There was legends of the far north that warn of dragons. They warn of when slaying a dragon that the heart must be pierced and the blood not to be touched. Only shot from a great distance and with great power can a dragon be felled. But should a man do it himself with the blood running down his hands and the heart stop it beating by his doing he will become something else. Something that will curse and change himself and his line forever more. The legends do not say what. But there was some old whispers of creatures called Dragonkin.

As the black arrow was loosed from the wind lance the Beast moved and inch and it was then Bard knew that unless he moved quickly the beast would never die. Yes the arrow did pierce his chest but Bard knew it would not be hard enough to kill it.

The beast roared in agony and dipped his wing causing the tower to slip. Diving into the water Bard swam for the shelter of the buildings as he saw the dragon fall into the water. As quickly as he could Bard climbed onto the rickety walkway and began to run and as soon as he reached the edge of the town he climbed into the boat and began to row for his life.

Much to his horror he saw the boats on the opposite side of the lake and looked on the shores as the beast began to slowly used its wings to drift its way onto the shore. Himself reaching the shore not long after his wounded foe Bard moved and prayed to the Valor that he would accomplish his goal before the dragon fully awoke.

As the boat made landfall Bard ran on the rocky shore and with more prayers for his strength and for the lives of his children he moved to where the arrow stuck out. And just as the dragon opened its eyes Bard used the force of his body to ram the arrow into the beast's chest. The dragon roared and in that moment Bard he it would finally be over.

The beast struggled but Bard hung on for dear life and even as the arrow cut wounds into his hands and blood spurt from the wound he held on. Even as he was tossed to and fro he held on with a ferocity he never knew he had. And finally the dragon began to still and his feet once again his ground.

And it was then in that moment that Smaug's head moved weakly and his great yellow slitted eyes met those of Bard the Bowman, descendent of Girion. And it was then the beast chuckled darkly even as the life left his eyes.

"Why do you laugh beast? You time is at its end?" Bard demanded furiously.

"You do not know do you?" The dragon weakly taunted.

"Know what? What do you mean?"

The dragon continued to chuckle and ignored his angry inquistion as with its last breath it muttered, "I always did wonder what would happen if this day were ever to come. You have proved yourself worthy. And as you bathe in my blood I wish you luck Dragonslayer. Now we are kin. My blood flows into your own. And now your line is mine as well. Too bad I will not live to see what comes next."

And as the eyes of the dragon closed Bard was haunted by the words of Smaug the defiler and felt at once the blood that dranched his clothes. The blood that pooled at his feet and that had enetered the cuts in his hands. The blood that had flown into his eyes as the dragon moved. The blood that had entered his mouth in the struggle.

And it was then Bard yanked at the arrow and was shocked as it left the chest of the dragon without any struggle at all. And in that moment he looked down as his hands and what he saw chilled him to his bones even as a heat began to burn in his belly and blood.

The veins began to glow red and his skin seemed to dance like flame.

***AN: I imagine Bard's skin would look like those equipped with Extremis in Iron Man *****