Paths That Lead Home (LotR F.F.)

Chapter 12: So I was right about a lake monster

Abby's POV:

Cathy and I couldn't argue. The state the Hobbits were in was terrible and Boromir could have been right on the blizzard killing them. We thought about confessing to Gandalf about our dreams, but I went against it after some discussion.

"I'm not playing devil's advocate, but what if this actually does happen in the actual storyline?" Cathy and I took the rear of the group as we traveled back down the mountain. "If we interfere, what will happen? Will this world still get a happily ever after?"

"I don't know."

It took a couple days to get off the mountain and into the rocky canyon beneath it. The blizzard thankfully stopped after a few hours of turning back. Gandalf lead the way with Gimli following close behind. The dwarf seemed to get more anxious the closer we get to Moria.

"How about we focus on something else?" Cathy offered.

"Like what?"

"Like how that voice in my dream said that, my sister, is a Seer. And is apparently much more special than me?"

"Jealous?"

She glared down at me. "I'm just trying to figure out what's going on. Because what if Kylie ends up in the same boat as us? Attacked and brought to this world? We were lucky that Aragorn was around, otherwise we would be -"

Ahead of us, Gimli gasped. "The walls of Moria." I looked up and saw what looked like a huge wall built into the mountain and before it laid a lake. As we walked around the lake, I tried to stay as far away as I could from the water. The water was dark and had an eerie mist that screamed 'I'm probably hiding a monster that could kill you and your friends!'

When we reached the wall, Gimli began tapping on it as he walked. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," he explained.

"Yes, Gimli," said Gandalf, "even their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" muttered Legolas. I stifled a laugh and he grinned at me.

Gandalf stopped by a spot on the wall that was between two leafless trees. He ran his hand across the stone. "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight," he murmured. He then looked to the sky just as the clouds that covered the moon broke apart. I looked back at the wall and gave a little gasp. A silvery outline of a doorway glowed on the wall. There were marks above the doorway and Gandalf translated it.

"It reads, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"

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

"It's simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf placed the tip of his staff on the doorway and chanted a few words. The doors didn't open. Gandalf frowned, he raised his arms and chanted another few words. The doors still didn't open. Gandalf even went up to the door and started pushing against it. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs," Gandalf muttered.

"What are you going to do, then?" asked Pippin.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" snapped Gandalf. "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."

Well, it looks like we'll be hanging out here for a while, beside the creepy lake, that may hold a monster. I took a seat at the base of one of the trees. Gimli, Legolas, and Boromir took a seat nearby while Aragorn, Sam, and Cathy began to unload the pony. Bill the pony wasn't allowed to go into the mines so we had to let him go. Merry and Pippin were looking at the pebbles that littered the ground.