Of Futures Past (Legolas)

13

"Ah, it's that way!" 

Alana awoke to Gandalf's remarkably upbeat remark, blinking sleepily as she tightened her grip on what she was holding.

"Let go of Legolas, Alana, it is time to move." Boromir said as he walked past.

As his words registered in Alana's mind, she scrambled backwards away from Legolas with her face burning.

"My apologies, Legolas." Alana said, mind whirring too quickly for her to understand, almost as quickly as her heartbeat.

"I did not mind, Alana." Legolas replied, standing and grabbing his belongings before waiting for Alana to catch up with the rest of the Fellowship.

They headed down the left hand passage and before long they came to a more open space.

"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf's staff glowed brighter, illuminating a large hall of stone with tall pillars and arched ceilings stretching beyond their line of sight. Alana, along with the others, looked around in awe. "Behold the great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf."

"Now there's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam said.

"It's beautiful." Alana murmured, eyes wide.

They began walking through the hall when Gimli suddenly let out a cry and hurried towards a side room. The Fellowship followed after him and found him crying atop a crypt with dead dwarves surrounding it.

Gandalf read the inscription on the crypt, translating it into the common tongue. "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. Its as I feared."

Alana choked back her own sob, tears hovering on her lashes and her lower lip trembling before she steeled herself, while Gimli let out an unrestrained wail. A pang of fear entered her at the noise. "We must remain quiet. There is danger still."

Gimli paid her no heed, but Legolas repeated, "We must move on, we cannot linger!"

Gandalf began reading from a book that had been held by one of the corpses. "'They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming.'"

Alana hugged herself nervously, then saw Pippin reaching out to touch an arrow stuck in the chest of a dead dwarf sitting by a stone well.

"Pippin, don't!" Even before she had finished her warning, he had grabbed the arrow and the corpse fell down the well, dragging a chain and bucket behind him. The noise of the loud banging made them all wince and Alana felt herself trembling with fear. There would be no escaping an interaction with the Balrog now. 

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf yelled.

Alana looked into the future quickly and saw them being attacked by orcs, goblins and cave trolls, then saw Gandalf's stand against the Balrog.

"Gandalf!" She cried anxiously, making desperate eye contact with him. He understood her look immediately and a look of resignation came over his eyes.

"Focus, now, Alana. There will be time later for fear." Gandalf said calmly.

Alana nodded, then told the others just as drums began to sound. "There are orcs and goblins coming. And they have a cave troll."

The Fellowship began to draw their weapons as Boromir and Aragorn created a barricade on the doors, with weapons thrown to them by Legolas. 

The orcs arrived all too quickly, and Legolas, Aragorn, and Alana were shooting the orcs through the holes they had made attempting to break down the door. Soon, they broke through, and Alana put her bow back over her shoulder and pulled out her knives, desperately swinging and killing any orcs who came her way.

Then, the cave troll arrived. Legolas shot at him, but he only growled in reply and continued attacking the Fellowship. While the others were busy with the troll, Alana continued fighting to hordes of orcs and did not notice the troll swing at her. 

Boromir, fighting through the hordes to get to her, pulled her out of the way just in time for the troll's mace to miss her.

"Watch out for the troll, Alana."

Alana nodded. "Thanks, Boromir."

They continued fighting side by side, taking out dozens of orcs.

"Frodo? Frodo!"

At the sound of the ringbearer's name, Alana looked over in fear to find Frodo unconscious on the ground with the troll's spear next to him, pointing towards him.

Redoubling their efforts, the Fellowship fought back against the troll and orcs, stabbing the troll then dodging out of its range until it opened its mouth and Legolas shot an arrow in it, delivering the final blow. The troll moaned then fell to the floor, throwing Pippin aside.

The remaining orcs fled and the group hurried over to Frodo's side. Aragorn turned him over and Frodo groaned, making all the Fellowship sigh in relief.

"He's alive!" Sam exclaimed.

"I'm alive. I'm not hurt." Frodo reassured.

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

Frodo then revealed the shirt of mithril he was wearing, that had once been given to Bilbo.

Getting a very brief vision of the Balrog, Alana turned to Gandalf worriedly. "We must leave now if we are to have any chance."

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf yelled, leading the way at a run while orcs gathered themselves behind them.

In the distance, a red light glowed sinisterly and the orcs fleed.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked.

"A Balrog—a demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" Gandalf replied fearfully.

The Fellowship ran down a passageway, then down two flights of steps with Aragorn and Gandalf bringing up the rear.

"Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near." Gandalf said, though Aragorn resisted at first. "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."

At his words, Alana felt some tears fall as she knew what was soon to happen. There was almost no chance of escaping it.

They encountered a large gap in the stairs and Legolas leaped over first, beckoning the others to join him. Gandalf leapt next, but they were interrupted by shooting orcs, which Legolas, Aragorn, and Alana shot back at. Boromir and Aragorn threw Merry, Pippin, and Sam over first while Alana continued shooting at the orcs, with Legolas catching them and glancing worriedly over at Alana.

Aragorn reached to pick Gimli up, but he shook his head stubbornly. "Nobody tosses a dwarf."

In his attempt to make the jump, Gimli barely missed, but Legolas was able to catch him by the beard and pull him up, much to his distress. Some of the steps crumbled away, making the gap wider.

Legolas stared at Alana then, beckoning her over almost desperately. "Jump, Alana." 

Eyes wide with fear and hands trembling, Alana leapt as far as she could and Legolas caught her against his chest. They both breathed heavily in relief and stayed in their embrace for a few seconds before focusing on Aragorn and Frodo, who had not yet jumped as even more of the staircase had fallen away.

Aragorn held Frodo steady and was trying to lean forwards to make the broken piece of staircase forwards. Quickly realizing they were not heavy enough to have much effect, Alana gathered as much magic as she could and, with her hands held up, forced the staircase to fall towards them, her face dripping in sweat.

Aragorn and Frodo jumped as the staircase crashed, caught by Boromir and Gandalf, and Legolas held Alana steady as she swayed a little on her feet.

Pushing Legolas away and forcing herself to stand steady, she began walking onwards. "We have no time to linger."

Resuming their sprint, the Fellowship followed after her, fear and adrenaline running high.