At this time, Luke, soaring south, remained oblivious to the ominous events unfolding at Orthanc Tower. He flew over the Gap of Rohan, and in the distance, the majestic stretch of the White Mountains came into view.
This formidable range ran east-west, acting as a natural boundary between Gondor to the south and Rohan to the north. Luke's destination was Mount Dwimorberg, nestled within the White Mountains, which served as the entrance to the infamous Road of the Dead.
He first landed atop a cliff at the southern end of the Temple Valley on the northern side of the mountain range. A steep, winding path, mostly carved directly from the cliff face, led from the base to the summit.
At every turn stood ancient, crude humanoid statues—massive stone figures squatting, cross-legged, with folded arms. Ages had eroded their features, leaving only hollow eye sockets that emitted an inexplicably eerie aura.
On the cliff's summit lay a grassy expanse with an ancient path bisecting it, flanked by irregular standing stones. This was a natural sacrificial site, the cliff-top serving as an open-air altar. Aside from the standing stones and statues, there were almost no other obvious man-made religious structures. This was the Stone of Erech, which led to the Road of the Dead.
The exact time of its construction remained unknown, though it was certainly before the Númenóreans arrived in Middle-earth, possibly even dating back to the time of Morgoth. There was no clear record of what deity or power it was dedicated to. However, Elrond had once shared his conjecture with Luke: the Dunharrow Temple was most likely a sacrificial site built for Morgoth by the conquered natives when the Dark Lord nearly dominated the entire continent. It was only after Morgoth's defeat and banishment to the Void that the place was gradually abandoned.
Luke landed on the Dunharrow Shrine atop the cliff. He wondered if he could complete a sign-in here.
[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Locating White Mountains - Stone of Erech. Do you want to sign in?]
The system responded immediately. Luke answered without hesitation: "Sign in."
[Successful sign-in! Congratulations on obtaining "Those Ancient Sacrificial Magics"!]
A book materialized before him, its cover featuring a stark image of a naked man hanging on a cross. Luke felt a mix of surprise and curiosity. The cover was so iconic that, if he hadn't been certain it was a magic book, he would have thought it was a religious text from his previous life. He opened the book, eagerly beginning to read. His expression grew increasingly surprised with each page, as every sacrificial magic within astonished him.
Among them was the very ritual Voldemort used for his resurrection: bones from his father, flesh from his servant, and blood from his enemy. The book also described other bloody sacrificial magics, such as sacrificing an animal to heal the sick or injured, or even more gruesome rituals involving human sacrifice to gain wealth, luck, or power.
Luke even found a love sacrifice magic: a person willingly giving their life and soul in exchange for powerful protection for a loved one. This particular magic reminded Luke of Harry Potter's mother, Lily Evans.
She had sacrificed her life, leaving powerful protection on Harry Potter that famously rebounded Voldemort's Killing Curse, leaving the Dark Lord bodiless and weak in an Albanian forest. This act had earned Harry Potter the title of savior and ensured Voldemort's future failures and eventual demise.
Thanks to the Crown of Wisdom's blessing, it didn't take Luke long to read and memorize the book's entire contents. After finishing, he put the magic book away. While the sacrificial magic was unique, it was excessively bloody and extreme, demanding life, soul, or magical power at every turn.
It was even more malevolent than the spells found in "Secrets of Cutting-Edge Black Magic." He truly wondered how Lily Evans had found and learned such a sacrificial magic. Despite its bloody and costly nature, Luke didn't dismiss it. He considered that, given the time, he might capture a few Orcs or Wargs to experiment with the sacrificial magic and see if it truly worked. After all, the potential benefits were tempting.
Having completed the sign-in, Luke mounted his broom, preparing to leave. But as he hovered in mid-air, Luke happened to glance down and paused, his flying movement halting. He noticed that the standing stones and stone statues below were arranged in a highly regular pattern, almost like a formation, strikingly similar to one he had just seen in his new book. It was only the absence of any magical fluctuations that made him hesitate to confirm his suspicion.
Luke landed again and approached a stone statue. He carefully examined it with his wand, but still, there was no response.
"Did I guess wrong?" Luke wondered doubtfully. But he didn't give up. He looked at the lower half of the statue, buried in the mud, and waved his wand, attempting to expose the entire structure.
Under the spell's influence, the ground surged outwards, and Luke's expression grew increasingly surprised. It turned out that the exposed part of the stone statue was only a fraction of its true size. Beneath the surface, in addition to the statue's main body, lay a stone foundation. A pit almost three meters deep had to be dug to reveal the complete statue.
However, what truly caught Luke's attention wasn't the statue itself, but a hard black stone slab he discovered at the bottom of the deep pit. This black stone slab featured grooves carved with mysterious patterns.
Luke's curiosity deepened. He took out his staff, chanted a spell, and struck the ground forcefully. The ground reacted as if a huge rock had struck water, instantly sending ripples in all directions. The thick grass and soil were pushed away like a landslide, several meters of earth sliding towards the cliff edge and tumbling to the bottom. The cliff top was abruptly lowered by several meters.
The original grass vanished, revealing a vast, carved black stone ground beneath. Years of accumulated dust had obscured the Black Temple, preventing anyone from discovering its true appearance.
Luke cast a spell to create a strong wind, sweeping away the dust and dirt. Complex and mysterious long, narrow grooves were carved into the black stone, resembling interconnected small channels, forming a pattern similar to the veins of the human body. And those standing stones and statues acted like nodes and hubs within this design. Due to the ravages of time, these intricate "veins" had inevitably suffered some damage.
"Repair!" Under the effect of the repair spell, the damaged ground patterns were quickly restored. When the complete pattern emerged, Luke finally confirmed it was a formation.
Looking at this ancient formation, Luke was unsure of its exact function, but recalling Elrond's conjecture that the Dunharrow might be linked to Morgoth, he exercised extreme caution and did not attempt to activate it. Although Morgoth had been defeated and exiled to the Void outside Arda, as the most powerful Vala in the past, Luke dared not risk any connection with him. So, he meticulously copied the formation's pattern onto parchment, intending to show it to Elrond upon his return.
But just as he finished drawing the pattern and was about to destroy the formation, a crow suddenly plummeted from the sky and slammed into the ground, dying a miserable death. Luke was momentarily startled.
The next second, the cries of an entire flock of crows echoed from the distant sky. Then, to Luke's horror, each one, as if possessed, accelerated and crashed towards the ground, rapidly staining it blood-red.
The crows' blood flowed into the grooves of the stone slabs, spreading swiftly as if with a will of its own, attempting to fill every channel. The previously inert formation suddenly began to emanate magical fluctuations, and an evil aura started to spread. Even the stone statues seemed to stir, their hollow eye sockets appearing to hold a cold, watchful gaze.
This sudden turn of events filled Luke with deep unease. Without hesitation, he cast a destructive spell, attempting to shatter the formation. "Confringo !" A dazzling spell shot towards the formation, carrying immense explosive power, striking the black stone ground and the statues.
But to Luke's astonishment, the magical attack, which should have reduced the area to ashes, had no effect. Instead, its magical power was absorbed by the formation. The formation seemed to receive a huge replenishment instantly, accelerating its activation. The sky above the Black Temple, influenced by the formation, became overcast, as if a storm was brewing!
Luke's expression changed drastically. He dared not unleash any more magical attacks. However, seeing that this dangerous formation was about to awaken, he made a swift decision and cried out, "Glamdring!" The blazing sword appeared in his hand in an instant. He grabbed Glamdring, rushed directly towards the formation, and thrust it into the ground with force. The stone slabs on the ground cracked, and the scorching flames released by Glamdring burned the earth. The power of the basilisk venom, the light of Eärendil, and the power of the Ring of Air contained within the sword all began to erode the formation. The formation abruptly ceased, as if a gear had jammed. The power struggle between Glamdring and the formation reached a brief stalemate.
Upon seeing this, Luke immediately pulled the divine spear Aeglos from his spatial bag and thrust it into the ground beside the sword. The spear, impossibly sharp, pierced through the hard black stone in an instant, then burst forth with powerful destructive energy.
Crack!
The ground, starting from where the spear was inserted, rapidly fractured in all directions, the cracks widening until the entire floor fell apart, and the intricate patterns of the formation shattered. The formation's power became unsustainable and vanished in an instant. The dark clouds in the sky gradually dissipated, and the sun shone once more.
Luke breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had managed to interrupt the formation, otherwise, who knew what terrible things might have transpired? He pulled the Aeglos and Glamdring from the ground, then turned to the broken formation patterns and began to systematically destroy them further.
After all the lines and grooves were erased, the standing stones and statues were also utterly destroyed. Ensuring that no one could ever recover it, Luke finally felt relieved and remounted his broom, flying towards the Road of the Dead.
Leaving Dunharrow, Luke flew low along an ancient path, soaring through the Dimholt Forest and into a deep, secluded valley. The surroundings were eerie, with jagged, ancient monoliths flanking both sides and the faint, crumbling remnants of structures built by the long-gone Hill-men.
Emerging from the Dimholt, Luke finally beheld the entrance to the Paths of the Dead—the ominous Dark Door.
The Dark Door was carved into a sheer rock face. The stone path leading to it was long decayed and dilapidated; a single misstep could send one plummeting off the cliff to be smashed to pulp below.
Luke landed his broomstick directly before the Dark Door. He stowed his broom, his expression growing grave as he gripped his wand in one hand and his sword in the other. Symbols and ancient words were carved into the Dark Door, from which a terrifying aura of death unmistakably emanated.
It felt like standing before the very gates of hell. Once inside, one would face endless death and peril.
Luke did not linger. He stepped directly through the Dark Door.
Behind the Dark Door stretched a bottomless, lightless cavern. The Diadem of Wisdom on Luke's head materialized, its gem emitting a dazzling light in the profound darkness, illuminating his treacherous path forward.
However, the scene inside the cavern made Luke gasp involuntarily.
The cavern floor was a grisly tapestry of skeletons, skulls piled into veritable mountains. Every step Luke took landed on human bones of all kinds, with no discernible gaps. With each movement, he heard the sickening crunch of bone beneath his boots.
At first, Luke felt there was no clean place to step and tried to tread lightly. But after a while, he simply gave up the futile effort.
After all, the difference between crushing one bone and crushing countless bones was, in essence, zero versus infinity.
Beyond the countless skeletons, the cavern was also filled with a sinister, chilling air and a pervasive, suffocating aura of death.
The temperature was bitterly cold, so frigid it felt as though his blood and bones were freezing solid, and his heart felt clutched by an icy, unseen hand.
What truly put Luke on alert was that after walking for such a considerable time, despite the mountains of bones, he hadn't encountered a single wraith or ghost.
And this situation was utterly anomalous!
Finally, he reached the heart of the cavern, where a formidable stone door stood.
Pushing open the stone door revealed a vast, cavernous space beyond, filled with more mountains piled high with skulls.
The empty eye sockets of each skull seemed to gaze with cold, silent judgment at Luke.
However, Luke's attention was first drawn to a skeleton positioned just behind the door.
The skeleton wore magnificent, decaying armor and a golden helmet, clearly indicating a person of high status.
His finger bones were still dug into the door crack, and beside him lay a sword, now chipped and blunted, which he had clearly used to hack desperately at the stone door.
Clearly, in his final, desperate moments, he had tried to escape but ultimately failed.
Luke knew this skeleton's identity immediately—it was Baldor, the eldest son of Brego, the second King of Rohan.
It was, frankly, a classic tale of hubris and a warning: "if you don't go looking for trouble, trouble won't find you."
Baldor had once accompanied his father, Brego, up the Snowbourn river, seeking a refuge for the Rohirrim during times of war. They eventually discovered Dunharrow and arrived before the door to the Paths of the Dead.
Just as they were about to enter, they were stopped by an extremely old man, and prevented from entering.
But Baldor, young and impulsive, clearly did not heed the old man's solemn warning. During a feast, after heavy drinking, he rashly swore an oath to walk the Paths of the Dead.
Oaths in Middle-earth are not to be made lightly, especially those sworn upon the Valar or other ancient powers.
In the end, this prince, who should have become the third King of Rohan, embarked on the Paths of the Dead because of his rash oath and was never seen again. His remains would not be discovered until much later, when Aragorn led the Grey Company through the Paths of the Dead.
He could well be called the first pioneer on the path of foolish demise.
Luke spared a glance for Baldor's remains, then dismissed them from his mind.
He now felt countless unseen gazes fixed upon him, each filled with palpable malice.
His eyes flashed with vigilance, his body tensing as he slowly moved forward.
The very next second, the mountain of skulls instantly began to collapse, transforming into an overwhelming, horrifying flood rushing towards Luke, seemingly intent on burying him alive.
A split second before the flood of skulls hit, Luke Apparated, instantly dodging the torrent and reappearing on a high ledge.
"Come out! Stop hiding. I know you're here!" Luke's voice cut through the silence, sharp and cold.
His voice echoed through the vast cavern.
The cavern remained deathly silent.
After a moment, translucent wraiths finally began to emerge from beneath the shifting piles of skulls. Their forms were blurred, as if made of shifting mist, and they emitted a faint, eerie glow, giving off a sinister and terrifying aura.
More and more wraiths appeared, packed densely, almost filling the entire cavern. A rough estimate put their number at no less than several hundred thousand!
This massive army of wraiths originated from the ancient Hill-men who broke their oath and were cursed by Isildur, denied peace in death. Therefore, whether they were the original Hill-men or their descendants, their souls, upon death, were doomed to wander the mountains, unable to pass to the Halls of Mandos. Over countless years, they formed a vast, spectral army.
Cursed and denied rest, these wraiths were consumed by a deep, burning hatred for the living.
Any living person who set foot on the Paths of the Dead was never seen again.
This place gradually became a forbidden zone, dared by none to enter, with only terrifying rumors circulating in the southern lands of Gondor and the northern horse-plains of Rohan.
From among the teeming mass of wraiths, one, wearing an ancient crown, its face decayed and glowing with a sinister bluish-green luminescence, its eyes empty sockets, and holding a spectral sword, swiftly floated forward.
He radiated a sinister, mocking smile and spoke in a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of hell itself: "This is the realm of the dead. The living are forbidden to enter. Since you dared to come here, you will stay forever and keep us company!"
With that, he raised his spectral sword and thrust directly at Luke.
Luke raised Glamdring to block.
"Clang!"
The intangible spectral sword and Glamdring collided, astonishingly producing the sound of metal striking metal.
The Ghost-king, his attack parried by Glamdring, looked genuinely astonished, clearly not expecting such resistance.
"The weapons of the living are useless against us! What manner of sword is this? Why can it block my attack?"
Luke offered no answer. After deflecting the Ghost-king's sword, he swung Glamdring back at him with force.
The Ghost-king's head and body were instantly separated.
But before Luke could feel any satisfaction, the Ghost-king's separated head and body seamlessly reconnected.
The Ghost-king laughed triumphantly. "Your sword is indeed extraordinary, capable of touching me. But I am already undead! Can I die again?"
He then raised his spectral sword once more and renewed his assault on Luke.
The two fought continuously. Although Luke could strike the Ghost-king with each blow, it only temporarily interrupted his attacks. Once the Ghost-king recovered, he would assail him again.
These wraiths were markedly different from the specters and spirits he had encountered on the North Downs.
Specters and spirits are typically entities created by dark power, vulnerable to light and holy forces. Once their dark power is broken, they lose their ability to maintain their form and vanish completely.
These wraiths before him, however, were essentially cursed dead. While light-based power could suppress them, it seemingly could not destroy them.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A blinding white light shot from Luke's wand, coalescing into a brilliant, owl-shaped Patronus.
The Patronus charged forward, slamming into the Ghost-king and sending him hurtling backward, then quickly transformed into a luminous cage, ensnaring him.
The Ghost-king swung his spectral sword, trying to slash at the Patronus cage, but the seemingly fragile light shield was like a wall of solid bronze, utterly impervious to his furious blows.
"King of the Dead," Luke spoke, his voice resonating through the cavern, seeking parley. "I have no wish to be your enemy, nor that of any of the dead here. I came only to seek a specific spiritual substance. Once I find it, I will leave immediately and promise not to disturb your rest again."
But the Ghost-king clearly had no such intention of parley. His bizarre, bluish-green, decayed face was contorted in mockery. "Rest? Since we were bound here by the curse, we have never known a day of rest! I wondered why you dared come here. So, you are a wizard!"
He stared fixedly at Luke with his empty, burning eye sockets:
"I have heard tales of wizards, that you possess all manner of miraculous means. If you have a way to break the curse upon us, not only can we help you find what you seek, we can even grant you the treasures of these mountains!"
Luke naturally knew the tragic history of the curse upon these wraiths.
In the early days of the Gondor kingdom, Isildur met with the King of the Mountain at the Stone of Erech.
The King of the Mountain—the very Ghost-king before him—had sworn an oath upon a mysterious black stone, pledging allegiance to Gondor and promising aid when Gondor faced its gravest peril.
However, when Sauron returned to Middle-earth and planned his invasion of Gondor, the Hill-men infamously refused to fulfill their promise.
So Isildur, standing at the black stone, laid a dire curse upon the King of the Mountain, condemning him and his people to never find rest until they fulfilled their oath.
That mysterious black stone had originated from Númenor. Before its destruction, it was saved by the Faithful Númenóreans (Dúnedain) and brought to Middle-earth. Its status was comparable to potent heirlooms like the Palantíri.
Elrond had once spoken of this black stone, describing its potent magic and noting that oaths sworn upon it were unbreakable, rivaling even Luke's own Unbreakable Vow.
So Luke shook his head at the Ghost-king. "The oath sworn on the Stone of Erech is immutable. Unless you fulfill the original oath, it simply cannot be broken, and you cannot find rest."
Hearing this, the Ghost-king's spectral face grew even more ferocious, his aura becoming colder and more terrifying.
"The oath! The oath... How long have we been trapped by this accursed oath! I watched our bodies rot, eaten by worms, our people diminish and vanish generation after generation. We endure endless emptiness, our very souls decaying bit by bit, yet forever denied rest!"
Then he gazed eerily at Luke, a sinister, chilling smile spreading across his decayed features.
"Wizard, since you cannot lift our curse, why should we, the damned, allow you to have your way?"
"You can trap me, but I am not the only one of the dead here! In fact, you should thank Gondor's Isildur. His curse gathered my people and even their descendants here, inadvertently granting us even greater power."
"Just one man, how can you possibly withstand my spectral army?"
The densely packed wraiths surrounding them, armed with various ghostly weapons and filled with chilling malice, closed in from all directions.
Facing the onslaught of the spectral army, Luke drew out the Light of Eärendil, infused it with magic, and released a radiant, holy brilliance.
The dazzling light made the ghosts instinctively uneasy, and they all came to a halt.
Although the Light of Eärendil was not like evil spirits or demons that could cause fatal harm, ghosts were inherently inclined toward darkness. When confronted with such sacred brilliance, they would still instinctively retreat.
Holding the crystal vial emitting light high, Luke once again loudly addressed the King of the Ghosts:
"King of the Mountains, I mean no hostility toward you. Please cease your attacks. Though I cannot break your curse myself, I know of someone who can free you!"
Upon hearing this, the ghosts paused their assault.
The King of the Ghosts fixed his hollow, lifeless eyes on Luke and asked with deep suspicion, "You are not lying?"
"I swear by the name of a wizard that my words are true!" Luke replied with unwavering certainty.
"Who? Who can break the bonds of our oath?"
"The one who tied the bell is the one who must untie it. Long ago, you swore allegiance to Isildur. Though Isildur is no longer here, you can still pledge your loyalty to his descendants. By doing so, you will fulfill your oath and finally find liberation and rest..." Luke explained.
But before he could finish, the King of the Ghosts suddenly erupted in fury. A terrifying aura burst forth from him, and the sea of skulls around him ignited with eerie green ghost flames, emitting a bone-chilling cold.
"You deceive me! Gondor has long been without a king. Isildur's bloodline has ended. No one can break the oath that binds us!" the King of the Ghosts roared. "Wizard, how dare you mock the King of the Dead? Your bones shall remain here forever, rotting with us!"
The surrounding ghosts also grew more ferocious and terrifying amidst the ghost flames, transforming into vengeful spirits from hell, eager to claim lives.
Clearly, the ghosts were thoroughly enraged, unleashing their most powerful force.
Caught off guard by this sudden turn, Luke felt a sense of dread. The raging ghost flames seemed capable of harming his very soul.
"Wait! I am not lying. I swear to you, Isildur's bloodline has not ended!" Luke urgently exclaimed, while firmly shielding himself with a protective charm to ward off the ghost flames.
"You say Isildur's bloodline still exists? Are you speaking the truth?" the King of the Ghosts asked, still filled with doubt.
Luke quickly nodded.
"Although Isildur's bloodline in the south, in Gondor, has ended, there is still a direct descendant of his in the north."
The King of the Ghosts' anger subsided slightly, but he remained half-convinced. "How can I believe your words are true?"
"This matter is difficult to falsify. Each generation of Isildur's heirs in the north is sent to Rivendell to be raised by the elves. The current heir is still growing up and will become the rightful successor to both the northern kingdom of Arnor and the southern kingdom of Gondor.
Even the reforged Sword of Elendil will one day be wielded by him. His future is destined to be extraordinary, and he will inevitably face great challenges. When the time comes, you can offer him your service and thus fulfill your ancient oath."
Luke explained and assured, "When the time is right, I can guide him here to help you achieve complete liberation."
The King of the Ghosts' anger gradually faded, his aura weakened, and the soul-freezing ghost flames surrounding him vanished instantly. "I need a guarantee, wizard."
Seeing this, Luke secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in response.
"I can make a magical vow with you—an Unbreakable Vow. How does that sound?"
But the King of the Ghosts was clearly unwilling. He shook his head.
"You are a wizard. Magic is your forte. A magical vow may not be enough to bind you."
"What do you propose, then?" Luke asked, frowning.
"I want you to swear upon the Stone of Erech that you will help us achieve liberation. Otherwise, you shall suffer the same dreadful fate as ours!"
"Very well, I agree."
After all, even without his intervention, Aragorn would eventually free them. All Luke needed to do was guide Aragorn here when the time came to fulfill his vow.
Just then, the system responded.
[Hogwarts Sign-In System: Location identified—White Mountains, Paths of the Dead. Sign in?]
"Sign in."
[Sign-in successful. Congratulations on obtaining the method to create the Resurrection Stone, one of the Deathly Hallows!]
The Resurrection Stone?
Luke was astonished.
He never expected to obtain such an item from this sign-in?
However, he remembered that aside from summoning manifestations that were more tangible than ghosts but less solid than physical beings, the stone couldn't truly resurrect the dead. It was rather underwhelming and hardly lived up to its name.
But Luke was currently preoccupied with dealing with the ghosts and had no time to delve deeper into the newly acquired knowledge. He could only set it aside for now.
Following the guidance of the ghosts, Luke continued deeper into the cave. After a long journey, he finally emerged on the southern side of the White Mountains.
The cave entrance was near the Stone of Erech.
Surrounded and escorted by the ghost army, Luke followed the King of the Ghosts to the summit of Erech.
The area was barren, with no trees in sight, only a spherical black stone.
The stone had a diameter of about twelve feet or more, with its lower half buried in the ground on the summit of Erech. The exposed upper part stood taller than a person.
The stone was immensely heavy and had never been moved since its placement there. It had always been regarded as a symbol of oaths.
Luke examined the massive stone with curiosity and attempted to lift it using a levitation spell.
Even when mustering all his strength and channeling his maximum magical power, the stone remained completely immovable, as if rooted to the ground, impervious to any means of displacement.
Luke wondered how the Númenóreans of old had managed to transport such an incredibly heavy stone across the sea and bring it here.
Refusing to accept defeat, Luke tried striking the stone with the Sword of Flames and the Spear Aeglos.
To his surprise, neither weapon left even a scratch on the black stone.
Luke had never encountered a substance so hard and wondered what material the black stone was made of.
Realizing he couldn't affect the stone, Luke gave up further attempts. Then, witnessed by the King of the Ghosts and the ghostly host, he swore upon the stone, promising to help the ghosts achieve liberation.
The moment the oath was made, Luke keenly sensed an intangible force emanating from the stone.
His vow was captured and etched into the stone, becoming a part of it.
Simultaneously, he felt as though the stone had grown slightly heavier.
The sensation was very faint, and if not for Luke's goblin-like sensitivity to magic, he might have dismissed it as an illusion.
Luke finally understood why the stone was so heavy.
Clearly, the stone absorbed oaths and grew heavier. Over thousands of years, it had absorbed countless vows, and its weight likely surpassed even that of Mount Erech itself!
With Luke's magical power, how could he possibly lift the weight of a mountain?
[Hogwarts Sign-In System: Location identified—Stone of Erech. Sign in?]
Luke paused, surprised.He hadn't expected to be able to sign in here as well.
"Sign in."
[Sign-in successful. Congratulations on obtaining the method to create the Marauder's Map!]
Well, better than nothing. Luke wasn't too disappointed—having something was better than having nothing at all.
Having made the vow, the King of the Ghosts' attitude toward Luke softened.
Luke once again returned to the Paths of the Dead with the ghosts, and the atmosphere was no longer hostile.
"Wizard, since you have made a vow, you are now our guest. What do you need? If it exists in these mountains, we will help you find it," the King of the Ghosts said.
Luke didn't hold back and stated the purpose of his journey: "I am searching for something called Soul Sulfur. It resembles sulfur and appears in places where souls gather. Have you ever seen such a thing?"
"Soul Sulfur?" The King of the Ghosts looked puzzled, clearly hearing of it for the first time.
He then turned to the other ghosts and asked, "Have any of you seen something like this?"
Most of the ghosts shook their heads, indicating they had no recollection.
Only one female ghost hesitantly said, "I remember seeing some yellow ore in another tunnel, but it was stained by our tears. I don't know if it's the Soul Sulfur you're looking for?"
Luke's eyes lit up. "Where is it? Can you take me there?"
Following the ghosts, Luke ventured into a tunnel leading deeper underground.
They reached the end of the passage, where a tall black stone wall stood.
The ghosts referred to it as the "Wall of Memories" or "Wall of Lamentations." It was said that before this wall, the ghosts' minds became clearer, and they would reminisce about their past lives, regretting and mourning their fate of breaking their oath and finding no rest.
As soon as Luke arrived, his attention was drawn to the black stone wall.
Curious, he reached out and touched it. It felt metallic and transmitted a cold, piercing sensation, like touching ice.
He had no idea what the black stone wall was, but it exuded an eerie aura.
Though intrigued by the wall, Luke shifted his focus to the surroundings.
The area resembled a mine, with black ore embedded in the surrounding walls. On these black ores were speckled yellow stains, deeply ingrained like impurities.
According to the ghosts, these yellow stains were formed by their tears over thousands of years.
Delighted, Luke realized he had finally found the Soul Sulfur.
With the ghosts' permission, he excavated all the ore containing Soul Sulfur and stored it in a spatial bag.
He planned to take it back, smelt, and refine it to extract the Soul Sulfur.
After half a day, Luke had collected all the Soul Sulfur-containing ore in the mine, noticeably expanding the space of the cavern.
He then turned his attention to the black stone wall that clarified the ghosts' minds. With the King of the Ghosts' permission, he used the Spear Aeglos to cut off a portion of the wall to take back for research.
Finally, he made a pact with the King of the Ghosts: when Isildur's descendant, Aragorn, came of age, Luke would guide him to the Paths of the Dead to break the millennia-old curse.
Aragorn was only in his teens now, but for ghosts who had waited thousands of years, waiting a few more decades was of little consequence.