As the group continued on towards the Mountain, Rosfin came forward to tell the group something.
“I fear I must bid you farewell before we get to our destination. I will go to the Iron Hills, and I will leave you with my hopes for your safe and successful return!” After many farewells, the remaining company walked towards the mountain as Rosfin turned south to go to the Dwarves of the Iron Hills.
Traveling through the rest of the early morning, the group came ever closer to the mountain that held the book. By mid-morning, they had come to the west side of the Mountain, and Jadae grinned and jumped gleefully. They were there! It hadn’t taken long, either. She sprinted to get to the rising rock, and when the men joined her she had her hands on her hips, with an expression that said, ‘And what took you so long?’
“Well, do you think we came all this way just to look at it? Let’s get to finding the entrance!” Angalos eyed the top of the mountain, and lifted a strong arm to point at the peak of the mount.
Everyone turned, and looked to where he was pointing. Everyone save Angalos then took on a quizzical look. None of them seemed to realize what he was pointing at or suggesting. Turning to face the mesmerized man, everyone held a questioning glance and Jadae opened her mouth to say “what?” until Arethin lifted a finger to his lips to indicate quiet.
“Can’t you see it? Surely Anuion can, with his Elven eyes. That glimmer at the top of the mountain! Perhaps a jewel of some sort!” Angalos’ eyes drifted back to his companions, and noticing their stare, he shrugged.
“Well…let’s get to finding an entrance. It does us no good just standing and staring at rock,” Anuion continued, and the group simultaneously nodded.
When the group found an entryway on the north wall of the mountain, they stood in front of a large shaft in the mountainside, except that the shaft was covered from the inside by a large boulder. Carvings and paintings chipped off the wall near the entrance. Above the entrance were four pallets with red, painted characters of what looked to be elvish writing.
Looking at the faded red paint on the square blocks above the entryway, Jadae squinted. “What do you suppose it says? Some of the paintings chipped off, or faded. Looks like Elvish, but I wouldn’t be able to read such script.”
Everyone turned to Anuion, who seemed to be daydreaming or something as he stared blankly at the writing.
“Anuion?” Jadae, Arethin, Mattius, and Angalos all question at the same time.
“I…I can’t see all the letters, but in Westron the first and third letters would be an ‘E’ and an ‘A’…” Anuion also squinted at the letters, and looked confused. He could read Elvish perfectly, his father had taught him. Yet the faded red and the crumbling rock had eroded the visible characters ages ago, in such a way that not even Anuion’s Elven eyes could read.
“Well, this is perfect! We got all the way here and we can’t even get in!” Angalos said frustrated. He placed a hand on one of the square letter-tiles Anuion had tried to read…
[ March 17, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]
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...Come down now, they'll say. But everything looks perfect from far away - Come down now! But we'll stay.
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