Chapter Three Anxiety and Hope

Elladan opened his eyes and he knew instantly that he shouldn't have. The pain that shot through his body caused him to cry out in desperation. Never in his life had he felt the intensity of this kind of pain. He lifted glazed grey eyes and looked at the offending limb. His arm was the only thing keeping him suspended above the raging river, and sharp protruding rocks far below. Tears fell onto his face as he thought of his brother. There was no connection between them and he felt his body grow cold with fear.

Filled with overwhelming distress, Elladan didn't hear the iron rod creak and groan in protest against the weight of the small elfling. He hung there, both his arms now injured and useless to aid him in saving his life. Without his brother he was sure that life would not be fulfilled. Cautiously he looked below him, searching yet again with his eyes. He blinked rapidly against the tears that filled his eyes, and he choked back a sob. There was nothing he could do even if he had caught sight of his brother. Elrohir was nowhere to be found.

A shout made him glance up. He had just checked the pulse of yet another elfling, but to no avail. He scrambled to his feet, his face controlled in a mask of stone, and he ran towards the voice. Skidding to a stop beside a large stone pillar, he glanced around him searching with his ears and his eyes.

"Call out again." He shouted into the ruins.

"Here." The soft-spoken voice whispered.

He whirled around startled, and saw nothing. Frowning, he started pushing stone and wood aside throwing them behind him. "I cannot make out where you are." He called.

"Stuck beneath the pillar Figwit!" The voice gasped.

Figwit felt his mouth drop in surprise. He spun around and started digging around the pillar and felt his heart lighten seeing his mentor trapped beneath the large white stone.

"Erestor." He gasped when he saw the dark head. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Erestor groaned. "Do I look alright? I am trapped under a large stone column, laying on rocks and twigs, a rather roaring headache, and my feet hurt." He growled.

Figwit swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. His hands dug around the figure, digging just enough so the elf could be dragged out from beneath it.

Finally free, Erestor sighed. "I can breath." He triumphed. "Who else did you find?"

Speechless, Figwit shook his head, the tears falling down his face once again.

Erestor sat up slowly, frowning. He reached out and clasped the younger elf's shoulder, and bit his lip uncertainly. Figwit sniffed and shook his head again. Finally giving way to his grief and tears and sobbed and laid his head on his mentor's shoulder.

Erestor wrapped his arms around his student and rubbed his back. "Shh, none of that now." He whispered into the young elf's ear. Uncomfortable, Erestor sat there and glanced around him, noticing the devastation. His blue eyes travelled over the ruins, searching for signs of life. "Come dry your tears, there will be time later for them. We must find life." Erestor whispered again. "We must be strong, for the others."

"What others?" Figwit snarled, ashamed that he broke down in front of his teacher. "I have been searching all morning! I have found only death."

Erestor shook his head. "You found me."

Figwit paused and sat up locking his blue eyes with Erestor's. He allowed himself a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Erestor nodded grinning. "I will be forever grateful for that my young friend."

Figwit nodded and sniffed. He wiped the tears off his face and stood up. "You are right, let us see who else we can find." He lowered his hand and pulled Erestor up.

Hissing in pain, Erestor hunched over briefly, as Figwit held him upright. "I will be fine, just a few cracked ribs, I am guessing."

Once gathering his wits about him, Erestor finally stood straight and both elves went towards the ruins of the Last Homely House.

Something dug into his side, sending spouts of pain up to his neck. He tried to push away from the offending object, but it seemed to follow him everywhere. He opened his eyes slowly, and realized he was still in his room. Or rather what used to be his room. He gasped when he remembered what had happened, and he sat up quickly. Crying out in pain, he fell back onto the floor.

He used his fingers to pry the stick that dug into his side, and he pulled. It wouldn't come loose. Glancing down, he noticed the stick protruding from his side, halfway embedded in his stomach area. Gritting his teeth, he pulled again, but it still would not budge. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up slowly. He wondered what the rest of the house looked like. He hoped that everyone was fine, but deep in his heart he knew that not everyone would live through the devastation.

Once he reached what used to be his door, he gasped. Memories from old resurfaced, and he fell to his knees in shock. Fear gripped his heart, his skin tingled and pain resurfaced. All the memories from an old forgotten past came back in a rush. Without even knowing what was happening to him he knew from that instant on that the memories that had so eloquently buried itself in the back of his mind, were no longer just dreams to him, but reality.

Gandalf shook his head, and sighed. The quake was an unexpected gift from an old enemy. He knew when it had started that the turn of events had taken a sharp turn for the worst. The tides were changing and Melkor had risen once again. He walked over a doorframe and entered the halls. He needed to find Elrond, and inform him of this before Rivendell became a new toy for the dark lord. It was time Elrond became aware of his power, and his destiny, before it was too late.

Elladan cried out with all his might, but no one answered his pleas. There was no one around to pull him from his precarious position. He shivered with fright when he heard the iron rod creak. "Oh, please no. Don't let me fall." He whimpered. There was nothing he could do to help himself, he couldn't reach out for the ledge, and he also couldn't pull himself up. His right arm was numb, and he no longer felt the pain. His left side just hung there, and glancing at it, it appeared to be fine, but even willing it to move didn't help. It just hung there uselessly.

The iron rod creaked again and bent slightly. Elladan whimpered again. When the rod bent even more, his arm ripped a little. Gagging on the bile that immediately rose in his throat, he felt instant pain. His vision clouded briefly and he felt his mind swim. He cried out again begging for someone to help him, but still no one responded. He closed his eyes tightly, he mouth moving in silent prayer. He didn't want to fall, but he also felt his heart tighten at the mere thought of life without his brother. Elladan felt himself start to loose consciousness and he smiled slightly, when he realized that he would not be awake if he did fall.

"Wait." He whispered before his mind clouded over into darkness. He was unable to finish when his head tilted over limply.

Figwit stopped. "Did you hear that?"

Erestor nodded glancing around him. "I hear it too." Both elves stood there silently, not moving, waiting for another cry.

"There it is again!" Figwit raced off into the direction the cry had come from. Erestor followed looking around as he ran. He was unable to stop when he saw Figwit stop with a startled exclamation. "Look!" Erestor glanced up past Figwit's finger, and his heart froze.

"Oh Varda!" Erestor cried. "Come!" Both elves scrambled towards the building where a small elfling hung apparently unconscious.

Figwit glanced up and stopped abruptly. "It's one of the twins!" He cried in terror.

Erestor looked up sharply, true to his young charges words, there hung one of Elrond's son's. "Come on!" He shouted pushing Figwit into motion. He squinted glancing at the child far above him. The arm was hooked onto something, but even squinting he couldn't make out what it was.

Both elves raced around the side of the building and quickly climbing the stairs. Never before had Erestor run so hard in his life. He had charged into battle, even raced to help friends, but not once had he run to save a child from a drop that would surely kill him.

They rounded the corner and through the broken doorframe. The balcony shuddered slightly from their added weight, causing the elves to freeze. It quivered and shook; Erestor placed his hand on Figwit's shoulder and pulled him back to the door.

"If we both go, our added weight will cause the balcony to shift and fall." Erestor shared a look with Figwit. "I will not risk your life, so remain here."

Figwit shook his head furiously. "I weigh less then you, I am also smaller."

Both elves stood there arguing when the balcony groaned. They froze, turning their heads towards the drop off. Figwit glanced at Erestor and with a confirming nod, edged forward stepping carefully on the balcony. He knelt and edged forward onto his stomach to even out the weight and pushed himself towards the edge. The young elf glanced over and caught sight of the elf drawing his breath in harshly.

"He is injured." Figwit hissed between clenched teeth. He reached down to grasp the son of Elrond, when the balcony groaned again and shuddered violently. Figwit tried to grasp the elf when the hook gave way on his arm.

Figwit watched in horror as the elf child fell from the balcony edge towards the cliffs and raging river below.