Within Dreams [A Legolas love story]

Shadowfall

In an instant, I tore free from Falcon's bonds on me and reached out a hand to catch the glimmering sunstone that seemed to dazzle even more in the light of noon.

This was the theoretical rope over the edge, that which would pull me to salvation.

Time seemed to slow down immeasurably.

I reflected on the fact that without time, none of this would be occurring.

Legolas had left and immediately seen a great host of men bearing the standard of Gondor not half an hour away. Not knowing this, I waited in desperation as again, like so many times before, Falcon taunted and teased.

I couldn't understand why he seemed to materialise in any situation where it could only get worse. He thrived on uncertainty, on fear, and relished the feeling of wrestling it into submission.

And I waited.

And then in the distance came the sound of steady marching, and the sound of hooves prancing, and the din of hundreds of able men steadily approaching.

And at this unwelcome revelation, Falcon's concentration slipped, and his hold on me weakened, and Legolas sprang forward and threw the sunstone with the usual uncanny precision he always had.

And somewhere, I found the power to move where once there was none.

Now here it glittered, like a fiery star, and I sprang up and caught it, instantly pressing it to the moonstone which, seemingly forever, had hung around my neck.

And the sword that sprang forth would not be quenched.

Falcon, with other motives, would never cease pursuing me in some twisted way until he was no more. I knew this now, and I realized that even when one of the other four took up Falcon's power, they would not have the motivation to continue with such determination as Falcon had. With any luck, their forces would be all the weaker for it.

Legolas struck at the four other Remnants who stood by, knowing that he may not be able to kill them but that he must be able to engage them enough so they would not fall back to protect Falcon. Even beheading them had not worked, as we thought before, because their very flesh was bound by the darkness within them. They simply reformed over time, never truly dying.

But that would change.

Falcon whirled to me, shock written on his face, and without waiting for him to figure out a way to resist, I jumped to my feet, holding the glowing sword parallel to my body, slightly tilted forward.

And without a fanfare of any sort, it passed easily through his armor and into his chest.

He gaped at me with newfound disbelief. "This is not..."

But he did not finish. The body of Falcon fell to the ground strewn with pebbles, and I stood over him, breathing heavily, almost dizzy from it. Before I could even comprehend what had happened, his corpse withered away at an unrealistic pace, leaving an almost mummified body where Falcon once stood. I flinched, feeling disgusted. I took a deep breath and looked over at Legolas. He looked similarly surprised until he said, "Some...have already died over the course of having the fragment within them. Removing it returns their body to their natural state."

The four other Remnants, who had been staring, incredulous, at the corpse of Falcon, shifted uncomfortably and then realised what they must do.