A/N: Hey! It's me again. Everyone shocked that I have decided to update? I'm very sorry I haven't updated in forever. I have been so busy with school (but now it's out! *yay*) and then I haven't felt all too inspired to write. But now I decided I probably should! So. . here it goes! I'm very sorry if this sucks! I still would love your opinion though! Thanks everyone!

R/N:

Mojo: Always there to review! Thanks for sticking with my crap story! You're the best!

Bant: Thanks for reviewing! I'm not sure how to verify accounts. . .its been awhile since I got mine. Uuum. . . I think they send you an email to your email account. Then just follow the instructions. I hope I helped!

Discordia: Thank you for reviewing again! Thanks for sticking with this crap story too. You're a wonderful reviewer and I always look forward to what you have to say. Thanks for all the help!

Noa: Thanks for reviewing! Awesome, I'll read your story whenever you get it posted! Thanks again!

Smushed Pea: Thanks for reviewing!



"Can we rest yet?" Aurora gasped, clutching her side.

"No!" Gandalf answered yet again. "I want to get out of this place as soon as possible."

Aurora groaned and continued walking. Well, it was more like hobbling. She really wasn't in shape to be walking through an uphill, then downhill type of cave.

"Wow, look," whispered Scott. They had just walked into a room where enormous pillars were silhouetted against rays of sunlight filtering through small window-like holes near the top of the immense cavern. It was the most beautiful thing Aurora had ever seen. She couldn't even fathom the amount of time and effort it would take to create such a thing as this. She felt a much deeper and greater respect for Gimli's kin, the dwarves.

"No!" cried Gimli very suddenly. He dashed as quick as he could on his short little legs into a room, heedless of the others' cries of stop. He slowed down as he reached a pearl white tomb. As soon as he read the words engraved on the coffin, he dropped to the ground and burst into sobs.

The rest of the fellowship followed in more slowly. Gandalf read, "Here lies Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." Everyone looked sympathetically toward Gimli who still sobbed on the dusty floor of the cave. Gandalf walked slowly around Gimli and picked up a very old and battered book off the ground. He blew dust off it and carefully eased the cover open. Many of the pages crumbled to dust. Ever so carefully, he turned to the last page and read the haunting words. It seemed that Balin, as well as the many skeletons surrounding his final resting spot, had been attacked and trapped in the room by Orcs. The last words that were written in haste, read "They are coming." Gandalf sat down and began reading the book to himself, scanning the pages, turning them very slowly as not to destroy them.

Aurora sat down next to Scott. She finally had her rest, but now she wished nothing more then to start walking again. She didn't like this room, filled with skeletons. It felt- creepy somehow. Maybe it was because she knew there had been a battle fought here, and the good guys hadn't won. It never happened that way in the movies. But, she reminded herself, this wasn't a movie. She wasn't entirely sure what an Orc was, but she had a bad feeling about it. She was sure she didn't want to meet one, and if that meant more walking, then so be it.

Suddenly a crashing sound filled the fellowships ears. Aurora and Scott jumped up, hearts racing. Pippin stood guiltily next to a well in the corner of the room. He had apparently dropped something down it; Aurora distinctly remembered a skeleton perched on the top of it. Everyone stood frozen to the spot, listening like they have never listened before. When no sound could be heard, Gandalf slammed the ancient book and advanced on a terrified Pippin.

"Fool of Took!" He yelled. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Pippin looked down, ashamed. Gandalf began walking back when he suddenly stopped.

"Oh God," Aurora whispered. For the cave was now filled with a booming sound. A sound that was getting nearer and nearer by the second. "Oh no, oh no, oh no." she muttered. She gripped the nearest thing to her which happened to be Scott. Surprisingly he didn't try to push her off. He just stared numbly at the doors that led to the small room. The doors that were the only thing between them and the echoing sounds.

"Orcs!" Aragorn cried.

Boromir dashed forward and peered around the wooden doors. He jerked back suddenly as an arrow came whizzing toward him. It missed his face by inches and slammed into the door.

"They've brought a cave troll," he muttered as he slammed the door shut. Aragorn dashed over and together they wedged axes into it. They backed away and stood at the ready as did everyone else. Scott reached for his sword and looked at Aurora.

"I know your scared but you need to fight this time. I can stand next to you but I can't guarantee that I can fight for both of us."

Aurora nodded numbly and drew her own sword.

"Don't worry," Scott whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you." Aurora gave a feeble sort of smile and jerked her head back as the doors that were being pounded from the outside. She turned her head and saw the hobbits also drawing their swords, staring at them as if for the very first time. Frodo's glowed blue, which meant Orcs were near (as he had explained earlier).

The doors gave way and in swarmed horrible monsters. They were short but their faces were unlike any creature Aurora had ever seen. They were horribly disfigured and the color of old bruises and other things all mixed into one. Their teeth were yellow and black and they had no hair. They made noises like a hissing cat, only more deep and horrible.

Aurora breathed deeply, her chest rising up and down in panic. She gripped her sword in her sweaty hands. In poured the Orcs, attacking from every direction. Scott swung his sword around, stabbing some, beheading others. Aurora stepped forward and followed suit. She felt sick to her stomach. She stabbed one and pulled her sword out, covered in a greenish type of blood. Soon there were so many, all she could do was spin around. Scott and her were back to back fighting off Orcs in opposite directions. Aurora screamed as a huge monster marched in. It was the cave troll Boromir had warned them about.

Aurora soon lost track of everything else. All she could do was stab, pull out, and stab again. She wasn't sure if she was holding her sword right, but that didn't matter. As long as she could fight quick enough, she would stay alive. She was quickly tiring though. The Orcs seemed endless. Though there were no more streaming in, the room was filled with them.

"Frodo!" Scott cried, suddenly.

Aurora glanced around Scott very quickly. Frodo had a huge wooden pole sticking out of his chest. Aurora felt her heart drop. If Frodo had died. . . She didn't even want to think about what that meant.

The Orcs were becoming fewer and fewer and soon Aurora could spin around and fight next to Scott, the wall behind them becoming their protection. The huge cave troll was roaring madly as Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn all tried to attack it. Even Merry and Pippin tried to jump on it, but they were thrown off it as if they were nothing more than fleas.

Legolas somehow (Aurora never could be sure) jumped on top of the troll. He shot it in through the head. Aurora was certain that the horrible creature would die, but that didn't do it. Legolas was thrown off. Almost immediately, however, he shot it through the neck. The troll grunted, and swayed on the spot. With a final roar he fell over and didn't move again.

Everyone dashed over to Frodo, certain that he was dead. They were all shocked when he coughed and sat up, rubbing his chest.

"That would have skewered a wild boar!" gasped Aragorn.

Slowly, Frodo pulled down his shirt, revealing a silver, chain-link piece of armor.

"Mithril!" Gimli cried.

After making sure Frodo was okay, Gandalf called to the fellowship. "Run!"

"And run they did. They left the room as fast as they could; running down a passageway, the Orcs still following them. Aurora still had her sword in her hand as she ran like she'd never ran before. She didn't care about how tired she was, she didn't care about anything. All she cared about was getting out of this place alive. As she ran she looked up and felt all her hopes vanishing. Thousands of Orcs were running above them, on the walls, in front of them, behind them. They were becoming surrounded! In no time at all the fellowship were completely encompassed in Orcs. Thousands of Orcs. Aurora looked around, terrified. There was no way they were going to get out of this. There were too many! But just as the horrible thought filled her head, another loud boom filled the cave. This one even seemed to scare the Orcs. They all shuddered as the boom sounded again and began hissing in fright. The sound echoed again and all of the Orcs left. Aurora wasn't at all comforted. What could possibly frighten a monster?

"Run," Gandalf muttered. He looked almost frightened. Aurora didn't need to hear it again. She ran.

"The bridge!" yelled Aragorn.

Aurora looked up and almost tripped. The 'bridge' was about five feet across. How was she supposed to cross that? She looked behind her where Legolas, Gandalf, Gimli, Aragorn and Frodo still ran. Boromir dashed across a wide piece of rock that looked like the Khazad Dum bridge, only wider. Scott followed Boromir closely, with Merry and Pippin closely behind. Aurora ran easily across it to the other side where Boromir stood waiting for the others.

Aurora looked behind Aragorn, who brought up the rear. A dark shadow was stomping toward them. Rocks shook from the ceiling and crashed onto the cave floor. Orcs still followed on top of the walls and shot arrows toward them every once in awhile. Suddenly, a large rock fell from the ceiling after a particularly large 'boom' and crashed into the bridge of rock. Legolas stopped himself from falling down and leaped easily across the gap. Gandalf followed and turned to help the others. Aragorn tried to throw Gimli across but Gimli wouldn't allow it. He took a great leap and was saved from falling by Legolas who grabbed a hold of his beard.

Suddenly the half of the bridge that Frodo and Aragorn remained on began to shake. It was breaking! Aurora stared, transfixed, as Aragorn and Frodo tried to move with the rock. As it fell forward, Aragorn said something to Frodo, who nodded. Legolas and Boromir stood with arms outstretched as the rock began to crash down. Together, Frodo and Aragorn jumped into the arms of their friends. Miraculously they made it. Aurora sighed in relief. The fellowship began running again. They all began filing across Khazad Dum, running as fast as they were able on the narrow bridge.

Aurora reached it after Scott and looked down. Below it, there was an endless blackness. It was like a starless sky at night, she couldn't see the end.

"Aurora! Come on! Just run!" Scott called. Aurora glanced down and began backing away. There had to be another way to the other side. She couldn't cross this, she'd fall!

Scott turned around and dashed back to her. He grasped her hand, "Come on Aurora. Its okay."

She tried to pull back but he started pulling her across. She looked straight ahead, trying not to look down. She was shaking, but she felt comfort in Scott's hand. After what seemed an eternity, they reached the other side.

"See, there. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Aurora sighed and collapsed on the ground, trying to calm her nerves.

"Gandalf!" Aragorn called. Aurora looked up and saw Gandalf stop about midway across the bridge and turn around. 'What is he doing?' She thought. The dark shadow that was endlessly following them suddenly burst into view. Aurora screamed. It WAS the shadow. It was as dark as the endless pit below the bridge, but it had fire mixed in with it. It was enormous.

"It's the Balrog," Aragorn whispered.

Gandalf, still on the bridge, raised his staff and a blue light surrounded him as he whispered words. The creature took out a fiery whip and thrashed it at Gandalf, who looked nothing more than a mere ant next to the creature. The two battled for seconds that seemed like years. Then, finally, Gandalf somehow managed to push the monster off the bridge. Aurora sighed in relief. Gandalf slowly eased up and was about to turn when, from within the hole, the whip came up. It grabbed Gandalf by the ankle and pulled him over the bridge. Gandalf's staff fell and Gandalf grabbed a hold of the rock with his fingertips. He tried to pull himself up but couldn't. He turned to look at them and whispered, "Fly you fools." In one second, he let go and fell into the abyss.

"No!" Frodo cried, dashing toward the bridge. Aragorn caught the hobbit, still in shock. He pulled him back and began running toward the door at the end of the cave. Aurora couldn't move. Gandalf was gone. He was dead. She stared unblinking at the last place Gandalf had stood. Scott walked over to her and pulled her up. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the door. Arrows fell around them, the Orcs still trying to kill them. They walked into the sunlight; it blinded Aurora. She collapsed as soon as she was outside and stared at nothing, tears streaming down her face. Scott fell next to her and pulled her close. He stroked her hair absently, looking down, fighting his own tears. Merry and Pippin sobbed openly upon the ground. Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli couldn't do anything but stand around and stare. Frodo walked away, by himself.

Gandalf was gone. He was gone and he couldn't possibly come back. He was dead. He wouldn't be able to lead them anymore, he wouldn't be able to tell them what to do.

Aurora looked up as a shadow blocked the sun in front of her. Aragorn stood there. He whispered, "Come. We must leave before we are overwhelmed with Orcs. We will head for the forest of Lothlorien." Scott and Aurora stood up slowly and followed Aragorn. Everyone was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. But they couldn't stay here. Slowly, they began to walk away from the mines of Moria and all the nightmares that filled its glittering walls.

A/N: I hope it wasn't too bad! Please review! Thanks for reading!