The Sapphire Quest
Words from Author:
Hullo there, fellow readers and authors! I've got some words to say before you proceed:
Firstly, a disclaimer. I would like all to know that I do not own 'The Lord Of The Rings'. All characters and places in the book belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. However, all unheard of characters and the heroine belong to me, as well as places beyond the Iron Hills, which are not in Tolkien's map. I would not be repeating myself later on, so keep in mind I am no Tolkien, as my writing would soon prove.
Secondly, I would like to warn those who have not read the third book or do not know the ending of some of the characters in the book, for my story is set soon after the quest of the Ring ended. Some spoilers may appear in the book (but then again, some of you would probably think I made it up). Also, the rating of this fic might change in the future!
Thirdly, I would like to apologize if some of you may find my writing boring or draggy, for I just can't help but include details and slow time progression. This may seem like a usual Mary-Sue fiction to you, but it isn't! There's more to this story than the romance. In fact, there's more adventure here than romance, so I guess I would be changing the genre soon. This is my first fanfiction and I'd be really grateful if you could read and review this fic! Thank you!
_________
Prologue – Alranyam
'Tis is a tale of a legend lost long ago, but recovered at the end of the Third Age. No book recorded it and no song sang it, but in the minds of people it stayed, as though it was but a dream.
Before the rise of Sauron and before the forging of the One Ring, Middle-Earth was a peaceful land with the Free Peoples living together. Hobbits lived quietly in the Shire, dwarves dug for treasure in their own caves, and men and elves lived in prosperity all across the land. While the kings of Gondor grew greedily in power, the lesser men of Searia studied the arts of healing. Up north beyond the Iron Hills lived two races in one kingdom, for two kings shared the throne. Landhren, of the Men, and Raodhas, of the Halflings, shared this kingdom as both loved peace and were masters of healing. Thus Searia thrived into a great but hidden place, for the kings wished not for people from the other countries to taint their hearts.
But alas for the Ring. Evil started spreading all over Middle-Earth, and though both Landhren and Raodhas tried to defeat it, their people soon became discontented. The halflings wanted all the wisdom of Searia, and soon sought dark ways to weaken the men. While the Elves and Men joined forces to defeat Sauron in the south, a great plague swept through Searia. In their last hope Landhren and Raodhas wrought a Staff of Remedy, which glowed in four different colors at the tip. With this staff Landhren and Raodhas made their last effort to save their beloved land, and its people were cured. But the evil left not without planting its seed, for Raodhas' son, Fatheol, took the staff from his father's dying hands and left the great kings to die and the land to wilt.
However, Fatheol, being poisoned by evil, could not wield the staff and thus it was useless to him. Long did he try to control its power but he could not, and at last he withered away. Long later, the descendent of Landren's son, who was no longer the leader of Searia, came to the staff and looked upon it in wonder, for it started glowing in different hues. He had a heart pure as was his ancestor and the staff lived once more. Travelling across Searia he cured all illness and healed all wounds. The people of Searia offered him the throne, for he had proven himself worthy to the staff, but he refused, and wished just to help the needed. He was then known as the Great Healing Sage, Alranyam.
Though the land was healing the people did not, not in heart. The men of Searia remembered the betrayal of the halfling, and though they were not to blame, the two races had grown apart. Even with the presence of Alranyam they could not unite. Thus Searia was divided into two realms, the West realm for the men and the East for the halflings. After the Dark Lord was defeated momentarily by the union of Men and Elves, Middle-Earth gained temporary peace, and that was when Alranyam decided to travel south. The people of Searia begged and pleaded, but Alranyam wanted to see the world, and perhaps he could be of more help out there.
So with great loss the people of Searia saw him leave. But when they went south to ask tidings of their sage, they found few or none at all. It had seemed to them that Alranyam journeyed south for only a short while and he did not even journey beyond to Rohan. News of him became scarce and soon he was forgotten, for he never came again to fair Searia.
The truth was, Alranyam met a wizard dressed in blue on his way down the river Esgaroth. The wizard had been badly wounded in battle and was but a little breath away from death. Alranyam did all he could to heal the old man, but the old man was dying. No giving up, Alranyam pushed the limit of the staff and it worked. However, with the revival of the wizard Alranyam sacrificed himself and the staff. The great healing sage took his last breath as he saw the staff crumpling before his eyes. But the rescued wizard would not see to the death of his saviour. Quickly he bound a spell of soul preservation to Alranyam, and with the staff he wrought four gems from the four hues it emitted. Alranyam's soul was bound to all four gems and each gem bore a different mark. When one as true as him appeared, he would once again be revived with the help of the Soul Gems. The blue wizard went in search of such a person, but through hundreds of years he sought and found none.
As years passed, the wizard mysteriously disappeared and the gems were passed on from one to another. Soon they were all separated and lost. The Alranyam became but a legend on the land of Middle-Earth.