Up the high rocks we went, trudging toward the mountain, that even now was still shrouded in cloud, an eery gloom casted upon it from the darkness of the night. Indeed, night had returned.
Which made Bilbo and I's ascent to the top a bit more trickier than it would be in the light.
"That was a sweet move you pulled back there, Bilbo.." I uttered whilst doing a climb.
"..Using the ring to grab Jim's gun and all."
Bilbo chuckled, also during a climb. "You know about the ring, eh?"
"Oh yeah....it's trouble. I'll leave it at that." "Trouble?" "..."
"What sort of trouble?" His expression was...troubled.
"..Like I said,"
I and him stopped for a breath and bent over, huffing up a storm. His face was a tad bit pained.
"...I'll leave it at that." And that was the end of that convo.
I began to look around, squinting at the darkness surrounding us.
The others would undoubtedly be on our tails..but I refused to let them catch me.
Not yet. Not when I, and I alone, with a hobbit, had a problem to fix.
I looked back at the Baggins, finally regaining enough air to breathe calmly.
"Ya know, dude.....you don't have to do this. You don't have to come with me. In fact, it'll probably be best if you stayed. Smaug is no joke. It's better if I handle him on my own."
"No disrespect...but not a chance, Sarah."
He stood up straight, taking a few deep breaths, then gave me a most solemn expression.
"We are going to see this through to the end."
I couldn't help but smile.
So courageous. Bilbo was truly inspiring. I was glad that all out of all of them, I was ending the fight with Baggins. He and I had not really got the chance to connect since I entered that world.
But still, he showed me enormous kindness and trust that I did not deserve.
He even knew who I truly was, and still, he went along with me.
Words can not express how much I wanted to hug that hobbit.
"So..what are we doing?" He looked around the darkness as well, squinting as I did.
"How are we going to stop him?"
". . . Well . . . I . . well . . . . . . . yeah."
"....you don't know, do you?" " . . . . . . . . . no." ".....wonderful."
At that very moment,
shhaaaaaaakkkkkeeeeeeeeeeee
"What in--w---WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM?!"
"So..what are we doing?" He looked around the darkness as well, squinting as I did.
"How are we going to stop him?"
". . . Well . . . I . . well . . . . . . . yeah."
"....you don't know, do you?" " . . . . . . . . . no." ".....wonderful."
At that very moment,
shhaaaaaaakkkkkeeeeeeeeeeee
"What in--w---WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM?!"
Yes, the hobbit was shouting, as we both tried to hold our balance. The earth quaked violently beneath us.
"--SMAUG!" I yelled as loudly as I could, over the tremendously explosive noise.
"HE'S BEEN DOING THIS!! IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME HE--"
the quaking ceased.
We both breathed and immediately started looking all around.
Everywhere. The ground, the mountain, the sky...but the dragon was nowhere to be seen.
I gently lowered my eyebrows, "That's odd...it usually always happens, just as he shows up..."
"-except, it's not strictly him that's causing it."
Bilbo and I both jolted and quickly swung around.
The mysterious young voice revealed itself to belong to a dark haired young man that slowly emerged from behind a large rock. He was wearing nothing but a heavy, gothic pitch black cloak, the only visible bit of his bright skin being his face.. his dirty black hair seeped out from his hood and partially covered his eyes..his eyes themselves completely blackened. He stared right at us with those eyes and gave the creepiest grin possible. ". . . the quakes are just simply the world tearing itself apart. . from the inside. Courtesy of the cause I serve. . to rid the world of alllll the heroes."
He chuckled, annoyingly, and lifted his hands up.
"See, even after all you did. . there's nothing that can stop our plans! The quakes continue!"
*even after all you've done, idiot.
"--They are a reflection of all the changes to this story! You've done more harm than good."
I've always tried to make an effort of imagining people as uglier than they probably really are until I've seen them (like, we're talking pure grossness itself), so I get pleasantly surprised by their good looks.
Or, at least, better looks than what I had pictured.
It's not that he wasn't good looking..it's just that I had a rather bad taste for him after all the trouble he had caused me, all that he had done, and I quite literally wanted to choke him.
He, in case you were wondering, was the trouble-maker. The one that messed with the town.
That woke up Smaug.
He was behind all this.
"Bilbo, get behind me!" I urged, pushing the hobbit to my backside.
He peeked at the youngster, just as I got out Moriarty's gun and pointed it right at him.
"--SMAUG!" I yelled as loudly as I could, over the tremendously explosive noise.
"HE'S BEEN DOING THIS!! IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME HE--"
the quaking ceased.
We both breathed and immediately started looking all around.
Everywhere. The ground, the mountain, the sky...but the dragon was nowhere to be seen.
I gently lowered my eyebrows, "That's odd...it usually always happens, just as he shows up..."
"-except, it's not strictly him that's causing it."
Bilbo and I both jolted and quickly swung around.
The mysterious young voice revealed itself to belong to a dark haired young man that slowly emerged from behind a large rock. He was wearing nothing but a heavy, gothic pitch black cloak, the only visible bit of his bright skin being his face.. his dirty black hair seeped out from his hood and partially covered his eyes..his eyes themselves completely blackened. He stared right at us with those eyes and gave the creepiest grin possible. ". . . the quakes are just simply the world tearing itself apart. . from the inside. Courtesy of the cause I serve. . to rid the world of alllll the heroes."
He chuckled, annoyingly, and lifted his hands up.
"See, even after all you did. . there's nothing that can stop our plans! The quakes continue!"
*even after all you've done, idiot.
"--They are a reflection of all the changes to this story! You've done more harm than good."
I've always tried to make an effort of imagining people as uglier than they probably really are until I've seen them (like, we're talking pure grossness itself), so I get pleasantly surprised by their good looks.
Or, at least, better looks than what I had pictured.
It's not that he wasn't good looking..it's just that I had a rather bad taste for him after all the trouble he had caused me, all that he had done, and I quite literally wanted to choke him.
He, in case you were wondering, was the trouble-maker. The one that messed with the town.
That woke up Smaug.
He was behind all this.
"Bilbo, get behind me!" I urged, pushing the hobbit to my backside.
He peeked at the youngster, just as I got out Moriarty's gun and pointed it right at him.
His brows rose in what seemed to be amusement. "You're gonna shoot me? Some hero you are."
"Oh, I wouldn't really call myself that..I guess I'm considered one..I'm just the type that doesn't fool around with punks like you. I make the hardcore decisions that the others don't stomach too well."
His eyes narrowed, but he still kept a grin. "Bravo. Spoken like a true..girl after my own heart."
"Donn'ttt play that with me." I grumbled, whilst rolling my narrowed eyes and softly shaking my head.
"Honestly, the whole 'you're a villain if you kill' garbage is so overused, and it doesn't work on me. As far as I'm concerned..you're only a villain if you start to target good....evil has no rights."
I got a step closer and lifted my arm a bit higher. "Especially you. After all you've done to everyone here..well..I've just about had it with you. All of you." "..I heard. I saw. Quite a performance you did, ending Azog like that. Bolg took quite a beating, as well....I'm impressed." he briefly cut his eyes away, thoughtfully.
"By the way, where is Bolg?"
"Spoiled your fun, did I?"
He looked back, "A little bit...but it's not my fun. See, I have no fun...not in my..code."
I gently tilted my head, not daring to take my eyes off him.
"What are you doing in Middle-Earth, then?" questioned Bilbo from behind.
The youngster looked down at him, in a cold manner. "--I told you. To rid the world of heroes."
"Specifics, please, I've got a dragon to kill." I tapped my weapon impatiently, still pointing my weapon at him. He looked back up at me. "I'm afraid that's classified."
My chin lifted. My arm lowered. My gaze intensified. I licked my lips and made a lopsided frown.
"Well then.." I suddenly got up closer. "You're wasting my time."
And POW!
I sucker-punched the dork in the jaw, then snatched him by the hood, jerking him forward, and kicked his legs in, sending him collapsing to the ground, crying out in abrupt pain.
Weird thing was..he wasn't even trying to resist. They usually always try to resist.
He scrambled his body about, swinging around to face me and he started to crawl backwards, throwing himself into a shaking fit. Bilbo rushed back behind me, as I began to cautiously approach the guy, pulling out my weapon once again to point at him. "Now tell me! Who are you working with?!"
He thrashed his head around, eyes tearing up. "I can't!"
I instantly shot a bullet right next to his leg, which made him jump.
"TELL ME."
"You don't understand!! I can't! The memory's been wiped!"
He whimpered. I gave him a look. A confused look.
"What now??? Wiped??"
He shivered, his breathing growing more and more intense.
"Yes. . the identity. . has been removed from my memory."
Bilbo and I both glanced at one another, before I quickly looked back. "..What are you?"
He shook his head, vigorously. "I'm. . not. . human."
"Yes, I gathered that."
". . I . . I'm not important . . I'm one of many . . so many . . we were created for one purpose . . we're expendable." "..What's your name?"
He laughed so pathetically, through burning, reddened black eyes, that I almost felt sorry for him.
"I don't have a name! None of us do! I'm nothing!"
He continuously backed away as I approached.
"Come on, you have to have a name."
"What I am is beyond even you, queenie...beyond all of you! There's more at work around you than you could ever imagine! Even if you do manage to save this world, there are thousands of others..MILLIONS, that are already doomed. And you can't save them all!"
"Oh, I wouldn't really call myself that..I guess I'm considered one..I'm just the type that doesn't fool around with punks like you. I make the hardcore decisions that the others don't stomach too well."
His eyes narrowed, but he still kept a grin. "Bravo. Spoken like a true..girl after my own heart."
"Donn'ttt play that with me." I grumbled, whilst rolling my narrowed eyes and softly shaking my head.
"Honestly, the whole 'you're a villain if you kill' garbage is so overused, and it doesn't work on me. As far as I'm concerned..you're only a villain if you start to target good....evil has no rights."
I got a step closer and lifted my arm a bit higher. "Especially you. After all you've done to everyone here..well..I've just about had it with you. All of you." "..I heard. I saw. Quite a performance you did, ending Azog like that. Bolg took quite a beating, as well....I'm impressed." he briefly cut his eyes away, thoughtfully.
"By the way, where is Bolg?"
"Spoiled your fun, did I?"
He looked back, "A little bit...but it's not my fun. See, I have no fun...not in my..code."
I gently tilted my head, not daring to take my eyes off him.
"What are you doing in Middle-Earth, then?" questioned Bilbo from behind.
The youngster looked down at him, in a cold manner. "--I told you. To rid the world of heroes."
"Specifics, please, I've got a dragon to kill." I tapped my weapon impatiently, still pointing my weapon at him. He looked back up at me. "I'm afraid that's classified."
My chin lifted. My arm lowered. My gaze intensified. I licked my lips and made a lopsided frown.
"Well then.." I suddenly got up closer. "You're wasting my time."
And POW!
I sucker-punched the dork in the jaw, then snatched him by the hood, jerking him forward, and kicked his legs in, sending him collapsing to the ground, crying out in abrupt pain.
Weird thing was..he wasn't even trying to resist. They usually always try to resist.
He scrambled his body about, swinging around to face me and he started to crawl backwards, throwing himself into a shaking fit. Bilbo rushed back behind me, as I began to cautiously approach the guy, pulling out my weapon once again to point at him. "Now tell me! Who are you working with?!"
He thrashed his head around, eyes tearing up. "I can't!"
I instantly shot a bullet right next to his leg, which made him jump.
"TELL ME."
"You don't understand!! I can't! The memory's been wiped!"
He whimpered. I gave him a look. A confused look.
"What now??? Wiped??"
He shivered, his breathing growing more and more intense.
"Yes. . the identity. . has been removed from my memory."
Bilbo and I both glanced at one another, before I quickly looked back. "..What are you?"
He shook his head, vigorously. "I'm. . not. . human."
"Yes, I gathered that."
". . I . . I'm not important . . I'm one of many . . so many . . we were created for one purpose . . we're expendable." "..What's your name?"
He laughed so pathetically, through burning, reddened black eyes, that I almost felt sorry for him.
"I don't have a name! None of us do! I'm nothing!"
He continuously backed away as I approached.
"Come on, you have to have a name."
"What I am is beyond even you, queenie...beyond all of you! There's more at work around you than you could ever imagine! Even if you do manage to save this world, there are thousands of others..MILLIONS, that are already doomed. And you can't save them all!"
". . . . We'll see about that."
He smirked, smugly. ". . and your little villain buddies. You think that's gonna last long? Once they get bored with you, they'll kill you. And you know it. You're bound to come across their enemies soon enough...you really think they'll keep you for very long once you do?"
Hurt by this, I cocked the weapon and shoved myself a step forward, "HOW do you know all this?!"
His expression got darker as he backed away, slowly, his head lowering.
"There are spies everywhere, Demens...some a little closer to home than you think."
My feels really sunk at this one....
"...Spare my meaningless life, and I'll tell you who it is."
I froze. A....spy....and if I let this little parasite go....he'd tell me who it was.....or would he?
but this deal's future was suddenly shattered.
For just as I blinked, he whipped out his hand, where a blue energy started to gather in his palm and he went to fire...when a blur whizzed past me and BANG! . . . . . .
the parasite fell to the ground completely.
He was now motionless.
My entire body jolted as I widened my eyes.
Slowly, I looked back. . . . Joker.
The clown stood a short ways from us, his own revolver pointed at the young fiend's direction.
His eyes cut at me and he lowered his arm, proceeding to lick at his scars.
"Why didn't you shoot him on the spot?"
I blinked, repeatedly, and swallowed hard. "I...I was...trying to get information out've him.."
"Well, he was about to kill ya," He said, boredly and high-pitched, as he walked to me, grabbing my gun from my loosened hand. "You really should be more careful talking to strangers."
He waggled the weapon infront of my face. "Ya really think this is gonna stop a dragon?"
I immediately shrugged. He quietly, lowly, hummed...then handed it back to me.
"Get going, kid. I'll keep the others busy for ya."
Well, then.
I, at first, gave him a look of uncertainty, before he nodded me off.
"Thanks" was all I could get out before he rushingly shooed me away from behind with a repeated,
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah"
I stumbled away, eyeing the nobody's body only once, before glancing back at J, who stood still, staring off at the direction we came from. With a final glare at him, then at Bilbo, then at the mountain, the hobbit and I were off once more.
° ° °
I didn't even bother with trying to keep my cool anymore.
As soon as we got to the top, being at a gate into the Dwarven home, I fell on my back and made several exasperated huffs and puffs, and felt like I was gonna die.
This was too much for a tiny penguin such as myself. TOO MUCH.
Bilbo bent down, out of breath himself, and eyed ahead of us.
"...Is...is there no way in?"
My eyes moved to the gate. Twas seeming to be sealed. I made a face.
"Codfish."
"I believe this is why Thorin wanted to take the secret entrance.." "Or maybe no."
"But Sarah.." "But Bilbo."
I stood up and wiped the dust off myself. "Bothersome bother. I ain't letting a pesky wall best me! There's gotta be a-" "Wait a moment.."
He got closer. "...It's..it's.." He leaned in, out, side to side, his eyes widening.
"...!!...it's...it's not sealed!"
"Come again??" "Look!" He grabbed my hand and quickly moved me. I kept an eye on the gate-- suddenly, my vision declared it from visible to not visible. I blinked several times and moved back.
The gate returned. My head jerked. "WITCHERY! It's an illusion!"
"But why??" "Who knows??" I said with a shrug. "..didn't realize that dude had this powerful of an ability."
I waved at it with a hand. "It stands even after his death!"
"But maybe it's not his doing?" "Quit ruining things for me, midget."
"No, really..." "But that's rubbish. Who else would it be? He's the one who woke Sma--"
I stopped.....oh dear...
"........Bilbo.....Smaug won't be asleep..."
I slowly looked back at the gate, growing a knot in my stomach.
"....He was told...to wait his turn....he'll know we're here." "..then this is a trap."
My brows crinkled. But why? Why would those two go through such trouble??.......
I shook my head and took a step forward, "Nuh uh, you stay here." "Sarah, no!"
He caught me by the arm, "We agreed to do this together! I'm not leaving you!"
I stared down at the hobbit with worry in my eyes...I didn't want him in harm's way.
Not with a dragon. Not dear Bilbo.
But the hobbit had a will. I couldn't stop him.
If he wanted to help, well, I had to let it happen.
I sighed and turned back around, "Ok......let's go."
Bilbo smiled. A simple little smile that at once lifted my spirits.
I loved the little guy.
~
I could go on and on about how beautiful, detailed and enormous the dwarf kingdom was, but that would probably force me to make this more an 11 part 'arc'..and I think you've had just about enough of me and Middle Earth.
As soon as we cautiously stepped through the illusion, it's power quickly withered and before our eyes, it disintegrated. No matter what position we were standing in, it was gone.
I looked up at what used to be the gate and studied the area with great curiosity.
"So...they opened the gate...blasted it, somehow...but why put up an illusion if we're just gonna pass it with ease?? . . . . . . unless . . . ."
"..Unless what?" " . . . " I looked down at him.
". . Either it was to keep everyone else out, except me, and when I passed, it was no longer necessary..or it wasn't an illusion at all..and merely a trigger." "..Trigger?"
"..Something to alert Smaug that we passed."
Bilbo's eyes widened with fear. " . . . "
He quickly looked away and gazed around the room. "He could be anywhere!"
I gazed with him. "..yes, he could.."
Stepping forward, we both eyed around the place with both caution and wonder.
It was so intricate, rich and enormous, I wanted to cry.
why you so perfect, dwarven kingdom?
Like I said, I could go on and on.
We passed the pillars that stretched all the way across the room, my mouth hanging open like a gaping shark. Twas mesmerizing, but I had to stay focused.
Dragon about, after all.
The further we got into the wide hall, the more I regretted passing the illusion.
Barnacle weeds. Why did I listen to myself?
"Bilbo, for reals bruh, get out've here."
We were passing the passage to the mining area.
"I told you, Sarah...I'm not leaving your side."
I was getting so flipping nauseated, I felt like I was gonna hurl. We came across the area that the dwarves made liquidy gold from and I felt my jaw slowly drop.
Sooo beautiful, darn it.
I wanted to admire, but there was no time.
"Do you know where you're going?" I heard behind me.
Good question. I was wondering the same thing myself.
"......maybe...who can say?" "..Perhaps I should lead." "You're no better off!"
"Wellll.." "Hush." "Sarah." "I mean it, Baggins, I killed an evil orc leader today, I am in no mood."
"Sarah." "We're about to go after a dragon with the risk of being eaten, my emotions are on a high, and if you touch me now, I'll probably burst out screaming, SO DON'T MESS WITH ME."
"SARAH." "wut?" I turned my head to what he was pointing at.
There, sitting across from us, smack-dab from the inside of a wall, was a door.
A dimensional door. Called a portal.
And against the aged, colorless, rocky background, showed a small pocket of a mountain of gold.
My mouth fell and my eyes glazed a bit.
....things definitely didn't feel right now.
". . You remember how you said this could be a trap?" "..Yes?"
"...I think you were right."
Our eyes met.
Against our better judgment, we proceeded forward.
With a short distance between, it didn't take long to get to it.
I only gave it a very brief glance before taking my hand and slipping it right through.
It felt unreal...fuzzy..my arm was technically going right through the wall.
Bilbo's gaze was fixed up on me, and I gulped. Without any words, I took a leg and put it through.
Slowly, cautiously, half of my body was already on the other side. I felt a strange sensation come over me.
Almost like a pulse of electricity. From this, I shivered.
Looking back at Bilbo, I could see the hobbit was hesitant.
I let out a hand that was still lingering on the other side.
"C'mon..like you said..we've gotta see this through. To the very end."
The hobbit didn't really need any convincing, though. He immediately passed with one long stride.
Like me, once he did pass the other side, he shivered.
I pulled the rest of my body in and breathed a sigh of relief. We didn't 'splode.
"Well.." I turned, suddenly, lowering my voice. "That's done."
I took Bilbo's sleeve and guided him around a pillar. The room we were now in was too enormous for words. It didn't even seem to have an end.
And in case you're wondering, we were in the dreaded treasure room.
All around us lay gold, jewels...treasure beyond your wildest dreams..as the saying goes, anyway.
But once again, we had no time for sight-seeing.
We must've been shuffling around for at least five minutes. We climbed atop a short pile of gold pieces, and I looked around. Bilbo's eyes moved up to me as I did so. "..What are searching for?"
"..Smaug...where in the hay is h-"
Suddenly,
explosion!
I jumped - Bilbo jumped - The whole realm jumped - as the whole landslide of gold ahead of us burst up like a geyser, gold flying everywhere, and much of it came at us.
I leapt back, with a shocked expression, as the cause of it revealed itself..
the snout of Smaug.
I yelped and hurriedly grabbed the hobbit by the hand and ducked behind a pillar.
Just as the dragon's movement disturbed and brought the entire mount ahead of us pouring down from all sides. Bilbo clamped his hand over his mouth from crying out, and I put an arm protectively around him.
At a glance, I caught sight of movement reflect from a golden cup sitting near us, so I checked it.
From it, I could see the clear reflection of Smaug. Therefore..I watched.
Unfortunately for us, he was fully awake. I highly doubted him even being asleep beneath all that treasure.
His snout drew back, twitching as if sniffing, which he probably was...and slowly, terrifyingly, he lifted his head up, his longgg neck stretching high-- the gold continuously pouring off the top and bottom of him --
as he faced our general direction.
My heart jumped as I saw his head turn from within the reflection, and I gulped, catching sight of his eyes, which were wide open, and glowing a bright chilling amber.
He was being so silent, it made me wanna scream.
Bilbo and I both looked to one another as we anticipated for him to speak or make a move.
We were actually waiting to be found by a dragon.
And just as I was being driven mad by the wait, I was then filled completely to the brim with dread.
"I've been expecting you."
my eyes...I felt them bulge.
"There's no point in hiding...I know you are here."
Another gulp.
"Your smell...is the same one as the girl I chased in Lake Town...which can only mean you and the others have won the battle...well done." He chuckled before that last part.
He shifted and I and Bilbo lowered ourselves, slowly.
"How you managed to win it is quite a mystery..however, the true mystery is why the messenger let you through...he must be slipping in his duties."
His voice was so deep, dark and serpentine, it really made me feel like his next meal.
Ugh, I wanted so desperately to get out. But I couldn't. I just couldn't.
"Which only means one of your companions has extinguished him. Pity..I was looking forward to devouring him myself."
.....Wait, messenger??
"You no doubt know a great deal about me...as well as..how I end...I was told of my demise..at the hand of the bowman..but your long journey here has been in vain. You have come for nothing. I will survive this encounter, and all the rest to come. For the only one to die this night, girl..will be you. And the hobbit."
Bilbo widened his eyes.
I couldn't take it anymore. He wanted answers? I was gonna give 'em to 'im.
Just as he started to get up, I sprang out of my hiding place, right into the clear sight of the dragon..
but not before whispering to Bilbo, "Put on the ring."
which he did.
Smaug jolted and his eyes enlarged with intrigue as he saw me pop out..
his slits slimmed, making me feel so very targeted.
halp, I was dying...and I wasn't even dying yet.
Despite the incredibly strong urge to get sick, I puffed my chest out as bravely as I could and narrowed my eyes with much sass. "You want me, Smaug, well here I am!"
I rose my arms, accordingly.
"And that little messenger? Sure, one of my chaps offed 'im. But I took out someone even more powerful...I defeated Azog! And wounded his doofus son up pretty good! I dunno how I'm gonna do it..but I am gonna stop you. I won't let you hurt anyone or anything, anymore. The dwarves will get back their mountain and the people of Lake Town won't live in fear of you any longer!"
Sure, I was feeling brave and all, but my dignity was soon diminished as the dragon began to...chuckle.
I was being mocked by a mythical creature. What is my life?
"You?"
he bellowed as he laughed even harder, and harder...and the ground shook as his menacing voice echoed everywhere. "YOU?! STOP ME?! Not even the dwarves could stop me! OR the hobbit! YOU?! YOU are just a CHILD compared to the rest! An insect compared to ME! You will stop nothing."
gulp
His voice got darker.....and before I knew it..he was rising.
"Queen or not---you, girl, can not defea-"
"BILBO, RUN!"
Smaug jolted as I took off suddenly, snatching a large cup and throwing it at his nose.
Of course it didn't hit him. But, well, yeah.
I and the hobbit dashed back against the wall, towards the portal.
Smaug caught on and he grabbed for us, leaping suddenly towards our direction, and just as his claws came behind, I and Baggins leapt through. Smaug roared as he missed us by only a few mere feet--
and he shot out a pillar of fire through the doorway.
Thankfully, we ducked just in time from either side, as the fire passed by us. I squeezed my eyes shut from the extreme heat...it stopped, finally, and Smaug presumably backed away.
I looked over at Bilbo, who in the meantime removed the ring and stuck it in his pocket.
I nodded. We dashed off again.
"So what's the plan? Are we finding another way?!"
I jumped ahead of the hobbit as we were entering the forging room. "Bro, we're executing the plan!"
He looked at me, quite confusedly.
"He's TICKED! We're luring him out! We'll get to the others and Bard will stop him!"
His face lit up. "Brilliant!"
All of the sudden, I could hear loud, close-sounding booming sounds.
My heart raced, "It won't be such a brilliant plan if we don't hustle, hustle, move our muscles!!"
We sped even quicker.
We were rather quick, for in a matter of a few minutes, we had returned to the entrance.
We were almost there--we were just about to reach the gate!
annnnndddddd
we screamed. For just ahead of us jumped out an enormous, cat-eyed creature..and we cautiously backed all the way, eyes widening, as Smaug stood and stared hatefully down at us.
"Bilbo, get back!" I shouted, jumping infront of him. Smaug's wicked mouth formed into a grin.
"--thought you could escape, did you?"
"..yeah..kinda..was hoping." I uttered, nervously.
He chuckled again, darn it. I felt less intelligent with him around.
". . . I have a few tricks of my own . . granted to me by the visitor himself."
"..Visitor? You mean..the kid?"
His expression changed. He looked a bit..perplexed. "No..this was no child. You are speaking of the messenger.."
"Yeah, the one who came to you, the one who woke you up!"
"--You think he was the one? . . no . . this was not a child . . it was a man . . armed with a scepter . . horns upon blackened hair . . who claimed to be a god . ."
. . . . . . ! !
Wait, WHAT?!
That sounded a lot like...n--no....it....it couldn't be..it couldn't.
He smirked, smugly. ". . and your little villain buddies. You think that's gonna last long? Once they get bored with you, they'll kill you. And you know it. You're bound to come across their enemies soon enough...you really think they'll keep you for very long once you do?"
Hurt by this, I cocked the weapon and shoved myself a step forward, "HOW do you know all this?!"
His expression got darker as he backed away, slowly, his head lowering.
"There are spies everywhere, Demens...some a little closer to home than you think."
My feels really sunk at this one....
"...Spare my meaningless life, and I'll tell you who it is."
I froze. A....spy....and if I let this little parasite go....he'd tell me who it was.....or would he?
but this deal's future was suddenly shattered.
For just as I blinked, he whipped out his hand, where a blue energy started to gather in his palm and he went to fire...when a blur whizzed past me and BANG! . . . . . .
the parasite fell to the ground completely.
He was now motionless.
My entire body jolted as I widened my eyes.
Slowly, I looked back. . . . Joker.
The clown stood a short ways from us, his own revolver pointed at the young fiend's direction.
His eyes cut at me and he lowered his arm, proceeding to lick at his scars.
"Why didn't you shoot him on the spot?"
I blinked, repeatedly, and swallowed hard. "I...I was...trying to get information out've him.."
"Well, he was about to kill ya," He said, boredly and high-pitched, as he walked to me, grabbing my gun from my loosened hand. "You really should be more careful talking to strangers."
He waggled the weapon infront of my face. "Ya really think this is gonna stop a dragon?"
I immediately shrugged. He quietly, lowly, hummed...then handed it back to me.
"Get going, kid. I'll keep the others busy for ya."
Well, then.
I, at first, gave him a look of uncertainty, before he nodded me off.
"Thanks" was all I could get out before he rushingly shooed me away from behind with a repeated,
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah"
I stumbled away, eyeing the nobody's body only once, before glancing back at J, who stood still, staring off at the direction we came from. With a final glare at him, then at Bilbo, then at the mountain, the hobbit and I were off once more.
° ° °
I didn't even bother with trying to keep my cool anymore.
As soon as we got to the top, being at a gate into the Dwarven home, I fell on my back and made several exasperated huffs and puffs, and felt like I was gonna die.
This was too much for a tiny penguin such as myself. TOO MUCH.
Bilbo bent down, out of breath himself, and eyed ahead of us.
"...Is...is there no way in?"
My eyes moved to the gate. Twas seeming to be sealed. I made a face.
"Codfish."
"I believe this is why Thorin wanted to take the secret entrance.." "Or maybe no."
"But Sarah.." "But Bilbo."
I stood up and wiped the dust off myself. "Bothersome bother. I ain't letting a pesky wall best me! There's gotta be a-" "Wait a moment.."
He got closer. "...It's..it's.." He leaned in, out, side to side, his eyes widening.
"...!!...it's...it's not sealed!"
"Come again??" "Look!" He grabbed my hand and quickly moved me. I kept an eye on the gate-- suddenly, my vision declared it from visible to not visible. I blinked several times and moved back.
The gate returned. My head jerked. "WITCHERY! It's an illusion!"
"But why??" "Who knows??" I said with a shrug. "..didn't realize that dude had this powerful of an ability."
I waved at it with a hand. "It stands even after his death!"
"But maybe it's not his doing?" "Quit ruining things for me, midget."
"No, really..." "But that's rubbish. Who else would it be? He's the one who woke Sma--"
I stopped.....oh dear...
"........Bilbo.....Smaug won't be asleep..."
I slowly looked back at the gate, growing a knot in my stomach.
"....He was told...to wait his turn....he'll know we're here." "..then this is a trap."
My brows crinkled. But why? Why would those two go through such trouble??.......
I shook my head and took a step forward, "Nuh uh, you stay here." "Sarah, no!"
He caught me by the arm, "We agreed to do this together! I'm not leaving you!"
I stared down at the hobbit with worry in my eyes...I didn't want him in harm's way.
Not with a dragon. Not dear Bilbo.
But the hobbit had a will. I couldn't stop him.
If he wanted to help, well, I had to let it happen.
I sighed and turned back around, "Ok......let's go."
Bilbo smiled. A simple little smile that at once lifted my spirits.
I loved the little guy.
~
I could go on and on about how beautiful, detailed and enormous the dwarf kingdom was, but that would probably force me to make this more an 11 part 'arc'..and I think you've had just about enough of me and Middle Earth.
As soon as we cautiously stepped through the illusion, it's power quickly withered and before our eyes, it disintegrated. No matter what position we were standing in, it was gone.
I looked up at what used to be the gate and studied the area with great curiosity.
"So...they opened the gate...blasted it, somehow...but why put up an illusion if we're just gonna pass it with ease?? . . . . . . unless . . . ."
"..Unless what?" " . . . " I looked down at him.
". . Either it was to keep everyone else out, except me, and when I passed, it was no longer necessary..or it wasn't an illusion at all..and merely a trigger." "..Trigger?"
"..Something to alert Smaug that we passed."
Bilbo's eyes widened with fear. " . . . "
He quickly looked away and gazed around the room. "He could be anywhere!"
I gazed with him. "..yes, he could.."
Stepping forward, we both eyed around the place with both caution and wonder.
It was so intricate, rich and enormous, I wanted to cry.
why you so perfect, dwarven kingdom?
Like I said, I could go on and on.
We passed the pillars that stretched all the way across the room, my mouth hanging open like a gaping shark. Twas mesmerizing, but I had to stay focused.
Dragon about, after all.
The further we got into the wide hall, the more I regretted passing the illusion.
Barnacle weeds. Why did I listen to myself?
"Bilbo, for reals bruh, get out've here."
We were passing the passage to the mining area.
"I told you, Sarah...I'm not leaving your side."
I was getting so flipping nauseated, I felt like I was gonna hurl. We came across the area that the dwarves made liquidy gold from and I felt my jaw slowly drop.
Sooo beautiful, darn it.
I wanted to admire, but there was no time.
"Do you know where you're going?" I heard behind me.
Good question. I was wondering the same thing myself.
"......maybe...who can say?" "..Perhaps I should lead." "You're no better off!"
"Wellll.." "Hush." "Sarah." "I mean it, Baggins, I killed an evil orc leader today, I am in no mood."
"Sarah." "We're about to go after a dragon with the risk of being eaten, my emotions are on a high, and if you touch me now, I'll probably burst out screaming, SO DON'T MESS WITH ME."
"SARAH." "wut?" I turned my head to what he was pointing at.
There, sitting across from us, smack-dab from the inside of a wall, was a door.
A dimensional door. Called a portal.
And against the aged, colorless, rocky background, showed a small pocket of a mountain of gold.
My mouth fell and my eyes glazed a bit.
....things definitely didn't feel right now.
". . You remember how you said this could be a trap?" "..Yes?"
"...I think you were right."
Our eyes met.
Against our better judgment, we proceeded forward.
With a short distance between, it didn't take long to get to it.
I only gave it a very brief glance before taking my hand and slipping it right through.
It felt unreal...fuzzy..my arm was technically going right through the wall.
Bilbo's gaze was fixed up on me, and I gulped. Without any words, I took a leg and put it through.
Slowly, cautiously, half of my body was already on the other side. I felt a strange sensation come over me.
Almost like a pulse of electricity. From this, I shivered.
Looking back at Bilbo, I could see the hobbit was hesitant.
I let out a hand that was still lingering on the other side.
"C'mon..like you said..we've gotta see this through. To the very end."
The hobbit didn't really need any convincing, though. He immediately passed with one long stride.
Like me, once he did pass the other side, he shivered.
I pulled the rest of my body in and breathed a sigh of relief. We didn't 'splode.
"Well.." I turned, suddenly, lowering my voice. "That's done."
I took Bilbo's sleeve and guided him around a pillar. The room we were now in was too enormous for words. It didn't even seem to have an end.
And in case you're wondering, we were in the dreaded treasure room.
All around us lay gold, jewels...treasure beyond your wildest dreams..as the saying goes, anyway.
But once again, we had no time for sight-seeing.
We must've been shuffling around for at least five minutes. We climbed atop a short pile of gold pieces, and I looked around. Bilbo's eyes moved up to me as I did so. "..What are searching for?"
"..Smaug...where in the hay is h-"
Suddenly,
explosion!
I jumped - Bilbo jumped - The whole realm jumped - as the whole landslide of gold ahead of us burst up like a geyser, gold flying everywhere, and much of it came at us.
I leapt back, with a shocked expression, as the cause of it revealed itself..
the snout of Smaug.
I yelped and hurriedly grabbed the hobbit by the hand and ducked behind a pillar.
Just as the dragon's movement disturbed and brought the entire mount ahead of us pouring down from all sides. Bilbo clamped his hand over his mouth from crying out, and I put an arm protectively around him.
At a glance, I caught sight of movement reflect from a golden cup sitting near us, so I checked it.
From it, I could see the clear reflection of Smaug. Therefore..I watched.
Unfortunately for us, he was fully awake. I highly doubted him even being asleep beneath all that treasure.
His snout drew back, twitching as if sniffing, which he probably was...and slowly, terrifyingly, he lifted his head up, his longgg neck stretching high-- the gold continuously pouring off the top and bottom of him --
as he faced our general direction.
My heart jumped as I saw his head turn from within the reflection, and I gulped, catching sight of his eyes, which were wide open, and glowing a bright chilling amber.
He was being so silent, it made me wanna scream.
Bilbo and I both looked to one another as we anticipated for him to speak or make a move.
We were actually waiting to be found by a dragon.
And just as I was being driven mad by the wait, I was then filled completely to the brim with dread.
"I've been expecting you."
my eyes...I felt them bulge.
"There's no point in hiding...I know you are here."
Another gulp.
"Your smell...is the same one as the girl I chased in Lake Town...which can only mean you and the others have won the battle...well done." He chuckled before that last part.
He shifted and I and Bilbo lowered ourselves, slowly.
"How you managed to win it is quite a mystery..however, the true mystery is why the messenger let you through...he must be slipping in his duties."
His voice was so deep, dark and serpentine, it really made me feel like his next meal.
Ugh, I wanted so desperately to get out. But I couldn't. I just couldn't.
"Which only means one of your companions has extinguished him. Pity..I was looking forward to devouring him myself."
.....Wait, messenger??
"You no doubt know a great deal about me...as well as..how I end...I was told of my demise..at the hand of the bowman..but your long journey here has been in vain. You have come for nothing. I will survive this encounter, and all the rest to come. For the only one to die this night, girl..will be you. And the hobbit."
Bilbo widened his eyes.
I couldn't take it anymore. He wanted answers? I was gonna give 'em to 'im.
Just as he started to get up, I sprang out of my hiding place, right into the clear sight of the dragon..
but not before whispering to Bilbo, "Put on the ring."
which he did.
Smaug jolted and his eyes enlarged with intrigue as he saw me pop out..
his slits slimmed, making me feel so very targeted.
halp, I was dying...and I wasn't even dying yet.
Despite the incredibly strong urge to get sick, I puffed my chest out as bravely as I could and narrowed my eyes with much sass. "You want me, Smaug, well here I am!"
I rose my arms, accordingly.
"And that little messenger? Sure, one of my chaps offed 'im. But I took out someone even more powerful...I defeated Azog! And wounded his doofus son up pretty good! I dunno how I'm gonna do it..but I am gonna stop you. I won't let you hurt anyone or anything, anymore. The dwarves will get back their mountain and the people of Lake Town won't live in fear of you any longer!"
Sure, I was feeling brave and all, but my dignity was soon diminished as the dragon began to...chuckle.
I was being mocked by a mythical creature. What is my life?
"You?"
he bellowed as he laughed even harder, and harder...and the ground shook as his menacing voice echoed everywhere. "YOU?! STOP ME?! Not even the dwarves could stop me! OR the hobbit! YOU?! YOU are just a CHILD compared to the rest! An insect compared to ME! You will stop nothing."
gulp
His voice got darker.....and before I knew it..he was rising.
"Queen or not---you, girl, can not defea-"
"BILBO, RUN!"
Smaug jolted as I took off suddenly, snatching a large cup and throwing it at his nose.
Of course it didn't hit him. But, well, yeah.
I and the hobbit dashed back against the wall, towards the portal.
Smaug caught on and he grabbed for us, leaping suddenly towards our direction, and just as his claws came behind, I and Baggins leapt through. Smaug roared as he missed us by only a few mere feet--
and he shot out a pillar of fire through the doorway.
Thankfully, we ducked just in time from either side, as the fire passed by us. I squeezed my eyes shut from the extreme heat...it stopped, finally, and Smaug presumably backed away.
I looked over at Bilbo, who in the meantime removed the ring and stuck it in his pocket.
I nodded. We dashed off again.
"So what's the plan? Are we finding another way?!"
I jumped ahead of the hobbit as we were entering the forging room. "Bro, we're executing the plan!"
He looked at me, quite confusedly.
"He's TICKED! We're luring him out! We'll get to the others and Bard will stop him!"
His face lit up. "Brilliant!"
All of the sudden, I could hear loud, close-sounding booming sounds.
My heart raced, "It won't be such a brilliant plan if we don't hustle, hustle, move our muscles!!"
We sped even quicker.
We were rather quick, for in a matter of a few minutes, we had returned to the entrance.
We were almost there--we were just about to reach the gate!
annnnndddddd
we screamed. For just ahead of us jumped out an enormous, cat-eyed creature..and we cautiously backed all the way, eyes widening, as Smaug stood and stared hatefully down at us.
"Bilbo, get back!" I shouted, jumping infront of him. Smaug's wicked mouth formed into a grin.
"--thought you could escape, did you?"
"..yeah..kinda..was hoping." I uttered, nervously.
He chuckled again, darn it. I felt less intelligent with him around.
". . . I have a few tricks of my own . . granted to me by the visitor himself."
"..Visitor? You mean..the kid?"
His expression changed. He looked a bit..perplexed. "No..this was no child. You are speaking of the messenger.."
"Yeah, the one who came to you, the one who woke you up!"
"--You think he was the one? . . no . . this was not a child . . it was a man . . armed with a scepter . . horns upon blackened hair . . who claimed to be a god . ."
. . . . . . ! !
Wait, WHAT?!
That sounded a lot like...n--no....it....it couldn't be..it couldn't.
Smaug took advantage of my confusion and he began to pace.
"Curious how little you know of what transpires around you...you...who is supposed to be a queen."
I couldn't take it..I had to hold back..I had to..I...I....
"--I'm afraid you've been terribly misinformed."
c r a p
His eyes shot at me. I froze like a weeping angel.
" . . . . . . . he's no longer in this world . . . . I assume he has left for the next." He kept his eyes right on me and I gulped so loudly as he paced and paced.
".........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....you're not the queen, are you?"
I wanted to die. My eyes followed him as he came to this realization.
"Even so....there isssssomething about you...not just being a visitor...from another world..there's something ssspecial...it seems you are touched with--destiny...........queen or no queen...you are quite different.."
He glanced away for a moment and help, I couldn't breathe.
His eyes returned. "...No matter...the others will still want you.."
My heart sunk . . . . . . . . others?
His eyes fixed on me. My heart now gradually pounded.
"They've instructed me to take you to them......
dead or alive."
This caused my body to jolt and I backed away, my mouth now hanging all the way open.
Bilbo's eyes turned to me as I stiffened up, and Smaug hissed loudly.
"Sarah----run----run----RUN---SARAH, RUN!!!"
snap
My mind went into action and I swung around and began running as fast as I humanly possibly could--
when with just barely a few strides and thumps, I felt the dragon's presence come strongly too close to mine and before I knew it, I was beING LIFTED OFF THE FREAKING GROUND BY MY HOOD.
I naturally screamed.
I was floating higher and higher and higher into the air by the second, my clothing caught on his teeth and I kicked and screamed and struggled as he glided towards the entrance.
I didn't fully register what was even happening to me by the time he had passed it and was ascending towards the night sky and the ground was very very very far beneath me.
From behind, I could hear Bilbo's voice ring and scream rather loudly my name.
As I looked down, struggling for breath, eyes about to pop out've my skull, I spotted Thorin and the other dwarves, who were hastily climbing the side of the mountain.
But when they spotted Smaug and saw me hanging from his teeth, they all swung around, screaming, developing expressions of shock, and they waved at me frantically, unable to do a dang thing.
Just like me.
How done I was with this situation, I can not even tell you, cuz I can not even find the words to explain.
JUST KILL ME NOW, DRAGON.
no wait, on second thought, no, cuz he was about to do that anyway, how about just dropping me?
yep, g'bye.
Speaking of which.....
Completely and utterly thankful in that moment that I am a tough girl, I brought my legs up and reached into my boot as he got further and further away from the mountain. I wound up grabbing a thing.
A sharp pointy thing.
Immediately, I brought my knife up, looked to the top of what little I could see of him, then with a single motion, I reached behind my head and jammed the blade into Smaug's huge gums, wincing my entire body.
This caused the dragon to cry out in pain and instinctively, he opened his mouth and ploop,
I was sent plummeting to the earth.
DID I MENTION I WAS APPARENTLY SUICIDAL IN TIMES OF CRISIS?
Naturally, I was shouting up a storm as I fell towards the ground--I tried to guide my body away from the land and more to the water. But I was descending much too quickly.
Yep. Most assuredly, I was going to die.
But like, no. Cuz before my brain could process what was happening, my hands grabbed onto something hard and huge, and I held on to dear life as I dangled from the edge of the T.A.R.D.I.S., which had appeared right below me and was currently spinning in a horizontal direction.
I realized that I was being guided towards the city, to drop upon one of the tall buildings.
Rather ingenious, cuz then I could hide from within as Smaug came after me.
Giving me more time to form a strategy.
It was extremely challenging, holding onto that thing as it spun in motion and I couldn't see much without turning my head and distracting myself from my grip.
That's when I spotted the city below me and the T.A.R.D.I.S. was lowered. This was my cue.
I sucked in my breath and simply let go.
It was a 20 foot drop and the impact of landing on the rocky surface shot a stinging pain up my legs, which made me collapse onto my front side . . but hey. I was still alive.
I took a few brief breaths as my legs tried to recover and I could get back up...and when I say briefly, I mean brief. For I heard and felt a loud rumble behind me, and eerily got the sense of being stared at.
We won't dance around it.
I slowly turned my head to behind me and lo and behold..Smaug.
In a split second, I lunged my entire body away and dropped to the first level, just before Smaug instinctively lunged for me, clamping his jaws at the air I once breathed.
YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME, COPPER.
I started to dodge and zig-zag, zipping in and out of the buildings, as Smaug had skipped up atop the city and was biting at me, attempting to also cut me off.
But I was much too tiny and quick for 'im.
He roared at my difficulty (it's clear now that literally everyone reaches that point with me) and I ducked inside a home, hurriedly guiding myself through the darkness.
Smaug tried to stick his head down to peek inside, but his head was much too big.
He struggled and struggled, rotating his body to see if he could get into another angle.
When he did, his eye peeked into the inky blackness--
however, it was only met with a sudden thrust of my sword.
An unearthly scream came from the dragon and he retracted his head. I jumped out from the safety of the building and to the outside, taking a quick glance to check the status of the beast, who was a little too busy screeching in pain as he reached for his eye. This held him back, long enough for me to get a headstart to deepen myself into the city.
I bolted as fast as I could, leaping back up to the 2nd level, and charging across the pathways and bridges.
I had about 30 seconds on me before I heard yet another roar...a ticked roar...and the loudness and quakiness of being pursued repeated itself.
This new determination to catch me wound up working for the dragon--for before I could leap back to the first level, he was already behind me with one powerful stride and the rumble caused me to stumble and trip.
The beastie wasted no time to proceed to lunge forward and clamp at me. .
well..before a wild figure appeared behind me--or infront of me?? my back was turned--and shot an arrow at Smaug's eye. It missed, of course, bounding off his thick skin that laid over his bright slitted optic, that he closed just in time.
My eyes turned and tadaaaaaaa!
"LEGOLAS!"
The elf looked down at me and flicked his head ahead of him as a motion to go.
"GO!"
Well, then..
No arguments here. I immediately did what I was told and booked it forward, as the elf prince went at it with the dragon. He shot repeated arrows that bounced right off the beast's head.
I had just enough time to jump up another level and run towards a more enclosed area that laid before me across a bridge, when I heard a thunk!, a loud roar and "SARAH!!" and all of the sudden, I was being lifted into the air, all over again.
My ears were deafened by my own screams as Smaug took me higher and higher and higher.
I dared to look up--we were growing ever so frightfully close to the sky, the moon has never been so large, and I was gradually losing oxygen.
Just as I was being hurled up like I was on an amusement ride, now physically losing all my breath, I was blinded by an excruciatingly bright white light, that came from an immensely powerful blast of energy that slammed hard into the side of the dragon...this caused him to screech in pain. He let me go.
We were, in that moment, descending back to the earth.
I've never screamed so loud or so often in my entire life.
And to make matters worse..as I was already falling to my death..Smaug was still trying to get me.
As he fell, his back turned to the earth below, his wings thrashed awkwardly like mad against the wind, which left his front side facing me. I was unfortunately falling faster than him, which means I was plummeting straight for his stomach. The beast saw me come closer, and once I was close enough, that's when he began chomping...and chomping..and chomping..each clamp of his jaws executed with tremendous force and ferocity. I would've been squashed like a grape had he caught me.
I dodged every bite as best as I could.
When this didn't work for him, he immediately proceeded to step 2...turn me into a BBQ.
He shot red hot flames straight up at me.
Popping hot geysers of fire, shooting up into the sky like the event horizon.
I missed this unpleasant way to go by mere inches..but still felt the heat blast my body like an explosion.
Moving away from the flames caused me to shift even further down and next thing I know, I'm bouncing against the dragon's rock hard underside, and was screaming my eardrums off as I was flung off-course several yards away from the dragon, towards the water. The actual lake now faced me as I dove to it, arms infront of me. Smaug had shifted himself and was now coming straight down after me like a speeding bullet.
You're probably half-wondering..what is this young terrified girl thinking as she is hurdling to her death?
Well, the answer is simply,
I- AM GOING TO -DIE
Within mere seconds,
splooooooooossshhhhhhhhhhhh
I was struck like a million knives to the core as cold--very cold, even for me--lake water engulfed me and I sunk straight down towards the bottom like a cannon ball.
Oh and fun fact. I can't swim.
All I saw above me was my own rush of bubbles shooting up to the top, and eery moonlight shimmering against the surface. I didn't have enough time to even adjust to my new location, so I just kinda stopped breathing. Soon enough, something enormous joined me with a humongous gurgled explosion into the water..
the dragon was quickly plummeting down near where I was.
All I could do was open my mouth and let out a silent scream.
Y'know, especially when he faced me and looked right at me with enlarged slitted eyes.
HAVE I MENTIONED I CAN'T SWIM? CUZ I CAN'T SWIM.
I started thrashing my arms around like a baby bird learning to fly, and I kicked my legs like it actually meant something. I was frantic and panicking and scrambling for the surface. In my lifetime, I have almost drowned twice, which has made me a bit terrified of the water.
I was soon rising up to the top. Not so much luck for Smaug..he got infuriated fast as he wasn't going anywhere at all really, desperately flopping his wings to no avail.
#Immmoorrrttaallllll #JellyDragon
We immortals got skills. You mad, Smaugie?
Closer and closer and closer and bam!
I was back at the surface, gasping like a person who has been underwater for too long..y'know how it goes.
I had enough of the water and I had only been in it for like, two seconds.
Thankfully for me, though the water tried to drag me back down and succeeded only a few times, the shallow part of the lake wasn't far away, which meant I only had to struggle a few moments until my feet could touch the ground below and walk.
So I started hurriedly moving towards a tall, slopey-cliff ahead of me, as best as I could.
It took me a couple of minutes to get there, but I finally made it.
I crawled to the edge of the rocky surface, then hurried with my drenched little self to the side of the slopey-cliff. It was soft and climbable....there, I took my two swords and proceeded to make my way to the top.
I made it. I dropped my blades to the ground and fell on my knees, unable to control my lungs at this point.
I only had a few minutes to myself, as I closed my eyes and hoped to God that Smaug had drowned or simply was delayed long enough for me to make an escape.
I was very much ready to just collapse....
and well, of course...yeah.
Here came doom again.
As soon as I heard water quietly drip behind me and a lowwww low growl rise from the inside of a certain throat, I knew. That I, well, was scroogled.
Slowly I rose up, and slowly, I pivoted.
Do not tell me your life is hard, you've not had to turn around to an enormous dragon facing you with fire in his eyes. I gulped so loud and so forcefully, it hurt.
With delicacy, I took small, cautious steps back...he seemed to come closer at every step I did take, holding onto the edge of the cliff.
My heart sunk. I didn't wanna die like this. I just didn't.........
then,
"SARAH!"
I breathed. I made a quick glance behind me before looking right back at Smaug.
Bard.
With a bow and arrow. A black arrow, to be precise.
Smaug's eyes shot up at the lake man, as the arrow was pointed straight at his chest.
I couldn't look away from the dragon, no matter how hard I tried. His growl and piercing amber eyes mesmerized me. I was a statue.
"Sarah. . ."
Bard's voice rang in my ears. Smaug sneered.
". . . . . get down . . . ."
My eyes enlarged.
Smaug bowed his body. My breathing intensified. He was going to attack.
". . . . NOW!"
That was it.
With a yelp, I ducked down immediately, the arrow blazing past my head, just as Smaug roared and lunged forward...but too late.
PLUNGE!
The wind was instantly knocked out of him and his face enlarged with horror as the arrow shot right into the hole located at his underside. Slowly, he staggered--
then, at last, his weight brought him down.
He lost control...and....crash
...well.....sort've.
I wasted no time lingering on the ground. I shot up and stared straight ahead of me, my mouth gaping idiotically. I will be honest, my body was trembling.
Before I had time to register what just happened, Bard came in rushing behind me and grabbed my arm, jerking me to face him. "Are you alright?!"
I stuttered a bit. He shook me again, "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"
"Ye-YES! I'm FINE!" I jerked my arm away, just as he ran ahead of me.
I'm sure neither of us meant to shout, but we were both fuming with adrenaline and worry.
He charged for the edge of the cliff and looked down.
I honestly was expecting Smaug to leap up at that moment and surprise attack the lake man..
Instead...something else happened, that was to be perfectly frank, much much worse.
"...Impossible."
My heart sunk once more. Oh no..
I stumbled over to the man, weakened beyond belief, and I looked down from beside him.
My eyes gradually widened. no...
"He's..he's.." Bard's face was filled with denial.
I wanted to cry.
"....He's gone."
"...He did not crash...he didn't.." "-I know."
He shook his head, confusion completely dominating his expression.
"...I shot him..he.........where...where could he have gone?"
. . . I had no answers.
Other than faintly whispering, "..Others."
"..I'm afraid we won't be getting the answer to that..not for a long time. He's really gone."
Bard swallowed. Despite his worry, his body seemed to ease.
Soon, his eyes turned to me. Mine, in turn, moved to him.
"..are you sure you're alright?"
I nodded, quickly. He tightened his mouth and laid a concerned hand on my shoulder.
I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
I was still alive. I faced Azog, I faced the dragon, and I was still alive.
"Are you out of your mind??"
My eyes shot to my left. The boys were tumbling out of the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"You could have been disintegrated!" "Nice to see you, too....so? What of it?"
"SO, that was careless and idiotic and I ought to slap you!"
I faintly smirked, "..Now you're starting to sound like me."
Master gained a look of dismay.
"Not that we're concerned for your well-being.." Moriarty breathed, sticking his head up high.
"But..did he get...you..at all.....???"
"In other words..am I okay?"
He looked away. I breathed, roughly. "Yes."
I looked down at the ground for a moment..then curled my lips back, "Thanks for the help, by the way."
But my companions said nothing. Neither did I.
The matter of Smaug returned to my mind, and I worriedly looked to my right, out at the lake and mountains.
. . . . . . others . . . .
~ ~ ~
Morning came. The air became cooler.
The sun shone down upon the land, with anewed radiance.
The feeling it all gave was not that of death, sorrow and emptiness.
But of life, hope and victory.
So what if Smaug got away? We deserved this. We won. We actually won.
Everyone had returned to Lake Town.
There were a few things that needed to be rebuilt..but hey..they had their town back.
And they also once again had the city of Dale. Y'know..as soon as they cleared it of dead orcs and all.
I couldn't believe it, though. The people, the dwarves..everyone.
So many that would've been dead were alive.
..and I helped make it happen.
I stood amongst the townspeople in such a state of shock...I just....couldn't believe it.
My brain could not process it.
"Miss Sarah."
My eyes gravitated to Gandalf, and a smile escaped my mouth. "Gandalf."
He bowed his head and moved to the sidelines. I got the message and moved over with him.
We huddled into a tiny circle and he bowed his head yet again.
"Well..we did it, then." I said, with a slight grin.
He smiled, faintly. "Yes, we did."
I nodded my head. ". . . Well . . yeah . . guess Bilbo told you everything Smaug said, yeah?"
". . Yes . ."
I bowed my head.
"--How do you feel?" "..About what?"
"With what the dragon told you." "..Oh..I..don't know, really..."
"..He knew you are not the queen." ".....yeah...." "..Well..do not listen to him."
I blinked. Slowly, my head rose up at him. "Huh??"
". . You may not be the queen. But he was most certainly right about one thing; there is something about you. You possess a power and a will like no other. Queen or not, you came this far and accomplished wonders. What you did for this world and it's people proves there is more to you than any of us will know. You are most certainly not an ordinary girl...as far as I am concerned, you are always welcome here. And I and the others will support you in any way we can...and I would advise you to keep up this identity. You have used it for the right purpose...there is truly something special about you, miss Sarah..no matter what you might think of yourself."
I faintly smiled. "..Thanks."
He nodded, gently. "..And who knows?..you might actually be the queen."
Now there was something. My brows lifted with intrigue. Huh...
Did I mention Gandalf was also the one who blasted Smaug up earlier with energy?
Yeah..he was a pretty cool dude.
"Gandalf, the fireworks!"
The wizard turned to a group of skittish children bouncing up and down a ways from us.
I grinned.
"Coming, coming.." He nodded at me as he passed and hurried on to get started.
My head turned back to the people..they had all at once started to dance to the cheery music being played in the background with an instrument similar to that of a violin.
In an instance, a small explosion occurred and pop!
I was soon beaming as small sparkly golden butterflies flew all around me and towards the people.
They all cheered and clapped as they ran around, dancing happily, laughing to their hearts' content.
I started to bob to the music, briefly closing my eyes to take it all in.
This was what I wanted. Right here. Everyone alive.
Safe..happy..good winning.
Everyone I cared about deserved this. I didn't care what I had to change anymore.
As long as I got this, nothing else mattered.
- - -
Unfortunately, no matter how much it pains me..some journeys must come to an end.
I stayed on the sidelines as everyone celebrated their victory.
The dwarves were ready to move back into their mountain..the townspeople made Bard the new master of Lake Town and imprisoned the old one.. and since Alfrid helped us, he was left alone, to serve under Bard.
Thranduil was set to return home, waiting of course until he got his jewels back.
Pretty much everything worked out.
But again..there was one last thing that had to be done.
I gathered everyone up--everyone that mattered the most to me--and made them group together in a more quieter part of town. The boys had parked the T.A.R.D.I.S. a short distance away, and they came out to join me as I stood amongst my new friends.
This was certainly one of the hardest things I had to do.
I was standing stiffly, hands curled into fists at my sides, and I shifted awkwardly, staring at the ground, as I tried to search my mind on what to say.
After a bit of this and the situation becoming all the more clear, poor little Ori gained a look of sadness.
"...you're not leaving..you CAN'T be leaving!"
I lifted my head at him, and soon saw the rest of their faces develop saddened expressions and gradually deepen the longer we stood there. Their voices soon became entangled together.
"You can't!" "You can't go, you belong here!" "Please stay!" "You're one of us!"
"Guys..I need to. This isn't my home. I came here to meet you all..to finally meet you..and I have. But I can't stay here. There's no purpose for me staying here."
Dwalin unexpectedly shot up and pounded his own chest.
"We're your purpose! You can stay with us, in the mountains!"
"We need you!" cried Bofur.
"Yes, we do!" cried another dwarf.
But I simply shook my head, and this appropriately shut them up. They sagged.
I made a lopsided frown and started to approach them.
"My job here is done. You're all safe and alive..I need to move on."
They bowed their heads, starting to see the truth in it.
This broke my tiny heart.
"..now..I have a thing against being given hugs...but..I suppose I can make an exception."
Reluctantly, I let out my arms. Almost immediately, I was tackled.
Ori, Fili and Kili were the first, the poor things fighting back tears. "Please stay safe."
I smiled and they let go. Thorin was the next, whispering his thanks for helping him reclaim his kingdom...
and soon, all the dwarves ran up to gimme a hug.
Bilbo's was rather tight..I gave him a glare as he backed away. "Be careful, k? Especially with that ring."
He nodded, tightening his throat to keep from crying.
I smirked, "Say hello to the Shire for me."
He chuckled.
I then approached the taller folk. Bard's kids all squeezed the life out've me, making me feel so much guilt as they desperately tried to stop their crying.
Bard, himself, was taking deep, long breaths. "Be careful."
He hugged me, gently. Dear lord, I think he was on the verge of tears, as well.
"I will.." He backed away, letting Legolas step in.
I grinned and he embraced me, warmly. "Thanks for the help, Lego.."
After a minute, he stepped back and pat my shoulder, "It was my honor, my queen."
Stepping over to Gandalf and Thranduil, I shrugged uneasily.
"Thanks," I muttered to the wizard with a respectful bow of the head, who bowed his head back at me.
Thranduil, however, looked away, unamused. I rose a sassy eyebrow and briefly pointed at him.
"Don't be racist."
He grimaced.
I proceeded to Tauriel, who automatically gave me a huge hug that nearly made me choke.
"Thank you for everything.." She said, softly. I chuckled as I stepped back.
"Same to you, girl-frend." I glanced at Kili, then back at her and winked.
"You two play nice, now."
They both gave eachother a startled glare. I snickered as I came to Alfrid.
He was trying to keep his eyes to the ground, and was clenching his whole body up.
I lowered my chin at him, giving him a sly expression..I knew he was wanting to say something.
"...Well....bye?"
His eyes shifted. Suddenly, I was attacked.
He nearly made me fall from the outburst, and I struggled to keep my balance, as the suddenly weeping fool squeezed the air out've me. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO!!" He cried.
I made a half-disgusted, half-weirded out expression and hurriedly pushed him back.
He sniffled and spoke much more quietly, "You're my only friend....."
I shrugged and gestured at the others. "Be nicer to them..and you'll have more."
He glanced at them, uncertainly, and they tried not to shiver from the thought.
I gave him a forced smile and he gave me one back. I chuckled and began to turn.
Bard and Lego went over to the chaps and were leaning in close, patting them on the backs.
I overheard their rather loud inconspicuous whispers.
"You look after her.." said Legolas.
"And if you don't.." Bard went on. "..We'll kill you."
It took all my power to keep from bursting out in laughter, especially when they all looked over at me with slight concern. But I stayed myself.
Once the goodbyes were finished, I returned to my companions, and nodded at them to indicate I was ready. A couple sighed and turned around, about to walk back to the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"Come back again, miss!"
I stopped, turned around..and slowly, I smiled.
"--Nothing can keep me away."
Their faces beamed.
I gave them one last look..taking a mental picture of all of them standing there together.
Suddenly, I was no longer sad. I was filled with hope.
I knew it right then...I was gonna see 'em again.
- - - - - - - - - -
We went back inside the T.A.R.D.I.S., and the others went right to work, getting everything ready for take off. But entering the ship again, I felt different.
It still, after all this time, hadn't hit me yet. And walking into the ship, I started to notice just how wondrous and beautiful it all actually was. Everything seemed to sparkle and gleam..like everything was gonna be ok.
I stood infront of the control panel, running my hands along it's surface.
I looked up at the brightness of the lights and couldn't get rid of the smile that it gave me.
Briefly, I shut my eyes, and once again found myself taking it all in...
the atmosphere seemed to embrace me. I was nothing but happy.
I opened them again and looked around me.
If this was a dream...I never wanted to wake up.
- - - -
Master went up to the controls and caused the ship to roar to life.
We were soon lifted, teleporting out of the land of Middle Earth.
I stood opposite from him, looking down at the floor, tiredly.
". . . there's a room down the hall."
This knocked me from my trance and I looked up at him.
"It's simple..has a bed..you can decorate it, modify it later..but for now, I'd advise you to get some sleep."
I hunched. "..What about you?"
He cut his eyes up at me, whilst fiddling with this and that. "Don't worry about me. Or the others."
With that, he jerked his head back, indicating to me to do what he said.
No arguments, I was about to pass out.
"--Just don't watch me this time."
But he ignored my joke, and me. I frowned.
I sighed and proceeded to go down the hall, giving the others one last glance...
the only one who watched me go was the Joker.
. .
The hall was dark, but I managed through it. I hurried along it, seeking a door of some kind.
I finally found one, among others, and my hand reached for the knob.
But my body ceased as my mind was suddenly jerked out of whack and I lost all my vision of what was infront of me, as I was taken to another, much darker place.
Very dark..and lonely. It felt evil and haunted. And by the design, it looked to most certainly be Dol Guldur..but the most important thing to draw from this wasn't the location.
It was the ones within. For I saw an approaching orc...he was gravely wounded and weak, staggering forward..he looked up at the ones he was approaching..one was a man with horns...wielding a scepter.....and the other was a dragon, who rested behind the man.........it couldn't be..I knew who they were...
but my mind....didn't..............
back to reality.
I staggered back as I was standing infront of a door.
I shook my head to help myself recover. I couldn't remember anything..I tried, but I was now too tired to try...so I brushed it off and opened the door. Sure enough, my new room wasn't all that fancy.
But it had a bed and that was all I cared about, at the moment.
Without giving the dim-lighted room a second glance, I collapsed onto the soft-blanketed surface and my head melted with the pillow. I took a deep, long breath and closed my eyes.
At long last, I could sleep..
and whatever those "others" had planned for me? I was ready for it.
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but little did Sarah know . . as she slept . . another was watching . . from a marvelous globe . . approached a woman . . stepped towards it . . against the glass, her face reflected . . a woman clad in black . .
with horns . . a scepter . . fair green skin . . and brightened eyes . .
she smirked wickedly at the girl . .
for the woman was none other than the mistress of all evil . .
the magnificent mistress Maleficent
"Curious how little you know of what transpires around you...you...who is supposed to be a queen."
I couldn't take it..I had to hold back..I had to..I...I....
"--I'm afraid you've been terribly misinformed."
c r a p
His eyes shot at me. I froze like a weeping angel.
" . . . . . . . he's no longer in this world . . . . I assume he has left for the next." He kept his eyes right on me and I gulped so loudly as he paced and paced.
".........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....you're not the queen, are you?"
I wanted to die. My eyes followed him as he came to this realization.
"Even so....there isssssomething about you...not just being a visitor...from another world..there's something ssspecial...it seems you are touched with--destiny...........queen or no queen...you are quite different.."
He glanced away for a moment and help, I couldn't breathe.
His eyes returned. "...No matter...the others will still want you.."
My heart sunk . . . . . . . . others?
His eyes fixed on me. My heart now gradually pounded.
"They've instructed me to take you to them......
dead or alive."
This caused my body to jolt and I backed away, my mouth now hanging all the way open.
Bilbo's eyes turned to me as I stiffened up, and Smaug hissed loudly.
"Sarah----run----run----RUN---SARAH, RUN!!!"
snap
My mind went into action and I swung around and began running as fast as I humanly possibly could--
when with just barely a few strides and thumps, I felt the dragon's presence come strongly too close to mine and before I knew it, I was beING LIFTED OFF THE FREAKING GROUND BY MY HOOD.
I naturally screamed.
I was floating higher and higher and higher into the air by the second, my clothing caught on his teeth and I kicked and screamed and struggled as he glided towards the entrance.
I didn't fully register what was even happening to me by the time he had passed it and was ascending towards the night sky and the ground was very very very far beneath me.
From behind, I could hear Bilbo's voice ring and scream rather loudly my name.
As I looked down, struggling for breath, eyes about to pop out've my skull, I spotted Thorin and the other dwarves, who were hastily climbing the side of the mountain.
But when they spotted Smaug and saw me hanging from his teeth, they all swung around, screaming, developing expressions of shock, and they waved at me frantically, unable to do a dang thing.
Just like me.
How done I was with this situation, I can not even tell you, cuz I can not even find the words to explain.
JUST KILL ME NOW, DRAGON.
no wait, on second thought, no, cuz he was about to do that anyway, how about just dropping me?
yep, g'bye.
Speaking of which.....
Completely and utterly thankful in that moment that I am a tough girl, I brought my legs up and reached into my boot as he got further and further away from the mountain. I wound up grabbing a thing.
A sharp pointy thing.
Immediately, I brought my knife up, looked to the top of what little I could see of him, then with a single motion, I reached behind my head and jammed the blade into Smaug's huge gums, wincing my entire body.
This caused the dragon to cry out in pain and instinctively, he opened his mouth and ploop,
I was sent plummeting to the earth.
DID I MENTION I WAS APPARENTLY SUICIDAL IN TIMES OF CRISIS?
Naturally, I was shouting up a storm as I fell towards the ground--I tried to guide my body away from the land and more to the water. But I was descending much too quickly.
Yep. Most assuredly, I was going to die.
But like, no. Cuz before my brain could process what was happening, my hands grabbed onto something hard and huge, and I held on to dear life as I dangled from the edge of the T.A.R.D.I.S., which had appeared right below me and was currently spinning in a horizontal direction.
I realized that I was being guided towards the city, to drop upon one of the tall buildings.
Rather ingenious, cuz then I could hide from within as Smaug came after me.
Giving me more time to form a strategy.
It was extremely challenging, holding onto that thing as it spun in motion and I couldn't see much without turning my head and distracting myself from my grip.
That's when I spotted the city below me and the T.A.R.D.I.S. was lowered. This was my cue.
I sucked in my breath and simply let go.
It was a 20 foot drop and the impact of landing on the rocky surface shot a stinging pain up my legs, which made me collapse onto my front side . . but hey. I was still alive.
I took a few brief breaths as my legs tried to recover and I could get back up...and when I say briefly, I mean brief. For I heard and felt a loud rumble behind me, and eerily got the sense of being stared at.
We won't dance around it.
I slowly turned my head to behind me and lo and behold..Smaug.
In a split second, I lunged my entire body away and dropped to the first level, just before Smaug instinctively lunged for me, clamping his jaws at the air I once breathed.
YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME, COPPER.
I started to dodge and zig-zag, zipping in and out of the buildings, as Smaug had skipped up atop the city and was biting at me, attempting to also cut me off.
But I was much too tiny and quick for 'im.
He roared at my difficulty (it's clear now that literally everyone reaches that point with me) and I ducked inside a home, hurriedly guiding myself through the darkness.
Smaug tried to stick his head down to peek inside, but his head was much too big.
He struggled and struggled, rotating his body to see if he could get into another angle.
When he did, his eye peeked into the inky blackness--
however, it was only met with a sudden thrust of my sword.
An unearthly scream came from the dragon and he retracted his head. I jumped out from the safety of the building and to the outside, taking a quick glance to check the status of the beast, who was a little too busy screeching in pain as he reached for his eye. This held him back, long enough for me to get a headstart to deepen myself into the city.
I bolted as fast as I could, leaping back up to the 2nd level, and charging across the pathways and bridges.
I had about 30 seconds on me before I heard yet another roar...a ticked roar...and the loudness and quakiness of being pursued repeated itself.
This new determination to catch me wound up working for the dragon--for before I could leap back to the first level, he was already behind me with one powerful stride and the rumble caused me to stumble and trip.
The beastie wasted no time to proceed to lunge forward and clamp at me. .
well..before a wild figure appeared behind me--or infront of me?? my back was turned--and shot an arrow at Smaug's eye. It missed, of course, bounding off his thick skin that laid over his bright slitted optic, that he closed just in time.
My eyes turned and tadaaaaaaa!
"LEGOLAS!"
The elf looked down at me and flicked his head ahead of him as a motion to go.
"GO!"
Well, then..
No arguments here. I immediately did what I was told and booked it forward, as the elf prince went at it with the dragon. He shot repeated arrows that bounced right off the beast's head.
I had just enough time to jump up another level and run towards a more enclosed area that laid before me across a bridge, when I heard a thunk!, a loud roar and "SARAH!!" and all of the sudden, I was being lifted into the air, all over again.
My ears were deafened by my own screams as Smaug took me higher and higher and higher.
I dared to look up--we were growing ever so frightfully close to the sky, the moon has never been so large, and I was gradually losing oxygen.
Just as I was being hurled up like I was on an amusement ride, now physically losing all my breath, I was blinded by an excruciatingly bright white light, that came from an immensely powerful blast of energy that slammed hard into the side of the dragon...this caused him to screech in pain. He let me go.
We were, in that moment, descending back to the earth.
I've never screamed so loud or so often in my entire life.
And to make matters worse..as I was already falling to my death..Smaug was still trying to get me.
As he fell, his back turned to the earth below, his wings thrashed awkwardly like mad against the wind, which left his front side facing me. I was unfortunately falling faster than him, which means I was plummeting straight for his stomach. The beast saw me come closer, and once I was close enough, that's when he began chomping...and chomping..and chomping..each clamp of his jaws executed with tremendous force and ferocity. I would've been squashed like a grape had he caught me.
I dodged every bite as best as I could.
When this didn't work for him, he immediately proceeded to step 2...turn me into a BBQ.
He shot red hot flames straight up at me.
Popping hot geysers of fire, shooting up into the sky like the event horizon.
I missed this unpleasant way to go by mere inches..but still felt the heat blast my body like an explosion.
Moving away from the flames caused me to shift even further down and next thing I know, I'm bouncing against the dragon's rock hard underside, and was screaming my eardrums off as I was flung off-course several yards away from the dragon, towards the water. The actual lake now faced me as I dove to it, arms infront of me. Smaug had shifted himself and was now coming straight down after me like a speeding bullet.
You're probably half-wondering..what is this young terrified girl thinking as she is hurdling to her death?
Well, the answer is simply,
I- AM GOING TO -DIE
Within mere seconds,
splooooooooossshhhhhhhhhhhh
I was struck like a million knives to the core as cold--very cold, even for me--lake water engulfed me and I sunk straight down towards the bottom like a cannon ball.
Oh and fun fact. I can't swim.
All I saw above me was my own rush of bubbles shooting up to the top, and eery moonlight shimmering against the surface. I didn't have enough time to even adjust to my new location, so I just kinda stopped breathing. Soon enough, something enormous joined me with a humongous gurgled explosion into the water..
the dragon was quickly plummeting down near where I was.
All I could do was open my mouth and let out a silent scream.
Y'know, especially when he faced me and looked right at me with enlarged slitted eyes.
HAVE I MENTIONED I CAN'T SWIM? CUZ I CAN'T SWIM.
I started thrashing my arms around like a baby bird learning to fly, and I kicked my legs like it actually meant something. I was frantic and panicking and scrambling for the surface. In my lifetime, I have almost drowned twice, which has made me a bit terrified of the water.
I was soon rising up to the top. Not so much luck for Smaug..he got infuriated fast as he wasn't going anywhere at all really, desperately flopping his wings to no avail.
#Immmoorrrttaallllll #JellyDragon
We immortals got skills. You mad, Smaugie?
Closer and closer and closer and bam!
I was back at the surface, gasping like a person who has been underwater for too long..y'know how it goes.
I had enough of the water and I had only been in it for like, two seconds.
Thankfully for me, though the water tried to drag me back down and succeeded only a few times, the shallow part of the lake wasn't far away, which meant I only had to struggle a few moments until my feet could touch the ground below and walk.
So I started hurriedly moving towards a tall, slopey-cliff ahead of me, as best as I could.
It took me a couple of minutes to get there, but I finally made it.
I crawled to the edge of the rocky surface, then hurried with my drenched little self to the side of the slopey-cliff. It was soft and climbable....there, I took my two swords and proceeded to make my way to the top.
I made it. I dropped my blades to the ground and fell on my knees, unable to control my lungs at this point.
I only had a few minutes to myself, as I closed my eyes and hoped to God that Smaug had drowned or simply was delayed long enough for me to make an escape.
I was very much ready to just collapse....
and well, of course...yeah.
Here came doom again.
As soon as I heard water quietly drip behind me and a lowwww low growl rise from the inside of a certain throat, I knew. That I, well, was scroogled.
Slowly I rose up, and slowly, I pivoted.
Do not tell me your life is hard, you've not had to turn around to an enormous dragon facing you with fire in his eyes. I gulped so loud and so forcefully, it hurt.
With delicacy, I took small, cautious steps back...he seemed to come closer at every step I did take, holding onto the edge of the cliff.
My heart sunk. I didn't wanna die like this. I just didn't.........
then,
"SARAH!"
I breathed. I made a quick glance behind me before looking right back at Smaug.
Bard.
With a bow and arrow. A black arrow, to be precise.
Smaug's eyes shot up at the lake man, as the arrow was pointed straight at his chest.
I couldn't look away from the dragon, no matter how hard I tried. His growl and piercing amber eyes mesmerized me. I was a statue.
"Sarah. . ."
Bard's voice rang in my ears. Smaug sneered.
". . . . . get down . . . ."
My eyes enlarged.
Smaug bowed his body. My breathing intensified. He was going to attack.
". . . . NOW!"
That was it.
With a yelp, I ducked down immediately, the arrow blazing past my head, just as Smaug roared and lunged forward...but too late.
PLUNGE!
The wind was instantly knocked out of him and his face enlarged with horror as the arrow shot right into the hole located at his underside. Slowly, he staggered--
then, at last, his weight brought him down.
He lost control...and....crash
...well.....sort've.
I wasted no time lingering on the ground. I shot up and stared straight ahead of me, my mouth gaping idiotically. I will be honest, my body was trembling.
Before I had time to register what just happened, Bard came in rushing behind me and grabbed my arm, jerking me to face him. "Are you alright?!"
I stuttered a bit. He shook me again, "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"
"Ye-YES! I'm FINE!" I jerked my arm away, just as he ran ahead of me.
I'm sure neither of us meant to shout, but we were both fuming with adrenaline and worry.
He charged for the edge of the cliff and looked down.
I honestly was expecting Smaug to leap up at that moment and surprise attack the lake man..
Instead...something else happened, that was to be perfectly frank, much much worse.
"...Impossible."
My heart sunk once more. Oh no..
I stumbled over to the man, weakened beyond belief, and I looked down from beside him.
My eyes gradually widened. no...
"He's..he's.." Bard's face was filled with denial.
I wanted to cry.
"....He's gone."
"...He did not crash...he didn't.." "-I know."
He shook his head, confusion completely dominating his expression.
"...I shot him..he.........where...where could he have gone?"
. . . I had no answers.
Other than faintly whispering, "..Others."
"..I'm afraid we won't be getting the answer to that..not for a long time. He's really gone."
Bard swallowed. Despite his worry, his body seemed to ease.
Soon, his eyes turned to me. Mine, in turn, moved to him.
"..are you sure you're alright?"
I nodded, quickly. He tightened his mouth and laid a concerned hand on my shoulder.
I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
I was still alive. I faced Azog, I faced the dragon, and I was still alive.
"Are you out of your mind??"
My eyes shot to my left. The boys were tumbling out of the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"You could have been disintegrated!" "Nice to see you, too....so? What of it?"
"SO, that was careless and idiotic and I ought to slap you!"
I faintly smirked, "..Now you're starting to sound like me."
Master gained a look of dismay.
"Not that we're concerned for your well-being.." Moriarty breathed, sticking his head up high.
"But..did he get...you..at all.....???"
"In other words..am I okay?"
He looked away. I breathed, roughly. "Yes."
I looked down at the ground for a moment..then curled my lips back, "Thanks for the help, by the way."
But my companions said nothing. Neither did I.
The matter of Smaug returned to my mind, and I worriedly looked to my right, out at the lake and mountains.
. . . . . . others . . . .
~ ~ ~
Morning came. The air became cooler.
The sun shone down upon the land, with anewed radiance.
The feeling it all gave was not that of death, sorrow and emptiness.
But of life, hope and victory.
So what if Smaug got away? We deserved this. We won. We actually won.
Everyone had returned to Lake Town.
There were a few things that needed to be rebuilt..but hey..they had their town back.
And they also once again had the city of Dale. Y'know..as soon as they cleared it of dead orcs and all.
I couldn't believe it, though. The people, the dwarves..everyone.
So many that would've been dead were alive.
..and I helped make it happen.
I stood amongst the townspeople in such a state of shock...I just....couldn't believe it.
My brain could not process it.
"Miss Sarah."
My eyes gravitated to Gandalf, and a smile escaped my mouth. "Gandalf."
He bowed his head and moved to the sidelines. I got the message and moved over with him.
We huddled into a tiny circle and he bowed his head yet again.
"Well..we did it, then." I said, with a slight grin.
He smiled, faintly. "Yes, we did."
I nodded my head. ". . . Well . . yeah . . guess Bilbo told you everything Smaug said, yeah?"
". . Yes . ."
I bowed my head.
"--How do you feel?" "..About what?"
"With what the dragon told you." "..Oh..I..don't know, really..."
"..He knew you are not the queen." ".....yeah...." "..Well..do not listen to him."
I blinked. Slowly, my head rose up at him. "Huh??"
". . You may not be the queen. But he was most certainly right about one thing; there is something about you. You possess a power and a will like no other. Queen or not, you came this far and accomplished wonders. What you did for this world and it's people proves there is more to you than any of us will know. You are most certainly not an ordinary girl...as far as I am concerned, you are always welcome here. And I and the others will support you in any way we can...and I would advise you to keep up this identity. You have used it for the right purpose...there is truly something special about you, miss Sarah..no matter what you might think of yourself."
I faintly smiled. "..Thanks."
He nodded, gently. "..And who knows?..you might actually be the queen."
Now there was something. My brows lifted with intrigue. Huh...
Did I mention Gandalf was also the one who blasted Smaug up earlier with energy?
Yeah..he was a pretty cool dude.
"Gandalf, the fireworks!"
The wizard turned to a group of skittish children bouncing up and down a ways from us.
I grinned.
"Coming, coming.." He nodded at me as he passed and hurried on to get started.
My head turned back to the people..they had all at once started to dance to the cheery music being played in the background with an instrument similar to that of a violin.
In an instance, a small explosion occurred and pop!
I was soon beaming as small sparkly golden butterflies flew all around me and towards the people.
They all cheered and clapped as they ran around, dancing happily, laughing to their hearts' content.
I started to bob to the music, briefly closing my eyes to take it all in.
This was what I wanted. Right here. Everyone alive.
Safe..happy..good winning.
Everyone I cared about deserved this. I didn't care what I had to change anymore.
As long as I got this, nothing else mattered.
- - -
Unfortunately, no matter how much it pains me..some journeys must come to an end.
I stayed on the sidelines as everyone celebrated their victory.
The dwarves were ready to move back into their mountain..the townspeople made Bard the new master of Lake Town and imprisoned the old one.. and since Alfrid helped us, he was left alone, to serve under Bard.
Thranduil was set to return home, waiting of course until he got his jewels back.
Pretty much everything worked out.
But again..there was one last thing that had to be done.
I gathered everyone up--everyone that mattered the most to me--and made them group together in a more quieter part of town. The boys had parked the T.A.R.D.I.S. a short distance away, and they came out to join me as I stood amongst my new friends.
This was certainly one of the hardest things I had to do.
I was standing stiffly, hands curled into fists at my sides, and I shifted awkwardly, staring at the ground, as I tried to search my mind on what to say.
After a bit of this and the situation becoming all the more clear, poor little Ori gained a look of sadness.
"...you're not leaving..you CAN'T be leaving!"
I lifted my head at him, and soon saw the rest of their faces develop saddened expressions and gradually deepen the longer we stood there. Their voices soon became entangled together.
"You can't!" "You can't go, you belong here!" "Please stay!" "You're one of us!"
"Guys..I need to. This isn't my home. I came here to meet you all..to finally meet you..and I have. But I can't stay here. There's no purpose for me staying here."
Dwalin unexpectedly shot up and pounded his own chest.
"We're your purpose! You can stay with us, in the mountains!"
"We need you!" cried Bofur.
"Yes, we do!" cried another dwarf.
But I simply shook my head, and this appropriately shut them up. They sagged.
I made a lopsided frown and started to approach them.
"My job here is done. You're all safe and alive..I need to move on."
They bowed their heads, starting to see the truth in it.
This broke my tiny heart.
"..now..I have a thing against being given hugs...but..I suppose I can make an exception."
Reluctantly, I let out my arms. Almost immediately, I was tackled.
Ori, Fili and Kili were the first, the poor things fighting back tears. "Please stay safe."
I smiled and they let go. Thorin was the next, whispering his thanks for helping him reclaim his kingdom...
and soon, all the dwarves ran up to gimme a hug.
Bilbo's was rather tight..I gave him a glare as he backed away. "Be careful, k? Especially with that ring."
He nodded, tightening his throat to keep from crying.
I smirked, "Say hello to the Shire for me."
He chuckled.
I then approached the taller folk. Bard's kids all squeezed the life out've me, making me feel so much guilt as they desperately tried to stop their crying.
Bard, himself, was taking deep, long breaths. "Be careful."
He hugged me, gently. Dear lord, I think he was on the verge of tears, as well.
"I will.." He backed away, letting Legolas step in.
I grinned and he embraced me, warmly. "Thanks for the help, Lego.."
After a minute, he stepped back and pat my shoulder, "It was my honor, my queen."
Stepping over to Gandalf and Thranduil, I shrugged uneasily.
"Thanks," I muttered to the wizard with a respectful bow of the head, who bowed his head back at me.
Thranduil, however, looked away, unamused. I rose a sassy eyebrow and briefly pointed at him.
"Don't be racist."
He grimaced.
I proceeded to Tauriel, who automatically gave me a huge hug that nearly made me choke.
"Thank you for everything.." She said, softly. I chuckled as I stepped back.
"Same to you, girl-frend." I glanced at Kili, then back at her and winked.
"You two play nice, now."
They both gave eachother a startled glare. I snickered as I came to Alfrid.
He was trying to keep his eyes to the ground, and was clenching his whole body up.
I lowered my chin at him, giving him a sly expression..I knew he was wanting to say something.
"...Well....bye?"
His eyes shifted. Suddenly, I was attacked.
He nearly made me fall from the outburst, and I struggled to keep my balance, as the suddenly weeping fool squeezed the air out've me. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO!!" He cried.
I made a half-disgusted, half-weirded out expression and hurriedly pushed him back.
He sniffled and spoke much more quietly, "You're my only friend....."
I shrugged and gestured at the others. "Be nicer to them..and you'll have more."
He glanced at them, uncertainly, and they tried not to shiver from the thought.
I gave him a forced smile and he gave me one back. I chuckled and began to turn.
Bard and Lego went over to the chaps and were leaning in close, patting them on the backs.
I overheard their rather loud inconspicuous whispers.
"You look after her.." said Legolas.
"And if you don't.." Bard went on. "..We'll kill you."
It took all my power to keep from bursting out in laughter, especially when they all looked over at me with slight concern. But I stayed myself.
Once the goodbyes were finished, I returned to my companions, and nodded at them to indicate I was ready. A couple sighed and turned around, about to walk back to the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"Come back again, miss!"
I stopped, turned around..and slowly, I smiled.
"--Nothing can keep me away."
Their faces beamed.
I gave them one last look..taking a mental picture of all of them standing there together.
Suddenly, I was no longer sad. I was filled with hope.
I knew it right then...I was gonna see 'em again.
- - - - - - - - - -
We went back inside the T.A.R.D.I.S., and the others went right to work, getting everything ready for take off. But entering the ship again, I felt different.
It still, after all this time, hadn't hit me yet. And walking into the ship, I started to notice just how wondrous and beautiful it all actually was. Everything seemed to sparkle and gleam..like everything was gonna be ok.
I stood infront of the control panel, running my hands along it's surface.
I looked up at the brightness of the lights and couldn't get rid of the smile that it gave me.
Briefly, I shut my eyes, and once again found myself taking it all in...
the atmosphere seemed to embrace me. I was nothing but happy.
I opened them again and looked around me.
If this was a dream...I never wanted to wake up.
- - - -
Master went up to the controls and caused the ship to roar to life.
We were soon lifted, teleporting out of the land of Middle Earth.
I stood opposite from him, looking down at the floor, tiredly.
". . . there's a room down the hall."
This knocked me from my trance and I looked up at him.
"It's simple..has a bed..you can decorate it, modify it later..but for now, I'd advise you to get some sleep."
I hunched. "..What about you?"
He cut his eyes up at me, whilst fiddling with this and that. "Don't worry about me. Or the others."
With that, he jerked his head back, indicating to me to do what he said.
No arguments, I was about to pass out.
"--Just don't watch me this time."
But he ignored my joke, and me. I frowned.
I sighed and proceeded to go down the hall, giving the others one last glance...
the only one who watched me go was the Joker.
. .
The hall was dark, but I managed through it. I hurried along it, seeking a door of some kind.
I finally found one, among others, and my hand reached for the knob.
But my body ceased as my mind was suddenly jerked out of whack and I lost all my vision of what was infront of me, as I was taken to another, much darker place.
Very dark..and lonely. It felt evil and haunted. And by the design, it looked to most certainly be Dol Guldur..but the most important thing to draw from this wasn't the location.
It was the ones within. For I saw an approaching orc...he was gravely wounded and weak, staggering forward..he looked up at the ones he was approaching..one was a man with horns...wielding a scepter.....and the other was a dragon, who rested behind the man.........it couldn't be..I knew who they were...
but my mind....didn't..............
back to reality.
I staggered back as I was standing infront of a door.
I shook my head to help myself recover. I couldn't remember anything..I tried, but I was now too tired to try...so I brushed it off and opened the door. Sure enough, my new room wasn't all that fancy.
But it had a bed and that was all I cared about, at the moment.
Without giving the dim-lighted room a second glance, I collapsed onto the soft-blanketed surface and my head melted with the pillow. I took a deep, long breath and closed my eyes.
At long last, I could sleep..
and whatever those "others" had planned for me? I was ready for it.
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but little did Sarah know . . as she slept . . another was watching . . from a marvelous globe . . approached a woman . . stepped towards it . . against the glass, her face reflected . . a woman clad in black . .
with horns . . a scepter . . fair green skin . . and brightened eyes . .
she smirked wickedly at the girl . .
for the woman was none other than the mistress of all evil . .
the magnificent mistress Maleficent
Hooray for Sarah, the Villainous Chaps, and Middle Earth! Victory at last!
ReplyDeleteOoooh boy, things are getting darker. Can't wait for the next arc!
WAT IS THIS I WAS NOT TOLD LOKI WOULD BE JOINING THE STORY AHHHHHHHADLIFAOESIFJA;SIFMA;OSEIFM
ReplyDeleteWHAT THE HECK I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE LOKI NOT MALEFICENT AONEPOFINEWAPFOINEWPOFNW
ReplyDelete