When Luke heard that Gandalf was also coming, his confidence soared. In the original destiny, Gandalf was capable of defeating the Balrog, so there was no reason why he couldn't do so this time. Moreover, Gandalf wouldn't be fighting alone; with Luke and Smaug joining forces, Gandalf wouldn't have to pay the ultimate price. However, Luke wondered if this intervention might inadvertently prevent Gandalf from becoming the White Wizard.
The Phoenix project was on hold for the time being. They would need to acquire the Eternal Fire from the Balrog before they could continue the creation process.
During this period, Luke also learned the reason for Gandalf's visit to Fangorn Forest. Fangorn Forest lay very close to Isengard, Saruman's stronghold, separated only by a mountain range to the south. Gandalf had been wary ever since he determined that Saruman had fallen into darkness and was secretly conspiring with Sauron.
To prevent Saruman and Sauron from joining forces and threatening the southern kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan, Gandalf had specifically traveled south to warn the Steward of Gondor and the King of Rohan, and to secretly seek a way to curb Saruman's growing power. To this end, he had come to Fangorn Forest and sought the help of Treebeard.
Through his ability to communicate with plants, Treebeard could monitor Saruman's every move. Although Treebeard and Saruman were neighbors, their relationship was distant. However, Treebeard and Gandalf were friends, trusting and supporting each other, so Treebeard naturally agreed to Gandalf's request without hesitation.
Saruman's residence in Orthanc was surrounded by a vast expanse of trees, which served as the eyes and ears of the Ents, providing a subtle surveillance tool. Even with the Palantir, Saruman would have found it difficult to notice these motionless trees. Everything that transpired around Isengard and Orthanc was recorded by the surrounding trees and shared with the Ents.
Soon, Treebeard brought news: Saruman was secretly contacting the orcs of the Misty Mountains and attempting to win over the Dunlendings. Furthermore, the orcs Saruman was contacting were the very ones who had occupied Moria!
What a coincidence, indeed! Upon hearing this news, Luke and Gandalf exchanged surprised glances. They were just about to join forces with the Dwarves to deal with the orcs and Balrogs of Moria. And Saruman was also in contact with the orcs in Moria? Now, whether it was to obtain the Balrog's flames or to sever Saruman's support, they both had to take the situation in Moria far more seriously.
Otherwise, once Saruman formed an alliance with the orcs, his power would skyrocket, posing a threat no less significant than that of Mordor. After all, as a Maia of Aulë, the Vála of crafts, Saruman was not only proficient in powerful magic and sorcery but also skilled in industrial production. He could create various engineering equipment, forge weapons, and rapidly arm an army. It could be said that Saruman's engineering and forging talents were unmatched in Middle-earth, making him a potent military force.
Gandalf, receiving this intelligence, suddenly felt a surge of urgency. To prevent Saruman from gaining control of the orcs, he planned to travel north to the Lonely Mountain and organize another expedition to Moria. With the Dwarves' help, he could eliminate the orcs in Moria and cut off Saruman's power. Simultaneously, he would join forces with Luke and the dragon Smaug to eliminate the Balrog entrenched in the mines of Moria, preventing it from forming an alliance with Sauron and threatening the security of Middle-earth.
So, after entrusting the tree-folk to continue monitoring Saruman and Isengard, Gandalf, Luke, and Arwen left Fangorn Forest together and headed north to Lórien first. In Lórien, Gandalf explained the situation to Galadriel and Celeborn. Both took the matter very seriously and agreed with Gandalf's idea of helping the Dwarves retake Moria. They also expressed their willingness to lend a hand when the time came, allowing the Elves of Lórien to block the back door of Moria in the Dimrill Dale and eliminate the orcs' effective forces.
Moria was the birthplace of the Dwarves of Durin's Folk. The Dwarves had delved through the Misty Mountains. Its main gate was located on the west side of the Misty Mountains, and its back gate on the east side was located in the Dimrill Dale. It served as an important passage connecting the east and west of Middle-earth.
Before the Dwarves unearthed the Balrog, Moria was known as Khazad-dûm, and it was one of the passages many races used to travel between east and west. Even the Elves of Lórien used the passages of Moria to cross the Misty Mountains and reach Rivendell or the Grey Havens further west. Only after the Balrog destroyed the kingdom of Khazad-dûm and occupied Moria was this passage completely cut off. To cross the Misty Mountains now, one had to either traverse the more dangerous High Pass in the north, or circumvent the Gap of Rohan, the southernmost point of the Misty Mountains. Such detours were incredibly time-consuming and lengthy, often taking several times longer to travel.
With the support of Galadriel and Celeborn, Gandalf did not linger long in Lórien. He flew north on his broom, preparing to visit the Lonely Mountain. Luke stayed in Lórien for a few more days. Arwen took him for walks in the Golden Wood. The two of them stepped on the soft, golden, fallen leaves of the mallorn trees.
Arwen vividly recounted the age of each mallorn tree and pointed out the trees she had planted herself. Or they would sit on the hill of Cerindalf, lying on the grass filled with elanor and niphredil flowers, quietly gazing up at the blue sky. Sometimes he would follow the Nimrodel Stream to its cascading waterfall, listening to the sound of the spring water like the singing of an elven maiden. Other times, they would visit Egladil, where the Elves were most densely populated, to discuss poetry with them and listen to stories and legends of the past.
On the summit of Cerindalf grew two concentric circles of trees: the outer circle consisted of white-barked trees, and the inner circle comprised mallorns with golden leaves. In the center stood a tall tree with a white platform suspended between its branches, offering a panoramic view of the entire Golden Wood. Luke and Arwen sat on this platform, feeling the breeze on their faces and gazing at the distant scenery.
The wind ruffled Arwen's long, smooth black hair, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone upon her, radiating a holy and beautiful light. The Evening Star in the sky and the Evening Star necklace on her chest complemented each other, making her seem like the incarnation of the stars on Earth. Such a scene captivated Luke, and he couldn't tear his eyes away for a long time.
Arwen looked at Luke, her eyes filled with soft starlight. She asked, "Luke, perhaps you have heard the story of my ancestor Lúthien's love for the human hero Beren?"
Luke shook his head slightly, his eyes softening. "I'm not entirely familiar with it. Could you tell me?"
Arwen looked towards the setting sun in the west, her perfect face filled with calmness and gentleness as she slowly recounted the story of the past. "Lúthien was the daughter of the Elf King Thingol and the Maia Melian. She was the most beautiful of all the Elves. Her singing could make the stars pale in comparison, and her dancing was like falling moonlight. She met and fell in love with the human hero Beren, and together they took a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. However, on their way back, they were attacked by the giant wolf Carcharoth. Beren fought Carcharoth to protect the jewel, and though he eventually slew him, he was mortally wounded and died in Lúthien's arms."
"Lúthien was heartbroken," Arwen continued, "unwilling to accept her eternal farewell to Beren. She sacrificed her own elven immortality to enter the Halls of Mandos (the land of the dead), and moved Mandos, the Lord of the Underworld, with her singing. The Valar, taking pity on her deep affection, permitted Beren to be resurrected, but on the condition that Lúthien should give up her Elven immortality and live with Beren as a Man, sharing their mortal fate."
Arwen's gaze was far-reaching, as if she had witnessed the scene with her own eyes, and her ethereal and beautiful voice carried an incomprehensible weight. "And Lúthien agreed without hesitation." She chose to become mortal, to spend a brief time with the resurrected Beren, and then to accept the fate of human death and bid farewell to the world.
Arwen turned her gaze back to Luke. "Luke, if you were Beren, would you accept Lúthien giving up her immortality and choosing to spend a short but happy life with him?"
Luke looked into Arwen's eyes and shook his head firmly. "No, I would not accept someone giving up eternal life for me, just for that brief moment of happiness."
Arwen was momentarily stunned, and the starlight in her eyes dimmed instantly.
"Because I am greedy," Luke explained, reaching out and taking Arwen's hand, smiling ostentatiously. "I hope to live with my love forever until the end of the world, to see the sun, moon, stars, the sea and the rocks, until the end of all things!" He continued, "So I don't want my love to pay the price of eternal life for me. It will make me feel guilty for the rest of my life, and I will never be at peace." Then he asked, "So, Arwen, are you willing to spend every day of the future with me forever, until the end of the world?"
Listening to Luke's confession, Arwen was surprised and happy, tears welling in her starry eyes. But she hesitated, saying doubtfully, "Although I also long for eternal companionship, Luke, I can feel the connection between you and Gandalf. You have the fate of mankind, so how can you survive forever in this world?"
Luke confidently winked at her. "Have you forgotten that I am also a wizard? Mortals cannot resist death, but wizards can."
"Really?" Arwen's eyes were full of hope.
"Of course it's true, so being with me doesn't require you to give up your eternal life," Luke affirmed, holding her hand, for a moment reluctant to let go.
Luke wasn't worried about failing to achieve immortality. Apart from the Phoenix Animagus method, he still wasn't planning to give up the Philosopher's Stone. Furthermore, if all else failed, he could always learn from Voldemort and create a Horcrux to avoid death. Although Horcruxes had flaws, they were indeed an effective way to circumvent death. As long as he didn't go mad like Voldemort and slice himself into pieces to preserve multiple Horcruxes, he wouldn't lose his mind. Of course, this was only a last resort; he would definitely not create a Horcrux unless absolutely necessary.
Feeling the confidence radiating from Luke, and although Arwen didn't know his exact solution, she chose to believe him. She simply looked at her hand being held, her face flushing as she realized, but she didn't pull away. The two sat on the highest platform of Cerindalf, quietly gazing at the distant sunset. The atmosphere was peaceful and warm.
When they returned to Caras Galadhon, Galadriel and Celeborn were the first to notice the shift in aura between Luke and Arwen. Galadriel looked at Luke, who was pretending to be normal, with a half-smile and said nothing. But Celeborn frowned, looking at Luke with a displeased expression, then asked Arwen worriedly.
"Arwen, have you truly thought this through?"
Arwen nodded, her expression firm and serious. "Grandfather, I've made up my mind. Luke is my only and unwavering choice!"