NOTIFICATION:

By now I have gone back to the second Unexpected Journey chapter and changed Salem back to Sauron.

Of course, by the vote, not will Sauron be himself, but Salem will now be Galadriel. So I hope you all enjoy what's your come this chapter.

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The viewing opened to reveal the Company traveling down a stone path, along a sloping hill surrounded by trees. They then made their way across an eloquent stone bridge above a streaming river, passing two statues of elven guards as they made their way to a stone staircase that stood at the foot of a great elven hall.

Angelic vocalizing rang through the theater as the dwarves entered the land of Rivendell. Roman in particular took interest in looking upon the elven towers and buildings, smiling at the splendor of the valley.

The Company then halted on a platform before the staircase as Ozpin the Grey stood in front of them. As the dwarves gave wary looks to the elven valley, an elf with long, brown hair, draped in elegant cloth, made his way past two elven guards.

"Mithrandir!" The elf called out.

Turning around, Ozpin smiled upon who he saw walking towards him and his comrades. "Ah, Lindir."

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"Mithrandir?" Ozpin questioned.

"It's what elves in Middle-Earth refer to you by." Vortech stated. "In the common tongue it translates to Grey pilgrim."

"I see." Ozpin nodded in return. "Fitting, given my counterpart's wandering nature."

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Lindir gave a gentle smile at Ozpin as he walked towards the group, holding his right hand on his chest before waving it out with a nod.

"Stay sharp." James whispered to Dwalin as they eyed Lindir in suspicion.

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"He really does expect the elves to do something despicable to them, doesn't he?" Ironwood asked while shaking his head.

"It seems he's not the only one." Winter observed. "It seems the other dwarves aren't as fond as elves either."

"Receiving no aid from the elves in their darkest hour really put a strain on the relationship of elves and dwarves, didn't it." Port said with a frown.

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"We heard you had crossed into the Valley." Lindir spoke to Ozpin in elvish.

"I must speak with Lord Nicholas." Ozpin informed Lindir.

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"So we are seeing grandfather." Weiss said. Her expression was somewhat schooled, yet she held and excited and expectant glint in her eyes.

"What was your grandfather like?" Ruby asked her partner.

"Brave. Strong-willed. Charismatic. Determined. Respected by everyone in his time." Weiss listed off before she solemnly shook her head. "Sadly, stories are all I have to go on in regards to grandfather. He passed away before I was born. Winter said all she could remember of him were a few pieces of what she could recall of from when she was a toddler."

"I know how that feels like." Ruby thought to herself, looking down as she thought of her mother.

Shaking her head Ruby put on a smile as she looked back at Weiss. "Well, you got to see him in the previews, and now you'll get to see him more as an elf. I'd call this as a win."

"Yes, I'm very eager to see him." Weiss thought with a smile. However, she inwardly sighed a bit. "Despite what's she's become, I do wish mother were here. She always spoke so fondly of grandfather before she filled her gullet with wine every day."

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"My Lord Nicholas is not here." Lindir replied back.

"Not here?" Ozpin asked. "Where is he?"

Just before Lindir could give his answer, the sound of an elven horn blared through the air, causing Lindir to glance to the side as Roman and the dwarves all turned around.

With a look of understanding, Ozpin turned around as well watching as a line of elven warriors on horseback rode down the same pathway the Company had taken.

James shouted in dwarvish to the Company as they began to crowd into each other in response to the armed elves that road their way. "Close ranks!"

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"This isn't going to end." Roman commented.

"The hatred is so bad that my counterpart is automatically assuming the incoming elves are going to attack them." Ironwood winced a bit.

"They're the same elves that saved you all from the Orcs!" Weiss shouted at the screen. "There's no need for alarm!"

"To be fair, they did start to ride up behind, unexpectedly." Jaune pointed out. "And right when the Company just got there too."

Weiss responded with her brow sternly raised, causing Jaune to gulp a bit.

"I'm just making an observation." Jaune rose his hands in defense.

"Anyone else heard a whip?" Yang asked with a bland look as she looked towards Jaune and Weiss.

"It cracked down hard." Cinder said.

"Like thunder." Ren added in.

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The elven warriors came riding in, circling around the dwarves as two of the elves bore banners of Rivendell.

Roman looked on in confusion in worry, having been placed in the center of the encasement of dwarves as the Company readied themselves for a potential battle. A few of them even growling and grunting at the elves.

The elven warriors continued to encircle the dwarves and Roman, looking at them while Ozpin watched from the outside of the encirclement.

Eventually the elves all halted their horses as Nicholas spoke out to Ozpin, his hair long and shimmering in ivory, draped in ornate, bronze armor. "Ozpin!"

"Lord Nicholas." Ozpin greeted to Nicholas with a smile.

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"That's your grandpa?" Yang asked Weiss. "He looks like a badass."

"Save the bronze armor, long hair, and pointy ears, he looks just as he does on the portrait at the Schnee manor." Weiss awed at the visage of her grandfather.

"Despite the preview, it's felt like an eternity since I ever laid eyes upon grandfather." Winter said with a small smile. "It feels nice seeing him again."

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Ozpin began to walk over to Nicholas as James and Dwalin gave the elven lord a dirty look.

"My friend!" Ozpin spoke to Nicholas in elvish, placing his right hand to his chest before waving it out to Nicholas with a bow. "Where have you been?"

"We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South." Nicholas answered Ozpin as he got off of his horse. "We slew a number near the Hidden Pass."

While the dwarves still eyed Nicholas in wariness, with Roman still unsure what to make of the situation, the ivory-haired elf walked over to Ozpin with a smile, hugging his old friend.

"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders." Nicholas commented as he held up an orcish blade, showing it to Ozpin. "Something or someone has drawn them near."

"Ah, that may have been us." Ozpin admitted as he showed Nicholas the Company.

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"No kidding." Roman remarked. "Those Orcs really want the dwarf prince dead. They were relentless."

"It's safe to say if there's one race that my counterpart and his kin despise more, it's the Orcs." Ironwood stated. "And Vice-versa."

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The dwarves lowered their weapons as James started to walk towards Nicholas with a stern look.

"Welcome, James. Son of Thrain." Nicholas greeted the dwarven prince.

"I do not believe we have met." James replied to Nicholas.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain." Nicholas told James.

"Indeed. He made no mention of you." James replied in an almost condescending tone.

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"Don't do this." Ironwood muttered with a sigh. "Nicholas is being hospitable. He hasn't even shown any form of malice to you."

"I know Winter is fond of General Ironwood, but I do not like his counterpart right now." Weiss scowled while shaking her head.

"It's human-faunus relations all over again." Ilia said with a frown.

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Roman and the other dwarves all watched the conversation unfold, with the hobbit having to stand on his toes a bit.

Nicholas narrowed his eyes a bit at James before speaking back to him in elvish.

"What is he sayin'?" Gloin growled out. "Does he offer us insult?!"

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"Yeah, what'd he say?!" Nora found herself shouting out in agreement with Gloin.

"As if my grandfather could show disrespect to his guests." Weiss affirmably stated. "My father, definitely, but never grandfather, counterpart or not."

"Then why didn't it show subtitles when he spoke in elvish?" Nora shot back at Weiss.

"As if we're always going to see subtitles for other languages." Weiss retorted, flipping her hair back a bit. "We don't ever see what the General's counterpart says in dwarvish."

"I'm certain if both of you calm down, you will find out what Sir Nicholas said." Pyrrha told Nora and Weiss, being the voice of reason.

Nora and Weiss didn't speak a word after that, yet they still gave each other dirty looks as the viewing went on.

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This had caused the dwarves to roar up in commotion, before being swiftly ceased by Ozpin.

"No, Master Gloin, he's offering you food." Ozpin explained to Gloin, and by proxy the other dwarves.

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"Oh..." Nora blinked in surprise. "Uh... my bad, Weiss."

"Apology accepted." Weiss replied, though not without a knowing smirk.

"So much for being the better woman." Blake muttered as she noticed Weiss's smirk, Yang nodding in agreement.

"I think you're letting that feeling you have with Gloin get to your head a bit." Ren told his partner.

"I'm not wrong in this, Ren. You can quote me on that." Nora replied with a firm look.

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Dwalin and James began to whisper to each other while the other dwarves all huddled together, indistinctly talking amongst themselves.

The dwarves then all turned back to face Ozpin and Nicholas.

"Ah, well... In that case, lead on." Gloin replied in a calmer manner.

With that, the dwarves and Roman all started to walk ahead.

The viewing quickly cut to the dwarves at two dinning tables that were placed on each side of a stone pedestal, their plates filled with various greens and vegetables.

"Try it." Dori told Ori as the younger dwarf inspected a large leafy green in apprehension. "Just a mouthful."

"I don't like green food." Ori replied, shaking his head before setting it down on his plate.

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin questioned as he dug through a bowl of salad.

"Hmm." Oin hummed as he inspected a piece of garlic that on his fork.

"Have they got any chips?" Ori asked as Dori drank from a glass of wine.

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"I take it the dwarves' diet mainly consists of anything that excludes vegetables." Emerald said with a deadpan.

"I like them more." Mercury commented.

"Dori doesn't seem to mind it." Pyrrha pointed out.

"They're dwarves. They need food that will make them strong, not bore their tastebuds." Nora waved off Pyrrha.

"Vegetables can taste good." Pyrrha said in defense. "They're an excellent choice for satisfying your palette."

"Don't kid yourself, Pyrrha." Nora rolled her eyes with a smile.

"I mean, vegetables are good for sides." Yang added in. "But I wouldn't eat them if that's all I was given to eat."

"You always whined when Dad gave you carrots." Ruby told her sister.

"You did the same with fried okra." Yang shot back at her with crossed arms.

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As the dwarves sat, two elves, one female and one male, beautifully strummed a set of harps. As the elves strummed their harps, Kili found himself staring through the cords of a harp, and into the eyes of the female elf. Kili smiled at her, winking a bit.

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"Ooh. Someone has a thing for elves." Yang coyly smirked at Kili.

"I can't say I blame him." Ilia admitted as she found herself lightly blushing at the elf's beauty.

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In the response, Dwalin gave Kili a stone cold look, indicating he did not like what Kili was thinking.

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"If looks could kill." Roman commented with a nervous chuckle.

"If Dwalin doesn't approve, you should probably quite before you even start." Jaune said with a nod.

"I guess dwarves falling in love with elves is a taboo to the dwarves." Blake said.

"It would definitely be an odd relationship." Glynda added in. "Thus far the elves have proven to be tall and elegant while the dwarves are short and brutish."

"Well you know what they say about opposites." Qrow told Glynda. "How else do you explain Raven having been with Tai?"

"True." Glynda said with a small shrug.

"I can't tell if I should be offended." Tai said as he looked between Qrow and Glynda.

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Kili soon frowned when he saw Dwalin's look before shaking his head. "I can't say I fancy elf maids myself. Too thin. They're all high-cheek bones and creamy skin."

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"Weiss in a nutshell." Yang remarked with a humored smile.

"Yes, her skin is quite pale." Penny added in, not realizing Yang was taking a crack at the heiress.

"I am going to take that as a compliment." Weiss said with a raised chin and her arms crossed.

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At this Bofur nodded in agreement with a grin.

"Not enough facial hair for me." Kili said before looking at an elf that passed by behind him and Bofur. "Although, that one there is not bad."

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"Facial hair?" Mercury asked with a grimace. "That doesn't sound right."

"Yes, given dwarven genetics, even the women tend to have beards or some variant of facial hair." Vortech informed the audience.

"Well there's a silly image." Penny said as she imagined a short woman with a beard.

"That's a lot of bearded ladies." Ruby said with a surprised look.

"It definitely sounds like an acquired taste." Ilia said, unsure of how she felt on the thought of bearded woman.

'I hope I'm not a dwarf in Middle-Earth.' Neo signed with a frown.

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Kili and Dwaling looked over to the elf before Dwalin whispered over to Kili. "That's not an elf maid."

The elf turned, revealing he was a male.

Kili looked back at Dwalin with a horrified look as Dwalin winked at him. The dwarves at both tables all started to laugh at Kili, even those more composed such as Balin.

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"Uh-oh." Emerald chuckled at the screen.

"Sucks for him." Mercury laughed at Kili's misfortune.

"Oof. That's gotta hurt to see." Qrow winced while shaking his head.

"It was most assuredly the long hair that got him." Port said while chuckling.

"If you looked at every elf with their backed turned, you wouldn't be able to tell who the guys and girls are because they all have long hair and slim bodies." Yang said with a laugh.

"One of the reasons I have my hair tied up." Ren added in with a small smile as he shook his head. "People originally confused me as a girl. Some still do."

"To be fair, Ren, you do have a feminine appearance." Weiss replied to Ren.

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"It's funny." Kili said with an angered nod, though he held his tongue from saying anything else.

"Kind of you to invite us." Ozpin told Nicholas as the two walked through elven halls. "Not really dressed for dinner."

Ozpin was without his pointy hat, and Nicholas had changed into more formal robes.

"Well, you never are." Nicholas replied to Ozpin in a joking manner.

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"It looks like you're pretty good friends with Nicholas Schnee in this universe." Glynda said to Ozpin.

"I'd imagine my counterpart makes all sorts of friends in his journeys." Ozpin replied back with a small smile. "While I can't say I ever knew Nicholas Schnee, he does seem to be quite the friendly and level-headed individual. It's a shame his life's work fell into more crooked hands."

"Nicholas also raises the excellent point of how you're never dressed for dinner." Glynda added in. "I can remember several occasions where the council members invited you for dinner, and you always wore the same attire."

Ozpin furrowed his eyes a bit at Glynda's words. "I don't see anything wrong with my wardrobe. I quite like it."

"But you wear it for every occasion." Glynda replied back. "You, James, and Qrow all do it."

"I mean, my clothes should be formal enough." Ironwood said in defense as he looked over his military uniform.

"What about you?" Qrow asked Glynda. "I always see you wear the same blouse, skirt, and leggings all the time too."

"When I'm on the job." Glynda retorted back while pushing up her glasses. "I put on more a normal attire whenever I sleep or I'm invited to a formal gathering."

"I wouldn't call your sleep attire as normal." Tai thought to himself as he looked at Glynda. He remembered something from Summer that Glynda liked to sleep in lingerie-esq clothing with a translucent nightgown.

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Ozpin gave a small chuckle as he and Nicholas walked up the short steps that led to the dinning table the dwarves and Roman sat at, James walking not too far behind the two.

A female elf softly played a flute, something that seemed to irk Oin a bit. In response, the elderly dwarf plugged up his hearing horn with a table cloth. Oin then out the horn back up to his ear, smiling and chuckling as the soft music was now tuned out from him.

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"Rude." Weiss scowled at Oin with crossed arms.

Nora yawned a bit at the music being played. "Is this dinner music or a lullaby? I'm feeling tired by listening to it."

"It's called art, Nora." Weiss told the ginger bomber. "It's serene and classical."

"Boring's more like it." Mercury said off to the side.

"You clearly can't appreciate the finer things in life, Mercury." Cinder told to her subordinate, as she found herself calmed but the elves' music.

"I believe finer is subjective." Mercury replied back to his boss, getting an eye roll from Emerald in response.

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Ozpin, Nicholas, and James now sat at a round table, separate from the other dwarves and Roman with Nicholas sitting on the end as he inspected James's newfound elven sword.

"This is Orcrist, the Goblin-Cleaver." Nicholas told James as he inspected the blade. "A famous blade, forged by the High elves of the West. My kin."

Nicholas sheathed Orcrist, handing it back to James.

"May it serve you well." Nicholas told James, prompting the dwarven prince to nod back to him.

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"So the swords have names." Ironwood said with an interested glance.

"Well every good weapon deserves a name." Ruby said with a bright smile. "I don't know about the name Orcrist, but Goblin-cleaver sounds cool."

"It's obvious where the name came from." Ilia commented.

"Nevertheless, for a blade to be famous and well known, it must have quite the history to it." Pyrrha said.

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Ozpin then handed his blade to Nicholas, whom promptly unsheathed it a bit. "And this is Glamdring... The Foehammer. Sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the Goblin Wars of the First Age."

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"Glamdring." Ozpin repeated as he gave some thought to the name. "I quite like the ring of it."

"A king's sword." Jaune said with awe. "Now that sounds awesome. Especially it's other title: Foehammer."

"Why is it even called Foehammer?" Nora asked.

"Perhaps it's more durable than most blades." Penny opted a suggestion.

"Perhaps." Weiss said before analyzing the screen. "My question is how did such famous and well-crafted swords end up in something so filthy as a Troll-hoard?"

"Even I have yet to discover that." Vortech admitted. "All I know is that the trolls may have stole them from other thieves, or from the mines of Moria before the Orcs laid claim to it."

"Well at least they're back in more respectful and safe now." Ruby said with smiling nod.

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As Nicholas spoke, Roman looked down into his lap, unsheathing his elvish shortsword, working up the urge to see if Nicholas could inform him of it as well.

"I wouldn't bother, laddie." Balin told Roman, knowing what the hobbit was thinking of. "Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" Roman asked the white-haired dwarf.

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"How come the wizard and the cranky dwarf get to know the names of their swords?" Roman asked with narrowed eyes. "My sword's elvish and ancient. Surely it has a name."

"I gotta agree with Torchwick on this one. I want to know the name of his shortsword too." Ruby agreed with the criminal.

"Well, if Balin is correct in assuming Torchwick's blade has yet to see battle, then it wouldn't have a name to begin with." Oobleck stated. "If the era of this universe is similar to the medieval times of our world, then weapons would only be named by their feats in battle. They wouldn't have the same system of huntsmen and huntresses naming their weapons at first sight as we do in the modern era."

"Doctor Oobleck has a point." Jaune jumped into the conversation. "My sword, Crocea Mors was named for its feats among my family back in the Great War. From Mistrali, it translates to Yellow Death."

Ruby rose her finger in an attempt to protest, but the words of her fellow leader and history teacher had caused her to think. "Huh... I guess you would be right."

"Dammit." Roman swore with a frown. "Well then my hobbit counterpart better come up with a name for that sword soon. And it better be cool too."

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"I'm not actually sure it is a sword." Balin admitted to Roman, getting the hobbit to give his blade an unsure look. "More of a letter opener, really."

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At this, Roman sagged a bit while crossing his arms. "It's a letter opener that will cut through you clean if you try to disrespect it."

'Don't worry. Size doesn't matter.' Neo signed to Roman as she patted his shoulder.

"You know, Neo, I honestly can't tell if you're just saying that to make me feel better." Roman looked towards his accomplice.

Neo rose a brow at her boss while putting a hand on her hip as she signed again. 'I'm the living embodiment of that phrase.'

Seeing this, Roman replied with a relenting shrug. "Eh. I guess you've got a point there."

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"How did you come by these?" Nicholas asked Ozpin as he still held Glamdring.

"We found them in a Troll-hoard on the Great East Road." Ozpin told Nicholas as James looked towards the two. "Shortly before we were ambushed by Orcs."

Nicholas looked to James before looking back at Ozpin. "And what were you doing on the Great East Road?"

James then looked up with a wary look. Nicholas then turned his head towards Ozpin for an answer.

"Excuse me." James grunted as he got up from the round table, walking away as Ozpin drank from his wine glass.

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"Careful, General, running away only makes you look guilty." Roman called out to Ironwood, holding a sly smirk on his face.

Ironwood responded by rolling his eyes before looking back at the criminal. "Speaking from experience? I've heard running away is your favorite thing to do."

"Woah, woah, woah. Running away is such a strong word choice." Roman rose his hands in a stopping motion. "I prefer the term "tactical retreat". Something I'm sure you're experienced with."

"I tactically retreat when nothing can be salvaged." Ironwood responded back. "You retreat at the first sign of trouble."

"That is not true." Roman retorted back.

Immediately Roman found himself being eyed by the entirety of team RWBY, Glynda Goodwitch, and even Neo. Every single one of them raising their brows at him, with Neo having her arms crossed.

"Okay... partially true." Roman relented from all the looks.

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As James left, Nicholas drank from his own glass as he talked to Ozpin. "Thirteen dwarves and a halfling. Strange traveling companions, Ozpin."

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"That's Ozpin for you." Qrow commented before taking a swing of his flask. "Always roping in the more colorful people in the world."

"Those, admittedly, this group is probably the strangest I've ever seen Ozpin with." Glynda said after giving the prospect some thought.

"What can I say? I don't discriminate." Ozpin replied with a small shrug.

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"These are the descendants of the house of Durin." Ozpin pointed out. "They're noble, decent folk. And they're surprisingly comfort."

As Ozpin said this, Nori sneakily pocketed an ornate pepper shaker within his coat while Bombur munched on his food with an open mouth.

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"He says that right as Bombur eats like a pig and Nori steals an elven seasoning shaker." Weiss scowled at the two dwarves.

"Well, I'd argue it's the thought that counts." Nora stated to Weiss.

"What thought? They're contradicting Professor Ozpin's words the moment he speaks them." Weiss retorted back.

"They have spirit and heart. That's all that matters." Nora crossed her arms.

"It's best to let it go. It's going to be hard for you to win against Nora in an argument." Ren advised to Weiss. "Believe me. I've both tried, and failed."

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"They've got a deep love of the arts." Ozpin added in.

"Change the tune, why don't you?" Nori asked one of the elves playing a harp before looking back to the others at the table. "I feel like I'm at a funeral."

"Did somebody die?" Oin asked as he looked around in confusion.

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"They're being worse then they were at Torch-End." Weiss complained. "At least there, they were somewhat respectful. With the elves, they're showing no which gratitude save for a small few."

"Well, they're dwarves. What do you expected them to do? Sit quietly and listen to drab music?" Nora asked Weiss with a drawl.

"They're gonna go at this for some time, aren't they?" Ruby asked as she looked towards Weiss and Nora with a bland look.

"Most likely." Ren replied to her.

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"All right, lads. There's only one thing for it." Bofur stated as he got up from his seat and walked atop the table, walking past plates and cups before hopping atop the stone pedestal between both tables.

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"Have these dwarves lost all sense of propriety and respect?" Winter asked with a glare.

"I wouldn't say they so much lost it, it's just that they may never have had any for the elves." Sienna said.

"Shush. I wanna hear what Bofur's about to do." Roman told to Sienna. "Hopefully it will be more entertaining than what we're seeing."

Sienna sent a deathly glare Roman's way but chose to say nothing as she looked back at the screen. "I do hope Vortech will allow me to take a crack at Torchwick during the next intermission."

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"🎶There's an inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old in.🎶" Bofur began to sing, grabbing Ozpin and Nicholas's as Bofur stomped his feet on the pedestal. "🎶Beneath an old grey hill. And there they brew a beer so brown that the Man in the Moon himself came down one night to drink his fill.🎶"

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"Hey, I kind of like this song." Ruby said with a smile as she found herself tapping her foot to the beat.

"Now this is what you call a pub song." Qrow smirked as he rose his flask to the air.

"Finally, some actual music." Nora said in relief.

"You just were listening to actual music." Weiss sent an annoyed look at Nora.

"Maybe, but this one is more enjoyable." Yang told Weiss as Nora nodded in agreement.

"Ugh. I'm surrounded by brutes and maniacs." Weiss muttered while shaking her head.

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As Bofur sang, the other dwarves started to join in, their voices bolstering the song as the drummed their fists against their tables. And before anyone knew it, the dwarves started to toss around and throw food. It started when one dwarf through a biscuit beside Nicholas's head. Nicholas looked at what happened with a strange look as Ozpin face grew in wariness.

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Both Weiss and Winter scowled at the screen, both wanting to know which dwarf through that biscuit.

"Oh, dear." Ozpin spoke with a worried look.

"So much for being proper guests." Ironwood said while shaking his head. Though he also couldn't help but smile a bit at the song and how lively the dwarves were.

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"🎶Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat that plays a five-string fiddle: And up and down he saws his bow now squeaking high, now purring low.🎶" Bofur continued to sing, moving his hands as if he were strumming along a fiddle.

The dwarves laughed and continue to toss food around as the elves all looked to the sight with strange looks.

"🎶Now sawing in the middle.🎶" Bofur continued as the dwarves laughed, tossing around more and more food as Bifur clanged around a spoon and a fork to the beat, tapping them against his head. "🎶So the cat and the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle, a jig that would wake the dead: He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune, while the landlord shook the Man in the Moon: It's after three! He said.🎶"

Bombur then threw a biscuit towards Nicholas, the biscuit flying past Nicholas's head, prompting Nicholas to sharply turn his head towards Bombur while Ozpin held a shocked and embarrassed look just as he began to eat from his plate.

The dwarves all laughed as they tossed more food around, making a mess of the place. Kili then picked up a biscuit and promptly through it at a nearby elven statue, narrowly missing Lindir's head as the elf gave the sight a perturbed look.

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"Encore!" Roman cheers out while Neo clapped her hands in approval.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Port clapped his hands with a hearty chuckle. "That was some fine singing."

"And a fine way to disturb their hosts." Winter added with her eye twitching at Kili and Bombur.

"Well, regardless of the dwarves' mannerisms, it was quite a fun song." Pietro admitted with a small smile.

"Yeesh. You can really see the embarrassment in Professor Ozpin's eyes." Ruby smiled with a wince.

"Who could blame him? The dwarves made an utter mess out of their dinner." Weiss scowled at the disrespect the dwarves were showing to her grandfather's counterpart.

"They were definitely jovial, to say the least." Pyrrha said with a sheepish smile.

"Those are the kind of people I want to party with." Nora grinned at the screen.

"I wouldn't." Cinder thought to herself with a narrowed look. "If those dwarves ever made in home I owned, I would incinerate ever last one of them... Mercury would probably like them though."

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Later after dinner, all seemed quite and serene. Roman was by himself, walking around the halls and elegant buildings of Rivendell, taking in the beautiful sights. He looked upon an oil painting on a wall before coming upon an altar of sorts.

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"Looks like we get to spend some time with me." Roman said with a smile.

"At least he's far more tolerable than the dwarves." Weiss muttered to herself.

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The alter itself was a cloaked, elven statue that held a stone shield in its arms. Roman saw that upon the shield a blue, stone wrapping, that held the shards of a sword upon it. The sword appeared to be very elegant and expertly forged. Save for the sword being shattered, there was no other damage to it.

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"What's that all about?" Qrow asked with a hint of intrigue.

"Judging by its positioning, I'd wager it's an altar, or tribute of some kind." Oobleck analyzed. "Almost like a museum piece."

"I get that. I'm asking about the significance of the sword." Qrow said as he then looked expectantly at Vortech.

"Those are the Shards of Narsil." Vortech stated. "Used by one of the greatest king's of men, Elendil, during the War of the Last Alliance."

"This Middle-Earth seems to have a lot of wars." Sienna commented.

"There's a lot of wicked creatures in Middle-Earth." Vortech replied back to her.

"I take it that sword was damaged in battle." Pyrrha said more so as an observation.

"You would be correct." Vortech replied to the Invincible Girl.

"I guess this King Elendil was important to the elves." Ruby said before softly smiling. "That's nice of them."

____________________________

As Roman walked towards the alter he then turned his head to an oil painting adjacent to it.

The painting itself depicted and armored man wielding a sword the glowed brightly. He had been brought to the ground, holding his sword against a large and imposing figure who wielded a mace. The figure was draped in scorched metal armor, surrounded in shadow, wearing a full-headed and crowned helmet with eye and nose slits that resembled that of a horse's skull; his eyes glowing with an evil light.

____________________________

There was a resounding cold air felt through everyone in the audience when they saw the armored and shadow-draped behemoth in the oil painting.

Ozpin and Cinder, in the meantime, had felt an aura not so different from when the audience saw the Necromancer. As with the Necromancer, they felt a power similar to that which Salem wields, but just like the Necromancer, it felt more dark and cruel.

"I assume that painting depicts the events of the battle." Ozpin said as he gripped the arm of his seat, furrowing his eyes.

"Elendil's son, Isildur, facing down the Dark Lord of Middle-Earth." Vortech explained. "It was to this entity that the Orcs had sworn fealty to, before his defeat. The Shards of Narsil are not only a tribute, but a also a reminder of the victory and losses dealt that day."

"Must have been some battle." Jaune remarked as he was still unnerved by the painting.

"It was a battle that would decide the fate of Middle-Earth." Vortech added in.

"It's a good thing that Dark Lord lost." Ruby stated while growing at the painting. "It sounds like it would have been very bad if he won."

____________________________

As Roman eyed the painting the sound of marching, howling, and screams echoed out to the audience. His eyes drifted to something that glowed upon the dark figure's hand. A ring. Golden and glowing in wicked splendor. Roman's eyes stared at the ring for some time, and nothing else.

____________________________

Roman had felt a similar feeling to his counterpart when he looked upon the ring on the Dark Lord's finger. He couldn't explain it, but he felt something akin to when he first saw the Arkenstone. But unlike the Arkenstone this ring, it felt far more... Precious.

____________________________

After that, Roman walked around more of Rivendell, crossing its elegant a bridges over streams of water, walking along platforms and elven pavilions. Roman then stood outside of the elven great hall, his hands behind his head as he smiled at the sight before him, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath.

____________________________

"The elves really did pick a splendid place to call home." Penny commented with a smile.

"The architecture they use helps to increase the serenity of Rivendell." Weiss added in as she too smiled at the scenery. "It's nothing to extravagant and fancy, yet it's also nothing too dull or basic."

"In other words: it's perfect." Yang smiled as well.

"Like I said, it looks like a nice retirement home." Roman said, though he too couldn't help but smile at his counterpart's obvious love of Rivendell. Never had he'd seen himself so happy and calm. It was refreshing from his more criminal life.

____________________________

Nicholas was then shown walking up behind Roman, the hobbit now having his hands behind his back as he stood on a balcony.

"Not with your companions?" Nicholas asked Roman.

Surprised a bit by Nicholas talking to him, Roman stuttered out an answer. "Uh, I-I shan't be missed."

Nicholas gave a questioning look to Roman as the hobbit continued. "The truth is, most of them don't think I should be on this journey."

____________________________

"Dwalin, Gloin, Nori, the Dwarf prince." Roman listed off his fingers. "It's like they have a pack mentality against me."

"Balin and Oin like you." Ruby pointed out.

"Two out of thirteen isn't good odds, Red." Roman deadpanned at Ruby.

"Well Professor Ozpin thinks you should be there, he carries majority vote." Ruby retorted with crossed arms.

"I think it's less of a majority thing and more that Ozpin's the stern wizard." Blake told her team leader.

"My counterpart has been shown to be far more stubborn and angry than I usually am." Ozpin said with a thoughtful look.

____________________________

"Indeed?" Nicholas asked Roman as he looked him over. "I've heard that hobbits are very resilient."

Roman couldn't help but give a scoffing chuckle before looking up at Nicholas, finding that the ivory-haired elf was being serious. "Really?"

____________________________

"Who fed you that piece of information?" Roman asked with a raised brow. "All the hobbits we saw are farmers."

"There were the Tooks that Wizard-Ozpin talked about." Ruby said. "And your counterpart did decide to go on journey to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug."

Roman gave some thought to this before giving a shrugging nod. "Eh. I'll give you that."

____________________________

Nicholas nodded as he looked back down at Roman, quite for a moment before speaking again. "I've also heard they're fond of the comforts of home."

Roman nodded slightly before glancing back a bit as he replied to Nicholas. "Well I've heard it's unwise to seek the council of elves. For they will answer both "yes" and "no"."

Nichols then looked to Roman with a more stern appearance causing the hobbit to become worried that he had offended him. However, Nicholas soon smiled in jest at Roman, prompting the hobbit to give a nervous chuckle.

____________________________

"Did... did the Nicholas Schnee laugh at a joke I made?" Roman asked with a befuddled look.

"I... think he did." Winter replied with her own confused look.

"Mother always did say grandfather was very friendly." Weiss said as she gave the screen a strange look. "It's how father was able to weasel his way into grandfather's and mother's graces."

____________________________

"You are very welcome to stay here, if that is your wish." Nicholas told Roman, placing a hand on his shoulder before walking off, leaving Roman to think on his words.

____________________________

"This feels so surreal." Roman continued to have a surprised look.

"The thought of grandfather giving Roman Torchwick and invitation to stay at his home would be the last thing I would have ever thought of happening." Weiss blinked at the screen. "Oh, who am I kidding? That's something I wouldn't have ever thought of."

'You're a VIP.' Neo signed to her boss.

____________________________

"The kitchen's under a lot of strain, we are almost out of wine." Lindir spoke to Nicholas in elvish as the two were shown walking together through the buildings. "How long do you think they'll be with us?"

"That has yet to be decided." Nicholas replied to Lindir.

____________________________

"I see the dwarves are all ready exhausting the limits of their hosts." Sienna commented with a bland look.

"Dwarves love to drink." Qrow chuckled a bit.

"Looks like they ruin every kitchen, no matter who's home they're at." Roman shook his head with an exasperated sigh.

____________________________

Both elves were then brought to the sight of all the dwarves, save James and Balin, playing around and bathing in a large and ornate elvish fountain beside a large elvish statue holding a bowl. All of them naked as their clothes were scattered on the floor. Some of the dwarves slid down the the water that streamed from the large stone bowl while Bombur cannonballed into one of the fountain pools, creating a large wave of water that splashed out as the dwarves laughed.

Nicholas held a more schooled look at the sight while Lindir grimaced at it, sharing a small glance with Nicholas before the two elves walked away from the sight.

____________________________

A majority of the audience held varying looks of being perturbed, some more revolted at the sight of the dwarves bathing naked in the large fountain more than others.

"Well... when in Vale." Jaune said with a bewildered look.

"Oh, dear." Pyrrha uttered while looking away from the screen.

"Girls, avert your eyes." Taiyang told to his daughters.

"That goes for you too, Penny." Pietro called out to his daughter.

"Talk about risky." Yang commented while sharing a look with Blake, not heading to her father's words.

"They have less shame than you." Blake told her partner.

"And you." Yang added in with crossed arms.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ilia said as her freckles turned green.

"Isn't there a law against this kind of stuff?" Ruby asked while covering her eyes with her hands.

"On Remnant, most definitely." Winter said with a grimace. "Though I can't speak for Middle-Earth."

"I tried to bathe in a fountain once." Nora commented, seemingly unfazed by the scene. "Ren stopped me though."

"It was public indecency, Nora." Ren replied to his partner.

"I need to bleach my eyes." Emerald said with a frown.

"Get in line." Cinder added with a revolted scowl.

"Men are going to be men, no matter what universe." Sienna commented with a drawl.

Qrow merely shrugged at the scene. There were a few times he took bathes in fountains whenever he was a bird.

"I-I don't... I just... why?" Weiss asked with a scandalized look.

"There's an image I'm not going to get out of my head any time soon." Glynda sighed while rubbing the bridge of her nose.

'Dwarves gone wild.' Neo signed with a grimace while Roman shook his head while looking to the floor.

"There's nothing wrong with bathing in the great outdoors." Port proclaimed. "It's not as if they have actual showers, given the era this universe is set in."

"I do believe the women in the audience disagree with you, Port." Ozpin told the Grimm biology teacher with a bland look.

____________________________

The viewing cut to night, the elven halls and houses alit with candles and torches as the moon shown brightly against the great hall.

"Our business is no concern of elves." James stated.

"For goodness sake, James..." Ozpin sternly spoke. "Show him the map."

Roman stood off to the side, casting the conversation a look as he, Balin, James, Ozpin, and Nicholas all stood in the halls behind the dinning table, the moon shining through.

"It is the legacy of my people." James retorted back to Ozpin as Balin stood by him. "It is mine to protect, as are its secrets."

"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves!" Ozpin muttered. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Nicholas."

____________________________

"Looks like we're back to my counterpart's daily routine of mistrusting elves." Ironwood said as everyone had gotten over the incident with the dwarves being naked.

"Ozpin's counterpart raised an excellent point. Withholding information because of pride can be dangerous pending on what's at stake." Glynda stated while pushing up her glasses.

"It's one thing to be cautious, but my counterpart needs to learn to trust others than his own kin if he wishes to succeed in the journey to Erebor." Ironwood said with a stern look.

____________________________

At this, Nicholas looked towards James as Roman glanced over to the dwarven prince. Balin looked to James as well, everyone seeing the stare James sent Nicholas's way. However, James relented and pulled out the map from within his coat.

"James, no." Balin tried to stop James from giving Nicholas the map.

____________________________

Ironwood sighed as he thought to himself. "It seems even Balin distrusts the elves. It's truly sad this all started because Thror had grown greedy."

____________________________

However James brushed past his companion, holding the folded up map to Nicholas, who took it into his hand.

Unfolding it, Nicholas analyzed the map before looking up. "Erebor? What is your interest in this map?"

James looked forward at Nicholas while Roman glanced around.

"It's mainly academic." Ozpin said, cutting in before James could say something he shouldn't. "As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text."

____________________________

"Quick thinking. Don't want to hear about the elves trying to prevent us on our dangerous quest." Roman commented.

"My counterpart did say the elves wouldn't approve of the quest, should they know of it." Ozpin said while glancing back at Torchwick.

"Though unless Ozpin's counterpart also explains why he was traveling with that many dwarves, and Torchwick, it will seem suspicious that Ozpin's explanation for all of this is in regards to academic purposes." Ironwood stated.

____________________________

Nicholas then started to pace around as Ozpin caste James a look, the dwarven prince sighing a bit as he held his tongue.

"You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?" Ozpin asked Nicholas.

Nicholas held the map up again as he continued to analyze it. "Cirth Ithil."

"Moon runes?" Ozpin asked. "Of course."

Ozpin then glanced over to to Roman, who looked back at him. "An easy thing to miss."

____________________________

"Moon runes?" Blake asked in intrigue.

"It's about to be explained if you watch further." Vortech told to Blake, albeit with a hint of rudeness in his tone as he pointed his staff towards the screen.

____________________________

"Well, in this case, that is true." Nicholas told Ozpin as he continued to observe the map. "Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

____________________________

"Well that's convenient." Roman commented with a surprised look.

"And also very specific." Qrow added with a raised brow. "That's basically saying these Moon runes can only be read at a very specific time."

"It does sound as if they would work for secret messages though." Blake pointed out. "But, yeah, the fact it can only be read under a specific moon during a specific season is kind of unfortunate."

____________________________

"Can you read them?" James asked Nicholas as the ivory-haired elf turned to face him.

Nicholas was then shown leading Ozpin, Roman, James, and Balin to a crystalline pedestal at the edge of a cliff, underneath some of the waterfalls that surrounded the valley.

____________________________

"Now there's a beautiful sight." Yang said with a whistle.

"The waterfalls under the night sky are quite magnificent." Weiss said with an awed expression. "It continues to further the serenity of Rivendell."

"This place is giving Patch a run for its money on how peaceful it all seems." Tai observed with a smile.

____________________________

"These runes were written on a midsummer's eve by the light of crescent moon nearly two-hundred years ago." Nicholas explained as he walked up to the pedestal, placing the map upon it as the other walked up behind him. "It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell."

Nicholas them turned his head back towards James. "Fate is with you, James Ironwood. The same moon shines upon us tonight."

Hearing this, James turned his head up to see a bright and glowing crescent moon peering out from the moving clouds of the night sky.

____________________________

"Okay, that's very convenient." Roman blinked with wide eyes.

"Either this is actually fate at work, or some very lucky convenience." Ironwood said. "Nevertheless at least this means we can see what these Moon Runes are about."

____________________________

The moon's rays shone through the waterfall and onto the map, causing everyone to look as the light that shone onto the pedestal caused bright blue symbols to appear on the map.

____________________________

"Oh, it's like a black-light effect." Ruby said in realization. "Except in a natural kind of way."

"I'd use the term supernatural, but I still agree with your sentiment." Weiss told her partner.

____________________________

"Stand by the grey stone when the Thrush knocks..." Nicholas read from the runes. "And the setting Sun with the last light of Durin's Day... will shine upon the key-hole."

"Durin's Day?" Roman questioned.

"It is the start of the Dwarves' New Year." Ozpin turned to Roman. "When the last moon of Autumn and the first Sun of Winter appear in the sky together."

____________________________

"Dwarves on a New Year's Day. I wonder how that's would go." Qrow said while chuckling a bit.

"Given how they act on a daily basis, I'd wager dwarves celebrating their New Year's Day would be far more hectic." Winter said with a frowning thought.

"I can see it all ready." Nora placed her head in her hands, looking up with a grin on her face.

____________________________

"This is ill news." James stated as he looked to the others. "Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

____________________________

"And it suddenly just got really inconvenient." Roman said with lowered eyelids.

"If Middle-Earth was as advanced as Remnant, then this wouldn't be much of an issue." Ozpin said. "But since it isn't, the trek to Erebor will perhaps take around a year to complete."

"A near forty days have all ready passed since they all first left Hobbiton." Vortech added in.

"Wow, seriously?" Ruby asked with a surprised look.

"It makes sense." Blake said. "Not only do they have to stick together, but they have to be careful in trying to reach Erebor. The viewing was probably cut down a lot so we'd only see essential points in the universe."

"It especially doesn't help that the ponies were scared off." Weiss stated. "That's going to make the journey even more difficult."

"That's a lot of walking." Jaune said as unknowingly began to rub his foot.

"It's times like these were I'm actually thankful I don't have real legs." Mercury thought to himself.

"Hopefully the Company will be able to find some way to get to Erebor at a faster rate." Ironwood said with a frown. "Otherwise this quest will be for naught."

____________________________

"We still have time." Balin confidently assured James.

"Time? For what?" Roman asked Balin.

"To find the entrance." Balin told Roman before looking back at James. "We have to be standing in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only them, can the door be opened."

"So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain?" Nicholas questioned.

____________________________

'Cats out of the bag.' Neo signed.

"So much for secrecy." Roman remarked with an eye roll.

"Well, who knows. Maybe the elves won't physically try to stop the Company." Ruby suggested in a sheepish tone.

"Nicholas doesn't exactly sound too thrilled about the revelation." Ilia told Ruby.

____________________________

"What of it?" James asked Nicholas as he turned and look up at him, seemingly taking offense to his question.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." Nicholas calmly replied, handing James back the map.

"Who do you mean?" Ozpin asked Nicholas.

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-Earth." Nicholas told Ozpin before walking away.

Ozpin then looked back, staring out to the night sky as he thought on Nicholas's words.

____________________________

"So Oz isn't the only cryptic guy around." Qrow remarked.

"Is he talking about the other wizards?" Ozpin asked. "Disregarding Barty, given that we have all ready seen him."

"If it is the other wizards, I hope it's those two blue ones your counterpart spoke of." Ironwood said with a grimace. "I wouldn't want to see Arthur Watts again so soon."

"Agreed." Cinder thought to herself.

____________________________

The viewing was still night as it cut to another location, a tall hill that housed the stone ruins of an old watch-tower. Wargs bowled in the distance as it was shown.

____________________________

"Wargs." Ironwood said with narrowed eyes.

"It seems we're back to the Orcs." Sienna commented. "Though if that's their base of operations, it's looks to be in very poor condition."

"Amon Sûl. Otherwise known as Weathertop." Vortech told the audience. "The highest summit of all the weather hills. It's a watcher tower that looks over the Great East Road, halfway between the Shire and Rivendell."

"That would explain how the Orcs were able to catch up to the Company." Winter said with a scowl. "They were all ready close to begin with."

____________________________

Within the confines of Weathertop, Yazneg and Fimbik walked through it, passing by several Orcs before coming upon several Wargs that growled at them.

Yazneg then brought his attention over to a white Warg the gave a roaring growl to him. Several feet away from the white Warg was a tall, pale orc, littered with patterned scars. A makeshift metal claw used for his left hand which had been severed many, many years ago.

____________________________

Ironwood glared at the screen, remembering well the shape of his counterpart's most hated enemy.

"Azog." Ozpin recognized with a grim tone.

"I knew he wouldn't be dead from just a lost hand." Weiss said with furrowed eyes.

"That is a very poor attempt at replacing an appendage." Pietro said with a frown. "It's just a crude, metal claw."

"I'm certain Azog would find a way to make it useful." Pyrrha said as she gave the screen a leveled glare.

"He even has a white Warg to go with his pale skin." Ruby pointed out.

"That is the Warg Matriach. Mother of the Wargs within the Orc pack." Vortech said.

"The leader of the Orc pack paired with the mother of the Warg pack." Cinder mused. "Fitting."

____________________________

"The Dwarves, Master..." Yazneg groveled to Azog as the Wargs stalked behind him. "...we lost them."

A few of the Wargs then started to growl at Yazneg, causing him and Fimbul to turn around in alarm.

"Ambushed by Elvish filth, we were—." Yazneg continued to explain to Azog.

"I don't want excuses." Azog replied back to Yazneg in Black Speech, turning around to face his soldier as he walked over to him, petting his white Warg as he walked. "I want the head of the Dwarf King!"

____________________________

"Something myself and Salem share with this Azog." Cinder thought to herself. "Excuses show nothing but failed results. And failed results separate those that are useless from those that are useful."

"Someone's about to be put to the axe." Qrow commented after taking a swing of his flask. "Literally, in this case, I think."

____________________________

"We were outnumbered..." Yazneg tried to explain, cowering in fear of Azog. "...there was nothing we could do. I barely escaped with my life."

"Far better you had..." Azog trailed off, brushing his remaining hand over Yazneg's scalp, towering over the orc captain. "...paid with it."

Azog gave a calmed growl as he then raised Yaznge by the throat with his claw-hand, choking the orc captain.

Azog then gave out a loud yell before throwing away Yazneg with great strength. Yaznge was sent flying into a stone pillar, breaking his neck and killing him on impact as the Warg pack then started to lung at his carcass, roaring and growling as they all tore into it.

Fimbul grunted in fear at what had happened before looking back at Azog, alongside the white Warg as pale orc walked back over to his original spot.

____________________________

"Damn, he's got a good throw with that prosthetic." Yang said with wide eyes.

"And compared to the other Orcs, I've only now realized just how tall Azog is." Ruby said with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"I see Azog prefers to rule through fear." Glynda spoke with disdain in her tone, grimacing at the sight.

"He even let Yazneg's corpse become dog food for the Wargs." Blake said with a concerned look. "Azog might be worse than Adam, and I've barely seen what all the pale Orc can do."

"Despicable." Winter scowled as Ironwood nodded in agreement. "Even if the Orcs are monsters."

"So much for any sense of brotherhood or loyalty." Sienna scowled as well.

"I'd argue Azog set the perfect example as to what happens to those who fail." Cinder thought to herself while inwardly smirking.

____________________________

"The Dwarf-scum will show themselves soon enough." Azog stated as he turned around, looking out to Fimbul and the other Orcs as they began to hop onto their Warg mounts. "Send out word... there is a price on their heads."

Azog let out another yell as the Orcs upon their Wargs ran forth from Weathertop and out into the night to fulfill their master's orders.

____________________________

"And now he's making to where the Company will be placed in an inevitable corner." Cinder commented, this smiling on the inside.

"The Orcs chasing us are one thing, but who knows what else lies in the world of Middle-Earth that will aid them in hunting us down." Ironwood said as he furrowed his eyes.

"We've all ready seen what other horrors lie in Middle-Earth." Ozpin said with a grim look. "Trolls, giant spiders, dragons, wraiths... and the Necromancer."

"Yeah, I don't think I want to be on the radar of something that can raise the dead." Roman said with a shiver down his spine.

____________________________

Back in Rivendell, the dwarves were conversing with each other.

"I'd rather you didn't." Dori stated as indistinct talking ensued.

"You do the same thing." Ori replied to Dori.

"It's not like you didn't do it." Nori added in.

The rest of Company had all gathered around a small campfire as they ate biscuits and sausages.

"Dori! Here. Take that." Dwalin called out to the elderly dwarf.

Bofur had just finished roasting a sausage over the fire before a creaking sound had brought his eyes up to Bombur, whom was probing a bit heavy for the wooden bench he sat upon as he ate from a plate filled with biscuits.

Glancing at the sausage in his hands, an idea came to Bofur. "Bombur!"

Bofur then promptly tossed the sausage towards his overweight brother as Bombur caught it in his hand. However a worried look grew on Bombur's face the wooden bench he sat upon creaked more.

"Aah!" Bombur shouted as the bench he sat on gave way, causing him to fall to the ground with his flood flying.

Immediately all the dwarves started to laugh roaringly at Bombur's misfortune, with Bofur taking the most amusement from it.

____________________________

Despite the imminent threat of the Orcs on the horizon, this scene caused several in the audience to chuckle a bit.

"That will be lesson to try and loose some weight." Emerald said with a giggle.

"With how fat he is?" Mercury chuckled while shaking his head. "Even with all the running and fighting they've all been doing, I don't think he can lose any of it."

"It's good to see Bofur both cares for, and teases his brother in regards to his weight." Winter drawled out.

"What else are siblings for?" Yang rhetorically asked with a smile as she wrapped her arm around Ruby's shoulder.

"You shame me for eating cookies and loving weapons, and I shame you for loving your hair so much." Ruby told Yang with a sweet smile.

"And if you ever roast marshmallows over it again, I'm going set fire to your secret cookie stash." Yang replied to Ruby with a more so eerily sweet smile before she showed the same face to Blake and Weiss. "Along with your "Ninja's of love" book and your daily planner."

"You wouldn't dare." Weiss was taken aback, alongside Ruby and Blake.

Yang gave a small chuckle for a moment before her face straightened with an ironically cold look. "Try me."

Ruby, Blake, and Weiss all looked at Yang with a newfound sense of dread.

"Yikes." Jaune muttered as he, Ren, Pyrrha, and Nora all looked at Yang with wide eyes.

"I take it Yang really likes her hair." Penny commented as she looked to the blonde brawler with a perturbed look.

"She did say she blew up part of a club because that Junior guy snatched a small lock of it." Ruby said with dilated pupils.

____________________________

As the dwarves continued to laugh, Roman walked up along the stone and marbled stairs that weren't too far from the others. He made his way up next to an elven house before he heard the voices of Ozpin and Nicholas, the latter now wearing blue robes, looking out and spotting them walking through a pavilion and over a bridge.

"Of course I was going to tell you." Ozpin said to Nicholas. "I was waiting for this very chance. And really I-I think you can trust that I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Nicholas asked back. "That dragon has slept for sixty years. What would happen if your plan should fail? If you wake that beast—."

"But if we succeed..." Ozpin cut off Nicholas as they walked. "If the dwarves take back the mountain our defenses in the East will be strengthened."

____________________________

"So there's a second reason to Professor Ozpin's counterpart to what the dwarves to take back Erebor." Weiss said.

"What would they need their defenses strengthened for?" Pyrrha asked. "The Orcs?"

"Maybe." Blake shrugged. "Even though Vortech said that the Dark Lord was defeated, the Orcs are still clearly prevalent. It would especially be needed against those like Azog."

"They could also need extra defense to prevent more tragedies, such as the kind Smaug brought down upon Dale and Erebor." Penny pointed out with sullen expression.

____________________________

"It is a dangerous move, Ozpin." Nicholas told back to Ozpin.

"It is also dangerous to do nothing." Ozpin retorted back. "Oh, co-the throne of Erebor is James's birthright. What is it you fear?"

Roman continued to watch the conversation unfold from a distance before he took notice that James now stood behind, observing the conversation as well.

"Have you forgotten?" Nicholas asked Ozpin as they now stood still. "A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind. His father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear James Ironwood will not also fall?"

Hearing Nicholas's words, James started to turn away, a sullen look on his face as he thought on the elf's words. Roman had glanced back at James for a moment before looking back towards Ozpin and Nicholas.

____________________________

"Marred by the shadow of his father and grandfather." Ironwood gave a sympathetic and grim look to his counterpart. "On the one hand, he aspires to them. But on the other, they were both driven mad. We may not know what all happened with Thrain, but Thror proved evident of being blinded by greed."

"When someone lets the sins of their family dictate their life, bad things will always follow." Winter narrowed her eyes in thought. "It's why I left behind my title as heiress. I hope Weiss won't ever be marred by the actions of that despicable man of a father."

Weiss gave a downtrodden expression as her sister's words, though she did her best to his it from others. "I wish to bring back the former glory the SDC had. To bring it back to the days of when grandfather first started the company. But it's times like these I have to wonder if what father has done can't be fixed. If for all the change I seek to bring, it won't fix our company and our family's name. In some ways, I can see a bit of myself in the General's counterpart. Prideful towards my heritage... yet arrogant to those I've yet to know."

Weiss then took a glance over to Ruby, remembering how cruel she was to her during the first week of Beacon. The SDC heiress then grew a look of determination as she looked back at the screen. "But I also can't think on all the bad. As of current, I am the only one with a chance of fixing my grandfather's company. And I'll be damned if I let my father's actions get in the way of it."

____________________________

"Ozpin, these decisions do not rest with us alone." Nicholas stated. "It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-Earth."

____________________________

Ozpin found himself deeply thinking on Nicholas's words. "I've always decided what I thought best to ensure humanity would survive against the Grimm. Against the wrath and scorn of Salem. And yet... I always find myself asking if what I do truly does benefit the people, only to go along with what I plan anyways. Salem and I both have our shadow organizations. We both shape the world in some way or another without the full notice of the people. If only they all knew... but knowledge of someone like Salem... what she can do and how she can do it... who knows the repercussions if that were to be revealed to the world. Making decisions for others is a double-sided sword. Something I am never fond of doing."

____________________________

"With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain." Ozpin told Nicholas as the two now walked up a spiral, stone staircase. The pathways of Rivendell alit by street lamps that glowed white. "They're determined to reclaim their homeland.

As Ozpin and Nicholas walked, they came upon a large pavilion that they entered through.

"I do not believe James Ironwood feels that he is answerable to anyone." Ozpin informed Nicholas as he looked to him. "Nor, for that matter, am I."

____________________________

"Then I guess that makes us both stubborn." Ironwood commented with a short and small laugh.

"On varying degrees of course." Ozpin added in with a small smile. "Your counterpart is far more argumentative as opposed to going with what's presented to him."

"Something we can agree full-heartedly on." Ironwood replied. "He has my usual stubbornness applied to a ten."

"Which isn't something I'd call a good thing." Glynda remarked with a knowing look, prompting Ironwood to sheepishly rub his neck.

____________________________

"It is not me you must answer to." Nicholas stated to Ozpin before turning his head forward.

Ozpin followed the direction in which Nicholas looked towards, gasping at who he saw.

Standing on a balcony beside the pavilion and looking out to the night-covered valley before her was female elf draped in long and elegant silky white and silver robes with long and beautiful flowing blonde hair, topped with a silver circlet. Angelic vocalizing rang to the audience once more as the female turned around, revealing a pale white face with blue irises in her eyes. The moon shown bright against her, making it appear as if she glowed in the night. The only way to truly describe this elf was as the personification of beauty.

____________________________

"Woah..." Ruby trailed off with an awed expression.

"That is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life." Nora stated in a quieted tone, staring at the blonde elf and taking in her magnificence.

"The moon is literally radiating off of her." Jaune said with a look of admiration.

"Well, hello..." Roman trailed off with an interested look.

Tai whistled a bit at the elf everyone saw. "If you could describe the most perfect looking woman... that'd probably be it."

"That's a definite ten." Qrow remarked with a nod of his head.

"I've... never seen someone so beautiful and serene before in my life." Ilia muttered in awe; a tinge of pink beginning to flush her cheeks. "And I thought Blake was one of the most stunning girls I've ever seen."

Cinder narrowed her eyes at the screen, almost recognizing the face of the elven woman. "Wait a minute... I know that face."

Ozpin however, found himself staring at the screen with wide eyes. He did not do so out of awe or admiration, but as if he had seen a ghost, remembered memories that almost seemed like a distant dream. "I can't believe it... it's actually her."

____________________________

"Lady Salem." Ozpin said in awe as he walked forward a bit.

____________________________

And with the equivalent shock of a plane crash, everyone within Ozpin's inner circle, and Cinder, did a collective double take.

"That elf is Salem?" Cinder asked to in her head with wide eyes. Never before would she have imagined her mistress as anything remotely appearing as human as opposed to the humanly shape she bares. It was quite mind-boggling.

"I feel dirty for the compliment I just said." Qrow thought to himself with a frozen look that he shared with Taiyang, Glynda, Ironwood, and Ozpin.

"I... truly can't believe it..." Ozpin found himself muttering aloud, albeit as quiet as he could.

However, as those within Ozpin's inner circle did their best to school their features, a set of silver eyes had just so happened to glance over at the Beacon headmaster by chance. Ruby took a quick notice of how Ozpin's face was almost haunted by the appearance of this Salem women; noting how his hand shook for a moment. Though strange, Ruby did nothing to question Ozpin on the matter as she turned back to the screen. But that did not mean she would forget this occurrence.

"Professor Ozpin doesn't seem too well about this Salem lady." Ruby thought. "I wonder why? Is it because she's extremely beautiful? Or is it something else?"

____________________________

"Mithrandir." Salem greeted back to Ozpin, standing still as she began to speak in elvish. "It has been a long time."

"Age may have changed me..." Ozpin bowed his head at Salem before looking back up to her. "...but not so the Lady of Lórien."

Salem smiled softly and warmly towards Ozpin, looking upon her old and dear friend.

____________________________

"They... they appear as of old acquaintances. Friends even." Glynda thought to herself with a shocked expression.

"I don't believe what I'm seeing." Ironwood quietly muttered to himself.

"I think my flask had been spiked." Qrow whispered while peaking an eye down into his flask.

"Oh, the irony in his words." Vortech thought to himself with a chuckle, knowing full well that while Qrow's flask was spiked in some form, it was not for what the audience was seeing.

"Hmm. Whoever this Salem woman is, she seems to be another old friend of Ozpin's Middle-Earth counterpart. And Ozpin is much more courteous and complimentary to her." Oobleck observed. "Perhaps they were once in a very close relationship. Maybe even former lovers?"

At this, Ozpin's pupil's dilated for a split second as an old memory flashed within his mind. It was the memory of when he and Salem first reciprocated feelings for one another. When they shared their first kiss. When they first made love. Every adventure they took together from the moment he rescued her from that tower. Ozpin tightened his fist as his face calmed; doing everything in his power to contain his emotions. "Believe me, Barty... you wouldn't know the half of it."

"With such a demeanor and glow like that, this Salem could probably make an honest man or woman out of anyone who laid eyes upon her." Port remarked.

"She's like a diamond made human." Roman commented with his own awe.

'Or a tall glass of a milkshake and ice cream.' Neo signed.

"She almost seems ethereal, in a sense." Sienna gave her thoughts. "Though a pretty face can hide many a filthy and dark truth."

____________________________

"I had no idea Lord Nicholas had sent for you." Ozpin told Salem as he looked over to Nicholas.

"He didn't." A familiarly formal and sophisticated voice spoke up, yet sounding somewhat elderly.

____________________________

Immediately Ironwood recognized the male voice. It may have been older, but he could never forget a tone of voice like that. He sighed while rubbing his temples as he muttered to himself. "And it just got worse."

"I'm all the more willing to watch something with Salem in it, but why him again?" Cinder thought to herself with a scowl.

____________________________

"Hmm?" Ozpin questioned while still looking at Nicholas.

"I did." The voice spoke again, causing Ozpin to wince with a small sigh before turning around.

Turning to the right, Ozpin saw none other than Arthur the White, draped in silky white robes while wielding a black and metallic staff with a white gem embedded at the top of it. His hair was long and white with his beard a mix of white and black.

Ozpin recovered from his wincing by giving Arthur a smile and bow of his head.

"Arthur." Nicholas stated.

____________________________

"Hey, the egg-head's back." Nora pointed to the screen.

"My, Arthur really got old in this universe." Pietro commented with wide eyes of surprise. "I would have imagined that he would have kept his hair trimmed far more than this... but then again I guess he wouldn't really look like a wizard."

"Huh. Looks like Watts is a good guy in this universe." Ruby commented in slight surprise. "Though, I guess Wizard-Ozpin already mentioned that a bit."

"Yeah. It's definitely weird after having seen this guy as some megalomaniacal scientist hell-bent on finding Sonic." Yang added after her sister's comment. "And after we learned about how the Watts was back on our Remnant."

"Though to be more precise, this version of Dr. Watts only goes by Arthur the White." Vortech stated. "Proclaimed as the wisest of all wizards in Middle-Earth."

"More like a wise-ass." Ironwood remarked with a disdainful look.

____________________________

"You've been busy of late, my friend." Arthur stated to Ozpin, giving him a small yet schooled smile.

____________________________

"And it would seem he's friends with this universe's Ozpin also." Winter said with a raised brow of surprise.

"I don't think I've ever been this much shocked and surprised in my life." Taiyang muttered whilst shaking his head.

____________________________

The time was now close to dawn. Ozpin sat at a table whit his forehead against his hands as Arthur sat across from him, with Salem and Nicholas standing one each side of the table, the former now only wearing white robes.

"Tell me, Ozpin... did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?" Arthur asked Ozpin.

"Unnoticed?" Ozpin asked back as he brought his head up. "No. I-I'm simply doing what I feel to be right."

"The Dragon has long been on your mind." Salem said to Ozpin.

"That is true, my Lady." Ozpin nodded to Salem before facing back to Arthur. "Smaug owes allegiance to no one, but if he should side with the enemy... a dragon could be used to terrible effect."

____________________________

"What enemy?" Sienna asked with furrowed eyes. "The Orcs? The Necromancer?"

"Regardless of who this enemy is, Ozpin's counterpart has a point." Ironwood said as he intertwined his fingers. "A majority of us have seen what Smaug can do, and that he has no qualms over the lives he ruins. He can't be left unchecked without the possibility of him bringing about more destruction. In the case that Ozpin proposes, destruction at the whim of another."

"There's a lot at stake in completing this quest." Pyrrha said as she stared at the screen. "Not only for the dwarves to reclaim their home, but to make sure something far more evil doesn't take root."

"Here's to hoping they succeed all the way through." Jaune said with a wary look.

____________________________

"What enemy?" Arthur asked back. "Ozpin, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never again regain his full strength."

____________________________

"Sauron." Ozpin repeated the name, sending a shiver down his spine. "I take it that is the name of the defeated Dark Lord."

"Sauron the Deceiver. Sauron the Abhorrent. Annatar. Gorthaur. Mairon. Zigûr." Vortech listed off. "He goes by many names. All of which are shunned and feared throughout Middle-Earth."

"Sounds like a real piece of work." Roman muttered as he found himself shrinking away at the mention of Sauron's names.

"Wait a minute... Watts said that Sauron could never regain his full strength." Ruby pointed out. "Does that mean... does that mean he's still alive?"

"Sauron is a powerful entity. Not the most powerful in the universe of Middle-Earth, but the mightiest of his particular race. He is effectively immortal. Unkillable." Vortech stated.

Ozpin gripped the arm of his chair at the mention of "unkillable."

"How do you defeat someone that can't be killed?" Glynda asked with a shocked look.

"By taking away their power of course." Vortech said as if it were obvious. "With the state Sauron was left in, he couldn't do much but wander in the wind. Unable to make true contact with the corporeal world."

"I guess that's good." Yang commented, though not without frowning. "But the fact that he's still technically alive doesn't really make it all too settling for me."

"Sometimes victory against a daunting foe isn't the most rewarding task." Blake said to her partner. "Especially when said foe isn't truly dead."

"Take away their power..." Ozpin repeated Vortech's words in his mind. "If Salem cannot be killed, can her power be taken away? Can she be stripped of what makes her a threat to Remnant? I'm starting to realize that perhaps there should have been other question I should have asked Jinn last I saw her."

____________________________

"Ozpin, for four-hundred years we have lived in peace." Nicholas spoke to Ozpin, now standing under an archway of the pavilion. "A hard-won, watchful peace."

"Are we? Are we at peace?" Ozpin asked in a daring tone, looking between Nicholas, Arthur, and Salem. "Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road."

____________________________

"A version of Ozpin that speaks more to my language." Ironwood thought to himself.

"Everything Professor Ozpin's counterpart has listed is concerning." Ren stated. "Though, regrettably, they only sound on par with what Grimm do on a daily basis. I have to wonder if it will be enough to persuade his allies."

"Let's not forget about that Necromancer thing." Nora said while raising her finger.

"Something like that could sway them to action." Jaune said. "But they'd need proof."

"Proof that Doctor Oobleck's counterpart most likely gave to Professor Ozpin's counterpart." Pyrrha added on. "The item that was wrapped in parchment."

"Let's see what happens." Jaune replied as he looked back at the screen.

____________________________

"Hardly a prelude to war." Nicholas said as he walked towards Ozpin.

"Always you must meddle..." Arthur chided Ozpin. "Looking for trouble where none exists."

____________________________

"Something I would do when I was very young." Ozpin thought to himself with a sigh. "Back when everything seemed so simple and kind."

"Wizard-Ozpin's starting to sound more and more like us." Yang muttered to her teammates.

"I think it's more so that we look for trouble, only for trouble to find us first." Weiss replied, remembering the incident at the docks and on the highway.

"Maybe trouble's magnetized to us because of our charm." Ruby joked a bit.

"I can't really call that a good thing." Blake commented on return.

____________________________

"Let him speak." Salem said as she paced around the table.

"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug." Ozpin stated as he entwined his finger together. "Something far more powerful. We can remain blind to it, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwood. And, uh, they say—."

Ozpin started to trail off as he tried to find the right words.

"Well? Don't stop now." Arthur told Ozpin. "Tell us what the woodsmen say."

"They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur." Ozpin stated. "A sorcerer who can summon the dead."

"That's absurd." Arthur replied to Ozpin. "No such power exists in this world. This Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in Black Magic."

____________________________

"Except for the fact we saw it with our own eyes!" Nora shouted at the screen.

"He can't hear you, Nora." Ren placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Another trait of Arthur was that he was always stubborn in his statements." Pietro said while shaking his head. "It was both a Boone and an issue."

"So much for Watts believing Wizard-Ozpin about the Necromancer." Jaune slumped his shoulders.

"It was a stretch to begin with." Weiss tried to reassure the blonde Arc.

"That thing we saw was definitely far from a man." Ilia scowled while shaking her head.

"It was the stuff of nightmares." Emerald said with a shiver.

____________________________

"And so I thought too." Ozpin said to Arthur. "But Bartholomew has seen—."

"Bartholomew!" Arthur proclaimed while shaking his head. "Do not speak to me of Bartholomew the Brown. He's a foolish fellow."

____________________________

"Foolish?" Oobleck balked at the screen. "I beg your pardon. I am far from foolish. My counterpart is just eccentric. That's all."

"Eccentric's a word to describe." Qrow told the history teacher. "Another is "crazy."

"Crazy, yet determined." Oobleck fired back.

____________________________

"Well, he's odd, I grant you." Ozpin said with a small chuckle. "He lives a solitary life."

"It's not that." Arthur replied. "It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I've warned him. It is unbefitting one of the Istari to be wandering the woods..."

____________________________

"Oh." Oobleck blinked a bit before adjusting his glasses. "Well, yes, I suppose that's a means for criticism, but that does mean my counterpart is useless."

"I knew he was on something." Roman muttered with a snap of his fingers. "It's always the mushrooms."

'Mushrooms are one hell of a drug.' Neo signed.

____________________________

As Arthur continued to speak, all seemed to quiet for Ozpin as Salem looked towards him.

"You carry something." Salem spoke within Ozpin's mind. "It came to you from Bartholomew. He found it in Dol Guldur."

"Yes." Ozpin psychically replied to Salem.

"Show me." Salem told Ozpin.

____________________________

"Wait so Salem can also speak telepathically?" Ruby asked with a surprised look. "That's actually pretty cool."

"Even in another universe, Salem still knows how to read me." Ozpin thought to himself with his eyes closed. "It's part of why she's been able properly combat me over the years."

"I think I once heard Coco talk about one of her teammates being able to communicate telepathically." Pyrrha recalled a finger to her chin. "Fox, I believe his name is."

"The blind guy?" Nora asked.

"Yes... though I'd use a less blunt choice of words." Pyrrha replied back to Nora.

____________________________

"One would think I was talking to myself for all the attention that he paid. By all means." Arthur continued to speak about Bartholomew the Brown.

Just as he did, Ozpin started to pull out the wrapped item Bartholomew had given to him back near the Troll-hoard, placing it on the table.

"What is that?" Nicholas asked Ozpin as he eyed the wrapped object in suspicion, just as he was about to go and touch it.

"A relic of Mordor." Salem stated to Nicholas, sensing the aura of the wrapped object, prompting Nicholas to halt in his movement as he looked to her.

____________________________

"Mordor?" Oobleck asked.

"The primary domain Sauron used when he tried to conquer Middle-Earth." Vortech explained. "It's also where a majority of the Orcs in Middle-Earth live at."

"You know, Mordor sounds a like like murder." Roman commented with a schooled expression.

"It's far from the most hospitable place." Vortech replied to him. "Whether it be the fiery region of Gorgoroth, the dry deserts of Lithlad, the wilds of Nurn, the icy mountains of Seregost, or the delving caverns Cirith Ungol. Mordor is a land of kill or be killed."

"It sounds more treacherous than the Dragon continent." Cinder thought to herself as she did her best to mentally compare the home of Salem with description of Sauron's domain.

"I can see why Mr. Nicholas is suddenly hesitant to touch this relic." Penny said with a wary look. "This Mordor area must be an evil place."

"Most typical homes of bad guys are." Ruby replied to her android friend.

____________________________

All were still at the table for a moment before Nicholas went ahead and unwrapped the object, revealing it to be the wicked dagger the Wraith had wielded against Bartholomew back at Dol Guldur.

____________________________

Despite not physically hearing it, the audience all grimaced and frowned as they were reminded of the wraith and it's awful screech upon seeing the blade.

____________________________

Arthur furrowed his eyes at the blade while Salem walked up beside Ozpin.

"A Morgul blade." Nicholas spoke in a haunted tone.

"Made for the Witch-King of Angmar." Salem added on as she shared a look with Ozpin. "And buried with him. When Angmar fell, the men of the north took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him... in a tomb so dark... it would never come to light."

____________________________

"Who was this Witch-King?" Ozpin asked.

"The wraith you all saw last we viewed this universe." Vortech stated. "He is the second-in-command to Sauron, and second in strength and power. He was a particular threat to the race of man in Middle-Earth."

"Her certainly sounds like it." Sienna commented. "No one would intentionally bury someone, from the sound of things, so far under ground, and away from the light, unless they feared they would find a way to resurface."

"The body was buried, but given what we saw last time, it seems his soul was brought back by this Necromancer." Ironwood said as he furrowed his eyes at the screen.

____________________________

"This is not possible." Nicholas stated as he placed his hands against the table. "A powerful spell lies upon those tombs. They cannot be opened."

"What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar's grave?" Arthur asked.

"I have none." Ozpin admitted.

"Because there is none." Arthur stated, causing Ozpin to close his mouth and look down. "Let us examine what we know. A single Orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from a bygone age has been found. And a human sorcerer who calls himself "The Necromancer" has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so very much after all."

____________________________

"It's proof enough to raise suspicion." Ironwood fired back at the screen before shaking his head with a sigh. "Watts can never let himself be wrong in any statement he makes."

"He's always been haughty that way." Cinder thought to herself with a look of annoyance.

"The dramatic irony is strong here." Blake said. "We know everything to be true, but Arthur the White is repeatedly trying to reject it."

"It feels like he's using tactics that father would use." Weiss vehemently sighed. "People always bring issues up about him, whether it's the mistreatment of the faunus in the mines, or his questionable business practices. He always fires back with the excuse of those complaints lacking sufficient evidence. And for other times, he would blame them on a foreman or business partner."

Ilia furrowed her eyes a bit at Weiss's words. She glanced over to the SDC heiress. She found her words accurate to the description most in the White Fang refer to Jacques Schnee as, and she found Weiss's face to be indiscernible from that of someone speaking the truth. Nevertheless, Ilia turned back towards the screen, choosing to put her thoughts off for another time.

____________________________

"The question of this dwarvish company, however, troubles me deeply." Arthur changed the subject of the conversation. "I'm not convinced, Ozpin. I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spared them this disappointment. I do not pretend to understand your reason for raising their hopes."

____________________________

"And now he's trying to deter the conversation away from an important matter." Glynda said as she crossed her arms.

"Well he definitely acts a lot more cold as opposed to Professor Ozpin's wizard counterpart." Penny frowned as she looked at the screen. "What Professor Ozpin is doing is helping the dwarves take back their home. Surely there isn't much reason to oppose such a noble task."

"Well that's just the thing with Professor Ozpin. Helping people is in his nature." Ruby replied to Penny.

Ozpin himself smiled a bit at Ruby's words, though on the inside he sighed at them as well.

"The quest might be dangerous, but what good journey isn't?" Yang rhetorically asked. "If the end result means achieving the goal of their quest, I say it's well worth it."

____________________________

As Arthur spoke to Ozpin, Salem had walked around the table again before speaking in Ozpin's mind once more. "They are leaving."

Ozpin turned his head over to Salem, answering her. "Yes."

"You knew." Salem stated as she glanced over to him.

Ozpin replied with a tilt of his head, prompting Salem to smile at him.

____________________________

"It looks like Professor Ozpin knew something like this would happen, and made sure the others snuck out." Jaune said with an impressed look.

"Smart move." Roman complimented.

"Even though Salem found out about it, it doesn't look like she's going to reveal what the rest of the Company is doing at this moment." Pyrrha said with a small smile.

"Now there's a team player." Nora said while sporting a happy grin.

"This is still, by far, the weirdest part of this universe." Qrow thought to himself while shaking his head.

"I never would have thought I would see Salem playing coy with Ozpin of all people." Cinder thought as she looked to the screen with a calm expression, though bewildered on the inside. "From the way she always talk about him, she loathes him. Which seems to be far from the case here."

____________________________

"No, I'm afraid there is nothing else for it." Arthur stated.

"My Lord Nicholas." Lindir spoke to Nicholas as he walked up to the pavilion, getting everyone's attention. "The dwarves, they've gone."

The viewing showed James leading the dwarves and Roman along a pass on the side of a mountain. All of them having traveled so far that Rivendell was but a distant image.

"Be on your guard." James ordered his company. "We're about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."

"Aye." Balin nodded as he moved past James, now leading the others.

As the dwarves moved on, Roman looked back at Rivendell, standing still for a moment, appearing as if he didn't want to go.

"Master Torchwick, I suggest you keep up." James told Roman.

Roman looked at James before giving one last look at Rivendell. With a quiet sigh, Roman moved along with the others.

____________________________

"They've gotten a pretty good distance from Rivendell." Sienna commented.

"But it looks like Torchwick doesn't want to leave." Ruby said with a sad look. "It looked like he actually liked it there."

"Not to mention that Professor Ozpin's counterpart isn't there with them." Weiss pointed out. "We all know what happened last time when it was just Roman and the dwarves."

"They we're almost eaten." Mercury said, emphasizing this by eating some more popcorn.

Meanwhile, Roman stared at the his counterpart's look, and the sight of Rivendell. He shook his head as he thought to himself. "Good things just never seem to last."

____________________________

The viewing panned out to show that the forest-covered mountains the dwarves and Roman traveled along let to taller, snow covered mountains far in the distance.

____________________________

"Well this is going to be a cold part of the trip." Roman remarked with an annoyed look.

"The Hithaeglir. Otherwise known as the Misty Mountains." Vortech proclaimed.

"The mountains from the song my counterpart sang." Ironwood as he looked back at Vortech.

"A long range of mountains housed by various peaks." Vortech elaborated. "From Methedras, Celebdil, Fanuidhol, Caradhras, to Mount Gundabad."

"Gundabad?" Penny asked. "Didn't Balin say something about Azog being a Gundabad Orc?"

"Mount Gundabad is where the most dangerous and most vile of the Orc race were spawned from." Vortech stated. "But none of you need worry for the Company. These mountains run far and long. Mount Gundabad is far to the North, beyond the reach of where the Company is."

"Well that's good." Roman said. "I'd rather not run into anymore Orcs, any time soon."

____________________________

"You will follow them." Salem said to Ozpin as the viewing cut back to Rivendell. Both of them standing on a cliff by the pavilion.

"Yes." Ozpin answered her.

"You are right to help James Ironwood." Salem told the wizard. "But I fear this quest has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The riddle of the Morgul blade must be answered. Something moves in the shadows unseen, hidden from our sight. It will not show itself. Not yet. But every day it grows in strength. You must be careful."

____________________________

"Salem advising Ozpin on a dangerous matter." Glynda thought to herself with a scoffing chuckle. "I never thought anything like this could be possible, let alone the both of them as friends."

Glynda then glanced over to Ozpin, taking notice of his still demeanor. He kept a straight face, but from the way he gripped the arm of his chair, she could tell that he was unnerved at what he saw.

"I can't say I've ever seen Ozpin like this." Glynda continued to think. "He always become grim when speaking of Salem, but when he looks at the Salem of Middle-Earth... it's almost like he's seen a ghost."

____________________________

Ozpin looked to Salem, giving no word as he turned his head and began to walk off.

"Mithrandir?" Salem called out to Ozpin before he could go. "Why the halfling?"

Ozpin turned to Salem, staring at her for a moment before shaking his head. "I do not know. Arthur believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small things... everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love."

____________________________

"Sometimes, all it takes is a simple soul." Ozpin remembered his own words, casting a small smile on his face.

"That's a nice way of looking at it." Ruby thought to herself as she smiled brightly at the screen. "I'm not special. I'm not an Invicible Girl like Pyrrha. I'm not an heiress like Weiss. I'm not a revolutionary like Blake. I'm just a regular, huntress-in-training girl that wants to do good deeds for everyone. Just like my mom."

"A naive mindset." Sienna thought in her mind. "If it was really the simple things that made a difference, then the world wouldn't be brash and cruel. It may be nice to think about, but it's far from the truth."

"As if regular deeds of common people ever did anything." Cinder thought with an eye roll. "Only power can cause real change. Not love, or smiles, or hugs. If this version of Ozpin used actual power, the problems of this Middle-Earth would be dealt with. But just like the one from my world, he's a fool placing his trust in the weak and easily trusting."

____________________________

Ozpin had turned back around, his face away from Salem as he continued to speak.

"Why Roman Torchwick?" Ozpin asked with a small chuckle. He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Perhaps it is because I'm afraid. And he gives me courage."

____________________________

Roman stared at the screen in shock and surprise. There had only ever been one person to ever look up to him in admiration, and that was because she was in the same position as him. But to hear these words from Ozpin, a higher up. Someone who seems to have power, control, and connections across the board. For Roman to hear that a version of the Beacon Headmaster was given courage by a hobbit version of himself, it had taken the criminal aback.

"Either he's crazy or... I don't even know." Roman thought to himself as he still stared at the screen in shock, unsure of his feelings to the scene.

Meanwhile, Neo smiled and nodded in full agreement at Wizard-Ozpin's words.

"Roman Torchwick giving Professor Ozpin courage." Weiss said with wide eyes.

"It's strange but... it's also kind of heartwarming." Ruby admitted with a small and unsure smile.

"Ozpin's put his trust in stranger people." Qrow replied with a shrug. "I'd firmly say I'm proof of that."

"In some way or form, you can find good in any soul." Ozpin said as he smiled at the screen as well. "Everyone has to potential to do better by others and the world. No matter how odd or crooked. It's a part of nature."

"Well said." Port nodded to Ozpin.

____________________________

Ozpin had stood there, his hands lightly brought together in a shaking manner. Salem soon walked over to him, placing her hands upon his as Ozpin looked up at her.

"Do not be afraid, Mithrandir." Salem told Ozpin in a soft tone, brushing her fingers through some of his long and grey hair. "You are not alone."

Ozpin stared at Salem as she began to speak in elvish. "If you should ever need my help... I will come."

____________________________

While Ozpin showed no actual outward emotion, he smiled sadly at the screen. "This is the Salem I remember. Kind. Gentle. Caring. Time has taken its toll on the both of us, and look where we are now. Husks and disfigurations of what we once were. How I wish I could go back to those days. Find some way to prevent what we became. But time does not heed the wills and wishes of others. However, I will never forget the good times we had. No matter how dark. No matter how bleak. Not now. Not ever."

"If only Salem could see her counterpart." Cinder thought with a frown. "She'd have a dark mood throughout the entire viewing."

____________________________

Ozpin gave Salem a small bow of his head in return as Salem removed her hands from his. The moment Ozpin looked back up, Salem had vanished, leaving Ozpin to lower his hands as he looked on.

____________________________

"Where'd she go?" Yang asked with wide eyes as she looked her eyes around the screen.

"What elven trickery is this?" Nora demanded in an exaggerated tone.

"Did she really disappear or did Wizard-Ozpin just stare at his hands too long?" Jaune asked with a confused look.

"She disappeared faster than Blake does." Ruby said in surprise.

"That's because I can run fast." Blake pointed out. "It looked like Salem didn't even move a muscle when she vanished."

"I guess we can peg this down to magic." Pyrrha said with a confused look.

____________________________

The viewing then cut to show the Comapny traveling along large, rocky, and grass covered hills, passing olive green forests as they marched onward towards the snowy mountains ahead. They passed under waterfall of moss-covered stone before they were shown crossing along dry grass and bushes, having made their way to the foot of the snow-covered mountains.

Epic music played as the Company was then shown traveling along the ridged top of one of the mountains, passing through boulders and tall walls of stone.

The viewing then shifted over to night as dark and grey clouds covered the sky, thunder crashing down in the distance as rain poured in.

"Steady!" James yelled out to the others. Their clothing and hair all wet as the carefully moved along a narrow path on the now slippery rock of the mountainside. "Hold on!"

____________________________

"Traveling on the side of mountain under thundering rain." Ironwood said with a wary look. "This is a dangerous course of action."

"There has to be some form of shelter nearby." Winter suggested. "A cave perhaps. Anything that will allow the Company to wait out this storm."

"Someone is most likely going to slip." Ren stated.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Nora waved her partner off.

____________________________

Roman had squinted his eyes out for a moment before a rock underneath him collapsed.

"Ohh! Aah!" Roman yelled out as he nearly fell off the path and down towards grizzly demise.

"Roman!" Bofur shouted in worry before Dwalin and himself grabbed onto Roman's coat, bringing him back up.

"We must find shelter!" James shouted, seeing that traveling now was proving to be too dangerous.

____________________________

"You think?!" Roman shouted at the screen. "How many near-death experiences is it going to take for you to recognize your bad ideas before it happens?!"

"I told you so." Ren told Nora.

"My fear of falling from great heights has suddenly grown." Jaune muttered with dilated pupils.

"Note to self: never travel on the side of a mountain when it's raining down hard." Yang told herself.

"Torchwick's got a mean luck-streak going for him here." Mercury observed.

"If it wasn't for the dwarves of the wizard, he'd have been dead sooner." Emerald replied to her partner.

____________________________

Thunder continued to crack down as the dwarves all looked around.

"Look out!" Dwalin suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.

Looking up, all the dwarves watched in shock and horror as a very large chunk of rock was thrown at the mountain they travelled upon. It crashed into the mountain above the Comapny, causing them to all shout as they tried to avoid the debris that tumbled down.

____________________________

The sudden appearance of the immense boulder crashing over the Company had sent everyone aloof in shock.

"Where did that come from?!" Weiss shouted in surprise.

"What the hell is going on?!" Roman shouted.

"That was a really big boulder." Ruby widened her eyes.

"A boulder?" Ilia asked with a disbelieving look. "That was a complete chunk of a mountain!"

"The question is who or what threw it." Cinder said as she rose her brow at the screen.

____________________________

"Look out, brother!" Gloin shouted to Oin as the two of them and all the others clung onto the side of the mountain.

"Hold on!" Kili shouted as the rock debris continued to tumble down.

"This is no thunderstorm!" Balin shouted in realization as he looked out adjacent to the mountain path the Company stood upon. "It's a Thunder-battle! Look!"

As Balin shouted this, something very large had arisen from the other mountain. It was humanoid in shape, but that was were all similarities ended. It was hewn entirely out of stone and rock, standing as tall as the mountain it once laid upon. Despite the rocky behemoth having no face, it gave a low and guttural roar nonetheless.

Everyone looked at the stone behemoth in shock and fear as it tore out a chunk of the mountain it stood beside.

____________________________

Everyone now stared at the screen, speechless. They were all both in awe and terror.

"By the Brothers." Ozpin muttered out of surprise and horror.

"I don't believe it." Glynda uttered.

"My God." Oobleck uttered with slumped shoulders, his body going numb from shock.

"Now that's something you don't see every day." Qrow remarked, holding the same expression his Ghostbuster counterpart held back when Gozer took on his destructor form.

"Suddenly Mr.Stay Puft doesn't seem so intimidating." Pietro said with wide eyes.

"That thing's bigger than a Cybertronian." Yang said with an agape jaw.

"Giant rock monsters." Tai muttered with dilated pupils. "So that's a thing."

Roman looked at the sight with complete and utter fear as he felt his entire body go cold. "Neo... if you could hold me. Please."

Neo held a shocked and terror-filled as well as she promptly responded by latching onto her boss.

"Everything suddenly got very intense." Ruby muttered as she slowly pulled her hood over her head.

____________________________

"Well, bless me." Bofur said in fear as he looked at the humongous figure. "The legends are true! Giants! Stone-Giants!"

The Stone-Giant let out an echoing roar as it through the chunk of rock towards the mountain the Company resided upon, causing them group to clamor in fear.

The boulder had hit against another Stone-Giant, one who had stood up from behind the mountain, causing it to stumble back against the mountain side.

____________________________

"Oh, great. There two now!" Roman shouted in annoyance.

"This is both awesome and terrifying at the same time." Nora awed at the screen.

"They really need to find shelter now." Ilia winced at the screen.

____________________________

"Take cover, you fool!" James to his men as they all tried to duck and hang to the wall.

"Hold on!" Dwalin roared out as he helped keep Ori and Roman away from the edge as falling rock debris started to trim away at the ridge the Company stood upon.

Suddenly, the ridge the Company stood upon started to split up.

"What happening?" Kili asked in fear and confusion.

"Kili, grab my hand!" Fili shouted to his brother as he reached out for Kili, only for it to be too late as the mountain side had separated itself too far.

"Aah!" Ori shouted as the mountainside continued to split, everyone trying their best to remain still.

Roman looked up to find that the Company had been standing upon a sleeping Stone-Giant. Those separated from each other were each on a leg of the Stone-Giant.

____________________________

"Well that's great!" Roman shouted in evident sarcasm.

"We were standing on a Stone-Giant the entire time?" Ironwood asked with wide eyes.

"These Stone-Giants can clearly camouflage well when resting against a mountain." Penny observed. "Though I have to question why they feel the need to fight each other the moment a thunderstorm occurs."

"Maybe it's some form of territorial dispute." Blake offered. "Or they're just very violent."

"Whatever the case may be, the Company needs to find some way off of that Stone-Giant." Winter said with a concerned look.

____________________________

The Stone-Giant the Company resided on started to get up, only for one of the other Stone-Giants to head-butt it, sending rock debris flying.

____________________________

"And they're fighting with us stuck on one of them." Roman vehemently shook his head. "I know my hobbit-self gets out of all this alive, but I will not be surprised if a dwarf dies here."

____________________________

Everyone in the Company yelled as the Stone-Giant fell back against the mountain. For one side of the Company, the leg they stood upon had landed next to the continuing ridge.

"Go, go, go!" James shouted as he, and those on the left leg with him, started to run towards the other side of the ridge.

"Run! Get off! Get off!" Balin shouted.

____________________________

"Well that's half of the Company safe." Ruby sighed while wiping off some sweat from her head.

"But how is everyone else going to get off?" Jaune asked. "They have to get off on the same side as the General and his group, otherwise they're going to end up separated."

"Yeah... that... that's a problem." Ruby winced a bit.

"I guess this is going to be one of those cases where they must hope that luck will shine on them." Penny said with a raised finger.

"They're going to need a lot of luck." Emerald remarked with wide eyes.

____________________________

James ducked for cover as he narrowly avoided falling rocks. His side of the Company watched as the others were still stuck on the Stone-Giant's right leg.

The Stone-Giant took a swing at the other Stone-Giant's head, only for that Stone-Giant to duck under the swing.

"Look out!" Roman shouted as the other Stone-Giant threw a stony fist at the abdomen of the Stone-Giant they stood upon.

Said Stone-Giant then swung an uppercut to the Stone-Giant where the rest of Company stood upon, sending it tumbling back.

The second Stone-Giant came in, carrying a large chunk of rock over its head before throwing it against the head of the third Stone-Giant, sending its head flying off.

Everyone that remained on the third Stone-Giant yelled and clamored as it tumbled around, flaying it's arms about as it's head tumbled off. The leg they all resided upon started to lean towards the face of the mountain, sending frightened looks to Roman and the dwarves that stood upon said leg.

____________________________

"Mother." Roman squeaked out with terror-filled eyes.

"That was not what I was taking about when I talked about luck!" Penny shouted in worry.

"This is bad. This is bad. This is bad." Nora repeated as she nervously chewed on her finger nails.

"Not like this." Ironwood muttered as his worry for the safety of the dwarves grew immensely.

"Death by a walking mountain. That's a new one." Cinder thought to herself, uncaring for the situation.

____________________________

"Hold on!" James to those on the Stone-Giant's leg.

James and the others watched as the leg slammed against the side of the mountain, sending more debris to fall down below.

"No!" James shouted, assuming the crash had killed all who remained on the leg. "No!"

The Stone-Giant then tumbled down, hitting against the lower side of the mountain as it broke apart on impact to the ground far below.

"No! Fili!" James shouted for his eldest nephew as he and the others ran over to where the leg crashed at.

However the moment they got there, James and the others had seen that everyone from the Stone-Giant's right leg had survived the crash, all of them groaning as they lay in an indent in the mountain side.

"It's all right!" Gloin shouted as James exasperated a sigh in relief. "They're alive!"

____________________________

"Oh, thank God." Nora sighed in relief as she laid back in her chair.

"Wow. I can't believe it. No one died." Roman blinked in surprise.

"Which is extremely good." Ironwood said with a relived smile.

____________________________

However, Bofur looked around in concern and worry as he sat up. "Where Roman? Where's the hobbit?"

Roman was shown to be hanging on against the edge of the ridge, grunting as he tried to hold his grip steady.

"There!" Bofur shouted as he spotted Roman.

Roman gasped with a look of fear on his face as he tried to climb up the ledge, only to fail as his bare feet slid against the wet rock.

____________________________

"These mountains are cursed with doom." Ruby crossed her arms with a frown.

"How did I live through all of this?" Roman asked with a mildly surprised expression, holding back his shock and annoyance at the scene.

"He probably should have brought shoes with him." Penny suggested. "Bare feet do not have the best traction on wet rock."

"Hobbits don't wear shoes." Vortech blandly spoke.

"Then he definitely should have bought some." Sienna remarked.

____________________________

"Get him!" James suddenly shouted.

Roman had started to slip, just in time for Ori to jump over and grab onto Roman's left hand.

"Aah!" Roman shouted as he dangled from the edge.

"Grab my hand!" Bofur shouted to Roman as he tried to reach out for him.

"Roman!" Ori shouted in worry.

Roman whimpered as he tried to reach for Bofur's hand, only to struggle in doing so.

"Up here, lad." Dwalin called out for Roman as he tried to reach for him too.

Taking evasive action James daringly swung himself down over the edge, holding onto the side with one hand as he reached for Roman, pushing him up to the others as the hobbit grunted.

____________________________

"Huh... you actually saved me." Roman said with a shocked look.

"I'd never leave soldier behind. Even if their position is that of a burglar." Ironwood formally stated to Roman.

"Yeah, thanks for the sentiment, but I wasn't talking about you-you." Roman replied back to Ironwood, though he did feel a small twinge of something from the Atlesian General's statement. "I meant your counterpart. The guy's shown he's disliked me since day one."

"You're still a part of his Company. You're under his watch." Ironwood reasoned back. "He wouldn't let you die if there was something he could do to stop it. We've seen this with the trolls."

"Yeah, but he actively saved me this time." Roman pointed out.

"Who knows. Maybe he's starting to see more care for you." Ironwood suggested.

____________________________

Just as Roman had gotten pushed up to the others, James had started to lose his grip as well. Before he fell though, Dwalin grabbed onto his arm, using his strength to help James pull himself up whiling grunting.

____________________________

"Looks like I nearly took a fall myself." Ironwood said with a surprised look.

"Thankfully though, Dwalin is quick in his movements." Winter sighed in relief.

"I'm starting to sense a pattern with all these close calls in the last two viewings." Glynda shook her head, though she did smile that Ironwood's counterpart was safe.

____________________________

"Kili!" Dwalin shouted for Kili to come over and help bring James up from the ledge.

As James had been pulled up, Roman said back against the side of the mountain ridge, breathing heavily due to shock.

"I thought we lost our burglar." Dwalin sighed as James stood up.

____________________________

"Huh... Dwalin actually showed some concern for me." Roman looked even more surprised.

"Spend enough time with somewhere, and you'll eventually grow to enjoy their company." Ruby said with a cheerful smile.

"With everything they've all this been through, they'd surely see each other as comrades by now." Weiss stated.

____________________________

James turned to Roman, the hobbit meeting his eyes as James gave him a cold stare. "He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

Roman, who continued to breath heavily, looked down due to James's words, feeling a pant in his chest because of them.

____________________________

"Every time!" Roman shouted with an angered look while Neo gave a narrowed scowl at the screen. "My counterpart ain't even a criminal like me, yet mister prince gruff and cranky always sees me as a burden and a curse. I helped save their lives once for crying out loud!"

Ironwood shook his head while giving his counterpart a disappointed look. "I suppose I was wrong."

"Why does the General's dwarven counterpart always feel the need to be mean to Mr. Torchwick's counterpart?" Penny asked with a pout.

"Torchwick's counterpart hasn't suffered through the same hells General Ironwood's counterpart and his kin have. He doesn't seem them as equals." Cinder stated with a schooled look.

"He's acting less of a prince and more of a dick." Yang glared while crossing her arms.

"Watch your language around your sister... but you're not wrong." Tai told his eldest daughter.

"Not even Jimmy acts like this." Qrow commented with a displeased look. "If he did, our relationship would be worse than what I have with Ice Queen senior."

"We're more so forced acquaintances than having any form of relationship." Winter replied with a deadpan before sighing. "But I can't help but find myself agreeing with you."

"Dwarf-Ironqood needs to start acting nice to Hobbit-Roman soon. Always arguing with each other puts a hassle on the group." Ruby frowned at the screen, remembering how she and Weiss were during the first week of Beacon.

"James's counterpart just needs time." Ozpin calmly stated. "He can't force him out of the Company. Especially if counterpart is around to see it. One way or another, the dwarven prince is going to have to accept his burglar."

"I hope that happens soon." Ironwood sighed. "I truly do."

____________________________

James then walked away, quick to find an opening in the side of the mountain, which he found had it went further in.

"Dwalin!" James nodded his head over to the cave as he went in, with Dwalin soon following.

Walking through the entrance, James and Dwalin found a large cave within the side of the mountain. Large enough for the Company.

____________________________

"Looks like they finally found a cave." Winter commented with an even tone. "One large enough for all of them."

"Hell if I care at this point." Roman vehemently shrugged. "I've had with that jackass of a prince. And I thought he was bad enough as a General."

"Believe me, you're not the only one frowning on my counterpart's treatment of your's." Ironwood told the criminal.

____________________________

"It looks safe enough." Dwalin said as he looked aroundz

"Search to the back." James told Dwalin while still gasping for breath. "Caves in the mountain are seldom unoccupied."

____________________________

"Sounds like more potential trouble." Mercury remarked with a raised brow.

"Whatever it is, it can't be as bad as the Thunder-battle." Emerald stated.

"Still, the Company is bit weary from everything that happened." Blake pointed out. "They'll need to be cautious, whether or not what may lie in the cave is not as dangerous as the Stone-Giants."

"Hopefully they'll all be able to catch a break." Ilia said.

____________________________

Dwalin had pulled out a lamp, lighting it as he searched through the back of the cave as everyone else had entered into it.

"There's nothin' here." Dwalin stated to the rest of the Company.

"Right, then. Let's get a fire started." Gloin said as he threw down some wood.

"No. No fires. Not in this place." James quickly told Gloin otherwise as he walked behind, moving along as he spoke to everyone else. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Ozpin joined us." Balin told James as the dwarven prince had walked over to him. "That was the plan."

"Plans change." James simply told Balin before moving his attention away from the white-haired dwarf, who looked at James in surprise. "Bofur, take the first watch."

____________________________

"That's not a good idea." Ruby shook her head. "You can't change plans without Wizard-Ozpin knowing. That's just going to lead to more trouble."

"You always need to communicate properly with your comrades." Jaune stated as he took a glance at Pyrrha, remembering his situation with Cardin. "I learned that the hard way."

Ozpin sighed through his nose as he shook his head. "I can smell the irony here."

"Yes, it has a similar stench to that of cracked jack fruit." Vortech telepathically replied to Ozpin.

"My counterpart's actions are proving to be more questionable than the last." Ironwood frowned. "I know we need to get to Erebor before Durin's Day, but there are some things you are not meant to rush."

"This is going to affect both him, and the rest of his Company." Sienna stated with a displeased look. "The wizard is their best chance at getting out of most of their binds. Leaving without him will lead to more events such like with the trolls."

____________________________

This had caused Bofur to look at James in surprise as well, not feeling up to staying awake longer than the others.

It was still rainy down heavily as thunder crashed in the distance.

Azog rode upon his white Warg as it sniffed the grass before looking up with a snarl.

"The scent is fresh!" Azog called out to his Orc pack. "They have taken the mountain pass."

Azog let out a short yell as he gave the signal for his white Warg to start running, the Orcs and their Wargs running quickly behind as Azog led them towards the mountains.

____________________________

"And now the Orcs are fresh on our tails." Roman remarked, dryly. "We all equally have the best and worst luck at the same time."

"Given that the cave the Company currently resides in is located on the side of the mountain, Azog and his Orc pack will have to go over and potentially attack them from the mountain's exit." Oobleck analyzed. "Though if the Company is more expedient than the Orcs, there may be a chance to avoid an encounter."

"Let's hope you're right." Ironwood said as he looked towards the screen with concern.

____________________________

Back in the mountain cave, the dwarves and Roman all slept, scattered around the cave floor as most snored in their sleep.

Roman found himself opened his eyes, blinking as he looked around the cave, taking notice that everyone was asleep.

Carefully and quietly, Roman got up and started to gather his things, packing them into his back and grabbing his walking stick before carefully maneuvering around the sleeping dwarves.

____________________________

"Wait... what-what is he doing?" Nora asked in a suddenly confused tone.

"I can tell you exactly what my counterpart is doing. He's packing his shit and leaving." Roman stated with crossed arms.

"Wha-he can't leave!" Nora proclaimed. "He's apart of the Company. He has to help them take back Erebor!"

"Not to mention that the trek up the mountain was dangerous to begin with." Ruby added in with concern. "Especially now that he might run into the Orcs on his way down."

"He's been verbally abused and unappreciated by the majority of the dwarves." Roman stated with a scowl. "Besides, I know I live through all of this. He'll be fine."

Ruby looked to the screen with a sullen look, staring at Hobbit-Roman and the dwarves. "The story can't just end like this."

____________________________

Dori snored snored loudly for a moment in his sleep as Roman started to walk over him. Roman glanced at Dori, assuring that he was asleep before continuing on towards the cave exit.

However, unknown to Roman, he had forgotten that Bofur was put on first watch, the hat-wearing dwarf quick to notice Roman leaving.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bofur quietly spoke towards Roman, causing the hobbit to halt in his steps with a small sigh.

____________________________

"Looks like your counterpart forgot Bofur was on first watch." Sienna remarked to Roman.

"Ah, rookie mistake." Roman shook his head. "Now there's gonna be this whole thing on why I shouldn't leave. I just know it."

____________________________

Turning around, Roman put on a straight face as he quietly spoke back to Bofur. "Back to Rivendell."

"No, no, you can't turn back now, eh?" Bofur said to Roman as he quickly got up and walked towards him. "You're apart of the Company. You're one of us."

"I'm not, though, am I?" Roman retorted back, causing Bofur to look at him in confusion. "James said I should never have come and he was right. I'm not a Took. I'm a Torchwick. I don't know what I was thinking."

As Roman spoke, Jame had slowly opened his eyes, listening in on the conversation the hobbit had with Bofur.

____________________________

"A quest is one thing, but having to be put down constantly is where I draw the line." Roman crossed his arms with a scowl.

"My counterpart better understand the weight of his actions." Ironwood thought to himself.

____________________________

"I should have never run out my door." Roman told Bofur before looking down.

"You're homesick." Bofur told Roman. "I understand."

"No, you don't!" Roman quietly yelled back at Bofur in a slightly angered tone. "You don't understand. None of you do. You're dwarves! You-you're used to this life. To living on the road. Never settling in one place. Not belonging anywhere!"

Throughout Roman's rant, Bofur had stared at him with a frozen and sullen look the entire time, the weight of Roman's words hitting him hard.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't—."Roman, seeing what he had done, tried to apologize, only to clear his throat and awkwardly turn away.

____________________________

Roman had expected Bofur trying to reason with him. He expected an argument. He did not expect this, however.

"Ah, Crap." Roman sighed with a shake of his head.

"That was uncalled for." Nora glared at the screen.

"Now that's not fair." Pyrrha frowned at the screen. "The dwarves all far well know what it's like to lose a home."

"What dwarf-General Ironwood said about him was wrong, but he doesn't need to take it out on the others like that." Yang said with a taken aback look. "Especially not someone as kind as Bofur."

"The Company's falling apart." Ruby said with a downtrodden expression.

"In the heat of arguments, we sometimes say things we do not mean to slip out." Ren stated with a sigh. "Most of the time, those slip ups lead to moments like these."

"I understand that." Blake thought to herself, remembering when she let it slip to her teammates that she was once a part of the White Fang.

Emerald slightly flinched at the scene. She would always remember her life as a street rat. A thief tricking people to scrounge for scraps. Never having anyone to call family. Never having a place to call home. The mint-haired thief then glanced over to Cinder, prompting her to school her features. "I'm with Cinder now. That's all that matters."

____________________________

"No, you're right." Bofur calmly told Roman with a small and sullen nod, turning his head back to the sleeping dwarves. "We don't belong anywhere."

James had heard this as well, causing him to look down in melancholy.

Roman sighed a bit as he had fully realized the weight of what his told Bofur, yet finding no words to reply back the dwarf.

____________________________

"God... I'm suddenly feeling like such an asshole." Roman muttered to himself as he winced at Bofur's look. "Even more than usual."

Neo saw this, giving her boss a sympathetic look as she rubbed his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

Ironwood stared at the expression on his counterpart's face before looking down to the floor. "A lost home can do much damage to an individual. Especially if that home holds many fond memories. In some ways, I sympathize with my counterpart, despite his crude actions. Who knows what I would go through if Atlas ever fell."

____________________________

"I wish you all the luck on the world." Bofur told Roman with a small shake of his head, causing Roman to glance up at him as Bofur smiled back. "I really do."

____________________________

"You just gotta make me feel worse, don't you?" Roman quietly spoke as he held his wincing look.

"Even after what Torchwick said, Bofur's not replying with a jab of his own." Sienna said with a surprised look.

"It's called being the better person." Glynda stated. "He knows Torchwick didn't mean it. Rather than give back his own retort, he's choosing to show his comrade respect. Even if it doesn't seem Torchwick deserves it."

"Bofur is a very kind dwarf." Penny smiled at the screen.

"He could probably give Pyrrha a run for her money at how nice he is." Jaune joked a bit.

"Nah. No one can outshine Pyrrha at being nice." Yang replied.

"I wouldn't say that." Pyrrha said with a sheepish blush.

"Hopefully Bofur's words will change Hobbit-Roman's mind." Ruby said as she stared at the screen with an expectant look.

____________________________

Bofur gave Roman a pat on the shoulder as Roman replied his own small, yet awkward smile before turning back around and continuing to walk towards the cave's exit.

As he did though, Bofur had noticed something, squinting his eyes in confusion. "What's that?"

Turning around, Roman saw that Bofur's eyes had landed on his elven shortsword. Roman was quick to noticed as he looked down to his blade, slowly pulling it out from his scabbard to find that it was glowing blue, causing Roman to look up in fear and worry.

____________________________

"We can never catch a break." Roman spoke with a deadpan.

"How did Azog get to them so fast?!" Nora shouted in shock.

"Who's to say it is Azog." Cinder pointed out. "We all heard Doctor Oobleck. The Orcs wouldn't be able to reach the cave. Especially not with their Warg mounts."

"Then why is it glowing blue?" Jaune asked in concern. "Are there other Orcs nearby that resided on the mountain?"

"That can't be it... unless..." Blake said as she began to think on the matter. "Professor Ozpin's counterpart said that elvish blades don't only just glow blue from Orcs."

Ruby was quick to remember Wizard-Ozpin's words as well, allowing her to follow along with Blake's trail of thought as she widened her eyes. "Goblins."

____________________________

James, having taken notice of the glowing blade as well, rose his head a bit, glancing down as he heard a the sound of rumbling and wood creaking below.

He took notice of the sand on the cave floor falling down into a crack in the cave floor that started to form in a slithering motion.

____________________________

"Well that's not normal." Mercury remarked.

"Friend Ruby was right. These mountains are cursed." Penny stated with a frown.

"We need to get out of there. Now." Ironwood said with an urgent expression.

____________________________

"Wake up!" James shouted to the others as he started to get up. "Wake up!"

As the other dwarves started to stir in commotion and confusion as to what was going on they all started to slide towards the center of the cave floor as the floor opened down, revealing it have been a secret hatch the entire time. Everyone fell in, including Bofur and Roman.

Everyone screamed and yelled as they slid down a large and and spiraling cavernous hole in the mountain.

They soon came fell down onto a wooden platform built in a gnarly shape with planks, sharp pikes of wood, and lit up by torches. All of the dwarves and Roman fell onto one another with grunts as they hit the platform.

A series of howls were heard as the dwarves and Roman looked out before them.

"Look out!" Dori shouted as everyone began to try and get up.

Running out from the stone and wooden spike-fenced bridge was a horde of festering, dirty, pale, and hobbled goblins. They wore nothing but ropes, stray bones, and loincloths. Their eyes were a ghoulish yellow, their teeth jagged, their nails sharp.

____________________________

Everyone was surprised by the trap door in the cave, but they were all taken aback by the appearance of the goblin horde.

"They're worse than the Orcs." Emerald said in revulsion.

"They look like a walking disease." Weiss spoke with a disgusted look.

"Not to mention their ugly howls." Ilia grimaced.

"Yeesh. Compared to these guys, the Orcs almost look down-right handsome." Nora remarked with a disturbed look."

"They're absolutely hideous." Glynda said with furrowed eyes.

"Like failed mutations." Sienna scowled at the sight.

"And they're coming at us fast." Roman said with a wary look.

____________________________

The goblin horde screech and howled as they climbed onto the dwarves, grabbing onto them.

"Get away!" Nori shouted to the goblins.

"Filth!" Gloin yelled at the abominations.

The goblins continued to lunge and climb onto the dwarves as the dwarves did their best to fight them off.

"Get back!" Dwalin shouted as he punched a goblin.

However, the goblins were proving too many as they also started to climb up from under the stone bridge and the platform the dwarves landed upon.

"You'll pay for this!" Gloin shouted as the goblins started to push the dwarves out.

Roman grunted in terror as the goblins continued to chatter while dragging the Company with them, crossing over a wooden bridge as bats flew underneath and squeaked.

____________________________

"They're overpowering them!" Ruby shouted in worry.

"Let me at 'em! I'll show them some good old Valkyrie fury!" Nora swung her fists in the air.

"Where are they taking them?" Tai asked with concern.

"Wherever it is, it can't be good." Qrow shook his head before taking a swing of his flask.

"Where's the wizard when you need him?" Roman asked with an incredulous look.

____________________________

Through the struggling and commotion, Roman had found himself no longer in the grip of any of the goblins, prompting him to squat down and away.

____________________________

Roman immediately blinked at the scene. "Huh. I guess it pays to be the shortest in the group. It's actually almost silly."

'It's part of how people barely notice me.' Neo signed to her boss.

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"Get off me!" Nori grunted at a goblin before turning around and widening his eyes at finding Roman was no longer behind him.

Nori was then pushed away along with the others as the goblins had completely left the area, allowing for Roman to raised his head, glancing around before crawling behind some cover as he watched the goblin horde drag the dwarves away through the large, cavernous, torch-lit caves.

Roman watched until he was all alone in the platform, getting up as he pulled out his elven blade, which still glowed blue.

Seeing this as, Roman started to walk forward in a crouching manner as he trailed a distance behind the goblin horde.

____________________________

"At least he's making sure to the follow them." Ruby said with a worrying look.

"Yeah, but what's he going to do against all those goblins?" Ilia asked.

"Maybe he can sneak around them and cause a ruckus to free the other dwarves." Ruby suggested.

"That depends on how many goblins are in those caves." Blake pointed out. "I doubt that one horde is all there is."

"Well, I'm just glad that he isn't willing to leave the Company just yet." Ruby replied while crossing her arms.

"Not as if he really can leave them in a situation like this." Emerald muttered with a eye roll.

____________________________

Roman made his way to a second wooden bridge, looking around to see if anything or anyone was there. Suddenly, a goblin had hopped down from the rocky ceiling above.

"Aah!" Roman shouted in fear as the goblin roared and charged him.

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"Of course one was hiding on the ceiling." Roman scowled, annoyed at the screen.

"These goblins are quite versatile in how they move." Port analyzed. "Their claws most likely allow them to crawl around the cave walls."

"So they're like cockroaches." Qrow said.

"I think that's offending the cockroaches." Tai replied to Qrow.

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The goblin began to attack Roman with a bone sword as the hobbit did his best to deflect each frenzied strike. Roman then parried the goblin onto the wooden floor, causing the horrid creature to roll. Roman held his stance, albeit with fear, as the goblin got up and charged back at Roman, continued to thrash his sword at the hobbit.

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"Come on! Swing your sword back!" Roman shouted at his counterpart. "It's one goblin that's as short as you. You can't stay on the defensive!"

"I think the dwarves should have helped your counterpart in sparring." Glynda said to Roman as she watched the fight between his counterpart and the goblin. "His defense is somewhat tolerable, but his stance and sword swings are sloppy. It will allow the goblin to either find or make an opening to get the better of him."

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The goblin then punched Roman, causing the hobbit to lose his balance as the goblin then jumped onto his back, biting into his neck.

"Aah!" Roman shouted in pain as he tried to get the goblin off of him.

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A majority of the audience winced and cringed at the goblin biting down on Hobbit-Roman's neck.

"Point proven." Glynda said with a wince.

"That's just dirty." Port scowled at the screen.

"Yikes." Jaune flinched. "Bit on the neck."

"I take it the goblins prefer to fight like savages." Weiss spoke with a grimace.

"I guess it's one way of winning a fight." Cinder said a with a small shrug, though she too wasn't a fan of the biting tactic.

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However, Roman only ended up in sending himself and the goblin over the edge of the bridge, sending both of them tumbling off.

"Aah!" Roman yelled as the goblin screeched, both of them falling down into the deep and dark caverns below, the last thing being seen was the elvish blade falling down into the cavern with several clangs as it bounced against the rock.

And with that, the viewing ended.

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Neo gave a silent gasp as she put her hands over her mouth.

"Seriously... how did I not die through all of this?" Roman asked with wide eyes.

"You're ending it there?" Ruby asked Vortech with a frown. "A cliffhanger? Again?"

"Cliffhangers are always the best spot to end something before continuing it." Vortech stated with a chuckle. "I don't care if you hate it."

"Now we're going to have to wait to see how we get out of this mess." Ironwood shook his head.

"Regardless, I'd say this particular viewing was... quite unexpected, if I'm being honest." Ozpin gave his thoughts, the image of Salem and Arthur Watts as his allies still fresh in his mind.

"It was nice to see grandfather." Weiss said with a small smile, before frowning. "Though the dwarves were just deplorable in Rivendell."

"I find myself interested in what happened with this Dark Lord, Sauron." Oobleck admitted. "It sounds like there's quite the history to all of it."

"An explanation for that will be revealed much later on." Vortech told the green-haired teacher.

"Those Stone-Giants were something else." Yang said. "I really could have never expected something like that."

"Oh, yeah..." Roman nodded as he began to realize something. "I guess that means I'm finally respectable, Ice Queen Senior."

"What?" Winter asked Roman.

"Earlier, you said I wouldn't be respectable until mountains walk." Roman explained. "And here we are. Turns out mountains can walk."

"It was an adynaton. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously." Winter retorted back.

"Nope. You said how I would be respectable, and here we are." Roman stated with a nod as he crossed his arms. "I am now forever respectable, and there is nothing anyone can do to erase that."

Winter groaned in annoyance as she rubbed her forehead.

"You did say that to him." Ironwood told Winter.

"I know, sir." Winter replied with a vehement sigh.

"Well, anyways..." Vortech trailed off as he began to change the topic. "Who wants to watch something funny?"

"Ooh! Is it more Impractical Jokers?" Yang asked with an excited look.

"No." Vortech bluntly replied.

"Aw, man." Yang snapped her finger with a frown.

"This next universe we will be taking a look into seems almost normal at a glance, but the individuals that we will be seeing are far from normal." Vortech stated as he started up the next viewing. "Just prepare to potentially lose brain cells when watching them."

"Wait, what?" Glynda quickly asked with a worried look as Oobleck rose his brow in confusion.

End chapter_

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Casting:

Thorin Oakenshield: James Ironwood
Bilbo Baggins: Roman Torchwick
Gandalf the Grey: Ozpin
Saruman the White: Arthur Watts
Radagast the Brown: Bartholomew Oobleck
The Witch-King of Angmar: Himself
Sauron: Himself
Elrond: Nicholas Schnee
Galadriel: Salem
Lindir: Himself
Dwalin: Himself
Balin: Himself
Fili: Himself
Kili: Himself
Dori: Himself
Nori: Himself
Ori: Himself
Oin: Himself
Gloin: Himself
Bifur: Himself
Bofur: Himself
Bombur: Himself
Azog the Defiler: Himself
Yazneg: Himself
Fimbul: Himself

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Author's notes:

Here we are with the next Hobbit chapter. We're getting close to the end of an Unexpected Journey. Only two more chapters. Now this chapter may seem a bit shorter compared to the first two Hobbit chapters, in which I do believe it is. Also, I would like to apologize for this chapter being two days later than what how I've been putting out chapters on a weekly basis, to which there are some reasons for this.

One, it was busy and active weekend for me. We were preparing some stuff for a funeral for the sister of my mom's girlfriend, and then we had birthday party for my mom's girlfriend's other sister.

Second is that the coolant for the air conditioner in the house that we're at ran out and broke, so it was humid in the house all week. We had to leave the windows open and the fans on the entire time. Safe to say that I do not have the will to write in humid temperatures.

So other than that, let's get to the puzzle for the next chapter. I can guarantee you're all going to love it.

Hint for next chapter:

10-21-19-20  18-5-1-4  9-20.

16-21-12-12  6-15-18  11-14-15-23-12-5-4-7-5.  9  4-15  20-8-1-20  5-22-5-18-25  14-9-7-8-20.  4-15-15-13-19-4-1-25  9-19  14-15-23  1-3-20-9-22-1-20-5.  9-6  25-15-21  1-18-5  18-5-1-4-9-14-7  20-8-9-19  9-20  13-5-1-14-19  9  1-12-12  18-5-1-4-25  20-5-12-5-16-15-18-20-5-4  20-15  19-16-1-23-14  20-15  23-9-20-14-5-19-19  20-8-5  6-15-15-20-1-7-5.  9  19-21-7-7-5-19-20  25-15-21  4-15  20-8-5  19-1-13-5.

12-15-22-5  22-1-14-15-19-19.

Enjoy. 😉

See you all next time, Rule Breakers.