Defender of Lorien
To the Bridge
Everyone ran over to where Frodo lie motionless, as Aragorn crawled to him. Anya’s heart grew heavy as she knew there was no way the little hobbit could have survived being struck with that spear.
“Oh no,” Aragorn whispered before rolling Frodo over. To everyone’s amazement, Frodo was alive, gasping for air. After a moment he sat up, clutching where the spear had struck him.
“He’s alive,” Sam said with a sigh of relief.
“I’m alright,” he panted, “I’m not hurt.”
“You should be dead,” Aragorn said in amazement, “That spear would have skewered a wild boar.”
“I think there’s more to this hobbit than meets the eye,” Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked upon the winded hobbit. Frodo slowly unsnapped his shirt, revealing a mithril chain shirt underneath.
“Mithril,” Gimli said in awe, “You are full of surprises master Baggins.” Everyone shared a sigh of relief, but their moment of peace was short lived as the screeches of orcs came from the great hall. Anya sheathed her right sword, so she could keep pressure applied to her right waist.
“To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm,” Gandalf instructed. And with that the fellowship ran from the room, ready to leave the mines behind, and hoping to escape their enemies. As they ran, they could hear their assailants running up from behind them, but Anya dare not look back. Instead she looked up, and to her horror, she saw goblins climbing down from the ceiling, coming towards them to cut them off from their destination. We’re not going to make it, Anya thought to herself, her blood still flowing from her wound, causing her pace to slow.
Within seconds they were completely surrounded, by at least a hundred strong. But the fellowship showed them no weakness as they brandished their weapons and prepared for a second fight. Just when Anya was about to through herself into battle, a loud, crackling bellow emanated from a passage behind them. The goblins and orcs surrounding them jumping in fear, then turned and fled, leaving the fellowship be. Anya felt the color drain from her face.
“What is this new devilry?” Boromir whispered to Gandalf. The wizard’s eyes closed, a look of dread covering his face.
After a long silence Gandalf answered Boromir’s question, “A Balrog,” he said, “A demon of the ancient world.” Anya felt fear course throughout her body, her breath caught in her throat. A Balrog of Morgoth, Anya thought in panic, here?
“This foe is beyond any of you,” Gandalf stated, “Run!” Anya followed Gandalf as he sprinted for the eastern arch, her heart pound against her ribs, for she was petrified of this approaching foe. As they came into the opening of the archway, Anya saw Boromir almost fall to his death, and she ran forward and grabbed hold of the neck of his shirt, yanking him back from a straight plummet to death.
“Why must everything that dwarves have built wish to kill us?” Anya bickered as she rose once again to her feet.
“Lead them on Aragorn,” Gandalf told Aragorn, “The bridge is not far from here.” Aragorn shook his head, his sword at the ready.
“Do as I say,” Gandalf commanded, “Swords are of no more use here.” Running down the stairs, Anya could hear the Balrog coming for them, and this helped her push aside the pain of her wound and push her forward. Soon, Anya saw a gape in the stairs, and with an annoyed groan, she leapt across with Legolas just behind her. Turning Legolas called for Gandalf to jump over, arms outstretched to help him. As Legolas helped Gandalf, Anya grabbed out her bow and took aim at some orcs she spotted across the way. Taking aim, Anya agled her bow, aiming for the orc’s forehead, but her aim was off as it only pierced one of the creature’s ears. Looking over his shoulder, Legolas noticed his cousin’s misaim and easily shot the orc in the forehead and killing it.
“And you wonder why I prefer swords,” Anya grumbled looking at her cousin. He just smiled and continued to fire arrows at their attackers. Soon Boromir was leaping across with two hobbits in his arms, soon followed by Sam and Gimli. As Aragorn and Frodo were about to leap across, the stone broke away, and Aragorn was only able to grab hold of the stairs, saving his life.
The gap was now too wide for even an elf to leap across, and Anya became worried that Aragorn and Frodo would be stuck on the other side. Another bellow was hear as the Balrog drew even closer, the stone of the stairs breaking away. Aragorn grabbed hold of Frodo and instructed him to lean forward, causing the falling stairs to come towards the awaiting fellowship, and the two jumped into the awaiting arms of Legolas and Gandalf.
Anya sighed in relief as the fellowship turned once again and descended the stairs. The bridge came into sight, and Anya was ready to leave, eager to leave behind the Balrog.
“Over the bridge,” Gandalf shouted, “Fly!” Flames came to life behind the fellowship as they ran across the bridge, Anya being the third to cross, right behind Boromir. The Balrog was now just behind them, chasing them across the bridge. Anya continued to run even after she reached the end of the bridge, but stopped when she reached a set of stairs and turned around. What she saw was enough to stagger her with fear.
The Balrog, made up of shadow and flame, stood on the opposite side of the bridge, and Gandalf stood between him and the rest of the fellowship. The fellowship called for their guide, but he stood there, not allowing the Balrog to pursue the fellowship any longer.
“You shall not pass!” Gandalf finally yell, and hit his staff with a crackle against the stone of the bridge. With a fury growl, the Balrog stepped onto the bridge, and to Anya’s amazement, the bridge broke away from under it, and the Balrog fell into the abyss. Unfortunately, there was the sound of a whip and the next thing that Anya knew, Gandalf was falling over the edge, Frodo tried to run to him but Boromir held the Halfling back.
“Fly you fouls,” Gandalf whispered, and then he was gone, falling into the abyss after the Balrog. Anya’s eyes stung as tears formed in them and her breath caught in her throat. How, out of all of the fellowship, Anya thought as Legolas grabbed hold of her arm and directed her out, how could Gandalf be gone?
“Oh no,” Aragorn whispered before rolling Frodo over. To everyone’s amazement, Frodo was alive, gasping for air. After a moment he sat up, clutching where the spear had struck him.
“He’s alive,” Sam said with a sigh of relief.
“I’m alright,” he panted, “I’m not hurt.”
“You should be dead,” Aragorn said in amazement, “That spear would have skewered a wild boar.”
“I think there’s more to this hobbit than meets the eye,” Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked upon the winded hobbit. Frodo slowly unsnapped his shirt, revealing a mithril chain shirt underneath.
“Mithril,” Gimli said in awe, “You are full of surprises master Baggins.” Everyone shared a sigh of relief, but their moment of peace was short lived as the screeches of orcs came from the great hall. Anya sheathed her right sword, so she could keep pressure applied to her right waist.
“To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm,” Gandalf instructed. And with that the fellowship ran from the room, ready to leave the mines behind, and hoping to escape their enemies. As they ran, they could hear their assailants running up from behind them, but Anya dare not look back. Instead she looked up, and to her horror, she saw goblins climbing down from the ceiling, coming towards them to cut them off from their destination. We’re not going to make it, Anya thought to herself, her blood still flowing from her wound, causing her pace to slow.
Within seconds they were completely surrounded, by at least a hundred strong. But the fellowship showed them no weakness as they brandished their weapons and prepared for a second fight. Just when Anya was about to through herself into battle, a loud, crackling bellow emanated from a passage behind them. The goblins and orcs surrounding them jumping in fear, then turned and fled, leaving the fellowship be. Anya felt the color drain from her face.
“What is this new devilry?” Boromir whispered to Gandalf. The wizard’s eyes closed, a look of dread covering his face.
After a long silence Gandalf answered Boromir’s question, “A Balrog,” he said, “A demon of the ancient world.” Anya felt fear course throughout her body, her breath caught in her throat. A Balrog of Morgoth, Anya thought in panic, here?
“This foe is beyond any of you,” Gandalf stated, “Run!” Anya followed Gandalf as he sprinted for the eastern arch, her heart pound against her ribs, for she was petrified of this approaching foe. As they came into the opening of the archway, Anya saw Boromir almost fall to his death, and she ran forward and grabbed hold of the neck of his shirt, yanking him back from a straight plummet to death.
“Why must everything that dwarves have built wish to kill us?” Anya bickered as she rose once again to her feet.
“Lead them on Aragorn,” Gandalf told Aragorn, “The bridge is not far from here.” Aragorn shook his head, his sword at the ready.
“Do as I say,” Gandalf commanded, “Swords are of no more use here.” Running down the stairs, Anya could hear the Balrog coming for them, and this helped her push aside the pain of her wound and push her forward. Soon, Anya saw a gape in the stairs, and with an annoyed groan, she leapt across with Legolas just behind her. Turning Legolas called for Gandalf to jump over, arms outstretched to help him. As Legolas helped Gandalf, Anya grabbed out her bow and took aim at some orcs she spotted across the way. Taking aim, Anya agled her bow, aiming for the orc’s forehead, but her aim was off as it only pierced one of the creature’s ears. Looking over his shoulder, Legolas noticed his cousin’s misaim and easily shot the orc in the forehead and killing it.
“And you wonder why I prefer swords,” Anya grumbled looking at her cousin. He just smiled and continued to fire arrows at their attackers. Soon Boromir was leaping across with two hobbits in his arms, soon followed by Sam and Gimli. As Aragorn and Frodo were about to leap across, the stone broke away, and Aragorn was only able to grab hold of the stairs, saving his life.
The gap was now too wide for even an elf to leap across, and Anya became worried that Aragorn and Frodo would be stuck on the other side. Another bellow was hear as the Balrog drew even closer, the stone of the stairs breaking away. Aragorn grabbed hold of Frodo and instructed him to lean forward, causing the falling stairs to come towards the awaiting fellowship, and the two jumped into the awaiting arms of Legolas and Gandalf.
Anya sighed in relief as the fellowship turned once again and descended the stairs. The bridge came into sight, and Anya was ready to leave, eager to leave behind the Balrog.
“Over the bridge,” Gandalf shouted, “Fly!” Flames came to life behind the fellowship as they ran across the bridge, Anya being the third to cross, right behind Boromir. The Balrog was now just behind them, chasing them across the bridge. Anya continued to run even after she reached the end of the bridge, but stopped when she reached a set of stairs and turned around. What she saw was enough to stagger her with fear.
The Balrog, made up of shadow and flame, stood on the opposite side of the bridge, and Gandalf stood between him and the rest of the fellowship. The fellowship called for their guide, but he stood there, not allowing the Balrog to pursue the fellowship any longer.
“You shall not pass!” Gandalf finally yell, and hit his staff with a crackle against the stone of the bridge. With a fury growl, the Balrog stepped onto the bridge, and to Anya’s amazement, the bridge broke away from under it, and the Balrog fell into the abyss. Unfortunately, there was the sound of a whip and the next thing that Anya knew, Gandalf was falling over the edge, Frodo tried to run to him but Boromir held the Halfling back.
“Fly you fouls,” Gandalf whispered, and then he was gone, falling into the abyss after the Balrog. Anya’s eyes stung as tears formed in them and her breath caught in her throat. How, out of all of the fellowship, Anya thought as Legolas grabbed hold of her arm and directed her out, how could Gandalf be gone?