As tens of thousands of humans were sacrificed in agony, black mist and flames surged across the altar, forming a violently destructive dark power that seemed intent on devouring everything.
The Orcs who escorted the prisoners trembled in terror and did not dare approach the altar.
Before the remaining humans could even reach the stone platform, tens of thousands of energy tendrils erupted from the black mist and flames. Amid countless screams, the tendrils wrapped around every human and dragged them into the altar, consuming them completely.
With tens of thousands of lives and souls as offerings, the power of the ritual pierced the barriers of space and time and descended into the endless Void beyond the world.
The Void was chaotic, without direction, without light or darkness, without the flow of time.
Floating within that emptiness was a figure the size of a mountain, bound tightly in chains and unable to move.
This was Morgoth, the Lord of Darkness, once the greatest of the Valar.
After being defeated in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, he had been chained by Angainor, the chain forged by Aulë the Smith, and banished into the Void beyond Arda.
Even so, Morgoth never ceased struggling, always trying to break free and return.
Ancient prophecy foretold that Morgoth would one day escape, return to Arda, unleash devastation, and engage the Valar in a final, world-ending battle.
In that battle, Morgoth would destroy the sun and moon and lead countless demonic monsters against an army of Ainur, elves, men, and dwarves.
Only then would Morgoth be utterly slain, and Arda itself destroyed.
Afterward, Ilúvatar would guide the Ainur, elves, mortals, and dwarves to perform the Second Great Music and create a new world.
Banished to the Void, Morgoth had drifted through the emptiness for two ages.
His body had long been destroyed, leaving only his immortal, weakened spirit.
Then the sacrificial force, invisible yet overwhelming, pierced the world's barriers and descended upon him.
Nourished by the immense life-force and souls, a low groan of pleasure echoed through the Void, like a desert welcoming its first rainfall.
Morgoth's aura swelled violently. Dark power churned around him, as if capable of splitting the Void itself. A silent, terrifying storm rippled through the emptiness.
His form rapidly expanded, swelling far larger than a mountain, straining against the chains.
But the chains would not break. They radiated divine light, infused with the laws of the Valar, tightening with each surge of Morgoth's power, suppressing him completely.
At last, Morgoth's swelling form deflated, shrinking back to a size smaller than a mountain, and the power around him slowly settled.
"No need to hurry. I have all the patience in the world," he murmured, confident and assured.
In Mordor, after hundreds of thousands of lives had been sacrificed, the collected force of their souls formed a black hole on the altar, opening into the unknown Void.
The black hole radiated a terrifying pull, capable of devouring anything. Even a glance sent a shudder through the soul, as if it could rip one's spirit away instantly.
Light vanished when it approached. Anything living that neared was sucked in, destroyed utterly, without even a soul left behind.
Only Sauron's spirit could approach the altar and stand before the black hole, waiting.
Moments later, the black hole churned violently and released a surge of pure primordial darkness. The power slammed into Sauron's spirit.
Filled with the dark source power, Sauron's spirit exploded with strength. His once-ethereal form solidified, and the oppressive aura around him grew terrifyingly intense.
The great Dark Eye atop Barad-dûr ignited with hotter, brighter fire, capable of seeing far more clearly and more distantly.
Mount Doom, linked to Sauron's power, grew even more violent. Black smoke shot into the skies, forming a massive curtain of darkness that blanketed Mordor and continued spreading outward.
The volcano erupted. Rivers of lava poured from Mount Doom like molten waterfalls, flowing across the plains.
The eruption was so great that it was visible even from the distant capital of Gondor.
The Regent of Gondor noticed the unusual activity in Mordor and attempted to investigate through the palantír. Before he could see anything clearly, the blazing Mystic Eye atop Barad-dûr detected his presence instantly and stared back through the Crystal.
The fiery eye appeared inside the palantír, radiating a terrifying spiritual corrosiveness. The Regent of Gondor struggled desperately against the invasive influence, finally managing to break free. Pale and trembling, he immediately covered the palantír with a black cloth.
Panting heavily, he was filled with lingering fear. He no longer dared to spy on Mordor, nor did he dare use the palantír again.
In Lothlórien, Galadriel sensed the disturbance and looked toward the Far East with a grave expression. Elrond in Rivendell and Gandalf at Hogwarts also felt the same dark ripple and turned their gazes eastward, equally solemn.
Time passed quickly until September 22nd, 3001.
In the Shire, at Hobbiton, Bilbo Baggins declined Sylas' offer to host his birthday celebration at Hogwarts Castle. Instead, he chose to hold the feast in the Party Field of his hometown.
He invited all his neighbors in Hobbiton to attend.
Everyone in Hobbiton, and indeed throughout the Shire, knew that Bilbo Baggins of Bag End was a wealthy gentleman. Naturally, everyone eagerly came to the celebration.
Bilbo, as a legendary figure in the Shire, was well known for two things: his mysterious wealth and his strangely youthful appearance. Rumors spread that Bilbo had received a magical gift from the Lord of Hogwarts, granting him longevity. Some even whispered that he might be immortal, since he had barely aged in decades.
Bilbo never confirmed or denied these rumors. He spent most of his days in Bag End writing the stories of his adventures. Although people were curious, they never pressed him about the truth. After all, everyone knew that Bilbo was a close friend of the Hogwarts headmaster and often invited him for visits.
Even hobbits who rarely left the Shire had heard of Hogwarts' growing reputation. Many Shire specialties, pipe-weed, mushrooms, beer, and wine, were sold to Bree and Hogsmeade, and even farther regions within the Hogwarts territory.
Over the decades, Hogwarts' lands had expanded, now bordering the Shire directly to the west, with Brandywine Bridge and the Old Forest marking the boundary. Hobbits occasionally encountered visiting wizards and had become familiar with their presence.
As a long-esteemed figure in the Shire, Bilbo's birthday banquet attracted not only his Hobbiton neighbors but also the mayor, the council members, and the Shire's chief sheriff. Even Bilbo's more distant relatives, such as the Tooks and the Brandybucks, attended the celebration.