However, what surprised Luke even more was the discovery that not only humans, but also Elves, lived in Dorwinion. In the West, Elves in places like Rivendell and Lothlórien lived a secluded, non-interfering existence alongside humans. But here in the far East, the two races lived and worked together in a mixed community.
As Luke flew over, he saw both humans and Elves working side-by-side in the vineyards. While they lived together, they maintained separate settlements. He flew towards the largest Elven dwelling. The vineyards here were vast, the vines ancient and robust. One ancient grapevine, with roots as thick as coiling dragons, stood over ten meters tall and covered an area of several thousand square meters.
Among the vines were exquisite small houses woven from natural tendrils, like bird nests hanging from the branches, with vine ladders providing access. These were unique to the Elves of Dorwinion, though some also built refined homes on the ground or in root cellars.
Luke's attention was drawn to a single, enormous grapevine that stood atop a small hill. Its age was unknown, and its trunk was so thick it would take several people to embrace it. The tree dominated the hill, its canopy spreading over ten thousand square meters like a giant umbrella. At its base was an Elven manor, prominent on the emerald green grassland.
As Luke approached, the manor lord, with his keen perception, sensed his presence. "Who's there?" a sharp voice called out. Elven guards quickly drew their weapons and aimed them in Luke's direction.
Seeing he had been detected, Luke made no attempt to hide. He dispelled his Disillusionment Charm and gently tilted his broomstick to descend.
As he materialized and slowly landed, the Elven lord grew even warier. "Who are you?"
Luke touched down and gave a respectful Elven greeting, speaking in Sindarin: "Elven friends of Dorwinion, please do not be alarmed. I am the wizard Luke, who has come from the West with goodwill."
"A wizard? You come from the West?" Hearing Luke's fluent Sindarin and familiar etiquette, the manor lord relaxed slightly but remained cautious.
"Yes, I come from Eriador, west of the Misty Mountains," Luke confirmed. "And I am a friend to the Elves of Rivendell, Lothlórien, and the Woodland Realm."
The manor lord was surprised. He had heard of these three settlements even in the East, especially the Woodland Realm, which had a trade relationship with Dorwinion for wine. Sensing that Luke was not lying, the lord let down his guard considerably. After all, earning the friendship of these Elves was a clear sign that Luke was not an evil person. He promptly invited Luke to be his guest in the manor.
Luke gladly accepted.
In the manor's open-air banquet hall, Elven attendants filled glasses with wine. The table was laden with dishes and an abundance of fruits. Dorwinion's hot climate was perfect for growing tropical fruits. Luke took a small sip of the wine. True to its reputation, this strong vintage could indeed intoxicate an Elf. A human would likely lose consciousness after a single glass.
The manor lord, whose name was Calenmir, was a Sindar Elf and one of the lords of Dorwinion. He explained that Dorwinion had no king; it was a region where Elves and humans coexisted. The Elves included the Sindar, Nandor, and Avari, while the humans were descendants of the Edain. They each had their own languages, laws, and settlements and coexisted without interference. However, in times of war, particularly against invasions by the Easterlings, they united to face the external threats together.
Economically, Elves and humans also maintained a close partnership. The Elves were responsible for the winemaking, and the humans handled the transportation, shipping the wine along the River Running to Lake-town and then onward to the Woodland Realm, Dale, and the Lonely Mountain. This cooperation made Dorwinion a unique and enlightened region in the Far East, untouched by darkness.
During the banquet, Calenmir asked Luke why he had traveled so far. "Wizard Luke, Dorwinion is thousands of miles from the West. What brings you so far from home?"
Knowing that Calenmir and the other Elves had lived here for generations, Luke did not hide his purpose. "Lord Calenmir, do you know of Hildórien?"
"Hildórien? Are you seeking the awakening place of Men?" Calenmir asked in surprise.
Luke nodded. "Do you know its location?"
Calenmir shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I know very little about it. I have only heard that Hildórien lies east of the Sea of Rhûn, farther east than Cuiviénen, the awakening place of us Elves. It's a place even we have never set foot in."
Luke had prepared himself for this and was not too disappointed. He then asked: "Do you know the Blue Wizards, Morinehtar and Rómestámo?"
"Morinehtar and Rómestámo? Of course, I know them," Calenmir said with admiration. "The peace and tranquility Dorwinion enjoys today are largely thanks to their efforts!"
"When the forces of the Easterlings and Wainriders surged, plunging the eastern lands into darkness, Dorwinion was in peril. It was the two Blue Wizards who traveled across the land, inspiring and organizing humans and Elves to unite. They repelled countless invasions, ensuring this land remained untainted by darkness."
Luke's eyes lit up. "Do you know where they are now? I would like to pay them a visit."
Calenmir shook his head. "I am not sure of their whereabouts. They are elusive and secretive, often appearing in various places, even deep within Easterling territory. They guide and help humans who have not fallen to darkness, resisting the Dark Lord's rule and creating chaos. This has kept the dark forces too preoccupied to focus on Dorwinion." He continued: "However, if you wish to find them, you could go to the Easterling city south of the Sea of Rhûn. There has been constant unrest there with frequent uprisings. It is likely the Blue Wizards are inciting resistance activities there."
With this information, Luke finally had a lead.
The system suddenly prompted.
[Hogwarts Check-in System: Location locked—Dorwinion. Check in?]
Delighted, Luke thought: "Check in."
[Check-in successful! Congratulations on obtaining Occlumency!]
Occlumency was a magical technique that could resist external mental penetration. It acted like a mental barrier in the brain, not only shielding against Legilimency but also, at a high level, resisting the influence of the Imperius Curse. Luke saw even more potential in it. At its core, it involved forming a strong mental shield to counter the intrusion of mental magic. Sauron's greatest power was his ability to corrupt minds, much like the Ringwraiths. If Luke could master Occlumency, he might be able to handle the One Ring as effortlessly as Bilbo did.
Having obtained Occlumency, Luke was in no hurry to seek out the Blue Wizards. At Calenmir's invitation, he decided to stay for a while to master the skill before setting out again. The first step was to clear his mind of all thoughts and emotions, maintaining a blank and calm state. This was not difficult for Luke, as he had a foundation in meditation and the Crown of Wisdom to enhance his mental agility. He successfully grasped the basics within a few days.
To his delight, with his entry into Occlumency, his Legilimency ability became fully controllable. It was as if a switch had been installed in his mind. He could now freely decide whether to listen to others' thoughts, rather than being bombarded by their chaotic mental noise. He quickly constructed a sturdy mental shield to defend against ordinary mind-reading.
Recalling how Professor Snape's Occlumency not only withstood Voldemort's assaults but also fabricated false memories, Luke wondered if he could use his mental strength to construct a giant fortress in his mind—like Hogwarts Castle —to hide his soul and memories from prying eyes and prevent mental corruption by beings like Sauron.
Constructing a mental barrier proved to be an extremely taxing task. Luke practiced Occlumency daily, using his mental strength to gradually build his mind's defenses. He would stop only when his mental energy was completely exhausted, then he would join Calenmir, the manor lord, for tours of the vineyards.
Perhaps due to their long-term coexistence with humans, the lifestyle of the Elves in Dorwinion closely resembled that of their neighbors. Among them, the Sindar were the most skilled winemakers, while the Nandor were the best grape growers, producing the highest yield and finest quality vines. The Avari acted as the Elven wine merchants, engaging most frequently with humans among the three groups to sell their goods.
The grapevines here had an exceptionally long lifespan. It was common to see vines that were centuries or even millennia old, each covering over a thousand square meters of land and heavy with fruit. These vines were meticulously tended by the Nandor Elves. Not only were the grapes exceptionally sweet and fragrant, but they also had the magical property of rapidly restoring physical strength. It was for this reason that even Elves, with their robust constitutions, could become intoxicated by the wine.
The grapevine in Calenmir's manor was even more precious, said to be over ten thousand years old. It was the mother plant of all nearby vines and was treasured by Calenmir like a jewel. Each year, when the vine bore fruit, all the grapes were harvested and personally brewed by Calenmir. The resulting wine was not sold but stored in vast cellars for centuries, reserved for honored guests.
Luke had the privilege of tasting a bottle said to have been aged for a thousand years. The wine was rich and sweet, with a heady, fruity aroma, and it had the effect of nourishing the spirit. Unconsciously, Luke drank several glasses. He ended up completely drunk and slept for a full day and night. Upon waking, he felt refreshed and invigorated, without the usual headache of a hangover. He also noticed a significant increase in his mental strength. This effect surprised him. If his mental strength could grow like this, Luke felt he might even be tempted to become a wine connoisseur.
After staying in Dorwinion for nearly a month, Luke finally constructed a mental fortress in his mind, modeled after Amon Sûl. It was still far from the grandeur of Hogwarts Castle, and Amon Sûl was only a prototype, with its internal structure and functional areas yet to be developed. This progress was only achieved with the support of the Crown of Wisdom and the nourishment of the Golden Cup. Without them, it would have taken him at least a year or two to construct even this preliminary mental fortress.
With his mental Amon Sûl in place, Luke felt as if his brain was protected by a sturdy fortress, filling him with a sense of security. With his current level of Occlumency, even without active resistance, ordinary mental magic could not breach his mental barrier. If anyone attempted Legilimency on him, they would feel as though they had hit a wall, left dizzy and disoriented. Even against Saruman's voice magic and Sauron's mental corruption, Luke was no longer as defenseless as before. He could now hold out for at least a few minutes.
Moreover, after completing the mental fortress, Luke found his thinking clearer, his mind calmer and more focused, with fewer distracting thoughts and unnecessary emotions arising. This unexpected benefit greatly pleased him.
Having completed the initial construction, Luke decided not to spend more time perfecting it immediately. Building a mental fortress was a massive undertaking that would require long-term practice and accumulation. He could only slowly refine it over time.
Luke formally bid farewell to Calenmir, preparing to seek out the Blue Wizards in the Easterling city. As a token of gratitude, he gifted Calenmir a pouch enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Calenmir was both surprised and delighted, and in return, he gave Luke a dozen barrels of vintage wine, all brewed from the fruit of the most ancient grapevines. Luke, who now appreciated this spirit-nourishing vintage, gladly accepted the reciprocal gift. He then mounted his flying broomstick and left Dorwinion, soaring over the Sea of Rhûn and heading east.
The vast regions east of the Sea of Rhûn were the strongholds of the Easterlings. Numerous tribes and kingdoms existed, constantly at war. Some were followers of Sauron, others former worshippers of Morgoth, and still others were Easterling tribes incited by the Blue Wizards to rebel. To avoid drawing attention, Luke used his Metamorphmagus ability to disguise himself as an Easterling, traveling eastward among the tribes.
These tribes were almost all devout followers of Sauron. Each had iron, stone, or wood statues of their god. The Easterlings, regardless of age or gender, fanatically revered Sauron. They even built black altars for human sacrifices. Captives from inter-tribal wars were offered up, their skulls forming the foundation of the altars, their hearts thrown into sacrificial fires, and their blood used as ink to draw dark incantations from Mordor.
Such bloody and evil scenes made Luke, hidden in an unnoticed corner, frown deeply. Seeing the crowd below lost in a frenzied revelry, their faces fiendish and crazed, Luke felt a profound sense of disgust. Initially, he considered intervening to save those destined for sacrifice, but after using Legilimency, he found these people beyond redemption. He realized that the very people being sacrificed would have happily sacrificed others if they had won the fight. Upon realizing this, Luke adopted a coldly detached attitude.
What shocked Luke even more was that these sacrifices were not without effect. As the rituals concluded, Sauron's statue emitted a malevolent power that infused the crowd. As if under the influence of a drug, everyone became deranged, ecstatic, and their bodies grew temporarily stronger.
The Easterlings called this "the blessing of the god." But in Luke's view, those who received these "blessings" were only further eroded by the dark power, their life force consumed in exchange for temporary strength. They were being transformed into something neither human nor ghost, eventually becoming wraiths completely controlled by Sauron.
Luke had no desire to watch further and prepared to leave the tribe. But just then, a sharp, piercing cry came from afar. Luke's expression shifted, and he looked up in surprise and suspicion. He saw a giant, black, wyvern-like creature flying toward the tribe.
"A Fell beast!" Luke muttered gravely.
The people in the tribe showed no alarm. Instead, they cheered with joy: "It's the divine messenger! The divine messenger has come!"
Riding the Fell beast was a Nazgûl.
Seeing its arrival, Luke felt a sense of foreboding. He knew his presence in the East must not be discovered. But the Fell beast approached too quickly. If he used Apparition now, the disturbance would surely draw the Nazgûl's notice. Moreover, his Disillusionment Charm would not fool the Nazgûl. So Luke could only dispel the charm, disguise himself as an Easterling, and hide among the crowd.
The next moment, the Fell beast landed on the altar. It emitted a foul odor and a terrifying dark aura. Its long tail swept out, sending several Easterlings flying, their fates unknown. But the crowd paid no mind, watching the Nazgûl on the Fell beast's back with awe and fanaticism. The Fell beast began to eat the offerings on the altar, while the Nazgûl bowed to Sauron's statue, then reached out with an ethereal hand, pulling out wailing spirits from the statue's chest. These spirits were from the recent sacrifices. The Nazgûl acted like a voracious black hole, greedily devouring all the spirits until none remained. The people showed no surprise at this, clearly accustomed to such scenes.
Having consumed hundreds of spirits, the Nazgûl let out a satisfied moan as if satiated, then turned its hollow eyes toward the Easterlings. "Your offerings please me. As a reward, you shall receive blessings!" the Nazgûl said in a sinister voice, as if from the depths of hell.
The anxious crowd grew ecstatic. The Nazgûl released a dark power, which transformed into a black mist that surged toward the crowd. Everyone scrambled to absorb the mist, afraid of being slower than others. Those who were corrupted had their skin turn gray, their eyes filled with evil and madness, their appearances altered, and their minds twisted. They did not care; they craved it. In their view, this was a blessing bestowed by the "divine messenger" and their "god."
As the Easterlings frantically absorbed the dark power, Luke, hidden among them, cursed his luck. He naturally could not allow this dark energy to enter his body and had to resist. This action stood out conspicuously in the Nazgûl's sight.
"You do not belong here!"
The Nazgûl instantly locked onto Luke, its hollow eyes glowing red as it unleashed a suffocating, terrifying aura.
Having been discovered, without hesitation, Luke immediately pulled out a potion bottle and hurled it at the Ringwraith.
The Ringwraith, ever cautious, did not let the bottle get close. With a raise of its hand, a surge of dark force shattered the bottle. But in the next instant, the bottle exploded, releasing a blinding, dazzling light.
Everyone instinctively shut their eyes. Those who were too slow had their vision instantly seared away by the brilliance.
"Sunlight!"
The Ringwraith sensed the properties of sunlight within the radiance. Although Ringwraiths did not fear sunlight as much as Orcs or Trolls, they still found it extremely discomforting. The black cloak around the Ringwraith swiftly wrapped around it like bat wings.
Meanwhile, the fell beasts panicked and went berserk, trampling and crushing the nearby Easterlings, throwing the area into chaos.
The bottle contained a flash potion Luke had prepared in advance—a practical magical concoction designed to produce light, serving as an alternative to the Wand-Lighting Charm. Inspired by the Light of Eärendil and based on Professor Snape's potion notes, Luke had infused the potion with the attributes of sunlight, creating a flash potion capable of emitting solar rays.
He had transformed this relatively niche potion in the magical world into a "Solar Flare" effective against the dark creatures of Middle-earth.
The moment the flash potion exploded, Luke disapparated and vanished from the scene.
When the light subsided, the Ringwraith withdrew its cloak and looked at the luminescent liquid scattered across the ground. Seeing that Luke had long since disappeared, it unleashed a terrifying aura, sending everyone and even the surrounding structures flying through the air.
In an instant, countless lives were lost or injured.
The Ringwraith's hollow eyes flickered with flames of fury. "Who was that?" it demanded.
But no one could answer its question.
Furious and suspicious, the Ringwraith immediately ordered the nearby Easterling tribes and kingdoms to apprehend the Easterling disguise Luke had adopted.
Meanwhile, Luke, now dozens of kilometers away, was naturally unaware of the bounty on his head. Nevertheless, cautious as ever, he transformed into yet another Easterling appearance and continued his journey toward the Easterling city.
With every tribe he passed, he adopted a new disguise.
The Easterlings were largely organized into tribes, living in primitive and backward structures, with few cities like those of Rohan or Gondor. The Easterling city, however, was an exception.
It was once the residence of Khamûl, the Easterling king. Khamûl was the Ringwraith whose ring Luke had destroyed, vanquishing him completely.
Khamûl had once been a mighty ruler who unified the Easterling tribes. But after donning one of the nine rings given to men, he was corrupted and ultimately became one of Sauron's servants, controlling the Easterlings on Sauron's behalf.
By destroying Khamûl, Luke had inadvertently severed Sauron's direct control over the Easterlings, somewhat weakening Sauron's influence in the region.
The Easterling city was located east of the Sea of Rhûn, adjacent to the Orocarni Mountains. The Orocarni, meaning "Red Mountains" in Quenya, were the largest mountains in the Far East. Created by the Valar after Melkor destroyed the Two Lamps, these mountains were one of the awakening places of the Dwarves. Four of the seven Dwarf clans had awakened in the Orocarni.
Under Sauron's long reign in the East, some of the Dwarves in the mountains had been corrupted and turned into Dark Dwarves, loyal to Sauron and serving as part of his forces, much like the Easterlings.
Luke continued his journey eastward, constantly changing his disguise. Finally, after a month, he reached the Easterling city.
The journey should have taken less time, but Luke noticed that the Ringwraiths seemed to be searching for him. Their numbers had increased to three, patrolling the Easterling territories on fell beasts. Additionally, crows and vampire bats were frequently seen during both day and night.
Moreover, the Easterlings were also hunting down strangers, adopting a "kill first, ask questions later" approach.
Seeing this, Luke had no choice but to hide himself even more carefully.
Clearly, his earlier appearance had alarmed the Ringwraiths—and possibly even Sauron himself.
Had Sauron guessed his identity, he would have likely used a palantír to track Luke's whereabouts. Palantíri varied in size and scope. The one Luke possessed was relatively small, allowing him to see Rivendell to the east, the South Downs to the south, the Shire to the west, and the North Downs to the north from Weathertop.
Sauron's palantír, however, was larger, covering not only the entire land of Mordor but also parts of Gondor. The Easterling territories were also within its sight.
If Sauron discovered Luke was in the East, tracking him with the palantír would force Luke into a frantic escape.
The Easterling city was less a city and more a large tribal settlement. At its center stood a palace constructed from red stone, once the residence of the Easterling Lord, Khamûl.
The city was a melting pot, inhabited by various Easterling tribes such as the Wainriders, Balchoth, and Chayasir. Before the destruction of the Ringwraith Khamûl, no tribe dared to covet the city or the palace.
But with Khamûl's ring destroyed and the Ringwraith gone, all tribes began to stir, eager to seize control of the city.
Thus, when Luke arrived, he witnessed two tribes engaged in a fierce battle.
The two sides were the strongest among the Easterling tribes—the Wainriders and the Balchoth.
The Wainriders were renowned for their massive war chariots and had clashed with Gondor multiple times. The Balchoth were once a fierce tribe southeast of Mirkwood. After Sauron's defeat in the War of the Last Alliance, they were driven to the Far East by the combined forces of Gondor and the Elves.
Thousands from both tribes fought outside the Easterling city, vying for control. The sounds of battle and agony filled the air.
Luke Apparated to an unmanned corner of the city wall and quietly observed the conflict.
The battle lasted an entire day. The Wainriders and Balchoth were evenly matched, but the Wainriders gradually gained the upper hand thanks to their war chariots.
Just as both sides grew exhausted and the Wainriders began to smirk in victory, a third party emerged on the battlefield.
A group of Easterling cavalry, clad in finer armor and bearing more sophisticated weapons than either the Wainriders or Balchoth, charged out from the distant forests and joined the fray, cutting down both sides indiscriminately.
"Dorwinrim!" The Wainriders and Balchoth had not anticipated a third party swooping in to reap the rewards. Already severely depleted and exhausted, they stood no chance against this fresh, vigorous force.
Under the assault of the Dorwinrim cavalry, the Wainriders and Balchoth quickly crumbled and were slaughtered relentlessly. Even when the two tribes attempted to unite, they were no match for the Dorwinrim.
From the city wall, Luke watched in surprise. He had heard of the Dorwinrim from Caranmir, the Elf lord of Dorwinion.
Though also an Easterling tribe, the Dorwinrim were among the few who had not sworn allegiance to Sauron. They maintained trade relations with the Elves of Dorwinion, as well as with the Kingdom of Dale and the Woodland Realm. They were known as one of the "moderate" Easterling tribes.
More importantly, the Dorwinrim had close ties to the Blue Wizards. It was said that the Blue Wizards had helped them break free from Sauron's oppression and had continued to aid them in resisting Sauron's rule.
Seeing the Dorwinrim, Luke's eyes lit up. After searching for so long, he had finally found a trace of the Blue Wizards.
On the battlefield, the Dorwinrim held the advantage, steadily wearing down the Wainriders and Balchoth.
Just as the Wainriders and Balchoth were on the verge of collapse, the piercing, terrifying cry of a fell beast echoed from afar.
At the sight of the approaching fell beast, the Wainriders and Balchoth grew hopeful and fervent, while the Dorwinrim were seized with fear. Even their horses grew restless and uncontrollable.
In an instant, the tide of battle turned again, and the Dorwinrim's advantage vanished.
Luke's expression darkened at the sight of the fell beast. These creatures always accompanied the Ringwraiths. He considered apparating to avoid the Ringwraith but hesitated to abandon this chance to connect with the Blue Wizards.
After a moment of indecision, he chose to stay. Simultaneously, his appearance rapidly changed: wrinkles formed on his face, his height decreased, his back hunched, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a tall, thin old man with white hair, somewhat resembling Gandalf.
The fell beast swiftly descended upon the battlefield. Its massive body swept low like a giant bulldozer, knocking down rows of Dorwinrim cavalry. In moments, the Dorwinrim suffered heavy casualties.
The Ringwraith atop the fell beast radiated an aura of fear and icy coldness. The fell beast let out an ear-splitting, soul-piercing shriek that stripped away courage, filling everyone with despair and terror, sapping their will to resist.
The Dorwinrim horses, unable to withstand the fell beast's presence, threw their riders and fled in panic.
The Dorwinrim found themselves trapped between the vengeful Wainriders and Balchoth ahead and the hopeless, overwhelming threat of the Ringwraith and fell beast behind.
As Luke debated whether to save the Dorwinrim, his system suddenly reacted.
[Hogwarts Sign-In System: Location identified—Easterling City. Sign in?]
Luke's spirits lifted, and he silently responded, "Sign in."
[Sign-in successful! Congratulations on obtaining the method to create an Invisibility Cloak!]
An Invisibility Cloak? Luke was astonished. He hadn't expected to obtain a second Deathly Hallow so soon.
But the reward from the sign-in couldn't immediately resolve the situation before him.
Watching the Dorwinrim on the verge of annihilation below, Luke decided to intervene.
"Evil, be gone!" Luke shouted, raising a wand whose appearance he had altered with Transfiguration. A brilliant, holy light erupted from it.
To avoid exposing his identity, Luke resorted to the Holy Light technique he had learned from Gandalf.
The sacred light caused the Ringwraith extreme discomfort, and the fell beast grew increasingly agitated, fearfully flying high into the sky to avoid the radiance. The Ringwraith exhaled a dark mist, confronting the holy light. Its eyes glowing with red light fixed intently on the unfamiliar old man who had suddenly appeared.
"Who are you?"
"I am Albus Dumbledore, evil specter! This is not your domain. Return to the wraith-world!"
Luke shouted with a stern expression, striking his wand forcefully to release a magical wave that forced the Ringwraith and the fell beast to retreat.
"Albus Dumbledore? Hmph, never heard of you. Just another insignificant fool!" The Ringwraith's eyes flashed with red light as it sneered mockingly. "This is the territory of the Dark Lord. Since you dare to appear here, you shall remain forever as my servant!"
With that, it drew a Morgul-blade and transformed into a shadow, swiftly lunging toward Luke.
But before it could reach him, an invisible yet incredibly sturdy barrier blocked the Ringwraith's attack.
Luke had activated the Ring of Power on his finger, forming a magical shield.
Under Celebrimbor's guidance, Luke had endowed the Ring of Power with a basic concealment ability, much like the Three Rings of the Elves. Unless Luke willed it, no one except the wearer of the One Ring could see the Ring of Power on his finger.
This was why Luke felt confident using it in front of the Ringwraith.
The Ringwraith attempted to break through the magical shield, but Luke had continuously stored magic within the Ring of Power. Until this power was exhausted, the shield would remain unbreakable.
Luke had spent an entire month storing magic in the ring before setting out for the Far East, and during his journey, he had frequently infused it with additional magic. Thus, the ring now contained a vast reserve of magic. Even if he stood still and allowed the Ringwraith to attack, he could hold out for a long time. However, Luke was reluctant to waste the ring's magic, as it represented his painstaking efforts.
Luke raised his wand high and chanted an ancient Elvish incantation.
The sky suddenly changed, and a bolt of lightning struck down, directly merging into his wand.
This lightning was nowhere near as powerful as what Gandalf or Saruman could summon—it was only as thick as an arm, resembling an electric serpent.
But for Luke, this was the limit of his ability to summon lightning.
As he directed his wand toward the Ringwraith and the fell beast, the lightning struck the fell beast with blinding speed.
The Ringwraith reacted quickly, dodging the lightning attack.
The fell beast, struck by lightning, let out a piercing shriek. Its long neck was ripped open by the blast, spilling thick, black, poisonous blood as it plummeted to the ground, barely clinging to life.
The Ringwraith tried to launch a mental assault, but it immediately encountered a solid psychic barrier around Luke—an impregnable fortress that repelled all intrusion and influence.
The Ringwraith had never encountered such an opponent. It felt as though Luke was like a person encased in a turtle's shell—not only did he have an unbreakable magical shield around his body, but also a mental shield in his mind, leaving no weakness to exploit.
Seeing that it could not overcome Luke and noticing that he was preparing to summon lightning again, the Ringwraith swiftly retreated.
Its flaming eyes stared intently at Luke, as if memorizing his appearance. "Albus Dumbledore, I will remember you," it said. Without regard for the dying fell beast, its form gradually faded, entering the wraith-world and leaving the battlefield.
After the Ringwraith departed, Luke secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
If the confrontation had continued, he feared his disguise might not hold.
To prevent the Ringwraith from guessing his true identity, he had only used magic native to Middle-earth throughout the encounter.
Moreover, he could not directly kill the Ringwraith. If the Ringwraith died, Sauron would immediately sense it and turn his gaze here. Under Sauron's scrutiny, Luke had no confidence in concealing his identity.
However, he also could not stay long in the Easterling city. Once the Ringwraith returned to Mordor, it would likely draw Sauron's attention.
After all, the appearance of a mysterious wizard in the Easterling territories was significant enough for Sauron to take notice.
He then turned his attention to the Dorwinrim on the battlefield and the fell beast.
Luke first approached the fell beast. Looking at the massive creature emanating rot and dark energy, he struck it firmly with his wand without hesitation, ensuring it drew its last breath.
He then summoned flames to ignite the fell beast.
Only after that did he focus on the Dorwinrim.
As for the remaining Wainriders and Balchoth, after witnessing their "divine envoy" defeated and fleeing and their "divine beast" slain, they lost all courage to resist and fled in terror.
Luke paid no mind to those fleeing. Instead, he walked up to a man who was clearly the leader of the Dorwinrim.
The Dorwinrim leader, seeing Luke approach, regarded him with awe and caution.
He bowed to Luke and said, "I am Barg, chieftain of the Dorwinrim tribe. Thank you, Mr. Dumbledore, for saving us. If there is anything you need, please let us know!"
Evidently, he had heard Luke's self-introduction to the Ringwraith.
Luke looked at the perceptive Dorwinrim chieftain and tossed him a potion bottle.
"This is a healing potion. A single drop can alleviate injuries. Have your soldiers take it. We need to leave quickly—there are other Ringwraiths nearby. If they arrive, we won't be able to escape."
The Dorwinrim chieftain carefully caught the bottle and was astonished by its claimed effects. However, he did not doubt Luke's words and immediately administered the potion to his surrounding men.
As for concerns about poison, after witnessing Luke's capabilities, they had no such worries. If Luke had wanted them dead, he wouldn't have saved them earlier.
When they saw severely wounded, dying soldiers rapidly heal and regain vitality after taking a few drops of the potion, the Dorwinrim looked at Luke as if he were a deity, regarding the potion as divine medicine.
Some lightly injured soldiers felt it was wasteful to use such a miraculous life-saving potion for their wounds. But under Chieftain Barg's firm orders, they had no choice but to take the potion and watch in amazement as their wounds healed visibly.
Chieftain Barg was also astonished by the potion's effects. However, since Luke had provided it, he dared not hoard it and used the entire bottle on all his soldiers.
Soon, except for those who had unfortunately perished, all the Dorwinrim had recovered.
Chieftain Barg knew the situation was urgent. After gathering supplies and setting fire to the palace that once belonged to the Ringwraith Khamûl, they quickly withdrew.
The Dorwinrim did not seek to occupy the Easterling city like the Wainriders and Balchoth. Instead, they engaged in guerrilla warfare, continuously depleting the forces of Sauron-loyal Easterlings, disrupting supply lines, and undermining morale.
This strategy aimed to curb Sauron's influence in the East and prevent the region from fully falling under his rule.
This method of warfare had been suggested by the Blue Wizards.
Hearing about the Blue Wizards from the Dorwinrim chieftain, Luke felt a surge of excitement.
He immediately asked, "Do you know where the Blue Wizards are? I came specifically to seek them out."
The Dorwinrim chieftain responded curiously, "Which Blue Wizard are you looking for, Mr. Dumbledore? The two Blue Wizards are elusive, and their footprints cover almost the entire Eastern lands. Wizard Rómestámo primarily operates in the Rhûn region, while Wizard Morinehtar is more active in the southern regions of Khand and Harad."
"Can you contact either of them?"
"Wizard Morinehtar hasn't been to the North in a long time. So if you wish to find a Blue Wizard, we can only try to contact Rómestámo for you," the Dorwinrim chieftain explained. "We owe a great debt to the two Blue Wizards. They rescued our ancestors from the Dark Lord's rule and have always helped us resist the dark forces. We can help you contact Rómestámo, but I cannot guarantee he will agree to meet you."
Luke shook his head. "That's fine. As long as you can help me reach him."
Luke then followed the Dorwinrim host, riding hard for a day and a night until they finally reached the Dorwinrim tribe at dawn the next day.
The Dorwinrim chieftain then led Luke to a temple-like structure where two stone statues stood prominently.
Both statues held wands. One had a long beard, the other a short mustache. Both wore cloaks that covered most of their faces, giving them a mysterious aura.
"What are these?" Luke asked, somewhat surprised.
"These are depictions of the two Blue Wizards, Rómestámo and Morinehtar. To express our gratitude for their help, we specially built these statues for them," the Dorwinrim chieftain explained.
Luke understood and examined the two statues with curiosity.
The Dorwinrim chieftain prayed reverently before the statues and then led Luke to a stone basin at their feet filled with clear water.
Luke noticed runic spell-carvings etched into the basin and was taken aback.
Even more astonishing was that the water in the basin carried a magical quality, making it extraordinary.
The Dorwinrim chieftain explained, "This is holy water. Everyone in our tribe is baptized here after birth to avoid corruption by darkness and evil spirits."
Luke was even more surprised. Why did this ritual resemble that of a certain religion from his previous life?
But the holy water was indeed remarkable, possessing a luminous power that could counter certain dark creatures.
What astonished Luke even more was when the Dorwinrim chieftain chanted an incantation over the basin. The water rippled, and a hazy vision emerged within it, like a dreamlike illusion.
"You know magic?" Luke asked in surprise, sensing a faint magical fluctuation from the Dorwinrim chieftain.
The Dorwinrim chieftain shook his head regretfully. "Wizard Rómestámo once taught our ancestors some spells to help us fight our enemies. But my talent is limited; I only know a few rudimentary tricks—it can't be called real magic."
But Luke's surprise did not diminish. In the magical world, magical talent was innate. Muggles were Muggles and could never learn magic. There were even Squibs—people with magical blood who couldn't perform magic, making them marginal figures in the magical world. The fact that the Blue Wizards could enable ordinary people to learn magic astounded Luke.
Luke was filled with curiosity about the Blue Wizards. What kind of wizards were they to devise methods for ordinary people to learn magic?
Just then, a blue-cloaked figure appeared in the water of the basin.
"Barg, why have you summoned me?"