Chapter 14: The Perils of the Old Forest Road
Roland and his party planned to traverse the Old Forest Road and ascend the Lonely Mountain along the river. This route had the advantage of bypassing the Woodland Realm, avoiding conflict with the wood elves who excelled in guerrilla tactics. For Roland's cavalry-heavy force, moving through dense jungle would be a nightmare.
Their march was methodical: infantry with large shields formed the outer ring, Lagrand knights and Batanian archers were positioned in the middle, and Roland led the team with Reynold, while Carlos kept to his habitual position at the rear.
"Why are there so many cobwebs on this road?" one infantryman grumbled as he disentangled his spear.
"Who knows! These webs are huge—could they be from spider monsters?" another infantryman speculated.
"Maybe... but we've got a hundred master knights here, so what's to worry about?" the first soldier replied.
"Still, the surroundings feel off," an infantryman said warily.
"Huh?" Roland turned, sensing the unease spreading through his men. "Reynold, what do you think?"
"There's definitely something wrong here, my lord," Reynold responded without hesitation.
"Then why are you so relaxed?" Roland's eyes widened. He knew the dark forest was infested with giant spiders. Was Reynold suggesting they just march into their lair?
"It's just a low-level demonic beast, the shadow spider," Reynold replied nonchalantly.
Low-level or not, Roland knew even minor demonic beasts could be troublesome. "Even low-level monsters can be dangerous! Not everyone is a knight commander like you," he muttered.
"Keep your eyes open, everyone," Roland ordered, feeling a bit more at ease.
"My lord! The cobwebs are getting thicker!" a swift-flowing infantryman reported.
"We're not walking into a spider's nest, are we?" Reynold asked, his face pale.
"Is this path really safe?" Carlos inquired, looking worried.
Roland felt a surge of irritation. "If there's an issue, blame King Elron! It's his map!"
"Or maybe it's not Elron's fault," Reynold interjected. "The spread of evil here might be worse than we thought. If spiders can web up Esgaroth, it means east and west haven't communicated for a long time… Esgaroth could be abandoned."
"Everyone, battle formation!" Roland commanded, taking a deep breath.
"Another fight?" Carlos asked, catching up to the reformed team.
"This road is infested with spiders, and we need to get through now," Roland explained.
"Can't we detour?" Reynold asked, frowning.
"It's too late! We're on a tight schedule," Roland replied, thinking about the upcoming Battle of Five Armies.
"Are you afraid of spiders? You're a dragon knight! Call your dragon!" Roland suddenly remembered Carlos's hidden trump card.
Carlos, realizing his oversight, dismounted and took out his dragon flute. The melodious sound echoed, and a gust of wind tore through the sky. A dragon appeared, roaring as it landed heavily, causing the warhorses to neigh and rear in fright.
"Kaldor, long time no see," Carlos said, patting his dragon's head.
"Roar!" The dragon responded, its tail swishing joyfully, reminding Roland more of a happy dog than a fearsome beast.
"Take to the skies and clear the path!" Roland ordered, his voice filled with determination.
The giant spiders that had taken residence on the Old Forest Road soon faced relentless attacks. Wind blades from above sliced them to pieces, while Roland's men burned cobwebs and cleared the way. The spiders, not prepared for such a coordinated assault, fled or died trying to resist.
Surviving spiders watched with their eight eyes, tears streaming as they realized they couldn't touch the dragon or the heavily armored soldiers below. Their stealth abilities were useless against the paladins who sensed them like beacons in the night. Any attempt to attack was met with spear thrusts or holy sword strikes.
Roland's luck held as they passed through the dark forest, unaware that they narrowly missed encountering an orc army from Dol Guldur.
"A dragon?" Azog muttered, looking skyward. He hadn't known a dragon was here but hadn't seen the dragon rider. He shook his head, focusing on his goal: tasting the blood of the dwarf king.
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