The Ring of Power

Chapter 10

The Fellowship of the Ring traveled for hours. Elysium's health became worse with each step they took and many of them were beginning to loose hope that she'd ever awaken from her unconscious state. Her breathing became labored and heavy, as did Legolas, whom refused to let go of her.

Gandalf, to suppress the pain, chanted incantations every few hours and fed her herbs. Aragorn changed the bonds that held her intestines in her stomach and slowed the bleeding every four hours, but it seemed the wound was getting infected. But her weight was starting to slow them down.

Legolas struggled as the company climbed a steep and narrow walkway. His legs shook with exhaustion and his arms ached. His pain increased when he saw a thin stream of blood leak from her small nose. A lone tear, barely noticeable, fell from his eyes. Elysium was not going to make it to Gondor, which was where Boromir felt they should go.

Gandalf leaned on his staff as if it was a walking stick. "Frodo, come help an old man." Gandalf drew Frodo to his side and continued to walk slowly up the path. "How's your shoulder?" With all the drama of Elysium's health, no one paid attention to Frodo's health. Just a few weeks ago, Frodo had been stabbed by a Ring Wraith and was rushed to Rivendell.

"Better than it was." Frodo mumbled, feeling a sting from the wound. It always hurt when he talked about it. Gandalf paused, trying to bring it up subtly. "And the Ring?"

"You feel its power growing, don't you. I felt it, too." Gandalf said. It was more of a statement than a question. He could see the pained and tired looks sent towards the Ring. It was beginning to weigh on him. "Just be careful, now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And I fear from within." Gandalf whispered, glancing at Boromir.

"Then who do I trust?" Frodo glanced around him. Gandalf nodded solemnly; he wanted to say trust him, but the Ring's power even drew him in. "Trust yourself. Trust your own strengths." Gimli came up behind Gandalf, his eyes glossed over.

"The walls of Moria." He gasped and pushed through everyone to get a better look. Aragorn stood back and helped Legolas with Elysium.
"Dwarf walls are invisible." Gimli banged his ax against the moist stonewalls. Gandalf scrutinized them. "Yes," he said. "Sometimes its own master cannot even find them. The secrets are forgotten."

Legolas scoffed lightly. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" He had let Aragorn take Elysium for the rest of the walk, much to his own disliking. He, himself, wanted to protect her. Legolas did not want anyone else touching her, even if it was one of Elysium's closest friends.

The mucky and to their right swirled and pulled toward Elysium. She had always been able to control the seas and the land. Only Aragorn and Legolas knew this. Elysium had always thought that it was just a natural gift. Unbeknownst to her, it actually had to do with her heritage.

Gandalf ran his withered hand over the dark stone, muttering who knows what. Frodo caught the word 'starlight' and 'moonlight'. Gandalf looked at the sky as the clouds moved away, showing the full white moon. The indentions on the stone shone a white-blue milky color, outlining what appeared to be a doorway. Gandalf marveled at his work.

"It reads: The doors of Doreen, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter."

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry piped in, not having spoken since the ice incident. Gandalf chuckled and smiled smugly. "Well, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf the Grey roared in a foreign language. The Fellowship smirked at how easy it seemed. But the doorway did not open. Gandalf muttered impatiently, very embarrassed. With more vigor he roared again, raising his staff. But again, the doors did not budge.

Elysium began to stir in Aragorn's arms. She raised her head; feeling like a thousand horses had just stomped on her and a million bees had stung her. She looked at the doors, confused. What was going on? She thought.

Gandalf tried everything; he pushed on the doors, he muttered spells, he kicked the doors, and whacked his staff on it. Nothing was happening.

"What are you going to do?" Pippin asked, cheery as always. Despite the situation, Pippin was in an okay mood; he like adventure and mischief. Gandalf turned on him and bellowed, "Knock your head against these door, Peregrin Took, and if that doesn't work..." Gandalf sighed. "I will try to find another way."

For hours they sat at the doors and bye the water. For hours Gandalf muttered every spell and incantation he knew, but nothing would open the doors. Elysium had awoken again. Legolas explained what was happening, while feeding her. Aragorn watched the two.

The three of them had known each other for so long Aragorn had lost count of the years. They had been friends for as long as any of them could remember. He and Elysium had lived together in Rivendell after the death of his father. She had become his sister in all but blood and he had fallen in love with her younger sister, Arwen. The two had met Legolas at a young age. Lord Elrond and Elysium visited Mirkwood and Lord Thranduil, Legolas' father and Elvenking. The three of them had went to the wood and shot arrows at the large trees. Elysium and Legolas had insisted on healing the trees after; they believed the trees were something called Ents.

Through the years Legolas had known Elysium, he had gained fond of her. No, not fond, that is a word to light to use. He had fallen in love with her. And Aragorn had known, from the looks the wood elf had given the princess of Rivendell. Though Aragorn hasn't any idea if Elysium has related feelings.

Pippin and Merry threw large stone into the dark water, making it bubble up. With each toss, Elysium felt the ripples.

"Do not disturb the water." Elysium said with all the power she could muster.
Gandalf sat down in defeat. He was an all-powerful wizard and everything he did failed. Frodo furrowed his brow what if the riddle meant literally speak 'friend'? Gandalf hadn't tried that.

"What's the elvish word for friend?" Frodo called, getting up and examining the doors. Elysium tried to sit up to see what Frodo was talking about.

"Mellon." Gandalf gasped. The heavy stone doors swung open with a large creak. Dust flew up as if the doors hadn't been opened for years upon years. Moonlight shone in the stone room creating just very little light for them to see.

All Pippin could think was: What have I gotten myself into?