Hello again everyone. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Here is the next chapter that will hopefully tie things together for you. Please let me know what you think, it means a lot to me.
Nemo : thank you, i'm really happy you like it enough to stick with me the whole way :)
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, i only own my OC's and the plot of Faolan.
"Father?"
Images suddenly began flashing through her mind and she closed her eyes and held her head in one hand as she tried to focus. Her ring hummed and suddenly the images began to slow
Lightning lit the dark sky above her and a volcano suddenly erupted, spewing lava and hurling flaming rocks in every direction. Red eyes and the sound of vicious growls surrounded her. Hoards of werewolves were illuminated by the light of the volcano, watching her.
She reached out to one, but pulled back when it tried to bite her.
She tried again with another, it whined in pain and looked at her with pleading eyes.
It howled in fear when a fiery light shined upon it and a golden ring wrapped around the werewolf's neck. The creature's eyes began to glow red as it began to growl at her.
Suddenly there was another growl behind her, and the werewolves stepped back as a pure white light began surrounding her, pushing back the darkness.
Fravardin looked behind her for the source of the light. She stared as her eyes fell on the great white wolf standing before her with glowing golden eyes and a strange symbol marked onto its shoulder. The woman turned again when a great mighty screech echoed around them, and this time her eyes fell on a great eye resting at the top of a high tower. Its flaming gaze watched them as a feeling of fear and dread began to edge its way into the woman's mind.
The wolf came forward, blocking the evil light from reaching her. The eye screeched in anger and Fravardin felt the dread leaving her as it was replaced with something else; something she couldn't quite explain.
The wolf let out an all mighty howl and the light exploded outwards. The werewolves' growls became silent as they vanished, and the great flaming eye let out one last screech as it too disappeared and the light engulfed her.
Fravardin opened her eyes to the starry night sky. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and looked around.
'How strange…' she thought.
The last thing she remembered was seeing Vucic across the river before the strange vision seemed to attack her. The incident must have knocked her unconscious. Looking around now, there was no sign of the man. She looked at the ring on her finger and noticed the citrine gem was glowing and humming.
'That wolf…' she thought as images from the vision came back to her.
"Faolan." The woman looked up at the sound of her Elvish name.
Oh.
"I'm still dreaming." She stated while staring at the great wolf that was now standing before her.
"In a way." It replied simply. Fravardin's eyebrows furrowed in confusion; that voice sounded familiar.
"Who are you?" the wolf tilted its head, as if trying to decide the best way to answer her question before walking towards her and lowering its head; touching it's nose to the glowing ring and then bringing its eyes up to meet hers.
"My ring?" She brought it up to inspect, noticing the gem was still glowing. Her eyes shot up to meet the wolf's own as they widened in realization.
"My ring! That voice I had heard when I first put it on. That was you was it not?" the creature nodded.
"My name is Aysel Edrie, call me what you wish. I am the spirit that resides within your ring." The spirit stated, watching her calmly.
"Edrie…"she repeated to herself. She tilted her head in curiosity and crossed her arms over her chest.
"My uncle gifted this ring to me many years ago. Was he aware of your presence? Why do you reside in the gem?" Edrie walked forward and sat beside the woman; looking up at the moon.
"Yes, he was aware; as were those in possession of the ring before him. I have lived within the ring since it was forged many centuries ago." The spirit looked at Fravardin.
"But… why?" she asked. The wolf sighed.
"I am sure that Sergio must have told you this after your abilities had been awakened, but the blood of the werewolf was running in your veins long before you were bitten that night." Fravardin nodded.
"Yes. He told me that my ancestors were part of the Reylene Lucia; the Wolves of Light who maintained order amongst the rest of our kind. They were the only werewolves with coats as pure as the light of the moon, and their eyes glowed with the deepest color of citrine." She paused as she looked at the spirit.
"Like you." She concluded.
"Yes, like me." Edrie nodded.
"I was one of the last surviving Lucia. Many centuries ago, a werewolf named Feardorcha came into contact with the Dark Lord Sauron; who convinced him that we were a hindrance to the true nature of werewolves and would only bring about the extinction of our kind. Sauron offered him a great power; one that would allow him to wipe out all light, and bring about a new age of darkness. He gathered many loyal followers and formed a pack known as the Karas Zie. This pack stood for everything that the Lucia were against and they too had defining characteristics; fur as black as the darkness that they carried within their hearts, and eyes as red as the blood that they spilled." Fravardin's eyes widened. The spirit nodded in confirmation of what the woman was thinking.
"The Zie began to slaughter all the wolves of Lucia, gaining more followers as they went. Those who were not of the Light that would not join them were either slaughtered or converted using Feardorcha's power. I went into hiding, and soon became one of the few surviving Lucia. I managed to disappear for many years and was able to start a new family outside the life of a werewolf. My husband was an ordinary man, a farmer. We had a daughter who inherited my abilities and became a Lucia, and we had a son who was human like his father. They both grew up and started their own families. The ring was soon after forged to represent what was left of the Reylene Lucia and was worn by my daughter. I soon learned, however, that the Zie had not given up their hunt. Late one night, on a full moon, they came for us."
"Try as we might, we were outnumbered, and they killed my daughter and her family, as well as my husband. I fought with everything I had, but was soon defeated as well. Even the light of the full moon could not save us from Feardorcha's power. As I lay dying near the bodies of my beloved family, I used all of my remaining strength to reach for my daughter's hand; to hold her one last time before I too passed. A great spirit must have heard our anguish that night; for although I did not survive that night, my spirit held onto the ring and survived. The Zie left convinced their job was done. The next morning my son, who had moved to a different village to start his own family, arrived for a visit and found us. He took the ring, and buried us within Amon Hen near Argonath; the great monument dedicated to the great kings of Gondor. With a heavy heart, he journeyed back to his family in Tasneem. The ring became an heirloom, passed on to the eldest child of the bloodline. When they came of age, the child would try on the ring to see if they inherited 'the gift'. I waited for a very long time for a proper heir to appear." Edrie paused for a moment to take a long breath before resuming her story.
"Then, three hundred years after my death, Sergio passed the ring on to you. It was that same night that history seemed to repeat itself. Feardorcha realized that after all this time my line still lived and once again gathered a few of his followers. They traveled to the village of Tasneem and killed every living soul they came across. It was Feardorcha himself that chased you into the woods and killed your mother. It was him that bit you that night."
"But something changed that night. You should have died, even with the light of the full moon." The wolf tilted her head and looked at the woman curiously.
"You did not die though. Biting you seemed to release the powers that had lain dormant within you, as well as something else. When you fell unconscious, you released a great light that pushed away the darkness and sent Feardorcha away. It was that moment that a new hope was born for our kind. You healed, and when you came of age and put the ring on I had finally found my heir." she finished.
Fravardin sat in a shocked silence, staring at the Lucia before her. She covered her face with her hands and took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself from the panic threatening to consume her.
"There is something else…" the spirit said sadly. The woman didn't bother looking up and kept her face covered.
"Your father…" she started. Fravardin slightly shook her head back and forth between her hands.
"When he disappeared all those years ago, it was because he had been summoned. Even though he had tried to leave that life behind long before then, he had to follow Saruman's will; he had to answer Feardorcha's call." The woman began shaking her head more fiercely in denial.
"He was there that night-"Fravardin had heard enough.
"No! No more! I will hear no more about him; it is too much to bear." Edrie looked at her sadly.
"There is still hope." The spirit said. Fravardin looked up at her with tear filled eyes and the wolf continued.
"You are Reylene Lucia. Although there are some who wanted the darkness, there were also those who have been trapped in it by the power that Sauron gave to Feardorcha. You have the power to save them." The woman rubbed her eyes and sat in silence for a moment.
I can save them?
"How?" she asked as hope began to stir in her mind.
"Sauron himself was defeated long before my death, but his soul lived on through his ring; much like I lived on through yours."
"The ring of power, the One ring." Fravardin stated. Her uncle had told her the story long ago. Edrie nodded.
"To destroy the ring would mean destroying all that remains of Sauron; his armies patrolling Middle-Earth, and his hold on the creatures under his control. Only after the ring is destroyed, can you hope to save our kind. We have suffered much at his hand, for much of the world sees us as our dark brothers and sisters. It is up to you to change that." Fravardin nodded in understanding.
"It will be destroyed." She said determinedly. Edrie stood and moved to stand in front of the woman.
"You will not have to face this journey alone. There are others who have set out to accomplish the same task, but they will be faced with many challenges. News of Isildur's heir has reached Mordor. He is the only man that Sauron fears; for many of the same reasons that Feardorcha fears you. The Karas Zie has begun to regroup by the command of Sauron, and under the leadership of Feardorcha they will begin searching for the ring; just as the Nazgul and many others. The Fellowship, as they have been named, will be faced with all of these threats and will need help." Fravardin stood, resolve shining in her eyes.
"Then I shall help them." She said. Edrie looked at her with hope in her eyes.
"You must go to Amon Hen. That is where your journey will truly begin." The woman nodded.
The great wolf began to glow as the ring hummed. Fravardin shielded her eyes from the bright light until it faded.
Have faith Faolan, you carry a new light to push back the darkness.
She gasped and opened her eyes. The blue sky was clear and bright as birds flew overhead. Standing up, Fravardin looked around and saw her fiddle lying where she had left it by Fidel's grave. Her horse was standing by the tree line of the forest, grazing in the grass. She watched it for a moment before bringing her hand up and looking at the ring. It hummed in agreement as if it read her thoughts. The woman walked over to the animal and removed its saddle and harness before rubbing its neck and giving it a hug.
"You have been through a lot with me my friend, but it is time for us to part ways. I fear where I must go is too dangerous for you, and I can run faster than you can." She said with a sad smile. The horse whinnied and nudged her shoulder in affection and understanding.
"Perhaps you could travel back to Rivendell, and we can meet again one day?" the woman asked hopefully. The horse bobbed its head up and down and nudged her again. She gave it one last hug before coaxing it into a walk.
"Go on then, until we meet again." she watched sadly as her friend walked back through the woods and disappeared.
Turning, she looked at the supplies taken out of the saddle bags. She would not be able to carry them with the form of travel she had in mind. Fravardin checked to make sure she still had her dagger, bow, and quiver; it would be all she could take. Turning again, the woman looked one last time at the village and sighed.
"I will be back again one day." She vowed before stepping towards the river and taking a deep breath, closing her eyes.
Opening them again she stepped back before running at the river and jumping high into the air, crossing the water and landing gracefully on four legs on the other side. A great white wolf turned its citrine eyes towards the village of Tasneem one last time before turning and disappearing into the forest.
This chapter was a bit longer, but i feel like it ran on for a bit too long but i did not know what I should take out. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, i would really appreciate it :)
until next chapter
~Cooking-ninja