The war drums thundered in the distance, each beat resonating through the walls of Gondor like the tolling of a grim, inevitable fate. John, Aragorn, and Legolas stood in the great hall, still reeling from the revelation that the White Pilgrim had been Saruman in disguise all along.
A heavy silence enveloped them, broken only by the distant cries of soldiers preparing for the coming battle. It was a crushing moment, and the air was thick with the weight of betrayal.
Aragorn slammed his fist onto the war table. "We must find Gandalf. He's the only one who can help us unravel this treachery."
John, still processing the recent events, knew they couldn't afford to act blindly. He opened his system menu to see if any new quests or guidance had been offered after Saruman's appearance. As he scanned the system notifications, his eyes widened at a new message:
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**New Main Quest:**
**The True White Pilgrim**
**Objective:** Uncover Gandalf's whereabouts and the secrets behind Saruman's deception.
**Reward:** Unlock the hidden power of Gondor.
---
John's heart pounded. "The system is guiding us to find Gandalf," he said, glancing at Aragorn and Legolas. "There's something more behind Saruman's deception. We need to uncover the truth."
Legolas nodded, his sharp eyes full of determination. "Saruman's words implied a deep-seated plot. If Gandalf is involved, it may change the very course of this war."
Aragorn glanced towards the door. "We must make haste. Time is not on our side."
But before they could move, the doors of the great hall burst open once more, and a group of cloaked figures entered, their hoods pulled low over their faces. The guards moved to intercept them, but Aragorn held up a hand.
"Let them approach," Aragorn commanded, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
The figures stepped forward, revealing themselves as none other than the Elven delegation from Lothlórien. At the forefront was Galadriel, her ethereal presence commanding the room. However, her usual serene expression was overshadowed by a grim intensity.
"Galadriel," Legolas whispered, his voice tinged with shock. "What brings you to Gondor in such dire times?"
Galadriel's eyes were like twin pools of ancient knowledge, as if she bore the weight of countless secrets. She turned her gaze to John, her expression unreadable. "There are truths that have been hidden for far too long. The time has come for them to be revealed."
John felt a chill crawl down his spine. "What do you mean?"
Galadriel moved to the center of the room, her voice resonating with an otherworldly power. "Saruman's deception runs deeper than merely taking Gandalf's place. There is another force at work here—one that has been pulling the strings from the shadows."
She raised her hands, and a shimmering light enveloped the room. As the light spread, the air around them seemed to ripple, and an image began to form in the center of the hall. It was a vision, a glimpse into events that had transpired long ago.
---
In the vision, they saw the White Council convening many years before. Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, and the other council members were gathered around a stone table, their faces solemn.
"Long have we been aware of the shadow stirring in the East," Gandalf said in the vision. "But there is another darkness, one that does not come from Sauron."
The scene shifted to show Gandalf venturing into the deep, hidden places of Middle-earth, seeking the source of this new evil. As the vision progressed, they saw Gandalf uncover a dark, ancient magic—a magic that predated even Sauron's reign. It was a power that had the ability to corrupt and deceive, to twist the minds of even the most powerful beings.
Then came the most shocking revelation: they saw Gandalf confronting Saruman. But this Saruman was not the traitor they knew; he was different, his eyes filled with fear and desperation.
"We cannot let it consume us," Saruman said, his voice trembling. "This power is beyond even the Dark Lord's."
Gandalf placed a hand on Saruman's shoulder. "We must resist it together, old friend."
The vision shifted once more, showing Saruman battling against the corruption that sought to claim him. He fought valiantly, but slowly, the darkness crept into his soul, warping his mind. The Saruman they knew was not the original traitor. He had been a victim of this ancient magic, manipulated and twisted into becoming the very evil he had sworn to fight.
The vision faded, and the hall returned to normal. Galadriel lowered her hands, her gaze piercing into John's eyes. "Saruman was but a pawn. The true enemy is this ancient power—a force that has been influencing events from the shadows. It is the one that has ensnared Gandalf."
Aragorn's eyes widened in horror. "Then... Gandalf is not our enemy?"
"No," Galadriel replied solemnly. "He has been captured, imprisoned within the very power he sought to destroy. And now, this ancient force seeks to use Gondor as its final foothold in Middle-earth."
---
John's mind raced. Everything they thought they knew had been turned upside down. They had been fighting shadows while the real enemy remained unseen, orchestrating events from behind the scenes. Now, they faced a force far more dangerous than Saruman or Sauron.
"We have to find Gandalf," John said, his voice firm. "If he's been imprisoned by this ancient magic, then we need to free him."
Legolas nodded. "And if we can free Gandalf, he may hold the key to defeating this power once and for all."
Aragorn turned to Galadriel. "Do you know where he is?"
Galadriel's eyes softened, a trace of sadness in them. "He is held in the heart of Mordor, within the ancient catacombs that lie beneath the Black Tower. To reach him will be the greatest challenge you have ever faced."
John's system chimed, and a new quest notification appeared:
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**Quest Update:**
**New Main Quest:** The Ancient Power
**Objective:** Infiltrate Mordor and rescue Gandalf from the ancient catacombs beneath the Black Tower.
**Reward:** Unknown.
---
John clenched his fist. "Then that's where we go. We've been fighting shadows long enough. It's time to face the true enemy."
Aragorn placed a hand on John's shoulder. "You've been a guiding light in these dark times. We'll follow your lead."
Legolas stepped forward, his eyes determined. "For Gondor, for Middle-earth, and for Gandalf."
The war drums outside Gondor continued to beat, but now they knew that the real battle lay ahead—deep within the heart of darkness. With their new purpose set, they prepared for the journey to Mordor, knowing that the path would be fraught with peril.
As they steeled themselves for the coming trials, John couldn't help but feel that they were only scratching the surface of this ancient power's true nature. And as they moved forward, he knew that more revelations awaited them—some that would change the very fabric of their understanding of Middle-earth.
The real war was just beginning.