~ I revised this chapter after reading a review. See, even after watching
the movie many times, I still could not quite catch all of it. It is hard
to see many things after such quick action scenes.
Chapter 3: The Bridge of Khazad Dum (or however you spell that stupid bridge's name)
"Orcs!" I gasped. We all knew who was coming.
Boromir rushed out to the entrance of the dwarf lord's tomb and looked out. He jerked back when two arrows embedded into the door right in front of his nose. He closed the door and turned to us. "They have a cave troll," he said sarcastically.
Well, that complicated things. One thing I hate about the caves was their cave trolls. We had to delay them. Thinking fast, I threw Aragorn a couple of axes, and in turn, Aragorn threw the axes to Boromir to bar the doors of the tomb. I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow, aiming it at the door as Aragorn did the same. I mentally prepared myself for the ward of orcs that would swarm at us.
It was not long until the orcs started to hack at the door. I waited. It wanted to wait for the right time. When there was a hole big enough for me to see where I can lodge my arrow for a kill, I let my arrow fly. It hit the orc squarely in the forehead. That was satisfying. The door burst open and thousands of orcs rushed in. Now was the real battle. I let my arrows fly everywhere. I had never seen so many orcs before in my life, but I almost stood frozen when the big cave troll came in. Gods, he was so ugly! Well, all the more reason to kill him. I let my arrow fly towards it, but it only seemed to make him mad. Whoops.
It swung at Gimli, but he was quick enough to jump away from the troll's fist. Five orcs almost cornered me to the wall. I climbed up to the ledge in between two pillars to momentarily escape them. Three followed me up, and I dodged one of the swings of an orc. Taking out my dagger from my belt, I swung and stabbed an orc in the neck, then another one in the stomach.
I did not expect the troll to turn and focus upon me. Uh oh. Taking it's chain, he swung at me, and I barely had the time to duck. It stared at me for a moment, and I stared at him back. For the first time in my life, I was uncertain of what to do. What would you do if a cave troll was staring right at you with a chain in it's hand? Should I shoot now?
It swung at me again, and I dodged it, backing up behind the pillar. I peeked out and it swung at me again. As fate would have it, the chain wrapped itself around the pillar. Here was my chance! I stepped on the chain to hold it in place, and I climbed up to his shoulders. It tried to shake me off, but I was able to hang on. It thinks it can just merely shake me off - hah! Notching an arrow, I shot it right into his brain. When the troll tried to grab at me I jumped off and turned to see what it would do. I was shocked when the damned troll still didn't die! What was it, a cave troll god? I heard a lot about cave trolls when I was younger, but I never knew they were so tolerant of wounds.
Before my very own eyes, the cave troll stabbed its spear into Frodo. Oh gods, no. Not Frodo! I watched as Merry and Pippin climbed up onto its shoulders and started pounding it with their swords. The troll grabbed at Merry and tried to pull him off. Pippin grabbed its head and pulled his head backwards, that was when I notched my arrow and aimed. Die, you bastard! I fired, and it hit the troll squarely in the neck. The troll seemed to gasp and stagger for a moment, then it collapsed, dead. Serves it right. We all looked at the troll for a couple of moments, catching all of our breaths after that stressful ordeal.
We then remembered. Frodo!... Oh no. I looked over to him and was surprised when he stirred and sat up. Thank Elbereth, he was alive.
We heard more orcs approaching, and Gandalf looked grim. "To the bridge of Khazad Dum!"
We all rushed out of the tomb and through the cavern. Looking up, I saw millions of orcs swarming up above us and descending down towards us. We ran faster, but there were too many of them. They soon surrounded us, and I armed myself. We all huddled against each other, and if we had to fight against these orcs, we would have to fight.
All of a sudden, we heard something at a distance, which sounded like a monster who just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. The orcs looked afraid and they all scampered away to hide. Uhh... okay. What was happening? I turned to see a bright light shining from the other side of the hall, as if forewarning its presence to us. My eyes widened and my lips slightly parted. Oh no. It looked like...
"A balrog," Gandalf informed the rest of us.
A balrog, I repeated in my mind. That was what it was called. I forgot for a moment what the being was named. I pictured the fiery being in my mind that I have seen in my books that I have studied when I was younger. Nothing I have read about it was good. I did not ever want to meet it, but I guess I do not have a choice now, do I? I have heard many stories about it, and no one who encountered it lived.
"Run!"
We all ran from the fiery light that appeared at the other side of the cavern. It was approaching us fast. As we ran, Boromir all of a sudden stopped and looked like he was going to fall. I looked past him to see nothing. The path had ended. I rushed forward and grabbed him, pulling him back onto safe land. "Safe," being a relative term, of course. That was a narrow squeak. One more step and he would have fallen into darkness underneath.
We all rushed down the stairs to a gap where part of the stairs had broken off. Well, that wasn't so bad, but then I thought about the others. They would not be able to jump and land safely like I would, especially the hobbits. I jumped and landed on the other side. Turning, I saw Gandalf hesitating to jump.
Waving my arms in gesture, I called to him. "Gandalf!"
He jumped, and I caught him. He was safe. Boromir then jumps with Merry and Pippin in his arms. Aragorn then tosses Sam onto the other side. I could see him about to do the same when Gimli stopped him. "Nobody tosses a dwarf," he scoffed.
Oh boy. We are in a life and death situation, and Gimli is still worried about his pride? What a great time to think about that. Just jump!
He jumps and barely lands his feet at the edge. He was going to fall backwards, I knew it. I reached out and grabbed the nearest body part of his to me - his beard.
"NOT THE BEARD!" he yells.
Well, excuse me! Do you want to still live and endure a little pain at your chin, or die with your beard still intact? I pulled him forward to safety regardless of his complaint. He was lucky I decided not to let his beard go to teach him a lesson.
But Aragorn and Frodo were not so lucky. Due to the balrog's forceful presence, a huge rock fell and broke off more of the staircase, widening the gap between us. Another rock fell and broke off the other side of the staircase. Aragorn and Frodo had nowhere to turn. The partial staircase started to teeter, first to the side, then forward. Yes, that's it. Towards us, I urged.
Holding my arms out, I was ready to catch either of them. They would make it, I knew it.
"Come on!" I encouraged. The stairs fell forward and crashed into the remaining stairs, and Aragorn and Frodo jumped off. I caught Aragorn, and the teetering stairs fell into the darkness below.
Success! We all continued to run, for we were not safe from danger yet. We crossed over the bridge and I was sure we all were going to make it. My heart skipped a beat when I turned to see Gandalf stopping at the middle of the bridge and turning around. What was he doing? Surely he was not going to face the dreaded creature himself?
The balrog appeared before him, and I jumped. This was the largest creature I have ever seen. I have not personally seen a balrog, but from what I have heard and from the drawings in my study books, it was fierce and was something I would not want to meet. It was orange with flames and horned like the Devil himself. Perhaps he was the Devil of the underworld?
"You shall not pass!" Gandalf shouted. Oh Valar, no. Does he even know what he was doing? He raised his staff and brought it hard to the ground, shattering the bridge, and the balrog fell along with it. I released the breath I held. Whew! Gandalf managed to ward off the balrog, and now we can continue.
I gasped when all of a sudden, a fiery lash wrapped itself around Gandalf's ankle and pulled him back. He grabbed on to the edge of the bridge, trying to hold himself up. He struggled to pull himself back up, but I knew he would not be able to without any help.
I was about to help him when he looked at us and said, "Fly, you fools!" He then let go and fell.
My eyes widening, I thought my heart stopped. No. No! I thought this was a dream at first, that Gandalf has not really fallen. No. Arrows started to fly towards us, and I turned and ran. That was what Gandalf wanted, that was what he will get. No. Gandalf! This was not real. He didn't really fall. I'll just pinch myself and I will wake up. No, that was not the case. No!
Gandalf has fallen. We reached the surface, but even the surroundings that once glittered with snow looked sullen now. I looked around to see the hobbits breaking down in tears and Gimli struggling against Boromir to go back. I shook my head. I wouldn't let my tears fall. I couldn't. My grief was so great my tears would not fall. I was stunned. I never thought that it would be Gandalf who would fall first. I never thought he would fall at all. He was a great wizard! Why did he...? How can he...?
Aragorn then had the nerve to call to me and order to me to get the hobbits back up. I slowly turned to look at him with seething eyes. Had he no sympathy at all? He acted as if Gandalf's death did not affect him whatsoever. Wasn't he even saddened by it at all?
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir said.
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn argued. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."
Sighing, I went over to help Merry to his feet. I couldn't disobey Aragorn's orders. Gandalf, after all, had told him to lead us on. But even I needed a moment to gather myself together after the tragedy. Old Mithrandir. Maybe I will see him again when I pass on in the underlife.
~ On to Lothlorien in the next chapter! How you like so far? I'm alternating between this story and my other story "Strong Bonds to Strong Wills." I have three weeks until I move in to the campus of UC Irvine. When school starts, I will have almost nil time to work on my stories. So I have three weeks to finish both stories. AAUUGHH!!! Hurry!!
Chapter 3: The Bridge of Khazad Dum (or however you spell that stupid bridge's name)
"Orcs!" I gasped. We all knew who was coming.
Boromir rushed out to the entrance of the dwarf lord's tomb and looked out. He jerked back when two arrows embedded into the door right in front of his nose. He closed the door and turned to us. "They have a cave troll," he said sarcastically.
Well, that complicated things. One thing I hate about the caves was their cave trolls. We had to delay them. Thinking fast, I threw Aragorn a couple of axes, and in turn, Aragorn threw the axes to Boromir to bar the doors of the tomb. I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow, aiming it at the door as Aragorn did the same. I mentally prepared myself for the ward of orcs that would swarm at us.
It was not long until the orcs started to hack at the door. I waited. It wanted to wait for the right time. When there was a hole big enough for me to see where I can lodge my arrow for a kill, I let my arrow fly. It hit the orc squarely in the forehead. That was satisfying. The door burst open and thousands of orcs rushed in. Now was the real battle. I let my arrows fly everywhere. I had never seen so many orcs before in my life, but I almost stood frozen when the big cave troll came in. Gods, he was so ugly! Well, all the more reason to kill him. I let my arrow fly towards it, but it only seemed to make him mad. Whoops.
It swung at Gimli, but he was quick enough to jump away from the troll's fist. Five orcs almost cornered me to the wall. I climbed up to the ledge in between two pillars to momentarily escape them. Three followed me up, and I dodged one of the swings of an orc. Taking out my dagger from my belt, I swung and stabbed an orc in the neck, then another one in the stomach.
I did not expect the troll to turn and focus upon me. Uh oh. Taking it's chain, he swung at me, and I barely had the time to duck. It stared at me for a moment, and I stared at him back. For the first time in my life, I was uncertain of what to do. What would you do if a cave troll was staring right at you with a chain in it's hand? Should I shoot now?
It swung at me again, and I dodged it, backing up behind the pillar. I peeked out and it swung at me again. As fate would have it, the chain wrapped itself around the pillar. Here was my chance! I stepped on the chain to hold it in place, and I climbed up to his shoulders. It tried to shake me off, but I was able to hang on. It thinks it can just merely shake me off - hah! Notching an arrow, I shot it right into his brain. When the troll tried to grab at me I jumped off and turned to see what it would do. I was shocked when the damned troll still didn't die! What was it, a cave troll god? I heard a lot about cave trolls when I was younger, but I never knew they were so tolerant of wounds.
Before my very own eyes, the cave troll stabbed its spear into Frodo. Oh gods, no. Not Frodo! I watched as Merry and Pippin climbed up onto its shoulders and started pounding it with their swords. The troll grabbed at Merry and tried to pull him off. Pippin grabbed its head and pulled his head backwards, that was when I notched my arrow and aimed. Die, you bastard! I fired, and it hit the troll squarely in the neck. The troll seemed to gasp and stagger for a moment, then it collapsed, dead. Serves it right. We all looked at the troll for a couple of moments, catching all of our breaths after that stressful ordeal.
We then remembered. Frodo!... Oh no. I looked over to him and was surprised when he stirred and sat up. Thank Elbereth, he was alive.
We heard more orcs approaching, and Gandalf looked grim. "To the bridge of Khazad Dum!"
We all rushed out of the tomb and through the cavern. Looking up, I saw millions of orcs swarming up above us and descending down towards us. We ran faster, but there were too many of them. They soon surrounded us, and I armed myself. We all huddled against each other, and if we had to fight against these orcs, we would have to fight.
All of a sudden, we heard something at a distance, which sounded like a monster who just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. The orcs looked afraid and they all scampered away to hide. Uhh... okay. What was happening? I turned to see a bright light shining from the other side of the hall, as if forewarning its presence to us. My eyes widened and my lips slightly parted. Oh no. It looked like...
"A balrog," Gandalf informed the rest of us.
A balrog, I repeated in my mind. That was what it was called. I forgot for a moment what the being was named. I pictured the fiery being in my mind that I have seen in my books that I have studied when I was younger. Nothing I have read about it was good. I did not ever want to meet it, but I guess I do not have a choice now, do I? I have heard many stories about it, and no one who encountered it lived.
"Run!"
We all ran from the fiery light that appeared at the other side of the cavern. It was approaching us fast. As we ran, Boromir all of a sudden stopped and looked like he was going to fall. I looked past him to see nothing. The path had ended. I rushed forward and grabbed him, pulling him back onto safe land. "Safe," being a relative term, of course. That was a narrow squeak. One more step and he would have fallen into darkness underneath.
We all rushed down the stairs to a gap where part of the stairs had broken off. Well, that wasn't so bad, but then I thought about the others. They would not be able to jump and land safely like I would, especially the hobbits. I jumped and landed on the other side. Turning, I saw Gandalf hesitating to jump.
Waving my arms in gesture, I called to him. "Gandalf!"
He jumped, and I caught him. He was safe. Boromir then jumps with Merry and Pippin in his arms. Aragorn then tosses Sam onto the other side. I could see him about to do the same when Gimli stopped him. "Nobody tosses a dwarf," he scoffed.
Oh boy. We are in a life and death situation, and Gimli is still worried about his pride? What a great time to think about that. Just jump!
He jumps and barely lands his feet at the edge. He was going to fall backwards, I knew it. I reached out and grabbed the nearest body part of his to me - his beard.
"NOT THE BEARD!" he yells.
Well, excuse me! Do you want to still live and endure a little pain at your chin, or die with your beard still intact? I pulled him forward to safety regardless of his complaint. He was lucky I decided not to let his beard go to teach him a lesson.
But Aragorn and Frodo were not so lucky. Due to the balrog's forceful presence, a huge rock fell and broke off more of the staircase, widening the gap between us. Another rock fell and broke off the other side of the staircase. Aragorn and Frodo had nowhere to turn. The partial staircase started to teeter, first to the side, then forward. Yes, that's it. Towards us, I urged.
Holding my arms out, I was ready to catch either of them. They would make it, I knew it.
"Come on!" I encouraged. The stairs fell forward and crashed into the remaining stairs, and Aragorn and Frodo jumped off. I caught Aragorn, and the teetering stairs fell into the darkness below.
Success! We all continued to run, for we were not safe from danger yet. We crossed over the bridge and I was sure we all were going to make it. My heart skipped a beat when I turned to see Gandalf stopping at the middle of the bridge and turning around. What was he doing? Surely he was not going to face the dreaded creature himself?
The balrog appeared before him, and I jumped. This was the largest creature I have ever seen. I have not personally seen a balrog, but from what I have heard and from the drawings in my study books, it was fierce and was something I would not want to meet. It was orange with flames and horned like the Devil himself. Perhaps he was the Devil of the underworld?
"You shall not pass!" Gandalf shouted. Oh Valar, no. Does he even know what he was doing? He raised his staff and brought it hard to the ground, shattering the bridge, and the balrog fell along with it. I released the breath I held. Whew! Gandalf managed to ward off the balrog, and now we can continue.
I gasped when all of a sudden, a fiery lash wrapped itself around Gandalf's ankle and pulled him back. He grabbed on to the edge of the bridge, trying to hold himself up. He struggled to pull himself back up, but I knew he would not be able to without any help.
I was about to help him when he looked at us and said, "Fly, you fools!" He then let go and fell.
My eyes widening, I thought my heart stopped. No. No! I thought this was a dream at first, that Gandalf has not really fallen. No. Arrows started to fly towards us, and I turned and ran. That was what Gandalf wanted, that was what he will get. No. Gandalf! This was not real. He didn't really fall. I'll just pinch myself and I will wake up. No, that was not the case. No!
Gandalf has fallen. We reached the surface, but even the surroundings that once glittered with snow looked sullen now. I looked around to see the hobbits breaking down in tears and Gimli struggling against Boromir to go back. I shook my head. I wouldn't let my tears fall. I couldn't. My grief was so great my tears would not fall. I was stunned. I never thought that it would be Gandalf who would fall first. I never thought he would fall at all. He was a great wizard! Why did he...? How can he...?
Aragorn then had the nerve to call to me and order to me to get the hobbits back up. I slowly turned to look at him with seething eyes. Had he no sympathy at all? He acted as if Gandalf's death did not affect him whatsoever. Wasn't he even saddened by it at all?
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir said.
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn argued. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."
Sighing, I went over to help Merry to his feet. I couldn't disobey Aragorn's orders. Gandalf, after all, had told him to lead us on. But even I needed a moment to gather myself together after the tragedy. Old Mithrandir. Maybe I will see him again when I pass on in the underlife.
~ On to Lothlorien in the next chapter! How you like so far? I'm alternating between this story and my other story "Strong Bonds to Strong Wills." I have three weeks until I move in to the campus of UC Irvine. When school starts, I will have almost nil time to work on my stories. So I have three weeks to finish both stories. AAUUGHH!!! Hurry!!