Author's Note: Hee, hee – I couldn't kill my beloved Haldir! I love PJ's film adaptations of Tolkien's work, but not that particular detail.

And once more I'd like to thank my beta goddess, Wendy. Grammatical queen of the world!

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Chapter 21 – RADIANCE EXTINGUISHED

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Taelyra felt an enormous change in the air around her, a sudden drop in the pressure. Her elvish ears sensed a low vibration in the earth as it groaned beneath her.

All at once the Orcs that surrounded her became disoriented. They paused in their actions and stood momentarily stunned.

What had just happened?

Then the subtle hum in her ears stopped and the earth felt somehow transformed. Something had just changed in Middle Earth. Changed drastically.

The Orcs around her staggered and then began to run mindlessly. It was as though they had suddenly forgotten their purpose and had no idea what they were doing here. The Elves swept down upon them showing no mercy.

Taelyra felt a strange tingling in her arm as Artanis began to vibrate in her hand. She looked at the great sword and suddenly inexplicably felt a profound sadness: as though she was about to be parted from something beloved. Her heart wrenched and she was consumed by grief.

She sank to her knees as chaos reigned around her, staring at Artanis as it began to disintegrate in her hand. It defied her senses, how a sword so terrible and powerful, forged by the greatest Elven craft from the earth's strongest metals could merely dissolve into the air. It was then that she realized how limited her understanding of the great, mystic weapon had been.

Tears coursed down her face as the metal of the blade disappeared before her eyes. She was left holding only the jewel-encrusted hilt in her gloved hand. She felt a terrible fatigue sweep over her. She wanted to rest. To lie down upon the trampled grass right here and pass into unconsciousness for long ages. This is exactly how she had felt all those years ago! Just before she'd passed into the lengthy sleep that had only ended with the great storm; the night she had freed Artanis from its stone sheath.

Orcs and Elves were battling around her. Some Orcs were even taking their own lives in their directionless craze. As Taelyra fell to the ground she felt heavy footsteps nearby. She rolled onto her back to see what evil faced her now.

A large and ugly Orc towered over her. He raised his crude blade over his head preparing to swing. Taelyra lay utterly immobilized at his feet. The Orc's muscles clenched as he swung his weapon downwards.

The air was ripped by the force of the arrow as it whistled over her and plunged into the Orc's chest. The impact stopped his arms in mid-swing, making him stagger back a step. A second arrow followed swiftly. It penetrated his stomach, the arrow's head protruding out his back.

The ugly beast looked down dully at his injuries as a line of drool slowly dripped from his mouth. He looked back up just in time to see Haldir's fist collide with his face. The blow knocked the Orc off his feet. He fell onto his back and the Elf plunged his sword through the Orc's throat.

Haldir spun around to look at Taelyra lying inert upon the ground. He knelt down next to her, his eyes scanning her body for the grievous wound that had debilitated her so.

"I have been overjoyed to see you many times before, Haldir," she smiled weakly up at him. "Though none as much as now, I think."

He cast the gloves from his hands and gently cupped her face. His blue eyes darkened with concern as he looked intently into hers. "What has happened to you, melamin?"

"I – I'm not sure," she faltered. "Artanis has left us and I fear that perhaps I've served my purpose as well."

Haldir looked at the bladeless hilt still grasped in Taelyra's hand. His face crumpled at the realization of what she was saying.

"No!" he cried out, over the clamour that surrounded them.

"No, beloved" he repeated now in a hoarse whisper, his face hovering over hers.

"Haldir," she whispered, seeing the moistness in his eyes. "I do not know if this is my end. But I may certainly be falling into a long sleep again. Very long."

Her eyes closed briefly, her beautiful lashes sweeping against her pale cheeks.

"Please," Haldir begged. "Stay with me now. I have returned as I promised. And I swear to you. I swear, we shall never be parted again."

She smiled at his vow. He was so loyal, his love unwavering.

"I love you so."

"And I love you." He held her in his arms now. "Stay with me, melamin. Stay awake for just awhile longer."

His mind raced thinking how he could find a horse in this pandemonium and ride back to the Wood. The Lady would know how to save her, wouldn't she?

"We cannot stop this, Haldir," said Taelyra as though reading his thoughts. "It is the way of things. I must fall to sleep now, changing back to the ordinary elf I was before. I do not know how long I will sleep but I fear that I will not be able to bid my farewells to Lorien. My father will take me on the grey ships to the Blessed Realm and I shall awaken there."

"No. We will keep you here, safe in the Golden Wood. When you awake, it will be at my side. I will swear to your father to take you over the Seas safely when you are well again. I promise you, Taelyra, I will return you to your family but we will pass from Middle Earth together. You and I."

Taelyra's eyes fell closed with exhaustion. She had not the energy to debate the matter with him. She wanted nothing more than for him to wait for her. To awaken some day to the sight of his face but she knew her father's will and it was indomitable.

Haldir held her in his arms and felt her body relax into deep sleep. Her head rolled against his chest as she fell into unconsciousness. Tears coursed down his face as he clutched her tightly to him. His teardrops fell onto the fabric of her sleeve darkening the crimson colour as the afternoon light faded and the great battle finally drew to a close around them.