The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 10: Battles in the Dark

The fellowship continued onwards, not knowing if it was night or day. But they could all feel that the end of the part of the journey was nearing. But even so, Amdiriel could feel a doom upon them, something was coming and she didn't know what it was putting her more on edge. 

As they walked on Gimli caught sight of a large room with its doors wide open, allowing everyone to see a bright white light landing on something in the room. Gimli must have known what it was because he let out a chocked gasp, freezing for a moment before running towards the room. "Gimli!" Gandalf called out but the dwarf didn't stop. He ran into the room, the others following close behind. Gimli stopped in from of what they could now see as a stone coffin. The dwarf fell to his knees. "No." he said and began to sob. "No...no...no." he wept as the others came to see what was wrong. The room was filled with dead dwarves all over the place. It was as if they never had the chance. 

Gandalf looked at the inscription at the top of the grave. "Here lies Balin, son of Fulin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf read. Gimli let his head fall onto the edge of the stone and let out another sob. Boromir placed his hand on the dwarf's shoulder, hoping to give a small amount of comfort to his friend. 

"He is dead then. It is as I feared." Gandalf said and took off his hat. Gandalf then caught sight of an old book by his feet in the hands of a skeleton. He passed his hat and staff to Pippin before he grabbed the book from the webbed boney hand opened it. The wizard then blew on the dusty page.

"We must move on, we can not linger." Legolas whispered urgently to Aragorn. Aragorn looked to his friend, catching the concern in Amdiriel's eyes as she scanned around the room, he could tell she wanted to leave quickly. 

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall." Gandalf began reading the script from the old book, gaining everyone's attention. "We have barred the gate but can not hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." He said, glancing up at the others before he continued reading as he turned to the next page. "We can not get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We can not get out." Boromir then looked to his sister, feeling the same eerie and dark feeling come upon them. Gandalf looked up at them. "They are coming." He said as shiver ran down Amdiriel's spine. 

Suddenly a loud bang came from behind Gandalf, causing everyone to jump. Amdiriel had out of reflex, grabbed an arrow and notched it at the ready in her bow.  Pippin jumped away from a headless dwarf corps, sitting on a well. his cause of death, evident to the several arrows in his chest. It only got worse as the rest of the body fell down the well along a chain and bucket that had been attached to his ankle. The loud sound echoed around them several times. The room was tense with tension as they waited for a few seconds in silence after the echo had finally faded. They listened for any sound of the enemy knowing of their presence but not a sound was heard. Everyone let out a sigh of relief and Amdiriel put away her weapons. 

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf scolded and slammed the book shut. "Throw yourself in next time and rid of us of your stupidity." Gandalf added as he snatched his things from the scared hobbit.  Not a second later, loud thumping could be heard, growing louder. Everyone looked at the well again as the sound became clear, it was the banging of drums followed by orc screeches. 

"Frodo?" asked Sam, his friend pulling his sword out. The blade now glowing blue as another loud screech pierced the air. "Orcs!" Legolas declared. Amdiriel and Boromir looked at each other for a split second before running for the doors. 

The siblings looked out the door seeing a group of orcs coming for them. Two arrows were then lodged into the door near Boromir's head who moved in time. Amdiriel pulled an arrow from her quiver and shot one orc that tried to kill her brother. She then quickly grabbed another arrow to kill the second one as her brother closed the door and told Amdiriel to move, so he can close the second. Amdiriel did as she was told and helped her brother. "They have a cave troll." Boromir notified them. Legolas and Aragorn then stared to hand the two axes and spears to help block the door.