Chapter 10: Decisions
As the journey continued, the landscape started changing little by little. We had started riding through the beginnings of a forest, which changed into a thick forest with welcoming bodies of water here and there. Now the forest was thinning out. The distance between each tree was getting larger.
As we rode on it felt like we were reaching the end of the world. The environment felt cold and far too harsh. Haldir tried cheering me up with some really bad jokes but nothing worked. I knew everything was changing and there was nothing that I could do.
Later after much riding we reached a soft rippling creek with beautiful green trees scattered around. The scenery had changed yet again. It was picturesque.
"We will stop and give the horses a break and then we will continue on" Haldir said. "Where will we go from here? The other side of the creek appears to be too steep to get over. Are we to follow the creek." I said to Haldir and his brothers. Haldir's countenance changed. Rumil and Orophin excused themselves and joined the other elves in the group.
"Haldir what is wrong?" I asked. It was as if I was seeing something different to them. On the other side of the creek I saw a steep bank and the top of the bank was blocked off by a steep cliff face thus making any attempt to cross the creek impossible. "Tell me what do you see on the other side of the creek?" asked Haldir. I told him that I saw a cliff. "Why don't we sit down" said Haldir.
When we sat down Haldir started speaking again. "I don't know how to say this but we are going to cross over to a different place, a different world that you do not know of but will come to understand. What you see on the other side of the creek is a illusion. Designed to keep your world out of ours. If people happen to come across this gateway to the two worlds, they will see what you see. Only those permitted can see what really lies behind the creek. The same also applies to the elves on the other side of the gateway. Only few elves know of its existence and no humans knew of its existence until now."
"We stopped now not because of the horses, but because you need to be able to pass through the gateway. I will ride behind you on your horse to make sure you get through. Most importantly you must decide if you want to pass through to the world that we want you to see. Take your time. Do you want me to leave you alone for awhile so you can make your decision?" "No, stay here Haldir, If you will" I replied.
I couldn't think properly. I looked at Haldir who was staring straight ahead with a almost sad look on his face. This is the first time I had seen him where his spirit was not happy and indeed arrogant on some occasions. "Haldir?" "Yes" he replied. "If I go with you do I have to stay in your world and never come back to my own? Does everyone forget about me? Would it be as if I never existed in this world if I choose to stay in yours?" I asked. "To be honest with you, I do not know exactly what will happen in your world once you enter mine, but should you decide not to stay in mine, you will be able to come back. You have my word." He replied. Haldir then continued to look straight ahead with the same expression as before.
"Haldir?" Once again he turned to face me. "I will go with you, I desire to see the world in which you and your brothers live in, but you have to promise something?" "What can I do?" He replied. "You must promise not to leave me alone there, should I desire to go you must take me away. Will you promise to do this for me?" "Yes" was his swift reply. "All right I will go with you, lets go now though before I change my mind"
Haldir and I walked back to the group and I mounted Asfaloth. Haldir spoke to them in elvish before getting behind me. We then slowly began to cross the creek.
As the journey continued, the landscape started changing little by little. We had started riding through the beginnings of a forest, which changed into a thick forest with welcoming bodies of water here and there. Now the forest was thinning out. The distance between each tree was getting larger.
As we rode on it felt like we were reaching the end of the world. The environment felt cold and far too harsh. Haldir tried cheering me up with some really bad jokes but nothing worked. I knew everything was changing and there was nothing that I could do.
Later after much riding we reached a soft rippling creek with beautiful green trees scattered around. The scenery had changed yet again. It was picturesque.
"We will stop and give the horses a break and then we will continue on" Haldir said. "Where will we go from here? The other side of the creek appears to be too steep to get over. Are we to follow the creek." I said to Haldir and his brothers. Haldir's countenance changed. Rumil and Orophin excused themselves and joined the other elves in the group.
"Haldir what is wrong?" I asked. It was as if I was seeing something different to them. On the other side of the creek I saw a steep bank and the top of the bank was blocked off by a steep cliff face thus making any attempt to cross the creek impossible. "Tell me what do you see on the other side of the creek?" asked Haldir. I told him that I saw a cliff. "Why don't we sit down" said Haldir.
When we sat down Haldir started speaking again. "I don't know how to say this but we are going to cross over to a different place, a different world that you do not know of but will come to understand. What you see on the other side of the creek is a illusion. Designed to keep your world out of ours. If people happen to come across this gateway to the two worlds, they will see what you see. Only those permitted can see what really lies behind the creek. The same also applies to the elves on the other side of the gateway. Only few elves know of its existence and no humans knew of its existence until now."
"We stopped now not because of the horses, but because you need to be able to pass through the gateway. I will ride behind you on your horse to make sure you get through. Most importantly you must decide if you want to pass through to the world that we want you to see. Take your time. Do you want me to leave you alone for awhile so you can make your decision?" "No, stay here Haldir, If you will" I replied.
I couldn't think properly. I looked at Haldir who was staring straight ahead with a almost sad look on his face. This is the first time I had seen him where his spirit was not happy and indeed arrogant on some occasions. "Haldir?" "Yes" he replied. "If I go with you do I have to stay in your world and never come back to my own? Does everyone forget about me? Would it be as if I never existed in this world if I choose to stay in yours?" I asked. "To be honest with you, I do not know exactly what will happen in your world once you enter mine, but should you decide not to stay in mine, you will be able to come back. You have my word." He replied. Haldir then continued to look straight ahead with the same expression as before.
"Haldir?" Once again he turned to face me. "I will go with you, I desire to see the world in which you and your brothers live in, but you have to promise something?" "What can I do?" He replied. "You must promise not to leave me alone there, should I desire to go you must take me away. Will you promise to do this for me?" "Yes" was his swift reply. "All right I will go with you, lets go now though before I change my mind"
Haldir and I walked back to the group and I mounted Asfaloth. Haldir spoke to them in elvish before getting behind me. We then slowly began to cross the creek.