History of Middle-Earth

by Silver Butterfly 111

A series of one-shots focusing on the tales of Middle-Earth. It begins with Isildur's struggle to destroy the Ring. Part of the 100-Drabble Challenge created by the wonderful NirCele. The prompt list was given to me by LadyLindariel. [Discontinued]

25. Earth

10) Earth

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They went into the mines. Down and down and down into the dark, into the dust, into the earth, unbeknownst to them they were walking into a trap, into a tomb.

The earth swallowed them up, sheltered them from the prying eyes of the bird spies that sought them out from above.

There were enemies waiting for them under the earth.

The stone shook and rumbled with the beat of drums.

The earth sheltered them, trapped them, warned them and as they watched the bridge crumble from beneath Gandalf's feet even as the Balrog fell. The Company came to realize that the earth had saved them even as it betrayed them by taking one of their own as payment. Thus they fled from the broken bridge of Khazad dum.