Nerwen the Green and the Search for the Entwives #wattys2019

Chapter LI: Into the Balrog's Lair

Chapter LI: Into the Balrog's Lair

After the midday meal, which she and Pallando had in his chamber, Nerwen tried again to contact Yavanna, but in vain. If the time gap between here and Middle-earth wouldn't be enough, this, too, backed in her the conviction that they were in a place outside Eä. She was able to communicate with her not even through Olorendor, nor with her sister Melian, nor anyone else; if she could meet with Aryon, it was surely because they were joined in the nuptial bond, which had linked their souls in a way that only the death of one of them could break.

Sighing, she got up from her bed and Túdhin, sensing her discouragement, brushed his muzzle against her leg to comfort her. She caressed his head, fondly; at that moment, she heard a soft knock on the door. She invited to come in and a page appeared on the threshold.

"My lord Alatar requires yer presence, Lady Nerwen," he said, "together with Lord Pallando, if ye please. He waits for ye in his office."

"Sure," the Aini answered, "Inform him we'll arrive immediately."

Dismissed, the page went away, while Nerwen headed for Pallando's chamber and knocked on his door. Hearing his invitation, she entered and delivered the message; the Wizard stood up from the armchair next to the window, where he was resting looking at the enjoyable view from there, and together they went to see Alatar, accompanied by the wolf.

"My dear friends," the Wizard welcomed them, "Come, I want to take you to my secret chamber, where I have been studying the mysteries of this world, so alike and yet so different from ours. Among other things, also the way to go back to Middle-earth. We can start on what I found out so far, and try to find a solution together."

"Excellent idea," Pallando approved, "As I said this morning, joining our forces I am sure we will find the way."

Alatar cast an uncertain glance at Túdhin.

"Mayhap it would be better leaving here your dog: it is a place of great power and I fear he would feel uncomfortable..."

I don't leave you, not a chance, the wolf immediately sent to Nerwen, protective as ever.

"Túdhin is used to be in contact with our power," Nerwen declared quietly, "He'll come with us and won't have any problem, nor will he bother us."

Alatar nodded, then he crossed over the door to lock it; he already issued orders not to interrupt him, as he always did when he went down to the vault. Then he got to the bookshelf and moved it with the proper word of power, revealing the passage at the back. He took and lighted the lamp, then he signalled his two colleagues, who were looking closely at him, to follow him down the winding staircase.

Suspecting nothing because they had no reason to, Pallando and Nerwen tailed Alatar, followed by Túdhin, and wend down the narrow passage. While they were descending, the Aini began to feel the energy of the place, comparable to Arda's, but subtly different, as an incontrovertible proof that this place was not Arda. She reached out to it to study it, finding that it was very alike to the one she knew; this didn't surprise her, because she had been able to communicate with olvar and kelvar of this world: if it was too different, she wouldn't succeed, because everything in the world – this one as much as Arda – was joined through it.

As their descent progressed, the energy became steadily stronger; at length, they reached an underground hall, where it peaked at very high levels and Nerwen thought that Alatar was right calling it a place of great power.

Their host put down the lamp and progressed into the hall; he headed for a round opening in the floor, from which emanated a reddish light that Nerwen thought disquieting. As much as disquieting was the dull sound she was hearing, at the edge of her auditory perception. She felt nervousness coming from the wolf and cast him a glance: he had his ears flattened down on his skull in a frightened attitude that was very unusual, in him.