The tunnels soon opened up into looming halls. The rough stone walls becoming finely carved and decorated in long faded art. Luin guessed that they had entered the heart of what had been the dwarven city. They couldn't see much. The two lights bobbing as they walked in a manner that reminded Luin of when he was a child. Just him and his parents on a boat on the endless ocean, where the night would fade into the sea until you couldn't tell what was up or down anymore. The darkness around them reminded him of that. No walls, no ceiling. Just endless pillars stretching out around them.

"Behold", Gandalf's voice boomed out around them. "The great city". The party stared as they continued walking. The hobbits all gaping at the sheer size of the room. Luin smiled fondly at them, sad that their first experience of a Dwarf city was this one. He much preferred the bustling life of Erebor. The mountain now a trading hubbub compared to what it was like when he first saw it. Maybe he should take them there one day.

Gimli gave a startling cry and dove through a open door, catching the party by surprise. They followed after him into a small stone room. Debris had fallen from the ceiling and the skeletons of many dwarves lay still on the floor. But what made Luin gasp was the white marble coffin in the centre of the room. It was lit by a tiny hole which must reach the surface as moonlight streamed through it. Gimli let out a sob as he knelt before it. Luin stopping at his side as he took in the words carved onto the surface.

"Here lies Balin", Gandalf read. "Son of Hunin. Lord of Moria". Luin sighed and closed his eyes as he mouthed a silent prayer. Balin had been a kind and wise soul. He remembered the older dwarf doting on him during their quest to Erebor. It was a sad thing that he met a dark end. At his side, Gimli sobbed loudly.

"I am sorry for your sorrow", Legolas murmured as he rested a hand on Luin's shoulder. Luin opened his eyes and smiled slightly at him, leaning into the warm touch for a second.

On the other side of the sarcophagus, Gandalf had pried a thick dusty book from the fingers of a skeleton. He handed his hat and staff to Pippin as he brushed the dust off. As he opened it, several pages fell out. "We must move on", Legolas warned Aragorn. "We cannot linger". Luin knew that his lover could feel what he felt. The dark presence was much closer now. The cold dread of evil giving them goosebumps.

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall", Gandalf read aloud. "We have barred the Gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums, drums from the deep. We cannot get out. Shadows move in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming".

At that moment, something crashed. Luin jumped as they all turned. Pippin had collided with a skeleton that had been sat on top of a well. As they watched, the whole thing fell backwards. Loud echoing crashes and bangs echoing as it fell. The chain and the bucket following after in a second round of noise. Luin winced at every bang, feeling his heart pounding with adrenaline. That had done it. If the beast below weren't aware of their presence before, they were definitely aware now.

"Fool of a Took", Gandalf swore as he snatched his hat back. "Next time throw yourself in and save us all the trouble". Pippin looked down at his feet in shame.

Something boomed. The noise echoing dimly up to them. They all froze as a second drum beat sounded. Then another. Drums from the deep echoing up to them. The noise steadily growing louder. "Frodo", Sam turned as Frodo unsheathed his sword. The blade was glowing blue. They could hear the creatures screeching now.

"Orcs", Legolas stated as he slid an arrow from his quiver.

Boromir ran to the doors, ducking back to avoid two black arrows. They buried themselves into the rotting wood. "Get back and Stay close to Gandalf", Aragorn ordered the hobbits. The four of them huddles close to Gandalf and Luin as the other barricaded the doors. The wood was flimsy but it would give them a few seconds.

"They have a cave troll", Boromir huffed as they fell back. His tone annoyed as he unsheathed his sword. Both Aragorn and Legolas readying their bows. Luin pulled a talisman from his sleeve and held the yellow paper up between two fingers. His other hand hovering with two fingers in front of his lips as he waited, spiritual energy swirling.

Gimli let out a mocking laugh as he jumped on top of the tomb. "Let them see that there's still one dwarf in Moria who draws breath!" He bellowed.

As soon as blades began poking holes through the wood, Legolas was firing. Luin counted two screeches as orcs fell under elvish arrows. Then the doors both caved in at once. Orcs swarming through. As soon as they were through the door, Luin threw the talisman. It shot through the air above the creatures were it stopped. Luin clapped his hands together and twisted them, fingers forming a motion as he activated the seat. Pure blue spiritual energy sparked from the paper and wrapped itself round each orc. The grey creatures all shrieking as they were set aflame. Bright bursts of white flame completely covering them, armour and all. Fire devouring them in seconds and then they were all falling to the floor. Their corpses blackened husks.

"That's a new trick", Aragorn commented with a raised eyebrow. "Very helpful, Luin".

"Get ready", Luin called as he unsheathed his sword. "I can only use that trick on small groups. It won't be effective against a cave troll". As if answering his words, the cave troll burst through the doorway. It was a hulking grotesque thing of grey skin and formless shapes. It had a chain round its neck and from one hand dangled a large stone Morningstar.

It roared and swung the weapon at them. The hobbits and Wizards forced to scatter as it landed with a crack where they had been standing. Luin vaulted over the tomb and to the left. His sword unsheathing itself and shooting into the air as he moved. More orcs were pouring in behind the cave troll. Luin dispatched any who came near him with quick efficiency.  Around the room, he was aware of the other fighting. The hobbits had all drawn their swords and were slashing at any orc who came close. Aragorn and Boromir were wrestling with the troll's long chain while Legolas kept it distracted with arrows. Gimli was yelling as he swung his axe. Gandalf battling near him.

Luin called the head off another orc and turned just in time to see Boromir be thrown across the room. The man collided with the stone wall and quickly rose, shaking his head. The troll roared and swung the long chain. The head of the Morningstar having broken off at some point. The metal almost hit Gimli but the dwarf rolled out of the way. Luin dodged a few black arrows and used his nearest orc as a spring board to launch himself up onto the stone walkway encircling the room. The orc squealing as Luin sliced it's throat.

"Fancy meeting you here", he remarked with a smile. Twirling around a blade to strike his sword through a neck.

Legolas, who was using the vantage point to shoot down enemies, grinned at him. The elf shot off two arrows into the troll. The great beast falling back with a cry. An Orc came up behind him and he turned, one hand pulling out one of his bunting knives to gut the creature. "Your presence is as lovely as always", Legolas shot back with a amused expression. Hands quickly returning the knife to his belt and pulling out another arrow.

"A little less flirting please!" Aragorn's annoyed voice called up from beneath them. Luin laughed as he pulled out his second sword. Both arms moving with easy synchronisation to take down four more orcs.

"Duck!" Legolas warned. Luin dropped into a crouch as the troll's chain flew above their heads. The metal links carving through stone and covering them in dust. The troll roared and swung again. The chain catching around a nearby pillar. Legolas used the moment to nimbly hop onto the chain and onto the troll's shoulders. He shot an arrow into the troll's face and screamed. Legolas jumping off as it flailed.

Since there were no more orcs on the walkway, Luin leapt down onto the ground. He could see Sam in one corner, AMA king orcs away with a frying pan. Merry and Pippin were in another. Their back pressed together as they felled orcs. But where was Frodo? Luin spotted him across the room near Aragorn. The little black haired Hobbit fighting with sting. Quickly, Luin let the air pick him up and glided over the battle. He made sure to kick the troll in the face as he passed.

"Luin", Frodo exclaimed as he landed at his side. Luin dispatched the two orcs ganging up on the hobbit with two strikes of his blade.

"You doing alright there Frodo?" He asked. Frodo nodded.

"Look out!" Luin turned as the troll loomed above them. It raised its arms with a roar. Luin stepped in front of Frodo and gripped his swords. He stabbed both his swords into the grey flesh, right up to the hilt. The troll roared again and swung it's fist. The impact caught Luin in the back, forcing him to let go of his swords as he collided heavily with a stone pillar. The breath in his lungs leaving him with a wheeze.

"Aragorn!" Frodo shouted as the troll advanced on him. The creature had picked up a spear. Frodo ducked under the first stab but the second caught him in the stomach.

"No!" Luin was back on his feet and lifting his hands. His swords pulled themselves free of the Troll's stomach and landed back in his hands with a spray of black blood. The troll groaned and staggered backwards. The rest of the party choosing to use the moment to attack. Merry and pipping both jumped and drove their swords into its back. The two hobbits hanging there as the troll stumbled. Aragorn, Boromir and Gimli cutting at its legs. When the troll's head reared back in pain, Legolas placed an arrow through its throat. It gave a guttural wheeze and collapsed. Merry and pippin dropping from the corpse.

"Frodo!" Sam was at Frodo's side as the party all hurried over.

"Frodo?" Frodo was sitting up. The hobbit seemingly unharmed. Luin breathed a sigh of relief as Frodo pulled down his torn tunic to see a glimmer of silver.

"Mithril", Gimli chuckled. All of them smiling slightly in relief. Frodo was not dead. Their quest was not over yet.

A deep boom of a drum sounded and they paused. There were more creatures coming. Everyone grabbed at their weapons. "On your feet!" Gandalf ordered. "We must hurry. Run!"

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