Hi!
Here´s another chapter for your enjoyment (hopefully). Things are getting a tiny bit more dramatic now that the end draws near, ;-)
Thanks yet again to San (whose hunger for Aragorn pain had a slight influence on this chapter, lol) and Mor.
And, of course, thanks to all who read and reviewed - your comments make my day!!! Please keep them coming.
Alinah
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: Will they ever be mine? Alas, I´m afraid not...
Living bait
The wind that swirled around him seemed to catch fire in a dazzling display of yellow-red flames, greedily reaching out for him. The wave of heat that engulfed him came in a move so sudden it took his breath away. All rational thought was overrun by the searing pain that entered his mind, severing the chains which imprisoned the wild beast within his being. The hovering vampire that had filled his vision only heartbeats ago melted away to reveal a red abyss that poured forth what he had always hated the most. His mind dizzily tried to catch up with the scene in front of him, but it was easily outpaced by the roaring anger that jumped forth, unleashed of the tight control he had kept on it for years beyond count.
A battle cry so fierce it made his blood curdle filled his ears as he attacked and he was not even aware it was he who uttered it.
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Aragorn had kept his sword ready, gaze trained on the writhing form before him, when his instincts suddenly screamed a warning. He whipped around in time to see a red light engulf Elladan. The elf tensed and then froze as if the rays rendered him motionless. His eyes, wide open and locked upon the creature he had sworn to destroy, soaked up the sickening glow until they seemed to be filled by it. His sword flashed as he drew it, his red gaze turning on Elrond.
The ranger's reflexes were far inferior to that of an elf, yet he was well able to match those of a horse. When Elladan roared and viciously kicked Ninim's sides to bring her closer to his prey, the horse startled in confusion at the harsh treatment and reared on the spot, shaking her white head. The motion gave Aragorn enough time throw himself to the side, catching the elder twin in the side and momentarily unbalancing him. The human had almost unseated himself with the move, though, and when Elladan´s fist came around and forcefully connected with his temple he had no way of escaping the blow.
Something far harder than knuckles snapped against his cheek with numbing force. Aragorn dully realized that his brother had still been holding his sword when striking him. Painful lights exploded all around the human and he suddenly felt boneless, detached from all parts of his body except the pain, which became a thin lifeline tying him to consciousness. He felt himself overbalance and fall, slipping past Gwaef´s warm belly to meet the ground with a thud. Confusion took him. Horses´ legs danced around his fallen form. The blue light that had been eating away at the vampire´s strength died. Shouts whipped through the air that was filling with darkness. The winds increased.
With an effort, the ranger rolled onto his back. His vision was slightly blurred, but still he could see Elladan above him, once again straightened on his horse, yet Nimin did what he had never seen her do before. The white mare reared and bucked beneath her rider, and his angry shouts did nothing to calm her. Then a nimble shadow passed over the human, lightly touching upon Gwaef´s broad back to gain momentum before launching itself at Elladan, knocking him off the horse.
"Estel, amba! Amba!" [Estel, up. Up!] Even though he could not tell where the urgent shout was coming from, it served to bring him fully back to himself. Ignoring the pain that flashed though his skull Aragorn struggled to his feet, using Gwaef to steady himself before sending the horse away with a sharp slap to its chest. The ranger turned to find Glorfindel and Elrond to both sides of the Vampire, their blades singing as they sliced the air and cheering in victory each time they found their mark. The vampire's bony frame was shattered but beneath it its true form gathered shape as dark wings stretched and sharp fangs snapped for its attackers. High pitched screams cut sharply into the ranger's hurting skull.
Aragorn gripped his sword tightly for his attack when to his side Ninim broke away, following Gwaef, and opened his line of vision to another battle that raged with no less ferocity than the one before them.
Elrohir stood between his twin and the path to their father, effectively protecting the elder's back from his raging son. Elladan´s sword rained a staccato of merciless blows onto his brother's defensively held blade. Strain showed on Elrohir´s sweat streamed features as he tried to hold his ground without causing any harm to his twin. To Aragorn´s battle trained gaze it was clear who would win this fight. The will to kill was visible only in one, and no matter how strongly Elrohir wished to protect the lives of his family he would at some point budge to the pressure.
The younger twin seemed aware of the danger too, for he strove to reclaim his brother's sanity by a never-ending stream of words, obviously meant to rekindle Elladan´s true nature and douse the hatred that blinded him. The storm ripped apart the sounds, and beneath the noise of battle Aragorn could only catch floating pieces of the desperate shouts. Some words stood out from the din, though, and they caused Aragorn´s heart to hitch painfully. "Tirado man im na, gwanunig-nin!" [See who I am, my twin!]
The ranger took a breath and stepped towards the fight, desperate to even the odds and end Elrohir´s predicament, but a shout from Glorfindel halted his movements. "Estel, cor! Cor, hi!" [Estel, ring. Ring, now!] In contrast to Elrond, the Balrog slayer could clearly see the disaster that was about to strike his closest friend's family and the pain showed in his eyes, but there was no wavering in his voice, no doubt about what had to be done. Turning away from his brother's plight, Aragorn broke into a run and took his place beside the elven lords, his soul tearing as he did what was his obligation to do.
The vampire whipped around to his newest foe, teeth descending on the human who brought up his sword in a sharp arch and shattered yet another rib in the already severely torn torso of the beast. Before the teeth could close onto him, the ranger allowed himself to fall back swiftly, and the broken skull was hindered from pursuing him by a skilful sweep of Glorfindel´s blade.
He regained his balance when Elrond took his turn and severed the last of the creature's bone claws in one clean motion. Aragorn caught side of Elrohir crumbling beneath a vicious blow that slipped past his defences and slid across his chest, driving him to his knees. In an uncharacteristically ungraceful move, the younger twin lashed out at his brother's exposed legs from where he lay. The blow caused Elladan to yelp in pain and stumble backwards, giving Elrohir the chance to jump to his feet and drive his brother backwards a few precious paces.
Aragorn had to force himself to refocus on the vampire that came at him again, and soon the twin's battle was swept from his awareness by the continuous assaults on his own life. His head wound began to throb, blurring his vision, and soon he was covered in minor cuts, the worst only held at bay by Glorfindel´s and Elrond´s constant intervention. For whatever reason, the creature had chosen him as its first victim. His strength was waning. As he missed to dodge yet another blow, feeling the ghostlike wing that had struck him draw blood as it slid across his back, he wondered how long he was going to last.
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The water cried out to him. The urgent call that beckoned him to wake held no evil, just the impatience that stemmed from need. The elvish voice inside him had fallen silent and Legolas could feel a strange exhaustion ripple through his aching body, as if he was experiencing somebody else's weariness. The pain had returned, not only to his leg which felt like it was afire but also to his head and back. He felt hot, as if exposed to a roaring fire's heat, but there was neither the comfort of light beyond his closed eyelids nor the earthy smell of burning logs. Instead, a tense stillness was in the air.
The wounded elf groaned and forced his eyes to open. He found himself looking directly into Faun's dark eyes. The small stones that dug into his back told him that he was lying flat on a rocky ground. The stallion neighed quietly when he found his master gazing at him, but to Legolas´ surprise the horse made no move to touch him. He vaguely wondered why but was grateful, instinctively knowing that every contact would bring him more pain than the comfort that would have been intended. To his distress he noticed that Faun was hurt and trembling with weakness. The white legs had turned a dark red from the numerous wounds, yet they were not bleeding.
Turning his head slightly, he saw water rushing past him a mere pace away. There was little light as the sky was overcast with swirling clouds. Nevertheless, the river seemed to glitter, giving an impression of nervousness as Legolas had never experienced in a stream. His still fuzzy mind turned to the way the trees would rustle their leaves in a windless night when distressed, and he understood that the Bruinen was talking to him in a similar way. He wished he knew better how to calm the water's fears.
Legolas lifted one hand with difficulty, stretching his burning muscles to reach the inviting coolness. As soon as his fingers slid into the river, he could feel a gentle grip taking a hold of his hand. He watched in fascination as the blood that was still clinging to him - though he knew not where from - turned into a red haze that grew lighter by the second and then disappeared. The water caressed him with its refreshing cold that slowly crept up his arm and relieved the burning that numbed his mind.
His vision cleared along with his soul, opening the night covered world to his senses. He tore away his gaze from the river to take in his surroundings. He was lying at the stony banks of the Bruinen close to the fort. The trees of the light forest were some paces away on the rise that marked the river's bed. Now that he concentrated on them he found them no less worried than the gurgling waters. The branches seemed to lean into his direction as if beckoning him into their protective embrace. Below them, however, in the thicket that covered their sturdy trunks, white shadows moved. Legolas´ heart picked up speed at the sight of the ghostly creatures that had lined his way here. The ones that had thrown themselves into Faun's way and torn at his legs.
The anger that swelled in him was only slightly doused by the knowledge that he did not possess the strength to fight his foes and avenge his friend's pain. An immense feeling of uselessness washed over him and he closed his eyes in an effort to compose himself. Soon however, the darkness behind his eyelids seemed almost too welcoming to resist and he could feel his body relax as it gave in to his pain and exhaustion.
Before the darkness could fully claim him though, a sharp pain in his hand pulled him back into the waking world. He blinked his eyes to clear his once again hazy vision and was confused to see the hand he still had trailing in the waters bleed as if it had been struck by something. Surely it was a rock that the increasing current had forced against him. The cold of the river's grip grew from a tender caress to a numbing bite and the gurgling voice rose in a mournful plea.
Legolas could feel something within him stir in response, yet the foreign elvish voice remained dormant, as if waiting for something that had not yet come to pass. Still, a thought he could not identify as his own formed in his dizzy mind. The Bruinen seemed to sense the change for it grew louder, urging him on. And so Legolas stopped questioning the sense of his actions and simply raised his voice, calling out with as much strength as was left in him.
"Im nev, telo nin! Im nev, telo nin!" [I am here, come (to) me! I am here, come (to) me!]
Even as he did, he instinctively knew that his effort was not meant to bring forth help. It was a challenge to an enemy he could not have faced on his own even when healthy, let alone in the sorry state he was in at the moment. But the time for reflection had long passed and Legolas´ words were greedily seized by the wind, carried away to the ears that were supposed to hear and respond.
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"Estel, nu!" [Estel, down!] Aragorn reacted to the warning without even forcing his body to do so. He had long succumbed to his instincts and watched his own actions in something close to wonder. From his ducked position his bloody left hand brought up the sword and it connected with the remains of the white skull above him, chipping lose yet another huge splinter.
Aragorn grunted in disapproval, annoyed with the weakness of his blow. He tried to grip the sword with both hands to increase his strength when the pain that flooded over his entire body, springing from his right shoulder, reminded him of the reason for his one-handed strike. Dizziness washed over him and he overbalanced backwards, ungracefully hitting the ground to sit there, dazed.
A double voiced elvish cry rose angrily and as the ranger watched, the leering white head that had tried to descend on him exploded into a shower of chopped up pieces that rained down on him like ghostly hail. The twin blows delivered by the elven lords had stripped the vampire of the last remains of bones and it reared above Aragorn with a furious screech that threatened to split his aching head. His vision blurred over with the pain and he had to stop himself from shaking his head to clear it, knowing very well that this would only double his discomfort. Instead, the ranger used his left hand to push himself up and rose unsteadily, swaying as he stood.
Before him, covered in dead leaves and swirling sand by the ever present wind, a huge shadow hovered in the air. Wings that seemed to melt with the flickering darkness beat on the gusts while black, shining eyes sought out Aragorn's, filling him with a cold chill. As if drawn by an invisible force, he tried to lock his gaze with the floating entity. For a passing moment their vision connected and the ranger felt old wounds inside burst into life again. Pains long forgotten boiled to the surface with shattering force and they were accompanied by a hot fury directed at those who had inflicted it.
For a fleeting second, the lithe, blue glowing silhouettes of Elrond and Glorfindel twisted and transformed into the leering figures of orcs, heavy weapons raised in their fists as they laughed at his distress. His weary mind fought to contain the mindless hatred that rattled the bars of their cage, threatening to tear them loose. But then another wave of painful dizziness hit Aragorn and his vision betrayed him yet again. The world tilted and he let his sword's tip touch the ground, steadying himself on it as if it were an old man's walking stick. Nausea rose in him but he fought it back by sheer force of will. When he looked up again, the orcs had gone and the hovering shadow that had been frozen in mid-air broke into life again, raising its voice in fury.
Wearily, Aragorn raised his sword again and gazed for his companions. To his surprise, he found that both elven lords had dropped their weapons and stood with their heads bowed, palms held out towards the beast. Vilya´s blue light gathered around them once more, albeit weaker than before, and the vampire shrank from its glow. At the same time, the demon's foggy form seemed too dense. Now that it had been stripped of its bony shell it began to form itself anew.
With a clattering sound, Aragorn allowed his own sword to fall. It would be of no more use here. His part was played. Even though, he was unable to tear away his gaze from the spectacle that was enfolding before his very eyes. The vampire's humanoid body turned its fang-laden head to and fro, flapping its immense wings just out of the blue light's reach, but even so Vilya´s strength visibly ate at it. Its frame seemed to shrink as it hovered, and pace by pace it withdrew, hissing in annoyance.
Hope flared in Estel´s heart.
Then, with a sharp movement that appeared almost human in its obvious surprise, the beast whipped its head away from the silent battle. Its form once again froze, leaning into the groaning winds. A grumbling rose that rang with anger rose from its midst. The wings moved back with a motion so slow it seemed hindered by a river's current, but when they beat forwards again they carried with them a sudden gust of storm that hit the three warriors unprepared.
Aragorn felt the rush advance at him, but it was too late to react. The gust caught him like a disembodied fist and closed around him without mercy, easily lifting him and whipping him through the air. He saw both Elrond and Glorfindel fall and then disappear in the whirling sand beneath him. Time slowed. The winds slid across his back like greedy hands trying to catch a hold of him but he slipped past them. Heaven and earth turned until he could not tell them apart.
Through the turmoil a shape descended on him with the accuracy of a bird of prey. Talons formed of pure darkness reached out for him, closing on him with a cold grip that sent a searing pain through his body and soul. For a fleeting second Aragorn caught sight of two blue shrouded figures beneath him, their light encompassing him and giving him warmth, but they shrank from him with speed. Next to them, two other forms lay crumbled on the floor, one holding the other. They too, were taken by the night that closed in on him, ripping away all thought.
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Legolas could feel its approach. His tired mind shrank form the terror that threatened to overcome him, but before he could flee into darkness the ancient soul within him stirred once more. It was deeply buried within him still, hiding in his wounded form like a cunning wolf in the shadows of a cavern, awaiting its prey's arrival. Even so, the prince could sense his pains and exhaustion withdraw.
Above him, a frightened whinny turned into a furious neigh. Forcing his eyes to open, Legolas saw Faun´s big frame that stood out starkly against the night. The horse pranced and neighed as if taken by a sudden frenzy, rearing towards those swirling clouds as if challenging the sky itself to come to battle. The Bruinen raised an angry voice that rang with a similar fury while the trees groaned and shivered in fearful expectation. Legolas pushed himself onto his elbows, feeling the very rock beneath him quiver with anxiety. White foam danced upon the river's shimmering surface.
Above the elf, darkness gathered within a swirling cloud that moved with the gusty breeze. Wings of pure night broke from the form and its frame grew more solid as it approached - as did the lifeless figure within its claws.
Cold fear replaced the wondering weariness that had held Legolas in its grip and he rose despite the screaming protest of pain that lunged at him like a wild animal. Forcing his body to stand, Legolas' wide eyes sought to make out any signs of life in Aragorn, but the ranger dangled in the black grip devoid of all control.
Laughter rang on the wind and wound through the valley, causing the Bruinen to recoil when the sound travelled past its turbulent waters. A voice that had leered at Legolas before peeled itself from the roaring din and called out with defiance.
"A tula meldo-i-tya, qendo pitya" [Get your friend, little elf], the voice sneered,"ar a tira faire-i-rya." [and watch his death.]
With these words, the vampire released the human's lifeless form from its grip and let it tumble towards the dark woods below.
TBC
I could not resist another tiny cliffie - don´t hurt me, please :)
Review responses:
Candidus-lupus-full Moon: Thanks - I hope you enjoyed this one, too.
Alariel: Aww, poor you, I hope your head is better (I know what a migraine feels like - yuck!) And the name - do you happen to mean Thuringwethil? In this case, yes, it does ring a bell, lol.
Tychen: Thanks you!!! I love horror stories (big surprise, I know...). I hope you still have all the lights on?! But as we all know, even the worst evil can be conquered, so there is still hope, I think.
White Wolf1: Right guess!! - hands over cookie - Even though Elrohir might have fallen prey to the thing, too. As for Legolas - poor elf, what a horror for him that I ever got my hands on him ;-)
Estel Elven Enchantress: LOL, great summary indeed. There´s little left to add, is there? And I´m really happy that you figured out the Legolas-in-Legolas idea!
Demon Faith: Well, we´ll have to see about Elladan - but then again, hate is not the only emotion that drives him. Which might come in handy. I´m glad you like the way I portray the Legolas-Aragorn friendship - it will sure go through a lot in the next chapter :(
Ertia: Legolas cliffies don´t upset you? Maybe this one was a little more exciting for you then ;-) You were quiet right that I could not just leave it with one cliffie - and after two I still have an appetite for more. By the way, I wish you could have been there, sword and all. I´m sure you would have turned the tide.
Someone Reading: Thanks -blushes- You know, after reading your reviews I always feel like I´ve grown an inch or so - one day you´ll turn me into a giant. You were almost right about Elrohir. In fact, the creature could have used them both in a way, because they share the same deep-rooted hatred (against orcs), so your guess was close. I hope the story continues to entertain you!!
NightShadow 131: Poor Legolas indeed - but it´s not the vampire who controls him ;-). Hehe, maybe you are right and the elves would not skin me, them being so friendly creatures. But I´m sure they´d have a good laugh at me. I use three dictionaries to figure out the dialogs. So far I have not found a good online source for Elvish. Feel free to sent me some dialog for translation, though (as long as it is not a whole novel, lol). I love figuring out elvish dialog!! I have to warn you though, the vocabulary is rather limited, therefore there are things that simply cannot be expressed. But as I said, feel free to mail me any question.
Deana: You beat me posting today!! - sulks- LOL Yes, Legolas and "ouch" seem to go hand in hand ;-)
AliciA: Welcome aboard!! Thanks for reading and reviewing. My stories tend to be a bit sinister - I´m happy you like it that way!
Gozilla: Thank you for reviewing "Shelter"! It was a pleasant surprise getting another review for that story.
THANK YOU ALL!!
Here´s another chapter for your enjoyment (hopefully). Things are getting a tiny bit more dramatic now that the end draws near, ;-)
Thanks yet again to San (whose hunger for Aragorn pain had a slight influence on this chapter, lol) and Mor.
And, of course, thanks to all who read and reviewed - your comments make my day!!! Please keep them coming.
Alinah
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: Will they ever be mine? Alas, I´m afraid not...
Living bait
The wind that swirled around him seemed to catch fire in a dazzling display of yellow-red flames, greedily reaching out for him. The wave of heat that engulfed him came in a move so sudden it took his breath away. All rational thought was overrun by the searing pain that entered his mind, severing the chains which imprisoned the wild beast within his being. The hovering vampire that had filled his vision only heartbeats ago melted away to reveal a red abyss that poured forth what he had always hated the most. His mind dizzily tried to catch up with the scene in front of him, but it was easily outpaced by the roaring anger that jumped forth, unleashed of the tight control he had kept on it for years beyond count.
A battle cry so fierce it made his blood curdle filled his ears as he attacked and he was not even aware it was he who uttered it.
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Aragorn had kept his sword ready, gaze trained on the writhing form before him, when his instincts suddenly screamed a warning. He whipped around in time to see a red light engulf Elladan. The elf tensed and then froze as if the rays rendered him motionless. His eyes, wide open and locked upon the creature he had sworn to destroy, soaked up the sickening glow until they seemed to be filled by it. His sword flashed as he drew it, his red gaze turning on Elrond.
The ranger's reflexes were far inferior to that of an elf, yet he was well able to match those of a horse. When Elladan roared and viciously kicked Ninim's sides to bring her closer to his prey, the horse startled in confusion at the harsh treatment and reared on the spot, shaking her white head. The motion gave Aragorn enough time throw himself to the side, catching the elder twin in the side and momentarily unbalancing him. The human had almost unseated himself with the move, though, and when Elladan´s fist came around and forcefully connected with his temple he had no way of escaping the blow.
Something far harder than knuckles snapped against his cheek with numbing force. Aragorn dully realized that his brother had still been holding his sword when striking him. Painful lights exploded all around the human and he suddenly felt boneless, detached from all parts of his body except the pain, which became a thin lifeline tying him to consciousness. He felt himself overbalance and fall, slipping past Gwaef´s warm belly to meet the ground with a thud. Confusion took him. Horses´ legs danced around his fallen form. The blue light that had been eating away at the vampire´s strength died. Shouts whipped through the air that was filling with darkness. The winds increased.
With an effort, the ranger rolled onto his back. His vision was slightly blurred, but still he could see Elladan above him, once again straightened on his horse, yet Nimin did what he had never seen her do before. The white mare reared and bucked beneath her rider, and his angry shouts did nothing to calm her. Then a nimble shadow passed over the human, lightly touching upon Gwaef´s broad back to gain momentum before launching itself at Elladan, knocking him off the horse.
"Estel, amba! Amba!" [Estel, up. Up!] Even though he could not tell where the urgent shout was coming from, it served to bring him fully back to himself. Ignoring the pain that flashed though his skull Aragorn struggled to his feet, using Gwaef to steady himself before sending the horse away with a sharp slap to its chest. The ranger turned to find Glorfindel and Elrond to both sides of the Vampire, their blades singing as they sliced the air and cheering in victory each time they found their mark. The vampire's bony frame was shattered but beneath it its true form gathered shape as dark wings stretched and sharp fangs snapped for its attackers. High pitched screams cut sharply into the ranger's hurting skull.
Aragorn gripped his sword tightly for his attack when to his side Ninim broke away, following Gwaef, and opened his line of vision to another battle that raged with no less ferocity than the one before them.
Elrohir stood between his twin and the path to their father, effectively protecting the elder's back from his raging son. Elladan´s sword rained a staccato of merciless blows onto his brother's defensively held blade. Strain showed on Elrohir´s sweat streamed features as he tried to hold his ground without causing any harm to his twin. To Aragorn´s battle trained gaze it was clear who would win this fight. The will to kill was visible only in one, and no matter how strongly Elrohir wished to protect the lives of his family he would at some point budge to the pressure.
The younger twin seemed aware of the danger too, for he strove to reclaim his brother's sanity by a never-ending stream of words, obviously meant to rekindle Elladan´s true nature and douse the hatred that blinded him. The storm ripped apart the sounds, and beneath the noise of battle Aragorn could only catch floating pieces of the desperate shouts. Some words stood out from the din, though, and they caused Aragorn´s heart to hitch painfully. "Tirado man im na, gwanunig-nin!" [See who I am, my twin!]
The ranger took a breath and stepped towards the fight, desperate to even the odds and end Elrohir´s predicament, but a shout from Glorfindel halted his movements. "Estel, cor! Cor, hi!" [Estel, ring. Ring, now!] In contrast to Elrond, the Balrog slayer could clearly see the disaster that was about to strike his closest friend's family and the pain showed in his eyes, but there was no wavering in his voice, no doubt about what had to be done. Turning away from his brother's plight, Aragorn broke into a run and took his place beside the elven lords, his soul tearing as he did what was his obligation to do.
The vampire whipped around to his newest foe, teeth descending on the human who brought up his sword in a sharp arch and shattered yet another rib in the already severely torn torso of the beast. Before the teeth could close onto him, the ranger allowed himself to fall back swiftly, and the broken skull was hindered from pursuing him by a skilful sweep of Glorfindel´s blade.
He regained his balance when Elrond took his turn and severed the last of the creature's bone claws in one clean motion. Aragorn caught side of Elrohir crumbling beneath a vicious blow that slipped past his defences and slid across his chest, driving him to his knees. In an uncharacteristically ungraceful move, the younger twin lashed out at his brother's exposed legs from where he lay. The blow caused Elladan to yelp in pain and stumble backwards, giving Elrohir the chance to jump to his feet and drive his brother backwards a few precious paces.
Aragorn had to force himself to refocus on the vampire that came at him again, and soon the twin's battle was swept from his awareness by the continuous assaults on his own life. His head wound began to throb, blurring his vision, and soon he was covered in minor cuts, the worst only held at bay by Glorfindel´s and Elrond´s constant intervention. For whatever reason, the creature had chosen him as its first victim. His strength was waning. As he missed to dodge yet another blow, feeling the ghostlike wing that had struck him draw blood as it slid across his back, he wondered how long he was going to last.
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The water cried out to him. The urgent call that beckoned him to wake held no evil, just the impatience that stemmed from need. The elvish voice inside him had fallen silent and Legolas could feel a strange exhaustion ripple through his aching body, as if he was experiencing somebody else's weariness. The pain had returned, not only to his leg which felt like it was afire but also to his head and back. He felt hot, as if exposed to a roaring fire's heat, but there was neither the comfort of light beyond his closed eyelids nor the earthy smell of burning logs. Instead, a tense stillness was in the air.
The wounded elf groaned and forced his eyes to open. He found himself looking directly into Faun's dark eyes. The small stones that dug into his back told him that he was lying flat on a rocky ground. The stallion neighed quietly when he found his master gazing at him, but to Legolas´ surprise the horse made no move to touch him. He vaguely wondered why but was grateful, instinctively knowing that every contact would bring him more pain than the comfort that would have been intended. To his distress he noticed that Faun was hurt and trembling with weakness. The white legs had turned a dark red from the numerous wounds, yet they were not bleeding.
Turning his head slightly, he saw water rushing past him a mere pace away. There was little light as the sky was overcast with swirling clouds. Nevertheless, the river seemed to glitter, giving an impression of nervousness as Legolas had never experienced in a stream. His still fuzzy mind turned to the way the trees would rustle their leaves in a windless night when distressed, and he understood that the Bruinen was talking to him in a similar way. He wished he knew better how to calm the water's fears.
Legolas lifted one hand with difficulty, stretching his burning muscles to reach the inviting coolness. As soon as his fingers slid into the river, he could feel a gentle grip taking a hold of his hand. He watched in fascination as the blood that was still clinging to him - though he knew not where from - turned into a red haze that grew lighter by the second and then disappeared. The water caressed him with its refreshing cold that slowly crept up his arm and relieved the burning that numbed his mind.
His vision cleared along with his soul, opening the night covered world to his senses. He tore away his gaze from the river to take in his surroundings. He was lying at the stony banks of the Bruinen close to the fort. The trees of the light forest were some paces away on the rise that marked the river's bed. Now that he concentrated on them he found them no less worried than the gurgling waters. The branches seemed to lean into his direction as if beckoning him into their protective embrace. Below them, however, in the thicket that covered their sturdy trunks, white shadows moved. Legolas´ heart picked up speed at the sight of the ghostly creatures that had lined his way here. The ones that had thrown themselves into Faun's way and torn at his legs.
The anger that swelled in him was only slightly doused by the knowledge that he did not possess the strength to fight his foes and avenge his friend's pain. An immense feeling of uselessness washed over him and he closed his eyes in an effort to compose himself. Soon however, the darkness behind his eyelids seemed almost too welcoming to resist and he could feel his body relax as it gave in to his pain and exhaustion.
Before the darkness could fully claim him though, a sharp pain in his hand pulled him back into the waking world. He blinked his eyes to clear his once again hazy vision and was confused to see the hand he still had trailing in the waters bleed as if it had been struck by something. Surely it was a rock that the increasing current had forced against him. The cold of the river's grip grew from a tender caress to a numbing bite and the gurgling voice rose in a mournful plea.
Legolas could feel something within him stir in response, yet the foreign elvish voice remained dormant, as if waiting for something that had not yet come to pass. Still, a thought he could not identify as his own formed in his dizzy mind. The Bruinen seemed to sense the change for it grew louder, urging him on. And so Legolas stopped questioning the sense of his actions and simply raised his voice, calling out with as much strength as was left in him.
"Im nev, telo nin! Im nev, telo nin!" [I am here, come (to) me! I am here, come (to) me!]
Even as he did, he instinctively knew that his effort was not meant to bring forth help. It was a challenge to an enemy he could not have faced on his own even when healthy, let alone in the sorry state he was in at the moment. But the time for reflection had long passed and Legolas´ words were greedily seized by the wind, carried away to the ears that were supposed to hear and respond.
......................................................................
"Estel, nu!" [Estel, down!] Aragorn reacted to the warning without even forcing his body to do so. He had long succumbed to his instincts and watched his own actions in something close to wonder. From his ducked position his bloody left hand brought up the sword and it connected with the remains of the white skull above him, chipping lose yet another huge splinter.
Aragorn grunted in disapproval, annoyed with the weakness of his blow. He tried to grip the sword with both hands to increase his strength when the pain that flooded over his entire body, springing from his right shoulder, reminded him of the reason for his one-handed strike. Dizziness washed over him and he overbalanced backwards, ungracefully hitting the ground to sit there, dazed.
A double voiced elvish cry rose angrily and as the ranger watched, the leering white head that had tried to descend on him exploded into a shower of chopped up pieces that rained down on him like ghostly hail. The twin blows delivered by the elven lords had stripped the vampire of the last remains of bones and it reared above Aragorn with a furious screech that threatened to split his aching head. His vision blurred over with the pain and he had to stop himself from shaking his head to clear it, knowing very well that this would only double his discomfort. Instead, the ranger used his left hand to push himself up and rose unsteadily, swaying as he stood.
Before him, covered in dead leaves and swirling sand by the ever present wind, a huge shadow hovered in the air. Wings that seemed to melt with the flickering darkness beat on the gusts while black, shining eyes sought out Aragorn's, filling him with a cold chill. As if drawn by an invisible force, he tried to lock his gaze with the floating entity. For a passing moment their vision connected and the ranger felt old wounds inside burst into life again. Pains long forgotten boiled to the surface with shattering force and they were accompanied by a hot fury directed at those who had inflicted it.
For a fleeting second, the lithe, blue glowing silhouettes of Elrond and Glorfindel twisted and transformed into the leering figures of orcs, heavy weapons raised in their fists as they laughed at his distress. His weary mind fought to contain the mindless hatred that rattled the bars of their cage, threatening to tear them loose. But then another wave of painful dizziness hit Aragorn and his vision betrayed him yet again. The world tilted and he let his sword's tip touch the ground, steadying himself on it as if it were an old man's walking stick. Nausea rose in him but he fought it back by sheer force of will. When he looked up again, the orcs had gone and the hovering shadow that had been frozen in mid-air broke into life again, raising its voice in fury.
Wearily, Aragorn raised his sword again and gazed for his companions. To his surprise, he found that both elven lords had dropped their weapons and stood with their heads bowed, palms held out towards the beast. Vilya´s blue light gathered around them once more, albeit weaker than before, and the vampire shrank from its glow. At the same time, the demon's foggy form seemed too dense. Now that it had been stripped of its bony shell it began to form itself anew.
With a clattering sound, Aragorn allowed his own sword to fall. It would be of no more use here. His part was played. Even though, he was unable to tear away his gaze from the spectacle that was enfolding before his very eyes. The vampire's humanoid body turned its fang-laden head to and fro, flapping its immense wings just out of the blue light's reach, but even so Vilya´s strength visibly ate at it. Its frame seemed to shrink as it hovered, and pace by pace it withdrew, hissing in annoyance.
Hope flared in Estel´s heart.
Then, with a sharp movement that appeared almost human in its obvious surprise, the beast whipped its head away from the silent battle. Its form once again froze, leaning into the groaning winds. A grumbling rose that rang with anger rose from its midst. The wings moved back with a motion so slow it seemed hindered by a river's current, but when they beat forwards again they carried with them a sudden gust of storm that hit the three warriors unprepared.
Aragorn felt the rush advance at him, but it was too late to react. The gust caught him like a disembodied fist and closed around him without mercy, easily lifting him and whipping him through the air. He saw both Elrond and Glorfindel fall and then disappear in the whirling sand beneath him. Time slowed. The winds slid across his back like greedy hands trying to catch a hold of him but he slipped past them. Heaven and earth turned until he could not tell them apart.
Through the turmoil a shape descended on him with the accuracy of a bird of prey. Talons formed of pure darkness reached out for him, closing on him with a cold grip that sent a searing pain through his body and soul. For a fleeting second Aragorn caught sight of two blue shrouded figures beneath him, their light encompassing him and giving him warmth, but they shrank from him with speed. Next to them, two other forms lay crumbled on the floor, one holding the other. They too, were taken by the night that closed in on him, ripping away all thought.
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Legolas could feel its approach. His tired mind shrank form the terror that threatened to overcome him, but before he could flee into darkness the ancient soul within him stirred once more. It was deeply buried within him still, hiding in his wounded form like a cunning wolf in the shadows of a cavern, awaiting its prey's arrival. Even so, the prince could sense his pains and exhaustion withdraw.
Above him, a frightened whinny turned into a furious neigh. Forcing his eyes to open, Legolas saw Faun´s big frame that stood out starkly against the night. The horse pranced and neighed as if taken by a sudden frenzy, rearing towards those swirling clouds as if challenging the sky itself to come to battle. The Bruinen raised an angry voice that rang with a similar fury while the trees groaned and shivered in fearful expectation. Legolas pushed himself onto his elbows, feeling the very rock beneath him quiver with anxiety. White foam danced upon the river's shimmering surface.
Above the elf, darkness gathered within a swirling cloud that moved with the gusty breeze. Wings of pure night broke from the form and its frame grew more solid as it approached - as did the lifeless figure within its claws.
Cold fear replaced the wondering weariness that had held Legolas in its grip and he rose despite the screaming protest of pain that lunged at him like a wild animal. Forcing his body to stand, Legolas' wide eyes sought to make out any signs of life in Aragorn, but the ranger dangled in the black grip devoid of all control.
Laughter rang on the wind and wound through the valley, causing the Bruinen to recoil when the sound travelled past its turbulent waters. A voice that had leered at Legolas before peeled itself from the roaring din and called out with defiance.
"A tula meldo-i-tya, qendo pitya" [Get your friend, little elf], the voice sneered,"ar a tira faire-i-rya." [and watch his death.]
With these words, the vampire released the human's lifeless form from its grip and let it tumble towards the dark woods below.
TBC
I could not resist another tiny cliffie - don´t hurt me, please :)
Review responses:
Candidus-lupus-full Moon: Thanks - I hope you enjoyed this one, too.
Alariel: Aww, poor you, I hope your head is better (I know what a migraine feels like - yuck!) And the name - do you happen to mean Thuringwethil? In this case, yes, it does ring a bell, lol.
Tychen: Thanks you!!! I love horror stories (big surprise, I know...). I hope you still have all the lights on?! But as we all know, even the worst evil can be conquered, so there is still hope, I think.
White Wolf1: Right guess!! - hands over cookie - Even though Elrohir might have fallen prey to the thing, too. As for Legolas - poor elf, what a horror for him that I ever got my hands on him ;-)
Estel Elven Enchantress: LOL, great summary indeed. There´s little left to add, is there? And I´m really happy that you figured out the Legolas-in-Legolas idea!
Demon Faith: Well, we´ll have to see about Elladan - but then again, hate is not the only emotion that drives him. Which might come in handy. I´m glad you like the way I portray the Legolas-Aragorn friendship - it will sure go through a lot in the next chapter :(
Ertia: Legolas cliffies don´t upset you? Maybe this one was a little more exciting for you then ;-) You were quiet right that I could not just leave it with one cliffie - and after two I still have an appetite for more. By the way, I wish you could have been there, sword and all. I´m sure you would have turned the tide.
Someone Reading: Thanks -blushes- You know, after reading your reviews I always feel like I´ve grown an inch or so - one day you´ll turn me into a giant. You were almost right about Elrohir. In fact, the creature could have used them both in a way, because they share the same deep-rooted hatred (against orcs), so your guess was close. I hope the story continues to entertain you!!
NightShadow 131: Poor Legolas indeed - but it´s not the vampire who controls him ;-). Hehe, maybe you are right and the elves would not skin me, them being so friendly creatures. But I´m sure they´d have a good laugh at me. I use three dictionaries to figure out the dialogs. So far I have not found a good online source for Elvish. Feel free to sent me some dialog for translation, though (as long as it is not a whole novel, lol). I love figuring out elvish dialog!! I have to warn you though, the vocabulary is rather limited, therefore there are things that simply cannot be expressed. But as I said, feel free to mail me any question.
Deana: You beat me posting today!! - sulks- LOL Yes, Legolas and "ouch" seem to go hand in hand ;-)
AliciA: Welcome aboard!! Thanks for reading and reviewing. My stories tend to be a bit sinister - I´m happy you like it that way!
Gozilla: Thank you for reviewing "Shelter"! It was a pleasant surprise getting another review for that story.
THANK YOU ALL!!