Snippet #2267867

As the group proceeded away from Rivendale Nienna looked back nostalgically. She reminisced about a brief conversation that she had with Elrond before setting off with the fellowship of the Elvan rings. She was a close friend of Elrond and it had been many a year since she last spoke to him. Nienna remembered his words to her, “May the light of our people bestow upon you a special blessing of grace, wisdom and protection my Lady, and friend. Fate has shifted slightly as the new bearers of the three rings of the Elves have been chosen. You bear my ring, Vilya, and I know that it is in good hands.” Nienna contemplated on Elrond’s words with a smile. Perhaps she’d now feel a bit better about having to bear the ring.

Nienna also thought back to the council of the rings, when she had decided that she would take on the task of carrying Vilya, the Elvan ring once entrusted to Elrond. Nienna thought on the reaction by the others present, none seemed surprised at this happening. Verza had even smiled as he saw Nienna take the third ring. "I think this is a good choice my lady." He said to her as she stood next to him trying to handle the new and slightly troubling sensation the ring bestowed upon her. She thought to herself, ‘if he feels that it is a good idea, perhaps I should trust that fate is trying to give me peace in my decision.’

As Nienna gracefully stepped through the forest in the company of the fellowship she could feel that something was quite wrong. The forest was still as if the trees were holding their breath in fear of something. The homes of the creatures lay abandoned and vacant. The bundle of enchanted leaves in Nienna's hands began to flutter with signs of warning. She looked down at them with stern eyes. There was a serious disturbance here. Dark beings were causing the forests light to flee in fear. Nienna looked around trying to see the darkness she felt that was ever present in the forest.

Then arrows were launched. Valinor was the first to react to the assault. Orcs were attacking the fellowship. Nienna gasped, “Vile demons… they dare to come this close to Rivendale?! Darkness is truly attempting to swallow up the land.”

Verza seemed to quickly formulate a plan. "Gunvald!, Hallvard!, Golin!, Valinor! Make a perimeter! Everyone else get behing them! Pick them off with whatever you have! Gunvald!, Hallvard!, Golin!, Valinor! Keep their attention on you, make them angry. We can handle the killing!" Verza yelled. Slanu and Valinor seemed to quickly take heed and take action. Gale and Liliana sprung into action readily. Nienna was impressed with the valor of her companions. They were fearless and capable in their own ways. Verza then came under attack, "Everyone els..." Verza was cut of as an arrow caught in his leasther and studded steel armor. "Get your backs to the boulder! Keep an eye upward." He warned them.

It was time for Nienna to take action as well. Nienna remained in the center of the group. She, with the wave of her hand summoned her Elvan bow and arrows into her possession. She carefully took aim as the orcs fired on the group from above. With the quick and precise pluck of her bow, Nienna shot down a few orcs, one of them with their aim on Verza. This Orc came plummeting from the tall tree from which it once stood. Nienna wondered how much of a warrior Verza was. He was brave and indeed a tactician, but Nienna could feel where his will was strong, his body was slightly afraid. During Nienna track of thought, another Orc launched an arrow that Nienna couldn’t quite dodge and the arrow grazed her right cheek slightly. “Oh!!” She gasped.

Nienna then refocused her attention to the trees. She whispered an incantation in Elvish and her bow and arrows became her enchanted staff. Nienna continued to chant silently and then her volume increased she glowed of a pale green aura. The threes began to shake and their vines constricted a few orcs. Those caught in the tree’s grasp were clutched so tightly that their bones began to break and the vines began to dig into their flesh. The other orcs that fired from the trees stopped firing arrows momentarily and looked at their comrades in terror. They, in fear leaped from the tree branches to the ground. Nienna shouted to the group, “They are now land bound! Their lives shall now be easier to claim.”