Whispers of the Forest (Legolas x Male OC)

The Woods Of the Elf-Witch

Sîrion had never run through a tomb before, and he quickly decided he hoped he would never again. The sound of hundreds of orcs followed the Fellowship through the stone halls, the archery work of Legolas and Aragorn doing nothing to deter them from the chase. Orcs surrounded them, scurrying about the pillars and staring at the Fellowship. Sîrion held his breath, at a complete loss as to what was supposed to be done. There was nothing they could do but pray to the High Ones that some miracle would befall them. The elf gripped his bow tightly, knuckles white and arrow notched as if it would do anything against such a horde. But before the decision was made to finish off the small group, a deafening roar rattled the earth around them. Sîrion's heart sank as he saw the look of sheer terror and dread cross Gandalf's face. The archway they had run through moments before began to glow red – as if fire was about to lick the stone walls. The orcs ran, a bad omen if ever there was one.

"What is this new devilment?" Boromir exclaimed, shock and fear holding Sîrion's voice though his question was the same.

"A Balrog, a demon of the ancient world. Its foe is beyond any of you! Run!" Gandalf explained, the fearful tension in his voice adding to the urgency the elf felt. They began to run, the throbbing in Sîrion's shoulder dulled as his heartbeat raced in his ears. Another roar sounded, closer, following and Valar, it was a miracle his knees didn't give out from fear. He glanced back, a new dread filling his chest as the glow had only grown more intense, the balrog not yet showing itself.

Aragorn took the lead as their path led them to stone steps, acting as a bridge through a chasm. Booming steps followed, and as the group slowed, Sîrion felt another wave of dread fill him. The steps were broken, a large gap seeming to taunt them with the looming abyss underneath. Sîrion felt the tips of his fingers tingle as he stared at the other side, sure that he could make the jump. Legolas leapt before he could attempt, making the distance with ease. Gandalf soon did the same, with a little less grace than the prince's. Sîrion followed, holding his breath until his feet met solid ground again before he turned back around to see who would make it over next. He muttered a curse under his breath as he realized who else was with them. They were a company with four hobbits and a dwarf, and the gap was daunting enough for a taller race. He weighed the option of hopping back over himself to try and bring a hobbit with him, but Boromir already had Merry and Pippin under each of his arms. The man leapt with a yell, and Sîrion reached out to grab his shoulder to help steady him as he landed. The sound of stone clattering echoed moments later as a chunk of stairs where Boromir once stood fell, widening the gap. Sîrion's heart dropped, and he met Aragorn's gaze, finding a similar shock in his eyes before a determined spark was lit. The ranger picked up Sam and threw him to Boromir, leaving the ringbearer, Gimli, and Aragorn himself still trapped. Arrows began to whiz by, hitting stone and a few flying much too close for comfort past Sîrion. Legolas fired back, and Sîrion did his best to ignore the possibility of the prince being hit by a well-marked arrow. It wasn't as if he could pull Legolas away or tell him to run without reason.

A mighty yell pulled Sîrion from his thoughts, Gimli suddenly braving the gap. He landed at the edge of the stairs, arms wheeling as he started to fall back into the chasm. Sîrion reached out, grabbing the beard of the dwarf. He was pulled forward slightly by the sudden weight of the dwarf, barely having time to brace himself. Legolas quickly helped, a hand on Sîrion's wrist and the other reaching out to hold the dwarf's shoulder. Gimli was pulled to safety with a few yells of protest for using his precious beard. Another roar echoed, and a chunk of rock fell from the ceiling, breaking off more of the stairs in front of Aragorn and Frodo. The hobbit clung onto Aragorn.

"Lean forward!" The ranger yelled, bracing himself as the broken staircase began to move.

The broken staircase tipped forward, crashing into the platform that the rest of the Fellowship was on. A miracle Sîrion would account for in a prayer of thanks to the Valar once this mess was over. Arrows skipped past the Fellowship as they began to run again. The only thing in their path, a long narrow bridge. They filed across, Sîrion casting glancing behind as the earth continued to rumble softly with the unseen balrog that followed. They were off the bridge, climbing the last incline until sweet sunlight and wind would again be on the elf's face. The spark of hope was growing in his chest, humming, and the ghost of a smile began to form on his lips until the scream of Frodo doused any sort of hope with cold terror.