Fili

Ever since Kili had arrived and told him of his fate, there sat a heavy burden and weight upon Fili. He knew that the future could be changed, but Kili had already met with his fate and had no chance to live as the heir in the line of Durin he was meant to be. This left Fili at a crossroads. He could conceivably try and change his fate and the future, but it would be a life without Kili at his side -- and without Thorin, if Kili was to be believed. He would be a leader of the dwarves and he would do well by them, he knew that. The trouble was that he didn't know whether he wanted to even bother, if Kili wasn't at his side.

It took him a great deal of time to decide, but eventually Fili knew what he must do. He departed for battle that day in the early hours of the morn so that no one would be able to convince him to stay. Suited with armour of the finest dwarvish craftsmanship, Fili set out for Middle Earth, for Erebor, and for the battle he knew would be the end of his life.

He only did not know whether he would return to the Nexus, but he had faith that if not, then he would find his family in the great Halls.

What transpired was almost proof that nothing he could have done would have made a difference. It seemed as though Fili was doomed to dying, had he ever returned. He could not ignore the battle, nor could he ignore the need to defend Thorin and Kili. This was how he found himself with swords and shield drawn, in the hands and claws of the enemy.

This was how Fili drew his last breath, knowing that even in death, he and Kili would have their fates joined.

He did not know how it happened, but there was a gap between the moments. One moment, everything had been fading to black and fading away and the next, he felt his boots steady upon the ground as he stood on the lobby in the Nexus, finding himself looking at a familiar place under such different circumstances. He would never again see Middle Earth, not in the way that he might live his life, but now, he would be there for his brother and they would still be able to live their lives, even if it was not in the way they ever expected.

Stunned, a touch bloody, and knowing he was a mess, Fili knew he had to clean himself up before Kili found him, though having appeared in the lobby made this something of a problem. He would have to be very careful navigating to somewhere he could tidy himself, and it was a crowded place, at this time of day.

Direct your questions regarding gameplay with Fili in to the comments of this post. This is purely for OOC plotting. Comments are screened.

When Fili had asked Thorin to show him the ways of working with fine, precious metals, he had not been idly speaking of such things. He knew his way with a blade quite well and was well-spoken thanks to Balin's lessons, but the most work he could do with a forge involved blades and the crudest of engravings. It was nowhere near the craft he wished to possess as a dwarf.

And so he had tried to find as much literature as possible, but he could read none of it for it was not written in khuzdul and his knowledge of the common knowledge was basic, but not for such technical terms.

It seemed he would have to wait for Thorin to explain things to him properly and so Fili rose early while Kili still dozed and dressed, heading straight for the makeshift mines and waiting for Thorin to join him so they could begin their work.

In days of late, the future weighed on Fili's mind heavily. Perhaps it was Kili who started it by asking whether Fili would join the builders and have direction, but perhaps it had been lurking deep within his heart long before that. Indeed, Fili felt as though he could trace these doubts to the very moment he discovered that he would not live beyond the battle for Erebor. Since arriving on this strange isle and embarking on his new life, there were many things that plagued his mind.

And now, when Kili brought up his future, Fili now had to think on it.

And what of this future? He would not be a king, which was the childhood he had endured. For so very long, Fili had learned how to be regal and righteous, dutiful and devoted. He had learned everything, but now that was not to be. There was no mountain to reign under. And what of family? He would not have children now, would not provide lineage.

And so, then, what became of his future?

These were the thoughts assaulting him as he sat in the caves, staring at the equipment he had begun to assemble to mine the gold and gems from the rock. On days like this, there was not much that would be completed.

Fili had escaped an elf, a dragon, and Thorin. He was feeling like a very mighty dwarf indeed right now as he wriggled his way cautiously through the cave to collect Kili, having only meaning to have been parted from him for the very briefest of seconds. When he reached the inside of the caverns, he crawled his way up into the single bed that he had awoken in and gave Kili a poke in the side, looming overtop him with wide eyes and a singularly fixated look that said he intended to cause trouble.

"Kee," he hissed, trying to be quiet and failing. "Kili," he drew out his name. "Kiiiii-liiii."