Chapter 1

Saphira POV

"Keep firing," shouted Aragorn. Legolas and I didn't have to be told twice. We didn't let up on our arrows as the orcs weren't doing to us. Legolas and I were covering the others as they were jumping over a large gap in the steps they were going down. The two of us were keeping our guard up.

One orc got lucky.

Suddenly an arrow came shooting through the air and hit me directly in the side. I let out a yelp and clutched my side.

"Saphira," shouted Merry and Pippin.

In retaliation Legolas aimed an arrow directly at the orc that shot me and let it fly. It hit its target and the orc that shot me went falling into the air bellow.

"Saphira," said Legolas. He came straight over to me, a look of concern on his face. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, a grimace on my face. I grabbed the back of the arrow and before he or any of the others could stop me I had pulled it straight out of my body.

"No! Saphira you shouldn't have done that." "I'll worry about that later," I said, face scrunched up in pain.

Aragorn and Frodo were the last ones across. As soon as they had reached us we all went running the rest of the way down the steps. No sooner than we had reached the bottom of them that they collapsed right behind us.

It was only a short run to the Bridge of Khaza-dum. But just as we reached it, the exact creature that we were running from in the first place made its appearace.

A Balrog, one of the most powerful demons of the ancient world. It was a huge fire demon that was made out of stone and fire. We all stopped in our tracks at the sight of it.

Gandalf broke us all out of our trance. "Run," he shouted. Immediately we all went back to running toward the bridge, the demon right on our tail.

Boromir and Aragorn went across the bridge first. They were followed by the hobbits. Gimli, the dwarf, went next and Legolas started to follow after him. I wasn't too far after him.

Gandalf had only gone a few steps when the Balrog had reached us. Gandalf turned to face the demon. Seeing what was going on I turned back to help him.

"Go," he shouted, not looking at me. I started to go but after a moment's hesitation I turned around to face the demon with him.

Legolas was nearly across the bridge and he was the first one in our group to notice that we weren't following them. His eyes widened in fear when he saw me in front of the fire demon with Gandalf.

"Saphira," shouted Legolas. He immediately began running back to where we were. Hi shout alerted the others, who were now starting up the steps on the other side, of our predicament.

"Gandalf, Saphira," shouted Frodo. Frodo turned back to help but he was stopped by Boromir. Boromir held on tight to the hobbit and wouldn't let him go another step.

"I will not let you pass," Gandalf shouted to the Balrog. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, Wielder of the flame of Anor! The dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Undun!"

"And I am Saphira, princess of Rivendell! You will not get past me," I shouted, gathering my magic around me.

The Balrog roared and surged towards us. The Balrog brought out a large sword and swung it at us. Gandalf said a spell that repelled the demons attack. I used my magic to bring large vines out of the ground. I made them wrap around the demon, trying to contain it. The demon roared and pulled hard against the vines, they snapped on him. The Balrog continued its advance on us.

Gandalf said a spell and aimed his staff towards the creature. Energy shot out of his staff and hit the creature.

The Balrog roared in pain and swung around. Its tail shot right at us. Gandalf saw what was coming and moved out of the way in time but I wasn't fast enough.

The tail hit me in the side and knocked me right off of the bridge. I screamed as I lost my balance and started to fall.

"No!"

Legolas leaped forward and grabbed my wrist, stopping my fall. Legolas was flat on the narrow bridge while hanging onto me and I hung there in his grip.

I gave him a shaky smile, one that he returned. He started to pull me back up.

Then the part of the bridge that he was standing on gave out on him. The pressure on it was too much. The stone that Legolas was on collapsed and the two of us started falling. Legolas let yell and I screamed. There were shouts from the others as they saw what had happened.

"Gandalf," I screamed. Gandalf saw us falling and had to think fast or we would die. Ducking another attack from the Balrog he pointed his staff towards the demon and amount of light shot out of the stone on top of it and into the creatures face. With the Balrog temporarily blinded by the light, Gandalf took this chance to help us.

He turned on the spot and immediately pointed his staff towards where Legolas and I were falling. He shouted an incantation and a bolt of energy shot out of the stone on top of the staff and towards us.

It landed right beneath the two of us and as soon as it did some kind of portal opened underneath us. The two of us felt right through. The last thing I saw before the portal closed was Glandalf turning back to face the demon and the others stretching out their hands towards us from the other end of the bridge trying to reach us.

Then the portal closed and I couldn't see them anymore.