After bidding farewell to Bilbo, Arthur went to Rivendell to meet with Elrond and tell him the story of his journey to the Lonely Mountain.
Arthur did not expect Elrond to tell him that he had already learned the outcome of the Battle of the Lonely Mountain from Gandalf's pigeon messages, and that he was looking for an opportunity to go to the Lonely Mountain to congratulate Thorin and his companions.
Although Thorin and his Dwarves had caused Elrond some trouble in Rivendell, Elrond did not dwell on it.
The recapture of the Lonely Mountain symbolized a new strong defensive line in the northeast of Middle-earth, and Elrond felt mostly joy.
Arthur shrugged and was about to bid farewell to Elrond and leave Rivendell when the Lord suddenly called him back.
"Please let our time flow a little slower, my dear friend," Elrond said.
Arthur looked at him in confusion and asked, "Is there anything else?"
Elrond cleared his throat and asked, "Estel… How is he doing with you? My two sons spoil him terribly and worry that he might be spoiled rotten and do something rude."
Arthur replied with a smile, "Estel is doing very well, and he is also very sensible and polite."
Elrond nodded, seemingly wanting to say something more.
Arthur saw Elrond's conflicted expression and showed an amused look, saying, "When did the famous Lord of Rivendell become so hesitant in front of his good friend? Is there something he cannot ask?"
Elrond then stopped hesitating and asked, "Gandalf also told me in his letter that your subordinates fought with the Ringwraiths and successfully killed two Ringwraiths, obtaining the rings that dropped from them, is that correct?"
Arthur nodded, "Yes, you've met them, Bernal and Igon."
Elrond replied, "Their bravery was evident from the first time I met them, and the battle of the Lonely Mountain indeed earned them the achievements they deserved…"
Then the Lord's tone changed, and he said with a serious expression, "But I implore you not to let those two wear the rings left by the Ringwraiths. Although the rings can grant the wearer great power, their souls will also be corrupted by darkness. If possible, I hope you can give those two rings to me, and I will be responsible for destroying them. Of course, I will exchange them with treasures of equal value."
Arthur smiled slightly upon hearing this, extended his hand, and two brilliant golden rings lay quietly in his palm.
Elrond saw the two somewhat familiar rings and was stunned for a moment: "These are… those two rings?"
Arthur nodded and said, "I discovered the lingering curse on the rings and had the Erdtree thoroughly cleanse them. Although the power the rings grant the wearer is not as strong as before, there is no longer any need to worry about the wearer's soul being enslaved by the rings' creator."
As he spoke, he tossed one of them to Elrond.
Elrond skillfully caught the golden ring, observed it carefully with amazement, and then returned it to Arthur without hesitation.
Elrond sighed, "It seems I still have much to learn about the wonders of the Erdtree, to be able to purify these soul-enslaving rings into such a miraculous state."
Arthur shrugged, "My homeland has many such tempting bad things, so my vigilance is still very high."
Then Arthur silently glanced at the serene Melina, then turned to Elrond and said, "If something can grant you immense power far beyond what you could normally obtain in a short period, then the price you will have to pay in the future will surely be very painful for yourself. I only learned this truth after experiencing it firsthand."
Elrond breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Reliable and ungreedy strong individuals like you are rare in this era. I am glad there is now one more. However, regarding the two Human Nine Rings in your possession, Gandalf and I agree that it's better not to let those Human kings know. Otherwise, you might face an endless stream of troublesome Human envoys. They won't be hostile to you, but they will relentlessly ask you about the rings."
Arthur withdrew his hand, put away the rings, and nodded: "I understand the principle of not flaunting wealth. If there's nothing else, I'll return to my territory first."
Elrond waved goodbye to Arthur: "Next time we meet, I will introduce you to Lady Galadriel; she is truly very interested in your power."
After bidding farewell to Elrond, Arthur and Melina did not delay long and returned to the Golden Tree Territory, then immediately hurried to the Black Gate.
Although it would only require a slight detour to reach the capital of Gondor, Arthur was eager to get to the Black Gate, so he did not choose to meet with the current Steward of Gondor yet.
The leaves on the journey changed from light green to dark green, and after about two months, Arthur and Melina finally arrived near the Black Gate.
However, the scenery around them was not very good at the moment.
The towering Black Gate, like an iron-forged barrier stretching across the northwest corner of Mordor, appeared in Arthur and Melina's sight. Three massive arches were embedded in the thick city walls extending from the cliffs, their surfaces covered with spikes and rusted metal patterns.
The Dagorlad Plain in front of the gate was desolate and bleak, covered in rubble and scorched earth. Two barren mountains, surrounded by putrid bogs, stood opposite each other like the fangs of a giant beast. Their slopes were riddled with orc-dug pits and tunnels, and crimson firelight flickered in the shadows.
On either side of the Black Gate stood the Towers of the Teeth, their windows like hollow eye sockets, watching over the road to Mordor day and night. The swirling smoke from their tops merged with the blood-red clouds in the sky, solidifying the oppressive atmosphere of the Dead Marshes.
Seeing this scenery, Melina gently tugged at Arthur's cloak and softly asked, "Is the person you're looking for really here?"
Arthur looked at this place, which clearly didn't seem fit for humans, and muttered to himself, "We haven't deviated from our destination, so we shouldn't have taken the wrong path. Let's go a little further and see if we can encounter those Rangers."
"Mhm," Melina replied softly.
Torrent snorted, carrying the two a distance towards the massive Black Gate, when suddenly a whooshing sound came through the air. Arthur immediately tightened the reins, and Torrent Spirituality also Spirituality stopped.
An arrow pierced the ground about ten meters in front of Torrent, and only then did Arthur realize that the pile of dry grass not far ahead was, at some unknown point, filled with fully armed humans.
These humans wore deep gray or dark green hooded travel cloaks, their fabric thick and worn, their edges stained with wilderness mud and frost. Longswords or axes hung from their backs or waists.
The unfamiliar leader shouted, "Strangers, if you are here for tourism, then you have come to the wrong place. This place only has death and smoke. Turn back! Otherwise, the next arrow won't just bury itself in the dirt!"
Arthur frowned at the other party, thought for a moment, and then very directly stated his identity and purpose for being there, as clarifying things would facilitate subsequent communication.
"I am Arthur, Lord of the Erdtree, here to visit a Ranger named Talion. Do you know him?"