The siege at Mirkwood continued. But Kiriaz knew that the fight would go on until the Enemy was banished from Middle-Earth, or the Free Peoples were defeated. He refused to believe that the latter was possible - the Free Peoples sacrifice so much in the battle for Middle-Earth, what cruel power would allow them to lose?
It was a long trek through Mirkwood, it took him several days, even by the hidden paths. Finally he saw the river and his heart rose. He would soon wander amongst the Mallorns once more. Lorien. How the wood called to him.
But it was not to be. Upon boarding a vessel he recieved a summons to Rivendell. No details were given, save to see an elf who resided within Imladris, in the Last Homely House. With a sigh, Kiriaz turned and watched the dark forest fall behind him. In his hands were the shards of his old sword, destroyed upon contact with a Cargul. With a final glance at the shrinking wood, Kiriaz lowered the shards to the water. His blade would never be reforged, but it's memory would live on. Before dropping the sword into the water, Kiriaz withdrew the shard of the point of the sword and tucked it into his pack.
The journey to Imladris was uneventful, the orcs of Moria knew his appearance and avoided him. As he took his first step within Imladris, Kiriaz knew that he would not have the luxury of returning to Lothlorien often for some time.
Elrond had left word for Kiriaz and other heroes of Middle-Earth to join the Grey Company in the South. War was coming to the world of men - Rohan was in need of aid. Kiriaz shouldered his shield and crossed the valley of Rivendell with a heavy heart. He walked to the forge-master of Rivendell, bearing the shard of his old sword and a wooden shaft, one of the gifts the Malledhrim had bestowed upon him.
"I need a new weapon," Kiriaz muttered.
The forge-master nodded, understandingly, at Kiriaz, "I will craft you a better weapon, but you should seek out something greater than what I can produce for you."
With a nod, Kiriaz sat and watched as the master of the forges hammered the shard into a spear head and attached it to the shaft.
Upon completion, Kiriaz took the spear and examined it, "I thank you, mellon, for this service you have done me. It will be... different... for me to fight with a spear, but I once had mastery over such weapons."
The smith smiled at Kiriaz and bowed, "may it serve you well, Warden."
Kiriaz handed the smith a purse of coins and shards, "I hope this covers your work," he said. Then, looking at his new spear, "you shall bear the name of my old sword, 'Glyss Naur'."
The smith watched Kiriaz as he spoke to his new weapon, "a powerful name."
"Indeed," he replied as he turned and marched to the stables, "farewell, may the stars watch over you, mellon."
At the stable, Kiriaz mounted his new horse, another gift from the Malledhrim. The white horse raced from the stables, climbing the paths leading from Imladris. And, once at the mouth of the valley, Kiriaz turned and bid farewell to his kin. It was going to be a long ride south.
