Lost Soul

Disclaimer: Aren't you getting tired of this? I am. You know how it works…

Chapter 17: Hope

The twins looked up when Estel finally returned to the hut. The sun was just past the midpoint of her journey through the sky, and the stifling heat from the bare rock surrounding the village was filtering into the open space they were held captive in.

"Well?"

"What did she want?"

To their surprise, Estel did not reply, only went over to a corner and sat with his back to the wall, chewing his bottom lip as a frown furrowed his brow.

The rustling of a cloth drew their attention back to the entrance of their prison. Hectrix stood there, holding a tray laden with food and drink. She placed it down in front of the twins and said, "Have something to eat, and get some rest. I will show you the way out in the evening when it is not so hot."

She looked at the silent Human before making her way over to him. She crouched down beside him and laid a hesitant hand on his shoulder, whispering something so soft that even the twins couldn't hear it. Then she left the hut.

Estel continued to sit and stare into nothingness.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

True to her word, Hectrix fetched them from their hut the minute the sun started to dip below the horizon and a cool haze settled over the village. She led the Estel and the twins in silence to the back of the village, pushing through the crowds of people that had gathered to stare at the strangers.

"I don't understand," Elladan began, hoping to clear some of the tension between them, "Why did you have to knock us out? I mean, couldn't you have just told us we were trespassing or something?"

Hectrix glanced back over her shoulder and replied, "But it wouldn't have made as much of an impact on you, don't you think so?" She smiled when she saw a look of slight confusion cloud his face. "I apologise. It was rude of me to greet you that way, but you must understand. We mages wish for Onbekend to remain a secret, and we will do anything to guarantee our privacy. You are the first strangers to have entered our village for a long time, and the first to have been released so quickly and easily. We do not wish for more non-mages and strangers to intrude on us, so we are very hostile and try to create as bad an impression as possible."

"I see. So, how are we getting out of here? We're in a canyon, right?" Elrohir recalled the sheer walls of the valley he had fallen into.

"Yes, we are, but there is a way out. Trust me."

They arrived at a clearing that had a circle of stones in the middle and a large heap in a corner. Hectrix took a few stones from the pile and set about enlarging the circle. When she was finished, she dusted her hands and instructed all of them to get into the circle.

Estel and the twins complied, wondering how standing there was going to get them out. The circle was rather small, so they found themselves back to back in very close quarters. It did not make things any easier when Hectrix squeezed in as well.

"Try to relax. This may feel a little odd." She moulded her fingers into a strange formation and began to chant in a strange language.

The scenery before their eyes started spinning, faster and faster. All of a sudden the spinning stopped and they found themselves standing on the edge of the cliff, above the spot where Estel had slipped just the day before. Hectrix moved away from the group and made a parting motion with her hands as she uttered a command. Immediately, the thorn bushes that had hindered their path melted back, creating a smooth path into the forest of Mirkwood.

"If only we'd met you earlier," Elrohir commented.

Hectrix smiled slightly. "Follow the path to the end, your horses will be there waiting." She raised a hand in farewell as the Elves bowed in thanks and turned to leave.

Estel did not follow his brothers immediately, wishing to have a last look at Onbekend in case he never had the chance to come back again. He stood at the cliff's edge, marvelling at the spell that made the valley seem like a desolate waste. He glanced at the mage who stood beside him and said, "Thank you."

Hectrix looked surprised. "Whatever for?"

"For helping."

She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure if it will work, Estel. But if you're the one doing it, I foresee no problems."

"Why do you have such confidence in me?"

"You were named well. That is all you need to know." Hectrix turned away and said softly, such that Estel had to strain his ears to hear her, "And I should be the one thanking you for trusting me."

She looked up at the Human and smiled again. "You should be leaving."

"One more question?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Go ahead."

"Will the mages ever band together with the Dark Lord and fight against the other races?"

There was a long pause as Hectrix stared off into the distance. When she finally answered, Estel could tell from her voice that she spoke the truth.

"No, we will never do that. We will not allow ourselves to be used against others. I give you my word that as long as I live, I will not allow the mages to be the puppets of anyone. I will not allow them to become like me, a lifetime ago, bound by the rashness of hate, with no room for regrets, to a cause they cannot comprehend."

Estel nodded. "Thank you, Hectrix. And, farewell."

Hectrix looked Estel straight into the eye, seeing the wisdom that lay behind the silver orbs. "You will be a great Man one day, Estel," she said quietly. "Be strong and don't give up. Farewell, Estel. We will not meet again."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Thranduil paced agitatedly as Elrond checked the pulse of the sleeping Prince. Mithrandir was smoking his pipe by the window as he pored over some ancient text.

"Where are they? They can't be lost, can they? Or maybe they've been strung up by the spiders somewhere…" Thranduil spun around and exclaimed, "By the Valar, you don't think the mages have killed them, do you?"

Elrond glared at the distraught King. "I really wish you'd have more faith in my sons."

Thranduil rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I apologise, my friend. I'm just… worried about - " He paused in mid-sentence, then dashed out of the room where his son lay, leaving a confused healer and wizard behind.

"I'm starting to wonder who needs more help, the son or the father," Mithrandir commented.

Elrond listened intently, then realized what had attracted the King's attention: the faint sound of hooves striking stone. His face broke into a relieved smile as he hurried out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Mithrandir! They have returned!"

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Estel dismounted just as the palace doors were flung open and the Elven King practically flew down the stairs, grasping him tightly by the shoulders and demanding, "Well? Did you find it?"

Estel tried not to wince at the iron-grip of the King. "Yes, my Lord, we did."

"And? Did you find a way?" The question was punctuated with a shake at every other word, rattling the poor Human's teeth.

"Yes, my Lord, we did."

"Well, then what are you waiting for?! Don't just stand there, move!"

Estel shuffled his feet.

"You're hiding something from me aren't you?" Thranduil narrowed his eyes.

Estel gulped. How was he supposed to tell such a scary Elf that in order to save his son –

Fortunately, Elrond appeared just before Thranduil managed cornered his younger son in a figurative stone cell.

"Thank the Valar! All of you are back in one piece… and walking by your own strength too. Very impressive, I must say."

"Ada!" Three voices protested indignantly.

Thranduil glared at the healer, then at the Human. "Now, Estel, where were we in our conversation?"

"Perhaps we should take this inside?" Elrond gestured at his travel-stained children. "They are probably hungry too."

Thranduil glared at Elrond again and would probably have set the healer on fire if he had the ability to do so. Or if Mithrandir had not appeared just then wearing a look of long-suffering patience.

"Very well. Let us discuss it over our dinner then."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Elrond put down his wine goblet as the twins concluded the tale of the mage village, noticing that his Human son was uncharacteristically silent for the most part.

"Estel? Do you have anything to add?" he probed.

"You never told us what the Lamia wanted to talk to you about," Elrohir commented.

Estel sighed. "It wasn't the Lamia who wanted to see me. It was Hectrix."

"Hectrix? The Human mage?" Mithrandir asked.

"Yes. She was telling me about the origins of blood magic and the story the Lamia mentioned. She said that, there is no such thing as blood magic."

Thranduil snorted. "How would she know? She has not been watching a son sleep like the dead for a thousand years."

"Hectrix is the reincarnation of the mage who died using blood magic to protect her village. She was Firga's older sister, and Danin's cousin."

There was a stunned silence in the room, and Estel smiled slightly to see all the hanging jaws around him.

"And… she gave me some suggestions on freeing Legolas."

Thranduil was the first to react. "Well, then what are you waiting for? Do it!"

Estel shook his head. "No, my lord. It is something that must be discussed with him first. Because even Hectrix is not sure whether it will work, because this has never happened before. The method she suggested was the most suitable way she could think of."

"Well, whatever you need, the kingdom is at your disposal."

"I wish to speak to Legolas, alone, tonight."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

The blonde Elf pounced on the Human as he soon as he managed to free himself from the painting.

"Estel! You're back!"

Estel couldn't help grinning at his armful of enthusiastic Elf. "Miss me? I thought we saw each other almost every night."

Legolas pretended to sulk. "It's different. Tell me all about the trip. You said you had something to discuss with me in person. What is it?"

Estel sighed. "It's about the method which might free you from Danin."

"Now, listen carefully to what I say. It might not work, but it could very well be the key to saving your friend."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"I do not know if this will work, but it was the most logical thing I could think of. It is a gamble worth taking, because if you fail, you friend will die; if you do not even want to try it, he will still die. If it works, well, he will live, just as all of you hope.

"As I said before, using blood magic to steal someone's soul has never happened before, so it is not known whether there is an actual method for reversing the spell. However, it is common belief that only the person who cast the spell can reverse it, and that only by using their blood in a counter spell. Now that you know that there is no 'real' method of casting blood magic, I assume you can imagine how difficult it will be to free your friend, given the fact that Danin is dead as well."

"So, what do you suggest I do?" Estel asked, impatient to get his answers.

Hectrix stared at him for a moment, then asked suddenly, "Do you love him?"

Estel blinked at her.

"Answer me truthfully. Do you love him? And how do you love him? As a friend? A brother? Or a soul mate?"

Estel thought for a long while. Of all the questions, he had never expected this one. Of course he loved the Elf, but how he loved him… well, it was a bit embarrassing to say it in front of so many women, so…

"I love him… enough to die for him."

Firga and the Lamia exchanged an amused look before Hectrix addressed him once more, "I hope that you meant that, because the possibility of that happening is real."

"What do you mean?"

"We believe that the best way of saving him is to do a soul bind. That means binding two souls together. If one falls into darkness, the other follows. It is an irreversible process, and one that requires a very deep bond to work. The bond cannot be between blood relatives, only between those who love each other and are unwilling to be parted by anything. Including death. Are you prepared to take such a huge risk?"

"Yes. But, why a soul bind?"

"Danin stole your friend's soul through sheer force of will, and it is that will of his that is keeping your friend in his clutches now. The only way to break that control is to counter it with something stronger. If the soul bind works, it should be strong enough to wrest your friend's soul out of the bond Danin created, thus bringing him out of the void and back to his body."

"And if it doesn't?"

"You will be dragged into the void along with your friend. Both of you will die, and no healer will be able to save you."

Estel shuddered involuntarily at that statement, then steeled himself. "What must I do?"

"The soul bind is a form of blood magic, actually, so there is no standard way of doing it. But the bind should be done on a night with a full moon to increase its strength. All it takes is the both of you believing in each other with all your hearts. You must have the same purpose, the same desires, with the same goal in mind – to be one with each other. All it will take to seal it is an exchange of your blood. The only problem is that there is no way of finding out whether your bind works, because your connection only reveals itself after the first time you have been through a trial together. It is like a test of whether your devotion to each other is real."

"So all we need is a full moon and an exchange of blood? That's all?"

Hectrix nodded. "And one more thing, if the soul bind works, both of you will be bound for the rest of your lives. If either one of you dies of anything after that, the other will follow."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"So that's what you were worrying about…" Legolas turned the Human to face him, brilliant blue eyes holding the gaze of steel. "If I had to do a soul bind with anyone, I'd rather it be you."

"But, I am Human."

"What about it?" The Elf challenged.

Estel sighed impatiently. "I am mortal. You are not. And if it works…"

When I die of old age, I will drag you to the grave with me.

"It does not matter." Leoglas said gently to the stunned Human. "I'd rather spend a short life living happily with you, then to live my life bound to an Elf I did not love, or trapped with Danin."

Estel smiled gratefully, then frowned again.

"What now?"

"There is… one more problem. The next night of the full moon…"

Is on the night of the thousandth year since Danin imprisoned you.

The night you are scheduled to die.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

TBC

Author's notes:

Hmm… notice that the chapters are getting longer and longer? ((waggles eyebrows suggestively)) It can only mean one thing… dum dum dum!!! Yes, the story is coming to an end… in 2 more chapters and an epilogue in fact. Tee hee… told you all the stuff in front were fillers, the REAL action (And the plot! Mustn't forget the plot!) have just started… mwahahaha. Fear me. I am evil. ((thunderclap))

For those suffering from OFC overdose: I swear that this is the last time Hectrix makes an appearance! Honestly. Well, apart from the mention of her name in the next chapter. But, no more Hectrix playing gooseberry with Estel and Legolas. And all the happy fangirls rejoice. XD

Anyway, my insanity is back with a vengeance… and I think the cold I caught is insane too… I mean, I cough non-stop for 1 day; the next day, my nose runs away; the day after, my nose is so blocked a plumber wouldn't be able to make headway; and on the day after that, I'm well enough to bounce off the ceilings at my friend's birthday party… Maybe I infected the virus? XD

Review replies! ((bounces around sprinkling sugar))

Marbienl: Hahaha… actually, the whole "entertain me" thing between the twins is sort of a parody of what happens between my friends and I… I'm the unpaid court jester… Granted, I do more damage to their brains than they realise, so I guess it pays off in a way. XD Legolas evaporating… ((rofl)) That's an interesting thought… ((stores away for future reference)) As for my cough syrup… Well, it tasted gross, so maybe it caused me to hallucinate… Now if only I managed to get my hands on the one that tasted nice and yummy, then maybe I'd be… bouncing off more ceilings? Scary thought. XD

Sielge: Ooh… yes… All of Legolas' problems can be solved with a kiss. XDXD If only everything were so simple… but of course, me being the evil writer that I am, it won't be that simple. ((evil laughter)) Did I mention that I'm evil? ((oozes evilness))

Crazyrabidfangurl01: Nah, that's not being masochistic. At least I don't think so. ((thinks)) For me, I can only write angst when I'm depressed, so I used to have to 'depress' myself when I wrote angst-ridden stories… Anyway, here's your update… remember to breathe between sentences. ((wink))

Empath89: Aw… you had a cold too… Hope you're better now, mine's all cleared up as I described up there ((points)) and yay for slashy scenes!!! ((does happy rabid fangirl dance)) I think I was a little high on sugar when I wrote the 'entertainment' scene… hehehehe…

Losing Grip: I hope it works too, otherwise all the readers hoping for a happy ending'd kill me, and in turn I'd strangle Hectrix for trying to act smart. XD Oh wait, I created her… mean I've to… strangle myself… O.o

Grumpy: Imagine it… Soup of the Day: Cream of Estel. ((rofl)) Cannibalistic tendencies. Ahem. Yuppo, and so you have the plan to save Legolas… Like it? Hate it? Cheesy? Hehehe, glad you like Hirga (or her name at least)… she needs a little love after what she did. ((pats OFC))

RMC: Welcome back from the land of psycho computers!!! (streamers and balloons)) Just in time for the big bang ending too. XD Glad you like the naming. Didn't want to go to the Elvish name generators and stuff cos… well… they're kinda hard to type out and spell. ((is one lazy person)) And yup, I bet everyone's Q-ing up to cuddle the depressed Elf… but I doubt Estel would let anyone near his darling. ((fangirls madly)) Happy day dreaming about them!

KeshieShimmer: ((lol)) Don't worry, I won't take as long as Forrest Gump to figure where I'm heading… You'll find out by New Year, if I keep to schedule and post about twice a week.

Varda's Servant: Oh goody, glad it wasn't cheesy. And I didn't know the Half-Elves were repulsive, it was just a lucky guess. Thanks for that piece of information! I hereby dub thee my walking encyclopaedia of ME knowledge! XD I read the Silmarillion once and I don't remember much about it, only that I got dizzy flipping back and forth to read the footnotes… ((sheepish grin))

The-Serious-Padfoot: Yay! Printing stuff is fun!!! Save the Earth!! Kill more trees!! Wait, that's an oxymoron. Erm… ah! Use recycled paper!!! ((crickets start chirping)) Ok. That didn't go very well. Anyway, happy printing, 3 more chapters (including the epilogue) and my crack-tastic analysis to go!! ((waves flags))

And that's all for this episode! Next update will be either mid-week if I'm not bogged down by work, or towards the weekend. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember, REVIEW! XD ((waves and bounces off))