Chapter 15: Troll Horde and Elf Swords
Afterwards, as the Dwarves helped each other back into their clothes, Gandalf and Selindra inspected the Trolls. "You 2 really came at the nick of time." Varder said. "Well, we could see that you guys needed help." Selindra said, feeling embarrassed. "Where did you 2 go to if I may ask?" Thorin asked. "To look ahead." Gandalf said. "What brought you back?" Tharia asked. "Looking behind." Gandalf said. Thorin silently chuckled at that. "Yeah. Nasty business." Selindra said. "Still, they are all in one piece." Gandalf said. "No thanks to your burglars." Thorin said. "Thorin." Tharia grumbled. "They had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Gandalf said. Selindra looked at the Trolls. "Where did these Trolls even come from?" She asked. "They must've come down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf guessed. "Since when do Mountain Trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked. "Oh, not for an age. Not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf said. The 5 looked at each other in alarm, knowing what darker power he was talking about. "They could not have moved in daylight." Gandalf said. "A single ray of daylight would've turned them to stone in an instant." Selindra said. "There must be a cave nearby." Thorin said, going to find a cave.
And they did find a cave. The 5, along with Dwalin, Bofur, Gloin, Qili and Nori walked into the cave to investigate. "Oh, what's that stench?" Bofur asked, catching whiff of a horrible smell. "It's a Troll horde. Be careful what you touch." Gandalf said. Everyone looked around at the contents of the cave. Bofur caught sight of some gold coins on the ground. "Seems a shame to leave it lying around. Anyone could take it." He said as Gloin opened a small chest filled with treasure. "Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Gloin said.
Gandalf and Selindra inspected a bunch of cages while Thorin and Tharia inspected a weapons rack. Just then, their eyes caught 4 swords. They each picked up 2 of them. "These swords were not made by any Troll." Thorin said as he handed Gandalf one of the swords. Tharia handed Selindra one too. "Nor were they made by any smith among Men." Gandalf said. He drew the sword out a bit and blew on it, revealing it to have a shiny blade. Selindra saw that hers was the same. "These were forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age." Gandalf revealed. Upon hearing this, Thorin considered putting his sword back. "You could not wish for a finer blade." Gandalf said. After second thinking, Thorin drew the sword to check the blade. Tharia checked hers too. Gandalf was right. No one could wish for a finer blade.
Meanwhile, Gloin, Bofur and Nori placed some little goblets into the chest, placed it into a hole Nori dug with the shovel and proceeded to bury it. As Thorin inspected his new sword, Dwalin and Qili noticed what the others were doing. "We're making a long-term deposit." Gloin said. Qili and Dwalin shook their heads. "Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go." Thorin said. Tharia, Varder, Dwalin and Qili exited the cave. "Bofur, Gloin, Nori." As Gandalf and Selindra turned to leave with the Dwarves, Gandalf's staff hit something metallic. Gandalf and Selindra looked down and saw a couple of sword handles. Gandalf used his staff to unveil the swords' blades, revealing them to be Elvish-make too. The 2 of them smiled, knowing who to give these swords too.
Gandalf and Selindra exited the cave as the Dwarves looked through everything. "Bilbo. Belinda." Gandalf said, getting the Hobbits' attention. "Here. These are about your sizes." He handed each Bilbo and Belinda one of the blades. "We can't take these." Bilbo said, unsure. "The blades are of Elvish make, which means they will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby." Selindra said. "We've…We've never used a sword in our lives." Bilbo said. "Not even once." Belinda added. "And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this. True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." Gandalf said. Selindra smiled at her mentor's words. Bilbo and Belinda put all of this to thought. Just then, there was a rustling sound. "Something's coming!" Thorin called, getting everyone's attention. "Gandalf." Bilbo tried to say. "Stay together! Hurry, now! Arm yourselves!" Gandalf ordered, drawing his sword. Selindra drew her sword as she followed. As Varder and the Dwarves armed themselves and hurried to where the rustling came from, Bilbo and Belinda drew their swords and stared at the shiny blades. Knowing what they need to do, they hurried after the others.
Just then, a couple familiar faces emerged from the foliage on a familiar rabbit sled. "Thieves! Fire! Murder!" Radagast exclaimed as he and Folina revealed themselves. "Radagast. Folina. It's Radagast the Brown and Folina the Emerald." Gandalf said as he walked over to greet his fellow wizards. "What on earth are you 2 doing here?" He asked. "We were looking for you, Gandalf." Folina said. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Radagast said. "Yes?" Gandalf asked. Radagast tried to speak, but he couldn't find his train of thought. "Radagast?" Folina asked. "Just give me a minute." Radagast said. But he couldn't think of it. "Oh! I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was…it was right there on the tip of my tongue." Suddenly, he felt something crawling on it. "Oh. It's not the thought at all." He stuck out his tongue and revealed a stick bug on it. "It's a silly old…stick insect." Gandalf pulled the bug off Radagast's tongue and put it in his hand. Everyone looked on with disturbed looks.