Yay another chapter! Sorry for the long wait. I have a boat load of school work and I don't think writing fanfiction is a good excuse.
P.S let's just act like the first part of desolation of Smaug never happened! And that part in Bree wasn't the first time Thorin met Gandalf Okay? Okay? Warning: this chapter is long!
"Can we come?"
"No, Fili. It's too dangerous," Thorin told his nephews. The two were expecting to go with Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and another fat dwarf they didn't know the name of. They had already gotten out their little fishing poles and dug around in the yard for worms (they didn't find away).
Thorin and the others were heading to a small pond down in a valley on the other side of the mountain for some fishing because the village was low on food. It wasn't necessarily a dangerous path to the pond, one Fili and Kili could easily make, but Thorin knew the rumors of a dark power that lurked in that area. With all the mischief the two could get into Thorin thought it was best to leave them behind.
"But…," Kili whimpered. He was so looking forward to going fishing with his uncle, Balin, Dwalin and the fat ginger.
"No," he said to them and that was the end of it. "Let's go," Thorin turned to the others and they left the house. Dis offered some kind words about how they were too young, but Fili just stomped to their room throwing their poles to the ground. Dis sighed and started making lunch.
They sat on Fili's bed pouting and crossing their arms. "It's not fair! We're big and strong enough to go down to the pond!" Kili finally said.
"Yeah, and I bet we're better fishers than that stupid fat one! Maybe even Dwalin! He's not patient enough to fish!"
"Yeah!" Kili cheered in agreement.
Fili got off his bed and picked up his pole up off the floor, "the village needs food and as future kings we should help! Balin once said there is a second pond down in that valley! We'll go and find it and catch more fish than uncle and all the others combined!" Fili threw Kili's pole to him.
Kili looked around the room and in a hushed voice said, "should we though? It might not be safe, you know what happened last time we followed Thorin." (See chapter 9)
"Of course!" Fili said going to the window which they often used to sneak out. "If anything bad happens I'll keep you safe. I'll slay any monster that gets in our way! No enemy is too big or too great for me!" Fili nodded to his brother and the two snuck out of their house and head to valley where the two ponds were.
Fili did a great job leading them down the path; it was a reality safe path just wide enough for them to walk side by side holding their poles. They began to sing some songs on the way down and Fili would laugh when Kili got the words wrong. Fili knew exactly where they were going and recognized the landmarks on the path. The day Thorin took him fishing was one of the best days of his life and seldom forgotten. It wasn't till they reached the valley when Fili got lost. He didn't know how to get to the other pond. He remembered Thorin says something about not going there, but couldn't remember which way it was. Finally he remembered and the two headed into a wooded area in the valley.
It seemed to grow dark in a matter of seconds, like the sun had suddenly set in the middle if the day. As they went further the trees started to look dead, with little leaves, and cracking bark. The grass beneath their feet was rotting turning a dark brown color. There was foil smell in the air and the feeling that they were being watched by an all seeing eye in the sky.
"M-maybe we should turn b-back?" Kili squeaked out too scared to talk loudly. He was holding onto Fili's coat and Fili's was tightly gripping Kili's.
"Good idea," Fili said. He was getting scared as well. Something was wrong about this place, very wrong. "Come on let's back home to Ma."
"Wait look!" Kili yelled loudly making Fili jump. "There's the pond!" the two looked and sure enough in a small clearing there was small pond. The two ran up to it. The clearing looked friendly. Sunlight was coming down and the grass looked green. Kili made it to the pond first. "Ew gross!" He yelled.
The pond was filled with a black liquid, resembling sludge more than actually water. In fact the black stuff didn't look liquid at all, more of a between liquid and solid state. It seemed to be boiling towards the middle and gave off a foul smell.
"What is it?" Kili asked taking his hand off his noise. "There's no way its water," Kili knelled down to look at the strange pond water.
Before Fili could scream out Kili reached his hand out and touched the black ooze. The moment it made contact with his body Kili let out a loud gasp like he was being kicked in the gut. Fili yelled and ran over to his brother. Kili took his finger out of the water like muck falling backwards into Fili's arms unconscious.
"Kili!" Fili yelled. It seemed as though all the life had been drained out of his little brother. Kili's face was unusually pale and the area around his closed eyes was red. Fili shook his brother, but Kili didn't move. "KILI!" he yelled even louder shaking him. Kili's body moved with Fili's shake completely limp. "KILI!" Fili screamed as loud as he could
Thorin was enjoying himself for a moment. It was nice day out, Balin was singing a lovely song and the air was fresh. He dipped his hook into the pond waiting for a bit. Bombur had already caught three fish so there was a tad less pressure on them getting enough for the village. Thorin sighed to himself feeling relaxed. He let himself close his eyes and just enjoy the day. He imagined Erebor and Dale and how the people would have enjoyed a day such like this one.
Suddenly a loud screamed snapped him from his thoughts.
"…was that?" Balin asked quite making out what the scream was. "I thought it sounded like…"
"FILI!" Thorin yelled jumping up from where he was sitting. He let go of his pole and it fell into the water. He knew it was Fili screaming, he recognized the boys voice anywhere. "KILI!?" he yelled knowing that if Fili was screaming out for his brother in such a fashion something was horribly wrong. The whole group was standing now scanning the light woods waiting for Fili to yell back. No answer echoed back. "No," Thorin said softly assuming. He started running towards where he thought the scream came from. He guessed the two were at the dark pond, the one said to be cursed by an evil necromancer of some sorts.
Thorin never ran so fast in his life. He reached the other pond to find Fili holding Kili shaking him and sobbing. Thorin knelt down by their sides. Kili looked sick: he was covered in sweat, his lips were purple, and his skin was a white as a ghost. "What happened?" Thorin asks the oldest as he took Kili from Fili. Kili's skin was hot to the touch.
"H-h-he…he touched it! That's all!" Fili cried. Thorin looked over at the gross pond. The rumors about it being something out of nightmare were true.
Balin was suddenly at Thorin's side looking over Kili and looking back at the pond, "he needs a wizard."
"What?" Thorin asked. Kili's arms began to shake slightly.
"The water is said to be bewitched. Magic is causing this Thorin, my guess only magic can uncause it," Balin told Thorin. He looked at Kili. He was breathing through his month now and having a hard time doing so. He seemed to be choking on his own air.
"The grey wizard!" Dwalin said suddenly. He was on his knees too holding a crying Fili. "Gloin made mention of him. He said that the grey was in Bree making fireworks. I guess his wife wanted to see them, but at any rate, the wizard is in Bree."
"Where is Bree?" Thorin asked pulling Kili in closer.
Balin handed him a map he just so happened to have, "there is a small settlement with a few houses of men on the other side of the valley. From what I heard they are quote kind. If you head there they may give you a pony so you can ride to Bree to meet the wizard." Balin told Thorin.
The king stood up with Kili still shaking and panting in his arms. "I will head there then!"
"Me too! I'm not leaving him!" Fili said tears still rolling down his face. He knew there would be a lecture about crying later, but he didn't care.
"No Fili, I must go as fast as I can, you will only slow me down."
"But…"
"No Fili," Thorin said and that was the end of it. Fili knew his uncle had to get to this Bree place as quick as he could if there was any hope of helping Kili.
"Make hast Thorin, Kili looks like….," Balin tailed off not wanting to say what was on everyone's mind.
Kili looks like he is going to die.
Thorin nodded to everyone gave a long look and nod to Fili and ran off to where the men lived. As Balin said they were quite kind and the when they found out how bad and young Kili was they gave Thorin a pony no questions asked. They even offered to take Kili to Bree themselves. Thorin refused, not letting Kili out of his arms. He was shaking worse than ever now and the heat from his body was almost was worse as Smaug's fire.
Thorin rode out towards Bree. Halfway there Kili began to scream out in pain. It hurt Thorin as well to hear his nephew in such agony, but there was nothing he could do but ride faster. The sun set and Kili stopped screaming. Thorin could tell Kili was still getting warming, and his breathing became shallow, almost inexistent.
Thorin rode up to the front gate of Bree at midnight as the rain started to come down. Thorin knocked on the wooden door. The guard opened it and looked rather confused. He wasn't use to dwarfs in this part of the world. "What is your business here?" He growled.
At first Thorin thought about lying but didn't, "my nephew is sick. I came to see the grey wizard."
The guard studied Thorin through the little window, "Gandalf you say? Yeah, he's here. Not sure where though. You'll have to find him yourself."
Thorin thanked the man as he let him into the village. He could hardly see anything through all the rain coming down. He saw a few men giving him dirty looks, a few passed out from too much ale, and a man walking around eating a carrot. He kept riding on trying to find anyone who seemed wizard-like.
"F…fee…fffff…" Kili's weak voice called out. Thorin halted the horse and looked down at his youngest nephew. He looked worse than ever before and the rain was only making it worse. Kili was still unconscious but calling out for his older brother. Thorin knew that couldn't be a good sign.
"Do my old eyes deceive me or is that the great Thorin Oakenshield in Bree?" an old yet friendly voice called out. Standing in front of Thorin and his horse was a man in all grey holding a staff.
"Are you…?"
"Gandalf at your service," bow the wizard.
The wizard went to say more but Thorin cut him off, "my youngest nephew is sick I was told you can help."
The two went to an inn in town and laid Kili down on a bed. Thorin lit candles around them to light up the room as the wizard examined Kili. "Odd, very odd indeed. What happened?" Gandalf asked and Thorin explained about the pond. "I see."
Kili was unmoving now. His chest did not move with breathed for his breaths were too short and weak, and his body remind stiff as though dead. His face had regained none of its color and his sweat drenched his air. Gandalf waved his hand over the boy feeling the intense heat coming off of him. The wizard knew that dark magic was taking place here. Yet it source was unknown and very powerful at that. There had not been such darkness such as the one now holding the boy since an age ago. Considered about the origins of the black magic Gandalf closed his eyes and placed his hand on Kili's forehead.
At first he felt nothing but the boy's great fever. Then, out of nowhere, there was a great scream in Gandalf's mind and a flash, just a fleeting glimpse, of a great fiery red eye.
Gandalf pulled his hand away. "What is it?" Thorin asked not able to hold it in anymore.
"Nothing. Hold him down this may cause him pain," Gandalf said. Thorin didn't move. "He will die if I don't do this!" The wizard practically yelled. Thorin went to Kili and held his upper body down. Gandalf put his staff over the boy's body and began to say something in a tongue Thorin did not understand. Kili began to yell. The young dwarf pushed and pulled against Thorin's hold trying to break away from the pain. The wizard kept on going. Kili let out one final scream and Gandalf could have sworn he heard nine other, bird like screams, echo his.
"It is done; he should wake in a few hours and be fine. I suggest you do not travel back to your home till then. He will be alright, with no lasting effects I'm sure." Gandalf told Thorin and began to leave.
"Thank you," Thorin said with all of his heart.
Gandalf waved it off, "do not mention it Thorin son of Thrain. I bid you farewell now, I must also head to your home. I will putrefy that pond for you so something like this will never happen again." Gandalf tipped his hat and left thinking of nothing but the evil that had corrupted that pond. Yet when he got there, a few days later, the pond was perfectly fine: bright blue water and fish swimming it in. It was as though the evil had left and gone somewhere else.
So, Kili turns out fine and him and Fili have a nice hug-it-out session after Thorin brings him back to the village. But everything turns out okay like Gandalf said with no effects! Yay! See you next time! Please R and R! =)
