They had finally reached the large energy dome, on the outskirts of her city. Alarms beeped all around them loudly and a long curved screen unfolded in a surrounding circle. The stoic upper body of an Elvan soldier wearing bulky combat armor, inspected her behind his helmet.
"Who are these two strangers with you, Green Keeper Isha Nolar?"
Isha felt her heart pound madly in her chest.
"I found them in my Sector. They need medical attention."
"You are aware that if you are found bringing Terrans into the city, you will be reprimanded."
"I am aware of that and I take full responsibility!"
A gigantic sand storm had engulfed her platform and the forces of the wind tried to unhinge it from its place. Her small generators would not be able to take the strain for much longer.
"Very well, Green Keeper. You may enter. Please make your way directly to quarantine zone 82 - you have severe radiation poisoning.
"Understood," a wave of relief washed over her and their platform resumed its flight through the barrier and into the city without any incident.
Gandalf remained silent as a blur of tall glass buildings and lights passed by them. Weather warnings were broadcasted on large televised holo-screens hundreds of feet above the ground. Isha couldn't shake off the ominous feeling that clung to her like a dark plague. A fit of coughs wracked her body again, this time specs of blood spattered against her hand. The situation was worst than she had thought.
They had arrived in zone 82. A group a people were waiting for them, fully clothed in white protective enviro-suits. They helped the old man and the beautiful unconscious woman onto designated medical hover-beds.
Isha placed her hand upon the old man's shoulder, "Don't worry, Gandalf, they are here to help us."
He smiled at her, bowing his head slightly in thanks and she let herself be pushed back onto the soft white sheets of the hover-board. As she did so, the air around her came alive and turned into a canvas painted of visualized codes, diagrams and pulses that were closely monitored.
"Patient Isha Nolar, female, age four-hundred and twenty-two, no known allergies. She is gravely irradiated and needs an intensive treatment of Adernlasol and Predimtalene. Quick, put her under!" the digitized masculine voice was grave and heavy with urgency.
Isha felt the world swim around her as they entered a large well-lit building. She was vaguely aware of receiving the anesthesia through the epidermis of her right forearm. It was a strong dose, because she instantly lost consciousness.
Isha's dreams were tainted by nightmares of black clouds swallowing her up. Her lungs ached and she struggled to breathe as a thick smoke entered through her mouth and nose. A monstrous dark form towered, and two glistening eyes locked onto her. This was evil incarnate, she felt it through her whole being. She trembled with unimaginable fear. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run. Everything was engulfed in darkness and she felt her life slipping from her.
Then a soft gentle light lit the darkness, a beautiful woman with long flowing golden hair held a glowing gem in her hand, the clouds dissipated from around her and in her pristine white gown she glowed brightly. Isha recognized the woman, she had saved her from the wasteland, earlier. The woman was no more unconscious and her grey eyes sparkled with life.
"Wake, little one. You have much to do." With her melodic words, the light coming from the jewel in her hand became brighter than a thousand sun. The pressure that had been holding onto her lungs dissipated and Isha was able to breathe freely again.
A loud rumble shook her awake.
Her breath caught in her lungs, the dream had been so vivid. Her heart was racing madly in her chest from the lingering fear. She noticed she was sitting in a familiar sterile room, her clothes had been changed and she recognized the immaculate revitalizing feeling sonic-showers brought. Her hand went to her hip, and she noticed all but one of her generators were gone.
Her head ached a bit, but the nausea had all but vanished. The old man sat at the edge of his bed, intently staring at her. His wrinkled skin wasn't dirty any longer, his long white hair was washed and neatly tied back. He wore a cream-colored thermal-suit like her, his thin legs and feet were covered with soft pliable boots of a shade darker that reached his knees. With his hair pulled back, she noticed the roundness of his ears and her heart fell. He wasn't Elvan.
"Welcome back," he looked curiously at his surroundings, "These strange garments are very comfortable. It is very kind of your people to provide us clean clothes and food."
Isha looked at him, surprised, "We wouldn't refuse aid, even in the case of a Terran."
Gandalf stroke his beard, nodding, "The trait of a caring people."
"It wasn't always this way..." Isha sighed. Her people had waged a long costly war; the outcome still echoed through the crippled planet. She was deeply ashamed of the past actions that resulted in so much death.
"The deeds of our ancestors is a heavy burden to carry," Gandalf added, pulling her out of her grim thoughts. "They also bring knowledge, a new outlook on life and hope for change."
Isha stared at the old Terran, his words comforted her and she felt less melancholic.
"Where are you from, Gandalf? Why is a Terran traveling with an Elvan in the radiated wasteland?"
Again, another low rumble sounded from outside and a soft tremor coursed through the building.
"Because we were cast out of our lands and we had to flee. Those heavy clouds you saw are not simple storm clouds. They are a coming evil that has escaped the confines of its ancient prison. The only thing protecting your city, is the Silmaril in its center."
The image of a glowing many-faceted jewel came to her mind. Yes, it was the same as the Jewel of Light, held by a statue in the city park.
"It is also what this evil is after," Gandalf had stood up and reached for his walking stick. He held it in his hand lovingly, "The Battle of Battles is upon us."
Isha remembered her nightmare all too clearly, and she shivered. "Do you mean to say that my city is in danger?"
"Everything and everyone, living and breathing. Morgoth is merciless, once he has the Silmarils, there is no way to resist him... Not without help from the Eldar and Valar. Unfortunately, like them, Lady Galadriel was placed into a deep sleep that she may not wake from."
His words were a jumble of gibberish to Isha, maybe the old man was making this story up. Isha knew in her heart he spoke the truth.
A loud rumble had the whole building shake under her feet. Alarms and red lights flashed. Holographic screens appeared on the walls displaying outside footage of a terrifyingly large titan dressed in an armor black as the void of space. He stood over the city, pounding his fist onto the dome.
Isha couldn't hear the words coming from the broadcast over the cacophony of frightened screams. She was about to give in to the panic and fear but Gandalf took her hand and his gentle eyes found hers. He squeezed it lightly.
"Isha, listen to me. I will open a portal that will send you and Galadriel back. I am sending you to the 4th Age, many millennia away. When elves - the ones you indirectly descend from - still resided in Arda. Perhaps there is still hope."
"W-What am I supposed to do? Where do I go?"
"Find Lord Thranduil and Lord Celeborn of Eryn Lasgalen. They may have a way to bring Lady Galadriel from her cursed sleep."
"I'll do what I can... Will this change today's outcome?"
"We must have faith."
Snapping out of her trance, she traveled to the other side of the room and stood in front of a little shelf connected to the wall. A row of ZP generators were neatly aligned; the technology of her people. She took hold of as many as would fit onto her magnetic belt - if she was going back through time, she might as well take extra precaution.
The young woman activated one of the slim boxes and carefully constructed plates appeared and clicked together, contouring her the entirety of her body and adjusting to her arms legs, torso and shoulders. She had never worn the bulkier battle armor of her people but this wasn't the time for inner debates. She chose not to wear the helmet just yet. Isha went to the only occupied bed in the room and slung Galadriel over her shoulder. The woman had been given a creme-colored thermal suit as Gandalf, which meant she had her own personal magnetic belt.
With her free hand, Isha hooked an extra generator onto Galadriel's belt and with a command plates formed around the unconscious woman, the helmet being last to appear.
The floor shook loudly, long cracks formed deep in the wall and all lights went out in the room. The city's main generator had been overloaded. An incessant rumbling shook the buildings like leaves in the wind. Isha never felt such fright in her lifetime. The thought of her beautiful city being crushed underneath this monstrous titan was more than she could bear. Hot tears ran freely down her cheeks as an oval portal opened in front of her.
"Go to elves, find Celeborn and Thranduil," Gandalf bellowed loudly, a long worried frown clear to see on his weary face.
"What about you?!" She yelled through the noise of the portal.
"There is no hope for me. Good luck, Isha of the Elvan."
She wanted to scream but her whole body was absorbed into the magical doorway and everything went dark.