded the corner and came charging at them, brandishing his crude weapon high in the air. Legolas dropped a rock in his hands and grabbed his bow and arrow and sent it to the goblin, it fell over dead. It's screams were stopped, but it had alerted the rest of the goblins. Legolas stood ready with his bow and arrow while Gimli continued with the rocks.
Liria continued to pace near the entrance. Night had fallen, but she could not rest, or even walk away. Every time she sat down, anxiety drove her to her feet again so that she had to keep moving constantly. She looked at the sky and wagered that there were maybe five more hours until the sun came up, then Legolas should return from the wretched hell-hole she was sure he must be in.
Liria stopped her pacing suddenly. She heard the sounds of a large group moving towards her. She was upwind, however, and could not smell what the group was composed of. Yet she did not like the idea of waiting around in the open until it was too late to see who it was, so she leapt up onto the mountain and ran up onto a small ledge about thirty feet above the cave's entrance. Then she lay flat on her stomach and waited to see what would come around the corner.
The smell finally hit her before she saw them, goblins. A large group of them, marching towards her. They came to the mountain and seemed to hesitate. Liria tried to blend in with the rock before realizing that her concern was not for herself. The goblins stood in front of the entrance to the cave. They spoke to each other in a harsh tongue that she could not understand, and then turned to the entrance and started filing in.
Liria's breath drew in sharply. They would find Legolas and Gimli, and unless there was another way out, they would be trapped. Liria half- crouched, wanting to stop them, but knowing she was unable to take on such a force single-handedly. Even if she shot them from where she was, she wouldn't get all of them and would only alert the rest to her presence. When all of them had gone into the cave, Liria stood and jumped down from the ledge. She landed hard and in a crouch. Slowly, she stood up, but still could not make herself go into the dreaded cave. She trembled with indecision and fear. Finally, Liria took a deep breath, shook her head as if to clear it, and with an arrow fitted to her bow, advanced into the cave.
She was met with darkness. The only thing she could use to navigate was the sounds of the goblins before her. Having no other choice, Liria swiftly and silently followed them. She was led through miles of passage at a brisk pace to keep up with the goblins while hanging back at the same time so as not to be seen, but she was not tired, and was running on apprehension of what might happen if they found Legolas and Gimli. It did not occur to her that they might not even find them and then she would be alone and lost in the miles of dark chasms. She simply had a feeling that they would all meet up eventually.
Just as Liria was beginning to think that perhaps the goblins had gone a different way from Legolas and Gimli and that she should turn back now to try and find her way back, she saw a light at the far end of a very long tunnel. The goblins saw it too and started to screech and shout at each other. Liria's pulse quickened, she knew who had to have made the light. The light went out again, but the goblins continued, going even faster. Liria still followed.