Here's part1 of the most exciting part of the book. Enjoy!

Chapter 6:

The Fire Ship

For two days and one night they sailed peacefully. On the first day, as Carole and the other Dreamers looked over the sides of the ship, they saw great fish, some bigger than even the mead-hall Meduseld, swimming beside them, their tails coming up and making large waves as they slapped back into the water. The crew also saw fish with hooked fins on their backs leaping in the air and diving back into the depths, and a race of peoples that had the head and upper bodies of humans, but the tails of fish. The Dreamers had never seen anything like these creatures before, they had never seen how vast the sea could be.

That night, Carole was on the first deck, looking out at the twinkling stars, the boat being rocked gently. Then, she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She recognized those steps, an without turning said, "Good evening, Frodo."

"Good evening, my lady," Frodo said, coming up beside her. "May I join you?"

"Anytime," she replied.

As Frodo stood beside his dearest, he couldn't help but feel a deeper peace than he had known since his journey with the Ring. But though he felt peace, he also could not forget about that journey. Even now his shoulder was beginning to hurt him again. He had forgotten just ho much it pained him, now that it was back. He reached his hand up to to his old would, but found Carole's hand already there.

"I know you're in pain," she said, "and if I could, I would take it from you and bear it instead, but I can't. I want you to know, Frodo, that I love you as I've never loved anyone else; and I love you for who you are in spite of what you may or may not have done in the past. I always will."

Frodo put his arms around his lady, his cheek resting on her curly-brown haired head. Thus they spent the night, looking out on the horizon, without a thought or a care in the world.

It was not always such smooth sailing for a few on the gray ship. Thain and Gwain, not being used to the rolling waves, were often sick, and spent a few hours more in their rooms than most of the others. But all in all, the first days were tranquil.

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On sunset on the third day, the Elf manning the crow's nest set his watch out upon the Eastern shore. Then, with his far-seeing Elf eyes, he spied a curious sight. With agility and grace, he jumped down from his perch, and ran up to Gandalf, who was standing at the helm.

"My lord, Gandalf!" cried the Elf, "a ship of flames comes from the East!"

"What?" exclaimed the wizard, "That is impossible. No ship could have caught up with us in three days." But when he looked out towards the setting sun, he too saw a ship approaching. Indeed, it appeared red like fire, for it was plated in copper. From the side of the ship, many oars rowed in perfect syncopation, giving it great speed. On the bow of the boat was an carving of a lion, it's huge jaws open in a stilled roar, a short nozzle sticking out of it's mouth. At the helm of the copper ship stood many red-haired Elves clad in armor and low helmets, and, standing tall and imposing at the front was Culachquen.

"Gandalf," he called out, "We mean you no harm. We ask only one thing of you. Return to Valinor now."

"Culachquen," Gandalf called back, the rest of the company slowly coming forwards to watch them parley, "Do not interfere. If these stories are not told, your race is doomed!"

"No one beyond or lands must hear of us, wizard," Culachquen replied. "I warn you again, turn back now!"

"No!"

"So be it," the Elf said. Those on the gray ship saw Culachquen turn, speaking to his crew. Suddenly, the Elves on the copper ship rushed to what looked like giant cross-bows on the sides of the ship, loading glass spheres into the slings. Then, they lit the balls on fire, and shot them out onto the gray ship! The flaming orbs smashed onto the sides and the deck, their internal concoction sticking to the wood, and the fire causing the ship to begin to burn. Gandalf called for water, and soon many Elves can, throwing water on the red masses.

"That was a warning," Culachquen called out again. "If you will not turn back, then give us the books."

"This is madness, Culachquen!," Gandalf shouted.

"Will you or no?" cried the Elf.

"Never!" Gandalf said.

"So be it!" Culachquen shouted, hot anger bursting from inside. He gave a signal, and more fireballs were launched, creating a terrifying and deadly rain.

The crew and passengers on the gray ship hurried, getting bucket upon bucket of water to extinguish the fires. Just as they thought that they would put out all the fires, they heard a loud clang. Everyone looked sharply to the side of the ship. Culachquen was firing grappling hooks! The Elves of the copper ship began turning cranks, pulling the gray ship closer. Then, Culachquen stepped up to the bow, a long torch in his hand. He gave a command in Elvish, and two more Elves manned a large pump. Deep within a boiler room in the fiery ship, a strange, thick, sticky mixture of oil was pumped throught many pipes, and came squirting out from the nozzle in the lion's head. When vast amounts of oil had splattered into the sea and onto the gray boat, Culachquen took his torch, and lit a wick hidden beneath the nozzle.

From that came a loud and terrifying roar, the likes of which no being alive had ever heard. From Carole's spot on the ship, it appeared to her that the lion's head was breathing fire like a dragon! The inferno came without warning, without mercy, engulfing the lower front bow of the gray ship. Elves who had before been putting out the smaller fires hurried to put tout the larger one in front, but Carole saw that they would not be able to stop it. Then, more fireballs were shot out, and several of them were headed for Hope and Homer.

"Hope!" Homer cried out! The golden haired man pushed his sister aside, the rain if fire coming down on him.

"No! Brother!" screamed Hope. She ripped a piece off of the sail, wrapped her arm in it, drenched it with water, and pulled out her brother, all with lightening quick speed. She and Gem, Thoron and Tor, doused Homer with their buckets. Then, Hope dropped her bucket, and knelt beside her brother.

"Hope!?" Homer shouted, " are you safe? Where are you, sister?"

"I'm right here," she answered, "Homer what--?"

"I can't see," Homer said with pain and despair. "I can't see! I'm blind!"

An enormous wrath swelled inside Hope. Her brother, her oldest and closest friend, blind! And all because of…With a fierce and ear splitting cry of pure, animal rage, Hope grabbed Tor's ax from his belt and ran to the grappling hooks on the side of the boat, and hacked at the ropes with a power and strength that none thought possible from her slender frame. Soon, Carole, and others took up the task, and the grappling hooks were destroyed. But that was not the end of the battle. Still more and more fireballs and spouts of flame assailed the gray wooden ship. As the ship's crew and passengers tried all they could to save it, Carole could only think, 'Someone must do something, or we'll all die.'



I'm soooo bad! Let's see yall stand this huge cliffhanger. In fact, I just might not post the second half for a while

*evil laugh* MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!! TTFN!