Chapter 4: Out of the Frying Pan
As Bilbo and Kira tried to find their way to their friends, Larn, Gandalf, Teegra, Linas, Thorin, and the others had just entered in the forest after escaping the Goblins. As they rested there, Larn reflected on what he could've done as the memory of Kira falling in the chasm with Bilbo played over and over in his head. The more he thought of this, the more desperate he became to go back and save her, but with the numerous Goblins around, even if they were to scatter as they should have, would bar his way. And although he knew he could handle them, Gandalf suggested otherwise since the Goblins had the tactical advantage of the darkness, and it was clear that they weren't going back. Seeing Larn despaired by this, Teegra wanted to do what she can to help him feel better as she walked over to him.
"Larn, your sister will be fine. Gandalf must know this."
"Then why aren't we going back?"
As Larn retorted to her, Teegra felt no answer should be repeated as Gandalf spoke it to him, so she held her tongue for the moment before Larn spoke again.
"You know, my sister and I used to play together when we were little. We used to run around in the field and... collect the biggest pile of firewood we could. That was our daily chore, but somehow, we turned it into a game. And whoever made the biggest fire with their wood won."
Hearing this, Teegra smiled at him as she sat down and spoke.
"You must really love your sister."
"I do. I'd do anything for her. Always."
"Well... I'm sure Linas felt the same about me."
"Yeah. But I doubt she knows what it's like to lose one. Especially not knowing about... what it's like to blame yourself. I should've gone with her. If I did—"
"Then you both would've been killed. You knew the risks and you took them to keep her safe. She got as far as she did because of you."
"Exactly. She didn't get far enough."
At that moment, Larn heard a voice from afar as Bilbo shouted.
"Everyone! Are you listening?! We're here!"
Upon looking up to the source of the voices, they saw the people they thought perished in the chasm: Bilbo and Kira. Filled with great joy in place of guilt, Larn ran to them as he shouted while Thorin spoke in surprise.
"Kira!"
"By thunder!"
With that, Larn didn't hesitate to hug Kira as she sighed from exhaustion, knowing the length she'd gone from the chasm to here was all worth it to see him again before they spoke.
"Oh, Larn."
"I was so worried about you. I thought you were—"
"I would've been, if it wasn't for Bilbo."
As Kira pointed to Bilbo, he thought he should make a polite gesture as he shook his hand for a moment.
"You must be Larn. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Mr. Bilbo Baggins."
"The pleasure's all mine."
At that moment, Teegra walked up to them and asked the question everyone must be wondering.
"But we saw you fall in the chasm. How did you get out?"
"Well, it's an altogether long story."
Meanwhile, at Ice Peak, Nekron was sitting in his throne as he reflected on what his father told him. How could that have been possible that Jarol's daughter would possess the Flame Spark? It was an ancient artifact that, like the Rings that created the Nazgûl, had a will of its own. Taking this in account, Nekron knew that it'd prove difficult to extract it from her, but if he was to return his father to his realm, it must be done. And so, he was left no other choice as he spoke to Mother, who already sensed what he intended to do.
"I don't know how the Flame Spark found her as its vessel, but it will be mine, soon enough."
"It will be, my son. With the Goblins holding the princess captive, she should be easy to retrieve. However, we mustn't go too far, or you'll be vulnerable. I've already given the order for the Goblins to search for the ring shortly after your father appeared. But still... I must be sure."
With that, Juliana appeared to the Goblins again in their cave as she spoke from the orb known as the Palantir.
"Goblins. Where are the princesses?"
As an answer, the Goblin that remained at the great hall since his leader's death by Gandalf, made a small move of hesitation as he spoke.
"Um, uh... they-they're uh... Gone."
Hearing of this, Juliana grew outraged as she shouted.
"Gone?! Escaped?! You filth-spawned scum!"
"I-It wasn't our fault! Our great leader was slain and the prisoners revolted!"
"Who slew him?!"
"It was Gandalf the Grey, the Wandering Wizard. He arrived to help them. But don't worry. We're working to recover them right now."
Immediately, Juliana flew in a rage before she controlled her temper and spoke to the Goblin.
"Find them, or his death will be yours!"
With that, Juliana cut off the communications and shouted for the next best option should they fail, again.
"It's clear you can't trust lowly Goblins to do a demon's work. And yet, the Subhumans fare no better. Unless... Nazgûl!"
On her command, ten ghostlike warriors appeared in a green mist around Nekron and Juliana, the leader of them wearing a spiked helmet with no visible face inside it as the rest had metal masks on them before it spoke to her.
What is thy bidding, mate of Sauron?
"Princess Teegra has escaped the Goblins. Go to your dragons and retrieve her at once."
And what of the Dragonhawks?
"If you encounter any, do away with them. They'll no doubt be searching for the princesses. And while you're at it, search for the Ringbearer who stole it from my husband as well. He will share the prisoners' fates."
As you command.
With that, the faceless specters walked out of the glacier before riding on dragons into the sky as Juliana smiled.
Meanwhile, in the forest, Bilbo had just told the group his story.
"You see, Gollum attempted to attack Kira, and I stood up against him. After that, he merely led us to the exit."
Thorin, surprised by the show of spine he did in the chasm, assuming his word was anything to go by, spoke of another matter as they dealt with it themselves and had trouble believing how they got by.
"We had to fight our way through the Goblin guard. How is it they didn't see you?"
"Strange enough, we didn't see any of them on our way back."
At that moment, Gandalf, having heard that Bilbo found a ring that exerted great pressure on him, spoke to the Hobbit, wishing to know if it's the same ring he should fear.
"Bilbo, this ring. Let's see it."
As Bilbo took it out, it gleamed in the light as the writing of it glowed orange as he spoke in a surprised tone of voice.
"By thunder, you've found it!"
Hearing Gandalf's frightened speech, Bilbo and Kira knew that it was enough confirmation.
"So it is the Ring of dread you told us about."
Thorin, oblivious to its power, had an idea to use it in their favor as he spoke.
"So what? Surely it can't hold a candle to Gandalf. He's wise and powerful, and would likely have the most ironclad resistance of all of us."
Gandalf, however, only panicked at the thought, surprising the company, as well as Teegra and Linas.
"NO! DO NOT TEMPT ME!"
"Tempt you?"
Hearing this, Teegra became curious as she inquired of him.
"What do you mean?"
"If I were to hold it, I would wish to turn it to good, and it cannot be used so. It is not in the realm of possibility. Meaning to be kind, I would become as terrible as the Dark Lord himself. So, again I ask that you tempt me not. I shall have such need of strength very soon."
Understanding Gandalf's reason, having felt the pressure of the ring himself, Bilbo began to regret bringing the ring here in the first place.
"I'm terribly sorry to burden you with this, Gandalf."
"You need say no more. We'd best get a move on. There are still Goblins and Subhumans about."
Not entirely eager for the journey, considering where it's taken them, Linas spoke to Gandalf in a dejected tone.
"And we have to go through so many mountains, too?"
"No. Don't you see? The sun is setting in the West, behind the mountains. We're on the other side, to the edge of the land beyond."
"Personally, I'd rather be home right now. It's going to be cold, soon."
Thorin, taking note of the princesses' cleavages, can easily see why as he spoke to Gandalf.
"I don't doubt that. We simply don't have the tunics to cover their bodies."
At that moment, Gandalf had an idea how to remedy this as he got out two change of clothes, both being similar to his robes except one is in purple with the other orange as he handed them to the princesses.
"I thought that might be the case. Here. They'll keep you warm as the night sets in."
Later, at night, the Princesses were shown to be wearing their robes that Gandalf have them, although, Teegra's top of her chest can be seen, as well as Linas'. Despite the warmth they gave her, though, Teegra still felt the chills of the night as she shivered. But those chills were unnatural, dark even. Seeing her freezing up, Larn tried to comfort her as he held her close.
"It's getting colder."
"Cold comes from Nekron."
"I know."
As if the cold wasn't enough to bother them, the wolves howled at the moon above them before Thorin noticed one just on top of a hill to their left with red eyes and sharp fangs before he shouted as Gandalf noticed its rider.
"The Wargs!"
"With the Goblins!"
Immediately, they all took off away from the group of Goblins that gave chase as they carried torches and ran up the trees that were in front of them, only for Bilbo to have no success in climbing up before Kira helped him up as Larn stood beside Teegra with his spear at the ready before seeing the Subhumans running towards them from another direction before Larn chucked his spear at one to jab, forcing one that climbed on the trees to fall down as the others climbed up before Gandalf, who stood by Linas, took a pine cone or two before chucking them at the wolves and Subhumans, creating a spark that sent them away only for more reinforcements to appear from the mountain they'd left before setting the trees on fire, making the Subhumans amazed at this before they grunted in celebration at the burning as the Goblins sung with the
"Nineteen birds in six fir trees,
Their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze
But funny little birds, they had no wings
Oh, what shall we do with the funny little things?
Oh, what shall we do with the funny little things?
Roast 'em alive, or stew 'em in a pot
Fry them, boil them, eat them hot
Bake them, toast them, fry them, roast them,
Till beards blaze and eyes glaze,
Till hair smells and skins crack,
Fat melts and bones black
In cinders lie beneath the sky,
So the Dwarves shall die!
Nineteen birds in six fir trees,
Their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze
But funny little birds, they had no wings
Oh, what shall we do with the funny little things?
Oh, what shall we do with the funny little things?"
Now, these Goblins had become careless. If they'd but looked, they'd have noticed the Princesses with the Dwarves and Gandalf. Regardless, they got their intended targets screaming for mercy as Dori and Bombur shouted.
"Help!"
"We can't go any higher!"
At that moment, Teegra thought she noticed a familiar sight in the air as she pointed to the silhouettes of winged creatures in the sky while she spoke.
"Look! Dragonhawks!"
Hearing this, Thorin assumes she was talking about a plain dragon as he spake.
"As if Goblins weren't enough, now Dragons?"
However, neither one was correct in the assumption as Gandalf stood up and held his hands out, as if to embrace the creatures. When they dove down, however, they screeched before opening their talons to scoop the group out of the trees. As Kira got a better look, she was surprised to see the creatures as she recognized them from her youth, seeing them fly in the air in the village where she and Larn used to live.
"They're not Dragons or Dragonhawks. They're Eagles!"
While Kira showed her excitement with a giggle from the thrill of flying with an Eagle for the first time, Bilbo voiced his concern as he spoke while losing grip on one of Dori's legs.
"My arms!"
"My poor legs. My legs!"
Seeing this, Kira smiled before she spoke to the frightened Hobbit before he and Doei spoke.
"You can relax, Bilbo. They saved us."
"But what will they do with us? Drop us to our deaths?"
"Who knows? But they've brought us a far distance with no dropping."
As they got closer, Teegra noticed a patch of land below as she spoke.
"Look! We're getting close to the ground now!"
As luck would have it, Dori knew what this land was as he spoke before Bilbo voiced his suspicions.
"By thunder! They're taking us to the edge of Mirkwood Forest!"
"To dash us against those rocks! I know it!"
However, contrary to Bilbo's fears, the Eagles actually landed them on the ground near Mirkwood as Kira laughed before looking to Larn, who smiled at her, knowing she was more than satisfied with flying by the Eagles' sides as Gandalf spoke.
"O, great lord of the Eagles, we are eternally grateful for your gallant rescue."
"I have not forgotten the arrow that brought me down so many years ago. I have not forgotten the wizard who found me and healed my wound. And now, farewell, wherever you fare, till your aeries receive you at your journey's end."
As they flew off, the group waved goodbye to them before they pressed on to their goal. As they did so, however, Kira became confused as to their services. Whether it was her desire to ride with them again or the urgency of the mission, she didn't know.
"Gandalf, I'm beginning to wonder. Why couldn't we go with the Eagles to the Lonely Mountain in the first place?"
"They could only carry us this far with so many of us. Besides, the air is just as dangerous as down here. Among the multitude of Nekron's armies, the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths, are the most dangerous. They were once brave and noble souls, but they've succumbed to the Ring's power, thus creating such a power of darkness. The leader of such is the Witch-King of Angmar. Be weary of the skies, all. For one blind eye will surely mean your demise."
Chilled to the bone at meeting the Nazgûl, Kira knew to take his word for it.
"Understood."
Finally, they reached the very entrance of the place before the Lonely Mountain as Bilbo and Thorin spoke.
"So, this is the forest of Mirkwood."
"Terrible place, if I remember. And dangerous."
Hearing this, Kira became concerned as she spoke to Gandalf.
"Exactly how dangerous is this place?"
"Dangerous enough that even the Goblins and Subhumans fall prey to it. But you need not worry. The map shows the safest path. Follow it closely and straight through the forest. Don't stray off the track. If you do, you'll never get out of Mirkwood."
Hearing the perception of his words, Thorin noticed Gandalf hasn't included himself as he spoke up.
"You speak as if you aren't going with us."
"I'm not. The princesses and I have pressing business at Fire Keep."
Hearing this, the Dwarves immediately began to despair as Bombur, Dori, and Balin spoke worriedly.
"Oh, no. He can't mean it."
"What will we do without Gandalf?"
"Please, don't leave us."
"Now, now, the Princesses are sorely needed for our business."
At that moment, Larn took the opportunity to speak up as he walked over to Teegra's side, much to Kira's surprise.
"In that case, I'll come along, too."
"Larn?"
"They don't know the lay of the land like Kira and I do. They'll need my help."
"Don't you mean our help?"
As Larn heard Kira's slightly offended tone, he attempted to explain himself as he turned to her.
"No, Kira. You have to stay with them. With that Ring, Bilbo will need someone to set a strong foundation for him. Can you do that?"
"Me? But what about you?"
"I'll be fine. We saw each other again, didn't we? Maybe we'll be as lucky as back then."
At that moment, Gandalf spoke up as he went to Bilbo.
"Perhaps, but Larn makes a fine point. You'll be sorely needed, Kira, for I'm sending Mr. Baggins, the Ringbearer, with you and the Dwarves. That should be enough."
The Dwarves didn't quite take to Gandalf's selection any more than they did the first time as Balin, Dori, and Bombur spoke.
"Mr. Baggins?"
"Bilbo?"
"The burglar?"
Bilbo has his own doubts, too, as he spoke up to Gandalf.
"Me? But what if I give into the Ring's influence? It must be destroyed, somehow."
At that moment, Teegra spoke up to Bilbo as she remembered what the teacher was teaching her prior to their capture as she spoke.
"It can only be destroyed by the very force that created it: Mount Doom."
"Mount Doom?"
"It's supposedly at Mordor. And the Lonely Mountain should help you see it from a distance."
Now knowing how long the journey would take, Bilbo felt it was asking more than enough of him as he spoke to Gandalf.
"One adventure after another? I'm no equal to a wizard. How can I accomplish two things at once?"
"Nonsense. You are the lucky number. And soon, you'll find out there's more about you than you guess."
Hearing Gandalf's words, Bilbo felt his vigor renewed before he spoke up again while giving him a paper and an inked feather.
"As such, you, sir, will be my surrogate. My replacement, so to say. Here is paper and a marker. Keep a strict log of the remainder of your journey, so I may study it when we meet again and point out your missteps."
With that, Bilbo only took the paper into his pocket as he spoke.
"I can only do my best."
"Then that will have to suffice."
With that, Gandalf, Larn, Teegra, and Linas walked towards the south, towards the kingdom of Fire Keep, as Bilbo and the others looked on with Kira shouting to Larn.
"Good luck, Larn!"
As he heard her shout, Larn responded with a wave and a nod before pressing on towards the south.
Meanwhile, Gollum, having been forced into retreat before, more than certain that they've gone far enough away to not be able to retaliate, went out of his back door and saw only footprints as he saw their trail before he began to follow them as he spoke to himself.
"My precious. We'll find our present, my precious. And then, we shall crush the Bagginses and smash the Kira! Both of them!"
As he approached the trail further along, however, Gollum heard dark whisperings all around him as he looked left and right before he began to get frightened as he cowered. However, Gollum also remembered the last time he was this frightened and allowed rage to fill his heart to cast out his fear as he suspected the thief to be the cause of this.
"Thief! Thief! Bagginses! You no scare me no more! We hates you! Hates you forever!"
However, instead of the thief greeting him, it was the faceless, imposing specters of Sauron standing before him as the Witch-King of Angmar approached the creature out of perplexity towards what it called them as Gollum cowered back.
Baggins? Who is Baggins?