Shadow of Angmar

Chapter 16

There was once someone smart, a man that used to work for the Steward of the Gondor, a scholar. His name was Fred and he was interested in alchemy although his work was to copy down information from other languages, especially elvish, into his own. He was amazed with all the information he found from elves about health, economy, war, power but he couldn't quite use them for his own. He was limited to his own species and it drove him mad. Then, one day he took initiative and during a feast for their visitor, Saruman the Wise, Fred asked him for a favour. But the wizard denied him such knowledge and so the human decided he should take matters into his own hands. Only, elf magic does not work for the wicked human soul and the results were disastrous.

He would repress his anger every day and lash out every night, like an animal. He was forced to move as far as possible by his peers and so he was left all alone. But one night, after the earth shook under Sauron's defeat, he was surprised to have a visitor.

"Help me. I need to hide." It was a person drenched in sweat and dirt, dressed in only a dark tunic, bare feet and an overall aspect of someone who has been abused.

Fred let her in, but only because he noticed her ears. She was an elf. As soon as she sat down, he brought her water to drink. His hands were trembling with delight, finally meeting a woman that could help him use the elven magic to become immortal.

But the elleth was not keen on helping anyone. She rested for a day before she decided to move forward.

"Stay. It's still dangerous outside." Fred said with eyes wide and creepy. His hands seemed to want to reach her continuously, as if he could get her soul. The elleth needed one look at him to know what he was.

"I can see into your mind, a man whose desire is eternal life. But nothing can give you what you wish because men are weak and easy to manipulate. I have seen your kind giving their souls for power." She answered, her grey eyes striking the man. He was left speechless for a moment before he screamed after her.

"How dare you! I saw your hands, you have been marked with the dark fire! You scum! You left your kin for power, just like a poor, treacherous man."

Those were his final words as the elleth cut his neck with one sway of her sword. That came as a shock- how easy she could kill one loud mouthed human.

Those images drifted away and changed into the calming sight of water falling. Mistril couldn't help but let her past consume her. There was a cliff from which one would die instantly if he were to fall and that idea has been swirling in her mind for a while.

"Are you alright?" Elladan asked approaching her slowly.

Mistril hadn't said anything ever since they left, almost three days ago. She seemed to be in a constant state of sadness and self-pity, which was very unlike the elleth they had met when she arrived in Imladris with Glorfindel.

"No." She answered, not lying or hiding her true feelings. "What if I fall off that cliff? I'll probably die instantly."

Elladan's eyes narrowed at her and quickly surveyed the sight. It was better to be safe rather than sorry so he had to speak to his brother later and inform him of her thoughts.

"Don't frown. It won't matter if I die since I will be sent back. Again and again and again..." She added, turning to the dark haired elf with a forced smile. "That's my punishment after all. Do not look so worried, I'm not going to do anything that would endanger you or your brother."

"I do hope once we arrive in Lorien you will stop thinking so lowly of yourself. I'm sure my father told you before but the past doesn't matter anymore. It's what you do from now on that makes a difference." Elladan explained, his dark long hair swinging in the air.