Middle-Earth: Kaen, Lord of Light

"Awooo—!"

"Damn it! Wargs! How did they get in?!"

"Quick, take cover!"

Within the darkened streets of Azure Spring Town, a pack of warg riders tore through the town like a storm, snapping and biting at anyone in sight.

The group who had just escaped from the dungeons had no time for reunions or questions.

Kaen turned to Will and gave a swift order. "Brie and Joanna are in your care now. I'm giving you fifty soldiers—hold the castle."

"Yes, sir!"

"Two hundred men, with me! We meet the wargs head-on!"

Kaen raised his arm, and at once, two hundred soldiers rallied to him, charging out of the castle under his lead.

King Elrond couldn't help but marvel, "He truly is fearless."

Gandalf rolled his eyes and muttered, "Only because you haven't seen how cunning he is."

The two ancient friends, bonded over millennia, also charged out of the keep, blades drawn, to join the bloody clash with the warg riders.

Though Kaen's men were mostly green recruits, none of them flinched under his command.

Grouped tightly, with spears and shields in hand, they charged at the wargs without hesitation—undaunted by death.

Both sides suffered casualties, but Kaen's troops paid the heavier price.

After all, warg riders were elite units of darkness. Even when forced into tight formations by the narrow streets, they could still tear through several new soldiers with ease.

Kaen's eyes turned bloodshot as he looked upon the street, now turned into a brutal meat grinder. His heart ached with every loss.

But there was no other way.

This is what happens when rookies face elites.

Had the narrow streets not restricted the riders' maneuverability, even two hundred wouldn't have been enough to slow them down.

Gandalf arrived on the scene, raising his staff high as a radiant flash of light burst forth.

The piercing brilliance blinded the wargs and the orcs on their backs, making them recoil.

The soldiers seized the opportunity to strike, slaying the beasts one by one.

Kaen and King Elrond dove into the fray, swords flashing like lightning as they carved a path through the chaos.

Exp +5

Exp +5

Soon—

Kaen's experience bar reached its limit.

Level: 3 (0/400)

A surge of power erupted within him, coursing through his limbs. Kaen felt strength brimming in every fiber of his body.

His mind cleared, sharpened to a razor's edge. The world around him seemed to slow.

He could see the air itself rippling with colorful threads of energy.

Even the glow of Gandalf's spell looked different now—like a shimmering mist of white gas.

"These are… elements!"

The realization struck Kaen with sudden clarity.

This third enhancement hadn't just strengthened his body—it had amplified his mind, unlocking his perception of elemental forces.

But—

The moment didn't last.

The streams of elemental light gradually faded from his sight, and the world returned to normal.

A faint golden glow surrounded Kaen's figure. Though it was mostly drowned out by Gandalf's magic light, his body continued to grow stronger with each passing moment.

His sword now felt weightless in his grip. Every movement of the warg riders appeared sluggish to him.

And his strikes—swift as the wind—were now beyond the perception of ordinary eyes.

Fighting beside him, King Elrond took notice. A flicker of astonishment appeared in the elven lord's eyes.

As one of the mightiest Elf-lords alive, he saw clearly the dense elemental energy surrounding Kaen's body—something no mere mortal should be able to touch.

Especially that golden light—

Though faint, it radiated a divine essence that surpassed anything Elrond had ever witnessed in all his long years.

He narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing, continuing to cleave down wargs with elegant precision.

With Gandalf's support and the combined might of Kaen and Elrond leading the charge, the tide of battle turned.

The wargs were driven back in a frenzy, and at last, wiped out completely.

"Kaen," Elrond said while wiping the blood off his elven longsword, his voice filled with wonder, "your power never ceases to amaze me. You possess a strength that far exceeds even the Dúnedain."

Hearing this, Kaen replied calmly, "It's a gift I was born with. My strength grows as I battle against evil."

"Is that so? A blessing indeed. There are some in this world who are born with the favor of the heavens."

Kaen could tell that the Elven-lord had noticed something strange about his transformation.

But he didn't hide it. Instead, he spoke with calm resolve: "With great power comes great responsibility. I'm not surprised you noticed. But I do ask this—keep what you saw to yourself. I am still not strong enough to face my enemies alone."

Elrond fell silent for a moment. Then, sheathing his blade, he looked Kaen in the eyes and solemnly said:

"So long as your heart remains aligned with the light, the Elves shall always stand as your allies. If ever you have need of us, you are welcome in Rivendell. I would gladly offer my service."

"It would be my honor, Lord Elrond," Kaen replied with equal gravity.

Just then, Gandalf approached, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "You two seem to be having an awfully interesting conversation."

Elrond glanced at Kaen, then smiled. "Just making a new friend."

"Oh?" Gandalf raised a brow. "It seems you hold him in high regard."

"I do. He's an exceptional young man."

Around them, the soldiers had begun cleaning the battlefield.

Several elven riders galloped in. They bowed before Elrond and reported, "My lord, we have broken the orc army. However, due to our limited numbers, over three thousand orcs escaped under their chieftain's lead."

"You've done well," Elrond replied. "We have already crippled them. For the next decade at least, the orcs of the Troll-woods will not be able to mount an army of this scale again."

He and Gandalf both nodded, unfazed by the escapees.

The battle was a great and decisive victory.

Only Kaen felt a twinge of regret.

If he'd had just five hundred more men… not a single orc would have escaped.

….

Later, the group arrived at the main gate. The ground was littered with corpses.

There were fallen human guards, orcs, trolls, and wargs.

Even a few elves had perished—a stark reminder of how fierce the battle had been.

When Kaen saw Lairon and Cathril, he was visibly surprised—though a hint of anticipation also sparkled in his eyes.

"I'm glad to see you both back," he said sincerely. "And from the look of things… I'd say your journey yielded more than I expected."

Lairon bowed respectfully.

"My lord, on the fifth day of our journey, Cathril and I encountered some fellow Dúnedain. Their living conditions were grim."

"After some negotiation, we brought back over five hundred kin. They are now safely settled in the villages outside the Troll-woods."

Cathril added, "Among them are a hundred Rangers. When they learned that Zakri had sent out a distress call, Lairon and I brought thirty of them with us to reinforce your forces alongside the elves."

"You've done well. Both of you. Once this is all over, I'll make sure every one of you receives the reward and honor you deserve."

Kaen looked at them with pride.

He was more than satisfied with his people.