Chapter Twenty-Two Disclaimers: Frodo Baggins, Sauron, the One Ring, and the Orcs come from J.R.R. Tolkien's book trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. The Horned King and the Black Cauldron come from Disney's animated film, "The Black Cauldron."

Chapter Twenty-Two Song(s): Sauron Suite from "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

Warning! This chapter is Rated M for violence and dark, intense images.

Chapter Twenty-Two Summary: Frodo finds himself at Merswold Camp, in the villains' camp, where he meets a dark fate.

Sorry for the delay. This chapter was another tricky chapter to figure out. At first, I thought it was going in one direction, but then it veered into another direction. Also, I wrote most of this chapter while I was tired. So, it's interesting to see how it turned out. :)

It's a dark, villainous chapter, too, which explains why I was listening to Sauron's Suite throughout the writing of this chapter. :)

And yes, Frodo meets the villains in this chapter. So, we'll see what happens here. Prepare for another plot twist. :)

That said, enjoy. :)

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Possession

The sound of stomping, iron-clad boots grabbed Frodo's attention. These boots were headed closer to him, drawing every second towards him. The boots stomped on the earth from a near distance away. Frodo could hear them from where lay on the ground.

But the boots weren't the only sounds he heard. The sounds of Orcs advancing towards him, allowing Frodo to get the signal that the iron-clad boots belonged to them. And they were coming closer to where Frodo lay down on the dark brown earth and pebbled road.

For a split second, Frodo froze, unsure how he was going about keeping himself hidden. Then he peered over at a nearby, brown leather tent. Yes! He would hide inside the tent. Hopefully, no one would spot him.

The boots and orc laughter drew ever closer to him.

Frodo had to think fast. He sat up at last, stumbling to his feet, as he dived for the nearest tent. Frodo opened the tent's brown woven curtain, diving inside, and closing the tent's curtain after him. He stayed inside the tent, overhearing the Orcs' conversation from outside the tent:

"The Halfling must be close," one orc said in a deep, guttural voice. "Find him! He must not get away!"

"When we find him, what do we do with him?" another orc said, speaking in a lighter, growling voice.

The first orc sniveled at the second orc, already enjoying the company. "The girl is gone! Now, we must find that Halfling! The worlds are coming back to normal, but Sauron wants that Halfling. Something about a ritual, and then it's onto the Final Battle. We'll grab him yet." He growled, heading on his way along with the rest of the orcs.

"Do you think he knows we're here, waiting for him to come?" the second orc asked, curiously.

The first orc snarled, looking at him now, "Who?"

"The Halfling! He's very powerful, isn't he?" the second orc asked the first orc, debating on what to do next.

Frodo chuckled, liking that the orcs thought he was powerful. Frodo stopped chuckling the moment he heard the orcs listening to him.

The first orc growled, menacingly towards the second orc. "Find him! That's all I'll say. Move. NOW!"

Frodo gasped, hearing the footfalls outside the tent stop. He moved back, hopeful the orcs wouldn't catch him. It wasn't meant to last for long. His foot caught wind of a few crates, knocking him backwards, and knocking the air out of him.

Frodo snapped out of it, gazing up at the troop of orcs who entered the tent from outside. Frodo chuckled, nearly picking himself up, only to find a few orcs grab him by his arms and pull him up on his feet.

The orcs released the poor hobbit, causing Frodo to glance at them all as if they were suddenly best friends. If only to get away from them a lot sooner. "Um... hullo. I'll just be... eh!" The air got knocked out of Frodo a second time, for the second orc punched Frodo right in the gut. Frodo nearly collapsed, when the orcs took him by the arms, dragging him out of the tent and back into the sunlight.

Frodo was caught in a half-daze. He looked around Merswold Camp, spotting various villains and villainesses all staring at him, judging him, and even cackling in excitement over what Frodo's fate would be like, had he crossed their paths a lot sooner.

Frodo didn't know what to do.

All he knew was that he was a lone hero in this massive group of villains, all vying to take him down and tear him apart.

More than anything, Frodo wanted to leave, to get out of here, and to reincarnate Aria. He already feared the worst should happen to her, if he dared try anything about it.

Soon enough, the orcs led Frodo over to a dark wooden post. Much to Frodo's shock, as the orcs bound him to the post, the vines decided to keep him there, too, all while attached to him. The vines made his bonds tighter, refusing to leave him and his body behind.

As if they were a part of him. As if they were vying for the heroes as well as the villains' attention. Frodo never expected this from the vines, but he wondered why they were keeping him tied to the post.

"Keep quiet..."

"We're trying to help you..."

"Don't make any sudden moves..."

"Just let the orcs do what they want..."

"What?" Frodo asked, right as one of the vines wrapped around his mouth until they were sure he wouldn't get away. The vine soon released his mouth, leaving Frodo coughing and sputtering.

Frodo rested his head against the post, not knowing what to do. He could tell the vines were his allies. He just felt... scared and alone.

He looked up, keeping his gaze at a cauldron. A black cauldron with a metallic square face looking back at him, from a few yards away.

No! It couldn't be! It was! It was the Black Cauldron, looking as pristine as ever. As if the Horned King and his undead army hadn't even been inside this treacherous cauldron in the first place.

The Black Cauldron looked so massive. What was it doing here?

Frodo did his best to squirm his way out of his bonds.

To warn the heroes of what he saw here.

But the vines wouldn't have it. No! The more he yanked, the tighter the vines held him.

Frodo fought and fought against his bonds, but the vines made him weaker. As he relaxed, the vines grew stronger. Frodo fell into another daze, one he couldn't snap out of right away.

By the time Frodo's senses came back, he caught sight of a spirit, a shadowy figure resembling a dark, villainous Maiar. It was an ancient being, an ancient creature who Frodo dared meet once in his life. No, twice now!

It was Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor. It had to be him.

Right away, Frodo felt his heart trembling, wanting to be free from this place! Frodo struggled against his bonds, but it was too late. The vines simply grabbed his wrists, keeping him there and not letting go.

Frodo rested the back of his head against the post, knowing it was too late for him to do anything.

Frodo watched helplessly as Sauron's spirit plucked from the Black Cauldron a familiar spirit: the One Ring in spirit form.

Frodo's heart beat faster, wanting more than anything for him to leave this place, to get away! But Frodo was helpless as Sauron's spirit advanced on him. Sauron's spirit stayed in front of him, a menacing shadowy figure, manipulative and alluring.

Frodo only had to stare at Sauron's spirit for a moment, before the One Ring's spirit was plunged into Frodo's heart by Sauron's hand. Sauron's hand stayed inside Frodo's chest, as Sauron watched Frodo gasp for air, his vision drowning. By the time he snapped out of it, Sauron plucked the Ring's spirit from Frodo's chest, right out from his heart.

Frodo's vision returned. But he felt very strange. He paused, feeling as though he were back to normal. Then a wave of fear clouded his vision. His hands sweat, clammy from the sheer force of the One Ring's power.

A darkness clouded his mind. He could feel Sauron inside him, merging with his soul, becoming one with Frodo's darkness. Frodo didn't understand what was going on. He felt wicked inside and out, a seducer. A manipulative hobbit who could only foresee the darkness.

Somehow, it felt good.

By the time Frodo looked up at Sauron's spirit, Frodo's pupils turned from their roundness to cat-like. His bright blue eyes become yellow, and his smile turned from scared and heroic to menacing and wicked.

Frodo liked it, he liked the darkness, until the merging process was complete. He felt heroic, but also villainous. The darkness awoke inside him, like a viper coming out to play.

Frodo gazed at Sauron, his right eye returning to its bright blue color and rounded pupil, while his left eye kept its yellow iris and cat-like pupil.

Sauron smirked, gazing at him and speaking to him in a deep, resonating voice, "Now, you are ready. Would you like to know our plan? It's very simple. You are one of us now, part-hero, part-villain. Neither side will choose you now. You know this, don't you?"

Frodo stared at him, silently nodding to him.

Sauron delighted in Frodo's transformation, for Frodo was now part-Sauron, part-himself, as well as part-vine, and part-hobbit. It was a tricky combination, but then Frodo expected as much.

"Now, your part of this plan is simple: distract the heroes, stop them from entering the Final Battle. The villains will sneak in from behind and surprise them. We will end the Final Battle, not in the Portal Realm, but at Evenshire Camp. I shall prepare to take over this fight, and free you, but you are part of me now, aren't you?" Sauron stated, softly to him, choosing his words carefully.

Sauron simply told him this: "Should you betray me, this time and the times after, I will take you down. You can no longer do me harm, but if someone attempts to stop me..."

"...Ehh!" Frodo closed his eyes, wincing in pain as Sauron balled his hand into a fist. Frodo's heart hurt more than anything. It stung until Sauron opened his fist. Frodo opened his eyes, with one of his eyes yellow and cat-like, with the other bright blue and with a rounded pupil, relaxing in seconds. His heart still hurt, but the pain numbed fast by Sauron's spirit.

Sauron smirked, taking him in. "Yes, you will do this for me. Your girlfriend won't know the difference, for you will not say anything without my bidding. Is this understood. You are to keep me hidden until the time is right, for I shall be commanding you. Frodo Baggins: the Ring-bearer, look at you now. Caught under the villains' gaze. The lone hero trapped in a campsite with villains. You should be honored, feared above the rest, shouldn't you?"

Frodo looked at him now, keen on meeting his gaze with a calm demeanor.

Sauron smiled, knowing he had the hobbit in his grasp now, with Frodo no longer fighting him. It was what Sauron wanted.

But would Frodo stop fighting him? Or would he fight him, in an attempt to stop him?

Frodo's soul fought Sauron right then and there, but Sauron's spirit took hold over him. Frodo rested against the post, his soul struggling against Sauron's gaze until Frodo's soul calmed down.

Sauron laughed, knowing he now won the battle. At last.

How was that?

I know, Sauron caused Frodo to become him while Frodo is vulnerable. It makes me wonder how this affects The Long Series: Version 2 as well. But once again, this fanfic is still going.

I'm currently brainstorming the next chapter. So, we'll see what happens next. :)

Thanks for reading. More chapters to come. :)

~Aria Breuer