meleth nin

Chapter Five - Khazad-Dûm

I looked up at the troll, still casting his chains like a whip at the stones, aiming for Legolas.
"Legolas" I whispered worriedly.
I stabbed another Orc that blocked my path and twisted the dagger up it's back before letting go and running towards the troll.

It swung its chain and i could no longer see Legolas. My heart filled with worry. I ran up the stairs towards the troll, stepping on the chain it had just swung before it knocked the stone down. I missed it just in time, otherwise i would have been dead.

I saw Legolas getting up after being knocked down and ran to him, slicing the head off another Orc in my way. I kept running ,not seeing an Orc to my right, it sliced my side.
I fell to the side of the wall collapsing into the cold stone.
It stung, badly.
Legolas saw it all and ran over to me, throwing a knife at a Orc behind me. He ran and crouched next to me placing his hand on my waist where i was wounded. He lift his hand to see it covered it blood.
"Go, i'll be fine" i said trying to get up.
"I will not leave you" he said whilst ripping a part of his robe and tying it round my waist to stop the blood. "Legolas!" i cried looking behind him.
The troll was behind him about to swing his chain before Legolas jumped onto the chain and ran up to the trolls head. He shot it twice in the neck and jumped off effortlessly and ran back to me.

I stood up with his help and started to walk trying to catch my breath.
I picked up my weapons and continued to fight again.
The pain stang but i could still move, it was bearable.
"Frodo!" I heard the hobbits cry, looking up at the direction of their voice.
The troll was looking at the pillar Frodo hid by.
I had to do something.
I knocked an arrow into my bow and shot it, hitting its shoulder, The beast roared but still searched for Frodo.

"Aragorn!" Frodo cried. He came running towards him and i followed.
I spun my daggers before continuing to fight the Orc's, cutting them and stabbing my sword into them.

Aragorn speared the beast with a spear but was thrown at a wall.
"Aragorn!" I cried praying he was alive. I could not bare to lose him, he's like a brother. I have known him for so long.
"Frodo!" cried Sam, running towards him, hitting an Orc with a frying pan along the way.
The troll took the spear out of it and aimed for Frodo.
He was cornered.
"Frodo!" i yelled, running as fast as i could towards him.

I shot again at the beast, this time hitting its head but it was too late. It had pushed the spear into Frodo.
Merry and Pippin ran onto the trolls back and started stabbing it constantly. It threw its head back in pain and Legolas shot an arrow into its throat, causing it to fall onto its front, dead.

I immediately ran over to Frodo and kneeled next to him, trying to wake him.
"Frodo", i whispered in distress.
"I'm alright, i'm okay" Frodo said, through big pants of breath.
"You are full of surprises, master Baggins" said Gimli, chuffed to see he's alive.

I pushed his shirt open slightly,
"Mithril" I whispered.
"A Kingly gift" Said Legolas, not realising he was next to me.
I looked at him and he gave me a soft smile.

The drums started to bang again,
"There's more?" Pippin cried.
"To the bridge of Khazad- Dûm!" Gandalf shouted, hurrying everyone to get up.

We ran to the exit and made our way through the ancient dwarf city, towards the bridge.
the halls started to crawl with goblins and orcs, more and more climbing down from the pillars , hissing and cackling at us, closing us in so we had nowhere to go.
A loud, deep growl sounded from a doorway of red and orange fire.

The orcs became silent.

They all ran back up the pillars as the growls grew louder and louder.

A shadow appeared in the fire filled doorway.
My heart beat faster and faster.
"It's okay, Alena. Stay close to me" Legolas said, without me saying anything to him before he said this.

"What is this new devilry" Boromir said into Gandalf's ear.
Gandalf shut his eyes tight before slowly opening them,

"A Balrog. It is a demon from the ancient world."
I looked at Gandalf in disbelief.
How would we defeat this.

It was dark and my heart started to beat even faster.
I remembered Arwen's words, when she gave me her necklace. I pulled it up from under my robe and it shone a bright light, the light of the moon. Pure and full of hope.
Hope.
"The light will guide you when in darkness", i whispered out loud, re-stating Arwen's words.
Legolas turned to look at me and saw the light of my pendant.
"What is this" he said, still holding his shot at the fire.
"It is Arwen's message to me, to look for hope in dark times, like now."
Saying Arwen's name made Aragorn look over at me, his necklace lit up too.
"The light of the Evenstar" Gandalf said slowly processing.

The growls became thundery and louder than before.

"Run!" Gandalf shouted, running towards the stairs.
We ran until the stairs stopped. It was a drop.
"Boromir!" Legolas grabbed him before he could fall.

"Lead them to the bridge, it is near" i heard Gandalf say.
Aragorn froze before Gandalf yelled at him to do so.

We continued running down the twisted stairs before reaching a stop.

"There is a gap! it is broken!" yelled Sam, clinging onto Frodo.
Legolas jumped effortlessly onto the connecting piece and held out his hand.
I jumped next landing in his arms by accident.
"Agh" i said quietly.
"What is wrong" Legolas said with troubled eyes.

The growling grew louder and the flames darker. Stone starter to crumble each step this creature took.
Gandalf was next to jump before two arrows came flying down from above, just missing his head.

"What's wrong" Legolas asked again staring deep into my eyes.
"It is, my hip" i said between painful sighs.
"I shouldn't have jumped" i said, the feeling of pain starting to burn more than before.
"Gandalf, Alena is hurt!" Legolas shouted, trying to be louder than the growls.

More arrows came flying down.
Legolas shot one of the goblins straight through its head, i watched as it fell sideways into the abis.
"Boromir! Jump and take Merry and Pippin!" Gandalf ordered, as he kept staring at the shadowed figure that had gotten even closer.
Boromir jumped with the two hobbits in arm and landed where we stood.
The part of the stairs he jumped off had cracked and was falling.
More arrows came flying across us, missing my feet by inches.
Legolas stepped in front of me and shot two other goblins down, though more kept shooting.
Aragorn threw Sam across and grabbed Gimli.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf!" Gimli exclaimed whilst screaming and jumping into the air.
Legolas grabbed hold of his beard and pulled, bringing him back to his centre point.
"Not the beard!" Gimli screamed.

Legolas continued to shoot the goblins that were above us, trying to further harm us, It was now just Frodo and Aragorn on the other side.

The growls grew louder and turned into screams, the fire grew hotter, until you could feel it on your face, like sweat dripping down your skin.

It was here.