Capítulo 53: A Light Fades in Moria
The dim light of Gandalf's staff was the main source of light we had for those three days as I wasn't going to spend all my magic in this place. We reached a spot where we had no choice but to wait as Gandalf had forgotten this part of the mines.
As I rested against the stone walls I crossed my legs, trying to absorb some of the sparse magical energy from the ground, I overheard Frodo speaking quietly to Gandalf. "There's something down here," he whispered, a hint of fear in his voice.
"It's been following us for three days," Gandalf responded in a low tone, casting a glance over his shoulder. "It's Gollum. He escaped the dungeons of Barad-dûr and seeks the ring."
I rolled my eyes, more annoyed than anything. Figures we'd have an unwanted fucking stacker in this forsaken place. As I focused back on drawing magicka, the air felt thick, almost resistant, like the darkness itself was alive and pushing back against me. Frustrated, I gave up; it was wasting energy at this point. This had been the first time I've tried in this place and it seemed it would be the last.
Bored with nothing else to do I shifted my eyes, allowing them to glow a deep blue, as I could see far better now in the dark. In the murky depths, I caught a glimpse of a small, wretched figure scurrying away, Gollum, no doubt. I've always hated that thing, even as a child when I first watched the movies it creeped me out.
Pippin, who had been watching me, his eyes wide with curiosity, piped up. "Your eyes... can you teach me how to do that?" His question broke the tension, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Nah, it's not a party trick, Pip," I said, giving him a wry smile. "Special ability."
At that moment, Gandalf rose, his face suddenly illuminated by a decision. "I remember now," he announced. "This way!" He pointed towards a dark corridor that wound deeper into the bowels of the mountain.
The Fellowship gathered their belongings quickly, spurred on by Gandalf's renewed confidence. As we followed him down the narrow passage, I distributed pieces of the still warm meat that I had in my storage out to everyone to eat.
I stayed alert, as I munched on some juice meat. I wasn't afraid, but a gnawing worry tugged at me. There was something in these mines, something I couldn't quite remember, it was something I use to be so scared of but now I just couldn't remember for the life of me.
"We should keep a tight formation," Aragorn suggested, his voice low as he glanced back at the hobbits. "Don't stray." He moved to take the rear guard, his hand never straying far from his sword. Legolas scanned the darkness ahead, an arrow nocked and ready.
As we marched, the path began to Rise, So many fucking stairs. The air grew thick with the smell of dampness and decay, Here and there, the remnants of battles, broken dwarf shields, skulls, and rusted axes lined our path.
Gandalf's steady pace and clear direction kept us moving forward. The knowledge that he was guiding us from memory alone was wild to me, cause I'm sure if I tried that I'd get lost.
As we continued through the dark corridors of Moria, my glowing blue eyes became a point of fascination among the Fellowship. I kept them active because I hated not being able to see in the god forsaken place. Boromir, who had been casting curious glances my way since Rivendell, finally voiced his intrigue.
"Ellehish," Boromir began, his tone a mix of curiosity and caution, "I have never seen an elf or anyone, for that matter with abilities such as yours. Where exactly do you hail from?"
I smirked slightly, enjoying the attention a little from one of my favorite actors, I'm glad he looked just like him. "I'm from a place very different from Middle-earth. It's called Tamriel. Elves there... well, we come in many varieties."
Legolas, overhearing the conversation, joined in, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You are unlike any elf I have known. Your powers are you a descendant of Lady Galadriel, perhaps? Her light is said to be unparalleled, much like the glow of your eyes."
I laughed softly, shaking my head. "No, not related to Lady Galadriel. We don't really have... well, magical glowing eyes, where I'm from isn't common. It's just me, really special case. That and Vampires but their eyes glow a bloody red"
"Vampires.... " Gandulf seemed to pause as he heard those words. "thuringwethil.."
I had read that name somewhere before, it was in Rivendra. I think I still had that history book in my storage somewhere.
" It seems your lands still suffer from these creatures," Legolas added.
" Wait you had vampires here?" I asked now feeling slightly more worried as my eyes scanned the darkness.
"Yes, we do," Gandolf said turning his head to look at me. " they are known as Vampire bats, their mother long ago having been slayed. The ones that remain are as large as Dwarf's, if my memories serve's me. what remains of them can be found near Mordor. You need not worry for now"
Great more to fucking worry about in this place, Sighing as I tightened my grip on my spear. I looked to the others who didn't seem bothered besides the Hobbits who were freaking out as much as me. What if there were some in here? How many of them would one face if they were?
Boromir broke my train of thought and seemed intrigued but still skeptical, "A land of diverse elves and mysterious powers. And these vampires You must tell us more when we have time," he said, his gaze lingering a moment longer before returning to scan the dark path ahead.
Our conversation was cut short as Gimli, who had been leading with his usual gruff enthusiasm, suddenly veered off to the left, his voice echoing back to us excitedly. "This way! I see something!"
We hurried after the dwarf, who had discovered a chamber off the main path. It was there, in the dim light, that the reality of our journey hit home. As Gimli pushed forward. And we followed behind him as he rushed forward, eager to find signs of his kin. The rest of us followed our steps echoing in the cavernous space.
Gimli's excitement faltered as he approached a stone sarcophagus at the center of the room. "No..." he murmured, his voice breaking as he read the name inscribed upon the stone. "Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria."
While the others were focused on Gimli's sorrow, I took the opportunity to explore the chamber. Among the dusty remains and scattered relics, I found several old tomes. Curiosity piqued, I added them to my storage system, hoping they might contain valuable information.
To my surprise, a tab appeared before my eyes.
**Tomes of Moria**
*Type:* Books
*Weight:* 5
*Description:* A collection of ancient texts detailing weapon and armor schematics, as well as the history and fate of Moria.
**Information:**
- *Weapon Schematics*: Provides blueprints for crafting Dwarven weapons.
- *Armor Schematics*: Provides blueprints for crafting Dwarven armor.
- *Moria History*: Detailed account of the events that transpired in Moria, highlighting the fall of Balin's expedition.
A map also displayed in front of me, highlighting my location in blue and the Fellowship in green. it seemed there was a map in there as well as it showed the mines and their layout. I couldn't help but trace the path we had taken to reach this part of the map.
As I closed the tab, my attention was drawn back to the group. Pippin, ever curious and clumsy, was inspecting a skeletal warrior propped against a well. Before anyone could react, he accidentally knocked it over, sending the bones clattering into the shaft with a deafening racket.
The noise echoed ominously through the chamber, causing everyone to freeze. Gandalf turned his face a mask of frustration. "Fool of a Took!" he hissed, glaring at Pippin. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"
As the echoes faded, an unsettling silence filled the air. The realization of what might come next settled over us like a dark cloud. We quickly gathered our things, knowing we had to move before the noise attracted unwanted attention.
But it was too late. From the depths of the mine, we heard the distant sound of drums. "Drums," Legolas whispered, his voice tinged with fear. "Drums in the deep."
As Aragorn rushed to check beyond the large room door an arrow whizzed past him, narrowly missing his head. He ducked back in as he and Boromir closed the door, placing a plank in to prevent it from opening.
"They have a cave troll," Boromir said as he stepped back from the door. Gimli stood on top of Balin's tomb. "Let them come! There is still one dwarf in Moria who draws breath!" he roared, readying his axe.
Legolas and Aragorn stood poised with their bows at the ready, their eyes sharp and focused. Boromir and I stood next to each other; our weapons drawn. His sword gleamed in the dim light, and I clutched my spear tightly.
The orcs began pounding on the door, using their weapons to create small holes as they hacked away from the other side. Legolas and Aragorn took advantage of these breaches, sending arrow after arrow through the gaps. Each shot was met with a thud and a groan as some orcs fell.
The door could only hold so much abuse, however, and soon it burst open, splinters flying as the horde pushed through. I lunged forward, my spear piercing the first orc that made it to me in the throat. As I pulled my spear out another orc swung a sword down at me, I parried and stepped forward piecing it in the head.
Dodging under an axe that was thrown at me, I returned the favor by throwing my spear into that orc's chest. The chamber quickly descended into chaos. Gimli swung his axe, taking down any orc that dared come within his reach. Legolas continued to fire arrows, each one finding its mark among the swarm of enemies.
I couldn't dodge a swing from an orc that cut the face of my troll chest plate. As I unsheathed my sword I began to cut the orcs that came towards me. Maybe throwing my spear was a dumb Idea.
In the midst of the fray, I caught a glimpse of Frodo, his face etched with fear, trying to make himself small behind a fallen pillar. My heart raced as I saw a massive cave troll barge into the room, its eyes locking onto the frightened hobbit.
Rushing forward I cut my way to my spear gripping it as I pulled it out of the body of the orc, The air around me shimmered with red smoke, and I vanished from sight, reappearing next to Frodo in a gust of crimson mist. The troll roared, as he was pulling Frodo by the leg.
I acted quickly, thrusting my spear upward through its open mouth. The troll gagged, the tip of my spear emerging from the top of its head. It staggered backward, flailing wildly before collapsing with a ground-shaking thud.
Frodo looked at me, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and gratitude. "Thank you," he managed to whisper over the din of battle.
I nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "Stay close to me," I urged, before turning back to the fray. The fight was far from over, and every member of the Fellowship was desperately holding their ground.
As I fought, I noticed even the other Hobbits started to fight for their lives. The clash of steel and the cries of orcs filled the air as we fought. We finished off the last of the orcs as we looked at each other. Before Gandolf began to fun out of the room with us following him.
As Gandalf led us from the room, his staff raised high, casting light in the gloomy depths of Moria, I followed closely behind, my senses alert. The chamber echoed with the myriad screeches of orcs descending from the ceiling, their eyes gleaming with malice in the dim light.
They swarmed around us, a living, moving barrier of bodies and weapons. We tightened into a defensive circle, our weapons ready for the onslaught.
The tension was palpable, every muscle tensed for the fight. But before the creatures could advance, a sudden, deep red glow emanated from the far end of the chamber followed by a growl. A series of heavy, resonant thuds echoed through the hall. The goblins and orcs halted, their heads snapping towards the source of the disturbance. A wave of fear rippled through them, so palpable that even we could feel it.
They climb over each other to escape up the pillars and back into the shadows of the ceiling. Their screeches turned desperate, filled with terror.
" RUN!" Gandolf shouted
His command spurred us into action, and we dashed down the darkened corridors, the sound of thuds growing louder with each passing second. The red glow intensified, casting long, monstrous shadows that seemed to chase us as we fled.
As we ran, I focused on the practical matters at hand, using the system shop. I quickly sold the bodies of nine Daedra that I had stored. The system, credited me with 450 gold septum's per body, totaling 4,050 gold pieces. This was a substantial sum.
With the gold now at my disposal, I accessed the store spell lists, the main problem was that everything in there was beyond double the price of what it should have been in Temrial. I searched through the catalog of spells, finally locating the Ice Atronach spell. The spell was priced at 3,000 septum's.
I purchased the spell without hesitation, feeling a surge of information filing my mind. Our pace quickened, driven by the urgent need to escape. Each step echoed in the vast emptiness of Moria.
The chase through the depths of Moria intensified as we reached a section of the cavern marked by a chasm split with broken stairways. Arrows whistled past us. Legolas returned fire his arrows finding their marks in figures that peppered the high ledges.
As the Fellowship reached the gap, Legolas was the first to leap across the chasm to the other side of the staircase. He landed lightly, turning to cover our crossing. Gimli, stopped me as I was just about to grab him. "Nobody tosses a Dwarf. As he jumped that was more a brave heave than a leap, and he barely made it. Clinging to the edge, he was pulled up by Legolas. "Not the beard!"
Boromir followed, demonstrating both strength and care as he carried Merry and Pippin in his arms, He landed heavily but securely, setting the hobbits down before lifting his shield to block arrows further down.
Gandalf, with his staff in one hand, made his jump. As he landed, he quickly turned to assess the rest of the group's progress.
Then came Frodo and Aragorn's turn. As they prepared to jump, the portion of the staircase we were standing on groaned ominously, the stones giving way to the strain of the rocks falling on it, as whatever was chasing us was trying to get into the passage we had taken. It lurched suddenly, tipping towards the abyss as it began to collapse. Aragorn and Frodo leaped forward towards the safety of the others that caught them.
I was momentarily blocked by their desperate move, unable to jump as well. The staircase tilted violently, a cracking echo thundering through the cavern as it began to fall sideways into the darkness below. Calls of alarm sounded them.
In that heartbeat, with the ground literally falling away beneath me, I vanished in red smoke from the collapsing staircase, reappearing instantaneously next to Sam where there was space. "Come on we don't have all day,"
Aragorn clapped a hand on my shoulder, while Frodo, still catching his breath from the near miss, managed a weak smile.
As the Fellowship hurried across the narrow, arched stone bridge. "Quickly now over the pass!" Gandolf ordered. The air grew oppressively hot, as a like of fire appeared behind us. As we finished crossing a shadow came from the flames taking form as it stood before Gandolf, it was a Balrog.
Gandalf, with a resolute expression, stepped back to confront the beast, positioning himself between the Balrog and the rest of us. His voice was power as he shouted "You cannot pass!"
The Balrog seemed Pissed as he stood up at his max height and a flare of fire came from it.
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn!" Gandolf chanted summoning a barrier of magical light around him. Just as the Balrog created a fire sword and struck at Gandalf's shield. As the flame sword shattered on it. It roared at Gandalf.
Drawing on the remnants of my magicka, I decided to contribute to Gandalf's efforts. With only a single point of magicka remaining after this spell, I summoned an Ice Atronach. The icy creature materialized with a crackling sound right behind the Balrog. It was about half the size of the Balrog but immediately engaged, striking at its sides with frozen limbs, attempting to distract or slow the monstrous entity.
However, the Balrog's created a fiery whip lashed out, each strike causing steam to rise from the Atronach as the heat began to melt its icy form. It was a losing battle the intense heat and the fiery blows quickly took their toll, much to my frustration. I watched, dismayed, as my costly summon melted away under the Balrog's relentless assault, dissipating into a cloud of steam and shattered ice within moments. "you have got to be fucking kidding me"
Amid this brief and dramatic confrontation, Gandalf stood firm on the bridge. As the Balrog advanced, undeterred by the fallen Ice Atronach. The Balrog moved forward, its eyes a blaze of malevolent fire. Gandalf's voice echoed through the cavern, growing in intensity, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" With that final proclamation, he struck the bridge with his staff, and a crack thundered along the structure.
The bridge fractured directly beneath the Balrog's feet, and it stumbled. As it fell, it lashed out with its whip, catching Gandalf around the ankles, and pulling him toward the abyss. Gandalf clung to the edge, As Frodo's voice screamed. "Gandalf!" I turned my head to see him being stopped by Boromir. his eyes meeting Frodo's in a final, poignant goodbye. "Fly you fool!" before he let go, his figure disappearing into the darkness below.
Frodo's heart-wrenching scream, "Nooooooo!" filled the cavern, mirroring the despair of all the Fellowship. Tears streamed down the faces of the hobbits, their cries a raw expression of their grief.
I grabbed Sam and Pippin as goblins were coming from beyond the broken pass and began to shoot arrows at us. The others followed as we fled from the Mines of Mora. I was crying yet again I failed to save someone I know. Looking hatefully at the entrace of the mines we had left from. I opened my system and Looked around in the store. It would cost me 500 septems to create a quest, but I paid for it. And so a quest tab opened in my system. Retrieve the Body of the Balrog.
"We need to keep moving" Aragon's voice pulled me back as I turned to see the others who were crying.
"Give them a moment to grieve" Boromir shouted back.
"No he is right, if we stay by nightfall this place will be crawling with orcs, we need to leave now." I said while wiping my tears, as I looked at my hand with rage. I had failed to save Gandalf but he would come back thankfully. Looking at Boromir I knew what I had to do.
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