VALAR MORGHULIS ° thranduil

｛CHAPTER 14｝

The sound that then echoed for miles around and drowned out everything else happening on the battlefield and in the ruined city, came from high up in the air and was gut-wrenching, installing pain in any who heard it. 

It was as if the fighting between everyone, the men, the elves and the dwarves, even the orcs hesitated in their swing and glanced up at the sky. The soldiers fighting outside Erebor and in Dale all watched with their mouths open in horror as the black dragon shrieked in pain, rapidly falling closer and closer to the ground, in vain trying to flap his wings and remain afloat in the air. Thranduil couldn't see where the Black Arrow had struck Drogon and failed to spot the faint speck of silver against black scales that would have indicated Rhaenyra still clinging to her dragon's back. A cold tear dripped down his cheek. 

Thick drops of dark red blood fell to the ground and the entirety of Dale fell underneath Drogon's shadow as his form passed overhead, his pain filled roar echoing over and over in their ears even as he came to a sudden stop by crashing down into the ground somewhere up on a hill. 

"Ravenhill..." Gandalf breathed out.

Thranduil's hand clenched over the pommel of his sword, "Feren, blow the horn and gather the troops before sending them to Ravenhill. I will go there now."

"But my King Thrand-"

The Elven King didn't care to stay behind and wait to hear the end of that sentence, he had already started to run towards Ravenhill because despite what Tauriel might say and think; there is still love in him. 

°

HIS HEART WAS HURTING INSIDE HIS RIBCAGE. It had started shortly after Drogon had crashed down on Ravenhill and the fighting resumed. Thranduil himself rushed through Dale, at first Gandalf and Bilbo both had been following him close behind but his elven blood enhanced his stamina, and he soon outpaced both of them. Soon enough he was standing at the edge of the city, passing through a wall that had been completely ruined and turned to small pieces of rubble, he was now alone.

From far up on Ravenhill Thranduil heard several screams, shrieks and roars in quick succession, some louder than others. Did Drogon survive his fall? The mere thought had Thranduil pushing himself harder to run even faster and ignore every negative thought that tried to enter his mind. The ascent was tedious and Thranduil's sword swiftly flashed through the air each time a stray orc stumbled across his path. However, the journey was one Thranduil would go on any time, for at the end there was a chance he would find Rhaenyra alive. 

The closer to the top the Elven King came the more orcs he found, were these scouts from the second army? He felt a shiver go down his spine, yet tried to remain as optimistic as possible. Drogon was definitely hit with the Black Arrow, that has already been proven, but there is a chance that the Winged Shadow is still alive and maybe his rider would also still be breathing. Thranduil could hear a low growl rolling in from a distance, along with flashes of bright red light which ignited a small flicker of hope in his chest. 

On the absolute top of Ravenhill an old guard tower still stood, a frozen river close to the side. He gasped when he noticed a smaller tower off to the right side, it appeared that it had recently been destroyed by something much larger. The dark growls and rumbling became louder and the pain that Thranduil had been constantly been feeling in his chest doubled at the same time a bright flash of red fire appeared behind the ruined tower, followed by yet another roar. 

Thranduil truly tried to keep a levelled and calm mind, there might be legions of orcs making their way here in this very moment. He tried to remain somewhat hidden by creeping forth close to the larger formations of rocks he passed where he could easily conceal and hide should the need arise. The distant sounds of clanging swords and dying screams of soldiers still rang clear in his ears as Thranduil rounded the fallen tower and came face to face with a steep slope.