The Balrog Slayer Rides Again
Chapter 7
Glorfindel dreamed that night.
He saw Gandalf, falling. Flame engulfed the wizard. Glorfindel did not see what Gandalf was fighting, but he felt the same dread, the same struggle, the same burning fire that he felt when he was fighting a Balrog. At this, Glorfindel feared. Only by the grace of the Valar had he been sent back.
If Mithrandir fell, it would mean the world was on the verge of collapse. Many would lose hope if Mithrandir fell into darkness. Already many elves were leaving the shores.
Glorfindel helplessly watched as Gandalf fell. The flame blinded Glorfindel, and he was engulfed into the furious flame. Now Glorfindel saw the devilish face of the Balrog. The burning was sharp, and Glorfindel had to fight from crying out. This was too real.
Though Glorfindel thought there were Balrogs of Morgoth had been vanquished, he knew there was one, lurking in shadowy depths, waiting for Gandalf. Waiting.
Glorfindel stared at the Balrog and tried to free himself, but the hatred that was in the creature's eyes burned more furiously than the flame that engulfed him. Suddenly, everything went black, and the searing heat of the fire increased. Glorfindel finally succumbed to the pain after what felt like hours and cried out.
He woke with a shudder.
Glorfindel tried to forget the dream, but the pain was all too real. Glorfindel had dreamt several dreams like that, where he was fighting the Balrog once more, and fire trapped him. The suffocating feeling was the worst part of the dream. This time Gandalf had been there. Glorfindel wondered what triggered that. He knew much of the dream was actual memory, and each he dreamt it he felt he was reliving the trauma.
Glorfindel attempted to forget the dream, and carefully he looked around the entrance of the cave. Not seeing or sensing any immediate danger, Glorfindel checked on Asfaloth.
Somehow, brushing Asfaloth, though constant primping seemed to give the horse a little too much ego, was comforting. It always eased Glorfindel's nerves, and often he found when caring for something, someone, always seemed to put your mind back in the moment. Facing a Balrog was everything but disorienting.
Suddenly, Glorfindel heard something. It would have seemed normal enough, to hear a branch snapping, but for the fact that the horse suddenly tensed under his hands.
Instantly, Glorfindel was on his guard, and quietly soothed the stallion by whispering soothing elvish.
He silently unsheathed his dagger, and waited for the approaching enemy to make another mistake.
After a minute of waiting, he heard a barely distinguishable snap! and he determined where the enemy was headed and where he was coming from. Glorfindel judged that if his opponent could be that quiet, he was no orc. He hoped it was a creature of no greater intelligence, but he knew the chances were unlikely.
Glorfindel saw a flash of movement, but before he could estimate who he was up against, the glimpse disappeared. He had reflexes almost as good as his, and, frankly, that worried him. Glorfindel still was not healed from his battle with the cave troll, and, though he was loathe to admit it, his wrist ached incessantly. All other sores he could put aside, but he knew when it came to a fierce battle, he wasn't in the best of shape.
Glorfindel melted into the trees and stealthily made his way over to where he estimated the creature was skulking. He knew it was trying to lure him towards it, but for what point and purpose? Obviously not a pleasant one, but if he was walking into a trap…
Glorfindel shoved the thought aside. There was no place for fear. Not here.
He caught another glimpse of the creature. It blended in well with its surroundings.
This time, he instantly and silently was behind the creature, with his dagger to his throat.
The being spun around, leaving no time to catch sight of his face, and kicked him, ducking out of the way of Glorfindel's dagger and reaching for his own sword.
A/N: I tried to make this chapter longer. I'm sure you can see I can never resist a cliffie! I'm back on a normal updating schedule, so I should hope there will be another chapter in about a week.
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Seeing-spots: Thanks for reviewing. I'll try to make the chapters longer as I go.
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