The fellowship travelled through the dark, climbing the steep steps, occasionally stopping as a hobbit tripped or stumbled. They were quiet, trying to remain silent in the chance that whatever killed the dwarves still dwelt here.
The Fellowship travelled in the darkness on talking to each other in small whispers.
"The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels, but Mithril." Gandalf said, tapping his staff gently against the walls, as they showed a web of silver lining the rocky walls of the mine.
The company looked over the ledge, into the deep, never ending abyss that was Moria. Their faces a look of awe and amazement.
"Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him."
"Ohh, that was a kingly gift!" Gimli nodded. Gandalf smiled.
"I never told him, but it's worth was greater than the value of the shire."
Aloryssa's POV
We had been travelling up the stairs for a couple days now, until we reached a crossroads in the path. Gandalf sits down.
"I have no memory of this place."
I sat down, leaning against a boulder, listening to Merry and Prippin fret.
"Are we lost?" Asked Pippin.
"No." Replied Merry.
"I think we are."
"Shhhh!" it was Sam now, "Gandalf's thinking."
"Merry?"
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
I laughed lightly at the hobbit's obsession with food.
In the dark, i can see Frodo walk over to Gandalf, appearing slightly startled.
They talked quietly, I could only hear parts of their conversation.
"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."
I felt a pang of sadness for the young hobbit, it was unfair for such a burden to be placed upon him.
I am brought our of my musings by Gandalf rising.
"Ah! It's that way." Merry jumped up.
"He's remembered!"
"No," Gandalf replied, "but the air does not smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."
Our company followed the Wizard as we continued the journey through the mine. We walked into a large hall.
"Let me risk a little more light."
The light revealed massive pillars that stretched up to further than my eyes could see. The hobbits and Gimli looked on in shock.
"Behold the great realm and dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf." Sam looked in wonder.
"Now there's an eye opener and no mistake."
We walk through the massive hall navigating through the mine with only Gandalf's staff to light our way. As we are Walking, I see a feint glow of sunshine from a room nearby.
"Hargh!"
Gimi takes off, leaving us to jog after him as he runs into a chamber.
When we reach the room, he is knelt over a tomb.
"No! No!" His sobs carry throughout the room.
Gandalf approaches the tomb, and translates the runes.
"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." The old Wizard looks upon the rest of the fellowship, "He is dead then. It is as I feared."
I walk towards Gimli placing a hand on his shoulder, a few tears in my eyes, as Gimli wails in his grief for his cousin.
I place my hand on Balin's tomb and whisper a small goodbye.
"Rest in piece my friend, may we meet in another life."
Gandalf hands his staff and hat to Pippin before he bends down, picking up a large dusty book, wiping some cobwebs and dirt from the it.
"We must move on, we cannot linger!" Legolas says to Aragorn, who nods, but allows Gimli some time to grieve. Gandalf begins reading.
"They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." I looked at the corpses around me. Gandalf turns the page, and continues, "We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming." I shiver at the words, wishing to be clear of the Mines, and wishing more than anything to return home and breathes the fresh air from the Rivendell trees.
I turn just in time, to see Pippin touching the arrow stuck in the chest of a corpse. The body was sitting on the stone well. Before I could say anything to the hobbit the arrowhead broke, causing the body to fall backwards. The body pulled a chain attached to a bucket with it, and all that could be heard throughout the chamber, and I was pretty sure, the entire mine. I winced at every new bang and noise, until finally, there was silence.
I jumped once more, as Gandalf slammed the book shut.
"Fool of a Took!" He stormed over angrily. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He snatched his hat and staff back.
Just as there finally appeared to be calm, We heard a deep drumming from below, the noise echoing as each of us looked to each other.
"Frodo!" I look to the hobbit, seeing a blue glow from his sword.
"Orcs!" Legolas shouted.
Boromir ran to the door, looking out as two arrows land near his head. He jerks himself back quickly, before more can land near him.
Aragorn turns to the hobbits.
"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" He then drops his torch and runs to Boromir, closing the door.
A huge roar can be heard just outside. Boromir leans against the doors for a quick second.
"They have a cave troll."
Legolas begins to pass weapons to the two men, I follow suit as quickly as I could. I drew my bow, aiming at the door, and waiting.
Gimli leapt onto Balins tomb, his axe at the ready. He lets loose a battle cry.
"Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!"
Orcs began to tear through the doors, creating holes in their attempts to break in. I shoot one through the holes, Aragorn and Legolas also shooting the orcs.
They break through, and the battle starts.
I shoot as many as I could. Quickly firing, then redrawing, until they got too close for comfort. I drew my sword, cutting down those around me.
I hear the battle cries of my companions as they join in the fight. Collectively we take down the offending orcs, until there is a large roar, and rumbling as a cave troll smashes through the entrance.
I turn in time to see the Cave troll about to bring his mace down onto Sam, but the Hobbit runs between the trolls legs. I run towards them, leaping onto the mace, before running up the trolls arm, and over its shoulder while taking out my dagger. I plunged it into the trolls back before dropping down as the blade cut through its hide, slowing my fall.
The Troll roars, about to turn around with the intent of bringing the mace down onto me, but Legolas shoots it. The Troll brings its mace towards Gimli, as the dwarf throws an axe towards it. The Dwarf leaps to the side, as Balin's tomb is destroyed. I continue into the battle. I cut down another orc, ducking underneath the blade of one my sword flies through it's stomach.
I hear a pang! pang! pang! and look at Sam as he swings his skillet at the orcs around him.
"I think I'm getting the hang of this."
I smile at him, before throwing a dagger at the Orc approaching him from behind.
I hear a yell from Pippin> The Troll raises it's mace, so i aim an arrow at it, the back of it's neck. The arrow hits it's mark but has no effect, the hobbits dove out of the way.
I am about to run over, but my path is blocked by more orcs. I spin out of the way on ones attack, falling over the bodies of dead orcs.
I somersault backwards, away from the blades of the orcs and onto the tips of my toes. I surge up to meet them and my sword disconnects their heads from their necks.
"Aragorn? Aragorn!" I see the trolls grasp Frodo by his ankle, mid swing of his mace, but he drops the hobbit when stabbed in the hand. Aragorn races over, rushing between the approaching troll and Frodo, holding a spear. He stabs the Troll, as Merry and Pippin assail it with stones from their ledge.
The Trolls lifts its hand to cover its face from the stones, before swinging it at Aragorn, and sending him into the wall. He dropped, and didn't get up.
"Arghh" I growled fighting harder against the swarm. I see the troll take the spear out of it's stomach
I leapt up the stairs, onto the ledge opposite of Pippin and Merry, only to see Frodo have a spear launched into his abdomen by the Troll.
"No!" I scream, leaping onto the Trolls back, I hear the two other hobbits join me. I dodge the Trolls hands, as it tries to throw me off.
I raise my sword high above my head, glaring down at the Troll, and swiftly slam the blade down, piercing through the skin and skull of the Troll.
It starts to wobble, a deep guttural groan exiting it's mouth before it tips, and slams to the ground.
I dive at the last second, landing roughly, but better than i would have underneath the Troll. I run over to Frodo, as he is rolled over.
"Oh no..." Aragorn whispers, before Frodo groans.
"He's alive!" I smile in relief at Sam's words.
"I'm alright, I'm not hurt." Aragorn frowns at the hobbit.
"You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar."
"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye." The Wizards eye twinkled, as Frodo revealed the Mithril armour he wore underneath his shirt.
"Mithril!" Gimli exclaimed, "You are full of surprises Master Baggins."
Our moment of relief did not last long, as Orcs could be heard down the hall. I ran to the fallen Troll, and wrenched my sword from it's head, as Gandalf called to the others.
"To the bridge if Khazad-dum!"
We ran down the hall, as Orcs began to spill from the floor and ceiling, looking very much like spiders gathering. We ran as far as we could, until a we became surrounded by our opponents. I had my sword at the ready, preparing to defend the Ring bearer until my last breath. They did not attack however, as a low grumble erupted, and a bright orange light flickered at the end of the hall. The grumble turned into a growl, as the light grew brighter. I had a sneaking suspicion to what this new foe could be, though I wished to all the stars above I was incorrect.
The Orcs fled, panicked, in different directions
"What is this new devilry?"
Gandalf closed his eyes focusing on the power of the foe that appeared. A crackling growl filled the cabin, i could see the hobbits trembling, and Aragorn apprehensive.
"A Balrog," I closed my eyes, cursing. There was no way our company could defeat it. "A demon of the ancient world. this foe is beyond any of you. Run!" We sprint out of the hall, into a passageway, than down a flight of steps. Boromir is ahead of us, and nearly falls into a chasm, as the steps fall away. Legolas grasps his shoulder and pulls him back.
"Gandalf..." Aragorn mutters.
"Lead them on Aragorn, the bridge is near," I look to the bridge, as Gandalf pushes a resistant Aragorn. "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."
Legolas leaps to the otehr side of the stairs, before commanding Gandalf leap. Upon making it, arrows begin to sail down unto us. I shoot back, taking some orcs out as Boromir makes it to the other side with Merry and Pippin. I put my bow away, before taking a step back and leaping across the gap.
"Ahh!" I scream, as an arrow pierce my abdomen. Boromir catches me as I land on the other side. I stand up and move past him, gripping the arrow. I breathe quickly, before snapping it off, I can deal with the arrow head later.
"Not the beard!" Logolas just manages to pull the Dwarf up, his hand wrapped around Gimli's beard.
I hear a crash behind me, to see that Aragorn and Frodo are stuck on the other side, the stairs crumbled even more.
Another terrifying roar echoed through the mines, closer than before. A large chunk of ceiling fell, and broke through the steps behind the couple. They sway dangerously, and Aragorn grips the hobbit tightly.
"Lean forward." he says to Frodo.
"Argh!" Aragorn grunts as he flies into Legolas upon the crash.
We run down the rest of the stairs, and come closer towards our escape.
"Over the bridge! Fly!"
I sprint across the narrow bridge, nearly stumbling, on the uneven ground. I make it across, just behind the others, but as I turn around, I see Gandalf, facing the Balrog alone.
"No," I whisper.
He stood ther staring up at the Demon.
"You cannot pass!"
"Gandalf!" Frodo cries besides me, I hold my arm out preventing him from running over.
"I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame od Anor. the dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udun!"
The Balrog tries to strike down on Gandalf with it's sword of fire, but Gandalf parries the blow shattering the Balrog's sword.
"Go back to the shadow!" Growls Gandalf, as the Balrog brandishes is whip of flame.
The Wizard steps back, as the Balrog takes a step forward on the bridge.
"YOU!"
He raises his hands to the side.
"SHALL! NOT!"
He joins them above his head, gripping his staff tightly.
"PASS!!"
He slams his staff down to the bridge, and a large cracking can be heard as light fills the cavern.
The Balrog steps forward again, but this time, the bridge underneath it's feet crumbles, sending the demon into the darkness.
Gandalf turns towards us, clearly exhausted, leaning on his staff. I smile, releaved, until there is a sudden crack, and the whip of the Balrog wraps around Gandalf's leg at the last second, pulling him down. The Wizard grips the edge of the bridge, staring at us.
Frodo rushes forward but Boromir stops him. I am motionless, in disbelief, as Gandalf whispers.
"Fly you fools!"
Then he falls.
We stand motionless, until arrows wiz past us, narrowly missing.
Our company rushes out of Moria, still in shock. We stand outside the gate of Moria. The hobbits collapse to the ground, tears streaming from their faces. I see Merry comforting Pippin, as he shakes with sobs, Sam also sobbing as he sits by himself, and Boromir restraining Gimli as the Dwarf tries to run back into the caves. Aragorn cleans his sword, re-sheathing it, before turning back to us.
"Legolas," The stunned elf looks up, "get them up."
Boromir twirls towards the Dunedain.
"Give the, a moment for pity's sake!"
"By nightfall these hills we be swarming with orcs! We must reach the Woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Aloryssa, get them up."
I nod mutely, walking over to Sam, numb. I offer him a hand, and we walk towards the other together.
"Frodo? Frodo!"
Aragorn looked for Frodo, seeing the hobbit weeping silently, grieving alone.