A Journey Through The Dark
Authors Notes: Hey I'm back. Sorry I have taken such a long time however what with exam results, uni and work I didn't have time to update this story. However here is part five, and we are now reaching an end. Thank you to all that reviewed and I hope you haven't given upon this story. Chapter six will try to follow soon.
Chapter Five
The darkness was thick, covering him like a blanket of wet sand, weighing him down, burying him. Legolas tried to reach out through the shadow. Sound moved through the darkness, the sound of claws on stone, a growl echoing through the tunnel. The Elf froze, eyes darting round, something was coming, growling and picking up speed.
(A/N: Andraste again!)
Legolas cowered as the creature rushed at him, a huge black shadowy animal. He could practically smell the beast's breath and hear it panting but as it reached him he did not feel it. The creature passed straight through him as though it had missed, it skidded to a halt, turned and pouched again, again sailing right through him.
The noise increased and out of the darkness crept more shadowy creatures, all growling, and teeth glinting in the dark. Slowly they all closed in on the Elf
"Aragorn, Aragorn!" he shouted shielding his face from the animals as they closed in, "Aragorn!"
(A/N: Back with me! :-D)
Hands grabbed his shoulders shaking him roughly, someone calling his name. Legolas blinked and focused on the concerned face in front of him.
"Estel!" He cried, grasping the ranger's shirt in panic and looking around wildly for the creatures.
"Ea na gwiil" //be at peace// Aragorn said, tightening his grip on the princes' arm to get his attention, "Calm down"
Legolas looked past the humans shoulder, eyes widening in fear. His fingers tightened on Aragorn shirt, "They're coming"
Confused Strider looked round, searching for anything in the shadow.
"What do you see Legolas?" he asked worriedly though the Elf did not seem to hear him. The prince was shaking slightly and Aragorn pulled him a little closer to try and comfort him. He murmured aimless words in Elvish trying to offer his friend any kind of comfort. The Elves eyes were wide but unseeing as they stared over his shoulder looking at something that Estel could not see.
"Legolas" he said again "focus on my voice, block out anything else. Focus on me"
Legolas blinked and forced himself to focus on the ranger's worried brown eyes. The shadows still prowled at the edges of his vision but Legolas took a breath trying to will them to vanish.
"Mani naa ta Legolas? What do you see?" //What is it Legolas?//
"Dae" //Shadow// Legolas whispered hoarsely "Like great beasts, they stalk round. I can't escape."
Aragorn looked round, expecting to see a large black beast pouncing towards him but all he saw was the orange glow of the fire and the dark walls of the cave. The Elf took a few more deep breaths trying to clear the fear that had suddenly over come him. He was embarrassed by his rash show of weakness. Prince Legolas Greenleaf was not afraid of the dark. Looking past Aragorn again Legolas watched the beast that was stalking round, its claws grating against the stone. Why couldn't Estel see the creature, how could he ignore the panting breath and deep growl that seemed to echo round the cave. Watching Aragorn's movements as he looked round the cave Legolas realised that his friend had no idea what he was talking about.
"Do you not see them?" he asked pleased to find that he voice had lost any trace of fear and he untangled himself from the mans shirt leaning back against the wall, a wary eye still on the shadow.
Estel looked around once more, hoping for the sake of his friend to see something move in the darkness. "I see nothing but the cave and the fire mellon nin //my friend//." He said quietly.
Legolas dropped his friend's gaze, for a second embarrassment graced his pale face but it was soon gone and replaced by an emotionless mask.
"It must have been a nightmare. I am fine now"
Strider watched the elf carefully, not believing what he said. Before he could comment Legolas looked up again and said,
"Do you think we should move on?"
Aragorn held back his frustrated sigh as Legolas forced himself to his feet, retrieving the Elven blade and held it loosely in one hand, the other hand still pressed against the wall, holding him upright. Wordlessly Estel slipped between and rested Legolas' arm on his shoulders, worry increasing when the prince did not argue back. They started their journey down the cave, Legolas was still limping and his eyes were half closed as he tried to slip into a healing sleep however whenever he was about to relax completely in his sleep his eyes would jump open and dart around the cave once more.
"Mellon nin tell me what is wrong" //my friend//
Legolas looked up at his friend, opening his mouth to say 'nothing' but closed it again studying his human friend thoughtfully. Estel had become one of the prince's closet friends despite how his father had reacted. Legolas felt as close to the man as he did his own brother and knew that Aragorn would not judge him or mock him for how he felt.
"I do not like the cave" he said quietly, "The darkness is closing in on me. I fear that I will never see the sun and sky again."
Realisation hit Aragorn, as he finally understood Legolas' earlier actions. A small smile graced his lips in sympathy for his friend.
"There is no need to be embarrassed by your fear Legolas. Everyone fears something. It is just a way of life."
Legolas nodded; glad his fears did not make his friend think any less of him. A though came to his head and he asked, "If you say everyone fears something then what do you fear Estel?"
Strider paused, looking down at the floor. He murmured something that even Legolas' Elven hearing could not completely pick up.
"Say again mellon nin for I believe I misheard you" //my friend//
Aragorn looked up "I said snakes"
Legolas could not stop the smile though he tried, "You are just mocking me. I do not believe that you are afraid of snakes."
"I did not laugh at you. Snakes are horrid. Have you not seen how they sliver?" he shivered slightly "And many are poisonous."
Legolas managed to wipe the smile from his face and regarded his friend seriously, "Amin hireatha" //I'm sorry//
They fell silent and Legolas allowed Aragorn to led him through the maze that stretched before them. They took a left and both friends froze at the dead end in front of them. Aragorn backed up against the wall, his torch dropping to the fall and his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. The dark floor was moving, as hundreds of snakes stirred in the darkness, moving slowly towards him. One began to coil up his leg and Estel stood frozen in fear.
When Aragorn dropped his torch and back away to the wall Legolas could only watch the dark shadows that sprung up around him. The walls were closing in around him. Legolas could feel the place getting smaller and smaller. He could hear the now familiar growl and scrap of claw against stone stalking around. The walls continued to close, tighter and tighter. Legolas felt a wall behind him and sank to the floor, hugging his good leg to his chest ignoring the pain in his ribs. Once again the darkness was suffocating and dark shapes danced at the each of his vision, and he reached through the darkness for Aragorn and the breath caught in his throat when he grabbed only air.
Estel could feel the snake begin to coil round his waist. On the floor many reared up, striking out at others. Strider knew that many of them were poisonous; the colours in the dim fire light suggested so. Aragorn turned his head slightly to the left to ask Legolas to help him remove the snake but Legolas was nowhere to be seen in the shadows. More snakes had replaced the spot he had been standing.
"Legolas?" He breathed quietly "Legolas where are you?"
Authors Notes: Hey I'm back. Sorry I have taken such a long time however what with exam results, uni and work I didn't have time to update this story. However here is part five, and we are now reaching an end. Thank you to all that reviewed and I hope you haven't given upon this story. Chapter six will try to follow soon.
Chapter Five
The darkness was thick, covering him like a blanket of wet sand, weighing him down, burying him. Legolas tried to reach out through the shadow. Sound moved through the darkness, the sound of claws on stone, a growl echoing through the tunnel. The Elf froze, eyes darting round, something was coming, growling and picking up speed.
(A/N: Andraste again!)
Legolas cowered as the creature rushed at him, a huge black shadowy animal. He could practically smell the beast's breath and hear it panting but as it reached him he did not feel it. The creature passed straight through him as though it had missed, it skidded to a halt, turned and pouched again, again sailing right through him.
The noise increased and out of the darkness crept more shadowy creatures, all growling, and teeth glinting in the dark. Slowly they all closed in on the Elf
"Aragorn, Aragorn!" he shouted shielding his face from the animals as they closed in, "Aragorn!"
(A/N: Back with me! :-D)
Hands grabbed his shoulders shaking him roughly, someone calling his name. Legolas blinked and focused on the concerned face in front of him.
"Estel!" He cried, grasping the ranger's shirt in panic and looking around wildly for the creatures.
"Ea na gwiil" //be at peace// Aragorn said, tightening his grip on the princes' arm to get his attention, "Calm down"
Legolas looked past the humans shoulder, eyes widening in fear. His fingers tightened on Aragorn shirt, "They're coming"
Confused Strider looked round, searching for anything in the shadow.
"What do you see Legolas?" he asked worriedly though the Elf did not seem to hear him. The prince was shaking slightly and Aragorn pulled him a little closer to try and comfort him. He murmured aimless words in Elvish trying to offer his friend any kind of comfort. The Elves eyes were wide but unseeing as they stared over his shoulder looking at something that Estel could not see.
"Legolas" he said again "focus on my voice, block out anything else. Focus on me"
Legolas blinked and forced himself to focus on the ranger's worried brown eyes. The shadows still prowled at the edges of his vision but Legolas took a breath trying to will them to vanish.
"Mani naa ta Legolas? What do you see?" //What is it Legolas?//
"Dae" //Shadow// Legolas whispered hoarsely "Like great beasts, they stalk round. I can't escape."
Aragorn looked round, expecting to see a large black beast pouncing towards him but all he saw was the orange glow of the fire and the dark walls of the cave. The Elf took a few more deep breaths trying to clear the fear that had suddenly over come him. He was embarrassed by his rash show of weakness. Prince Legolas Greenleaf was not afraid of the dark. Looking past Aragorn again Legolas watched the beast that was stalking round, its claws grating against the stone. Why couldn't Estel see the creature, how could he ignore the panting breath and deep growl that seemed to echo round the cave. Watching Aragorn's movements as he looked round the cave Legolas realised that his friend had no idea what he was talking about.
"Do you not see them?" he asked pleased to find that he voice had lost any trace of fear and he untangled himself from the mans shirt leaning back against the wall, a wary eye still on the shadow.
Estel looked around once more, hoping for the sake of his friend to see something move in the darkness. "I see nothing but the cave and the fire mellon nin //my friend//." He said quietly.
Legolas dropped his friend's gaze, for a second embarrassment graced his pale face but it was soon gone and replaced by an emotionless mask.
"It must have been a nightmare. I am fine now"
Strider watched the elf carefully, not believing what he said. Before he could comment Legolas looked up again and said,
"Do you think we should move on?"
Aragorn held back his frustrated sigh as Legolas forced himself to his feet, retrieving the Elven blade and held it loosely in one hand, the other hand still pressed against the wall, holding him upright. Wordlessly Estel slipped between and rested Legolas' arm on his shoulders, worry increasing when the prince did not argue back. They started their journey down the cave, Legolas was still limping and his eyes were half closed as he tried to slip into a healing sleep however whenever he was about to relax completely in his sleep his eyes would jump open and dart around the cave once more.
"Mellon nin tell me what is wrong" //my friend//
Legolas looked up at his friend, opening his mouth to say 'nothing' but closed it again studying his human friend thoughtfully. Estel had become one of the prince's closet friends despite how his father had reacted. Legolas felt as close to the man as he did his own brother and knew that Aragorn would not judge him or mock him for how he felt.
"I do not like the cave" he said quietly, "The darkness is closing in on me. I fear that I will never see the sun and sky again."
Realisation hit Aragorn, as he finally understood Legolas' earlier actions. A small smile graced his lips in sympathy for his friend.
"There is no need to be embarrassed by your fear Legolas. Everyone fears something. It is just a way of life."
Legolas nodded; glad his fears did not make his friend think any less of him. A though came to his head and he asked, "If you say everyone fears something then what do you fear Estel?"
Strider paused, looking down at the floor. He murmured something that even Legolas' Elven hearing could not completely pick up.
"Say again mellon nin for I believe I misheard you" //my friend//
Aragorn looked up "I said snakes"
Legolas could not stop the smile though he tried, "You are just mocking me. I do not believe that you are afraid of snakes."
"I did not laugh at you. Snakes are horrid. Have you not seen how they sliver?" he shivered slightly "And many are poisonous."
Legolas managed to wipe the smile from his face and regarded his friend seriously, "Amin hireatha" //I'm sorry//
They fell silent and Legolas allowed Aragorn to led him through the maze that stretched before them. They took a left and both friends froze at the dead end in front of them. Aragorn backed up against the wall, his torch dropping to the fall and his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. The dark floor was moving, as hundreds of snakes stirred in the darkness, moving slowly towards him. One began to coil up his leg and Estel stood frozen in fear.
When Aragorn dropped his torch and back away to the wall Legolas could only watch the dark shadows that sprung up around him. The walls were closing in around him. Legolas could feel the place getting smaller and smaller. He could hear the now familiar growl and scrap of claw against stone stalking around. The walls continued to close, tighter and tighter. Legolas felt a wall behind him and sank to the floor, hugging his good leg to his chest ignoring the pain in his ribs. Once again the darkness was suffocating and dark shapes danced at the each of his vision, and he reached through the darkness for Aragorn and the breath caught in his throat when he grabbed only air.
Estel could feel the snake begin to coil round his waist. On the floor many reared up, striking out at others. Strider knew that many of them were poisonous; the colours in the dim fire light suggested so. Aragorn turned his head slightly to the left to ask Legolas to help him remove the snake but Legolas was nowhere to be seen in the shadows. More snakes had replaced the spot he had been standing.
"Legolas?" He breathed quietly "Legolas where are you?"