Hi everyone! Once again, two more chapters for you. Sorry if the previous one wasn't up to standard. That Barrel scene, kinda threw me for a loop.

Anyway, writing this at like 12:41 am in the morning, so sorry for any spelling mistakes.

Review Responses:

Idrill: My pleasure! ;D

ThatOtherWriterGirl: Yeah, figured he could use a little…fortune telling. And yea, that stone does have a bad rep, you're right. XD

alliesmiley2: Thanks!

Amy: Glad you think so. ;)

Chapter 25 – The High Fells

Gandalf trudged up the mountain, having had to abandon his horse at the edge of Beorn's lands. He sighed as he saw the steps leading up to the tombs. He couldn't help but cast his mind back to the meeting of the White Council.

"With or without our help, these Dwarves will march on the mountain." Gandalf informed Elrond as they walked up the steps. "They're determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he is answerable to anyone." He paused. "Nor, for that matter, am I." He said with some annoyance. Elrond turned to the Grey Pilgrim.

"It is not me you must answer to." He said, before glancing ahead. Gandalf followed his gaze…and his eyes widened at the sight.

There stood the ageless, golden-haired, Lady of Lothlórien. One of his oldest, and dearest friends. She turned to him.

"Lady Galadriel." He greeted, smiling a bit.

"Mithrandir. Gwen mi'nin unun duin." (It has been a long time) She said in her ethereal voice. Gandalf gave a slight bow as he smiled.

"Nae nin gwistant infanneth, mal ú-eichia i Chíril Lorien." (Age may have changed me…but not so the Lady of Lórien.) And she graced him with one of her own smiles. "I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you." He hinted, turning to Elrond expectantly.

"He didn't." Gandalf smile disappeared as he recognized the voice, cringing as it continued. "I did." He turned towards the voice and gave a bow of respect.

"Ah. Saruman." The White Wizard cocked an eyebrow.

"You've been busy of late, my friend."

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"Tell me, Gandalf…did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?" Gandalf looked up at the Head of the White Council.

"Unnoticed? No. I'm simply doing what I feel to be right." He said, as he looked up at Elrond for support.

"The dragon has long been on your mind." Lady Galadriel said as she looked at him. Gandalf nodded.

"That is true, my lady." He said, before turning back to the other two members. "Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy…a dragon could be used to terrible effect." Saruman frowned a little.

"What enemy?" He asked. "Gandalf, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength." Gandalf decided to play another card. One that Thorin had given him, and the one that Ember had confirmed.

"Does it not worry you that the last of the Dwarf Rings, should simply vanish? Along with its Bearer? Of the Seven Dwarf Rings, four were consumed by dragons, two were taken by Sauron before he fell in Mordor. The fate of the last Dwarf Ring…remains unknown." Galadriel had a contemplative look on her face. He pressed on. "The Ring that was worn by Thrain."

"Without the ruling Ring of Power, the Seven are of no value to the enemy." Saruman stated, and Gandalf sagged a bit. "To control the other Rings, he needs…the One. And that Ring was lost long, long ago. It was swept out to sea by the waters of the Anduin."

"Gandalf, for 400 years we have lived in peace… a hard-won, watchful peace." Elrond said. Gandalf just studied him.

"Are we? Are we at peace?" He asked as he looked at each of them. "Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us one the road." He listed all that he could think of.

"Hardly a prelude to war." Elrond stated.

"Always you must meddle…looking for trouble where none exists." Saruman chastised. Galadriel shushed him, as she glided behind him.

"Let him speak." She ordered lightly.

"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful." He informed them. "We can remain blind to it, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you." He thought of another card he could play. "A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwood. And they say…" He trailed off as Saruman's eyebrows rose.

"Well? Don't stop now. Tell us what the woodsmen say." Saruman replied.

"They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur. A sorcerer who can summon the dead." Saruman frowned again.

"That's absurd. No such power exists in this world. This Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man." He spoke the word 'Necromancer' as if it was a silly thing to do. "A conjurer dabbling in black magic." Gandalf nodded.

"And so I thought too. But Radagast has seen…" Saruman cut him off.

"Radagast? Do not speak to me of Radagast the Brown. He's a foolish fellow." Gandalf gave a nervous chuckle.

"Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life." He made to say more, but The White Wizard interrupted him again.

"It's not that. It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms." He said with slight disgust. "They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth." As he continued on Gandalf heard the voice of Galadriel.

"You carry something." He heard in his mind. "It came to you from Radagast. He found it in Dol Guldur." He sat back a bit before he silently responded.

"Yes."

"Show me."

Gandalf reached down to his lap and pulled out the bundle Radagast had given him.

"What is that?" Elrond asked as he looked at it. As he reached for it, Galadriel spoke.

"A relic of Mordor." Elrond instantly drew his hand back, before reaching out again to remove the material, being careful not to touch whatever was hidden. When he did, he reveal something that sent shivers down their spines.

"A Morgul Blade." Elrond muttered.

"Made for the Witchking of Angmar. And buried with him." Galadriel said, looking stricken. "When Angmar fell…the Men of the North took his body and all that he possessed…and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him…in a tomb so dark…it would never come to light."

"This is not possible." Elrond murmured. "A powerful spell lies upon those tombs. They cannot be opened."

"What proof do we have that this weapon came from Angmar's grave?" Saruman cut through. Gandalf sighed inaudibly.

"I have none."

"Because there is none." Saruman insisted. "Let us examine what we know. A single Orc pack…has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from a bygone age has been found. And a human sorcerer who calls himself 'The Necromancer'…has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so very much after all." Galadriel had drifted to the edge of the Council area, watching the rising sun.

"The question of this Dwarvish Company, however, troubles me deeply. Not to mention those three women that seemingly popped into existence. I'm not convinced, Gandalf. I do not feel I can condone such a quest." Gandalf stopped listening long before Galadriel spoke again.

"They are leaving." He looked at her.

"Yes." She made eye contact and gave a soft smile.

"You knew." He gave an innocent smile in return just as Lindir walked into the Council area.

"My Lord Elrond. The Dwarves, they're gone."

He carefully made his way up the precarious stone steps. Using his staff as a way of balance. The last step crumbled under his foot and he fell forwards. Thankfully he was at the top. He rested against the wall, taking time to sturdy the strangeness of the iron bars. He quickly and carefully moved around them, taking care not to look down.

Just as he walked in through the door, he slipped. He started sliding his way down the dark hallway, finding nothing to stop himself on till he reached the bottom. He was then treated with the sight of a dark pit that stretched on forever. He quickly stepped back to the wall and took a breather. He brought his staff close and set the crystal alight. He held out the staff…and saw the opened doorway across the room, the iron bars that were meant to be across the opening bent outwards. Gandalf slowly shuffled across the floor, slipping close to the bottom, and jumping to lean into the corner.

As he entered the tomb, he found what he feared… a heavy, stone lid, broken and crumbled, over a stone coffin. He peered inside…and was startled when a bat flew out. He spun as it flew past his face, and saw the silhouette of a figure behind him. He turned his staff to see…

"Oh, it's you!" He said with some relief.

"Why am I here, Gandalf?" He asked, clearly uncomfortable within the tombs. As Gandalf spoke, Radagast lifted his hat for the birds to nest in his hair.

"Trust me, Radagast. I would not have called you here without good reason." Radagast replaced his hat and stared at Gandalf.

"This is not a nice place to meet." He said solemnly.

"No. It is not." He agreed. Radagast walked out and studied the runes on the tomb walls.

"These are dark spells, Gandalf. Old and full of hate. Who's buried here?" He asked. Gandalf did not give a pleasant answer.

"If he had a name, it's long since been lost. He would have been known only…as a servant of evil. He lowered his staff…

And the light revealed eight more doors below them.

"One of a number. One of nine."

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"Why now, Gandalf? I don't understand." Radagast muttered as they walked.

"The Ringwraiths have been summoned to Dol Guldur." Gandalf stated. Radagast shook his head.

"But it cannot be the Necromancer. A human sorcerer could not summon such evil." He said.

"Who said it was human?" Radagast stopped and turned to Gandalf. "The Nine only answer to one master. We've been blind, Radagast. And in our blindness…the Enemy has returned." Gandalf's ominous voice caused Radagast to shiver. "He is summoning his servants. Azog the Defiler…is no ordinary hunter. He is a commander. A commander of legions. The Enemy is preparing for war." The Brown Wizard visibly shook at those words.

"It will begin in the East. His mind is set upon that mountain." Gandalf began to walk.

"Where are you going?" Radagast asked him.

"To rejoin the others."

"Gandalf." At Radagast's whine, Gandalf turned.

"I started this. I cannot forsake them. They are in grave danger." Radagast shook his head.

"If what you say is true…the world is in grave danger. The power in that fortress will only grow stronger." Gandalf looked away as he realized what Radagast was implying.

"You want me to cast my friends aside?"

Suddenly, a falcon cried above them, causing them to look up. Radagast held out his arm and the messenger falcon landed on his arm. Radagast tugged out the rolled up parchment attached to its leg.

"It's for you, Gandalf. From Rivendell." Radagast said as he held out the parchment. Gandalf quickly took the parchment and broke the seal, unrolling it to read its contents. He recognized the writing as Elrond's.

I have news, Mellonnen.

My army and I have returned from our conquest to Dol Guldur.

Thrain is…

Lol, I'm evil, aren't I? XD