*flashback*

He knew he was lost but didn't allow himself to panic. Even if he was about to just do that. "Why didn't I obey my father's words, staying outside this cursed forest." Fifteen year old Merry scolded himself. "Dad will kill me…" a loud cracking noise stopped him in his rambling. He whirled around to see what had caused it and froze. Before he even could move an inch he felt his ankles in an iron like grip. "NO!" He screamed, but to no avail. The shadows around him started to dance and came closer, encircled him and started to snarl: "Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" "Where are you from?" "What are you?" Merry knew now that he had underestimated the danger of the Old Forest on the borders to Buckland. His dad had told him to stay out the woods since he was a small child. But Merry´s curiosity finally had gotten the better of him and he had disobeyed his father's words and went into the forest. He felt the roots around his ankles tighten and almost screamed as they scraped his skin. In despair he pulled the knife his father had given to him when he was a child. Before the small and silver blade could touch the roots they unwrapped themselves from its victim and crept back under the earth where they came from. Merry panted. With new courage he stood and screamed into the darkness around him: "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck, son of Saradoc." The shadows swirled around him, trying to catch him, but didn't dare to. One last time the darkness got more consistent, then, like a bad dream, it vanished, just leaving the memory. Merry sighed exhausted, feeling drained as he had never felt before. He did one last staggering step, didn't manage to go on, his knees buckled and before he hit the ground he had passed out.

*****

As he sat there jostling Pippin in his arms he had a strange feeling of déjà vu but before he could grasp it it slipped away, hid behind other thoughts that where more important. He shrugged, decided it was time to wake Pippin and shook him again, this time more gentle to not hurt him any further. The Hobbit firstly didn´t react, but after Merry repeated his shaking and called him by his name he slowly opened his eyes. Drowsily Pippin looked up at him. "Are you okay? Do you hurt?" Merry asked in a low, worried voice. He watched Pippin carefully. Seconds passed but finally the small one shook his head slowly, then nodded and again shook his head. Merry stood, crossed his arms before his chest, shaking his head slightly. He knew exactly what the problem was. He bent down again, taking his cousins face in his hands and gently touched the gash on Pippins forehead. As he did so, Pippin flinched under his probing fingers and he frowned. "It´s pretty deep, that cut of yours. Are you feeling dizzy? Sick?" He asked, trying to get Pippins attention, but it was drawn somewhere behind him. He saw his cousins eyes widen in fear and through the dim twilight could see a reflection of movement in Pippins irises. Merry tensed. He remembered leaving the dagger somewhere on the ground in order to get Pippin on his feet. In one smooth and fast movement Merry let go of his cousin, stood and whirled around. But it was too late. His eyes met the gaze of the creature that had come up behind him, and he felt himself drown in those deep, black pools…

*flashback*

He fell. Deeper and deeper, faster and faster. "Where once was light now darkness rules." A voice whispered. "Where once was love, now grows hate and despair." The fall descended into tumbling and finally it seemed as if he was hovering. "Leave him, he´s no avail. Leave him, he´s NO AVAIL!!!" Merry´s eyes snapped open. With a painful gasp he inhaled. The last words of his dream seemed to still hang in to the air. Someone was with him. He felt a light and gentle touch as someone helped him sit, while he still heaved in breath after breath. As the dark dots that blurred his vision finally had vanished he took in his surroundings. Whispering voices filled the air, shadows danced all around him, not daring to touch him but not letting him through as well. He drew in one more shuddering breath, then turned around to meet the gaze of his saviour. He could have cried in relief as he met the gentle eyes of his father. With one sobbing sound he pressed himself at his dad who on the other side embraced him tightly. Minutes passed while Merry didn´t do anything else but breathe in the so well known scent of his father, feeling safe in his arms. "We have to go." His dad told him quietly. "We have to be out of here before night falls." Merry nodded hesitantly and withdrew his head from his fathers chest. Looking over the shoulder of the older Hobbit he would have screamed, but black pools with no irises already paralyzed him, drowning him, dragging him deep into the dark mists.

*****

"NOOO!" His heart missed a beat and his knees buckled. He felt drained and would have fallen if the scream hadn´t warned him not to do. With all his might he fought off the weariness and rose his head. Shadows danced around them, whispering, screeching. Pippin stood there in front of him, shielding him from the dark pools. His arms spread wide in an protective manner. It was him who had screamed. "Pip…" Merry could barely hear his own words. He could see his cousin tremble in fear but still stood his ground. Then Merry remembered and with panic starting to rise he found his voice: "Pippin! Don´t watch into his eyes!" But his words went unheard. Pippin suddenly jerked violently and fell to his knees. Startled Merry came to his feet and staggered forward, as something shiny caught his attention. "The Dagger!" he whispered. As fast as he could he dove for the silver blade and took it. It felt as if some strange kind of power flow through his whole being and with this new strength he turned to the dark creature that now was hunched over Pippins fallen form like a hyena over it´s prey. "He´s no avail!" He cried while rising his dagger and walking slowly and steady up to the creature. The head of the dark creature rose but didn´t move to release its prey. "He´s NO AVAIL!" Merry repeated his words, eyes now flashing threateningly. The dark one retreated. Unwillingly and slowly but it released Pippin from it´s deadly grip. Merry was at his side in an instant. Not letting his guard down for one moment he dragged Pippin backwards, farther away from their foe. "He´zzzz mine!" Merry´s blood froze as it spoke for the first time. "He isn´t your´s. I claim his life. I remember now, and I will NOT let you harm him in any way." The figure sniggered. "Zzzzo you remember, heir of Buckland?! You remember ALL whatzzz happened?" He could feel Pippin stir slightly in his grasp but didn´t let go of him. Yes, he remembered, he shuddered as yet again he dove into his memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to be continued…

~Key