Chapter Twenty-Five
The Warning Coming True
We are all running down the mountain as fast as we could. When will we ever be completely safe? Ever since we entered that mountain, a bad feeling had clung onto me. The cave was just the start of it.
I look up at the sky, it is getting dark. A sudden noise behind me causes me to spin around. A Warg is heading towards everyone and leaps in the air ready to pounce on anyone of us.
I run in its path and wait until I see the stomach of the Warg before I thrust my sword upwards into the Wargs belly. The whine it makes as I pull out my sword, alerts the others, where we are.
Of course the Warg I had stabbed had to fall on me, didn't it?
"Elaina!" I heard Thorin's frantic cry.
The Warg on top of me was very much alive and I thrash about, trying to get this animal of me. The Warg made a strange noise and I looked up and saw that it was now dead. Before I could fathom what had just happened, I felt the Warg's body move and I managed to escape.
When I stood up I was relieved to see Dwalin and Thorin. We all heard the howling again and we quickly start running. We are heading straight into many trees and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. My dream is about to come true.
There was nowhere to go, we were still high up on the mountain and all that could protect us were the trees.
"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" shouts Gandalf.
As we climb up the trees, I glance down and saw Bifur throw an axe at an advancing Warg, killing it. I saw Hetti climb up another tree with Kili, Balin and Fili. Thorin was above and I realise this was the very same tree from my dream.
'It's starting!' I thought sadly.
"They're coming!" cried out Thorin.
I climb after Thorin and I saw Dwalin give his brother Balin a boost up. The noise below us confirms my worse fear. Wargs are circling around the trees watching each of us. I caught Gandalf grab hold of something and it was only when he releases it, I realise it is a moth. Puting that aside for now, I glance down at the Wargs, who are snarling and growling at us.
I heard more movement and turn my head. There on a white Warg was Azog the Defiler. I I return my attention back on Thorin who had a look of disgust on his face, at seeing his old enemy.
"Azog?!" muttered Thorin.
The growling Warg made me return my attention back on Azog as he lovingly strokes his Warg. There was something familar about him and it had nothing to do with that strange dream I had. This felt completely different and it was bugging me.
"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" (Do you smell it? The scent of fear?)" leered Azog, looking up "Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob." (I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain."
I look back at Thorin and see the pain in his eyes.
"Thorin, take no notice of him," I urged him "He wants to get a reaction out of you. Don't let him in!"
"Well, this is a nice surprise," I heard Azog speak in english "You look so much like your dead mother Alasse. I will enjoy torturing you as I did to your dear old mother."
I blank out what he is saying as he is trying to lure me on the ground. They is no way that will happen. I watch Azog look at his Wargs.
"I want the girl and," I saw Azog glare at Thorin "the leader. Kill the others!"
As soon as he said that, the Wargs start leaping forward and try and climb up the trees. I watch in stunned silence as they jump as high as they could trying to reach us. They break several branches as the Wargs refuse to give up. By now, the trees are shaking from the onslaught and we all hold on for dear life.
"Sho gad adol! (Drink their blood!)" sneers Azog watching us.
Suddenly, with the force of what the Wargs were doing, the furthest tree near the edge of the cliff which have Bilbo. Hetti and several dwarves holding on to this tree, get uprooted from the ground and I watch in horror as the tree leans dangerously close to the ground.
More Wargs start jumping and one bites into a branch, causing the tree to tilt over even more. I heard whining again and saw Loki throw many little knifes at the advancing Wargs that were running and jumping up the trees we were all on.
However it did not stop the tree that Bilbo and Hetti were on, the tree was really leaning over now but I was relieved to see everyone quickly jump over to another tree until I saw that tree was now leaning over as well.
In a cruel twist of fate, every tree were now moving and leaned over to the other trees, slowly moving towards the next tree. We took this as a sign and quickly jumped to the next tree and the next one after that, until there were no more trees to jump from.
'Please let this tree stay where it is and not get touched by those disgusting Wargs!' I thought to myself.
I could hear Azog laugh, watching us on the last tree standing upright. Something gets thrown in my hands and I look down and saw a burning pinecone. I knew what to do and and threw mine down, seeing the flames come to life when they hit the ground.
The Wargs whimper at this and we quickly throw some more pinecones at them and I realise that the Wargs are afraid of fire. I caught sight of Azog who is now glaring at these new turn of events. The fire around the Wargs have stopped there persuit for now.
"Fili!" I hear Gandalf say and I saw Gandalf throw another pinecone at him, which he caught.
For several minutes we throw burning pinecones at our enemies. The area around us is full of fire now, the Wargs and Azog retreat to a safer distance. One Warg had fire on it's fur and was frantically trying to distinguish it. Azog roars in anger and most of the dwarves start laughing.
Just when things start going our way, the tree we are on starts swaying and tilts precariously over the edge of the cliff. We all hold on as the tree continues to tilt. I watch in dread as Ori had lost his grip of the branch he was holding onto and fell but thankfully, Ori manages to grab onto Dori's leg and holds on tightly to that.
"Aaaaah! Oh! Oh no!" cried Ori.
"Mister Gandalf!" Dori cried out in panic.
Dori lost his grip and fell but Gandalf swiftly swung his staff down towards Dori and I sigh in relief when Dori grabbed on to the end of Gandalf's staff. I turn around and saw Hetti clinging on to her branch but saw Loki hold on to her tightly, securing her.
The growl Azog made caused me to turn towards him once more. I felt movement behind me and saw Thorin staring back at Azog with hate in his blue eyes. I then saw him pull himself up, his sword ready for action and start climbing down the trunk of the tree.
"Oh no you don't Thorin!" I yelled after him.
Thorin appeared to not have heard me as he jumped down the tree and ran towards Azog and his white Warg. The look Azog gave Thorin, sent shivers down my entire body. He was smirking at Thorin and had his arms spread out, waiting.
Thorin ran with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog patted his Warg and I watch in horror as the Warg leaps at Thorin.
This was all to familiar with me. The way Azog sits on that Warg reminds me of something, but what? Shaking that thought away, I too climbed down the tree, taking no notice of the voices above me now, I will help Thorin in anyway I can.
Taking hold of my sword, I pulled it from my belt before I ran towards the Warg that was about to attack Thorin.
"You have to go through me to get to him!" I yelled at this vile being.
The Warg, suddenly stops what it is doing and turns and faces me. It snarls at me before leaping at me. I nimbly move out of the Wargs way and manage to slice one of the back legs of the Warg as it charges forward.
The Warg with Azog on top of it, turns around and runs right at me and before I could do anything, the Warg hit me right in the chest with its white paw. I fall to the ground and hear the cries of my friends in the tree, as they look on with shock.
"Just like your mother, pathetic!" sneered Azog, watching me.
I slowly got up and my anger is evident. The power I feel in my body courses through me as a masive light hits Azog himself. Azog hails out in pain as the light around him burns into his shoulder blades.
"That's just for starters you murdering scumbag!" I hiss at him.
"I shall kill you, like I did your mother!" shouted Azog, as he prepared to attack me.
I was stunned, my real mother dead by this vile being. Azog and his Warg charge forward and he swings his mace but misses me as I quickly duck out of the way. My eyes never leave my mother's murderer and I wait until he turns around again.
He slowly turns around once more and charges forward and my sword and his mace clash against each other as he tries everything in his power to kill me.
"The Messengers will be happy to have their power!" leered Azog.
"It's not theirs to have," I retort back "It is my power!"
Again Azog swings his mace and it hit me in the face, before I can fight back, I am brutally flung to the ground by the impact.
"Elaina!" I heard Thorin cry out.
Azog is roaring with laughter. I saw with the corner of my eye that Bilbo is slowly heading towards Azog as the Warg returns its attention back on Thorin.
With great difficultly, I slowly get back on my feet as I saw the Warg pin Thorin as he thrusts his sword in the Wargs gut, causing the Warg to grab hold of Thorin. Grabbing hold of my sword again I ran towards Thorin.
"Elaina! Noo" Hetti cried out in fear.
As I approach, the Warg held onto Thorin by its teeth. I struck the Warg hard with the handle of my sword and was relieved when the Warg let go of Thorin.
Roaring, the Warg swung around and charged at me, causing me to be thrown several feet away near a flat rock. I landed heavily and my sword fell out of my hand. I felt very lightheaded and I close my eyes trying to get my bearings.
"Biriz torag khobdudol. (Bring me the Dwarf's head.)" I heard Azog shout.
'Please give me the strength to finish this!' I thought to myself.
A sudden calmness washes over me as my eyes flutter open. I saw Bilbo reach out for his own sword and saw the blue hue the sword had, which I noticed back in the cave. An Orc approaches Thorin and puts his sword on his neck. I slowly sit up, searching for my sword.
A loud noise causes me to stop what I was doing as I saw Bilbo throw himself at the Orc and knocks the Orc over. Bilbo surprises me futher by fighting this Orc and stab him in the heart, killing him instanly. Azog growls in anger.
I look at Thorin and see that he is now unconscious. I stand up with my sword back in my hand and saw that everyone was now down fighting of other Orcs and Wargs nearby. I head straight for Thorin as does Bilbo and Loki and I watch Azog's every move.
Bilbo bravely waves his sword at Azog who is steping closer to us. I saw the smile on Azog's face and I narrowed my eyes and held my sword tightly.
"Kill him!" shouts Azog, looking at Thorin.
A couple of Wargs and Riders approached Bilbo and I, snarling, but my eyes never leave Azog. Suddenly, Fili, Kili and Dwalin come to our aid and start fighting the advaning Orcs.
In the confusion, Bilbo yelled and leaped forward, wounding a Warg. The white Warg hit Bilbo with its snout and I saw Bilbo fly in the air, but was caught by Loki. I return my attention back on Azog and his mutt and holding my sword, went for them both.
While everyone fights the surrounding Wargs, I thrust my sword deep in the white Warg, causing it to try and leap away from my sword but with no luck, my sword was buried deep in the Warg's stomach. I pulled my sword out, knowing at long last, Azog would have to fight and stop hiding behind others to do his dirty work.
As I watch Azog grab his mace, I was very aware of flying eagles flying above me but I kept my eyes on Azog. He sneered at me as I held my sword in a fighting pose. The fight was on.
Azog went for me and I block his mace as I saw both Ori and Dori being picked up by a eagle before going of some place. Again I block his attack.
"I'm actually surprised," smirked Azog, when our weapons clash again "You fight back, whereas your mother just gave up, as I plunged my mace deep in her spine when she tried to run away."
I heard yelling and I glanced up and saw Bofur and Hetti being taken away by eagles. That was my mistake as Azog took this chance and swung his mace at my stomach. Before I stumble, I plunged my sword in Azog's shoulder blade, getting satisfaction when I saw him howl in pain. That was the last thing I remembered, before I fall into oblivion.
~~Loki's POV~~
I watch in complete shock as more eagles scoop down and grab many Wargs and Orcs and fly them up in the air, before dropping them to their death. I run to the unconscious Elaina just in time as Azog raises his mace towards her. Using my own power, I summoned a sword from nowhere and plunged it in his stomach.
I knew Azog would live unfortunately, but it gave me ample time to grab Elaina and escape. Another eagle came forward fanning the flames of fire around the Wargs and Orcs, causing an inferno which burned them. I heard the leader Azog growl in frustration.
One eagle gently took hold of Thorin and his sword in its talons and flew of. I wondered where there were heading. As if reading my mind, another eagle came and picked me and Elaina up, while another eagle grabbed her fallen sword.
I looked down and saw Azog holding his stomach, glaring at our retreat. The eagles held onto Elaina and I very tightly and I found this a strange situation. I've riden on many animals in my lifetime but I can honestly say, I have never been picked up by an eagle.
The rest of the eagles pick up Bilbo, Hetti and any remaining dwarf and fly to a safer place. I knew though, that we had not seen the last of Azog and his lackeys.
~~Thorin's POV~~
I slowly come round and I see that I am in midair. I glance up and see an eagle flying me to wherever. I look around, frantically searching for Elaina. The eagles are soaring high in the sky over a vast distance of many landscapes, but I take no notice of that as I continue searching for my angel.
I caught sight of Fili and Kili, who were both looking over to me with relief washed over their faces. I continue scaning for my love and finally saw Elaina being held by Loki. I could see at once she was unconscious and I wanted to be there, holding her. I was worried sick for her.
"Elaina!" I cried out afraid.
The eagles seemed to be slowing down as they approached a massive rock structure, shaped like a bear. I watch as the eagle carrying Elaina and Loki gently place her down on the ground, while another placed her sword besides her.
I really wanted to be by her side and sensing that, the eagle that was carrying me, flew near Elaina and placed me on the ground. Another eagle landed and I saw Gandalf slide of. Both Gandalf and I ran towards Elaina, as did Bilbo and Hetti, when they arrived a few seconds after Gandalf.
"Elaina! Elaina!" said Gandalf, gently, leaning over her.
She was not responding. By now everyone was around Elaina.
"Will Elaina be alright Gandalf?" asked Bilbo, holding on to Elaina's hand.
Gandalf didn't answer and I knew then, that life without her was meaningless without her. I felt someone squeeze my shoulder and I glance up, seeing Dwalin look remorseful as well.
Gandalf placed his hands on Elaina's face and whispered a spell. I prayed his spell would work. When Gandalf had finished, I watched Elaina, hoping Gandalf's spell would revive her.
At first nothing, then slowly Elaina's brown eyes opened and she breathed in air. For a second she closed her eyes, before opening them again and met mine and I gently caress her face with my fingers. I was relieved to see her beautiful brown eyes taking everything in again.
"Where's B-Bilbo?" rasped Elaina.
"I'm right here Elaina," replied Bilbo, who had tears in his eyes "We all are."
Elaina tries to stand up but I can see the pain in her face. I place my hand around her waist and using my weight, she slowly pulls herself up, with the extra help from Bilbo and surprisingly Loki, who also appeared to be worried about her.
'Maybe I have got him all wrong!' I thought.
Once Elaina was standing, I held her protectively, then we slowly turn around and faced Bilbo.
"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?"
"T-Thorin please, don't start!" whispered Elaina.
I let go of Elaina and walked towards Bilbo, who looked back at me with a worried look on his face.
"I've never been so wrong in all my life!" I add, smiling at him.
I pulled him to me and embraced him affectionately. I heard cheers all around me as Bilbo seemed a little put out and very shyly embraced me back. I let go of Bilbo and step back towards Elaina who smiled at me. She was shivering, so I quickly wrap my arms around her again. I was unaware that Loki was concerned for Elaina.
"I am sorry I doubted you!" I said to Bilbo, smiling at him.
"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar!" remarked Bilbo.
Nearly everyone laughed, as Elaina was watching the eagles fly away, screeching.
"Elaina was the one giving me the courage to help her." Bilbo added causing me to look back at Elaina who I noticed was shaking a lot now.
I could feel my heart start to beat faster as I watched her. Without any warning, I turned slighly and lowered my head and captured her mouth with mine.
"Men lananubukhs menu," I whispered against her mouth.
Elaina smiled and I gently nudged her nose with mine.
"I love you too!" she whispered.
We take no notice of the others as they can see I am relieved Elaina is safe and sound.
"What you did was very foolish but thank you!" I say to her.
Elaina gently stroked my beard, giving me a tired smile.
"Takes one to know one!" she whispered.
Taking her hand, I turned around and suddenly saw something. I strode forward, and everyone followed my gaze.
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Elaina.
In the distance, on the horizon, we saw the outline of a single, solitary mountain.
"Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth." Gandalf explained.
I looked at Elaina, lovingly, a smile on my face.
"Our home." I whisper.
A small bird flew toward Erebor, chirping merrily.
"A raven. The birds are returning to the mountain."
"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf replied.
"But we'll take it as a sign. A good omen."
I smiled at Bilbo, before I return my attenion back on Elaina.
"You're right," said Bilbo. "I do believe the worst is behind us."
I wasn't really listening anymore as I was relieved Elaina was alright. I vowed then, that she would never leave my side again. She is the love of my life and yet she risked her life to save mine. She really was a pure jewel, that shined everytime she looked and smiled at me and I loved her with every fibre in me.
I thought only my men would risk their lives for me, I was not expecting my angel to do the same. She is my equal. I knew I had to have a chat with Fili and Kili soon about all our futures and this concerned Elaina in my future!