Dawn (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 23 - It's not stupid if it works, but it didn't.

"The last of our kin. They must have come here, hoping beyond hope. We could try to reach the Mines. We might last a few days," Balin suggested.

Ever the optimist. We could also try to reach the secret door.

"No. I will not die like this. Cowering, clawing for breath. We make for the forges," Thorin flat out refused.
"He'll see us, sure as death," Dwalin argued.
"Death is not a given for me. I'll distract him," I suggested.
"Death will be a given for you then," Kili reasoned.
"Not if we split up," said Thorin.
"Thorin, we'll never make it," Balin argued.
"Some of us might. Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."
I didn't like the sound of that, burning to death in the dark. But it was better than my plan, or Balin's. So we went for it.

I went in a group with Fili, Kili and Bofur. We were supposed to run away from the forges, luring the dragon with us. The lads had run out already but Thorin caught my arm. "Be careful out there. Make sure he doesn't get you. Or the lads," he said softly into my ear so none of the others could hear. I put my hand on his cheek and nodded, before I took off at a run after Kili.

I can't ever stay mad at him for the amount of time he deserves. It's really annoying.

We ran across the bridge and climbed to another one. "Hey, you giant worm, come and get us!" I yelled as we ran down it. The brief distraction it caused gave the group made up of Thorin, Bilbo and Balin time to run over the bridge and get closer to the forges.
"Flee, flee! Run for your lives! There is nowhere to hide!" taunted Smaug's booming voice. We ran as fast as our legs would carry us. The boys eventually dove into a corridor but I ran on; I hadn't heard the next group yet.
"Behind you!" shouted Dori from another bridge, causing the dragon to turn to his group and giving me enough time to run along to the next spot we were needed. I backtracked to were the lads dove into the corridor and followed it to a lower level of bridges.
Then Dwalin, Oin and Nori ran across yet another bridge. "Hey! You! Here!" Dwalin yelled. Smaug was now chasing them.
Gloin and Bifur used this as a chance to run to their respective bridge. Smaug spewed fire in an arc around them. Gloin and Bifur sprang into two large buckets on an old conveyor system.
Further down the way. The group consisting of Balin, Bilbo and Thorin split up. This was clearly not supposed to happen. "Thorin!" Bilbo called him back to where Balin had disappeared. It was a bit too loud though, as the Dragon had heard and turned to them with a snarl.
"Follow Balin!" Thorin ordered Bilbo. After a small bit of persuasion and me buying them as much time as possible by yelling about how much closer and tastier we were, Bilbo followed Balin.

My group ran into the next hallway and we ran out onto another bridge, I just saw Thorin fall down a deep pit. Bofur and I yelled again to distract the dragon who dove after him. It was of no use. I almost jumped off the bridge to go after them faster. Fili pulling me with him brought me to my senses. The bridge was too high a fall for me to survive. I wouldn't have been able to do anything once I had gone after him either.
As we ran forward and leapt to another bridge that was close by, I saw Dwalin hit a piece of machinery, which made a heavy looking thing go down and a chain in the pit up.
I saw a soft orange glow from down the pit and soon after saw Nori hitting another machine that pulled another chain up. I also heard something big collide with Smaug. Dwalin's machine was nowhere to be seen.

We ran down to an area with narrow pillars built close together. Most of the others were there too. We had reached the forge area. It was huge. There were several large Dwarven forges. There was only one problem. They were unlit.
"The plan's not going to work. These furnaces are stone cold," Dwalin voiced my concern when Thorin came in.
"He's right; there's no fire hot enough to set them ablaze," Balin agreed.
An idea struck me and I went out to the pit. Thorin followed me. "Go back, I am faster and more infuriating than you, tell the others to find a safe spot," I ordered him. I think he agreed with what I said because, surprisingly, he did as I told him. After I had given them a minute or so, I yelled down the pit. "Well, that was quite easy, one would think outsmarting a millennia old Dragon would be a bit more challenging! You are slow-" I wanted to taunt him more, but Smaug already emerged from the pit. Well, that was easy.
I ran back to the forgery and hid behind a pillar. The fire skimmed right past me and lit the furnaces. I yelled out because even though it did not touch me, the fire still burned hot. Luckily, my hair or clothing didn't catch fire. I did feel like a well-done steak though.