The Tarnished in LOTR with Elden Ring

As the Witch-king of Angmar fled, sunlight returned to bathe Lake-town's skies once more.

Bernahl immediately recognized the letter in Thranduil's hand as one from Tarnes, finally understanding why Mirkwood's reinforcements had arrived so swiftly.

Legolas's expression shifted slightly upon seeing the letter, but ultimately he said nothing.

He simply sheathed his silver blade, chipped from battling Nazgûl, and went to find Tauriel, who had been knocked unconscious into some wooden house during the fierce fighting.

Thranduil's gaze followed his son constantly. He wanted to speak, to ask him to stay, but though his throat moved several times, no words emerged.

Bernahl and Igon understood the relationship between this father and son, though they had no place to comment. Both because it was Elven family business, and because neither had ever been a father.

Bernahl understood Thranduil's complete focus on whether his son was injured, so he cleared his throat and addressed the Elven-king. "Lake-town needs me to handle the situation now. We won't disturb you further."

He then quickly departed with Igon.

Thranduil maintained Elven grace and courtesy, patiently waiting until Bernahl and Igon left his sight before dismounting and hurrying after Legolas.

Shortly after Bernahl and Igon left, a heartrending dragon's roar echoed from Dale's direction.

This roar differed from Igon's Dragon Communion incantation. It was filled with despair and unwillingness to face death.

Time rewinds slightly. Just as Thranduil led Mirkwood's forces to reinforce Dale, the fierce battle between Radahn and Smaug reached its conclusion.

Smaug endured the pain, using his twisted wings to whip up winds, lifting snow and dust high to obscure Radahn's view of the ground.

Taking the opportunity, he breathed dragonfire again toward the human who had given him such grief.

Radahn's lion-headed armor was covered in scorch marks, his cloak long since incinerated by countless flame attacks. Exposed golden shoulder plates glowed red-hot, sizzling against his flesh.

He spat bloody saliva, took a deep breath, and crossed his Starscourge greatswords before him to steady himself. Purple gravity ripples flowed along the blades, deflecting the dragonfire skyward once more.

"So what if you can't fly? The absolute difference in strength and size is something you cannot overcome! Run, insect! Crawl back into holes like those Dwarves!"

Smaug's mockery and his steel-whip tail arrived simultaneously at Radahn's position.

But Radahn charged directly into the attack. Gravity magic exploded at his sword hilts, scattering stone fragments, then he leaped onto the thicker part of the dragon's tail, driving his Starscourge blade deep between the scales.

Smaug writhed in pain, flinging Radahn toward the ground. Though gravity magic softened the impact, his back still created spider-web cracks in the earth.

Radahn immediately rose, boots striking the ground as he leaped up, sword aimed at the dragon's eye.

But Smaug's claw suddenly shot out, five blade-like talons gripping a Starscourge sword, hurling Radahn skyward while the other claw followed with a crushing blow.

A purple gravity light flashed across the descending claw, suddenly accelerating its descent, barely missing Radahn's body by a hair's breadth.

The ground collapsed under Smaug's strike. Radahn slashed at the claw before him with his other Starscourge blade.

As sword met claw, Radahn channeled all his gravity magic into the Starscourge greatsword.

Crack!

The dragon's talon shattered with a sound like breaking glass. Smaug released a deafening shriek of pain. Radahn escaped but was scorched on his right arm by dragonfire already brewing in the dragon's maw.

The smell of burned flesh mixed with blood filled the air. General Radahn staggered in midair before stabilizing, breathing heavily, his golden eyes locked on Smaug below.

Worthy of being a dragon. Though lacking the dragon lightning of the Ancient Dragons from the Lands Between, its massive 141-meter frame compensated for that disadvantage.

Fighting such a behemoth filled Radahn with genuine exhilaration.

"You are the only human to push me this far. State your name. I shall remember it forever."

Smaug's dragon eyes fixed on the airborne human while it attempted dragon-speech to make Radahn reveal his name, hoping to enslave his soul in the process.

Even if it failed, the moment of confusion would allow escape.

Yes. Smaug, having fought Radahn this long, now contemplated retreat.

This human was simply too dangerous. Continuing this battle might actually cost Smaug his life.

Damn it, why do such warriors still exist in the Third Age?

Smaug cursed inwardly. He had heard of powerful Elven warriors in the First Age who could slay dragons, but this was a human, not one of those long-lived Elves. Where had he come from?

Under Smaug's gaze, Radahn gave no answer but silently raised his Starscourge swords and flew toward him again. Smaug immediately breathed fire.

But this time the dragonfire didn't shoot straight like a pillar. Instead, it traced a wall of flame, merely to block Radahn's vision momentarily.

But as Smaug raised his head to breathe fire, Radahn's golden eyes above suddenly contracted. He saw that the gold coins and gems lodged in the dragon's chest scales had fallen away during their fierce battle, revealing an unarmored wound.

Radahn immediately realized this was a fatal weak point created long ago by some brave human warrior, later covered by the Lonely Mountain's treasure.

"Found your weakness, lizard!"

Radahn rarely shouted with such fury. He sheathed his Starscourge swords at his waist, hands forming claws, purple-black gravity vortices spinning madly in his palms as all surrounding debris rose into the air.

The floating stones blocked Smaug's dragonfire. In using flames to obscure Radahn's vision, Smaug had forgotten he also lost sight of his opponent.

Inexplicable fear rose in the great dragon's heart. His twisted wings beat desperately, trying to take flight, only to discover his body pressed earthward again by that sudden gravity.

"Ant! How dare you!"

His final dragonfire breath came out hastily, but Radahn's full-power gravity magic forced it all back down the dragon's throat. The flames flowed backward into his maw, turning Smaug's furious roar into a strangled wheeze.

Radahn had reached Smaug's chest, both Starscourge greatswords raised overhead, aimed at that tiny wound, insignificant compared to the massive dragon's frame.

The gravity ripples around the Starscourge blades made the air itself wail, as if stars were collapsing.

It was a human, one of those you've always scorned, who tore this gap in your chest armor with their life.

Radahn's gaze met Smaug's vertical pupils, which showed panic for the first time. The Starscourge swords fell, gravity tearing the scale gap wider before penetrating the flesh beneath. The blazing dragon heart burst under the blade's edge.

"ROAR!"

The heart-piercing agony drove Smaug to violent death throes. His dying struggles shook the ground violently. The tail that had been swinging as Radahn struck finally connected with his waist and abdomen. Armor caved with a dull sound, ribs clearly cracking.

Then Smaug's dragon eyes lost their luster. The tail that had tried to coil around Radahn fell powerlessly to earth, raising dust.

When the dust settled, Smaug's corpse lay quietly in the shallow crater he had created. Dragon blood flowing from his chest formed an almost lake-sized pool in the earthen hollow.

Radahn sat atop Smaug's now-closed jaws, one Starscourge sword driven deep along the scale patterns into the dragon's skull behind him.

This was to prevent Smaug from feigning death. Radahn didn't know this world's dragon vitality, and it would be troublesome if the creature could still move after taking mortal heart wounds.

Radahn's own breastplate was completely deformed, his left arm burned to the bone, but his right hand still gripped the other Starscourge sword tightly.

This is the first time and my last act of self-indulgence. From now on, the Redmane Legion commander's dragon-slaying reputation will spread throughout this world. Other human kingdoms will have to reassess our Golden Tree territory's strength and position. This risk of fighting such a dangerous creature was not taken in vain.

General Radahn's chest rose and fell dramatically, but his mind remained coldly analytical about future situations.

He lifted his head slightly, silently gazing toward Dale, where he knew Tarnes now stood.

Tarnes, Elden Lord. I know you dislike displaying strength to allies and treasure their friendship.

But when you wield a divine weapon, the best approach is to demonstrate its sharpness with enemy blood for allies to see. Otherwise, the blood it drinks later might belong to others.

Restraining a blade's edge while holding it, being defenseless while empty-handed. Both are survival strategies, but they reflect the most fundamental difference in nation-to-nation dynamics: the right to speak.

Having a sword but not using it differs from having no sword to use.

Radahn took another deep breath, gazing at the clearing sky.

Just as Radahn discovered Smaug's fatal weakness, Thorin in Dale, resisting Azog's army, also made a decision.

Tarnes had wanted to help Radahn quickly defeat Smaug, but Freyja and Jerren together begged Tarnes to give General Radahn a chance to challenge the dragon, forcing Tarnes to reluctantly agree.

He looked at Jerren and Freyja before him, speaking seriously. "I don't oppose Radahn dueling Smaug. Under other circumstances I'd be happy to allow it. I'm a warrior too. But this is war. Single combat is meaningless here, and as our commanding general, Radahn is too important to risk. Therefore, the moment I see Radahn at a disadvantage, no matter how you try to stop me, I'll join the battlefield between him and Smaug."

Jerren quickly agreed. "No problem. General Radahn said the same thing."

Tarnes was stunned. "He said that too?"

Jerren nodded. "Yes."

He looked at Millicent, who also nodded helplessly. "When they convinced me not to help Radahn, they used similar reasoning."

This made Tarnes frown. If Radahn said this too, it meant he knew that rashly dueling a dragon as commanding general was highly irrational. Meaning this wasn't hunting fever or momentary impulse, but his own calculated consideration.

But Bilbo's urgent arrival made Tarnes set aside Radahn's matter, as the hobbit anxiously called out, "We need to talk Thorin out of this! He plans to take the Dwarves who came to the Mountain with him on a decapitation strike against Azog. Gandalf's about ready to fight him!"

Hiss.

Tarnes instantly developed a headache. Radahn and Thorin were both troublemakers at the worst possible time.

"Millicent, stay here and monitor Radahn's situation. I authorize you to judge whether he needs support."

Millicent seriously met Tarnes's eyes and nodded. "I will."

When Tarnes reached Thorin's position, the Dwarf was fully armed, mounted on a war-goat, glaring at Gandalf who blocked his path.

Beside Thorin stood not only Fili and Kili, but Balin, Dwalin, Gloin, and others. All the original Lonely Mountain expedition members except the fattest, Bombur.

He stood beside a Dwarven horn as large as his rotund body, awaiting Thorin's command to sound the attack for his king.

"Azog's defeat is nearly assured, yet you insist on risking yourself at this moment, Thorin Oakenshield!" Gandalf's eyes blazed with obvious anger.

Thorin maintained his stubborn demeanor, voice low as he countered, "What if Azog escapes? Should we wait decades for him to recover and wage war against Durin's line again? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take his head, and you would stop me, Gandalf."

Tarnes approached both men, addressing Thorin. "Gandalf's right. Even if I agreed to your decapitation tactics against Azog, these numbers aren't enough."

Seeing Tarnes, Thorin's expression softened slightly, though he remained obstinate. "I know you're concerned for me, Tarnes. But Azog, this Orc filth's hands are stained with Durin's blood. He must die here today, at the Mountain, by my hand. I can't take more soldiers with me, or Dwarven forces at Dale would be stretched thin, possibly affecting the Redmane Legion's plans."

He paused. "Your general is also challenging a dragon, isn't he?"

Tarnes took a deep breath, looking at Gandalf. "Since we both know Dwarven stubbornness, why don't you and I join Thorin's force to stop him when he tries to get himself killed?"

At these words, Gandalf struck his staff on the ground. His white horse trotted to the wizard's side.

He glared at Thorin first, then told Tarnes, "Very well. Once we get this stubborn mule back to the stable, I'll compose songs about his son's pig-headedness right in front of Thrain!"