The Return of the Ring

[Finrod Felagund]

"DAMN!" Emrys cursed. And then found a broom and swept the shattered skeleton into a bag which he carried out towards the parking lot where the girls waited in his car.

[Claenoic]

OOC: Me back *sigh* SORRY, it took me so long to get time!

Shuina bit her right thumbnail. It wasn't helping, so she switched to her left thumbnail.

Mara looked on in slight disgust.

Shuina felt Mara's eyes on her protruding thumb, stopped chewing and smiled apologetically. "Nasty habit. I should really get a worry stone, saves on tear on my nails..."

Mara relaxed and sighed. She looked out at the University's doors, wondering when Mr. Emrys would come out. She touched the Ring, as if reasuring herself that it was still there.

Shuina eyed the hand slipping into Mara's pocket. "I wouldn't touch it as much if I were you, though it's hard to resist."

Mara, who was in a half trance, revived and smiled instinctively. "It IS very hard to."

Shuina sighed. "Too bad you can't let it go, not now anyway."

Mara looked at her Asian classmate curiously. "Why is that?"

Shuina smiled grimly. "Try giving it to me. Go on, try."

Mara hesitated.

"Or if you like, just drop it. Right on the floor. I promise, I won't take it." Shuina was totally sincere.

Mara took the Ring out of her pocket...

OOC: Someone end this.

[Earniel]

OOC: Very glad you're back Claenoic! But I think Finrod took the ring earlier. Oh well....let's pretend he gave it to us when he told us to wait at his car.


Mara looked at the Ring in her hand. Slowly she tried to tilt her hand but found she was unable. "Your hand is shaking." said Shuina.
"I know." said Mara with gritted theeth. "Dammit! I will not be beaten by a stupid piece of metal!" With that she abruptly flung out her hand. With the sudden move the Ring flew from her hand and hit the ground a few paces further off. Quickly Mara set her foot on it so it wouldn't roll away. She was breathing heavily.

"Whoa, easy girl!" said Shuina, surprised by Mara's vicious outburst.
"Sorry." mumbled Mara. She sighed. "I want to go home." she said suddenly.
"But what about Mr. Emrys? He told us to wait here."
"So what?" asked Mara "The guy shows up and decides that we should have dinner with him. I just lost my appetite...." She turned to walk away.
"What about the Ring?" asked Shuina, again biting her nails. "You've put it in your pocket again."
Mara looked surprised. "I did? No, it's still on the ....." she looked down where the Ring should have been lying, it wasn't there. Instead she felt the same old weigth again in her pocket. "...ground." she finished. "Oh god, I don't even remember picking it up!"

[Claenoic]

Shuina laughed mirthlessly. "See? Reflex. No way to stop it. Grats, you're a Ringbearer. Though I don't see how that deserves congratulations."

Mara only half understood. "I'm a what and why is that so bad?"

Shuina did an odd half smile. "You're carrying the Ring. You'll hold it for the rest of your life, never wanting to let it go. You'll never abandon it. If it wishes, it will abandon you. The only creature who was able to let go of it - permanently, mind - was a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins. Even then, he had the help of an Istari, a wizard, if you will."

Mara was lost at the words "abandon you". "Abandon me? Impossible. It's an inanimate object. It doesn't have a will."

Shuina grimaced. "That's what you think. Don't you remember how hard it was to let it go? The strain on your hand?"

Mara opened her mouth to answer, but-

A multitude of piercing shrieks tore through the air.

Shuina turned white. "Oh, Great Eru, Sweet Elbereth..."

Mara was shocked and puzzled. "What is it? What's going on?"

Her newly found friend was pulling frantically at Mara's arm. "C'mon, we need to move! Come on!!!" Shuina was on the verge of tears.

Mara complied, but she was still confused. "What is happening???"

Shuina gulped. "Nazgul. Ringwraiths. They're here for the Ring."

[Earniel]

"Ring? What ring? This ring?" Mara asked confused.

"Do you happen to have any other magical rings with you? Come on!" Shuina was pulling Mara back to the lighted university building. Another shriek rose in the nightsky sending shivers down the spines of the girls. Simultanously they turned around and ran back to the university building.

"Wait! The car! We still got the car keys!" Mara said suddenly.

"Too late for that now! Didn't you hear that last shriek? They're too close!"

Once inside they slammed the door behind them.

"What do we do now?

"We should find some weapons. Too bad there is no phial of Galadriel or a good Westernisse-sword in the real world."

"What are you talking about, Shuina?"

"You can't beat ringwraiths with normal weapons. They are not human, they're not even alive. But they home in on the ring and um... tend to kill the bearer of it."

"Bloody marvelous. I suppose just giving them the ring is out of the question, right?"

"Definately." said Shuina. "Come, we have to find the others. With luck, the ringwraiths won't attack if we're in larger numbers."

[Silverstripe]

ooc: May I join you? I'd like to be a human student.

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr. Emrys came to the doors just as Shuina and Mara burst in.
"What the..." Mr Emrys shouted.
Mara gasped out, "The Nazgul...wraiths...for the ring"
Mr. Emrys' eyes went wide.
"Quickly to the car!"
Shuina protested, "That's where we just were!"
Quickly!" Yelled Emrys, grabbing the girls by the arms. They all ran out to the parking lot as a number of shadowy figures appeared.
Mr. Emrys looked at Mara, "DRIVE!"
She got in the drivers seat and Shuina got in the passenger side. Mr. Emrys climbed into the back seat.
"Turn on the auto map!" he shouted, "It's the green button and will list directions home."
Then Mr. Emrys pulled back the roof.
Shuina and Mara were horrified.
"NO!" they yelled together.
Mr Emry's hair was shining and he shouted as his hair and clothes billowed around him.
Suddenly as mara drove and the Nazgul followed, a bright flash came from Mr. Emrys hands and the Nazgul disappeared.
Shuina gasped, "Who are you?"
Mr. Emrys slowly sank into his seat, "I don't know," he trembled, "I don't know. The Nazgul are simply disoriented and they'll be back."

[zavron]

the ring I must bring the ring to my master!!!

''KAAAAA!!! A wizard!!! Come My Nazgul!''

I had not foreseen this!


With that the nazgul split up and a dark shadow followed the car floating not far behind.

[Claenoic]

Shuina sank back into her seat, shivering. "How, in the name of Vana Ever-young, did you do that? It's not possible, unless you were an Istari or something..."she giggled nervously at the incredulosity of that notion, until...

She turned to Mr. Emrys. "Unless... are you?"

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr. Emrys sighed "I'm no Istari, although I believe I may have a few drops of Maiar blood in my veins." Then he looked suprised. "I'm remembering, something about a king and something about a red dragon fighting a white dragon, and...I am descended from elves of Middle Earth and from a place called Marlin but that's all I remember, I am half elf. But, something else, something about Britain is nagging at me."

Then the car's system said "Turn left at the next driveway"
Mara turned in. There was a gate and Mr Emrys yelled out, "Elbereth", the gate swung open. "Voice recognition, " smiled Mr. Emrys at the shocked girls, "not magic, technology."
Then they drove through to see a huge mansion. The girls were impressed. "Come in, we need to talk" said Mr. Emrys.

[Earniel]

"Yes," said Mara slowly "I think we do. Because right now, I'd like to get some straight answers. I've been knocked to the ground, chased by creepy guys with a gothic statement and stuck with an evil trinket that's messing with my head. Furthermore I think I can forget about participating in an excavation on American soil ever again because we did just happen to steal a rare artifact. So you'll understand I'm not really in a good mood today. So I want to know right now: Who are you and what do you want?"

OOC: Welcome Silverstripe, I guess you can join unless Nariel objects. Try and post your character on the "LOTR 2002" thread. It's the discussion thread of this RPG.

[Claenoic]

Shuina's head was still reeling from meeting a part Maiar, part Elf. And she understood his reference to Britain, but she wasn't talking until they got inside.

[Nariel]

Dr. Emrys, Mara, and Shuina entered his house, only to find Dr. Martinez and Dr. Jenstad sitting on his sofa. "How on earth did you get in?" he asked.
"Your window was unlocked." said Dr. Jenstad.
"We have to destroy the Ring," said Dr. Martinez
"Don't we all know that," Mara said. "But how?"
"I have a fffffriend who woooorks for NASSSSSSSA," she said, starting to shake. "I..... I.... I'llll b.. b.. b.. bet he'lllll hhhhhelllp ussssss." Having barely gotten the snetence out of her mouth, she collapsed, writing on the floor, and slowly making her was towards the girls. "I nnnnnneeeeeeeeeed ittttt. It'sssssss mmmmmiiiiiiinnnnne." After a bit of a scuffle, Dr. Emrys and Dr. Jenstad got her back on the sofa and held her down.
"But what are we supposed to do?" Dr. Emrys asked. "Fly it into the sun?"
Still shivering, Kathy looked up through a mop of her hair hanging over her face. "Exactly"

OOC: Silver, feel free to enter!

[Earniel]

Mara took a seat in the corner, as far from dr. Martinez as she could. She didn't really blame her professor for the influence the ring clearly held over her but... It scared Mara and she didn't want to take the ring too close to dr. Martinez. Is this how I will react once I lose the ring? she wondered disturbed. "Fly it into the sun...." she turned to Shuina, "You're the expert LOTR here. Do you think it could work?"

[zavron]

I came upon a house and the ring called out.

[I] ''this is where the ring is, I call upon my nazgul.''

''kkkkkkkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssss sssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhkkk kkkkkaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssssssssssss''

the shadow passed towards a window in the house slipping past the bars and slipped in through a crack in the window.

''ASH NAZG DRAKATULUK, ASH NAZG GIMBATUL, AH NAZG THRAKATULUK, AGH BURZUM-ISHI CRIMPATUL. ASH NAZG DRAKATULUK, ASH NAZG GIMBATUL, AH NAZG THRAKATULUK, AGH BURZUM-ISHI CRIMPATUL. ASH NAZG DRAKATULUK, ASH NAZG GIMBATUL, AH NAZG THRAKATULUK, AGH BURZUM-ISHI CRIMPATUL. ASH NAZG DRAKATULUK, ASH NAZG GIMBATUL, AH NAZG THRAKATULUK, AGH BURZUM-ISHI CRIMPATUL.

the ring dropped out of the pocket of one of the girls sat at the table and bounced along the floor. An Armoured spiked foot emerged and stood on it. There the lord of the Nazgul arose and withdrew his sword, The witch king blade.

''I have it...........MY MAAASSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEERRR!!!! I HAVE IT!!!! KAAAAAAAAA!!!''

[Claenoic]

Mara spun around and saw the Witch King. She screamed, and the others turned around.

Before Shuina could add her shrieking to Mara's, Mr. Emrys had sent another white flash in the Witch King's direction. It wasn't a direct hit, but it still left the King a little dazed and confused.

This was enough time for Shuina, who had regained her senses, to run to the fireplace and get a piece of wood ablaze with fire. Rushing back to the couch, she jammed the flaming wood into the space where the King's head should have been.

The Witch King screamed and dropped the Ring, went to his little crack, and disappeared.

Mr. Emrys quickly picked The Ring up and handed it to Mara, who put it back in her pocket almost by instinct.

Shuina shakily brushed off her hands and smiled weakly at the astonished audience. "They don't like fire at all."

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr. Emrys was dazed. "I don't think the sun would work but, it might. Yet, if it didn't, I think the Nazgul would have no trouble going into space, send a Balrog maybe. They wouldn't mind the fire."

[Claenoic]

Shuina sat down on the couch, tactfully between Mara and Dr. Martinez. "But, why not? Orodruin WAS supposedly the hottest volcano on Earth, but that doesn't mean it was more hot than the sun. Personally, I think it's a fifty-fifty chance. And I believe balrogs CAN be defeated by fire. Gandalf mentioned something about the flames of Anor - The Sun. I need to get my books from home, unless - oh!" She swayed and leaned on the arm of the couch. "Sorry, I feel a bit faint."

[Earniel]

Mara helped Shuina to sit down again. "Are you alright, Shuina? You look pale! Can anyone get her something to drink maybe?" Mr. Emrys nodded and went to the kitchen. Mara looked with some concern at her friend who was indeed becoming very pale. Is it the aftershock from torching that ringwraight? Mara wondered. Surely that couldn't have affected her that bad.

[Nariel]

"Aww crap," said Kathy.
"What?" they all asked simultaneously.
"Can't you tell? She's obviously been stabbed by one of those.... uh... whaddayacallem... Blades of Mordor. She needs Elvish medicine."
They looked at her in astonishement.
"you've read the Lord of the Rings?" asked Mara.
"Of course I have. High school required reading."
"Why didn't you say so?"
"Nobody asked. You know, come to think of it, the U.S. isn't just going to let us borrow a shuttle to throw into the sun. So unless one of you has a space shuttle in you back yard, I would suggest we try my friend Alexei Postrovic in Moscow. He might help."
"You think the russians will let us fly one of their shuttles into the sun?"
"No, but we'd have a better chance at stealing it."
Shuina paled. "Stealing?"
"Yes. Stealing. You don't think we're just going to walk into Russian Military Headquarters and ask to borrow a shuttle, do you?"
"I guess not."
"Great. Now if Merlin here would kindly attend to Mara, I'll call Alexei."
Dr. Emrys looked at her. "How'd you know?"
She smiled. "Know what?"