Gandalf, Aragorn, Golden Bolt, and Legolas were riding three horses down the dense forest path to Isengard.

In the battle of the Holy Helmet Valley two days ago, the strong orc white-handed army under the white-robed wizard Saruman could almost be said to be wiped out! Now, the cavalry of the Rohan Hussars, together with the firearms army of the United Kingdom of Alythea, are clearing and sweeping the area near the West Valley of Rohan, the Orcs, the Orcs and the Barbarians of Denland, and it is believed that the entire west of the Rohan Kingdom will be able to return to calm in a short time.

All of this sounded like good news, but the white-robed Gandalf was riding on the back of his horse, the Shadow of the Shadow, and he was always looking at his old face, and he couldn't be happy anyway.

Because, before the foolish hussar king Heudon set off for the capital of Idoras yesterday, he had already announced: the Rohan Hussars officially joined the United Kingdom of Alicia and honored Orfina as the common queen of the United Kingdom!

In the future, in addition to the Prancing Horse flag of Rohan, the Vulture Condor Flag of the United Kingdom of Alicia with a red background and gold border will be hung in addition to the Rohan flag. Now, maybe they have already started to sign a more detailed treaty and discuss the specific franchise matters, right?

This matter has been settled, and what the stubborn Hussar King of Heudon has decided, no matter how much he Gandalf persuades him, it is useless!

It was only now that Gandalf discovered that the kingdom of Gondor, which had a vital position in his plans, had been completely isolated all of a sudden?

Look, to the east of Gondor, across the Anduin River, is the growing power of Mordor, and to the north, north of the mountains of Gondor, is the United Kingdom of Alicia, with its ambiguous attitude and unknown intentions! To the west and south is the sea, and Gondor is completely trapped!

The situation suddenly became extremely serious, and Gandalf, who felt that things were not going well, felt that it was necessary to visit Isengard, and he planned to make another contact with the little girl under the pretext of confirming whether Saruman was dead.

He was desperate to know, what was the little witch called Anne trying to do?

If you think about it, since the little girl first appeared in Middle-earth, Gandalf probably knew a little bit about what the other party had done.

For example: she killed several Ringwraiths under the Demon Lord Sauron, froze an entire river flood, captured a fire demon in the back, and now created a United Kingdom and wiped out the power of Isengard, and killed Saruman?

If you look at all these things together, it doesn't seem like the other party has done anything bad for Middle-earth, right? And, she seems to have done him a favor as Boss Gandalf?

However, for some reason, Gandalf always felt a little uneasy in his heart!

After thinking about it, he was suspicious of the little girl named Annie. Because, he can't see through this little girl! If she's evil, right? But what she is doing now is extremely righteous! But if she is righteous, right? She's never been Gandalf's side!

Not only has the strength, but also does things willfully?

Therefore, Gandalf felt that she was the biggest unstable factor in Middle-earth! Although it is not as harmful as the Demon Lord Sauron, it is also an object that needs to be observed and paid attention to!

Next, about the fact that the white-robed Saruman was burned alive and turned to ashes by the little witch......

Although Gandalf did not contact the Veras for final confirmation, he actually believed it in his heart!

Because, that little girl's terrifying strength, he has deeply experienced.

When Gandalf himself fought the Flame Demon on the highest peak of the Misty Mountains, on the peak of the Silaxigir, the little witch, the little witch, she smashed the fireball, and directly ignited the top of an entire mountain peak and melted it into a volcanic eruption-like apocalyptic scene, he himself experienced it and still vividly remembers it!

Until now, Gandalf still hasn't seen through the true strength of that little girl, according to his conservative estimate, the other party at least has the strength equivalent to the most powerful Maiya?

In addition, in that little girl's hand, there is a fire demon who is even more powerful than his Gandalf, and a flame teddy bear that can press the fire demon to the ground and rub and beat it?

So, Gandalf didn't think that Saruman would be able to curry favor with that little girl, and it should be a normal thing to be burned to death! It's just that to him, this thing will more or less make him feel a little sad about the death of a rabbit and a fox.

That's why he had to come to Isengard! First, it is possible to sort out some of the things that Saruman left behind. If he could, he would even want to reclaim the Ozak Tower, which was originally part of the legacy of the Holy White Council? Second, it is really necessary for him to contact that little girl again, and it is best to be able to probe the bottom of the other party and figure out the true intentions of the other party.

"I'm telling you, I hate it so much!"

"This broken forest...... How did it make me feel like I'm back in that damn, eerie Fagon forest? Gandalf, you can't be on the wrong path! ”

The golden thunderbolt riding with Legolas on the back of a Rohan war horse, at this time, he was sitting behind Leglas, looking at the surrounding gloomy dense forest with a displeased expression, these tall trees, those twisted roots, seemed to give him a kind of déjà vu, but also very familiar illusion?

He almost thought this was the damn Fagon Forest that he had been to a while ago!

However, just as he finished speaking, the huge ancient trees around him began to moan and move, so frightened that Jin Li quickly shut up, so that he did not roll off the horse.

Here, is it really the damn Fagong Deep Forest? Could it be that Gandalf was really old and confused enough to lead the wrong way?

"Be careful with your words and deeds, son of Grollin, dwarf golden thunderbolt!"

Raising the staff, I don't know if any spell was used, after calming or warning the surrounding trees to calm them down again.

Gandalf, who was leading the way in front, turned his head to warn the dwarf with a large iron axe in his hand and a smoothbore large-caliber short-barreled musket behind him.

The large-caliber smoothbore front-loading rifle on the other side's back was given to his son Jin Li by the current artillery officer of the United Kingdom of Alicia, Groin, and it is said that after hitting gunpowder and projectiles, a single shot can break the chest or head of a large troll?

Gandalf didn't like these weapons because he sensed that they were threatening to their Maia...... This kind of demonic weapon makes personal bravery no longer important, doesn't that mean that his swordsmanship mastery is in vain? Maybe at some point, you will be knocked down by a weak child? That's a little too aggrieved!

"Here, it's the Fagon Forest!"

"But it's not the Fagon Forest we've been...... Because, the shepherds, they have made the ancient trees move and expand here......"

After looking at the ancient trees around him with a solemn face, and the strong orc or orc corpses that were tightly wrapped under the roots of the ancient trees and were slowly absorbing as nutrients, Gandalf slapped the shadow under him slightly, and let his divine horse continue to move forward.

Seeing the ancient tree grazed by the tree herders appear here, Gandalf faintly felt that the queen of the United Kingdom of Alicia, Orfina, must have hidden something from him!

She said to herself, "Did Isengar be attacked by their Second Legion of Alicia and the little witch Anne?" But why are there these moving trees that are controlled by the shepherds? The Shepherds, who united with the Kingdom of Alicia and conquered Isengard?

Didn't the shepherd treebeard, who said that he was most disgusted with the little witch who could play with fire? At that time, the two sides almost fought! Now, why are the two sides mixed up again?

Is this a fortuitous coincidence? Or was the little girl coerced or used magic to control the tree herdsmen? Therefore, Gandalf felt that it was necessary for him to find out about this matter later!

That little girl not only created a powerful United Kingdom of Alicia, but also created a new type of evil gunpowder weapon, and annexed the Rohan Hussars! If the other party still controls those powerful tree herdsmen now, then he has to ask one more question, ask the little witch, what do they want to do?!

"Are you sure, Gandalf, these damn trees are still moving?!"

Hearing Gandalf say this, Jin Li's eyes widened and he shouted loudly again.

However, after Gandalf glared at him fiercely, he quickly covered his mouth again, saying that he would never talk casually again, so as not to upset the ancient trees.

He had always thought that those ancient trees would just take root in place, and then, at most, they would be able to attack the unlucky creatures that passed by them! But where would he have thought that such damn trees, they would move like people? Still from the far side of the Fagon Forest, to slowly move to Isengard?

"The gods are above! This...... Is this really the same Issinger from before? ”

As soon as he stepped out of the Fagon Forest and saw the crumbling walls of Isengar and the towering tower of Ozuk, Aragon exclaimed in shock as he looked at the tower that had become a little different.

"What's going on? The tower...... It doesn't look like it's the same as I've seen it before? And ......"

Aragorn turned suspiciously to look at the wizard Gandalf, who was standing to his left standing next to him, as if he wanted to get an accurate answer from the other.

Because, in front of them, the Ozak Tower in the middle of Esinger, except for the original black tower, it didn't seem to have changed much, and the surrounding towers were actually inlaid with large and small crystals or gems shining with red energy?

And that's not all!

At the very top of its tower, on top of the platform that was supposed to be for wizards to cast spells or observe celestial phenomena, there was a huge red gem that was also burning with flames? This gave Aragorn an instant feeling that seemed familiar, but not too certain.

"And it seems to resemble Sauron's flaming vertical pupil in Mordor, right?!"

Without Aragorn's reminder, Gandalf could already see what this thing looked like, it was simply full of déjà vu.

If it weren't for the appearance of the other party and the tower of Ožek, if it weren't for the fact that the top of the opponent was only a flame instead of a vertical pupil, Gandalf and Aragorn might have really thought that they had come to the Barado Tower in Mordor!

That burning gem with flames is a little too similar to the burning pupils of the Demon Lord Sauron! At least, if viewed from a distance, they might be more like? Perhaps, compared to the previous Saruman, the little witch in it might be more like Sauron, right?

Compared to the shock of Aragorn and the others, Gandalf was more worried about another thing: the little girl inside, after staying in this world for a while, she had become more and more presumptuous, and less and less concerned about the good things they had said to each other!

Look at it, now, the other party has been so unscrupulous that they have openly transformed the Mage Tower!

Even if it was transformed, it was transformed into the fierce and powerful appearance in front of him, and Gandalf needed to doubt the other party's motives.

He didn't understand, the little girl inside, she wasted her strength to make a tower that could have been used as a mage tower, into a more offensive appearance in front of her, who was she guarding against?!

You know, this is the western part of Middle-earth, after Isinger was destroyed by her, the white-robed wizard Saruman was killed by her, and Rohan announced that he had joined Alicia, and even the tree herders had joined them, what else could threaten her?

What was she afraid of? Could it be Modo? But Mordor, on the east bank of the Anduin River, is still 108,000 miles away!

So, it's getting more and more intriguing!

"Humph! Rest assured! ”

"This is the Orzak Tower, and those flames, they have nothing to do with the Demon Lord Sauron! Here, it's just that the little witch has completely transformed it into a mage's battle fortress! ”

"That's right...... It's a battle fortress for mages! ”

With that, Gandalf's face became even more ugly.

He didn't want to explain more to He Aragon and the others, so he hurriedly patted the white horse under his crotch, he planned to enter Isenger as soon as possible to find out what was going on.

Because, the sharp-eyed Gandalf had already seen that in Esinger, in addition to the red and gold-edged condor flags of the United Kingdom of Alicia and the soldiers, there were also many tall shepherds sitting inside, looking at the friendly coexistence of the two sides, Gandalf probably understood something in his heart.

"Hey! Are you all right? ”

"Welcome, welcome to the Red Witch Anne's Esinger!"

As Gandalf and the others had just turned a corner and were about to enter through the tattered gate of Isengard, two hobbits who were sitting on the parapet wall smoking, drinking, and eating a big meal, jumped up for joy, waved their hands loudly at them, and shouted in cheer.

The two of them thought it would be at least a while before they saw these friends again! But I didn't expect that they had just been fighting Issinger for two days, and they would come here to visit them?

"Hey! Pippin, and Melly? You two bastard boys! ”

"We dare to come here to find you two so hard, but you are staying here and eating and drinking? ..... you still smoke a pipe? ”

Jin Li, who had been driving for more than two days to get here, finally couldn't help it.

So, his eyes widened, and he poked his head out from behind Legolas again, and muttered loudly and disapprovingly to the two hobbits on the wall of Isengard's section.

"Aha! That's because we've just won a big victory, so it's the spoils of the Red Witch and Alicia's generals rewarding us both! ”

Upon hearing Kim's displeasure, Pippin, the hobbit, retorted unceremoniously.

Anyway, the day before yesterday and last night, they also followed the tree herdsman's whiskers, and smashed and injured dozens of strong orcs and half-orcs with stones, and no one can snatch this feat!

It all started early yesterday morning, when the fighting here was almost over, and while Alicia's army was busy sweeping the remnants of the orcs and counting the spoils of war, the two of them hurried to Saruman's kitchen and looted some of the finest luxuries that only Saruman could enjoy.

So, as the victorious side, the current food, drink, and tobacco are the rewards that the two hobbits deserve.

"That's right! We've got some of the best specialties from the Shire: fine tobacco and smoked, cured pork from the Long Bottom! ”

At this moment, another hobbit, Merry, stood up as he was not lonely, smoking his pipe and munching on a piece of cured pork, and boasting triumphantly to the bearded dwarf Golden Bolt, who was sitting behind the elf and drooling.

"It turned out to be the finest tobacco...... And, the best cured pork?! ”

Jin Li, who hadn't eaten anything after a day of traveling, suddenly felt like his saliva was going to drip down.

He suddenly thought that when Gandalf and the others went to business, would he be able to go and have a meal with the two old hobbit friends? Anyway, he doesn't know anything about magic, a dwarf who can only fight, does he? Well, don't bother Gandalf, who hasn't been in a good mood lately, right?

"Alas...... These two hobbits ......"

That's a ...... Let Gandalf not know what to say about them!

Therefore, he shook his head, and he didn't plan to mess around here with these two halfling bastards. Now, he has more important things to deal with, and he will come back to them to settle the score!

After thinking about it, Gandalf directly continued to ride his horse slowly, intending to go in first, and it was important to get down to business.

Moreover, he had just heard some bad information from the mouths of the two hobbits, it seemed that the little girl, she had changed her name to the Red Robe Witch?

"Hey! Gandalf! Don't go near that tower, it's going to be dangerous! ”

"If you want to ask to see the Witch in the Red Robe, I think you'd better tell the female general named Renas first, she's over there in the biggest tent!"

Gandalf didn't want to pay much attention to the two of them, but turned his horse's head and walked past the damaged Aisinger Gate, and began to walk towards the tower.

Pippin quickly took his pipe in his mouth, climbed up a higher section of the broken parapet with both hands, and shouted at Gandalf and the others, who had already walked into the wall.

Now, it's not very safe near that tower!

Except for a limited number of people, such as the maids who were in charge of cleaning and delivering food, and General Renas or the two hobbits who had a good relationship with Her Excellency the Red Witch, any outsider who dared to break into it casually would be burned to ashes by the merciless flames!

Of course, the two of them can only enter the hall on the first floor of the tower, and if they go up, they can't go up, it is said that they need some kind of permission key for magic?

"Well, I've warned them!"

Then, when he saw that the Shepherd Treebeard had already met Gandalf, who had entered on horseback, Pippin shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to bother any further, and continued to jump up to Merry's side, and continued to eat and drink.

Now, the hobbit afternoon tea time has just begun!

"Oh...... Young Gandalf ...... I'm glad you're here too......"

After signaling to the Alician soldiers who wanted to come forward and interrogate him not to be too nervous, the shepherd walked up to the three horses that seemed to him to be no more than ankle high.

"Treebeard, my old friend, I'm glad to meet you too!"

"It's just that I still don't understand a little, how did you shepherds unite with the people of the Alician Kingdom? If I'm not mistaken, don't you hate that little witch the most? ”

After looking at the Alician soldiers around him, as well as the herdsmen who were working under the command of the other party, Gandalf was puzzled.

What kind of trouble are these tree people?

If it's a joint effort to defeat Isinger, it's almost time to go back now, right? But now not only do they not leave, but they are also called to each other as coolies or slaves? At what point did the Treemen's temper become so good?

"Joint ......?"

"No...... We don't have a joint ......"

Hearing Gandalf say that his Treadpherd was in alliance with the Little Witch's men, Treebeard shook his wooden head, which was full of whiskers and leaves.

"Until now...... I really don't like that little witch in the red robe...... She...... In fact, it's as bad as the white-robed Saruman......"

If it were of their own volition, perhaps, in today, they would not have been here?

Even if they wanted to take revenge on Saruman's random felling of the Fagon Forest, they would not be able to join forces with the little witch's men! They are shepherds, and generally do it in their own way.

"So what are you ......?"

This round and forth made Gandalf feel a little confused, and then he pointed to the summoned tree people around him and asked!

Since the tree shepherd tree whisker in front of him, he dared to say that he did not join forces with the little witches, but what about those tree people who were working under the command of the soldiers?

Could it be that the other party really thinks that he Gandalf is so old that he is dizzy and can't see things clearly?

"Oh...... This ......"

Hearing Gandalf point to the tree people, the tree whiskers finally understood what they meant.

"Hmm...... We do...... Didn't unite with the little witch ......"

"Because...... We are not a joint ...... at all But...... They commanded us ......"

Coalition is equality and mutual assistance, and command is the relationship between superiors and subordinates. The distinction between this relationship, the tree whiskers, which have lived for countless years, are still clearly distinguished, and it is not wrong about anything.

"They're directing you? Could it be that you little witch used magic to enslave you?! ”

Gandalf, who seemed to have thought of something bad, hurriedly asked.

What he feared the most might have happened!

That little girl, recklessly, forcibly used magic to enslave these powerful tree shepherds? Then, using the ability of the Tree Shepherd to manipulate the Fagon Forest, he obtained a large number of powerful tree men and an army of moving ancient trees out of thin air?!

"No...... She didn't ......"

The slow-speaking urgency was evident again, and when he heard this, the tree beard hurriedly waved his hand again.

"The little witch in the red robe...... She just took something...... Had a deal with us......"

The little witch provided them with what the shepherds needed, and the shepherds, of course, also provided some of their people for each other's call.

In Shusu's view, this matter has nothing to do with the position, nothing to do with right or wrong, just a normal trading behavior, each taking what he needs.

Even, although they were still a little dissatisfied verbally, in fact, in their hearts, they were still faintly grateful to the little witch?

After all, the other party has solved the problem of their tree people for thousands of years, and this kindness is like regenerating parents......

"Deal!?"

Gandalf was stunned when he heard this word, he didn't understand, what did he need to trade with the tree people who had no desires, no worries about food, no worries about clothing, and no worries about living?

Haven't they been living in the Fagon Forest for so many years? Eat some soil when you're hungry, sleep when you're sleepy, what else will they lack? And what can impress them?

"What is the deal that will make you shepherds willing to take the initiative in the war?"

"Be careful, don't be fooled by that little girl!"

After thinking about it, I subconsciously thought that it was Gandalf who the little girl had coaxed the tree man, so I hurriedly spoke out and kindly persuaded him.

According to that little girl's temperament, maybe, these tree people will end up with a bamboo basket and an empty ending? Then, in their annoyance, they are not good at setting off a storm. You know, the more honest the person, the more terrifying the power of the outbreak, maybe, it will be the kind of jade burning?

"No...... The Red Robe Witch ...... She has lived up to her promise...... We found them......"

In the face of facts, any kind of discord or lie is pale and powerless!

Because, after the capture of Isengard, little Anne told the shepherd the specific location of the tree wives of the tree beard. Now, there are already many young and strong tree shepherds who are rushing to the place they have said to welcome back their tree wives!

So, the beard didn't have to mind what Gandalf had just said.

"Alright...... I'm going to work...... Good bye...... Gandalf ......"

When he noticed that one of his companions in the distance was struggling to move a huge rock, Treebeard quickly turned around and strode towards it.

It didn't have much time to continue chatting with this Gandalf here, and this Issinger was at his busiest right now. The little witch had already ordered them to rebuild this place to what she needed it to be, within the allotted time, in conjunction with her armies!

"What did you find? What did she give you to make you work so hard for her? ”

Gandalf didn't understand, he had tried so hard to persuade these tree people, and he almost didn't even want this old face, and he didn't see them agree with what he said, and help him to attack Isengard?

But as a result, as soon as the little girl made a move, they not only helped, but also came here to work hard as coolies?

That little girl, what did she give them to make them so active in helping out?!

"Treebeard! Are you sure she's not trying to fool you?! ”

Gandalf couldn't hold back, and shouted again at the whiskers who had turned away.

It's a pity that the other party just waved its huge branch arm behind his back and ran to work honestly.

"Hey! I said......"

"Old Gandalf! Do you often speak ill of me behind my back?! ”

Suddenly, a crisp voice with a hint of anger in its cunning voice sounded disapprenantly above the heads of the four Gandalf.

“……”

Then, when the four of them looked up in embarrassment, they saw only a little girl with her hands on the guardrail of the windowsill, looking at some of the villains who were standing under the tower of her house and daring to speak ill of her.

"Hah! That, Lady Witch in the Red Robe, I didn't say anything just now! ”

Jin Li, who was sitting behind the elf Leglas, hurriedly spoke up to defend himself, now, the dwarf has a good relationship with Alicia and this little witch, and they are relatively close, it is said that the two sides still have the will to form an alliance?

Therefore, when Jin Li met his father outside Horn Castle, the old dwarf Groyin specially explained to his son Jin Li in a vague way, asking him not to contradict the little witch! If you could, it would be better to stay a little further away from that Gandalf?

Although I don't know if my father knows something, or heard about something, Jin Li may not be able to do such a thing as drawing a line with Gandalf.

After all, these people in their Ring Guard Expedition Team are a group of old comrades-in-arms who have experienced hardships together, and he really can't do it when he turns his face and doesn't recognize people.

"Well, if you have something, keep talking, and I'll talk to those two hobbits first!"

So, Jin Li, who didn't want to get involved in these bullshit things, decided right now, or go to those two hobbits and enjoy life together, smoke a lot, and drink a big glass? Oh! And, of course, the finest cured pork that is said to be imported from the Shire?

"Anne...... We meet again......"

"I don't know if you have time to meet me, an old man, honorable lady in red robes?"

Gandalf didn't bother, the one who was jumping out of the saddle was walking out, going to the other side of the wall to find the hobbit's golden bolt.

He himself first looked up and took a deep look at the little girl who only had a head and two small hands peeking out from the windowsill, and then reluctantly showed a smile before asking.

"It's so ugly to laugh, you must be looking for trouble!"

After muttering something in a low voice, Anne pursed her lips.

Judging from the other party's bad words about himself just behind his back and his current expression, Anne knew that this old man Gandalf would not be good this time! However, now Anne is not afraid of him!

I've been in this world for so long, and Anne knows almost everything she should know and things she shouldn't know! This old man Gandalf, she can't fool herself like before, she is not afraid of anyone now, she just wants to make trouble, and it is useless for anyone to persuade her!

Besides, now that the plan has begun, and all the actors are in place, how could she back down now that the big drama is about to start? Otherwise, she made up this exaggerated mage tower and hid in it, for the sake of that?

"The door is unlocked, come in yourselves! Remember, go to the parlor on the second floor and wait for me, don't run around! If you're not careful, you'll really die! ”

After a remonstrance to the other, Anne's little head shrank back from the windowsill.

Now, her red-robed wizard's mage tower is completely different from the original white-robed Saruman's Ozark mage tower, in case, if the three people below come in and run around later, she will burn it or bury it!