The Gathering Storm. The Hobbit fanfic. A Thorin Oakenshield love story.

Chapter 78: There is a Dragon Down There.

Note: I want to apologize for taking so long to update this fanfic. I also want to let you know that the end of this chapter will be diverting a bit from canon. :)

The Dwarves, Taryn, and even little Bilbo all cheered as Thorin held up the key.

"Right then," Dwalin said, as he approached the wall. "We have our key, which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole."

As Dwalin approached the wall, he began exploring the walls of the clearing with his fingers, looking for a keyhole. Thorin let out a tiring sigh, as he walked to the edge of the clearing. Making her way from Bilbo's side, Taryn joined her husband at the edge, just as the sun began to set. The setting sun gave off a dimming orange light, making the Dwarf and his wife glow. Thorin took her hand into his own, intertwining their fingers together as he looked out at the setting sun.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole," Thorin mumble the words from the map, turning around to face the wall.

In the distance the orange sun is setting fast, as Thorin looks at the wall frowning as he can see Dwalin is having a hard time finding the keyhole.

"Nori!" Thorin called out in a panicked tone of voice. Motioning for the thieving Dwarf go over there and help out Dwalin.

Running over to the wall, Nori begins tapping it in different places with a spoon while holding his ear to a cup held against the wall. Dwalin grunts out in frustration as he strains to push against the wall.

"We're losing the light," Thorin shouts frustrated as the sun gets lower in the distance.

"Come on!" Dwalin growls out as he begins to kick at the wall.

Turning to her side, Taryn lets out a sigh as she watches Dwalin. She knows that kicking at the wall will not open it. It would only open by the magic set upon it.

"Be quiet! I can't hear when you're thumping," Nori said frustratingly to Dwalin who was making a lot of noise while kicking and pushing on the wall.

"I can't find it...it's not here! It's not here," Dwalin said as he looks over the wall.

With the sun quickly disappearing Thorin begins to grow frustrated over the lack of the Dwarves abilities to find the key hole. "Break it down!" Thorin shouts as he gestures to the rest of the Dwarves.

With Thorin's gesture Dwalin, Glóin, and Bifur grab their weapons. All three of them soon begin to smash at the wall. But it was useless, there was no way of breaking it down. All it did was break their weapons. Which they would still need if they did get into the mountain.

With a shake of her head, Taryn looks from the Dwarves at the wall and over to her husband. "You can't break down that wall with mere weapons Thorin."

Turning his head slightly, Thorin lets out a frustrated sigh as he looks over at his wife. He knew she was right of course, but he wasn't about to admit it. "Come on!" He shouts to his fellow Dwarves.

Balin turned his head, looking at Taryn who gave him a a slight sigh. "It is no good!" He said in agreement with Taryn. "The door is sealed. It can not be opened by force. Powerful magic is on it," he said to the company.

As the sun full disappears behind the distant mountains, the Dwarves drop their weapons. All of them huff out in tiredness and disappointment as they were unable to find the key hole and open the door into the mountain.