Chapter 45: Sweeping the Barrow-downs

Only after the wight's remains were buried did everyone return to the yurt to continue sleeping. "Hmm, what's wrong? What happened?" The corpulent Bombur groggily emerged from his sleeping bag, looking at the entering group with confusion. A hush fell over everyone as they exchanged uneasy glances. The situation had been urgent earlier, and everyone thought they had all woken up, but they hadn't realized one person was still missing. Gandalf and Kael both watched the scene with smiles. Thorin looked at his simple-minded companion, took a deep breath, and said exasperatedly, "Nothing, go back to sleep." "Ah? Oh!" And then Bombur really did shrink back into his sleeping bag, and soon after, earth-shattering snores emanated from him. Everyone was left speechless once more, but with a mix of emotions, they all settled back into their sleeping bags. The night was late, and they had to set off early the next morning. The next morning, everyone gradually awoke from their dreams. As Kael waved his hand, the enormous yurt transformed back into a carriage, the carpets and sleeping bags vanishing. Everyone felt as if they had just awoken from a dream. Before setting off, there was one more task before departure: sharing the spoils. Hundreds of wights had left behind a large bag of jewelry and accessories last night, not to mention dozens of relatively intact ancient swords. Gandalf suggested that the spoils be shared equally among all. However, Thorin refused outright, arguing that the dwarves had not participated in the battle against the wights, which was handled entirely by Gandalf and Kael, so they should not share the spoils. The other dwarves agreed with Thorin; though they loved jewels, their pride prevented them from accepting charity. Faced with the stubborn dwarves, Gandalf relented. Having little need for treasure himself, he selected the most intact ancient sword as his weapon and left the rest of the spoils to Kael. Kael looked over the spoils, now all his, and suddenly proposed, "Yesterday, I severely wounded the Witch-king of Angmar, and his wight minions lost their power. Why don't we seize this chance to head straight to the dragon's lair and claim the wight treasures within the barrows?" At this suggestion, the dwarves' eyes gleamed, and even Thorin, eager to reach the Lonely Mountain, did not object. Though they refused to share the spoils of Kael and Gandalf, it did not mean they lacked desire for treasure. Especially as the dwarves were not wealthy, even Thorin Oakenshield had to work as a blacksmith to support the Durin folk, trading with nearby humans. He even offered the Lonely Mountain treasure as compensation to secure Kael and others' cooperation in the expedition. Though Gandalf had no interest in the wight treasure, he supported Kael's suggestion. Thus, instead of pressing forward, the group changed course and ventured deeper into the Barrow-downs. The sky over the Barrow-downs remained perpetually gloomy, mists shrouding the mountains in silence and desolation. However, compared to his last visit, Kael noticed much of the mist had lifted, and the dark clouds had thinned. The group proceeded without incident, smoothly reaching the Barrow Group. Perhaps because the Witch-king of Angmar was severely wounded and his wight minions lost their power, there was no sign of wight activity, making the Barrow-downs unusually quiet. Gandalf tapped the ground with his staff, using magic to detect any presence. After sensing something, he warned, "The wights are asleep and will not awaken for some time, but be careful not to disturb them." Upon hearing this, the dwarves grew excited; with no threat from the wights, the jewels buried in the barrows were theirs for the taking! The dwarves began their tomb-raiding work. Naturally skilled in mining and tunneling, the dwarves had no trouble digging to the burial chambers. The Barrow-downs primarily held the tombs of the princes and nobles of the Dúnedain, their burial goods invaluable treasures. Under the dwarves' patronage, these treasures were thoroughly plundered. Any wights encountered in the tombs were swiftly dealt with by Kael and Gandalf, preventing their revival. After three days in the Barrow-downs, the dwarves had raided over a hundred burial chambers. They reluctantly ceased only because their food supplies were running low. The final haul left everyone satisfied. Except for Gandalf, who declined his share, everyone's pockets bulged with gold, silver, and jewels—even Bilbo's. The dwarves beamed with joy, and even the usually stern Thorin's face softened considerably. With their abundant gains, the group left the Barrow-downs. Before leaving, Gandalf bestowed a powerful purification spell upon the Barrow-downs, suppressing the evil power the Witch-king of Angmar had imposed to its lowest level. In any case, the wights sleeping in the Barrow-downs would not awaken anytime soon. According to Gandalf, the evil power would not dissipate unless the Witch-king of Angmar himself was defeated. Returning to the main road, the group continued their journey, finally arriving at Bree by noon. Bree was a small town inhabited by Men, located in the heart of Eriador. It sat at the crossroads of the East-West and North-South Roads, making it a hub for merchants, rangers, and travelers. Occasionally, elves would pass through Bree, traveling along the East-West Road to the Grey Havens in Lindon to the west, before crossing the sea by ship. The group arrived at The Prancing Pony in Bree for a brief rest and to resupply. With coins in their pockets, the dwarves eagerly called out, "Innkeeper, bring out all the wine! Tonight, we drink our fill!" Besides their love of wealth, dwarves greatly enjoyed drinking, especially strong, fiery spirits. The innkeeper was delighted to hear this. Dwarves not only loved to drink but also had an enormous capacity, consuming wine by the barrel rather than by the cup. No innkeeper would refuse such guests. He immediately ordered the Hobbit servants to bring barrels of fine wine from the cellar and set them before the dwarves, allowing them to drink their fill. At the same time, Kael's Hogwarts Sign-in System also reacted. Kael remained calm and silently thought, "Sign in." A surge of memories flooded his mind, and Kael's eyes immediately widened. Floo Powder? This sign-in was actually for this item. (End of Chapter) *** [Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl] [+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]