I don't really want to say much here, as I don't want to give anything away. I'll just say I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you like it too!

Chapter 60

I was in a cave, but not like the one I was in with Ergothorn. It was dark, and had a fell air about it. It reminded me of Dar Narbugud in Moria, which was one of the most foul and horrific places I had ever been. I tried to find the exit, but the darkness was swirling around me. Strange green lights flickered, and I thought I could see faces in them, but when I would try and get a closer look, there was nothing there. "Hello? Is anyone there?" I said, and it echoed in the darkness. I was also very cold, and noticed I was wearing my usual travel gear.

"The way is shut." I heard a voice whisper in the air. "It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it." The voice was bone-chilling, and grated in my ears. "The way is shut."

"What way? I do not understand!" I tried to yell, but it came out more like a gasp.

Suddenly, what I thought had just been green light formed into the bodies of dead warriors. They held spears, and swords, and some had bows on their backs. Their armor was in tatters, and their skeletal bodies floated slowly towards me. I turned in a circle, looking for a way out, but they were closing in.

"Who are you?" I choked. The air was heavy, and I had some trouble breathing.

One of them strode forward, and he laughed. "Why, we are the Oathbreakers, little Elleth."

"Oathbreakers?" I asked. Thinking quickly, I figured out what he meant. "You…you are traitors!" I sneered, trying to hide my fear. "Nothing better than dogs for what you've done!"

He did not seem deterred; in fact, he looked amused. "Traitors, are we? Look at you; running away from your duty, using injury as an excuse. Worthless. Useless. You let your friends die."

"No, no you…you are lying," I stammered, but wondered at his words.

"Am I?" he whispered. "How many of your fellow soldiers now lie in the ground? How many did you fail to protect? How many innocents burned in the villages you did not save? How many of your friends were lost in Dol Guldur?" It went on and on, and each offense he listed was like a dagger to my heart.

I collapsed to my knees, holding my hands over my ears to try and block out his words. The ghostly figures were closing in even more, and were reaching out with their boned fingers. I was sobbing now, and heard him say, "You have failed Candaith. How can he trust someone who is so unable to defend herself that she needs him to save her? He would do better to find another."

"I know," I sobbed. "He deserves better." A small part of me believed this, as much as I hated to admit it. "I know I am no good for him. Maybe…maybe it would be better if I die."

"He would be free of you," the voice replied silkily. "Free to be happy."

I was shaking with sobs, and I could feel my nails digging into my scalp as I clenched my hair in my hands. The despair I felt in that moment was indescribable.

Suddenly a figure emerged from beyond the undead warriors. It was clothed in shadows, and moved with an inhuman grace. It crouched down to where I was trembling, and tipped up my chin to look into its eyes. They were mesmerizing; I could not describe their color, but it seemed to be swirling around, and I could not read their expression. Their hair was dark as night, and fell gracefully around an ageless, handsome face.

"Child, why do you cry?" he asked quietly.

At first, I was unable to speak; his voice was unlike anything I had ever heard. It reminded me of the sound of rain falling gently onto the grass, yet echoed with something I couldn't place. There was an aura of power in his words. He did not smile, but I could sense some kindness in his gaze.

After a moment, I remembered how to use my voice. "I…I feel I do not have a place in the world; that my value is nothing but a memory of who I used to be." I frowned; I was not expressing myself well. "I am uncertain how to explain it."

"Hmm," he murmured. "You mentioned perhaps it might be better for you to die."

"It is possible. They…they surely would be better without me ruining their lives, with me as a burden." The thought of it swept through me like an icy wind, and I shivered.

He sat in thought for what felt like an Age, as it was difficult to tell time in this place. I dimly noted the green, ghostly figures had retreated, leaving the two of us in the darkness. Yet, I could still make out his face clearly. I had repositioned myself so I was seated cross-legged on the dusty, stone floor of the cave, staring at my hands, which were folded in my lap. My mind felt jumbled as I reflected on my own words, as well as those of the ghosts and this mystery figure. What did I truly believe?

Finally, I felt compelled to raise my eyes, and they found his as he spoke once more. "If it is truly your desire to exit the land of the living, I will grant your wish." His tone was grave, and his eyes betrayed none of what his opinion might be.

"You would?" I asked faintly, dimly noting the hopeful tone of my voice. He nodded, and I ran my fingers through my hair as my thoughts raced around my head. Is dying what I truly wanted?

As I had told Ergothorn, I felt useless. I would be unable to contribute much of anything to help the others in my current state. I had failed many times, and countless had died because of my inability to save those in need of my aid. My family was gone, and I knew I could see them again, if I took this offer. "The others would be fine," I muttered to myself, but questioned it immediately. What of Elladan and Elrohir?

What of Candaith?

'He would be free of you…free to be happy,' the voice of the ghost had said. Could he be happy without me? He said he loved me, but was it of the same magnitude as how I felt? Would he be able to move on and find another whom he would love? He likely could, but was it fair of me to put him in such a position?

"What is my purpose now?" I asked dispiritedly, not sure if it was to myself or to the as of yet unnamed figure in front of me. He had remained quiet during my time of reflection, and I wondered what he was thinking.

I did not have to wait long. "You must choose your own path, child of Iluvatar," he said softly. "However, you do not have long, for you are to wake soon, if you wish to continue your life in Arda." I knew he meant that if I chose to let my spirit make its way across the Sea, I would never open my eyes again in Middle Earth. I studied him closely, and I began to wonder if he was who I suspected he was, but I was too afraid to ask. However, I had little time to consider this further, as I had a decision to make.

"I…I do not know what to do," I whispered. "But…perhaps dying now would be cowardly. The others would think me even weaker than I already am, if I were to let go of my life." The words were difficult to speak, as it fought against what I had been feeling only a moment ago. I was unsure if that was a good enough reason to stay alive, but it was the direction my soul was tugging. Perhaps I was weak, and perhaps the others would wish to turn away from me once they realized it, but giving up now would be wrong. Despite my hopelessness, the peoples of Middle Earth relied on me to try and help them, as futile as it might be.

The figure placed a hand on my cheek, and it was cool but comforting. "It seems you have made your decision." He stood and pulled me to my feet. "Farewell for now, daughter of the Eldar. We will meet again, in one form or another." As he faded away, I noted the ghosts fluttering on the edges of the dream cave. Clearly the presence of the powerful figure had subdued them momentarily, but I could see them beginning to move closer once more. They held their weapons angrily, and I swiveled around to look for an exit. My heart lurched as I saw a glimmer of light far away, and I sprinted towards it with the spirits in hot pursuit. They were close now, and I felt at least one of them almost grasp the end of my cloak.

I felt an icy hand grasp my arm and shouted as the cold burned my skin through my tunic. Just before they could subdue me, they seemed to run into an invisible barrier. They screamed in anger, and I noticed a vaguely familiar voice urgently calling my name. I felt warm hands upon my cheeks, and it confused me. Who's hands were they?

"Gwin!"

I gasped and my eyes flew open. I tried to skitter away from whoever it was, but I cried out as I felt my shoulder ache. I was breathing heavily, and soaked in sweat. I could still feel my heart racing from the fear I had felt.

"Gwin…it is Ergothorn," a voice said soothingly. "You are safe."

"E-Ergothorn?" I asked shakily. "Are you…are you really there?" I squinted in the firelight and thought I could make him out. Was it a trick?

"Yes, I am really here," he replied, and he reached out and cautiously took my hand. "See?"

I squeezed it tightly, feeling the rough calluses on his fingers. I tugged it, and he moved closer to me.

"Gwin?" he asked softly. "How can I help?"

"I know we do not know each other well…" I said quietly, already feeling embarrassed.

"Would you like a hug?" he asked, giving me a gentle smile. I gave a small, timid nod, and he pulled me closer to him and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He also tucked a blanket around me, and I noticed I was shivering. I took some slow, deep breaths, and tried to calm my racing heart. The dream was still clinging to me, like stubborn cobwebs. He reached over and grabbed his waterskin, and I took a few sips.

After a short time, when I felt a little more recovered, he asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"

I frowned, unsure of what to say. Did I want to dredge up the memory of the nightmare? It was crystal clear, like the events had happened in real life. Before I could answer, he said, "You were muttering in your sleep, and I was able to catch a few words."

I looked at him a little fearfully, "What did you hear?" I whispered. Did he know I had contemplated dying?

He smiled at me, and I felt slightly more at ease. "We do not have to speak of it, unless you want to."

Did I want to? It was a good question. However, now that he mentioned I had been talking in my sleep, I was curious. "It is all right, I think I am able to," I said, but it sounded shakier than I had hoped. He hugged me a little tighter, and I felt safer. "So, what did I say while I was dreaming?"

"Well, you mentioned Oathbreakers, and traitors," His smile turned sad, "You also said maybe it would better if you died, which I personally disagree with."

I shrugged, unsure what to say. "Anything else?"

Ergothorn shook his head, and looked thoughtful. I decided to let him think for a moment, and I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling very tired. These dreams were disturbing and seemed to take away all of my energy. He handed me a piece of cram, and I nibbled on it without tasting it. Despite appreciating Ergothorn's kindness and comfort, I wished desperately for Candaith to be the one by my side, and the thought made me cry.

My heart felt like it was breaking as I recalled how I had almost left him behind; how could I have even considered making such a choice? I felt the familiar despair try to settle upon me like a cloak, but the warmth of the fire and reassuring presence of Ergothorn kept it at bay, for now.

"Hey, no more tears," Ergothorn murmured. "All will be well." I nodded and tried to believe him, but it was difficult. "Would you like to hear my thoughts?"

"Ok," I whispered, and tipped my head up to look at him.

"Regarding the Oathbreakers, I wonder if it relates to the old story about Isildur and the Men of the Mountain, who refused to fight for him when he called upon them to help with Sauron." I tried not to react to this, but he seemed to read something on my face. He looked at me quizzically. "Am I right?"

I considered lying, but I was never a good liar, and Ergothorn seemed to be good at discerning the truth. I nodded, but did not elaborate.

His eyes widened, "Is this your errand? To call upon the Men under the Mountain? In the Dwimorberg?"

I nodded again, and expected him to tell me how foolish it was. Which, to be honest, I wondered sometimes.

However, he looked a little excited. "This would be a great boon to the forces of good!" he said optimistically. "Although, according to legend, you would need Isildur's Heir to call upon them…" Now he looked even more excited. "Bema…I never thought I would live to see such days!"

His positivity was a balm to my poor mood, and I smiled tiredly. "I hope we are successful…but as I heard the wizard Gandalf once say, it is a fool's hope."

"You know Mithrandir?!" Ergothorn replied, and I chuckled at his clear delight. "You must tell me everything!" His eyes twinkled, and we were both smiling at one another. He tucked some loose hair behind my ear and brushed away some of my tears, and I felt something shift in the air. His eyes were flickering to my lips, and I wondered if perhaps he was unaware of what he was doing. Unsure if I was just imagining things in the flickering light, I tried to diffuse the tension, "I could tell you many stories about him. It seems wherever he goes, he causes some kind of trouble." I chuckled a little. "One of my favorite stories was told to me by my friend Bilbo. Would you like to hear it?"

Seeming to get the hint, he pulled back a little and said, "Of course!" It took some time for me to tell the story, and as interested as he was, I could tell he was tiring. I was about to inquire about it before he asked, "Would you like to try and sleep a little more?"

I shook my head and shuddered, "I do not think I will find any more rest this night, but thank you for asking." I motioned to his palette, "Why don't you get some rest? You deserve it after helping me through yet another crisis of mine."

"It is no trouble Gwin, I am sure you would do the same for me," he replied with a smile. "I will get some sleep, if you think you will be all right?" He looked at me questioningly, concern in his eyes.

I nodded and managed a somewhat forced smile of my own, "I will be fine, Ergothorn."

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to wake me," he added kindly, his eyes still full of concern.

"Duly noted," I replied, and I watched him settle himself into his blankets and quickly fall asleep.

I sighed; my emotions were all over the place, and Ergothorn's possible attraction to me just added another layer of stress. Perhaps I was just imagining it? I knew I wasn't always the most observant person when it came to romance; it took me so long to notice that perhaps Candaith had feelings for me. I started as I realized I hadn't even mentioned Candaith in our conversations; how would Ergothorn know I wasn't available? I would have to find a way to casually bring it up.

I shuffled over to the cave entrance and moved one of the branches aside. The moon was full, and the stars bright. I wondered if anyone was still out looking for me, or if they were all back at the camp. I smiled ruefully, knowing Elladan and Elrohir would search all of Enedwaith and the surrounding lands day and night to find me, if that's what it took. I looked up at the sky again; I wished Earendil would steer his ship and point his grandsons in the right direction. It was possible they had walked right past this very cave and did not notice it. The thought made me frown, and I felt the ache of missing them. Perhaps I would be strong enough to walk to the camp in the morning.

With these troubled thoughts, I settled myself at the entrance of the cave and willed myself to stay awake. I did not wish for more dreams to haunt me.

Candaith, wherever you are…I love you.

Whew, what a ride that was! I'm sure you can guess who the 'mystery figure' is; let me know in your review! Thanks for reading!