[Formendacil]

"Not just any graveyard," said Elrogorn darkly. "This graveyard has a long history of association with forces of evil."

"Do you care to explain that cryptic comment?" asked Maika.

"No," said Elrogorn flatly. "It is a long and depressing tale, and would probably rend Lord Hyarmenwë's flesh from his ears with its anakronistic subtext. Let's just say we should leave post-haste."

"It seems safe enough... if dark and eerie," said Maika.

"I rather must disagree," said Elrogorn. "Especially as the Wereducks seem to be attempting to batter their way out of the tunnel. I give it no more than five minutes."

"What's the best way out?" asked Hyarmenwë, his sword drawn--perhaps a bit foolishly in light of his dwindling stamina.

"There is but one way out," said Elrogorn, "the main gate, over yonder."

Lightning lit up the sky as Elrogorn waved his arm in the direction of an iron-wrought gate several hundred yards away.

"Surely we can just hop the fence," said Maika. "This is just a graveyard, after all."

"A graveyard with an electric fence, electric chair, and guard-electric eels," said Elrogorn, to Maika's disgust. "I told you, it is a place of dark evil."

"Then let's move on to the gate," said Hyarmenwë, already setting in that direction.

"I wouldn't do that, personally," said Maika. "There's quite a number of dark silhouettes over there. Dark silhouettes in a dark graveyard being periodically lit up by eerie lightning is simply dangerous."

"I am ignorant of such anakronistic thoughts, and intend to remain so," said Hyarmenwë resolutely. "And if you ever wish to escape Mordor, I would advise you to not allow yourself to be ruled by such thoughts. They could be perfectly innocent people, or at least better than the... ducks..."

Maika looked at Elrogorn for support, seething somewhat at the old man's insistence that she intended to leave Mordor, but instead of supporting her as Mordor's most clichéd denizen ought to have, he agreed with Hyarmenwë.

"The Wereducks are right behind us," he said. "Lord Hyarmenwë is right-- not even Sauron and a death metal rock band of Balrogs would be worse."

Maika sighed, but followed the two men towards the gates. Lightning crackled overhead.