The ambush, orchestrated by Sauron and carried out by Dwarves, had come without warning, but it ended just as swiftly.
As Allen glared at the enemy sailboats, they kept advancing until the distance between the two sides had narrowed to thirty or forty meters.
The Dwarves bellowing their battle cries grew even more excited. Some brandished their axes in taunting gestures, while others spewed filthy curses.
"Hahaha, turtles that only know how to hide in their shells!" "Look, a few helpless forest sprites!" "Hand over the gold, and we'll give you a quick death."
Compared with Durin's Folk, these Dwarven tribes, which had served the darkness for thousands of years, had virtually no honor or self-respect.
Whether in battle or everyday life, strength and wealth drove them, laying bare the greed in their bones.
If a comparison had to be made, under the influence of darkness, these creatures behaved more like Half-orcs than Dwarves.
They were brutal, insatiably greedy, and none too bright.
The reason these Dwarves were willing to risk their lives blocking the river today was that their leader had received a piece of glittering, golden news from a higher-ranking chief.
A small flotilla carrying valuable goods would leave Heidelberg for Lake-town that day. Most importantly, it had very few guards-only twenty or so.
The greedy Dwarves, who had nearly gone mad cooped up in a Lake-town inn, naturally refused to let this opportunity slip away.
Their leader had also promised that after the robbery, someone would meet them and help them leave Rhovanion quickly.
What were they waiting for, then?
And so, guided by someone with an agenda, this Dwarven tribe appeared before Allen at just the right moment.
Of course, the fact that these Dwarves had managed a passable disguise showed that they were not entirely