Having successfully harvested the flame crystals from the Balrog's lair and extinguished the magma, Luke looked around, his gaze finally settling on the black stone platform in the center of the cavern. There were traces of burns and various sharp scratches on this massive stone platform. It was clearly where the Balrog had once resided.
"Gandalf, do you think this stone has any secrets?" Luke asked, walking towards the black boulder and observing it closely. "How can it remain intact even under the burning of the Balrog's fire?"
Gandalf had, of course, noticed it long ago. He nodded in agreement. "Even mithril cannot withstand the scorching heat of the Balrog. The fact that this stone has remained unmelted for so long is truly remarkable." As he spoke, he tapped the black boulder with his staff, releasing a burst of magic. The boulder was struck, and cracks appeared on its surface. Then, like an eggshell peeling off, the black stone skin quickly crumbled away, revealing a shining silver light within. It turned out that the black stone skin was merely camouflage, a layer wrapped by magma; the real object lay beneath.
Looking at the revealed silver light, Luke was very curious and couldn't help but draw closer to observe. Gandalf was even more surprised. He then raised his staff again and struck the boulder hard. Accompanied by a powerful impact, the surface of the boulder shattered and fell off piece by piece. A silver-white rough stone, two people tall, appeared before them. Its surface shone with a soft silver light, like the core of a star, emitting a glow that illuminated the entire cave. "Is this mithril?" Luke's eyes widened, a hint of doubt in his voice. Although mithril could reflect silver light, it shouldn't emit light on its own, right?
Gandalf's face was filled with amazement. "No, this is not ordinary Mithril, but the Mother of Mithril!"
"Mother of Mithril? What is that?" Luke was utterly confused, hearing this name for the first time.
"It's the foundation of Moria and the source of all its mithril. As long as it exists, Moria's mithril will never run dry," Gandalf explained, touching it with a sense of wonder. "What a miracle of creation! The Balrog's flames didn't destroy it. Instead, they absorbed the flame's energy, making it even purer!" He continued, "This piece of Mithril Mother alone is far more valuable than the entire Mithril Mine in Moria!"
When Luke heard Gandalf's words, his eyes lit up. Mother of Mithril—this sounded even more awesome than Mithril itself; it had to be a good thing. He immediately asked Gandalf, "Gandalf, if I take down a few pieces, will it have any effect?"
Gandalf nodded and said, "Just take a few pieces. It is the foundation of Moria. Don't be greedy." With Gandalf's consent, Luke immediately used his Divine Spear, Aiglos, as a tool to peel off a fist-sized piece of Mithril Mother from the surface of the stone. When he got the third piece, Gandalf stopped him from taking more. "We can't strip it off anymore, otherwise the Mother of Mithril will be affected. If the Mithril mines in Moria are exhausted, that will be our original sin." Luke didn't force it anymore.
He then peeled off three pieces of the Mother of Mithril: one for himself, one for Gandalf, and the remaining piece for Balin. This time, Gandalf did not refuse and accepted the Mother of Mithril. But he somewhat disapproved of Luke's plan to give a piece to Balin.
"The Mithril Mother is extraordinary, and can be said to be the foundation of Moria. Even though Balin is the wisest of the Dwarves, he might find it difficult to resist the attraction of the Mithril Mother, just as the Arkenstone once attracted Thorin's lineage."
Gandalf sighed. "And once he learns of the Mithril Mother, no matter how rational he is, he and the other Dwarves will be obsessed with finding it to ensure that the Mithril Mother remains in the hands of the Dwarves. This would be the greatest disaster for the Mother of Mithril, and it might even lead to the depletion of Moria's Mithril mines!"
After hearing Gandalf's words, Luke fell into deep thought. As Gandalf said, human nature was the ultimate test. The Mithril Mother was related to the lifeblood of Moria's mines. Even if Balin was generous, he couldn't entirely trust others with such a vital resource. So, if he learned of the Mithril Mother, even if it was just to ensure its safety, he would definitely investigate its whereabouts and try his best to control it. This kind of situation was not impossible; it had been repeated countless times throughout the history of Middle-earth.
"So you can keep the remaining piece for yourself," Gandalf advised. "But I suggest you find a place with a mineral vein near Weathertop, and then bury it and some fire crystals deep inside the vein. That way, you can produce mithril continuously in the future."
Luke's eyes lit up when he heard Gandalf's words. "Is that really possible?"
Gandalf smiled and nodded. "After all, this is the Mother of Mithril. It can continuously penetrate and release miasma into the surrounding area. In certain environments, it can slowly transform ordinary metal veins into mithril, or allow existing mithril veins to continue to grow. Of course, the conversion process takes a long time, perhaps only one gram of Mithril can be converted in a year, but it's still a benefit, isn't it? And the Mother of Mithril can also absorb some energy, forming a natural magical energy field, which is also beneficial to the surrounding environment."
After hearing Gandalf's words, Luke's heart was immediately moved. When the Dwarves were building Hogwarts Castle, they discovered a small iron ore vein at the foot of Weathertop. But at the time, Luke and the Dwarves didn't take this vein seriously, thinking it had no value for mining. But now it could be fully utilized. Bury the Mother of Mithril in it and slowly transform the mithril. So, under Gandalf's persuasion, the remaining piece of Mother of Mithril was also shamelessly accepted by Luke.
"Okay, let's finish the final work now!" Gandalf clapped his hands. "If the Mithril Mother is left like this, it will definitely be mined by the Dwarves in the future. So, Luke, please help me hide this Mithril Mother so that no one can find it." There was a gleam of wisdom in Gandalf's eyes, as if he had seen the future fate of the Mother of Mithril. "Only if the Mother of Mithril is not discovered can it continuously produce more Mithril and ensure that the Mithril veins will not be exhausted." As he said this, he faced the Mother of Mithril, raised his staff, and began to chant an ancient spell.
Luke also took out his wand and engraved runes on the Mithril Mother. Then he waved his wand and cast the Obscuring Charm, the Disillusionment Charm, the Confundus Charm, etc., on it. He also cast the Fidelius Charm on the Mithril Mother to hide the secret and location of the Mithril Mother. Now, Luke believed that even if the Balrog were reborn, it would not be able to find any trace of the Mother of Mithril.
After chanting the spell, Gandalf slammed his staff hard onto the ground. The earth shook instantly, and a huge crack appeared on the originally hard cave floor. The crack was bottomless, and the Mother of Mithril fell directly into the crack, and then the crack closed again. After completing all this, Gandalf took a breath, wiped the non-existent sweat, and said with a smile: "Well, now there is no need to worry about the safety of the Mithril Mother."
"We have to leave, otherwise Balin will get worried up there." Luke nodded, and the two of them left the Balrog's lair. After returning to the bottom of the mine along the lava channel, Gandalf did not forget to collapse the Balrog's lair, completely covering up the traces of the Mithril Mother. Then the two of them flew up on their flying brooms and finally saw Balin and Arwen waiting at the edge of the cliff.
Balin heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the two return. Arwen walked briskly and lightly to Luke and looked him up and down with concern. "Luke, are you okay?"
Luke's eyes softened and he shook his head with a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry."
While the two were being affectionate, Balin also asked Gandalf about the situation. "How are things down there, Gandalf?"
Gandalf smiled broadly and said, "Oh, don't worry, Balin. The magma below is just caused by the residual power of the Balrog. Luke and I have already dealt with it. The magma has completely cooled and solidified. There is no need to worry about any accidents."
Balin heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Gandalf's words. "This is great news! Thank you and Luke so much! If it weren't for you, I don't know how we would have solved this problem!"
"That's not all, Balin," Luke turned his head and said to him with a smile, "I have good news for you. Once the magma below melts, it will produce mithril of very high purity. From now on, you won't have to mine it anymore. You can use it directly for refining."
Balin's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Really? That's really good news!" Having solved a hidden problem in his heart, Balin was very happy and led everyone to attend the banquet again.
After two days in Moria, Luke, Gandalf, and Arwen said goodbye to Balin. But this time, Luke chose to leave through the West Gate. And he sent Arwen back to Lórien through the hearth of the First Hall of Moria. Gandalf did not go to Lórien, but left from the East Gate and rode his broom directly to Fangorn Forest.
This time, they had killed the Balrog and wiped out the orcs in Moria. Originally, Saruman had secretly allied with these orcs, but now that they had cut off one of his arms, Gandalf was a little worried that Saruman would do something desperate, so he planned to secretly monitor Saruman's movements through the Ents.
Luke chose to leave from the West Gate, on the one hand to meet up with the dragon Smaug who was guarding it. On the other hand, he still had a check-in location that he hadn't signed in at yet. So when they arrived at the West Gate of Moria, Luke rode on the dragon Smaug and flew towards home.
He deliberately let Smaug stay for a while at the ruins of Eregion. Under Smaug's puzzled gaze, Luke jumped off the dragon's back and stepped on the place where the Rings of Power were once forged. The next second, the system prompted:
[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Locating Eregion, do you want to sign in?]
"Sign in."
[Sign in successfully, congratulations on obtaining the Goblin forging craft!]
Goblin forging technology? Luke was momentarily stunned, then, after a careful inspection, a look of profound surprise spread across his face. In the magical world of Harry Potter, Goblins were a magical race renowned for their high intelligence and unique culture. They were known for their cunning and shrewdness, becoming the trusted managers of the wizarding bank. But simultaneously, they were also considered the top craftsmen in the magical world, capable of creating objects imbued with powerful magic, their craftsmanship far exceeding that of wizards.
For example, the Sword of Gryffindor was forged by Goblins and possessed the unique ability to absorb beneficial magical substances, such as Basilisk venom, thereby gaining the power to destroy Horcruxes. It could be said that the Goblins in the magical world were equivalent to the Elf and Dwarf craftsmen in Middle-earth.
More importantly, Goblin-forged weapons possessed a distinct advantage over Elven and Dwarven crafts: they grew. Over time, they absorbed various magical substances, becoming stronger and more resilient. Therefore, mastering the Goblin forging technique meant becoming a third type of master craftsman, alongside the Elves and Dwarves.
Furthermore, compared to the "eternal strength" pursued by Dwarven craftsmen and the "magical resonance" of Elven craftsmen, the forging technique Goblins mastered was centered on "growth." So, in comparison, who wouldn't want their weapons to grow and become stronger alongside them?
What surprised Luke even more was that, in addition to acquiring the Goblin forging skills, he also discovered a heightened sensitivity to metals and magic. Holding a mithril ingot in his hand, he could instinctively sense its magical potential and understand how to maximize its effectiveness. Furthermore, due to his increased sensitivity to magic, he could even detect the subtle magical fluctuations of other magical artifacts. Luke was absolutely thrilled with such a massive acquisition.
He climbed onto the back of the dragon Smaug and patted him. "Let's go back to Hogwarts Castle!" He couldn't wait to delve into the Goblin's forging skills. The giant dragon flapped its huge wings, leaped into the air, and carried him high into the sky, flying towards Weathertop.
It was a clear and bright day in Hogsmeade town at the foot of the mountain. The town had blossomed into a large settlement with a population exceeding ten thousand. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a city, and it was still expanding, spreading from the lakeside towards the East-West Road. The fields outside the town were crisscrossed and seemingly endless, diligently planted with grains and vegetables.
The residents of the town came and went, each with a smile on their face, bustling with energy. They hailed from all over Eriador, some even from the far north, all having heard of Weathertop and seeking refuge there. Besides these, there were also traveling merchants, tourists, adventurers, bards, and so on who frequently stopped by. The bards stood by the Black Lake, gazing up at the towering Hogwarts Castle on Weathertop Peak and the two golden and silver trees that had long become prominent landmarks, praising and singing their praises with all kinds of eloquent words.
Traveling merchants came here to conduct business with the town's residents, bringing with them various daily necessities and handicrafts. The residents of the town were not burdened by heavy taxes, so they lived a prosperous life and spent money without hesitation to buy the things they needed, allowing the traveling merchants to earn substantial profits every time.
Because of the town's prosperity, Butterbur, the innkeeper of Bree, had seized the opportunity early on and opened a branch of The Prancing Pony Inn in Hogsmeade, which was managed by his young son. Since Bree had joined Luke's rule, the relationship between the two towns had grown closer, and the residents' exchanges had become more frequent. Aside from the two mayors secretly vying in competition, the residents of both towns regarded themselves as Luke's people, making no distinction between them, and even intermarrying. And as Hogsmeade developed, Bree Town did not fall behind. After all, it was the intersection of the East-West Road and the North-South Road, granting it transportation and geographical advantages that Hogsmeade Village did not possess. Especially after the Barrow-downs, with their dark magic, were drained by Luke's Basilisk breeding efforts, the wights there were no longer a problem.
This allowed Bree and the Shire to the west, particularly the Hobbits in Buckland, to communicate more frequently. Many Hobbits now appeared in Bree, working as waiters at The Prancing Pony Inn or engaging in business, selling Shire produce, pipe-weed, wine, and the like. Of course, these Hobbits were primarily adventurous members of the Took family or those from Brandybuck territory.
On this particular day, Hogsmeade was still bustling with activity. After admiring Hogwarts Castle in the distance, one painter deliberately showed off his painting skills, preparing to depict the scenery of Weathertop to take home for his collection. And at this moment, the clear sky suddenly darkened. The painter looked up in confusion and saw a huge monster appearing in the sky. He was so frightened that his face turned pale. He couldn't even hold his brush steady, dropping it to the ground, and shouted in a terrified voice: "Dragon! It's a giant dragon!"
Upon hearing this, the others looked up at the sky. The outsiders were all seeing a dragon for the first time, and their instinctive fear made them panic and seek shelter. But the locals, on the other hand, were delighted, excitedly waving and cheering, "Lord Luke has returned!" They all knew that their lord had gone on a long journey a month ago, riding a dragon. Now that the dragon had returned, it meant their lord had also returned. The residents of Hogsmeade were not afraid of the dragon; instead, they were proud of it. After all, it was the mount of their lord and a symbol of their strength.
The outsiders looked at each other in bewilderment, seeing that none of the local residents were afraid, but instead excitedly waved and cheered at the dragon. Although they had heard that the owner of Weathertop Castle owned a giant dragon, seeing was believing. Now that they saw such a huge dragon that covered the sky and the sun, the terrifying aura it exuded was enough to scare them.
High in the sky, Luke naturally noticed the cheers below. He couldn't help but smile, a warmth in his eyes. It felt so good to be welcomed home. The dragon Smaug seemed to be infected by the excitement as well, responding with a thunderous dragon roar, then carrying Luke straight back to Weathertop.
Smaug landed on the castle's vast lawn. Butler Edward, who had already heard the commotion, ran over quickly, bowing with a happy face and saying, "Sir, welcome back!" Luke jumped off the dragon's back, smiled, and raised a hand. "Don't be so formal, Edward. I've been away, but has anything happened?"
"Everything is fine, sir," Edward said respectfully. "Apart from Mayor Luke and Mayor Lachey coming in regularly to report on town affairs, there hasn't been anything major."
Luke nodded. "That's good."
After letting Edward go, Luke came to the cellar at Smaug's urging. Luke assessed the space in the cellar. "It seems we need to expand the space, otherwise it won't be able to hold so much treasure." As he spoke, he cast the Traceless Extension Charm again, doubling the space of the cellar. Then, under Smaug's impatient gaze, Luke poured out half of Moria's treasure. The gold, jewels, and jade that poured out like a river quickly covered the ground, then piled higher and higher. Smaug listened to the sound of the gold coins striking each other, his eyes narrowed with joy, and he rolled over on the treasure.
Luke speechlessly avoided the stupid dragon's behavior. These treasures couldn't be eaten or directly used. He wondered if Morgoth's hands were shaking when he created the dragons, which is why they were so utterly obsessed with treasures? The treasures of Moria were almost comparable to those of the Lonely Mountain. Luke had only received one-tenth of the Lonely Mountain's treasures, which naturally couldn't compare to half of Moria's hoard. With the addition of Moria's treasure, Smaug's massive body could finally be completely buried in the mountain of gold.
Smaug wasn't satisfied with all this and looked at Luke with burning eyes. "Master, please take out the mithril! I know those Dwarves must have given you mithril, and I can already smell it!" Mithril was far more valuable than gold, so Smaug would naturally not let it go. When Luke heard this, he rolled his eyes and said unhappily. "Forget about goblins! Dragons are the most greedy!"
Then he took out the dozen boxes of mithril crafts and mithril ore that Balin had sent. Seeing this, Smaug's eyes lit up, and he swept them to his side with his tail. This was something more precious than gold, so he had to take good care of it! Then his gaze continued to look at Luke intently.
This time, Luke did not do as the dragon wished and pushed his head away. "Don't even think about it. I have use for the rest. I can't possibly give it all to you." Upon hearing this, Smaug knew that Luke had made up his mind, so he could only retract his head with some disappointment, buried his head in the treasure, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.
Seeing this guy's behavior of throwing things away after use, Luke's mouth twitched. He was too lazy to argue with this stupid dragon and turned to leave the cellar. Then Luke returned the Basilisk Herpo in the space box to the secret room. During the battle with the Balrog, Herpo had exerted considerable effort, even his skin being burned by the flames, and needed some time to recover. However, there was plenty of food in the secret room – the Giant Spiders – enough for Herpo to recover.
After the Basilisk Herpo was settled, all that was left was a huge petrified statue of the "Watcher in the Water." Being petrified by the Basilisk, ordinary spells couldn't break it at all; a potion made from Mandrake was needed to restore it. Luke simply left it in the space box and decided to deal with it after making the potion. Then he went to the laboratory and took out the body of the Balrog. Luke's eyes lit up as he looked at the massive body, charred like lava, ugly and twisted, exuding a sulphurous smell.
After all, this was the body of a Maia, even a fallen Maia, still a demigod. Such an existence was of great research value. On the chest, Luke also found some red crystal fragments, which were the fragments left when the Divine Spear Aiglos pierced the heart of the Balrog. Luke collected all the fragments, leaving none behind, and stored them in a crystal bottle. These were the core fragments of the Balrog. Luke dared not waste them at all and planned to use them to experiment with their effects later.
Luke opened the mithril box, and a wave of heat immediately washed over him. Inside, a flame crystal glowed a fierce, red-hot color, turning the space into a superheated furnace. The air shimmered and distorted as if on fire. He quickly slammed the lid shut, but not before snatching a small piece of the crystal.
Fortunately, the mithril box, having been specially forged, was incredibly heat-resistant; any other material would have melted instantly. The small piece of flame crystal, no bigger than a baby's fist, still radiated thousands of degrees of heat. The entire laboratory grew uncomfortably warm. Luke tested its power by placing it on an iron block, which it burned straight through. He then tried it on thick stone bricks, which cracked and melted into lava.
He finally placed the crystal on the corpse of the fire demon, the balrog. To his surprise, nothing happened—at first. The balrog's body had long since turned into hard, cold stone after its death and the removal of its magic crystal. But as the flame crystal rested on it, the area of contact began to soften. This wasn't melting from the heat; rather, the material was regaining its elasticity and vitality.
Luke's eyes lit up. This was a completely unexpected discovery. He was so intrigued he reopened the mithril box, used his wand to magically expand the interior, and placed the balrog's body inside. The entire corpse was enveloped by the crystals' intense heat, yet instead of being consumed, it reawakened, blazing with flames as if alive again. Luke was momentarily startled but quickly realized the balrog wasn't resurrected, only revitalized. The body of the balrog, an elemental being made of fire and shadow, had been steadily dissipating. Keeping it with the flame crystal would preserve it, a fact that filled Luke with joy.
He noticed that the balrog's blood, which resembled magma, had started to flow from the wound in its chest. He collected a sample in a separate mithril bottle, adding a tiny piece of flame crystal to keep it from solidifying. He wondered, "This is essentially divine blood. What will it do?"
Driven by a new idea, Luke went out and gathered several test subjects: common birds, lizards, and snakes, along with a few larger creatures like wargs and trolls. He injected the blood of the balrog into them, but the results were catastrophic. The subjects were either incinerated or exploded from the magma-like temperature.
Luke then remembered the balrog's heart fragments he had collected. He tried a new experiment on a lizard, implanting a dust-sized shard of the magic crystal into its heart. At first, there was no change. Luke began to wonder if the fragment was too small. Then, the lizard's skin began to redden, and its body grew hot. Luke, seeing the effect, injected a single drop of the balrog's blood.
The lizard thrashed in agony before its body suddenly burst into flames. Assuming it would be burned to ash, Luke watched in astonishment as the lizard leaped from the table, scurried to a nearby fireplace, and plunged into the fire. The flames didn't kill it; they transformed it. The creature emerged in a blaze of iridescent color, comfortable and fully alive in the fire, radiating the magical energy of a new magical creature.
Luke was amazed. He approached the fireplace, and the lizard, now a fire lizard, shot a tiny spark at him in a display of defiance. Luke chuckled, blocked the flame with a wave of his hand, and tried to levitate the creature out of the fire for further study. But as soon as it left the flames, the fire lizard became listless, its own flames fading. It was weakening rapidly. Luke quickly returned it to the fire, and it instantly regained its vitality. After a few more tests, he confirmed that the fire lizard could only survive within flames. To study it on his lab bench, he had to enclose it in a summoned flame.
He monitored the creature and discovered it was a completely new species. Its offensive capabilities were weak, but its very existence was a success. He took a small blood sample for study, then decided to create a companion for it, repeating the process with a second lizard. The two new fire lizards, once they met in the fireplace, began to cavort and chase each other. Luke was amused and also hopeful. If they could reproduce, his hard work would pay off. He left them to their own devices, knowing they were confined to the fireplace.
Luke then turned his attention to a venomous snake. The snake, sensing his gaze, coiled defensively. "Don't come near me, human!" it hissed in a way Luke could understand. "I'm very venomous! Don't push me!"
Luke was amused. He spoke to the snake in Parseltongue, "Little one, don't you want to be more powerful and live longer? Look at those two lizards—they're powerful now, they can even live in flames!" The small-brained snake was easily convinced, remembering only the promise of greater power. It agreed to the experiment. This time, Luke used a larger fragment of the balrog's heart . He implanted it into the snake's heart, injected the blood, and waited.
The snake writhed in pain, its body swelling and cracking open to reveal a fiery red glow underneath, as if filled with magma. It began to cry out in its language, "Fire! I need fire!" Luke immediately summoned a fire, and the snake eagerly absorbed it. It shed its old skin, and new scales grew in its place. Its eyes glowed red with an inner flame. The transformation was complete.
"What are your abilities?" Luke asked the new fire snake.
"I think... I can explode to burn my enemies," the snake said hesitantly. Luke was speechless; this was an odd ability. "My venom seems different too?" the snake added.
Luke was intrigued. The snake bit a mouse, and the mouse screamed, its body spontaneously combusting from the inside out and turning to ash. Luke's eyes lit up. The new abilities weren't useless after all.
"There's one more thing," the snake said shyly.
"What?" Luke asked, getting excited.
"I think... I'm about to lay eggs."
Luke was stunned. "You were pregnant?"
"This is my first time! I met a long and handsome male snake, and... well," the snake replied, twisting its body coyly.
Luke was left speechless, astonished at his luck in finding a pregnant female snake. The fire snake, like the fire lizards, needed to live in fire, but it could survive outside the flames for up to an hour. It quickly crawled to a dark, cool corner and laid seven red, intensely hot eggs. Fire snakes, it turned out, couldn't lay eggs in flames, as the eggs would explode. After laying them, the mother snake rushed back to the fire to avoid dying.
Luke carefully examined the seven intensely hot snake eggs laid by the fire snake. He moved them to his test bench, aware that these "fire eggs" were essentially live bombs that could easily ignite the entire room if mishandled. The mother snake, seemingly having fulfilled her duty, slithered back into the fireplace to recover her energy without a backward glance.
Luke felt a pang of apprehension, realizing he might have created more trouble than it was worth. The fire lizards, at least, were confined to flames and posed little threat. But these fire snakes could venture out for an hour and lay scorching eggs, making them mobile fire hazards. He worried they might burn down his painstakingly built castle if left unwatched. Yet, now that they were born, destroying them was out of the question.
He waved his hand, casting a freezing spell to put one of the eggs into a state of dormancy. He suspected these fire snake eggs might be similar to the Ashwinder eggs from the magical world, which were valuable potion ingredients for concoctions like love potions, Wiggenweld Potion, or Felix Felicis. He wanted to test if these could be a viable substitute.
The remaining six eggs spontaneously burst into flames, and from their fiery embrace, six slender, ash-white snakes hatched. They instinctively swallowed the surrounding flames, leaving trails of ash as they slithered towards the nearest heat source. Three crawled over to the mother snake, settling comfortably in the warmth. However, the mother, devoid of maternal instinct, glared at them as if they were invading her territory. She tried to drive them away.
The other three young snakes made a beeline for the fire lizards' fireplace, not only interrupting the lizards' "activities" but also pushing them to the very edge of the flames, where they huddled pitifully. Then, the little snakes began to squabble amongst themselves, each trying to claim a patch of fire. Luke sighed, a headache brewing.
He quickly summoned six new flames, distributing them to the newborn snakes to prevent them from harming each other. He realized he needed a dedicated, enclosed space for these creatures. Allowing them to roam freely would endanger his castle, and if they escaped, the nearby Hogsmeade village and surrounding woods would be at risk. To prevent any accidents, Luke found an empty, fireproof room.
After expanding it with the Undetectable Extension Charm, he installed over a dozen small fireplaces along the walls. He arranged the mother snake and her six offspring there. The two fire lizards, less of a threat since they died quickly outside of flames, were left in the main fireplace, serving as unique, living decorations.
Having experimented with the Luke's Heart fragments and the fire demon's blood to create fire lizards and fire snakes, Luke decided to pause these animal trials. He understood that the fragments were the primary catalyst for transforming ordinary creatures into magical ones, with the blood acting as an enhancer. Both were limited resources, and he couldn't afford to waste them on further animal experiments. He planned to save them for more significant future applications.
With the experiments on hold, Luke shifted his focus to another pressing matter: the petrified underwater watcher that remained dormant in his space box. Leaving it in stasis served no purpose. He decided it was time to create a recovery potion to restore and subdue it.
He made his way to the herb garden, specifically the room where the King's Grass grew. Stepping inside, he was met with warm, humid air.
The room felt like a small, self-contained world, with an endless blue ceiling dotted with clouds and bright sunshine. Small hills covered the ground, intersected by a clear stream that flowed into a small lake. King's Grass, once a mere few hundred plants, now thrived like wildflowers, their pure white blossoms filling the air with a sweet, comforting fragrance.
A portion of this King's Grass had been transplanted to his outdoor garden, where, thanks to the presence of a Holy White Tree, it flourished even in Weathertop Peak's unsuitable climate. It was no longer a rare herb, and Luke often instructed his steward, Edward, to provide it to villagers seeking remedies for serious illnesses. However, Luke's current quest wasn't for King's Grass.
He walked to the lake, which teemed with goldenberries and water lilies gifted by Tom. The water lilies, from the Willow River, carried the blessings of a river spirit, while the goldenberries possessed healing properties even more potent than King's Grass.
He circled the lake to the other side, where a dozen broad-leaved plants stirred on the grass. Their roots were buried, forming a circular pattern, as if whispering secrets to the earth. Sensing his presence, most fell silent, feigning stillness, but a few yanked themselves from the soil and scuttled away on tiny roots. These were Mandrakes.
Luke eyed the fastest-fleeing Mandrake, raising his hand to levitate it. "You're running so fast; it must be you!" The Mandrake twisted and shrieked in protest, a deadly, ear-splitting sound. But Luke had already cast a Silencing Charm. Ignoring its cries, he used a syringe to extract its green sap until he had enough.
He then tossed the now-weak and whimpering Mandrake back to the ground. Typically, a recovery potion required the entire Mandrake root, but guided by Professor Snape's potion notes and his own idea of sustainable harvesting, he had opted for sap extraction. The relieved Mandrake promptly burrowed into the nearby bushes and vanished.
Luke left the room and headed to his potion lab. Days flew by, and when the recovery potion in his crucible was finally ready, a satisfied smile spread across his face. Thanks to Snape's meticulous notes, his first attempt at the recovery potion was a complete success, achieving perfect consistency.
He poured the potion into several glass bottles, keeping one for the petrified underwater watcher and refrigerating the rest. Recovery potions weren't just for petrification; they could also reverse transfiguration spells or undo the effects of dark curses. It was always good to have extras on hand.
Carrying a bottle of the potion, Luke entered the space box where the underwater watcher was stored. He approached the colossal, stone-like octopus and poured the entire bottle directly into its massive mouth.
As the potion took effect, the watcher's petrified surface gradually transformed from gray back to dark green, and its rigid tentacles began to writhe. Even the tentacles severed by his Divine Edge Shadowless Curse slowly started to regenerate, now free of lingering dark magic.
Regaining consciousness, the underwater watcher spotted Luke and angrily lashed out with a giant tentacle. Luke remained calm. A flick of his wand unleashed Fiendfyre, which instantly incinerated the attacking tentacle.
The flames expanded rapidly, filling the entire space within the box, transforming it into a fiery realm. Luke stood unharmed amidst the inferno, the sentient flames obediently swirling around him, making him appear like a king of fire.
The watcher, however, shrieked in pain as the Fiendfyre engulfed it. Had Luke not been controlling the flames, it would have been reduced to ash by now. The intense heat caused it immense suffering, making it feel as though it would be consumed at any second. Yet, astonishingly, despite its agony, there were no visible burn marks on its surface.
Luke watched the water watcher coldly. When it was nearing its breaking point, he gestured for the Fiendfyre to recede, but the flames still glowed fiercely, ready to strike again. "I know you can understand me!" Luke stated coldly. "I can forgive your previous offense, but you must submit to me! Otherwise, these flames will slowly consume you—first your tentacles, then your skin, internal organs, bones, and finally your consciousness. Choose now!"
The Fiendfyre seemed to cooperate with his threat, condensing into monstrous shapes—dragons, basilisks, and even images of the fire demon, the Luke—all staring with violent, greedy eyes, poised to strike. The water watcher recoiled in horror, its tentacles huddled together, terrified of contact with the flames.
Fear and hesitation filled its eyes as Luke's threat echoed in its mind. But as the scorching heat crept closer, the primal instinct for survival took over, and just as the flames were about to touch it, it hurriedly nodded. The Fiendfyre reluctantly retreated, as if disappointed it couldn't devour its prey.
Luke waved his wand, and a drop of blue blood lifted from the water watcher, floating between them. Luke then drew a drop of his own blood and cast a spell. The two drops merged, forming a swirling red and blue bead, which Luke then guided into the octopus's mouth.
Once inside, the bead dissolved into its body, spreading through its blood vessels and forming an invisible, powerful bond. Under the continued menace of the Fiendfyre, the octopus dared not resist and meekly complied. This was a variation of the Blood Oath, similar to the one he had used on the basilisk, ensuring the octopus's unconditional obedience and preventing it from ever harming him.
After the binding ritual was complete, Luke fully dispelled the Fiendfyre. "From today on, you are no longer the Water Watcher. You are Kraken, my pet." The colossal octopus, now named Kraken, bowed obediently to Luke, signifying its complete submission.
The colossal octopus, now subdued, could no longer remain within the confined space of the box. Luke emerged from the box's magical interior, then, gripping the container, mounted his flying broom and soared towards the Black Lake at the foot of the mountain. Upon arrival, he gently released the immense creature.
The moment the giant octopus, Kraken, saw the vast expanse of the lake, it surged with exhilaration, much like a parched traveler discovering an oasis in the desert. With Luke's consent, it plunged into the water without a moment's hesitation.
Water was the very source of Kraken's strength; nourished by the lake, it rapidly regained its vitality, and its previously damaged tentacles swiftly regenerated. It joyfully thrashed its more than twenty thick limbs, churning the lake into a frenzy of towering waves.
Kraken's sheer size was astounding, nearly rivaling that of Smaug the dragon. Such a monumental commotion in the lake naturally drew the attention of the residents of Hogsmeade, situated on the opposite shore. They, too, were initially stunned to behold a gargantuan octopus appear in their familiar lake.
However, keen-eyed observers soon spotted Luke. Realizing that the enormous octopus seemed to be under Luke's guidance, the villagers collectively breathed a sigh of relief and quickly accepted this new, colossal presence. After all, their lord already commanded a giant dragon, a magnificent eagle, and seemingly, a giant snake. The addition of a giant octopus now came as no surprise.
Luke, aware of the villagers' reactions across the lake, instructed Kraken, "Remember, do not attack the humans on the other side, alright?" Kraken nodded. Though it lacked the power of speech, its intelligence was certainly on par with that of a human. It understood that its master held these humans in special regard and, therefore, dared not disobey.
At that moment, the rapid thud of horse hooves echoed through the air. It was Mayor Luke, galloping swiftly on horseback. However, the powerful aura radiating from the giant octopus Kraken caused the horse to halt a thousand meters away, refusing to advance further. Mayor Luke dismounted, leaving the horse, and quickly ran towards Lord Luke. Despite the daunting sight of the immense octopus, he approached Luke and respectfully greeted him, "Lord Luke."
Luke cut straight to the point. "Are you here to inquire about this octopus?"
Mayor Larry nodded. "Sir, will this octopus be living in the lake from now on?"
Lord Luke confirmed it with a nod, reassuring him. "Have no worries about it causing any trouble. It is a guardian I've placed in the lake. Under my command, it will not attack the residents of Hogsmeade. Everything can proceed as usual."
Mayor Larry exhaled in relief at this news but still hesitated. "Sir, some residents wish to fish in the lake, I wonder..."
Lord Luke waved a dismissive hand. "That's no issue. From this day forward, the half of the lake closer to the castle will be Kraken's territory, and the other half will belong to the town's residents. As long as you don't venture too close to the castle, the rest is entirely up to you."
"Your Excellency is merciful!" Mayor Larry exclaimed, delighted. He then hastened back to town to deliver the good news.
Soon, fishermen, for whom fishing was their livelihood, reappeared on the Black Lake. They maintained a silent agreement, fishing exclusively in the half of the lake near the town and never crossing the invisible boundary to the other side. This arrangement held until one day, a fisherman's boat accidentally capsized, and he nearly drowned. He was, unexpectedly, rescued to shore by a massive tentacle. This incident marked the first true encounter between the self-contained fishermen and the giant octopus Kraken.
Gradually, the fishermen grew accustomed to the giant octopus. They often brought Kraken various treats, especially alcohol, which proved to be its favorite. In return, the giant octopus frequently herded schools of fish towards the fishermen, ensuring they always returned home with bountiful catches. As the relationship between Kraken and the residents of Hogsmeade deepened, the giant octopus would even swim to the town's side of the lake, where it would bask in the sun and receive an array of offerings.
Some brave children would even playfully tug at Kraken's tentacles or be gently lifted into the air by them. Adults, confident in the creature's benevolent nature, allowed their children to interact freely, unconcerned by any risk. Tourists, traveling merchants, and bards from distant lands also journeyed there to witness this extraordinary sight, marveling from a respectful distance.
Having settled the giant octopus Kraken, Luke returned to the castle. His next project was to construct a formidable furnace. Having recently mastered the forging techniques of the goblins, Luke was eager to put his new knowledge to use. Conveniently, he possessed several boxes of mithril ore sent by Balin, with promises of more deliveries from Moria in the future. In the magical world, mithril, also known as "fairy silver," was an incredibly vital magical metal, frequently employed in elven forging arts. To truly master goblin forging, Luke knew he first needed to learn how to smelt and process mithril.
Under the resentful gaze of Smaug the dragon, Luke ruthlessly confiscated all the mithril ore before Smaug could "incubate" it. Luke specifically chose the 33rd floor of the tower, designating it as his new forging room. But before commencing, he first journeyed to the underground passage leading to the lake. Using his magic, he excavated a tunnel deep into the mountain until he discovered an iron ore vein. This was merely a minor mineral deposit, deemed unworthy of mining by the dwarves when they originally dug their tunnels. However, it was perfectly suited for Luke's current purpose.
He located the most concentrated area of the iron ore and carefully placed a fist-sized piece of Mithril Mother at its core. Next, he opened his Mithril Box and retrieved several flame crystals. Mimicking the structure of Luke's own lair, he constructed an eggshell-like barrier of these crystals around the Mithril Mother. The immense heat generated by the flame crystals rapidly melted the surrounding iron ore, transforming it into glowing red magma. Luke had wisely consumed a fireproof potion beforehand, protecting him from the scorching temperatures.
This molten rock now encircled the Mithril Mother like a river of fire. Luke could sense an invisible radiation emanating from the Mithril Mother, subtly influencing the surrounding metal magma, causing it to gradually transmute into mithril. The conversion was painstakingly slow; initially, it might take a year to produce just one gram of mithril. Simultaneously, the flame crystals continuously enhanced and purified the Mithril Mother, intensifying its radiation and accelerating the transformation process. Without an innate sensitivity to metal and magic, Luke would have remained entirely oblivious to this subtle change.
Having completed this intricate task, Luke departed, knowing all he had to do now was wait patiently. Perhaps in the coming decades, or even centuries, a significant mithril vein would form here. While its output would never compare to Moria's vast reserves, it would nonetheless provide a consistent source of the precious metal.
As for Moria, despite his one-tenth ownership of the mithril rights, the situation remained stable under Balin's leadership. However, once Balin passed, the future of that agreement would become uncertain, as the dwarves had, unfortunately, a history of broken promises.
After leaving the iron ore vein, Luke meticulously collapsed and resealed the tunnel. He then ascended to the 33rd floor, where he began the arduous task of constructing the fairy furnace. He initially considered using flame crystallization to create the firebricks for the furnace, but the extreme temperature of the crystals was enough to melt even stone walls and iron.
Thus, Luke decided on a more extravagant, yet necessary, approach: building the furnace entirely from mithril. Mithril possessed a unique magical property: it was relatively easy to melt the first time, but once forged and completely cooled, it became incredibly strong and heat-resistant. Even if submerged in volcanic magma, it would remain stubbornly solid.
After gathering a multitude of forging tools, Luke produced a mithril container. He magically expanded its internal capacity, placed several flame crystals at the bottom, and then carefully introduced the mithril ore, piece by piece. Under the intense heat of the flame crystallization, the mithril ore gradually softened and liquefied, transforming into a shimmering, boiling silver slurry. After a continuous process of purification, Luke slowly poured the molten mithril into a mold. Once solidified, the mithril furnace took shape.
The furnace was still scalding hot, but Luke, wielding an iron hammer infused with mithril, struck its inner and outer walls with a strange, rhythmic frequency. With each strike, he chanted a spell, channeling magical energy through the hammer. This technique was rooted in the goblin forging philosophy that "metal has memory." Goblins believed that metal possessed a 'memory,' and that forging was not merely a shaping process, but a profound 'communication' with the metal itself.
Therefore, the most critical aspect of fairy forging involved awakening the metal's memory, connecting with it through spells, runes, and mental power. This process imprinted the maker's intention onto the metal, imbuing the finished item with unique magical properties.
Every impact of the hammer against the mithril furnace wall erupted in showers of magical sparks. Simultaneously, the magical power Luke injected seamlessly merged with the mithril through the continuous hammering, saturating the already magical metal with even more potent energy. Once the mithril furnace was thoroughly imbued with magic, Luke took a mithril carving knife and meticulously etched fairy runes onto the furnace's inner wall.
By the time he completed this arduous work, a full week had passed. Despite the fire-retardant potion, Luke was drenched in sweat, unsure if it was from the intense heat or sheer exhaustion. Gazing at the furnace before him, which stood as tall as a person, Luke flicked his wand.
"Clear water like a spring!"
A torrent of cold, pristine spring water gushed forth, cascading over the furnace. The metal hissed and crackled, and a cloud of steam instantly billowed upwards. Luke waved his hand to dispel the mist from the room, then turned his attention to the completed furnace. It was entirely silver, with an oval, pot-bellied shape, reminiscent of an ancient alchemy furnace, its surface adorned with enigmatic runes.
Next, Luke retrieved a few more flame crystals from the mithril box and placed them inside the furnace. Despite the lack of a lid, the intense, scorching heat of the flame crystals was magically contained within the furnace. One could touch its outer wall and feel only the coolness of the metal. Peering inside, the furnace's interior appeared infinitely vast, filled with incredibly high temperatures and churning flames.
Luke tossed a piece of mithril ore into the void. The ore melted instantly, and all impurities were incinerated, leaving only the purest molten mithril. Witnessing this incredible efficiency, Luke directly emptied all his remaining boxes of mithril ore into the furnace. From the outside, each box seemed to hold enough ore to fill the entire furnace. Yet, even with all of it thrown in, the furnace consumed it completely, instantly melting all the mithril and burning away every impurity.
Luke gently tapped the furnace with his wand. With each tap, the furnace automatically shrank, eventually becoming a palm-sized pocket furnace. Even at this minuscule size, the molten mithril inside did not overflow. This was the magical furnace Luke had created, based on the forging technology of the fairies.
The furnace not only possessed an internal space that automatically expanded to accommodate more ore but also boasted the ability to amplify firepower and purify impurities.
For example, if flame crystals generating a temperature of one thousand degrees Celsius were placed inside, the furnace could elevate the internal temperature to a staggering ten thousand degrees Celsius, sufficient to melt even the hardest and most heat-resistant metals. Simultaneously, the furnace could automatically expand or shrink, allowing Luke to control its size with a tap of his wand, making it effortlessly portable and operable.
Most importantly, the furnace possessed a unique maximum capacity. It could absorb the properties of any metal smelted within it, thereby growing stronger and enhancing its self-repairing capabilities. With this extraordinary furnace, Luke had laid the most solid foundation to become the foremost master forger in Middle-earth.
Once the forge was complete, Luke positioned it centrally within the smithing chamber. He then cast Glamdring into the furnace, subjecting it to intense heat and a fierce blaze for tempering.
Glamdring was originally forged by Thorin and several dwarven craftsmen. It had been reforged from an ancient wight's sword, enhanced with a touch of mithril, and inscribed with runes signifying "flame." Gandalf had once wielded it in Moria during his confrontation with the Balrog, using it to channel the sacred Flame of Arnor against the Balrog's Udûn Fire. However, this didn't mean glamdring inherently possessed such power; Gandalf had simply served as a conduit for the Flame of Arnor through it.
This time, Luke intended to employ elven smithing techniques to reforge glamdring, aiming to make it even more potent. The sword's original body was bronze, but compared to mithril, its properties were vastly inferior. Luke now planned to use something far more precious: the Mother of Mithril itself.
Yes, he was going to reforge glamdring using the Mother of Mithril.
He began by placing glamdring into the furnace. A testament to its dwarven craftsmanship, it melted exceedingly slowly, even under the furnace's extreme heat. Luke augmented the flames by adding more flame crystals, accelerating the sword's melting process.
Under his watchful eye, glamdring dissolved into a pool of molten metal, its impurities rapidly burning away. All that remained was a small, pure clump of flawless molten bronze and a thumb-sized lump of molten mithril, the mithril Thorin and the dwarves had originally incorporated into the sword. Though small, it had been the most significant gesture of goodwill Thorin could offer at the time.
Now, Luke divided a fist-sized piece of the Mother of Mithril into two halves and tossed one half into the furnace.
The Mother of Mithril was significantly stronger and more heat-resistant than ordinary mithril; even the Balrog's flames had failed to melt it. Inside the scorching furnace, it remained inert.
Observing this, Luke added the remaining flame crystals into the forge. The furnace's power intensified tenfold, and its flames shifted from white to a hotter blue. The temperature now vastly surpassed that of a volcano, to the point where even the molten bronze inside began to vaporize.
The Mother of Mithril finally started to soften, though at an agonizingly slow pace. At this rate, Luke wondered when it would ever fully melt.
He directed his wand at the furnace's fire inlet and unleashed the Fierce Flame. This destructive fire merged with the furnace's blaze, elevating the temperature to a bluish-violet. Under such terrifying heat, the Mother of Mithril began to melt more quickly.
A week passed before the half fist-sized piece finally melted completely. The molten bronze from the original glamdring had diminished into a tiny, pure essence, gleaming like gold.
While mithril was excellent, it was too light; a sword made entirely from it would lack the necessary weight for control and lethal impact. Therefore, Luke combined the light molten Mother of Mithril with the dense bronze essence, creating an alloy of ideal weight. This fusion combined mithril's lightness, corrosion resistance, and magical conductivity with bronze's stability and strength.
He extracted the alloy from the furnace, allowed it to solidify, and then hammered it with a mithril hammer in a specific rhythm. Each strike imbued the alloy with magic and further integrated the mithril and bronze. Once sufficiently hammered, he returned the alloy to the furnace for another round of melting and tempering, allowing the mithril, bronze, and magic to react continuously.
This meticulous process continued for three full months. When the mithril, bronze, and magic became inextricably bound, and their "metal memory" fully awakened, the forging finally concluded. By then, the mithril alloy had already assumed the shape of a sword.
Luke used a mithril engraving knife to inscribe runes along the blade. Once finished, he immersed it in molten mithril for coating, then tempered, polished, and quenched it in a prepared crimson liquid, a fae quenching solution made from dragon's blood.
The sword rapidly cooled in the dragon's blood, absorbing its essence; the blade shimmered with a faint brilliance. After further tempering and hammering, another three months elapsed before a slender, silver-gleaming longsword was finally complete.
Its body was bright silver, with subtle golden hues from the bronze. The crossguard featured a phoenix engraving at its center, with its ends shaped like a crown and inlaid with red gemstones, the pommel also housed a large one. These were not genuine rubies but flame crystals meticulously carved into gem shapes.
Strangely, the once-scorching flame crystals, now embedded in the hilt, emitted no dangerous heat, only a gentle warmth, keeping the wielder comfortably warm even in freezing cold.
Along the blade, an inscription in Elvish read: "Luke, bearer and master of Glamdring, wielder of the Fire of Judgment, destroyer of all dark foes."
Arwen had penned this, recording both the sword's and its master's names, imbuing it with the will to judge and eradicate darkness.
After six full months of arduous labor, Luke was overcome with joy and a profound sense of accomplishment. "Glamdring!" he called. In an instant, the sword vanished from the anvil and materialized in his hand.
Feeling its familiar weight, Luke smiled. The sword, having absorbed his spirit and will during its forging, had already bonded with him. No matter his location, it would appear at his command. Unless he granted permission, no one else could lift it; any ill-intentioned individual attempting to do so would find it searing hot, at best suffering burns, at worst dying instantly.
Crafted from the Mother of Mithril, Glamdring was not only indestructible but also possessed immense magical properties, capable of resisting all manner of spells, even the Killing Curse. Crucially, the sword could absorb and integrate new substances to grow stronger, one of the most renowned aspects of elven forging.
Luke tested this by pouring basilisk venom onto the blade. The sword slowly absorbed it, gaining the venom's corrosive, all-destroying power, and becoming lethally poisonous, a single cut would now kill instantly.
Next, he plunged the sword into a Balrog's body, allowing it to absorb its power. Now it could devour fire to strengthen itself and unleash fiery attacks, even carrying the properties of the Fierce Flame.
Finally, Luke reluctantly retrieved a crystal vial of Eärendil's Light and dripped a few drops of star-dew onto the blade. The sword absorbed the starlight's power, becoming purer, the flame crystals in its hilt turned perfectly clear, and all traces of the Balrog's darkness were cleansed.
To his surprise, the sword could now absorb starlight whenever Eärendil's star shone overhead. Since Eärendil's Light was a formidable bane to dark creatures, Luke was delighted, if the sword absorbed enough starlight, it would become a true nemesis of darkness.
To maximize its exposure, he placed Glamdring atop Amon Sûl, allowing it to bask in the glow of Eärendil's star.
With the reforging complete, Luke paused his smithing work and shifted his focus to alchemy. Elven forging and wizard alchemy shared certain underlying principles, and his progress in the former had deepened his understanding of the latter.
His primary alchemical ambition was to create a Philosopher's Stone, which would lay the foundation for his immortality. However, creating such a stone was no simple task. Even though The Book of Abraham detailed the method, without profound alchemical skill, it would be as challenging as asking a schoolchild to construct a nuclear weapon, possessing the blueprints was one thing; actual production was another.
Thus, Luke sought assistance from his future father-in-law, the wisest and most learned lord of Rivendell, Elrond. Although Elrond was not entirely in favor of Luke and Arwen's relationship, he could not bear to see his daughter heartbroken, nor could he endure the thought of her sacrificing her elven immortality for Luke's mortal lifespan.
Given the Philosopher's Stone blueprint and a runic dictionary, Elrond quietly immersed himself in their study. With his boundless wisdom, he swiftly mastered the runes and even surpassed Luke's comprehension, gaining profound insights into the stone's creation.
"In addition to requiring specific astrological alignments and rituals, the creation of the Philosopher's Stone also needs several essential components," Elrond explained to Luke in Rivendell's Hall of Fire.
"I've more or less understood the meaning of the runic diagrams on the blueprint. According to their explanation, the Philosopher's Stone requires the Three Prime Essences and the Four Elements. These conditions are indispensable—without them, the stone cannot be completed."
"What are the Three Prime Essences and Four Elements?" Luke asked.
"The Three Prime Essences are the Salt of the Body, the Mercury of the Spirit, and the Sulfur of the Soul; the Four Elements are water, fire, wind, and earth."
As Elrond explained, his expression held a trace of admiration. "I do not know which wise being created such a miraculous Philosopher's Stone, but it is clear that its creator was not merely seeking immortality. They sought to use it as a medium to perceive and comprehend the mysteries of the universe, to achieve unity of the mind, and to attain the ultimate transcendence of the soul.
"As for immortality—that is merely an extension of the stone, almost like a byproduct."
Luke was taken aback by Elrond's words. Wasn't the Philosopher's Stone simply about granting immortality and turning lead into gold? How could there be such a deeper meaning?
Still puzzled, Luke recounted Nicolas Flamel's situation to Elrond.
After thinking for a moment, Elrond shook his head. "I believe the stone this person made is not a true Philosopher's Stone, but rather a half-finished one. The process of creating the stone is itself a form of cultivation, requiring the maker to achieve unity of spirit, soul, and matter. At the instant the stone is completed, they must reach a state of 'union of the mind.' Only then will the Philosopher's Stone be flawless.
"But from what you've said, this person had not yet perfected their mind when the stone was made, so it could not have been perfect."
Such an explanation left Luke astonished, followed quickly by worry. If Flamel, after living so long, still hadn't achieved perfect mental unity, how could he expect to make a flawless stone?
"Well, even a half-finished Philosopher's Stone wouldn't be bad," Luke mused. "At worst, I could extend my lifespan for now, and once I achieve perfect mental unity, I can try again."
Still curious, he asked, "Lord Elrond, I understand the Four Elements, but what about the Salt of the Body, the Mercury of the Spirit, and the Sulfur of the Soul—what do those mean?"
Elrond replied, "The Three Prime Essences are not ordinary materials like salt, quicksilver, or sulphur. They are the unified products of body, spirit, and soul with the material reality."
Luke half-understood and asked, "And where can these three substances be found?"
Elrond nodded. "The Mercury of the Spirit represents the fluidity of thought. On the western coastline lies the Mithlond, the starting point for the elves' journey westward. It carries the elves' longing for and farewell to Middle-earth, steeped in the weight of time and countless unspoken memories.
"If you wish to find the Mercury of the Spirit, you can gather it there. I believe the lord of the Mithlond will aid you. This is also the easiest of the Three Prime Essences for you to obtain."
He continued: "Next is the Sulfur of the Soul, representing the fire of the soul. It can only exist in places where souls gather. In all of Arda, aside from the Halls of Mandos, the resting place of souls, there are certain places where spirits who refuse Mandos's summons linger.
"For example, at the beneath the White Mountains run the Paths of the Dead, haunted by the Oathbreakers — the cursed Men of the Mountains who once swore their allegiance to Isildur upon the Stone of Erech. They once broke their oath to Isildur, and he cursed them to never know rest. Their souls remain bound there even in death."
"If you wish to find the Sulfur of the Soul, you must go there. But the dead there reject the living, even I dare not venture lightly into their domain. If you do go, you must be prepared in both body and mind."
Luke nodded. Of course, he had heard of the Paths of the Dead. Back in the Second Age, when Gondor was newly founded, Isildur had made the Men of the White Mountains swear loyalty on the Black Stone: if Gondor ever faced a great crisis, they must fight alongside them. But when Sauron attacked, these mountain folk, out of fear, broke their oath.
In fury, Isildur cursed them to never rest until the oath was fulfilled. Thus, their souls lingered there, guarding the Paths of the Dead and barring any living intruders. Even Baldor, eldest son of Rohan's second king, swore to enter the Paths, and never returned, dying within. It was not until the War of the Ring that Aragorn, following Elrond's counsel, went there with the reforged sword Narsil, summoning the dead to fight for him as Isildur's heir.
"And where can I find the Salt of the Body?" Luke asked, noting that Elrond had left it for last, perhaps meaning it was the hardest to obtain.
Elrond replied, "The Salt of the Body represents stability and life force. It can most likely be found only at the place of life's first birth.
"The birthplace of the Elves, Cuiviénen, sank beneath the waves in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age. The birthplace of the Dwarves is known only to their creator, the Vala Aulë; thereafter, they were placed in various mountain ranges to sleep until the Elves awoke.
"That leaves only the birthplace of Men, Hildórien, as the most likely place to find it."
But as he said this, Elrond's expression grew solemn. "Hildórien lies in the far east. I do not know its precise location, it may have been long forgotten in human history. But it is within the region under Sauron's control.
"If you go searching for it, you'll be on your own. And be wary, after you've foiled his plans multiple times, Sauron surely hates you deeply. One mistake could see you lost forever."
Luke nodded seriously, deeply grateful. "I understand. Thank you, Lord Elrond! Without your guidance, my understanding of the Philosopher's Stone would have come far more slowly. Truly, the wisdom of an elder is a treasure beyond price."
If he had been left to figure this out alone, it might have taken him until the end of days to piece it together. Luckily, Elrond had no idea what Luke was thinking, otherwise, he might have taught him a lesson in respecting elders.
Though Elrond had shared detailed knowledge of the Three Prime Essences, he sighed and said, "To be honest, I would advise you to wait until Lady Galadriel has purified the Balrog's Heart. Then you could forge the pheonix from its eternal fire, granting yourself immortality.
"Listen well, this business of forging the Philosopher's Stone is riddled with dangers you can hardly imagine. Those cursed Paths of the Dead and the wild lands to the far east are no place for the reckless. One wrong move, and you'll bring nothing but ruin upon yourself. I'd hate to see Arwen suffer for your foolishness."
Hearing the weight in Elrond's voice, Luke looked up, his own expression serious. "Lord Elrond, I promise you, I will never allow myself to fall into such danger, nor give Arwen reason for sorrow."
Seeing Luke's earnest promise, Elrond nodded, a faint smile appearing. "I am willing to believe you."
They then discussed the Four Elements in more detail.
"As for the Four Elements, water, fire, and wind are easy enough, Lady Galadriel's Water Ring, Nenya; Gandalf's Fire Ring, Narya; and my own Air Ring, Vilya, can all be used to gather them."
Elrond lifted his hand, showing a sapphire-gold ring upon his long finger. Countless wind elements gathered to it, forming a small storm that swirled in his palm.
"The only one you must find yourself is the earth element."
"Earth element? How should I search for that?" Luke frowned. Why hadn't Celebrimbor forged an Earth Ring alongside the other three? That would have made things much simpler.
Elrond shook his head. "I cannot say for sure. All I can tell you is that it must be a treasure born of the earth itself, extraordinary in nature."
"Born of the earth? Would mithril count?" Luke produced the Mother of Mithril for Elrond to see.
Elrond was surprised but shook his head. "I did not expect you to possess such a treasure, but alas, it was formed from the mingling of divine and demonic powers in a special environment, not purely born of the earth."
"What about this?" Luke brought out another object.
Seeing the white-glowing gem in his hand, Elrond's surprise deepened. "The Arkenstone?"
Luke nodded. "Yes. Also called the Heart of the Mountain, born from the heart of the mountain itself. Shouldn't it count?"
Without asking how Luke had come by this symbol of Durin's royal line, Elrond took the gem and examined it closely. Then he smiled warmly. "It seems fate favors you, Luke. This Heart of the Mountain contains the essence of the earth. You now have all four elements you need."
Receiving this confirmation, Luke was delighted. Back when Thorin's madness took hold, he had taken the Arkenstone early and kept it ever since, never expecting it would one day complete his set of elements.
"What do you plan to do next?" Elrond asked.
"From easy to hard, I'll first go to the Mithlond to seek the Mercury of the Spirit. Then I'll head south to the White Mountains and the Paths of the Dead. Finally, I'll journey to the far east in search of Hildórien."
Elrond nodded. "If you go to Mithlond, visit its lord, Círdan. He is the eldest and wisest of our people, and a member of the White Council. If you face troubles you cannot solve, seek his guidance, I believe he will gladly help you."