Fayn (A LOTR novella)

Chapter 7: Old Friends, Old Enemies

Legolas's Point of View:

"So the wizard tells no lies; good. Though now remembering that time, I am surprised he did not think me crazy, what with running my around in the forest with wargs." Fayn's voice becomes known once again to me, and I smile.

"Perhaps unique is a more suitable word?" I jest.

Her ringing laugh echoes through my mind. "Perhaps it is. Thank you, Prince Legolas."

"Of course. You may just call me Legolas, if you so wish." I offer.

I can almost feel her nodding through whatever connection is between the two of us. "Very well, Legolas. I shall see you and your companions soon; I will leave you now to your rest."

"Good night, Fayn," I reply just before the connection is broken.

Fayn's Point of View:

As my mind becomes solely focused back on Alhena, I inspect my surroundings, finding that once again I have walked farther than originally thought with my mind preoccupied. I had managed to wander to the edge of the Menkar's kingdom and past its borders without even realizing it; the environment that surrounds me is very different than before.

The trees of this area are much taller, older. They hold a wisdom that dates back to when I was a very small child and the world was new. Walking amongst them again brings back many memories, both happy and painful, from times long past. Their uniquely red-tinted leaves and even their strange dewy smell trigger many thoughts of my brother-

"Stop it." I say softly to myself, squeezing my eyes shut, in an attempt to block the memories I had buried deep within myself for the sake of my own sanity.

Almost of their own accord, my arms wrap themselves around my front, as if trying to hide myself from painful thoughts. It will do me no good to dwell on things now long gone, especially with what I am about to do.

Many, many centuries ago, back in a time when I was not the sole protector of worlds, my twin brother, Ahi, used to help me. That seems so long ago now, back when the worlds were just beginning. It lasted for such a tragically short time though, for those who gifted the pair of us with our power soon came to realize Ahi was the weaker link, and wished to transfer all of it into me.

I had tried to protest, to explain that I could not complete such a large task on my own, but they did not listen. Before Ahi's powers were to be taken from him though, he ran. I followed after him, tracking him through many worlds, before I lost him completely. It took many years to find another trace of him, but by then, a great darkness was already in play.

I found him again in Alhena, and upon arriving was greeted with a shocking sight; my brother was working with the Menkar to rid the world of evil. I went back to our creators to deliver the wonderful news, to show them Ahi was just as capable as I, and they wished to see for themselves. When we came back though, Alhena was in ruins. Something terrible had happened just before I returned; the evil had won.

The earth had stolen Ahi's power source, making him incapable of moving, let alone fighting alongside the good. This tipped the odds against the Menkar, and Ahi.

It turned out that the earth itself was sickened; the poison in it devoured the light of everything, turning the rest to ash and dust. The earth used Ahi's power source as a vessel to rid itself of the evil that was poisoning it, taking the light out of my brother in the process.

The land became pure, but my brother, Ahi, was not. It consumed him, tearing the humanity from him completely. He was never the same after that day; he was no longer the brother I once knew.

He still believes he is right, but thinks the only way to keep everyone safe is by controlling them. He would beat them all into submission given the opportunity, ruling over all worlds with an iron fist. It is true that it would keep evil from rising, but Ahi fails to see that it makes him no better than the evil itself.

I travel to see him now, out of sheer desperation. What I am about to do is risky; I not only wager my life, but that of Middle Earth as well. If I slip up, say one wrong word to alert Ahi that I am deceiving him, he will strike me dead. I have little choice though, for I am tired, so, so tired from all the war and death that has come and passed in my long life.

***

"Ah, sister, you come to visit me at last."

"Hello, Ahi." I respond politely.

I look at Ahi, drinking in his appearance after not seeing or hearing of him for the better part of a thousand years. Much like me, he seems not to have aged a day, but his bluish skin, a much darker shade than mine, looks wan and pale.  He looks as if he is wasting away.

"I trust you have not decided after all these years to visit for the purpose of small talk. What is it?" he asks bluntly, dropping the pretense of politeness as his canny, gold eyes stare into mine.

"There is something I must do, something I require your help to accomplish. I can offer that you will find most valuable in return." I say, glancing around at the cell I had locked him in many years ago. The forest had grown around it; weaving roots reinforce the spelled bars of Ahi's prison, as if they too wish to keep his darkness locked away until the end of time.

"You have my attention, Fayn, now what is it you want?"

"Your help in exchange for freedom." I say flippantly sighing as I trail one taloned finger along the bars that separate the two of us.

Ahi lets out a sharp laugh. "And what? go back to being the perfect protecters of worlds? You realize I have been trapped inside here for thousands of years, sister, and it is all thanks to you."

"I know, Ahi, and I am truly sorry for that, though it is not my fault you ended up here in the first place. My attention has been kept in protecting the worlds, and I have had little time to spare in looking for a way to help you." I say sadly, truly meaning it. I look up to see him glaring at me though.

"I do not need saving. I am more powerful than you could ever dream to be!" he bellows, leaping to his feet and slamming the bars of his prison.  I do not flinch away though, for I know despite his temper he will not attempt to hurt his only hope of getting out.

"I found the cure, Ahi." I say softly, waiting for a reaction.

My brother pauses in his temper tantrum, setting down the ancient book he had just been about to project at the wall.

For the slightest moment, I see something different shine in his eyes; something that looks like the brother I knew long ago. It is all the confirmation I need to know this plan will work.

"If you drink this," I offer, procuring a small vial of muddy, purple liquid from its small satchel around my waist, "I will let you go free. You will be able to go wherever you wish, and I shall do nothing to stop you."

"You think whatever potion you hold there in your hand can affect me? I have grown immune to such insubstantial things." he scoffs.

"Then I suppose you have nothing to fear." I smirk, holding the vial between my thumb and pointer finger through the bars for him.

I caught him now; he has no way of backing down without, in his own mind, seeing it as admitting I am the more powerful of the two of us.

"Fine." he growls, snatching the vial from my outstretched hand through the bars of the cell.

Ahi drinks the entire contents of the vial in one swallow, smashing the glass on the ground and storming up to me. "A deal is a deal, sister. Let me out."

"Of course." I respond, running two of my fingers over the seams of the cell door.

I am the only one with the ability to undo the powerful locking spell, because I am the one that placed it there in the first place. Pulling the once-enchanted metal of the door aside, I gesture outwards with my other hand.

"You are free to go."

I begin my ascent from his cell without looking to see if he follows; I can hear his movements just fine. Just before I leave though, I whip back around and throw my dagger at Ahi, the blade embedding itself deep into his chest.