In the empty room.
Ino sat quietly in a chair, but his thoughts were like a stormy ocean, endlessly churning.
In his mind, he replayed the story of Middle-earth, from the First Age to the Fourth Age: the Silmarils, Morgoth, Sauron, the Valar, and the Maiar...
He meticulously reexamined every event, every detail.
After a moment.
Ino seemed to reach a conclusion. Something must have happened to Ilúvatar, otherwise, Morgoth, as the firstborn, would not have dared to act so recklessly, let alone Sauron afterward.
This likely explained why the other Valar and Maiar rarely intervened directly in the affairs of Middle-earth.
This conclusion wasn't mere speculation; it was based on a thorough analysis of the entire timeline's power dynamics.
It was like a vast lake where the main spring had fallen asleep. A relatively powerful fish tried to create a new spring using the Silmarils. After its failure, a smaller fish tried again with the One Ring.
The source was dormant, and the extraordinary powers were disrupted. This might be the fundamental reason why the strength of Middle-earth had declined over the ages.
This could also be why the Valar preferred to endure rather than intervene directly.
After a lot of thought, Ino realized that with his current information, he couldn't deduce the full truth.
But two paths lay before him: either ignore Gandalf and continue eastward to Minas Tirith, waiting for the story to end safely, or accept Gandalf's suggestion, join the adventure, and help the dwarves.
The first path was safe and reassuring, while the second was dangerous but offered rich rewards.
More importantly, he could use this opportunity to better understand his own miraculous circumstances. If he missed this chance, who knew how long he would have to wait for another.
…
Late at night.
Amid the snoring of the dwarves, Ino began to pack his belongings.
Essence of Dittany, Energizing Elixirs, Bezoar for poison antidotes, and even a small vial of Felix Felicis. He placed many commonly used potions in the Muggle mode of his suitcase for easy access.
He also re-secured his broomstick with sturdy twine, strapping it to his back like a longbow.
Time slowly passed.
Hearing the familiar sounds from the courtyard, it seemed Beorn's night patrol was ending.
Ino got up slowly. Since he had decided to go on the adventure, he needed to say goodbye to Beorn in advance.
But as soon as he stepped out of the room, he saw Gandalf standing at the door, apparently waiting for a while.
"It seems you've made your choice," Gandalf said with a smile.
"Obviously, I have," Ino said calmly. "Although I can be indifferent at times, your proposal intrigued me. So, I've decided to join this battle. But let me state in advance, I can't guarantee how much I can do. Since you know I'm an outsider, I assume you can see through my disguise."
There was no promise, yet it seemed like a promise. After all, facing an invitation from Gandalf, a Maia (a lesser deity), he couldn't just ignore it since this was his domain.
"That's enough, young… wizard. I must leave for a while due to certain matters, so I hope you can assist the dwarves through Mirkwood," Gandalf said, subtly observing Ino's gear. Noticing the broomstick, he added with a smile, "While a flexible retreat is important at times, battles sometimes require more than just retreating. You might need another item."
A beautifully crafted longsword.
To be honest, the moment the sword was revealed, Ino felt a sense of holiness.
The entire blade was about a meter long, luxurious and elegant. In the dim pre-dawn courtyard, the runes engraved on the blade shimmered, as if they gathered the essence of countless stars.
Glamdring, Gandalf's sword, forged by High Elves in the Second Age.
Its previous owner was Turgon, the famous king of the hidden city of Gondolin from the First Age.
Looking at the legendary sword before him, a weapon surpassing even the Sword of Gryffindor, it was hard not to want it.
Taking the sword, Ino admired it for a moment. It was truly dazzling and magnificent. However…
"Sorry, I can't use it. Although I love it and would greedily claim it, I am not that dragon, and you need it more than I do."