When Luke heard that Gandalf was also coming, his confidence soared. In the original destiny, Gandalf was capable of defeating the Balrog, so there was no reason why he couldn't do so this time. Moreover, Gandalf wouldn't be fighting alone; with Luke and Smaug joining forces, Gandalf wouldn't have to pay the ultimate price. However, Luke wondered if this intervention might inadvertently prevent Gandalf from becoming the White Wizard.
The Phoenix project was on hold for the time being. They would need to acquire the Eternal Fire from the Balrog before they could continue the creation process.
During this period, Luke also learned the reason for Gandalf's visit to Fangorn Forest. Fangorn Forest lay very close to Isengard, Saruman's stronghold, separated only by a mountain range to the south. Gandalf had been wary ever since he determined that Saruman had fallen into darkness and was secretly conspiring with Sauron.
To prevent Saruman and Sauron from joining forces and threatening the southern kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan, Gandalf had specifically traveled south to warn the Steward of Gondor and the King of Rohan, and to secretly seek a way to curb Saruman's growing power. To this end, he had come to Fangorn Forest and sought the help of Treebeard.
Through his ability to communicate with plants, Treebeard could monitor Saruman's every move. Although Treebeard and Saruman were neighbors, their relationship was distant. However, Treebeard and Gandalf were friends, trusting and supporting each other, so Treebeard naturally agreed to Gandalf's request without hesitation.
Saruman's residence in Orthanc was surrounded by a vast expanse of trees, which served as the eyes and ears of the Ents, providing a subtle surveillance tool. Even with the Palantir, Saruman would have found it difficult to notice these motionless trees. Everything that transpired around Isengard and Orthanc was recorded by the surrounding trees and shared with the Ents.
Soon, Treebeard brought news: Saruman was secretly contacting the orcs of the Misty Mountains and attempting to win over the Dunlendings. Furthermore, the orcs Saruman was contacting were the very ones who had occupied Moria!
What a coincidence, indeed! Upon hearing this news, Luke and Gandalf exchanged surprised glances. They were just about to join forces with the Dwarves to deal with the orcs and Balrogs of Moria. And Saruman was also in contact with the orcs in Moria? Now, whether it was to obtain the Balrog's flames or to sever Saruman's support, they both had to take the situation in Moria far more seriously.
Otherwise, once Saruman formed an alliance with the orcs, his power would skyrocket, posing a threat no less significant than that of Mordor. After all, as a Maia of Aulë, the Vála of crafts, Saruman was not only proficient in powerful magic and sorcery but also skilled in industrial production. He could create various engineering equipment, forge weapons, and rapidly arm an army. It could be said that Saruman's engineering and forging talents were unmatched in Middle-earth, making him a potent military force.
Gandalf, receiving this intelligence, suddenly felt a surge of urgency. To prevent Saruman from gaining control of the orcs, he planned to travel north to the Lonely Mountain and organize another expedition to Moria. With the Dwarves' help, he could eliminate the orcs in Moria and cut off Saruman's power. Simultaneously, he would join forces with Luke and the dragon Smaug to eliminate the Balrog entrenched in the mines of Moria, preventing it from forming an alliance with Sauron and threatening the security of Middle-earth.
So, after entrusting the tree-folk to continue monitoring Saruman and Isengard, Gandalf, Luke, and Arwen left Fangorn Forest together and headed north to Lórien first. In Lórien, Gandalf explained the situation to Galadriel and Celeborn. Both took the matter very seriously and agreed with Gandalf's idea of helping the Dwarves retake Moria. They also expressed their willingness to lend a hand when the time came, allowing the Elves of Lórien to block the back door of Moria in the Dimrill Dale and eliminate the orcs' effective forces.
Moria was the birthplace of the Dwarves of Durin's Folk. The Dwarves had delved through the Misty Mountains. Its main gate was located on the west side of the Misty Mountains, and its back gate on the east side was located in the Dimrill Dale. It served as an important passage connecting the east and west of Middle-earth.
Before the Dwarves unearthed the Balrog, Moria was known as Khazad-dûm, and it was one of the passages many races used to travel between east and west. Even the Elves of Lórien used the passages of Moria to cross the Misty Mountains and reach Rivendell or the Grey Havens further west. Only after the Balrog destroyed the kingdom of Khazad-dûm and occupied Moria was this passage completely cut off. To cross the Misty Mountains now, one had to either traverse the more dangerous High Pass in the north, or circumvent the Gap of Rohan, the southernmost point of the Misty Mountains. Such detours were incredibly time-consuming and lengthy, often taking several times longer to travel.
With the support of Galadriel and Celeborn, Gandalf did not linger long in Lórien. He flew north on his broom, preparing to visit the Lonely Mountain. Luke stayed in Lórien for a few more days. Arwen took him for walks in the Golden Wood. The two of them stepped on the soft, golden, fallen leaves of the mallorn trees.
Arwen vividly recounted the age of each mallorn tree and pointed out the trees she had planted herself. Or they would sit on the hill of Cerindalf, lying on the grass filled with elanor and niphredil flowers, quietly gazing up at the blue sky. Sometimes he would follow the Nimrodel Stream to its cascading waterfall, listening to the sound of the spring water like the singing of an elven maiden. Other times, they would visit Egladil, where the Elves were most densely populated, to discuss poetry with them and listen to stories and legends of the past.
On the summit of Cerindalf grew two concentric circles of trees: the outer circle consisted of white-barked trees, and the inner circle comprised mallorns with golden leaves. In the center stood a tall tree with a white platform suspended between its branches, offering a panoramic view of the entire Golden Wood. Luke and Arwen sat on this platform, feeling the breeze on their faces and gazing at the distant scenery.
The wind ruffled Arwen's long, smooth black hair, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone upon her, radiating a holy and beautiful light. The Evening Star in the sky and the Evening Star necklace on her chest complemented each other, making her seem like the incarnation of the stars on Earth. Such a scene captivated Luke, and he couldn't tear his eyes away for a long time.
Arwen looked at Luke, her eyes filled with soft starlight. She asked, "Luke, perhaps you have heard the story of my ancestor Lúthien's love for the human hero Beren?"
Luke shook his head slightly, his eyes softening. "I'm not entirely familiar with it. Could you tell me?"
Arwen looked towards the setting sun in the west, her perfect face filled with calmness and gentleness as she slowly recounted the story of the past. "Lúthien was the daughter of the Elf King Thingol and the Maia Melian. She was the most beautiful of all the Elves. Her singing could make the stars pale in comparison, and her dancing was like falling moonlight. She met and fell in love with the human hero Beren, and together they took a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. However, on their way back, they were attacked by the giant wolf Carcharoth. Beren fought Carcharoth to protect the jewel, and though he eventually slew him, he was mortally wounded and died in Lúthien's arms."
"Lúthien was heartbroken," Arwen continued, "unwilling to accept her eternal farewell to Beren. She sacrificed her own elven immortality to enter the Halls of Mandos (the land of the dead), and moved Mandos, the Lord of the Underworld, with her singing. The Valar, taking pity on her deep affection, permitted Beren to be resurrected, but on the condition that Lúthien should give up her Elven immortality and live with Beren as a Man, sharing their mortal fate."
Arwen's gaze was far-reaching, as if she had witnessed the scene with her own eyes, and her ethereal and beautiful voice carried an incomprehensible weight. "And Lúthien agreed without hesitation." She chose to become mortal, to spend a brief time with the resurrected Beren, and then to accept the fate of human death and bid farewell to the world.
Arwen turned her gaze back to Luke. "Luke, if you were Beren, would you accept Lúthien giving up her immortality and choosing to spend a short but happy life with him?"
Luke looked into Arwen's eyes and shook his head firmly. "No, I would not accept someone giving up eternal life for me, just for that brief moment of happiness."
Arwen was momentarily stunned, and the starlight in her eyes dimmed instantly.
"Because I am greedy," Luke explained, reaching out and taking Arwen's hand, smiling ostentatiously. "I hope to live with my love forever until the end of the world, to see the sun, moon, stars, the sea and the rocks, until the end of all things!" He continued, "So I don't want my love to pay the price of eternal life for me. It will make me feel guilty for the rest of my life, and I will never be at peace." Then he asked, "So, Arwen, are you willing to spend every day of the future with me forever, until the end of the world?"
Listening to Luke's confession, Arwen was surprised and happy, tears welling in her starry eyes. But she hesitated, saying doubtfully, "Although I also long for eternal companionship, Luke, I can feel the connection between you and Gandalf. You have the fate of mankind, so how can you survive forever in this world?"
Luke confidently winked at her. "Have you forgotten that I am also a wizard? Mortals cannot resist death, but wizards can."
"Really?" Arwen's eyes were full of hope.
"Of course it's true, so being with me doesn't require you to give up your eternal life," Luke affirmed, holding her hand, for a moment reluctant to let go.
Luke wasn't worried about failing to achieve immortality. Apart from the Phoenix Animagus method, he still wasn't planning to give up the Philosopher's Stone. Furthermore, if all else failed, he could always learn from Voldemort and create a Horcrux to avoid death. Although Horcruxes had flaws, they were indeed an effective way to circumvent death. As long as he didn't go mad like Voldemort and slice himself into pieces to preserve multiple Horcruxes, he wouldn't lose his mind. Of course, this was only a last resort; he would definitely not create a Horcrux unless absolutely necessary.
Feeling the confidence radiating from Luke, and although Arwen didn't know his exact solution, she chose to believe him. She simply looked at her hand being held, her face flushing as she realized, but she didn't pull away. The two sat on the highest platform of Cerindalf, quietly gazing at the distant sunset. The atmosphere was peaceful and warm.
When they returned to Caras Galadhon, Galadriel and Celeborn were the first to notice the shift in aura between Luke and Arwen. Galadriel looked at Luke, who was pretending to be normal, with a half-smile and said nothing. But Celeborn frowned, looking at Luke with a displeased expression, then asked Arwen worriedly.
"Arwen, have you truly thought this through?"
Arwen nodded, her expression firm and serious. "Grandfather, I've made up my mind. Luke is my only and unwavering choice!"
Celeborn felt profound sadness as his granddaughter Arwen stood firm in her decision. He pressed her gently, "Do you truly wish to surrender your eternal life for his, to live but a brief mortal existence?"
Arwen shook her head with a warm smile. "Luke has already rejected my mortal fate. He would rather stay with me for a longer time than accept my death beside him."
On Luke's side, Galadriel communicated with her mind. With a deep, knowing smile, she asked him, "I don't object to Arwen and me?" Luke was surprised.
Galadriel explained that she had seen two very different destinies for Arwen in her water mirror. In one, Arwen chose a mortal fate and faded from memory alone.
In the other, she met Luke. Galadriel's smile widened as she said, "The Evening Star has become the Everlasting Star, and its light has grown even brighter."
Luke finally understood. Galadriel preferred his presence, as it allowed Arwen to keep her immortality. He also realized Galadriel might have foreseen this outcome, as she had given him the Elessar Emerald upon their first meeting.
Galadriel's blessing meant that only Arwen's father, Elrond, needed to give his consent. Luke and Arwen returned to Rivendell to face him.
Elrond's initial joy at seeing his daughter turned to concern when he sensed their connection. He asked Arwen if her mind was truly made up, to which she replied with firm resolve.
She reassured her father that she would not choose a mortal fate, and Luke wanted to be with her forever.
Elrond looked at Luke with doubt. He explained that achieving immortality was no easy feat and that others who had tried had met with ruin, like the Númenóreans and the Ringwraiths.
In response, Luke shared his vision of the Phoenix, which Gandalf had already acknowledged. This relaxed Elrond's frown.
Still, Luke showed Elrond a piece of parchment detailing how to make the Philosopher's Stone, which could turn base metals into gold and create an elixir of life.
Elrond was greatly surprised by the concept. Luke explained its flaw: it granted immortality but couldn't prevent aging. Luke hoped Elrond's wisdom could help improve it.
Elrond was amazed and said Luke's name would become synonymous with the stone. With both the Phoenix and the Philosopher's Stone as assurance, Elrond's disapproval lessened.
He laid down three rules for Luke: they couldn't truly be together until Luke achieved true immortality. Luke agreed.
Elrond immersed himself in studying the parchment, while Luke found himself dragged into martial arts training by Arwen's brothers, Elrohir and Elladan.
They insisted Luke needed to be stronger to protect their sister, and under the guise of training, they constantly abused him.
Luke endured the hardship, returning to Hogwarts bruised and exhausted each day, but the practice with the master warriors quickly improved his skills and strengthened his body.
One day, Arwen gently applied essence to his bruises. She questioned why he wouldn't just admit defeat to her brothers.
Luke shook his head. "If I admit defeat, they won't let me see you again! And how can a man admit defeat!" He explained that the training with the masters was a rare opportunity to get stronger.
Ever since Elrohir and Elladan learned that Luke had "kidnapped" their beloved sister, their attitudes had done a complete 180. Every day, they found ways to disrupt Luke and Arwen's alone time, then dragged Luke into constant competitions, under the pretext that he needed to be stronger to protect Arwen in the future. If Luke dared to refuse, they would sarcastically suggest he was unwilling to suffer for Arwen. People fight for their dignity, so Luke naturally refused to concede.
More importantly, practicing with Elrohir and Elladan, two martial arts masters who had lived for thousands of years, rapidly improved Luke's sword and spear skills. Even the residual medicinal power of the Ent-draught he had consumed in Fangorn Forest was being quickly absorbed and strengthening his body. His physique became stronger and more agile, allowing him to increasingly fight back against the two skilled elves.
Through his rigorous training with Elrohir and Elladan, Luke's martial arts skills improved at an astonishing pace. If he had once been a fragile wizard, now, even without using magic, he could rely on the Flaming Sword or the Divine Spear Aeglos in his hand to directly confront orcs. During this time, he consumed another dose of Ent-draught. The potent drink caused his height to increase further, just barely exceeding two meters. This made him one of the tallest, even among Elves.
Beyond his height, the greater gain was the profound strengthening of his body. Before the effects of the Ent-draught wore off, he felt boundless energy every day. Even under the demanding training of Elrohir and Elladan, he remained vibrant and grew steadily stronger. To maintain this benefit, he specially brewed several more batches of Growth Potion, then dispatched his Giant Eagle, Súlond, to Fangorn Forest to trade with Treebeard for more Ent-draught.
Súlond was no longer a fledgling. Under Arwen's meticulous care and constant feeding with the magical Lembas dry food, his body had grown rapidly, and his wings had become strong enough to carry him in circles near the top of the world. After that, Luke fed him Ent-draught, and Súlond's size doubled, surpassing that of an adult Giant Eagle. Súlond officially became Luke's messenger, flying thousands of miles with the potion to Fangorn Forest, where he successfully traded for the Ent-draught. Treebeard was very fond of the Giant Eagle and specifically treated him to more Ent-draught. Thus, when Súlond returned to Weathertop with the Ent-draught, Luke was greeted by a Giant Eagle that was now twice its already impressive size. Luke could only marvel at Súlond's good fortune. Though not yet fully mature, Súlond was already larger than the largest Eagle King in the Misty Mountains, with a wingspan nearing 30 meters. When his colossal wings flapped, they swept away clouds and wind, like the legendary Roc blotting out the sky.
After gaining the ability to fly long distances, Súlond no longer required constant feeding. The residents of Hogsmeade, living at the foot of Weathertop, would see the Giant Eagle flying daily; he would depart for the distant wilderness to hunt at sunrise and return to his nest in the tall mallorn tree at sunset.
For Bilbo's birthday, he too received a gift from Luke: Ent-draught. The effect was immediate. Bilbo grew a full 10 centimeters taller, becoming the tallest Hobbit in the Shire. Bilbo was overjoyed and hosted a party in Hobbiton, inviting all his neighbors to witness his newfound height.
Days turned into weeks, as Luke continued his courtship of Arwen and endured his 'training' with Elrohir and Elladan. Until one day, a raven brought news from Gandalf: the Dwarves had finally decided to march on Moria. The leader of this expedition was an old acquaintance of Luke's: Balin. Thorin Oakenshield, the King Under the Mountain, would not directly participate, but he would fully support Balin in reclaiming Moria and restoring the Dwarven glory of Khazad-dûm.
Originally, the Dwarves would not have made such a swift decision. After all, not only were the orcs in Moria a formidable foe, but the Balrog lurking in the Mines of Moria posed the greatest threat. The terror of the Balrog far surpassed that of the dragon Smaug, and it had caused the once-mighty kingdom of Khazad-dûm to fall overnight. Consequently, the Dwarves had been hesitant and divided on the issue of retaking Moria. But when Gandalf traveled north and delivered the news that Luke was willing to join, the Dwarves suddenly found their confidence renewed. With two powerful wizards, Gandalf and Luke, willing to take action, and Luke also possessing the dragon Smaug, they believed their chances of victory were significantly high.
"Luke, long time no see!" Inside Weathertop castle, Balin stepped out of the green flames of the fireplace and greeted Luke warmly. He then looked up, surprised, at Luke's towering figure. "Oh my goodness, Luke, what have you been eating? How did you grow so tall?"
"A small gift from the tree-men," Luke explained with a smile.
Balin looked at Luke with a hint of envy, then shook his head, regretting, "The tree-people aren't very friendly to us Dwarves, it's said they even had conflicts with our ancestors. Fangorn Forest has always been forbidden territory for Dwarves." Luke mused that Dwarves, with their love for mining and forging, inevitably cut down trees. It would be strange if they had a good relationship with the tree-people who protected the forests.
After all, he himself had almost been deemed an unwelcome person by the tree-people for having burned trees in the Old Forest. It was quite ironic that Yavanna, the goddess of plants, and Aulë, the god of craftsmen, were husband and wife, yet their creations—the tree-people and the Dwarves—were so hostile to each other. This, he thought, was another peculiar twist of fate.
The two then began to discuss the terms of their cooperation. As the Dwarven representative and leader of the expedition, Balin had full authority to negotiate with Luke. And once Moria was recaptured, Thorin Oakenshield would not directly rule it. Instead, Balin would become the Lord of Moria, enjoying autonomy much like Dáin Ironfoot of the Iron Hills. Balin was very generous. As a collaborator, he promised to give Luke half of Moria's treasure after its recapture, and also pledged Luke permanent ownership of one-tenth of the mithril vein. This meant that, in the future, one-tenth of all mithril mined from Moria by the Dwarves would belong to Luke.
Even Luke was a little surprised when he heard Balin's offer. Moria was renowned for its rich mithril mines, and mithril, as an incredibly precious magical metal, held immense value. The mithril armor that Thorin had given to Bilbo alone could purchase the entire Shire. Before the Balrog awoke, Khazad-dûm had built a prosperous kingdom on the mithril it produced, its wealth far surpassing that of the Lonely Mountain. Now, Balin was willing to give him a tenth share of this mithril, permanently. This was a vast and seemingly endless source of wealth. Since Balin was so sincere, Luke naturally accepted with a smile. It just so happened that Smaug was constantly complaining about being 'poor', so he would certainly be asked to contribute to this expedition to Moria.
After the terms of cooperation were agreed upon, Balin did not linger. They settled on meeting up in a month, and then Balin left the castle and returned to the Lonely Mountain to prepare the necessary manpower and weaponry. Meanwhile, Luke also began his own preparations for the upcoming journey to Moria. He had to face a Maia-level entity in the Balrog. And unlike Gandalf and other Maiar whose strength was deliberately constrained, the Balrog had no such limitations. Although Middle-earth was nearly torn apart after the War of Wrath, it was restricted by the Valar from unleashing powers that exceeded the limits of the material world. Yet, the Balrog's power was unquestionable. Even Sauron, without the One Ring, wouldn't have an absolute chance of victory against it.
According to Gandalf's description, the Balrog was essentially a spirit of fire and shadow, whose primary abilities were fire manipulation and close combat. Originally a Maia associated with fire, the Balrog was once considered a "Guardian of the Flame." Before Morgoth's complete fall, when he was shrouded in glory, these Maiar were drawn to and followed him. They then descended into darkness with Morgoth, transforming into the terrifying Balrogs.
In anticipation of the Balrog's fiery attacks, Luke began making a fireproof potion based on Professor Snape's potion notes. During Harry Potter's first year, Snape had created a dangerous wall of black flame in the Hogwarts basement to protect the Philosopher's Stone. Even Voldemort, possessing Professor Quirrell, couldn't pass through those flames. He could only solve Snape's logic puzzle, obtain the fireproof potion, drink it, and then pass through the flames. This particular fireproof potion could resist all magical flames except for Fiendfyre. Luke wasn't sure how the fire unleashed by the Balrog compared to Fiendfyre, but he needed to be prepared for both possibilities.
So, over the next month, he began to replicate this potion. For some potion materials that weren't available in Middle-earth, Luke consulted the Brown Wizard Radagast, the master of Middle-earth herbs, referencing the medicinal properties noted by Snape. Radagast proved worthy of being a Maia serving the goddess of plants, Yavanna. He knew all the plants and animals in Middle-earth like the back of his hand and directly provided Luke with materials that had similar medicinal properties. With Radagast's help, Luke substituted several Middle-earth materials, and after several setbacks, he finally succeeded in making a fireproof potion. And its effect was even stronger than the original fire retardant.
Luke captured a lone orc, fed it a fireproof potion, and then unleashed Fiendfyre to burn it. Although the orc was eventually incinerated by the Fiendfyre, Luke was surprised to find that, even after taking the potion, the orc managed to withstand the fierce flames for a few seconds before succumbing. This result surprised Luke, and without any hesitation, he immediately poured another bottle of fireproof potion into a different orc to test it. This orc endured the burning of the Fiendfyre for over a minute before being consumed. Even though the time was relatively short, Luke was very pleased. With the fireproof potion, he would feel much more confident when facing the Balrog.
As if that wasn't enough, Luke continued to brew fireproof potions in the following days. By the time the agreed-upon day to meet Balin arrived, he had already made five pots of the potion. If the potion hadn't been so complex to make, and if time hadn't been so pressing, he would have continued to make even more fireproof potions.
As the castle's fireplaces ignited with green flames, Gandalf and Balin emerged one after another. Balin was carrying an iron box.
"Luke, I haven't seen you for a while. I'm truly surprised by your changes!" Gandalf remarked, looking Luke up and down. "You look more like a warrior. Have you been training?"
Luke nodded, a grimace hinting at unbearable memories. "Uh... Elrohir and Elladan have been accompanying me in training."
Gandalf saw through everything instantly and smiled knowingly. "You 'stole' their precious 'Evening Star'. The fact that they didn't drive you out of the valley is a testament to the Elves' good manners." He chuckled. "I remember when the human Beren wanted to marry the Elf Princess Lúthien, Thingol, the Elf King of Doriath, was greatly opposed. He even put forth a very harsh condition: demanding that Beren bring Lúthien a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown as a dowry, in an attempt to deter him. You are fortunate that Elrond is a kind lord, not one who would deliberately make things difficult for you. Otherwise, you would not only have suffered this little, but he would have also found opportunities to help you grow stronger."
Luke smiled and nodded, no resentment in his eyes. "I know that Gandalf, Lord Elrond, and Elrohir all cherish and love Arwen very much." Then he asked curiously, "Gandalf, where have you been all this time?" After all, it shouldn't have taken so long just to persuade the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain to march to Moria.
Gandalf did not hide it. "I went to Dunland. You know that Saruman not only contacted the orcs but also tried to win over the Dunlendings, so I wanted to see if there was any way to stop him."