Colours

Just a Scratch

We run back into the great hall and make for an opening on the far side. Goblins come crawling from everywhere and chase us. There's too many of them. We get trapped in a circle surrounded by the enemy. I reach to grab Aragorn's hand, seeking comfort in his presence.

Suddenly, I hear a loud roar and turn slightly to see a blazing red light coming down the hallway. The goblins flee in fear leaving me with an idea of what it is. One look at Gandalf's face confirms my thoughts.

Scared Boromir asks, "What is this new devilry?"

The huge shadow surrounded by flames and light blurs my vision as the ground shakes and an unnatural sound is heard. 

"A Balrog ... a demon of the ancient world! This foe is beyond any of you!" Gandalf quietly begins, before he yells, "Run! Quickly!"

We take off down the chamber and into a section with stairs and bridges in every direction. Rushing as fast as we dared we clambered down the stairs, running for our lives. Aragorn leads us with Gandalf on our tail.

"Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near" Gandalf calls out, "Do as I say; swords are of no more use here."

Stumbling we come across a gap in the stairs. Legolas and I jump across first with ease. As Legolas turns to fire back at the goblins lining the walls, I help the others cross. 

Gandalf jumps first and I stabilize him slightly before reaching to grab Merry from Boromir as he jumps across with Merry and Pippin. Aragorn tosses Sam to me and I catch him and turn to see Aragorn reach to toss Gimli but Gimli slaps his hands away, "Nobody tosses a dwarf!"

With a great big jump Gimli launches himself towards us. His feet slip on the edge and I reach out for the first thing I can find, his beard. "Not the beard!" he cries out.

Pieces of the stairs crumble off causing Aragorn and Frodo to scramble back up the stairs to safety. As the stairs begin to fall they lean forward and fall towards us. I catch Aragorn and stabilize him before we turn to keep running.

Finally, we reach the bridge. A narrow stone piece that traverses a deep, dark chasm. Gandalf yells at us, "Over the bridge! Fly!"

I rush over the bridge and try desperately not to fall. I follow the others and climb the stairs on the other side. I run into the back of Legolas and he reaches out with his arms to stop me from falling. 

I turn to see what Legolas is looking at behind me and see Gandalf, standing alone on the bridge. He stares the Balrog down with his staff in one hand and his sword in the other. "You shall not pass!" he yells.

The hobbits call out in worry at Gandalf and we have to reach to hold them back.

Gandalf continues speaking, "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn." He draws himself up to full height but is still tiny in comparison to the towering Balrog.

"Go back to the shadow!" he calls out as he block a strike from the monster. Placing his sword and staff together, Gandalf slams them into the middle of the bridge. "You shall not pass!" he booms out. You can feel the power emanating from him, even at this distance.

The bridge cracks and breaks sending the Balrog tumbling down into the depths below. Gandalf turns to look back towards the fellowship and sighs in relief.

Suddenly, a flaming whip comes up and pulls Gandalf off the bridge. He dangles there one hand on the edge, all that is keeping him up.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cries out.

Gandalf looks at us, regret in his eyes, "Fly, you fools!" He lets go and follows the Balrog down, down, down.

Pulling the hobbits with us we turn and flee out into sunlight.

I blink my eyes against the harsh light and go to lift the hood of my cloak to shield my eyes. A weakness in my left hand causes me to look at my arm. A gash stretches down my forearm which I quickly bind with a bandage.

I turn and move to check on the rest of the fellowship. I place my hand on each of them as they kneel, grieving on the ground, I make sure to use my gift of healing to heal their wounds and place them on myself. When I reach Aragorn he grabs my wrist on top of the sleeve of my shirt. "No," he says, "not now, we still need you semi-functional."

I pout at him not letting me heal him and instead take out my bandages and cream to bind his cuts. Once I finish Aragorn turns to the rest of the fellowship, "Legolas! Get them up."

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

Serious, Aragorn turns to Boromir, "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up. On your feet, Sam."

Boromir goes to get Merry and Pippin up as Aragorn fetches Frodo. We walk on towards the woods of Lothlorien.

~~

We had been travelling for at least a day when we finally see Lothlorien in the distance. I was becoming worried as I had developed a headache over throughout the day and I could feel my arm growing even more numb as the time progressed. This led me to worrying that one of my cuts might be becoming infected.

As we rush towards the forest I can feel nausea growing and stumble slightly in my steps. As we reach the edge of the forest I hide behind a tree to throw up all that is in my stomach. I should tell someone.

I see Legolas turn in a circle taking in his surroundings, "Ah, Lothlórien. The fairest of all the dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of this land, for in autumn the leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring comes and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers; and the floor of the wood is golden, and golden is the roof, and its pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey. So still our songs in Mirkwood say."

I stumble over tree roots on the floor feeling dizzy. What if they think I am weak. They would leave me behind here and continue on without me. No, I steel myself, I can handle this. I will just treat myself when we stop for a break.

I hear Gimli in the background, "Stay close, young Hobbits ... they say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell..."

As I stumble over yet another tree root I feel arms wrap around my shoulders and stablize me. "Are you alright?" Legolas asks.

I nod my head before stopping as it makes me feel worse. Play it off, play it off, I think. "Yeah," I reply, "It's just the light making me stumble." That should work, right?

"Let me help," Legolas replies offering me his arm which I take, grateful for the extra support.

In the background Gimlin still has yet to stop talking, "Well, here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"

"Oh!" he cries in surprise.

I turn to look at what could surprise Gimli but Legolas pulls me back as an arrow appears in my face.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark."