Author's note: My first fanfic! This contains a character death, so if that isn't something you want to read, you may not want to read this. Please review, I'd love to know what you think!
Thorin helplessly grasped for his blade, but it was just out of his reach. The filthy, disgusting orc raised its weapon to deliver the final blow, and Thorin realized there was to be no escape. So it would all end here, and the Lonely Mountain would never be reclaimed. Never would the Dwarf kingdom of old be remade. But as the orc swung the sword towards his bare neck, something struck it, and it fell over backwards as a small blade flashed and stabbed the creature again and again. Thorin tried desperately to see what was happening, but his head seemed to spin and he sank into unconsciousness.
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Bilbo stabbed the orc again and again in a mad fury, hardly even considering the danger that he was in. When his foe was dead, he stood up, and saw to his horror that a circle of orcs atop wargs were closing in on him. Closest of all was Azog, smiling in a way that Bilbo did not fancy. The hobbit moved closer to Thorin, determined to defend him to the last. An orc kicked its warg, and it knocked Bilbo off his feet, snatching him its mouth. Bilbo cried out and struggled as sharp teeth dug into him. He attempted to draw his blade, but he was being crushed. As the warg slowly walked over to Azog, he heard the sickening sound of his own bones being broken. Barely conscious, he was dropped to the ground.
Azog dismounted, and walked proudly over to Thorin's inert form. He had waited long for this moment of triumph, and he was eager to end the life of the miserable dwarf whos very existence had plagued him for so long. But just as he was about to fulfill his desires, a terrible pain struck him from behind. Bilbo, in a last act of desperation, had somehow managed to crawl near and drive his blade into the pale orc's leg.
Azog screamed with pain and rage, and turned on the miserable creature that dared to defy him not once, but twice. He slammed his mace against Bilbo, and he rolled away a few feet, his eyes rolling back in his head as he finally fell into oblivion.
Just at that moment, the Eagles began arriving, catching the dwarves as they fell from the tree, and killing all the orcs and wargs they could. Azog fled, and many of them escaped. Thorin and Bilbo's unmoving bodies were carefully picked up, and the Eagles flew away with the whole Company of Thorin Oakensheild.
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The moment he landed, Gandalf ran to Thorin, who groaned and awoke when Gandalf called to him. Balin ran over to Bilbo, who the Eagles has just left on the eyrie. He shook him, and saw with horror that he was soaked in blood.
"Gandalf!" gasped Balin in a voice that shook with sorrow.
"What is it, Balin?" Gandalf answered, turning towards him.
"Bilbo is grievously hurt. I fear he is dead."
Gandalf raced over, and quickly checked Bilbo's many injuries. He looked down and groaned softly. "He's alive, but barely so." the wizard said. "I do not believe he will live." Gandalf began desperately trying to slow the flow of blood from a terrible gash on Bilbo's brow.
Bofur, watching the scene, remembered how the hobbit had almost gone back to Rivendell, how he would be alive now if he had...! But then Thorin would have lost his life.
Thorin slowly got to his feet, and saw what was happening. He hurried over, swaying unsteadily on his feet. He sank to his knees beside Bilbo, his eyes filling with tears of remorse and sorrow.
"He saved my life, didn't he." Thorin stated, his hand running over Bilbo's broken body. "After all I did to him, all the hatred and contempt I gave him. And he returned it all with this? Why?"
"He admired you, Thorin, and he could never have left you to die like that." Gandalf answered, wishing he could console him. "It is all my fault." Gandalf muttered, sinking his face into his hands. "I should never have lead him out of the Shire. I have given him nothing but death."
Bilbo suddenly gave a strangled cough, and his eyes fluttered open. "Gandalf?" he whispered. "Don't... say that. I am..." - he struggled to breathe - "I am proud to have shared... in your adventure."
Thorin grasped Bilbo's hand. "You should not have done it. I am completely undeserving of such a deed - least of all from me. I have only degraded and scorned you since we met."
"I... I would have doubted me, too." Bilbo managed to get out, before he began coughing painfully, and this time blood splattered onto Thorin's hand. "Don't blame yourself... it was my own decision." he panted, glancing meaningfully at Gandalf. "I... you need to..." - he shuddered - "...pocket..." his hand moved over one of the pockets on his vest, and his eyes closed for the last time. The dwarves all had tears in their eyes, and Thorin was weeping unashamedly. Gandalf quietly reached into Bilbo's pocket, hardly realizing what he would find there would change the whole course if Middle-Earth's history.
The End
Was it terrible? Good? Okay? Wonderful? Please review! :-)
