Iron Stars

Chapter 17: The Dark

TA 3019
Moria

Ruinë had heard goblin drums many times before. When battle cries began to be added to it, she knew they needed to prepare for a fight. Sting, Frodo's sword, glowed blue and Legolas confirmed their suspicions, "Orcs!"

Boromir raced over to the door and quickly slammed it shut. An arrow made its way through a small gap and barely missed the man's head. He peered briefly through a gap before turning to the rest of them, "They have a cave troll." His casual tone almost made Ruinë laugh if not for the fact they were about to die.

Legolas and Ruinë tossed weapons and really anything that Aragorn and Boromir then used to bar the door. It wouldn't keep the orcs out but it would give them time. And time was what they needed. The two men then backed up and stood beside the elves. Legolas and Aragorn drew their bows, Boromir his great shield and sword while Ruinë whipped out her double bladed sword. Even down here, the Fiery Blade of the East would be known.

Behind them, Gimli stood upon the tomb, drawing his axe. "Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" He yelled, a challenge to the orcs who were working on breaking down the door.

Ruinë rolled her shoulders, allowing her battle instincts to begin to set in. If there was one thing she was good at it, it was fighting. Since she had been a child in Valinor, she had been taught how to fight and when the wars of the First Age turned the ground slick with blood, she had stood there, her blade singing its deadly song. She had seen perhaps the most war and violence of any alive in Middle Earth. She did not fear the orcs, they feared her.

Gaps began to appear in the wooden doors, orc faces filling them. The thudding of the battering rams and the splintering of wood, filled her ears. Aragorn and Legolas fired their arrows, hitting the orcs through the door. It killed some but the doors soon fell. That's when the real fight began. Boromir and Ruinë led the charge against them, their blades working together. As she spun and danced between the blades, a smirk formed on her face. This, she was used to. This, she could do with ease.

As she sunk her blade into an orc, she felt blood on her hand, a sickening feeling that brought back far too many memories. Banishing her thoughts, she spun her blade over her head, decapitating about ten orcs who had surrounded her. Some saw her and fled, seeing the blade that fought them. They knew of the Blade and feared it. The orc blood that had gotten on her face and the fearsome look in her eyes only added to her menacing appearance.

Around her battled the Fellowship, arrows flying and swords ringing. She even saw Sam, frying pan in hand, smacking orcs left and right. However in came the cave troll, a chain around its neck and rage in its eyes. Legolas fired at it but the arrow had little effect besides enraging the beast. Its skin was simply too thick too pierce. It then turned its attention to Sam who raced away after hitting it.

Ruinë dashed across the floor, hoping to avoid Sam getting hurt. Together Boromir, Aragorn and Ruinë yanked on the chain and successfully pulled the beast away from the hobbit. As the trio attacked the beast, it slammed Boromir off to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man stir and watched as Aragorn protected him from an orc. He was alright for now.

Gimli joined her against the troll and the duo slashed at the creature's legs, weakening it. Ruinë did her best to keep the beast's attention on her, but she had to also defend herself from orcs. Many seemed to just wait for her to make a mistake. But Ruinë had done battle before, she was experienced at keeping her attention on multiple attackers. Her blade swung from orc to troll to orc again, spilling blood each time.

She heard the hobbits cry out, the troll was after them. Or it seemed after Frodo, perhaps drawn to the dark object in his possession. Ruinë cursed under her breath, she was too far away to reach Frodo. Aragorn was closest so she began to approach where he was to clear a path for him.

    Aragorn soon had a spear pointed at the troll, only to get thrown off the side. Ruinë did her best to reach the man and hobbit but ended up being too late. Frodo got skewered. She knew of the mithril shirt so she focused her attention instead on the troll, choosing to let Aragorn assist the hobbit. The troll was going to pay.

     Merry and Pippin had since launched themselves onto the creature's head and Legolas was awaiting an opportunity to fire into its open mouth. Ruinë darted across the floor, her feet light and fast against the stone. Propelling herself off a pillar, she leapt high and her blade sunk into the chest of the beast. As she fell, it tore open the stomach, spraying black blood all over her face and clothes.

     The beast roared and Legolas fired his arrow, the duo's work bringing it down. It fell beside Ruinë, dead. Those who had fought it glanced at each other, glad it had fallen. Boromir came over and laid a hand on her shoulder, silently asking if she was alright. Ruinë nodded, wiping her face somewhat clean of the blood. She had a nasty cut on her arm from a blade she feared was poisoned but she was alright, just shaken.

     Aragorn rolled Frodo over, grief already on his face. He believed the hobbit to be dead after all. The hobbit was breathing, staring up at Aragorn with wide eyes. "I'm alright, I'm not hurt," he said, his breath coming in shallow pants.

     "You should be dead. That spear could have skewered a wild boar," Aragorn responded, amazed.

     "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye," said Gandalf, a twinkle in his eye. At the wizard's words, Frodo pulled down his shirt to reveal the mithril that had saved his life.

     "Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins," Gimli exclaimed. His words were finished by the shrieking of orcs and the sound of drums. Their rest was over. The fight was not.

     "To the bridge of Khazad-Dum!" Gandalf yelled.

     The group set off, racing away from the tomb. However Orcs were scurrying down pillars, creeping down from side halls, surrounding them in their trap. With only Gandalf's light, Ruinë felt a hoard of memories trying to free themselves from where she kept them trapped. She gritted her teeth and kept running.

     They were forced to stop as the trap ensnared them, the warriors forcing the hobbits towards the center of the circle. Ruinë knew the likelihood they would come away from this fight was slim but she would not die with her blade sheathed. Perhaps she could give the others a chance to live.

However a deep growl rebounded off the walls, sending the orcs fleeing. She could hear Gimli cheering but Ruinë knew better. She knew what was coming. She knew the danger that was on its way.

      A glowing orange light began to fill an immense doorway as the growl turned into a cruel snarl. The crackling of fire rang in her ears, the smoldering of embers. Ruinë gripped her blade with a white knuckle grip, her mind remembering what beasts made those noises. She remembered that dozens had brought down her father, she could remember the pain in his eyes as he died. How their whips burned like liquid fire, how they were made for ruin. How they had killed and hurt and destroyed.

     "What is this new devilry," questioned Boromir from behind her.

     For a while nobody said anything until Gandalf answered, "A Balrog, a demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you, run!"

Word Count: 1360