TALE OF LEGOLAS AND RAENASLEE (LOTR STORY)

THE BRIGDE OF KHAZAD-DÛM

CHAPTER 9

THE BRIGDE OF KHAZAD-DÛM

“I could die for you. But I couldn't, and wouldn't, live for you.” 

― Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

Everyone ran out the rear door of the chamber into a high, ornate hall of pillars with a ray of light breaking through from some high shaft. They were closely being pursued by an army of Orcs. Other Orcs sprung out from the floors or crawled from the ceiling and down the pillars, like spiders. They surrounded them; they drew their weapons outward in a circle. The Orcs snarled and leered a tour faces. 

Just then, a fiery light appeared at the end of a hall followed by a thunderous rumble. The Orcs, dismayed, fled, panicking, in all directions. They were left alone. The old wizard stared down the hall.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked slightly panting.

Gandalf did not respond for a moment. He closed his eyes, concentrating. The rumble was heard again. Gandalf opened his eyes, and they looked grim and solemn. "A Balrog, a demon of the ancient world." he said. Gandalf nodded as the beast growled, still hidden around a corner of the vast hall, throwing fiery light on the pillars. 

"This foe is beyond any of you." Gandalf yelled. They ran between the rows of pillars and came to a small doorway in the wall.

"Quickly!" Gandalf said as he shepherded them through. They entered a passageway and went down a flight of steps. The flight ended in a missing segment, nearly sending Boromir falling into its fiery depths, but Legolas pulled him back. "Gandalf!" Aragorn shouted as he saw Gandalf leaning against a wall tired.

"Lead them on, Aragorn! The bridge is near!" Gandalf yelled. Across the wide space to a long bridge spanning the gap between a hall and a cliff face. Aragorn moved towards Gandalf, but Gandalf pushed Aragorn roughly away from him. "Do as I say!"

Hurt and confusion register on Aragorn’s face.

"Swords are no more use here!" Gandalf added as the Balrog roared again. 

They descended a flight of stairs twisting into the fiery depths, rising from the ground far below. They soon encountered a gap in the stairs. Legolas leapt forward and landed on the other side.

"Raenaslee!" Legolas said gesturing for her to jump; when she did the he-elf got her.

The Balrog's roar made foundations splinter and crumble, sending huge rocks tumbling down.

"Gandalf." Legolas said.

“You’re next.” Raenaslee said beckoned next. 

Arrows whistle into the air from a far ledge, striking the stone steps a tour foot, where Gandalf had stood but a moment ago. Legolas shot back. His arrow rose through the air and pierced the skull of an Orc. The Orc tumbled down from his ledge. Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin, and jumped across. Aragorn threw Sam across, whom Boromir caught. Aragorn then went to throw Gimli but he refused to be thrown.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf." He said before leaping forward but nearly falls back into the chasm. Legolas grabs his beard.

"Not the beard!" He whined but Raenaslee grabbed the dwarf’s hand and help him pull up as some of the stone steps crumbled and fell into the abyss. Aragorn pushed Frodo back up the steps and clambers after him, struggling up. They climbed back to their feet and looked at the widened gap that separated them from the others. The Balrog can be heard approaching from the other hall, it’s the fiery light getting closer. Stone structures around the mine collapsed as it drew near. A huge rock fell from the ceiling and smashed through the steps behind Aragorn and Frodo, creating another gap behind them and weakening the stairs’ foundation. The stairs began to wobble. 

"Hang on! Lean forward!" Aragorn shout.

"Come on!" Legolas hollered. 

“You can make it!” Raenaslee hollered soon after. 

They shifted their weight forward, tipping the stairs across the divide and slamming them onto the steps where the others were. They leapt across to safety, and everyone reached out to catch them. Once everyone was over they turned and ran down the stairs as the stone structures collapsed behind them.

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf yelled as they fled, but he didn't follow. Instead he turned, looking into a wall of fire. A great form of black shadow leapt through the flames, its eyes of white fire, great ash-black horns curling around a bull-like head. It opened its maw, rippling heat poured out with a rumble. Gandalf turned, running after the others. A great, black, cloven foot stomped down into the hall, bursting into flame. A narrow bridge of stone appeared in the fiery light, as they crossed the bridge. Gandalf turned to face the Balrog. Turning on heel Raenaslee tried to run back to him. Legolas, however, stopped her and pulled her to him. 

"Gandalf No!" she yelled near tears, as Legolas held her back. Frodo looked at her with fear and confusion.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouted at the Balrog.

"Gandalf!" Frodo called, realizing what was happening. Great shadow like wings of ash whirled around the demon, which spread its arms and burst into cracking, bursting, thundering flame. Gandalf stood beneath it, staff and sword raised. 

"I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor…" He began to lift his staff. A blazing light radiates from it, illuminating the entire bridge, encircling the wizard in a globe of endless light. Raenaslee fought in Legolas' arms, knowing she could help Gandalf somehow. 

"The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udûn!" Gandalf screamed. 

The Balrog heaved its arm upward, a sword of fire forming in its hand. It stroked down at Gandalf, who parried the blow with his blade, shattering the Balrog’s sword. Glowing embers ran off the circle of light around the wizard. The enraged monster bellowed at the wizard. Frodo gasped as Aragorn ran forward. 

"Go back to the Shadow!" Gandalf spoke through clenched teeth. A thread of flame issued from the Balrog’s maw, and it stepped forward onto the bridge. The beast brandished a flaming whip, lashing it about menacingly. Gandalf summoned the last of his energy, and raised his sword and staff together into the air.

"YOU...SHALL NOT...PASS!!!" Gandalf bellowed, slamming his staff into the bridge, causing a bright flash of blue light to appear. 

Flaring its nostrils, the Balrog stepped forward onto the bridge. The bridge collapsed from under it as it moved towards Gandalf, and breaks before the wizard’s staff. The demon plunged backward into the chasm, still wielding its glowing whip. Raenaslee left out a big sigh of relief and stopped fighting in Legolas arms. Gandalf, exhausted, leaned on his staff and watched the Balrog fall, then turned to follow them. At the last second, the flaming whip lashed up from the depth of the abyss wrapped on Gandalf’s ankle, dragging him over the edge. He clung onto the bridge but strained to keep his grip. The she-elf gasped before running forward, stopped by Legolas, griping her hand and. 

"Gandaaaaalf!" Frodo yelled, holding by Boromir. The wizard grasped vainly at the stone, looking into Frodo‘s eyes. He stopped struggling.

"Fly, you fools!" He said before letting go of the stone and fell.

"Noooooooooooooooo!!!!" Frodo and Raenaslee screamed as Legolas dragged her out of the mine into the stark brightness of the day, contrasting the blackness of Moria.

"No" she wept and Legolas let her go. Sam sat on the ground, bowing his head onto his hands, weeping. Merry tried to comfort Pippin. Boromir tries to restrain Gimli as the Dwarf vented out his rage and sorrow, Legolas who looked very confused but in him, he was in the state of grief. Raenaslee saw that he was in sorrow in his eyes and she embraced him tightly as he embraced back. Aragorn wiped his sword clean, re-sheathed it, and turned to them.

"Legolas, get them up." He called; Legolas slowly did as he was told.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir pleaded.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Raenaslee, Gimli, get them up." Aragorn spoke, still staying strong.