Luin spent the night in one of the tents that Thranduil had ordered his men to put up. It was a basic canvas bell tent with the inside covered in furs and pillows, as well as a spare set of blue clothes. The same kind that Legolas had given him days before. Luin was pleasantly surprised at the offer. He had not expected a kindness from Thranduil. A kindness that had not been offered to Gandalf, much to the older wizard's displeasure.
When Luin had asked Thranduil why he was offering him the tent, the elven king had regarded him with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "You have my respect Blue wizard", he had said. "I aim to start a friendship between us. Take this as a offering". There was something that Thranduil was not saying. Something which he wanted. Luin had no idea how this involved being nice to him, but he was not going to look a horse in the mouth. Luin accepted but shared the tent with his mentor anyway. The two wizards slept with more comfort than they'd had experienced in the past few days. But still sleep was a tricky friend. The rising tension in the world, an oncoming darkness, prodded at their minds. Luin was up late dwelling on the energy around him.
When the sun rose it was to the clanging of metal and the pounding of footsteps. Luin woke to the moving of troops as Thranduil prepared to storm the mountain. Gandalf and Luin shared grim glances as the army began to move out. Thranduil will have his war if things did not improve. Thorin's stubborn nature was going to be his downfall.
Luin quickly changed his clothes and washed up in a bowl of water as best he could, Gandalf leaving to follow after the two kings. With everyone gone, he took the opportunity to check his wound. The long slash round his chest had healed up nicely. It looked weeks old rather than days. It was fully scabbed and pink skin had started regrowing and sealing it together, much to Luin's relief. He dipped a cloth in the bowl and carefully cleaned it before wrapping it in new bandages. He changed and dumped his unsalvageable clothing in a pile by the tent entrance, maybe someone will get some use from them. Felling more comfortable, Luin in sheathed his sword and flew up into the air in the direction of Erebor.
The elves stood in legions before the mountain entrance. Thranduil was stride a large elk, clothed in his silver armour. Bard rode at his side on a dark brown horse as the two of them approached gate. Thorin positioned on the battlements, watching them with an angry gaze. Luin looked down on them from high above as he drifted lazily on his sword amidst the clouds. They were low lying today, allowing him easy cover from those below. He did not want to appear as siding with either side. He held loyalty to the dwarves, his friends, but also didn't agree with what Thorin was doing. Gandalf shared the same sentiment. The older wizard was blending in amongst the soldiers to watch the proceedings as Luin hid above. Using his Qi, Luin was able to expand his hearing and listen to the conversation.
Luin watched as Thranduil rode up to the gates. An arrow shattered at the elk's foot and he paused. Thorin notched another arrow and aimed it. "I'll put the next one between your eyes", he warned. Around him, the rest of the company cheered. Thranduil smiled up at them patronisingly as behind him, every elf soldier drew their bows. The dwarves ducked but Thorin remained firm.
Thranduil raised a hand and his army lowered their bows. "We've come to tell you", he called loudly. "That payment of your debt has been offered and accepted".
"What payment?" Thorin boomed. "I gave you nothing. You have nothing".
Thranduil turned to Bard. In answer, Bard put a hand into his coat pocket and pulled out the Arkenstone. He held its loft so that it was visible. Even from his high up vantage point, Luin could see the way the stone glimmered and glowed. Thorin hesitated in surprise, lowering his bow.
"They have the Arkenstone!"
"Thieves!"
"How came you by the signet of our house?" The dwarves on the battlements shouted. Luin watched and Kili and Fili screamed at the elves, faces blinded by fury. Thorin remained eerily quiet.
"The stone belongs to the king!"
"And the king may have it", Bard replied. Tossed the stone from hand to hand in a relaxed manner, as if it was a ball. He held all the cards and he knew it. "With our good will and the honour of our bargain". He tucked the stone back into his coat.
Thorin turned and muttered something to his companions. Luin failed to catch the hushed words. "The Arkenstone is in this mountain!" He stated furiously. "This is a trick!"
Luin was unsure what happened next. The wind had picked up, drowning the voices below. He could only watch as Bilbo stepped towards Thorin. The little hobbit was saying something and Thorin was responding violently. Luin gasped as Thorin grabbed Bilbo by the neck and began hauling him towards the edge. He dropped out of the clouds, plunging through the air to intervene.
"If you don't like my bugler!" Gandalf's voice echoed off of the cliffs as he emerged out of the ranks of elves. "Then give him back to me. Don't harm him". Luin drifted to circle the air above the gate, watching as Thorin paused.
"Thorin", Luin warned in a cold voice. "Allow Bilbo to come with me. Don't kill him". Thorin didn't move. His eyes held a manic glint. A consuming greed and bitterness that wasn't there before. It saddened Luin.
"You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain", Gandalf remarked, stepping closer. "Thorin son of Thrain". The name and title must have triggered something. Thorin released his hold on Bilbo and the hobbit scuttled back. Nori helped Bilbo climb up onto the wall where Luin was waiting. Luin helped the hobbit onto his sword behind him before he faced Thorin again. He gave Nori a thankful smile as the blade descended to the ground below. They landed smoothly before Gandalf. Luin and Bilbo unharmed. Thorin glaring hatefully from the battlements above as the two dismounted and stood next to the two kings.
"Never again will I have dealings with Wizards, Out-worlders, elf-scum or shire rats!" Luin gazed up as Thorin spat curses. The term out-worlder stung. Thorin may have been unkind to him before, but he had never referred to him as something so different. The way he said it made it could like Luin was something evil.
"Are we resolved?" Bard interrupted. Thorin turned his attention back to the two kings on horseback. "The Arkenstone for what we were promised?" The dwarf didn't reply. He turned his head east towards the setting sun. Luin furrowed his brow. Thorin seemed to be looking for something, almost as if he was waiting.
"Why should is give back what is rightfully mine?" Thorin was pacing along the battlements like a antsy cat.
Thranduil was growing bored of this. He turned to Bard with a evil grin. "Keep the stone, sell it. Ecthelion of Gondor will give you a good price for it". His words loud enough for the dwarves to hear. Trying to gain a reaction out of Thorin.
"I will kill you! By my oath I will kill you all!" The others had to hold Thorin back as he threw himself at the wall.
"Your oath means nothing! I have heard enough". Thranduil gave the company a cold glance as he turned his elk around. They no longer trusted Thorin's words. From what he had just seen, Luin wasn't sure if he could either.
Gandalf stepped forwards, voice beseeching. "Thorin. Lay down your arms, open these doors. This treasure will be your death".
"Thorin", Balin said softly. Luin listened as the older dwarf turned to his king. "We cannot win this fight". The looks on the other's faces agreed with Balin. They were tired and outnumbered. It would be a slaughter.
"Sickness has warped your mind Thorin!" Luin called up. Thorin's gaze flicked down at his face for a moment, before spanning over the eastern horizon again.
"Give us your answer! Will you have peace or war?" Bard asked for a final time.
Thorin turned back to them with a viciously steely grin. "I will have war".
Noises echoed over the mountains as figures appeared over the eastern hills. Luin now knew what Thorin was waiting for. He had called in reinforcements. The dwarf army marched down the slope, halting in full sight of those below. A mass of heavy steel and long beards. Behind their lines, were several weird looking war machines. Thranduil had kicked his elk into a gallop. Orders echoed as the elvish army turned to face the dwarf opponents.
"Iron foot", Gandalf breathed. Luin swore and mounted his sword. He unsheathed his second one and held it in his hands as he glided up into the air. He circled the two armies, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Hey Thorin!" A short dwarf at the front of the army shouted. He was atop a wild boar and clothed heavily in thick armour. His tone seemed cheerful but it was known that it could change at any minute. Luin recognised him as Dain, lord of the iron hills and Thorin's cousin. The red beard bright in its signature. He had met him during past travels. Out of the two, Thorin was actually the more reasonable one. This did not bode well.
"Good morning!" Dain called cheerfully. Luin tensed. When the dwarf was this happy, it was a bad sign. "How are we all? I have a wee proposition for ya if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider... just sodding off! All of you! Right now!" Despite himself, Luin snorted at the insult. His sense of humour really had bad timings. Dain's suddenly violent tone scared a few of the men from lake town. They huddled defensively.
"Come now!" Gandalf replied, calling over the hill. "Lord Dain".
"Gandalf the grey", Dain said. He raised his head to look at Luin in the sky. For a moment, Luin though that maybe they could reason with him. "And Luin the blue. Tell this robber to leave or I'll water the ground with their blood!" Ah, no. Reasoning was not going to happen.
"There is not need for war between dwarves, men and elves", Gandalf tried.
"I will not stand down for any Elf!" Dain roared. "Not least this faithless woodland sprite!" He gestured with his hammer at Thranduil. The king grinned challengingly, as if daring him closer. "He wishes nothin but ill upon my people. If he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I'll split his pretty head open. See if he's still smirking then!" . With that image, Dain turned his swine around and began riding up and own his lines.
"Let them advance", Thranduil remarked. "See how far they get". The king was still smirking maliciously. Luin wished that for once, the elf would have some common sense and a little less arrogance.
"You think I give a dead dog for your threats?" Dain bellowed. "You pointy eared princess! You hear that lads! Let's give these bastards a good beating!" The dwarf army roared a reply. Scratch that, Luin wished that all kings had more common sense and less arrogance. Why were people so petty?
AN: Hey guys. I know that some of Luin's powers and character are inspired by The untamed. But a lot of this is inspired by other books as well. Only the silencing spell is something directly from MDZS and The untamed. Many cultivation fantasy books use music spells and guqin's. Luin is a mismatch of many different cultivation references.
He is my own original character so please stop saying he's like Lan Wangji or just like the Untamed. He is not so please stop. I have done my research and am not sticking to one style of cultivation.
Luin is my own original character, including his magic and his cultivation.