Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.
(Erebor)
In the now reclaimed kingdom of Erebor, Thorin gazes upon the throne, over which the Arkenstone had been laid in before it was lost to Smaug. He speaks to Devon, Luna, Spyro, Cynder, Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Stormfly, Balin, Dwalin, and Bilbo who were behind him.
"It is here in these halls. I know it." Thorin says
"We have searched and searched..." Dwalin says
"Not well enough!" Thorin says
"Thorin, we all would see the stone returned." Dwalin says
"And yet, it is still not found!" Thorin shouts
Thorin shouts so loud that his voice echoes throughout the halls of Erebor.
"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Balin asks
Thorin turns and slowly walks toward Balin and Dwalin.
"The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people." Balin says
"It is the King's Jewel." Thorin says
Thorin then raises his voice.
"Am I not the king?!" Thorin asks in a loud voice, pointing at himself
Again, Thorin's voice echoes throughout the ancient halls of the Dwarf kingdom. Thorin turns away while Devon, his friends, Balin, Dwalin, and Bilbo look uneasy. Luna and Toothless look at each other with uneasy looks on their faces.
"Know this. If anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged." Thorin says
As Thorin walks away, Bilbo looks very troubled. Even Devon felt troubled by this. He knew there was something definitely wrong with Thorin. Even his friends, Spyro, Cynder, Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and Stormfly felt the same way about Thorin.
(Moments later)
Balin stood in a quiet corner somewhere, breathing deeply. Devon, Luna, and Bilbo find him in the room and approach him.
"Balin? Are you alright?" Devon asks feeling concerned
Balin turns and looks at the trio.
"Dragon-sickness. I've seen it before. That look. That terrible need. It is a fierce and jealous love, my friends. It sent his grandfather mad." Balin says
"Balin, if-if Thorin...had the Arkenstone..." Bilbo says
Bilbo slightly cocks his head, and Balin looks surprised, understanding what Bilbo was trying to say.
"If-if it was found, would it help?" Bilbo asks
"That stone crowns all. It is the summit of this great wealth, bestowing power upon he who bears it. Will it stay his madness? No, lad. I fear it would make it worse. Perhaps it is best it remains lost." Balin says
(Moments later)
Devon and Luna met up in secret with their friends in a large room somewhere in Erebor, away from the Dwarves. This room had a long, wide table that stretched from one side of the room to the other. There was also braizers with no fires burning that were set up along the walls of the room. The group gathered at the far side of the room, listening to Devon as he paced back and forth infront of them, speaking out to them.
"Alright, guys, listen, we've helped the Dwarves reclaim Erebor, but now I think we're facing a new problem." Devon says
"Uh, like what?" Tuffnut asks
Devon looks at Tuffnut who stood on his left with a serious look on his face.
"Thorin. Have you guys noticed that Thorin has been acting strange lately?" Devon asks
"Strange? How strange? He's been acting strange ever since we first met him in the Shire." Snotlout says
"No, Snotlout, other than that. Ever since we got to the mountain, Thorin's not been himself." Devon says looking to his left at Snotlout
"It's true. When Devon and Bilbo entered the mountain to find the Arkenstone, Thorin acted as if he barely even knew them. He had the nerve to call Bilbo a burglar. And he had a whole lot of nerve to call Devon, my rider, my love, my soul mate, a mere child! Even when me and him met up with Devon and Bilbo in the treasure room, he held up his sword to them! If that don't tell me Thorin is acting strange, then I don't know what is." Luna says
"I think there's something wrong with Thorin too." Hiccup says
"I do too." Astrid says
"We feel it too." Spyro says
"Yeah. I think that it has something to do with this mountain." Cynder says
"I'm thinking it has something to do with all that treasure sitting in that large room. The moment Thorin laid his eyes upon it, he had changed. I think that was when he started acting up." Devon says
"So, should we give him the Arkenstone? Maybe it might help him." Fishlegs asks
"I don't think so, Fishlegs. Me, Luna, and Bilbo spoke with Balin, thinking the same thing, and he told us that if Thorin manages to get his hands on the Arkenstone, it would make him worse. And not only that, I remember Smaug said that the Arkenstone would corrupt Thorin's heart. We cannot let that happen." Devon says looking right at Fishlegs
Spyro, Cynder, the Viking Teens, and the dragons looked at each other with uneasy looks on their faces. They shuddered to think what would happen if Thorin had the Arkenstone.
"Fortunately for us, Bilbo managed to grab the Arkenstone back when me and him encountered Smaug in the treasure room. I think it is best that the Arkenstone stays hidden. Maybe, if I can, I might convince Bilbo to let me hold onto the Arkenstone and take it with us out of Middle-Earth once our job here is done." Devon says
Devon stopped pacing and looked at each of his friends.
"So, are we agreed? The Arkenstone remains hidden?" Devon asks spreading his arms out
Everyone nods their heads yes in agreement. Devon nods and claps his hands together.
"Alright. No one say a word about this to anyone. We can't let Thorin get the Arkenstone. It's up to us to keep it hidden. So, everyone, keep it a secret." Devon says
(Moments later)
Bilbo sat on a bench in a hall with Devon who sat on the floor with Luna, leaning his back against the female Night Fury's left-side as she laid on the floor. They had been thinking deeply about what would happen if Thorin were to get the Arkenstone. As Balin had told them, the Arkenstone was the most precious treasure above all others in Erebor. Devon had thought if Thorin had the Arkenstone, he would be overwhelmed with greed and would turn out just like his grandfather, or worse. As they sat there in the hall, Bilbo reaches into his coat pocket and pulls something out. Thorin walks in at an adjoining hallway and sees this.
"What is that?!" Thorin asks
Thorin strides rapidly toward Bilbo, and Bilbo rises up from the bench. Devon and Luna rose up and faced Thorin as he approached them.
"In your hand!" Thorin says
"It-It's nothing." Bilbo says
"Show me." Thorin says
Bilbo holds out his hand and opens it. In his palm was an acorn. Thorin looked at it confused.
"I picked it up in Beorn's garden." Bilbo says
"You've carried it all this way." Thorin says
"I'm gonna plant it in my garden, in Bag End." Bilbo says
Thorin smiles fondly at Bilbo as his anger fades.
"That's a poor price to take back to the Shire." Thorin says
"One day it'll grow. And everytime I look at it, I'll remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad. And how lucky I am that I made it home." Bilbo says
Thorin and Bilbo smile at each other. Devon and Luna also smiled, feeling that Thorin was still in there somewhere. Bilbo prepares to speak.
"Thorin, I..." Bilbo says
Suddenly, Dwalin comes up and interrupts.
"Thorin, the survivors...from Laketown. They are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them." Dwalin says
Thorin's smile fades into a stern, uncompromising face.
"Call everyone to the gate." Thorin says
Thorin strides off, shouting.
"To the gate! Now!" Thorin shouts
Devon and Luna look at each other, then look at Bilbo who looks at them. They could tell that something bad was about to happen.
(Dale)
The survivors from Lake-town walk into the ruins of Dale. They stare around at the ruins, including many charred and burned bodies.
"Come on, keep moving." Bard says
Suddenly, Bard heard Alfrid calling him.
"Sire! Sire! Up here!" Alfrid calls out
Bard looks up to see Alfrid on one of the city walls. Bard heads up and joins him.
"Look sire, the braziers are lit." Alfrid says
The two men look out toward the mountain in the distance and see giant braziers full of fire at the gates of Erebor.
"So, the company of Thorin Oakenshield survived." Bard says
"Survived? You mean there's a bunch of Dwarves in there with all that gold?" Alfrid says
"You shouldn't worry, Alfrid. There's gold enough in that mountain for all." Bard says
Bard walks away and calls out to the people.
"Make camp here tonight. Find what shelter you can. Get some fires going." Bard says
Bard looks back at Alfrid.
"Alfrid, you take the night watch." Bard says
Alfrid looks sourly at Bard and stomps off. Bard looks back at the Mountain, feeling uneasy.
(Later that night)
Within the walls of Erebor, the Dwarves work to block up the entrance that Smaug broke through. They carry rocks both by hand and with the help of various pulleys, carts, and other machines. Devon and his friends watched as the Dwarves worked hard to block up the entrance.
"I want this fortress made safe by sun-up. This mountain was hard won. I will not see it taken again." Thorin says
Kili had been pulling a cart filled with stone rocks with Bilbo's help and decided to speak out against Thorin.
"The people of Lake-town have nothing. They came to us in need. They have lost everything." Kili says dropping the handles of his cart
"Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship." Thorin says
Thorin turns and looks out at the city of Dale where many fires were lit by the people.
"Those who have lived through dragonfire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for." Thorin says
Thorin continues looking upon the city of Dale for a few more seconds, then turns and shouts to the Dwarves.
"More stone! Bring more stone to the gate!" Thorin shouts
Devon, Bilbo, and his friends look on in despair.
(Elsewhere)
Gandalf rides his horse rapidly through a plain, trying to reach the mountain before it was too late.
(Dale)
It was daytime in Dale, and the people sit around as the healthy tend to the wounded. Infant babies cried and young children cried also. Bard walks through a building, checking up on the people.
"These children are starving! We need food!" A man says
"We won't last three days!" Another man says
"Bard, we don't have enough." Percy says walking up to Bard
"Do want you can, Percy" Bard says placing a hand on Percy's shoulder as he walks past
"We need more water." A woman says
"The children, the wounded and the women come first." Bard says
Bard walks over to where Alfrid had been standing guard. Alfrid was actually napping, and he wakes up as Bard speaks.
"Morning, Alfrid. What news from the night watch?" Bard says
"All quiet, sire, I must report. Nothing gets past me." Alfrid says yawning and following Bard outside
Bard walked out of the building and suddenly stops in the archway. Apparently something had caught his attention.
"Except an army of Elves, it would seem." Bard says
Outside, the courtyard was packed full of Mirkwood Elves dressed in full battle gear, wearing shiny golden armor, standing in perfectly ordered lines. The people of Lake-town begin coming out of their buildings and see the Elves. Bard walks down the steps and approaches the Elves. Some of the Elves turn and step back to make a pathway for Bard. As he exits out the bank of Elves, King Thranduil rides up on his steed which was a tall elk with large, long horns, and all the Elves turn to face him.
"My lord Thranduil. We did not look to see you here." Bard says
"I heard you needed aid." Thranduil says
Thranduil turns and looks at a wagon being pulled up by horses, loaded with food and drink for the people. The people of Lake-town 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." Bard says
"Your gratitude is misplaced. I did not come on your behalf. I came to reclaim something of mine." Thranduil says in a cold voice
(Meanwhile)
In the mountain, Thorin picks up a beautiful necklace made of tiny, shining, and white gems. He then recalls what Thranduil spoke to him about in the Woodland Realm.
"There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight."
"The white gems of Lasgalen. I know an Elf-Lord who would pay a pretty price for these." Thorin says
Thorin tosses the necklace back into the pile of jewels which scatters many of the tiny gems that splashes over the small table that held it like water.
(Dale)
Thranduil watches his troops march out of Dale. Bard runs up to him.
"Wait! Please, wait! You would go to war over a handful of gems?" Bard asks
"The heirlooms of my people are not lightly forsaken." Thranduil says
"We are allies in this. My people also have a claim upon the riches in that mountain! Let me speak with Thorin!" Bard says
"You would try to reason with a Dwarf?" Thranduil asks
"To avoid war? Yes." Bard says
(Moments later)
In Erebor, Devon and Luna rush into a room, meeting up with their friends, Spyro, Cynder, the Viking Teens, and their dragons, clearly alarmed with something.
"Guys, there's a huge army of Elves outside. They're gathering in the city of Dale." Devon says
"What?" Astrid asks feeling slightly shocked
"Why?" Hiccup asks
"I'm not sure. But if there's an army of Elves out there, that can only mean one thing: King Thranduil is out there as well." Devon says
"Why would Thranduil want to come here?" Spyro asks
"If I had to guess, he's here for something. I wouldn't think he'd want to come here just because of our little escape attempt in Mirkwood." Devon says
"But, what is he after?" Cynder asks
Devon thought to himself and remembered when he and his friends met King Thranduil in the Woodland Realm.
"Wait...Didn't he say something about white gems?" Devon asks
"There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight."
"White gems...White gems..." Devon whispers pacing back and forth
Devon then remembers when he saw Thorin holding up a beautiful necklace made of sparkling white gems. He then heard what he had called them.
"The white gems of Lasgalen. I know an Elf-Lord who would pay a pretty price for these."
Devon's eyes soon widened with realization. To King Thranduil, these white gems were more than just treasure. They were very important to his people.
"I think I know why King Thranduil is coming here. He's here for the white gems of Lasgalen. To him, it's more than just treasure. It's the heirloom of his people!" Devon says
"So, King Thranduil is going to war over these jewels he's looking for?!" Astrid asks
"Apparently so. And I don't think he's going to let anyone stand in his way until he gets what he wants. Come on!" Devon says
Devon and Luna rush out of the room with their friends following close behind. Thorin strides toward the blocked off gate, calling the other Dwarves to him.
"Come on!" Thorin says
The Dwarves lay down their tools, pick up their weapons, and follow him up the stairs they've created in the blockage, all the way to a platform they had built at the top of the gate. From there, they have a good vantage point over the plain infront of the gate. They see the walls of Dale filled with Elves ready for war. Bard rides up the path to the gate on a white horse, and stops infront of the gate.
"Hail Thorin, son of Thráin! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Bard says
"Why do come to the gates of the King under the Mountain armed for war?" Thorin asks
"Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in? Like a robber in his hole?" Bard asks
"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed." Thorin says
"My lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" Bard says
Thorin nods, steps away from the platform and down the stairs. Bard dismounts his horse and crosses the bridge infront of the gate. As he approaches the blockade, a raven flies out of the opening above the gate and wings away rapidly, cawing loudly. Bard sees a hole built into the blockade, and Thorin strides up to the other end of the hole from the right, not bothering to look at Bard.
"I'm listening." Thorin says
"On behalf of the people of Lake-town, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives." Bard says
Thorin turns his head left to look at Bard, then speaks.
"I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door." Thorin says shaking his head slightly before turning away
"That armed host will attack this mountain, if we do not come to terms." Bard says
"Your threats do not sway me." Thorin says
"What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?! My people offered you help. And in return you brought upon them only ruin and death!" Bard says
Thorin turns his head and looks at Bard
"When did the men of Lake-town come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?!" Thorin asks
"A bargain was struck!" Bard says
"A bargain? 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, Bard the Dragon slayer..." Thorin says
Bard looks up at Thorin, surprised.
"Why should I honor such terms?" Thorin asks
"Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?" Bard says
Thorin turns away from the hole, disappearing from Bard's view. He leans back against the blockade and for a moment looks tired and weary. He then looks at Devon, Luna, Spyro, Cynder, the Viking Teens, the dragons, Bilbo, and the other Dwarves who stood there looking at him. He then shouts back to Bard.
"Be gone! 'Ere our arrows fly!" Thorin shouts
Bard slaps the rock angrily, then mounts his horse and rides back to Dale. The group watches him go from the top of the platform.
"What are you doing?! You cannot go to war." Bilbo says
"This does not concern you." Thorin says not looking at Bilbo
"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. We-we are in fact outnumbered." Bilbo says
Thorin turns to look at Bilbo, smiling.
"Not for much longer." Thorin says
"What does that mean?" Bilbo asks
"It means Master Baggins, you should never underestimate Dwarves." Thorin says
Thorin turns to the whole group.
"We have reclaimed Erebor. Now we defend it." Thorin says
As Thorin strides down the steps, Bilbo and Balin looks distressed. Even Devon looked distressed. Luna nudges Devon's right-arm with her snout to offer him comfort. Devon looks at Luna and places his arm around the female Night Fury's head. The two then look out toward the city of Dale.
Bard rides back to the gates of Dale where Thranduil was waiting for him.
"He will give us nothing." Bard says
"Such a pity. Still, you tried." Thranduil says
"I do not understand. Why? Why would he risk war?" Bard asks looking back at the mountain
They look back toward the mountain just 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 says
Thranduil pulls out his sword and gazes at it.
"We attack at dawn. Are you with us?" Thranduil says
Thranduil rides back toward the city while Bard looks over his shoulder at Erebor.
(Moments later)
In Dale, Bard and the people of Lake-town begin collecting and distributing various weapons and armor to each other.
In Erebor, the Dwarves do the same, suiting up for battle. They collect armor and weapons from their resting places as they had been sitting for years covered in dust and cobwebs. Devon and his friends stood out with Bilbo in a nearby hallway from the armory where the Dwarves began preparing themselves for battle. Thorin calls out to Bilbo, holding something in his hands.
"Master Baggins, come here!" Thorin calls out
Bilbo comes up and sees that Thorin is holding a tunic of white chainmail. Devon and his friends also saw what Thorin was holding in his hands and were very surprised by what they saw. They immediately recognized what Thorin had in his hands. It was the same Mithril shirt that Bilbo had given to Frodo during the start of their journey in Middle-Earth. The same shirt that saved Frodo's life when the troll stabbed him in Balin's Tomb. It was also the same shirt that was presented to them by the Mouth of Sauron before the Battle at the Black Gate when he tried to decieve them of Frodo's demise. Now Devon and his friends knew how Bilbo had recieved the shirt and had given it to Frodo later on.
"You are going to need this. Put it on." Thorin says
Bilbo began removing his jacket.
"This vest is made of silver steel. 'Mithril' it was called by my forebears." Thorin says
Thorin holds it up so that Bilbo can slide into it.
"No blade can pierce it." Thorin says
Bilbo finishes putting on the Mithril shirt, then looks at himself. Bilbo looked over to his right and saw that the other Dwarves had been watching him. He then looked over to his left and saw that Devon and his friends were watching too.
"I look absurd. I'm not a warrior. I'm a Hobbit." Bilbo says
"It is a gift. A token of our friendship." Thorin says
Although he had started off smiling at Bilbo, he looks toward the other Dwarves and frowns.
"True friends are hard to come by." Thorin says
Thorin grabs Bilbo by the shoulder and pulls him away over to Devon and his friends where the other Dwarves can't hear him.
"I have been blind. Now I begin to see. I am betrayed!" Thorin says
"Betrayed?" Bilbo asks
"The Arkenstone." Thorin says
As Thorin moves closer to him, Bilbo looks extremely uncomfortable and worried.
"One of them has taken it." Thorin says
Bilbo almost sighs audibly in relief.
"One of them is false." Thorin says in a dark voice
Devon paled upon hearing Thorin say this. Although he felt relieved that Thorin didn't suspect Bilbo of taking the Arkenstone, he felt extremely uncomfortable that Thorin was blaming his fellow Dwarves for it's disappearance.
"Thorin...the quest is fulfilled. You've won the mountain. Is that not enough?" Bilbo says
"Betrayed by my own kin." Thorin says
"No eh...You...You made a promise...to the people of Lake-town. Is-Is this treasure truly worth more than your honor? Our honor, Thorin. I was also there, I gave my word." Bilbo says
"For that I'm grateful. It was nobly done. But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Lake-town. This gold...is ours...and ours alone." Thorin says
As Thorin speaks, his voice grows deeper and sounds more and more like Smaug's voice.
"By my life, I will not part with a ssssingle coin! Not...one...piece of it!" Thorin says
The very last line which Devon and Bilbo heard was an exact repeat of what Smaug had said previously to them. It was now clear to the group that Thorin was clearly mentally affected by the dragon-sickness. Devon and Bilbo both stare at Thorin, shocked and horrified, as the other Dwarves, dressed for battle, stride past in between them.
Author's Note: Beware of dragon-sickness! In the halls of Erebor, Devon and his friends talk with Balin about Thorin's strange behavior. He tells them that Thorin was suffering from dragon-sickness, the very same mental illness that drove his grandfather, Thrór, crazy with greed. Devon and Bilbo mention the Arkenstone to Balin, but he tells them that it would make Thorin's madness worse. So, Devon and his friends decide to keep the Arkenstone hidden, away from Thorin. It's now a secret! So don't tell anyone! Meanwhile, Bard leads his people to the ruined city of Dale where they take refuge, hoping that they could soon take refuge inside the mountain. But Thorin on the otherhand has other plans. Instead of keeping his word to the people of Lake-town, he decides to block them out. But things get even worse. King Thranduil arrives at Dale and plans to go to war with the Dwarves, only to claim the sacred jewels that was taken from him long ago. Devon and his friends try to persuade Thorin to see reason, but the dragon-sickness has deeply infected Thorin, enough so that he starts to sound like Smaug! What will the group do now? And what will happen once the war has begun?! Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!