The Portal Keepers

by lime1

four friends are thrown into middle earth and are given the responsiblity of the Portals. Will they be able to contribute to the fellowship and help it succeed or will the fellowship fail? OC story.

1. Chapter 1

I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of its characters…. I do own all of MY characters…. O and I am going by the movies not the book…. hangs head in shame "books are so much better then movies," conscience hits head with frying pan, "You dork!"

R&R please

Chapter 1. Prologue

Galadriel, "I amar prestar sen: han mathon ne nen, han mathon ne chae...a han noston ned wilith. The world is changed: I feel it in the

water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air...Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it. It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves, immortal,

wisest...fairest of all beings. Seven to the Dwarf Lords, great miners

and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And Nine...nine rings were gifted to the

race of Men who, above all else, desire

power. For within these rings was bound the

strength and will to govern each race. But they were all of them deceived. for another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of

Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged

in secret a Master Ring to control all

others. and into this Ring he poured his

cruelty, his malice and his will to

dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all... One by one the Free lands of Middle earth

fell to the power of the ring. But there were some...who resisted. A last alliance of Men and Elves marched

against the armies of Mordor. On the slopes of Mount Doom they fought

for the freedom of Middle- Earth. Victory was near! But the power of the Ring could not be

undone. It was in this moment..when all hope had

faded, that Isildur, son of the king,

took up his father's sword. Sauron, the enemy of the Free Peoples of

Middle Earth, was defeated. The Ring passed to Isildur...who had this

one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of Men are easily

corrupted. And the Ring of Power has a

will of its own. It betrayed Isildur to his death. And some things that should not have been

forgotten...were lost. History became legend...legend became

myth. And for two and a half thousand years the

Ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared a

new bearer! The Ring came to the creature Gollum, who

took it deep into the tunnels of the

Misty Mountains. And there, it consumed him. The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long

life. For five hundred years it poisoned

his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum's

cave... It waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of

the world. Rumor grew of a Shadow in the

East...whispers of a nameless fear. And

the Ring of Power perceived...its time

had now come. It abandoned Gollum. But something happened then the Ring did

not intend... It was picked up by the most unlikely

creature imaginable... A Hobbit...Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.

Dreams awoke Alexia from a nice slumber. It had been filled with creatures with nasty teeth and white hands painted on them. A red eye had been in the sky and an evil humming and been pulsing through her body. At a scream she had awoken thankfully.

"Lex! My god you're still in bed?" A cheerful laugh came from the window, "Lazy." In the window of Alexia's room came her best friend Sammi, jumping from the tree branch that came close to her window. Dressed in orange shorts and a bright blue and pink top her friend was a bright contrast to Alexia's mood.

"What time is it? Does it even matter? It's spring break!" Alexia got up and looked into the mirror. Ugly circles ringed her tree green eyes and thick black hair frizzed around her shoulders.

"Sam," a voice came from downstairs called, "Could you help me with something?" Alexia's mom called.

"Yes, Mrs. Yagovia!" to Alexia she said, "How in the heck does she do that?"

"Magic? I don't know I'm still trying to figure that one out." Alexia watched as her friend left in a swirl of bright colors that contrasted with her bright curly red and white hair.

"Eric! Wake up! Come on sweetie," A blonde girl tried to coax her brother in waking up, "Come on breakfast is on the table."

"I don't want to…." The sound of his persistent five year old voice grated on her normally patient nerves.

"Come on buddy," a male voice came from the door. Stepping in the girl's twin came over, "Don't you want Shari to be able to go out and play?" The five year old was out of bed before her brother had to say anything.

"Wanna play with me Dark?" Dark mussed the boy's hair, "Maybe later."

"You ready Dark?"

"Duh."

After the two strode out of the little boys room and he had eaten they dropped him off at their neighbor's to baby sit him.

The two strode out of their neighbor's house as fast as humanly possible. They walked the two miles to Alexia's house in the center of town. The spring weather was warm and sunny, not hot, yet.

"So you two decided to come after all?" Sam sat under a huge cherry blossom its petals slowly leaving its branches in the breeze.

"You're not the only one to help." Shari said and gave the other girl a hug, "Shorty."

"Sharieeeeeee," the other girl whined, "Stop calling me that!"

"But it's so much fun," Dark came over his 5'11'' frame tall compared to Sam's 5'7''. Shari stood eye to eye with her fraternal twin. Aside from that they were opposites in everything but tastes. Her reddish blonde to his dark brown hair, her gray blue to his brown eyes, and finally her peaches and cream skin to his pale as paper skin.

"Hey ya'll," Lex came out dressed in Capri's and a sleeveless top, "Ready to go?" In her hands she held the keys to her car.

"Yup yup!" Shari said. The group of four went to the car to get to Alexia's grandmothers house that had just passed away. There they were supposed to go through the attic and basement to see if any possessions could be given away.

"Half of this is just old memorabilia! I think this lamp might be worth something though," Shari called.

"I know some museums would be happy to have their hands on some of these old newspaper clippings!" Sam called. Dust had settled over all of them. Turning them all a grayish brown.

"Hey look at this you guys," Dark found something.

"What Dark," Shari asked unenthusiastically.

"I don't know it just looks really cool! Some sort of wardrobe like from the 1900's." The black oak it was made out of was beautiful and in perfect condition. The gold lay work on the panels was delicate and probably took several years to do. "What's inside?" Dark asked as he opened the door. On the inside a mirror. But looking into the mirror instead of their reflections were four of the creatures that Lex had dreamed about!

"O my god! That is so cool!" Sam said, "It's like a trick wardrobe. Like some Halloween prank." She went to touch the mirror and the room started spinning.

Sam's POV

"I'm going to kill who ever decided to make a spinning trick mirror!" Sitting up, eyes closed a headache worse then her worst hangover Sam flopped back down onto the floor. But instead of hard dusty dirty wood she fell onto grass! Sitting up again this time too fast and as compensation got vision spots she looked around.

She was in a glade of some sort. The trees around her were tall and thin with silvery bark. The leaves were pale green and blue. Looking around she spun in tall grass. Looking around she gave a shriek of panic before thinking, "WHERE THE HELL AM I?"

A FLASH of movement caught her eye. A dark shape came out of the underbrush. His dark hide was covered in scars and his yellow eyes seemed to pierce her soul. In a deep barking gurgle he said something and another came from her other side. Deciding not to stay she broke into a mad dash for her life.

The creatures seemed to have endless stamina and Sam's endurance was almost spent after twenty minutes of perpetual flight.

"Sam!" Alexia stood on a tall rock. Her black hair blowing in the wind, "Hey where have ya'll been?" Her eyes got big when she realized the dark shapes weren't the twins.

"Don't talk, just run!" Sam grabbed the other girl's hand as they sprinted. Sam's legs bared by shorts collected many scratches and Alexia's arms attained the same result. Yet the two kept running.

Shari's POV

"Dark?" Shari sat up her blonde hair in disarray.

"I'm here," her brother rolled near her. A dark cut above one eye hindered his vision some. They lay in a clearing soft grass comforting their heads.

"Sam, Lex?" Shari sat up. Two dark shadows came from the brush. They were the things from the mirror. Screaming, her brother stood up fast. Placing himself in between her and the things he had seen in the mirror. Arrows flew from above piercing both creatures in vital points. Shari let out another shriek and clammed up. They fell and Dark helped her up as two men came to them.

The men wore odd clothing, a mix for ren-faire and sci-fi creations. Each had dark hair and dark eyes. The hair was long and had many braids. The bows on their backs were obviously not ornamental.

"Thanks man," Dark said. The men only looked at them puzzled. One said something in a smooth sounding language. He then switched to another that neither recognized.

"Do you speak English?" Shari asked. When one shook his head in confusion she sighed, "Of course not, so I guess you two wouldn't be able to tell us the quickest way back…? Didn't think so." Blowing a puff of her hair out of her face she looked around purposely avoiding the dark shapes on the ground.

The trees had a silver hue that looked magical. Their bark shone with a silvery light that Shari had to go up and examine closer. The leaves of the trees were deep green and blue their color so true.

"Wow! Dark just look at this! No insect bites no rot spots these leave are perfect," Shari picked up the leaf she had been examining on the ground. As she went for a closer look a scream came from somewhere near.

"Lex!" Dark was out of the clearing in no time, but before Shari could move one of the men held her arm lightly but firmly.

"Estolada sinome," his gray eyes told her nothing. His companion had already taken off after dark. He released her arm and started to walk away. When he walked she walked. This time he took her arm and repeated what he said but with the other hand pointed to the ground.

"Do you want me to stay?" She asked. "You're crazy if you think I'm going to stay with corpses." He didn't understand. "Never mind." It took the man twenty seconds to make sure she wasn't going to move before he followed the direction Dark and the other had taken. After a minute passed she got up and followed.

Shari didn't have to go far for her to find them again. But what shocked her was that the black things from the mirror were alive again! The men who had rescued her and Dark shot with bows but these creatures were either much harder to kill or just didn't care for each had multiple arrows in their bodies. Dark punched one in the nose and from her distance she heard the crack that accompanied that strike. One man pulled out the sword that he wore on his hip. It seemed to gleam a light blue, but Shari dismissed that as the metal. He cleaved one beast in two as the other man continued to launch arrows. Finally both were felled.

"Shari!" Sam called; her friend gave her a big smile and helped Lex to her feet. Both seemed unharmed but Lex walked with a definite limp.

"What happened?" Dark asked wincing when one of the men took the head off one of the beast with a sickening thwack!

"The scream?" Lex asked.

"No, I mean what happened to us getting into your back yard?" Dark said sarcastically.

"This isn't my back yard." Lex defensively shot back.

"He meant the scream," Sam said shifting her weight to better balance her friend.

"We were running and I fell and screwed up my ankle."

"Again," Sam said watching the two men, "Who are they." She gestured with her chin.

"No clue, as far was can tell they don't speak English," Shari put in. a wind rustled and more men came into the clearing. One tall man; blond, seemed the leader.

"I think we're in T-R-O-U-B-L-E-," Sam said, "What if this is like some village that the government has let live on the land and live in a specific way and we've eternally messed up their culture!"

"You're a dork! And you watch too much sci-fi for your good." Shari said to the other girl.

"Actually I only watch it on Friday nights!" the girl defended.

"What ever!" Lex said as the blond came over with the two dark haired men.

"Mankoi naa lle sinome?" The man asked coldly, "Manke naa llie tuulo?"

"Sorry, man, we don't understand you," Dark held up his hands in an I-do-not-know type of way. This time the man switched to another language. Still they didn't understand him.

"Shari," Shari pointed to herself. Pointing to Sam and Lex she did the same thing. Dark was then pointed to.

"Elladan," the man on the right of the blond man said. The one on the left who had stayed with Shari named him self, "Elrohir."

"Cool!" Lex said. The three men looked at her each with a –WHAT?- look. "And who are you?" she pointed a finger at the middle man.

The man seemed to be in a bad mood so Shari cut in before her friend could make him angry, "Where are we?" this time it was the men's turn to wonder what they spoke. Using dramatic gestures she had learned in drama Shari used her arms to indicate the forest and trees around them.

"Lothorien," Elrohir said smiling once he realized what she asked.

"Where the heck is that? I don't think that's on any map!" Sam spazed.

The blond man said something to the large group of men. When he swung around to face them again Lex caught sight of his ears. They were pointy! Her eyes got big, "Ya'll look at his ears!" She pointed which seemed to make the man cross.

"Elf ears," Sam looked at each man in turn. Sure enough they all had them, "It's the trick mirror, this is all a trick, or we're being pranked!"

"Mani naa ta?" Elladan asked. He shook his head and said something else. A voice came to the travelers mind. A woman's voice, beautiful yet scary and comforting went through.

"Hello, Travelers from a distant world." They looked around trying to find the source, "Follow."

"Follow who!" Lex asked. Sam gestured to the men in front of them who seemed to disappear in to the trees. Only three remained; the grouchy blond, Elrohir and Elladan.

Elladan came and took Lex's other side to help Sam.

"Thanks," Sam said.

"Sorry I'm heavy," Lex hissed at Sam.

"You're not heavy, just…" she cut off as she tripped.

"Clumsy." Lex said.

"What do you expect? You're the one who messed up her ankle-AGIAN!" Sam and Lex kept this tirade up for about an hour. Dark and Shari joined in now and again but mostly it was those two bickering on and off. The elves? Stayed quiet mostly except occasionally.

"Dina!" the blonde said.

"My name is Dark not Dina," Dark said for the man had turned to him.

"Dina," Elrohir put a finger to his lips, and then he drew his bow.

"Do you think it could more of those creatures?" Lex asked as Elladan released himself from her and pulled his sword out.

"I hope not," Shari whispered. Her skin crawled at the thought of more of the beasts. They had scared her more then anything had before. Dark went over and helped Sam with Lex.

The blond had drawn his own sword and the three elves circled around the group of teens.

Dark shapes once again came from the trees. Gurgling in their sinister tongue. These seemed even more twisted. Teeth and fangs shaped hungry eyes. Their armor was crude and rusty or what appeared as rust. It was only five of them. They charged suicidal moves that brought them swift deaths.

Elrohir moved gracefully he parried a sword stroke from one of the creatures and quickly did a reverse arc back before his opponent could retaliate. Spinning he met the next one. In roughly two minutes possibly less the three elves had disparaged the force. This time they moved quicker and with no noise. Elladan had taken Lex from her friends and carried her in his arms. She felt soothed by his natural smell it was of clean laundry and spring. An underlying musk was on him too, but that was harder to trace.

They ran, no longer they tarried for urgency seemed to seep from the trees. Shari looked around one last time before the sunset; the forest had gone dark and cold. The warmth that had been a moment before left with the light. Shivering she sat with her back against a near tree.

"Shari," Dark turned, "Come on." The blond man with no name turned to look with cold eyes.

"Dark," Pleading in her voice made Sam turn, "I cannot go on."

"Tula," The blonde man said. Elladan who still carried Lex kept going.

"I cannot!" She hissed in exhaustion. It was true. They had been going since around noon and had yet to stop. The warm weather had felt nice, but now the cold that replaced it made Shari's muscles cramp.

"Come on you," Sam helped Shari up but under her friends weight her knees buckled.

"Shit," Sam hissed. Sweat poured from her face into her eyes, "Dark help me!" Dark came over and grabbed his sister's other side.

"God, Shari," Dark laughed, "How much do you weigh?"

"Less then you!" her eye started to twitch then, that only happened when she was super tired. Her strawberry waves fell around her face as they helped her to her feet.

"Tula!" Elrohir called and waved them ahead with his bow now strung. They moved slower now, but in no more then an hour the blond elf stopped them. His face still as cold as before he motioned for them to wait and then seemingly disappeared into the foliage.

"Gosh Alexia," Sam said as Elladan laid her friend on the ground. Her black hair was curling around her face and in sleep she seemed an angel. "You guys, the dork fell asleep!"

"You're joking!" Dark whispered then he looked down at his sister who had like wise done the same. "Shari is asleep too." He sighed and leaned his back against the same tree his sister leaned against. "She had a hard day."

"We all have had a hard day." Sam tacked on to what Dark said.

"True, hey blondy is back." The blond elf was back and with him were two more. Their armor looked medieval yet otherworldly. An elf for each sleeping girl came and lifted them up. The other two followed behind them. Elladan, Elrohir and the blond unexpectedly disappeared. The two elves took the humans up many flights of stairs and landings and more stairs. Higher and higher into the trees they went. A building on one landing had an open door and the two elves went in. No other choice Dark and Sam followed.

Inside were a few rooms. An old fashion kitchen, a bathroom, and a bed room for each. It had seemed if they had been expected. The elves left after they set their burdens down with one having wrapped Alexia's ankle. Dark took the room next to his sister and flopped down on the bed. Sam took one look out of the window in her room before doing like wise. Sleep was imminent.

Alexia's Dream POV

A dark room. Like all her dreams started, this one was no different. A darkroom with two doors. Each leading to a different place she was sure. One would lead to a happy dream another to a dark possible blood and demon filled nightmare. She chose the one to her left. The door led to a warm sun filled grass land. She flew over the land like an eagle. Next she crossed a mountain and lake. The mist clung to the mountains even in direct sunlight. The next place she went was a green forest. Beautiful trees and water falls. There an old man was mounting a horse. He seemed to know she was watching him and turned to her. His blue eyes pierced her soul like no other.

"So you have arrived," he said, but not in English. She knew he had spoken in another language but she didn't understand how she knew. Her dream turned to the man riding his horse hard. In a westernly direction until he turned into a gray dab on paper that she seemed to be looking at. It was map. On it the man on the horse continued to move, but another moved closer to her. Dark clouds rolled close and encompassed her into darkness. An evil eye scanned the ground right over her. Lighting flashed and the black creatures moved passed her. She now stood on the map and became part of the paper world. The creatures moved past her and through her running over imaginary people. Blood pooled in the map and spilled over. Making a red river that spread out and turned the west of the map into a sea of red ink that eventually got to Alexia. It dyed her whole body red and sent pain up her body.

"Help!" she screamed as she sat up. Morning had dawned in the trees. A soft glow came from a window. Suddenly confused she had no idea how she had gotten in a bed in a room that didn't belong to her.

"Lex?" Sam ran in hair a fuzzy mess. "You ok? You're really pale." Her friend looked at her brown eyes studying.

"Where are we?" Alexia motioned to the room.

"A place I think is called lothlorien? Yea I think that's the name. It is very high up in the trees and elves live in it. Besides that I know as much as you." Sam sat next to her on the bed.

"Sam," Lex looked to her friend, "I'm afraid. I had another dream."

"Another? Or many?" Sam turned to look at her.

"I had another about a month ago, about Kevin and Mr. Shandon having a food fight in the cafeteria."

"Right before the food fight we had in the lunch room?" Lex nodded.

"Then the night before last, one of those creatures that we saw in the mirror. And dark clouds and a weird eye. Then last night I had another with the creatures and the eye again. If was scary blood or ink or I don't know everywhere." Lex wrapped her arms about her bedsides the warmth. Sam leaned over and gave her friend a hug. Alexia's hand came up to lightly tangle in her friend's hair. The red curls popped and sprang back into place every time.

"It's alright." Sam crooned.

"Sam, Alexia?" the voice that came from the door had an odd inflection. It was Elladan or Elrohir, the girls couldn't tell the difference. "Tula," he made a motion for them to follow him. In the hall way Shari and Dark were waking up obviously awoken from slumber.

"Do you know where we're going?" Sam asked to a still yawning Shari.

"You're guess is as good as mine." Shari rubbed sleep from her eye. Looking them all over, she gave a half snort half chuckle. They all looked roused from their beds. Each had funked up hair and sleep circled eyes. Clothing rumpled and wrinkled. They followed the ever snappy dressed elf.

He took them up several more flights of stair and landings. This time they stopped at a grand building. Elven guards stood at attention their unmoving eyes stared out to space yet focused on each traveler. Going into the room a bright light seemed to shine from a woman sitting on a throne. Her long blonde hair fell in ripples down her back. A silver diadem hung between smoothly shaped brows. Blue gray eyes looked into each face.

"Welcome," the female voice said again. "Welcome to my home."

"Whoa!" Dark stood amazed, "Your lips didn't move!"

"Magic?" Shari asked.

"Yes I suppose you could call it such." The woman gave them a smile. "For us it is a way of being"

"None of the others talked to us through our heads." Sam said.

"I am gifted in that." The woman said, "But to make it easier on you and others of this world if you take this." In her hand she held a flask made of silver. At the lid the flask smoked slightly.

"What is it?" Lex asked. Her voice questioning.

"A potion for which you will be able to communicate with those of this world. Do not worry I will not poison you." Dark walked up with an authority he did not feel. He took a sip of the potion and passed it to Shari with a nod. From her it went to Sam to Lex.

"Quen," the woman commanded.

"Huh?" Sam asked.

"I just ask you to speak," the woman said her voice velvet like. Sam then realized something, "You were just talking!"

"We understood you!" Shari jumped up and down like a little kid.

"Yes, the power of this potion works wonders I'm sure in your world you do not have. But sadly it will drain your energy for this day once it goes through your systems. Go back to your talon and rest. In the morning I will have someone fetch you here." The woman nodded her head slightly in a dismissal.

"That was anything but normal," Lex sighed when they left, "There is something about her. I don't know what it is but I can feel it."

"An eerie almost like she could see through us feeling?" Sam asked. Lex nodded and bumbled hips with the other girl, "You have it right on the nose, Sam."

"Well I don't know about you guys but I'm bushed." Dark raised his arms above his head and yawned.

"I think that's our… Talon? That's what she called it right?" Shari said pointing to a familiar looking building. Shari went up the four entree stairs first. Going inside the four lay down once more to sleep. This time no dream came to Alexia and her slumber was fitful.

"Sam," A voice heavenly broke her sleep, "Lady Sam," Elrohir or Elladan stood from the door. His black hair braided more intricately this time. His clothes of silver gray were pressed to perfection.

"The Lady of the Woods requests an audience." Sam just looked at him when he said this.

"Your voice is beautiful," She then realized she said that out loud, "I'm sorry that was totally inappropriate. Sounds great when do we leave?"

"Once you and your companions have dressed and eaten we will go." He bowed and walked out all formality. Going into the hall behind him she went to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen was a seating area that over looked a balcony and great view. Dark and Shari were already in there trying to make do with the kitchen.

"Do you have any idea how to work this?" Shari gestured the fire place with a pot over it. "There's running water and that's about all we know how to work. This is harder then cooking for Jeremy." Shari named her and Dark's little brother.

"Do not worry about the food. For I have brought each of you a plate with me." The dark haired elf said.

"I do not mean to be rude, but which one are you?" Lex said coming into the room dressed in a simple blue dress.

"My Lady Alexia I am Elrohir." He bowed in her direction.

"Elrohir?" Sam started, "So how do we tell you two apart?"

"My Lady Sam, in time I should hope you would be able to do so with out help, but until then here is a clue, I will always wear this pin." He pointed to a delicate silver clasp on his tunic then gave her a smile and the laugh that followed was like the tinkling of bells. "Cute." She said.

"Lex were did you get the clothes?" Shari asked.

"The wardrobe in my room, there was only this and a night shirt. I'm guessing I was supposed to wear this?" she indicated her dress and then Sam gave a laugh at her feet. The dress was beautiful and probably more expensive then any of them had worn but on Lex's feet instead of where two delicate slippers should have been were her flip flops with pink painted toes.

"Yea well there weren't any shoes that I could see in there." She pulled the skirts of her dress over the shoes. "Why don't you guys go change?" the other three moved slowly.

"Elrohir?" Alexia walked over, "Thank you, for everything. We all owe you and Elladan and that other man, elf, person! Our lives. Thank you." He bowed indicating her welcome.

"Shari!" Dark's vice came from his room. Including Shari everyone came running. There half dressed Dark had his head and arms twisted in his tunic. The material was tight but stretchy, "I can't get it over my head. Help!" Sam couldn't help but laugh at the precariousness of the situation. Shari moved to help her brother. Dressed in a pink dress Shari looked like a flower. Sam wore a cream colored one, each were wearing her shoes from home.

"There," Shari said for Dark now had the tunic and trousers on. Dressed in light gray they all looked the part for a Ren-Faire.

"If you would come to the kitchen your food is there." Elrohir said. A slight smile touched his lips. In the kitchen hot bowls of porridge were waiting for them. Sitting down at the table they looked at Elrohir, "Eat, go on you must be famished!" with out further urging the teens dug in. Dark being the typical guy was done first. Standing up he went over to the sink and washed his bowl over. As each person finished they handed Dark their dishes and he performed the same chore.

"Now we go to The Lady of the Woods." Elrohir said. The group followed the black haired elf closely, memorizing the simple and complex turns of the elven city. When they reached the highest talon they were once again blinded almost by the light from the lady. Her hair was immaculate once again with the same diadem. Her piercing blue eyes were cold but the smile on her lips warmed them.

"I trust all of you have rested?" she waited until they nodded, "Then please sit." She commanded and waved to a table that seemed to magically appear. At the table was an old man dressed in gray. His grizzly beard and mustaches were traveled ruffled. "Then we have much to say."

This is Mithrandir, also known to men as Gandalf the Gray. He is wise and has come to test you."

"Test us? For what? Is it like an A.C.T.?" Dark asked. The eyes of the man seemed to smile and laugh but no sound came from his mouth.

"No not like those tests of your world. This is much more important." He then stood, "Please sit. For the things I have to tell you are urgent, and cannot wait a moment longer."

The group sat at the white table looking towards the man as he paced back and forth before starting. His gray robes moved like storm clouds and Alexia's dream came back to her.

"Storm crow!" she jumped up not knowing what seized her. The man's face went back to Lex.

"Yes I have been called that, but how do you know that?"

"I don't know." She sat back down the dream washing over her suddenly pale face.

"This just confirms what I need to tell you. Now please listen carefully to me as I explain a delicate balance this world in which you have come sits upon."

Many years ago where it began with the forging of the Great Rings of power; Three were given to the Elves, Seven to the Dwarf Lords, and nine rings were gifted to the race of Men. There were also four gifted to a chosen few who guard the portal to other worlds. Now in time the men turned evil and turned to the dark lords bidding for the rings were poison, bane to all good in this world. The dwarf lords lost theirs in various ways. The Elvin rings were hidden away never touched by the hands of the dark lord Sauron. The four were given to me after the great battle when their owners were slain. Out of a pocket he pulled out a plain wooden box.

This is where you four come into play, for only the guardian's of the rings might wear them. As the last prophesy of the last seer was that four would come to replace those fallen. From otherworld great, four young, four strong.

Now," he opened the box. Inside the box lay three unornamented rings. One in a silver like metal that gleamed bright, one in a copper colored metal, one in gold and the other silver. "Their names are Yest, Elear, Ost, and Lol. Choose." He told not which was named what, or gave any other directions. Lex went first. Closing her eyes the others watched as a light came from the brighter silver one. Her hands reached down and picked it up. When her eyes opened; they were no longer green but pale opalescent silver like the ring.

Sam went next. The ring that she chose was the last one in the row, the copper one. Again when the chooser opened their eyes they matched the ring. Shari went next and chose the gold one and her brother the silver one.

"They have accepted you. The gray haired man said solemnly. "Alexia Rosa Yagovia, you have chosen Elear, the seer. Sammi Toledo Johnson, you have chosen Yest, the invoker. Shari Francis Landings, you have chosen Ost, the defender. And Dark Campbell Landings, you have chosen the sister ring to Ost, Lol the denier. You two will be known as the Oposers for if there is evil in the world you will oppose it. The seer as you may have already guessed sees the future. The invoker if you have not already guessed opens the portals or starts them."

"Hold it." Sam jumped in, "You're saying I am at fault? And how did you know our names?"

"I know many things, and yes in truth you were the one who opened the portal." He seemed to grow and tower over her. She shut her mouth and took a step back from the angry man.

The rings are powerful. They will enhance your lives by tenfold. In that they are a blessing, but on others they are a curse. You yourselves may never cross another portal. You must remain in this world. You cannot go back to your own." His gray eyes assessed every one of them at this. Each looked back in shock.

"What if we have responsibilities there? We have a little brother to raise!" Shari jumped in. "Our mom and dad are never home!" the gold eyes were hard on the old man.

"Your brother will be well taken care of by your neighbors." The Lady said her voice calming the room.

"No!" Shari yelled, "That's not good enough!" Dark wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulder his silver eyes hard.

"I'm afraid that is all we can do." The man said. "Now the role you play in this world at times is small and at others is one of the most powerful depending on the age. The portals you open, and it requires at least three of you to do it, can be for other worlds, or short distances. To fetch objects or summons, it does not matter you will have to do all of them. The Lady Galadriel has given me leave to teach you." At this he motioned for them to sit once again at the table where numerous books now stood as if magically.

"Those weren't there a minute ago." Lex said, "But such is the ways of wizards." She said this with out thought.

"Yes, my name is Mithrandir, or what men call me, Gandalf the gray. I am a wizard and have been here for more then a hundred lives of men with that I have attained much knowledge and there fore am qualified to be your teacher."

"School, great I thought we were out!" Dark said.

"One never stops learning even when one is out of school." Sam chimed annoyingly.

"Thank you Aristotle!" Dark hiss back.

"My pleasure Einstein, any time." She winked as she sat in her chair.

Shari and Lex watched this with amusement.

"Sam," Lex added, "Watch his man ego, you know how easily they bruise."

"Not as easily as her ass in basketball." Dark shot across the table; a smug look on his face when Sam's jaw dropped.

"This is not the time!" Gandalf thundered. "Now open the texts in front of you to the first chapter.

"Great, school!" Dark said again.

"Redundant," Alexia said.

List of elvish in this chapter

Estolada sinome (camp here) but I meant it like stay here

Mankoi naa lle sinome (why are you here)

Manke naa llie tuulo? (Where are you all from?)

Dina (be quiet)

Tula (come)

Quen (speak)

Names of the four rings the ring of the seer -Elear vision
the ring of the Invoker – Yest – to begin

The rings of the opposers- Sailines- Ost- to defend

Darks- Lol – to deny

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Please R&R! Flames are not welcome but constructive criticism is. Oh if any one would be so kind as to point out my mistakes with the elvish that would be a big help.