Moria: Day 4 - The final journey to the First hall!

Today was the day! Today I would head to the first hall of Moria and with that my journey would come to an end as well.
As I sat with some dwarves around the breakfast fire I could not help but wonder what the Second Hall looked like. 
I spoke with some dwarves and shared my goals!
Rohan was coming ever closer. Soon I would be outside and then it was just a simple pass though the Anduin and into Rohan!
I grabbed my stuff and thanked the dwarves for another fine meal. Honestly the only folk that can cook better then dwarves must be hobbits. Then again... meat! I love meat and boy do the dwarves know how to make it good!
Anyway!
I grabbed my stuff and thanked the dwarves, and went to see Aronath. He seemed to have had quite a nice breakfast himself! 
I did manage to buy some carrot this time cause I know I needed to push him the extra mile this time. I would not rest until daylight was once more upon my skin!
I walked away from the stronghold to a pathway that laid parallel to it. Here the final day would finaly begin!


High spirited I walked down the pathway. Everything changed form there on! 
The walls, the structure, it was no longer just mere rock with some shape. It was of the highest form of craftsmanship. Golden crystals lighted my way for a long time.
I could not believe my eyes. Gold... so much gold. Even the walls had gold in them.
I can only image how the old days must have been around here. A mine full of life and riches. Happy dwarves everywhere! Drinking and feasting.
That must have been before this so called '"Durin's Bane'' I heard of.
But that is not my concern..
Every now and then I stopped to greet a dwarves scout and ask more directions. Or to simply admire the view that was bestowed upon me.
I believe it was about two and a half hours into my that everything completely changed.
Aside from the mystery woman that had been following me around, I was treated to another spectacular view.
Yes! A woman was following me around. Ever since I departed she had been following me. I can't remember the name but she was rather quiet and childish of behavior. She wasn't a bother though so I did not mind to much.
Back to the subject at hand!
I entered a large hall. Filled with stairs of gold and crystals of many colors. What an amazing sight it was to lay eyes upon for the first time!


First I thought it might be the second hall. But it couldn't be. It was impressive but not as impressive as the twenty-first hall. 
Before I set a foot into the maze of stairs I calmly took a gaze over my map. 
The area was known as the Great hall of Durin. 
Great it was indeed, but I was more concerned with what stairs to take to get to my destination. 
After a while of contemplating the map and hearing the merry humming of that girl, I found the right path. I started walking and so did the girl. Perhaps she was to afraid to travel on by herself, who knows...
I ascended some stairs, turned many corners but eventually after a long long walk, I found a doorway. 
I looked down on my map and yes! This was it! It was the road that would lead me to the Second Hall of Moria. The one thing I wanted to see so badly!
I felt a joy in my heart and a flame re-sparked my spirit. Off I went towards the road that I was to walk upon!
I think I walked about another hour after passing the doorway before I saw it.... 
Down a stairway I went an there it was.. The Second Hall of Moria.
I was simply blown away. Large trees carved from stone, much like the trees of Lorien they were, but then of stone. And crystals as far as the eyes could see, lighting it all up beautifully!
I stood atop the stairway for a while, just watching the amazing view..


At some point I had to continue and so I did. I walked down the stairs with Aronath and the girl still following me. 
I walked and walked and walked around but this hall almost seemed endless. 
So far my journey had been without any danger. No foes or things that wanted to kill me on sight. 
I was happy, perhaps for once, I was in luck. 
I found a small pond of fresh water about halfway down the hall. A perfect moment to freshen up a bit! I took off the top of my gear and started to soak my chest with water. What a great feeling it was to finally be able to clean off some dirt. The water was cold but I've experienced worse in Forochel.
I enjoyed this for about twenty minutes to great displeasure of the girl, who apparently just wanted to get a move on. I grabbed my gear and put it back on, made sure everything was still there and then started walking again.
In the far distance I suddenly saw a change. The hall was no longer smooth, the floor was broken and... red light?
As I went closer to the crack in the hall it started to get warmer. I was a bit concerned about this after all those stories I heard about giant fire beasts and such. But they are just stories... right?
I was right! As I came close to the crack I noticed what made the red light. 
Lovely lava! Yes.... lava....
I had to find a way to cross a giant crack filled with lava. So far for the ''safe part''.
I looked around and noticed a bridge.... A wooden bridge... an old wooden bridge.
Lovely... but it was my only option. So I took Aronath and kept him close to me. The girl just ran straight across bur to was a bit more careful!


I made it across safely.... But my heart had sunk a little. None the less I was alive and now very close to my goal!
The First hall was all that was left, and I knew there was a large bridge that would get me right to the doorstep!
I looked to the girl but she stayed silent as ever. I shrugged and fed Aronath another carrot. I wanted to keep going this time. No matter what.
I walked on, towards where my map told me the bridge was, and sure enough there it was.... sort of. 
See what I did not expect was for the bridge to miss the entire mid-section. How unlucky had I been on this final day.
First I need to cross lava and now my fastest route to the first hall lies probably somewhere in the dark canyon below. None the less I wanted to take a look so I walked up it as far as I could and started to gaze down into the darkness. 
I wonder..... What is down there?
Then! I noticed something.... As I looked to the bridge I noticed black marks on the white marble. 
B.... Burnmarks? How! How can fire burn stone? It does not make any sence.
One thing is for sure, something in Moria is not what it seems to be and I am surely not going to find out what that is!


As I looked to the other side of the canyon all I could see was my destination. The First Hall.
But I was not in luck. I had to go all the way around the canyon to get there. Even though I had plenty of time left for the day, that was not how I wanted to spend it.
None the less I had no choice so I turned around and started walking down a path that lead north.
Once more I walked and walked for hours on end, or so it seemed. Bored by the lack of interesting stuff along the way. My silent companion was no amusement either even though she still followed me around.
After a long and tiring walk I finally managed to get to the other side of the bridge. There it was, the final hallway. That which would lead me outside once more!
I smiled as my spirit was once more lighted up. I started walking down into the First Hall, many lights and crystals greeted me, and large statues made sure my passage was not unnoticed! And then...... there it was... The east gate of Moria!


I looked at Aronath before walking up the final stairway, he was so happy I could just see it in him. We ran up! Happy and enlighted! Down into the hallway and into the light we went!
It was so bright outside, even though the sky was grayish I was just happy to feel the fresh breeze upon my skin.
As of the girl... she just... ran off as soon as we came outside. I hope she will be well.
Me? I hopped on Aronaths back and rode down the path! after a few minutes of riding around I turned to see.... The most amazing enterance I have seen in a long long time. The great door to Moria!



I have survived the darkness of the mines with no troubles at all! Now my road will lead me deep into the lands of Rohan!
Onwards I go!