Elbolin and Barry are overpowered by the dark-clothed humans, who start dragging them toward the stables, still beating them all the while. "I'm not against you!" yells Elbolin between blows, "I'm just a monk!"

"Well it was one of you guys," answers one of his attackers.

"I didn't do anything!" says Elbolin.

"Your friend was throwing fireballs. And now we have a fire."

"Maybe he was trying to put out the fire! He's not a very good magician."

"Yes, and maybe I'm a beautiful princess under a terrible enchantment. We'll sort that out later. For now, you're coming with us."

Bilbo, meanwhile, is at the door to the roadhouse. It's heavily chained, but one heavy swipe of her greataxe breaks the chain, and she steps outside. It's relatively quiet out there, compared to inside, and the only light is the flickering of the burning roadhouse reflecting on the forest. No humans or other creatures are apparent.