[piosenniel]

Arien’s post

Prolog

The greatest forest in Middle Earth stood fair and tall. The breeze gently rustled her delicate leaves that draped down from her mighty trees. And all was silent, still. The sun bathed her in its never ending light, caressing the rolling midnight canopy. And below on the floor she hid away secrets of beauty, And all was calm, good. Years past in an instance and she never waxed nor waned, but held her grace.

Many people past dwelt within her, but none so as the Elves. And within her northern realm they lived. It was filled with immense wonder, for it was crafted in the image of the diminished realm of Menegeroth- once the most beautiful place upon Middle Earth. And all was peaceful, alluring. Time still fleeted past and she lost nothing but remained.

But one day a shadow of evil entered the south. Twisted forms marred her trees and killed her animals. And she wept. Then he came…….And from that day forth her beauty was no more. Slowly his evil spread and reached the Elves. And they in turn closed their doors to the world. And from then on she was Mirkwood.

This is the story of how the evil was found, some died and some lived but he was too strong. The fought but with their failure the doors of their hall were closed.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“You do know that it is growing. Less and less peoples enter here and trade has fallen…..”

Ceros leaned against one of the great trees and breathed into the blackened night. It had been nearly a year now and he had noticed the changes in the forest. A year since the rumours started. A year since a shadow fell like a shroud of misery. No longer did the birds sing their songs of wonder in the south, and no longer did the beasts roam the pleasurable clearings, but lay hid amidst the newly formed darkness. Others had noticed the change too, felt it in the air, the ground, the water. But they were too afraid to speak up, troubled of being accused of being paranoid. For in this world things of shadow would always be. But this was no paranoia, no it was real and Greenwood no longer held herself as she once did.

“Yes I do know…” replied a voice in the night, “But what to do?” Orodhin stepped forward into the light of their small fire, so Ceros could see him. “But what to do?”

“At least try to fight it!” breathed Ceros deeply. He loved Greenwood with a deep passion and hated it that nothing was being done to counter the threat. The invisible threat as some had grown to call it.

The two were on guard duty tonight, protecting the southern road from any intruders, or unwanted guests. Everyone knew there was no real point in guarding it for no one had come from the south for over a year now, and they weren’t going to start now. Plus the rumour of the shadow had put off guards from patrolling these areas, and Cersos and Orodhin were two of the few who would do it. An eerie silence hung thick in the air, and nothing but the two Elves were there.

“We don’t even know what we are up against, how could we fight it?” Orodhin replied staring up into the canopy, “There are rumours,” he sighed, “Rumours of a great evil!”

“I have heard them too…….” Ceros looked down the Elven path, “that is why we have to do something….now…bu…”

“Shh,” Orodhin drew his sword and fell back into the darkness. Ceros had heard it to and silently stepped backwards into shadow. The noise was clear and crisp in the silence, the crackling of leaves underfoot was amplified in the stillness. As the thing drew closer Ceros tightened his grip, but as two figures drew into the fire light his heart jumped.

“Talas, Ranude!” cried Orodhin stepping out from his veil of darkness, Ceros too revealed himself.

“We have come to relieve you, but you are lucky someone came, many were reluctant to…”

“Thank you, goodnight ,” Ceros said and he and Orodhin made their way back to the Halls and left the other two to guard the halls.

Blessed by the Valar were the lives of Ceros and Orodhin, for neither Talas nor Renude were ever seen again, this is what drew the meeting together and this is where our journey starts.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Four months later a meeting was called:

To all the Elves of this Realm, the time has come to call into question the Shadow . . .

When Ceros had first heard the notice he had snorted, as if this was just another gathering to deal with rogue spiders or unwanted trespassers. But as the Council grew closer, realization hit him. This was serious, the heads of the guards were attending, along with scholars and Thranduil was to be present. Maybe this was actually going to do something. And about time too. There had been more disappearances of late and Ceros could never stop thinking that he and Orodhin might have carried the same fate as Talas and Renude. They had lost some of their best fighters too. Just vanishing into the night, no trace left. But al least no something was going to be done.

Ceros made his way to the meeting alone. He had just finished guarding duty, being posted at the west entrance. Luckily escaping duty on the South gate. No one wanted to guard their anymore. No, not since the shadow had got much thicker. As he walked down the Elven path he past the great trees, birds sang their songs, which were once so full of pleasure, but now alas they were filled with misery and woe. The sunlight glinted through the tree tops, and whispers of their Elven dwellers could be heard echoing throughout. Ceros was now nearing the Halls, there were beautiful trees lining the way to the Halls, and around it flowed a dark, strong, swift river and over it was the bridge. The bridge then lead to the mighty doors, which were now swung wide open. Two guards were placed either side of the large gaping hole in the mass of rock. Slowly nodding towards the guards her carried on inside the Hall. The walls were carved with amazing shapes and pictures, breath taking they were but Ceros had no time to stop and stare he was already late. Deep he went into the ground, following the endless, dim corridors but he finally reached it.

He made his way to the main atrium where the meeting was being held. Slowly he slipped into the room. There were fifty or so chairs in a large circle. At the head sat Thranduil, upon his fair head he wore a crown of woodland flowers, for it was spring again. But somehow it did not feel so. He wore rich green robes embroidered with golden stitches, and he sat upon his wooden throne. The rest of the circle was comprised of various Elves, some scholars, others guards and some Elves of high stature. The atrium, was a circular room with a high ceiling and broad walls. Large pillars were carved from the living rock and were decorated in spring flowers of many colours. The room was lit with many glowing candles and sweet perfume burned, filling Ceros' mind with the smell of Spring. Slowly he took his seat beside Orodhin, Thranduil rose.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Ceros leaned against the cedar chair, his arms crossed and his legs stretched out in front of him. With content he listened to Thranduil.

“…..they have been missing for four months. Two good archers and able fighters, missing in their own homes? No, the thought is absurd! We must now face this growing threat from the south, speak up those that will for we must do something now…… "

[ September 22, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]