After finishing with the Mandrake, the two returned to Bag End.
Bilbo was already preparing dinner for the three of them.
Gandalf had noticed the magic wand Kael was casting with and was naturally interested in such a small and unique magical tool. He expressed his desire to see it.
Kael did not refuse, and he was also interested in Gandalf's staff.
Gandalf readily agreed, casually tossing his staff to Kael, then carefully examining Kael's magic wand.
"What a clever combination and match, using magically charged wood as the body… Hmm? Is this the heartwood of the Old Man Willow from the Old Forest?" Gandalf looked at Kael.
Kael nodded and explained, "The Old Man Willow invaded Buckland, and I confronted it, ultimately cutting it in half to defeat it. The lower half was taken back to the Old Forest by Tom and replanted, and I took the heartwood from the upper half to make this magic wand."
Gandalf smiled in agreement, saying, "That Old Man Willow certainly has a bad temper. When I went to the Old Forest to see Tom, it even attacked me, and it took me some effort to get away from it. Now that it has met you, it's truly unlucky."
Then he continued to observe the magic wand in his hand, his eyes seeming to pierce through it. "Is the core a strand of hair? No, wait, there are two! And I sense the aura of rivers and earth. Do they come from Goldberry and Tom?" Gandalf looked at Kael in surprise.
Kael was equally surprised by Gandalf's insight. He nodded and replied, "It's a strand of Goldberry's hair and a whisker from Tom."
"It seems Goldberry and Tom both have high hopes for you!" Gandalf couldn't help but exclaim, his opinion of Kael rising another notch.
"They are indeed very good people!" Kael said sincerely. Besides Bilbo, they were the couple Kael felt most favorably towards.
Then Gandalf, holding Kael's magic wand, excitedly waved it. To Kael's surprise, the wand actually reacted in Gandalf's hand, continuously spewing out colorful magical fireworks.
"Wow!" Both Bilbo and Kael widened their eyes, watching the dazzling fireworks flying about, filled with awe.
Gandalf, like a mischievous old child who had found a fun new toy, shot lightning, strong winds, and flames from the magic wand. He then reluctantly put it down, looking at Kael with a pair of blue eyes shining like stars.
"Kael, your magic wand is a truly genius idea. Simply combining magically imbued wood and hair strands allows for casting. Although the wand doesn't greatly amplify magic, it is incredibly versatile and balanced. Anyone with magical potential can cast with this wand. I think Aulë, the Smith of the Valar, would approve!" Gandalf believed that this wand-crafting technique was Kael's unique creation, thus appreciating his wisdom even more.
"Uh, thank you for the compliment!" Kael felt a little guilty. He knew that the wand-crafting technique came from another world, and being praised so much by Gandalf made him feel undeserving.
Gandalf thought he was just being modest and continued, "Believe me, Kael, your wisdom and creativity deserve such praise! Your magic wand is incredibly versatile. You will be a favored guest of many magical races; they will flock to you to obtain a magic wand made by you."
Kael was a little puzzled. "Gandalf, isn't that too much praise? Can't staffs also cast spells?"
Gandalf pointed to the staff he had handed to Kael. "Try it."
Kael, somewhat bewildered, held the staff with both hands. It was taller than him. The staff was made of an unknown gnarled wood, spiraling in shape with a "blooming" crown. Its surface was very rough, as if it had not been processed or polished at all. At the blooming tip of the staff, a fist-sized blue gem was embedded, emitting a faint, ethereal light.
Kael tried to infuse his magic, using it as he would a wand, and chanted, "Lumos!"
In an instant, the magic within Kael surged out uncontrollably. The staff was like a greedy glutton, devouring his magic frantically. The vast power flowed into the gem at the tip, and the gem instantly released an incredibly dazzling light. That light was comparable to the sun and moon, instantly turning the entire Bag End into a blinding white. Everyone was forced to close their eyes against the glare.
Kael felt as if he were going blind and quickly released the staff, which stopped the magical output.
"Ha, Kael, you almost blinded this old man! You know, with these old bones of mine, besides my eyes, everything else is almost rotten!" Gandalf lowered the hand covering his eyes, wiped away the physiological tears, and complained with a chuckle.
Kael didn't mind Gandalf's joke. This old man could ride a horse at a full gallop for days and nights and swing a longsword fiercely. Saying he was too old to move was the real jest. However, he still looked at Bilbo with concern. "Bilbo, how are you? Are you alright?" The poor Hobbit had been the slowest to react and was exposed to the strong light before he could close his eyes. Now he was constantly shedding tears, his vision not yet recovered.
"I, I'm fine! I'll be alright in a moment!" Bilbo said, blinking repeatedly, a little dazed.
Once he confirmed Bilbo was fine, Kael redirected his attention to the staff.
Gandalf chuckled and asked, "How does it feel? Did you discover anything?"
Kael nodded with lingering apprehension. "Although this staff is powerful, it consumes a lot of magic… And I found that when using it, I need to control it with mental power?" He looked at Gandalf in confusion.
Gandalf nodded with an appreciative expression. "Exactly. Using a staff not only requires strong magical support but also powerful mental guidance and control, so the conditions for someone to use it are very strict."
"More importantly, staff crafting is also very demanding." Gandalf pointed to the blue gem embedded at the tip of the staff. "The core of the staff is that magic gem, but magic gems are very rare. I only obtained mine from an Elven friend, which allowed me to create my own staff."
"Staffs are not as versatile as your magic wand, which is why I said your magic wand is a genius creation! Because you give those with not-so-strong magic the possibility of casting spells."
Upon hearing Gandalf's words, Kael finally understood. He hadn't expected his wand-crafting technique to be of such great value in Gandalf's eyes.
However, Kael was equally tempted by the staff. Although using a staff consumed a lot of magic and mental power, the power it unleashed was incomparable to a magic wand. More importantly, a staff could influence and mobilize the magical elements in the surrounding environment, producing large-scale magical effects.
It could be said that staffs and magic wands pursued two different directions. Staffs were broad and grand, seeking powerful magic, while magic wands were precise and detailed, seeking the ultimate variations of magic.
Kael was an adult; he wanted both.
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