NEW LEAF (Legolas FF) | ✔️

Chapter 29: Wildfire

The three of them rode desperately to Mirkwood. Each forgetting everything else they desired to ask when they met along the road.

Elrohir decided not to ask them why they were headed to Mirkwood. When he had arrived at Calaer a few days before, he was not surprised when he was told Laralen had left with Ari to gather some sort of plant. Despite his fathers cryptic messages, he understood fully well that Laralen was in trouble and he made it his responsibility to bend destiny, even if it may seem impossible. He cannot simply let his father's visions come true without a fight.

They reached the borders of the forest as the black smoke lifted up into the air. The fire blazed in front of them and noises filled the air. Elves were scattered around fending off an enemy they had never seen before. Ari stopped short but the horror reflected in her eyes was enough for Elrohir to know that she has seen this before.

"What is happening?" Laralen's voice called him out from his own worry. She pulled her horse to a stop in front of him. The horse started kicking and moving, almost as if telling her he would not go forth any further. She brought her hand to its mane and stroked it gently, soothingly murmuring words of comfort.

"It is happening again," Ari answered as she tried to keep her horse under control. "Only this time it is just fire. Not the black fire," she scanned the surroundings, creatures that looked like orcs scrambled towards them, making horrible screeching sounds.

"We must head for the palace," Elrohir states at once before instructing his horse to go. Laralen and Ari followed him without complaint as they rode through the thick burning forest filled with haunting echoes of screams.

The creatures may look like orcs but they were not. Their limbs were long and hanging as they seemed to drag them as they ran to catch up with the three of them. The elves continued their fight, they fought to protect their kingdom with only one thought in mind, where was their king?

"Do you see Legolas or Elladan anywhere?" Elrohir asked as they approached the grand doors of the palace to see the bridge almost crumbling. Laralen shook her head as she scanned the war zone they had rode into. Ari remained focused on the door of the palace.

"Over there!" Laralen exclaimed, tilting her head towards the direction of what appeared to be a heated battle between the King and his son. Elrohir let out a breath before managing to instruct his horse to go into that direction. Laralen made a move to follow but stopped when she noticed Ari unmoving and silent.

"Ari?" She called out as Ari seemed to mimic the same horrified expression she had upon seeing the fire.

"She's here," she spoke quietly, her voice shaking and weak. Laralen did not understand what she meant as she fought the urge to leave her and aid Elrohir with whatever he was planning to do.

"Ari-" she began again but was cut of by a loud sound, like a blade running across a metal plate. She grimaced at the painful sound as the horses seem to grow even more restless.

"Dear heavens, Lara we must get you out of here!" Ari shouted before the bridge collapsed before them. Laralen lost the grip on the reigns of her horse as he was thrown off. She fell to the ground with a crack as her horse panicked above her. Stomping everywhere as she desperately tried to evade it. She stood up quickly, rolling away and before the horse could run, she managed to grab the satchel she had hanged on him. She watched the horse go as she failed to realize her hood had been pulled away from her face.

Her triumphant grin was wiped off immediately when an arrow struck her shoulder. She hissed but gripped the bag tighter as she whirled around to see her attacker. It was a hooded figure that looked almost ghost like.