Defenders of Middle Earth: A Middle Earth Story(Book 3)

Chapter 26: Vision of Doom

Though many of the soldiers were still awake in silent vigil for their fallen comrades, Gerithor felt overcome with grief and exhaustion. He had not slept for several days, and the emotion and stress had finally taken their toll.

He found a spot far away from where the others had camped, in the ruined skeleton of an old house in a remote corner of the city. Here no voice could be heard, save the mournful call of a solitary owl that had nested somewhere in the rafters. The burnt supports of the building creaked ominously, sounding as if they could give way at any moment.

The ranger sat down in the corner of the house, his back rested against one of the main supports. His mind was clouded with sorrow, for he couldn't help but think about Flicker. The ranger had been loyal, almost to a fault. If Gerithor told him to do something, he'd carry the orders out joyfully, often whistling as he did so. He whistled a certain tune that Gerithor couldn't quite recall, and he attempted to remember...

Ah yes, that was it, he thought as the tune came back to him along with a rush of memories. It was a mournful song, if one knew the words to it. But Flicker seemed to not realize that, and when he whistled it it sounded happy and carefree. Gerithor remembered the words though... and they did little to comfort him. He began to slowly sing, his voice breaking slightly as he remembered.

Home is behind
The world ahead
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadow
To the edge of night
Until the stars are all alight

Mist and shadow
Cloud and shade
All shall fade
All shall...fade

 Fear is below
The skies above
And I must carry hope and love
With courage
I must now be strong
This journey shall be cold and long

Mist and shadow
Cloud and shade
All shall fade
All shall fade...

Darkness is near
The light is far
And in the sky a shining star
To guide me
On this road of fate
To keep this journey safe and straight

Mist and shadow
Cloud and shade
All shall fade
All shall fade...  (1)

The song's words were written by a hobbit wordsmith, though the tune itself was as old as the mountains themselves. Aragorn had taught it to the rest of the rangers, though it was strangely solemn for such a carefree people as the halflings.

A solitary tear fell down Gerithor's face as the words hit home. Never again would he hear the laughter of those he had lost, save in his dreams. Never again would he see the face of his mother, or father. Flicker's cheerful disposition would no longer pull Gerithor from the pit of despair.  Though he would see them again in his dreams, he would lose them again as soon as morning came.

It was these dark thoughts that lulled the lonely ranger into a cold, fitful sleep...

=================================

Gerithor woke up to the sound of hissing. He immediately leapt up to find himself surrounded by hundreds of writhing black snakes, many of them slithering over each other and creating a repulsive moving landscape. Though the ground was mostly covered he could distinctly tell that he was in a desert, for he could see vast dunes in the distance. He frantically scanned the area, looking for a way to escape the snakes. In the distance, he could see a massive stone block, intricately carved and looking strangely out of place. Dwarven architecture, he thought to himself. Strange that it's here, it feels oddly out of place.

He began to wade through the sea of snakes, careful not to anger them. Though they followed him, they did not attempt to bite him. This gave him an uneasy feeling, as if they were waiting for something...