Ashes ⇝Legolas

†5†

CHAPTER FIVE
COUNCIL PT.2

"What are we waiting for then?" The short dwarf jumped from his seat, grabbing onto an axe that he was leaning on. His loud steps were painful for Nesryn, for she had been fearing his actions. Yet, she could not stop it from happening as dwarfs axe slammed onto the golden object...snapping in many pieces that went flying over its surface. None affected the ring, for it could not be broken by any force or skill.

The dwarf was thrown away painfully, the only thing puncturing the silence were his grunts as a few of his kind helped him stand. Nesryn saw what was left of his stone axe, barely a few pieces around the intact form of pure gold that hadn't received a single scratch. That made obvious the power within its hold, the one its master has had during the first age of Middle-earth.

Lord Elrond had taken a few moments just before addressing the council members. "The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The ring was made in fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." There stretched a long silence, almost poetical as a few rustles between autumn leaves and long strands of woman's hair were far the only thing any member was hearing in that moment.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor." Boromir spoke again, his much less hatred full look staring at carved shapes on wooden floor. He leaned on his arm, while the other formed a circular shape representing the form dark lord Sauron had taken; the eye. "It's black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There's evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breath is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand man you could do this. It's folly."

"Middle-earth is at stake! I will not let it crash again!" Nesryn jumped from her seat, striding toward the centre of semi-circle of men around as her gaze lingered on Boromir. She, however did not spare a glance at golden object of everyone's wish.

"This quest is nothing but death!" Boromir replied to her.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed!" Legolas then interfered, not a track of anger that was in his soft voice manifested on his features.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli faced the elf prince, who gave him yet another annoyed look.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what's his?" Boromir argued, that one bare sentence making the gathered men even angrier, just as same as it did to Nesryn.

"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf! Never trust an elf!" Gimli shouted over many voice that have risen as men and woman have started arguing. Mainly it was Nesryn that shouted accusations at Boromir, whose voice was sweetest yet most powerful amongst them.

"You play with things you have no knowledge of! Ancient powers reside in that Ring, nameless fear that should not be toyed with!" She shouted, utterly angered.

"I will take it." She did not hear neither the person speaking nor Boromir's answer to her statement, and quite sure she was neither did the other men hear yet she presumed it might be Frodo, the Hobbit she had met just a day ago. Fighting and shouting around her did not crease, in fact it even became louder and blocked the aimless attempts the Hobbit took at speaking.

"I will take it." This time he repeated it far louder than the last, yet nobody dared to stop the fight aside Gandalf. The gray wizard took a deep breath, for he knew sooner or later Frodo will have to accept the ring came to him by fate. "I will take the ring to Mordor." Gradually, all voices have died down, Nesryn who was cut in the middle of another reason why letting the ring pass go Gondor would be the end of Middle-earth, turned around quickly to see the determined Hobbit standing in the gazes of men. "But I do not know the way."