A/N: Yay! New chapter! Soooo, how's everyone feeling about these new turns of events? Hm? J It's all starting to piece together! The last chapter until the first installment is over! And then…onto my favorite of the trilogy! ^o^
Disclaimer: Nope! Though I do own the extended editions of the whole trilogy! MWHAHAHAHAH!!! Song belongs to Enya.
May it be an evening star, Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls, Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road, How far you are from home
Mornië utúlië (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornië alantië (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
May it be the shadows call, Will fly away
May it be your journey on, To light the day
When the night is overcome, You may rise to find the sun
~~~Chapter Ten~~~ A Break In The Fellowship
The thing growled furiously and it took nothing at all for the teen to release a blast of magic at it. The creature stumbled back, dazed and confused.
"Run Frodo! Run now!" Valo yelled to the terrified Ring Bearer.
Thank the Valor the Halfling did as he was told without question. Then again, with a face like that snarling at him, it shouldn't have been too difficult to comply. He erected a large shimmering shield to push the orcs now swarming around him back. They hacked at his shield viciously, sending jolts of pain coursing through him. His magic was a physical being to him, connecting him to it. It was a part of him. It flickered as his strength waned and began to fail. He was going to die…For the first time, he actually contemplated death. These Orcs didn't belong to his Master. They bore white face paint. They wouldn't think twice about destroying him with the others. His shield fell with a cry of despair from it's maker. Matching grins and snarls of triumph and promised pain echoed from the enemy, merely wetting their appetite for blood.
Just as the crowd began to step forward around him with raised weapons ready to strike, a figure leapt into the clearing, taking them all off guard. Several Orcs fell prey to their inattention and the sword that came down on them with all of the force of the defender behind it. Boromir slashed and bled his opponents quickly and with the efficiency of a true warrior of Gondor. He hauled Valo up with one hand, half dragging him forward through the trees. The Orcs howled their obscene war cries, attacking from all sides with every opportunity. Valo more than once felt the sting of a close call of some Orc's sword, shallow cuts but distracting nonetheless. He'd never seen his own blood before yet somehow the image looked vaguely familiar to his mind's eye. Boromir gave him a rather hard yank as they approached another valley between two hills. The Orcs were racing around them in an uproar, each trying for the best angle. Their disorganization gave the Man just enough to time to get three good blows out of the horn tied round his belt. The drain that power he had used was beginning to bare down on Valo and his feet seemed to be tied to the very rocks of the earth.
"Run! Run!" The Man yelled back to him as the Orcs kept coming for them.
Valo barely had time to react when Boromir jerked backwards, an arrow jutting sickeningly from his shoulder. He wasn't sure if it was him screaming or the Man himself. Valo watched as the warrior he had come to empathize with so much over their journey, shook off the pain he was in and continued to fight on heroically. Why wouldn't his feet move? Why was he so halted by the horror now racing through his whole being? Why was he so useless…? A second arrow hit Boromir in the stomach, forcing tears to spring to emerald eyes. No…no! Brown eyes looked at him in an expression of almost disbelief. An Orc came at them both, sword raised and all the man could do was raise his own and continue fighting. Why didn't Boromir just stay down?! Why did he have to keep fighting?! He would die! Terror for his companion rooted Valo to the spot, enough that when the third arrow hit it's mark, taking the swordsman to his knees, he didn't even question the sudden tingling that took hold of him. His mind seemed to slip into a furious static place and all he knew was the desire for vengeance. He witnessed the world from a different perspective suddenly. Everything was divided into enemy and ally. He took up Boromir's fallen sword.
The blade cut through Orc flesh like butter. He didn't know where he'd learned to fight since he had never held a blade before only that it was an exhilarating feeling. Like the feeling he got from kissing Legolas except darker and more bloodthirsty. And oh, did he thirst. Orc blood was black and thick and dribbled down his face in fat flecks as he defended the Man who had saved his life. He could hear nothing but the harsh scraping of Boromir's breaths behind him. Not the clang of Orc armor as they ran, nor the crunch of leaves underfoot. Not Merry and Pippin's juvenile war cries nor the footsteps of friendlier opponents approaching. His eyes must have been blazing past his tears for the burn he felt there. When the leader of the Orcs approached, snarling with arrow raised towards them, Valo gave a furious hiss back. The creature seemed to observe him for a long moment, taking in his orange eyes and threatening hiss. No doubt he saw him for what he was. A monster…Aragorn jumped out of nowhere, taking the thing down with him with a furious cry. Legolas and Gimli busied themselves with the other enemies while that stranger part of Valo began to slowly fade into the background.
He felt his shaking fingers release the blade, hearing it hit the ground with a dull thud as if through a veil. He turned to Boromir behind him who lay gasping for air through his broken body. He had collapsed at the base of the hill though he tried to give Valo a reassuring smile.
"You did very well…No doubt you will make someone very proud someday…" He choked and Valo felt his tears return with full force.
Make someone proud someday…no. There would be no one for someone like him. Boromir was dying. Even he could see it. Would this be the fate that awaited Legolas if he stayed with him? No, his death would probably be much more horrifying. His Master would see him and his Elven love punished for his transgressions. He was sentencing Legolas to death…just as surely as he had sentenced Boromir. He Man had been injured trying to protect him. And now…He gave a choked sob, clinging to Boromir's hand desperately. He couldn't lose anyone else! He just couldn't! Soon he would have no one!
"Please don't go…!" He begged the Man, tenderly wiping his face of blood as the battle continued on around them, all of them unawares of the other.
Legolas set a hand on his shoulder, gently pulling the sobbing teen away as Aragorn ran to his fallen brother in arms. Valo watched with an aching heart as the Men said their last goodbye. The bodies of dead Orcs littered the ground around them. It was no fitting place for a son of Gondor to be laid to rest. Valo had to focus on something other than the death of the Man before him. Frodo had escaped. He was beyond their reach now. Sam too. And the remaining Orcs had carried off the last two hobbits kicking and fighting the whole way. He could hear Boromir take his final breath and he knew the Man was at peace at last. Aragorn said a prayer over his comrade. Valo quickly buried his face in Legolas's shoulder, unwilling to see the Ranger commit their fellow to the boat at the shore. Strong, toned arms wrapped around him compassionately, whispering a soft prayer in Sindarin above his head. So was laid to rest the great Son of Gondor. No longer would he grace the halls of the White Tower. They set him to rest along with his shield and his sword towards a warrior's burial on the Falls. Legolas quickly seized the other boat, already pushing it out into the water.
"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern shore!" He urged, turning to their leader for fellowship.
Valo went to obey but Gimli's hand on his still tear streaked face prevented him from following. Aragorn strapped on the arm guards pensively, watching his brother float away down the Anduin. The Ranger gave a grieving sigh and turned to the Elf, warring in his deep eyes. They could see the Hobbits across the river heading into the woods. Valo had never felt so hopeless in his entire lifetime.
"You mean not to follow them." Legolas said with desolation. It was not a question after all.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."
What now? What would they do now? The quest was a failure. The Dark Ones would come for Valo now once they had the Ring and killed Frodo. Middle Earth would fall to the Dark Lord and the ones he held dearest would suffer the most of anyone…Gimli walked over to them, his heavy boots a reassuring sound against the soft dirt of the shore side.
"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed." He said in that deep husky voice of his.
His voice was downtrodden. Legolas was staring ahead as if he were in disbelief, unable to accept the consequences of their inaction. It was not consoling to Valo. To see these strong men he had come to depend on so lost and hopeless was a deep blow. Would he ever feel secure again? Safe and warm and comforted? Would they return to Rivendale now with news of their failure? Would Legolas leave his behind in the elf city in his grief, leaving Valo to the grace of the Valar and his Elven captors? Aragorn put a calming arm around his shoulders, giving him a gentle squeeze of comfort.
"Not if we hold true to each other." He could see the anguish leak from the eyes of their comrades, determination spilling in to replace their loss, "We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left! Leave all that can be spared behind."
The Dwarf and Legolas jumped to action quickly. Valo could only stare out at Aragorn collecting his weapons, his own hope a seedling held in the bosom of doubt. Could they do this? Could he do this? Make his way past this second loss, this overwhelming grief once more? He had done it the first time. While he still dearly grieved for Gandalf, he had learned to make his way passed it, to accept it. Would he too come to accept Boromir's passing? Aragorn gave him an unwavering, firm nod and a brief smile.
"We travel light, Valo. Let's hunt some Orc!"
Gimli gave an excited, resolute yell of anticipation and chased off after the Ranger who was beginning to turn to the woods behind them. Legolas's eyes were shining with the desire to aid Frodo in any way possible. He took Valo's hand tenderly, leading him along as they ran. Valo had never felt more alive than he did right then with his friends at his side and his beloved's hand in his own. They ran together towards danger and desire and the red dawn.
A/N: WOO HOO!! The last of the first volume!! Look to the next volume called The Sleeper Stirs. It will be posted as new story but it will be in volume two where the story starts to diverge from cannon. Upcoming: more of Legolas and Valo! More Valo magic! Big Battles and Bigger discoveries!