A Journey in the Dark

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

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”But take from them... everything

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The air was fresh, yet alluringly freezing - rather than walking straight into the grasp of Saruman between the Gap of Rohan; the recently formed Fellowship had originally followed the peaks of Caradhras; the tallest and mightiest of all mountains in Middle-earth to avoid the capture of the Ring. Saruman the Wicked was cunning howver; his treachery ran deep and through his Palantir he spied upon the Nine Walkers, the misfits of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth sent to match the Nine Riders of Minas Morgul. Two men, an elf, a dwarf, a wizard and four hobbits, even in the most confident of souls - how far could this fellowship go? Regardless, Aragorn has promised, through his life of death, to defend the Ringbearer, though nothing bound him other than his own words, he sincerely meant it.

Mid-way between the peaks, disaster struck. The echoes of a voice, withering through the ice, before the thundering cracks above them splashed as a pool of glaciers leapt from above them and came crashing down in force upon the Fellowship. Saruman had bestrayed Gandalf's trust, he knew of the Fellowship and of the Halfling who carried the Ring and intended to take it for himself. Isengard was already churning in preperation for war - the new fighting Uruk-hai; a strong breed of Orc, breed for a single purpose. To destroy the world of men.

Saruman had struck, his thunderous voice boomed throughout the peaks as the avalanche toppled down upon the unexpecting Fellowship. Fortuantly, all of them had survived the attack, diving into the snow before the impact - however would Gandalf continue the treacherous paths of the glaciers further at the peril of himself and the One Ring? or would he take a more dangerous path..

In the end, Gandalf the Grey laid the fate in the hands of Frodo Baggins, the Ring Bearer. Rather than cross the mountains, they would go beneath them and avoid further attacks, through the Mines of Moria; the Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-dum. Saruman knew this all too well, fouler and more ancient evils waited for them within the catacombs of Moria..

Strider, as he was known by the Hobbits of the company had led them from the start of the Journey. From the Bree-lands right up into the Mouth of Moria itself, months had passed, yet still the burden grew heavier. The closer they pitched towards the chasms of the Mount of Doom, the more evil they faced. The road was full of tasks, and endless obstacles.

The company came to a half, by now the snow was merely a frosted wetness around the beard and cloak of the ranger. His hand firmly gripped around the Pony's reigns as they approached an illuminated door upon the wall of the mountain. The language was old, and unreadable by Aragorn - but the text hadn't faded through time. He watched patiently as the Wizard approached it; hitting it several times with his staff before stepping back momentarily and stroking his beard.

Aragorn gently rolled his hand across the pony who had recently spurred, even the Elf who had joined their company was looking away. Several bubbles were visable in the water. Even Aragorn himself felt hostile. His eyes scanned the area, but pushed it aside. The sense of unease, was unrelenting.[/font]

[Gandalf]

You god damn door, you'd better fucking open.

Gandalf was tapping the stone door fairly hard to let out his frustration. "Speak friend and enter"... Well, Gandalf was a friend, and he had spoken, and now he would like to enter. But nooooooooooooo, those fucking dwarves had to be difficult. All Gandalf wanted to do was skip through Moria, make his way to Mordor, destroy the One Ring, and then be off to do whatever the fuck he wanted.... but no. Nothing was ever easy.

Gandalf sat on a rock and pulled out his long, sexy, elven pipe. he took out some frosty green herbs, which happened to smell quite skunky, and packed it in his pipe as he thought about how to get through that damn door. Did he have to blast it open? No, they said something about friend... there was probably a password that he didn't know... but he had gotten in before. This was shenanigans that the grey wizard didn't like to partake in.

Gandalf lit the pipe, and took a long inhale. He let it sit in his lungs for about 5 seconds before exhaling. He let out his smoke as his tongue swirled within his mouth, only to create a smoke ring... BUT A FUCKING SMOKE SHIP THAT FLEW THROUGH IT. Gandalf was a wizard with his tongue... something the ladies loved.

"Aragorn, do you want any?" Gandalf asked, offering Aragorn his pipe, "I'm not quite sure how to get through those doors. I feel quite baffled, to tell you the truth."

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

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”But take from them... everything

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Aragorn cracked a smile upon his face, hearing the wizard curse continuously at a wall, for a second his sanity was questonable - well it still was. The Númenorian Ranger nodded, he couldn't refuse a chug of that green shit that Gandalf brought with him, if Aragorn was going down with these half-witted midgets then he wanted to go out with guns blazing and completely shit-faced. Gandalf provided.

The pipe was passed to him, an elegant piece of equipment for its use. Elves spent too much time smoking and not enough time reproducing and killing orcs, quite frankily. His lips wrapped around the equipment before he took a large hit of the pipe, before coughing a little, inhaling it deep into his body for as long as possible - to be fair he just wasn't the master Greybeard was... but he tried.

'As I take another choke n toke of that icky sticky stanky
Stuff a bowl, pack a pipe, twist a blunt, roll and light a joint
Lean back and puff slow'

"Stronger than the last batch, Graybeard."

He chugged, before falling into hysterics. Gandalf always had a bag of the good shit, genuine green - none of that imported Umbar shit. Gandalf never released the details of his stash, but Aragorn had his thoughts, probably homegrown.

Aragorn leaned back, as the stars above him wandered far too quickly - Arwen would kick his ass if she could see him now. Yapping all this shit in his ear about being the future king of Gondor and being responsible. The smoke from Gandalfs pipe, gently rolling past his face as the four foot queers in front of him launched rocks into the pool in front of him. Aragorn jumped to his feet within seconds, gripping a curly haired dickhead around the wrist and spanking him across the head violently, forcing him to drop the rock.

"..."

He responded, as the water started to churn - either that or Aragorn was shit-faced already, he stepped back - tightening his eyes.. nope the water was moving.. right? His eyes flickered a little, as he became paranoid.

[Gandalf]

"It had better be, I brought it all the way from Fangorn Forest. Those ents know what they're doing... Hey, stop that!"

Gandalf was chained to the rock he sat on, so Aragorn acted on his behalf, and grabbed one of the hobbits by the hair and slapped him. Gandalf motioned for him to come closer, until he was within whispering distance.

"Do not disturb those waters."

Gandalf stood with the help of his staff, and almost fell over. However, he held his staff parallel to the ground, like the pole that people use when walking on a tightrope.

"It's ok... I got it guys."

He grabbed his pipe, and took another long toke as he stared at the door.

"Speak friend, and enter... Well, I am speaking. This is too much for my mind to handle right now... Aragorn, is that water moving? Or is it just my old eyes playing tricks on me again?"

Gandalf was already pretty blazed out of his mind, but his awareness rarely left him... surely it was just a fish... or something like that.

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

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”But take from them... everything

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Aragorn was uncertain, he looked around him to the others who also seemed to pick up on the movement; surely it was just fish? But the waters were afoul, they stunk. There was nothing around to eat or live on in miles. He questioned it, before hoping that if they left alone whatever was in the water, it'd leave them alone. Even Gandalf seemed wary. Something was in there.. and it wasn't a pretty little fishy.

His fingers rolled across his beard, as his eyes gleamed over, his face by now was numb as he pranced around in his mind - still chuckling to himself.

"Speak friend and enter."

Aragorn wasn't a rocket scientist, but it sounds like some sort of riddle to him, and he fucking hated riddles. Ever since he had to carry Gollum in a sack, half-way across Middle-earth for Gandalf, riddles turned his stomach. The cursed dwarves using passwords. He turned his eyes towards the dwarf in their company who merely shrugged his shoulders as he continued on about his cousin 'Balin'.

Aragorn yawned, that hit had really got to him; and the sun had gone down ages ago. Perhaps it was time to rest.... but then something attracted his attention.

The little midget had solved it. 'Speak 'Friend' and Enter'. Aragorn rolled his eyes, beginners luck.

[Boromir]

"I thought you were a man of great wisdom Gandalf."
Boromir said jokingly.
"Crafty bastards those dwarfs. With all this time we wasted we would be in Gondor by know, instead of trekking through these fucking mines"
He said angrily as he kicked a bunch of stones in to the water, he watched the water after the stones went in, the water bubbled once more but this time more frequently and then it stopped. Boromir looked around to see if anyone else had seen it, Gandalf and Aragon were on their backs looking at the stars and the rest were picking their stuff back up to continue the journey through the mines of Moria. Panicking Boromir tried to hurry the rest into the mines.
"Quick come on, Gandalf, Ranger, come on no time to waste... QUICKLY!"
He moved forward towards the entrance before looking back a final time towards the water.

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

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”But take from them... everything

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The Gondorian spoke, he too seemed uncalmed by the waters they swayed before them; the cold peaks have proven challenging, so the Fellowship turned to the safety of the Dwarven chasms that ran beneath the mountain, a shelter from the cruel punishments of Saruman. Little did they know, dwarves no longer inhabited these 'mines'.

Bill the Pony has long scarpered by now, quite rightly to his own fortune. The nine of them entered through the newly opened mountain doors, that once shone delicately in the moonlight, but now faded into a hallway of darkness. The wizard first, his large staff taping at the ground; followed by the ringbearer closely.. then the elf and the dwarf before two more halflings and eventually the whole fellowship was inside.

It was dark, too dark. The only visable light came from that which they had departed from - the outside word. The air was musky, dank and unclean as well as cold. Aragorn sighed, a pleasent welcome from the Dwarves. He would kill to have a nice jug of the finest these mountain-folk could conjure and a pipe loaded with the best kingsfoil. He missed Arwen, he missed Rivendell and the peaceful lands of the once grand kingdoms of the North. He ached, all over and the further the small company waltzed towards Sauron, the heavier the burden became.. though he didn't carry the Ring of Power like Mr.Baggins, he carried something far more heavier..

"The dwarven hospitality is second to none I see, Master Dwarf.."

Aragorn said sarcastically, before grinning friendly towards him as a joke before a large crack was heard. Aragorn had trood upon something, the whole Fellowship stopped and gasped. The sound was distinct, yet uncommon. The tender shattering of what could be none other than bones...

[Boromir]

The night grew longer, the water grew more evil. The ripples became more frequent and furious, it was time for the nine to make their way into the mines, where they would be met with open arms by Gimli's fellow men.

The mine was dark, quite and lifeless. There was a strong dire smell that the stomach could just about handle. Boromir couldn't help but think that they should have travelled to Gondor. Gondor was beautiful and full of life, and least of all, Gondor was home.

The floor was covered in something but it was too dark to see, rocks? No, what they were standing on was something, long, thin and weak. These were the bones of the inhabitants of this mine. He moved his touch so he could see the floor. There was what he had guessed that were there, the bones of fallen dwarfs.

"This is no mine, this is a tomb! Everybody out, we head for Gondor!"

[Legolas]

carry me away
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH
DARE TO BELIEVE
over one last time and then i'll let

At last the entrance to the mines had opened itself, as Legolas rose from his seat on the rock and stared in stupefied shock at the unforeseen simplicity of the password. Mellon, friend, a word known to him as a part of his native tongue of the Elves. But, nonetheless, the riddle was cracked, the portal now swung open, revealing but a dark and despairing staircase leading on toward the unknown doom.

As the journey had always been.

Even the cheerful blonde Elf had been reluctant to enter the land underneath the mountains, even publicly announcing his unwillingness to set foot in Moria. But alas! They were trapped between a choice of facing an endlessly respawning pack of Wargs, the evil beasts of the hills, or going through the ancient mines, which only now proved to be a resting ground for the Dwarves of Balin. Oh, how Gimli would be so depressed.

Boromir's words seemed almost wise, for once, but then pass through the Gap of Rohan was the alias of Saruman's wrath. Recently, the entire world had turned upon him, and Legolas briefly thought back upon the days of his princely youth in Mirkwood, hoping only for its firm hold during his absence.

He waited until the majority of the group had passed, for his task still held true as the keen-eyed rear guard. But the darkness that befell his eyes as he crossed away from the valley walls was too much for his senses as the short but ear-piercing cry of the Hobbit resounded through the empty halls of the abandoned mines.

"Frodo!"

He instinctively reached for his bow and quiver, but the circumstances seemed to influence even he as he fumbled momentarily for the feather. He quickly fit an arrow into the string of his longbow, fearing not the accuracy of his aim, but rather the speed of which it could fly before the score of colossal tentacles consumed Frodo and his partner for eternity.

The arrow flew.

darkness cover me

DENY EVERYTHING

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

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”But take from them... everything

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Aragorn was just about to turn around, when a sudden cry came from behind him. To his own dismay a giant tentacle coiled around the young ringbearers ankle before lifting him carelessly into the air. Aragorn's eyes widened, as the sheer adrenaline rushed over him.

"Arggghh!"

He cried, as the shimmer of silver reflected the moonlight from his sword as his released it from its sheath. Within a single movement, he had spun around on his foot and charge to save the hobbit that he had sworn to protect. The ranger braced himself as an arrow flew past his face, from behind striking the beast directly in the head as it howled in pain, lashing its tentacles around far more violently.

Aragorn lunged right-wards, before ducking swiftly to avoid the creatures wrath. The foul appendages of the fiend flapped around rabidly before pulling the halfling towards its horrid smelling mouth. Raising roughly ten foot or more from the descent the hobbit cried visciously hung upside down as the ring of power simply dangled like the fate of the world.

Aragorn refused to go down without a fight and with a single blow, he lashed with his sword. Thrusting down with extreme power, the blade sliced through the beast's tentacle. It cried it pain before dropping Frodo directly on top of Aragorn.

"Ughhh."

Aragorn exclaimed, catching the hobbit but stumbling down to the floor. The hobbit was safe, for now. Aragorn stood himself back up in preparation of finishing the beast off, before one of the largest tentacles at full power crashed into him; launching him into the rock that sat beside him - forcing him to drop his blade.

[Gandalf]

"YOU SHALL NOT PA- ... woah."

Gandalf wasn't sure if he was actually seeing things right now, or if a bunch of fucking tentacles had ACTUALLY sprung out of the water. They glistened as water dripped from them, and the mucus slime seeped fown the length of the beasts' legs. Gandalf was sort of tripping out because of the reflection on the water, but there was one thing in particular that he noticed.

This big fucking squid totally killed his buzz.

Gandalf raised his staff, and focused on the very bottom of his heart, the very atom that was at his heart's lowest point. It was from there that he would draw the energy for his spell. A soft, dull buzzing seemed to resonate through his body as he raised his staff, and spoke the words that I will translate into english.

"You fucking killed my buzz, you fool of a squid!"

And with that, the gem of Gandalf's staff glowed ever brighter, until it seemed like a little sun. Gandalf tried to usher the half-lings behind him as he attempted to incapacitate the large motherfucker in front of him.

((Sorry for the shit post.))

[Boromir]

The scream of the half-ling echoed the surrounding area, the scream was followed up by a scream from the seamonster after being struck by an arrow from the elf. As Boromir turned, his foot fell straight into a fallen dwarfs rib cage causing him to fall down as he tried to exit the tomb. He kicked and kicked his right leg to try and shake the skeleton off his ankle, he reached over and snapped the ribs so he could free his leg. Once back to his feet he drew his sword and ran out to meet the monster.

One tentical came at Boromir, he side stepped to the left and plunged his sword into it as it passed. The monster let out a squeal and withdrew its tentical back, on the way it swept Boromir off his feet causing him to hit his head on the ground. He stood up a little dazed and made his way to the mine.

"Into the mine! We cannot defeat it! Hurry!!"

He said as he grabbed one of the hobbits and dragged him into the mine with him.

[Gimli]

3.......2........1.......ACTION

“Down here......"

For years now, both Gimli and Gloin had often wondered what happened to Balin (since the last time they had contacted him was five years ago) and now here he was, in Moria, where the Fellowship was greeted by a strange monstrousity of a creature with many many tentacles.

He had been speaking all about his cousin Balin when they first entered the outskirts of Moria, but there was no sign of any Dwarf. He was still the only Dwarf in sight, meaning - no competition! Except for the Elf, Legolas, who had his bow at the ready.

Gimli grabbed his two axes (having two meant he had an advantage, or so he thought), spun them around and charged to the front so the Hobbits could escape. He saw Aragorn lying near the rock, so as he fought against the tentacles, trying to dodge the creatures' attacks to and fro, he lifted one up, to try and block the creatures' attack, then brought his other one to cut the end off.

However, just when his little strategy had pulled off, he noticed (what he thought to be) a small gold piece, so he lowered himself, narrowly missing a tentacle that had flew right ontop of him, nearly taking his helmet off!

Gimli then shot up, "Why that beast!", but just as he lifted his axe, a tentacle to his right hand side had got hold of him, pushing him onto the ground, "WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE...YOUR OWN SIZE!", he roared at the creature, not caring if the creature understood or not, as he readied himself to get back into battle again. Afterall, they had to make sure the Hobbits were safe and he could not be resting on the job.....

[Legolas]

carry me away
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH
DARE TO BELIEVE
over one last time and then i'll let

Legolas was on fully complying terms with Boromir's suggestion. As the Gondolian warrior swiftly carried the screaming and struggling chunk of Hobbit in Samwise, the Elven archer leapt from the mouth of the cavernous entrance to the mines, his bow singing the merry tune of death by arrow, bolt after bolt piercing itself into the sea creature's flesh and constantly forcing that tentacle diving back into the water, though only for a moment.

"Aragorn! Quickly, through the door!"

It was almost as if Sauron was trying to push them into the Dwarven settlement instead of driving them the other way out and into Saruman's lairs. Snowstorms upon wolves upon sea monsters set loose by the Enemy's obvious doing, Legolas ironically found Moria more a welcoming sight by the second. Besides, the moment only offered him that or death, the only safe route to escape from the creature's long-ranged grasp.

Now, how they would come back out on the journey back, that was the question. But as Gandalf had said earlier, it was a much wiser decision to linger on the present rather than too far ahead; who knew what other circumstances could deform their plans?

"Dwarf! Stay true to your duty! Do not let down your guard!"

As much as the duo had collided every so often on their way from Rivendell, even into the depths of the dark valley that they now stood in, Legolas found his compassionate care reaching out even to the stubborn axe-wielder. Edging closer to the path of the hopefully returning Aragorn, and simultaneously covering Boromir's retreat, the archer continued his barrage of arrows upon the beast, which neither seemed to slacken or falter in will or strength.

Something hard and heavy broke into his side as the Elf was hurled into the rocky cliffs of the valley, landing with a thud upon the rough ground below and still saving some impact by the assistance of the two ancient trees of holly that even now stood guard over the perilous gate.

"Shit..."

darkness cover me

DENY EVERYTHING

[Aragorn]

"Give them nothing."

[/font][/right][/b]

”But take from them... everything

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The ranger shook his head, the tough pebbles around him didn't provide the most nourishing landing spot, he spluttered a little before picking himself up and ducking low to pick his blade up once more. By now the engagement was in full affect. The elf every now and again launched an arrow, which only angered the beast more and did little else than act as a comparsion to a splinter. The dwarf charged, both axes ablazing ripping into the creature; but it had so many tentacles.

Aragorn agreed, regardless of what waited from them in the mines, it was worth a shot.

"Quickly! There's no time.. into the Mine!"

He shouted, literally pushing Frodo in front of him to sprint towards the gates where Gandalf stood safely, manipulating his magic. Aragorn himself owed the creature a little revenge from his last attack. The ranger pulled his sword close aprroaching the water, he leapt left - narrowly avoiding a stern flattening. Aragorn spun around, ripping into the side of the tentacle as the rancid blood of the beast spewed out before another tentacle came swooping down directly above Aragorn.

"RAAAAARGHHHHH"

He announced, with unmatchable timing he thrusted his sword directly upwards catching the tendril in is weakest point, the blade tore into it ripping it completely in half as the beast roared in sheer anger. Aragorn smiled, vegeance had been restored - and he had left some wounds that the creature would not long forget.

"Inside... inside!"

He shouted, backing away slowly allowing the others to flee before him, backing in at first a step at a time before running. The rage of the Watcher had escalated, they had violated his waters, endangered its life and now attempted to escape. The relentless terror. They fell back inside the cold, dark, caverns of what remained of the Dwarven Kingdom. Aragorn dived inside, as his sword clinked upon the floor; covering his body over the young ringbearer before the Watcher pounded at the mountain walls.

Boom.....boom......boom..

The entirely gate collapsed, the secret doorway was no more and only a shimmer of light peaked through a gap within the debri that now covered their entrance. The Gap of Rohan was out of the question, they had to make it through Moria first.

Aragorn rolled off the ringbearer, having shield him from the falling rocks, picking himself up and then assisting the halfling - before brushing himself off.

"Legolas?... Gimli? Greybeard?..."

Aragorn questioned, the torches that had once lit their way were long gone. The light that came from the outside world was all too little, voices could be heard.. footsteops and breathing... but Aragorn's vision was shut down with the darkness that incarnated around them.