This story has been revamped.
Moria
Day 1:
Darkness was nearly all that they could see. Gandalf's staff provided a decent amount of light, but it still didn't make much of a dent in the surrounding shadows. Legolas and Lorarwin took the rear guard, able to see without aid from the Wizard. They didn't talk and Lorarwin still refused to look at the other Elf. 'Everything Ada taught me is useless right now. Why must this be so difficult! Even Arwen never mentioned what to do in a situation like this.'
Legolas on the other hand had no trouble with looking at his fellow Elf. He'd heard when she'd called him by his name for the first time. Although she hadn't realized it herself it was easy enough for Aragorn and Legolas to tell since she'd only ever called him 'that Elf'. Something seemed wrong though to him. As they walked it seemed like a great burden was taken off of Lorarwin's shoulders only to be replaced by a lesser one. 'I wonder what is wrong with her.' Legolas turned to face forward, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. Aragorn and Boromir kept the Hobbits between them as they took the side guards, leaving Gimli to walk beside Gandalf and Vada.
"Lady Vada why do you not use your fire to give us more light?" Sam asked as he looked the witch over. Through the whole journey on the mountain Vada had been using her fire to guide them through the snow paths. Now, when they could use the light, she didn't.
"My powers are not like Gandalf's. I have certain magical abilities that I am good with and others I am unable to use. After using my power for so long in conditions that don't condone it I need to rest." Vada turned her head to look back at the Hobbit. "If I don't rejuvenate my power then I can't go and turn you into a toad or something along those lines." Everyone laughed lightly at the scared look on Sam's face.
"It's alright Sam, I won't let her." Frodo grinned to his gardener and friend. "Maybe a tree or flower though." Sam's face didn't regain its usual color though.
Day 2:
The darkness in Moria seemed to lessen as the group walked. Pippin was the first to notice the small veins of metal within the walls that made Gandalf's light grow brighter. "Gandalf what is that?" The young Hobbit stopped to place his hand on one of the larger veins.
"It's Mithril; more important to the Dwarves than anything else you'll find in these mines. They dug deep into Moria to claim as much of it as they could. The wealth of Moria was never in gold or jewels, nor even in iron. Its worth is beyond price for there is little left above the ground." The old Wizard said as they all came to a halt.
"It's beautiful," Lorarwin whispered as she went to stand next to Pippin.
"Aye that it is," Legolas agreed.
"Count on the Elves to find everything beautiful!" Vada said exasperated. "We're stuck in the middle of a damn mine tomb and you're standing there imagining some pretty jewels you could have made with it." Gandalf sent a glare towards his young pupil and Vada went quiet.
"I think not of the jewels that could be made Vada. I have no claim of wanting anything of the sort. I do believe though that beauty should be appreciated where ever you may find it." Patting Pippin on his shoulder Lorarwin motioned for him to continue on his way. He nodded and the two left Legolas behind.
"She still ignores me, even after yesterday's events." Legolas muttered to himself. Boromir stood beside him to take Lorarwin's place as rear guard while Lorarwin took his on the side. The two men watched as Lorarwin played with the Hobbits to kept them quietly laughing.
It was at camp that night that any real conversation began. "Gandalf, Vada, would the two of you mind telling us why it is that you refused to come to Moria?" Vada looked at her mentor and shrugged. She'd known this question would come at some point and it came as no surprise that it was Lorarwin who'd asked it.
"Well Lorarwin there are dangers that wait in the deeper parts of Moria. Long ago the Dwarves dug deeper into Moria than was smart for they unleashed a creature known to them as Durin's Bane." Gandalf looked around at the group before him making sure that they were all listening to the tale. "To the Race of Men, Elves and the Istari it is known as a Balrog, a creature of evil. Good for us though the creature sleeps and should we be quiet in our passage through we should go unnoticed by it."
"Wait a moment I thought the Balrogs were dead." Lorarwin spoke with some confusion.
"Dead? Balrogs are not easily killed child." Gandalf looked at Lorarwin.
"No they are not Gandalf," Lorarwin sat a little straighter, as though what she had to say was fact and would not be ignored. "Glorfindel killed the last Balrog in Gondolin where he himself was killed. He told me the story a few years after coming to Rivendell."
"Who is Glorfindel Lady Lorarwin?" Sam asked. He was always interested in learning about the Elves. "And how can he have told you if he is dead?"
"He no longer is. He was re-embodied in the Halls of Awaiting. He was a noble Elf of high birth with rare golden hair. All thought him related to the Vanyar and he still denies it to this day. The Valar brought him back to Middle-Earth and now he is a friend and ally of my Ada. He is a kind and gentle man as well as a dear friend of my new family."
Sam looked on as memories of the man plagued Lorarwin. She smiled as she remembered sitting on his lap while he and Elrond spoke. She wasn't a child but still an Elfling. She'd go on brief scoutings with him when she felt caged inside Rivendell. On those days he would assign another to his post and took her for a gallop in the woods instead. "You care for him deeply don't you? I can see it on your face that you care about him."
Lorarwin smiled over at Sam. She reached a hand towards him and ruffled his hair not seeing the looks on three men's faces. "Glorfindel is as much a part of my new family as the others, so of course I do. He is like an uncle that you cannot help but love." Again the looks were missed.
"Why do you use that term Lorarwin? Who do you speak of?" Frodo looked over the She-Elf before him. 'So far we have yet to hear her tale. As well as why she has been forced to join the Fellowship.'
Lorarwin sighed before smiling sadly at everyone. "I believe it fair to tell you my past and current life. For how can we trust each other if we do not know each other? You see my story is different than all of yours. I am Lady Lorarwin of Rivendell but that is not my birth home nor my birth name. Long ago I lived with my father, older brother and my younger twin brother. My mother, to my knowledge, died in childbirth with my twin. I know nothing of them except that they were in my life. The first memory that I have is of my 247th birthday."
"The Witch-King of Angmar and the rest of the Nazgul had brought orcs to attack our village. We were all at a festival for my birthday and because it was the Winter Solstice. You see, my twin was born an hour after I, when a new day had started so we were to celebrate on the day after the Solstice. When they attacked my family forced me to run. I was a Elfling then and didn't know the gravity of the situation, but I knew that I was in danger. So I left into the snow covered forest trying to escape. Behind me screaming could be heard. No light guided me for there was no moon. Within the screams I could hear heavy steps following me. I knew that the evil that had killed my family was after me now. I took the chance and looked behind me, but my foot had caught on a fallen branch."
"That's when I saw him for the first time. He stopped before me with his sword drawn." "Father, Melcindómien, Ionwë help me!" Lorarwin cried as the Witch-King moved towards her. Halting, the former King of Men laughed a bone chilling sound.
"Your family can hide you from us no longer She-Elf. Though they have tried and succeeded for so long they are no longer able." The Witch-King forced his sword into the snow and reached towards the fallen Lorarwin. "Come now to where you belong and we may yet spare your pathetic kin."
"No!" Lorarwin screamed, trying to move backwards away from the beast before her. "I want my father, I want my brothers!" Reaching down the Witch-King pulled Lorarwin towards him and she gasped as pain ran through her body. She looked down to see his sword through her upper abdomen, her lifeblood dripping down the blade and onto the white snow. She couldn't remove her eyes from the sight of such purity being tainted red.
"You will come She-Elf even if it is against your will, you will come." Pulling his sword from her he tossed her aside and left her there. Lorarwin had other plans though. When she knew that he was gone she used a nearby tree to pull herself up. Every breath she took felt like she was being torn apart and every step she took she felt weaker and weaker. Lorarwin knew not how long she walked through the forest but she'd passed villages and roads and knew that she was no longer close to home. Every day she walked she was closer to death or worse, but she never stopped, never rested.
"Halt!" A voice called through the trees. Lorarwin, startled by the voice, did as it command and stopped moving. It was a bad idea though because she lost her momentum and fell face forward into the snow. The wound had stopped bleeding and had closed so she allowed the darkness to take her.
The Fellowship looked to Lorarwin as she came out of remembering her past. As she remembered, she spoke on, telling the tale as though from another perspective. She looked at them and frowned. "I was found outside of Rivendell within the forest by a visiting Elf. I have been there ever since. Lady Arwen stopped the Elf who found me from arresting me for she saw that I was her younger, an Elfling. Her father, my Ada, took me in as his own child. Arwen and I have been sisters since and her brothers would not let me out of their sight for my first few years in Rivendell. The wound is healed but not completely… it never will be." Lorarwin raised the left side of her tunic to show the stab wound on her upper left abdomen. "Ada says that I am lucky to have not been turned into a wraith because I had no healing done."
"So that is why you were depressed on the mountain." Vada muttered as she remembered how the Elf had not smiled or laughed while on top of the mountain except when Vada tried to give her advice. "You hate the snow."
"It is not that I hate the snow, but it is the cold that I cannot stand. You see I can't remember anything before that night. I don't even remember my own name. The Elf that found me in the forest named me." Lorarwin looked at the shocked faces, but frowned when her eyes stopped on Aragorn.
"Well now off to bed!" Gandalf clapped his hands and ushered the Hobbits into their bedrolls. Gimli was quick to lie down himself, followed closely by Gandalf and Vada. Legolas, Boromir, Lorarwin and Aragorn remained awake.
"Who shall take first watch with me tonight?" Aragorn asked. It was a common question. The four of them would stay up and figure out the watch while the others slept. Gandalf and Vada were included while they were on top the mountain but now that they weren't needed to keep them warm thus they went to bed as well.
"Then I will join you Aragorn. I do not think I'll be getting much sleep this night and I wish to speak with you." Aragorn nodded. Boromir and Legolas on the other hand weren't quite happy with the arrangements. Boromir would take the final watch with Vada while Legolas got second watch with Gimli.
Lorarwin sat back to back with Aragorn as she listened to the others' breathing even out into sleep. "You weren't surprised when I told you about the wound I received." It wasn't a question, Aragorn knew that, but she was asking why he wasn't.
"Earlier Elrond and Gandalf had told me about you being attacked. They didn't give many details for they themselves did not know them. Gandalf knew of the wound but I could tell that he knew nothing more about you than I did really. Elrond was holding back information. I didn't think that it would be anything like this."
"Then can you tell me one other thing?"
"I may, though it depends to on the question." The two leaned back more as they continued their whispered conversation. Being back to back they could keep each other warm as well as have two directions covered.
"What are your plans?"
"I am not sure." Aragorn knew what she asked of him. "She will be leaving with her kin for the Undying Lands."
"You two have been lovers for a while I am guessing. The way that I have seen you two look at each other or the way your eyes glisten at the mention of the other. I only needed that one day to know that you are both in love."
"That does not change that she is leaving. Should she stay she will be surrounded by my death for I do not think that I will last this quest."
"She will stay. I have lived with her as my sister and I know her as I know myself…" Aragorn chuckled and Lorarwin blushed at her words. "I know her better than I know myself. The point of all of this is that you should try for her. If not, then I ask that you return her necklace."
Aragorn reached up and placed his hand over the necklace under his shirt. Arwen had given it to him the night before they left. That night she chose a mortal life instead of immortality with her people and family. "It would be easy to just give this back but I can not. I love her still no matter where she is."
"Then continue to love her. Although I promised myself that I would not involve myself into the matter I can not help it. Arwen looked hurt when we left and I did not miss you staying behind a few moments to stare at her. She is my sister and I cannot bear to see her in pain. She will not leave you Aragorn, son of Arathorn.She has given her Grace to you already so accept it and do not let it be in vain."
"And what of you Lorarwin?" Aragorn tucked his necklace back into his shirt, "Arwen told me that you carry with you a jewel as well. One that your... new brothers, had made for you."
"I do, and they did."Lorarwin reached up and unclasped her necklace. Carefully she handed it to the man behind her. The necklace was shining with a light of its own making. Aragorn's eyes narrowed as he stared at an exact copy of Arwen's necklace but within the center jewel was a black tree. "Arwen is supposed to be the youngest Elf on Middle-Earth. That is not so though, my brother and I were not known about until I was found. I am, unlike my new family, full Elven. I don't know how I know, but I do. I know that I cannot understand what it is that you are going through for I cannot choose a mortal life, but that necklace proves that I am too am the Undómiel like Arwen."
"How many years have you seen?" Aragorn glanced at the necklace one last time before he passed it back to her. Turning around Aragorn helped Lorarwin to put the jewel back around her neck.
Lorarwin turned to be face to face with the Man, "I have seen 2, 213 years."
"That's younger than both Arwen and Legolas."
"I told you that I was Arwen's younger. As for that Elf, well I do not know how old he is."
"He has only seen 2,857 years. He is Arwen's elder by only 81 years. They have known each other all of their lives." Aragorn turned back around when a question caught his tongue. 'Maybe I can figure out a few things while we are here.' "Why is it that you don't allow Legolas close to you?"
"I didn't think you had noticed." Lorarwin closed her eyes as she thought about how she would answer.
"He is my friend."
"I have never met another from outside Rivendell aside from the one who found me. I do not understand it myself but there is something about how he holds himself and the air around him that I can not stand."
"Then it's his Royalty." Aragorn laughed lightly. Legolas very much had a different air around him than any other but he couldn't help how he was raised. He tried his hardest but it never worked. "Legolas is the Prince of the Woodland Realm. I give him another day or two of traveling before he is his usual self instead of the royal messenger for his father."
"Then I shall try to be kinder to him. If this is not how he usually is then there is no need to make an enemy."
Day 3:
Quiet, that's all there was. No one wished to talk this day. Vada and Gandalf took lead again, Gimli, Boromir and Legolas were side guards with the Hobbits between them and Aragorn and Lorarwin taking up the rear. They were moving farther and farther into the mines.
Day 4:
"You've gotten us lost!" Vada tried to refrain from yelling. "Haven't you been here before Gandalf? It's the only reason I'm even in this damn mine." The Fellowship stood before four passageways waiting for Gandalf to remember which direction it was to lead them out. They had been there for only ten minutes, long enough for Frodo to talk to Gandalf about Gollum. Legolas and Lorarwin heard the entire conversation and Aragorn seemed to know already about their shadow. "You know what, Pippin come here."
The Hobbit looked to Merry who nodded at him. Pippin stood and walked over to Vada. "Pick a tunnel." Pippin raised an eyebrow at her. "Just trust me okay?" Vada smiled down at the man.
"Umm, the second tunnel from the left."
"Good," lightly taking hold of Pippin's shoulders she moved towards the tunnel. Merry rushed to his feet to follow after. "You may not have the best of luck, but in this case it's just that kind of luck that we need." Shrugging at each other Boromir offered Lorarwin his hand to pull her to her feet. The two were quickly followed by Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.
"That child will never learn to be patient." Gandalf laughed as he helped Frodo to his feet before Sam joined them and the rest. Everyone but the two Elves were careful on their way down the stairs in the darkness. With Gandalf behind them his light did them no good. As they were all down Gandalf moved to the lead. "I believe we can spare a little more light." Gandalf's light grew brighter to reveal Dwarrowdelf.
"Now that's a sight." Sam muttered but everyone caught his words.
Down the large chamber they began to walk until Gimli stopped. "NOOO!" The Dwarf yelled. He turned to the left and ran into a room. Quickly the others followed him. Inside was a tomb with many Goblin and Dwarf bodies around it. There was a single light that shown through from the wall above to light upon the tomb before them.
"Here lies Balin, Lord of Moria." Lorarwin muttered as she looked over the Dwarven writing. "Your kin must have fought bravely Gimli. Hold his honor in your heart." The grief stricken Dwarf looked up and whipped away his tears before nodding.
Gandalf picked up a book to read when Vada placed her hand over it. "Open that book Gandalf and things will not end well. Let us be off before we bring trouble here. Legolas can already feel the evil close by." Sighing Gandalf moved to place the book down when Pippin tripped over one of the Goblin corpses. Sam and Frodo flinched as Pippin hit a skeleton on the lip of the well, sending it down into the darkness. "Told you he didn't have the best of luck," Vada muttered.
Drumming started in the deep sending shivers down the Fellowships' spines. Frodo drew his sword to see it glowing with a light blue color. "Orcs," Legolas hissed.
"So that's what's so different about Sting," Lorarwin smiled as she turned and followed Boromir out of the doors. An arrow landed close to their heads and Lorarwin slung her bow off of her back and fired into the darkness. A shriek was heard shortly after. Boromir wrapped his arms around Lorarwin's waist and pulled her back closer to him. Pulling the door shut with one arm he braced himself against it. Slowly, as if hesitantly, he released Lorarwin. "Oh such fun, there's Goblins and Orcs out there."
"You're forgetting that they have a Cave Troll," Boromir said with sarcasm. The thought of fighting a Cave Troll was not what he considered to be fun. Legolas and Lorarwin passed the two Men a few weapons that could be used to block the doors. After they took their places: Boromir with his shield and sword; Legolas, Aragorn and Lorarwin with bows draw; the Hobbits behind Gandalf, who had a sword draw; Gimli on the tomb; and Vada… Vada was no where to be seen.
"Let them come! There's one Dwarf in Moria who still draws breath." Gimli growled as he pulled his ax out to fight.
The sound of wood on flesh had the Hobbits looking to see a wincing Gimli. "There's one Dwarf here that draws breath and we'd rather he continue to draw that breath." Vada snapped as she slowly lost the magic she was using to conceal herself. She too stood atop the tomb with her staff moving from Gimli's head. "You die and there's one less mouth to feed, but you die and you're leaving me to deal with the two Elves by myself."
A small chuckle escaped Gimli as the two allies readied for their enemy. Orcs were beginning to break the door and arrows flew from the three archers. It didn't matter though because moments later the doors burst open. The fight of Balin's tomb had begun. Arrows were next to useless as Orcs and Goblins converged, Legolas had no issue. He switched between stabbing them with his arrows, hitting them with his bow and stabbing them with his twin knives. Vada and Gimli were having fun bashing the evil creatures on their heads.
Lorarwin had put her bow away as soon as possible. Unlike Legolas she was missing nearly half of her targets. She'd had brief training in archery and swordsmanship but that was only a few months. Deciding against using her sword for chance of hitting the others she drew two daggers from her forearms. With perfect accuracy she threw the daggers hilt deep into her enemies. As they fell she'd go to collect her weapons and repeat the actions. The Hobbits were holding their own and Lorarwin had no need to worry about Gandalf, Boromir or Aragorn. Vada and Gimli were even doing well. Yelling caught her attention as a couple of Orcs dragged and pulled on chains to bring in a large Cave Troll. "You're right Boromir," Lorarwin called. "It might not be so much fun fighting him!"
"Get yourself killed and I'll kill you myself." The Man of Gondor called.
"Is that worry I hear in your voice?" Lorarwin stabbed another Orc and collected her blade. Legolas had gone after the Cave Troll but the creature had other plans in mind. It grabbed the chain around its neck and swung it at the Elf. Legolas ducked and then quickly dodged when it continued to swing the chain around until finally it wrapped around a pillar. Legolas slammed his foot onto the chain and then ran up it onto the Cave Troll's back. He let out an arrow onto the beast's head until he had to jump off, landing as graceful as a cat. The pissed off Cave Troll ripped itself free of the chain and went straight for Merry, Pippin and Frodo. Lorarwin and Aragorn charged forward to save the Hobbits, bringing down Orc after Orc as they went.
Aragorn reached Frodo first and used a spear he had picked up to stab the Cave Troll. Lorarwin pulled Frodo to his feet and pushed him behind her. "ARAGORN MOVE!" It was too late. The Cave Troll hit Aragorn with a club, sending him into a wall and into unconsciousness. The Cave Troll then turned its sights onto Frodo and Lorarwin. It pulled the spear from its stomach and trapped the two in a corner. Bringing the spear back it rammed it passed Lorarwin's side and into Frodo. Merry and Pippin jumped onto the creature's back and started stabbing it in their fury. Lorarwin pulled the spear from their bodies and caught Frodo as he fell forward. She dropped to her knees panting. Boromir was the first to their side while Legolas quickly finished off the Cave Troll. Sam, Merry, Pippin and Gandalf followed after. Vada and Gimli stopped to help a semi-conscious Aragorn to his feet, "Frodo. Is Frodo alright?" Legolas and Boromir held Lorarwin up as Gandalf moved Frodo off of the She-Elf. "Gandalf is he alright?"
Frodo groaned as his eyelids fluttered open. "I'm fine, it didn't even pierce skin." Frodo reached up and unbuttoned two of his shirt buttons to show shining chainmail armor underneath. "Bilbo's old Mithril; he gave it to me along with Sting."
"You are lucky young Hobbit. That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Aragorn smiled as he helped Frodo to his feet. He looked over and watched as Boromir and Legolas each took one of Lorarwin's arms around their necks. "Lorarwin were you hurt?"
Lorarwin smiled as she steadied herself completely and pulled away from the two men. Her tunic was ripped along the left hip were a splash of blood stained the cloth. "The spear nicked my side but I'll heal soon enough. We need to move, now." Aragorn nodded and rounded the Hobbits up and out of the room. Gandalf, Gimli and Vada were quick to follow. "Come along you two. Don't want to fight anymore Orcs now do we?" Legolas nodded and collected Lorarwin's daggers as Boromir pulled her along after the others.
"I thought I said not to get yourself killed." Boromir snapped at Lorarwin as they caught up with the rest of the Fellowship. The Orcs and Goblins behind them were closing the gap; their yips and throaty language echoing off of the pillars around them. Boromir pulled Lorarwin closer as an arrow flew past them. "You went up against a Cave Troll!"
"I'm not the only one and for your information I'm not dead!" Lorarwin pulled from the Man of Gondor and ran ahead to the Hobbits. "Frodo what has you so pale?" As Frodo pointed upwards Vada grabbed the two into a halt. Lorarwin didn't look up when she saw a Goblin body fall from the ceiling.
Vada moved before Frodo with her staff held high. The other older members circled the Hobbits; they used their own bodies as a wall around the Halflings. "So Gimli; which do you want? The couple thousand before or behind us?" Vada glanced over at the Dwarf in question.
"I'll take the back lass and I get Aragorn and Gandalf." Gimli raised his ax in challenge to the Orcs. In reply an Orc charged forward to fall by the Dwarf with an arrow in its head. Gimli spun on Lorarwin and Legolas. "Alright you Elves which of you killed it?"
Legolas placed an innocent look on his face and looked quickly down at the smaller Elf. "Lorarwin I believe the Dwarf was injured during the battle. That or his grief for his kin is getting to him."
"Why is that…Legolas?" Lorarwin hesitated on his name. She didn't need to look up at him nor did she feel it safe to do so. The Orcs in front of her could see and smell the new wound she'd acquired and they looked hungry.
"Well he seems to think that I'm worried about killing a measly Orc."
"And I'll be killing the three of you if you don't focus." Aragorn yelled as he stabbed a Goblin that had decided to chance it's luck. Luck was not on the Goblin's side though. "If you haven't realized it we are surrounded." It was then that a roar filled the Dwarven city and a red glow began to form from one end of the room. As a second roar echoed off of the walls the Orcs and Goblins fled.
Vada elbowed Aragorn's side and smirked. "You were saying oh wise one?" Aragorn bit back any reply he was going to make as the red light grew brighter.
"Tell me that is not what I think it is." Boromir muttered as he slowly lowered his sword.
"That is the Balrog." Gandalf replied, although none needed him to.
"I told you that we shouldn't have gone this way!" Vada turned to glare at her mentor. "But no, you had to let Frodo pick our course. If we'd have stayed on that mountain I'd be happy about dying compared to this." Vada waved her hand around her, as though to prove her point, and put her knife away. She looked at the Fellowship with a raised eyebrow, "if you all want to die then please, continue to stand there." This put the Fellowship back into motion as everyone ran.
Luck was against Lorarwin and Vada as they tripped over each other. The sound was drowned out as the Balrog growled somewhere in the city. The two women watched in shock as their companions turned down another corridor and out of sight. They turned towards each other with similar wide-eyed expressions. Vada was the first to break their silence. "Were we just left behind?" Lorarwin nodded, "I thought so."
As the ground shook beneath them Lorarwin looked back to the glowing red light and gulped. There, coming from the shadows was a black molten leg with flames coming through cracks. "Vada I believe that now would be the time to set aside every trouble and hateful emotion between us and call truths." Lorarwin pulled herself to her feet and reached down to the younger woman, "unless of course you'd like to be killed by the creature that owns that leg."
Vada looked at said appendage before taking Lorarwin's hand and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. She shook Lorarwin's hand, "Truths. Now stay still and we might get out of this alive." Vada closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. She could feel the core of her magic deep down inside of herself. Forcing that magic into her skin and Lorarwin's, she opened her eyes in time to see the Balrog take a step towards them. It had taken her longer to complete the spell since she was focusing on two people and now the Balrog was feet away from them. "Crazy idea but I think we just found our way out of here."
Vada looked to Lorarwin, glad she could see her even with her concealment spell in place. Lorarwin nodded slowly, "it's crazy and should it not work I will have the Valar bring you back so the twins may kill you."
Waiting until the last possible moment Vada released her spell. The two separated and jumped onto one of the Balrog's legs. It was hot but thankfully the plan had worked. The Balrog seemed to know where its prey was without noticing the two women attached to it. As the Balrog reached a section in the Endless Stair that was destroyed it let out an ear piercing roar. It took everything she had for Lorarwin not to cover her sensitive ears. When fire surrounded the beast neither woman could hold in their screams. Although the fire didn't burn them the heat it gave off was extreme.
As the fire disappeared Vada saw that they were no longer on the stairs, but in a different large chamber with a thin bridge in the middle. Between the Balrog and the bridge stood the remaining Fellowship members. Aragorn was forcing Boromir towards the bridge while Gandalf did the same for the Hobbits. Legolas and Gimli though were refusing to move. "Gandalf I'm going back for them." Legolas called ahead to the Istari.
"No need!" Lorarwin yelled as she jumped off of the Balrog, taking Vada with her. They ran fast as the Balrog swung its fiery whip at them. "Everyone get across that bridge now! Hurry Legolas get them across." No one hesitated to run now that their friends were back.
The Hobbits were the first across then Gimli, Boromir, Vada, Aragorn, Legolas, Lorarwin and finally Gandalf. Halfway over the bridge Gandalf turned around and raised his sword and staff. "You cannot pass."
"Gandalf," Frodo screamed. Aragorn grabbed a hold of the Hobbit and kept him from running forward. Lorarwin continued to hold onto Vada as the sorceress stared in shock as her mentor faced a monster they both feared.
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor." Gandalf raised his staff higher and a white globe of magic surrounded him. "The Dark Fire shall not avail you, Flame of Udun!" The Balrog swung a flaming sword down onto Gandalf's shield. The magic flickered and died. Aragorn moved away from Frodo and took a step forward, worry etched on his face. "Go back to the Shadow!" The Balrog took a step forward with its fiery whip in hand. "You shall not pass!"
Vada's eyes widened as she saw what Gandalf was doing. "Get the Hobbits out of here!" Vada rounded on Gimli. "Please Gimli you have to get them out. They should not witness this." Vada was whispering, fearing that if she spoke too loud she'd break down. Gimli nodded and Sam helped him move Merry and Pippin up the nearby stairs. Gimli had to half drag Frodo to go with him. Vada turned back to watch the scene before her. There was nothing that she could do; she'd promised Gandalf that she wouldn't interfere should something happen. 'Good luck my friend and good-bye.' Vada grasped Lorarwin's hand a little tighter as tears silently began to fall down her cheeks.
Gandalf had broken the bridge, sending the Balrog into the darkness below. Just as he turned back to them the Balrog's whip wrapped around his ankle and forced him off of the edge. "Fly you fools." At last he let go of the ledge and fell. Vada turned and Boromir placed a hand on her shoulder with tears in his eyes. Aragorn stood there in silence and cried until Lorarwin embraced him. He looked down and smiled weakly.
"Gandalf the Grey has passed."
Lorarwin released him and clasped his shoulder. "Let the Valar welcome him with open arms." Legolas stepped forward and the three made their way out into the sunlight; Vada and Boromir following behind them. The Hobbits looked over at them with question filled eyes. Lorarwin sighed, "There will be Orcs in these hills come nightfall. Where do we move to next?"
"We head to Lothlórien." Aragorn straightened to his full height. "We must hurry."
Boromir helped Merry and Pippin to their feet."Let us be off little ones." Sam and Vada followed the three with Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn in the lead. Lorarwin walked to Frodo and gently took his hand. He and Lorarwin took to the rear. The run to Lothlórien was quiet as everyone held their grief deep down until they could properly grieve.
"I know what it is you want to ask young Frodo, but all that I can say is that we must have faith in him. He would not have fought the Balrog unless he knew what would happen." Lorarwin stated gently as the group same to a walk inside the trees.
"How did you know that's what I wanted to ask you?" Frodo stopped for a moment just before the stream.
"Because Frodo, I am asking myself that same question even as we speak. Now come on and go catch up with the others. It seems that Gimli has heard the rumors about the Lady of Light." Lorarwin helped Frodo over the water and watched him walk away before turning her eyes to each member remaining of the Fellowship.'From eleven to ten. May you find peace where ever you are Gandalf the Grey.'Lorarwin started walking again, trailing behind the others.