Bring Me With Her

Slightest Chance

It felt like it took forever before Thorin finally reached the top of the stairs. He hoped to Mahal that he could catch Talia in time. He couldn't believe he let her leave him to go alone with Gollum. He didn't even care if Talia still hated him. If he didn't go after her, Thorin would regret it for the rest of his life. The Dwarf king felt his heart sink when no one was there to meet him at the top. It didn't take him long to find the tunnel that Gollum was talking about. He cringed when he looked in. This was it. This was Gollum's plan. This tunnel was the perfect place for him to follow through and kill Talia, and no one would ever find her body.

Thorin rushed into the tunnel with his sword drawn, constantly calling Talia's name. How did she even make it past this entrance? Thorin could hardly see a thing. His heart only began to race faster when he heard no one answering his calls. He had no idea how he was going to find her if he couldn't see anything.

His eyes widened when he could barely see a form of light on the ground. Thorin rushed over to find Talia's Terran device...a phone, she called it. That made Thorin worry further. She always had this thing on her person, always. What could have possibly happened to make her drop it and leave it on the ground? Thorin picked up the phone and shone it around him to see the spider webs and dead carcasses surrounding him. With the light source in his hand, Thorin was able to make out Talia's footprints left in the damp dirt. He made his way even faster, shouting Talia's name even louder.

On his way, he found even more clues as to where Talia had been. He found her sword stuck in the webs, along with the bright star that the Elf lady had gifted her. The Dwarf king picked up both items and packed them away, praying harder that Talia made it out alive. What he found in the tunnel was not promising. But he couldn't give up on her. Thorin thought that Talia was lost to him once, he wasn't going to let that happen again so easily.

Thorin breathed a small sigh of relief when he found his way out of the tunnel, the path of Talia's footprints still intact. Perhaps she made it after all, especially since Thorin saw no sign of Gollum. He didn't even run into a live spider back there. It was very possible that Talia could be on her way to Mount Doom at this very minute, and all he would have to do was catch up to her.

The Dwarf king continued to follow the path, only to stop in his tracks completely. He found it. He found the giant spider that lived in the tunnel...and it was wrapping Talia in its web. Thorin ran his way up to the creature, letting out a yell as he did. The spider barely stopped what it was doing to eye him. "LET HER GO YOU FILTH!" he roared, his sword at the ready. "NOW!"

The spider dropped Talia at that, ready to face him. Thorin didn't hesitate to lunge at the beast, stabbing it in the eye in the process. It screamed in pain, but quickly recovered. This spider was much larger than those Thorin fought and killed in Mirkwood. He let out a growl when the beast didn't drop dead.

He went in again, slashing Orcrist, trying to hit every weak spot he could. Thorin managed to hit the spider in the eye once more, and tried to go in for the final stab in the mouth. He gritted his teeth when the creature bit down on his blade, refusing to let go. The Dwarf king let out a cry of fury when the spider began to drag him from side to side. When it finally let go, Thorin was sent flying to the ground, Orcrist flying even further.

The Dwarf king turned around to see that the spider was on him immediately, leaving him no time to reach for his weapon. He widened his eyes when he saw the beast's stinger out and ready. He rolled his way on the ground to avoid the stinger multiple times, which only took him further away from Orcrist. He couldn't keep doing this. He was already exhausted and couldn't afford to slow down, and Talia needed him. Thorin rolled away from the stinger once more when he narrowed his eyes, and whipped his bag off his back.