Ten Companions... So Be It ! [WIP]

Caras Galadhon

Chapter 9 ! Enjoy !

"Him ? What do you mean ? The young man asked immediately, sensing that something was very wrong.

The three people in front of him looked at each other hesitantly, before Galadriel knelt back in front of him, gently lifting his hands into her own.

"This is going to be difficult to hear..." she told him, looking slightly concerned.

"Go ahead."

The man felt fear growing inside him. This was bad... Very bad... Bad enough to concern Lady Galadriel.

"It would appear that... The Dark Lord has been influencing or trying to influence you through your foresights. Most probably since you dreamt of the Council." she continued, squeezing his hands in an attempt to comfort him.

Faramir suddenly felt the world around him beginning to crumble. How...? Did... Did that mean he had been unknowingly accomplishing Sauron's will this whole time ? Did that mean he could have condemned Middle Earth ?

"No..." he weakly whispered in guilt and desperate surprise.

'What have I done ? Father was right. I shouldn't have come. This is all my fault. I'm a burden. Father was right.' he kept thinking over and over, feeling completely lost and guilty.

But then, as if reading his mind, Galadriel spoke :

"Do not blame yourself, young man, for we cannot know at the moment what Sauron was attempting exactly. He may have succeeded, He may have failed, He may have just observed or tested you for now. The only thing we know is that He is here, and we have to push Him away and prevent Him from coming back."

"But then .. It is a possibility that I have condemned Middle Earth to an endless bane ? Unknowingly ?" he asked, voice shaking from both fear and regret, as he felt tears filling his eyes.

"You have not." Galadriel simply told him.

"H-How can you know ?"

She just stared at him, her stern eyes piercing through his soul.

~~

The next hours felt completely unreal to Faramir. They just passed, sometimes peacefully, but often painfully.

"Close your eyes... Look for it... Feel it. Feel it approaching... Study it..."

"Once more."

"Do not try to get away from it, you would make things worse. Welcome it, let it fill your mind... Go inside it... Deeper..."

"Once more."

"Do not attempt to master it forcefully. Good. Now find Him."

"Once more."

Eventually, the man found it, in the back of his mind. A deep darkness... It called him... It was offering help... The darkness faded into something greyer. It was reaching out, lightening with each passing second. Maybe... No. Maybe he could... Just try... To get closer... To touch it... Only once... Just to see... Maybe it could help him...