Under the mallorn which bore his flet, Aldamir was sitting and crafting a string for his bow and thinking, when he suddenly caught sight of Uruviel running toward him over the elanor-sprinkled grass, her hair flying out behind her in a golden stream. �Aldamir! Aldamir!�
He dropped the string. �What is it?� he called anxiously.
She seemed not to have heard. Stopping beside him and catching his hand, she pulled at it eagerly. �Come!�
�What is it?� he asked again, getting confused. She acted as if something terrible had happened, but her eyes were shining with a light he hadn�t seen in a long, long time -- almost not since they had been married on a joyful day long ago.
She pulled at his hand again. �Don�t ask! Just come!�
Aldamir gave in, and let her pull him across the grass toward the massive mallorn in which Celeborn and Galadriel dwelt. Uruviel�s feet flew so quickly across the ground that it was all Aldamir could do to keep up with her; her hand gripping his with an eager excitement which he could not understand. In a moment they were flying up the stairs to the Lord and Lady�s flet, feet barely touching the grey wood as they went up and up, spiraling about the tree�s trunk.
When Aldamir, breathless and wondering, finally reached the top, he stopped short in a shock of amazement.
Before him, robed in shimmering white, clasping a tall white staff, and majestic as a king in the prime of his reign, stood Mithrandir.
Aldamir dropped to his knee with a gasp of stunned awe, unable to take in what his disbelieving eyes were telling him. Mithrandir! But he was dead � he had fallen! Yet here he stood, robed in life as it seemed, reborn into luminous life. Mithrandir it was, and yet not.
He turned to look at Aldamir, and the Elf saw a burning, flaming light of vibrant new life shining in the pits of his eyes. If Aldamir had been able to move, he would have shaken his head in disbelief. Mithrandir � alive!
It was a long time before he broke free from the shock of seeing the Maia. Uruviel was standing beside him, her eyes alight and her slender form trembling with excitement. Slowly Aldamir got to his feet, almost weak from bewildered, disbelieving wonder. �Mithrandir!� he gasped. �But....you fell!�
The Maia smiled at him; in the smile there was something new that had never been there before. The Elf could not tell what it was: joy perhaps? New determination? He did not know.
�Yes, I fell,� replied Mithrandir, in a powerful but gentle voice. �I fell through shadow and flame and water into death, but I have returned. From the dark I have arisen once more, for my task here is not yet over! I have much to do before the fate of Middle-earth is decided.�
Aldamir found himself still breathless from shock. Again he fell to his knees, honoring this powerful spirit whom Iluvatar had sent back, this Maia who had defeated death. Mithrandir laughed and laid a hand on the Elf�s shoulder. �Rise, my friend,� he smiled. �If you do not soon get used to the fact that I have returned, I fear you may die of disbelief!�
Then an overwhelming joy, almost too much to bear, filled Aldamir and he laughed aloud. How long had it been since he laughed? Long.....very long. But his heart was singing. Disbelief was replaced with joy; shock with wonder. He drew back a pace as Mithrandir turned back to Galadriel, and found Uruviel pressing close to him. He looked down at her; she was veritably shining like the morning star. �You see?� she laughed. �It was nothing terrible!�
He laughed with her and drew her into his arms, kissing her golden head and folding her in a close embrace. She put her arms around his neck and they shared a moment of perfect, overflowing joy; it was a moment which would never be forgotten in all of L�rien. Mithrandir had returned from darkness � the tragic death had been transformed to wondrous joy!