Chapter 16: The Council of Elrond, the ring must be destroyed.

Daylight fell over Rivendell. It was at early afternoon.

Out of curiosity, Kaoru, Yahiko, and the rest went to Kenshin since he knows what has happened 3000 years before now. Kenshin finally told his companions, including Saito, the whole story of the One Ring, from Isildur's unwillingness to destroy the ring, to when the creature Gollum kept the ring for himself for 500 years, giving him long, unnatural life, poisoning his mind in the process.

Today, a council was being held, concerning the fate of the One Ring because Elrond has made it clear that it is dangerous for the ring to stay in Rivendell because of the increasing threats of Mordor and Isengard.

Kenshin, Saito, Aoshi, and Sanosuke attended the council along with Frodo and Gandalf, the Elves, the Dwarves, the ranger, Strider, and the Gondorian, Boromir.

Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao stood apart and a bit away from the council. Kaoru and Yahiko went through the bushes besides the council, joining Sam. Misao, however, was behind a set of pillars with Merry and Pippin.

Elrond began his opening speech, "strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor."

Elrond then gestures to the Kenshin and his allies, "the people in strange attire are not of this world, but face the same peril as we do. Middle-Earth, as well as the world that they come from, stands at the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race… and realm… is bound to this fate, this one doom…"

Elrond then beckons to Frodo, "bring forth the ring, Frodo."

Frodo does as beckoned by Elrond. He sat between Kenshin and Gandalf. Frodo walks up to the stone stand in the center and places the ring on the surface. Everyone is astonished and frightened at this fact, even Boromir.

"So, it is true," said Boromir.

'So… this is the all-powerful ring of power,' thought Sanosuke, '…I have to admit… it is… enticing.'

'…Tempting… but dangerous,' thought Aoshi.

'…This could be trouble,' thought Saito, darkening his expression.

Kenshin thought the same. The ring tempted all of them in fact.

"The doom of men," said a man, but Boromir thought differently.

"It is a gift," he said, turning everyone's gazes towards him, suspiciously, "a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?"

Boromir rose from his seat and walks around as he went on, "long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, have kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people, are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy, let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it," countered Strider, "none of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"Yeah, buddy," interjected Sanosuke, "from what I hear, if any of us tries to use it, we'd only end up destroying ourselves."

Boromir skeptically asked, "and what would a newcomer and a ranger know of this matter?"

An elf interjected, "this is no mere ranger… he is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Sanosuke was right next to the revealed Strider and said, "so, your real name's Aragorn, huh? Are you some kind of big leader or something?" Aragorn went speechless.

"Aragorn…" interjected Boromir, "…this… is Isildur's heir?"

Sanosuke, Aoshi, and Saito were shocked to hear the name Isildur, because of the story that Kenshin told them about. Kenshin was not so surprised. He already knew of this, thanks to Gandalf and Elrond…

" …And heir to the throne of Gondor," finished the Elf.

'I don't believe it…' thought Kaoru.

'…He's a…' thought Yahiko.

'Prince…?' thought and inquired Misao…

"Havo dat, Legolas (Sit down, Legolas)," Strider… no, Aragorn told the elf, gesturing with his hand. Legolas did as Aragorn said.

"Gondor has no king," said Boromir. He then turned to look at Aragorn, going to his seat, "…Gondor needs no king."

'It looks like,' thought Saito, 'you won't have to worry about that. It seems that Aragorn doesn't want to take his rightful place as king. The sins of his ancestor must weigh on him a great deal indeed for him to refuse the throne. He's like the Battousai who refuses to become a manslayer again. This is getting more interesting than I thought.'

'Aragorn…' thought Kenshin.

Gandalf resolved, "Aragorn is right, we cannot use it."

Elrond stood up to announce his decision. "You have only one choice," he said, "the ring must be destroyed."

Boromir didn't seem a bit happy to hear that, but one of the Dwarves was more than happy and willing to do it.

"Then," said the Dwarf, growling under his breath, "what are we waiting for?"

The Dwarf then took his axe and went up to the stone stand…

"No, wait!" Kenshin called out his warning to the Dwarf…

Alas, the Dwarf wouldn't listen. He roared out as he used all his strength, with his axe, to destroy the ring, but…

CRACK!

He ended up only breaking his weapon instead, as he was repelled backwards… thrown forcibly onto the floor…

Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and the others gasped in a great frightening shock of fear to see that the ring wasn't destroyed by the Dwarf's weapon. Frodo felt the full force shock of the Dwarf's weapon, which made him see the Eye of Sauron in his mind. Frodo covered his forehead with his hand, wincing in great pain.

"Sir Frodo!" cried out Kenshin, "are you alright?"

Frodo looked up painfully at Kenshin and nodded a little.

Kaoru covered her forehead with her hand as well as she also felt some of the force… but fortunately it wasn't as painful as Frodo's seizure. Neither did she see the Eye of Sauron… yet. Yahiko and Sam noticed Kaoru's disorientation as well.

"Miss Kaoru!" Sam muttered his cry.

"What is it, Kaoru?" wondered Yahiko, "are you okay?"

"…Yes," stuttered Kaoru, recovering from her ordeal, "…I'm alright, Yahiko."

Everyone else also gasped in great shock and fear, mostly the Dwarf who tried to destroy the ring with his axe. The ring muttered the black speech aloud. Kenshin and his companions continued gasping in fear as the others did when the ring muttered its evil tongue.

'Man,' thought Sanosuke, gritting his teeth fiercely, still in shock, '…that short guy must've used all his strength in that attack! I doubt that even my Futae no Kiwami could smash it. What the heck is this rotten piece of jewelry?!'

Elrond stated to the Dwarf, "the ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess."

Everyone was still in shock as Elrond went on explaining, "the ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there, can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came."

Frodo looks at the ring fearfully, knowing that the only way to destroy the ring… will involve a very treacherous and dangerous journey.

"One of you… must do this," Elrond concluded as the ring stopped muttering the feared language.

Moments of silence followed…

But was silently broken by Boromir, "…one does not simply walk into Mordor."

Everyone listened intently as Boromir went on ominously, "its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs, there is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye… is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire… and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume.

"Not with 10,000 men could you do this… it is folly," Boromir concluded.

Exasperated, Legolas stood up, "have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose," interjected Gimli, "you think you're the one to do it?"

"I don't know about you, shortie," said Sanosuke, fiercely, "my punches maybe useless against that rotten ring, but I seriously think that I could do it!"

"And if we fail," wondered a skeptical Boromir, as he stood up once more, "what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his!"

Gimli then stood up forcibly and fumed at Legolas, "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an Elf!"

An argument erupted afterwards. Aoshi, Aragorn, and Saito chose not to take part in it.

"…Never trust an Elf," spat Gimli.

'…Morons,' thought Saito turning his head away.

Kenshin then stood up to try to stop the constant arguing. "Please!" he cried out, "you must stop this arguing. It won't do us any good, that it most certainly won't!"

Gandalf also interjected, "do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows? None can escape it, YOU WILL ALL BE DESTROYED!"

But the arguing continued…

The ring continued muttering its black speech…

Angry figures of the council reflected on the ring's surface. Frodo remains seated… looking at the ring uneasily, as fires began to flare up, engulfing the surface of the ring as it continued muttering faster… and faster…

After a few frightening moments… a wave of determination slowly dawned on Frodo’s face.

Frodo immediately recovered his wits as he stood up and spoke out, "…I will take it!"

Nobody hears it at first, but Frodo went towards the crowd further…

"I WILL TAKE IT!" Frodo called out loudly.

This slowly… but surely caught everyone's attention as they stopped arguing. Gandalf and Kenshin closed their eyes, hearing Frodo's statement, and turned to look at him.

Frodo stated once more, "…I will take the ring to Mordor."

Kenshin and his allies looked at Frodo with such promise, as well as everyone else did.

"Sir Frodo," muttered Kenshin with a grin.

"Though…" Frodo said, solemnly, "…I do not know the way."

Gandalf stated as he went up to Frodo, "I will help you bear this bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. For as long as it is yours to bear."

"I will also help you bear the burden of the ring, Sir Frodo, that I will," said Kenshin as he took his place beside Frodo.

Aragorn stood up and also stated his oath, "if by my life or death, I can protect you… I will."

Then, Aragorn went up to Frodo and kneeled down in front of him. "You have my sword," he said.

Gandalf and Elrond exchanged glances at each other, in approval of Aragorn.

Legolas also swore his oath, "and you have my bow."

"And my axe," Gimli added. They both came to Frodo's side, nervous to be with one another.

"Hey," interjected Sanosuke, "before you guys think about going off somewhere dangerous, I just want you all to know, you've got my fists covering for you. You got that, Frodo?"

Frodo gave off a smile to Sanosuke.

Aoshi stood up and went up to Frodo, announcing his oath, "Frodo Baggins, as part of the Oniwaban group, I promise to protect you with my twin Kodachis."

"Well," smirked Saito as he began his statement, "I must say, that on the behalf of the Shinsengumi, I'm proud to say that I'm in. I'd never thought that a little guy such as yourself would be willing enough to handle something this big. It sounds like fun, Frodo."

"Saito," Kenshin muttered with a grin.

Boromir, overwhelmed by the number of companions Frodo has, also states his peace, "…you carry the fates of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council… then Gondor will see it done."

Suddenly…

"Heh!" Sam exclaimed as he came out from the grass and ran up to Frodo, taking his place beside him.

"Frodo's not going anywhere without me," Sam added.

"Yeah," interjected Yahiko as he and Kaoru came from the grass as well, "I'm coming along too. And so is Kaoru, right?"

"Right," Kaoru nodded. Kenshin gave a nervous sigh.

"No," stated an amused Elrond, with a smile, "indeed, it is hardly possible to separate any of you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you all are not."

Merry and Pippin then came running through from behind the pillars, "wait! We're coming too!"

"And don't you guys forget about me!" called out Misao, running towards everyone at Frodo's side as well.

Elrond was taken surprise by the late number of arrivals.

"Besides," continued Misao, "I'm with the Oniwaban group too, right Lord Aoshi?"

Aoshi went a little nervous.

"And you'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us," Merry said to Frodo.

"Anyway," interjected Pippin, "you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… quest… thing!"

Everyone went a little nervous at this.

"Well," said Merry, "that rules you out Pip."

Elrond was truly amazed at how many companions there were in front of him…

"…Sixteen companions," he said in great awe, "…so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great," said Pippin with excitement, "…where are we going?"