Aragorn lighted up a torch, and with it, illuminated the walls of the place around them. They were in a long corridor, that led to a darker room, where the partitions were made of sharp and hard rocks. The ceiling was not high, flowing with water. The ranger lighted another part of the place, and Tauriel wrinkled her nose when she discovered a new room, with a ground completely covered with human skulls. Even Gimli had a hiccup of surprise.
But that was not all. There was far worst. Above the skulls, she could see, not without fear, forms of men and horses, that flew over the ground, ghostly specter in the troubling darkness. She stepped back as Legolas was stepping forward, catching the dwarf's attention, that, because he did not have elvish capacities, could not see the greenish shapes around him.
''What is it ? What do you see ? ''
''I see shapes of men. And of horses'', answered calmly the blond elf.
''Where ? '' asked immediately the dwarf, whose axe was shaking in all directions.
''Everywhere'', she said. ''They are all around us''.
''Pale banners like shreds of cloud. Spears rise like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The Dead are following. They have been summoned'', added Legolas.
Aragorn kept walking in front of them, and, intrigued, he stepped in the next room. The two elves followed him, and got down the stairs that led to him.
''The Dead ? Summoned ? I knew that. Very good, very good...Legolas, Tauriel !
A thick greenish mist covered the ground, and went up to their hips. It followed their moves, like stuck to them. Even arms up, the haze was following, impossible to remover. Behind her, Tauriel heard Gimli blow on it, but the dwarf did not have more results than the others. A hand of mist came closer to her face, like it was going to caress her cheek, and she stepped back, evaporating it. Green filaments brushed her back, and she felt her heart beat faster, not than reassured to stay more time in this place.
A sinister crack resounded.
''Don't look down'', warned Aragorn, who had just walked on something very breakable.
,
She was not about to do it. She had immediately understood on what she was walking when she had felt circle bones under her feet. Like the first room, this one had a ground covered with human skulls. A new crack echoed, and this time, it was Gimli. Another noise followed, when the dwarf put off his foot from the skull, with a grimace of disgust.
They got out of this place, running and made their way through the long corridor, that had this time a ground of sand, Aragorn in the head of the column, lightening the walls with his torch. Out of breath, they reached another room, bigger, with a ceiling far much higher than the previous ones. On the gigantic left wall, there was the huge frontage of an old palace, dug in the stone, and, on the other side, Tauriel could see the edge of a precipice. However, the mysterious mist had followed them, but for the moment yet, it was not higher than their ankles. They looked around them, intrigued by this new place, when they heard a deep voice.
''Who enters my domain ? ''
They all turned in a single move in the direction of the voice, and they discovered a man, the head crowned, flying over the steps that lead to the stranger palace. Nothing was left from his body except his bones et and his hair, dancing in his back, covered by large and red cloak, damaged by moths. In front of him, lifting up his chin, Aragorn advanced and raised his torch.
''One who will have your allegiance'', he answered back without shaking.
''The Dead do not suffer the living to pass'' laughed his conversation partner.
YOU ARE READING
The Odyssey of the daughter of the forest
FanfictionIn the dark forest of Mirkwood, shadows are growing, again and again. The leaves are becoming black, as the roots, and as the trees. Birds are not singing anymore. Flowers have disappeared. Even the sun has trouble to light the ground of the forest...
