▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐨𝐠 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 eyes at the door, watching as Aragorn quickly pushed the Hobbits back towards Gandalf. Aragorn and Boromir pressed themselves against the doors as Boromir sighed. "They have a cave-troll." Legolas tossed them two axes which they quickly used to barricade the doors. Legolas, Ellaria, Aragorn, Boromir, and Gandalf stood at the ready around Balin's tomb.

Gimli jumped up on to of the tomb stone, readying his axe. "Let them come. There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."

They began breaking through the woods and Legolas and Aragorn took turns shooting an arrow through the hole the Orcs had made until they burst through the doors completely and came flying in.

Ellaria quickly began cutting the Orcs down. She stabbed on in the stomach, pulling her sword out and spinning towards another Orc and cutting his head off. She jumped over his body, landing on top of another Orc and stabbing her sword into its skull. She jumped down, quickly pulling her head back as an Orc swung it's weapon at her. She stabbed it in the throat, pushing the sword all the way through and impaling another Orc. She ripped her weapon free from the two bodies and paused long enough to look up as the large cave-troll came barreling in.

The cave-troll went for Sam who quickly ran between it's legs. The troll turned, moving to squish Sam like a bug only to be tugged back by Aragorn and Boromir who were pulling on the chain that was around its neck. The troll turned, swinging its large weapon and hitting Boromir, sending him flying and slamming into a wall. The cave troll started going after Gimli who rolled away from its swings. Legolas lifted his bow, sending two arrows flying into the troll but it did nothing.

The troll began to go for Legolas and Ellaria clinched her jaw, stabbing another Orc before going after the troll that was swinging its chain in an attempt to hit Legolas. She jumped up, grasping the flying chain and letting go when she was in the air. She landed on the trolls back and Legolas quickly stepped on it's chain, holding it still. She lifted her sword up before plunging it through the trolls skull. It began stumbling and Ellaria quickly jumped off and rolled, shooting up from the ground and stabbing another Orc. She glanced at the troll, lips lifting in a snarl when she saw it was still fighting. It was going after Frodo, even though it should've been dead.

Aragorn ran in front of Frodo, stabbing the troll in the stomach but it tossed him aside. The troll went for Frodo again and managed to stab him in the stomach. Ellaria snapped her head towards his pained cry, her eyes widening. Pippin and Merry let out a yell before jumping onto the troll's back, stabbing it repeatedly in the head. Ellaria quickly began fighting the Orcs in her path, trying her best to get to Frodo. She would heal him. She would save him from an untimely death. The feeling was all too familiar. Memories of Kili being shot by that arrow played in her mind. Panic seized her chest, fighting to get to him but the Orcs kept coming.

Somehow the troll was still alive, grabbing onto Pippin and swinging him around like a rag doll. Merry held on tight, still stabbing the troll in the head. Legolas quickly moved, aiming his arrow and when his target came, he released the arrow into the troll's eye socket. Finally, the troll fell to the ground. Ellaria quickly sliced down the last Orc before making a run for Frodo. He was lying face down on the ground, the weapon the troll had stabbed him with sticking out.

"Frodo." She softly whispered his name, glancing at Aragorn as he crawled over to them. Carefully, she turned him over and he let out a grunt. Her eyes widened. He was still alive.

Sam ran forwards, a relieved smile on his face. "He's alive."

Frodo stood, holding a hand to his chest. "I'm alright. I'm not hurt."

"You should be dead," Aragorn said. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

Gandalf stepped forwards. "I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye."

Frodo looked down, opening his shirt and revealing Mithril lying underneath it. "Mithril," Gimli breathed. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins." Ellaria sat up a little straighter at the name. She turned her head when she heard screeching in the distance.

"We must go." She quickly said. "More are coming."

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum." Gandalf ordered and they all went running.

They sprinted for the bridge, a league of Orcs chasing after them. They were coming from every side, crawling through the cracks in the ground and instantly running after them. Some were even crawling down from above them. They were forced to stop, huddling in a circle with Orcs on all sides of them. Gandalf's light was bright, possibly the only thing keeping the creatures from attacking. A growl suddenly echoed and all the Orcs scattered. Ellaria turned, seeing a bright glow at the end of the hall.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir whispered.

The growling and the orange light grew closer. Gandalf closed his eyes, listening to the growl before opening them again. "A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" Instantly, they listened. They ran through a door, Boromir going down the steps only he was forced to stop when the steps lead to his imminent demise. Legolas ran forwards, grabbing onto him and pulling him back to keep Boromir from falling. They turned, going down multiple set of stairs and stopping when one of the stairs had a large gap in the middle of it.

Legolas jumped over the gap first and Ellaria was quick to follow. He grabbed her hand, keeping her steady before turning to the others. Gandalf jumped over next, the two Elves quickly grabbing him. An arrow suddenly came flying from above and Ellaria was quick to turn, pulling out her own bow and aiming the arrow at the Orc. Instantly, she shot him down. Boromir grabbed onto Merry and Pippin before jumping the gap just as the steps beneath him crumbled. More arrows were being shot and Ellaria and Legolas began shooting the Orcs down.

Aragorn tossed Sam over before turning to Gimli who held up a hand. "Nobody tosses a Dwarf." He jumped, his feet meeting the edge before he began to fall backwards. Legolas was quick to grab him by the beard. "Not the beard!" He ignored him, pulling Gimli to safety. All that was left was Frodo and Aragorn, but the gap was growing bigger as the steps crumbled.

The growling grew closer, shaking the walls so bad that they started to fall apart. A piece of the wall fell and crashed onto the walk way to the stairs Aragorn and Frodo were on. The base of the stairs cracked and Aragorn held Frodo tightly. The stairs started to tilt forwards and when they were close enough they jumped over. Instantly, they continued to run.

They rounded a corner, leading them right to the bridge. "Over the bridge!" Gandalf yelled. "Fly!" Ellaria turned her head to see Gandalf still standing there, fire in front of him. The balrog emerged, a giant black creature consumed with fire. It began chasing him and they all ran faster. They all crossed the thin bridge, coming to a stop on the other side as they looked at Gandalf who was stopped in the middle of the bridge, facing the Balrog.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouted.

"Gandalf!" Ellaria called out to him, moving to run forwards but Legolas was quick to wrap and arm around her waist and hold her back.

Gandalf stood his ground. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you flame of Udun!" The Balrog pulled out a sword of flame, hitting against Gandalf's staff. It pulled back as Gandalf remained unharmed. "Go back to the shadow." The Balrog pulled out a whip of fire, yet Gandalf did not move. He held his sword and his staff as he shouted, "You shall not pass!" He slammed his staff on the ground, emitting light. The Balrog pulled back slightly before coming at him only for the bridge to crumble beneath his feet, sending him falling below.

Gandalf turned to walk away only for the whip to come flying up, wrapping around his foot. He fell, clinging to the edge of the bridge. "No!" Ellaria fought against Legolas's grip but he held her firmly. Frodo shot forwards, yelling for the wizard but Boromir grabbed him. "Let me go!" Ellaria shouted, pushing away from Legolas only for Aragorn to grab onto her as well, both of them holding her tightly in place.

Gandalf clung to the edge, trying to pull himself up only to fail. He looked at the company before saying, "Fly you fools." Then, he let go. Ellaria screamed out, Boromir having to grab onto Frodo and lift him into his arms. Legolas and Aragorn pulled her back, forcing her up the stairs and out of the caves, into the open light. When they were far enough away they stopped. When Aragorn and Legolas were sure she wouldn't attempt to run back inside, they let her go.

Ellaria pushed herself away from them, walking away from the others as tears filled her eyes. She ignored Aragorn and Boromir in the background, trying her best to keep herself from falling to her knees as she cried. She'd known him for so long, and now he was just gone. They began to pull the others up from the ground, knowing they needed to move, but Ellaria stayed put. Aragorn glanced at Legolas, nodding to the she-elf.

Legolas turned his head to look at her before walking over. "We must go." Legolas said, keeping his voice gentle. "Ella, we cannot stay here."

Ellaria swallowed, nodding her head. "I know." She wiped away her tears before turning and walking past him. Now was not the time to mourn and she knew that. So, she gathered herself, swallowing her grief, and kept pushing forwards.