"You think time heals all wounds? No, Gandalf, time only deepens wounds and strengthens hatred!"
He turned away from Gandalf, his shoulders tensing: "I said I will not go to Rivendell."
"If you still insist on going, then go by yourself. My company will continue along the original route."
Gandalf was stunned by Thorin's torrent of abuse, his face darkening, his lips pressed tightly beneath his beard, the veins on the hand gripping his staff standing out. He knew something of what had happened in places like the Lonely Mountain and Moria. Indeed, when the dwarves had needed help most, the Elves had chosen to stand aside and watch. This hatred should not be forgotten, but the question was: what was the situation now? Danger was already upon them. Was Thorin still clinging to the hatred his grandfather and father had held?
He would rather endanger the entire company than stoop to seeking a safer way to avoid it. Gandalf's chest heaved heavily; he let out a cold, angry snort and said nothing more. He turned and walked to the back of the group, closed his eyes, leaned against an old oak tree, and withdrew into himself.
Karl silently watched this scene from the side, standing by the horses and feeding them carrots from his hand. His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he shook his head; he had somewhat underestimated the stubbornness and intransigence of the dwarves. He had thought that his intervention — the premature elimination of the orc scouts — would make Thorin realise the danger of being tracked. Perhaps it would make the other side reconsider and seek the protection of the Elves in the secluded valley. As it turned out, Thorin was exactly that stubborn, preferring to let everyone face the pursuit of the orc army rather than avoid the risks.
Thorin was digging his own grave, for who was the most numerous in his company? Without a doubt, the dwarves. Even if everyone had to scatter, the orcs would definitely prioritise hunting the dwarves. Their hatred for dwarves was no less than the dwarves' hatred for the Elves.
---
Thanks to Karl's intervention, Gandalf did not leave the dwarves in anger as he had originally planned. He continued to travel with the group, but the atmosphere within the company had noticeably cooled. Gandalf spoke little, mostly riding in silence, frowning as if lost in deep thought. Only when Bilbo came to ask about the history or geography of Middle-earth did he smile slightly and answer patiently.
Overall, the company seemed covered in a thin layer of ice, and the rift between Thorin and Gandalf was evident. The other dwarves tried not to offend either side. Only Karl maintained his usual demeanour, cooking when it was time, standing watch when it was time, pretending nothing had happened.
This atmosphere persisted for some time before the company entered the mountainous region. Here, vegetation was sparse, rocks were exposed, a grove of trees stood nearby, and the ruins of abandoned buildings could be seen. As evening fell, Thorin decided to make camp near the ruins, and the dwarves began to unload their belongings and gather firewood.
Karl did not immediately join the work; he stood at the edge of the camp, surveying the surrounding ruins. These buildings had once been human settlements, but now they were completely abandoned. The stone walls had collapsed, the roofs had caved in, and the wooden beams had rotted; only by the remaining outlines could one imagine what they had once looked like.
But Karl was not focused on these things; he was observing the details of the damage. The stone wall was damaged in the middle, and the crack was not caused by natural weathering. The edge of a stone pillar had been chipped off, and it had fallen to the ground, leaving clear impact marks at the break site. A heavy wooden door panel had been shattered into several pieces, as if it had been knocked off its hinges by tremendous force. Comparing these traces one by one, it became clear that a monster did not possess such strength, nor would it use such a destructive method. This was clearly caused by a larger, stronger humanoid being.
Karl frowned slightly, turning toward the camp and watching Thorin directing the dwarves. "Gentlemen, be extremely vigilant."
The busy dwarves stopped their work and turned to look at him. Thorin turned around, his gaze questioning, and Karl pointed at the surrounding ruins. "The problem with these buildings is that they did not collapse naturally or erode over time."
"Medium to large-sized creatures may inhabit these places, and they are very strong."
Thorin paused for a moment, then quickly turned to look at Gandalf. Earlier in the afternoon, Gandalf had warned that this area might be dangerous and advised continuing on rather than camping near the ruins. But at the time, he had thought Gandalf was just being stubborn and deliberately picking a fight, so he hadn't taken it seriously. He never imagined that Karl would say the same thing...
Gandalf, noticing Thorin looking at him, shook his head irritably and turned to walk over to Karl. The expression on his face clearly said: "I told you so, but you wouldn't listen."
The dwarves, including Kili and Fili, nodded and, taking the matter seriously, grew solemn. They unstrapped their weapons, took them in hand, and warily scanned the surrounding shadows. During this period, Karl's scouting abilities and observational skills had helped the company avoid many problems. For example, early detection of rockfalls, warning of impending heavy rains, and pointing out collapsed sections of roads. Today, Karl's words carried more weight than Gandalf's.
But Karl rarely gave proactive advice; he only warned when there was a risk of injury or death. At other times, he mostly remained silent, fearing that Thorin might think he was trying to seize leadership, as he had no desire to lead the company.
Gandalf walked over to Karl, and they stood side by side at the edge of the camp, their backs to the bustling dwarves. He glanced at Thorin and the others, then lowered his voice: "Karl, have you also noticed something wrong?"
Karl's gaze continued to sweep over the surrounding ruins. "At the moment, it's unclear what it is, but it's larger than our horses."
Gandalf's expression grew even more serious. He took a deep breath, a suppressed anger in his voice. "This afternoon, I suggested continuing on and not lingering here, but Thorin wouldn't listen to me!"
"He said everyone was tired and needed to rest, and that I was 'terrified of orcs.'"
Karl shrugged calmly: "Gandalf, there's no need to be angry."
"For a person like Thorin, I can teach you a method. After a few applications, he will start to listen to your advice on his own."
Gandalf paused, then turned to Karl with curiosity: "Oh? You have a good idea?"
Karl gave a faint smile and said: "It's simple. Whatever he says and whatever decisions he makes, as long as it doesn't directly harm you, you can agree with him and say he's right."
Gandalf was stunned, his pale eyebrows rising slightly: "That's all?"
"Exactly. People with this kind of personality become more enthusiastic the more others try to persuade them, and more stubborn the more they are opposed." Karl nodded. "Why not go along with him and let him overcome obstacles on his own, let him encounter new setbacks?"
"When the consequences become so serious that he cannot bear them, he will naturally understand that the advice others gave him was correct."
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