A Paladin's Journey (2)

Esgaroth burned as the dragon Smaug descended. Humans despaired as many were burnt to ashes in the terrible flames. The air filled with ashes, the smell of blood, and death spread everywhere. children burnt in the embrace of their mothers and fathers, tears still falling from the empty sockets.

Despair was what men felt in that terrible calamity; Not all hope was lost. Bard looked at the mighty dragon, an arrow in hand. He swore to himself that he would slay the beast.

He aimed it at the approaching monster, his eyes focused, his breathing calm. He saw an opportunity and let go, the arrow flew; It carried the hope of many.

The butterfly flapped its wings...

The arrow didn't hit the weak spot, Bard had been delayed for a fraction of a second. His delay perhaps caused by the existence of Arthas. He despaired as he embraced his son, ready to burn.

And yet the fire never came. He looked up and saw a man, no a hero, standing in front of him; A shield of golden light was conjured by the man as he blocked the Dragonfire. He would forever remember that day, he swore to forever follow this man who radiated light and hope.

Arthas felt sorrow as he observed the burning town, he knew it had nothing to do with him; He knew he couldn't control and yet he felt guilty and responsible. 'Perhaps if I warned them...'

He knew it was foolish to think as he had been in Lorien and he hadn't expected to arrive this late but his kind heart still felt sorrow. He saw the massive creature in the distance as he saw Bard miss his shot. He jumped from atop the Eagle, A pair of golden wings made of light sprouted on his back.

He reached there in time to cast a shield, redirecting the flames to the sky. He turned and looked at Bard, "Stand up and save as many as you can!" he said solemnly. Bard nodded and dashed off with his son.

He looked at the Dragon, his eyes, two orbs of blazing light. "Today, I will slay a Dragon!"

Tauriel had been asked a question from the Dwarf named Kili that day in the dungeon about a man wielding a rune-inscribed sword, "Have you heard of the man I described to you?". 'He was supposed to find us as Gandalf had said.' Kili had thought with hope to hear of him back then.

Kili and his companions had managed to flee from the elves but they still had not encountered him. Thorin had even said that the man had left them; he didn't blame him as they had left without him in Rivendell.

Tauriel, Kili, and the rest on the boat saw a winged humanoid descended upon the city with wings, shining with the brightest colors. Tauriel thought of the Maiar and the Valar, 'Has a Maiar come to beat the dragon?!'.

Men who fled the city or were fleeing saw it as a sign of hope. A star of the sky falling to fight the dragon and save the day.

Smaug retreated a little, "You! What are you? A Maiar?!". Arthas brandished his sword as he took a stance, "I am a Paladin!". The wings behind him flapped as he shot towards the Fire breathing Dragon, no fear present in his eyes.

Smaug felt danger so he took to the skies; Arthas gave chase. The figures of a winged man and a dragon in the sky drew all eyes to them. Many felt that they were witnessing a battle of legends.

Arthas channeled the sun's light in him to summon golden flames. He used the flames to give him a push, he managed to get fast enough to overtake the dragon. He raised his hands, "Holy Fire!". A long serpentine flame was summoned from his hand and shot towards the Dragon. The light of the flames lit up the sky like a sun.

Smaug mocked, "No Fire can burn me!". The moment the fire reached his scales, he let out a pained roar. "How?!!"

Arthas did not answer as he landed on the back of the Dragon, in his hand, Frostmourne shone with a sinister blue light. It hungered for the soul of a Dragon. He raised his sword but before he could land it, he was blown away. Smaug would not die so easily.

The Dragon breathed Fire, it engulfed the clouds as it did Arthas. The sky was filled with fiery flames of Smaug the terrible Dragon. Many despaired, many wished for the savior's survival.

Arthas remembered the lessons...

Lady Galadriel leaned on him as she gently whispered to his ears, "The light is bright as it is scorching. It can be used to burn even fire. Burn the flames Caladcyll(Light-bearer in Sindarin).".

She laid both her hands on his forehead as she channeled her power to let Arthas freely use his still locked power. Arthas tried his best to ignore the shining gold hair and fair lady and focus on the task at hand.

He opened his palm in front of the fire that laid to his front. A blindingly bright and yet scorching hot ray fell on the fire. The flames began getting consumed by the light as they slowly vanished. The wood used to maintain the fire instantly turned to ash.

Arthas breathed deeply as he became covered in sweat, Galadriel wiped his sweat gently. "Again, You can only use half your power now; With my help, you can learn how to use it all. Again Caladcyll!"

Arthas knew using Light of the Protector and forming a shield wouldn't save him from such fire as he could only use 80% of all his power; He had left with his training still incomplete. So he went for the second option.

A Massive blade of Light was formed in his free hand. "Blade of Justice!" He shouted as he cleaved half the flames in front of him and shot the blade in his hand towards Smaug. The blade was made from the scorching light he had practiced before so it could cut fire.

Smaug narrowly dodged the blade, A scorching graze left on his wing. He began to fall. "Noo!"

Arthas used all his power to dash at Smaug and landed atop his belly. He raised Frostmourne and let out a battle cry, "Die!!". He stabbed the sword deep in the weak spot of the dragon as they both fell to the ground near Esgaroth. "Damn You!!"

Many in the distance saw the Dragon fall and the savior atop him. They cheered.

Tauriel looked with wide eyes, 'Did I just witness...?!'.

That Day became known as the Dragon slaying Festival of Paladins. It would be celebrated for years to come by all Paladins to come and the men Arthas had saved that day and their descendants and so on...