Disclaimer: None of it is mine.

A/N: Yeah, I know, I haven't updated in forever, but I hope the wait's worth it. Yes, the Balrog finally shows up; I couldn't exactly delay it any more, could I:)

Chapter Thirteen
Shadow and Flame

Gandalf turned to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan shook his head. "No. Don't say it. I'm not going to leave."

The wizard actually smiled. "I know. You're a good man, Obi-Wan, as I knew from the beginning." He paused. "But if anything should happen . . ."

"It won't," Obi-Wan said firmly. It was a foolish statement, he knew, childish, even, but he wanted so much to believe it. "It won't," he repeated, "and I won't leave you."

Gandalf smiled, and Obi-Wan let out a chuckle. "What is it?" the Wizard asked.

"It's just that . . . when you said I was a good man, you sounded almost like Qui-Gon. He . . . he said that I'd been a good apprentice, and that I was a much wiser man than he was."

"Only now you don't feel wise."

"Don't you see? This is all my fault! It was Pippin's stone that alerted them to our presence."

"Perhaps."

"No, not 'perhaps.' I can feel it. And if I hadn't taught him to use the Force--"

"He would have died on the mountain, along with Boromir."

"But I don't know that. Maybe they could have survived. Maybe they would have found us anyway."

"Obi-Wan, we must all accept the consequences of our actions, both good and bad. Pippin's blunder put us all on alert. Who knows what could have happened to alert them to our presence had we not been so cautious of every step afterwards? Why, one wrong step on one of those stairs could have sent a whole shower of rocks into the depths, making a terrible racket." He looked deep into the Jedi's eyes. "Listen to me, Obi-Wan. This is not your fault. If you are only staying to hope to pay for what you consider to be your mistake, then leave now."

Obi-Wan blinked. They could now hear drums in the distance. "No," Obi-Wan said, this time slowly. "For the third and last time, no. I'm staying because I believe I can help you. This is where I am meant to be. Let me help."

Gandalf smiled and nodded. "Then help me hold this door closed while I put a shutting spell on it. And quickly! The enemy approaches!"

Obi-Wan nodded and reached out with the Force, holding the door in place. The drums were coming swiftly closer, and Obi-Wan could feel with them something that sent a shiver down his spine. From the look on the Wizard's face, Obi-Wan could tell that Gandalf felt it, too, as he hurriedly muttered the words to his spell.

Obi-Wan realized, to his surprise, that he was sweating. Whatever was on the other side of that door was very powerful. For a moment, the door began to slip from their control. Obi-Wan shoved against the door with all his might, both physically and with the Force. He heard Gandalf shout something but could not make it out over the beating of the drums.

Then he felt it. Whatever the thing was, it took hold of the door. Obi-Wan could feel the sweat that now coated his shirt, could feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. Yet Wizard and Jedi held their ground, together.

Suddenly, the door shattered, throwing both of them backwards down the stairs. Obi-Wan crashed into one stair after another, hitting an arm here, a leg there. At last, his chest slammed into the stone and he bumped into something soft.

It was Boromir who had stopped him, and now helped him to his feet, painful though it was. Every part of his body ached, and his head felt like it would burst at any second. Beside him, Gimli was helping Gandalf to stand, and Obi-Wan could tell the Wizard was in much the same condition.

Obi-Wan glanced back up the stairs. The passageway appeared to be blocked. Not only the door had collapsed, but the walls around it, as well. He looked at Gandalf, who nodded. "For the moment, yes, we are safe, but they will find some way around, or break through. We must keep moving."

So they went onwards in the dark, Gandalf leading the way again, with Gimli by his side. Frodo came next, and Sam. Then Merry, who was now carrying the torch, and Pippin. Next went Strider, still carrying Legolas on his back. At the back was Boromir, helping Obi-Wan along in the darkness, as if leading a blind man.

Obi-Wan was too weary to be bothered by this. He felt so dizzy, as if he would faint at any second, and the darkness seemed to be even darker, even with the torch for light. Yet somehow he managed to keep himself awake, putting one foot in front of the other, leaning heavily on Boromir beside him.

It was nearly an hour, and seemed like a lifetime, before Gandalf permitted them to rest. It was none too soon, either, for at that moment, Obi-Wan's legs gave way beneath him, and Boromir helped him down gently to a seat on the steps. Strider set Legolas down and took the torch from Merry so he could have some light to examine the wound by.

The Elf was still alive and breathing, but looked terribly pale. The pressure from the arrow had kept the wound from bleeding, but Strider feared the flight down the stairs may have jostled it, causing more damage. He removed his cloak and wrapped it around the wound, securing the arrow in place. Then he looked up. "That's all I can do here," he said slowly. "When we get out, Gandalf, my suggestion would be to make for Lothlorien. They will not refuse help to one of their own."

Lothlorien. Elves. Obi-Wan's quickly clouding mind barely made the connection. He could hardly think straight. But he did notice that Strider had said, "When we get out," not, "If we get out." From the look on his face, he didn't quite believe it himself, but was simply trying to encourage the Hobbits.

"What happened up there at the door?" Gimli asked, shaking Obi-Wan from his thoughts though the question was obviously directed towards Gandalf.

So the Wizard explained what had happened, and that the way was blocked behind them. "Oh, yes, very useful, this Force of yours," Gimli mumbled sarcastically when he had finished.

Obi-Wan was too tired to argue. It was true; he had been of little enough use. Perhaps he had delayed the door's bursting by a few seconds, but, in the end, what did it matter?

Obi-Wan felt his ribs where they'd hit the steps. At least a few were either bruised or broken, and it was becoming hard to breathe.

Strider noticed. "We should continue on," he offered, "while we still have the strength. It will be best to reach the gates while there is still light."

Obi-Wan slowly got to his feet, and the others followed. They started down the stairs again, and Obi-Wan wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was getting terribly hot. Even the others seemed affected.

Soon, they realized why. There was a glowing light ahead, bright and red. As they made their way towards it, they found themselves in a large room. A large crevice ran down the room from north to south, fire leaping out of it. Obi-Wan shuddered. They had entered on the eastern side of the north wall. If they hadn't, they would have been trapped.

Gandalf seemed rather pleased. "They meant to cut us off. Indeed, if we had come the other way, they would have succeeded. Let us hope the fire now separates us from our pursuers. Come; there is no time to lose."

As they headed for the eastern side, they could hear in the distance coming from the west the sound of beating drums. "Run!" Gandalf shouted.

Obi-Wan tried to run, and Strider beside him, still carrying Legolas, lingered by the back, as well. Arrows were now whizzing out of the shadows beyond the fire.

At last, they reached the edge of a large, black chasm. The other side, Obi-Wan saw, was too far to jump. Normally, he might have made the leap, but now he felt too weak, too tired, to even try.

There was no need for him to, for there was a bridge, a small narrow one, that spanned the abyss. It was so narrow, they could only pass in single-file.

Gimli started across without hesitation, and the Hobbits quickly followed. Boromir looked doubtfully at Strider, who was still carrying Legolas. "I can carry him."

"No, I will," Obi-Wan volunteered, and, without another word, stretched out his hand and lifted Legolas, and soon the Elf was on the other side, and the three humans began to cross the bridge, with Gandalf close behind.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt a wave of terror hit him, nearly knocking him off his feet. Struggling to the edge of the bridge, he at last looked back. Two huge trolls had placed great slabs of stone across the crevice, allowing the Orcs to cross, but that wasn't what he had felt. On the other side, coming towards them, was a being of shadow and flame, of darkness and yet at one with the fire that it so easily leapt across.

There were gasps and murmurs from nearly the whole Fellowship, except for Obi-Wan, who stared in silent astonishment. This was what he had felt back up there at the door. It was a being of incredible power and terror. From Gimli he caught, "Durin's Bane," and from Gandalf, "a Balrog".

Obi-Wan stared, and the shadow seemed to engulf him. He was falling towards it, into it. The flame was enveloping him, and yet he could not struggle.

Suddenly, a note echoed across the stone, loud and clear. Obi-Wan was shaken from the vision by the ringing of Boromir's horn, nearly in his ear.

For a moment, the enemy seemed almost as surprised as he was. His wits recovered, Obi-Wan used that split second to lift the slabs the trolls had placed across the fire and send them plunging into the depths of the crevice.

At this, the enemy seemed to come back to life, and the creature, the Balrog, that had already crossed the fire, advanced towards the bridge with surprising speed.

"Go!" Gandalf ordered the Fellowship, motioning to the door, but as it was plain he would not go with them, none of them went further than the door, and Strider, Boromir, and Obi-Wan, having moved Legolas to safety, ran back to the edge of the bridge to help Gandalf.

The Wizard paid no heed to them, but stood alone in the middle of the bridge. The Balrog came closer, and soon reached the far end of the bridge, but did not immediately try to cross.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf cried, holding his sword high in one hand and his staff in the other. Obi-Wan stared. The Wizard seemed suddenly so small compared to this foe.

As soon as he thought it, he could all but hear Yoda scolding him. For though Gandalf appeared small, he stood firm and straight in the middle of the bridge, and his voice was confident, and rang out for all to hear.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Arnor! The Dark Fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow! You cannot pass!"

Obi-Wan watched as the Balrog took a step onto the bridge. It held a sword in one hand which appeared to be made of fire itself. In its other hand it held a long whip, which swung in the air as it went. It raised its sword high above the Wizard's head. When it came hurtling down, Gandalf was ready. Sword hit sword with a terrible crash, and the Wizard staggered back a pace. But he quickly steadied himself and stood once more, blocking the Balrog's path. "You cannot pass!"

Something inside Obi-Wan at that moment decided to act. Ignoring his own weariness, he ran back along the bridge, with Boromir and Strider close behind.

Even as they did so, Gandalf struck the bridge with his staff. The staff fell from his hand and shattered, but the bridge broke right at the Balrog's feet. Slowly, it crumbled, and only half the bridge was left standing. The Balrog gave a loud cry and tumbled into the abyss below.

Suddenly, out of the darkness rose the Balrog's whip, like a tongue of flame, and curled about Gandalf's knees. The Wizard staggered, and struggled to regain his footing, but was dragged over the edge of the bridge. "Fly, you fools," came his call.

"No!" Obi-Wan shouted, reaching out his hand. The Force caught the Wizard just out of Obi-Wan's sight in the depths. But the Balrog was pulling, gripping, and Obi-Wan was already weary from his first encounter.

He could feel the rest of the Fellowship behind him, trying their best to help. Strider and Boromir and Merry and Pippin, and even Frodo and Sam, were all reaching out, trying to help. Then a new mind entered their efforts. Gimli was trying, trying with all his untrained will to help. Obi-Wan could feel his stubbornness, his determination. Even if he couldn't really help, he would not let the others fail.

Yet despite all their efforts, Obi-Wan could feel Gandalf slipping further into the abyss. If only Legolas were awake, he thought, but it was useless.

Suddenly, there was one large, wonderful burst of energy from somewhere within the group, and the Balrog released its hold on the Wizard in shock. With the enemy gone, an exhausted Obi-Wan quickly lifted Gandalf to safety, managing to save his sword, as well.

Obi-Wan looked around the Fellowship in surprise, and it was suddenly obvious where the energy had come from, for one of them was staring at his hands in amazement, even disbelief, at what he had done.

"Come!" Gandalf called, regaining his wits rather quickly for someone who had just been saved from falling who knows how far to who knows what fate. "We must continue on! Let us hope it is still daylight! Come!"

The rest followed, Boromir scooping up Legolas as they went. Obi-Wan followed blindly behind Strider, utterly exhausted. They ran up several flights of stairs, passing a few Orcs who were struck down easily or even stepped out of the way of the oncoming Fellowship. At last, they were out, and Obi-Wan could feel the sun, warm on his face.

It was the last thing he felt before he lost consciousness, and was gently lowered to the ground by Gandalf, completely exhausted.

Muahahahaha. He 's alive! Don't worry; next chapter, the riddle will be solved: Who keeps helping Obi-Wan? Now would be a good time to take a guess; I'm curious what you think. :)