Círdan, beaming with pride, led Luke to the massive machine. "This," he announced, "is the steam engine I designed after a month of intense meditation. It's crafted entirely from refined iron with a touch of mithril. It works by burning fuel in the boiler, which heats the water to produce high-temperature, high-pressure steam. This steam then pushes a piston, causing it to move back and forth. This motion, coupled with a crankshaft and gear drive, transmits power to a propeller at the stern, propelling the vessel through the water."
Luke gazed at the colossal steam engine in awe. If not for the elves surrounding him, he might have believed he had been transported back to the Age of Steam. Curious about its fuel, he watched as Círdan produced a glowing red gem. Círdan chanted an Elven spell, and the ruby pulsed with brighter, more intense heat.
He then placed the gem into the furnace beneath the boiler. Mysterious red runes appeared on the furnace, and with the gem as its core, a blazing fire ignited. As the flames burned, the water in the boiler quickly reached boiling point, and the machine began to hum into operation.
Luke stood captivated, watching the steam engine puff and hiss. The elf craftsmen around them were equally stunned, their faces a mix of shock and joy. Their traditions had always been ancient, but this steam engine shattered their understanding, hinting at a new era. Círdan, the creator, looked at his masterpiece with immense satisfaction and pride.
"Luke," he said, turning to him, "this steam engine came from your inspiration. Please, give it a name." The other elf craftsmen looked at Luke expectantly.
Luke didn't refuse. He smiled, looking at the rumbling engine. "Then let us call it the Rauda Nórë."
"Golden Fireship?" Círdan nodded in agreement. "Rauda Nórë' is indeed an apt name!" He continued, "Then the steel ship built with this steam engine will also be called the Rauda Nórë!"
In the days that followed, Círdan worked alongside other elven craftsmen to construct a colossal steel ship, with the steam engine at its core. Luke, having completed his mission, formally bid farewell to Círdan. Círdan tried to persuade him to stay longer, but his efforts were in vain.
Before Luke departed, Círdan presented him with a beautiful swan boat he had personally built. This swan boat carried Círdan's blessing; it was not only light and strong but could also glide across the water as if on solid ground, truly unsinkable. Luke placed the swan boat into his spatial bag, intending to leave it on the Black Lake when he returned to Hogwarts.
With Círdan's permission, Luke also connected Mithlond's hearth to the Floo Network and gave Círdan a bottle of Floo powder. Círdan welcomed the Floo Network's connection, noting it would greatly ease the journey for elves traveling to Mithlond from Rivendell, Lothlórien, and the Woodland Realm, saving them long and perilous trips.
The giant eagle, Sulond, had thoroughly enjoyed himself during Luke's stay, having been largely ignored. He spent his days soaring over the sea, exploring its depths, flying out at sunrise and returning at sunset, even catching large fish. Now that Luke was leaving, Sulond seemed reluctant to depart.
Luke patted him. "It's alright, you can come anytime you wish in the future. The distance from Weathertop to here isn't far for you, is it?" Sulond tilted his head, seeming to ponder this, then, no longer reluctant, took flight, carrying Luke away from Mithlond. However, Luke and Sulond did not return the same way but continued flying west.
While Luke's primary objective for this journey was to collect the Mercury of the Soul, his secondary purpose was to trigger the sign-in system at other key locations. This coastal region, besides Grey Havens, boasted two other elven ports on the northern and southern shores of the westernmost part of the Lune Bay: Harlond Port and Forlond Port. These two ports, only a few hundred miles from Grey Havens, presented prime opportunities for sign-ins.
Sulond soon carried Luke to Forlond Port on the north shore of Lune Bay. Forlond Harbor was an important port of the Kingdom of Lindon, primarily inhabited by the Noldor Elves.
The Noldor, known as "Karakundí" or Light Elves, had once followed Finwë to Valinor and bathed in the radiance of the Two Trees, thus carrying a faint glow about them. However, due to the conflict over the Silmarils, some Noldor, including Galadriel, had returned to Middle-earth under Fëanor's leadership.
The Noldor were arguably the most influential of the Elves in Middle-earth, their history spanning epochs and filled with legends and entanglements. After initially awakening on the shores of Lake Cuiviénen, the Noldor, led by Finwë, embarked on a migration to Valinor at the invitation of the Valar. They ultimately bathed in the light of the Two Trees and became the first Elves to settle in the West.
But after Finwë's son Fëanor created the Silmarils, Morgoth killed Finwë and stole the Silmarils, igniting the Noldor's thirst for vengeance. Fëanor defied the Valar's ban, leading some Noldor elves into exile in Middle-earth and initiating a long war with Morgoth, which triggered a series of later conflicts. Among elves, the Noldor were considered warlike, possessing strong will and immense pride, perfectly embodied by Princess Galadriel.
Galadriel also defied the Valar's ban, joining the Noldor in leaving Valinor and waging war against Morgoth. After Morgoth's defeat and Sauron's rise, she still organized the White Council and spearheaded the fight against Sauron's forces. Because of her immense pride, she even refused the Valar's forgiveness, choosing to remain in exile in Middle-earth rather than return to Valinor.
Additionally, the Noldor were renowned for their wisdom, prodigious memory, and pursuit of knowledge, excelling in forging, metallurgy, and gem crafts. Items like the Silmarils, the Stone of True Knowledge, the Three Rings, and even famous Elf Swords were all creations of the Noldor.
When Sulond appeared over Forlond Harbor, the Noldor elves below watched the giant eagle and Luke with vigilance. Luke didn't allow Sulond to land, instead using Apparition to appear on the ground.
"Who are you?" a black-haired Noldor Elf stepped forward and asked.
"I am Luke, the black wizard of Amon Sul. I have just returned from visiting Lord Círdan, Lord of Mithlond. I have heard of the great reputation of Forlond Haven and have come here to visit," Luke replied, speaking in fluent Quenya.
Quenya was the language of the Noldor, but in Middle-earth, due to the wider popularity of Sindarin, Quenya gradually became more of a written or ceremonial language. Even in daily Noldor communication, Sindarin was more commonly used.
The black-haired elf's eyes flickered with surprise upon hearing Luke's Quenya, and his attitude softened slightly. He immediately switched to Quenya himself: "You speak Quenya very well."
"Thank you, my teacher taught me well," Luke said with a smile, a hint of tenderness unconsciously appearing in his eyes. His Elvish languages, both Sindarin and Quenya, were taught by Arwen. The black-haired elf noticed the change in his expression, and seeing the Evenstar necklace hanging on his chest, he immediately formed some guesses.
"I am Myrgon, the governor of Forlond Harbor. Your name, Wizard Luke, is known even in the far west of this continent. Now I see that you truly live up to your reputation."
"Governor Myrgon, thank you for your kind words!" Luke replied politely.
Myrgon then invited Luke to visit the Governor's House, and Luke readily agreed. As a port city inhabited by the Noldor, Forlond Harbor's architecture was characteristically Noldor: both gorgeous and exquisite.
The walls and terraces were white, the windows made of crystal, the streets paved with white pebbles, and even the beach was white. The overall visual effect was one of holiness and radiance. The household utensils were also incredibly exquisite, each appearing as a work of art. Luke couldn't help but marvel; the Noldor truly were the most skilled of elves, their pursuit of beauty reaching its zenith.
During their conversation, Luke learned that Myrgon had once been one of High King Gil-galad's personal guards. In the War of the Last Alliance, the Noldor, including Gil-galad, suffered heavy losses. Myrgon was one of the few surviving Noldor.
After Gil-galad's fall, Círdan became the leader of the Kingdom of Lindon. However, because Círdan was a Teleri Elf and the lord of Mithlond, the Havens of Forlond, where the Noldor lived, maintained a certain degree of autonomy.
However, the Port of Forlond had gradually declined. After the War of Wrath in the First Age and the Battle of the Last Alliance in the Second Age, the Noldor of Lindon were severely weakened and slowly faded from Middle-earth, becoming increasingly disengaged from its affairs. Coupled with their longing for their homeland of Valinor, more and more elves answered the call of the sea, heading to Mithlond to cross over.
The number of Noldor remaining in Lindon dwindled, and even Myrgon, the lord of Forlondhaven, had begun to consider crossing the sea. He planned to wait for the last elves from Forlondhaven to leave before joining them on the journey.
"Wizard Luke, I heard that the divine spear Aeglos is in your hands. Is this true?" Myrgon suddenly asked at the end of their conversation.
Seeing Myrgon's expectant look, Luke nodded, took the divine spear Aeglos from his spatial bag, and handed it to him. Myrgon took the spear, his expression fluctuating, and he sighed with reminiscence in his eyes.
"Aeglos, meaning 'Snowy Peak,' was once the culmination of the wisdom and craftsmanship of many Noldor artisans, forged from meteoric iron and mithril from the stars. We tried to find it in the past but found nothing. I never thought I would see it today."
As he stroked the spear, a look of profound relief appeared on his face, as if his last obsession had been resolved. He seemed even more ethereal, almost isolated from the world. He returned the spear to Luke, and with a relieved smile, he thanked him.
"Thank you for fulfilling my last wish. I have already felt the call from the sea. I am afraid I will have to go before the last group of my people leaves."
Hearing Myrgon's words, Luke was momentarily stunned, then offered his congratulations. "Congratulations in advance!"
At that moment, the system also provided a prompt:
[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Locating Forlond Harbor. Do you want to sign in?]
Luke's heart stirred, and he silently muttered, "Sign in."