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Underneath alien skies	By : Nuredhel Category: +Third Age > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1617 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: II 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. do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien,

Chapter List
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Here follows chapter two of this story. I do of course not own the Thranduil character but the rest of the gang are mine, all of them and a truly remarkable bunch they are, as the poor elven king soon will discover.
My characters:

A group of warriors fighting for justice and light, they worship the great goddess. They live in a circus where gladiatorial fights are being held, the fights are arranged and the place is a training facility for future weapon master. Weapon masters are knights known for being almost invincible, the training is terrible and many die before they finish it.

Akisha is their leader, she is a high priestess and the top weapons master, she is more than a human, carrying the spirit of the snow tiger and the wrath of the goddess.

Raigh is her life mate, also a weapons master, he was a slave and she saved his life, he is from the north and very fierce in battle.

Elywen is another priestess, she is an elf but she was born as a human being, her elven blood didn’t appear before she died and was reawakened, she is a shape shifter and her form is the dragon. She is extremely powerful but when she kills anything she gets the lifeforce of her victim and that feels so good she always is teetering on the edge of becoming addicted to killing.
Hawk is her lifemate, a dark elf once just as evil as the orcs he was hunting, she saved his soul and he is a weapon master and serves the goddess. Elywen needs him to stay in balance, without him she would soon loose control and become a serial killer but he knows what bloodthirst is and can help her. He is an amazing warrior but a bit scary.

Frostbird is the third priestess, she is an elf who is of the forest elves, short and lithe and beautiful. She can freeze things and she is a wild one but she has a deep understanding for everything living.

Khir is her lifemate, he is of a strange tribe of elves who are rather feral and he is a quiet type but in battle he uses two blades with deadly precision and he is a force to be reckoned with.

Naragh: The healer of the circus, an old and wise man who knows everything there is to know of the body, he is gentle and mild but he has a lot of temper and can be tough if he needs to.
Chapter two: Darkness within
There is a darkness
Hiding deep within every mind
Its ever growing power may consume you
Unless you gather your courage
And stand your ground

Elywen was staring at Hawk and her confusion was obvious. “I have never heard of such a place?”
Hawk shook his wide shoulders. “Neither have I my dear but I have a strong suspicion, I don’t think he is of our world at all”
Elywen closed her eyes for a second, she looked a bit ashamed of herself “But of course, why did I not come to that conclusion myself. We have seen other worlds, he must come from one that’s rather similar to our own.”
Frostbird was staring at the now unconscious elf. “He is a king, imagine that? Ok, his clothes are very nice and he has an aura of power around him”
Hawk frowned. “Well, no crown may save him, we have got to get him back home and that has to happen as soon as possible”
The short ellon touched Frostbirds hand very gently. “I’ll get Chyun dear, he can’t be far away.”
She smiled at him and nodded. “It will be tough but I must try, even though I am tired. What of our original mission?”
Hawk just shrugged. “It may wait, those rumors may be just that, rumors. And if there really are some sort of dangerous creatures killing livestock here we can send someone else to investigate.”
Elywen touched the man’s wrist. “His heart is beating but the rhythm is unsteady and weak, we have to hurry. “
Hawk went over to the carcass of the horse, it had been a very nice animal and he mourned the fact that it was dead, such a magnificent steed. He managed to get the tack of the dead body with some difficulty. The saddle was smashed beyond repair but the rest of the tack was intact and very lovely and well made. It would be a shame to leave it there. The short elf whistled and after just a few seconds a huge feline appeared between the trees, it was the size of a small horse and it purred and rubbed its great head against his chest. Frerk had been sitting there watching everything, now it was obviously impatient and its tail was swinging from one side to the other constantly.
Thranduil was slowly opening his eyes, he was waking up and stared at the strangers with a sense of confusion. He still had no idea as to where he was and how he had ended up there. He gasped when he saw that huge cat and Elywen squeezed his hand again. “That’s Chyun, he is a Ziger, he is Khir’s companion and friend, just like Frerk here is Hawks.”
He stared at Frerk, the animal was licking it’s paws just like some huge cat but it looked so bizarre. “What…”
He did not manage to say anything more than that and Elywen smiled, her smile was gorgeous but he did notice that her teeth were rather sharp. “You wonder what he is? He is what we refer to as a dragoncat. That’s because we really don’t know what he is. It’s a long story really, but fear not, he is very intelligent and a good friend.”
He kept staring at the animal, he had never seen something like that, not even heard of it. He was gradually starting to realize just how far from home he really was and the though made his heart sink within his chest like some enormous abyss had opened and tried to swallow him. Frerk got up, the ears were perked and it growled. Elywen got up to, in the distance they could hear some strange sounds and Hawk swore. “Damn it, looks like our mission has found us after all.”
Elywen sighed. “Well, you guys may go and do what you do best, I’ll keep watch over our friend here. Make it quick”
Thranduil felt a shiver run down his spine, the noises were some sort of battle cries for sure and he could not allow that these people put themselves in harm’s way just for the sake of his safety. He tried to speak again. “You…you should run away, leave me”
Elywen looked down upon him, there was fierce determination within those lovely eyes. “Leave you? No way! Don’t worry, there is little danger. “
Hawk had whistled and Thranduil heard the sound of horses, he managed to turn his head a little bit and saw an amazing steed, a giant brown stallion with thick black mane and tail. It had to be at least nineteen hands in height and it looked like it could outrun even a Mearas. It rubbed it’s nose against Hawks wide chest and the dark elf was in the saddle with an elegant floating motion. The other elf who had to be Khir jumped onto the back of the huge cat and Frostbird was already in the saddle of a tall red mare which looked like an ill-tempered and difficult horse. He could hear the sounds again and now he could see what it was that was approaching them. It was some sort of goblins, they were rather small but armed and they were spreading out in a rather well organized fashion. Elywen made a grin that looked a bit ugly. “Enjoy guys, I’ll torch those who get by you”
Hawk just shook his head and he had those two long slender blades ready. “None will, I promise you.”
Thranduil held his breath, it had to be at least fifty goblins, they were small, shorter than even a hobbit but there is strength in numbers. The huge brown stallion screamed and suddenly it rushed forward, it was obviously a destrier, a horse trained to fight. The ellon on the huge cat was just behind the horse and he had two shorter swords. Frostbird had a bow and she was already firing arrows at the crowd with an amazing speed and skill. Every arrow struck its target and he saw goblins falling with arrows right between the eyes. She had to be an exceptional archer.
The huge horse hit the group of goblins like an avalanche, it was spinning around, kicking like crazy while Hawk took heads, he appeared to really enjoy himself and so did Khir. They both killed with an efficiency that made Thranduil just stunned. He had never seen anyone fight like that before and the goblins turned around and tried to flee but to no prevail. Frostbird lifted her hands and the remaining goblins were all of a sudden covered with a thick layer of shiny ice. It looked quite unreal.
Elywen chuckled. “Such fools, trying to attack us. Well, they had it coming”
The two men returned and Hawk dismounted the huge horse, petted its mighty neck. “Good boy Trollchrusher, you got at least twenty!”
The horse nickered and Thranduil stared at the animal, Trollcrusher? He had a strong suspicion that the horse carried that name because of its capabilities.
He looked at Elywen. “Where, where am I?”
She knelt down and Frostbird did to, she appeared to concentrate her attention on something he could not see. “You are in a different world than your own my friend, this I can tell you for sure. Right now you are within a small kingdom along the coast but we are going to bring you home to our place. We have a great healer there and we might be able to find out why you are here”
He closed his eyes, another world?! How in the name of the Valar would he ever see his son again? He felt a dark feeling of despair rush through him and Elywen grasped his hand again, her touch was so very warm and it did comfort him, a lot. “Don’t worry my friend, we’ll get to the bottom of this. First of all, we have to save you from your injuries.”
He sighed, his hope had flown yet again, another world! Frostbird waved her hands at them. “Get closer together, I can’t do this if you are too far apart.”
Thranduil felt confused. Elywen smiled at him. “She’ll teleport us back to our city.”
He was going to say that such things were impossible when it suddenly got very bright around him and he felt like falling again. Much to his own shock and shame he screamed in sheer terror. And the world went black once more.
Frostbird had managed to get them to a small clearing within the woods behind the city and Elywen looked down upon the unconscious elf once more, they should have warned him. Being transported like that could be quite a shock if you are not prepared. Frostbird was exhausted, she was swaying and gasping and Khir embraced her lovingly. Elywen looked at Hawk. “Quick, ride back and get a stretcher, and prepare Naragh for our arrival. Tell him he has a challenge to look forward to, a formidable one.”
Hawk turned the giant stallion and disappeared among the trees like a shadow. Elywen touched the elfs neck, counted the heartbeats. He was stabile but it would not last long. Her powers as a healer were limited and she had really no idea as to how this man had survived for so long out there all alone. He had had to be laying there for hours. It did not take long before Hawk returned with some of Naraghs apprentices, a stretcher and some of the other people from their home.
Thranduil was just semi-conscious, he could feel movement, like he was being carried and he caught small glimpses of things passing him by. Strange faces, some huge walls of some kind, sounds that had to be crowded streets, even more walls. It was a strange sensation and everything turned into something that seemed like some sort of dream. It just wasn’t real.
He tried to imagine that it all was some sort of illusion, that he really was dreaming and that he was back home in his palace with his guards, his people and his usual luxury. But the attempt failed miserably, he heard shouts in some language he did not understand, there were sharp sounds and he could smell scents he never had encountered before. It made his nose irritated and he tried to scratch it but could not move.
There was a new voice, a human voice and it had to be a rather old man. “Where did you say you found him?!”
Hawk answered. “By the riverbed, it appeared that he and his horse had fallen from quite a height.”
Something moved, he felt that he was being lifted off the stretcher and unto a bench of some kind. There was a cool and soft hand touching his forehead. “How could that have happened? Where there any cliffs or something nearby?”
Hawk was obviously shaking his head. “Could he have been lifted by something, a dragon perhaps?”
Thranduil felt his breathing almost stop, dragons? Where there dragons within these realms?
Hawks voice was very calm. “Nope, Elywen would have known if any of her kin was nearby. The only dragon we know of within this area is Ghuad and he is not the type to pick somebody up and drop them. “
The old man huffed. “Well of course not, he is a …shall we say well behaved one?”
Thranduil felt his mind spinning, her kin? Dragons? That was impossible! He could not believe what he had just heard, was he going mad? What kind of nightmare was this really?
The old man touched him, he could feel it, his hands were very gentle but strong and there were obvious knowledge and compassion within every touch. “He is the worst case I have ever seen, I have no idea why he is still alive but I guess that the Gods have their own plans when it comes to this guy, I don’t know why they would keep him alive if not.”
There was a clatter of something metallic. “I’ll sedate him, if he is able to feel any of the things I’ll have to do to him it will be torture.”
Thranduil felt a surge of panic rush through his body, sedated? He did not want to be sedated! He wanted to be awake, to be able to hear and see and talk. He felt a sudden sting of pain in his left arm and something cold flowed into him and then there was only a peaceful and gentle darkness.
Naragh looked down upon the elf. “He is a king you said? “
Hawk nodded. “Yes, that’s what he said.”
The old healer shrugged. “King or not, he will need some really dangerous procedures to survive. I think I might be able to save him but he will need a long time to recover. “
Hawk just nodded and smiled at Frostbird and Elywen who entered the room together with the leader of their group. She looked at the elf with astonishment written all over her face. “He is stunning, such beauty, and what a majestic appearance. “
Elywen sighed. “Yes, he is gorgeous, I have never seen this kind of elf before. But I hope he will tell us more if he makes it.”
Frostbird placed a hand on the unconscious elf’s head, she closed her eyes and shivered. “Oh boy, this poor fellow has got some issues.”
They looked at her with puzzled expressions upon their faces. “What? What kind of issues?”
Akisha looked at the silvery haired woman with her normal calm expression but her voice revealed her curiosity. A stranger from another world? She sensed the hand of the Goddess, she had to have something to do with this mysterious elf.
Frostbird cut a nasty grimace. “Guilt, shame, lots of it actually. I sense fear, and greed, and hatred. Damn it’s really nasty! And love to, for his son. But I don’t think he’s got a really good relationship with him. I sense distance, lots of distance. This is one cold, twisted and tortured soul. He is scarred both in mind and soul.”
Akisha cocked her head. “I don’t see any scars?”
Frostbird sighed, she closed her eyes and moved her hand across his face, underneath it his face changed, appeared to be burned on one side, the skin was gone so naked muscle and tissue lay bare. Akisha gasped and backed away from the gruesome sight and Frostbird made a sad little smile. “It is healed, what you saw was just a memory but to him it is real. I think he has faced some trauma in his time, both mentally and physically.”
Elywen shook her head in disbelief. “Poor guy, such a pity. He is so beautiful.”
Hawk just grinned at her. “Should I start to get jealous? Jokes aside, a beautiful face may hide a personality which is everything but pretty. We’ll just have to wait and see what kind of person he really is.”
Naragh gave them all a rather stern look. “And now my friends, leave the room. I need to start working here before it is too late. Frostbird, you may stay if you like. I think I may need your help.”
The elf nodded and went over to a basin of hot water to wash her hands. Naraghs little hospital was well equipped, it had to be because of the harsh training that went on in this place. The fights were make believe but still people got hurt every now and then and the trainers were pushing them very hard. The elderly healer started to shout orders to his apprentices who gathered bandages, splints and medicine. Frostbird watched in fascination as the man started to cut away the elf’s clothes. They were lovely and beautifully made but had to be sacrificed. No doubt he was someone of importance, she had never seen anything this nice before. Even his small clothes were embroidered and made of the softest wool like material she had touched and he had some very nice knives hidden within the sleeves of his tunic. She admired the excellent quality of the blades and she really believed that he was royalty.
Naragh had carefully removed all of the elf’s clothes and he lay there naked. Frostbird felt herself blush, it was rather unusual for her because nudity was just natural to her people. Nobody was afraid of being naked even with strangers around, they had no feeling of shame when it came to their bodies. But this man made her feel embarrassed somehow, if he had been well and awake she would not have felt this way. She knew that it was his very apparent injuries that made her react in this way, it was so unnatural and such a terrible sight. Naragh sighed, he clicked his teeth together and his hands ran over the man’s body, she could see several fractures, his right leg had an open one right beneath the knee and she cringed at the sight of the bone sticking out through the bloody and torn skin.
Naragh shook his head as in disbelief. “His body cavity is filling up with blood, probably a ruptured spleen. One lung is collapsed and several ribs are broken or shall we rather say crushed. He has two fractures to his back, probably one to his neck, his right arm is broken in three places so is his right shoulder and his collarbone. I can find one, no, make it two fractures within his pelvis and then we have a broken thighbone and the open fracture. And that is just what I’ve found so far. Damn, this man looks like he’s been through a mangler!”
Frostbird turned around, her face was rather pale. “Oh Gods, how can he be alive?”
Naragh just shrugged. “The Gods have a plan for each and every one of us, I guess they just aren’t finished with this guy yet. Thank goodness I have the right equipment and skill, this is going to take hours!”
He opened the elf’s mouth, smelled his breath. “Frostbird, come over here, I need your superior nose. Tell me what you smell!”
She did what he told her to, bent down and smelled the man’s breath. There was a strange scent there which she could not identify. “It smells like…like I don’t know honestly!”
Naragh had a stern expression upon his usually gentle face. “Does it smell a bit like old stagnant water?”
She nodded. “Yes, a bit I guess?”
He swore and touched the man’s abdomen gently. “There is a swelling of his liver, and it is not caused by the fall. But it may cause complications later on.”
Frostbird was curious. “Swelling? Why?”
Naragh had taken a huge syringe from his arsenal of instruments, now he inserted it into the elf’s side and blood started pouring out in frightening amounts.
“You saw a troubled soul, someone with a lot of inner demons right? Well I think that he has been trying to drown those demons in liquor. It takes decades or even centuries for an elf to develop alcohol related injuries but this man has in fact managed just that. He must have been drinking heavily for a long time.”
Frostbird just stared at him in disbelief. “An alcoholic elf? That’s impossible, we don’t develop that kind of problems, we don’t get addicted to any substances. “
Naragh nodded. “Yeah, I know, but I am bloody sure that this poor king or whatever he is will go through hell soon. He’ll face withdrawals or else you may call me a blue bunny. He can’t drink until he is fully recovered.”
Frostbird was truly shocked and she felt a deep sensation of both pity and curiosity. What had happened to this elf to give him such serious problems?
The darkness was friendly, comforting even. He felt safe there but the darkness was sliding away and he suddenly stood in the middle of a clearing he knew all too well. It was not far from the palace back home in Mirkwood and it was where the remains of his wife were buried. He turned around, the forest was so silent, it was unnatural. He felt scared, alone, what was this?
He tried to remain calm, on top of the situation but it failed, he felt like some lost elfling again. There was a darkness beneath the trees, and it was terrible and hungry and evil, horrible things were staring at him from it, things which looked at him with both hatred and anger.
He heard a voice and turned around again with a startled gasp. He knew that voice, knew it so well. He stared at the other elf who stood there, he could see straight through him, it was a ghost. He trembled, felt his knees give in. “Ada!”
Oropher stared at him, his eyes were very very sad. “Ion nin, my son, it is not too late, but soon it will be!”
Thranduil felt his whole body shiver. ”What are you talking about? Why are you here, what is going on? Please, answer me!”
He was close to tears, so afraid and so confused and the sight of his father, long dead, was such a terrible reminder of a past he had tried to forget. His father raised his arm slowly, pointed toward the forest. “See the darkness? It is hell! And it is where you’ll end up if you don’t heed my words. Turn around my son. Change from who you have become to who you are supposed to be! Bury the past. Face the future!”
Thranduil gasped, the darkness seemed to get closer to him, it was getting so very cold there and he was shivering all over. “I don’t understand?!”
His father smiled, a very melancholic smile. “I did not think that this would happen to you my son, when did you allow your light to fade? When did your fear become stronger than your once so bright and strong spirit? When did you allow the shadows to devour you?”
“I did not, I did not, I swear, father, listen to me, I don’t understand what it is that you are talking about!” He could feel tears running down his cheeks and knew his own words were a lie. He did somehow understand, but he had no clue as to what to do about it.
Oropher spoke again. “The Gods are merciful my son. They have given you a second chance to life, don’t waste it away. Or else you will lose more than just your life, you will lose your soul and Legolas will be pulled down with you!”
He stared at the ghost with wild eyes. “No, never, I won’t let anything happen to him, no!”
Oropher smiled again, a sad smile. “But it will, he will grow bitter and angry and full of hatred, he will become who you are. Like father like son. “
Thranduil was shivering like a leaf in the wind, suddenly he could see someone walking across the clearing, towards the dark forest. It was his son, it was Legolas and he did not seem to see the terrible things hiding within the shadows. Thranduil got on his feet, wanted to run towards him, warn him but he could not move an inch and he roared in fear and desperation. His beloved son did not seem to hear anything, he just kept walking and disappeared among the shadows and Thranduil fell onto his knees again with a choked sob. “No, Gods please, no! What must I do? Tell me, I beg you!”
The ghost of his father seemed to fade. “The answer is easy, heal and thou shall be healed. The moment you realize what I just meant you are on the right path. Farewell my son, I pray you will succeed, that you will face a better happier future Free yourself from the chains you have spun around your soul, open your eyes and see that there is light in this world, that there is hope, and even love. Live for that love my child, and I swear to you, it will be a new beginning.”
The ghost was gone and he found himself on his knees, tears running, panting and shivering and dizzy. Light? Love? Those words had lost their meaning to him, how could he possibly redeem his own soul, and that of his son? Darkness swallowed him once more and he allowed it to embrace him with a feeling of deep despair and confusion. Hope? What did that really mean? But he had to find it, if only to save Legolas. He was worth saving, his own soul was probably well beyond rescue now.
Naragh was working through the night, he was a very skilled healer and Frostbird tried to help too as best as she could. Not many in their country would try open surgery but Naragh was one of the few who had the technique and equipment. Bones were reattached with tiny nails, bleedings stopped and even the lung was fixed in the end. But the wounded elf was not out of the woods yet, Naragh feared infections and had the entire body washed thoroughly with boiled water which contained herbs he knew could fight such problems. He had injected the elf with lots of fluids to replace the blood he had lost and had also given a fair amount of pain medication and medicine that would help strengthen him. Frostbird had been shocked by a lot of what she saw, she wasn’t used to seeing such things and Naragh was so completely lost within his work he did not notice anything else. They placed splinters to stabilize the broken bones, put bandages on the wounds and then they placed him in a soft bed. Naragh made sure that somebody would be watching him all the time and then he went to bed. He was exhausted. Frostbird went and took a long bath and then she did the same thing. She fell asleep the moment her head hit her pillow and she just hoped that the mysterious elf would still be alive when she woke up. She felt so sorry for him and wanted to help him, the things she had seen within his mind were confusing but heart breaking. There had to be a way to make things right again.
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Underneath alien skies