The Lord of the Ponies: The Friendship of Equestria

Ch.32 The Bridge of Khazad-dum

Twilight's magic illuminated the way as the Fellowship retreated from Balin`s tomb. In the city of Doggendelf, Changeling screeches, and the buzz of their flying brethren saturated the massive hall with a deafening racket. Spike, his stubby legs which forced him to the back of the pack, turned to see the vast army of Changelings who hunted their insignificant group.

"It's just like a game of tag!" ejaculated Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie then turned, like Spike, to see the hostile Changelings, with sharp fangs and charged horns, as they followed them.

"Just don't get tagged!" added the pink mare.

That would be an impossibility though, as Changelings poured out from all surfaces, and hunted the Fellowship on all planes, be it air or land. Twilight turned right, to what she thought would be a straight path to the Bridge of Khazad-dum. Instead, she met an overwhelming mass of Changeling head-on, which, along with the hunting party behind their tiny Fellowship, quickly worked to close off any route of escape for the doomed party.

Apple Bloom swallowed deep, realizing what fate Celestia had resigned them too, just like Applejack; but Rover stood steadfast. He barked at his shape-shifting enemies, claws ready to rip through any Changeling who had the misfortune of meeting him on the field of battle. Suddenly, a titanic roar shook the chamber to its core; loose dust and stone descended to the Earth, rattled from the pillars and the roof.

A fiery light slowly danced down the hallway, approaching the Fellowship at a rapid pace. As it passed the pillars, the light produced eerie shadows, which moved in sequence with the fervid fire that approached the Fellowship. The Changelings, noticing the approaching pillar of flame, broke out in a chaotic squabble, retreating to the crevasses from whence they came, leaving the Fellowship to conjecture on the approaching light.

"Twilight? What is that?" questioned Shining Armor, turning to his sister's encyclopedic knowledge base for an answer.

Instead, the Royal Guard found the lavender Unicorn in a sort of trance: eyes closed, and sweat dripping down her face as she focussed on averting the gaze of the approaching demon. The beast roared again, and now, footsteps could be heard as it approached their position.

"A Balrog. Princess Celestia told me it's a demon of the First Age, made of shadow and flame." Twilight recited from memory.

"And did the all-knowing Princess Celestia tell you of any of this...Balrog's weaknesses?" asked Rainbow Dash, hoping Twilight of all ponies would have an answer.

"No. Celestia told me nopony has ever faced a Balrog and lived." answered Twilight, before she turned towards the door leading to the Bridge.

"RUN!" ordered Twilight, her companions following her down the massive hall.

They eventually reached a tunnel, almost too small for Rover to fit through.

"Quickly!" ushered Twilight, allowing her companions to pass in front of her.

"This small door should at least impede the Balrog's progress." elaborated Twilight, following Spike as he made it into the stone passage.

Shining preceded his companions, following the tunnel into a massive chamber with many staircases occupying its body. In haste, he almost tripped into the bottomless pit at the end of a broken staircase. Shining wobbled, trying to regain his balance, but to no avail. Rover came in from behind, and with one massive paw, threw Shining back to safety. The rest of the Fellowship soon regrouped in the chamber, with Twilight being the last to join.

Twilight's strength eluded her, as her earlier bout with the Balrog drained her precious physical resources. She leaned heavily into the wall, before Rainbow Dash came to assist her.

"Twilight! Are you okay?" inquired the cyan Pegasus.

Twilight gripped Rainbow's shoulder, and shared the Pegasi's gaze.

"Lead them on, Rainbow Dash." commanded Twilight, before looking off into the distance, "The Bridge is near." Rainbow followed Twilight's gaze, and discerned in the distance, the Bridge of Khazad-dum.

Rainbow turned back to Twilight, hesitant in complying with her orders. Twilight pushed Rainbow beyond her range, and again leaned into the wall.

"Do as I say! Only magic is of use here." finished the fatigued Unicorn, as Rainbow led the Fellowship down another staircase to their right.

The Balrog roared again, now muffled by the wall which separated the Fellowship from the mysterious demon. Down the stairs the Fellowship raced, before reaching a massive gap in the staircase, too far for any pony other than a Pegasus to leap.

"Everypony, grab each others hoof!" ordered Twilight.

The Fellowhip grabbed one another by the claw, hoof or paw. Twilight's horn glowed with a blinding purple radiance, which consumed the Fellowship in a *pop*. Teleported to the other side of the chasm, Twilight slumped to the ground, exhausted from her recent magical strain.

"Come on, Twilight!" pleaded Spike, assisting Twilight to stand.

The chamber rumbled as the Balrog smashed into the wall which blocked its advance on the Fellowship. Another roar was produced by the monstrosity, now louder as it moved closer to the fleeing Fellowship. Rarity pushed her way passed her endearing comrades, taking the lead from Rainbow Dash.

"Come now, and let us make haste from this unstable chamber!" encouraged Rarity, taking a step down the staircase.

A flash of green magic passed mere centimeter from Rarity's face, too close for comfort for the Fashionista pony. For Rarity, time stopped, a courtesy for the superficially obsessed pony to check her hair; from the bottom-up. The base of her hair was perfectly curled, as usual. The scalp was flawlessly parted, as always. But the length of hair which hanged magnificently by her left eye wasn`t so lucky. Rarity felt the jagged edges...JAGGED! It couldn't be; Rarity was the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria, and therefore strove for perfection, and no less, in her appearance. Her hair was now a crime against fashion, but the true criminals would pay for their transgressions. Rarity turned to her left, and with her keen eyes, discerned a group of Changelings occupying a cliff edge.

"IT. IS. ON!" screamed Raity, before unleashing a bolt of magic on the vulnerable Changelings.

The bolt struck the cliff edge, causing the rock to fall into the bottomless pit of Moria, along with the Changelings who occupied its surface moments ago. Rarity, pleased with herself, turned back to her companions, and noticed their slack-jawed expressions at her impressive feat of magic.

"What? Just because I'm a lady, doesn't mean I can't blow up a few Changelings now and then." defended Rarity.

The Fellowship galloped down the staircase, which led them into another chamber much like Doggendelf. Flames constricted their path towards the bridge, which Twilight ushered her companions across, "Over the bridge!"

Twilight turned, the Balrog's roar originating from the flame which burned mere feet from her form. The fire erupted, and from its fiery womb burst forth the Balrog: a bipedal beast coated in shadow, with a mane of flame stretching down its neck. The monster's horned visage stared at Twilight, scanning the tiny Unicorn, before it unleashed a quaking roar which knocked Twilight back several feet. The Balrog roared again, its bat-like wings unfolding from its body. Twilight retreated from the creature, and made it halfway across the Bridge of Khazad-dum, before turning to face her burning foe.

Apple Bloom rushed towards Twilight; the little filly knew what Twilight planned to do, and she couldn't stand idly by as her friend was slaughtered before her...just like Applejack. Shining Armor moved in and restrained Apple Bloom, pulling her back to the main grouping of the Fellowship.

"You cannot pass!" yelled Twilight, resolute in her stance against the towering Balrog.

The Balrog, seeking to intimidate the tiny Unicorn, rose to its full height, extending its wings from its body, and burned as bright as it could. The monster's body emitted a blinding heat, which Twilight shielded herself from for what precious seconds were spared by the Balrog's intimidation tactic.

"I am Princess Celestia's protege, and the most advanced Unicorn in ALL of Equestria." Twilight's horn glowed a light purple, and a magical shield surrounded the lavender Unicorn. The Balrog, noticing Twilight's challenge, channelled its dark flame into a blade, ready to strike down the tiny pony.

"YOU CANNOT PASS!" screamed Twilight, before the Balrog brought its sword down on her.

The fiery blade dissolved against Twilight's magical barrier, much to the surprise of the Balrog. The monster produced another weapon: a flaming whip of many throngs, and snapped it viciously in the space next to Twilight. The Balrog stepped forward, its massive foot encompassing the entire span of the bridge's width.

"YOU. SHALL NOT. PASS!" Twilight's hoof smashed down on the bridge; a purple wave spread from her hoof.

The Balrog stepped back in surprise, then sniffed the air. Sensing no danger, the fiery beast charged Twilight again, only to fall as the bridge collapsed under its massive weight. The Balrog's wings flailed, obviously more for decoration than flight, and the beast descended into the bottomless pit of Moria, only its burning whip discernable in the black pit.

Twilight turned to her companions behind her, sweat dripping down her face from the heat of battle. A sigh of relief escaped Twilight, astute in the Balrog's defeat...that's when she felt the burning sensation around her ankle.

The Balrog wasn't finished with Twilight, and snapped its fiery whip around her ankle. The flaming whip ripped her back hooves out from under her. Twilight dangled over the edge of the broken bridge, too weak to teleport herself to safety. Apple Bloom rushed towards Twilight, eager to save her precarious friend. Shining Armor again intercepted the tiny filly, stopping her from going to Twilight's aid.

"TWILIGHT!" screamed Apple Bloom, meeting the lavender Unicorn's gaze one last time.

"Gallop, my little ponies!" parted Twilight, before letting go of the bridge, and tumbling into the abyss of Moria.

Apple Bloom didn't remember screaming, "No", or even escaping Shining Armor's grip, but she did remember her sorrow. Apple Boom had once again, like with Applejack, watched as her friend was cut down by a hostile force. Apple Bloom moved towards the bridge edge, willing to jump into the bottomless pit just to be with Twilight in death. But Shining Armor was quick to respond, and wrapped his strong legs around Apple Bloom, pulling her back towards the doorway out of Moria.

Rainbow Dash stood still, watching the spot where Twilight was moments ago. Shock delayed her response: a response which could've easily saved Twilight as she fell into the pit. But Twilight was gone now, nothing more than a shadow in a pit of darkness.

"Rainbow Dash!" yelled Shining Armor

Shining's voice drew Rainbow from her trance. The cyan Pegaus turned to see her many companions retreat from the mine, heading out of the doorway into the land of Equestria. Rainbow Dash soon followed, and exited the Foal Mountain, near the Hollow Shades.

Exhausted, and disheartened from their trip through Moria, the Fellowship collapsed, crying over the loss of two dear friends: Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. Sweetie Belle caressed Scootaloo as the orange Pegasus cried on the ground. Shining Armor restrained Rover, the Diamond Dog trying to re-enter the mine. Spike cuddled Apple Bloom as they grieved over Twilight and Applejack, respectively. And Rarity hugged Fluttershy, both wailing over the loss of their two dearest friends.

However, in all her grief, Rainbow Dash stood strong, resorting to repress her sadness, for other, more troublesome concerns were at hand. Rainbow started going around, trying to rouse her friends from their despairing stupor, "Get up, everypony"

Shining roused himself, eyes red from many tears shed for his departed sister. He gestured a hoof towards all the crying ponies, "Give them a moment, for pity's sake!"

"I don't want to be around when those Changelings fly out of Moria!" bellowed Rainbow Dash

"We must get to the Hollow Shades before nightfall." ordered Rainbow Dash, now forcefully bringing her companions to their feet.

Rainbow moved on Apple Bloom and Spike, and lifted both of them to their feet. Apple Bloom wrapped herself around Rainbow Dash, the cyan Pegasi's fur drying her tears.

"She's gone, Rainbow Dash, just like Applejack." cried Apple Bloom, her strength failing her as her grip around Rainbow Dash faltered.

Rainbow rubbed Apple Bloom's head, trying to stem the flow of tears from the despairing filly. Rainbow Dash dropped to her knees, getting level with the tiny Earth pony.

"Come now, we have to get to the Hollow Shades." with that, Rainbow let go of Apple Bloom, and rushed ahead of the group, heading towards the nearby forest.

Spike rejoined Apple Bloom, patting the filly on the back.

"Rainbow's right. We gotta keep moving." agreed the purple dragon, following the cyan Pegasus.

Soon, the red-eyed members of the Fellowship regrouped with Rainbow Dash, ready, but unwilling to continue their quest to the Smokey Mountain.