Erebor's Guardian

Chapter: 19

After an hour or two I landed in Dol Guldur, Gandalf was walking through the dead land casting a spell. I landed next to Gandalf.

"Paephan! What are you doing here, you must leave now."

I walked past him and looked at the surroundings. It seemed abandoned; even the rocks looked withered and broken. Still, there was an air of menace in this place.

"Galadriel called me to come here, she said you were in trouble."

Gandalf looked at me and simply nodded his head. Gandalf and I walked into a large open area and began reciting a spell.

"The evil that is hidden here...I command it come forth! I command it reveal itself!"

With these words, Gandalf struck the ground with his staff. From the jewel on his staff, an orb of light emanated passing through the everything around us. Suddenly the sound of footsteps could be heard down a corridor. I looked to see a small creature running through the closed corridor. Gandalf and I walked down to see what it was, in an instant the creature launched itself at me. I grabbed the creature and trapped it underneath my weight. It was no creature, it was a dwarf. Gandalf placed his hand on the dwarfs head as the dwarf made crackling noises. Soon the dwarf stopped struggling and looked up at us. My eyes widened.

I moved the long grey hair from the dwarf's face and recognized him.

"Thrain."

Gandalf looked shocked as he had tears in his eyes.

"My old friend."

Thrain looked up at us and spoke weakly.

"Gandalf...Paephan."

I smiled as Thrain sat up

"A lifetime...I've been here a lifetime."

Gandalf looked at Thrain.

"I'm so sorry, I gave you up for dead."

I helped Thrain up as he looked at me.

"I had a son...Thorin."

"He is safe...Come we must leave."

Gandalf and I quickly walked him toward the exit. He spoke of what had happened to him in the battle of Moria. He spoke of Azog defeating him and taking the last of the seven rings. I looked at Thrain's hand to see that he was missing a finger. Gandalf looked worried.

"Hurry we must leave."

I expanded my wings and suddenly a mace struck me in the chest. Thrain moved out of the way as I fell back against Gandalf as I looked up. It was Azog. I stood up and expanded my wings to cover Gandalf and Thrain. Azog spoke.

"You have come too late. It is done."

As Azog raised his mace and brought it down, Gandalf forced him back with his staff.

"Where is your master! Where is he!"

"He is everywhere... We are legion!"

I looked over the side of the broken building to see hoards or Wargs and orcs below the dark halls.

"It is over!"

As Azog was about to attack Gandalf caused a bright light to blind Azog and the other orcs for a moment before Azog sent the Wargs on us. Gandalf ran while pulling Thrain with him. I turned around to see a collapsing building in front of the bridge. I smashed the building with my wings causing it to collapse on the Wargs. We continued to run to the bridge until a dark shadow covered the bridge. It was Sauron. The dark lord spoke.

"There is no light, that can defeat darkness"

Gandalf held up his staff against the shadow. Thrain pulled me down to him.

"Tell Thorin, that I love him... will you do that? Will you tell my son that I loved him."

"You will tell him yourself."

The shadow grew more powerful

"It is too late!"

Thrain looked at the shadow as it came at me. Thrain moved in front of it and was taken by the shadow.

"Thrain!"

I felt his hand leave mine. I couldn't move. My whole body shook as Gandalf held his staff up and created a veil of light over us.

"Paephan you must leave now!"

"I'm will kill him!"

I charged at the shadow but Gandalf pushed me back.

"Go! Warn the others!"

I looked at Gandalf pushed me out of the shielding light. I extended my wings. and saw the shadow come at me. I looked at the shadow as Thrain's face entered my mind. A tear left my eye.

"Thrain, forgive me."

I yelled out in rage as my wings glowed. They sent out a wave of energy covering the entire land. I saw the shadow move away from me, toward Gandalf.

Gandalf yelled out to me as he held his staff out.

"Go to the others!"

I nodded as I flew back to Erebor. I didn't look back.

After an hour, I saw the others on the mountainside toward Dale. Bilbo looked and smiled as he looked at me.

"It's Paephan!"

The others looked up as I landed on the ground.

"Thorin..."

I fell to my knees and fell to the ground, exhausted, as my wings laid splayed out on the ground. Thorin and the others ran to my side, I noticed some of the dwarves were missing.

"Where...where are the others."

"Shh, they're okay. Kili couldn't continue. They are in Lake-town healing him."

I looked up to Thorin as my eyes opened and closed.

"Thorin...Thrain... I'm so sorry, I couldn't.."

Thorin looked confused.

"Your father... he was alive. He told me to tell you...that he loved you."

Thorin eyes showed pain as he held me close.

"We must go on."

"Let her rest for a moment, we need to rest as well."

As the others sat down, Bilbo walked around and felt uneasy. Thorin looked down at me.

"You should've stayed with us."

"I...I would come...no matter what."

I wrapped my wings around him. I grasped onto Thorin's arm and closed my eyes.

"The orcs...have an army, we must kill Smaug before... then."

"We will but for now you must rest."

I smiled and slowly stood up.

"No...I must go back to my home, I must...regain my power. Stay here and do not enter the mountain until I return."

Thorin stopped me.

"I can't let you leave."

I placed my hand on his.

"If I don't I won't be able to fight him...or protect you."

"You have done enough to protect me. Let me protect you."

I closed my eyes and unfolded my wings.

"I'm sorry."

I launched myself back into the sky, back to the temple.