Rumble, rumble.
An unprecedented thunderstorm swept over Khand's royal city. Bean-sized raindrops fell with a splash, gathering into streams that extinguished the glowing red lava, turning it to stone or solidifying it into obsidian.
Fierce winds swept up sand and earth, burying the craters across this land.
The terrain before Khand's royal city was forever changed. No longer just the ubiquitous sand and soil, but now mixed with obsidian and the cobblestone usually found around obsidian.
That warrior had left.
But everything here reminded all eastern powers and even Mordor that he had been here.
Some wanted to transfer the title of Eastern Shadow to that warrior, yet felt the title was too inadequate.
So people called him [Shadow of War].
He brought war after war, then personally ended these wars.
...
"Will you come back with us?"
In the wilderness between Khand and the Easterlings, Levi asked Alatar.
"Back where? That land west of Mordor?"
Alatar shook his head.
"No, there are already enough people there, and the problems here remain quite serious."
He gazed toward the more eastern regions: "In places even further east than the Easterlings, there's a massive red mountain range and untamed forests close to the mountains. Some dwarves and elves live in those areas."
"They haven't yet been corrupted by the shadows the Great Enemy brought."
"It's been long since my last visit. I should go see them."
"Alright."
Levi didn't say much more.
After thinking, he took out a mallorn wand from his pack and handed it to Alatar.
"This is..."
"A wand made from mallorn tree branches as material. I don't know if you can use it."
Mallorn tree?
Alatar's eyes lit up. He hadn't looked carefully during the earlier fight, but now that it was mentioned, this thing did seem to share origins with those trees in Valinor.
"Of course I can use it."
Alatar stared at this wand, especially the core on it: "This craftsmanship is quite exceptional. Though not as good as my original one, it's sufficient for channeling certain things."
"Do you want it or not?" Levi made as if to take it back.
Here I am giving it to you and yet you're complaining.
"Of course I want it."
Alatar grabbed the wand and quickly tucked it into his robes.
Having something is better than having nothing.
"The wands I make might be different from your old one. Like the one you're holding now, it has an ice core installed. You can use it to create some, um... pebble-sized ice balls. Quite nice for cooling down in summer."
A breeze blew past, making both feel somewhat cold.
Autumn was almost over.
"..."
"Oh, that's fine. I can do much more with it. A wizard's power doesn't reside in the staff."
"That's good then. I hope this can help you."
"Heartfelt thanks."
Alatar bowed slightly.
"Time for parting has come."
Levi said: "I hope we can meet again. Perhaps by then it will be time for you to return home."
"Home..."
Alatar sighed with complex emotions in his eyes.
"I hope so."
He changed the subject: "This war has many suspicious points, especially in the south. Communication with Pallando has been cut off."
Pallando. The other Blue Wizard.
"What happened to him?"
"Since he went south, we haven't been in contact for quite some time..."
"I invited Pallando to come here together. If something happened to him, I have no face to set foot on the homeward journey."
"Need help? I don't mind making a trip south." Levi suggested.
"No, this responsibility lies with me."
Alatar shook his head: "We're not as fragile as you might think."
Looking deeply at Alatar, Levi said: "Then I wish you success."
Halbarad, who had been listening for a long time, sensed the moment's arrival and also came forward to bid farewell to Alatar.
Alatar smiled: "Though our time together was brief, I think I won't forget having met a skilled and courageous Dúnadan."
After speaking, he began rummaging through his sea-blue robes but, after searching for quite a while, found nothing, finally sighing helplessly.
"I wanted to give you something as a parting gift, as stories tell, but unfortunately I have nothing on me."
"Thus I can only offer my blessing. May your people be free from curses, and may wind and courage always accompany us."
The final farewell ended. Alatar stood in place for a long time, watching those two distant figures.
Especially the black one.
Visions of the future flickered repeatedly in his eyes.
"Yes, courage..."
He murmured: "May I also have courage to face everything."
The distant figures gradually became invisible.
The Blue Wizard turned away, melancholy and lost.
In a trance, intense heart palpitations erupted. Dark seeds rejoiced in shadows, trying to climb upward.
Thud!
Alatar jumped up and stomped on his own shadow twice, like a mischievous child.
Thus the shadow became docile.
The wizard headed east with his gift, along with his shadow.
"I always feel things aren't this simple."
In darkness, Halbarad whispered: "Alatar. He's not as relaxed as he appears."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Levi widened his eyes, responding quietly without looking.
"Intuition. He looks neither like someone recovering from serious illness nor healthy nor afflicted with disease."
"We should trust him. He can handle it."
Clang.
While chatting, there was shaking below them, followed by a sense of imbalance.
The ferry at the crossing had started moving.
"Do we really have to smuggle across?" Halbarad complained from the dark cabin. "The crossing prohibition has been lifted. With that elf's permit, we could have taken normal channels."
"I didn't want to either," Levi sighed. "But did you forget what happened a few days ago? When those soldiers recognized me, they wouldn't say a word—just turned and walked away. Their attitude was quite cold."
"I think that might not have been coldness," Halbarad pointed out. "If it were me, I'd also turn and run."
Levi didn't respond further.
Several days later, the easternmost wine estate in Dorwinion welcomed two guests.
"Two people. One looks like those wandering Rangers, the other...?"
When the estate's steward looked at the second person, his hand suddenly trembled.
No, that's wrong. Those are eastern rumors. What do they have to do with our Dorwinion?
War has nothing to do with this wine land.
"Welcome."
When the estate's master, the Dorwinion elf "Oroher," who had lived at least two ages, saw Levi again, he felt a sense of confusion rising.
"How long has it been since we last met?" he asked.
"Less than half a year, probably."
"Half a year? Hearing recent circulating news, I thought half an age had passed."
Levi said: "I really didn't expect news to travel faster than my footsteps."
Oroher shook his head: "Before your arrival, eastern regions of Dorwinion were always filled with news about Easterling invasions. A shadow hung over people's heads. No one knew when this shadow would fall."
"Of course, not anymore. The shadows and rumors shrouding Dorwinion's borders have disappeared, because a new shadow covers the East. He brings war, then drives war away, like a shadow."
"Shadow, or shadow of light?"
"Who knows? Let them say what they want."
Levi didn't care.
"Exaggerated stories always spread faster, especially when the story is true. Also, there's something I must mention," Oroher suddenly said. "Could you please go see those two horses you entrusted me to care for? They're giving the estate's grooms quite a headache."