The way to Gondor (Aragorn and Legolas fanfic)

The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm

Gandalf POV

"Hurry on! To the bridge!!", I screamed with all that my lungs gave. From the other side of the enormous hall the loud footsteps of the terrible creature, that the dwarfs had awakened from the depths of earth and time, resounded to the fellowship. I heard its furious roarings and for the first time on this trip, I wondered, if we were all going to make it out of the danger alive.

I chased the hobbits, men, the dwarf and the elf down breaking stone stairs, constantly shooting glances back at what was following us. Not ever in my whole life, which was long enough to have contained extreme danger and encounters with terrible creatures, I had needed to face a truly equal partner in battle.

A Balrog was a monster from the first age, even before the great darkness fell on Middle-Earth. It had long since been abandoned to deep mountains and was not seen for a very long time. But Balins dwarfs had dug for minerals too deep into the mines and awakened it again. Much to our calamity now. Because that was what was chasing us, and what even the orcs were afraid of.

Finally, we reached the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm. If we could pass this last barrier, we would be out of the mines in no time. But of course, fate decided otherwise. 

We ran over the bridge, jumping over a huge gap in the middle, where the stone had broken and fallen into the darkness beneath. The Belrog was close. And with my cloak whirling around my feet, I made my choice. 

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!", I screamed, as I turned around on the broken bridge and faced the monster. With my staff I conjured the flame of Anor and held it over my head. I hoped, the fellowship took my distraction and fled. 

---

After a heavy battle, the Balrog fell down into the darkness, not having caused me any severe damage. I turned around to find Aragorn at the end of the bridge, waiting for me. What a fool he was! Suddenly, a tail made from fire entangled me, and threw me over the edge of the remaining bridge. So Durin's Bane had finally felled me after all. I was clinging onto the stone, seeing the stupid man run forwards, but Boromir caught him. Smart guy. 

"Flee, you fools."

And then I fell.

But the battle was not over.

Aragorn POV

I saw him falling, and I could do nothing. So, in honour of his last words, I fled. If this was the end of all, I was to at least bring the rest of the fellowship out of these awful mines, and to safety. The task was now mine, as Gandalf had left this world. Silent tears wetted my cheeks as I ran.

Gandalf POV

I hit the water with a splash, but the Balrog did so with a hiss, that travelled up the walls. Fire and water usually don't work well together, so a being, which was made entirely from fire didn't like water very much. 

Even though I was freezing cold by now, I made my way out of the water and faced my enemy. It had arisen again, burning more than ever before. And the battle continued.

For days and days I chased my enemy through dark old tunnels in the mountain. We were equals, as we both originated in the same time, being left-overs from the first age. Finally, after five days of fighting, our battle led us to the top of the mountain. From far away, our fight looked like a thunderstorm, with great dark clouds hanging all around us, and lightning emerging from my staff and from the Balrog. 

With a last atempt to destroy Durin's Bane, I lifted my staff. The flame of Anor did justice to its reputation, and I threw my enemy over the edge of the mountain top. The deed is done.

The crumbling and destruction of one whole mountainside, and the final death of the ancient monster, I couldn't feel anymore, as I drifted off into darkness and walked secret paths to meet my creator. 

Eru POV

(For those of you who don't know him, Eru is the creator of Arda (Middle-Earth), somehow like a God, and he brought Gandalf to this earth in the first place, to fight Sauron)

His task is not completed. He must return. He shall return. Return, Olórin, and fulfill your task!