Returning Home: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 53 - Dreams of War and Darkness

Trigger warning for major character death and fairly graphic descriptions of blood and gore, and battle/fight scenes in the beginning of this chapter. 

~~ Celia ~~

It was the first thing she saw when she managed to clamber her way up to the top of the rock blocking her way.

Blood, everywhere.

Dripping down her face and onto her hand. Splattered on the rocks, pooled into puddles on the ground, decorating limp bodies that sprawled lifelessly here and there, staining the snow a bright scarlet. Its scent lingered in the air, mixed with the stench of mud and vomit and a dozen other scents she couldn't identify as she dropped to the ground.

She jogged through the misty chaos, bow at the ready. She had to find them. She had to. It was the only chance she had to save them. The trouble was, she didn't know how long she'd been trapped behind that rock, or where they were. Just where they would be.

Ravenhill.

Unless they were already there. She doubled her speed, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest. She was gasping for breath by the time she reached the abandoned fortress, and barely made it up the broken stairs.

She almost collapsed in relief when she saw Thorin, Bilbo, and Dwalin standing on a frozen river by the edge of a cliff, with a ruined tower above them, and some sort of hallway several yards below them. All three of them looked mostly unharmed, although stained with blood from battle and injuries.

Thorin spun around, raising his sword defensively, only to lower it when he saw her. "Celia. What are you doing here? This isn't safe!"

Slinging her bow her shoulder, and resting her hands on her knees, she nodded wildly. "I know! Had to - tell you - 's a trap!" she managed between pants. "Wait." Her eyes darted between the group. "Where's Fíli and Kíli? And Elena?"

"We know it's a trap. Bilbo told us," Thorin agreed, snow dusting his head. "They went to scout out the fortress, and we were about to call them back."

Her eyes widened. "No! No, no, no, no, no! Fíli!"

"What about him?" Thorin demanded, stepping closer. 

A drum sounded from the tower before she could answer. Whipping around, they saw a pale orange light appear on one side of the tower, oval shaped and with a dark shadow in the center, growing steadily larger and brighter. It almost looked like an eye, with the edges flickering as if in flame, and she felt her heart clench in her chest at the connotations. Then the black grew, almost cutting off the orange as Azog stepped forward out of the depths of the tower, dragging a limp and bloodied Fíli with him.

"Fíli!" Celia screamed, whipping her bow off her shoulder and stringing an arrow. Drawing it back she aimed it directly at Azog's heart. "Let him go!" she demanded, tears filling her eyes and making her voice wobble. She blinked them back furiously, trying to clear her vision.

Azog only laughed, hauling Fíli up in front of his chest and looking at her invitingly. The arrow wavered on the string, then finally dropped as she lowered the bow, staring up at Fíli with a sob choking her throat.

Azog bared his teeth in a triumphant, malicious grin. "This one dies first," he snarled. "And the female he sought so desperately to protect. Then the brother. Then you, Oakenshield. You will die last, knowing I have brought about the end of the line of Durin."

"Fíli!" Thorin shouted desperately, tears glimmering in his blue eyes as he stared up at his nephew. Dwalin and Bilbo stood beside him wordlessly.