The Shadow Walker

47. Free...to Die?

I didn't remember falling asleep, but when I awoke, harsh red sunlight was streaming into the cave. My cheek was resting on Legolas's chest, and my arm was draped over his stomach. Frowning, I slowly, stiffly sat up. Legolas didn't move. His heart was still beating; I'd felt it against my cheek only a moment before. But his skin was pallid and heated to the touch, especially his face.

It was time to leave.

I weakly stood and went to the rocks. I checked outside, ensuring there were no trolls waiting for me to walk into my own death trap. There weren't—at least that I could see. So I began pushing and pulling at rocks, feeling around for anything that would budge. Slowly, I began to work through the pile. Apparently, this was the result of a landslide. Eru, Moria really needed to reinforce their doorways!

It was an old landslide, though; the rocks and mud and stuff had pretty much cemented in place. Which was actually a good thing, because once I opened up a hole in the cover, the surrounding rocks held their place pretty well.

When I finally opened up a gap big enough for both of us to fit through, my fingernails were broken and bleeding, but the stinging didn't begin to compare with the pain I was experiencing everywhere else. Had been experiencing.

I trudged back to where Legolas lay and wrestled his limp body onto my back. Then I tied him in place and headed for the entrance. I almost fell more than once as I tried to crawl out. But finally, we made it out.

We stood at the bottom of Moria's foothills, nobody in sight, and the thought occurred to me: What if the rest of the company didn't make it out of Moria?

The blood drained from my face, and Legolas's weight drove me to my knees. Oh Eru, no. Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo! Samwise, the rascals...even Gimli and Boromir...

Dead?

The thought was overwhelming, but I didn't allow myself much time to grieve. Legolas was...well, he wasn't doing well. Lothlòrien was south of here, and our only feasible option. I grimaced. That wasn't good. I would have to formulate a way to leave Legolas just inside Lorien's boarders where he'd be found. Being Elvish, he'd be taken care of. And all I'd have to do is steal someone's water skin and hide in a tree until I healed.

I used the axe to drag myself and Legolas up, back onto my feet.

"Hold on, Legolas," I whispered, and slowly began to walk south.

Minutes blurred into hours, and it was all I could do to keep walking. I knew I wasn't making very good progress, but surely Lothlòrien should've come into view by now!

My right arm had lost all mobility, and with Legolas constantly dragging on it, the pain had shifted from agonizing to mind-numbing.

At length, a great darkness entered my blurring vision up ahead. A part of me wanted very much to enter, while another part wanted nothing more than to turn and run the other way. Unable to make up my mind, I continued trudging toward it.

My vision swam. I staggered, dangerously close to falling.

A vague sense of peace washed over me as I moved into the darkness. Then I let myself collapse. I was unconscious before I hit the ground.

* * *

3rd Person

Haldir, Orophin, and Rùmil moved silently through Lothlòrien, their sharp blue eyes watching the ground carefully. They were almost identical, but Haldir was both the tallest and most cautious, his bow and arrow ever at the ready. And it was Haldir whose keen eyes first spotted two figures, one partially atop the other, both facedown.