Authors Note: Hey everybody, hope that you like the story! I'm going to write two chapters, then wait for feedback. If the story is liked by at least one person, I'll keep posting. Otherwise, I'll write it, but I won't post it. So…please leave feedback, (usually good feedback is best) if you like it, or have any suggestions. Thanks!

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Zayn

The Crystal

Run! The young woman urged to herself. I've got to keep running! Her scabbard and sword in it hit her leg painfully when she stumbled toward the ground. She glanced back fearfully, picked herself up and continued to run. As her eyes closed briefly she recounted exactly how she had gotten into this predicament.

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"Marilyn! Marilyn do wake up!" Her mother shook her lightly from a deep sleep. Marilyn blinked at her mother tiredly and glancing around she realized that it was still dark outside.

"Please mother," Marilyn groaned. "The cow can wait to be milked until sunrise." She turned over to fall back asleep, but her mother shook her again.

"There's no time for sleep, dear!" Her mother practically yelled. "They're coming!"

That woke Marilyn up instantly. She sat up straight in her bed, and looked into her mother's pleading eyes. "When?"

"Your cousin received word last night. We didn't want to worry you in case it was another false alarm." Suddenly a banging at the door made both mother and daughter jump. "You must leave, now!" Her mother whispered urgently. "If I am slain, you can still protect the crystal!" She grabbed a bag that was on the floor, and tossed it toward Marilyn. "Take this, head to Rivendell. The elves have the power to protect the crystal, but you must get it to them!" Her mother then leaned in two inches away from Marilyn's face as the sound of the door breaking open caused them both to cringe and jump off the bed. "Give the crystal to none other then Lord Elrond. Do not let anybody else touch it. You alone have the strength to resist its power!" The sound of heavy footsteps sounded in the hall. "Go!" Her mother shouted, and shoved Marilyn toward the window. She helped her jump the short distance to the ground, and tossed her bag to the ground after her. "Go!" Her mother shouted again, and Marilyn ran as fast as she could. She glanced back at the dark window and paused. There was a nasty creature that words could not describe properly. His face looked to be rotting on the outside; he had rings in his nose, and rotten teeth. This was Marilyn's first view of an Orc…and it wouldn't be the last. The orc pulled out a long sword, and her mother screamed. Her mother turned toward the window, and with pleading eyes urged Marilyn to continue. Marilyn stumbled a few steps then ran into the forest, she didn't know she would never see the place of her childhood ever again.

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Marilyn choked back a sob thinking about her dead mother, knowing that she would never see her again. With one hand she clutched the crystal around her neck, and remembered everything her mother had ever told her about the crystal. Combined with the other three crystals, they would form the stone of Kalamon. The wielder of the Kalamon stone would have the greatest knowledge attainable in battle and hand to hand combat. It would also give the wielder infinite long-life, the power of a sorcerer, and undeniable evil impulses for destruction, and killing. Her mother had bade her to sew the crystal into a tiny pouch in her cloak and to never ever take her cloak off. Even if you examined the cloak closely, only Marilyn was certain were the secret seam was located.

Marilyn's family had been guarding the crystal for generations. The other two were thought lost, and it was now Marilyn's duty to protect the stone by her life or death. "Some duty." Marilyn muttered to herself, stopping for a breather. She sat on the ground…actually fell to the ground in her exhaustion. She had been running for three days now. She could never see her pursers, but she could constantly feel their presence. They were tracking her, and they weren't far behind. "This is hopeless." Marilyn practically cried to herself. "There are tons of families in Middle Earth that would be better suited to protect the crystal…why was I chosen?" Marilyn wasn't what people would call a drop-dead gorgeous 'wench'. Nobody really considered her pretty, except for her bright green eyes. Anybody could get lost gazing into the depths of her eyes. She was taller then any of the maidens she had known in her life, almost as tall as most men she'd met. This suited her just fine, love was for fools. She didn't have a man now, and she wasn't ever going to get one. Her golden blonde hair fell to her chin, and was cut at awkwardly different lengths. Her little niece had taken a dagger to Marilyn's hair one night, and this was the result. Not being able to do much, her mother suggested that they just let it grow out and it would look just fine. Marilyn had agreed, she always agreed with her mother. Thinking of her mother, Marilyn started to cry softly. She continued until she drifted off into a dreamless sleep about crystals and wizards.

When Marilyn awoke later, she gazed around the dark forest with tired, sleep-filled eyes. Where was she? How much time had passed? She slowly eased her aching muscles to her feet knowing that she was still a long way from Rivendell. If she continued the break-neck pace she'd been going at she'd arrive in just over a week. Marilyn was on the edge of hopelessness.

"Well, Well." A voice interrupted her thoughts. "What do we have here?" The voice came out in a low growl, and Marilyn jerked her face in that direction. Standing to her left were five orcs, weapons at the ready; one was even pounding his sword threateningly against his palm. "Give us the crystal."

Marilyn jerked into attention, and instinctively reached for her sword at her belt. She wasn't going down without a fight. "I don't have it."

"You lie."

"Never."

The lead orc stepped closer, and Marilyn took the opportunity she'd been waiting for. She lunged at the orc, pulling her sword out of it's scabbard. She made quick work of beheading it, and kicking the lifeless body away. The remaining four lunged at her at once. She snapped one on the head with the hilt while stabbing another directly in front of her.

"She is not to be harmed!" An orc that had just gotten kicked in the groin groaned. "Take her!"  Two orcs came at her from behind, Marilyn ducked a blow delivered by an un-listening orc, and was seized by the other. It grabbed both of her arms, and lifted her feet of the ground. Marilyn started to wildly thrash her feet, and delivered two more kicks to the orc she had kicked in the groin. One of the last orcs that had not interfered finally stepped forward, grabbed his sword and slammed it into the back of her skull…unnecessarily hard. Marilyn instantly crumpled in the orc's arms that were holding her. Kicking aside their fallen comrades, the remaining orcs threw Marilyn into a blanket, wrapped her up tight, and tossed her over one of their shoulders. They sheathed their weapons, and quietly walked into the night.

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Gandalf the White puffed on his pipe thoughtfully. His eyes staring into the flickering fire. He was content with a roof over his head and food in his stomach. Suddenly he was surged with a terrible pain in his head, and he stumbled off the chair and onto his knees, clutching his temples in agony. He had a short vision in his head, and instantly knew what was to happen. After he regained is composure, he stood stiffly on his feet, grabbed his staff from nearby. He mumbled three words as he passed through the door, "It is time."

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Well…that's it for now, I have to go to class in a few minutes. I'll post a second chapter sometime today. If you like it, let me know. If it doesn't receive any reviews, I'll just assume that you all hated it, and I won't write anymore. Hope ya liked it!