Benders: Dragonfire

Dandelion

Thank you to TeresSue, jijifiji, and fateclaws for their amazing comments and votes on the previous chapter!

Thorin skidded to a halt as he tore through a row of pillars. A thick blanket of dust and cobwebs covered the forges; those great stands where once his people had created their legacy. Hardened liquid gold was frozen in the troughs cut into the floor, built through the ceilings and across the hall. He remembered the panic, the chaos, when his people were torn from their life's work. He remembered the gold rolling to a halt along with the lives of those he loved.

With the pain still fresh in his heart came a wave of fury. He was shattered but no more. Now was a time for vengeance.

"Light the forges!" Thorin bellowed, pressing his back to a pillar. He ascertained his companions were sheltered before he snapped, "Brenen, you young fool, stop with your hero act and let Smaug's fire come through!"

Brenen, standing between two pillars, a shadow against the angry fire built into a wall before him, nodded. He let his hand fall and, with his elf blood more apparent than ever, gracefully tumbled to shelter.

Fire rushed past Thorin, running in angry rivers past the pillars, ripping through the forges and bringing each age-old fire back to life. The gold shifted, the heat beginning to melt it even as the dwarves rushed to grasp the familiar handles of the bellows.

Brenen scowled. "I could have done as much, had you asked."

He whirled to halt Smaug's fire from reaching the unprotected dwarves, shoving it back into the dragon's mouth. Thorin snatched his arm. "No time to get into a snit. Follow me!"

Brenen sprinted to keep up with him, hopping the troughs rolling with liquid gold in the floor. He watched them empty into a single trough until the gold spilled away over a cliff and down into the top of a rock mold.

Thorin grunted and threw himself off the sheer drop, taking Brenen with him. the elf yelped, gasping as his jets flamed to life, fighting the extra weight of the dwarf.

"Valar, a tree trunk is lighter!" Brenen gasped.

"You shut up," Thorin growled. "You may be nothing but a wisp bound to float off at the slightest gust, but I will have you know what you are carrying is precious muscle. If you drop me, it will be more than your head!"

Brenen chuckled and deposited him on the shoulder of the rock mold. Thorin grabbed for a chain hanging near his head and held fast as Smaug swept over the high end of the cliff above him, splashing gold flecks with his wingbeats. He banked and came to land on the cold stone of the empty hall before the statue.

"And so, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, you end. And in the company of your company. How fitting."

Brenen tilted his head as Thorin glanced at him. The dwarves were gathered around him on the statue, balanced on the rock with chains in hand.

"I will kill you all!" Smaug roared. "I will burn Laketown and raze Mirkwood to the ground!"

Brenen's eyes flashed red. Thorin put a hand on his arm. Smaug drew his head back.

"Pull!" Thorin roared.

The rock mold strained and cracked as the dwarves put their muscle into straining against the chains they held. The metal bands holding the mold together snapped and the rocks tumbled down, cracking the floor as the dwarves scrambled to safety.

Smaug stood dwarfed by the glittering gold visage of Thror in full battle armor, clasping the axe he had beheaded many an orc with. He stood dwarfed, eyes wide, but only for a minute. No sooner had he hissed than a splash of gold wet his nose. A moment later the statue slid forward, rivers of liquid hold hitting him full in the face. As the hall flooded, the gold turned blue. Thorin's lightning bolt hurled Smaug back, forcing him underwater, dragging him down under the weight of the metal sliding over him.