Chapter Eight:
Frodo drew his sword, which was glowing bright blue. He looked up at Gandalf, his eyes wide. In the distance, they heard the screeching.
"Orcs!" Legolas said, and they all began moving at once.
"Get back!" Aragorn told the Hobbits. "Stay close to Gandalf!"
Boromir sprinted to the door, looking out. Iliana watched as he flinched back, two arrows embedded in the wood where his head had been a moment before. A loud squeal echoed as he pulled back inside and shut the thick doors. He leaned against them briefly. "They have a cave troll," he said, eyes dating around to each of the. Boromir and Aragorn blocked the doors with long axes that Legolas tossed them.
Iliana drew her bow and readied it, standing on top of one of the fallen columns. Legolas did the same on the other side of the room. Once the door was barricaded, the two Men stepped back. Aragorn drew his bow and stood next to Legolas. Boromir stood on the other side, shield ready and sword drawn.
Gimli roared as he climbed atop the casket, planting his feet wide. "Let them come," he growled. "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."
Iliana chanced a glance behind her and saw the Hobbits behind Gandalf, the lot of them with swords drawn. She then met Boromir's eyes, and they shared a smirk.
As the Orcs began to tear down the doors, the three archers loosed arrows, the resulting shrieks letting them know they hit their targets. Without warning, the doors gave way, and the horde of Orcs rushed in.
Iliana dropped her bow behind the pillar and drew her sword, leaping in front of an Orc. She parried and dodged, slicing through the hideous creatures as they flooded the throne room. She caught sight of Gimli hacking off the Orcs' heads as they came near, and she smiled, pleased that he was getting his justice.
"Tiro!" Legolas yelled, and Iliana ducked as he looked an arrow to the Orc behind her. When she nodded thanks, he smiled and turned to fire again.
"Gurth 'ni yrch!" she yelled, swinging her blade and gutting one of the creatures. She was beginning to feel confident of herself and the others when a massive beast smashed into the room, taking out half the doorframe with it. It roared, it's beady eyes sweeping the room. Legolas loosed an arrow, and it embedded in the cave troll's right shoulder. That only made it angrier as it swung its club at Sam, who dove between its legs.
Iliana swung her sword around, decapitating an Orc behind her. She let out a bark of laughter as the severed head stuck it's tongue out at her. She leapt onto the pillar and snatched up her bow, fitting arrows into it. She took out an Orc surrounding Gandalf. She then killed two of them as they swarmed Sam, who was now using his skillet to back the Orcs' heads.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas standing on the troll's shoulders. He fired two shots into its skill, but the arrows just bounced off. After he jumped down, she loosed her own arrows into its back as Gimli attacked its legs. It swung around, batting Aragorn across the room. Iliana started to run to him with Sam yelled, "Frodo!"
Iliana looked and saw the spear pierce Frodo's heart, and she felt her own stop. Anger filled her then, and she attacked every Orc that continued through the door, her bow and sword forgotten as her twin knives became a blur as she danced through the advancing Orcs.
Finally, the onslaught of Orcs stopped, and she turned just in time to see the cave troll fall, flinging Pippin from its back. She ran to him, as did Merry. "Are you hurt?" she asked, and they shook their curly heads. They all turned to see Aragorn crawl to Frodo and turn him over.
To everyone's surprise, the Hobbit was alive!
"He's alive," Sam said, relief evident in his crystal blue eyes.
Frodo sat up, hand on his chest. "I'm all right," he panted. "I'm not hurt."
They all stared at him, amazed.
"You should be dead," Aragorn said, his eyes wide. "That spear would've skewered a wild boar."
Iliana smiled, and leaned against Boromir in relief. The Man smiled at her and clapped a hand on her shoulder.
"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf said, leaning against a wall, his eyes sparkling with wisdom.
Frodo opened his shirt, and they all stared at the gleaming mail underneath.
"Mithril!" Gimli gasped. "You are full of surprised, Master Baggins."
They all stood there for a moment, breathing in relief. Then screeching echoed through the halls, and they tensed. Iliana snatched up her bow and sword, adjusting them both where they belong.
"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf hissed.
Aragorn helped Frodo to his feet, and they all started running, following the wizard as he led them through the halls. Iliana urged Sam to hurry and not look back as Orcs crawled from the wood work. In the middle of the Dwarf hall, Orcs surrounded them, leering at them with ugly, greasy faces.
"Be ready," Aragorn hissed to Iliana as she gripped her sword, stepping in front of Sam.
A sudden growling made all the Orcs go quiet for a moment, then chatter in fear as a burning light illuminated the hall in the distance. The Orcs scattered, paying no mind to the Fellowship anymore as they scrambled over each other. Iliana felt herself grow cold as the terrible sound from her nightmares echoed through the mines.
"What new devilry is this?" Boromir asked Gandalf.
The old wizard closed his eyes, his expression painful as their eyes darted between him and the growing light.
"A Balrog," Gandalf said at length, his voice laced with venom. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you." He turned and gestured to the way opposite of the demon. "Run!"
They all ran, faster than before, slipping through a doorway. Whisper caught sight of a maze of stairs, narrow and built with empty caverns on each side. Boromir raced forward and nearly fell off an edge that had broken. Legolas pulled him back to safety.
Gandalf leaned heavily against a wall, Aragorn pausing to help. Gandalf put a hand on his shoulder. "Lead them on, Aragorn," Gandalf said. "The bridge is near." When Aragorn moved to pull Gandalf along, the wizard pushed him forward. "Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here!"
Legolas and Boromir lead them down the stairs, Gandalf behind them all. They stopped at a small gap where the stairs had fallen away. Legolas leapt across easily, then motioned for the others to follow. Gandalf leapt as Orcs began firing arrows across the chasm.
Boromir scooped up Merry and Pippin and leapt across with them, Legolas catching onto his tunic to make sure they didn't fall backwards. As Boromir leapt, another section of stairs fell away, causing Gimli, Aragorn, Sam, Iliana, and Frodo to back up.
"Sam?" Aragorn called, and he flung the Hobbit across the gap to Boromir's grasp. Aragorn turned to Gimli.
"No one tosses a Dwarf!" he growled and leapt. His boots didn't quite make it, and as he was falling backwards, Legolas clapped onto his thick beard. "Not the beard!" Gimli howled as Legolas pulled him up.
Iliana clasped Aragorn's shoulder briefly, then launched herself across the gap. She landed easily, Boromir's hands grabbing her shoulder and her waist. She glanced back and saw that the gap had gotten bigger. There was no was that they could jump that.
A thundering footstep made the entire mountain tremble, and a large piece of the ceiling crashed down behind Aragorn and Frodo.
"Steady," Aragorn urged as their narrow strip of stairs began to sway. "Hang on!" They both leaned forward to try and manipulate the fall of the stone. Finally, it seemed to be working. Legolas and Boromir reached out and caught them as their stairs crashed into the others.
With the group together again, they began racing down the stairs. As they ran, Boromir reached out and grabbed Iliana's hand. She looked at him and he squeezed her fingers, holding her tightly. She felt new energy as they hurried.
Finally, there were no more stairs, and they raced across even floor.
"Quickly!" Gandalf yelled, pointing. "Over the bridge!" A wall of fire was at their backs as Boromir and Iliana crossed the narrow bridge first, followed by Aragorn and the Hobbits. Gimli and Legolas were last.
Gandalf stopped in the middle of the bridge and turned, yelling, "You cannot pass!"
The entire group turned, and Iliana's heart went cold when she saw the monster. It was enormous, a great mass of shadow and flame, it's horns terrifying as it roared.
"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled.
The Balrog stood, its wings arching back as is drew a sword of pure fire.
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire," Gandalf said, holding his sword in one hand and his staff in the other, "wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadows." The creature tried to strike Gandalf with its sword, but the flame shattered as it touched the wizard's own sword. It roared in anger and stepped onto the bridge, drawing a fiery whip. The stone cracked beneath its weight. It flicked the whip, making a deadly pop with its flaming tip. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf roared, raising both his sword and staff, and planting them together on the stone bridge. A blinding light erupted from the staff, shocking even the Balrog. At least for a moment, for it soon recovered and stepped forward.
The stone on the Balrog's half of the bridge instantly crumbled away. The fire creature roared as it fell, its wings useless.
Gandalf turned, his body betraying his exhaustion. As Iliana was about to go meet him, the Balrog's flaming whip wrapped around the wizard's ankle and pulled. Gandalf managed to grip the edge.
"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled.
"Gandalf, no!" screamed Iliana, her voice echoing across the chasm.
"No! No!" Boromir caught Frodo as the Hobbit launched himself forward, Sam behind him.
Legolas caught Gimli and Iliana as they tried darting forward. They all screamed to the old wizard. Aragorn ran forward, but as he reached the edge of the bridge, Gandalf urged, "Fly, you fools!" and let go, falling into the darkness.
"No!" Two cried of anguish could be heard as Frodo and Iliana crumpled.
The three Hobbits followed Gimli up a small flight of stairs. Boromir scooped up a still-screaming Frodo. Legolas lifted a life-less Iliana and took the stairs two at a time. Boromir called to Aragorn, who was still frozen on the spot.
"No," Iliana told herself as she tried helping Legolas help her, his arms strong around her shoulders. "It can't be. Gandalf can't die!" Tears streamed down her face as they stepped into daylight.
Her eyes darted around, taking in Pippin and Merry weeping, holding each other, Sam crying into his hands, Gimli struggling against Boromir to get back inside the mines. Iliana looked over her shoulder and saw Aragorn. The grief on his face made all the feeling rush back into her body, and she pushed away from Legolas, feeling the agony crushing down on her.
She walked away, stumbling. Boromir tried to hold her, but she pulled away. Instead, she fell on her knees in front of Sam, making them the same height. They looked at each other and embraced, sharing in the pain and the grief of their loss, both weeping into each other's shoulders.
Iliana opened her eyes and saw Boromir and Legolas watching her, and fresh tears spilt from her eyes.
"Legolas," Aragorn called, "get them up."
The Elf looked at him, then moved to comply.
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir growled, glaring at Aragorn.
"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs!" Aragorn said. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Legolas, Gimli, get them up."
This time, no one objected.
"On your feet, Sam," Iliana said, standing and helping the Hobbit. She squeezed his shoulder affectionately.
"Frodo?" Aragorn called. There was no answer. "Frodo!" They spotted him some short ways away, weeping silently, his head bowed.
Just as the sun was about to set, the remainder or the Fellowship crossed the small stream before the Forrest of Lothlorien. They sprinted towards the trees, Aragorn only slowing the pace once they were many yards into the wood. He led them, followed by Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, then Boromir and Iliana.
"Stay close, young Hobbits!" Gimli whispered loudly. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her spell…and are never seen again."
Boromir gently entwined his fingers with Iliana's, tugging her closer to him. "How are you?" he whispered to her. She just nodded.
"Well there's one Dwarf that she won't ensnare so easily," Gimli continued. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."
At that moment, a group of Elves melted out of the woods, arrows aimed at each of them.
"The Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," said a blond Elf, his dark eyes smirking as Gimli glowered.
Aragorn bowed his head in respect. "Haldir o Lorien," he said in Elvish. "Henio aniron boe amen i dulu lin. Boe amen veriad lin."
"Aragorn," Gimli said, his back stiff. "These woods are perilous. We should go back."
Haldir looked at the Dwarf, his eyes narrow. "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood," he said. "You cannot go back. Come," he said, his gaze moving to each of them, "she is waiting."
Author's Note:
Happy Friday! As promised, here is the next chapter. Please leave a review!
MasterPlosPadawan104: thank you so very much! I am so glad you enjoy my characters and writing style. It means so very much to me!
"Tiro" means "Look"
"Gurth 'ni yrch" means "Death to the Orcs"
"Haldir o Lorien, Henio aniron boe ammen i dulu lin. Boe ammen veriad lin" means "Haldir of Lorien, we come here for help. We need your protection."
Next chapter will be uploaded next Friday! Thank you very much for sticking with me this far. I hope you enjoy the story. Please let me know what you think, any complaints or comments are welcome and well-received!