I reforged the glory of the magic ring in Middle-earth

Chapter 131 Bewitching
Bard was stunned by Gandalf's question. He searched his memory and replied, "I did see the hobbit fishing at the dock this morning. I taught him some fishing skills and then went off to help other people in town. I haven't seen him since."

Gandalf glared at him, then said worriedly, "He must have disappeared during this time. He wasn't in the inn when I left, and I just searched for him among the group in Lake Town for a long time but couldn't find him. Where could Bilbo have gone?"

When Tanis heard what Gandalf said, he frowned, but soon relaxed.

He spoke gently, reassuring Gandalf: "Don't panic, Gandalf. Bernard and Aegon are still in Lake Town, as are the Stormtroopers. Bilbo will be fine. Perhaps it's just his Hobbit-like nature that makes it easy for people to overlook him that prevented you from seeing him."

Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I know, but I am still worried."

At this time, Latarn said, "Tanes, I will lead the Red Lion Legion to defend Raven Ridge and Riverdale. You can go back and look for your friends without worry."

Tanes nodded, then looked at Gandalf. "In that case, let's go back together. You go to the docks and I'll ask Bernal if he has found anything."

Thorin saw that the expressions of so many people on Tanis's side were not very good. After coming over and learning about Bilbo's disappearance, he also said, "Count me in, Tanis, Gandalf. Bilbo signed the dwarf contract, so I will be responsible for his safety to the end."

Then he looked at Bud and said, "As for the houses in Riverdale, just ask Dain."

Then Thorin led a war sheep and rode on it, following Tanis and Gandalf to the Long Lake Town.

But when Tanes and his companions arrived at Long Lake Town, it was Egon, not Bernal, who came to greet them.

Egon looked at Tanes, who had just rolled off the spirit horse Torret, and his first words stunned the King of Elden: "Bernard is missing."

"Ah?" Tanes widened his eyes. Bilbo's disappearance did not shock him, but Bernal's disappearance made him feel something was wrong.

Before Tanes could form a horrific conspiracy in his mind, Egon pulled out a piece of paper with something scribbled on it.

Egon said, "But Bernard left a note saying that he found Bilbo was not at the dock and didn't know where he had gone, so he went to find him and told us not to worry."

Tanes took the note and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that it was indeed Bernal's handwriting.

After he told Gandalf the contents of the note, he rolled his eyes at Egon and said, "Don't breathe so loudly next time. I thought something had happened to Bernal."

Time returns to morning.

The dock of Long Lake Town glowed with a cold iron-gray light under the clear sky. Bilbo Baggins squatted on the edge of the wet pier, with his fishing rod across his knees and his fishing line hanging into the calm lake water.

The sleeves of his coat were stained with ashes from last night's cigarette, and the earthworm bait wriggling in the clay pot at his feet had long since frozen, just like the enthusiasm he had when he cast his first fishing rod three hours ago.

"Perhaps I should try some blueberry jam as bait? Will the fish here eat it?" Bilbo muttered, tugging at the empty fishing line and glancing towards the entrance of Lake-town.

The sound of wheels rolling over gravel could be heard, and Bud's hoarse, tired voice could be heard faintly: "Let the women and children get on the cart first! Wrap the furniture that is easily affected by moisture with waterproof cloth!"

Bilbo's fingertips subconsciously rubbed the gold ring in his pocket. Suddenly, a slight vibration came from the cold metal surface, as if a snake's whisper penetrated into his bones.

They had won a battle and were busy with other things...Thorin was thinking about how to divide the gold in the Lonely Mountain, Dain was thinking about the soldiers who died in the Iron Hills, and even Gandalf was busy with Tanis thinking about how to deal with the dragon. Who would care about a hobbit who couldn't catch any fish?

The fishing rod sank suddenly.

"Took the bait!"

Bilbo jumped up excitedly, his boots slipping on the icy planks.

He staggered and pulled the fishing rod tight, but with great effort, he only managed to pull up half of the broken sword that was covered in algae and rusted.

This is what was left of the orc that was thrown into the lake a few days ago.

Bilbo slumped down on the bench in frustration. "Oh, damn it."

The temptation of the ring was echoing particularly clearly in his mind at this moment.

What are you doing in Riverdale? To be a clown at a dwarf's party? Or to be a burden to the red lion?

But Bilbo seemed not to hear the voice in his head, and continued to cast his hook into the cold lake water.

It was not until noon that the noise of the migrating team in Long Lake Town gradually died down. Bilbo took out the last piece of honey cake from his pocket and ate it. Suddenly he found that he was the only one left near the dock.

In the distance, the soldiers of the Storm Legion were taking turns, and the sound of their iron boots moving was as regular as the sound of the clock hands turning.

No way! Has everyone in Changhu Town left?
Bilbo was startled and shouted, "Gandalf? Mr. Bard?"

But his shouts were shredded by the cold wind, and there was no response, silencing the hobbit.

A raven flew over the lake, holding a fresh fish in its beak. It looked with bright and curious eyes at the hobbit sitting on the dock who had not caught a single fish all morning, then flapped its wings and flew towards Raven Hill.

Bilbo dug his fingertips deep into his pocket, and the golden ring shone eerily in the darkness.

They don't need you anymore, but the elves of Rivendell never forget their guests. Let those brave warriors guard their glory. By the time they drink celebratory wine in the Golden Tree Territory, you will have been warming your frozen toes in front of Elrond's warm hearth! "Yes, Rivendell... I can still go to Rivendell." Bilbo stood up in a daze.

As Bilbo trudged north along the shores of the frozen lake, he had no idea that he was entering the territory of the Mirkwood.

At first, there were only a few strands of silver threads between the branches of the trees, like spider webs condensed from morning mist gently brushing against his curly hair, but as he went deeper, more and more trees wrapped in spider silk appeared in his eyes.

A flash of fear passed through Bilbo's heart, and his hand that was stroking the ring immediately retracted, and he reacted when he saw the surrounding environment.

"It's just some spider silk." He said to himself with forced calmness. Turning around, he found that the road behind him was covered with endless spider silk.

Then Bilbo's hand, which had been touching the ring, touched the brass dagger at his waist. The moment Bilbo touched it, a barely perceptible golden light flashed through the dagger, and the warmth from the hilt made Bilbo's still confused mind completely clear.

At the same time, there were tiny crackling sounds overhead, and a huge shadow was cast on the ground by the scattered sunlight.

The ring suddenly felt hot in his pocket: [Put me on, and those eight-legged monsters won't be able to smell your fear!]

But if Bilbo really put it on, the ring would fall off his finger when Bilbo was surrounded by those giant spiders.

Bilbo's thumb had already touched the ring, but Tanes' voice suddenly rang in his mind, and he retracted his hand as if he had been electrocuted.

At the same time, the golden light that had just slightly illuminated the brass dagger completely dimmed.

Six calf-sized spiders descended from the treetops, their claws opening and closing as they dripped fluorescent green venom, sending wisps of green smoke etched across the forest floor.

Bilbo turned and ran, but his coat was stuck to the tree trunk by spider silk. He decisively cut the coat with a brass short blade and escaped.

Bilbo followed his hobbit instinct and crawled into a tree hole, but when he looked up, he found that the wall of the cave was covered with dense cocoons, which were gently rising and falling with his breathing.

He trembled and covered his mouth to prevent himself from making any sound, but in his heart he was praying madly that someone would find his footprints and find him.

But the only answer to his prayer was the clicking sound of spiders outside the tree hole rubbing their claws together. The rhythm seemed to say, "Dessert... fresh dessert..."

Bilbo subconsciously reached into his pocket again, and the Ring rolled into his palm. A picture instantly emerged in the Hobbit's mind: Tanis and Gandalf were holding up their glasses at the celebration banquet, and the laughter of Thorin and the dwarves in the expedition was as sharp as knives.

At this time, the big spiders also discovered the hobbits hiding in the tree hole, and the light at the hole entrance was blocked little by little by their terrifying bodies.

The whisper of the Ring was as sweet as honey: [Wear me, and you can pass gracefully through their banquet, or stay here and become a hotbed for insect eggs...]

Bilbo's fingertips again touched the ring, but this time he did not try to put the Ring on, but suddenly slipped it into an inner pocket that fitted him more snugly.

"Go to your hotbed!"

Bilbo cursed fiercely with a rare ferocious expression, then took out the lighter he had used to light his cigarette last night from the baggy pocket of his trousers.

He grabbed the burning fire stick and threw it at the spider cocoons. The spider silk balls caught fire and instantly illuminated the tree hole.

The spiders hissed and scattered in the flames, and Bilbo took advantage of the chaos to rush out of the cave.

……

The cold wind at the dock blew up the fine snow, and Bernard walked quickly on the icy wooden boards.

He planned to come over and pick up the hobbit who always liked to hide in the corner, tease him about the "gourmet of Hobbiton" as Tanis usually teased Bilbo, then carry him to his warhorse and leave with Bard and the others.

But at this moment, the dock was empty, with only half of the frozen earthworm bait dangling on the fish hook.

"Bilbo?"

Bernal tried to call out, but his voice also disappeared in the cold wind.

Where have you been?
Bernal frowned as he spotted a pair of broad footprints unique to Hobbits on the ice and snow near the dock.

He was quite sure that the footprints were Bilbo's, so he followed them.

The footprints began to scramble as they crossed the reeds, and scratches in the ice showed where Bilbo had stumbled and fallen.

Bernard found a piece of honey cake crumbs with teeth marks on it beside a broken branch and was speechless. "You don't forget snacks even when running around. You really are a Hobbit."

He looked up and saw that the footprints extended all the way north, and at the end was the dark forest.

Tanes, your friend is such a troublesome guy.

Bernal returned to the dock, found a pen and paper in a nearby wooden house, quickly wrote a sentence, then put the note under the pen holder, walked out of the house and hurriedly chased after him.

(End of this chapter)