Chapter 63: Mirkwood Pt 3

[general POV]

-With Aldril-

"Tauriel," I repeated, pretending not to know her name. I brought my hand to my chin and nodded with a smile. "It's a lovely name." My gesture had the desired effect, as Tauriel smiled at me even more charmingly. It was clear that she liked my comment.

Acting as if something had suddenly come to mind, I exclaimed, "Oh!" and then quickly continued, "Pardon my manners, my name is Al..." I couldn't finish my introduction because I was interrupted by a pretentious elf, which was very rude.

"Tauriel! What are you doing with a mere human?" he asked in a disdainful tone, clearly displeased with my presence. I couldn't understand his irrational behavior.

"You're the last person who should be belittling a 'human,' Legolas," Tauriel retorted. I immediately paid more attention to this elf, as she called him Legolas, one of the characters who would have great importance in the future.

"Besides, he was about to tell me his name, so please, don't be rude," she continued.

This caught my attention; it was easy to decipher that there was a hidden meaning in Tauriel's words. After her response, Legolas fell silent, frowning even more intensely before turning his gaze back to me, one that conveyed no good intentions.

'What's his problem?' I wondered. I hadn't done anything to make him act like a jerk. Well, at this point, Legolas was a complete jerk, a spoiled child of his father, Thranduil. Only after the events of the Battle of the Five Armies did his character show some improvement.

But contrary to what I expected, Legolas stopped frowning, sighed, and then adjusted his posture. "I apologize. It was very rude of me to interrupt your introduction," he said, which surprised me.

From what I remembered, he was arrogant and quite unpleasant with others. Maybe that was just his attitude toward dwarves, so since I had the complete appearance of a human, he didn't treat me the way he did the dwarves.

It made sense since, according to Gandalf, dwarves and elves had centuries of animosity towards each other. This was never clearly depicted in the movies, but to be honest, it would have been very difficult to present everything I've been seeing in this beautiful world in just three films.

"No problem," I replied to his apology in a nonchalant manner. I wasn't going to be an idiot and drag things out by insisting, "That's not the way to apologize." I'm not a transmigrated Chinese character, and besides, avoiding conflict was the best approach.

This mentality was mostly shaped by the discipline I gained from my military service. You know you're a weapon that can harm those who provoke you, but you should always try to avoid conflict; if there's no other option, then you take action.

"So, you were about to tell me your name," Tauriel reminded me. It's quite surprising how her temperament changes. A moment ago, she had the firm demeanor of a warrior; after learning whose son I was, she adopted the demeanor of a delicate lady, only to revert to that of a warrior when Legolas interrupted.

Now that I look at him, he doesn't resemble the actor from the movie much. Well, in general, no one really looked like their counterpart, except for Gandalf. He was the spitting image of the movie actor. Not wanting to get lost in my thoughts, I focused my attention on Tauriel.

"My name is Aldril, and as you might already know, I'm the son of Tindómiel."

My introduction made Tauriel smile even more joyfully. 'Damn, this woman is incredibly beautiful,' I thought as I got lost in her enchanting smile. Her reddish-brown hair was like an autumn sunset, admiring the falling leaves, giving way to new ones.

This woman embodied every concept of beauty. 'If she's like this, what must Galadriel be like?' I wondered. It was said that Galadriel was the most beautiful woman in all of Middle-earth, but something told me that no matter how beautiful she was, Tauriel would always be the most beautiful in my eyes.

'Ugh, this elven blood intensifies my feelings. It's as if I instinctively know she'll be my great love.' This was undoubtedly somewhat annoying. Fortunately, I could control myself thanks to my increased mental strength. Otherwise, I might have acted like when I first discovered who my mother was, a shameful moment I wished to forget.

Lost in Tauriel's smile, I didn't care about Legolas' frown, which seemed to express doubt about my claim, prompting him to quickly ask a question that snapped me out of my reverie.

"You say you're the son of Lady Tindómiel, but you have the appearance of a human. Are you lying to us?" Instinctively, he positioned himself in front of Tauriel, as if protecting her from me.

'What a nuisance,' but it was understandable. My appearance was like this because I hadn't yet accepted the elven path, and even if I wanted to, I hadn't had the opportunity.

From what I remembered from my conversation with my uncle Elrond, he mentioned that my moment would come. Normally, it was just a matter of desiring to follow the elven path with all your heart, as he had done.

But in my case, it was different. Like my mother, I will have to earn the right to choose, and the blessing of Lady Varda will extend my life by more than 1,000 years, as it did with my mother.

Of course, this surprised me, but knowing the power the Valar possess, it wasn't shocking that their blessing could prolong life, much like what happened with the inhabitants of Númenor, who were rewarded with long lives for their contribution in the battle against Morgoth.

Moreover, we're talking about Vala Varda, the one Morgoth feared most, as the radiance of Eru resided within her. She was perhaps the closest to him.

It's even curious that Morgoth attempted to court her, only to be rejected. It makes you think that even the Dark Lord isn't immune to the friend zone.

"Oh! That's because I'm half-elf and half-human," I responded with a smile.

"Half-elf?" I heard Tauriel murmur as she brought her hand to her chin, thinking. I imagine she was trying to recall if she had ever heard of anyone like that.

"That's impossible; there hasn't been anyone who is half-elf," Legolas retorted, dismissing my claim. It was clear they weren't very well informed. His reply caught Tauriel's attention, who was now looking at me, expecting my response.

"Are you an elf and don't even know? Eärendil, Elrond, Elros, Arwen, Elwing, all are half-elf and half-human. It's a long explanation, but throughout history, there have been a few cases. We're called Peredhil."

What Aldril didn't know was that Peredhil are very beloved by Eru because both races represent the creator's love.

Hence, they are the only different races allowed to procreate. But despite being the union of Eru's two beloved races, there have been very few throughout history.

They can even be counted on one hand: Dior, Eluréd, Elurín, Elwing, Eärendil, Elros, Elrond, Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir. However, each of them has played a significant role in the history of Middle-earth.

A clear sign of his love is that he has allowed Aldril's system to strengthen him, permitting consciousnesses from other multiverses to enter his universe to teach Aldril through dreams.

Even Varda, the one closest to Eru's grace, has seen that her creator allows this to happen.

This sparked her interest in Aldril, helping him since he was little, wanting to see what this person, for whom her creator has allowed the intrusion of other consciousnesses from different universes, will become.

Also, they are strengthening the young son of Tindómiel, who has a pure soul and heart. This also influenced her to grant him her blessing, just like his mother.

My response clearly stunned Tauriel and Legolas, confirming my suspicion that they weren't very well informed on this topic. Shaking my head, I decided it was time to find the dwarves, and with the elves' help, it would be easier to locate them.

"In any case, I'm looking for some dwarves. They've gone missing. Could you help me find them?" My request snapped them out of their stupor. Immediately upon hearing the mention of dwarves, they frowned in disgust.

"Why are you looking for dwarves?" Tauriel asked.

"I'm on a mission with Thorin, king of the Durin dwarves," I replied, stepping aside to reveal Bombur, who was snoring peacefully, unconcerned with everything. "That one over there is one of the dwarves. He fell into the river and has been asleep ever since."

"He fell into the river? He was lucky to only fall asleep. The dark magic of that river is very strong and can cause more than just drowsiness." After a few moments of silence, Tauriel sighed. "Alright, I'll help you find them."

At that precise moment, an elf arrived not far from us. Rushing over to Tauriel, he spoke urgently, "Captain, we've spotted hundreds of spiders. They're chasing a group of dwarves. What should we do?"

"Oh, crap, I need to help them," I muttered as I brought a hand to my forehead. There's no doubt we're magnets for trouble, from orcs, goblins, trolls, spiders, and soon a dragon.

We're definitely a very dangerous group because of all the bad luck we attract.

Tauriel seemed to hear my muttering because she looked at the elf with a serious expression, her demeanor shifting from that of a gentle woman to a warrior, which I honestly preferred. "In what direction?"

"They're heading this way. It's only a matter of time before they arrive," the elf responded urgently

"Alright, prepare yourselves. We need to kill all those disgusting dark creatures," ordered Tauriel, her voice filled with authority. Immediately, many elves who had been hiding around us prepared for the imminent battle.

Knowing that the group was heading in our direction, I hurried to carry Bombur and hide him in a nearby tree, trying to keep him safe, as he would only hinder the upcoming fight.

My gaze focused on the direction the elf had pointed out. Activating my hawk-eye ability, I observed from afar as a group of spiders chased after a band of dwarves. The webs on their bodies indicated they had just escaped, and I imagined that, like in the movie, Bilbo had saved them.

Unsheathing Anglachel, I adopted the stance of Rellana. This sword style would be very useful against the number of spiders I could see in the distance. Besides, I wasn't tired and could exert my full strength, with a group of elves supporting me.

For some reason, Tauriel positioned herself beside me, drawing her bow and preparing for the imminent arrival of the spiders. Their footsteps in the distance began to echo, a sign they were near.

It didn't take long for a group of dirty, web-covered dwarves to emerge from the forest. Upon seeing me, they ran in my direction, with a hurried Bilbo shouting, "Run, Aldril! Many spiders are chasi—" He didn't finish his sentence, as he, like the other dwarves, fell silent upon noticing the many elves aiming their bows at their backs.

"Hurry up! If you don't have weapons, don't get in the way," I replied with a serious tone. There were many spiders, and in this battle, I needed to concentrate as much as possible. "Bombur is in the tree behind me," I added, just as a massive swarm of spiders emerged from the forest.

"Ado ifili!" Tauriel shouted beside me. She paid no attention to the dwarves, entirely focused on the approaching threat.

At her command, countless arrows were loosed in a deadly arc, slicing through the air. Her skill with the bow was undeniable, as no tree posed an obstacle to her accuracy. Each arrow struck its mark with precision, hitting the massive horde of approaching spiders.

"Shis," "Shis," "Shis," 

The sound of arrows piercing thick exoskeletons resonated. The spiders were unable to withstand the lethal force of the arrows.

Not wanting to be left behind, I charged forward with feverish grace, my body moving in perfect sync with the sword I wielded. The swordsmanship of Rellana once again demonstrated how utterly fatal it could be.

With a diagonal slash, my sword cut through the flesh of three spiders that had leaped at me. Their bodies fell to the ground as their black, viscous blood stained the forest floor.

Around me, the battlefield became a chaotic flurry of movement and sound. The spiders attacked with greater ferocity, clashing their fangs in an attempt to intimidate us.

With an elegant spin, I dodged a charge, the spider brushing past my side. With a vertical slash from Anguirel, I sliced the creature in two before it could lunge again. Another spider jumped toward me, its legs extended, trying to grasp me.

Its head was exposed, and I took advantage of its mistake, impaling it in the face with Anglachel.

More arrows zipped past my sides as Tauriel, her expression focused, continued firing arrow after arrow, her deadly precision evident. Each of her shots struck true, hitting the heads of the unfortunate spiders.

A spider dropped from a tree, lunging at me, while two more attacked from my left and right, attempting to strike from all possible sides.

With mastery, I positioned my two swords at my sides and waited for a few seconds. Gracefully, I executed cuts at 180-degree angles, both diagonal, vertical, and horizontal, moving with such speed that the spiders didn't realize they had been sliced apart.

Maintaining my stance, I advanced slowly, killing the spiders foolish enough to approach me. At some point, a dwarf ran past me, then two, then three, and so on.

An ironic smile formed on my lips at their loud, unrestrained shouts, which would have made me facepalm if we weren't in the middle of a fight.

"I won't let any elf protect me!" Bofur shouted, swinging his axe at the incoming spiders.

"If those damn elves can do it, why can't I?" Nori said, smashing a spider's head with his large hammer.

"I won't let a damn elf outdo me in killing these bugs!" Gloin growled, attacking the spiders that crossed his path with fervor.

"I hate running, but I hate it even more when a damn elf helps me!" Dwalin shouted furiously. It was no secret that he was the dwarf in the group who despised elves the most.

His shouts seemed to invigorate the elves around us. Some continued firing their bows, while others had drawn their swords and were now engaged in combat with the spiders.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed these elves were very different from how they were portrayed in the movies. They moved with such grace, cutting down the spiders around them, and they worked together seamlessly.

At least from what I could see, there were no casualties on our side, unlike the spiders, whose numbers were dwindling rapidly.

The battle continued for a few more minutes, with black blood painting the battlefield. The cacophony was a symphony of slashes and cries.

At some point, Tauriel had positioned herself at my back. As the fight went on, we moved together as if we were longtime partners, our movements coordinated like a deadly dance where with each step, a spider fell.

Finally, when the last spider's body collapsed in front of me, silence fell over the clearing. The adrenaline that had fueled everyone began to fade.

"Ahh!" The silence was broken by the loud cries of the dwarves, who shouted in victory, a stark contrast to the elves, who maintained a serene attitude, a testament to their discipline.

"How many casualties?" Tauriel asked an elf not far from us. His chest was rising and falling, evidence of the exhaustion caused by such a battle.

"Approximately a hundred spiders, with over a dozen of our own wounded, but no deaths," he responded.

-With Tauriel-

A significant sigh escaped me. Not having any casualties despite the number of spiders was an incredible feat. Aldril had helped finish off many of those creatures, and there was no doubt that he was Lady Tindómiel's son.

I couldn't deny that I was drawn to the elegant yet lethal dance he performed. With every step, a spider fell, and from the looks on my subordinates' faces, I knew I wasn't the only one impressed by his mastery with the sword.

"You two," I said, pointing to two elves perched in a tree, "scout the area and find the nest. Once you locate it, report back to me." After issuing the order, I turned to Aldril, who gave me a grateful look.

I won't deny that my heart skipped a beat at his smile. It was the first time I had felt this way. Now I understood when Legolas said his heart raced when he saw that human woman smile.

"I'll take you to the kingdom. King Thranduil will decide what to do with you," I told him in the gentlest way possible.

I didn't want him to misinterpret my intentions. I wanted to bring him to the kingdom and, if possible, talk more with him.

But everything went downhill when the group of dwarves started insulting my subordinates, who began to show signs of agitation, if the tension in their arms was any indication.

"Enough!" shouted one of the dwarves, silencing the others. If my suspicions were correct, this dwarf was the one Aldril had mentioned. He approached me, and with a low, serious tone, he spoke.

"I am Thorin, son of Thráin and king of the dwarves of Durin. I wish to speak with your king."

The audacity of this dwarf, he might be a king, but that meant nothing to us.

However, I noticed Aldril giving me an apologetic smile. I averted my gaze from his beautiful eyes, not wanting to lose myself in their depth.

"Very well, but you must surrender all your weapons," I said after a few seconds of regaining my composure. My comment was met with grumbling from the dwarves, who reluctantly handed over their weapons after Thorin gave them a stern look.

As they surrendered their weapons, Aldril approached me, and with a smile, he unfastened the two swords strapped to his back. He tried to hand them to me, but I refused.

"That's not necess—" My words were cut off as Legolas rudely grabbed the swords.

"These are fine swords. Where did you get them?"

"Boom!"

I didn't understand why so many of our conversations were abruptly interrupted. This time, it was Legolas who, after unsheathing the black sword, witnessed it emit a dark glow before releasing a shockwave that sent him flying.

Magically, both swords slipped from Legolas's grip, landing back in Aldril's arms, who wore an ironic smile.

"I'm sorry, but they don't like being handled that way," he said to a mud-covered Legolas. Fortunately, he wasn't injured, but his embarrassed appearance provoked hearty laughter from the dwarves.

"Hahaha! Serves you right," laughed the fattest dwarf. Wait, wasn't he asleep? I had no idea when he woke up or how he recovered so quickly. Normally, it would take several days for someone to wake up after falling into that river.

"Heh, my apologies," Aldril stifled a laugh. I couldn't deny it was quite amusing, so I covered the smile forming on my lips with my hand.

"Ahem," I coughed, hoping to calm myself. However, it was nearly impossible, as Legolas's muddy face was too funny. It might have been amusing to us, but to Legolas, it was quite irritating. In his frustration, he snatched a sword from Thorin the dwarf.

"Ah, what a day full of events," I murmured before walking alongside Aldril and giving him a cheerful smile. This man, in such a short time, had broken my daily routine, and I was very grateful for that.

Meeting his gaze again made my heart race, and a memory of Lady Thalwen came to mind: ("If your heart races when you see that person, it might be love.") I placed a hand over my chest, and an involuntary bright smile spread across my face.

"Perhaps this is love."

***

Filthy orcs! I've noticed that many new orcs can't read! So I've taken on the task of rewriting the first chapters.

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