Chapter 25: The Pass of Caradhras

The Fellowship climbed up the snowy pass of Caradhras.

Along the way, Ethan tumbled down on the snow. Trent catch him. Ethan. Ethan picks himself off of the ground and frisks himself… but he cannot feel the ring. It fell onto the snow. Shane picked it up… but doesn't give it to Ethan.

Instead… he pities and admires the ring as he held it dangling in front of his face Trent call out to him but Shane wouldn't move…

"It is a strange fate," he said, "…that we should suffer so much fear and doubt, over so small a thing… "

Everyone watched Shane very suspiciously. Ever since he first laid eyes upon it, he wanted to use it

Shane went on, dazed, "such a little thing… "

Shane started to bring his other hand to grasp the ring with…

"Shane!" Trent interrupted loudly, snapping Shane out of his daze, "…give the ring to Ethan."

Shane, at first, paused in hesitation to Trent's demand…

Shane then slowly went down towards Ethan, holding out the ring for him to take…

"As you wish," Shane said as Ethan frantically snatched the ring back from him, "I care not."

Shane then looked at Trent's serious expressions. He chuckled as he patted Ethan's head and turned around to join the others. Everyone is relieved that Ethan has the ring back, even Trent released his sword… for the moment.

At Isengard, Zeltrax's flock of bird spies, the Crebain, report back to him underneath the caverns of Isengard…

The birds passed through every cavern and chasm in the mining operations…

And went strait for their master, Zeltrax, who was waiting for them at a platform, giving their report to him…

Zeltrax turned around saying to himself, "so Tommy, you try to lead them over Caradhras. And if that fails… where then will you go…?"

Tommy and the others are caught in a terrible blizzard. Tommy toils endlessly trying to part the snow in order for the others to walk more easily. Dustin walks on top of the snow…

"If the mountain defeats you," intoned Zeltrax, "…will you risk a more dangerous road?"

Dustin then starts to hear something echoing out of the blustery winds…

Cuiva nwalca… Carnirasse

"There is a fell voice on the air," he said. Everyone starts to hear it as well…

"It's Zeltrax!" Tommy cried out. Snow from above began to collapse bit by bit…

The snow, in the form of large-boulder formations began to trample onto the Fellowship.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" cried out Trent, "Tommy, we must turn back!

"

"No!" cried Tommy. He took his place at the edge of the cliff and took a stand against Zeltrax once more, speaking out his own incantations…

"Losto Caradhras!" he cried out, "… sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith…!"

As Tommy spoke his incantations… Zeltrax countered with his own incantations… that continued echoing in the blizzard…

"…Cuiva nwalca… Cuiva nwalca… "

From on top of Orthanc tower, "…Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya; talhira notto-carinnar…!"

Zeltrax's voice carried very heavily throughout the horrendous weather front in front of him. The treacherous wizard's incantations seemed to be more powerful for Tommy to counter…

And then…

FLASH!

A bolt of lightning struck a peak, just above the Fellowship, causing an avalanche. The avalanche was about to crash down onto the Fellowship. Everyone braced for impact… when the avalanche struck the cliff, hard…

SLLLLAAAAAAAMMMMM!

The impact of the avalanche slowly… but surely… buried the Fellowship, one by one. After long… long perilous moments with the avalanche…

It settled, with everyone entombed in the cold, harsh precipitation. Moments later, after being buried in the snow…

The Fellowship began to burrow themselves out of the snow, feeling cold… and frozen. Dustin came out of the snow first, followed by Aragorn, Ethan, and Conner.

Max growled as he burrowed out of the snow. Hunter, Blake and Shane, uncovering themselves out of the snow as well.

"We must get off the mountain!" called out Shanr, "make for the Gap of Rohan… and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" countered Trent.

"if we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria."

After Max gave his suggestion,

Tommy then recalls what Zeltrax said to him once…

'…Moria… you fear to go into those mines. The Dwarves delved too greedily and too deep…

'You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm…

'…Shadow… and flame.'

Tommy resolved his route in Ethan's hands. "Let the ringbearer decide," he said. Everyone looks to Ethan to await his decision…

"Ethan," wondered Tommy…

Moments later… Ethan made his decision, "…we will go through the mines."

"So be it," finished Tommy.