Chapter 69: Leaving Rivendell

"You? What method do you have to prove it?" Saruman questioned, his voice cold as winter steel. "I have a spell that can extract memories from myself or others," Kael replied, pressing his wand to his temple. He recalled the harrowing encounter while quietly chanting an incantation. A silvery thread was drawn from his temple—a memory from that dark time in the Barrow-downs. Once extracted, memories could be viewed either by inserting them into someone else's mind or by using a Pensieve. A Pensieve was not practical here, and everyone present was exceptionally powerful—they would hardly appreciate Kael tampering with their memories. But Kael had another option. He looked toward Galadriel and requested, "Lady Galadriel, I have heard you can create a mirror that shows the past and future. Could you create a vessel here that can hold memories, allowing everyone to see what lies within?" "As you wish," Galadriel said without hesitation. She took a wine pitcher from the table, walked to the nearby stream, and scooped up clear water. When she poured it onto the stone surface, the water seemed infused with starlight, radiating a luminous clarity and forming a perfect mirror. At Galadriel's signal, Kael flicked the memory thread wrapped around his wand into the water mirror. The memory merged with the enchanted surface, creating ripples that spread outward like rings of light. The water mirror began to display scenes from Kael's memories—from his first terrifying encounter with the Witch-king of Angmar possessing a barrow-wight in the ancient tomb, to the company facing hundreds of wights on the road, and finally Gandalf's fierce battle against the Witch-king himself. Everyone gathered around the water mirror, watching the scenes unfold with grave expressions. Even the stubborn Saruman, who had refused to acknowledge the truth, now remained silent, his face dark with displeasure. The facts were crystal clear. Everyone present, save for Kael, was experienced and powerful enough to recognize the unmistakable presence of the Witch-king of Angmar. But Saruman clearly did not want to admit he was wrong. "Though I am certain it is the Witch-king of Angmar," he said stiffly, "this does not mean Sauron has returned. When Isildur severed his finger with Narsil, his physical form was destroyed. With only his spirit remaining, he poses no real threat." "Moreover, without the One Ring, he cannot possibly regain his power or threaten Middle-earth again." Elrond and Galadriel said nothing, but they moved to stand behind Gandalf, clearly making their allegiance known. Seeing this, Saruman's jealousy toward Gandalf intensified. He was supposed to be the leader of the White Council, yet now he stood alone. "Setting aside the matter of the Nazgûl," Saruman said, seizing on another topic, "you need to explain the dwarf situation to us, Gandalf. You always love to meddle in affairs that do not concern you. When there is no trouble, you go looking for it. We all know what sleeps beneath the Lonely Mountain, yet you persist in trying to wake that dragon. You are courting disaster." "I cannot agree with your assessment, Saruman," Gandalf replied, shaking his head. "The dragon Smaug belongs to no faction. If he allies with the Orcs, it will bring unpredictable consequences to all the powers of Middle-earth. Only by allowing the dwarves to reclaim the Lonely Mountain can we contain the dark forces of the Far East and prevent their expansion." As Gandalf and Saruman continued their heated debate, Lindir, Elrond's secretary, arrived with news. Thorin Oakenshield had departed Rivendell early with the dwarves and Bilbo. When delivering this news, Lindir's tone carried a barely concealed note of relief. During their stay, the dwarves had given the Elves of Rivendell quite a headache. They had not only consumed vast quantities of food and wine but had also dismantled Elven musical instruments to use as firewood, made noise day and night, and bathed in the sacred fountain pools. Yet Elrond, following the ancient courtesy of hospitality, had not blamed them. Now that the dwarves had departed, all of Rivendell felt ready to celebrate—the Elves were practically prepared to hold a festival. The White Council meeting ultimately ended in discord due to Saruman's stubborn disagreement. Though Elrond and Galadriel supported Gandalf's position, they would not openly oppose Saruman as the Council's leader. Therefore, Gandalf's proposal for the White Council to jointly attack Dol Guldur was not achieved. Gandalf resolved to scout Dol Guldur himself first, to determine whether Sauron was truly hiding there. Before leaving Rivendell, Kael, with Elrond's permission, cast magic on a fireplace to establish a Floo Network node, connecting Rivendell with the fireplace in his tower at Weathertop. This would allow him to travel easily between the two locations in the future. As a token of gratitude, Kael gave Elrond a small packet of Floo Powder—enough for ten journeys by one person. Traveling from Rivendell to the Lonely Mountain required crossing the treacherous Misty Mountains, where the terrain was rugged and no proper roads existed. So Kael left his wagon and pony, Patches, in Rivendell, entrusting them to the Elves' care. He and Gandalf then set out on foot toward the Misty Mountains, following in Thorin's footsteps. Thorin's company had departed a day earlier, but the two wizards were in no hurry, walking at a leisurely pace. Kael had the Palantír, so he was not worried about losing track of the company. "Where are they now?" Gandalf asked, settling down on a large stone and leisurely puffing on his pipe. "Let me see," Kael replied, taking a small leather pouch from his waist. He pulled out a crystal ball several times larger than the pouch itself and peered carefully into its depths. "Hmm... they are already near the High Pass. If we want to catch up, it will take considerable time." He tucked the Palantír back into the small pouch, then pulled out a bottle of water and began drinking. Seeing this display, Gandalf could not help but marvel. "Your magic continues to amaze me. You even dabble in spatial magic." "This is the Undetectable Extension Charm, merely a space-expanding spell," Kael said, shaking his head modestly. "It hardly counts as spatial magic." The Book of Spells had recorded many incantations, including the Undetectable Extension Charm. The charm could infinitely expand an object's internal space without changing its external volume. Many things in the magical world used this spell—wizard trunks, magical tents, secret bases, and other scenarios requiring concealment and expansion. The most iconic example was Newt Scamander's suitcase, which contained what seemed like a small world, home to countless magical creatures. The Undetectable Extension Charm was an advanced spell, very difficult to master. Even after long practice, Kael had only managed to expand a stable space about two meters in diameter within the small pouch. With this enchanted space, Kael's life had become much more convenient. All the items from his wagon were stored in the small pouch, including his sword and daggers. Except for the wand in his hand, he could truly travel light. Gandalf had been quite envious and had begged Kael to create a similar space for him. He had specifically requested his tobacco pouch be expanded to store Shire tobacco, making it convenient to smoke wherever he went. No wonder Saruman mockingly said Gandalf's brain had been addled by hobbit leaf. "Excessive modesty is pride, Kael," Gandalf said, shaking his head in disagreement. "Your magic is different from ours. We borrow power from nature, while your magic seems more like a manifestation of your inner self, changing according to your will—"Let there be light, and there is light." "Such ability is beyond our reach. Though still small, it has limitless potential." "Oh, and now that you have the Elessar gifted by Lady Galadriel, you can begin crafting your own staff. What wood do you plan to use? Once you decide, I will start making it for you." (End of Chapter) *** [Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]