The Return Of Shadows

Chapter 11:~Escape~

Elora sat in her cell together with Legolas. It had been three days since Sauron and Hadrian told her they were going to let her brother and Pippin go. Elora's hair had now turned completely dark black and the colour in her eyes had started fading. Legolas didn't want to look at his sister. What he saw wasn't his sister.
They suddenly heard voices outside. "My Lord, they're coming!," An orc informed. Hadrian nodded, "Good! Prepare to leave! We have what we want. Let them save them," And he glanced at Elora in the corner of the cell.
Legolas looked at Pippin and glanced at his sister.

A while later, Aragorn broke into the cave together with the company. "Well, that's just rude! There's no one here to welcome us," Charline commented and Emersion looked at her shocked. Aragorn shook his head and Thranduil turned to Emersion. "Can you feel them?," Emersion nodded, "My father and Sauron is not here. But I can still feel Elora's magic. She's here,"

They reached a cell and Pippin looked up. "Aragorn! Gandalf!," Gandalf shook his head, "Peregrin Took! How on earth did you end up in this trouble," And Pippin smiled, "I'm glad to see you too," And Legolas smiled. Emersion opened the cell with his magic and he hurried over to Elora. He sighed deeply when he saw her. Charline swallowed, "The darkness has reached deep into her heart," And Aragorn glanced at them while Gandalf helped free Legolas from the chains.
Emersion looked down at Elora. "We have to get her out of here," Legolas hadn't noticed his his sister was injured. He noticed now when the light entered the cell.
Emersion lifted Elora into his arms. Elora was now unconscious or asleep because of the pain and darkness she had endured. And she was completely changed. Her hair was dark black and her eyes were almost grey because of the fading colour in her eyes. Charline sighed deeply and followed Emersion out of the cell. "What's going to happen to her, Gandalf?," Pippin asked worriedly. Gandalf sighed, "I don't know, I'm afraid. There may be too late to save her from the darkness," Elladan walked beside Emersion and held his wife's hand.

They camped in the woods. Thranduil sat by his daughter's side. He should have noticed this! He should have asked her earlier if she had any connections with The War Of The Ring. Now his daughter was slipping in front of his eyes. She was turning from an elf into a dark evil being. Emersion went over to Elora and used his magic over her to heal her injuries. "Is there anything you can do to stop the darkness from consuming, Ithildin?," Galadriel asked Emersion. Emersion sighed, "There's one thing I can do for her, but I'm afraid you, Thranduil won't agree with it," And Thranduil looked up, "What is it?," Emersion sighed, "Light Elves cannot turn evil in the way someone turn dark. Their hearts does not blacken because of their deeds. So there's a chance Elora won't be able to handle the things that she's done when she wakes up. The guilt and pain may be too much for her," Thranduil knew what this was leading. "You're suggesting that I shall kill my own daughter," And Emersion looked at him shocked, "Of course not! I'm saying that it may be best to remove Elora's memories of her time with Sauron. At least those memories she killed in. It will help her heal," Thranduil looked down at his daughter. "Without her permission?," He asked confused. Emersion sighed, "We can wait to ask her when she wakes up. It's not certain that the guilt and pain will overwhelm her. Sauron may have made her forget her actions himself," And Thranduil nodded, "But she's not herself. Her hair, her eyes," And Emersion sighed, "It will return to normal once Sauron is defeated and the darkness in her is gone," And Thranduil sighed and nodded.

Elora woke up some hour later. She looked at her hair and she looked down at her shaking hands. "Elora! Oh, iellig," Thranduil interrupted and went over to his daughter. Charline smiled weakly and Emersion went over to Elora. "How are you feeling?," Elora looked up at the wizard, "Emersion, the bracelet...," And Emersion smiled, "Gone," And Elora glanced down at the ground. The words in her head wouldn't stop. "Elora?," Thranduil said gently, stroking his daughter's back. "I'm a monster," Elora mumbled. Everyone was shocked by her words. "Elora, you're not a monster!," Elladan protested, "It was Sauron and Hadrian who killed those people, not you," Elora looked up at Emersion, "I'm a demon, Emersion," And Emersion shook his head, "No, Elora. How can you think that of yourself? You're not responsible for what you did," And Elora swallowed, "But I couldn't stop. I let the darkness consume me. I'm evil. I couldn't feel anything until it was too late," And Thranduil pulled his daughter into his arms and Elora started crying. Emersion sighed and stood up. He went over to Charline. "Let's get some ingredients for a soothing potion for her," Charline said, "Thranduil and the other high elves will care for her for now," Emersion sighed and turned to Charline. "He's coming for her, Charline. I can feel it," And they left.

Legolas went over to his sister. "Elora. He will not take you again," Legolas tried to tell his sister. Elora smiled weakly at her brother. "Thank you, Legolas. But I wish your words were true," And Legolas took her hand. He felt their bound connect and Elora smiled weakly at her brother. Elora's silver dragon Seara crawled up beside Elora.
Elora smiled weakly at her dragon and soon Emersion came back with a soothing potion. "Drink this," He declared. Elora drank the potion and smiled weakly at Emersion who gently stroked her now dark hair. "You're going to be alright," And he stood up and went to talk with Charline. Elora swallowed. 'I wish that were true, Emersion,' She thought sadly.