Chapter Fifteen
"Parn……………….." a voice whispered, calling out from within the mists of time.
"Who's there? Who is calling me?" Parn wondered, as he opened his eyes and found himself in a strange, mist-laden place.
"Parn………………." The voice whispered again, as a figure appeared before the bewildered Knight of Lodoss. The man had long, wavy, dark brown hair and gray eyes. He wore white and gold armor, and the heraldry of a long forgotten kingdom was upon the shield he carried.
"Who are you?" Parn asked, awed by the splendor of the man's armament.
"I went by many names during my life, but the one that mattered the most was Aragorn. I see that you have been told of your heritage, and I know of your reluctance to become king. I understand how that feels, but right now the Heir of Isildur is needed by his people." The man said, quietly.
"What am I supposed to do? I don't know the first thing about being a king." Parn said, with dismay in his voice.
"Do not worry. Right now, only concern yourself with leading the life you know, as a knight, trusted and loved by the people. But remember, the blood of Isildur flows in your veins as surely as it did in mine. Call on the strength that is within you. Live and fight the darkness. Live and fight!" Aragorn commanded, as brilliant light surrounded him, nearly blinding Parn as it engulfed him in its warmth.
A sailor looked down when he heard one of the dead men on deck groan.
"Oy! Captain! We've got a live one 'ere!" the sailor shouted, as he kneeled down beside the man that had groaned and began to move him.
"Then get him to the healer! Don't just stand there!" the captain replied, impatiently, as the sailor, and a few others like him, picked up the man and carried him below decks to where a priest from Valis now worked.
Deedlit stared out at the sea from one of Valis' tallest towers. Below her, the people of Valis did all they could to help the Marmoan refugees, but her eyes saw none of this. All she saw now were dark years ahead; years without Parn by her side.
"I should have known that it was too good to be true. And now he is gone." Deedlit thought, then began singing a lament for her lost love, and her broken heart. Not far from where she stood, Pirotess and Leaf listened.
"I wish there was something we could do. She sounds so sad." Leaf murmured, as the lament reached her ears.
"The only person that could help her now is Parn. Now she knows firsthand the sorrow of Tinuviel and Undomiel." Pirotess said, as a chill breeze blew, and clouds covered the sun.
Arislan watched as wounded men and elves were brought into the healers' tent, dumbstruck by the severity of the wounds he was seeing. On his left-hand side, one man was having his leg amputated from the knee down, and on his right, another life was lost.
"You there!" one man called, getting the young prince's attention.
"Yes? What can I help with?" Arislan asked, immediately alert.
"There's a lad here that is about your age. It would be of great help if you would come and talk to him." The man, obviously a healer, said. Eager to help, Arislan walked over to where an Elven youth now lay.
"Hello." Arislan said, pleasantly.
"H-hello." The elf replied, shakily, his eyes wide with fear.
"What's your name, young warrior?" Arislan asked, keeping his voice low since he knew the young elf was frightened and hurt.
"Lhun, sir." The young elf said, softly.
"Lhun………………..that's Elvish for 'blue' isn't it?" Arislan said, trying to divert the young elf's attention away from what was going on around them.
"Yes. How did you know?" Lhun asked, a little surprised that Arislan had guessed that.
"I've had to learn many languages, Elvish being one of them." Arislan said, conversationally.
"What's your name?" Lhun asked.
"I am known as Arislan." Arislan replied.
"Are you a soldier too, Arislan?" Lhun asked, curiously.
"You could say that. My friends and I came a long way to help fight against the evil that has invaded Marmo. It may not be much, but I hope we'll be able to help in some way." Arislan said, honestly.
"I'm sure you will. This land, and its people need all the help they can get right now. There are dark times ahead, of that I am certain." An older elf said, from across the tent.
"True, but as long as there is life, there will be hope. Even though things look grim now, we can all look to tomorrow, and find the hope we need." Arislan said, putting his heart behind his words.
"Very well put. Couldn't have said it better myself." A voice said from behind Arislan. Arislan turned to face the speaker with a smile on his face.
"Gieve! I was wondering where you had gotten to!" Arislan said, as the minstrel approached him.
"I took the liberty of taking a private tour of this place. I never thought I would actually get to see the legendary Minas Tirith." Gieve said, smiling at the somewhat confused expression on Arislan's face.
"Minas Tirith? But I thought this place was called Valis." Arislan said, voicing his confusion.
"It is. Minas Tirith is the ancient name of this kingdom's capital city. Now, I think the rulers want to speak with you, your Highness." Gieve said, his smile never fading.
"Your Highness?! You mean that this lad is a prince?!? Please, forgive me for being impertinent!" the healer said, shocked and embarrassed that he had ordered one of royal blood around.
"It is perfectly all right. I understand. Besides, while I am here, I might as well not be of royal blood, since I was banished from my homeland by my father." Arislan said, trying to allay the man's fears.
"Arislan, will you come back later?" Lhun asked, looking afraid of being left in the healers' tents alone.
"I will be back as soon as I can. I promise." Arislan said, giving his new friend a gentle pat on the shoulder before standing and following Gieve out of the tent.
Zelgadis sighed as he and a few other sentries looked out at the land beyond the walls of Valis.
"It sure is quiet out there." One guard murmured, as they looked out at the now barren expanse.
"It is, but, for all we know, it could well be the calm before the storm. I hope this kingdom doesn't fall like Marmo did." Link, who was also stuck on sentry duty, said, with concern in his voice.
"That could happen, but we mustn't dwell on that. What we must think about now is how to move a little over a thousand people over open ground without putting them into unnecessary danger." Zelgadis said, with worry in his voice.
"That is a pressing problem, Zelgadis, but it is not one you need to really worry about." Xellos said, as he suddenly appeared in front of Zelgadis.
"What are you doing here, Xellos?" Link asked, a little surprised to see the Mazoku.
"I was told to come and fetch you and Zelgadis. Ashram and Etoh are going to be holding a meeting, and you two have been called to attend." Xellos said, then added, "By the way, Link, some ferry elves from the Undying Lands have just arrived with some horses. I think one of them may be Epona." Link's face paled.
"Epona! I had forgotten all about her! Thanks for the news, Xellos!" Link said, before promptly dashing off.
"Link! What about the meeting?" Xellos asked, shouting at the quickly disappearing Hylian.
"I'll be there! I've got to check on this first! Malon would kill me if I'd let anything happen to Epona!" Link shouted back over his shoulder, never once stopping in his rush to get to the port.
"Eh, that's Link for ya. See ya at the meeting, Xellos!" Navi said, then darted after her charge, shouting at him to wait for her.
"I wish I had his energy. It must be nice to be eternally young and strong." An older guard said, ruefully.
"Yeah." another guard agreed, shuddering as a chill breeze blew in from the east.
Legolas sighed as he prepared yet another arrow.
"Gee, aren't you a cheery one?" Woodchuck asked, as he descended from the tree he'd been sitting in.
"There's really nothing to be cheerful about right now; Marmo has been taken, there is now a famine in Valis, and the Heir of Isildur has been slain." Legolas said, somberly.
"Quit talkin' like that. That's exactly what those Naz-whatchamacallits want. They want everyone to lose hope. Marmo and Valis will recover after this war, and this heir you're talkin' about will turn up alive somewhere. You can't just throw your hands up in the air and say 'I give up!'. If you do that, then you're no better than mortal men." Woodchuck said, showing uncharacteristic wisdom at that moment. For a few moments, Legolas was silent, then he looked directly at Woodchuck.
"You're right. A long time ago, a close friend of mine also lectured me about giving up in a similar way. You may not have used the same words as he did, but your message is the same. Thank you." Legolas said, with genuine gratitude in his voice.
"Don't worry about it. 'Sides, it doesn't help to have two depressed elves in Valis. When the elves get depressed, you know that some serious shit is going on." Woodchuck said, not even noticing when a shocked look appeared on Legolas' face in response to those words.
"Legolas, Woodchuck, it's time for the meeting." Sheen said, looking every bit as tired as he sounded.
"We're coming." Legolas replied, as he stood and followed the Mairi cleric. Woodchuck lingered for a few moments longer before following them.
"Damn it, Parn. Why did you have to cause Deedlit and everyone else so much pain by not coming through this alive?" Woodchuck thought, as he cast a scathing glare in the direction of Marmo.
Ashram watched as what remained of the inner circle gathered around him. Close at hand stood Gandalf and Etoh, ready to tell the group of what had to be done.
"Neese, can you give me a report on how the wounded are doing?" Ashram asked, signaling that the meeting had begun. Neese stood and looked directly at the king.
"Valis' healers are working as hard as they can, your Highness. I think the people will be able to move in about three days. It can't be any sooner than that." Neese said, calmly. Ashram sighed and lowered his head.
"I see. Thank you, Neese. Deedlit, have you sent a message ahead to your kin in the Forest of Never Return?" Ashram again asked, this time turning his attention to the sad elf maiden.
"No, sire. I haven't written to them yet." Deedlit replied, in almost a monotone, her normally bright blue eyes almost as dull as her voice.
"All right. Zelgadis, what were you able to see from the wall?" Ashram asked, now turning to the young shaman.
"Miles and miles of empty land. Though I can't say how long it will remain so, sire." Zelgadis replied.
"Then it would be best to move the people now, sire. To wait would only invite danger for your people and for those of Valis." Arislan said, forgetting himself and standing boldly before the Marmoan king.
"Prince Arislan!" Daryoon hissed, trying to remind his charge of where he was and what place he had in this gathering. Instead of becoming enraged, Ashram merely gazed at the foreign prince with mild surprise in his eyes.
"Arislan, is it? Please come here." Ashram ordered, quietly. With much trepidation on his part, Arislan did as he was told and approached the raven-haired king, kneeling once he was within a few feet.
"Rise. There is no need for you to bow before me. We are both royals who have been pushed from our homelands. In some way or another, we are both disinherited kings. Prince Arislan, what you have said is indeed very true. If we don't use the chance we have now, we could miss it. But my people are tired, and many of them are wounded. Our losses have been great, and they will only multiply if we leave Valis now. If you have an idea, then please tell me." Ashram said, tiredly.
"I have an idea, sires, if I may." Narsus said, suddenly speaking up and standing before those assembled.
"Speak on." Etoh urged, speaking up for the first time since the meeting began.
"I have noticed that there are several able-bodied elves here that claim to have hailed from this forest you want to shelter in. Why not have them escort as many people as can move from here to the forest?" Narsus suggested.
"That is an idea, but there is a major problem with it. Those orcs. They are Olag-hai, and can move about very easily in daylight. They will, more than likely, come upon a group like that and easily overwhelm it. That is a chance we cannot take." Shiroi said, patiently, from his seat beside Rain and Teim.
"Yet we cannot just simply sit here, White Priest. Not only will we starve, but the people of both Marmo and Valis will as well. And that is exactly what our enemy wants." Daryoon said, speaking up despite his better judgement.
"So the question is, do we go, or do we remain?" Teim asked, quietly.
"That is a decision you will have to make on your own. But make it soon, because, if you delay in your decision, the Witch King will awaken the Dark Lord, and then nowhere in this world will be safe." Gandalf said, grimly.
Karla watched from afar as the Witch King inspected his troops. He was searching for a suitable leader for his main army, yet not a single orc stood out from the rest.
"Hmm………it seems that I will have to pull some strings." The Witch King murmured, motioning with his ringed hand to the ever-present shadows. Karla's heart froze as she watched a familiar figure lumber towards the Nazgul.
"Now, I have my commander." The Witch King said, sounding very pleased with his decision. Karla could only cower in fear as the newly called wraith fixed an undead glare onto her.
"Things have come full circle, Karla of Kastuul." The wraith intoned, his voice as hollow and dead as a tomb.
"Beld………………" Karla whispered, her eyes wide with fear and horror, as the flame haired, former Emperor of Marmo stumbled past, following the Witch King into the next chamber, leaving the sorceress shuddering.
Author's Note!
I am so sorry about the long wait! I promise I will put out more 'Lost Radiance' chapters in the weeks to come! Gomen!
Gemini