The air smelled rancid. The wind wafting in the odor of burning manflesh and wood up to our spot on the mountain. The ten dwarves still in my company all had tear stained faces. What can we do? Smaug was to strong for us, for liquid gold the temperatures of lava…
"We must find Bard. He will know what to do. His kin fought the dragon fire all those years ago." I spoke with a voice much stronger then the feelings barricading my heart. The weight of all those innocent lives weighing heavily in my chest.
"I suppose that's why we have a burglar…" I whisper back turning the ring, which resides in my pocket, over and over between my fingers. "I will find Bard and come up with a plan…"
" ," Thorin speaks loudly, probably for emphasis. "We cannot let you go this alone." He stands and following him are all the 9 dwarves present whom reside with him. "We started this together, and we shall end this together. We lack no honor! If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together!" This arose a cheer among the company. We were a family… we were in this till the end.
We make our way back down the mountain, finding the canoe back at the bottom. The surroundings covered in a deep black ash. The river flooded with limbs and charred remains… we push our way out of the bank and paddle, attempting to avoid the floating carcasses. Tears stinging the edges of my eyes. We unleashed a monster that has created hell on earth. Smaug, the magnificent has been angered and is now taking his rage out on all the innocence around him. From the trees and plants to the humans, all the beauty of Middle Earth.
The breath of the odyssey filled the sky with a white vapor. The cold was reassuring… but, the closer we got to Lake Town the hotter the air became. Smaug was perched upon the king's house, his breath filling the air with smoke.
"Mmm, the dwarves have returned!" Smaug spoke in his deep, entrancing voice. "And the barrel rider." He took another deep breath of air, shifting his weight to the back end of his body. He opened his massive wings, seeming as though he were about to take flight. As he was preparing, the burning building to his right toppled over, sending a cloud of ash and smoke our direction.
"We will use this to our advantage." I spoke softly.
We docked our boat In the center of town, being observant and attempting to stay unheard and unseen.
"You cannot defeat me, Barrel rider!" Smaug bellowed, pushing embers and debris off of his enormous body. "I am the sun, the earth, and fire! When I breath , I may take life only to give it!" He spun himself into the air, flinging pieces of house and broken board walk into the desolate parts of Lake Town.
While attempting to avoid pieces of flying wood and brick Dwalin and myself bump heads. I let out a soft "OUCH!" and stumble through the empty streets. I run, trying to stay out of the eye sight of the powerful Smaug. I scurry through the allyways , I come to the house that once belonged to Bard and his family.
"Da!? Is that you?" his eldest daughter yelled.
"No child, its me. It's Bilbo." She frowns and asks if I've seen her father.
"He left some time ago with a long arrow… I can't find him anywhere!' I just tell her to go back inside. He had a dragon arrow… He's going to save his family name … He's going to hit the arrows mark once more! As I think this to myself I hear an ear shattering howl… and Smaug falls to the ground…