Without the Stars
by Elvensong
Author?s Note: This story takes place after the company departs from
Moria, but before they reach Lothlorien. Call it a missing scene if
you will. Something interesting had to have happened between leaving
Moria and arriving in the woods. AU fic.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine, I am just borrowing them
for a short while.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: FOTR
-----
Chapter 1: Into the
Dark
Gandalf fell into the shadow in the mines of Moria. That image played over and over in Frodo’s mind. He had known the wizard longer than he could remember. Gandalf had been there from his birth on and the young Hobbit always looked forward to the Wizard’s visits.
Now they were to be no more. The Belrog had swept him down into the deep places of the Earth, never to be seen again. That image would be forever etched on his soul, something he would carry for the rest of his life. His most deep and painful scar. They had kept running after Gandalf’s descent, through the onslaught of Ork arrows.
The Fellowship had emerged from the mines, finally coming back into the light. They all collapsed after leaving, too much in shock to continue. All seeking each other to help them grieve, save Legolas who stood alone, for Elves are a solitary race, and rarely seek comfort in grief. Perhaps that is why grief can kill an immortal Elf as easily as any blade.
Aragorn was the only member of the company to spur them on, leading them towards the Lady of the Wood. The journey there would not be easy, for the Orks from Moria surely knew their route. They all knew they would be followed by this evil until they reached their destination.
It was a journey which would not take too long. A day or two perhaps depending on how quickly the company could keep the Hobbits moving. Their constant need for rest and wood annoyed the others. Boromir actually thought he might be putting on weight due to the fact the Hobbits always asked the others to join in. Gimli and Aragorn every now and then would entertain the Hobbits, but Legolas rarely ate with them. It was obvious why he was so thin, for he seldom ate and when he did it would consist of an apple or something else very small. He always said that Elves, “are light of foot and do not need to eat as often as heavier mortals.”
Darkness fell upon the lands of Middle Earth. The Fellowship found themselves in a place of the darkest shadow and still a while from their destination. They could not travel all night. The area they had been traveling in was very suspicious. It had a great deal of large rocks and such scattered about, easy places for an enemy to use to sneak up and attack the travelers. Legolas was sensing that something was amiss.
“Beings of darkness follow us, Aragorn. This is not a good place to camp tonight, but things shall attack if we remain out here in the open.”
Aragorn knew better than to second guess the intuition of an Elf and they continued to travel into the night. The ranger knew that some of the Orks from Moria would be tracking them even this far out. The enemy was upset that they were able to cross Moria without being killed and they would see to their demise even this far away from the darkness which was their nest.
The Hobbits began to complain about the late traveling. They were unaccustomed to this and felt that sleep was very necessary. Perhaps when they got a little closer to the Elven haven would they allow them to stop. By then the sun may rise and their danger not so great.
That’s when Gimli noticed something near to their path.
“A Cave!” The Dwarf walked closer to investigate. “This would make excellent an place to camp for the rest of the night for nothing could sneak up behind us.”
“Proceed with caution, Master Dwarf” Boromir walked to the enterance, “we do not know what might already inhabit this place.”
“I will go alone, for I know how to read the rocks.” Gimli ventured slowly into the cave, with his ax at the ready. The son of Gloin knew how to investigate dark places very well and it was not long before he reappeared.
“This cave is not that deep, and there is no sign any beings have inhabited it. I say we stop here for the night.”
The group entered the cave at Gimli’s suggestion. Once there they did notice that the cave was fairly shallow and that the side wall curved back, allowing them somewhere to rest where nothing passing by could see them inside there.
Gimli happily unwrapped his blanket, preparing to sleep. ‘What happy fortune’ he thought, ‘another night under stone, a Dwarf’s paradise.’
Aragorn also sat in the cave, relaxing for the first time since entering Moria. All the events from that time slowly coming back into his mind. Gandalf, his mind returned to Gandalf. How he would miss the old Wizard. Would he ever be able to lead to Company as he as asked him to?
“Sleep, Aragorn. Dwelling on past events, which cannot be changed will not help you fight the struggles that surely lie ahead of us.” The Ranger looked up and saw Legolas standing in front if him, shimmering faintly like a distant star in the dim light.
“You speak with a great wisdom.”
“It comes in time, Aragorn. You will also gain a great wisdom from all you have experienced. These events will shape the future king of Gondor.”
Aragorn smiled, yes, it was true. Wisdom comes in time and even though he may not look it, the Elf had a wisdom that comes only when one has lived as long as he has.
Merry settled down and was the last Hobbit to fall asleep. They were a pile of curly hair and feet that stuck out from under the ends of the blankets.
“I say again, sleep Aragorn. I will take the watch.” The Elf rose and sat on a stone by the curve in the wall, allowing him to see out, but keeping most of his body hidden from view of the outside.
The Elf sang softly to the night. Aragorn slowly fell asleep to the sounds of beautiful Elven melodies. Lyrics which spoke of the heavens and the earth. Words of the sea and of the wood.
The future king also thought he heard Gimli mumbling something in his sleep about, “gagging the sentimental Elf”
The night passed slowly for Legolas. He did not wish to worry anyone, especially the Hobbits, but he had misgivings about spending another night in a cave. Being away from trees and starlight was starting to take its toll on him. He was feeling weaker and he noticed a subtle change in his appearance. Only he himself would have noticed, but some of his radiance was beginning to fade. Most, even the closest friends to the Elves, know little about their need to be in starlight and in the company of trees.
‘It’s just having been away from the living world’ He thought to himself, ‘one more night under stone will not hurt me anymore than four days in the darkness of Moria.’
The Elf kept silent watch, listening to anything from the outside world that might be a threat, along with the occasional snoring from a companion. Suddenly he heard something odd. At first he couldn’t be certain what it was, but it grew ever closer. He began to feel very trapped, for if something attacked from the entrance they would have no way out.
“Awaken.” Whispered Legolas. The others were quickly on their feet.
“What is it, Legolas?” Boromir stood with his sword drawn and ready, trying to keep as quiet as possible.
“I hear something coming. Listen.” They all stood and listened to the sounds of the night.
“There is nothing, Elf.” Gimli slowly lowered his ax.
“Do not judge so too quickly, Gimli. An Elf’s ears are far superior than ours.” Aragorn may have lived with the Elves, but he still did not have their senses. He could also hear nothing in the night.
After a couple more moments, there was still nothing to be heard.
“Perhaps all this time around rock has made me hear things. I apologize, I guess this environment makes one paranoid.” He shot a direct glare at Gimli.
“What are you implying?”
Aragorn knew where this was going and interjected, “Let’s try to get some more sleep. Legolas, do you wish me to take over the watch?”
“Nay, Aragorn. You need your rest, I will be fine for the remainder of the night.”
Legolas kicked himself for being so jumpy. The Prince returned to his post and began to scan the area again. That is when everything began to shake, and it reminded him of being on the cave troll’s back. Everyone jumped up at the noise and Legolas stood at the opening of the cave when a horrific sight finally came into view from the dark night.
The attack began with a powerful, unnatural shockwave that threw Legolas into the back wall of the cave.
Chapter 2: Fading in the Rock
“Awaken!” The sound arose from the blackness, a temptation to return to reality.
There were other voices, some stressful, others commanding. They all blended together in a haze, which was occasionally joined by quick flashes of lights of all colors. Slowly, the mind began to rise up from the depths it had been cast into. The voices slowly became understandable as a headache began to grow.
“Come on, Elf!” Gimli stood over the fallen Elf, trying to rouse him from the unconsciousness his throw into the stone had set into him.
Legolas slowly opened his eyes everything still just a blur. He tried desperately to remember exactly what had happened. His was standing watch over his comrades, his friends. Something was amiss, then pain and blackness.
Slowly everything begun to come into focus and his saw the worried faces of his companions. However, something was very wrong. Then it quickly became apparent.
The light, there was hardly any light!
As the rest of the cave came into view, he noticed the entrance was blocked. The small amount of light that allowed him to view a small portion of his surroundings was seeping through small cracks in the stone walls.
“What has happened?”
Aragorn looked at him with great worry, “We are not sure. We heard you cry out and saw you fly into the wall, projected back by some great force. Then the entrance came crashing down.”
“We believe the enemies which attacked us have learned how to use the explosive power my kind use to move great amounts of Earth.” Gimli was very upset. The ancient art of collapsing stone was a closely guarded secret to the Dwarf kingdoms.
“It was that force which threw you back. You are lucky you are an Elf, my friend. A mortal would have more than likely died from your injuries.”
Gimli stood and walked back to where the opening had once been. It seemed that their foe had done their work well, for it was solidly fell. There seemed to be no obvious point of weakness, or where there was less buildup. The Dwarf merely wished some point to begin from. This would be a daunting task, and one not so quickly or easily accomplished.
“What are we going to do in here?” Merry was getting very concerned. They had their comfortable holes in the ground in Hobbiton, but this was something completely different. This was a dark cave from which there was no escaping.
“We shall just have to dig our way out. It is not impossible, it just may take some time.” Aragorn joined Gimli by the once open entrance. Together they spoke quietly about their situation.
Boromir began looking over the rest of the cave for any other point of weakness they may have missed.
The Hobbits busied themselves with counting the rations over and over. They were calculating the exact amount of every little speck of supply on them. Food was everything to the Hobbits and they quickly brought up all concerns as soon as they noticed them.
“We only have enough bread for 3 days!”
“Never mind that! There’s only enough pipe weed for 1 and a half days!”
“What!” They all shrieked and ran around.
“Stop that!” Aragorn yelled from the entrance, “If you run around worrying like that then you’ll burn off what energy you have and just need to eat more sooner. I suggest you four sit down for a while, you cannot be of much help moving boulders.”
“I can assist you, Aragorn.” Legolas stood shakily and walked towards the Man and the Dwarf.
“You should need more time to recover from your flight, Prince.” Gimli was already moving a couple smaller rocks to get a better angle at the bigger ones.
“I am fine, it takes much more than that to handicap an Elf, master Dwarf.” They both knew there was no reasoning with the Elf, so they allowed him to start lending aid to their objective.
Most of the boulders did require the combined efforts of the Men, the Dwarf, and the Elf to move. They were awkward and very heavy. It seemed a great deal of time before they took their first break and all their efforts did not seem to make a visible dent in the visage.
“We must eat something or we shall perish!” Merry was beginning to grow overdramatic about their hunger.
“Fine!” Aragorn relented, “We shall eat.”
The Hobbits prepared a very meager meal in their view, but to the others it seemed way too much given their circumstances. Boromir gave a mental note to try to get the rations away from the Hobbits as soon as possible, without creating a riot.
The Halflings were able to build a small fire. Because of the holes in the cave, the small was able to escape and the fire gave the added benefit of shining some more light on the situation. When the light from the fire added to the small amount from the serrated sunlight, the situation only seemed more hopeless. No one spoke of it, for they refused to believe that this quest was going to end here and now. Not like this.
“Legolas, come join us before the little ones eat it all.”
“No, thank you. I do not need to eat as often as you, so there is no need of my taking from our supply.”
Gimli nodded and returned to eating. Aragorn knew there was something more happening with Legolas than he let on. Something about the way he was acting, so withdrawn. He was not even sitting near them, but pacing around alone on the other side of the cave as if contemplating the images from a nightmare.
‘He is probably just upset about our situation, claustrophobic perhaps. He is used to the open woods.’ He dismissed it for now, but something more was bothering the future king of Gondor. The way the Elf appeared in the dim light, it seemed a little off.
‘How am I to survive this ill that has been brought down upon me?’ Legolas continued to pace. The supply of food was not what was bothering him. It was the rock itself, blocking the life and the light. Without the starlight, he would fade most quickly.
That heavenly light was what gave the Elven race their glow and their fairness. It was also what gave them their immortality, for they took from the stars their eternal light. It radiated through the firstborn, giving them their magic and everything believed mystical about their enchanting race.
‘I shall fade here, for there is not even a small branch of a tree to render comfort.’ The Elf continued his thought process, trying to think of a chant or a spell which might give him more time before last actions were called for, but none came into mind. No Elf ever spoke of this kind of situation. More than likely, any Elf in Legolas’ circumstance did not survive their ordeal.
‘Our whole race is dying like a long forgotten candle. I may not have the strength to fight any longer. If the sea does not grab us and rip us from Middle Earth, this force which has begun to descend upon my race shall do so.’
It was common knowledge in Middle Earth that the Elven race was beginning to see their sunset. Rumors of the rise of the race of men and the disappearance of the race of elves were widespread, although not everyone would believe them. There was no being or specific power to assign blame to for these events, it seemed to be just the will of nature. The time of the immortals was growing late, they would soon become nothing but myth. Bedtime stories would be the only time one would speak of the fair folk.
‘Out dearest friend, the forest, no longer wishes us in her warm embrace. She is beginning to cast us out onto the sea like scattered ashes.’ The pain brought down to the race of Elves was something unlike anything they had ever known.
Days passed. They company could only guess about their progress for the rock would not give up any of its secrets. Now the situation was turning dire. The supply of food was growing dangerously low and Aragorn was not the only one to notice that Legolas had not eaten since their enclosure in the rocks. The Elf always proclaimed that their worry was unwarranted, but Aragorn knew better. Elves may be immortal, but they were not indestructible and it was becoming obvious when the Elf stood straight up that he was growing thinner. The Prince of Mirkwood would break down eventually, he knew it.
However, something more dire was affecting the Elf than the lack of nourishment. The lack of starlight was destroying his Elven soul, and he knew his time was growing short. He would soon have to tap into all of his being and try one desperate last measure to free his comrades, for they must survive even if he could not. These were actions which were only used when the end was near, for they were the last outcry of a dying Elf.
For an Elf would not go quietly into that good night, an Elf would rage against the dying of the light.
Chapter 3: The Calling from Beyond
The moon shone high in the sky and the stars burned with their everlasting flame which stretched through the ages. The ancient light brought hope and peace to all who gazed upon it.
One Elf could not gaze upon it, one Elf lay in the dark with only a flame of the mortal world to illuminate him. This Elf was suffering, dying and knew that little could save him now.
Aragorn noticed this slow dimming in Legolas, but refused to make a large issue about it yet, for there was no need to add more panic to their already intolerable situation.
Legolas finally came to speak with the human when the others were resting from their day’s labor.
“Aragorn, my friend.”
Aragorn sat with his friend on the other side of the cave, they spoke with hushed voices.
“This dark is slowly causing me to fade into shadow.”
Panic began to well up in the man, for he knew something was wrong, but he didn’t think it was something so serious.
“What can I do, what can we do?”
“There is nothing you can do for me, my friend. Elves require light and life to exist. Moria harmed me, but this on top of that stress is turning out to be too much for me to endure. I have tried every means to counter it, but one cannot fight their own nature.”
Aragorn knew Elves needed nature to live, and when he looked upon his friend, the glow, which was inherit to his magical nature, was definitely less.
“I refuse to just sit here and do nothing.”
Legolas stood and walked a little farther away from the others. When he did so, Aragorn saw how desperate the Elf’s situation was. He had lost a great deal of weight from not having eaten the entire time they were trapped. Aragorn kicked himself, he knew the Elf was exaggerating his endurance about not eating.
“Perhaps if you ate something. You are way too thin, Legolas.”
“Eating will not help me now and it will only cause more problems for you and especially the little ones, for their tolerance of starvation is non-existent.”
‘Damn Elf logic! Why does he always have to see everything so clear and objective’ the man thought to himself.
“There might be a way to rescue you. If I am strong enough.”
Aragorn’s memory was suddenly jogged, “No, you cannot be thinking of that!”
“Quiet, you will wake the others. It will free you, the quest may continue. I will not simple allow myself to depart from this world if there is a way I could save you.”
“Elves do not survive it, you would die, your immortality and power spent.”
“My immortality and power is already waning, if I am to try this it must be soon for I will be too weak to attempt it soon.”
The man stood and began to walk away, he was not about to listen to the insane ideas of the Elf. He would rather see him attempt to hold on than to give himself to the darkness. Legolas walked to Aragorn and gently turned him around to face him.
“My kind are already fading, Aragorn. We hear the call of the sea and soon my kind will be nothing other than legends of this world. I was hoping to journey over the sea one day, but I will have to visit them in other fashion.”
He hugged Aragorn closed, a loving sign of the close bond they shared. They had known each other for many, many years and had always been the closest of friends.
“Do not fear, my friend. Death to an Elf is not the same as death to the mortal kind. I will always be with you, I will be with you when the ring of power is cast into Mount Doom. I do not fear my fate and neither should you.”
They stayed together in silence the rest of that night. The fire slowly burned, dwindling to a soft glow that bounced off the walls.
The company lay asleep, Legolas stood alone by the fallen rocks. He had hoped his end would not come so quickly. He had lived almost three thousand years, yet there was so much he had still hoped to do. After much coaxing, Aragorn had finally fallen asleep, stress and exhaustion playing their parts. Legolas’ gentle singing didn’t help keep the ranger awake either. If Aragorn had been more awake to listen to the songs, he would have heard laments for those fading with no hope left. Lyrics which spoke of a great passing, and of what waits for Elves who leave Middle Earth. Somber tones, but not without all hope, for they also spoke of a promise of rebirth, sparking the flame of immortality back to life.
Perhaps he would see some long departed friends again. He hoped so, he hoped there was something awaiting him on this journey.
Legolas felt his power ebbing and knew he had better attempt to free them now, for soon he would not be able to attempt this.
This ancient of all Elvish spells. Something only used by those who knew there was no future in store for them. Calling upon all their power, all their magic, they asked of it all one thing. Everything mystical in the Elf’s nature would then leave the body and grant the request of the being. However, the power could not return, for the body of the Elf would wither and fade too quickly for the power to be able to return. Every part of the Elf’s spirit would then scatter to the winds and find peace somewhere in the great beyond.
Legolas was afraid, for what if this didn’t work. He was already so weak, it may not be able to grant his simple wish, then his friends would still be trapped and their end might quickly follow his. He could not bear the thought that their quest might not be completed. So much had already been sacrificed, including dear Gandalf. It must succeed! He would not allow it to fail! Not as long as he had strength left!
He took a deep breath, and began to silently speak the Elvish chants. As he did so he felt himself spreading and rising, becoming less heavy. A bright light began to radiate from within himself, waking the company. The last thing Legolas remembered hearing was Aragorn’s cry to him.
“No! Please!”
The glow spread out into every part of the rock, illuminating the outside world through the cracks in the stone.
‘One simple hope, please, allow them to leave, clear the rocks, give them safe passage, with all that I am, please.’
He thought of Mirkwood, his beloved forest home and knew that a part of him would always reside there. He thought of the trees and his family and friends, casting to them a silent farewell.
The light became too bright for the mortals to look upon. They did not see the rocks fade into nothingness, giving them clear passage with no enemies waiting for them on the other side. The night was visible, with the sunrise creeping slowly on the eastern horizon.
With a flash, the light dissipated out into the world, gone. Leaving behind the blackness of the cave, and the companions who were overcome with awe by the event that had just occurred. Aragorn rushed to Legolas who lay motionless on the cave floor.
“Legolas?” But there was no response. The Elf lay limply in Aragorn’s arms, completely drained of all the shimmer and sparkle he carried. His eyes were closed. Gimli could not believe this sight, his friend laying there. With a numb sense of reality he pressed his fingers to his friend’s throat. There was nothing there, so sign of life.
“Oh, Legolas. Why?” Gimli could not believe they had lost another of their Fellowship, he looked up and saw the red and purple light of the rising sun. Then he realized why, they would not have lasted long enough to free themselves, he could see the amount of rock which once stood there was still much more than the amount they had moved in their time there.
Slowly they exited into the sweet morning air. Remaining while Aragorn carried Legolas out of the cave and into the wood. He walked alone until he found a path of sweet grass surrounding by close trees. There he lay his friend to rest, for he could not leave him in the cave. He stood and walked away, almost in a daze. When they gathered themselves together to leave Aragorn gazed up into the morning sky. He stopped and stared at what he saw.
He then remembered Legolas’ words in the cave. The Elf was no longer fading, but brighter than ever and keeping a close guard on their company. He no longer grieved, for Legolas was not dead, an Elf can never truly die.
In the morning sky was something new that caught everyone’s eye. Something that could never be overlooked or ignored for it was the most beautiful thing ever to grace the heavens, overshadowing all others around it.
A star.
Fin
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