A/N: Hello. So, you must be wondering by now "where would Smaug come in?" Well, to answer that, in order to give keep Fire and Ice's originality, I decided to make Smaug a resident of Fire Keep that is willing to assist King Jarol's kingdom for a price: the treasure of Lonely Mountain. And there will be some additional characters, one of which was seen to be captured by the Subhumans in the movie but was never revealed to have a bigger role. Another character will be a sister of Teegra named Linas who will later come across the company of Thorin. And for the Hobbit elements, as I said, it is based on the movie of 1977, but I will add certain quotes and elements from the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. Fare thee well.
Chapter 1: A Sinister Plan Set in Motion
As Thorin, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the company took their rest, Nekron had just laid siege to the Northern Village from his Glacier as his mother, Juliana, praised him for his work.
"You have done well, my son. The north village has fallen. We have won."
Alas, with his father's passing, Nekron didn't feel entirely pleased.
"We'll have won when I claim my father's ring, Mother dear. All the same, I want to thank you, Mother."
"The Great Plain is all that stands between ourselves and Fire Keep."
With the weight of the pressure from using his sorcery to move a gigantic glacier, even with the Arkenstone, Nekron feared he wouldn't be able to go that far.
"That is a long distance."
"A distance we may not have to travel. I am sending our envoys and your father's mouth to Jarol with our new demands."
"He will not submit."
"Perhaps."
With that, Juliana handed the scroll to the Mouth of Sauron before she spoke to him.
"You will present our demands to King Jarol at Fire Keep. And, uh... give our royal regards to his lovely daughter."
Outside, a village was scattered into ruins as wood, water, straw, and ice were scattered across the plains along with bodies slain or knocked to unconsciousness. One of the creatures of Nekron, particularly those almost similar to a human being known as Subhumans, became piqued with curiosity as he analyzed the gold around his neck before deciding to take the one on his ear before dropping him. As this happened, a woman survivor with long blonde hair and a brown loincloth was just knocked to the floor by another set of Subhumans before they mumbled, taking interest in her as she began to feel as though all hope was lost while they lifted her hair up before dropping it. As she felt this to be the case, however, she looked over to the men in front of her as a Subhuman looked at the shield in curiosity before smacking it, causing one of them to stir awake, making her relieved as she widened her mouth into a smile before the Subhumans forced her up and walked her out as she looked back at him one last time as she grunted from being pulled and pushed swiftly. At that moment, Larn wanted very so much to do so, but he had to play it right and leave them assuming he truly was dead as the same Subhuman went by him and just missed the weapon his arm reached for. With that, as he finally passed completely, Larn sprung his trap and grabbed his adversary by the throat before he smashed him in the back.
With the deed done, the captive looked back to him as her captors charged one by one to him, only for Larn to quickly toss a spear from his recent casualty right at him, causing him to groan before dropping to the floor as dead as a doornail. Immediately it caught the attention of her captors as they muttered before charging towards Larn as they ululated. As they did, it made sense to her: he was trying to lure them away to save her. With that, she silently closed her eyes before she spoke to herself.
"Thank you, Larn. I won't soon forget what you did for me. If you survive, I'll return the favor."
With that, the woman got up and took off into another area of the forest as Larn took off into another, leading the Subhumans away, the two of them determined to escape. As she left, the girl kept running as fast as she could with her eyes closed, ensuring she wouldn't look back, only to bump into a huge back, knocking her to the floor as a giant creature turned around and saw her before it spoke as two more trolls revealed themselves.
"What the blazes? A woman?"
"And here I thought we would have to eat Mutton again."
"We'll just see about that, won't we, boys?"
As the trolls laughed sinisterly, the girl became worried as she tried to back away with their shadows going over her. With that, she tried to run as fast as she could, only for one of the trolls to grab her leg as he spoke.
"Hold it! You're not going anywhere."
"Want to bet?"
In retaliation, the girl tried to punch him in the nose, making the troll scream in pain as she was dropped to the floor before she took off again as the troll whose nose got bopped spoke to his compatriots.
"After her! We can't let the meal go away!"
As they gave chase, the girl ran to a tree and tried to climb it up before the trolls could get to her. And for a while, it seemed to have worked as she neared the bark, but the trolls followed through on it quickly as they spoke.
"Stop! Get back here, meat!"
As she tried to climb up, faced with the fear of being captive again, the girl tried to climb higher and higher. However, when she grabbed on one of the branches, it immediately broke off, causing her to fall off as she screamed before landing on the same troll whose nose she punched before she ended up groaning from the impact before the two trolls joined his friend and seized the girl with their meaty hands on her arms this time as they spoke.
"Gotcha! We can't let you leave just yet."
"It'd be rude not to invite you over for dinner."
As the trolls laughed, the girl became fearful, afraid of what's going to happen to her.
Meanwhile, at Fire Keep, high atop in the tower, Jarol was watching the distance, anxious to meet the Ice Lord's ambassadors. As he looked over the distance, Jarol was met with his Raven-haired daughter, Teegra. She had on a set of microkini and a dark pink see-through shirt as well as a robe for her bottom half, common attire around the halls of Fire Keep. She and her sister, Lina, have been asked to go over their studies of the elements. And while it was important to do so as it would help them understand the world outside, Teegra was too impatient to see that and desired immediate action.
"But Father, I want to be with you when you meet Nekron's men."
"You'll serve your people better here with your studies, my daughter. Give me your love."
With that, Jarol gently gave her a hug as he placed a kiss on her forehead before she spoke while smiling sadly.
"You'll have it always, Father."
With that, King Jarol went out of the room before Teegra looked outside to notice the gates opening. As they did, she saw not only the cloaked ambassadors of Nekron, but also a demon in black armor with a symbol of Sauron's eye on the breastplate. As Teegra watched them enter in the palace, her assigned teacher was with her and Linas, the latter of which was taking interest in it as she sat on the bed beside the pet jaguar, Shaitain. Much like Teegra, her outfit was a microkini with the see-through shirt and robe, but the color was bright orange, like the fires that surround the Fire Keep's people, and her hair was light brown. As the teacher spoke onward, Teegra plopped on the bed beside Linas as she yawned before the latter of the sisters sat up.
"All matter in Middle Earth comes from the natural bases which are Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The four elements from which all things are created."
As Teegra spoke her opinion on the situation, she extended her legs outward before Linas reminded her of their purpose.
"How can you talk about elements when the war draws near to us every hour?"
"Teegra, I thought you knew. We all have our roles. Our father's is to lead, Taro's duty is to soldier, and our duty is to learn, so that we can get a new role in the world."
"You mean my duty is to stay shut in while all the men do the fighting and share all the glory. Well, we think that stinks. Don't we, Shaitain?"
As Teegra petted the Jaguar, Linas spoke again while laying down next to her.
"Well, I don't exactly like it either. But that's why we're studying. We're so close. We can't mess this up."
Seeing and hearing the determination on Linas, Teegra smiled softly to her before she spoke to the teacher who smiled, knowing she could count on Linas to steer her the right way.
"Alright. What is the lesson this time?"
"This lesson is about the history of Mordor."
"Mordor?"
Upon hearing about it, Teegra knew for a fact from her father that it was where Mount Doom resided. Hoping to get a good fix on that, she became interested quickly and spoke.
"Please tell me more."
Meanwhile, Jarol and Taro were met with the demon in armor and the ambassadors as the demon spoke to the king.
"If you peacefully surrender, my lord, Nekron will cease the destruction of—"
"Is this your message of peace? A demand for our total and unconditional surrender?"
"We call it an offer of alliance, Your Majesty."
Taro knew better than to trust them and spoke his opinion quickly.
"I call it blackmail."
"My Lord Nekron's offer—"
"To Mount Doom with Nekron and his offer. We are free men, not slaves."
"King Jarol, be reasonable."
Taking careful consideration, Jarol spoke on his own in favor of Taro.
"My son, Taro, speaks more with his heart than his head, but he speaks for all of us."
"There can be no alliance. We will fight you to the death!"
"Perhaps... you will soon change your mind."
Unbeknownst to the King and Soldier, an army of goblins was crawling up the rocky walls of the tower as they sang a tune. As they did, they got Shaitain's attention as it growled before it roared, only for the Goblins to enter before it leaped at them, only to toss it aside to the wall, frightening Teegra and Linas as they backed away before the teacher stepped in to defend the sisters, only for the goblins to retaliate by sending her back and knocking her out with a whack from one of their spears before they sought to take them for themselves as they bound Teegra and Linas in chains before carrying them down as they snickered while they shouted for their father.
"Crush, sack! Whip crack! Smash, grab! Pinch, nab!
You go my lad! Ho ho, my lad!
The black crack (x4)
Down down to Goblin town
Down down to Goblin town
Down down to Goblin town
You go my lad! Ho ho, my lad!"
"Help! Father!"
"Father, please!"
As they cried out, Jarol overheard their cries as it extended in the night sky before he spoke out of worry.
"Teegra! Linas!"
With that, the ambassadors removed their cloak before they began to attack, only to fail as Jarol and the Mouth of Sauron smiled before he walked away.
"You should've accepted the offer, Jarol. Lord Sauron will rise again..."
Having overheard this threat, Jarol and Taro became increasingly worried as the latter focused on getting his daughters back.
"Make for the Glacier! Man the Dragonhawks! Hurry! Hurry!"
As the guards flew on Pterodactyl-like beasts, out of Fire Keep to rescue their princesses, Taro turned to Jarol as the latter became haunted with the Mouth of Sauron's words.
"Goblins quaff, and Goblins beat
Goblins laugh, and Goblins bleat
Batter, jabber, whip and hammer, hooooooo!
Below, my lad! Ho ho, my lad!
The black crack (x4)
Down down to Goblin town
Down down to Goblin town
Down down to Goblin town
You go my lad! Ho ho, my lad!"
"Lord Sauron... but how?"
"Never mind him for now, Father. The Dragonhawks will find them. They've got to."
Alas, given how rare they've ever exited Fire Keep on foot, Jarol knew for himself the difficulty of the search.
"In the night so dark, in the world so strange, a bird couldn't find its own nest."
"Well, what do we do then, Father?"
"We wait."
"For Nekron's new demands?!"
"No. For Sauron's siege. If what his mouth said is true... then we're all in grave peril."
The next morning, Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, and their company began their trek to Lonely Mountain as the Hobbit of the group became exceedingly worried, given his sources for comfort, or at the very least the essential kind against the elements, which were usually found at home were now left behind.
"No hat, no stick, no pipe, not even a pocket handkerchief. How can one survive?"
It turned out that Bilbo was right to ask his complaint as hours later, the company was now forced to deal with the blowing winds that beat down on them as Bilbo noticed Gandalf appearing just in front of them as swiftly as he did before as he spoke to Bombur.
"How did Gandalf get ahead of us, Bombur?"
"He comes and goes at will. He is a wizard, you know."
At that moment, another problem occurred as they all faced a thunderstorm that poured heavy rain upon them as Bilbo began to curse his whole journey.
"Oh, confusticate and bebother burgling and everything to do with it."
Gandalf, taking notice of his frustration, sought to lighten it any way he can as he spoke.
"Always remember, Bilbo, when your heart wants lifting, think of pleasant things."
At the moment, it was difficult, but nonetheless, Bilbo thought of some pleasant things that he'd like to come back to.
"Eggs and Bacon. A good full pipe. My garden at twilight. Cakes."
As night fell again, Thorin felt as though that they'd traveled as far as they could before he spoke to his company.
"We'll camp here. Perhaps we can find a dry patch to sleep on."
As they did, they waited out the cold rain before they heard Balin hooting like an owl. Although it made no sense to Bilbo, Thorin understood what it meant as he spoke.
"Our lookout has spied something."
As they all went to him, Balin spoke to the company as to who he saw.
"Look. A woman held captive by trolls."
As they looked in Balin's direction, they noticed the girl who's escaped the Subhumans before thanks to Larn's quick-thinking, as well as three giant trolls eating Roasted Mutton with the girl tied up in a rope, binding her hands behind her back as she tried to remove them but with difficulty as her legs were tied up as well. As the trolls ignored the struggling, knowing she wouldn't get far, Thorin, Bilbo, and Balin commented on the situation.
"Miserable, no-good, robbing trolls."
"Where the deuce is Gandalf?"
"Left us again. Just when a wizard would have been most useful."
However, Thorin didn't count out Bilbo as he spoke up.
"No matter. We have an expert Burglar with us."
Hearing him named as such, Bilbo began to get worried for his own life, given his lack of experience in burgling.
"What have trolls to do with burgling?"
"We could use some of that meat they're cooking. And don't forget the girl."
This gave Bilbo an ultimatum as his hesitation still flowed through his veins.
"Oh, I say."
Sending this hesitation, Thorin gave him a good push as he spake.
"Burglar, do your burgling."
As Bilbo went towards the trolls silently, having been left no choice, one of the trolls wearing a red cap spoke up before another with tusks and an eyepatch did as the girl struggled to break free.
"Blast. Nothing but mutton to eat. And only one girl, too."
"How I long for a bit of man-flesh."
As the girl became worried at this, Bilbo saw her distress and felt the pressure on him to be too much before he tried to relieve himself of the pressure with more pleasant things to think of coming home to.
"Bacon and eggs. My fireplace. Hot chestnuts."
With that, the girl took notice of Bilbo approaching her before she tried to find a way to draw their attention away, hoping to get his help. As she tried to come up with it, her feet reached for a nearby rock before she used their dexterity to toss it aside, causing a clunk to occur far away before the trolls turned to the noise with the one in the green cap speaking up before the one in the red cap.
"What the blazes? Who's that?"
"Hopefully, a better dinner."
With that, they headed off to where the rock clattered before Bilbo went over to her as he spoke.
"Thank goodness for your resourcefulness. I was afraid I wouldn't pull it off."
Hearing this from Bilbo, the girl became slightly vexed. It would've been more so were it not for her situation as she spoke.
"Well, I'd appreciate it if you can help me out of this. Who are you?"
"Oh, yes. I am Bilbo Baggins. A bur— Uh, a Hobbit."
"I see. Well, my name is Kira. My home was in the North village."
Catching on the tone, Bilbo became worried as to what exactly happened before he spoke.
"Was? What happened?"
"I'll explain later. I need you to cut me loose for now. Can you do that?"
"I'll try. But I already have enough waning time on my—"
At that moment, Bilbo was suddenly taken by surprise as one of the trolls gripped Bilbo by his coat before his feet as he flailed about.
"Help! Let me down! Stop that!"
"What have we got here?"
"Let's cook him and find out."
As the troll in the green cap held him while the one in the red cap laughed, Kira became defensive for the Hobbit.
"Let him go, William! He's not worth your time!"
At that moment, William could see her point as he was found to be shorter than the mutton they've been eating.
"She's right, Tom. He wouldn't make a mouthful. And the only man-flesh we have is the girl, Bert. Even the two of them together won't be enough.
Hearing this, Kira sighed, knowing that Bilbo was safe before another troll had a theory.
"But maybe there's more where he came from."
Hearing this, Bilbo saw it best to get them away as far as possible before he shouted.
"Dwarves! I'm done for! Run for it!"
As the Dwarves scattered, the trolls heard that as Bert, Tom and William spoke up in surprise and relief.
"Dwarves?"
"Now, that's a supper!"
"Let's go get them all."
As the trolls took off towards the Dwarves, they coincidentally dropped Bilbo who noticed Kira and spoke to her.
"We need to get out of here."
"Wait. We need to get in the cave."
"What? Why the deuce would you go there?"
"I saw the Trolls' hoard. It'll help me get free and save your friends, too. Now hurry!"
Given no other option, Bilbo dragged her inside the cave along with him before they hid themselves. Not long after, Bilbo tried to look around for something to help free Kira as he practically saw countless swords in the hoard as he spoke.
"That's what's going to help you? I'm not so certain I can lift any of these without hurting myself."
"Well, any one would do. Just please hurry."
As Kira finished reiterating her distress, Bilbo saw a small glow from far away and found a small dagger before he went to it and picked it up before turning to Kira.
"Kira, I think I know what's going to help us all out of this mess."
Meanwhile, all of the Dwarves were taken and stuffed in bags as Beet spoke before Tom and William.
"Let us roast them."
"Nah, boil them, says I."
"Each to his own, boys. There's plenty for all. I likes mine... raw."
With that, the trolls laughed heartily in celebration of their well-earned meal before they saw another figure in the shadows just as Kira was about to get the drop on them with a sword of her own, only to see that same figure herself as he spoke.
"Dawn take you all, and be stone to you."
With that, as the light came above the air, it revealed Gandalf over them before the trolls were met with the glare of the star in morning as Tom, Bert, and William began to have great dread of the light.
"The sun! Blast it!"
"How did the morning come so soon?!"
"We're done for!"
With that, they screamed before they instantly turned into stone statues with birds flying over them before Gandalf grew relieved that he made it in time.
"Excellent."
As the Dwarves struggled to get out, Gandalf got out a small dagger as he cut them out of their bag traps while Kira helped out with the task.
"One moment. One moment."
As they freed the Dwarves, Thorin didn't hesitate to blame the whole situation on a certain burglar.
"Where's that bumbling burglar? Lucky number, indeed."
To answer, Bilbo spoke out from the cave as he shouted.
"Over here! Come see what I've found!"
With that, the company of Dwarves, Gandalf, and Kira looked inside the cave in surprise to see the hoard in its entirety via daylight before the wizard spoke.
"Hmm. Not bad, burglar, for your first attempt."
"Oh, it was nothing, actually."
At that moment, Gandalf took notice of Kira about to take her leave as he spoke to her.
"And where, might I ask, are you going?"
"To find Larn. He helped me escape, and I want to see if he's alright."
Seeing the concern on her face, Gandalf tried to ease her while trying to suggest a better way to go about it.
"Hold for a moment. I can sense that you're troubled, and that's understandable. But if you wish to find your friend, you will not do so alone. For now, you must take part in our own quest until we find your comrade."
As impatient as she was, Kira knew for herself that it was the fastest way to find Larn and be with him again as she sighed before she spoke.
"Thank you. I'd like that very much."
Meanwhile, Thorin took interest in the weapons they found in the hoard as he spoke while holding a silver sword.
"Ah, we'll keep these. Deucedly fine blades, considering they were made by trolls."
Taking a look of his own towards the swords, Gandalf knew that the material of the blades were anything but troll-made as he spoke.
"They don't seem like troll blades to me. Probably stolen. See these strange runes?"
As they looked, both Kira and Bilbo became confused as both had never heard of such things outside their individual villages.
"Runes?"
"Whatever are runes?"
As Thorin answered, he noticed them on his sword as well.
"Ancient writing. Mine has them too. Can you make them out?"
As Gandalf looked at the swords, he delivered his answer to him.
"I am not familiar with these letters."
"Well, whoever made them, we've got them now. Cover up the treasure, men. We'll fetch it on our return."
As the Dwarves did this, Bilbo had out his dagger that he used to set Kira free before he engaged in effigy, envisioning himself fighting Nekron.
"Take that, Nekron, you filthy tyrant!"
Seeing this, Kira smiled at him, already guessing he has at least a bit of warrior spirit as she spoke.
"Looks like you've taken to the sword really quick."
"Yes. Just a dagger, actually. But for one of my size it suffices."
As Bilbo put it away, she smiled at him before she spoke.
"You remind me so much of Larn. He would've loved to spar with you."
"Oh, no thank you. I'd rather not fight my friends."
As Bilbo politely refused, Thorin spoke to his company to get a move on.
"Hurry, men and woman. We must be on our way."
At that moment, Gandalf had an intervention as he spoke to Thorin.
"Hold."
"Hold?"
"It is time for you to have this."
"And what may that be?"
As an answer, Gandalf got out a parchment from his sleeve and set it down, revealing it to show the exact detailing of the mountain they're headed towards as he spoke.
"This is a map of Lonely Mountain, presented to me 100 years ago by your father."
Hearing this, Thorin became very flummoxed that he didn't receive it.
"What? Why did it not come to me, the rightful heir?"
"I've chosen my own time to hand it over."
As they looked at the map, Kira became very confused as she spoke.
"And why are we going there?"
"That is where Nekron has taken the Arkenstone from the Dwarves. But he'll soon learn that his glacier can only go so far, even with the Arkenstone in his possession. He would be forced to retreat there to keep it stable."
"And how is he going to do that?"
"If he had his father's ring, that would not only be manageable, but catastrophic."
"Why? What's so special about this ring?"
"It is the ring of the Dark Lord Sauron. It is altogether evil and can corrupt and destroy anyone who wears it."
As they heard this, Kira understood the true cost of not getting there in time as she gasped before she spoke.
"Is that true?"
"Indeed, but that is a story for another time."
Already feeling tense from this conversation, Bilbo tried to find another pleasant thing to think about. Fortunately, one of them happened to be laid down in front of him.
"Oh, I do love maps. I have quite a collection."
Thorin, however, didn't think it useful as he spoke to Gandalf.
"Bah! I remember the mountain well enough without this."
"Indeed? And how do you intend to enter the chambers? Through the main gate, as a houseguest? Nekron will have no doubt planted his emissaries there to safeguard it and be sure it was no trick. You'd be slain before you take your seventh step."
At that moment, Bilbo saw another way in the mountain as he spoke.
"Oh, see, look."
"This hand points from these runes to— bless my soul, a secret entrance. A hidden passage to the lower halls."
Hearing this, Gandalf congratulated Bilbo for figuring it out before he spoke.
"Excellent, Burglar."
"I'm really quite good with maps."
Thorin didn't wish to take any chances, given Bilbo's missteps as he spoke.
"Let me see."
Upon closer inspection, he found that Bilbo was right as he spoke again.
"Ah. Yes. Quite correct."
This made Kira concerned about how the Subhumans would figure it out.
"But did it remain a secret all this time? What if Nekron's Subhumans found out?"
"Not likely. Those creatures are of carnal instinct and brawn. They're not quite known for their intelligence. And it's covered by a door made to look exactly like the side of the mountain."
With that, Gandalf presenter another piece to Thorin as he spoke.
"Here is the key. Keep it safe."
"Huh? Oh, well, of course I will."
As Thorin took the key, Bilbo became concerned with another matter.
"But if the secret door is hidden, how will we find it? The map doesn't tell."
"It does, and it doesn't."
This made Kira confused as she spoke.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You will understand in time."