Within the five remaining days I practiced my magic tirelessly preparing for whatever was to come.
When the training finally ended for the day, I looked around.
What once a decaying hollow now brimmed with life. vibrant grass spread across the earth like a green tide. Trees that had once stood brittle and gray now rose tall again, their branches heavy with leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
For a moment, I simply stood there, taking it in.
"It seems my efforts paid off," I murmured quietly.
Suddenly—
A cheerful shout echoed across the field.
It was Bilbo.
"MAL!" He called out. Raising his arm high and waving it from side to side. In his other hand, he carried a small basket.
Then he hurried toward me across the grass.
When he finally reached me, a pleased smile tugged at his lips.
"I figured you might be hungry," he said, lifting the basket slightly. "So I brought some snacks."
"That's very kind of you Bilbo."
I slightly lifted my staff then tapped it gently against the ground.
The crystal at its tip pulsed with a soft green-glow.
From the soil, slender vines stirred.
They rose slowly, slithering upward like curious snakes before curling around themselves.
Within moments, they wove together—forming a small table and two chairs.
Bilbo watched the display. This time, he simply smiled. He had grown quite accustomed to my magic.
He placed the basket on the table and began unhurriedly taking out a loaf of bread and several other small pastries.
Of course Rowan joined us too.
We ate quietly beneath the open sky.
Moments later, our meal finished we took a leisurely walk across the meadow's of the newly restored land.
"I must say Mal..."He paused taking in the sea of flowers and swaying grass "I quite love what you've done with the place"
He glanced back at me.
"What do you intend to name it?"
My brow arched slightly.
"What do you mean?"
A slow smile crept onto his face as he turned toward me.
"You saved this land," he said simply. "Seems to me it belongs to you now."
In that moment I paused, letting my gaze drift across the rolling grass and newly awakened trees.
Then it came to me.
"Moors," I said softly.
Bilbo tilted his head.
"The Moors?" he repeated.
I nodded faintly.
Bilbo looked across the meadow again, the wind brushing through the tall grass.
"Well then," he said with a small approving smile. "The Moors it is."
[TERRITORY ESTABLISHED]
Name: The Moors
Territory Rank: Unclaimed → Guardian Domain
Effects:
• MP regeneration increased within territory
• HP regeneration increased within territory
• Flora responds to the domain holder
I blinked 'Well now... this is very convenient but not once I leave'
A faint sigh escaped my lips.
———
Back at the shire I sank onto the couch near the fireplace enjoying a warm cup of tea and a few snacks along the way.
"Nothing like a good cup of tea while relaxing near the fireplace" I sighed contentedly.
"I couldn't agree more" Bilbo added.
Only then I noticed a book and quil that in his hand.
"You seemed to be rather focused on writing something." I said, tilting my head
slightly "could you tell me what it is about?"
"Ah this..." he replied. continuing to scribble across the page.
He paused for a moment, thinking.
"I believe you called it… Sleeping Beauty, correct?"
Bilbo dipped the quill back into the ink and continued writing.
"The wicked fairy arrives uninvited to the celebration," he murmured as he wrote. "And in her anger… she places a terrible curse upon the princess."
The quill scratched steadily across the parchment.
Then he paused.
Slowly, his eyes lifted toward me.
"You told that story with remarkable detail,"
he said thoughtfully. "Almost as though you'd seen it yourself."
I blinked.
"Well… stories travel far where I'm from," I replied casually, lifting my teacup.
Bilbo studied me for a moment longer.
Then a small smile tugged at his lips.
"Well," he said, returning to his writing, "I'm quite glad the fairy who ended up in Hobbiton chose to save children rather than curse them."
I let out a quiet breath and leaned back into the couch.
"…Yes," I murmured softly.
The fire crackled gently as the quill continued to dance across the page.
"So Mal..." He cleared his throat setting down the book and quil. "Do you perhaps know more stories?"
He leaned forward slightly, eye filled with curiosity.
"I'd very much like to hear another."
"Well..." I pondered " This one is slightly different than the one I've told you before"
Bilbo nodded eagerly.
"It's a story about Maleficent herself"
Bilbo's brow furrowed.
"You mean the evil fairy?"
"In this story" I said softly "she's both a hero... and a villain"
Bilbo blinked in surprise."How can someone be both?"
I leaned back into the couch, watching the fire flicker in the hearth.
"Because," I said quietly, "sometimes the villain in one story… is the hero in another."
Bilbo's eyes widened slightly.
"Well," he said after a moment, reaching for his quill again, "now you've truly caught my interest."
————
Bilbo dipped his quill into ink.
"And what happens to this Maleficent in the end?" he asked.
I watched the fire for a moment, the flames dancing like small golden spirits.
"In the end…" I said slowly, "She learned to love."
Bilbo looked up.
"Her story... it's quite tragic." Bilbo added.
"Perhaps."
———
Convince Bilbo: 100%
Successful
Rewards: skill
— Hypnosis - Beginner
Type: Mental / Enchantment
Cost: 25 MP
Range: Eye Contact (within 5 meters)
Effect:
The caster briefly enchants a target through eye contact, placing them in a light trance and making them receptive to suggestion.
Limits:
Eye contact is required to activate the skill.
The effect lasts up to 20 seconds.
Only one target can be affected at a time.
Targets in combat or extreme fear are harder to influence.
Repeated use on the same target within a short time greatly reduces its effectiveness.
Level up 17
HP+60
MP+60
My eyes widen in surprise.
Then I nodded approvingly.
I took another sip from my cup.
'at least I'll be prepared once the journey starts'
It was quiet. calm, even.
But the quiet evening at Bag End did not last long.
A sharp knock echoed through the round green door.
Bilbo looked up from his seat.
Another knock followed—louder this time.
I felt it immediately.
Not danger.
But… many presences.
Bilbo opened the door.
Standing there was the familiar tall figure of Gandalf, his grey cloak dusted with travel.
Behind him stood a dwarf.
Then another.
And another.
Soon the doorway was filled with them.
A whole company of dwarves crowded the path outside the hobbit-hole.
Their chatter slowly faded when they noticed me.
My horns.
The black robes.
The staff resting lightly in my hand, its crystal glowing faintly with quiet power.
One of the dwarves blinked.
Another leaned toward his companion and muttered under his breath.
"... What in durins name is that?"
A few hands instinctively drifted toward the hilts of their axes.
Only one of them stepped forward without hesitation.
Broad shouldered. Regal even in travel-worn armor.
His sharp gaze settled on me first before moving to Bilbo.
Thorin Oakenshield.
His voice was calm but firm — Commanding
"And who might this be?"
Before Bilbo could answer, Gandalf chuckled softly behind them.
"Oh do relax," he said, brushing past the dwarves and stepping inside.
"She lives here."
Several dwarves exchanged confused looks.
"She… lives here?" one repeated.
I raised the staff slightly and tapped its base against the wooden floor.The crystal pulsed.
Vines slipped from the seams of the floorboards like curious snakes, weaving themselves into a row of chairs along the wall.
The dwarves froze momentarily.
One of them nearly dropped his pack.
Another let out a low whistle.
"Well I'll be…" a voice muttered.
Thorin's eyes narrowed—not in fear, but in careful calculation.
Magic. Real magic.
Bilbo rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
One by one they introduced themselves as they entered.
A broad-shouldered dwarf stepped forward first. "Dwalin at your service"
Another followed behind him.
"Balin." He said with a courteous bow "at your service"
two younger dwarves stepped in together "Kili," one said.
"Fili," another added as they bowed in unison.
The introductions continued until every dwarf had spoken his name.
Then Gandalf slowly approached his sharp eyes drifted towards my staff.
"You have grown stronger lady Mallory" He said. giving a small approving nod.
The quiet in Bag end was quiet no more.
Across the room Bilbo Baggins scrambled toward the kitchen, rummaging through his pantries in a hurry as he prepared food for the dwarves.
The dwarves settled themselves around the room, boots thudding softly against the wooden floor of Bag End.
One of them leaned slightly toward another, lowering his voice.
"I don't recall Gandalf mentioning a horned sorceress," he muttered.
A few curious glances drifted toward me—lingering briefly on the black horns, the dark robes, and the staff resting lightly in my hand.
Another dwarf scratched his beard.
"Well… the wizard is known for surprises."
Across the room, Gandalf merely stroked his beard as if he had heard nothing at all.
The murmuring among the dwarves barely faded when Gandalf stepped closer.
The room shifted as another presence stepped forward.
Heavy boots. Broad shoulders.
The dwarves parted slightly as Thorin
Oakenshield approached.
His steel-gray eyes rested on my horns first… then on the staff… then finally on my face.
"You wield strange magic for one dwelling in the Shire," Thorin said, his voice deep and measured. "Tell me, lady—are you friend to this house… or another of the wizard's riddles?"
For a moment the room fell quiet.
I rested the staff lightly against the floor.
The crystal pulsed once with a faint green light.
"I am someone who may prove useful… should your journey require it."
Thorin studied me for a long moment, his sharp gaze drifting from the curve of my horns… to the dark robes… and finally to the crystal-tipped staff resting against the floor.
The green light pulsed once more.
A few of the dwarves shifted uneasily.
At last, Thorin Oakenshield folded his arms across his chest.
"Useful?" he repeated slowly.
His voice carried the weight of quiet authority.
"Our road is not a gentle one, lady. It leads far from the comfort of this Shire… into lands where shadows grow long."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And I do not place my trust lightly."
A pause stretched across the room.
Behind him, Gandalf watched the exchange with a knowing look, quietly stroking his beard.
Then Thorin spoke again.
"If you claim usefulness… then tell me this."
His gaze locked with mine.
"What business would you have on such a road?"
I thought for a moment then my eyes drifted towards Bilbo then back at Thorin.
"I seek the same thing many do on dangerous roads," I said quietly.
My fingers rested on the staff.
"To become strong enough… to protect my family."
The crystal pulsed faintly.
Across the room, Thorin Oakenshield studied me with a measured gaze, while Gandalf gave a subtle, knowing smile.
Bilbo blinked in surprise before quickly looking away, pretending to busy himself with the kettle.
Thorin's deep gaze lingered on me for a moment. Then, with a slow nod, he said,
"Very well. If your strength is to protect those you hold dear, I see no reason you should not accompany us. You may prove useful on this journey."
A flicker of relief and pride passed through me. I tightened my grip on the staff ever so slightly, letting the faint green glow pulse once more.
Gandalf leaned on his staff, his eyes twinkling behind the rim of his hat. "Well now," he said, voice warm, yet commanding attention. "It seems we have a new addition to our journey. Lady Mallory, your presence will be most welcome."
Bilbo, still clutching a small cloth of snacks he'd brought along, gave a sheepish smile.
Gandlaf's gaze swept over towards Bilbo
"And what about you Bilbo" He said. quietly stroking his beard. "Have you thought of coming along with us?"
Bilbo froze mid-chew, eyes wide as he stared at Gandalf.
"I… me?" he stammered, clutching the edge of the table. "But… I'm just a simple Hobbit! I've never—"
Gandalf's eyes twinkled beneath his brows. "Exactly, Bilbo. Sometimes the smallest among us have the greatest part to play."
Convince Bilbo in effect: 100%
Bilbo's hesitation melted away. Whatever doubts he had before were gone—he would follow, come what may.
"I suppose… if Mallory and all of you are going, I… I could try," he said slowly, voice tinged with both awe and excitement.
———
As the sun rose over the horizon, we had already finished packing and were preparing to leave.
Gandalf who already stood outside the door drawing smoke from his pipe-weed. waiting for us to complete our packing.
The dwarves also tightened their shoes and packed their things preparing to depart.
their movements were cut short when a low caw cut through the sky.
Balin spoke "I don't like these dark birds, they look like spies of evil"
the crow descended on a nearby fence perching slightly.
Kili waved his hand to scare it off. "Shoo."
The corners of my mouth curled in amusement. "Into a man" I said softly.
Golden light engulfed the crow's form.
Feathers folded inward like burning embers, wings shrinking as bone and flesh reshaped themselves.
A moment later, a man stood where the bird had perched.
The dwarves took a step back. they froze. hands already reaching for their axes.
"Do not fret everyone" I said calmly "meet Rowan. hes a friend of mine and he will be joining us as well"
Rowan leaned forward hand settled on his chest. and the other on his back.
Gandalf exhaled a slow stream of pipe smoke, his eyes narrowing with interest.
"Well now," he murmured, "that is not a trick one sees every morning."
"Well then," he said, voice calm but firm. "Our road lies east."