Rangers of the North (Aragorn)

Chapter Eleven: Khazad-Dum

Averael followed in the back of the group as she usually did, making sure no one stopped or got left behind. They made their way through the cavern, closely followed by an army of goblins. The creatures crawled down the walls, across the ceiling, and to Averael they almost looked like spiders. They were surrounded by thousands of the things. Averael pushed the hobbits to the center of the group, and held her sword out. The goblins snarled and shrieked, cocking their heads and staring at the group hungrily. A fiery light lit up the end of the hall. 

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked, as the goblins retreated at the light and thunder-like rumble.

"A balrog-- demon of the ancient world." Gandalf said, watching the light get brighter and another rumble ran through the room. Averael was frightened. Would they get out of this alive?
"This foe is beyond any of you- run!" Gandalf said, and the Fellowship ran through the pillars. They came to a doorway, and Gandalf led them through.

"Quickly!" he shouted. Through the doorway, they ran down a tall flight of stairs with no railing. Boromir almost fell off the edge of a broken segment, but Legolas pulled him back and fell on the steps behind. Averael watched the hobbits, and almost slipped, but caught herself before she fell down the stairs and knocked everyone off. Gandalf came in behind. 

"Lead them on, Aragorn. The bridge is near!" Gandalf called to Aragorn. "Do as I say!" Aragorn led the Fellowship down as the balrog roared again, shaking the caverns. The stairs crumbled behind them as they fled, rocks falling from the ceiling, threatening anyone below. They eventually came to a thin bridge crossing over a large, bottomless abyss.

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf said. Averael ran across, behind everyone else. She turned around once she was on the other side, and watched Gandalf as he turned around and faced the looming balrog. She gasped. The balrog seemed like it was ten times Gandalf's height. It had two massive horns on its face and sharp teeth that gleamed like obsidian. It's skin was cracked. She could see fire and lava in between the plates of skin, and he wielded a fiery whip, snapping and crackling. 

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf said to the balrog.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried. Aragorn held the hobbit's shoulder. 

"I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor," Gandalf raised his staff and sword together. "The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun!" The balrog lifted its hand, a ball of flame forming in its palm. 

"Go back to the shadow." Gandalf said, teeth clenched. The balrog stepped forward onto the bridge, brandishing its whip. Averael leaned forward nervously. Aragorn held her back, but she did not turn.

"YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS!!" Gandalf shouted, bringing his staff and sword together, using his magic to weaken the bridge. The balrog seemed to smirk at the weak attack, and stepped forward. The weight of the balrog broke the bridge, and the fiery monster fell down the chasm. 

Gandalf leaned on his staff, exhausted. He turned to leave, but the end of the balrog's whip snapped up, wrapping around Gandalf's ankle, and pulled him back. Another rush of fear invaded the Fellowship. Gandalf hung there for a moment, looking at them.

"Fly, you fools." He let go.  

"Noooo!" Frodo cried out. Averael couldn't believe it. She stared at the bridge in disbelief until Aragorn pulled her back. She looked up at him and realized they were heading out. She dodged the flying arrows that orcs were shooting at them and made her way out of the cave.

The Fellowship collapsed outside and grieved. Averael looked around. Someone was missing, and it wasn't Gandalf. She froze. 

"Pippin." She whispered. Immediately, she bolted to the opening into the mines.

"Averael!" Aragorn called after her, but she didn't stop. She ran back inside and saw Pippin huddled in the corner of the wall, looking for someone else. She ran across to go retrieve him, but felt a sharp pain in her side. Pippin's eyes were filled with fear, then worry as he called her name.

She kept running, though the pain in her side was unbearable. Bending down, she picked Pippin up; it would take too long for him to stand and run. She burst back out of the cave, setting Pippin down, and clutching her side. Pippin looked at her in worry. She looked down. The shaft of an arrow stuck out of her side. She grimaced and tried to break the shaft off.

"Averael," Aragorn knelt down beside where she had fallen over and looked at the wound. "Let me." She let go and bit her lip as he broke off the arrow's shaft. He then began to try and remove the arrowhead, but the pain hurt too bad. Her hand shot to the wound, grabbing Aragorn's hand in pain. He looked at her. She sniffed, and wiped her face. She hadn't even noticed she was crying. For Gandalf or because of the pain, she didn't know or care. Her vision began to get blurry. Aragorn let go and looked at the arrow puncture again.

"The arrowhead is poisoned," He said. "We have to get it out before it kills you." He said.

"It's all my fault." She heard Pippin say sadly and guiltily.

"No it's not." She started to say, but cried out in pain as Aragorn attempted again to remove the arrowhead. She gripped Aragorn's hand tighter and bit her lip again, causing it to bleed. She wiped her face again, not caring that she probably looked like a mess. She felt horrible and sick, and her vision was fading along with her consciousness.

"Boromir." Aragorn beckoned to the soldier, and the red-haired man approached. Aragorn handed him a small carving knife and then reached for Averael's hands, nodding to Boromir. He seemed to understand, kneeling and using the knife to remove the arrowhead while Aragorn held Averael until it was safely removed. Boromir grimaced and tossed the arrowhead to the side, wiping the knife and returning it.

"We have to get her to Lothlorien," Aragorn said, picking her up. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs," he turned towards the woods of Lothlorien and began moving. The rest of the Fellowship followed quickly.