KAT

Again, Gandalf hesitated. 'Kill them.' She repeated. This time, Gandalf raised his staff, and pointed one end at Aragorn's chest. Gandalf muttered some incantation, and a jet of purple light shot from the end of his staff at Aragorn.

Luckily, Aragorn had more sense than to just stand there, and he jumped out the way. The purple light hit a tree behind him, which promptly fell over.

'Stop.' Talania commanded, and Gandalf did. Talania then proceeded to look straight into the eyes of Sam, Merry, Pippin, Boromir and Gimli, and told them all to come to her. One by one, they all obeyed, leaving Frodo still unconscious on the forest floor, and Aragorn and Legolas standing together away from the group.

Talania knew there was no point in even trying to control Aragorn or Legolas – Legolas was an elf himself, and Aragorn had grown up in Rivendell. They both knew how to overcome her powers of persuasion, and they would never trust her.

'Boromir, Gimli, Gandalf – kill those two.' Talania ordered, and Boromir, Gimli and Gandalf all drew their weapons and started fighting with Legolas and Aragorn. Talania then turned to the three hobbits. 'You trust me, don't you?' Talania asked Sam, Merry and Pippin. They all nodded, even though none of them actually trusted her in the slightest.

'I have a favour to ask of you three.' Talania continued, and handed Sting to Sam. 'Kill him.' She said, looking down at Frodo. The three hobbits stood motionless. 'KILL HIM!' Talania shouted, and they turned to surround Frodo. Merry and Pippin drew their own swords from their belts, and the three hobbits all stabbed Frodo.

This had an unexpected effect. Instead of Frodo dying, he became conscious again.

'Stop.' Talania ordered Sam, Merry and Pippin. She knelt at Frodo's side, took off his sling and shirt, to reveal the mithril vest Bilbo had given him.

 Frodo himself was paralysed with fear. His three best friends were standing around him with their swords aimed at his heart, and Talania was there, taking from him his only armour. He could hardly breathe – the swords may not have penetrated his body, but they had struck his chest with great force. He was helpless with no sword as Talania removed the mithril vest from him, and said again, 'KILL HIM!'

Frodo closed his eyes. This was the end – he was going to be murdered by his three best friends.

'MERRY! SAM! PIPPIN!' Frodo heard a voice shout. He dared to open his eyes to see Aragorn running towards them. Merry and Sam had obviously broken away from Talania's powers when they had heard Aragorn, but Pippin was weaker and didn't stop like Sam and Merry.

'PIPPIN, NO!' Sam cried, trying to push Pippin aside. Pippin was still strongly under Talania's influence, however. Sam managed to move Pippin's aim from Frodo's heart, but his sword still came down straight into chest, probably piercing one of his lungs.

The second Frodo was attacked, Talania released the fellowship from her powers. Gandalf, Boromir and Gimli stopped their fight with Legolas, and Pippin pulled his sword from Frodo as quickly as possible.

'What have I done?' Pippin cried, looking at his bloodstained sword and Frodo lying on the ground, screaming and gasping for breath, blood all over his bare chest.

The fellowship gathered around Frodo, completely forgetting about Talania.

'Um… shouldn't we get the ring back from Talania?' Gimli asked.

Legolas looked around to see Talania running into the distance, still holding the ring. He grabbed an arrow, loaded it into his bow, and shot it at Talania.

'Ow!' They all heard her shout from distance. Gandalf then shot a beam of red light from his staff at Talania and the fellowship all saw her fall to the ground.

'You killed her!' Boromir said, surprised.

'No, she's just unconscious.' Gandalf replied. 'Legolas, go and get the ring.'

Legolas obeyed and ran off to Talania to retrieve the ring. Everyone turned their attention back to Frodo, who was, by now, almost finding it impossible to breathe.

'One of his lungs has been pierced.' Aragorn said, kneeling at Frodo's side.

'Is he going to die?' Sam asked.

'It doesn't look good, Sam… not good at all…'