As dawn broke over the valley below Gundabad, the warriors of Imladris, Mirkwood, Lake Town and the Lost Realm of Arnor silently moved into their positions before the towering mountain stronghold.  The morning mists hung just above the ground in swirls and eddies and absorbed any noises made by men or Elvenkind.  Aragorn walked back and forth among the men and Elves as he surveyed the precise lines of the Elven archers, four deep and commanded by Elrohir, and the lancers and swordsmen positioned behind them awaiting the signal from Elladan to take their places once the fighting began.

          The men of Lake Town were ready with the huge battering ram they had fashioned from a burly oak.  Tharel led the party of ten hefty warriors who would carry the ram forward and crash it into the iron plates before the entrance to Gundabad.  They would be the first to move forward and assault the cavern entryway.  Lomyr and the rangers would follow once Legolas and the dragon had cleared the way through the main tunnel.

          Strider looked up at the Misty Mountains and saw the dragon diving from the peaks toward their ranks.  He raised his arm and the amassed army tensed, their weapons held at the ready.  An eerie stillness fell over the warriors as they watched Naurnyar’s silent approach.  Although all there knew of the dragon, few had actually seen the beast until this very moment and her enormous size awed and amazed them one and all.

          Even more incredible than the dragon was her Elven rider.  Seated upon her back, long, blond hair flying about his head like a golden crown and his enveloping aura a blue-white blaze of light against the sky, Legolas rode the beast with skill and ease.  The spectacle was not unlike tales told to children of mythical heroes and beasts.  Aragorn gasped at the vision; even though he had seen Legolas perform this particular feat several times, the mere sight of his friend astride the flying behemoth was somehow mystical and instilled within him the will to prevail over shadow and darkness.

          Strider brought his upraised arm down in a swift slashing movement.  “Now!” he shouted.

          Tharel turned to his men.  “Heave!”

          As one, the husky men of Lake Town lifted up the battering ram and trotted forward toward the gates of Gundabad.  With each forward step they increased their pace until they were running full tilt toward the massive iron plates barring the entrance to the cave.  The huge ram smashed into the iron shielding with a horrendous crash and a great wrenching and screeching of metal shattered the stillness of the dawn.

          The sabotaged spikes, unable to withstand the strain placed upon the joints in the metal plates, snapped and popped in their slots and the massive doors fell backward into the cavern with a thunderous boom.  Their job done, the men carrying the battering ram dropped it to the ground and leapt to the sides of the entrance ramp as the dragon landed upon the stone entry with talons extended and her massive wings outstretched.

          The silence within the mountain was suddenly broken as a sea of goblin soldiers scurried out of the cavernous opening and out into the daylight.  Their shrieking clamor echoed throughout the small valley as they charged forward to engage the forces waiting without.  Naurnyar rose up on her hind legs and arched her neck and with a roaring bellow spewed forth a curtain of fire upon the advancing dark horde.  The battle frenzy of the black creatures turned to dying screams as the fires consumed them; yet wave after wave flooded out from the mountain.  Those fell warriors not burned to ashes as they ran were skewered with arrows as Elrohir’s archers sent volley after volley into the seething fray.

          As the dragon plunged forward through the breeched opening, Strider shouted to the rangers.  “Forward!  Into the tunnels!”

          Lomyr and his forces surged forward behind the dragon and with swords raised the rangers of the north barreled into the caverns of Gundabad.  Strider shouted above the din and gestured hurriedly to his men.

          “Break into groups!  Search all the tunnels!”

          As the men separated themselves into smaller teams of three and four, they fanned out and entered the various corridors leading off from the main entrance.  They were met by more orc and goblin forces as these soldiers erupted into the tunnels from their underground warrens and metal rang upon metal as they met in deadly combat.   Atop the dragon, Legolas fired arrow after arrow at the orc soldiers as Naurnyar lumbered deeper into the passageway heading for the huge foundry and ironworks.  Her fiery breath preceding her, the dragon forged an opening through the ocean of dark warriors, sending hundreds of the enemy to their deaths in a blazing inferno.

          When Naurnyar and Legolas burst into the foundry, they found more black soldiers waiting, well armed and carrying large iron shields before them.  Naurnyar’s flaming breath rolled over them, but many were protected by the shielding and lunged toward her, axes and scimitars slashing at her legs and underbelly.  Growling her anger, she turned her great body about and swept her mighty tail back and forth, tossing yrch and goblins through the air to smash into the cavern walls.  Her wings began to flap in quick, rapid surges and the winds churned up by their motion sent scores of the black creatures rolling backward across the stone floor where they were then consumed by the curtains of fire showering from her mouth.

          From the balcony deck above the foundry, Erashnâk watched the dragon’s devastating assault upon the orc army below him and as a great many more of his warriors were killed, he swiftly turned from the rail and hurried back into the depths of the mountain interior to report back to Udûn.  

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          At the first sound of the ram hitting the iron plating, Dol lifted his arm and waved to the men positioned within the ironworks.  From station to station across the cavern, the men moved to their pre-determined locations and awaited further signals.  Dûrel slipped away from his forge and backed into a nearby passage.  Once inside, he ran down its length until he reached the slave quarters where the women and children had been moved.   He skidded to a halt at the entry and scanned the crowd of frightened women until he found Maredeth among them.

          “Get them ready!” he shouted.  “Stay together and move as quickly as you can.”

          The older woman nodded and began issuing orders to the women around her.  She herded the children together and instructed some of the younger maidens to take charge of the smaller tots.   In short order, all were prepared and waiting beside the entryway.  Maredeth stood at the door and glanced down the long passage to the main cavern.  With her finger to her lips, she gestured the women to begin moving out along the corridor.  Quickly and quietly, they hurried out.  When the last of the women had left the slave compound, Maredeth ran to the head of the group and flattened her body against the stone wall.  She leaned around the corner and chanced a glimpse at the chaos reigning within the foundry in front of her.  At the sight of the dragon, her heart seized and she pulled back into the dark tunnel.  Frightened beyond words, but determined to carry out her part in this escape, she leaned back against the stone walls and waited for Dûrel to return.  

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          Strider charged down the dark tunnel, battling the few orc or goblin warriors that barred his path until he rounded a corner and came out onto one of the upper levels of the ironworks.  A tall, solidly built man was shouting orders to his companions and it appeared that they were about to topple several of the molten vats of liquid iron onto the floor below.

          He ran up to the slave and shouted over the furor.   “Gather your fellows together. You need to move quickly.”  He gestured toward the tunnel he had just exited.  “Head for the main entrance.  How many are there?”

          Dol turned at the ranger’s voice.  “There are hundreds of us here and we are ready.  We have tampered with the shielding spikes.  The plates will not hold.  We’re also setting these vats loose.  The hot iron will spill onto the foundry floor below.”

          “What about your women and children?” asked Strider as he watched the men slide the huge vats closer to the edge of the upper level.

          “Once we overturn the vats, Maredeth will get them moving.”  He pointed to a lower level corridor.  “Down there.  Once we signal her, she will lead them through to the main tunnels.”

          Strider glanced down at the passageway and barely caught a glimpse of a tall woman, hidden back within the shadows of the lower tunnel.  He looked back at Dol.  “She will need help.  There are still orcs about.  Gather what weapons you can and get your men out.  I’ll see to getting aid to the women.”

          Dol nodded.  “We won’t be long here,” he replied, and as if to confirm his statement, several of the iron vats upended and liquid metal poured over the ledge and down onto the ironworks floor below.

          The agonized screams of the dark enemy rang throughout the cavern as the molten metal covered them where they stood, transforming them into grotesque statues.   Naurnyar bellowed as the hot metal splashed and slapped at her legs and she hastily leapt up onto the rim of the volcanic shaft dominating the middle of the cavernous room and safely perched above the river of iron ore that gushed by beneath her.

          Strider watched the scene below with horror and fascination as the dragon, with Legolas still atop her back, continued to battle the few remaining black warriors.  He pulled away from the edge and glanced back at Dol.

          “Hurry.  Get your men out now.”

          Dol nodded his understanding and turning, waved to the waiting Dûrel.  As his companion moved toward the outer scaffolding and then lowered himself to the levels below, Dol turned back to Strider.  “We’re on our way.  Dûrel will help you get the women to safety.”

          Strider clasped the man’s arm briefly and then moved toward the side of the cavern and down the stone stairway cut out of the mountain’s interior wall.  As he reached the lower levels, he met several of the rangers from Lomyr’s party who were just entering the caverns.

          “This way,” he yelled, signaling with a wave of his arm for the men to follow him.

          The men fell in behind him and jogged down the tunnel until they came to the passage holding the women and children.  Strider rounded the corner and glanced about for any signs of orc or goblin soldiers.  When he saw none, he motioned for the women to move out into the wider passage.

          “Quickly, this way,” he called.

          Maredeth jerked into action and began shoving the women out of the tunnel ahead of her and past Strider and the rangers.  “Quickly ladies, move, move.  Come on, children!  Run!  Hurry!”

          As the first of the women ran into the corridor, Strider waved the rangers forward.  “Go with them!  As fast as you can!”

          Dûrel ran into the corridor as the last of the women were herding the terrified children along in front of them.  He glanced at Strider and shouted.  “I’ll follow behind them and watch for stragglers.  Our thanks to you, ranger!”

          Strider nodded.  “Get them out safely.  That will be thanks enough for me.”

          As he watched Dûrel and the women fleeing for their lives, Aragorn turned back toward the main cavern and the ironworks.  Naurnyar was still balanced upon the rim of the shaft, belching flames from her lungs and incinerating the seemingly endless hordes of the dark lord.  As he watched the melee, a movement above his head caught his attention and he looked up to see a pale raven-haired being step out onto the ledge overlooking the dragon.  A huge, black uruk-hai followed behind the creature and Strider suddenly realized that he was gazing upon the visage of the demon Udûn.

          Rushing to the edge of the scaffolding, Strider shouted down a warning to his friend.  “Legolas!”   He frantically pointed up to the balcony above.  “Above you!”

          The Elf turned at his shouted name, and spotting Strider’s pointing arm, turned to gaze up at the demon he knew only too well.  Udûn heard the warning shout as well and could not keep the surprise from his face as he looked down upon the very Elf he thought hanging dead upon the mountain side.  Angrily, he spun about and grasped the uruk’s armor, pointing down at the dragon and its apparently indestructible rider.  The captain stepped forward, bow drawn, but he was much too slow.  Legolas’ arrow slammed into his forehead before the captain could even lift his bow to shoulder height.  The uruk fell forward and down, landing in the molten iron still inching sluggishly across the stone floor of the cavern.

          Naurnyar’s head spun around and she stared into the eyes of the demon who had slaughtered her young.  Her yellow eyes narrowed and she hissed and growled as she moved her bulk around to face the dark lord.  Udûn reached into his tunic and withdrew the foul, black orb.  As he began to chant his dark spells, the ebony sphere within his hand began to glow.  Legolas shouldered his bow and then placed both his hands upon Naurnyar’s shoulders, chanting Elvish words that were too indistinct for Strider to hear over the roar of the dragon.

          The crystal upon Naurnyar’s head began to shimmer and a strange humming sound began to vibrate within the tunnel.  Aragorn glanced about him as a tingling sensation started to flow over and around his body and he could feel an energy surge within the very air of the cavern.  His ears began to ring and a painful pounding erupted within his skull.  Strider cried out as the ache in his head increased and he pressed his hands to his temples in an attempt to ease the stabbing pain.

          Huge chunks of the ceiling rock began to shake and crack, finally falling to the cavern floor below.  Strider looked up fearfully as several more large rock formations fell only a few feet from where he stood.  He threw his arm up over his head as a shower of pebbles and rock dust rained down upon him.

          “Legolas!” he yelled.  “The place is coming down!  Get out!”

          The Elf did not appear to hear as he continued to chant, his concentration solely upon the dragon.  Naurnyar rose up upon her hind legs and her massive head lifted until she was directly facing Udûn as he defiantly stood upon his lofty roost.  Dragon and demon glared at one another with a seething hatred.

          At that moment Legolas turned to face Strider, his blue eyes intent.  “Aragorn!  GO!” he shouted.

          Strider was about to protest, when more of the ceiling caved in and a gigantic slab of stone shattered upon the floor just behind the dragon.  Before the ranger could move, a huge bolt of energy shot forth from the black orb and raced toward the dragon.  At the same instant, a jolt of white-hot intensity issued from the crystal stone upon the dragon’s brow and the two power sources smashed together in a terrific explosion that rocked the cavern from the foundations to the roof.  This time the stones forming the ceiling dome cracked wide open and the entire cavern roof slide down until it seemed the mountain was coming down upon his head.

          Aragorn was forced to retreat as gigantic boulders crashed in front of him and Legolas and the dragon disappeared from sight in a cloud of dust, smoke and debris.