Embracing the Shadows

Chapter Sixteen - Golden waterfalls

"Take cover. Go!" Thorin calls as Smaug moves forward his belly glowing with the flame he was about to spew at Thorin. So that was his plan. Smaug began to throw himself at the lattices that held him from his next meal

"Bombur! Get those bellows working. Go!"

I can only watch as Smaug broke though the only thing separating him and the dwarves, a flurry of chaos and flame ensures and Smaug is distracted by the other dwarves.

"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" Thorin calls back as he rides the molten gold through a chute. I nod, something I can help with. My mother had brought me to Erebor before the rift between the Elves and Dwarves grew. I knew exactly where to go.

Stepping out of the shadows I barked gutturally. Drawing Smaug's attention, I cocked my head and snarled loudly flashing my teeth at him. I lead him through a large hall filled with banners and he falls though, something makes him snap his head around.

"You think you could deceive me, Barrel-rider?" I pant as Bilbo peaks out from the edge of the banner Smaug had caused to fall "You have come from Laketown. There is- is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup-trading Lakemen. Those snivelling cowards with their longbows and black arrows!" Smaug breaks into laughter "Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit." Smaug turns to me "Then I will come back for you half-breed" He hissed

Smaug swings his great neck to the exit. "Oh, no." Bilbo whispers scrambling up "This isn't their fault! Wait! You cannot go to Laketown." He cries drawing Smaug's attention back to him

"You care about them, do you? Good. Then you can watch them die." He strides down the halls

"Here, you witless worm!" Thorin calls standing atop a massive statue

"You." Smaug hisses

"I am taking back what you stole." Thorin declares

Smaug moves forward slowly, speaking "You would take nothing from me, Dwarf. I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am King under the Mountain."

Bilbo and I watch from the hall beside the great beast.

"This is not your kingdom. These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge." He then yells something in Kuzadul, pulling a rope beside him and jumping off the statue. The stone casing fell leaving a golden dwarf statue in its place.

Smaug looks at the golden statue in desire. He moves closer entranced by it, a bubble below the eye explodes and covers Smaug, making him fall backwards

We wait with baited breath before the dwarves begin to cheer once the gold became flat

"Ahh! Revenge?! Revenge! I will show you REVENGE!" Smaug cries springing up covered in gold

Smaug runs toward the exit in pain from the boiling gold and blasts his way through the mountain and takes flight.

Bilbo runs out of the destroyed gates of Erebor and climbs up some ruins, looking after the flying Smaug with me at his heels

He falls to his knees, I lay a comforting paw on his shoulder and lick his cheek in reassurance

I hear Smaug call out to himself "I am fire. I am...DEATH!"

Bilbo whimpers "What have we done?"