Curse of the East (Fili/The Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 26 - Dragon Fire

When I opened my eyes I immediately knew that something was amiss. I stood in a large room, with walls carved from stone and ceilings so high I could simply not see where they stopped; for all I knew they didn't.A feeling of cold dread spread through my stomach, slowly making its way to the rest of my body. I was absolutely certain I had never been to this place before; and yet somehow I knew exactly where I was.This was Erebor; and this was a dream. Not a good one either I would bet. I heard voices approaching me, and I ducked behind a large pillar; pointless when I knew full well they weren't going to be able to see me. I heard Thorin's voice first.

"We make for the Western Guard room!" He called as they moved into my line of sight, "There may be a way out." His eyes were wide and fearful, but I saw something else in them that I couldn't identify.Whatever it was, it didn't look good.

"It's to high," Balin insisted, "We'll never make it that way."Thorin's gaze became more intense as he beckoned them forward.

"It's our only chance," He whispered, looking around now as though he were certain someone I couldn't see was listening. "We have to try." When there were no other protests Thorin lead them across along narrow bridge; I trailed silently behind, having already attempted to get their attention; this was definitely one of my dreams, and I really didn't want to be here. I heard a coin drop, and my heart stalled in my chest; though I did not know for certain what they were running from I had gathered quickly that silence was important.

I noticed every other pair of eyes was trained upward, and when I looked up my heart jumped into my throat. An enormous dragon was stretched out across several of the beams above us, the coin having clearly fallen from between a few of his scales; and it looked like any one of those scales was longer than my entire body. This was Smaug then, somehow we had managed to do something wrong; somehow we had woken the dragon, and now we were all in danger.

Thorin waved the men forward, his eyes never leaving the beast as they made their way slowly along; while I trailed behind them like a silent shadow, still trying to figure out what I was supposed to do about any of this. Smaug was apparently oblivious to their presence as he continued the way he had been heading; giving the company the opportunity to slip unseen through a small doorway into a narrow hall. Though the dragon was now behind us I felt no safer; there was a bad feeling again, gnawing in the pit of my stomach. The worst was most definitely still to come.

As soon as they were in the hallway they started running, twisting and turning so frequently it was a miracle we were not lost. Apparently Erebor was even larger than I had ever imagined. Thorin however seemed to have the place memorized, which saddened me given just how little time he had been able to spend here; this had been the only true home he had ever known, yet he had spent only a small fraction of his life inside its walls. He slowed finally, stopping before an ordinary looking door and stepping inside; the others following close behind. I hesitated a moment before following after them. I still didn't like this.

I stifled a gasp as I crossed the threshold. The bodies of men, women and children were scattered all across the room; the faces of some frozen in eternal screams. Some were still clinging to each other, and I felt hot tears stinging my eyes as I imagined how terrible their last moments must have been. I would take dragon fire in a heartbeat, this was the most terrible way to die I could have ever thought up. These poor souls hadn't ever had a hope.

There was what looked to have once been a door on the far side of the room;but it had long been blocked by massive pieces of wood and concrete.There was no way out here; though it seemed that had been what these people had been counting on. They had come here with the same hope we had; and they had been forced to face the same disappointment. We were trapped.