Thalion wanted to close his eyes, he wanted to believe that this was all a nightmare, but in his heart he knew that it was real.

Legolas had killed these elves, he had killed the ones in the palace, he had killed men, women, and children without mercy.

Thalion set his jaw firmly and gripped his sword. He would not accept that Legolas was beyond help. His brother was still in there, he would find him and bring him back.

He would never give up on his brother, he swore it on his life.

"Legolas, please listen to me."
He took a cautious step forward, Legolas didn't even blink.
"I know you are afraid, and confused, but this isn't you." 

"You are not a killer, you are my brother. Please Legolas, end this madness. Come home!"

Legolas did nothing.
He studied Thalion in silence, and then looked down at his sword.

As he looked back up at Thalion three words began repeating themselves in his mind.

Liar, traitor, murderer.

Thalion had known that they were going to try and kill him, he had done nothing to stop them.

He could be doing the same thing again, leading him to his death.
How could he trust him? How could he trust anyone?

The only one you can trust is me.

Everyone else is a liar.

Legolas raised his sword and glared at Thalion. He would not allow anyone to harm him ever again.

Thalion met his brother's gaze in despair. Legolas was not going to listen to him, the truth pierced him like an arrow.

He would not harm his brother, he had promised to keep him safe and he had failed at that.

He would not slay him, or cause him any harm, but he would keep trying. As long as he still breathed he would not give up on Legolas.

Legolas charged at him with a shout of rage. Thalion raised his own sword and blocked the blow.

He forced Legolas back and quickly went in to make a move. Thalion was only trying to disarm Legolas, but Legolas was trying to kill him.

Every time either of them tried to strike, the other would effortlessly spin out of the way.

It was a deadly and lethal dance that would end with one elf on the ground, and leave the other one standing.

Thalion was trying desperately to get the upper hand but it was next to impossible. Legolas was too quick, and since Thalion was only defending himself, it seemed that the odds of him coming out alive were very small.

It happened so fast that Thalion hadn't had time to comprehend it. Legolas had been pushing him back and Thalion had tripped over a tree root.

He landed hard on his back and nearly dropped his sword in the fall. He brought it up just as Legolas was about to strike him.

Thalion was holding his sword over him with both hands, each one pressed firmly on the smooth side of the blade.

Legolas had both of his hands on the hilt of his sword, pushing it down with all of his strength.

Thalion felt his strength waning. He couldn't hold him off for much longer....

"Legolas please! Stop this! It is not too late! We can both walk away from this, it does not have to end like this!"

Legolas ignored him and continued to push down harder.
"Legolas! Listen to me! I know you can fight this! Please! I know that there is still good in you! Legolas please-"

"LEGOLAS IS DEAD!!!"
Those words, those three words, those three simple words....

Were what killed Thalion.

He did not feel the blade that sank into his heart, he did not see the face of his brother as his blue eyes burned into his fading ones.

All he could think about was his brother, and how he had failed him.

And those three words echoed in his head as he fell into darkness, never to return again.

»»»»

Legolas watched in grim satisfaction as Thalion's lifeless body slumped to the ground.

He had finally done it, he had killed him. Just like he had been told to do-

No... Oh Eru what have I done?

He looked at Thalion's pale body lying strewn out on the grass. A pool of blood had formed around him, staining the grass.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Legolas fell to his knees, he had done exactly what Sauron had ordered him to do.

He had never been free from his control, he had never stopped killing for him.

What made it different this time, was that he had done it all on his own free will.

He had allowed the monster to take him, he had done nothing to stop it.

And now his brother was dead, because of him.

Legolas screamed in fury and grief, tears fell freely from his eyes and his hands were clenched tightly into fists.

What had he done? What would he do now?

There is only one thing you can do now.

Legolas looked down at his sword, the voice continued to speak to him.

They will never forgive you for this Legolas.

They will kill you, and you cannot die.

You fear death, because you fear of what awaits you in the Halls of Mandos.

You will be punished for all the lives you have taken. You must stay alive, and remain alone.

Legolas wiped the tears from his eyes and grabbed his sword. He took one last look at Thalion's body and pushed all thoughts of remorse and grief from his mind.

What was done had been done. He had killed Thalion, there was no going back.

He never heard the footsteps running silently towards him, if he had he would have been able to react.

But Thranduil had raced into the clearing silently and undetected.
He slammed into Legolas' side and knocked him off of his feet.

Legolas still managed to hold onto his sword and swung it blindly at Thranduil.

His father dodged the blow and struggled to wrestle Legolas' sword away from him.

The anger he had been harboring towards his father was unleashed. Legolas fought blindly and without thought as he struggled to free himself from his father's grasp.

He wanted him hurt, he wanted him dead, he wanted him to suffer the same way he had.

Legolas was so focused on Thranduil that he didn't see Elrond sneak up behind him.

Elrond struck him on the head with the hilt of his sword, sending him falling limply onto the ground.

Legolas lay there motionless, his sword had cut his hand during the struggle and was slowly starting to bleed.

Elrond fought to catch his breath as he knelt beside the fallen elf.
He was still alive, but he was far from being alright.

"Thranduil?"
Elrond looked up and found his friend kneeling beside his oldest son, who now laid lifeless in his father's arms.

Thranduil's face contorted in pain as the realization of what happened became clear to him.

Legolas had killed Thalion, his own brother, and he hand't been able to save him.

Thranduil cried as he held his son's body. His body shook as he pressed Thalion's head against his.

Elrond watched the scene in stunned silence. He looked down at Legolas' limp form as he fought to figure out what to do.

An idea entered his mind, he doubted that it would work, but it would maybe be able to help both Legolas and Thranduil.

But Eru, why did this have to happen? How could you allow so much death to happen to one family?

Somberly Elrond took up the limp elf in his arms. He was so young; and yet he had already suffered through thing that elves twice his age would never experience in their lives.

He turned towards Thranduil and became filled with grief. He had lost his wife, Thalion, and now he was on the verge of losing Legolas.

Elrond looked down at Legolas' face. He would do everything in his power to help him, he would do whatever he could to give Thranduil his son back.

Even though he knew that he was probably already too late.