Chapter 236 The expedition team sets off (1/2)
Chapter 236 The expedition team sets off
The fire in the fireplace burned brightly, and the thirteen dwarves, including Thorin, sang a poem softly:
Crossing the icy mountains and fog, reaching deep cellars and ancient caves...
We need to set out before dawn to find the beautiful golden location...
Pine trees howled in the highlands, strong winds roared at night, flames spread ruthlessly, and trees howled like torches...
Aaron lay on the sofa, silently looking at the opposite wall in a daze.
He is not a dwarf, and he has no experience of losing his country or his family, but he has a music teacher and can clearly feel the tragedy in the poem.
They were prepared for everything, including death.
"Alas!" Aaron sighed softly in his heart, "On the premise of ensuring your own safety, just help if you can!
No matter when, those who fight to the death for their homeland are always respectable. "
...
The next day, before the sun had fully risen, Aaron was awakened by his biological clock.
"You're awake." Gandalf looked at him playfully, "I was planning to call you. Thorin and the others are already ready."
Aaron rubbed his eyes, sat up from the sofa, and then stretched slowly.
"Where's Bilbo?"
"He was sleeping soundly, and we didn't disturb him."
"Did he sign the contract?"
"No." Gandalf said with some regret, "But I left the contract. He might sign it after seeing it."
Aaron scoffed and gave Gandalf a thumbs up.
"Gandalf, you can do it, you can do it!
I also have an elder like you who always likes to calculate things from others. "
"You've got the wrong wizard. I'm not that kind of person." Gandalf said with an upright face, "The choice is always in Bilbo's hands."
Aaron rolled his eyes. Last night, you revealed all the glorious deeds of his eighteen generations of ancestors. You gave him all kinds of chicken blood. You also described the world outside the Shire and added a lot of... A big pot of chicken soup for the soul.
When he woke up today and saw an empty house and a contract to join an adventure group, the possibility of him signing it would probably increase significantly.
"I'll wait for you outside first. Thorin has prepared a pony for you."
"knew."
Aaron picked up his cloak from the shelf and went to the kitchen to fill a bag of water.
Walking out of Bag End, Gandalf and thirteen dwarves were waiting for him at the door.
"Ahem! Don't look at me like that. The protagonist usually appears at the end."
"Child, no, Aaron." Balin stroked his beard, "Can you ride a horse?"
"A little bit." Aaron modestly pinched his index finger and thumb together, revealing a shallow gap.
But when he saw the remaining two mounts, he couldn't help but twitch his lips.
What a pony, this mount is not even taller than him!
"One is brown and one is white, you pick one."
"White!" Aaron said helplessly.
He didn't dare complain at this time because there was no other mount.
Either ride one of these ponies or follow the group on foot.
Faced with these two choices, any hesitation for even one second would be disrespectful to your legs.
After getting on their horses, the expedition team headed towards the border of the Shire.
After walking for a while, Aaron suddenly patted his forehead and said, "I almost forgot.
System, sign in. "
"Congratulations to the host for signing in in the Shire and gaining three magic points."
Aaron wasn't too disappointed with this number. After pondering for a moment, he opened his personal panel.
[Host: Aaron Gaius]
[Magic Power: 8090 (Intermediate Magister, the end of most wizards’ lives)]
[Talent: Once-in-a-century (magic energy increases by 3 points every day)]
[Items: Moon Drops (can remove any negative spells), resurrection potion (can resurrect any creature that dies within an hour), magic carpet, unactivated dragon-slaying magic crystal]
[Magic Points: 147]
Sure enough, without the body of thoughts, I always feel like something is missing.
Moreover, the numbers in the last column were too shabby. The only magic products in the system mall were Transfiguration (1000 magic points) and Patronus Spell (200 magic points), neither of which he could afford.
"There's still a long way to go!" Aaron sighed and checked the mission panel.
[Complete the contract with the dwarf; reward 1000 magic points]
[Kill Smaug; reward 2000 magic points]
Aaron blinked and couldn't help but grin.
That's what he wants to do and that's what he's doing.
And completing the task so openly is much more enjoyable than being at Hogwarts.
"What are you thinking about? So happy." Gandalf asked curiously.
"I'm thinking...how to write my own story after defeating the dragon."
"Hahaha!
You really need to think about this carefully, this is enough to be passed down for hundreds of years. said Gandalf, "if it succeeds." "
Aaron shrugged, then turned around and glanced, "Hasn't Bilbo followed you yet?"
"I guess he won't come," Dwalin said. "After all, our opponent is a dragon, and the wilderness is not suitable for docile people who cannot defend themselves."
"I think he will come." Aaron smiled enigmatically, "I have never misjudged anyone."
“Children all like to pretend to be serious.
How old are you, fifteen? Still sixteen? "
"To be exact...thirteen years old."
"What?" Dwalin's pupils were slightly dilated, and he almost fell off his horse, "At the age of thirteen, you dare to say that you have never seen the wrong person."
“Age doesn’t matter, we have people of all ages in our team.
I should just be smaller than the second to last one, no, just a little younger. "
"How about we make a bet!" Noli said loudly, "Bet on whether Mr. Baggins will catch up.
I bet he won't. "
Aaron immediately said, “I bet he’ll come over.”
"I have no problem with you betting on him, but Gaius, do you have the money?"
Aaron rummaged through his pocket and took out five gold coins, "I only have so many."
The gold coins were particularly dazzling under the sunlight. Noli looked at Aaron a little depressed, "I take back what I just said, you may be the richest among us."
Aaron: ...
"No way!"
"I only have a dozen silver coins and a few copper coins with me." Gandalf said enviously, "but the money you have is enough to live in Middle-earth for a month."
"Haha! It's quite embarrassing for a wizard to be in your position."
"So I have to do some side jobs occasionally." Gandalf smiled awkwardly, "I bet Bilbo will catch up."
Aaron rolled his eyes, losing all hope in Gandalf's integrity.
...
When the team was about to walk out of a forest, a familiar voice came from behind.
"Etc., etc!"
Bilbo panted and ran after him, holding a contract in his hand.
"I signed it."
Notary Balin took the contract and checked the signature with his eyes confidently, "Everything is correct. Welcome Master Baggins to join the team of Thorin Oakenshield."
"Beautiful, Bilbo, I knew you wouldn't let me down." Aaron said excitedly, "Your great-great-great-uncle will also be proud of your decision."
"Give him a pony." Thorin said calmly.
The smile on Bilbo's face froze instantly, and he immediately waved his hand and said, "No need to bother, thank you, I can keep up on foot.
I often hike and once even walked to Frog Village. "
As he said that, two big hands picked him up on the left and right, and by the time he reacted, he was already on the back of a brown-red horse.
"I can see that this is your first time riding a horse." Aaron looked at Bilbo who was carefully holding the reins on the horse and said, "But don't worry, the pony is relatively gentle.
If you ride Gandalf's horse, be careful. His horse is the biggest. "
"Pay, Noli." Ouyin reminded from behind the team.
As soon as he finished speaking, a money bag fell into his hand, and soon the second and third ones were thrown out.
"Ha ha!"
"Thanks, brother."
"What's going on?" Bilbo asked in confusion.
"They're betting on whether you'll show up, and most people are betting on whether you won't."
"Then what do you think?"
boom!
Gandalf suddenly reached out and grabbed the flying money bag, "Dear friend, I have never doubted you."
Aaron also grabbed his money bag and shrugged at him, "There is one thing you have to believe in me. I will definitely believe in you more than Gandalf."
Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief, and then sneezed suddenly.
"It's horse hair, I'm allergic." Bilbo said as he groped around on his body. After a moment, his expression changed slightly, "Oops, wait a minute, stop."
"What's wrong?" Aaron asked vigilantly, "What did you find?"
"I forgot my handkerchief."
Aaron: ...
"At this moment, I suddenly felt that it would be good for you to stay in Bag End."
"Use this." Bofur threw his handkerchief to him.
Bilbo looked at the brown rag, no, handkerchief in his hand, feeling a little disgusted, but he could only make do with it.
"You'll have to get used to being without handkerchiefs, and other things, Bilbo Baggins, before our journey is over.
You were born among the hills and rivers of the Shire, but your home is now behind you and the world is before you. "
...
The expedition started in the morning and passed through the woods, over the hills, and across the plains surrounded by small rivers, and did not stop until nightfall.
Everyone rested on a cliff and divided into two groups to take turns keeping watch.
Groyin's snoring rose and fell, and tiny flying insects flew in and out of his nostrils with each breath.
"I really admire him, I admire him from the bottom of my heart." Aaron sat next to the fire and said speechlessly, "He can sleep so soundly surrounded by a group of bugs."
Bilbo got up feeling a little tired. He regretted being grouped with Groin.
The snoring was so loud that it was difficult for him to fall asleep.
He walked quietly to his pony and took out a fruit from his pocket, "Come on, Xiao Tao, this is a secret between us."
Just as the hobbits were feeding their mounts, strange noises came from afar.
"what is that?"
"Orcs," Kili said.
"Orc."×2.
Aaron stood up immediately and looked around cautiously.
Bilbo also retreated into the team in panic. He had never seen an orc before in his life, but both the books and the records left by Old Took told of the ferocity of the orcs.
"There are at least dozens of slit-throats." Philip took a puff of his cigarette. "They are everywhere in the wild. We will attack in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep."
"Quick and accurate, silent, leaving only bloodstains." Qili added, his expression solemn, but he seemed indifferent.
"If what you said is true... then we are probably in big trouble." Aaron swallowed his saliva and pointed to the other side of the cliff across the abyss. "Dozens of slit-throats are there."
"What a joke." Philip disagreed. "At this time of night, there is a foggy area of several hundred meters in between. Can you see the other side?"
"It's a little difficult to see clearly, but my vision is several times better than that of ordinary people." Aaron said seriously, "There are indeed some tall shadows on the other side."
Fili and Qili smiled at each other, tacitly thinking that Aaron was frightened and hallucinated.
"Okay, okay, we believe you."
"No, I'm telling the truth, can you be serious?"
"We are serious."
"Is it funny?" Thorin asked coldly, "Do you think the orcs' night raid is a joke?"
"We don't mean that." Qili lowered his head guiltily.
"That's right, you know nothing about the world."
"Don't mind, little brother." Balin came over, "Thorin hates orcs for a good reason.
After the dragon occupied the Lonely Mountain, King Thor tried to retake the dwarf kingdom of Moria, but the enemy arrived first.
Moria has been captured by a large army, led by the most terrifying orc, Azog the Destroyer.
The huge Gundaba orc vowed to cut off Durin's bloodline, and he decided to start by beheading the king.
Thorn, Thorin's father, was mad with grief. He disappeared, and it was unknown whether he was killed or captured.
We are leaderless, defeated, and shrouded in death."
Balin looked disappointed, and everyone looked at Thorin, who had his back to them, and even Groin, who was sleeping soundly, opened his eyes.
Grandfather was beheaded by orcs, father disappeared in the war, and people were killed and wounded in the battle with orcs.
If the dragon is a destined natural disaster, then the orcs are the real family feud and national hatred, and they are irreconcilable!
"I saw him at that time." Balin had a smile on his face, "The young dwarf prince fought to the death with the pale orcs, facing the terrifying enemy alone."
"It was very difficult!" Aaron couldn't help asking.
"He wore broken armor and picked up oak branches to resist the attack."
"So he is called Oak Shield?"
"Yes." Balin nodded, "Azog the Destroyer had one arm cut off. He learned that day that the blood of Durin would not be easily cut off.
We regrouped, repelled the orcs, and defeated the enemy.
But there was no celebration banquet or singing that night, because the casualties were heavy and sad, and only a few of us survived.
At that time, I thought to myself, I am willing to follow a person, I am willing to call him king."
After the voice fell, all the dwarves stood up solemnly, and at this moment their respect for Thorin reached its peak.
"I have a question, is Azog dead?"
"He rolled back to his cave and died of his injuries a long time ago." Thorin walked over slowly and said.
Aaron:......
Dude, this flag is not valid!
"That means you are not sure of his death, and Azog may still be alive."
"Impossible." Thorin said sternly, "He was carried away by the orcs in Moria, and he didn't even have a chance to stop the bleeding."
"Uh..." Aaron hesitated for a while, "You may not be happy with what I said, but things often develop in the opposite direction of what you think is bad. My personal advice is that you'd better treat him as if he is not dead."
"Heh!" Thorin sneered and walked up to Aaron, "If he is not dead, then I will defeat him again and cut off his head with my own hands."
