The Tarnished in LOTR with Elden Ring

After three days of hospitality, Elrond formally announced his intention to return home. Not all the Elves departed with him; the Lord of Rivendell left a small contingent behind, ostensibly to assist Tarnes in rebuilding his domain.

Outside Haight Fort, on the very road the Elves had used to arrive, Tarnes clasped Elrond's arm. "Thank you for your support, Elrond. I am deeply grateful."

"The supplies were merely icing on the cake," Elrond said with a warm smile. "Having witnessed the magic of the Golden Tree, I have no doubt you will rebuild your home swiftly. I look forward to the day you visit Rivendell, Tarnes."

The past three days had been filled with pleasant conversation. Tarnes found himself admiring Elrond's wisdom, insight, and remarkable tolerance. The Dwarves had, on occasion, caused trouble for the visiting Elves, yet Elrond had not minded. He had even inquired if the Dwarven farmers needed aid in their fields.

Of course, Fili and the others had flatly refused the offer.

Elrond had only smiled at their stubbornness. "When you have lived as long as I have," he later commented to Tarnes, "you see these young, obstinate Dwarves and find their actions almost endearing, like children making noise to get their parents' attention."

It seemed the Lord of Rivendell was not entirely above a bit of verbal sparring himself.

Elrond, in turn, had come to admire Tarnes's straightforward and unpretentious nature. They now considered each other friends, and the formal honorifics they had used upon their first meeting had been abandoned.

Tarnes smiled and nodded. "Believe me, Elrond, that day will come soon. And I will bring ten times the gifts you have brought to Rivendell."

"There is no need for gifts. Rivendell welcomes you as a guest," Elrond said, proactively extending his hand. "According to the customs of Men, a handshake is also part of a farewell, is it not?"

Tarnes was momentarily taken aback by the gesture, then he smiled and took the offered hand. "That's right, Elrond. But between those with a closer bond, we usually…"

Using Elrond's outstretched hand for leverage, Tarnes stepped forward and gave him a brief, gentle embrace, patting his back lightly. The Elves behind them, including Elrond, widened their eyes in surprise. Tarnes then released him and stepped back. "…we usually give each other a warm hug."

"There is still much I must learn of human etiquette," Elrond said, his expression a mixture of surprise and amusement. "But the feeling is not unpleasant."

Behind him, the Elf knights, led by Lindir, struggled to contain their laughter. Elrond shot them a look of helpless resignation before turning back to Tarnes.

"Moments of joy are always fleeting, and farewells must eventually come," he said, his tone growing more serious. "But our friendship will endure, witnessed by the Valar."

"Friendship requires mementos to be remembered," Tarnes replied, his voice filled with sincerity. He reached into his spatial pack and drew out a slender, golden longsword. "Elrond, I give you this sword as a testament to the bond between the Golden Tree and Rivendell."

It was a Noble's Estoc.

He presented the sword, complete with its matching golden scabbard, to Elrond. The blade shimmered in the sunlight like flowing molten gold, both noble and magnificent. The hilt was carved with intricate patterns, a testament to the artisan's skill and dedication to beauty.

A flash of surprise crossed Elrond's eyes as he gently accepted the gift. His fingertips traced the hilt, feeling the warm texture of the gold. The blade was incredibly light, yet it exuded a profound sense of history, as if it had witnessed the passage of countless years. He slid the Noble's Estoc back into its scabbard and fastened it to his waist.

A memory sparked in his mind, and he smiled at Tarnes. "Gandalf called you a 'Sword-Giver.' I did not understand his meaning then, but I do now."

Tarnes raised an eyebrow. "Gandalf gave me such a title? I will have to ask him about that the next time we meet."

Elrond swung himself onto his horse. "Then you must wait until you can ask him yourself. Wizards are always unpredictable; perhaps you will see him in some unexpected place. Farewell, my friend!"

The Elven knights behind him, clad in gleaming silver armor, sat with solemn elegance. As Elrond finished speaking, they raised their horns in unison. The sound was high and melodic, like a clear mountain spring, piercing the clouds with the pride and sorrow of an Elven farewell.

Elrond and his retinue quickly disappeared over the horizon. Tarnes remained where he stood, watching until their figures had vanished completely.

As he approached the outskirts of Moen City, he saw Fili and Kili waiting for him by the gates.

"You two," Tarnes said, walking over. "I thought you would be with the others. Are you looking for me?"

Fili and Kili exchanged a look. Kili spoke first. "Have those pointy-ears left?"

Fili rolled his eyes and gave his brother a light punch to the chest. While Kili grunted in pain, Fili took over. "Teacher Tarnes, we came to say goodbye as well."

Tarnes paused, then smiled. "I thought as much. You've been away from the Blue Mountains for over half a month. If you don't return soon, I imagine Thorin will grow restless." He then asked, "When do you plan to leave? Today?"

Fili hesitated. "We were planning to leave today, but we saw you were saying farewell to the Elves first, so we waited."

Kili nodded. "Aye, our luggage is already packed."

They were certainly efficient.

Quick with their actions, Tarnes thought, then said, "Alright, I'll see you off. Where are Dwalin and the others?"

Dwalin's smooth head poked out from the city gate, his body laden with bulging packs. "I'm here, Mr. Tarnes."

Tarnes walked closer and saw the Dwarf caravan already assembled within the gate passage. The seven carriages they had arrived with had been reduced to three, and five fewer Dwarves were among them.

Dwalin seemed to notice Tarnes's unspoken question. "Mr. Tarnes," he explained, "we needed so many wagons before because they were filled with livestock and food. We don't need to bring as much back, so three are enough. The remaining wagons would only attract unnecessary danger on the road, so we're giving them to you. We've even left a stablehand to look after the horses. Our kin who were tending the fields and farms couldn't bear to leave, so after some discussion, they decided to stay as well."

Tarnes nodded. "I understand. I am deeply indebted to all of you for your help in those first few days. You allowed the Golden Tree's reconstruction to get on track."

The faces of Fili, Kili, and Dwalin beamed with honest, simple smiles, made all the warmer by the golden light of the tree. The three Dwarves then stood side-by-side before climbing into their oaken carriage.

The wheels groaned as they began to turn, a steady, powerful sound accompanied by the clatter of hooves on the flagstone road. As the convoy slowly rolled out of the majestic city gate, Tarnes watched the three Dwarves wave goodbye and leap onto the moving carriage. He quickly summoned Torrent, urging the spirit steed forward.

"Fili, Kili, Dwalin, catch!" he called out, tossing three items he had just pulled from his pack.

The three Dwarves caught them with practiced ease, their expressions shifting to surprise as they examined the gifts. Fili held another Clawmark Seal, while Kili and Dwalin each held a Red Amber Medallion.

"Fili," Tarnes explained, "this way you won't have to fight with your brother to use the same catalyst for your Prayers. Kili, Dwalin, wearing these medallions will make you healthier. Be safe on your journey back. The next time you come, I guarantee everything here will be different. You will see the true form of the Golden Tree."

"And Fili, Kili," he added quickly, "remember that the foundation of a Prayer is the strength of your faith. You are learning Prayers derived from the stories of the Lands Between, but perhaps you can find new inspiration in the legends of your own people. You might even create Prayers that belong to the Dwarves. All of this is possible, so long as you believe."

Tarnes spoke rapidly, giving his first students in Middle-earth their final instructions. Fili and Kili listened intently, nodding vigorously when he finished. "Understood, Teacher Tarnes!"

Dwalin stood straight as a pole on the carriage and gave Tarnes a solemn bow.

Torrent slowed to a stop. Tarnes sat on its back, his gaze following the receding convoy. The Dwarves occasionally looked back, waving and singing spontaneous, cheerful songs. He watched until the carriage's silhouette disappeared around a bend, a complex mix of emotions welling in his chest. He finally let out a soft sigh.

The departure of the Dwarves left a profound stillness at the city gate. The lively noise was gone—neither the melodious music of the Elves nor the boisterous singing of the Dwarves could be heard. Only the flag embroidered with the Golden Tree, fluttering from the city wall, broke the silence with its rustling.

Tarnes turned, the sorrow of parting quickly suppressed as the corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile. There were still many places where he was needed, and this parting was only temporary. He had promised his friends that the next time they came, they would witness a completely different Golden Tree. Now, he had to accelerate the pace of his work.

He began his journey back to Moen City. Golden fields stretched out on either side of the road, and livestock grazed leisurely in the golden pastures. A breeze swept through the wheat fields, sending golden waves rolling like a sunlit ocean. Faintly, he heard cheerful singing and laughter—the voices of the Dwarves and Elves who had remained.

His smile grew brighter, his steps lighter. The loneliness he had felt after the farewells began to dissipate. Moen City was not as lonely as he had imagined.

However, the cheerful voices soon twisted into sharp, intense arguments.

Tarnes stopped, a pained expression on his face. The Dwarves and Elves were at it again, arguing over some trivial matter. He truly didn't understand it. Whenever the two races were together, it was as if they were naturally incompatible, unable to exchange three sentences without a disagreement. He had never seen such a thing in the Lands Between—there, if someone disliked another, they would simply draw their blades. There was no room for argument.

Just as he was about to intervene, he heard Nepheli Loux's voice cutting through the dispute. Someone was already mediating the conflict. Tarnes offered a silent word of thanks to her before quickening his pace towards the Golden Tree.

With Elrond and Fili's groups now gone, he could finally resume his work without interruption. The Golden Tree had accumulated a great deal of power over the past few days, more than enough for a summoning. This time, however, he had no intention of summoning another city. While legendary structures like Stormveil were still beyond his reach, he could summon places like Redmane Castle or Caria Manor, which were similar in scale to Moen. But without enough manpower to garrison them, they would be nothing more than empty shells.

Instead, he planned to summon the inhabitants of the Lands Between: the nobles and commoners, the Trolls and Misbegotten, the Demi-Human clusters wandering the wilds... and even the giant ants that dwelled underground. He knew that despite their terrifying appearance, the ants were simple-minded creatures, and they looked like they would be excellent laborers. In the Lands Between, the exiled Noxians had ridden them as mounts, but Tarnes had discovered that they were controlled by force. If a Noxian was knocked from its back, the freed ant would attack its former master. This gave him confidence that he could communicate with them through the Golden Tree and enlist them in his reconstruction efforts.

To be safe, he would start by summoning normal residents first, then test his theory with a single giant ant. Beyond that, he also planned to summon some of Godrick's soldiers to supplement his military strength, and perhaps a few old friends as well. After his conversation with Elrond about Tharbad, he felt an increasing urgency. There were many places he needed to go and many tasks to complete. He would need more help.

(End of Chapter)

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