Daughter of Arathorn

Grief

The Fellowship raced out of the room and back into the long hall. Orcs were surrounding them, and it forced the ten of them to stop. Elia had her sword and dagger out, she was ready to fight to the death. Suddenly, the entire room rumbled. Elia's heart shook ever so slightly and she felt someone move closer to her. She watched as slowly the halls slowly lit up as though a fire was lit in the mines. "What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked from behind her.

Elia looked over at Gandalf to see the terrified, but solemn expression on his face. "A Balrog...a demon of the Ancient world," he said. Elia looked over at Legolas to see the equally terrified expression on his face. "This foe is beyond any of you. RUN!" Gandalf called out and they ran over to another broken door. "Quickly!"

Boromir ran down the stairs first with Legolas right behind him. Suddenly, the stairs came to an abrupt end and Legolas was quick to grab the man by the ront of his vest, pulling him back and both man and elf landed on the stairs with Boromir on top of Legolas. Elia stared down at the endless drop below. She looked over to see Aragorn attempting to help Gandalf down the stairs. "Gandalf?" she called to her friend, holding onto his arm. He didn't look at her, his eyes were on Aragorn.

"Lead them on, Aragorn," he said, then he gestured across the mines, "The bridge is near." Elia felt the floor vibrate as the Balrog came closer.

"We'll help you fight," she said.

"Do as I say!" Gandalf snapped, shoving Aragorn and Elia away from him, "Swords are no more use here!"

He pushed Elia along the way and they ran down another flight of stairs, being mindful of the lack of rail along each side. They came to a gap in the stairs and Legolas jumped over first. "Gandalf!" he called out.

Gandalf jumped over and Legolas steadied him when arrows started flying in their direction. "Merry! Pippin!" Boromir called out. He tucked a hobbit under each arm and jumped over with them. At that moment, the stairs started to break away and Elia and the others quickly backed away, now the gap between them was even bigger.

"Sam," Aragorn called out. He picked Sam up and tossed him over to the other side, Boromir easily catching him.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf," Gimli stated, jumping over to the other side. Only he was a little short but Legolas quickly reached out to grab the dwarf. "NOT MY BEARD!" Gimli shouted in pain.

"Elia, go," Aragorn ordered his sister. With a deep breath, with all of her might she leapt over to the other side and landed in both Boromir and Legoals's waiting arms. Only, once she was secure on the other side, she leaned further into her husband, releasing Boromir's arm. Suddenly, the stairs on the other side started to crack. "Frodo!" Aragorn called out, pushing the hobbit up the stairs.

"Oh gods!" Elia gasped when she saw that the gap between them was even more impossible to get across. Then a large part of the ceiling came apart and it crashed into the stairs behind them. Now Aragorn and Frodo were swaying with the stairs. Her fear was evident on her face and backed down the stairs. "Give them room," She told the other hobbits.

"Lean forward!" she heard her brother call out. She looked over as Aragorn and Frodo leaned forward, giving the stairs that little bit of direction. The stairs crashed into their side, Boromir caught Frodo while Legolas grabbed a hold of Aragorn.

"Hurry, Elia, to the bridge," Gandalf ordered as they raced down the remaining stairs. Gandalf led the way as they ran around a corner. She became acutely aware that fire toward her right. "OVER THE BRIDGE! FLY!" Gandalf shouted at them. As she ran towards the bridge, the ground underneath her shook. She stopped and turned around to see the larges beast she had ever seen.