Rating: PG-13 to R (Angst... proceed with caution)

Summary: When Legolas is forced to make a decision that could very
well determine the fate of all Middle Earth, what will he do? And
what consequences will his choice have?

// = elvish translations
# = flashbacks
* = thought

Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: As in Chapter 1

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Warning: Angst and character death??? Tissue warning??? Heheheee.

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Chapter 16 - The Ultimate Sacrifice

Elrond was snapped out of his reverie by a soft knock at his door. He glanced up and saw his twin sons standing in the entranceway. He smiled and motioned for them to come in and sit down, noticing for what was far from the first time just how similar the two were to himself and Elros.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, the elf lord addressed his sons. "Were you able to find anything?" he asked them, even though he could tell from their dejected faces what the answer would be.

"No, not a thing. Not even a hint as to what this poison is, or where it can be found," Elrohir sighed. "You, father?"

The elf lord shook his head. "No, nor Glorfindel and Erestor," Elrohir added. "We spoke with them before we came to see you."

"Well we have to do something," Elladan said as he abruptly stood from his seat. "We cannot just sit here and let Legolas die!"

Elrohir glanced at his brother, and the look in his eyes spoke of the same feelings as Elladan's words. Elrond sighed heavily, and looked at the papers on his desk.

"I think I have an idea."

Two pairs of eyes were on him immediately and Elrohir fidgeted uncomfortably under their gazes.

"So? What idea?" Elladan stared at his younger brother intently wondering what Elrohir had come up with.

"Why don't we go look for Delund and ask him for the antidote."

Elladan whacked his brother upside the head. "Are you insane?!" he shouted into Elrohir's face making his brother cringe. "What kind of stupid idea is that?!"

"Well, what else can we do?! We have gone through everything. I mean EVERYTHING!" The young elf shouted back and then sank deeper into the chair with an exasperated sigh. He felt so helpless. It seemed like there was no hope, only despair.

"Children," Elrond broke the tension between the two brothers. "We have been at this for days and you are tired. Go get some rest." Turning to Elrohir, he patted his distraught son on the shoulder but he could not find any words of comfort for there were none.

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The morning sun was warm and gentle, her soft rays reflected off the leaves and branches. Strolling through the garden, Legolas took in every detail in his surrounding; the velvety petal of the flowers, the perfectly shaped leafs, their brilliant colors and the sweet fragrant. Life was so precious... especially when it was suddenly cut short. It was hard to accept the fact that his life would be terminated in such an unnatural way. He had always thought his death would come in battle, not from some poison that was slowly eating up his body and soul. He wondered if humans felt the same since their days were numbered. For a being who live forever, he could never understand how man could go on knowing that each day that passed would bring them a day closer to death... until today.

A cool breeze swept past him and carried with it faint voices from the far side of the garden. He did not mean to eavesdrop but the topic of the conversation caught his attention. Not daring to move too close to where the sound came from in fear of being discovered, he leaned against a tree, straining to make out the owner of the voices.

"I will not risk his life for some ring!" the familiar voice drifted over the plain.

"It is not just 'some' ring," the unfamiliar voice countered. "There must be another way."

An exasperated sigh was heard from the elven lord.

"We have searched through almost all of the books and papers in the house and..." the sentence was cut off when the wind died down. For a few minutes, all that could be heard was some distant whispers before the wind picked up again.

"Time is running out. I have decided."

"As you wish, My Lord," and with that, the conversation ended.

Legolas' mind reeled, his heart pounded fiercely in his chest and his breath caught in his throat. The ring! Lord Elrond was preparing to give up Vilya for his sake! The very thing that he had feared would happen was actually happening. He was only one, but Vilya held the fate of thousands. And now because of him, the whole of Middle Earth was in danger. He could not allow it and he would do anything to stop it! But how? A chill ran down his spine and his heart sank. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead and dripped down his face and neck. His chest constricted tightly and the air seemed to have become thinner, so thin that he could hardly breathe. He forced his lungs to work but they see to have detached themselves from his mind. Feeling light-headed, he swallowed hard and willed the world to stop spinning before his eyes. How?! His mind raced while struggling to get air into his lungs. Remove himself from the equation, run away, a voice rang out inside his head. No. They will easily track him. Besides, he could not get far in his condition. He needed to disappear from their lives, to somewhere they could not follow. There was no alternative. The only way was to sacrifice the one for the sake of the many.

With his mind made up, his body suddenly relaxed and gasped as cool air flooded into his tortured lungs. His head cleared and he found himself in the woods but had no recollection of how he had gotten there. Running water could be heard from a distance and the elf realised that he was near the waterfall that he and Aragorn loved so much. Aragorn. The image of the human's face burned into his mind.

*I will miss you*

Slowly, he found his way to the waterfall, taking in the surrounding along the way. This would be the last time he would see Rivendell, the last time he would see the trees and hear the birds sing. But he would never see Mirkwood again. His home... his father... his friends... he could not even say goodbye.

The elf was shivering, so hard that his knees no longer had enough strength to support his weight. He crumpled to the ground and landed beside the lake in a heap, the impact tore a sob out of him. He choked back a small cry as tears flowed down freely from his face.

*Please forgive me Strider*

He unsheathed the small hunting knife that he always carried with him.

*Do not blame yourself*

He pressed the sharp blade against his neck.

*Time may come between us but our friendship will never die*

The blade broke his fragile skin and bit into his soft flesh, a thin trail of blood snaked down his neck.

*We will be together again... in our dreams*

His eyes closed.

*Namarie*

He pressed the knife down harder cutting deeply into the artery and was prepared to severe it completely with a downward slash but a sharp pain in his right hand ceased any further action. Letting out a yelp, his eyes snapped open as the knife dropped from his hand but his earlier action had already opened a deep gash on his neck. Blood poured out at an alarming rate soaking into his light green tunic. His vision blurred as the life slipped slowly out from his body and he fell backwards onto the grass. Darkness closed upon him and a numbing cold spread out from his extremities creeping slowly to the rest of his body.

*So this is how it feels to die.*

He closed his eyes and drifted into nothingness.

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To Be Continued...

A/N: I think this is one of the two evil cliffies that I have mentioned. Hehehe *runs and hides*