Daemira closed the door to her room, and soon the stillness of night overcame the white city.

The night was still, and the air was cool. But something just did not feel right. Eothorn tried to calm his nerves, but the feeling just would not leave. Then, he was startled by movement. He heard a sound, but could not see anything. Then he caught a glimpse of something moving above him. Careful not to alert it of it's discovery, he kept his eyes on it. As he was going for a dagger, he heard a noise behind him. Before he could turn to see what it was, the thing jumped at him. With a flash he plunged his blade into the thing as it landed on him, and with a quick twist and a yank, he ripped it's head off. He turned around to see a very tall figure holding the other one by the throat.

The small thing wiggled and hissed in Daemira's grasp before a quick movement in her hand ceased its life completely. The things body then disentegrated into thick, black mist.

"Fell shadows, given life by Morgoth," she said. Other guards rushed forward, but the scene was over.

"Assasins," she said. "One came to my room as well. Tell the King, quickly."

With a nod, he ran to the king's room, and informed him of what had happened. The king asked for Daemira, and the three of them, went over what had happened.

"I've never seen anything like it my lord" said Eothorn. "They move so quickly, had I reacted a moment later, I might not be here now."

Daemira nodded. "Indeed, your instincts saved your life. These creatures...they are unlike any darkness I've encountered. No doubt they are newly conceived abominations here to do the will of Morgoth."

Aragorn's face was livid. After all, these things had managed to get inside his city without anyone knowing.

"Is there anything we can do to at least boost our defenses against these creatures?"

"They are beings of shadow," Daemira replied. "Therefore the natural enemy of shadow is light. Light every hallway, every room, every corner. Give them absolutely nowhere to hide. This can at least give us an idea of their weaknesses."

Aragorn nodded. He called to a guard by the door. "Fetch as much oil as you can. Have everyone in the city burn their lamps in every room. Light the hallways and burn the beacons outside."

The guard saluted. "Yes, my King," and was off.

"When I was a boy, my father was acquainted with a wizard, who spoke of shadow beings." Said Eothorn with a thoughtful look. "They sounded like something from a nightmare, and now that I have seen them, I understand why he spoke as he did." "My Lord, what would you have me do from here?"

Aragorn looked to Eothorn. "You battled one of the creatures," he said. "Tell me about it. How did it fight? How did it move?"

Well, it was hardly a battle my lord, more of and attack, and reaction. But, they seem to move very quickly, and silently, almost like a reptile. It was quite strong from what I could tell. It didn't make a sound, even when it attacked, not even from leaping from the stone wall. If I hadn't spotted it when I did, I might not be here, and well, my lord...

"Then thank the Valar for your luck," Aragorn said. "Daemira, you seemed to have encountered one of these creatures as well. What can you add?"

Daemira twisted her mouth slightly. "Well, Lord Aragorn, as Eothorn said, they were silent and almost reptilian in their movement. It's clear they use the shadows to conceal themselves. As for their fighting....it is swift, assasin-like. They don't directly attack. They try to get behind you and strike from your blind spot."

I do not believe this was a random infiltration, nor that it will be the last. They were here with a purpose, and I don't think it was to bring a peace offering. I fear your life may be in more danger than we anticipated my lord.

Aragorn shook his head somberly. "I should have known that this peace would last only a short while." He looked to Daemira. "Do the Valar at least know of our plight?"

"Of course they do my Lord," Daemira replied. "That is why the wizards are returning."

"Returning?"

The door to the king's chambers then opened.

"To a degree, yes," came a familiar voice. Aragorn turned to see none other than Gandalf the White standing there, his aged face warm with a gentle smile.

"It has been a long time, my old friend."

Eothorn, realizing that he was in the presence of the great wizard his farther had told him of, took a step back, and bowed his head in respect. " I never thought I actually be graced with the chance to meet the man of my father's stories. Realizing what he had just done, he turned to the king "please forgive my speaking out of turn my lord".

Aragorn smiled, and greeted Gandalf with a hearty hug.

"I must apologize, my friend, but my role in this story is short," Gandalf said. With a chuckle, he added "The Valar think that my service to this world has far exceeded their requirements." He looked to Daemira. "Yours, however, will be one of great import, my dear. I need not tell you why."

Daemira nodded soberly.

Meanwhile, a hooded figure appeared at the gates of Minas Tirith, riding a white horse. A gaurdsman asked her to state her buisness to which she only replied with a soft voice, "I want a place to rest my head, at the inn." The gates opened to her and she got off her beast, walking it to a stable.

She then stopped and thought to herself, 'the stables won't be open at this time of night. I'll just have to see if there is a Inn with a place to tie horses up for the night." She took off her hood, revealing her soft pale skin bright eyes, dark hair and pointed ears marked her as an elf.

She held onto her horses reins as she walked up a familure street empty. So empty, the elf almost felt as though something bad was going to happen... or had already happened. Her gaze averted to her horse. Never had she had a fine beast as Brima, she was a gental beast but knew how to stand the chaos of war without fear. Near the saddle was a bag with her belongings, some lambas bread, tools and supplies, next to that was her bow, silver in color, her name engraved upon it in elvish, Keoko Moonflower.

A soldier approached Keoko and held up his hand.

"Apologies, m'lady, but there is a slight crisis going on in the city right now. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you of your business in our city."

The elf nodded softly, she spoke softly, "I have come only for a room at the inn and a place to keep my horse for the night. The stable appears closed so I was attempting to find a inn with a stall for such beasts."

She paused for a second, as if in thought, then continued. "Minas Tirith is feels darker and colder then I remember. What kind of crisis has happened here, if you're allowed to tell me that. If you can not, I will speak no more of it and keep to my own buisness."

The guard nodded. She had arrived after the event in question, so it was foolhardy to assume that she was involved.

"I am afraid the details are on a need-to-know basis, m'lady. However I will warn you to keep a wary eye. We do not know if the crisis is over or just beginning. You can find an in with a stable up on the second level of the city. Just knock on the door."

The guard stepped aside to allow Keoko passage.

"I will do so," she nodded and gripped tightly to the reins of her horse. "Thank you, as well."

Keoko walked past the gaurd quickly, allowing him to go about his buisness and her to her own. She followed his directions to the second level of the city till at last she saw a building, to the side of it was a stall. "This must be the place," she muttered to herself and walked up to the door. Her small pale hands knocked on the wooden door. She waited for a reply.

My lord, what's going on? I get the feeling there are things you are not telling me. If it is not my place to know, I will speak of it no more, but if there is something that perhaps I should know; being *your* guard, and if it will assist me in my duties, I would much like to know. I do not mean to question your reasoning, but I can tell by now, this is more than just a random assassination attempt, and if this is not the end of it, I would like to be prepared for what might be coming.

A few moments after Keoko knocked on the door, there was the sound of clanking metal and a slight groan as the door opened slightly. A grizzled old man peeked his head out and blinked. "Can I help you, m'lady? Do ye seek boarding for the night?"

Gandalf and Aragorn looked to Eothorn. "What I am not saying," Gandalf said, "is a subject best left for another time."

"And worry not, for it isn't a threat to me or my family," Aragorn added. "However now that our enemy no doubt knows that the attempt has failed, we will no doubt come under attack again."

Daemira looked to Gandalf. "What can you tell me, Mithrandir? Where should we start? Are the Valar going to assist us in any way?"

Gandalf smiled apologetically. "Unfortunately, my dear, the Valar have told me nothing of their intentions. However as for your enemy, he is using all darkness in Middle Earth against you. Your attacks may come from everywhere and nowhere. But I would suggest, for you at least, to make allies with as many of them as possible. If you can sway them to your cause, the battles ahead may prove victorious. I suggest you start near Isengard, where Saruman was forming his army. I suspect not all were destroyed during Treebeard's uprising."

The elf nodded, " I do, sir. That, and a place for my horse. How much is it for a night?" She turned around to her bag next to the saddle of her horse and pulled out a coin purse.

She then looked up at the gate keeper, her bright eyes reflecting in the moonlight. "Sir, do you know anything that has been going on around here? The gaurds are suspisious of some crisis."

"Than I shall speak of it no more" he said with an apologetic head bow. "My lord, do you believe it would be prudent to advise your elite guards of the basic situation?"

The old man exited the inn and took the reigns of Keoko's horse. "One gold for a room, and another gold for your horse, m'lady. And that includes some fresh hay and oats. As for a crisis...none of us has been told of anything. And I don't recall any alarms being raised in the night. What did the guard tell you?"


Aragorn nodded. "If it concerns the safety of my family, then all of the palace and Citadel guards need be put on alert. Eothorn, would you please run to the captains of both and inform them of the situation? Make sure each solder carries a lantern or torch, and that they patrol even the darkest corners."

Keoko nodded and fingered 2 coins from her purse. She slid them into the man's free hand, "very well, thank you."

Keoko thought about what the gaurd had told her earlier. She shook her head, "no, they couldn't tell me anything. They did question me on my way here so that is what made me question it. There is something going on, though, but it is not my buisness to go snooping around looking for it."

"As you wish my Lord" he said then turned and ran towards the door.
Before reaching the doors, he turned and ran back. "I took this from the creature before it disappeared"
He produced a dagger handle with a peculiar symbol engraved on it, something he had never seen before. "The blade vanished as soon as I took it from the thing. I'm sorry I didn't bring it to you earlier, with everything going on, I forgot about it till now"