Chapter Twenty: Chamber of Mazarbul
A/N: Okay, so I must tell you guys (and gals, if being called guys bugs you, but being called a 'gal' would bug me more) that this is not how I originally wrote this chapter, though it's close. You see, when I saved this to my floppy, the file became "corrupt" or something, so I couldn't open it, which is crap! So I lost all my stuff, which I have to re-write. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, because it was so much fun to re-write! (Sarcasm. Seriously.)
Disclaimer: Yeah…all that stuff that you already know. And if you're just joining us, why the hell are you starting on the 21st chapter?! Go to the beginning, you dork! Ha ha, okay.
…
When Aila awoke late in the morning, breakfast was handed to her, which she had missed.
"Come," said Gandalf, "we will explore this hall until we can decide where to go from here. A wrong turn would be folly at this point." Munching upon the lembas, Aila rubbed sleep from her eyes and packed her stuff, following the company around. They went through the northern arch and found themselves in a wide corridor. Soon, they confronted a stone doorway, the door slightly agape. They slithered through the space, not disturbing the door, but dust clouds rose at their feet. Beyond the door was a large square chamber and in the center of the room was a rectangular block of stone, and upon it laid a great slab of white stone.
"It looks like a tomb," muttered Frodo.
"These are Daeron's Runes, such as were used of old in Moria," said Gandalf.
"And in the tongues of men, it says 'Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria,'" Aila interrupted, tears rising in her eyes, bowing her head in respect.
"He is dead then," said Frodo. "I feared it was so." Gimli cast his hood over his face and the rest of the Company bowed their heads in memory of the fallen dwarf. The Company stood silent by the tomb of Balin and only Legolas looked about the tomb, searching for the tidings of Balin's fate.
"Look!" he cried, gingerly picking up a book from the floor. It was stained with blood and various other marks. Its pages were brittle and dog-eared.
Aila's stomach twisted in pain and she pulled off to the side, leaning heavily against wall before seating herself on the floor, the stone supporting her back. She leaned forward and clutched her stomach, her face twisted in pain, but none noticed her
"It seems to be a record of the fortunes of Balin's folk," Gandalf said, taking the book from Legolas and laying it upon Balin's tomb. He carefully opened the book and read from its pages. "Listen to this! 'We drove out orcs from the great gate and guard' I think; the next word is blurred and burned: probably room-- 'we slew many in the bright' I think 'sun in the dale. Floi was killed by an arrow. He slew the great.' Then there is a blur followed by 'Floi under grass near Mirror mere.' The next line or two I cannot read. Then comes 'we have taken the twenty-first hall of North end to dwell in. There is' I cannot read what. A shaft is mentioned. Then 'Balin has set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul.'"
"The Chamber of Records," said Gimli. "I guess that is where we now stand."
"Well, I can read no more for a long way," said Gandalf. "Then 'Balin is now lord of Moria.' That seems to end a chapter. After some stars another hand begins, and I can see 'we found true silver,' and later the word 'well forged,' and then something, I have it! 'Mithril!'; and the last two lines 'Oin to seek for the upper armories of Third Deep,' something, 'go westwards,' a blur 'to Hollin gate.'" For a long time, Gandalf was silent, and Aila rocked herself against the wall, trying to ease her pain, concentrating wholly on figuring out what caused her pain.
"'Balin lord of Moria fell in Dimrill Dale. He went alone to look in Mirror mere. An orc arrowshot him from behind a stone, we slew the orc, but many more … up from the east up the Silverlode …" Gandalf began to read again, the tidings heavy. "It is grim reading, I fear their end was cruel. Listen! 'We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the bridge and the second hall.' The next four lines are smeared so that I cannot read them. 'The pool is up to the wall at Westgate. The Watcher in the Water took Oin. We cannot get out. The end comes,' and then 'drums, drums in the deep.' The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: 'they are coming.'" Wide-eyed, the Company standing around Balin's tomb exchanged glances for several moments before they realized Aila was not with them. Looking frantically around them, Aragorn was the first to spot her. He and Legolas ran to her as the rest stayed to decipher more of the book.
"What is wrong, Aila?" Legolas asked, looking up into her bowed face, his hand on her arched back. She was about to respond when drum beats were heard from a distance. Doom, doom! Her eyes widened in horror as she looked between Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf, who stood a distance away. His head shot up as he listened to the drum beats.
"They are coming!" she cried, trying to stand up, her pain forgotten in her fear.
"We cannot get out," said Gimli, his voice falling.
"Trapped!" said Gandalf. "Why did I delay? Here we are, caught, just as they were before. But I was not here them. We will see what …" The drumbeats echoed and came even closer: doom, doom.
"Slam the doors and wedge them," shouted Aragorn.
"No!" Gandalf cried after he finished. "We must not get shut in. Keep the east door ajar! We will go that way, if we get a chance. There was a ring as the Company drew their swords. Aila and Legolas pulled their bows from their shoulders and an arrow each from their quivers, setting them upon the strings. Gandalf looked to Aila and motioned for her to lower her bow. "Leave your bow, and draw the Sword of Light." Confused, but obeying, she put her arrow in Legolas' quiver and restrung her bow upon her shoulder, her drawing her sword from its sheath for the second time, light as ever, glowing an angry red as it waited to finally be used.
"Who comes hither to disturb the rest of Balin, Lord of Moria?" Gandalf shouted in a deep voice to the orcs that drew near. Laughter was heard echoing through the corridor. DOOM, DOOM. Gandalf quickly thrust his staff past the door and there was a dazzling flash of flight. "There are orcs," he said to the Company. "Many of them, and some large and evil: the black Uruks of Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way."
"We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul," said Aragorn grimly and Aila stood ready, her sword aloft, humming and glowing angrily as if she were swinging it, but she was not.
…
Boromir set his shoulder into the door and thrust it closed, wedging it with wooden splinters and broken sword blades. Almost immediately, there was a blow on the other side of the door and beside her, Legolas stood tensed and ready. Slowly, the door began to grind slowly forward, despite the wedges. Aila's heart leapt into her throat and she could no longer swallow in her fear. This was where she would die …
An arm, green and scaly, was thrust through the gap that was formed with pushing the door forward. Boromir swung at the arm with all of his strength, but his sword rang and glanced aside, his blade notched. A slimy foot was thrust underneath the door and Frodo felt wrath swell within him, no longer feeling helpless.
"The Shire!" he cried and sprang to Boromir's side, plunging Sting deep into the hideous, toeless foot. The foot was withdrawn and black blood dripped from Frodo's blade and Boromir thrust his shoulder against the door once more and slammed it again.
"One for the Shire!" cried Aragorn. "The hobbit's bite is deep! You have a good blade, Frodo."
There was a crash at the door, followed by crash after crash. The door was flung open and arrows whizzed through, missing the Company totally. Orcs began to pour in, one after one. Legolas immediately shot two orcs through the throat and Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung upon Balin's tomb. Together, Boromir and Aragorn slew many. Aila was challenged by several, and her sword hummed and glowed even angrier and changed hues from red to blue to bright yellow. It flashed and hummed of its own accord, parrying, thrusting, slicing the throats of orcs and decapitating many others. After many had fallen, the orcs retreated and Aila's eyes fell upon Sam, standing sturdily, a fire smoldering in his soft brown eyes.
"Now is the time," cried Gandalf. "Let us go, before the troll returns!"
But as they retreated, and before Pippin and Merry even got to the door, a huge orc-chieftain, almost as tall as a man leapt into the chamber. His face was hideously smudged, his nose looked like it had been made of clay and horribly smashed into his skull. Scars riddled his face and one of his eyes was partly white with blindness, but he still was a terrible enemy.
Immediately, Aragorn swung at him, but he blocked his attempt and blocked Boromir's blow with his shield. Charging forward into the Company, the chieftain pointed his spear straight at Frodo, many other orcs following him. His spear scored a hit on Frodo's right side and he was hurled against the wall. Sam hacked at the spear, giving out a cry for his master, and the shaft broke. Aragorn's blade fell upon the orc-chieftain's head and he fell with a head split in half. The orcs, not realizing their chief was dead, continued to charge, but Aila paid them no heed.
"Frodo!" she cried, running towards her wounded friend. She held out her sword and it was swaying challengingly at the charging orcs and she managed to behead several of those that challenged her, unknowingly, as her sword did its work and she just followed its moves. One orc however, managed to reach out his scimitar and score a slash into her right shoulder before her sword made short work of his arm.
"Aila!" Legolas cried, in the same fashion. He followed behind her, fending off orcs as she ran to the Ring-bearer. Grasping her by her left arm he carefully tossed her to the wall beside Frodo and stood over his two friends protectively, his twin elven blades whirling, barely to be seen, as he made short work of all the orcs who challenged him.
Aila watched for a few moments, cradling her right arm which bled from the orc wound. She watched Legolas' twin blades parry to and fro, beheading orcs, slicing their throats. Watching in awe as his blades killed everything that came before them, dancing faster than the eye could tell, only blurs to be seen. To watch Legolas in battle seemed more fair than hearing the sweetest elf song. Aila had always liked watching fight scenes, the choreography was so beautiful to her. Though she never enjoyed death, she had loved watching bombs go off, just to see the explosion of fire and light; and yes, she was a bit of a pyromaniac (A/N: someone who enjoys fire to the point of ridiculous-ness, like they light things on fire for the heck of it … like houses). But she had never loved the people who died because of that explosion. It seemed a terrible way to go: be blown to pieces and burned. But she turned her attentions back to Frodo and she slowly rubbed his shoulder.
"Frodo," she whispered in his ear. "Ring-bearer: I know you are alive and well, if a bit bruised. Stand up, it is time to leave these wretched mines!" Opening his eyes, Frodo heard Gandalf shout what Aila had just said, or something of the like.
"Now!" shouted Gandalf. "Now is the last chance. Run for it!" The orcs had retreated once more and the Company took full advantage of this respite. Frodo stood up gingerly and began to run along with the rest of them, Aila at her heels. Legolas followed the orcs out of the door and slit the throats of a few more before turning to sprint after Aila, which he did quickly, being an elf and she burdened with pushing Frodo along. Soon he was able to grasp her hand and pull her along with him.
"I thought you were dead," cried Aragorn, as he spied Frodo running along by himself.
"Not yet," said Gandalf. "But there is no time for wonder. Off you go, all of you, down the stairs! Wait a few minutes for me at the bottom, but if I do not come soon, go on! Go quickly and choose paths leading right and downwards."
"We cannot leave you to hold the door alone!" cried Aragorn, standing on Gandalf's side. Aila came to Gandalf's side as well, but to pull upon Aragorn's arm, but he stood resolute. She pulled Legolas with her, who remaining clinging tightly to her hand.
"Aragorn, please! Come with us, Gandalf will be joining us soon, do not worry."
"DO AS I SAY," said Gandalf fiercely, causing Aila to reel backwards in surprise. She fell backwards into Legolas, who wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling while still holding her hand. Aragorn's face was still resolute. "Swords are no more use here. Go!" Aragorn noted that Gandalf was speaking more towards Aila than himself, so he grasped her hand tightly in his so that she could not remain behind with the wizard and pulled her along with him, as if she were about to run back to Gandalf at any moment.
A/N: Okay, so I must tell you guys (and gals, if being called guys bugs you, but being called a 'gal' would bug me more) that this is not how I originally wrote this chapter, though it's close. You see, when I saved this to my floppy, the file became "corrupt" or something, so I couldn't open it, which is crap! So I lost all my stuff, which I have to re-write. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, because it was so much fun to re-write! (Sarcasm. Seriously.)
Disclaimer: Yeah…all that stuff that you already know. And if you're just joining us, why the hell are you starting on the 21st chapter?! Go to the beginning, you dork! Ha ha, okay.
…
When Aila awoke late in the morning, breakfast was handed to her, which she had missed.
"Come," said Gandalf, "we will explore this hall until we can decide where to go from here. A wrong turn would be folly at this point." Munching upon the lembas, Aila rubbed sleep from her eyes and packed her stuff, following the company around. They went through the northern arch and found themselves in a wide corridor. Soon, they confronted a stone doorway, the door slightly agape. They slithered through the space, not disturbing the door, but dust clouds rose at their feet. Beyond the door was a large square chamber and in the center of the room was a rectangular block of stone, and upon it laid a great slab of white stone.
"It looks like a tomb," muttered Frodo.
"These are Daeron's Runes, such as were used of old in Moria," said Gandalf.
"And in the tongues of men, it says 'Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria,'" Aila interrupted, tears rising in her eyes, bowing her head in respect.
"He is dead then," said Frodo. "I feared it was so." Gimli cast his hood over his face and the rest of the Company bowed their heads in memory of the fallen dwarf. The Company stood silent by the tomb of Balin and only Legolas looked about the tomb, searching for the tidings of Balin's fate.
"Look!" he cried, gingerly picking up a book from the floor. It was stained with blood and various other marks. Its pages were brittle and dog-eared.
Aila's stomach twisted in pain and she pulled off to the side, leaning heavily against wall before seating herself on the floor, the stone supporting her back. She leaned forward and clutched her stomach, her face twisted in pain, but none noticed her
"It seems to be a record of the fortunes of Balin's folk," Gandalf said, taking the book from Legolas and laying it upon Balin's tomb. He carefully opened the book and read from its pages. "Listen to this! 'We drove out orcs from the great gate and guard' I think; the next word is blurred and burned: probably room-- 'we slew many in the bright' I think 'sun in the dale. Floi was killed by an arrow. He slew the great.' Then there is a blur followed by 'Floi under grass near Mirror mere.' The next line or two I cannot read. Then comes 'we have taken the twenty-first hall of North end to dwell in. There is' I cannot read what. A shaft is mentioned. Then 'Balin has set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul.'"
"The Chamber of Records," said Gimli. "I guess that is where we now stand."
"Well, I can read no more for a long way," said Gandalf. "Then 'Balin is now lord of Moria.' That seems to end a chapter. After some stars another hand begins, and I can see 'we found true silver,' and later the word 'well forged,' and then something, I have it! 'Mithril!'; and the last two lines 'Oin to seek for the upper armories of Third Deep,' something, 'go westwards,' a blur 'to Hollin gate.'" For a long time, Gandalf was silent, and Aila rocked herself against the wall, trying to ease her pain, concentrating wholly on figuring out what caused her pain.
"'Balin lord of Moria fell in Dimrill Dale. He went alone to look in Mirror mere. An orc arrowshot him from behind a stone, we slew the orc, but many more … up from the east up the Silverlode …" Gandalf began to read again, the tidings heavy. "It is grim reading, I fear their end was cruel. Listen! 'We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the bridge and the second hall.' The next four lines are smeared so that I cannot read them. 'The pool is up to the wall at Westgate. The Watcher in the Water took Oin. We cannot get out. The end comes,' and then 'drums, drums in the deep.' The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: 'they are coming.'" Wide-eyed, the Company standing around Balin's tomb exchanged glances for several moments before they realized Aila was not with them. Looking frantically around them, Aragorn was the first to spot her. He and Legolas ran to her as the rest stayed to decipher more of the book.
"What is wrong, Aila?" Legolas asked, looking up into her bowed face, his hand on her arched back. She was about to respond when drum beats were heard from a distance. Doom, doom! Her eyes widened in horror as she looked between Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf, who stood a distance away. His head shot up as he listened to the drum beats.
"They are coming!" she cried, trying to stand up, her pain forgotten in her fear.
"We cannot get out," said Gimli, his voice falling.
"Trapped!" said Gandalf. "Why did I delay? Here we are, caught, just as they were before. But I was not here them. We will see what …" The drumbeats echoed and came even closer: doom, doom.
"Slam the doors and wedge them," shouted Aragorn.
"No!" Gandalf cried after he finished. "We must not get shut in. Keep the east door ajar! We will go that way, if we get a chance. There was a ring as the Company drew their swords. Aila and Legolas pulled their bows from their shoulders and an arrow each from their quivers, setting them upon the strings. Gandalf looked to Aila and motioned for her to lower her bow. "Leave your bow, and draw the Sword of Light." Confused, but obeying, she put her arrow in Legolas' quiver and restrung her bow upon her shoulder, her drawing her sword from its sheath for the second time, light as ever, glowing an angry red as it waited to finally be used.
"Who comes hither to disturb the rest of Balin, Lord of Moria?" Gandalf shouted in a deep voice to the orcs that drew near. Laughter was heard echoing through the corridor. DOOM, DOOM. Gandalf quickly thrust his staff past the door and there was a dazzling flash of flight. "There are orcs," he said to the Company. "Many of them, and some large and evil: the black Uruks of Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way."
"We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul," said Aragorn grimly and Aila stood ready, her sword aloft, humming and glowing angrily as if she were swinging it, but she was not.
…
Boromir set his shoulder into the door and thrust it closed, wedging it with wooden splinters and broken sword blades. Almost immediately, there was a blow on the other side of the door and beside her, Legolas stood tensed and ready. Slowly, the door began to grind slowly forward, despite the wedges. Aila's heart leapt into her throat and she could no longer swallow in her fear. This was where she would die …
An arm, green and scaly, was thrust through the gap that was formed with pushing the door forward. Boromir swung at the arm with all of his strength, but his sword rang and glanced aside, his blade notched. A slimy foot was thrust underneath the door and Frodo felt wrath swell within him, no longer feeling helpless.
"The Shire!" he cried and sprang to Boromir's side, plunging Sting deep into the hideous, toeless foot. The foot was withdrawn and black blood dripped from Frodo's blade and Boromir thrust his shoulder against the door once more and slammed it again.
"One for the Shire!" cried Aragorn. "The hobbit's bite is deep! You have a good blade, Frodo."
There was a crash at the door, followed by crash after crash. The door was flung open and arrows whizzed through, missing the Company totally. Orcs began to pour in, one after one. Legolas immediately shot two orcs through the throat and Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung upon Balin's tomb. Together, Boromir and Aragorn slew many. Aila was challenged by several, and her sword hummed and glowed even angrier and changed hues from red to blue to bright yellow. It flashed and hummed of its own accord, parrying, thrusting, slicing the throats of orcs and decapitating many others. After many had fallen, the orcs retreated and Aila's eyes fell upon Sam, standing sturdily, a fire smoldering in his soft brown eyes.
"Now is the time," cried Gandalf. "Let us go, before the troll returns!"
But as they retreated, and before Pippin and Merry even got to the door, a huge orc-chieftain, almost as tall as a man leapt into the chamber. His face was hideously smudged, his nose looked like it had been made of clay and horribly smashed into his skull. Scars riddled his face and one of his eyes was partly white with blindness, but he still was a terrible enemy.
Immediately, Aragorn swung at him, but he blocked his attempt and blocked Boromir's blow with his shield. Charging forward into the Company, the chieftain pointed his spear straight at Frodo, many other orcs following him. His spear scored a hit on Frodo's right side and he was hurled against the wall. Sam hacked at the spear, giving out a cry for his master, and the shaft broke. Aragorn's blade fell upon the orc-chieftain's head and he fell with a head split in half. The orcs, not realizing their chief was dead, continued to charge, but Aila paid them no heed.
"Frodo!" she cried, running towards her wounded friend. She held out her sword and it was swaying challengingly at the charging orcs and she managed to behead several of those that challenged her, unknowingly, as her sword did its work and she just followed its moves. One orc however, managed to reach out his scimitar and score a slash into her right shoulder before her sword made short work of his arm.
"Aila!" Legolas cried, in the same fashion. He followed behind her, fending off orcs as she ran to the Ring-bearer. Grasping her by her left arm he carefully tossed her to the wall beside Frodo and stood over his two friends protectively, his twin elven blades whirling, barely to be seen, as he made short work of all the orcs who challenged him.
Aila watched for a few moments, cradling her right arm which bled from the orc wound. She watched Legolas' twin blades parry to and fro, beheading orcs, slicing their throats. Watching in awe as his blades killed everything that came before them, dancing faster than the eye could tell, only blurs to be seen. To watch Legolas in battle seemed more fair than hearing the sweetest elf song. Aila had always liked watching fight scenes, the choreography was so beautiful to her. Though she never enjoyed death, she had loved watching bombs go off, just to see the explosion of fire and light; and yes, she was a bit of a pyromaniac (A/N: someone who enjoys fire to the point of ridiculous-ness, like they light things on fire for the heck of it … like houses). But she had never loved the people who died because of that explosion. It seemed a terrible way to go: be blown to pieces and burned. But she turned her attentions back to Frodo and she slowly rubbed his shoulder.
"Frodo," she whispered in his ear. "Ring-bearer: I know you are alive and well, if a bit bruised. Stand up, it is time to leave these wretched mines!" Opening his eyes, Frodo heard Gandalf shout what Aila had just said, or something of the like.
"Now!" shouted Gandalf. "Now is the last chance. Run for it!" The orcs had retreated once more and the Company took full advantage of this respite. Frodo stood up gingerly and began to run along with the rest of them, Aila at her heels. Legolas followed the orcs out of the door and slit the throats of a few more before turning to sprint after Aila, which he did quickly, being an elf and she burdened with pushing Frodo along. Soon he was able to grasp her hand and pull her along with him.
"I thought you were dead," cried Aragorn, as he spied Frodo running along by himself.
"Not yet," said Gandalf. "But there is no time for wonder. Off you go, all of you, down the stairs! Wait a few minutes for me at the bottom, but if I do not come soon, go on! Go quickly and choose paths leading right and downwards."
"We cannot leave you to hold the door alone!" cried Aragorn, standing on Gandalf's side. Aila came to Gandalf's side as well, but to pull upon Aragorn's arm, but he stood resolute. She pulled Legolas with her, who remaining clinging tightly to her hand.
"Aragorn, please! Come with us, Gandalf will be joining us soon, do not worry."
"DO AS I SAY," said Gandalf fiercely, causing Aila to reel backwards in surprise. She fell backwards into Legolas, who wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling while still holding her hand. Aragorn's face was still resolute. "Swords are no more use here. Go!" Aragorn noted that Gandalf was speaking more towards Aila than himself, so he grasped her hand tightly in his so that she could not remain behind with the wizard and pulled her along with him, as if she were about to run back to Gandalf at any moment.