One
Lightning flashed and thunder roared as Aragorn, son of Arathorn, stumbled through the forest of Mirkwood. Normally, he could have found Legolas' home with ease, but the rain blinded him and nothing looked familiar. Gusts of wind made the treetops creak ominously, and branches littered the ground. A long gash seeped blood on the man's forehead from where he had struck it when his horse threw him.
Suddenly, lightning struck the tree he was under, bursting into flames that the rain would not quench.
The man threw himself forward as a flaming branch struck the ground where he had been standing. Ahead was a small clearing, and as Aragorn stepped into it, everything stopped. The rain halted in midair, lightning criss- crossed the sky, and he took another step, feeling the raindrops brush against him as he moved in their midst. Something glimmered in the middle of the clearing, and as Aragorn drew closer he say that it was a pool. He stared down into its depths, expecting to see his own reflection.
He didn't.
A ship flickered into view, riding a terrible storm. On deck, men struggled with her, tying ropes to themselves to keep from being washed out to sea. Her black sails whipped in the wind.
Aragorn didn't realize how close he was until his nose touched the water. Only then did he notice that he had somehow ended up on his hands and knees, drawn to the desperate scene before him.
Shaking himself, he rocked back - and the world abruptly started moving again. Lightning struck the ground behind him, and he fell forward into another world.
Suddenly, lightning struck the tree he was under, bursting into flames that the rain would not quench.
The man threw himself forward as a flaming branch struck the ground where he had been standing. Ahead was a small clearing, and as Aragorn stepped into it, everything stopped. The rain halted in midair, lightning criss- crossed the sky, and he took another step, feeling the raindrops brush against him as he moved in their midst. Something glimmered in the middle of the clearing, and as Aragorn drew closer he say that it was a pool. He stared down into its depths, expecting to see his own reflection.
He didn't.
A ship flickered into view, riding a terrible storm. On deck, men struggled with her, tying ropes to themselves to keep from being washed out to sea. Her black sails whipped in the wind.
Aragorn didn't realize how close he was until his nose touched the water. Only then did he notice that he had somehow ended up on his hands and knees, drawn to the desperate scene before him.
Shaking himself, he rocked back - and the world abruptly started moving again. Lightning struck the ground behind him, and he fell forward into another world.