Chapter 25
The Battle Against the Dragon
Everything was dark and quiet. We come out of a tunnel and approach a stone bridge over a chasm. Thorin raises his hand and we come to a stop. Dwalin wouldn't let my hand go and he pulls me close.
"Shh. Shh." Thorin said.
"Quiet." Dori said. We near the foot of the bridge and Thorin peers around the edge of the tunnel, looking for any sign of the dragon. "We've given him a slip." Dwalin shakes his head.
"No, he's too cunning for that." Dwalin said.
"He's right." I said.
"So where to now?" Bilbo asked.
"The western guardroom. There may be a way out." Thorin said.
"It's to high. There's no chance that way." Balin said.
"It's our only chance. We have to try." Thorin said. We tiptoe in a single line across the bridge. I let my elf eyes scan, looking for the dragon. Dwalin was in front of me. and Bilbo behind me. A coin falls in front of me and I heard one behind me. I froze as it rings loudly. Dwalin turns and looks at me but my eyes were above me and I held back a gasp as Smaug crawls above us. He was looking for us. Coins were falling from his chest and arms. Gems and coins were still on him. Dwalin pulls me to him and close to his side. Thorin motions for us to keep moving. We moved fast across the bridge.
We run through a hall and emerge in what I assumed the Western guardroom.
"Stay close." Thorin said. We come to a stop and I gasp to see the guardroom was full of rotted, dust and cobweb-covered corses. And in front of us was a landslide of rocks that blocked the exit.
"That's it, then. There's no way out." Dwalin said. I walked towards it and looked at the corpses. I saw children among them and I felt my heart sank. Innocent lives were lost, because of the greed of dwarves.
"The last of our kin. They must have come here, hoping beyond hope. We could try to reach the Mines. We might last a few days." Balin said. I looked at Dwalin and saw him looking at me with sad eyes. I come up to him and pull him into a hug. He returns in and burries his face in my hair as we held each other.
"No. I will not die like this. Cowering, clawing for breath. We make for the forges." Thorin said. I felt Dwalin look up at Thorin.
"He'll see us, sure as death." Dwalin said.
"Not if we split up." Thorin said. I looked at him.
"Thorin, we'll never make it." Balin said.
"Some of us might. Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together." Thorin said. We made the plans. I was to go with Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo. Dwalin touched his forehead against mine.
"Be careful, love." Dwalin said.
"You as well." I said. Dwalin kissed me and went off with Nori. Balin, Thorin, Bilbo, and I ran across the bridge.
"This way!" Thorin said. A booming sound comes and I see Smaug appear.
"Flee, flee! Run for your lives! There is nowhere to hide." Smaug said. Smaug heads our way and I heard a yell and see Dori, Ori, and Bombur running over another bridge.
"Behind you!" Dori said. Smaug turned and we continued to run. I ran my finger across my betrothal braid, hoping Dwalin would be safe. We run across a large hallway. Balin and Thorin turn into a side tunnel, but I stop, scanning the room.
"It's this way! This way! Come on!" Balin said.
"Vanya!" Thorin and Bilbo called. I see the pit and turn. I see Smaug at the end of the hallway. I grit my teeth.
"Get to the forges." I yell.
"No! Vanya." Thorin yelled. I shoot him a glare and saw him flinch away.
"GO!" I yell. I run towards the pit as I see Smaug's chest glow orange and he unleashes his fire throughout the hall. I ran and leaped into the air, falling into the pit. I grab the chain and slid down. I gasp as Smaug leaps into the pit. I miss his claws as he followed me down, snapping his mouth at me.
"VANYA!" Dwalin yelled. I heard his hammer hit some metal and I felt the chain stop and then start moving up. I soar upwards and I swing my body to miss Smaug's head. I look down and gasp as Smaug grabs the end of the chain stopping it. He pulls down . I fall and land right on the tip of Smaug's mouth. I stood up, balancing easily. Smaug growls and opens his mouth. I see another chain as I saw fire visible in his neck and jump towards it as he snaps his mouth shut, but his claws grab me and I scream in pain as the claws dig into me. I heard Dwalin scream my name as some of the machinery hits Smaug.
"GET OUT OF HERE! Get to the forges!" I scream. I grab some of the claws as I felt tears run down my checks.
"You will watch your dwarves burn, elf. I smell elvish scent on you mixed with the dwarves." Smaug said. He begins to climb up the pit. I felt my legs banging against the wall and I made sure my head didn't hit.
"Have we not? I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!" Thorin's voice came. I came up top with the other claws. I was like a caged rat. I looked and saw Thorin looking towards Smaug. His eyes land on me and I saw Dwalin. I saw fear and anger in his eyes as Smaug came up. "You have grown slow and fat in your dotage." Smaug snarls at Thorin. I smirk. "Slug." Thorin said. Smaug advances as Thorin disappears behind a pillar. flinch in pain as my body hits the rock. "GO!" Smaug unleashes his flame at them. I turn my head from the heat. I heard the furnaces roar alive. Smaug lets me go as he comes to the pillars. I go to move away, but his back claw comes down and traps me. I grit my teeth as more claws dug into me.
"Valar." I whisper as Smaug begins battering the pillars with his head. They were strong, but they were starting to bend under Smaug's strength.
"Hold on Vanya." Dwalin called as Thorin shouted orders at the dwarves. I was focusing on what Smaug was doing to listen. They were bending faster at every bash. Dwalin was watching them as well.
"We don't have a jiffy and we need to get Vanya." Dwalin said, his eyes land on me. I clench my fists. The latticework finally gives way and falls to the ground. Smaug storms in with me still in his claws. He was growling as he looks around. I saw Bilbo climb some steps and reaches a leaver. Smaug begins walking towards him. I saw THorin standing there. Smaug turns to snarl at Thorin.
"Now!" Thorin said. Bilbo pulls the leaver and bursts of water came out as Smaug lunges at Thorin and slam right into Smaug. Smaug lets me go and I scramble through the water towards the wall. I sit down near it and lean against it, clenching my sides. I felt blood coming out of the wounds. Dwalin ran over and took my face in his hands as the water runs the watermills to turn gears.
"You are never doing that again. What were you thinking?" Dwalin growled. I grabbed his hands.
"Giving you dwarves time to get here." I said, rubbing his hands.
"Woman. Your hurt. I don't want to see you hurt." Dwalin said. I heard yells and Dwalin looked. "Stay here." He growled. He ran off to help. I flinch in pain as I stood up. I saw Gloin and Bifur in buckets on a conbeyor belt. Gloin raises his axe when he gets above Smaug and cuts the rope. Buckets full of heavy rocks fall on top of Smaug, making him fall to the ground. Smaug trashes around and I run out of his way of his tail. Gloin and Bifur were knocked down to the floor. I heard their yells. Rivers of molten gold flow through the troughs on the floor. Thorin runs by.
"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" Thorin yelled. I saw Bilbo standing by the leaver let. I ran towards him as Bilbo falls to the floor. I grab him and help him up.
"Vanya. Your hurt." Bilbo said.
"I'll be fine." I said. Smaug turns to look at us and snarls. "We got him to worry about."
"Keep going, Bilbo! Vanya! Run!" Thorin yelled. I grit my teeth in pain as Bilbo and I ran with Smaug right behind us. We leap onto a large stone slide before we were grabbed. I yell as we slide down with Smaug right behind us yet. He was destroying stone structures on his way down with his wings. We ran through a doorway and into a massive hall adorned with huge banners. I ran towards one of the columns and hid as Smaug smashes through the wall. One of the banners falls right on top of Bilbo.
"You think you could deceive me, Barrel-rider?" Smaug yelled. I peaked out from behind the column and watched him. I looked down and saw my corset in near shreads. I pulled it off and looked at my side. The shirt was soaked through with blood. I close my eyes and breath in trying to get through the pain. "You have come from Laketown." My eyes open and I look at Smaug. "There is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup-trading Laketown. Those sniveling cowards with their longbows and black arrows!" Smaug was talking to himself and his voice breaks in both anger and fear. "Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit." Smaug turns to go.
"No." I said. I run out and Bilbo does the same thing and we ran to Smaug.
"This isn't their fault! Wait! You cannot go to Laketown. Smaug turns as we came to a stop in front of him.
"You care about them, do you? Good. Then you can watch them die." Smaug said. Smaug turns down the hall.
"Here, you witless worm!" Thorin's voice yelled. I looked and see Thorin standing on a huge massive stone that was a dwarf. Smaug turns, snarling in anger. I stood behind him as Bilbo hid behind a column.
"You." Smaug snarled.
"I am taking back what you stole." Thorin said. Smaug slowly walks towards Thorin.
"You would take nothing from me, Dwarf. I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am King Under the Mountain." Smaug said. He raises up till his head was was level with Thorin. I looked for the others, but couldn't find them. I had a feeling they were behind the statue.
"This is not your kingdom. These are dwarf lands, this dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge." Thorin said. Throin reaches toward a rope above him. Smaug opens his mouth, Thorin yells something in his language. Thorin yanks the rope and it sounds like a pin was pulled and wood begins to fall. Smaug rears his head in confusion. I heard more pins pull. The stone structure falls and a gold statue, made out of gold stood in its place.
"So that's what the river of gold was." I said. Thorin swings away on the rope to escape the falling rock. Smaug looks at the statue in awe. He approaches it.
Suddenly the gold explodes into liquid and I gasp. The gold had not yet fully solidified. The entire statue collapses and explodes into liquid. Smaug roars in anger and scrabbles backward to escape the gold. He couldn't move fast enough as the wave of gold hits him and knocks him down. He disappears under the pool of gold. I was a distance away to miss it. I looked towards the dwarves and saw Dwalin. He was smiling. I return the smile. We had fun.
The top of the lake suddenly explodes and I gasp as Smaug leaps out. He is covered in gold.
"Ahh! Revenge?! I will show you REVENGE! And I'll take her with me!" Smaug yelled as his eyes land on me.
"Vanya! Run!" Dwalin yelled. I ran towards an exit, but Smaug uses his tail and trips me. I cry out in pain as the claws grab me again and Smaug takes me with. "NO!" Smaug bursts through the main gate. He flies up in the sky.
"Valar!" I said, looking down as we got higher.
"I am fire. I am DEATH!" Smaug said as he flew towards Laketown.
"What have we done." I whisper.
AN: LOL. Hope you enjoyed. Don't worry. She'll be fine.