"Rowan," Galadriel said as they left the palace, tugging Lúthien along and drifting closer to him, "I didn't expect my brothers to be telling the truth. Where did you even learn magic like that?"
Judging by what he had shown inside the hall, Rowan was still within a range she could handle. But if his power truly increased a hundredfold, then even she would lose. That realization unsettled her.
"I'm not sure how to explain it," Rowan said after a pause. "A mysterious teacher showed me the way. I never learned who he really was."
It was a convenient answer. The truth wouldn't help anyone, and no one could disprove it anyway. He could have claimed Ilúvatar himself had taught him, and unless the Creator appeared to deny it, there would be no way to verify the claim.
"A mysterious teacher…" Galadriel frowned thoughtfully. "Could it have been Oromë? He often travels Middle-earth. But I've never heard of him using light magic or anything like giant transformation. Maybe it was another of the Valar."
Lúthien, meanwhile, wasn't interested in divine speculation.
"Your story in the palace," she said softly, "about the creature in the underground tunnels. Was it real, or did you make it up? Do you know any others like it?"
Magic and combat bored her. Stories did not.
"That one?" Rowan smiled. "I heard it from someone else. We have many stories like that where I come from. If you're curious, you could visit our academy sometime. I could tell you more."
He paused, then added lightly, "There's another one called 'The Snaga Who Looked at the Sky from a Cave.'"
Lúthien's eyes lit up. "What's that about?"
Rowan began to speak as they walked.
"One day, a Snaga was working deep underground when a bat transformed into a vampire and dropped down beside him. The vampire said, 'I've flown for a thousand miles and I'm thirsty. Go fetch me some blood.' The Snaga laughed and said, 'Stop boasting. The hole above us is tiny. How could you fly that far?'"
He continued calmly, "'The vampire laughed and said, "You ignorant creature. The sky has no edge. It's vast beyond imagining." But the Snaga shook his head and replied, "I work here every day. I look up and see the sky. I know how big it is." The vampire finally said, "One day, when you march out with the army to fight the elves, you'll understand."'"
Lúthien laughed, clear and bright.
"I see," she said. "It means the same thing as the other story. A narrow world creates narrow understanding."
Several noble heirs nearby froze when they heard her laughter. They had never seen Princess Lúthien this animated. And certainly not because of a human.
"Well," Rowan said, giving her a thumbs-up, "you're very perceptive."
She tilted her head, then copied the gesture awkwardly. "Does this mean 'clever' among humans?"
"Close enough," Rowan replied.
She smiled and returned the gesture. "Then you're clever too. Humans really are an interesting people."
From a short distance away, Thingol watched the exchange with a dangerous glint in his eye.
Is he trying to charm my daughter?
The thought alone was unacceptable. A human, no matter how powerful, lived only decades. Elves endured until the world's end. Loving a mortal would only bring Lúthien grief, and grief could kill even an elf.
Thankfully, his worry lasted only a moment.
They had reached the open grounds outside the Thousand-Cavern Palace.
Elves gathered quickly when they saw Thingol and the nobles emerge together, curiosity rippling through the city.
"Rowan," Thingol said, his tone noticeably different than before, "you may begin your demonstration."
He used Rowan's name now.
That alone marked a shift.
"I'll start with a full-body giant transformation," Rowan said.
A vast magic circle flared around him. His body surged upward, growing larger and larger until a giant a hundred meters tall stood where a man had been. When Rowan clapped his hands together, the shockwave tore through the air, scattering clouds above the city.
The implication was unmistakable. If that fist struck the ground, the earth itself would answer.
"So big…" Galadriel whispered. "It reminds me of Tulkas."
She remembered tales from her grandfather. The war-god who could grow to impossible size, who had once smashed Morgoth and bound him in chains forged by Aulë.
The elves around her were no less shaken. Awe spread through the crowd like a held breath.
"Exchange," someone muttered. "We must exchange knowledge."
If humans could wield magic like this, then elves certainly could as well.
But Rowan was not finished.
"They say the Valley of Death is filled with creatures born of Morgoth's corruption," his voice boomed across the land. "Then today, I'll turn it into a Valley of Light."
The giant brought his hands together.
"Light Magic: Fairy Law."
And the world seemed to brace itself.