It was all worth it

Chapter 07 - The mines of Moria

"Frodo, come and help an old man." Gandalf said as they neared to the walls of Moria.

"How is your shoulder?" Gandalf asked loudly which made Livia laugh quietly.

"Better than it was." Frodo answered.

"And the ring?" Gandalf almost whispered. If it not for Livia's elf ear, she would not have heard it.

"You feel its power growing, don't you? I felt it now. You must be careful now." Gandalf said.

"Evil will be drawn to you from outside the fellowship and I fear within." Gandalf said indicating Boromir with eyes.

"Who then do I trust?" Frodo asked in a voice that felt too helpless to Livia. She fought the urge to go and hug the hobbit saying everything will be fine. She stopped eavesdropping because it seemed wrong. Livia passed them with a smile at Frodo.

Gandalf was right. The ring's power was increasing and Livia can feel it too. Livia can feel it making them weak and fragile on their minds. Livia first used her healing powers to keep the power of the ring away from getting its power but it seems that it is becoming powerful and resisting her powers.

"Walls of Moria." Gimli said awed pointing a finger to their left.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli said trying to find the doors to moria with hitting the wall with his Ax.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf said trying to clear the dust that was on the walls.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas said in a small voice which can only be heard by Livia and Gimli which earned a chuckle from Livia and a growl from Gimli. Livia went near the wall and cleared some dust when she saw something.

"Gandalf?" she called and he came over. "I think its here." She said as she cleared some more. Gandalf smiled at her. "Oh, indeed it is. Let's see. Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Gandalf moved out of the way to let the moonlight fall over to the place where it was. Slowly but clearly the door appeared. Livia stepped back as Gandalf read the writing on the door.

"It reads 'the doors of Durin, Lord of Moria speak friend and enter.'" He read as he kept pointing each word with his staff.

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.

"Oh It's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf said in a rush. He then pointed his staff at the door and chanted.

"Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" nothing happened. Gandalf tried again.

"lasto beth lammen." Again, the same result. Nothing.

"Nothing's happening." Pippin said.

"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men ad orcs." Gandalf almost whispered.

"What are you going to do then?" pippin asked again.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf exclaimed. "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." His angry became low and low by each passing word. Livia went to pippin and patted his shoulder.

"He didn't really mean it." She said to calm him and she went to Legolas. He was staring at the river. Livia stared at it, following him as she felt something strange. A life but dark. A life filled with anger and ... hunger.

"What is in there?" Livia asked Legolas.

"I do not know but it is not something good, I can tell." He stated when suddenly a stone met with the water making a loud splash. Livia rushed towards them to stop. Aragorn stopped pippin as she stopped merry.

"Do not disturb the water." Aragorn said still holding onto Pippin's arm. Livia let go of merry and went to Legolas again as she heard the water beginning to move.

"This is not good." she whispered. Then, she heard the doors opened. They went inside.

"Soon, master elf, 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. And they call it a mine. A mine!" Livia smiled at Gimli's saying. He looked very excited. But something felt strangely wrong to Livia. suddenly, something cracked under her weight. She looked down to see a skull. Livia stepped away trying to get away.

"This is no mine, it's a tomb." Boromir said. Everyone steeped back but Livia heard none of it. Her ear heard something strange. a whisper of someone or something approaching. Something dark and familiar. Her blood froze as she recognized it. The watcher.

"Legolas, the watcher" Livia half yelled and half whispered to Legolas who looked at her with big eyes.

"Strider!" Someone yelled getting the attention of hers and the others.

Livia quickly ran to him trying to figure out the matter. A tentacle grabbed her leg and pulled her up which caused her quiver and the bow to fell. Livia heard someone yelling her name but she was struggling to be conscious and take the sword. Then, an arrow came and hit the tentacle in the place where her leg held missing by a string causing her to fall to water. She then heard a yell telling to go into the mines but she could not come quickly but she came out of the water to see rocks starting to crack. Livia saw her bow and the quiver and she did the only thing she could. Livia quickly gathered the arrows she could and threw it inside the mine because if Livia tried to get in, she would certainly be crushed under the rocks. Livia saw their scared and troubled faces as hobbits yelled her name.

She specially saw Legolas's worried and sad expression that would hunt her in her nightmares as the rocks fell blocking her from them. Oh, Legolas. Forgive me.

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Then, Livia remembered the reason why they have been told to run to the mines. The giant squid watcher looked around as she hid behind a rock. Slowly, it went back to water. She got out of her hiding spot and went to the place where the door was.

"Gandalf!" she desperately tried to talk to Gandalf with her mind.

"Child, Livia!" She nearly screamed in relief.

"Gandalf, it's me. I will meet you on the other side. Be careful, Gandalf. I know the creatures that live deep in the mines. Do not worry about me. I will be safe." Livia said in a convincing voice.

"Okay, dear." Gandalf said cutting the connection. Then, she tried calling Legolas.

"Legolas, it's me, Livia. Do not scream. Protect them for me please and do not worry, I will be fine." She then cut the connection before he could say anything. Livia almost fainted. Calling to minds in the two sides of Ithildin doors is Exhausting. She then stood up and tightened her swords to her back and checked for her dagger. It was still in the boot, thankfully. 

Livia tried to put the selfish thought of relief of the path she's taking was not the mines of Moria. She was after all the midnight star. Her power and energy will be reduced to nothing if she went that down into mines. 

She took a deep breath. She is going to be fine and so will they. Livia started the journey. her own journey.

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As I have said before, I don't own lotr or hobbit.

R&R

Hope you will have a great day/night!

Sparky_brain