Black Forest.
An Yang walked at the very front. The dwarves and Baggins followed behind him, their feet crunching over dead branches and fallen leaves that had piled up for who knew how many years. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with a strange, rotten smell.
"This forest seems sick," Baggins said. "A normal forest shouldn't look like this!"
"All right, don't waste your energy on baseless guesses." An Yang gazed into the depths of the forest. "This isn't an ordinary woodland. The air here is filled with illusions. They'll erode your will and lead you astray. So make sure you stay energetic. No matter what, don't let those illusions affect you. More importantly, you must stay on the path. Otherwise, once you set foot in this endless forest, you may never find your way out again."
"Wait, are you saying this forest has magic?"
"More than magic." An Yang walked slowly along the stone-paved path, his expression solemn. "There may also be unknown evil creatures and the dwarven brothers' old friends. So everyone must stay alert. This place is nowhere near as peaceful as you imagine!"
"Old friends? Who are you talking about?" Thorin asked.
"And what evil creatures?" Baggins asked.
"You'll find out." An Yang lowered his voice, then continued, "When you feel the illusions affecting you, or hear someone whispering in your ear, make sure you say so at once. That way, we can think of a way to fight back."
"What way?"
"Well, for example, sing a song or tell some jokes. If you're interested, you can also share each other's embarrassing stories and stir up everyone's spirits."
"Don't be like that. You're a Wizard, after all. Don't you have some method that belongs to Wizards?" Fili looked speechless.
"This is a Wizard's method."