They continue on in silence past ancient mine workings for three days. At one point Gandalf decides to make conversation and says "The wealth of Moria was not in gold of jewels but in Mithril" pointing at a sleek silver spot on a nearby rock, revealing a vein of shiny silver material that trailed into the darkness below.
Hera then asks "Gandalf, what's Mithril?" Gandalf says "Oh…Mithril is a strong metal alloy, as light as a feather, yet hard as dragon scales" Then Gandalf continues with "Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him"
Gimli replies "Oh, that was a kingly gift", Gandalf saying "I never told him but it was probably worth more than the whole of the shire" The Crew of the Ghost having a hard time imagining a shirt of metal being worth more than the whole of a land, but then again a few weeks ago they would not have believed in magic, or that rings could hold such evil.
They soon came to stairs so steep that they were less stepped on, and more climbed. Pippin slips once, and Ezra twice, with Zeb slipping seven times, mumbling "Karabast" each time.
They reach the top of the stairs and are faced with three passages, Gandalf looks over them and says "I have no memory of this place." So the journey once again ground to a halt until Gandalf's memory cleared.
Ezra, Sabine, Hera, Zeb and the Hobbits were eating while Chopper bothered Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn talking, and that just left Kanan and Gandalf to talk. Though at one point Frodo climbed up to sit with them.
Suddenly Kanan looked over, following Frodo's gaze and both saw a spiderlike scuttling across the rocks, followed by a pair of sickly yellow eyes.
"Something's down there" Frodo whispers, "It's Gollum" replies Gandalf, not taking his eyes off the passages ahead. "Gollum?" replies Frodo, Kanan simply watching the creature whose force signature read of longing and desire stronger than any he had ever seen before.
"He's been following us for three days" Gandalf finishes with Frodo replying "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance" Kanan's head snaps to look at Frodo, this level of loathing unknown from the young Hobbit. Though before he can say anything Gandalf replies "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Gollum both hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself. Many who live deserve death, some who die deserve life, can you give it to them?" When Frodo doesn't answer Gandalf says "Don't be so quick to deal out death and judgment, Something tells me that he has a part to play, for good or ill before this is over."
Frodo looks sad then Kanan says "You remind me of my master, Deppa Bilaba, she was a great Jedi, better than I could ever be" Gandalf replying "Don't be so quick to underjudge yourself Kanan, you have great potential, as great as your apprentice, for when you walk the land for three hundred lives of men you tend to pick up on these things." Gandalf smiles at Kanan's stunned expression, his potential equaling Ezra's? Not possible!
Gandalf suddenly looks up and says "Oh, it's that way!" with Merry saying "He's remembered!" Gandalf replying "No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt Meriadoc always follow your nose!"
Gandalf leads the company down a step flight of stairs into a vast area full of columns. One they had all reached the landing Gandalf raised his staff, illuminating their surroundings more and saying "Let me risk a little more light."
Everyone gasped at the seemingly never-ending sea of pillars supporting a roof outside of the range of their light, "Behold" Gandalf says "The great realm and great dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf" Sam saying "There's an eye opener, make no mistake" Ezra replying "Yeah…Sure is."
They continue for several minutes through the forest of pillars, until suddenly Gimli gasps and runs off to a side entrance. "Gimli!" Gandalf calls, when they have all gotten inside the chamber, lit by one ray of light, they find Gimli sobbing "No! No!" at the foot of a marble slab.
Gandalf looked at strange runic letters on the top of the slab and read "Here lies Balin, Son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead then, it is as I feared" Everyone felt a wave of sadness come over them, Ezra and Sabine putting their hands on Gimli's shoulders to comfort him.
Gandalf spotted a book in the hands of a moldering corpse and handed his hat and staff to Pippin, then picked up the book, immediately several pages fell out.
"We must move. We cannot linger." Said Legolas warningly to Aragorn, who remained Stoically calm. Gandalf began to read so abruptly that everyone reached for their weapons, thinking that they were under attack. "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long, the ground shakes. Drums…Drums, in the deep" Gandalf looks up ominously before continuing "We cannot get out, a shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out, they are coming."
At that very moment Pippin twists an arrow in a dwarven corpse causing its head to fall off, clanging its way down a well, followed by the heavily armored body, a chain, and a bucket. Causing such a din that it was as if all the sound they didn't make all along was made up for.
Everyone looked at Pippin, and all was silent for a few moments, till Zeb and Boromir released their held breaths, Sabine said "Way to go kid" and Gandalf said "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself down next time and rid us of your stupidity!" he snatched his hat and staff back.
Then it began…faintly at first, but no doubt the sound of drums ringing ever closer! Frodo pulled his sword out and it glowed blue, as an animalistic cackle filled the air Legolas shouted "Orcs!" and Boromir and Zeb had the common sense to go and bar the doors, almost getting hit by a pair of arrows for their trouble.
"They have a cave troll." Boromir said as if it was more of an inconvenience than a dire threat, they finished barring the door with discarded axes and stood back as it shook from the other side. Everyone readied themselves; Ezra and Kanan igniting their lightsabers, Sabine and Hera pulling out their blasters, Zeb extending his Bo-rifle, Chopper picking up two axes with his mechanical hands and spinning his head around rapidly. Everyone else pulling out swords and axes.
"Let them come, there is one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!" growled Gimli, cracks began to fill in the door, each plugged by an arrow from Aragorn or Boromir, or a blaster bolt form Hera or Sabine. The Jedi could only feel beings of evil the likes of which they had never sensed before pounding against the door.
Suddenly the door caved in and a multitude of armored figures poured in, each greyer than a corpse and filthier than a Hutt. Many were taken down by a first volley from those with bows and blasters, and with a roar the others engaged!
Zeb twirled his staff stunning Goblins and breaking their necks with the force of each swing, Kanan and Ezra were masters of death cutting through armor like butter and causing casualties with each stroke. Sabine and Hera were back to back, blasting at every enemy within range, Chopper becoming a maelstrom of death whirling his axes at high speeds, the rest of the fellowship joining with yells, screams, and flashing blades.
Suddenly a bestial roar was heard and a massive lumbering figure bashed its way into the chamber, Sabine yelling "Oh, Trouble!" Zeb hit it in the gut with the electric portion of his staff, causing it to roar and toss him aside like a rag doll. Angry at seeing his new friend thrown aside, Gimli tossed an axe into the beasts shoulder. Causing it to howl and bash Balin's tomb into rubble.
Sabine couldn't use her explosives for fear of caving the entire place in, so she resorted to kicking and punching, each strike snapping Goblin necks. Kanan and Ezra looked at each other and simultaneously sliced the trolls gut, which immediately cauterized, Ezra being thrown across the room, on top of Sabine and Hera.
The troll spots Frodo and pushes him into a corner with a spear that he snatched when Aragorn stuck him, then to the horror of everyone he stabs Frodo in the chest.
Merry and Pippin jump on top of the troll, giving Legolas the opportunity to fire an arrow into the beasts tiny brain, as the beast crashes to the ground everyone gathers around Frodo.
"Oh no" says Aragorn, until he flips Frodo over revealing him to be alive he says "It's alright, I'm not hurt" "Aragorn replying "You should be dead, that spear would have skewered a wild boar" Gandalf saying "I think that there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye" as Frodo reveals a glittering shirt beneath his clothing "Mithril" Gimli breathes "You are full of surprises master Baggins" "I'll second that" says Zeb.
Everyone suddenly hears more clamoring and Gandalf says "To the bridge of Khazad-dum" and they race out of the chamber, Goblins pouring from the ceiling and surrounding the fellowship before they have gone a hundred yards.
There is no way they can fight off this man attackers, and they ready themselves for the end. When suddenly, a roar rings out across the chittering Goblins, sounding like the explosion of volcanic rock.
The goblins chitter and flee in terror, Gimli laughing as if it was he they were afraid of. Sabine and Hera notice that Kanan and Ezra look like they are about to reach as they sense something of pure, vile, oily evil coming their way.
"What is this new devilry?" asks Boromir, Gandalf is silent and he intones "A balrog, a demon of the ancient world…" Legolas looks as if the name alone has spawned nightmares, "This foe is beyond any of you, Run!" and as one the fellowship turns and bolts toward a nearby archway.
