The end of my little tale is rather close now. The 'summoning cards' last chapter were inspired by the cartoon/card series Yu-gi-oh! It's on KidsWB sometimes. Terrico's magic is restored by any source of natural energy. Storms, powerful rivers, etc. Mischief to lighten the mood. Terrico's not a morning person unless she can play a good joke. I am going to try to post the rest of the chapters tonight since I am going to the beach then moving to college! Legolas and Hanson wallpaper! Escape from annoying family! Very soon, extended DVD of FOTR! Did anyone else see Orli (or someone who looks just like him) in the very beginning? He shows up briefly between shots of the exploding Sauron (Yay!). It wasn't Legolas, though. He's 2,000 something and the battle was 3,000 years ago. I think he came from Thranduil's celebration. Also, did anyone else notice that Legolas has the wrong bow? In the beginning, he is supposed to have a Mirkwood bow, which would be different than that of an elf of Lothlorien. When he's surrounded by other archers in Lothlorien, all bows are the same. Later, he's gotten Galadriel's bow and it's different than the Lothlorien bows. I found that odd, but maybe I'm just crazy. Onward to the end!
Chapter 23Griften sat outside to stand guard. Aragorn and Arwen sat in the back. Legolas and Terrico sat near the front. Glya, Drito, and Sealeaf sat between the two couples, talking about anything and everything. Sealeaf was eager to learn about the family he never had, and Glya and Drito were very interested in his stories about the battles he'd seen and been in, the other dragons he'd met, and the hobbits. "Little people who live in holes in the ground? Are you sure they weren't runty dwarves?" Glya asked, recalling her brief meet with the dwarves when some of them had gone to Aragorn's castle. She had, of course, told them that if they told anyone of their encounter, she'd roast them and give them to a balrog as a peace offering. She hadn't meant it, but the threat kept the dwarves quiet. The storm rolled in, and the rain started. Griften had no problem with getting wet. Legolas and Terrico sat far enough in that they could stay dry and still watch the lightning through holes in the forest canopy. "What kind of spell did you use back there?" Legolas asked. "Summoning cards, they're a new kind of magic. They are very rare and can be hard to use." As the storm quieted an hour or so later, they weren't surprised to see Aragorn asleep in Arwen's lap. Aragorn was human, unable to be restored by the magic of the forest. Arwen was smiling down at him, playing with his hair. Legolas turned back to Terrico. "Maybe we'll be like that someday." Terrico smiled and leaned back into his arms. "You never sleep." She smiled and kissed him before he could make any sort of comeback. The storm had recharged her completely, so she could spend the rest of the night on more 'important' things, like showing Legolas just how much she loved him.
As morning dawned, Griften turned to wake Aragorn. Legolas and Terrico got up and stretched. Aragorn showed no signs of wanting to listen to his dragon. Terrico walked to the back of the cave. She looked at Arwen with a sly smile. Arwen nodded, and Terrico let her staff charge a tiny electric shock. She tapped the top of her staff to Aragorn's rear end, then laughed when he jumped up. He was mad, but understood that it was only a joke. "Be careful where you point that thing, Terrico. I do want to still be able to please Arwen." Terrico giggled as Arwen blushed. Sealeaf, Glya, and Drito got up and looked over in the direction of Aragorn's castle. They couldn't see any more smoke. "Do you think there are any more of those demon-dogs in the castle?" Sealeaf asked, wincing as he stretched his sore leg. "Probably, so you dragons should stay high up, the guard turrets perhaps. Be ready to take flight at any moment." The dragons nodded in agreement. Aragorn and Arwen got on Griften while Legolas and Terrico rode Sealeaf. Glya and Drito promised to help as best they could. The four dragons flew out of the woods and toward Aragorn's castle. There had been a large fire in the main courtyard, and Aragorn was enraged. Although the Tree there was unhurt, all of his prize horses had been killed, as well as his dogs and most of the servants. The Rebels had tied them to pillars and burned furniture around them. Aragorn saw Arwen's cats lying beneath the tall guard turrets, dropped from a height too high for them to survive. It was from these cats he had thought that Atten had been born, but he'd actually just been put there, and since no one had seen the birth, he was assumed to be part of the litter. Arwen, who sat behind him, cried at the sight. Her favorite mare, however, had broken free and run around the Rebels, escaping with Shadowfax and their youngest colt. The mare, named Sansia, was a gift from Rohan and was very friendly and spirited. The colt hadn't been named yet. The dragons each landed on a different turret, startling the guards and sending them running. The alarm bell rang and hundreds of Rebels ran onto the passages above the main court. The leader of the Rebels, named Dickens, stepped into the main courtyard and addressed the dragons, not seeing their riders. "Dear dragons, why have you come? Do you think that you can exact revenge for the deaths of the others? Do you work for Aragorn, perhaps? Sent by him to ravage us, no doubt. If you attack us, I'll set this tree he likes so much on fire. I am taking over Gondor and he can't stop me now!" He started laughing, and Arwen could hardly keep Aragorn from leaping off of Griften and attacking him. She saw that he had two swords on his belt. She saw Terrico silently slipping off of Sealeaf. Legolas remained hidden, but had notched an arrow. She herself had no weapons, and Aragorn only had a sword and Frodo's cloak. Terrico prepared a very special spell. She chanted quietly from her perch on the top of the turret. She waved her hand over the ruby on her staff and watched it start to glow. Soon it was crackling with energy she'd gathered in the storm. She stood up in front of Sealeaf. "If you're so strong, why don't you have the whole realm of Middle Earth under your thumb?" She gave him a look that practically yelled 'I think that I am way better than you'll ever be.' Dickens got mad, his face got red. "Do you think that you're more powerful than me? I'd like to see a weak woman, a concubine to the dragons, perhaps, do anything to hurt me!" Terrico laughed at his words. "I am no one's concubine! I am not a weak woman, either. I am an Elven Sorceress, and it is wise not to cross my ways." She threw her staff down at him, and it landed in front of him, sticking out of the ground inches from his feet. "You missed! You're as weak as the maids I…" The staff released its stored energy before he could finish. He and all of the other Rebels cried in pain as the energy from the staff shot from one to the next like lightning. Within a minute, they were all on their knees. "That's much better. It's about time you showed some respect to your superiors." Dickens got up despite his pain, and broke the spell on him. "I will never yield to you or anyone!" Terrico looked over at Aragorn. "Aragorn, I think that it is time you dispelled with this menace." Aragorn nodded and jumped off of Griften, carefully sliding down the roofs until he landed in front of Dickens. Terrico's staff stood between them. Terrico held out her hand and called to the staff. It shot out of the ground and flew to her hand. Legolas aimed his arrow at Dicken's heart. Arwen watched, worried. Dickens pulled out his two swords. He gave Aragorn a sly grin as Aragorn unsheathed his sword. The two exchanged beginning blows, but no one drew first blood. Terrico made sure all of the other Rebels were still under her power while Aragorn dealt with Dickens. The two circled neither wanting to strike and reveal an opening for attack.