Chapter Six
Some Fighting (for a change)
Leah, walking in her spot between Frodo and Nikki, heaved a sigh. Any day here could be her last, as she had realized when she had seen the vision in the mirror. But what would happen? Time stopped in her world while she was here, so would time in her world be stopped forever if she died? Would she go back to her own world, never being able to return to Middle Earth? If so, would all her friends be brought back with her? Would she return to her own world with time stopped until her friends came back? What would happen to Frodo? To Sam and Nikki? There were too many questions.
~*~
As night fell, we reached the Eastern Moria Gate. I heard an echoing cry and a feminine voice coming from inside. I looked at Frodo and, as though signaled, all nine of us rushed forward.
As we hurried inside, a blinding blue-white light flashed. I looked to the side of the chasm opposite us, where Narquendiel stood, left hand out. The Balrog, wings spread, stood not twenty meters ahead of her.
"NARQUENDIEL!" Legolas cried. If she heard him, she gave no notice. Everyone else stood on our side. Gandalf stood at the edge of the chasm, holding his staff above his head and chanting.
As we watched, the Balrog drew itself to its full height, the flame of its being brightening and blazing with intensity. It drew one great fiery arm up, and brought its great whip down. Gandalf raised his staff higher, and the same blue-white light we'd seen earlier blazed, encircling Narquendiel. The whip glanced off the light, sparks flying. The Balrog roared, infuriated, and took one great step forward. Narquendiel stiffened a bit, and I could tell she was semi-frightened. My eyes widened and I saw Aragorn and Legolas step forward, standing on either side of Gandalf.
"By the power of the shards of Narsil!" Cried Aragorn, drawing his sword and holding it above his head as though to ward off a blow.
"By the power of Vilya!" Gandalf shouted, raising his sword and his staff and crossing them.
"By the power of the Silmarils!" Legolas cried, raising his fist.
Narquendiel followed him, raising both fists in the air and bringing them down, as though dealing a blow with an invisible weapon.
For a moment, nothing happened. The Balrog's fires blazed brighter once more. Aragorn turned and beckoned to the rest of us.
We then ran forward, coming to a stop in the line.
"For the Shire!" Sam, Samwise, Merry and Pippin cried at the same time.
"For Lorien!" the three Lothlorien elves shouted. The Balrog took one more step backwards.
"It's working!" Rachel cried. "By Fire!"
"By Earth!" Ivy called.
"By Air!" Andrea shouted.
"By Water!" I yelled.
"Light!" both Nikkis exclaimed. "Light shall defeat darkness!"
"FOR LOVE!" Frodo practically screamed. He could be extremely loud, especially considering he was a hobbit.
The Balrog stepped backwards once more. Then it roared, as though in great agony, and charged forward at Narquendiel. She dove out of the way as it reached her. It stood there for a moment, almost teetering on the edge. Gandalf brought down his staff, and the stone at the Balrog's feet crumbled, sending him over the edge of the chasm.
Narquendiel got to her feet, but not fast enough to escape the cascade of rocks. She caught hold of a ledge, about two feet below ground level. She struggled for a moment, before finally finding a ledge with her feet. We watched with bated breath as she struggled up the wall.
Finally, after what seemed like an hour, she made it to stable ground. Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas joined hands and made the bridge appear so Narquendiel could come safely across.
No sooner had they let go then two figures appeared on the other side. One of them was fairly tall and had the build of a warrior, the other was rather short but still human looking, bound and gagged but feet loose so they could still walk. I was in disbelief when they stepped out of the shadow of a pillar and the light of Gandalf's staff lit up their faces. My jaw dropped.
"You!"
"Yes, me. You thought I was dead?" Wormtongue said.
"Damn you! You're supposed to be dead!"
"I'm invincible. With the power of Sauron behind me, you cannot defeat me." He pushed the person forward, and I finally recognized the face.
"Mom?" I said, still not willing to believe it.
Leah, walking in her spot between Frodo and Nikki, heaved a sigh. Any day here could be her last, as she had realized when she had seen the vision in the mirror. But what would happen? Time stopped in her world while she was here, so would time in her world be stopped forever if she died? Would she go back to her own world, never being able to return to Middle Earth? If so, would all her friends be brought back with her? Would she return to her own world with time stopped until her friends came back? What would happen to Frodo? To Sam and Nikki? There were too many questions.
~*~
As night fell, we reached the Eastern Moria Gate. I heard an echoing cry and a feminine voice coming from inside. I looked at Frodo and, as though signaled, all nine of us rushed forward.
As we hurried inside, a blinding blue-white light flashed. I looked to the side of the chasm opposite us, where Narquendiel stood, left hand out. The Balrog, wings spread, stood not twenty meters ahead of her.
"NARQUENDIEL!" Legolas cried. If she heard him, she gave no notice. Everyone else stood on our side. Gandalf stood at the edge of the chasm, holding his staff above his head and chanting.
As we watched, the Balrog drew itself to its full height, the flame of its being brightening and blazing with intensity. It drew one great fiery arm up, and brought its great whip down. Gandalf raised his staff higher, and the same blue-white light we'd seen earlier blazed, encircling Narquendiel. The whip glanced off the light, sparks flying. The Balrog roared, infuriated, and took one great step forward. Narquendiel stiffened a bit, and I could tell she was semi-frightened. My eyes widened and I saw Aragorn and Legolas step forward, standing on either side of Gandalf.
"By the power of the shards of Narsil!" Cried Aragorn, drawing his sword and holding it above his head as though to ward off a blow.
"By the power of Vilya!" Gandalf shouted, raising his sword and his staff and crossing them.
"By the power of the Silmarils!" Legolas cried, raising his fist.
Narquendiel followed him, raising both fists in the air and bringing them down, as though dealing a blow with an invisible weapon.
For a moment, nothing happened. The Balrog's fires blazed brighter once more. Aragorn turned and beckoned to the rest of us.
We then ran forward, coming to a stop in the line.
"For the Shire!" Sam, Samwise, Merry and Pippin cried at the same time.
"For Lorien!" the three Lothlorien elves shouted. The Balrog took one more step backwards.
"It's working!" Rachel cried. "By Fire!"
"By Earth!" Ivy called.
"By Air!" Andrea shouted.
"By Water!" I yelled.
"Light!" both Nikkis exclaimed. "Light shall defeat darkness!"
"FOR LOVE!" Frodo practically screamed. He could be extremely loud, especially considering he was a hobbit.
The Balrog stepped backwards once more. Then it roared, as though in great agony, and charged forward at Narquendiel. She dove out of the way as it reached her. It stood there for a moment, almost teetering on the edge. Gandalf brought down his staff, and the stone at the Balrog's feet crumbled, sending him over the edge of the chasm.
Narquendiel got to her feet, but not fast enough to escape the cascade of rocks. She caught hold of a ledge, about two feet below ground level. She struggled for a moment, before finally finding a ledge with her feet. We watched with bated breath as she struggled up the wall.
Finally, after what seemed like an hour, she made it to stable ground. Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas joined hands and made the bridge appear so Narquendiel could come safely across.
No sooner had they let go then two figures appeared on the other side. One of them was fairly tall and had the build of a warrior, the other was rather short but still human looking, bound and gagged but feet loose so they could still walk. I was in disbelief when they stepped out of the shadow of a pillar and the light of Gandalf's staff lit up their faces. My jaw dropped.
"You!"
"Yes, me. You thought I was dead?" Wormtongue said.
"Damn you! You're supposed to be dead!"
"I'm invincible. With the power of Sauron behind me, you cannot defeat me." He pushed the person forward, and I finally recognized the face.
"Mom?" I said, still not willing to believe it.