We Are the Good Guys

Upon leaving Lothlórien, Russell was in high spirits. The world before him seemed brand new; the sky was bluer, the water clearer, and even Gandalf's robes looked whiter.

The last one is not an illusion; Gandalf's robe did indeed turn white, a gift from Galadriel, who personally draped it over Gandalf.

Russell's two trips to the elven territories made Russell realize that he and the elves were incompatible. This incompatibility had nothing to do with him, but came from the elves themselves: arrogant, conceited, and haughty. Galadriel, in particular, always looked down on people, as if she wanted everyone to know how beautiful her nostrils were!

She was lucky that Russell didn't draw her Character Card, otherwise she would have become famous throughout Middle-earth in no time.

"Frodo, Aragorn, we may need to change our course."

Gandalf, riding on his white horse, said that the white horse was still a gift from Galadriel.

The rest of the Hobbits two horses each, while Aragorn, Legolas, and others each rode one. Russell didn't have one; Galadriel believed he suffered from Nightmare and didn't need any other mounts.

Russell thought so too. A few short-legged horses, ugly as hell, were nothing compared to Nightmare's dashing appearance; he wouldn't even take them for free.

This is just Russell's sour grapes talk. Although the warhorses are not unicorns, they are still rare breeds, exceptionally handsome, and said to have unicorn blood.

Don't ask why female unicorns give birth to hybrids; the reasons are very complex, and male unicorns still don't understand them.

"Gandalf, what do you mean by changing the route? Going in a different direction to Mordor?" Frodo asked.

"No, we can't go to Mordor yet. The Uruk-hai army of Isengard has invaded Kingdom of Rohan. We need to go to the capital, Edoras, first..."

"Isengard's army has attacked Kingdom of Rohan?" Aragorn's expression changed drastically. Kingdom of Rohan was an ally of Gondor, and together they fought against Mordor from the south and north. If Kingdom of Rohan fell, Gondor would be left to fend for itself.

The moment the Holy Sword was reforged, Aragorn was no longer a carefree ranger; fate and honor forced him to confront his identity Gondor's heir.

"Yes..."

Gandalf, with a serious expression, told everyone the reason for his argument with Celeborn.

Both Mordor and Isengard made moves simultaneously. Sauron sealed off Mount Doom and amassed an army, ready to strike. Isengard, under Saruman's control, employed a massacre tactic, creating a powerful Uruk-hai army that swept through Rohan and Carnage the king's people.

King Théoden of Kingdom of Rohan was controlled by Saruman, Isengard's army pressed in, but Celeborn refused to come to Rohan's aid, knowing full well that Kingdom of Rohan was doomed to defeat.

Gandalf couldn't blame Celeborn for anything, just as Elrond refused to leave the One Ring in Rivendell; neither lord wanted to get themselves into trouble and implicate the Elves.

"Gandalf, shall we now turn back to Edoras, the capital of Rohan?" Aragorn asked Gandalf, but looked at Frodo. The core of the Fellowship of the Ring was the Ringbearer, and Frodo's opinion had to be respected.

Aragorn was not optimistic about Kingdom of Rohan's victory because Isengard, located in the northwest corner of Rohan, was almost undefended. With the Uruk-hai army pressing in, Rohan couldn't even mount a proper defense, and the capital was teetering on the brink of collapse.

"I... I'll make the decision?"

Frodo, holding the One Ring, was somewhat bewildered under the gazes of Gandalf and Aragorn. His gaze drifted to Russell, and his eyes lit up. He asked, "Russell, if it were you, what would you choose?"

"As for me... I would probably choose to go to the Kingdom of Rohan first."

Russell frowned, deep in thought, "The decapitation tactic of sending the One Ring to Mount Doom is good, but Sauron is cunning and will surely be on guard, so the success rate is low. We need to find some cannon fodder to draw attention. Since the elves and dwarves have chosen to stay out of it, the cannon fodder can only be humans..."

Aragorn: "..."

Gandalf: "..."

"Rohan alone isn't enough. They can't even stop Sauron's henchman Isengard, let alone restrain Mordor," Russell continued. "So, first we need to help Rohan through this crisis, then put Aragorn on the throne of Gondor, gather the forces of both kingdoms to confront Mordor, and force Sauron to divide his forces. At this point, the Fellowship of the Ring can go to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, increasing the success rate by at least 20%."

Aragorn: "..."

Gandalf: "..."

"Russell, what are you saying? I don't understand!" Frodo swallowed hard.

Russell patted Frodo the shoulder. "Don't be afraid. Those who achieve great things must be prepared to treat the common people as pawns. Betting the fate of two kingdoms to increase the odds of winning by 20% is well worth a try. Of course, I'm just saying. The specific choice is up to you!"

Frodo: "..."

A stillness filled the air. Gandalf wiped his staff, pondering whether he should give Russell a good whack; leaving him alone would surely make him a menace in the future.

Aragorn and Boromir, the two Gondor, stared wide-eyed, their chests heaving, also wanting to give Russell a hard time.

Why are you all staring at me?

Russell swept his gaze across the crowd and said shamelessly, "I'm not wrong. It's impossible to defeat Sauron without casualties. It's always about sacrificing some lives to make others happy. If I had followed my advice, we might have been able to sacrifice fewer lives."

You're absolutely right, but that's Lord Sauron's style of speaking. We're the good guys, so we have to be positive and optimistic.

Gandalf coughed lightly, raised his staff, and said righteously, "Gentlemen, Saruman's Uruk-hai army Bloodlust and cruel, utterly inhuman. Once they conquer Rohan, they will surely Carnage the people of Rohan. We cannot stand idly by."

"Gandalf is right!" Aragorn and Boromir nodded immediately.

"The people of Rohan are currently suffering terribly, and no one is willing to lend a helping hand. Tragedy after tragedy is about to unfold. Even though our strength is meager, we will not give up. I firmly believe that victory will belong to those who are kind and courageous."

"Oooooo!!"

The crowd raised their weapons and shouted. Legolas and Gimli, the two outsiders, were also encouraged by Gandalf's words. Frodo... he felt that what Gandalf said made a lot of sense.

"Gandalf, let's not go to Mount Doom for now, let's go to Rohan!" Frodo nodded firmly.

Gandalf was very pleased, patted Frodo's head, and praised him, "You are such a kind boy!"

Russell: "..."

What do you mean? That I'm not kind?

With their destination clear, the group headed straight for Edoras, the capital of the Kingdom of Rohan.

In fact, there was another important reason why Gandalf decided to turn back to the Kingdom of Rohan.

The higher-ups have spoken. Saruman is a lazy bum who eats people's food but does nothing, making everyone lose face. He needs to be reprimanded.

As for how to deal with it, the higher-ups didn't say, but Gandalf is a mature Maiar and knows what to do: kill Saruman as quickly as possible.