Chaos, total and utter chaos ensued. People scream in fright or in pain everywhere as fire swallows the town. I try to ignore it as I push the boat filled with the dwarves, children and Tauriel away the docks. "Be careful Therith!" Tauriel calls as she peddles away slowly. The dwarves and children look on worriedly as they drift further and further away. "I will find you all when this is over! Just get to safety!" I call after them before finally turning to the burning town. I decided to save as many people as possible, but where to begin?
"Take to the water!" I yell as I rush around, the sound of wood crumbling sounding all around. I scoop up a child, setting it in a boat by his mother and watch them cling to each other in fear as two men paddle hard to get away as fast as they can.
I continue to help load people in boats and occasionally rush through burning homes to help families search for their loved ones before sending them off, not always with success. All the while I try not to fall victim to the smouldering flames of Smaug myself, or the after effects of the fire.
Soon the flames leave few places to go to as the entire town burns, luckily most people already made it out, but some are not as fortunate as I am forced to step over their smouldering bodies.
Realizing I should get out myself before it's too late; I make to leave the doomed town. It is with a lot of difficulty I find some way and I can already see the edge of town when a feeling of despair overwhelms me. I know I have felt it before that night and now I'm certain I didn't imagine things earlier.
Wearily turning around, I gasp at the figure standing there. A calm smirk on his lips as his medium length brown hair whips around in the air current created by the raging fire. His nearly black eyes seem to look straight through me, but his most significant feature must be the light brown wings on his back.
His smirk widens as a look of realization comes to my face, knowing that it is one of my own kin that is standing before me. On a normal day that would have been quite a feat in itself, but under these circumstances it is just extraordinary. It has me wondering and on edge.
"Who are you?" I ask stiffly. One would think I would be happy to meet another of my kin, but this man... he makes me feel this way. I can't ignore that; I can't ignore my instinct screaming at me to keep away from him at all cost. This man frightens me for some reason.
"In my young days, our kin named me Orun, though it is hardly spoken now; our tongue almost forgotten. Do you even remember the words?" he asks, his voice thick and heavy sounding, like tar. "I remember." I state, wondering where he's going with this conversation. I can't get any reading on his purpose here.
"That pleases me. I would be disappointed if the second to last of our kin would be half-witted. It would take the pleasure out of my mission.", he says making me frown. "What do you mean? Why are you here?" I ask, feeling frustrated and threatened. It doesn't help much that the setting isn't ideal for such a confrontation. He smiles, but it is not a kind one.
"You and I are the last of the Shourgalne (skyfolk), that is a fact." he says shocking me. "As to why I am here; I am here to celebrate the end of our existence. My master wills us to perish so as to start a new chapter in his reign and I will see his wish through. The time is now."
It takes me a moment to let his words sink in and I feel my jaws start to ache from clenching them together so tightly. I believe he is some kind of madman! Someone who says such words can't be serious. My thoughts must have shown on my face because his expression pulls back into one of a scowl. I am finally able to snap out of my shock as a flame licks at my arm, making me back off startled. "Why should I take your words for the truth?!"
Orun chuckles darkly. "Why? You don't have to, but I know you will believe me when I tell you that I took part in the massacres myself, and when my master has been recuperating after the war, I took it upon myself to find all the stray Shourgalne and run them through personally. It was not difficult as most were very trusting of me. It's a surprise though; that you have been able to elude me for so long while being unaware that I've been hunting you." he tells me, making my skin crawl in anger. He is right. I do believe him. The truth is dripping from his words and can be seen in his eyes. His whole being screams; 'Murderer!' But it is so hard to accept...
"You lie! There are more of us! Old lady Birka..." "Is dead!" he interrupts, making me gasp in shock. "I cut of her head years ago and left the corpse to rot. The look in her eyes was similar to yours; hate filled and coated with fear." he says, satisfaction and malice on his voice.
I clench my fists, many thoughts and emotions swirling in my mind as I think back on the kind lady, the last of my kin I met so many years ago. She wouldn't hurt a fly, but she herself came to such a cruel end?! "I don't understand. Why? Why are you so keen on the extinction of your own kin? I know it probably has been inevitable for a long time now, but why so eager? We are your kin for Valar's sake!" I reason in desperation.
He pulls out a long ragged sword, its blade slightly rusty from old bloodstains. "I could bore you with my story of abandonment and betrayal, but that is not important. The conclusion is, is that I despise my own kind and after having partaken in the slaughter for so many years, I can honestly say that I feel as much kinship towards you as towards an orc. Your death as well as my own will be a completion of the chapter before the next one starts. It is nothing special, but has to be done."
"You will kill yourself for your master?!" I exclaim. He nods. "I will when he asks me to and without hesitation. I hate myself just as much as I do you or the others that I came across. It will not be long until I have fulfilled my purpose. I just have to end you first." he says as if it means little, making me scoff and glare hard at the monster before me. "You can tell your master to hachtian o wehetash รจ voitakh! (Lots of swearing.) I know I will die someday, but not by your hands I will not and not today! You can do whatever you wish to your own life though. I doubt you will be missed."
"I wonder...," he starts. "if by some strange twist of faith you would outlive me, if you could handle the truth of your loneliness. I doubt you can.", he says before grinning. "In some wicked way, is it not merciful of me to not let it come that far? You will not have to live through such pain." he states calmly as if that is what he truly believes. I would not be surprised if he does.
I sneer at him, having had enough. "You made your purpose clear! But do not think for a moment that I will give up on life that easily. I will fight you to the death if I have to and revenge my kin! The consequences will be mine to take. I cannot let you get away with what you have done! You could be my brother and I would not let you! This is a matter beyond myself!"
He smirks at my words as if amused by them. "Please try hard. I do like a challenge, though I doubt you will last very long. I am much more experienced by hundreds of years and my sword has ended countless lives."
I do not waste time and while he is speaking, I sling my bow to the front and knock an arrow, firing immediately. It scratches his shoulder as he dodges it with amazing speed. He glares and growls: "You don't play fair I see." In the meanwhile I ready the next arrow. "I have no reason to do so. You are going down, no matter the way." I hiss, firing.
He easily dodges, now expecting the oncoming arrow. He then takes flight, before rushing in close, making me unable to fire again as it is my turn to dodge. He swings his sword skilfully and I dodge every time, being kept on the defence.
When I finally see a chance, I lash out, scratching his face. Sadly it turns out to be my mistake as I lose sight of his sword for just a moment and in the blink of an eye, blood flies from my side as more than a shallow cut appears.
I do not take time to dwell on it, knowing that a moment of hesitation could cost me my life. Having so much anger in confusion in my heart and mind, I find it hard to focus, so I call upon my instinct to fight my way through this, though that is hardly from ideal. Sadly I must, or my mind would soon become too clouded to fight at all. If only I could have another chance and be prepared!
As if the Valar heared my prayers, the ground rumbles and a large cloud of dust and sprays of fire hit me in the back, obscuring my enemy from my view, but I as well from his. Taking this chance, I do the only thing I can and dive into the nearest body of water.
The water is icy cold and chills my bones and muscles instantly, but at the same time it feels so refreshing on my heated skin. Disappointed in myself at my lack of control and ability to fight, I swim underneath the burning homes and out towards the open water of the lake.
I gasp for air as I breach the surface, my lungs burning. Turning to look back at the destroyed town, I can barely see the remains of Smaug lying dead still in the centre. I look around for a trace of my enemy, but see none. I know he lives; I can still feel his lingering presence.
I feel ashamed for abandoning the fight like that, but I know I had no other choice if I wanted to survive. From the moment I saw him, I knew I would not be able to beat him if it came to a fight, not right now. But it doesn't change the fact that I feel like a coward.