"Black Lion of Middle Earth."

Chapter 12

"What do we have here?"

"Whatever the reason was for Raion and his clan to not take part in the events occurring in Middle Earth, it doesn't change the decision of taking him with us." Aragorn said swiftly placing himself between the ninja and the Gondorian, before any other words could escape both their mouths. "He's one of the Fellowship now, Boromir." He spoke seriously to the fellow human. "And he is coming whenever you like it or not."

But the Gondorian warrior just sneered.

"If that's your final decision I will not oppose." He said curtly. "Though I fail to see the point of even forming a Fellowship anymore." The blonde then pointed at the said ninja. "If even half of the legends about the Shinobi race is true, then he shouldn't have any problems completing the mission on his own." Boromir then looked deep into Aragorn's eyes. "Why even bother with us? He clearly doesn't need our help."

"You're right." Raion's voice said from the back of the room where the elf stood leaning on a stone anchor, far from the place he was last seen standing next to Aragorn. Everyone looked at the black clad warrior in shock, since nobody saw him move. "I don't need you." He added after a pause. "If anything your company would be nothing but a hindrance to me." Raion said with a small shrug, earning more than one dirty look from the rest of the fellowship. "Your complete lack of proper stealth training would only give away my position, and the large number would attract more enemy attention than even my bizarre clothing." He then pushed himself away from the pillar and begun walking towards the window. "But…as much as it would save us all a lot of trouble, that's not my purpose in this mission since I'm, technically, not a part of the Fellowship." He held up his glowed hand to stop Gandalf from intruding. "Peace, Gandalf-san. Let me clarify." The wizard grumbled but otherwise complied. "Arigato. Now, as I was saying, Gandalf-san hired me to protect those who head towards Mordor, nowhere in our talk earlier did anyone mention taking something to Mount Doom on my own. If I go I will only be there to make sure everyone comes home in one piece, nothing more."

"Dwarves don't need protection, you prissy elf!" Gimli yelled, insulted that such an idea was even suggested. "Especially not from the likes of you!"

"My mission," Raion began as he walked up to the cranky dwarf, using his greater height to his advantage and glaring down at the son of Golin. "Is to keep the Fellowship safe and, like it or not, you are a part of that group now." His ice-blue eyes narrowed to near slits. "So I'm afraid you'll have to deal with it, unless you want to argue with Gandalf-san." A black eyebrow raised at the dwarf challengingly. "As you know, he is the one who asked for me specifically for this mission." He indicated the wizard with a nod of his head. "If you have any problems with me being here, I suggest you voice them to him."

Elrond turned his dark questioning gaze to the Isari.

"Have you chosen him for a reason other than him being the last ninja on Middle Earth, Mithrandir?" The wise elf lord asked his longtime friend, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

"His involvement was critical for the quest to be complete." Gandalf said surely. "It could be no one else."

"And why is that?" Elrond pressed on.

"Our history has already been altered from its original course." The wizard's voice was grave and regretful. "Though there is no way for me to fix the mistake made in the past, I can at least ensure that our future will proceed as foretold." He then looked at the son of Golin. "I am sorry Gimli, but I'm afraid he is just as necessary for this quest to succeed as you are." Then he added more grimly. "Otherwise there will be unforeseen consequences neither of us are equipped to deal with."

With nobody voicing other objections to Raion essentially tagging along with the Fellowship, Gandalf's latest argument was thankfully enough to stop the dwarf from arguing any further, the elf lords returned to explaining the significance of their voyage and its role in the incoming war.

"Having the One Ring in our possession gives us an advantage against the overpowering might of Sauron, we never had before." Glorfindel stated from his seat next to Elrond. "Though it might equally be a weakness." Receiving several nods from his fellow elves, the golden haired warrior continued. "Knowing that we have to cross the Black Gate to destroy the cursed object in the fires of Mount Doom, makes us predictable and easy to trap."

"Why is it necessary for us to take this…ring to Mount Doom in order to destroy it?'' Raion's voice asked from his new spot at the Balrog Slayer's side, its sudden appearance next to him making the proud warrior flinch. "Wouldn't it be easier to just melt it in a fireplace?"

His question caused the gathered people to look at him as if he grown another head, and making the ninja feel self-conscious and a bit unnerved.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, perhaps with a tone a bit more accusing than it should.

"Don't you know what this is?" Aragorn asked raising an eyebrow and gesturing to the ring placed on a pedestal in the middle of the circle created by the chairs.

"I am not knowledgeable in your history and legends." The shinobi admitted shrugging, to the likes of him this was unimportant information.

"So you are unaware of the Rings of Power and what they are capable of?" Elrond's eyebrows nearly touched his dark hair.

"I have gathered pieces of that story during my travels through your countries." Raion said. "I know that there are nine rings of power in total, and that most of them are either lost or long since destroyed. Except a few that are in the hands of the elves and the, so called, One Ring that I'm guessing is the object I'm supposed to guard on the journey."

"What you know is not much." Elrond stated. "But it will suffice for now. As for your question, the only sure way to destroy the Ring of Power is to drown it in the fire that created it, which is the magma that boils inside Mount Doom."

"Have you tried destroying it using chakra?"

"Chakra?" One of Gimili's escort dwarves asked.

"I can sense a large amount of dark chakra emitting from the cursed ring." Raion answered ignoring the dwarf. "Whoever made this ring was knowledgeable enough in the art of my people to mix it with wizard magic, and make this the formidable weapon you now fear." Immediately on his silent command his right fist flared with blue light. "If it was created using black chakra and the fire of Mount Doom…perhaps simply using another one of the key factors that helped create it, will have the same results as throwing it into lava."

Without a warning he rushed towards the ring with his hand positioned to strike, ignoring the warning yells from Aragorn and Gandalf, and, once close enough, hit the little gold thing with all his strength.

He didn't expect it to withstand his attack...

He didn't expect to be blown away by its immense power...

He didn't expect to see a flash of a giant red cat-like eye before he landed…

He didn't expect to hear a voice in his head saying:

"Hello, little Ninja."

In a language only he was supposed to know after the death of his clan.