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Chapter 10- The Mines of Moria
The next day, the Fellowship set out for their destination and reached it before sunset. Gimli pointed at a cliff in front of them and proclaimed happily, "The Walls of Moria!"
The visitors saw a structure protruding out of the cliff face. Gandalf and Gimli led them south along a narrow path that separated the cliff from a dark water body to their right.
"So, is there an invisible door here too?" Angel inquired as the five remembered the Lonely Mountain.
Gimli tapped the cliff with his ax and said proudly, "Yes Master Angel. Dwarf doors are invisible when closed."
"Yes Gimli." Gandalf agreed, "Even their own masters cannot find them when they are forgotten."
"Why does this not surprise me?" Legolas said dryly and Gimli grumbled as the five visitors rolled their eyes or chuckled or both.
The path was so narrow at times that Frodo's feet almost slipped into the water because of a slight stumble.
Eventually, they reached a smooth section of the wall that had two trees to flank it.
Gandalf brushed at this part with his hand and murmured to himself, "Well, let's see. Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight."
That was when the clouds slowly drifted away, revealing a full moon whose light fell upon the part of the wall, revealing a white, shining outline of an archway. The five visitors got a flashback to Lonely Mountain again while they watched in awe.
"Just like then when the thrush knocked", Tara muttered as they watched. The design also had two columns and a crown along with strange markings.
Gandalf pointed at the runes with his staff and said, "It reads, "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. -Speak, friend, and enter.""
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.
"I'm pretty sure it means that if you're a friend of the people living here, you speak the password and the doors open for you." Willow explained to him.
Gandalf nodded and then spoke two passwords in a different tongue. Whatever he had said though, the doors remained closed.
"Bummer." Dawn said.
"Nothing's happening." Pippin stated the obvious.
"Thank you Captain Obvious." Faith said dryly.
Gandalf then tried to push them with Angel's help but nothing happened as he murmured, "I once knew every spell in the tongues of Men, Elves and Orcs."
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
"Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took!" Gandalf replied in exasperation, "If that does not shatter them, and I'm allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."
Willow decided to give a better option, "Maybe me and Tara can try to use our magic to blast it this time. I'm sure that can work."
"Yeah, ready when you say so", Tara agreed.
"I think we shouldn't." Angel said, "I don't think we need that here. Guests do not break down host's door, do they?"
"Well, I'd consider it a fun way of greeting but they wouldn't appreciate it", Faith quipped as all snickered a little.
Later, as Gandalf tried to figure out the password Aragorn, Sam and Dawn together set Bill free and removed his baggage.
"Mines are no place for a pony." Aragorn gently told Sam, "Even one so brave as Bill."
Dawn patted Bill's head lovingly, "You were a good boy, Bill. But where we're going is too dangerous for you."
"Bye-bye, Bill." Sam said.
"Go on, Bill. Go on." Aragorn said as Bill started walking away back to the direction they had come from.
"Don't worry, Sam, he knows the way home." Aragorn assured him.
"I'm sure he does." Dawn nodded, having some knowledge about horses. She then noticed a pendant hanging from Aragorn's neck. It looked very beautiful. It was an exquisite design of sparkling crystals arranged like a star set in finely engraved silver.
"I love your pendant, Aragorn." She said.
Aragorn looked away and said, "Thank you. It was a gift from someone before we set out."
He then walked off as Dawn watched after him, then Tara came next to her. "I feel some conflict from him. Sadness but determination at the same time."
"Because he is Isildur's heir, right?" Dawn asked and got a nod.
"He considers his ancestor's failure his own and is afraid to step up, but deep down he knows he has to", Tara told Dawn.
Unaware of the conversation about him that had taken place, Aragorn walked up to Merry and Pippin who were throwing rocks into the water. Pippin was about to throw another when Aragorn grasped his hand firmly and warned, "Do not disturb the water."
That moment Aragorn, Boromir, Angel and Faith noted some ripples in the water.
"Oh, it's useless." Gandalf threw away his staff in frustration as he sat down on a rock.
That was when Frodo got up and looked at the door.
"It's a riddle." He said in understanding, ""Speak 'friend' and enter.""
"I think I know what you're getting at." Willow said in realization as she turned to him, "The word to speak is 'friend.'"
"What's the Elvish word for "friend"?" Frodo asked the Grey Wizard.
"Mellon." Willow spoke before Gandalf could. As soon as she spoke, the doors released a heavy grinding sound as they opened outwards.
"Finally!" Faith said as Gandalf got up from where he was sitting along with the others. They looked at the doors and slowly started marching inside.
"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves." Gimli boasted with laughter as they walked inside, "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!"
Gandalf added a small crystal to the top of his staff as Willow and Tara lighted their staffs via magic too. Gandalf gently blew on the crystal and the lights together illuminated the darkened area for the Fellowship to see.
"This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin." Gimli said before adding in amusement, "And they call it a mine. A mine!"
Before anyone could comment, they were silenced by what the light revealed.
"I don't think this is a mine." Angel said in horror as they looked at the many skeletons lying around, with arrows stuck in them.
"Angel is right." Boromir said, sounding as horrified as Angel, "This is no mine. It's a tomb."
"No…." Gimli gasped as he ran around and stared at the tragic scene. He stopped to examine the armor of a skeleton and howled in misery, "NO..."
Faith and Dawn saw Legolas tear an arrow out of a skeleton. He looked at it for a second and said in disgust, "Goblins."
He threw the arrow away, as if holding it any longer would contaminate them.
With that, he drew an arrow as Aragorn, Angel, Faith, Dawn and Boromir drew their swords.
"Balin…." Dawn trailed off, her voice quivering.
"Control yourself kiddo, let's get out of this mess first", Faith put a hand on her shoulder as Willow and Tara looked around, feeling crushed as they realized Balin, Oin and Ori had probably shared the same fate.
Tara felt darkness and evil inside from...everywhere. It was hard to get a read of now due to being everywhere.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan." Boromir concluded darkly but firmly, "We should never have come here."
"No, we shouldn't have", Willow muttered, trying to control herself. Blissful ignorance truly was a gift, she thought darkly.
"Now, get out of here. Get out!" Boromir commanded everyone.
The sight of the skeletons had made Aragorn, Boromir, Angel and Faith forget about the ripples from a few seconds ago as that very moment, Tara's eyes widened on sensing an evil aura very close just as Frodo was pulled into the water.
"Frodo!" Sam screamed as he, Merry and Pippin rushed to him. A large, black tentacle was trying to pull Frodo inside.
"Help!" Sam yelled, "Strider!"
Aragorn, Angel, Faith and Dawn turned to the scene and their eyes widened in horror as their jaws dropped.
Sam hit the tentacle with his shortsword a few times, managing to make a few light cuts as the tentacles retracted. But the reprieve was short-lived as moments later, about a dozen more tentacles sprang out of the water, knocking the Hobbits down as one of them wrapped around Frodo and hauled him into the air.
Aragorn, Boromir, Angel, Faith and Dawn rushed out as Legolas fired a shot at the creature. Legolas' arrow hit the tentacle holding Frodo. The tentacle twitched but Frodo was still in the creature's grip.
Aragorn, Boromir, Angel, Faith and Dawn used their swords to chop tentacles off.
It tried to hit them with one of them but Angel managed to cut it off in time.
The creature alternated Frodo between its tentacles to confuse everyone. It's face finally came out of the water and Frodo screamed in pure terror as he was held above its gaping jaw, ready to be its food. Boromir and Faith chopped off two more tentacles as Dawn cut off one too. Aragorn finally managed to chop off the tentacle holding Frodo and he plummeted into the water but Faith caught him.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf commanded as he reached the entrance.
Aragorn, Boromir, Angel, Faith and Dawn quickly made their way into the Mines with Frodo. The same place they wanted to get away from a few seconds ago seemed like a safe haven now to protect them from this hellish creature.
"Run!" Aragorn said firmly and desperately as everyone ran inside.
"Get back!" Tara then said as she and Willow ran out and holding hands chanted. "Tul- lightning na nen."
The lightning hit the water, electrocuting the creature and making it spasm as both ran back too.
Everyone rushed inside as the enraged and pained creature struck the Doors of Durin with its tentacles.
The Fellowship and the heroes ran deeper as the force of the creature's attack caused a section of the roof to tumble down. The boulders fell down and blocked the way out, along with any light that could pass through it.
For a few seconds, there was only darkness and silence until Gandalf's voice spoke, "We now have but one choice."
The crystal on his staff lighted up again as he tapped it on the ground, illuminating all the members of the Fellowship and the heroes as he started walking further, "We must face the long dark of Moria."
"We can get out of here with magic", Willow pointed out.
"And risk running into that thing again?" Faith asked. "You and Tara could defeat it, but I think its better to be here and avoid detection."
"Besides, using magic to blow up the entrance might attract Goblin attention", Angel pointed out and they had to concede to that.
"In that case, yeah, best to move here", Willow sighed.
"You all right?" Tara put an arm around Dawn who simply nodded.
"Balin and…" Dawn trailed off, close to tears, and the other four were the same, trying to control their emotions.
"Until we find bodies, we're not giving up", Tara said firmly as the other four reluctantly agreed.
"Be on your guard." Gandalf warned them, "There are older and fouler things than Orcs...in the deep places of the world."
"Like the thing outside", Faith muttered.
"Quietly now." Gandalf said, "It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."
"I hope so too." Angel sighed, still shaken from the encounter with the creature.
They all continued moving through the stone passages and steep stairways of the mine, passing intricate carvings along the way. In addition to Gandalf's crystal on his staff and Willow's and Tara's lights, they also used two disused flaming torches they found at the entrance. Aragorn held one and Faith held the other.
Eventually, they found themselves on a pathway that had a wall to its left and the edge of a large pit to the right.
Gandalf touched the wall and said to everyone, "The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels, but Mithril."
He then shone the light of the staff on the pit to their right. Everyone looked at the remains of large veins of the metal called 'Mithril', reflecting a silver color from Gandalf's light.
"Wow, that is…..so much of it", Willow muttered in awe, speaking for all five of them.
"Yeah, trade of it definitely would make anyone the richest", Angel nodded.
"Mithril armor is especially hard to find these days." Gandalf told them, "In fact, the last piece I remember seeing was a coat of Mithrli rings that a great Dwarf king named Thorin presented to Bilbo decades ago."
"We remember that", Tara said, as Bilbo had shown them the vest.
"That was a kingly gift!" Gimli remarked.
"Yes." Gandalf agreed, "I did not tell Bilbo that its worth was greater than the value of the Shire."
"Well, I don't think that would matter to him", Dawn told Gandalf who nodded.
They all continued along the winding stairs before Gandalf brought them to a perpetual halt in front of three different doorways, all of which were carved in stone. He looked at all three of them, twitching his staff and finally said, "I have no memory of this place."
"So we're lost." Faith said dryly.
Once again, the Fellowship and the visitors found themselves sitting around. Gandalf sat cross-legged on a rock in front of the three doorways.
"I'm sorry", Angel told Gimli, sitting near him. "I knew Balin, as well as Oin and Ori, they were…."
"I apologize for my earlier misplaced optimism", Gimli muttered.
"It's all right, none of us knew", Angel pointed out, still hoping against hope they were holed up somewhere and alive. The Fellowship could get them out and take them too.
Faith was in conversation with Aragorn.
"So you've been here too?" She asked him.
"Yes." Aragorn said, "But I do not have memory of these doorways either. I apologize."
"Don't." Faith said, "It would probably have been a long time ago."
"It was." Aragorn agreed.
Tara sensed something while Angel sniffed it, and both looked over to see a gangrel, bony creature, which looked at them and jumped away, disappearing.
"What was that?" Angel asked Tara as they shared a look.
Tara sensed the pain and turmoil from within it, the corruption and darkness. "Gollum."
"Oh boy!" Angel realized. "He's following us."
"Don't think he'd be a threat though, since he doesn't have any allegiances", Tara pointed out and Angel had to concede, Tara feeling bad due to all the feelings and emotions she was getting from Gollum.
"It's that way!" Gandalf suddenly said, pointing at a doorway, as he got up after a conversation with Frodo.
"He's remembered." Merry said.
"No." Gandalf said as they all walked towards the doorway, "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."
"Pretty good advice." Willow agreed.
"Will keep it in mind." Tara said.
"Why didn't your nose get it?" Dawn then asked Angel, who groaned.
"Well, I was trusting Gandalf's judgment, we all should do that", Angel defended himself lamely.
"I know a lot but I am not all-knowing Master Angel", Gandalf shrugged.
They walked down a narrow pathway and reached another large cavern.
"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf said as he held up his staff, illuminating the cavern even more than before, "Behold...the great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf."
Everyone's jaw dropped at what the light revealed. It wasn't a room. It was a city like Gandalf had said. With buildings. Ornate columns stretched from ceiling to floor, with designs carved into them. Angel, Willow and Tara decided not even Rome would compare to Dwarrowdelf. It was just so grand and majestic.
Sam spoke for all of them at the sight before them, "There's an eye opener, and no mistake."
Gimli suddenly gasped at something and ran off as Gandalf called out after him, "Gimli!"
The Dwarf ignored him and ran into a nearby room that had sufficient light in it.
The others ran after him and found him shaking in front of a stone coffin.
"No!" He moaned as they all noticed several skeletons lying around, "Oh, no."
He fell to his knees at this point, moaning and crying.
Angel's eyes widened as he realized who it was in the coffin. "No…"
"Is it…..?" Willow trailed off.
Gandalf walked up to the coffin and read, "Here lies Balin...son of Fundin...Lord of Moria."
"He is dead, then. It's as I feared." Gandalf said as he took off his hat while Gimli moaned in grief, and Dawn fell to her knees, tears in her eyes, both Willow and Tara grasping her while having tears in their own eyes.
"Balin…." Faith muttered, remembering the old and kind Dwarf. "Balin-"
Gandalf gave his hat and staff to Pippin and saw a Dwarf-skeleton with a book grasped in its hand. He carefully pried the bone-hand away and removed the book.
Standing up, he opened the book and blew the ancient dust off.
Angel noticed the writing on the book and his eyes widened in horror. "Oh no-"
"What?" Tara asked him.
Angel turned to the skeleton, walking to it, and fell to his knees near it, grasping it, now in tears himself, which was a rarity. "Ori, no!"
Now the visitors felt almost numb, seeing the skeleton of Ori like that. He was the youngest of the Company. He was a sweet person with a passion for writing, drawing and observing.
And now he was nothing more than a skeleton, in the span of a year for the five.
Oin was gone too clearly.
"No", Dawn cried, almost moaning now, her hands touching the ground. "No, please, just-"
Willow and Tara grasped her tighter, both crying themselves over the losses of their friends, as Faith walked behind Angel and grasped his chest, kissing his cheek as both cried too.
Legolas whispered to Aragorn so the rest could not hear as he did not want to offend them due to the grief they were in for obvious reasons, "We must move on. We cannot linger."
Gandalf began reading the book as a way to honor the dead Dwarves, trying to drown his own grief over the deaths of Balin, Oin and Ori, "They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates... ...but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums in the deep."
He looked up at them briefly to see their shocked reactions and turning the pages, continued, "We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."
Angel tried to pick himself up and slightly touched the fletching while doing so. What happened next was unexpected. The head of the skeleton suddenly fell off, clattering down a well. The rest of the skeleton tumbled into the well as well, dragging the bucket chain with it. They all clanged all the way down to the well, echoing in the vast mine.
A full minute passed and then there was silence again. Everyone was tense and silent as Angel stood up, looking at the rest apologetically, eyes still full of grief. "Sorry."
Gandalf didn't say anything, understanding Angel was in grief and didn't mean it, and simply took his hat and staff back from Pippin.
Dawn gave both Willow and Tara a nod as they let go and she stood up, tears still trailing down their cheeks, while Faith wiped her tears.
That was when they all heard a rhythmic pounding that seemed to come out from the well and echoed throughout the chamber. The pounding was heard at the entrance to the chamber as well.
Then they heard several high-pitched screeches which caused the ears a lot of irritation.
"Frodo!" Sam gasped as he looked at the older Hobbit's scabbard.
Frodo withdrew his sword Sting to reveal it was glowing blue, and all knew what it meant.
Legolas listened to the screeches and answered what was producing them, "Orcs!"
Boromir ran up to a set of doors but suddenly halted and jerked his head back as two arrows embedded themselves into the rotting door.
"Boromir!" Angel cried out in concern as he ran towards him, deciding he won't lose new comrades to this place which had taken 3 of his old ones.
"I am all right." Boromir assured.
"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn ordered the Hobbits. Gandalf threw off his hat and gathered all the Hobbits behind him.
Boromir and Angel shut the door as Aragorn and Faith ran up to them.
"They have a Cave Troll." Boromir said wryly to Aragorn.
"Great, more of those", Faith scoffed angrily.
Legolas tossed some axes to the four of them and they slammed them into the door handles, forming a makeshift lock.
Gandalf unsheathed his sword Glamdring and the four Hobbits followed his example. Dawn too unsheathed her sword and Willow and Tara held out their staffs, all of them prepared for what was coming as the doors were rammed into from outside.
Gimli leapt on top of Balin's tomb with a roar and proclaimed, "Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."
"Yeah, we will avenge him!" Dawn agreed with a deadly look in her eyes.
They all then stood in a line from left to right- Faith, Aragorn, Legolas, Angel, Boromir, Willow, Dawn and Tara. Gimli stood on top of Balin's tomb while Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin stood behind Aragorn.
Legolas and Aragorn had their arrows strung to their bows. The doors jerked as swords and spears poked through them, forming cracks.
A small crack was enough for the Prince of Mirkwood. He let his arrow loose and a shriek was heard as it hit one of the creatures on the other side, killing it. Aragorn fired another arrow through a slightly larger crack, killing a second.
The doors then burst open and fell down as multitude of Goblins rushed in. They were misshapen, ugly and hunched with poor quality armors.
Legolas felled two more of them with his arrows as Aragorn got a third. Willow and Tara together tapped the ground with their staffs and it caused the ground on the Goblins side to shake, making them fall down as they hurled blasts of telekinesis, sending various of them flying here and there and hitting the walls, dying on impact.
As some tried to get up, they did another spell and caused a blinding flash of light, this one so powerful and brutal it not only made them shut their eyes but also made their eyes bleed as they cried out in pain.
Taking advantage, Aragorn, Angel, and Faith rushed forwards. Aragorn effortlessly sliced two of them down as Angel broke another's neck and kicked another on the throat, killing it, with Faith punching one's jaw off and breaking another's ribs with a kick.
Gimli and the visitors were all in a rage due to the loss of Balin, Oin and Ori, as well as the other Dwarves, so they were not to be messed with.
Boromir pushed one back with his shield and struck it down as Dawn decapitated another. Then more Goblins came in and there was chaos everywhere as Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir, Angel, Faith and Dawn fought the Goblins in close quarters combat.
Gimli used the height advantage afforded to him by Balin's tomb and dual-wielded his axes, taking down some of them.
Willow and Tara twirled their staffs, the magic from those defending them and instantly wounding or killing a Goblin on impact itself.
Gandalf charged with a roar and in spite of the fear they were feeling, the four Hobbits also charged with screams that were a mix of horror and bravery.
Frodo and Pippin avoided strikes as Sam and Merry actually managed to stab two of them in their uncovered regions, killing them.
Legolas shot one more down as Aragorn roared and decapitated an opponent while Angel picked one up and threw it down, breaking its back. Faith swept one's feet from under it and stabbed it through the mouth. Dawn deflected one's attacks and in a rotatory motion, sliced its throat.
Willow and Tara then aimed their staffs at some more charging Goblins and all of them fell down, their internal organs brutally crushed.
The ground then shook as a massive Cave Troll was lead stomping into the tomb by a Goblin that held it with a chain, breaking the remainder of the door. The Fellowship looked and visitors looked at in horror.
"Trolls", Dawn sneered.
Legolas was the first one to attack the Cave Troll as he fired an arrow at its chest. It roared and staggered back slightly but was unaffected. Raising its club, it was about to bring it down on Sam but Dawn rushed and with a roar, stabbed it in the foot, making it scream as she removed her sword in time while it staggered around.
It tried to bring down its club on Dawn now but Willow and Tara swung their staffs as the powerful telekinetic force sent it crashing to the side, temporarily out now.
Faith and Angel killed two more Goblins with their slices as Willow and Tara saw more Goblins coming from outside and went to the door.
As the Goblins screeched, Willow twirled her staff, creating waves of fire that burnt various of them, while Tara produced a wave of water that swept many more away, drowning them.
The Cave Troll slowly started staggering back up when Angel and Faith grabbed its chain, both pulling hard with all their strength, and the chain shattered as it fell down again.
Angel then sliced two Goblins down quickly and backhanded one down as Faith stabbed one through the gut before hurling the body at two more, taking those down as well.
The Cave Troll got up again as Gimli threw a throwing ax at it. It hit its chest and it staggered back again but then brought its club down on Gimli, who barely avoided with a leap as the tomb was shattered.
Frodo, Merry and Pippin hid behind a huge column as the Cave Troll tried to swing its club at Gimli twice but unfortunate Goblins came in the way both times, dying in his place.
That was when Legolas fired two arrows at it from higher ground. They hit its shoulder as it staggered back in pain. Gimli killed a Goblin during that time. The Cave Troll roared in agony and rage as it started staggering back up.
Gandalf dual wielded his staff and Glamdring, taking down some Goblins.
Willow tapped her staff as a thunderclap made various Goblins fall to their knees, screeching in pain from bleeding airs, then dispatched them with flames.
As more arrived, Tara blew from her mouth while holding it over her staff as it turned into a minor wind, sending them flying off here and dying on impact from the walls.
Legolas swung his knives perfectly, taking down two Goblins before seeing the Cave Troll get back up.
It swung its broken chain at him but he ducked. It tried to do so again and he ducked again as it hit some columns, slightly breaking them. It then swung again and Legolas moved out of the way. As it swung a fourth time, the Elf dodged again and the chain tied itself around a column.
Taking the opportunity, Legolas put his foot on the chain and then ran up the chain's length right onto the Cave Troll's back. As the Cave Troll tried to throw him off, Legolas took out an arrow and fired. It hit the back of the Cave Troll's neck, making it roar and screech as Legolas jumped down while the chain snapped.
Down below, Sam was fighting alongside Dawn using a frying pan. He wacked two of the Goblins with his frying pan as Dawn then finished them off with her sword swings.
"Think I'm getting the hang of this!" Sam said wryly.
"Which means you've invented a new martial art." Dawn told him, now slightly cheered up.
With that, Sam wacked another Goblin and Dawn finished it off.
Angel broke another's neck as Faith ripped off one's throat.
The Cave Troll was back up and raising its club, brought it down on the other three Hobbits but they all avoided as Merry and Pippin jumped to its right while Frodo jumped to the left to hide behind a column.
"Frodo!" Aragorn yelled as he stabbed a Goblin, deciding to help the Hobbit as he had vowed.
Frodo moved to the other side of the column as the Cave Troll tried to look for him.
Aragorn deflected a Goblin's attack and punched it out before slicing another's throat in a rotatory motion.
Frodo once again moved to avoid the Cave Troll as it tried to come at him from the other side. Frodo avoided again and sighed in relief, thinking the Cave Troll wasn't coming after him anymore. Big mistake!
He heard a roar directly to his right and fell down in horror as the Cave Troll looked at him.
Aragorn slammed a Goblin into a pillar as Angel spin kicked one down while Faith threw another off.
Frodo backed into the corner as the Cave Troll advanced upon him. It grabbed his foot, pulling him off the ground as Frodo yelled in fear, "Aragorn!"
Aragorn saw the scene and yelled, "FRODO!"
Frodo hit the Cave Troll's hand with Sting, making it let go as Aragorn leapt between them, holding a spear. Before the Cave Troll could react, Aragorn rushed forward and drove the spear into its chest with a mighty roar, making it back off.
But in the very next second, the Cave Troll swatted Aragorn away with its hand. He hit a column and was knocked out.
Frodo crawled up to Aragorn, trying to wake him up as the Cave Troll ripped out the spear from its chest and stood over him. It tried to hit him but Frodo avoided as the spear was stuck on the wall. Frodo tried to run off but it ripped out the spear and hit the column in front of Frodo, blocking his way. Ripping the spear out again, it pushed Frodo back.
Merry and Pippin furiously threw rocks at it but it ignored them. And with that, it thrust the spear into Frodo's waist. Everyone heard Frodo's cry when the spear struck him. Gandalf, Sam, Dawn, Angel and Faith even turned to see Frodo's pained expression.
The Cave Troll ripped the spear out and Frodo fell on the ground, face first.
"Frodo!" Sam called out. And when he got no response, him and Dawn shared a look and with angry roars, both of them renewed their assault as Sam wacked a Goblin with his frying pan and then stabbed it with his sword as Dawn sliced another's throat brutally.
Angel grabbed a Goblin and broke its neck while Faith kicked another's back so hard its spine broke.
Gandalf too continued dual wielding his staff and sword furiously, dispatching Goblins while Gimli took a few down with his ax and Boromir took them down with his sword and shield.
The Cave Troll turned its murderous attention to Merry and Pippin but before they could fight back, Willow and Tara came back in, having stopped the Goblins outside.
Tara aimed her staff at it as a ball of light flew at it and exploded in its face, blinding it as it roared and staggered away.
She and Willow then both held it in place telekinetically with their staffs while it roared and tried to struggle.
Legolas found an exposed spot on its neck and aiming, fired his arrow. The arrow streaked in right into the small of the Cave Troll's throat. Willow and Tara let go as the creature stumbled forward.
As Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Willow, Tara, Angel, Faith and Dawn backed off, the Cave Troll finally fell face first on the ground, breathing its last.
They realized the rest of the Goblins in the room had fallen as well. Aragorn's eyes snapped open as he raced towards Frodo while the others did the same.
"Oh no." Aragorn gasped.
He turned Frodo over and to everyone's shock, he groaned. Sam and Dawn gasped and got down next to Aragorn.
"He's alive." Sam sighed in relief.
"Thank God." Dawn sighed too.
"I'm all right." A dazed Frodo said as Aragorn and Sara looked at him in bewilderment, "I'm not hurt."
"You should be dead." Aragorn whispered, "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."
"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf said as he leaned on his staff. Frodo quietly pulled aside his jacket and shirt to reveal a shiny, silver-white metal coat underneath.
"Mithril." Gimli said softly as everyone put two and two together, "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins." He then turned to the visitors. "You all as well, the stories about you were all true."
"That's Bilbo's coat", Faith recognized it.
"Now we know what happened to it", Angel shrugged as they heard more screeching noises and saw shadows moving in the dark.
Gandalf hastily commanded, "To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!"
With Gandalf in the lead, The Fellowship and the visitors dashed out of the Chamber in the direction of the exit. Hundreds of Goblins chased them from behind, screeching and howling. And then more Goblins appeared to their left and right from cracks in the floor and a myriad of them crawled down from the ceilings as well via columns. They were all hoarding around them like cockroaches.
And then they were surrounded from all sides with no opening to escape. Back to back, the company drew their weapons and faced the Goblins, ready to fight to the end.
And then a deep and ominous rumble echoed through the entire hall, bringing all activity to an abrupt halt. They all turned to a doorway that had an eerie, orange-red glow coming from it. A second rumble sounded, louder than before, and this time, the Goblins let out panicked screeches and to everyone's surprise as well as relief, bolted, crawling back into the cracks where they had come from and climbing back up till there were none left in the hall. Gimli let out a triumphant laughter.
Gandalf stared at the orange-red glow, looking graver than ever before. Even graver than when he had told everyone the tale of the One Ring. Legolas aimed an arrow in the glow's direction but Faith noticed something.
"Are your hands actually shaking?" She whispered, unable to believe it as Legolas, the epitome of perfection, had never lost his composure even slightly. She was ready to believe he was perfect. Until now.
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked in a low, solemn voice.
Gandalf bowed his head and closed his eyes, deep in thought. Saruman's taunts about coming to Moria had been based solidly on fact. And now he was proven right.
Tara sensed great power from whatever it was, the greatest she had felt in this world so far, greater than Sauron back when he was only the Necromancer.
"Gandalf?" Angel called out to snap him out of his thoughts.
Opening his eyes, he finally answered the question, "A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you."
Willow and Tara exchanged a horrified look, as they had read a little about Balrogs back in Rivendell. They were the greatest servants of the previous Dark Lord Morgoth behind Sauron and all had fled to hide all over in Middle-earth after his defeat.
But none of them were to be messed with. Now one was here!
Gandalf turned to the direction of the hall's exit and commanded, "RUN!"
With that, everyone ran for their lives across the hall, reaching a narrow doorway that led into an equally narrowed downward flight of steps. Boromir raced down them first and exited another doorway that led to a landing. They had reached a vast chasm that could only be traversed by a narrow stairway.
Boromir moved down the stairs but halted abruptly as they ended before a bottomless drop. He struggled to regain his balance but Legolas and Faith both grabbed each of his arm, steadying his dangerous teetering and pulling him back as Gimli stopped behind them. The four Hobbits, Willow, Tara and Dawn also stopped there.
Gandalf was leaning on his staff he as he stood near the narrow doorway.
"Gandalf." Aragorn said as he put a hand on his shoulder.
"You all right?" Angel asked.
"Lead them on, the two of you." He said, sounding like he was giving his final orders, "The bridge is near."
The two followed his gaze to look at the chasm below as he said, "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."
Willow and Tara walked near him as the former said. "We have magi-"
"I will not allow it!" He said and gestured to the front.
They all hurried down the narrow, winding staircase towards the pit. That was when they came across a gap in the stairs.
Legolas, due to his natural athleticism, jumped across first, followed quickly by Faith. Turning around, Legolas beckoned to the Grey Wizard, "Gandalf!"
The Wizard heard the Balrog's roar coming from behind and turned to see the doorway smashed as the orange-red glow was at the end of the Hall. Refocusing on the task at hand, Gandalf turned around and leapt across the gap, landing on the other side as the master archer supported him.
"We don't have much time", Tara aimed her staff at the gap and chanted. "Ech- a iant."
She then told the rest. "There's an invisible bridge there. Come on!"
Aragorn seemed unsure but the latter walked to the gap cautiously and put his foot on the air, only to feel something solid.
Nodding gratefully at the Witches, he crossed the gap on the invisible bridge with the rest all following him.
"That was handy", Legolas smirked.
"Yeah, worked", Tara shrugged before aiming at the invisible bridge. "Destroui ha." She turned to the rest. "Its gone now."
"Let's move", Dawn said to the rest and they nodded in agreement.
That was when an arrow whistled overhead and hit the edge of the gap. They all looked up to see a company of Goblin archers firing at them from above. The Hobbits backed to avoid as the Goblins continued firing.
Legolas notched an arrow and fired. It hit a Goblin right on the forehead and it fell down into the chasm through the arrow which was stuck to the column behind it.
The Goblins continued firing down as Legolas took down one with his arrow and Aragorn took down another. Having had enough, Willow fired a blast of magic above. It stuck to a column and exploded, causing it to crumble on top of them as many of the Goblins were crushed while the remainder fled in fear from her and Tara.
Shaken but not out, the Fellowship and the visitors sprinted down the stairs as the middle section fell away. They reached a wide-floored hall and saw an incredibly narrow bridge ahead. The Bridge of Khazad-dum!
"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf bellowed to them all as they ran past him. Flames emanated behind him. Dawn was about to call for him when a giant creature, that looked like it was made of darkness and flames, shot out of the fire. It had gigantic horns on its head and a wide, gaping mouth with molten rock for teeth and lava in its throat. The Balrog stood at its full 24 feet height.
Dawn actually froze. And so did Willow, Angel, Tara and Faith.
All of them had fought a lot of supernatural creatures- Vampires, Demons, Orcs, Goblins, Wargs, Trolls, a giant snake, a Demon/human/machine combination, a Hell God, an intangible Demon, an evil law firm led by 3 inter-dimensional Demons, a Sorcerer, a rocky Beast, a fallen Power That Be, the First Evil and a DRAGON!
But except the Dragon perhaps, this Balrog put them all to shame.
Angel thought for a moment that the Devil himself was on the side of the Dark Lord and was trying to take down the Fellowship.
"FLY!" Gandalf yelled as he pushed all five of them towards the Bridge of Khazad-dum. Shaken out of their horrified daze, they ran across the narrow bridge as steadily as they could. Considering there were no railings on either side, it was clear the Dwarves had made it to trap the invaders in a chokehold. But unfortunately, it was a pain in the ass for them all.
The Balrog chased after them, creating an earthquake with each step. They all dashed across the Bridge, focusing on the center and not on the sides. But when they reached the other side, they realized that there were only 13 people on this side.
"GANDALF!" Tara screamed as he saw the Grey Wizard was still on the bridge.
"You cannot pass!" Gandalf declared to the Balrog. It responded by standing at its full height and momentarily igniting its whole body in an inferno before pulling out a long sword from under its wings.
"Gandalf!" Frodo called out in alarm, concerned for his old friend's safety, fear written on his face.
The visitors exchanged terrified looks, wanting to help but knowing he did not want it, and they probably couldn't, except Willow and Tara.
"I am a servant of the secret fire." Gandalf announced to his foe, casting a spell, "Wielder of the flame of Anor."
His staff emitted a bubble of blue-white light that covered him.
"The dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Udun!" The Wizard spoke in defiance to the Balrog of Morgoth.
The Balrog brought his flaming giant sword down on Gandalf. The sword clashed with Glamdring from within the bubble. The Balrog's sword and the bubble of light disintegrated at the same time.
All of the Fellowship and the visitors were dumbfounded by the epic clash in front of them. The visitors knew he always held back his true power for reasons, but seeing him use some of it like this was something else.
Enraged by the loss of its sword, the Balrog stepped forward, wielding a fiery whip now.
Gandalf remained steadfast and told the Balrog, "Go back to the shadow!"
Gandalf raised his staff and Glamdring and declared to the demon- "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"
As soon as he finished, he slammed his staff down on the bridge and a loud cracking noise was heard. The Balrog snorted at the Wizard's display of power and took a step forward. Suddenly, the bridge under its feet crumbled and it plummeted below.
The Balrog fell into the abyss while a huge gap was formed between the bridge and the corridor to which it was connected. Gandalf gave an exhausted grunt and turned to walk away.
All of the Fellowship and even the visitors were in awe of the power he had displayed as none of them had seen him like this before.
Then they heard a loud 'snap' and Gandalf stumbled as the tail end of the Balrog's whip caught the Grey Wizard's ankle.
The staff and Glamdring slipped from Gandalf's grasp into the abyss below as Gandalf held on with his fingertips.
"GANDALF!" Frodo yelled as he tried to rush to Gandalf but Boromir held him back.
"No!" He said firmly.
"The bridge is unstable." Angel said as they all watched the scene, their earlier awe replaced with horror and disbelief.
"Fly you fools!" Gandalf gasped at them and then lost his grip, falling into the abyss with the Balrog.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Frodo and Dawn both screamed in pain and sadness. The Goblins came back and began to shoot at them all from all directions.
Boromir grabbed Frodo and dragged him along as Faith restrained the other Hobbits and dragged them back too, Willow and Tara dragging Dawn back as well.
Aragorn and Angel were glued to their spots, their gazes transfixed where Gandalf had fallen.
"ARAGORN! ANGEL!" Boromir called out to both of them, finally snapping them out of their dazes as they rushed after the Fellowship and reached the exit of Moria.
Soon, they were out of Moria and on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. The sunlight was blinding after so many days in the darkness. Arriving in a valley composed of rocks, they all collapsed as soon as they were away from the door.
Gimli roared and tried to rush back into Moria, wanting to kill more Goblins for the loss of Gandalf and his kin but Boromir held him back.
Sam sat down and covered his face with his hands as tears started flowing out. Faith was standing with her head bowed, wiping tears from her own eyes.
Pippin lay on the ground, crying. Merry lay on his side, trying to comfort both himself and his cousin.
Dawn collapsed, sobbing loudly as Willow and Tara embraced her from either side, their heads buried in the girl's shoulders as they cried too.
Legolas simply stood with disbelief written across his face. Angel sat down, a look of shock and horror etched upon his face.
Aragorn glumly wiped the blood from his blade as he observed everyone. Willow, Tara and Dawn were all reminded of Buffy's fall and sacrifice, and found themselves angry at being unable to prevent either of the situations.
Despite the gap Gandalf had created, Aragorn knew the Goblins would repair it soon enough. As he finished wiping his sword, he turned to Angel who Gandalf had chosen to lead the Fellowship alongside him and his old friend as well.
"Angel, Legolas." He said to the two of them, "Get them up."
The two individuals in question knew Aragorn was referring to the Hobbits, the Witches and Dawn. Legolas was disbelieving for a second but then he moved towards Merry and Pippin.
Angel moved towards Faith who wiped her eyes and nodded at him simply. He nodded back. They carried out an entire conversation with their eyes.
Letting a resigned Gimli go, Boromir was incensed by Aragorn's apparent insensitivity.
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" He retorted angrily.
"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs." Aragorn said as he used his sword to point at the hills around them, "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."
"We can all mourn for Gandalf when we reach Lothlorien Aragorn." Angel said, controlling his emotions.
Aragorn nodded at him of them in appreciation and said, "Come, Boromir. Legolas. Gimli. Angel. Faith, get them up."
Boromir's anger faded away as he realized they were right.
Faith walked to Dawn and the Witches, giving them a sad and sympathetic look as she patted Dawn's head, Angel now walking behind them.
Dawn wiped her tears, and all three stood up together, Willow and Tara still looking glum, the latter more so due to getting the grief of all the rest alongside her own, and even guilt from one person, in whose direction she looked.
The five of them had just lost Gandalf and also found out their 3 old friends Balin, Oin and Ori had been dead for a long time. The tomb of Balin and the skeleton of Ori were etched into their minds to haunt their dreams forever alongside Gandalf's fall.
Aragorn walked up to Sam and helped him up, "On your feet, Sam."
Patting Sam's shoulder, Aragorn saw Frodo gazing towards the horizon. Walking towards him, Aragorn called out, "Frodo? Frodo!"
The Hobbit turned around, gazing at them all as a tear fell out of his eye. A tear of guilt.
This was hard to write for obvious reasons but hope it was well done.
For once, Pippin did not touch the skeleton, though in Angel's case it was an accident due to grief than curiosity.
Frodo's stabbing is one thing to not change, the other is Gandalf's fall.
Durin's Bane vs. Smaug, who do you think wins?
Anyway, hope all enjoyed (or not) and see you all next time with another chapter.