Disclaimer: Still do not own anything but Sarkáhn, Mistad, and Sarniâ.

Thank you all so much for your reviews. I appreciate all of the wonderful compliments. I also thank those who are reading this and have not reviewed. Thank you all! Here's my next installment and I hope you like it.

Morning came all but quickly for the anxious elves. They had had enough of the camp and could not wait to leavefor the safety of Rivendell. Everything that had happened had brought back unpleasant memories for them which they did not wish to remember. The thought that they would leave soon was a great comfort to them.

Elrond finished packing his supplies and the rest of his items before reluctantly going over to wake Aragorn. Everyone was awake and packed at dawn, but he wanted Estel to get little bit more sleep. Unfortunately, he could not stall anymore and Aragorn needed to be awakened because he was the only thing holding them up at the moment.

"Estel? Estel, wake up. It is time for us to depart," Elrond softly stated as he gently shook his sleeping son. Moaning at the irritating shaking, he tried to roll over but the hand was persistent. He groggily opened his eyes to see the face of his father looming over his head.

"Come, ion nin, it is time for us to go."

"Five more minutes, ada, and I won't leave Rivendell for a week," Aragorn said bargaining, but to no avail. He slowly made his way into a sitting position with the help of his father, and then eventually stood. Elrond helped him dress a bit more appropriately, and then they made their way outside. Estel insisted that he was well enough to ride alone, but of course, no one believed him, and he ended up riding in front of Legolas who volunteered to hold him. He stubbornly refused the offered help onto the horse, and he clumsily did it by himself. Legolas mounted behind him with a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face.

"Am I amusing you?" Aragorn asked in annoyance.

"Now why would you amuse me? Just because you are too stubborn to allow others to help you, does not make you amusing," Legolas said defensively with a devilish grin on his face.

"No, but I bet watching the poor wounded human clumsily mount a horse would," retorted Aragorn.

"More like a stubborn human mounting a horse like an orc," Legolas muttered.

"Enough! I think that we have firmly established that this was not my best moment, can we please move on," Aragorn said exasperated.

"I do not know, can we?" Legolas asked playfully.

The two friends bantered for a while to pass the time on their way to Rivendell until Aragorn's wounds began to pain him with each stride of the horse. He closed his eyes in order to try to control the pain but it was no use. His ribs seemed to grate every time the horse moved. Legolas felt Aragorn go stiff under his arm, and realized the medicine wore off. Knowing better than to ask how he was feeling he reassured him, "We will be there soon, mellon nin. It will be just a little while longer." All Aragorn could do was nod. Silence ensued afterwards until orcs destroyed the peace.

The ride was continued in silence until Elrond and Glorfindel called the riders to a halt. They sensed a disturbance in the woods and automatically realized they were orcs. Elrond told everyone to be at the ready. Then he realized that Aragorn was in no condition to fight, nor could he stay in the middle of the battle. He waved a hand to Legolas, causing him to trot over to the elven lord.

"Take Aragorn and yourself into the trees. You will be safe there. I want you to stay there and watch him should anything happen whether it is orcs or his injuries."

"Yes, my lord, I will protect him with my life. No harm will come to him," Legolas responded loyally.

"I know you will. Now, go!"

"Noro lim!"

Legolas's horse took off in a dead run and headed for the trees Elrond had mentioned. Ignoring Aragorn's protests and moans, he urged his horse faster and finally made it to the safety of the trees. However, unknown to them both, they were even closer to a worse evil than orcs.

Elrond, Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, and all the other elves prepared for the upcoming battle. Bows were strung and at the ready, each elf awaiting Elrond's signal to shoot. Soon, the once green hillside was completely obscured with dozens of disgusting orcs armed and ready for battle. Waiting for the opportune moment, Elrond waited before giving the command. Finally, he yelled for all elves to open fire on the incoming adversaries. Each arrow was released and a new one was strung in its place. The arrows struck with deadly accuracy, and they kept coming and coming until the orcs were too close for comfort. Then the elves took out their knives and swords and charged straight for their enemies, taking them down as they went.

Meanwhile, Legolas found a safe outcrop of trees for them to rest in. He dismounted from his horse, and then gently helped Aragorn do the same. Aragorn's head spun, and his balance was off. He would surely have fallen had Legolas not been there holding him steady. Legolas took him by the arm and sat him against one of the trees' barks. Aragorn, setting pain-filled eyes on his friend, asked why they were not staying with the others to fight.

"Silly edain, you are in no condition to fight. It does not matter how many times you say it, I do not believe that you are 'fine'."

"Fine, you prissy elf, I understand. You just wanted to hide because you were afraid that your leg would give out and you would rip the stitches and have to face my father's wrath. I see how it is," Aragorn said sarcastically, trying to keep his senses and his mind off his wounds. The common banter between the two friends served as a way for them to pass the time or find solace when they were in need.

"Sure, Estel, believe what you wish, but…"

Legolas was cut off in mid-sentence when he felt another presence in the secluded area. The presence exuded vibes of malevolence, fury, and vengefulness. These emotions clouded Legolas's thoughts and overcame his calm for a few moments. He closed his eyes and winced as if in pain. His head pounded and then, as quick as it had begun, it ceased.

"Aragorn, we cannot linger here. We must leave at once!" Legolas said in a panicked voice, a little too panicked for Aragorn's liking. He had never heard his friend speak with such terror before, but he knew that something terrible was going to happen if they stayed.

"Alright, let us depart. Help me up, mellon nin," Aragorn complied.

Before either one of them could move, they were frozen in place. Neither knew what to do, each looked to each other for answers, when out from behind a tall oak tree, came Sarkáhn. Wreathed in blinding lights and fire, he approached the two companions.

"So, I have you right where I want you. I warned you, young Estel. Do not say I have not. I know you are wondering why I am here and not after your father and his sordid companions," Sarkáhn sneered. "I am here for you. I knew after your father told you that story your desire to prevent my actions would become your new mission. I am here to rid myself of your interference."

"You planned the orc attack," Aragorn stated more to himself, but loud enough for all to hear.

"Amazing! You are not as dense as I had originally perceived you to be," Sarkáhn sneered. "I needed a way to get you alone, and this was the only way I could think of. Because I know your father so well, I knew that he would not allow you to stay and fight. Naturally, he would send you somewhere where the orcs would not likely reach you. It was not so hard to find you," Sarkáhn stated with smugness in his voice. "Now, I may as well get on with my plan and get rid of you."

With that said he waved his hand and sent Legolas flying head first into a tree. Legolas tried to stay conscience to protect his friend, but lost the battle to the darkness as it overcame his vision.

Aragorn tried to cry out as he watched his friend pass out, but nothing came out. He even tried to crawl over to where his friend lay, but he could not move. He sat there staring at the evil creature before him, with pure fear in his eyes. He was not ashamed to show his terror at this moment, because he had never faced such a heartless and powerful creature such as this one. Looking at the dreadful creature sent chills up his spine.

Sarkáhn laughed as he gained the reaction he had craved. He saw pure and simple fear in the ranger's eyes and that was all he needed. His laugh pierced through Aragorn's ears like nails on a chalkboard. The sound reverberated in his head and caused a dull throbbing in his temples. He was so caught up in his discomfort that he did not realize that he suddenly stopped laughing. "This cannot be good," Aragorn thought to himself as silence enveloped the area around him.

Sarkáhn, who was becoming tired of playing these meaningless games, extended his right arm out in front of him. Simultaneously, Aragorn was raised off the ground in the clutches of an invisible force. All of sudden, an overwhelming force hit Aragorn with the effects of a tidal wave devastating a small ship. He was thrown against the tree behind him. His back impacted with the bark of the tree with a sickening thud. Then, he fell down and hit the ground hard.

Aragorn was having trouble regaining his breath. His back was aching terribly and he was sure to have a large bruise on it by tomorrow. "That is if I live until tomorrow," Aragorn thought grimly. The force of the impact with ground knocked the wind out of him, and because of his broken ribs, the amount of air he could take in was restricted. He was sure that he had re-broken the set ribs and maybe had acquired some new bruised or cracked ones as well. His short repose was cut off when the same force lifted him once again and thrust him into another tree. This time, his grip on consciousness was waning. His breathing came in short, labored gasps; there was a fiery ache in his ribs and his back hurt like he had been hit with a troll's club. He seemed to have torn the stitched in his shoulder because he could feel droplets of blood down his arm. He knew he could not bare much more pain before he passed out. He was lifted again in the air, and Aragorn closed his eyes as he awaited the final impact, but it never came. He opened his eyes only to find that he was now being choked to death.

Sarkáhn was done with his bit of fun and now found it quite tiresome. The human may have been a nuisance but he did seem to have a little respect for the man's loyalty to a race that wasn't even his own. He figured a somewhat quick ending was in order so he decided on the manner of death.

Aragorn could barely breathe as the unseen grip around his neck tightened cutting off his air supply. The lack of oxygen started to make spots dance before his eyes. He could not break a connection he could not see. He could not get free, and eventually ceased his struggle. He resigned to the fact that there was nothing that he, himself, could do. Aragorn's only hope was placed either in his best friend or his family, anyone who could save him.

AN: Well, there you have it, another evil cliffhanger at the end of my chapter. I promise I will update soon, so you won't have to wait too long ;) Thanks again, Namarie.