When the Fellowship departed from Rivendell, Titus didn't expect them to actually walk their way to Mordor. Sure he was used to marching long distances but from here to Mordor? That would be quite the journey on foot. They have travelled south through the woods and plains of the realm of Hollin, formerly Eregion, where they passed the ruins of old Elven cities. They kept their course west of the Misty Mountains and hoped that the Gap of Rohan was still open for them.

Currently, the Fellowship were taking a break on an outstretched arm of the mountain. Sam was cooking and Gandalf was smoking while Frodo was watching Boromir teach Merry and Pippin how to fight with a sword. Aragorn, Titus and Rin were sitting on a rock close to the three with the former of the two smoking while the latter chewed on the ever present straw between her teeth. Mei Lin sat on the ground near the Grey Wizard while Legolas stood vigilant watch on top of a rock.

"I'd say we were taking the long way round."

Mei Lin couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the Dwarf and Wizard and closed her book before listening in.

"Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, will give us a royal welcome."

"No, Gimli." The wizard replied "I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."

"Why is that, Gandalf?"

Gandalf turned his head and looked down to where the Tiandi was sitting on the ground and resting her back against a rock. He puffed out a smoke from his pipe before replying.

"There is an evil that lurks there. An old evil. One I wish not for the company to encounter for it is beyond any of you."

Mei Lin frowned as she thought of it before contemplating on what the wizard said while Legolas walked past her and jumped up a rock before narrowing his eyes in the distance. Gandalf noticed this and looked in the distance with narrowed eyes. Mei Lin stood from her spot and looked to where the two were gazing it and saw a black... cloud? in the distance.

'What is that?'

Meanwhile, Boromir accidentally nicked Pippin's hand and quickly apologized only for said Hobbit to retaliate by kicking the man in the shin. Merry then hit Boromir's leg with the flat of his blade before tackling the larger man while Pippin held on to Boromir's right leg, sending the three of them into the ground.

"For the Shire! Hold him! Hold him down, Merry!"

While Titus and Rin laughed at the spectacle, Aragorn, after having a good laugh himself, decided to help his fellow man and rose from his spot before walking over to them.

"Gentlemen, that's enough."

The Ranger placed a hand on the Hobbits' shoulders but this only made him a target to the mischievous duo. Merry and Pippin turned their attention to him and grabbed him by the leg each before, surprisingly, pulling him off the ground. Aragorn fell to his back on the ground and the two onlookers burst into even more laughter. Frodo smiled at the scene but Sam was looking in the other direction as something caught his eye.

"What's that?"

"Nothing." Gimli dismissed "Just a whiff of cloud."

Boromir finally got up and placed a hand on both Hobbits' shoulders and saw what they were talking about.

"It's moving fast." He pointed out before frowning when he noticed something odd "Against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" The Elf alerted them before jumping off the rock.

"Hide!" Aragorn yelled as he grabbed his sword then faced the other Hobbits "Frodo, hurry. Take cover!"

Everyone quickly retrieved their belongings and hid under whatever cover they could find. Sam put out the fire he used to cook their food and grabbed his pots and pans before hiding under a rock formation. Frodo and Aragorn did the same while Rin and Titus hid under some bushes. The mercenary lay on top of the Centurion as he laid on his back while his eyes frantically looked for who or what was a Crebain. Boromir, Merry and Pippin hid under some bushes as well while Mei Lin hid with Gandalf and Gimli beneath some rocks and Legolas observed underneath some shrubbery. The group was silent as they waited for the Crebain to arrive. Soon, a flock ravens or crows, Titus didn't know, circled the hill were they were resting. Everyone kept quiet as they waited for the birds to pass which to them felt like hours but in reality, was only twenty seconds. The only sounds they heard were the flapping of their wings and their cawing.

When the birds finally passed and went back southward, Gimli was the first to get out from his cover, followed by Gandalf and the others.

"Spies of Saruman." The Grey Wizard stated before looking at the Fellowship "The passage south is being watched. We must take the pass through Caradhras."

Everyone turned to where Gandalf was staring at and looked the mountain. Titus was glad he brought with him a spare tunic made for colder weather conditions and moved to take it out of his pack to change. Rin, meanwhile, grimaced. She did not think to bring something warm to change into.

"Crap."

"What's wrong?" Titus asked as he took off his chainmail shirt and grabbed a longer sleeved tunic from his pack.

"I didn't bring anything for the cold."

"Hmm. Well, here."

Rin turned her head to his direction and barely caught the blue and black cloak with a hood and a small piece of animal hide sewn onto it that the Centurion threw her way. Due to Titus' larger frame, the cloak around Rin was actually a bit too big but at least not enough to hinder her movements.

"Thanks."

"No problem." The Centurion replied as he put on his chainmail shirt once more before wrapping his hands with cloth. This showed those pricks that thought wearing pants was barbaric and refused to wear them. Ha! Jokes on them. If they were here, he's gonna be the only one who won't be freezing his balls off.

~Line Break~

"Frodo!"

Titus and Rin looked up just in time to catch the Halfling and prevent him from falling further down the slopes of Caradhras. The two pulled him up to his feet and Titus placed a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder.

"You alright there, Frodo?"

"It's alright. I'm fi- " Frodo stopped himself when his hand went to the Ring only to find, to his horror, that it wasn't there. The Hobbit frantically looked around much to the Centurion and Aramusha's confusion before spotting the Ring further up the slope. Suddenly, a gloved hand grabbed it by the chain and lifted it off the ground.

Boromir lifted the Ring and stared intently at it, as if in a trance. The Captain of Gondor couldn't tear his eyes away from the Ring even when Aragorn and Titus called out to him.

"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt." Boromir spoke softly before slowly reaching a hand towards the Ring itself "Over such a small thing. Such a little thing."

"Boromir!"

That seemed to snap the Gondorian from his trance as he pulled back his hand and looked to the Ranger. Blinking his eyes as if he just came to.

"Give the Ring to Frodo."

Boromir then realized that Aragorn and Mei Lin had a hand on their respective blades while Titus was narrowing his eyes at his friend. Though they couldn't see it due to her straw hat, Rin too was glaring at the Gondorian and was slowly moving her hands to the hilt of her katanas. The Captain of Gondor slowly walked down the slope towards the Hobbit before holding it out to Frodo.

"As you wish." He muttered just as Frodo immediately snatched the Ring from his hands and quickly placed it back around his neck "I care not."

Boromir ruffled the Hobbit's hair before turning around to climb up the slopes once more. Aragorn, Mei Lin and Rin relaxed and let go of the hilts of their weapons but Titus was still glaring holes at Boromir's back. He patted Frodo on the shoulder before hurrying up the slope to catch up to his friend.

"Oi." He called out and Boromir turned around to see Titus glaring at him "What the fuck was that? Did you actually try to take the Ring for yourself? Are you mad?"

"I-I don't know what came over me." Boromir answered honestly "Whenever I see the Ring, I could hear voices whispering in my ear then visions of my home burning come to my mind."

"Whispers?" Titus asked "So you hear it too."

"You hear them as well?"

"Yeah. It's like this small voice in the back of my head keeps telling me to take it. It whispers into my mind that with it, I can return home. Conquer our enemies and bring peace to our world." Titus fervently shook his head "That Ring is evil. It's tempting us to take it. Well fuck that. I'm not about to let some piece of fucking jewelry control me like a puppet. You should remember that too. You're my friend and I don't ant to see you succumb to it. Don't let it get to you, otherwise... "

Titus left it at that before walking past Boromir and caught up with Rin, leaving the Captain of Gondor to ponder on what the Centurion said. Rin gave the Centurion a look as they made their way up the mountain.

"What was that about?" She asked with a quiet voice.

"Have you been hearing voices in your head? Whispers?"

Rin's lone eye widened and Titus took her silence as a yes.

"It always happens whenever your close to the Ring or you can see it."

"How did you know?"

"That Ring is evil and I don't want it going anywhere near me. Try not to get close or look at it. You saw what it's doing to Boromir. None of us are safe from it's whispers. Keep your guard up."

"Got it."

~Line Break~

By the time they were on the side of the mountain, they were assaulted by deadly winds that hindered their very movement. While everyone else was almost waist deep in snow and struggling to move forward, Legolas effortlessly walked past them. Not sinking nor even leaving a footprint in the snowy ground. This prompted Titus and Rin to glare up at the Elf.

"Lucky bastard." Titus cursed under his breath as he helped carve a path for Rin to follow.

Boromir helped carry Pippin while Mei Lin helped Merry. Sam was helped by Aragorn and Gimli while Gandalf kept Frodo close.

"There's a fell voice in the air." Legolas called out.

"It's Saruman!"

They heard loud cracks above them and looked up to see rocks fall from the mountain. The Fellowship moved to the side to avoid getting crushed.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn yelled "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!"

The Grey Wizard stepped out of the snow and made his way over to the ledge then began battling the voice of Saruman with his own, trying to calm the mountain which Saruman awakened. Saruman's voice thundered once more and overshadowed Gandalf. Lightning flashed above them lightning struck the mountain and sent hard snow and rocks falling down in them. Everybody braced themselves as they were buried completely by the snow. Moments passed before the group dug themselves out. It was Boromir who spoke first.

"We must get off the mountain!" He yelled at Mithrandir "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

Titus didn't know whether he suggested that out of the group's safety or because he wanted the Ring to go to Minas Tirith.

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued and the Centurion couldn't help but agree.

"He's right. If we get too close, we would be falling right into Saruman's hands." Mei Lin added.

"If we cannot go over the mountain, then we must go under it!" Gimli stated before looking at the wizard "Let us go through the mines of Moria."

Gandalf looked conflicted as doubt began to show in his eyes.

'Shadow and Flame.'

The Grey Wizard, with reluctance, gave his answer.

"Let the Ring Bearer decide."

Frodo looked up at Gandalf with shock before looking over his shoulder at the rest of the Fellowship. He could already see Merry and Pippin growing pale from the cold.

"We cannot stay here. This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

He was right. They stay here any longer and they would die from the cold, that is, if the mountain doesn't kill them first.

"Frodo?"

Said Hobbit looked up at the wizard with uncertainty.

"We will go through the mines."

"So be it." The wizard replied with a solemn tone.

~Line Break~

And so they travelled back down the mountain and into the paths that would lead them to the entrance of Moria. A perilous path but Gandalf feared that what lies inside the mines would be more dangerous than anything the others have encountered before. The path led them to underneath the ruins of an aqueduct. Gandalf called for Frodo while everyone else looks upon the vast cliff face.

"Moria." Gimli muttered before taking the lead.

"Mines." Titus shook his head with a sigh "I hate mines. It's dark."

"And?" Rin asked with a raised brow.

"And what?"

"That's it?" She looked at him incredulously "You hate mines just because it's dark."

"Yes. What's the matter with that?"

"You're telling me you're afraid of a little darkness?"

"You have no idea what could be lurking in the dark." Titus argued "And when in the dark, you can't see who you're fighting. You won't see their next move. You won't be able to block their attacks. Also, you won't be able to see if there's a spider on your shoulder."

"Ha! Coward."

Rin walked ahead of him while laughing her heart out. Titus glared holes in the back of her head and felt someone pat him on the back. He looked to his left to see Mei Lin giving him an understanding smile.

"I hate spiders too."

"Finally. Someone agrees with me."

~Line Break~

By the time they came upon the Doors of Durin, night had already fallen and the moon shone brightly in the night sky. The moon's light shone down on a section of the wall and revealed Doors of Durin. Though Gandalf tried, he could not think of the password to open said doors and have been thinking of the riddle's answers for hours. Titus decided to sit on the ground and lean back on a rock to drink the on his wineskin. He had been keeping it for such occasions where he wasn't doing anything and was bored out of his mind. The Centurion placed a pipe between his lips and puffed out a smoke before spotting someone sit next to him from the corner of his eye.

"If you get drunk and fall asleep, we're leaving you behind."

"Ha! One wineskin can barely give a kick. It's gonna take at least eight to ten of these before I won't be able to see straight anymore." Titus joked before holding the wineskin out to Rin "Want some?"

"Thanks."

Rin took the offered drink and took a sip before handing it back.

"Don't like it?"

"It's alright." The mercenary answered with a shrug before taking off her kasa "But I try to keep my wits about me. Especially in the night."

"Suit yourself."

In front of the two, Merry and Pippin were throwing rocks into the water. Aragorn and Sam had just finished letting Bill the Pony go before the Ranger grabbed Pippin's forearm just as the Hobbit was about to skip another rock into the lake. Said Hobbit looked up at him questioningly.

"Do not disturb the water." Aragorn warned.

Titus narrowed his eyes when he saw something move in the lake. The Centurion looked at the wineskin in his hand and put it away before looking at Rin.

"Did you- "

"Yes. Try to act like you didn't see it but keep your guard up." The Aramusha cut him off as she retrieved her straw hat and placed it upon her head once more. As discreetly as she could, Rin inched her hands toward the hilt of her katanas while Titus did the same with his gladius.

"Merry. Pippin." Titus called out and motioned for them to get away from the lake.

Meanwhile, Mei Lin and Boromir saw that their friends were looking intently into the lake and their hands were inching towards their respective weapons. This put the two on edge and Mei Lin placed a hand on the hilt of her Dao while Boromir unlatched his shield. Unbeknownst to them that Legolas too was alert and was discreetly nocking an arrow on his bow.

"Mellon."

The Doors of Durin rumbled as they slowly opened for the Fellowship who quickly grabbed their things and went inside. Gandalf placed a crystal on his staff as everyone entered through the doors one by one. While everyone else was weary of the cave, Titus more so, Gimli was excited.

"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin."

Meanwhile, Gandalf brought his hand around the crystal and blew into it. The crystal then glowed and gave them light in the darkness of Moria.

"And they call it a mine." Gimli laughed "A mine!"

From the corner of his eye, something caught Boromir's attention. When he got a good look at it, a feeling of dread soon wracked his body and he tightened the grip around the hilt of his blade.

"This is no mine." He muttered before turning his head to the others "It's a tomb."

The light on Gandalf's crystal glowed brighter and revealed the Dwarven skeletons that littered the ground around them. The Hobbits backed away as one skeleton was rather close to their feet. Gimli wailed as he fell to his knees at the sight of his fallen bretheren. Legolas, meanwhile, knelt down to one of the skeletons and pulled an arrow out of a skull and examined the tip before throwing it away in disgust.

"Goblins!"

Aragorn, Boromir, Mei Lin, Rin and Titus unsheathed their blades while Legolas nocked an arrow and aimed his bow around the cavern.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan." Boromir stated as he stood protectively in front of the Hobbits "We should never have come here."

"Get back." Titus ordered to the four Hobbits while his eyes frantically looked around for any sign of these Goblins.

As they slowly backed away from the Doors of Durin, they were unaware as something stirred in the water behind them. This creature watched it's prey back away closer and closer to it's domain. The Watcher in the Water slowly slithered a tentacle out of the water and towards one of the Hobbits. When Frodo took one step back, he felt something wrap around his ankle and pull him to the ground.

"Frodo!"

Said Hobbit screamed as the tentacle tried to pull him into the water but Merry and Pippin managed to grab onto his hands before they tried to pull him out of it's grasp.

"Strider!" Sam yelled behind them before unsheathing his sword and began hacking away at the tentacle. It let go and seemed to back away only for more tentacles shot out of the water and strike at the other three Hobbits, pushing them back before grabbing Frodo once more. The tentacle around his ankle lifted him up in the air as two more tentacles tried to wrap themselves around Frodo. Legolas ran outside and shot an arrow at one of the tentacles while Aragorn began hacking away on another. The rest of the Fellowship followed suit as they began fighting the tentacles around them.

"How many of these fucking things are there!?" Titus yelled as he cut off one tentacle that wrapped itself around his abdomen. He pulled the thing off of him, unaware of another tentacle looming behind him. Fortunately for him, a katana flew past his head and buried halfway in the tentacle behind him. He turned around and quickly severed the tentacle before pulling out the katana and throwing it towards the Aramusha who expertly caught in a reverse grip and began cutting away at two tentacles.

Fluid as a river, Mei Lin dodged the tentacles that tried to attack her as she danced around them while at the same time swinging her Dao at the tentacles, cutting them in two. She ducked underneath a tentacle and sidestepped another before turning her body around to cut the second tentacle in two. Unfortunately, she didn't manage to dodge a third tentacle and it threw her back, slamming her into Titus and sending the both of them back into the cave.

Using her katanas like shears, Rin cut a tentacle in two before hearing Frodo scream. She turned to the lake and saw the monster emerge it's head from the water before opening it's maw, intent on eating the Hobbit whole. Seeing this, Rin looked for the tentacle holding Frodo and quickly ran towards it. She slid underneath one tentacle before jumping over another. Then she cut one as it swung towards her but couldn't dodge the second as it slammed into her and sent her flying to the cave. Rin screamed before she slammed into Titus and Mei Lin just as the two managed to get up off the ground.

Luckily for Frodo, Boromir reached the tentacle grasping the Hobbit's ankle and cut it off. The Captain of Gondor caught the Ring Bearer in his arms and made a beeline for the mines while Aragorn cut down any tentacles that tried to go near the two.

"Legolas!" Boromir yelled.

The Elven Prince shot an arrow directly into the monster's head but this proved to only anger the creature as it used it's tentacles to grab onto the Doors of Durin and used it to pull itself out of the water. Aragorn wrapped his arm around the three other Hobbits and jumped inside the mines just as the Doors of Durin gave in. Slabs of rock dropped and the roof of the passageway caves in as the Fellowship stared at the last of the moonlight seeping through entrance before their world was plunged into darkness.

~Line Break~

"We now have but one choice."

Gandalf's voice rang through the dark before the crystal on his staff glowed to give them light, revealing the fear-ridden faces of the Hobbits and the three tangled members of their company on the ground. Rin untangled herself from the other two but not before accidentally punching Titus across the jaw and Mei Lin on the chest.

"Ah! What the hell was that for?"

"Why would you punch me in the boob?"

Fortunately, everyone else seem to ignore them in favor of looking to Gandalf.

"We must face the long dark of Moria." Gabdalf made to lead the way but looked over his shoulder to adress the others "Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs, in the deep places of the world."

Titus groaned as he got too his feet and helped Mei Lin up her feet before retrieving his gladius from the ground. He picked up his and Rin's pack before handing her hers. The Centurion sheathed the blade before following after Gandalf, Rin on his right while Mei Lin matched their pace and walked on Rin's left.

"Quietly now." The Grey Wizard began as they walked up a set of stairs that had armored skeletons lying on it "It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

"Four days?" Titus asked incredulously "Gods above, can they even see us down here?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Mei Lin replied as she stepped over a skeleton "Just pray that those Goblins had starved to death by now."

"Doubt it." Rin snorted as she picked up a bow and a quiver with arrows and sneered in disgust but still kept them "With our luck, they're probably still alive."

"Agreed." The other two replied at the same time.

"Well." Titus began after a moment of silence before grabbing two spears and carrying them with him "We got four days before we get to the other side. Might as well kill some time with stories. I'll start us off. Now there was the time I ran into this mercenary Warden named Hervis Daubeny... "

A/N: It's a bit short compared to the first two chapters but I plan to keep my chapters at least four to six thousand words. Maybe even eight. Who knows?