Well, they bolted. I did a funky lope/hobble/pitiful crawling on the ground due to fatigue and broken bones. I was about half way across the room when a shrill shriek went up from the other side of the room that sounded like nails on chalkboard. An arrow whistled over Frodo's head as Boromir laughed. "They did not expect this," he said. "The fire has cut them off, we are on the wrong side!"
"Look ahead" Gandalf cried. "The bridge is near, it is dangerous and narrow."
Directly ahead, the floor fell away leaving only a narrow walkway across. it had no handrails, and was two feet wide at most. what was with dwarves and no security features?
"Lead the way Gimli!" He continued. "Pippin and Merry next. Straight on and up the stair beyond the door".
Arrows were falling from every angle, one peirced Gandalf's hat and stayed there. Another struck my sholder guard and I pitched forward, dangerouly close to the edge. Boromir grabbed me around the waist, and pulled me back a few steps.
"Be careful" The man said. "We do not need anyone falling over the edge."
Hey, the arrows were not my idea. Behind us, the clamore was growing louder as the drum beats came closer. Legolas turned and nocked an arrow, evern though the distance was probably to far for a accurate shot. But as he was drawing the string back, what little color was in his face drained out of it and he stepped back and let out what could only be described as a whimper. The members of the fellowship that had not crossed over yet turned to see what had caused the nomally stoic Elf to make such a sound.
Two cave trolls had joined the party. and they brought chips!
Haha no. They brought two bigs ass stone slabs to lay across the fissure so everyones favorite rodents could crawl over. But that wasnt what had gotten tall, blonde, and immortals' perverbial panties in a twist.
No, that would have been the big black…...thing…..
What ever it was, it was big, it was black, and looked like a shadow. As it aproached the hole in the ground, the thing rudely ignored the slabs that the trolls had been so kind to put down and simply jumped over the flames.
Show off.
As the monster jumped over, the flames leaped up to greet it. Wrapping around it and setting it ablaze. With its form clearly distinguished, I could see how large it was.
And from a professional standpoint, I'm screwed.
It was atleast thirty feet tall, with large bat wings streatching out from its back. In one hand, it held a sword wreathed in flames. In the other, it held a whip.
Kinky.
"Ai! Ai!" Legolas yelled. "A Balrog! A Blarog is come!"
Gimli dropped his axe and whispered, "Durins Bane".
Okay, so I'm guessing that thing right over there is a 'Balrog'.
"A Balrog." Gandalf said. "Now I understand. What terrible fortune. and I am already weary".
The Balrog began to advance, the fire around him growing stronger as his pace grew. The orcs yelled and poured over the makeshift bridges. Next to me Boromir raised a horn made of bone and silver and blew hard into it. The sound that came from it sounded loudly, and reverberated off the pillars, growing louder until it was almost deafening. For a second, the orcs quailed and the fiery shadow halted. Seeing an opening, I ran forward directly at the creature. Broken bones be damned, I morphed into a dragon, gray wings sprouting from my back; elongating as my skin turned to scales as I launched myself at the Balrog.
I am very pleased to say that I held him off. For about ten seconds. I sank my claws into his chest, snapping my teeth at his neck; but he felt more like stone than anything else. He punched me in the belly and I flew back into a pillar. When I slid down to the ground, Boromir was there, grabbing a now human arm and half carrying me across the bridge.
"Over the bridge!" Cried Gandalf, coming back to his senses. "Run! this is a foe beyond any of you."
Aragorn did not listen, standing behind Gandalf with his sword drawn.
'put me down you big oaf, my arm is broken, not my legs' I hissed towards Boromir. Thankfully he did. Lowering me gently to the ground before running back to Aragorns side. As the Balrog reached the bridge I got to my feet, swaying slightly as my vision went in and out of focus. My sword hung heavy in my hand and was dragging across the ground, but I had to help. I was a hero, I couldn't stay back.
Gandalf stood in the middle of the bridge. Leaning on the staff in his left hand, his right held a long sword gleaming white against the shadows. The creature halted again, facing the wizard. It raised the whip, the tip cracking as fire blew from its nostrils.
"You can not pass," he said. The orcs on the other side stopped, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder if the flame of Arnor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udùn. Go back to the shadow! You cannot pass."
The Balrog didn't answer. The flames surrounding it died down slightly but the shadows grew stronger. It stepped onto the bridge and drew itself up to its full height, its wings stretched out and brushed against the walls on either side. And in front of the beast stood a lone wizard. Against the bulk of the creature he was small, grey, and bent.
The Balrog swung its sword. The force of the blow enough to flatten a normal person. Gandalf raised his sword in answer. There was a ringing clash and a burst of white light. The balrog fell back and its sword shattered into pieces around it. Gandalf stepped back a pace and regained his footing then stood still again.
I started walking to the bridge. It was painful, and I felt like my inside were about to become my outsides, but I took a couple hesitant steps onto the bridge.
"You cannot pass!" Gandalf cried.
With a bound the Balrog leaped completely onto the bridge, its whip hissed and crackled in its hand.
Gandalf lifted his staff and with a yell he struck the bridge before him. White flames rose up and cracks spread out on the path. Right at the Balrogs feet it broke, and the stone under its feet fell away into the chasm, while the rest remained whole and quivering. With a cry the Balrog fell forward and down and vanished. As Gandalf turned to walk away, the tongue of the whip curled forward and wrapped around the wizards knees. Pulling him down and over the edge. His hands grasped at the edge as the whip loosened and fell.
I ran towards him and fell to my knees, skidding the last couple feet as my good hand clasped his wrist and my other looked for a hold on the stone.
Pain shot through my head as he looked at the company before him.
"Fly you fools," he gasped and fell.