A/N) Okay, one of my shortest updates yet. This part focuses more on the
elves involved later in the story. There are several notes at the moment
that I think you should read. Onto the chapter!
~Chapter 5~
~The Elf Council~
Far off on the land of Numenor, Morgoth waited. Word reached him of his servants failed attempts to bring to him the Numenorean Bearer. Aragorn Elessar had escaped his minions for the last time! He hated failure and cursed those who could not complete the much-needed task. Yet he could not fault the fact that the wizard Mithrandir was now there to protect his prize. His next steps would have to be planned very carefully.
Stretching out his mind he sent a wave of crushing energy across the sea and towards Gondor. He would lose a lot of energy by doing this, but if it got what he wanted then so be it.
And as he waited he felt a snag on his mind and knew he had located the right person, however he could not penetrate the barriers. Anger coursed through his entire being. Yet then he felt a familiar presence beside the one he needed to ensnare.
It was an elf.
Gathering his strength Morgoth attacked the elf's mind, successfully ensnaring him into his grasp. He would wait inside this elf and when he could would use the elf to his advantage, but not yet.
*****
Even as Morgoth sent out his mind link, the elves on Valinor had formed a council. It consisted of Lord Elrond, Celebrían, Celeborn, Galadriel, Glorfindel, Thranduil and his wife Arelia.
They sat in a pavilion over looking the sea, which was sparkling in the distance. On the horizon they could see the towers of Numenor, but even looking at the upraised land they felt evil brushing through them.
Morgoth was growing strong. He was getting ready for his assault upon Valinor.
Elrond clasped his hands in front of him and held a parchment up. He read the ancient prophecies and then lowered the parchment and gazed round at his companions. "The time has now come for Morgoth to regain his strength. It now poses a threat to all of us, but most to the one who carries the power of Numenor within him. Morgoth is growing in his power as everyday goes by. We know he has sent forth the Great Knights to retrieve the bearer, and the Valar have sent Gandalf and Frodo to protect him and unite the Fellowship. If we are to aid them we must find the right solution. Morgoth threatens us all. In time he will come to Valinor and we will be forced to fight. Whether the Valar intervene or not I fear we have no hope in winning this war."
"What can be done?" Thranduil asked. "If I could I would remain silent and wait. Wait till he makes the first strike."
Galadriel shook her head, her shining blue eyes shining with the light of Valinor. She alone had seen the Two Trees of Valinor before Morgoth had poisoned them and taken away their light. "Nay, if we do that Melkor will descend upon us and destroy us with one swipe. I foresee that we will fight in a desperate battle, aiding those who will come to Valinor. There will be no escape for the bearer the next time Morgoth attacks him. Already his fate has been sealed. The moment Sauron was destroyed; I have known his fate. Such a sad parting we had, and yet knowing what was to come for him, I could not bear to let him know that his years as King would be short. Only his son can save him with the choices that he will be given if he succeeds on the road that is laid at his feet."
Elrond nodded solemnly. His only daughter was the wife of the bearer and neither of them knew of their peril. The elf-lord could not bear to know that his daughter would soon die. But if her child proved himself then Arwen might not fall into shadow and would be saved from it. No matter how much he wanted to, Elrond could not go to his daughter's aid. It was impossible.
"If Eldarion Elessar falls then all will be lost. He is the only one who possesses the power to what was foretold. Yet if he succeeds darkness will leave this world for good and no trouble will come to it. The hurts in the survivors will be strong and what they will all see could damage them beyond repair. If the bearer survives this he will be the one most affected. It will depend on how it all plays out in the end." Elrond said.
His heart was clenching at the thought of Eldarion, his grandson, who he had never seen but had kept a constant watch on from the moment the child had been born.
"I suggest," Glorfindel began, "that we should send out an army to intercept Morgoth when all his made clear to us. The Lady Galadriel knows what is to come. If we organise elves to make ready for battle they will do so under the direction of the Lady. They will not hesitate her advice. However we must know where the Fellowship stands in all this before we strike."
"That," the Lady Galadriel said, "is what I had in mind. Right now I can see Gondor in my mind's eye. The bearer and Queen Arwen are together; the Fellowship is guarding them under the direction of Gandalf. Eldarion is troubled by a dream. It has begun. The dream has set in motion for what is to come. The dream holds the key to what the Prince must do. We will be ready for battle when they leave the shores of this world."
"It is inevitable then? Of King Elessar's capture? He will have to be taken?" Thranduil asked. Having known Elessar has a young man, the former elf King of Mirkwood held a deep respect for him. He had been astounded that this simple Ranger from the North had become King of two of the largest realms in Middle-Earth, and atop of all that he was also the bearer. If he had known then that this Ranger had been that he would have lent out his soldiers to protect the young man from the dangers in the world, however it was too late now. The fact that his son was part of the Fellowship troubled him. It meant that Legolas would soon be coming to Numenor, and Thranduil would have to fight for his son's survival by distracting the enemy. Something that he was against.
Glorfindel answered before any others. "In order to set in motion the events of what is to come, Morgoth will have to capture Elessar. In order to defeat Morgoth we must allow him to regain his strength and at the moment where he will be weakest is when he is about to regain the rest of his power. It will be here that Eldarion will be able to destroy Morgoth, but only if he so chooses. In those few seconds he will have to choose. From that point the Lady Galadriel can no longer see ahead. She can see two possible futures but which one will occur? Once again, it is the choice of one person that determines the fate of us all."
"Then," Celebrían said, speaking for the first time, "let us pray that Eldarion will choose the right path."
*****
In due course the many elves on Valinor had been alerted to the decision made by the council, and yet for all their wisdom, some still rebelled against them, believing it to be wrong of them to fight for Middle-Earth, even though it was Valinor that was threatened by the evil of Morgoth.
After much argument the elves finally conceded to the voice of the Lady Galadriel. Soon, elves were lining up on the shores of Valinor ready to launch their assault of Numenor, when word came to them from Galadriel.
Boats had to be made from the most skilled of elves with wood and soon great sails could be seen from the mountains on Valinor. The elves were no longer happy. The prospect of going to war weighed heavily on their hearts and took all gladness from them.
Yet they knew they could not escape the fate that was before them. It seemed that whatever they did Morgoth would eventually attack them, and they would be forced to fight. It was better to fight now then wait for the storm to brew.
Word from Galadriel had told them the storm was brewing in Middle-Earth, yet no one was affected yet, save those of the Fellowship and the ones closest to them.
But did they really want to sacrifice their lives for the peoples of Middle- Earth again?
No, not really, but there was no hope in changing the future or the fate of their kindred. They had to fight to give the 'one' time to complete his task, and even the elves had no idea of what his task was.
Each elf said farewell to loved ones and bid each fortune. Soon the shores of Valinor would be empty and ships would sail away but not until the signal was sent.
Every second of every day a lone elf watched from a great tower built on Valinor waiting for the signal to come.
Almost two days later the signal came. The signal was to consist of Gandalf's magic as he sent up a firework, seen from long distances. Because of the urgency of the matter, only elves would be able to notice the signal being sent. Though it had been sent from Minas Tirith the signal was loud and clear. A great BOOM was heard as it exploded, sending chemicals into the sky. Another firework followed souring into the air and exploding.
The elf – Celebrindal – shouted below him to his comrade. "The signal! The signal! It has happened!"
His comrade nodded and rushed to find the elves of the council. The seven members were waiting patiently on the balcony when the elf came running up.
"Celebrindal has seen two fireworks sent into the sky. It has happened what you most feared."
"Then all depends now on Eldarion," Galadriel said, closing her eyes. She was seeing something. "Elessar is being taken into Shadow. He has not yet left Middle-Earth. It will be some days before he reaches Numenor. Another signal will come when the Fellowship are nearing Numenor. Then we must set sail."
She turned to the elf that watched this with some curiosity. "Tell your friend he must look for another signal. As I said, it will be some days before we need to set out."
The elf nodded and went on his errand.
Elrond had been dreading this moment since hearing of Morgoth's escape; dreading it so deeply he feared for the survival of his line. In his heart he could feel Arwen's anguish, his daughter's heart was breaking. And he was not there to help her.
Only her brothers, wherever they were.
*****
(A few hours before Gandalf sends the signal to Valinor)
Elladan stumbled in his step, yet he prevented himself from falling. An agonising pain seemed to rip through his head. Blinking repeatedly he fought to remain in control. His body was not responding to him. The elf struggled with the unseen force. His whole body dropped to the ground as the dark force inside him wrenched control.
//You're mine little elf. You will do my bidding!//
"No!" Elladan shouted.
//Do not struggle. It will make possessing you much easier.//
Even though Elladan had felt something there earlier he had done nothing to fight against it believing it to be his imagination. Aragorn had commented on his strange reaction in those few moments.
The elf writhed on the ground but it was no use. He could not fight against what evil possessed him. He and Elrohir had only been in Minas Tirith for an hour. But because he thought himself to be safe Elladan had done nothing to prevent evil from taking its hold over him.
His mind was becoming cloudy and commends from the evil was shifting through him.
//Go to the King. Take him to the 'Labyrinth' in the city. Trap him. You will not like the consequences if you so fail me. If you have to force him to go, render him unconscious. My Knights will not attack you until he is in the Labyrinth. Go, my young elf, do my bidding.//
Elladan could do nothing as he carried out his captor's commands.
TBC
Well an evil Elladan? Could get interesting. Chapter 6: The Labyrinth is up next on Saturday. We have some action for those who have requested it.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS STORY!!
I thought that I'd point this out for those who may be unclear and have not read the Silmarillion or have read it. This story has no relation to the Silmarillion apart from the fact it has Morgoth in it. The rest of this story: the prophecy; the Numenorean power; Eldarion/Aragorn's connection to it are all part of my plot line that I have created. I do not mean to sound rude (it could be that I've read a few reviews wrongly and got the wrong impression!) but I thought it fair to just explain that tiny bit of info about Of Melkor and Telcontar!
Namárië for now!
~Chapter 5~
~The Elf Council~
Far off on the land of Numenor, Morgoth waited. Word reached him of his servants failed attempts to bring to him the Numenorean Bearer. Aragorn Elessar had escaped his minions for the last time! He hated failure and cursed those who could not complete the much-needed task. Yet he could not fault the fact that the wizard Mithrandir was now there to protect his prize. His next steps would have to be planned very carefully.
Stretching out his mind he sent a wave of crushing energy across the sea and towards Gondor. He would lose a lot of energy by doing this, but if it got what he wanted then so be it.
And as he waited he felt a snag on his mind and knew he had located the right person, however he could not penetrate the barriers. Anger coursed through his entire being. Yet then he felt a familiar presence beside the one he needed to ensnare.
It was an elf.
Gathering his strength Morgoth attacked the elf's mind, successfully ensnaring him into his grasp. He would wait inside this elf and when he could would use the elf to his advantage, but not yet.
*****
Even as Morgoth sent out his mind link, the elves on Valinor had formed a council. It consisted of Lord Elrond, Celebrían, Celeborn, Galadriel, Glorfindel, Thranduil and his wife Arelia.
They sat in a pavilion over looking the sea, which was sparkling in the distance. On the horizon they could see the towers of Numenor, but even looking at the upraised land they felt evil brushing through them.
Morgoth was growing strong. He was getting ready for his assault upon Valinor.
Elrond clasped his hands in front of him and held a parchment up. He read the ancient prophecies and then lowered the parchment and gazed round at his companions. "The time has now come for Morgoth to regain his strength. It now poses a threat to all of us, but most to the one who carries the power of Numenor within him. Morgoth is growing in his power as everyday goes by. We know he has sent forth the Great Knights to retrieve the bearer, and the Valar have sent Gandalf and Frodo to protect him and unite the Fellowship. If we are to aid them we must find the right solution. Morgoth threatens us all. In time he will come to Valinor and we will be forced to fight. Whether the Valar intervene or not I fear we have no hope in winning this war."
"What can be done?" Thranduil asked. "If I could I would remain silent and wait. Wait till he makes the first strike."
Galadriel shook her head, her shining blue eyes shining with the light of Valinor. She alone had seen the Two Trees of Valinor before Morgoth had poisoned them and taken away their light. "Nay, if we do that Melkor will descend upon us and destroy us with one swipe. I foresee that we will fight in a desperate battle, aiding those who will come to Valinor. There will be no escape for the bearer the next time Morgoth attacks him. Already his fate has been sealed. The moment Sauron was destroyed; I have known his fate. Such a sad parting we had, and yet knowing what was to come for him, I could not bear to let him know that his years as King would be short. Only his son can save him with the choices that he will be given if he succeeds on the road that is laid at his feet."
Elrond nodded solemnly. His only daughter was the wife of the bearer and neither of them knew of their peril. The elf-lord could not bear to know that his daughter would soon die. But if her child proved himself then Arwen might not fall into shadow and would be saved from it. No matter how much he wanted to, Elrond could not go to his daughter's aid. It was impossible.
"If Eldarion Elessar falls then all will be lost. He is the only one who possesses the power to what was foretold. Yet if he succeeds darkness will leave this world for good and no trouble will come to it. The hurts in the survivors will be strong and what they will all see could damage them beyond repair. If the bearer survives this he will be the one most affected. It will depend on how it all plays out in the end." Elrond said.
His heart was clenching at the thought of Eldarion, his grandson, who he had never seen but had kept a constant watch on from the moment the child had been born.
"I suggest," Glorfindel began, "that we should send out an army to intercept Morgoth when all his made clear to us. The Lady Galadriel knows what is to come. If we organise elves to make ready for battle they will do so under the direction of the Lady. They will not hesitate her advice. However we must know where the Fellowship stands in all this before we strike."
"That," the Lady Galadriel said, "is what I had in mind. Right now I can see Gondor in my mind's eye. The bearer and Queen Arwen are together; the Fellowship is guarding them under the direction of Gandalf. Eldarion is troubled by a dream. It has begun. The dream has set in motion for what is to come. The dream holds the key to what the Prince must do. We will be ready for battle when they leave the shores of this world."
"It is inevitable then? Of King Elessar's capture? He will have to be taken?" Thranduil asked. Having known Elessar has a young man, the former elf King of Mirkwood held a deep respect for him. He had been astounded that this simple Ranger from the North had become King of two of the largest realms in Middle-Earth, and atop of all that he was also the bearer. If he had known then that this Ranger had been that he would have lent out his soldiers to protect the young man from the dangers in the world, however it was too late now. The fact that his son was part of the Fellowship troubled him. It meant that Legolas would soon be coming to Numenor, and Thranduil would have to fight for his son's survival by distracting the enemy. Something that he was against.
Glorfindel answered before any others. "In order to set in motion the events of what is to come, Morgoth will have to capture Elessar. In order to defeat Morgoth we must allow him to regain his strength and at the moment where he will be weakest is when he is about to regain the rest of his power. It will be here that Eldarion will be able to destroy Morgoth, but only if he so chooses. In those few seconds he will have to choose. From that point the Lady Galadriel can no longer see ahead. She can see two possible futures but which one will occur? Once again, it is the choice of one person that determines the fate of us all."
"Then," Celebrían said, speaking for the first time, "let us pray that Eldarion will choose the right path."
*****
In due course the many elves on Valinor had been alerted to the decision made by the council, and yet for all their wisdom, some still rebelled against them, believing it to be wrong of them to fight for Middle-Earth, even though it was Valinor that was threatened by the evil of Morgoth.
After much argument the elves finally conceded to the voice of the Lady Galadriel. Soon, elves were lining up on the shores of Valinor ready to launch their assault of Numenor, when word came to them from Galadriel.
Boats had to be made from the most skilled of elves with wood and soon great sails could be seen from the mountains on Valinor. The elves were no longer happy. The prospect of going to war weighed heavily on their hearts and took all gladness from them.
Yet they knew they could not escape the fate that was before them. It seemed that whatever they did Morgoth would eventually attack them, and they would be forced to fight. It was better to fight now then wait for the storm to brew.
Word from Galadriel had told them the storm was brewing in Middle-Earth, yet no one was affected yet, save those of the Fellowship and the ones closest to them.
But did they really want to sacrifice their lives for the peoples of Middle- Earth again?
No, not really, but there was no hope in changing the future or the fate of their kindred. They had to fight to give the 'one' time to complete his task, and even the elves had no idea of what his task was.
Each elf said farewell to loved ones and bid each fortune. Soon the shores of Valinor would be empty and ships would sail away but not until the signal was sent.
Every second of every day a lone elf watched from a great tower built on Valinor waiting for the signal to come.
Almost two days later the signal came. The signal was to consist of Gandalf's magic as he sent up a firework, seen from long distances. Because of the urgency of the matter, only elves would be able to notice the signal being sent. Though it had been sent from Minas Tirith the signal was loud and clear. A great BOOM was heard as it exploded, sending chemicals into the sky. Another firework followed souring into the air and exploding.
The elf – Celebrindal – shouted below him to his comrade. "The signal! The signal! It has happened!"
His comrade nodded and rushed to find the elves of the council. The seven members were waiting patiently on the balcony when the elf came running up.
"Celebrindal has seen two fireworks sent into the sky. It has happened what you most feared."
"Then all depends now on Eldarion," Galadriel said, closing her eyes. She was seeing something. "Elessar is being taken into Shadow. He has not yet left Middle-Earth. It will be some days before he reaches Numenor. Another signal will come when the Fellowship are nearing Numenor. Then we must set sail."
She turned to the elf that watched this with some curiosity. "Tell your friend he must look for another signal. As I said, it will be some days before we need to set out."
The elf nodded and went on his errand.
Elrond had been dreading this moment since hearing of Morgoth's escape; dreading it so deeply he feared for the survival of his line. In his heart he could feel Arwen's anguish, his daughter's heart was breaking. And he was not there to help her.
Only her brothers, wherever they were.
*****
(A few hours before Gandalf sends the signal to Valinor)
Elladan stumbled in his step, yet he prevented himself from falling. An agonising pain seemed to rip through his head. Blinking repeatedly he fought to remain in control. His body was not responding to him. The elf struggled with the unseen force. His whole body dropped to the ground as the dark force inside him wrenched control.
//You're mine little elf. You will do my bidding!//
"No!" Elladan shouted.
//Do not struggle. It will make possessing you much easier.//
Even though Elladan had felt something there earlier he had done nothing to fight against it believing it to be his imagination. Aragorn had commented on his strange reaction in those few moments.
The elf writhed on the ground but it was no use. He could not fight against what evil possessed him. He and Elrohir had only been in Minas Tirith for an hour. But because he thought himself to be safe Elladan had done nothing to prevent evil from taking its hold over him.
His mind was becoming cloudy and commends from the evil was shifting through him.
//Go to the King. Take him to the 'Labyrinth' in the city. Trap him. You will not like the consequences if you so fail me. If you have to force him to go, render him unconscious. My Knights will not attack you until he is in the Labyrinth. Go, my young elf, do my bidding.//
Elladan could do nothing as he carried out his captor's commands.
TBC
Well an evil Elladan? Could get interesting. Chapter 6: The Labyrinth is up next on Saturday. We have some action for those who have requested it.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS STORY!!
I thought that I'd point this out for those who may be unclear and have not read the Silmarillion or have read it. This story has no relation to the Silmarillion apart from the fact it has Morgoth in it. The rest of this story: the prophecy; the Numenorean power; Eldarion/Aragorn's connection to it are all part of my plot line that I have created. I do not mean to sound rude (it could be that I've read a few reviews wrongly and got the wrong impression!) but I thought it fair to just explain that tiny bit of info about Of Melkor and Telcontar!
Namárië for now!