The sound of the drums rose to a magnifying sound. The ominous sound reached the company's ears and Frodo unsheathed his sword which had changed to a glowing blue. The screeching of the orcs could be heard as they drew closer. Boromir ran to the open door to scout what was happening outside when suddenly two arrows came whistling past his face, landing in the door with a thud.
"Get back and stay close to Gandalf," shouted Aragorn to the hobbits.
The hobbits gathered together and Gandalf put an arm around them whilst Boromir shut the door quickly. Aragorn, Boromir, Salandiel and Legolas proceeded to bar the doors shut and then withdrew their weapons. A great booming sound could be heard coming towards the doors.
"They have a cave troll," said Boromir in exasperation.
Legolas and Aragorn loaded their bows with arrows, Boromir and Salandiel stood at the ready with their swords and Gimli stood up on the tomb of Balin proudly.
"Let them come!" Gimli shouted, "There's one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."
The doors continued to be battered down whilst Legolas and Aragorn let their arrows fly loose, planting a few arrows in their targets, but the orcs were too strong and broke through the doors. The Fellowship fought fiercely, even the hobbits.
Suddenly a large and terrifying cave troll with a chain around its neck crashed through the door, breaking and smashing the walls with its fists. Aragorn and Boromir pulled on the chain around its neck, Salandiel taking on the task of fighting off the orcs surrounding them. Legolas fired arrows into its chest but it was no use; the cave troll was too strong.
The cave troll flung Boromir against a wall and just as an orc approached the dazed Boromir, Aragorn threw a knife, hitting the orc's neck. Chaos ensued but the cave troll seemed to have only one goal, and that was to get to Frodo.
The cave troll found Frodo behind a pillar and dragged him from his hiding spot. Frodo shouted for Aragorn and Aragorn proceeded to drive a stake through the cave troll's chest. With a mighty roar the cave troll flung Aragorn across the room and knocked him unconscious.
"Aragorn!" shouted Salandiel.
With an unknown strength, Salandiel drove and slashed her sword into the orcs surrounding her, making her way towards Aragorn. She had nearly reached him but the cave troll moved towards Frodo, distracting her from the task at hand. For a moment she knew not which way to go. Where did her loyalty lie?
Within a split second Salandiel made a decision and ran to Frodo to protect him but that split second had been a moment too long. She was too late.
The cave troll gleefully drove his stake into Frodo's chest.
The hobbits, Merry and Pippin, ran towards the cave troll in rage, willing to fight him whilst Sam ran to be at Frodo's side. Salandiel came to realize her mistake and, along with the rest of the company, attacked the cave troll with such ferocity. After much fighting Legolas fired an arrow into the troll's mouth and that was the final blow. With a low and sad roar the cave troll stumbled and fell back, breathing its last breath.
The Fellowship turned their attention to Frodo. Aragorn had awoken and crawled to Frodo, turned him over and let out a mighty breath of relief. All the company were surprised to see Frodo alive and well.
"He's alive!" cried out Sam.
Salandiel could not comprehend the amount of relief that flooded her body in that short moment as she felt her muscles relax and the grimness of her mouth fade away.
Frodo sat up and looked around him.
"You should be dead," said Aragorn to Frodo in surprise, "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."
"I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye," remarked Gandalf.
Frodo parted his shirt to reveal the Mithril vest hidden underneath.
"Mithril," said Gimli, in awe. "You are full of surprises Master Baggins!"
More screeching was heard behind them and a menacing shadow approached. The Fellowship ran out of the tomb as orcs swarmed behind them.
"To the bridge of Khazad-Dúm!" shouted Gandalf.
The Fellowship followed Gandalf through the vast mines and halls. As they glanced around them they saw thousands of orcs chasing them. Orcs appeared from cracks in the floor, out of the roof and from behind the great columns. Eventually the company could go no further because of the great multitudes of orcs that swarmed to encase them. With weapons drawn the Fellowship could see no escape.
Suddenly a great roar was heard from an archway and they all looked towards a thick, red glow.
"What is this new devilment?" asked Boromir.
The monstrous evil let out another roar and the orcs scattered, leaving the company alone. What was this evil that put fear even into the hearts of orcs?
"A balrog, demon of the ancient world. Its foe is beyond any of you," said Gandalf. He turned and shouted to the company.
"RUN!"
Following the command of Gandalf, they all turned and ran as fast as they could, out of the cavern of columns. Boromir raced down some steps and nearly fell off a ledge if it hadn't been for the quick catch of Legolas.
Gandalf pulled Aragorn aside and commanded him to lead the group to the bridge. As they made their way down the steps in front of them, a roar was heard again. The fiery red glow edged ever closer to the company. They kept running down a staircase until they came upon a gap that was too wide to step over. With a graceful leap, Legolas landed on the other side and beckoned the others to follow him. Gandalf was the first to jump across safely. Arrows flew past them from above, the fiery glow inching ever closer. Time was running out.
Boromir grabbed a hold of the two hobbits, Merry and Pippin, and jumped across with them. Aragorn proceeded to throw Sam whilst Salandiel threw Frodo to safety. After them Aragorn turned to Gimli.
"Nobody tosses a dwarf!" Gimli said.
And with that he jumped and nearly didn't make it across if it weren't for Legolas who caught his beard.
"Mind the beard!" retorted Gimli.
Just as Salandiel and Aragorn were about to jump, a great chunk of the stairs on which they were standing crumbled into the great chasm below them. The gap grew too wide for them to jump across. Another great roar was heard from the entrance, the fiery red glow coming closer and closer. The column on which the staircase stood began to crumble and tumble forward. Aragorn and Salandiel held onto one another as the staircase started to topple.
"Lean forward!" shouted Aragorn.
Fear gripped the heart of Salandiel but she did as she was told and with a mighty crash, the column toppled onto the lower one and Salandiel and Aragorn jumped safely to the other side. They carried on and ran into another room.
"Over the bridge!" commanded Gandalf.
The company flew past Gandalf over the bridge. The flames behind them grew higher and from out of the centre came a great black, winged creature with a horned head. The sight instilled fear into the hearts of all those present. The company, in horror, turned back to find that Gandalf was standing in the middle of the bridge, facing the mighty balrog.
"You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouted.
The balrog let out another terrifying roar as it pulled itself to its full height.
"I am the Servant of the Secret Fire. Wielder of the Flame of Anor," claimed Gandalf.
The balrog pulled out its sword to face Gandalf.
"The dark fire will not avail you," said Gandalf as he held out his staff, which was glowing white, in front of him, "Flame of Udón!"
The balrog brought its sword down upon Gandalf's staff causing a great crash and flash of light. The balrog dropped its sword and roared at Gandalf.
Gandalf continued.
"Go back to the shadow!"
The balrog put its cloven foot onto the bridge and pulled out a fiery whip.
"You shall not pass!"
Gandalf brought down his staff and sword onto the bridge in one mighty last stand against the balrog.
After seeing that nothing had happened, the balrog smirked, raised his whip and stepped forward foolishly but as he stepped onto the bridge, it collapsed underneath his weight and he fell into the great, dark chasm.
Gandalf turned to walk away, thinking that he had defeated this enemy, but with his back turned he didn't see the whip of the balrog come up and snake around his ankle. Gandalf was pulled back and the last horrifying image the Fellowship saw of Gandalf was him holding onto the edge. Frodo tried to run towards Gandalf, crying out his name, but Boromir caught him.
"Fly you fools," said Gandalf, his last words to the Fellowship.
And with that he was gone.
Time seemed to slow as arrows flew past the Fellowship. They ran outside and the hobbits collapsed onto the ground in despair. All felt the grief of losing their beloved friend and leader.
~~~~~
Aragorn's voice cut into the grief that surrounded the company.
"Legolas! Salandiel! Get them up!"
"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" replied Boromir.
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" replied Aragorn with authority, "We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come, get them up!"
Aragorn reached out to a tearful Sam and lifted him up. Not knowing where Frodo was, Aragorn turned to look for him and was surprised to see him standing off in the distance talking with Salandiel.
She knelt before him.
"Remember, Frodo," said Salandiel softly, "You already carry a heavy burden. Do not let the grief of losing Gandalf weigh heavy on you as well."
Frodo nodded forlornly. His eyes were filled with such a deep grief, so deep that it terrified Salandiel. She had seen grief like that before.
Placing her hand on his shoulder, she stood up and slowly led Frodo back to the group.
Although Salandiel felt the loss of their leader keenly, she dared not let one tear run from her eyes. She kept her eyes forward and her face straight. She was a trained soldier who had seen much death in her life. She could not afford to risk this quest because of emotions.
"Salandiel, you bring up the rear. Make sure that no one gets lost or strays off the path," commanded Aragorn.
Salandiel looked at him and Aragorn waited for her response. Was he to be the new leader of their company? Could she follow him as their new leader?
I have no other choice.
With a respectful nod towards Aragorn, she faced her destination and assumed her position at the back of the line.
No matter who their leader was she still had a duty to fulfil.
Author's Note: Wow! Another long chapter, I wonder if I should start to break up my chapters into smaller pieces. But anyway, you got a bit more of Salandiel fighting. And also, what do you think of her split decision? Who would you have chosen to help in that moment?
Again, please comment or leave a like if you are enjoying this book. I'm always open to constructive criticism.
Much love!