I awoke slowly as the break of dawn peaked over the mountain tops. The light seeped through the crack of rock I had slipped through, and it surprised me. At first I wasn't sure what it was, thinking maybe there was a candle lit outside, for I had never seen the light of day from my cell far below the surface.

Slowly but surely I crawled towards the opening again, squeezing myself through to get a better look at the light. It took me a moment to catch my breath at what I saw...

This place was beautiful. Surely I was no longer in the gloom and doom of Mordor, no. Now as I made my way out of the crevice I stepped into a whole new world... The plains led to mountains capped with the fairest snow, and in the far distance I could see marshes and sky... Such an endless sky.

It was difficult but I slowly made my way to my feet, standing there for a few moments and enjoying the scenery for the first time.

Eventually I snapped out of it, my eyes turning to look back at the fallen Black Gate. My heart broke just a little when I realized I had lost my father, but the remaining pieces rejoiced in freedom. My eyes searched for those people, the ones I had been so desperate to reach, but sadly I did not find them.

I lowered my head, realizing I had been asleep for far too long. Now, I was alone. I had no hope left to figuring out who I was, not now. I was left in this beautiful world without another soul to cling to, and it made me just sad enough to cry.

Through my tears I could make out that I was far above what was left of the crumbling ground outside of the broken Black Gate. Soon enough I was going to have to climb down, I knew that.

Might as well start now. A voice inside my head told me. I sighed, knowing this was going to be torture on my broken leg, but it had to be done.

Half an hour later, I dropped from the crumbling wall down a few feet to the ground. I gained my bearings, trying to make sure I didn't fall into the large gaping hole that had swallowed up ten thousand orks merely a few hours before. Pacing back a few steps I took one last look at Mordor...

It saddened a dark part of me that still stayed connected to my father, but the rest of my spirit was glad to be rid of that prison. Never again did I wish to set foot past those retched gates again, therefore I turned on my heel, taking several haughty steps towards the marshlands.

That was when I realized... I had no idea where I was going.

This world was entirely new to me, who knew what dangers could await in those marshes or even beyond. I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to risk it. I didn't know where I needed to go or what I needed to do, all I knew is those marshes didn't look like they held any living thing.

So I turned in a circle, looking all around me for some place that I could go that didn't look like it would swallow me whole and chew me to bits. So far the only leads I had were to my right. There was a long stretch of land that went as far as even my eyes could see. I figured that was my best bet, so I took a deep breath, saying a little prayer just before I set out on my way.

It had been weeks and I was hobbling along towards the only tree line I had seen on my entire venture. I was thirsty and my wound hadn't entirely healed. I had hardly stopped to rest for more than a few hours at a time, never falling asleep during the dark of night. For I knew that when the sun went down the most vile monsters lurked about.

I finally reached the forest, gasping as I collapsed against a rather large tree trunk. It was only when I touched the tree that I got a terrible feeling in my stomach, one that only my father had given me before. I shied away from the tree, frowning in disgust as I recognized the lingering darkness at my finger tips.

I looked into the forest, seeing the vast array of darkness and shadows leading down a dark and dreary pathway covered in vines. The sky wasn't visible here, and it sent a chill through my bones. But behind me the sun was setting, and I couldn't stay in one place for long.

So I gritted my teeth and set out forward, tree branches crunching under my feet. I could hardly take the uneasy feeling in my bones as I took a few more steps in, my eyes watching carefully my surroundings as everything grew dark. There were no stars visible from where I stood, there was no sense of hope or happiness left, even if there hadn't been any in the first place.

After an hour or so of walking into the deserted nothingness of this forest my thirst began to rise again. Soon enough I happened upon a stream and I collapsed next to it like a child begging for candy. But in my haste I hardly noticed the sparkling color of this water, yet with my fingertips merely a centimeter from the surface, I paused.

Tilting my head and looking at it intently. There was something off about this water...

However I didn't have time to think about what was wrong with it, since there was a sudden rustling in the leaves to my right. I turned my head fast, my eyes scanning the woods carefully until they rested just past the dark looming shadows of the forest at nighttime, and upon something rather different.

It thought it was being sneaky, lurking on it's prey for a good midnight snack. But I could see right through it's shadow camouflage and straight into it's evil little heart. It was a large black spider, eight legs and too many eyes to count. It seemed starving as if it hadn't eaten in ages.

I moved back slowly, hoping that maybe I could run away. For even though I had eluded it's element of surprise, I had no idea how to kill the thing or even wound it for that matter.

However, for good measure I grabbed a large stick rather stealthily as I descended backwards. Once I was behind a tree, I made a run for it.

Though the spider was just as fast as me and was undoubtedly running after me, I had the advantage of more leg power and higher jumps. I took to the trees, scaling up until I was high enough to where the spider couldn't reach me. And at that I jumped to the next tree, and then the next.

The spider, no matter how quick, was having trouble keeping up with me now. I changed directions, heading slightly west to where I could see through a break in the trees. This, however, was apparently a mistake, for as soon as I jumped out of the tree and into the clearing, I was surrounded.

There had to be at least ten of those over-sized house-arachnids, all with their thousands of beady eyes on me. It was unsettling to say in the least because now I was screwed. All I had was a large, pointy stick to defend myself against these horrid creatures, but somehow I got slightly distracted by the large fortress that serves as a backdrop to our charade.

It rested atop a mountain, looming over in all it's darkness. It fit in with the forest and the demon spiders quite well, I'll at least give it that. It gave off a black aura of evil magic, and I didn't like it in the least.

"Dinner time." The spiders said in a language I hadn't heard before, but had read about several times in the books I had been allowed to read.

It was the common-tongue, the language of men. My father had constantly made fun of it, saying it was soon to be the language of his slaves, but I didn't really understand what he was saying until now. Maybe those people who stood outside the gate were men... Maybe I was a man? I'm wasn't sure, it was all quite confusing.

I snapped out of it however with one of the spiders got too greedy and lunged for me. Like clockwork I stabbed the tree branch up into his exoskeleton, jabbing him through the mouth. He screeched before falling back, taking my beloved stick with him.

"I like them when they fight back." Another spider said.

They began circling me slowly, delaying the inevitable as I stayed crouched and ready to defend myself until my untimely death, something I wasn't all too thrilled about since I had just gained my freedom.

a/n: you know, I really do like reviews. just saying... as long as they're not like "you suck, go die!" they usually make me happy. :) 3