Chapter One: Ambaron (Sunrise)

**Nope, none of the LOTR wizards, hobbits, humans, dwarfs, gods, elves, or inanimate objects belong to me. But oh if they did…*evil grin*. They're the creation of a brilliant mind, so you'll have to thank Mister Tolkien. On with the story!!!**

Five were sent. Why? Why not. How? Nosey, aren't you? The tale will be told in due time, now harken, and I will tell you of the five forgotten wanderers. Five were sent to us, yet only one returned. One is thought to be dead, for the while, struck down by his own guard, who himself perished as a victim of the little people. That leaves Three…the Three have not been heard of in many, many years. The worst is feared. One has become lost and entangled with the nature of the lands, possibly to an extent from which he cannot free himself, a victim of his own endeavors. He might return. The two whom are left disappeared long, long ago; they were never heard of again. They might return. Out of the company, only one remained true…only one returned.

Teeth chattering viciously, the small figure drew closer to herself, burrowing her red, icy nose into the depths of cold denim. Salty tears mixed with even saltier remnants of the ocean still clinging to her damp pants. Her small body was shivering miserably and she clung to her knees desperately. She sniffled forlornly, trying to control the sobs that shook her. "I…I'm lost…I think…" she spoke aloud to herself, comforted slightly by the sound of her own voice. She tried to stare at the surrounding beach through the darkness, but she could see nothing except the white sand beneath her. She could hear the ocean before her and shuddered. "Wh-what happened? Wh-where am I?"

She could feel the panic rise…it began in her stomach as a heavy, sick feeling and rapidly rose to engulf her chest. Her breathing became heavier and her eyes darted to and fro like an ensnared rabbit that knows that stew is on the supper menu. She whimpered as a cold gust of wind ripped through her thin, damp clothing and clutched her knees to her chest desperately. She shivered violently for a few moments, pondering what she should do. "I should stay here…th-that's what you're su-supposed to do when you're lost…right?" She asked herself. "Yeah, of course th-that's what they tell you…but, you'll die of hypothermia if you stay here much longer," she argued back. The girl blinked in surprise at the sound of her harsh voice contradicting itself, but was too tired to give the effort it took to shut herself up. "Besides, you won't go far, just enough to get away from this beach…"

The girl considered both sides of the argument before finally giving into herself. "You're r-right…I'm freezing!" She quickly gathered her senses and attempted to stand up. "Huh?" she tried to ask herself with a mouth full of sand. She sputtered and finally rolled over onto her face, her sandy brow was furrowed. The other half of her brain responded, "Geez…must be pretty worn out from all that swimming." She pondered this from the cold, sandy floor. "That tired? Really?" She attempted to stand again, wary of her weak knees, and this time she was successful. She staggered along the wide, white sands, in the only direction she was sure of - away from the ocean. Her knees were weak and her legs worked about as well as floating bricks. She sank to the ground again and curled into the fetal position dejectedly. "'S 'nough…"

As the dreamless sleep came, she yawned widely and burrowed into the sand like a large, tan turtle. There she slept like a dead thing, unmoving and quiet as the night. The ocean could be heard not far away, and no one had the heart to tell her until the morning sunlight came that she had only gone a certain number of feet from where she had begun. The night waited for the sun, and the child waited for the sun, but the ocean longed for the moon.

The Five had been spread to the farthest reaches of known and unknown territories. All awoke from a frightening darkness to an even more frightening day. Sunlight slowly began it's cascade, bringing with it joy and terror. Lost and confused, the travelers began to do what they did best: wander. Together they were drawn towards the rising hope.

Jun Dae awoke to the fiery, bright summer sun beating down upon his darkened face. He winced at the searing light and flung his right arm over his face to protect his eyes. He grimaced at the cricks implanted throughout his lean body, and most noticeably in his arm. He sat up slowly, groaning all the while. Blanching, he lay back down much more quickly. He lay as rigid as a skeleton, staring at the bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. The boy blinked repeatedly before finally finding it in him to rise again. He sat up and gave his surroundings a long, hard stare, burning them into his mind for further use someday. The tree base behind him was thick and old and rubbed against his back unkindly as he moved breathed deeply. He watched a small bird hop about on one of the long branches far above him, taking a moment to listen to it chirp. Eventually, another bird of similar coloring met it. The first bird chirped and hopped towards the second bird and the second …

Jun Dae blushed and looked away quickly. His brow furrowed and he stared at the ground in confusion. Where was he? What time was it? What happened? Why was he twenty feet in the air? He thought long and hard about his predicament and shook his dark head of hair, frustrated by the impossibility and illogicality of the situation. The last thing he remembered was the glowing ball thing…His black eyes grew wide. He remembered a voice. Whose voice? He thought harder. A boy's voice. Which boy? Jun Dae shook his head in frustration; he didn't know the boy's name, but he could see his face. He had big green eyes and dark curly hair…wow, he looked so scared the he could have peed his pants. Then again…Jun Dae kicked himself, literally. What had he been saying? Crystal balls and magic…Jun Dae ran a bronze hand through his dark hair slowly. He firmly reprimanded himself for his stray thoughts. Magic did not exist, he was not an idiot; magic simply did not exist.

The Korean thought for a moment more before attempting to find his way down. The first thing he'd have to do is find the others who had been with him before...well, before he had woken up in a tree. It was obvious to him that they were nowhere nearby, for they were quite thoroughly American… well, except for May, and the woods were quite thoroughly quiet. Jun Dae smirked at the thought of his classmates tramping through the woods, yelling at the mosquitoes and the trees, screaming for a cab, whining about their feet.  Yup, if they were here, he would have known by now. The whole forest would have known. He decided that it would not be a bad idea to double check. He wasn't going to be going anywhere very soon anyways…

"Joshua? Jessica? Is anybody out there? Can anybody hear me?" he yelled. Waiting quietly for any sort of reply, he squatted, his back against the rough tree. "Anybody!?" he wailed desperately. He could hear the leaves crackle and the underbrush far below him rustled as if the wind had just passed. Jun Dae gaped in bewilderment.

"I have not seen a bird of such size since the world began…tell me, little birdie, what did you eat for breakfast?"

The sun rose into the sky, casting it's bright, unforgiving light upon the earth. The light spread slowly and methodically, but you can't blame it. It didn't know that today was going to be one of the most important days to ever be forgotten. History would change today. The bats hid, the owls squeezed into their small wooden homes, and the snakes scrambled to escape the oncoming heat. The land welcomed the light and basked beneath it. It basked until it burned and begged for the moon to show it's mellow grin again.

The boy awoke gagging and sputtering. He heaved his heavy, muscle-laden body over until his back rested against the dry, packed sand and he faced the sky. He winced painfully as the bright sun pierced his bright blue eyes and groaned loudly. He sat up slowly with a small grin and opened his mouth to speak. His retort died as quickly as it had begun.

"Hey, that was fun…uhh…hullo?" The grin dissipated quickly and was replaced by a small, confused frown. His brow furrowed and he swung his blond head to and fro, but to no avail…no one was near. His friends were gone. Panic rose into his throat and he sprang quickly to his feet. His heart was pounding now and his breath came faster and shallower. He began to wander along the dirt path on which he had awoken, gradually quickening his step. Soon he was running, desperately searching for anyone or anything.

"Jessie? Junny? Weasel…I mean, Wesley? Anyone!!! Is anyone out there!?" he yelled, in a frantic hurry to nowhere. His distressed sprint slowed as the adrenaline began to subside and he quietly wandered for a ways. His mind was a labyrinth of confusion and mixed-up thoughts. He was completely alone, he knew that much. He was not sure where, why, or how he was, and that concerned him greatly. For the first time since his rude awakening with the dusty ground, he took a good, long look around at his surroundings. And meager surroundings they were. It was a strange place; it looked like a desert as far as he could see. A few desperate trees hugged the golden desert floor and futilely attempted to grow in scattered, random places. The sky was as blue as the boy's keen eyes and stretched untainted by cloud or bird for miles. The sun was piercing and the only relief was an occasional warm breeze, which barely cooled the perspiration on his forehead.

He swept his long blond hair out of his eyes and squinted hard and long at a small gray haze in the distance ahead of him. It looked like it could be a building a ways off…but then again, it also looked like it could be a large armadillo a ways off…He squared his broad shoulders and began to walk falteringly toward it. He had made up his mind, he was headed to the large armadillo…or city, whichever it was, and he was going to get there. It was what might await him that caused his step, and his heart, to falter.

The earth was awake; the sun had completed its morning run successfully. It watched indifferent and uninterested as the world awoke and began its daily chores. It watched unsympathetic and uncaring as the Five awoke with tears and panic. It watched impassive and deadpan as death and life echoed around the small green globe. It watched the young, wild world beneath it grow and change slowly over time. Time…the sun knew nothing of the twenty-four hour day, or three hundred and sixty-five day year, it knew that the cycle was all that mattered. That was its purpose. It had never aspired to do or be anything beyond the cycle. The orbit around the world was all that was vital and important, and until the day came that the earth was no more it would remain that way. Then the sun would lose its purpose and die.

"Whaddya think it is?"

"Well, it's an orc, or course…see"

"I don't like it…it smells strange…"

"Bet it's dead."

"Ewwwwwwwww!!!"

Wesley could feel his arm being dropped heavily onto the ground and he groaned loudly. He could hear a chorus of gasps and whimpers surround him. He opened one bright green eye cautiously and moaned again, this time louder. One high-pitched scream and pounding feet met his racket. Now he opened both eyes and pushed himself up onto his elbows. What he saw startled him and stared in astonishment at the surrounding forms. They were children, very small children, all with a mop of curly hair, not unlike his own. He could only see four of them, but he assumed that the pounding feet he had heard before meant that there had been five. The child nearest to him held a short, sturdy stick. It wavered under Wesley's amused glance and finally the awkward silence was broken.

"Don't move, Mister Orc, or I'll…I'll…" The boy faltered for words until finally the boy beside him whispered something quietly in his ear. "I'll send you where you belong." The boy finished with a flourish of the stick and the three others murmured in approval. Wesley raised a dark brow.

"Really? That's quite generous of you…now, which way to the closest Marta station?" Wesley slowly picked himself up of the ground and rose to his full height of five foot two. He almost laughed when the boy gaped at him. Wesley was not a large boy by any means; in fact he was the smallest in his entire high school. He had been born with a growth inhibition, which had kept him from topping five feet in is lifetime, but the doctor had suggested a special type of tennis shoe which made him look taller. Wesley loved it.

"Hey…uh…could you please not hurt us?" The red headed leader had finally found the courage to speak again. Wesley slowly smiled.

"There, now that's much more polite…now I won't have to eat you…" Eight terror filled eyes stared up at him, not catching the joke. One pair began to fill with tears. Wesley quickly put his hands up in a yielding position.

"I was just joking, just joking. I would never eat you!"

The rigid company relaxed in a shared breath. The leader stepped forward cautiously.

"Mister Orc, I am Faramir Took, son of Peregrin Took, Thain of the Shire." The boy was proud of this fact and shook the long dark curls away from his face. Wesley blinked. Apparently this was important to the boy, so he humored him. He extended his hand with a flourish and bowed slightly. Faramir's friends fought a losing battle against the giggles as the stranger gave Faramir a royal greeting. Faramir cautiously extended his hand as well and they shook slowly. Wesley grinned and laughed at they boy's apprehension.

"Am I really that scary looking? Besides, my name's not "Mister Orc", it's Wesley, Wesley Bairns. You're not such a bad kid when you're not waving a stick around, but I can't say that much for the rest of your friends if I don't get to meet thm as well…" Wesley waved at the remaining trio. There was an exchange of whispers before anyone stepped forward. It was another boy, similar in appearance to Faramir, with the same sky blue eyes, but without the red hair. Instead his hair was dark brown and longer, held back into a loose ponytail. He held out his hand confidently.

"I'm Pippin Gamgee, son of Samwise Gamgee the Mayor of the Shire. This is my sist…ow!"

Pippin had been curtly interrupted by a firm trampeling on the foot from Faramir, who stood beside him. Wesley saw the Gamgee boy glare and rub his foot in silent protest as the girl shyly stepped forward and introduced herself.

"I am Goldilocks Gamgee, daughter of the Mayor, Samwise Gamgee," she curtsied politely and he nodded his head in return. "I am nine and three-quarters," she added a grave warning. Wesley tried hard not to laugh throughout the little girl's serious comment. Goldilocks…were her escorts supposed to be the three bears? Finally, with much persuasion, the last child introduced himself.

"I…I'm Tom…Tommy Cot-Cotton…" he stuttered and then looked at the ground red-faced. Pippin gave him a slap on the back.

"Don't worry about Tommy, he's shy, and he has trouble talking right," the older boy explained. Wesley nodded his head. It sounded like the boy had a bit of a stutter.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Cotton," Wesley held out his hand for the boy. The boy looked up in amazement, then eagerly took his hand and gave it a vivacous swing. Wesley grinned. He liked these kids. They were different somehow…and he couldn't quite put his finger on it…He watched them and they watched him silently. They began to fidget and he finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

"So, uh, why exactly are we in a cave?"

The bright, yellow orb reached its peak. It grinned wickedly down on the green, lush globe. Suddenly the sky filled with the throaty growl of thunder. The sun grimaced as the dark rain clouds began their attack. It continued its rotation, but now it was invisible half of the Earth. It would wait until tomorrow. Or perhaps the day after that. The sun was very patient. It had all the time in the world to wait…

Jessica rolled over with a grimace. She groaned when she felt her ribs expand and then retract and her brow furrowed with pain. "I don't wanna wake up…I don't wanna go to school…I don't wanna grow up…be a Toys-R-Whaaaaa?" She slowly rolled over onto her back again. The sheets were so warm and silky and the pillow was so soft…She opened both eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Fueled by fear and adrenaline, she shot up into a seated position. She sank back into the warm sheets just as quickly and groaned with pain. Her eyes closed again. "I'm just dreamin'…I'm just dreamin'…"

"Ah, the little Mistress is awake."

Jessica opened one blue eye cautiously. Then she shut it again.

"Justdreamingjustdreamingjustdreamingjust…"

"Well, you might want to wake up now, little Mistress. I've brought you the famed cuisine of the Elves," the voice said. Well, it didn't so much speak as it did sing. Jessica opened both of her eyes at the smell of herbs and other delicious but unknown aromas. The woman above her was tall and slender with dark hair and eyes. She carried herself gracefully away from Jessica's bed towards the ornamentally engraved doorway where two other men stood. They were similar in appearance to her, but both of their eyes were bright blue, not unlike Jessica's own. The woman sang, or spoke, Jessica was not sure which, a moment to the men and they entered with the dishes of food. Jessica could feel her empty stomach begin to twist and she watched them with eager eyes. The woman laughed.

"I see that you are feeling better, perhaps you will be rested enough for conversation after the meal…" the woman trailed off and smiled down at Jessica warmly.

"What…I mean how-where-who…" Jessica found her voice and the questions flowed like water out of a broken fire hydrant. She gaped at the food, then at the woman, then at the room, and then back at the food. Her mouth opened and closed in desperate awe at her surroundings and she questioned the woman at her bedside with her eyes. The woman just smiled again.

"Eat first, then we will talk."

With that, the woman turned and left Jessica to fill her stomach and sort her thoughts. Jessica ravenously attacked the dishes of food in front of her. It seemed like she hadn't eaten in days. While she ate she thought quietly to herself. Where was she? How did she get here? Where was everyone else? Who was that woman? With the turn of her head, Jessica thought she saw something incredible, but she brushed it off as the product of blurry eyes fresh from sleep.

 Suddenly a thought occurred to her that had never entered her mind. Elves. The woman had spoken of the Elves' food. Jessica gulped the mouthful of what she now assumed was Elvish food and sat very still for several minutes. No, her eyes had not been deceiving her. With the turn of the woman's head, her dark, silky hair had parted to reveal one very abnormally pointed ear.

Jessica sat very still and very quiet until the two men, Elves she now assumed, came and cleared the plates away. Finally, the woman returned. She gracefully seated herself in a delicate silver chair beside Jessica's bed. Jessica stared at her with wide eyes.

"Now is the time for conversation," the Elvish woman sang/spoke to the girl. "I will try to answer all of your questions as long as you try to answer all of my queries as well." Jessica nodded silently to this. Then she began.

"Who am I?"

The rains disappeared as quickly as they had come and the clouds dissipated. They left the sun to its insufferable cycle of watching and waiting. They were only a brief disturbance, not even a very remarkable one at that. The sun watched and waited, then watched and waited some more. It watched and waited for the end. For thought its purpose was to continue rising and setting over the green globe, its goal was to reach its peak, to burst forth one last time in a flash of fury. Its goal was to leave in a flash of glory. So it watched the small green and blue mass rotate thoughtfully below it. So it waited for the end. So now we sleep and now we wait for the end…of the story, that is. Until our next meeting, children. May the Valar protect you and keep your lives uneventful. Adventure brings with it either victory…or downfall.