[Mithadan]

With a heavy sigh, Mithadan climbed up the stairway to the helm. Carefully sidestepping the pool of dragon bile (which was by now slowly eating its way into the deck), he walked to where Pio and Birdland stood by the now secured wheel.

"Idril warns that this venture may be treacherous in many ways," he said. "More so than any danger it may present to us. To find the Hobrim, it seems we may be forced to travel back to an even earlier age, which creates a real risk of disturbing the stream of events which leads to our present life at the Barrow-Downs. If we undertake this task, we must act in secret and the Hobbits must not be revealed to the attention of any great power else we risk the role that they play...played...will play in the Third Age. She also cautions us to avoid disturbing the will of the Valar and Eru even if great suffering is to result. We are also warned to avoid waking the evil that sleeps under hills. That said, the rescue of the Hobrim may be possible."

Piosenniel's eyes narrowed. "Kali's fear of the West, the will of the Valar bringing suffering during an earlier age, Angara's reticence, evil under hills?" she asked.

"What does this mean?" asked Birdland.

I am not certain yet," responded Mithadan. "But I fear..."

"Numenor?" finished Piosenniel.