Strangers from distant lands, and friends of old. All gathered in a secret Council Meeting in Imladris. They all sat on seats, that stood in a circle facing a tall, stone table. They all hand no idea of what will happen, but most had an idea. All muttering stilled, when Lord Elrond suddenly stood.
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race id bound to this fate, this one doom." His eyes scanned the circle, analyzing each person who sat there. His eyes stilled on Frodo.
"Bring forth the ring Frodo," He commanded.
The hobbit stood with the ring sitting in the palm of his hand. All stared with scared, curious eyes, as they watched Frodo place the ring on the stone table. Frodo could feel a great weight has been removed from his shoulders, as he set the ring down. People around the circle started whispering in all the various languages they spoke. Boromir stood, his glance never wavering from the ring.
"In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. A voive was crying: 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found.''' Boromir slowly steeped forward as he spoke, closer to the stone table. The ring's evil already taking a hold of him. He didn't stop has reached for the ring, quietly he murmered, "Isildur's Bane..."
"Boromir!" Elrond snapped, snapping him out of his trance. Suddenly Gandalf began to chant in a menacing voice.
"Ash Nazg Durbatuluk! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nasg Gimbatul!"
The words were harsh and malicious, and sent the poor fellow to fall back in his seat.
"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." Elrond spoke, furious at Gandalf.
"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the black speech may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The ring is altogether evil." Gandalf responded, as peace seemed to return to the circle.
"It is a gift, a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use the ring?" Boromir spoke again raising to his feet. "Long has my father, the Stewart of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordorat bay. By the blood of my people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."
"You can not wield it none of us can." Aragorn finally spoke in a sharp tone. "The one ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master.' He finished, softly.
"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir hissed, turning to face Aragorn.
"That is no mere ranger.' Legolas stood, staring at Boromir and opposing him. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir said in disbelief, sounding unimpressed.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas continued.
"Havo dad, Legolas." Aragorn murmured.
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king>" Boromir muttered, retreating to his seat.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf grumbled, bringing the council to order once again.
"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Elrond stated.
"Then what are we waiting for?" One of the Dwarves interrupted, standing up and brandishing his axe. He raised it high above the table and brought it crashing down on the Ring. The Dwarf flew backwards and crashed to the ground, groaning. His axe lay shattered around him.
"The Ring can not be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess." Elrond stated. Silence fell once again as he continued;The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there it can be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor, and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.
One of you must do this."
There was a tense silence that followed, as if they were all waiting for someone to oppose the statement.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor." Boromir spoke up. "It's black gates are guarded by more than Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breath is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Leogolas cried, springing to his feet.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli shouted.
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Yelled Boromir, over the arguing Elf and Dwarf. Chaos broke loose. All around the circle jumped to their feet, argueing with each other.
This was what the Ring wanted. It wanted us to fight amongst ourselves.
Across the circle, sat Frodo with his head in his hands. Thinking was almost impossible to do, with the pounding in his head. He suddenly stood up.
"I will take it!"
His voice couldn't be overheard the arguing, and he raised his volume as he shouted again.
"I will take it!"
Silence fell over the circle and people began to return to their seats. They stared at the hobbit.
"I will take the Ring to Mordor<" Frodo continued, "though I do not know the way." Gandalf rose to his feet with some difficulty.
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, for as long as it is yours to bear." His voice seemed aged as he laid a hand on Frodo's shoulder. Aragorn raised to his feet, and walked up to Frodo.
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," he murmured softly. He then knelt in front of the hobbit. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow." Legolas walked forward and stood behind Frodo.
"And my axe!" Gimli grunted, following Legolas.
Boromir got to his feet. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, the Gonder will see it done." He walked over and stood behind Frodo, just as a rustle in the bushes got loud enough to hear, and Sam burst out of them.
"Hey! Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" He exclaimed, running to stand next to Frodo. Elrond smirked.
"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate the two of you, even when he summoned to a secret council and you are not."
Merry and Pippin, then came bolting towards them, out of their own hiding places.
"Wait! We're coming, too! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry yelled, taking his place besides the other Hobbits.
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing." Pippin piped up.
"Well that rules you out, Pip." Merry muttered. Lord Elrond was about to speak, when they were all surprisingly interrupted.
"I hope you wouldn't mind if I joined in, on your adventure." Everyone was startled at the female voice that belonged to what looked an elf. She wore pants and a shirt, the attire of a male. Her appearance shocked them, but she ignored the looks they gave her.
"And what's your name?" Lord Elrond asked her.
"Esmeralda, is my name."
"It's an honor to meet you my lady, though I don't think this quest is fit for a women." Elrond said to the elf.
"You may think this now, but I'm sure I will be of great use to you." She tried to persuade him.
Elrond thought for a moment, and in his mind he could see that she would be of great use to them, using his gift of seeing the future.
"Very well," Elrond concluded, "though I would like to have a word with you before you go."
"Indeed we shall," she smirked, feeling victorious as she said it.
"Ten companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." Lord Elrond announced.
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