AN: Smaug speaks in "bold"
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Chapter 10 Dragon fire
There was chaos everywhere. Civilians getting out of their homes, looking at the sky and worrying about their fate. Others were trying to save their kids and families or belongings, putting them in safe boxes and leaving on their boats. While the master of this town had already gathered as much gold as he and his minions could carry and was already on a boat to leave the city unprotected. After the three elleths saw the situation around them, they hastily went inside Bard's house.
"We have no time, we must leave." Tauriel said while picking up some of the dwarves' stuff and putting out on a boat outside. "Come on let's go." Bofur said while putting on his cloak. Fili was trying to help his brother stand up but stubborn Kili refused his help. "I'm fine, I can walk."
"Kili, I may have healed you, but you still need to rest your leg. Don't be stubborn." Eliriel told him seriously as she was helping Tilda get ready to leave. Even gave her her little doll with her. Kili just sighed and accepted his brother's help in the end. Tauriel came back in and helped Sigrid gather some things.
"We're not leaving. Not without our father." Bain insisted as he stood behind Eliriel. "If you stay here, your sisters will die." Eliriel looked at him after getting Tilda ready. "Trust me, your father wouldn't want that."
After everyone was ready, they all got on the boat Tauriel put their things on. "Quickly now, hurry." Tauriel told the children as they hastily got on the boat with Laerornel helping them. Kili was the last one to get on. Bofur and Fili started paddling and the group began to finally leave. They all looked around as people were trying to get away as well, panicking and fearing for their lives when suddenly Smaug flew right above them.
Eliriel found herself wide eyed, fear slowly creeping into her heart but she managed to look ahead. They had to get away safely.
Soon the people's screams were muffled as Smaug's loud roar was heard and fire was unleashed. Houses were burning left and right, people were screaming, burning to death, crying over their lost loved ones, but the group continued on while looking in sadness at their surroundings. Eliriel put some fires out by controlling the water from the lake but compared to the damage done, it was useless. She also thought about how poor Tilda, Sigrid and Bain must be feeling, watching their town, their home getting destroyed. They were only children after all. She is sure they're worried about their dad too.
Suddenly Master's boat, filled with gold and other valuables, crushed into their boat, making coins fall off of it. Bofur and Fili managed to get the boat away right before any accident could happen.
"Move it!" Master barked at the group and everyone else who stood in his way. "Come on! Faster!"
"He's disgusting." Tauriel spoke when his boat was in front of them and Eliriel agreed, nodding behind her. How can he leave his people alone and helpless like that.
After a while Eliriel spotted the tower Bard was on, shooting arrows at the dragon. 'If only there were more black arrows. He would have killed the beast earlier.' She thought.
"Da!" Yelled Bain followed by his sisters as they watched their father shoot arrow after arrow. "He hid it! He hit the dragon!" Kili shouted, but spoke too soon. "No." Tauriel muttered. "He did, he hit his mark! I saw!" Kili insisted in desperation.
"These arrows can't pierce his scales Kili. " Eliriel said making the dwarf lower his gaze. Only the black arrow can do it. "And I am afraid nothing will." Tauriel said sadly.
Just then, Bain grabbed a hook that was hanging from a pillar and pushed himself away from the boat, landing on the deck. He run towards another boat and grabbed something before running towards his father. 'The arrow!' Eliriel thought. "Bain!" His sisters yelled. "Come back, what are you doing?" Bofur yelled as well, looking at the child in shock. "Leave him. We cannot go back." Tauriel said and looked the other way. Eliriel wrapped an arm around Tilda and Sigrid to comfort them. "He will be fine, don't worry." She whispered to them.
They all watched in sadness as Smaug destroyed the top of the tower with his claws, thankfully missing Bard, but Bain was pushed and was hanging from the tower with one hand, the other holding the black arrow. Eliriel, with her elven eyes, saw as Bard pulled his son back up and grabbed the arrow to shoot it. Just then, Smaug landed before them, angry.
"Who are you that would stand against me!?" He snapped at Bard. "That is, a pity." Smaug smirked as he looked at Bard's broken bow. Bard on the other hand looked defeated. "What will you do now,... bowman?" The dragon sneered. Quickly with determination Bard instructed his son and used him as a place to secure the arrow so he can shoot it. He adjusted his position. And finally he shot it at Smaug.
'At last...' Eliriel started smiling slightly, relieved that it is now over.
But in a second her smile disappeared as she watched in shock and horror as the arrow missed its mark. 'No...how can that be...?' She looked at the scene with her mouth agape. 'This isn't how it's supposed to happen..' She felt a strong wave of nausea overcome her and saw how Bard's expression changed from a determined to a defeated one. 'He was supposed to kill the dragon...what are we going to do now? He will destroy everything...if only...if only we had more arrows...' Eliriel's mind clicked and her eyes widened. 'Thats it! I will just make more of them.'
Without saying a word Eliriel jumped out of the boat earning everyone's attention. "Eliriel!" Laerornel shouted in confusion. "Eliriel, where are you going? Come back right now!" Tauriel yelled at her, small tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want to lose one of her dearest friends. Kili and the rest of the dwarves shouted as well for her to come back, the children too but Eliriel made her decision. She created stairs made of ice as she ran up to the half destroyed tower where Bard and Bain was located. When she arrived they both looked at her in surprise.
"Who are you?"
"What are you doing here?"
Bard and Bain asked at the same time.
"We don't have time for questions. We have a dragon to kill." Eliriel responded moving her gaze from them to Smaug. He was coming closer to them. "We can't. I failed. " Bard begun. "Just like my ancestor." He mumbled the last part. He looked so defeated and lost. But instead, Eliriel gave him a reassuring smile. "There's still hope." She said and showed him the two arrows she made on her way to the tower. They were the exact replica of the black arrow, only made of ice. Bard looked astonished. "How..." He muttered shocked. He had a lot of questions but now was not the time. He took one of the arrows from the elleth's hands and looked at the dragon. 'I still have no bow though. I can't put my son at risk again.' He thought and as if she read his mind, Eliriel gave him her own bow. "Here, use this. But quickly we have no time to waste."
He mentally thanked her and moved closer to the edge of the tower. As he was doing that Eliriel caught Bain's shoulder. "Bain, go back to the boat. To your sisters. If you run you might catch them. You won't be safe here."
"But Da-"
"Go Bain. Please." She interrupted him, giving him a sad smile. He hesitantly turned around and started climbing down the tower. 'Even if we don't make it back alive, at least he will be alright together with the others.'
After he was gone, she turned away and looked ahead. Smaug was smirking at then, mocking them, his eyes filled with hate and fire. "You think you can defeat me?! Your little arrows will do nothing!" He growled. "Tell me...wretch, how now shall you challenge me?"
Bard readied his bow and arrow, adjusting his position once again. Eliriel watched as he aimed for the loosened scale. "You have nothing left, only death!" Smaug roared, charging towards the two. Just when he was close enough, Bard shot the ice arrow and the two watched it hit its mark, at last. The dragon roared again in pain as his insides where freezing, putting out the fire on his lungs and bumped into the tower with force, making it fall to the ground and collapse. Eliriel and Bard held from any place they could to keep themselves from falling off.
Smaug flew up in the air, attempting to get away but he was finished. The light faded from his eyes as he fell from the sky landing on top of the town, creating a small earthquake.
Eliriel removed some broken pieces of wood off of her as she stood up after the fall. She had a few scratches here and there but she would be fine. She saw Bard get up as well and approached him. She then moved her head to look at the dead beast. "You did it. He's dead." She told him relieved with a small smile. He turned his head to look at her. "Thank you." He nodded with a grateful smile.
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Eliriel and Bard made to the other side of the lake, helping people along the way. She used her powers to dry some of them off by removing the water and moisture off of them and helped some others find their lost family and friends. All of a sudden there was arguing amongst the people. Alfrid as always was being annoying. He was yelling at a lady that was handing out blankets. He demanded one and even threatened her but thankfully Bard stopped him before it got out of hand. Eliriel hated Alfrid, like everyone else. He was a coward, a jerk and a thief. He also tried to hit on her a couple of times, testing Eliriel's patience. She really wanted to kill him but reminded herself to call down. She wouldn't do it, at least for now.
They still haven't found Bard's children though or the dwarves, Tauriel and Laerornel. That was until they heard familiar voices yell.
"Da!" Tilda yelled as she ran towards her father to hug him, Sigrid followed behind her and did the same. "It's alright darling." Bard hugged them back tightly. Eliriel couldn't help but smile as the family reunited. Her smile got bigger when Tilda and Sigrid left their father and went to hug her too. And of course she hugged them back, happy that they were safe. It meant that her friends were also safe.