Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. I do own a few characters though including Sarkáhn, Nacrás, Sarniâ, and Mistad.
Wow! I have not updated in a while. I am really sorry about that but I have this big Chemistry Assessment/project due on Tuesday and I have been doing a lot of research, not to mention I didn't have most of this part of my story prewritten. Thank you for all of your reviews and thank you for being so patient with my slow updating. This chapter is not really finished in its entirety, so please be nice. LOL ;) Here we go!
Legolas and Elrond were extremely worried about Aragorn's continuous movement. He kept mumbling names and crying out against unseen forces. Legolas kept holding his best friend's hand saying soothing words of comfort.
Aragorn realized that his connection with Mistad was fading as consciousness began to return. Before the mental link was lost, he heard the last part of the riddle, uttered from Mistad. They were wordsthat seemed to echo in his head:
He has come forth again with help from the dark
Upon him remains a unique, evil mark
The one who can kill him, you cannot predict
But he's already fallen for Nacrás's trick
With his blood and sacrifice given to keep
The evil will shatter, eternally sleep.
If this warning's unheeded, and evil prevails
The hope of this world will most certainly fail.
All of a sudden, Aragorn jolted awake, eyes wide in shock with perspiration all over his face. He was breathing deeply as if he had run a marathon. He was trying to catch his breath while ignoring his aching body. Elrond quickly put his hand on his son's face directing his gaze. He searched Aragorn's eyes for any touch of evil or darkness, but found nothing wrong. He quietly spoke to his son hoping to pull him out of his daze.
"It is alright, ion nin. You are safe. Your ada has you. Please, calm, Estel. No one is going to harm you."
Aragorn's mind seemed to register that he was safe and back in his own world again. He looked next to him to find Legolas sitting there with concern in his eyes. He still held onto his friend's hand as if his life depended on the contact. Aragorn firmly gave Legolas a reassuring squeeze to let him know that he was going to be alright. The silence continued for what seemed like an eternity before Aragorn decided to speak and reveal his findings.
"I know what is going on. I know Mistad's identity and I have learned the way to kill Sarkáhn."
"Are you sure, ion nin? You were not harmed, were you?" Elrond asked concerned.
"I am fine and I believe that it is time that we acknowledge our past mistakes and right our wrongs," Aragorn said with conviction in his voice.
"What do you mean, mellon nin? What have you learned?" Legolas asked puzzled by his friend's choice of words.
"We were wrong. Mistad is not the little elfling child, Nacrás. Mistad is Sarniâ."
Silence once again enveloped the room as the look of shock and bewilderment seemed to capture Legolas' features. Aragorn looked at his father's face, but was surprised to find that Elrond did not look stunned at all. His face, instead, was not only full of great sadness and regret, butit also held a look as if he already knew. Elrond spoke first, breaking the tension and surprise of the room.
"You must share your finding with everyone for I believe that this concerns us all. I will go get Elladan, Elrohir, and Glorfindel."
Elrond left abruptly as if he did not want to speak of what he had just learned so soon. Aragorn was left in the room with Legolas who still seemed to be deep in thought trying to take in what he had just learned.
"This…cannot be. How could such a mistake be made? I begin to understand why Mistad…Sarniâ, left that message. The darkness did deceive us. We were blinded by our own two eyes. We were shaded by our own minds." Legolas seemed to just be speaking out loud, not really to Aragorn in particular. He comprehended all that was happening and everything seemed to make sense as if a veil had been lifted from his thoughts.
"I know, my friend. It is very hard to grasp at first. But I will explain everything when my family comes back. Everyone needs to know about this for it may affect everyone's futures. I…I was disturbed by something Mistad told me in his second riddle. I do not wish…" Aragorn abruptly stopped not wanting to voice his concern and worry his friend.
He was going to say that he did not wish his family grief. He was lingering on the words that Mistad had told him about the only way to stop Sarkáhn was through sacrificial love. In his mind, Aragorn began to understand…someone must die. The only way for Sarkáhn to be destroyed was out of love and sacrifice, two things that Sarkáhn's evil and malice could not bear for he was a creature of darkness, not the light. Legolas looked with concern at his friend. He gently put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Estel, mellon nin, are you well? You seem to be in a daze?"
Aragorn looked up at his best friend and almost inaudibly whispered that he was fine.
"Are you sure? What was it that you do not wish? What is it that you are not telling me?"
"Nothing, Legolas, it is nothing. I just do not wish for my family to be a part of all this."
Legolas looked into Aragorn's eyes knowing full well that his friend was not completely telling him the truth. He could tell by the slight hesitation and the way that his friend would not quite look at him when he spoke. He could always tell when Aragorn was lying because it was not one of his many talents.
"What are you really afraid of?" Legolas asked. He would not stand for the answer that Aragorn provided.
"I already told you." Aragorn could not bear to tell his friend.
"Listen to me, Estel. I know when you are lying and I know when you are weighed heavily upon with burdens. I can see in your eyes the grief that you are carrying and I also know that you are trying to hide something from me. Now, tell me the truth you stubborn edain."
Aragorn was taken aback by the authority in his friend's tone and knew better than to try and avoid telling him. He knew he would never win this argument with Legolas. So, reluctantly, he revealed his secret.
"Mistad told me that the only way for Sarkáhn to be defeated is through sacrificial love. He gave me yet another riddle, but this one was more cryptic and mysterious. I believe…that someone is going to have to die in order to destroy Sarkáhn forever. A sacrifice out of love is the only way to destroy such an evil and sinister entity such as him. Not even the greatest magic in all of Middle Earth can destroy him…only love…only a sacrifice. Someone will die to prevent the doom, and it is because of…me." Aragorn was trying to not let the tears overwhelm him. So much had happened since Sarkáhn arrived. So many things that he wished he could forget. And now, to find out that death was inevitable. Aragorn finally broke down and cried. Legolas gathered his dearest friend in his arms and gently rubbed his back with his hand as Aragorn let go of the weight on his soul. He said soothing words of comfort until his friend was finished. Aragorn pulled back and wiped his eyes quickly, embarrassed by, but not regretting his tears. He thanked Legolas and gave him a small smile.
"Estel, this is not your fault. Sarkáhn is not here because of you. He was created to kill all elves, not to take his revenge on you," Legolas said trying to comfort his friend.
"You do not understand, mellon nin. Have you not wondered how Sarkáhn managed to return? Why Sarniâ failed to destroy him?" Aragorn asked deciding to reveal it all to Legolas, before his father returned. Legolas shook his head wanting Aragorn to explain. Aragorn recited for him the entire warning and then began telling Legolas what he believed that it meant.
"Mistad told me if we do not heed the warning then 'the hope of this earth will most certainly fail'. Sarkáhn is going to kill me because I have gotten in his way. If I had not learned the message from Mistad, Sarkáhn would not be trying to kill my entire family. He was sent because he must have learned that I knew about his return. Mistad was just trying to warn us in advance, but he must not have known that Sarkáhn was already alive and in the Dark Lord's company! Don't you see…Sauron knows about me! He must have come in contact with other Ráne Mánu. He knows that the descendant of Isildur is still alive! He brought Sarkáhn back to finish what he started and gain complete dominance over Middle Earth. Butnow, he is going to kill me!" Aragorn exclaimed. This was much worse than anyone had thought. Sauron now knew of Aragorn's identity and where he was. Many thoughts went through Legolas' mind as he thought about the implications and what could happen.
"Elrond must know about this. Sarkáhn must be destroyed now more than ever."
"I know, mellon nin. We must tell him, but I do not want him to worry. He has so much already weighing down upon his shoulders that I do not wish to add to the burden. He has enough to deal with now that his past beliefs about his best friend have been proven wrong. Too many past mistakes have come back to haunt him," Aragorn stated sadly.
"I understand how you feel, but you know that Elrond really needs to know of this. We are in too deep to try and conceal this. The problem is bigger than both of us."
Aragorn nodded in understanding. As he sat there in the silence, he began to worry. His father should have been back by then. He could not fathom what was taking him so long except that maybe he was in trouble.
"Legolas, shouldn't my father have been back by now? I think we should go find him."
"You are right, Estel. Come, I will help you, for your connection with Mistad has weakened you greatly. I can see the tiredness in your eyes and do not try to hide it from me."
Legolas helped Aragorn stand up and then allowed his friend to gain his balance on his own. As soon as Aragorn was ready, Legolas slipped his arm beneath his friend's and they gradually walked out of the room. As they made their way down the hall they noticed that there was an eerie silence. No one was walking about. Chills went down Aragorn's spine as fear began to emerge as his mind began to think of the implications. Finally, they slowly came to the door of Elladan and Elrohir's room. They opened the old door that creaked slightly at the force. Inside the room, they could not believe what they saw.
AN: Dun, dun, dun…I know that that was a really mean and cruel cliffhanger, but I wanted to post because I haven't posted in a while. If you could not tell alreadyby Mistad, I like to write poetry. All the riddles he says are just poems I made up in five minutes.
I hope to update sooner, but if not I will make it up to you over Easter break. I hope that over that time, the whole story will be written and I can post quicker again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review.; )