The Grueling Gorgoroth
Frodo climbed down to get a better look. "I can't believe I was held captive in that," he said in an awed voice.
"You weren't," said Merry. "It's only a model."
"Hush!" said Mariole sternly. "We promised Frodo no more silliness. And now, at last, we can see our final goal."
The dusky sides of Mount Doom rose up on the horizon.
"We've got to go down there," said Maggie. "There's nothing for it."
"Then what are we waiting for?" said Merry. "Last one down's a rotten orc."
With that, he pushed us down the hill.
We bumped to an uncomfortable stop.
"I do this way too much on this journey," Frodo grumbled, dusting himself off. He looked back up. "Say, this is the very same hill Sam and I slid down the first time we were here!"
"I thought it looked familiar," said Maggie.
"So, is it helping?" Merry said anxiously. "Going through all this again, are you feeling any better about your ordeal?"
Frodo looked around. "Well, seeing as we're now standing on a lava field..."
"...and the rocks are so sharp they have completely worn away not only Pippin's feet but his entire body..."
"...and that our path ahead lies uphill through razor-sharp rocks..."
"...I can't say that I'm feeling any particularly restorative benefits right now."
Maggie huddled against the bitter wind. "I can't even see a star through the smoking fumes."
"Not in broad daylight, you can't," said Merry.
The party struggled on. But whether it was the arduous path...
...or the lack of good, clean water...
...Mariole began to act a little... strangely.
They tried ignoring her, concentrating on their path, until finally Mariole gasped, "I can't... I can't make it any farther!"
And collapsed on the bitter ground!
The others stood over her, contemplating.
"Is this the end of our trail?" Maggie wondered. "Because no way in Middle-earth am I carrying you."
Will the Quest end in ruin? Don't miss our climactic next installment: At the Sammath Naur!
Click here for a complete list of our NZ adventures.
"You weren't," said Merry. "It's only a model."
"Hush!" said Mariole sternly. "We promised Frodo no more silliness. And now, at last, we can see our final goal."
The dusky sides of Mount Doom rose up on the horizon.
"We've got to go down there," said Maggie. "There's nothing for it."
"Then what are we waiting for?" said Merry. "Last one down's a rotten orc."
With that, he pushed us down the hill.
We bumped to an uncomfortable stop.
"I do this way too much on this journey," Frodo grumbled, dusting himself off. He looked back up. "Say, this is the very same hill Sam and I slid down the first time we were here!"
"I thought it looked familiar," said Maggie.
"So, is it helping?" Merry said anxiously. "Going through all this again, are you feeling any better about your ordeal?"
Frodo looked around. "Well, seeing as we're now standing on a lava field..."
"...and the rocks are so sharp they have completely worn away not only Pippin's feet but his entire body..."
"...and that our path ahead lies uphill through razor-sharp rocks..."
"...I can't say that I'm feeling any particularly restorative benefits right now."
Maggie huddled against the bitter wind. "I can't even see a star through the smoking fumes."
"Not in broad daylight, you can't," said Merry.
The party struggled on. But whether it was the arduous path...
...or the lack of good, clean water...
...Mariole began to act a little... strangely.
They tried ignoring her, concentrating on their path, until finally Mariole gasped, "I can't... I can't make it any farther!"
And collapsed on the bitter ground!
The others stood over her, contemplating.
"Is this the end of our trail?" Maggie wondered. "Because no way in Middle-earth am I carrying you."
Will the Quest end in ruin? Don't miss our climactic next installment: At the Sammath Naur!
Click here for a complete list of our NZ adventures.