Ancient Legends Return

Chapter 8: Lothlorien Two: Eclectic Boogaloo

It was late when Sam realized that Lady Merlin and Esconor were missing. Sam still didn't seem to trust the other six, and in fear that the two were doing something they weren't supposed to, he went out to look for them. It took him a while to find them because, to him, Lorthlorien always seemed to be like a maze. As he passed the library, he heard quiet talking that he couldn't quite make out. When he opened the door he saw Merlin floating around looking for books and Esconor who followed behind her from the floor, carrying a stack of books that was taller than him.

"Why must we look for answers? We could just act like nothing happened," Esconor pleaded.

"No," Merlin says. "We wake up and Britana is fine. Gandalf calls a demon ancient, and there is a magic ring that I have never heard of. I want answers. Also, I need to find a way to shrink Diane. We can't travel secretly if we have a 30-foot giant walking behind us."

Merlin turned her head when she heard a small creek followed by a thud. Sam quickly scrambled back to his feet. He tried to turn and run, but Merlin just teleported behind him, closed the door, and put her hand on his shoulders. She guided him to a chair and sat him down.

"Now what are you doing up this late?'' Merlin asked in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you're up to something. You plan to kill Mr. Frodo and take the ring for yourself." Sam says, jumping from his seat and to conclusions.

Merlin looks at him, obviously confused, before laughing.

"Now what makes you think that we want to kill Frodo? We are by no means planning to do that, I assure you. We just want to find a way to travel with Diane more easily," Merlin says, trying to play it off.

"Now don't try and hide this from me. I heard you talking about some- some 'Britana' thing a-and ancient demons. An' sayin' you didn't know 'bout The Ring. Somethin' 'bout demons too." Sam managed to stutter out.

Merlin looked at Esconor, who was hiding behind her, and then turned back to look at Sam.

"Sit back down. Let me explain," Merlin says to Sam.

As Sam sat, Merlin began explaining from the beginning. Starting with the fact that the Seven Deadly Sins aren't just a children's story that Legolas mentioned, they are real. She tells him which of the people in their group are members of The Seven, then that demons were an abundant race and about how they were at war with them. She finished by explaining how the demon king unleashed a powerful attack, and the next thing they knew, they were regaining consciousness in a cave, picking pieces of stone from their bodies and clothes, and the demons were nowhere to be found. Sam looked at the two of them in disbelief.

"Normally, I'd never believe you, but with everything I've seen, I don't know what to believe," Sam says quietly.

Merlin just looked at him and told him to go back to bed. And as he walked back to his bed, he missed the fact that Frodo was missing. His mind was full of racing thoughts, leaving him restless.

...

Frodo walked down the steps following Lady Gladiral's light to a weathered baistn atop a carved wooden pedestal.

"Will you look in the mirror?" Gladerial asked as Frodo peaked at the bowl.

"What will it see?" Frodo asked, looking up at her.

"Even the wisest cannot tell for the mirror shows many things... things that were... things that are... and some things that have not yet come to pass," she says, pouring water into the bowl.

As Frodo stepped onto the pedestal and peered into the basin, he saw many things. A man clad in white robes walks closer to the surface of the mirror.

"Gandalf," Frodo said joyfully.

Gandalf glared forward, and it almost seemed as if he were actually looking at Frodo. Frodo began to reach his hand towards the surface of the mirror, but the vision abruptly changed to the Shire in ruins. Building destroyed, bodies thrown about, and Orcs looting the villages; Bag End in flames.