Chapter 38

ARINA

"Kegan don't do this," I begged, as he snarled. "You know me!"

The dragon before me panted heavily, before his form suddenly changed. It was a quick transition into a dragon like mine, except he didn't sport any wings. Having wings was something I could break, and he knew that. I growled loudly at him, fighting the rage that was cursing through my body. I had briefly let the instinct take over when I had glanced at Thorin, but I had managed to snap myself back. I was seeing now, that fighting as the dragon might be easier.

"No, I don't," he spat rising up, and going to slam me to the ground.

Rising up on my hind legs I caught his claws with my own, and dug my back feet in to the ground so I would not move. His tail slammed in to my wounded side earning a snarl of pain, and I shuddered and pushed forward and bit him, letting my teeth slice through scales. His roar made me want to flinch, because I didn't want to hurt him, but this wasn't the person I remember. I let the rage come forward, and I felt that familiar haze that usually took over, but kept my partially my own. Baring my teeth, I let loose an angry roar.

After 75 years of confinement, I knew Kegan was so brainwashed, that I had no hope of saving the brother I remembered. He stumbled back several feet as he went to let go of me, and I gave a firm shove with my back legs to send him to the ground. He managed to slice a head horn across my chest as I landed back on my front feet. I glanced at my body to see the wounds I had that weren't healing. I was so focused on keeping my dragon form that I couldn't heal the wounds on me, but Kegan was suffering the same. He hadn't been able to hold the three headed dragon form, so I knew his strength was failing as well.

Blood loss was going to be my downfall; I knew it and I snarled at him as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. I could hear the fighting going on not to far away, and I wanted nothing more than to go help everyone else instead of fighting what once was my brother. Bracing my legs, I stole a quick glance to see how the others were fairing and since I had killed the back part of the army, I noticed that we were taking control and killing the last of the Orcs.

"Good," I breathed, and growled as Kegan finally reached his feet.

We stood facing each other, and I pushed myself forward and charged him. I used my wings to give me a good push, ignoring the pain that shot through them and my back. I reached out and dug my claws into his chest, and slammed him into the mountain again. Kegan snarled out loudly and roared, biting down on my muzzle before shaking his head back, causing me to snap my neck back and out of his mouth. He used the moment and his teeth snapped shut on my throat and I cried out.

My claws dug further in to his chest and ripped across them making him roar as he finally had to let go, but he had done the damage. The last of my strength went to healing my open throat as I fell to the ground with a mighty crash. Gasping as my wounded back hit the ground painfully; I rolled to my side and smacked him with my tail to avoid another attack. He roared again and went to bite me, but I shot one last round of fire before I suddenly found myself turning human.

The blood loss had me weak, and I couldn't hold my dragon form anymore. I gasped as blood dripped down my arm and back. I felt a nasty gash on my forehead, and several other wounds. Kegan also failed then, his body shedding its dragon form and turning human again. Pushing myself to my feet, I drew my sword that was attached at my hip. It was something I had practiced on keeping with me, similar to my clothes when I changed. Kegan smirked as he grabbed a sword from a dead Orc near him, and walked forward.

He was breathing heavily, and he had blood running down the side of his head. One of his arms was shattered, and he was limping, but that didn't stop him. He came at me, and I lifted my sword to block his attack and I kicked him in the gut, making him grunt as he stumbled. His next swing caught me on the arm, and I ducked from his next attack. I continued blocking him, moving my feet and dancing out of range as my adrenaline kicked my body into high gear.

"You stubborn creature!" he snarled, as his sword clashed against my own. "Die!"

His head slammed into mine knocking me back, while in the process slicing his sword across my chest and hip. Gasping in agony, I stumbled and fell to my knees and caught myself before I went any further. Yanking a dagger out of the waist of a dead Orc, I threw it at Kegan and watched it bury in to his shoulder as he raised his sword to swing it down on me.

"Wretch!" he snarled, and then he smirked. "You would kill your own brother?"

"You...aren't my brother anymore," I panted, as he swung to place the sword at my throat after he yanked the dagger from his shoulder.

"Well...at least you finally noticed," he growled and went to swing, but I lifted my sword to stop him.

I was so exhausted that my vision blurred as I pushed him back. Surging to my feet, I grunted as he used his free hand to smack me. How had he managed to heal that?! My head snapped to the side as I stumbled to my knees and wasn't' ready when he went to thrust the sword into my chest. I cried out in terror, when a shield suddenly blocked the attack and Thorin jumped into my line of sight. He shoved me back, and used Kegan's shock to attack. He swung Orcrist and knocked Kegan's sword from its course and then he lunged forward and stabbed him right in the chest. I pushed myself up on my hands, laying on my side to watch Kegan gasp in surprise and then sputter in agony. Thorin twisted his sword, and Kegan choked and blood came to his mouth.

Kegan glared at Thorin suddenly and he pulled the dwarf closer to him, pushing the blade further in to his chest and then thrust his own forward. The blade went straight through Thorin's shoulder and he roared out in pain, making me gasp.

"Thorin!" I screamed, trying to push myself to my feet, but Kegan suddenly was thrown back.

Thorin used his shield to push Kegan from him, and it resulted in the shifter flying a few feet back from the blade that had pierced his chest. Fili and Kili suddenly appeared beside me, and I watched as my brother fell dead. His body didn't move after that as his eyes glazed over in death. So many emotions went through me that I couldn't hold the gasping sob in. Thorin turned instantly when he heard me, and he hurried over and came to his knees in front of me.

"Arina," he said, as I looked at the dead body of my brother. "Arina, look at me."

THORIN

He couldn't remember how many Orcs he had killed, and by now it was just automatic to him. They were going to be victorious, and Gundabad would no longer be a strong hold for Orcs. What the elves wanted to do after this, he didn't care. He had turned away from Arina and her brother after he had seen the glazed look in her eyes. He didn't like when she gave over to the monster that the dragon could be.

"Uncle!" Fili yelled. "Look!"

Wiping blood from his face, Thorin turned his head to hear another piercing roar come from his Queen. Arina had wrenched herself away from Kegan, and he could plainly see the bite wounds on her throat. Panic had him moving as she crashed to the ground. He heard her wings break and she rolled to her side so that she could slam her thick tail against the other dragon. Another burst of flames left her mouth before suddenly, she was turning human. She was covered in blood, and he wasn't close enough yet. Anger clouded his mind, and Thorin gripped his sword as renewed energy flooded his body. He had to get to her, and now. Running forward, he took down any Orc that got in his way, and briefly he was able to see that Fili and Kili were following him. Yanking a shield from a dead dwarf, he thrust his sword into the skull of an Orc that was dumb enough to get in his way.

He felt the anger turn to rage as Arina was struck down, and for a terrifying moment, he thought he wasn't going to make it. Kegan drew back his sword with a sick smile on his face, ready to end her life. Arina panted, on her knees and unable to rise to her feet when he attacked. Thorin got there just in time, and focused on what he had to do. Using the shield, he blocked the attack and pushed Arina behind him. The shifter snarled in surprise, and for a second was frozen to the spot. Using that, Thorin moved again, and easily knocked the sword from its course, and wasted no time in delivering the killing blow. Orcrist sliced through armor and flesh, until it went out the other side. Kegan sputtered, and choked when Thorin smiled and twisted his sword.

"A little too slow," Thorin glared. "I would let her kill you, but that's not what she's about."

Kegan glared at him, before yanking Thorin forward and thrusting. Thorin moved at the last second, and roared out in pain from the blade as it went through his shoulder. He knew it was a clean cut, and would heal fine, but it hurt none the less. In reaction to the attack, Thorin kicked the shifter from him after he heard Arina scream for him. Her voice made him shudder, and he watched as Kegan fell. By the time the man hit the ground, he was dead. Panting heavily, Thorin dropped his shield, and put his sword away to go to Arina's side. Her gasping sob had his heart clenching painfully as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Arina," he rumbled, but her eyes were on her brother. "Arina, look at me."

She tore her eyes from her brother's body and looked at him after several minutes. He was worried that she wasn't seeing him, and he couldn't help the look of grief that passed over his expression. Arina blinked and after a few minutes, she let out a breath and pressed her forehead against his good shoulder. Thorin wanted to check her wounds, but knew that now wasn't the time.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "But I need you with me now."

"You're shoulder," she murmured, and he relaxed.

"It is nothing. Nothing I cannot handle," he assured her.

In the distance they heard the horn blow that signaled victory and Thorin was glad it was over. He had seen enough wars to last him a while. Arina's fingers found his, and she gripped them. Thorin squeezed hers back and pressed the side of his face against her head, because he couldn't do more than that. After a little while, she finally pushed herself away from him and rose to her feet.

"Easy," Kili warned. "You're really wounded."

"Do not touch me," she muttered, the command obvious in her voice.

ARINA

I had managed get to my feet and walk past them without any help, and they instantly backed away from me. I went up to Kegan's body and sank down on my knees beside him. His eyes were clouded over, and his heart was no longer beating. I laid my hand on his arm and squeezed it as tears came to my eyes. Part of me felt like a failure, seeing him lying here dead.

"I would have saved you," I whispered. "Had I known you were alive, I would have. I'm so sorry..."

I heard the others come up behind me as I sank back to sit on my legs, and Thorin laid a hand on my shoulder, careful not to squeeze. I felt my chest heave in heavy breaths as I fought to stay awake, but my wounds wouldn't heal until I stopped.

"I didn't do it just because," Thorin murmured. "You know I wouldn't have had he been able to be saved, Arina."

"I know that," I choked with a trembling voice. "I know that..."

As I sat there for a moment, I closed my eyes and stilled myself, taking a deep breath and focusing on what was wrong with me. There were wounds that I needed to heal first so that I could help the others. The gash along my front slowly began to heal, and so did a few broken bones. The smaller ones I didn't worry about. I had to be able to at least function properly for a little while.

"I'm all right," I finally managed to say when I finished. "What about you?"

"I said leave it," he sighed. "I'll get it looked at later. It's not a bad wound, just painful."

Thorin helped me to my feet quietly, and I looked over him firmly to make sure he was telling me the truth. He sighed painfully when I touched his shoulder, and I pursed my lips seeing that he wasn't trying to move it. I moved so that we could look over the battle field, and didn't dare lay eyes on my dead brother again. Thorin's good arm wrapped around me instantly when I staggered a little and I sighed softly in pain.

"So...we did it?" I asked, letting him support me.

"Yes, we did. It was a mighty blow to their forces," he nodded.

I lowered my gaze and then turned back to look over my shoulder at the body of Kegan, unable to help it again. He had been my brother and someone so dear to me that it was painful to see him lying dead. I knew that was how it had to be though, no matter how much I wanted to deny it. He spent 75 years with the enemy; his memories were not of his family. He had been brainwashed into a soldier through torture and confinement. I would have been the same way if my father had not got me out. At the cost of his own life.

The thought suddenly had me shaking and I felt the tears come to my eyes, but I had to fiercely hold them back. I would not cry; not until we were in the safety and privacy of our room back in Erebor. Thorin's hand tightened on my waist when he felt my body shake and I forced myself to look back to him. He pressed his forehead against mine for a moment and I closed my eyes tightly. I didn't care that we were both covered in blood, I reached out for him anyway. His hands grabbed my face, and I held onto his wrists as I tired to focus on him.

"Ground yourself," he commanded. "Stay with me as long as you can."

"I will," I whispered, focusing on his voice.

Mmmmm, I must say I loved this chapter! :D

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