"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."― J.R.R. Tolkien

Note: The cover image is of Glorfindel.

Darkness. It was everywhere and nowhere. Fire it was all consuming.

"Run!" His voice was hoarse from yelling. Soot and debris covered what was once the great city of Gondolion. A nearby roof caught ablaze the heat of the sun did naught but assist in fanning of the flames. A nearby explosion of fire rocked the ground nearly throwing him off balance. The sky was dark with ash.

"Ecthelion fall back! Fall back we cannot win!" But Ecthelion was too far and too deep in orc blood to hear his cries.

"Ecthelion!" He yelled again willing his heavy legs to carry him. An orc tore through the ranks running for a small elfin child wailing in the streets. "Akenalla, Run!Rima! Nurta!" His commands fell on deaf ears. The youngling's eyes were glazed in fear.

"Naneth! Adar!" She whimpered as he ran toward her. Someone hit his helm from behind he cursed under his breath and turned swiftly slicing the cursed creatures torso in twain. With a war cry he cut down two more orcs dodging the first axe side stepping and bringing it down on the beast's comrade. He then felled it with a parry of his blade.

Thank Eru! He had done it! He blocked the blow from the orc intercepting the blow meant for the child. The child's blue eyes registered him."Diola lle!"

"You're safe now. Run to the pass!" His urgent voice imbedded itself into the young ones still frightened mind. She rose in a fluid motion and with a youthful grace and agility ran toward the mountains. He allowed himself to smile briefly. Perhaps all was not lost. If he could save one he could-! His eyes widened at the sight of an orc taking aim. Valar protect her! He started toward her but time seemed too slow his limbs failed him too tired from fighting even elves are not infallible. And he had been fighting for two sunsets now.

He fell to his knees as the child fell. Ilúvatar! WHY? He keeled over spitting out blood. A rib had pierced his lung at some point. He had been holding out but now. The smell, the butchering of elves, the taste of soot and metal thick in his mouth it was overwhelming.

The moment passed he forced himself toward Ecthilion once more. Heavy limbs yelling in protest. Why was the retreat not sounded yet? "ECTHELION!" But Ecthelion was nowhere in sight. He ran toward the hordes of orcs. A large brute was holding an elf like a dried twig over his head. The beast roared spit and acid mixing as one. The earth groaned in pain at the pits that formed from his spray. The orcs around him chanted in guttural growls. The beast roared once more and the elf yelled as the beast snapped him.

Eru have mercy! He ran toward the balrog ignoring the swarming orcs using their heads as stepping stones. In a fluid motion he flipped and snatched the elf landing somewhat unsteadily losing his blade midleap and rushing away to a distance.

"Gl or fin del." The elf gasped.

"Saes! Open your eyes!"

Grey eyes flickered open briefly studying him. The battle seemed to pause as a small escort of elves charged to buy the fleeing time, time that would not be enough.

"Looks like my road ends here mellon nin." A chuckle escaped Ecthelion.

"Saes! I'll staunch the wound just fight the darkness!" Glorfindel begged as he tore a strip of his own clothe staunching the seeping wound. The laugh grew weaker. Ecthelion's hand clamped over his own. "Go, you can do nothing here mellon nin, saes save those who still walk the realms of the living." He whispered. The ancient eyes ran over the bloodied battlefield filled with chanting curses and elven agony. "Saes, let them know we stand, even if Ilúvatar stands not with us. Let them know what we were, what we can be." Ecthelion choked on the last words hacking coughs covering what little of his own armor was still not drenched in blood. Tears fell unbidden leaving tracks on his grime crusted face. On tracks he had not realized had already existed. How long had he been crying? When had he last not cried?

He gently lowered his friend closing the listless eyes with lids. Ecthelion was right. Now was not the time to mourn. There would be a time for that later if he survived. "We shall be remembered mellon nin. I swear it on Eru!"

With a battle cry he ran at the balrog. Red haze filled his eyes his veins sung in unison with his soul his hunting dagger in his hands. He jumped at the beast tackling it. It spit acid on his armor but he cared not. He struggled as it gained the upper hand pinning him to the ground. He kicked at it coming face to face with the monster.

Someone was calling him. It was faint but growing louder and laced with more fear at each beckoning.

Eyes snapped open silver eyes with tear tracks going down the handsome face and well developed jaw meeting a deeper blue. He gasped sweat trickling down his brow the cold forest wind chilling him to the bone.

He found himself in a hand lock with the younger elf his blade pressed to the neck.

The realization hit Glorfindel in the gut. It had been but dream. And what a dream it had been! "Eru's name! Are you mad?"

"Mae govannen." The younger elf grunted pushing him off.

"What in Valor's name were you thinking I could have killed you!" Glorfindel released his hold easing himself of the elf and running a hand through his now matted hair.

"You taught me better than that."

Unforgiving eyes met worried ones. "Are you, are you …" Arrai trailed off.

The elder elf sighed waving away the question. "Only a dream."

"You were yelling." The gaze of the younger elf pierced through the elder one. It was as if Oropher had just come fresh of the battlefield the light dimming in his eyes as he asked after the health of his men. Ilúvatar! Why had he lived when so many had died?

The silence that followed was not broken for a time each plagued with thought on what had occurred in his own way. At length and because it was exceedingly uncomfortable in sweat sheened tunics Glorfindel rose. "I need a dip in the river." He stated bluntly because he had long learned that humor made light even the heaviest of burdens and he had thousands of years to test this revelation.

Arrai looked at Glorfindel scandalized as if the former had just suggested borrowing Elrond's favorite mount without his knowledge. Mischievous eyes met tired silver. "Ai Valar! What must we resort to, to frighten off the orcs?"

The laughter that followed was sure to wake every cricket that made its home in the northern outskirts of Lothlórien. Glorfindel could not remember when last he had laughed with so little restraint. Such blatant disrespect for age! He had taught the son of Thranduil well. The house of Orpharion needed more elves with a decent sense of humor. Thranduil's stoic self was doing his father little justice. Taking a dip in the Anduin was uncommon but not a rarity as elves were usually strong enough to withstand any high current.

Arrai stood sentinel as his mentor cleansed himself. In times like these it was best not to let down your guard even if you were only minutes away from the safest of realms on middle earth. His thoughts turned to Glorfindel's trashing. It would shake anyone to the core to see someone so restrained not even wincing when taking an arrow to be yelling in such agony at a mere dream. The darkness was growing. Glorfindel spoke little of it to him and Elrond took it upon himself to instill all the lore he could into a prince of Mirkwood. But Elrond was keeping something from him. He could feel it. He fingered the silver design on his bow. He did not feel like he was fit to lead. At least Valar blessed him with being the younger of the two, he would always be just prince it seemed.

At length Glorfindel emerged sporting a dark green tunic. They made it back to camp and he lit a fire of dead twigs. A bird's call was heard in the woods. Dark blue eyes met silver. "You are leaving me."

Glorfindel sighed forcing his eyes on the dried fruit rations he was breaking open. "This battle is not yours."

"I have learned well! Is it not enough?"

"You are prince…"

"Prince of what?" He yelled suddenly losing his temper. "Of a forest I have never seen? People I have only heard of! Of a father who has never asked of me?"

"Arrai!" The older elf barked.

"Forgive me, it… it was wrong of me to speak such thoughts. I know the fault is not his"

Glorfindel sighed. "Let us eat." He said at length passing a cloth wrapped bag of dried fruit. Arrai accepted the food then the both of them lay on their pallets.

Rima- Run

Nurta- Hide

Diola lle-Thank you

Saes-Please

Mellon nin- My friend

Mae govannen-Well met

Next chapter, Elrohir and Elladan make an appearance, will be up tomorrow. Read and Review!