Karl grabbed the box with both hands and began to apply force, trying to open it. One layer of strength, three layers, five layers... until he used his full power. Even with his biokinetic field in place, stones continued to fall, dust rose inside the cave, and the ground began to tremble. Cracks appeared in the earth beneath his feet, spreading rapidly like a spiderweb. A stone from above fell and struck the ground with a dull thud. The entire cliff shook, and rocks tumbled down the outer face with a deafening roar.
The tremors did not stop there; the surrounding area also shook, trees swayed, and wild animals scattered in terror. Even the Elves in Rivendell felt the earth tremble and were roused from their sleep.
Inside the cave, the box remained completely motionless, without the slightest deformation. The runes on its surface still flowed, as if the force that had shaken the mountains had vanished. Karl loosened his grip, squinted, and stared at the box, suspended in the air by his biokinetic field. He had never before seen anything that could withstand his full strength without a single scratch. Was the protective power of the runes truly that strong? Or was the box itself not even "matter"?
Then Karl remembered Elrond's earlier words: "This box originally belonged to you." If he were the creator, the owner of the box, how would he protect his valuables...? A thought came to him: perhaps the "key" to opening the box lay within himself?
Karl raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming. He extended the index finger of his right hand, and a thin stream of golden divine power emanated from its tip. He carefully released this fragment of divine power, which traced a golden trajectory through the air and flew toward the floating box. The moment the divine power touched the box's surface, the box blazed with light. In the light, the runes on the box's surface began to move faster, then peeled away one by one from the surface. They eventually formed a complex three-dimensional structure of runes surrounding the box at its centre. Karl's divine power was absorbed by the runes, and then the lid of the box opened by itself.
Two objects slowly emerged from the box and hovered before Karl. The first was a ring, made of a metal he had never seen before. The ring had a simple design: on the inside of the band was engraved a circle of fine runes. The runes were so small they were invisible to the naked eye. The second object was a book — a book that existed between reality and illusion, its surface shimmering with a faint golden light.
Karl touched the ring first, and the moment his fingertips made contact, a flood of information poured into his mind. A spatial ring? Inside was an empty space large enough to hold several mountains. Karl, using his mental energy, explored the space and discovered within it countless star-like points of light suspended in the void.
He pulled back from his thoughts, pondered for a moment, and understood why Elrond had said: "This box belongs to him." As far as he knew, there was no spatial equipment in Middle-earth, so the presence of spatial rings and runes clearly did not belong to Middle-earth. There was only one explanation: he had made it in the future, anticipating his own needs in the "present." At this moment, he lacked the ability to carry a large number of items with him. Using biokinetic fields to lift and transport goods was extremely inconvenient. However, the spatial ring appeared just in time, compensating for this shortcoming. Who else but himself could understand his needs so well? And create a container that could only be opened by his divine power?
Karl placed the ring on the index finger of his left hand, and the ring automatically adjusted to fit perfectly. Then he turned his gaze to the glowing book. The book, which existed between reality and illusion and shone with a soft golden light, was surrounded by an aura that had the same origin as his divine power. No wonder, when he saw the box, he had felt at home with it.
He extended his right hand, and just as his fingertips were about to touch the gold, the book silently dissolved. It transformed into countless tiny, dazzling points of light, like miniature stars, and streamed toward Karl's forehead. A torrent of information crashed into him, Karl's pupils contracted, reflecting a fleeting golden stream of runes in his eyes. His lips moved slightly, and he almost soundlessly uttered a few words: "The Secret Art of the Soul..."
He immediately sat down on the spot, leaned against the cold stone wall, and closed his eyes. He quickly suppressed and isolated all five external senses, fully immersing himself in the secret art unfolding before him.
---
Several days passed, and Thorin and the other dwarves discovered that Karl had vanished. At first, they thought Karl enjoyed solitude and might have found a secluded spot by the waterfall to hone his swordsmanship. Karl still hadn't shown himself when they gathered their belongings and prepared to set out once more on the long and dangerous journey to the Lonely Mountain.
The dwarves were puzzled. They were about to depart, but one of the most important members of their company was nowhere to be seen. You should know that Karl not only cooked delicious food but also possessed the Life Potion. The night before, the dwarves had anxiously asked everyone around.
Bilbo left his temporary dwelling and made his way to the white stone spiral staircase leading down. The view was breathtaking — in the distance, multi-tiered houses, elegant arched bridges, and the blurred outlines of mountains could be seen. He took a deep breath; the air was filled with the scent of flowers, refreshing and invigorating.
At that moment, a quiet but distinct voice sounded. Bilbo looked toward the source and saw a platform nearby, connected to another staircase. Two familiar figures were talking: Gandalf and Elrond. Bilbo did not want to eavesdrop, but the words "Lonely Mountain" and "dragon" caught his ears like a hook. He hesitated for a moment, then involuntarily took two steps forward.
"...We must seize this opportunity, Lord Elrond."
"I know what I am doing," came Gandalf's voice.
"Do you? This dragon has slept for sixty years — sixty years of peace. What if your plan fails? What if you awaken that monster? Gandalf, that fury will consume everything."
"And what if we succeed?" Gandalf took half a step forward. "If the dwarves reclaim the Lonely Mountain, we will have a powerful ally in the East, and we will be able to build defensive fortifications."
"That is no small matter, Gandalf," Elrond shook his head. "Do you expect these twelve or so men to defeat the evil dragon dwelling in the Lonely Mountain and reclaim the lost kingdom?"
"But even if we do nothing, the risk remains; the dragon will eventually awaken," Gandalf added. "And Thorin's claim to the throne of Erebor is entirely justified. His people were forced to leave their homes and long to return — what is there to fear?"
Bilbo listened intently, his palms slightly sweaty, completely unaware that someone was standing on the steps behind him.