Chapter 5

Ethrin gasped. The dark shape covered all the light that the moon had to offer. Then suddenly it turned around; its red glowing eyes looked right into hers. She felt a sudden pain in her heart and the stumbled backwards. Her heart thumped and she started feeling dizzy. Then suddenly, the creature turned and flew away.

Walking slowly back into her room, Ethrin thought about the creature that she had just saw. Her heart seemed to burn, and her whole body shuddered. She coughed, and blood sprayed on the ground. She quickly found a rag and mopped it up. Then she walked outside, and looked out over the balcony again, but this time her eyes were watchful. She feared the thing that had attacked her heart. It was, yet again, stronger than the ones she had encountered before. And this time she had barely sensed it. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Ethrin sighed and took off her bracelet, looking at it. The name "Ethrin" seemed to flow through the chain, although it was small and barely covered one fifth of the chain. She started to think once again about her past. Somehow, she had to figure out why the creatures searched for her. Did they want something from her? If they did, then she wanted to give it to them, so that all of Middle-Earth could be spared. Nothing meant more to her at the moment. "Nothing ever will," she thought. Then she walked to her bed and crept in.

The morning came quick. Nothing showed that anything had happened in the night. The sun shone brightly, and the sound of birds was in the air. Everybody started waking up and soon the city of Rivendell awoke. The green of the trees was deep, and the sun soon warmed the whole land. Children played and their parents went about visiting and working. There was just a sense of peace in the air.

Ethrin soon spotted Laphaela and Legolas walking. She pulled on her cloak and hood, then ran down to them. They greeted her and seemed very happy in Rivendell. Ethrin tried to sound happy, but she couldn't rest. She knew she would probably have to leave soon. She didn't want to have to keep on fleeing everywhere, but she didn't want to endanger the lively creatures here, didn't want to disturb the peace. Very few knew that here was evil lurking. Ethrin knew that she had to leave, so that the elves here would be undisturbed.

"Mani naa ta, what is it?" Legolas asked. Laphaela gave her a look of concern and brushed her arm.

"I fear that I may disturb the peace here. I must leave at once. Seek out the demons. Otherwise, nobody will be safe," Ethrin replied.

"And what makes you think that you are responsible for all this? Why do you have to seek them out?" asked Laphaela.

"I don't know…" Ethrin replied. She couldn't tell how she felt, even if she could think of the words to describe it.

"Ethrin, you don't have to worry. Elrond will take care of this. And my father will too. You don't have to be alone," Legolas said.

"I don't even know if your father knows of this. What if the note didn't get delivered? How do you know if Elrond has enough power to defend a whole elf city, and all of Middle-Earth?"

"Nobody knows the answers to these questions, Ethrin. We just have to plan. Plus, not enough is known about these things for us to know how to destroy it."

"But…" Ethrin's words were cut short as a rider on horseback charged into the city. People stopped and stared as Elrond suddenly ran to the field and started conversing with the stranger. He had a blank expression on his face, as if trying to hide his feelings, his thoughts. Ethrin watched him carefully, and then stared at the messenger he was talking to.

"Let's go to your room. I think that Elrond doesn't want to be bothered right now," Laphaela whispered softly to her. She nodded and allowed herself to be led away, although she kept on looking back. She was deep in thought by the time they reached the steps up to the balcony. What happened that was so urgent? The horse the messenger was riding was worn out, as if it hadn't rested for days. What had happened?

"I wonder what was so urgent?" asked Legolas, putting her thoughts to words.

"I don't know. But it must be important. And Elrond seemed to be quick to talk. Usually he would want the messenger to be approved first, but he must have recognized the person or elf," Laphaela answered, thinking her own thoughts.

"Well, I hope it has nothing concerning Mirkwood. If my people are in trouble, then I would go there immediately to try to be of some assistance."

"Yes, that would be the right thing to do. I am afraid. It seems as if all evil wasn't destroyed or bound when Sauron was destroyed."

At the name Sauron, Ethrin suddenly looked up. She had remained silent all during Legolas and Laphaela's conversation, and now somehow that name had struck her memory. There was something that had happened in her past, and Sauron was a part of it…somehow. She thought hard as Legolas and Laphaela continued to talk, not seeming to notice how she had started at the name.

"Elrond has called all three of you to a secret council. What it is about, I don't know, but he said to tell you to come quick," said an elf that had entered the room. They nodded and followed him. They reached where the council was waiting, and then sat down.

"The messenger who came today was Arlena. She has some very sad news to tell us," Elrond said, gesturing to the figure next to him. The figure took off her hood and then everybody gasped. So it was true. Arlena had come; the Arlena who everybody knew would never leave Mirkwood for anything. That is, anything that wouldn't harm her people. But now everybody had their attention drawn to her. Something was very wrong.

"Three days ago, Mirkwood was attacked," said Arlena, "and all were killed, save me. I was sent to come to Rivendell for help, but I didn't want to leave. Thranduil told me that I had to, so I listened to him and set off. When I had left Mirkwood, I could still hear the sounds of battle behind me. But then there was silence. So I knew that we had lost. Then there were screams of something evil, and the whole town was set on fire. The king of Northern Mirkwood and most of his people are dead or captured. Legolas, Laphaela, and I are the only ones of Mirkwood that are left."

Legolas gave a gasp, and Laphaela suddenly burst into tears. Everybody at the council was shocked. Ethrin felt right away that she had to leave, but before she did, she would talk to Arlena. Fear crept through her veins. Not once in her lifetime, or at least in the lifetime she remembered, had she ever been so afraid.

"The council is now over. Another one will be held tomorrow after everyone here has thought about what has happened. We must act quickly," said Elrond. The elves got up to leave, and Ethrin walked straight to Arlena.

"Did you not give Thranduil the note?" asked Ethrin, her voice shaking.

"I did, but he just grunted and said that nothing like that could have happened. He felt that, after the destruction of the one ring, Middle-Earth would be at peace, but he did send out scouts to watch for danger," said Arlena. Tears ran down her cheeks.

"Thranduil was a wise king in some ways. But his knowledge had an end to it, so now the elves of Northern Mirkwood are probably destroyed."

"All but Legolas, Laphaela, and I."

"Yes. I have to leave tonight, unless Rivendell wants to see a similar fate. Tell Elrond that I have gone, and he might be safe. But I will hunt down this evil and kill it to its last."

"But you can't! Not without some to go with you."

"I won't endanger others' lives. I know that I have brought this darkness to Middle-Earth, so I will set it straight. I'll wonder around, killing all I can, but they will eventually destroy me. But I would have led them far away from here and given you time to prepare and warn the other lands."

Arlena felt the fear Ethrin had. But nothing in the world will stop her from going. She observed the tall figure in front of her. This creature could live a happy life forever, could live with the joys of the land, yet she chose death, to save those she barely knew. Arlena felt a strong pang of sympathy for Ethrin.

"I will come with you, and I will choose a few to come with us," said Arlena.

"But you cannot! I don't want an army behind me, because it will attract attention, and unnecessary deaths. No, I will not allow this," Ethrin cried.

"I'm only going to bring Legolas and Laphaela with us. Gimli is here for visit, and I will ask him to come, too. Aragorn just arrived."

"Gimli? Aragorn? Who are they?"

"They were a part of the Fellowship that went with Frodo to destroy the ring of power."

"Frodo…the ring of power…"

"Yes. They will also be coming along. Nobody else will know. I will ask my friend here to tell Elrond that we are leaving."

"Make sure that nobody speaks my name. I don't know if Aragorn…if it will be safe for creatures around us to know my name. From now on, my name is Lortil."

"If that is what you wish."

Ethrin nodded again. She was prepared for yet another run.