Hearing the news of the One Ring, everyone in the hall was instantly shocked and began murmuring among themselves.
"So… Lord Sylas, do you mean that as long as the One Ring is destroyed, the Dark Lord Sauron will be completely annihilated?"the Lord of the Riverlands asked.
Sylas nodded.
"When Sauron forged the One Ring, he poured most of his soul and power into it. They are bound as one.
Without the Ring, Sauron is but a shadow, formless, weakened.But if the Ring is returned to its master, he will regain his strength and begin a new war to conquer the world."
"Only by destroying the One Ring can Sauron be ended forever.Only then will his forces cease to threaten Middle-earth."
As he spoke, Sylas looked toward Frodo.
Frodo understood the signal. Under everyone's gaze, he stepped forward, drew out the silver box from his satchel, and placed it upon the stone table.
When he opened the lid, only a thin layer of venom remained, just enough to coat the Ring.
Carefully, Frodo lifted the One Ring with a dagger and set it on the table.
The moment it was exposed, the more sensitive elves reacted first, recoiling as if from a venomous serpent.
Only Elrond and Galadriel stood firm, though their expressions grew grave.
"Its power has grown even stronger," Galadriel murmured, her words carrying a double meaning.
Elrond, Gandalf, and Sylas understood at once: The Ring's increasing pull meant that Sauron himself was growing more dangerous.
Freed from the venom's suppression, the Ring released its corruptive aura.
It began whispering into the hearts of those nearby.
The first to falter were the Men, Prince of Rohan, the Riverlords, their eyes clouding with longing.
Soon even Gondor's Regent Barlamurs and young Grimm Beorn were affected.
Only the strongest wills, Aragorn, Legolas, and a few others, fought the temptation, gripping their chairs to keep themselves grounded.
The dwarves reacted differently.
To them, the Ring's call was not seductive, just an irritating, buzzing whisper.
Annoyed, young Gimli suddenly bellowed, raised his axe, and brought it down on the table with full force.
CRACK!
The impact hurled him backward. His mithril-reinforced axe shattered into pieces.
The stone table cracked and trembled.
But the One Ring lay in the center, untouched.
Not even a scratch.
This violent crash snapped everyone out of the Ring's spell.
Terrified and shaken, the lords and warriors stepped back, unwilling to risk contact again.
"Frodo, seal the Ring," Sylas ordered.
Frodo hurried to the broken table, picked up the Ring with his bare hands, and returned it to the venom-filled box.
Seeing that little venom remained, he uncorked a fresh vial Sylas had given him and poured it in, fully submerging the Ring.
Immediately, its corruptive pull vanished.
He closed the box, replaced it into his satchel alongside the Light of Eärendil, and let out a small breath.
Everyone stared in stunned disbelief.
Moments ago, even from several paces away, the Ring had nearly ensnared them.
Yet this seemingly ordinary hobbit had lifted it bare-handed without the slightest sign of corruption.
Their shock and confusion filled the room.
Sylas and Gandalf exchanged a knowing glance.
Then Sylas addressed them again:
"Now you have all witnessed the danger of the One Ring.Its temptation can ensnare even the strongest hearts until they become puppets of Sauron.
"But the Hobbits… they possess a resilience unmatched by any race.Only they can carry the Ring without falling swiftly to its corruption."
"So, in order to ensure that the Ring-bearers would not fall to its temptation, we chose Frodo Baggins to carry the One Ring."
Sylas continued, his tone steady but grave:
"But the problem now is this: as time passes, the Ring's power grows stronger.
Anyone who remains near it for too long is gradually influenced.The bond between Sauron and the Ring deepens, until eventually they will be able to sense each other."
"At that moment, Sauron will stop at nothing to reclaim it."
"So the purpose of this council," Sylas swept his gaze across the chamber, "is to decide how we are to deal with the One Ring."
The hall fell silent for a moment, before whispers began to ripple through the delegates.
Gondor's Regent stood up first.
"Lord Sylas… earlier you said that destroying the One Ring would destroy Sauron completely. Is there a way to destroy the Ring at once?"
Sylas looked at Gandalf, who answered:
"The One Ring was forged by Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom within Mordor.
No blade, no spell, no dragon-fire in all the world can harm it. Only the fire that created it can unmake it."
A flicker of hope appeared on many faces.
Gondor and Rohan, who had suffered under Mordor's shadow for generations, were the most visibly stirred.
"Then we should gather an alliance, march upon Mordor, and send a company to carry the Ring into Mount Doom. We will destroy it at once!"
Prince of Rohan added firmly:
"For the sake of all Middle-earth, Rohan will commit every rider needed!"
The Lord of Dale also stepped forward:
"For peace in the lands, Dale will lend its strength!"
"And the Anduin Valley as well!" Grimm Beorn said. His large, broad-shouldered frame stood tall with conviction.
"Don't forget the dwarves!" Gimli shouted, thumping his chest."We'll march straight into Mordor and smash Sauron's tower until that coward comes crawling out to taste my hammer!"
His father Glóin cuffed him on the back of the head.
"You've already broken your hammer-axe today, fool! With what do you plan to smash anything?"
The room, fired up by the prospect of striking back at Mordor, buzzed with agreement, until, Gandalf spoke again, pouring cold water on the rising enthusiasm.
"Mordor is Sauron's stronghold," Gandalf said gravely.
"The land is drowned in his shadow. There, his power is greatest. Should we march an army into Mordor, our strength would wane with every step. Our life-force would bleed away."
"Even if we reached Mount Doom, the very moment the Ring crosses its borders, Sauron will feel it.
We would be delivering it straight into his hands."
"And if he recovers the Ring…" Gandalf's voice grew harsher.
"No army in this world could withstand him."
A heavy silence fell over the council once more.
"What then?"
"Is there no other way to unmake the Ring?"
At that moment, Glorfindel of the House of the Golden Flower spoke quietly:
"Perhaps… there is another path. A far more perilous one. But one that does not require an army."
...
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