Chapter Ten: Into the Fire We Walk

*She raced on, knowing full well that she had an elf and a dwarf hot on her trail. But she had to reach Gandalf before they reached her, that she knew. They would stop her from running and drag her back if they caught her. She didn’t know why, but she knew she had to give Gandalf the Gemstone.

The closer she became, the more orcs there seemed to be. The orcs were gathering at the base of the mountain around some indistinguishable figure. Because she was running, she did not have the time to spare to truly look at the figure, but as she raced on, she caught a glimpse of his heavy, black plated armor. Who was it that was so deserving of a such armor in Sauron’s army? The figure then began ascending the mountain.

Serein saw who it was at last. The dark lord himself, Sauron. And he was headed towards Frodo! She needed to hurry if she was to reach Gandalf in time to help him protect Frodo. But she didn’t need to panic. Panicking never helped any one. But now it was of little consequence. She had almost reached Gandalf.

“Serein! Serein, wait!” Legolas had finally caught up to her. Grabbing her tunic, he yanked her down as she began to climb the out outcropping that Gandalf stood upon.

“No! Legolas, let me go!” She yelped.

“Not until you tell me what has possessed you so! You nearly got yourself killed running here!”

“I did not! I wouldn’t allow myself to die when so much is at stake. Besides, I made a promise to you I’d live, didn’t I? I’ve never broken my oath before, and I don’t intend on beginning now!”

“Then why try such a foolish run?” He yelled back.

“Because I need to help Gandalf! Now release me!”

“How can you help him? You are more needed on the battle field!”

“As are you! I need to give Gandalf something.”

“But…” She silenced him by putting her hand over his mouth.

“Worry no longer. I will return to you.” With that, she lifted her hand and slightly caressed his cheek. Then she roughly pulled away and began once again scrambling up the rocky mountainside.

“Did you catch her? Why are you still just standing here?” Gimli huffed out of breath as he joined Legolas.

“I caught her. And I let her go.” Legolas whispered.

“You let her go? Why? She’ll be killed!”

“No. She promised to come back.” With her simple oath engraved in his mind, Legolas turned to look at Gimli. What he saw was that orcs were nearing them. “Besides. We have problems of our own to deal with.” Gimli looked around and nodded in agreement when he saw the orcs. He brought out his ax and prepared to fight. Legolas drew the short sword he carried and readied to use it in defense. As the orcs closed in and initiated the in combat, Serein climbed on, forever nearing her ultimate goal.

The air was getting thinner the higher she climbed, and the black soot falling from the mountain did not help. Still she pressed on. Gandalf was in sight now, only up a few more yards. Heaving herself up onto another platform of rock below Gandalf, she called up to him.

“Mithrandir!” Gandalf looked down at the petit woman on the rocks below him. Though he kept his magic flowing, he swore under his breath. What did that fool of a woman think she was doing?

“Mithrandir! I have something that will aid your magic!” She untied the small leather bag that was around her waste and held the gemstone up in the air. The colors of the gem were indefinable. A barrage of colors glowed within the small orb. Reds, yellows and oranges, pinks, greens, blues, and purples. All of the colors swirled and melted with one another within the gem. Gandalf’s eyes widened ten fold.

“The Gemstone of Haze?” He watched as Serein nodded in confirmation.

“Here! Use it to amplify your magic! It should be more than enough to shroud Frodo and Aragorn from Sauron!” She took one last look at the gemstone that had caused her to have so much trouble, et so much adventure. Just the quest to find the gem had given her back her life, and so much more. It would have done a great deal to help her kingdom, but she realized that if she didn’t sacrifice it now, there would not even be ruins of her kingdom to go home to. But her dreams of that had been dashed. Letting the gemstone go was the best thing for now. She looked up to Gandalf, then tossed the gem up to him and watched.

The wizard threw the gem into the air and began muttering a spell. Soon the light he had been giving off was concentrated through the gem. No longer was the light white, though. It shown with the colors of the Gemstone of Haze. Such power emanated from the gem as none had ever seen.

Inside the mountain, Aragorn stood, ready to face Sauron as the wicked creature that had forged the ring that had caused the war stepped up. Frodo was making his way through an intricate maze of paths and bridges to a place where he could throw the ring for it’s destruction.

Sauron drew his sword, and Aragorn readied his own. They clashed, and Aragorn was thrown to the floor. Sauron was stronger than he had ever dreamed. And now he was facing his greatest challenge. Aragorn watched out of the corner of his eye as small Frodo turned to watch the fight. He would not fail the hobbit, he would stay true to his oath. Aragorn raised his sword to block Sauron’s and scrambled to his feet.

“Go Frodo, run!” Aragorn cried out. The hobbit hesitated for a moment, then nodded to himself and flew down, over the bridges and to a deep ravine in which he could see lava. The heat was so intense he could barely breath. Suddenly a great light shown through the entrance to the mountain, and headed straight for him. Frodo ducked and closed his eyes, thinking it was a spell sent at him from Sauron. But when nothing happened, he opened his eyes. He was encased by a soft, multicolored glow. The ring’s inscription shown brightly in the magic of the spell. Gandalf’s magic! Frodo realized. Taking one last look at the ring and a deep breath, Frodo heaved the ring over the edge of the ravine and watched it slowly fall into the lava pits below.

As Frodo launched the ring, Aragorn’s mighty sword struck Sauron straight through the heart. The dark lord stopped. His grip on his massive sword failed him, and he dropped it. Aragorn only shoved the sword in deeper to finalize his kill. Frodo turned around to see the fallen dark lord. The ring had been destroyed, Sauron was dead. His evil could no longer harm them.

Outside the orc army stopped moving. They stood as statues might, in shock and horror. They knew their dark master had fallen. With little hesitance, the orc army turned tail and fled. The allies of the good stood still too, not knowing what their opponents were planning. But when it was obvious the orcs were retreating, slow shouts of victory and cries of happiness rang out. They had won! The Second War of the Ring had been a success!

Gandalf saw the orcs retreating and knew it was over. They had won. He dropped his hands, but the magic from his spell had not completely finished it’s course. Without Gandalf to control it, the power expanded to quickly as it hit the gem. To much power went into the gem, and the beautiful Gemstone of Haze cracked. Slightly at first, then the crack grew bigger. Finally the whole gem split and disintegrated into crumbles of what had once been one of the most powerful magical artifacts ever known. Gandalf looked down at Serein. She had caught the fallen pieces of the gem. Tears were in the corner of her eyes.

“I’m sorry my dear.” He said, for the first time truly meaning what he spoke to her.

“It is as I had thought would happen.” She nodded. “It was so old and fragile, I knew it wouldn’t last through your magic.”

“Yet you gave it up anyway. A noble thing to do. Come, let us see if we can find the remainder of the Fellowship. If they have lived through this battle.”

“I know they have. Right before I came to you I saw all of them but Frodo and Aragorn, and if the orcs have retreated, then Frodo and Aragorn must have succeeded as well.” Gandalf smiled.

“Then the war is over?” Pippin questioned Elrond. The Fellowship, including Gimli and Legolas, and met at the base of the mountain. Sam, Merry, and Frodo were still hugging and laughing for joy. Aragorn was speaking contentedly with Gimli, Elrond and Thranduil. Legolas was looking for Serein and Gandalf, who had disappeared from the mountainside.

“Yes, the Second War of the Ring has ended, with the allies of the good and free victorious.” Thranduil smiled answering Pippin’s question.

“And now Aragorn can take his rightful place as the King of Gondor.” Elrond smiled broadly. Aragorn smiled as well.

“I suppose so.” He replied.

“What of Gandalf?” Frodo asked. “He helped me in there, I know he did.”

“Quite right my boy, quite right.” Gandalf said, stepping down form the mountain, Serein helping him.

“Serein!” Elrond called, pleased his niece had survived yet another of the wars.

“Hello again.” She nodded, a smile not gracing her face as it usually might.

“How did you do that to me Gandalf? Your spell worked very well.” Frodo spoke to Gandalf.

“Serein gave me some help.” All eyes turned to her, then back to Gandalf for an explanation. “She gave me the Gemstone of Haze, an ancient yet powerful magical artifact, and I used it to amplify my power. That is when you most likely felt my spell begin to help.”

“You gave him the Gemstone of Haze?” Elrond said in shock. “What?”

“Yes. I did.” She nodded gravely, revealing the blackened pieces of the once beautiful gem to him.

“Serein!” He gasped.

“I know. And I knew before I gave it up as well.” She spoke regally. “Which way did the orcs head?” She asked.

“North I believe, towards the Dead Marshes.”

“As I feared. Have you a horse I may borrow? I will never reach Haze otherwise.” She asked Elrond, all others forgotten.

“Haze?” Legolas and Thranduil questioned together.

“It is a mythical place, Serein, you cannot reach it.” Legolas said concerned.

“I came from that mythical place, Legolas. And as the Queen of that mythical place, I dare not leave my brother to rule alone for long, especially when orcs head straight for it. I must return home.”

“You left Nero in charge? Then you must not worry too much Serein, he is a good boy, once his temper is in check…”

“Uncle, you have no idea what has happened in the last three thousand years in Haze. Why do you think we have become such a myth? Never mind the tale is for a later time. A horse, please?” She begged.

“Of course.” Elrond called to another elf, who ran to fetch him a horse.

“Serein, you’re from a place that doesn’t exist?” Sam asked with wonderment in his voice. The other elf brought her the choice of two horses. She quickly mounted one and pulled up her cloak’s hood. Rain had begun to fall. Lightly at first, then more heavily. But she would not let it stop her. Wheeling her horse around in the direction she was about to head, she sighed.

“My kingdom exists. But we only hang on by a thread, a thin strand. I must return before that thread is severed and my people are lost forever.” With that, she urged her horse into a gallop and speed off into the horizon.

“Legolas.” Elrond spoke solemnly. “I beg of you, go after her. She does not even have the Gemstone of Haze to protect her anymore. She needs someone to talk some sense into her, to bring her back form the fantasy world she lives in.”

“She only thinks Haze exists?” Legolas asked.

“No, it lives. But she thinks she will be able to save it. The truth is that Haze is beyond all hope. She simply cannot see the truth- she is blinded by her love for her home.”

“I will bring her back safely, I assure you.” With that, Legolas gave his father a nod. Thranduil caught his son’s eyes for a moment. Then Legolas wished his friends a quick farewell and mounted the other horse that had been brought. He urged the horse to move, at a full gallop. He had to catch Serein.*