The next morning (or when we wake up) we travel through the channels of darkness, my only comfort being all of my companions, and my husband who sticks close to me. He let me curl up against him last night when we slept on the hard floor. I found sleep because of him, not sure if he did or not.

I don't think I'm claustrophobic... but it seems like I could be under here.

Even so, I keep my composer. I think tactically, looking for signs of a way out. We spend hours walking through this under-city, encountering places where the earth had collapsed on the tunnels and stone blocks some hallways.

As we walk I notice Aragorn has the sniper rifle I packed from the bunker on his back with the backpack.

I wonder if he can just snipe Sauron in the face.

Thranduil's torch shines on something to the right and I gasp. "That's it!" I say running to the metal ladder.

Legolas chases after me almost immediately. And then the others catch up.

I stand there looking up at the tiny beams of light that shine through the holes in the circular plate.

I click off my light and stick it in the pack on Aragorn. Then I ready my pistol... as the others seem to do the same.

"Who should exit first?" Legolas asks.

"I will. I have fast reflexes. If there are orcs right above us I can deal with them," Thranduil volunteers as he loads his rifle.

He leaps up the ladder swiftly and lifts up the metal door. We don't hear anything above us as the light leaks into the room. Thranduil slides the lid over and steps onto the ground.

Legolas hops up and joins him after we hear no firing. Then he beckons for me and holds out his hand. I can get up without that but I take his hand anyway to not leave him hanging.

The light of day returns to my eyes and I blink a few times. But the sunlight feels warm on my skin and I breathe the-almost-fresh air.

I open my eyes to see that we are still in the city, but further out than before, white reflecting off the steel and glass buildings.

Éowyn climbs out of the hole and then Aragorn.

I gaze near the sun to find out which way is northeast, seeing as that might be our best bet. I think and then turn to my elf. "We should head-" but I am cut off from him putting a protective arm out in front of me as he frowns into the distance.

I stand there letting him protect me and that's when I see orcs emerging from the buildings and alleys. My eyes dart around us and I notice more and more of them... we are surrounded. And they inch towards the street and to us.

I cock my pistol with wide eyes as the others hold their weapons up slowly.

"Take out the archers first," Thranduil says quietly without moving his lips.

The skin on my fingers grips my weapon tightly as my eyes search for an orc marksman.

I catch one of the demons behind another as he loads an arrow...

"Now!" I shout and lift my arm, firing straight towards my prey and watching his head whip back from the string of blood flying off his face.

I duck as another arrow whizzes over me. Gunfire, snarls, and ugly battle cries echo around the city and immediately we focus fire on the path we were trying to take before, mowing down an opening wide enough.

Another arrow flies by from a different direction but Legolas lifts up his rifle and lets it take the archer out with only two shots.

Thranduil and Legolas have already taken out all of the marksmen.

Goblins and orcs lunge at us with swords held high, gnashing their teeth and roaring savagely.

But our companionship takes them apart, switching positions to fire around us and protect one another with bullets of steel into bone. Normally we would have been finished, the five of us against this army, but now equipped with modern artillery these demons are no match.

The only thing that frightens me is that this could be less than one percent of the army that surrounds Sauron. Which makes me believe that we won't win against him. At least not on our own. Even with the armies we have ready at our command.

"Behind you!" Éowyn says to me and I whirl around just as she fires at a creature that almost got too close. But as he falls his head almost touches my foot.

I shoot up to the right side of Aragorn as more approach him.

All around we desecrate the army of Sauron with chains of bullets and rattles of gunfire. They drop one after the other until I feel a hand on my arm.

My head flashes to the left to see Legolas urge me to follow. Thranduil has begun running after the orcs who are now fleeing. And they head straight for the forest on the outer part of the city.

Immediately I sprint ahead, looking over my shoulder to see Aragorn notice and he and Éowyn race after us.

The five of us follow up on their tail, firing at one and at the ground. They run harder, my feet moving fast but luckily they are not too speedy.

And we chase them down until the trees cover us from the light of the sun. But still we press after them, running on the grassy trail and trying to not lose them. Thranduil is making sure of that. He is the only one I can see now besides Legolas in front of me.

I always wonder why Aragorn is constantly in the back but now I respect that. He wishes to bring up the rear as so he can make sure no one gets left behind. He can see us all that way, guarding our backs in constant protection mode.

Legolas has always been in front. He is a natural leader like his father. He is guider and not even mentioning that he is tireless. So naturally he would be ahead. But he always looks back, keeping an eye on his companions like Aragorn. With them both I always felt safe.

Our legs run over brush and tall grass until mine go numb. But I keep my eyes on my elf in front of me as he chases after his ada.

I almost get tired but then we burst through the thicket and back into the light...

I stop where the others have and gaze upon the new sight before us. Dark clouds stack in the ruins of an enormous city that is focused at the center where the tallest buildings are, a huge black fortress. The place is turned into a residence for darkness. One hundred times larger than any city I have ever seen in my lifetime.

From here I can see a couple nazgul dragons flaying about the skies. Probably the only two left.

It is far from here... but close enough.

Lightning flashes in the clouds of the distance.

"A second Mordor..." I murmur.

"Cannot believe we found it," Aragorn says.

"And that means we found Sauron."

"Do you hear that?" Legolas asks his father after a few seconds.

My head turns around from the sound of a twig snapping...

"Behind us!" I shout as I see orcs emerge from the forest at our backs.

Thranduil and Aragorn immediately ready their weapons and being firing at the demons as crowds of them run from the woods.

I raise my pistol and pull the trigger as I back up from the pursuing army of monsters.

Then my horror becomes a reality when they get closer and I try to fire again but only hear a click in my weapon.

I stick the gun in my belt and flee as I realize Aragorn has also run out of ammunition.

"Run!" I cry and flee from them towards the bridge that connects one side of a trench to the other (a river it once was).

Aragorn chases after me as Legolas fires a few more bullets before he catches up. Thranduil is the last to run but we are all headed for the bridge.

"Vilora what is our plan?!" I hear Legolas shout.

"Why are we headed towards Sauron?!" Éowyn asks.

I charge forward with determination, knowing what I plan to do but just praying that it works.

The orcs press on for us. I can hear that behind me.

And ahead is only darkness. If I fail we won't survive.

Gunfire comes from Thranduil's weapon at the army that licks at our backs.

We sprint over the metal walkway as fast as possible now, the creaking of the bridge's supports rattling my ears.

"Vilora!" Aragorn calls.

I fling my hands ahead, both at the same spot in front of me then ripping them apart, the portal back to Rivendell opening before me.

With lightning speed I run, throwing my body into the wormhole just as arrows fly past my cheekbone.

The golden light blinds me as I tumble onto the concrete floor of a familiar city.

I cringe from the pain on my palms, remembering my previous wound. But I turn over and move to let the others leap through behind me.

I jump to my feet just as the last, Thranduil lands on the ground and I stretch my arm out and make my hand into a fist, closing the portal before the monsters could get through.

It disappears.

"Alright that's it. I'm ending this," I say angrily walk to the edge of the overlook that we stand on as the others catch their breath. I whistle loudly into the air.

Then I turn to walk up the stone steps to the left. "Aragorn assemble all of the armies we have available on the plains between Mirkwood and the MistyMountains now," I tell him as I leave.

I run up the steps and to the room where I stayed, grabbing the black leather gloves from my bag and cutting the fingers off. Then I slip them on over the bandages on my palms and run to the larger overlook.

I hear people coming from their homes and from where they mingle to perhaps greet us or something but I don't pay attention. A great Eagle flies down to where I stand at the edge and cries out in obedience to me.

"Vilora!" I hear Legolas call as he runs to me. "Where are you going?"

"To Laketown. I'm tired of playing around," I answer and hop on the back of the large bird, holding onto the giant feathers. "You comin', elf boy?" I ask.

He has a frown on his face and his eyes show confusion but there is also trust in them. And he leaps up with me. I let him take the front and I call the Eagle to north.

Another call leaves the bird's beak and it flaps its enormous wings, taking to the sky with one plunge.

It climbs to the clouds and I urge for him to go faster. Holding onto my elf tightly we race time and chase the wind. With lightning speed we fly like an arrow through the breeze, twice as fast as I have ever flown on a fell beast. We ride higher so that we may get there sooner. Luckily wind is on our side.

We shoot over the MistyMountains as fast as wind would allow. And I can see the edge of Mirkwood ahead just barely as we keep heading east.

And that's when I finally realize that I am no longer surrounded by dark, desolated buildings and rotting corpses. I am home. In the mountains. In the trees. In the fresh air again. And it's more beautiful than I ever thought before.

After hours of travel over the sea of orange, over the lands of Middle Earth I finally see a lake ahead, the LongLake.

And then the tiny Laketown in the midst of the water reflecting the stormy sky.

We make our descend towards the water's edge south of the city near the bridge.

But people are outside there. Traders and caravans that are camped and ready to sell goods to the common folk and to other travelers.

When we land we draw all of their attention. But it matters not.

Legolas gets off and I hop to the grass. From there I slowly approach the lake.

My elf follows cautiously.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

More people from Laketown that are on the bridge fishing for sport look our direction. People that walk along there and to where the campers are set up do the same.

I breathe and shut my eyes.

After a second I open them. "You have been dead long enough."

Carefully I step forward, my foot sinking into the mud at the water's edge. I take another step and wade there in the water that licks my shins just above my ankle.

"You who calls yourself fire, awake from your deserved sleep! ...Entula tuulo' i'ba!" I call in strength. (resurrection spell)

Just then the water begins to send higher ripples onto where my feet stand.

The earth rattles and I watch a tiny stone bounce on the bed of a boulder. Thunder booms in the distance. The waters are stirred... people begin to mutter.

The earth quakes and then I hear the supports of the end of Laketown that holds a pier begin to crack.

But it is silent still...

"Are you afraid?" I ask.

Just then the waves break ahead. The surface sprays white water and the mirror of the sky is cracked open into shards of grey. The water above catches fire like oil and citizens begin to shout and exclaim.

The fire blazes but only burns on one spot, not reaching me or the city but much of the water before us.

Something emerges from the throw of liquid; an enormous bone wing the size of a village, water and flame falling from it as it touches the sky.

The water ahead where it came from bulges up like a hill of orange and grey glass. Something flexes and cracks far to the right of me and then I see a tail end lift from the surface.

I stand to look upon my creation as a head then bursts from the waves. A bone skull that could be the size of a small building lifts from a neck as tall as a skyscraper, liquids falling from the joints as it rises high above our heads.

Fire covers the white marrow and orange burns the edges until it turns to flesh. Scales spread on muscle and flames engulf the creature of death.

Another wing spreads out with the other as skin stretches with a glow of fire over the bones and joints, shielding us from any light that the sun might give.

His head reaches up from the orange tongues and eyes stare into mine. I smile and turn to my elf and the others.

They gaze up at the enormous monster of terror, horror and shock in their eyes, including Legolas whose eyes are wider than ever before.

I am the closest to the creature and stand not afraid of him.

Just then it lets out a loud roar of frightening terror into the skies, awake again he rises from the lake and walks to the shore, fire burning on the water with each step.

I turn to face Smaug with a straight posture and do not flinch when he lowers his head down to look at me, the same fire burning in his eyes.

I reach out in front of me when he is close enough and my fingers touch the scales on his nose, breath coming from his lips and tossing my hair behind my shoulders.

"I have raised you from the dead, and to that you will be mine," I say to him with dark confidence.

He backs away just a little and brings his wings up from the waves to stand proudly. "I... will... serve..." he speaks with a slithering deep voice of power and menace, one that booms like thunder to our ears.

I smile and run up to his head, grabbing the scale and pulling my body onto his head and to the horns where I hold on tightly. I look to Legolas who stands there still so completely shocked and possibly frightened. His eyes catch mine and he knows what I want but he hesitates, lifting a brow at the huge creature that he had probably seen before as it terrorized Middle Earth.

I can't help but smile at him as he almost shakes his head, still not believing but then when he looks up at me he smiles with that squint in his eyes from excitement. And without anything further he runs to the side I climbed to join me on the dragon's neck.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I look down at the beast I ride on... "You want to rule the world Smaug? You can have mine," I say to him.

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