Run It Back Again (Part 1)

Chapter 34

*Fili's Pov-

"She's not out here, dwarves..."  I shook my head and turned to the elf, who was rowing the boat.

"No, she has to be out here!  I saw her, I swear!"  Kili hung his head and shook it.

"Fili, I think she's gone..."  I turned and glared at him.

"No, she can't be!  She has to be here!"  I turned back towards the lake and continued to shout.  "Era!"  After a brief silence, Bofur rested a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, lad, but I don't think we'll be finding her..."  Suddenly, Nori smiled and started shouting.

"Look, over there!"  I squinted as I looked across the lake.  Sure enough, there was a small figure with black hair floating on a piece of debris.  She looked up at us weakly, and I knew it was Era.

"Era!"  Before she could respond, she slipped off the debris and sank below the surface.

Without thinking, I jumped in after her.  I swam over to the piece of debris, took a deep breath, and plunged into the cold water.  I stayed under as long as I could, desperately searching for her.  Before long, I came up for breath only to plunge in again.  This time, I caught her arm and pulled her up.  As soon as we resurfaced, the others were there, pulling us out.  The elf examined her as Kili offered me his somewhat dry cloak.

"She so cold..."  I trembled slightly as I noticed how blue her lips were turning.  The elf covered her in her own cloak, which was much drier than anyone else's.  "She'll be alright."  I sighed with relief and looked around.

"I wonder why she flew this way and just dropped..."  Bofur shrugged as he looked around.

"Maybe she was looking for Skyrena?"  The elf turned and scanned the lake.

"We must get her to land.  Maybe someone can help us there..."

*Bard's Pov-

"Skyrena!  Era!"  I scanned the surface and the wreckage, looking for them.  Bain sat beside me, rowing us through the water.  He glanced around and put down the oar.

"Do you see them, Da?"  I shook my head and sat down.  They must have gone under...  I sniffed, trying not to let my eyes tear up.  Crazy as they were, they saved my family.  They helped me kill Smaug, and they risked their lives doing it.  "Da, what's that?"  I looked where he was pointing and saw a cloak.  Nearby, Skyrena laid on a piece of driftwood, out cold.  I jumped up.

"It's her!"  I jumped in and swam out to grab her.

*Skyrena's Pov-

"Skyrena!"  I wanted to call out to whoever it was that was calling me, but I couldn't open my mouth.

I was too weak to even lift my head in response.  All I could do was lay there, trying not to fall into the water.  However, the voice sounded like Era's.  I heard a series of splashes and tried to move.  Something, or someone, was coming.  I felt two arms wrap themselves around me and pull me off the makeshift raft.  I did recognize the voice, though.

"Hang on, Skyrena.  I got you..."  It was Bard.  He pulled me through the water until we hit what felt like a boat.  Someone grabbed my arms and held me up as Bard got out of the water.  "Easy now, Bain."  As they lifted me up, everything went silent.  I groaned, but I couldn't open my mouth.

Where's Era?  Where is she?  I felt something drape over me as I felt myself slip again.

*Bard's Pov-

"Is she dead, Da?"  I shook my head.

"No...  She's still breathing.  We have to get her to shore and find the dwarves.  They'll know what to do."

*Fili's Pov-

"We have to go find Skyrena, Tauriel."  Kili licked his lips nervously as the elf scanned the water, searching each of the survivors.  "She needs us!"  She shook her head.

"Someone already has her...  The young boy from the house and a man."  I frowned and looked.  Bard and Bain were rowing right towards us, but I couldn't see Skyrena.  Soon, they beached their boat, and Bard picked up a limp body.  I swallowed hard when I realized it was Skyrena.  Bard laid her down on the beach.

"She's alive, but she's out cold.  I don't know what's wrong with her."  I knelt down beside her.  Sure enough, she was breathing, but she barely moved as she breathed.  Tauriel knelt down beside and put a hand on Skyrena's shoulder.

"She's only out of energy.  She'll either sleep until she regains energy naturally, or we have to help her gain energy..."  Behind us, someone spoke.

"The sun..."  I turned and saw the blonde elf from Mirkwood, who'd almost killed Era and Skyrena on the spot.  Tauriel looked up.

"It is bright enough, Legolas...  Let me see if I can remember how to transfer energy."  She whispered in elvish for a little bit.  Before long, Skyrena coughed and opened her eyes.

*Skyrena's Pov-

"Skyrena?"  I groaned, as though I'd just been awoken, and eased my eyes open.  Killi, Tauriel, and Legolas hovered over me, blocking out the sun.  I smiled weakly and attempted to sit up.

"What... what happened?"  Tauriel helped me to my feet as she answered.

"You fought the dragon and ran out of energy, putting yourself in some sort of hibernation."  I tried to stand on my own, but, after one step, I was so dizzy, I almost fell.  Killi, who was standing on his own now, caught me before I hit the ground.  I glanced around as Filli came to help Killi support me and saw Bard.

"We killed him?"  He nodded, making me frown.  "How'd I get here?  Where's Era?"  He shook his head as he glanced back at the lake.

"Bain and I couldn't find her, Skyrena...  However, I went looking for you and brought you here.  It was the least I could do after all you've done for us."  I felt my stomach drop as I turned to Fili.

"Where is she, Fili?  Please, tell me you found her..."  He shivered slightly as he smiled in response.

"We did..."  He motioned to a motionless figure on the ground, surrounded by the others.  I hit my knees, fighting back the tears.

"Era!"