The Journey to the Mines

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Many preparations were made for the Fellowship's road to Moria.Food was packed, weapons were sharpened, and other supplies were placed in knapsacks. Gandalf had speculated that the Stormtroopers may try to intercept them if they took the main road on horses, and so they decided to go on foot taking the alternate paths. It would take longer, but there was less of a chance that they would run into the Stormtroopers. The Fellowship, now prepared, started on the long trek to Moria, departing from Rivendell as the sun was high in the sky. Starting on the path south, they hugged the far side of the Misty Mountains, staying on that path for a few days, without stopping. Finally, they found a clearing where they could set up camp to rest their feet, eat, and train in the case of the Elements of Harmony. However, they couldn't stay in one place for too long. There was still a possibility that a Stormtrooper patrol could intercept them, and so, after a thorough rest at the camp they continued their journey.

“Okay, so can anyone explain why we have to WALK all the way there?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“To avoid suspicion, Miss. Dash. If we all had acquired transportation, it would have alerted the Stormtroopers to our presence,” Obi-Wan said.

“We could have had Twilight teleport us right to there,” Applejack said.

“Ah, and do you think that they wouldn't notice the large display of magic out of nowhere? Saruman is working with the Emperor, my dear Applejack. He'll be monitoring for magical energy. I'm afraid this is the safest way,” Gandalf said. A groan came from the Elements, but they didn't stop walking. Soon, when it seemed like their feet were about to fall off, Gimli gasped.

“The Walls! The Walls of Moria!” Finally, they'd made it. Their first look at Moria was..unimpressive. On the surface at least. It was merely the rocky slopes of the mountain. There was a glossy black lake that expanded from the shore and encompassed most of the path to Moria. With caution, the Fellowship trailed the shore to where there seemed to be a break in the stone. “Dwarf doors are invisible when closed,” Gimli said, tapping his axe on the side of the mountain.

“Yes, Gimli. Their own Master's sometimes cannot find them if they have forgotten their secrets,” Gandalf said.

“Why doesn't that surprise me?” Legolas muttered under his breath, earning a giggle from Pinkie and a glare from Gimli. As the Fellowship migrated to the edge of the shore, Gandalf got close to the rock of the mountain, where he and Twilight noticed words etched into it.

“What's this writing?” the girl asked.

“Ithildin, Twilight. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight,” the wizard replied. True to his word, as the moonlight appeared, the runes lit up and the two dead trees that framed the now visible door became living again. “It reads 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'”

“What in tarnation does that mean?” Applejack asked.

“It's very simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open,” Gandalf said. Placing the top of his staff on one of the runes, Gandalf spoke a few elvish words. Nothing happened, though. So, Gandalf said some different elvish words but still nothing happened.

“Nothings happening,” Pippin said.

“Remove the rock easily, I could, Gandalf,” Master Yoda said.

“Thank you for the offer, my friend. But I'm worried if you did, the entire mountain would come down on us,” Gandalf said, starting to push on the rock.

“So, what'll you do?” Pippin asked.

“Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took, and if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will find the opening words!” Gandalf snapped, finally at the end of his tether. So, for the next few hours, Gandalf used every word in every language he knew to try and open the door, but to no avail. Eventually, the Fellowship took to different ways to pass the time. Pippin, Merry and Pinkie were trying to skip rocks on the lake, but they weren't skipping, as much as throwing.

“Do not disturb the water,” Aragorn told them.

Applejack was keeping herself active by sparring with Ahsoka, while Obi-Wan was meditating. Twilight was trying to help Gandalf with her own magic.

“Oh, it's useless,” Gandalf said, throwing his staff down in exasperation. With a curious gaze, Frodo approached the door.

“Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the elvish word for 'friend'?” Frodo asked.

“Melon,” Gandalf said, as the scrape of stone sounded, the large doors finally opening. Gimli whooped in joy, as they finally could enter Moria.

“Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine! A mine!” A chill ran over the Fellowship as they entered Moria, and Obi-Wan glowered.

“No, this is no mine. This is a tomb,” he said. The moonlight finally hit the opening of Moria and the Fellowship, in horror, saw forms of Dwarf corpses.

“No! No! NO!” Gimli wailed, as Legolas pulled out an arrow from one of the corpses.

“Goblins,” he said, as Aragorn, Boromir, Gandalf, and the Jedi pulled out their weapons.

“Perhaps we could find ANOTHER way to Lothlorien,” Rarity said, trying to keep as far away from the corpses as possible.

“Get out of here, get out!” Boromir yelled. Suddenly, Twilight and Frodo fell to the ground, and began to be dragged to the lake.

“TWILIGHT!” Pinkie yelled, as they saw tentacles dragging the two to the edge of the lake.

“HELP!” Twilight screamed, as she and Frodo were lifted into the air and watched in terror as a creature breached the water. With a mouth full of sharp teeth and black eyes, the creature hung Twilight and Frodo above its mouth, earning screams from the two. It's other tentacles were swiping at the other members of the Fellowship, who were swiping at them with their weapons. Lightsabers humming, swords and axes clanging, and arrows whizzing, but the creature wouldn't drop either of them. Gandalf was in front of the other Elements, keeping the tentacles from grabbing them. As another arrow failed to hit its mark, Twilight's eyes narrowed. Focusing her power, her hand began to glow, as she sent a bolt of magic straight at the eye of the creature. With a roar of pain, the creature shook her and she slipped out of its grip, luckily caught by Ahsoka's Force hold. Stringing two more arrows into his bow, Legolas sent them flying at the eye of the creature, where Twilight had damaged it. With another roar of pain, the creature flailed its tentacles and dropped Frodo, who was caught by Boromir.

“INTO THE MINES!” Gandalf yelled, as he pulled the Elements inside.

“LEGOLAS!” Boromir called to the elf, as the creature started to advance on them all.

“Into the cave!” Aragorn and Obi-Wan yelled, as they all rushed inside the cavern, away from the raging tentacled creature. The beast started to pull the door down, until they were all trapped, the darkness shrouding them.

“We now have 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 world,” Gandalf said, lighting up his staff. Taking a few deep breaths and getting their bearings back, the Fellowship began to follow the wizard. “Quietly now, it's a four day journey to the other side. With luck, our presence will hopefully go unnoticed.” So, with nothing else guiding them but Gandalf's light, the Fellowship started on their long trek through the Mines of Moria.

Author's Note

Whoo! New chapter. Yes, this has been long overdue. I'm sorry about that, but it's finally done. The next one will be in a more timely fashion, I promise. If you know Lord of the Rings, then you probably have a good idea of what's going to happen. It's also gonna be the first time the Elements are going to have to fight. So, that'll be fun, writing their different strategies. Stay tuned, everypony