In the morning, Buffy was walking down the streets, passing through many survivors were sitting around. The healthy were busy tending to the wounded that suffered from the terrible destruction of Esgaroth.

"Willow." Buffy said to her. "Any news?"

"The people have nothing, Buffy." Willow said, looking a bit unhhapy. "There's not enough food or beverages."

"In a exactly few days from now, people will be starving." Tara informed too. "They won't last."

"We have to tell Bard this." Buffy sighed and made her way towards Bard.

"These children are starving, your majesty." Rhonda said. "They need food."

"They are not going to last three days." Xander informed.

"Bard, we don't have enough." Percy said.

"Do want you can, Percy." Bard said to his friend.

"Xander, we need more water here." Anya called.

"Here." Xander said, passing her a full jug of water.

"If only Doctor Kreigel were here, he would know what to do." Anya sighed in disgust.

"Does anyone here know where I can find a place to do my make-up?" Cordelia asked in frustration.

"How can you think of make-up at a time like this?" Xander exclaimed.

"It was Harmony's idea." Cordelia admitted.

"Tell Harmony that we are in the middle of helping a large number of refugees that have just survived a terrible firestorm!" Anya snapped.

"Okay Miss Loudmouth, I'll get on it." Cordelia sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Didn't have to snap that loud." Xander said.

"Okay, how loud can I react?" Anya asked.

"That is one of the most stupidest questions I ever heard of." Xander answered in frustration and walked away to help some people.

"This is really bad morning today." Anya sighed.

"Bard!" Buffy called out to Bard.

"What is it?" Bard asked.

"We're running low on food and water." Buffy informed.

"The children, the wounded and the women come first. I'll tell a number of fishermen to get fish and water from the lake." Bard replied. "You find your two frineds that volunteered to take the night watch."

"Right." Buffy nodded as she closed her eyes. Once Bard walked away, she whispered to herself. "Please tell me they didn't fall asleep?" She then walks over to where Angel and Spike were standing guard. Looking around for Angel, Buffy looks down and sees Spike snoring. Buffy gives a slight kick which woke him up a bit.

"Aww." Spike groaned. "If you want to know something, I am now getting some shut eye if you will."

"You were suppose to be standing and keeping your eyes open for any activity." Buffy said in disapproval.

"And I did." Spike moaned. "Talk to Angel. Now can you please leave me in peace?" He went on to continue snoring.

Buffy sighed and walked away from a snoring Spike. That was when she came up to Riley.

"If he wakes up, please punch him for me." Buffy demanded.

"Why?" Riley asked.

"He was suppose to keep his eyes open during the night watch." Buffy added. "Now he's fast asleep."

"Okay." Riley complied weirdly.

Meanwhile, Buffy meets up with Angel and Bard.

"So what news from the night watch?" Buffy asked.

"Spike and I kept our eyes for any activity, and so far, it was quiet." Angel reported.

"Good so far." Buffy said.

"There's also another thing." Angel added. "It seems to me that the Dwarves of Erebor had covered the entrance."

"What?" Buffy asked, looking bit shocked. "Why would..."

"Why would Thórin do this?" Bard asked. "Sealing the gate."

"I don't know, but we'll have to find out." Buffy decided.

"Buffy!" Gwen shouted. "Buffy!"

"What is it?" Buffy asked her.

"I think you need to see this." Gwen said.

Gwen leads Bard, Buffy, and Angel through the archway, and the four stop suddenly stop.

"Okay, that's new." Angel whispered.

Outside, Bard, Buffy, Angel, Gwen, the rest of the Scoobies, and the townspeople saw that the whole courtyard of Dale was packed battalions of Silvan Elves that came from forests of Greenwood. Dressed in full battle gear, the elves stood perfectly in ordered lines. Bard, Buffy, Angel, and Gwen all exchange looks, and they walk down the steps to approach the elves. That was when the elves did some lines of which turn and step back to make a pathway for them. As they exits out the bank of elves, King Thranduil rides up on his steed, and all the elves turn to face him.

"Thranduil." Buffy whispered, giving him a slight glare.

"We meet again." Thranduil said to her.

"My lord Thranduil; we did not look to see you here." Bard replied to the elven king.

"I heard you needed aid." Thranduil replied.

Thranduil turns and looks at a hundreds of elven wagons that were been pulled into the city. Every wagon was loaded with food and drinks for the people. The Scoobies and the people of Esgaroth smile and cheer, and begin unloading the cart with the elves' help.

Bard approaches Thranduil gratefully. "You have saved us! I do not how to thank you."

"Your gratitude is misplaced. I did not come on your behalf." Thranduil replied in a cold voice. "I came to reclaim something of mine."

Meanwhile, in the Mountain, Thórin picks up a beautiful necklace made of tiny, shining, and white gems.

"The white gems of Lasgalen." Thórin grinned. "I know an Elf-Lord who would pay a pretty price for these." He tosses the necklace back into the pile of jewels, scattering many of the tiny gems.

Back at the city, Buffy was wandering alone until Larry, Roy, and Tor run up to her.

"Hey." Roy huffed for breath.

"What's all the running about?" Buffy asked the three.

"Buffy, I think you need to step towards the gate." Larry smiled. "Your going to be surprised."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, shaking her head in confusion.

"You want to tell her?" Tor asked Larry.

"She'll see for herself." Larry grinned.

Buffy walks towards one of the front gates of Dale, and she suddenly makes a stop. Her eyes widen in shock as she sees a familiar person. It was Rupert Giles, Buffy's watcher.

"Giles!" Buffy shouted in happiness and ran over to hug him.

"Hello Buffy." Giles chuckled.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked happily in excitement. "How did you find us?"

"It's quite a long story." Giles answered her question. "How are things?"

"Good and worse." Buffy answered back.

"Well, is there anything I can do to help?" Giles asked.

"Absolutely, there's a lot of people from Esgaroth that are badly wounded." Buffy explained. "And also, they're running low on food and water."

"Not to worry, I'll have your army to take care of them as soon as possible." Giles said.

"Excuse me, but did you just say 'my army'?" Buffy asked, giving him a concerned look on her face.

"Of course." Giles nodded his head a bit. "See for yourself if you will."

Just then, Doctor Aaron Kreigel enters the case if several bags of medical supplies.

"Doctor Kreigel reporting for duty." Aaron smiled and gave Buffy a nod.

"Doctor Kreigel, you too?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"Hello Buffy." Aaron smiled. "Is there anything in particular you want me to do?"

"Of course, you better head to the courtyard and help some of the wounded." Buffy instructed. "They are really in need of assistance."

"Sure thing, I'll have a number of doctors to check up on them." Aaron complied and walked across the town to meet with the townspeople.

"I'm really happy to see you." Buffy said happily as she walked the pathway outside the city with Giles.

"I'll have a number of fighters to take the night watch if that is yoru wish." Giles said.

"You sound different like any watcher that I encountered." Buffy joked.

"I'm still your watcher." Giles sighed. "And still part of yoru gang."

Buffy makes a sudden stop and has a look at her army. It was the people of Sunnydale. Upon seeing Buffy, the people of Sunnydale cheer at her arrival.

"IT'S BUFFY!" Parker Abrams cheered.

Everyone gathers around Buffy, hugging and patting her.

"Okay everyone, break it up!" A woman's voice shouted. "That's my daughter!"

"Mom!" Buffy shouted.

"Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed happily.

The two hug each other.

"Tell me dad isn't around?" Buffy asked.

"Oh he's not." Joyce grinned. "But I left him a note."

"Hello Buff." Joy smiled slightly at her.

"Hello Joy, nice to see you too." Buffy smiled back.

"Orders, you would like to give to us?" Joy asked.

"Yeah." Buffy nodded. "Can somebody tell me how you all got here?"

"We did." Amy said, coming through the crowd. "Don't ask, I told everyone the whole story, so they all wanted to come."

"I see they brought a lot of food, drinks, and supplies with them." Buffy said.

"All in encountered for." Amy smiled.

"We heard that you need help, so we decided to offer any assistance." Vaughne said.

"The Daughters of Gaea are ready for action." Karen smiled.

Two twin women named Ilsa and Inga walk pass Buffy with supplies to be given. Before Buffy was about to say anything, the people stop cheering when they notice somethign approaching. Giles turns around and sees the Elven King Thranduil leading his army out of the city.

"My lord Thranduil!" Buffy called out to him. "Where are you going?"

"You know perfectly well where I'm going." Thranduil answered. "Now tell your army to step aside, so I can lead mine to lay siege on the mountain."

"Excuse me, Thranduil is it?" Wesley asked, approaching the Elven king who was mounted on his elk. "Explain why you plan to lay siege on the mountain?"

"I tried to make things easy with Oakenshield, but due to his refusal, I believe he's given me no choice." Thranduil explained. "I have a come to claim the gems that his grandfather Thrór refused to give me."

"So that's it!" Buffy yelled at the Elven King as she approaches him furiously. "You would go to war over a handful of gems?"

"I must protest!" Wesley said, approaching the elven king. "This is not the right thing you and your people are doing."

"It is not ignorant of what I plan to do." Thranduil said to him. "The heirlooms of my people are not lightly forsaken."

"Listen, there's no need for you do this." Buffy pleaded. "We're not enemies here. We are allies in this. The people of Esgaroth, as well as mine, have a claim upon the riches in that mountain! Let us speak with Thórin!"

"You would try to reason with a dwarf?" Thranduil asked in surprise.

"To avoid war? Yes!" Buffy answered.

"Very well." Thranduil complied to her. "Do what you must?"

"Thank you." Buffy said, giving him a slight bow, and then turns to face her army that were waiting for orders from her. "Okay everyone, follow me to the mountain!" She turns to Dino, Chris, and Mitch. "You three, get the others!"

"Right!" Chris complied.

"Buffy, um, there's something that Giles and I need to tell you." Amy said.

"That can wait later, Amy." Buffy replied and walked off to lead her army towards Erebor.

Back inside the mountain, Thórin is sitting alone in his throne room, hoping to wait for a reply from one of his guards of the Arkenstone was found. That was when Dwálin walks up to him.

"Thórin, I bring news." Dwálin said.

"This is better be good news." Thórin answered in a soft tone. "Has the Arkenstone been found?"

"No, there is an army approaching towards the gates." Dwálin informed. "They are all armed."

"Call everyone to the gate." Thórin ordered as he walked passed him and shouted. "TO THE GATE! NOW!"

"Aye!" Dwálin complied.

Leading many troops, men or women alike, to the gate, Thórin strides toward the blocked off gate.

"Come on!" Thórin shouted.

Many of the Dwarves rally behind Thórin. Some have laid down their tools and pick up their weapons to be ready for battle against an army of 13,000 troops of the Grand Sunnydale Army that were approaching towards the main entrance of Erebor. More than 2000 Dwarves follow their king up the stairs they've created in the blockage, all the way to a platform they have built at the top of the gate from which they have a vantage point over the plain in front of the gate. They see the walls of Dale filled with Elves ready for war. The army makes a complete stop in front of the gate.

"Prepare to fight!" Thórin yelled out a war cry.

The Dwarves ready their weapons.

"Wait!" Buffy shouted as she came out of the crowd. "Wait!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Thórin demanded loudly.

"It's okay Thórin." Angel reassured the dwarf king as he came out too. "We're not laying siege. That I can promise you."

"We're just glad to find you alive beyond hope." Buffy said.

"Why do lead an army to the gates of the king under the mountain armed for war?" Thórin asked in an angry tone.

"Why does the king under the mountain fence himself in?" Faith asked as well. "Like a robber in his hole."

"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed." Thórin said to her angerily.

"Okay, we're not trying to insult you." Faith scoffed. "Although, I'm quite surprised that you've changed ever since we helped you reclaim the mountain from Smaug."

"Your making it worst, Faith." Xander said.

"What? I'm just saying." Faith sighed. "Fine."

"Thórin, I'm Rupert Giles." Giles introduced himself. "We are not here to rob you. I promise you that."

"Then why are you here?" Thórin asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Giles responded. "We're here to provide our assistance, not just to you, but the people of Esgaroth."

"The people of Esgaroth have lost everything, Thórin." Willow said with a nervous and sad look on her face. "Their homes."

"Smaug burned the entire town when he thought that the people of Esgaroth were involved in helping you." Buffy explained. "They are here to seek fair settlement in Dale. Please, let us talk without any further bloodshed." She drops her weapon on the ground.

Thórin nods and turns to the Dwarves. "Leave us!" He shouted, ordering the dwarves to leave.

While leaving the gates, Thórin grabs Dwálin and whispered in his ear. Dwálin nods and leaves. Thórin stands alone on the platform and sees one of the ravens of Erebor flying out of the opening above the gate and wings away rapidly. Buffy and several others noticed the raven as it flew away.

"I'm listening." Thórin said.

"Tell him Giles." Buffy ordered.

"On behalf of the people of Esgaroth, we ask that you honor your pledge." Giles requested. "A share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives."

"I will not treat with any man while an armed host of elves lie before my door." Thórin refused Gile's request.

"That armed host will attack this mountain, if we do not come to terms." Buffy warned.

"Your threats do not sway me." Thórin said to her.

"How dare you say such things to my daughter!" Joyce snapped.

"Mom." Buffy intervened. "Let me handle this." She turns up to look at Thórin. "Thórin, the elves mean you no harm, but if you continue to decline in sharing the treasure, they will have no choice but to lay siege and claim the gems that have been left in that mountain."

"If they try, I will not let that happen." Thórin said as if he wanted to defend them.

"Thórin, we know what Thranduil did." Cordelia spoke. "We know how he turned his back on you, but he didn't mean to. Look, we can try and make a better solution rather than war."

"We're not on their side." Spike said.

"If that is true, then you all can step aside, and I will take care of this matter myself." Thórin replied.

"Thórin, can you even think on what your saying to yourself?" Angel asked him. "You are asking for war."

"Angel's right." Buffy said. "Do you a sense of your own conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just? My friends and I offered your help, and this the way you thank us... for everything we did in reclaiming your homeland. The people of Esgaroth also offered their help to you. And in return we brought upon them only ruin and death."

"When did the people of Esgaroth come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?" Thórin asked, raising his voice in anger.

"Because a bargain was struck." Riley said.

"A bargain?" Thórin snapped. "What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? You call that a fair trade? Tell me... why should I honor such terms?"

"Because you gave them your word, Thórin!" Buffy exclaimed. "Does that mean nothing?"

Thórin turns away and stands behind a pillar. He leans back against the blockade and for a moment looks tired and weary. Then, he shouts back at her and the army. "BE GONE! HEAR OUR ARROWS FLY!"

Buffy sighed and picks up her weapon. Rather than fighting, she turns to walk away.

"Buffy, give us the word." Faith said.

"No, stand down." Buffy replied. "Return to Dale. We need to help the people."

Faith scoffed and looked up in disapproval. She lets out a deep sigh and walks away.

"I think that guy has lost his mind." Dave said quietly to Clem.

"Yeah." Clem responded quietly to him.

"So we're not going to?" Sophie asked.

"Maybe." Clem answered and turned to walk away.

Watching Buffy and her army walking back to Dale, Thórin stands lonely like a statue as Bilbo comes up.

"What are you doing?" Bilbo exclaimed. "You cannot go to war."

"This does not concern you." Thórin replied.

"Excuse me? But just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of elves out there. And not to mention several hundred angry fishermen." Bilbo snapped. "We-We are in fact outnumbered."

Thórin turns to look at Bilbo with a smile on his face. "Not for much longer."

"What does that mean?" Bilbo asked, sounding a bit confused.

"It means Master Baggins, you should never underestimate dwarves." Thórin answered his question. We have reclaimed Erebor - Now we defend it!"

Buffy and her army return to Dale to the gates of Dale, where Thranduil is waiting.

"He will give us nothing." Angel said.

"Such a pity." Thranduil said. "Still, you tried."

"I do not understand - Why? Why would he risk war?" Buffy asked.

They look back toward the Mountain in time to see the dwarves dislodge the head of one of the massive stone statues, causing it to fall and break the raised bridge to the gate, thus disabling any attackers from approaching the gates.

"It is fruitless to reason with them; they understand only one thing." Thranduil said as he pulled out his sword and gazes at it. "We attack at dawn! Are you with us?"

"I'm afraid so." Buffy responded her answer and sighed. She turns to look back at the mountain.