Allies and Enemies

Chapter Seven: Middle-Earth Part Two

Legolas listened to the whole story. I was kind of surprised, considering it was me talking for fifteen minutes straight about my homeworlds. Fifteen minutes talking about the schematics as best I could. Fifteen minutes explaining every aspect of the situation. Why? Because the Elves would be harder to sway. Not saying that Aragorn wasn't hard to sway, because he was, but the Elves are going to need a bit more convincing. I would be surprised if I didn't have to mind-trick them into helping, honestly. Anyway, it was surprising that I got a full audience. I thought I would've been stopped about halfway through because I sounded crazy. At one point, I even thought I sounded crazy. I finished talking and waited.

"Look, I know I sound insane, but it's all true," I said. "Trust me. You don't want to see what I've seen."

"Interesting," Legolas said. "You were found dead at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. And yet, you stand in front of me, very clearly alive."

"If I had been as proficient with my sabers as now, I wouldn't have died," I mumbled to myself. "You have one choice to make. Help us fight, give us better odds, or refuse, and stay here to die." I wasn't going to sugarcoat the reality. That was going to happen. That is if they chose not to fight.

"And what happens if we choose to fight?" Legolas asked. "The time of the Elves is over in Middle-Earth."

"Not for long," I replied. "Many worlds will be coming together to fight. Middle-Earth will be one of them. If you refuse to fight, this world will be burned. That's simply the reality. If you come with us, though, you have a chance. Everyone does." Legolas considered my words.

"You are fighting powerful adversaries. How do you plan to combat them?" I thought for a moment.

"With strategy," I said simply. "Different powers can be fought with different powers. We won't fight fire with fire, we would fight fire with ice." For a second, we stared into each other's eyes. I saw the hesitation in Legolas's eyes, and he probably saw the determination and the fire in mine.

"Very well," he conceded. "The Elves will help you, I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you," I replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few other allies to visit." I walked out of the room and leaned against a wall.

"Rowan," I said into my wristcomm. "Make sure to keep an eye on Middle-Earth. I don't know how long they have."

"And if they are burned?" Rowan asked.

"Evacuate everyone," I replied.

"B-b-b-b-but I can't evacuate everyone! There's millions of people! What about the Ents?"

"I don't know! Just try," I replied. "You are expanding every day, right?"

"Yes, but I can't —"

"Do your best. We might have a lot of people coming in soon."

"Where are you going?" Rowan asked after a pause.

"I've got a couple of visits to pay to the Grisha and Fablehaven."