The Edge of Night

Through the Darkness

The walk is long and dark, the gloom of the now empty mines permeating into the very core of them all. But the bare bones of the once magnificent kingdom were still visible and one couldn't help but marvel at the architecture and the craftsmanship of the dwarves.

She walks behind Gandalf and in front of Legolas, who has taken up watching her like a hawk after he had to save her from falling over the edge... twice. "The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels, but mithril." Gandalf explains as he shines his staff down into the black chasm below, and they can see just how deep into the mountain they mined. "Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings that Thorin gave him."

"Oh, that was a kingly gift!" Gimli explains.

"Yes. I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire."

Silence falls once more as they go deeper still into the mountain. The steps were steep and small and more than once she almost loses her footing. At the very top were three different passages to choose. Gandalf looks around, confused. "I have no memory of this place."

Perfect. He settles down on a rock and everyone else looks around, unsure of what to do. Boromir gets a fire going and Elfwyn sits between Aragorn and Legolas. "I never did ask how Rohan fares." Aragorn asks quietly.

"Not well. Saruman has taken ahold of my father. I fear if nothing is done my country will fall." She pauses there, expecting a snarky comment from Boromir but nothing comes. No one says anything after that and the group falls back into silence, just the dripping of water can be heard in the caverns below and her thoughts turn towards home, to Edoras and her golden halls. She thinks of her brother and cousins, who were left to protect their people while their king sits in a fugue state. If all was lost, and Saruman's power of her country remained, she feared what would become of them.

"Ah! It's this way!" Gandalf's voice carries over. Boromir douses the fire and everyone gathers their things.

"He's remembered!" Merry says happily.

"No. But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." They descend down the path, and she brings her hand up to the wall, trying to find something to hold onto as the light coming from Gandalf's staff did not do much to afford those further back light. "Let me risk a little more light." The staff brightens and they're able to take in the halls around them. It was massive, and the intricate detailing of the dwarves could be seen on every pillar, every column. "Behold, the great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf."

She looks around in amazement. This was like nothing she had ever seen before. "There's an eye opener, and no mistake." Sam whispers in awe. They continue to walk further into the city, taking in the ruins when Gimli lets out a noise like a pained animal and runs off into another room. A room with a skylight that shines over a tomb.

"Gimli!" Gandalf yells. They follow him inside and among the remains and ruins, Gimli falls to his knees.

"No! Oh, no." He cries out.

Gandalf inspects the tomb, finding an inscription at the top. "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria'. He is dead, then. It's as I feared." She bows her head in respect, sending up a Rohirric prayer of peace.

"We must move on." Legolas whispers to Aragorn and Elfwyn. "We cannot linger." It seems Gandalf has reason to pause.

"'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.'"

The eerie silence following Gandalf's reading is broken as Pippin accidently sends a head from one of the dwarf skeletons falls down into the mines below followed by the body, echoing as it hits every nook and cranny, alerting whatever still remained in the mines to their location. When finally everything is silenced, they look around, waiting for something, anything, to happen. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity."