Chapter The final stroke.

They rode hard the all that day and when evening came they once again set a small fire going Gimli took first watch while Aragorn and Legolas tired to get some rest ,it was on the memories of Miawynn that Legolas fell into sleep again. He found himself at the same lake as he did when he first dreamed of Aragorn, when he looked up he saw her walking towards him a soft smile on her face, he stood and embraced her.

"I'm not sure I can do this with out you?" He told her softly. She gave a small laugh.

"Yes you can," She told him. "Probably better than what you could do if I was there,"

She ran her fingers through his long blonde hair. "You managed well before,"

"That was different," He said sadly. "I knew then you were safe," She smiled at him.

"And what makes you think that I am not now?" Legolas pulled back in some astonishment and she gave that rich laugh he loved so much. She then took a chain from around her neck and took off the ring that he had given her back when he had arrived in the undying lands and slipped it on the chain. "Perhaps," She said. She turned his hand around and placed in it and closed his fingers around it. "You need this to remind you that No matter what happens I will always love you," He woke when Gimli shook him awake for his watch, he opened his hand to find the ring and chain, holding it up he lightly touched the stone at its centre and hung it back around his neck.

Legolas woke Aragorn and Gimli at first light and they ate a light breakfast none of them wanting a lot that morning. It was Gimli that noticed the ring.

"How did you get that," He said softly. "I thought you let it go back with her and Gandalf," Legolas gave a small smile.

"It dose not matter," He said to him. He looked at both of his friends. "Lets go and finish this," Gimli mounted behind Aragorn and Legolas mounted his own horse. They rode the road that Gandalf had described to them, as they rode the air became more oppressive.

"We will not be able to ride any further than this," Aragorn told them softly. Legolas nodded and dismounted. Gimli looked at Legolas in some concern.

"Will our presence be enough to hide Legolas?" Gimli asked.

"Not totally," Aragorn stated to him. "But it will be enough to confuse them,"

"Time for the final stroke to ride ourselves of his evil once and for all," Legolas stretched out his hand. Aragorn gave a grin and to placed his hand on his friends.

"Once and for all," Aragorn repeated with a smile. Gimli to reached forward and placed his hand on theirs.

"Aye laddie once and for all," He said. All their faces took on a look of grim determination and slowly they made their way forward to the cave where the Knoi leader was.

The smell of death got stronger the nearer they got to it, all three of them were reminded of the smell at the black gate. The entrance did not seem to have any thing guarding it, carefully they picked their way forward they had just reached the entrance when a loud shrieking call they all turned to face a group of the creatures slowly coming out of the surround rocks. Aragorn turned quickly to Legolas.

"Go," He told him quickly. " Gimli and I will hold them for as long as possible," Aragorn deflected another blow. " You have to destroy Knoi leader," Legolas looked towards Gimli.

"He's right laddie," Legolas looked at him his face sad.

"I never brought you here for this," He told him sadly.

"I know that," Gimli told him. "Now go," Legolas made his way forward into the cave, once there he glanced back at his friends fighting the creatures. Gimli would be safe as soon as he killed Knoi and Aragorn would return to Arwen. With that he turned his back on the entrance and moved deeper into the cave to find the leader of these creatures.

Legolas found it staring deep into a large fire that lighted the large cavern.

"So," it hissed. "You managed to find your way here," There was a kind of grudging admiration in its voice. "Despite sending many after you," It pulled out a sword as Legolas got closer to it. "But no matter my master and I will not be thwarted," It rushed at him striking out with its sword, Legolas parried the blow away from him.

"Your master still floats in the void and Sauron is dead," He hissed at it. It gave an angry hiss at him.

"You lie," Again it rained its blows down on him.

"If I lie," Legolas spat at him. "Then where is he," Enraged the creature surged forward and aimed a huge blow at him he managed to deflect it but he felt his own blade shatter under the blow from Knoi, He heard Miawynn's voice come to him.

"He must be destroyed," It whispered through the air, "And you're the only one who can do it,"

"I will," He whispered back, still using the broken blade what he did next was the only thing left for him to do. He advanced forward knowing he was getting closer to the creatures sword. "I am sorry father," He tired to steer the next blow away, but knew that it was not his intention to divert it, Legolas felt the blade slip into his chest, he the blow was death. Knoi sneered at his injured opponent already classing him as no threat to him anymore. Legolas pulling what was left of his strength and closing his mind to the pain it was causing, pushed himself further up the blade he then pulled out the blade that Gandalf had made, thrust the blade into his chest piercing the creatures chest. Knoi cried out in pain then as he had been told he snapped off the pommel so preventing the creature time to heal its self. Knoi stepped back still holding on to the sword pulling it free of Legolas, it then held up its arms and cried out,

"Master!" Legolas knew that the creature would receive no help back knowing that its master still floated in the void, then it began to collapse in on its self turning into dust. The rest of the creatures to turned to dust along with their master.

Gimli gave a cheer as the creatures that had him and Aragorn surrounded to dissolved. Aragorn's face betrayed no sense of joy instead he ran quickly down and into the opening that Legolas had gone into. Gimli quickly followed, Aragorn rounded a cornered before he did and as he rounded it Aragorn had just caught Legolas and was gently lowering him down to the ground. Gimli rushed forward but when he caught sight of the wound the elf had he knew that there was nothing that could done, he fell down to his knees at Legolas and Aragorn's side.

"This is not how it was suppose to be," Dwarf said broken heartedly. Tears rolling down his cheeks and disappearing into his beard.

"I think may be it is better this way, my friend," Legolas said between gasps of breath that only eased when Aragorn placed his hand over the wound, "It means that we all be together," The dying elf looked at Aragorn a soft smile came on to his face, "I free you my friend you are now free to return Arwen," Aragorn gave a soft smile.

"I will, but not yet," He said. Legolas smiled in return then turned to Gimli.

"Tell my father that it is better like this, it means I can be with Miawynn,"

"Aye that I will," The dwarf said sadly. Aragorn looked to the dwarf,

" Goodbye my friend," Again the dwarf nodded realising that once Legolas was gone there would be no reason for the man to stay. "come now," He said softly to Legolas his hand holding on to his. " Miawynn and Arwen are waiting, its time to be free of your pain," bright light then caused Gimli to look away when he was able to look back Aragorn had gone and when he looked down at Legolas he knew that his friend was dead

Gimli was not sure for how long he sat with his dead friends head on his lap softly stroking the blond hair, he had used the elf's cloak to cover the wound that had taken his life, not sure why he knew he had to wait, for what or who he did not know. He could see a light coming towards him, the light was coming was not coming from a touch but seemed to be coming from a figure that was walking towards him. As the figure reached him Gimli could see the figure of what seemed to be an elf his hair streaming out behind him as if he was riding a horse. When he reached him he gave a bow.

"Master Dwarf I am Orome," His voice had a musical quality. " I have come take you and mortal remains of your friend home," Gimli sighed as the Valar lifted the body as if it was made of air and carried it out of the cave.

"What about Miawynn?" He asked quickly. Another figure appeared a female elf by far the most beautiful that he had ever seen, tears rolling down her immortal cheeks.

"Do not fear master dwarf," She said. "Miawynn's body and Mithrandir are already back Valimar, they only wait for you now," She looked at the dwarf then knelt and touched his cheeks. "Do not fear little one you will meet again,"

"She speaks truly," Orome told him. "A special place has been prepared for all of those that saved us and everyone else,"

"Thank you," Gimli said softly.

The air around them misted up and when it cleared he was surprised to find himself in Elronds garden, the Valar where still with him and they began to walk back to the house.

The sun shone brightly the day that they laid Legolas and Miawynn to rest. Gimli felt tears on his cheeks again as the beautiful carved stone slid over the grave, all where there elves that he did not know, in fact he thought everyone in the city was there. After the stone slid over most left. Elrond and Celebrain comforted Thrandiul he at least did not seem to be fading, moving forward he placed his hand on the grave and with a sigh.

"It was not meant to be like this," He said sadly. "It should have been me to leave not you," Gimli felt another hand on his shoulder turned his head and saw Gandalf.

"Death is only a door to another journey my friend," he told the grief stricken dwarf.

"He promised to tell me how they met," Gandalf gave a small smile both to him and to Frodo who had came forward to.

"I do not know the whole story," He said with a soft smile. "But I am sure that Thrandiul would only be glad to tell it," They turned to walk back to the house. "As I recall Aragorn was there when they did," Gimli gave a smile just before they went into the house he turned as a breeze blew across it and he was sure he heard a voice.

"I'll be back for you," Seemed to hang in the air.

"Aye laddie," Gimli said softly. He turn and entered the house.

-

First of all thanks to those who reviewed, I owe a big apology to my youngest who was a bit upset with the end of the story, but it got to a point where it ended up writing its self.

I have started another one but it is a cross over with another set of books by David Eddings so not sure which to post it in.

Alison