Chapter 36: Parth Galen

While that was going on, Max was still full of unrest as he continued tending to the fire. Hunter returned, gathering firewood.

"No Dwarf need recover strength!" Max huffed to himself.

Fearing that he may have insulted Hunter, Max added, "pay no heed to that young Hobbit."

Then Hunter looked around… to see that Ethan was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Ethan?" Hunter inquired.

Everyone was startled knowing that Ethan was gone. Conner, who was half-dozing, rouses with a start. Trent looked over the camp. His gaze stops on Shane's shield, lying with his baggage. Shane was missing as well.

Ethan went on, wandering through the woods of Amon Hen, the Hills of Hearing and Sight. He may still intend to go off on his own, leaving the others behind. Ethan stood by an immense stone head, long aged and lost from its body, lying with its side in the ground.

Just when Ethan thought he was alone…

"None of us should be wandering alone."

A voice emitted from a distance. It was Shane gathering up firewood, as he approached Ethan across the leaf-littered earth.

Shane went on explaining, "…you least of all. So much depends on you."

Then Shane stopped gathering wood, looking perplexed at Ethan.

"Ethan?" he asked, even more perplexed.

Ethan and Shane paused for a moment…

Shane broke the silence, "…I know why you seek solitude. You suffer, I see it day by day. You sure you do not suffer needlessly?

Ethan gave no answer to Shane's concerns.

Shane then added, "There are other ways, Ethan, other paths that we might take."

Shane and Ethan continued their argument.

"I know what you would say," said Ethan, "and it would seem like wisdom but for the warning in my heart."

"Warning?" asked Shane as he started to come up to Ethan, a little ominously, "against what? We're all afraid Ethan… but to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have… don't you see that is madness?"

"There is no other way!" Ethan returned fiercely.

"I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" Shane said even more fiercely as he threw down the firewood that he gathered.

"If you would but lend me the Ring…" Shane pleaded, with his hand outward toward Frodo.

But… Ethan stepped back. "No," he said cautiously.

"Why do your recoil?" Shane asked, getting fiercer, "I am no thief!"

"You are not yourself," Ethan realized…

Ethan was right. Shane was acting differently. The ring was finally getting to him.

Shane started to snarl at Ethan, "what chance do you think you have? They will find you… they will take the ring… and you will beg for death before the end!"

But Ethan wouldn't give in… and he started to walk away from Shane because he was unaware of his growing madness.

Shane couldn't take any more…

"…You fool!" Shane growled as he started to come after Ethan.

Ethan looked behind him to see that Shane was starting to come for him fiercely. He, in turn, started to run from Shane…

"…It is not yours, save by unhappy chance!" Shane said, closing in on Ethan, "It could have been mine…"

Then… Shane tackled Ethan!

"It should be mine… GIVE IT TO ME!" he shouted at Ethan, as he struggled to take the ring from him…

"GIVE IT TO ME!" Shane continued to shout and struggle with Ethan.

"No!" Ethan countered, as he wrestled the ring into his hand, clutching it.

"Give me the ring!"

Shane continued his struggle with Ethan as Ethan puts on the ring…

And vanished in front of Shane.

Ethan then kicked Shane aside and ran away from him…

Shane, still full of madness, lifted himself a little and started ranting…

"…I see your mind," Shane's ranting became worse, "…YOU WILL TAKE THE RING TO SAURON! YOU WILL BETRAY US!"

Shane went on ranting, "…you will go to your death… AND THE DEATH OF US ALL! Curse you… CURSE YOU… AND ALL THE HALFLINGS…!"

Then…

Shane tripped… slipping and tumbling down into the ground. Moments later…

Shane slowly lifts his head up, recovering his senses. The madness of the ring has left him. However…

"…Ethan?" Shane began stuttering, looking around for Ethan, "…E… Ethan? Pft!"

Shane continued to look around for Ethan

"…What have I done...?" he asked himself, regretting what he has done, "please Ethan…"

Ethan, shocked by Shane's betrayal, continued to run away from Shane in the shadow world, with the surroundings blurring away around him. He heard Shane's screams from faraway…

"…ETHAN, I'M SORRY! ETHAN…!"

Nevertheless… Ethan continued to run from him. He began to run atop a stone platform framed by two stone eagles in the woods, for a hiding place.

A great shape loomed before him from afar…

The image of Mordor rushed towards him and his vision rose to a pinnacle. He saw it…

The dark tower of adamant, Barad-dûr, the fortress of Sauron, was laid before Ethan's eyes, where he saw an army of Orcs. The vision went up the tower…

Wall upon wall… battlement upon battlement… black, immeasurably strong Iron Mountain, gate of steel…

Revealing the burning, unsleeping Eye of Sauron at the top of the tower, which stared menacingly… back at Ethan…

Ethan, rushing to remove the Ring before Sauron could get to him… fell off of the seat…