Sauron's Next Target

We had cleared the stairs, and we made it onto solid ground. Gandalf lead us to the left, and we ran into another corridor, much like the one above us, except this one was filled with fire. My pace slowed as my arm began to burn even more that this corridor was filled with fire. I was lagging behind to the end where Legolas was. He grabbed my hand, and pulled me along with him. Gandalf, who was leading us once more, rounded a corner. “Over the Bridge!” He ordered us, as we ran ahead of us. “Fly!” Once we were all past him, Gandalf turned and glared into the shadows beyond the fire. I turned my head to see him stop; I slowed down, this time Legolas and everyone else to a stop. Just then, a shadow leapt out at us. It landed, and I could see it clearly. The Balrog was huge! It was almost was the height of the ceiling. Its face looked like it had been punched in, and there were 2 long sharp horns that came out of the side, of its head. The body was mostly black like the shadows, but there was also fire that had laid on the skin. The eyes were orbs of reddish white. It opened its mouth showing sharp stone like teeth, and a flaming white mouth, as it bellowed a roar at Gandalf, who just stood there, sizing up the monster. It roared again and charged at us. This time, Gandalf turned and ran along with us, I heard its footsteps, and to me they sounded like thunder. Finally, we reached the bridge which was only a thin arch of stone over a side gap. Aragorn went first, followed by Boromir and Frodo and the Hobbits, Gimli ran after Sam, and I was pushed behind him. I tried carefully to run across the bridge, with Legolas hot on my heels. We reached the other side, and we ran over to the others who were running for the steps. Then, as we were about to reach the steps, I fell.

My arm felt like it was on fire. Tears were beginning to appear in my eyes. Legolas saw me in pain, he stopped running and he laid a hand on my shoulder. “Ier lle alright?” He asked, sounding concerned. “Mani Raika?” When I didn’t answer, he looked to my arm, when he saw my hand covering a part of my arm. He gently moved my hand away from my wound. When he saw, my wound, he inhaled deeply. He touched my wound, I winced. He noticed, and he gave me a sympathetic look. I gave him a weak smile, as more tears brimmed my eyes. “You cannot pass!” I heard Gandalf’s angry voice echo through the dusty air. When I heard his voice, I stood up, and that’s when I noticed that the Balrog had long leathery wings also covered in shadow. The size difference between the Balrog and Gandalf was massive. “Gandalf!” I heard Frodo shout. The Balrog reared up on its hind legs, and it spread its wings out, flame engulfing its body, making the dark space around us, light up. “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor.” Gandalf growled, loudly to the creature, holding up his staff, so the small crown shaped stone on the crown glowed brightly.

“The dark fire, will never avail you, flame of Udun!” As he spoke, the Balrog pulled out a sword made of pure fire, which made my arm burn even more. I looked at my arm to see that it was glowing a strange reddish-orangish glow. I was about to scream, when Legolas covered my mouth. The Balrog pulled out a sword of fire and struck Gandalf’s staff. Sparks and embers started to spew from the contact and Gandalf grunted loudly. His staff won’t hold for long, against the Balrog! I thought, horrified. The Balrog bellowed in utter frustration, as its attack against Gandalf was reflected by a pale bluish-white shield. “Go back to the Shadow…” Gandalf warned the creature. The Balrog, however ignored the warning that Gandalf had given him, the Balrog placed on of his thick black foot onto the bridge as it brought out a long whip made of pure fire, and jerked it to the side, which made a loud cracking sound, which made the Hobbits and I jump, Legolas placed a steady hand on my arm. “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!” Gandalf bellowed, lifting his staff and his sword into the air, and slammed it down onto the stone under him. A white circle of light and dust circled at his feet, as it disappeared just as quickly as it came.

The Balrog stared at Gandalf, obviously unimpressed with what he had just done. It then roared and took another step forward Gandalf, with its whip, ready to strike at Gandalf. Fortunately, for Gandalf the stone under its feet broke, which created a wide space for the Balrog to fall into. The Balrog gave a horrible, screeching roar as it fell into darkness. Gandalf looked over the edge, as he watched the Balrog fall, he then turned around to walk the rest of the bridge, he looked extremely exhausted.

Just as we thought it was the end of the Balrog, the end of the Balrog’s whip caught the end of Gandalf’s ankle, pulling him back, close to the edge, and close to darkness. He dropped his staff and his sword fell, as he clung desperately to the edge of the bridge. I heard Frodo gasp, as he turned and tried to go back down the stairs, but thankfully Boromir grabbed him before he got too far. “No! No!” He yelled to Frodo, as he struggled against Boromir, but Boromir held onto him. “Gandalf!!” He screamed. I tried to make my legs move, but after what I had just witnessed, it was kind of hard to look away. Gandalf was desperately trying to pull himself up over the edge, but he was not strong enough to haul himself back over. His fingers clinging to a crack. He puffed, and he gazed at Frodo, for a long moment.

“Amin wish, amin was i' er a' kwentra lle…” *Translation: I wish, I was the one to tell you…”* He said, looking straight at me. I was confused, I wanted to shout back, What do you want to tell me? But I couldn’t find the strength or the ability to say anything at the moment. I just stared at him. “Fly you fools!!” He ordered, before his arms gave way, and slipped into the darkness after the Balrog. “No!” Frodo screamed, once again he tried desperately trying to escape Boromir’s grasp. Instead Boromir just plucked him up, and hulled Frodo away. “Aragorn!” Boromir yelled, just before he ran through a doorway at the top of the stairs, as he was followed by the other Hobbits, and Gimli. I felt Legolas grab my good arm, and he pulled me with him. I turned back to see Aragorn duck as an arrow narrowly missed his head. We ran through another doorway, and ran straight into the cool crisp, air. We about 50 yards before stopping. I was still shaken by what had just happened, with my wound, and what Gandalf had said to me. “I wish, I was the one to tell you…” What did he mean by that? I would never find out from him, but I would find out from someone else. But did I have to find out?

What was so important about me?