Buffy is Whedon's and everybody else belongs to Tolkien

Into the Dark

The howls grew louder and closer. Eerie and disturbing the sound put everyone's nerves on edge. Wargs, Aragorn had called them. Gandalf had chased the animals off the previous evening but they had returned in what sounded like greater numbers. Frodo and the other hobbits lay sleeping though Buffy didn't know how with all the noise going on. The rest of the Fellowship sat tensely around a small fire, eyes glued into the distance looking for the first glimpse of trouble. Hands rested on weapons ready to be drawn and used at any moment. A rustle of leaves caused six heads to snap quickly in the direction of the sound. Legolas drew his bow with deadly concentration while Buffy, Aragorn, and Boromir unsheathed their swords. Buffy smiled grimly, she was itching for good fight.

It was quiet now. The only sound coming from the quiet breaths of the sleeping hobbits. Buffy noticed how Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir were forming a wall between the hobbits and her and the outside threat. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. Even after fighting Aragorn they still believed her incapable of protecting herself. Just because Legolas had had to save her from Saruman didn't mean she was helpless. She sighed and shouldered her way past Aragorn and Boromir so that she was just ahead of them facing the dark of the forest. Aragorn made a sound of protest but before it formed into words Buffy saw a flash of glowing eyes. She pointed to the left with her sword and Legolas aimed his bow in that direction.

The first one leaped out with growl, waking the hobbits. An arrow pierced through its head and the animal fell to the ground with a sick thud. Then everything exploded. Wargs jumped out from every direction. Swords and arrows flew while Gandalf grabbed a burning branch from the fire and waved the wargs back. He tossed the flame high and it flared with a bright white light. Words in another language poured forth from the wizard's mouth and Buffy's sword shone as it cut through the mid-section of a warg. The tree behind Gandalf caught fire and burst into light causing the animals to tremble and fall back. As suddenly as they appeared what was left of them melted back into the trees. One last arrow from Legolas felled the chief and then the clearing was silent once more.

"Wow," Buffy breathed as she watched the animal die. "What were those things, those wargs?"

"Beasts of Mordor," said Gandalf brushing bits of ash from his robes. "There were sent by Sauron."

"We should leave this place," Aragorn said.

The company began gathering what little possessions they had. As Buffy pulled the strings on her pack tight she noticed Legolas looking at her from the corner of his eye. She sighed. She had been distant from him ever since Saruman's attack on her a few nights ago. What he had witnessed while in her dreams was very personal and Buffy just wasn't sure how she felt about him knowing so much about her. At least he seemed to be respecting her space. She felt a pang of guilt at her behaviour and walked over to where he was pulling his arrow out of a dead warg.

"That was some fancy shooting," she said and then cringed. What did she think this was Wild Wild West?

"Thank you, I think," Legolas looked at her oddly.

"I meant it as a compliment," she smiled at the elf warmly and Legolas's chest puffed out considerably. Aragorn joined them before Buffy could say anything else.

"You fought bravely," he said to Buffy. "I am sorry we underestimated you."

"It's okay," Buffy answered. "I know it takes a while to get used to me and my slayerness. But just for the record, you ain't seen nothing yet."

* * *

The Fellowship stood before a sheer rock wall. It was so tall Buffy could barely see where it ended high above. Very impressive. She still didn't know what they were doing here though. Or why they had stopped. It was dark out but she hoped Gandalf was not planning to rest here for the night. There was something not quite right about this place and the nearby pool of still water was giving off some very disturbing vibes. Buffy noticed she wasn't the only one feeling edgy. Legolas stood near Gandalf looking pensive and very tense. His body was coiled to jump into action at any moment and his hand kept creeping towards his bow. The wizard was staring at the blank wall in deep concentration, ignoring the conversation going on around him.

"Have you any idea what he is doing," Pippin asked Buffy.

"Beats me," she answered.

"What beats you?" Merry asked from his place glued to Pippin's side.

"It is an expression in my world. It means I don't know."

Suddenly Gandalf sprang into action. Moving towards a smooth place on the wall between two trees he ran his hands over the rock surface muttering something under his breath. He turned and faced the group.

"Look!"

The first rays of moonlight touched the stone and as they did lines began to appear. They traced a silvery pattern which when completed appeared to be an arch with trees twined around either side and strange writing above.

"What do they say?" asked the ever inquisitive Frodo.

"They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter." Answered Gandalf. "It is simple you speak the password and the doors open."

"What is the password?" Pippin asked. Gandalf was silent.

"You do know the password Gandalf?" Frodo looked worried.

"Not as such," Gandalf said rubbing his chin. "But I once knew every spell in the tongues of elves, men, or orcs used for such a purpose. Only a few trials are needed I think." With that Gandalf placed his staff on the door and called out an incantation. Nothing. He tried another. Nothing.

Buffy sat down next to Frodo and got comfortable. This was going to take a while.

"So, how are you holding up?" She asked the hobbit.

"Some days are harder than others," Frodo smiled faintly. "Sometimes I wish the ring had never come to me."

"I know what you mean. I tried so hard to have a normal life and wished so much that I had never been called. It just didn't seem fair, you know? Other people got to go about their merry way and lead normal lives. Why me? Why did I have to sacrifice so much for people I didn't even know and would probably never meet?" Frodo nodded. The very same thoughts had been running around in his head for some time now.

"But, you know," Buffy continued, "when I had my powers taken from me even for a little while I couldn't stand it. The thought of living a regular life after all that I had seen and done just didn't cut it. I knew what was out there in the dark, I couldn't ignore it. The knowledge that I couldn't fight it - well, it bothered me a lot. Someone has to fight against all those evil things lurking out there, it may as well be me. Honestly, Frodo, do you think you could give up that ring to someone else and go back to your home knowing that at any moment your world could end and you did nothing to stop it?"

Frodo surprised himself when he answered, "No, I don't think I could."

Buffy's response was interrupted when she noticed Boromir tossing pebbles into the water. She started to call out for him to stop when she saw Aragorn reach Boromir's side first. She looked into the water, waiting for the first sign of trouble. Something was wrong. She saw Legolas pull Aragorn aside and knew he felt it as well.

"What is it?" Frodo asked.

"I don't know but Gandalf had better hurry." Buffy and Frodo walked over to where the wizard sat still trying to puzzle out the password. They reached his side at the same time as Aragorn and Legolas.

"Something approaches Gandalf." Legolas warned.

"He right," Buffy added, "my slayer sense is going off the charts."

Buffy received very confused looks from everyone and sighed. "Something bad is going to happen if we don't get inside soon."

"Gandalf!" Frodo burst out. "It is a riddle. What is the elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon." As soon as the word had left the wizard's mouth the great doors began to creak open slowly. What they revealed beyond them was utter darkness.

Gandalf's staff began to glow with soft light as he and Gimli led the Fellowship into the deep dark of Moria. Buffy felt a crunch under her foot and knew what it was she had stepped on before actually seeing it. She had spent too much time in crypts and tombs to not know she had just crushed a skull with her booted heel.

"This is no mine," breathed Boromir. "This is a tomb."

Legolas reached down and pulled an arrow from one of the many skeletons littering the floor. "Goblins!" He drew his bow and aimed ready for the first sign of attack.

Buffy heard a cry of fear behind her and she turned to see Frodo being pulled back towards the pool by a long, slimy tentacle. Sam was desperately stabbing at the tentacle with his little sword but he was having no luck. Without forethought Buffy drew her sword and ran towards Frodo followed closely by everyone else. She slashed at the tentacle cutting it off and setting Frodo free. He fell and was caught by Boromir before he hit the fetid water. Legolas loosed an arrow which hit the squid-like creature in what Buffy presumed was the thing's face. It screamed a hideous piercing sound as the company made its way into the relative safety of the dark of Moria. Buffy was the last to reach the doors but just as she was about to step inside a tentacle caught her foot and dragged her back. She now hung upside down over a gaping wide mouth full of nasty looking teeth. Another of Legolas's arrows found its mark but the creature did not let go of Buffy. It slung her around violently causing her to become disoriented for a moment but as her vision cleared she saw a round filmy eye staring back at her. She aimed her sword carefully and with a burst of strength she let it go. With a sick gushy sound the sword found its mark and the creature screamed in agony and dropped Buffy as quickly as it had grabbed her. She took a deep breath, prepared to land in the water but it never happened. She was caught by strong arms and quickly carried back into Moria.

"You are as light as a feather," Boromir said before setting her down.

"I do try to keep my girlish figure."

Gandalf stood before the doors trying get them closed and keep the monster out but with a sudden surge slimy tentacles reached out of the water and latched on to the rock around the entrance. With a great heave the creature pulled itself out of the pool, Buffy's sword still dangling from its eye. However, the rock was not strong enough to bear the weight and with a great crash the wall began to crumble in an avalanche of rock.

They were trapped in Moria.