"Oh, Luke, you look so miserable now!" Gandalf sat down on a rock, leaning on his staff, and playfully teased Luke. "If Arwen saw you like this, she'd probably abandon you!"
After finally relaxing, Luke, in turn, rare for him, teased Gandalf back.
"You're no better, Gandalf. You don't even have a beard or eyebrows now, and your gray robe's tattered. If someone sees you, they'll think you're a homeless old man!" Gandalf touched his chin after hearing Luke's words.
"Oh, my poor beard, it's the fruit of my hard work, and now it's all gone!" Then he patted himself down, withdrawing his hand with regret. "What a pity! I've run out of both my pipe and tobacco. Otherwise, I'd really like to have a smoke to calm down." Luke was helpless. His pipe and tobacco had been burned in the fight with the Balrog. He could conjure a pipe, but he couldn't create tobacco out of thin air.
After finally recovering a little, the two of them approached the Balrog's body together. The dead Balrog looked like the remains of cooled lava, hideous and ugly, yet still emitting a faint burning sensation. Luke forcefully pulled out the Divine Spear, Aeglos, which was stuck in the Balrog's chest. But seeing that there was no trace of flame on the Balrog, he asked with some concern: "Gandalf, the Balrog is dead now, and its flames are extinguished. Could the eternal fire I want also be extinguished?"
Gandalf smiled and shook his head. "Since it's said to be an eternal fire, there's naturally no possibility of it being extinguished. The eternal fire you're thinking of is in the heart of the Balrog." Upon hearing Gandalf's words, Luke hurriedly picked up the Flaming Sword and began to forcefully cut open the Balrog's chest.
He saw that the inside of the Balrog's body did not contain various organs and tissues like an animal, but was more like a furnace. The core of it was the Balrog's heart. When Luke cut open the Balrog's heart, what was exposed was a red crystal emitting a scorching temperature. The crystal was as big as a football and had a crack on it, the mark left by the Divine Spear Aeglos. And in the center of the red crystal, a small cluster of black flames appeared. Although it was wrapped in red crystals outside, blocking the internal temperature, it still felt incredibly dangerous. Even looking directly at it caused a stinging sensation, as if it could burn the spirit and soul.
"This is the Balrog's magic crystal, and also its core. As long as the magic crystal isn't destroyed, the Balrog isn't truly dead. If it were thrown into a volcano, the Balrog could still be reborn after thousands of years." Gandalf explained.
"Then I'll use it as the fire of Nirvana. It shouldn't have any impact, right?" Luke asked worriedly after hearing this.
Gandalf shook his head: "Don't worry, once the flame inside the magic crystal is purified, there will be no hidden dangers." Luke immediately felt relieved.
"Okay, we should head down. Balin and the others must be waiting anxiously," said Gandalf. Luke heartily agreed. It was too high and too cold here, and their injuries needed healing. So he asked Smaug to carry the Balrog's body, and then he and Gandalf sat on the dragon's back and flew down the mountain together. As for the Basilisk Herpo, he also hitched a ride, wrapped around Smaug's feet, acting like a flying snake in the air.
Smaug landed on the east side of the Misty Mountains, carrying two men, a snake, and the body of a Balrog. After passing through the thick clouds, they quickly arrived at the Dimrill Dale at the East Gate of Moria. While Gandalf and Luke were battling the Balrog in the abyss, Balin and a thousand Dwarf warriors had also been busy. Orcs lived at the East Gate of Moria and in the First Hall. Balin and the Dwarf warriors fought against the orcs there and successfully chased them into the Dimrill Dale beyond the East Gate. Meanwhile, the Elves of Lórien also stationed themselves outside the Dimrill Dale, forming a pincer attack with the Dwarves, continuously encircling and annihilating the orcs.
By the time Luke rode down on Smaug, the battle in the Dimrill Dale had long been over. The Dwarves and Elves were waiting to clean up the battlefield. When the dragon descended from the sky, the Elves below were the first to spot Smaug's massive figure.
"It's a dragon!"
"Don't panic, it's Gandalf, Luke, and the others!" Balin was excited when he saw the dragon appear. Ten full days had passed since they encountered the Balrog at Durin's Bridge, and Luke and Gandalf chose to break off their journey. Balin had been incredibly nervous during this period. He personally returned to Durin's Bridge, but found it severely damaged, with all the bridge structures crumbling and destroyed. Luke, Gandalf, the dragon, and the Balrog were all gone, presumably having fallen into the abyss.
It wasn't until two days ago, when the dragon Smaug flew out of the abyss, that Balin learned from Smaug about the battle in the abyss. But as long as he didn't see them return safely, Balin would feel uneasy. After all, the Balrog was many times more terrifying than the dragon Smaug he had faced in the Lonely Mountain. And today, Smaug seemed to sense something and suddenly flew towards Silverlode Peak.
Then a great commotion occurred on Silverlode Peak: rumbling thunder, dazzling lightning, and tongues of fire that kept swallowing and spitting on the mountain. Silverlode Peak was shrouded in clouds and mist, and they had no idea what was happening. But Balin had guessed that it was Gandalf and his companions fighting the Balrog. Now that the dragon had returned safely, Balin was extremely happy. He knew it must be Gandalf and Luke who had returned!
Sure enough, the next second, as the dragon descended into the Dimrill Dale, Luke and Gandalf appeared on the dragon's back. "Gandalf! Luke!" Balin ran over excitedly. "I nearly had a heart attack when I heard you fell into the abyss. I'm so happy you've returned safely!"
"Oh, Balin, it's so nice to see you again! It's only been a few days, but it feels like a lifetime!" Gandalf greeted happily, but Luke didn't have time to greet Balin just then. Looking at the Elf that appeared in front of him, Luke widened his eyes with surprise: "Arwen, why are you here?" Arwen was wearing Elven military uniform, holding a magic wand and a sword, looking like a beautiful Valkyrie. She walked up to Luke with tenderness in her eyes.
"The orcs escaped from the East Gate of Moria and threatened the safety of Lórien, so I've come to destroy them," she explained. "And I was worried about you!" Arwen didn't ask about the battle. Instead, she reached out her delicate hand, wanting to gently touch the scars on Luke's face and hands, but she didn't dare to touch them. She frowned slightly, a trace of heartache flashing in her eyes. "Why are your injuries so serious?"
Luke grinned, shook his head with a relaxed and nonchalant look, and comforted her, "Don't worry about me, it's just a superficial wound. It'll be healed when I drink some magic potion back home." Seeing that she was still worried, Luke pointed at the Balrog's body to divert her attention. "And we successfully killed the Balrog this time! Look at that black thing under Smaug's feet. It's the Balrog's true form. He looks mighty when he's on fire, but I didn't expect his true form to be so ugly."
Arwen glanced at the Balrog's body and then stopped paying attention to it, instead continuing to focus on him. She took out a bottle of Ent-draught from the spider silk space bag that Luke had given her and handed it to him. "Drink this quickly, it will heal your wound!"
Looking at the bottle of Ent-draught in his hand, Luke asked in surprise, "Isn't this the bottle I gave you before? Why didn't you drink it?" Arwen smiled warmly and shook her head. "Ent-draught doesn't have much effect on me, so I saved it for later use. Isn't it time to use it now?"
"Alright, drink up now. The fire of the Balrog is not so pleasant to bear." Luke was not polite with Arwen either. In the cold environment on Silverlode Peak, the burning pain on his body was bearable, but after coming to the warm environment at the foot of the mountain, the wounds continued to feel a burning and stinging pain, which was truly uncomfortable. However, he still waved his hand and transformed another bottle, poured half of the Ent-draught into it, and then gave it to Gandalf.
"Oh, thank you!" Gandalf didn't bother to be polite and drank half a bottle of Ent-draught immediately. As the two drank the draughts, their originally tired bodies and minds recovered instantly, the burns on their bodies healed quickly, and even their magical power recovered significantly. Gandalf's only regret was that his eyebrows and beard never grew back.
Then everyone's eyes focused on the body of the Balrog. "Is this the legendary Balrog?" The Elves and Dwarves all widened their eyes, looking at it with awe and curiosity. Even though the Balrog was dead, its lingering aura still filled everyone with fear. They couldn't imagine how terrifying it was when it was alive. Everyone looked at Gandalf and Luke, who had killed the Balrog, with admiration and respect.
This was the being that had destroyed the Kingdom of Khazad-dûm, occupied it for a thousand years, and made Moria a forbidden zone for humans, Dwarves, and Elves! In addition to his admiration for Gandalf and Luke, Balin was filled with excitement and joy. Now that the most dangerous existence, the Balrog, had been eliminated, as long as the remaining orcs were eliminated or driven away, they could retake Moria and take possession of the birthplace of the Durin Dwarves, which was rich in mithril mines.
Luke and Gandalf did not need to be involved in cleaning up the remaining orcs. Balin assured them that they could handle it themselves. Luke and Gandalf also believed in the fighting power of the Dwarf warriors. Although there were still thousands of orcs left in Moria, it would not be a problem for the Dwarves to deal with them. So Luke and Gandalf did not insist further. Moreover, after the battle with the Balrog, their souls were exhausted and needed some time to recover.
However, to prevent the orcs from escaping, Luke sent Smaug to guard the West Gate of Moria and help the Dwarves to annihilate the remaining orcs. As for him and Gandalf, they first went to nearby Lórien to visit Lady Galadriel and her companions. When leaving, Luke borrowed the Dwarves' space box and put the body of the Balrog, the "Watcher in the Water" brought back by Smaug from the abyss, and the Basilisk into it. Then he went to Lórien with Arwen and other Elves. As for Balin and the Dwarves, they began their mission to fully retake Moria.
In the city of Caras Galadhon, within the palace of the lord and his wife, Celeborn and Galadriel met with Luke and Gandalf.
"You have slain the Balrog in the Mines of Moria. This is truly a great feat!" Celeborn exclaimed in admiration, gazing at the two with eyes full of respect. "The great commotion on Silverlode Peak could be seen even in Lórien. Perhaps in years to come, there will be songs telling of that clash: the Grey and Black Wizards atop the mountain slew the last Balrog of Middle-earth and brought peace to Moria."
Gandalf suddenly chuckled and shook his head. "What kind of lyrics could there be? Aside from those with sharp eyes like you, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, who can see through the veil, those below, looking up, could only see the peak shrouded in a blizzard. They heard the rumble of thunder, saw the dazzling lightning, and witnessed tongues of fire flickering on the peak. How could they possibly understand what truly happened?"
"Someone will know. Snow and fog cannot hide your deeds," Galadriel said softly, her eyes full of profound wisdom. Her gaze fell on Luke's and Gandalf's clothes, which had been transfigured but were still clearly visible to her. "I can sense that your souls are weary. Go wash away the dust and weariness in the Nimrodel River. I will send for new robes for you to wear."
Neither Gandalf nor Luke refused. Without anyone leading them, they arrived at the River Nimrodel with ease. They immersed themselves halfway in the river. The icy water flowing from the mountains chilled Luke to the bone, and he couldn't help but shudder. The Elves had composed many songs about this river, praising its magical powers.
The Nimrodel River lived up to its reputation. Bathing in the river, Luke felt that his physical and mental fatigue was gradually washed away, and a feeling of drowsiness after the extreme exhaustion came over him. With his upper body leaning on the soft grass by the river, Luke gradually fell asleep in the cold river water. In his half-awake state, he seemed to hear the beautiful singing of an Elf maiden, as if she was telling him something.
"Wake up, Luke, don't sleep too long, you'll catch a cold!" Arwen's gentle voice woke Luke from his slumber. Luke opened his eyes and saw Arwen looking at him gently.
"Arwen, why are you here?" Luke asked in surprise, his mind a little slow.
"Okay, Luke, come up quickly. Although the Nimrodel River can relieve fatigue, the water is icy cold, and you'll freeze if you stay there for too long," Arwen said with concern. Luke then realized that Gandalf had left at some point, and only he and Arwen were left here. Perhaps because his body was contaminated with the Balrog's fire, Luke didn't feel very cold except at the beginning. However, he didn't refute Arwen's words. He stood up and walked out of the river.
Arwen handed him a stack of white robes. "The clothes you are wearing are damaged. These are the clothes I made for you. Try them on and see if they fit you well."
"Did you sew this for me?" Luke showed a surprised expression.
Arwen smiled and nodded.
Luke took the white robe and held her hand, exclaiming happily, "Arwen, you are so kind! I can't imagine how dark life would be without you by my side."
Arwen's eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and her eyes, reflecting the stars and the flowing water, curved into two crescent moons, a smile overflowing from them. "Alright, change quickly, don't catch a cold!" Arwen urged softly.
"Change here? No need to avoid it?" Luke raised his eyebrows and asked deliberately with a joking look on his face.
Arwen looked at Luke, who was teasing her on purpose, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, like morning dew kissing flower petals. She waved the wand in her hand and summoned mist to cover Luke. "Stop messing around, Luke, and change your clothes quickly. Gandalf and my grandparents are waiting for you."
Seeing this, Luke looked a little regretful and quickly changed into the Elven robe made for him by Arwen in the mist. The mist dissipated, revealing Luke in a white, elegant Elven robe trimmed with silver. His tall, slender figure exuded a certain nobility and elegance. "How is it? Does it look good?" Luke said, turning around and showing it to Arwen.
Arwen's eyes brightened and she nodded slightly. "It looks good and suits you very well."
The two left the river, passed through the Mallorn Forest, and came to Lady Galadriel's garden. As soon as they arrived, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Celeborn, who were sitting on the wicker chairs in the garden, all turned their heads and looked at them.
Looking at the two people coming hand in hand, Gandalf said jokingly, "I thought you would arrive even later. After all, young people always have so much energy, unlike an old man like me who is already old and withered." Luke and Arwen were both a little embarrassed by what Gandalf said.
Afterwards, after the two joined the tea party in the garden, they couldn't help but start talking about the Balrog. Gandalf slowly recounted their battle with the Balrog, including their fall into the abyss and their pursuit of the Balrog from the bottom of the abyss to the top of the mountain. It inevitably mentioned the nameless creatures in the abyss tunnel. When Arwen heard about the thrilling life-and-death experience, she couldn't help but nervously grab Luke's hand, full of worry and relief.
Celeborn's attention was drawn to the nameless creature Gandalf was talking about, and he didn't notice his granddaughter's actions. He was extremely surprised and puzzled. "I originally thought this was just a legend, but could such a creature really exist deep within the earth?"
Gandalf was still terrified when he recalled it. He shook his head and said thankfully: "I used to think it was just a legend, but after meeting them, I was sure it was true. I don't want to elaborate too much and leave you with a psychological shadow. But if it weren't for the Balrog's guidance, Luke and I would have been in an even more dangerous and desperate situation. So, to be honest, the Balrog saved our lives." L
uke also agreed heartily. Whenever he recalled being locked in the gaze of an unknown creature, the despair of nothingness and absolute darkness would surge into his heart, making him shudder. Even though he didn't see the true appearance of the nameless creature, the fear it brought to him was countless times greater than that of the Balrog. It was as if it was an unspeakable horror!
"What exactly is that nameless creature? Why does it frighten you so much?" Arwen was a young Elf and had never heard of the legend of the nameless creature underground. Seeing Luke so frightened, she couldn't help but feel concerned.
Galadriel slowly stood up, walked to the water mirror next to her, gently stirred the water surface with her hand, and slowly said: "That is a very ancient and mysterious creature. It is far older than the orcs and even the Balrog. It existed when the world of Arda was born..." As her fingers moved, countless fragmented images flashed in the water mirror, as incomprehensible as illusions. Suddenly, the mirror surface turned pitch black.
The black was very sticky, deeper and thicker than the night sky. Even light and shadow did not exist. Just by looking through the mirror surface, an unsettling sense of darkness and fear emanated. There seemed to be indescribable ancient whispers in the darkness, as if it was pregnant with some great terror!
Galadriel stared at the pitch-black water mirror, as if she was looking at the creatures in the darkness through the water mirror, but before the darkness could notice, she waved her hand to erase the image and restore it to the appearance of an ordinary water mirror.
"Was that an unknown creature deep underground?" Arwen asked in shock.
Galadriel nodded. "There are some beings in this world that were not created, such as the most ancient Eävain-ben-Arda (Tom Bombadil), the evil spirit Ungoliant, born from the darkness of the void outside the world of Arda, and the nameless creatures deep within the earth. Ancient legends say that in the deepest and darkest parts of the earth, unspeakable things will be born. They will gnaw at the foundations of the earth until the Great Music ends, and they will burst through the ground to devour everything." Seeing Arwen's worried look, Galadriel smiled and reached out to stroke her face. "Don't worry about it. The end of time is far, far away. Even if measured by the lifespan of an Elf, it will be an extremely long time. By that time, the Elves may no longer exist."
Apart from being surprised at first, Luke accepted this revelation well. Isn't this nameless creature similar to Níðhöggr, the black dragon that gnawed at the roots of the World Tree in Norse mythology, or Leviathan in Hebrew mythology? Both represent the end of the world. But he didn't expect that there would be such a setting in Middle-earth?
The topic of the end of the world was too heavy, and no one was interested in continuing it. Instead of discussing it further, the focus shifted to the Balrog. Luke took out the red magic crystal from the Balrog's heart. Looking at the red magic crystal emitting high temperature on the table, everyone was very surprised.
Especially the black flames inside, which carried a violent, dark, and evil aura full of destructive power. People could feel the terrifying power contained within it. As a fallen Maia, the Balrog was once a lesser god associated with fire. He was bewitched by Morgoth and became a demon. The sacred fire he originally controlled also turned into evil fire. But even though the flame was tainted by the dark power of Morgoth and its properties changed, its essence remained unchanged.
"Luke, are you planning to use the Balrog's eternal fire to forge the Phoenix's Nirvana Fire?" Galadriel asked. Luke nodded. As a fallen demigod-level Maia, the Balrog's inherent fire was of a divine level. If this eternal fire could be transformed into the fire of Nirvana, then after his Animagus evolved into a phoenix, it will definitely be more powerful than the phoenix in the Harry Potter world.
"But if you use such an evil flame, you might fall into darkness, or even become an evil spirit?" Celeborn frowned.
"So before we can use it, we need to purify the Balrog's flame," Gandalf explained with a smile. "The Balrog was once a Maia whose essence was fire. After being seduced and corrupted by Morgoth, its eternal fire was contaminated by Morgoth's dark power and turned into an evil fire. As long as the evil fire is purified and restored to its purest state, the pure flame can be used to forge the immortal Phoenix." Gandalf continued, "Lady Galadriel, your power of purification is unmatched, so we would like to ask for your help in purifying the Balrog's fire."
Upon hearing this, Galadriel looked at the red magic crystal in front of her, then glanced at the anxiously expectant Luke and the pleading Arwen. She smiled and nodded in agreement.
Since Galadriel had agreed to help purify the Balrog's fire, she reached out and picked up the red magic crystal from the table, despite its radiating heat. It seemed to hold no warmth for her at all. She then walked towards the central fountain with the magic crystal, with Luke and the others following close behind.
Upon reaching the fountain, Galadriel placed the magic crystal in its center. A crystal bottle, used to capture the brilliance of Eärendil's Star and thus collect the Light of Eärendil, usually resided there. Every night, as Eärendil's Star passed across the sky, its starlight shone into the fountain, reflected by the water within. Galadriel used this method to collect the starlight in the crystal bottle, crafting a Starlight Bottle.
Galadriel positioned the magic crystal where the bottle usually rested, then slowly tilted the Starlight Bottle, allowing the shimmering liquid to drip onto the magic crystal. The two collided with a sizzling sound, like water hissing on hot iron. "The Light of Eärendil is the final energy of the glory of the Two Trees," Galadriel explained softly. "It possesses the ability to purify all darkness and evil, which makes it perfectly suited to purify the Balrog's fire." As she finished her words, wisps of dark, evil energy emanated from the Balrog's magic crystal, being neutralized and purified by the Light of Eärendil. But at the same time, the liquid condensed from the Light of Eärendil was also consumed, diminishing rapidly.
When Luke saw this, he immediately knew he owed the great Elf another immense favor. The Light of Eärendil was not easy to collect. Every night, when the stars shone brightest, only a single ray of starlight could be collected in the fountain. It took roughly a year of diligent collection to condense into a single drop of Star Dew. A whole bottle of Eärendil's Light would take at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years to gather. As the Star Dew in Galadriel's bottle was almost depleted, Luke took out his own bottle. "My lady, please use this bottle of Eärendil's Light."
Galadriel shook her head. "It is enough. The Light of Eärendil has purified the magic crystal, but it cannot completely eradicate the lingering power of Morgoth. It will take some time to restore the Balrog's fire to its pure state." As she spoke, she dipped her right hand into the fountain water and stirred it slowly. The light of Narya, the Water Ring on her finger, was faintly visible in the water. A powerful force merged into the water, and the spring water became silvery and sparkling, as if sprinkled with starlight. The magic crystal was immersed in the spring water, and the raging black flames within it calmed, their emitted temperature gradually decreasing. The flames faded at a speed difficult to detect with the naked eye, and the evil aura also dissipated.
"From today on, I will regularly infuse the spring with purifying power until the Eternal Flame is completely restored to purity," Galadriel said, withdrawing her hand. Upon hearing this, Luke couldn't help but ask, "How long will that take?"
"Not long," Galadriel replied. "Three years is enough."
"Three years?!" Luke exclaimed in disbelief. Isn't that enough? Well, for an Elf, it wasn't that long. In order to obtain the Phoenix Animagus, Luke decided he could certainly wait. But in that case, his research on the Philosopher's Stone would need to be accelerated. He couldn't just sit and wait for three years; he needed to achieve at least a small goal on the path to immortality.
He left the Balrog's Crystal in the fountain pool for purification, while Luke stayed in Lórien to recuperate. After a full month of recovery, the feeling of magical overdraft and spiritual fatigue finally dissipated. During this time, Luke also crafted three new flying brooms. His and Gandalf's original brooms had been destroyed by flames during their fight with the Balrog. This time, he used the resilient trunks of Mallorn trees as materials, resulting in brooms with improved performance and faster speeds. Luke named the three brooms "Nimbus," "Comet," and "Firebolt" respectively. The Nimbus was his own, the Comet was for Arwen, and the Firebolt was for Gandalf.
Just as Luke was enjoying a happy life in Lórien, a letter from Moria was delivered to him. Luke opened the letter, delivered by a raven, while thinking that he should find a few owls to act as messengers. The letter was from Balin and explained that Moria had been completely recaptured. Some of the orcs of Moria had been slain by the Dwarves themselves.
The other group that had escaped to the West Gate had been burned to ashes by the dragon Smaug, who was guarding outside the gate. Not a single one escaped. So Balin, as the Lord of Moria, formally invited Luke and Gandalf to visit. Gandalf also received the letter. Even Celeborn and Galadriel received invitations.
Luke and Gandalf would naturally not refuse. However, Celeborn declined. He had always been distrustful of the Dwarves because they had coveted the Silmarils and killed his great-uncle, King Thingol, which led to the destruction of his homeland, Doriath. He had even hesitated to leave Eregion because he was unwilling to enter Moria. It wasn't until the fall of Eregion that he crossed the Misty Mountains and reunited with Galadriel in Lórien.
However, Celeborn couldn't refuse outright and thus offend the Dwarves who were now exploiting the mithril mines, so he prepared a gift instead. Galadriel, like her husband, also opted not to go. Arwen, at Luke's invitation and on behalf of Lórien, agreed to go to Moria to attend the Dwarves' feast.
The three left Lórien and walked up the Celebrant River until they reached the Eastern Gate of Moria in Dimrill Dale. Balin personally welcomed the arrival of the group at the East Gate.
"Welcome! Gandalf, Luke, and the beautiful Elf-ladies! Welcome to Moria!" Balin was in high spirits and gave Luke and Gandalf each a hearty hug. Then he warmly invited them to enter Moria.
The group arrived at the First Hall. Moria was an enormous space, running through the largest mountain range in Middle-earth. It took at least three to four days to walk from the East Gate to the West Gate if one didn't get lost and walked straight.
So Balin temporarily used the First Hall as his main living quarters. The Dwarves' banquet was very lively and luxurious. Luke was secretly amazed when he saw the knives, forks, cups, and other utensils made of mithril before him. A small piece of mithril was enough to command immense wealth in trade, and a complete object made of mithril was even more precious. For example, the mithril armor that Thorin gave to Bilbo was enough to buy the entire Shire.
(T/N :Author you said that 3 times already!)
But here, it was ubiquitous, such as the armor and weapons worn by the Dwarven warriors, as well as the various tableware, all made of mithril. These were relics of the former kingdom of Khazad-dûm, now found by Balin and his companions, and used specifically to entertain the guests. Arwen, sitting next to Luke, was equally astonished by the Dwarves' extravagance. As the White Princess of the Noldor, she and her grandmother Galadriel had learned the Noldor's forging techniques and naturally knew the value of mithril.
Like the Water Ring, Narya, worn by her grandmother, the main body of the ring was made of mithril. Even some of the more powerful Elven swords were made sharper and lighter by adding mithril, even possessing magical properties. She had no idea that this place was so extravagant that they even used mithril to make tableware.
But what surprised Luke even more was that Balin had the Dwarf warriors bring over a dozen large iron boxes and place them in front of him and Gandalf. "What's this?" Luke and Gandalf both looked puzzled.
Balin raised his hand and motioned for the Dwarves to open the boxes. They were filled with finished products such as mithril utensils, accessories, handicrafts, and raw mithril ore. "Gandalf, Luke, you defeated the Balrog and helped us recapture Moria. I cannot help but express my gratitude!" Balin said sincerely. "Of course, I also know that these alone are far from enough to express my gratitude, so I also prepared this." As he said this, two pieces of animal skin paper were brought to them at his signal.
They had sun and moon characters written on them in mithril. "To express my gratitude, I have written a contract: I will give one-tenth of the ownership of Moria's mithril ore to Gandalf and Luke respectively. I hope you will accept it!"
They were both surprised when they heard this. Luke was surprised by Balin's generosity, even though before the expedition, Balin had promised to give him one-tenth of the mithril ownership once Moria was recaptured. But he didn't expect Balin to act so quickly. The fulfillment of the contract not only gave Gandalf the same share but also did not delay. He displayed none of the greed and possessiveness for treasure that other Dwarves sometimes showed. Should we say that he is indeed the calmest and wisest elder among the Dwarves? Luke naturally wouldn't refuse this reward. After all, mithril, a precious magical metal, had so many uses that he naturally needed it. So he readily signed his name on the contract with the silver pen provided by the Dwarf.
The silver pen used a special ink made from mithril and other materials. It would never fade, and the writing would remain clear even after thousands of years. The animal skin paper was made of wear-resistant Giant Lizard skin and was soaked in a special potion. It would still not rot after thousands of years. These preparations were enough to demonstrate Balin's sincerity.
As for Gandalf, he refused the reward offered by Balin and only picked out a pipe made of mithril from the box. In his words, he didn't have a large number of subjects and pets to support like Luke, so there was no point in asking for this reward. Balin was not secretly happy about Gandalf's rejection; instead, he looked a little disappointed. Luke couldn't help but use the Legilimency Charm to see what Balin was thinking.
It turned out that Balin was not just pretending. Balin was truly grateful, which was why he offered Gandalf one-tenth of the mithril ore. Of course, there was also a little strategic thought involved: to bind the interests of Luke and Gandalf to Moria with mithril. In this way, if Moria encountered any danger in the future, with the two powerful wizards, Luke and Gandalf, there would be no need to worry about Moria repeating its past mistakes. Luke naturally didn't mind such subtle thoughts. Instead, he admired Balin's cleverness even more.
After delivering the mithril, Balin took a few people to the treasury. Khazad-dûm had once relied on the production of mithril to accumulate wealth even greater than that of the Lonely Mountain. Even the ceiling was paved with gold, which was enough to show how immense their wealth once was. However, after the Balrog was awakened and the kingdom of Khazad-dûm was destroyed, all its wealth was plundered by the orcs and sent to Barad-dûr in Sauron's castle.
Even the gold on the ceiling was pried away, leaving only the bare black stone walls. But even so, when Luke and the others arrived at the treasury and looked at the mountains of gold, silver, and jewelry, they were still shocked. This was another treasure trove no less significant than that of the Lonely Mountain.
The treasury was located on the lowest level of Moria, accessed through a tunnel meticulously dug by the Dwarves. At the end of the tunnel stood the treasury door, forged from a mixture of mithril and fine iron.
"This is the last intact treasure house left in Moria," Balin explained to Luke and Gandalf. "The defenses here are the strongest. The walls of the treasury are cast with a blend of mithril and fine iron. The gate is secured with a code that only Dwarves can decipher, which is why the orcs couldn't dig their way in or plunder the treasures within." As he spoke, a trace of heartbreak crossed Balin's face.
The former Kingdom of Khazad-dûm, fueled by its rich mithril mines, had amassed a wealth that drew treasures from across the world, so vast that even this treasury couldn't contain it all. However, with the awakening of the Balrog and the fall of Khazad-dûm, the Balrog showed no interest in the treasure, but the orcs were incredibly greedy. They not only plundered the treasure but also continued to mine the mithril ore, sending it to Barad-dûr to supply Sauron's army. Only this, the first treasury built by the Dwarves, survived due to its formidable defenses.
"It took me several days to finally crack the code of this treasure house," Balin continued, his eyes shining with renewed happiness. "Perhaps Durin's ancestors had a premonition and specially built this sturdy treasury, leaving us a huge treasure." With that, he pushed open the door and led them inside.
As they entered, Luke and Arwen couldn't help but gasp slightly, their eyes widening in awe. Inside the treasury, illuminated by a warm glow, it was a magnificent sight. The treasury was immense, no smaller than a grand Dwarf hall. It was supported by a massive golden pillar in the center, and the ground, walls, and ceiling were all paved with gleaming gold, exuding an air of sheer luxury!
Furthermore, the treasury was filled with countless piles of gold, jewels, jade, exquisite and luxurious jewelry, handicrafts, and more, stacked into mountains that almost touched the high ceiling. There was so much treasure, no less than the hoard in the Lonely Mountain. More importantly, half of this treasure belonged to Luke, whereas he had only taken one-tenth when he went to the Lonely Mountain.
Gandalf once again refused Balin's offer of treasure, taking only a few gold coins to buy pipe-weed from the Shire. Luke, however, lacked Gandalf's noble character and simply used his dimensional bag to store away half the treasure. After all, he had a host of other people (and pets) to care for at home, especially a dragon who prized wealth above all else and was eager to find more gold and jewels to build his nest.
Balin showed no pain or reluctance as Luke took half of the treasury's contents. After all, Moria's true treasure had never been the gold and jewels within the treasury, but the far more precious mithril ore. Moria's mithril ore was inexhaustible; possessing this vein of ore meant it was only a matter of time before one could achieve untold wealth.
After leaving the treasury, Balin asked Luke to set up a Floo network on the fireplace in the First Hall, offering to trade mithril for Floo powder, at a price of one gram of mithril for one gram of powder. Luke naturally wouldn't refuse such a lucrative deal. He was even contemplating how to increase the production of Floo powder without having to do it himself.
"Gandalf, Luke, I actually have one more thing I'd like to trouble you with this time," Balin said hesitantly. "You may not know that the bottom of the mine where the Balrog was entrenched is actually the place with the richest mithril reserves. If we want to continue mining, we can't avoid it. But the problem is that due to the Balrog's presence, it has turned into a land of magma, constantly spewing sulfur and other poisonous gases. We can't get close to it with our current strength. So, could you please go there and see if you can resolve the hidden danger?"
Luke and Gandalf were both a little surprised to hear Balin's request. Logically speaking, the Balrog had been destroyed, so the flames and magma at the bottom of the mine should have gradually died out. Could it be that there was a volcano underneath, and the Balrog had dug through the magma layer deep underground? Out of curiosity, Luke and Gandalf agreed to Balin's request. They came to the edge of the Moria Mines and flew to the bottom of the mines on their broomsticks.
The mine was very deep. Although it wasn't as profound as the abyss under Durin's Bridge that led directly underground, it was still several thousand meters deep. The two continued to descend, but the temperature became abnormally higher and higher. When they arrived at the bottom of the mine, they saw a river of magma, which continuously gushed out hot magma, and a strong, pungent smell of sulfur filled the air.
Luke cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself and Gandalf to block the pungent, noxious smell. Then he used his staff to cast the Aqua Eructo spell towards the magma below. The spring water gushed out and turned into a torrent that submerged the magma. The magma and water intertwined, turning into steam that shrouded the bottom of the mine in a thick fog.
The magma quickly cooled and solidified, transforming into bright silver mithril lava. It turned out that these magmas were melted mithril ore, and it was mithril of very high purity. After the surface cooled and solidified, the magma river instantly turned into a silver-white mithril galaxy. However, the two of them were not paying attention to the priceless Mithril Milky Way at this time but were looking at a lava tunnel. The scorching temperature there could not be extinguished or cooled even with water, and the mithril magma was still spewing out. Looking at the deep lava passage, they both guessed that this was the Balrog's former lair.
The lava tunnel was extremely hot, as if there were flames surging within it. To prevent accidents, Luke took out two bottles of fireproof potion. He and Gandalf each drank one, then cast a layer of Protego spell before walking towards the lava passage. The lava tunnel was very deep and seemed to lead to the ground. Magma constantly overflowed from the surrounding cracks, like a volcanic magma channel that might erupt at any moment. The two walked deeper and deeper into the lava tunnel filled with magma.
The temperature around them was high enough to melt the hardest metal. If it weren't for the effect of the fireproof potion, they would have been burned to charcoal by now. Just when they were wondering whether it led to the depths of the earth, the lava tunnel suddenly became clear and grew bright and hot. They had finally arrived at the Balrog's lair.
The Balrog's lair was a huge circular cave with magma and burning flames below, and a black boulder platform in the middle that had not melted. What surprised Luke and Gandalf was that the rock wall of the cave was covered with a thick layer of red transparent crystals, making the cave look like a magnificent crystal cave.
These red transparent crystals were very similar to the Balrog's magic crystals, emitting a burning sensation and filled with fire element magic. And it was because of the existence of these red crystals that the magma at the bottom of the mine had not cooled and solidified.
"What is that?" Luke looked at the red crystals on the cave wall in surprise and curiosity.
Gandalf was also very surprised. He replied, "This is a crystal of fire. It was formed by the flames and magic of the Balrog. It takes thousands of years to form." As he spoke, he smiled and congratulated Luke, "It seems that you are very lucky to encounter a flame crystal, which is more precious and rare than mithril. Not only can it be used to create weapons with fire attributes, but it also grants immunity to fire damage. It is a rare magical material."
"We are lucky!" Luke corrected happily.
Gandalf smiled and shook his head, "Just knock a small piece for me to use as a flint later. I don't need the rest, you can collect it yourself." Seeing that Gandalf truly didn't need it, Luke didn't insist anymore, and then happily began to use the Divine Spear Aeglos to pry out the fire crystals on the rock wall bit by bit, and then put them into a mithril box cast with a Traceless Extension Charm. These flame crystals were extremely hot.
Even with the protection of fireproof potion, Luke could still feel the heat in his hands. If placed in an ordinary metal or stone container, the high temperature would be enough to melt and burn through the contents. Only a box made of mithril could not only insulate heat but also prevent being melted by the flame crystals.
Seeing Luke happily prying out the flame crystals with his Divine Spear, Aeglos, Gandalf came to help, borrowing Luke's Flaming Sword and joining in the excavation. Finally, after all the flame crystals in the Balrog's lair were packed into a mithril box and sealed, the temperature of the cave dropped significantly. Of course, this drop was like going from tens of thousands of degrees Celsius to a few thousand degrees Celsius, which was still very hot. But without flame crystallization, the temperature here would gradually become lower over time, and eventually the magma would cool and solidify, turning into cold mithril ore. If there was no external force, this process would last for dozens or even hundreds of years. But since Luke and Gandalf had agreed to help the Dwarves solve the situation here, they naturally wouldn't sit idly by.
Luke and Gandalf worked together to cast a spell, using the Freezing Charm to directly freeze the hot magma. The temperature in the cave dropped rapidly, and the magma quickly cooled and solidified. The two men did not stop until the magma was completely extinguished.
After it was completed, Gandalf happily held a small piece of flame crystal, ready to use it as flint to light tobacco. As he lightly touched it with the finger wearing the Ring of Fire, the flame crystal seemed to lose its temperature and turned into a red gem. He casually put the gem into his pocket and said to Luke, "These flame crystals were born from the Balrog and are tainted with its evil aura. Remember to purify the evil power from them when you return."
"How do we purify them?"
"The simplest way is to expose them to the sun. The sunlight will slowly purify the evil power within them. Another way is to use the Light of Eärendil in your hand. Of course, using both together will have a faster effect."
"I understand. Thank you for your advice, Gandalf." Luke nodded and thanked Gandalf.