Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or its accompanying tales, the Tolkien's do.
"Do not repent of your welcome to the Dwarf. If our folk had been exiled long and far from Lothlórien, who of the Galadhrim, even Celeborn the Wise, would pass nigh and not wish to look upon their ancient home, though it had become an abode of dragons? Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dûm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone." - Galadriel, showing love and admiration for Khazad-dûm and the Dwarf race, The Fellowship of the Ring
"Yet more fair is the living land of Lórien, and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth!" - Gimli, in turn expressing his reverential adoration for Lórien and Galadriel, The Fellowship of the Ring
"No Dwarf could be unmoved by such loveliness. None of Durin's race would mine these caves for stones or ore, not if diamonds and gold could be got there. Do you cut down groves of blossoming trees in the springtime for firewood? We would tend these glades of flowering stone, not quarry them. With cautious skill, tap by tap-a small chip of rock and no more, perhaps, in a whole anxious day-so we could work, and as the years went by, we should open up new ways, and display far chambers that are still dark, glimpsed only as a void beyond fissures in the rock." - Gimli rediscovers the true calling and vocation of the Dwarves in the Glittering Caves of Aglarond, The Two Towers
"We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli Glóin's son with him [over the Sea] because of their great friendship, greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf. If this is true, then it is strange indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-earth for any love, or that the Eldar should receive him, or that the Lords of the West should permit it. But it is said that Gimli went also out of desire to see again the beauty of Galadriel; and it may be that she, being mighty among the Eldar, obtained this grace for him." - Appendix A, III: Durin's Folk, The Return of the King
Gimli, son of Glóin, noble Dwarf warrior of the War of the Ring, was now in Valinor with his friend, Legolas. As they drew their boat ashore, they noticed a familiar white lady with golden hair waiting on the dock.
"Lady Galadriel!" said the old Dwarf. He got out of the boat clumsily and stepped up to her, bowing reverentially.
"Ah, Gimli, Elf-friend," she greeted him with a smile, "I welcome you to the Undying Lands, you and your best friend Legolas the Elf. Is Valinor not more beautiful than anything you could have imagined?"
Gimli gazed on the green forests, the fair cities, and the great mountains. "Yes, m'lady," he said, "it is a place I know I will grow to adore, even with my adoration for Lothlórien still in my heart."
Galadriel smiled. "That is very good to hear. But first, someone wishes to have an audience with you, someone whom the race of Dwarves revere more than life itself."
Gimli wondered who she meant until it suddenly hit him. "Do you mean…?"
Galadriel knew whom he was thinking of. "Yes, Gimli, Mahal the Maker of Mountains, or Aulë, as the Elves call him. He wishes to show you the grace that your actions in Middle-earth have earned not only for the Dwarves who live now, but also for Dwarves who have been long dead."
Gimli wondered what she could mean by this, and said to Legolas, "You will not mind if I go to visit Mahal for a little while, will you, Legolas?"
"No, friend Gimli," laughed Legolas, "'Tis only appropriate for you to meet your Maker. I shall wait in the city of Valimar where all is glad until you are done."
"Thank you, Legolas," said Gimli, and as he walked with Galadriel, he said to himself, "I am going to meet my Maker! I like the sound of that statement!" Galadriel laughed, and it was like the music of the bells of heaven.
Within his deep mansions, Mahal, or Aulë, "Father of the Dwarves," greeted Gimli the Dwarf in a way the noble old Dwarf wouldn't have expected.
"Welcome to my mansions, Gimli, savior of the Dwarf race," he said, actually bowing to the old Dwarf.
Gimli, feeling like he should be the one to bow, said, "My Lord Mahal, it is an unfathomable honor to meet you in person, o maker of the Khazâd! But, may I ask, why do you bow to me? I am but a descendant of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves you fashioned so long ago, so I should be the one to show you respect."
"I know I fashioned your distant forefathers, my friend," said Mahal, "But you have done something even the noblest Dwarves who came before you could not; you have forever healed the ancient enmity between the children of Eru's adoption and the children of His choice."
"Eru?" asked Gimli, "Then it's true that there is a Creator even greater than you who helped make us?"
"Indeed, it is," said Aulë, smiling, "And due to three acts you have committed in your life, he had decreed the redemption and salvation of the Dwarves, just as immortal Eärendil did millennia ago for Elves and Men."
"I am a savior?" Gimli asked in surprise, "But that was not my intention, I just wanted to give my people a new calling in life."
"And that is precisely what has redeemed not only your people who live now, but so many of the Dwarves who lived in the past, as well," said Mahal, "In the Golden Wood of Lothlórien, by falling in love with the pure beauty and kindness of the Lady Galadriel and by befriending Legolas the Wood-elf, you have gained absolution for ancient transgressions and forgiveness for an evil that brought dishonor upon the Dwarves. In the Glittering Caves, you rediscovered the true calling of your people and, in fulfillment of a prophecy, discovered your fate. And in sailing over the Western Sea, you, alone of your race, have been allowed to enter the Undying Lands through life instead of death."
Gimli took this all in, and then, he had a sudden feeling, a good feeling. "Does this mean," he asked, "that there is a living paradise for the Dwarf race as well as for the Elves somewhere in Valinor?"
Mahal looked at him warmly. "There is now," he proclaimed, "Your actions as redeemer and savior of the Khazâd have opened the doors of the Halls of Waiting for many of your kind, and now they live in a realm of caves very much like Aglarond, save that this one is your namesake, Gimli, son of Glóin."
"May I see this realm?" Gimli asked with hope in his heart.
"Of course, you may," Mahal answered, "In fact, your people await your presence there, and you shall find some fine Dwarf friends, relatives and heroes there, too."
Then Mahal took Gimli's hand, and took him to another part of Aman, not far from the Mansions of Aulë. There, Gimli stared in wonder, as he beheld a place not unlike the caves of Helm's Deep he had loved so. Indeed, for the gems and crystals and ore glittered beautifully, only even more magnificently than those in Aglarond, and the water that ran through it was as clean and pure as Kheled-zâram and Kibil-nâla, as well as the water of Aglarond. And all throughout the Glittering Caves of Gimli, there were Dwarves walking, talking, working, or just gazing at the sights with pleasure, more Dwarves than Gimli had ever seen in his life.
As Mahal led him through the caves, Gimli started to recognize some familiar faces as well as some who, while not familiar, he recognized them as historical Dwarves. Most of them were of Durin's Folk, though he did see some who came from other Dwarf clans. He saw a Dwarf in a sky-blue hood with a silver tassel at one point, and he soon realized that this was none other than the great Thorin Oakenshield! He looked like he was at peace with himself at last after his tragic death in the Battle of Five Armies. Soon, Gimli started to recognize other Dwarves from Thorin and Company throughout the caves; Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli, Dís, Óin and his brother Glóin, Dori, Nori, and Ori, and even Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Gimli noticed that Bombur had lost a lot of his weight, and now looked much healthier as a result. And there were Thorin's father, Thráin, and his grandfather, Thrór. He also started to see some Dwarves whom he had never met, Dwarves like Azaghâl of Belegost, Telchar of Nogrod, and even some Petty-dwarves, including, to Gimli's amazement, Mîm, Khîm, and Ibûn, the last of that race.
The Dwarves greeted him, calling him the "Chosen One," the one who would bring salvation to the Dwarves, and indeed had, singing praises to him the whole time. Gimli had never thought of himself as a "Chosen One," but at that moment, something else was on his mind.
"Mahal, my lord," he asked, "I have seen many old friends and family, but it grieves me that I cannot see such great Dwarf Lords as Dáin Ironfoot and Balin son of Fundin here."
"Worry not, Gimli," Mahal said reassuringly, "They are here, too, straight ahead."
They entered a chamber that resembled Khazad-dûm's Chamber of Mazarbul in its old glory. There were several Dwarf servants and two very important Dwarf Lords sitting on thrones by the back wall. They were Dáin Ironfoot, slayer of Azog the Goblin and King Under the Mountain, and Balin, Lord of Moria.
They looked splendid! Dáin was dressed in the most regal robes possible for a Dwarf Lord of the Third Age, silver and sable in color, and Balin wore his signature traveling color of scarlet red, complete with hood and cloak. Gimli gave them a respectful bow.
Dáin and Balin stood up. "My friend, o Chosen One," said Dáin, "you bow to no one." And he, Balin, and everyone else in the chamber knelt and bowed to the noble Dwarf warrior.
Gimli, slightly embarrassed for gaining so much attention and reverence, asked, "What is this place, if I might ask, my Lords?"
Balin rose and said, "You know where we are, for Mahal told you. This is 'Gimli,' the Glittering Caves of the Khazâd, a paradise on earth for the Dwarven people created for all noble Dwarves after you led our people to their true glory. Dáin and I serve as its intermediary Lords until the coming of Durin VII the Last to Mandos."
"And why does everyone, including you, refer to me as the 'Chosen One?'"
"Because Eru Ilúvatar chose you through his providence to save the Dwarves from condemnation for their ancient crimes," explained Balin, "and because you fulfilled your duty. And now, as the Chosen One, you are the most exalted Dwarf that has ever lived, although Mahal interceded on my part to Ilúvatar, for they (and Mandos) judged me to be the second noblest Dwarf ever for my kindness and wisdom, and Dáin the third noblest for his unbreakable spirit and strength as a ruler. In Gimli, however, we do not envy each other's rank in this hierarchy, for there is no more need for ambition."
"Then all shall be well for our people and all other Dwarves, even after they dwindle down because of the Dominion of Men?" Gimli inquired.
"Yes," said Balin, "This realm will last until the end of Time."
And Gimli was content ever afterwards.
And for the rest of the Dwarves' existence in the Glittering Caves of Gimli, Balin and Dáin continued to rule until the coming of the soul of Durin, changing into his deputy Lord and Captain, respectively, all the other Dwarves, from the Petty-dwarves to Thorin and Company, enjoyed the beauty and everlasting minerals of the Caves, and Gimli the Dwarf was the grand King of the entirety of the Khazâd race of Aulë the Smith, or Mahal the Maker, as they called him, and endured unto the end of the world.
THE END... AND THE BEGINNING!
What happens after this is left to the readers' imaginations, since no one knows for sure what life in heaven is exactly like. I named the new Glittering Caves after Gimli because that name is also a name for a Norse paradise after the great battle of Ragnarok and the destruction of the world in Norse mythology. It was supposed to be a place of salvation, like Gimli the Dwarf is a saving Dwarf. In one of the many books about J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth, The World of Tolkien, by David Day, Gimli is declared to be the redemption and salvation of the Dwarves by the same acts described in this fanfic. I did this story to show that side of Gimli, which has probably never been seen in fanfics before, and to give a picture of a Dwarven heaven and some popular Dwarf characters within it. So, from a certain point of view, I believe Gimli Elf-friend is the Jesus Christ of the Dwarves, and I wanted to celebrate that, and I gave Balin the second most important Dwarf role here because he's a kindly and wise Dwarf, a good friend of Bilbo who visited him years after the Quest of Erebor, and I happen to like him a lot.
May all who believe in Christ Jesus also celebrate Gimli as an imaginary man (or Dwarf) of God, and God bless Tolkien for making his Dwarves, and for changing them from being selfish and evil to imperfect but good!