After the defeat of Smaug and the liberation of Erebor, an essential moment followed — one that no battle could do without: a celebratory feast.
While Alex spoke with Thorin and the other dwarves, explaining the reason behind Durin's curse and its connection to the Arkenstone, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch had already finished butchering Smaug's body. Meanwhile, Hephaestus and Shigure discussed how best to use the dragon's skin, bones, and scales to create unique artifacts. Knowing Shigure's craftsmanship as a blacksmith, Hephaestus watched her approach with interest.
But when Alex announced that a victory party would be held, all other matters were quickly pushed aside.
After piling up the heaps of dragon meat, Alex, Thorin, the dwarves, Bilbo, and the girls from Alex's family headed into Erebor. As the dwarves crossed the broken stone gates shattered by Smaug, they all felt a deep emotion — the feeling of returning home. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, immediately sensed the shift in atmosphere and smiled with approval. Despite the scars left behind by the dragon, the dwarves had reclaimed their rightful home — and that was enough.
The girls admired the majestic halls carved into the very heart of the mountain. Along the way, Alex told them stories about how Erebor was built, and even the dwarves who had grown up there were surprised by the depth of his knowledge.
They followed Thorin as he walked to the throne to return the Arkenstone to its rightful place. As the Heart of the Mountain was laid in honor, Thorin took the throne of the King Under the Mountain. The dwarves dropped to one knee in respect. Only Bilbo stood frozen, unsure whether he should kneel or simply stand to the side.
Alex and the girls watched from nearby. He and Freya noticed how Thorin's soul seemed to bloom — just like that of a true king. Meanwhile, GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and the rest of the "peace disruptors" were already setting up filming equipment. Red and White, Valery, Alice, Göll, and Nobukatsu helped them with enthusiasm, as if they were shooting a feature-length movie titled The Rise of the King Under the Mountain.
Alex and the girls already knew what would happen if they interrupted the filming — a massive headache. So they stayed silent, choosing not to interfere, fully aware that if the shoot failed, GIR and the crew would make Thorin redo the coronation from scratch — and they certainly had ways to convince even the most stubborn dwarf.
Watching the whole scene unfold, Alex couldn't help himself and began to applaud. The girls immediately joined him. For them — aside from the goddesses, valkyries, and Rory — it was the first time witnessing a real king ascend the throne. Hearing the applause, Thorin raised his head, saw Alex and his family, and smiled warmly, nodding in gratitude. Alex nodded back. He knew: had he not intervened in Thorin's fate, things would have turned out very differently. But now, only one thing remained — to bring an end to Azog.
Though Thorin's ascension wasn't grand or pompous, witnessed only by loyal companions, one hobbit, and Alex's family — it became a turning point in the history of Middle-earth.
After the coronation, it was time to explore the domain. The girls quickly scattered throughout the halls. Alex wisely created a magical map so no one would get lost in the stone maze. Shigure and Hephaestus went to the dwarven forges to inspect the tools and supplies. Rika, Revy, Loki, Jill, Moira, and Chiquita headed for the wine cellar. Riveria, Lucina, Ryuu, Reginleif, Red, and White — to the library. Red and White were already discussing how to compile a complete archive of all the knowledge within Erebor.
But first, of course, everyone went to see the treasury. When the girls saw a real "river" of gold, precious gems, and ancient relics for the first time, they froze in pure awe.
"Congratulations, Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain. Now all that remains is to return this home to the rest of the dwarves," said Alex, standing beside him and gazing at the treasure.
"Thank you. You not only helped us drive out Smaug, but also lifted the ancient curse from my bloodline. From now on, you and your family will always be welcome guests in Erebor. If any of them wish to take a jewel or a gem—let them," Thorin replied, without taking his eyes off the gold.
"Then I think I'll take that necklace... the one that made a certain 'forest fairy' lock you all up in a dungeon," Alex said with a smirk.
"Hahaha! Well said! That forest fairy would give anything to get it back. The stones in that necklace shine brighter than the stars," Thorin laughed.
"But now we need to rebuild the main gate and reinforce the walls that Smaug destroyed," said Alex, pointing to a gaping hole.
"Can't you just fix it all with your magic?" Thorin asked, glancing at the breach.
"Of course I can. But where's the fun in that? And a bit of hard labor will just build up our appetite before we feast on dragon meat!" Alex replied with a grin.
Thorin couldn't stay idle after hearing that. The dwarves had barely caught their breath and looked around their reclaimed home before Thorin gathered everyone to begin rebuilding—starting with the ruined main gates of Erebor.
Meanwhile, the girls strolled through the halls, marveling at the grand architecture. Alex had already sent them a message: if any piece of jewelry caught their eye, they were free to take it.That's when Freya stumbled upon that legendary necklace in one of the halls—the one for which Thranduil had once imprisoned Thorin and his companions. She couldn't deny its beauty—and since it was allowed, the choice was obvious.
The other girls hadn't yet found anything they wanted—except for Loki, who was already cuddling a massive ruby the size of a watermelon, hugging it like a child. Erina, Hisako, and Alice felt a bit awkward; they were still new to Alex's team and weren't sure if they could take any treasure.
But the others quickly reassured them, saying they had earned it—after all, they still had to prepare a feast for all the dwarves. The argument was simple: just consider the jewels as payment for their work. That calmed them down, and they decided to choose something later.
The kids also went off to explore the underground kingdom—except for GIR, MIMI, and Stitch.Those three were immediately conscripted into reconstruction efforts, robbed of the chance to do their favorite thing: making explosive toys. Their loud grumbling could be heard echoing throughout the halls.
Zero Two and Lucy, not particularly interested in empty halls, decided to help as well—especially since it meant spending time with Alex. He was actively participating himself, holding a massive boulder with one hand and helping to place it. Erebor wasn't going anywhere, he thought—there'd be time to explore it later.
The dwarves occasionally cast puzzled glances at GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, not understanding who these noisy, strange little beings were, always muttering to themselves.
Soon, familiar figures appeared on the horizon: Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Oin.Upon seeing the gates of Erebor, they picked up the pace, broke into a run, and quickly reached the work site. After making sure their friends were alright, they breathed sighs of relief.
"Fili, Kili, my sister's sons… Welcome to Erebor," said Thorin with a smile as he approached his nephews.
"We... we really got our home back? But who killed the dragon?" Fili asked in astonishment, looking around.
"I did. Now step aside, unless you want a rock to the head by accident," came Alex's voice.
Turning around, the brothers saw Alex with a massive boulder raised above his head. He walked past them, and Fili and Kili immediately had questions — who was this man? Thorin just smiled and told them the whole story: about their fateful meeting, Alex's intervention, and how they had managed to reclaim Erebor. The dwarves listened in amazement, but what shocked them the most was the fact that Smaug had been killed… with a gold brick. All four of them were filled with respect for Alex.
"Alright, enough talking! We've got work to do! And after that — a feast with dragon meat!" Alex shouted, calling everyone back to the task.
The mention of dragon meat caused a visible stir among the dwarves. They turned to their friends, who confirmed Alex's words. Bombur, already drooling, vividly described the taste of the dishes prepared by Hisako, Alice, and Erina. At that moment, the real motivation for the dwarves wasn't restoring Erebor, but getting to the feast table as soon as possible.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Alex, Zero Two, Lucy, and, not least, the grumbling trio — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — the stone gates were restored fairly quickly. It wasn't for beauty, but to make sure no one could sneak in unnoticed. Even with their help, the work still took several hours.
The feast was held in one of the large halls to accommodate everyone. As soon as the first mugs reached the dwarves, the hall erupted into a joyful chaos. Within minutes, songs were echoing through the room. Some dwarves, intoxicated by the festive spirit (and not only that), decided to compete in strength against Alex's girls — and lost miserably. This only deepened their respect, as dwarves value strength and resilience. When they saw how much the girls could drink, it became yet another reason for competition.
Alex sat between Gloria and Freya, watching the joyful madness unfold. The loudest cheers for the girls came from Becca, Loki, and Hestia — their voices even drowned out the dwarven songs. Thorin himself didn't join the contests, but he watched it all with a faint smile. He raised a mug of beer and looked at Alex, who smiled and raised his own in response.
After the first sip of cold, fizzy beer, the dwarves were shocked. Their view of traditional warm ale changed in an instant — it now tasted like nothing more than donkey piss.
The party lasted deep into the night. While laughter and clinking cups filled Erebor, screams of pain and death echoed elsewhere. Since Smaug had never burned Lake-town, it gave the orcs a chance to seize it and turn it into a base of operations. The town's defenses were weak: the guards were hardly warriors, and the rest of the townsfolk were just fishermen and merchants.
When the orc army suddenly landed from the lake, no one had time to react. Panic spread through the streets. Fires broke out, and the city fell into chaos. People tried to escape however they could. Thanks only to Bard, who managed to organize a defense, and with help from Legolas and Tauriel, many were able to flee. But it wasn't enough. Corpses of those killed by orcs floated in the water or lay on the cobblestone streets. Even the Master of the town couldn't escape. Those lucky enough to flee ran, while the rest remained forever in the ruins, now soaked in ash and blood.
Meanwhile, Alex lay in a spacious room provided by Thorin. The girls — even those who weren't in a relationship with him — peacefully slept nearby. It was cramped, but cozy, like a family. Erina, Hisako, and Alice had been given a separate room, as had the children. Aria, despite supporting Ais and Alex's relationship, also stayed close, sharing in their peace.
When the festivities ended and the alcohol finally hit hard, Alex resumed his usual role — carrying the sleeping girls to their rooms so they wouldn't end up passed out just anywhere. He knew the morning would bring them headaches, but while they slept soundly, he found no rest for himself.
Lying on his back, squeezed in a warm embrace, he stared blankly at the ceiling. Something kept gnawing at him—a feeling that he was missing an important detail. His thoughts wouldn't let him sleep. The room was filled only with the soft breathing of the sleeping girls.
Unable to lie still any longer, Alex carefully slipped out of the embrace, stretched, threw on his coat, and stepped out into the dark corridors of Erebor. The silence and coolness of the halls were almost soothing. He headed toward the main gates—where he could breathe the fresh night air and maybe drive away the intrusive thoughts.
The sound of his footsteps echoed off the stone arches. On the way, he encountered Thorin. They exchanged no words, only a nod—then continued walking together. Now there were two rhythmic echoes in the silence.
At night, Erebor felt different. The walls, halls, columns—all were filled with a different, almost mystical atmosphere.
"Can't sleep either?" Alex broke the silence.
"Something like that," Thorin replied. "Still can't believe it's not a dream. That we truly got our home back."
"That's normal. When you've spent so long chasing something, it's hard to believe the dream has come true. You keep expecting to wake up any moment… But no, Thorin. This isn't a dream," Alex said with a faint smile.
"I thought you'd be fast asleep by now. You've got… quite a large family," Thorin chuckled.
"That's not the reason," Alex waved it off. "I just feel like I've missed something important. The thought won't leave me alone. So I figured I'd go out, clear my head."
Thorin nodded—he understood that feeling well. Sometimes only cold air could dispel doubt.
They passed through the great feast hall, where dwarves still snored, not having made it to their beds. While Alex had taken care to carry his family to their rooms, no one bothered the dwarves—they slept where they fell, full of dragon meat and beer.
At last, they reached the restored stone gates. From the outside, they looked like nothing more than a pile of heavy blocks stacked atop each other, but they served their purpose. Alex climbed up to the wall, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and offered one to Thorin. The dwarf didn't refuse—he had seen Alex and his girls smoke these strange little pipes more than once.
As soon as Alex lit the cigarette, both he and Thorin noticed a bright glow in the distance. There was only one kind of light it could be—fire, and a large one. Alex narrowed his eyes, covered one eye with his hand, and spoke a scrying spell to see what was happening. What he saw made him frown.
Lake-town—the very one that had survived Smaug's wrath—was burning after all. But this time, it wasn't a dragon.
"Orcs…" Alex muttered.
An orc army was attacking the town. What was especially alarming was that they had arrived by water, using boats and rafts. Alex couldn't tell exactly where they had come from, but one thing was clear: the orcs weren't just digging tunnels anymore—they were also using the lake to travel.
Thorin, lacking magical sight, simply stared at the crimson glow in the distance. At first, he thought it was celebratory bonfires—perhaps the people of Lake-town were celebrating the dragon's death and dreaming of prosperity. The thought of greedy hands reaching for dwarven gold stirred annoyance in him. He was just about to voice his contempt when he saw Alex's face change sharply.
"What did you see, wizard?" Thorin asked warily. "Your face says more than words."
"Orcs. They've attacked Lake-town," Alex said quietly. "Those who could are fleeing to the shore under a hail of arrows. The rest…" he shook his head, "are already dead."
"Azog…" Thorin growled, clenching the edge of the stone wall. "That filthy rat just won't give up."
"And unfortunately, this is just a small part of the army heading for Erebor's gates."
"It doesn't matter how many," Thorin snapped. "My cousin Dáin, King of the Iron Hills, will be here soon. Then we'll give the orcish filth a proper fight."
Alex looked at him with a mix of sympathy and determination.
"Let me show you how many there truly are."
Thorin nodded silently. Alex placed his hand on Thorin's forehead, and immediately Thorin saw everything with his own eyes.
Lake-town engulfed in flames and clogged with orcs. Panic, death, and flight. Then the vision shifted underground: giant worms burrowing tunnels through the rocks, followed by an endless stream of orcs, Olog-hai, and other creatures of darkness. Leading this horde was Azog. His eyes glowed with madness, and his hatred for the Durins was evident in every movement.
When Alex withdrew his hand, Thorin took a heavy breath. He looked shaken and even momentarily lost his balance.
"Now you've seen it all for yourself," Alex said. "This is the threat I was talking about."
"You knew from the start," Thorin rasped, "and that's why you insisted on the mutual aid clause in our treaty."
"Exactly. And, by the way, the woodland elf will soon be at your doorstep. And you know what he will demand."
Thorin's face darkened.
"Thranduil won't get a single stone," he hissed. "When our people were dying, he turned away. Let him go to hell now."
Alex shrugged.
"I'm not going to tell you what to do. If need be, I'll talk to Thranduil myself. If he wants the stones—fine. But the problem is my wife likes that necklace. And that… changes things a bit."
"And how do you plan to negotiate with that stubborn elf?" Thorin asked with a smirk.
"Look who's talking about stubbornness…" Alex snorted. "No one can match the dwarves for stubbornness."
They both laughed. Even the most stubborn of all Middle-earth races couldn't compare to dwarves. Alex imagined Thranduil's face when he sees the coveted star necklace… on Freya's neck. He shared this thought with Thorin, who burst out laughing.
"We spent a good ten minutes imagining the grimaces Thranduil would make," Alex said, calming down his laughter. "But seriously, tricking him won't be hard. Since he wants the necklace, I'll give it to him."
"By magic? Illusion?" Thorin asked with interest.
Alex smirked and snapped his fingers. Instantly, an exact replica of the star necklace appeared in his hand.
"No, I'll just make a new one. That's all."
Thorin watched in amazement as the necklace appeared in Alex's hands—an exact copy of the very one Thranduil so desperately wanted to possess. Noticing Thorin's gaze, Alex silently handed him the jewelry. Thorin took it skeptically and began examining it closely. The stones, the settings, the tiniest details—everything was so perfect that Thorin couldn't find a single difference from the original, crafted by his people.
Confusion flickered across the dwarf's face, and Alex watched the reaction with a satisfied smirk. Although the necklace was created through magic and alchemy, it was indistinguishable from the real thing in every way. Yet for Alex, the necklace Freya wore meant much more. To him, it was not just a precious item — it was a memento, a symbol and a piece of their shared adventure.
"I didn't think magic could do something like this…" Thorin finally muttered, handing the necklace back. "In all my years knowing Gandalf, I never once saw him create something from… nothing."
"That's more alchemy enhanced by magic," Alex explained, putting the necklace back into his inventory. "I think your kingdom still keeps old scrolls about metallurgy and alloys. You create new metals by combining existing ones. Here it's the same thing. I just alter the object's structure to give it the desired form."
"Yes, I read something similar in ancient records," Thorin nodded. "But I never thought alchemy could be combined with magic. That's… something else entirely."
"All right," Alex stretched, yawning. "It's almost dawn. I'll get a couple of hours of sleep before the girls wake up and start panicking about where I disappeared to again."
"What a caring husband," Thorin chuckled, watching him leave.
"No wonder they call me perfect," Alex grinned. "Not everyone brings their family to Erebor just to admire the views… and feast on dragon meat."
Alex's words were hard to argue with. Over time, Thorin learned that Alex and his companions came from lands no one in Middle-earth had ever heard of. None of them revealed their true nature: Alex was a demon, Freya, Loki, Nyx, Hestia, and Hephaestus were goddesses, the Valkyries were demigoddesses, and Rory was even an apostle of destruction. Moreover, none of them truly belonged to this world.
Walking back down the dark corridor, Alex noticed Nyx standing by the door to the room where the others were sleeping.
"Not asleep?" he asked, approaching. "Or, like a true goddess of the night, decided to take a moonlit stroll at home?"
"Buzz off," Nyx grumbled, rolling her eyes. "You were gone too long. I came to check where you disappeared to."
"I just got some fresh air and smoked a cigarette," Alex yawned, lightly tousling her hair. "Now go to sleep. We've got something to talk about tomorrow."
"I'm not a child," Nyx muttered, pushing his hand away.
"Of course not. You're our goddess of introverts and queen of all TV shows," Alex replied calmly, opening the door.
With a grumble, Nyx followed him into the room where the girls slept peacefully. Alex settled carefully on the couch, but barely had time to stretch out before female arms wrapped around him, not letting him slip away again. He sighed softly and saw Nyx watching with a smirk—clearly enjoying his predicament.
Alex just rolled his eyes. A headache was starting to gnaw at him—not a physical one, but a premonition of the events to come. Lake-town had fallen, and now, without a doubt, Thranduil and his army would appear at Erebor's gates. Of course, he would offer help to the people, but Alex knew the elf's true goal was the necklace. He wanted to avoid pointless casualties—both among the elves and the dwarves. That required time, and Alex intended to buy it.
But his thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a kick hit him in the face.
"Damn…" he muttered.
It was Zero Two, restless in her sleep. Alex got the hint—it was probably time to stop thinking. He pushed her leg off his face, closed his eyes… and finally allowed himself a bit of sleep.
The next morning, just as Alex predicted, the girls woke up with headaches—the aftereffects of last night's revelry making themselves known. To avoid the looming "hurricane," he had to act quickly. Without wasting a moment, Alex cast a spell to cure the entire group's hangovers, and only then went to wake the children.
Erina, Hisako, and Alice were especially deep sleepers—the eventful day had completely exhausted them. Alex even suspected that Alice, barely containing her excitement, had managed to send photos home to brag. He preferred not to think about what kind of reaction those pictures might cause. Better to just go with the flow.
Once everyone was up, Alex and his family headed to the hall where the feast had taken place the day before. The dwarves were already lively and full of energy, as if yesterday's festivities had never happened. Breakfast began calmly, but Thorin immediately shared important news: an army of orcs led by Azog was moving toward Erebor.
The dwarves and Bilbo expressed concern, but Alex's family continued eating with lazy, almost bored expressions. Obviously, they already knew about the threat. Alex added casually:
"By the way, Lake-town has fallen. The orcs attacked."
Those words made the girls exchange glances. They knew from Saiya's and Alex's stories that, in the original timeline, Lake-town was supposed to burn in Smaug's flames. But Alex killed the dragon… so the city should have survived. Where did the orcs come from?
Even Alex didn't have a precise answer. So the only thing left was to prepare for the coming attack. But first… breakfast.
Finishing first, Alex once again climbed the fortress wall near the stone gates. Settling on a ledge, he looked out over the half-ruined Dale. Closing one eye, he activated a sight spell and saw the surviving residents of Lake-town heading toward the ruins. Bard was leading them—he had become the people's pillar and leader.
"What are you sitting here for?" came Shino's voice as she sat beside him on the stone parapet.
"Watching the people," Alex replied, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Soon the 'forest fairy' will arrive—playing the benefactor, feeding and clothing the poor."
"Are there fairies in this world?" Shino asked, pressing closer to him.
"Pfft. Of course not," Alex snorted. "That's what Thorin and I call the King of the Woodland Elves. If you look closely, Thranduil really does look like a forest fairy. Well, maybe with a bit of an inflated ego. But hey—who says a fairy can't be a man?"
Shino broke into a smile, then laughed. She clearly hadn't expected anyone to call the formidable Elf King a "fairy." She even felt a sudden urge to see Thranduil with her own eyes. Finishing her laughter, she suddenly grabbed Alex by the collar, gave him a long kiss, then jumped off the parapet and ran toward the other girls—obviously intending to share the joke with everyone.
Alex watched her go with a smirk and shook his head. Then, as if from thin air, Zhang Ya silently appeared beside him, emerging from the shadows. Alex wasn't surprised at all and silently wrapped his arms around his ghost-wife's waist.
At that moment, a thought crossed his mind: maybe after the vacation, it was time to visit Zhang Ya's home world—and once and for all deal with that scoundrel who turned her into a vengeful spirit. As if sensing his intention, Zhang Ya lifted her gaze to him. Her crimson eyes glowed for a moment, and she gave a barely noticeable nod.
Alex smiled and kissed her on the cheek. A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across her face in response.
To be continued...
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