Disclaimers: See Prologue for more info.

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9:

Enter the Barrier

Frodo quickened his pace. As he trudged through the murky green swamp water, he looked back to see if his family, as well as the Lewis and Pevensie families, were following him. They were, in spite of having to cross rotten logs and smell the pungent aroma of moss and bog. Frodo was glad of this, but not so of keeping the gnats off his face.

"This reminds me, father, of your trek through the Midgewater Marshes." Rosemary turned to her mother, Ebony – wait, was she calling Ebony her mother? – anyway, she looked at Ebony and asked, "Is that correct, Mother? Aren't you a Middle-earth expert?"

Frodo chuckled. "She's still learning about Middle-earth and other worlds. Is that right, Ebony?" He couldn't help looking at Ebony. She was as miserable as he was, trudging through the swamp land. There was hardly a response from her, causing Frodo to wait for Ebony to reach him. "It's all right. We were just teasing."

"Not at me, I hope," Ebony said, sharply.

"Whoa. It's all good fun. No one's getting hurt here," Frodo said, in an effort to ease his wife's mind – she was his wife, wasn't she? He smiled at her, but to no avail. Ebony just wasn't in the mood for laughter. Frodo understood her reaction. However, he moved out of the way as the Pevensies walked past them. The Pevensie siblings were too eager to press on, as Frodo soon realized where they were heading. "Lucy, wait!" Frodo called out to her. He tried again, but as it happened, Lucy wasn't paying much attention.

She was too eager to continue.

"Come on! Let's find the –" Lucy was cut off, stopping midway into the campsite. The others stopped as well, upon seeing a ready yew bow pointed at them.

Frodo, unsure what was happening, helped his wife through the murky water. However, the hobbit could not stop Bane and Wolf from hurrying at a rapid pace to where the others were. As for Frodo, he very nearly got smacked by brown mud. It was all Bane's idea, as the hobbit would later recall on his travels.

As for the bow, when was nearly ready to be draw again, after the first shot, it belonged to a mysterious visitor. The Ranger, as Frodo guessed he was named, was clad in forest green clothes: from the tunic, vest and cloak. He had leather boots and brown pants, but the bow he carried had arrows made from bright peacock feathers, perhaps as a token of the peacock's misfortune of leaving behind a trail of feathers for the new owner to don on the notch of an arrow or two. As for the Ranger's business in Narnia's swamp… well, that was just what Frodo was about to find out.

"Who are you that enters these lands?" the Ranger said, drawing his bow. "These lands belong to the Shannara family." He readied his bow at anyone willing to test him. By then, Frodo had arrived with Ebony and Rosemary. As for Bane, well let's just say he and his father were spending too much time exploring and smelling the many wonders of this strange swamp. Virginia did her best to remind her husband and son where they were, and who they needed to help out. As for Lucy…

"We won't hurt you," Lucy pointed out. "We promise. We came this way because Aslan sent us here."

"Aslan. Is he from the Four Lands?" the Ranger asked, curious.

"He could very well be, sir," she spoke, politely.

The Ranger lowered his weapon. Maybe it was best he started speaking to this crowd of travelers, before doing something he might regret.

"What's your name?" Peter asked, curtly.

The Ranger set down his bow and arrow. Pulling off his hood, the man revealed himself as a young blonde-haired man with short pointy ears. "My name is Wil Ohmsford." He pointed to Frodo, admitting freely, "I know this Halfling. He was in the Four Lands."

"Wil Ohmsford," Ebony was stunned.

"Wasn't he from the Shannara Chronicles?" Rosemary asked her mother.

"Yes, the very same. And in the Elfstones of Shannara book," Ebony replied in a whisper.

"Wil," Frodo apologized, "I didn't recognize you earlier. We only met in passing. Do you mind telling me why you're in Narnia?"

"I thought this swamp was part of the Four Lands." Wil admitted, pointing to a rippled barrier. He admitted, "That barrier led me to this swamp. Is there a reason why you're here?"

"Aslan sent us to investigate this swamp. We had no idea it was already taken," Frodo apologized, politely.

"So why are we here?" Wil asked, curious and concerned.

"That I will explain shortly," Aslan said, entering the campsite.

"Aslan!" Susan and Lucy spoke at once, rushing up to the Lion to give him a huge hug. Frodo chuckled. He couldn't help it. It was just so… well, he'd leave up to them to decide.

"We weren't sure you would come," Susan replied.

"I am here, Susan," Aslan said. He turned to the others, before looking at the rippling barrier before them. "What you see here is the barrier. The barrier will take you to the Wood Between the Worlds. It is the very same wood where Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer entered before they reached Narnia. This world."

"Will we meet anyone from the other worlds? As we have with Wil," Lucy asked, turning her gaze from Aslan to Wil Ohmsford and back.

"Yes," Aslan said. "This will not be your first encounter. Others will arrive soon. But your journey has just begun. You will not be the first families to enter and leave Narnia. The Emperor-Across-the-Sea is arranging passage between worlds. It is time to wake up and be aware of what is to come."

"Aslan, why did you send for Frodo's family and… who are you?" Susan asked, turning now to Wolf's family.

Wolf started, "Me. A very clever chap, I must say. But I, of course, have had my eye on…"

"We're the Lewis family. Aren't we, Wolf?" Virginia corrected.

"Oh. Yes we are!" Wolf said, eagerly.

"And I wish to howl. AHWOOOOH!" Bane howled at the sky above.

"Yes, but your paths will meet again. For now, please step through the barrier. From there, you must learn which worlds to travel to. Some worlds will be friendly, others will not. The choice is yours which path to take and who to see, but you must stay within your families. If you are separated, you must search for each other again, and start over once more in the world that you travel to. Good luck and may your visits to other realms be merry," Aslan explained.

So there was no other way out, Frodo realized. Deciding it was wise to step through first, he reached for Ebony and Rosemary's hands. Just when he thought they wouldn't listen to him again, Frodo was surprised when Ebony took his hand. Rosemary followed, even though she looked on at the Pevensies and Bane. Frodo shook his head, telling his daughter: "Come on, Rosemary. We'll discuss this soon." He was glad when she took his hand. However, he hadn't expected Rosemary to charge through the barrier first. His hand slipped from Rosemary's hand.

"Oh no," Frodo murmured.

"Frodo, let's go. We don't want to lose our daughter, do we?" Ebony said, speedily.

"No. Just… oh come on." Frodo said, leading the way. The moment he entered the barrier, his hand slipped from Ebony's. Oh great. He lost her… again. This wasn't what he had in mind. Pulling out from the momentary black out, Frodo's vision was lost in a sea of rippled light. He was falling through, nearly becoming nothing. He came out back in physical form, but in a shadowy forest with very tall trees and thick trunks. He made it to the forest, but where was the wood and how would he get back?

"Father?" It was Rosemary. Frodo reached her… well, he was sitting on the ground in front of her. He looked up at her as she sighed in relief. "We made it. But… where are we?" That was very same question Frodo asked himself. If only he knew…

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Chapter 10 Teaser:

"This must be the wood Aslan spoke of," Frodo said, peering up at the sky.

"Where's Mother? Wasn't she…" Rose was cut off by a loud scream. Frodo heard the scream, too. He recognized the high-pitched scream. It wasn't the Nazgul's scream. It was…

"Ebony," Frodo murmured in understanding. It was his wife's scream. Something must have happened to her… he bolted, but stopped a short distance from his daughter. "Rose. Come on. We can't afford to be apart now."

A familiar howl broke the momentary silence. It was this howl that Rose tore off in the opposite direction. This was not part of the plan.

"Rose. Rosemary, come back here!" Frodo spoke, his voice firm.

"Bane might be in danger." Rosemary said, continuing her trek onwards. Frodo was not pleased by this reaction.

"Rosemary!" He shouted again.

"Find Mother! I'm sure she needs you right now," Rose replied. Frodo wanted to protest, but Rosemary's words were all too clear, as she called to him, "We'll see each other again!"

"This isn't helping!" Frodo called back. He told her, worried, "Rosemary. Rose." It was too late. Rosemary had vanished out of his sight, past a few tall bushes. Frodo couldn't believe this. He lost his daughter again… and that scream. His wife's scream. He couldn't let them both go. But he had to make a choice.

This was not part of the plan, Frodo repeated in his thoughts. Left with the only plan there was, he darted towards the screams. He couldn't believe what was happening. And yet it was happening. Already it was. He couldn't lose them. They were a family: himself, his wife and his daughter. He hated this part, and yet there was nothing he could do. He only hoped Aslan would… no. Aslan didn't want his family torn apart again. If only there was something he could do… he hoped there was a silver lining in all of this. But then, they were trapped in the Wood Between the Worlds, with no idea how to return home.

But why did it have to be him and his family? Even Frodo could not tell what was about to happen, not right in front of him at least. There was still hope for them yet. If only they knew where to begin…

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A lot going on in this chapter and the next. Thanks for reading. :) As usual, more is to come…