A/N: LOL, Celtic Cross, you're hilarious. Just so you know, I've actually finished writing A Broken Past. I just need to finish writing all 19 chapters. I'll write a summary of the next one at the end of Chapter 19. I want the title to sort of be like A Broken Past though just so I can keep them all together. Like A Healing Heart or something like that, but not that. That wouldn't work for The Two Towers.

Chapter 15: The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm

The Fellowship walked on, but Gimli suddenly gave a shout and ran toward a door at the side.

"Gimli!" Gandalf called.

The rest of the Fellowship followed after the dwarf. He was kneeling, weeping, by a gravestone.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria," Gandalf read. "He is dead then. It is as I feared." Gandalf handed his staff and hat to Pippin when he caught sight of a book in the hands of a dwarf skeleton.

"We must move on," Legolas whispered. "We cannot linger."

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall," Gandalf read aloud. "We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." He turned a page. "We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out." He looked up. "They are coming."

A crash was heard, and everyone looked to Pippin who was standing guiltily beside a well. Gandalf slammed the book shut, a cloud of dust rising from it.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us," he grabbed his hat, "of your stupidity!" He grabbed his staff and turned to leave.

Drumming noises stopped everyone. Valia glanced at Frodo's sword and gasped. It was glowing blue.

"Frodo!" Sam whispered.

Frodo unsheathed his sword then looked toward the door.

"Orcs!" Legolas hissed.

Boromir ran to the door to close it, and he was nearly pierced in the head by two arrows. Legolas went to help.

"Get back, and stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn ordered the short Fellowship members.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir muttered as he, Legolas, and Aragorn barred the door.

Gimli stood on Balin's grave, growling. "Let them come! There is still one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!"

The Orcs broke through the doors, and Valia picked up a sword from a fallen Orc. She showed much skill with a blade though she also helped the others with her abilities. Often she would shield a member of the Fellowship from nearly getting wounded or killed. Valia was running to assist Merry and Pippin when an Orc came in with a chain, leading something into the room. Everyone ducked as the doorway was torn apart to allow the cave troll to enter.

She jumped aside as it tried to club her, passing Sam who was using his pots and pans to knock Orcs out. The cave roll lumbered toward Merry, and Pippin, and Frodo. Frodo was separated from his cousins and was dragged away by the troll.

"Frodo!" Valia cried.

Aragorn attacked it, and it dropped Frodo. Aragorn thrust a spear in its chest, but the troll's skin was thicker than steel armor. The troll grabbed the spear from Aragorn and threw the Ranger aside, knocking him out. Frodo ran to his side then tried to run from the troll. The troll speared the wall, stopping Frodo's escape. The troll hurled the spear at Frodo who caught it in the chest.

"Frodo!" Valia screamed as he dropped to the floor.

Her eyes shone red as she leapt up onto the troll's back. The others watched in shock as she rendered the troll headless in her anger. Leaping down before the troll fell, she ran to Frodo.

"Oh, no," Aragorn whispered, the first to reach him.

He turned the hobbit over, who suddenly gasped and started coughing. "I'm all right, I'm not hurt," Frodo gasped out before toppling backward as Valia tackled him.

"You frightened me!" she said.

"You should be dead!" Aragorn said. "That spear would've skewered a wild boar."

"I'm fine. I just had the wind knocked out of me," Frodo replied, standing with Valia.

The sudden sound of Orcs reached their ears, and everyone looked to the demolished doors.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm!" Gandalf said.

They ran out into the hallway only to be surrounded by Orcs. Frodo leaned on Valia; he seemed to have difficulty breathing. Valia held him steady as the Orcs laughed and taunted. A roar was heard, and everyone looked to the end of the hallway where a red glow appeared. The Orcs ran in fear, and Legolas held his bow at the ready as the glow brightened.

"What is this new devilry," Boromir whispered.

"A Balrog," Gandalf said. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

The Fellowship didn't need to be told again. They ran down the stairs, crossing over a narrow bridge.

"You cannot pass!"

The Fellowship turned to see Gandalf standing in the middle of the bridge facing the Balrog. No one said anything, watching in horror.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor! The dark fire will not avail you flame of Udun!" Gandalf held up his staff, creating a shield, which the Balrog hit with his sword. The sword and the shield broke. "Arg! Go back to the Shadow!" The Balrog snorted and pulled out a whip, snapping it in the air. "You shall not pass!"

Gandalf thrust his staff hard upon the bridge. The Balrog took a step closer, and the bridge collapsed taking the Balrog down. Gandalf turned around, but the whip of the Balrog wrapped around his ankles and dragged him down.

"Fly you fools!" he cried, as he fell.

Valia and Frodo had to be dragged away by Boromir while Legolas and Gimli hearded the other three hobbits out. Aragorn stood for a moment, staring at the abyss, before turning and running after the others.

Valia sat alone on a rock, sobbing with her face buried in her hands. Sam sat nearby with his head in his hand, still too shocked to cry. Merry was trying to console Pippin without crying himself, and Boromir had to hold onto Gimli who was yelling and struggling to re-enter the mines. Legolas stood alone with a look of confusion and disbelief on his face, but Aragorn wiped his sword clean and resheathed it.

"Legolas, get them up," Aragorn ordered.

"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir begged, having finally urged Gimli to stay.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs. We must reach the woods of Lothlorien," Aragorn said. "Come Boromir, Legolas. Gimli, get them up." He walked up to Sam and pulled him up. "On your feet, Sam." Sam nodded, sniffling. Aragorn moved to Valia. "Where's Frodo?"

Valia glanced around. "I don't know."

"I'm here." Frodo walked up, looking grieved but prepared.

Aragorn nodded and walked away. Frodo gripped Valia's shoulder, and when she looked at him he seemed to be having difficulty breathing again.

"Frodo, are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he murmured.

She set her hand on his chest where he had been hit, and he winced. "You were hurt, weren't you?" She stood.

"It's just a bruise," Frodo argued. "It can wait until Lothlorien."

Valia let him be, but she knew he was hiding something.

A/N: Okay, I'll only be updating every Friday. I'm sorry, but I've got school and tons of other things to balance so this has got to be put on Fridays. I promise I'll update any moment I can, but it'll definitely be every Friday for sure. Okay?