After departing Esgaroth, Bilbo, Thórin, Bálin, Dóri, Dwálin, Glóin, Nóri, Óri, Bifur, Bombur, Angel, Cordelia, Riley, Xander, Anya, Harmony, Faith, Spike, Buffy, Heidi, Larry, Kyle, Roy, Tor, Scott, Rhonda, Owen, and Percy were crossing the lake which led them straight towards the Lonely Mountain. As they row, Thórin stands at the bow of the boat, facing ahead. Eventually, they dock their boats and continue to move on foot. For almost an hour at least, the Dwarves and Scoobies had been climbing the foothills of the mountain.

"It's so quiet here." Heidi said, looking around the foothills.

"Wasn't always like this." Bálin explained as he walked by her. "Once, these slopes were lined with woodlands. The trees were filled with birdsong."

"Well, at least we're making good time." Roy breathed from all the walking he did.

"How much food and water do we have?" Percy asked.

"Plenty enough for us to camp." Faith said as she began to shiver a bit. "Oh god, I'm starting to shiver here."

"I know, I can feel it too." Buffy said. "Winter is almost coming."

Thórin suddenly runs ahead when he recognized a landscape. He runs atop an embankment overlooking a valley. As the others join him, they gasp and look in shock on what they saw. At the other end of the valley was a very large ruined city.

"Bloody hell." Spike whispered in shock.

"It's a city." Larry said, staring at the ruins.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asked.

"It was once the city of Dale." Bálin replied the name of the city. "Now it is a ruin. Everyone calls it 'The Desolation of Smaug'."

"Wow, isn't that what the dragon did?" Tor asked, sounding a bit nervous. "Burning and turning this city into a ruin?"

"Oh, I'm starting to freak out." Anya gulped. "Are you sure we got a plan in claiming the mountain and killing a fire-breathing dragon that laid dormant for all these years?"

"I'm sure we have one." Xander said.

"The sun will soon reach midday; let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets." Thórin said hastily. "Come on!"

"Wait hold on... is this the overlook?" Owen asked.

"Yes." Bálin nodded.

"Isn't this the spot where Gandalf would meet us?" Owen guessed. "I mean I remember that he would come here and..."

"Do you see him?" Thórin interrupts him abruptly.

"No." Owen answered.

"Look, we don't have time to wait upon our wizard friend." Buffy said. "We're on our own." She walks off.

Angel looks back at the city, feeling conflicted. Then, he begins to walk and follow the others to the bottom.

For hours, Bilbo, Thórin, Bálin, Dóri, Dwálin, Glóin, Nóri, Óri, Bifur, Bombur, Angel, Cordelia, Riley, Xander, Anya, Harmony, Faith, Spike, Buffy, Heidi, Larry, Kyle, Roy, Tor, Scott, Rhonda, Owen, and Percy had been scouring the sides of the Mountain, trying to find the secret entrance.

Thórin called.

"Nothing!" Dwálin replied.

"We haven't found anything!" Spike exclaimed. "Not even a blasted clue!"

"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us." Thórin read the map.

Bilbo walks around while the others were searching for the door. Then, he made a sudden stop and looks up to see a massive statue of a dwarf carved into the side of the mountain. Looking closely, he notices a set of stairs built into the statue.

"Up here!" Bilbo shouted, pointing at the stairs.

"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thórin remarked.