"Greetings to you, Legend of Roadside Fort, Levi Stonecraft."
When Levi returned to the original location, a Ranger was waiting under the tree. He immediately greeted this Lord of Roadside Fort, who had saved his team.
"Thank you for your aid."
"Don't worry about it too much. I didn't come here specifically for this."
Levi waved his hand: "Fewer orcs is always better. When I encounter them, I just clean them up. It's not much trouble."
"Perhaps not for you, but for us the trouble is indeed considerable."
"The Dúnedain will remember this assistance."
Levi smiled.
"I was once helped by your companions. I've always remembered that."
"I hope the friendship between our sides can endure."
The Ranger smiled and nodded, and the two shook hands firmly.
"Halbarad mentioned there are wounded people with you. Where are they?"
"Just underground. Halbarad is there too. Please follow me."
Speaking thus, the Ranger crouched down and lifted the unlocked hidden door, revealing a downward passage.
"Truly concealed. Unless digging straight down, I can't imagine how to discover this place."
The Ranger climbed down first, with Levi following closely.
"We have many strongholds like this. Actually, not just us. Gondor's guerrilla forces also have these camouflaged bases."
While climbing, the Ranger spoke without reservation:
"Finding our strongholds isn't actually difficult. Usually above a stronghold there's a tree, and beside the tree three local plants always grow, which when connected will definitely form an isosceles triangle."
"Of course, beside these plants there are definitely other things to interfere with sight lines. If one's eyes aren't sharp enough, they'll miss the stronghold."
In the time it took to say this, both had climbed down.
Levi looked around, finding this place quite cramped and overly dim.
This stronghold was roughly ten meters in both length and width, with several straw beds placed in one corner and some shelves opposite with several cloaks hanging on them.
At this moment, two Rangers were leaning against the straw beds, gritting their teeth while treating wounds without making a sound.
Including Halbarad, there were five Rangers here total.
These Rangers all looked quite old, including Halbarad.
They had serious expressions with a weathered quality, like rocks that had endured wind and frost, and all appeared to be taciturn types.
Though silent now, obviously Halbarad had already explained the situation beforehand. Seeing Levi climb down, they all paused their actions and slightly bowed to Levi in greeting.
Then they continued treating their wounds or sitting quietly to one side.
Quite silent.
So silent that standing there, Levi felt somewhat awkward.
"You're back. How did it go?"
Halbarad was first to break the silence, greeting Levi.
"A small portion escaped, but it's not a big problem. They probably won't dare approach here for quite some time."
Some cave was still echoing with orc wails even now.
"Seems quite smooth. I indeed underestimated you earlier."
"No problem. You'll have plenty of opportunities to gain experience in the future."
Speaking thus, Levi walked toward the two wounded, pulling out two bottles filled with pink liquid.
Healing potions.
"Drink this. It can make your wounds heal quickly."
The two wounded looked up, stunned for a moment.
Halbarad said from the side: "Wizard's secret medicine. Normally no chance to drink such a thing."
Levi nodded, confirming this explanation.
Sure, if you say so.
Hearing Halbarad say this, the two wounded didn't hesitate to accept the potions and drink them down.
Unlike expected, this medicine's taste... was quite peculiar, indescribable.
However, the effect was remarkable. Just after drinking the potion, the wounds on their bodies miraculously began healing immediately, completely disappearing in seconds as if they'd never been injured.
The Rangers regained their vitality.
Moments later.
Halbarad, Levi, and the Ranger who had guided Levi gathered together.
Halbarad introduced: "This is our captain, Elladan. We used to be active around Weathertop frequently."
"Now only a few people are still doing information gathering work there, like me."
"I heard your recent situation doesn't seem too good?"
Levi asked the Ranger captain beside him.
"Indeed not very ideal. Groups of orcs have increased, and they're quite alert."
Elladan said calmly: "However, in the past hundred years, this situation has occurred before. It's easy to break up orc formations."
"This time was truly unexpected. As long as the orcs only numbered ten times our number, we wouldn't be in such a sorry state, much less think about fleeing."
But twenty or even thirty times, plus a bunch of wargs...
That was asking a bit much.
"Indeed."
Levi agreed and suggested: "Next time you're injured, you can rest at Roadside Fort."
"Roadside Fort is shrouded in a kind of... well, a kind of magic. Wounds heal faster when resting there."
"Don't think of my place as some forbidden secret realm barred to mortals. It's like an ordinary town. Come anytime."
"We will." Elladan nodded.
"Moreover, didn't I have Halbarad tell you before that you can take supplies from there anytime? After all, we share common enemies."
"Thank you for your kindness."
"Very few people know of our existence."
Elladan said: "But what they also don't know is that since we began wandering these wilds, the orcs and wargs that have died under our blades or arrows number in the tens of thousands."
Indeed.
Unlike hired mercenaries, the Rangers had blood feuds with Sauron and his minions over their destroyed kingdom. Regardless of pay or support, they would fight orcs to the death.
Of course, even without hatred, they would actively take responsibility for clearing threats.
This was a highly cultured group.
As a certain king had said, if all Rangers entered their graves one day, whether the Shire or nearby human settlements, no one would dare step outside at night.
The Lone-lands—this territory was both an uninhabited wasteland and the Rangers' homeland.
But thinking about it, having a large group of warrior-king level beings constantly protecting this land was quite reassuring.
"You needn't be too concerned."
The Ranger captain said thus.
In that case...
After thinking, Levi decided to borrow his ally's reputation. He said:
"I know you often communicate with Elrond and frequently receive aid from Rivendell."
"I had pleasant conversations with Elrond, and with Rivendell I have an unbreakable, solid alliance. I think we should be the same."
"Don't worry about adding any burden to my territory."
"Moreover, this isn't one-sided giving. I hope you can occasionally send someone to teach classes to the children in my territory, instructing them on wilderness survival and what to do when encountering enemies."
"And before long, perhaps in several years or over a decade, I may want to commission you for some tasks. If willing, we could reach more cooperation."
These words were obviously effective.
Elrond had quite significant connections with the Dúnedain. Specifically, his twin brother was Númenor's first king.
Initially, both Elrond and his brother Elros were half-elves. Later, one chose to become an elf and exist eternally, while one chose to become human and rule Númenor.
From then on, though sharing origins, their races were no longer the same, and time's effects on them became increasingly pronounced.
Elrond was destined to watch his brother's bloodline die generation after generation, destined to experience parting again and again.
But he remained steadfast, protecting generation after generation of Dúnedain royal bloodlines.
Until now.
Speaking of which, Aragorn, this chieftain of Rangers, currently the only Dúnedain qualified to inherit Gondor's throne, actually had blood connections with Elrond, being a descendant of Elrond's own brother.
For this reason, Elrond had always cared for the Rangers extensively, because fundamentally they were family.
"If that's the case..."
Elladan and Halbarad exchanged glances.
Both were hearing about Levi's relationship with Rivendell for the first time.
A relatively unfamiliar emerging power whose background wasn't well understood suddenly saying they wanted to help these Rangers that ordinary people didn't even know existed would seem somewhat abrupt. They definitely wouldn't try unless absolutely necessary.
But if it were their own people's ally.
That would be normal.
A certain sentiment unfolded.
"On the path of resisting evil, we are united."
"I will raise this matter at the next tribal meeting. Regardless, we will never forget your assistance."
Thus.
Roadside Fort, Rivendell, Rangers.
These three forces bound tightly together, surrounding this vast Lone-lands.