Chapter Seven
Piper's shoe got caught in a crack in a floor and she pitched forward. Something moved in the darkness and caught her.
'Be careful', said Aragorn. ' We don't want to lose you now.'
Piper glanced at the place she thought Aragorn stood.
'Why do you say that?'
'Well', said Aragorn slowly. 'You've proven yourselves trustworthy to me. Just some others still don't trust you. Others like Gandalf.'
Suddenly, rocks began to fall from the ceiling right where Piper was standing. Aragorn slammed her against the opposite wall and pressed himself against her to shield her from the falling rocks. His height also helped him protect her since he was about a foot taller that her. One medium sized rock hit him on the small of his back. He growled in his throat, but gritted his teeth and stayed where he was.
He's hurt!' thought Piper. Leo can't come and heal him because he's on the other side of the barrier and Paige just doesn't have enough Whitelighter in her to heal. Um... A spell. I need a spell. I know!
Piper knew she had to actually say the spell for it to work but she couldn't say the spell to loud in risk of Aragorn hearing it. The rocks were making too much noise for Aragorn to hear hopefully. She'd just have to do it quickly.
'No more rocks are intertwined
They hit this man from behind
Heal this man, heal him well
Heal him where that rock fell'
Relief came to Aragorn's face. Then he looked at Piper, mistrust in his eyes.
Opps.
'What did you do to me?'
The rocks had finally stopped falling but a wall of rocks blocked Piper and Aragorn from the rest of the Company.
'Aragorn!' Gandalf called. 'Are you and Piper all right?'
Piper rounded on Aragorn.
'Please don't say anything', she whispered.
Aragorn looked at Piper and then at the rock wall.
'We're all right.' he called back. 'Just a little bruised.'
'We'll get you out of there as soon as we can', Gimli said loudly.
'We're not going anywhere.'
Aragorn turned around and with out looking at Piper, sat down. He sat there for a few minutes without saying a word. Finally, Piper spoke.
'Can you keep a secret Aragorn?'
'Have I not already?' he responded coolly.
Piper sat down on the rock she believed was in front of Aragorn. The torch had been destroyed during the rockslide.
'I'm a witch', said Piper 'So are my sisters. We are on the side of light. We're also from a different world. An orc came to our world and sent us here.'
'How do I know you're a good witch?' he asked. 'What if I just kill you right now and not risk you casting a spell on me or the Company?'
Aragorn stood up and Piper heard his sword being drawn from its sheath.
'I'm the one who healed your back'; said Piper quickly. 'If I was your enemy, would I not cast a spell to hurt you even more?'
There was silence for a minute then Aragorn spoke again, this time with less anger.
'Prove to me one more time you are a good witch.'
Piper thought for a minute then got an idea.
'I know this isn't the best way to prove I'm a good witch but I do think it's dark in here. Do you have an extra torch in your pack?'
Aragorn pulled a torch out of his pack and handed it to Piper. Piper concentrated a little of her power to speed up molecules at the top of the torch. The wood began to glow and then a small flame licked the side. A bigger flame licked the wood then the top burst into flame. The light lit up Aragorn's shocked face. Finally, Aragorn spoke.
'Is there any other power I should know about?'
'This is my other power.'
Piper flicked her hand at burning torch and the flames froze in mid leap. Piper waited a few seconds and then unfroze them. The flames burned merrily again. Piper placed her hands in her lap.
'Those are my powers.'
She handed the burning torch to Aragorn who looked at it as if looking for something that could have tricked his eyes.
'Phoebe's powers are premonitions, levitating, and empathy.' Piper continued. 'Paige's are telekinesis and orbing.'
Aragorn looked up at her.
'Orbing?'
'Transporting from one spot to another in the blink of an eye. Together, we form the Power of Three. We are the strongest witches in our world. I hope we are in this world too.'
'Why?'
Piper looked him in the eyes.
'So we can protect you all from Sauron and his minions.'
They were quiet for a few minutes then Piper spoke up.
Piper: Can you please not tell the Fellowship about us? Like you said, half of them already don't trust us. If they knew...
Aragorn nodded.
'Your secret is safe with me.'
'Thank you. I'll tell Phoebe and Paige you know.'
Aragorn nodded. They were silent until the Fellowship broke through the rock wall. There were many hugs from everyone. Piper was very surprised when Gandalf hugged her. Finally they continued on their way. On the way Piper told her sisters why Aragorn now knew they were witches. They were surprised Piper had been so easy on spilling the beans but understood why she had. They walked for about an hour until they reached a great hall. Phoebe gasped.
'It's the hall from my vision!' she hissed at Piper.
'I'll go tell Aragorn.' muttered Piper.
Piper walked up to Aragorn and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and looked at Piper expectantly.
'Keep an eye out for Frodo', she whispered. 'Something's going to happen to him.'
Aragorn nodded. He moved closer to Frodo as they all approached a great table in the center of the room. There were runes on the top.
'What kind of person puts runes on their tabletop', asked Paige.
Gandalf looked at her.
'This is no table', he answered gruffly. 'This is a tomb. In fact, this is the tomb of Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.'
Paige backed away from the table, a look of disgust on her face.
Aragorn and Legolas seemed uneasy. Legolas drew an arrow from his quiver and fitted it into the bow, but he didn't pull the string taunt. Aragorn loosened his sword in its sheath and drew away from Frodo. His eyes shifted from one shadow to another. When his back was turned, a huge figure charged toward the Company. Legolas loosed his arrow but it bounced harmlessly off its armor. Phoebe screamed when she saw it was what Piper had called an orc.
It threw Boromir backwards and Aragorn's sword missed it. The orc ran forward and stabbed Frodo on the right side with its spear. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards into the wall, pinning him there. Sam used his sword and cut the spear in half. Aragorn's sword came crashing down on to the orcs helm. There was a flash like flame and the orcs head fell down to the ground.
'Frodo!' Sam cried.
Frodo's body hit the floor with a loud thump and a strange jingling sound. Aragorn knelt by his body.
'I should have been quicker.' he muttered.
'It wasn't your fault', said Phoebe keeling down beside him.
'Yes it is.' He lowered his voice. 'Your sister warned me.'
Suddenly, they heard drumbeats from far off down the hall. The sound was getting closer with every passing drumbeat. Piper looked around and spotted a passage that took them away from the drumbeats. She had no idea where it led, but it had to be better than certain death for the Company. She tapped Gandalf's shoulder and pointed. Gandalf paled but nodded.
'Down the passage. Aragorn, grab Frodo. We will not give the orcs the pleasure of a meal.'
Boromir went first with the torch to light the passageway. Then came Legolas with Aragorn hot on his heels. Sam, who was last in line, was crying behind Paige. Gandalf didn't come down the passage. Instead he stayed behind to cast a spell of his own. Paige wished she could help him, but it would be too dangerous.
'Put me down Aragorn!' Frodo said loudly. 'Put me down, I said! I'm all right!'
Aragorn nearly dropped Frodo in surprise. Tears of joy came to his eyes, as he set Frodo down carefully.
'We thought you were dead.'
Out of the darkness, Gandalf came flying and landed on his back in the midst of the Company. Gandalf groaned.
'That hurt, but it was for a good cause. I was casting a sealing spell when I felt a creature of darkness come into the room beyond. The creature tried to force the door open with it's own spell but I was able to stop it. But not for long. I was so weakened by the attack my spell will not last long enough for us to get beyond the bridge of Khazad-Dum. I fear it is a foe beyond any of you.'
Gandalf got up and they began to run. Down stairs, left, right, down some more steps, left... Paige lost track of where she was. Finally they reached a great chasm with a bridge only a meter wide. Slowly they began to cross the bridge one by one. Before he crossed the bridge, Legolas looked back and saw a great shadow loom over Gandalf and himself. Fear over took him for only a few seconds, then he began to scream.
'Ai! Ai! A balrog is here.'
Legolas ran the length of the bridge and was on the other side before Gandalf was able to put his foot down. Gandalf walked to the center of the bridge and then turned on the bridge to face the balrog.
'You can not pass!' he roared. 'I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. Dark fire will not avail you! You shall not pass!'
With those last words, Gandalf brought his staff down on the bridge. The staff broke in two. The bridge began to crumble under the balrog's feet and it began to fall. It grabbed Gandalf around the knees with its whip, intending to have Gandalf fall with him. Gandalf grasped the broken end of the bridge.
'Fly you fools!' he called.
With that he was gone.
