Chapter 7: Madness of the Ring
As the Orcs marched to Fire Keep, Teegra, Linas, and Trog were close by the shackled Larn as the oldest of the princesses was having a difficult time getting the the key from a guard without being caught by the whipper driving them. As the difficulty persisted, Linas was getting impatient.
"We can't put up with this, Trog. We have to break ranks."
"Not while that whipper is watching us. But don't worry. An opportunity will come."
"I hope it does."
Fortunately, Linas' prayer was answered as up on the road ahead, they noticed another army moving up consisting of men and Subhumans wearing the chain mail of Sauron's army as the two battalions came together for the moment as the leaders got in a debate.
"Halt!"
"What do you mean halt?"
"I have a battalion of men to move cross your road."
"Well, I've got a battalion of Orcs to move cross yours."
"You wait. Men come before Orcs. Get back."
As the man pushed the Orc to the ground on the nose, the Orcs that watched became very surprised. Fortunately, it was just the distraction Teegra needed as she successfully got the keys for the chains holding Larn.
"I got them. Now to free Larn."
"Hold on. We can't do that here."
Fortunately, Trog knew what to do from here, seeing as he worked in the ranks long enough. After all, he knew what it was like to be pushed around.
"I'll take it from here, Linas. Just make ready."
With that, Trog walked towards the whipper and spoke to him.
"Are you going to stand for that, sir?"
Upon noticing him, the whipper thought he was speaking out of turn as he wasn't where he stood before he spoke.
"Get back in line."
"You mean you're going to let a pack of filthy man creatures come before us?"
Stunted by his retorsion, the whipper became hesitant to answer before he tried his best.
"Uh, well, I, uh..."
"And you call yourself an Orc."
Urged on by Trog's words, the whipper became furious and roared as he spoke.
"Hey. You're right. Ah!"
"Kill them, bone them, cut them to bits!"
"Smash them, bash them, skin them alive!"
As expected, the Orcs began stomping their feet and prepped themselves for combat. As they did, Linas and Teegra got Larn with them as Trog followed. While avoiding the carnage of the battle between two allied dark forces, they departed from the path and went southward.
As they ended up in the woods, far along the path, Teegra used the keys to unlock Larn's chains as the shackles fell to the ground before she spoke to him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. If it wasn't for that distraction, the Orcs would've gone to Fire Keep to lay siege to it."
"Thank goodness the other army showed up for that."
Linas, knowing his role in making the distraction happen, felt it best to point out Trog's role as well.
"And thank goodness Trog appealed to the whipper to attack them. Without him, we'd still be stuck marching all day."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
At that moment, Trog noticed a tall man with long red hair and beefy hands as he got his spear out in defense.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
In reaction to Trog's act, the creature began to step back in worry before he realized it was no threat as Linas spoke up.
"Easy, Trog. He doesn't seem like a threat."
To verify this, Teegra and Larn came to him as the former spoke.
"Let's find out. Are you with Nekron?"
As an answer, the creature shook his head before Teegra sighed.
"Thank goodness."
With that, Larn spoke up to him next.
"Do you know the way to Fire Keep?"
With that, as an answer, the creature motioned them to follow it as he walked gently through the forest before Larn looked to Linas.
"Where's he going?"
"Maybe he's leading the way."
"Alright. We'll follow him for now. But be on your guard. We don't know who else may be coming to Fire Keep."
With that, the group followed the creature through the forest, hoping that they'd get to Fire Keep as soon as they can.
In the meantime, near Lake Town, the company proceeded once again on the boats with Boromir and Darkwolf holding out their weapons to the air as they spoke with the latter going first as Bilbo narrated while he, Bard, the Dwarves, and Kira (who now wore theclothes from Lake Town generously offered by Bard with a brown shirt, a green cape, and grey pants) kept vigil in the boats.
"We were given supplies, and two weeks later, found us nearing the end of our journey. And chances were, with Nekron approaching, it would be a very horrible end, indeed."
Later, the company, including Gollum, Boromir, Kira, and Darkwolf climbed up the Lonely Mountain before smelling a foul stench as Kira and Bilbo covered their noses as the latter inquired before the former and Darkwolf spoke.
"That smell."
"I know Bilbo. What is that coming from?"
"It must be a dragon."
Hearing this, Kira gulped nervously before she spoke to Darkwolf.
"A dragon?"
"That's right, guarding the Lonely Mountain. All the halls within are no doubt filled with its foul reek. Nekron must've appointed it as its guard in exchange for the gold inside it."
Hearing this, Thorin became angry and spoke outward.
"Curses to the dragon as well, then! This is Dwarf Lands, Dwarf gold! Soon enough, our revenge will descend upon him as well!"
As the group pressed onward, to the side of the mountain, Kira and Bilbo were climbing it up as Kira noticed his squalor condition before rushing to him and catching him by his arm.
"I've got you, Bilbo. Are you alright?"
"Honestly, I'm not certain anymore."
Given how much Bilbo used it, even if only twice, she was convinced she knew the answer. After all, he did have it longer than anyone in the company so far.
"You can't keep holding onto it, Bilbo. Please, let me lift your burden for a moment. Just until you get your strength back."
Knowing the Ring's powerful influence, Bilbo was hesitant at first, but alas, the hike up the Lonely Mountain was perilous. And who knows how treacherous Mordor would be? It might be a hazard all by itself just to set foot in it. And if he is to complete his quest, he must do so while he has strength left of him, even if that strength was borrowed from Kira.
"Oh, Kira. You are a true friend. But beware of its power, or you'll be taken by its madness as I nearly was."
With that, Bilbo handed the Ring to Kira's palm as she gently took it and placed it in her pocket from her attire.
"I'll try, Bilbo. For you, for Larn, and for all Middle-Earth."
Even later since then, the Dwarves, Darkwolf, Gollum, Boromir, Kira, and Bilbo got to the side of Lonely Mountain, after a long and treacherous hike as the Hobbit narrated.
"And while Nekron's dragon guard slept inside, we spent our days searching for that elusive secret door while Kira took on her temporary role as Ringbearer for my sake. Then, one afternoon, we reached the top of the side of the mountain, where a decision was to be made on where to go after the Arkenstone was reclaimed."
At the mountainside, Darkwolf held his axe in the air before Boromir did the same as they spoke.
"For Mordor and the cracks of Doom."
"For Gondor and the city of Minas Tirith."
"Once we complete the quest to secure the Arkenstone for Thorin, we will have to choose. Shall we turn westward with Boromir and go to the wars of Gondor, or continue east to Mordor and its dark lord? Or shall we break our fellowship for both?"
The answer was already clear to Kira.
"Wherever Bilbo goes, I'll go with him."
"I know that, Kira. But he's the one who has to choose."
Being placed in the spot like this, Bilbo got surprised before Darkwolf reiterated.
"What? I have to choose?"
"That's right. The day of choice will come when we outsmart Nekron and abscond with Thorin's prize. What shall become of our company once we secure the Arkenstone?"
Later, the question remained unanswered as he narrated in the final pages of his memoirs.
"What shall become of us, indeed? That was a question I especially couldn't answer. And so, Gandalf, while I wait, I inscribe the final pages of your log. My only companions are Kira, Darkwolf, Boromir, and an annoying bird cracking snails."
Upon seeing the bird, Bilbo recalled what Elrond told him before as his voice echoed.
"Stand by the gray stone where the thrush knocks, and the last light of the setting sun will shine upon the keyhole."
As his voice echoed, the sunset's light shone through a hole in the structure before revealing a keyhole on the side of the mountain before Bilbo spoke his surprise to Kira and Thorin.
"Oh, my goodness. Wake up! Wake up! It's happening!"
With that, Kira and Thorin snapped awake before seeing the keyhole on the mountain.
"So it is."
"By thunder."
As the Dwarves, accompanied by Gollum, Darkwolf, Kira, Boromir, and Bilbo got to the key, she spoke to Thorin about what Gandalf gave him.
"Thorin, use your key before it's gone again."
With that, Thorin put in the key through the keyhole before the rock suddenly moved aside as Balin and Bombur spoke up.
"Well, here we are."
"But what now?"
Thorin knew very well the answer to that. After all, it is what the burglar was needed for.
"Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself a good companion on our long road, to perform the service for which he was included in our company."
Surprised with enough burdens already, Bilbo was beginning to feel as though the responsibilities were being dumped onto him as he spoke to Thorin.
"Me?"
"You must earn your reward. We do have a contract."
"You think it's my job to go in first? I've already gotten you out of two messes not in the original bargain."
"Well, you are the burglar. Go down and burgle something. Maybe try to tell us what Nekron's guards are."
"And who will come with me? Any of you?"
As the Dwarves and Gollum hesitated to answer while Darkwolf and Boromir shook their heads as they felt it best to keep an eye out for the Glacier of Nekron and for the Nazgûl, Kira stepped up as she spoke.
"I'll go with you, Bilbo. You've stood by my side all this time. It wouldn't be right if I didn't do the same for you."
Given such an answer, Bilbo was relieved and grateful as he spoke to her with a smile.
"I see. Very well. I won't refuse."
With that, Bilbo and Kira pressed onward to the cave before Balin spoke up to them, the latter responding to him first.
"Uh... good luck."
"Thank you, Balin."
"With the burden we're carrying, we've begin to trust our luck more than in the old days."
Having exchanged their words to Balin, the two pressed onwards into the secret entrance of Lonely Mountain. All the while, they didn't notice the thrush that cracked snails flying into the cave with them as Bilbo was thinking to himself.
"Now you're in for it at last, Bilbo Baggins. Why are you here? You've no use for dragon treasures. And that Ring shouldn't have been found to begin with."
As they pressed onward, Bilbo looked to Kira and see her wiping her forehead while looking to the Ring in her pocket as she reached for it before she ceased her reach and pulled away as she had her own thoughts before Bilbo had his own.
"Beware the power is a power never known,
Beware the power that was simple now has grown,
Beware"
"To think that Nekron would employ a dragon to his cause. No. To Sauron's cause. If I were to use it, I could sneak around the dragon. But... then Sauron would find us for sure. I can't take that chance, not even with a live dragon."
"Feel the worm's heat, Mr. Baggins? A few more steps, and you shall see Nekron's guard at last. You can still turn back, you know. But to go on, to take those steps... that would be the bravest of all moments. Whatever happens afterwards is nothing. Yes, here is where you have your real battle, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. Do you go back? No!"
As Bilbo shouted his last thought, he unintentionally earned the dragon's growling snore before they stepped closer inside and got a closer look at him. Recognizing the dragon, Kira gasped as she whispered.
"It's Smaug...! My village told me stories about him, but I never once believed them."
Scared as she was, Kira had an idea how to get around the dragon, knowing the Ring is a more dire threat than Smaug as she spoke.
"Bilbo. I've got an idea. Try to burgle something and I'll keep Smaug busy."
With that, Bilbo nodded and sneaked to a barrel by the gold as Kira stepped into where Smaug would open his eyes as he spoke seemingly uninterested.
"Well, thief. I smell you, feel your air. I hear your breath. Come along. Help yourself. There's plenty, and to spare."
Nervous to speak with the dragon, assuming what she's been told about Smaug was anything to go by, Kira hesitantly spoke up as she stayed where she stood.
"Oh, thank you, Smaug the Magnificent. I did not come for presents, mind you. Among a number of reasons, I only wished to have a look at you, to see if you are truly as great as tales say. I did not believe them."
As she gave her reply, Smaug became somewhat flattered even though he didn't believe a word of it.
"Do you now?"
"Seeing you in person, I now realize that not even the tales which I was told do you any justice, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities."
As Smaug heard his, he sat up with his long head high up before he replied.
"So I can well believe. You know me, but I don't remember smelling you before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"
This made Kira nervous on instinct. If she were to reveal her name, then she'd know that the dragon would go after her village. However, her village was destroyed by Nekron already, and any remaining survivors would surely be prison-bound. So if that was thecase, then simply telling the beast her name would mean no harm to her already destroyed village. However, the dragon would go after her company if she wasn't careful. And with that, she resorted to trying to keeping her identity a secret while avoiding a flat refusal before remembering what her father always told her about dragons. No dragon, not even Smaug, can resist the fascination of riddling talk and of wasting time trying to understand it. With any luck, the dragon Smaug wouldn't be able to know who she was.
"Well, you may indeed. I came from the north where the cold laid siege. And my paths led me under the hill, over, and above. Through the air, I am she that holds hand to hand with the Ringbearer, sharing his burden."
Hearing this, Smaug already figured out what she was doing as he spoke up.
"You make riddles? Hmm. Except the Ringbearer isn't here, is he? What is your name?"
"I am the clue-finder, the companion of the lucky number, the slayer of Wraiths."
"Lovely titles. But lucky numbers don't always stay that way."
Regardless of Smaug's taunts, Kira continued fiddling away, getting a knack of it by now as Bilbo snuck around quietly.
"I am she that defends her friends from madness and its consequences. I am the guest of eagles, the ring-winner the luck-wearer, and the boat-rider."
Hearing this, Smaug began to get pleased as he spoke to her.
"Boat-rider, eh? That's more like it. But it's unwise to let your imagination run away with you, for I have guessed your riddle."
Hearing this, Kira became nervous as she looked to him.
"You have?"
"Of course. You must come from Lake Town. But, since you've done so well to entertain me, in exchange, I'll give you a piece of advice. Never do more with Dwarves than you can help."
Surprised at Smaug's knowledge, Kira attempted to draw his attention away from them as she spoke.
"Dwarves? I'm terribly sorry, but you must be mistaken."
"You have nice manners for a thief... and a liar! I know the smell and taste of Dwarf. No one better. So the Dwarves would steal my treasure? This is some sordid scheme hatched by those filthy Dwarves and those miserable rub-trading Lake men. Those sniveling cowards with their long bows and black arrows! Perhaps it's time I paid them a visit. You and your town will pay dearly for this intrusion!"
As Smaug said this, Kira became concerned as she spoke quickly to him.
"WAIT! You don't know everything! Gold alone didn't bring us here!"
Having caught the dragon's attention with her wording, Kira incurred Smaug to turn to her as he spoke callously.
"So you admit it! Be done with your riddles! What else brought you, boat-rider?!"
As Smaug glared directly at her, Kira began to get furious as the Ring began to act for her as she spoke callously quickly.
"We came over and under the hill, by wave and wind... for revenge!"
As her word of desire echoed in the great hall of the former King Under the Mountain, Smaug became perplexed by her sudden change in tone as he spoke.
"Revenge?"
As she spoke her explanation fiercely, Kira held the Ring out in front of Smaug as the dragon's temperature exposed the writing inscribed on it, making him surprised.
"I know that you're aligned with Nekron, you witless worm! And that it's made you unassessably wealthy! But you must realize that your success has made you bitter enemies, especially one such as me! Kira the Conqueror! For I hold the Ring that will be your end!"
As she held it in front of Smaug, her eyes focused on the Ring before seeing herself wielding Flamestoke over Smaug's corpse before showing her receiving praise by the people of Lake Town as they shouted to her.
"The bearer of the Ring, the wearer of the Ring
She hears a voice compelling her,
Filling her with thoughts that echo in her mind,
It should be telling her:"
"Hail Kira the Conqueror! Hail the Conqueror! Hail the war queen! Hero of the age!"
"Off to Ice Peek! To Nekron's lair!"
With that, as Kira rode on a Dragonhawk, the men of Lake Town rode on their own Dragonhawks before seeing the glacier of Nekron in front of her before she held out Flamestoke and the Ring as she shouted.
"I claim you, Ice Peak! You are Nekron's no more!"
With that, she cast a blazing fire upon it, burning the Subhumans and Orcs that resided there as they fell off into the chilling waters while they screamed before they landed on the doorstep of his lair before a bright sun shone upon Ice Peak as the men of Lake Town shouted.
"Hail Kira the Conqueror! The sun shines for you alone!"
At that moment, Kira burst through the door with Flamestoke in hand as she held her sword towards Nekron in a challenge.
"And now, I claim your life, Nekron, just as you've claimed my village! Only then will your foul desolation, your cursed plateau of the Dark Lord, your father, your Orc-infested glacier of nameless horrors burn and crumble as it should have so long ago! It will burn for Kira the Conqueror!"
Swiftly, Nekron aimed to hold her in place with his sorcery, only to find it had no effect as she still walked briskly with the Ring cancelling him out as fear became evident in his blue eyes. As she got close to him, Kira plunged her Flamestoke in his chest and earned his scream as he began to burn away into embers before the fire began to consume all of Ice Peak, leaving naught but melted water and corpses of the Orcs and Subhumans as Kira stood among one survivor.
"'Beware, the power is a power never known,
Beware, the power that was simple now has grown,
Beware, O bearer of the Ring,
The final power has yet to be shown.'"
"Behold, the wrath of my recompense! As I shall lead the Fire People to salvation, so, too, shall I set all who serve Sauron still ablaze as embers!"
With that, Kira pointed her Flamestoke at the survivor before burning him alive with its flame and later succeeded King Jarol as the ruler of Fire Keep as she wore his garb with a brown microkini and brown underwear overlooking the entirety of it all before coming back to reality as she saw this future with her own eyes.
"The bearer of the Ring, the wearer of the Ring,
Through forces tempting to resist,
Must recall the quest to end this darkest age that mortal death has kissed."
"And Nekron will have paid his dues once I put on the One Ring! Prepare for your end, dragon!"
As Kira attempted to put on the Ring, Bilbo, who was watching, became very worried as he held his hands over his mouth to keep from alerting Smaug before her hands hesitated to put it on as it glowed before Kira realized what was going to happen as she closed her eyes shut quickly before shouting to herself, echoing greatly across not only the halls but through the secret entrance.
"The bearer of the Ring, the wearer of the Ring,
Beware who wears the Ring..."
"NO!"
With that, Kira averted her fingers from the Ring swiftly, knocking it to the floor and her along with it as she landed just by it as Smaug began to snicker at her pratfall before he shouted back at her failure.
"Revenge?! You?! HA! I will show you Revenge! I am... Smaug! I kill what I wish, when I wish! I am not the same dragon that entreated with Nekron! Back then, I was tender, but now, I am strong... strong...! STRONG!"
As Smaug stepped on the floor, he caused the hall to quake before he spoke again, boasting of what her village elders spoke of while also demonstrating them as he spoke in accordance with his actions.
"My armor is like tenfold shields. My teeth are like swords. My claws, spears! The shock of my tail, a thunderbolt! My wings, a hurricane! And my breath... death!"
As Smaug cast his fire upon the golden armor, he melted them before speaking to Kira.
"Well? WELL?! Where is your Ring now?!"
Caught off guard by his boasting, especially when Kira had yet to recover from the madness that nearly claimed her, she was barely able to stand as she got the Ring back in her pocket before she spoke.
"So I see. Although... my elders always told me that even one as magnificent as you are soft underneath. Vulnerable, especially in the chest."
"You have heard wrong. I am armored both above and below."
"Well... forgive me for not taking any chances on that."
"Hmph! Taking chances on that. I shall show you!"
With that, Smaug began to lay on his backside, shaking the hall again as Bilbo got jolted a bit before Smaug spoke to her again.
"Look! What do you say to this? Rare and wonderful, huh?"
As Kira got close to Smaug, she surveyed his armor and spoke out of fascination.
"Dazzling. Marvelous. Perfect. Flawless. Staggering. Mag—"
Upon closer inspection, however, Kira noticed a small hole on the chest before she spoke to herself.
"Old fool. There's a patch in the hollow of your left breast as bare as a snail outfit of its shell."
Only hearing indistinguishable whispering, Smaug became confused as to what she said as he spoke to her.
"Huh? What's that? More riddles?"
"No. My riddling is done. We must not detain Your Magnificence any longer."
"We?"
As if on cue, Bilbo joined her side with a golden cup before he spoke.
"Sorry you could not find me, but a fine burglar takes expert catching. Ha, ha!"
Noticing this has taken place right under his nose, Smaug became angry as he shouted.
"BUUUUURRRRRRRGLAAAARRRRR!"
In retaliation, Smaug fired his breath of death at Kira and Bilbo as they ran in the secret entrance which was already too small for him to use as he shouted.
"THIEVES! FIRE! MURDERERS!"
As Smaug breathed his fire inside the secret entrance, Kira got Bilbo out of the way before she got burned in the back by the dragon as she exclaimed while falling to the ground as Bilbo tried to help her.
"Kira!"
"I'll be fine, Bilbo. Just go on without me."
"Not on your life! Come on!"
With that, Bilbo took Kira's hand and ran with her out the door.
Meanwhile, outside, Boromir, Darkwolf, and Dori grew concerned as they'd heard Kira's screams while Thorin felt it was wise to have stayed.
"What has happened to them?!"
"The dragon must've woken up."
"We should've gone with them!"
"To be roasted alive?"
At that moment, Bilbo and Kira got out as they panted and collapsed on the ground before Balin and Dori spoke up in relief.
"It's the burglar! And Kira!"
"Three cheers for good old Bilbo and Kira!"
As Kira panted, trying to catch her breath, Bilbo spoke up.
"Thank you, but we'd appreciate a more pragmatic salute. In other words, water! Give us water!"
In response, Thorin got out his canteen and handed it to Kira as she began to drink it while Boromir gave Bilbo his as Thoron spoke.
"There we go. There we go. Always glad to help a friend."
Knowing how they refused to go with him, Kira didn't find it convincing as she spoke to him tiredly.
"Didn't seem that way to me, King Under the Mountain."
"Oh, never mind that."
With that, Thorin looked over to Bilbo before he spoke to him.
"What did you burgle?"
"This."
As Bilbo got out a golden cup, the Dwarves became impressed before the mountain began to shake as Balin and Bombur spoke.
"What's that?"
"Earthquake?"
Knowing these tremors, Kira knew the answer immediately as she spoke.
"That's no quake... it's Smaug!"
With that, Smaug roared as he flew out to the side of the mountain and began to breathe his fire upon them before Bilbo shouted.
"Into the secret passage! Our only chance!"
As the company, even Gollum, went inside the secret entrance in a jiffy, Smaug made his threat to Kira.
"Boat-rider! Thieving Lake Man! Your people shall see my vengeance!"
With that, he used another roar while breathing his fire to cause a cave in that blocked the secret entrance so that there'd be no escape in time to warn the town so that he may fulfill his vengeance. Figuring that out, Kira and Bilbo became worried as they spoke before noticing the thrush that went in with them to the grand hall.
"What have we done?!"
"The Lake People are doomed unless... yes. You, who are a mere thrush, and yet so much more."
Kira had an idea where Bilbo was getting at as she spoke up next.
"That's right. You have seen Smaug. You know his vulnerable spot. Go to Lake Town and hurry!"
"There is a guardsman, Bard. Tell him."
With that, the thrush flew off to deliver the important message into the night.
Meanwhile, at Lake Town, Bard felt a strange warmth in the air.
"This breeze is strangely warm for autumn. The Fire People must be on the move somehow."
However, Bard's assumption was incorrect as a fellow guardsman noticed Smaug blazing the air with his fire as he pointed it out.
"Bard. What's that?"
"The dragon is coming, or I'm a fool. Cut the bridges! To arms, to arms!"
Without a doubt, it caught the attention of the people as they looked out their windows to see him.
"The dragon."
"Old Smaug."
"Awake after all these years."
"The dragon is coming."
With that, Smaug made good on his threat and set Lake Town ablaze while Bard and his fellow guardsmen aimed at the beast.
"Ready? As he passes over... arrows!"
When they fired their arrows at him, they failed to puncture his skin as Smaug laid low their houses with his fire and got the Lake People running for their lives as some were on fire and jumped into the lake as Bard tried to reaffirm his fellow bowmen's quickly waning courage.
"Stand your ground. Rearm."
Alas, Smaug has already driven them off as he flew over the ruined town just as the thrush arrived near Bard, who got annoyed with it quickly and spoke before he heard the message.
"Away, you fool bird! Away! You speak? Eh? Bilbo Baggins? Kira? They found what? Yes. I'll look."
As Bard looked at Smaug's vulnerable spot when he descended, it was also there that Bard found the answer to slay him as he spoke and took aim for it.
"Jove! You speak the truth, old thrush. Black arrow, you've never failed me, and I've always recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true King Under the Mountain, go now and speed well!"
With that, Bard fired his black arrow towards Smaug's weak point and struck it like a dagger, causing the dreaded beast to roar in defeat as he fell into the waters of Long Lake and succumbed to the wound, for Smaug was no more...
At Ice Peak, Nekron felt himself weakening as he felt a pain in the left breast, ideally where Smaug was just struck, before Juliana noticed his pain and went to him.
"My son...! What has happened?"
For a moment, Nekron took his breaths before he gave three words as his answer.
"Smaug is dead."
Hearing this, Juliana began to suspect who had done the deed and what they are attempting as she spoke.
"It's those Dwarves from Lonely Mountain. They're trying to reclaim the Arkenstone. They'll pay for it dearly."
Despite this, however, Nekron only gave a smile as he spoke.
"No, mother dear. If that's all they came for, they can have it. It'll be worthless once my father returns from the void and gets his Ring. It's a meager reward compared to that. Soon, Middle-Earth will be ours..."