Chapter 3:  groping in the dark

 “Elrond!”

This was the second time the warrior had called out the healer’s name and again it was unheard. The dark haired Elf-lord was totally immersed in his work.

Glorfindel sighed and stepped into the workroom. This was nothing new to him. He closed the door a bit more forcefully than usually. This got the intended reaction. The healer looked up, a frown on his face.

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. A look into the healer’s eyes answered his unvoiced question. Once again the test was unsatisfying.

“Elrond, you should take a break. You look tired,” the warrior suggested even though he knew that the healer would not listen.

As always, whenever he was stuck in his work he could hardly be pulled away. Sensing the upcoming protest Glorfindel opened the window to let some fresh air into the room. He was not very fond of the workroom, filled as it was with strange fragrances of herbs and exotic flowers.

Contrary to his expectation, the healer leaned back and took a deep breath. “Maybe you are right. I’m just as far from a solution as I was yesterday in any case.”

The tall warrior was not fooled by the light tone. It was essential for the healer to find a cure for this new poison quickly. At any moment, another warrior or some other unfortunate victim could be afflicted. But right now they had nothing to counter the effect of the poison.

The healer rose and tossed his quill angrily on his desk, joining the warrior at the open window. Glorfindel held his tongue knowing that the healer would eventually speak his mind.

“Whenever I get close to a solution the test fails. The antidote is not working and the result is always the same. The poison affects the victim so quickly that any defensive action from the body is useless.”

Glorfindel nodded. He did not understand everything the healer was telling him, yet to know their situation was dire did not require his understanding the details.

Before either Elf-Lord could say more a commotion arose from the courtyard. A rider was galloping at full speed up to the house. Fearing that his fears from a few minutes before had come true Glorfindel turned and hastened out of the room. Elrond lingered a moment longer, waiting until he had identified the rider who had stormed over the green in front of the house.

It was Threlan, the captain of the northern border section, and he was clutching an elf's body in his arms. The healer closed his eyes briefly to gain strength before following his Troop Commander. If a poisoned arrow had struck the warrior, then it was already too late.

Nonetheless, Elrond flew down the flight of stairs and hastened into his workroom. He knew that Glorfindel would make sure that the warriors were brought to him immediately.

No sooner had he tied on his apron, the door banged open and Glorfindel hastened into the room a spasming body in his arms. Captain Threlan followed his commander, limping badly.

Elrond registered this only peripherally, the afflicted warrior on his table requiring his full attention. Yet when he stepped up to the table he knew that his skills would fail again. Although he could not help the stricken warrior, he could observe what he had previously only known from the reports of Glorfindel and Captain Geldarion.

The elf was already almost dead. His body was shutting down due to the poison’s deadly influence. He was struggling to draw each breath and was seized by cramps.

With the clear call of the Lord of Mandos ringing in his head, Elrond placed a comforting hand on the unfortunate elf’s chest and poured as much healing energy as he could into the tormented body. He blocked out the agonized cries of pain, determined to ease the warrior's passing.

When the last breath had left the elf's body the healer closed his eyes in shock. Of course, he had not doubted the reports but as a scholar, he was always questioning reports and stories. This time, though, the reports had not exaggerated and the horrible truth had now been effectively driven home to him. This poison was indeed new; he had never seen anything that had this effect before. He did not ask how long ago the warrior had been struck; it did not matter if it were minutes or hours. This poison was potent in a way that frightened him.

His brain still working at full speed, Elrond closed the now unseeing eyes and while covering the still body with a cloth he gestured for the captain to sit. With the other emergency keeping everyone busy, his helpers had failed to look at the other warrior. An ugly gaping wound on the elf’s upper leg promised that here, at least, he could provide efficient help. The captain had been standing, so he was obviously not poisoned, or at least not by the deadly type that had killed the other elf.

From the corner of his eye the healer saw one of his apprentices gather the dead body to move it to a side room where it would lie in state until the funeral.

After a short glance and a nod towards his Troop Commander, Elrond directed his attention at his patient. Glorfindel would bring the sad news to his men.

While probing the wound Elrond glanced at the captain. With a sigh he paused in his ministrations and looked directly into the eyes of the elf. The captain stared blankly ahead.

“Captain, you could have done nothing different. No horse is fast enough to outrun the speed of this poison. You lost the fight the moment your companion was struck.”

Threlan looked up surprised that the healer had read his mind so well. Yet it had not needed a mind reader like the Elf-lord to guess what thoughts had crossed his mind. Accepting the offered comfort Threlan inclined his head.

Elrond helped the captain up again and guided him to his work station. He waited until Threlan had found a more-or-less comfortable seated position.

Gesturing for his apprentice to assist him, Elrond carefully cut the captain's leggings away to get a better look at the long gash running down the captain’s thigh.

An assistant healer began mixing a sleeping draught while Elrond tried to distract the warrior while cleaning the wound.

“Captain, tell me what happened, and please leave no detail out, however insignificant it may seem to you.”

Stiffening not only from the flaring pain caused by the probing of the healer but also from being forced to go through the events that claimed the life of one of his men, Threlan took a deep breath.

“When we arrived this morning at our scheduled location we surprised a band of orcs gathering there. It was obvious that they were planning to attack travellers using the nearby path. We made short work of them, the worst wound being the cut on my leg. Just when we were making sure that no orc was still alive, one recovered and with its last strength, shot Calan with its bow. It died while firing the arrow.”

Threlan swallowed. The protection of his men was his responsibility.

Sensing that his Lord was still waiting for more information, Threlan continued.

“I wasn't even able to remove the arrow. Calan was crying in agony from a wound that should not have bothered him that much. He soon began having trouble breathing and his body began to convulse with seizures. I removed the arrow but it was already too late. The poison had spread and I could only gather him into my arms and bring him home.”

When the captain stopped speaking Elrond only nodded. The symptoms were always the same. The poison was very potent and affected the victims so rapidly that no help could be given.

While he guided the warrior to a bed and helped him to lie down and drink the sleeping draught Elrond asked one more question.

“Captain, what colour was the substance on the arrow tip?”

Threlan furrowed his brow and the healer feared that the draught had already lulled the elf’s senses when he looked at the healer sharply.

“Now that you mention it, first it appeared black. But within seconds it began changing to a dark green…..I…I brought the arrow…”

With this, the warrior was asleep. Elrond nodded toward his apprentice, indicating that he should take over. The stitching of the captain's wound was well within the capabilities of his assistant. He had much more urgent matters to focus on.

At least now he had an idea what this new poison might be…

To be continued………………..