Bilbo Baggins.
The only person who ever owned, but ultimately chose to give up the One Ring of his own volition.
A mortal greater than many heroes.
But when he was young, he met someone who was closely related to his fate. Under this situation, it was hard not to say that this was fate.
Ilúvatar, Ilúvatar.
What arrangements do you, the most holy and all-knowing, have for me?
Looking at the little hobbit who was obviously frightened, but still had his eyes still spinning around, Dragon Byrne felt like he was in the wave of fate.
"Gandalf, do you know him?"
On the surface, the Dragonborn pretended not to recognize the little guy in front of him.
At this time, the gray-robed wizard who was riding a big horse and smoking a cigarette jumped down from the horse. He was so agile that he was not an old man with white hair and beard.
He bowed slightly to the kings, and then took the uneasy little hobbit and said: "He is just an insignificant Perien. His name is Bilbo, Bilbo ·Baggins, one of the Baggins in Bag End in Hobbiton. They have never left their warm and comfortable nests in their lives, and now they have come here, alarming the prince of the dwarves, the leader of the Dúnedain, and the silver king, but It's the stupid and reckless Took family genes that are at work. Don't blame him, just let him go! I promise, he's not a spy! Our enemies are not powerful enough - or depraved enough to let an insignificant What kind of spies are the Periens..."
"So he's a snitch?"
Fenner said very keenly.
The gray-robed wizard was choked all of a sudden, and the light in his eyes flickered, "I don't know this, maybe it is, maybe it is not, but it is a fact that hobbits' steps are light and like feathers."
Hearing that his reputation had been insulted, Bilbo Baggins couldn't help but said: "No, no, no, I said, I am not a snitch, not before, not now, and never will be in the future! Bag End has never been There have been snitches!"
At this time, Bilbo Baggins still failed to remember the wandering wizard Gandalf who liked to travel to various places to set off wizard fireworks in early spring and late autumn.
After all, in his opinion, there was no overlap between the crazy Gandalf and the majestic king-like man in front of him.
Dragon Byrne discovered that Bilbo Baggins actually spoke Elvish (Sindaric), so he couldn't help but said: "Who knows what the future holds? Bilbo Baggins of Bag End. "
Perhaps intimidated by the Dragonborn's majestic and cold golden vertical pupils, Bilbo Baggins' face froze and he did not dare to argue any more.
but.
"Let him go."
Unexpectedly, the silver knight, who was more majestic than the legendary kings, said on the holy and tall horse: "Since our wizard is willing to vouch for him, we don't need to embarrass such a poor little guy. Our difficulties lie ahead, not beneath our feet."
Thanks to the Light of Valinor, everyone understood the majestic 'judgment' spoken by the Dragonborn.
Thorin and Arathorn nodded obligingly.
They have no interest in a weak, insignificant halfling.
If it hadn't been for this guy's boldness in spying on the march of the army, the dwarf prince and the Dúnedain leader would have just ignored it and walked over.
The gray-robed wizard bowed gratefully.
He kicked the little hobbit who was still in a daze.
Bilbo Baggins, who didn't expect things to turn out like this, hurriedly bent down.
"Thank you! Thank you, the Holy King, for your mercy!"
In Bilbo's mind, he had already regarded the Dragonborn as a majestic king. He said with tears of gratitude: "Although I don't think the hobbits committed any serious crime, they certainly shouldn't have collided with the king and their companions. Moreover, when the elves grabbed my collar, they hurt my neck so much." It hurts! But I am still willing to be grateful for this judgment for a hundred years! You saved my life, revered, holy, silver-white king riding on the legendary Holy Spirit, may Nina’s mercy always shine in On your head."
Fenner glared at him to scare him.
"Baggins from Bag End seems to have forgotten that he is still in the hands of the elves."
Bilbo Baggins suddenly stopped talking, and was so frightened that his eyes burst into tears again.
That pitiful look made the surrounding elves and Dragon Byrne grin.
"Dear Ms. Fenner."
Arazon couldn't help but speak. This was his first sentence today. The king's voice had a hint of coldness and dryness, just like the cold wind that never changed in Eton Wasteland.
But what he said was so gentle.
"I think this Bilbo Baggins from the Shire has understood his fault, and the silver king has also pronounced his sentence and forgiven his rudeness. Noble elf lady, why don't you raise your noble hand and forgive a The insignificant little guy is just talking stupidly."
Then the leader of the Dúnedain gave this advice to the young hobbit: "When you face a group of people who are nobler than you, you should be in awe! You must understand that the sword is always stronger than the mouth. Don't let your cleverness fail." Your tongue cost you your life, Bilbo Baggins, Hobbit from the Shire."
This was a very kind and philosophical persuasion. Young Bilbo Baggins felt that nothing he had heard in his life was as philosophical as the tall and handsome knight in front of him.
Yes, the sword is always stronger than the mouth.
I am just a poor, weak hobbit. Eating, drinking, and taking care of the crops in the fields are what we hobbits are good at. Why should we show off and argue with people with weapons in their hands?
Bilbo Baggins woke up from a dream. He bowed deeply to Arathorn, and he became much calmer in the years that followed.
As expected, the rangers led by Fenner released the almost frightened Perian man as promised.
He looked at the little embarrassed figure escaping into the grain forest.
The black-haired dragonborn and the wizard were thoughtful at the same time.
But this is always just a small episode. Soon, everyone's attention returned to the original problem.
But this time Dragon Byrne clearly has an idea.
he said to Arathorn.
"Your wisdom is like the stars in the sky. Although it is hidden deep within, it can never hide its dazzling light. You also know the problems of wizards and dwarves. So, you are as wise as Arathorn, what can you teach me."
Because of the Light of Valinor in Nahal, the Dragonborn's voice reached directly into everyone's minds.
Hearing the Silver King ask for his opinion. The human ranger, who had been silent since joining the Northern Expeditionary Force, hurriedly bowed slightly.
He said.
"It's not that I am unwilling to use my shallow wisdom and experience to help the Silver King, but the dwarf prince and wizard's suggestions are very thorough. Regardless of whether to attack Annuminas or not, the advantages and disadvantages have been clearly laid out. In front of the coalition forces. I have no better way to get the Silver King out of this predicament."
When the ranger said this, Dragon Byrne couldn't help but feel a flash of disappointment.
Thorin muttered but said nothing.
Only the gray-robed wizard looked at him with a smile, as if he knew he had something to say next.
really.
The human ranger paused before continuing.
"Although I have no better way to solve this problem. But the Dúnedain know a way back to this magnificent capital that was abandoned by the Númenóreans without directly attacking its gates."
oh.
Now even Thorin couldn't help but look at him in surprise.
Although this is not a complete solution to the problem at hand. But I have to say that this is a solution.
Attack from the front and back, attack from both sides.
A very simple but practical method. If when the coalition forces attack the front gate of Annuminas, they detach a force to attack the enemy's rear, the enemy will definitely not be able to take care of it. There will be chaos and the coalition forces will most likely push the tower in one wave.
Therefore, everyone turned their attention to the Dragonborn sitting on Nahar's back.
Wait for his verdict.
Dragon Byrne thought for a moment and then said.
"I haven't seen that majestic ancient city with my own eyes, so I can't make up my mind at once. How about you let me go and check it out in person?"
The Dragonborn's voice was majestic and sincere, with a persuasive power.
So, the dwarf, wizard, and ranger all lowered their heads, saying that this was the way it should be.
"Then, that's it."
The black-haired dragonborn said this, and then rode the Holy Spirit Nahar, crossing the Baranduin River like a ray of light, and flew towards Annuminas in the north.
Behind him, the wizard Gandalf the Grey, the dwarf prince Thorin Oakenshield, and Arathorn the Dúnedain followed.
But even so, Nahal's speed was not comparable to their mounts. Soon, everyone lost trace of the dragonborn's tall figure.
At this time, on the Western Avenue, groups of heavily armed elves and dwarves were marching in uniform steps, quickly stopping to the east. They crossed the River Baranduin and turned north toward Annuminas.
Because he already roughly knew the location of this ancient city from last night's march route map, Dragon Byrne identified the direction, and one man and one horse galloped towards a continuous mountain range in the north at an astonishing speed.
That's the southern mountain range of Dusk Downs.
More than thirty leagues to the northwest along the long mountain range is the area where Dragon Byrne and Nahal eliminated the filthy bloodline of Ugoliant.
One person and one horse quickly arrived at the foot of this endless low mountain range in the north.
Looking at this relatively low mountain range, Nahar's speed did not slow down. He climbed the mountain as if on flat ground. After a while, he rushed to the top of the mountain.
From movement to stillness, a person and a horse stand on the top of a mountain hundreds of meters high.
Under the morning light, Dragon Byrne felt that his eyes suddenly became brighter.
In the east, distant hills appear vividly on the paper.
It was a mountain range slightly smaller than Dusk Hills. Running northeast-southwest, at the southernmost end of the hills lies Fornost City, the former capital of the fallen Kingdom of Arthedain.
This is also the end of the North-South Expressway.
The dragonborn's golden vertical eyes even penetrated the morning sunlight and saw the dilapidated and gloomy ruins of the old capital of the Kingdom of Arthedain.
Some evil force is spreading in this eerie ancient city, and among them, Dragon Byrne saw a silly cave troll.
To the south, a green and peaceful land lies on the banks of the Ballanduin River.
That's the Shire, home of the hobbits.
These hard-working, peace-loving halflings keep their homes in order, filled with birds singing and flowers fragrant.
Their gardens are almost the most beautiful except for the elves.
To the west, the holy white Misland exudes holy light under the morning light.
Shuen Bay is sparkling, and the elves' white sails are beating wildly in the ocean monsoon.
But when the dragonborn turned his gaze to the north, he only saw desolation.
That's Eton Moor.
Except for the sandstone and dead grass, Dragon Byrne failed to find even an oasis of hope in this land with little life.
It seems like all the good things have come to an abrupt end!
In addition to the fact that the wasteland of Eton is close to the far north, where the desolate cold wind never ceases, Elendil brought the Númenórean exiles to Middle-earth and established the Kingdom of Arnor in 3320 of the Second Era.
This land has been ravaged by endless wars.
Númenóreans, elves, orcs, trolls, wolves, hobbits, these races on Middle-earth have fought and shed blood on this land one after another.
Over the course of thousands of years, the once prosperous Northern Territory, filled with birdsong, flowers, and vegetation, became almost full of pagodas.
Finally, Annuminas and later Fornost, which had been the capital of the Númenóreans for hundreds of years, declined and were abandoned.
All the human kingdoms in the north perished.
The power of the orcs in the north was wiped out, the halflings became independent, and the elves retreated to Gray Harbor and Rivendell.
The war in the north has temporarily come to an end.
now.
The war resumed.
Dragon Byrne's gaze came back from the north and fell on an abandoned, ancient city less than a league away from the mountain here.
This is a lakeside city built on a hillside.
The ancient Númenóreans adopted an architectural style similar to that of Minas Tirith. They divided the city into urban districts of different heights.
Among them, even after the ravages of time and war, Dragon Byrne can still distinguish traces of trading markets, residential areas, pools, gardens, and other man-made facilities from its still-standing ancient buildings and ruined walls. .
Then.
In the very center of the city, a majestic round tower stood tall, almost half as high as the top of the mountain where he was standing at the moment. Under the sunlight, it exuded an indescribable beauty.
That was the seat of the king's power - the chamber of Anuilandir.
The ancient kings of the Númenóreans and even Elendil had their offices here.
It was also the place where the Annuminas Crystal was placed, one of the three Palantir in the Northern Kingdom.
——That is what we call the crystal ball of true knowledge.
Also placed here is the scepter of Annuminas, which originally belonged to Prince Andunii of Númenor and later became the symbol of Arnor's royal power.
However, both the crystal ball and the scepter have been lost.
Among them, the scepter of Annuminas, which represents the royal power, was collected by Elrond of Rivendell and will only reappear in the future when the Human Emperor ascends the throne.
To the east of the city is the Road of Kings, the cemetery of the kings of Arnor, including the tomb of Elendil. The grave goods in the tomb commemorate the founder of the city.
Plus, the magnificent city gates and tall city walls.
Sparkling Twilight Lake.
It can be said that even though it has been abandoned for many years, this once largest city in the north still exudes indescribable beauty and historical significance.
It is quietly located in the southeast of Lake Nenvio, adjacent to the source of the Ballanduin River. At sunrise and sunset, under the bright starlight, it tells the passing travelers the greatness and decline of Western mankind.
However, a large part of the once glorious and holy city is now covered by river water, and is full of evil minions.
Those were the orcs who were defeated here after the attack and defense of Mithlond.
These disgusting and ugly guys didn't know that on the top of the mountain a mile away from them, a tall figure like a god was looking at them with expressionless golden vertical eyes, and endless destructive anger was about to fall on their heads.
These disgusting guys were screaming, coming in and out of the ancient Númenorean buildings, making noises, or fighting each other for food, until someone's head was cut off, or his chest was ripped off. Cut it off and this farce will stop.
This is a great creation worthy of praise, and it should not have ended up in this situation!
On the top of the mountain, under the illumination of the morning sun, a strong thought came to the black-haired dragonborn's heart.
As if aware of the Dragonborn's passionate heart, Nahal raised its front hooves high and stood upright!
