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MEANWHILE, THORIN MANAGES TO STAB AN ORC IN THE KNEE; another Orc rushes up and smashes into him, causing him to slide across the ice all the way to the edge of the waterfall, directly over Legolas and Bolg. Bolg knocks Legolas over, but as he raises his mace, Thorin manages to knock an Orc over the edge of the waterfall; it lands on the bridge behind Bolg, breaking through the stones and causing him to fall under a pile of rubble. Another Orc approaches Thorin, who is lying on his back, partially hanging over the edge of the waterfall, defenceless.
As it raises its sword, Legolas manages to throw Orcrist into the Orc's chest, killing it. As it falls over the edge, Thorin manages to reach out and grab the sword, saving it from going over. As Legolas is watching Thorin, Bolg leaps out of the rubble and swings at Legolas, but Legolas dodges and pulls out his two knives, fighting Bolg with them. Maristela calls for Attica, the large wolfhound comes to her aid. "Take Tauriel to safety, Attica," Maristela told the wolfhound in ancient tongue, he bows his head before allowing Tauriel onto his back, leaping from the stone into the ruins to get her to safety per his companions request.
Thorin stands and looks in wonder at his blade that had come back to him; he looks up and sees Azog, alone, facing him. Thorin and Azog approach each other slowly; suddenly, a horn blows and Azog smiles as a hill in the distance behind him becomes covered with approaching Orc help. Azog charges forward and swings a large rock attached to a chain at Thorin, who ducks under it. As Azog is unbalanced by the swing, Thorin manages to get behind him and slash him. Azog angrily swings the rock at him again, and as Thorin dodges, the rock smashes into the ice, cracking it.
Meanwhile, Bolg throws a huge stone at Legolas, and it smashes the bridge beneath him. In an amazing and inhuman feat of agility, Legolas manages to run up falling rocks and leaps at Bolg. As they fight, Legolas manages to stab at Bolg, but Bolg grabs the knife between his arm and armor, just line in their encounter in Laketown. This time, though, Legolas smiles and uses the knife as leverage to swing atop Bolg's shoulder; he then stabs Bolg through the top of his head, killing him; Legolas leaps back onto land as the bridge falls to the ground, carrying Bolg's body with it.
As Thorin and Azog fight, the ice continues cracking beneath them. They both pause for a second, then Azog swings again. This time, the ice actually begins to break apart beneath them. As Thorin stumbles over an edge of the ice, Azog manages to knock his legs out from under him with the chain. As Azog swings again, Thorin manages to roll away; He leaps behind Azog, who is off balance, and slashes him again. Azog angrily swings the rock and chain at Thorin, missing; this time, the rock becomes stuck in the ice, and Azog is forced to slash at Thorin with his bladed arm.
Though Azog looks into the sky behind Thorin in shock, in the distance, eagles fly into the battle with Radagast upon the Eagle Lord. They sail through the ranks of the oncoming Orc reinforcements from Gundabad, decimating them. Beorn, riding atop one of the eagles, throws himself off it and transforms into a bear as he falls to the ground; he had heard and felt Maristela's pained wail and it only angered the bear further. Thorin throws his sword down, reaching forward he lifts the rock at the end of the chain and tosses it at Azog, who instinctively catches it.
Azog looks at him in shock as Thorin jumps backward, off the ice floe that they were both standing on; without his weight to balance it, and with Azog at the other end holding the rock, the ice floe tips over and plunges Azog into the water below. He scrabbles at the edge, but the chain pulls him down and Thorin pants in exhaustion from the fight. As Thorin bends down to pick up Orcrist, he sees Azog through the ice, being pulled slowly by the current toward the frozen waterfall. Thorin slowly walks above him, and they stare at each other through the ice. Azog closes his eyes for a moment before he opens them, stabbing his arm-blade through Thorin's foot.
Azog leaps through the ice and pins Thorin down, as he goes to stab Thorin with his arm-blade, Thorin manages to stop it from piercing his chest by sliding Orcrist in one of the forks of the blade. Maristela, with Legolas' assistance, manages to get back into the ruins, she looks up at Legolas who sees the heartbreak within her eyes and he lowers his gaze in mourning. Azog, using gravity and his superior weight and position, slowly pushes his blade further and further as Thorin struggles to keep it away. His mind falls to the knowledge that his nephews were dead, he had failed to protect them.
Maristela turns to see Thorin's predicament, she moves to help him but he simply smiles with tears in his eyes. "No!" Maristela screamed as Thorin slides his sword out of the fork allowing Azog's blade to stab him through the chest, Legolas' eyes were wide as Maristela watched with her mouth agape. As Azog smiles, Thorin raises his own sword and stabs Azog through the heart; from their close quarters, Azog cannot avoid it. Thorin flips Azog over onto his back on the ice and forces Orcrist all the way through Azog with a roar of anger and grief.
Bilbo, waking up from unconsciousness, sees the Eagles overhead, "The eagles are coming..." Thorin, mortally wounded, struggles to get up; he stumbles toward the edge of the waterfall, looking out over the battlefield below, where the remaining Orcs are being slayed and overrun. Weak from his wound, he collapses on his back and Bilbo comes running up in surprise. Maristela rushes over with Bilbo, both drop on either side of the King. "Don't move! Don't move! Lie still!" Bilbo exclaimed as he examines Thorin's wound then recoils in shock.
"I'm glad you are both here..." Thorin breathed out painfully, blood dripping from his mouth as he stared dazedly at them. "I wish to part with you both in friendship," Thorin continued as he reached for Maristela's hand, she sniffled. "No. You are not going anywhere, Thorin. You're going to live," Bilbo told Thorin but Maristela knew that Thorin would not survive this wound. "I would take back my words and deeds at the gate. You did what only a true friend would do. Forgive me... I was too blind to see. I'm so sorry that I have led you into such peril," Thorin spoke to Maristela before looking at Bilbo, "Both of you."
Maristela lowered her head unable to find any words but Bilbo spoke up, "No, no, I'm glad to have shared in all your perils, Thorin ─ each and every one of them. And it's far more than any Baggins deserves." They share a smile before Thorin spoke, "Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books and your armchair. Plant your trees, watch them grow." Thorin struggles to breath from the blood within his mouth, Maristela smiles softly at the peaceful look within Thorin's eyes as he spoke, "If more people valued home above gold this world would be a merrier place."
Maristela turned her head to the Elf Prince watching in the distance, he frowns as the tears fall from her eyes. "Mari..." Thorin's voice was soft as he spoke, she turned her head to him as he tried to smile. "It would have been the greatest honor to have to marry into the line of Durin. You will always be family, always welcome within the halls of Erebor. You, daughter of stars, are a blessing to all," Thorin expressed before turning his eyes to the blue sky, his last breath left his lips. "No! No! No! Thorin! Oh don't you dare!" Bilbo weeps.
"Thorin, Thorin, wake up. The eagles... the eagles... the eagles are here. Thorin... the eag─" Bilbo cries in sorrow, resting his head on Thorin's chest as Maristela closed her eyes and weeped silently. She pushes up from the ground and turns her head to Fíli's body, she stumbles over to him and drops to her knees with Legolas watching her, his eyes flick over to Tauriel by Kíli's body. "I'm so sorry... I have failed you," Maristela whispered to Fíli as the Dwarves of Erebor found their way to Ravenhill, Dwalin stumbled on his feet approaching Bilbo weeping over Thorin's body lying on the ice.
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King Thranduil walks slowly through the ruins of Ravenhill, gazing about at the carnage. His eyes landed on Maristela weeping by Fíli's side, his icy heart clenched at the sight before he turned his head to see Legolas approaching him. "I... cannot go back," Legolas told his father, he brushes past him and prepares to leave. "Where will you go?" Thranduil questioned his son who turned to him. "I do not know," Legolas answered him with a frown. "And the Rivendell Elf?" Thranduil asked in reference to Maristela who his son clearly haboured feelings for. "I am not what she needs right now," Legolas replied to him.
"Go north. Find the Dúnedain. There's a young Ranger amongst them ─ you should meet him. His father, Arathorn, was a good man. His son might grow to be a great one," Thranduil informed him with a stoic expression. "What is his name?" Legolas asked. "He's known in the wild as Strider. His true name you must discover for yourself," Thranduil told his son with a slight smirk noticing the slight annoyance in Legolas' eyes. They nod at each other, then Legolas turns and walks away. Thranduil calls after him, "Legolas... your mother loved you... more than anyone... more than life."
Legolas' eyes are open wide in shock and surprise, the father and son make a gesture of departure to each other, then Legolas leaves. Thranduil watches him leave sadly, bowing his head in grief. He then proceeds through the ruins and finds Tauriel still next to Kíli's body. "They want to bury him," Tauriel pondered upon noticing Thranduil's presence. "Yes..." Thranduil replied softly. "If this is love, I do not want it," Tauriel pleads with Thranduil, "Take it from me, please! Why does it hurt so much?" Thranduil approaches her slowly with an understanding look within his eyes. "Because it was real," Thranduil answered her sadly.
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Maristela walked slowly as she lead Attica towards Erebor, Fíli and Kìli's bodies lie upon his back and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills watch in sorrow and grief. Dwalin, Bofur, Bifur, Gloin, Oin, and Nori carried a plank of wood to carry Thorin's body behind Attica and Maristela causing Dwarves to gasp and wail in the loss of their King. Lord Dáin steps down from a large rock, he approaches but stops upon the sight he hadn't been expecting, his face drops as Maristela looks up at him. The remainder of the walk was silent and heavy, the Dwarves and Eagles worked together to clear the bridge into Erebor.
The remaining army of Dwarves worked to collect the bodies of their kin, Elves moved around to do the same with their own while the Eagles ─ per Maristela's request ─ worked to clear the city and fields of Orc bodies, dumping them into the chasm by Ravenhill. In Dale, Percy sounds the horn for the dead, Men collect the bodies of their loved ones with the help of Beorn. Walking into the hall of Erebor without Fíli by her side alive was something Maristela had never wished to feel. They headed straight for the tomb within the Mountain, three slabs together for the King and his nephews.
Thorin's body was laid upon the middle slab, the Arkenstone delicately placed within his hands on his stomach, Orcrist resting on right beneath his hand. He was cleaned of blood and dirt, placed within royal garments, the Dwarves had worked quick. To the left and right of Thorin lay the bodies of Fíli and Kíli holding their own swords, Maristela slowly approached Fíli after leaving small gifts for Kìli and Thorin. She stopped by his side with Bofur standing a few steps away ready if she needed. Maristela leaned down and placed a kiss upon his forehead before speaking in Dwarvish, "May you rest within the halls of your Forefathers. May we meet again."
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「 ✦ 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 ✦ 」
I AM WEEPING....
See you in the next chapter!