Interlude: Rings of Power

As time went on, Pluto and Zhered-Na grew closer towards each other. Pluto often helped her research and vice versa. Right now though, Pluto was trying to make something rather unbelievable to Zhered-Na, rings.

“What are you making?” questioned Zhered-Na as she watched Pluto hammer away, making some simple-looking rings.

“Rings,” said Pluto.

“How many are you making?” questioned Zhered-Na again, curious.

Pluto suddenly stopped. He looked at Zhered-Na straight in the eyes, and said in a deep voice. “Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die, One for the Dark–” 

“What are you saying right now?” scoffed Zhered-Na, not amused at his joke.

Pluto then cleared his throat, “Sorry, got too into it for a second, I heard some locals telling their kids about fairies and elves, and I was reminded of a story…”

Zhered-Na raised her eyebrows. “What kind of stories?”

“Eh, it’s not important.” shrugged Pluto. “Anyway, I made 21 rings.”

“That many?” Zhered-Na was surprised. “What are you planning?”

Pluto scoffed. “Give it away, what else?”

“All of them?”

“No, only 20 of them. I’ll hold the one ring.”

“One ring?”

Pluto looked at Zhered-Na straight in the eyes again, and said seriously in a deep voice. “One ring to rule them all…”

“Okay stop.” said Zhered-Na sternly, annoyed at Pluto’s behaviour. “What are the rings for?”

“What? You didn’t see me making the rings in the power stone?” questioned Pluto casually.

Zhered-Na flinched. “No… it’s… strange.” Zhered-Na then examined the finished ring. “How come I can’t see it?”

Pluto chuckled. “Perhaps One-Above-All hides the rings from peering eyes as an exchange for letting my powers get stripped away?”

“What?”

Pluto chuckled. “Never mind.”

Zhered-Na sighed. “So, what are these rings for? I feel strange energies from these rings.”

Pluto smiled. “It’s a ring that lets you tap into a specific dimension or specific force and lets you use their powers freely, without consequences.”

“What?!” shrieked Zhered-Na. “How did you do it?!” she said, grabbing Pluto’s collar.

“A scholar’s secret.” smirked Pluto.

Zhered-Na frowned. “You-”

“Really, I can’t tell you, if I told you, I would need to kill you.” said Pluto seriously.

Zhered-Na released Pluto reluctantly, and scoffed. “So, mind telling me the dimensions?”

“There’s twenty in total, obviously.” shrugged Pluto.

“But you said you made twenty one?” questioned Zhered-Na.

“One ring is a master ring.” explained Pluto. “If someone wears the one ring, he or she could use them all.”

Zhered-Na gulped, looking at the golden ring on Pluto’s finger. The temptation of power is strong, even for a sorcerer supreme.

“Can you give me one?” questioned Zhered-Na. “One of the rings?”

“Hmm…” Pluto caressed his non-existent beard. “If you wear it, you’ll be immortal. Are you sure? Being an Immortal isn’t as good as you think.”

Zhered-Na gulped again, the temptation of immortality is even stronger. “H-How can it be?”

“The other rings are connected to the one ring and its wearer. If the bearer of one ring dies, the other would also die, if the bearer of one ring still lives, you cannot die unless killed. Once you wear the ring, you cannot release it unless the bearer of the one ring, which means me, told you so.”

Zhered-Na frowned. “In other words, a slave.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Pluto said calmly, his gaze seems distant. “It’s just me trying to find a way to give someone immortality. If you told me you wanted to be released, I would probably agree.”

Zhered-Na hummed. “I don’t think I would wear it… it’s a strong temptation, but I do not want to be sorcerer supreme forever.”

“You can retire, you know?”

“But my successors would probably ask for my help a lot, which I don’t want…”

Pluto shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“So, can you tell me what these rings connect to?”

“Too many to count, I’ll just write it for you later.”

Zhered-Na sighed. “Very well, I’ll see you later then.”

Zhered-Na left Pluto’s workshop as he hummed. Pluto then looked at the window, and murmured. “Old man, honestly, you don’t have to give me this… I’m fine with finding power on my own. But thank you anyway. Apologies accepted.” he said as he chuckled in amusement, continuing his work.

—

One ring to Rule them all: House of Ideas

Other Rings:

-Light Dimension

-Dark Dimension

-Crimson

-Order

-Chaos

-Hell

-Realm of Dreams

-Realm of Desire

-Realm of Deceit

-Limbo

Note: I have only made 11 rings so far, the others are unfinished, I will tell you once it's finished.

—

Zhered-Na, who read the note, was sweating bullets. “Is he insane?” she murmured. “Is he sure that there won’t be any backlash?”

Zhered-Na couldn’t sleep for the whole week, thinking about those rings that Pluto is making…