Born from Stone (A Thorin Oakenshield story)

*In every end there is also a beginning.

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A/N:

- I am a NON NATIVE English Speaker, so please criticise my errors kindly and I will hear with equal respect every suggestion for improvement.

- Update 2018: I am trying to re-edit this since I completed it. If you see an error that truly rubs you the wrong way tell me and I will correct it immediately. Thank you. Ps: I will place an asterisk next to each chapter that I have re-edited.

"The eagles are coming...hold on...the eagles..." Bilbo's throat convulsed as the words choked him. He looked down at Thorin's pale mask of death as the eagles soared above the valley. He fell on Thorin's torn armour unable to hold back his tears.

"Get away you fool!" the angry voice of Gandalf made Bilbo glance up shocked. The grey wizard came rushing towards them with his staff raised "Get back, give him some air!" He kneeled next to Thorin with eyes full of trepidation.

"He is dead Gandalf, you are too late..." Bilbo shook his head dejected and his fingers curled protectively around Thorin's chain link armor that proved so inefficient against Azog's cleaver. Then in an act of desperation he tried to take off the mithril armour that Thorin gifted him with, before the battle. "If he had kept this for himself this wouldn't have happened! It wouldn't have happened!"

"Get a hold of yourself Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf's harsh voice shook him into silence as the wizard touched Thorin's forehead with his palm and closed his eyes. The blood of the dead King spilled over the edge of the waterfall colouring the robes of Gandalf deep maroon. His comrades created a protective circle around the dead King in cold silence. Balin kneeled heavily, unable to hold onto this burden anymore and his quiet tears were enough to break even the coldest of hearts. Dwalin looked at the pale face of his friend and threw his war axe away with a feral cry of anguish.

As Gandalf's hand gently caressed Thorin's bloody forehead, Bilbo looked at his closed eyes and couldn't understand if the grey wizard was praying for the dead King, or simply mourning. He walked over to Balin and touched his shoulder. The old Dwarf Lord covered Bilbo's hand and gave him a soft nod as his tearstained eyes gazed at him. "It's ok my boy. It will be ok."

"I am so sorry for your loss." Bilbo kneeled next to him.

"It's everyone's loss. Mine, yours, theirs," -he looked diminished above his shoulder- "Dale's, Erebor's and all the seven Dwarven Kingdoms."

"Sustain...you must sustain Durin's son." Gandalf whispered behind a tight jawline and when he opened his eyes they were spewing fire. Ancient magic left his hand silently and rushed through the dead King's body trying to revive his heart. As the minutes rolled by, no one noticed that Thorin's blood under Gandalf's robes begun retreating back to his body slowly.

"Let him rest Gandalf, let us carry him back to Erebor and offer him the burial he deserves," Balin pushed himself up with difficulty and Bilbo helped him. Now that the battle had finished and Thorin was dead, it was as if all strength had abandoned his old body. The fierce warrior that ran to battle next to his King was now suddenly an old Dwarf barely able to stand.

"No! Remain!" Gandalf raised his hand to them and everyone froze. "Remain...for I believe that he is still with us." He whispered mystically with a raised brow.

"What are you talking about? Let him be!" Dwalin roared, finally abandoning all tries to sound civilised.

He walked quite decided towards Gandalf, intending to tear him away from Thorin, when the later opened up his eyes suddenly and took a rugged inhalation. His body convulsed and Gandalf immediately tried to restraint his arms from thrashing about. "Animate you fools!" He barked at everyone, who were looking at Thorin shocked out of their minds.