Fading Light

The Vision

Part 2

Elrond watched as Gandalf rode up to the gates of Rivendell on a tall, brown horse.

The wizard dismounted and greeted his old friend.
"Good morning Mithrandir. How was your journey from Mirkwood?"

"Quiet and uneventfull, just as I hoped it would be."
Elrond had one of his guards bring Gandalf's horse tobthe stables while the two of them made their way inside.

"How is Legolas faring?"
Gandalf hadn't seen the young elf since Elrond had first agreed to bring him to Rivendell.

"He is still grieving for Thalion, but he believes that he was killed by orcs just as I thought he would. He has no memory of his capture or anything afterwards."

Gandalf nodded.
"That is good I suppose, yet I fear that someday his memories will return. After all, they were not destroyed but merely hidden from him."

"He may have dreams about those times, and certain events may bring a memory into his mind, but they will never truly return to him unless someone removes the veil I have placed over his mind."

They both fell silent after that. Gandalf had been hesitant to allow Elrond to hide Legolas' memories from him. If they were ever to resurface then there was no knowing how Legolas would react to them.

It could destroy him if he were to remember what happened to him, and what he had done.

Elrond's voice broke his thoughts.
"Has Thranduil mentioned anything about Legolas returning to Mirkwood?"

Gandalf  sighed.
"There is still much fear in him I'm afraid. He still has not gotten over Thalion's death, and I believe he now fears that he will lose Legolas as well."

"I have told Thranduil many times that he is allowing his fear to control him. He is not only hurting himself but also his son."

"Has Legolas asked about returning home?"
Gandalf inquired.
"Yes, he asks me everyday if there has been word from his father and I have not been able to give him an answer. Thranduil has not responded to any of the messages I have sent him regarding Legolas."

Gandalf shook his head somberly.
"It will do Legolas no good if his father pushes him away. Especially when he needs him now more than ever."

"Legolas has been getting along well here."
Elrond pointed out, trying to bring in some light on the situation.
"Elladan and Elrohir have become good friends with Legolas, and Arwen spends nearly every day with him. They are helping him through his grief but they will not be able to fill the space that only his father
can."

They continued on in silence until they reached Elrond's study. Once the door was closed and the two friends were alone was when the true purpose of Gandalf's arrival was discussed.

"Have you had any more visions?"
Gandalf asked eyeing his friend curiously.
"Yes, but this time it was different."
Elrond replied grimly.

"What do you mean? It has been the same ever since you first received it."

"The first time I had that vision was when Legolas was born, and it has not changed until now."

The vision they were talking about was the one Elrond had received the day of Legolas' birth.

He had been holding the newborn elf in his arms and desperately trying to safe his life when his vision had plunged into darkness.

In the middle of the darkness was a small light, bright as day and driving the shadows away.

As Elrond inspected the light further he realized that it was an elf, and not just any elf, but the one that he had held in his arms.

But as Elrond watched the shadows began to close in around the young elf, slowly destroying the light around him until there was only a faint glow coming from him.

Then he saw the elf on his knees, the darkness pressed in around him, and the light surrounding him began to fade.

"Everytime I have seen the vision it was always the same, Legolas surrounded by darkness, and the light around him fading."
Elrond began.
"But when I saw it again, there was something new, there was another light."

Gandalf eyes widened at this.
"What kind of light?"
"It was a flame, bright and burning. It seemed to be fighting against the shadows and driving them away. Specifically around Legolas."

"The fire surrounded him and kept him safe from the darkness while Legolas' light slowly began to return to him. And in the distance I saw another light, it was different from Legolas'
light."

"Legolas' was golden while this one was white. It looked more like a star than anything, but it did not come any closer to Legolas or the fire and it did nothing to the darkness, and the darkness did nothing to it."

"And that was the end of it, but what I find strange is that the fire and the star had no shape if that makes any sense to you."

"I think I know what you mean."
Gandalf nodded his head slowly.
"The golden light seems to represent Legolas, but fire and star do not seem to represent anyone."

"Perhaps not at the moment."
Elrond said thoughtfully.
"I believe that whoever the fire and star represent will be shown to me in time."

"What I want to know is why it showed you who the golden light was from the beginning."
Gandalf furrowed his eyebrows as he pondered the question that had troubled him for years.

"I should have told you before Mithrandir, but that was not the first time I had had that vision."

Gandalf looked at him in surprise but let his friend explain without interupting.

"The first time was a few years before Legolas' birth. Back then it had just been the golden light; and just like the flame and the star it did not seem to represent anything or anyone."

"It wasn't until Legolas was born that it began to resemble Legolas. I believe that once the "fire" and the "star" arrive they will be revealed to me in the vision."

Gandalf nodded his head slowly.
"I believe that you are right. Until we know who the other two lights are we will have to keep an eye on Legolas."

"After all,"
The grey wizard sighed.
"Until this fire comes and helps Legolas, it would seem that his light is still fading."

Elrond nodded somberly and turned his gaze towards the window that overlooked the hidden valley.

"A fading light."
He said softly.
Gandalf made no reply as he pondered over Elrond's mysterious vision, and what it had to do with the fate of a young elf.