The Eyes of Emerald

Chapter 36

"Dawn," a voice called. The girl slowly opened her eyes and saw that she was no longer where she was, but in a stone room crowded with woman, children, and elderly. As her vision cleared more, she saw that the voice calling her name was young Sigrid, and with her, Nendes.

"What...happened?" Dawn asked.

"Nendes killed the orcs that were surrounding you, then brought you here."

"Dawn, there is danger in..." Needs began.

"I know," Dawn interrupted, remembering her vision of Thorin. She looked upon her hand, and saw a new mark of green appear. Osanwe. But her attention returned to the elf. "I have to get to Ravenhill. Somethings happened. Nendes, please!" Dawn begged. The elf gave an expressionless look, though she knew it was of thought.

"You will not go alone," the elf said. "I will go with you."

"As will I," Sigrid said. "I feel that I owe you a debt."

"But you do not," Dawn said. "I cannot ask you you to go into this danger."

"Then don't. I go with you willingly." Sigrid then revealed a sword in sheath. Dawn lightly smiled as she got to her feet, ignoring the pounding that was in her head.

"We leave now. We won't reach them in time on foot."

"We have two horses. Sigrid will ride with you."

As the trio mounted on the horses, Sigrid noticed something troubling. Dawn had no weapon on her person.

"Dawn has no weapons to defend herself. She risks her life without anything," Sigrid told Nendes. But the elf shook her head.

"She is the Balorat Su. She does not need a form of weapon. How I cannot explain. But surely you will see."

They then began their treacherous journey to Ravenhill, where they not only had to pass orcs, but soldiers fighting one another. There wasn't a moment where Nendes placed her sword back into her sheath. She had to kill three orcs per minute, as she estimated.

The three rode towards the impending hill with great haste. Sigrid looked up at the steep hill and let out a gasp. Charging towards the trio was a company of about 50 orcs from the hill. Before she could react Dawn passed the reigns back to Sigrid. The dwarf took a deep breath and held out her hands. Nendes saw her and fell back behind their horse.

With a great shout Dawn summoned all of her strength to summon a great emerald fire. She shot a ball of the flames towards the front lines. With that force 10 orcs were instantly obliterated them. The remaining orcs separated into two groups and continued to charge.

In response Dawn shot another ball of fire to the further group, killing or maiming all of them. The other group of orcs got so close to the girls that they were readying their weapons to strike. But Dawn reacted quickly and heated her hands to volcanic temperatures and grazed them onto the faces of the orcs. The orcs screamed and dissolved into ash and littered the white snow beneath them. Sigrid could feel sweat on her brow from the heat, but kept her hands on the reigns.

After the brief encounter with the enemy, they arrived at what appeared to be a great fortress. As the girls mounted off their horses, they saw a shadow approach. They readied their weapons for what was sure to be an enemy. But behind the stone came someone they did not expect.

Bilbo.

"Bilbo!" Dawn cried as he embraced the hobbit. He returned it with great affection, but his face was scarred.

"Dawn...Thorin..." Bilbo began.

"I know," Dawn said. "And I cannot use my power for him. I had already done it at the Carrock. But where is Fili?" At the sound of his name, Bilbo's face froze. Dawn saw his expression, and did not want to believe was she suspected.

"Bilbo, what happened?" she begged as she shook his shoulders. Bilbo sniffled as he tried to hold in forming tears. He looked into the girls eyes, and all he could manage to utter was "I'm sorry..."

"No..." Dawn gasped as she stepped back. Her chants of disbelief changed from whispers to shouts. "Fili!" she screamed as she ran down to the stairway.

"Dawn!" Nendes called out. She and Sigrid followed the young dwarf down the stairway and onto the icy path. Sigrid knew that her father would be furious is he found her running on ice, but she didn't care. Someone could be hurt, or far far worse. For a moment, Dawn was out of sight, until they heard the sound of her scream. Nendes ran to her side, only to see a horrid sight.

She was on her knees, before a body that surrounded in snow stained with blood. His blue eyes remained opened. Nendes swallowed hard to realize that it was the corpse of the dwarf prince, and her lover. When Sigrid came, she paused in shock. She fell to her knees in weakness at the sight of the blood. And all she could hear was the screams of the Balorat Su

"Fili! No!" Dawn screamed as she embraced her love. "You can't leave me like this! You can't! Not now!" She then saw his hand in a fist and held toward his heart. She slowly opened it and saw that in his palm was her necklace. He brought it with him to battle, he had her in his thoughts. And he held it to his heart while he was ready to pass into he white shores, and halls of his fathers.

"Please, don't leave me," Dawn sobbed as she embraced him yet again. "I love you." As the tears shed down her cheeks, she kissed his blue lips. And as she sobbed, her vision buzzed white.

As Nendes and Sigrid bowed their heads in respect, something happened that they did not expect. From Fili's body, small sparks began to form and spin around the two. And as the sparks increased in size and speed, they began to lift the two dwarves into midair. Nendes embraced Sigrid to block the bright light from blinding her.

"What's happening?" Sigrid cried.

"I don't know!"