Disclaimer - These characters don't belong to me. All characters that speak and don't speak, that are good, bad, and ugly all belong to J. R. R. Tolkien, including every Orc that was slaughtered in the making of this fic.
Notes - This is the second story in the Feelings series, following A New Feeling: Sickness. I know, took a long time to get up. While it might be a little detailed at the start, as soon as the fighting starts everything becomes...distorted and rushed. That is actually done on purpose. This is supposed to be about fear after all...ah well, tell me if I succeeded or not please.
I know that I said, before going over this and fixing a few problems with spelling and grammar (by all means there will still be some but I am happy at the moment with it) I said that the next story would be put up soon. I lied, I know that and I apologise. I realised that the last story I wrote, which was almost finished was so bad that I scrapped it. I have not gotten around to rewriting it yet.
Also thanks go to the two other people who have reviewed Sickness since this story has gone up. I am aware that an allergic reaction is not a sickness, but to an Elf, who had never been sick in his life, he would think it as such. I debated over in my mind over the title of that story a long time, before putting it up as it is.
A New Feeling: Fear
(In the Mines of Moria)
It had been three days. All the light there was came from the Wizard's staff, as Gandalf had led them through the blackness that was the mines of Moria. It was no surprise then, that the Nine members of the Fellowship stayed close together through their four-day hike to the other side of the mountain they were inside.
Legolas was beginning to jump at the slightest noise, not used to such impenetrable darkness. It wasn't the mines or even the dark he was afraid of,there was something there - a presence of some great evil - that he could not shake from his subconscience.
It was getting closer the nearer they got to the surface.
He felt not a thing from the living things he was under, the trees' song gone, making him feel almost deaf. If it wasn't for the continuous noise of his companions, he would have thought he had lost his hearing altogether.
All his senses were on alert, his eyes trying to pierce the darkness around him. He had lost his appetite as soon as the Watcher outside the gate had blocked their route back out and was being forced to eat by Aragorn, albeit not much.
He had also not slept and exhaustion was beginning to creep up on him but he knew he would find no rest here under the earth, though he suspected that Gimli enjoyed it. Of course Gimli was a Dwarf and should feel right at home.
Coming out of the corridor they were in, the new place they found themselves in felt massive. There was a bright flash of light, as Gandalf allowed them to see the city a little better. Legolas gasped in wonder. Never had he thought that the Dwarves could build something so magnificent. He had always been told, by his father and his tutors growing up, that they weren't civilized enough for such fine dwellings such as this hall.
They quietly moved to one side of the glorious Dwarrowdelf and set up their bedrolls for the night. Legolas was excluded from his watch and ordered to get some sleep, though he knew he would lay awake.
To his surprise, he felt himself falling asleep anyway. Almost glad for the rest he was about to get, he was jolted away from dreams by a sound coming from the other side of the Hall. He knew it to be the creature Gollum and, looking around, he spotted Frodo who was on watch glancing in the direction of the noise, looking for something with eyes that almost seemed to pierce the darkness surrounding them.
A shiver ran up Legolas' spine as the Elf realised that the slight noise should not have been heard by anyone but himself. What was the ring doing to Frodo?
"It's Gollum." Legolas whispered, not wanting to wake the rest of the party who were sleeping soundly. He watched that eerie light fade from the Hobbit's eyes as Frodo jumped slightly and spun around. He sighed, glad to see the little one back to normal again.
"Yes." Was all the reply he got, before that glance turned to him. "Shouldn't you be asleep. I was sure you were a few minutes ago."
"I was woken by the sound. I am...very much alert, my senses are working harder to try and pierce through the nothingness that is this place."
Frodo nodded as if he understood. Legolas didn't think the other being did, no one but an Elf would know what he was feeling.
The dark was getting to him. Luckily they should be out later the next day. Thinking back to that eerie glow though, he began to wonder if Frodo truly did understand.
Sighing, Legolas shook his head and put his focus back to the Halfling. "Go to sleep, I will not be getting any more tonight. I will keep watch."
Frodo looked reluctant, but nodded and moved over to the bundle of blankets the Hobbits were sleeping under. In mere seconds it seemed, Frodo was fast asleep.
"You shouldn't be on watch, Elf. Get some sleep." Came the voice of the one he didn't want to talk to at that moment.
"You may be comfortable in this place, Dwarf, but the rest of the Fellowship is not." Legolas shot back, not interested with the petty squabbling that he had been having with Gimli since the Fellowship set out of Imladris.
The Dwarf huffed, before his grumbling began. "Yes, the Fellowship does not like this place, it feels too empty even for I, but you Master Elf, are jumping at shadows."
Legolas sprang to his feet, about ready to yell back, but stopped himself as he realised it would wake the rest of the Fellowship. "Perhaps, but it is not only shadows that haunt this place." He stated, before allowing his body to calm as much as it would in this place.
Gandalf had said that they perhaps might be able to see the sun and Legolas was fervently hoping they were able to glimpse it as it rose in the morning.
"What are you thinking of Master Elf?" Gimli asked, watching as Legolas began to stare at the ceiling of the cavernous Hall they were in.
"That I cannot wait until we are out of this stifling mine..." Legolas replied quietly. For once he and the Dwarf of the party were not bickering with each other and it seemed to be ironic that the topic was one of his weaknesses.
"Bah! I just want to see some living Dwarfs in this place. It seems a tomb, because it is. I still hold hope that Balin will be found alive somewhere in these upper levels."
"Upper levels. Say that again, I liked the sound of it." Legolas joked, a small smile coming to his face.
"Upper levels." Gimli stated again, before getting comfortable in his bedroll. "Get some sleep Master Elf, you look like you need it."
Legolas sighed. "I cannot. The darkness pushes on my mind and makes rest almost impossible."
"I am not going to even try to understand you, Elf." Gimli muttered, before closing his eyes and drifting slowly off to sleep.
Legolas stayed up the rest of the night, keeping watch while letting the rest of the Fellowship get some much needed rest.
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The Fellowship woke to the amuzing site of an Elf basking in a thin line of sunlight, a contented look on his face. It had been far too long since any of them had seen the sun and it was a welcome sight, no matter how little light there was.
They began their trek soon after breakfast. Legolas' spirits were high. The sun was shining brightly and, to his extreme relief a snatch of song from the trees and living things above them had come to him.
He began humming softly to himself as they began their way to the bridge that would lead them out of the mines and back outside. There came a light from one of the side rooms and before anyone could do anything Gimli had ran for the room.
It was the tomb of Balin, and Legolas had the strange experience of seeing a Dwarf grieving. A feeling he didn't think could happen in the race. His views of the stunted Naugrim were changing.
Gandalf noticed a book lying next to the tomb and turned it to the last pages. Legolas heard every word keenly, wishing suddenly that the wizard hadn't read aloud from the book.
"They are coming." Gandalf finished, closing the book. The Fellowship began to uneasily look at each other, the thought of being stuck here with some unspeakable horror dampening all their spirits.
A drumming sound was heard then, deep down, yet seeming to echo all around them. A screeching sound followed that Legolas immediately recognised. "Yrch!" He shouted, saying the word for Orcs in his own tongue.
Aragorn was immediately beside him, bow in hand, an arrow ready to fire aimed at the door they had come in. Soon the fell creatures were on top of them and a fierce battle broke out. Legolas and Aragorn taking as many out as possible with their bows, the others standing behind the archers with weapons drawn.
Soon the goblins had broken through, a wave of foul-smelling creatures rushing towards them. Bows were put away in favour of sword and knife.
The stinking creatures fell to the hands of all nine Walkers, even the four Hobbits taking out their share of Orcs.
The battle was in full when it had clumsily made its way in. A cave troll. Huge, ugly and foul, the troll immediately went about trying to exterminate the Fellowship one by one.
The rest of the fight passed in a blur as the Ringbearer himself was mortally wounded. The troll was suddenly in front of him. A ferocious Pippin and Merry on top of its head, bashing it with their short swords, but doing no real damage.
He got an arrow ready and waited for the right moment to shoot. One of the Hobbits was thrown off the troll, and the ugly beast opened its mouth to roar.
Taking the shot, his arrow lodged itself deep in its throat, felling it.
Everything happened so fast! One second they had picked the fallen Ringbearer up and began running for the bridge of Khazad-dum to get back to the surface world.
Sometime during the run, the small being woke and was put on his own feet, everyone amazed at how Frodo could still be alive.
Legolas was suddenly beset by an evil feeling that was very strong. From a corridor, flames began licking at the cool earthen walls. Readying an arrow for a shot at whatever was to come at them next, he ran a little behind from the others.
Frodo slowed to keep pace with him, breathing coming hard for the Halfling. Looking behind him, Legolas began to raise his bow as the demon stepped out from the shadows and flame.
He was sure he cried out loud of the creature, making Gandalf turn towards them. Legolas had frozen to the spot in terror of the creature in front of him. It was a Balrog! A clinking sound caught his ears bringing him back to his senses. Looking down, he realised that the arrow he had readied had fallen to the ground.
He turned and ran, even as Boromir, Aragorn and Gandalf stepped forward.
Boromir blew his horn, angering the demon further than it already was. Both Men drew their swords, one shouting out Elendil, the other Gondor.
Legolas shouted for them to come back. They didn't listen. To him at least.
Gandalf hadn't taken his eyes off the fiery creature now almost upon them, but the words the Istar was saying to Aragorn was enough to get the two Men moving.
Finally the Fellowship, with the exception of Gandalf, had crossed the bridge. Frodo began calling out to the Wizard, trying to get back to him. Aragorn held him close, a look of which Legolas had never seen before in the Ranger's eyes.
They watched as Gandalf fought the creature, sighed with relief when it fell.
Gandalf turned to start walking back to them, but stopped and fell as the tongue of a fiery whip grabbed him around the ankle.
Legolas shouted, once again frozen to the spot. His mind began shouting at him that this couldn't be happening.
Gandalf shouted for them to run, and then slipped over the edge.
Time froze. Legolas could do nothing but look at the spot the Wizard who had always been there had fallen.
A loud scream of 'NO' coming from Frodo brought him back to his senses.
They then ran as Gandalf's last words had bid them to. They were blocked from the sun's rays by an Orc chieftain, but the Fellowship merely swept past them, knowing the ugly creatures couldn't stand the daylight. Any Orc in the way instantly died by a blade of one of the Fellowship
Then suddenly they were blinded as they found themselves outside.
Legolas looked up at the sky, breathing deeply of the air, but the happiness of finally being out of the mines he was expecting never came.
Gandalf was gone, fallen into shadow ... and yet the world still moved and breathed with life.
Aragorn called his name, urging him to get the Hobbits up. He did so without a sound, more afraid now than he had been inside.
He couldn't imagine how empty and cold the world would seem without Gandalf around any longer. And that scared him more than any demon ever could.
A/N - Well, once again I have made a book/movieverse fic. I hope as many people like this second story as much as they liked the first in the series. Any mistakes at all in this fic that could be considered AU in either universe are mine and I apologise now. Still need to read my copy of Fellowship of the Ring....when I get my hands on it again that is. Might revise this series when I do.
Thanks to Gilraen Galathiel, boromir(2 of these...not sure if it was the same person), DarkWyrmslayer, Star-Stallion, bansheecall, Fritz Will Get You, Starknight, She-cat, devilburns, Aislynn Crowdaughter, farflung, elvendancer, Fool Of An Elf, Zurizip, lulu bell, LOTRFaith, Starlit Hope, Ash49, Lady Lanet, wiley, The Nazgul Sith Bitch (for being very inventive), Shadowfaxgal7, Dragon Faere, legolas' bride, SireenC, usagipegusus, Deana and Puxinette for reading and reviewing A New Feeling: Sickness. I was truly shocked to find it had been so popular. Thank you again. All 29 of you! hugs
This story is for those people mentioned above. Thanks for wanting more. I just hope I don't disappoint...