The Shapeshifter (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 11

*Skyrena's Pov-

As soon as I was strong enough to stand, we walked out to meet the others.  Lord Elrond smiled and offered me his hand when he saw me.  Unsure what was expected, I bowed my head in respect and shifted into an elf.  He smiled at me.

"I see..."  Turning towards the doors behind him, he threw open the door.  "Come in.  I know that book is around here somewhere..."  He seemed to drift from one shelf to another.  Finally, he pulled out an old, dusty book.  "Here it is."  He set it down on the table and flipped through the pages.  I frowned when I saw the writing.

"Old elvish?"  He frowned and looked at me.

"You can read it?"  I bit my lower lip.

"A little...  It was one of the first things I learned to read.  But, I haven't read it in a very long time."  He nodded and looked back at the page.

"Well, let's see if you can read this..."  Pushing the book before me, I saw the illustration of a human turning into a Warg.  I gulped and read the best I could.

"Born to the kin of the skin changers, the shape shifters take more than one form and can take any form they want.  Originally from Mordor, bred from magic, they were created to be a creature of mass destruction.  After the war on Mordor, the creatures were slain or enslaved by fellow races of Middle Earth.  Though created to bring destruction, these creatures tend to be loyal, resembling the personality of a wolf rather than any other creature."  I stopped, my mind lingering on the words "slain or enslaved."  Thorin stood beside me, trying to read it.

"Wolves are considered misunderstood with a sense of friendship.  So, when it says the personailty of a wolf, that's more of a compliment, right?"  Lord Elrond studied the book.

"To some, it is..."  He continued reading.  "Differenting not much from its kin, the shape shifter uses energy it has stored up or gained from some source to take any form it chooses.  This shift can drain the shape shifter of a certain amount of energy, depending on how strong the shape shifter is."  I gulped and shook my head.

"No more...  I don't want to know any more!"  I trembled slightly, scared to death.  Thorin rested a hand on my shoulder.  After all these years of searching, we were finally discovering what I was, and neither of us were enjoining it.  I shook my head.  "Everyone was right...  I am a monster."  Thorin shook his head, ignoring Gandalf's and Lord Elrond's protests.

"No, you're not.  You're Skyrena of the Woods, not some shapeshifter!"  Lord Elrond shook his head.

"I do remember the war on Mordor.  I did encounter some of your kin, Skyrena.  I even fought along side a few.  Your kind is not a monster.  However, you were loyal creatures.  If you pledged yourself to a cause, you were tied until your death or the death of the cause.  However, the book doesn't say exactly what became of them.  It just says killed or enslaved."  I gulped and shook my head.

"It would explain a lot..."  I thought back to what Lord Thraudril always told me about being hunted by Orcs as a child.  I sighed and shook my head.  "This is all I need to know...  I want no more information!"  Lord Elrond nodded.

"How about something to help?"  With that, he pulled out a Celtic knot on a thin silver chain.  "This is something I found after the wars.  A shapeshifter gave it to me before his death as a sign of gratitude.  Perhaps you will make more use of it than I ever managed."  He handed it to me.  "He said it was something he used to store his energy, but I don't know how or I'd teach you."  I put it around my neck and looked at a nearby plant.  Focusing on it, I sensed movement, and, before long, the plant was dead.  I gulped and looked down as I tried to take it off.

"I can't do it!  I could kill someone!"  I pointed at the plant.  "All I did was focus my attention on it!"  Thorin rolled his eyes.

"Put it back on and look at me..."  I shook my head.  He didn't let up.  "Skyrena...  Please just do it."  I gulped and put it back on.  Looking at him, I focused on him and him alone.  I sensed something again.  I jerked away and shook my head.

"I can't do it!"  He smiled at me.

"You just did."  I looked at him.  He looked a little wiped, but he was still standing.  I heaved a sigh of relief.  I smiled and shook my head.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!"  Lord Elrond smiled.

"I'm sure it takes a lot of practice.  In the meantime...  About that map?"  Thorin froze and tensed.  I rolled my eyes.

"Of course..."  I looked at Thorin.  "He gave us answers!  Let him see the map!"  He sighed and handed over the map.  Lord Elrond looked at it carefully before frowning.  "Moon runes..."  We followed him outside.  He managed the writing, making Thorin and Balin light up.

"We can manage to get in!"  I rolled my eyes and started towards the library again.  Looking at the book, I read more.

Their kin once ranged from 1,500 to 2,000.  After the wars, the 200 who remained went into hiding, hoping to survive.  400 years afterwards, the race seemed to have gone extinct.

Extinct...?  How was it I remained?  I didn't like the truth, but I was bond and determined to find it.  I shook my head and flipped through the book, looking for the part about skin changers...  There was nothing, so I closed the book.  Thorin came in.

"Hey...  Listen, Gandalf sugguested we leave soon."  I nodded and ignored the book.