Is a "sword" a euphuism? (BL)

After lunch, for dessert, there were miniature honey cakes, paired with Mellonath, a sweet fruity wine. Its color was a deep red with hints of purple, and it had a rich, fruity aroma with notes of blackberries and plums. It was said that drinking Mellonath was like drinking the essence of the forest itself. And wine's taste did bring memories of younger Rin and Fano wandering the woods near Imladris, gay and innocent. 

The cakes were just the right size to fit into the mouth, and yet Archer managed to bake eight layers into them. 

It was the last of the batch that Archer made for the newest inhabitants of Imladris.

I worry about Frodo," I telepathically sent while my mouth was full of a honey cake. The rich flavor of honey filled my mouth, a unique taste that was both rich and floral. It had a delicate sweetness that was not overpowering, but rather, enhanced the flavor of whatever it was paired with. The taste is smooth and velvety, with notes of wildflowers and hints of citrus. It was a flavor that lingered on the tongue, leaving a pleasant aftertaste that was both soothing and satisfying. The texture was divine, like eating clouds. I suspected that Archer was using the same flour that was used in baking lembas. It was a delicious blasphemy. He should have arrived by now.

Speaking mind to mind was so very useful when my mouth was full. Without it, I would have to pause eating and that would be a shame. 

The enemy armies have not yet moved, Archer replied in the same way. Even if he was not eating. I suppose we needed practice.

I could see, from the frown on his face, that it took him some effort. Since telepathy wasn't connected to swords, he was having a bit more trouble mastering the skill. 

How do you know?" A little wine to wash away the taste and make a place for the next one.

I have been listening to the news on Manwe's channel. He does see almost everything, Archer spoke aloud. For telepathy, he really lacked stamina.

For me, it was relatively easy.

The bounded field we made together in the smithy was a good start. But what trullly helped was mostly memories for me. Not just remembering the connection I had with Archer while he was my Servant. Although that was useful.

It was also the childhood memories of Rin from this world.

By their first year, Elf children could speak, walk, and dance and their quicker onset of mental maturity made young Elves seem older than they actually were.

How was that possible?

One should remember that Elves were natural telepaths. Elves were born with an open mind. Before an elfling could speak, he or she could absorb knowledge from adults around them. Only when they learned how to speak, did almost all Elf children grow so enamored with spoken words that they forget. 

So it was just a matter of remembering.

So no armies march yet. Another cake. So good.

"Not yet. But they are preparing everywhere. Orcs, and trolls, and worse from the northern parts of Misty Mountains gather in Gram and Gundabad. They have managed to recruit even one wingless drake. Moria is like a disturbed anthill. Barrow Wights stir in the cairns of Tyrn Gorthad. Under a banner of a particularly vicious werewolf captain wargs and the wolves of Arnor gather. And further away, armies are being readied at Dol Guldur. Forges of Mount Doom are set to a war footing. Mordor stirs. There is a general muster in Khand, Harad, and Rhun."

And what of Umbar? I needed to stop eating cakes. But they were so good.

Umbar, the city of corsairs. All descendants of Eärendil the Mariner carried some of his gift for seafaring, even those who had fallen into the shadow. 

"They have yet to rebuild their fleet strength."

That is strange.

They were supposed to participate in the War of the Ring, and we were not too far from the appointed time. But then I knew little ship-building speed. 

I reached for yet another irresistible honey cake, but Archer caught my hand.

"You had enough," he sternly said.

I swallowed one I had in my mouth, and said aloud, "Just one more wouldn't hurt."

"No, save some for later." I tried to wiggle my arm, but his grip was firm. 

"Why, when you can make fresh ones?" I pouted.

"If you can't restrain yourself, I won't make more." He was being stern. I can't say I disliked it. If only he was not preventing me from getting more cakes.

On one hand, there were cakes to be eaten now. On the other hand, there could be no more such delicious cakes in the future.

That sounded like a "future me" problem. Who cared about that guy? If he was serious about cakes he should invent a time travel spell, and stop me.

I stopped struggling for a moment. Archer let go of my hand.

I waited.

No intervention from future me.

Obviously, he was not into honey cakes. 

What horror had befallen me?

Still, I jumped to grab the cakes, but Archer swiped the plate away.

"I'm taking this away," he said, "And then we continued our very serious conversation without distractions."

"Where did you put them?" was first I asked when he returned. 

"As if I would tell you that," he replied, "Now can you focus?"

"Sure. So we could expect war to start in the spring?"

"No. Summer at the earliest. But it will start everywhere."

"We should try to keep the road from the Shire to Amon Sul open for now. I worry about Tyrn Gorthad. It is right next to the shire. Could you deal with it?"

"I can. You will soon get more undead corpses to play with."

I understood what he was trying to say. He planned to use the Stake of Wailing Night, rather than to destroy them. I suppose that was a better tactical decision, especially when our enemy was a skilled necromancer. If he destroyed their bodies he would just free spirits within them. And then they could report or be placed in new bodies. 

"That reminds me I really need to talk with our prisoner," I said, referring to the wight Archer had captured under Amon Sul, "And make place for new ones. Do we need an excuse for you to be absent for a few days?" 

Unfortunately, we couldn't just say that he got a cold. Elves don't get sick.

"No. I can get to Tyrn Gorthad quickly enough, and once I am there setting a gate would be trivial."

We, or rather Archer, did make a few additional wooden boxes with doors. My contribution was setting a simple alarm and aversion Bounded Field on them. Since they were to be linked with the Otherworld, and thus had a steady supply of mana, it had been a simple task.

"Do you plan to run there? I suppose with reinforcement it would be possible. And you have a Magical Core, so you won't run out of od."

"No. I guess it was now my time to show you what I have been working on."

"Is this the project you needed hydrogen for?" I asked. He nodded, and I continued a bit incredulos, "Did you manage to build a zeppelin?"

He just looked at me blankly, and then asked, "A zeppelin? How did you get that idea?"

"Well, what did you use hydrogen for then? Rocket fuel?"

For a moment I imagined Archer surfing on a rocket while firing swords from his bow. I regretted that aside from magical circles I was not very good at drawing. 

"I hoped to amaze you, but I see that you have much greater faith in my skills than I thought. I will show you. It's near the Anchor Gate."

"So," I said standing up, "Let's go and see it."

"Focus," he said sternly. Stern expression paired nicely with his now elven face. It had been about half a year since we arrived here, and I had two centuries of memories of being here, but still I was somewhat unused to the new Archer. "We need to finish planning."

"What more can we do for now? We need to keep East Road clear as much as we can. Amon Sul has served that purpose once and under our care can do so again. Clearing Tyrn Gorthad would remove a near danger. I have complete faith that you will be able to do it. Should I try to create an army by magecraft? That seems like a step in the wrong direction if I am not to be a Dark Lord. Unless you would rescind that silly prohibition..."

Of course, even then I would not be trying to make armies with magecraft. Step one would be to grab the Ruling Ring. Once I had it, it would only take some effort to take control of Ringwraiths, and with them all of the armies they had gathered here. Then I would have to choose between using those armies to take Sauron's dominion piece by piece, until I laid siege onto Barad Dur itself. Or I could hide in a fortress, until I mastered the Ruling Ring enough to bind Sauron himself to my will. It was certainly possible. He was the local equivalent of a fallen angel, there were ways to bind those.

And for corruption brought by One Ring? Well, it had been shown that Rule Breaker could remove the effects of Rings of Power. And I was quite willing to engage in little knife play for a good cause.

"Attempting to become a Dark Lord is strictly forbidden," Archer's voice interrupted my daydream. His steel-colored eyes almost seemed to pierce me.

I liked pushing him like that.

"As you wish. But for breeding an army my dear sister would be much more suited. My creations are potent but expensive."

My mind briefly drifted to Sakura. I wondered what she doing now. I had no right to worry, our relationship was not the best. First, I had forgotten her, as I had everything else. 

And there was the fact, that I had killed her lover to save mine. 

"And what about Frodo?" Archer's voice drew me back present. 

"I hope he is still in the Shire."

"We should check that."

"The Shire should be guarded by Rangers," I said. "I have converted a few bats into familiars. They should mature in a few days. I had planned to use them to further explore and monitor caves, but I could send one into the Shire. As a bonus, these bats won't steal London."

One annoying thing about using the incomplete Greater Marriage rite to make familiars, was that all started as newborns. Fortunately, they matured unnaturally quickly. Especially when I could feed them a lot of mana.

"Have you been using Sorcery to pirate TV channels from alternate timelines again? Because I have no idea what you meant by that."

My second Sorcery spell. I had tried to pry into alternate realities, but the results were limited. Spell needed some carrier, and proven incompatible with any magecraft divination spell I knew, not that I knew many of those. In the end, the only use I found for it was accessing the cable from alternate timelines. 

"Never mind. A joke is not funny if I explain it."

"I doubt that it was funny anyway. You are generally more funny by accident than when you try it."

That was the unfortunate truth.

"What about Bree?" I tried to change the subject.

"What about it?"

"We should recruit some spies in it. Just in case. Combining gold and hypnotism should make recruitment an easy task. Just one problem. Elves are too noticeable. I should have done that when we first entered that hamlet."

Actually, hypnotism alone should be enough. But I preferred to pay people if I was to use their services.

"You were too busy being disappointed," Archer smirked, "But there is an easy solution. Watch."

And then he shrunk.

Same red hair, but be both more masculine and younger. And a human.

Mars stood before me.

Then his hair whitened, his skin darkened and he grew, in both height and age. I saw Archer as he was a Servant. I reached and touched him. His flesh was warm, and I felt his pulse. He was alive. 

Then his hair turned red, and his face softened, becoming more androgenic, while he gained a bit more in height.

Now before me was Fano the Elf.

"See. It's the same as those items. We hold records of who we were." 

We talked some more, mostly about inconsequential things, like how was that mallorn sapling Archer was trying to grow (it was sprouting), or about my day job (much easier since we set that Bounded Field in the forge) as we went through Otherworld to the caves under Amon Sul.

Once we would have to go to my workshop, the trough police box, then exit Otherworld through Anchor Gate, which was situated near the underground stream, which meant climbing.

Now that we deciphered some of the mysteries of the Otherworld, and by that I meant we asked Central Intelligence, travel was much easier. We could have used any door in my house, any door in that building built on an underground river.

So we used the nearest door, that in the dining room. Entered the Otherworld, then closed the door.

"Set exit to the eastern door of the pool room," I commanded the Central Intelligence. "Outward."

Arched had claimed one of the small rooms east of the room with a large pool of water, and turned into his own workshop.

It was better now when we each had our own space.

This was the first time I had visited this room after Archer remodeled it.

Between seven spiral columns lay different projects by Archer. Some were on the floor, but most were placed on simple wooden benches.

From what I could see at a glance it was mostly recreation of modern devices. Some half-finished engines, something that looked a bit like a refrigerator, pipe, or maybe an attempt at a gun, some welding equipment, wires …

But in the center of the room, elevated on what looked mostly like a workbench was a motorbike entirely made of black iron. And by that, I meant even the wheels were pure metal, with no tires in sight.

"I know that it is not as impressive as Zeppelin, but I am quite proud of it."

"Wait. Does this use hydrogen as fuel?"

"Yes."

"Then it's more impressive than a zeppelin. I have an idea how I would build a zeppelin, but I have no idea how to make a motorcycle running on hydrogen. If you don't mind telling me, how did you deal with fuel storage?"

"Mostly Bounded Field and elven enchantment to prevent leaking. Same used on fuel lines."

"And tires? Are they pure iron? Would that be too hard?"

"Wheel had been invented long before tires. But anyway, these are made of metal weave. I mean I lacked Nitinol, but with proper enchantment, even pure iron would work."

"I suppose all combustion engines should be similar. Still, I am quite impressed." 

"You are missing one thing. I come from the future. Not far, but far enough."

"So in about fifteen years gasoline is going to be replaced with hydrogen?"

"No. It was still far from it. And electric cars will be more popular. But there were some in production. I actually owned one. A scooter. Suzuki Burgman to be precise."

"Thinking of the environment?"

"Hydrogen is much simpler than petroleum. Much easier to make using magecraft. I saved some money that way."

I didn't want to spoil his "accomplishment", but it really showed how little he kept in contact with other magi. One of the reasons Magi really frowned on wasting magical energy on frivolous pursuits was that it could be sold for a nice sum of money. No matter how much richer Magi mocked the poorer ones for selling "magic" potions, they were quite willing to chug them well knowing what went into their making. Or perhaps they counted it as a bonus.

After all, it was common teaching for male mages entering puberty to eat their own cum, if possible so as not to waste anything.

Unless of course, they had some other use for it.

"And that was enough? I am impressed."

"I had done little to impress. It was, after all, a miracle."

"Even so, holding all those little details in mind… But I guess you had practice with your version of Gradation Air."

"What are you talking about? There is no need for that. You don't need that. Like with iron, I just asked."

Just asked? Just asked! I took a deep breath and calmed. It did make sense, it was after all an answer to prayer. 

"So, can you give me a ride to Bree?"

It was a pleasant enough ride. 

The night air was fresh, and Archer was nicely warm. 

I held firmly to him, even though there was little need for it for the ride was surprisingly smooth for the speed we were going at. 

And if my hands wandered, a bit downwards, a bit upwards, who could blame me?

It ended a bit too soon, and we parted ways about a quarter-hour by foot away from Bree.

I decided to enter the town in the form of Rin Tohsaka. Even if I could be mistaken for someone from Khand, Mercury was just too young, and I decided not to use the last form for personal reasons.

I quickly rented one private room at Prancing Pony for the whole of winter, and with a bit of hypnotism and some gold, I was assured to get regular reports from the innkeeper. 

I used the key, to create a link to the Otherworld.

Then I left Bree. It was better that way, I didn't need rumors about a mysterious disappearance of a possible Khandish sorcerer.

After about half an hour of walking, I was far enough. Sensing no minds nearby I used the Otherworld for a quick trip back to the redoubt.

It was time for some necromancy. And by that I meant in the classical sense, talking to the dead, not what Archer accused me of.

Even if I was in the mood to be the first Elf to commit adultery, a desiccated corpse would not be my first choice. Even if it probably houses a pretty Elven spirit.

Besides I would never have sex with someone else behind Archer's back.

It was just too much fun to do it right in front of him. Preferably while after tying him up.

For both of us.

Naturally, I would talk to him first. Proper communication was important in marriage. 

I had placed the possessed corpse in a small room on the opposite side of the pool room from the room Archer claimed for his own, which was more or less identical to it.

As I entered it I could see what looked like either a bath or an open coffin made of pure iron. The corpse was in it, submerged in quicksilver.

One ability my wards had, since they were designed to monitor and protect Spiritual Lands, was to notify the holder, in this case, me, or any source of either spiritual or material damage to the covered area. Archer and I used it to heal Amon Sul and surrounding lands as much as we could in the free time we had.

It also allowed me to map any ley lines, but since the Otherworld provided a large and inexhaustible source of mana I really didn't bother with that feature.

One annoying fact was that the wight was a source of spiritual corruption. Having it under those wards was like having a stone stuck in my shoe. Or perhaps a better metaphor would be a piece of dog shit under the soles. 

This was the solution.

The elements that Archer and I could command and conjure, iron and mercury, were not only chemically but also spiritually pure. That was the reason they were such an efficient tool against devils.

So submerging the corpse in pure mercury had stopped it from leaking corruption.

Usually leaving quicksilver in the open would be dangerous due to poisonous vapors, since it evaporated at room temperature. But I had just asked that the mercury in it would not evaporate.

And I had been obeyed.

If I used magecraft I would have to find or make a spell for it. Probably some variation of a bounded field. And that would just cover evaporation, if I wanted to move it I would need several spells, probably aligned to water or wind elements, and not speak of conjuring. Especially the spiritually and chemically pure element. And all that would be needed to be powered by magical energy.

The God-given gift covered all that more. And easy to use, and at no cost but asking. 

But if I had developed magecraft for the same purpose I would have understood it. I could have modified it. Shared that understanding with others. Used that understanding in other matters.

On the other hand what I had now I could just use for its intended purpose and nothing more.

Enough. I had come here with a purpose.

I didn't bother with spells. There was little need. I just opened my mind and gently touched its, showing my willingness to talk.

"Free me," came the immediate reply. Its mental voice was surprisingly pleasant, but then I already suspected that it was an Elf spirit hiding in that corpse.

It was much clearer than I expected from a stranger, but he was probably tutored in Mental Arts by those who served the Shadow if he was chosen of all wayward spirits to become wight.

There was another disturbing possibility. That was a kin.

"If I were to free you, you would just do more harm," I replied in the same way, "Unless you want to try to convince me that you are ready to go West and face deserved judgment."

"For that, I am not ready. Not yet. I do not ask to free this flesh, nor to free my spirit from it. Freedom I ask is from a gift. On the middle finger of my right hand, there are two rings. Take one closer to my hand. I surrender it to your keeping freely. Take it and free me from it. Once it had been forged by an elf smith for a better purpose. Or perhaps not, considering who taught them those crafts."

I asked, and quicksilver obeyed.

It parted, revealing a withered arm, and then a tendril of liquid metal took both rings from the middle finger, returning the one further from the hand. The other ring it brought to me, so I could examine it.

If what spirit said was true, this should be one of the Lesser Rings. I knew that Sauron had claimed them also after the fall of Eregion, but not what he did with them after.

So one of my theories about rings has proven correct.

Yes, this was the Lesser Ring, but basic principles should be the same, They were made all with the purpose of preservation. To allow Elves to linger in Middle Earth, to defy the call of Valar. Allowing a disembodied elf to gain purchase in the material world, even if it was by means of possessing and animating a human corpse was just a step further on that path.

Though it was worth a note that all barrow wights I knew about took possession of corpses of men of numenorean descent, therefore Edain with some Eldar blood. I still didn't know if that was a requirement or just a preference.

In appearance, the item was a simple gold ring, with no adornments. I could see why in the books Gandalf had mistaken Ruling Ring for this. 

I engulfed it in a sphere of mercury. I was not about to touch it. Even if it shouldn't be dangerous for an Elf, there was little point in taking needless risks. 

"Leave me now. I must ponder my sins in solitude. And there are so many of them. Both while I lived and after. If you are wise, you will not use that ring."

I didn't want to use it. What I wanted was to know how it worked, and the secrets of its crafting. And eventually, I wanted to know how to make my own. Once One Ring was properly disposed of.

It was my sincere belief that any knowledge could eventually be put to good use.

And it would be a shame that a small setback would spell the end of the greatest creation of jewel smiths of Eregion. 

Someone should continue their work. And why not me?

There was one more thing I should check on my way home.

In the storage area of the Otherworld, on one of the shelves I had inscribed a magic circle, and connected it to mana that Otherworld generated. Then I had an experimental gem in it.

That emerald was prepared by jewel magecraft to store magical energy. And at the same time enchanted in the Elven way to absorb energy, using the most general enchantment I knew to make.

After all, magical energy was still energy. 

Now was the time to see how it had progressed. 

Only ten percent. After three days in a very high mana environment. It was very inefficient. On the other hand, the process after making the gem was automated. When I had time, like now, I could leave them to charge.

It still lacked the self-generating power of Elven gems. Once light was captured in a gem, by Elvish enchantment, that gem would continue to shine practically forever. The light was drawn from the Unseen, a higher realm reflected in the lower. 

And there was one more downside. If I placed this enchantment on it, I couldn't place another and create more potent gems.

I could consider this experiment a partial success. I should still work on improving the process, but I could set nine more gems to charge.

The day after that, I was hard at work forging a processor, when the twins visited me with guests.

How did I forge a processor?

A metal box, 20 cm wide, 10 cm high, and one to two centimeters thick.

I carved symbols and instructions on one half of it. Filled groves with finely grounded quartz. Then I folded it. Heated it until it was cherry red, and hammered it until it resumed its previous shape. Then quenched it in fresh spring water.

After that, I repeated the whole process.

How did that work?

I didn't know. Following Archer's advice I merely asked for inspiration, rather than to try to understand every little detail. Blessed are those who believe without knowing.

Although the process went smoothly I had been a bit dissatisfied, until I managed to convince myself that this was looking for instructions on the internet. From that point of view, the payer could be looked at as a search engine. Self-delusion was a highly required skill for a Magus.

I was still using Turánn for smith's work. Perhaps it would be prudent to replace my hammer now that I knew its maker. But it was an excellent hammer. So precious. 

And there was one more thing. The Bounded Field that allowed us to reforge Archer's broken blades. Well, virtual blades. It had some strange but beneficial effects.

Different for each of us.

For Archer it was simple. At least it seemed that way from his explanation. He felt as if the smithy was part of Reality Marble. As while he was within he had overwritten the World with it. And while he was without he could sense as well as he could his inner world.

For me it was different. It only affected me while I was in the smithy. Outside there was no effect I could determine. But while I was within, I could access any record from the Unlimited Blade Works of any object that was within the boundaries.

Well as much as I could understand. Archer's Reality Marble, like him, was heavenly aligned with the concept of a sword. 

That made translation data a bit difficult for me. 

But let us return to Turánn. Not only did it have a record of the work of some very skilled smiths in it, but also contained intertwined records of the same hammer in two very different timelines.

To continue examining something like that was well worth the risk.

The Bounded Field was also the reason I risked bringing my newly acquired ring here.

Results were mildly promising. I would need more research to be sure, but I think that I have some idea of the principles involved. I would need next to look at testimonies about those among Ainur who had chosen to become fully material. Unfortunately, most of those were on the other side, so records would be sparse. 

"Star shines upon the hour of our meeting," one of the twins greeted me. They were accompanied by two Edain boys. One older and one younger. They were black-haired and grey-eyed, and I could see their resemblance to twins. Their uncle's blood has trully bred true even after so many generations. "May I introduce Véro and Sapthan of Dunedain. Véro and Sapthan know this is Ranyarion Rin of the House of Fëanor, the youngest and the most gifted smith in Imladris."

House Feanor, a dire burden that my family was unwilling to shed.

After the disastrous attempt by the last of the surviving sons of Feanor to fulfill their dire oath, Maglor's daughter gathered all of those of Feanorians who would not renounce their allegiance, like Celebrimbor, and left in quiet self-exile, to be forgotten for an Age.

They were not numerous even in the beginning, but as years passed their number dwindled, by sorrow and misfortune. Whether it was the Doom laid by Mandos, or malice of those Morgoth's brood who had not forgotten them, or just a consequence of their isolation I didn't know, nor cared to find out.

In the end, only my father remained, and driven by loneliness, he went to visit Gray Havens, and there met his wife, my mother.

At least that was the story I had been told. And even that had been secondhand. By the time I was deemed old enough to hear it, my father had already left.

I returned the greeting and addressed the boys, "You are welcome to my forge young ones. But your purpose in coming here?

It was the older boy who spoke for both of them. His voice trembled a little, and hinds he jerkily moved his hands as he was not quite sure what to do with them. "We have been told that you look for an apprentice or two."

Apprentices? I mentally sent, while speaking aloud, to the twins, "And since you two brought them, the boys have your recommendation?"

I have heard that you have learned sanwe-latya. You have become quite skilled in a short time. It was Elladan who replied to my telepathic question. Their mental voices were much easier to distinguish.

Elrohir replied to the spoken one, "Of course." Nodding to the older boy, "Sapthan already has some training and Véro is eager to learn."

I thank you for the compliment, but you should remember that we are kin. That is for affinity. And you have a duty to explain to me why I suddenly have been searching for apprentices.

Some parents were a bit reluctant to part with their children. So we may have twisted the truth a little. 

May have exaggerated about a little opportunity waiting for the children here in Imladris"

That mental talk took some time. The pause in the audible conversation made both boys nervous, so I put what I hoped to be a reassuring smile for them, and said, "Then I will accept. You will be staying at my home, there is enough space. For meals, you may join Fano and me, or eat at the communal hall, as you wish. When we are not working here I will assign you both reading materials. Can you both read Sindarin?"

"I can," the older boy said with pride.

"Some," the younger muttered.

"We will work on that. How are your numbers?"

And then I proceed to question the boys about all the things relevant. As their master, I was responsible for their upkeep, mainly lodging food and clothes, and education, with a main focus on learning to be smith.

But the problem was that being smith among Noldo, and lesser extent among Dunedain required quite a broad swath of knowledge. Including naturally enchantment, and surprisingly mining and smelting.

So I needed to know where the boys were, so I could plan an adequate lesson plan.

Having the boys at home would make things harder, and educating would take time. And I already had too many commitments. And there was an added effort of hiding things. 

But I agreed with what the twins were doing. Actually, I would prefer more people safe in Imladris in the current situation.

And I was not that opposed once again having apprentices. Even if different disciplines. 

After I gathered enough information to make a proper lesson plan, I should begin making them. But first a little test.

I went to the table where I placed some of the finished projects and some that I was still working on. There it was. A small metal cylinder, just long enough to hold in hand, with a removable cap on one end.

I removed the cap and a red dot appeared where I pointed it.

The jewel magecraft was divided into three distinct phases.

Preparing the gem for infusion of magical energy, actual infusion of magical energy, and creating an effect with a charged gem.

As part of the preparation, a gem had to be modified. Changing its shape was the least of it. But it made turning an uncut ruby into a thin ruby rod trivial. Then, using elven enchantment, I infused the rod with light, and placed it into a metal tube, capping both ends with mercury mirrors. 

Light infusion allowed me to use the ruby rod as both medium and pump. And my ability to control mercury allowed me to easily make that optical resonator.

Yes. This was a very expensive laser pointer. Batteries were neither needed, nor included.

It was unfortunate that it was a long way from any practical use.

"Here," I said, giving it to the older boy. 

"What is it, master?" he asked.

"An experiment," I replied, "Something I did to test the properties of gems and light."

"Does it serve any practical purpose, master?" the younger boy asked.

"Well that is for two of you to discover," I replied, "I want you to work together and try to find both what it does, and if there is any practical use to it. I want to work together on this."

"How much time do we have for it, master?" the older boy asked. 

"As much as you need. I leave that to your own discretion. Do try to finish it before spring."

With that, I left the boys to the task I assigned to them and went to talk to the twins.

"A strange task," Elrohir commented.

"Not at all, there is more to smith-work than just hammering at metal. I need to know how observant and creative they are. And whether they can properly record their discoveries for posterity," I replied. "But enough about that, I would ask you if you had seen Estel in your sojourn among Dunedain. Fano and I found some relic of Arnor during a little trip to Bree." 

"Bree?" his brother interjected. "I heard that you visited it, but found it strange. What were you seeking there?"

"It is one closest settlement to Imladris, and for a difference from you two I have never left this hidden valley."

"Dunedain camps are both closer and much more welcoming to an Elf. More interesting too."

"Bree's location was in the library," I defended my decision, "Perhaps once things settle, you could bring me for a visit." 

"If they settle," Elrohir murmured, almost to himself, then he answered my previous question aloud, "Elsel is not here. As far as I know, he is somewhere between Mirkwood and Gondor."

"Unfortunate," I commented, hissing my surprise. It seemed that I really couldn't rely on what I knew from books, "His people may need him soon."

"They are strong. They will manage."

After that, the twins left and I returned to work. As it was expected of them, the boys helped. I had been given a long-term task, but that was something they were to do when I had no need of them.

Of course with skills, the only thing I could use them for was fetching. Fuel for the forge, fresh spring water. I need to get them masks and goggles before I would allow them to grind quartz for the current project. And besides I had made enough. 

I also sent a quick mental message to Archer about our new guests.

After I was done for the day, I cleaned the smithy, and all other tools I had used today by hand showing the boys how it was done. That would also be part of their duties.

I had gotten used to using my slime familiar for that. Doing it by hand took a little longer. 

After a quick visit to Elrond's house to pick up the boys' possessions, we went home, where Archer was already waiting with dinner.

It smelled and tasted so good that boys forgot their manners and dug into it like a pair of starved wolves. Since Archer seemed to take that as a compliment I said nothing.

Then I showed them to their rooms. There was one for each, and there were enough guest rooms in my house. In each, there was a bed, a working table with a chair, a nightstand, and a closet.

I showed them the facilities, and since Archer had remodeled them to draw hot and cold running water from the Otherworld, and installed some modern things like showers and flushing toilets, also showed how things worked.

Not that there was no running water before Archer's remodeling. There was quite an ingenious system of pumps drawing fresh spring water to the house, but this was much better. 

With boys settled Archer and I retired for more adult fun. 

"Now, strip," I commanded while hurriedly stripping myself. Completely naked, save for my familiar, I sat on a chair and wired for him to finish. 

He, on the other hand, was making a production of it. Slowly, teasingly removed his clothing piece by piece.

And there was that smirk on his face.

Well, two could play that game.

I began playing with myself. Not with my hands, they remained firmly by my side, but with my little slime familiar. First I made it glow a little, with a reddish-orange luminescence, just to highlight it. Then, under my direction, it began to crawl over my stomach, spreading tendris, upwards to my nipple and downwards to my dick.

It had the desired effect. Archer's gaze was firmly locked on the spectacle, his pupils dilating in lust. And most importantly he began to strip quicker.

"Over my knees," I ordered when he was finally naked.

"Yes, master."

He assumed the required position, bracing his hand on the floor, his legs widely, and bent his knees slightly, giving perfect access. His hardness was rubbing on my tight, while my dick was digging into his firm abdominal muscles.

"It's such a nice ass, but it will be even nicer red," I commanded as run my hand over his firm behind. "Count it for me."

And then I hit that firm ass with my hand. Whips, canes, paddles, and other such toys are nice, but there was something about using just my hand. Feedback I suppose. 

"One. Thank you, master. May I have another?"

He squirmed a little with a strike, creating a delicious friction. So I hit him again. 

"Two. Thank you, master. May I have another?"

More friction.

We continued in that manner until my arm got tired and his ass was cherry red.

"Fifty-one. Thank you, master. May I have another?"

"No, don't be greedy. Now stand up."

He quickly obeyed. Even without prompting, he put his hands behind his head, facing me. My gaze slipped downwards, looking at his hard-on. I licked my lips.

But no. I was more in the mood for something else.

I spread my legs, and my familiar completely covered my dick, making it nice and sleek.

"Sit on it, "I commanded.

Still keeping his hands behind his head, Archer obeyed. He ever so slowly, only using his leg power, lowered onto my dick. I use my hand to guide my dick to his entrance.

He continued pushing down until he could do so no more. He was now sitting in my lap.

In this position, I was completely in, and we were standing chest to chest. And then he just stopped moving.

"What are you doing?" I growled. I wanted the friction.

"Sitting master, as you ordered."

Was that what they called malicious compliance?

"Use your hands, ride me hard!"

And then he finally began to move. Fast and hard just as I needed it.

It didn't take long for both of us to orgasm after that. He spilled his seed all over both of our abdomens and chests. 

I had pulled out and ordered my familiar to clean us both.

"I didn't know you were looking for apprentices," He commented while running his hands through my hair. It was very soothing.

"I didn't know I was looking for apprentices. Twins stung a little surprise for me. I couldn't refuse. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for you."

"Feeding two more is no great chore. You are the one who is mainly going to deal with them."

And that was going to be a bit annoying. I had gotten a bit used to using magecraft to speed up work in the forge, and now I was limited to the most subtle uses. And it was not only that. I liked my space, and work in the forge was mostly my alone time, and now I was going to have those two underfoot. But I didn't want to talk about it so I changed the subject.

"Have you managed to find any barrowwights yet?"

"No. I have found the location of one's lair. I should be able to catch it in a day or two."

"Then we should prepare a place to store it," I said and then signed. I didn't know how to phrase this.

"You have something to say?" He knew me a little too well.

"I don't think we can rely much on the knowledge we got from books. I mean a lot of it is correct, but there are inconsistencies."

"Go on."

"First neither Arwen nor Elstel are here. They both should be in the vicinity at least. We don't know what is happening with Frodo. No, we don't even know if Frodo possesses the One Ring. From what we know he could have one of Lesser Rings, like the one we took or maybe he has no rings at all. It's not as if I could ask."

"That has really been bothering you?"

"Yes. It's possible that we don't know where One Ring is.'

"So what we know where it is not. Let us continue to draw enemy attention to Amon Sul. If they send scouts, are defenses enough?"

"Unless they send the whole army, or have rather potent sorcerers with them, they will be slaughtered."

The first sign that something had gone wrong with bat familiar scouting Shire was an arrow striking a barrier that protected it.

I had equipped it with a silver collar with seven small changed gems. A small ruby in the center was the keystone of the protective Bounded Field.

That protection allowed the bat to survive, but a small crack appeared in the gem. 

A few more strikes and the gem, and the barrier would be destroyed.

It was not very powerful.

At the time I was in ruins under Amon Sul constructing the magic circle. Perhaps it would be easier to make in the Otherworld like I did one I was using to charge gems, but those were simpler and took much less time to make. I didn't like spending too much time in the Otherworld. Even if it was beneficial for my understanding of True Magic that I wielded, spending too much time resulted in headaches and nightmares. And if I didn't leave when the headache started it grew into first low-level paranoia, and then auditory hallucinations. Mostly barely audible whispers. I never did try to push past that.

I stopped my work. I could have ordered a little bat to fight. It was familiar and crafted by me. It wasn't helpless. But I had no quarrel with the protector of the Shire or some random hunter.

So I sacrificed one of the gems, and with that sacrifice conjured a strong wind that carried the little bat away at great speed. 

Then I returned to work. I have gleaned what I could with my skill from corpses of orcs, trolls, and that giant spider. They turned out to be excellent research material for advancing my family's magecraft. The giant spider was descended from Ungoliant, and there were some Mayar in Morgoth service who took the form of demonic orcs and then mated with ordinary orcs.

I wasn't one to kink shame but orcs? Spiders were a bit more understandable even if they were completely not my thing.

Anyway their corpses were good quality research material on the subject of sexual union between mortal and divine, but now that they had served that purpose, I was about to assign them a new one. As soldiers.

And because I was expecting even more corpses, I was building a magic circle to both automate the process a little and to use the mana generated by the Otherworld rather than my own od.

Before the morning came, the bat had managed to find a hobbit burrow and sneaked in it.

By listening through its ears I found that the dwelling was part of the village of Bucklebury and therefore near Brandy Hall.

I have found another less fortunate piece of information. It seemed that my bat familiar had somehow gotten a taste for hobbit blood. And if I was not keeping a careful watch on it tended to indulge.

Luckily both bats voice, and eyes were good medium for hypnotism, and even better familiar used it by instinct when hunting prey. And it took no more than a few mouthfuls of blood, so it wasn't like it was seriously hurting its victims. Otherwise I would be forced to recall it. 

The next night I ordered it to move to Brandy Hall and listen. 

That netted me two important facts. One Frodo was still living in Bilbo's old house in Hobbiton. Second was that the young heir was expected to return home very soon.

When Meriadoc Brandybuck arrived, the young hobbit, with little help from hypnotism, had acquired a new and rather strange pet.

A little bat, to whom Merry had told a lot about his dear cousin Frodo.

But in the end there was nothing to suggest that Frodo was planning to leave the Shire any time soon.

I also found that the more blood the bat drank from a particular hobbit, the more that hobbit became susceptible to being hypnotized. 

So for the next phase of my cunning plan, I put the idea in Merry's head, that it would be nice to visit his cousin and show him his new pet.

That was where things went wrong again.

On the road, a tall man, who looked to be a ranger, had suddenly struck my bat familiar, driving it away from Merry and at the same time breaking the barrier and gem that powered it.

That was during the day, and not only was the bat sleepy, but I was also working at a forge. This almost ruined my nearly completed processor. 

I sacrificed another gem to create a deep mist, but the ranger could not be deterred, and before the bat could fly away he had pierced its wing with an arrow.

I sacrificed yet another gem to invoke the curse of healing, but it was too late. By the time the bat was well enough to fly the ranger had managed to capture it.

I was running out the gems. And since I was unwilling to harm the ranger, it left me just one option.

I used rest gems to turn both them and the bat into ash.

On one hand, I was glad that the Shire was so well protected, on the other it was inconvenient. 

But I had confirmed Frodo's location. It should be enough for now.