Chapter 261: Preparing for Battle
"This is truly incredible." Bifur looked at Kili's leg wound, utterly astonished. "This is Morgul Poison, and you actually managed to suppress it just with these herbs."
Aaron (thought form) casually spread his hands. "My ancestors..."
"Please be a little more honest, Mr. Gaius."
"Alright! I have one, no, two teachers to be precise.
One is a Potion Master, and the other is a Botany Master. As their apprentice, suppressing the onset of the poison is nothing to me."
"Who are they?" Bifur asked excitedly. "If possible, you must introduce me."
thought form:...If nothing unexpected happens, you won't see them in this lifetime, and probably not the next either.
"Ahem! They left Middle-earth, and I don't know where they are."
"What a shame." Bifur beat his chest and stamped his feet, regretting that he couldn't meet the two masters.
"However, there are only so many medicinal ingredients in this town. I spent several hours researching just to find a way to suppress the poison. It will take a few more days of study to completely detoxify him."
"That's truly remarkable," Bifur exclaimed. "Kingleaf Grasscan detoxify, and the fact that you can substitute it with these common herbs—if that news got out, countless doctors would feel ashamed."
"Kingleaf Grass?" Sigrid widened her eyes in astonishment. "Isn't that just a weed? We use it to feed the pigs."
Bifur:...This is awkward.
Suppressing a laugh, thought form patted Kili's shoulder. "Wait up, buddy. I'll go find you this miraculous herb right now."
"I'll go too," Bofur said, immediately raising his hand.
After the two walked out the door, they exchanged a look and simultaneously burst out laughing.
Bofur found the pigpen and snatched a stalk of grass from a pig's mouth. "Honestly, I truly saw despair in Kili's eyes just now. He probably never imagined that pig feed could save his life."
"I didn't think so either," thought form said speechlessly, then picked up an identical weed from the trough and wrapped it up distastefully.
After Bifur received the Kingleaf Grass, he quickly washed it clean and decocted it using a special method.
"Drink this bowl of medicine once it's brewed. Kili's body will be completely free of toxins in just a few hours."
Just then, Bard walked over and looked seriously at Aaron. "Time is running out. Thorin and his group will reach the Lonely Mountain after dark. We must prepare for battle before night falls."
thought form looked at Bofur and Bifur. "I'm leaving Kili in your care. I need to do some preparatory work so we have a way to deal with Smaug if he comes."
After speaking, thought form followed Bard down the stairs, and to his surprise, Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda were waiting in a small boat.
Tilda showed a pure smile. "Brother Gaius, we all really want to see your magic."
The corner of thought form's mouth twitched slightly. He felt like a street performer right now, but he really couldn't refuse a little girl's smiling face.
"Alright! But you don't need to get on the boat."
thought form placed his right hand on the cold lake surface, and an ice-blue magic array appeared before them.
White cold air emanated from the magic array, and half of the lake surface beneath the house slowly froze, turning into a thick layer of ice.
"That's amazing!" Bain murmured, and Sigrid and Tilda's eyes also glittered with strange light.
Seeing this, Bard also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a burden lifted. With Aaron's magic ability, he should be able to protect his three children even if Smaug arrived.
"I will carve a High-Level Defensive Magic Array onto the ice layer, which can withstand one Dragon Flame attack.
If Smaug comes, just lie flat inside the magic array and play dead. Row out only after everything has settled down."
"Then why not put a defensive magic array over the whole town?" Tilda asked, puzzled.
thought form rolled his eyes and rubbed the little girl's head.
"My magic power is limited, and it can't cover the entire town.
Even if I could cover it, I shouldn't. Smaug is here to destroy Lake-town. If the town is destroyed but hardly anyone dies, it will definitely realize something is wrong."
Tilda lowered her head, seeming to half-understand. This method could save people, but not many.
"Is there anything I need to do?" Bard asked. "As for materials..."
"No need," thought form interrupted. "Only beginners need materials. I can use magic power to carve the magic array, and the effect won't be much different."
As he finished speaking, the white Inner Magic Ring and Basic Runes slowly took shape on the ice surface, followed by the hexagonal Starburst and the Outer Magic Ring... The circular magic array was completed within half a minute, merging with the ice surface.
"Not bad," thought form pinched his nose. "Although it took a little longer, it's flawless."
"Bain." Bard looked at his son. "If Smaug comes, you and your two sisters hide under the house. You must protect them."
Bain nodded solemnly. "I understand, Father."
"Let's go, let's check out the Bell Tower. That place is our only battle position," thought form said with a serious expression. "I hope the Windlance is okay, or I'll have to waste effort fixing it."
"You can fix a Windlance?" Bard looked at Aaron in surprise.
"Don't mistake me for an ordinary Wizard." thought formsmiled meaningfully. He had also learned Repairing Spell. Forget a single Windlance, he could fix a ruined house.
The Bell Tower is in the center of Lake-town and is the tallest building in the entire town.
The only Windlance was set up on the platform above the large bell, only big enough for a few people to stand on.
"This is the most conspicuous spot in the whole town. Smaug will definitely notice it," Bard said.
"Then it's up to you, Marksman.
I will do my best to strengthen the defenses of this Bell Tower." thought form said, slowly raising his right hand and using his finger as a pen to carve runes beneath the Bell Tower.
Using the entire tower as the core of the magic array, the magic energy within his body continuously flowed into the array pattern.
Ten minutes later, the massive magic array was concealed in the air, but Bard and the others could feel the immense sense of security it contained.
"It's finished, a masterpiece of my life." thought form let out a long breath. "This is a perfect Ultimate Defensive Magic Array, capable of resisting even Smaug's Dragon Flameonce."
"Only once?"
"What more do you want?" thought form said, annoyed. "If it were the Dragon Flame of a common dragon, resisting it several times would be no problem, but Smaug is Dragon King level.
His body is much taller than this Bell Tower. He could burn it to ashes just by sneezing. It's already quite difficult for this magic array of mine to withstand one blast of his full-power Dragon Breath."
"No, I wasn't dissatisfied," Bard explained with an awkward laugh. "It's just that if the defense could hold more times, we'd have a better chance of winning."
"Tch!" thought form glanced at him speechlessly. "You shouldn't be so greedy."
"I understand."
"However, this is a serious matter concerning life, so being cautious is never too much.
Luckily, I came prepared." thought form proudly pulled out a Magic Crystal. "Ta-da! Isn't it beautiful!"
"It's beautiful." Sigrid and Tilda nodded repeatedly, their eyes fixed on the blue crystal, unable to look away.
"Is this a sapphire?" Bard asked tentatively. "I admit it's precious, but gems won't help us. Although evil dragons like shiny things, this small piece can't compare to the treasure of the Lonely Mountain."
thought form:...What kind of eyesight do they have? Am I that vulgar?
"This is a Magic Crystal. It contains powerful magic power and can power the magic array.
The magic array can keep running until its magic power is drained by the array."
Hearing this, Bard looked at the sapphire excitedly. "How many Dragon Flame attacks can it block?"
"Hmm... Since this is an Ultimate magic Array, I'm not entirely sure, but three to five times shouldn't be an issue," thought form mused, then released the Magic Crystaltoward the Bell Tower.
The blue crystal slowly rose, stopped at the top of the Bell Tower, and merged into the core of the magic array.
"Is it ready?" Bain asked.
"Of course not. This is just the basic setup.
I still need weapons, spears, and arrows."
"I have arrows, but for spears... I only have spear hooks modified from old harpoons."
thought form immediately thought of the superb weapons Bard had hidden away, and a few distinct black lines couldn't help but appear on his face.
"Forget it, we'll make do. But the more the better.
Besides these, I need a small boat and a guide.
I need to quickly familiarize myself with all the houses, streets, and waterways of Lake-town."
"I can help you," Bain volunteered, stepping forward. "Is it to make it easier to fight the evil dragon?"
thought form gave the youth, who was two or three years older than himself, a deep look, remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
If nothing goes wrong, Bard the Marksman will be the main attacker in this battle, shooting arrows from the Bell Tower.
As for him, the Wizard, he would have to work harder. Not only must he assist the attack, but he also needs to be responsible for attracting Smaug's attention. If he can't even recognize the roads, he might accidentally run into a dead end.
He can't use Apparition to escape every time. His magic energy isn't plentiful, and that level of consumption is unsustainable.
Bard returned to his house with his two daughters. First, he retrieved the weapon bag from under the boat, and then carefully checked the arrows.
As for thought form, he sat in the small boat, admiring Lake-town's not-so-beautiful scenery, while Bain patiently described the length of the streets, where they led, and how many intersections there were.
thought form listened and took notes. As time passed, a simple three-dimensional structural map appeared in his mind.
"Alright, I've pretty much memorized it."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely sure." thought form pointed to his head. "My memory is beyond your imagination."
A look of envy flashed in Bain's eyes, and he said, half-understanding, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"The boat stays, you go back." thought form smiled meaningfully. "I need to circle the town a few more times. After all, our opponent is a dragon, and making multiple preparations is necessary."