Chapter 406: [Coda — Creative]
The flames of Mount Doom erupted once more, surging high into the sky. Their force could be felt across the entire world.
The outer walls of Barad-dûr collapsed without warning. The dark tower itself burst apart, and massive slabs of stone rained down, crushing the bridges leading inside and sealing every path in.
"Sauron has been utterly defeated."
Gandalf stared at the crumbling tower, his voice distant. "Like his master Morgoth before him, he has been cast out of this world entirely. He will drift in the Void beyond the universe."
"It is over."
At Gandalf's words, the tension finally broke. Every soul on the battlefield felt it.
Aragorn raised Andúril high, and with every ounce of breath in his lungs, he roared:
"Victory belongs to the Free Peoples!"
"Yeah!"
Men danced, embraced, wept, and laughed, celebrating the end of all things dark.
Every heart was full to bursting.
And all of it, in the end, became celebration and laughter.
…
Molten rock erupted skyward, forming a curtain of red.
Levi stood quietly at the bottom of the stairway. He had not moved for a long time.
His eyes were filled with light, white and sacred, obscuring everything that had been there before.
What he could perceive now was no longer limited to the physical world. His awareness had been drawn upward, into some higher, unknown dimension.
The One Ring had unlocked nearly all of his power. The afterglow had not yet faded, and it allowed him to see far more than he ever had.
For instance, the Lady Galadriel, who was at this very moment trying to peer in his direction.
She looked at him. He looked back. They simply watched each other in silence.
The Lady seemed confused. All she could see was pure white.
And so she said to a Levi from many years ago: "Your future is full of uncertainty."
Then, some time later, though to Levi's current perception it was barely a moment, another gaze found him.
His own.
Levi felt a flicker of mischief. He smiled at his past self and waved.
He successfully startled himself.
Fun.
Boom!
The volcano shook violently, pulling his attention back.
This place was coming apart.
So Levi walked toward the exit.
The stairs inside the Crack of Doom crumbled behind each step, swallowed by fire.
Outside the great forge where the One Ring had been born, he found Sam and Frodo. They had followed him.
Lava was pouring down the slopes. The two of them would not survive this on their own.
But Levi was here.
He shielded them both and led them down the mountainside.
Then the Great Eagles arrived, sent with purpose.
They carried Frodo and Sam away, lifting them clear of the destruction spreading below.
Beherdan followed close behind. He landed, endured the lava washing over his legs, scooped Levi onto his back, and took off once more.
Lying across the dragon's back, the light in Levi's eyes slowly faded, returning to normal.
The power drifted away, dissolving into the wind.
But a new feeling settled within him:
If I can reach the Blessed Realm beyond the world, the power and essence of the One Ring awakened in me can be restored. Fully unlocked.
And more completely than this time.
As for what that completeness would look like… he would have to reach it to find out.
Screeee.
A familiar sound came from nearby. After this long a battle, Levi knew exactly what it was.
A fell beast.
Beherdan's first instinct was to turn and incinerate it, wiping out the last remnant of an ancient age, but Levi stopped him, holding back the dragon's breath.
There was a dark figure on its back.
A Nazgûl.
By all rights, with the One Ring destroyed, every Nazgûl should have dissolved, their souls finally set free.
But this one seemed especially stubborn.
Not that it would last much longer. Even without Levi lifting a finger, the wraith was visibly fading away.
And it did not seem to be looking for a fight.
In their brief encounter, it raised a hand toward Levi. A small wave.
Then it and the last fell beast turned together and flew straight into the erupting lava of Mount Doom, choosing their own end.
It's over.
Levi looked away, turned his face to the sky, and let out a long breath.
Dark clouds still covered the heavens, but rain was falling now, heavy and clean, sweeping across the land, draping the whole world in a curtain of glass.
For the first time in ages, pure rain fell upon Mordor's parched earth.
Everything was washed clean.
Days later, rested and recovered, Frodo and Sam were reunited with the companions they had missed so dearly.
Pippin, Merry, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, and Gandalf. The Fellowship of the Ring, together again. All nine.
Elrond arrived to witness the moment and declared solemnly, "The Fellowship's mission is complete!"
Then, looking at the nine members standing before him whole and unbroken, a smile rose from the depths of his heart.
"It gladdens me beyond words to see you gathered once more, with no one missing."
Bilbo came hurrying up behind Elrond and threw his arms around Frodo.
"You did it, Frodo. You came back. I'm so proud of you."
"By the way, where's Levi?"
After greeting everyone in turn, Bilbo suddenly realised someone was missing.
"He…"
Gandalf looked east. "He said there were still things he needed to do. He should be back soon."
And indeed, Levi still had loose ends to tie up.
After announcing the victory, his first stop was the Tower of Cirith Ungol, where he found Freak and his troops.
There was an unexpected bonus. Somehow, they had managed to capture Gollum.
Gollum was of no use to anyone now. His fate no longer mattered.
After some thought, Levi had him transferred to a cell at the North Riverbend. He would remain there for the time being.
As for Freak and the Orcs under his command, they had earned genuine credit. In secret, they had supplied crucial intelligence to the Rangers at the Crossroads and in Ithilien, information that had helped shape the course of the war.
That deserved recognition.
In the end, they chose to relocate to a remote land under Levi's protection, far from the realms of Men, where they could begin a new life. Free. Serving no one.
Perhaps the old habits of their kind would linger. Perhaps things would remain chaotic for a time.
But it would still be better than before. They no longer had to fight anyone. They could live in peace and meet whatever natural end awaited them.
No one knew what would become of this twisted race that had never been born naturally. But Levi would continue watching over them and bear responsibility for the choices he had made.
After that, there was still much to do.
The Sea of Núrnen in southern Mordor, for instance. Around that vast inland sea stretched fertile green land, where Mordor's slaves had been forced to toil for years.
Now those slaves were free. The fields they had worked beneath the lash became their own. This time, no one would drive them. Whatever they grew would belong to them.
Next came the matter of the dark Men of the East and South.
Freed from Sauron's grip, the Easterlings finally laid down their aggression. In time, the shadow hanging over them would fade, and they too, could look toward a future that was free and bright.
Khand, that nomadic land where so many stories had unfolded, at last gained its independence.
The South was more complicated. The Haradrim were the easier case. With Alatar and Pallando, the two Blue Wizards, already working among them, Sauron's fall — together with pressure from Levi and the Free City-States — brought them to the negotiating table quickly. They surrendered and signed a fair peace treaty.
Like the Easterlings, they would gradually emerge from Sauron's shadow.
Under pressure from the Free City-States and Gondor, they also abolished slavery and were forced to transition toward other systems.
Then there was Umbar, farther south.
Umbar was complicated. It was not only home to local pirates and residents. There were also descendants of Gondorian rebels who had fled there long ago, and their hatred for Gondor had nothing to do with Sauron.
The rebels saw the writing on the wall. Without the Dark Lord to wield against Gondor, their cause was finished. They scattered into hiding, and before long, they fell apart completely.
The remaining pirates were brought to justice. The guilty were punished. The oppressed and enslaved were set free.
With the affairs of the outside world settled, at least for now, it was finally time to deal with matters closer to home.
Isengard, for one.
The Wizards' mission had come to an end. Saruman would depart, leaving the place empty.
In the end, Isengard was entrusted to the Ents. Treebeard took charge, setting about clearing away the rubble and scorched earth, determined to make it beautiful again.
Not long after the matter of Isengard was settled, there came a small epilogue.
Once they had recovered, the hobbits visited Gollum in the cells at the North Riverbend. Levi had left the decision in their hands.
Perhaps they had seen enough killing. Sam and Frodo both chose mercy. They let him go. No one objected.
Before Gollum left, Sam cooked him the fish and chips he had mentioned long ago. Gollum was plainly uninterested. He took one bite, spat it out, and earned a stern lecture from Sam about wasting food.
Where Gollum went after that, no one knew. Sightings were rare. But one thing was certain: he was no longer tormented by the "precious." The unnatural life that had been stretched far beyond its limit could finally find release. The gift of Ilúvatar, the one that belonged to Men alone, arrived at last, gently settling over him.
By the time these matters were resolved, a full month had passed.
Levi and Aragorn had been the busiest of all.
Levi had not rested once. Aragorn had visited Frodo, attended the Fellowship's reunion, and then rushed back to Gondor to work through the aftermath alongside Levi.
Both of them were buried under a mountain of work. It was fortunate that one of them did not need sleep, and the other had a constitution strong enough to push through without rest for extended stretches.
Otherwise, it never would have been done this fast.
At last, things began to settle.
With the battlefields cleared and a sense of normalcy returning, Gondor welcomed wave after wave of unusual visitors on a clear morning.
Elves. Dwarves. Wizards. Hobbits. A ceremonial honour guard from the Free City-States.
And one man riding a dragon.
His arrival sent a ripple of panic through the crowd, but a single look at the figure seated upon the dragon's back was enough to calm them.
It was the legend behind countless deeds, the bane of the Dark Lord, the Lord of the North, and so on and so forth:
Levi.
Today's gathering was enormous, and every visitor had come for a single reason: to witness Aragorn's coronation.
Before the ceremony began, Gondor's heralds formally welcomed each honoured guest.
"Welcome, Lord Elrond of Imladris. Legolas, son of Thranduil. Gimli, son of Glóin. From the Shire, the hobbits: the great Ring-bearer and hero, Frodo Baggins. The Ring-bearer's faithful companion and fellow hero, Samwise Gamgee…"
One by one, as each name was called, Aragorn greeted them with either a bow or an embrace.
The crowd erupted in cheers for every hero and honoured guest.
Until a certain someone appeared.
The herald in charge suddenly froze.
"Quick, get over here. I need another… no, two more of you. Don't ask why. Just hurry!"
A moment later, two colleagues rushed to his side.
The three exchanged a few hurried words, then began taking turns reciting:
"With the highest respect, we welcome the Lord of the North, the Great Legend, Bane of the Dark Lord and All Evil, Founder of the Free City-States, Supreme Leader of the Free City-States, the Shadow of War, Slayer of Balrogs, Dragon Slayer, Shipwright, Builder of Great Walls, Architect of Towers That Never Fall, Maker of Wonders, Friend of the Dúnedain, Ally of Elves and Dwarves, Guardian of the Vale, Saviour of the Anduin Valley, the Bottomless Stomach, the Block Wizard, Master Brewer of Potions, Cook, Conqueror of Drinking Bouts, Brewer of Ales, Friend to Women and Children…"
Wait.
Levi's expression froze.
Did something strange just slip past?
Many in the audience twitched at the sheer length of his titles, but none of that dampened the thunderous welcome he received.
Later, the full list was recorded in a storybook, and many people took to treating "reciting all of Levi's titles in one breath" as a personal challenge.
But that was a tale for another day.
The coronation went smoothly. Gandalf himself placed the crown on Aragorn's head.
Levi stood to one side, watching quietly.
"From this day, Gondor's age without a king is ended."
The King had returned.
And the people's joy shook the city.
Even Denethor clapped, reluctantly.
He knew his time had passed. Before the ceremony, he had voluntarily returned the Steward's rod to Aragorn.
Aragorn accepted it, then immediately returned it to Denethor, keeping him in the role of Steward.
He also granted Ithilien to the House of Húrin, raising their standing once more.
After the crown was set, Aragorn bowed to Levi and to the four hobbits in turn, personally honouring their deeds.
Every witness offered their deepest respect.
They had earned it.
Some days later, Gandalf led Aragorn to the sacred slopes of Mount Mindolluin.
There, Aragorn found a sapling of the White Tree. Overjoyed, he carried it back and planted it in the fountain court before Gondor's palace.
And so the sacred White Tree grew there once more.
All things returned to prosperity.
One quiet afternoon, in the gardens of the upper city, Faramir and Éowyn were discovered together. The sight of them leaning close caught both Denethor and Boromir by surprise as they passed nearby.
"Look at your brother," Denethor muttered, sounding unsure of what exactly he felt. "Somehow he ended up with Rohan's princess. Though I admit, they suit each other."
Boromir smiled. "They met during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and found their way here step by step. I'm happy for them."
"And what about you, Boromir?" Denethor asked, suddenly turning to him.
"You've made a name for yourself, and you're not getting any younger. Have you thought about starting a family?"
Boromir blinked.
Oh no. The fire's reached me.
Boromir's days were not going to be peaceful for quite some time.
But elsewhere, happiness blossomed everywhere.
Aragorn and Arwen were finally married. The wedding followed soon after the coronation, and Arwen became Queen.
The Shire.
Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry gathered at the Green Dragon for a proper drink together.
One day, encouraged by the other three, Sam finally found the courage to confess to the girl he loved.
He found his happiness and married Rosie Cotton in a beautiful season.
In time, he became Mayor of Michel Delving.
Merry became Master of Buckland, known to all as "Magnificent Meriadoc."
Pippin's deeds earned him the title of Thain of the Shire, its nominal highest authority.
In practice, by hobbit tradition, the position was mostly honorary, a mark of respect and esteem. It carried little real authority in everyday life.
Only in times of crisis would the people answer the Thain's call, taking up arms against danger or gathering for some great undertaking.
In short, as old Bilbo wrote at the end of his book:
"And after that, they all lived happily."
…
That year, every territory of the Free City-States was livelier than it had ever been. People celebrated without end, each day brighter than the last.
Thorin. The members of the Erebor expedition. Brand. Grimbeorn. Old friends, or the children of old friends, came one after another to visit Levi.
Every look counts. Get as many as you can.
Erebor's wealth continued to grow. Dale flourished as ever.
Fresh white flowers appeared before the graves of Bard and Balin.
Beneath the great mallorn tree, Beherdan had been quiet ever since returning from Gondor. He seemed to have heard something from a certain loose-lipped Wizard, and spent his days staring at the nearby castle, as though afraid the person inside might vanish.
But after Levi sat with him one afternoon and talked for a while, the dragon perked up again, sprawling lazily across the grass and basking in the sun as he always had.
As if he were not worried at all about never seeing Levi again.
That day, other old friends came to visit.
Halbarad and Aglâr arrived together, and Levi welcomed them warmly.
These two had been the first friends he made after arriving in this world. They had walked beside him through the longest stretch of his journey.
Halbarad had been appointed King's Counsellor by Aragorn. There was even talk of making him Steward of the soon-to-be rebuilt Arnor, but he seemed uninterested. Rather than holding power, Halbarad claimed he would rather travel, enjoy the scenery, and finally take some time to rest.
As for Aglâr, he would soon depart for the Blessed Realm and return to Valinor.
With Levi.
Today was both a reunion and a farewell.
Inside Roadside Keep, that castle of modest size but considerable history, Levi sat with Halbarad and Aglâr, talking about the old days.
"There's a kinsman called Halbaron who fights like one possessed," Halbarad said. "On the battlefield, he saved me from an ambush."
Perhaps because parting was near, Halbarad, who was usually a man of few words, could not stop talking today. Everything came spilling out, as if he was afraid there would be no more chances.
And perhaps there would not be many.
Halbarad was no longer young. At a hundred and eighty years old, his hair had turned silver-white, though his frame remained strong enough to make him seem full of vigour.
How long that would last, no one knew.
Levi, meanwhile, looked exactly the same as the day they had first met.
Today, for the first time anyone could remember, Levi did not touch his milk. Instead, he drank a cup of the strongest spirit in silence before saying, "I've met that lad. He fights well."
Halbarad nodded. "He's taken over my duties now. Patrols around the Prancing Pony most days."
"Things always get passed on, one way or another."
"Yes," Halbarad said quietly. "They always do."
Stories always end.
Inside the story and out, everyone comes and goes.
But now, their stories had finally reached their conclusion.
The journey, it seemed, had come to its end.
Except for a few.
"This is the first time I've ever been on a ship this big."
At the Grey Havens, aboard the flagship Levi had built with his own hands, the Apprentice, Bilbo, gazed around in wonder.
Frodo stood beside him, holding him steady so the old hobbit could stand and take in the view one last time.
Sam, Pippin, and Merry had come to see them off.
Frodo handed Sam a book he had finished writing himself. Then he embraced each of them in turn.
They said their goodbyes quietly.
Elsewhere on the ship, things were less quiet.
"I never thought I'd see the sea again."
Alatar, the Blue Wizard, walked slowly up the gangplank, his eyes fixed on the west, full of longing.
Beside him was Pallando, the companion who had journeyed to Middle-earth with him.
"I was starting to think we'd never make it back."
"Don't say that. This ending turned out well enough." Pallando offered half a comfort and half a sigh.
"Though it seems someone…"
Both glanced at the bedraggled Saruman.
"What are you looking at?" Saruman snapped. "Do you think your mission went so well? Mind your own business!"
They fell silent and looked away.
Fine. We won't start anything here. But wait until we get back. Everything you did in the East is coming out.
"All right, all right, stop bickering. Everyone aboard. We're departing."
Gandalf stepped in before things could escalate further.
"Aren't we missing someone?" Alatar asked, counting heads.
"Where's the Brown Wizard?"
"Him?"
Gandalf shook his head. "He's still carrying out his mission in his own way. Lost among nature and beasts, as always. He didn't come with me. From the look of it, he's in no hurry to return."
"Fair enough." The other Wizards accepted the explanation without argument.
That does sound like Radagast.
After the Wizards boarded, Elrond, Galadriel, and Glorfindel followed, along with their Elven kindred.
Then Levi.
He was the last to step aboard.
With him came the administrators of the Free City-States' many cities, along with friends and allies from every faction. Together, they nearly filled the harbour.
Most of those from the Free City-States could not hold back their tears, though none could bring themselves to ask him to stay.
They all knew their lord. More than anything, he loved adventure, and he had a habit of disappearing for years at a time.
They were used to it. Used to the lord's absences, his long stretches offline.
But they also knew he always came back.
This time, though…
Levi quietly made a small gesture toward the citizens lining the harbour.
The moment they saw it, the crying stopped. Their expressions turned solemn.
They watched their lord depart in composed silence, as still and dignified as the Elves standing vigil at the Grey Havens.
Their composure was remarkable.
"Will I ever see Middle-earth again?"
The citizens had not asked the question aloud, but aboard the ship, Frodo could not help himself. He voiced it gently.
"Guess," Levi said, giving nothing away.
Then he added, "Remember, I still owe you that birthday present, Frodo."
"You're not going to tell me the trip to Mordor counts as a good 'present,' are you?"
Frodo's eyes widened. A guess formed in his mind, and the corner of his mouth curled upward despite himself.
"You mean…"
"A journey. I choose what we do. You choose when."
Levi smiled, that quiet, knowing smile.
"The promise still stands."
"When. That's up to you."
Joy lit Frodo's face.
He had been through terrible things, and there were wounds inside him that only Valinor could heal. But in this moment, the mischief that had always lived in him was alive and well.
Gandalf, who had caught fragments of their conversation, felt a sudden lurch of alarm.
What is he planning now?!
…
A hazy white shore appeared at the edge of the horizon.
After a stretch of sailing, the Apprentice followed a straight course to the legendary Blessed Realm and made landfall.
"How do you feel, old friend?"
The moment he set foot on Valinor's soil, Gandalf's voice changed. It became vibrant and steady, no longer old.
Levi looked over, curious, and found that the man before him was no longer the elderly "Gandalf."
He stood taller. His face was young. His hair had turned from silver-white to black, and his eyes shone bright with deep wisdom.
The other Wizards had undergone similar transformations.
Levi marvelled at the sight. He clapped his hands and said, "Well, well, Gandalf. Or should I say…"
The man who had been Gandalf smiled and gave Levi a small bow.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself. Olórin, at your service."
"All right then, Olórin."
"I feel good."
Levi smiled.
On a transparent panel that appeared before his eyes, he typed a single command.
[/gamemode 1 (creative)]
[Creative Mode enabled]
——
[END]