Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

In a land of shadows	By : Nuredhel Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1448 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien, and i do not earn any money from this work of fiction, it is solely written for entertainment and not for profit at all.I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien,

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
Chapter fifteen: A ruler of death
Do not fear what’s behind you
Do not fear what’s ahead
Remember now and forever
That fear itself is the only thing to fear

Gwan and Magon were running as fast as they could and they tried to use the terrain to their benefit as much as possible. The monsters were not that hard to kill with modern weapons but they did only fire when they had to, they tried to move as undetected as possible and all the monsters were heading back towards the hive and the incubators. They did not really pay much attention to four elves, to these beasts they were a mere mouthful and the incubator field had to be protected first and foremost. Gwan and Magon were very relaxed and confident, the few monsters that tried to attack were easily put down and Glorfindel and Haldir put an end to the ones that were just wounded. Both warriors were doing an amazing job with their blades and even though these monsters were almost as nasty as a Balrog they were nowhere near as hard to kill. The hill was several miles away and they had to run very fast, nothing could slow them down now. If the lava lake could be let loose they didn’t have any time to spare. The monsters were too many to be conquered by such a small force. The Ce’agar warriors were smart too, they used an excellent guerilla technique and managed to get many of the monster warriors to follow them into the ragged terrain where they could use their speed and agility to their own advantage. They used some of the bags with terrifying efficiency, when thrown at a monster they would rupture and spread the liquid and it would eat its way into the very bones of the beast within seconds. It seemed as though the tissues of these creatures were very vulnerable to this particular acidic fluid.
The Ce’agar were helped by the Gwhyym which placed traps between the rocks and crevices, they would use rope to topple the strong but clumsy creatures over, or throw rocks at their heads and the small Gwhyym were surprisingly strong with their compact physique. Elrohir and Vayana were hiding and he used the night vision goggles to keep an eye on the situation and to inform the others of the development. The Gwhyym were still attacking the incubators and they were moving towards the middle of the area and drawing the monsters with them. Some inventive Gwhyym had discovered that the strange membrane that covered the spawn were rather flammable and so they used their torches to set the incubators aflame. That caused the monsters to go almost berserk, they were rushing towards the field with roars and screeching and Elrohir knew that the Gwhyym indeed had uncovered a weak spot this way. The monsters tried to protect the incubators and the spawn but at the same time they were terrified of fire. The Gwhyym were spreading the flames as they retreated backwards towards the furthest corner of the fields.
Magon and Gwan were completely ignored now, none of the monsters seemed to even see them and they just ran by the elves, desperate to rescue the spawn. The four elves were running as fast as they could but the heat and the terrible air meant that they didn’t use all their strength, they just couldn’t, they had to save some for the return. The terrain started to rise and small rivers of molten rock meandered through the landscape, through narrow small canyons and cracks, they had to jump rather often and Glorfindel had a feeling of real appreciation of what Frodo and Sam had managed to do back in the third age. Two small hobbits had managed to get all the way to Orodruin on their own, he and his comrades should not be any less brave than them. The ground was covered with ash and pieces of volcanic rocks, running was difficult but they had to. All four of them were coughing and wheezing when they reached the top of the hill. It was a lava lake, they had been right in that assumption and Gwan let out a sigh of relief. A ridge perhaps a hundred feet wide had formed a sort of natural dam that stopped the boiling liquid from spilling over the edge and Magon pointed towards the middle of it. “It is narrow right there!”
Gwan nodded. “It is, but it’s still bloody wide. We doesn’t have all that much of this stuff, we have to use every ounce of it with care.”
Haldir and Glorfindel were still gasping for breath, the heat was unbearable and their hair was actually already singed at the tips. The suits offered some protection but they could not stay there for long without suffering serious injury. “You can blow it up yes?”
Gwan nodded. “Yes, of course, but it will take some time to rig it, you two have got to watch our backs in case those beasts understand what it is that we are trying to do!”
Haldir grasped his sword. “I seriously doubt that but of course. We will watch out”
Gwan and Magon opened their backpacks and took out several packages of explosives and many hundred feet of wire. Some ex-military experts had trained them and they knew exactly what they were doing but they did also know that time was running short. The soil was loose and soft and that gave them an advantage, they had a sort of hollow pipe they could use as a drill because the explosives had to get into the ground, as deep as possible to be effective. Gwan did the drilling and he was soaking wet by now. The place was extremely dangerous, they could be hit by molten rock at any minute but they could not think about that now. They had to finish their job and do it fast.
Haldir and Glorfindel had taken position at the start of the dam, they were blocking the path and both had their swords drawn. Glorfindel was not fond of fire, it made his very being shiver with fear but he didn’t show it. Haldir knew of how his friend felt, and he had to face his own fears as well. He had already died once, he did not want to have to spend even more time in the halls, it was an intensely boring place to be for a warrior and he was worried for his brothers. He had to return alive, to see that they were ok. Gwan and Magon were working like crazy, the explosives they were using were rather safe, heat could not make it go off but it had never been made to blow up lava. Both were shivering but managed to control their fear. A small group of monsters came scurrying along the path and they were heading for the dam. Why was hard to tell but maybe they were thinking that this path was a shortcut down to the fields. Haldir took a deep breath and started firing arrows at a frightening speed, the marchwarden did fell a couple of the monsters before they got too close. The arrows fired from his bow were fitted with armor piercing heads and the only problem was that these beasts had such a tiny brain you had to hit it right on to kill the thing.
Both warriors went into hand to hand combat and Glorfindel knew that they couldn’t fail, Gwan and Magon could not be disturbed. They had watched the Gwhyym and seen their tricks and now they too started using them. They went for the feet of the beast and worked as a team. Glorfindel was the tallest and heaviest of the two ellyn, he was best at finishing the beasts off while Haldir was doing his best to injure them and leaving them unable to fight well. It was a blood red dance, a frenzy and feeling like none other, time stood still, all that was was the beating of their hearts and the instincts that had taken over completely. Both were experienced warriors and the moves were etched into their nervous systems, they did not have to think about what to do, they just did it. Before long they both were covered with green goo and the monsters were becoming fewer. Gwan and Magon were completely caught by their work, they didn’t even look at the fighting that was going on, they had to be as fast as possible. They were so well trained they could have connected the wires and detonators blind folded and it came to good use now.
Ravenne and Narriar stood in the corridor, they were still breathing hard from the attack, Ravenne held Deathseeker in a tight grip, the sword felt almost alive, and it felt hungry. She was going to let it drink deeply before this was over. She nodded at Narriar. “She is sly, as the shaman told us, and probably desperate too. Do not underestimate her, and if she has magic she may confuse our senses, do not trust anything that doesn’t feel right!”
Narriar nodded, the strange soft creatures were trying to get away now, they didn’t try to hinder them and looked very confused and Ravenne thought she knew why. The queen had to think about the things going on on the outside of the hive now and that meant that she couldn’t keep an eye on the inside as well as before. It was a weakness, a flaw and Ravenne had to make the best of it. She started running and noticed that several Gwhyym were disappearing into the different corridors and narrow gaps. It looked as if this strange vessel consisted of layer upon layer, like an onion and Ravenne suspected that the queen was hidden in the center.
The place was huge, but she could not let that stop her. They ran and soon the very structure seemed to change, the walls became thinner and more transparent, filled with holes and crevices in strange and yet beautiful patterns. There was light there, and it seemed to come from the very structure itself, as if it was glowing like some huge jellyfish. There were creatures running around everywhere in an utter chaos and now they saw even more types. Some were smaller than a dwarf, and they had small heads without a visible mouth, they only had a couple of black beady eyes. Ravenne saw that the number of these weird critters were huge, and they had obviously an important role but it was hard to tell what they were doing there.
Stairs or something that resembled stairs were stretching through the gaps between the walls everywhere and she could hear a constant creaking sound of movement coming from everywhere. Narriar sneezed. “This place stinks!”
Ravenne just grinned. “Indeed, it makes orc’s smell like a blooming rose.”
She was a bit nervous now, she was awaiting the next move from the queen and she had no idea of how that would manifest itself. Narriar was moving like some huge cat, the knives he had gotten from the Gwhyym were ready at his waist and the swords he had gotten were in his hands, he nodded to an opening in the wall they were approaching. “I hear movement, rapid and heavy. Be prepared!”
Ravenne just nodded, she could smell something new, a rather strong scent of something that reminded her of burnt flesh. It was disgusting but she just fastened her grip around the hilt of her sword and prepared herself. The things that came rushing through the opening were not what she had anticipated, she had guessed that the queen had some sort of body guards and had foreseen some creatures similar to the warriors but these were nothing like them. These were a bit like a huge warg wearing armor, and they were terrifying. Narriar swore, the beasts were fast and their jaws packed with terrible teeth, the plates covering their bodies were thick and overlapping and Ravenne did understand that blades were of no use against these monstrosities. She grasped the bags of liquid and threw them, she didn’t even aim. The bags hit the beasts in the head, ruptured and spilled its content. The warg like beasts stopped, screamed and fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Narriar finished them off by stabbing his sword through their eyes and Ravenne finished a few too. No more came and she felt how it became harder and harder to resist her darker side. Some voice deep inside of her bade her forget about being an elf, told her to go amok, kill as many of these creatures as she could. Her rational self struggled to remain in control, she knew that she could spend days slaying these mindless minions and it would change nothing, nothing at all. They passed through the opening and the room they entered were filled with what had to be eggs, they were rather huge and lay in rows, the weird creatures they first had encountered were everywhere and they just ran out of the way, they did not try to attack and she knew why. It would have been of no use. Ravenne was about to turn around to ask Narriar if he could think of a way to destroy the eggs when pieces of the wall itself seemed to be ripped away and came flying like huge shards of deadly shrapnel. Narriar shouted a warning and before Ravenne even understood what he was doing he had grasped an egg and was using it as a shield. Ravenne had seen that he was in possession of great strength but she had not imagined that he was this strong. He held the egg up and Ravenne sought refuge behind him, the pieces of wall fell to the ground and were just dead pieces once more. Ravenne growled and Narriar had a very dangerous glimpse within his eyes. “I can carry this for a while, she won’t hurt her own offspring”
Ravenne just nodded and they started to move along once more. She heard a piercing cry coming from somewhere up ahead, a sound so shrill it hurt her ears and she made a grimace and she knew it was the queen. She did not like being beaten in any way.
Ravenne remembered the words of the shaman, the queen would most likely try to read her mind and use what she saw against the elf and she would not let that happen. She turned to Narriar. “You are a threat to her too, do not think of anything important, just let your mind go blank or think of something unimportant.”
He grinned. “I know exactly what I should think of”
Ravenne saw that the walls now were even thinner, and there were fewer creatures there. The place looked more like a shrine of some sort than a place where some creatures lived and she knew that they were getting closer to the queens chamber. The Gwhyym had all disappeared and Ravenne knew that the time was ticking away. She hoped they managed to get out of there before the bomb went off, she still had some left and she dropped one into another air shaft, hoping that it was deep enough.
The air suddenly became surprisingly fresh and natural and she saw that Narriar had felt that too, she gave him a silent warning, this was probably an illusion and she soon realized that yes, it was indeed just that. Suddenly she was standing in a forest that resembled the one at New Greenwood but there were some things that told her that this wasn’t real at all. The queen had probably never left her hive, she had never seen the forest and the colors were a bit off, and the trees looked like something a child would have drawn. She heard voices that were pleading her to come to them, save them. It was supposed to be the voices of her family but she had changed her own memories so they were all wrong. Ravenne grinned, a vicious grin. She had once seen a painting someone had made of Mordor, of Orodruin as it had been. She took that image now, tossed it back through her own mind into that of the queen and the illusion came crashing down. Ravenne just shrugged and laughed, the idea of what this place could become was obviously enough to push the queen out of balance. Narriar gave her a warning glance. “I fear you have truly pissed her off now, be careful phivanil, don’t underestimate that thing”
Ravenne just shook her head, she could feel that the temperature had dropped a lot now, the queens chamber had to be rather cold. It made sense and she had a strange sense of something moving up ahead, beyond the last walls, something massive. The air shimmered before her and a figure appeared, a creature almost shaped like an elf but with an exoskeleton and it looked extremely threatening and yet it had some sort of ominous beauty that was both tantalizing and lethal. The creature held a sort of sword in its hand and it swung it with movements that told Ravenne it knew how to use it. How could this thing have learned to use a sword? The thing attacked, the blade was a very good one, probably taken from the Gwhyym and Ravenne parried with a move of her own and knew that this was something she had to kill if she was to get anywhere near the queen. The air shivered again and one more appeared, it could be the twin of the first one and it went straight for Narriar who parried elegantly and snarled at the insect like being. Ravenne was very grateful for her many hours of fencing with her adar now, he had indeed taught her many ancient techniques and methods that were far from clean and noble but very efficient. She suddenly realized how these creatures could know how to fight, the queen had somehow learned through the meat of those that had gotten slain by her workers. It was a disgusting idea and very disturbing but Ravenne did not let it shock her into slowing down. She could feel that Deathseeker was just as eager as before and she saw through this creatures style and technique with ease. She discovered to her delight that the exoskeleton was no match for this excellent blade.
Narriar had already felled the creature he was fighting, he had beheaded it rather easily and she could see that his eyes were ablaze with the fever or battle. Ravenne noticed a small opening and she took the opportunity, cut the arm of the creature she was fighting and then she too took its head. There was a short flash of light and suddenly four identical creatures were standing there, ready for battle. Ravenne hissed, it was like a hydra, cut one head off and two will take its place. These four went into a full frontal attack the moment they appeared and Ravenne growled and spun around, she could see that Narriar was doing exactly the same and his technique and style of fighting was just as efficient as her own. They quickly felled another each and then they suddenly had six to dodge. This simply would not do! Ravenne remembered an old legend she had heard on earth, of the warrior who fought a nine headed monster and stopped it from growing new heads by burning the necks when the heads were off. She had a lighter in her belt and she also had the can of bearspray. She had no idea of whether or not this would work but she set fire to the liquid and it did burn, not well but well enough. Narriar shook his head. “That won’t work, they are coming from somewhere outside of here.”
The fire did startle the beasts and made them hesitate but it didn’t stop two new ones to emerge for each one they killed. Ravenne swore and knew that they couldn’t keep fighting these weird creatures, they had to get to the queen and do it soon. Narriar dodged a blow from one of the beasts and hit it in the head with the pommel of his sword, the beast fell but wasn’t replaced, it wasn’t dead, just knocked out and so the magic didn’t work. He grinned. “I know how to deal with them now, go Ravenne, find the queen and kill her!”
She hesitated, she didn’t want to leave him behind but she knew she had to. The fact that all individuals had a separate will and mind was what separated them most from the monsters and it was also the greatest hope they had, the queen wasn’t able to really understand the opportunities this gave. She threw one last glance at him, he was fighting with a speed and strength that was mesmerizing to watch, she did not fear for him. She bared her teeth and then she ran!
The refugees from Tirion had stayed within the cave for days now, the hunters left and brought food in the daytime and they would pull the ladders up at night, It was cramped and uncomfortable to say the least, the place had become smelly and the air stale and thick but they did not complain. They had been safe there and they could survive for a long time if need be. The wounded had all survived, they had only minor injuries the healers from the city had been able to deal with rather easily. The last days huge numbers of monsters had appeared in the valley below the cave and they had tried to climb up to the opening but they had not managed to get more than a couple of feet off the ground since the rock was both smooth and leaning outwards. It was an excellent place to seek refuge and the only problem was water, they had to send someone to collect water each day and haul it back up using buckets and rope. Luckily the nearby villages that had been attacked were not completely demolished and they had managed to find what they needed there. The guards sitting in the opening were staring down at a sea of monsters, they appeared to be extremely desperate and roars and growling were heard like the sound of a summer thunderstorm. It was unnerving to listen to it but they had managed to just block the sound out. They didn’t listen and relaxed, eating some cheese while they taunted the beast by throwing rocks at them. The beasts could not get up there at all and there was no point in wasting arrows firing at them, they didn’t have bows strong enough to make a killing shot anyhow. The monsters assembled there were the warrior type and arrows were of little use unless fired from a very powerful crossbow. The guards were in the middle of a friendly argument concerning a bet of who it was that was able to toss a rock the farthest away when they did notice something rather weird. A strange blue glow seemed to emanate from the crowd of beasts and suddenly they started to disappear, they just vanished into thin air and the guards got on their feet and stared down at the quickly dwindling number of monsters. They just looked at the crowd that after a few minutes were completely gone, all that was left was footprints and a few discarded weapons. The air still held the stench of the creatures but it slowly dissipated and more elves came to the cave opening, staring at the now peaceful valley. “Are they gone for good?”
An elleth holding a small child spoke and her voice was shivering. The guard touched his sword almost gently. “I hope so my lady, but it could be a trick. We won’t leave this place just yet, we’ll wait for a few days, until we are absolutely sure that they won’t return!”
The elleth nodded and the hope shining in her eyes was shared by them all. Maybe they finally would come to the end of this awful living nightmare.
Ravenne ran through a strange room filled with what had to be glowing crystals, she felt the magic in this place as something almost solid and she understood by sheer instinct that this was the source of the queens magic. The rocks were strangely beautiful but she could not let herself become enticed by their beauty. They had to be gone and she placed the last bomb she had in a corner where she was rather sure that it would bring the entire structure down. She felt a buzz in the air now, a heaviness in the very fabric of the world, it was the queens wrath she was sensing and she knew that the monster was far from toothless. She had to be careful and she slowed down, a narrow corridor was leading from the crystal room and she saw that it was almost packed with some spider like creatures that appeared to have no eyes. They did have teeth and stingers and were probably dangerous and she took a deep breath. How to deal with these? The corridor was probably the last obstacle before she was in the queens chamber and she took a decision, she had been given her fair share of weapons and swords were of little use against these spiders, they were just too many and too fast. She grasped her backpack, took out several grenades and she knew that they were something the queen probably didn’t anticipate. She had never encountered such weapons before and Ravenne could not think about chivalry and fair fighting now. She grasped three grenades, pulled out the splint and threw them into the corridor. She threw herself behind a wall and the explosions were almost instantaneous, the entire structure shook and pieces of dead spider flew out of the opening together with flames and smoke.
She took a quick look, the spiders were no longer a problem, a few were still alive but hardly able to move at all and she grinned and then she ran. She was not going to quit before that darn queen was just a nasty memory.
Gwan and Magon had finished rigging the natural dam and they saw that Glorfindel and Haldir had finished off the monsters that had tried to follow the path across it. There were no more monsters in sight and they sighed a breath of relief when they suddenly saw a blue glow down on the plain and a huge mass of monsters appeared. Haldir groaned. “Shit, she is calling them home, all those who are away collecting food.”
Glorfindel nodded. “Seems like you are right, the Gwhyym are fast and agile, they will make it. I just pray that our Ce’agar warriors have enough wits to know when to retreat. They cannot fight the warrior monsters.”
Gwan clenched his teeth together. “I cannot detonate this before the others are safe, they have to get out of the hive first. Or else the lava might trap them inside of it.”
Haldir bit his lower lip and Glorfindel was mumbling to himself. “Rav, I know you can do it, so do it fast! Before all hell breaks loose!”
Narriar were fighting the remaining beasts with the knowledge that he couldn’t kill them unless he wanted even more opponents, it made his task difficult to say the least but he had discovered that these beasts had a serious flaw in their design. They lacked side vision, they had to turn their heads to keep an eye on their surroundings and so he used that fact to engage them in a cat and mouse like game where he used them against each other and before long only two remained standing. He had fought terrible opponents before, and he was not afraid of pain, the fury of his attacks made the creatures back off and he just hoped that Ravenne was able to put an end to this, once and for all. He was praying while he avoided the blades of the creatures with relative ease, this was an hour of destiny, it would end soon one way or the other.
Ravenne ran through the corridor and almost slipped because of the slick goo left by the dead spiders, she entered a huge hall which was rather dark and covered with a thick layer of some sort of black substance which almost resembled volcanic glass. Strange shapes were covering the walls which formed a dome, it looked as if someone had been playing with molten plastic, pulling it out into all sorts of shapes before it became solid. Ravenne could hear that Deathseeker was whispering to her mind, it was as if the blade itself was sentient and she knew that she should trust it. It told her not to trust her eyes and so she didn’t. On a pedestal in front of her stood a creature of immense grace and majesty, a woman with strange alien features and she was clad in a dark armor of some sorts. She was at least four meters tall and Ravenne knew where the queen had found the inspiration for this illusion. The thing looked almost like an old painting of the evil maiar Sauron and Ravenne bared her teeth and hissed. She allowed her animal instincts to take over now, they would not be fooled by these magical tricks. The queen had probably been able to understand that the Valar and maiar were the deities of the elves and believed that the sight of such would make Ravenne hesitate but she had not managed to learn anything about the history of Arda and Valinor. Or perhaps she hadn’t thought that she had to, it was a mistake.
The sight of the creature wearing the armor of the dark lord just made Ravenne even more pissed off and she growled and swung her sword on a slow curve that was a threat. The queen grinned, the eyes were red and she did not look like a vala or maia at all, the skin looked like the skin of a huge insect and the face was too long and drawn. There was a terrible sort of beauty to the creature but Ravenne knew that it was an illusion. The queen was something really different from this, something hideous and unbelievable. This was a façade, what she would have wanted to be facing an enemy.
The queen pulled a sword or rather a mix between a sword and an axe, the Uruk-hai of the third age had often used these weapons and Ravenne suddenly felt a bit like the elven king of old who fought against the dark lord himself in an act of desperate courage. Well, she was not going to let this monster win, she was fast and she knew that every living thing can die. She remembered the words of the shaman and the words of her father, never forget who you are and what you are capable off. She had a nasty surprise ready for the queen.
The monster charged, it moved with surprising elegance and speed and Ravenne jumped out of the way of an attack that was both vicious and deadly. The thing hissed and growled and the blade returned very fast, she barely had time to move out of the way. This thing was indeed dangerous and she knew she could be in trouble if she didn’t manage to get the queen out of balance soon. She had to make sure that her final weapon would be efficient, to make the thing let go of the illusion. She saw her chance, ran forwards and dodged a terrible blow, Deathseeker was not like other blades, it could cut almost everything and she span around and the sword went through the beasts leg like it was made out of butter. The queen screeched, a terrible high pitched sound that made the walls shiver, she fell onto her knee and Ravenne jumped out of the way once more. The queen suddenly threw herself forward, trying to catch Ravenne with her bare hands but the elf was too quick. She no longer thought about her actions, she was guided by instinct and where she otherwise would have hesitated she no longer did. The queen screamed something that had to be in her own language and Ravenne could suddenly no longer move, she felt as if she was glued to the floor and the thing had a vicious grin on her mouth, her teeth looked like those of a great white shark. “Do not think you can kill me, elf! I am much more powerful than you!”
Ravenne was struggling against the magical bonds and the queen moved forward in spite of her damaged leg, she was raising her weapon to cut Ravenne in half when a beam of UV light hit the creature right in the eyes and a dagger came flying and lodged itself in the creatures throat. Ravenne saw that Narriar stood in the opening to the corridor and his eyes were blazing with rage. The queen shivered, and then she became transparent and disappeared and Ravenne saw that the back of the room was an illusion, in a sort of hanging structure lay a creature beyond description. It was so huge it almost filled the area and its upper body reminded them a little of the warriors but the head was larger with strange protruding horns and spikes. It had six legs but they were too short and weak to carry it, only the thorax of the creature was elevated, the back part lay on the floor and it looked like the lower body of a termite queen, huge and pale and swollen.
The queen hissed and the legs were moving as if it tried to lift itself from its lair, but it probably hadn’t been able to move for years. It was trapped within this structure and Ravenne felt that she could move once more. She got on her feet, the thing was just too huge to be killed with any blade, she was gigantic and the hide probably too thick for any weapon to penetrate. Not even the automatic guns of Gwan and Magon would have done much damage there. Narriar stared at the queen, he was snarling and reminded Ravenne of a wolf, she could see his hatred, heck, she could smell it! The queen let out a piercing shriek in anger. “You cannot harm me, I am stronger than you, my army will slay you all!”
Narriar looked at Ravenne out of the corner of his eyes. “How do we kill her? Do you have any more grenades?”
She shook her head. “Two, but they won’t do much harm”
He twitched, time was running fast and they had to get out of there, his friends could be in danger out there now and the bombs were activated. “Then how?!”
Ravenne was staring at the queen, the creature had tiny red eyes and it looked extremely nasty, she felt no pity for this being at all. “I am cursed remember? I cannot die, because death is my servant!”
Narriar went pale and Ravenne just let go of her civilized ways, of reason and doubt, of everything that she had been taught. She peered deep into the very bowels of her soul and brought forth the power she harbored and the room suddenly became icecold and dark. A dark mist formed in front of the throne like structure and a voice could be heard, low and hissing and strangely soft. The mist had formed a huge cloaked figure and Ravenne felt calm and relaxed now. She had won, the queen did no longer stand a chance. “Daughter of Eru, what is it that you wish of me? How do I serve you? How do I serve the balance?”
Ravenne saw that the creature now desperately tried to come loose, to get away from this new threat but it was too late now. Ravenne stared at the dark angel and her eyes were those of a predator eyeing its prey. “That creature, her life is mine. She has disturbed the balance, take her and do it now”
The dark figured turned around slowly and the queen let out a horrible shriek, it made Ravenne and Narriar plug their ears and pieces of the walls came crashing down as the thing desperately tried to escape. The figure stretched out a very long and slender hand and placed it upon the grotesque head of the queen, almost lovingly. Darkness fell, like a tightly woven blanket and a strange light seemed to stream from the monster and into the hand, there was a boom and the room went very bright for a second, Narriar had to close his eyes and Ravenne shielded hers with her hand. The dark figure bowed in front of them and the queens body just lay there, limp and completely dead. “Daughter of Eru, I thank you, this is a soul for which I have yearned for long, the cold depths of damnation is awaiting it.”
Ravenne bowed back and the dark figure disappeared with a low laughter. Narriar was staring at Ravenne with awe and he wanted to kneel before her but she grasped his hand. “Now my dear, run like hell because I think the bombs will go off any minute now!”
He gasped and then they ran, suddenly they heard a horrible cry, a scream from hundreds of throats and Ravenne bared her teeth. “They know she is dead now, be prepared for anything!”
Narriar swallowed hard and followed her through the maze of layers and the Gwhyym came running too, what they had been up to was anybody’s guess.
On the outside the Ce’agar warriors were hard pressed now, they were surrounded by the monsters and fighting hard, the Gwhyym helped them and they managed to keep the beasts at bay but a couple of the elves were badly injured and others close to collapsing from sheer fatigue. Gwan and Magon were eagerly awaiting news from the plain, Elrohir was still hiding with Vayana and he had not reported having seen Ravenne and Narriar just yet. Erestor was fighting along the Ce’agar and he was really doing a good job, one could almost believe that he was a warrior like Haldir and Glorfindel. The two ellyn could not leave Gwan and Magon behind although they yearned to run down the hill and help their friends.
The plain was suddenly covered with monsters, the queen had assembled all of her minions and they were desperate. The Gwhyym had damaged a lot of the incubators but far from all, the field was waste and the number of spawn immense. Erestor was dodging a blow from a monster and trying to take cover behind a rock when they felt how a surge of energy rushed across the plain, and then the monsters stopped fighting and stared at the hive with horrified expressions. Vayana gasped and Elrohir bit his lip so hard it started to bleed. The beasts screamed, a horrible noise filled with despair and then something most odd happened, they started fighting each other. The sight was indescribable, they were at each other’s throats and they screamed and roared and ripped at flesh and hide with their crude weapons. Elrohir gasped and Vayana grasped his arm hard, she had problems believing what she saw, The army of the queen was destroying itself in front of their very eyes.
The beasts did no longer pay any attention to the elves or the Gwhyym, they tried to devour each other and shrieks of pain filled the air, the Ce’agar regrouped and found Vayana and Elrohir and all stared at the hive with huge eyes. Had Ravenne and Narriar made it?
Ravenne ran as fast as she could and the monsters inside of the hive just stood there, staring into nothing as if they suddenly had seized to function. They weren’t dead, just immovable and Narriar almost pushed her in front of him. The Gwhyym were obviously very pleased with whatever they had done and Ravenne saw that they were grinning like crazy. She and Narriar came out of the entrance and stopped in disbelief, it was carnage outside and Narriar just nodded to her. “From here on I lead!”
She just nodded and they ran between the mad monsters which didn’t seem to even see them. The death of the queen had transformed them from an army to individuals ruled only by hatred and bloodthirst and the one thing they hated the most were each other. Elrohir signaled to Gwan and Magon and the two warriors set the bombs to go off and then the four ran back down towards the others. Ravenne stared at the hive, her bombs should go off any minute now and she didn’t even jump when she heard the first rumbling sound. The structure seemed to shiver, then it sank. The sight was unbelievable, the giant eggshape sank into the ground like a boat sinks into lake if it is leaking. The Gwhyym were chattering and shrieking with joy and Narriar bent down and asked them something rather fast. They answered and he turned around and stared at Ravenne. “They have used their powers to create a hole underneath the whole damned thing, I never thought they were this strong.”
Ravenne just grinned and she was suddenly caught in a firm hug, Vayana was close to tears. “You made it!”
Ravenne nodded. “Looks that way!”
Elrohir stared at the hive, it was almost gone and it collapsed in on itself, he could see that the four others came running down the paths like they had the devil at their heels. “Ah people? I bet the dam is about to explode soon, we should not be here when the lava starts flowing!”
Ravenne nodded and the elves gathered around them. “You are right, we run for the bridge and then towards the hills, do not stop!”
Everybody just nodded and then they ran once more. The monsters did not even look at them and they could run freely using the paths. Glorfindel and Haldir came panting along with Gwan and Magon, they both were covered with sweat, ash and dirt and looked a bit like monsters themselves. Ravenne was so relieved that nobody had died and that the queen was dead but she did see that they had three wounded ellyn now and they were carried by the others. She did not doubt that the Ce’agar were more than strong enough to carry one of their own but it would drain their strength soon. The foul air was weakening them all. The ground was shaking and Narriar shouted orders to the others, they formed a tight group around Ravenne and the others. Gwan hissed. “Three minutes left, we have to get over the bridge in time, preferably even further away. I have no idea of what will happen!”
Ravenne just nodded, she felt tired and her legs hurt, she had used more strength than she had imagined and suddenly Narriar just grasped her and tossed her around so she could wrap her legs around his waist and sit on his back. She gasped. “I am heavy!”
He turned his head and grinned, white teeth were shining against the ash and dirt that covered his face. “No, you are not!”
The bridge was up ahead and they crossed it so fast they barely had time to notice the terrible heat from below. The fissure was wide and would probably swallow much lava but not all of it. Gwan was staring at the watch he was carrying with a pale face and suddenly the ground rumbled once more and they all turned around and stared. A cloud of dust and ash rose above the dam and then they saw a red line that seemed to stretch itself towards the plain and it got wider and wider and faster and faster and it started to spread out. Narriar was almost jumping up and down with excitement. “Look, it is covering the incubatorfield!”
The lava was not the slow flowing type, it was very thin and almost like cooking oil in texture, the dam broke completely under the pressure and Gwan took deep breath. “Run, this place will be very unhealthy in a few minutes”
They ran, some of the Ce’agar helped the Aman elves when they got too tired and Ravenne just stared at the scene behind her. The lava started to cover the entire field, the monsters screamed in agony as the hot liquid devoured them but they didn’t try to escape. The hive was gone but suddenly there was a strange rumble and lava started spewing out of the earth just where it had been. Ravenne had to gasp, they had created a new volcano!
They could use the paths and that saved them a lot of time and she could just watch how the liquid rock followed them and tried to catch up with them. They reached the hills with just a few hundred meters to spare and the heat was unbearable. The Ce’agar ran uphill and didn’t stop until they were rather high above the plain. The air was easier to breathe there and Ravenne let herself slide down from Narriars back with a gasp. He turned around and embraced her, kissed her desperately. “We made it phivanil, we made it”
She could only return the hug, somehow she still had problems believing that it was true, that they had done it, that they were safe, that the monsters were dead. Narriar kissed her again. “I bow to you Ravenne, and I thank the Gods for the fact that we have met”
She had to grin and caress his now very sticky and dirty hair. “So do I meleth, so do I”
In New Greenwood they too had noticed that the monsters disappeared and they could not quite believe it, they stayed indoors and waited for further information. The same had happened elsewhere too, the walls of Valmar had almost crumbled but were saved in the last minute when the monsters disappeared and the people there were in utter disbelief. Were they safe? Had it ended?
Thranduil spent several hours praying for the safe return of his daughter and Nireariel was there with him, she could somehow feel that Ravenne had managed to kill the queen, that the menace was ended, but she was not going to accept it until she saw Ravenne again with her own eyes. They could just wait and pray and hope.
Ravenne and the others reached back to the Ce’agar camp after four grueling days of hiking, the new volcano filled the air with ash and made it hard to breathe until they crossed the mountains again. They were greeted by the entire tribe and the news of their success spread fast. Ravenne and the others were exhausted and as soon as they had eaten they went to bed and Ravenne slept for two whole days. Elrohir had by then returned to the colony on earth bearing the good news and Ravenne didn’t know of this but her name soon spread through both the colony and Aman and everywhere the elves were caught in a strange mixture of joy and sorrow. So many were lost and the damages enormous, it would take centuries to repair what had been and they had problems knowing where to start, but it would mend itself, in time.
When she woke up the Ce’agar celebrated for days and she and Narriar spent a lot of time in his sleeping furs, spending their time in the very best way possible. She knew she had to return home now, the others had already left and she was very uncertain and felt nervous. Would he join her or would he stay there, after all, he was the chief and she did not want him to lose his position. She was very frightened when she asked him and Narriar just kissed her and told her that he would follow her, that he had appointed another ellon who would lead the tribe whenever he was with her in Aman. She promised to follow him back too whenever he wanted to and she could not really understand how she could be so happy. It felt unreal almost.
On earth the attacks had stopped too and the governments were confused, they had been about to send a nuke back with the monsters but now they didn’t have to and the elves used all their contacts for what they were worth and managed to convince everybody that they had seen the end of the monsters, that it had been a once in a millennia event. They had to use some discrete magic to manage that but it was for the common good after all. The world of Lithui was safe and slowly the humans forgot about the whole thing, very creative use of magic and the world wide web made that possible.
They got one of the Istari to open a gateway that lead them straight to New Greenwood, Ravenne had by then realized that she by now had become a hero to everybody in Aman and that she would be showered with praise, presents and speeches and she didn’t want any of that. She wanted to live in peace once more, in her beloved woods. She was nervous tough, she had left alone and now she had to introduce Narriar to them, she wondered how that meeting would be. He found the light of the sun a bit bright but she had gotten a pair of sunglasses for him until he got used to it and he accepted them with a frown.
In the palace everybody was preparing for Ravenne to return, a messenger had arrived and told them she was on her way and Thranduil had wept for hours when he learned that she was unharmed and well. Nireariel had done the same and Raina and Astarion had cried too. They had removed all the body parts from outside of the palace and it looked almost like it had but the outer walls looked a bit more ragged than they had. They had taken some serious beating but never failed to protect them. The messenger had informed them that she wasn’t alone, this puzzled Thranduil but Nireariel already knew, she could sense it. Her daughter was finally whole, finally complete and she hid her small smirk from her husband. She was really looking forward to seeing his expression when he realized that he had a new son in law.
Ravenne had made the Istari leave them on the road a couple of miles from the palace, she wanted to prepare Narriar a bit and calm down and she walked the familiar path slowly. She had somehow believed that she wouldn’t see the place again but now she was going home and her heart was singing with joy. The place had few traces of the battle fought and Ravenne stopped when she saw that everybody had gathered to welcome her. The courtyard was packed with elves and Narriar whimpered and squeezed her hand, he was extremely nervous because he knew that her father was a king and that it meant that he was the chief of many more than he was. He just hoped that he would be accepted.
Ravenne had put on a dress to please her mother and Narriar was wearing some leather pants and a loose embroidered tunic, it made him look a bit more like a normal elf but his height and features still told everybody who and what he was. Ravenne could not help it, she was smiling from ear to ear and Astarions kids came running, hugging her and calling her auntie and asking all sorts of silly questions. Narriar felt how his heart was thundering in his chest and he was sure that his throat was more dry than a desert. He hadn’t been this nervous for years.
Nireariel rushed forward and hugged her daughter and Thranduil did too with tears in his eyes, his precious child was back home safe and only his strength of will prevented him from crying like some kid from sheer relief. Ravenne was hugged by everybody, it became a blur of embraces, of kisses and blessings and tears and smiles and she was crying too now, she could not hold it back. Narriar just stood there, staring into the ground a bit pale and with shivering hands. Thranduil hadn’t even thought about the ellon accompanying her before she got closer, then he noticed the height of the ellon and his strange and yet beautiful appearance. He realized that this was a Ce’agar and he got curious, cocked his head and stared at the strange elf with narrow eyes. He recognized a fellow warrior when he saw one and this was indeed an impressive specimen. He bet this ellon was able to fight just about anything and win but who was he?
Ravenne freed herself from the onslaught of relatives and friends and family and grasped Narriars hand, pulled him forth. “Naneth, Adar, this is Narriar, he is the chief of the Ce’agar of the clan of the dragon, he saved my life, and he is my husband”
Nireariel let out a small shriek of joy and before Narriar had time to even react he was being hugged by Ravenne’s very beautiful mother. He just stood there, almost in shock. “Oh how wonderful, I feared that she would live her entire life alone! Welcome to our family Narriar!”
Thranduil just stared in utter shock, he had never believed that his daughter would find a husband or even a lover and he was caught in a maelstrom of emotions. He was both happy and shocked and was this really his little girl? She had taken a husband?! Just like that? He shook his head to clear his mind and saw that the green eyes of the Ce’agar were watching him very nervously. Nireariel let go of Narriar and he knelt down in front of Thranduil, tried to look as respectful as he could. “Aran Thranduil.”
Thranduil took a deep breath, even a blind man could see the love between the two of them and after all, he wished just the very best for his daughter and this was from what he could see a very good ellon, just the right one for Ravenne’s fierce soul. He smiled and put his hand on Narriar’s shoulder. “Do not kneel mellon, you are a part of our family from now on. Be welcome son and know that I am very grateful for what you have done for my daughter.”
Narriar blushed and bowed his head. “I thank you”
Suddenly Narriar too was getting hugged and kissed and welcomed and he got extremely confused by all the names and only Ravenne’s soft hand stopped him from running away like a kid. A feast was being prepared and Ravenne had to tell them everything a couple of times until everybody had heard her story and Narriar had to tell a lot too, about himself and his people. Thranduil liked him more and more, he sensed a will just as strong as his own in this Ce’agar and knew that Narriar was just as much a king as himself, he had that natural authority and strong personality that others just bow to. It did not take long before Narriar felt like he had gotten a whole new family and he wept with relief, he had been so nervous and afraid that they would reject him. Ravenne had her own rooms and they moved into them, Narriar didn’t have to return home for some months and they had agreed that they would switch between Lithui and New Greenwood twice a year. That way none of them had to go around being homesick for too long.
Nireariel told her family of her condition after a few more weeks and everybody was very happy although a bit nervous. The fact that the baby was protecting her already was something they found hard to believe but she was very healthy and strong and didn’t suffer any problems at all. Narriar got to know both Ravennes brothers and sister, her grand parents too and all of her kin and they all soon adored him. Thranduil was impressed by his skills with sword and bow and he even beat Legolas from time to time. He knew that Ravenne had found herself a perfect husband and he was very happy on her behalf.
The elfs from Tirion returned home and Galadriel and Celeborn were most grateful and when they left they were in fact missed, the rather cold relationship between the former rulers of Lothlorioen and Thranduil had warmed up and they had become friends. Thranduil even promised to visit them when things got back in order again.
Narriar had told Thranduil of his past, of the children he had lost and the Sindar elf had listened and been filled with a deep sense of compassion and sadness. Nobody should have to watch their own child die like that and he wished that Narriar should experience the joy of becoming a father once more, and this time to a child that would survive into adulthood.
Ravenne and Narriar was in Lithui when Nireariel gave birth to her fourth child, it was a boy and the birth went very well and the child was just perfect. Nireariel could sense the power in this child and she knew that he was something very special, something unique. When the boy who were named Aradan was two Raina could tell them all that she too was with child once more and this time it went well. She gave birth to a girl and Nireariel realized that the girl and her son was sharing the same power, they balanced each other out. Why she had no idea but she did not fear for their future, she believed that their power was only good.
The cities and villages were being rebuilt, many of those fallen were re-embodied rather fast due to the fact that the halls of Mandos were utterly crowded and the doomsman of the Valar had to get rid of some souls. It would take time but things would return to normal again, the one thing that didn’t change however was the fact that Ravenne had become an official hero. She was recognized everywhere and treated almost as though she was one of the Valar themselves. She and Narriar had built themselves a simple hut in the woods and when they were in New Greenwood they would spend their time there. She hardly ever visited earth now, she didn’t have to. Narriar managed to keep her in balance and she was more happy than ever before. She watched Rainas daughter and her new brother grow and knew that she probably never would have to use her curse again. Raina had three more children and they were born with just a few years between, she was finally having the huge family she had always wanted and was very happy. Legolas and his wife had a daughter, they only got that one child and she became a bit spoiled but was so charming everybody forgave her almost anything.
Ten years after she returned from Lithui Ravenne had a son and Narriar cried for hours when he got that tiny new life placed within his arms. They agreed that Bheliar would remain in Aman until he was grown up and he was a strong and smart child who made his parents very proud. He did however have some strange talents that Ravenne just didn’t understand and she had a strong suspicion that the old shaman somehow had foreseen this. Bheliar appeared to be able to control the very spirits of the land and the forest and Ravenne was very careful and taught him to respect and cherish all life.
The plain where the hive had been turned into a volcano and the area was shunned by everyone, nobody ventured up north anymore and the Gwhyym could tell that the plain was covered with a thick layer of lava. There was nothing left of the monsters and they became a terrible memory but nothing more.
Ravenne and Narriar had two more children, two girls with their fathers black hair and their mothers golden eyes and both were as fierce and strong as Ravenne. Narriar often stood by their bed at night, just staring at them teary eyed and he could not believe his own luck. Whatever dreams he had had, they had all come true and he blessed the day he had met Ravenne. He turned around and went back to bed, let her pull him down to her and lost himself in her embrace. Her eyes were as bright as the very stars on Lithui’s skies and they were forever shining, and they were shining for him. They had done the impossible and now the future was theirs to have and to hold, onto the end of all things. Narriar pressed his face against Ravenne’s silvery hair and let out a sigh of contentment. His family was safe, his world was safe, his mate was safe too and then he had nothing to worry about and only joy in his heart. He whispered the small words to her and she answered, half asleep. Her destiny had become something else than she had feared it would become and a cruel fate had indeed become a blessing. Her love would bloom for as long as the sun shone in the skies, that was a sacred oath and one she would never even think about breaking.

The end.
- 14
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In a land of shadows