Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 21:11:23 -0800 (PST) From: Silven Fox Subject: Destiny of an Earth - 20 Disclaimer: I don't know Nsync. I don't know Justin Timberlake in real life. This will be a Justin Timberlake centered story. Also this story is in no way meant to imply that he is homosexual in real life. This piece of literature is simply the work of a fan and is pure fiction. I don't own The Lord of the Rings or any other works of the series. The rights of the series goes solely to the series author JRR Tolkien. Now that's out of the way. This story appeared in my head when I was trapped in the car with my relatives for a 24-hour road trip. I was really really bored! I shudder just thinking about that trip. Anyway, if your below legal age to read this where your from, then all I can tell you is stop and don't let your parents catch you. He he that's not much of a warning, but hey what else can I do. Now if you have any comments, feedback or you just want to drop a word. Send them to SilvenFox@yahoo.com Chapter 20 Justin sat on top of his horse near his friends, overlooking the carnage before him. The grass fields in front of Helm's Deep were covered in the blood of Orcs and Uruk-hai. Their dead carcasses lay mutilated on the once green Earth. Justin eyes dimmed in sadness as the memories of the battle still lingered in his mind. He didn't think the screams of all those who died would ever leave his head. He knew he was the only one who was feeling sadness and anger so badly. Everyone else had seen battle and death in one form or another. Justin turned his horse around and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Where there once was an ongoing stretch of grassy fields, was now a dark forest of tall trees. "Umm... I must be having a blond moment. Since when has a forest been outside Helm's Deep?" asked Harry, staring at the gloomy forest. The company turned to see where Justin was looking. The Fellowship and the Rohirrim, the Riders of the Mark, gasped in amazement at the sight. Gandalf, who sat on the back of Shadowfax, breathed a quick breath of surprise. "This has to be some wizardry," voiced Eomer. "What else can conjure an entire forest in moments." Gandalf shook his head, not taking his eyes off the forest. "There is no such spell that I know of. There is something else at work here. Some magic that is even older than the Elves or Dwarves." "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Justin, confused. Gandalf looked at the forest deep in thought. "I cannot say." King Theoden looked sideways at Gandalf. "Even you do not know what power this is?" "No, I do not. All I can say is if you want to know the answer then come with me to Isengard." "Isengard!" they cried. "Yes," said Gandalf. "I shall return to Isengard, and those who will may come with me. There we may see strange things even more unusual than this dark forest." Justin snapped his head toward Gandalf. He wanted them to actually go to Isengard. Saruman's, Sauron's right hand, base of operations was at Isengard. It seemed that now had come the time for the evil wizard to answer for his crimes of betrayal and strife he caused. "It will have to be under the shadow of evening," replied Gandalf. "This journey will have to remain secret as will all our comings and goings. I must ask you to chose few men to journey with you. We are going to a parley not to a fight." "I will head your advice and journey with you," said King Theoden. "My men are weary from battle. As I'm sure most of us are, so let us rest for the night." Justin agreed with Theoden. He was more tired than he had ever been. The exhaustion was catching up to rapidly. His muscles ached and his skin was sore due to the bruises and scratches that some Orcs had got in. "Justin," said Legolas, touching his arm. Justin blinked, tuning back in to the world around him. He stared at Legolas, blinking quickly to hold back the tiredness that was slowly taking over him. "I'm fine, Las," said Justin, giving his love a small smile. They turned around and the group began to ride back to the keep. They would rest for the night then set off tomorrow. Saruman was about to get some visitors. * * * Justin had to admit after their night rest, he felt a lot better. Refreshed and ready to face Saruman or whatever else that came to them. Today's earlier precedence had saddened him some. For they had to bury all those who died defending the keep. It was a depressing afternoon for all whom attending the short funerals. The light of the full moon shined down on the Fellowship and their Rohirrim companions. They stood close to the mysterious dark forest, staring at its ominous mist apprehensively. Legolas was only one who seemed eager to venture inward to see the trees more closely. Justin grinned from on top of his horse. "So," he began, looking at everyone. "Who actually wants to go into the big giant scary woods -- besides the Elf -- Come on. Let me see a hand. What no takers?" Boromir looked at Justin his eyebrow cocked, questioning. "Do you understand the phrase a time and place for everything?" Gimli nodded in agreement from his spot behind Boromir on the horse. "Whatever," said Justin, turning his back to Boromir. "Its not my fault your on your period." Gandalf gave Shadowfax the command to go forward and he passed into the dark forest. Justin turned to his to side to ask Legolas a question, but the Elf in question was gone. Justin looked around and blinked in surprise, seeing Legolas already following Gandalf into the forest. The Rohirrim hung back unwilling to enter the woods. Justin personally didn't blame them. There was something hostile about the trees. A never-ending shadow hung about them making it impossible to see very far into the wood. Justin entered the woods cautiously and was surprised to find that the road passed directly through the forest with the trees towering on either side. He could hear Boromir follow behind him. Gimli's muttering about `stupid trees' was heard all about them. Aragorn hushed the dwarf and caught up to Gandalf so he could be at point position with the wizard. "Its hot in here," said Justin, rolling up the sleeves of his tunic. "Did someone turn the heat on Hell?" "Aye, it is," said Boromir, agreeing. Justin could hear behind them the clinking of metal as the Rohirrim entered the forest. The silence was oppressing as they rode on the road, keeping clear of the trees. Justin made sure to ride next to Legolas and Gandalf. The woods sent a chill down his side. It was almost if the trees themselves were angry over some great tragedy. He could hear them whispering and muttering. He looked at Legolas and was relieved to see that Elf had heard it too, for he glanced about them at the trees as if concerned. Legolas met Justin's eyes and gave him a longing look. "There is great anger here, Gandalf," muttered Legolas. "I can feel it," replied the white wizard, gazing about for signs of danger and trouble. They all rode in silence not feeling the need to talk. Legolas would stop every so often, much to the displeasure of Gimli, to stop and listen more closely to the woods. One such stop led to a heated argument between the two. It took Boromir shouted to break up their shouting match. The two friends realized their behavior and apologized to each other. "Its nice to see you two know how to kiss and makeup," commented Justin. Both dwarf and elf looked at him with disgusted faces. "Kiss," they said at the same time. Justin grinned widely at their expressions. "Calm down, Jak and Dexter I didn't mean literally. It's just an expression." "It better be," grumbled Gimli, crossing his arms with a scowl on his face. Boromir and Justin chuckled quietly under their breaths. "Look there is light ahead!" said Aragorn from his position at point with Gandalf. Sure enough the trees ahead were less and less. Justin breathed a sigh of relief to see light up ahead. "How far is it Isengard, Gandalf?" asked Justin. "About fifteen leagues, as the crows of Saruman make it," answered Gandalf. "five from the mouth of Deeping-coomb to the Fords and ten more from there to the gates of Isengard. But we shall not ride all the way this night." Justin winced. Fifteen miles on the back of a horse was going to do a number on his legs. Maybe if he rode horses all his life it would be easier for him. "What will be there when we get there?" questioned Gimli. "Do you happen to know, Gandalf?" They all listened curious to the wizards answer. The white wizard sighed. "I do not know for certain. I was there a few nightfall's ago, but I think much has changed since then." They came through the wood without harm despite the menacing presence of the trees. The road that ran east to Edoras and north to Isengard lay stretched out in front them. Justin turned around to glimpse the forest one last time. He blanched at what he saw. "Eyes!" cried Legolas, pointing to the shadows of the woods. "Eyes I have never seen before are looking out from the shadows of the trees." Everyone stopped in their place, startled by his cry. They turned to see into the shadows at what Legolas saw. Legolas turned his horse sharply around and began to ride back to the forest. Justin was about to cry out for him to stop but someone beat him to it. "Legolas Greenleaf, do not venture forth! Now is not the time!" commanded Gandalf with a voice that spoke of the power he kept hidden. Legolas halted immediately at Gandalf's command. As the wizard was talking, three strange beings came from the woods. They were twelve foot in height and looked like walking trees. Their limbs were long, their hands had many fingers, and their hair was stiff, and they had long flowing beards that seemed to be made of green moss. Justin's breath caught in his throat as he gazed at the beings. Suddenly, the giant creatures raised their long hands to their mouths and let out resounding ringing call. The sound was a beautiful melody. Other identical creatures soon answered it from the North. Swiftly more creatures came from the North. Covering great distances in just a few steps, since their legs were so long. The riders cried out in wonder and put their hands on their sword hilts. "You need no weapons," said Gandalf. "These are but herdsmen. They are no threat to us. Their concern is not with us at all, look." Indeed it was true. For the tall tree-like beings strode into the woods and vanished, without so much as looking in their direction. "What are they?" asked Theoden, looking to Gandalf for answer. "They are the shepherds of the trees," answered Gandalf. "They are the beings that have been sung about in tales of old. You have seen the Ents of Fangorn forest?" "Ents!" cried Eomer. "But I thought they be just a story. A story that was told to children out of fancy." Theoden was just as surprised. "Indeed! It has been long since we have ventured past our borders. Teaching our children in songs, but we are forgetting them, only teaching them as a careless custom. And now the beings of songs are true and we see them with our very own eyes." Justin clapped his hands getting everyone's attention. "Look, I'm all for chit chatting, but can we start moving somewhere. I don't mean to sound like a wuss, but this forest is seriously creeping me out." They followed his advice, seeing they were procrastinating. They rode down the road that would take them to Isengard. They rode for hours and the moon's light came upon them as the day turned into night. Justin shivered slightly hearing the howling of wolves carried by the wind. They rode down a slope that dipped sharply. Before their eyes were rising turf-banks. Three lines of stepping-stones made their way across the stream. The strange thing was the stream was dry. Where there once and always had been an ever-rushing river was now a dry bank full of gray sand. "What has happened to the river?" asked Aragorn. "Indeed what has happened to the river. This place is dreary. Did Saruman cause this sickness to befall the river?" questioned Boromir. "So it would seem," Gandalf sighed, gazing at the river in puzzlement. They crossed the bank and rode for hours more till at last it was nearly midnight and the King grew weary. They came to the feet of the Misty Mountains and made camp near the river of Isen. Justin lay curled in Legolas' side using his shoulder as a pillow. Legolas' arms were encircled around Justin in a protective embrace. His eyes were open going into that place that was not dream land, but not the waking land. It was the meditative state that all Elves ventured into since they had no need for sleep. They slept only a little. Late that night the voices of the watch guards started to cry out. Justin jumped up with the rest of them, sword out and ready for any trouble. The trouble wasn't anything physical. The moon had disappeared and blackness crept toward them, rolling across the ground. On both sides of the river it came, rolling northward as if seeking out something. "Stay where you are!" shouted Gandalf. "Draw not your weapons and it should pass you by!" A mist gathered about them. Above them a few stars still glimmered faintly; but on either side there arose walls of impenetrable gloom; they were in a narrow lane between moving towers of shadow. Voices they heard, whisperings and groaning and an endless rustling sigh; the earth shook under them. Long it seemed to them that they sat and were afraid; but at last the darkness and the mummer passed, and vanished between the mountain's arms. Justin breathed a sigh of relief as the darkness vanished. He slumped against Legolas, feeling suddenly as if a thousand voices had been speaking inside of his mind. The darkness had seemed to scan him, testing him for something. Trying to decide if he were a threat. Justin looked at Gandalf. "Would you care to explain what that was because that was some really freaky shit? This is not a Nightmare on Elm Street, so why in the Hell can't I ever get a good night sleep." *********************************************** Kind of short, I know. But I had to leave it here so I can start the next chapter in a certain place. I hoped this was satisfactory or at least decent. Now if you have any comments, feedback or you just want to drop a word. Send them to SilvenFox@yahoo.com