Pov narrator

The Fellowship passes south, along with the misty shadow of an aqueduct's ruins. "Frodo, come and help an old man," Gandalf calls, and Frodo comes up as Gandalf takes his arm over his shoulder. "How is your shoulder?" Mithrandir asks, looking at the young Hobbit. "Better than it was." He answers. Silveria looks at them from her spot beside Legolas. The two of them have talked and caught up since their last meeting. "And the Ring?" Gandalf asks, and Frodo looks up at the talk wizard. "You feel its power growing, don't you? I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And, I fear, from within." Gandalf says and looks up as two of the fellowship members walk past.

"Who then do I trust?" Frodo asks, looking worried. "You must trust yourself. Trust your strengths." Gandalf answers. "What do you mean?" Frodo aks. "There are many powers in this world, for Good or evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some, I have not yet been tested." Gandalf answers and looks up as Gimli calls. "The Walls... of Moria!" The Fellowship stands and looks upon a vast cliff face.

➳

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli says as he knocks his ax against a rock. The Fellowship moves along the wall, searching for a door. "Yes, Gimli, their masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," Silveria says. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas says, and Gimli grumbles but says nothing. A foot splashes into shallow water. Frodo gasps, pulling his leg back. A great pool sits beside the rock face. Silveria is by his side, and a hand is placed on his shoulder. "Careful young one," she whispers. Gandalf approaches the rock between two trees and runs his hand over the cliff face. "Now... let's see. Ithildin —" he whispers.

Beneath his hand run spidery silver lines, faint beneath the dirt. "It mirrors only starlight... and moonlight," Gandalf tells the Fellowship as he looks up at the black night sky, the moon appears. The silver lines grow bright, outlining a door formed of two columns beneath an arch, with a star in the center. "It reads 'The Doors of Durin — Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'" He says. "What do you suppose that means?" Merry ask. "Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open." Gandalf says, and Silveria hides a laugh but says nothing. "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!) Gandalf chants, but the doors remain closed.

"Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen." (Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.) he tries again but with the same result. "Nothing's happening," Pippin says, and Gandalf glances at him, looking slightly annoyed. He begins to push on the doors, but they remain fast. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves... Men... and Orcs." He whispers to himself and senes Silveria's hand on his shoulder. "What are you going to do, then?" Pippin asks, and Silveria sighs, moving away from Gandalf, who says back, annoyed. "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."

➳

Time passes. The rest of the Fellowship is seated around the doors near the lake. "Ando Eldarinwa... a lasta quettanya, Fenda Casarinwa..." (Gate of Elves... listen to my word, Threshold of Dwarves...) Gandalf says I'm the background. "The Mines are no place for a pony, even one so brave as Bill," Aragorn says as he unhitches the pony's bridle. "Buh-bye, Bill," Sam says sadly. "Go on, Bill, go on. Don't worry, Sam; he knows the way home." Aragorn says. Bill clip-clops down the shore through the night.

Bill clip-clops down the shore through the night.]

Merry begins to throw stones into the water. Pippin follows suit, but Silveria stops him. "Do not disturb the water." She whispers. "Oh, it's useless!" Gandalf exclaims, drops his staff, and sits down beside Frodo, pulling off his hat. Meanwhile, Aragorn and Boromir, and Silveria watch as a ripple runs through the water. Frodo stands up and looks at the writing on the gateway. "It's a riddle." He says. The water continues to ripple. The rest of the Fellowship watches. "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" Frodo asks Gandalf.

The water shivers again. "Mellon..." Gandalf says. The stone doors slowly swing open, rumbling deeply. The Fellowship enters Moria. Gandalf places a crystal into the top of his staff; Aragorn follows last, casting a last glance at the water. Moonlight floods into a darkened chamber. "Soon, Master Elf, and dragon, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin." Gimli gloats. Gandalf brings his hand around his staff, blowing upon the crystal. It glows.

"And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli scoffs. Boromir suddenly exclaims, "This is no mine; it's a tomb!"Light reveals rotted, broken, and battered forms strewn about, casting long shadows across the room. "Oh! No! Noooo!" Gimli wails. Legolas pulls out an arrow from the body of a fallen Dwarf, examines it, and casts it away in disgust. Aragorn and Boromir draw out their swords. Legolas fits an arrow to his bow. Silveria mirrors. "We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." Boromir says.

The four Hobbits are backing toward the door. Something stirs in the water behind them. "Now get out of here, get out!" Boromir yells, and The company starts for the door. Suddenly, Frodo is grabbed from behind and pulled off his feet by a long, snaking tentacle. "Frodo!" Sam, Merry, and Pippin yell. "Strider, Silveria!" Sam calls and hacks at the tentacle. "Get off him! Strider!" Silveria rushes forth and cuts the tentacle with her sword. "Aragorn!"

The Hobbits clutch at Frodo, attempting to keep him away from the water as more tentacles wrap around him. Finally, the watching creature at the gate releases Frodo and feigns disappearance under the seas. Suddenly, many tentacles come out of the water, slapping the other Hobbits aside and grabbing Frodo around the leg. He is pulled out over into the air. Silveria growls and lets out her aura. The watcher screeched at the smell but didn't let go.

Legolas runs out onto the shore and shoots. His arrow pierces a tentacle wrapping itself over Frodo's face. Boromir and Aragorn rush to the water and attack the beast. It flings Frodo wildly in the air. The Hobbit is lowered towards a gaping maw in the water, ringed by fangs, set in a gilled face despite the Fellowship's efforts. Silveria gets angry and roars before shifting into a giant wolf, jumping at the tentacles, biting down in them, making the creature scream in pain.

Aragorn slices through the tentacle holding Frodo, who falls into Boromir's arms. Silvera jumps down at the ground and roars a warning. "into the mines!" Gandalf calls. Silveria runs back into the mines as she hears Boromir call for the golden-haired elf. "Legolas!" Aragorn and Boromir retreat. Boromir runs for the gates with Frodo as a vast tentacle uncoils a hand-like appendage, snaking after them. Legolas aims. "Into the cave!" Aragorn yells, and Legolas shoots. His arrow hits the beast's right eye, and it recoils with a roar.

"Run! As the Fellowship race into Moria, the sea creature reaches out and tears the gates shut. Slabs of rocks drop, and the roof of the passageway caves in. The Fellowship stares back as the last rays of moonlight disappear.

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Cliffhanger

-Saph