***Chapter 6: Arrival and new friends***
The road eventually lead them to the gates of the Bree. To complete the happy scene there was a torrential downpour causing the four friends to trudge through ankle deep mud as they approached. It was late and night had already fallen. Trance share an uncertain glance then walked up to the gate and knocked. An opening appeared and a face peered out squinting down at them. "Who are you and what do you want?", the man demanded. "We're heading toward the Prancing Vedran. Our business is our own.", Trance replied. "Alright, I meant no offense. It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's strange folk abroad you know. Can't be too careful.", the doorkeeper said, opening the gate and allowing them to pass through. It's not the strange folk abroad that worry me, it's the strange folk here.", TG commented. Harper nodded in agreement. Once inside the city, the four friends instinctively drew closer together as they searched for the inn. Once the located it and entered, they paused to take the scene before Trance approached the innkeeper. " I'd like four rooms for the night and could you please inform Andromeda the Grey the we've arrived? My name's Underhill." "Andromeda", the innkeeper repeated, seemingly genuinely puzzled, "Andromeda?" "Oh, yes!", he exclaimed, his facesuddenly clearing. " I'm afraid she's not been here for six months. She said something about someone named Underhill, but I can't remember quite what it was now. Oh well, let me see to your rooms and supper, I'm sure I'll remember it later." he said. Ten minutes later the friends had settled into their respective rooms and met in the common room for some supper. While Molly and Harper drank and exchanged stories with the other people at the inn, TG and Trance withdrew to a table near the corner of the room. Trance was troubled but tried to reassure herself and her friend. "Rommie will be here, she will come." TG, however, was not paying attention to what Trance had said. Her attention was directed towards a man sitting in the far corner who had been staring at them for quite a long time. She pointed that fact to Trance who questioned the innkeeper about who the man was. She was informed that he was a member of the High Guard although no one knew exactly who he was. Trance stared at him for another before turning away. What she saw next was not much of an improvement. Harper had apparently had a little too much ale because he had seemingly forgotten the danger that he and his friends were in and was giving an account of the events of her younger self's birthday party and had almost reached the part about the incredible disappearance. Trance leapt to her feet and raced over to stop him, but tripped suddenly and vanished. The Ring which had been in her pocket the entire time, had fallen out and landed on her finger, without Trance consciously trying to put it on. Suddenly Trance found herself in a shadowy world in front of a dark tower. At the top of the tower stood a shadowy figure wreathed in flame. Horrified, Trance yanked the Ring off of her finger and tried to catch her breath while the creatures final words continued to reverberate through her head. "There is no light in the void, only death." She had barely caught her breath when suddenly the man from the corner appeared in front of her. "You are far too careless.", he hissed, pulling her to her feet. He motioned for her to follow him and after a moments hesitation she did. "What do you want?", she asked curiously and with growing dread. "A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry.", the stranger said with a knowing glance. "I carry nothing.", she asked curiously and with growing dread. "A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry.", the stranger said with a knowing glance. "I carry nothing.", she insisted, feeling far from comfortable. This strange man knew she had the Ring and she had no idea who he was or who he worked for. "Are you frightened?", he asked her. Trance hesitated briefly before answering, "Yes." "Not nearly frightened enough.", the man countered, "I know what hunts you." At that moment Trance's friends, alarmed at her disappearance burst into the room. The stranger turned to regard them with a mixture of approval and admiration. "You have stout hearts.", he told them, "but that will not save you." Turning back to Trance he added, "You cannot afford to wait for Andromeda. They are coming." At that point TG interrupted, "and who exactly are you? You know something about our business, that's clear enough, a little too much in my opinion, but what exactly do you want with us?" The man smiled as he answered her questions. "I am a friend. I was sent to take you safely through the wild to Rivendell. I know the riders that hunt you, your odds of arriving safely are much better if I am with you. What do you say to that?" Trance opened her mouth to answer when suddenly there was a knock at the door. They all gazed anxiously as Molly opened it, but the only person outside was the innkeeper holding a letter and wearing a sheepish expression. The stranger melted into the shadows as he entered the room. "Now look,", he began looking anxious and apologetic, "I hope I haven't done any harm. I was given this letter by Andromeda and told to give it too a woman named Trance Gemini. I had completely forgotten until now, but you match the description she gave me. She said to give you this letter along with any aid necessary. I've tried to keep an eye on you, but I think you're in real bad trouble, especially with your antics downstairs.", he added with a reproving glance. "There's strange folk in Bree these days. There were a couple of Kalderans passing through the other day looking for someone named Gemini and if they meant well than I'm a Nightsider. And then there was that High Guard I hope I haven't done any harm. I was given this letter by Andromeda and told to give it too a woman named Trance Gemini. I had completely forgotten until now, but you match the description she gave me. She said to give you this letter along with any aid necessary. I've tried to keep an eye on you, but I think you're in real bad trouble, especially with your antics downstairs.", he added with a reproving glance. "There's strange folk in Bree these days. There were a couple of Kalderans passing through the other day looking for someone named Gemini and if they meant well than I'm a Nightsider. And then there was that High Guard watching you. If I were you I'd be very cautious. People like him are very dangerous, they're not the type you should take up with." "And who would you have them take up with?", the High Guard demanded stepping out from the shadows. "Would you go aboard the Magog Worldship to stop the Enigma. Listen to me! I am Dylan Hunt of the High Guard and I am an ally to all the enemies of the Magog.", Turning back to face Trance and her companions he concluded, "And if by life or death I can save you, I will." Trance made no answer, instead she opened Andromeda's letter and then gazed in surprise at Dylan. "It seems as though it was all arranged for us in advance. Andromeda sent him to meet us.", she informed her friends, handing them the letter. "Well then it's settled.", Dylan said, "I would recommend that you stay here for the night. No doubt the enemy has discovered where your rooms are by now. We must leave at dawn." After a short time the four friends gathered their things into the room and fell into an uneasy sleep. Hours passed and then when the night had reached its darkest hour, four black figures attacked Bree, knocking down the gate and entering the inn. They stationed themselves over the four beds and viciously stabbed them, shrieking in outrage when they discovered that they had been tricked. The noise woke Trance and her friends who glanced anxiously gazed towards the window. "What are they?", Trance asked Dylan. "They were once Kalderan raiders. Then the Enigma gave them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by on falling into darkness. They are the Nazgul. They are drawn to the power of the Ring. They will never stop hunting you." "Try to get some rest.", he added, "It is nearly dawn."