The White Armoured Shifter. [The Hobbit FF-ThorinxOcxAragorn Love Story]

13. To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!

The Fellowship runs out of the chamber into a hall of pillars. An army of Orcs closely pursues the Fellowship. Other Orcs spring out from the floor or crawl, like spiders, from the ceiling and down the pillars. They surround the Fellowship, who have drawn their weapons outward in a circle. The Orcs snarl and leer. Gimli lets out a yell. A fiery light appears at the end of a hall, followed by a thunderous rumble. 

The Orcs flee in all directions. Gimli laughs, thinking he has scared off the Orcs. The Fellowship are left alone. The weary wizard stares down the hall. "What is this new devilry?" Boromir asks from right behind Gandalf, but Gandalf does not respond for a moment. He closes his eyes, concentrating. The rumble is heard again. Gandalf opens his eyes. "A Balrog — a demon of the ancient world," Gandalf explains,

The thing growls, still hidden around a corner of the vast hall, throwing fiery light on the pillars. Legolas's eyes show fear as he can see it with his heightened vision. "This foe is beyond any of you... Run!" Gandalf shouts before taking off; the Fellowship runs to a small doorway. Gandalf shepherds them through. "Quickly!" Gandalf shouts as he takes a last glance behind him and follows.

The Fellowship enters a passageway and goes down a flight of steps. The flight ends in a missing segment, and Boromir nearly falls, but Legolas pulls him back. His torch whirls away into the vast underworld beneath. "Gandalf!" Aragorn calls, standing near each other; Ayrn is a few steps back, keeping her eye on the hobbits, "Lead them on, Aragorn! The bridge is near!" Gandalf orders, they look across a wide space to a long bridge spanning the gap between a hall and a cliff face. 

Away behind them, the Balrog roars again. Aragorn moves towards Gandalf, but Gandalf pushes Aragorn roughly away from him. "Do as I say!" Gandalf snarls, hurt and confusion register on Aragorn's face. "Swords are no more use here!" Gandalf warns. The Balrog roars again. The Fellowship descend a flight of massive stairs. The Fellowship encounters a gap in the stairs. Legolas leaps and lands on the other side.

The Balrog rumbles again. Foundations splinter and crumble, sending huge rocks tumbling into the depths. "Gandalf." Legolas calls to the Gray Pilgrim. Gandalf leaps after him. Arrows whistle into the air from a far ledge, striking the stone steps. Legolas shoots back. His arrow rises through the air and pierces the skull of an Orc. The Orc tumbles down from his ledge. "Merry! Pippin! Hoo-aah!" Boromir shouts as he scoops up a Hobbit under each arm and jumps.

An exchange of arrows follows from the stairs to the ledge. "Sam! Frodo!" Aragorn calls as he goes next, taking the same leap with them that Boromir did. Ayrn reaches to pick up Gimli. But the stubborn dwarf holds up his hand, "Nobody tosses a dwarf." He leaps forward but nearly falls back into the chasm. Legolas grabs his beard and pulls him up. "Not the beard!" he cries in pain. Some of the stone steps crumble and fall. 

Ayrn climbs back to safety, and when she looks back, the distance has widened to something of dangerous length. "Ayrn!" Aragorn shouts in worry, "Fuck." she snarls; the Balrog can be heard approaching from the other hall. Stone structures around the mine collapse as it draws near. A huge rock falls from the ceiling and smashes through the steps behind Ayrn, creating another gap behind her. The stairs begin to wobble. 

Leaning forward, she uses her weight to force the fall of the stairs she on, tipping the stairs across the divide and slamming her onto the steps where her companions are. She leaps across to safety, landing in Aragorn and Legolas' arms before they run down the stairs as the stone structures collapse behind them. Around a great pillar in a fiery hall comes Gandalf, leading the Fellowship. A wall of flame whirls behind them. 

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf shouts as the Fellowship flees. Gandalf does not follow but turns, looking into the wall of fire. A great form of black shadow leaps through the flames, its eyes of white fire, great ash-black horns curling around a bull-like head. It opens its maw, rippling heat pouring out with a rumble. Gandalf turns, running after the Fellowship. A great, black, cloven foot stomps down into the hall, bursting into flame. 

A narrow bridge of stone appears in the fiery light, and the Fellowship crosses the bridge. Gandalf turns to face the Balrog. "You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouts, "Gandalf!" Frodo shouts fearfully. "I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor... The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn!" Gandalf shouts up at the giant beast. The Balrog strikes down on Gandalf, who parries the blow with his blade, shattering the Balrog's sword. 

Glowing embers run off the circle of light around the wizard. The monster bellows at the wizard. Frodo gasps, and Aragorn runs forward. Gandalf growls out through clenched teeth, "Go back to the Shadow!" The Balrog steps onto the bridge. It brandishes a flaming whip. Gandalf raises his sword and staff together into the air. "You — shall not — pass!" Gandalf shouts as he drives his staff into the bridge, causing a bright flash of blue light to appear. 

Flaring its nostrils, the Balrog steps forward onto the bridge. The bridge collapses from under it as it moves towards Gandalf and breaks before the wizard's staff. The demon plunges backward into the chasm, still wielding its glowing whip. Gandalf, exhausted, leans on his staff and watches the Balrog fall. He turns to follow the others. The flaming whip lashes up from the depths of the abyss and winds about Gandalf's ankle, dragging him over the edge. 

He clings onto the bridge but strains to keep his grip. Frodo rushes forward, but Ayrn restrains him. "No, no!" she gasps out as she holds him, "Gandalf!" Frodo shouts with absolute terror on his face. The wizard grasps the bridge, looking into Frodo's eyes. He stops struggling. "Fly, you fools!" Gandalf gasps out as he lets go of the stone and falls into the chasm, spreading his arms, the light of the Balrog glimmering far below. 

There is a silent moment where there is no sound, until it rings back in with the sound of Frodo's scream of agony at Gandalf's fall. "NOOOOOO!" Ayrn holds tighter to Frodo and starts to leave up a flight of stairs. Her own pain being pushed back until she can get everyone out and safely away from the mines. "Aragorn!" Ayrn called, trying to get his attention, while Frodo screamed and fought to get free, "No!" 

Aragorn does not move for a moment, but then Orc arrows start whistling by once again, shooting at the companions. Dodging them, he turns and follows the others up the stairs.