Mines of Moria

Korra ran her hand along the cold stone wall, and glanced up at the looming mountain.

'So, these are the walls of Moria? Wow.' She thought before turning her head to Gimli.

"Hey Gimli, where do we enter these Mines huh?" Korra asked.

"Well lassie, I'm not entirely sure. You see, dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli stated proudly while Gandalf nodded in agreement.

"Yes Gimli, even their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf commented.

Legolas strode pass Gimli and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Gimli just grumbled in response.

Korra looked at Legolas in surprise. "Did you just make a joke? Wow. I didn't know you had a sense of humour."

Legolas arched a brow, while Gimli laughed.

"I don't blame ya lass. Elves are always so uptight and act all high and mighty. They think they're the superior race because they're the first-born and they love nature and all that other nonsense." As he spoke, Gimli waved his hands around to emphasise his point.

Legolas and Aragorn shot him identical glares, while Korra just laughed.

'Those two are ridiculous,' she thought humorously.

A small, almost unnoticeable, splash caught Korra's attention. Her bright blue eyes stared intently at the water in an attempt to penetrate its murky depths.

"Err, guys? I think everyone should stay away from the water."

Boromir moved to stand next to her and stared curiously in the water.

"Why is that?" the man asked.

"There's something in there. I don't know what it is, but I know it's big, and I'm willing to bet it's dangerous," Korra reasoned.

Just before Boromir was about to interrogate her further, he remembered the last time he had questioned her abilities and thought better of it, choosing instead to warn the hobbits, who probably wouldn't have been listening.

While Korra continued to glare daggers at the water Gandalf ignored them and began closely examining the wall.

"It mirrors only starlight... and moonlight," Gandalf murmured to himself as his hand ran along the cliff face.

As if on cue, the moon emerged from behind the clouds and the rays of light reflected off of the rock, causing glowing words and an archway of sorts to appear. Gandalf read the inscription out loud.

"The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter," he said.

Korra ceased her glaring for the moment and gave Gandalf a confused look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she queried.

Gandalf looked to be contemplating his response before he answered. "I believe that if you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open. Yes, that must be it."

Korra nodded and resumed her glaring. Gandalf raised his hands and said some words in elvish. Everyone waited in anxious silence, but the doors didn't open. He tried again, this time with different words, but the door still didn't budge.

"Nothing's happening," Pippin said, looking at Gandalf with an innocent expression.

The old man in question just huffed in response. Before Pippin could talk again Korra interrupted him with a question of her own.

"Do you want me to try opening it with earth bending?" the young Avatar suggested.

Gandalf shook his head and said, "No. Forcing it open would only break the doors, and I don't believe our hosts will be very welcoming if we break down their front door."

"Then what are you going to do?" Pippin questioned him again.

"Knock your head against the door Peregrine Took! And if that doesn't shatter them, then I am finally allowed a little peace from foolish questions!" Gandalf had lost his patience with the stupid Hobbit.

At that Pippin immediately backed off.

While the others decided to get comfortable, Korra decided to sit with Merry and Pippin to exchange funny stories (and also to keep them away from the water) while they waited for Gandalf to figure out how to open the doors.

After two hours Gandalf was just about ready to give up, when Frodo spoke up, "Wait Gandalf. What's the elvish word for friend?"

Gandalf shot Frodo a questioning gaze before widening his eyes in realisation.

"Of course. Mellon," the wizard tried again, and with that, the doors opened.

Pippin openly groaned, "Finally!"

Merry slapped Pippin over the head.

"Shush Pippin!" he scolded.

Korra rolled her eyes at the pairs antics and followed the rest of the Fellowship into the mine. Korra lit a fireball in her palm and listened to Gimli as he boasted to an uninterested Legolas.

"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."

While Gimli talked, a large group of objects on the ground caught Korra's attention. As she drew closer to the strange things she began to make out what they were. 'Are those...?'

"And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli jovial voice came from the front of the group.

"Guys? There are skeletons everywhere!" Korra's shout caught the attention of the others.

Gandalf put a crystal into his staff and blew on it, causing the crystal to glow brightly enough for everyone to see their surroundings, and indeed, the ground was littered with skeletons and half rotten carcasses.

Boromir spoke up with a panicked tone. "This is no mine... It's a tomb!"

Gimli's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked around frantically at his fallen kin.

"Oh no. No!" The Dwarf wailed in a mixed tone of anger and sadness.

Legolas plucked an arrow from one of the bodies before quickly throwing it away with a look of disgust.

"Goblins!" he hissed.

At that, the Fellowship all drew their weapons and looked prepared for a fight. Korra made twin fire blades just to be safe.

"Er, maybe Boromir's idea to head for the Gap of Gohan, or whatever it was called, wasn't such a bad idea." Korra remarked uncertainly.

Boromir nodded in agreement.

"Aye. We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here. Now get out! Everyone out!" Boromir commanded.

A yell was heard near the entrance and everyone turned to see Frodo being dragged out of the cave by a huge tentacle.

Cries of, "Frodo!" followed him as he was pulled towards the water by his ankle.

Sam quickly drew his sword and slashed furiously at the tentacle holding Frodo before it returned to the lake.

His victory, however, was short-lived as eight more tentacles lunged out of the water, violently shoving the other hobbits out of the way and, once again, grabbing the Ring-bearer by the ankle.

"Strider! Do something!" Sam hollered at Aragorn as Frodo was being hauled up in the air.

The Ranger and the others immediately darted out of the mine with their weapons drawn, except for Korra who took a water bending stance.

While Legolas shot arrows at the tentacle holding Frodo, Aragorn and Boromir were both hacking at any and every tentacle within their vicinity.

Korra was quick to shoot ice shards as well as large shards of earth at the beast's tentacles, before flying over the creature with her glider and shooting it with large blasts of fire.

The Fellowship couldn't help stare on with slack-jaws as Korra showed but a taste of her true power.

Though her tales indicated that she did indeed have strength and power that rivalled or even exceeded that of an Istari's, it never did quite match seeing that power for themselves.

They were snapped out of their state of awe, however, when the monster's head ascended through the water, as a result of Korra's consistent attacks, revealing its hideous face.

The young woman took this as a chance to shoot a fireball at the creature's face, causing it to let out a harsh roar and let Frodo go. Once Boromir caught him, Aragorn and he rushed towards the shore.

"Come Korra! Into the mines! Everyone in!" Gandalf yelled, wildly signalling Korra.

Korra ceased her fire and headed towards the entrance. However, before the bender could even fly back to the bank, a tentacle managed to wrap itself around herself and her glider.

"Korra!" Everyone yelled.

Said girl struggled to get out of the tentacles grasp.

"Damn this thing's strong! And to think my favourite seafood is..." Korra felt a light bulb go off in her head.

'That's it! Oh, I'm gonna regret this,' the bender thought, silently mourning her soon-to-be dead tastebuds.

It was then that the Fellowship watched Korra fall into the water as the tentacle let her go. However, they didn't see what she did that forced it to let her go.

As the Avatar dived into the murky waters she saw that her glider was also dropped into the water... and it was in two pieces.

'Oh crud. That stupid squid must have snapped it. Tenzin's gonna kill me,' Korra pondered sorrowfully.

She quickly grabbed what was left of her glider and propelled herself out of the water and onto the bank where the rest of the Fellowship were waiting anxiously.

"Into the mine! Quickly!" Gandalf spoke hurriedly.

Everyone rushed inside the mine while avoiding the beast's remaining tentacles, as they lashed out in a furious attempt to catch its prey, but instead it was hitting nothing but the ceiling of the entrance.

Unfortunately, the constant beating of the doorway caused it to collapse, trapping them inside.

For a moment, all that could be heard in the mines was laboured breathing, before Korra burst into a fit of hysterical coughing and repeated spitting.

"Ew. That is the foulest most revolting thing I've ever... I'm never gonna look at seafood the same way again." Korra ranted as she then continued to wipe her tongue on her shirt.

Once Gandalf lit his staff, everyone gave Korra puzzled looks.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn inquired.

Korra stopped mid wipe and gave him a sheepish grin.

"Err, I sorta, kinda...bitachunkoutofthetentacle," Korra said the last part really fast. The Ranger gave her a pointed look.

"Oh fine. I bit a chunk out of the tentacle that was holding me. That's why it dropped me...Honestly not one of my brightest ideas."

The Avatar sighed, disappointed in her lack of brain power.

Pippin, being the ever so curious hobbit he is, asked, "How's it taste."

"Like two hundred year old blubbered seal jerky...covered in slime," Korra replied, scrunching up her face.

However, after seeing that Pippin had no idea what she was talking about she quickly said, "It tastes really foul."

Before Pippin could ask anything else, Gandalf interrupted him. The faint glow of his staff softly illuminated his face, making him seem older than he's ever looked.

"We should move on now. We now have but one choice," Gandalf paused, "We must face the long dark of Moria." He moved further into the mine and then turned around. "However...remember to be on your guard. There are older and fouler things then orcs in the deep places of the world."

Everyone gazed at him with equally grim expressions as the reality of the situation sunk in. Well, everyone except for Korra.

'He's almost as dramatic as Verick,' she thought with a roll of her eyes.

There was a loud cracking noise to their right. The sound came from Pippin. He had accidently treaded on a bone. Gandalf shot him scolding look.

"Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side," the wizard said.

Poor Legolas visibly paled at those words.

"Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed," Gandalf whispered gloomily.

After Gandalf's o-so optimistic speech, they began walking onward into the dark unknown, with only the glow from Gandalf's staff and the fire from Korra's hand to light their way.

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Korra and the Fellowship sat down as they, once again, waited upon Gandalf. He apparently had "no memory of this place" as he put it.

While the others were quite eager to have a well-deserved break after hiking what felt like an infinite amount of narrow stairs, Korra felt the need to continue.

It's not that she didn't appreciate relaxing for a few moments. It's just that this place made Korra feel uneasy and quite frankly creeped out. It felt as if someone or something was watching them. She shook her head, brushing it off as just paranoia.

"What's on your mind Korra? You look worried," Pippin asked.

Korra looked to her right where Pippin was sitting. His innocent expression brought a smile to her face.

Korra ruffled his hair.

"Nothing, Pippin. I'm fine," she said reassuringly.

His eyes narrowed slightly before he just shrugged and resumed his conversation with Merry.

Despite having been on edge ever since she felt eyes on them, that didn't stop Korra from marvelling at the mine's beautiful architecture.

She admitted that the air temples were amazing, but even they pale in comparison.

Even in its current crumbled state, the mines really were a site to behold.

How these dwarves created such a wonderful place without earthbending completely floored her.

Pippin's voice immediately snapped Korra out her state of awe.

"Merry," Pippin whined.

Merry let out a long, pained sigh.

"What Pippin?" Merry asked, impatience clear in his tone.

"I'm hungry."

Merry put on a fake look of concern.

"Oh you are, are you? Well why don't you whine to Sam? I'm sure he'll be willing to cook you something," Merry said sarcastically.

Pippin visibly brightened at this, obviously not picking up the mocking tone.

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

His hopes were crushed when both Merry and Sam answered with a deadpanned, "No."

"But-".

"Shhh! Gandalf's thinking!" Merry quickly cut through the other Hobbit's complaint.

Pippin wore a pouting face as he, Merry and Sam argued in hushed voices.

While Korra was laughing at the trio's antics, the last Hobbit, Frodo, sat between two large boulders by himself, eyes scanning the infinite amount of stairways below them for no particular reason.

Just as he was about to glance away, a little, gangly figure crawling up the stairs caught his attention.

"Gandalf?" Frodo called, clearly alarmed.

Gandalf looked up from where he sat pondering and after seeing the look of worry on Frodo's face he made his way over to him.

"What is it Frodo?" Gandalf questioned.

"Something's out there," Frodo answered in a low hiss, looking back to mysterious creature.

Instead of looking surprised like Frodo expected, Gandalf simply nodded.

"Yes... it's Gollum. I suspect he's been following us for the past three days," the wizard pointed out.

There was a moment of silence before someone interrupted their conversation.

"Oh, so that's why I've been getting a feeling that someone's been watching us. Gollum, you said his name was?"

Much to their surprise, it was Korra who spoke. She sat on the boulder to their right, her left leg hanging over the rock while the other was bent so that her knee was drawn close to her chest.

Her arm was rested on her knee as she examined the creature known as Gollum.

Frodo thought she quite resembled a hawk eyeing its prey. She wore the same look when she was fighting the Watcher. The thought sent a chill down his small spine.

Korra could be really scary at times.

Deciding that now wasn't the time for speculation, Frodo chose to question Gandalf.

"Gollum? So, he escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dur?"

Gandalf looked thoughtful as he answered, "Hmm. Escaped? Or rather..." He leaned towards Frodo and lowered is voice "...set loose?" He leaned back again. "Korra, how long have you felt his eyes on us?"

Korra seemed to contemplate her answer before saying, "It's just as you said. Around three days. I thought I was just being paranoid though."

"It's best not to dismiss your instincts so quickly young one. A day may yet pass where you'll have to rely solely on them," Gandalf said wisely, shaking his head in disagreement.

Korra noted how his eyes always held this mischievous spark in them every time he said something wise, as if he knew something that no one besides himself was privy to. Gandalf looked up at Korra curiously.

"Yes?" Korra inquired with a quirked eyebrow.

Gandalf let out a sigh and sat on a rock, as if preparing himself for what he's about to say.

"I've been wondering about this for some time now..." Gandalf started, indicating for her to jump down from the boulder, which she did. Korra notices his eyes narrowing slightly. "I know this is personal, but... do you hear the Ring's whispers? Do you feel tempted to use it?" His voice was dangerously low and had an accusing air around it.

Instead of appearing offended by his tone, Korra sported a confused look.

"Whispers? From the ring? I haven't heard anything," the girl responded.

"Are you sure?" Gandalf probed, looking extremely doubtful.

"Very," Korra replied, nodding certainly.

Gandalf's doubtful expression turned to one of relief and slight puzzlement. He patted Korra's shoulder.

"That's indeed great news. I don't believe I told you this, but the Ring tempts people, promising them greatness and power. Many people succumb to the temptation and get taken over by the Ring. Those who are of the race of Men have especially weak minds and hence give into temptation much faster than those apart of any of the other races. Forgive me for thinking that you could also be vulnerable to the calls of the Ring, but I had to be sure. If someone of your strength were to fall to darkness, I fear Middle-Earth would be doomed," Gandalf finished his explanation.

"Well then. Your concern was understandable. I may not be able to hear anything but I can feel malicious intent coming off of that thing in waves, so don't worry, I'm not tempted by it whatsoever," Korra reassured.

Frodo looked at the young bender in amazement. Slowly, he took the necklace with the Ring off and held it out to Korra.

"You should take it. You're more suited for this task then me," Frodo said softly.

Gandalf was about to speak but Korra beat him to it.

"Sorry Frodo, but I can't," she said, pushing the Ring back to Frodo. "My destiny is to do all I can to help you destroy the ring..." Korra knelt door so that she matched Frodo's height and grabbed both of his shoulders "... and your destiny is to bear it."

Frodo bowed his head in shame. Guilt crept in his mind as he admitted that he felt a glimmer of hope when he found someone that could rid him of his burden, when it was he himself who volunteered to bear it. Korra, having seemingly read his mind, patted his head and grinned brightly.

"Don't feel bad Frodo. The burden you carry is very heavy, but I know you can do it. You're stronger than you know. You have to be..." Korra paused.

'I can't believe I'm saying this,' she thought, groaning internally.

"...patient. This'll be over soon," Korra finished, almost shuddering when she said the word patient but refrained from doing so. Though not much was said, Frodo's hope felt renewed.

Gandalf gave Korra a grateful smile before casting a long glance at Gollum.

"Well, unlike Korra here, Gollum is drawn to the Ring. He will never rid himself of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring just as he hates and loves himself. Sméagol's story is a sad one indeed," Gandalf began, drawing confused looks from both Korra and Frodo.

"Yes, Gollum was once known as Sméagol, before he found the Ring. No, before the Ring found him and drove him into madness," Gandalf said glumly.

While Korra gave Gollum, or Sméagol, a pitying look, Frodo looked at it with clear disappointment.

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," Frodo grumbled.

Gandalf's head snapped towards Frodo.

"Pity? Frodo, it was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death and many that died deserve life. Can you give this to them, Frodo?" Gandalf questioned harshly.

Frodo looked ashamed of what he had said. Seemingly done with his little scolding session, Gandalf stood from his spot and made his way back towards the forked pathway.

"Ah! It is this way!" He said cheerfully.

Pippin jumped to his feet, a large grin plastered on his face as he exclaimed, "He's remembered!"

Gandalf slowly headed towards the path to the left.

"No Pippin, but the air does not smell as foul down here. Remember, if all else fails, follow your nose," Gandalf stated matter-of-factly, touching his nose.

It did not take long until they reached a large hall.

"Let us risk a little more light." From the front, Gandalf's voice carried, to the back of the group where Korra was.

Both he and Korra brightened their respectful sources of light, revealing a magnificent sight. Korra almost did a double take. And she thought the Earth Queen's throne room was big.

This place dwarfed the Queen's throne room. There were pillars as large as the tallest of trees and the hall could fit over a dozen fields.

Korra wasn't the only one completely dumbfounded, the whole Fellowship were staring with slack jaws.

Gandalf, though equally amazed, was far more composed than the rest of and simply chuckled at the looks on their faces.

"Behold, the great Dwarf realm, Dwarrowdelf," Gandalf spoke with a dramatic wave of his hand.

Sam's voice broke through the silence.

"Well, there's an eye opener. No doubt about it," he said, wide eyed and slack jawed.

No one disagreed with the hobbit there. While Gimli gave Sam a light pat on the back (though it felt more like a whack for Sam) calling him a "Good lad" everyone else managed to pick their jaws up off the floor.

Not far ahead, light poured out of two fairly large doors which seemed to lead to a larger chamber.

Gandalf cried out after Gimli as he ran towards the room, but, Gimli being Gimli, he didn't heed his words.

A shout of surprise was heard chamber followed by strained cries of "No!" Worried glances were exchanged before everyone followed in after Gimli.

The room they entered was an absolute disaster. Old weapons and dead dwarves, some of them still clutching their axes, were scattered everywhere.

Gimli was seen on his knees sobbing heavily in the centre of the room. In front of him was a tomb illuminated be a ray of light.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria," Gandalf read aloud an inscription that was carved on the grave. The wizard closed his eyes, pained by the loss of an old friend. "He is dead... Then it is as I feared."

After handing his hat and staff to Pippin, he swiftly made his way across the room and knelt in front of a skeleton that held onto a particularly large book.

"Ori..." Gandalf whispered in dread, placing a hand on Ori's head before gently removing the book from his hands.

As Gandalf read the book, Legolas approached Aragorn and Korra.

"We shouldn't linger," Legolas said.

Korra couldn't help but whole-heartedly agreed. This place reeked so much of death she felt as if she was suffocating. She turned to Gandalf just as he read the last lines.

"Drums. Drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. They are coming."

A loud clang resounded through the room. And what was the source of this noise? Pippin of course. No surprise there. He had knocked a skeleton down a well and the sound of crashing resonated for a painful thirty seconds.

Korra was about to bash the idiot hobbit across the head but the wizard beat her to it.

"Fool of a Took! Next time, throw yourself in to rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf exclaimed, snatching his hat and staff from Pippin and wacking him with it.

Pippin, at least had the decency to look embarrassed. Before Gandalf could scold him any further a loud thumping noise drew his and everyone else's attention. At that moment, everyone had the same panicked thought.

'Drums.'

The sound continued to echo throughout the chamber, gradually getting louder and faster. Frodo unsheathed his sword, but instead of being silver coloured, it glowed blue.

As soon as he saw this, he gave a frightened cry of, "Orc's!"

Everyone immediately got into their defensive positions.

"Merry, Pippin, Same, Frodo, stay behind me!" Korra called out to the hobbits.

"They have a cave troll! How absolutely wonderful!" Boromir called out from the door in a sarcastic voice. Korra didn't know what that was, but it didn't sound good.

While Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir made a feeble attempt to brace the doors, Gimli jumped up onto his cousin's tomb.

"Let them come! There is still one dwarf in Moria who still draws breath!" He growled, drawing out his r's.

Just as Aragorn and Legolas shot some orcs through the cracks in the door, the entrance was broken down, allowing for the orcs to stream in like cockroaches. Almost instantly, the fight began.

Though Legolas fired arrow after arrow, Aragorn chose to switch to his sword, slashing all orcs that came near. Boromir fought back to back with Gandalf while Korra burned and crushed any who tried to harm her or the hobbits.

Of course they gave her a helping hand by stabbing the occasional orc, or in Sam's case, wacking the orc's with his frying pan.

For the first time the most ferocious fighter wasn't Korra, but Gimli, as those who were stupid enough to come anywhere near his axe were immediately decapitated.

Before meeting an Orc, Korra had been reluctant to kill one - now? - She had absolutely no problems with burning the abominations to a crisp.

With her fist coated in flames she quickly spun around to deliver a punch to another unfortunate orc.

A vulgar roar was heard just outside the doors before a cave troll pummelled through the doorway carrying a large chain in one hand and a giant spear in the other.

Korra froze in the middle of a round house kick, eyes widening.

"Oh, monkey feathers," she cursed.

Without further thought Korra hit the creature with an onslaught of fire and air, leaving the hobbits to defend themselves.

However, no matter how many fire or air blasts Korra hit it with, the troll remained unfazed.

Korra cracked her knuckles and relaxed into a loose stance.

"Okay then, no more Mr nice girl," she said.

With that she quickly brought her hands up over her head before flinging her arms in the direction of the troll.

The orcs were caught off guard as their weapons and all the swords surrounding them were flung towards the cave troll.

The beast let out an agonising roar of pain before it began flailing its arms around in a fit of rage, accidently sending Aragorn flying across the room. Before Korra could react, Frodo was stabbed in the gut by the trolls spear.

Almost everyone gave pained cries of, "Frodo!"

Korra stopped dead in her tracks. Only one thought plagued her mind at that moment.

'Frodo's dead. He's dead... And it's my fault.'