Silence. Angelnarth could find but one word to describe his passage through the depths. Footsteps through the relinquished halls. A faint smile to his companion every time he turned to watch her relentless face, make sure she is well and still on track. It has been two days, walking from one lantern to the next. Two days of listening to nothing but their careful footsteps and steady breathing. Through forgotten bridges, abandoned cities and staircases. A grim journey through rock and darkness, no wonder for Angelnarth that she was the first Eldar to travel through Moria in centuries.
On the third day, they reached a hall quite different than the others. Tetheril rushed to the edge of the cliff and leaned over the stone balustrade to gaze over the ruins from atop. Angelnarth stood close to her, observing their closer surroundings. The cavern was spacious and in the middle of the dwarf settlement lied a square. Crystals in the size of a grown man were placed around the square, glowing in a light-yellow color and keeping the place bright. The elf's eyes examined the hall, but quickly fixated on a big, round boulder which lied in the middle of the bright square. "Hir Angelnarth, what lies there?", she asked in a curious tone. Angelnarth pretended to look for what Tetheril mean. He knew that his damaged eyesight would never serve him in such a distance.
-"Can we get down there, hir?", she lisped reluctantly.
-"I...I do not see why not. We can return on our path and continue afterwards. Let us go."
Tetheril smiled at him, rushing her way down the sturdy, stone stairs and into the gloomy passage that led to the square. It was as if she has been on that path a thousand times before, while all Angelnarth could do inside the dark corridors was to follow her lead towards their destination. Once out of the darkness, Angelnarth took a slow look around, seeing now for himself what has drawn Tetheril to this place.
The maiden approached the huge stone with slow footing, almost ceremoniously, admiring its size. It was round, its shape resembling that of a hen's egg. She trod around it, observing the holes on its surface. Inside these holes, Tetheril spotted countless crystals in all the varying shades of purple. She found a cavity much larger than all the others and made a step closer, touching the crystals on the boulder's interior with her long, elegant fingers. "Beautiful..", she whispered.
Angelnarth kept his distance a few steps behind her, merely watching. Tetheril took a couple of steps back and with a quick move she used the momentum of her steps to gracefully climb the huge rock by treading lightly on every crack or edge she would meet on its surface. To Angelnarth though, it felt like she merely levitated on her way to the boulder's peak.
Tetheril seemed amazed. "More than thirty of me could fit in there! Isn't it remarkable, hir Angelnarth?". Angelnarth nodded with a friendly smile. "That, it is. I wonder what kind of gems these are. They are very beautiful..". The elf slid on the rock's surface and jumped down, touching the ground, making the slightest sound one could possible make after such a fall. "They are called amethysts, judging by their color. They are semi precious I think.".
The Dunadan approached the big cavity on the boulder and touched the gems inside himself, while Tetheril turned her attention on the carved runes on the stone floor. "I wonder what they mean..", she said. Meanwhile, Angelnarth used a dagger to extract a small piece of Amethyst, placing it inside his backpack. He then interrupted Tetheril, who struggled to study the runes on the floor. He showed her the way they came from. "Time to go, hirril. Come on, maybe on the way we can find someone who will explain their meaning to you." . Tetheril nodded and followed after him.The pair walked side by side, and for the first time after two days, the weight of the world on their shoulders finally felt a little lighter. "If we are in luck..", Angelnarth said, "We have another half a day ahead of us until the other side. I think it will be evening on the outside by that time..". Tetheril kept silent, but offered a bright smile at him.
They walked for hours through more tunnels and abandoned halls, and under the faint light of their lamp the couple kept talking to each other throughout the journey, much like the way two good friends would chatter. Angelnarth chuckled slightly as Tetheril shivered under the immense shadow of a gigantic stone statue.
-"Lifeless stone, hirril. It could never harm us.."
-"As long as it won't come to life and devour us!", she answered in a displeased manner.
Angelnarth chuckled once again. As they reached another large staircase Tetheril suddenly stopped. She sniffed and felt the air around her, turning her gaze to Angelnarth. She seemed excited.
-"The air smells different here. Better...much better!"
-"Very good nose, Tetheril. These stairs lead to the hall known as Durin's Threshold. Our exit point.". This time, Angelnarth shared part of her excitement. The exit was close.
They walked down the stairs with steady, slow footsteps. Through the long, well maintained hall and in front of the stone gate. The dwarves looked at them with great curiosity, almost fear in their faces. As if they were laying their eyes on ghosts, who climbed their way back from the endless depths into the world of the living. The couple did not even notice the folk of Durin's looks on them, as the guards opened the sturdy doors wide and they faced the sunless, but still bright evening sky of Eriador. They were right on time for the dusk. Angelnarth smiled widely as he felt the evening breeze on his face, his old, mortal eyes closing on their own despite his own will, after all that time in the dark.
Tetheril lowered her hood and opened her arms wide, as if she was to embrace the sky. She kneeled and as warm tears ran down her cheeks, she sang a prayer dedicated to Elbereth. Angelnarth knew the words, but only stood silent next to her with his head lowered in respect. He helped the maiden up on her feet. He attempted to look her in the eyes, but she quickly averted hers away.
-"Please, do not tell anyone of my weakness."
The mortal offered her a hearty smile full of compassion."I saw none, hirril Tetheril.". He turned and gazed upon the horizon, as it still held some of the past day's sunlight.
-"There has never been a warrior under this very sun and moon who has not shed a tear when they had to. A Noldo warrior once said that to me, and I only quote his very words. Such was the way I was taught."
Tetheril stood next to him. "Thank you. Iaurmenel chose well when it came to you. I see why now.".
Angelnarth smirked. "This mortal acts in the best of his capabilities, that he does. Come on, let us find some horses..".
The pair walked away from the stone gates and around the waters of the Black Pool, under the starry sky of Eregion. They found hope again during that evening.
