The More Friends You Have, the Easier the Road

The higher-ups ordered the killing of Saruman, Gandalf agreed to this. Although they were both members of the Five Witches, they did not get along well.

Saruman was arrogant and, despite his great power, was not as valued by his leader as Gandalf, which fueled his jealousy. He knew that Gandalf was more talented than him and would surpass him sooner or later, and his jealousy gradually turned into hatred.

After arriving in Middle-earth, Saruman frequently made things difficult for Gandalf, persuaded him to stay away from the White Council, and even imprisoned him himself, trying every possible way to torture him.

Gandalf knew all this, but being a mature Maiar, he silently endured it all, never revealing his discontent, allowing Saruman to go further and further down the path of madness.

Finally, his efforts paid off. Saruman fell completely, siding with the Lord Sauron and attempting to obtain the One Ring, which led to him being blacklisted by those above.

A petty person seeks revenge all day long; a virtuous person seeks revenge by first enduring ten years of hardship!

Gandalf silently gave himself a thumbs up. His suffering hadn't been in vain. Not only had he turned his life around and become a white-robed figure, but he had also gained the appreciation of a high-ranking leader.

Ha! Saruman is nothing but a nobody, and you think you can fight him?

The group traveled south, their speed increased many times over thanks to the excellent warhorses sponsored by Galadriel.

An unexpected incident occurred: the dwarf warrior Gimli's legs were too short to ride his warhorse, so he had to sit on the back of the Elf Prince Legolas.

In the past, Gimli would never have agreed, but after meeting Galadriel, he immediately changed his stance and became a die-hard fan of the Forest Queen.

Gimli had previously said that those who had seen Galadriel no longer possessed their own souls; he had foreseen his own fate!

A dwarf misled by beauty should feel ashamed if he has any sense of honor. Russell was very disdainful, but he also knew that not everyone could be like him, unmoved by beauty in front of them.

Rohan's territory is very open, covered by pastures and grasslands, which is why it is famous for its excellent warhorses. The people of Rohan are also known as the nation on horseback.

In other words, this country is essentially a nomadic people. Although they are known for their fierce nature, they rarely build cities. The capital city of Edoras is one of the few large cities in the country, along with Helm's Deep, a fortified city that is the only barrier against the Uruk-hai army.

As they galloped across the plains, Gandalf suddenly sensed something and signaled to the others to quicken their pace, for a cavalry unit ahead had been attacked by Uruk-hai.

Gandalf's perception was exceptional; in comparison, Russell was far inferior, and it took him some more distance to sense the presence of the cavalry.

Actually, there's no need to perceive it; just look with your eyes. Rohan is mostly open grassland. After a few people crossed a hillside, the battle situation hundreds of meters away came into view.

A cavalry force of over thirty horses was surrounded. The Uruk-hai were mostly infantry, but they possessed fierce Warg Riders who blocked the Rohan Cavalry from breaking through.

"Let's go!"

Aragorn drew his Holy Sword, and Boromir beside him blew his horn, signaling the Gondor warriors to charge.

The sound of the horn immediately attracted the attention of the Uruk-hai. More than ten Warg Riders bared their teeth, raised their longswords, and charged forward, only to be killed by Legolas's pinpoint shots.

A small, roaming group of Uruk-hai was no match for the Fellowship of the Ring. Aragorn and his companions were no pushovers; their powerful physiques had transformed them, boosting their combat strength. They swiftly annihilated the Uruk-hai.

The Rohan cavalry were stunned. The sound of Gondor's horns was familiar, but when did the Gondor become so powerful?

"You are... Gandalf! And you, Boromir, you're here too?"

A tall young man stepped out from the cavalry, paused for a moment, then immediately broke into a smile. He was Eomer, a general of Rohan, acquainted with Boromir, and also familiar with Gandalf, who often visited.

"Eomer, I never expected to run into you here."

"I should be the one saying that. It's incredible! It's so good to meet you all!" Eomer dismounted and bowed slightly to Gandalf.

Gandalf is so magical; wherever he goes, elves, humans, dwarves, Hobbits, Ents, and so on, people are willing to give him some face.

In contrast, Saruman seemed much more of a homebody, completely oblivious to the saying "more friends, easier paths." Later, after Gandalf had explored all the roads, Saruman found himself on the only path leading to Mordor!

"We heard that Isengard has launched an attack on Rohan, so we have come to lend our assistance. Please take us to the capital; I wish to see Théoden." Gandalf stated his purpose concisely and directly. Joining forces with Rohan to defeat Saruman was his top priority, and Sauron had to be put aside for the time being.

"Thank you so much for your help, Gandalf. You will always be a friend of the Rohan." Eomer thanked him again, then said solemnly, "Before we go to the capital, I need you to save one person first."

As they spoke, the two knights helped the wounded man down from his horse. It was a young man with dark golden hair, Prince Rohan, Théoden Theodred first in line to the throne.

"He's badly injured!"

Gandalf recognized Theodred's identity; the latter had a sword wound in his abdomen and imagined he had been hit hard, the wound had only been given basic treatment, and he could die at any moment.

"Theodred was attacked by Uruk-hai at the ford, and he was already seriously wounded when reinforcements arrived. Please, you must save him! I beg you!" Eomer knelt before Gandalf and said sincerely.

Gandalf glanced at Eomer, a look of emotion on his face. "Eomer, you are a good boy..."

Gandalf had his reasons for saying this. Eomer was Théoden's nephew and second in line to the throne. If Theodred had died, Éomer would have become first in line, but he did not do so.

"Don't worry, I will do my best to treat Theodred, but he is too badly injured, and I cannot guarantee that he will survive," Gandalf said.

"You are too modest. When you agreed, Theodred's life was already saved."

The treatment was very simple; Gandalf used his all-powerful Illumination Spell, Theodred's wounds healed rapidly. Lockjaw and concussion were gone; he only didn't wake up immediately because of excessive blood loss.

"Eomer, tell me about the current situation in Rohan!" After the treatment was finished, Gandalf got down to business.

Eomer's expression turned serious. "The Uruk-hai army is pressing in, small groups are attacking scattered tribes, His Majesty the King's health is deteriorating, and there are treacherous people around him causing trouble. Rohan beset by internal and external troubles."

"Theodred ..."

The group rushed to the capital overnight, but encountered several Orcs forces along the way. Rohan's cavalry were hunting down these ferocious invaders.

Gandalf was deeply worried. Saruman's harassment tactics had succeeded. The powerful Rohan Cavalry had been forced to disperse into several groups and were unable to gain any momentum on the plains. Once Helm's Deep was breached, the Uruk-hai army would be unstoppable.

At that time, the entire Rohan will be like two... well, let alone Saruman, who will come and go as he pleases!