Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story from the beginning. It's alas closer and closer to the end and i can't thank likarian, killthepain62 and Elsa Everdeen enough for their constant support. Also please check out killthepain62's story Welcome Home please! it's very interesting and you'll enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the hobbit nor it's characters, I do however own my own and the artwork I do for the series.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Cut The Head Off One And Two More Appear
Smaug flapped his powerful wings, a large gust of wind sending several soldiers over and it seemed as though the great dragon was too enraged that he cared not who was destroyed in the midst of his fury. Lian picked up a fallen dwarves shield, pulling Fili close so they were at least somewhat protected from the wind current and rubble that flew past them.
"What are we supposed to do now?! Even if Smaug can't breathe fire, he's still far larger!" Fili yelled over the wind and Lian winced as she felt her side throb and sting. She peeked out from the behind the shield, squinting against the winds force as Smaug kept up his powerful gust.
The black arrow was still deeply imbedded in the mighty dragons jewel incrusted chest, ironic how the treasure that the dwarves fought for was what protected the dragon from their attacks. Lian knew little of dragons but she knew that their underbellies were often soft and slimy; one of their weak points. Smaug, however, was cunning, his years of lying atop the treasure hordes of Erebor had caused for the gold and gems to stick to his belly like a second layer of scales.
"Lian?" Kili called as she retreated behind the shield once more, frustration being the only thing that came to her as she tried to think of some sort of strategy but she'd never fought a troll before this quest, much less a dragon!
"Find yer brother. I'll try to reach Thorin so we can think up a plan." She yelled, handing the shield to Fili as she removed her shin and arm guards to lessen the amount of weight she carried.
"Don't do anything rash and for heaven's sake don't run off." She said before she lunged out into the open wind. Smaug's powerful gust sent her skidding backwards across the ground, sending her in the general direction she was hoping. Orcs still stood among them, hiding behind their own shields and Lian slammed her feet into one, toppling the orc over as they skidded along the ground.
Lian knew that if she reached behind her for her mace that she'd probably lose her anchor to the earth so instead she drew her hunting knife, embedding it into the orcs ear canal and twisting harshly.
The orc fell limp and she pried the shield out of his dead hands as they slid along the ground, she rolled onto one knee; shield now blocking the wind in front of her as it sent her sliding back across the dirt a few inches before she held finally halted.
She could feel the vibration against her, almost pulsing with the pause between flaps as she moved closer to Dain; seeing the red headed dwarfs mohawk a little ways in front of her, standing behind one of the large Goblin corpses. She walked in a low squat, trying to keep her center of gravity as close to the ground as possible but she couldn't help from skidding back an inch or two when a new wave of air hit her.
"Dain!" She called over the wind, trying to get the dwarf's attention but he seemed to be too focused on something else. Suddenly a particularly strong gust swept her feet out from under her, cause her chin to connect with the ground and rattle her clenched teeth.
She dug her knees and elbows into the soft soil, caking the wet earth upon herseld. She attempted to crawl but the mud was too slick and only made her slide back even farther.
Suddenly a burly arm wrapped around her waist, jerking her behind a one of the fallen goblins a bit behind Dain. Lian looked up, seeing that Gordon was alive and well; being the one to pluck her up as she attempted to worm her way through the mud. She looked around briefly and saw that all her kin was there aside from her own father and Trelkin. Burv seemed to have dealt damaged to his right arm but other than that they were alive and well.
Suddenly the wind stopped; Smaug landing due to the strenuous amount of power he had to use and she crawled from Gordons large arms to peek around the goblin corpse. The base of Smaug's neck began to glow a bright orange once more, signaling that he was going to attempt to breathe fire once more.
Lian took this chance to bolt for Dain, ignoring the protests that came from her kin as she ran the distance towards the dwarf. Smaug was quicker though and soon thick smoke enveloped her just as she dove for cover behind the goblin.
Several panicked cries sounded as Lian landed her roll on her knee; the trembling of Smaug's footfalls vibrating her sore teeth in her skull. She went to stand but a loud cry caught her off guard, barely giving her time to roll backwards onto her shoulders and hands as a large hammer slamming into the earth where her pelvis had been moments before.
She quickly kicked her legs out in front of her, her boots connecting with solid flesh as the attacker let out a grunt of pain; stumbling back a few paces with his hammer. She rolled to her feet, stumbling back just in time to avoid another downward blow.
Suddenly the smoke cleared as a goblin corpse; along with several dwarves and a few of the remaining orcs flew through the air from the powerful swipe of Smaug's talons. The brief break through the smoke allowed for Lian to see her opponent just as he went in for a side blow.
"Dain, wait!" She exclaimed; said dwarf's own eyes widen from sudden realization but the weapon had already gained the momentum it needed to stay in motion. She quickly did a back bend, avoiding the hammer by a mere breath before she stumbled back onto her ass; body not flexible enough to land a backbend even if she wanted to.
"What do you think you're doing, lass? I thought you were an orc." Dain bellowed, though Lian couldn't help but think he always spoke in such a loud volume.
"Well to be fair I didn't know who ya were either." She breathed, rubbing her tender side wound as she stood. Dain was tall for a dwarf even more so than Dwalin; standing the same height as her maybe a few centimeters taller. She was short even for her own people; Nellia was at least 5'6 and even her stoutly chambermaid stood at 5'5 while Lian stood at 5'3.
"Well that's beside the point, quickly, stay close or else we'll be easy targets." He urged them to gather with his kin, huddling in a protective circle as scattered orcs attempted to attack them.
"Where is Thorin?" Lian asked the begrudged dwarf.
"He slipped away before that accursed beast went up into the air, said he was going to take Azog down once and for all." Dain explained, leaving her with what felt like a pile of stones in her belly. That fool!
The smoke was already starting to thin out, allowing them all to breathe easier and see clearer. Smaug let out a roar as several dwarves attempted to crawl up his back and legs, thrashing and throwing them several feet.
"If only we could get rid of that accursed gold on its underbelly." Dain growled, looking upon the dragon in frustration and Lian could easily relate. Their attempts had hardly any effect on the dragon; he only swatted them away like flies.
"We need a plan and a good one. We're already greatly thinned out and if Smaug keeps on like this then we'll all never live to tell the tales. Maybe we could surround him." She growled, running a hand hastily through her sweat and grim covered hair.
"We'd be better off trying to pry the gold off his belly with our bare hands." Dain snorted sarcastically. Lian felt her face light up as the strangest idea came to mind, it was certainly crazy enough to leave her with doubts but the boldness of the act might just give them the advantage.
"Dain, what if we could?" She asked; looking towards him with a new light shining in her eyes that the coppery headed man did not like.
"Are you mad, woman?! We'd be crushed under the beast!" Dain exclaimed, astonished and almost applaud that the woman would even suggest that his sarcastic remark could work.
"If we manage to get under Smaug then we can use our weapons to pry the gold from his belly while ya'll distract him from the front. If we can pry the gold off enough to leave a bare patch on his stomach then we can easily slice him open; now's the chance to do so before he takes off into the air again." Lian hissed, trying to hurry the dwarf before more casualties were made.
"This is madness! You'll just be sending us all to an early grave!" Dain growled, waving around his hammer as if it weighed no more than a feather.
"Look around ya! We're fighting a losing battle no matter what we do! So if ya want to sit back with yer hammer up yer ass then go ahead; but I will not pass up a chance. May it be insane or not." Lian went to shove past the dwarf but he quickly grabbed her by the shoulder and twirled her around as if she was a mere top.
"You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that, lass." He growled, large hands easily covering her shoulder; his menacing demeanor a bit intimidating. "But the one thing I can't accept is letting a woman do a dwarf's job."
Lian felt her shoulders sag in relief, relieved that he wasn't going to try to fight her on this and she gave him a smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling as her green eyes twinkled. "Thank ya." She breathed.
"I'll have my men keep that slithering worm busy, you do what you must." She nodded towards him; making to turn but the dwarf stopped her. "Stay safe, lass." He told her and she hesitated before she gave the dwarf a nod.
"Thank ya again; may my attempts not be in vain." With that she was off, twisting through the dwarves in search of her kin once more. She found them still huddled by the goblin and she quickly joined them.
"I need yer help." She panted from her short dash, no doubt that if she lived past this day she'd be sore beyond all sense.
"Princess! You shouldn't have run out like that; you're lucky you weren't killed!" Stevvin scolded rather harshly. She saw that Nellia was knelt beside Luke at the moment, one arm wrapped around the young man's broad shoulders as he cringed in what seemed to be pain. Luke's hands looked completely horrendous; swollen, red, dirty and it looked like crude scabs where beginning to cover the long gashes.
"That's beside the point; I have a plan but it will only work if we work before Smaug takes to the air again. I don't think we'll get another shot nor will we be able to withstand another one of his gusts." She quickly explained.
"Anyone who still able to fight please come with me and those who aren't; stay here." Lian saw everyone stand up aside from Burv; who looked like death was already knocking on his doorstep. Luke was of course a fool, standing up with a hiss as he attempted to push off his knees with his injured hands. She quickly stopped him, shoving him to the ground on his rear end.
"Ya can barely form a fist, much less hold a weapon. Stay here and look after Burv; he'll need it." Luke looked like he might have been ready to argue but one look at Burv's mangled arm and pale face made him think twice.
"Hurry, I'll explain the plan on the way." Lian urged them all on, racing out into the open and past the several dwarves that were still trying to climb up the mighty dragon. Corpses littered the ground, Dwarves and orc alike alone with coppery smell of fresh blood and heated flesh under the sun. The site was gut-wrenching.
"We need to pry the gold off Smaug's belly, if we can get a big enough bare patch then we can slice his belly open." She explained, leading them around the perimeter of the dragon's attention; Dain was doing his job perfectly in distracting him.
"Are you diluted, girl?!" Stevvin growled from behind her and she could practically feel him searing holes into the back of her skull. She was getting fed up with the constant doubt in her abilities, in the moment it didn't matter if they died; it mattered how they died and she was going to make sure that was in glory.
"I'm aware, Stevvin! But there is currently no other plan!" Lian snapped, growing antsier the closer they came to the dragon's rear. Stevvin bristled, obviously not used to being talked to in such a manner since he was always in command of their military.
"You can count us in then."
Turning she saw Kili and Fili had joined them in their dash through the battlefield; looking fairly well considering the situation, they must have kept their distance between themselves and the dragon. Lian surely looked like she had been stampeded over; she certainly felt like it.
"Are ya sure? It's dangerous…" She started but their raised brows silenced her; this was Fili and Kili she was talking about after all. They lived for danger and would include themselves even if she said no.
"Just don't do anything ridiculous; we're already walking on thin ice." She hissed just as they reached Smaug's right flank; his massive form towering over them almost like another mountain. His glimmering belly caught her attention as it glimmered under his every movement and Lian moistened her suddenly dry mouth, eyes darting from the creatures head to his belly.
"Stevvin, take Gordon and Fili attempt to pry a patch of gold off, do not use your hands but your weapons. Look for the gaps between the gold and make at least one big enough to fit a sword." She ordered and they nodded, bolting for Smaug's large belly which hung about five feet off the ground; low enough for the two dwarves to reach without problem though a bit cramped for her kin.
"We'll join them shortly; we need to see if they'll even be able to get the gold off in the first place." She explained upon Kili's confused expression; obviously wondering why we all weren't going.
Stevvin, Gordon and Kili we now under the mighty beasts belly, careful to not alert the creature as they looked for the best place to start. Her two hulking kin stood hunched over while Fili was stood upright; pulling his dagger from its holster once he saw a rather scarce layer of gold.
He sent Lian a nervous glance before he began to attempt to pick at the gold, slime sticking to the layers of gold and jewels on the belly; firmly sticking to his soft flesh and one another. Smaug didn't seem to notice at first, his attention solely on the dwarves who had now clambered onto his head and were attempting to gouge his eyes out but he shook most of them off.
Fili was doing a good job of getting through the layers of gold, finding the seams and edges of the treasures easily and prying them off. She felt the adrenaline pump through her veins in anticipation of the worst but also in excitement that this may work, she signaled for Nellia and Kili to follow her so they could join the others but a roar suddenly stopped them.
Fili had reached the last layer of gold and was attempting to pry the coins off with Gordon and Stevvin on the lookout or just helping pry the treasure off. The dwarf prince's blade had dug into the sensitive flesh of Smaug's belly though and flesh holding tight to the bottom of the coin. Smaug was certainly able to feel this and take notice to what was happening below him.
He spread his massive wings, shake them out as he prepared to take flight but suddenly a swarm several objects swooped in to attack the beast's wings. They tore and clawed the thin flesh that held the dragon up in flight, creating holes and tares throughout the leathery skin. Smaug let out a roar of anger and pain, thrashing back onto his hind legs in an attempt to shake them off but they were much smaller and nimble than he was so they easily avoided his massive form.
"The Eagles!" Kili exclaimed and Lian couldn't help but reflect his own joy but she couldn't dwell on their sudden arrival too long as she saw Smaug come forward to stand on all four legs once more; Fili, Stevvin and Gordon still attempting to pick away at the gold.
"No!" She cried out in horror as she saw Stevvin have to pick up Fili and try to make a break for it but Smaug's large form blocked her sight soon and she was unable to tell if they had made it out alive.
"I will not fall under such lowly beings! I will live on until the end of days and see this world turn to ruin under the dark hand of death! I will kill!" Smaug bellowed, rearing his head back to let out another earth shaking roar.
"Kili, Nellia, go!" Lian ordered, pushing the two towards Smaug once she saw the miracle before her; those fools had somehow survived and Fili was running back towards bare patch he had managed to make. This was their chance.
Kili rushed forward upon seeing his brother, surprisingly fast for his size and he reached Kili in a matter of minutes. The others had cleared more than enough room to fit a sword, if anything they could fit two in now which seemed to be their general idea since they both drew their swords.
"Do it now!" Lian yelled.
With that they plunged their swords into the great dragons belly til their blades ended at the hilt, with a cry they both ran opposite directions; dragging their swords with them along Smaug's belly and said dragon let out a roar of pain. He jerked back on his hind legs; sending Kili and Fili rolling across the ground from the toss but they had done their job perfectly. A large gash adored the dragons belly, crimson blood seeping out heavily; staining the treasures upon his belly in a gruesome yet beautiful way. It was almost like a trickling waterfall running over the beautiful gems and coins as they both glimmered in the setting sun as the last rays of light slipped behind the mountains.
Smaug continued to roar, stumbling back in an attempt to flee but the eagles quickly swooped in, diving at the dragons eyes and head; one of them successfully digging their claws into his eye socket to tear a chunk out. They dove and dove, not giving Smaug the chance to escape and recuperate; soon enough the mighty beast fell to the ground, both eyes ripped from his head with blood streaming from his eyelids. All settled for one moment, the only sound being Smaug's heavy breaths before he broke the silence.
"You think you have won but you have done anything but; he is coming, he'll rise once more to bring upon these lands darkness and suffering. None can stop him, not even your pathetic gods could do so. You think you know but you have not even an inkling of knowledge; you fight for what you deem right but your unaware of the cloth that shields your eyes from seeing the truth."
"What is it you speak of drake?" Gandalf demanded, stepping forward to stand before the fallen form of Smuag.
"Foolish wizard, even if you were to win this battle, you have not won this war. More will rise to do his bidding, many already have. This is only the beginning of the torment you all will suffer. This mountain will fall again no matter how much you fight it. Sauron will rise once more to do the bidding of our master, it is what we are born to do. So live within your blissful stupidity while you still can cause soon enough you will all die the most painful of deaths. And I will be watching...as you..burn." Smaug ended in almost a hiss, the life finally dying within him and his body sagged; almost like it was attempting to fold in on it's self.
Smaug was truly dead this time and though he was gone, his words echoed throughout the hearts of all.
Fili be feeling like: ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(;￣◇￣)┘