Last Act of Love (Sequel to The Last One)

Chapter 9

The Fellowship ran out of the tomb and ran through the great halls. Orcs quickly swarmed them, crawling down from the ceilings and out of holes in the floor. Now completely surrounded, the Fellowship was forced to stop, readying their weapons to fight their way out. Ruive held her long daggers out in front of her, strategically standing in front of the Hobbits. A booming roar echoed from the archway at the end of the hall sending the orcs into panic. Another roar flooded the halls, the orcs screeched in terror and scattered. 

Eyes looked to the archway, were a low roar resonated and a dim red glow spilled into the darkness.

"What is this new devilment?" Boromir asked.

Gandalf was silent for a few moments as the glow spread over more of the hall.

"A balrog, a demon of the ancient world. Its foe is beyond any of you RUN!"

The Fellowship ran from the hall of columns and towards the bridge. Boromir ran ahead down a flight of stairs that ended above a great chasm. The man of Gondor nearly fell, if not for Legolas running forward to pull him back. Though the elf had half a mind to let him fall, if it would mean he would stop ogling at Ruive like some prize. The Fellowship ran on as Gandalf stumbled in last.

"Gandalf?" Aragorn asked concerned.

"Lead them on Aragorn. The Bridge is near!" The wizard ordered.

"Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here."

The Fellowship continued down the stair, coming across a gap in the stair to wide to step across. Legolas nimbly jumped over first and looked back at the other expectantly. The roars behind them grow louder and the roof begins to crumble.

"Gandalf!" Legolas beckoned the wizard.

Gandalf jumped over and joined Legolas just as arrow narrowly missed them. Legolas and Ruive whip out their bows and start returning fire on the orcs.

"Merry! Pippin!" Boromir grabbed the two hobbits under his arms and jumped over the gap, a chunk of the stairs falling away.

Aragorn looked at Gimli and moved to grab him, but the dwarf held up his hand.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf!"

Gimli leaped across the gap and teetered on the edge, Legolas reached out and grabbed his beard and pulled him to safety.

"Not the beard!" Gimli roared.

Aragorn grabbed Sam and looked at Ruive who was still firing arrows.

"I've got Frodo, go!" Ruive said, shooting another arrow before putting her bow away and grabbing Frodo to her.

Aragorn and Sam landed safely on the other side as the rest of the Fellowship watched on with worry. Ruive moved to jump with Frodo, but more of the steps she stood on fell away. Ruive pushed Frodo further up to safety as she held onto the steps as they fell into the chasm below.

Ruive wrapped her arm around Frodo, seeing him wobbling on his feet.

"Steady! Hold on!" 

The roof above them crumbled as the balrog closed in on them, a chunk fell and crumbled the stairs behind them leaving them isolated. The section on which Frodo and Ruive began to crack beneath them and began to sway.

"Hang on." Ruive said holding onto Frodo's clothes.

The staircase swayed from side to side as the Fellowship watched on in fear. 

"Lean forward." Ruive said.

Slowly the staircase fell towards the awaiting Fellowship. 

"Come on." Legolas urged, holding his arms out.

"Ready?" Ruive began, waiting for the staircase to get close enough.

"Jump!" 

Frodo and Ruive jumped across. Boromir caught Frodo and Ruive jumped into Legolas' arms. Not on purpose, but she could not deny that she did feel a familiar safeness when held in his arms. They ran down the rest on the stairs, the section crumbling and falling into the chasm. They ran towards the bridge, flames consuming the room behind them. 

"Over the Bridge! Fly!" Gandalf ordered, ensuring everyone made it across the bridge.

Gandalf ran across the bridge, stopping halfway to face the balrog who emerged from the flames. Mouth spewed from its mouth as it walked after them with great strides.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf barked.

The Fellowship looked back in horror as Gandalf faced down the creature.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried.

"I am the Servant of the Secret Fire. Wielder of the Flame of Anor." Gandalf sneered at the balrog.

The balrog held a flaming sword above his head.

"The dark fire will not avail you. Flame of Udun!" 

The balrog brought it's sword down on Gandalf who held his staff up and protected himself.

"Go back to the shadow!"

The Balrog stepped onto the bridge, wielding a fiery whip.

"You shall not pass!" 

Gandalf brought his staff and sword down on the bridge. The balrog stepped forward, but the bridge crumbled underneath it and sent it tumbling down into the chasm. Gandalf turned to walk away, but the tail of the whip shot up and snaked around his ankle. The wizard fell over and dangled from the edge of the bridge, his sword and staff fallen below. 

Frodo dashed towards him but Boromir held him back.

"No!" Boromir called.

"Gandalf!" 

As Frodo struggled in Boromir's arm, Ruive finally moved. She ran forward, but arms wrapped around her and held her like a vice, trapping her arms as well. Ruive kicked and bucked and fought hard against her restrainer, but their grip did not falter.   

Gandalf did his best to hold on by his finger tips, looking at the Fellowship for the last time.

"Fly you fools!"

"NOOoooooooooooooo!" Frodo wailed as the wizard fell into the chasm.

"NOOO! NOOO! NOOO! Let me go! Gandalf!" 

Ruive struggled even harder, fighting through tears. This cannot be happening, not another loved one. She felt herself being pulled away from the bridge, a faint voice in her ear.

"Ruive, we have to leave. He is gone." The soft voice of Legolas whispered in her ear.

Ruive stopped struggling and let the tears flow. Why bother stopping them?She felt Legolas pulling her the way out, too heart broken and distraught to resist anymore.

The sun beamed down on the Fellowship as they ran out of Moria. The Hobbits fell to the ground crying, a furious Gimli was held by Boromir, Aragorn merely stared out ahead of him. Legolas slowly let go of Ruive, watching her carefully. She took a few steps away from him before her legs caved beneath her and she sank to the ground. She pulled at her hair in anger and punched the rocks, her tears rolling off her cheeks and pooling in her lap.

"Legolas! Get them up!" Aragorn demanded.

"Give them a moment! For pities sake!" Boromir argued.

"By nightfall this hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Ruive, Gimli, get them up!"

Ruive looked ahead of her, she tried to push to her feet, but she felt heavy with grief. As she stumbled to her feet a warm hand held her bicep, steadying her. She looked up to meet the eyes of Legolas.

"He would not want you to grieve, not like this."

Ruive looked at him with sorrow and asked the question that always plagued her mind.

"Why do I keep losing the ones I love?"