Chapter 375: One Ring
Chapter 375: One Ring
"Since you are truly willing to honor your promise, I don't need so much wealth." Liam looked at the dozen or so carts filled with gold, silver, and jewelry. "The wealth on these carts can roughly make up for what Smaug stole from Dale years ago. If you are willing to sign a long-term trade agreement with us, you only need to give me some Mithril as compensation. Oh, and there's the gemstone necklace that Thranduil ordered from you. Since you are all my friends, I hope to resolve the conflicts between you."
"You are very generous, Your Highness." Thorin bowed earnestly. "But I can never forgive the Elves for abandoning us in our time of need."
"Thranduil did indeed abandon you, but he is the king of the Elves, not the king of the Dwarves. In previous wars, the Elves have lost too many lives; they can't afford to lose any more. Besides, you were the ones who withheld the gem, which broke the friendship between you. That's why they didn't send troops to help." Liam explained. He had learned all this from Legolas during their idle chats.
"Your words make me think that my ancestors might have been blinded by Dragon-sickness, truly deceived by the gold and gems. But thinking of my fallen kin, I still can't forgive them." Thorin said. "But now I understand that for the future of Lonely Mountain, I can reconcile with them. However, this does not mean I forgive them."
"Alright, as long as you don't treat each other like mortal enemies. After all, there are far more dangerous enemies around us. In such a situation, internal strife is fatal." Liam said with a sigh. He knew that it was impossible to erase the past and forgive so easily after so many lives were lost. All he could do was ensure they didn't treat each other like enemies.
"Yes, reconciliation is good." Gandalf nodded in satisfaction. Soon, Thorin and his companions handed over fifty to sixty kilograms of Mithril ingots to Liam, which was more than 80% of their stock. They also presented the necklace the Elves had ordered in a box.
After the exchange was complete, Thorin led his men back to Lonely Mountain, where he was now busy writing letters to recall previously exiled kin. Meanwhile, Liam and his cavalry returned to Dale with the treasures.
Upon returning to the palace, Liam immediately summoned Legolas. Recently, Legolas had been enjoying a good life. His first battle outside Mirkwood was against Smaug, and it was discovered afterward that one of the three cannonballs that hit the dragon's heart was his. According to local customs, he could now add "Dragon Slayer" to his title, which he found very honorable.
Moreover, during his time in Rivendell's Ruins, he had facilitated many trades with the Elves, greatly helping his Packmates. Being away from his father's watchful eye also allowed his relationship with Tauriel to flourish. All these factors combined made him in high spirits. When he appeared before Liam, he had an excited look on his face.
However, his mood immediately dampened when he learned that Liam wanted him to return to Mirkwood. He wasn't sure how Thranduil would react to this news. But when he learned it was to return his mother's relic, his spirits lifted again.
Legolas had few memories of his mother, but that didn't stop him from missing her, especially when his relationship with his father was strained. Liam also hoped that returning the relic would help improve their relationship.
After Legolas set off, Liam began to inventory the treasures he had just received. Using Eagle Vision, he was surprised to discover an item with an extremely powerful magical aura.
"This is..." Liam pushed aside the gold coins covering the top layer and picked up a plain gold ring, suddenly feeling a sense of foreboding.
Placing the ring on the stone floor, he pointed his wand and chanted, "Flame, burn brightly." Under the burning flame, inscriptions like fire appeared on the ring.
"One Ring! How did this end up here?" Liam was thoroughly confused. In the original story, Bilbo obtained the ring from Gollum while passing through the Misty Mountains. The Dwarves hadn't even invited Bilbo, so where did this ring come from?
The next morning, Liam took Rose Crystal and used the pretext of discussing trade terms to meet with the Dwarves. For safety, the Ring was carried by Rose Crystal. Liam had discovered that the Ring had a deadly allure only for living beings from this world, and its influence on him was minimal. As a Puppet, Rose Crystal was almost completely unaffected by it.
After signing the trade agreement, Liam brought out the Ring and inquired about it. The Ring's strange power recognized it as the one he had obtained in the Misty Mountains. Back then, he had accidentally fallen into a cave while being pursued by Goblins, and after slaying a small creature, he had found the Ring. He suspected it might have fallen off when he was loading the treasure onto the cart.
Liam knew that the Ring's corrupting influence, sensing that the Dwarves were less susceptible to corruption, had chosen to leave them. However, the Dwarves, unaware of its significance, showed little interest in the simple gold Ring. The Ring's strange power directly stated that it would be given to Liam, as he now had many treasures and no longer valued a bit of gold.
After leaving Lonely Mountain, Liam found Gandalf and told him about obtaining the One Ring. Initially, he wanted to hand the Ring over to Gandalf, but Gandalf jumped up in horror and refused.
"Don't tempt me. I don't want to become the Dark Lord in this world. The Ring corrupts through pity, the desire to help the weak and the urge to improve the world. Don't tempt me! I dare not take it, even just to keep it safe. The temptation to possess it would weaken me. I need my strength; there are many challenges and dangers ahead of me."
"What should I do with this thing? Should I just throw it away?" Liam asked, holding up the Ring with a troubled expression. The small Puppet beside him also looked at the Ring with disdain. Since Liam was an outsider, the Ring couldn't accurately gauge his inner thoughts and thus offered the generic temptation of immortality for humans. But this had no value for Liam, who had already secured a reliable means of immortality. If anyone could achieve immortality on their own, why would they want to serve someone else to get it?
"You can resist the Ring's corruption?" Gandalf looked at Liam in astonishment. "Can I entrust you with the task of destroying this Ring at Mount Doom? The darkness in Mordor and at the Black Gate has not yet fully recovered, and with your abilities, it should be relatively easy to infiltrate."
"From what I understand, the Valar declared that Sauron was a problem for humans to solve. If I destroy the Ring at Mount Doom, will it cause their displeasure?" Liam asked, frowning.
"You are now the King of the Valley and have been granted permission by the Valar to be here. Therefore, you are considered one of the humans of this world. The Valar imposed this requirement because during the First and Second Ages, their interference in Middle-earth often backfired. Your actions here align with their hopes, and destroying Sauron's influence in Middle-earth is something they would welcome. Your victory over Sauron would also guide the people of Middle-earth to fight against evil and embrace the light." As Gandalf spoke, his eyes glowed with a fierce light, as if illuminated by an inner flame, indicating that he spoke with the will of the Valar.
"Moreover, if you do this, the Valar will grant you a corresponding gift." Gandalf's final words sealed Liam's decision. He immediately stood up and declared that he would go to Mount Doom to completely destroy Sauron.
After all, if it proved too dangerous, he could always return. But if successful, he might receive a gift from the creators of the world. Such a golden opportunity was one Liam couldn't afford to miss.
(End of Chapter)
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