***Farren POV***

At first, all I could see was an all-encompassing darkness all around me. I was aware of the ground under my feet and that was all. Reaching my hands out as far as I could, I could feel no walls or ceiling. Keeping my hands stretched out in front of me, I took a couple of uncertain steps forward. As I kept moving forward I tried to remember how I had gotten to this place, but my memories were fuzzy and scattered.

"Farren!" I heard a deep voice that I recognized; call from far ahead of me.

"Thorin?" I called uncertainly back, walking a little faster toward where I thought I had heard him.

"You would choose him over me?" I heard Thorin's voice say, this time far off to my right.

I gasped, as a sudden, excruciating, pain seemed to pierce through my heart, seeming to reach deep into my soul. I fell to my knees, pressing a hand to my chest expecting to find a blade protruding from my body.

"It's not like that, Thorin," I cried, tears starting to fall, "There is no one for me but you!"

It was dead quiet for several long minutes.

"Thorin?" I called again, "Where are you?"

"What can that Shire rat offer you that I can't?" he called back, this time from off to my left.

I staggered to my feet and toward his voice.

"Thorin, please," I called, but received no answer.

"Please don't leave me in the dark!" I begged falling to my knees and burying my face in my hands.

Suddenly, as if in answer to my plea, bright light flared around me and I found myself kneeling in the antechamber, just outside the treasury in Erebor. I stood up uncertainly, confused as to how I had gotten here, when I heard the sound of coins falling against one another. Turning, I walked toward the door to the treasury and looked in. Down below I could see a dwarf kneeling, searching frantically through a mountain of treasure. He had long, dark, hair and was wearing a long, black, cloak heavily hemmed with black fur at the top and bottom. My heart jumped with happiness and the pain I had been feeling a moment ago began to dull at the sight of him. I ran down the stairs as fast as I could and, as I approached him, reached out my hand to touch his shoulder.

"Thorin," I whispered, happily.

The dwarf stood up and turned to face me. Upon seeing his face, my happiness turned to absolute terror as I faced not Thorin but his father, Thrain. I backed away from him quickly.

"You think you can bewitch my son?" he sneered, stepping toward me, "Do you actually think he would choose you over all of this?"

Thrain gestured to the treasure surrounding us.

"He has come to his senses and seen you for the treacherous, foul thing you truly are," he growled, drawing his sword and continuing to stalk toward me.

I reached for my swords to defend myself, but they were nowhere to be found. I swallowed hard, fear making my breath to come in short, hard, gasps. I tried to channel my talent into my hands and up my arms only to realize that, to my horror, I could not channel so much as a small spark. Fear continued to rise in me as Thrain stalked ever closer, almost rooting my feet to the floor.

"Your hold over Thorin has ended," he snarled, "Rightfully so, because this treasure is what he loves, not you!"

"No, no!" I cried, "That's not true!"

I backed up a few more steps before my heel struck something and I fell. I looked to see what I had tripped over and my eyes widened in horror. Bilbo lay beside me, my legs over his feet, with Thorin's sword protruding from his chest and a large pool of blood forming underneath him, his dead eyes staring at me in terror. I heard Thrain chuckle evilly and I turned back to see him towering over me, fear paralyzing me completely.

"Thorin has already taken care of one traitor," he stated grimly, raising his sword over me, "Now I will take care of the other!"

Time seemed to slow as I watched the sword swing toward me and I threw my arms up to protect myself…


"NO!" I screamed and bolted upright, unconsciously forming a ball of fire in my right hand.

A high pitch squeak and the sound of something breaking off to my left caught my attention. I turned and saw little Tilda standing a few feet away, a broken clay cup and a small puddle of water at her feet. Seeing the fear in her eyes, I quickly extinguished the fireball, then pulled my knees to my chest and buried my face in them. "It was only a dream," I thought, forcibly bringing my talent under control, taking slow deep breaths.

"Are you alright?" Tilda asked causing me to look up at her.

"No," I replied sadly as the memories of what had happened finally came back, "Not right now I'm not."

I closed my eyes and laid my head back down on my knees, trying to not burst into tears from the pain of all that had occurred.

"Is there anything I can do," she asked innocently.

"No," I replied softy, "There's nothing anyone can do."

"Why, Thorin," I thought, dejectedly, "Why have you done this?"

"Tilda, are you not done yet?" I heard Sigrid say in exasperation as she approached, "How long does it take…"

I raised my head as Sigrid came into view, finally realizing where I was. After I had lost consciousness, someone had brought me into Dale and laid me on a bedroll in a ruined house.

"Oh, Miss Farren, you're awake," Sigrid said, looking surprised.

"Did I hurt anyone?" I asked, trying to remember what had happened after I had left the mountain.

Sigrid sent Tilda away on another task before turning back to me.

"No, King Thranduil used some elvish magic on you and you fell asleep," she explained and I looked at her in surprise.

"Gandalf brought you here yesterday and asked me to take care of you," she finished.

"Yesterday?" I asked in surprise, "Where is Gandalf now?"

"He went with King Thranduil and Father to talk to King Thorin again," she answered, "The army marched toward the mountain about twenty minutes ago."

Upon hearing this, I rose and began to make my way out of the house.

"Are you well enough to be up," Sigrid asked worriedly.

I stopped and looked at her, then shook my head.

"I don't think I will ever be well again," I answered sadly, feeling the pain burn through me once more, "But if there is any way I can help I must."

Sigrid nodded and handed me my swords, which had been hanging on a post by the door.

"I had hoped to ask you about…" she started, but stopped her face turning dark red in a deep blush.

I smiled a little at her.

"Fili is worried for you," I answered her unspoken question, "But he was well the last time I saw him."

She blushed an even darker red, but there was no missing the light that came into her eyes.

"At least someone has a love to look forward to," I thought sadly as I made my way back toward the mountain.


When I made it to the edge of Dale, I was stopped in my tracks at the sight that met me. The large elven army was gathered at the foot of the mountain, facing toward the east, toward another large army. Dwarves from what I could see.

"So that is what the raven was for," I thought, as I ran toward the two armies, "Thorin has called for aid from the Iron Hills."

I made it halfway across the plain when a large tremor shook to ground and knocked me off my feet. As the tremor stopped, I climbed back to my feet and looked around. Suddenly, from the foothills to the southwest, several large, worm like monsters burst from the ground.

"What are those things!" I thought as I stared in horror.

When they had retreated back underground, legions of orcs began marching out.

"Oh no," I whispered and then turned and ran the rest of the way toward the two armies, hoping to find Gandalf.

As the two armies shifted position to face the new threat, I finally found Gandalf.

"Farren, what are you doing out here?" he asked, fear showing in his eyes.

"I was looking for you," I answered, seeing Bilbo following close behind the wizard, "What are those things?"

"Were-worms," he answered in disgust, "This is but an advance company of a large orc army coming from Dol Guldor."

I looked at the foul creatures pouring out of the holes left by the Were-Worms in disgust.

"Farren, I want you to take Bilbo and get as far from the mountain as you can," Gandalf ordered and I stared at him in shock.

"No, Gandalf," I protested, "I am done running away! This is my homeland and I will not see it over run by those foul creatures. This is all I have left to fight for!"

With this said I turned from Gandalf to walk toward the elven army. Gandalf grabbed my arm before I could leave though.

"Farren, don't…" he pleaded, "If you die, the prophesy…"

"Is not about me!" I cut him off, yanking my arm away angrily, "It's time you realized that Gandalf! It was never about me! It was always about someone from Kenton's family line. They are the descendants of the last Air Elemental."

"Farren, please," Gandalf tried once more, "I don't want to see you die."

I just shook my head at him.

"If I am to die, then so be it," I answered sadly, "I am half dead already."

I then turned and joined the elven army just as the orcs attacked the front line of the Dwarf army.