Evil's Point
Chapter 2
Gimli groaned in dismay as Legolas' fair locks disappeared in the murky water. His heart raced and his mind whirled as he fought not to panic. He searched the waters desperately for some sign of his friend. Finally he saw a hand appear above the water, grasping faintly. Without hesitation Gimli tore off his bag and cloak and dived into the water to reach his friend.
This was a mistake, as the river's magic began working on Gimli immediately. He felt a great weariness come over him, and he gasped for breath though his head was above the water. It was like someone was fighting to pull him down into the river's evil depths. With great strength of will, the dwarf forced his suddenly leaden limbs to obey him, and he swam toward the place where his friend had disappeared.
Taking a great breath, Gimli dived under the water. He strained to see anything, for the black waters obscured even Gimli's own arms from his sight. Just as he was about to go back up for air, he felt himself brush against something soft--Legolas' cloak. He gripped it firmly and kicked frantically for the surface. It was hard work--Legolas' weight combined with the pull of the water combined to slow him down immensely. Just in time, he reached the surface. Gimli, coughing and wheezing, heaved on Legolas' cloak, and his friend's head broke the waters next to him.
Panting from the effort, Gimli fought his way to the nearest bank and climbed out onto it, dragging Legolas with him. Dread filled the dwarf as he took in his friend's still form and pale features. Gimli laid his head on Legolas' chest and was overjoyed to hear the elf's heart beating, and at the same time alarmed to hear no breathing. Gimli quickly sat up, then leaned over, placed his mouth over Legolas' mouth and nose, and blew. "Now wake up, you stupid elf!" growled Gimli. When Legolas showed no response, Gimli did it again. After about three more turns of this, Legoals' eyes flew open.
Gimli scrambled out of the way as Legolas sat up and violently expelled a great deal of water and the food he had last eaten. Tears streamed down Legolas' panicked face as he vomited. In an instant Gimli was beside his friend, holding the elf's hair out of the way while rubbing Legolas' back soothingly. "It's all right, my friend," Gimli murmured. "You are safe now."
After Legolas was through being sick, he turned to his friend, looking frightened out of his mind. "G-Gimli..." he cried, and suddenly threw himself upon Gimli's neck, sobbing. "I...I thought I was dying," he moaned.
"It'll take a lot more than a little arrow and some water to kill you," Gimli murmured in Legolas' ear as he wrapped his arms around his friend in an attempt to comfort him. Gimli couldn't remember ever seeing Legolas so frightened and distraught, not even in Moria.
"But there was more," Legolas replied in a weak voice, pulling away so he could look his friend in the eyes. "I saw the eye...the Eye of Sauron...it turned into a black figure...and Middle-Earth...was covered by its shadow..." As Legolas talked, sweat broke out upon his face, and his breathing became labored. His voice sank to a murmur, and when he next spoke it was in a voice laced with pain. "The darkness filled my soul...it...devoured me..."
Gimli frowned. "I don't like this at all," he grumbled. "Look at you! You're trembling--I have never seen you shiver before, not even on Caradhras..."
"I hurt," Legolas forced out through his tremors. "Gimli...everything hurts..." As he talked, his hand gestured to his side, where the arrow, shaft broken, still stuck just under his ribs. Gimli frowned. "We had better tend to that wound..." Examining the wound, he determined that he could safely remove the arrow. "I'm sorry, friend, but this is going to cause you more pain..." Gimli placed his fingers around the arrowhead, grasped the shaft of the arrow, closed his eyes, and pulled. The arrow came out in his hand, and Legolas cried out. His hands flew to cover his wound.
"Legolas, remove your hands," Gimil ordered. "I have to see how bad it is."
Trembling and sweating, Legolas complied. The flow of blood from the wound was already stemming, thanks to Legolas' elvish healing powers. It didn't appear to be too deep--just a flesh wound. Gimli relayed this to his friend as he tore a strip from his cloak and applied pressure to the wound. As he did this, he anxiously watched Legolas' face. He noticed Legolas seemed to be acquiring a greenish tint.
"I fear that the river's water was poisoned," Gimli said. "You are turning green."
Legolas looked up at his friend. "G-Gimli...I..." Legolas suddenly gave a moan, and his head fell to the ground, eyes closed. He had passed out.
As Gimli checked to ensure his friend still lived, he noticed a heat rising from Legolas' body. It seemed fever was setting in. "Just what I needed," Gimli grumbled. "A sick elf to take care of." Worse, he noted as he looked up, dark was coming on, and there was something hostile out there. He and Legolas had to warn the rest of the former Fellowship somehow. But would they make it in time?
Chapter 2
Gimli groaned in dismay as Legolas' fair locks disappeared in the murky water. His heart raced and his mind whirled as he fought not to panic. He searched the waters desperately for some sign of his friend. Finally he saw a hand appear above the water, grasping faintly. Without hesitation Gimli tore off his bag and cloak and dived into the water to reach his friend.
This was a mistake, as the river's magic began working on Gimli immediately. He felt a great weariness come over him, and he gasped for breath though his head was above the water. It was like someone was fighting to pull him down into the river's evil depths. With great strength of will, the dwarf forced his suddenly leaden limbs to obey him, and he swam toward the place where his friend had disappeared.
Taking a great breath, Gimli dived under the water. He strained to see anything, for the black waters obscured even Gimli's own arms from his sight. Just as he was about to go back up for air, he felt himself brush against something soft--Legolas' cloak. He gripped it firmly and kicked frantically for the surface. It was hard work--Legolas' weight combined with the pull of the water combined to slow him down immensely. Just in time, he reached the surface. Gimli, coughing and wheezing, heaved on Legolas' cloak, and his friend's head broke the waters next to him.
Panting from the effort, Gimli fought his way to the nearest bank and climbed out onto it, dragging Legolas with him. Dread filled the dwarf as he took in his friend's still form and pale features. Gimli laid his head on Legolas' chest and was overjoyed to hear the elf's heart beating, and at the same time alarmed to hear no breathing. Gimli quickly sat up, then leaned over, placed his mouth over Legolas' mouth and nose, and blew. "Now wake up, you stupid elf!" growled Gimli. When Legolas showed no response, Gimli did it again. After about three more turns of this, Legoals' eyes flew open.
Gimli scrambled out of the way as Legolas sat up and violently expelled a great deal of water and the food he had last eaten. Tears streamed down Legolas' panicked face as he vomited. In an instant Gimli was beside his friend, holding the elf's hair out of the way while rubbing Legolas' back soothingly. "It's all right, my friend," Gimli murmured. "You are safe now."
After Legolas was through being sick, he turned to his friend, looking frightened out of his mind. "G-Gimli..." he cried, and suddenly threw himself upon Gimli's neck, sobbing. "I...I thought I was dying," he moaned.
"It'll take a lot more than a little arrow and some water to kill you," Gimli murmured in Legolas' ear as he wrapped his arms around his friend in an attempt to comfort him. Gimli couldn't remember ever seeing Legolas so frightened and distraught, not even in Moria.
"But there was more," Legolas replied in a weak voice, pulling away so he could look his friend in the eyes. "I saw the eye...the Eye of Sauron...it turned into a black figure...and Middle-Earth...was covered by its shadow..." As Legolas talked, sweat broke out upon his face, and his breathing became labored. His voice sank to a murmur, and when he next spoke it was in a voice laced with pain. "The darkness filled my soul...it...devoured me..."
Gimli frowned. "I don't like this at all," he grumbled. "Look at you! You're trembling--I have never seen you shiver before, not even on Caradhras..."
"I hurt," Legolas forced out through his tremors. "Gimli...everything hurts..." As he talked, his hand gestured to his side, where the arrow, shaft broken, still stuck just under his ribs. Gimli frowned. "We had better tend to that wound..." Examining the wound, he determined that he could safely remove the arrow. "I'm sorry, friend, but this is going to cause you more pain..." Gimli placed his fingers around the arrowhead, grasped the shaft of the arrow, closed his eyes, and pulled. The arrow came out in his hand, and Legolas cried out. His hands flew to cover his wound.
"Legolas, remove your hands," Gimil ordered. "I have to see how bad it is."
Trembling and sweating, Legolas complied. The flow of blood from the wound was already stemming, thanks to Legolas' elvish healing powers. It didn't appear to be too deep--just a flesh wound. Gimli relayed this to his friend as he tore a strip from his cloak and applied pressure to the wound. As he did this, he anxiously watched Legolas' face. He noticed Legolas seemed to be acquiring a greenish tint.
"I fear that the river's water was poisoned," Gimli said. "You are turning green."
Legolas looked up at his friend. "G-Gimli...I..." Legolas suddenly gave a moan, and his head fell to the ground, eyes closed. He had passed out.
As Gimli checked to ensure his friend still lived, he noticed a heat rising from Legolas' body. It seemed fever was setting in. "Just what I needed," Gimli grumbled. "A sick elf to take care of." Worse, he noted as he looked up, dark was coming on, and there was something hostile out there. He and Legolas had to warn the rest of the former Fellowship somehow. But would they make it in time?