Bear School Astartes

”This isn’t what we agreed on, Gandalf!”

After the banquet ended, Elrond, along with a wizard and a ’wizard’s proxy,’ went to another part of Rivendell.

On the way, Lann, who was walking behind Elrond, lowered his voice and said fiercely to Gandalf beside him, tilting his head.

The old wizard still hesitated to let the ’bumped foot at the table’ fully touch the ground, hopping as he walked, and his long beard that reached his belly shook along with it.

However, the old man propped himself with his magic staff, showing no sign of any unusualness.

”Just lend a hand, Lann!”

Gandalf also mumbled indistinctly in a low voice.

”This is not a trifling matter; speaking alone is not enough! Besides, you indeed went with Radagast to Dorguldu that time, didn’t you? I’m not wrong!”

”I did witness it at the scene, but that doesn’t mean I’m Radagast’s proxy.”

Lann bluntly exposed the loophole in the old wizard’s words.

”Did you ask for his opinion?”

”You can rest assured.” Gandalf, full of confidence, pulled out the pipe attached to his belt and placed it in his mouth.

”Radagast and I have been friends for a long time, longer than you can imagine. I know him well.”

Then, the old wizard’s tone revealed sincerity.

”I need help, Lann. Just like Radagast needed your help back in the Dark Forest.”

”Do I look like an easy-going person?”

The Demon Hunter looked at Gandalf expressionlessly.

The old wizard puffed on the pipe, leisurely blowing a perfect smoke ring.

”Who can say? But if you lend a hand, I promise... ha ha!”

”It will be beneficial for you and amusing for me!”

Lann raised an eyebrow: ”Is that a prophecy? Do you have the power of foretelling?”

Gandalf smiled silently, only making the puffing sound of the pipe.

Damn, I hate riddlers!

Lann almost wanted to give Gandalf’s other good leg a kick!

But this was just a thought.

Because Elrond, walking in the front, had already stopped.

He turned around with a casual yet graceful motion, the two silk ribbons hanging from the elf attire on his shoulders also floated and twirled.

”Alright, you two wizards, let’s stop the whispers for a moment.”

Here was a small hall within Rivendell, now it was late at night after the banquet.

The magic of Rivendell not only kept the sunlight always gentle and warm but also made the moonlight consistently soft and bright.

The bright moonlight slanted in through the hall windows, enhancing the tranquil and peaceful ambiance of the already artistically rich elven architecture.

Already waiting here were Sorlin, who left the banquet early, and the oldest and most experienced dwarf, Balin.

And seemingly considering the formal discussions with the elves, for reasons of amiability and friendly appearance and demeanor, the Hobbit Bilbo was also present.

If the dwarves, even without armor, looked like a bunch of heavily armed little iron blocks ready to crack someone’s head open at any moment,

the Hobbits, although similar in height, gave off the feel like little school children going on a spring outing, hopping around with backpacks.

Harmless and lively.

In social interactions, being able to showcase harmlessness and non-threatening qualities is a very advantageous trait.

While coming down, both the Dwarves and Hobbit nodded amicably to Lann, receiving a similarly friendly response.

”You took a group of Dwarves, including the bloodline of the King of Lonely Mountain, across the perilous wilderness, facing ogres, wargs, and beastmen, surely not just to rest in Rivendell for a few days, right?”

Elrond spread his hands, looking at Gandalf who walked down the stairs into the hall with Lann.

”Although these poor little fellows are indeed so exhausted by the long journey that they’re unrecognizable.”

In response to Elrond’s inquiry, Gandalf candidly replied.

”That’s precisely the case.”

He made no attempt to hide that the group had other intentions and spoke directly to Sorlin in front of everyone.

”Bring it out, Sorlin. The map.”

However, even though Gandalf successfully got Sorlin to wait here after leaving the banquet early, it seemed they hadn’t fully reached an agreement.

After Gandalf spoke, Sorlin Oak Shield, this dignified dwarf, just looked at Elrond without any intention of taking anything out.

”The map is an heirloom of my ancestors, a possession of my people. Protecting its secret is my natural duty; outsiders are not qualified to see it.”

”Don’t give me stubborn dwarf nonsense! Now is not the time!”

Gandalf said angrily.

”Your pride will get you into trouble someday! Think, Sorlin! Before us stands the only one in Middle-earth who might uncover the secret on that map. Quickly, hand the map to Elrond!”

”For this journey, don’t you want it to succeed? If what’s on the map can’t be understood, I think there’s no point in continuing this trip, enduring the hardships! Let’s just disband here!”

The inescapable problem is a sobering remedy.

Although Lann didn’t know where or why this group of dwarves was traveling,

it seemed that if the map wasn’t understood, the journey would be useless.

Ultimately, Sorlin took out the map and handed it to Elrond.

Elrond was not in a hurry; he simply watched as Gandalf counseled Sorlin.

The map was an old piece of parchment, so worn it was beginning to soften.

With just a glance, Elrond identified the map’s surface details.

”Is this... Elbo?”

He looked up in surprise and asked Gandalf.

”Why are you so interested in a map of the Lonely Mountain?”

”Academic reasons!” Gandalf added with a laugh from the side, ”Mainly academic reasons. Such ancient maps always have some hidden secrets worth uncovering.”

Elrond wore a look of ’I don’t believe a word you’re saying.’

But he still tilted his head to glance at the moonlit night outside, then raised the map in his hands.

”This is Moon Language. A very effective means of secrecy.”

Gandalf and Sorlin’s eyes lit up immediately.

”Oh, I almost forgot you also study the ancient Dwarf language!”

”Not quite proficient,” Elrond replied modestly, ”To clearly see these Moon Language contents is simple. All you need is the same moon phase, color, and light under which they were written, and the Moon Language will naturally appear.”

”They were likely written two hundred years ago, under a new moon in summer.”

”Coincidentally, tonight’s moonlight matches the time of the coded message on this map. Your timing is just right. Or rather...”

Elrond gave Gandalf and Sorlin a loaded glance.

”In some way, destined.”

Elrond raised the map, facing the moonlight.

Soon, glowing dark words appeared on the parchment.

Elrond recited the dark words aloud.

According to the world’s tradition, the coded message indeed used poetry.

This even made Lann a bit worried that the writer might have sacrificed information for rhyme.

The message seemed to describe a secret door, its opening time, and location.

And after finishing the recitation, Elrond revealed a look of sudden understanding.

”Secret door... Lonely Mountain?”

He handed the map back to Sorlin, returning it.

”So your little Dwarf team isn’t just traveling, but embarking on an expedition? You want to reclaim your country from that dragon?”

”So what?”

Sorlin said, expressionless, as he took back his map and tucked it into his chest.

”For Dwarves to reclaim their kingdom from the dragon, it’s only natural!”

”Indeed, but...” Elrond did not grow angry at Sorlin’s rudeness, only frowned slightly, ”Some think it’s unwise.”

”A dragon?”

Lann interjected from the side.

”A dragon overran the Dwarves’ Lonely Mountain Kingdom?”

”And has stayed for hundreds of years as well.”

Gandalf confirmed this sentence beside him and added more.

”Evil Dragon Smaug, now the largest and most ferocious dragon in northern Middle-earth.”

”That day, it came from the east, and the storm caused by its wings broke all the ancient forest’s trees. Its claws are like slaughter hooks, its teeth sharp as swords!”

The Demon Hunter frowned.

To this day, he had seen many dragons in various worlds.

In Westeros, he even obtained the skull of Black Death God Belerion. That dragon was estimated to be over two hundred meters long when it lived.

With a mouth that could swallow an African elephant.

But such dragons, even in that feudal knight era, still didn’t have the power to single-handedly conquer a nation or a city.

A bed crossbow could still make it bleed.

And the dragons on the New Continent, though generally strong, were not known to have designs on human society, driven only by wild natural instincts.

The Ancient Dragon Era in the Flame World had long been cleansed by the Fire Gods.

Needless to say, in the Magical Middle Ages.

In worlds of magic, though dragons were powerful, they were actually more like expensive and dangerous commodities.

Though the magic power of dragons was fearsome, as long as an attack was concealed and sudden enough to catch the dragon off guard.

Then an ordinary group of strong men forming a dragon hunting squad could suffice to slay a dragon.

The famous Clifford Marauder, even with just a few people, hunted many dragons and became famous.

Compared to the creatures of the New Continent, dragons of the Magical Middle Ages were more like ’glass cannons.’

Some individual magic abilities might not even be withstood by the ancient dragons of the New Continent. But they themselves could be killed with just one well-placed spear.

So in the Magical Middle Ages, apart from telling the Qilin not to provoke anything strange when playing outside, Lann had little to worry about.

But in this world... the aura of Smaug seemed extraordinarily formidable.