The fields stretched out before him to the edge of the horizon. The sun rose, making the grasses shine a deep green with random streaks of gold. A few stars remained, dotting the sky with shimmering points of light. Legolas wondered if one could ever touch that heavenly glow which was so far, but could sometimes feel so close the heat would warm one’s soul.
The Elves from the distant lands had carried him from the field of battle to the edge of these woods in order to tend to his wounds. Now he could feel his physical strength returning, but still was stripped of all his light and felt hollow inside. Legolas knew he could not survive forever without that piece of him, and he must face this evil or wither away and die from the separation.
He climbed down towards where the other Elves were. They were packing up their supplies or order to continue their quest to the sea.
“Legolas, we are glad to see you well, but we can not linger here and nor should you. You have some great dilemmas so solve with which we cannot help you. You are on your own, my friend, may the light of all our kind shine down on you when all else may appear lost.”
“I cannot express my gratitude for all you have done for me.” Legolas gave the Elves a strong embrace.
“Good luck to you. When this quest of yours in completed, I’m sure we will meet up again across the sea.”
“I shall see you again on those distant shores. May your journey be swift and uneventful.”
The Elves parted company and Legolas began to enter the fields from which he was brought. He now had a new idea of what must be done. He must face Saruman, he must get the answers he so desperately needed. Legolas would regain what was taken from him, or die trying. The Elf would keep his eyes out for any signs of the company along the way. He could only hope the Fellowship would continue without him and not do anything stupid on his behalf.
“We cannot continue until we find out what has become of him.” Gimli was not about to just keep going with the mystery of what happened to their Elf friend hanging unanswered.
“I understand that, Gimli, but we have no idea where to begin. We cannot be distracted from our quest. We must continue towards Mordor. Do you honestly think Legolas would want us to give up that fight?” Gimli knew Gandalf was right. There was nothing else they could do for their friend, they could only prey wherever he was, he was in peace.
“Good luck, my friend.” Aragorn threw the spear on the ground and packed up to continue on their original route. They began to cut the grasses and make a path out of the fields.
The dark hand tried to hold onto its contents. This power it held would unrelenting in its attempts to break free from the cold, dark grasp. What is this power, that it could resist this force of evil for so long without fading?
Suddenly, something urged Legolas onward. A calling from far away, something calling him for help, something familiar. He could not place what would be contacting him from someplace obscure, indefinite. Either way, he suddenly began to feel the need to move swifter through the grass. As he feet moved him faster, he heard a noise and he stopped dead in his tracks. Some creature was in front of him, but the thick grass was prevented him from identifying it. He slowly withdrew his bow and readied an arrow. He would not allow Orks to get the upper hand on him again, he would not have that feeling of being trapped in his veins again.
They were getting closer, breaking the grass as they went, one was now very close, he could hear the breath of the short creature coming ever closer. The Elf could hear that there wasn’t a great number of them, he could triumph if he had the element of surprise, and nothing was better at coming out and startling things than an Elf. Legolas decided to get the jump on them and leapt in front of their path.
“Legolas!”
One could only imagine the Dwarf’s surprise when he looked up onto an arrowhead.
“Gimli!” The Elf quickly lowered his arrow and backed off. The others gave a cry of joy upon seeing their comrade unharmed and free from danger.
“My friend, how glad we are to see you unharmed!” Gandalf put a hand on Legolas’ shoulder, causing him a flinch a little.
“I am fine, my friends. Elves dressed in blue on their way to the sea saw my predicament and saved me.”
Aragorn walked up to the Elf, “What of the spear? What that not your blood?”
“Yes, but it only struck me in the shoulder, their healing abilities saved me.”
The hobbits bounced around, there had been so few glad tidings during this voyage they were thankful for every moment of joy which came their way.
The group decided these grasses were not such a safe place to stay tonight given the limited visibility. Legolas led them to where a part of the woods he had stayed in the night before branched into the fields. It was not far from where they were which was thankful since the sun began to depart over the horizon.
“You need to continue with the quest.” Legolas could not give up on his journey, he would follow this dark power which held him to the ends of Middle Earth.
Aragorn protested, “We cannot have you attack the power of Saruman yourself, this is something we must help you with.”
“How, my friend? This is something which involves the realm of magic in which man, hobbit and dwarf have no connection.”
“What about me, young Elf?”
“Gandalf, you are more direly need with Frodo and the One Ring. Are you honestly saying you’d jeopardize that quest for one Elf?” Legolas actually shut the Wizard up, he had no retort to the Elf’s logic.
“We cannot have you go it alone, that would confirm my suspicions on the extent of your stupidity, Elf!” Gimli was frustrated and torn between the two situations. He wanted the ring destroyed, but the idea of the Elf facing this evil alone was unthinkable.
“There is nothing more you are do for me, my friends. The other Elves told me that I alone have the ability solve this. There is no need for you to risk yourselves, there is enough danger on the road you already face.”
“Listen, Legolas, you’re not doing this alone and that’s final.” Boromir stood, not willing to hear anymore of this conversation, “We will go to Mordor and after we succeed” he made eye contact with Frodo, “we will go with you to destroy the evil that ensnared you.”
“Agreed.” Aragorn didn’t want to let the Elf go, he immediately began walking away for firewood. Legolas decided not to pursue the matter further. Everyone began getting things ready at the camp.
Night fell over the Fellowship. A beautiful, bright full moon ascended above them. Boromir was on watch, sitting on a nearby rock. Legolas was awake, but Boromir couldn’t tell. Elves sleep with their eyes open and sometimes, with the darkness of the night, one cannot tell if they are asleep or awake. The Elf had heard a call from afar, and rose up undetected and snuck out from the camp.
He traveled to the edge of the wood where the full moon’s light cast a blue glow and the cool night air moved with a strong wind. As Legolas soaked in this night images began to flash in his mind. The hand, the light taken from him, Saruman rising up against him, the light trying to escape. He could see the light, struggling to free itself, calling to him for help, so far yet within mental reach. The images broke from his mind and suddenly he was standing again by the fields. It was decided. He knew he could not wait, he must make the attempt now or give up everything which made him an Elf. Try now or give up his soul. He looked back at where the Fellowship was and said a quiet blessing in Elvish, wishing them to continue swiftly and find a clear, safe road. Legolas turned into the wind, which blew his golden hair off his shoulders and took a deep breath.
The Elf silently disappeared into the night.