Virtuos and vile

"Mordor belongs to you. Mordor belongs to the Bright Lord!"

Figure speaking was barely visible, on the open balcony of the tallest tower in the orc fortress, and yet voice carried through the whole fortress and beyond, through a bowl filled with mercury to the top of Amon Sul in a completely different Arda. 

I couldn't help but be impressed by the spectacle, but it was a pity that Archer would never allow me to do something similar. The Dark Lord was strictly forbidden, but what about the Bright Lord? Perhaps a slightly Dim Lord would pass Archer's scrutiny.

Then again, who would want to rule over orcs anyway? The thought was quickly dismissed as I turned my attention back to the matter at hand.

The little figure should be the Talion joined with the Celebribor's spirit. Unless I made some serious mistakes. But since I had used both traces from summoning those two and information I had from Turánn to target the proper timeline I was quite sure that I was right. Since they were in Mordor and in another timeline I was using a combination of esoteric means to observe them. In particular, I was using elvish lore in conjunction with Sorcery I had gained from almost touching the Root, with just a dash of divine gifts I picked in summer camp. 

For elven scrying three things were necessary. A basin, usually made of silver, medium, usually fresh weather, and celestial light. A basin I had constructed and enchanted according to the text I found in Elrond's library. Like most elven "magic" it was actually a technology, using tools to enhance the natural abilities. Specific properties of the Unseen, the spiritual realm, and Eldar natural abilities. 

On the other hand, the second ingredient was an actual spell, carved on a strange Foundation that was outside the axis of any world, near and yet far from the Root. On understanding that lied, for now, beyond human comprehension. It is my third successful attempt at creating the True Magic spell. The first was one I created in dire necessity, which allowed me to open the path that had already been created by someone or something else. Second was a practical matter, a spell that I used extensively during all the Holy Grail Wars I participated in. Unfortunately, that one depended on karmic bonds between Servant and Master, so it was currently quite useless. The third one was the matter of pure research.

I wanted to use True Magic as it was meant to be used. I wanted to peer into alternate timelines. I succeeded but had proven utterly incompatible with magecraft. I named the spell "Bridge".

"Bonds", "Retrace", "Shatter", "Bridge", "Recall", "Cats Cradle". From these examples, it could be seen that I was not very good at naming things.

And last, I was using mercury as a medium, instead of water. Water was recommended because there was the least Melko corruptive influence within the running waters of Arda. But I had access to something even better. Spiritually pure mercury, utterly untouched by the Shadow. In truth, I should have used that when I had been fighting Ringwraiths, but I was too elated by having access to jewel magecraft again. 

For the location, I used the ruins on top of Amon Sul for several reasons. One, it was under my wards, which strengthened any magic I cast. Strangely that applied not only to magecraft but to any spiritual abilities I had. Two it was in the open, with easy access to celestial lings. Three this was the place I had summoned Celebrimbor and Talion before. It could even be possible for me to use "retrace" here, but the other end would lead to Mordor. So I wouldn't be doing that. 

I had started with ordinary scrying, casting my vision to Bree, mostly because there was nothing of importance there and I was familiar with the place. 

Once I managed to do it I used a spell to move the target of scrying to another timeline. It worked much better than I expected.

I could think of two possible reasons at hand. One, the Bridge worked perfectly well with twenty-century human technology, so I saw no reason why it wouldn't work with the Elven one.

Second, the Elven scrying could already reach across time and space, then reaching across timelines was a small step. And there were hints that it already did. When used to see the future there was a chance for it to show events that would never happen, at least not in that particular timeline. 

With that spell now had greater use than just spelling another timelines cable.

I steeled myself for what I might see and focused my will on the silver basin. I commanded it to reveal more. The image within began to shift as if I were flying towards that orcish balcony at breakneck speed. Talion's face loomed larger and larger until it consumed the entire surface of the bowl. 

His countenance was weathered, with long dark hair, an unshaven face, and piercing grey-blue eyes. But there was something more in those eyes. I peered deeper, beyond the flesh, and saw an unquiet spirit of an elf-lord who had rejected the judgment in the West, burrowing like a tick in ranger's flesh, strangling the host spirit like a parasitic vine does the tree. Similar yet different from barrow wights in my custody. I say barrow-wights and not barrow-wight, because Archer had managed to add to their number. 

Perhaps, a little too close.

With a bit of concentration, I shifted my viewing point slightly until I could see his/theirs entire body.

Suddenly, the ranger's eyes narrowed and his hands moved to his blades. My heart pounded with anticipation. Was there a danger? An ambush?

I scoured the scrying bowl for any sign of trouble, but there was nothing. I waited with bated breath, hoping that my fears were unfounded.

Then I had a realization. Could they sense my presence, even in this form? And if they could, was there a way for us to communicate?

"Can you hear me?" I spoke aloud, my voice carried by the wind.

Nothing. And then I felt a bit foolish. It could not be that easy.

Then I opened my mind and tried to reach them. But I didn't feel any mind. It was like trying to talk to a painting.

Then I tried something a bit different. Like with scrying I tried to use the trans timeline spell as a carrier. Only then I could feel their minds. They were snuggly blended in.

Mentally knocking I tried to establish a connection. There was no coercion in this mode of communication. Unless they were open to my message they would not hear it. 

It seemed that they were willing to talk.

"A star shines upon the hour of our meeting," I sent, and something slipped, and I sent part I did not intend to, "Though it may be an ill-omened star."

"Who are you?" The mental voice was rough, and barely there. That must have been the ranger.

"It is an elven greeting. At least the first part of it. But it is forbidden for Elves to speak with unquiet spirits. Another chain by which Powers of the West would bind us." There was no mistaking if the other voice was of an elf-lord. Yet, mind to mind, I could feel more than his words. He was filled with bitter arrogance. And more. There was a shadow upon him. I recognized those words. They were said before, but not by him.

It echoed the rhetoric Melko used, once they had let him out of Halls of Mandos, to undermine the confidence that Elves had in Valar.

Yet, there was a grain of truth in it. It would not have gained such traction if there had not been. When the Valar made laws for the Elves, the Elves were permitted to observe but not participate in the process.

"Against both law and custom, I speak to you to give you thanks for your aid against slaves of the Enemy." Perhaps this was a mistake, perhaps there was a good reason for such a law. There was a risk in this, more than one kind of necromancy I was used to. But I thought it was a risk worth taking. I didn't approve of leaving all those who refused Mando's afterlife services to the dubious mercy of various Dark Lords. "I am called Rin. I of course know who you are, Ring Maker, but perhaps your companion would like to introduce himself?"

"Talion. My name is Talion. What do you mean by thanks?" 

"I was one who had summoned you two to help me fight the Nine. I apologize for that, but my need was dire. By the way, what happened to the Ringwraith you took?"

"It withered and died. Are sure that was a Ringhtwaith? It carried no ring."

Ranger's reply gave me interesting information. I already knew that Ringwraiths in my timeline did not carry Rings of Power on them, although they were bound to them. But now I knew that binding couldn't reach across timelines. And once severed, so was the unnatural existence of ring bearers. 

"And slaves of the Enemy are not released that easily! Stop this mockery. Why did you trap us in that illusion? What was the purpose of that?"

"It was no illusion."

"Do not lie to me. There is no Art fair or foul, that would move our hroa in instant access such distance.."

"No art that you would know of Celebribor. And the distance was much further than you think. For I did not just transport your flesh and spirit both from Mordor to Eriador. Amon Sul would be that place called long after Eregion had fallen."

"Amon Sul? Those ruins?"

"Yes, Talion. But please let me finish, I did not just drag you across half of the continent, I moved from one Arda to another Arda."

"If you're going to speak nonsense there is little point in this conversation. Keep your delusions to yourself."

 And with that, he broke off contact.

I noted that if I was to explain something like multiverse I needed a better approach. Something more compatible with local knowledge.

Pity I hoped that I could get some answers about ring-lore from one of the two leading experts.

But still, it was not a complete waste. I had learned that I could use the Bridge with Elven scrying, I had learned that the power of the Rings did not cross between timelines. And more importantly, I was beginning to think that any magical rings Sauron had designed were traps. And not just a trap for others and a trap even for its maker.

Ill words. Ill thoughts. Ill deeds.

That which we make part of ourselves and that which we reject.

So familiar. One who had been made into the devil and one who had made himself into the devil.

I understand the final secret now. I could even make a Ring of Power. Not a lesser ring, one equal to Seven or Nine.

Basic principles were surprisingly simple.

Partial materialization of the soul. Once a spiritual entity became material, its power over the material world grew. There had been many examples in Arda of that. But it also became vulnerable. And of course incarnate beings, those who possessed both spiritual and material bodies could not in the normal course of events materialize their own soul, since they already had a physical body. Even if that body was dead.

The Rings of Power circumvented those problems. The ring held a seed of a materialized soul given by the creator, and then through the sympathetic effect, it would draw more of the wearer's soul into the ring. As the long ring remained in possession of the wearer, nothing was lost.

That also explained what happened to Ringwraiths. As their spiritual bodies moved into their rings, their material bodies would be drawn into the unnatural void left in spiritual realms.

But it also introduced new vulnerabilities. One simplest and most obvious was that a ring was an object. It could be taken by force, stolen by stealth, and even given away.

Second, that part of the soul trapped within it lacked the many protections that the natural soul had. That was how the existence of the Ruling Ring was possible. And also to why would all of the rings be destroyed if it was.

Except perhaps, a secondary Ruling Ring. Conflict could protect it.

And there was the question of method. A transgression made possible by dissonance.

It was still tempting. One for me and one for Archer.

It was pride and not wisdom that stopped me. And a touch of fear.

I didn't want to repeat the mistakes of the past. I wanted to make my own. 

I returned to Otherworld to store the basin, and then a makeshift prison for undead in the bastion.

There were four metal tubs in it. One empty and three filled. 

The talk with our two new guests was less than productive.

One refused to communicate. The other was either pretending or was actually utterly insane. His, or perhaps hers, it was hard to tell with the ancient host, and even if I could there was no evidence that the host corpse and invading spirit had been of the same gender. His mental voice sounded mostly male, so I would use him as a pronoun.

Well to be honest he sounded like the protagonist in the Lovecraft story. In the end, not at the beginning. If there was any wisdom hidden in his words, it was too well concealed for me to find it.

At least I had a nice conversation about mining and smithing techniques with the first undead we captured. One more piece of evidence that he was probably a Noldo.

I was glad that was willing to talk to me. I wished there were more people for him to talk to. It was not my intention to put him or those who would follow in isolation.

Perhaps in time, he would trust me enough to tell me his name. 

Archer bike was great, but with roads being neglected as they were, it was just not enough. So I have experimented a little with aerodynamics. In other words, I have made several models of kites and had the apprentices fly them.

Those two boys were still trying to find uses for the laser pointer, and I added new duties. And winter had started, and it seemed that it would be a very cold one.

At least we had strong winds. That helped with flying kites. 

Why kites? Simple I had a spell that controlled wind, so a hand glider could take me far. And once I arrived at my destination I could set up a gate to the Otherworld.

Véro, the younger boy, had turned out to be a rather talented artist. His drawings were very realistic and somewhat helpful. I decided to add descriptive geometry to his lessons.

Sapthan on the other hand had managed not only to recruit additional helpers but also properly organized them. There were some elves among them, not just the Dunedain boys that the twins brought.

Thanks to him kites turned out to be very popular. Well, that was also that they were something of a novelty.

But no matter how much fun this little diversion was, I had work to do. It was time for crime against nature.

The magic circle was complete. Its purpose was simple: repair the corpse placed within, and saturate it with magical energy to make animation easier. 

One of the most common ways of creating corporal undead was to merge a, traditionally malevolent, spirit with a prepared corpse. Both methods of merging, spirit used, origin, and preparation methods of the corpse could vary, giving a staggering number of abominations.

Not all combinations were viable, for example, stuffing loa into a mummy was unlikely to work, although there was a possibility that some Magus was researching how to do it. After centuries of research and experimentation, the Association had documented a great number of possibilities, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

The origin. The corpses I was about to use were those of orcs, one troll, and one giant spider. That was completely new territory. It was the first time magecraft would be used to animate corpses of these species. And considering that each of them, except perhaps a troll, contained at least some spirit ancestry, it was also an opportunity to advance my magecraft. 

The preparation was simple. Saturation and repair. Like any object, corpses contain records of them being whole, so the repair was a trivial thing. Saturation on the other hand was one of the first preparatory steps for Greater Marriage. It was not enough just to seduce a goddess, Magus had to prepare both his or her body and soul. Or death and rebirth would be just death. 

As it was said in the name saturation was a process in which mana levels were raised within the body, living or not. In other words, the body was flooded with undirected magical energy. There were problems with that, the chief being that magical energy not bound in either spell, magical circuits, or some other way, like jewels for example, tended to dissipate quickly. There were ways around that but those were confidential. I just say that they involved using skin as a boundary. After all, it was our skin that separated us from the world. 

And it was also not perfect. From the moment the corpse was out of the circle, magical energy started to leak. 

The idea behind the process, was since humans were genetically the same in the past, the greater capabilities that humans exhibited in the past were partially due to higher mana levels, and better mana quality. So by saturating the body with magical energy, increased mana levels could be simulated, and thus the body regressed to the previous age. Experimental results remained mediocre so the theory remained unproven but good enough for some spellcraft. 

There was one minor element to the preparation. A small copy of the circle would be engraved on each corpse, linking it with the circle using sympathetic magic. 

This process I had automated. I just needed to put a corpse in a circle and wait for a little. Magical energy was provided by the Otherworld.

There were some problems with acquiring the spirits. I couldn't use the usual ones since I was in a different world. And was reluctant to use local ones. Those interested in inhabiting a corpse were likely to either already work for the Dark Lord or be quick to switch to his side.

So I had chosen an unorthodox solution.

The Otherworld had Central Intelligence. It was not a spirit, probably. But even if it was purely a mechanical computing system it could still work. With a little blessing.

I pulled out the reforged Larmo. Technically it was not a blade that needed to be reforged. The scabbard had fixed the sword. It was the device that was superimposed over the elven blade that needed rebuilding. The only thing that remained after the Witch King's spell was a special diode.

I had rebuilt it better. The first iteration was something like a radio frequency (RF) detector, except instead of detecting radio waves it detected weak points between parallel worlds.

In the World where I first made it, it was largely useless. I found no weak points there.

In Arda, it turned surprisingly useful, since the Unseen was something of a parallel world and it could be used to detect any significant interaction between the Seen and the Unseen.

But now I had to rebuild it. I have improved it further.

Rather than manually searching, a frequency would be a good analogy, it could be set to search according to an algorithm in a certain range until finding something. Then there were recording and noise removal functions. Filtering according to each Great Element.

And there were some utilities unrelated to its main function.

My father, Tokimi, had managed to use sympathetic magic to link two gems together, allowing for an untraceable link that could neither be disrupted nor listened in. In other words, he had managed to create macroscopic quantum entanglement. And then he attached it to the gramophone. 

I had to mention him by name since due to the way I was traveling I was starting to acquire quite a collection of parents. Few more worlds and it would be like I was raised in a hippy commune.

I, on the other hand, used it better. After all, I had completed a course in Modern Magecraft. However, due to certain complications, it had to be a correspondence course.

So I have used one such connection to connect Larmo with that Otherworld. It allowed a flow of both magical energy and information, although the volume of both was limited.

One of the primary benefits was that I could use the Otherworld's Central Intelligence as both an operating system and natural language interface for the device superimposed on Larmo. Spared the effort of trying to make one.

I thrust my sword into the circle. Activated, it lit in an eerie light. It was unfortunate, but some energy wastage was to be expected.

A small copy of the circle appeared on the hilt.

I could have connected the circle directly. But I wanted this point of failure at hand. After all, I should not raise things that I could not put down. Quickly if necessary. 

"Central Intelligence, integrate magical circle alpha and start a revivification procedure."

The sword began to hum, and that soon resolved into a genderless, toneless voice.

"Connection established."

"Network constructed."

"Terminal Located."

"Connection established."

"Magical energy saturation levels within operational parameters."

"Beginning building a profile."

"Commencing structural analysis of the host body."

"Analysing cell structure."

"Hypothesizing organ function"

"Building metabolic records."

"Constructing a neural system image."

"Virtual body constructed."

"Parsing data."

"Basic movement database constructed."

"Linguistic database constructed."

"Skill database constructed."

"Psychometric sub-profile constructed."

"Profile complete."

"Magical energy saturation levels within operational parameters."

"Starting the simulation of life processes."

"Starting anabolism simulation procedure."

"Magical energy saturation levels reduced to the required level."

"Stopping anabolism simulation procedure."

"Starting catabolism simulation procedure."

"Starting transportation simulation procedure."

"Neural network online." 

"Senses online."

"Activating muscles."

"Terminal online."

The orc looked almost alive. But there was no malice or cruelty in his expression, just apathy.

I ran the animated corpse through the series of tests and, satisfied with the results, ordered, "Add all other designated bodies to the network."

It was not the army of undead, with the number of corpses I had it was barely a fire team of the undead. And they were not that impressive But they had the potential to grow.

A week later a great storm arrived. As far as I could tell it covered everything, at least everything I had access to. And like all bad guests, it didn't want to leave. 

I took my cloak after I entered Elrond's house. There was snow on it and I didn't want to track water everywhere. I didn't have the same problem with footwear. Being an Elf I could walk on top of the snow, rather than sink in.

There were people loitering here right next to the door outside.

Among others, I saw the twins talking with a rather short Elf with an arm in a sling. That was Ascarnil, most bold, or better to say reckless, scout, in Imladris. And the prime reason I had put so many nonlethal deterrents first in the caves under Amon Sul.

I went to greet them.

"So what made you crawl out of your lair?' Elladan jokingly asked.

"I ran out of books," I replied, patting the satchel with books I planned to return to the library. And then I would replace them with new ones of course.

"That would do it," his twin said, smiling.

"Nothing less dire would make me go out. I would even think that even orcs wouldn't wander in this weather." 

"That you would think wrong," the short elf interjected. A lock of his sandy-colored hair fell over his right eye. He tried to use his damaged arm to push it away, winced, and did so with his other arm. "I ran into an orc band in Eregion. And there were tracks of several others." 

"You were scouting in this weather?" I asked. I didn't feel any guilt for withholding what little I knew of healing magecraft. Elrond's healing skills were legendary, and there were other notable healers living in Imladris.

"Someone has to. Otherwise, the first hint of Enemy would be a troll politely knocking on our door," the scout answered.

"That would be a sight to see." one of the twins said.

"Do you think it will come to borrow a cup of sugar?" the other twin joked.

"Only if it was made of someone's skull," the scout drily replied.

"Well, I have books to return," I said, and after saying goodbye left for the library.

There was one thing that Elrond's library lacked. And that was a dedicated librarian. Those who used the library were expected to put books in when finished. It ran on an honor system.

I was finishing replacing the books I took last time with fresh ones. I managed even to find that rare introductory text on mechanics authored by Saruman. He must have given it to Elrond during one of the White Council meetings. Véro would be delighted. He had a gift for numbers. We bonded over that. 

I have been given a choice whether to stay in my home during the blizzard or like most inhabitants of Imladris move to Last Homely House during an emergency. Surprisingly they both choose to stay and continue taking lessons from me.

I mostly blamed Archer. His cooking was addictive.

Here was "On elements." Excellent I could brush local spellwork a little.

"Just the Elf I had been looking for," an old hobbit's voice interrupted my search for new books. "I have heard that you have braved the weather to come here."

I looked and saw Bilbo Baggings, an unconfirmed former ringbearer. We were acquainted, and I did carry his letter for his nephew to Bree. And since we were both frequent guests of Elrond's library we talked there from time to time. Since he was something of a historian he even helped me compile all the stories about Maiar reproducing. 

"My house is not that far. Just a little upstream."

"Considering the show and wind it could as well be in Gondor. I wanted to introduce you to some fine young hobbits, but then this started."

"I thought that you were the only hobbit currently residing here?"

"They arrived just before this storm started."

"So about a week and a half ago?"

"That would be about right. Now, come, follow me. They are eager to meet you."

"Where are we going?"

"To the Hall of Fire."

It didn't take us long to reach it. The Hall of Fire was not far from the library. It was a large and cozy chamber where the Elves would gather in the evenings to relax and entertain themselves. The room was filled with warm light from the fire pits and lamps, and the air was infused with the sweet fragrance of elvish incense. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings and tapestries depicting scenes from Elvish lore and history. In the center of the room, there was a raised platform with cushions where the Elves would recline and enjoy music and poetry performances. It was a peaceful and welcoming space where the weary traveler could find respite and companionship.

"There are a lot of people here," I said, "Almost like there is some celebration going on. I didn't forget another?"

"No." He chuckled. "When the storm lasted as long as it did, people started gathering. I guess it's fire. I do miss the quiet. Here, they are. Come. Come."

And then he led me to the four short people. I knew that they were hobbits, not children, mostly because they were shorter than even my younger apprentice. But they did look terribly young. Perhaps a little too young for large pints of beer that they have been drinking.

I didn't like beer. And it wasn't very popular among Elves, but we did Dwarf guests often, so there was stock of it.

But young hobbits. Could it be? 

"This fine young fellow is Meriadoc Brandybuck," Biblo started the introductions. That was promising.

"Call me Merry," the hobbit in question cheerfully interrupted. He sounded a bit tipsy.

"This is Peregrine Tuck." He introduced the youngest-looking one next.

"Pipin is fine"

"Samwise Gamgee" Yes. I was sure of it. The next one must be Frodo. But which one? There were two hobbits left. I suppose not the fat one.

"Sam," the young hobbit in question added shyly. 

"Fredegar Bolger." It wasn't the fat one.

"Call me Fatty, everyone does."

"And last but least, my nephew Frodo." Yes. That was a relief. 

"No nickname for you Master Baggins?" I added.

"No, but please call me Frodo." my chief suspect for the bearer of One Ring replied. He sounded gentle.

And then the old hobbit introduced me to them, with all the unnecessary pomp.

"That is a bit of a mouthful. So just call me Rin."

"House Feanor?" Frodo muttered, and it looked like he wanted to say more, but was not sure how to put it politely. Bilbo had been the same when learned that. I suppose since they both studied Eldar history they couldn't miss the most notorious Elf of us all.

So I took pity on him, and joked, "So expect no oaths or promises from me. That was a lesson hard learned." 

"Good for you," Merry interjected, "They have been trying to make me promise not to help myself to Father Magot mushrooms, but I am holding firm."

Bilbo shot him a disapproving look and then proceeded to change the subject. Moving to the topic of some of his recent works. Some sort of poetry. Frodo and Sam looked interested, while the other three were obviously as bored as I was.

Luckily Merry managed to steer back from the old hobbit's attempts at poetry to the book he had been writing about his adventures. 

Unfortunately, he kept talking about unfinished parts, which were of less interest to me.

I judged I had been listening enough to be polite, so I interrupted with a question about something I was curious about.

"If you don't mind, could you tell me what brings you four here?'

It was Merry who started to answer, "Not at all, it's quite a harrowing tale. It started a dark and stormy night…"

And then Pipin interrupted, "I don't remember it being that dark. Moon was almost full, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky."

Annoyed at being interpreted. Marry continued, "Under the pale light of the moon an evil sneaked into the Shire. The first sign was terrible sickness that spread in my hometown."

"Well, it was not that bad. It's not like anyone needed more than a day's rest. Most people thought it was just a weak cold," Pippin interjected again.

"Am I telling this tale, or do you want to take over?"

"No, no. Please continue. It's your story."

"The true face of evil was a beast that feasted on the blood of hobbits. And had come to the Shire by accident. It had a purpose. It was seeking something. And I was unfortunate enough to be a part of that purpose. It crept into my bedroom while I was sleeping and ensnared me with vile magic."

I remembered that part. From the other perspective.

"It made me give it my blood, but worse it made me betray my cousin."

Frodo then put his hand on the other hobbit's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I don't blame you, Merry. There was nothing you could do." 

"At least I managed to keep the most important thing a secret."

"Most important thing?" I asked. Because I thought he had told me everything I wanted to know. Well, told my familiar.

"Never mind that. Luckily there was a Ranger hunting the beast and managed to kill it before I took it to Frodo. It was a fierce battle. I didn't see much of it, especially after the beast called the mist. Knowing that it was after Frodo, Ranger suggested that he escort him somewhere safer. And since we would not let our friend go alone we decided to join him. Now about our journey here..."

It seemed that escorted by someone component, not being pursued by the Nine, the journey was much less eventful than in the books. Barely worth a half page.

After parting ways with hobbits I still had time to meet a few more acquaintances, before it was time to brave the storm once more to go home. 

Once I was back home while Archer was combing my hair, I said to him, "We don't have to worry about Frodo anymore. He is here."

"Here? How?" he asked without pausing what he was doing.

"Well, it's a funny story. Remember that bat familiar I sent to look for him? It seems that its appearance had driven him and his friends here. Is this like working with Counter Force instead of against it? Coincidence just happens in a way that you need it."

"There is no Counter Force in this world." He paused for a moment and then more forcefully, "Tell me there isn't."

"Well technically no, but practically... One Above tends to cheat at dice, cards, and probably chess too. And when he loses with all that he tends to flip the board."

"Then you probably won't like what happens next. I speak from experience." 

There was a small attack on Amon Sul a few days later. By the time I had noticed it, it was already over, and all attackers were either dead or fled.

"This is the last of them. I think," I said, examining the bodies of two orcs. At first glance, it seemed that they had killed each other, but I could detect signs of metallic mercury poisoning. Considering that the effects included emotional instability and that these were orcs, I could easily imagine what had happened. "It seems that they have run into one of my traps with gaseous mercury. Anything from their swords?"

"Nothing relevant," Archer replied, "So this makes about twenty orcs?"

"Yes."

"So this more of reconnaissance in force the proper attack."

"They did penetrate deeper than I expected. No matter. Central Intelligence, take the corpses to the storage and add them to the list for reuse."

Two undead orcs silently gathered the orc corpses and began to drag them away.

"So shall we go back home?" Archer asked, "The boys should be still asleep, but it would be better that we are back before they wake."

We were lucky that Elves needed rest so much less than Man. Otherwise with my apprentices constantly underfoot due to the unending storm, we wouldn't be able to get anything done. Not without constantly hypnotizing them. And I was unwilling to do that to the children for which I was responsible. 

"In a minute. Our neighbor has come to pay us a visit."

"Neighbor. You mean that water spirit."

"Yes. Let's see what she wants."

Especially since this was the first time she visited after inducing herself after we cleared these caves.

"I have come bearing a warning. My brother steers."

"Brother I didn't know that you have siblings."

"I have a brother and sister. My sister lives downstream with her husband. But it is my brother that concerns me. He is sleeping upstream. A long time ago he had fallen into an ill company. So when the darkness came for man who once dwelled here he sent his son to pollute these waters. I am sure not I approve of what you have done to those Orcs. It seems unnatural, but I am thankful for cleansing my nephew. Even if you have done it in such a strange way. But I digress. When darkness fled last time, my brother went to sleep, but now it has returned he wakes. And he would not be grateful for what you have done to his son."

And with those words, she disappeared back into the water, leaving behind no trace of her presence. She wasn't one for meaningless talk

"So what are you doing about it?" Archer asked me.

"I think I will share my senses when reading books. And maybe read some children's books near the river? Or would that be inappropriate? He is at least over half a millennium old. Perhaps I should include him in apprentices' lessons? But he may be a little behind. Should I name him, or does he already have a name?"

"Not what I meant. What if he betrays you?"

"If smart enough to make that decision, it's his to make. If he wants to leave I will let him go."

"Not that he really has a choice. You have made him into a familiar. He can't survive without you."

"That is not necessarily true. There are ways. But enough about that. I have made a ritual I could use your help with."

"Is it a sex ritual?"

"How did you guess?"

"Perhaps my Eye of the Mind Skill mutated. Or perhaps I know that you have a fetish for ritual magic. Don't worry, it is much more socially acceptable than necrophilia."

"It is a perfectly legitimate ritual. But if bothers you so much, I could try to redesign it without sex."

"I didn't say that it bothers me."

"Then let's put our tongues to better use." 

After performing a ritual cleansing we went to our bedroom. 

We shed our clothes and stood naked before each other.

On the foot of the bed, he placed his sword to guard us. On the head, I placed mine to record what was about to happen.

With a mixture of liquid clay, ash of burned offering, and sacred oil I drew a sigil representing divinity on his brow, a sigil for men over his hearth, and one for a beast right above his penis. The good point of him being an Elf I didn't have to shave him first.

He did the same to me. 

I lay on the bed on my back, my legs spread, knees bent. Archer moved over me so that his head was over my hips, and his legs went on either side of my head.

Red triangle, the descending tongue of grace.

He bent his head and I could feel his tongue on my cock. First gentle lick, then he took it fully in his mouth.

Blue triangle, the ascending tongue of prayer.

I grabbed his ass with my hands and pulled my head upwards until I could reach what was dangling between his legs. I took it all in my mouth. I have found a prayer that I did not mind.

Energy began to flow between us. It poured liquid warmth into my mouth, then it flowed downward, displacing my own magical energy. Yet at the same time, it leaked, with precum from my shaft into him.

Push and Pull. Two serpents itching each other's tails. A circle complete. A ring.

I opened my mind to him, and he opened his to me. We shared a sensation. But the increased pleasure was just a nice side effect. 

Because the next part required coordination.

Although it was getting a bit hard to concentrate. His tongue, my tongue, felt so good.

I guided, and he followed, and we began to apply lessons learned from Ring of Power.

The power flowed between us thickened. Amplified.

But I was not satisfied with just one ring.

I shattered the reality.

Space-Time. Reality. It was more than a linear path. It was an ever-shifting kaleidoscope. A single choice could create an alternate reality, but most don't. Because those that were similar merged back together.

"Statter" exploited those shadow realms. Short-lived worlds existing only when observed.

In one I licked, in the other I sucked.

In one he kissed my left ball, in the other right.

Two rings touched each other through me. Even with the expense of the spell, the energy grew.

So I did it again. Two became four. Became eight. Became sixteen…

Until we formed a new ring, composed of those smaller rings.

There were more possibilities than I ever accessed. Yer I was not running out of power.

And there were so many variations. I could experience each and every one of them. And through me so could Archer.

I would have been overwhelmed, but I had many brains to process the sensations.

It was like being in an orgy, but only with two people. 

And then I doubled it again. And again…

Ring within the ring within the ring.

And then one of us came, starting the chain reaction. One after another, we all came.

It came like a tide, and I drowned in the sensation of countless orgasms.

It was too much. I lost control for a moment.

Light flashed between my eyes. Silver and gold. Such beautiful light. It was impossible to describe.

Archer was lying on me, limp.

Wait. The light was not fading. I pushed him off me and tried to sit up.

Something was wrong with the bed.

Mostly that it wasn't there. I was sitting on the grass. And light was not from above but from a side.

I turned my head and beheld them.

The two trees stood tall and magnificent, their branches reaching toward the heavens. The leaves of the silver tree sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight, casting a shimmering glow across the land. In contrast, the gold tree's leaves glowed with a warm, rich hue, radiating a sense of comfort and safety.

As the light of the two trees mingled together, it created a breathtaking tapestry of colors that danced across the sky, painting the clouds with hues of pink, purple, and gold. The air was filled with a sweet fragrance as if the very essence of the trees had been distilled into a scent that hung in the air.

This was the first time I saw them, but in my heart, I knew them.

There were whole sections of Elrond library dedicated to them. Both poetry and prose. And some other art. Pictures and sculptures. None did them justice. 

And then a rude voice interrupted my thoughts, "Could you do that somewhere private? I am trying to work here."