Adventure of a Lifetime: VOL 1

Part 1: Chapter 4

            Willow and Gandalf travel through the wild, headed for the Misty Mountains. Willow is left in awe of the beauty of the world, and how different it looks from the books and maps she's studied all her life. As the pair climb further and further into the mountains, the air grows colder and somehow fouler. Willow follows the dwarf tracks along the ledge. "Gandalf, I have a bad feeling about this," she says as they make slide their way across a narrow path on the mountain. It is midday, the wind howls past them. "You're one of the best trackers, Willow. They had to have come this way," Gandalf huffs, hanging on the side of the mountain. "Yes, but I have run into a slight problem," Willow says. "What?" Gandalf calls over the wind. Willow looks down in front of her, the sheer drop alone making her stomach do flips. "The trail doesn't continue anymore."

After a short discussion, Gandalf concluded that the dwarves had run into the stone giants and must have taken shelter in a cave they could see down the path. "But there's no sign of them over there," Willow says, her elf-like vision giving her the gift of far sight. "They should know better than to trust the caves in the Misty Mountains. Goblins live beneath these mountains, setting traps in caves along the path," Gandalf grumbles. Willow gulps. "There are hundreds of goblins down there Gandalf, they don't stand a chance!" She exclaims. "No, not without our help, dear Willow," Gandalf says. "But how do we get in?" Willow asks. "I am a wizard. I always find a way," Gandalf replies, a sly grin on his face.

True to his word, Gandalf did in fact find a way into the goblin tunnels. "Quietly now. Our friends may have fallen into their trap, but we must not," he says, leading the way down into the foul tunnels. Willow scrunches her nose, it truly smells awful down here. "Gandalf, what is that sound?" She whispers as they grow closer to the light. "That, my dear Willow, is what is about to be an execution," Gandalf replies grimly. Willow's eyes widen, their pace quickening. They exit the tunnel, and the true expanse of the goblin realm unfolds in front of their eyes. Wooden bridges and ledges rise up the walls as tall as the mountain itself, intertwined with each other on every level. Willow's mouth is left gaping wide open as she and Gandalf sneak down one of the unstable wooden pathways, towards the group. The dwarves are surrounded, legions of goblins cheering as the Goblin King commands their heads. "Draw your sword," Gandalf commands. Willow slowly draws her sword, careful so that it doesn't make much noise. "Gandalf, if you're going to do something, now is the time," Willow hisses. "Hold on to something!" Gandalf says. Willow grabs the railing next to her as Thorin is about to get his head chopped off. Gandalf stands, slamming his staff into the ground. White light explodes from the top, a shockwave throwing everything off its feet. Willow holds tight, her body flying off the ground before slamming back down. When the dust settles, Gandalf stands before the dwarves. "Take up arms," he says, his sword drawn. "Fight!" Willow scrambles to her feet, slicing through the goblins near her. She spots Fili on the ground, a couple goblins on top. She stabs through both, flinging them off her sword. "Willow!" Fili exclaims, grabbing her outstretched hand. "What are you doing here?" Willow smiles, handing Fili a sword. "I'm here to help you keep your promise," she replies, nonchalantly swinging her blade and slicing the head off a goblin. "Besides, I couldn't resist."

Thedwarves fight their way through the goblin tunnels, led by Gandalf. Fili makessure to never leave Willow's side, the pair fighting together as if it were adance. "Willow! By Durin, I didn't think you'd come!" Kili exclaims as heaccidentally bumps into her. "I could hardly resist such an invitation," shegrins, stabbing a goblin just above his head. He spins around, staring at theground. "Come on, no time to waste!" She says, ushering him and the others downafter Gandalf. They cross swinging bridges, follow a tumbling boulder, even usea ladder as a shield, before they are stopped on a multi-leveled bridge over adeep ravine. The Goblin King jumps through the wood, slamming down his fists. "Youthought you could escape me," he bellows, swinging his club at Gandalf. Thewizard falls back on the dwarves, who push him back up. "What are you going todo now, wizard?" Gandalf throws his staff forward, poking the Goblin King inthe eye. While he is distracted, Gandalf promptly slashes open his stomach."Well that'll do it," the Goblin King says matter-of-factly. Gandalf thenslashes his neck, the Goblin King slumping over, dead. Just as Willow thoughtthings were looking on the bright side, the bridge began to creak and shakeunder the weight of the Goblin King. Fili grabs her and Kili as the bridgebreaks away, sliding all the way down the ravine into a pile on top of thedwarves. Groans and complaints can be heard from almost everyone. Gandalf is thefirst out, observing the wreckage. "Well that could have been worse," Bofursays. Just as he says that, the body of the Goblin King drops down on top ofthe pile, further squishing them and eliciting many complaints. "You've got tobe joking!" Dwalin groans. Poor Willow is completely stuck, a nice hard pieceof wood pressing down on her chest. "Fili," she coughs, gasping for breath."I'm coming!" He says, grabbing her hand. "Gandalf!" Kili shouts. Hundreds ofgoblins are swarming down the ravine. "There's too many! We cannot fight them!"Dwalin exclaims. Fili drags Willow from the rubble, helping her to her feet. "Onlyone thing will save us now. Daylight. Come on! Here, on your feet," Gandalfsays, helping Dori off the ground. "Are you alright?" Fili asks, still holdingher hand. "Yeah, just catching my breath," Willow pants. "There'll be time forthat outside, come on!" Fili says, pulling her along with the rest of thegroup. Gandalf leads them down another tunnel, towards the daylight. Once out,they run down the wooded hill quite a ways before pausing to catch theirbreath. Willow finally pauses to catch her breath, Fili and Kili standing infront of her. "Are you both alright?" She asks. "Yeah, we're fine," Kilishrugs. "Are you alright? You were pretty out of breath down there," Fili asksher. "I'm alright. I was under the entire Goblin King," Willow chuckles. Fililooks as if he is about to say something, but Gandalf cuts him off. "Where isBilbo? Where is our hobbit?" He questions. "Curse the halfling, now he's lost?"Dwalin grumbles. "I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin exclaims. "Don't blameme!" Dori stammers. "Well, where did anyone last see the hobbit?" Willowinterjects. "I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us," Norispeaks up. "What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf commands. "I'll tell youwhat happened," Thorin says, his voice low and full of anger. "Master Baggins saw his chance and hetook it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth sincefirst he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He islong gone." Willows mouth falls open, she certainly doubts Thorin'saccusations. "No, he's not," Bilbo says, stepping out from behind a tree. "BilboBaggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life," Gandalf chuckles."Bilbo! We'd given up on you!" Kili exclaims. "How on earth did you get pastthe goblins?" Fili asks eagerly. "How indeed?" Dwalin sighs, Willow finallyseeing a small smile from the stern dwarf. Bilbo laughs awkwardly, avoiding thequestion. Willow raises an eyebrow slightly to Gandalf, who shakes his head."What does it matter? He's back," he says. "It matters," Thorin speaks again."I want to know, why did you come back?" Bilbo looks over to Thorin, ponderinghis words. "Look, I know you doubt me, I knowyou always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books.And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. Andthat's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you,"Bilbo says. "But I will help you take it back if I can." Willow smilesat the hobbit, the dwarves left silent in appreciation. "And you. Why did youcome?" Thorin asks, turning to Willow. "Thorin!" Fili protests. "No, Fili, it'salright. He has every right to ask," she says, patting his shoulder. "I wasfortunate enough to have someone take me in when I lost everything. You didn't.I grew quite fond of you all when you came to Rivendell. One could say youinspired me. I'm here, Thorin, for the same reason that Bilbo is. I have ahome, and I am here because you don't. And I will help you gain it back, if Ican." Fili looks up at her with a smile, grasping her hand. Thorin nods, theother dwarves muttering their own gratitude. Willow looks up at Gandalf, whohas a wide grin plastered on his face. Their moment is cut short as a warghowls through the woods. "Wargs!" Willow gasps. "Out of the frying pan," Thoringroans. "And into the fire. Run!" Gandalf shouts.