Chapter 79

I was woken the next morning by a kiss on the cheek. It startled me and I woke with a jerk. Blinking a few times, I looked up and saw Thorin. He was dressed in armor, and his sword hung securely at his side. Sitting up slowly, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"You're going?" I asked, my voice hopeful.

"Best get ready my lady," he rumbled. "I have a dragon carrying a hundred able dwarves with us."

My eyes widened, and I threw myself out of bed to get ready. I grabbed something quick to eat, and got dressed. It was the quickest I had ever got ready for a day. Thorin walked with me out of the mountain at a quick pace, and I looked up at Thane as he stood with the warriors on his back.

"They all decided to go," he rumbled. "It was them who pushed me. They want to fight."

I sucked in my breath, and looked at the dwarves who sat upon Thane's back. They all raised their weapons, and a soft cheer echoed through the army. I smiled at them, and then looked at Thorin. He arched a brow at me, his expression giving me the motivation to get moving.

"Best start changing. The eagles left late in the night. They felt they could not wait."

"We'll beat them there," I hummed, and pushed my transformation into a dragon.

I put Thorin on my back, and looked over at Thane. He rumbled to me, and soon we were lifting into the air and flying forward. We quickly picked up speed, and after a few hours of flying, we passed the eagles. The one who had delivered the message called out happily to us as we flew. I didn't exactly know what we were getting ourselves into, but I knew it might be bad.

By the evening, we were passed Gondor and from our position in the air I could see the men that Aragorn had gathered. They had stopped for the night, so as we circled around them, I let out a loud greeting roar. It startled several men, and as we came down for a landing, I heard shouts of terror, and several men scrambled for their weapons. It was night, I wasn't expecting them to recognize me.

"Hold your fire!"

The dwarves on Thane slid off him, landing easily on their feet. They moved to stand in an assembled group as I also landed. Standing beside Thane, I let Thorin down and watched as he came to the front of the dwarves. Aragorn and Gandalf came into view, and I saw the wizard's face shine with hope.

"Erebor brings a hundred warriors, on top of two dragons, Gandalf," Thorin spoke slowly. "We will not let you fight this battle on your own."

Gandalf reached down and shook Thorin's hand. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you all."

I snorted smoke out my nostrils and the wizard smiled at me. Thane pushed his transformation to human and shook Aragorn's hand as the man came forward. He hugged Thane, and then turned to look at me.

"You are a sight for sore eyes," he hummed, as I lowered my head.

"As are you," I rumbled, and looked at Thorin.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. We leave at dawn, we are so close now," Aragorn rumbled. "If you'd wish, King Thorin we can meet by the fire and catch you up."

"I would like that," Thorin nodded. "Arina?"

Humming quietly to myself, I pushed myself to my human form and took Thorin's hand when he offered it. When we walked to sit around the fire, I listened intently about what Aragorn wanted to do. I had been right about Frodo being close. They wanted to draw Sauron's eye away from everything, and keep it fixed on us.

Everyone slept lightly that night, and I found myself in wolf form and curled around my husband. I didn't know what we were going to face tomorrow, so I stayed as close as I could to him that night. We moved out right before the sun rose, and by midday, we were at the Black Gate. The entrance to Mordor was terrifying. Thane and I stood at the back of the army, in our dragon forms. Aragorn had given Thorin a horse to ride, so he had traveled with them during the day.

"It's so quiet," Thane rumbled.

"Not behind those gates," I replied, watching Aragorn ride forward with a few others.

The man demanded that the gates be opened, unless Sauron was too cowardly to face them. I knew that our numbers were nothing against the ten thousand Orcs that lay inside, but maybe we had a chance. I wasn't going to think too much on it. What had gone on these last few months was just the same as this. Small chance of success, but we were going for it anyway.

I watched as the Black Gate slowly opened, and the messenger that had come to the mountain came into view. Surprise ran through me as he spoke to Aragorn and Gandalf. I watched as he threw a mithril shirt at Gandalf, and I recognized it as Frodo's. A hum left my throat in terror, and I moved forward a step.

"And anyway," the messenger smiled. "It may not be us you have to worry about."

Before he could say anymore, Aragorn moved forward and in one solid swing, he cut off the head of his enemy. Just as he did that, they came riding back toward us and my eyes lifted toward the tower that held Sauron. I found that looking up was a very bad idea.

.

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.

.

My mind shuddered, and I inhaled a huge breath. I managed to snarl at something at Gandalf to protect Thane's mind as my walls shattered. Sauron's voice echoed into my head, and try as I might I couldn't force him out. My eyes narrowed into slits of rage, and my gaze turned not toward the Orcs, but toward the men and dwarves in front of me. Thorin swung around on his horse, and shouted my name but I found I couldn't answer him. Instead, I opened my mouth and roared, which sent panic among some of the soldiers.

I would never wish anyone to have their mind taken over. I would assume the only one who would understand what I meant was Theoden. Sadly, the King of Rohan was now dead. It was painful, and terrifying to have happen. I was shoved into a small corner of my head, only able to watch and listen to what the dark lord had to say. I had no control over my body, and try as I might, I wasn't strong enough to fight Sauron himself.

You are nothing against my power. You will obey me.

I struggled against his power, and felt my mind shudder again as it pulsed with his power. Digging my claws into the dirt, I snarled at my attacker. Sauron sneered at me as he appeared in my head. He was everything I had imagined him to be. A terrifying warrior, and with powers some elves could only dream of. I would put only Galadriel up against him, and even then she might not beat him. I felt myself cower back from him, and that gave him exactly what he needed.

Kill them.

I sneered at the helpless soldiers before me, and smoke shot through my nostrils. Thorin's shouts, attempting to reach me did nothing as I was shut away and forced to obey. I wanted nothing more then to go to him, and seek shelter in his arms. No, I wasn't going to do that. I was going to kill them all. Just as I went to charge forward, a huge black body came in front of me. I was faintly aware of the Orcs that now surrounded us, but Thane reared up with me.

His claws came forward and locked with my own, and he was yanking me back. The command in my head to kill them all echoed until my vision blurred and I blew fire. Thane spread his wings, effectively blocking me, and I roared at him again. Before I could even try to save myself, we were fighting. He had lifted us into the air and I snarled at him.

He would die as well. Snapping my jaws, I bit at him and sank my teeth into his scales. Thane roared loudly at me, shifting so that he was able to strike back. I was aware that he had no trouble fighting me, which part of me rejoiced in. He was the only thing standing between the soldiers and their death.

"Amad!" he cried. "Don't let him take you over!"

Unable to speak, I instead just charged forward and went for his wings. If I could get him down to the ground, I could go after all the soldiers behind him. Seeing what I wanted, he arched his back and rammed his muzzle into my belly. I coughed, and pumped my wings to get away from him. In the process, I raked my claws down his face. He roared again, and I saw his red eyes glaze over with anger.

Kill them.

Shaking my head in pain, I blindly dove to the ground. Instead of finding it, I was met with solid scales and claws ripping across my chest. Teeth sank into my neck and I snarled out in rage. Thane shoved me back, and his tail slammed into my side with enough force to send me to the ground. I landed on Orcs, and gasped in pain. In my fury, I blew fire everywhere, but again, I was blocked.

"Fight it!" Thane snarled, slamming my head to the ground. "I won't let you kill them, Amad!"

I roared, the sound carrying for several seconds as his claws dug into my body. They sliced through scales, and my body shuddered in pain. Hissing, I attempted to smack him with my tail, but the large black dragon wouldn't budge. His claw found my jaws as I went to breathe fire again, and he slammed it shut. Bone vibrated and my teeth pierced my own flesh with the force he used.

"ARINA!"

Thorin's voice had me shaking, as I desperately tried to gain control again. Sauron wanted me to kill him. I struggled in Thane's grip, desperately wanting to listen to the one who held my mind. Thane's tail lashed out around him, killing Orcs and giving the soldiers a chance. I snarled again, and tried to yank myself free.

KILL HIM, SLAVE!

Slave. Something snapped in me, and I roared out loudly. I was no slave! Surging to my feet, I threw Thane from me in a desperate fit of power, and I jumped into the air. I could hear the shouts, the terror that swept through the men. The familiar screech of a Nazgul. I bared my teeth again, and looked up toward the Wraith's that were flying forward.

"NO!" I roared, and soared forward.

I caught one on fire just as the eagles arrived. Shaking my head, I glared at the tower that held Sauron. A roar left my jaws as he tried to take me back over, but I shot a ball of fire at the tower. It wouldn't do much, but it distracted the dark lord. Swinging around, I let my rage take me and I burned through the Orcs that attempted to take our soldiers. Seeing that I was all right, Thane joined me in burning them.

"I'm sorry!" he hissed, his voice tight.

"Don't be," I growled, and shook my head again. "You are safe?"

"Gandalf shielded my mind," he nodded.

My strength was starting to fail me, and just as I started to give out, Mt. Doom exploded. Again my mind shuddered, and the presence that had been there was suddenly gone. Gasping, I landed and suddenly turned human. I fell in the middle of the soldiers, landing painfully. Someone fought through the mass as Orcs suddenly began to flee, and I found myself staring at Thorin. He grabbed me by my shoulders, and I saw the fear that was in his eyes.

"I'm myself," I managed to choke out, and he yanked me forward.

He was sporting another gash on his cheek, but other than that he looked unharmed. Thorin pulled me into a kiss, and I knew he was just making sure I was alive. I kissed him back, unable to help it, and I felt the terror finally leave my body. That couldn't happen again. Taking a shaky breath, I leaned against him.

"I want to go home," I whispered.

Turning my head, I watched as the volcano erupted and all of Mordor started to collapse. Frodo had done it. The Ring was destroyed once and for all, but at what cost? Had the quest claimed his life? Thane's roar caught our attention, and I noticed he had gathered all the dwarves we had left on his back. For what ever reason, he was taking our men and leaving.

Getting to my feet with Thorin's help, I nodded that I was all right. We found Gandalf, and I reached out to touch him. He was staring at the volcano in horror, but when he turned back to us, his gaze softened.

"I'm sorry my dear," he whispered. "I didn't realize the danger…."

"I'm going home," I murmured, and he nodded.

Thorin drew me off, and as Thane swung back around, he picked us up. As he settled to hold us in his claws, my strength suddenly failed me and the world went dark. I faintly heard Thorin crying out, but I couldn't respond.

Review!

We are coming to an end soon, and I'm sad to say this story is almost complete. For those of you who love this story so much, don't worry. A new one will follow. Thane and Akira's lives are only just beginning!