Middle-Earth: Kaen, Lord of Light

The banquet was in full swing.

Kaen raised his cup, toasting one after another with the gathered company. The Dwarves, as always, ate with wild abandon, their beards wet with ale, their faces alight with joy. This was their truest nature—bold, boisterous, and without pretense. Every emotion danced openly across their faces. They were straightforward folk, never feigning courtesy nor concealing greed, especially when it came to treasure.

Aside from their lust for gold and the dwindling numbers of their race, the Dwarves bore few flaws. They were formidable warriors, masterful craftsmen, and in terms of sheer physical resilience, surpassed even Elves and Men. Their stamina was legendary. Even a common Dwarven soldier, without rigorous training, could rival the seasoned fighters of other races. And those who served as royal guards—well, they were nothing short of elite.

The twelve Dwarves who had come with Thorin Oakenshield were not ordinary warriors. Each one of them was a hero in his own right. Though there were only twelve, and most ranked merely as elite units, they hailed from the House of Durin in the Blue Mountains—gathered after a century of decline and exile. Even so, their strength was undeniable. Any other realm would have considered such a force a mighty host in itself.

Had that not been the case, Thorin would never have dared such a bold venture—to reclaim his ancestral kingdom and swear vengeance upon the dragon Smaug.

Of course, among this company was one whose presence was… unique.

A Hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins.

Though smaller even than the Dwarves, Kaen knew well that this little fellow was a legend in the making.

A living marvel.

The greatest bearer of resistance to shadow in all of Middle-earth.

The One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron himself, could corrupt even the mighty Maiar and the noblest of the Elves. And yet, Bilbo had carried that very ring on his person for half his life.

And he remained largely untainted.

Save for a desire in his old age to wander again with the ring by his side, there had been no signs of madness or darkness in him. In the end, he relinquished the Ring of his own free will—without struggle, without sorrow—and passed it on to his nephew.

That, in itself, was a feat few in the world could claim.

When the feast came to an end, the Dwarves and the Hobbit settled into small groups around the grand hall, enjoying music and conversation, busying themselves with the things they loved best.

Kaen sat aside with Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield, the three of them in quiet counsel, their voices low.

Gandalf began, "Though Thorin is the rightful chieftain of the House of Durin in the Blue Mountains, and once a prince of Erebor, his father never formally passed the crown to him before his disappearance."

"And thus," Gandalf continued gravely, "Thorin lacks the authority to summon the other clans of the Dwarves in the name of a king. He cannot claim the right to rally their aid."

Thorin nodded solemnly and spoke, "There are many relics of the Kings of Durin. Among them, the Axe of Durin and the Crown of Durin—both lost in Moria. What I have… is the Key of Durin. Forged by Dwarven smiths under my grandfather Thror's command. Upon it are etched the ancient runes: 'Heir of Durin.'"

"But that alone is not enough," he said, his tone firm. "I need the Arkenstone—the Heart of the Mountain. It was my grandfather's royal gem, the symbol of his kingship. Only with it can I truly claim the title King under the Mountain and restore the glory of Erebor."

In Middle-earth, the Dwarves are divided into seven great clans:

The Longbeards, Firebeards, Broadbeams, Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.

Durin, the Father of the Longbeards, was the first of all Dwarves to awaken. He founded the greatest city in Dwarven history—Khazad-dûm, later known as Moria. Dwarves live, on average, three hundred years. Durin lived over a thousand, and for that, he became known as Durin the Deathless, held in the highest esteem among all Dwarves.

His place of awakening—Mount Gundabad—was sacred. It served as the meeting place for all Dwarven clans, where a great covenant was made: should any kin fall into peril, a call issued in the name of a king would summon all Dwarves, from all corners of the world, to aid their brethren.

After Khazad-dûm fell to the Balrog and was taken by the creatures of shadow, it became the accursed pit now known as Moria.

The Durinfolk wandered for decades before heading east to the northern reaches of the Grey Mountains. There, they met with yet another calamity—the Cold-drakes. They fought a brutal war lasting over a century. The toll was steep, and even kings fell in battle. Eventually, the clan split into two branches, each led by a brother—Thror and Grór, the grandsons of Durin.

Thror founded a new realm beneath the Lonely Mountain—Erebor, the second greatest stronghold of the Durin line.

Grór established the Kingdom of the Iron Hills, another Dwarven bastion in the north.

Erebor flourished swiftly, thanks to the riches beneath the mountain—endless veins of gold and precious gems. From its depths came the Arkenstone, whose name in Dwarvish meant "the King's Jewel." It became a symbol of Durin's royal house and was revered by all Dwarves, regardless of clan.

But wealth breeds envy.

When Smaug the Terrible came, Erebor was laid to waste, and its treasure hoard claimed by dragonfire.

In the aftermath, Thror rallied the Dwarves of other clans to battle for Moria. They won the war—but Thror perished, and the threat of the Balrog yet lingered. Thus, they could not reclaim the city.

Thorin's father took up the mantle of king and led the remnants of Durin's Folk westward. In the northern reaches of the Blue Mountains, they built a new home and began to rebuild, slowly and steadily.

Yet the memory of the Lonely Mountain, and of lost Erebor, weighed heavily on the hearts of his kin.

Years passed. Thorin's father gave up his title and vanished with a few companions, never to return.

Under Thorin's rule, the House of Durin in the Blue Mountains slowly regained strength over a hundred years. But even so, they lacked the resources for a grand campaign to retake Erebor.

So Thorin set out with just twelve Dwarves, under the guidance of Gandalf.

His goal: to reclaim the Arkenstone. With it in hand, he could rally the other Dwarven clans. Together, they might then take back their lost kingdom.

Thorin turned his eyes to Kaen and said, "Gandalf tells me you can aid us. That is why I've come to you. If this is true—if you truly can help—then I will be forever in your debt. You will be named a Friend of the Dwarves."

To be named a Friend of the Dwarves was no small honor.

Like the Elves who bestowed the title of Elf-friend, the Dwarves too held such friends in high regard. Should any bearer of that title fall into misfortune, the Dwarves would rise, sparing no effort to aid them.

And yet, sensing that his offer might not be enough, Thorin paused, brows furrowing in thought, then added:

"Not just that. There is also treasure—wealth beyond imagining. The Lonely Mountain holds hoards of gold and jewels that pile like hills. Even one percent of it would be more than you could dream of."

"If you aid me in my quest," he said, his voice steady and proud, "then when Erebor is reclaimed, I shall gift you one-fifteenth of the Mountain's treasure—by royal decree."

One-fifteenth.

Even a modest share of Erebor's treasure would amount to at least five million gold coins.

Thorin believed that such a fortune would stir the heart of any man. Even the gods, he thought, would be tempted by such wealth.

He and Gandalf fixed their gaze upon Kaen, awaiting his answer.

Kaen was silent for a while, lost in thought.

Then suddenly, he smiled. His eyes locked with Thorin's, calm and unwavering.

And he asked:

"What if I told you… that what I want is the Arkenstone?"

- - -

T/N:

Starting today, I'll be introducing a bonus chapter system:

> 150 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter

> 250 Power Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters

> 400 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters

My inspiration for starting this system came from a note I left in the previous chapter, where I asked for powerstones donation with the message "it will help me reach new readers."

I received 50 power stones within just 3 hours :-D

Thank You Everyone!