Tears of the Valar.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the Original Characters and their adventures. Everything else belongs to JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson, et. al. This was done purely for entertainment and as an exercise in creativity.
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“The city has fallen,” Glorfindel stated grimly.

Legolas and Helcarin could see the carnage surrounding them and knew it was hopeless. The beasts had rushed through rapidly, killing everyone before them, then had, as before, suddenly withdrawn at the sound of the horn. It seemed even the dark creatures could be sated if enough blood was spilled.

“We must find the survivors,” Helcarin said softly. “There must be some left alive.” He glanced at Legolas. “What of your lady? Does she live in your heart?”

The prince nodded. “I feel her. She is alive and,” he smiled, “angry.”

Glorfindel began to search through the bodies that were still intact enough to be identifiable. They had seen neither of the Galadhrim nor any of the Rhunian Elves. Elrohir had vanished early in the attack and he feared his young friend may have fallen, so great was his despair over Elladan. Saelbeth and Alexandra were also missing though Legolas felt his wife through their bond.

A few people of the city still lived, having managed to hide from the rampaging beasts and seeing the Elves, came out, gravitating to the comforting presence of these seemingly invincible beings. All distrust was gone, having been swept away as the sea of blood had flowed during the battle. Most knew they would have all been overrun and killed much sooner had the Elves not helped to fortify their defenses and remained to fight with them.

In the ruins of a burned-out building, they found Rumil and Sarendir gently lifting a body from the rubble. It was unidentifiable at first, then the pointed ears became visible and the tatequalme fell from its blacked hands.

“Cunion,” Rumil answered their unspoken question as they laid the charred corpse on a flat stone surface.

“He was defending the injured who had taken shelter here,” Sarendir told them in a grief-stricken voice. Nodding to a pile of bodies, he continued. “He killed quite a few of the beasts before one of those damned creatures dropped the burning oil on the building.” His voice broke and he looked away.

“We tried to clear a path so those inside could escape, but the enemy’s numbers were too great.” Rumil’s tone was neutral, but his eyes shone with anger. “They were trapped in the building.”

Glorfindel examined the structure and then turned to the others with a quizzical expression.

“Where are the bodies of the others? The ones who could not escape?”

Helcarin and the others began to move the pieces of fallen timbers in an effort to search for the remains. None, however, were found.

One of the women in the group of citizens spoke up timidly.

“Begging your pardon, my lords, but there was an old escape tunnel in this building from back during the wars with Rhun.”

Rumil glanced at her with a gentle smile.

“Do you remember where it was located, my lady?”

The woman blushed and pulled her tattered dress in an unconscious attempt to straighten her appearance, a reaction to the gaze of the beautiful being addressing her.

“It was hidden in a back corner beneath one of the stone pots.” She pointed deeper into the ravaged structure.

“Would any of the people here have known about it?” Helcarin asked.

She nodded. “Everyone knew there were escape tunnels throughout the city though we cannot always get to them. Likely someone here found it and that is why there are no bodies.”

“Here,” Legolas called and his companions climbed swiftly over the rubble. There, a partially blocked hole in the ground gaped open though just a small way down, it was blocked by stone and charred wood.

“When the building collapsed, the tunnel was cut off,” Glorfindel mused.

“Why did your friend not go as well?” The woman had followed them, curious about these creatures of myth.

“He would have waited until last,” Sarendir replied. “He was a healer and would have made certain all of those who could escape had made it out. If there were some who could not go, he would have remained with them.”

“Even though he knew they could not escape?” she whispered. The thought of willingly staying to face the beasts inside a burning building … A painful and terrifying prelude to a painful and terrifying death.

Sarendir nodded, then spying a charred foot nearby, moved more of the boards to find several bodies huddled together. From the way they looked, they had likely not been able to make it down the tunnel before the building collapsed and filled it.

“He did not leave them,” Helcarin murmured then started back to where Cunion’s remains lay. “If the building still stands, we will take him and put him next to Pomea. They may be buried together.” He started to lift the healer’s body, but Sarendir put out a hand.

“I will carry him,” he told the other Elf quietly. Helcarin nodded and stepped back as Sarendir lifted Cunion tenderly and walked toward the part of the city where their temporary dwelling had been.

“Let us search for whoever else is left alive,” Glorfindel finally broke the silence that had fallen. “You say there are escape tunnels? Why has no one used them?”

“They are not in every building and many have been forgotten. We sent most of the elderly, frail, and weak along with the children down into the tunnels before the battle began. Those who were able to fight remained and there were some who could not find the tunnels before it was too late.” The man who responded looked the worse for wear, blood streaking his face. “We could not all use them and leave the city undefended.”

“It would have been good to know of these tunnels before the battle,” Legolas murmured to Helcarin. “More lives could have been saved.” His friend nodded.

Glorfindel smiled at the man and nodded. “Your words are true. Where is another entrance?”

There was some discussion among the mortals and finally they seemed to reach a consensus. “There was one in the tower beside the north wall and there is another on the eastern side of the city in one of the temples.”

“Helcarin, you and Rumil go with them. If the eastern tunnel is safe, take the survivors into it. Legolas and I will search for our other fallen comrades and send any other survivors we find to you.”

Helcarin nodded and gathered the mortals, following the directions to the eastern tunnel.

Glorfindel and Legolas moved carefully through the city, finding a few survivors who they directed to the eastern temple. They found more bodies, however, than anything else. Men, women and children had been slaughtered indiscriminately and the sight repulsed the Elves.

“Why is Lastharos doing this to his own people? Because of some vague prophecy?” Legolas opened the door to one of the intact structures and called out for survivors then they methodically searched the building.

“He fears the loss of power,” Glorfindel replied as he reached down to check the breathing of a small girl they discovered under a bed. She was dead. “So he is killing everyone who might have even the most remote chance of fulfilling that vague prophecy.”

They moved on, continuing their search, working quickly and efficiently. Neither had much hope of finding many more alive.

“Master Elf?” a timid voice called from behind a collapsed wall.

Glorfindel smiled encouragingly as a small boy came out, holding the hand of a girl who looked a few years younger. She clung to the boy, almost hiding behind him as she looked up at the tall, blonde ellyn.

“There is one of your friends in there,” the boy whispered, as if afraid of being overheard. “I think he is hurt.”

“Show us, little one,” Legolas told him gently and the boy turned, pulling the girl with him. She kept looking over her shoulder at the Elves, eyes wide with curiosity and a touch of fear.

There were sharp stones, broken glass and shards of wood underfoot and the children wore no shoes. Glorfindel picked up the boy.

“You will hurt yourselves,” he told the child who was clearly frightened to be in the Elf’s arms; too frightened, in fact, to struggle. The little girl began to cry as Legolas lifted her and reached for the boy.

“Shh, little one, it is alright. We will be right here; you and your companion will not be separated.” He spoke soothingly to the child, stroking her hair as he held her in gentle arms. When she saw they did not try to separate them, her sobs subsided to occasional sniffles.

The boy directed them through the maze of the damaged building past bodies of mortals until they came upon Vanurion, propped against a wall, his hand pressing against his stomach and blood flowing. He looked at his friends with a weak smile.

“It is good to see you survived the attack,” he told them in a tired voice. Glancing at the children he bowed his head slightly. “In must thank my healers. They wrapped my hand and went for help. Very brave of them.”

“Very brave indeed,” Glorfindel agreed. He sat the boy on the floor and knelt next to the fallen Elf, unwrapping the blood soaked cloth. Three of Vanurion’s fingers were missing along with part of his left hand.

“One of those things bit them off,” the Lord of the Rhunian Elves told them with a bitter laugh. “I hope it choked on them.”

Legolas asked the children where more bandages could be found and took them with him to search as Glorfindel examined Vanurion’ for other wounds.

“I imagine I will be quite bruised for several days,” Vanurion sighed.

“How did this happen?” Legolas asked, returning with some cloths he tore into bandages. The children watched quietly with curious expressions.

“I saw a number of people taking shelter here and they were pursued by several werewolves and warg. The mortals put up a valiant defense, but the beasts were quite powerful and these men were not soldiers. I tried to help them and foolishly pushed one of the creatures away with my hand. It snapped and caught the last three fingers of my left hand and took away a good chunk down to the wrist. It was quite painful,” he added in an understatement.

The Elves looked over to where several dead warg and a werewolf lay. Apparently Vanurion and his mortal cohorts had done some damage. The children edged closer to the Elves as their frightened eyes stared at the dead creatures.

“What is this place?” Legolas asked, looking around. Most of the corpses had been children. He turned to the little boy and smiled comfortingly. “Did you live here?”

The boy shook his head.

“This is where the children with no mother and father live,” he replied shyly, adding, “We have our mother and father.” He nodded toward the girl, apparently his sister, who simply stared as if mesmerized by Legolas’ fair hair.

“Then you must come with us and we will look for them,” Glorfindel told them as he finished securing the new bandage over Vanurion’s damaged hand. “At least you did not lose the entire thing as Maedhros did,” he told the Elf as he and Legolas assisted Vanurion to his feet.

The dark-haired ellon smiled wanly and leaned against them for support for a moment before finally taking a few steps. He was a bit unsteady for a moment then slowly regained his bearings.

“Are there more survivors here?” Glorfindel asked and Vanurion shook his head.

“I do not believe so. I tried searching and the children said no one would wake up when they found me.”

Legolas told the children to watch over Vanurion while he and Glorfindel looked for others. The boy seemed to stand a little straighter and nodded.

Searching the building quickly, they found no more alive and then, lifting the children into their arms, carefully negotiated the destroyed path back to the exit.

“Show him where the eastern temple is,” Legolas told the boy. “There is an escape tunnel there. Helcarin and Rumil are with other survivors there,” he added quietly to the Rhunian Elf.

“Have we lost any more of our people?” Vanurion asked softly.

Glorfindel nodded. “I am sorry, but Cunion was killed defending the injured.”

Vanurion bowed his head and took a deep breath. When he looked back up, his eyes were haunted.

“I pray his soul finds peace. Perhaps Mandos will not judge him so harshly.”

The ellyn nodded and then went on to continue their search as Vanurion followed the children to safety.