It had been a long day. The ride to Rivendell had been a hard one. That was odd in its self, the normally easy paths to the Elven realm had been blocked or guarded by Elven guards. It only took me one glance to know something was desperately wrong. Elrond never used such a heavy guard in peace time.

I urged my company forward, reluctant even to camp although still two days ride from Rivendell. Eventually I gave in. Not even rangers could go for a week without stopping once, and so far we had only camped twice in ten days.

The silence of the camp put me on edge, normally the forests near Rivendell were alive with birds and Elven laughter. Tonight there was none, no welcoming whispers on the breeze, no distant birds; and even more worrying, there was a red ring around the moon.

I was not alone in being on edge, an Elven exile Elruwen of Mirkwood was also disturbed.

She was a great asset in detecting danger, and I knew this. And although Thranduil had exiled her she was close in the hearts of all the Dunedain and elves alike. She had chosen to live as a ranger and for this I was glad, there was no greater fighter other than Legolas himself, or even me in a bad mood.

When the hunting party returned and I was told that any tracks were at least a week old, I knew that Elrond desperately needed our help. And that was odd.

As the night deepened I could not sleep, a desire gnawed at me. Run! Hide! Conceal yourselves! But I could do nothing. My fear of breaking the silence was more than that of an attack. Suddenly a harsh scream broke the silence. It was terrible, harsh and evil but distant enough not to be heard by those asleep. I felt a presence behind me and quickly drew my sword, only to come face to face with Elruwen. A hunted look was in her eyes as she said it. Yrch.

I was not afraid of orcs… but these were no ordinary orcs. No ordinary orc could make that haunting call. Before we knew what was upon us they stormed from the bushes. Grisled and deformed, they swarmed among us. Many fell where they slept, but those who didn’t were quick to reach for their weapons. Soon the twang of bows and the clash of swords could be heard all about the clearing. Then, as sudden and clear as a wolf howl, a call sounded: “ARCHERS. LORD ARAGORN, THEY HAVE ARCHERS!!!”.

Before my head had a chance to work out what was going on, I was shouting orders. There were many wounded and the dead were growing but so were the numbers of dead orcs. I let my sword fly through one fiend and then the next, a wild desire seizing my very heart. The orc cries were growing louder, but they were few, and worryingly so were the sounds of battle. I had only a moment to think about that as an arrow came speeding towards me. I ducked, flooring the beast who was before me, and not a second too soon. Another had come from behind. I turned and clove his head from his shoulders. I turned again to face the monster that was murdering my brothers. An almost fatal mistake. I heard the whizzing of the arrow and turned to greet it. Its aim was true, and had I not responded with reflex, it would have struck my heart. Pain shot through me spreading from my left shoulder and all over my body, but I dared not to feel it. I must see my company to Rivendell. If I did not, then I would fail before this terrible war had begun.

The dawn was breaking when I returned to the original camp. The scene that greeted me was one of destruction. Among the bodies of the orcs lay the bodies of my fellow companions, a look of horror on the white faces of those who fell where they slept, and ones of pain and anguish on the others. But where was the body of Elruwen? Had the faithful elf fallen? I did not know.

I felt the world turning hazy before me and, as a figure emerged from out of the dark trees, I fell down and wept for my lost friends. “My lord?” Her voice was full of concern. I tried to master my grief to give her an answer. But for once I could not. My world was ending. I heard the words from my own lips and could not believe that it was me speaking. I turned my head back to the faces of my friends. I had failed. So much for the mighty heir of Isildur. “Not all tears are evil, lord.” Were the words I heard next and they seemed so wrong; the only tears shed were the ones because of evil doings. I stood shakily, remembering the arrow in my shoulder. “My lord, you are wounded.” I felt like screaming. Well, isn’t that obvious, but I held my temper. It would not do to scare away my only living friend. “We ride for Rivendell.”

My riding was clumsy and ungainly. The wound in my shoulder seeped blood onto my battle stained tunic, and only then did I notice the purple liquid around the wound. I knew that it was poisoned, but no athelas grew near the path, so I once again mastered the pain. We were still one and a half days’ ride away from Rivendell, but I let myself feel the pain for the first time. This I should not have done.

It was an excruciating, stabbing, rolling pain that did not leave. It blackened my vision and my thoughts. My hands slackened on the reins and I slid side ways in the saddle. Straining, always straining, into the oblivion that this pain brought me. “MY LORD !!!!!!” The last words I heard before slipping from the saddle. The blackness enveloped me and oblivion claimed me. I knew not the time nor the place of my prison, nor whether I was dead, it was just me and the pain. I knew not how long I was destined to lie here in this dark Hellish place, but what I did know is that soon I would be dead.

A faint voice reached me through the dark, faint but unmistakably Elvin. The eternity was broken each time by the same clear Elvin words spoken by ada. Come back to the light. Come back to the light. The words were always the same but each time more anxious and fainter. I was sinking, sinking into dark oblivion. It was many times this, before I was able to struggle against my bonds of darkness, to reach out to the voice that so fervently called my name. But reach it I could not. However I am sure that my struggles gave the watchers hope. Each day the voice came clearer and nearer, sometimes the darkness was breached by a faint light. But I dared not hope that I would ever awaken. I no longer felt pain or time, and although waiting on the doorstep of Mandos, I knew that ada had given me some very powerful potions.