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Kanor walked silently down the dark hallway. As he neared a door at the end of the hall he heard screams of agony, which grew louder as he approached the closed door.

Kanor opened the heavy, black door and entered the room. The first thing he saw was Legolas, hanging in the middle of the room with his hands chained together above him.

His face was twisted in pain and he fought not to cry out when he was struck by the orcs that tormented him.

Kanor noticed the tears streaming down the elf's face but he ignored them. Instead he searched for man in charge of Legolas' suffering.

"Is there something you need Kanor?"
A man stepped out of the shadows and stood before Kanor.

His face was deformed beyond recognition. His eyes, if he had any, were covered by a hood. Leaving only a large, grotesque mouth showing.

What his name was Kanor didn't no, he was refered to only as "The Mouth."

"I have come to check on your progress."
Kanor lifted his hand and the orcs reluctantly ceased their work.
"And inform you that Sauron will be ready for him soon. I trust that he will be ready when the time comes?"

The Mouth nodded his pale head.
"He is about to break. No elf can stand through what he has."

Both turned towards Legolas, who was oblivious to their conversation. He had slipped out of conciousness the moment Kanor had ordered the orcs to stop.

"I figured that he would have broken already. He is stronger than we thought."
Kanor turned to look skeptically at the Mouth.
"Unless your methods are not as effective as they used to be."

"It is no fault of mine for the stubborness of elves."
The Mouth spat.
"Although I will admit that I am surprised that he has held out for this long. I figured that an elf as young as he is would be easy to break."

Kanor glanced at Legolas, there was definitley more strength in him than he had thought.

"I suggest that you get back to work. Sauron wants him broken by the end of the month. We have wasted too much time already."

The Mouth snarled and walked over to a long wooden table that was laid with many different torture devices.

All of them had been made by either the Mouth, or Sauron.
The Mouth selected one of the devices and made his way over to where Legolas hung limply.

He pulled out a small bottle from his cloak and ordered an orc to open the elf's mouth.

Kanor watched as The Mouth forced the contents of the bottle down Legolas' throat. The elf's eyes flickered opened and rested hopelessly on the Mouth.

"Thought I'd let you rest for a moment before we continued elfling."
The Mouth grinned, revealing his foul teeth.
Legolas looked away and closed his eyes, Kanor could see him trembling.

Kanor knew what was about to happen, and he would have liked to had stayed and watched, but he had other business to attend to.

"It won't be long now Legolas."
Kanor offered a fake reassuring smile towards him.
"Soon it will all be over, and you will feel no more pain."

Legolas' gaze met his, and Kanor was shocked to see the hatred in them. Kanor held his gaze for as long as he could bear, he had never seen a look of such pure hatred in one person before.

Kanor finally turned away and left the room, once he closed the door he heard Legolas' shouts and cries of grief and torment echoing behind him.

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T

he day had finally come for Legolas to face Sauron once again. It had been years since their last meeting and Legolas dreaded what was to come.

He was being dragged limply between two orcs, he had been beaten, whipped, scarred, burned, and had suffered in ways he had never thought possible.

Any thought of his brother or father coming to rescue him had vanished years ago. No one was coming to save him, the Valar had forsaken him, there was no hope left in his heart.

Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this misery? Of all the elves he could have chosen why did he have to choose me?

If he had been in his right mind he would have questioned if it was selfish for him to want another to suffer in his place, but he no longer cared what he thought.

Pleanty of elves had been captured and tormented before, but they had all been warriors, brave and much stronger than he was.

Which is why he chose me in the first place. I am not strong enough to withstand him, he can do whatever he wishes to me.

Legolas' thoughts were interupted as they entered the large room. He didn't know what to expect from this encounter, but he knew that whatever happened it would only add to his misery.

The orcs dropped him onto the cold, stone floor and left. Legolas knew that Kanor was in there, and he felt the familiar presence of the shadow moving around him.

This never had to happen Legolas. You could have chosen to serve me willingly, and saved yourself from all this pain, but you chose to defy me. Now you must live with the consequences of your actions.

Legolas' hands clenched tightly into fists, his body trembled in anger. The shadow made it sound as if all of his torment had been his own doing, but Legolas knew that if he hadn't ordered his orcs to capture him in the first place none of it would have happened.

I will give you one last chance Legolas, serve me willingly and without question and you will suffer no more. Refuse, and I swear that you will spend the rest of your life in misery and pain.

There will be no escape for you Legolas, not even death can free you from my grasp. You will be my prisoner forever.

The shadow paused and hovered over Legolas, who still lay motionless on the floor.

It is time to choose Legolas.
What will your choice be?

What will it be?

Legolas pondered his two options, no matter what he chose he would be doomed. He would either serve the darkness, or be imprisoned by it.

The only difference would be that he would not suffer through any more pain if he chose to serve him but was it worth it?

Choosing a path of evil only to escape pain?

No, it is not. If I choose to serve him willingly he will win, either way I am condemned to darkness.

Mustering his courage, and whatever strength he had left, he announced his answer.

"I will never serve you. You can do whatever you want to me but I will not break. You may think that I am broken but I am far from it. I may spend the rest of my life in this place, trapped and hidden from the light, but I swear that as long as I draw breath I will not fall under you."

Silence hung in the air like a heavy fog. No one spoke, and Legolas held his breath, waiting for a reply.

Oh Legolas, you should not have said that.

Before he could comprehend what was happened Legolas was thrown backwards into the far wall.

An unseen force was forcing him up against the wall, and the shadow began to close in around him.

He felt it enter his mind, it pierced his heart and spread throughout his body like a raging fire.

He screamed but no sound came out, he wanted to die but he knew that relief would not come that way.

Suddenly an image flashed through his mind, one of his mother. He saw her eyes looking into his, she opened her mouth to say something but Legolas could not hear what it was.

Then she faded out of sight, Legolas saw more and more images pass by him, only to realize that they were all memories.

The shadow was taking them, ripping them from his mind and destroying them.
Everything Legolas was, was being stripped away from him.

The darkness closed in around him, Legolas could do nothing as the darkness continued to rip him apart.

This is true darkness Legolas, and for you, it is only beginning.

Legolas' eyes shot open, black merged with the blue, taking over his eyes and blinding him.
His skin was deathly pale, his veins were almost black.

He screamed again, and this time his cries echoed throughout the tower.

And then they were silent.