Chapter 136: New ability

-General-

A gentle rain eased the heavy burden of the relentless battles fought by the elves of Mirkwood. Each drop was a gift from the heavens to the newly purified land, and the dry branches absorbed them with quiet contentment. Soft melodies filled the camp, as lyres and flutes wove together in a soothing dance.

The lanterns of the largest tent cast two seated shadows, enveloped in a conversation about the past.

"The story of my mother and Sauron?" Aldril repeated, tilting his head in pure curiosity. "You have my full attention, Lady Thalwen," he said with a nod, subtly urging the elf to continue with what she had planned to say.

"Curious, are you? Well then, let me begin," Thalwen said, settling more comfortably in her chair.

"A long time ago, before the creation of the One Ring, there was a kingdom of Men, one so vast and majestic that it dwarfed Minas Tirith, that place where Men earned their right to rule."

"Numenor," Aldril added, fully engrossed in Thalwen's tale.

"Indeed, Numenor—the kingdom built by your grandfather Elros, the first and great wise king of Men. In those days, your mother was urged to take the throne, but she always refused. She longed for adventure, and if she accepted the crown, her dream of exploring Middle-earth would be forever out of reach."

"But wasn't my mother already an elf by then?"

A smile curved Thalwen's lips, though a nostalgic glimmer danced in her eyes.

"Oh no, young Aldril. Back then, your mother was still a Númenórean, one whose life was prolonged even further by Lady Varda's blessing." Her voice held a nearly melancholic note, but with a slight wave of her hand, she dismissed any trace of sentimentality and returned to the topic at hand.

"In any case, back to the main point…" She leaned forward, clasping her hands together, her fingers tightening slightly.

"Sauron, at the time, called himself Annatar, 'The Lord of Gifts,'" she murmured, a hint of disdain in her voice. "Through manipulation, he led the men of Númenor to defy Manwë's decree. But he did not only incite the rebellion of men against the Valar…"

Her tone dropped, becoming more amused, almost ironic.

"He attempted to court your mother in a crude attempt to seize control over the bloodline of Númenor's first king."

Aldril's eyes widened. He nearly jumped in shock, and his expression must have been quite the spectacle, for Thalwen let out a melodious laugh, elegantly covering her lips in an attempt to suppress her amusement.

"My mother was courted by Sauron?" Aldril murmured in disbelief. The idea was so absurd that he could barely process it. He had never imagined that such a dark being could even contemplate the notion of courtship.

Thalwen shook her head, still entertained.

"Don't see it in a romantic light, dear," she said, cutting off Aldril's thoughts at the root. "He did it solely to gain control over Númenor and, through it, rule over all Men."

Her expression darkened slightly, amusement giving way to seriousness.

"Sauron is a being who craves control. He does not wish for anything to slip from his grasp. He has always been this way… and always will be. However, that does not mean that his attempt has been forgotten by those of us who remember." Resting her pale cheek on her hand, she drifted into memory.

"Back then, we believed he was just another elf, captivated by your mother's ferocity and bravery. But oh, how mistaken we were…"

Thalwen let out a sigh, as if she could still relive the events of that day.

"Our shock was immeasurable when, enraged by the humiliation of being rejected, Sauron incited the men of Númenor to set sail for Valinor, an act that sealed the kingdom's doom and led to its downfall."

Her gaze shifted to the flames of a nearby torch. "Now, that once-beautiful kingdom lies beneath the waters of Ulmo, forever buried in the depths of the sea."

Frowning, Aldril remained silent, processing the newfound knowledge. He had only known the common events portrayed in the films, but realizing how much undiscovered history lay beyond them awakened a hunger within him to learn more about this world.

"My mother… how did she react?" he asked, curiosity burning in his voice.

Thalwen's gaze drifted away from the crackling embers, and she looked at Aldril with a sorrowful smile.

"Your mother fell into a deep depression. Only her fury and hatred toward Sauron kept her from taking her own life," she said with great sorrow.

"But what happened to Sauron?"

"We do not know. We believe that, due to the sin he incited, his fair form was never restored," Thalwen continued. "From that day on, he appeared only in his dark form, never again taking on his elven visage."

Aldril lowered his head, lost in thought. However, his contemplation did not last long, as Thalwen's clapping brought him back to reality.

"We've talked enough for tonight, dear. Go rest, our conversation can continue another day."

With those words, she dismissed Aldril, who, without protest, offered a simple "Good night" and returned to his tent to sleep.

---

Inside his tent, Aldril lay on his cot, one hand resting on his forehead. It wasn't that the knowledge Thalwen had shared kept him from sleeping—he simply wasn't tired. On the contrary, he felt brimming with energy. The absorption of Sauron's magic had heightened his endurance.

With a sigh, he opened the long-abandoned system interface, which he rarely used. Something deep within him made him feel inadequate for relying on a system to grow stronger.

Or at least, that's what he believed, for it was only a matter of time before he fully awakened his potential, a potential inherent to him as one who carried the blood of the two races most beloved by Ilúvatar.

[Attribute Points: 95]

[Magic has awakened within your body. You can now learn basic magic.]

[The ability to purify dark magic has been acquired.]

***

Filthy orcs!! I have seen that we have fallen to the bottom with the stones of power, let us rise up! the age of man is over! the age of the orc is here!

"p@treon.com/Mrnevercry"