Luin stared at the dragon. The reptilian golden eyes were sharp and as cold as flint. A long forked tongue flicked the air as Smaug grinned at them. Behind Luin, Bard stood on the remains of the bell tower. His bow had been broken but the man stood protectively over his son. Bain was still on the floor, body frozen in shock and fear. Luin hovered in front of them. The wind whipping at his torn and soot covered clothes and loose black hair. The braids had fallen out and the long strands blew around him like a curtain.

"Who are you to stand against me?" Smaug hissed. Around them, the fire flickered. "You are nothing but a human, fit to burn". His tongue flicked at the words as Smaug turned his gaze to Luin. "And you. You are weak wizard. This is not your world. I shall devour you".

Luin did not react to the words. Not moving his gaze from the creature, he whispered to Bard. "If I distract him, could you get a shot?" Bard looke at the broken bow in his hands then around him. Behind them, Bain made a small noise. Bard glanced at his son and nodded resolutely.

"There is nothing left for you but death", the dragon promised. He crept closer over the burning buildings, taking joy in the fear. "There will be no help. No one will come. You cannot save them from the fire. Everything will burn. I will wreck havoc over the lands of middle earth". The dragon promised.

"Bard get ready", Luin said. Bard nodded. Luin dove in an arch downwards. The wind and flames surrounding him as he flew towards the hulking form of Smaug.  He soared underneath the golden underbelly before the dragon could react. As he moved, Luin's eyes picked out the small black spot on his chest. The chink in the scaled armour. Shooting up around the tail, Luin flew around in a sharp ark in front of the dragons face. Smaug snapped at him, missing his hair by a breath.

"You puny little fly! Burn!" Smaug roared. Fire erupted out of his mouth, swallowing Luin in a ball of heat. The dragon looked satisfied as the flames dissipated, presuming Luin to have been burnt to a crisp. His reptilian eyes widened as Luin emerged from the smoke, completely unaffected.

Luin held out both his hands and all the dragon fire he had absorbed burst from his being. It wouldn't affect the dragon, Luin knew. But it would distracting him and make him angry. Smaug shrieked as the fire burned his eyes. The only sensitive part of him not protected from the heat. The dragon stumbled to the side, pushed back by the torrent of flames. Beneath him, houses crumbled as his balance shifted.

"You shall pay for that little wizard!" He screamed. A clawed wing swung at Luin. He was forced to flip up over the leather and into the air above the dragon. Soaring up in a wide loop over the attack.

"Luin!" Bard called. "Bring him closer!"

Luin listened and shot off in a dive for the bell tower. Behind him, Smaug snarled and followed. The dragon crawled over the ruins of lake town at an impressive speed. Growling and whispering death threats as he chased. Luin was barely ahead, swerving and diving to avoid the snapping mouth and claws. In front of them, Bard stood poised with the iron arrow ready. He had it aimed. Using the remains of his broken bow and Bain to steady and aim the arrow.

"Down!" Bard screamed as he let the arrow go. Luin dropped, the arrow sailing through the air above him. It hit home. Smaug shrieked as it pierced his chest. The massive body fell to the side. He crashed along the rooftops in a skid before rolling and pushing himself upwards towards the sky.

One of his wings had clipped the bell tower when he fell, and the whole thing toppled. The support beams snapped in two. Luin moved as quickly as he could. As the structure came crashing down, Luin swooped and caught Bard and Bain by the arms, a hand around each. He pulled them up into the air as the tower crashed into the water.

"Get on the sword", he instructed, grunting slightly at the effort. He couldn't carry two people at once for very long. His second sword flew out of his sheath and hovered in the air next to them. Luin hoisted Bard up so that the man could place his feet on the blade before pulling Bain up onto the sword behind him. The boy clutched at his waist as Bard kept a steadying hold on Luin's shoulder.

Behind them, Smaug howled. The dragon was desperately pulling himself up into the sky in great beating strokes. He went higher and higher, clawing himself towards the clouds before the fire went out. Talons grasped empty air. The glow faded in his scales and his eyes went dark. The dragon dropped like a kite with its strings cut. His wings dragging along after him like sails as he fell, landing on the water of Laketown with satisfying crash.

"Da we did it!" Bain muttered in awe. "He's dead!"

"The dragon is dead", Bard echoed, disbelief and relief in his voice. He looked over the burning ruins of Laketown with a horrified expression. The town below them was destroyed. Hundreds as people dead, but there were the light of boats sailing away from the burning wreckage, survivors heading for shore. Luin felt the tension leak out of him and exhaustion flood into his bones. His injury, though better with his gained energy, still throbbed under his tunic.

"I'll take you to Sigrid and Tilda", he muttered. "They're okay. I left them with the elves and my companions". Bard breathed a sigh in relief at the statement. Slowly, the two swords raised higher in the air and began moving towards the shore closest to the shadow of Erebor. That's where the dwarves would be.

Luin was right. They found the group on the rocky shore just as early morning light began to brighten the darkness. Luin was relieved to see that Bofur, Fili and Kili were still there waiting for him. The dwarves cheered as the swords descended from the sky. "Da! Bain!" Tilda and Sigrid yelled. They ran over and embraced their family as soon as their feet touched the ground. Bard clutched his children close, pressing kisses into their hair as he wept in relief.

The three dwarves eagerly wrapped their arms around Luin's legs as he sheathed his swords. "You killed the dragon!" Fili yelled. "You did it!"

Luin laughed as they cheered again. He let him pull him into a hug, wrapping his arms around their smaller frames. "Bard and Bain killed the dragon". He corrected. "I merely helped".

"Smaug is dead", Bofur said excitedly. "We can continue to Erebor and rejoin the others". Luin smiled as both he and Kili glanced over to where the elves were standing. Legolas and Tauriel were positioned further up the beach and away from the group. Their inhuman beauty seeming to shine in the rising dawn light. Legolas smiled slightly at Luin. His hair glittering like gold and his blue eyes soft. This was where they would have to part ways. Luin did not know where the elf pair were going, but he could guess it on their faces. Thorin would never allow them into Erebor. So the elves had their own quest to fulfil.

Luin stood up and walked over to him once he and the dwarves has parted. He saw Kili and Tauriel joining each other further away. Legolas watched as Luin approached, his position up to shore and away from the group offering them a little privacy. The blood had been wiped off his face and the elf was watching him curiously. "You're unharmed", Legolas stated, voice quiet and gentle. Luin smiled sheepishly.

"Fire has never been a weakness of mine".

Legolas' gaze seemed to burn with things unsaid. Luin savoured he moment, unsure on wether he would see him again. Legolas seems to be doing the same. Two sets of eyes soaking the other in. A moment passed before Luin stepped forwards. He gently and nervously wrapped his arms around Legolas' neck. The elf stiffened as Luin pressed close. Luin froze up for a second, worried that it had been a step too far. The hug was warm and reassuring. Luin sighed, inhaling a woodsy and natural scent that was so inherently Legolas that Luin tried not to melt. He waited a moment before moving to pull away. It took a moment for the elf to relax and hug him back, bringing the wizard back in close so that there was no air between their chests. Slowly, Legolas' arms reached up to cup Luin's back. One hand curling around a shoulder the other across the back of his ribs.

Luin knew that elves didn't really hug in the same way that humans did. They were not a touchy society. But Luin didn't care. They were parting and the elf sign for a hug just didn't convey everything that Luin needed to say. In the elf's arms, Luin seemed so warm and small and alive. Their heartbeats could be felt through touch. Legolas closed his eyes to savour it, ignoring the red burn in his ears.

"Oi lover boys!" Fili's jeering voice called from the barge. Bofur was already inside, waving at them as Fili began to push it back out into the water. "Kili, Luin, leave your elves and come on!" Both of them jumped. Luin pulled back and stepped away. Already Legolas missed his warmth.

"I'd better go", Luin muttered, the red burn still on his cheeks. "Quest to finish and all". He paused and thought for a second, ears growing even redder as the considered stat he was doing. After a internal debate, he unsheathed one of his swords. Legolas watched as Luin held his hand over the jewelled hilt. The hilts were decorated with green and blue stones, surrounded by swirled patterns. They were beautiful blades. As he watched, one of the big blue stones set into the pommel wobbled under Luin's hand as if it was being forced out of its spot. It fell out of the hilt and into his palm. The metal of the sword smoothed over the hole, filling it up until it looked like there had never been a stone there in the first place. Luin took Legolas' hand and pressed the blue jewel into his hold.

"Keep it", he smiled. "As a token. It's from my homeland. I can recognise it's signature. It will protect you and serve as a reminder". Legolas looked down at the stone. He didn't know what type of jewel it was but is was beautiful. It was a deep rich blue the same colour of the sky at dusk. A matching colour to the robes Luin wore, a thing to remind him and connect them. He tucked it into his pocket as Luin turned and jogged over after the barge. Fili and Bofur were pushing the boat out onto the water. Luin ran up and jumped over them. He landed inside gracefully without barely a wobble. As the boat drifted out into the water and everyone was on board, Luin turned and waved. Legolas and Tauriel watched from the shore as the boat was absorbed into the early dawn mist.