Our Song Lives On

Into the Fire

With an explosion of white light, the goblins and their torture machines went flying and the dwarves knocked to the ground. As sight cleared up, they saw saw Gandalf's frame, tall against the dim light, armed with sword and staff.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!"

The dwarves jumped to their feet, fending off the goblins. Gandalf sliced through the oncoming goblins, like butter. The Great Goblin trembled as he noticed Gandalf's sword.

"He wields the Foe-Hammer. The Beater, bright as daylight!"

Among the chaos, the dwarves managed to reach their weapons. Axes, swords, and hammers tossed from this dwarf to that dwarf. Together, they charge into battle, shouting war cries.

Ella sliced through goblins, spraying black blood. The bodies fell at her feet, dead. In her haste, she tripped over the bodies and fell herself, in the eyesight of the Great one. The giant rose to his feet, charging forward, as he brought his mace down on Ella. But before his arm could swing down, he froze, an arrow poking through his forehead.

Kili helped his friend up and they continued the fight while trying to find a way to escape. Meanwhile with a frightened howl, the goblin king fell down to the depths below. Now armed, the dwarves butchered the goblins, fighting with great severity. Gandalf approached them, urgent.

"Follow me! Quick! Run!" He yelled as they sprint out of the throne room, herds of goblins chase after them.

Down below, Bilbo hurried down the tunnels, sword at his side as the creature shouted after him. The hobbit managed to dives into a cave on his left, out of breath, and gratefully watched Gollum crawl past the entrance. Relieved, Bilbo made for a crack in the cave wall, squeezing through the cranny.

He'd almost made it too, had it not been his shirt button getting caught along the edge; stuck. It had to be at that moment that the creature walked back, locking eyes with the hobbit. He snarled, and rushed into the cave screaming "It's ours! It's ours!"

Bilbo flustered to push farther into the cave, and as he did so his brass buttons ripped off his waistcoat, raining down on an irritated Gollum and allowing Bilbo to the other side of the tunnels. It was almost smooth sailing ahead, until he tripped on some rocks and fell on his back.

As he fell, the thing in his pocket, that wasn't his, flew up into the air. Bilbo watched it descend and tried to grab it, but instead of landing in his waiting palm, The Ring slid onto his finger, changing his world.

The gang had run down paths, jumped moving ladders, and now blessedly, finally saw light at the end of the tunnel. They run furiously, scrambling to get to the exit, being barked at by goblins and bosses. Nearby, a stunned and invisible Bilbo watched them run by, one after the other: Gandalf, Thorin, Dwalin, some others, Fili, Kili, and the... woman? He didn't have the time to wonder about it as Gollum appeared before him, blocking his path to freedom.

The creature turned, distracted by people running in his region, and behind him stood Bilbo, sword pointed. The creature turned again, unknowingly staring right at Bilbo's face, his eyes growing into a senile, childlike appearance.

True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."

Bilbo put down his sword, thinking his next actions through. But as Gollum's features snarled, he made up his mind. With a big breath in, Bilbo dashed forward, using the creature as leverage to push himself out and ran into the daylight.

The other's weren't too far ahead of him. They stopped for a headcount, Gandalf counting the roster.

"Three, four, five, Gloin, that's six. And Dwalin, that makes seven. Fili, Kili, Ellie..."

Gandalf stopped, muttering to himself as he looked about.

"Where's Bilbo? Where is our hobbit?"

From behind a tree, a still invisible hobbit looked on, the running not the first thing that made him distraught. It came a close second to the tall, blonde woman standing right next to Kili. In his literal and figurative haze, he couldn't think who the woman could be.

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost!"

"I thought he was with Kili!

"Don't blame me!"

"Well, where did you last see him?"

"I think I saw him slip away when they fist cornered us." The girl said.

This stressed Gandalf, and he began to panic.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!"

"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin intervened. "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door."

"He has been more trouble than use so far," said one. "If we have got to go back now into those abominable tunnels to look for him, then drat him, I say."

"I brought him, and I don't bring things that are of no use." Gandalf all but roared. "Either you help me to look for him, or I go and leave you here to get out of the mess as best you can yourselves. If we can only find him again, you will thank me before all is over."

"We will not be seeing our hobbit again. He is long gone."

"No, he isn't." Bilbo confidentially said as he visibly stepped around the tree. The dwarves took a surprise, while Gandalf's face lit up in relief.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

Bilbo steps closer and the dwarves circled around him, stunned. He saw Ellie come up next to Thorin, and it finally hit him.

"Bilbo! We'd given you up!" Kili happily said as he held the hobbit by the arms.

"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked.

"How, indeed?"

Bilbo gives a nervous laugh as he slipped a hand into his pocket thinking he was sly, but the grey wizard noticed.

With Bilbo without an answer, Gandalf stood for him.

"Well, what does it matter? He's back."

The answer didn't satisfy Thorin.

"It matters. I want to know; why did you come back?"

Bilbo shifted in irritation. "Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right. I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

Close around him, the dwarves smiled in his appreciation. Ellie, Fili, And Kili exchanged a smile between them and held hands.

Flustered and without a response, Thorin itched to say something, but was cut off by the roar of a hound. The company froze as they felt and heard a stampede coming their way. Thorin turned to Gandalf, wide eyed.

Out of the frying pan..."

"Into the fire."

They ran.