From Wyoming, to Middle-earth

Chap. 15 - Mines of Moria Pt. 2

There was no way out. I couldn't escape now. Frodo! Where was Frodo? Was he eaten?

I looked at Aragorn, and hissed, "Where is Frodo?"

He glanced up to four, small figures, "Up there. Why?"

"I thought he was eaten," I said sheepishly, and shrugged. He smiled with amusement, and we caught up to the others.

Gandalf looked around, "We have now but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard, there are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the worlds. Quietly now, it's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."

Gandalf started to lead the way through the dark cavern. I stepped onto a couple of skulls, and they made a sickening crunch underneath my feet. My hand was kept on my bow as we progressed. Boromir slowly made his way over to me, and started to walk on my right side. Aragorn walked on my left, our arms brushing.

I felt Aragorn stiffen when Boromir stood next to me. I was expecting Boromir to start talking about Minas Tirith, but he remained silent. I got the impression that they were protecting me, but I wasn't that helpless. I took quicker steps, and got ahead of them. By a couple feet.

I squinted ahead through the dark. Legolas peered back at us, and kept walking. He had his bow ready as well. Gandalf suddenly stopped. Something silver glittered in the wall. He reached out to touch it, "The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels. But in Mithril."

He looked over at the edge of the path, and shone his light from his staff down the cavern. I looked down. The 'mithril', or whatever he had called it littered the bottom of the cave.

"Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril that Thorin gave him," Gandalf said.

"Aww. That was a kingly gift," Gimli said.

Gandalf nodded, "Yes. I never told him, but it's worth was greater than the value of the Shire!"

I turned to Aragorn, and asked quietly, "What's Mithril?"

He touched the wall gently, "It's made out of dragon scales. Stronger than steel, and light as a feather."

I reached out to the wall, and tugged on a piece of the substance. It wouldn't come out, so I let it be. We kept going, and stopped at some extremely steep stairs. Gandalf looked up, "Be careful going up."

He started to climb, and the hobbits followed. Legolas climbed with extreme ease. Maybe it's not so bad. The hobbits were struggling a little, but maybe that's because they are short.

I followed them up the steep staircase. It was harder than I thought. The handholds were small and wet, so it was quite slippery. I heard a gasp and scuffling from above.

"Pippin!" I heard Merry rasp. Pippin must have slipped.

I went back to concentrating on my climb. My foot slipped on something, and I went down a couple of steps. A sharp rock sliced through side of my knee. My heart was pounding, and I gasped. From below me, Aragorn took a sharp intake of breath, "Alex!"

"I'm alright, my foot slipped," I breathed. My leg burned where I was cut. I clenched my jaw, and kept climbing.

Now I realized why Legolas was so good at it. He was an elf. I got to the last step, and pulled myself up. My arms felt like noodles, and I almost let go a couple of times. I stood up, and saw Gandalf staring at three different doorways.

Behind me, Aragorn climbed up, followed by Boromir.

"I have no memory of this place," Gandalf whispered, and sat down.