Thorns & Roses (Legolas Love Story)

13. Chasm

For those who believe in resurrection, death is inconsequential. It’s not an ending but rather a new beginning. A second chance, a reunion. The very idea of resurrection is so seductive a concept it’s easy to forget, that before you can rise from the dead, you have to spend a few days in hell.

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If the monster at the gate of Moria was hideous, then the Balrog of Morgoth was truly nightmarish.

Hell, ‘nightmarish’ didn’t even do it any justice.

The Balrog, a massive creature of flames, a great forty foot man-beast carrying a fiery blade on one hand and a whip like a tongue of fire on the other hand, rose from the deep chasm of Dwarrowdelf, roaring after us.

It was as if someone was playing a game with us and was using an incredibly elaborate cheats to defeat us.

Just infuriatingly unfair.

“Do as I say!” chastised Gandalf at Aragorn who hesitated after the wizard’s command for him to lead us, “Swords are no more use here!”

We raced down a dizzying stairway of Khazad-Dum that broke with a gaping chasm. Legolas, being the fastest of us all, leaped gracefully to the other side. Not wasting any time, Aragorn picked up the nearest hobbit he could find and threw him across the chasm for Legolas to catch.

“Nobody tosses a dwarf!” exclaimed Gimli to Aragorn before stubbornly jumping to the other side on his own. If it wasn’t for Legolas, who caught him in time by the dwarf’s beard, then he would surely be dead. But even then, Gimli still managed to protest.

“Not the beard!” he cried.

I pressed my lips together in impatience at Gimli’s absurd protest.

When it was my turn to jump, the gap between us suddenly widened, heavy rocks the size of boulders fell all around us.

I held on tightly with Aragorn and Frodo, panic and determination evident in our eyes as we stared at our friends that were already waiting for us anxiously on the other side.

The broken bridge that we were on began to sway after being hit by a chunk of rock from the building next to it.

“Lean forward!” exclaimed Aragorn.

We did, and when the frail bridge we were on swayed forward, I took a deep breath and we all jumped.

I bumped into someone, a pair of strong arms caught me. I held on to him tightly before pulling away slightly, noticing a pair of icy blue eyes staring back at me. His expression impassive yet determination and relief passed across his expression.

I exhaled in relief that I’ve made it to the other side and that Legolas was there to catch me. I nodded at him in thanks and I let my arms slid away from his shoulders.

We all ran.

“You cannot pass!” yelled Gandalf at the Balrog, making us turned back to look at him.

The wizard didn’t follow us.

“Gandalf!” yelled Frodo in alarm.

Oh no…

While the others were watching in recoil as the brave wizard faced the impossible enemy on his own, all I could do was look away.

I shut my eyes to keep the tear from falling. The sound of Gandalf’s voice echoed in my ears, leaving a stab in my heart.

By the time the Balrog let out a mighty roar of defeat, I braved my eyes to open.

Gandalf was trembling on the lip of the broken bridge just after the Balrog fell into the dark chasm. The wizard turned his back from his fallen enemy and looked at us.