[The Fifth]

Calad was very annoyed now. That crazy elf is going to sit there and wait and wait forever! he thought. They had been in the same position since the afternoon when they had arrived, and now, a few hours have swept by, and the sun was pushed under the horizon. The stars glimmered and twinkled in the dark sky and moonlight was cast into the room, making pale-blue shapes from the window on the floor and walls, hitting the elves' faces.

Finally, he could not take it anymore. He was just going to be standing here while he waited until they died! He let loose everything that had happened to him in a flurry of words. "Alright! Alright!" He cried, "You want me to tell?! I will tell!"

"It happened years ago... the elves of Mirkwood and I were summoned to the halls... the Necromancer was stirring in the South... my father, he wanted me to go, although I did not want to, for I was not among the most skilled, but I was sent anyway in battle. There were orcs and elves everywhere! Too many to count! Then they.. took me away with the blackness of the Dark Lord himself!

"We travelled for many miles, but I and another were dragged about like luggage! Then we came there, to that terrible land.. we were put in a tower.. they held us upon racks, tortured us, sent spikes through our bodies, broke our spirits.. and.. the Ringwraith! He was there too! One night we managed to escape... don't know how... we went seperate ways, until I was captured.. those guards were, couldn't help it! I killed them! I killed them all! Then I fled, and soon you horrible people found me and dragged me here!"

Now finished speaking, he fell to the floor, quivering. Taralquamegil had listened intently, managing to keep track of what the elf said. He spoke, in reply to all of this, "I see that your fate was much worse. But, what is it that makes us so 'horrible'?"

Calad was angered once more, but the elf was right; he felt a little better, not keeping it bottled up inside of him. But his inner orc smote him. Who does this person think he is? he thought. Quivering more, and stumbling towards him, he said, "You're horrible! That is all!"