It didn't take long before the group did arrive at the entrance to the Mines. Or at the very least what those who had been there before said was the entrance. All they saw before them was a very high stone wall. No discernible cracks or anything that could be perceived as a way in.

"So how do we get in?" asked Sir Kay.

"Dwarven doors must be revealed by moonlight, I suggest we make ourselves comfortable for the time being," suggested Grumpy.

"Can't you perhaps knock? They're your kin, maybe they can let us in from the inside" asked Piglet.

"Unfortunately, as they don't know we're coming and with no telling how thick this rock is, we can't be sure they'll even hear us," answered Grumpy.

"How did the two of you make it in last time?" asked Sir Kay, pointing at Merlin and Aladdin.

"Last time I entered the Mines, it was from the other entrance, and I exited right about where we are now," answered Merlin. Donald walked over to where Mickey was currently sitting. Ever since they got there, Mickey hadn't taken his eyes off this lake that sat eerily still by the supposed entrance.

"Why do you keep looking at the water Mickey?" asked Donald with concern.

"Honestly, I'm afraid of it," his friend answered.

"Well, I can't say I blame you; it makes me uneasy too. So, let's just not trouble it," suggested Robin Hood who walked up beside them. Hours passed and when moonlight shone upon them, they were beheld by a greatly decorated door. A crown and anvil were right in the middle of it, and right above was old writing.

"What does it say?" asked Gopher.

"Translated, it reads 'Welcome to the Mines of Moria; Speak friend and enter.' So allegedly, that means if you are a friend, you simply speak the password and you are allowed in," said Merlin. He tried various spells at his disposal, none of which seemed to work.

"Any other ideas?" asked Gopher.

"I'm going to bang your head against it, Gopher, and even if that doesn't work, we'll have some peace and quiet while you are unconscious," replied Archimedes from Merlin's shoulder.

"Well now Archimedes, there's no need to be cruel, I just need to think," replied Merlin. Aladdin walked up, studying the door.

"I wonder…what is the old Elvish word for friend?" he asked.

"Mellon," replied Merlin and Archimedes in unison. Suddenly, the design on the door glowed brighter for a few seconds, then the wall became a door and opened on its own accord.

"Oh, so it was a riddle, now I see it, now I just feel silly," laughed Merlin. The party entered through the door, Grumpy talking about roaring fires and roasted meat but that was most certainly not what met their eyes. They saw the effects of an ancient battle. Skeletons littered the floor, dressed in their old armor and cobwebs.

"There was a mighty battle here," observed Kay, knowing full well he was stating the obvious.

"This is no mine, this is a tomb," exclaimed Robin Hood. Grumpy was looking around in horror.

"We must make for the Gap of Rohan, we will clearly find no welcome here," said Aladdin sternly, Abu was now hiding in his master's vest. Suddenly, Mickey let out a scream, everyone turned around to see him being dragged to the water by a horrible tentacle! The poor mouse, he clawed at the ground trying to get free. Sir Kay, Aladdin and Robin Hood all rushed right at him drawing their blades.

"All of you stay with Merlin!" Aladdin shouted at the shorter ones, Abu left his master's vest to join those who had been ordered to stay put. Sir Kay was successful in severing the tentacle that had wrapped itself around Mickey's foot but found himself facing even more of the nasty things.

A large face rose from the water and roared at the group, the creature grabbed at the various rocks and trees that surrounded them down, pulling down, possibly to trap them.

"Everyone get back in here!" shouted Merlin. Mickey felt himself being dragged by Robin Hood as the three taller members of the group continued to slash at the tentacles coming at them as they ran back into the cave right before they all found themselves trapped in the dark.

"Lumos," said Merlin and a light came from the end of his staff.

"Well, it appears we now have to go through the mines. I am dreadfully sorry that had to happen to you Mickey. It's fortunate that you were in the company of three excellent fighters," said Merlin.

"What was that thing?" asked Piglet who was now hugging Mickey.

"There are fouler things than goblins in the dark places of this world," answered Merlin who proceeded to pull out a flask and insisted everyone take a sip.

"It's just brandy, after the shock we had, we need this, and I guarantee we'll need the full thing by the time we're out of here," he explained before leading the group along the dark path, Abu returning to Aladdin's shoulders, refusing to let go.

"No time to panic Abu," Aladdin told his monkey. So, the company marched in the darkness aided only by the glow at Merlin's staff so he took the lead followed by Mickey, and then Grumpy who was casting his eyes everywhere, grief-stricken. Behind him were Piglet and Gopher the latter of whom despite loving the underground felt uneasy. Then came Donald Duck, then Robin Hood, then Sir Kay and bringing up the rear was Aladdin who just looked grim as he kept silent.

On they walked, grateful that all they could hear was the dripping of water from the stalactites up above. It was difficult telling how long they had been travelling, but Merlin seemed to have an internal clock that told him that the outside world had reached sundown. Eventually they came to a place where the path split into three different directions. The first dipped down, the second stayed level and the third slanted up.

"I have no proper recollection of this place," said Merlin who sat down on a rock and looked at the three paths. Everyone decided to sit down and regather their strength. Mickey looked around and thought he saw a dark shape moving about below them. He quietly went up to inform Merlin.

"It's Creeper, he's been on our trail awhile now," he told Mickey with surprising calm.

"Creeper, that dratted creature, it's a pity Mr. McDuck didn't kill him when he had the chance!" said Mickey angrily.

"Pity? It was pity that made Scrooge spare his life. Many who lived deserved death, and many who died deserved life. Can you give it to them, Mickey? Don't be so quick to deal out judgement. Creeper may yet have a part to play in this story," said Merlin. The next day, if the next day it was, Merlin told the Fellowship his choice.

"We shall take the path that goes up which given our circumstance is probably the best way to go. The one that stays level has an uneasy feeling about it and the one that goes down literally smells foul, in these places trust your nose," he said as they climbed up. They eventually came to a great hallway where light trickled in from high windows. There was a stone chest at the far end which Grumpy without any hesitation fan towards. When the rest of the Fellowship caught up with him, he was kneeling and had taken his hat off. Written on the chest were these words:

Here lies Doc, Lord of Moria

"Well, it is as we feared, may he rest in peace," said Merlin who took his hat off in respect. Robin Hood and Donald took their caps off and everyone bowed their heads, Mickey placing a gentle hand on Grumpy's shoulder.

"Come now, we must leave this place, it is frightful and sorrowful," said Merlin replacing his hat. Everyone collected themselves with plans to leave quickly when Piglet and Gopher noticed a nearby skeleton with a large book in his hands. Upon Grumpy's inspection, it proved to be a record of the colony. The last words were "We cannot get out!"

"Looks like they were trapped. I will share this with the rest of my kin when I return home, they'll want to know," said Grumpy sadly. Suddenly, Donald tripped and caused a rather large rock to fall into a hole, it made a lot of clanging as it fell down.

"And here we were hoping that our presence could go unnoticed in these halls!" hissed Robin Hood. Suddenly, they heard a loud rumbling of drums echoing through the mines.

"We've got company," said Aladdin.