Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas were riding three horses, walking dully on the dense forest path to Isengard.
In the battle of Helm's Deep two days ago, the white-handed orc army under the white-robed wizard Saruman was almost completely wiped out! Now, the cavalry of the Rohan Hussars has cooperated with the firearms army of the United Kingdom of Alicia and is conducting a clearing and sweeping operation against the orcs, strong orcs and Dunland barbarians in the area near the West Valley of Rohan. I believe that the entire west of the Rohan Kingdom It won't be long before you can return to peace.
Although these sounds indeed are good news, Gandalf the White, riding on the back of his divine horse Shadow, has always kept a straight face and cannot be happy no matter what.
Because, that confused Cavalry King Théoden, before he set out to return to the capital Edoras yesterday, he had already announced that the Cavalry of Rohan would officially join the United Kingdom of Alicia and respect Orphena as the common Queen of the United Kingdom. !
From now on, in addition to the prancing horse flag of Rohan, the red-based golden-edged buzzard flag of the United Kingdom of Elysia will also be flown in Rohan. Now, maybe they have started to sign a more detailed contract and discuss specific franchise matters, right?
This matter has been decided for sure. No matter how Gandalf persuades him, it is useless!
Only now did Gandalf suddenly realize that the Kingdom of Gondor in the south, which played a vital role in his plan, was suddenly completely isolated?
Look, to the east of Gondor, across the Anduin River, is the increasingly powerful force of Mordor. To the north, north of the mountains of Gondor, is the United Kingdom of Alicia with an ambiguous attitude and unclear intentions! To the west and south is the sea, and Gondor is completely trapped!
The situation suddenly became extremely serious. Gandalf, who felt that something was very wrong, felt that it was necessary to visit Isengard. He planned to use the reason of confirming whether Saruman was dead to contact him again. That little girl once.
He urgently wanted to know what the little witch named Anne wanted to do?
Thinking about it carefully, Gandalf probably knew a little about what the little girl had done since she first appeared in Middle-earth.
For example: she killed several Nazgul knights under Demon Lord Sauron, froze the floods of an entire river, and later captured a Balrog, and now she even created a United Kingdom and destroyed it. Isengard's power, and also killed Saruman?
If you add up these things, it seems that the other party has not done anything detrimental to Middle-earth, right? Moreover, she seemed to have helped his boss Gandalf?
However, for some reason, Gandalf always felt a little uneasy in his heart!
After much thought, he just had doubts about the little girl named Annie. Because he couldn't see through this little girl! What if she is evil? But what she is doing now is extremely just! But what if we say she is just? She never belonged to Gandalf's own side!
Having strength but also doing things willfully?
Therefore, Gandalf felt that she was the biggest unstable factor in Middle-earth! Although it is not as dangerous as the Demon Lord Sauron, it is still an object that needs to be observed and paid attention to!
Next, about the incident where Saruman in White was burned alive and turned into ashes by that little witch...
Although Gandalf did not contact the Valar for final confirmation, he actually believed 99% of it in his heart!
Because he had a deep understanding of that little girl's terrifying strength.
I think back then, when Gandalf himself was fighting the Balrog on the highest peak of the Misty Mountains, on the top of the Siraxigir Peak, that little witch, she threw fireballs randomly, directly igniting the top of the entire mountain and melting it into He personally experienced the doomsday scene like a volcanic eruption and it is still vivid in his mind!
Until now, Gandalf still hasn't seen through the little girl's true strength. According to his conservative estimate, the other party is at least as strong as the most powerful Maiyas?
In addition, in the hands of that little girl, there is a Balrog more powerful than Gandalf, and a flaming teddy bear that can press the Balrog to the ground, rub it and beat him?
Therefore, Gandalf did not think that Saruman could find favor in the hands of that little girl, and being burned to death should be considered a normal thing! It's just that when he heard this, it made him feel a bit sad.
Because of this, he must come to Essinger! First, we can sort out some of the things left behind by Saruman. If possible, would he even want to take back the Orthanc Tower, which was originally a legacy of the Holy White Council? Secondly, he really needed to get in touch with that little girl again. It was best to explore the other person's background and understand the other person's true intentions.
"I'm telling you, I hate it here!"
"This ruined forest...why does it make me feel like I'm back in that damn, gloomy Fangorn Forest? Gandalf, you're leading the wrong way, are you?"
Gimli was riding on the back of a Rohan war horse with Legolas. At this time, he was sitting behind Legolas, looking at the gloomy dense forest around him with an unhappy expression. These tall The trees, those twisted roots, seemed to give him the illusion of déjà vu, familiarity?
He almost thought that this was the damn Fangorn Forest that he had visited not long ago!
However, just as he finished speaking, the huge ancient trees around him began to moan and move, scaring Gimli so much that he shut up quickly and barely managed to avoid falling off his horse.
Is this really the damn Fangong Deep Forest? Could it be that Gandalf was really so stupid that he took him the wrong way?
"Please be careful of what you say and do, Gimli the Dwarf, son of Groim!"
He raised the staff, and he didn't know if he used any spells. After calming or warning the surrounding trees, he made them quiet again.
Gandalf, who was leading the way, turned to face the dwarf with a cold face, who was holding a big iron ax in his hand, carrying a smooth-bore large-caliber short-barrel musket behind him, and speaking openly to warn him. said.
The large-caliber smoothbore muzzle-loading rifle on the opponent's back was given to his son Jinli by Groin, the current artillery officer of the United Kingdom of Alicia. It is said that after hitting gunpowder and projectiles, just one shot can kill him. Smash the chest or head of a large troll?
Gandalf didn't like this kind of weapon, because he felt the threat of these weapons to their Maia... This kind of demonic weapon made personal bravery no longer important. Doesn't that mean that his swordsmanship, which Gandalf ordered All your expertise was in vain? Who knows when he will be shot down by a weak child? That’s really a bit too frustrating!
"This is Fangorn Forest!"
"But it's not the Fangorn Forest we've been to... because those tree shepherds made the ancient trees move and expand here..."
After looking solemnly at the surrounding ancient trees and the corpses of orcs or half-orcs that were tightly entangled under the roots of the ancient trees and were slowly being absorbed as nutrients, Gandalf patted himself slightly again. Jieying stood down and let his horse continue to move forward.
Seeing the ancient trees grazed by the tree shepherds appearing here, Gandalf vaguely felt that Queen Ophina of the United Kingdom of Alicia must be hiding something from him!
What she said to herself at the time was that Isengard was attacked by their Alicia Second Legion and that little witch Annie? But why are these moving ancient trees controlled by tree herders here? Tree shepherds, they actually united with the Kingdom of Alicia and captured Isengard together?
That tree shepherd Treebeard, didn't he say that he was most disgusted with the little witch who could play with fire? At that time, the two sides almost started fighting! Now, why are the two parties mixed together again?
Is this a random coincidence? Or did the little girl coerce or use magic to control the tree shepherds? Therefore, Gandalf felt that it was necessary for him to find out more about this matter later!
That little girl not only created a powerful United Kingdom of Alicia, developed new evil gunpowder weapons, and annexed the Riding Kingdom of Rohan! If the other party still controls those powerful tree shepherds now, then he has to ask the little witch what exactly they want to do? !
"Gandalf, are you sure these damn trees can still move?!"
Hearing what Gandalf said, Gimli's eyes widened and he yelled loudly again.
However, after Gandalf turned around and glared at him fiercely, he quickly covered his mouth again, saying that he would never talk casually again, so as not to make these ancient trees unhappy.
He, Jin Li, had always thought that those ancient trees would only take root in the same place, and then, at most, they could attack those unlucky creatures that passed by them! But how could he have imagined that such damn big trees could move like people? And slowly moved to Essinger from the far side of Fangorn Forest?
"Holy God! Is this...is this really the Isengard from before?"
Just after walking out of Fangorn Forest and seeing the dilapidated and collapsed walls of Isengard and the towering Orthanc tower, Aragorn exclaimed in shock as he looked at the tower that looked a little different. .
"What's going on? That tower... it looks a little different from what I saw before? And..."
Aragorn turned his head suspiciously and looked at the wizard Gandalf, who was stationed beside him and standing on his left, as if he wanted to get an accurate answer from him.
Because, in front of them, the Orthank Tower in the middle of Isengard, apart from the original black tower, did not seem to have changed much. The surrounding towers were actually inlaid with large and small shining red ones. Powerful crystals or gems?
Moreover, the biggest changes don’t stop there!
At the top of its tower, on the platform that was supposed to be used by wizards to cast spells or observe celestial phenomena, there was actually a huge red gem that was burning with blazing flames? This gave Aragorn an instant feeling that seemed familiar, but he was not too sure.
"Also, it seems to be very similar to Sauron's flaming vertical pupil in Mordor, right?!"
Without Aragorn's reminder, Gandalf had already figured out what this thing looked like, and it was a complete sense of déjà vu.
If the other party hadn't looked like an Orthanc tower, and if the top of the other party hadn't been just a ball of flames instead of vertical pupils, people like Gandalf and Aragorn might have really thought that they were coming to the Baja in Mordor. Lado Tower!
That flaming gem looks too much like the burning vertical pupils of Demon Lord Sauron! At least, if seen from a distance, they might look more like it? Perhaps, compared to the previous Saruman, the little witch inside may be more similar to Sauron, right?
Compared with the shock of Aragorn and others' appearance, Gandalf was more worried about another thing: the little girl inside, after staying in this world for a period of time, she has become more and more unruly and less and less. Take the things they agreed upon to heart!
Look, now, the other side is so unscrupulous that they have publicly remodeled the mage tower!
Forget about the transformation, but it was still transformed into the menacing and powerful look in front of him. Gandalf needed to doubt the other party's motives.
He didn't understand that the little girl inside wasted her efforts to turn a tower that could have been used as a mage tower into something more capable of attacking like this. Who was she guarding against? !
You know, this is the western region of Middle-earth. Isengard was destroyed by her, the white-robed wizard Saruman was killed by her, and Rohan also announced to join Alicia, and even the tree shepherds have joined. After them, what other existence can threaten her?
What is she afraid of? Is it Modo? But Mordor, which is far away on the east bank of the Anduin River, is still thousands of miles away from here!
So, this matter is becoming more and more intriguing!
"Hmph! Don't worry!"
"This is the Orthanc Tower, and those flames have nothing to do with the Demon Lord Sauron! This place was just completely transformed into a mage's battle fortress by that little witch!"
"That's right...it's the mage's battle fortress!"
After saying this, Gandalf's face became even more ugly.
No longer explaining to Aragorn and the others, he quickly patted the white horse on his crotch. He planned to enter Isengard as soon as possible to find out what happened.
Because the sharp-eyed Gandalf has already seen: inside Isengard, in addition to the red-backed gold-edged condor flags and soldiers of the United Kingdom of Alicia, there are also many tall tree shepherds inside. Look. Seeing that the two sides were getting along in a friendly manner, Gandalf understood something in his heart.
"Hey! Are you guys okay?"
"Welcome everyone, welcome to Isengard, the Red-robed Witch Anne!"
When Gandalf and others had just turned an intersection and planned to enter through Isengard's dilapidated gate, two hobbits who were sitting on the parapet, smoking, drinking and eating a big meal, happily He jumped up, waved his hands loudly and shouted in cheers at them.
They both thought it would be at least a while before they could see these friends again! Unexpectedly, just two days after finishing the battle against Essinger, they would actually come here to visit them?
"Hey! Pippin, and Merry? You two bastards!"
"We dare to come here and look for you two so hard, but you just stay here eating and drinking? And... can you still smoke a pipe?"
Jin Li, who had traveled more than two days to get here, finally couldn't bear it anymore.
So, he opened his eyes wide, poked his head out from behind Legolas again, and muttered loudly and dissatisfiedly to the two hobbits on the wall of Isengard.
"Aha! That's because we just won a big victory, so this is the booty awarded to us both by the red robe witch and Alicia's female generals!"
After hearing Gimli's dissatisfaction, the hobbit Pippin retorted unceremoniously.
After all, the day before yesterday and the night before, they followed the tree herder Treebeard and killed and injured dozens of strong orcs and orcs with stones. No one can take away this achievement!
This has to start from yesterday morning. When the fighting here almost stopped, when the Alicia army was busy cleaning up the remnants of the orcs under the ground and counting related trophies, the two of them hurriedly ran to Sasha Luman's kitchen was plundered with some of the finest luxuries that only Saruman could enjoy.
Therefore, as the victorious party, the food, drink and tobacco now are the rewards that the two hobbits deserve.
"That's right! We also have the best specialties from the Shire here: the finest tobacco leaves and smoked cured pork from the Long Bottom Valley!"
At this time, another hobbit, Merry, stood up unwillingly. While smoking his pipe, he gnawed a piece of pickled pork. He proudly looked at the elf sitting behind him and licked his lips. The drooling bearded dwarf Gimli showed off.
"It turns out to be the finest tobacco... and the best cured pork?!"
Jinli, who had not eaten anything after traveling all day, suddenly felt like his mouth was watering.
He suddenly felt that when Gandalf and the others went to do their business, could he go have a meal and drink with these two old hobbit friends? Anyway, he, a dwarf who only knows how to fight, doesn’t understand things about magic, right? Then why not just stop causing trouble for Gandalf, who has been in a bad mood lately?
"Alas...these two hobbits..."
This really... made Gandalf not know what to say to them!
Therefore, he shook his head, not intending to mess around with these two halflings. Now, he has more important things to deal with, and he will settle the score with them later!
After thinking about it, Gandalf continued to ride his horse forward slowly, planning to go in first as he had to do business.
Moreover, he had just heard some not-so-good information from the mouths of two hobbits. It seemed that the little girl had changed her name to the Red-robed Witch?
"Hey! Gandalf! Don't get close to that tower. It will be very dangerous!"
"If you want to ask to see the red-robed witch, I think you'd better inform the female general named Lenas first. She is over there in the biggest tent!"
After seeing that Gandalf didn't want to pay attention to them, he turned his horse's head directly, crossed the damaged Essinger gate, and started walking into the tower.
Pippin quickly held his pipe in his mouth, climbed up to a higher damaged wall with both hands, and shouted loudly to Gandalf and others who had already reached the wall.
Now, it's not safe near that tower!
Except for a limited number of people, such as the maid responsible for cleaning and delivering food, and General Lenas or the two hobbits who have a good relationship with the Red Witch, any other outsiders dare to break into that place casually. If it's inside, it will be burned directly to ashes by the ruthless flames!
Of course, the two of them can only enter the lobby on the first floor of the tower. They cannot go up any higher. It is said that it seems that they need some kind of magic authority key?
"Well, I warned them!"
Then, when he saw that Treebeard, the shepherd, had already greeted Gandalf and the others who were riding in, Pippin shrugged his shoulders and didn't want to worry about it anymore. He quickly jumped to Merry's side and continued to eat. Drink up.
Now, their Hobbit afternoon tea time has just begun!
"Oh... young Gandalf... I'm so glad you're here too..."
After signaling to the few Alicia soldiers who wanted to come forward for questioning, not to be too nervous, the shepherd walked up to three horses that seemed to him to be less than ankle-high.
"Treebeard, my old friend, nice to see you too!"
"It's just that I still don't quite understand why you tree shepherds have joined forces with the people of the Kingdom of Alicia? If I remember correctly, don't you hate that little witch the most?"
After looking at the Alicia soldiers around him and the tree shepherds who were working hard under their command, Gandalf felt very puzzled.
What exactly are these tree people doing?
If they had jointly defeated Isinger, it would be almost time to go back now, right? But look, not only do they not leave now, but they are being used around like coolies or slaves by each other? When did the tree people become so good-tempered?
"joint……?"
"No...we are not united..."
After hearing Gandalf's words that his family of tree shepherds had joined forces with the little witch's men, Treebeard quickly shook his big wooden head covered with beards and branches.
"Until now...I really don't like the little red robe witch...she...is actually as bad as Saruman the white robe..."
If it were out of their own will, perhaps, they tree shepherds would not necessarily appear here today?
Even if they wanted to take revenge on Saruman for cutting down Fangorn Forest at will, they would not be able to join forces with the little witch's men! They are tree herders and generally do it their own way.
"Then what exactly are you..."
This going around made Gandalf even more confused. Then, he pointed at the summoned trees around him and asked!
Since the tree herder Treebeard in front of him dares to say that he has not joined forces with the little witch and the others, what about the tree people who are working under the command of the soldiers?
Could it be that the other party really thought that Gandalf was so old that his eyesight was so dim that he couldn't see clearly?
"Oh...this..."
Hearing Gandalf pointing at the tree people, Treebeard finally understood what the other party meant.
"Well...we did...not join forces with the little witch..."
"Because... we are not a union at all now... but... they are commanding us..."
Alliance means equality and mutual assistance, while command is the relationship between superiors and subordinates. Regarding the distinction between this relationship, Treebeard, who has lived for countless years, still makes a very clear distinction, and he has not made any mistakes.
"Are they commanding you? Could it be that you, a little witch, used magic to enslave you?!"
Gandalf, who seemed to have thought of something bad, quickly asked.
What he was most worried about may have happened!
That little girl, regardless of the consequences, used magic to enslave these powerful tree shepherds? Then, using the tree shepherd's ability to manipulate Fangorn Forest, he obtained a large number of powerful trees and an army of moving ancient trees out of thin air? !
"No...she didn't..."
The disadvantage of speaking slowly was clearly revealed again. Upon hearing this, Treebeard quickly raised his hand again.
"The little witch in red robe...she just took some things...and made a deal with us..."
The little witch provided them with what the tree shepherds needed, and they, the tree shepherds, naturally had to provide some of their tribesmen for the other party to use.
From Shuxu's point of view, this matter has nothing to do with stance, right or wrong, it is just a normal transaction behavior, everyone gets what they need.
Even though they, the tree shepherds, were a little dissatisfied verbally, in fact, they were still vaguely grateful to the little witch in their hearts?
After all, the other party has solved the single problem that the tree people have had for thousands of years. This kind of kindness is like reborn parents...
"trade!?"
Gandalf was stunned when he heard this word. He didn't understand. Thinking about it, the tree people who have no desires and no needs, no worries about food, no worries about clothing, and no worries about housing, what do they need to trade?
Haven't they lived in Fangorn Forest for so many years? Eat some dirt when they are hungry, and take a nap when they are sleepy. What else will they lack? What else can impress them?
"What kind of deal is it that makes you tree herders willing to actively participate in the war?"
"You must be careful not to be fooled by that little girl!"
After thinking about it, he subconsciously thought that it was the little girl who was coaxing the tree man Gandalf, so he quickly spoke out and kindly advised him.
According to the nature of that little girl, maybe these tree people will end up like a bamboo basket in vain? Then, in anger, they start a storm. You know, the more honest a person is, the more terrifying the power will be when it explodes. Maybe, it will be the kind that will destroy both the jade and the stone?
"No... the red robe witch... she has fulfilled her promise... we found them..."
In the face of facts, any kind of estrangement or lies are useless!
Because, after capturing Essinger, little Annie told the tree herder Treebeard the specific location of the tree wives. Now, there are many young and strong tree shepherds rushing to the place mentioned by the other party to welcome back their tree wives!
Therefore, Treebeard does not need to mind what Gandalf just said.
"Okay... I'm going to work... Goodbye... Gandalf..."
After discovering that one of his companions was struggling to move a huge rock in the distance, Treebeard quickly turned around and strode over there.
It doesn't have much time to continue chatting with Gandalf here. Now, Essinger is the busiest time. The little witch had already ordered them before: they must cooperate with her troops within the specified time to rebuild this place into what she needs!
"What did you find? What did she give you to make you work so hard for her?"
Gandalf didn't understand. When he tried so hard to persuade these trees, he almost gave up on this old face. He didn't see them agreeing with him and helping him to attack Isengard?
But as a result, as soon as the little girl took action, they not only helped, but also came here to work as coolies without complaint?
That little girl, what did she give them to make them help so actively? !
"Treebeard! Are you sure she's not tricking you?!"
Gandalf still couldn't hold it back and shouted again to Treebeard who turned to leave.
It's a pity that the other party just waved its huge branch arm towards the back, and then ran to work honestly.
"Hey! I said..."
"Old Gandalf! Do you often speak ill of me behind my back like this?!"
Suddenly, a cunning and clear voice with a hint of anger sounded dissatisfiedly above the heads of the four Gandalfs.
"..."
Then, when the four of them raised their heads in embarrassment, they only saw a little girl holding the guardrail of the window sill with both hands, looking at her standing under the high tower of her house with an unhappy face, and dared to say something about her Bad words for some bad guys.
"Ha! Well, Lady Red-robed Witch, I didn't say anything just now!"
Gimli, who was sitting behind the elf Legolas, quickly spoke up to defend himself. Now, the relationship between the dwarves, Alicia and the little witch is pretty good, and they are relatively close. It is said that the two sides are still willing to form an alliance?
So, when Gimli met his father outside the Horn Keep, the old dwarf Groin had secretly told his son Gimli that he must not have any conflicts with the little witch! If possible, would it be better to stay a little further away from that Gandalf?
Although he didn't know if his father knew something or heard something, Gimli might not be able to draw a clear line with Gandalf.
After all, these people in their Fellowship of the Ring expedition were a group of old comrades who had gone through hardships together. He really couldn't do it with his simple and honest body, such as turning against each other and not recognizing others.
"Well, if you have anything to do, continue chatting. I'll go talk to those two hobbits first!"
So, Gimli, who didn't want to get involved in these bullshit things, decided immediately, should he go find the two hobbits and enjoy life together, smoking heavily and drinking a lot of wine? oh! Of course, there are also those fine cured pork that are said to be imported from the Shire?
"Annie...we meet again..."
"I wonder if your dear lord, the red-robed witch, would you have time to meet with me, an old man?"
Gandalf ignored Gimli, who was jumping out of the saddle and heading out to look for the Hobbit on the other side of the wall.
He himself first raised his head and took a deep look at the little girl with only one head and two small hands exposed from the window sill, and then asked with a forced smile.
"You're smiling so ugly, you must be looking for trouble!"
After muttering something quietly, Annie curled her lips.
Judging from the bad words the other party had just said about her behind her back and his current expression, Anne knew that this old man Gandalf was definitely up to no good this time! However, Anne is not afraid of him now!
Having been in this world for so long, Annie already knows most of the things that should be understood and the things that should not be understood! This is old Gandalf, he can't fool himself like before. She is not afraid of anyone now. She just wants to cause trouble, and no one can persuade her!
Besides, now that the plan has begun and all the actors are in place, how could she back down when the drama is about to begin? Otherwise, why did she build this exaggerated mage tower and hide in it?
"The door is unlocked. Come in by yourselves! Remember, go to the living room on the second floor and wait for me. Don't run around! If you're not careful, someone could really die!"
After giving instructions to the other party, Annie's little head retracted from the window sill.
Now, her red-robed wizard's mage tower is completely different from the original white-robed Saruman's Orthank mage tower. If the three people below come in and run around later, she doesn't care. Don’t burn it, don’t bury it!
