Thanks! Yeah, it's actually quite fun to convey your emotions through your eye color, @Peregrine - that sort of inspired me :) There ought to be just about three(?) more parts.

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Part 11.

So they were almost rid of the Misty Mountains, Jay thought. Or getting there, anyway. By now when they reached the peaks of the mountains, they could see something white glittering far ahead across the horizon that must be the snow-covered hills on the other side of the Misty Mountains. Soon they would be able to start back towards Gandalf. But there were still the other three Jewels, the ones they didn't have. How could they get them back? Would it be the powers of their three Jewels against the powers of the goblins' until one of them one out?

And yet he felt part of Middle-Earth now, and in a way he never wanted this adventure to end. There were the characters they had all longed to meet, helping them on their way. There was the wild beauty of the land, the stunning grandeur of the places they passed. And there was the sharp sense of danger behind every day, warning, exhiliarating. How could he want to go back to his boring life in a boring world, where he actually belonged? He was content to continue this quest for at least some time more.

They were all still recovering from the nerve-wracking incident with the dragon. Thank heavens that had come out all right, Jay thought. But wasn't there going to be any fighting at all?

It was late afternoon, with gray rocks rising around them and a gray sky hanging low over them. Soon afternoon had sunk dully into night. Legolas reined in his horse. "I think we should keep going," he said, uneasiness crossing his face. "There's something in the air I don't quite like."

Jay would have scoffed at this (privately, at least), but that he too could feel it. The sense of danger had suddenly become far more acute. He couldn't have said exactly what it was that made him uneasy, but he and the other CBers agreed with Legolas, and they went on into the thickening darkness.

Suddenly some inexplicable, ominous feeling made them all turn. Some way away along the path - but not that far away, either - was a group of goblins.

With one accord they all wheeled thier horses and started fleeing. Lupine, glancing up, saw the clouds thin and finally tear themselves away from the moon. For a moment the whole scene was lit up with silver radiance. Then the night was plunged into darkness again.

Behind them, Lupine heard a shout. "You can't escape us forever...! We'll get your jewels yet." But, looking back, she saw that they were finally widening the distance between themselves and the goblins. Their ponies were fleet. With a sudden surge of hope, she gave a triumphant laugh just as the moon wrenched itself free again. "Then get them now," she taunted over her shoulder. "Are you so sure that you'll always win?"

Slowly, but surely, they drew away from the goblins, until in a sudden burst of speed they completely shook them off, as the radiant moon had shaken off the dark clouds. For a moment they paused to rest their horses and calm their shaken feelings.

Then Lupine spoke. "What now?" she said. "They'll be coming after us, and can we keep ahead of them all the time?"

"Look here," said Echo, who had been looking at the map. "There's a trail here that branches off from the main path. And it leads more or less to the end of the Misty Mountains. The side trail joins our path just a little way ahead - we could go along it."

"It will take longer," Flamie objected. "And besides, what if the goblins think of looking along it too?"

"It's worth a try," Darkvine said wearily, and as Poinsettia pointed out, "We have to do something." So the CBers and Legolas went further along their trail until it was joined by the smaller trail, and went some way along that, walking now so that the exhausted horses had less to do. It must have been midnight before they finally made camp and slept.

The next day Flamie woke early and sat up, her arms around her knees, her eyes resting on the exquisite dawn that was tinting the sky with all sorts of delicate hues. "We're going to do this," she whispered, raising her head with sudden determination.

Everyone was better for a night's sleep, and during breakfast they made their plans. "There's more than one way across these mountains," WildSong was sayiing when Flamarestii joined them. "Maybe we should split up and go separate ways. It'll be more likely that we'll manage to evade the goblins that way."

Eventually, that was more or less what they did. Hex, Peregrine, and Poinsettia volunteered to go one way with the Fire Jewel; Legolas, Darkvine, WildSong, Scuttles and Echo went another with the Earth Jewel, and the Ocean Jewel went with Lupine, Flamie, Amethyst, Artemis, and Jay.

After breakfast they parted. "Good luck," Flamie murmured. "We'll try to meet at Rivendell. I know we'll manage this."

Glad y'all are liking it :) I always enjoy hearing what you guys have to say about it. Any thoughts are welcome!

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Part 12.

"We have to talk," Peregrine said urgently to the other two. "We must decide what we're going to do."

"Up ahead," Hex suggested. "There are some trees."

These three had come safely over the mountains (thanks mostly to luck and a copy of Gandalf's map with their route marked on it) - safely, at least, as far as meetings with goblins and dragons were concerned. They were still struggling to keep ahead of the goblins and they had no news of the others, and earlier that morning an Eagle had come down to them and told them that goblins were between where they were at the present moment and Rivendell. She could give them no news of the other CBers, though. And, perhaps most bothersomely, they were still keeping their journey and even their presence secret from most of the inhabitants of Middle-Earth. Gandalf had instructed them to do this. "Especially dwarves," he had said. "The Jewels are jewels, and dwarves are dwarves." To which all the CBers had agreed.

Now they paused. They were hidden by a screen of bare trees from a hillside, where dwarves in colorful hoods and capes were sledding with shrieks of glee. (Beyond the Misty Mountains there was snow still, but these inhabitants of Middle-Earth, at any rate, seemed to be enjoying it. It was rather undignified for dwarves to sled, though, thought Peregrine.) Poinsettia, Hex, and Peregrine dismounted and drew together to talk, holding the reins of their horses.

"You're sure they can't see us?" Peregrine asked.

Hex cautiously looked through the trees. The hillside was alive with dots of color streaking about in the snow, and even as she watched one fat dwarf fell off his sled and lay on his back in the snow, kicking vehemently.

"Yes," she said, retreating again. "Of course they'd have to be there just now," she added sarcastically. "But it can't be helped. What do we do? Go north to Rivendell and risk the goblins? Or head straight for the Edge of the Wild?"

"Rivendell, I'd say," Poinsettia said. "We can't get to the Edge of the Wild without help - we don't have much food left."

Her black horse lifted his head and pranced forward a little, restlessly, his silky dark mane and tail rippling against the background of white snow. Peregrine's chestnut [light brown] stood, motionless, blending into the straight tree-trunks. Peregrine nodded. "The goblins won't be expecting us to go off our course anyway," she said.

Hex glanced again at the dwarves, who were happily unaware of the three desparate riders close to them. "All right, Rivendell," she said. "At least we can trust Elrond."

They gathered up their reins and swung lightly onto their horses, and started off again, north this time.

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It was late afternoon. The shadows were lengthening, and the more golden tint of the sunlight was a reminder of the passing hours. Never did I think I'd be this glad to see Rivendell, Peregrine thought, looking down the sweep of the valley. Yes, there it was, the same Rivendell as before, for here too the snow hadn't penetrated (obviously Elrond's doing). Peregrine realized that it was she who had changed. So much time had passed, and so many things had happened, since she last saw it.

As they started descending into the valley, they saw a figure coming towards them across the grass. When it had drawn close to them, Peregrine saw with a quick burst of joy that it was a CBer. "Artemis!" she exclaimed, slipping off her horse. "You're here! But," she added after the greetings were over, "what about the others? And do you still have the Ocean Jewel?"

"Yes, we do," Artemis assured her. "Lupine, Flamie and Jay are still with me, but we still don't know where everyone else is. We do have news, though. Come on to the palace. Elrond will want to tell you."

They went through the sunset light to the palace that Peregrine remembered so well. And, yes, there was Elrond, and Lupine and Flamie and Jay. Some of them were together again, anyway.

"But what's all this of news?" Hex asked after these greetings were over too, and they had told of their journeys.

"Ah, yes," Elrond said, frowning. "That is bad. We've heard from the Eagles: the goblins are really on the move, and might even attack us here, as they know we elves would help you. I'm going to tell the other elves about all this at last; they should know."

They slept that night with Elrond, and the next morning the other CBers and Legolas finally arrived. They decided to leave immediately - every second was precious now - as soon as Elrond had told the elves about the Jewels and the danger. Accordingly, they joined the elves when these gathered at their king's summons.

Elrond moved out in front of the elves, a kingly, inspiring figure suddenly, his face wise in its majesty. "Elves," he said, "we must fight the goblins, and we will fight; Rivendell must be an outpost once again. The times of peace have left us. Who will be true?"

They answered, one and all, with a shout of loyalty and spirit that shook the ground, a defiant battle cry of power and might; and the sun flashed suddenly, blindingly bright, on the elvish swords they whipped forth...

Hex woke in the middle of the next night. The crickets were chirping to each other in the long grass beyond the encampment. The fire had smouldered low, and the moon, larger and brighter than her own moon, glowed brilliantly over the sky. Hex sat up, wrapping her cloak close about her against the night chills, and looked out across the land. If they could only get across the Edge of the Wild again...

Your writing's as interesting and beautiful as ever! I think you're one of the best writers on the CB :)

Thanks, you two :) @Peregrine, if I'm still not guessed by the end, I shall reveal myself after the last part. There'll just be one more part after this one.

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Part 13.

"Ahead!" Artemis cried. "Oh, at last!"

The others paused and looked where she was looking. At last. A flash of blue curving through the wet snowy landscape that was - surely - a stream.

They had gotten over the Edge of the Wild two days ago, rejoicing in the happiness and strength of being all together again. There had been no fording streams on this return journey - only crossing them on brittle ice - and the whole landcape beyond Rivendell had looked strangely altered. As soon as they got a day's journey away from Rivendell, the snow had begun again, and their progress had been slow. Secretly, Artemis had wondered if they could dip the Jewels in "any waters beyond the Edge of the Wild", when all the streams would be frozen.

Once they got across the Edge of the Wild, though, they found that the spell of winter had less hold on the land. Perhaps, Artemis had thought, it was because the goblins and the Ice Jewel were still far away, and the the thought had cheered her somewhat. And then, of course, it was just refreshing to have a change from all the eternal winter. Here the skies were more often blue, the snow was thinner and wetter, and the sun was sometimes gently warm.

And now, finally, there was a stream ahead of them. It was the beginning of the end of their long quest.

The CBers and Legolas rode over to the stream and dismounted. Hesitantly Artemis took the Ocean Jewel out of the bag in which they had been carrying the Jewels. The others took the other two Jewels, and for a second they stood on the bank of the stream, looking at each other. For the moment, at least, the feeling of danger had receded and was replaced by a feeling that magic was suspended in the air like a lovely enchantment, waiting to be set free.

Then they knelt in the wet snow and dipped the Jewels into the cold, pure, moving waters. For an instant the water glowed scarlet and azure and green; and then, for one instant more, a flame twisted in the air above the Fire Jewel, sparkling droplets of water curved from the Ocean Jewel (which had been lifted out of the water), and the snow was pushed away from the banks of the stream by the power of the Earth Jewel, revealing the soft green grass under it. Only for an instant, and then those things were gone and the snow had reclaimed the grass. The Chatterboxers still couldn't control the magic of the Jewels. But the first part of the enchantment had been unlocked.

Artemis stood up and looked at the others, slightly breathless, her eyes shining with her unique perception of beauty. "Finally," she exclaimed. "All of you, do you realize we've been in Middle-Earth for almost a month now? And that we've been waiting for this moment for fully half of that?"

"Yes," Darkvine said slowly. "We're getting there."

"Thank heavens," Amethyst said.

But Lupine was silent, thinking of the long path leading back once again to the Clearing of the Jewels. She, too, stood up and looked east, towards the rising sun and the promise of the horizons and the end of their journey. There were still goblins and who knew what other dangers to be faced. They were still on the same road, heading back in the direction they had traversed before. She sighed. When would this end?

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At least the journey back had been uneventful so far, Scuttles thought crossly, warming his fingers at the makeshift campfire. They needed campfires in the nighttime; they had ever since the snow began. Unevenful except for that day, anyhow. That day, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. One of the ponies had run away, and they had spent the better part of the morning finding it; and then the Earth Jewel had fallen out of the bag where the Jewels were kept, and they had gone some distance before they became aware of this, and only barely managed to find it again; and then it had started snowing; and then they had almost gotten lost; and then -

A slight rustle made him lift his head, his fingers closing instinctively over his sword hilt. Silence closed down again, softly permeated by the rustling of the flames as they leaped upwards. Then the rustling sounded again, slightly more loudly, and he looked sharply in the direction it came from, eyes roving the darkness beyond the circle of light. "What was that?" he hissed.

The others had heard it too. They rose swiftly to their feet, feeling for their swords.

And then the goblins came pouring out of the shadows. There weren't that many of them, though, Scuttles saw before one of them pounced on him and he had to fend it off. Everywhere the CBers were drawing their swords, and everywhere the ruddy firelight splashed on the desparate figures with a sense of unreality. It didn't last long, though. After a few moments a goblin shout tore urgently through the night: "Stop fighting! Stop it. Surrender." The goblins hesitated, then stood back, and the CBers saw the reason for this: Legolas had singled out their leader and was threatening him.

"Wait - aren't you the same goblins who opposed us in the Misty Mountains?" Echo asked.

"Then you're the ones with the other Jewels," WildSong exclaimed.

"Yes," the leader admitted unwillingly.

"What's inside that bag?" Echo inquired. She opened it, and there, blazing with mingled fires, were the other three Jewels: a lilac-colored one, a silver one, and a light blue one - the Wind, Ice, and Sky Jewels. Echo gazed at them. They were this much closer to the end of their quest, then.

Thanks so much, all of you :) @Scuttles, yes, I (Gandalf) did stay behind to guard the Sunlight Jewel (which was the only one not taken by goblins or CBers).

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Part 14.

The Misty Mountains were behind them, and they were approaching Mirkwood again. WildSong shaded her eyes against the sun, her thoughts flying back to the goblins. She smiled and tossed back her hair. The goblins hadn't even reached the Edge of the Wild yet when they stumbled across the CBers and decided to try and get the other three Jewels, so the powers of the Ice, Sky, and Wind Jewels were still completely locked away from the CBers. Still, the CBers had decided to go back to Gandalf and the Clearing of the Jewels, as they would be able to control the powers of the other three Jewels at least. As for the goblins, they had let them go and consequently been on their guard ever since. It had been a race against them all through the Mountains, but now at last they were approaching their goal.

They topped a rise just then, and WildSong stopped abruptly. "Look!" she cried, gesturing to a dark line against the horizon. "Mirkwood again!"

The others came up beside her and paused to look, drinking in the sight of the forest they'd longed to see for so many weeks. It was a fulfilled promise, a new hope, a symbol of their goal and, in a way, their whole quest.

Then they turned to get to the Clearing of the Jewels.

And before they knew it they had reached it again. Again they treaded on the slopes of emerald grass. They paused on its border, because Gandalf was coming towards them. As she watched him approach, Hex realized suddenly that it was truly they, and not he, who had accomplished this. He had helped them in the beginning, but after that it had been them - all of them - who had managed it, alone. And they had managed it.

"Well, you're finally back!" Gandalf greeted them. "I hope you had a nice time. What success have you had?"

"We have the other three Jewels," Hex told him, slipping off her horse. "And the Fire, Earth, and Ocean Jewels have been dipped in waters beyond the Edge of the Wild."

"Then come," Gandalf said. "I want to hear all your stories, but first - set free the magic of the Jewels."

They followed him through the verdant slopes, so refreshing to look at after the miles of endless snow, and came out into the Clearing. Hex looked around, a little smile playing around the corners of her mouth, remembering all the things that had happened. So much had happened.

Then the CBers and Legolas stepped forward, bearing the three Jewels that they had taken with them originally. Each one fitted perfectly into one of the hollows in the smooth stone, and the CBers put them there. As they dropped into their rightful places, a blaze of mingled magic and light flashed from the Sunlight Jewel, then diminished in a cascade of colors - all the colors of the Jewels. At the same instant, the runes carved into the stone changed. Hex leaned over them and found that this time, strangely, she could read them.

Whoever it was who tried to thwart the magic of these Jewels, she read, know that you have accomplished your mission. You now control the magic of the Fire, Earth, and Ocean Jewels. Use it wisely!

She straightened up and saw that the others had been reading the runes too. "I think it's obvious what we want," she said. "For the ice to go away. But we have no control over the Ice Jewel, since it hasn't been 'dipped in waters beyond the Edge of the Wild' and all that."

"Wait, though," Lupine said slowly. "Fire is the opposite of ice, isn't it?"

"You mean - the Fire Jewel could undo the effects of the Ice Jewel?" Jay asked.

Darkvine saw Gandalf nod to himself and moved forward. "Let's try it."

Lupine leaned forward and brushed her fingers against the Fire Jewel. "We want the ice that holds Middle-Earth in winter to vanish, and for it to be summer again throughout this land," she said.

As she uttered the last word, flames leaped up around them - golden-red flames that weren't hot, that leaped and danced upwards against the infinite sky and all around the CBers. And after a moment, from the flames grew trees, trees and trees and more trees, obscured by the flames and born from them.

For a moment the fires shimmered; then they disappeared. The CBers found themselves in a great forest, with tall, rustling trees and warm summer breezes and a deeply blue sky overhead. With one last burst of fire, a sheet of manuscript appeared, which Darkvine caught as the flames faded from it. She read it aloud.

"This is the Golden Forest, which is to stand forever betweeen western Middle-Earth and Mirkwood, a forest of sunlight and laughter and good magic. It is born of a prophecy that one day twelve strangers would come to this land and save it from some great evil: this you have done; for the magic in this forest will protect the Jewels from ever being taken away from their rightful place again."

"But how is this possible?" Scuttles demanded. "None of this comes out in the books about Middle-Earth."

"How many times must I tell you that this is not a book?" Gandalf said, crossly but with a twinkle in his eye. "Middle-Earth is itself."

And so the CBers had to agree as they went back to Beorn's house, where they spent another perfect week with Éowyn and Aragorn and their gruff host (who seemed to be, as Artemis said, "straight out of Viking mythology"). But on the last day of their visit there, Gandalf told the CBers, "Well, you've saved Middle-Earth now. And you've earned a place for yourselves here. If you want to, you can stay here - forever." He paused a moment. "Or you could go back to your own world and your CB hall as if none of this had ever happened."

There was a second of silence. Then Poinsettia declared, "I'll go home. We promised, when we came here, to do all we could to help Middle-Earth. We've kept that promise, I think, and now it's time for us to return to our own world, where we really belong." And all the others agreed - even Jay. Now, at the end of the adventure, they knew that their real home was in the world they had left.

Gandalf nodded. "Very good," he said. "But Middle-Earth will not forget you. You will always be remembered as the Jewelbearers who saved this land from disaster."

So then there were farewells to Éowyn and Aragorn and Beorn and Legolas and - lastly - to Gandalf. He would send them back with his magic to the CB Hall, at the same time at which they had left. As they were standing together, ready to return to their own world, Flamie said softly, "I wish we could come back here someday, though."

"Perhaps," Gandalf said, "you will."

And then Gandalf had faded away into reality, and they were back at the CB Hall at midnight. They stood together for a moment, gazing at each other. They would never foget their magical journey in Middle-Earth.

THE END

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It's finally finished! It was so much fun writing it :) Thanks so much, all of you, for your encouragement - I hope you enjoyed reading it. And, honestly, I'm quite surprised that I haven't been guessed already... meaning, in other words, that it's time for me to reveal myself. I'm Amethyst... I joined up for my own solo write ;) Maybe eventually I can do a Middle-Earth Solo Write II. Anyway, I hope y'all liked it!