"Hyah!" The pounding of hooves shattered the calm of Hobbiton as twelve fully armored knights appeared on the small road.
The young knight barked at his retainer, "Caslow, are you sure this is the right way?"
"Yes, well... I mean, maybe… These country paths are all over the place, you know, my lord…" Caslow, the dragon knight, stammered in response.
"Damn it! Are you all useless?" Rynar fought back the urge to swear.
"Oh, my apologies, everyone. I didn't mean that," Rynar quickly corrected himself, realizing his tone was out of line.
"Let's keep asking for directions. We need to find that damned Bag End!" Rynar muttered in frustration.
...
"Excuse me, my friend, do you know where Bilbo Baggins lives?" Rynar asked every passing hobbit along the way.
But after many fruitless inquiries, Rynar couldn't help but grumble, "Who said hobbits were friendly, anyway?"
"Hello there, could you tell me if you know Bilbo Baggins?" Rynar asked a young hobbit sitting in a garden.
"Baggins? Why do you need him?" the hobbit asked, surprised.
"Well, you see… Oh, fine, the truth is that in a little while, a group of dwarves and a wizard will come looking for him, and I want to find those dwarves!" Rynar explained.
"Well, I'm Bilbo Baggins, actually, but no dwarves have come by yet.
A wizard did visit today, though! He asked me to join him on an adventure—and, get this, he wants me to be a burglar! I don't even know how to fight!" Bilbo exclaimed.
Rynar was momentarily stunned. He had arrived at the perfect time. He looked at Bilbo with sympathy, thinking, "Poor guy. Tonight, those dwarves are going to wipe out his pantry."
Smiling, Rynar glanced at the corner of Bilbo's front door and said, "Well then, Mr. Baggins, I'll see you tonight."
"Wait, what? You're coming over tonight?" Bilbo asked in surprise.
"Yes, but don't worry, just prepare food for me. My retainers won't be joining. And by the way, I'm Rynar," he said, smiling.
"Alright, Mr. Rynar. You're welcome to visit," Bilbo replied, a bit bewildered.
...
"Bond of Fate: Achieved! Reward: 90 Apprentice Knight! Ready for summoning."
The system's familiar voice rang out as Rynar's long-silent magical ring activated.
"Ninety knights... plus the ten I already have! That makes a hundred Apprentices in total! I've got enough for a full knightly order!" Rynar wanted to laugh out loud in triumph.
He found a secluded spot and summoned his new knights, then used the system's gold to rent a large inn for his retainers to spend the night.
Hearing the clear clopping of hooves, Rynar marveled at how efficient the system was.
And with no need to explain their origin, since these knights appeared to have arrived from the wild, no one would question their sudden appearance.
As night began to fall, Rynar called for Caslow to oversee the knights while he prepared to attend the dinner at Bag End.
...
"Ding, ding, ding!" Rynar knocked on the door of Bag End.
As soon as the door opened, a chaotic mix of food aromas and the sounds of lively revelry spilled out. It was clear the dwarves had already begun their party.
Rynar took one look at the mess inside and couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.
He debated whether he should even step inside, but then he noticed Bilbo's dejected face looking up at him.
"Mr. Rynar, did you... know about all of this? And I'm sorry about the food I promised you…" Bilbo said, looking embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it, Bilbo. It's fine," Rynar reassured him with a warm smile, stepping inside.
Once inside, it didn't take long for Rynar to spot Gandalf, the wizard's robes and staff making his identity unmistakable.
"Honored Gandalf, greetings!" Rynar bowed respectfully.
Then his gaze fell on a particularly stern dwarf. "So, should I call you Thorin Oakenshield, or the King Under the Mountain?" Rynar asked in a calm, measured tone.
Rynar's words visibly agitated Thorin, who clenched his fists as he stood.
"Hey, Thorin! Relax!" Gandalf quickly stepped in, blocking him.
"Young man, I cannot quite see through you…" Gandalf remarked, intrigued.
Rynar only smiled faintly in response, turning back to Thorin. "The blood of Durin flows in you, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. But can you really call yourself King Under the Mountain right now?" he asked.
"Bang!"
Thorin slammed his fist on the table, ready to jump up and fight, but the others held him back. His nephew Kili stepped forward, "Sir, are you deliberately trying to provoke us?"
The other dwarves glared at Rynar with hostility, though Gandalf simply looked more and more curious.
"Provoke you? You're not worth it. I'm only here because I don't want to see the line of Durin end!" Rynar said, knowing full well what the future held for them.
Even if they succeeded in reclaiming Erebor, the line of Durin would perish.
With the power of his magical ring, Rynar scanned the room, sensing the strengths of those present.
Thorin was a berserker, but the others were merely apprentices or warriors. This group wouldn't stand a chance against Rynar's knightly order in a full charge.
The class system was clear: Apprentice Warrior, Warrior, Berserker, Commander, Warlord, and finally, the ultimate class—Conqueror.
"Enough! State your true purpose!" Thorin demanded, silencing his companions with a shout.
"Ah, straight to the point. As expected of Durin's heir. I am Rynar, leader of The Order of Dawn.
I need to find a land where my knights and I can settle. And to do that… I need gold," Rynar declared calmly.
"What? A knightly order?"
"By the gods! He commands a knightly order!"
The dwarves were shocked, while Gandalf's expression grew even more intrigued.
"Mr. Rynar! That's not something to joke about! Do you even know what it takes to be called a knightly order?" Thorin asked, his tone serious.
"Of course. My order is still small, with only 100 Apprentices and one Grand Knight. But it is an order nonetheless," Rynar responded, proud and confident.
Thorin's stance softened at that. They shared a common goal, after all—money and power. Everything was negotiable.
"I will lead my knights to escort you to Erebor. In return, you will pay me a fee. Should any of my knights fall, you'll pay their families a pension.
And if we fail to reclaim the Lonely Mountain… you owe me nothing." Rynar's eyes burned with ambition as he made his proposal.
"If you agree, I can summon my retainers right now," he added.
Thorin bowed his head in deep thought, while Gandalf leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"Agree to his terms. The journey ahead is full of peril. Having a knightly order by our side will ensure we reach Erebor safely."
After listening to Gandalf, Thorin nodded. He raised his head and said loudly, "Mr. Rynar, I'll draft the contract now."
Thorin and his dwarves then produced a contract that put Bilbo's burglary contract to shame in its length—it was an entire scroll!
"Well then, to a successful expedition!" Rynar signed the contract, shook hands with everyone, and declined Bilbo's invitation to stay for the night. He headed out of Bag End.
"Oh, and by the way, I'll meet you all at the edge of the woods tomorrow morning," Rynar's voice echoed as he disappeared into the night.