Marman had made it all the way from the mountain and all the way to the centre of the Dragon City.
Smaug's eyes glinted with pleasure when he saw the bedraggled dragon.
Barnabas wrenched free from Handel's grip and stared horrifyingly at Marman.
"Marman," whispered Barnabas. "No."
Marman lifted his head, warily and stared at Smaug the Magnificent with horror.
"Gimmie the stone, you little missborn," spat Smaug.
"No," said Marman. "Never."
Smaug cackled aloud and then cried, "YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE POWER TO OUTSMART ME!? SMAUG THE MAGNIFICENT!?"
"You think you can destroy everything, Smaug," said Marman. "I've come to stop you."
"So heroic," spat Smaug. "So heroic, yet so pathetic."
Marman spun around as a smoked dragon collided with him. The smoked dragon loomed over Marman and he coughed as the smoke entered his lungs. Suddenly, through the smoke, Marman caught a glimpse of the dragon behind it.
"Olivias," he breathed. "No."
Olivias raised a claw and ripped Marman's chest. Marman moaned and his head fell down in agony.
Olivias grabbed Marman's claw and yanked the stone from his grip. She then carried it back to Smaug and bowed to him.
Smaug snatched up the stone and looked at it hungrily.
"Hmmmmmm, not precisely as I expected," he said looking at the grey, dull stone. "Some hero you are, Marman Longtail. You have brought me both of the stones now. This stone, Garman, used to be a dragon, but when that dragon died, it transformed into a stone. This happened to many other dragons. Those dragons happen to be the sons and daughters of the most powerful dragons in the world. The last stone, however, is the most powerful stone of them all: The Stone of Marman. KILL HIM!"
Ten smoked dragons including Olivias surrounded Marman, but Marman was too quick and leapt over them.
Barnabas roared and dove after Smaug, though Smaug let loose a wave of fire which spread across Barnabas's frail body. Barnabas cried out as the flames tore through his scales sending him crashing to the ground.
"NOOOOOOO!" cried Marman, trying to go after him but being held back by smoked dragons.
"Before you die, Marman, let me show you the end of the world," said Smaug, holding up the stone towards the dark, moonless sky.
Smaug cackled and cried, "FINALLY! THE END HAS COME! SMAUG THE MAGNIFICENT HAS WON!!!"
All hope seemed to vanish from the world as Smaug lifted up the stone and roared. The world was about to end. It was going to happen. Smaug would win any second. All dragons and men would be destroyed very soon. Very, very soon. In fact, right now. I mean to say, right now. Hmmmmmm... nothing seems to be happening.
Shocked, Smaug lifted the stone into the sky again and laughed, but still, nothing happened. Nothing at all. Nada. Zero. Zip.
Smaug frowned and again looked at the stone in confusion.
"What... is happening?" he hissed.
Marman looked up at the massive dragon and then revealed from his quivering talons, a bright blue gem. He'd given Smaug a normal stone which he had found in a river.
"WHAT!?" roared Smaug. "NO! GIVE THAT TO ME!"
But before the stone had been snatched out of Marman's hand, he had thrust it up in the air...
And as he did, he remembered Ancalagon's wise words, love is the most powerful thing that even Smaug cannot harness.
YOU ARE READING
Hatch: A Dragon Story
FantasyGrom has arisen from the fiery depths of a volcano. He is ready to finally become the most powerful dragon in the whole world. Nothing will stop him now. Except for a tiny egg which had just hatched in the sandy desert of Middle-Earth. 17 years late...
