Chapter 3
Fall Into Darkness: Light Snuffed Out
Kalan awoke slowly, his body aching all over; bruises marred his face, chest and thighs. It was light around, an airy feel. He was in a large bed…somewhat familiar. He blinked his eyes open and looked at his surroundings, he recognized them immediately. He was in Rivendell, the light elven city, and his home of sorts. Something moved to his left and he turned.
"Elrond…" he breathed. The elf lord nodded and smiled. He walked over to stand beside the bed, looking down at his young friend.
"How do you feel, young Kalan?" he asked, in that deep, melodic voice that never failed to soothe.
"Sore, but that's all," Kalan answered, then, "How did I get here?" he asked.
"My scouts found you with the orcs. They killed the creatures and brought you here. You have been unconscious for a long time, my friend," the elf said, with a serious look. Then he leaned down into Kalan looking directly into his eyes. "Kalan, where is the Ring?" he asked.
Kalan blinked, confused. Why would Elrond ask him this? Something was wrong, something was different. A cold chill came over Kalan's body and he looked around once more. The smell! It was not the normal, natural smell of Imladris, of trees and earth. There were no birds singing in the tall trees, nor the sound of the small waterfalls.
"This is not Rivendell!" he cried. But before he could move, a black chain wrapped around each wrist and pulled his arms above his head, stretching them to capacity. Two more caught his ankles, but pulled his legs back, bending his knees and spreading them apart. "Mani?!" 1
The scenery changed, the light left and he was surrounded in a dark gloom. Black walls, no windows. Through his sharp eyes he could see strange and horrible implements lined up against the walls. No longer was he lying in a bed, but upon a stone table, the grain biting into his back. It was then that Kalan noticed that he was naked and exposed.
Now the image of Elrond shifted and changed. The dark hair was replaced by white, and the soft, kind gray eyes were now sharp, cruel and brown. A long white beard and white robe. "Sarumon, utinu en lokirim!"2 Kalan breathed. The fallen wizard smirked and approached the prone and struggling form on the table.
"Yes, it is I. You are sharper than I thought, Kalan Sadaya, I thought it would take you longer to see through my illusion," he mocked. Kalan snorted and glared up at the wizard.
"With a cheap trick like that, it was not all that hard," now it was Kalan's turn to smirk. "Don't give yourself too much credit, Sarumon." The wizard struck him a glancing blow with his staff across his head. The world spun and there was a ringing in Kalan's ears.
"You will tell me where the Ring is!" commanded Sarumon.
"Auta miqula orqu!"3 Kalan replied. "I've been tortured before, and I am very good at taking pain," he spat into the wizard's face. Sarumon calmly wiped his face and looked down at the young half-dragon. He sneered and ran a finger down Kalan's neck and chest.
"There are many ways to torture, my beautiful dragon," he whispered and looked over into the darkness. Kalan followed his gaze and saw many orcs, nearly hundreds, waiting there, growling and snarling amongst themselves. Kalan remembered what he had endured at the hands of the orcs and shuddered involuntarily. Sarumon noticed and returned his gaze to his captive. "There are many orcs here. In a few days you will be more than willing to tell me the whereabouts of the Ring," he said and hit Kalan again, dazing the youth. Kalan heard Sarumon talking to the creatures. "Have your fill, do what you want, but make sure he lives," and the wizard left.
Kalan was dazed and didn't realize what was happening. The orcs gathered around his prone form. One undid his leather breechcloth, grinning and drooling he positioned himself over Kalan. Then he brutally thrust forward into Kalan's body, Kalan gasped and his body jerked as the creature violated him. The growls of the others and the grunts of the one above him filled his ears. Kalan's eyes rolled back into his head, trying to ignore the pain.
"Peredhil…"4 he whispered, calling out to his savior, but no one came.
*
Far away in Imladris, Lord Elrond stood in brooding silence on his balcony. Suddenly, a wave of pain, fear, desperation and helplessness hit his mind and heart, causing him to stager. 'Peredhil…' a whisper of a familiar voice echoed in his heart, tears choking the voice. Elrond was forced to sit on a nearby bench, holding his chest as pain enveloped his heart. He suddenly knew where it was coming from, or rather, who. The elf hung his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Ai, melamin!"5 he whispered in a husky voice. It was in this way that his children found him.
*
Days, it must have been days, but Kalan couldn't tell for sure. No light came in and the hours were filled with the same grinding pain of the orc's torture as each raped him. There seemed to be no end to them, perhaps they were the same one, Kalan didn't know, nor did he care to. At one time the torment stopped, for a while and Sarumon appeared before him.
"Tell me," he ordered, Kalan didn't have to ask what. Through dry, cracked lips he spoke, his throat parched, he world delirious. They gave him no rest and no water, but he would not let them see his pain, not yet anyway.
"You'll never find it," he wheezed, "The Ring is beyond your reach." Kalan began to laugh, almost insanely: his sanity was cracking, "You'll never find it!" Sarumon growled and turned away, and once more the orcs filled Kalan's vision…and more.
1 What?!
2 Son of snakes (a dishonest person)
3 Go kiss an orc!
4 Peredhil – Half-Elven: applied to Elrond
5 Oh, my love!