Nightmare

Gandalf rode his horse straight toward the Hobbit who was smoking ahead.

Morgan followed behind, and as the distance closed rapidly, he finally saw the appearance of the short Hobbit sitting on the bench by the roadside.

It was none other than the protagonist of The Hobbit trilogy: Bilbo Baggins.

Morgan could finally confirm exactly what period of Middle-earth he had arrived in.

His previous guess was correct; this was right before the plot of The Hobbit began.

It was also the beginning of all epic tales.

According to the progression of the plot.

Gandalf was on this journey to find Bilbo Baggins and recruit him into the company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield, to set off and reclaim the Arkenstone from the Lonely Mountain.

According to Gandalf's suggestion, their party needed a burglar.

The group of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield had a significant background.

They hailed from the Longbeards, the most powerful of the seven clans of dwarves in Middle-earth.

[Longbeard Clan: A clan regarded by other dwarf groups as having a divine lineage, the nobility among dwarves. They came successively from Mount Gundabad and Moria, possessing a kingly demeanor, wealth, and tradition.]

The Longbeards were the orthodox descendants of Durin's Folk, also known as the Durin's Folk.

The leader, Thorin Oakenshield, was the grandson of Thror, the former King Under the Mountain (Kingdom Under the Mountain), and the son of Thrain.

More than sixty years ago, the Kingdom Under the Mountain fell after an attack by the dragon Smaug from the north.

After the fall of the kingdom, the only choice for Durin's Folk was to flee the Lonely Mountain and begin their wandering.

During this period, Thror, the King Under the Mountain, harbored the intention of retaking the old capital of Moria, which had been occupied by Orcs.

After attempts to dissuade him failed, Thror led the survivors from the Lonely Mountain into a fierce battle against the Orcs.

In the final Battle of Moria, Thror, the King Under the Mountain, was killed by the Orc leader Azog the Defiler.

It was also in this battle that Thorin, the grandson of Thror, lost his shield and fought with a branch of oak to turn the tide, thus earning the honorable title of "Oakenshield."

Because of his bravery in this battle, Thorin Oakenshield gained the recognition of his fellow clansmen.

With King Thror dead, the title of King Under the Mountain was inherited by Thrain, but later, due to other reasons, Thrain went missing.

The title of King Under the Mountain was then inherited by the surviving Thorin Oakenshield.

This was the background before the start of The Hobbit film series.

With the plot of The Hobbit flashing through his mind, Morgan followed behind Gandalf and soon approached the bench where Bilbo was sitting.

He dismounted and stood silently behind Gandalf outside the low fence, watching Bilbo Baggins, who was still leisurely sitting on the bench, eyes closed, blowing smoke rings.

Awakened by the movement, Bilbo opened his eyes to see an old man and a young man, two strange humans, standing outside his fence, staring at him curiously.

Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze, Bilbo subconsciously blurted out, "Good morning."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you wishing me a good morning?"

"Or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not?"

"Or perhaps you mean that you feel good on this particular morning?"

"Or are you simply saying that this is a morning to be good on?"

Gandalf leaned on his staff and spoke fluently, leaving Bilbo Baggins, who held his pipe, feeling a bit dazed, unnatural, and uncomfortable.

But soon, he remembered that this was Hobbiton, right in front of his own Bag End; this was his territory.

So, he immediately forced himself to calm down, shrugged to appear more relaxed, and said, "I think all of them at once."

After Bilbo finished speaking, Gandalf fell silent again, just looking at Bilbo without a word, just as before.

Morgan stood to the side, also remaining silent, quietly watching Gandalf's performance and observing Bilbo.

Being watched by the two, especially the tall old man in the grey robe, made Bilbo feel uneasy. He hesitated and said, "Are you... looking for someone to help you?"

Gandalf finally spoke again: "I'll see about that."

"I am looking for someone to share in an adventure."

Gandalf looked at Bilbo and spoke softly.

Bilbo froze for a moment, finally reacted, and immediately shook his head: "An adventure."

"No, I don't think anyone west of Bree would have any interest in adventures."

"They are nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things."

"They make you late for dinner."

Realizing that these two uninvited guests were up to no good, Bilbo stood up and began to retreat as he spoke.

When the round door of Bag End was tightly shut from the inside.

Morgan finally spoke, looking at Gandalf: "What now?"

Gandalf did not speak either, but simply stepped over the low fence, arrived at the door of Bilbo's Bag End, and began to mark the round wooden door with his staff.

The staff, which looked as unremarkable as a piece of deadwood, began to overflow with light the moment it touched the door, causing Morgan to widen his eyes in astonishment.

It was his first time seeing Gandalf cast a spell, and the first time in his life he had witnessed true magic.

Gandalf drew a pattern resembling a forked branch on Bilbo's door; if one looked closely, they would notice a faint shimmer flickering across the mark.

Because the symbol was etched into the corner of the door, it was difficult to notice unless one looked carefully.

Morgan stepped forward and asked, feigning ignorance, "What is this?"

"Let us go. Someone will come to persuade him for us."

"We shall return later."

Gandalf smiled mysteriously, then turned and walked toward the horses by the roadside.

Morgan knew exactly what was happening, so he naturally did not press the matter.

Soon, Morgan followed Gandalf as they rode away.

When the commotion outside faded, Bilbo, who had been pressed tightly against the circular door, leaned toward the small window beside it to peer outside.

Only after sensing that the two men had departed did Bilbo open the door and step out once more.

After looking left and right and finding nothing out of the ordinary, Bilbo muttered, "How utterly bizarre."

He then returned inside, closed the door, and began humming a tune as he prepared his breakfast.

Not even an interruption could dampen his mood for a delicious meal.

The day passed quickly.

As the sky darkened and night fell.

Inside the small, cozy Bag End, Bilbo was busy preparing his dinner.

He fried the smoked fish until both sides were golden brown, roasted the sausages until they were fragrant, and added two slices of cheese and a glass of fruity red wine.

Bilbo looked at the delicious dinner before him with great satisfaction, and just as he was about to tuck in, the doorbell rang.

"Who could be visiting at such an hour?"

Bilbo was slightly taken aback, but he quickly stood up to answer the door.

Hobbits were always very hospitable.

He, Bilbo Baggins, was no exception—as long as it wasn't a guest like the one from this morning.

"Coming!"

Bilbo replied, walking briskly to the door, sliding back the bolt, and pulling it open.

He saw a tall dwarf standing outside.

"Dwalin, at your service."

The dwarf bowed, looking every bit the gentleman.

Bilbo was taken aback by the dwarf's professional demeanor and immediately returned the gesture: "Bilbo Baggins, at your service."

And so, Bilbo's nightmare began.

When Morgan returned to Bilbo's Bag End with Gandalf, they could hear the clamor and noise from within, along with Bilbo's helpless roaring, long before they even drew near.