-General-
The purification took time. Both Aldril and Thalwen had to cease their conversation and dedicate their full concentration, as the dark magic hidden in the river emerged like a torrent of misty clouds, its malice palpable. The water's surface bubbled with a sickly glow, while the blessing Thalwen infused into the river rooted a will into it, forcing the dark magic to be expelled.
Aldril felt a chill run down his spine. The magic exuded an evil nature. It wasn't that he couldn't endure it, but it was the first time he had felt such vile and putrid magic.
'How strong must Sauron have been back then?' he thought. That Dark Lord at his peak must have been terrifying, and he had to have been, because Aldril remembered that defeating him required the cooperation of both elves and men. However, Aldril didn't know that those men were not ordinary men, they were Númenóreans.
A crack in the depths of the forest broke the silence.
"Stay alert, something's approaching," warned Tauriel in a firm tone. With masterful precision, she drew her bow and pulled the string taut. Her sharp eyes fixed on the horizon, where shadows moved through the mist. A swarm of spiders emerged from the undergrowth, their numerous eyes gleaming with greed.
"I hate spiders," muttered Finduilas at Tauriel's side, who let out a derisive laugh.
"I didn't think Lady Finduilas was bothered by such trifles," she mocked, and it wasn't the first time Tauriel had done so. Their sarcastic quarrels had started when Finduilas openly became attached to Aldril. Tauriel, still unsure why, found herself offended and responded with jabs or mocking remarks, something unusual for her.
"Oh come on, little Tauriel! It's just that I detest insects getting too close to what I want," she said, making a dismissive gesture with her delicate hand.
The two would have exchanged more barbs had it not been for the approaching spiders, drawing closer to their position quickly. Swallowing the bitterness in her heart, Tauriel shot an arrow, one so powerful it broke dry trees in its path, easily piercing a dozen spiders.
The elves who were protecting Thalwen and Aldril sprang into action, with only a few remaining to protect the two. Despite the sound of the spiders' jaws snapping, they remained calm, focused on their task. Soon, this part of the river would be purified, and with it, this small part of the forest.
Led by Tauriel, the elves defended their position. Precise arrows were shot, striking the spiders and piercing them, reducing their numbers. However, this only enraged the creatures, and with renewed strength, they attacked again, this time with greater hunger.
Swords were drawn with precision, and daggers gleamed, ready for battle. Soon, the swarm of spiders broke into the fray, but the elves, with unparalleled skill, defended themselves. Like stealthy hunters, they annihilated the ravenous spider horde, staying close together to provide mutual support when needed.
At the far end of the battlefield, Tauriel and Finduilas fought in a deadly symphony of steel and blood. Their figures, graceful yet deadly, moved with the elegance of a ritual dance dedicated to the hunt. Wherever their hands moved, the blood of the spiders spilled, and every twist of their weapons traced a silver arc, reflecting the light on their daggers and swords.
Tauriel was used to hunting such vile creatures. She felt no fear; on the contrary, she fought with fervor, trying to slay more spiders, as if wishing to prove her superiority over Finduilas. Finduilas, however, responded with equal skill, intensifying her fury in the slaughter of the putrid monsters.
Unlike Tauriel, Finduilas possessed vast experience in eradicating such abominations. After all, she had faced far fiercer and more feared horrors on her journey with Túrin.
"You're slow," Finduilas said with a sideways grin, pressing her back against Tauriel's in the midst of battle.
The comment made Tauriel frown, but she didn't lose her rhythm. With a swift motion, her daggers flashed in the air before plunging into the flesh of a spider that lunged at her. With a precise cut, she split it in two, and the dark blood of the creature splattered across Finduilas's face.
"Ugh…" Finduilas grimaced with visible disgust, closing her eyes for a moment while wiping the viscous substance from her skin.
"For a warrior with experience, you get distracted too easily," Tauriel retorted with biting satisfaction. Just as she finished speaking, her sword arced swiftly and accurately, decapitating another spider that tried to take advantage of Finduilas's distraction.
Finduilas exhaled in annoyance. "You think so? I can kill these ugly bugs with my eyes closed."
Their brief conversation was abruptly interrupted by a deafening crash, like the roar of a lightning bolt tearing through the sky. Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet, and as if the earth itself had awakened in fury, thick roots violently emerged, impaling one spider after another that surrounded them.
"You two have become unbearable," said a melodic voice behind them.
Tauriel and Finduilas turned in unison, watching as Thalwen approached with measured steps, completely ignoring the grotesque scene she had created. Her expression was serene, almost indifferent, as if she were accustomed to unleashing such devastation.
Finduilas raised an eyebrow in exasperation. "Seriously? Was it necessary to paint the landscape with your repulsive magic?" she replied with clear disgust.
Thalwen sighed softly, her tone so calm that it contrasted with the carnage around her. "Don't start," she murmured, while her silver-white robe billowed elegantly, spotless despite the chaos. "In any case, I needed to get rid of these creatures as quickly as possible," she added, making a subtle gesture with her hand.
Following her indication, both turned their gaze to their backs, where Aldril remained motionless, his eyes closed. Although his posture seemed calm, the tension on his face revealed that something was wrong.
"Something is happening to him, and I couldn't allow distractions," Thalwen said, her expression now marked by worry. She could feel the dark magic trying to infiltrate Aldril's body, but instead of corrupting him, it seemed to meet an invisible barrier. His essence absorbed the magical energy but rejected the darkness that accompanied it, and this process, in some way, had triggered a complication.
...
Aldril's situation was anything but pleasant. The dark magic that had tried to invade him, much like Smaug's magic, caused him deep discomfort. He knew he had to remain still, letting Varda's blessing do its work, filtering and purifying all corruption that tried to taint his essence.
However, something happened. Something for which he wasn't prepared.
Suddenly, his consciousness was torn from the present and he found himself in a desolate wasteland. A dry, scorching wind carried dust around him, enveloping him in a dense ash mist. The air was suffocating, thick with the stench of burnt earth.
He raised his eyes and, in the distance, he distinguished the silhouette of a colossal volcano. Its peak roared with fury, occasionally spitting rivers of lava that lit up the reddish twilight sky. The ground trembled beneath his feet with each roar of the volcano.
And it was then that he felt it.
A malignant presence was watching him. He turned around and saw it—an enormous fiery eye watching him with delight, fear, and hatred. He froze in that moment, for at the top of that eye, he saw a dark figure staring at him. Instinctively, a name came to his mind.
"Sauron"
***
Filthy orcs!
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