Thalion Faer, Doltha Hún

The giant arm collided with my chest, flinging me backwards into the abyss of the battle. The pain does not come, for the numbness takes its place for a few blessed seconds. I crash against the hard ground, grey dust flying up above me in a cloud; others noticing me only to avoid me. The numbness fades and I realize how silent it's become. Time seems to slow down, my mind going into a frenzy of recollections of the past.

Boromir, Elrond, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Sauron. Sauron. In the distance I picked up on crumbling; and in my heart I felt he was defeated. Defeated like I was. In unison we'd reached our ends; collapsing into ourselves and sliding down into the grip of death. The coldness came over me in a tingly shiver; taking time to reach every part of me.

The world as I knew it flew in and out of focus; my breathing raspy and my heart in a fury. Frodo, they called. Frodo, Frodo. He'd done it, he'd destroyed the ring. I wished I could see him, one last time. But I knew that hoping and wishing did nothing like in the fairy tales of my youth. No Elf-Queen would come grant my wish, lead me to the grey havens, save me.

I smiled; a faint gesture that would no doubt take up all the energy I had left. In my mind and in my heart I had finally accepted it; finally lost my fear of death. And what perfect timing; at the beginning of the end. I wondered if I would see them now, as I did in my dreams all those years. Had they aged? Had he changed?

My love for them both would never disappear; wouldn't fade like my memory would. I would hold onto the memories, the images and emotions and scents and sights, I would attach them to my soul and keep them forever. The coldness grew with the darkness, and I wished I could just hear his voice.

The world seemed so far away...