Fan Fiction ❯ Fate of the Fires ❯ The Life of a Damned Soul ( Chapter 10 )

Fate of the Fires

Part X: The Life of a Damned Soul

Lady Mars

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The elf slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 'Where in the name of Kelsh am I? And how did I get here?' He turned and began to scan the room. Every intricate carving on the walls glittered in the late day sun. ' Please tell me I'm wrong… Please tell me I'm NOT here.' His mind was racing. He was somewhere he had never intended on coming back to, ever.

"I can deny it no longer, I am here. I must get out of here very soon." He turned to see his loyal hound walking towards him. The dog walked over to the bed and set his head down next to his mater. The elf slowly started to rub the dog's head, absentmindedly. The beast sat staring sadly at his master. The elf continued to pet the dog's head. 'Don't they have any idea what they have gotten themselves into? I am the cause and effect of serious danger and they took me in like nothing ever happened. I shouldn't stay; I'd cause far too much trouble. But I'd feel like a complete clod for leaving again without even gracing them with a good bye.' The elf sighed. 'This choice is going to be far harder than I ever imagined… Either way, someone will be in danger; if not them, then me. But still, for some reason, I feel obligated to stay, but I can't pinpoint what it is that is making me feel this way. I'm supposed to bitter and cold hearted, but why do I feel like this?' The man slowly arose off of the bed and walked over to a full-length mirror that stood at the other side of the room. He gazed at the hollowness in his eyes, the scar that followed the curve of his brow and snaked below his eye, his perpetually marred and dirty hands, his strangely blonde hair, his scraped and bruised legs; he was a grand mess. The longer he stared at his reflection, the more anguish and sorrow started to surface. He gazed, sighing at his mockingly pitiful reflection. The longer he stared, the worse his condition seemed to get and the more angered he became. His state was slowly eating away at his soul; this made the elf mad. Without a second thought, he reached out and swung at the mirror, shattering its reflective surface with one swift blow. The shards of glass fell to the floor in soundless motion around his feet. He slowly lifted his bleeding right hand and stared as the crimson tide dried on his skin. He sighed and stepped over the broken glass, leaving it behind for someone else to clean up. He stepped into a small bathroom area and rinsed the dried blood off of his hand and dried it slowly. He set the towel back where he found it and walked back out into the room. As he approached the doorframe, his head began to hurt. He absentmindedly rubbed at the spot, but the pain increased. By now, he was clasping on to the doorframe with one hand and holding his head in the other. The pain continued to increase, so he strengthened his grip. Nothing seemed to help; the pain just continued to get worse. His breathing became labored and he finally lost all control. He gripped the frame a little harder and let out a silent cry. In the same instant, all of the oil lamps in his room shattered in a rough blaze and then died down again. He dropped to the floor, setting his throbbing head against the cold stones. It took him a few minutes, but he got his breathing back under control. He stared across the surface of the floor, noticing how smooth it was suddenly. He slowly got up and moved toward the spot. He leaned over and saw something he never expected; the glass from the shattered mirror had melted and reformed glass in the cracks of the floor. 'How can this be?' He ran his fingers over the smooth cracks. 'I could swear that I didn't release any power. But there's no other way that this could have happened, is there?'

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Elrond sat staring at Gorfindel.

"What do you think drove him to do this?" he asked the other elf.

"I don't know," Gorfindel replied. "There are many things that would have to be taken into consideration."

"True, but there must be a logical explanation."

"There is, we just don't know what it is." Elrond sighed.

"How is it that a seeming sweet, kind man can grow cold and distant in a matter of months?" Gorfindel shrugged.

"The only person who knows that is Legolas and damned if he's going to be telling us the answers anytime soon." Elrond nodded. He leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. "You said yesterday that he wouldn't heal properly or not at all. Why?" Elrond sighed; he had seen this question coming from miles away. It wasn't an easy one to answer.

"It is not what you think it is Gorfindel."

"Then what is it? Do you know how had it is to tell people there friend is injured and may never heal?!"

"I do know, for I have done it before. I meant, emotionally."

"Emotionally? What do you mean by that?" Elrond stood and slowly made his way around the large desk.

"The way is see it, there is something haunting him, bothering his soul. There is something that is preventing him from allowing all of his scars to heal."

"Something preventing them from healing? What do you think it is?"

"I have one theory, but I sure hope it isn't what I think it is. I hope it is an outside force."

"And what if it isn't? What would it be then?"

"The only other answer would be he is…" He was cut short by every glass object in his office shattering simultaneously. (AN: No, I am NOT going to finish that sentence that Elrond was saying. You're just going to have to wait to see what he was going to say. *Sticks out tongue. * SO there. ) Gorfindel looked at Elrond worriedly.

"What was that?"

"I have no idea." He stared at the glass shards lying on the floor. "But whatever caused this is quite the force to be reckoned with."

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Legolas sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his temples. 'This CAN'T be happening. I won't let this happen. There is no way this is going to get out of control, I can't let it.' He continued to rub his temples, Adhil's words echoing through his head. 'I don't care what you say, I know these things and YOU DON'T! You will go through the surges eventually and when they do come you need to control them or you WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING!' He sighed knowing what he would have to do to control his actions. It would be an arduous task, but he would manage it somehow. He sighed again. There was no end to his torment and he still hadn't faced up to the Fellowship yet. His head shot up at a sound. 'What was that?' He listened intently, trying to figure out what the noise was. 'It can't be, they can't be after me yet.' He slowly made his way out onto the balcony, Devil following a ways behind him. His eyes scanned the forest surrounding him. 'Where is that beast?' He continued to look until he heard it.

"HAND OVER THE ELF!" He whipped his head around to the source.

"What elf?" Aragorn replied.

"You know who I am referring to, just hand him over!"

"I do not know who you are referring to." The orc stepped out of the woods, Frodo in his clutches.

"Oh, I believe you do." Aragorn's eyes widened at the sight of the hobbit struggling against the orc's clutches.

"Leave him out of this." Aragorn turned to look at the elf standing on the balcony.

"And why should I?" the orc shouted back.

"You should know that he is not involved in this."

"He is now."

"You know that is dangerous."

"It is, now? How can that be? There only two of you, I have a hostage, and you are unarmed."

"'Kshrauko, you know damn well that I can take you out, unarmed or not."
"Yes, but would you dare to do it when I have a hostage?" Legolas sighed.

"No, but I do have other methods." He whistled silently and Devil approached his side. The dog the boosted himself up and over the balcony ledge, landing on the soft grass with a barely audible thump. Slowly, the other dogs made their way out of the palace, all of them closing in on the orc. "Now are you sure you want to go through with this?" The orc snapped out a short blade.

"I am, but the question is, are you?" Legolas faltered for a moment. "Ha! I see that all elves are vulnerable to something. When a friend is thrown into the mix, you don't know what to do." Legolas sighed. "So what do you do now elf? You tell the dogs to attack, I kill the hobbit. You let me go, the hobbit comes with me. So what do you do?" Legolas bowed his head and whistled at the dogs. The dogs, in turn, reluctantly backed away from the orc. "Just as I thought; always weak." He took a few steps away from the dogs. "Until next time elf, you should always fear the darkness." And with that the orc disappeared. Aragorn turned to Legolas, but he was gone. 'Blast that coward! How can he run at a time like this?' Gandalf slowly approached the angered king.

"What happened here?" the old wizard asked. "I heard shouting."

"The orcs have Frodo," he replied bitterly.

"They what? Are you sure?"

"Positive. And Legolas wouldn't do a thing about it."

"He wouldn't? Why not?"

"Because it is easier to fight an orc face to face."The pair turned to see Legolas striding past, wearing his ranger gear.

"Where are you going?" Gandalf shouted.

"Orc hunting."

"But you're not healed yet." The elf stopped.

"Do you want Frodo back or not?"

"I do, but…"

"Then you shall let me do my bidding." He whistled twice and the dogs shot off into the woods, their elven leader close behind.

"Do you think he'll be able to do it alone?" Aragorn asked.

"Yes," Elrond replied. The pair turned to see the lord standing on the pathway. "If he continues to think he's a damned soul, nothing shall be able to stop him."

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