Sauron, however, did not expect the Elves to become suspicious and wary of him, secretly forging the three rings of the elves on their own, and never using them until the one ring was lost.
As for the Dwarves, due to their racial characteristics, the ring of power had little effect on them; instead, seven dwarven rings were given away for nothing.
Only the Nine Rings of Men were effective, corrupting nine human kings into Ringwraiths.
Returning to the topic, Morgoth and Sauron, each with their own motives, ultimately struck a deal.
Sauron wanted to use Morgoth's power to gain strength and form.
Morgoth, in turn, wanted to use Sauron's sacrifices to regain his power and break free from his shackles.
To give Sauron a taste of success, Morgoth's will on the altar condensed a very pure primal dark power, injecting it into the Eye of Barad-dûr.
The Eye instantly grew larger, hotter, and more dazzling, emitting a stronger aura and pressure.
Sauron's spirit body was like long-awaited rain; though this rain was but a drop in the ocean, merely a sip of water for a long-parched Sauron, it showed him hope.
After bestowing the primal dark power, Morgoth's will on the altar could no longer sustain itself and completely disintegrated.
Only the empty altar remained, with the dim magma, seemingly having lost most of its heat, emitting a pungent sulfurous smell.
The bones of humans, Elves, and Orcs had long been consumed by the magma, leaving no trace.
"Issue my command!" Sauron's voice descended from Barad-dûr.
"Starting today, the Armies of Mordor will go out in batches, primarily to capture humans and bring them back to Mordor, the more the better."
"Yes/Roar!" The Armies of Mordor roared in response to Sauron's words.
"Master, are you preparing to attack Gondor or Rohan?" The Witch-king of Angmar, chief of the Ringwraiths, respectfully inquired.
"No, attacking Gondor and Rohan now would alert the Elves and Wizards, which would likely disrupt my plan. The most important thing now is to capture humans, not to conquer and rule," Sauron said.
Hearing Sauron's words, the Witch-king of Angmar hesitated: "But... Master, in that case, it might not be easy to gather a million sacrifices. Gondor and Rohan have large populations; they would be the best source for collecting sacrifices."
"There's no rush. We'll start by capturing humans from Rhovanion and the Sea of Rhûn regions, as well as the Easterlings, Khand, and Harad regions, all of which have considerable human populations. Send the Armies of Mordor eastward to bring back those disobedient humans as sacrifices."
"Moreover, we are not in a hurry; a few decades are but a blink of an eye. Humans are like pasture grass, mown down and growing back. A few decades are enough for several generations to breed. We will keep the captured humans in captivity, constantly breeding them.
At the same time, the Orcs must continue to multiply and grow stronger, forging more weapons and equipping the army. When the time is right, the entire army will be unleashed, simultaneously attacking Rohan and Gondor. There is no need to occupy or rule; just bring the human captives back to Mordor as quickly as possible..."
Following Sauron's command,
The vast Armies of Mordor poured out from the east of Mordor, heading respectively towards the Easterlings region north of Mordor, the Khand region east of Mordor, and the Harad region south of Mordor.
These areas were all within Sauron's sphere of influence, inhabited by Easterlings, Variags, and Haradrim.
Most of them accepted Sauron's rule and faith, joining the Armies of Mordor to attack Rohan and Gondor, among others, forming dark human forces influenced by Sauron.
However, with the help of the two Blue Wizards, some people still rose in rebellion against Sauron's rule.
And now, as the Armies of Mordor surged out of Mordor, these resistance forces suffered devastating blows.
Each of the Armies of Mordor was led by a Ringwraith, and to the terror and unease of the rebellious human tribes, these bloodthirsty and murderous Armies of Mordor no longer directly killed resisting humans but tried to capture them alive.
The captured humans were chained and driven relentlessly towards the Mordor main camp by the whips and harsh urging of the Armies of Mordor.
The human tribes that had originally submitted did not fare well either.
Under the threat of the Ringwraiths and the army, each tribe offered a portion of its people as sacrifices to be taken to Mordor.
And small Orc squads, departing from Mordor, guided by crows and giant bats, penetrated deep into the Great Wilderness north of Mordor, wiping out small tribes or villages and taking everyone captive back to Mordor.
For a time, the Far East region plunged into tension and chaos.
Even the Dorwinion region in the northwest of the Sea of Rhûn suffered an invasion by a contingent of the Armies of Mordor.
Vineyards were destroyed, and the humans and Elves living there were attacked.
Although resistance forces were organized in time, many humans and Elves were still abducted by the attacking Armies of Mordor.
The two Blue Wizards immediately organized resistance teams and even confronted the Ringwraiths.
Although they successfully repelled the Ringwraiths in the end, the forces resisting Sauron's rule suffered severe blows.
By the time they reacted, nearly half of the population of the entire Sea of Rhûn region had been abducted.
In Rhovanion and the Great Wilderness north of Mordor, human villages or tribes that were once scattered were almost entirely emptied, suffering utter devastation.
In Rohan and Gondor, although Mordor did not send large armies, numerous Orc teams still infiltrated the territories of Rohan and Gondor, abducting some humans from border areas.
Rohan and Gondor both believed Mordor was about to invade again, so they hastily mobilized large armies to the borders, ready for confrontation, and both the King of Rohan and the Regent of Gondor immediately sought aid from Luke, Gandalf, Elrond, and others through the two-sided mirror.
However, after several months, there was no sign of a large-scale westward advance from Mordor; only a few small Orc squads were harassing the borders and attempting to capture more humans.
These Orc squads were either killed or routed by the Rohan and Gondor armies.
But the Armies of Mordor were still nowhere to be seen.
Both Rohan and Gondor were filled with doubt and vigilance, remaining on guard against Mordor.
Meanwhile, Luke, Gandalf, and Elrond,
Upon receiving news that Mordor was continuously abducting humans, they immediately recalled Saruman's warning.
In the highest courtyard garden of Rivendell, the White Council convened once more.
Those present included Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, Rómestámo, and Luke.
Since Saruman's betrayal, he had lost his position as leader of the White Council, and by the joint nomination of all other members, Gandalf became the new leader of the White Council.
Afterward, at Gandalf's invitation, the two Blue Wizards from the Far East, Rómestámo and Moreda, also joined the White Council.
This time, Círdan, a member of the White Council, was sending Elves across the sea to the West, so he could not attend.
And the Blue Wizard Moreda needed to organize the Easterlings in the Far East to resist the Armies of Mordor, so he also could not come for the time being.
Rómestámo not only represented himself and Moreda at the meeting but also sought aid.
On this matter, the other members of the White Council naturally would not stand idly by.
Elrond, representing Rivendell, and Galadriel, representing Lothlórien, dispatched a total of 1,000 Elven warriors to the Far East to aid the Blue Wizard Moreda.
Luke, also representing the Ministry of Magic, sent 100 Auror Wizards to join the expedition.
Although there were only a hundred Auror Wizards, no one dared to underestimate them.
Even in the eyes of Gandalf, Elrond, and others, the strength of these hundred Aurors was stronger than the combined thousand-elf army of Rivendell and Lothlórien.
Moreover, in addition to the hundred Aurors sent to assist, the Ministry of Magic, at Luke's instruction, also provided Portkeys and established the Floo Network and fireplaces in many areas of the Far East.
This allowed the combined elf and Auror forces to be transported to the Rhûn region of the Far East in a short amount of time.
On the battlefield, a thousand elf soldiers and the Far East rebels were clashing with tens of thousands of Armies of Mordor on the front lines.
Meanwhile, the hundred Aurors pierced into the heart of the Armies of Mordor like a sharp arrow.
They were well-trained and coordinated, wielding their wands and slaughtering Mordor soldiers in droves.
The physical attacks of the Orcs and Easterlings posed almost no threat to the Aurors.
Only when the morgul arrow, inscribed with dark spells, came in dense volleys could it affect the Aurors.
However, the Aurors worked in perfect sync; when the magic arrows flew, they paired up, one attacking and one defending, quickly casting spells to block the onslaught of magic arrows.
Furthermore, they had many defensive measures on them, including magical defensive items made of dragon scales, as well as various enchanted brooches, rings, necklaces, and alchemical items.
Even the Auror uniforms they wore were made from Giant Spider silk as raw material, then crafted by Madam Rosmerta's Robes with magical weaving techniques, possessing strong magical defensive properties.
It could be said that they were armed to the teeth to prevent the Aurors from being harmed.
After all, for Luke and the Ministry of Magic, even the sacrifice of a single Auror would be a significant loss, enough to make them feel pain.
Moreover, the reason for dispatching the Aurors on this expedition, besides supporting the Far East, was also to increase their combat experience.
After all, these Aurors had never experienced true war before; their largest-scale activity was only when they encircled and suppressed the Troll forest.
But those Trolls were clumsy and posed no threat to the Aurors, so they didn't gain much combat experience.
This expedition, facing tens of thousands of Armies of Mordor, was a rare opportunity to gain battle experience.
The Aurors, relying on the flexible mobility of Apparition, continuously flickered to various locations within the Armies of Mordor, delivering heavy blows.
A portion of the Aurors rode on broomsticks, launching high-altitude, dimension-reducing attacks on the ground.
Those skilled in spells waved their wands, unleashing various violent explosions, shattering curses, and barrages of arrows... Those skilled in Transfiguration directly transformed the weapons of the Armies of Mordor, such as swords and knives, into venomous snakes, fierce beasts, and other creatures that turned on the Mordor soldiers.
Some Aurors unleashed mischievous spells to great effect; countless Mordor soldiers were either laughing uncontrollably, or their legs were uncontrollably tap-dancing, or their legs were locked together and couldn't separate, forcing them to hop in place, or their front teeth or toenails grew wildly, causing them to lose combat effectiveness... Other Aurors sprayed Potions, which turned into thick gray mist, and then summoned strong winds to blow towards the Armies of Mordor.
Mordor soldiers who inhaled the mist immediately collapsed, falling into an unconscious sleep.
There were also Aurors skilled in Herbology who directly scattered Devil's Snare seeds cultivated by Professor Margales, then rapidly matured them with magic.
These Devil's Snare seeds quickly broke open and grew, waving long vines, entangling the surrounding Mordor soldiers and strangling them to death... On the battlefield, various spells flew, colorful lights flashed, flames soared into the sky, and explosions echoed incessantly.
Under the attack of a hundred Aurors, tens of thousands of Armies of Mordor fell into chaos, and coupled with the battles of the elves and rebels on the front lines, the tide of the battle turned in favor of the Justice League.
Of course, the Armies of Mordor were not without threat; in addition to Orcs, Trolls, and Easterlings, there were also many Wargs, Vampires, and Dark Sorcerers.
Orcs, Trolls, and Easterlings posed no threat to the Aurors and could be easily dealt with.
However, Wargs, Vampires, and Dark Sorcerers were creatures with powerful evil abilities, requiring vigilance from the Aurors.
Wargs are different from common Wargs; they are evil wolves possessed by evil spirits, similar to Werewolves, with strength many times greater than common Wargs. Their claws and fangs are poisonous, and they can also attack using evil powers.
Vampires are even more mysterious than Wargs, serving at Sauron's side. They are evil creatures similar to giant bats, with massive bony wings from which hook claws grow. They feed on blood and are almost impossible to kill except by sunlight.
As for the Dark Sorcerers, they are human sorcerers corrupted and fallen by Sauron, who taught them evil sorcery.
For example, the Witch-king of Angmar, before becoming a Ringwraith, was a very powerful sorcerer with formidable evil sorcery abilities, which is why he was called the Witch-king.
While Orcs, Trolls, and Easterlings are all forces under Sauron, in his eyes, they are merely cannon fodder for war, and he wouldn't feel pain if they were killed.
However, Wargs, Vampires, and Dark Sorcerers are Sauron's close confidants, mostly staying in the Mordor stronghold, serving Sauron.
The Wargs appeared as half-human, half-wolf, with massive and ferocious bodies, evil red lights flickering in their eyes. They charged wildly through the Armies of Mordor on all fours, their speed so fast that the naked eye could barely track them.
They bared their fangs, attacking the Aurors with bloodthirsty ferocity; ordinary spells had no effect on them.
Even lethal curses that could easily kill Orcs and Trolls only tore open a wound on them, but it quickly healed and repaired at a visible rate.
As for the Vampires, they flew in the sky like giant bats, attacking the Aurors riding broomsticks.
Vampires are much faster than Wargs; it's difficult to track their speed with the naked eye, and they can instantly appear beside you, without even giving you a chance to cast a spell, using their huge hook claws and sharp fangs to tear throats and drain blood.
Furthermore, Vampires can emit seductive and hypnotic sounds, making people involuntarily charmed and controlled by them, losing control over their own lives.
Compared to the ground-and-air combat modes of Wargs and Vampires, the Dark Sorcerers were the fewest in number, but also the most dangerous.
They stood at the very rear of the Mordor army, forming its core.
They chanted dark spells, controlling countless evil spirits, possessing the corpses of the dead to form an undead legion.
Facing these powerful dark creatures, the Aurors did not panic. They cast powerful defensive spells in unison, preventing the Wargs and Vampires from getting close.
At the same time, they all summoned various Patronuses. Instantly, Patronuses in the form of cats, dogs, lions, swans, dolphins, and more burst forth from the tips of their wands, radiating holy light, charging towards the Wargs, Vampires, and evil spirits.
The light attribute of the Patronuses was a natural counter to the dark creatures—Wargs, Vampires, and evil spirits—making them greatly wary.
Especially the evil spirits possessing the Wargs and corpses were inherently suppressed by the Patronuses.
Several Patronuses Siege a Warg, clinging to its body and tearing at the evil spirit within.
One of the gazelle Patronuses charged fiercely at the besieged evil spirit.
The Patronus had no physical form and could not harm the Warg's body, but it directly knocked the Evil Spirit residing within it out.
The Evil Spirit, now without a Host, was continuously attacked by the Patronus and became extremely faint.
The Warg that had lost the Evil Spirit seemed to revert to its original form, becoming incredibly weak.
The Aurors then seized the opportunity to kill it with Magic Spells.
With the Host killed, the Evil Spirit, like a source without roots, let out a sharp, ear-piercing wail before exploding and completely vanishing into thin air.
As for the Undead Army controlled by the Dark Sorcerers, they were even weaker than the Evil Spirits residing inside the Wargs.
The Patronuses charged through the Undead Army, attacking the Evil Spirits possessing the Corpses, driving and tearing them out of the bodies.
The Corpses, stripped of their possessing Evil Spirits, reverted back to being mere bodies, completely motionless.
The Aurors did not waste time on the Undead Army; instead, choosing to "Capture the King First to Capture the Bandits," they directly attacked the Dark Sorcerers controlling the Evil Spirits.
Following the command of the Auror Captain, one hundred Aurors used Apparition to appear around the Dark Sorcerers, forming an encirclement, and immediately launched their attack.
"Bone-Shattering Spell!"
"Exploding Curse!"
"Diffindo!"
...countless Magic Spells shot toward the Dark Sorcerers in the center.
The strength of the Dark Sorcerers could not be underestimated; they were more powerful than both the Wargs and the Vampires.
The Dark Sorcerers chanted incantations, summoning thick black mist filled with hideous, agonizing faces: Humans, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, and others.
These faces opened giant, black-hole-like mouths and swallowed the spells shot by the Aurors, one mouthful at a time.
Then, with malicious sneers, they transformed into streaks of Black Smoke, rushing toward the Aurors as if they were sworn enemies.
Some Aurors reacted too slowly and were hit by the Black Smoke, causing the Protective Items they wore to instantly shatter.
However, because they wore numerous Protective Items, this attack did not cause any injury.
But this made the Aurors even more vigilant; they stopped holding back and besieged the Dark Sorcerers with all their strength.
The Auror Captain directly pulled a large box out of a Space Pocket and threw it into the sky where it exploded.
The moment the box burst, Thunderbird Zorondo appeared out of thin air, surrounded by flashes of electricity, like the descent of a Thunder God.
The dark clouds in the sky suddenly changed color and began to churn.
The Thunderbird flew into the clouds, erupting with muffled thunder and light.
The next second, a massive bolt of lightning struck straight down, landing directly above the heads of the Dark Sorcerers.
To the horror of the Dark Sorcerers, the lightning exploded, enveloping them and the surrounding area for hundreds of meters, turning it into scorched earth.
The lightning attack did not stop; the Vampires flying in the sky became live targets for the lightning.
As bolt after bolt of lightning struck, the Vampires were instantly blasted into ash, and even their powerful Super Self-Healing Abilities could not save them.
Seeing this result, the Aurors couldn't help but cheer for the Thunderbird.
Immediately, the Aurors pressed their advantage, hunting down the Generals of the Armies of Mordor.
Wargs, Vampires, and Dark Sorcerers were the fundamental backbone and core strength of the Armies of Mordor.
Now, the Wargs and Vampires had suffered heavy blows, and the Dark Sorcerers had been wiped out by a single lightning strike.
The Armies of Mordor fell into complete panic and, under the Aurors' pursuit, instantly collapsed, scattering and fleeing for their lives.
The Elven Army and the Uprising Army pursued relentlessly, vowing to keep the fleeing Armies of Mordor pinned down here.
The Aurors, acting as a Special Forces Unit, were responsible for rescuing the Humans captured by the Armies of Mordor.
Relying on Apparition, the Aurors moved through various battlefields. Besides completing Decapitation Strike Missions, their job was to rescue the Humans who had not yet been taken back to the Main Mordor Base.
From the Great Wilderness and Rhûn Region north of Mordor, to the Khand Region in the west, and even the Harad Region in the south.
The Aurors' figures continuously appeared.
They simultaneously annihilated the Armies of Mordor and rescued the captured Humans.
Although they had the help of Thunderbird Zorondo, plus the constant aid of the two Blue Wizards, Rómestámo and Moreda, the Aurors still faced near-death experiences several times and even encountered powerful Ringwraiths.
All the Defensive Items and Alchemy Tools they carried were used up and shattered; if they hadn't had the final life-saving Portkeys, the Aurors would have nearly been wiped out.
However, the final outcome was satisfactory.
After half a year of continuous, perilous battles, the Aurors became seasoned veterans, and their personal strength underwent a Qualitative Improvement.
Furthermore, under the allied resistance of the Aurors, the Elves, and the Uprising Army led by the Blue Wizards, the Armies of Mordor were completely repulsed and retreated back into their Mordor Lair.
The number of Humans rescued reached tens of thousands.
These rescued Humans were Freemen unwilling to accept Sauron's rule. Now gathered near the Sea of Rhûn, they formed a powerful force capable of resisting another invasion by the Armies of Mordor in the Far East.
With the war in the Far East concluded, the Aurors and Elven Warriors bid farewell to the Blue Wizards and returned to their respective Territories via Fireplaces and Portkeys.
This victory in the Far Expedition greatly boosted the confidence of the Righteous Side in Middle-earth, and the exceptional performance of the one hundred Aurors especially shocked many factions in Middle-earth.
Just one hundred Wizards possessed such formidable Combat Power, especially when dealing with the armies of Orcs, Trolls, and Easterlings—it was practically a Dimension-Crushing Attack.
This caused all the factions in Middle-earth to focus their attention on Hogwarts. Rohan, Gondor, and other forces decided to actively Establish Diplomatic Relations with Hogwarts.
Gondor and Rohan actively invited the Ministry of Magic to extend the Floo Network into their territories so they could request timely aid if attacked by Mordor in the future.
While Middle-earth celebrated the victory of the Far Expedition.
Mordor, however, was unusually quiet. Even the previous harassment along the Borders of Gondor and Rohan suddenly ceased.
They also stopped sending large armies to capture more Humans.
It was as if they had been scared into submission.
After several months of vigilance, Gondor and Rohan relaxed slightly when they saw that Mordor still wasn't dispatching troops.
But the White Council remained highly vigilant, becoming even more solemn and cautious.
Although tens of thousands of Humans were successfully rescued during Mordor's recent military action to capture people, many more were abducted and taken back to Mordor.
According to everyone's estimates, the number was around a hundred thousand people, abducted from Rhovanion, Rhûn, Khand, and Harad Regions.
This number of Humans made the members of the White Council worry whether Sauron had gathered enough Sacrifices to offer them to Morgoth using a Sacrificial Array.
Morgoth's power was well known. Even though he had been banished to the Void beyond the world, everyone had no doubt that if Sauron connected with Morgoth, it would absolutely lead to another catastrophe!
They were determined to stop him. Blue Wizard Moreda even proposed organizing an Allied Army of Elves, Humans, and Wizards, led by all members of the White Council, to directly attack Mordor, rescue the Humans, and prevent Sauron's Sacrifice.
But in the end, they had to reluctantly give up. Mordor, being Sauron's main base, was shrouded in Dark Power and extremely dangerous.
In Galadriel's words, it was a Demonic Lair from which none returned. Sauron was closely connected to Mount Doom, which was the Source of his Power.
In the region of Mordor, Sauron's strength would become immense, nearly matching his power during his former Peak Period.
Conversely, members of the White Council who arrived there would become weak, their Life Force constantly draining away. Even if all members of the White Council joined forces, they would not be Sauron's match.
If they were to forcefully attack the Mordor region, they would likely perish without return, wiped out by Sauron.
Faced with this situation, everyone reluctantly gave up, deciding to stick to the strategy of "Meeting Ten Thousand Changes with No Change."
Meanwhile, deep within the Heartland of Mordor,
Blood flowed like a river on the massive Altar, creating a scene like a Living Hell.
As tens of thousands of humans were brutally sacrificed, black mist and flames surged on the altar, forming an extremely violent dark power, attempting to devour everything.
The Orcs responsible for escorting the humans were filled with fear and dared not approach the altar by even half a step.
As for the remaining humans, they didn't even need the Orcs to drive them onto the altar; tens of thousands of energy tentacles shot out from the black mist and flames on the altar, coiling around all the humans amidst countless screams of terror, pulling them directly in to be devoured, leaving not even a speck behind.
With hundreds of thousands of lives and souls as sacrifice, this sacrificial power pierced through the barrier of space and time, landing in the boundless void outside the world.
It was a chaotic void, with no up or down, left or right, no light or darkness, and not even time existed.
And in this chaotic void, a figure as large as a mountain floated silently, bound tightly by a chain, completely unable to move.
He was Morgoth, the Dark Lord, and once the most powerful among the Valar.
After being defeated by the Valar in the War of Wrath in the First Age, he was bound by the chain Angainor, forged by Aulë, the God of Craftsmen, and then banished to the void outside the world of Arda.
But even so, Morgoth still did not give up struggling, attempting to break free from his bonds once again and return to Arda.
There was an ancient prophecy that Morgoth would eventually break free from his bonds, return to Arda, and bring about destruction, and a doomsday battle would unfold between him and the Valar.
In this decisive battle, Morgoth would destroy the sun and moon and lead countless demons and monsters to fight against a combined army composed of numerous Ainur, Elves, mortal, and Dwarves.
Ultimately, Morgoth would be completely killed, and the world of Arda would be utterly destroyed.
But Ilúvatar would lead the Ainur, Elves, mortal, and Dwarves to perform the Second Music of the Ainur, creating a brand new world.
Morgoth had been drifting in the void for two Ages after being banished.
His body had already been destroyed by the Valar when he was defeated, leaving only his immortal but perpetually weak soul.
But as an invisible sacrificial power pierced through the world barrier and descended upon him.
Under the nourishment of immense vitality and souls, a comfortable groan echoed in the void, like parched vegetation receiving a refreshing rain.
Morgoth's aura grew stronger and stronger, the dark power around him seemed to want to tear open the void, and a terrifying storm was stirred up in the silent, dead chaotic void.
His body rapidly swelled, becoming taller than a mountain, attempting to break free from the chains that bound him.
But the iron chains seemed indestructible, imbued with powerful laws, emitting a sacred light, and reinforced with the power of the Valar, suppressing Morgoth's strength and continuously tightening, as if to strangle Morgoth.
Finally, Morgoth seemed to deflate, his swollen body rapidly shrinking, becoming smaller than a mountain, and the power that had erupted around him receded and became calm again.
"No rush, I have enough patience and time to wait..." he murmured, his tone filled with certainty and confidence... In Mordor, with the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of lives.
On the altar, countless sacrificed vitalities and souls constructed a black hole leading to an unknown void.
The black hole possessed terrifying gravitational pull, as if it wanted to devour all things; even a glance would make one's soul tremble, as if the soul would be sucked away in the next second.
Light could not reach the black hole and would be swallowed; life approaching it would also be sucked in, unable to escape, completely annihilated, not even the soul remaining!
Only Sauron's spirit body could come to the altar, stand before the black hole, and wait quietly.
Not long after, the black hole suddenly stirred, spewing out a pure primordial dark power that landed directly on Sauron.
With the infusion of primordial dark power, Sauron's spirit body erupted with a powerful aura; his ethereal spirit body became more real, and the oppressive force it emitted became even more terrifying.
The giant Eye atop Barad-dûr instantly burned with an even hotter dark fire, seeing much further and more clearly and in detail than before.
Mount Doom, tightly linked to Sauron, became even more turbulent and violent, spewing black smoke straight into the sky, forming a massive black canopy that enveloped the entire region of Mordor, and was even expanding outwards.
Volcanic eruptions sent rivers and waterfalls of rolling lava pouring out from Mount Doom, flowing across the entire Mordor Plain.
Such a sight, even the Capital of Gondor, a thousand miles away, could see the spectacle of Mordor.
The Regent of Gondor saw the unusual activity in Mordor and tried to investigate with a palantír, but before he could clearly see the situation in Mordor, he was instantly detected by the Eye on Barad-dûr, which looked directly at him through the palantír.
Looking at the fiery Eye that appeared on the palantír and the powerful mental corrosive force released from afar, the Regent of Gondor desperately broke free from the seductive power, then covered the palantír with a black cloth.
He panted heavily, his face pale and still shaken, not daring to spy on Mordor again.
He didn't even dare to use the palantír again.
Galadriel of Lothlórien, Elrond of Rivendell, and Gandalf of Hogwarts all looked towards the Far East as if sensing something, their expressions solemn.
——————
Time quickly advanced to September 22nd, 3001.
The Shire, Hobbiton.
Bilbo Baggins refused Luke's idea of holding his 111th birthday at Hogwarts Castle, choosing instead to hold the birthday banquet in the Party Field of his hometown, Hobbiton.
He also invited all his friends and neighbors from Hobbiton to his birthday feast.
All of Hobbiton, and even the hobbits of The Shire, knew that Baggins of Bag End was a wealthy gentleman.
So everyone actively came to attend the birthday banquet.
Moreover, Bilbo Baggins, as a legendary figure of The Shire, became a focus of attention due to his unknown vast wealth and unchanging youthful appearance.
There were rumors that Baggins had received a gift from the Wizard Lord of Hogwarts, being bestowed with a magic of immortality, which was why he hadn't aged in decades.
Bilbo Baggins, the person concerned, never responded to this, spending most of his time in his Bag End, compiling his adventure memoirs.
While others were very curious, they dared not press him.
After all, everyone knew that Bilbo Baggins was good friends with the Lord of Hogwarts and often invited him to be a guest at Hogwarts.
Even hobbits who preferred to stay in their homeland knew the great name of Hogwarts.
Many of The Shire's specialties, such as pipe-weed, mushrooms, beer, and wine, were sold to Bree, Hogsmeade, and even more distant regions within Hogwarts' territory.
Furthermore, after decades of development, Hogwarts' territory had expanded further, now bordering The Shire to the west, with Brandybuck Bridge and the Old Forest as its boundary.
Even the hobbits of The Shire occasionally saw Wizards visiting The Shire.
Therefore, they were not unfamiliar with the Wizards of Hogwarts.
As a long-renowned legendary figure of The Shire, Bilbo's banquet was attended not only by his friends and neighbors from Hobbiton but also by the Mayor, Councillors, and Sheriff of The Shire.
And Bilbo's distant relatives, such as the Took family and the Brandybuck family, also came to attend.
In the assembly area, a huge tent was set up. Old people sat on benches, drinking beer and chatting about trivial matters.
The younger hobbits were dancing country dances to cheerful and relaxing folk music.
Children, meanwhile, weaved through the crowd, playing and frolicking.
Compared to the lively assembly area, Bag End seemed a bit quiet.
Bilbo, wearing a light yellow top, looked unchanged, just as he had decades ago, healthy and agile.
Only his demeanor had changed; it was as if he had undergone the brewing and settling of time, exuding a sense of calm and serenity from the years.
He sat on the sofa, looking at the adventure journal in his hand with a reminiscent gaze. It chronicled the adventures of the Lonely Mountain Expedition.
Suddenly, the door to Bag End was knocked upon.
Then a young hobbit walked in. He had a delicate appearance, bright eyes, and a thick head of brown curly hair.
"Uncle Bilbo, the party has started, everyone is waiting for you," Frodo urged with a smile.
Bilbo turned to see him, his eyes filled with affection. He placed a golden maolong tree leaf bookmark between the pages he was reading, then closed the book.
"Birthdays happen every year, a little delay won't hurt," he said, shaking his head indifferently. His gaze fell on the fireplace, filled with anticipation: "Besides, my guests haven't all arrived yet. We'll go together once they're here."
"Guests? Are there more guests coming today?" Frodo asked in surprise.
"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be holding a birthday party. Do you think I enjoy chatting with those people in the Shire who are always trying to pry into my property?"
Frodo did not respond to his uncle's comments about the neighbors and relatives, instead curiously asking, "Who are the guests you're waiting for, Uncle? That you're waiting so formally here?"
Before Bilbo could answer, the fireplace flames turned green.
Bilbo's eyes immediately lit up, and he stood up, exclaiming happily, "Our guests are here!"
No sooner had he spoken than a delicate and beautiful child emerged from the green fire.
Around eleven or twelve years old, with long black hair flowing down their back, restrained by an exquisite silver hairband on their head. Their skin was fair, and they looked gender-neutral, only a heroic spirit showing between their brows.
In the dim night, their body seemed to emit a faint glow.
They stepped out of the fireplace and greeted elegantly and politely, "Happy birthday, Uncle Bilbo!"
"Elses!" Bilbo exclaimed with pleasant surprise. "So glad you could come to my birthday party!"
He gave Elses a big hug, feeling very close to and fond of this child who was now almost as tall as him.
"Where are your father and the others? Are they behind you?"
Elses also liked this hobbit uncle very much and nodded: "Dad and Elros are all behind me. Uncle Bilbo, this is my birthday gift for you, I hope you like it."
Saying this, he handed over a small gift box.
Bilbo was even more delighted, "Oh, dear Elses, I'll love whatever you give me!"
With that, he opened the gift box and saw a small vial containing golden liquid. He was immediately surprised and incredulous.
"This is?"
"It's Felix Felicis that I made. It provides twenty-four hours of good luck."
"Oh, this is truly too precious!" Bilbo felt the weight of the gift and was somewhat hesitant to accept it.
He knew the magic and preciousness of Felix Felicis. He had used the small bottle of Felix Felicis that Luke had given him once when Frodo accidentally got lost.
He still couldn't forget that magical experience; not only did he find the lost Frodo, but he also had a very lucky day.
"Take it, Bilbo, this is Elses's heartfelt gesture. He specifically made the Felix Felicis more than half a year in advance to give to you as a gift for your 111th birthday," Luke's voice came from the fireplace.
He appeared in the green fire of the fireplace, smiling, holding his young daughter Elros by the hand.
"Luke! Elros! You're here!" Bilbo shouted happily.
"Happy birthday, Uncle Bilbo! I also have a gift for you!" Elros let go of Luke's hand and quickly ran out of the fireplace, pulling out a gift box larger than Elses's gift from her pocket.
Elros looked almost identical to Elses, the only difference being a pair of gray eyes. Her long black hair was much longer than Elses's, and she wore an Elven Crown given by her great-grandmother on her head.
Compared to her calm twin brother Elses, Elros, as the younger sister, had a lively and active personality. She was a very cute and joyful little elf, pampered by everyone, and always carefree.
These twin siblings are now 38 years old, but they still look eleven or twelve. They graduated from Hogwarts last year.
Among them, Elses has a very high talent in Potions. When he was sorted into a house, he was assigned to Basilisk House and is the proud disciple of Elensys, the dean of Basilisk House and Potion Professor.
From enrollment to graduation, he has never encountered a Potion he couldn't make, and he is now even trying to create new Potions to qualify as a Potion Master.
Of course, Elses is also excellent in other subjects, even possessing outstanding talent in Dark Arts.
It's just that Potions is relatively more dazzling and is Elses's favorite type of magic, so he chose to specialize in Potions.
As for his sister Elros, she prefers Alchemy.
Bilbo opened Elros's gift box, and inside was a chessboard.
However, unlike ordinary chess, the pieces of this chessboard were divided into black and white. The white pieces included human kings, elves, and dwarves, while the black pieces included Orcs riding Wargs, Trolls, Ringwraiths, and so on.
These pieces would come to life when placed on the checkered board, talking and thinking, like a miniature battlefield where opposing sides fought each other.
Those Orcs, Trolls, and others were lifelike, emitting roars, full of evil and cruelty, which startled Bilbo and immediately brought back memories of encountering Orcs during his expedition and being kidnapped by Trolls.
"Uncle Bilbo, this is a Wizard's Chess set I made. You can command one side and play by yourself, or two people can play together," Elros introduced with a smile. "And if you're playing alone, I highly recommend you choose the black chess army."
"Why do you recommend I choose the black chess army?" Bilbo asked, puzzled.
Elros winked mischievously: "Because if you haphazardly command the ugly black chess army, you can see those Orcs, Trolls, and Ringwraiths being beaten to pieces by the white pieces. That would be very satisfying, and even if you lose, you won't be disappointed."
Hearing this reason, Bilbo couldn't help but smile wryly, but still thanked her: "Thank you, dear Elros, I love your gift!"
When it was Luke's turn to give a gift, Luke directly took out a bottle of Potion and said with a smile, "My gift has no surprises, it's still the same as before, and happy 111th birthday! My friend."
Looking at the elixir of life Luke handed over, Bilbo sighed, "This gift is something countless people dream of; it's far more precious than any surprise!"
Frodo looked at the beautiful young Elf, Elses, who appeared first, followed by Luke and Elros, filled with amazement.
He had previously heard tales of Luke from Uncle Bilbo and was deeply impressed, but he never had the chance to see him in person.
Now, meeting him for the first time, seeing Luke's young and handsome face, along with his elegant, mysterious, and majestic aura, Frodo instantly matched him with the image of the Wizard Lord who subdued a giant dragon.
As for the pair of Elf twins, they possessed an elegant and noble demeanor, and their features bore some resemblance to Luke.
As if sensing his gaze, Luke, who was talking with Bilbo, turned his head, met Frodo's eyes, and gave a gentle smile.
"You must be Frodo, right? I even held you when you were little. I didn't expect you to grow into such a young man so quickly."
Luke looked at Frodo with the gaze one reserves for a junior, then pulled out a small gift box.
"This is a gift for our first meeting. I hope you like it."
"This... uh, thank you, Uncle Luke!" Frodo took the gift box after receiving a nod of permission from Bilbo.
In fact, Frodo had received gifts sent by Luke for his birthday every year, but due to various reasons, they had never managed to meet.
Therefore, the two parties were not complete strangers.
Frodo's parents tragically died when he was 15 while boating on the Brandywine River. For the next few years, he was cared for by his mother's kin, the Brandybuck family, until he was adopted as heir by Bilbo at age 21 and brought to live in Bag End.
Frodo opened his gift box, which contained a white tree leaf-shaped brooch.
Luke smiled and explained, "This is a brooch enchanted with magic. It can protect you when you encounter danger."
He looked at Frodo, his emotions somewhat complex.
Looking at this somewhat shy hobbit, it was hard to imagine that he would be the protagonist of the Great Ring Cycle, bearing the mission of destroying the one ring and utterly annihilating Sauron.
Although he had not personally come to see this protagonist over the years, he had always kept track of his situation.
According to the original trajectory, Frodo's parents should have died accidentally when he was 12.
Luke, who already knew fate, naturally would not stand by and let this happen. Besides not wanting to see Frodo become an orphan, Drogo Baggins was also his friend.
So, not remembering the exact date the Drogo Baggins couple passed away, Luke specifically sent a protective magic item, allowing them to escape the calamity of death.
Ultimately, he succeeded in saving the couple who were almost drowned, allowing them to live until Frodo turned fifteen.
But perhaps fate had already made its decision in secret, or perhaps they felt the summons of Mandos.
The Drogo Baggins couple still could not escape death and drowned once again in the Brandywine River.
Frodo's mother, Primula Brandybuck, was the daughter of the Brandybuck family head. After Frodo's parents died, he was taken back by his maternal grandfather to be raised within the family, growing up alongside his cousins Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took.
Bilbo Baggins had never married and had no heir. Although he had the elixir of life gifted by Luke which allowed him to live indefinitely, Bilbo was a very content person and did not intend to live forever. Instead, he decided that when he had lived long enough, he would stop drinking the elixir of life and accept slowly aging until eternal sleep.
To prevent his cousin's wife and family, who had always coveted his property, from having the chance to inherit Bag End and his assets.
He decided to find an heir to inherit his house and property.
The orphaned Frodo caught Bilbo's eye. Bilbo spent several years proving his sincerity to Frodo's maternal family, the Brandybuck family, and eventually gained the consent of both the Brandybuck family and Frodo to become Frodo's guardian.
Over these decades, Middle-earth remained relatively peaceful; the forces of Mordor constantly retreated and did not expand outward.
Luke also spent most of his time at Hogwarts, meditating and researching magic.
But in recent years, he had sensed the gears of destiny turning once more.
Judging by Gandalf's frequent visits to the Shire and Bag End in recent years, Luke guessed that Gandalf had clearly made a decision.
Although there had been no movement from Mordor, seemingly having ceased all activity.
However, the one ring, which had been stored with Tom Bombadil in the Old Forest, had grown increasingly powerful over the years and was even constantly summoning its master, Sauron.
Although the one ring's magic was growing stronger, Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry would not be affected by it.
But in Tom Bombadil's eyes, something that constantly released evil, dark power was like keeping a polluting, radioactive object in his home or even right next to him.
It couldn't harm them, but it was disgusting enough.
After all, no one would willingly keep foul-smelling garbage nearby.
If he hadn't previously agreed to guard the one ring, and if his wife Goldberry hadn't continuously offered gentle comfort and persuasion.
Tom Bombadil would have long ago thrown the thing away to avoid polluting his home and the forest.
Even so, every time he saw Luke and Gandalf, Tom Bombadil would complain and ask when they would take it away.
Furthermore, with the revival of the one ring, the connection between the Ring and Sauron would become tighter, and even Tom Bombadil might not be able to suppress it.
At the same time, the revival and strengthening of the one ring indicated that Sauron's power had also grown strong.
At that point, once Sauron sensed the location of the one ring, he might attempt to reclaim the Ring at any cost.
Tom Bombadil did not belong to any faction and did not participate in the conflicts of Middle-earth.
Naturally, Luke and Gandalf could not involve Tom in the war.
Therefore, they had long discussed how to deal with the one ring, whether to dispose of it properly or completely destroy it before Sauron could establish a connection with the Ring.
The only problem was that even Galadriel and Gandalf dared not touch the one ring, or even approach it.
Only the unique racial characteristics of the hobbit allowed them to have a certain degree of resistance to the one ring's magic.
This made them the most suitable candidates to be Ringbearers.
However, most hobbits lacked the courage and spirit for adventure.
The remaining members, such as those from the Took family and the Brandybuck family, possessed an adventurous spirit but were often impulsive and unable to remain rational.
Bilbo, with his dual heritage, possessed two advantages: his mother came from the adventurous Took family, and his father came from the comfort-loving, resilient Baggins family.
This dual heritage gave him both the courage to embark on an adventure and the rationality to maintain his composure during it, unlike members of the pure Took family.
Such a person was the most suitable candidate for the one ring's bearer.
Previously, Bilbo was the only candidate.
But after Bilbo chose to relinquish the Ring under his strong will, he was unwilling to touch the Ring again, as he could not guarantee that he still possessed the former willpower to resist its temptation.
Gandalf and Luke were unwilling to force Bilbo to bear such a heavy burden and pressure again.
It wasn't until Frodo appeared that Gandalf saw new hope.
Frodo also possessed dual heritage; his mother came from the adventurous and pioneering Brandybuck family, and his father was from the Baggins family.
Furthermore, he displayed traits different from other hobbits since childhood, possessing the hobbit kindness, simplicity, and love for life, alongside strength characterized by tenacity and courage.
Therefore, when Frodo was adopted by Bilbo, he immediately caught Gandalf's attention, and Gandalf had been watching him closely all these years.
And none of these actions by Gandalf were hidden from Luke.
Returning our gaze to Bag End,
Just as Luke, Bilbo, and Frodo were talking, green flames erupted from the fireplace once more.
"I'm not too late, am I?" Gandalf asked with a chuckle, bending over as he stepped out of the fireplace.
"Gandalf! Why are you here?" Bilbo asked in surprise.
Frodo, standing nearby, was also very surprised and happy about Gandalf's appearance.
"It's your 111th birthday today, how could I possibly miss it?" Gandalf winked at Bilbo, then looked at Frodo. "Oh, Frodo, long time no see. You look much taller than last time. What a handsome young man, haha!"
As he spoke, as if remembering something, he handed a pouch to Frodo and said to Bilbo with a smile:
"I can't compare to Luke and the others when it comes to craftsmanship, so I made some fireworks as your birthday gift. Just let Frodo and the others set them off later to add some excitement to your birthday feast."
Frodo accepted the palm-sized pouch and looked inside, seeing what appeared to be a whole cartload of fireworks and firecrackers — enough to last a long time.
He thought that when Meryl and Pippin saw these fireworks later, they would probably go crazy with joy.
Meryl and Pippin were companions he had grown up with. One was his maternal uncle's son, and the other was his maternal aunt's son. Both lads were lively and restless, always getting into trouble and mischief, and were as close as twin brothers.
They had also come to Bilbo's birthday feast, and were probably causing trouble at the Party Grounds right now.
The arrival of friends like Luke and Gandalf made Bilbo very happy. With all the guests present, he prepared to lead everyone to the Party Grounds.
Just as the group was chatting and opening the door of Bag End, a young hobbit was standing outside, about to knock.
He was a bit chubby, with a simple and honest face, dressed plainly. He looked somewhat astonished to see a room full of guests.
"Sam, why did you come over?" Frodo asked.
The hobbit named Sam felt immediately reserved upon seeing the room full of distinguished guests. He replied, "The feast at the Party Grounds is about to start. Everyone is waiting for Mr. Bilbo, so they sent me to call you."
Elses and Elros both curiously sized up this honest-looking hobbit.
Gandalf and Luke also looked at him with interest.
"Bilbo, who is this?" Luke asked, although he had guessed the identity of the hobbit before him.
Bilbo introduced him casually: "This is Samwise Gamgee, the gardener of Bag End, responsible for tending the garden."
"Sam, these are my honored guests: Gandalf, Luke, and his children Elses and Elros. Please go ahead to the Party Grounds and arrange their seats next to mine."
Hearing Bilbo's instructions, Sam quickly nodded: "Yes, Mr. Bilbo, I'll go arrange that right away!"
With that, he turned and hurried down the hill.
"Hey, Sam, wait for me!" Frodo shouted, then said to Bilbo, "Uncle Bilbo, I'll go help too!"
"Go ahead!" Bilbo nodded. "But take Elses and Elros with you. They are a few years older than you, and since they are young, you should all be able to have fun together."
Frodo stopped, looking at Elses and Elros, who were about the same height as him but looked like they were eleven or twelve years old. He was secretly astonished.
Although he already knew that these two young Elves were older than him, seeing them in person still filled him with wonder.
"Do you want to go together?" Frodo asked the two of them.
Elses and Elros both looked at Luke.
Luke nodded, smiling gently: "If you want to go, go ahead with Frodo. We will follow slowly later."
Having received permission, Elses and Elros immediately chose to leave with Frodo.
They had lived most of their lives in Hogwarts since childhood, spending the rest of their time residing in Rivendell and Lothlórien. The furthest they had traveled was merely visiting Amon Sul down the mountain.
Although they were already 38 years old by human standards, in terms of Elven age, they were still considered Elven younglings.
Therefore, even though they had graduated from Hogwarts, their minds were not yet mature, and they were full of curiosity about the hobbit way of life.
As Elses and Elros followed Frodo and Sam down the hill, only Bilbo, Luke, and Gandalf were left, walking unhurriedly.
Watching the children's retreating figures, Bilbo showed a look of relief, then sighed deeply, his expression turning serious.
He said to Luke and Gandalf beside him: "Luke, Gandalf, I plan to hand over Bag End and my property to Frodo after this birthday."
Hearing his words, both Luke and Gandalf showed surprise.
"Bilbo, can you tell me why you made this decision?" Gandalf stopped walking and asked.
Luke also looked at him in confusion.
Bilbo seemed to have considered this for a long time. He looked around Hobbiton under the moonlight, his eyes flashing with nostalgia and reluctance, but he spoke with determination:
"I have lived my whole life in Hobbiton. If it weren't for the elixir of life Luke gave me, I would probably be buried already, instead of being as spry as I am now.
Therefore, in the coming days, after handing Bag End over to Frodo, I plan to leave the Shire and continue my previous journey."
"Moreover, my current ageless appearance has already attracted a lot of attention. If I continue to stay here, it will likely cause more trouble, preventing me from continuing my adventure writing."
Hearing Bilbo's explanation, Luke and Gandalf understood his reasoning.
The current Bilbo was indeed no longer suitable for living in the Shire.
Having drunk the elixir of life, Bilbo's appearance and body remained in the state of a man in his fifties, while his peers were either frail and elderly or had already gone to eternal rest underground.
Under these circumstances, the immortal Bilbo became incompatible with his neighbors and relatives. The longer he lived, the more he would be subjected to strange looks from those around him.
He might even attract malice from those who coveted immortality.
Therefore, leaving the Shire was Bilbo's best option.
"Where do you plan to go after leaving the Shire?" Luke asked.
"Lord Elrond once invited me to reside in Rivendell, and the scenery there is beautiful and very suitable for retirement," Bilbo said with a smile.
"Of course, Luke, your Hogwarts is also very beautiful. If I wanted to stay there temporarily, would I be welcome?"
"You are absolutely welcome!" Luke said to Bilbo very earnestly.
"Hogwarts has always kept a room reserved for you. You can stay at Hogwarts for as long as you like! Furthermore, if you are willing, you could serve as a school administrator, just like Gandalf and the others."