"Emi can you bring me another knife? This one is dull."

Wiping away the sweat accumulating off her brow, Rhea was more than ready to be finished cleaning the hen. It was bloody work, but it had to be done. She'd wrung its neck and chopped off the head before it could blink. Removing the feathers and feet was indeed quick, but she still had to gut the thing and while it normally took little time, the knife in her possession was dull from overuse.

Receiving no answer, the woodsman's wife turned. Emi was no long within the cabin. A small smile etched its way on her face and soon she was walking just passed the kitchen to an open window.

There, just beyond the garden where a few other women from the village were gathering vegetables for their daily meals, just within the trees, stood Emi. Her back faced the cottage, but Rhea knew she was scanning the forest that encompassed their village. Since the day she rose from her bed, Emi kept her eyes on what was around her. Always searching, always listening.

The petite woman was helpful in the kitchen and in the fields, but she was forever drawn to the forest. Rhea often sought her out, only to find their charge looking sadly into the woods.

"I told her she'd be better off laying down. She's been looking tired lately." Gregor practically snuck up on his wife, but Rhea was already used to his behavior and didn't jump at his light touch of her arm.

"I worry about her. Six days and nights have passed…Every time she attempts to leave, we tell her to stay… and she never argues. She remains…" Frowning, she looked over her shoulder to her husband, "Are we being selfish?"

"Perhaps." He sighed and moved away to set his axe next to the door. "She's been watching the woods like a hawk…"

"She says the forest is sick…"

Rubbing a hand over his face, Gregor moved back to his wife, placing his hands upon her shoulders. He knew better than anyone what the tone in her voice carried. Worry.

"Rubbish. The forest is fin-"

"You know she's right." She asserted.

There it was then. Everyone knew it, but not many talked about it. It was the first time his wife had brought up the terrible things that were going on in the forest called Mirkwood.

"Aye…I know."

"Everyone does…"

There was silence between them as they watched out the window, eyes peering over to the form of their house guest. For decades the forest grew sicker and sicker. With each passing generation, the lush green forest that many of these villagers had called home was becoming dead and barren. The Woodsmen of Greenwood was no more…This was the forest of Mirkwood now and they had to deal with all of the bad that came with the new name. Rhea's ancestors had all been woodsmen…it was only her husband who travelled far from home to settle in this place. He'd seen far more than she…and knew much more of the world. He knew of darkness.

"That Emi…she's no man."

"Of course not dear, she's a woman." Rhea teased, trying to make light of the solemn conversation.

Gregor gave a chuckle and stepped to her side, leaning against the wooden ledge of the counter. He crossed his arm and looked to his wife, with his signature smirk.

"You know what I mean."

"Aye, I do." She looked down to the few dirty cutlery sitting on the counter and picked them up, making way to the tub of warm water to clean them. "She's not like anything I've seen."

"Nor I…"

Rhea glanced up from her work to her husband, who was once more looking outside the window, focusing his gaze to Emi. Gregor always boasted stories of meeting dwarves, elves, and all manner of creatures from across the lands…but this young woman, he had no idea what to make of her.

Nothing could have prepared me for the loneliness that came with this new life. The villagers were kind and welcoming, surprising for men of the woods, but this tug on my soul was all it took for my mind to fly elsewhere. To laughing at songs…to smiles around a fire…to stormy blue eyes that craved for my attention.

I missed them. I hated it. My exit from this journey was easy. I fell, they likely mourned, and that was that. Going back would be a stupid choice. Every day had been a struggle on both my mind and body. There was friendship between all of us, but also turmoil beneath the surface as the quest for their mighty home intensified.

What could I do? Most of the time, I felt like a burden…and the other…I was wandering within my soul.

They'd been kind to me…until I put them in danger. Of course they were angry about it. I would have been…but my heart was broken and shattered. The only real love I felt was in Rivendell, where no manner of darkness could reach me. Once outside of it, I was open to Sauron. Bare to his whims.

But…

My eyes closed to a memory, just at the campfire before we set across the Misty Mountains.

"You loved me once you wretched whore! If you call me that name one more time I'll-"

"You'll what? Hurt me? Torture me? Feed me to your orcs?" I walked toward him with determination and hatred coursing into my very soul. This illusion would stop NOW. "You will do nothing. Not when you're so far away."

"You know nothing! I am more powerful than you could ever imagine!"

Fury was behind his threat. What happened to being so wise? So collected? It was gone in an instant. The moment he realized I would not be brought to my knees, he lost it.

"Prove it." Pride would get the better of him. I knew him better than he thought.

My assumption was correct. He came right at me, sword in hand. If he thought I was going to flinch, he was dead wrong. The blade came within inches of my face before it made a dead stop. The rush of wind was the only thing that hit me.

"I killed you once…what makes you so confident that I will not do so a second time?" A valid question.

"You're not nearly as powerful as you were so long ago. You've let your feelings get in the way." I brought a hand up and lightly touch the sword, pushing it away with a nimble finger. "How can you kill me, when you're so desperately in love with me?"

Once more his eyes narrowed and he took a step forward grabbing my arm and yanking me to him.

"Did you forget that I slayed you once already? Love did not stop me then and it will not stop me now." His voice hissed as he gritted his teeth in ire.

"On the contrary," I pulled my arm away. Right through his hand. He looked astounded that I was able to use the illusion against him. "Love is the only thing stopping you right now. That ring held a sway over you…and now that you no longer possess it, I can only imagine how hard it must be to use your power. To keep your strength…No physical form to hold you…You're a shadow now. A mist.

You are completely transparent, Mairon. You can't even hide your heart."

I fought him off so easily that time. Sauron was strong…but without his ring, he would never touch me.

At least, that's what I hoped.

My eyes opened to the darkening horizon. These last few days have been quiet and peaceful. In fact, it was so uneventful that I almost believed this to be a dream.

If this really was a dream…it would have to come to an end eventually.

Air pushed through my lips and the decision to go back to my hosts' home drew me through the fields. I'd done enough thinking for the day. Enough daydreaming.

Thinking my day was through, I ignored any looks and whispers a few of the villagers sent my way and continued on…until a bit of commotion had me turning back to the clearing.

A group of villagers had gathered around, looking at the ground with questionable expressions. I wouldn't have even bothered had Gregor not passed me as though he was ready for battle. I stared after him for only a moment before I rolled my eyes and jogged toward the gathering.

As I came upon the group, I could see what they were all fretting over. Three dead hogs. Nothing looked amiss. They could have been sleeping for all I knew, but there was no rise of fall of air into their lungs. No twitching of their muscles.

And their eyes were wide, as though they dropped dead right on the spot.

"There must be a sickness…"

"What of the others?"

"Should keep the rest away before they get ill."

"Burn the bodies before it spreads."

There were many voices putting in their two cents. They obviously had seen illness in animals before, so why should this be any different? Maybe they ate a deadly plant or-

My eyes snapped to Gregor, who had long since leaned down to have a look. His hand reached out to touch one of the hogs, perhaps to roll it over and check for any injuries.

I moved on instinct alone. His hand stopped short of the hog…with my fist tightly gripping his wrist.

"Do not touch them."

He looked at me with confusion and a raised brow. The other villagers murmured some words…but I heard nothing. I focused on Gregor, staring him dead in the eyes.

"What is it?" He asked as he began to move away from the hogs to stand beside me. I slowly released my grip on his wrist and looked down to the dead bodies.

"Leave them here. Do not pick them up and do not burn the bodies."

"What's gotten into you girl?"

"Who does she think she is…"

I ignored them all. Gregor was the only one I was going to pay attention to. He had saved me, after all…and he knew I was not like them. He peered down at me with intensity, trying to find something that told him what was happening, but he only stiffened and looked back to the hogs.

"What do you recommend?"

Thank the Valar. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I answered him as I glanced around at the other villagers who'd gathered.

"Lock your animals in their stalls and barns, bolt your doors, and do not come out. Your hogs were not taken by any illness of man or fauna…they were devoured by the darkness that's poisoned this forest."

Whispers and gasps mimicked each other with the group, not sure how to take this news. Some sneered at me as though I was foolish to believe such a thing. They'd either listen or not. It was their choice…I just wished it was the right one.

"Do as she says!" Gregor barked out as he turned to face the other woodsmen of this village.

"Oh come on, Gregor. You know that's a load of rubbish." One of them spat out.

Gregor took two long strides to the man and leaned in. "And what if she's right? Will you condemn you wife and children to death? What if she's right and we do not heed the warning?" That seemed to be a turning point in the conversation. "Remember what the Brown Wizard told us on his last visit? He spoke of darkness! Warned us! Now another is telling us the very same thing and you believe it's rubbish?"

The rest of the group looked at each other and one by one, they came to an understanding. Gregor must have been top dog here because they instantly rallied to his point of view. No one wanted to see their family suffer. Not a single one of them.

"Alright, what do we do?" One stepped up.

Gregor look back to me with that same smirk on his face.

"You heard 'em, girl. What do you want us to do?"

They all looked to me, eager to do my bidding to protect the ones they loved. Nothing may come of my worry, but it was better safe than sorry, right? Giving them a nod, I began to command.

And I found my place in this world, just as I had centuries ago. I was a leader…and they let me lead.

"Why the long face?" Gregor asked as he handed me a cup of what I assumed was tea. It steamed up in tendrils and the perfumes of the herbs had me sighing against my bitter, morose expression.

Instead of answering him, I simply took a sip from the tea…which was insanely hot. Holding in a cry of pain, I swallowed with the knowledge that tomorrows meals would taste like nothing. It was never a good time when you burned your tongue.

The woodsman let out a small snort and shook his head. He re positioned himself closer to the window I had been venomously leering at. Night was already upon them and the village was quiet as a mouse. It took some work, but we convinced everyone to board up their livestock and bolt themselves into their homes with their families. Not an easy task, but once Gregor said a few choice words, it was done without complaint.

"Just look at it this way; if nothing happens then there is nothing to worry about. Yes, the people may believe you were overreacting, but you were looking out for their well-being. They'll come around."

"But if I'm right…"

"Then we took the proper precautions."

Another burning gulp of tea and I was leaning into the wooden frame, bent on watching the clearing. Something was still off…and I just couldn't place it.

"You think I'm a fool, don't you?"

Gregor took a sip of his tea as well (Though I was sure it wasn't tea at all. Warm ale more like it) and let out his own indignant sigh. It brought my eyes back to him. He seemed just as frustrated as I was.

"No, I don't believe you're a fool…I just…It's hard to say."

"No, it's not." He turned to look at me through clouded eyes. I continued, "People don't want to believe that there is so much darkness in this world, but there is. Lots of it. People like to believe in fairy tales…happy endings…but most of the time these are just stories to amuse the downtrodden."

I shifted my gaze toward the window once more.

"This forest is full of darkness. Its sickness is spreading rapidly and there is nothing to stop it…and with this evil comes terrible things. Things that make nightmares look insignificant. Out there…there is no happy ending…"

The next thing I knew, there was a hand under my chin, pressing me to look toward Gregor, who leaned in to capture my mouth…or he would have. Instead he found a hand pushing his face away with me shooting daggers at him.

He blinked and pulled his face away enough to look down at me.

"I see that the only fool in this room is you."

Chuckling, he removed his fingers from my chin and gave an unapologetic smirk.

"Sorry, lass. You just looked so sad…and I thought perhaps a kiss from ole' Gregor may lighten the mood. I meant no offense."

Had he no honor? His wife was literally a room away, sleeping with their youngest child. Men. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one bloody thing on their mind.

I rolled my eyes and was about to give him a piece of my mind, when I noticed an orange glow bobbing up and down.

Gregor must have noticed it to. He furrowed his eyebrows and we both glanced out the window beside us. There was a fire, moving toward the clearing. In the glow of the light, I could see it was a man carrying a torch. He was heading straight for the hogs.

"What is that dimwit doing?!" Gregor grabbed his axe and ran toward the door in a heartbeat. I barely managed to look over as he threw the board from his door and dashed out.

"Shit!" I was running after him, but not before hurriedly grabbed Nambalos from my pack. Just before I reached the open door, Rhea appeared from the bedroom.

"What's going on?"

"Shut the door behind me!" Was all I could belt out as I ran through the door way. There was no room to argue. She did it without question.

My feet carried me across the field to the clearing where I saw the glow. I could see Gregor and the man from earlier in the group arguing and yelling at each other.

"It was a foolish idea! If we leave them out here they could rot into the ground and get more of the livestock sick! We need to burn them!"

"If we burn them, there will be nothing left for the creatures to t-"

"There is nothing in these woods! NOTHING! You're letting that girl wrap around your mind, Gregor. She'll have you believing in fairies now too, I suppose?"

In the midst of their arguing and me trying to unwrap my damn hammer from their bindings, I caught the sight of a large shadow just beyond the clearing. It was only visible because of the light pouring out around them.

I focused my vision on it and suddenly the clearness of what I was seeing threw me completely off guard…but I should have seen this coming. I knew they were in this forest.

"RUN!" I screamed as loudly as I could. I was still a distance away, not being able to move as fast as Gregor. He was taller, leaner, and was used to being outdoors.

That would hopefully help him in the next few moments.

The two of them looked at me strangely as I moved closer, huffing in my tired form.

"What's she on about now?" The man said in annoyance.

"Behind you!"

That was all Gregor needed. He spun around just in time to see the blackness of their stalker. Large and with eight legs poking out from its body, it came at them. In the light of the torch, the spider appeared, taking the other woodsman by surprise. He screamed out at it grabbed him with its legs and stabbed him with the fangs protruding from its face.

The torch fell to the ground, catching the grass on fire around it.

There was no saving the man. Gregor and I bolted away from the gargling sounds of blood and the spinning of webs to seek shelter in the wooden cottages.

But it was far too late.

Cracking tree branches and crashing roofs gave way to more screaming. The village was under attack. I stopped in my tracks and looked to Gregor. He was already clenching his axe in hand and with one loud yell, called for battle.

"TO ARMS!"

Nothing happened at first. It seemed that he was only calling to the winds, but after another long pause, doors busted open on all sides of the village and woodsmen were running out of their homes with axes, a few swords, and pitchforks. They weren't trained like an army…but they were men of the woods. They knew how to handle themselves.

With more screams against the heavy feet of men charging, the battle was on…and I was left wondering if I would even make a difference. I could lead, yes…but in a fight, I had proved less effective.

The cloth from my hammer met the ground. The bindings were finally off…and I was left standing with my weapon at the ready. I couldn't just watch as they fought by themselves.

A scream from my right tore me from the fighting men, who had managed to knock the legs off an oncoming spider. The cabin my eyes found had been caved in as a spider attack its victims. The door to it was torn open as a woman tried to help her children out of the home, crying and screaming. The spider was otherwise occupied with capturing the prey in its grasp.

I ran for them, keeping Nambalos firmly in my fist.

"Come on! This way!" I grabbed one of the children and hoisted her up into my arms while the woman snagged the hands of the other two.

I led them away from the house as she cried out to her husband who was being mauled by the spider. He couldn't be saved…there was no use in going back in. Carrying the child as fast as I could, I made it to Gregor and Rhea's cabin and pounded on the door. It was untouched and so far had no spiders near it.

"Rhea! Open the door!"

The door unlatched and swung open the hostess. She looked at me and the people I brought and without a word, hurried them inside.

We both knew there was no time to question. The village was in danger and her people were important to her.

"Get any weapons you can and try to keep the children low. I'll come back!"

I didn't turn back. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, hoping to assist the rest of the men fight off the invading spiders. They were large…much larger than I anticipated. It was something out of a horror movie. All around me I could see chaos. A home had caught on fire in the mayhem and I could clearly see spiders sacking one house after another. They were keen on taking as many morsels as possible.

A group of men were just in my sight, trying to swing at a spider with its fangs lunging at them angrily. It bat away swords and scythes as the men tried to take it on. All of their attempts were futile. The spider snagged one of the men and began to drag it off, wrapping him in a spindle of webs while the rest looked on in horror.

Another scream tore through the air and I swiveled to see two spiders fighting over a woman. She was tangled in their fangs as they began ripping her apart. Blood poured from her mouth and open wounds while she reached out for help…with no one coming. Her eyes caught mine and for an instance, the world slowed down.

She had the most beautiful blue eyes…vibrant and full of life…

Now gone as she slowly began fading. Dull as she died.

Everything came to fruition as the two halves of her body was tugged in two different directions. The spiders came to an agreement. They'd share her. One half for each spider.

As her body came apart in a garish show of gore, a small child came into view. He was crying loudly and holding onto a wooden horse. He had to be no older than three.

That boy watched his mother be torn apart by these monsters.

Suddenly the gravity of the situation was hitting and the world was coming back to me.

Enough. I've had enough. This was the world Sauron wanted. Chaos and despair.

Sorrow and fear turned to anger and determination. Fuck his world.

He can't have these people.

I ran as fast as I could. The boy was still crying loudly as I heaved him into my arms and took him away from this place of horror. He would never see his mother again, but that didn't mean he had to suffer the same death. Spotting a passing woman with a babe in her arm, I stopped her immediately. Terror stricken, she didn't even know what I was saying for a moment.

"Take this boy and go to Rhea's home!" It took me three tries, but she finally understood and took the boy into her arms.

I watched them leave, making sure that she was going the right direction. Thank the Valar she was not a daft as she looked. I turned away and looked toward the firing blaze of homes on fire and the spider that were jumping from one rooftop to the next.

The woodsmen were spread out trying to fight one at a time, but there was only so much a man could do.

The grasp on Nambalos tightened.

"Old friend…we are going to save these people." We have to…or they'll all die.

Springing into action, my boots clanged against the dirt with each stride. I was smaller than the men, but I made up for it with power. If I was truly Emi, if I was really who everyone said I was, if I am indeed who I felt I am, then I should be able to handle this.

I will handle this.

The woodsmen I came upon were trying their hardest to cut the legs from this spider, but it was proving to be just as difficult as the rest. It hissed and gnawed at the air, hoping to catch one of them with its overgrown appendage. Focused on the men, it gave no mind to me when I ran between the woodsmen and swung my hammer at it. I hit a leg and caught it off guard.

Now seeing me as a threat, it lunged at me, throwing a leg out at one of the men and knocking him away at the same time. Its teeth came within a foot of me, but my hammer held it off as I swung.

Nambalos wasn't working like it should. Though it barred anyone from touching it, burning them with a touch, the full power of this ancient weapon was not showing. Annoyed, I swung again at the spider, hoping to bash off one of its legs.

It only hissed in pain and came at me again.

Damn it!

Why wasn't this working?!

I had to help these people and I couldn't. If this had been thousands of years ago, I could have easily taken on a dozen spiders like this. No problem. One swing of my hammer and it would be over.

I was becoming exhausted by all the swinging. My arms were not used to long periods of time in battle. This body was not accustom to it…but I had to keep going. For the sake of those who took me in.

"Please…" I begged as I swung. Again, it only stunned the creature, making it angrier by the second.

"Just work."

Another swing, another false hope.

The spider was becoming as pissed off as I was. No matter how many times it came at me, I would bat it away in some idle hope that I could kill it. We were both frustrated at this point.

"Just let me help them."

After a few more rounds of back and forth, the spider was becoming agitated. It seemed to lose interest in me when I wouldn't back down and it couldn't get a hold of me. A jagged arrow hit its leg and it spun to see the other villagers trying to assist me. It gave a sideways glance to me before it made the decision to attack them instead.

I was a lost cause to it and they were an easy meal.

It effortlessly knocked away the woodsmen and grabbed one from the ground. As it began to drag the man closer to him, an axe came flying through the air, ripping its way into the skull of the spider.

It dropped dead a millisecond later. We all looked to see Gregor, spider blood covering one side of his face, standing there with his hand outstretched.

Amazing. He must have been one hell of a fighter when he was younger. New hope gleaming in the woodsmen's eyes, they scrambled to their feet and snatched up their weapons.

Gregor panted heavily as he let his hand drop to his side and looked over to me, noting the war-hammer in my possession. He smirked and opened his mouth to make some snide remark, but was ripped from his feet by a spider.

Caught off guard and without his axe, Gregor was defenseless. The spider would easily take him.

But not if I had anything to say about it.

As the other woodsmen stuck out their pikes and forks to try and loosen the grip the spider had on Gregor, I looked down at my practically worthless hammer.

"Nambalos…this is the last time. Help me. Be what you were meant to be! Fight with me! Please!" My eyes moved to the spider with Gregor in its grasp. "Help me save them!"

My legs moved of their own accord, taking me where I wanted to go. In front of me, Gregor was dangling in the air with the spider quickly wrapping its web around him, immobilizing him. With its other legs, it knocked away those that would help him.

Thinking his prey was his for the taking, he paid them no mind as he continued his work…but he looked up with his beady black eyes as I came at him.

The reflective surface of his eight eyes glowed blue as my hammer came down upon him. With an earth shattering strike, the spider had no idea what was coming.

Nambalos awoken, the power came out in a brilliant hue of blue that glowed as bright as the sun. It came down on the spider relentlessly, shattering it on impact. The moment it touched the creature, it turned to what looked like blue glass and scattered in all directions.

The spider was no more.

Gregor dropped to the ground, wriggling inside of the webbed cocoon in an attempt to escape. One of the villagers cut away the webbing with a knife and he gulped air into his lungs that was moments ago cut off.

When he glanced around, he saw pieces of glass spread out around him, glistening in the fire light.

"What in the name of-"

"Take your men to the homes and retrieve survivors." I commanded as I looked toward the remaining spiders just beyond the next home.

Gregor slowly came to his feet with the help of another woodsman and looked at me.

"We have to stop the spiders! They'll overrun us and kill everyone before daylight!"

"I will handle the spiders."

I was finally able to say with confidence that I could do this without help.

Emi was back. I was back.

"You're just a girl!" Gregor argued, trying to make a valid point. In any other instance, it would have been…but not this time.

"No. Not just a girl." Slowly I laid my eyes on him, piercing my soul into his angry eyes. "I am Emi, Daughter of Aule and Daughter of Yavanna. I am a Valar."

My words sank in. Gregor became increasingly slump as he played over what I proclaimed to be. He knows what The Valar are….The Gods.

Stepping back, he nodded in understanding and looked to my glowing weapon once more before looking to his men and nodding.

"Find survivors!" He gave me one last look…and then he was gone. "Let's go!"

I listened for them to leave, hearing their steps become quieter and quieter. My eyes stayed on this side of the village, where the spiders were attacking, ready for the coming fight…but my mind was in another place.

Here, at this very moment, I wished that my companions were present. All of them.

Bifur.

Bombur.

Bofur.

Oin.

Gloin.

Nori.

Dori.

Ori.

Balin.

Even Dwalin.

Let's not forget Thorin.

And Bilbo….sweet Bilbo.

Gandalf.

Kili.

"…Fili."

I wouldn't be this terrified if they were by my side. My fingers trembled against my hammer, but I knew I would have to be steadfast if I was to take on these spiders…and I would be.

My eyes closed for only a moment. Nambalos hummed against my palm, awaiting my command. At least I could rely on my weapon. It would be my wings.

A hiss and cracking of wood snapped my eyes back open to see a spider coming directly for me. I must be the only living person on this side of the village. My eyes darted to another spider jumping from a house to the road, finding me with its black eyes. They were becoming aware of the single warm body near them…and flocking like sheep to slaughter.

Perfect.

The first spider brought its fangs and legs up to attack, but was easily outmaneuvered by my petite frame. I spun around its attack, my feet sliding against the ground. I used the momentum to unleash my hammer into the side of its body.

One down. Pieces of its crystal form was shattered around me like diamonds, sparkling and shimmering in the fading light.

Before I could recover from my thrill in defeating an enemy, the other spider was jumping into the air, its legs curled inward to pounce on me.

It was almost too easy. I wound up a swing and sent my hammer barrelling into the opposing creating, shattering it on impact. It didn't stand a chance. To be honest, I wasn't even sure how I'd managed to pull that one off. Its fangs had missed me by mere inches.

I let out a breath and moved down the road, ready for the next spider than came my way. Fortunately I didn't have to wait long. Unfortunately, they had all noticed something was up with their spidey friends being killed and now the remaining spiders were making their way to my position.

The humming of my hammer had me gearing up. I didn't waste any time coming toe to toe with the creatures. They were vast in numbers, but with each swing of Nambalos, I grew stronger and stronger.

It was mind altering. Each death brought me closer and closer to a high I'd never felt before. Some sickening pleasure from seeing them crumble and fall. This is how I would repay Sauron for his deeds. Kill all of his disgusting abominations. All of his dark creations would fall beneath me.

There was a darkness in those who followed Sauron, but the deep hatred I felt for him would outshine them all.

When I came back to the battle before me, I realized that my mind had traveled to a dark place in the recesses of my conscious. Around me was nothing but shattered spiders. The crystallized forms of their ones wretched selves was strewn about in a reckless fashion.

My breathing was heavy and burdened from exhaustion. The glow from Nambalos slowly began to fade as my arms lowered.

Was it over?

All I could hear was the crackling of fire and wood. The hissing and heavy footfall of spiders no longer filled the night air. I'd won. By the Valar, I'd won.

Body and mind gave out to this sudden fleeting of adrenaline. It left me weak and shaking, causing my fingers to loosen their grip on my weapon. My vision blurred as tears swelled and knees buckled as soreness took over.

In this new body, I was not used to battles. Fighting left me sore and aching…but my mind was settled into who I was and I would never falter again. I couldn't. Not if I wished the save them.

As I crumbled to the ground, utterly exhausted and spent, I realized just what I'd meant when I asked Nambalos to help me. I wanted to save them all. All. These people, Thorin and his company, Gandalf, The Elves, Men, and Dwarves…anyone that stood against Sauron.

I knew what would come. I had that knowledge. It's why Gandalf insisted I assist Thorin in his quest…to keep them from dying. To change the fate of the world.

Yes, in the end, Sauron would be defeated…but at a cost so great. Many would die.

I was numb as I laid upon the dirt face first, cutting my cheek against a piece of crystallized spider. People died here because I didn't act. I let it happen…

Would I let the history that was recorded lay itself out? Or could I, for once, do good in this world?

A tear slipped over the bridge of my nose and dripped into the ground beneath. I let out a ragged breath and watched the dry dirt kick up, swirling against my breath before settling back down.

My eyes closed as another tear left my body. I knew the answer.

Yes. I could change the world. I would change the world.

I will change the tide of this long forgotten war.

I have to.

LET ME KNOW HOW YOU THINK IT'S GOING! REVIEW LOVES, REVIEW!