Elves Of Autumn

Chapter 7 - The chase.

Dwalin stood there being silent as they bury some of the troll's treasure into the ground.

"We're making a long term deposit." Gloin said.

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur, Gloin, Nori. We go north.

As the dwarves leave the cave, Gandalf comes across an elf-made dagger that was hidden under a pile of leaves. He partly unsheathes it with his staff and he picks it up.

"Bilbo."

"Hmm?"

"Here. This about you size." he replied as he gives Bilbo the elf-made dagger he found in the trolls cave.

"I can't take this."

"The blade is Elvish make, which means it glows blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."

"I have... I have never used a sword in my life."

"And I hope that you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life but when to spare one."

As they gather outside of the trolls cave.

"Something's coming!" Thorin said as he was there.

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves!"

As the dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo wait to see who is approaching, suddenly Radagast burst through the bushes his sled by rabbits.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

"Radagast. It's Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf said while putting away his sword. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

"Yes?"

Radagast goes to speak but stops.

"Just give me a minute. Um... Oh! I had it a thought and now I've lost it. It was... it was... was right there, on the tip of my tongue! Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's just a silly old.... stick insect." he said as his stick out his tongue.

Gandalf removes the insect and gives it back to Radagast.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it, nothing grows anymore. At least nothing good. The air is foul decay, but worst are the webs."

"Webs? What do you mean?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I'm not a wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf. It is not."

Radagast was being lead to an abandoned fortress of Dol Guldur.

"A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horro. One that can summon the spirits of the dead."

Radagast was walking through the fortress but was attacked by a ghost that came out of a statue. The statue was behind him.

"I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness. The Necromancer has come!"

As he sees the Necromancer, one of the rabbits sees him and warns the others. Radagast makes a run for it and gets on his sled.

After telling the story about the Necromancer, Radagast looks shaken.

"Sorry."

"Try a little of old Toby. It'll help settle your nerves." he placed his pipe into Radagast's mouth who inhales from the pipe. "And out."