"And how do you know what the dragons wants?" Paul spoke loudly looking at the man that spoke those words. "Tell me, what do you know of how Smaug thinks? You think he cares for reason if he wants to burn a town? All he'll think is that this is the only place the dwarves could gain help so he'll burn this place in anger."
Paul's words made those clamoring quiet down as they felt intimidated by his tall stature as well as the dark reddish coloration of his armor.
"All your lives you became too complacent living here like the world will make itself easier on you. But here's the truth! No matter what you have chosen to help the dwarves or not this town has been destined for destruction because an Evil deemed it so!" Paul walked towards the town hall as his voice echoed.
"You humans might have forgotten and thought it was all but myth but the enemy of Middle-earth has returned! And his armies march towards Erebor as I speak! From the start eyes of evil has locked upon the lonely mountain, and once that mountain is taken who do you think will be next?! Be it dragon Fire or orc hordes Esgaroth has been in the list of places the enemy has crossed off for destruction!" Paul could see the eyes of the people widen at his words.
"That is why I am here! To prevent that! They intend to use the dragon for their means but I am here! I am here to make sure that does not happen, many of you might not know me yet but let me introduce myself again!"
"I am an Adventurer!
A warrior!
A traveler!
I've wandered the world!
I am a dragon tamer!!
I am the Iron Lord!" Paul went full chunnibyo as he felt emboldened to make a rousing speech. Just as he arrived at the dragon tamer part the sleeping dragon under the water surfaced again and showed its five meter long head to the people.
This scared them as they had realized they have been hasty trying to be stubborn when even the guards seemed tame and quiet when normally they would have been the ones to first oppose Bard.
"If you do not want to be saved then fine by me! Stay and see the horrors of Dragon fire but don't come begging for help when the dragon is upon us!" Paul looked down at the clamoring people who stood stunned in front of him.
"Have them gather their things, also you Bragga. Gather all records, tapestry as well as books of importance. Knowledge is not something you want to lose…" Paul then walked towards Bard gesturing him to follow him.
Paul walked inside leading Legolas and Bard inside the Treasury where Paul had already placed the gold and treasure on a large barge. It has been placed in Barrels and chest to hide their luster as well as the books and records within the Town Hall.
"Bard, you are pick trustworthy people to guard this once it is near the banks of the Lake. It will give you people enough to rebuild once this is all over.
There is also another Barge with all the armor and weapons in the armory. I have also prepared carriages that could be loaded with the barge and boats near the banks.
Horses and ponies are already there ready to pull the items needed. The food must also be gathered as well as enough bedding for the old and young.
Winter is upon us and you would have no time to rebuild once the firestorm subsides. So by the morning we will go towards Dale, as I had said before it is already prepared." Paul looked towards Bard who seemed confused.
"It seems to me my lord that you have everything planned out already?" Bard's words made Legolas also look at Paul.
"When the enemy is someone that took the whole force of Middle-earth from men, elves and dwarves, then it seems fair I must plan ten steps ahead of the enemy so he'll have no time to rest." Paul's words made Bard and Legolas take a moment of contemplation as they indeed realized this to be true.
"The dragon is just a step of his plan, Erebor is the real prize. That amount of gold is enough to temp other lesser men to do many horrible things. For war is won by three things… gold, gold and more gold." Paul walked out of the treasury leaving Bard and Legolas in deep thought.
"He's quite persuasive isn't he?" Bard said towards Legolas.
"Yes, it is our fortune such a man is on our side." Legolas said as he was more thinking of how he should go about his life when from the short time he was out here he had learned so much already.
"Would he be able to subdue Smaug?" Bard walked towards the cabinets and placed the scrolls and books towards the barge.
"We will see soon." Legolas said as he too helped Bard place the books on the boat while still thinking deeply.
[Four hours later]
Paul sat in the plaza alone as he looked at the moon shining bright in the night while the torches burned as wind blew making the atmosphere dreary.
"Are we just going to wait for the dragon to some and burn the town?" Bofur asked Fili as they waited inside a house.
"I don't know, but the tremors seem to be getting more frequent and roars of the beast can be heard for leagues past Laketown." Fili said.
"Hey, about Kili. He seemed to be awestruck with the elf captain isn't he?" Bofur looked at the other building where Kili and Tauriel was crouching with bows ready.
"Shut up!" Fili said annoyed as he had been bothered by Bofur for an hour.
"Okay, okay… just saying…" Bofur shrugged as he calmed himself down.
The other guards were also in waiting as they held large bows from Paul which he pulled out of the water making think he was using magic. But they were also given grappling hooks attached to chains connected somewhere under the town.
Bard had Bragga command these men on when they could shoot the hooks while he and Legolas are perched atop towers watching the mountain.
Paul then straightened his back as he heard the dragon's voice echoing within the air as it roared in anger.
"Revenge?!"
"Revenge?!"
"I will show you revenge!"
*DRUM!!*
*CRASH!!*
Paul turned his eyes to the mountain and there it was a dragon covered in gold breaking out of the sealed doors of Erebor. It shook it's body and took off in the air to cast away the golden coat within it's scales.
"It is time." Paul then used the Heavenly Qi within the clone's body (A/N: Remember, the clones were made of demonic beast from a cultivator's world Paul went to.), he activated the formation he had placed and suddenly the town was filled with people stunning those waiting in the buildings.
"Do not fret, these are but mere Illusions. Just stick to the plan and make sure to stay alive…" Paul's words rang in the ears of everyone surprising them but their eyes were drawn to the illusion of people panicking.
"So this is the magic trick." Bofur said as he looked around the people in the illusion that seemed all too real. But somehow the sounds they make are a bit unclear and it was then he realized the stones Paul left all around was where the noise is coming from.
It emulated the sounds of people panicking as well as the behavioral patterns when the dragon is now upon them.
Meanwhile in the bank of the lake far away the real populace was in fear as they saw the dragon fly from the mountain towards their home.
"Be quiet all of you! Or else the dragon will hear us, cover everything that shines and keep you heads low." Oin was with the people and warned them making the surroundings as quiet as possible.
"Bain will Da be alright?" asked the youngest child of Bard.
"He will be, don't forget there is also a dragon on our side as well." Bain reassured his sisters as he watched Smaug getting closer.
Surprisingly the livestock were quiet as well as they laid down like how they do when a natural disaster strikes.
"AARGHHH!! I'm too young to die!!" Alfrid screamed in the jail as he heard the flapping of wings of Smaug nearing.
"ME TOO!!! Argh!!" the former master of the lake screamed with Alfrid like teenage girls or men getting kicked in the nuts.
At least this made the panic of the people in the illusion more realistic as Smaug neared. Paul still sat there focusing on keeping the illusion going and heard the words of the dragon.
"I am fire!"
"I am death!"
"What have we done?" Bilbo said as he looked over from Erebor seeing Smaug going to Laketown.
"It is show time." Paul said as he made the illusion more realistic as people panicked taking stuff in their houses and got on boats. Smaug saw this and smiled in evil glee not noticing the awkwardness of some but his eyes were drawn to the two screaming men in the jail cells.
Smaug circled back in the air and then his chest glowed fiery orange as he blew a line of fire through Laketown. Paul sat still as he watched the destruction go on, but like he predicted the guards and the others were not in the line of fire.
Meanwhile in Erebor the company of Thorin was watching over Laketown being burned by dragon fire.
"Poor souls…" Balin said.
"But the Iron Lord, he said he'll handle Smaug…" Bilbo said as he remembered the contents of the letter.
"At least Fili and the others are safe, maybe there is something else we cannot see in this…" Dwalin spoke earning the nods of the other dwarves.
Thorin on the other hand was in the back not watching as he just listened to the dragon roars in the air.
Smaug again went to circle back and it was then Bard showed up wearing light clothes then started shooting at Smaug to annoy the dragon. Smaug did try to claw at Bard of burn him but he was then distracted with Kili.
"I knew it! You dwarves and men were in league with each other!" Smaug screamed in anger as he tried to burn Kili.
It was then Tauriel and Legolas shot at him trying to blind him in his eyes yet Smaug was able to avoid it by blinking.
"Elves as well!! Die!!" Smaug then sent fire breaths everywhere as he got enraged at the defiance he is feeling.
Smaug was led to a chase as he tried clawing, biting and even smashing his tail to the irksome beings shooting at him.
For an hour Legolas, Bard, Kili and Tauriel jumped from roof to roof to avoid the onslaught of Smaug while Bofur and Fili threw axes and knives to annoy the dragon further.
"Why do you all even try futile attempts when you can do nothing against me!!" Smaug said as he landed on the burning town but Paul did not give the signal yet since Smaug was still not in position.
"No matter what you do there is no escaping the fire! One by one you will all burn!" somehow Smaug's attention was on Bard as he saw him unsheathe the sword in his waist making him feel the empty part of his chest throb.
"That sword it's made similarly to black arrows, it sheath is made of my scale… Ahh, now I see it. You are the descendant of Girion… what makes you think you can succeed in what your ancestor has failed bowman!" slowly said Smaug as his eyes glowed fire staring at Bard.
"Because we have a dragon as well." Bard said and immediately Paul's dragon suddenly appeared under Smaug's neck mouth wide open then bit on the large dragon.
"*ROAR!!!!*" Smaug roared as he tried to shake the smaller dragon off but their weight was almost the same so he was slowed down.
"Now!!" Bragga shouted and soon the guards shot the hooks on Smaug who was soon covered with dozens of chains all over his wings.
" The tail! Chain down the tail!" Bard shouted and the guards obliged. This time Paul let go of the Illusion but there was still screaming in the air as the former master and Alfrid were still alive floating on a debris of a house.
"Pull him down!" Paul said making his dragon drag Smaug with him forcing the large dragon to lie flat still struggling.
Paul did not waste time as he took out a long chain then ran towards Smaug's head that was still spewing a bit of fire. He slid down under the jaws of the dragon and threw the chains over to loop it tying down the mouth of Smaug.
Paul then circled the chain many times over making sure Smaug is tied down and used his great strength to hold down the head. His Ice drake then let go of his bite and swam up to place his weight on Smaug's neck.
Smaug tried to struggle but his wings were pulled taut by the chains and the hooks even if it did not hurt him a bit.
"Now, don't struggle much Berelict Slumberpatch as this will take only an hour. Don't even try as the chains are special grade Titanium alloys." Paul murmured as he took of his gloves and placed his hands on Smaug's head.
"Hold him down!!" Bard then went to help pulling the chains that bound Smaug's wings.
Legolas and Tauriel stood in awe as they looked upon the large frame of Smaug still squirming about.
"We did it…" Tauriel said as she stood unbelieving of what they had just done.
"I guess we did…" Legolas walked forward without fear as he neared the chest part of Smaug. Taking a small dagger he waited there as Paul said to him if all things fail he should end the beast.
"Are you alright Tauriel?" Kili hurried over to the female elf even when he is a bit weak from the sickness he just recovered from.
"I am, how about you? You should have not stayed with the way you are or you might have died earlier." Tauriel looked at Kili in concern.
"But I was not was I? How could I stay still knowing you also are putting your life in danger in front of dragon fire? I care for you Tauriel…" Kili's words made the elf silent.
"Come with me, after this we will head for the mountains to my uncle. He'll understand, even if that too failed we can go ask for refuge with the Iron Lord. I heard his talk earlier with the Prince, he does not mind our feelings for each other at all. Amrâlimê" Kili then went to speak something in dwarvish making Tauriel look in surprise to Kili.
"I do not know what that means…" Tauriel said.
"No, I think you do." Kili smiled at Tauriel making the elven beauty smile as well. This time Legolas did not bother them as he had been in thought all night about what Paul talked about.
"See, I think you brother's got the heart of the beaut already." Bofur elbowed Fili acting excited at the sight of the two lovebirds.
"Shut up will you? I just don't think my uncle would like this very much." Fili said as he looked at his brother holding hands with Tauriel.
"Surrender Smaug, as you can feel it. It is futile to resist my will. Surrender or be killed, it is your choice." Paul's words tang within the Dragon's head as he was pulled into the mind space of Paul.
There Smaug was crushed by the weight of the soul force of his captor making him unable to move. This time he felt fear, for the first time in his life it has been others fearing him but now Smaug saw something that made him weak in his knees.
"W-what are you!!?" Smaug's soul screamed as he felt the pressure become heavier.
"I am your future master or soon to be killer, surrender!!" Paul's words made the Dragon weaker as his soul was again pulled back to his body but this time his resistance became noticeable weaker.
Paul took about thirty minutes of doing this and this time he pulled out a scroll in his side and threw it upwards making it unfurl on its own. Paul then made a series of hand signs that created fiery writing in the air.
"Seal!" Paul said in Japanese then a whirlpool suddenly appeared on the scroll and sucked Smaug away but the audience was slack jawed as they saw the large dragon disappear in thin air.
"*sigh* Whew, that was rough!" Paul said as he fell back full of sweat, his clone's body integrity was almost broken down at the amount of power he just used on it. But thankfully he was able to pull it off in time, but for now no transformation or skills could be used.
Just pure physical powers left, weakened but still stronger than most as he could feel he could still exert about 20 tons of force. Meanwhile in Erebor the dwarves in Bilbo were looking at the town in disbelief.
"I saw it! Another dragon biting down on Smaug and brought it down!" Bilbo said.
"I think he is right, the town seems quieter than before. It seems the Iron Lord speaks true, he did handle the dragon." Gloin said as he looked over the lake.
Thorin on the other hand seemed a bit off since the Arkenstone has not yet been found. He then walked back to Erebor first as he seemed a bit glum, Balin watch his back as he walked away looking worried for his prince.