Hello, everybody. I am back with yet another chapter.

I am so sorry it took me so long to get this long. I have been focusing more on my Harry Potter WWIII story, and my Marvel/DC series. But, I will try and remember to keep updating this story.

I'm glad that the people reading this story seem to be enjoying it so far. And I'm sure you're going to start enjoying it more, as it's about to get to the good part.

Alright. Let's get to it.

Chapter 6- Into Moria

Jakan groans to himself as he forges ahead through the snow. The Fellowship has been climbing down from Caradhras for hours. At last, they're almost out of the snow.

"Ugh. I can't wait to be off this mountain," he says to nobody in particular.

"Not a fan of the cold?" Boromir asks as he comes up beside Jakan.

"No, not at all," Jakan says.

Boromir chuckles a little bit. Jakan looks at him. He still feels concerned for Boromir after the incident on the slope just hours before. He's been worried about the effect that the ring is having on the man he's started to become friends with.

Finally, he decides to just bring it up with Boromir. He looks right at Boromir and asks, "Are you okay, Boromir? You seem a little…distracted."

Boromir looks at Jakan, then turns away. "I am fine," he says dismissively.

"Hmm. That's a little weird. Because I have these things called eyes. And thanks to them, I think you're not fine," Jakan responds.

Boromir looks at him sharply. "I am fine," he says a little harshly. His expression then softens before he continues, "I am simply…worried for my homeland. I fear they cannot stand much longer, and that they cannot last as well without me there to lead them in this time of war."

Jakan slowly nods. "I understand that. I have felt the same thing. But you can't let that discourage you, Boromir. You need to stay strong," he says firmly. Boromir nods in return, Jakan's words providing some reassurance to the Gondorian.

(Hours later)

Jakan grunts a little bit as he leaps up on top of boulder, examining the surrounding terrain. The Fellowship had finished the descent from Caradhras some time ago, and are now heading across the rocky landscape near the entrance to Moria.

"How much further?" Jakan calls out as he leaps back down from the boulder.

"Not much further," Gandalf responds.

Sure enough, only moments later, Gimli gasps and says, "The Walls of Moria."

Jakan looks up ahead, and sees a sharp cliff wall up ahead. He grins a little bit.

The Fellowship makes their way to the entrance of Moria. It's not until after sunset that the Fellowship finally gets to where the doors are.

"Where are the doors?" Jakan asks Gandalf.

"Well, my friend. The thing about dwarf doors are that they are invisible when closed. Their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," Gandalf explains to Jakan.

"Why does this not surprise me?" Legolas asks rhetorically, earning a disgruntled growl from Gimli.

Gandalf leads them along the cliff face until he stops in a certain spot. Jakan is close enough to hear Gandalf whisper, "Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." He runs his hand over the stone before looking up to the sky, right as the moon comes out from behind some clouds.

Jakan looks at the cliff face as the moonlight shines down on it. As it does, glowing white lines spread across the stone, revealing the outline of large doors, and elegant runes. Jakan examines it, but doesn't recognize the runes.

"Are these Dwarvish runes?" he asks.

"They are Elvish, actually, Jakan. They read, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend, and enter,'" Gandalf responds.

"What does that mean?" Merry asks curiously.

"Well, it is quite simple. If you are a friend, then you speak the password, and the doors will open," Gandalf says cheerfully. He then sets the end of his staff against the doors and loudly says several Elvish words. Jakan waits for the doors open. But they don't.

The Fellowship feels a little confused about this. After a moment, before raises both arms and loudly says several more Elvish words. Unfortunately, there is still no response from the doors.

"Nothing's happening," Pippin says, stating the obvious.

Gandalf looks a little discouraged. He pushes against the doors as hard as he can, but with no response.

After a moment, Pippin asks, "What are you going to do then?"

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took. And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed some time from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words," Gandalf says in irritation.

Jakan steps forward and draws the Darksaber. "I may be able to cut a way in using the Darksaber," he suggests.

"I doubt it, Jakan. There are powerful enchantments on these doors, and the rock itself is very thick. Even if you could, it would take forever before you could manage to create an opening large enough. We would be better off just waiting for me to try and figure out the password," Gandalf says.

Jakan nods and returns the Darksaber to its spot, and sits down with the rest of the Fellowship to prepare for a long night of waiting.

Hours have passed, and nothing has happened. Jakan fell asleep soon after sitting down to wait, and woke up just a few minutes ago. Gandalf has not made any progress in deciphering the password, and most of the Fellowship is just trying to pass the time.

Jakan stands up and walks up to the door, thinking that maybe his time would be better spent trying to decipher the password. He's been recognized as one of the best codebreakers among the Light Mandalorians, and feels that he might be able to figure it out. He examines every inch of the design of the door, while reviewing the words Gandalf translated. As he thinks, he wonders if the dwarves of Moria could've forseen allies arriving without knowing the password. Could they have prepared a way for them to still get in?

"Is it possible that the password could be implied in the inscription?" he asks out loud, voicing his theory as to how they may have done so.

A lightbulb seems to go off in Frodo's head at that, and he stands up too. He looks at the doors for a moment, then says, "It's a riddle. 'Speak, friend, and enter.' What the Elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon," Gandalf replies. And at that word, there is a loud grinding noise as the doors swing open. The Fellowship all get to their feet, eager to keep going.

Gandalf leads the way into Moria. Gimli, who has walked up by Jakan, says, "Soon, my friends, you shall enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves. Roaring fires! Malt beer! Red meat off the bone."

As Gimli is saying this, Gandalf is trying to light up the end of his staff to give them a light source. At the same time, Jakan has a growing bad feeling. Something just seems off about this place.

Gimli continues talking. "This is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine! A mine!" he says loudly, ending with a tone that suggests he can't believe people would call this place a mine.

As he says this, Gandalf's staff illuminates, and the entrance to Moria is fully illuminated, giving everybody a good view into the mines. And the sight is chilling. Boromir sums it up in horror, "This is no mine. It's a tomb."

Gimli stops short, realizing that it's true. Everyone looks around, seeing dozens of old skeletons lying on the ground. Gimli runs up to one with a low, "No!" He examines, and to his horror, recognizes the crest on the helm as that of a distant kin.

"NO!" he cries out. Jakan feels for him, but knows they have bigger things to worry about it. He bends down to examine one of the skeletons next to him. It looks taller than a dwarf, but the bones, and especially the skull, look deformed.

Legolas bends down and rips an arrow out of a skeleton. After looking at it for a second, he announces the identity of the culprits to this massacre. "Goblins!"

Everyone hurries to draw their weapons. Just from Legolas' tone of voice, Jakan knows that these goblins must be very bad news.

Boromir, while looking firmly ahead to watch for any goblins, says, in an almost smug tone, "We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." He pauses for a moment, then says, "Now, get out of here! Get out!"

Jakan starts to shuffle back, ready to follow Boromir's idea. The Gap of Rohan has to be better than this place. But none of the Fellowship, including Jakan, knows that just as deadly an enemy is right behind them. An ancient creature had made its home in the water outside the entrance to Moria, and many had long forgotten about it. And thanks to Merry and Pippin throwing rocks into the water, it had noticed them.

As Frodo and the other hobbits hurry to back out, a large tentacle lashes out and wraps around Frodo's ankle, dragging him off his feet and out of Moria.

"Sam!" Frodo cries out. Sam looks terrified, and yells out, "Strider!" That yell draws Aragorn's attention, and the rest of the Fellowship.

Jakan turns and sees the tentacle dragging Frodo out of Moria. As he does, Sam takes several swings at the tentacle with his sword. It doesn't cut through it, but it gets the tentacle's owner to let go. Then, just a moment later, a huge mass of tentacles surges out of the water, knocking over Sam, Pippin, and Merry, grabbing Frodo, and lifting him into the air.

Jakan reaches down and whips Hadhafang out of its sheath and sprints out of the caves as Legolas fires an arrow into the tentacle holding Frodo, which doesn't do much.

Along with Aragorn and Boromir, Jakan leaps into the water among the mass of tentacles, and the three begin using their swords to hack down tentacles, trying to get to Frodo. The creature tries to fend them off, but with three of them, it can't keep up too well.

Jakan sees the creature's massive head surface. Knowing it's going to try and eat Frodo, Jakan activates his jetpack and soars into the air. With two quick swipes of Hadhafang, he cuts through the tentacles holding Frodo and snatches the Hobbit out of the air."

"Into the mines!" Gandalf bellows as Jakan flies back to the doors with Frodo, setting down gently and releasing the Hobbit. Aragorn and Boromir race back to the doors, with Legolas firing an arrow into the monster's face to distract it.

Aragorn and Boromir are able to get back into Moria just in time. Angered at being denied a meal, the monster surges out of the water, and in a fury, smashes the Doors of Durin. The doors collapse, and rock from above them falls down on top of them, blocking off the entrance.

As the dust settles, Jakan looks back and pulls out a grenade. "I might be able to blast our way back out with this," he suggests to the Fellowship.

"No offence, Mr. Jakan, but I don't ever want to go near that thing again," Sam says quickly, a sentiment shared by the rest of the Fellowship. Jakan quickly replaces the grenade on his belt.

Gandalf relights his staff and says, "We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." The Fellowship slowly follows him into Moria.

As Jakan follows Gandalf, he shakes his head the tiniest bit and thinks to himself, What have I gotten myself into?

And, there we go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And again, I'm sorry it took me a month and a half to get this up. I promise it will not take this long to get the next chapter up.

Alright. Until next time, please review, and stay tuned.