"Mr. Karl lives on the outskirts of the Shire, not far from here," Gandalf nodded.
"Take me to him," Thorin said curtly.
---
Half an hour later, a group of people travelling through the night was spotted. At the front were several dwarves carrying torches, conversing with each other, their voices rising and falling. They discussed the upcoming adventure, complained about the bitterness of losing their home, and occasionally joked with their companions. Thorin, Gandalf, and Bilbo walked at the rear of the group. Thorin walked in silence, his gaze fixed ahead.
"Gandalf," Thorin suddenly said, his voice calm but carrying a clear note of displeasure. "I recall I entrusted you to recruit only the fourteenth member — a burglar — but you added another without permission."
He paused, then turned to Gandalf: "Moreover, according to your account, this man's demands are not only excessive but arrogant."
Gandalf took his pipe, drew a breath, and slowly exhaled a smoke ring that quickly dissipated in the night wind. "Thorin, forgive my bluntness, but Mr. Karl's abilities are exceptional and likely unmatched among all the dwarves combined."
"Therefore, I believe adding one more position is entirely justified."
Thorin sneered: "Gandalf, are you belittling my companions?"
"They are all excellent soldiers who have fought alongside me."
"Some of them are older than this man's grandfather."
"I'm not trying to belittle you, I'm simply stating facts," Gandalf replied calmly. "Thorin, you must understand that we are not facing only one dragon."
"The orcs have never stopped hunting the dwarves, and we need all the help we can get."
Thorin slowed his pace, stopped for a few seconds, and looked into the distance. It was a three-storey building that stood out noticeably among the low-ceilinged hobbit huts. "Are you saying he wants no payment?" Thorin asked, his tone softening.
"He wants no treasure, provided these three conditions are met," Gandalf nodded.
Thorin's eyes narrowed slightly, and he unconsciously stroked the handle of his battle axe: "Oh? In your opinion, that's something we can't afford to overlook."
He paused, lowering his voice almost to a whisper, barely audible to Gandalf: "Provided he passes our test."
"If his abilities are truly as you say, and they grant him a certain degree of freedom... perhaps that will be acceptable."
"But if he is unworthy of the name..." The second half of the sentence remained unspoken, but the meaning was clear.
Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief; he knew Thorin had relented. "You'll see, Thorin. I promise," Gandalf said with a smile.
---
Soon, the group arrived at Karl's door. It was an exquisite wooden house, built on level ground and surrounded by a courtyard enclosed by a fence. Unlike a hobbit's earthen dwelling, this house was built entirely above ground, three storeys high, with large windows on each floor. The building materials appeared to be ordinary wood and stone. However, the way the parts were assembled and the overall design demonstrated the builder's superb craftsmanship.
"This is the place?" Thorin asked, carefully examining the building.
Gandalf nodded, and upon confirmation, Thorin winked at Fili and Kili. Both immediately understood, and a mischievous smile appeared on their faces. They put down their torches, crept up to the gate on tiptoe, and knocked loudly on the wooden door. The other dwarves stood nearby, arms crossed, ready to watch the show. They knew what the brothers had planned — a sudden attack to test the "witcher's" reaction speed. Though it might seem somewhat crude, it was very effective.
Hearing approaching footsteps, Fili and Kili exchanged glances before the door. Then they suddenly lunged forward, arms spread wide, ready to grab the person opening the door by the legs and throw him to the ground.
The door opened, and in the doorway stood Karl, dressed in a simple linen shirt and trousers, as if he had just woken from sleep. The first thing he saw was Gandalf and Bilbo not far away. And the dwarf standing at the very front had a completely different aura, and even appeared rather handsome. Then his gaze dropped, and he saw two dwarves charging toward him. He could clearly see the smug grins on their faces — an expression that gave them a look of "success."
For ordinary people, all this would have been but a fleeting moment, but in Karl's eyes, their movements were tantamount to stillness. He slowly raised his foot, held back his strength, and kicked twice, his toes touching the bellies of the two dwarves. Then he drew his foot back, straightened up again, without making any unnecessary movements.
But Thorin and his companions saw a completely different scene. The door opened, and Karl appeared. Fili and Kili lunged forward, arms and hearts wide open. Then, almost in the blink of an eye, Karl raised his foot and delivered two quick kicks. Fili and Kili flew backwards, as if struck by a battering ram, crashing into the dwarves standing behind them.
"BAM! BAM!"
"Ouch! My back!"
"He has incredible strength!"
The dwarves collapsed in a heap, their groans, complaints, and exclamations mingling together. Fili and Kili lay on the ground, clutching their stomachs, their faces pale, groaning and unable to get up for a long time.
Karl looked up at Gandalf, a hint of mockery in his voice: "Gandalf, you surprise me just half a day later?"
Gandalf coughed slightly, gestured toward Thorin standing beside him, and said with an expression: "I had no choice."
"Mr. Karl, this is Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the company."
"He asked... to test your abilities."
Thorin nodded slightly, not taking his eyes off Karl. At this moment, the initial contempt and doubt in his eyes had vanished, replaced by seriousness and a reassessment. The dwarves present, though not elites, were still considered among the best. Ordinary people, even well-trained soldiers, would find it difficult to defeat them in single combat. But faced with the witcher's counterattack, they had fallen to the ground without even having time to react. That lightning-fast strike and that cool-headedness... if any other dwarf had stepped up, the result would not have been much better.
Thorin took a deep breath, stepped forward, placed his right hand on his chest, and gave a slight bow. "Mr. Karl, Gandalf has spoken very highly of your abilities."
Thorin spoke slowly, his voice noticeably more serious than when he had spoken to Bilbo earlier. He raised his head, his deep blue eyes looking directly at Karl: "Now I have seen part of it with my own eyes."
"But the conditions you have proposed are very strict... We need to talk."
Karl's gaze swept over the dwarves outside the door, and finally rested on Thorin's face. He stood in the doorway, feigning sternness, and said: "Talk? Thorin, I think we have nothing to talk about."