Disclaimers: I do not own The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. All other canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.
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Frodo observed the tunnel. For a second, he thought he couldn't see anything down there. Then he caught a glimpse of a soldier wandering down at the end of the tunnel. A torch rested in his hand as he walked down the tunnel. Frodo smiled, surprised to see the soldier had vanished into a speck of ashes, with only the torchlight on the walls below to guide him.
Frodo turned to Bethany, taking her hand in his, "Come on. Let's move." He led her down the tunnel. So far, so good, with no other sign of enemies hanging around.
Bethany looked at Frodo, asking him as they climbed down the tunnel's steps, "Frodo, do you think Sauron is going to teach us anything? Anything at all?"
Frodo chuckled. "Bethany, Sauron didn't do anything to us. It was all a game, a test. I can assure you that when we leave this prison, we find Sauron and ask him if it's true that he is going to teach us anything. Come on! Let's see what's going on down there."
To his surprise, the torch lights on the tunnel's walls kept them from tripping down the tunnel's stairs. Soon, they came out of the tunnel, finding their way down a darker dungeon. The cells were all opened and barred, revealing strange dark creatures the likes of which Frodo hadn't seen before. Creatures with dark hides, complete with brown fur on their backs, sharp teeth, and a desolate disposition.
These creatures were keen on biting their legs off, if the soldiers didn't hold them back. Until one of the horrendous creatures pulled so hard that he propelled right into Frodo, forcing the hobbit to fall backwards, landing against one of the cells.
"Eh… hullo," Frodo said, terrified. The creature looked at him in interest, sniffing him. He relaxed on his belly, while the creatures inside the cell stared curiously at Frodo and Bethany.
At first, Bethany thought these creatures were going to eat them, but they didn't. Instead, they stared at the two fondly, licking them and purring. The creatures reminded her of cats that when threatened they would attack. These creatures weren't going to harm them, right?
No, but they did leave a little scar on Frodo's arm, which healed. The creature on Frodo's belly took one last look at him, before wandering off back to his master. Frodo sat up, giggling as one of the creatures in the cell licked the back of his neck.
"They're harmless," Frodo said, smiling. He giggled as the creature in the cell kept licking the back of his neck. "Stop that! That tickles!"
Bethany turned to the soldiers, asking them, "So, these creatures won't harm us?"
The soldier caring for the creature that had sat on Frodo's belly said, "Not if they feel threatened. Right now, you two may pass through to the next tunnel. You'll find other creatures down there, including zombies."
"Zombies?" Frodo asked, terrified.
"Yes, and if you're lucky, you won't have to deal with them," the soldier said, laughing. "Nothing here will hurt you, unless you threaten them. That's what you learned from Sauron's visit."
Frodo gasped in understanding. "Of course! That's why he didn't go after us."
The soldier looked at Frodo and Bethany, explaining to them, "These creatures, like what you experienced up there with Sauron, didn't attack you because you weren't a threat to them. Of course, except for Darth Freya, who runs this Underground Prison."
He changed subjects, telling them, "But here's the thing you should know about your trials: do not provoke or attack anything or anybody. That's how you both wound up down here. If you want to speak with Darth Freya again, then you must find a way back to the dining room. If you provoke her, you'll be stuck down here. That's how it works in this prison. That's how it's always been."
Bethany nodded. "Thanks for the advice." She turned to Frodo, telling him, "We should go."
Frodo nodded. He turned to the soldier, telling him, "Thank you for the advice." He stopped, saying to the soldier, "Wait. Darth Freya attacked Sandria. Why would she do that? How did she become so villainous?"
The soldier shrugged. "That's something you'll need to find out."
"Right." Frodo turned to Bethany, saying to her, "Come on." He took Bethany's hand, guiding her down the dungeon and into the next tunnel.
.
As Frodo and Bethany came out of the tunnel, they were met with a long stone bridge. A silver moonlight shown best here, showing Frodo and Bethany a long chasm, with scores of zombies below. The zombies were many and they looked hungry.
Frodo stared at the bridge, knowing if they fell, they would be in big trouble. Frodo looked around, spotting a pulley system and a handlebar.
"Hold on!" Frodo said, helping Bethany with the handlebar, while he did the same on the other side of the handlebar.
When they were ready, they flew on the handlebar, over the bridge and past the zombies. Frodo sighed; grateful the handlebar was working. They were halfway over the chasm, with a feeling that they would be safe!
Snap!
The rope broke. Frodo and Bethany fell into the chasm. They were met by the zombies, setting them down on the grey stone ground. Frodo wanted to get out of here. Then he turned and looked at Bethany. Something had happened to her. Her skin was pale and flaking off. Oh no! Did she get stung by the zombies?
"Bethany?" Frodo asked, cautious.
Bethany huffed, knowing that this was the end for her. She could hardly talk, only mutter out words Frodo didn't understand.
Frodo looked at his arms, too. They were flaking away. He lay down next to her, realizing that he and his beloved were going to turn into zombies. He closed his eyes, imagining better places they could be at right now. For now, everything seemed hopeless.
.
Frodo awoke inside a golden room. The hall was huge and the floors were made out of stone. He looked at his hands, seeing they were still grey and flaking away. He looked over his shoulder at his wife, seeing she was in deep sleep, too.
Frodo sighed, grateful to be away from the zombies. He let out a perpetuating scream. He could feel himself becoming more zombie. He wanted… brains. He wanted to feed off of brains. He looked over his shoulder at his wife. She screamed as well. They laughed. They could hardly speak, but their laughter made the situation feel more complete.
Frodo sniffed the air, watching the room transform back into the chasm, a short drop from the cliff face above their heads. The stone bridge stood out a few feet away from where he and his wife lay down.
It was perfect. He could have brains all he wanted and nothing bad would happen to him. He laughed, enjoying himself. Enjoying this time spent as a zombie.
He didn't want this nightmare to be over. Instead, he wanted to live it out as best he could. This was where he belonged.
.
Frodo awoke a second time. He looked up and around him. The zombies were still staring at him, looking at him as if he were a meal. They did nothing, only looked at him and his wife. Frodo took a look at his hands. They weren't flaking away. Instead, his skin had rejuvenated, making him feel whole again.
"What?" was the first words coming out of Frodo's mouth.
He took a good look at himself. He was back to normal, as was his wife, who was sleeping soundly on the stony ground.
Frodo turned towards the zombies. They didn't do anything, except bow to him and his wife. Frodo tapped Bethany's shoulder, making her stir.
"Bethany, wake up! Wake up, Bethany!" Frodo said, helping his wife back up on her feet.
Bethany yawned. She looked around, seeing the zombies had bowed before her and Frodo, kneeling, too. Bethany turned to Frodo, telling him, "What does this mean?"
"I don't know. I don't think we're a threat to them," Frodo said, accepting the fact that this was so.
It didn't take long before the leader of the zombies showed up. The zombie leader approached Frodo and Bethany. Frodo took a step back, wrapping an arm around his wife. He didn't want to lose her, but at the same time, he found himself lost if he didn't have her to guide him, to protect him. He stood there like a statue, as the leader of the zombies smiled at them.
The leader of the zombies pointed to another tunnel, this one ascending even further into the darkness. Frodo and Bethany looked at the leader of the zombies, as he spoke to them, "The way to your next challenge is there. Good luck, Frodo Baggins, Bethany. Maybe someday, more people will understand and accept zombies."
"I don't understand," Frodo said, clinging to his wife. "You're letting us go?"
The leader of the zombies nodded. "I'm letting you leave. No true king would have accepted zombies so quick and so easily, as to become one. You two are quite the characters."
"You are characters, which means you cannot truly die. You will see that in time to turn," another zombie chieftain said, gesturing towards the tunnel. As Frodo and Bethany approached the tunnel, the zombie chieftain looked at them, telling them, "Oh, and if you see Parker Dooley, tell him not to worry about death. He will return. He needs our help as much as we do his."
"Thank you," Frodo said, turning to Bethany. He whispered in Bethany's ear, "Let's go." He took her hand, keeping track of her as they descended into the next tunnel.
On the other side, Frodo and Bethany found themselves in a room covered in marshland. The way out was on the other side of the room. It was another challenge.
"Well, it's now or never," Frodo said to his wife.
Bethany gestured to him, "Well, you go first. I'll see you on the other side!" She attempted to run back to the tunnel, only for Frodo to keep a tight grip on her hand. She was forced to go back to Frodo, landing in his arms. They stayed that way for a moment, lost in each other's gazes.
"And go where?" Frodo asked her. "You know there's only one way for us to go." He raised an eyebrow, gesturing with his head towards the swamp. "We keep moving."
"Aren't you afraid?" Bethany asked, worriedly.
Frodo chuckled. "I'm always afraid. That's why I have you to protect me. Hmm? You need to trust me, so I can trust you. It's that simple." He took her hand, telling her, "Now, come on. Come with me. We need to go. I don't know what else Darth Freya has planned, but it can't be good."
"Do you think she's all right? Darth Freya?" Bethany asked, as they descended down the metal stairs.
Frodo laughed. "If anything, you would expect that Darth Freya doesn't run into Samwise Gamgee. If Sam has his say, no villain would be saved. Let's hope he's not there, causing trouble for us."
Frodo was sorely mistaken.