Disclaimers: See Chapter 1 for more info.
Frodo opened his eyes. He jerked his head back at the sight of a broken bauble. The green gemstone changed to a tinted blue. What the…? How did it change to blue? The horcrux… he destroyed it using the basilisk fang. The fang was in his hand for a second, before disappearing into a bright light. He took the bauble from the hand that held it. The hand belonged to Aria, who pressed her hands now against his arm.
"Are you all right?" Aria asked, sighing in relief. "You destroyed it!"
"Now we only have two more horcruxes to go." Sam said, pleased.
"Right." Frodo said, shaking a thought off. He felt a warm sense of accomplishment, almost as if he was lighter inside, but still burdened. He grabbed Sam's hand, as his best friend helped him on his feet.
"Well," Melena said, getting the hobbit's attention, "I think destroying one horcrux was fabulous. Those basilisk fangs come in handy. You'll find more in that chest over there." She pointed to the open chest, still carrying basilisk fangs. "Although, once you use a fang from here, no matter where you take it, odds are that fang will disappear or be destroyed by magic. So, I would suggest taking them along with us, if you're seeking horcruxes."
"We?" Frodo asked, confused. "You're still planning to come with us?"
"Of course, I am!" Melena said, exasperated. "You're not the only one who wants to defeat Sauron! I told you this not long ago!" She added, calmer this time, "Now, you said something about the Elder Wand. That's related to the Deathly Hallows. You know about the Deathly Hallows, right?"
"From what I read." Aria admitted.
"I read that tale, too!" Frodo said, remembering the book he read.
"What are you all talking about?" Sam asked, confused.
"Well, the Deathly Hallows were found by three brothers." Melena explained, allowing the hobbits and the authoress sit down in the living room, before continuing to tell them the Tale of the Three Brothers. "They met Death at a bridge and were gifted with three magical objects. The Elder Wand, the Cloak of Invisibility, and the Resurrection Stone. The first brother, after using the Elder Wand, was murdered after boasting about his newfound power. The second brother used the Resurrection Stone, saw his fiancé, and killed himself. The third brother used the Invisibility Cloak to keep hidden from Death. Eventually, he gave the cloak to his son and passed on, following Death like an old friend."
Melena paused to catch her breath. "That's the Deathly Hallows. The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. If one should own all three objects, they become a Master of Death. If Sauron is after the objects, there's no telling what he'll do. All I know is he altered time again. Now, more than ever, we must defeat him."
"The Elder Wand." Aria said, concerned. "You-Know-Who is going to use it."
"No!" Frodo looked at her, worried. "If Sauron uses the Elder Wand, before You-Know-Who does, he'll rip the timeline apart! That's my guess!"
"I know where one of the horcruxes might be." Melena said, pulling out a map from a scroll rack. The map had a moving picture on it, describing the location and what objects the map could spot. She pointed to a labyrinth, where a helmet surrounded by golden dust appeared. "That's your next stop. The Labyrinth is too difficult to cross through alone. If we Apparate into the castle's entrance, then we must do so today." She added, desperate, "We can't waste any more time. We must stop Sauron now!"
"In and out." Sam said, understanding. "Come on! Let's take some basilisk fangs and leave!" He said, grabbing his pack and stuffing it with basilisk fangs. Aria joined in, putting some basilisk fangs into her pack. Frodo did the same, looking back once to see Melena watching him.
"What?" Frodo asked her, confused. "You gave us shelter. Now we must leave."
"I'm coming with you." Melena said, concerned. "You're not going to make it the rest of the way without me."
"Then we'll take her along." Sam said, zipping up his pack and strapping it across his shoulders. Frodo and Aria did the same, before they took each other's hands. Sam and Melena joined them. She was keen on getting the job done and Frodo knew it.
"Melena, we need you to get us into the Labyrinth." Frodo said, serious. "In and out, remember?"
"I know. What we're about to face isn't like what you've encountered so far. I'll explain the details on the way." Melena said, taking their hands.
Frodo's body stretched out once more through a rubber tube, easing in and out through space and time. He felt so thin, so torn apart. Eventually, his body stretched out, allowing him to see an iron gate. Behind him lay a junkyard and a labyrinth. Ahead of him was parts unknown.
It was time to find the second horcrux.
Thanks for reading. :)