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"Something is following us," Frodo whispered. He was walking with Gandalf at the front of the group. Sam, Merry and Pippin were behind them followed by Ruth and Gimli, with Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir at the back.
"That's Gollum," Gandalf said and Frodo looked at the Wizard with wide eyes. "He's been following us for three days."
Frodo looked down the path in time to see the pitiful creature duck behind a stone. "He escaped from the dungeons of Barad-dur!" he exclaimed in hardly concealed disgust and Gandalf muttered something into his chin.
"Escaped or was set loose. Gollum hates and loves the Ring, Frodo," Gandalf spoke with a clear note of pity in his voice. "Just as he hates and loves himself. He will never be free of his need for it."
Frodo frowned and looked at the ground. "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."
Gandalf raised an eyebrow at Frodo almost incredulously. "Pity?" he said and Frodo looked at him with a frown of confusion. "It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many who live deserve death and some who die deserve life. Can you give it to them?" Gandalf asked and Frodo looked back at the ground.
"I can't," he murmured sadly and Gandalf nodded.
"Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment, Frodo," Gandalf warned warmly, keeping in mind that Frodo was still young, and that he had yet to experience some of the horrors of the world. "Even the very wise cannot see all ends, but my heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play; for good or ill." Gandalf nodded as though he was confirming his words. "Before this is over, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."
Frodo bowed his head and Gandalf looked at him with a small concerned frown. "I wish the Ring had never come to me." Frodo whispered sadly. "I wish none of this has ever happened."
Gandalf sighed and glanced back at Ruth who was laughing quietly at something Gimli had told him. Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn were keeping a close eye on the Istar and Gimli was walking along the edge, always making sure that Ruth was closer to the wall and away from the edge in case he felt weak.
With a small, pleased smile Gandalf looked at Frodo and placed a comforting hand on the young Hobbit's back. "My dear Frodo, all who live to see such times wish so," Gandalf soothed, smile growing for the smallest of bits when Frodo raised his head to look at Gandalf, "but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given. There are other forces at work in the world than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, which means that you also were meant to have it." At that Gandalf chuckled and winked at Frodo. "And that, if you ask me, is an encouraging thought," he said and they walked into what seemed to be a huge dark room.
"Where are we, Gandalf?" Ruth called out and Gandalf looked around.
"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf raised his staff and bright light shone immediately revealing a huge hall with high pillars and round alcoves high, high in the stone. "Behold!" Gandalf said. "The great realm of the Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf."
All of them, even Legolas, had to admit that the hall was breathtaking.
"Tiliathe," (Beautiful) Ruth spoke and Gimli smirked proudly only to tense up not a second later. "Gimli!" Ruth cried out when Gimli ran off with a pained yelp, and the young Istar ran after Gimli closely followed by the rest of the Fellowship.
When they reached the door Ruth stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes filled with tears when Gimli, who was kneeling in front of what seemed to be a tomb, let go of a heartbreaking wail.
"Gimli…" Ruth whispered, walked over to him, kneeled beside the distraught Dwarf and gently hugged him. Gimli placed his head on Ruth's shoulder and cried while Gandalf sighed and walked over to the tomb.
"We must not linger," Legolas spoke to Aragorn and Boromir and the two nodded in agreement. The Hobbits approached Ruth and Gimli and bowed their heads in front of the tomb.
"Here lies Balin, son of Hrundin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf sighed after he had read the inscription on the tomb. "He is dead then. It is as I feared."
Ruth raised his head and looked at Gandalf, their eyes meeting immediately. "We must leave this place as soon as possible," Ruth spoke and Gandalf nodded.
The Gray Wizard looked at the book in a skeleton's arms and took it, although he tried not to harm the remains. With tender care he opened the book to find the last written entry. After casting a look at the Fellowship he started to read. "They have taken the bridge and the second hall."
As Gandalf read from the book the Hobbits kneeled beside Ruth and Gimli with Pippin and Merry on Ruth's side and Frodo and Sam on Gimli's side. "The ground shakes. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. A shadow moves in the dark. Drums; drums in the deep. We cannot get out. We cannot get out." Gandalf looked up, eyes filled with shadows. "They are coming." He closed the book and looked at the tomb.
"What have they released?" Ruth wondered in a whisper.
"Something I'm sure none of us would like to meet." Boromir, who approached them, placed his hand on Ruth's shoulder as he spoke. "Come; we must go on."
Ruth nodded and helped Gimli up. The Dwarf nodded at Ruthímiel in thanks, wiping his tears away and straightening, trying to remain strong. "Pippin, Merry, Frodo, Sam, stay close to Aragorn. Gandalf we shall have to move quickly," Ruth said and Gandalf frowned.
"You feel something?" Gandalf asked and Ruth frowned.
The Green Wizard placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head. The ground under his feet was vibrating. He looked around the room and his eyes fell upon the skeleton sitting on a well. "Something hasn't been feeling right ever since we entered the room," he whispered. His eyes focused on the arrow and he tilted his head to the side taking a slow step forward. A moment later Ruth gasped, emerald eyes widening, and he turned on his heel to look at Gandalf. "There are not only Goblins here."
The moment those words left Ruth's lips a drum echoed in the deep. Everyone stopped breathing for a second.
"We must move!" Gandalf snapped and as one they moved for the door. In that moment the drums started to pound and an arrow embedded itself into the ground at Boromir's feet.
"Pull back!" shouted the Gondorian as the hall went alight with fire and they ran back into the chamber.
"Hobbits, to me!" Ruth called out. Aragorn and Legolas were firing arrows while Gandalf and Boromir pushed the door closed, and Gimli climbed on the tomb with his axe in his hand.
"Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath," Gimli growled.
"Let's hope it stays that way," Ruth muttered. Just as Gandalf and Boromir managed to close and seal the door something made the chamber shake and Boromir shot an exasperated glance at Ruth, who raised an eyebrow at the Man.
"They have a cave troll," Boromir stated cynically and Ruth's eyebrows jumped up before he spun his staff expertly and his sword appeared out of nowhere.
"We must stand our ground!" Gandalf shouted as he and the others moved back to stand in front of the Hobbits.
"We can't even fight!" Merry cried out.
"Do what you're best at!" Ruth spoke in a commanding tone no one has heard before. "Even if it's running and hiding, or throwing rocks!"
The Hobbits exchanged terrified glances and shrugged. Frodo pulled out his glowing sword, Merry and Pippin crouched low and Sam took the pan that hung on his backpack.
Ruth raised an eyebrow at Sam and the small Hobbit shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "You said what we do best," Sam muttered. "This might come in useful."
Ruth would have laughed had the situation been any different.
In that moment the door gave and they were under barrage.
"Jítse!" (Explode) Ruth snapped and the Orcs that rushed in were blown back into the walls, dying on spot as their necks were broken.
The Fellowship stood united against the oncoming forces, but they were forced to split up when the troll entered the room, killing everything and anyone while he tried to catch the Fellowship with its club.
Ruth soon lost sight of his comrades as he slashed and cursed his opponents. He caught Legolas' eye and the Elf nodded at the troll. Ruth smirked and moved trying to attract the troll's attention to himself.
The troll got a hold of a chain and swung it around like a whip, and Ruth raised his staff and the chain locked itself around it. "Bíthle!" (Come to me) he snapped and hit his staff against the closest pillar. The chain melted into it and the troll was pulled forward since it wrapped the chain around its arm.
Legolas smirked, climbed the chain and jumped on the troll's head, firing a few arrows in its head, only see they bounce off because of the troll's thick skin. The troll took a swipe at him and Legolas had to jump off.
"Talk about a hard head," Ruth muttered and spun his staff again. "Fríge!" (Freeze) With a pained roar the troll started to freeze in its place. "Jítse!" The troll exploded making everyone in the room freeze up for a moment. One of the Orcs screeched and the battle recommenced.
"We must move for the bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf shouted.
Ruth looked around in search for the Hobbits and found Merry and Pippin behind a pillar throwing rocks at Orcs. Frodo was beside Gandalf and Gimli, using the Sting to the best of his abilities. Legolas was holding his ground, shooting arrows left, right and center and Sam was beside Aragorn and Boromir using his pan to knock out any Orc stupid enough to get in his range. Ruth couldn't help but laugh shortly. "I'll clear us a path!" he called out to everyone. "Be ready to run!"
"Ready when you are!" Boromir shouted, decapitating another Orc, and Ruth snorted as the sword vanished from his hand.
"MA HAT!" (Be gone) Ruth snapped and swiped his staff in a wide arc the Orcs flying away, hit by a powerful wave of magic.
Once the gates were clear they rushed out, fighting their way through with Gandalf leading them.
Boromir fell back to run close to Ruth after seeing that the Istar was getting increasingly paler although he was standing his ground strongly. Boromir could only the Wizard would make it to the outside. Ruth was fighting and keeping a shield above them to protect them from the arrows that were raining down on them from above, all the while slicing up Orc that came too close for comfort.
All of a sudden, as they reached another passage, everything stopped.
The drums, the screeches, the hollering, everything.
They looked around and saw the Orcs pulling back.
"What is going on?" Sam cried out and Ruth shushed him, trying to hear what was going on when all of a sudden drums started to pound slowly again.
"Neróscon." (Impossible) Ruth muttered weakly and his eyes widened in shock and desperation.
"What?" Aragorn asked.
"Run, you fools!" Gandalf snapped and as though pulled by some invisible force they started to run.
It was very easily possible that the whole Mines shook with whatever the Wizards have seen coming. Boromir and Ruth were at the front with Ruth giving his best to uphold the shield because even though the Orcs pulled back, the Goblin arrows were still raining down on them.
"Quickly! The Bridge of Khazad-dum is near!" Gandalf shouted, and Ruth almost tripped but Boromir caught him and pulled him along.
"Take down the shield!" Boromir shouted.
"Ner!"(No) Ruth snapped. They took a sharp turn and almost fell down as the stairs that should have led further appeared before them broken off. Had Legolas not grabbed Ruth and Boromir they would have fallen to their demise.
The Fellowship stopped and everyone looked at Gandalf, wordlessly asking him to tell them what to do next.
"Aragorn, you must lead them forward," Gandalf said and Aragorn's eyes widened. He was about to say something when an ear splitting roar made a shiver run down everyone's spines.
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir breathed out with fear clear in his voice.
"A Balrog," Gandalf muttered. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"
"We're not leaving you behind!" Aragorn snapped.
"Your swords will only break under this foe! You must run to the bridge, it is near!" Gandalf shouted but tensed when both Aragorn and Ruth grabbed his arms and glared at him with matching glares.
"Not without you," both said at the same time and pulled Gandalf along.
They ran and ran, keeping the bridge in sight.
They came upon a gap in an apparently endless staircase and Legolas jumped it easily, turning around to look at the rest of the Fellowship. "Boromir!" the Prince of Mirkwood called out and the Gondorian nodded, jumping without hesitation, trusting Legolas to catch him.
"Hobbits! You first!" Ruth shouted. His shield wavered but he strengthened it immediately although everyone could by now see his strength was slowly failing him. Merry and Pippin jumped over followed by Frodo and Sam.
"Gandalf!" Aragorn shouted and even though the old Wizard glared at the Numenórean, Gandalf jumped over.
"Gimli!" Ruth pulled the Dwarf over. Aragorn was about to grab him, but the Dwarf stopped the Man, puffing up with pride.
"Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" Gimli said, took a momentum and jumped. Everyone's breath hitched in their throats when he tripped and started to fall backwards, arms flailing as he tried to grab onto something. Legolas reached out and caught Gimli by the beard at the last moment. "Not the beard!" Gimli shouted while Aragorn looked at Ruth.
"Ruth..."
The bridge shook at that moment and the part Ruth and Aragorn were on broke off.
"Aragorn!" Ruth cried out and the Numenórean grabbed the Istar, pulling him to his chest. The part they were standing on started to sway and Aragorn and Ruth leaned to the side. They shared a glance when the leaning of that part followed their movement and as one looked at the rest of the Fellowship.
"Forward!" they shouted together and leaned forward making the piece under them lean toward the other side. They fell into the awaiting arms of Boromir and Legolas who grinned at them.
"Great minds think alike," Legolas commented and Aragorn smirked, before glancing at Ruth and seeing the thin sheen of sweat glistening on Ruth's pale face. The shield around them was growing more transparent by the minute, and it was quite obvious why.
Ruth had never had the time to properly rest and recover his strength. Using his powers over and over again, Ruth has drained his core, and now he was paying the price.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the time to curse their luck.
"Quickly!" Gandalf snapped and they moved on.
They ran forward and almost felt actual relief when they reached more level ground without further problems.
"The Bridge!" Pippin shouted in joy, but that joy was of short lasting.
With a mighty roar the Balrog emerged from the chasm behind them.
"Move!" Gandalf snapped and Boromir made the Hobbits run forward. He followed after them with Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn close behind.
Ruth was about to follow them but Gandalf stopped him by grabbing his forearm. "You must survive. You must protect them, Ruthímiel," Gandalf insisted and his blue eyes dove into Ruth's emerald ones.
Ruth's breath hitched in his throat and his heart skipped a beat, when his brain finally caught up with the implication of Gandalf's request. "Ner," Ruth whispered and shook his head. "NER!" he shouted, grabbed Gandalf's arm and pulled him along.
They were in the middle of the bridge when the Balrog caught up with them and the shaking of the hall made them stop so they wouldn't fall over the edge. The rest of the Fellowship stopped on the other side and turned around to look at the two Istari in fear.
"Gandalf! Ruth!" Aragorn cried out but Boromir and Legolas stopped him from running over.
"They are Istari! We would only get in their way!" Legolas reasoned and Aragorn looked at him with wide eyes filled with horror.
"CRUXÉRE!" (Shield) Ruth shouted and his shield grew strong again as he raised his staff and the Balrog's whip bounced off of it. The force of its attack brought Ruth down to his knees and Gandalf stood in front of the younger Wizard, raising his own staff in defense.
"You cannot pass!" Gandalf thundered in a commanding voice and the Balrog roared. Gandalf slammed his staff against the ground and the bridge shook. "I am a servant of the secret fire; wielder of the flame of Anor!" Gandalf spoke as his staff glowed. "Dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Udun!"
The Balrog roared again and swung his whip, trying to break through Ruth's shield. A crack appeared in it and Gandalf's eyes widened. The shouts of the Fellowship reached their ears, but neither Istari dared divert their attention from their mighty foe.
"Go back into the shadow!" Gandalf growled. In that moment the Balrog reared his head back and fired a jet of hellish flames at Gandalf and Ruth.
"No!" Ruth shouted, stood up and pushed Gandalf back. The shield fell but Ruth raised his staff and the flames split around them leaving them unharmed.
But what happened next made Gandalf's heartbeat stutter in shock and fear.
With an ear splitting scream Ruth's staff exploded and the younger Istar was flung back into Gandalf's arms.
"RUTHÍMIEL!" Gandalf felt anger as he never felt before as he stared at Ruth's blood covered face, his drained body shivering in Gandalf's arms.
"G – Gandalf?"
The old Wizard gently lay Ruth down and glared up at the Balrog. He stood as the Balrog swung his whip, and Gandalf raised his staff and the air around him glowed. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" he roared and embedded the staff into the ground.
The bridge cracked and with a terrifying roar the Balrog started to fall.
Gandalf grunted and turned around, swallowing difficultly as he gazed upon the small, broken, bloody form of Ruthímiel the Green. "Ruth?" he whispered, kneeled and gently raised the younger Istar's head.
Bleary emeralds looked at Gandalf weakly, blood splotched lips quivering as Ruth tried to speak. "Gandalf?" he whispered and the older Istar smiled lovingly at the child.
Aragorn tore out of Boromir's and Legolas' arms and ran forward only to freeze in his place not even half way towards Ruth and Gandalf.
Balrog's whip suddenly wrapped itself around Gandalf's foot and pulled the Istar away from Ruth.
"Gandalf!" With last pieces of strength Ruth launched after the Istar and grabbed his arm. Ruthímiel let go of a heart shattering scream not only because of Gandalf's weight and the strain on his injured body, but because an arrow imbedded itself into his thigh.
Boromir and Legolas started shooting arrows to cover for them even though the Orcs started to pull back.
"Let go of me, Ruth," Gandalf said and Ruth shook his head.
"Ner! I won't see someone I love die again!" Ruth cried out. Gandalf looked at the young Wizard's blood covered face.
When Ruth's staff exploded, the pieces embedded themselves into Ruth's face, arms and torso.
Tears mixed with blood dropped slowly on Gandalf's face, emerald eyes begging the old Wizard to reach up, to hold on.
In that moment Aragorn came to a stop and threw himself on the ground beside Ruth. "Gandalf, grab my arm!" he shouted and the wizard looked at him.
Ruth yelped when his grip on Gandalf's arm weakened and the Istar slipped. He gripped Gandalf's hand tightly, but the old Istar merely smiled at him.
"Aragorn." The Numenórean's eyes filled with terror. "Guide them well." With that said Gandalf relaxed his hold on Ruth's hand and slipped away into the abyss.
"GANDALF!" Ruth screamed in pure terror and pain.
Even though he was shocked to the bone Aragorn grabbed Ruth and pulled him to his feet. Ruth screamed when pressure was put on his injured leg but followed after Aragorn.
The Fellowship was in front of them.
Boromir was pulling Frodo along, Legolas was holding Merry and Pippin, and Gimli was running with Sam. They ran out into the sun and even though they could now breathe in relief, desperation was the only thing they felt.
Ruth fell to his knees and hid his face in his hands.
Aragorn looked at him and then raised his head to look at the rest of the Fellowship.
Legolas had taken a few steps away with wide eyes filled with horror. Sam sat with Gimli with tears streaming down their faces. Merry and Pippin were held by Boromir who was trying to stay strong for the Hobbits, while Frodo was walking over to Ruth. He fell on his knees in front of the Istar and slowly wrapped his arms around the crying Wizard.
"You did all you could," Frodo whispered through tears. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and buried his face in Ruth's hair. "You did all you could."
Ruth whimpered and slowly removed his hands from his face. Frodo's eyes widened when he saw the wounds and how Ruth's eyes seemed to have grown duller in color.
"Cáe thuorolé, Frodo," (I am sorry, Frodo.) Ruth whispered as tears trailed down his cheeks. "I am so sorry. Forgive me. Zethanlé. Please, forgive me."(Forgive me.)
Not minding Ruth's injuries, Frodo hugged the Wizard to his chest, burying his face in Ruth's hair to hide his own tears and heartbreak. "You couldn't do anything. There is nothing to forgive. Please, don't cry," Frodo whispered brokenly, while Ruth repeated heartfelt apologies over and over again.
Aragorn took a deep breath through his own pain and looked around. "Boromir, get them up!" he ordered and Boromir looked at incredulously.
"Give them a moment to grieve, for pity's sake!"
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs!" Aragorn snapped, eyes telling Boromir that Aragorn would grieve as well had the situation not been so dire.
Legolas approached them and together with Boromir started to raise the Hobbits to their feet. Gimli held Sam up and patted the Hobbit's back.
Frodo moved back a little and looked down at Ruth's bowed head. "Ruth, let's go," he whispered. A shiver passed down Frodo's spine when Ruth lowered shivering hands into his lap and bowed his head even lower. "Ruth?" Frodo called out weakly and shook Ruth a bit only to gasp when the Istar fell to the side. "RUTH!"
The rest of the Fellowship turned around and Aragorn paled and ran over.
"Ruth? Ruthímiel!" Aragorn snapped as he fell to his knees beside the Istar. He placed his hand on Ruth's forehead and pulled it back quickly. "He's burning up," he whispered.
The rest of the Fellowship joined them while Aragorn looked Ruth over. His eyes fell on the arrow sticking out of Ruth's thigh and his heart stopped.
"That's a goblin arrow. It was dipped in poison!" Legolas spoke breathlessly.
Aragorn pulled the arrow out swiftly and almost immediately blood tainted with something black started to flow in small rivulets. Aragorn tore off a part of his cloak and pressed it to the wound. "There must be some athelas around here!" he snapped. Sam and Legolas immediately jumped into a search. "Frodo, there is still some water in my flask." The terrified Hobbit nodded and grabbed the flask from around Aragorn's belt. He gave it to Aragorn with shaking hands.
"I found some!" Legolas called out and ran over while Pippin ran after Sam to summon him back. "It is not fresh, but it will do," he said and Aragorn nodded.
The Ranger put a bit of the plant into his mouth and chewed it while he poured water over Ruth's wound. The Istar moaned in pain and Boromir kneeled across from Aragorn, shooting the Dúnedain a questioning glance.
"Hold him down," Aragorn instructed when he took the plant out of his mouth. That moment Sam and Pippin came back. All of them watched in terror as Aragorn tried to buy Ruth some time.
Boromir nodded and held Ruth down as Aragorn put the plant on Ruth's wound. Almost immediately Ruth screamed in pain and his eyes snapped open, and both Boromir and Aragorn were almost thrown back.
"Calm, Ruth! Calm!" Aragorn spoke over and over again with his hand on Ruth's chest, holding the Wizard down. Ruth's dull emerald eyes were filled with excruciating pain, his breathing was labored and he was covered in cold sweat. "Calm, my friend," Aragorn whispered and Ruth started to calm down slowly.
He looked at Aragorn, gasping for breath. He was wheezing and choking up on each shallow breath he took, and everyone watched in fascination as black veins started to spread from the places where the pieces of his staff were imbedded. "Zethanle, Aragorn." (Forgive me, Aragorn.) Ruth stuttered out rapidly slipping back into unconsciousness. "I failed you."
Pain-filled emerald orbs slipped closed and Boromir pressed a curse through clenched teeth. "Damn it!"
"We must bring him to Lórien. The Elves are the only ones who can help him now," Aragorn said and Boromir nodded.
Aragorn helped Boromir put Ruth on his back after he tied a piece of his cloak around Ruth's wound to stop the bleeding.
"We must hurry. He won't last long," Legolas said and Aragorn nodded.
"Let's go. Before night falls..."
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And now excuse me while I go and cry my heart out.
