Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
Author's Note: This chapter is especially dedicated to Deana and Karone. I think you two will really enjoy it. You'll see what I mean soon. I see that just about all my friends have made it to the sequel. That's cool. I'm glad I didn't lose anyone.
manveri mirkiel: Haven't you ever done something really stupid, because you were so happy you really weren't paying attention. I know I have. And as I said before Atavus is not perfect.
Well the Nazgul made him wish he were dead. How do you think he learned all the great torture techniques? And whom do you think the Witch King practices on when he doesn't have any humans, elves, or dwarfs to pick on? Darn I don't want to make you feel sorry for Uglúk again. But lets face it the Nazgul would torture anything that ticked it off.
And yes you can have the oatmeal raisin cookies. I'll stick to my nasty sugar free stuff.
Karone Evertree: Read on, you'll love me.
Slayer3: Not fair. I haven't seen the trailer for Kingdom of Heaven yet.
Invisigoth3: There's always must be that one antagonist who just refuses to die, doesn't there? Oh well Uglúk makes such a good bad guy. I'm actually getting sort of attached to him. The interplay between him and Atavus is fun to write.
I know this is a short chapter, but it's packed with emotion. So hold on tight.
The Maze
"These tunnels are as bad a maze. I thought we would just have to check out each individual cave." They hadn't realized that the caves all connected together, and that there were miles and miles of tunnels dug into the earth. The orcs had been busy creating the cave system, in only a few months time.
They had stopped for a few moments rest after searching the caves for several hours. They were in a large room that had several openings leading in all different directions.
"It will do you no good. You will never find your friend." A deep voice was heard echoing through the tunnels. It seemed to come from several different directions. The two friends looked at each other astonished.
"I know that voice." Atavus said horrified.
"I do too." Estel frowned, realizing just how much trouble they were in.
"I should have let you go after him, to make sure he died." Atavus said as she felt the guilt well up inside her. "Why was I so stupid?"
"No. Don't think that way. We have to hold together if we are to find Legolas. Don't let him win." Estel said shaking her when he got no answer.
"Your right." She said sighing deeply, then calling out louder so the orc could hear her. "Uglúk. How's your chest. Does it still hurt?" She taunted.
"That's not exactly what I meant." Estel whispered shaking his head.
"Don't worry. He knows this game." She smiled. "Listen."
"It's just fine, and your ribs?" The deep voice countered.
"Healed within a day, as you should already know. Why don't you come see for yourself?" She wanted to draw the creature to them. It was time this old fight was finished.
"No, no I don't think so. I want to play a new game, and your elf friend will come in quite handy for this game." The orc called almost merrily, if that could be said of an orc's voice.
"What kind of game?" Atavus asked afraid to hear what evil torments he might subject their friend to.
"You'll see. You'll see. Or maybe I should say hear." After that statement the orc would say nothing else, no matter how much she called to him.
"We have to find him." She said desperately. "What you saw that creature do a few months ago was just a fraction of the evil he can do. He's almost as good at torture as the Witch King is."
"We will find him." Estel assured her as he set off down one of the tunnels.
Uglúk entered the chamber that he was holding Legolas in. "Your friends have come. They are becoming thoroughly lost in my tunnels, I'm afraid. At the rate they are going it will take them a fortnight to find you." The orc approached him holding something very sinister looking in his hand. "But until then, I will play with you."
Legolas said nothing as the creature drew nearer. It was holding what at first seemed to be a whip, but upon closer inspection he could see that there were pieces of metal attached to the leather straps. Probably the same metal that was inside his harness.
All sounds were amplified in the tunnels, but the echoes distorted the sounds, and made them seem to come from all directions. They heard the crack of the whip as Uglúk began his torture of the elf.
"No." Atavus cried out, turning in circles not knowing which way the sound came from.
She could see the pained look in Estel's eyes every time they heard the whip crack again and again. "We will find him." He vowed. Atavus followed wherever he lead. His time with the Rangers had given him a better perspective on directions, than she could ever hope to attain. She trusted him to find the way.
The torture continued for hours on end. The Nazgul had never allowed the orc to take the torture this far. But the orc didn't much care if he killed the elf. He just wanted to draw the others into his trap.
Legolas knew that his torture was in someway being used to draw his friends into the orcs trap, and that knowledge made the pain even worse. His body not only screamed in pain, but so did his heart. His chest, back and stomach were completely covered in long cuts, and angry welts. He could see his own blood pooling around his knees. He had been too weak to remain standing, and now was on his hands and knees trying to keep his face covered. If that whip were to strike him in the eyes, he would be blinded forever.
The orc had slowed his pace wanting to draw the torture out as long as possible. He knew the others could hear the whip crack, but it wasn't good enough. He had to cause as much mental torment as possible to the ones searching. He attached the whip to his belt and pulled a leather pouch from inside a pocket. "Isn't it funny how something so simple can cause a world of hurt if used in the proper way?" Legolas looked up at the words. He could see the creature withdraw his hand from the pouch, but could not see what was in it.
The orc came forward placing a brutal kick to the elf's ribs, sending Legolas to the floor on his side. He felt as if he could not breath. He was surprised to see the orc kneel beside him, and place his hand over one of the cuts on his chest. But his eyes grew wide when the cut that the orc's hand laid upon flared as if on fire. The orc pushed his hand into the cut rubbing a white crystalline substance in. Legolas struggled, but that only brought more pain. The orc continued the treatment on every cut he could reach. He finally got what he was hoping for as the elf screamed from the fire that was consuming his body.
The searching friends became worried when the tunnels around them became silent. But the silence did not last as they heard the first of the screams. "By the Valar, no." Estel whispered. He knew how much pain it would take to make his friend scream.
He looked to Atavus, but was surprised to see that her eyes held a distant look. He knew what she was remembering. She was remembering how the orcs had tortured her best friend at Minas Morgul. She was remembering the screams. "Stop Uglúk." She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Take me. You want me, I'm yours. Just let him go."
"No Atavus. Legolas would not want that." Estel said grasping her arm and turning her toward him.
The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. "I don't care what he wants. It is the right thing. This is my fight. Not yours, and not his. That creature would have never been slightly interested in you the two of you, if I wasn't here. Legolas is in torment, because of me, and I mean to stop it." She stalked ahead her shoulders set determinedly, screaming out to the orc over and over again. "Uglúk, do you hear me? I said I would turn myself over to you freely if you let him go. You can have what you want the most. Don't you want your favorite plaything back?"
The orc had paused when he heard her voice. He began to laugh evilly.
Legolas had also heard her words. "No, Atavus." He said barely above a whisper. He knew the orc would not free him, even if he did get her.
"Don't worry. You will have company soon." He stopped his torture then, to sit and relax waiting for them to come to him. He was sure from the pitch of her voice that they were closer than he thought they could have gotten by then. But that was fine. The sooner they found their destination, the sooner he could have his revenge.
