Love Can Fight Any Battle (Legolas/Hermione Love Story

Chapter 31: Path of the Dead

Autheil then turned and ran to find her three companions when she heard. Aragorn tell him that he had to stay.

"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of dwarfs?" Legolas asked.

"How did you-"

"You do have a tendency to forget that I cansee the future dear brother." Autheil said joining Legolas's said. She took her horse from Legolas who smiled at her.

"Might as well accept it. Were going with you, laddie." Gimli told Aragorn. Aragorn gave them a small smile of acceptance of their help but Autheil knew that deep down he was grateful that he didn't have to go alone. Autheil pulled her weapons onto her body and secured them before she jumped up onto Maethor and followed behind Legolas and Aragorn down the narrow and dark path in between the valley with the men and commanders calling after them. Autheil could only hope that they would understand and not lose hope.

The four warriors rode through the night until morning. Not many words were spoken as they rode through the mountain nor did you need to be an elf to sense the uneasy and evil feeling lurking in mountain's valley.

"What army would linger in such a place?"Gimli questioned.

"One that is cursed. Long ago the men of the mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor to come to his aid to fight but when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. So Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they fulfilled their pledge." Legolas explained to the dwarf.

They finally reached the entrance of the Dimholt. They dismounted their horses and pulled them closer to the entrance.

"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away." Gimli said as they approached the dark and gloomy entrance.

Legolas read the acient hyroglifics above the doorway. "'The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead and the dead keep it. The way is shut.'"

Suddenly what sounded like a large breath of air came out and scared the horses making them run off.

"Brego!" Aragorn called out but he didn't come back. Autheil tried to whistle for her horse but again nothing. Autheil then conjured up her patronus and told it to find the horses and tell them to go to Gondor and hide until they were called.

They all then turned back to the spokey entrance.

"I do not fear death." Aragorn said with determintation and walked into the cave disappearing into the darkness. Autheil and Legolas looked at each other and then grabbed each others' hand. Autheil took out her wand and held it at her side as they walked into the cave.

Autheil light her wand with a lumos until they found a torch and lite it.

Aragorn held the torch and lead them forward until they came to a wall of skulls. Autheil clentched Legolas's hand a little tighter in horror.

"What is it? What do you see?" Gimli asked the elves as they stared at the skulls.

"I see shapes of men..." Legolas said.

"And horses." Autheil completed.

"Where?" ask the dwarf.

"All around." Autheil tells him. Gimli and Aragorn seemed horrified a bit while the elves concentrated.

"Pale banners like shreds of cloud."Legolas says. "Spears rise like a winter thickets through a shroud of mist."

"The dead are following us." Autheil says urgently as she can feel their presence.

"They have been summoned." Legolas tells them.

"The dead? Summoned?" Gimli questions as he whirls around. "I knew that. Very good." he then turns back and realizes the others are further ahead of them "Legolas! Autheil!"he calls out as he jogs after them.