Chapter 9

I did not, under any circumstance, think it was a good idea to enter a dark creepy cave to meet with the danger that awaited me there. Nonetheless, I followed the Fellowship. I'd thought about all the goblins we had already encountered, and determined it was a good idea to stay with a group. The cave opened up to a large room, with one other path leading out of it that was located at the opposite side. At first glance, it seemed as if nothing was there and I was beginning to wonder if the scream had been come from somewhere else.

Gandalf lit his staff and the light proved that the room was empty. There was nothing to suggest that there had been someone here anytime within the last 10 years. I stepped forward, and headed towards the other end. The others didn't seem to hesitate in following me since their shuffling echoed around. When I was at the entrance, I looked back to Gandalf.

"Do you want to go first? It's really dark in there. If not, I could carry your staff."

"No, that's quite alright. I shall lead you into the antechamber." Gandalf replied.

I moved aside to make room for him to pass, then followed after him. The path was only big enough for one person at a time, so we had to stay in a single file. Gandalf moved slowly into the next room, and after a moment, moved to the side to let us see what was there.

Unlike the first room, this one had a bedroll in the corner, with a backpack leaning on the cave wall next to it. There was evidence of a fire, which I thought was foolish since there didn't seem to be a hole in the ceiling for the smoke to escape. Other than that, however, the room was empty. No sign of any other passageways or any living thing.

"That's odd." Gandalf muttered.

"Yes, considering the scream." Strider nodded. He knelt next to the fire pit and studied the area around it, "Someone has definitely been here recently. The tracks suggest they went towards that wall." Strider gestured to his right.

Legolas and Gandalf went to examine the wall. I looked at it as well, but it just looked like a regular cave wall to me.

"No sign of a secret door or climb marks. Why would they have reason to walk here?" Gandalf speculated.

"Someone is coming." Legolas said quickly, taking out his bow and turning towards the way we'd come.

A soft, flickering light shown on the passageway walls and was accompanied by the sound of soft footfalls. We all tensed, and slowly drew our weapons. The footsteps grew closer, and then a man stood in front of us. He was about half a foot taller than me and was wearing a full set of iron armor, aside from a helmet. He had black hair, closely cropped to his head, showing his ear piercing. His blue eyes looked at all of us, clearly startled, and then he raised his sword.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"We might ask that of you as well." Gimli stated.

Why was this guy so familiar? I didn't remember him as one of the Lord of the Rings characters. I frowned slightly, trying to place where I'd seen him before.

"You will tell us who you are and why we heard that scream." Strider said calmly, though his tone had a hint of accusation.

"My name is Brandon. Brandon Williams. And yours?" He asked, looking at Strider. My stomach dropped, this can't be the Brandon Williams from my home town, could it? I remember the strange woman's words of warning. What if she was right? What if he was evil? Then again, I reminded myself, what if he really isn't and she was just mistaken?

"Strider. Just Strider."

"And your friends?" He gestured the our group with his sword. I thought I saw a dangerous glint in his eyes, but it quickly was replaced with curiosity.

"I'm Gandalf the Gray." Gandalf stepped in front of the rest of us, "Might I ask what you are doing here?"

"Can't a traveler take shelter on his journey? And what are the rest of your party's names?" He gave a smile, his eyes darted between everyone. I stepped closer to him so he could see me.

"I'm Jemma," he looked at me when I said my name and a look of recognition lit his face, "What I want to know, Brandon, is why you are so far away from our village. I hadn't thought the blacksmith's son would crave adventure." I quickly made up a ghost of a back story, after all I was supposed to be from the North. Might as well make him from there as well, it would explain why I knew him.

"I'm here to see the world. I have come to find simple living a little below me." He replied. At least he seemed to be playing along with me. I'd hoped he retained some creativity from the many fiction books I'd seen him read at school.

"I see."

"You know this man?" Strider asked.

"Yes, he grew up in the same village as me." I explained.

"Would you mind putting your weapons away? I can assure you, I mean you no harm."

After another once over, Strider seemed to deem him no longer a threat, and sheathed his sword. The rest followed suit, though I kept my dagger out. Heeding the woman's words seemed like a good idea until I could be sure of Brandon's intentions.

"There we are, now tell me what brings you into the wilderness of this land?" Brandon asked.

"Just traveling." I answered for them, "Brandon, might I have a word with you? I'll be right back." I told Strider. He stared at me for a moment, and then he nodded. I led Brandon back into the first room.

"How are you here?" I whispered harshly.

"I could ask you the same thing, Jemma."

"I'm here looking for Andrea, if you have to know."

"I'm here on business related to your family as well, your brother to be specific. He seemed to have lost this," he held up a pouch and opened it for me. It looked like the smashed version of the picture I had, the one of Tommy's invention, "So I came to retrieve it."

"Well then I can bring it to him." I told him quietly. I held out my hand expectantly, not really sure if I expected him to give it to me or not.

"Now, if I let you bring it to him, then I would be stuck here. That's not fair, is it? And don't deny it, I know how you got here. In fact, it is also how I got here."

"What do you mean? I thought there were only two bracelets…" I started.

"I didn't need a bracelet, I just needed to be in his office and I could get here. To this world of fantasy."

"What use could you have for his invention?"

"This? Do you even know what it does?"

I shake my head, "No, I don't. He just told me to come and get it."

"This," he shakes the bag in my face, "allows me to control everything. The past can be changed, the future rewritten."

I gulp, and hope that he is wrong. I hope that the invention enhance the growth rate of corn or something helpful. Tommy, I believed, would never make something that could undo history.

"Just give it back and we can go back together."

"Somehow I doubt you'd bring me with you. And why would I want to give you the ability to change everything? It's much more useful in my hands, I think." He gave me a smirk, and stepped closer to me. I noticed he still had his sword out, and I also had no idea why he should doubt this, I was serious about bringing him back so I could prove to him that Tommy had designed it for some other purpose. Also, the less time we spent here, the less the storyline would be messed up.

"Is everything alright out here?" Strider asked from behind me. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding.

"Yes. Brandon and I were just catching up. He even found my brother's equipment, and offered to give it back if we could travel home together." I hoped that I could get Brandon to relinquish the bag.

"I have to be going. Guess you'll have to travel back alone." Brandon said. Startled, I turned from Strider to look at him. He was smiling now, "Sorry, I couldn't resist seeing your face when you realized you were stuck here. It seemed like a good start on the payback."

"Payback? Has Jemma done something to anger you?" Strider asked, confused.

"Well, its a long story. One that I don't have time to tell, perhaps Jemma will tell you later." Brandon replied.

I didn't remember ever doing something that could make him think like this.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything."

"No, not directly. But you certainly helped your brother to exclude me. For a while I've had to take second place to that brat. He is so much better at inventing than I am. Well, none of that matters anymore. You want to know why? I've devised a plan to make him feel as lonely as I did."

"I don't think he was the one to cause you loneliness. You just didn't want to socialize with other people."

"No. I was the boy no one wanted to talk to. You act like I didn't try, I did. I even tried to befriend your brother once, but he pushed me aside to get his award. No one wants second best if they can have the best. Tommy has all the friends and money a man three times his age ought to have. He's a child, just a child, and I have never won against him. Jemma, I wonder if you realize how much he is keeping from you. Tommy is only human after all. Did he ever tell you what he does, working with the government," He looks into my confused eyes and nods, "I thought not. If you ever find out, perhaps you will better understand why I resent your brother. My duty to him is to bring him back from his dreams, back to reality. Jemma, you are part of my plan. My plan to make him see his real place in the world. His fame will melt away, his friends will fade, and his name will be nothing more than a nobody when I'm done."

My head hurt. I didn't understand half of what Brandon just told me. Tommy has never purposely done anything to hurt anyone. What could he be working on that is so bad Brandon would want to undermine him? I didn't fully understand, and I was speechless. What are you supposed to say to that?

Strider stepped in front of me. I wondered how much of what Brandon said made sense to him. I guessed he got the gist that Brandon was threatening my family. Strider pushed Brandon against a wall, unsheathing his sword at the same time, and held it to his throat.

"Fame and money can drive a man to do many things. Kill, ruin, lie, or something more horrid. But each and every one of them has a choice, before they do the act, to turn around and find a different outlet for their frustration. I suggest you chose wisely. The path you are going down does not end in happiness." Strider told him darkly.

Brandon considered Strider for a moment. "Perhaps you're right, but then again maybe not. I hope we meet again." Brandon gave me a smile and there was a light under his feet. Then he was gone. One moment he was there, and the next he wasn't. Strider looked at the place where Brandon had been, and then slowly turned to me.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know."

"Is he known for wizardry?" He inquired. I figured he was trying to make sense of this, like me. My guess was that he used Tommy's invention to transport out of this reality. I couldn't really tell Strider this, it would make him more confused.

"Yes, he is. Although, that is a new trick of his." Wizardry did seem the closest to explain the situation.

"I see. What do you think he will do now?"

"I'm guessing go back to my brother and put his plan into action." I said solemnly.

"I am sorry, Jemma."

"It's alright. I can save my brother, but I still need to find my sister. I think I know where to start looking. And I am afraid this means my journey with you must end. I think I will head back to Nahor. Theres an old woman there who may be able to help me."

"Then we will come with you." Legolas said, coming up beside Strider.

I shook my head, "No, your mission must take precedence."

They looked surprised at this. I just gave them warm smiles and started to walk away.

"How do you know of our mission?" Gandalf asked.

"Your mission, if you succeed, will free the people of Middle Earth once more. This sort of hope is never kept a secret long, especially among those who love to dream of becoming fearless." I replied.

I walked out of the cave and back to my horse. After hopping into the saddle, I turned her towards the way I'd come. My horse set off at a fast run and I adjusted to the rhythm. After a while, I looked behind me and saw that no one had followed me. Good, their mission was so important to this land. I silently wished them luck, even though I knew the outcome. My thought trailed to my sister. Once I found her, I would have to tell her we had no way of getting back. At least for now, surely Tommy would be able to tell if we got stuck. I guessed we would have to make a living for ourselves, which shouldn't be too hard. Andrea was good with farming, and I was sure there was something I could help with. In the end, we would be fine until we could return to our home, no matter how long it would take.

This land really is beautiful. I thought as I rode further away from the fellowship and closer to my sister. I think we are going to learn to love it here. Everything else is a problem for another day, and another time.

This is the last chapter for this story. I am going to write a sequel, but I won't post if until I have a couple of chapters so I can post it weekly. Hope you enjoyed this one!