Bilbo, under Gandalf's urging, began to pack and bow. He simply packed up two or three pieces of clothing, and then found the mithril mail armor and stabbing sword from back then.
"I thought I would never need them again." Bilbo was even a little sad. In fact, although many dwarf friends came to see him, and Balin even came to attend his two birthday parties, he had not seen Thorin again since their departure. This reminded him again of the scene when the King under the Mountain gave him this mithril armor.
"I really want to see the mountain and the Elf King's palace again, because I feel like I don't have much time. Especially after learning that this ring is so dangerous."
Gandalf took a cloak for him and said: "Don't rush to remember it now. Fate has indeed placed a heavy burden on you, but I have a hunch that your journey is not completely over yet. So, look forward. Bilbo, hope lies ahead."
At the same time, he also said: "But hurry now, we don't have much time. I can feel the darkness is coming towards us, and the spies of the Northern Kingdom are obviously unable to deal with those enemies riding black horses! Maybe many of them try hard We stopped a few of them, but it was clear that more enemies were galloping towards Hobbiton on horseback."
Bilbo put on his mithril armor, stuck the Stinging Sword on his waist, and put on his cloak. At this time, Bilbo even found the feeling he had when he set out for the Lonely Mountain adventure. He was excited and worried at the same time and said: "Maybe we can leave, but what about Frodo? We can't leave him behind. "
But Gandalf said: "Don't worry, one of our powerful allies will look after him, and he is much safer than you think! Now, you only have to worry about ourselves. The road to the east is no longer safe, and the south is the enemy's Lair, so we only have the choice of going west or north!"
"The elves' ports in the north are too far away. In comparison, Annuminas is closer to Hobbiton." The wizard put on his pointed hat, and the elven sword Gramdrin hung on his waist, holding him in his hand. The staff said: "If we move quickly, we can even see the glory of the colorful city on the morning of the third day. Moreover, maybe we will get an unexpected reinforcement."
"One last question." Bilbo opened the small green door and looked at his familiar home, the warm fireplace, the swinging bench, and the beautiful and peaceful countryside of the Shire at night with extremely tender and nostalgic eyes. Scenery, said: "Do I still have a chance to return to the Shire?"
Gandalf did not answer. The long eyebrows under the wide brim of his hat twitched, and a softness flashed in his black eyes: "Bilbo, you are the most amazing hobbit I know. Maybe your power is insignificant, but at the same time And you are as tough as the roots of a tree. Without you, this world will lose a lot of joy, laughter and fun. So, don’t worry, there will be no fewer legends about you in Central Continent than other races!"
So, Bilbo took up his luggage with confidence and started the last adventure of his life. Originally, he planned to leave some messages and explain some things to Frodo, but the wizard stopped him.
"This will only let our enemies know more of our intelligence. Although I don't expect to be able to completely stop them, it is still necessary if it can delay them more time to search." Gandalf said: "As for Fro "Someone will take care of him later and take him to Annuminas, I'm sure of it."
Fearing that the road to the east was no longer safe, Bilbo and Gandalf did not take the same road they had taken the last time they went to Annuminas to celebrate the wedding of Turka Aracano and Fenna Siliel.
They detoured to the mountain village in the west, and then walked into the dark countryside under the cover of night, preparing to pass through the grain forest and drive directly to Annuminas.
ah.
Yes, this is the same route that Bilbo took many years ago when he went to the north alone to find elves when he was still young.
They followed the trail west for a short distance, then turned right off the trail and dived into the fields. They filed along the edge of the hedge shrubs as the night deepened, and their dark cloaks made them invisible in the night, as if each of them was wearing a magic ring.
In fact, their departure alarmed no one. Because along the way, not only were they helped by wizards, but one of them was a hobbit, and they deliberately kept quiet, so even people of the same kind could not hear their noises. So Bilbo successfully bypassed all the neighbors he might encounter and left Hobbiton quickly and secretly.
Even the wild animals in the fields and woods were barely aware of their passage.
After walking for a while, they crossed the river on the narrow wooden bridge on the west side of Hobbiton. There, the stream ran like a zigzag black ribbon, edged by sloping alder trees. At this moment Bilbo turned to look back and saw the lights of Hobbiton flickering in the gentle valley of the creek in the distance.
Bilbo sighed and walked on. Soon, Hobbiton disappeared into the deep wrinkles of the dark earth.
However, Bilbo is indeed old. Although he still looks the same as he did many years ago, his physical fitness and energy are obviously not as good as before. After walking for a long time, they finally arrived at the familiar grain forest. But at this time, Bilbo was already beginning to feel tired.
"Time still leaves traces on me." Bilbo gasped and said: "Maybe we should stop and rest, Gandalf, we have walked for a long time, and the enemy is still far away."
The stars in the sky were already very bright at that time. In the north, Villa Chilka's seven big stars shone brightly, as if guiding their way forward. In the south, a large dark cloud that had never arrived was covering most of the sky, making it so dark that it was unsettling.
Gandalf looked back at the way he came, then frowned and kept looking at the northern sky, as if waiting for something.
"It's not far enough, Bilbo. The enemy's speed is beyond my imagination. It is undoubtedly an extremely stupid thing to stop at this time. Let us walk a little longer, at least through the grain forest, and rest before it is too late."
"But I am already very tired." Bilbo's face was full of fatigue. His originally light steps had become as heavy as lead, and his breathing became rapid: "I am old, Gandalf. If I didn't admit it before, , but now, the pain and fatigue all over my body tell me that although this ring makes me look young, I am already an old man inside. I need to rest."
Gandalf then turned around, looked at his old friend carefully, and found that he could no longer move forward. He sighed and said, "You're right, Bilbo, it's my fault! We all said it was the ring that made you It has become like this, but I didn’t know that the ring also affected me. It made me uneasy, impatient, and wanted to escape! But I didn’t notice the embarrassment of my companions!”
"Let us rest here for a while. The shadows of the woods will give us little protection. Don't light a bonfire. We will set off immediately when our fatigue subsides."
So, they hid in the oak forest and took a rest under a large tree with lush branches.
More than four hours after they left the Shire, that is, five hours after Frodo met Tom Bombadil and the four terrible black knights in the woodland.
Several knights shrouded in black cloaks pierced the darkness and appeared in Hobbiton.
They passed through the Ivy Tavern and the Green Dragon Inn. The roar of horse hooves made old Knox who was keeping watch at night unable to help but go out to check. I thought it was those reckless Brees, or the rangers from the north. But when he saw those black figures riding on the terrifying horses, his whole body stood there as if possessed by an evil spirit.
"Bilbo Baggins."
A hoarse and harsh voice came from under the cloak of the leading black knight.
Old Knox was trembling like chaff, feeling that he was being targeted by the devil. Those terrifying figures walking in the darkness and shadows had long black swords at their waists, and their hands and feet were covered with iron armor. The hollow face is like a black hole that swallows everything, exuding incomparable evil. He raised his hand in fear and pointed in the direction of Bag End.
The black knights immediately rode their horses towards the Hobbit Hole under the hill.
When the last black knight rushed past Old Knox, a long sword shining with an ominous black light cut off his head.
So, that night, everyone who heard the sound of horse hooves in the middle of the night buried their heads in their soft bedding in fear, shivering.
The people stopped outside the gate of Bag End. Three dark figures pushed open the fence door and entered the courtyard, crawling across the ground like shadows in the dark night. One is guarding the door.
One of the three people who entered the courtyard stood in front of the green round door, while the other two occupied a corner of the house. They stood there motionless, like shadows on the rocks, while the night passed slowly by.
At this time, the house and courtyard were silent, except for the oak trees behind the house, which Bilbo planted after returning from the Lonely Mountain and now had a canopy of trees, swaying in the wind.
The Nazgûl (Nazgul) seemed to be waiting.
It seems to be confirming.
Finally, the figure in front of the door moved. The moon was black and the stars were sparse, the night was dark, and the edge of the sword suddenly appeared, as if a cold light came out of its sheath. But there was a crash, the sound was soft but strong, and the door of the house trembled.
"In the name of the Dark Lord, open the door!" said a sharp and vicious voice.
But no one in the room answered! Then the sharp sound struck again. The door couldn't bear it and fell backwards. The wooden board burst and the door lock was destroyed. Those black figures swarmed in.
It was now dark in Bag End, and even the fireplace was out. A huge dark cloud swept in from the south, covering Tyrion's glory and the stars in the sky. But this cannot stop the eyes of these evil minions.
They slithered through the house like snakes, prying open windows one after another, kicking open doors one after another, searching for their target inside.
But there was no one in Bag End, even though they had rummaged through every corner; they had smashed the window sash and blown the curtains up and down; they had turned the bed upside down, the bolsters had been chopped up and thrown to the floor, and the brown felt had been torn. Gotta smash. Neither could find the person or thing they were looking for.
They let out an extremely harsh and terrifying scream. He rushed out of the house like a whirlwind.
"They ran away." A black knight hissed, "The fireplace is still warm, they can't run far."
"The road to the east is cut off by us, and the port of the elves in the west is too far away. They have only one place to go."
As if they were aware of it, these terrifying figures hidden in the shadows turned their heads and looked towards the north.
