Companion story to The Curse of the Valar. READ THAT FIRST!

Disclaimer: Don't own

Last Word:

Gathalorn POV

Why had we ever gone on this valar damned hunting trip? Who had even suggested it? Elenion, of course, he always has the genius ideas. It had been boring at the beginning. Nothing around. It had all been scared away by the pack of spiders we bumped into. Killing spiders is easy. So we did. Spider after spider fell. As Aragorn ran his sword through the last one, Thranduil was stabbed through the chest with an orc scimitar and Elladan and Elenion fell from their tree, arrows pierced their hearts. Orcs had bore down on us, we covered our swords in orc blood as well, avenging our friends and brothers. I had just stabbed an orc through the gut when someone choked behind me. Knowing it was Harrebryn, my elder brother, I spun around and watched him fall. He had been hit in the stomach with an arrow, I ran towards him and he fell into my lap.

'Gathalorn… I'm sorry.'

'No, you aren't. There is nothing to be sorry for. Stay with me, Muindor.'

'I can't, hurts…'

'No, no, no, Harrebryn, stay with me, please!'

'I'm… sorry.'

'No, you aren't, I told you, why are you sorry?'

'For everything I couldn't apologize for.'

My eyes filled with tears. He was leaving me. I could already feel it. 'Please 'Bryn, stay with me.'

'Im iest an cin, Muindor. Le melin.'

'Me too, Muindor, me too.'

'Goodbye, Gathalorn.'

'Goodbye.' Harrebryn put his head down limply and was gone. His body went cold in my arms. The tears in my eyes spilled over, streaming down my cheeks. I felt a pain in my chest, but it was not my heart rejecting the loss of my brother. Looking down, I see an arrow sticking out. It was meant for my heart, but missed its target, puncturing my lung instead. I feel and taste blood in my mouth, the arrow may have missed, but it was enough to disable me, to cripple me. Looking up at the orc that has come so close to killing me, I give my last strength into revenge. Throwing myself towards the orc, sword outstretched, I know there is no hope. I simply know. The orc brings his scimitar towards me and this time his aim is true. It hits my heart, then is pulled out, swinging to decapitate me. As soon as it hits my neck, I too, am gone.

Opening my eyes, all I can see is white. A hand reaches out to me, and I grasp it, feeling strength and power. I look into the face of the elf guiding me and realize he is not an elf but a valar. Namo.

'Come, Gathalorn. I shall take you to Mandos. Your brother is waiting.' I follow him, not daring to speak, through the gates and into Valinor.

A bit sad, at least there's a semi-happy ending!

I don't know what's gotten into me lately, probably just this isolation from that virus business. With enough love, fanfiction, and isolation, we can beat it.

-SunStar