Bear School Astartes

”That dragon lies in the treasury of the Lonely Mountain Kingdom, sleeping amidst heaps of gold.”

Elrond spoke solemnly to Gandalf and Sorlin.

”It has been asleep for sixty years now. Who knows what chaos might ensue if it is awoken?”

”It is captivated by the brilliance of the treasure and the weight of the wealth. Sorlin Oak Shield, if the evil dragon wakes up... there will be casualties!”

”Are we just supposed to accept this fate?”

Sorlin seemed ignited with a fit of anger by Elrond’s words.

He stared intently into the eyes of the Lord of Rivendell and questioned loudly.

”The wealth accumulated over generations by us dwarves, the craftsmanship and techniques we created! Are they just supposed to be occupied by that evil creature?”

”Did my people who survived the disaster in the Lonely Mountain deserve to suffer, to be displaced from a prosperous life, from their homeland Elbo, to this state?”

Sorlin’s demeanor was profound and commanding, his lineage and family honor as the King of the Lonely Mountain shaping who he was today.

A king standing here and now, arguing for the interests of his people and kingdom, could not be more justified or righteous.

Especially because Sorlin was not an incompetent king.

After the Lonely Mountain Dwarves were driven from their home, it was he who led the people to rebuild and recuperate in the Blue Mountains.

To support their sudden hardship, lacking even a place to stand, any dwarf capable of working went out in search of work.

Members of this dwarf party, although skilled in battle, were practicing old crafts; now their usual jobs were as tinkers, merchants, cobblers, and cooks.

Sorlin did not stand idly by. In fact, when Gandalf met Sorlin, the Prince of the Lonely Mountain Kingdom was working as a blacksmith in a human village to earn money.

Covered in sweat and with matted hair, he was no better off than an ordinary human blacksmith.

It was precisely because of this earnest effort that, despite being forced from their homeland, the Lonely Mountain Dwarves now lived a not affluent but stable life.

Yet facing Sorlin’s questioning, Elrond remained calm.

In his long life, he had seen too many great kings or heroes to count.

”I have never denied the Durin Race dwarves their legitimacy and rightfulness to the wealth of the Lonely Mountain, and to the title of the King of the Lonely Mountain.”

Elrond clasped his hands together calmly in front of him, rational and wise.

”But the point I want to remind you is: if you wish to retake Elbo, the Lonely Mountain, you will inevitably awaken the evil dragon Smaug.”

”But even at the height of the Lonely Mountain Kingdom, you were completely defeated by the dragon in a single day!”

”Your courage to reclaim your homeland is commendable, but the practical problem is, how will you face that mighty dragon?”

”Your reason to reclaim your homeland is very just, but what about the innocent people who might be affected once the dragon awakens? Don’t they matter, King Under the Mountain, son of Serafine?”

Sorlin pursed his lips but continued to glare defiantly at Elrond.

White-haired Balin had already turned away, while Bilbo stared blankly at the conversation, unsure of what expression to wear.

”In fact, Elrond.”

In the stagnant atmosphere, Lann, not knowing the ins and outs, remained silent. Gandalf, however, stepped forward to speak.

The Old Wizard wore a congenial smile on his face.

”We have considered these issues.”

”Oh? And what is the solution, Mistlandir?”

Elrond turned to face Gandalf.

The Old Wizard took a step forward and, under the shocked and bewildered gaze of the hobbit, patted Bilbo warmly on the shoulder.

”The solution is: we will not awaken the dragon, at least not according to the plan! This will rely on our Master of Flying Thieves, Master Bilbo Baggins!”

The small and not so strong hobbit staggered under Gandalf’s pat.

”We do not want the gold in the Lonely Mountain, or rather, on our first entry, we do not want those things. We are only here for one gemstone. Just one!”

Gandalf, like a master persuader, was presenting his project plan to the investors.

”Just one?”

And Elrond, with a change in his gaze, understood Gandalf’s meaning.

”Is it the Heart of the Mountain — the Aken Gemstone?!”

”Indeed, Elrond! That gemstone that represents the power of the Dwarf King!”

The Old Wizard nodded repeatedly.

”We have our Master of Flying Thieves quietly infiltrate the treasury of the Lonely Mountain and stealthily take away the most important gemstone. Then we immediately withdraw, without even a moment’s hesitation!”

”Smaug’s sense of smell is extremely keen, but it has never scented a hobbit before; it wouldn’t recognize one nor be alarmed. And in that vast treasury, the disappearance of one gemstone wouldn’t draw any attention.”

”But that gemstone is of paramount importance to the dwarves.”

”Back then, Smaug took Lonely Mountain by surprise, capturing the entire Lonely Mountain Kingdom in a day. On the day of the tragedy, the soldiers of the Lonely Mountain were mixed with the civilians, with no chance to assemble the battle array or ballistae.”

”But this time, we are not only fully prepared, but this gemstone will unite more than one dwarf family.”

”Not only the Durin Race, but the dwarves of the Seven Families will gather an army at the summons of the holder of this gemstone, an army capable of slaying the dragon! A well-prepared army!”

”No one will die under the awakening flames of the dragon, Elrond.”

Gandalf looked seriously at the Elf Lord.

”Because as long as the plan goes smoothly, when Smaug awakensfrom his long slumber and bursts out of Elbo, the first thing he’ll see is an army that can take his life!”

So, is this the whole outline of the matter?

Lann stood by, arms crossed, watching the interaction between the Elves, Dwarves, Wizard, and Hobbits.

At the same time, his mind, along with the bio-computer, combed through relationships and clarified logic with computational power and analysis diagrams.

At first, when he met the dwarf team, he just thought that the purpose of this group traveling together for a long distance wasn’t simple, but he didn’t expect them to be a Reconquest Expedition Team.

Moreover, the origins of this history could be traced back to several hundred years ago when the Lonely Mountain Dwarves were destroyed by the evil dragon.

Dwarf warriors wanting to restore the kingdom, the Dwarf Prince, and the evil dragon occupying the gold treasure... this plot is too typical of a fairy tale, isn’t it?

Lann rubbed his chin.

”It’s not that I don’t trust you, Mistlandir. Your plan indeed has a high level of feasibility. But...”

Elrond pursed his lips, looking hesitantly at Sorlin Oak Shield.

”But what?” Sorlin asked in a deep voice. ”I’ve even promised that we would slay that filthy reptile!”

”Then I’ll be straightforward, Sorlin Oak Shield.”

Elrond sighed.

”But I’m worried about your dragon-sickness. The mental illness that runs through, is passed down in your family bloodline.”

The word ’dragon-sickness’ came out of Elrond’s mouth.

Originally smiling again due to Gandalf’s planning, Balin, Sorlin, and even Gandalf himself, their expressions turned solemn and deep.

”I’ve seen your grandfather lose his mind because of gold, that obsession, that pathological fixation, Sorlin Oak Shield.”

”Not just your grandfather, but your father too. Your obsession with gold may not be any less than Smaug’s. Every time I think of Thror’s expression when gazing at gold, it sends chills down my spine.”

”Once you reach the Lonely Mountain, once you truly open the secret door, only a few steps away from the mountain of treasure... I am deeply concerned whether you will stick to the plan and only take that one Gemstone to avoid waking the dragon.”

”Or will you be fascinated by the gold, thinking of taking a bit more, a bit more... until finally, you awaken the dragon?”

Could the obsession with gold reach such an extent?

Scraping gold under a dragon’s nose, even ignoring one’s life?

Lann wasn’t sure if this situation was real, but he saw the pale face of the Old Dwarf Balin.

Elrond took a step forward, bending down to look at Sorlin.

”Who can vouch for you that you won’t lose your sanity at that moment? Like your grandfather and father?”

Gandalf blinked, raising a hand.

”I think I can...”

”Not you, Mistlandir. Because this Reconquest Expedition is your creation!”

Before Gandalf could finish, Elrond interrupted him.

But as the Wizard fell silent and the Dwarves also bowed their heads in silence, and the Hobbits were at a loss...

”Then I think, perhaps, I can vouch.”

Everyone’s eyes simultaneously turned to the direction of that voice.

Lann raised a hand, his entire body leaning casually against the elegantly beautiful white marble pillar of the Elves, smiling relaxedly.

The moonlight was blocked by the window, illuminating only his upper body, causing his molten silver-like hair to gently shimmer under the moonlit night.

Yadanisil, like one of the Elves.

Even standing beside Elrond, this senior and prestigious Elf Lord, no one would doubt the title given to Lann by the Elves.

”You want to vouch for him, Yadanisil?”

Elrond asked in surprise.

”Do you really understand Sorlin Oak Shield as a person?”

”I wouldn’t say I understand, but I wouldn’t say I don’t understand either.”

The Demon Hunter lowered his hand, still leaning against the edge of the pillar.

”I haven’t spent much time with him, Elrond. But I’ve seen the choices this group of Dwarves makes in life-threatening situations. I believe no decision can be more sincere than that.”

”They once thought the Qilin was scared away, leaving me alone to face a group of Beastman Warg Riders. And among thirteen Dwarves and one Hobbit, not a single one objected or backed down. They all wanted to rush forward and fight side by side with me. Because they believed I was surrounded because I was covering for them, and thus, they felt they were responsible for me.”

”I don’t really believe people like that would become shameless people who disregard others’ lives for their own desires because of gold.”

Sorlin Oak Shield slightly opened his mouth, this was the first time he revealed a sense of being at a loss, looking at Lann.

Being trusted, he felt at a loss.

”Sorlin, tell me.” Lann tilted his head, looking at the Dwarf Prince of the Lonely Mountain.

”If Smaug is awakened by you, do you feel it’s your responsibility to protect unrelated others from being affected?”

Under Gandalf’s smiling gaze, Sorlin gradually recovered from his loss.

He earnestly and solemnly looked at those vertical pupils.

”It is our unshakable duty!”