In LOTR with Hogwarts Sign-In System!

On the road west of the Shire, Kael and Gandalf sat in a cart pulled by a pony named Little Stunner, leisurely traveling westward. Their destination was the Blue Mountains. After the evil Dragon Smaug occupied the Lonely Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield had led the Dwarven refugees from the Lonely Mountain to settle in this distant range. Gandalf needed to deliver the relic entrusted to him by Thráin II to Thorin, who resided there. As for Kael, he accompanied Gandalf, ostensibly to meet the heir of the Durin Dwarves, but in reality, he aimed to sign in and claim any rewards from the Blue Mountains.

"Gandalf, there are only two of us in the expedition team now. Are you sure you can persuade Thorin Oakenshield to go to the Lonely Mountain?" Kael asked Gandalf, while deftly using Petrificus Totalus to stop two Mandrakes that were uncomfortable from being shaken and attempting to burrow out of their soil, preventing them from causing any trouble.

Gandalf puffed on his pipe, a confident smile on his face. "I'm quite confident in my eloquence. Besides, the Lonely Mountain is the homeland of the Durin Dwarves. After being occupied by the evil Dragon for so many years, I believe they, who have been displaced, will be willing to reclaim their home." After speaking, he looked at the two Mandrakes Kael had petrified, shaking his head with a touch of sympathy. "Poor fellows. Why did you bring them? Wouldn't it be better to leave them in the greenhouse for Bilbo to take care of?"

Kael looked at him in exasperation. "I wouldn't dare entrust Mandrakes to Bilbo. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'd find his corpse when I returned!" The Mandrakes were on the verge of maturity, and the sound they emitted would soon be fatal. Even Kael had to handle them with extreme care, let alone leave them with Bilbo.

The Blue Mountains, where Thorin Oakenshield resided, were located west of the Shire, not far away. Gandalf and Kael traveled for a week before finally arriving at the foot of the Blue Mountains. After the Dragon Smaug occupied the Lonely Mountain, the Durin Dwarves were forced to flee, constantly moving from place to place, and finally settled in this range. The Blue Mountains had once housed two great Dwarven city-states, Belegost and Nogrod, but they had gradually declined and become desolate, leaving behind many mine tunnels that extended deep into the mountains. The exiled Durin Dwarves now lived in these ancient tunnels, and a small town had formed in front of the cave entrances.

Kael accompanied Gandalf into the Durin Dwarven settlement. This was his first time seeing Dwarves, and he found everything around him incredibly novel. Dwarves were only slightly taller than Hobbits, barely reaching Kael's waist. However, unlike Hobbits, Dwarves had rugged appearances, broad shoulders and waists, and full, impressive beards. Even female Dwarves sported beards. Kael was amused; if not for their clothing, he wouldn't even be able to tell their genders apart.

The Dwarves also curiously scrutinized Kael and Gandalf, these two tall strangers who had entered their domain. Gandalf didn't mind the surrounding gazes at all and even greeted the Dwarves in a friendly manner. "We're looking for Thorin, Thorin Oakenshield. Can you tell me where he is now?" Gandalf asked a passing Dwarf.

The Dwarf looked strangely at Gandalf and Kael, then casually pointed behind him. "He's in the innermost blacksmith shop right now. If you're looking for him, go there." After thanking the Dwarf, Gandalf led Kael towards the blacksmith shop.

As they approached, the roar of the furnace intensified, and waves of intense heat emanated from the forge. A Dwarf, clad in leather, with bare, muscular arms, was holding a hammer, intently striking a red-hot iron block, sparks flying everywhere. He had long black hair and an equally long beard. Though short, he was exceptionally muscular. The heavy hammer seemed light in his hands, and he effortlessly hammered the iron block into a rough shape.

Gandalf raised his hand in greeting. "Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, grandson of Thrór, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey Wizard." Then he pointed to Kael. "This is Kael, who is traveling with me, Kael the Black-Robed Wizard."

Thorin seemed not to hear them and continued to focus on his forging. Gandalf didn't mind. He turned to examine the forge, then pulled a heavy sword from a shelf, held it in his hand, and carefully felt its balance. "The Dwarven weapon-forging craftsmanship is indeed exquisite, not inferior even to that of the Elves."

"Hmph!" Upon hearing "Elves," Thorin, who was still forging, immediately let out a cold snort, his tone conveying disdain and contempt. He raised his head, looking at Gandalf and Kael with cold, suspicious eyes. "What do you want with me?"

Gandalf went straight to the point. "Thorin Oakenshield, as the royal heir of the Durin Dwarven race, are you willing to take on the responsibility of an heir, reclaim your lost homeland, and retake the Lonely Mountain?"

Thorin was not provoked by these words. He gave Gandalf a cold look and sneered. "Don't you know that the Lonely Mountain has been occupied by an evil Dragon? The Durin Dwarves are now scattered and weakened. Do you think we are capable of dueling with a Dragon?"

Gandalf shook his head. "To my knowledge, that Dragon has been sleeping for a long time. You don't need to directly fight the Dragon; you only need to steal the Arkenstone, the Dwarves' most precious treasure. You can then, as the heir of the Durin line, use the Arkenstone to rally other Dwarves and reorganize an army to drive the Dragon out of the Lonely Mountain."

A glint flashed in Thorin's eyes, clearly indicating his interest. But he still looked at Gandalf and Kael with suspicion. "You're so eager to help us? What are your conditions?"

"I don't need anything. My goal is that Dragon," Gandalf explained. "These past few days, I've noticed the Orcs starting to stir. Their movements are orderly, which means a king must have emerged. To prevent the Orcs and the Dragon from joining forces later, I need the strength of the Dwarves to first eliminate the Dragon, this hidden danger."

"What about him?" Thorin directly turned his questioning gaze to Kael, who had remained silent. Kael frowned at Thorin's suspicious gaze.

"Don't mind me. I'm just here at Gandalf's invitation. I'm not interested in your affairs and won't interfere."

Noticing Kael's displeasure, Gandalf looked at Thorin with a serious expression. "Kael is a powerful Wizard. He once helped the Hobbits defeat the Huorn family of the Old Forest, and he even ventured deep into the Barrow-downs to defeat the Barrow-wights and return unscathed. His name is widely spread across the Eriador wilderness, and his magic is beyond what I can achieve. If you want to safely reach the Lonely Mountain, or even deal with the Dragon, Kael is a guarantee."

Hearing Gandalf's serious and earnest words, Thorin's gaze towards Kael also became solemn. Gandalf was not unknown among Dwarves, Elves, and Men. Although his image was more often that of a wise man who frequently traveled to various places to organize different forces against darkness, no one would doubt his power.

(End of Chapter)

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