Angel On Fire

Chapter 19 - The Lonely Mountain

Climbing the foothills of the mountain seemed to go by faster than I thought it would. At one point, Thorin, recognizing the landscape, runs atop an embankment overlooking a valley. We all race after him and joining him look across the valley at the ruins of an old city.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asks voicing my curiosity.

"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug." Balin says and my heart clenches for the lives lost here. Flashes of when Surtur destroyed Asgard flash through my mind causing my lip to tremble slightly at the memory.

"The sun will soon reach midday; let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!" Thorin calls as he starts to race away.

"Wait...is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we-" Bilbo calls out but none of the dwarves are listening.

"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own." Thorin interrupts. "Come!"

The other dwarves follow him; but Bilbo and I look back at the city, conflicted.

"We have no choice; we must go with them." I add turning to follow them. Bilbo waits for a moment then reluctantly follows.

Reaching the mountainside, we start to look for the secret entrance.

"Anything?" Thorin calls out.

"Nothing!" Dwalin replies.

"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us." Thorin says softly.

Bilbo, walking around, sees a massive statue of a dwarf carved into the side of the mountain. Looking closely, he notices a set of stairs built into the statue.

"Up here!" Bilbo calls out making us all look toward him.

"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thorin calls.

We painstakingly make our way up the steep and treacherous steps and find a little rock-walled clearing in the side of the mountain. Thorin runs to the clearing.

"This must be it. The hidden door." Thorin exclaims. "Let all those who doubted us rue this day!" Thorin holds up his key, the others cheer.

"Right. We have our key, which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole." Dwalin says as they all start to explore the walls of the clearing with their fingers, looking for a keyhole. Thorin walks to the edge of the clearing and looks out at the setting sun.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Thorin ponders.

Thorin looks at the wall and tries to figure out what the light hitting the wall means. As the sun gets lower and lower on the horizon and nothing changes on the wall, Thorin begins to get frantic. "Nori."

Nori, who is known as a thief, runs to the wall and begins tapping it in different places with a spoon while holding his ear to a cup held against the wall. Meanwhile, Dwalin strains and pushes against the wall. The sun gets lower.

"We're losing the light." Thorin yells out panic in his voice.

"Come on!" Dwalin cries out as he begins kicking at the wall.

"Be quiet! I can't hear when you're thumping." Nori yells at Dwalin.

"I can't find it...it's not here! It's not here." Dwalin panics.

As the sun gets closer to disappearing, Thorin frantically gestures to the other dwarves.

"Break it down!" Thorin yells out causing Dwalin, Gloin, and Bifur smash at the wall with their weapons, to no avail. "Come on!"