Inside the Lonely Mountain's Dwarf Hall.
Thorin sat on the throne at the head.
Luke, Gandalf, Dáin, Bilbo, and Bard were seated on either side.
As for Beorn, after the Orcs were defeated, he had hitched a ride on a Great Eagle and already returned to his home.
The purpose of everyone gathering here was for the mountain of treasure piled up in the vault.
Thorin looked at the people below, his eyes glinting slightly, and said, "I have already distributed the treasures these past few days. The purpose of bringing everyone here is so that each of you can receive your share of the treasure."
"The only regrettable thing is that we did not find the arkenstone in the vault. This most precious treasure of my people is probably lost, and I cannot let everyone see its splendor!"
As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone, inadvertently observing their reactions.
"What? The arkenstone is gone?" The most agitated was Dáin. "How could the arkenstone be lost? Wasn't it hidden in the vault? How could it not be found?"
To the Durin, the arkenstone was like a national seal, a symbol of territorial power. Only by possessing it could one command the seven Dwarf clans, making it of utmost importance.
Now that this treasure was missing, Dáin couldn't help but be anxious.
After all, Thorin, with the arkenstone, was the true King Under the Mountain, the King acknowledged by all Durin.
Otherwise, Thorin could only be the King of the Durin, but unable to command the other Dwarf clans.
The difference between the two was significant:
The seven Dwarf clans were the Longbeards, the Firebeards, the Broadbeams, the Ironfists, the Stiffbeards, the Blacklocks, and the Stonefoots. Among them, the Longbeards were the Durin to which Thorin belonged.
The seven Dwarf clans lived in various parts of Middle-earth, relatively independent yet interconnected.
The seven Dwarf Rings given out by Sauron back then were presented to the leaders of these seven clans.
During the reign of Thorin's ancestor, Thráin I, the arkenstone was unearthed from deep within the Lonely Mountain, and the full might of Dwarf craftsmanship was poured into creating the arkenstone.
This gem was acknowledged by the seven Dwarf clans, and the seven great families had sworn allegiance to the holder of the arkenstone.
Therefore, whoever possessed it was considered the King of the Durin, able to command all Durin.
Hearing the news that the arkenstone could not be found, the others were also very surprised.
Bilbo, besides being surprised, felt a little guilty.
He thought that if he had been more careful back then, he might have already obtained the arkenstone, and it wouldn't be lost.
In Bilbo's opinion, since the arkenstone couldn't be found, it was very likely, as Luke had said before, that it had already been destroyed in Smaug's dragon fire.
Gandalf, upon hearing this, besides being somewhat surprised, also thoughtfully glanced at Bilbo and Luke.
As for Luke, he wore an indifferent expression, as if it had nothing to do with him.
Thorin looked at the reactions of the people below and fixed his gaze on Luke.
"Luke, I want to ask you for a favor."
"Could you lend me the Palantír so I can search for the arkenstone's whereabouts and fulfill a wish of mine?"
Everyone else's gazes fell upon Luke.
Luke's eyelids slightly lifted, his eyes flashed, and he said calmly, "It is possible, but the Palantír has been discovered by Sauron. He once tried to corrupt me through the stone, and I was only spared thanks to the protection of the Lady of Lórien."
"If you use it, be prepared to be discovered by him and corrupted into darkness."
Hearing Luke's words, before Thorin could speak, Gandalf's expression changed, and he shook his head with a very serious look.
"If Sauron can see Luke through the Palantír, it means he also possesses a Palantír. He can see everything here through the stone, and even influence people, causing them to fall into darkness and become his servants!"
"Sauron's dark power is even more dangerous than dragon sickness. You don't know when you might fall victim to his schemes. This is too dangerous! Thorin, you cannot risk using the Palantír!"
But even though Thorin had regained his sanity, he was still that stubborn Dwarf.
"The arkenstone is crucial to my Durin. Gandalf, I am willing to take this risk. You don't need to persuade me; I will bear all the consequences!"
Saying this, he stepped down from the throne and came before Luke, looking him directly in the eyes: "Luke, please grant me this request!"
Luke did not avoid his gaze, and chuckled, "Since you insist, I have no reason to refuse."
With that, he took out the Palantír from his pouch and placed it on the table in front of him.
"Please!"
Thorin looked at Luke, his eyes flickering.
"Thank you!"
Saying this, he cupped the Palantír in both hands, staring intently into it, concentrating on the location of the arkenstone.
The mist within the stone quickly dispersed, revealing a scene from the vault.
Thorin was immediately delighted. Could the arkenstone still be in the vault?
But just as he tried to find the arkenstone in the image, there was only a mountain of treasure in the scene, with no sign of the arkenstone at all.
Thorin searched unwillingly, but after a long search, there was still no result.
He put down the Palantír, very disappointed.
"Could the arkenstone really have been destroyed by dragon fire?"
Thorin muttered, lost and bewildered.
Luke paid no attention to his emotions and put the Palantír away again.
"Alright, Thorin, now that we've investigated, let's get to the main business."
Thorin was somewhat dejected at the moment. He waved his hand, instructing Balin and the others to lead everyone to the vault to retrieve their share of the treasure.
He himself remained silent, looking at the empty space on the throne where the arkenstone should have been embedded.
Upon entering the vault, everyone was once again awestruck by the treasures within.
The vault was enormous, and all the wealth was divided into several portions, each a mountain of riches.
"Luke, this is your treasure, occupying one-tenth."
Balin led Luke to the tallest mountain of gold and explained to him.
"And these few nearby mountains belong to Lord Dáin, Master Bard, and you, Bilbo."
He then pointed to several shorter mountains of gold nearby, speaking to Dáin, Bard, and Bilbo.
Dáin's eyes lit up when he saw his own mountain of gold.
After all, no Dwarf could refuse so much treasure.
Bard was also extremely happy; with so much treasure, it was enough for him to rebuild Lake-Town and restore his ancestors' glory.
However, Bilbo felt very uneasy facing the mountain of gold allotted to him.
He felt that he had not completed his mission, failing to help Thorin obtain the arkenstone, and thus did not deserve so much treasure.
So he shook his head and stepped back a few paces, feeling utterly unworthy.
"No, I didn't complete the mission, I shouldn't get any treasure, I can't take it!"
Fili and Bofur pushed Bilbo back, laughing heartily:
"Alright, Bilbo, don't be polite. Even if you didn't find the arkenstone, you are still a member of our expedition.
Don't forget that in Mirkwood, you rescued us from the mouths of the Giant Spiders and released us from the Elven dungeon. You deserve all of this."
Even so, Bilbo still felt he didn't deserve so much.
Everyone was seeing a hobbit who cared so little for wealth for the first time.
In the end, Bilbo still only intended to take a small amount, deeming it enough.
Thorin had recovered his composure and came into the vault. Seeing Bilbo refuse the mountain of gold, his good impression of him deepened.
He immediately took out a Mithril mail shirt from the vault and put it on Bilbo.
The Mithril mail shirt was priceless. It felt weightless when worn, yet it was impervious to blades and arrows; even the sharpest Elven sword could not pierce it.
It was perfect for protecting Bilbo.
He then prepared to stuff Bilbo's pockets with as many gold coins and jewels as he could carry.
Luke didn't want Bilbo to lose out, so he immediately cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on a coin pouch, then stuffed almost half of the gold mountain into it.
He only reluctantly stopped the spell when Bilbo loudly shouted, "Enough, enough!"
Thorin also twitched his mouth at this sight, his expression almost cracking.
He had forgotten about the unreasonable existence of Luke!
Luke didn't care what Thorin thought. He took out a leather coin pouch and continuously expanded its space with his wand until the space inside reached the size of half a football field before stopping.
Then, like a whale swallowing, the pouch automatically jumped onto his mountain of gold, continuously sucking the treasures into it.
Thus, his one-tenth share of the treasure fell into his hands.
These treasures were enough to make him the wealthiest person in all of Middle-earth, second only to the Lonely Mountain itself.
Bard and Dáin, who witnessed this scene, were dumbfounded, then filled with envy and longing.
They also wished they had such a money bag that could hold an entire gold mountain.
Luke also cast spells on their money bags, though the space in theirs was not as large as his own.
Nevertheless, both regarded them as priceless treasures, for such money bags capable of holding vast spaces were, in themselves, no less valuable than the treasures before them.
After taking his share of the treasure, Luke did not linger there.
He, along with Gandalf, Bilbo, and Bard, left the Lonely Mountain and first returned to Lake-Town.
After staying in Lake-Town for a few days, Luke, Gandalf, and Bilbo set off again, amidst the reluctant farewells of Bard and the residents.
As for the fireplace in Lake-Town, Luke still kept it, and even gave Bard a small bottle of Floo Powder, welcoming him to visit Weathertop in the future.
The house where Luke and his companions stayed was later renovated by Bard to be magnificent, becoming the second most important building after the Lord's mansion.
Bard also permanently retained Luke's ownership of the house, declaring him a permanent member of Lake-Town, welcome to reside there at any time.
However, Luke was unaware of these things for now.
He was currently riding on Smaug's back with Gandalf and Bilbo, heading towards Mirkwood.
Since he had promised Thranduil to visit the Woodland Realm, he naturally wouldn't break his word.
More importantly, he also had to take Smaug to Rivendell to have Elrond, the master healer, heal Smaug's wings.
The Undetectable Extension Charm Luke currently cast was not yet capable of fitting Smaug, this giant dragon, into a confined space.
After all, Smaug was over 140 meters long, his head alone was 12 meters high without counting his horns, and his wingspan was an astonishing 120 meters!
To fully contain such a colossal body, allowing it to move freely within, perhaps only Newt Scamander's suitcase would be capable of such a feat.
But clearly, the current Luke did not possess that ability.
So they could only choose the most cumbersome method: taking Smaug over the Misty Mountains to Rivendell on the other side for treatment.
Of course, Luke had also tried to persuade Gandalf and Bilbo to simply Floo from the Lake-Town fireplace directly to Rivendell and wait for him.
However, the two clearly preferred the cooler activity of riding a dragon,
rather than arriving at their destination in the blink of an eye, completely lacking any sense of the journey.
This statement came only from a certain grey-robed Wizard who wished to remain anonymous.
Luke and the two others arrived outside Mirkwood. As soon as they got there, the elves of the Woodland Realm were already waiting.
Luke was surprised to see who had come to meet them.
"Your Highness Legolas, why did you come personally?"
"When you first arrived near Lake-town, the patrolling guards spotted the dragon from afar. My father knew it was you, so he specifically sent me to welcome you," Legolas said with a warm smile.
His gaze then involuntarily fell upon the giant dragon behind the three of them.
Although he had seen Smaug on the battlefield of the Lonely Mountain before, seeing him again still sent a shiver down his spine.
"Please follow me, everyone. My father has already prepared a banquet awaiting your arrival."
To prevent Smaug's appearance from causing unrest among the elves, Luke had Smaug stay outside the forest. Then, the three of them followed Legolas back into the Woodland Realm.
Thranduil sat high on his throne, dressed in luxurious robes, wearing a crown woven from fiery red maple leaves and blueberries, exuding a noble, majestic, and elegant aura.
He was clearly an Elven King ruling an endless forest.
Unlike their previous meeting, Thranduil this time actively descended from his throne, his demeanor reserved yet friendly.
"Welcome, welcome, the three of you, once again! I have prepared a lavish feast with fine wine and delicious food. This time, you must honor us with your presence!"
Gandalf, who was responsible for diplomacy among the three, leaned on his staff, bowed slightly in greeting, and said with a smile, "It is our great honor to have the privilege of attending Your Majesty's banquet!"
Thranduil asked Luke, "Why is the dragon Smaug not present?"
"Smaug is too large and would crush the trees in the forest, so he can only wait outside the forest," Luke explained.
Thranduil nodded. "Even so, we cannot neglect the dragon. I will immediately arrange another banquet table specifically for him outside the forest."
Luke hadn't expected Thranduil to consider such details and thanked him, "Then many thanks, Your Majesty!"
Subsequently, led by Thranduil and accompanied by Legolas, everyone entered the banquet hall to partake in the feast.
Unlike the Rivendell elves, whose diet leaned towards vegetarian and light fare, the Mirkwood elves' diet included both meat and vegetables.
And perhaps because of their proximity to the Lonely Mountain Dwarves, the Wood Elves also enjoyed drinking, even to the point of heavy drinking. While graceful in their movements, they were also more open and uninhibited.
During the banquet, melodious music played, elven maidens sang ancient elven epics, and elven attendants gracefully moved among the tables, pouring wine for everyone.
Thranduil and Gandalf discussed the situation in Middle-earth.
Meanwhile, Luke and Bilbo listened as Legolas translated the elven epics sung by the elven maidens for them.
During their conversation, the Wood Elf Tauriel, who chose to be with the Dwarf Kili, was inadvertently mentioned.
Legolas was somewhat downcast, saddened by the impending loss of a friend.
Although he didn't understand why Tauriel would give up eternal life for love, only to die of a broken heart after a mere few hundred years when her beloved passed away.
But in the end, he still chose to offer his blessings.
As the banquet atmosphere was pleasant, Thranduil looked at Luke and delivered a surprising piece of news to everyone.
Thranduil intended to send Legolas out for training.
He also entrusted Luke to let Legolas accompany them when they left this time.
Legolas was also startled by this sudden announcement; clearly, his father had not informed him beforehand.
Luke was surprised by Thranduil's request, but not entirely unexpectedly.
For the sake of one's children, one must think far ahead.
Thranduil wanted Legolas to go out and see the world, so he could quickly mature and become independent.
If Luke had not appeared, Thranduil would have sent Legolas out for training not long after, even having him join the future Fellowship of the Ring, becoming the only elf in the company.
But this time, with Luke's presence, and after witnessing Luke's abilities, Thranduil clearly had the idea of training his son earlier.
"Your Highness Legolas is an excellent archer and Elven warrior. It is our honor to have him join us."
Luke naturally wouldn't refuse Thranduil's request. He had a good impression of Legolas and didn't mind having such a companion.
And upon hearing Luke readily agree, Thranduil was also very pleased.
At his signal, an elf holding a golden tray placed it in front of Luke.
Luke looked at a small box inlaid with various jewels and jade on the tray, showing a puzzled expression.
He looked at Thranduil: "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"
"This is a token of gratitude."
Thranduil said sincerely.
"Gratitude that the elves were not annihilated in the Battle of Five Armies!"
"Of course, there's also an additional request within this."
"What request?"
"I would like to ask you to craft a magic staff for Legolas, one that belongs to him."
Hearing this request, Luke was not too surprised.
He still owed magic staffs to the three siblings, Elrohir, Elladan, and Arwen. With the thought that it's just as easy to herd two sheep as one, he agreed to Thranduil's condition.
However, it also made him curious about what was inside the treasure box.
The value of the treasure box itself was extraordinary.
What kind of treasure could Thranduil store so carefully inside?
He curiously opened the treasure box, then paused.
Inside the box, nestled on silk, lay a silver-white fruit.
Being so carefully preserved, Luke naturally didn't think it was an ordinary fruit.
"This is--?"
"It's the fruit of the White Tree!" Gandalf's surprised voice rang out first.
"Your Majesty Thranduil, where did you obtain the fruit of the White Tree?"
Seeing that Gandalf recognized it, Thranduil's lips curled into a slight smile as he casually explained:
"This is a seed of the White Tree Nimloth. In the Second Age, I once visited Númenor. At that time, Nimloth had not yet been cut down. I picked a fruit from her and brought it back."
"However, I have tried to plant it, but unfortunately, Mirkwood is not suitable for its growth, and it has never taken root or sprouted."
Hearing that it was a seed from Nimloth, the White Tree on Númenor, Gandalf was even more surprised.
Even Luke was startled, looking at the fruit in the box, suddenly feeling it was heavy.
As far as Luke knew, after the two trees were destroyed by the evil spirit Ungoliant and Morgoth working together, Yavanna, one of the Valar, the goddess of plants, created the White Tree Galathilion for the Vanyar and Noldor elves, in the likeness of the Silver Tree.
This White Tree was similar to Telperion, one of the two trees, the only difference being that it did not glow.
Later, elves planted a descendant of Galathilion on the island of Tol Eressëa, named Celeborn.
The elves of Tol Eressëa were friendly with the Númenóreans, so they gifted a seed of Celeborn to the Númenóreans.
The Númenóreans planted the seed in the royal court of Númenor, where it grew into a White Tree, named Nimloth.
The White Tree thus became the symbol of the Númenóreans.
Later, Sauron seduced and corrupted the king and a part of the Númenórean nobility, cutting down and burning the White Tree Nimloth.
Only Isildur of the Faithful, at great risk, secretly rescued a fruit the night before Nimloth was cut down.
After the sinking of Númenor, Isildur planted it in Minas Ithil in Gondor, becoming Gondor's first White Tree.
But the fate of the White Tree seemed to always be plagued by hardship.
Later, this White Tree of Gondor was burned by Sauron after he captured Minas Ithil.
Before Minas Ithil was captured, Isildur rescued a seed and planted it in Minas Anor, which became Gondor's second White Tree.
However, this White Tree withered during the Great Plague in the Third Age, 1636.
In the Third Age, 1640, King Tarondor of Gondor replanted a new sapling in Minas Tirith.
But in the Third Age, 2872, with the extinction of the royal bloodline of Gondor, this White Tree gradually withered, and no new White Tree has appeared to this day.
The White Tree fruit that Thranduil presented was a seed of the third-generation White Tree, Nimloth.
It could be said to be a fourth-generation White Tree, from the same lineage as Gondor's first White Tree.
If the Dúnedain or the people of the Kingdom of Gondor knew about this seed, they would likely spare no expense to acquire it.
"Your Majesty Thranduil, this is truly too precious!"
Luke found it difficult to accept.
Thranduil shook his head.
"You needn't refuse, Luke. Although this fruit has historical value, its planting conditions are too harsh. If I couldn't still feel vitality within it, I would have thought it was a bad fruit."
"So don't hold too much hope. I even suspect that, apart from sacred places like Valinor, there is no environment left that could allow it to break its shell and sprout."
Seeing Thranduil's firm attitude, Luke had no choice but to accept this precious fruit.
And he decided to make the best possible magic staff for Legolas.
Otherwise, he felt a bit uneasy accepting such a gift.
The atmosphere at Luke's banquet was good, and the dragon Smaug's side was also very lively.
The Wood Elves nervously pushed carts of delicious food, placing them in front of Smaug to entertain him.
There were whole roasted lambs, roasted pigs, and barrels of wine.
Smaug enjoyed the elves' service like a lord, devouring a whole roasted lamb in one bite, and a barrel of wine in one gulp, squinting his eyes with satisfaction.
He could only sigh in his heart, thinking, 'This is true enjoyment!'
Why hadn't he thought of capturing some servants to attend to him before?
Smaug, with his enormous appetite, ate dozens of pigs and lambs and drank over a dozen barrels of wine before finally letting out a burp that sparked.
This scene made the elves who were serving him turn pale with anger.
Especially the elven chefs responsible for roasting the meat; their roasting speed simply couldn't keep up with the dragon's eating speed, and they were so exhausted they just wanted to go on strike.
They no longer cared about being afraid of the dragon; they just wanted to quickly send this glutton away.
If he kept eating, their Woodland Realm would face a famine!
Luke and the others stayed in the Woodland Realm for two days.
Then, they officially bid farewell to Thranduil.
However, before leaving, Luke, with Thranduil's permission, set up a fireplace as a node for the Floo Network.
He also gifted Thranduil some Floo Powder.
Thranduil was very interested in the Floo Network, although the dusty method of transportation via Floo Powder made him a bit disdainful,
he immediately recognized the strategic importance of the Floo Network.
This would tightly connect various forces across the entire Middle-earth; any news could be conveyed, or even transported, through the Floo Network instantly.
And such a powerful tool was in Luke's hands alone.
This significantly increased Thranduil's regard for Luke.
After bidding farewell to Thranduil, Luke's team gained another member.
The four rode on Smaug's back, continuing their journey west.
Legolas, riding a dragon for the first time, was incredibly excited and thrilled; though his reserved nature prevented him from showing too much emotion, his flushed pointed ears revealed it all.
While passing through Mirkwood to the west, they encountered Giant Spiders startled by the dragon.
Legolas immediately drew his bow and arrow, hitting one in the head with each shot.
As he prepared to shoot the remaining two Giant Spiders, Luke reached out and stopped him.
Facing Legolas's questioning gaze, Luke said with a smile,
"Don't kill them all, leave two alive for me."
With a wave of his wand, he petrified the two Giant Spiders fleeing in panic, then used a Levitation Charm to bring them over, and directly stored them in his spatial bag.
Witnessing Luke's actions, not only Legolas but also Bilbo and Gandalf looked surprised.
"Luke, what are you going to do with two Giant Spiders?" Gandalf asked curiously.
Luke explained with a chuckle, "Don't you think the Giant Spiders' silk is incredibly tough? I happen to have a magic for weaving clothes, which can use spider silk to weave fabric. The defense power would definitely be stronger than most armors, and it would certainly be valuable."
Upon hearing this, the three were speechless.
Gandalf looked at Luke, full of confusion: "The treasure you received from the Lonely Mountain is enough to make you one of the richest people in Middle-earth. Why are you still thinking about making money?"
Luke immediately gave Smaug a kick with annoyance,
"Because I'm raising a dragon now, no amount of money is enough!"
Thinking of how the Wood Elves struggled to suppress their smiles when he left, and even Thranduil secretly breathed a sigh of relief, Luke felt a pang of toothache.
He never expected that one day he would become an unwelcome guest.
All because Smaug ate over a hundred sheep and pigs within two days and drank all the wine stored in the cellar.
The Elves even had to go hunting in the forest with bows and arrows to supplement the meat shortage.
Luke had no idea that a dragon that didn't sleep had such a huge appetite.
After witnessing the dragon's monstrous appetite, Luke wished he could immediately find a place to make this fellow sleep again,
that way he wouldn't have to worry about not feeding him enough.
But the headache was that Smaug demanded to sleep only on a bed covered with gold.
And he was very firm, with an attitude of rather die than compromise, even when Luke threatened him with the Crucio.
According to Smaug, their dragons' sole and lifelong ideal was to sleep on countless treasures.
To compete for treasure, dragons would not only attack Dwarves, but even fight each other for treasure, just to plunder the treasures in each other's caves.
This is also the reason why dragons are becoming fewer and fewer, and why now only Smaug is the only known dragon remaining.
Luke promised Smaug that once they returned to Weathertop, the treasure he received from the Lonely Mountain would be his bed,
only then did Smaug reluctantly stop his incessant complaints in his ear.
But Smaug still felt that this amount of treasure was too simple for a bed, after all, it only accounted for one-tenth of the Lonely Mountain's treasure, and couldn't even cover him.
He remembered how he once lay on the Lonely Mountain's treasure, possessing the world's greatest wealth.
But now he was following a poor master,
the difference in treatment was a direct cliff dive.
Luke listened, grinding his teeth, wishing he could Avada this stupid dragon immediately.
Was he subduing a mount? No, he had invited a lord, and a gold-devouring lord at that!
Hearing Luke's grumbling complaints, Gandalf and Bilbo chuckled endlessly.
Even Legolas couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile.
They had originally thought Smaug would be a ferocious dragon, but they never expected him to be like this.
Of course, regarding the talk of making money, they all knew Luke was joking.
However, they all thought the idea of utilizing spider silk was a good one.
They had all witnessed the power of Giant Spiders' silk; even sharp Elven swords couldn't easily cut it.
If protective clothing could truly be woven from spider silk, its quality would definitely be superior to most armors, and it would be lighter and softer.
Moreover, the material source was simple and inexhaustible.
Thinking this way, Legolas even felt that the Giant Spiders in Mirkwood were not entirely useless.
He might be able to send a message to his father, Thranduil, to capture some Giant Spiders and keep them, then have the skilled craftsmen of the Elf race use the silk to weave tough armor.
The group rode the dragon through Mirkwood, then had afternoon tea at Beorn's house, before bidding farewell and continuing their journey.
However, this time they did not continue west towards the Misty Mountains, but instead headed south along the Anduin River.
Before crossing the Misty Mountains to Rivendell, Luke needed to visit Lothlórien first.
Not only had Luke promised to make wands for Elrohir, Elladan, and Arwen, but now Legolas's wand was added to the list.
And there was also the staff that Gandalf had promised to make for him.
For all these reasons, he needed to make a trip to Lórien.
Lórien is located east of the Misty Mountains and west of the Anduin River, separated from Dol Guldur at the southernmost tip of Mirkwood only by the Anduin River.
Here, the Celebrant River and the Nimrodel stream, originating from the Misty Mountains, merge into the Anduin River, forming a beautiful delta region.
Lórien is enveloped and protected by the power of Narya, the Ring of Water; even time can barely erode it. The valley is eternally sacred and beautiful, the last pure land in Middle-earth.
As Luke and his companions arrived at the outskirts of Lórien, they felt an invisible magical barrier. Without permission from those within, it would be difficult to find the correct path to enter.
However, they had Gandalf, a frequent visitor to Lórien, among them.
At Gandalf's suggestion, Smaug was left outside Lórien.
Then the three followed Gandalf, walking upstream along the river. The trees along the way were evergreen, and the grass was lush, as if it were early spring in ancient times, forever green and unfading, bearing the marks of time.
Golden leaves occasionally drifted down the river from upstream; these leaves were incredibly brilliant and beautiful, as if they were truly made of gold,
enough to make even dragons covet them.
The four walked deeper into the forest, where the surrounding green faded, transforming into a golden realm.
In the heart of the forest grew countless tall and massive Mallorn trees. The bark of the Mallorn trees was silvery-grey, while their leaves were golden-yellow, as if made of gold.
The golden leaves fell, covering the ground, as if spreading a golden carpet over the earth.
Lórien's name as the Golden Wood originated from this.
Here they met three Elves.
"Ah, Haldir, it's been a long time!" Gandalf greeted the leading Elf.
The Elf named Haldir smiled and nodded:
"Mithrandir."
"The Lady knows you have arrived and sent us to welcome you. Please follow us."
Upon hearing this, Gandalf smiled and sighed, "The Lady of Lórien's foresight is always so profound. I suppose she discovered us as soon as we entered Lórien's borders."
The company followed the guiding Elves towards Caras Galadhon, the capital of Lórien.
Caras Galadhon is situated on a green hill, its summit covered with towering Mallorn trees, while the hill itself is encircled by green walls and a moat.
The Elves of Lórien do not live on the ground, but rather in platforms or dwellings built high up in the tall Mallorn trees.
The entire city of Caras Galadhon is a city built in the trees.
Countless lights hung from the trees, like myriad stars adorning the forest, and the entire hill seemed to be submerged in a sea of stars.
Among the countless tall Mallorn trees, the largest one housed the palace of the Lord and Lady of Lórien.
Beneath this largest and oldest Mallorn tree, a central fountain was built on the emerald green lawn.
The water first fell into a silver basin nearby, then overflowed to form a lake, and the lake water flowed down the hill to form a stream, named the Nimrodel.
This spring is said to be able to wash away fatigue and possess extraordinary magic.
And where the Nimrodel passed, there was a beautiful garden, Lady Galadriel's private garden, where various exotic flowers and plants were cultivated, blooming in all seasons, never withering.
The group ascended the spiral wooden staircase from the foot of the giant tree, climbing higher and higher until they reached a vast platform.
The Lord and Lady's palace was situated on this platform, built in an elliptical shape around the tree, consisting of several platforms and a great hall.
Looking up from below, it seemed to float in the air, perfectly blending with the surrounding natural environment.
And from the platform on the tree, one could overlook the entire Lórien forest, taking in all the beautiful scenery.
They entered the great hall.
Inside the great hall, at the forefront, the thrones of the Lord and Lady were placed side by side, without distinction of rank.
On the other side of the thrones was a simple yet elegant spiral staircase, extending upwards from the great hall, disappearing into a higher platform.
That was the resting place of the Lord and Lady.
Gandalf was already very familiar with the environment here.
But Luke, Bilbo, and Legolas, who were visiting for the first time, gazed around in awe while waiting.
Soon, two Elven couples, hand in hand, descended from the end of the staircase.
With their appearance, the entire hall seemed to brighten.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily converged on the two, like a creature's instinctive pursuit of light.
They were none other than Celeborn and Galadriel, the masters of Lórien.
"Mithrandir, the autumn leaves of Lórien have fallen dozens of times, covering your former footsteps. What storms outside have delayed your coming?"
Celeborn greeted him.
His voice was like the new thunder of spring, deep and refreshing.
He was tall and stately, with silver hair, dressed in naturally luxurious and exquisite robes, exuding both majesty and grace.
If Elrond was like the spring breeze, carrying a sense of compassion and tolerance, a benevolent king.
And Thranduil was like the very forest of Mirkwood, mysterious and unapproachable, an aloof and stern king.
Then Celeborn before them carried an ancient stillness and composure, as if he had undergone the baptism of ages, with a nearly eternal serenity in his demeanor, unhurried, as if the worldly tumult could barely shake his composure.
He was more like an elder silently guarding his home, a king tempered by the world, with sharpened edges concealed, profound and steady.
"No matter how fierce the storms outside, they cannot shake your composure, Lord Celeborn."
Gandalf nodded slightly, complimenting with a smile.
"Of course, except for your beautiful Lady Galadriel."
Upon hearing this, Celeborn smiled.
Meanwhile, Galadriel, hand in hand with her husband, shifted her gaze to the remaining few.
"Young Wizard, we meet again."
Galadriel's smiling eyes met Luke's.
A voice echoed in Luke's mind.
Inside the hall,
After Celeborn and Gandalf exchanged pleasantries, they turned their gaze to Luke, Bilbo, and Legolas.
However, their gaze was primarily on Luke.
"This must be the Black-robed Wizard Luke, who subdued the dragon Smaug, killed the Orc kings Azog and Bolg, and turned the tide in the Battle of Five Armies, right?"
Celeborn's tone was filled with admiration, "It's truly better to meet in person than to hear by reputation; you are even younger and more extraordinary than I imagined!"
"Thank you for your praise, Lord Celeborn."
Luke bowed his head in greeting and accepted Celeborn's compliment with a smile.
This Lord of Lórien, though not as widely renowned as Elrond and Thranduil,
and even his wife Galadriel's prestige, status, and power in Middle-earth far surpassed his,
did not mean he was an ordinary person.
If he were not exceptionally powerful, how could he have won Galadriel's favor?
Therefore, Luke had never looked down on him because of the saying "the man behind Galadriel."
Celeborn saw Luke's humble yet unyielding demeanor, and a hint of appreciation appeared in his eyes.
"Galadriel once told me that Middle-earth would welcome an unparalleled Wizard; it seems her vision is as sharp as ever."
"Lady Galadriel flatters me; I am merely an ordinary Wizard."
"An ordinary Wizard cannot subdue a giant dragon." Celeborn smiled, his gaze turning to Legolas. When his emerald eyes met the Elf Prince's, they held a gentle warmth befitting an elder.
"Thranduil's son is indeed as bright as a star. I see some of your father's former grace in you. Is your father well?"
Legolas bowed respectfully, his voice even more deferential: "My father is well, Lord Celeborn. I convey his greetings to you. He often speaks of you, saying that you are more imbued with the wisdom of ages than the ancient trees of Mirkwood, and possess deeper, more profound wisdom than the deep lakes of the Misty Mountains."
Although Thranduil and Celeborn were not related by blood, they both belonged to the Sindar Elves, making them naturally closer.
So Celeborn treated Legolas like his own junior.
After exchanging a few words with Legolas, he then offered warm greetings to Bilbo.
Galadriel, meanwhile, stood beside her husband, watching everyone gently without speaking.
Once everyone had finished their greetings, she instructed the Elves to prepare a dinner to entertain the guests who had traveled so far.
The dinner was not grand, but the atmosphere was solemn and gentle, without clamor.
The Lord and Lady sat at the head of the table, dining with Gandalf, Luke, Bilbo, and Legolas.
In addition, another Elf joined the banquet: Arwen, the daughter of Elrond, the Princess of Twilight, who had lived in Lórien since childhood.
She was also the granddaughter of Celeborn and Galadriel.
Arwen possessed long, lustrous black hair, bright and deep grey eyes, skin as fair as jade, a graceful figure, and a light gait. Her every movement exuded a vibrant and elegant aura.
She carried the bloodline of the demigod Maia, combined with the blood of the three great Elven royal houses, and also the common bloodline of the three ancient human families.
Such a complex and noble lineage endowed her with the divinity of the Maia, the elegance of Elves, and the free will of humans.
Looking at the Elf Princess nestled against Galadriel, Luke's eyes were filled with wonder. If Galadriel's beauty was like the moon, radiant and dazzling, a queen of the night sky that inspired awe,
then Arwen, like her title Twilight Star, possessed a gentle and pure beauty. She was like a star in the night sky, emitting a soft yet brilliant light that captivated the eye.
Arwen was clearly much beloved in Lórien. She carried a maidenly vibrancy, nestled close to Celeborn and Galadriel.
And the two powerful Elf Lord and Lady always watched her with eyes full of loving kindness.
As Luke observed the Twilight Princess,
she, too, was curious about Luke, the Wizard who had subdued a dragon.
Their gazes met.
Arwen paused, then offered a gentle and polite smile, nodding at him.
Luke, feeling no guilt about being caught staring, maintained his calm gaze and politely nodded in return.
In his heart, he felt a pity that such a beautiful Twilight Star chose to become mortal for love, and only left the world after losing everything she had.
He remembered that in the very end, after all the Elves had sailed west, and the aged Aragorn had passed away,
this Twilight Star chose to leave the human kingdom and return to the forests where the Elves once lived, spending the remainder of her life in solitude and sorrow.
At that time, he wondered if she had any regrets?
However, none of this had happened yet. In fact, Aragorn was still just a little kid at this point, so there was no such thing as love at first sight.
Luke thought mischievously, perhaps he could intervene and connect the fireplaces of Lórien and Rivendell.
Then he could send Arwen to Rivendell, so she could meet the child version of Aragorn early.
In such a situation, if Arwen could still fall in love with Aragorn,
then he could only say it was fate.
However, before he could continue his wild thoughts, the system, after a long silence, gave a prompt:
[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Location Lothlórien. Sign in?]
Luke came back to his senses and silently thought, "Sign in."
[Sign-in successful. Congratulations on acquiring the Prophecy talent!]
Prophecy talent? Luke was stunned.
Professor Trelawney's eccentric, rambling, and mad image instantly flashed through his mind.
If it was that kind of talent, what if he didn't want it?
The next second, Luke felt a sudden clarity in his mind.
It was as if a third eye had been opened, and he looked at the world from a perspective he had never experienced before.
A mysterious and profound aura enveloped him, making him suddenly very rational and enigmatic.
This change was very subtle, but it could not escape the perception of the powerful individuals present.
Galadriel, Gandalf, and Celeborn all turned to look at Luke, their faces filled with surprise.
"That is—" For the first time, Celeborn's composed face showed a change, filled with doubt and astonishment.
"It is the power of fate." Galadriel's eyes flickered as she spoke with certainty.
"Luke, how are you?" Gandalf, on the other hand, asked with some concern.
Luke looked at Gandalf, just about to answer.
Suddenly, some images he had never seen before appeared in his mind.
And he spoke involuntarily: "The Age of Elves will end, and the Age of Men is about to come. On the day the broken sword is reforged, the crownless will again be king. Darkness will rise again, and the Dark Lord seeks his lost treasure—"
His voice was deep and devoid of emotion, calmly narrating the prophecy.
Everyone stared at Luke, whose eyes were hollow, listening in deathly silence to his emotionless voice.
It was only after Luke finished the last sentence, and his hollow eyes refocused, that he lightly coughed.
Only then did everyone come back to their senses, looking at Luke with newfound curiosity.
"Luke, you never told me you could also prophesy?" Gandalf asked with a complex expression, sighing.
Luke coughed again, a little uncomfortably: "Actually, I just found out too."
Gandalf shook his head. He knew Luke had some secrets, but he himself had secrets too, so he had no intention of prying.
He then turned to Galadriel and Celeborn: "What do you make of Luke's prophecy just now?"
To be honest, prophecies in Middle-earth were not uncommon.
For example, Glorfindel, the Lord of the Golden Flower, had once prophesied about the Witch-king of Angmar, saying that he would not die by the hand of man.
The word "man" here was used as "man," which could refer to a person or a male.
Ultimately, the Witch-king of Angmar was killed by Éowyn, the Princess of Rohan, and the hobbit Merry, who grievously wounded him with a dagger, was also not a human.
This outcome perfectly fulfilled Glorfindel's prophecy.
There was also Malbeth the Seer of Arthedain, who prophesied that Aragorn would pass through the Paths of the Dead and summon the ghosts to fulfill their oath.
Even Elrond and Galadriel possessed the ability of prophecy.
Of course, their prophecies were not an innate talent, but rather a foresight into future possibilities gained through wisdom and long years of experience.
So, while they were surprised that Luke could prophesy, they were not overly shocked.
Their attention was focused on the content of Luke's recent prophecy.
Their boundless wisdom allowed them to easily decipher the vague meanings within the prophecy and understand its true message.
"The prophecy is clear: the forces of darkness will rise again, and Sauron and his minions are attempting to find the lost one ring." Galadriel's deep gaze looked towards the far east, her face showing concern.
"Evidently, we were all mistaken before. The one ring did not, as we thought, flow down the Anduin River into the ocean.
Otherwise, Sauron would not be trying to find it."
Celeborn's brows furrowed upon hearing this:
"When Isildur was killed by Orcs at the Gladden Fields, the one ring was lost. Orcs, humans, and even Elves searched there, but found nothing.
But if the one ring isn't there, then where could it have gone?"
"It's hidden somewhere, or in someone's hands, after all." Gandalf said.
Upon hearing their words, Bilbo's expression became somewhat uneasy. He lowered his head, unconsciously reaching into his pocket to touch something.
Since entering here, the one ring in his pocket had become unusually quiet, almost like an ordinary gold ring.
Luke also noticed Bilbo's unusual behavior.
He had originally brought Bilbo here with the intention of letting Galadriel and the others discover the one ring.
After all, this one ring was not a good thing; the longer it was in contact, the more it would corrupt Bilbo's body and mind.
He thought that perhaps he could destroy the one ring by throwing it into Mount Doom early, before Sauron fully recovered, directly sending Sauron offline ahead of schedule.
There was no need to wait seventy-odd years later for Frodo to escort the one ring.
Anyway, he didn't intend to follow the plot.
Was he supposed to wait for Sauron to recover and then have another great war?
Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
So Luke, seeing Bilbo's hesitant and struggling expression, quietly walked to his side and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
Bilbo's body trembled, and he stiffly turned his head to look at Luke.
Luke patted his shoulder and said in a voice only they could hear:
"Do you remember what I told you before? And think about Gollum's appearance. Do you want to become like that?"
When Bilbo heard this, Gollum's image involuntarily popped into his mind, and he immediately shivered.