Prince of the Rings Chapter 5

[tacuma]

Sorry for the long wait! Here is finally the next chapter!


Title: The Prince of the Rings
Writer: Tacuma
Pairing: Perfect Pair, Golden Pair, Ah-Un Pair, Emerald Pair
Chapter: 5/?
Genre: AU, fantasy, angst, romance
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2529 words
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis, nor do I own the Lord of the Rings.

Summary: The Prince of Tennis characters in a Lord of the Rings setting. Echizen Ryoma get the One Ring and is send on a quest to destroy it, with help from the members of the Fellowship.

Previous chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4  

 

The Prince of the Rings – Chapter 5

As the entrance got blocked with enormous rocks, darkness filled the mines of Moria. Then a faint light came from Inui's staff, just enough to lit the room a little.

'Now we have no choice but to go through the mines,' said Fuji jokingly. Nobody answered. They were all looking around, trying to let their eyes get used to the darkness around them, afraid that whatever killed all the Dwarves was still lingering around somewhere.

Kaidoh stepped closer towards Inui, so he would be closer to the light. Eiji grabbed Oishi's hand, and Fuji did the same to Tezuka, just because he now had the chance to do so without angering his lover. Momoshiro stepped closer to Echizen, and wanted to take his hand as well, but Echizen stepped away.

'Don't touch me!'

Disappointed Momoshiro stepped back again.

'There are older, and fouler things than Orcs here,' said Inui.

'Like what?' asked Oishi scared.

'We have to go that way,' said Inui, ignoring the question.

They followed the Wizard, and walked through the mines. They walked over small paths, and bridges above deep mine workings. They used steep stairs, and passed a Dwarf cemetery. There were Dwarf skeletons lying around everywhere, and monuments were covered in blood.

The path split in three passages, all three of them leading into a dark tunnel. They're almost identical, and Inui paused in front of them.

'Don't tell me we're lost,' sighed Fuji. They had been walking for hours, and he already had enough of the old dark places. Even the fact that he had held Tezuka's hand for about three hours in a row couldn't cheer him up anymore.

'We're lost,' stated Inui.

Echizen sighed, and sat down on a piece of rock. 'At least we can rest some then.'

'If we rest, we can have something to eat too, right?' asked Momo.

The others sat down as well. There was nothing else they could do about the situation. Their only hope was that Inui would remember which way they had to go to get out of these mines. They shared some food, and whispered softly.

'Someone is down there,' said Echizen softly to Inui, making sure the others couldn't hear him. He didn't want them to panic again.

'I know,' answered the Wizard. 'It is Shinjou Reiji. There is a 100 per cent chance he has been following us for three days already. He escaped from his torturers in Barad-Dur. The Ring has drawn him here. He can't live without it. Don't be surprised when you hear him call it 'masterpiece'. The Ring drove him mad.'

'Sad,' answered Echizen in a sarcastic way. He didn't really care much about the weird creature as long as he didn't disturb them. 'Ojaji should have killed him.'

'There is a 59 per cent chance that your father refrained from doing so because he pitied him. Yes, even Nanjiroh was capable of feeling pity for someone. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve to live. There is a 89 per cent chance Shinjou still has a part to play. Oh, we have to go that way!'

'I'm glad you remember where we have to go,' said Oishi happily.

'He doesn't,' answered Fuji as he stood up. 'The air just doesn't smell so foul there.'

They continued the way Inui had told them to go. They passed under arched doorways and end up in a big, black and empty space. Inui made more light to show the others where they were.

Now that there was more light the Fellowship could see the roof far, far above them. There were enormous pillars, hewn of stone everywhere. The walls were black and polished, smooth as glass. The sight was wonderful, and overwhelming.

Ahead of them was a smashed wooden door. There were black arrows all around the door, also in the two dead Goblins that were lying next to it. Suddenly Kaidoh gasped, and ran through the doors. Inui shouted the Dwarf's name, but Kaidoh didn't stop. He ran into the room, and looked at the stone table in the middle. A single ray of sunshine beamed through a small hole in the wall, and fell directly on the stone table, so Kaidoh could read the inscription. Without saying a word he fell to his knees.

By that time the others had entered the room as well.

'Here lies Balin, son of Fudin, Lord of Moria,' read Inui the inscription, written in runes, out loud. 'I already thought there was a 95 per cent chance he was dead.'

The Wizard carefully lifted the rotting remains of an old book that was left behind on the stone table. The pages cracked as he opened it, and started reading.

'We must hurry,' whispered Fuji to Tezuka. 'I don't feel safe here.'

Inui started reading out loud from the book: "They have taken the Bridge, and the second hall. We bared the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground is shaking, drums in the deep! We cannot get out! A shadow moves in the dark. Will no one save us? They are coming!"

'Sounds like a poem,' said Echizen. 'Who has time in such a situation to write such a long story?'

'Seems that Balin guy had,' answered Momoshiro.

'That Balin guy was my family,' said Kaidoh angrily as he grabbed Momoshiro's collar. Eiji stepped back, away from the two fighting men. As he stepped back he stumbled against a well, bumping against an armoured skeleton, making it fall down. Everybody froze to the spot when the skeleton clattered down the well with a loud echo.

'There is a 100 per cent chance they found us now,' muttered Inui.

Inui had hardly finished his sentence when they heard a low rolling boom from the depths below. Slowly the sounds grew louder. A great horn blasted nearby and soon other horns, running feet and harsh voices were heard as well.

Echizen pulled his sword, and noticed it was glowing blue.

'Orcs,' sighed Fuji. 'I knew we shouldn't have stayed here.'

Tezuka ordered the Hobbits to stay behind the others. There they would be safer and not in their way. Together with Kawamura he closed the doors and wedged them.

'They have a cave troll,' said Kawamura shocked. He had been the only one who had been able to see it. He and Tezuka quickly joined the others. Kaidoh grabbed two rusty axes from the skeletons that were lying around, and jumped onto the tomb.

'Fss, let them come. I'm ready.'

A few times there sounded a loud boom on the door before the wood broke down into little pieces and at least twenty Goblins stood inside the room, followed by an enormous cave troll.

Fuji was the first one to take action. He shot multiple arrows into the throats of the Goblins, killing them with a single arrow. Kaidoh jumped forward and buried his axes in the helmets of two of the Goblins, while Kawamura and Tezuka stepped forward as well, and used their swords to get through the mass of enemies. Inui joined in the battle with the sword in one hand, and his staff in the other.

When the cave troll tried to hit Tezuka with his club, the future king stumbled backwards. In a flash Fuji grabbed a sword of one of the skeletons, and sliced it into the arm of the troll, preventing it from hitting Tezuka.

Momoshiro was standing with his back against the wall, afraid to fight, but not wanting to be left out. He held his sword in one hand and a saucepan in the other. Because of his nerves he accidently hits the Goblins that approached him with his saucepan instead of the sword. But all the Goblins he hit dropped down on the floor. With a smirk he continued his new fighting style.

The cave troll had left Tezuka be, and while it searched for the one who hit him, he found Echizen. The troll lifted the small Hobbit up in the air and threw him against a wall, followed by an enormous spear that went right through his body.

'ECHIZEN!' shouted Momoshiro. The Hobbit went crazy. Angrily he slashed the cave troll's knee, bringing him down. Eiji and Oishi jumped on his back. As the cave troll tried to look up to see what was happening, Fuji fired an arrow deep in his throat. The troll toppled down, dead.

The Hobbits rushed towards Echizen. Momoshiro fell on his knees next to his best friend, and called his name. For a moment nothing happened, but then Echizen coughed. Everybody looked relieved.

'What's with you?' asked Echizen. 'You all look like it's a miracle I'm alive.'

'It is a miracle that you're alive,' said Inui. 'Look at that spear! A 100 per cent chance it would have killed a wild boar. A 100 per cent chance it should have killed you. Why are you not dead?'

Echizen unbuttoned the top of his shirt, showing the Mithril underneath it.

'Of course, Mithril,' said Kaidoh. 'It were the Dwarves that saved his life.'

It was then that the sound of drums started again.

'We have to go to the bridge of Khazad-dum,' said Inui, and he quickly led the Fellowship back into the huge Dwarrowdelf Chamber. They hurried towards a distant door. Behind them, in front of them, everywhere Goblins started to scuttle down the enormous pillars. The Goblin army was overwhelming. The Fellowship kept running, but it was in vain. Soon they were surrounded by the their enemies. There were hundreds of them, maybe even thousands. But they all froze on the spot when they heard a certain sound. The Goblins ran away, hid themselves, melted into the darkness.

'What kind of weird trick is that?' asked Eiji to Inui, thinking it was the Wizard who saved them from their enemies.

A huge shadow surrounded by flames fell across the hall. The ground was shaking.

'A Balrog,' said Inui. 'A demon from an ancient world. A 99 per cent chance this enemy is too strong for any of you. RUN!'

The Balrog, a massive beast, with a mane of flames appeared. In one hand he held a blade of fire and in his other he held a whip. Tezuka quickly led the Fellowship away, to the top of the stairways. Inui followed, looking concerned.

'Bring them to the bridge, Tezuka,' he said. 'It's near!'

Tezuka hesitated. He knew what was coming, but he did what Inui said anyway. He quickly led the others down the stairway. They ended in front of more stairways, they were like a small bridge, nothing but a bottomless pit on both sides of the stairs. They carefully ran down, until Fuji, who was in the front, suddenly stopped. A piece of the bridge had broken, leaving a gap of a meter between the two parts.

Without thinking Fuji jumped to the other side, easily making it. Kawamura took Eiji under his arm and jumped as well. Tezuka took Momoshiro and threw him towards Fuji and Kawamura. The two caught him and helped him back on his feet. They did the same to Oishi, who successfully ended on the other side as well. Tezuka looked questioning at Kaidoh.

'You can't toss me,' said Kaidoh. Instead he jumped. He barely made it and wasn't it for Fuji and Kawamura, he would have fallen down. They helped him safely on the other side as well. Because of Kaidoh's unfortunate jump, more pieces of the bridge had broken down and fell into the darkness. Behind Tezuka and Echizen an enormous pillar fell down, because of the heavy movements of the Balrog. The piece of the bridge where Echizen and Tezuka were standing was cut off from both sides now and it was slowly starting to fall.

'TEZUKA!' screamed Fuji scared.

Tezuka tried to keep the piece of stone balanced. He made Echizen move a little forward, while he did the same. The piece of the bridge slowly moved forward as well. When the gap between the two pieces of the bridge got smaller, both Echizen and Tezuka jumped. Kawamura caught Echizen and Fuji took Tezuka in his arms. He didn't let go for a few moments. He only let go, because the Balrog was getting closer.

As fast as they could they ran through another hall that ended in another bridge. A smaller one this time, but at least this one wasn't broken. One by one they ran to the other side. Inui was the last one to pass, but he stopped halfway and turned around. He faced the shadow, and the flames of the Balrog that approached him.

'There is a 80 per cent chance you shall not pass,' said Inui, and he placed his staff on the small bridge. White light is coming from it, and put Inui in an almost angelic light. The Balrog spread it's wings, showing his full height. It slashed it's sword at Inui, but the Wizard managed to block it with his own sword, making the flaming sword of the Balrog shatter.

The Balrog stepped forward, ready to attack again. On the other side of the bridge Tezuka and Kawamura drew their swords. But Inui used his staff again. More white light it coming from it. It almost blinded the members of the Fellowship, and they had to shield their eyes. The stone bridge broke down under the feet of the Balrog and the monster fell into the darkness.

Inui turned around, but at the moment he wanted to go to the others, the whip of the Balrog was wrapped around his ankle. The Balrog pulled the Wizard down with him. Inui grabbed the bridge and held on to it. Kawamura wanted to run towards him, and help him up on his feet again.

'A 100 per cent change you will be safer if you leave now,' said Inui. 'Go.' With that said he let himself fall into the bottomless darkness, following the Balrog.

'NO!' screamed both Eiji and Oishi.

Tezuka took Eiji and Kawamura took Oishi and quickly left the place. With the Balrog gone the Goblins weren't afraid to show themselves anymore. While the Fellowship rushed towards the archway, arrows were shot at them. Now and then Fuji shot one back, hitting the Goblins in their head or arm, making it impossible to attack anymore.

Nobody knew how long it took them to get out, but later they tumbled out of the Great Eastern Gate onto a grassy and sunny hillside. Crying the Hobbits fell down in the grass. Fuji walked to Tezuka, wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his face in Tezuka's clothes.

'Fuji, we have to go,' said Tezuka as he kindly lay his head on Fuji's shoulder. Fuji took a deep breath and let go again. He walked towards the Hobbits, and helped them up.

'Are you sure we should leave already?' asked Kawamura.

'Orcs and Goblins will come,' said Tezuka. 'We have to be far away when they arrive, we have to be in Lothlorien by then.'