Hi!!

Here´s the second but last one - what a weird feeling... Prepare for a fight that is a tiny bit bloody, but I guess that´s not a surprise...

Thank you all for reading and of course for reviewing (the comments on "Boots" are below as well). I love you guys!! Everybody, please feel free to review.

San, thanks for your great editing. You saved Aragorn from being a many-armed "octopus", lol!!

Enjoy!

Alinah

Rating: PG 13

Disclaimer: Not mine

To the end...

A cold draft caressed Aragorn's sweaty skin when they entered the gloom, making him shiver. They had barely moved onto the ramp leading down before the door was pulled closed behind them with the sound of a coffin's lid snapping shut. Faun flinched and stopped. A shiver ran through the massive body. "Shh", Legolas soothed, the hand holding on to the human momentarily letting go to caress the light fur, "move on my friend, you are well, trust me and move on." Aragorn shared Faun's doubts, even though the stallion seemed to overcome them at his master's words.

"There are stairs next to the ramp", the ranger murmured, trying his best to recall these rooms, "If he strays onto them he will stumble..." "He will not", Legolas cut in with confidence, "I will guide him, do not worry. I can see well enough. It is not the darkness that should spark our fears." The ranger did not respond, forcing his instincts to reach out instead. He knew elven senses well enough to realize that in this complete darkness, not even an elf could see as Legolas said he could, but there was nothing he could do about this now. Nothing, but trust his friend and be watchful of their foe.

Faun eased downwards slowly, and with every step he took, the dark coldness seemed to close in on them until Aragorn felt as if a huge icy hand was placed over his chest, squeezing without mercy. Voices just beyond his ability to hear brushed past him, feathery and light, despite their despair. In his mounting apprehension the darkness itself tricked him into seeing shapes, emerging to taunt him. The human's eyes frantically tried to make sense of what they could not perceive until Aragorn closed them, giving his aching skull a rest. It was a short-lived mercy, however, and Legolas was the one to end it.

If the elf had been tense before, all his muscles seemed to freeze now as he pulled Faun to an abrupt stop. His words were barely louder than the ghost voices that still encompassed them, and had it not been for the soft breath to brush his ear, Aragorn might have taken them for little else. "Ho nev." [He´s here.] The hand that had held him let go, flashing backwards in a movement the ranger had seen so often that he sensed it even in the absence of light. A mere heartbeat later the elf's bow sang as he released an arrow into the dark.

Aragorn gripped his sword more tightly while he tried to follow the arrow's flight by the soft sound it made when the fledges cut through the air. Suddenly, however, there was more than a whispered sound to track the feathered death by, for it sprang into flame in mid-flight. Tiny as the light was, it almost blinded the human's strained eyes and he turned his head to the side instinctively. He never looked away, though, and thus could see how the burning arrow seemed to bring to life the torches that it passed by on its way.

One by one, the bigger flames burst out of nothing, following the arrow's path. The high ceiling of the storage room flared out of the gloom with its graceful arches and long rows of barrels and boxes. With every light added, the familiar surroundings took on a more eerie tinge of wrongness, as if it had been twisted out of shape ever so slightly. And then, when the arrow's shaft had been almost burned into nothing and the head should have long plunged to the floor below, a lithe figure stepped forward up on the gallery that spanned the length of the chamber. A pale hand shot out and caught the arrow's tip as if it was a fly that had dared venture too close to an enemy.

Calen´s fair face darkened up in a smile so cold that a blue shimmer seemed to drip off it, sending out a new wave of cold. "Welcome", he said, "even though I had not expected so many visitors." Next to him, Aragorn could hear an arrow clattering to the floor, dropped from Legolas' suddenly limp hand. "Calen?" The word was little more than a pained breath. The vampire grinned broadly now, revealing shimmering teeth that grew fangs as they watched. "I'm afraid not really", the demon chuckled, "though I owe your friend my thanks for his hospitality. Now, however, it is time to take up a more royal residence."

The words had not even left his mouth when the elven shape became a dark blur of fangs and shady wings, bearing down on them with the swift eagerness of a bird of prey homing in for the kill.

Elrond and Glorfindel rushed through the still halls. The closer they got to the young ones´ room, the more their dread grew. When they finally rounded the last corner, they let out a unified gasp at the scene before them. The guards that had been meant to protect the wounded lay on the floor, unmoving. Elrond did not utter a word but hastened to rush into the sickroom, leaving it to Glorfindel to see to the warriors.

When the Balrog Slayer entered the chamber a few moments later, he found Elrond placing the limb form of one of the healer's onto Legolas´ abandoned bed. He noticed that Estel had gone, too. So had Faun. He felt thrown through time, back to the beginning of this evil when it had ensnared the two friends on their way home. The lord of Imladris turned to his friend with eyes blazing. "Sleeping, fortunately, but my heart burns for the mistake we have made." Glorfindel did not waste time by contradicting Elrond. Instead, he simply drew his sword and growled: "Then let us undo the ruse that has been laid upon us and put the culprit to death for good."

Aragorn saw the vampire coming, but his stunned mind could still not quite grasp that it now bore Calen´s disguise. The young healer had been developing into a friend, so often he had been called upon to help Elrond heal his youngest son - and more frequently than some would care to admit to the prince of Mirkwood, too. Pictures of better times flashed across his vision, food smuggled into sickrooms, laughter shared. The light trust that had existed between them froze the ranger as it collided with the black hatred that now filled Calen´s shell.

Numbly, the ranger waited for the impact even as he felt Faun rear slightly and then dance sideways in what would be a futile attempt to save them. The shape bearing Calen´s mask cut through the air much like Legolas´ arrow had done moments ago, but before it could find its prey, the Mirkwood bow sang again, and this time the pointed steel buried itself into white flesh. With a screech, the demon flinched in the air and pivoted sharply to the right, hitting the wall with a sickening crush.

Faun reared again at the unearthly sound that shook the chamber when the vampire's anger spilled free, and Aragorn felt himself slipping. Unwilling to lose his sword, he tried to wretch his other arm free of the sling despite the pain this caused him, but he would have tumbled down headfirst anyway had not a hand caught his collar to break his fall. Legolas could not keep him on top of the horse, however, and so the ranger used the aid he had been given to at least land on his feet and then step aside quickly to give Faun more room.

The demon had recovered within a flash. He tore the arrow free with a snarl that transformed his face beyond anything Calen could have ever been. "Is that how you plan to slay me, elfling?" he spat, "by a simple arrow? You should know better by now!" His next attack came swiftly and Legolas threw his bow aside to draw his dagger for close combat. The vampire, however, had other plans. Shortly before he would have reached the elf, he turned upwards sharply and delivered a vicious kick to the prince's head, dancing on the air as if it was solid ground. Legolas managed to duck the blow at the last second but was still graced at the temple, toppling over to his left. Faun caught his rider's balance barely by stepping sideways, but both steed and warrior were now helpless to aid the true target of the demon's attack.

Aragorn was as caught by surprise as the elf had been, but he had survived too many fights to ever consider himself safe on the battlefield. His sword had been raised and ready and he brought it around in a wide arc that cut the vampire's shoulder the second his foe entered his range. The demon screeched in more annoyance than pain and the ranger found himself unable to stop the drive of his own swing when his injured leg buckled beneath him. The blade came crashing down onto the floor and it was only Aragorn's firm grip on the handle that saved him from falling over, using the sword like a stick to lean upon instead.

His small victory over his physical weakness was short-lived, though, when a piercing pain lashed over his back and he was thrown forwards. This time there was no way that he could remain on his feet and he rolled, unable to stop the scream of pain when his torn back scraped over the rough ground and his broken collarbone was ripped further apart. A black avalanche of pain threatened to swallow him whole, but his survival instincts registered the sound of his approaching enemy and pulled him back despite his torment.

Aragorn did not remember just how he had managed to hold on to his sword but he could still feel its handle in his palm and he tore it upwards with a grunt, using both of his hands even though it felt as if the movement would break him apart. He had acted without even registering the vampire's position, but his swift reaction saved his life, for when his vision cleared he found himself almost face to face with the demon. The creature's fangs were dripping with saliva no less than a handbreadth from his throat and had it not impaled itself upon his sword to the hilt, it would have ripped him open.

Shocked and appalled, the human gazed into the black eyes that regarded him with a hatred so pure it seemed to reach out to him. The surprise that had widened the demon's pupils quickly turned to rage. Aragorn knew that he was now devoid of a weapon and desperately used what he had left. Without giving the creature any more time to recover he pulled up his healthy knee and rammed it into the vampire's abdomen. It was only now that the creature learned just how painful inhabiting a male's body could be.

Screaming in agony, the demon rushed upwards, away from his opponent. Aragorn felt his sword being ripped from his hands and unnatural winds collected as they lifted the vampire out of the ranger's reach. Aragorn could do little else but watch in frozen amazement as the fell creature tore free the sword and threw it away with a screech. It bared its fangs at him like a wild beast and strength collected in its muscles for the final assault. Just then, when Aragorn began to accept that he had used all his resources and would be helpless to prevent what was about to happen, the voice of the Mirkwood bow called out again. The human had never heard a sweeter sound.

Three arrows hit the vampire in rapid succession, one of them piercing his right eye. "Telo a nivro nin, gwaur urug!" [Come and face me, dirty beast!] The challenge seemed to enrage the demon even more and he left Aragorn panting on the ground to bring his wrath down upon the elf. The ranger turned despite his aches, desperate to follow the events.

Legolas had recovered from the former assault even though the blood kept flowing from his temple. He once again abandoned the bow now that he had his foe's attention and crouched down low on his horse's back. The vampire's attack looked less graceful than the last, the arrow still sticking out from his skull, but that did not make his descent less accurate. The winds carried him across the elf in a blur of blond hair and swirling clothes, forcing Legolas to twist his head and then turn Faun in order to keep an eye on his enemy.

Even so, he barely brought up his dagger in time when the lithe creature dropped down on him from above. Aragorn could see an elegant hand shoot out, fingers curled like claws, and connect with Legolas´ chest just when the elf drove his dagger home into the vampire's side. The elf yelled out in pain when his barely covered wound was reopened. Blood sprang from both his and the demon´s injuries and the ranger could see his friend giving the beast a vicious shove, obviously desperate to disconnect from him. Faun reared in an attempt to aid his master and the vampire did in indeed begin to slide, but his second hand lashed out and drew Legolas with him.

"No!" Aragorn did not even register his own shout. All he knew was that the elf would never stand a chance on the ground. No will in the world would make his shattered leg carry him. Both opponents hit the floor roughly, and the ranger heard the gasp of pain that escaped the prince. It was followed, however, by a sickening thud and an enraged howl. Faun had reared again in frustration and brought his hooves down hard against the demon's head. The force of the blows made the skull snap back in a manner that would have broken anybody's neck, but the vampire needed no more than a heartbeat to launch his counterattack.

With a snarl, the creature launched from the ground to land upon Faun's back. Quicker than the eye could follow the sharp fangs buried themselves into the stallion's neck. The white fur was painted crimson in a matter of seconds. The horse's screaming neigh mingled with Legolas´ alarmed shout. Aragorn pulled himself onto his elbows, his eyes feverishly searching for his sword. It had landed at the opposite wall, well beyond his reach, but only a few paces away from him a few sacks had been placed upon the ground. He had no idea what they contained and could only pray that whatever it was would help him in his plight.

While he pulled himself towards the bags, he saw Faun twist his long neck, his teeth snapping furiously at the vampire. Even so, the ranger could tell that the strength was leaving the great horse and the sucking noises told him where the loyal beast's life force was going. The thought alone made bile rise in his throat. Legolas had raised himself as far as his injuries would allow, and with a wordless cry of rage he threw his second dagger. It neatly embedded itself into the demon's throat, making him gag and momentarily loosen his hold on the horse. Feeling his chance, Faun bucked wildly, catapulting the vampire into the air with such force that he crashed through the wooden gallery he had stood behind to await them before the battle.

Silence settled over the chamber, broken only by the scraping of Aragorn's body over the floor and the clatter of Faun's hooves when the horse staggered in a fruitless attempt to hold his balance. Then the white legs buckled and Faun went down with a sound not unlike a sigh. He remained on the ground, breathing hard, but his head stayed upright and turned towards Legolas who stared up at the gallery, well aware that the battle was not over yet.

Tension seemed to grow and gather around the huddled figure that had once been Calen´s body. When it finally rose, it was in one fluid motion, as if drawn upright by strings. Blood dripped off the fangs and from the holes in his throat, but the vampire smiled. With a slow movement, he trailed a finger along on of his fangs and licked the blood off leisurely while he surveyed the scene below him. "Your horse tastes of stupid loyalty", he said in a pleasant voice that would have been more suitable to welcome guests to a banquet, "but I shall drain it nonetheless. Just like your little human friend. How considerate of you to bring along a snack. I´m sure their blood will taste even better when it crosses your lips."

Legolas did not react to the taunt. He had picked up his bow again, the only weapon he had left. He knew that it would be a feeble defence for he could not use it well from his position, but that would not keep him from trying. The fight was not lost yet. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Aragorn reaching the bags that had been left in the middle of the floor. It was a strange place to lay down new goods. He could tell that the vampire had seen the ranger's actions, too, and suddenly the demon's aloof demeanour dissolved into an angry hiss. All further jibes died upon the blood-soaked lips and the vampire threw itself off the gallery in a blur of fangs and claws.

He was going in for the kill.

Legolas released another arrow and found his mark again, but the impact did not so much as slow the demon's approach. Casting his weapon aside, the elf pulled up his left arm swiftly enough to bring it between his throat and the fangs that descended upon him with a speed even he could not follow. The teeth entered his flesh like burning poles and he yelled out in pain, unconsciously lowering the wounded arm to bring it to his chest. He stopped this movement just in time, for it would have given the vampire the chance to pierce his flesh anew. The fangs were so long that they had exited his arm and produced from it, ready to draw further blood.

A smile curled the demon's lips and his tongue flicked out, drawing Legolas´ blood into his mouth. Swallowing his disgust, the elf supported his punctured arm with his healthy one. The pressure the vampire applied made his muscles quiver, but he would not budge. "Im degithon le!" [I am going to kill you!] Legolas promised, his eyes never leaving his foe's. The dark gaze that bore into his sparkled with amusement, but strangely, this only fuelled the prince's stubbornness. He would not give in. He would not go down like this even if the pain threatened to blacken his vision and the weight upon his arm pressed the fangs ever closer to his heart.

His world narrowed until it held nothing but the vampire embedded into his arm, straining for his soul. And the voice. Aragorn´s voice. He was calling out to him. Telling him to take something. The bone. Take the bone. What bone?

It lay beside him, where Aragorn had thrown it. Its pure whiteness gleamed in the flickering torch-light as if it possessed a light of its own, beckoning him. Time slowed. Legolas knew that reaching out for the bone would also mean letting go of his arm, but he never hesitated. Better going down together than allowing this demon to live. With a swift movement, he grabbed the white bone.

His fingers curled around the smooth surface and when they did, the dark room melted away and transformed into a bustling city, bathed in sunlight. Faces floated past him of elves inclining their heads in respectful greeting. They were smiling at him. Then, as if a shadow crossed the sun, the outline of the demon appeared again as a wavering shade of black. A darkness that held no place here.

Legolas brought the bone behind the vampire's back in the same moment that a hot pain bathed his chest and shot through his whole being. The warmth of the elven city drained from him. He forced his hand down even when darkness overwhelmed him, shutting him off from the light.

Aragorn watched in horror when the teeth came down, sinking into the elf's chest and being even further driven into it by the force with which Legolas drove the bone into the vampire's back before going limb. The demon, however, did not grow still. It began to twist and scream, tearing himself from the still elf to writhe on the floor in painful spasms. He twisted, screeching, until he finally managed to grab hold of the bone and rip it out. Blood shot from the wound, rapidly bleeding the vampire dry.

The black eyes fixed upon Aragorn and the creature drew itself up again, swaying and withering as it made its way across the chamber to where the human lay. In his utter exhaustion, Aragorn's mind began to swim and withdraw. Within the walls that were closing in on him, however, he suddenly saw two figures of light. They gracefully flew through the air to land in front of him, blocking his view of the vampire. Aragorn briefly wondered whether it had been eagles come to save them, flying in through the windows. He thought he could hear his father's voice calling his name, and he was glad.

He was not alone when darkness took him.

To be concluded

Review responses "The Beckoning":

Gozilla: Thank you ;-))

Fiara: Thank you so much!! Actually, what you say describes quite well what it feels like to write this tale. It can be rather demanding, but I am so thankful that it allows me to "see" so many details.

tychen: Wow, what a poetic review. Thanks. And there still is light, even though defeating darkness never comes without a price. Still, Aragorn´s elven name was not given without consideration...

Moralinde: Yay for the ranger!! Good thing Legolas had him by his side. :-)

Ertia: I´m gald you like cliff-hangers - I guess that means you´ll forgive me this last one? Thank you so much for your kind words. This story demands to be ended soon, but their will be more :-)

Elvingirl3737: Thank you!! I´m gald you could "feel" the cold, believe me I was shuddering while I was writing this (with about 30 degrees of heat outside...). I´ll also miss writing this...but you cannot go on forever....

Mornflower: Thanks! You are certainly right about the heat - the heat of battle. LOL I hope you´ll like the conclusion, too

Alexa: LOL, I´m sorry. This heartless demon must have some sort of influence over me - I just cannot help it. About the distances in Rivendell - it is good that you point this out because I don´t think I ever described this in detail. In my mind, the study and the sleeping chambers are indeed quite far apart. Maybe this is just my feeling that the "working" and sleeping areas would be separated. The "poison" the vampire used therefore only needed to take out the guards and those elves who happened to be in the lower levels and close to the kitchens.They could therefore not alert anybody.

Deana: Thank you!!!

Review Responses to "Walking in Ada´s Boots"

sielge: I´m gald you did!!

grumpy: LOL, thanks. Yes, I guess Haldir might be a bit miffed when he realizes that a pair of boots "stole" his rescue, at least in Estel´s eyes. LOL, or he´ll just think it´s cute :-)

elvingirl3737: Thanks! I´m not sure about writing the twins´ perspective...we´ll see, maybe another plot bunny will bite me (they do that all the time at the moment). I´m happy you liked little Estel. I´m still not really used to writing him ;-)

Someone Reading: I´m happy to hear that!! You are very welcome, it´s always a pleasure sharing a story with you!

((big hug)) Thank you guys! You bring many smiles to my face with your wonderful reviews!