Chapter 241 The Orcs' Ambush
"That… might be a coincidence," Aaron slowly raised his right hand. "Don't forget, portents aren't only seen by Dwarves."
Hearing this, both Gandalf and Thorin calmed down.
"What exactly happened?" Thorin asked coldly.
Gandalf's expression was grave. "We are being hunted."
"We have to leave here," Dwalin said.
"No way, we don't have ponies," Ori ran over and said. "They ran away."
"Then it can only be a fight to the death," Aaron took a deep breath. "I have twelve arrows here, enough to eliminate twelve enemies.
Plus a dozen warriors and two Wizards, we might be able to fight our way out."
"This is a last resort," Gandalf said. "We might be able to eliminate the Orc scouts, but what about the main army afterward?
With just us, it's impossible to stand against an army. We still need to find a way to escape."
"I'll draw them away," the Brown Wizard Radagast said.
"Those are Wargs from Gundabad, they'll catch you," Gandalf didn't quite agree with the suggestion. If anything happened to the Brown Wizard, it would be a huge loss for Middle-earth.
"How about I go?"
As his voice fell, everyone's gaze turned to Aaron, and the forest instantly became exceptionally quiet.
"No," Bilbo immediately said. "That's too dangerous, you can't outrun those wolves on two legs."
"I have to try," Aaron smiled. "With good luck, I might still escape."
"Now is not the time to rely on luck!" Radagast confidently pointed to his mount. "These are Rhosgobel Rabbits. It's hard to say who will win."
…Radagast, driving a sled pulled by Rhosgobel Rabbits, shouted loudly across the green plains, single-handedly drawing away the Warg scouts scattered in all directions.
The others hid behind a large rock. Seeing the Warg scouts drawn away, Gandalf immediately led the group to circle around from the other side.
But even so, it was extremely perilous, as they were on a plain where only irregular boulders offered cover. Once they moved, they would be exposed to the Orcs' sight.
Radagast was fast, leading a large number of Warg scouts on a winding path across the plain, but he didn't draw away all the scouts.
An Orc stopped during the chase. He rode his Gundabad Warg, sniffing constantly, seemingly having discovered traces of the expedition team.
The Warg led him to a large boulder, then stopped, signaling to the Orc on his back that the Dwarves were nearby.
The Orc drew the great sword from his back, looking around, searching for his prey.
Below the boulder, the entire expedition team heard the Warg's heavy breathing, pressing against the rock face, not daring to make a sound.
They weren't unable to deal with this Orc, but they were worried that making a commotion would reveal their position.
But after more than ten seconds, the Warg was still up there and hadn't left.
Thorin realized it was only a matter of time before they were discovered, and immediately decided to strike first.
He gave Kili a look, signaling him to use his bow and arrow.
Kili nodded slightly, pulled an arrow from his quiver, and shot it at the Warg's head.
The Warg roared in Pain!, and the Orc on its back was violently shaken. Kili immediately shot a second arrow, hitting the Orc in the chest.
The Warg and the Orc on its back fell from the boulder simultaneously. Five or six Dwarves swarmed forward, killing them as quickly as possible.
But the Warg's and Orc's screams were particularly clear on the plain. The Warg scouts that Radagast had drawn away all stopped, looking in the direction of the sound.
"The Dwarf scum are there!" the leading Orc immediately ordered. "Go after them!"
Wolf howls continuously rang out, and the sound of galloping grew closer.
"Run!" Aaron immediately said.
Gandalf also realized things were bad. "Follow me, quickly."
Two legs ultimately couldn't outrun four legs, especially four enormous wolf legs. Before long, several Wargs appeared in front of the expedition, and an Orc was glaring at them menacingly.
More and more Wargs arrived from all directions, forming a huge encirclement.
"We're surrounded," Aaron let out a long breath, pulling Bilbo behind him.
"Hold your ground!" Thorin shouted loudly. The Dwarves spontaneously formed a circle, each picking up their weapons, nervously facing the slowly approaching Warg scouts.
Bilbo frantically drew his short sword. "What do we do now?"
"Of course, we wipe them out."
Aaron said, taking two arrows from his back, aiming them at the two closest Wargs.
Both arrows were fired simultaneously, each piercing the Warg's skull, and the Orcs on their backs fell to the ground.
Kili immediately followed up with arrows, killing the two Orcs.
"Good shot," Dwalin praised.
"It's no use, no matter how good. There are too many of them, several times our number," Aaron gave a bitter smile. "Kili, give me your arrows.
Later, we'll concentrate our strength and break through in one direction. I'll try my best to cover your retreat."
"What about you?" Bilbo asked worriedly.
"I'll catch up with you. These Orcs can't kill me," Aaron said in a deep voice.
He wouldn't use magic unless absolutely necessary, but if it came to that, he wouldn't hold back. If he killed all these Warg scouts, no one would know his true strength.
"What about Gandalf?" Oin asked.
"He abandoned us," Dwalin said.
The leading Orc slowly approached on his Warg. Seeing that all his prey were here, he laughed triumphantly, revealing his sharp, disgusting yellow teeth.
"That's utterly disgusting," Aaron grimaced in distaste.
Ori took out his slingshot and fired a stone.
The stone hit the Warg's head, but it was harmless.
Whoosh!
Aaron shot an arrow, and the leading Orc immediately bent over to dodge.
But at that instant, Aaron's second arrow struck the Warg's waist, and the leading Orc fell to the ground as the Warg violently shook.
"Damn scum," the leading Orc roughly pulled the arrow from the Warg's body, saying in a hoarse voice, "I'll kill you first later."
"To catch the bandits, first catch their king," Aaronwhispered to Thorin.
"That principle doesn't apply to these beasts. Whether the leader dies or not, they won't give up hunting us."
"I know, but the leader is still very important.
When I kill him, you lead everyone to charge, breaking through in his direction."
Thorin looked deeply at Aaron, immensely surprised by this thirteen-year-old child. "How confident are you that you'll survive?"
"Hmm… Barring any accidents, even if all of you die, I'll be perfectly fine."
"Understood," Thorin nodded heavily. "I never thought I'd entrust the safety of the expedition to a child.
Kili, give him your arrows."
"Thorin, this…"
"Give them to him."
"Yes."
Kili placed all his remaining arrows, less than ten, into Aaron's quiver. "You must survive and follow us."
Aaron took a deep breath and quickly drew his bowstring.
An arrow shot towards the leading Orc at an extremely fast speed.
The leading Orc immediately dodged, but his arm was still hit by an arrow. In his Pain!, the spear in his hand also fell to the ground.
"Ah!"
The leading Orc screamed loudly, but as soon as he opened his mouth, an arrow pierced his throat.
"Kill!"
Thorin roared, and the twelve Dwarves, along with Bilbo, charged closely behind Thorin.
Just then, Gandalf's voice suddenly rang out, "This way, you fools!"
The charging footsteps of the group instantly halted, and for a moment they were at a loss.
Thorin turned around and saw Gandalf crouching beneath a large rock less than ten meters from them, where a cave entrance seemed to be hidden.
"What are you all standing around for?" Aaron said, annoyed at their inaction. "Run, quickly!"
"Hurry, everyone!" Thorin led the way, then guarded the entrance, covering his teammates' retreat.
The expedition members jumped into the cave entrance one after another, and the Warg scouts quickly surrounded them.
Thorin slew a pouncing Warg with a single sword, and after ensuring no one was left behind, he was the last to jump into the cave.
Several Orcs surveyed the entrance. The Wargs seemingly couldn't enter this cave, and even they could only enter one by one.
Aaron returned Kili's arrows to him. "Guard it for now!"
Both of them shot arrows, killing two Orcs, which deterred the other Orcs and kept them from approaching.
Without a leader, the remaining Warg scouts, despite their numerical advantage, were at a loss against this easily defensible cave.
Woo… A horn sounded from afar, followed by the dense sound of hooves.
The whizzing of arrows, the sound of weapons piercing flesh, the Wargs' howls, and the Orcs' screams all mixed together, making one curious about the situation outside.
Although they didn't know which righteous individuals had come to their aid, their crisis was temporarily averted.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, an Orc corpse rolled down.
Thorin pulled a silver arrow from the corpse, and his face immediately darkened. "Elves."
"Are those Elves up there?" Aaron looked at Gandalf, seemingly understanding why he had left the group midway.
"Can't see where the passage leads. Should we go?" Dwalinnoticed a light deep within the cave, turned around, and asked everyone.
"Of course we should go," Nori said directly. This was the only way, and they had no choice but to take it.
"That's a wise move," Gandalf smiled.
"You know where this path leads, don't you?" Aaron asked.
"Well… you'll understand when you get there."
The group traversed a narrow, steep path that could only accommodate one person at a time, stopping at the exit.
"This place… it's beautiful," Aaron looked at the valley before him, unable to help but widen his eyes. "If the Shire is suitable for retirement, then this place is definitely a vacation paradise."
Within the valley was a beautiful city, with pine trees covering the higher grounds and beech and oak trees below.
Several waterfalls cascaded down the mountain walls, invigorating the city and finally merging into the river below.
"What is this place?"
"Imladris," Gandalf explained with a smile. "Which is what ordinary people call…"
"Rivendell," Bilbo blurted out the name involuntarily.
"You know?"
"This is the Elves' territory. Books describe it as a fairyland. I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes."
"This place is the Last Homely House east of the Sea," Gandalf continued.
Thorin impatiently walked up to Gandalf, saying in a questioning tone, "You've been planning to lead us here, to seek refuge with our enemies."
"Your so-called enemies just saved us, didn't they?"
"Who knows if they have ulterior motives."
Hearing this, Aaron felt speechless. Thorin's resentment towards the Elves was truly exceptionally deep.
"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only hostility in the valley comes from you," Gandalf said.
"Do you think the Elves will bless our quest?" Thorin shook his head. "They will try to stop us."
"Of course, but we have questions that need answers."
Thorin was momentarily speechless. The map his father left him contained a way into the Lonely Mountain, but few could decipher it, and there was precisely one such person in Rivendell.
He considered the Elves his enemies, and asking enemies for help naturally made him feel humiliated, but to unlock the map's secret, he had no choice but to do so.
"This matter requires tact and respect to succeed," Gandalflooked meaningfully at Thorin, meaning, once you're in Rivendell, you need to calm down and not cause trouble.
"And charming charisma, so I will be in charge of negotiations."
"Charming charisma?" Aaron curled his lips in disdain. "What thick skin. Before you say that, can you change your clothes?
Honestly, if you go in with an empty bowl now, you might come out with it full."
"Gaius," Gandalf rolled his eyes at him. "I remember I said you should at least understand basic courtesy."
Following a winding path down the valley and across several narrow stone bridges, the group arrived at a wide platform.
Two Elf warriors stood with swords at the entrance of Rivendell. Aside from their pointed ears, they were almost indistinguishable from humans.
"Mithrandir."
A male Elf walked down the stairs and bowed to Gandalf.
"Lindir," Gandalf greeted with a smile.
"You're also called Mithrandir?" Aaron asked.
"Don't mind it, that's what some Elves call me," Gandalfshrugged, then looked at Lindir. "I need to speak with Elrond."
"Elrond is not here."
"Not here? Then where is he?"
As his voice fell, a melodious horn sounded from behind them.
Hearing this sound, Gandalf seemed to understand something, turning around with a smile.
An Elf cavalry troop returned to Rivendell via the stone bridge. Thorin, seeing this, thought the Elves were going to attack them, and immediately ordered everyone to gather and prepare for battle.
The thirteen Dwarves vigilantly picked up their weapons, and without a word, shielded Bilbo in the middle, leaving him bewildered and utterly confused.
Slap!
Aaron slapped his forehead, turning his face away in exasperation.
What happened to respect? With this attitude, they still expected help?
As soon as they returned, you acted as if you were facing a great enemy. Is there any difference from provocation?
And can you not have some wisdom?
This is their territory, after all. Even if you dislike Elves, at least pay attention to the situation!
Gandalf was also quite frustrated. Fortunately, he was in charge of negotiations; if it were someone else, they would definitely be treated as unwelcome guests and driven out.