A/N: Oh man I'm tired. New jobs can really take a lot out of you, but anyway I managed to finish this chapter. Also I'm going to advertise my story on Fiction.press again. I promise it's really good. Just look up Kusco1 on the author search at that website. I swear that it's cool. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this story and remember to give me suggestions, as they really help. Thanks
Nienna of Sorrow: Get your fix? I really hope that, that's a good thing. Thanks for the review.
Dreaming N Watercolors: Thanks I hope that this story is as good as the last.
Dazzler420: Yeah that Jubes is a very versatile character. As far as training with the elves. Yeah a little but as you will soon find out. The story is about to pick up. Thanks for the review.
Chapter 6
Times of Trials Times of Peace
"So what do you think?" Nightcrawler asked as the elves left. Haldir had made arrangements for them to stay in Lothlorien, he even told them that they were staying in exactly the same place that the Fellowship had before they left.
"I think that it's too soon to tell," Cyclops responded while looking around taking in the sights of the massive trees, and structures that were attached to them. "They seem nice right now but we all know that it could change at any moment."
All them had been amazed at this new environment, though none so much as Storm. Being so naturally inclined to the things of the earth, she was amazed to see a culture that was so close to it. As soon as the shock from meeting Galadriel wore off, she began to bombard Haldir with questions, so much so that the elf finally apologized profusely but had to run ahead on "urgent business".
They had soon settled in their lodgings and now were taking some time to discuss what they had witnessed and their situation. Though after only a few moments Storm could contain herself no longer and left to explore this new place. She would have loved to have flown up to the tops of the trees but Cyclops had insisted that they take a low profile.
"I wasn't talking about how they were treating us," Nightcrawler clarified "I mean Lady Galadriel? What do you think of her?"
The mutant leader considered for a moment, "There is defiantly something different about her." he concluded "Felt like I do sometimes when the Professor is reading my mind,"
"She give me the creeps," Jubilee shuddered "I felt like I was naked or something when I was around her. And those eyes, it was just… weird."
"Yes…" Nightcrawler half agreed but then sighed almost dreamily "Yet she was so beautiful. I cannot help but feel enchanted when I remember her. Now I understand why Haldir was so defensive of her earlier."
"What do you think Wolverine thought?" Cyclops asked chancing a glance to where the other mutant seemed to be brooding some distance away. "Did you see how he reacted to her? I've never seen him like that, it was like he was about to cry and reveal to her his every secret."
"You're right," Jubilee said staring at her mentor, "Someone should go ask him." The young mutant sat a second waiting for one of the other two mutants to voice agreement or tell her that it was a bad idea, but after a moment when neither spoke she became aware that they were both staring at her. "What she said incredulously "You guys want me to go and do it?"
"Well," Cyclops said "It makes sense to me."
"Wait…" Jubilee said looking to Wolverine again who still had his back turned to them and looked very foreboding "…but I was suggesting that…you know…someone would go do that and not…"
"Yes," Nightcrawler cut her off, "and we found that person!"
"But…" Jubilee began, then rolled her eyes angrily, as she got up and started making her way toward the lone mutant "and you call yourselves men." she hissed barely loud enough for them to hear.
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Storm gazed downward, she was on the highest structure that she could find, below her the many ethereal lights of Lorien twinkled happily. Never before had she imagined that she would be in such a place. With every turn she had made held something new and delightful for her. She had smiled upon seeing an elvish family eating a dinner through an open window and was almost moved to tears when she had passed by a group of elves that were singing a slow melancholy song.
The mutant had always known that magic had existed but she had never supposed that there would be place where it was everywhere, almost as if it was in the very air she was breathing. Yet the inhabitants did not seem to notice, the few elves she had encountered in her wandering had seemed to be amazed at her looks, she had smiled realizing that an ebony skinned, white haired female must have been something that was even less common place here than it had been in her own time, and place.
This was defiantly a place that I wouldn't mind living she thought to herself, it was so peaceful and tranquil, and though she did get stares like she had in her time, they were almost always replaced with friendly smiles, as opposed to cuss words and anti-mutant bigotry.
The mutant was about to leave and descend the many stairs that lead to the ground where they were staying at, but just then she heard some more minstrels and singing. The mutant decided that she could wait until they stopped before she returned.
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Jubilee slowly approached the older mutant, who to her gave the impression of having aged considerably from before their encounter with Galadriel. The mutant now sat against a tree with his back to her. She was about to call out his name but felt her breath block the words in her mouth and choke them back down to her lungs. Finally she tried again but it was Wolverine that succeeded first.
"Come here girl." he said quietly and gently, surprising the younger mutant, who obediently sat down at his side and gazed at his face. There was a calm peacefulness about them that she hadn't expected. In fact he looked about as happy as she had ever seen him.
"Wolvie are you alright?" she finally asked.
The other mutant didn't speak right away he merely gazed forward as if into space. Finally he turned to her, "What did you feel like when she looked at you?" he questioned.
Jubilee cocked an eyebrow curious as to what he was getting at, but could only guess that he was referring to Galadriel "Well…" she said "I don't know I felt like she was…reading me, kinda like the Professor does, but it felt different, like there was nothing that I could hide from her."
Wolverine suddenly smiled knowingly, which caused the younger mutant to become more curious, "Wolvie what is it?" she suddenly asked.
The mutant sighed then looked at her, "I felt her trying to read my just like she did you, I tried to stop her. I've done it before with Chuck. I didn't want her to see the animal that's inside me. But I couldn't stop her… "
"and?" Jubilee asked fascinated. "What happened?"
"…I heard her voice inside my head," he breathed, "She told me that my heart was pure and that I could tame the beast within!" Wolverine suddenly looked very pleased. "Do you know how long I have been waiting to hear something like that?"
"Well I coulda told you that," Jubilee responded putting her hand on his shoulder, smiling at her mentor happy to have found that he had gained peace in this place.
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It was very late when Storm returned, so late that she had decided to fly rather than walk as most of the elves were asleep. Slowly she allowed the winds to bring her down from the canopy. Even though they were enclosed under it she did not feel the least bit claustrophobic. As she landed on the soft green grass and saw her fellow teammates asleep she decided to remove her shoes and sit for a moment, to allow herself to contemplate everything she had seen, as sleep seemed like a ridiculous notion to her a this point. Yet as she removed her shoes, she saw Nightcrawler awaken. The German mutant quickly teleported and appeared next to her.
"Kurt," she smiled "isn't this place wonderful?" but her smile faded as she saw that her friend only wore a strange expression. It was a mixture of curiosity and worry.
"Did you not hear that?" he asked with a concerned tone, "Someone is calling my name."
Storm looked around but could neither see or hear anyone. But Nightcrawler did not stay around to ask if she heard it. The blue mutant suddenly made toward a staircase and quickly descended until he was out of sight. Storm jumped up and followed, in a small clearing, in the center was a pedestal with a metal basin filled with water, and by the basin was Galadriel, her white robes shimmering in the pale light. Nightcrawler looked transfixed by her. Storm could feel herself holding her breath as she waited for the elf to speak. Finally she addressed them.
"You are unknown to us," her piercing yet calm voice said, "and it is imperative that I see if you must return to your time."
"You can do that?" Nightcrawler asked meekly, Galadriel smiled kindly at him, then to Storm motioning for her to come and join her.
"It is within our power," she said cryptically making them unsure of whom she was talking about, "but first…I would have you, Kurt Wagner, look into the mirror. I sense that your hearts are noble and I must know if you have a purpose for being here."
Nightcrawler looked to Storm and then to Galadriel and finally the basin of water. "Why me?" he asked timidly.
"Because of all your comrades," Galadriel responded "your heart is the purest, and the noblest, there is strength that resides in your heart that maybe needed."
Nightcrawler swallowed hard then approached the mirror, Galadriel poured some water in, and the mutant gazed into his own reflection.
Suddenly the mutant gasped "Jean!"
"What!?" Storm said running up to the basin but upon looking into the water she merely saw her own reflection, but Nightcrawler continued to gasp.
"Is that what happened when she fell?" he asked out loud, "wait the images are changing, I see Aragorn! And Legolas and Gimli…they're dying! But who…" suddenly the elf let out a cry of terror. "NINE!" he exclaimed in German and fell backward, Storm rushed to him.
"Kurt what happened?" she asked looking to her friend and then Galadriel who wore a knowing expression.
"He saw what I saw…" She said as her voice dropped to a whisper, "Harbingers of doom, they have come for the Ring.
"Ororo!" Nightcrawler said "we have to find the fellowship! As quickly as we can!"
"Why…What is it Kurt?" she asked "Why do we have to find them so quickly?"
"Because if we don't," he said "The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants will!"
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There was only darkness. Darkness and cold water, cold air. And stone, she thought, there was lots of stone. The woman stumbled up the stair way, cold and wet. Her arm held tightly against her as she felt that it was broken. She had been lucky that it was the only thing that had been broken. Though everything about her was covered in the blackest of veils. She had the overwhelming impression of destruction all around her. Inevitably it always lead her to one conclusion.
Gandalf and the monster had been here.
Jean Grey Summers, struggled up the massive stairs some more, she had no idea how long she had been climbing, perhaps a day, perhaps five. Hours and minutes didn't seem to exist where she was. After the telepath had let go of Wolverine's hand she had plummeted down the chasm, a fall that seemed to take forever. As she fell the mutant felt some of her strength return, when she had put more distance between herself and the tragic echo that Gandalf had left when he fell.
After what seemed like an eternity she threw out her psychic power to light the chasm that she was falling through, determined that if there was someway to survive, she would. She had screamed as her light suddenly revealed that her flight was to come to an end. She was speeding toward a huge underground lake. Which despite being water, she knew would smash her flat at the rate she was descending. The telepath had instantly thrown up a telepathic force field which took the brunt of the impact, but still she broke her arm. The mutant, than swam through the freezing subterranean water until she reached the shore, which appeared to be covered in slime. There she collapsed and the darkness that filled everything around her also filled her mind as she had spent the last of her strength.
Sometime later she awoke, and tried to light her way using her telepathy, but she found that every time she did. There were still the distinct psychic echo's that sapped her strength. Though they had allowed her to see the way that Gandalf and the creature had gone. So she had begun to ascend the stairs hoping to find him.
She did not know how long she ascended, the stairs did not seem to appear to have an ending. All she knew was that with each passing moment, she grew weaker, and hungrier. Occasionally she thought she could feel the whole mountain shake, or hear the boom of thunder, which she passed off as her imagination.
After an eternity of climbing, when she was nearing he point of giving up, she noticed a small light ahead of her. As she climbed, it gradually expanded until she saw at long last she was about to emerge from the pit she had been in for so long. The mutant found that she had to squint as she had become so accustomed to the darkness. As she neared the exit, she threw her arms around herself as she grew very cold.
Jean could make out scorch marks on the entrance as she left the stairs. She could now see that she was on top of a mountain. High above the clouds she could not see how high up she was, but even the air felt very thin. Jean squinted some more trying desperately to grow used to the light. After a time she began to be able to make out details of the area that surrounded her. All around there were signs of battle, Much of the mountain had been scorched, and many rocks looked like they had been shattered. Jean peered over the edge of a cliff.
To her shock lay the beast that Gandalf had fought. The creature was obviously dead. It's fire now extinguished it was a charcoal black and had many gaping wounds from a sword in it. The mutant took hope at this sight. This had meant that Gandalf had overcome the monster. Which meant that it was possible that the old wizard was near. Jean looked around excitedly feeling energy that she had not had in sometime. She even mustered the strength to try and search the area telepathically.
It was then that her mind connected with something and immediately the telepath knew that she was not alone on the mountain and that someone was aware that she was there as well.
A/N part 2: First of all thank you all for reading and I apologize if the story seems to be moving slowly. I promise that soon it will be more interesting, and I predict that the x-men will meet up with the fellowship if not in the next chapter then the chapter after. Also, as you now know the Brotherhood, and other x-men are going to middle-earth. I would really like to hear suggestions as to who should get sent, from both sides. That would help a lot. So anyway tell my what you think and who you want in the story. Thanks
