Estateillio

the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm

• The bridges that led through the spacious cavern were narrow and had no railing and that rendered them almost the worst place to fight a balrog.

• "We cannot tarry here. Go!", Estateillio cried, her distress moving Aragorn and thus Legolas and the hobbits, Boromir following closely behind to protect the halflings, for they had grown dear to him, and even Gimli heeded her words, for he remembered what his father had told him before his departure: "If there's one elf you can trust, lad, it's the lass. A dwarf-friend, that one, named so by Durin the fourth. An honourable fighter."

• Gandalf and Estateillio were last, both thinking about how they could kill the balrog in such difficult environment. They faced their first obstacle not long after. There was a gap in the staircase, part of it had broken and fallen into depths below, leaving a good ten feet wide chasm to jump over. Legolas did not hesitate, nimbly crossing the gap as if it were nothing, and Aragorn followed.

• "Toss the hobbits, I'll catch them", he told Boromir of his plan and carefully the son of Gondor picked up Merry and chucked the ranger the halfling who was then gently lowered upon his large feet. They repeated that process, though they had a little trouble with Frodo and Sam, for the former was a bit skittish and the latter quite heavy, because he carried many pots and a large pan and other things that the other hobbits didn't.

• But they managed and then Boromir offered to help Gimli across as well, seeing as the dwarf was just a little taller than the hobbits. But he refused out of pride, claiming: "Nobody tosses a dwarf." And then he jumped and his feet touched the other side, but had it not been for Legolas, lunging forwards and grabbing his beard, he would have fallen into the chasm below, though he greatly complained about the Sinda's thoughtful action.

• And then Boromir followed and Gandalf as well, though when he landed Aragorn had to steady him, for the Istar was still exhausted from the fight, and then Estateillio jumped, though with her size it was more like a large hop, and then they ran on, the balrog close enough now that everyone could hear it clearly.

• "The bridge of Khazad-Dûm is near", Gandalf informed them to boost their spirits and it seemed to work, for at least the hobbits ran faster.

• And then it laid before them, a narrow bridge and Aragorn ushered Frodo and Sam across it and Pippin followed with behind Legolas and Gimli. Of the hobbits only Merry lingered for a moment, asking: "Won't it collapse?"

• And Estateillio smiled and assured him it wouldn't, but the gears of four minds had been set in motion and she stopped Gandalf halfway across the bridge, when the balrog finally caught up with them again and roared in anger.

• "Can you make the bridge collapse when it steps onto it?", she asked, sharing her hastily made plan, "It should not be able to escape a fall into the depth of the earth with a broken wing."

• And the Istar thought for but a second and then said: "That I can do. Step back." And she joined the fellowship on the other side of the bridge, disgruntled that she had no steel arrows to at least injure the balrog with (due to the heat, wooden ones would turn to ash before they reached the blackened skin) and she said as much to Legolas when he asked if they could not simply shoot it.

• The balrog hesitated at the edge of the bridge and Gandalf stepped forwards and cried out in challenge: "You cannot pass!" That was the most surefire way to get an Úmaia exactly where you wanted them to be and it worked this time as it had so many others. The balrog roared and spread its wings to appear bigger and more menacing, though the picture didn't quite work with one of them obviously serially injured.

• "I am the Servant of the Secret Fire. Wielder of the Flame of Anor", Gandalf continued, taunting his foe with the fact that he was loyal to Eru Ilúvatar whom the balrog had abandoned. And it raised its sword and brought it down upon the lone Istar and a great shield of white light appeared in front of him and the fiery blade shattered upon contact.

• "The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn", Mithrandir mocked what once was his sibling, calling its power and strength useless, "Go back to the shadows!" This did it, the balrog stepped onto the bridge.

• Estateillio had expected that the Maia would turn now, run to the end of the bridge and then destroy it when he was safely across, but instead he lured his foe further onto the bridge: "You shall not pass!"

• And then he slammed his staff into the stone at his feet and with a great wave of power the rocky structure broke off right in front of him and the balrog followed the chunks of debris into the deep abyss and Gandalf turned, looking exhausted and breathing heavily.

• And then the balrog lashed out, determined to have its revenge, and the fiery whip wrapped itself around the Maia's ankle and dragged him over the edge and he clung to the stone.

• And Estateillio stepped onto the bridge to come to his help, but even under her elven weight the bridge cracked and small stones started falling down and again there was that meddling power.

• And Gandalf realised what it was and to Estateillio he said: "I cannot disobey their call." And to the others he said: "Fly, you fools!"

• And then the bridge crumbled and Olórin fell and Frodo cried out, while a numbness spread within the elleth, for though she had never exactly considered the Maia a friend, they had been companions, kindred souls in a way, both wandering, following a similar purpose and quite powerful.

• "The exit is not far", she told Aragorn, for now that the balrog and the maia had fallen, the orcs would come and swarm them. They'd need a head start, reach the woods of Lothlórien as quickly as possible.

• The first orc arrow whistled through the air, horribly aimed it hit the wall three feet above their heads and clattered to the ground, and that shocked the hobbits out of their stupor and they got moving again, leaving the darkness of Moria and a dear companion behind.

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Well, here you have it, the next chapter and Gandalf's "death". Hope you enjoyed!
AT