~ Chapter Three: The Battle Begins ~
Nearly three quarters of the elves in the room jumped to their feet, gathering their weapons. Legolas and the rest of the group grabbed theirs as well, and followed the elves to the main gate. When they stepped out, a depressing sight awaited them.
"Dear lords," whispered Frodo.
The surrounding fields were crawling with orcs. They were everywhere.
"Wait," said Aragorn, "There are not as many here as there were when I first laid eyes upon their camp."
"Where could the rest possibly be?" asked Menx.
"I've no clue, but we need to keep our eyes open for any sign of folly."
The orcs were congregating into rows, preparing for battle. As they did this, the elven warriors began to place themselves as well. Elves along every inch of their side of the field, ready to kill the orcs, using sword or bow. A rather large orc stepped out in the front.
"I am Hyden," he yelled, "and I have come for the King of the humans, and for the Staff of Goreandal!"
A gasp rippled through the elves. Menx was right. They had come for the item.
"You may think you can get it," cried Vedantalla, "but you'll have to come through us first!"
Hyden smiled.
"Gladly," he replied. He sounded off a roar, and the orcs surged forward.
"Steady," said Vedantalla, "Steady.now!"
The elves let out a thousand arrows, taking down the first two rows of orcs. The arrows continued to fly and the orcs continued to come. Many of the elves in front quickly drew their swords and met the orcs head on. Legolas could smell the orc blood, the steel, and was ready for the fight. He drew his sword and ran into battle. He took down the first orc he saw, then continued to take the lives of many others. As he fought, he heard the cries of the wounded. He heard the cries of elves as well as orcs, and an immense hatred filled him as he heard his comrades fall. He let out a cry of rage, and fought harder. He stabbed his sword into one orc, while slitting the throat of another with his dagger. As he fought through the carnage, he looked up. He saw Aragorn heading for Hyden. Then he saw Menx right behind Aragorn. A sudden fear filled Legolas. He felt the death of a friend approaching. He rushed towards them.
As he headed up the field to them, he kept getting distracted by orcs trying to kill him. He shoved his sword handle deep into an orc. As he was trying to pull it out, he happened to glance up. He saw Aragorn raise his sword against Hyden.
.Always remember, friend.we are a family.if we do not have each other.we have nothing.
The words Aragorn had once spoken to him resounded in his head. He saw Hyden block Aragorns blow. Menx ran up behind Aragorn, and attempted to run Hyden through. Legolas ran forward as fast as he could. Hyden reached behind him and knocked her down with a sweep of his hand. And as Aragorn tried to strike again, Hyden knocked away his sword, and stabbed Aragorn, straight into his stomach. Aragorn fell to his knees, holding his bleeding torso.
.if we do not have each other.we have nothing.brother.
"NO!!!!!!" screamed Legolas, rushing forward. He caught Hyden off- guard, stabbing him in the back. Hyden roared in pain. Legolas pulled out his sword and stabbed him again and again. The sight of Aragorn, the pain on his face, drove Legolas to hatred beyond hatred. Aragorn was nearly Legolas' brother. If he didn't have Aragorn, then they, the Fellowship, would be nothing. Nothing but an old wind, carrying memories through time.
Even as Hyden fell, Legolas kept stabbing. He finally dropped his sword, and fell to the ground next to him.
"Who sent you?" he said, grabbing Hyden by the shoulders, poison in his every word.
Hyden laughed.
"WHO SENT YOU?" screamed Legolas, spitting into his face.
"Something from your worst nightmares." Hyden whispered, barely audible.
"What?"
"He who eats the darkness, swallows your fears."
With that, Hyden died. Legolas shoved him.
"Wake up, coward!!"
Hyden was dead. Legolas could not bring him back.
"Dammit!" he screamed into the sky.
Legolas suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He looked over and saw an arrow protruding from it. He grabbed it, and gently pulled it out. Ignoring the bleeding, he stumbled over to Aragorns unmoving body. He pulled Aragorn up into his lap.
"Don't die, brother," he said. He bent his head down and began to cry.
".you always did cry at the wrong time."
Legolas brought his head up. Aragorn was barely breathing, but his eyes were open, with a hint of humor behind the pain. Legolas laughed, and hugged him.
~ * ~
Legolas sat in front of the fire. He waited upon the doctor to tell him of Aragorns condition. As he waited, Gandalf sat beside him.
"What is it that troubles your mind, Legolas?" he asked.
"I made Hyden tell me who sent them, but he died before he made it clear."
"What was it that the dreadful beast said?"
"He said."
"What?"
". that it was a creature of our worst nightmares, a creature that eats darkness and swallows our fears."
A look of horrid surprise glued itself to Gandalfs face.
"Are you sure? Did you hear him correctly?"
"Yes," said Legolas, sitting forward, "Why?"
"Merlin's beard."
"What?"
Gandalf sat back into his chair and began to rub his temples. After a few moments, he looked at Legolas.
"There is a legend, a myth, about a creature so terrible, it could look you in the eye and drain you of every happy memory you've ever had. It could swallow you of your soul, and then rip your body to shreds, just to watch you suffer. It lives off fear and darkness. That's its life's essences. It is called Goreandal."
"That's the staff's name."
"Exactly. Goreandal was once a mighty wizard. But he used his powers for absolute evil. He wreaked havoc upon Middle Earth. Many say he was in alliance with Sauron himself. The ancient good wizards of Middle Earth put a stop to him. They changed him. Changed him into a terrifying creature, unimaginable. Then they incased him in stone, and buried him, far beneath the earth's surface. They made it so the only way for him to awaken was when a true follower found that his staff still existed. They had made a staff, one that looked just like his, though a fake. They made it a public display to burn it, to make sure that everyone would know, or think they knew, that it was gone. But they hid the real staff, away, far beneath the earth's surface. I only had a suspicion at what Hyden may have wanted it. But now that he's confessed that it was Goreandal himself that wanted it back, it has become clear. If Goreandal receives his staff again, he will resume his human form, and we will all be doomed. I don't know if even I could stop him once he gets his staff back."
Legolas, stricken with the information, leaned backwards into his chair. Suddenly an elf came from Aragorns room.
"He is wounded deeply, but I do believe with a bit of good elven majick, he will recover."
Legolas could only nod. After a moment, the elf returned and said they could go in and talk to him. As they walked into the room, they heard heavy breathing. Legolas walked over and gently gave Aragorn a brotherly hug.
"Careful," said Aragorn, "It barely missed my lungs."
"I see that," replied Legolas.
"You are very brave, Aragorn," said Gandalf, "to have gone up against Hyden alone. Just like the king you are."
"I wasn't alone," Aragorn said, "I had Legolas and Menx by my side."
"No worries, then."
"None whatsoever."
"Good, then," said Ryuwand, coming in, "we need your help once more, but for something far more important than some silly little earth demon. It is of importance to the Staff."
Nearly three quarters of the elves in the room jumped to their feet, gathering their weapons. Legolas and the rest of the group grabbed theirs as well, and followed the elves to the main gate. When they stepped out, a depressing sight awaited them.
"Dear lords," whispered Frodo.
The surrounding fields were crawling with orcs. They were everywhere.
"Wait," said Aragorn, "There are not as many here as there were when I first laid eyes upon their camp."
"Where could the rest possibly be?" asked Menx.
"I've no clue, but we need to keep our eyes open for any sign of folly."
The orcs were congregating into rows, preparing for battle. As they did this, the elven warriors began to place themselves as well. Elves along every inch of their side of the field, ready to kill the orcs, using sword or bow. A rather large orc stepped out in the front.
"I am Hyden," he yelled, "and I have come for the King of the humans, and for the Staff of Goreandal!"
A gasp rippled through the elves. Menx was right. They had come for the item.
"You may think you can get it," cried Vedantalla, "but you'll have to come through us first!"
Hyden smiled.
"Gladly," he replied. He sounded off a roar, and the orcs surged forward.
"Steady," said Vedantalla, "Steady.now!"
The elves let out a thousand arrows, taking down the first two rows of orcs. The arrows continued to fly and the orcs continued to come. Many of the elves in front quickly drew their swords and met the orcs head on. Legolas could smell the orc blood, the steel, and was ready for the fight. He drew his sword and ran into battle. He took down the first orc he saw, then continued to take the lives of many others. As he fought, he heard the cries of the wounded. He heard the cries of elves as well as orcs, and an immense hatred filled him as he heard his comrades fall. He let out a cry of rage, and fought harder. He stabbed his sword into one orc, while slitting the throat of another with his dagger. As he fought through the carnage, he looked up. He saw Aragorn heading for Hyden. Then he saw Menx right behind Aragorn. A sudden fear filled Legolas. He felt the death of a friend approaching. He rushed towards them.
As he headed up the field to them, he kept getting distracted by orcs trying to kill him. He shoved his sword handle deep into an orc. As he was trying to pull it out, he happened to glance up. He saw Aragorn raise his sword against Hyden.
.Always remember, friend.we are a family.if we do not have each other.we have nothing.
The words Aragorn had once spoken to him resounded in his head. He saw Hyden block Aragorns blow. Menx ran up behind Aragorn, and attempted to run Hyden through. Legolas ran forward as fast as he could. Hyden reached behind him and knocked her down with a sweep of his hand. And as Aragorn tried to strike again, Hyden knocked away his sword, and stabbed Aragorn, straight into his stomach. Aragorn fell to his knees, holding his bleeding torso.
.if we do not have each other.we have nothing.brother.
"NO!!!!!!" screamed Legolas, rushing forward. He caught Hyden off- guard, stabbing him in the back. Hyden roared in pain. Legolas pulled out his sword and stabbed him again and again. The sight of Aragorn, the pain on his face, drove Legolas to hatred beyond hatred. Aragorn was nearly Legolas' brother. If he didn't have Aragorn, then they, the Fellowship, would be nothing. Nothing but an old wind, carrying memories through time.
Even as Hyden fell, Legolas kept stabbing. He finally dropped his sword, and fell to the ground next to him.
"Who sent you?" he said, grabbing Hyden by the shoulders, poison in his every word.
Hyden laughed.
"WHO SENT YOU?" screamed Legolas, spitting into his face.
"Something from your worst nightmares." Hyden whispered, barely audible.
"What?"
"He who eats the darkness, swallows your fears."
With that, Hyden died. Legolas shoved him.
"Wake up, coward!!"
Hyden was dead. Legolas could not bring him back.
"Dammit!" he screamed into the sky.
Legolas suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He looked over and saw an arrow protruding from it. He grabbed it, and gently pulled it out. Ignoring the bleeding, he stumbled over to Aragorns unmoving body. He pulled Aragorn up into his lap.
"Don't die, brother," he said. He bent his head down and began to cry.
".you always did cry at the wrong time."
Legolas brought his head up. Aragorn was barely breathing, but his eyes were open, with a hint of humor behind the pain. Legolas laughed, and hugged him.
~ * ~
Legolas sat in front of the fire. He waited upon the doctor to tell him of Aragorns condition. As he waited, Gandalf sat beside him.
"What is it that troubles your mind, Legolas?" he asked.
"I made Hyden tell me who sent them, but he died before he made it clear."
"What was it that the dreadful beast said?"
"He said."
"What?"
". that it was a creature of our worst nightmares, a creature that eats darkness and swallows our fears."
A look of horrid surprise glued itself to Gandalfs face.
"Are you sure? Did you hear him correctly?"
"Yes," said Legolas, sitting forward, "Why?"
"Merlin's beard."
"What?"
Gandalf sat back into his chair and began to rub his temples. After a few moments, he looked at Legolas.
"There is a legend, a myth, about a creature so terrible, it could look you in the eye and drain you of every happy memory you've ever had. It could swallow you of your soul, and then rip your body to shreds, just to watch you suffer. It lives off fear and darkness. That's its life's essences. It is called Goreandal."
"That's the staff's name."
"Exactly. Goreandal was once a mighty wizard. But he used his powers for absolute evil. He wreaked havoc upon Middle Earth. Many say he was in alliance with Sauron himself. The ancient good wizards of Middle Earth put a stop to him. They changed him. Changed him into a terrifying creature, unimaginable. Then they incased him in stone, and buried him, far beneath the earth's surface. They made it so the only way for him to awaken was when a true follower found that his staff still existed. They had made a staff, one that looked just like his, though a fake. They made it a public display to burn it, to make sure that everyone would know, or think they knew, that it was gone. But they hid the real staff, away, far beneath the earth's surface. I only had a suspicion at what Hyden may have wanted it. But now that he's confessed that it was Goreandal himself that wanted it back, it has become clear. If Goreandal receives his staff again, he will resume his human form, and we will all be doomed. I don't know if even I could stop him once he gets his staff back."
Legolas, stricken with the information, leaned backwards into his chair. Suddenly an elf came from Aragorns room.
"He is wounded deeply, but I do believe with a bit of good elven majick, he will recover."
Legolas could only nod. After a moment, the elf returned and said they could go in and talk to him. As they walked into the room, they heard heavy breathing. Legolas walked over and gently gave Aragorn a brotherly hug.
"Careful," said Aragorn, "It barely missed my lungs."
"I see that," replied Legolas.
"You are very brave, Aragorn," said Gandalf, "to have gone up against Hyden alone. Just like the king you are."
"I wasn't alone," Aragorn said, "I had Legolas and Menx by my side."
"No worries, then."
"None whatsoever."
"Good, then," said Ryuwand, coming in, "we need your help once more, but for something far more important than some silly little earth demon. It is of importance to the Staff."