"How can such perfect things exist in this world..."
Saruman could no longer remain seated. He rose abruptly, holding the golden apple toward the window, examining it with intense scrutiny in the sunlight streaming through the colored glass. His eyes couldn't bear to look away from it for even a single moment.
"What exactly is this miraculous object?"
After his initial amazement subsided, Saruman suppressed his inner excitement, settled back in his chair, and asked in carefully measured tones, though his gaze remained fixed on the golden apple.
"A golden apple, crafted from a substantial amount of pure gold. Eating it can heal almost any injury imaginable, and it can also make you somewhat immune to the threat of sharp weapons."
Levi replied matter-of-factly: "It's quite precious. Use one, and there's one less in this world forever. I hope you can use it in the right place when the time comes."
Gandalf glanced meaningfully at Levi but said nothing about the generous gift.
"Good, very good indeed."
Saruman carefully tucked the golden apple into his robes and spoke in a considerably more pleased tone: "My esteemed guest has truly brought me a magnificent gift."
"I can guarantee that all the wisdom contained in this tower will be completely open to you during your stay."
"If there's anything you don't understand, you can find me on the upper level of the tower. If I'm available, I'll answer your questions personally."
[Isengard Reputation +30]
[Current Reputation: 30 (Guest)]
Really stingy.
Other places would consider 30 reputation points as friendly territory, but here it still registered as merely "guest" status.
One could only say it matched his personal character perfectly.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Just when all three present assumed the matter was concluded, Levi suddenly spoke again:
"In that room over there, if I'm not mistaken, is that a palantír?"
"You are truly learned."
Saruman offered a meaningful compliment and said: "That is indeed one of the palantíri, the Orthanc-stone. One of this tower's primary purposes is to protect it."
"May I take a look?"
"No!"
Two voices rang out simultaneously in alarm.
On this particular matter, Saruman rarely reached agreement with Gandalf.
"For safety considerations, I strongly suggest our guest not entertain ideas about that stone." Saruman issued a stern warning.
"Levi, that thing cannot be used lightly. One of its holders is Sauron himself. You would certainly be detected by him."
Gandalf also tried to dissuade him with obvious concern.
"That's exactly my purpose."
"If he can see me, then I can also see him."
Levi stood up with determination and said: "I'm extremely curious about what he's been doing lately."
Too reckless.
Gandalf shook his head repeatedly with growing alarm.
"Are you worried I'll be corrupted by him?"
Levi truly felt these two were making an enormous fuss over nothing.
"Have you forgotten, Gandalf? When I faced Sauron directly at Dol Guldur, I gave him quite a memorable beating."
"When facing him directly, he couldn't do anything meaningful to me. At such a great distance, could he really accomplish something he couldn't manage in person?"
In later times, Sauron's ability to attack people through the palantír would be largely because his power had recovered considerably after such a long time of accumulation.
The current Sauron remained very weak. This was a perfect opportunity to clash with him.
"Though you are generous, you have a fatally reckless personality."
Saruman's black staff suddenly appeared in view, followed immediately by his white robes billowing as he rose.
Gandalf also stood up with obvious reluctance.
"Maybe we should forget about this, Levi. It's not necessary."
Regardless of other interests, both were genuinely concerned for Levi's safety at this moment.
"Aren't you two here with me?"
"Is there anyone present who hasn't faced Sauron directly?"
Obviously there wasn't.
Levi stood at the doorway with his hands on his hips: "How about this arrangement: if I show even the slightest sign of being corrupted by Sauron, even if you knock me to the ground with your staffs, I won't have any complaints."
"This..."
Gandalf frowned deeply. Was this stone absolutely necessary to examine?
"Very well."
Unexpectedly, Saruman was the first to agree readily, gripping his menacing black staff with its spiked tip, appearing almost eager to try.
Saruman's intentions were known to all present.
"You... sigh."
Gandalf shook his head, muttering things like "unreasonable" and "reckless," then after thinking, also picked up his staff with resignation.
The three thus proceeded to the room on the right.
Levi positioned himself before the cloth-covered stone.
Gandalf and Saruman took positions to his left and right behind him, watching him intently with staffs gripped tightly and ready.
"I feel a distinct chill behind me."
"Don't worry, my guest. I'll be watching you constantly."
Saruman said in a deceptively gentle voice.
"Me too."
Gandalf echoed from the other side.
"That's exactly why I feel a chill behind me..."
Never mind. Even if their staffs were hard, they couldn't be as hard as Azog's steel hammer.
Actually, that was hard to say.
Shaking his head, Levi reached out and lifted the heavy black cloth before him.
The palantír revealed itself from beneath, reflecting the flickering firelight from the candle stands positioned around the room.
Its exterior was smooth and lustrous, its interior dark as a lightless night, like a perfectly polished black agate.
The faint points of light reflected on its surface flickered and moved with changing angles, as if they were lightless rain falling under a lightless night.
Deep as the starry sky, yet noisy as a rainy night.
Even without considering the magic it contained, this object could be called a great and precious work of top-tier artistic craftsmanship.
Levi slowly extended his hand forward. As he approached, the stone seemed to activate automatically, suddenly lighting up and actively connecting to Levi's consciousness.
This feeling was like using one's mind to directly control some kind of sophisticated device.
"I can see..."
Several vivid images flashed from within the palantír.
Gandalf and Saruman exchanged concerned glances, and both stepped forward to observe.
The first image was of dark, endless scorched earth with not a single living plant or animal, only occasionally visible dried thorns and some poisonous flowers that fed on malevolent things...
"Mordor."
Gandalf named the place with grim recognition.
"Most of the terrain there is like this: deathly still, filled with despair."
As he spoke, the image changed to show somewhat gray-green land where large numbers of barely clothed humans labored in fields. All were gaunt and dispirited, with orcs nearby whipping them brutally.
"This is the fertile green land beside Lake Núrnen in Mordor's rear. Those are all humans captured by Sauron as slaves."
"Vast farmlands here are cultivated by slaves. Most of Mordor's food comes from here. It's hard to imagine how many people they've captured..."
"Those people shouldn't suffer such treatment."
Levi memorized this location and said: "They deserve liberation."
The image changed again.
A great army poured out from an opening in the Ash Mountains of northern Mordor, marching eastward with ominous purpose.
This army was extraordinary. Just from what Levi could see, there were dozens of olog-hai wearing full suits of fine steel armor. These were among the few species in Middle-earth that could directly harm Levi, and rare war units were even tougher and more capable than iron golems.
Just looking at the massive clubs they wielded, their diameter alone was taller than a grown man.
The direction they were heading was... Rhûn, where the Easterlings lived.
"The Easterlings have been allied with Sauron since ancient times. At their strongest, they even dismantled the kingdom of Rhovanion, attacking all the way into Rohan and posing quite a serious threat to Gondor."
"One of the Nazgûl, 'Khamûl,' is an Easterling."
"But why are they marching toward Rhûn?"
Levi was quite puzzled by this development.
"Has something happened there?"
Gandalf shook his head, unable to explain, while only Saruman frowned as if thinking of something significant.
Just as Levi was about to continue controlling the stone to display more information, suddenly the entire room darkened and all images in the stone disappeared.
A massive eye wreathed in rolling flames appeared within it, reflecting in Levi's pupils.
That gaze seemed able to cross space itself, directly locking onto the person standing before the stone, transmitting whispers into Levi's mind.
[Corruption: 0.001%]
The progress bar that had long remained motionless like decoration suddenly jumped.
"Sauron."
All three present became tense, especially Saruman, who stared at that great eye while gripping his staff tightly with both hands, his gaze constantly shifting between the stone and Levi, as if seeking some opportunity.
Gandalf held his staff horizontally before him, the Ring of Fire on his hand glowing brilliantly, dispelling some of the supernatural darkness.
And Levi spoke his polite greeting:
"We meet again, loser."Lotr: Playing Minecraft in Middle-earth -