Mithrilstone

[Curubethion]

Dusk faded over the landscape. Makoin and Gimli walked along the road north, under the foothills of the Misty Mountains. The air was cold, and they were nearly shivering. A bird called somewhere, as their feet crushed the dirt underneath them. Dusk still faded.

"We should get a fire going," Gimli told his companion. "We'll stop here for the night."

"All right, then. How long until we're back at the Iron Hills?" asked Makoin.

"Oh, a week's journey, maybe two. Something smells of adventure, though. Nah...I've had enough adventure for now."

"Look! What's-that?"

It was a lump next to the road, nestled in by a rocky outcrop. The dwarves ran closer. As they approached, they saw it was a body. A dwarf body. They both stopped, and crept closer, taking their axes out. When they got within ten feet, the body rolled over. Makoin gasped.

"Nakoin!" he shouted.

Nakoin opened his mouth, but fell back. A trickle of blood flowed out of it. Makoin fell to his knees as Gimli ran up. He carefully closed the dead dwarf's mouth and eyes, whispering the words of the ancient Dwarven burial rituals.

"Nakoin!" cried Makoin.

Gimli watched and waited. They would stay the night...stay and watch the body. In the morning, they could bury the dwarf. Gimli took another look at him, and saw something clutched in his battered hand. It shone with a pale silver light. Gimli opened his eyes wide, and took it carefully away.

He knew what it was.

The Mithrilstone.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Elrohir Nénharma diligently cleaned the blood from his sword. Goblin blood was by far the worst when it came to stains. He glanced over at the woman lying beside his campfire, bound painfully tight.

Not a woman, he reminded himself. It was an Elf. Elrohir hadn't killed her quite yet. No, she was supposed to be rather important around these parts. He'd toy with her and her loved ones a bit before finally slitting her throat.

He cast a bored eye over the surrounding area. The lake which was rumored to hold some sort of fierce beast was disappointingly still. Clouds covered the moon and thus he was stuck sitting in front of the door into Moria until they cleared.

Elrohir carefully chose a rock and then launched it at the Elf scum's head. It cried out. He sneered. "Queens do not handle pain very well," he noted rudely.

"Please," it whimpered. "My husband is King Elessar. He could pay you whatever you wish." Elrohir rolled his eyes.

"I don't do this for pay, soft head. I do it for amusement."

[rohirrim TR]

As Alatar set out for Rivendell he procured a horse from the "Pony", and made it to Amon-Sul that night. As he slept his dreams made him toss and turn until suddenly Narya flamed, flashing like a mirror caught in the sunlight, as hot as a glede. The wizard awoke with a start. saddled his horse and rode north towards the Misty Mountains. All thoughts of a peacful stay in rivendell and a ship to the west forgotten.

[Curubethion]

Lady Willow tossed and turned on her bed in Rivendell. It should have been peaceful, yet was far from it. Darkness...darkness and terror had been haunting her.

A dark pit, filled with evil. Seeping out towards her...seeping...and she tried to move-stuck! IT came. Reaching...grabbing for her...Dark Terror of...consuming...need..."I want..."..."You cannot have it"..."Want..."..."NO!"..."Want!!" Reaching for her...reaching...reaching-she shuddered...it touched her-

With a shriek, she woke, sitting upright in her bed, shouting, "You cannot take it!"

Slowly breathing, she sat back against the headboard. And did not dare go back to sleep. She needed to get moving. Soon. Danger was coming.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Lady Willow swung up on her white mare. She only spared Rivendell a quick glance before cantering off into the wilderness. It was no longer the Elven haven it had once been. The place was trapped in winter, as it probably always would be.

Her mind, as usual, was partly on Aragorn. She had neither seen nor spoken to him since the end of her quest. But she had thought of him constantly.

The woods seemed to move past her in a blur. The sun had been young at the beginning of her journey. Now, as mountains rose up above her, it faded into the west.

"Where are you, my love?" she asked the air. "And how do you fair?"

[rohirrim TR]

"your brother will ever be held in much honor Makoin, he has brought the answer to our most painful dilemma" said Gimli after they had finished entombing Nakoin's body.

"the stone of that blasted war, how does it help us? it looks as though it was the death of him" his friend replied bitterly.

"perhaps...perhaps" Gimli stroked his beard and looked towards the mountains with a glint in his eye.

[Lady Willow Rose]

It took Willow some time before she realized she was heading for Moria. That is when she knew her brief time of rest was over. She could almost smell another adventure in the air. More danger, more secrets and more unkown powers.

Her horse gradually slowed from a gallop to a slow, loping canter. Willow raised her face to the sky and took in the air. There was a faint scent. Camp fire, well-worn clothes, steel. Her lips curved upward.

Rangers...

[Curubethion]

Gimli abruptly stopped, turning his head slightly. He shut his eyes.

"What is it?" asked Makoin.

The other dwarf replied, "Something is coming. I can hear it. Get ready."

Nodding, Makoin looked up and slowly removed his handaxe. Gimli turned towards the direction where the sound was coming from, and lifted his battleaxe. He could hear the distant footsteps, coming closer...heavy footsteps. Advancing onwards...

They paused. Gimli nodded to Makoin.

"Baruk Khazad!" yelled the dwarves. "Khazad amenieu!"

Running, they charged at the figure who stood before them. It started shouting in a deep voice as they approached.

"Ho! Stop that! Don't hurt me!" it shouted.

Gimli jerked to a halt. It was a dwarf's voice. He called out, "Who are you, and who is your master?"

"Don't be too pushy, now. Can't a dwarf get some rest around here without his fellows jumping all over him? They call me Tarkhal...Tarkhal Treehelm. I come from the Iron Hills."

"Is that so?" Gimli asked. "That is near where I grew up. Then you are a friend-welcome. What are you doing here?"

"Hmm, well, you might call me a bit of a wanderer. I don't like staying in one place...gets a bit dull, don't you think? Anyway, what are you doing around these parts?"

[Lady Willow Rose]

Elrohir opened his eyes and felt the presence of something beyond description. She wasn't near, he knew that. But she was close. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the air.

Her power tingled along his spine. He could almost see how her blood would run. Smooth and clean over his sword, shining like silver in moonlight.

He would have this being. Her life would become pain, and the pain would be at his command.

[Curubethion]

Something else also felt the presence of the being. Something deep in the depths of the Black Pit. Something ageless beyond age...dark and evil it was. Evil...in the depths. It felt her, like a taint upon the surface of the sea. Sliding over him...sickening...

The Firstborn snarled, feeling the presence. He fixated its gaze on the goblin trembling before him. And then the Firstborn struck.

"Mercy, my-" were the last words the orc-scum uttered.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Lady Willow froze the moment her feet touched the earth. Something hummed and pulsed beneath the surface. And it was vile.

Flashes of her nightmare rose up in her waking eyes. A presence seemed to crawl under her skin, sick and twisted. Deep, dark and ancient. As old as she herself was, and Willow had never met a being of her age save Alatariel.

Cautiously, she crouched down low and pressed a hand to the earth. The throb of... something, was still present. "Amin sinta lle?" she murmured questioningly.

The creeping feeling under her skin intensified and quickly both hands were pressed to the dirt as though chains held them there. Willow panted, trying in vain to free herself. A voice filled her ears, something between a rumble and a hiss.

"Fear me, for I can crush you with a thought and will not hesitate to do so if you bother me." Willow's eyes flashed silver and she sent a wave of power down her arms, into the earthy home of this foe.

"You are not the only ancient one in Middle-Earth," she said stiffly. Without another word she mounted her horse and cantered away.


*Do I know you?

[rohirrim TR]

"Gimli riders approaching" said Makoin drawing his bow and melting into the shadow on the side of the road.

"Peace friend" came a clear ringing voice.

Gimli stepped out chuckling "Legolas well met good elf, what excellent timing, but you're coming from the north how did you get over there, when I left you in fangorn?"

" I heard of war in Gondor so I rode to Minas Tirith with an eored, I had expected you to be there but Aragorn related that you had gone to Erebor on some request so I thoght to ride down through Mirkwood and Esgaroth and see your Lonely Mountain, but twas not necessary for I met several rangers going south who said they had parted with you in bree, and then I met this Wizard who I find is known to you also. that at least is the short of my story and now it your turn to fill me in on news."

"ahh yes good legolas my heart is glad to find someone I can confide in, come I need to show you something"

they walked towards the trees and gimli brought out a small leathern bag in it Legolas could see a crystal with the imperishable gold of Galadriel and a silver stone with runes carved on its surface.

"the stone of Daeron?" asked legolas visibly disturbed

"daeron? perhaps he wrought it, I don't know, the story of its maker has been lost to us dwarves at least, but its power has not I."

" you aren't thinking of using it? legend said only a ring of power could master the stone and all are now gone."

"in Moria there lies a dwarf ring wrought of mithril with runes that match this stone" said Gimli quietly "the master of the stone lies in Moria; you are one of the few that know of Moria Legolas, will you help me on this quest?"

"aye but let us see if this wizard will join us, he knows more of your mind than you do I believe, he told me what you dwarves were up to on our way here.. but do not be troubled he is a friend; why I believe Gandalf himself would choose him as our companion." legolas replied with a chuckle.

[Acalewia]

Colomir left Minas Tirith as soon as he found Acalewia. Now they were riding North. After an intruder that had taken something precious to the King. Colomir felt it was his duty to get her back, yet he had never been north before. Acalewia was from the North and knew it in her sleep.
"Keep up, son of Faramir!" the elf called over her shoulder. Colomir noticed she had her horse at a gallop. A wood was before them. "We rest in Lothloren tonight."

[Lady Willow Rose]

Lady Willow decided to avoid the mines for a short time. She rode hard and long for the rest of the day until she reached the forest of Lothlorien. It had been struck with the same ailment as Rivendell. All the trees were bare and the forest itself was chill with winter.

She dismounted and led her tired mare into the forest. With any luck, she would find an abandoned Elven shelter.

[Acalewia]

It had been some time since Acalewia had set foot in Loren. It had not been the same since the departure of Galadriel. She and Colomir led their horses deep into the forest looking for a place to rest.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Willow had just unsaddled her horse when she felt a familiar tingle of power down her back. A smile stretched across her face. She swung around the tree and startled the two other travelers to death.

"Aaye, Acelwia! Aaye, Colomir!" she exclaimed happily. "Nae saian luume'."


*Hail
*It has been too long

[Curubethion]

"An elf, what else?" Tarkhal mumbled to himself.

Legolas turned on his heel. "What was that?"

"Nothing, good elf..." replied the dwarf, humming to himself. "Is someone serving food up yet? It's getting late, after all. Either that, or how about setting up camp?"

"Aye, that we could do!" agreed Gimli. "Let's just sit and wait for the wizard to show up, then! Maybe we'll even get some more company into the bargain as well, eh?"

Legolas surpressed a smile at the words of his friend, but he nodded.

"I'll take first watch, after we get the campsite made," Tarkhal told them. "I've spent many long nights in the wilds before. You won't have to worry a bit. You've got Tarkhal Treehelm with you!"

~~~~~~

"Positions, scum!" Lazhur roared after the goblins under his command. "Where's that filth Grishag, and his nice little troll? The dwarves are attacking again!"

He turned, and watched his swarming goblins scurry across the floors of Moria. Their cries echoed across the walls, mixing with shouts of "Baruk Khazad!" The beseiged dwarves were trying to turn the tables on them. Lazhur cursed, and ran towards the thick of the battle.

[Acalewia]

"Willow!" Acalewia cried. "I must be losing my touch." she grined. Colomir was still fighting to regulate his heartbeat and breathing. "I thought you would still be in Rivendell. What brings you here?"

[Lady Willow Rose]

Willow's smile faded just a bit. "There's something stirring, a power deep in the earth." Acalewia stared at her intently.

"Lle tyava quel?" she asked gently, laying a hand on her cheek. Willow laughed.

"My friend, I know very well how pale I appear. I haven't felt well since Alatariel... Well, things haven't been the same." She looked down at her hands. They were thin and very long. Willow knew something was happening to her.

And she was afraid.



*Do you feel well?

[Acalewia]

Acalewia frowned.
"An evil has arisen in Moria once more. Have you felt it as well?" She put a hand on Willow's shoulder. "Avo 'osto, mellon." She nodded at Colomir. "We must rest. We know not what lies ahead of us"


*Fear not, friend.