The blood dripped slowly into the bowl in my hands, turning the clear, pristine water to an opaque crimson. I watched, horrified, yet frozen in form, unable to move aught save my eyes….
A cry echoed through the gloom – for only with that sound did I perceive all about me was a muted and lifeless grey – causing me to look up that, against an unnatural sky, I saw a large bird in flight. Again came the cry, piercing and commanding, a sound I could now place - not Falwing or Cugu, not any of my ravens or hawks but something larger by far. And the bird dove at me, at the bowl I held, talons outstretched as if it were swooping upon its prey…white it was in that darkness….a brilliant white sea-eagle.
And I was elsewhere….
I could not draw breath; so hot and stupefying was the air. Beneath me the floor was dry to the touch, before me the tunnel was forebodingly dark save the odd glimmer of red light against the walls. I felt as if I were buried alive.
Noise close by there was then, horrid voices clamouring and laughing cruelly at something – at someone held by force.
Then into my limited field of vision they came; the yelling horde of goblins brandishing spears and swords and whips …
Another cry, a shout of outrage came from my right, and javelins flew into the oncoming group, bringing down those who held the captive, but there were so many.
I saw Durthand, spear and shield in hand as she smashed her way through several fell creatures with deadly wrath. Istuir leapt upon them uttering a bitter curse; the sound of crunching bones was in my ears as he drove them into the ground.
Glawaron danced in deadly battle nearby, swords flashing swiftly, giving no quarter to any who approached. Even in the half-light the expression of fury and horror on the noble young ellon’s face nigh brought me to tears. He should be dancing in the light of Anor or Ithil and walking the fair earth, not here, not underground!
One of our wardens was wounded, with a spear still protruding from his leg, as the would-be slayer lay motionless at his feet. Durthand angled to give him a moment’s respite.
I saw the flash of a shield to my left; Aegledor I thought it was, through so swiftly from my range of sight was he, I could not be sure, and he motioning to the others to form a circle, as unearthly yelling came from another direction. Whoops of malice mixed with cackling laughter filled the air – to be met with calls of defiance from but a few.
Arrows flew overhead, finding their mark, and bringing down the first rank of attackers. Linnethril and Culir I assumed, though I saw neither. Again, a flight of arrows, that mayhap the tide was turning.
And then there was a great yell, as Aearandir moved into my line of sight, fighting like an ellon possessed, and shouting orders to stand firm as he moved. Goblins were tossed aside as he sought to reach his goal, almost fragile they seemed, as they were smashed against the walls from his shield.
Another flurry of arrows and more footsteps, swift and light this time that I knew there was help at hand. And it was over…almost as suddenly as it had begun. I saw Goblins making for the tunnel, muttering and cursing as a combined flight of javelins and arrows brought them all to the floor.
Durthand was helping the wounded warden to bandage his leg, Istuir keeping guard at the tunnel’s edge as the figure in the centre of my vision removed his helm and swept back his silver hair.
“What happened!” Curugirion surveyed the scene with great dismay, “Aearandir, what went wrong?”
But Aearandir did not reply. He stared at me in disbelief. And Glawaron was weeping over my unmoving body.
“Alas, in her haste to see us out of this place she ran straight into a remaining group – and now is she slain.”
~ ~ ~
I regained the focus of my mind with a start, reaching down to touch the fair sward of Thamas Lorn to reassure myself I yet lived. Rare were such visions to me – no more than most of my folk did I ‘see’ events, and then, only in dream, and by water. I looked at the pink and white blossom floating carefree in the breeze before me, and at the flowing stream beside which I had sat to meditate. Mayhap Irmo Lorien had granted me a dream to bring warning of future events, mayhap it was Ulmo…mayhap it was but my own deep fears drawn to the surface - but whatever the cause I was certainly perplexed, and thought to seek counsel with no delay.
.
