The Fellowship ran through the corridor of the Dwarf City. Gandalf pointed the way to the Bridge letting Boromir take the lead while he stayed back watching how close the fiery glow was. Boromir ran as fast as he could until he reached stairs. He stopped as the stairs suddenly came to an end, nearly falling off. Thinking quick, Legolas grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Which way do we go now?" Solatiri asked.
"Lead them on, Aragorn", Gandalf said. "The Bridge is near."
Everyone looked to see a bridge a fair distance away. Aragorn looked back at Gandalf who suddenly shoved him in a direction.
"Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."
Everyone turned to another path of stairs which were very steep. Solatiri looked down the side of the stairs seeing what looked like an endless fall.
"Solatiri, come", Boromir said sheathing his sword.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he picked her up.
"You can't make it with your ankle like that."
Solatiri held on as Boromir carried on his back. Boromir followed the rest of the Fellowship as they ran down the stairs. They stopped as they came to a gap. Everyone watched as Legolas jumped over the gap like it was nothing.
"Will you be able to make it?" Solatiri asked.
"I don't know", Boromir said.
Everyone turned as they felt and heard giant footsteps coming closer and closer. The footsteps were accompanied with low roars.
"Gandalf!" Legolas called out.
Gandalf turned and jumped over the gap with Legolas helping him. Out of nowhere an arrow came flying and hit the stairs. Everyone turned to see Goblins on the ledge above them shooting arrows at them. Legolas raised his bow and arrow and fired back at them.
"Boromir", Solatiri said. "Take the Hobbits first."
"What?" he said surprised.
"You can't make it with all three of us. Go!"
Solatiri climbed off his back giving him a chance to jump.
"Merry! Pippin!"
Boromir picked up the small Hobbits and jumped across the gap, and just in time. The edge of the stairs crumbled and fell just as Boromir's feet left the edge. The Goblins continued firing arrows at the group while Legolas continued to fight back.
"Sam", Aragorn said picking up the Hobbit.
He tossed Sam across the gap with Boromir there to catch him. Aragorn turned back to see Gimli holding his hand up.
"Nobody tosses a Dwarf", he grumbled.
Gimli jumped as far as he could, making it to the edge of the gap nearly falling back. Legolas quickly grabbed his beard, pulling him toward the group.
"Not the beard!" Gimli yelled in pain.
The stairs Frodo, Aragorn and Solatiri were on continued to crumble. They stepped back as the gap became bigger and bigger until it looked impossible to jump across.
"What now?" Solatiri asked as they looked at the gap.
"Hold on!" Aragorn said.
She looked at Boromir wondering how they were going to get across. Behind them, the giant footsteps were now close enough to make the Balrog's presence known. Its footsteps shook the corridors causing the stone details around to fall. One large piece fell on top of the stairs behind Frodo, Aragorn and Solatiri making them collapse. There was no going back now. They were trapped.
Solatiri gasped as the pillar holding them up cracked and began to tilt.
"Hang on!" Aragorn said as the stairs began to move.
"What's happening?" she asked.
The rest of the Fellowship watched in suspense as Frodo, Aragorn and Solatiri tried to keep from falling. Aragorn noticed the stairs tilted in the direction he and the others leaned into.
"Lean forward", he said.
Frodo and Solatiri leaned forward making the stairs tilt toward the Fellowship. As the stairs collided with the other side of the gap, Frodo, Aragorn and Solatiri fell forward. Legolas caught Aragorn. Gandalf caught Frodo. Boromir caught Solatiri.
The Fellowship turned and continued to run. There was no time to stop.
Gandalf led the Fellowship away from the stairs and down an empty corridor that led to the Bridge. Everyone looked to see a path of fire that Gandalf seemed to ignore.
"Over the Bridge!" he said. "Fly!"
As soon as everyone ran past Gandalf, they heard a bellowing roar. Out of the flames came the Balrog Gandalf feared. It was larger even than the Troll they face. Gandalf turned and ran knowing fighting would do him no good. The Balrog followed them to the Bridge.
Aragorn slowed his pace a bit when he saw how narrow the Bridge was. Bellow them was nothing but shadow and darkness. Everyone ran across the Bridge but stopped when they saw Gandalf stop in the middle and turned to face the Balrog.
"You cannot pass!"
"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled as he watched.
"What is he doing?" Solatiri asked.
The flames that danced across the Balrog's body rose as it stood before Gandalf.
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor."
Gandalf raised his staff as the crystal glowed brightly, creating a protective shield around him. The Balrog held a sword make of fire ready to attack.
"The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!"
The Balrog brought his sword down on top of Gandalf destroying the shield and the sword. The Fellowship watched hoping Gandalf would defeat this beast and rejoin the group.
"Go back to the Shadow."
The Balrog stepped closer as it pulled out a long whip made of fire. Unfazed Gandalf raised his staff.
"You…shall not…pass!"
He brought his staff down onto the Bridge creating a blinding light that seemed to do nothing. The Balrog looking unimpressed took another step toward Gandalf. Everyone watched as the Bridge beneath it crumbled leaving the Balrog to fall to its doom. Satisfied, Gandalf turned away only to have his foot caught on the whip of fire, falling to the edge of the Bridge.
The Hobbits began to ran to help him, only to be held back by Boromir.
"No!" he said. "No!"
"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled in sorrow.
Gandalf looked into Frodo's eyes before looking at the rest of the group.
"Fly, you fools!"
With that said, he let go letting himself fall into the darkness.
"NO!"