Diana swung her sword at the wretched beast without hesitation. Her sword glanced off its flaming blade, and it spread its blackened wings to make itself more imposing. Diana swung again aiming lower now. Her sword hit its knees and flames flew from it, and it let out a terrible cry. It began to push her forwards down the stairs. It swung its flaming sword at her again and again, and she blocked each stroke. Flames licked her skin, and she grimaced as she slowly lost ground.

Diana leapt back to give herself more space and pulled her lasso out from her waist. She threw it at the beast, and it wrapped around the monster's belly. She tugged it forward, and as it came tumbling towards her, she stabbed it in its gut. The monster cried again, but pushed her down the stairs. She rolled until she reached the bottom then leapt up drawing her lasso back to her. The air crackled with lightning channeling from her. She jumped up at the monster and hit it. Lightning crackled from her fist.

The Balrog grabbed her arm and threw her down the steps. She came crashing down hard a few levels lower. She stood up and spit some blood out beside her. The Balrog ignored her and moving swiftly after the rest of the company. She jumped up back onto the stairs and lunged at the Balrog pulling it down the stairs with her. Its fire burned her clothing, but the flames did not make a mark on her armor underneath.

When they stopped rolling, Diana leapt up and delivered a few swift punched into the Balrog. It cried out again shaking the walls of the cavern. It pushed her once more off of it, and she fell off the stairs again. This time there was no easy way for her to get back up to the stairs, and she spent a few minutes looking for some way to get back after the Balrog. When she did the Balrog was nowhere to be seen, but she could feel his evil presence from miles around so she followed after him as quickly as her legs would carry her. She heard Boromir's horn cry out and began to run even faster. Echoing around her she heard Gandalf's voice.

"You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!"

Diana came bursting in from above, how she got above them she did not know, but as the bridge cracked she sent forth a great lightning bolt that struck the Balrog as it fell. It let out a horrifying cry and vanished down the abyss. Diana landed softly behind Gandalf just as the Balrog's whip laced around his ankle. He slid down the stones grasping for something to stop his fall. Diana lunged forward reaching desperately for his hands, but she only touched the tips of his fingers.

"Fly, you fools!" He cried as he grasped onto the edge of the cliff then he fell.

The fires went out, and they were plunged into darkness. Diana knelt at the edge too shocked to move. Aragorn grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the edge as the bridge crumbled behind them. He passed her to Boromir as he rushed passed the others.

"Come! I will lead you now!" he called. "We must obey his last command. Follow me!"

The raced up the stairs with Boromir in the back pushing Diana forward. She was numb all over only following because she had not the energy to fight him. The run felt longer to Diana than it really was before they were out of Moria, but they did not halt their running until they were far from the walls of Moria. Diana collapsed on the ground as soon as they stopped running. Boromir knelt next to her and held her, and she cried into his chest.

"We cannot stay here any longer," said Aragorn now rising.

Diana looked to him her face still red from tears, but she could not rise. She wanted to argue, but she had not the energy. Boromir helped her to her feet and gave her his cloak so she could cover herself. Even as they traveled everything seemed to run together, and Diana could not distinguish what was going on in her grief. It was not until they reach Lothlórien that Diana began to snap out of her numbness. The trees of Lothlórien comforted her, and though she did not listen to the others she followed them silently. A woman's voice seemed to flow through her, and though she did not know who the woman was or why her voice would haunt her, she was comforted by her voice.

Legolas sang a song as they traveled, but it ended abruptly for he did not know all the words. They traveled long in the woods, and Diana started to feel as though they were being watched. It was not evil eyes that were on them, but she was unnerved nonetheless. Legolas leapt up lightly into a tree and was preparing to jump to another limb when a voice from above commanded him to stop. Legolas dropped down.

"Stand still!" he whispered to the others. "Do not move or speak!"

Diana listened as the trees spoke to them, and Legolas answered. "Where is her clothing?" One of the elves from above asked.

"Consumed by flames. I was left with only my armor," Diana replied to the question in the same tongue as it was asked.

The voice exclaimed incredulously that he had not known that she spoke his language. "She spent many years in Rivendell. I am not surprised that she speaks Silvan," Legolas said.

"Come up with her and the Ring-bearer!" Another voice said. "We have heard tidings of your journey. The others shall wait at the foot of the tree until we decide what is to be done with them."

"Who are they, and what do they say?" Merry asked.

"They're Elves," said Sam. "Can't you hear their voices?"

"Yes, they are Elves," said Legolas; "and they say that you breathe so loud that they could shoot you in the dark. But they say also that you need have no fear. They have been aware of us for a long while. They heard my voice across the Nimrodel and knew that I was one of their Northern kindred. And therefore they did not hinder our crossing and afterwards they heard my song. Now they bid me and Diana to climb up with Frodo; for they seem to have had some tiding so him and of our journey. The others they ask to wait a little, and to keep watch at the foot of the tree, until they have decided what is to be done."

A ladder was let down from the treetops. It was silver and glistening, and though it was made of thin ropes it turned out to be much stronger than it looked. Legolas almost ran up it as if climbing was more in his nature than walking. Diana followed behind marveling at the trees as she delved deeper into its boughs. Inside the branches, hidden by leaves, was a wooden platform. It was round and there was a singular hole from which the ladder was dropped that acted as an entrance. Diana peered up and saw Legolas sitting with three other elves. They wore shadowy-grey and blended in so well with the branches and leaves that even she had trouble distinguishing them from their backdrop. She greeted them in their language, and they greeted her similarly with amusement playing in their voices. She sat down next to Legolas looking around at what was near her with wonder in her eyes.

"What is your name?" One of the Elves asked her.

"I am Diana. I have spent many years among the Elves of Rivendell," Diana said.

"I am Haldir, and these are my brothers Rúmil and Orophin," The elf said.

Orophin was staring at Diana, and softly he said, "You look as though you are of the race of men, but you do not seem like you belong to them."

Diana smiled a small smile and bowed her head just as Frodo and Sam reached the top of the ladder. The three elves stood up, and Haldir uncovered a small lamp that produced a silver beam of light. He cast it over Sam and Frodo's faces then covered the lamp once more and welcomed them in his language. Frodo spoke in return then Haldir switched to common speech. Diana did not listen as Haldir introduced himself to Frodo and Sam, but rather looked around at the marvels of the tree they were in. It was Legolas's voice that drew her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"Nine," said Legolas. "Myself, Diana, four hobbits; and two men, one of whom, Aragorn, is an Elf-friend of the folk of Westernesse."

The nine shook Diana to her core as she realized that it was only because she failed to kill the Balrog before it took Gandalf. She looked away solemnly as tears pricked at her eyes and threatened to fall again.

"The name of Aragorn son of Arathorn is known in Lórien," said Haldir, "and he has favor of the Lady. All is well. But you have yet spoken only of eight."

"The ninth is a dwarf," said Legolas.

"A dwarf!" said Haldir. "That is not well. We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days. They are not permitted in our land. I cannot let him pass."

"But he is from the Lonely Mountain, one of Dain's trusty people, and friendly to Elrond," said Frodo. "Elrond himself chose him to be one of our companions, and he has been brave and faithful."

The elves spoke together softly in their own language, and they asked Legolas questions about Gimli. At first Legolas was seemed reluctant in answering them, but the more questions they asked, the more Legolas answered with warmth towards Gimli. Soon Haldir seemed convinced that Gimli would cause no harm.

"Very good," he said in common language, "We will do this, though it is against our liking. If Aragorn and Legolas will guard him, and answer for him, he shall pass; but he must go blindfold through Lothlórien. But now we must debate no longer. Your folk must not remain on the ground. We have been keeping watch on the rivers, ever since we saw a great troop of Orcs going north towards Moria, along the skirts of the mountains, many days ago. Wolves are howling on the wood's borders. If you have indeed come from Moria, the peril cannot be far behind. Tomorrow early you must go on. The four hobbits shall climb up here and stay with us - we do not fear them! There is another talan in the next tree. There the others must take refuge. You, Legolas, must answer to us for them. Call us, if anything is amiss! And have an eye on that dwarf!"

Diana and Legolas climbed down the ladder, and Legolas told the others what Haldir said. Merry and Pippin clambered up the ladder. Aragorn hid their baggage then they too climbed up another ladder into the other tree. Diana found it hard to sleep with Gandalf's fall still playing in her mind. She curled up in Boromir's cloak and found herself crying softly. Her soft sobs got Aragorn's attention, and he sat next to her.

"It was not your fault," He said quietly touching her shoulder.

Diana could not face him. "I should have killed the Balrog quickly when I was first at the stairs, and then it would have never gone to the bridge. I waited too long, and Gandalf paid for my weakness," she said her voice hushed.

"It was a Balrog," Aragorn said his voice hushed so the others could not hear him. "You did not know its strength, and you did all you could. We were lucky to get out at all. Do not blame yourself for Gandalf. He would not have wanted you to."

Diana nodded her head tears still running down her face. Aragorn patted her shoulder once more before moving away to go to sleep. Diana soon cried herself to sleep.