Author Note: I do NOT own any songs I may use in any of these future chapters. The one I'm using in this one is known as "Sound the Bugle" by Bryan Adams!
Chapter 9: One Troll Wasn't Enough?
Harry quickly placed a silent protections shield around each member of the Fellowship. Aragorn and Boromir ran forward followed closely by Legolas, to bar the doors to fend off the attack as long as they could. As Boromir went to close the doors he moved his head back just in time to avoid an arrow to the head. He quickly shut the door, as he was doing so their came a faint roar that resembled a moan.
"They have a mountain troll," Boromir said in a sarcastic happy voice.
They quickly began placing axes in the door to stop them from opening it from the outside. They then ran back and Legolas and Aragorn pulled their bows and notched arrows before taking their stance and pointing the arrow tips at the door, ready for anything. Remus and Harry quickly notched their own arrows, but their tips were glowing with a sickly green light. A tense, awkward silence passed, nothing making noise but the pounding drums echoing about them, and then it began. Goblins' arms broke through the door and their ugly faces appeared through the holes. Harry let his arrow fly right between one their eyes, it let out a shrill scream as if fell back. Other arrows followed his own, knocking out as many as they could without wasting their arrows.
Soon goblins broke down the door, Harry and Remus concentrated and their bows disappeared as if they were never there and drew their swords. They slashed goblins left and right and all around them the rest of the Fellowship doing the same. Gimli stood on the grave of his cousin hacking at any goblin who came to close. Sam was swinging a frying pan about knocking out every goblin that jumped at him. Frodo, Merry, and Pippin were stabbing whatever came near with their short blades, Frodo's glowing an ominous blue. Gandalf brandished his staff and a sword, spinning left and right. Legolas unsheathed two twin blades and seemed to dance as he slayed all the goblins. Aragorn and Boromir were fighting with their swords.
When it seemed as if they would win there came another roar and in burst a troll a collar around his neck with large chains hanging from it. Two goblins were leading it about by these chains. Harry got Remus's attention and motioned to the two goblins. He nodded his head and took one of the hidden daggers he wore and took aim before throwing it. It flew true and slit the goblins throat before swinging back toward Remus like a deadly boomerang. Harry quickly did the same with the same effects. The troll, noticing its new freedom looked around stupidly before he spotted Frodo alone and went for him. Harry seeing this stabbed him in the back of the knee hoping to gain his attention and divert it from Frodo. The troll let out an angered scream before turning and batting Harry away. He landed against a pillar and lost his breath as spots appeared in his vision. As this was happening the troll went for Frodo again who hadn't noticed until his ankle was grabbed and he was slowly being dragged toward the troll. He tried to get a grip on the many boulders about, but his hands kept slipping.
"Harry! Remus! Aragorn!" he shouted hoping someone would help him.
Finally he used Sting to cut into the troll's hand making him release him. He quickly scooted backward as the troll let go to look at his hand. By then Aragorn had made it to his side and stabbed the troll with one of the many spears that had been lying around the room. The troll batted Aragorn aside just as he had Harry and took out the spear from between its ribs. As it was doing this Frodo had run over to Aragorn trying to wake him. He turned to run only to run into the spear the troll had stabbed into the wall trying to stab him, forcing him back into a corner leaving his chest open. The troll then promptly stabbed him in the chest.
Harry who had been fighting his way through the horde of goblins saw this, but knew he wasn't dead. This did not stop from angering him though, that troll tried to kill his little brother! Everyone in the room froze when a howl echoed throughout the mines and Harry's once green eyes glowed gold, magic flowing out of him in torrents. Another howl soon joined his, Remus began to claw through the shocked and frozen goblins Harry joining him. They reached the troll at the same time and nodded to another before transforming into their wolf forms, their backs were as tall as Gandalf without his hat. Both pounced on the troll and began to tear off its limbs before they both lunged for his head. Together they transformed into their human forms and stood on his shoulders before grabbing one of their swords and plunging it into its neck.
The troll began to stumble before it fell, dead, onto the stone floor of the room. Harry and Remus, by then, had sheathed their swords and jumped as the troll fell before flipping off and landing on their feet gracefully. Harry walked over to Frodo's face down form just as Aragorn reached him. He knelt beside him and helped Aragorn to turn him over, all the Fellowship, excluding Harry, gasped in amazement as Frodo gasped for breath.
"I'm alright," he panted rubbing his chest where the spear had hit.
"You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar!" Aragorn exclaimed in awe.
Harry answered, "Did you not notice that none of you gained one wound, even when the sword connected with your skin?" when they all nodded, he finished, "I placed a protective shield around all of you, but I don't think that's the only thing that saved my little brother's life."
Everyone turned to Frodo as he unbuttoned a few of his shirt's buttons and showed the mithril shirt beneath.
"Mithril," Gimli said his voice breathless.
"How do you feel cub?" Remus asked kneeling in front of him buttoning his shirt up for him.
"Just a little breathless, I think that spear left a bruise," Frodo said breathlessly.
"It probably did, I'll take a look out of it once we get out of these mines, but until then we need to get moving before more goblins come for us," Harry said lifting Frodo to his feet before going over to Aragorn and offering his hand to help him up.
Aragorn took it and felt a shock go down his arm but ignored it, trying to fight down a blush. He was soon on his feet, as he was about to say thank you goblin war cries echoed about them.
"To the bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf cried and they all ran out of the room.
They came into an open area filled with pillars and were soon encircled by a hoard of goblins. They all went back to back brandishing weapons at the goblins willing to fight to the death. There came a loud roar that sent shivers down Harry's spine, whatever it was, it wasn't there for afternoon tea. The goblins fled at the sound and that's when Harry noticed the eerie red glow coming from the opposite way they wanted to go. The good news was they didn't have to go toward the monster, the bad news was the monster was coming toward them!
"What is this new form of devilry?" Boromir asked holding a lit torch, his knuckles white.
"A Balrog," Gandalf said, his voice filled with disgust but Harry could hear the underlying fear.
"And how exactly should we approach this situation?" Harry asked pulling the two closest Hobbits to his sides.
Another roar came, but this one shook the mines to the very foundations, "Run!" Gandalf said before shooting off. It took them a while to comprehend his demand before they two were running after him. They came to stairs that had no banister; Harry looked over the sides and couldn't see the bottom of the chasm. They quickly descended Harry turned to see an ugly looking….thing! It was right behind them and seemed to be made of lava, its eyes glowing eerily with to twisting horns coming from both sides of its head. It burst through the small door making boulders fall from the high ceiling and onto the stairs they wished to take.
They were half way down the stairs when a boulder crashed into the stairs before them leaving a large gap between them and the stairs they needed to take. Legolas jumped first followed by Gandalf. As Aragorn was about to throw Sam across arrows began to rain down on them. Harry thought of his bow and it appeared in his outstretched hand and he soon began shooting arrows at the goblins that were standing on a pavilion to their right. As each fell another replaced them. Soon all that were left were himself and Aragorn, but as soon as they went to jump and boulder fell on the stairs not far behind them leaving the part of the stairs they stood on with no support. It began to wobble, leaning left, right, backward, and forward.
"Aragorn hold on to me!" Harry shouted before he transformed waiting for Aragorn to climb on his back.
When he saw Harry's wolf form he threw his arms around his neck and threw a leg of his back to straddle it. As soon as he felt Aragorn had a good enough hold that he would not fall he paused waiting for the best moment to jump. As the stair tilted toward the part where their friends stood he lunged across the gap, flying over his friends' heads and landing in front of them a few feet. He skidded a bit before he gained his balanced on the slight decline of the stairs. Aragorn quickly climbed off his back so he could transform back, Harry began running in wolf form and transformed mid run.
"Show off," he heard Gimli mutter.
Harry's warm laugh echoed around them and seemed to bring them hope and strength as they ran, "You're just sore that Legolas had to catch you by the beard my Dwarf brother!" he called back tauntingly.
"Why you little-," Gimli said steaming, but everyone could see the smile and amusement in his eyes.
They soon reached a stone bridge with nothing to stop them from falling off the edges into the dark pit bellow. Harry ran across leading the rest. Gandalf came last but stopped in the middle of the bridge and turned to the Balrog that had just burst through behind them. The Fellowship froze calling his name, all except Harry; he concentrated and looked into the old wizards mind. He came up with a gasp, tears falling from his eyes; he sent what he had learned to Remus. Remus too began to cry silently but the other members of the Fellowship took no notice to consumed with the sight before them.
"You cannot pass!" Gandalf stated, his voice filled with strength and power, he slammed his staff on the bridge before him, somewhere in their running he had lost his pointed hat.
The Balrog roared and brought down his sword only to meet a white dome of power.
"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" he screamed louder slamming his staff down one last time.
The bridge before him began to crack and soon it fell and the Balrog with it. Gandalf turned and began walking toward them, all but Harry and Remus let out a relieved sigh, but the Balrog's whip wrapped around his ankle causing him to fall. As he was about to fall he gripped at the rocks, holding steady.
His pure blue eyes met Frodo's, "Fly you fools," he said before letting go and allowing himself to fall.
"GANDALF!" Frodo shouted hysterically.
"Kick his ass Gandalf, and give him no mercy, may Fate be with you," Harry said sending a ball of light down into the chasm below after Gandalf.
Remus soon did the same the other members running, Boromir holding Frodo and preventing him from running after Gandalf. Harry grabbed Aragorn's shoulder, he seemed to be in a trance staring at where Gandalf once stood, and dragged him to the exit, Remus following closely after to protect them from the arrows raining down on them from the goblins on the other side of the bridge.
The Fellowship lay on the rocks that surrounded the exit of the Mines. Merry holding Pippin as they cried, Sam staring down at the rocks he sat on. Harry and Remus stood looking on this scene with a bitter remembrance from the war they had been in before. The same had happened when any died for the light, they hated it because it meant they had failed to protect their pack yet again.
"Legolas get them up," Aragorn said, his voice firm and filled with a fake strength and confidence.
Legolas did so, his eyes glazed and far away, it still had yet to sink in.
"Give them a moment for pities sake!" Boromir said angrily.
"Goblins will be swarming these grounds by nightfall; we must make it the Woods of Lothlorien!" Aragorn said angrily, "Get them up, Legolas, Boromir."
"On your feet Sam," he said pulling the sandy haired Hobbit to his feet; he looked up to see Frodo walking away slowly.
"Frodo!" he called after the Hobbit, Frodo turned haunted blue eyes onto him.
Harry seeing this ran over to the Hobbit and picked him up in his arms quietly offering his comfort. When he was back with the Fellowship he picked up Sam and did the same. Both buried their faces in his neck and he felt warm tears fall beneath the neck of his shirt. Remus did the same for Merry and Pippin and soon they all began running for the Woods of Lothlorien. As they ran a hauntingly sad voice sang:
Sound the bugle now... play it just for me
As the seasons change... remember how I used to be
Now I can't go on...I can't even start
I've got nothing left... just an empty heart.
They turned to see Harry with tears falling from his emerald green eyes; his voice was slow and haunting making them all wish to cry.
I'm a soldier... wounded so I must give up the fight
There's nothing more for me... lead me away
Or leave me lying here
Sound the bugle now... tell them I don't care
There's not a road I know that leads to anywhere
Without a light, I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down and decide not to go on
Then his voice began to gain strength, filled with love and awe almost.
Then from on high, somewhere in the distance There's a voice that calls,
"Remember who you are... if you lose yourself,
Your courage soon will follow,
So be strong tonight... remember who you are"
Yeah, your a soldier now,
Fighting in a battle,
To be free once more.
Yeah, that's worth fighting for
His song ended his voice strong and full of confidence. By then Frodo's tears had stopped and he motioned to be let down, he had the strength now, Gandalf would have wanted him to go on! The other Hobbits soon followed and Remus strode forward before putting a supporting arm around Harry's shoulders and leaned forward whispering into his ear.
"You did good cub, I'm so proud of you," he then kissed him on the temple before turning back to the path before them leaving his arm around his oldest cubs shoulders.