Chapter 4: The Blade's Call
With the cleavers bought, Corwin met back up with Bilbo, and they began their walk back to Bag End.
Along the way, Bilbo eyed the two cleavers in Corwin's hands with unconcealed curiosity. "Corwin, what do you need two new meat cleavers for? Don't we already have one in the kitchen?"
Corwin held up the cleavers, adopting a dramatic fighting stance. "These are not mere cleavers, Bilbo. These are my weapons. With these, I shall defend myself against my enemies!"
Bilbo's mouth hung open. For a moment, he couldn't reconcile the image of Corwin, the mighty wizard, with the two hefty butcher's tools he was brandishing.
"Well... if you like them," he finally managed.
Seeing the doubt in Bilbo's eyes, Corwin's lips curled into a smirk.
With a flick of his will, the two cleavers shot from his hands and embedded themselves deep into a nearby oak tree. The blades sank halfway into the trunk with a solid thunk.
Bilbo's jaw dropped.
Corwin struck another pose, his voice ringing with theatrical power. "My swords—ah, hem—my cleavers, come to me!"
The blades wrenched themselves free from the trunk and flew back, landing perfectly in his outstretched hands.
Bilbo could only stare, utterly flabbergasted.
His show having concluded, Corwin turned and continued walking, affecting the air of a profound and powerful master. Inwardly, however, he was wiping away a cold sweat. The blades had gone in so deep he'd had to use every ounce of his magical strength to pull them out. He had almost failed the landing.
That was a close one!
Back at Bag End, Corwin began a new training regimen. He now focused exclusively on controlling the two cleavers, striving to make them move as if they were extensions of his own arms.
Each cleaver weighed about two pounds, pushing the limits of his magical control. To refine his precision, he began using them to chop wood. The process was difficult; at first, he could only maintain control for a few moments at a time. But as he persisted, his control grew steadier, and the cleavers became faster and more agile.
The end result was that Bag End's entire supply of winter firewood was chopped and stacked ahead of schedule, with plenty to spare.
Bilbo was overjoyed. Hobbits, while appreciative of a comfortable life, were not immune to laziness, and stockpiling firewood was always a dreaded chore. Having it done early was cause for celebration.
Still, watching the two cleavers blur into motion around Corwin, creating an audible whoosh as they sliced through the air, made Bilbo both amazed and anxious. He constantly worried that Corwin would lose control and get hurt. It was a terrifyingly impressive sight.
After half an hour of complex maneuvers, the two flying cleavers reluctantly returned to the custom sheaths Corwin now wore at his waist. He could now command the blades to strike anywhere within a five-meter radius in the blink of an eye. This gave him a genuine, tangible offensive capability—a way to protect himself.
Through constant practice, Corwin also found that the overall strength of his magic had grown. He could now levitate an object weighing over one hundred pounds for a sustained period. Bilbo was the first to experience this new power, enjoying the thrilling sensation of being levitated into the air and flown around like a kite.
The neighboring Hobbits witnessed this spectacle of Bilbo Baggins soaring over the hills of Hobbiton, and overnight, Bilbo became the talk of the town. Corwin, the architect of the feat, also gained notoriety. However, out of a healthy respect for his wizardly status, no one dared to approach him directly.
Nevertheless, the name "Corwin the Wizard" began to spread from Hobbiton throughout the rest of the Shire.
Corwin had lived in Bag End for two months. Then, one day, he announced his departure.
"Bilbo, thank you so much for your hospitality all this time," he said gently. "But I'm afraid it's time for me to leave."
Bilbo was caught completely off guard. "Corwin! Was there something wrong with my hospitality? Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
Seeing the Hobbit's distress, Corwin bent down and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, my friend. You have been a perfect host. This has nothing to do with you."
"I simply want to see more of this world," he explained, a twinkle in his eye. "I haven't been anywhere besides Hobbiton, after all."
He winked. "Of course, when I grow tired of my travels, I might just have to come back and stay with you for a while. You wouldn't turn me away then, would you?"
Bilbo relaxed at once, shaking his head vigorously. "Of course not! You are always welcome here, Corwin. Always."
Still, he couldn't help but ask, "Where do you plan to go?"
Corwin shook his head. "I don't have a plan. I thought I would just wander for a bit. I don't intend to go too far, though. I'll likely stay within the bounds of the Shire for now."
The Shire, while not vast, was home to many Hobbit towns besides Hobbiton. Corwin wanted to see if he could "attune" his magic to them as well.
"Actually, Bilbo, you know the Shire better than anyone. Is there anywhere you'd recommend?"
Bilbo was relieved to hear Corwin was staying within the Shire. He bustled over to his study, rummaged around for a moment, and returned with a large map of the Shire, which he unrolled on the table.
"If you're traveling within the Shire, then your first stop absolutely must be Michel Delving. It's the chief town of the Shire."
Bilbo pointed to a location on the map, west of Hobbiton in the area known as the Westfarthing. He explained that Michel Delving was the home of the Mayor of the Shire and served as its commercial and trading hub. The Great East Road ran right through it, making it easily accessible.
"Alright," Corwin decided. "To Michel Delving it is!"
Though sad to see him go, Bilbo sent Corwin off with a large pack full of food and a heavy purse of silver coins—enough to support him for quite some time. Corwin tried to refuse, but being utterly penniless, he ultimately accepted the Hobbit's kindness, making a silent vow to remember this friendship always.
He turned down Bilbo's offer to walk him to the edge of town. After casting a simple levitation charm on his pack to negate its weight, he shouldered the lightened load and set off alone.
He passed through Hobbiton without stopping, following the Great East Road westward. The road was well-maintained, flanked by beautiful rolling countryside. He occasionally passed other Hobbit merchants and travelers, who all stared at the tall, human stranger with great curiosity.
Corwin kept a steady pace, but it still took him the entire day to reach his destination. He finally arrived at Michel Delving just as dusk began to fall.
The architecture here was different from Hobbiton. The buildings were larger and taller, mostly built of wood, brick, and stone, giving it the feel of a proper city.
As he entered the town, every Hobbit on the street turned to stare at the tall Man. One Hobbit, sporting a prominent handlebar mustache and a blue feather in his cap, strode forward to intercept him.
"You there, stranger! Where do you come from, and what is your business in Michel Delving?"