“Brian,” a voice says softly.
Brian opens his eyes slightly to see the world was now in shades of gray, black and white. Everything was blurry and there was a bright light coming from in front of him.
“Brian,” the voice says again.
Brian stares at the light, his eyes in slits, as it gets closer to him. Slowly though the light takes the shape of a person. Slowly the light took the shape of Quest who was staring down at him with wide eyes. She was dressed in a long white gown and had her hair up like she had in Lothlorien with a jeweled necklace across her forehead.
“Brian,” she says again.
“Brian,” a stronger voice says and Quest turns her head to look at Nick who was walking up, “Brian wake up,” Nick says. Like Quest he was glowing with a strange white light, but not as bright as hers.
“Brian,” Quest says, “Come back please. Please come back. Open your eyes.”
Brian closes his eyes again and opens them up quickly again. He stares at his surroundings which looked the same as before in shades of gray, black and white, but this time Nick and Quest were not in front of him. “Nick. Quest,” he makes out and as soon as the words leave his mouth his vision goes racing foreword across plains, hills, mountains and then finally takes a steep dive downward into darkness. Finally his vision stops racing and he stops at the foot of what looked like a dark throne.
“Brian,” a deep voice says as a figure seated on the throne looks down at him, “Brian why must you fight us? It is far easier to just give in and join with us. You will do no good fighting against us and will only cause pain to the others. Join us Brian,” he says again as he eyes flash red, “The Elves will never win this war.”
Brian stares up at him and shakes his head, “No. No. No. NOOOO,” he yells squeezing his eyes shut.
“Brian,” a voice says and he feels someone shaking his shoulder, “Brian open your eyes please,” it begs.
Brian’s eyes snap open and he stares at Quest who is kneeling beside him. The others were all gathered around him from his place on the ground.
“Get him some water,” Kevin says to Josh as Josh nods and runs off.
“What…what happened?” Brian says.
Quest looks up at Nick as Nick sighs.
“They’re hunting us Brian,” Nick says.
“Who are?”
“The Pendragons,” Nick sighs, “Memnoch’s servants.”
“But…but I wasn’t here,” he says franticly trying to get up as Quest pulls him back down.
“Don’t move,” she says.
“I saw it. I saw it.”
“Saw what?” Kevin asks as Josh walks up with a cup of water.
“I saw him, Memnoch. He told me to give up. He told me to just join him and that the Elves would never win this war.”
“What did you tell him?” Nick asks.
“No,” Brian says, “Everything was black or white or gray and blurry.”
“They pulled him into the Tesa,” Nick sighs.
“How could they do that he’s human?” Justin says.
“Those migraines he’s been having. They’re not migraines they’re Memnoch forcing his way into his mind only Brian’s been fighting him out all the other times. This time he got in.”
“I heard voice,” Brian says, “They kept saying doom over and over again and then they said one last thing…Ringspell.”
Quest looks up at Kevin quickly as all the color drains from her face.
“What does it mean Kevin?” Brian asks.
Kevin looks at Quest, “Tell him Quest.”
“Y’ enillor morne. Tulinte I quettar. Tercano nuruva. Hlasta! Qyetes. Hfirimain: The Ringspell,” quest says softly, “The Seer Speaks. Out of black years come the words. The herald of death. Listen-it speaks to those who were not born to die. The Ringspell.”
“I don’t understand,” Brian says.
“There will be war, the herald of death. Memnoch has proclaimed war. It speaks to those who were born not to die. A war among the immortals. He has summoned the Ringspell.”
“War?” Justin says.
“I’m a key to something aren’t I?” Brian asks.
“I don’t know Brian. I honestly don’t know,” Kevin sighs, “Get some rest for now. We’re safe here…and no fires,” he says walking off to think.
“He said I would cause you all only pain,” Brian says staring up at the sky as Quest takes the water from Josh and he sits down next to her.
“Shhhh,” Quest says, “Please calm down. Josh needs to help you. He can help block your mind, but you need to calm down.”
Josh stares at him from underneath his hood and nods.
“Can’t calm down,” Brian says.
“Shhhh,” Quest says, “O mor henion I dhu’: Ely siriar, el sila. Ai! Airon Undomiel. Tiro! El eria e mor. I ‘lir en el luitha ‘uren. Ai! Aniron,” she sings softly to Brian as his eyes begin to shut again only this time he slipped into a world of blackness where not even his dreams could reach him.
Brian opens his eyes slowly as the sunlight fills his vision. Morning. He sits up slowly and rubs his eyes. Nick, Justin and AJ were sitting by a small fire cooking something. Kevin was checking the horses with Lance while Chris sat under a tree by himself.
“Where are Josh and Quest?” Brian asks as everyone turns to look at him.
“Oh good you’re up,” Kevin says, “Josh and Quest are off looking for medicine in case you need it.”
“What was after us last night Kevin?” he asks as Kevin walks over and kneels next to him.
“The Pendragons,” Kevin sighs, “They’re Memnoch’s servants as I told you before. They were once immortals that turned to the dark side and now serve him. They’d do anything for him including killing you or dieing trying to find you.”
“Where are we going Kevin?”
“Where ever the wind takes us. There is something pulling me towards something…I’m not sure what though.”
Brian stares at him and then stands up, “Where are we going now then?”
“We’re running low on food, so we are going to stop in Victorian for supplies.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s an old elvish city. It’s by the foot of the mountains up there. It’s about half a days journey.”
Brian stares off into the distance at a large mountain looming in the distance. If there was a city near the foot of that mountain he couldn’t see any trace of it.
“When you feel ready tell me and I’ll get everyone ready to leave,” he says standing up once again and walking off towards the fire.
Brian looks up as Quest and Josh walk back towards the camp from behind the trees. Josh was carrying a hand full of silver leaves and stuffing them into a pouch on his belt.
“Oh good you’re up,” Quest smiles at Brian walking over towards him, “How do you feel?” she asks feeling his forehead.
“I’m…I’m fine really,” he says, “What did Josh do to me last night?”
“He binded your mind,” she says and stares at him, “You should be safe for now from Memnoch, but he will have to do it again soon.”
“What did you two go and find?”
“Oh the leaves. They’re medicine called Faite. It’s supposed to slow down the spread of dark magic through a person’s body.”
“Did you give me that?”
“Yes,” she says.
“I saw you. I saw you in that other world, but you were glowing white and you had a dress on and jewels.”
She smiles, “My father always told me that is what I looked like on the other side.”
“You were beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she smiles.
“Nick was there too.”
She nods, “If only you could see yourself there.”
“What is this city? Victorian?”
“It is an old elvish city that I haven’t visited since my childhood. My cousin Boomer should be ruling there by now. It is a grand city, even more so then my own and Lothlorien.”
“How old are you?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I’m still young though. I’m around 68.”
“68?” he says.
She nods, “I should be married by now according to tradition.”
“You’re getting married aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she nods, “Eris has been my friend since I was a child and I grew up with him when I visited Lothlorien. He is a lord’s son. He gave me Foxglove, my horse, for my birthday two years ago. He tries to keep up with me, but I don’t think he will ever be able to.”
“Brian?” Kevin says mounting his horse, “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah,” Brian says standing up and walking over to his horse. He mounts his horse and pulls up the hood on his cloak. The mountain loomed in the distance like an unconquerable obstacle, but he knew somehow they would have to make their way over it at some point.
The night had already fallen over the land by the time they reached the city gates to Victorian. When they reached the gates though the large doors that once stood were lying on the ground. Not one light could be seen in the whole city and the city itself seemed shrouded in darkness permanently.
“Oh God,” Quest says walking over to the doors on her horse, “Oh God where is everyone,” she says scanning the city franticly, “What happened here? Do any of you see anything? AJ? Justin?”
“No,” Justin says, “I’m sorry.”
“Let me scan the city,” AJ says jumping down from his horse and begins to float off the ground.
“NO,” Josh snaps and AJ immediately lands on the ground again, “Don’t do that. Something happened here and we don’t need to draw attention to ourselves with you flying in the air.”
AJ looks at Kevin as Kevin nods in agreement. AJ leaps back onto his horse and scans the area from the saddle.
“Let’s have a look around,” Nick says walking forward on his horse and walking over the fallen gates as the others follow.
“We should go towards the palace,” Quest says walking to the front of the line with Kevin.
Brian scans the city as they walk through it and closes his eyes for a few seconds. The houses that must have once been magnificent were now dilapidated and more like ruins then anything. The street lamps were empty and debris littered the streets. Brian looks at Quest as she franticly turns her head from side to side looking for any signs of life. Something horrible had happened in this once great city.
“By the prickling of my thumbs,” AJ says softly, “Something wicked this way comes.”
“If something happened here where are all the bodies,” Kevin says as an arrow suddenly flies by his head and hits a wall, “Get down,” he yells, “Watch Brian and be caref…”
“Careful,” a voice finishes his sentence for him as a hooded figure appears in front of him standing in the middle of the road with a bow and arrow pointed at his head, “I suggest you come with us,” he says as the others look around to find themselves in circled by numerous men armed with bows and arrows.
Justin lets out a low growls and AJ lets out a low hiss.
“A werewolf and a vampire,” the man says to Kevin, “It has been many years since I have last seen either of them in these parts. Now are you coming with us nicely or will we have to force you?”
“So with them Kevin,” Brian says.
Kevin looks back at Brian and nods, “Very well.”
Brian stares at the dimly lit building as they walk through it on foot one behind the other. Kevin and Nick had put him in the middle of the two of them and AJ and Justin were doing the same to Quest as Chris, Lance and Josh followed them. Brian could tell at one point the building had been the lower chambers of a palace, but now it was used as some sort of hideout. The men with the bows and arrows were on every side of them with their heads covered in hoods.
Quest seemed to be on the verge of tears at this point. Every time they passed something that she remembered Brian would feel a sudden moment of sorrow and dread fill his heart and he could tell by how the others reacted they felt the same way. He even caught some of the men at those times cast their eyes to the ground and bow their heads.
They made their way down a long hallway passing various rooms as Quest stopped and gazed into each briefly. A room up ahead of them though had a soft white light coming from it. The room got closer and closer to them as they walked forward and when the time came to pass it Quest took one look inside it before she burst away from the men running into the room. They of course went running after her as well as the others did to protect her from them. She runs over to a large white block of stone that the light was shining down upon. She stares down at it and runs a hand over the surface. Slowly one by one the men stop and stare at her as the streaks in her hair, which were once red, fade into deep blue. She runs her small hand over the letters and lets silent tears slide down her face.
“Here lies king Booroma Alamain,” Lance says softly reading the words, “Slain while defending his beloved city by the enemies of the elves. His light will always live on.”
Brian stares at her as a tear slides down his own face for an unknown reason. He wipes it away and turns to look at AJ who had red tears streaming down his own face.
“No,” she says softly, “No. No. No! NO!” she yells crying beating her small hands against the stone.
“Lady Questapatania?” a voice says from behind one of the hooded figures as he pulls down his hood to reveal a pale slender face of an elf with long blond hair and bright blue eyes.
She turns to look at him as her face falls again.
“Quest, the city fell three months ago,” he says walking up towards her and hugging her, “We didn’t know it was you. I’m so sorry,” he says hugging her.
One by one each of the elves dropped their hoods to reveal similar faces all of them with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. Brian stares at them all and wipes the newly fallen tears from his face.
“What monsters did this?” Kevin asks.
“The Pendragons,” an elf says from the corner.
“We will tell the tale later,” the elf hugging Quest says, “Get them to the quarters for now and keep them safe. We will figure everything out later.”
“You cry read tears?” Brian says to AJ.
“Blood tears,” AJ says wiping his face with a wet rag, “Vampires cry blood tears.”
“Why were we crying?” Justin asks Kevin.
“Elves are very powerful beings. Quest is one of the most powerful of them all. When she feels pain people around her feel pain. When she feels grief people around her feel grief. You all felt it I’m sure of it. I know I did.”
“Who was the person in the tomb?” Justin asks.
“Her cousin,” Nick says, “Bound by the blood of her father. He died a young king.”
“The Pendragons have been moving long before he were,” Kevin sighs, “They have the upper hand as of now.”
A soft knock on their door is heard and it opens as a tall slender elf sticks his head through the doorway, “Lord Oleander would like to talk to you all.”
“Very well,” Kevin says and walks out of the door following the elf as the others follow closely behind him.
They are taken to a large room lit by various candles and torches along the wall. The walls were filled with books and records. There is a large wooden table in the center of the room along with a small fire burning in a fireplace a long the wall. The tall blond haired elf was sitting at the table next to Quest waiting for them.
“Please have a seat,” he says as they approach the table and sit down at the table, “I am Lord Oleander. I have taken control as head of the city after the death of Booroma. Three months ago our city fell to the Pendragons who still live on the inner walls of the city. Our people have been forced to take shelter in the underground buildings we made long ago in the war against the dwarfs. More then half the population was killed in the fight along with Booroma. I am very sorry for the inconvenience we caused you, but precaution must be taken. My service is at your disposable.”
“Were you a friend of Booroma’s?” Kevin asks.
“His best friend,” Quest answers for him.
“Yes, his best friend,” Oleander nods.
“We need food and shelter,” Kevin says, “We need to rest before setting out on our way again.”
“Very well it will be given to you,” Oleander nods, “I am in the presence of the ring bearer I have been told,” he says nodding toward Brian, “and anything that I can do to help this fellowship will be given to you. Swords? Chainmail? Bows and arrows? Supplies?”
“I’m sure we can work everything out,” Kevin says, “I’m Kevin.”
“A Lore,” he says, “It has been many years since I have seen a Lore and I am very glad you are back. All I ask you is to watch your dwarf.”
“Very well,” Kevin says as Chris glares at Oleander, “Can we go and rest now my lord?”
“Of course,” Oleander says, “Minia show them to their chambers,” he says to an elf in the corner who bows to him and opens the door out.
“Follow me sirs,” Minia says.
“What about Quest?” AJ asks walking out.
“Don’t worry about her,” Josh says, “She’s safe.”
“They look different then Quest,” Brian says.
“We’re northern elves sir,” Minia says turning around and smiling at Brian, “The southern elves like Quest are darker then ourselves you see. We are all fair with blond hair and blue eyes. We also prefer bows and arrows over swords.”
“Is she safe by herself?” Brian asks.
“Lord Olie has always had a great liking for Quest sir,” Minia says, “They were once supposed to be married until her father died all those years ago. She is safer with him then anyone else. These are your rooms,” he says stopping before a hallway, “You may chose anyone you would like. Two to a room though please.”
“Thank you,” Kevin says, “Everyone rest we have a long day tomorrow,” he says walking into a room, “A very long day.”
Brian follows Kevin into one room, AJ and Nick pair up in another, Justin and Josh in one and Chris in Lance in the last empty room.
Brian looks at Kevin once they are inside the room, “Pendragons can do this?”
“They are the devils servants Brian,” Kevin sighs, “They destroy even the most wholesome beautiful things. This is no way for elves to live. This is a life worse then death for mot of them. Shut off from their earth cast into darkness like dwarfs. This is no life for an elf.”
“Can I help them?”
“No,” Kevin sighs, “I wish I could too, but we have to keep moving.”
“Then we’ll come back,” Brian says sitting down on his bed.
“Yes,” Kevin says looking at a wall, “We’ll come back.”
“Quest, you must realize how dangerous this task ahead of you is,” Oleander says to her.
“You don’t think I already realized that?” she says, “I realized that the day I met them all. I also know that I have to do this.”
“This is a man’s fight.”
“So I have been told many times.”
“You’re as stubborn as Boomer was and you’re father.”
“I have to do this.”
“Then please please be careful my darling. I have lost too many people close to me already. I will make it known of the elves to watch over you through out the land. And among all people I have to trust you t a company that contains a dwarf.”
“He’s no that bad.”
“Please be careful.”
“Aren’t I always.”
Kevin follows closely behind a number of elves as they walk down a long hallway and finally come out on the outskirts of Victorian. He looks over as the horses are brought over by a number of other elves who were beginning to load them with supplies.
“Ring bearer,” Oleander says walking up, “This is for you,” he says holding up chain mail, “ It is the strongest and lightest of all chain mail in the city.”
Brian takes it and looks at it, “Thank you,” he says.
“I wish you the best of luck Kevin,” he says to him, “May the power of the elves guide you and keep you safe.”
“Thank you Oleander,” Kevin says, “I will make it known of your trouble and try to send help.”
“I fear my people are beyond help now,” Oleander says, “The only way to help them is to destroy the Pendragons.”
“Then it shall be done,” Brian speaks up as pulls off his cloak and shirt and puts the chain mail on.
Oleander smiles at him and nods, “Great things will come of you ring bearer,” he says and pulls Kevin off toward the side as the others mount their horses, “Keep her safe,” he says looking at Quest, “She doesn’t know how fragile she really is.”
“I will,” Kevin nods, “Thank you for everything Oleander.”
“Good luck,” Oleander says as Kevin mounts his horse.
“Olie,” Quest says as he walks up to her.
“Fair child of the star,” he smiles at her, “Good luck,” he says and kisses her quickly.
“Are we ready?” Kevin asks.
“Let’s go,” Brian says pulling his shirt and cloak back on.
They ride off quickly keeping their eyes towards the north towards the mountains in the distance.
“Good luck,” Oleander says as they ride off, “You’re our only hope ring bearer.”
“When the cold of winter comes. Starless night will cover day. In the veiling of the sun. We will walk in bitter rain. But in dreams I still hear your name. And in dreams we will meet again. When the seas and mountains fall. And we come, to end of days. In the dark I hear a call. Calling me there. I will go there. And back again.” – The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack “The Breaking of the Fellowship”
