Another Darkness

Chapter 6: More Than Gems

**Voron and Orma**

The humans (followed by a hidden elf) came to the Erebor after hearing that Vicor Bard and a mysterious woman left Lake Town to the Lonely Mountain.
"What is she hoping to find there? And why is she going with some stranger after she abandoned us?" Voron asked, sulking. Orma rolled her eyes and glared at the thief.
"Does it matter. We just need to make sure she's safe so we can continue on this quest."
"Why did you agree to go on it anyway, a valuable member of society like yourself?" Orma frowned at him and ignored the question, turning her attention back to the mountain.
"I wonder what she's looking for?"

**Ithil**

She could feel the pull of it, calling to her. It was euphoric the closer she got. It was harder to focus on using her strength to keep her from falling. Then it hit her hard. Like it was trying to meld with her.
"It seems the Arkem stone is not the only precious thing to come from this mountain," Vicor said as he watched her dazed smile.

Without a second thought, Ithil began hammering into the mountain with one of her 'axes until the metal hit something that sung through the mountain. Ithil dug the object out of the rocks with her fingers, unfeeling of the scratches. It was a desperate action, as though she needed to hold whatever it was with such need that it was consuming her.

Ithil's long, pale fingers dragged out a stone from the wall. It was a beautiful purple colour, speckled with blue flecks, the stone was glowing like a pulse. Ithil gazed at it's beauty in awe, she felt it encompass her like a warm embrace. Her body then ached and screamed in agony as she watched what she thought was a beautiful stone turned into a jagged red stone that wrapped around her wrist, burning her as it went. Ithil set her feet on a small ledge and moved to rip it off her, only to have the stone wrap around her other wrist like hand cuffs. Then, Ithil went blank, her eyes faded as she lost consciousness. A powerful magic overtook her and she began to fall.

Vicor yelled as she fell, only just managing to grasp ahold of her. Only now they were stuck as Vicor only had one hand holding onto his 'axe and an unconscious girl in the other.
"Well, isn't this just my day. I've saved you twice and all I get is sass," Vicor mumbled to himself. He looked to the girl.
"I should just let you go..." he grumbled. Vicor sighed and pulled her up and moved her arms to loop around his neck. The surprisingly light girl was easy to lift. Vicor began climbing back up the cavern wall, mumbling under his breath.
"We should have just found some rope or something."

A roar erupted from beneath the darkness below. The sound was angry and haunting. Vicor looked to the sound to see something moving beneath the darkness.
"Oh, well isn't that grand? Of course there's something evil. She touched something magical. Great," Vicor hissed as he picked up his pace. The creature screeched below.
"No wonder the dwarves left." The two made it over the edge and Vicor scooped her up in his arms and began running to the exit. He could hear clawing and scraping of stones as though they were crying out under the strain of the beast.
"Please don't be a dragon," he shouted at it. The thing roared in response. They ran through the halls of Erebor like demons were nipping at their feet. As he ran, he spotted a pair of odd looking people snooping around. One was a giant of a woman and the other was a lithe man.
"RUN!" He shouted. Their eyes snapped to him and saw Ithil in his arms and a giant shadow of a beast behind him and took his word for gospel. The trio and the unconscious woman sped through the Dwarven halls, desperate to get away from their hunter.

They burst out of the Erebor, taking a breath to look behind them. There it was they saw the giant beast in full. It was a shadowy thing, barely taking solid form, yet the presence of it was undeniable. The ground crunched beneath it, and the air moved around it. It was a hulking thing with smaller hind legs than it's front legs. It had a snarling muzzle filled with razor teeth. It's eyes were glowing red and angry, focused on the the Ithrandur. It had claws as long as swords, but curved like the eagles talons. Down the beast's spine were spikes of spine leading all the way into a whipping tail. It roared at them and began to slowly step out of the mountain as the sun set behind frosty peaks.

"Shadow Hound," Orma spoke under her breath like the very word was a curse. Vicor looked to his unexpected companions.
"Anyone up for a little fight then?" he asked with a small smile, despite dreading a battle with a Shadow Hound. They had not been seen among those of the mainlands in millennia. Vicor put Ithil down quickly and drew his two short swords. Orma with her great sword and, rather reluctantly, Voron with his knife.
"How do we kill it?" Voron asked as the beast stalked forward, head low.
"I haven't the faintest idea," Vicor replied honestly. The Shadow Hound roared once again and flickered, the thing seemed to wisp out of existence like fog, only to reappear on the other side of them.

The group pivoted as the thing attacked, claws out and bounding. Thus beginning an arduous task of fighting the Shadow Hound. Whilst it was clear that the beast felt pain and could in fact be injured, it was resilient to their attacks. Often moving in a smokey wisp. Suddenly an arrow flew between the beasts eyes, and another quickly into it's heart, if it did have one. The beast roared and seemed to be bursting from the inside in a burst of light.

The group turned to see Legolas standing on a tall rock above where Ithil lay. He looked down on them from above in acknowledgement.
"Didn't Gandalf say for you to stay at the Elven King's halls?" Orma asked with a short smile, not particularly mad at the elf who had saved their lives.
"If I did, you would never have killed that Dae uuvanimo," Legolas told them before jumping down and landing beside Ithil.
"Whose blondie?" Vicor asked, "Actually, who are any of you?"
"We should be asking you the same thing," Legolas snapped back.
"I am Vicor Bard, of Lake Town. Now who are you?" Legolas looked at Vicor.
"Bard?" he mumbled.
"I am Orma and this is Voron, we are companions to Ithil."
"And you?" Vicor asked the elf.
"Legolas Greenleaf," he answered with no small amount of pride. "What happened to Ithil?"
"She touched some kind of gem under the mountain and it clung onto her."
"We need to get her back to mirkwood. My father may know what to do."
"Fine," Orma agreed.
"Wait, I'm coming with you!"
"What is your interest in Ithil?" Voron asked the man curiously.
"I saved her...twice. Feel a little responsible for her. Besides, for all I know, you could be the ones trying to kill her. Although most likely the friends she was running from."
"I don't see a problem with it," Voron admitted. Legolas frowned.
"Only because I knew Bard..." Legolas agreed. The elf scooped up Ithil, holding her close to him.
"Should perhaps I carry her?" Vicor asked.
"No, I am stronger than you anyway."
"Maybe he should, Leg-" Orma began.
"No."

The companions began walking towards Mirkwood, with each step, Legolas felt better with Ithil pressed against him. Her hot breath brushed against his neck and he could feel her heart beating. As they journeyed she had not stirred once. If he did not have these small things to tell him she was alive, he would have thought her dead.

Within two days they had returned to the Elven King's Halls. They entered the magnificent kingdom once more, only silence fell as eyes looked upon the Ithrandur's unconscious form, none of them quite able to understand their sorrow. They made their way to the throne room to find Thranduil once again on his throne. The Elven King's blazing blue eyes fell on Ithil and he immediately stood.
"You found her, I see," Thranduil spoke coolly. He had time to reflect on his actions since the woman interrupted his life, and it was clear to him he needed more restraint of his emotions around her and her companions.
"Yes, father. She was in the Erebor. She found something under the lonely mountain that clung to her and sent her into a sleep. When I got there, they were being attacked by Shadow Hound," Legolas spoke quickly in Elvish. Thranduil nodded stoically.
"Take her to the healers, I'm sure they will be able to fix the girl. Oh, by the way, since you failed to remember the Dwarf you left here with no instructions, he has been harassing my kin. Kindly reign him in before I lose my patience and hold him in a cell until he rots." Legolas nodded and moved towards the healers quarters. He gave Orma a look, telling her to find Jorund.

The healers looked at Ithil once before shaking their heads sadly.
"We cannot get her out of that. It is something she must do herself. As we speak, she is fighting a battle in her mind to return to us. Take her to her chambers and we will have to wait for her to gather the strength. It's a way the stone chooses the right wielder for it. Although we are unsure the exact nature of the stone, we know it is a life stone."
"A life stone?" Legolas asked in confusion.
"Yes, a stone with magical properties that chooses a master by putting them through some trial. Many do not succeed in the task, but if one does, it is bound to them for life."
"So she may lose, what then?"
"She will sleep forever, the stone will vanish."

Legolas took in this news as he carried her to her chambers. He knew so little about Ithil that he knew not whether she had the strength to fight the Life Stone. He lay her on her bed and drew the white silk sheets around her, laying her arms above so he could see the red stone that encompassed her hands. Her face was peaceful, despite the battle he knew she would be having.

**Gandalf**

Gandalf the white had received word of Ithil, finding out everything about her situation whilst he sat in counsel with Galadriel and Lord Elrond in the form of a note sent by a hawk from the Mirkwood. He frowned at the parchment in thought, not hearing what the dark haired elf lord was saying.
"What is in the note, Mithrandir?" Galadriel asked with concern. He looked to her.
"Ithil has been found, bound in trial with a life stone," he told them. Elrond ceased talking and frowned.
"How did she come by that?"
"She found it under the Erebor, along with a Shadow Hound. She has been taken back to the Elven King's halls to heal.
"Do we know the power of this stone yet?" Elrond asked.
"Not yet, I am afraid. I must leave and return to Mirkwood."
"I believe it wise that we join you," Galadriel told him softly, looking to Elrond in search of agreement.
"I think so, it would be wise to have us there for when she awakes, if she does. Not all Life Stones are for good. Some are more dangerous than any could imagine."
"Ithil is a good person," Gandalf answered the hidden accusation.
"With a bitter past. We know not of her character, only that she is involved in all of this. Whether it is with us or against us only time will tell."
"Then let us go to Mirkwood and hope for Ithil's recovery. Although I must warn you and urge you to remember, not to get to close. She is an Ithrandur and can be a danger to even the elf lords," Gandalf warned in sincerity. Already secretly fearing for Thranduil and Legolas being in her company so much. There was so little to know about the ancient Ithrandur, that none of them, not even Elves could be certain of what enrapture with her could lead to.