Disclaimer: All facts and characters related to Tokien's works are his.

Deep Under the Ground

Chapter III – Off to Find the Treasure!

There was something coursing through his veins and it was wrecking excruciating havoc in its wake. He sat there as still as he could, trying not to move. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to breathe normally. His breathing was beginning to come in quick gasps. He leant his head backwards against the cold walls and tried to keep from writhing in pain. A sheen of sweat had already gathered on his face and neck. His whole body was as taut as a bow string from all the tension.

The agony was unwavering in its assault, and attacked the elf mercilessly. He wanted to call out to Aragorn, but he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would not be able to keep cries of pain from escaping and so he remained motionless, suffering in silence.

Something tugged at Aragorn's mind, calling plaintively to him to waken.

Legolas' face was twisted in a grimace. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were clenched shut. The expression of pain on his face did not flicker. The elf sensed that the ranger had awakened and slowly unveiled his eyes.

He swallowed hard and then managed to choke out a few words," Something…it-hurts everywhere."

The elf was almost hyperventilating and close to panic. He did not understand his sudden state.

Aragorn was helpless to ease his friend's torment.

A burly figure came into view at the front of the cell and stared in at them.

"Hurts somethin' fierce don't it?" he said in his hoarse voice.

"It's a strange thing-it is. Only drawn ta' light, only works when there's light. Poison- some sort of. Enters the blood and-Bam," he punched his right fist into his left palm here for emphasis.

"You're a goner- but not for a few weeks yet anyway-it'll only get worst from here," he remarked wryly, shaking his head.

"Boss says I'm to give ya this. He opened the door to the cell and handed them two packs, a piece of parchment and a vial. He left the door unlocked and departed.

It all made sense now. There was a kind of bacteria in the cell that was only activated by light and the thing emitting the most light in the cell was unfortunately- Legolas, for his skin emanated the phosphorescent glow that was characteristic of his kind.

Legolas emitted a tiny whimper. He was not really aware of what was going on and his pain fogged mind had barely registered the presence of the other man. Aragorn carefully eased the golden head from his thigh and picked up the piece of parchment.

"You can not begin to imagine the pain your friend must be feeling now. This vial does not contain the antidote. It contains a substance that will slow down the effects of the poison. You have exactly ten days to find the treasure that the men I have told you about hid. Bring back a substantial number of pieces of it and I will give your friend the antidote."

Aragorn put his hand on Legolas' trembling back and aided him in sitting. The ranger's heart jumped a beat when his palm touched the soaked through tunic of the elf. He coaxed his disorientated friend to swallow the contents of the vial and the elf meekly obeyed. The substance gave a bitter aftertaste but Legolas did not notice.

"Rest a while, Legolas. You will feel better soon." Aragorn hoped fervently that that would be so.

The pain was subsiding albeit slowly. Legolas was leaning shakily against the wall of the cell. He lifted a trembling hand to his brow to wipe away the layer of sweat that had collected there.

Aragorn proffered a filled water skin and Legolas all but grabbed it from his friend, gulping the cool water greedily. After he had screwed back the cork on the water skin and handed it back to the man, he took a deep breath and prepared to stand.

He swayed for a split second before regaining his balance. He still felt a little weak from earlier but felt considerably better now that breathing was easier and his muscles weren't so tense from the torturous passage of the bacteria in his blood.

Aragorn passed him his weapons and pack and together they exited the town prison, heading for the hill whose shadow was looking more foreboding by the minute…

--

"Pass me the map…"

Aragorn handed the crinkled piece of parchment over. He had been poring through it for a while. He glanced at Legolas who was mumbling to himself under his breath.

They were resting on a piece of turf, trying to figure out how to enter the depths of the hill. Legolas was glancing up every so often as though matching the landmarks which he saw with the symbols on the map.

Aragorn opened his mouth to ask the elf if he had found the way but Legolas raised a hand for silence, concentrating fiercely on the map.

A moment later, he was rolling up the parchment and tucking it safely away on his person.

He picked up his bow and checked the position of the sun. Then he headed off in an easterly direction.

Aragorn looked on in amazement and then followed. He almost bumped into the elf when he stopped suddenly and pointed to a messy arrangement of rocks to their right. The rocks were covered in a dark green moss. In their centre, quite hidden from view, was a small opening. Plants and ferns and other vegetation had grown around the opening and leaves and twigs were hiding the hole from view. Perched right atop the entrance was a small bush of a strange species of flower. They were a rusty brown in color with dark red dots edging the small petals. They gave off a sharp musty smell that made ones nose curl in disgust.

They had found the entrance.

TBC…

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