Chapter 24
Starlight, Star bright, please protect my friends tonight...
Anduril1043-thank you so much for your review, It was so nice! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter; I worked extremely hard on it. I hope you enjoy this one too, for I also worked really hard on it, as it is one of the last chapters. --
Also I'd like to thank Miriellar who, might I add you should all be thanking since this chapter would never have gone up if she had not encouraged me to continue this story. She's been the coolest of all people and I urge all of you who haven't, to read her wonderful and amazing stories. If you think mine are good...damn you are missing out, for hers are far better than mine could ever be. Thx Miriellar This chapter is for you!
Also to all my other reviewers, I continue for you guys and no one else...if hadn't been for you I would have given up a long time ago...huggles to all You all are truly the best readers an author could have.
Authors note: I AM SO SORRY ITS TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO UPDATE, IVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CHAPTER, I WANTED IT TO BE PERFECT SINCE ITS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
Also, there may be different views going on, normally I stay with being like a narrator, but for this chapter I think it would be cooler to do different ones, mostly Rin talking to herself but not in thought. Get it? No, sighs extremely sorry if it confuses you...I don't mean to.
Rin smiled as she looked about her, She still couldn't believe it, Haldir, Legolas and Gimli were back, Steph was really her sister along with Nefaratoiel and Eomer was here beside her. And not mention she had the best friends on Middle Earth and Modern Earth. And she had Aragorn who had been not only a friend but almost a father to her...she couldn't believe how lucky she was this very instant.
She glanced ahead then frowned, among the light fog that had formed about them a few hours ago was a building; a small building though anyone could tell it was more than just any building. They came closer ad the fog broke, kind of.
"What the hell?" Steph gasped in wonderment as they stood together surrounded by fog but just that, they were only surrounded. In front and around them for about 50feet was clear and before them stood the building Rin had thought was in the distance.
Legolas squinted slightly then frowned, "This is a spell, one of dark power, for not even my Elven eyes can pierce this fog." Steph held onto Legolas, we knew we were in trouble when elf was screwed.
Ok this was not good, Rin thought rubbing her temples. Just as she thought they were in the homerun, this happens.
Aragorn sense her distress and spoke, "Rin it isn't a set back, we are here. THIS is the SilverMoon Temple."
Rin looked at the building and sure enough just above the large Oak door was a silver star, it almost looked as if someone had stolen a star from the heavens just to place it on this door. It was not a five-point star in fact it was merely and big silver glowing dot.
She could sense the ground beneath her weep and it was unnerving. She glanced momentarily at Steph and Nefaratoiel and she could see by the look on their faces that they felt it also.
"This IS it, can you feel it guys?" everyone looked at Rin strangely except for her sisters whom obviously felt it.
"What do you mean? What is it we should be feeling Rin?" Eomer asked his blue eyes piercing her soul.
"I can feel her, we can feel Celebriatoiel," she stated gesturing towards Nefaratoiel and Steph. Haldir mumble a quiet prayer for the fallen Queen of then Night. Galadriel had long told him of her niece and how she passed, it had been horrible. She had told him that her soul was never put to rest. And for that reason she stayed upon Arda to get her revenge and forever remain a lost soul until her killer was put away.
Rin could see Haldir put his head down as she spoke her sister's name. "Haldir, she waits for us, she will be free again. Galadriel knows this."
Rin could still see a bit of doubt in his eyes but she only smiled in return, "Middle Earth will be free again after this night. That is a promise I intend to keep...no matter what."
They had settled the decision that they would rest for a while before starting for the Temple. They had to make some type of plane before going after this guy and they knew he would not be easily beaten.
They all gathered in a circle and spoke silently, "I think it would be best to stick together. That way we could fight as one and it diminish any chance for us to be caught off guard." Haldir spoke up glancing around at solemn faces. Legolas shook his head in response,
"Nay, we cannot do that. If we all enter together it would make us an easy target. If this Jake is as powerful as we have heard he will take us down quite easily. We should enter as one and then immediately separate. That way we would not make such an easy target."
Haldir frowned and Nefaratoiel could see that this would surely escalate to something out of hand if continued, so she decided to step in.
"What do you suppose we should expect Rin? I mean you seemingly know this man, at least more than us." She asked gesturing to the group.
Rin looked about nervously and then glanced at Eomer who smiled encouragingly. Rin let out a deep sigh,
"You see, I don't really know him all that well...I never really wanted to know the guy, I mean he always hurt me and stuff so I tried to stay away from him. And to tell you the honest truth guys...." Rin looked away and took a deep breath before looking back to the rest of the group. "You wont have to worry about what he will be like.... it will only be Nefaratoiel, Steph and myself going in."
Aragorn and Eomer both rose to protest but Steph stood up and halted their speech with a silencing hand. "No, you've brought us this far and that is all you can do. You wont be able to get near the Temple, WE will."
Aragorn frowned and stood, "But Rin said that perhaps the lady Celebriatoiel might grant us entrance if she asked it."
"That is not a certain thing Aragorn. For all we know she may just kill us without a second thought. The woman is out for revenge not that I could blame her. Her word is not to be trusted even if she agrees to spare us, she might go back on it." Legolas spoke from beside Steph who nodded in agreement.
Gimli and Haldir then joined in and after a few moments all the men were in a heated argument. Sensing the opportunity, Rin grabbed hold of Nefaratoiel and Steph and then ran into the fog towards the Temple followed by Avath, Silmaneero and Esiar, who had shrunk to a normal size, completely unnoticed by the men.
"As I was saying before Gimli interrupted me. Rin..." Aragorn spoke looking towards Rins direction only to find it unoccupied. He looked around and noticed, ALL the women were gone, along with Esiar, Silmaneero and Avath.
"They've left! They snuck away while we were arguing!" Gimli grunted and went to follow.
"No! Wait! Gimli you mustn't rush into a place like this. We will form a plan and then enter to find them together." Haldir reasoned, all nodded and began looking for solutions.
The 3 women ran into the Temple only to realize they were surrounded by blackness, "Well this is just great!" yelled Steph into the darkness.
"Shut up you dumbass! Do you want to make our arrival known!?" Steph mouthed a sorry. "I can see fairly well and the Thea jewel will light up the rest of the way." Rin stated before she began to walk. The Temple seemed like a cave, it was almost endless, and then just about as she was going to turn around and suggest going a different direction, she lost contact with the ground and fell.
Steph, Nefaratoiel, was all Rin could think. She was falling, her sister's startled cries echoed in her ears which meant she wasn't the only who had fallen, gold, crimson and argent bursting beyond her eyes in dazzling shows, so brilliant she could not bear it. Her hand flailed helplessly, her grip landed on fur, she recognized as Avath, they were lost as they plunged down- Before she could draw another breath, she tumbled head over heels and struck the ground. Rin lay there for a moment, stunned. She rolled over and opened her eyes.
Nefaratoiel sat with Silmaneero a few feet away along with Steph and Esiar, and they were in some sort other dimension, and in front of large castle.
A roaring wind whipped her hair around her face. Her sisters moaned softly to her right and pushed themselves to their feet, swaying slightly in the gale.
"Holy shit," Steph mumbled when she looked around her, her eyes round as saucers. Rin followed her gaze and her mouth dropped open. Above them was a raging maelstrom the likes of which she had never seen before. It was as though an endless sea of molten lead had spilled across the sky; it flowed and boiled, iron-colored and streaked with waves of bruised-green and violet. Lightning shot through the clouds, lighting up the sky and then hitting a nearby tree bursting it into bright orange flames.
"Come on!" Rin screamed, motioning the rest across the drawbridge and into the castle. For some reason she knew that's where they had to be. With a deafening boom the bridge exploded right behind them, sending splinters showering over the 3 girls and their pets. Inside it was almost no better; the castle shook with the strength of the storm; so hard Steph was afraid it might collapse. Rin set her mouth in a hard line and felt a new surge of power and confidence, "Come on guys! We have to find him!" Rin called behind her and started to sprint down a corridor, looking for some kind of notion as to where she was suppose to go, while doing so the Thea began to shine brightly, lighting their way.
"Where are we going?" Nefaratoiel yelled, running after Rin. Even she was not sure of this place and it was scaring her. Nefaratoiel and Steph caught up with Rin at the base of giant stone steps.
"This way," she pointed, and began to climb.
"Do you know what you're doing or where you're going?" asked Steph, huffing and puffing behind her.
"I will when I have to do it," Rin stated. She looked at her sisters over her shoulder. "But watch where you're going, I have a feeling there something up. It can't be this -WHOA!"
If Avath hadn't grabbed her tunic in his teeth at that moment, she would have plummeted over the top of the stairs and into a black nothingness. They all stood, gaping, in a stone archway that overlooked the ruins of the twisted perspective room, 'Where had that come from?' Rin asked herself.
"NO," she cried, "no no no! There's no way over this!"
"What do we do now?" Steph whispered to Nefaratoiel.
Rin peered over the edge; in the blackness below was a tiny point of light. It was dim but it was there. She closed her eyes. There was only one thing they could do, really. There was no turning back and this whole thing was about taking chances and risking everything.
"We jump."
"You're out of your MIND." Nefaratoiel screamed, backing away.
For some reason this struck Rin as hilarious, and she started to giggle. They were standing on the edge of a precipice in another dimension trying to save Middle Earth, a place she always thought fake, from her Stepfather. She never once thought she was in her right mind at all, except for when she first realized where she was, she thought she was dreaming or something but not now. Rins insanity was catching; pretty soon both Nefaratoiel and Steph were grinning as well. Steph grabbed Nefaratoiels hand and held out her other one to Rin, and she took it.
Steph stood close to Rin, looking down. "Three."
"Two." Rin squeezed her hand tight, as did Nefaratoiel. They all took a deep breath.
"One," Nefaratoiel spoke, in unison they stepped off the stairs.
"If we can't agree then what is the point of this?" Eomer said aloud to the others. Aragorn frowned as Gimli grunted some kind of response. Haldir spoke softly,
"We must conjure a way to get inside to help them. But none of us can agree on a proper approach. Unless we do we shall be stranded out here whilst our Ladies and friend risk death."
Aragorn started to speak but was cut off when a small whirlwind entered the circle where the 5 'men' sat. All took out their swords and readied themselves for a fight.
"Lower your weapons or I shall not be lenient." A soft melodic voice demanded amongst the mist that now replaced the whirlwind.
All then men obliged and gazed upon the approaching figure. A woman, no a female elf,
"Lady Celebriatoiel?" Haldir asked, still gaping at her.
"Yes it is I Haldir, I have come before you to help you. I will take you to my sisters, but you cannot interfere when I do. It could change everything a greatly risk their lives."
Although none of them liked that idea, they all agreed. Celebriatoiel smiled slightly and in a flash of light they disappeared.
They drifted down, the light source growing brighter as they fell. The smell of magic grew, and the farther they fell the stronger it became. It was getting thicker, cloying, her nostrils burning with it until Rin was forced to breath shallowly through her mouth. A cold draft flew between the women, separating them. She glanced around not seeing them and began to panic, Her arms flung about in a desperate attempt to grip onto something, and she did. Avath.
Like a plane descending through clouds, she broke free of the wind, and drifted silently to the ground, Nefaratoiel sitting on a large Silmaneeros back and Steph hanging from Esiars talons they both landed right beside her and looked around.
"What-"Steph began, but Rin clapped her hand over her mouth, motioning toward a stone altar about sixty feet away. The tiny pinpoint of light they had seen from the landing was emanating from the archway over the altar, only now it was as brilliant as a bonfire. A life-size statue of a hagly old man stood there, a man who looked eerily like Jake, his back to them. The statue wore a long black flowing robe, His black hair shinning in the light. 'Wait, It's not a statue.' Rin thought, terrified. It was Jake, but not how she remembered him.
The wind made such a loud sound that Rin dared to creep closer, motioning for the others to follow quietly. The light grew brighter, and she could see a figure passed out in front of Jake. She crept closer and nearly screamed as she recognized whom it was, 'Eomer' Rin screamed inwardly. Jake raised his hand showing a long dagger.
"NO!" she shrieked, and rushed at Jake.
"Rin, wait!" Nefaratoiel cried, but was running right behind her along with Steph, ready to fight.
Jake whirled, his face a mask of surprise, then rage, and Rin cried out at the sight of his alien-like eyes. He waved a hand and Rin froze in place, bound by some force. Nefaratoiel slammed into Rin with enough force to know the wind out of her, and Steph not noticing did the same to Nefaratoiel and before they could recover they, too, were frozen. Jake looked at the intruders as though he wanted to eat their flesh for lunch, and then grinned to himself. Rin's heart fell as Jake approached her.
"Well now, this is fun indeed! Who would have thought that a stupid little bitch like you would appear here. Nevertheless dear Rin, you get to see your fiancé die. And I finally start my revenge on you."
Jake slapped Rin across the face roughly leaving a giant red welt under her eye, grinning Jake turned back to Eomer, who moved weakly on the stone slab. She could do nothing as the man raised the dagger over Eomers head; Rin's love or her jewel were no match for Jake's hateful; black magic, the dark magic that held her trapped.
The dagger fell upon the Horselord and Rin's soul screamed in agony since her mouth could not. Blood misted the air and splattered onto Jake's face. With a cry that was more animal than human, Eomer finally found the strength to lift his arms, his hands clawing at the wound across his chest. Jake only smiled. His hand tightened around the silver dagger, he moved to slash Eomers throat.
A familiar voice rang out over Rins mind "Rin, your crystal, the stars, use them!"
Rin felt the magic that bound her loosen. She could move her arms.
Rin looked to see her sisters standing behind her smiling, Rin frowned and looked to Avath who roared so loud the castle walls shook. With a cry, Jake stumbled backward.
"Who dares interrupt me!?" he boomed glaring at the intruders again.
Rin felt life flow through her veins again; she turned her head to Jake.
Starting at a whisper Rin spoke, "Starlight, Star bright, please keep my friends and family safe tonight." Rin looked up and her jaw dropped when saw a woman beside her, her long golden hair flowing in the gale and her eyes as blue as the ocean, sparkling with love.
'Celebriatoiel?' Rin thought, the woman nodded and grasped her hand, Nefaratoiel smiled widely as did Steph and they all took eachothers hand.
"This will end now!" called Celebriatoiel.
From behind them footsteps could be heard and familiars calls could be made out against the wind. Legolas, Aragorn, Haldir and Gimli stood in shock as they gazed upon the scene. Haldir nearly choked as he gazed upon Celebriatoiel, she was almost identical to Galadriel.
The four sisters glared at Jake with a deep hatred and spoke in perfect unison, "The stars, the moon, the constellations, this is night. We merge them together for this fight. A power deep within us to protect those we love from evil...."
"Stop, stop!" Jake cried, his body shaking in pain."You have no hold over me anymore." Rin called in triumph, victory surging through her blood.
To her horror, Jake started to laugh. It began as small chuckles, almost cries, and then grew to booming depths. Jake screamed in mirth and with his booming scream, a violent gale blew Rin off her feet and into Nefaratoiel, who fell beneath her sister. Her Stepfather's mad cries eclipsed everything else in the world.
"You think you have power over me, you little whores? You're dead, you're all useless so to be dead bitches!"
Without thinking of herself, Rin stood shakily and tried to run to where Eomer lay.
"Get back bitch-"
Rin screamed; it was as though she had been set aflame. Rin's face and limbs burned, her bones blazed with the most acute pain she had ever felt. She stumbled to her knees, and saw her sister's fall beside her, screaming as the pain enveloped them as well. She looked up helplessly.
"This is my revenge and you are foolish to think you can stop me with your pity spells" Jake boomed. He looked insane; his fluid, alien eyes, and his hair sticking to his bloodstained face, his robes torn and ragged now.
"No" Celebriatoiel said evenly. She walked into Rin's field of vision. She stepped to where Eomer lay. "This will end now, for I have waited far too long to get my chance at peace." She stated seriously.
It was Celebriatoiel, but it also wasn't. She wasn't whole like she had been moments before. There was an unearthly quality to her; she faded in and out of sight, like a radio program that was filled with static due to interference. She was there...but she wasn't?
"Celebriatoiel?" Rin whispered whispered.
But she did not hear her. Celebriatoiel wasn't there. This beautiful white angel was, and it was gazing at Jake with such hatred that she thought she could feel the hate emanating from Celebriatoiel. "Eomer," she said. She stooped and touched the place where Jake had struck. "Eomer, King of Rohan. Come on hun, get up."
Rins heart burst inside her. Because she thought Eomer was dead but when Celebriatoiel touched him, Eomer stirred, reached blindly out and Celebriatoiel caught her future brother-in-law's hand, helping him to his feet. "What- What's going on? Who are you?" His eyes widened.
"I am Rinbelethwens eldest sister, Celebriatoiel." She said bowing her head.
"How can you be here? You're dead-"
"DEAD!" boomed Jake, who had been frozen in fearful rage until that moment. "Revenge is mine, you are NOTHING, NOTHING!" His voice rose to a fevered pitch- "I will destroy you all-" Jake screamed, and Rin covered her ears, watching in horror as Eomer and Celebriatoiel fell under the barrage of Jake's power.
Jake raised his hands and thousands of crystal spikes appeared and rose together. He froze, preparing to send them flying through every ones body.
Before Rin knew it, she was upon her Stepfather- a searing pain shot through her as she felt Jake's dagger pierce her side, razor sharp and causing blood to flow, dark and hot, down her legs. Then a scream, whether it was her own or Jake's she would didn't know. Jake threw her off, but not before Rin managed to grasp the life crystal that hung heavy on the man's neck and yank it off. Rin fell awkwardly, hitting her head on the stone floor. She rolled to her feet and Jake was there, his face a ravaged mask and his eyes like an oilfield on fire.
Sister- it was the faintest whisper from Celebriatoiel, who was crumpled on the ground, pinned in place by a stray piece of Jake's errant rage. Her entire being and all her remaining power was poured into keeping the thousands of crystal spikes from being released. She faded slightly, becoming transparent, and then came back into focus. Rins gaze locked with her sister's ocean eyes. The crystal. She knew what she had to do, what she could do if she only let go of her fear and believed in herself.
Mindlessly, unconsciously, Rin raised her free arm. Blew into her hand, and the Thea crystal sat in her palm. Rin stared at it in amazement more surprised than if she had woken up one morning to find herself to be a man. Her gaze slid to Jake, who was staring at Rin, comprehending what he was seeing but still not believing it.
His mouth hung open, his grey eyes widening further and further in absolute horror. "It's IMPOSSIBLE!" he boomed, his true self shining through his middle aged looks, turning his features into a disgusting, rotted, hag-mask.
Rin smiled and began saying a final spell, her sisters joining in from behind her.
"Through time and space, we have been joined again. To defeat the evil, to defend. At last this evil shall be gone, shall be defeated and return never more."
Rin then took the crystal she had taken from Jake's neck and threw it to the ground, smashing it too pieces. Jake let out an earth-shattering moan as Rin continued on her own, though her sisters and friends lending her their power and strength.
"Years you tortured me beyond anything. No mercy did you show me as you beat me to the ground and locked me in the basement, and even after you were sent away, my nightmares and memories of you still haunted me. Nothing's impossible, you sick bastard! It is time you get what your deserve!" Rin held out the Thea and Avath who stood behind her approached and growled, his collar glowing a bright red.
"Evil creature of both lands, I Princess of the Stars banish you from life on either lands. Never will you be able to torture anyone again. Starlight! Star bright! Banish this evil tonight!!!" Rin screamed as a large blot of power surged through her body and out of the crystal hitting Jake.
It struck Jake square in the heart and when it did a wail ripped through the castle, so loud that Rin clapped her hands to her ears and she fell to the ground, writhing, horrified at what was happening but unable to look away.
Jake began to fade and then with silent explosion, disappeared, leaving only a cloud of black mist mist. It seemed like it took an eternity, but it was over in a few seconds. With a last howl of rage and anger, Jake, Rins stepfather, her torturer and the last threat to Middle Earth, was gone.
Silence filled the world; Rin looked around weakly and saw Eomer smiling back at her, along with her sister's, Aragorn, Haldir, Gimli and Legolas.
"That was amazing!" Eomer said wrapping his arms around her, Rin screamed as a searing pain ripped through her body. Eomer backed away and gazed at her until his eyes fell upon her side. His eye went wide with panic, "Quick! Someone help her!" he called looking from Aragorn, to the Elves, to Celebriatoiel.
All looked sombre as they looked on in sorrow. Celebriatoiel approached Eomer, she faded in and out as she did so, "We cannot help her, he pierced her with a dark magic dagger. The one thing that not even elves can sure our kind from. Eomer she will die. I am sorry." Eomers face twisted in anger, then agony.
He looked back to Rin who smiled slightly, "I guess we won't be having a winter wedding huh?" she laughed and coughed as the pain over came her. Rin fell to the ground and grabbed her side.
"I'm sorry Eomer. I did what I set out to do, Middle Earth is safe, and Jake is gone. I only wish I could have married you, that would have been cool." Eomer chuckled at her words through his tears.
Rin looked around to Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and Haldir, "I would have never made it this far without you four, I'll never forget you. I hope you guys live happy lives Aragorn tell Arwen I said hi, and that she was my idol. I only wish I could have met her." Rin said through tears as she looked into Aragorn watery eyes.
"I will Rin, she would have been honoured to meet you, little one. I will miss you greatly." He gaze Rin a soft hug then pulled away to stop from showing his tears. Rin then looked at Steph and Nefaratoiel, who by then were sobbing, Rin sat up slightly and held out her arms, the girls rushed into her embrace.
"You said you'd never leave me. You can't go now, not while we finally have perfect men and have a good chance at happiness, finally." Steph said through her sobs.
Rin felt hot ears cascade down her cheeks as she answered, "I'm sorry, I love you Steph, please don't cry for me, please. We will meet again. Be happy, you deserve it, both of you, Nefaratoiel you better marry Haldir or ill come back and beat your elf ass. " Nefaratoiel chuckled through her tears and helped Steph up and away.
Rin began coughing, she could taste the metallic, saltiness of blood in her mouth. Weakly she motion for Eomer to approach her, and he did in an instant.
"I love you. Be happy and don't grieve for me; LIVE for me Eomer. Live the life I wish I could have had. And don't look back, be the great King I know you are and when the time comes that we meet again. We can have the life we should have had together." Eomers eyes shed their tears as he nodded and place a kiss on Rins lips.
"I love you so my dear angel, I always will. Be at peace and come visit me in my dreams."
Rin felt her eyes droop, she could faintly see Eomer back away as Celebriatoiel took his place, gazing down at her sadly, "My dear little sister, I have failed you. Be at peace and together we will thrive once more in the Undying Lands."
Celebriatoiel faded just as Rin took her last breath. And all in the world seemed to still along with the Princess of the Stars heart.
Authors Note: AHAHAHA DONE THIS CHAPPY! ONE MORE TO GO! WOOT! ARENT YALL EXCITED ALMOST DONE!!!! .
REVIEW IF YOU WANT A QUICK UPDATE GUYS!!! =Y=
