— Igris's Point of View —
I sat on one side, while Thorin and Balin sat across from me. I had spent the last hour explaining to them how my system worked, where Halt, Gilan, and my other soldiers came from. Thorin and Balin were both stunned and attentive as they listened. When I finished speaking, they stared at me in disbelief. Balin stroked his beard and spoke.
"You possess a fascinating ability, Igris… Now I understand why I never heard anything about the Khuzait, the Vaegir, or the Forest Wardens… They should never have existed in this world."
I raised my eyebrows and asked.
"Do you believe me?"
Balin chuckled.
"Yes. I see no reason for you to lie, and many missing pieces have fallen into place."
Thorin frowned and asked.
"What I don't understand is why you're telling us all this."
I scratched my head.
"Well… I was actually planning to tell you later, but something unexpected happened last night… I summoned forty-five Dwarven cavalry… but I don't want to lead Dwarves. I'm thinking of giving them to you."
Thorin and Balin were taken aback. Balin asked excitedly.
"You really summoned Dwarven cavalry? Dwarves from another world, no less! Meeting a new Dwarven culture is incredibly exciting!"
Thorin, however, frowned and said,
"It is extremely difficult for Dwarves to serve under the command of another Dwarven king…"
I sighed.
"Look, there's a reason I'm talking to you early… these Dwarves are not what you expect…"
I told them about the Witcher Dwarves, the humiliations they had suffered, and the lives they had lived. I spoke in detail about the Dwarves within the group—especially the life of the Dwarf named Kargan. Thorin and Balin listened in shock, then with growing anger. When I finished, Thorin hurled a stream of Dwarven curses and rubbed his eyes, while Balin sighed deeply.
"…It's painful to see Dwarves fall so far… I never imagined our kin could sink to such depths…"
I sighed.
"Well… they don't have an ancestral lineage like Durin and the Seven Fathers, so they're not obsessed with bloodlines. These arriving Dwarves have forgotten what it means to be Dwarves—they are assimilated survivors, focused solely on staying alive. As long as they live, they obey. They are very different from you. They are still stubborn Dwarves, but their priorities are different… That's why I spoke only with you and Balin. Dwalin and the others might look at them with pity or contempt, and that would backfire. I wanted you to understand what you're dealing with. I hope you accept them, Thorin. They don't need me—they need you. When the Erebor expedition ends, their families will come here as well. They'll need a place to settle, but more than anything, they'll need their true people. Also, this is an excellent opportunity to increase the Dwarven population. After all, more Dwarves may arrive several more times."
Thorin and Balin fell into deep thought, while I waited patiently. Finally, Thorin sighed and spoke.
"Alright… I'll try my luck. But I'll handle them in my own way."
I nodded.
"I wouldn't expect anything else."
Balin chuckled and stroked his beard.
"This is truly exciting—Dwarves from another world, a chance to encounter an entirely new Dwarven culture. So when are they arriving?"
I checked the system panel.
"In one hour."
Balin was stunned.
"That's incredibly fast! It's impossible to prepare a proper Dwarven reception!"
I looked at him flatly.
"My friend, are you talking about preparing a Dwarven welcome in Rivendell?"
Balin scratched his head.
"…Right."
Thorin sighed.
"As if I didn't already have enough trouble—now I'll have to give forty-five Dwarves a lesson on how to be Dwarves."
I shrugged.
"What is Balin here for, then?"
Balin froze in surprise, while Thorin nodded.
"Right! Balin, you're responsible for them."
Caught completely off guard, Balin stood there stunned. I continued speaking.
"Oh, right. I had something special prepared for these Dwarves. They will already know this world's Dwarven history, and I also had them placed into a kind of illusion. They fought at Azanulbizar—within a very realistic illusion."
Thorin and Balin were shocked. Thorin frowned and said,
"Why would you do such a thing? That battle was the most tragic war in our history."
I nodded.
"True—but it was also the battle where you rose. And for these Dwarves, the meaning of that war is very different."
Balin nodded thoughtfully, stroking his beard.
"You showed them how we stood even at our most desperate hour—and you showed them a king… Clever."
I shrugged.
"Anyway, that's no longer my problem—it's yours. I have a real headache I need to deal with…"
Thorin looked at me with curiosity.
"What is it?"
I sighed.
"I summoned a special elven unit—five hundred strong—but their situation is troubling…"
I explained the condition of the Crimson Archers based on what I had learned from the system. Thorin and Balin listened with furrowed brows. Behind me, Gilan, leaning against the wall, cursed under his breath. Balin sighed.
"To think there are worlds this cruel… We should be grateful for the world we have. Even if I don't like Elves, no one deserves such an end."
Thorin nodded and looked at me.
"So what will you do?"
I scratched my head in frustration.
"First, I'll assess their condition… If it's bad, I'll dump them on Lady Galadriel's doorstep. If necessary, I'll explain my situation… It's impossible for us to operate with this unit."
Thorin frowned.
"Elves—especially the White Council—won't appreciate a force that constantly summons soldiers and refugees."
I chuckled.
"As if I cared. Oh, by the way—if there's no problem, I want to settle in Dale and establish a kingdom."
Thorin and Balin were stunned. Thorin raised an eyebrow as he looked at me.
"Establish a kingdom at our doorstep?"
I shrugged.
"It's the most suitable region. Besides, we can watch each other's backs easily."
Thorin and Balin exchanged glances and nodded. Thorin looked back at me.
"Dale is in ruins and it's not Dwarven land. Do whatever you want—I don't care."
Balin chuckled.
"And having a dwarf-friendly king works to our advantage."
I nodded.
"I'm grateful."
Then my expression grew serious.
"Now let's talk about the problems ahead… Thorin, we shouldn't linger here."
Thorin frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The presence in Dol Guldur… Sauron."
For the first time, Thorin was shocked. Balin was stunned as well. Thorin frowned and asked,
"Do you have proof?"
"I told Gandalf. He'll accompany us until we enter Mirkwood during the journey, then he'll pursue the evidence I gave him… The problem is this: the moment Gandalf goes to Dol Guldur, a massive legion led by Azog will march on Erebor. Sauron and Smaug have made a deal… If we linger here too long, both Erebor and Dale will become nothing but a dream."
Thorin locked eyes with me for a moment. I met his gaze and spoke without looking away.
"I swear upon my honor and my sword that everything I've told you is true."
Thorin stared at me seriously for a moment, then stood up and began pacing the room in agitation. Balin spoke calmly.
"It's not that we don't believe you, Igris… but this is an enormous claim…"
I sighed. I understood that perfectly.
"I understand, Balin, but I'm not lying to you. Sauron wants Erebor. I don't know why—maybe its strategic position, maybe something else—but we can't stall any longer. If necessary, we must leave Nori behind. This journey is becoming far more dangerous… If you still want proof, time itself will show you."
Before Balin could speak, Thorin did.
"I respect you, Igris… I can't fully trust you when it comes to Sauron, but you may be right about Azog… Still, I see no lie in your eyes… Considering the greatest oath a warrior can swear, and all that you have done for my people, your words carry weight. When do you think we should move?"
I was surprised for a moment, but I understood the situation. Thorin was already impatient; he had a chance, however slim, to reclaim Erebor—but a new problem had arisen. So Thorin, with this small chance, didn't want to take unnecessary risks. I thought for a moment.
"I'm not sure… but as long as Gandalf doesn't separate from the group, the enemy will remain quiet. Don't forget what Gandalf did during the ambush in the forest. Even if he can't wipe out the Legion entirely, he can still deal a devastating blow."
Thorin thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Let's stay for one or two more weeks. Then we move on. If Nori hasn't recovered by then, he stays behind."
I nodded.
"That would be best."
Thorin looked at me.
"I trust you, Igris… but I hope you're wrong about all this."
I let out a deep sigh.
"To be honest… I hope so too. Once we take Dale, my headaches are only going to get worse anyway… Does Erebor have any grain?"
Balin laughed.
"Hahaha… sadly, young man, you'll find mountains of gold—but no provisions."
I sighed and rested my head on the table. Gilan placed a hand on my shoulder from behind.
"First we take Dale. Then we worry about food."
I groaned; I was too lazy to answer. Thorin looked at me with curiosity.
"Are the only people you've summoned those with the group?"
I lifted my head and looked at Thorin.
"If it were only them, do you think I'd be groaning? In total, I have 714 soldiers. The rest of my forces are camped east of Erebor. Their only supplies are what they gather from nature—and the 95 goats I sent them."
Balin stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"You command a force close to a thousand. If they can trade with Lake-town, they won't suffer from a lack of supplies."
I sighed.
"Balin, I'm not worried about them. They come from a place called Calradia, and that land is… well…"
I spent several minutes explaining Calradia. After listening carefully, Balin sighed.
"A world where war never ends. Those raised in such an environment are hardened people. You're right not to worry about them."
I nodded.
"My real concern is the future. My power works randomly. One day I might summon an army of ten thousand—but those ten thousand would come with their families, and suddenly the number jumps to fifty thousand. And that's my biggest problem…"
Thorin finished the thought.
"Famine."
I nodded, slammed my head back onto the table, and groaned dully.
"Life was beautiful when I was alone."
Thorin chuckled before speaking.
"You don't need to trouble yourself with that right now. Let's focus on what's in front of us."
Halt, who had been silent from the very beginning, finally spoke.
"They're right, Igris. There's no point in worrying about that now."
I took a deep breath, lifted my head, leaned my arm on the table, and rested my face in my hand.
"Alright… there's one more thing, though…"
I explained the shop system, and they were stunned. Balin spoke oddly.
"So you can use gold to summon supplies, projects, and soldiers as well."
I nodded.
"There are limits, but yes. Right now, the most expensive units are the Phoenix Knight and the Wind Phoenix—550,000 gold."
Balin was stunned.
"By Durin's beard…"
I nodded.
"Yes. Oh, and before I forget."
I turned to the two behind me and pulled out fifty sacks from my inventory. Large sacks filled with coffee appeared all over the room, followed by a sharp, rich coffee aroma.
"Don't worry about coffee anymore. This will be enough for you."
Gilan stared at the incoming coffee in disbelief and muttered.
"Halt… I think I'm dreaming… I've fallen into coffee heaven…"
Gilan rushed to one of the sacks and hugged it. Halt looked at the sacks with satisfaction. I put all but one sack back into my inventory.
"Use this sack. When it's empty, ask me for another. You can fill the flasks I gave you. I can even give you a cold coffee recipe."
Halt nodded. Gilan simply cradled the coffee in his arms, stroking it lovingly.
"Halt! Let's make coffee—we haven't had any in days!"
Halt chuckled.
"You took the words right out of my mouth."
I nodded.
"There's nothing important left to discuss. You two may go. Later, Thorin and I will discuss our route. Until then, enjoy yourselves."
Halt and Gilan nodded. Before leaving, Halt looked at me.
"Don't worry. I'll bring you meat by evening."
I nodded and smiled.
"And I'll make you a pie."
Halt nodded and left the room. Gilan smiled at me, gave a thumbs-up, and followed Halt. Thorin rubbed his head and looked at me.
"You've given me yet another headache."
I shrugged and chuckled.
"Mine's gotten better. My shoulders feel much lighter."
Thorin stared at me with twitching brows, while Balin stood up and spoke.
"Come on! What are we waiting for? Let's welcome our new members!"
Thorin nodded, but I stopped them.
"Wait!"
Thorin stared at me blankly.
"What now?! Haven't you talked enough already?"
I scratched my head.
"It's not that… where's my armor? I feel naked…"
Thorin and Balin looked at each other, then chuckled. Thorin turned around and opened the chest in the room.
"Your armor's here. I repaired it."
I leapt from my seat and reached the chest with inhuman speed. Seeing my armor, I let out a relieved breath and quickly put it on. In less than a minute, I was fully armored. I placed my helmet into my inventory. Feeling the weight settle on me, I sighed in relief. When I turned around, Balin and Thorin were staring at me blankly. I tilted my head and asked curiously.
"What?"
Balin stroked his beard and chuckled.
"I've never seen anyone don armor that fast."
I shrugged.
"It's because of the design… Anyway, thanks for repairing it, Thorin."
Thorin shrugged.
"No problem. Your armor is crafted well enough to be considered a Dwarven masterpiece. There must be skilled smiths in the Blackbeard colony."
I nodded.
"That's right. Let's go! I'm ready."
Thorin and Balin nodded, grabbed their weapons, and headed for the door. I followed them. Honestly, they accepted the situation rather quickly—but they've been observing the soldiers with me for three weeks now. There are also legends that obsidian dragons can travel to other worlds. And then there's that so-called Demon matter… In short, Arda is not unfamiliar with other worlds—quite the opposite, it has interacted with many. Add their trust in me to that, and this reaction makes sense. Anyway, my business wrapped up quickly. We'll see what happens next.
When we stepped outside, Dwalin looked at us. Seeing that we were armed, he raised an eyebrow.
"Where to?"
Thorin spoke.
"I've received word. Forty-five dwarf riders are on their way to join us. I'll meet them within the hour."
Dwalin and the dwarves were taken aback. Fíli spoke excitedly.
"So there are those who wish to join our cause!"
Balin sighed.
"Yes, lad—but these dwarves who are coming are a bit different."
Dwalin raised an eyebrow.
"How different?"
Thorin spoke calmly.
"You'll see when they arrive. For now, we're going to pick them up."
Fíli spoke with excitement.
"I'm coming too, uncle. I want to see the kin who are joining us."
Glóin nodded as well.
"I want to come too."
Kíli silently nodded, indicating that he wished to come along. I raised my eyebrows—Kíli was starting to resemble Halt more and more. I couldn't decide whether to shiver or rejoice. Thorin paused, looking at all of them for a moment, then sighed and nodded.
"Alright."
After chuckling, we followed Thorin and headed together toward the stables. When we entered and I saw Shadowmane—my old friend and partner—Arwen's words came back to me. My eyebrow twitched violently. Shadowmane looked at me and neighed.
"Oh! Have you finally awakened, Sleeping Beauty?"
As I approached him, I glared and spoke sharply.
"Shut it and tell me what the hell you were up to while I was asleep!"
Shadowmane looked at me with disdain, lifted his head proudly, and spoke.
"I did what a male is supposed to do—searched for candidates to carry on my lineage. Unlike some of us, I'm far luckier with females."
My eyebrow twitched hard. I looked at my horse coldly.
"You must want to be gelded."
Shadowmane glanced at me disdainfully.
"Don't threaten me with things you can't do."
I took a deep breath and nodded.
"You know what? I don't care anymore! My head is full enough—I won't deal with you. Still, I hope you meet a mate who can keep you under control."
Shadowmane turned his head aside arrogantly.
"I exist for all mares! No single mare can handle me."
I sighed.
"I give up—but I won't lose hope. However…"
Grabbing the rein, I pulled his head toward me and looked him straight in the eyes.
"If you let another woman ride you again, you'll spend the next year eating nothing but dry hay—consider yourself warned! Don't ever do something like that again without my permission!"
Shadowmane rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you. No need to be jealous."
My eyebrow twitched.
"This has nothing to do with jealousy! I've faced death eight times because of this habit of yours! When we needed to escape, you weren't where you were supposed to be!"
Shadowmane looked away in shame and muttered unhappily.
"But you're still alive…"
My eyebrow twitched again. I spoke in a cold voice.
"You sound disappointed about that."
Avoiding eye contact, Shadowmane replied.
"That's how it seems to you…"
I was just about to answer when Thorin's voice came from behind.
"Igris! Stop arguing with your horse and let's go!"
After glaring one last time at my dear horse, I sighed.
"Alright."
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(2968 Words)
Okay... I've read this two or three times, and there's something that doesn't sit right with me, but I can't quite place it... If you find it, let me know.