Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the story besides those not seen in any of Tolkien's work. Really, Arnen is my only claim to fame.

A/N: This chapter, as many of my previous chapters, will contain text from the book and the movie. I like to put in a mixture of both for the sake of both those who have read the trilogy and those who have seen the movie – I recommend that everyone read the books. During the fight by Balin's tomb, the movie and the book will be much intermingled; don't try to decipher which part came from the movie and which part came from the book, for analyzing it might ruin the sequence for you.

Last chapter, Arnen learned more about Legolas's family. He has two sisters (one elder and one younger) and an elder brother. Two chapters ago – for those of you who do not have it fresh in your minds – Arnen learned that she is a Maia – a sort of angelic figure created by Tolkien. Onward ho!

A Darkened Sun

They had marched as far as the hobbits could endure without rest, and all were thinking of a place where they could sleep, when suddenly the walls to right and left vanished. They seemed to have passed through some sort of arched doorway into a black and empty space. There was a great draught of warmer air behind them, and before them the darkness was cold on their faces. They halted and crowded anxiously together.

Sam wanted to retch for the stench in the air crowded his sense of smell. He had not been aware of it until they came to the open space. His eyes strained to see the ceiling of their new surroundings, but it was beyond his ability.

The gardener murmured, "You have got yourself in quite a fix, Samwise Gamgee. If only I had listened to my Gaffer. 'Don't meddle in the affairs of them wizards, Samwise. They are a mysterious folk and queer nonetheless.' He said I'd be in a fix and that I am. That I am indeed."

Frodo glanced at Sam then put an arm about his shoulders. Smiling encouragingly in the dim light of Gandalf's staff, he tried to cheer his companion.

"Don't worry yourself, Sam. You'll come out of this and you'll be none the worse. I bet you'll be just like Bilbo when you get back to the Shire, telling of your grand adventures."

The young hobbit smiled at the thought. "And you, too, Mr. Frodo."

Frodo's smile faltered.

Sam turned to his friend. "Isn't that right, Mr. Frodo?"

Looking up, Bilbo's nephew said halfheartedly, "Yes, Sam. That's right."

Suddenly, there was a great flash from Gandalf's staff. Now Sam could see that the ceiling above him was beautifully arched. He had not thought of dwarves as artistic beings, nor had he thought that a mine would be so beautiful.

"Behold," Gandalf heralded, "the great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf."

Sam's mind reached out to the stone cracked pillars and he fancied that he saw them transform. All about torches were posted on the columns, illuminating the hall. Dwarf lords hurried from place to place, comparing plans for new passages to be dug, sharing news of the latest findings of the miners, smoking from their pipes and laughing heartily. The floors were gleaming silver and the roof was shimmering gold, mirroring the dwarves below.

"Now there's an eye opener, and no mistake," he whispered and the vision faded.

Without warning, Gimli darted toward a room lighted by a single sunbeam – there was a shaft allowing sun in. Despite Gandalf's call he entered the chamber, staring in grief at a stone structure in the center. The dwarf fell to his knees, covered his head with his hood, and cried quiet tears.

The Fellowship walked into the chamber, standing silently. Gandalf read the inscription on the tomb, "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It is as I feared."

Arnen breathed in sharply at the name of Balin.

She could see herself standing on a terrace on a mountain of greatest height. The snow was everlasting on the slopes of Taniquetil, the mountain where Varda and Manwë dwell. Her arms were bare, but the cold did not bother the Maia. The misty silk of her dress flowed about her ankles as the chill air blew. Dark hair was pulled back with bright clips resembling the stars. Her gold and silver irises were glowing steadily.

Beside her stood the Lady Varda. The Vala queen wore her raiment of deep midnight; her pale skin shone with the light of Eru. She looked into the wind that played with her hair.

"Why do you weep, Mélië?"

The intensity of the Maia's gaze lessened but she did not turn her head.

"I do not weep at all, my lady. My cheeks are not wet, nor are my eyes glistening."

"No, but your heart whispers of your grief. So, again I ask, why do you weep?" There was silence. "There will be many more deaths and many more battles before the end comes. You must not let your heart be weighed down by each one that passes."

"A battle of five armies is commencing as we speak. Men, Elves, and Dwarves – who at first were killing one another – are now fighting an onslaught of goblins and orcs. That is why I weep."

Varda drew Moicatue into her arms. She held her gently, feeling warm tears seep through her dress.

"I know of the battle. But, Méla, Eru will not abandon his children. He even sent the Eagles to assist them. So, do not fear. No terrible harm will come about, for that is not the will of Eru. In that we can take hope."

Arnen was shaken from her memory upon the sound of a hollow clattering. Turning to the source of the noise she saw a fearful and guilty looking Pippin standing beside a well. Gandalf stalked toward the hobbit and said fiercely, "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

The woman giggled. But her heart froze when drums sounded. Wicked cackling could be heard echoing closer and closer. The stone beneath their feet trembled with a resounding Boom. Gandalf's countenance went from anger to grimness. She knew he felt responsible for the delay that had, unfortunately, made them open to the enemy.

Looking about the room, Arnen saw a pile of rubble beside a column leading to a higher level. Quickly, she scaled the rock and watched what happened below her. Boromir, Aragorn, and Legolas began to bar the door; she heard Boromir sardonically mention something of a cave-troll. The hobbits trembled behind Gandalf. Their grips were unsure yet white-knuckle tight on their sword hilts. Gimli jumped up, ferocious in his grief and his lust for avenging his slain cousin.

The door shook and began to open as a great force pushed upon it. An arm and a shoulder, monstrous in size with scales of drab green, pushed through the opening. When a foot forced its way through, Frodo cried, "The Shire!" Then, the hobbit leaped and drove Sting into the foot of the beast. The cave-troll roared in pain and withdrew. Boromir quickly shut the door behind it.

Readying herself, Arnen slowly withdrew Maebuian from its simple scabbard. Orcs flooded the room, scurrying like insects over fallen fruit. The ranger saw that the foul creatures were focused upon the men and put her sword at her feet. She downed five orcs in an instant. Their throats were stuck with throwing daggers from her belt.

Deformed faces looked around in bewilderment until they caught sight of Arnen. She picked up her sword, stood at the top of the rubble hill, and waited for her foes. It was not until a split second before the attack that Arnen saw another orc coming at her from the side. The grimy blade sliced across her arm and back as she ducked. Losing her balance, she tumbled down the rubble pile. Orcs that had climbed up to attack her were pushed over. Maebuio was knocked from her hand when she hit the ground. A sharp rock tore into her skin and Arnen was blinded by pain.

Finally, the cave-troll stormed in, swinging a spiked club. Arnen rolled, avoiding the bone shattering blow that the troll aimed at her. The orcs that had come close to strike her scattered to avoid being in the way of the beast's weapon. Again the troll aimed at her. Arnen gathered her strength then rolled. She stood and ducked behind a column before the troll could spot her again. Not seeing his intended prey, it moved on, looking for another.

Arnen frantically scanned the floor for her sword. Seeing it beside the rock she had fallen upon, now flashing with her blood, she ran and slid to it, instantly blocking an orcs stroke from cutting her head off. Ducking and slicing, she cut through her enemies until all that was left in the room for the Fellowship to defeat was the troll. She watched as Merry and Pippin stabbed the beast in its head. An arrow from Legolas in the mouth finished the creature and it fell with a piteous moan. Merry and Pippin were flung against the wall.

Arnen sank to the ground in pain.

"Ilúvatar," she whispered sarcastically, "I know you can hear me. Please, would you consider not letting me get hurt like this in any of the battles? It's getting to be repetitive and it works on my patience. Please."

In her spirit she could feel a little flower of heat blossom. She could almost hear her Father laughing at her humor to even think of asking such a foolish question. It encouraged her and strangely enough gave her strength to stand. A frenzied tug on her arm pulled her focus from inside. She saw Boromir was pulling her along behind the others. When she nearly collapsed, the Gondorian lifted her into his arms and kept running.

"Release me, Boromir!"

"Can you run?" he grunted.

"I am not a child. I will not fall behind. Put…me…down!"

Once indelicately letting her go, he ran by her side, making sure that she did not fall again. Gandalf stayed back a moment to guard the door. The rest of them waited at the end of one of many flights of stairs left to traverse. There was bright flash of light and the wizard came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company.

"Well, well! That's over! I have done all that I could. But I have met my match, and have nearly been destroyed. But don't stand here! Go on! You will have to do without light for a while: I am rather shaken. Go on! Go on! Where are you, Gimli? Come ahead with me! Keep close behind, all of you!"

They ran down more crumbling stairs, turning neither right nor left, but going straight on. As they went, it began to get hot and a red light – fire – could be seen ahead of them. Heaviness fell on Arnen's heart, but she could not discern what it was.

They came to a low archway, then, a cavernous hall. Their lungs burning from the running that they had done and knew was ahead, the Fellowship hurried to the end of the passage. There gaped a chasm, and across the chasm was the bridge that would lead them out of the mines. Though arrows began to rain upon them, they moved on.

Gimli led the way across the bridge. Next, went Merry; then, Pippin. Sam and Frodo were after those two. Boromir started behind the hobbits and at last Legolas, Arnen, Aragorn, and Gandalf followed. The elf put an arrow to his bow string, stopped at the end of the bridge, and turned to shoot. But, the bow and arrow fell from his hands. Terror marred his features and he cried words that chilled Arnen's bones.

"Ai! ai! A Balrog! A Balrog is come!"

Gimli stared with wide eyes. "Durin's Bane!" he cried, and letting his axe fall he covered his face.

Arnen began to quake. She remembered Fëanor in the Halls of Mandos told her of his battle with the Balrogs in his fight to retrieve his beloved Silmarils. His eyes were haunted when he spoke of their fiery swords and the fear they inflicted upon one's heart just by their presence.

It was like a great shadow. Two massive wings of darkness spread out from its back. It had the body of a man, mammoth and burning. The dark Maia's head was skull like in appearance and two black horns curved around its face. Fire came from its nostrils. In its hands were a whip of flame and a fiery blade.

Boromir blew the horn of Gondor and the true sound of it made the Balrog hesitate….But only for a moment. The demon began to advance once more. That moment was all that was needed by Arnen. She shook herself and went to Gandalf.

"Olórin," she whispered. "Let me help you."

"You are not ready."

"You can not do this alone."

"Méla," he whispered.

Arnen exclaimed, "But you will die!"

Her age old friend turned. "Then, we will see one another when you return to Valinor."

"But-"

"Stay back, child!" Turning to Aragorn, he cried, "Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you. I must hold the narrow way. Fly!"

No one paid attention to the command. They would not leave Gandalf in a time when he might need them the most. Arnen's eyes burned with tears as she reached into her pack. Inside was the sack of crystals Gandalf had given her before their journey had begun. She cradled one in her hands and waited for the precise moment when the spell would be needed.

The Grey Wizard stood firmly on the bridge, hat gone and hair wild.

"Gandalf!" screamed Frodo.

"You cannot pass," he said "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass."

The Balrog brought its sword down upon Gandalf, but Glamdring shone with white light and deflected the blow. Breaking into pieces, the Balrog's sword flew from its hand. The demon jumped onto the bridge with a roar and cracked its whip.

"YOU…SHALL NOT…PASS!" Gandalf proclaimed and brought his staff down upon the bridge, the force breaking the wood in two.

The Balrog snorted and took a step. Then, the bridge fell beneath hiit. In a last attempt to triumph, it swung the whip around its enemy's ankle just as the wizard was turning to join his companions and pulled. Gandalf clung to the edge of the bridge.

"Fly, you fools!" he cried, and let go of his futile grasp.

Arnen looked at where she last saw her friend in horror. The woman dropped to her knees in disbelief. Sorrow surged through Arnen's heart. She was deaf to the world; she did not even hear Frodo's frenzied cries.

"Nooo!"

The cry ripped through her body, tearing at her throat, her heart, her spirit. She gasped for breath and did not notice the humming until it was too late. The crystal she held in her hand burst forth a blinding light that engulfed her. Its force shook the chasm, the rocks, and even threw Legolas – who had run toward Arnen in order to drag her out when she dropped – against the wall.

The woman, eyes glowing from the use of her abilities, stood. Looking behind her, she saw Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn staring. Only when the arrows of the orcs began to fly did they come out of their trance and run toward the door. Arnen did not immediately follow; no one stopped to get her.

Taking one last look at the broken bridge, she ran outside, not even caring that the day was sunny and bright. Her only true confidant in that strange time in her life was dead, and the friends she had made in the fellowship would undoubtedly question her now. No, the sun held no joy.

So, everybody is about to find out the truth about Arnen. This is going to get very interesting to say the least. Please review and tell me what you think.