If this were Karl, he would not behave so distantly and cautiously when accepting an invitation from an old friend. But they share the same name, the same appearance, and even the same confidence and aura...
Unless... a thought occurred to Elrond: could Karl be a time traveller? If so, then perhaps this Karl before him is indeed him. But before the events that made him what he is, his power was far from this great...
Elrond repeated the name, a genuine smile on his face: "Karl, a good name."
"So, Mr. Karl, would you like to accept my invitation? The valley can offer you and your companions shelter, as well as provide the necessary aid."
Karl glanced at Elrond, then at the wary but no longer hostile Elven warriors, and nodded.
---
Rivendell at sunset.
Gandalf paced back and forth on the steps before the Elven building, occasionally tapping his staff against the smooth stone floor. His brows were furrowed, his lips beneath his white beard pressed into a straight line, and his anxious gaze occasionally drifted toward the entrance of the distant valley.
The dwarves, including Balin, stood to the side, their faces grim; they had just endured unpleasant negotiations. Gandalf had requested an audience with Elrond, but the Elven guards had politely refused him. The guard said that the lord had personally led a patrol to eliminate orcs and was currently not in the valley. To the dwarves, this was a clear attempt to evade responsibility and an unwillingness to offer help.
"Cowards! These long-eared cowards!" Dwalin muttered, his voice speaking in the Dwarvish tongue, anger clearly audible. "The orcs block our path, yet we still hide on our own territory, not daring to show ourselves!"
"They have always been this way, they were this way for years, and they are still this way," Bofur repeated, suppressed anger in his voice. "Elves care only about their forests and poetry, and are indifferent to the lives and deaths of their allies."
"Did Gandalf truly bring us here hoping the Elves would help? We might as well hope that the stones will speak."
The dwarves conversed among themselves in their own language, their voices carrying the resentment and disappointment accumulated over many generations. Of the dwarves present, only Balin remained relatively calm, but even he wore a grim expression, clearly displeased with the Elves' "refusal."
Gandalf overheard the dwarves' conversation but made no attempt to explain or refute it. He had no time to deal with the long-standing enmity between dwarves and Elves; he had more pressing concerns. He had requested an audience with Lord Elrond not merely to find a safe haven for the dwarves. He even wanted to ask Lord Elrond to send troops to support Karl. Though Karl was very strong and knew magic, even the strongest man had his limits when facing an army of orcs. Especially since Karl was on the plain, with no terrain advantages or allied support...
In Elrond's absence, the only hope was that Elrond's patrol would encounter Karl and be able to offer help. Otherwise, it would not be the outcome Gandalf had wanted. If Karl died, they would lose not only a powerful ally, but also... a friend. Though they had known each other for a short time, he already considered Karl a reliable friend.
Just as Gandalf felt a sense of anxiety, a commotion arose behind him; Thorin had woken up. Thorin slowly came to, first looking around in a daze and noticing the exquisite stone carvings and elegant buildings. Then, quickly recalling what had happened earlier — Karl had slapped the back of his head. Everything had gone dark, and he remembered nothing.
He immediately stood up, his movements somewhat unsteady as he had just woken, but he quickly regained his balance. He looked around and saw beautiful landscapes: waterfalls cascading from the cliffs, and rainbows appearing and disappearing in the mist. Behind them rose exquisite, Elven-style buildings with flowing, elegant lines. The setting sun bathed them in a warm golden light, filling everything with a soft glow.
It was clear they were safe and had reached the valley — a place he had not wanted to set foot in. Thorin's expression changed. At first he instinctively felt disgust at being on Elven territory, but that disgust quickly turned to anger at Gandalf. He immediately turned to Gandalf, his eyes burning with fury: "Gandalf! Did you plan all of this?! You wanted to bring us here from the very beginning, didn't you? That's why you so readily agreed to Karl's plan to 'cover the rear.' Because you knew that whether Karl was alive or dead, we would eventually have to flee here!"
Hearing Thorin's words, the other dwarves looked at Gandalf with suspicion and displeasure in their eyes. Gandalf froze, turned around, and was silent for a long while, listening to Thorin's question. He gripped his staff tightly, then released it; his lips beneath his white beard moved, as if he wanted to explain. But in the end, he only sighed, his voice tired and heavy. "Thorin, I think that in this matter, your hatred of Elves is not worth mentioning compared to Karl's safety."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Thorin's blazing anger. After Gandalf's remark, Thorin's anger, which had just flared up, instantly dissipated, replaced by anxiety and concern. Thorin hurried to Gandalf and asked anxiously: "Where is Karl? How is he? Have you contacted Lord Elrond? Have they sent troops to help?"
Gandalf had no idea whether Karl was safe or not. He frowned, looked into Thorin's anxious eyes, sighed softly, and shook his head: "Lord Elrond and the others..." He wanted to say: "Elrond and his people have gone on patrol and may have met Karl," but Thorin interrupted him before he could finish. Seeing Gandalf's expression and hearing the unfinished sentence, Thorin immediately gave it the most pessimistic interpretation. He thought Gandalf had meant to say: "Elrond and his people have refused to send troops to help."
And so, before Gandalf could finish his explanation, Thorin cursed angrily. "Damn it! I knew these Elves were unreliable!" He bent down to pick up his sword, then turned to his companions. "Balin! Dwalin! Kili! Fili! All of you who can still fight, come with me! Dwarves never abandon their comrades in arms! Even if Karl dies in battle, we will not let the orcs defile his body! His body must be brought back, so that he may be buried with honour and rest in peace!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Thorin, sword in hand, walked ahead and headed toward the entrance of the valley. Balin, Dwalin, and the others looked at Gandalf with complex expressions, a mixture of apology and resolve. In the end, they all decided to obey Thorin's orders and follow him. Seeing this, Gandalf gently tapped his staff against the ground, producing a dull thud.