A/N: Thanks to you all for being so patient with this thing… I updated on December 15th! It's been so evil over this Christmas… but evil in a good Christmas way. Anyhow, the next chapter, I promise will be in approx. a week because I haven't made a final decision on where this is gonna go so… hope you enjoy this one!

Today, I went to see TTT again; THREE TIMES NOW!! Since December 18th! What's that, 12 days? On average, I've seen LotR:TTT every four days yahargh!

Normal human being: Yeah well, I like the way you steal my ideas! ;) don't go a-stealing too many now (can hear normal human being's far-off cackling) I said… DON'T go stealing too many! Have you seen TTT yet?

Tiggivon: You're too kind you know… can't wait for this new story! (Bangs head against the wall a couple of times) How devoted can you get? It can be scary… ak… you can't review so you email me what you think? That is so touching, I forgot to tell you, but thanks SO MUCH!!

Luichen Greenleaf: You better bet it's intense… so intense that it's over-tense! But perhaps this chapter is to your liking more (Even though it doesn't have the oh-so-gorgeous Legsie in it!) Will Frodo be okay? I dunno, you tell me ;) will he be okay?

Chapter 14: Dreams Disturbed

"Frodo… Frodo…"

Frodo awoke painfully to find himself in a totally different world; he was lying on a bare, sandy plain. Everywhere around him was totally pitch black; there was nothing in sight, only bitter fumes that stung his eyes and made him feel suffocated, and a murky, grey sky swirling with storm clouds. Voices beckoned him and whispered his name all around him.

"Frodo… Frodo…"

The whispers; there were some in Elvish, some in Dwarfish, some that he did not know of. But there was one clear above all the rest. Strangely tempting, it's hoarse mutter almost drove Frodo's mind to insanity; he wanted to run, yet he was lured by its croaking manner.

"Frodo… we need you Frodo…"

He stood in fear, clutching the hilt of Sting, and walked forward a few paces. The voice seemed to be coming from his right. He felt strangely calm, and walked towards it.

"We need you Frodo… join with us, halfling of the Shire…"

With a strange light in his eyes, he stopped and began to reach a hand out-

"PRECIOUS! MY PRECIOUS IS LOST!" screamed in his ear. He dropped Sting and fell to his knees, covering his ears, anything to stop-

Suddenly, he felt icy fingers clasp around his neck, strangling- he felt on the floor for Sting, and clasping the hilt, began to hack at the dead hand at his throat. He heard a shriek and yelled, jumped to his feet and ran blindly through the darkness.

"FRODO!"

A shadow loomed in front of him, bearing the face of an uncloaked Nazgùl. Frodo fell backwards, hitting his head hard against the stony ground. A pain of burning fire spread through him and he cried out in agony. Gasping for breath in vain, inhaling poisonous smoky fumes instead, he fearfully saw the Nazgùl draw a sword: a Morgul Blade, foul and glinting.

Frodo went to crawl backwards, but the Wraith stepped on his cloak and mercilessly stabbed him viciously deep into his left shoulder. Frodo very-well near screamed in his torment, feeling the black blade scald his skin, feeling boiling blood seep out as the sword pierced the skin on his back and jolted right out onto the other side, into the ground.

The face of the Nazgùl changed, but changed to Orli's, screeching and laughing. Frodo feel almost unconscious with the feeling as the sword slowly began to dissolve, and the Nazgùl retreated and disappeared into the dark.

Frodo moved his right hand to his shoulder and tried to stem the blood flow, as all silence fell around him. The ground had suddenly become soft and moving, as if living things were slithering under it. A rotting body rose out of the ground, thrashing, throwing itself at Frodo.

As the creature advanced, Frodo sank back into the mud, sinking deep beneath the ground. He dared to open his eyes; he saw rotting faces of elves, men and orcs around him, and dared to scream.


"FRODO!" Frodo yelled and sat up sharply, clutching his shoulder. Orli sat crossed legged a few feet, head in his hands as Gollum crouched somewhere to the left of him, probably chewing something disgusting.

"Goddammit halfling!" Orli furrowed his brow in exasperation and shook Frodo by his shoulders; "Do you want to get us killed?"

Abruptly, the hobbit burst into tears and began sobbing into his cloak, his shoulders shaking in grief. Orli stared in shock for a while, just watching the halfling's shoulders.

"Hey, little guy…" Orli tried, but Frodo sat up and stared at him widely with a strange light in his eyes, something clasped in his wrist.

"…What are you hiding?" Orli asked suspiciously. The hobbit did not reply, "What are you hiding. Show me it now!"

Orli grew even more bewildered as Gollum slowly crawled over, with another strange green light in his eyes, muttering to himself. Frodo held out the ring, staring at it almost religiously. Gollum stretched a twisted hand out, slowly, whispering and muttering to himself slyly, edging his fingers toward the ring-

"FRODO!" Orli yelled in shock as Frodo sprang forward toward Gollum snarling, unsheathing sting, pulling Gollum's head back and pressing the blade onto his neck, "LEAVE IT!" he barked, "This is Sting. You've seen it before, HAVEN'T you!" Frodo paused; staring at Gollum disgusted as he started to whimper, feeling the rawness of the blade against his throat. "Don't you dare take it. It's MINE!" Frodo went on dangerously, "Or I'll cut your throat…"

"Frodo!" Orli said angrily, standing up fiercely, "sit down! Leave the pathetic thing alone!"

Frodo snapped his head towards Orli, but retreated, and slumped back down, his hand clasped around the ring, sweating and closing his eyes.

Orli stared at a shocked Gollum for a while, wondering what could have made the creature do what he did. Orli looked east toward the ever-closer mountain of fire, then up at what remaining sun there was; the sky was growing ever darker.

"Enough rest," Orli went on, bending down to get his pack and to shake Frodo from sleeping again, "It's time we went."

Frodo arose shakily, grasping the small pack and clambering to his feet.

Gollum sprang along a small path between the sour bogs, "Come, marshes are ending! Soon we will be at Black Gate. Hurry, nasty moon could be out any minute!"

Three figures discreetly disappeared into the shadow, as a feint, but yellow moon wove itself into a bitter black sky.

To be continued