Chapter Seven~Fire and Shadow
A/N: We all know what happens in this chapter, I apologize that it is almost twice as long as any other chapter. End of this leg of the journey is coming to an end, and I have a dilemma. I don't know whether to keep it as one story, or split it up to follow the movies. (Yes, I have read the books, but I like the movies better, personally. DON'T SHOOT ME!) Anyway, I've been on a roll the last few days. So, enjoy, and don't forget to review. Reviews make a happy author, and a happy author means happy readers :D
Another day or so passed as they walked in the dark. Everyone was tired, even more so considering none of them had seen the sun in days. Even Rina was feeling the effects of it, down to her bones. Gandalf stopped them and held up his staff, showing them the Halls of Moria, the majesty of the Dwarves. And so, they continued. It wasn't until Gimli screamed "No!", that she knew something really wasn't right. There was an evil in the Mines, something that had killed anyone living there. And it wasn't just Goblins. Dwarves knew how to deal with Orcs, as they had been fighting them as far back as history went. Following the others into a dusty chamber, she stopped to sneeze a few times. Gimli's cries of sadness filled the room.
"Here lies Balin, son of Houldin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf read off the tomb in the center.
Rina knelt down next to him and put her arm around him. "I am so sorry, Gimli"
The sound of creaking and crumbling alerted them to Gandalf taking something from one of the skeletons...a book, by the smell of it. "They have taken the Bridge, and the Second Hall." He spoke for the dead writer. "We have barred the Gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums in the deep." As if thrown back in time, she could feel the floor moving beneath her. Heard the heartbeats of her companions. "We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming."
Suddenly, there was a clang as something fell down a hole on the other side of the room, causing everyone to jump. As soon as the noise stopped, it started up again, this time larger.
"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity." Pippin whimpered when Gandalf yanked his hat and staff away from the embarrassed Hobbit. Before the Wizard could turn around, something else stopped him. All of them stared in horror as the sound of drums started up beneath them. Cries of monsters that most people only hear stories about, echoed up from the well that Pippin had knocked a dead Dwarf down.
"Orcs!" Legolas spat, pushing Rina towards the center of the room. She used the orb to see, but it was much hazier this time. Boromir reared back as two arrows thunked into the door right where his head had been. An monstrous roar sounded as the doors were slammed shut.
"They have a cave Troll," he stated, sounding almost bored.
"Move back, stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn herded the Hobbits with Rina behind the casket. He, Legolas, and Boromir began barring the door with axes gathered from the corpses, and leaning spears against them to keep them from being opened. All around her, swords were drawn from their sheaths. Gimli climbed on top of his cousin's tomb.
"Ah," he growled. "Let them come. There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"
The doors were not strong. After years of decay, they began to crack under the relentless creatures on the other side thirsty for blood. Legolas loosed an arrow, sending it straight to the body of one of the Orcs through the hole it had created. The doors broke open, flooding the room with Goblins. Arrows flew, blades sliced. The Hobbits attacked, spreading them throughout the area. One of the monsters descended on her, seeing easy prey. As it pulled its arm back to strike, Rina hit it in the head with her staff, finishing the job while it was dazed by plunging her blade into its neck. They kept coming, and she was back to back with the Elf, now opting to use his long knives in the limited space. Then came the cave Troll, smashing through the door with its club, lead along by an Orc on a chain. It saw the fleshy pink tasties below it and set to smashing them too. Legolas's shaft found its way to the things chest, effectively making it angry as oppose to actually hurting it.
It charged at Sam, who was right in front of it, and he dodged, rolling underneath it. It was confused for a moment, looking very much like a giant baby looking for a toy that rolled between its legs. Turning, it attempted to step on Sam. She and both the Men grabbed hold of the chain, pulling with all their might to get it away from the poor, frightened Halfling. As it turned, it stumbled, causing Gimli to lose his chance to hit it. Aragorn moved away to fight another Orc, they just kept coming. Boromir and Rina were left holding the chain. The Troll saw this and became enraged, slamming the Gondorian with its giant paw, throwing him into a wall. It grabbed Rina tight, squeezing her, before affording her the same treatment as Boromir. She hit the floor breathless and dazed. Somehow she had managed to keep her link with the orb. Not that it mattered, she didn't open her eyes for a moment. And when she did, she was staring down the blade of a Goblin weapon. The thing smiled maniacally, ready to strike, when the area echoed with the sound of cast iron meeting Goblin skull. Sam helped her up, swinging at another Orc that rushed them with his frying pan.
A crash sent dust everywhere. Frodo was hiding behind a pillar with the Troll trying to sniff him out. It backed him into a corner, grabbing hold of his leg and dragging him towards it. Frodo sliced at its hand, making it drop him. Aragorn rushed at the Troll with a pike, spearing it. He was swept away, knocked out against a pillar. Frodo tried to run away, but he was stopped, pushed into another corner. With a roar, it stabbed the Ring Bearer in the chest.
Time slowed around her. Marina screamed, loud enough to draw the Troll's attention. Her cry rose in volume, making everyone still alive cover their ears. Her vision swam, fading to black as she drained power from the gem above her. Vibrations cut visibly through the air, killing the remaining Goblins. Even the giant covered its head and stumbled from the pain. Rina's nose started bleeding, and she stopped screaming. She fell to her knees, the orb falling next to her. Merry and Pippin jumped, yelling, onto the Troll's back, stabbing it repeatedly. Once it finally managed to yank Merry off, Gandalf and Gimli started attacking it, one hit, then fall back, trade places. Legolas stepped up to it, Pippin stabbed it in a tender spot, causing it to rear back, giving the Elf a chance to loose a bolt right into its mouth. It stopped roaring, stumbled a bit, then went limp, and fell forward. The others were running to Frodo, who, luckily enough, had been wearing a Mithril shirt. When Legolas turned back to reassure the woman that he was alright, he spotted her slumped on the floor where she had fallen.
"Gandalf!" He yelled, alerting the others. After making it to Rina's limp form, he gently turned her over and placed her in his lap. Her lips and chin were covered in blood and dirt, her eyes rolled back in her head.
"Open her mouth and hold her head." He held up the wine skin she had just drank out of earlier. Legolas made sure she didn't drown in it as the Wizard dribbled a little in her mouth. Some ran down her chin, washing some of the blood off. She suddenly coughed and sputtered, her unseeing eyes darting back and forth as a whimper escaped her. "You're alright, Marina."
"What happened? I remember seeing Frodo get hurt. Is he alright?!"
"Quite. Frodo, come." The Hobbit was ushered forward. He stood in front of her, taking her hand and holding against the spot where he had been hit.
She gasped. "Mithril! How-"
"Uncle Bilbo."
Rina smirked, "Always a mystery, that Hobbit." She moved to rub her nose, feeling the sticky liquid. Immediately, she yanked her hand away and rummaged for a rag in her bag. Quickly wiping it away, she said, "We should probably be going."
"Indeed. There will be more coming." Someone helped her up. Again, they were running.
They were chased through the Halls of Moria, the sound of Goblins constantly all around them. Before long, they were surrounded. Rina was assaulted with the smell of Orc-flesh, sweat, old blood, and feces. She and the Hobbits were huddled in the center of the group, weapons out. Frodo was pressed to her side, her arm around his shoulder. Samora lept out, nipping at each of the Goblins when they came too close. Through the dog's eyes, she saw another light, at the end of the long hall where they stood. A growl, not from Samora, but louder, deeper. It shook the entire hall, sending the Goblins into a frenzy. They retreated, climbing up the stone pillars like spiders. The party turned to the sound.
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir whispered to Gandalf. Grinding, chains on stone, the sound of footsteps. The orange light of fire was growing.
"A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you." He turned away. "Run!" And they did.
But, running was treacherous in the Mines. Stones jutted out of the floor here and there, Goblins shot arrows at them from a distance. Legolas shot back at them. Several times, Rina stumbled, even flat out tripped over the uneven stone. Boromir took the lead when they came to the stairs, almost falling into the pit as they came to an abrupt end. Only the quick reflexes of the Elf prince saved him. The stairs were narrow and twisting, making for a dangerous descent for all of them. There was broken patch, too far for them to simply step over. Legolas was the first to jump, motioning for Gandalf to follow. After him, Boromir gathered up Merry and Pippin and jumped with them. Aragorn took hold of Sam and threw across the gap, the other Man catching him easily.
When he turned to Gimli, he stopped him. "No one tosses a Dwarf." He then proceeded to try to make the jump, missing by a misstep. Legolas grabbed hold of the only thing he could reach. "Not the beard!" Gimli yelled.
Samora made the jump easily, only for a rock to fall right after her. Aragorn yanked the woman and the Hobbit away from the edge as it crumbled beneath them. "What do we do?!" Rina clutched Aragorn's arm.
"It's too far to jump." The room shook as the Balrog continued its course after them. "Do you trust me?" The Ranger put his arm around her waist.
"Of course I do." She felt another hand move around her.
"Good."
Suddenly, she was falling through her perpetual darkness. Rina screamed when her hands scraped the stone and slipped. She was dead for sure. Until she jerked to a stop. Multiple hands pulled her back on the stairs. Another rumble, rocks broke off from the ceiling, falling on the column behind Aragorn and Frodo. Samora took Rina's belt in her teeth and pulled her backwards, the only thing to steady her being Sam who was standing behind them. Everyone was moving back, allowing room for Aragorn and Frodo to jump as their freestanding chunk of rock fell forward. At the last second, they jumped, the stone breaking against the safety of the one they now all stood on, and fell. Everyone safe, they moved on, the Bridge of Khazad Dum not far now.
It, too, was narrow, but straight across. They ran single file as fast as they could without losing their footing, Rina and Samora coming after Boromir, leading the Hobbits to the shaft of sunlight on the other side. Everyone was there...wait. Not everyone. Rina felt the heat and power emanating from the Balrog that now stood at the other end of the bridge. In the middle, blocking his path, was Gandalf.
"You cannot pass!" He stated.
Cries rang out from the group, "Gandalf! Hurry, we can still make it!"
The demon straightened himself up to his full height, fire billowing from his body.
"I am a Servant of the Secret Fire. Wielder of the Flame of Anor." He raised his staff, the light building in a sphere around him. "The Dark Fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun." The Balrog raised his flaming sword, bringing it down on the Wizard in his way. It shattered against the shield, and he roared in what seemed like pain. Taking one step onto the bridge, Rina knew what Gandalf's plan was here.
"No! Gandalf, please!"
Another flaming weapon, this time a whip conjured out of seemingly nowhere, cracked in the air. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf raised his staff with both hands, bringing it down on the area just before him. The Balrog did not seem impressed as he took another step forward. The others were still calling for him. Seeing nothing wrong, the monster took another step as he prepared to strike down his opponent, only to have the bridge crumble beneath him. Apparently, despite the size of his wings, the Balrog could not fly. Once Gandalf was satisfied that he had fallen far enough, he sighed and turned away. Rina let out the breath she had not realized she was holding and smiled as her mentor made to cross the bridge. In that same second, the whip swung and snapped, wrapping around Gandalf's ankle, pulling him down.
"NO!" Frodo started running toward him, only to be stopped by Boromir. "GANDALF!" Rina had a death grip on Aragorn's hand.
Gandalf tried to pull himself up, but he was not strong enough and there was nothing to hold onto. He looked up at them with such sad eyes, tears gathering in the knowledge of what he must do. "Fly, you fools." He told them, before letting go of the ledge and falling after the Balrog.
Marina started crying, she too was shouting Gandalf's name, trying to get to him, and being held back by the Ranger who was now their leader. Maybe, if she could get free, she could make it to the pit and find a way to save him before he fell to far. But, she knew it was folly, as Aragorn dragged her away with Samora's keening howl ringing in her ears. He was gone. And even if he wasn't, she had no magic, she had spent too much energy in her scream that killed the Goblins in Balin's Tomb. She was handed off to someone else. Legolas, she assumed. Before she realized what was happening, she was being carried up some steps and out into the sunlight.
Once they stopped and she was put down, Rina curled in on herself on the rock. For years, Gandalf had visited Rivendell. Every time he did, he always had some kind of treat for her, usually a doll when she was younger, then a book as she got older. Tears made hot tracks down her face and her heart broke in two. Samora sniffed at her face for a moment, before laying down and surrounding her human with warmth.
"We have to go. Legolas, get them up." Aragorn tapped her shoulder.
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir's voice was loud, grating on Rina's heightened hearing.
"By nightfall, these hills will be crawling with Orcs. We need to make it to Lothlorien before then. She heard him pull someone to stand. "Up you get, Sam. Frodo? Frodo?!" By now, Rina was sitting up, trying in vain to wipe the tears away. They just kept coming and getting smeared on her cheeks.
A large hand took hold of her chin and started gently wiping her tears away with a soft cloth. "You heard him, we cannot stay." Boromir had taken his gloves off so he could hunt for the rag he was using to clean her up.
"I'm so tired." She sounded like a child.
"I know, sweet lady. Not much longer, I promise. We make for the home of the Elves." Helping her stand, he pressed the cloth into her hands. Rina tried to give it back, but he pushed her hand back toward her. "Keep it. It was my mother's, but I have no use for such a pretty thing." This surprised her greatly. Men do not give gifts without some reason behind it. Boromir must of seen the look on her face, because he chuckled. "I believe ladies have more reason to keep handkerchiefs on their person than a warrior." Rina felt like she had lost her voice. She had not the energy to speak, or really to travel for that matter. She just nodded, then followed the sounds of the others walking away.
So tired.