Here is the next chapter! I don't really have much to say other than I do not own anything other than my OC's.
Chapter 10: Under the Mountain
Quickly the Fellowship clambered down the mountain. Gandalf led them through a dark, rocky valley for the rest of the day. It wasn't until nightfall that they finally reached their location.
"Ah, the walls of Moria!" Gimli exclaimed, pointing up at the sheer rock face.
"Looks like an ordinary cliff to me," Peyton commented.
Gimli lightly tapped the rock with his axe. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," he explained.
"Yes, Gimli," Gandalf called from the front of the line. "Their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten."
"Why doesn't that surprise me," Legolas remarked dryly.
The Fellowship continued walking until they reached an unnaturally smooth section of cliff. "Ah," Gandalf murmured, brushing dirt and grime off the wall. "Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Slowly the clouds parted, revealing the moon hiding beneath. A pattern began to glow in the rock face, forming an arch adorned with depictions of a hammer and anvil, a crown and seven stars, two trees entwined with their branches entwined around the sides of the arch, and a single, many-rayed star, all with beautiful elvish writing above it.
Peyton's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow," she breathed. Kayden and the hobbits were at a loss for words.
Gandalf, using his wooden staff to point at the inscription, began to read. "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, Friend, and Enter."
"Well, what does that mean?" Robin asked curiously.
"Oh, it's quite simple," the gray wizard explained. "If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open."
Kayden smiled. "Kind of like those clubs we made back in third grade," she whispered to Peyton and Robin. The two girls snickered slightly, recalling the memories of meetings and trying to keep others out.
Gandalf pressed his staff against the door and began to chant. "Gate of the Elves, open now for me!" Nothing happened. Gandalf, raising his hands and staff high above his head, tried again. "Doorway of Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue!"
"Nothing's happening," Pippin observed as Gandalf tried to push his way into the mines with force. "What're going to do then?" the hobbit asked curiously.
Gandalf was obviously quite frustrated. "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" he replied angrily. "And if that does not shatter them and I'm allowed a little peace from foolish questions I will try to find the opening words."
Many long moments passed, and still the doors remained closed. Merry, Pippin, and Robin sat near the edge of the water, engaged in idle chatter. Peyton leaned against the cliff side beside Boromir, silently gazing up at the stars. Kayden was with Aragorn and Sam, releasing Bill the pony from his service. "The mines are no place for a pony," Aragorn explained. "Even one so brave as Bill."
"Buh-bye, Bill," Sam remarked sadly.
Kayden lightly kissed Bill's nose. "Bye."
Aragorn lightly pushed the pony's flank. "Go on, go on," he encouraged.
Sam looked at the slowly receding pony concernedly. "Don't worry," Kayden reassured him. "I'm sure Bill knows the way home."
Splash. Splash.
Merry, Pippin, and Robin, who had gotten bored with talking, had taken up throwing rocks into the water. Aragorn rushed over to them, catching Pippin's hand. "Do not disturb the water," he warned. Peyton and Boromir joined Aragorn and Kayden by the waterside, staring nervously at the ripples forming on the water's surface.
"Oh, it is useless," Gandalf muttered, sitting down dejectedly on a rock.
Frodo suddenly stood up. "It's a riddle," he realized. "Speak, friend, and enter." Quickly, he turned to Gandalf. "What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon," Gandalf enunciated slowly. With a great crack, the huge stone doors swung open, much to everyone's delight. Swiftly, the Fellowship headed inside the dark cave.
"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires! Malt beer! Red meat right off the bone!" Gimli smiled before continuing. "This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine!" he laughed. "A mine!"
Gandalf lit his staff, illuminating the horrific sight in front of them. Dead bodies and skeletons littered the dusty floor. Some had arrows jutting out of them. "This is no mine," Boromir grimly stated. "This is a tomb."
"NO!" Gimli cried, running up to the nearest corpse. "Noo!"
Legolas quickly pulled out an arrow from a body and examined it. "Goblins!"
Immediately, Kayden, Aragorn, and Boromir drew their swords, and Legolas and Peyton notched arrows in their bows. "We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir announced. "We should have never come here. Now get out of here! Out!" he shouted.
Suddenly, the hobbits screamed. "Strider! Canter!"
Kayden whipped around to see Frodo and Robin being dragged out by two large, green, slimy tentacles. The hobbits were hacking away at the tentacles, but more came. Frodo and Robin were lifted high above the water as the ugly beast's head broke the surface. Aragorn, Boromir, and Kayden jumped into the water, slashing away at the tentacles. Legolas and Peyton prepared to fire arrows.
"SHOOT IT!" Robin screamed.
"WHERE?" Peyton yelled back.
"ANYWHERE!" (A/N: Where's that moment from? :D)
Peyton launched an arrow, but it didn't do much damage. She continued to shoot as Kayden, Boromir and Aragorn continued to hack at the tentacles. Finally, the tentacles holding Frodo and Robin were cut, dropping the hobbits right into Boromir and Kayden's arms, respectively.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf commanded. The Fellowship, most of who were soaking wet, rushed into the dark of Moria. The beast stretched out its arms after them, ripping the doors off their hinges. Rocks came crashing down, sealing the entrance and plunging them into darkness.
A light flared in the dark. Gandalf had lit his staff again, illuminating the grim expression on his face. "We now have but one choice," he stated. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world." The wizard began to lead the way out of the hall. "Quietly now, it's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence will go unnoticed."
~o*o*o*o~
Kayden had lost track of time. The Fellowship had been traveling through the dark halls, stopping only when they thought that they would collapse. There was almost no change in scenery, except for maybe the odd skeleton or corpse. But on the bright side, the hobbits were too scared to sing.
Gandalf paused, shining his staff on a nearby wall, revealing white lines etched into the rocks. "The wealth of Moria was not in gold," he informed them, "or jewels, but Mithril." He pointed his staff downward, illuminating the vast caverns below. Everyone's eyes widened as they looked down into the seemingly bottomless pits, filled with abandoned mining equipment. Robin nearly slipped, but thankfully, Merry caught her.
"What's Mithril?" Robin asked, after regaining her balance.
"It is sometimes called true-silver. It is lighter than a feather and stronger than a dragon's scales," Gimli explained.
"Wow," Peyton breathed.
"That vambrance you wear, Kayden, is made of Mithril," Gandalf suddenly remarked. Kayden halted in her tracks, gazing at her left arm in amazement.
Gimli had also stopped, looking at Kayden. "Never would I expect to see an elf wear a guard of dwarf-make," he murmured.
"Well, Gimli, I am not your typical elf," Kayden replied. The dwarf chuckled before hurrying off to catch up with Gandalf. Kayden lingered for a moment, waiting for Peyton. The two girls shared a smile before walking together, both amazed at the sheer size of the mine.
"Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him," Gandalf continued.
Gimli gasped. "Ah, that was a kingly gift."
"Yes," Gandalf agreed. "I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire."
"Whoa," Peyton remarked, glancing at the vambrance on Kayden's arm. Mithril must be very valuable, she mused.
After a few moments, the Fellowship reached a junction with three large stone doors all leading out of the cavern. Gandalf looked around puzzled. "I have no memory of this place," he muttered.
Peyton sighed. "Great."
~o*o*o*o~
"Are we lost?"
"No."
"I think we are."
"Shh! Gandalf's thinking."
"Merry!"
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
Robin giggled as she listened to the banter between Merry and Pippin. Peyton leaned back against a boulder beside Boromir. "We should not have come here," the man murmured underneath his breath. "We should have made our way to Gondor."
"What's Gondor like?" Peyton asked, curious.
"It is beautiful," Boromir sighed. "The White City of Minas Tirith, glittering like silver and pearl, its banners caught high in the morning breeze." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Tell me of where you are from," he requested.
Peyton glanced at Boromir, a somber look in her eyes. "My home is nowhere near as wonderful as Minas Tirith sounds," she replied. "Everything is brown, even the grass. There is rarely ever anything interesting." She resumed staring off into space, lost in thought.
Kayden sat by Legolas, gazing into the darkness. Suddenly, she caught a flicker of movement. "What is that?" she inquired quietly.
"Gollum," Legolas replied. "He has been tracking us since we entered Moria."
"Gollum," Kayden mused. "The creature from Bilbo's stories?" She had gotten a chance to meet the elderly hobbit back in Rivendell, which seemed ages away.
Legolas solemnly nodded his head. Suddenly, Gandalf stood up. "Oh! It's that way," he exclaimed.
"Great! He's remembered!" Robin cheered, scrambling to her feet.
"No," Gandalf responded. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, young Robin, always follow your nose."
One by one the Fellowship filed out of the room into a great cavern. "Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf murmured. His staff glowed brighter, and everyone was awestruck at the sight that met them. Huge, artistically carved pillars reached up to the almost invisible ceiling. "Behold, the great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf."
The girls were at a loss for words. "There's an eye opener, and no mistake," Sam breathed.
"Nicely summed up, Samwise Gamgee," Peyton commented as the Fellowship made their way through the eerily quiet city.
Suddenly, Gimli rushed off through a wooden door. Everyone quickly followed. Upon entering the room, they saw a great white marble tomb. The floor was littered with skeletons, but Gimli paid no attention as he fell to the ground, moaning. Gandalf walked up to the tomb, gently brushing off dust. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria," the wizard read. "He is dead then. It is as I feared."
Kayden and Peyton gently placed their hands on Gimli's shoulders, trying to comfort the grieving dwarf. Gandalf bent down beside them, pulling a ragged book from the grip of a skeleton. He began to read from its tattered pages. "They have taken the Bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They are coming."
Suddenly, there was a loud clatter. Everyone turned to Pippin, who was grinning sheepishly by a well as a skeleton he probably knocked over fell, banging and clanging its way down. Gandalf glared at him. "Fool of a Took!" he fumed. "Next time throw yourself in and rid us of your stupidity!"
BOOM. BOOM.
The sound of drums echoed from the deep, becoming louder and faster. Loud shrieks were sounded alongside the drums. Frodo nervously unsheathed his sword. To Kayden's surprise, it was glowing blue. "Orcs," Legolas shouted.
"Get back!" Aragorn ordered. "Stay close to Gandalf!" He rushed over to the door. Boromir was already there, hurriedly closing it.
"They have a cave troll," he remarked dryly.
The two began barricading the doors with the weapons Lagolas and Kayden tossed them. Gandalf threw aside his hat and drew his sword with a loud ring. Peyton notched an arrow in her bow. Legolas and Aragorn prepared their bows as well. Kayden unsheathed Veryan, twirling it around a few times before assuming a fighting stance. "Showoff," Robin muttered as she and the hobbits drew their swords, Frodo's glowing bright blue in the midst of them.
Gimli clambered on top of the tomb with a loud cry. "Let them come," he challenged. "There's one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!"
The great wooden door began to tremble, and soon holes appeared in it. Grotesque hands squeezed through, grasping and flailing about. Legolas and Aragorn released their arrows, sending them straight into orcs on the other side of the door. Peyton fired soon after, and a loud shriek told her that she had also met her mark. Suddenly, the doors burst open, orcs swarming in. And thus the battle began.
Kayden swung at the oncoming orcs, using her Mithril guard to deflect unfriendly attacks. Peyton did her best to use her arrows, but quickly, too many orcs filled the room, and she drew her dagger, stabbing at any foe that drew near. With a great cry, the hobbits and Gandalf charged into battle. Then, with a loud roar, the troll crashed into the room, its beady eyes shining with malice. Quickly, Legolas and Peyton fired arrows into its chest, but to no avail. The troll charged at Sam and Robin, swinging its club. As the hobbits backed into a corner, the ugly beast raised its foot to crush the poor hobbits.
"YAAAAAHHH!"
Kayden, Aragorn, Boromir, and Peyton yanked on the loose chain around the troll's neck, preventing it from stomping on the hobbits. This, unfortunately, made the troll very angry. It lashed out, throwing Boromir into a wall. An orc raised his sword high above the dazed man.
"BOROMIR!" Peyton shouted, rushing over and decapitating the orc. Boromir nodded his thanks before continuing the battle.
Kayden and Peyton continued slicing down orcs, occasionally letting out a loud "YAH!" every time they cut one down. More and more seemed to come, and the noise of battle pressed on their ears.
Over the din, a voice was clearly shouting, "Aragorn! Kayden!"
Kayden turned to see Frodo being dragged by the troll. She ran as fast as she could to help him, but Aragorn got there first. He thrust a spear into the beast's chest, yet still, the troll was only wounded. The creature let out a loud cry, swinging and sending Aragorn flying into a wall.
"Aragorn!" Kayden cried rushing over to his side. The crash had knocked him out cold. Frodo had also gone to Aragorn, desperately trying to rouse him. Suddenly the troll reared, raising a spear high above his head. It thrust it a Frodo, who dodged it. The troll struck again, this time making minor contact, causing the hobbit to stumble. Kayden watched in horror as the troll drove the spear straight into Frodo's side.
"FRODO!"
As you may have already guessed, loyal reader, I like cliff-hangers. A LOT. But, if you have already read Lord of the Rings or watched the movies, you know what happens. If you haven't, then I highly suggest that you do.
PLEASE REVIEW!