Long time no update. sorry. Hope you like this updated version of the chapter. Drop me a note if you enjoyed it.
Into: To enter, inside
Darkness: The absence of light, often associated with fear and the unknown.
On with the Tale. ALLONS-Y!
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Annabeth
The light was blinding in the darkness, she could barely see anything but pure whiteness. Blinking hard, she pushed down the stick in front of her, allowing her eyes to adjust slightly. Ah.
Gandalf was immovable, his staff shooting bright beams of light into her face. Apparently interrogation methods didn't change across worlds. His thick, bushy eyebrows were raised "You," he said in a stern voice, "Have a lot of explaining to do." He crossed his arms and waited.
Styx.She glanced around at the company. Through the long journey, they had all bonded, and she now had started to trust them. Maybe it's time…
Percy sat up groggily. "Whas goin on?"
She put a hand on his back. "They want to know. After the stunts you pulled off."
He grimaced. "S'not fair. Thalia helped."
She rolled her eyes, turning back to the Fellowship. "Alright… You deserve to know the truth." She took a breath. "But be warned, you have to swear to keep it to yourselves and not to tell anyone else. This is our only advantage in this world, and if the wrong ears hear of this…"
"We lose our only edge," Percy finished. He nodded wearily to Annabeth. "Tell them."
Oh, thanks, Seaweed Brain. Annabeth sighed and met Gandalf's eyes, which had grown concerned. "The truth is, we're not from around here."
Boromir snorted. "That is clear for all to see."
Annabeth gave him a pointed look. "I mean, we're not from Middle Earth at all. We are not of this land."
Legolas sat up. "Are you from Valinor then? Or the Grey Havens?"
Thalia answered for her. "Nope," popping the p , "Never even heard of them. We're from another world. Crossed over to yours through a...um...portal."
Gandalf's current expression could be compared to one of Hera's cows. Completely clueless. If not for the situation, she would have laughed. A quiet came from her less self-controlled comrades. Gandalf finally found his voice. "Then… what are you? From whence have you came?"
"A place we call 'Earth'." Answered Percy.
"Upper Earth," Nico tried to interject.
Percy ignored him. "It is different from your world. There are no wizards, dwarves or elves. Most of the people there are men. We were outside one day when a doorway opened, and we heard this voice. Lorien, The Valar of Dreams. He called us for help, and we answered."
Gandalf rubbed his forehead. "The Vala called you here? What are you? Who are you?" He almost seemed amused. "Even the wise cannot see all ends, it seems.
"Your gods?" Thalia wondered.
Gandalf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "In a way… They govern the rules of Middle Earth, but they rarely intervene directly in our affairs."
"Pfft. Sounds nice." That came from Nico.
Annabeth explained. "In our world… there are also gods of a sort. They govern the aspects of Earth too, such as the sky, the sea, the underworld. Their realms also include war, wisdom, love and the forge. They too, are not allowed to intervene in human affairs directly, but once in a while… they would come to earth and…" she glanced at Percy for help.
Percy obliged. "Have children with mortals." She nodded gratefully at him.
Boromir laughed. "You are one of them? The child of a god...and a mortal?"
Gandalf looked he was going to have a heart attack.
Percy grinned, stood up and held out his arms theatrically. "Half god, half boy, all hero." He gave a sweeping bow. "Demigod, at your service."
Annabeth rolled her eyes at his dramatics.
Pippin held up his hand like a student in a class. "What's a demigod?"
"A demigod is a hero who has a mortal and Godly parent," she clarified. "Sometimes, we inherit some of our Godly parent's characteristics and powers."
Aragorn looked Percy in interest. "Who's your Godly parent?
Percy levitated a blob of water from a cup and shaped it into a trident. "Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, God of the Seas." He smirked.
"It makes sense." Boromir grunted. "What you did with the lake earlier... I thought the blessing of Ulmo was on you."
"Elmo?" Nico butted in. Thalia sniggered.
Gandalf put a hand to his forehead. "ULmo. Lord of the Seas."
"Ah."
Thalia stood up next. "I'm the daughter of Zeus, King of the skies and Master of Lightning and Wind." She expanded her spear and it crackled with electricity. The smell of ozone filled the air.
"Hades, God of the underworld, Richest god, Lord of the dead." said Nico, not bothering to rise. He raised a hand. A small pile of bones near him reformed into a skeletal mouse that scampered around for a few minutes before falling apart to a pile of bones again. Merry and Pippin looked at him with a new respect.
Annabeth finished. "I'm a daughter of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Crafts and Battle Strategy." She shrugged. "Not as impressive as the others, but far more useful, I assure you." Good natured groans and protests from the other three.
Dead silence. They were going to shy away, weren't they? They were going to treat us differently now. Now that they know how different we are. So different. It wouldn't be the first time someone had left her. The silence stretched unbearably.
Gandalf broke it, to her intense relief. He was laughing softly, also a good sign. "Help from another world? I suppose I should not be so surprised."
Percy raised a finger. "Hey, we're travelling with a king, three princes of assorted races, one wizard and four little guys who have the fate of the world on their shoulders. What's so surprising about some otherworlders or four?"
Aragorn let out a breath. "I see we are all in the presence of great people. He walked to her, his smile surprisingly understanding. He touched her shoulder. "Thank you, Annabeth, for your trust."
Relief crashed into her heart. She felt her eyes moisten. "Thank you," she managed to say. "Thank you so much."
Thalia cleared her throat. "On the other hand, it would be nice to be treated like royalty."
Annabeth smacked her.
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Gimli
"And here, what do we have here? Oh look! Another corridor!"
"Still dark, still gloomy!"
"And we turn the corner to this fine specimen of a corridor, notice the nice detail on the pillars, and the authentic battle damage! What do you think, Nico my buddy?"
"Yay…"
He had to give Percy and Thalia credit. Those two had been keeping up a running commentary for quite a while now, trying their best to lift the gloomy atmosphere. Still. He couldn't help but feel a pang every time the city was mocked. Tuning out their chatter, Gimli closed his eyes, trying to imagine the city in its former glory.
The world was fair, the mountains tall,
In Elder Days before the fall
Of mighty kings in Nargothrond
And Gondolin, who now beyond
The Western Seas have passed away:
The world was fair in Durin's Day.
A king he was on carven throne
In many-pillared halls of stone
With golden roof and silver floor,
And runes of power upon the door.
The light of sun and star and moon
In shining lamps of crystal hewn
Undimmed by cloud or shade of night
There shone for ever fair and bright.
Unwearied then were Durin's folk
Beneath the mountains music woke:
The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,
And at the gates the trumpets rang.
There hammer on the anvil smote,
There chisel clove, and graver wrote;
There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;
The delver mined, the mason built.
There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,
And metal wrought like fishes' mail,
Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,
And shining spears were laid in hoard.
The Mines of Khazad-dum. He saw a paradise of the dwarves. Bright blazes of torches and lanterns set liberally on the pillars, casting a warm yellow light on the hall. Crystal chandeliers, lit by magic, runes of power set by the wizards set across the floors and walls. Sparkling diamonds, rubies, sapphires set into the wall; mounds of gold, silver and mithril ore being forged into exquisite jewelry, the marble floor sparkling, hundreds of warm hearths strewn over the Hall where roaring fires roasted huge carcasses.
The forges, entire caverns dedicated to the metalwork of the dwarves. Pipes and funnels pouring precious metals, ore and gems. Enormous machines driven by water, hammering daily. Armour and weapons both decorative yet functional, details and filigree lovingly beaten into the metal. Mountains of gold would be exchanged for a simple breastplate forged in Moria, diamonds in exchange for a dwarf-forged sword. The caverns rung with the merry rhythms of iron on iron, alive with energy.
Hundreds, thousands of dwarves, talking, sitting, eating, forging. Music of drums and horns, real music, unlike the tinkling stringed instruments of the elves. Their music echoing off the halls, filling the Mines with a soul. Men and even elves bowing before the throne, eyes wide in awe and wonder. Moria…Moria…Palace of the Dwarves.
Then he blinked again.
The dark, empty hall greeted him. A cracked marble floor with dust three inches thick, oppressive darkness. A chilling, fearful atmosphere, white bones, cobwebs… The smell of dust and rot and ruin. The dead, almost mocking silence. Faint, flickering torchlight as the members of the fellowship picked their way uneasily through the darkness.
"How long have we been walking, Percy?"
"About five minutes since you last asked, Thalia."
"Anything to comment?"
"How bout Dreary, dull, dead."
"Very nice, Annabeth."
No. This was a tomb. A reminder that Khazad-dum, the Dwarrowdelf, was gone. Balin had failed. This then, was Moria. Dead. Forgotten. Evil.
He trudged slowly, eyes roving around the gloomy caverns. For a moment, the walls suddenly seemed to press in, and he had to repress a shudder. What's this? What's this? He chided himself. A dwarf, afraid in his natural home? He tried once again to relive the vision he had seen. Where were the torches? The feasts? The celebrations? The mining? Where was the life??
The world is grey, the mountains old,
The forge's fire is ashen-cold;
No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:
The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;
The shadow lies upon his tomb
In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.
He glanced once more at the Fellowship ahead. Some trudged steadily onward without looking around. Some, like Nico or Annabeth, still swept the halls with their gazes. Even with the forced banter that the demigods had going, upon every face was a look of disquiet and unease.
So much for the fabled hospitality of the dwarves.
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An hour later? A day later? They stopped.
Gandalf stood between two passages, looking down this one, then the other. A horrified suspicion crept its way into his heart. It happened frequently enough in the old days. With a city this big, with its myriad passages and routes, even local dwarves got lost sometimes. But in the old days there had always been dwarves to ask. In the old days they weren't pursued. In the old days they wouldn't have been trapped.
Gandalf lowered his head. "I do not remember the way."
Gasps. Gimli nodded.
"You mean we're stuck here?" asked Thalia incredulously. "You don't know the way out?"
Gandalf sighed. "I have no memory of this place. I came through here several years ago, it is true, but it was from the other side. I do not know which passage to take." He raised his head. "Let us rest here for a while, and I will try to find the way out."
The fellowship sat down and began to make camp. The four hobbits started looking for something to eat. Honestly, Gimli had to admit he was glad of the rest. He knew not how long they had been walking, but his legs were burning. And if even the strength of a dwarf was failing, it was a wonder the humans had kept up for so long. Of course, the…demigods weren't entirely human, were they?
He hated this place. He hated every stone he saw, every step he had to take through this tomb. The memory of what could have been embittered him even more to what he saw now. It was enough to make a dwarf sink into despair. And the fact that they might be trapped here? And the fact that he was afraid of that?
Suddenly, Frodo started. "There is something down there."
Gimli turned and peered into the darkness behind him. He could just make out a pair of shining green orbs that disappeared in an instant. He gasped and fingered the haft of his axe. "I see it."
A yawn came from behind him. Nico barely opened his eyes. "You only just noticed? He's been following us for days."
Gandalf sighed. "It is Gollum."
Gimli was confused. Gollum?
"What's a Gollum?" asked Nico.
Gandalf glanced over. "A creature that has been corrupted by the ring. The ring drove him mad. He now craves it, and will stop at nothing to get it."
Thalia peered over and strung her bow. "It's a clear shot. Want me to plug him with a few arrows?"
How he ached to do something. He fingered his axe. "Yes… that thing makes my skin crawl. It does not belong here," he muttered.
"No!" said Gandalf forcefully. "Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Who are you to decide it for them? Can you give it to them?" Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment." He closed his eyes. "Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum may have some part to play yet, for good or for ill, before everything is over."
Thalia frowned, then nodded reluctantly and shouldered her bow. Gimli sighed. Frodo walked over to Gandalf, and started discussing something in low tones. Gimli caught snatches of the conversation. "Smeagol…pity… kill…decide…time…" Nothing much. Gimli sat down and for want of nothing better to do, started polishing his axe.
They sat for an hour in almost silence. In darkness. Near death. Gimli tried to shake off the flurry of repeating dark thoughts. This was enough to put a dwarf off the underground forever! Sitting here, helpless, his thoughts grew ever darker.
"Are you done all lazing around? We can't stay here forever, you know…" called Nico, standing up.
Gandalf stared at him. "I do not know the way out yet, we cannot take paths out of chance. This is folly."
Nico rolled his eyes and pointed to the left exit. "That way's the exit. Long corridor, large hall." He furrowed his brow in concentration. "There are a hell lot of stairways and hallways, but soon you'll reach a long bridge, then you'll reach the exit. Not too far. I'll say we could be out in a day. Maybe a day and a half." He folded his arms and stared at them with a smug look on his face.
Gimli blinked. Really? It was that easy? Suddenly embarrassed by his earlier thoughts, he stood quickly and put his axe away. That darned elf glanced at him, with a look slightly too perceptive for his liking. Meanwhile, the younger ones laughed and clapped Nico on the back, then shouldered their packs and headed towards the left tunnel.
Percy paused and glanced backwards. "You guys coming?"
Gandalf threw a questioning look at Gimli. Gimli shrugged helplessly. "I say we trust the boy. His sense of direction underground is good." He sighed. "Even better than a dwarf's." Gandalf's gave him an impenetrable look, then he nodded and followed them.
"If you knew the way, why didn't you say so earlier?" Gandalf called grumpily at their retreating backs.
"One, you didn't ask!" Nico hollered.
"Two, we needed the rest!" Thalia stuck out her tongue. They slapped their palms together, snickering, and continued walking.
Gandalf muttered something elvish under his breath. Aragorn and the elf chuckled. For his part, Gimli forced a smile and trudged after them.
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They continued walking for hours. Nico led them surely, occasionally consulting with Gimli on some particular features of the tunnels. He was glad to be of help, although he could see that Nico barely needed it. Not for the first time, he wondered what had happened to Balin. All the bones they had passed were old and dry. Yet there was no sign of recent dwarf activity, only empty hallways and deserted corridors,
You could only go so far with "Now we're walking through a hallway. Now we're walking through another hallway. No change. Still dark. Still gloomy. Oh look! Another passageway!"
They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
But now that the nightmare was almost at its end, Moria seemed to relent, showing them a treasure. Entirely by chance, or perhaps by Nico's purposeful guiding, they came upon the Hall of Feasts, the largest and most famous dining hall of all the seven dwarf cities. Four magnificent tables dominated the Hall. ("Hogwarts!" said Annabeth.) Each table seemed to have been studded with gemstones, though several had been prised off. Crystal plates and goblets were still set out, though several had been smashed around the Hall. A gigantic crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, surrounded by a host of smaller crystal lights dotting the ceiling like stars. What seemed like hundreds of elaborately carved pillars supported the soaring roof above. Several candles lay on the floor, the candlesticks evidently plundered. Around room were many circular pits for roasting food. It seemed a plea for forgiveness from the city to Gimli. A peace offering. Despite himself, Gimli's heart lifted at the sight. Even in its ruined state, the hall still radiated grandeur.
"We'll eat like kings tonight!" Thalia cheered. They sat on around one of the stone tables, resting their sore legs. Aragorn brought out the food and Thalia snatched some meat, basically strong-arming poor Gandalf into light one of the firepits so they could have some 'decent food' tonight. Annabeth collected as many candles as she could and set them around the room, lighting them one by one. The light from the candles and the firepit reflected across the chandelier, sending sparkles of warm golden light around the room. For a moment, life had returned to the hall. Soon the smell of roasting meat drifted around the room.
Now they had warmth, food and light, the atmosphere was lightened considerably. Banter returned, and Percy and Thalia persuaded the others to have a sing along, an earth song that went
Whoa…oh uh oh, whoa..o..o
It's always a good time,
Whoa..oh uh oh,
We're gonna kick Sauron's ass
We're gonna have a good time!
His low, sonorous voice was hilariously out of place in the lighthearted, cheery tune, but no one minded. Indeed, laughter was a release and they indulged heartily in it. After a warm dinner, Annabeth dragged Percy off to properly examine the structure of the hall, and Gimli went with them, contented for the moment. On the tables, Aragorn, Boromir and Gandalf took out a map of Middle Earth and discussed their next destination.
Of course, the momentary peace couldn't last.
Frodo's sudden cry jolted him back into reality. "PUT IT DOWN you fools! PUT IT DOWN!"
They swivelled to see the four hobbits crouched around their packs. Specifically, Annabeth's pack. A strange green glow could be seen in Pippin's hands. He groaned. "What have they taken this time?" The two hobbits froze. Gimli suddenly realized something. His heart dropped. "Tell me that's not the same magic Annabeth used to seal the door."
Sheepishly, the hobbits faced Annabeth's death glare (the girl was terrifying when she wanted to be). They walked towards her, babbling some excuses.
Then Pippin tripped.
The glowing green glass sphere slipped out of his hands and flew straight for him.
yep. Ending here. Perfect place to end a chapter.
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Nico
Considering that he was about to be blown to bits, then burnt to ashes in an instant, Nico felt strangely calm. He was not afraid of death, he only regretted that he had not had a little longer. He considered trying to raise a stone wall to shield them, but what was the use? The blast would only send stone shrapnel towards them. Was there an Underworld in this earth? Would he meet someone like his Father?
Time seemed to slow down for him. He looked around for his friends, hoping to catch a last glance at them before he died. He sure hoped they would all achieve Elysium, if there WAS an Elysium in this place. Gandalf looked like he was trying to prepare a magical shield, but his defeated face showed his despair. Aragorn was leaping forward, perhaps trying to shield Frodo and Sam with his body. Boromir raised his shield, which even he realized was a useless gesture. Legolas and Gimli were just frozen in place, a expression of pure shock on their faces. He looked at his friends. Annabeth was pulling everyone near her, trying to at least get under the protection of the stone tables. Nico glanced over at Thalia….
She was a burst of motion. She burst forward in front of the entire company. With a flick of her wrist her spear extended, and her bracelet expanded to a shield. In a blur of motion, she raised her arms, and in desperation thrust her hands forward.
Time sped up again. The Greek Fire Grenade flew towards them, closing fast.
WHOOOOOSH!
A shockwave of air burst forth from Thalia's spear, so powerful that his long hair whipped into his face, and he lost his grip on his sword. All the candles around the room winked out in an instant. The huge gust of wind knocked the grenade out of the air, sending it whizzing far into the dark reaches of the hallway.
Then it exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
As before, the explosion rocked the caves, knocking several off their feet. A brilliant greenish-white light flared lightning bright and hung in the air for several seconds before finally fading. Several stone splinters rained on the ground and plumes of dust were shaken loose from the ceiling and for a moment it was snowing dust. Nico blinked several times to get rid of the white afterimage in his eyes. He muttered a curse. The ringing in his ears would take hours to get rid of.
The Fellowship finally seemed to realize that they were NOT dead, and were not going to die as of now, and there was a moment of relief and giddy joy.
"We're alive!"
"Oh gods, Thalia, that was amazing!"
"Good work lieutenant Pinecone!"
"You saved us all, Thalia!"
Nico was about to offer his own congratulations when he felt something shift in the foundations of the room.
Uh oh…
"Guys…? You might want to hold of the congratulations for a while." In the corner where the firebomb had flew into, a huge KRAK was heard. He watched detachedly, as like a crack spreading through a frozen lake, huge fissures shot through the stonework, the ceiling starting to rumble. Of course, what had he expected? The explosion had blown up the foundations of the room, and now… they were going to die again.
The cavern started shaking, and Nico realized that the pillars were collapsing. The entire room was going to cave in on them. Again, that helpless feeling of being frozen in the face of death. Then, his eyes hardened with determination. A new resolve shone in his eyes. Not if I can help it.
"Annabeth!" he screamed. "Tell me the weakest points in the structure! Where is it collapsing?"
Annabeth was frozen as a statue, then realized his plan and shot him a quick smile. "LIGHT!" She yelled, and the Fellowship scrambled to relight as many candles as they could and light up the dark areas. Annabeth analyzed the room, and determinedly pointed to a blackened, chipped pillar at the far end which had already lay in pieces. "There!"
Nico concentrated. Closing his eyes, he raised a hand. Black stone rose like mud from the floor, and formed a new pillar to the roof. New stone flowed around the pillar, holding it, strengthening it. The stone then hardened, forming a new, thick pillar.
The chandelier shook loose from its perch and shattered on the floor, splinters and shards flying the length of the hall. Fortunately, Aragorn had pulled the Fellowship under the stone tables. A shard grazed across his shoulder, slicing his shirt. The resounding crash echoed, compounding the annoying noise in his ear.
Shaking her head, Annabeth pulled his hand, leading him to the weakest spots in the Hall, which he patched up with new stone as fast as he could. Chaos. The entire world was rumbling and falling. Patching up pillars, finding new ones. Patching, finding, patching, finding. Twice he almost died when portions of the ceiling collapsed. Gandalf's staff flared a magical shield, protecting the hobbits beside him. All was chaos. By the 8th pillar, he was getting exhausted. He couldn't keep this up much longer. At the 9th pillar, he was about to collapse. Still, he continued looking for weak spots.
His gaze darted frantically, his breaths quick and shallow. When a hand lay across his shoulders he almost leapt out of his skin. Turning, he saw Annabeth, a weak smile across her face."It's done, Nico. You did it. The Hall is safe."
They returned to the rest of the company. Gandalf was still yelling at the two hobbits. He tuned him out, his ears still giving him trouble. Aragorn surveyed the Hall and whistled in appreciation. He walked over to them, mouthing words Nico couldn't hear. Should be some kind of thanks or whatever. Nico just flashed a thumbs up.
"Nice job, Death Boy."Percy punched his arm.
Oh hey, his hearing was coming back. Nico gave a slight smile, "Hey, no need for thanks."
He elbowed Thalia. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled. "No trouble at all."
Gandalf looked around the Hall. "The danger passed. We're safe."
As usual, he had spoken to soon.
Doom.
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! Third near death experience in what, five minutes? Were the Fates just messing with them now?! Cursing all the Greek oaths he knew, he ignored Annabeth's raised eyebrow and summoned his sword.
Doom.
Gandalf's and Frodo's blade glowed with a blue light. Orcs.The fellowship climbed on one of the stone tables, gathering into a familiar formation. A circle, weapons facing out, backs pressed against each other.
"What are they?" Frodo asked in horror.
Gandalf's face was drawn. "Drums."
Doom.
The door at the other end of the hall shook. He tensed, his Stygian Iron sword and shield raised. He was ready. Legolas and Thalia trained their bows on the far side of the hall.
Doom.
The door shook again and again. Something was pushing against it. He noticed Annabeth shimmering into invisibility. He bent the shadows around him to his will, making him practically invisible.
"You know, the drums are perfect for some emo music," Thalia mused.
"Shut up."
Doom.
The door burst open. A horde of monsters streamed out. Nico's first thought was 'So these were orcs'. His second thought was 'They're ugly' They looked like a mix between ogres and giants, each holding clubs, bows and swords. The first wave of orcs fell instantly, arrows sprouting from chinks in their armor. The second wave charged towards them.
"Get ready!" Aragorn commanded. "Here they come!"
Doom.
Contact.
He hacked at anything in front of him. He sunk into shadows and emerged from totally different shadows, stabbing at enemy. He shadow traveled constantly, catching dozens of orcs by surprise.
Doom
The darkness also worked to his advantage. It wrapped around him and hid him so well that no orc could see him coming until he was nearly on top of them. Voices came into his head. Percy's voice, from his training at camp. It was a blur of noise, confusion, sweat and blood.
Doom.
In times like this, he loved his ADHD for keeping him alive.
Doom.
As he fought, he occasionally caught glimpses of his friends. Percy fought back to back with Annabeth. They knew each other so well that they were a pair of matched blades.
Doom.
He stomped his foot, sending a tremor that knocked a small group off their feet.
Doom
Percy had dispensed with his shield, wielding Riptide two-handed, trusting to the Curse to protect his body while Annabeth watched his back. Their teamwork was unmatched.
Doom.
Aragorn and Boromir fought masterfully, with bold, long strokes and clean slices, occasionally reverting to a classic shield bash. Their years of experience showed as they cut a swathe of destruction through the enemy.
Doom.
He dodged a frenzied swing, leaping over an orc and slashing his sword in an arc, sucking the souls out of several orcs. The skeletons on the ground rattled, attracted to his power.
Doom.
Gimli was yelling something in the dwarf language, jumping up and down and hacking frienziedly, "Khazad-dum! Khazad-aie!".
Doom.
Legolas fired arrows into the throng, occasionally stabbing orcs who got too close with a dagger. Thalia seemed to be doing well. Her shield kept most of the orcs at spearing distance, and she picked them off easily.
Doom.
His sword was thrown out of his hands by a sudden jolt. Gasping, he sunk into the shadow just as a sword pierced the place he had been standing. Re-emerging from the shadow, his shadow sword reformed in his hand and drained the life from the orc.
Doom.
Gandalf was awe-inspiring. The old man used his staff and sword in a deadly combination, carving a path of destruction wherever he fought.
Doom.
Was that Sam? Even Sam was in the act, using his frying pan as an effective weapon.
Doom.
Nico was getting tired. Percy's imagined voice was still screaming in his ear, telling him to dodge, to lunge, to parry. The swarm of orc seemed endless. He noticed the Fellowship slowly backing into the door at the far side. He travelled to their side, almost doubling over with exhaustion. "What now?" he asked Percy, ducking under an orc sword and stabbing it in its stomach. Blood spurted and the orc collapsed.
Doom.
Percy grimaced. "There are too many of them, we have to fall back. ANNABETH! DUCK!" He thrust Riptide into the space where Annabeth's head had been and into the head of the orc who had snuck up on Annabeth. He casually blocked an sword cut with his arm and disemboweled the offending orc.
"What can I do?" asked Nico worriedly.
Percy glanced at him."Can you make sure they don't follow us?"
Nico nodded grimly. "Will do."
Doom.
"Fall back! Fall back!" Gandalf cried, sweeping his staff in a curve to create a roaring wall of fire that covered their escape. The Fellowship retreated slowly into the doors. Hordes of orcs raced after them, screaming and calling in their guttural language, some even leaping through the fire in their frenzy. Aragorn and Percy made a desperate charge to the tables in a bid to rescue the two hobbits. Leaping through the flames, Aragorn doused the fires on his cloak and made for the doors. Percy followed suit. Aragorn slammed the doors shut and barred it. He leapt away just as a spearhead penetrated the door right next to his head. The doors started bending.
Doom.
Nico concentrated, then held out his hands. The earth rose and formed a impenetrable black wall. He heard the doors burst open, and heard the orc cries of confusion, despair and anger. He sighed in relief. Hopefully, they would be safe now. The drums stopped abruptly.
Gods in Olympus, are we safe now?
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End of Mines of Moria, part 1
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Signing off.