[Child of the 7th Age]

Epilogue

Here ends the tale of the quest for the dragon, a mighty cold drake who thought to make himself impregnable by constructing a marvelous coat of mail. The companions were careful to gut the cave with fire so that no evil creature could ever again claim the armor as its own. With the death of the mighty beast, the captives were freed and quickly restored to their families and friends. Once more King Thrainduil was able to smile, and the trade between the communities of Dwarves, Men and Elves again grew and thrived.

None of the companions ever forgot those they left behind, the men and women who had given their lives so that the dragon could be slain. The memories of the perilous journey and the stories of the bravery of all those in the company were kept forever in their hearts and passed down to their children and grandchildren. So it is today that we salute these heroes from ages past and seek to recall a tiny piece of their dream. May we be ever mindful of our own obligation to rid the world of shadow, just as they were of theirs.

Transcribed this day from Westron to English by Lenwe the Elf, the 25th day of Lairë, the 7th Age, on the isle of Tol Eressëa