Chapter 237: Ogre? A Higher Level Giant Monster
The heavy rain poured down, and the road became extremely muddy.
The ponies slowed down, and the expedition team was drenched and in a sorry state.
"Mr. Gandalf, can you do something about this downpour?" Dori said.
"Have some sense, will you?" Aaron rolled his eyes, speechless. "If he had that ability, we wouldn't have been drenched for over three hours."
Gandalf shrugged, "If you want to change the weather, you'll have to find other Wizards."
"There are other Wizards?" Bilbo asked curiously.
"There are five in total. The highest-ranking is the White Wizard Saruman. There are also two Blue Wizards, but I've forgotten their names."
"Then who is the fifth?"
"It's the Brown Wizard Radagast."
"Is he very powerful? Or is he like you?"
"I think he is an unconventional Wizard, gentle in nature, preferring to associate with forest animals."
"Ha, that reminds me of a... friend of mine." The image of Hagrid suddenly appeared in Aaron's mind, but he was more eccentric, liking to associate with huge, furry creatures, such as Cerberus and Acromantula.
"The Brown Wizard watches over the vast forests to the east. It's a good thing he does, because evil is always seeking a foothold."
"Then, Gandalf, what magic are you good at?" Aaron asked.
"Me?" Gandalf puffed on his pipe, a hazy white halo flickering around his staff. "I'm barely a Wizard of Light."
Feeling the sanctity and purity of the light, Aaron pondered, "Perhaps you should change into white clothes. White would suit your magic."
"Oh, I can't do that. I can't compare to Saruman." Gandalfshook his head indifferently. "Only when one's magicreaches that level can they be promoted to a White Wizard."
"However, Gaius, I am rather curious what magic you excel at?"
Aaron chuckled, then pulled out his 'ancestral staff'. "Look at my staff, then compare it to yours, and you'll know I can't do anything."
"But you don't seem like someone who can't do anything." Gandalf raised an eyebrow at Aaron. "A Wizard's intuition is sometimes very accurate."
"What do I have to say for you to believe me?" Aaron said, feeling a bit weary.
This was an old scoundrel who had lived for who knows how long; it was probably impossible to hide anything from him.
But he would hide for as long as he could, and as deeply as he could.
Exposing a little bit of strength was fine, but if he exposed all of it, Gandalf might assign him some unnecessary tasks or powerful enemies, which would be more trouble than it was worth.
Judging by how he used Bilbo's Bag End to entertain the Dwarves, he was not above doing things that harmed others without benefiting himself.
"Whatever you say, I won't believe it." Gandalf revealed a foxy smile. "There's nothing more to look forward to than the appearance of a sixth Wizard."
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly, "Think what you want!"
"Oh, by the way, if I may ask, do Wizards have enemies?"
"This..." Gandalf hesitated for a moment. "This isn't something suitable for a child like you to know."
"So there are." Aaron sighed. He had originally thought that with only a few Wizards in this world, the threat to him wouldn't be that great.
As long as he stayed calm and didn't act recklessly, returning home safely was a sure thing.
But now he had to be more careful. Wizards were not without enemies, and some could even be troublesome for a Dumbledore-like Wizard such as Gandalf.
When Gandalf heard Aaron's sigh, he thought he was scared and immediately comforted him: "You don't need to worry. Wizards also have allies.
Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits will all be allies of Wizards."
Hearing this, Aaron didn't feel any relief; instead, he felt immense pressure.
"Gandalf, you're really good at comforting people.
I originally thought Wizards only had a few enemies, but now it seems I was wrong. The enemies must at least be an existence that can contend with these allied forces."
Gandalf:... "No need to think so much," Bilbo said indifferently. "That kind of thing is still far from us!"
"That's right!
A word to awaken the dreamer!" Aaron suddenly realized. He was just an unknown nobody now. As long as he continued to keep a low profile, those so-called enemies wouldn't pay him any mind... The expedition team arrived at a plain.
Thorin stopped in front of a dilapidated shack.
"We'll make camp here tonight.
Fili, Kili, you are in charge of looking after the ponies; stay by their side.
Oin, Gloin, you are in charge of making a fire."
Gandalf walked into the shack, murmuring with an unreadable expression: "A farmer's family once lived here."
"I think it's best to keep moving forward." Gandalf suggested to Thorin, "We can continue into the valley."
"I told you, I will not go near that place."
"Is there something there?" Aaron asked.
Thorin paused, then said coldly: "People I despise."
"But the Elves will help us. We can get food, lodging, and advice."
"I don't need their advice."
"Elrond can help us decipher that map." Gandalf patiently tried to persuade Thorin, but he remained completely unmoved, even somewhat angry.
"Help us?" Thorin's face was grim, and he said with disdain, "Did the Elves help us when the Dragon attacked Erebor?
When the Orcs plundered Moria and desecrated our holy halls, the Elves still stood by and watched.
You want me to beg those who betrayed my grandfather and my father?"
"You are not them. The key and map were given to you not for you to hold onto hatred."
"You also have no right to keep them." Thorin said. The map and key were left to him by his father; Gandalf was merely holding them in trust.
"Um... excuse me, I'll say something fair!" Aaron took a deep breath. "Putting aside national and family hatred, some things are a kindness if they help you, and not helping you is their right.
Thorin, when Smaug attacked Erebor, the Dwarves must have resisted, but what was the result?
Your grandfather led a great army to attack Moria, but what was the result?
This wasn't a minor skirmish. The Elves had no reason to pay such a heavy price for the Dwarves' homeland."
Gandalf nodded, "Crude words, but true. That's how it is."
"But they shouldn't have stood by and watched." Thoringritted his teeth. "I didn't expect them to provide weapons and armor, nor any supplies, let alone send a large army to join the battle.
But when we were driven from our homes, they just watched from the sidelines. That cold gaze, that indifferent attitude, left a deeper impression than a crushing defeat.
From that moment on, they were no longer allies, at least not to me."
"Understood." Aaron mused, "I haven't had your experiences, so I'm not qualified to preach to you."
"Good that you know."
"But I still want to persuade you to keep moving forward."
"What?" Thorin looked at Aaron somewhat angrily. "Was what I just said not clear enough?"
"Very clear, but that doesn't conflict with moving forward." Aaron pointed to the dilapidated shack, his expression becoming somewhat solemn. "Look closely. The door was heavily impacted, the house is crooked, and there are several large holes in the windows, walls, and ceiling.
This doesn't look like a natural disaster; rather, it seems to have been attacked by some giant creature. The original owners of the house probably met a grim fate."
"That's right.
Thorin, this place isn't as safe as it looks."
Thorin was silent for a few seconds, then a slight smile appeared on his face. "I still decide to camp here."
"Why?" Gandalf asked, puzzled.
"This is just a thirteen-year-old child's speculation, without any proof.
Even if it's true, judging by the dilapidated state of this house, it must have happened a long time ago."
"Alright!" Aaron pursed his lips. "Listen to the leader.
But Thorin, I must warn you, those who don't listen to my advice usually suffer."
"Didn't you say you had amnesia?" Thorin asked with a half-smile.
"I remembered some things, is that not allowed?"
Gandalf's mouth twitched with anger, and he turned and left.
"Is everything alright?" Bilbo, who was tending to the ponies, saw his furious expression and couldn't help but ask, "Gandalf, where are you going?"
"To find the only rational person in this company."
"Who is that?"
"Myself, Mr. Baggins. I've had enough of Dwarves today."
Watching the figure walk further and further away, Aaronshook his head, speechless. "Look what you've done to him?"
"He'll be back." Thorin was indifferent, and instead looked at Bombur. "Come on! Bombur, we're hungry."
The Dwarves built a shelf over a few campfires, placed pots on them, and boiled stew.
Aaron could smell the aroma, but looking at the gray, mushy soup in the pot, he didn't have much appetite, so he simply asked for some chunks of meat and prepared his own dinner separately.
As night fell, the Dwarves had already prepared dinner, but almost everyone turned their gaze to Aaron, especially the largest one.
Slurp!
Bombur wiped his mouth. "Nori, I'm hungry."
"If you're hungry, eat." Nori handed a bowl of stew to Bombur. "You have a bigger appetite, so I gave you a bit more."
"Do you know what I'm talking about?"
"Are you really going to ask a child for food?" Nori said disdainfully. "Don't embarrass the Dwarves."
"Aren't you all looking too?
It smells so good, I haven't smelled this aroma in years."
"That's just a lot of seasoning." Bilbo breathed in the aroma in the air. "It's the same when I make grilled skewers, just not as exaggerated."
"Mr. Baggins, dinner is ready."
"Coming." Bilbo immediately put down his soup bowl and quickly ran to Aaron.
"Stop looking." Nori patted Bombur's belly, speechless. "The mushrooms and seasonings were all provided by Baggins; there's none for you."
"How about we let Gaius cook next time!"
"No way. A dignified Dwarf actually needs a child to help cook. Where would we put our faces if that got out!
Learn from Thorin, and look at Balin and Dwalin; they're acting very calm!"
Hearing this, Bombur swallowed with a pang of sadness, picked up his bowl, and ate heartily, savoring the aroma of the grilled skewers.
The others also withdrew their gazes and silently ate their stew.
"Gaius, I had no idea your cooking skills were so good." Bilbognawed on a skewer of grilled meat, giving a thumbs up as he ate. "Much better than mine."
"My ancestors were cooks." Aaron said modestly, "I only learned a little bit."
"How did your ancestors have everything?"
"Uh... who knows? Perhaps out of interest."
After a simple dinner, Aaron and Bilbo walked to Nori, each holding a bowl of stew.
But it wasn't for themselves; it was for Fili and Kili.
They had to watch the ponies and were not within the camp, so the fastest runner in the group had to deliver the food.
However, when they delivered the food, they saw the two Dwarf brothers standing there stunned, their expressions blank.
"What's wrong?" Bilbo asked.
"We should be watching the ponies." Kili said.
"But there was a small problem."
"There should have been sixteen ponies, but now there are only fourteen."
"What?"
Aaron looked ahead in astonishment, finding his own horse still there. Although angry, he felt a sense of relief.
"How could you let the horses disappear right before your eyes?"
The Dwarf brothers exchanged an embarrassed glance and all stepped forward to investigate.
"Daisy and Bongo are gone." Kili said.
"You don't need to tell me; I can see that." A hint of solemnity flashed in Aaron's eyes. "The problem is how they disappeared."
"Large trees were uprooted, and there were giant footprints on the ground.
My fears have come true. The creatures that attacked the farmer's family haven't left this place at all; they are nearby."
"This isn't good, it's terrible. That thing is huge and dangerous." Bilbo said with some concern. "Aren't you going to tell Thorin?"
"No, don't worry him." Fili was somewhat unwilling. "As our scout, perhaps you two should investigate."
"I can't agree with that." Aaron shook his head. "Before you can determine if you can defeat the enemy, it's necessary to inform the leader, at least to make them vigilant."
"Look, there's a light." Fili suddenly lowered his voice, then beckoned to the others. "Come over."
The group tiptoed past several broken trees, cautiously crouching down to look at the campfire in the distance.
Exaggerated laughter came from the campfire, which instantly made Aaron think of Trolls.
"What is that?" Bilbo asked nervously.
"Trolls." Kili said.
He was about to move closer when Aaron pressed him down with one hand. "Calm down, we haven't even figured out what's going on over there yet!"
Before he finished speaking, Fili darted out.
He stopped the younger brother, but not the older brother. Aaron reluctantly let go and followed against his will.
After running several tens of meters, the four of them hid behind large trees, acting cautiously.
Two Trolls were gathered around the campfire. They were as tall as Trolls, but much fatter, and their intelligence was higher than that of Trolls; they could even speak.
Just then, the trees rustled, and a third Troll walked by, carrying a pony in each of his two thick arms.
Aaron looked at the white pony in his right arm, and his face instantly darkened, filled with anger.
They dared to capture my horse; they must be tired of living!