One thing I have to say, I was incredibly tempted to add in an extra line during the scene at Balin's Tomb

Gandalf: "I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye,"

Tess: (whispers to Naomi as Frodo reveals the Mithril) "He's a robot in disguise!"

(Laughs hysterically until someone shoots her) Yeah…..it's not that funny :P

Chapter Nine: Suffocating Fear

The group burst into action; Boromir ran to the door to see how much time they had left, whilst the hobbits huddled together behind Gandalf as Aragorn directed. Gimli jumped atop Balin's tomb whilst Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn closed and barred the wooden doors to give them a few more seconds. Tess had dragged Naomi back and to the side, hoping to give themselves more time before the enemy reached them.

"How are you with a blade?" Tess asked trying to distract Naomi and herself from the dark thoughts invading their minds.

"I'm dangerous," Naomi muttered trying to concentrate on her stance and posture. She jumped when a hand was laid softly on her arm.

"We will survive this," A small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes was all that Tess could give Naomi as the cracking of the door echoed around the room. The first arrows were let loose by Legolas, then one by Aragorn. Two more were fired as the door crashed down and in tumbled the squealing orcs. It was too soon before a few slipped past the frontline, and Tess charged forward with a snarl. But Naomi found that she couldn't move her feet, and that she couldn't breathe. The foul creatures howled in pain and swords and arrows sliced into them, black blood oozing out of their wounds. One of them spotted Naomi and hastily left the mass to come at her.

'Move….move your arms! Your legs! Do something!' Naomi yelled at herself, but the only thing she found that moved was her mouth as she prepared to scream. A crooked black blade burst through the things chest as he reached arms-length away from her, and the thing went down like a rock.

"Naomi! I'm so sorry!" Tess apologized as she pushed Naomi back, but there wasn't much space anymore and for all of Tess' mad swinging more orcs always replaced those that fell.

Naomi started as her back hit the stone wall; they were cornered now with a ring closing in on them. She shook violently and her heart beat hard in her chest.

'I'm going to die,' the thought surfaced in her mind and she found herself screaming, but it was drowned out by the sound of rock crumbling away. A large beast on a chain was dragged into the room and it distracted the orcs around them long enough for Tess to get her bearings and swing her blade in a wide arc, successfully slicing through five faces.

It took five seconds for Tess to grab Naomi's arm and drag her across the room, slicing as she went.

"I don't…I-I can't!" Naomi thought she was going to cry. She'd spent so long practicing and now when it mattered most she couldn't move properly. A deep roar made Tess stop and Naomi ran into the back of her.

"What is it?" Naomi asked quietly looking over her friends shoulder. The cave troll stood before the two girls, almost grinning at them.

"Holy-!" Naomi didn't get time to finish as the beasts arm swung down at them. This time Tess was the one that froze, but Naomi found enough strength in herself to push her friend out the way.

One second she was on her feet, the next second she was on her side watching Naomi as she was hurled across the room. The troll made to go after her but saw Frodo, Merry and Pippin and went after them. Tess scrambled to her feet and grabbed the last axe on her belt as she ran to Naomi, who was laying awkwardly on her side as two orcs closed in on her.

"Naomi! Naomi get up!" Her cries were lost over the battle that was dying down, the cave troll and only a handful of orcs remained. The beast in front of Tess fell with the axe imbedded in his chest and she jumped over it to get to Naomi, but it wasn't as dead as she'd predicted and Tess was pulled down into the floor. Stars burst into her eyes as her head slammed into the floor, the helmet cutting across her forehead. A sharp kick in the face made the orc drop her foot, but there was no way Tess was going to be able to get across the room in time. Thankfully she didn't have to, Naomi was on her feet and one of the two orcs fell to the floor. Using skills that had previously been hidden behind paralysis Naomi killed the last orc in the room. A combined effort brought down the cave troll, with a last arrow through the beast's windpipe from Legolas. Pippin who'd been holding onto the troll's back was thrown off and crashed into Tess who had pulled off her helmet and was about the get up. Naomi patted Tess' head as she passed but kept moving until she was standing next to Gandalf and watched in horror as Aragorn crawled to a face down Frodo.

"Oh no!" The blonde woman gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. This couldn't happen, not to Frodo. The rest of the Fellowship hovered around as Aragorn turned Frodo over. But the bloody front that everyone was expecting was not there; instead Frodo gasped out as an astonished Aragorn helped him sit up.

"I'm alright…I'm not hurt," Frodo breathed out as he held a hand to his chest, his tone suggesting that he was as surprised as all of them at his current state.

"You should be dead, that spear would have skewered a wild boar!" Aragorn said in disbelief, but Gandalf smiled as he stepped forward.

"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye," And there was, when Frodo moved his shirt to reveal the shirt of Mithril Rings that Gandalf had been talking about earlier.

"Bilbo is Frodo's uncle," Naomi murmured to Tess who looked confused, she didn't know who Bilbo was. They had little time to celebrate their win in the tomb as screeching and shadows became louder.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm," Gandalf proclaimed as he hurried on. The Fellowship followed hastily through a large smash in the wall of the tomb, running on as fast as their legs could carry them. Orcs swarmed behind them and from all sides, springing from deep crevices in the ground and crawling out large cracks in the ceiling like ants. It was Naomi who first noticed Tess lagging behind, and she slowed in order to grab her friend's hand.

Aragorn noticed second and grabbed onto Tess' right arm to help pull her along.

"Tess! What the hell is WRONG with you!" Naomi cried as Tess started muttering to herself about bad timing. For a few moments Naomi wondered if Pippin had slammed into her friend harder than she thought. Running in the end was futile and the group huddled together to face the enemies that were on all sides. Tess was leaning forward gasping for breath, her left arm wrapped around her waist. The orcs, now joined by goblins as well, jeered at them, thrusting their weapons forward and teasing them of their inevitable fate.

"Something like this happened to you before, when you were alone! How did you escape them then?" Aragorn asked, remembering that Tess had almost had to face off a great number of them as well. The brunette woman didn't get a chance to answer as a large belching roar rumbled out, a red glow emitting from an archway off to the side.

"That," Tess gasped out as she shook, her eyes were wide and sweat rolled down the side of her face. The roar had terrified their enemies as well, for they screeched differently now and looked around in panic, their armor clanking as they searched for the source of the roar. Another bellow and they were off, retreating down the cracks and climbing back up the columns. Gimli laughed at them, grinning at how they ran away with squealing in terror. But that stopped when they all turned to face the fiery light and another eerie growl rumbled through the floor.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked quietly, leaning towards Gandalf who stood wearily with his eyes closed. He was quite for a long time, and only opened his eyes when the creature growled out again. Tess flinched and backed into Naomi, her entire body shaking as she watched the orange glow come closer.

"A Balrog…a demon of the ancient world," Gandalf said lowly as if trying to make it go away. Tess' chest was rising and falling too fast for Naomi's liking and the weight of her friend leaning against her increased as her legs shook underneath her.

"This foe is beyond any of you…RUN!" Gandalf's words were obeyed immediately and the group turned and took off. Tess no longer lagged behind and instead Naomi had to run harder to catch her friend who was third through the door after Boromir and Legolas. Naomi squealed afraid when she appeared and found Boromir struggling to balance on the edge of a destroyed staircase. Legolas and Tess hauled him back away and only the torch disappeared to the fiery chasm below. Not that it was needed with the whole cavern of stairs and ledges illuminated by roaring fires. The group ran down steps (Tess taking them two at a time) and only stopped when they arrived at a gap in the stairs. A good meter chunk was missing, but that didn't stop Tess or Legolas as they jumped across without a second thought. Everyone else paused however, and looked back when the rumbled of the Balrog sounded from the archway at the top of the stone staircase.

"Gandalf!" Legolas called for the old wizard, who paused for only a second longer before jumping across. Legolas helped steady the wizard as Boromir prepared to jump, when an arrow whistled through the air and smashed into the rock at the man's feet. Legolas raised his own bow and shot across the wide gap at orcs who shot at them. A direct hit on one orc through the forehead had him dropping down like a stone as he tumbled down over the edge. Boromir collected Merry and Pippin in his arms and leaped across, steadied by Tess as Legolas continued to shoot at the enemies. That was when part of the stair case crumbled away, creating an even larger gap for the remaining members to jump across.

"Sam!" Aragorn grabbed the hobbit and threw him across, Tess catching him around the waist. Aragorn turned to Gimli next, but stubborn as ever he held up a hand.

"Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" He stated before he gave a great yell and jumped. He landed just on the edge and almost fell backwards, if it weren't for Legolas grabbing onto his beard to hold him up.

"Not the beard!" He cried upset as Legolas heaved him back to a safe place on the rocky staircase.

"I won't fall I won't fall I won't FALL!" Naomi chanted quickly to herself as she jumped, but at the last second the rock underneath her crumbled away and she had to jump up to make it to the stair case. She made it safely but tripped when she went to stand and tumbled into Legolas who was about to fire yet another arrow. His bow arm bent, his finger slipped and the arrow whizzed past Tess' face; so close that nicked her cheek. Tess' eyebrows disappeared under her fringe, but she shook her head once and paid more attention to Aragorn and Frodo, who balance precariously on what remained of the staircase. A good eighteen feet of missing rock prevented the two from jumping and another belch from the Balrog loosened stone that crashed behind the pair and blocked off any form of retreat or run up. A much louder growl had Tess wincing and holding a hand to the side of her head in pain, Naomi didn't understand what was happening to her friend with the sudden fits a pain and her constant shaking with fear. The column of staircase that Aragorn and Frodo balanced on swayed with a lack of foundation, but Aragorn's idea of leaning forward allowed them to maneuver it across the gap and they were able to jump into the Fellowship, Legolas catching Aragorn and Boromir catching Frodo.

The group wasted no time and proceeded to run down the remaining lot of stairs. Naomi lost track of which direction she was running and focused on keeping Tess moving, though she seemed to have no trouble with running.

"Over the Bridge! Fly!" Gandalf cried waiting until everyone was passed him before he ran on. Naomi pushed harder and kept pace with Tess, Legolas running behind her. A whooshing sound had her looking over her shoulder, so she didn't notice when Tess fell behind. A beast made of fire, and a dark smoke rose from the roaring fires in the ground and it bellowed in Gandalf's face. The old wizard watched it for a second before turning and running as well, the thunking footsteps that shook loose stones free from their place in the roof indicated that the beast was following. Tess' breathes had turned into large sucks of air that clawed at her throat and made her feel dizzy. The thumping in her head increased and a sharp ringing in her ears made her wince. Pain shot out across the back of her head like a bolt of lightning and she screamed. Before she realized what was happening she slammed into the floor and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Naomi almost died when she lost sight of her friend. One second Tess had been running beside her and now she lay a good few meters behind her in a crumpled heap.

"Tess!" Naomi wheeled around and sprinted back, ignoring Legolas' cries for her to stay put. The Balrog was getting closer with each second, but Naomi made it to the unconscious girl first.

"Of all times to not have your god forsaken helmet on it's when a rock whacks into the back of your head!" Naomi yelled frustrated as she tore off her quiver full of arrows, she wouldn't be able to carry Tess with it on. With dismay she dropped it to the ground and knelt down to grab Tess' arms and hauled the woman onto her back. With Tess' arms draped over her shoulders and her head resting in the side of her neck Naomi stood up and hunched over she began to run, her own arms under Tess' limp legs in a loose piggy back style. Black smoke swirled behind Naomi, indicating to her the close proximity of the Balrog, which just made her run faster. Gandalf and Legolas had waited for Naomi and now ran beside her, urging her over the bridge.

"Don'tlookdowndon'tlookdowndon'tlookdooown," Naomi repeated as she forced one leg in front of the other. Naomi had just made it over the gut-wrenchingly narrow bridge when she heard Gandalf cry out.

"You cannot pass!" Beside her Frodo cried out for the old wizard in confusion and distress, but Naomi was too focused on the Balrog as it drew itself up to its full height, spreading its shadowy wings and filling the entire cavern with stifling heat.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor, the dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn!" Gandalf lifted his staff and a shield of light surrounded him, which proved to be of use when the Balrog produced a blade of flame. The red hot sword crashed down into Gandalf's shield and burst into millions of hot sparks that drifted off Gandalf harmlessly. This greatly angered the beast and it roared in fury.

"Go back to the Shadow!" in an act of defiance against Gandalf's words the Balrog stepped out and produced a new weapon of fire, a whip that when used in demonstration cracked like lightening with a blinding flash. Gandalf drew up himself and pulled together his staff and sword, bringing them above his head as he spoke.

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" the words echoed around as the wizard slammed his weapons down to the bridge, a burst of light exploded against the rock below him. The Fellowship watched on in horror and worry, wondering who was going to win. The Balrog snorted before stepping forward again, only to have the bridge crumble beneath him. A distressed wail erupted from the beast as it fell down into the chasm of darkness and Naomi felt the air in her lungs rush out in a sigh of relief. After a final glare down Gandalf turned back, his head drooping and his shoulders sagging. He suddenly seemed very old and tired. A hideous crack issued and Gandalf was dragged over the edge of the remaining rock of the Bridge, barely catching himself as his staff and sword disappeared below. Naomi couldn't breathe and noticed out the corner of her eye that Frodo was trying to run to the wizard, but Boromir had an arm around him. A faint cry from Frodo filled Naomi's ears as she watched heartbroken, Gandalf struggled for a few seconds to get back up but his tired arms failed him. Watching them with wide blue eyes he spoke to them all.

"Fly, you fools!" and with a final grunt Gandalf let go, his body dropping down out of sight. Naomi was numbly maneuvered by Legolas up some more steps as Frodo screamed out. The remaining members of the Fellowship emerged into daylight and Naomi had to blink repeatedly to see right. Naomi scarcely had enough time to put Tess down gently before she dropped to her knees sobbing. It was that sobbing that Tess awoke to and in panic she looked around, the daylight burning her eyes. Sam sat nearby with his head in his hand, Pippin sobbing heavily whilst Merry gripped his shoulder in comfort. Angry streams and growls came from Gimli as he tried to go back; the only thing stopping him was Boromir's restraining arm. Rolling her head against the cool rock Tess saw Legolas staring at nothing, disbelief plastered across his dirty face. When Tess found Aragorn's figure and Frodo's in the near distance Tess came to the conclusion that Gandalf had been lost from them. Her lip trembled and tears formed in her eyes as she wondered if it was her fault.

"Legolas…get them up," Aragorn commanding voice called out, though the elf seemed not to understand for a minute.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir objected, feeling for his Hobbit friends whom were close to the old wizard indeed.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlòrien," Aragorn countered whilst sheathing his sword.

"Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up," He voice was gentler this time as he made his way to Sam. Naomi found that she couldn't pick herself up though, her legs like gelatin as her whole body shook with sobs. A pair of boots walked into her line of sight and someone crouched in front of her. Legolas' soft blue eyes found hers and he took her hands in his.

"Naomi, you must get up," His soft voice made her heart thudder involuntarily, which only made her sob harder.

"Please, we must reach safety, or else Gandalf's sacrifice will have been in vain," His hands cupped her cheeks and he wiped away her tears.

"You have been brave today, you need not be for too much longer," He whispered gently whilst stroking her cheek in a soothing manor. Naomi stared into the Elf's eyes for a few moments before she leaned her head forward into his chest.

"Not him…not Gandalf," She muttered weakly as Legolas rubbed her shoulders gently.

"What happened to Gandalf?" Tess croaked and Legolas looked over to where she lay on her back, sadness bringing his eyebrows over his eyes.

"He fell…whilst fighting the Balrog," Tess' eye widened for a minute, before she closed them a swallowed deeply.

"Come, we must move," Legolas told the girls a few moments later as he stood, bringing Naomi with him. Tess rolled to her side and pushed herself up, a gasp of pain escaping her lips as she fell back.

"Do you require assistance milady?" Boromir asked gently as he knelt by Tess.

"Just get me up," was the curt reply he got. She was on her feet in a few seconds and declining help from anyone she strode forward, slightly hunched over and swaying gently as she made her way over the pale grey rocks to Frodo and Aragorn.

Boromir prepared to ask Tess for the umpteenth time is she wanted help when Naomi placed a hand on his shoulder. Tess walked several feet behind the group and despite her best efforts was struggling to go any faster.

"Let me," She mouthed as she walked back to her extremely pale friend. In the sunlight Tess was even skinnier, dirtier and with her new wounds only just drying over she looked like she would drop if someone touched her. Naomi had had enough and wrapped Tess' left arm around her shoulders, but instead of the gruff 'don't need help' she was met with a disturbing scream. Startled into shock Naomi didn't know what to do for a second as Tess leaned into her breathing hard, then it registered that her friend was in extreme pain.

"What's…where does it hurt?" Naomi asked frantically as she lowered Tess to her knees, where she sat hunched over and gritting her teeth.

"Everywhere," Tess moaned laboriously. Naomi's heart struck against her chest as she panicked. She couldn't lose Tess. Not again. Not after she'd just lost Gandalf.

Aragorn had been running ahead when he heard the scream and hurried back to find out what was wrong. Tess lay on her back as Naomi and Sam pulled off her armor and chainmail, which was the hard to get off, leaving her in the black tank top that she'd been wearing the day of the hail storm.

"What ails her?" Aragorn asked as he knelt before her, being a ranger he knew the most about healing people in the group. He question was quickly answered when Naomi used one of Tess' many daggers to the singlet up the middle so that it fell open, exposing her torso and black bra. Large purple bruises from her hip up to her left arm pit explained her earlier reaction. The several men looked away from Tess' almost bare torso, but Aragorn was too focused on the hideous blue black marks to worry about her current lack of morality.

"What kind of pain is it? Can you breathe properly?" Aragorn fired off questions as he ran his fingers over the marred skin. Tess answered and her gasping died off as she lay still.

After a few minutes of gentle prodding and more question Aragorn sighed out in relief.

"She has only bruised her ribs; there is no real damage to the bones or organs," his diagnoses had everyone relaxing. Naomi ran a hand down her face and sighed out for the fiftieth time that day.

"Sweet baby Jesus woman, please try to refrain from giving us anymore heart attacks," Naomi joked as she helped Tess to her feet, wrapping her cloak around Tess' almost bare body what with her singlet now open at the front. Tess still swayed and still remained hunched over. Naomi bit her bottom lip before moving in front of her a kneeling down on one knee, her hands stretched out behind her. She heard her friend sigh out before her arms slid around Naomi's neck.

"There's no point in arguing, and we'll move faster this way," Tess grumbled in defeat as Naomi stood with a small smile. With Tess on her back they moved much faster, and in her head Naomi thanked Arwen for making her lift those bags of flour as part of her training.

The company's trek ended when they reached the outskirts of a forest, thick trees and moss waiting for them. Naomi immediately felt different, as if the air was thicker and richer and that somebody was watching them. Many other members were on edge as they made their way deeper into the trees, the situation not being helped by Gimli's story.

"They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch…of terrible power, all who look upon her, fall under her spell…and are never seen again," Despite everyone else's uncertainty, Aragorn and Legolas seemed fine. Tess seemed perfectly happy and was enthralled by the sight of trees and the sky and grass after nothing but rock, dust and a little alga for months on end.

"Well! Here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily!" Gimli proclaimed watching his surroundings with utter suspicion.

"I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!" And as if someone decided to make him seem like a complete idiot, there were suddenly arrows pointed at all of them from every direction. Naomi squeaked when an arrow was pointed directly between her eyebrows, and gasped in surprise when Legolas jumped in between with his own arrow pulled ready in his bow. The effort to protect her was useless however as another arrow was pointed at her from another angle. Naomi's eyes wandered around and rested on the one Elf that didn't have a bow pointed, it was he who spoke and when he did it made Gimli scowl.

"The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark,"

"Aaaaaand we're in deep shit again," Naomi muttered under her breath, making Tess

snort.

Wooop! I promised I'd get a long chapter ouuuuut! Here it is! :3

Reviews make AxM smile

And I really love some good constructive criticism so that is defiantly welcome!