The Watcher had taken notice of the Fellowship. Its water had been disturbed. Though, not by Dwarves as usual or an Orc pack looking for a drink. A Halfling had disrupted the peace. But one of his friends carried something that the Watcher became enamored with. It wanted to kill the Fellowship and take this trinket. And so one tentacle crept out from the water, and dragged the Ring-Bearer to it.

Brand and his companions were greeted by the Dwarves of Ered Luin. They had taken many rests in the journey to get there, but they had made it at last.

"Where is the Stone?" asked Grimbeorn

"We cannot tell," said Bîm, the main Dwarf. "Only that it lies in the valley."

"I suppose it is hard to obtain, given the time," noted Brand.

"But it must be obtained through a lake of blood... and one must become humbled before retrieving the Stone."

"Tell me, how did this come to be?" asked Grimbeorn.

"Through the skill of the Dwarves, and of the magic of Doriath the Old, although the Maia who helped us is long since gone."

Before another question could be heard, the companions noted that a hint of worry was on Bîm's face.

"You must lead us to the Stone, or at least where we can find it," said Brand.

Bîm nodded, and led the company through the tunnels of the Ered Luin.

In the Tower of Barad-Dûr, the dark lord Sauron sat in silence. He could not fully take the form that he once was, and had become a wraith like his servants.

"Master," hissed the Nazgul that walked in. "The Mouth has picked up word that a being searches for It. And He has come into possession of three Stones."

Sauron had only been barely informed about the one they called Thanos, but he had not perceived him as a threat. But now was different. The Great Eye commanded that two Nazgul and Saruman would watch in the North and West for the one named Thanos, and his other seven search the Eastern lands for his Ring.

With great difficulty, the Fellowship had taken Frodo from the Watcher's grasp and ran into the Mines, with the Watcher closing them in.

Not even Gandalf had known what the Watcher was, for many beasts lay in the deep, unknown and unheard of by the rest of the world.

The Fellowship had not noticed that a set of pale, withered eyes had taken notice of them, and they carried something he once perceived as Precious.

With time, the Fellowship made their way through the Mines without interruptions. But the Mind of the Ring held an attraction to it, and one could perceive that it was near a higher presence.

The Orcs of Moria were slow at first to creep from the dark pits of Moria, but were urged on after seeing the Fellowship.

Legolas was the first to react, nocking an arrow and shooting an Orc off a pillar.

Thus the Fellowship ran as far as they could, knowing not that they had passed the Chamber of Mazarbul and missed what had become of Balin's company. Though it became clear, with the Orcs and Goblins all about them.

The Fellowship was soon forced into a tight circle, with Frodo hiding in the middle.

"You shall not enter this ring!" shouted Gandalf. "Be gone, lest you wish for death!"

The Orcs paid no heed, and continued their attack.

Aragorn, Legolas and Sam stayed around the Ring-Bearer as protection, while the others fought on.

A roar echoed in the deep, and from it emerged a Cave Troll.

All were speechless.

Gandalf smote down an Orc he was fighting, and turned his attention to the Troll.

The Troll threw forth his spear, but the wizard leapt back, missing it.

Legolas shot at the Troll's head, merely angering it.

"Be you not well, for you breathe the same air as the Dwarves!" shouted Gimli, throwing an axe at the Troll's shoulder.

The Troll roared, but Gandalf used his staff and Glamdring to smite the Troll on the knee.

Boromir ran at the Troll, preparing to strike. But he was kicked aside. The Troll knew what it wanted. And it was on the Halfling. In the slight moment of hesitation from the Troll, Gandalf conjured all the force he could and shot forth a beam of light, knocking the Troll through a pillar and down into the abyss.

"Let us fly, fools!"

And so the Fellowship ran, with scattered Orcs behind them. A deep boom is what stopped them all in place. A deep, booming sound like drums. Drums in the deep.

"What new devilry is this?" asked Boromir in a whisper.

An orange glow seemed to emanate from behind, and the Orcs fled.

"A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world," said Gandalf. "Run!"

And with haste the Company ran down the stairs and unto the bridge of Khazâd-Dum.

Gandalf made sure that the Fellowship made it across the bridge. The wizard turned and saw the Balrog, flaming and drawing forth its fiery whip.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor!"

The Balrog was unfazed by the wizard, ignoring him and taking notice of Frodo. The Balrog stepped forth onto the bridge.

Gandalf had now been given no choice. He'd sworn to protect the Ring-Bearer at any costs, even his life.

"You shall not get past me, Flame of Udun! YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS!" shouted Gandalf, slamming his staff into the bridge. At the mere force of the wizard's staff, the bridge broke and fell into darkness, and with it two Maia.

"Gandalf!" shouted Frodo in an anguished cry.

"We must go!" shouted Boromir, dragging Frodo out of the Door.

Aragorn could not believe it. After all his years in Arda, the Grey Pilgrim had finally met his end. He was the Fellowship's only hope. And he was gone.

The ranger was taken out of shock as an Orc's arrow shot at him from the other end of the abyss, and he ran with the Fellowship. The responsibility of being a leader had fallen upon him.

Bîm lead his visitors into a great crater in the mountains, and on the other side an orange Stone lay in the side of the rock.

"This is where it lies."

"Then it will be done," said a voice unseen.

Brand drew his sword, and Grimbeorn once again took bear shape.

In a flash of red ight, Thanos appeared with three Stones in his Gauntlet.

"You will not get the Stone!" growled Grimbeorn as he charged at Thanos. He moved quickly and tackled the Mad Titan, biting into his side. But Thanos recovered by punching the Beorning aside with the stone of Power.

Brand and the Dwarves charged at Thanos with their weapons, but he simply used the space Stone to blow them all against the mountainside.

With a sigh, Thanos turned and looked upon the Stone. He began to walk towards it, and felt a liquid about him. A dark, crimson liquid was all about him, and it rose to his chest. The weight of all he'd killed was now upon him. Thanos could not help but shed a tear. All this, to bring balance to the universe.

But it's necessary, he told himself. The price to pay for salvation.

When Thanos reached his journey's end he pulled the Stone from the mountainside, and put it into his Gauntlet.