Green Cloaks || Legolas

Sixteen

Night had fallen by the time the party had reached where Gandalf had said the entrance to Moria was. Luin had never been to these mines before, so he had to rely on Gandalf's guidance. Even so, he wasn't sure if he wanted to ever enter. It felt dark there. The night sky cloudless above. With the moon lighting up the stone cliff before them with silvery shadows, which only emphasised the eerie atmosphere and creepy landscape. Black pebble shifted under foot. The entrance supposedly hidden in a sheer rock wall on the edge of a lake. The water silent and still. Luin had the feeling that even in daylight, the waters would still be black.

"Ah", Gimli grunted happily. "The walls of Moria". The dwarf didn't seem put off by the gloom. If anything, he seemed eager. Luin found it slightly off putting. He envied it slightly. The dwarf unable to feel the stench of death. The whole bank was thick with a dark miasma. If Luin knew more, he might describe it as dark energy. The despair of hundreds of dead souls. It felt cold and heavy with fear.

"Dwarf doors are hidden when closed", Gimli continued. He began knocking on the stone with his axe. The metal blade making sharp clanging noises that made Luin's ears pop.

"Yes Gimli", Gandalf added. "Even masters cannot find them if they are shut and their secrets are lost".

"Why doesn't that surprise me", Legolas remarked under he breath. Luin poked him in the arm and the elf huffed at him. He shot the blonde a look and Legolas' lips twitched cheekily. Luin couldn't hold back a fond smile but he rolled his eyes anyway to get his point across. Legolas' smirk grew bigger and he took Luin's free hand, weaving his fingers together.

"I don't like this place", Luin muttered under his breath. "It feels dark and afraid".

"My hand is on my bow", Legolas promised. His smile fading as he looked around again. Luin squeezed their hands as he tightened his grip on his staff.

"Aha!" They both turned as glowing lines began to weave round the stone. Lines forming words and a large shapes on the previously empty rock. Gandalf stepped back to gaze up at the door proudly as the party clustered round him. "It says", he announced, pointing with the tip of his staff at the dwarfish carved in silver light. "Speak friend and enter".

"What to you think that means?" Merry voiced.

"It's quite simple", Gandalf chuckled. "If you are a friend then you have to speak the password and the doors will open". He placed his staff on the centre of the door and began chanting in dwarfish. Everyone watched for a bit but but they fifth try, they all had lost some of their eagerness.

"Did you forget it again Gandalf?" Luin sighed.

The old man turned and frowned. "I'm sure it will come to me in a moment".

Luin tipped his head back to read the words again. Speak friend and enter. He sighed slightly. Sometimes Gandalf forgot the simple. Walking forwards, he reached out and tapped his mentor on the arm. "Gandalf. I think I remember this one".

"Ah young minds", Gandalf chuckled. He stepped back to allow Luin to take his place.

"Mellon", he announced, the word ringing as clear as a bell. A great rumble echoed around them and the doors split neatly open. The two great slabs of stone moving smoothly outwards to reveal a seemingly endless black tunnel within.

"Ahah!" Gimli barked. The dwarf patted Luin heavily on the back. "Well done lad".

"Yes", Gandalf smiled. "Well remembered Luin".

Luin did not react to the praise. As soon as the doors had opened a great gust of air had billowed out. It smelt of death and fire. A great oppressing aura of dark energy and lost spirits emanated from bellow. It made Luin shudder. Whatever was down there was bad. The stories of the mine were true. They shouldn't have come this way.

Luin took a step closer and froze. The tunnel floor by the door was littered with skeletons. He counted more than thirty forms dressed in cobweb covered armour. The steel long rusted by time and the weapons broken. Many of the breastplates had the rotting shafts of arrows still sticking out. The dead bones slumped over where thus had fallen, the door a last stand. Luin jolted in surprise as a sudden cry echoed. Gimli having seen his fallen countrymen and collapsed to his knees. Behind him, the hobbits all gasped audibly.

Luin strode forwards and pulled a arrow shaft. The wood cracked under his grip but it was still distinctly recognisable. He held it up and turned to look at the rest of the group. "Goblins", Gandalf stated, face unreadable. Luin cursed softly under his breath in elvish. Legolas and Aragorn both blinked at him, their gazes in silent agreement with his words. The three of them shared grim glanced. Legolas' hand straying to his quiver as Aragorn gripped the handle of his sword.

The company were all muttering amongst themselves, voices heavy with unease as they debated wether they should still enter the mines. Luin ignored them. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the energy around. It swirled around him in slow melancholy waves. Thick and dark like syrup. It was nothing like the bright and calm energy of Rivendale. Luin frown as he concentrated harder. He reached out and expanded his reach. The energy flowed downwards into the depths of the mines. The deeper it went, the darker it became and the more active it became.

Something near them shifted. Luin opened his eyes with a sharp intake of air. The company was all looking at him in confusion and his gaze darted across each of their faces. All of them pale in the gloom. "There's something dark down there", Luin announced. "But we can't stay up here. There's something in the water too". At his words, Merry and Pippin both turned to glance back at the black waters nervously. Luin turned to Gandalf. "Can you guide us through?"

Gandalf looked pensive then he snatched up his staff and gestured into the dark. "Follow me", he commanded. "And stay close".

"Ha!" Gimli snarled as he raised his axe. "There's still one dwarf in Moria who draws breath".

Luin watched as the company stepped further into the mine. He tapped the end of his staff on the ground with a sharp tap. The tip beginning to shine with a bright pale blue light. It grew brighter as the doors shut with a bang behind them. Luin tightened his grip on the wood as the glow began to flow down the carvings. Stars and characters from his first language all shining faintly  as Luin began walking.

"Only forwards", Boromir muttered. It seemed to echo in the cold underground despite his low voice. He was right though. Luin watched as the company all followed behind Gandalf. He joined Legolas at the end of the group. The two of them smiled slightly at each other. The blue light glinting eerily on their faces as they descended into the dark.

Unedited