The undercurrents stirring in the Easterling regions were not something Luke had the leisure or energy to pay attention to at this time.
He rode his flying broomstick eastward all the way.
To avoid being noticed along the way, he cast Disillusionment Charms on both himself and his flying broomstick.
Thus, he smoothly flew over the greatest mountain range of the Far East—the Orocarni Mountains.
On the western slopes of the Orocarni Mountains grew wild forests. Legend had it that Cuiviénen, the birthplace of the Elves, was somewhere nearby, with a mountain river and waterfall flowing into Cuiviénen Bay of the Sea of Helcar.
The Elves first awakened here, then gradually multiplied and grew, dividing into different kindreds such as the Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri. However, after numerous changes in the world, when the shape of land and sea had been broken and rebuilt multiple times, rivers changed course, mountains altered their faces, and Cuiviénen no longer existed.
While flying over the mountains, Luke also noticed the presence of Dwarves in the mountains.
Four of the seven Dwarf clans had their ancestors originating from this mountain. They awakened and multiplied here, forming the Eastern Dwarf lineage. However, with Sauron's long rule in the East, some of the Dwarves were corrupted by Sauron and became Dark Dwarves, loyal to Sauron, constantly conflicting with the mountain Dwarves and trying to seize Dwarf territories.
The two Blue Wizards and the mountain Dwarves were allies. Rómestámo and Morinehtar traveled throughout the eastern lands, uniting the mountain Dwarves, eastern Elves, and some Humans to form a powerful alliance, preventing Sauron from completely ruling the East.
Luke didn't linger. After flying over the mountains, he followed the route map given by Rómestámo and continued eastward.
Finally, on the day before the New Year, Luke arrived at the easternmost end of the continent.
He looked at the boundless eastern sea, facing the rising sun, overlooking the coastline below.
Perhaps because of the barrier of the western Orocarni Mountains, or perhaps because of the extreme distance, Sauron's power had not reached the eastern coast. Here was peaceful and tranquil, with green mountains and clear waters, like a pure land untouched by outsiders.
Humans also lived here, and these humans resembled the Eastern people in Luke's memory more than the Easterlings did.
Luke didn't disturb the local residents but, following the route map's guidance, approached a continuous mountain range near the sea.
The mountain range was steep and beautiful, full of vibrant life. It formed a semi-arc like a tall wall, with towering peaks surrounded in the middle. The mountains blocked the moist air currents from the eastern sea, gathering here to form perpetual mists that shrouded the mountains, making them appear even more mysterious.
Only when the strong wind brought by the sun rising from the east dispersed the mountain mists could one see the complete outline of the mountain range for a moment.
Therefore, this mountain was named the Mountains of the Wind.
And this was also the location of Hildórien—the birthplace of mankind.
Rómestámo's route map ended here. From now on, one could only wait until tomorrow, when the first ray of sunlight of the new year shone on the Mountains of the Wind, to see Hildórien and enter the Valley of Awakening where mankind first awakened.
"Show me the way~"
Luke was somewhat curious whether he could use magic to find Hildórien, so he immediately cast a spell.
A golden beam of light shot from his hand, directly entering the deep mountains shrouded in mist.
Seeing this, Luke immediately pursued the direction the light indicated.
Shuttling through the dense fog where he couldn't see his hand in front of his face, Luke used a whirlwind to blow away the surrounding mist. But before he could be happy for long, the inexhaustible mountain mists closed in around him again.
Luke immediately cast several more spells, even summoning a tornado, but the mountain mists were endless and bottomless, never dispersing.
Luke gave up helplessly and could only follow the light of the Point-Me spell to track it.
But soon, Luke discovered that his Point-Me spell had failed, or rather, was being interfered with. There seemed to be an incomprehensible great power in the mountains that affected not only vision, senses, and consciousness, but even rendered magic ineffective.
Despite Luke's careful search throughout the mountains for an entire day, not missing even a single gully, he still couldn't find Hildórien.
Luke sighed helplessly and could only wait for tomorrow when the sun came out to search again.
So he simply took out a tent at the foot of the mountain to stay overnight.
From the outside, the tent looked like a small tent that could accommodate one person sleeping, but inside, Luke had cast an Extension Charm, making it three stories high with a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and everything complete.
After casting Muggle-Repelling and Concealment Charms outside the tent, Luke entered directly into meditation.
Now his meditation was not only to become stronger but also to repair the missing soul fragment as quickly as possible.
Without sleeping all night, Luke emerged from meditation.
He turned to look toward the eastern sea through the bedroom window. At the horizon's end, a bit of light was already showing, and before long, the sun would rise.
At the same time, Middle-earth officially entered the Third Age 2946, and Luke had been in this world for five years.
Luke walked out of the tent, breathing the cool mountain air, waved his hand to shrink the tent and put it in his space bag.
Then he quietly waited for the first sun of the New Year to rise.
Time passed bit by bit, and the distant horizon grew brighter and brighter. Finally, when the awakening sun shyly rose from the sea level, the first ray of sunlight, accompanied by strong wind, illuminated the Mountains of the Wind.
Mountain winds howled, dispersing the mists between the mountains and revealing the complete outline of the mountain range.
As sunlight fell on the mountains, they seemed to awaken, undergoing a change that Luke couldn't perceive.
It was as if a mysterious and hazy veil had been lifted, revealing the truth.
Above a canyon in the mountain range, an arched rainbow appeared, looking like a doorway arch.
Seeing this, Luke's eyes lit up, and he immediately rode his flying broomstick toward where the rainbow was located.
Soon Luke arrived at the canyon where the rainbow was. He had been here yesterday too, but hadn't discovered anything unusual—it was just an ordinary canyon.
But today, under the rainbow, in the canyon, vague phantom scenes appeared, looking like a mirage. Luke landed at the bottom of the canyon and walked toward the area under the rainbow. Suddenly, a clear breeze blew toward him from nowhere, carrying a sweet fragrance. Smelling this fragrance, Luke felt his spirits lift and his body and mind become very comfortable, as if he had returned to his mother's womb, filled with a sense of security.
He tentatively walked toward the mirage-like phantom scene.
Then in the next second, it was as if he had entered another world.
Luke arrived in a vibrant valley.
The valley was surrounded by mountain walls, the air filled with sweet fragrance, and nightingale songs floated around. Time seemed to have forgotten this place, and everything in the valley remained as it was initially.
There were various kinds of trees in the valley. These trees were not only pleasing to look at but also hung with various sweet fruits.
Here it was spring all year round, with flowers in full bloom, and a silver river flowed from the depths of the valley. The riverbed was covered with golden sand, jade stones, and agates, as if washed down from upstream, emanating an aura of abundance.
Luke was filled with shock, his gaze amazed, feeling as if he had come to a fairyland.
This place was full of holy and sacred aura, with very rich magical energy. It seemed like a land of youth, without any decay or withering. From rocks to flowing water, everything emanated pure aura.
"I've entered the Garden of Eden..."
Smelling the sweet fragrance, Luke came under an apple tree and picked a red apple, unable to resist taking a bite.
Immediately, sweet juice filled his mouth, accompanied by a trace of divine energy flowing into his body.
In an instant, Luke felt from his soul, inside and out, an indescribable sense of extreme comfort. It was like parched earth meeting sweet rain, with the trembling of his soul being soothed.
Luke was extraordinarily delighted, and as if he hadn't eaten in several lifetimes, he quickly devoured the apple in his hand, then continued picking and eating. Until he could eat no more, he reluctantly stopped, looking at the fruits still hanging full on the tree, only lamenting why he didn't have several more stomachs.
As these fruits were consumed, the divine energy contained within them made Luke feel very comfortable in his soul. Where the soul fragment was originally missing, there began to be the tiniest bit of growth.
Although it was almost negligible growth, its effect on his body gave Luke a sense of hope.
He had originally thought that for the next dozen or so years, he could only rely on meditation to gradually repair his damaged soul.
But he hadn't expected to gain such a tremendous opportunity here at Hildórien!
Hildórien was the birthplace of mankind.
As the Younger Children of Ilúvatar, throughout the Years of the Two Trees and the Years of the Lamps before the First Age, mankind had always slept here.
Before mankind awakened, Ilúvatar used his own power to hide Hildórien so that mankind would not be disturbed, making it so that even the Valar could not find this place.
It wasn't until the end of the Years of the Two Trees, when the Sun rose from the West, that this never-before-visited birthplace of mankind began to appear in the world. Influenced by Ilúvatar's power, Hildórien was filled with holiness, and the fruit trees in the valley were also specially grown here to feed the awakening humans.
The fruit trees, nourished by the divine power Ilúvatar left in the valley, became different from fruit trees in the outside world, possessing a trace of sacred attributes. This was why Luke's damaged soul could gain a bit of recovery.
Seeing such miraculous fruits, Luke was extremely delighted and couldn't help but marvel at Ilúvatar's boundless magical power—just being touched by a trace of his divine power could give these fruit trees such attributes.
He decided to stay here for a while and use the energy in these fruits to repair his soul.
Even looking at this valley that was like a fairyland, he began to consider whether to use it as a retreat and hermitage?
After all, such a treasure land—if it weren't located in the extreme east, too far from Weathertop, he would want to live here permanently.
The magical energy here was very abundant, even more so than Rivendell and Lothlórien, and it was more beautiful too.
To give it up would be something he couldn't bear.
Having eaten enough fruit, Luke began venturing toward the valley's depths while allowing time for the meal to settle.
The innermost part was where mankind first awakened. He was going there to look for the final ingredient for the Philosopher's Stone—"Salt of the Body."