// Part 3, The steps //
Tha Balrog's roar of triumph rent the air like a knife. It cracked it's newly formed whip and raked it's flaming blade across the ground sending a fountain of sparks about it like a demonic fireworks display. The monster loomed over it's adversary, and it reached out a burning claw. 'Stupid mortal' it thought 'Didn't he realize that no man can defeat me?' "But I am no man" said a powerful voice. The Balrog stopped, shocked at the voice that dared defy it, then clutched at it's eyes as the figure burst into a pure white light, which burned it's very flesh with it's brilliance. As the first awesome wave receded, the beast blinked it's eyes and struggled to see, and when it's eyes finnaly saw, it felt something it had not felt since it retreat to this place...fear... For in place of the decrepit old man there should have been stood a figure that was taller then it should. There was no bend in this things back, but a fierce fire shone in his eyes. Swathed in magnificent white cloth was he, and brandishing a staff that eminated a white light whose end was imbedded with beautiful crystals that hurt it's eyes to look upon " ENOUGH " bellowed the flaming beast and charged the thing which defied him. The wizard lept into the air, like a feather on a breeze, and dodged the creature's goring horns, while at the exact moment it passed beneath him, he reached out his staff and tapped the creature at the base of the flaming wing. There was an instant of blinding light, then a crack like thunder, followed by a sickening crunch as the joint crumpled in upon itself. The Balrog screamed in surprise as a pain unlike that it had ever felt in battle ripped through it's back. It turned and saw the things back was to it, and lashed out with it's burning whip. Triumph rose in it's flaming heart as it coiled around the staff. Brasing itself, it hauled with all it's massive might. The staff however, was not ripped from the mage's hand, instead the mage came with it and readied his staff for another blow. But this time the monster knew not to underestimate his foe. Sword clanged with staff and a viscous struggled insued. The darkness that consumed the Balrog crept into it's sword, feeding it with darkness, while light from the wizard flared into it's staff, imbuing it with light. There the figured stood, light and dark struggling against one another, fire licked from the beast and sweat stood out on the mage's forhead. The Balrog however, was larger, so with a mighty heave, darkness swallowed light and it's enemy was thrown onto a starcase across the stone on which they fought. The wizard clambered to his feet and planted his staff in front of him. 'There is nowhere to jump now!' thought the monster and once again charged with a roar. The wizard muttered a few words in a language few now know and a shimmering bubble, like diamond encased him. Undaunted the Balrog through all it's bulk forward and shattered the shield like ice, and hammered it's head into it's foe. "Ugh" the mage grunted, and a fine mist of blood splayed from his mouth. He was thrown backward up the steps, the fact that they went up was the only thing that spared him from being crushed against a wall. Pain tore through his limbs and torso as he landed with a dull thud, but still he stood. That's when he felt the breeze. A roar eminated from below him and he saw the monster's fire . "I call upon the Winds of Manwe, lord of the eagles of Cristhorn, mightiest of the Valar, ruler of Valinor, lend me your might to smite this spawn of Melko!" boomed the wizard. The whispering breeze grew into a roaring maelstrom. The Balrog however, was ready. Throwing his arms aside, the monster extended it's claws, and summoned the fire from with in. As the wind wound down the stairway, the Balrog roared and release a jet of flame. Wind met fire, the stone around the point of contact shuddered and even cracked in some places. But fire feeds on wind, and soon the jet turned into a torrent, the torrent into a tornado. Pressure built, the winds howled and fire roared as both sides attempted to smite the other, then there was a deep rumbling sound as the earth itself bucked and heaved, threatening to collapse. At the last minute the mage relented and wrapped humself inside his cloak. There was a terrible noise, like the end of the world, as the flame now found no resistance and roared up the stairs. The fire engulfs the figure wrapped it the cloak, then picks it off the ground and carries it like a wave in the ocean. The skies out side lit up like dawn as a great tongue of fire, like that of the earth itself, rose out of a spire of Moria and into the night sky.
// whew, bulk of the battle, next, The Spire//
Tha Balrog's roar of triumph rent the air like a knife. It cracked it's newly formed whip and raked it's flaming blade across the ground sending a fountain of sparks about it like a demonic fireworks display. The monster loomed over it's adversary, and it reached out a burning claw. 'Stupid mortal' it thought 'Didn't he realize that no man can defeat me?' "But I am no man" said a powerful voice. The Balrog stopped, shocked at the voice that dared defy it, then clutched at it's eyes as the figure burst into a pure white light, which burned it's very flesh with it's brilliance. As the first awesome wave receded, the beast blinked it's eyes and struggled to see, and when it's eyes finnaly saw, it felt something it had not felt since it retreat to this place...fear... For in place of the decrepit old man there should have been stood a figure that was taller then it should. There was no bend in this things back, but a fierce fire shone in his eyes. Swathed in magnificent white cloth was he, and brandishing a staff that eminated a white light whose end was imbedded with beautiful crystals that hurt it's eyes to look upon " ENOUGH " bellowed the flaming beast and charged the thing which defied him. The wizard lept into the air, like a feather on a breeze, and dodged the creature's goring horns, while at the exact moment it passed beneath him, he reached out his staff and tapped the creature at the base of the flaming wing. There was an instant of blinding light, then a crack like thunder, followed by a sickening crunch as the joint crumpled in upon itself. The Balrog screamed in surprise as a pain unlike that it had ever felt in battle ripped through it's back. It turned and saw the things back was to it, and lashed out with it's burning whip. Triumph rose in it's flaming heart as it coiled around the staff. Brasing itself, it hauled with all it's massive might. The staff however, was not ripped from the mage's hand, instead the mage came with it and readied his staff for another blow. But this time the monster knew not to underestimate his foe. Sword clanged with staff and a viscous struggled insued. The darkness that consumed the Balrog crept into it's sword, feeding it with darkness, while light from the wizard flared into it's staff, imbuing it with light. There the figured stood, light and dark struggling against one another, fire licked from the beast and sweat stood out on the mage's forhead. The Balrog however, was larger, so with a mighty heave, darkness swallowed light and it's enemy was thrown onto a starcase across the stone on which they fought. The wizard clambered to his feet and planted his staff in front of him. 'There is nowhere to jump now!' thought the monster and once again charged with a roar. The wizard muttered a few words in a language few now know and a shimmering bubble, like diamond encased him. Undaunted the Balrog through all it's bulk forward and shattered the shield like ice, and hammered it's head into it's foe. "Ugh" the mage grunted, and a fine mist of blood splayed from his mouth. He was thrown backward up the steps, the fact that they went up was the only thing that spared him from being crushed against a wall. Pain tore through his limbs and torso as he landed with a dull thud, but still he stood. That's when he felt the breeze. A roar eminated from below him and he saw the monster's fire . "I call upon the Winds of Manwe, lord of the eagles of Cristhorn, mightiest of the Valar, ruler of Valinor, lend me your might to smite this spawn of Melko!" boomed the wizard. The whispering breeze grew into a roaring maelstrom. The Balrog however, was ready. Throwing his arms aside, the monster extended it's claws, and summoned the fire from with in. As the wind wound down the stairway, the Balrog roared and release a jet of flame. Wind met fire, the stone around the point of contact shuddered and even cracked in some places. But fire feeds on wind, and soon the jet turned into a torrent, the torrent into a tornado. Pressure built, the winds howled and fire roared as both sides attempted to smite the other, then there was a deep rumbling sound as the earth itself bucked and heaved, threatening to collapse. At the last minute the mage relented and wrapped humself inside his cloak. There was a terrible noise, like the end of the world, as the flame now found no resistance and roared up the stairs. The fire engulfs the figure wrapped it the cloak, then picks it off the ground and carries it like a wave in the ocean. The skies out side lit up like dawn as a great tongue of fire, like that of the earth itself, rose out of a spire of Moria and into the night sky.
// whew, bulk of the battle, next, The Spire//