The Strider led the three hobbits, the Raynors, Kerrigan, and Artanis to a place Jim was familiar. "It's so beautiful," Kerrigan muttered upon the sight of the sanctuary and the House of Elrond was on sight.

"It reminds me of Aiur long before the Zerg invasion," Artanis spoke as he remembered the Protoss home world used to be as beautiful as Rivendell before the Zerg laid ruin to the place.

When they arrived at the entrance, an elf that Jim recognized as Lindir approached the group. "Ah, Jim Raynor, it has been 60 years since the last time you came here," Lindir said to Jim.

"Yeah, it's been a long time. It's good to see you, Lindir."

"I see that you have made new friends," Lindir saw Kerrigan and Artanis.

"Welcome back, Jim," it was Elrond, lord of Rivendell.

"It's good to see you, Lord Elrond," said Jim.

"This is Sarah Kerrigan and Artanis," he introduced Kerrigan and Artanis to the elf lord.

"Welcome Sarah and Artanis to Rivendell," Elrond spoke in a welcoming tone. He and Johnny spoke something in a language that the hobbits, Jim, Kerrigan, and Artanis did not understand.

"How's Frodo?" Sam asked.

"He's cured now, he needs to rest," Elrond replied. "Oh, and Gandalf is here as well," he informed the group as they entered the House of Elrond.

"Gandalf!" Jim got the wizard's attention when he, his son, Kerrigan, and Artanis found him inside the House of Elrond.

"Jim, Johnny, Sarah, Artanis, I'm glad you've all made it here."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"What really happened between you and Saruman?"

Gandalf recalled the time that he sought Saruman for counsel. The Grey Wizard learned about Sauron's current form and movements since the White Wizard had used a Palantir. Saruman's betrayal was confirmed and Gandalf recalled being locked up on top of the tower.

On the previous night, Saruman communicated with Sauron via Palantir, "The power of Isengard is at your command, Sauron Lord of the Earth."

"The enemies of Amon are here," Sauron replied.

"Who? What are you talking about?"

The images of Jim, Kerrigan, and Artanis were shown to Saruman. "Build me an army worthy of Mordor to destroy them."

A creature made his first contact with the White Wizard, "Saruman the White, you have made the right choice. You will save us the trouble of dealing with them, for I am Amon of the Xel'Naga, let no one stand in our way."

"As you wish."

Gandalf witnessed orcs cutting down the trees of Isengard and an army was bred within the underground caverns. He used a moth to seek help from Giant Eagles before Saruman tormented him for the last time. Gandalf escaped on the back of a Giant Eagle and headed straight for Rivendell.

In the present, "Damn that White Wizard," Jim muttered. "Just as I feared," he thought remembering seeing Gandalf seeking Saruman for counsel in the Overmind's vision.

"I can't believe your old friend could dare side with Amon," Artanis commented.

"Because of his fear of Sauron knowing that Amon is supporting him," said Gandalf.

"We'll prove him that he's making a grave mistake," Artanis spoke with certainty.

"If Amon's allies are eliminated in this world, he will have no other purpose in this planet," said Kerrigan.

"We have armies to assist the Free Peoples against Sauron and his allies," Jim made a commitment to Gandalf's joy.

The next day; Jim, Kerrigan, and Artanis found an old hobbit writing a book. "Um, excuse me, are you Bilbo Baggins?" Jim asked.

"Yes, you're talking to the right hobbit," the old hobbit turned to see a familiar face. "Jim?"

"Yes, it's me."

"My goodness, you haven't aged for 60 years."

"Yeah, but in where I come from, it has been 11 years."

"I didn't know time would fly differently between the two worlds."

"We just never know. Well, my hair's got some grey in it."

"But not a lot of grey," Bilbo turned to see Kerrigan and Artanis. "Who and what are they?"

"This is Sarah," Jim introduced her to the old hobbit.

"The Queen of Blades," Kerrigan added.

"I am Hierarch Artanis," Artanis introduced himself.

"You have a strange taste of friends, Jim," Bilbo commented.

"Jim and I are in love," she said.

Bilbo was speechless in a minute. "Never knew that many strange things had happened since you left this world," he said to Jim.

The Raynors, Kerrigan, and Artanis overheard a conversation between Elrond and Gandalf. "His strength returns," said Elrond.

"That wound will never fully heal. He will carry it the rest of his life."

"And yet to have come so far still bearing the Ring, the Hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil."

"It is a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

"Gandalf, the enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the East. His Eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman, you tell me, has betrayed us. Our list of allies in this world grows thin."

"His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft, Saruman has crossed Orcs with Goblin-men. He's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring."

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves. We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard!"

"Jim, his army, and his allies are willing to help us out strengthening against Mordor and Isengard."

"Even so, something else that is not of this world is aiding Sauron."

"Jim spoke of a dark god Amon is in league with Sauron and is seeking to wipe us all out."

"With … Amon's aid, Sauron will have something or an army powerful enough to keep Jim and his allies at bay."

"Somehow Sauron knows about the involvement of Jim and his allies," Gandalf took several steps back.

"Gandalf, the Ring cannot stay here."

Gandalf saw a man arrived on horseback, other elves entered on horseback, and a group of dwarves entering on foot. "This peril belongs to all Middle-earth. They must decide now how to end it. The time of the Elves is over. My people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The Dwarves? They hide in mountains seeking riches. They care not for the troubles of others," said Elrond.

"It is in Men that we must place our hope."

"Men?" Elrond spoke disdainfully. "Men are weak. The race of Men is failing. The blood of Numenor is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of Men the Ring survives. I was there, Gandalf. I was there 3,000 years ago when Isildur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of Men failed. I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom where the Ring was forged, the one place it could be destroyed. It should have ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure. Isildur kept the Ring. The line of kings is broken. There's no strength left in the world of Men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless."

"There is one who could unite them. One who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

"He turned from that path a long time ago. He has chosen exile."

Jim approached the group of dwarves and one of them recognized him, "Jim?"

"Gloin?" Jim could barely recognize an acquaintance due to old age.

"Aye, bless the beards," the old dwarf confirmed. "I'm surprised that you still look younger after 60 years."

"Yeah, because there is a time difference between here and the world I come from. How are the others?"

"Well, Fili makes a splendid King Under the Mountain. Kili and the elf had a daughter half-elf half dwarf. Bombur gotten too fat and it takes six dwarves to carry him. Dori had passed away due to age and Bifur had the axe removed. Dwalin, Nori, and Bofur are doing fine. Balin had formed an expedition to retake Moria; he took Ori and my brother Oin with him. Balin succeeded and had been Lord of Moria for some time. And now, no word is heard from them since."

"So what brings you here?"

"Elrond called for a meeting, Fili sent us in his stead."

Kerrigan overheard the conversation and returned to the Leviathan. Her advisor Izsha asked, "How did it go down there?"

"Middle-Earth is full of things we have not seen before like hobbits and elves."

"Hobbits? Never heard of them. But elves …"

"There's more for us to see."

Kerrigan also talked to the infested Alexei Stukov who said, "Middle-Earth. We're like in the Middle Ages of old Earth."

"It is a fantasy world as there are elves."

"Elves? What's next? Goblins? Trolls? Dwarves?"

"Since we're all friends of Jim Raynor, the Free Peoples will welcome us."

"Even if the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth will be welcoming, there is no place in old Earth for a half-man half-Zerg."

Broodmother Zagara started another conversation with Kerrigan, "This planet appears to be primitive."

"This planet, Middle-Earth, had been untouched for many years. The Zerg are not what the inhabitants of this planet don't see every day."

"What we will find down there are just primitives."

"Until the timing is right, our minions set foot on this world."

"You're taking a few of us down there?"

"Yes."

Dehaka who was a pack leader of Primal Zerg said, "An interesting planet that has abundant of new essence."

"This planet is full of things that we've never seen before."

"If there's good essence, I shall take it."

"It depends."

In the evolution pit, Abathur the evolution master muttered, "Hardly any biomass in this untouched planet."

Kerrigan said to Stukov, Zagara, and Dehaka. "Our minions will stay at orbit. Stukov, Zagara, Dehaka, I need you three with me."

"Why?" Zagara asked.

"Elrond has called in a meeting," Kerrigan replied.

"We weren't invited," said Stukov.

"I can talk him out, Stukov," said the Queen of Blades.

"A meeting? I would like to see what's down there," said Dehaka.

"You'll get your chance," Kerrigan said to the pack leader.

Artanis also overheard the conversation between Jim and the dwarf Gloin and was warped back into the Spear of Adun.

"So what's the plan after your 'exploration'?" Alarak the leader of the Tal'darim asked.

"You're coming with me to a meeting."

"A meeting? Aren't we supposed to deal with Amon?"

"Amon can wait."

In the solar core, Artanis talked to Phase-smith Karax who said, "So Hierarch, what do you make of this planet?"

"It's a planet where technology doesn't exist."

"I thought Terrans possessed the technology like we've seen before."

"True, but this planet is untouched by us for years. The people in that planet are like Terrans in some way but they are different."

"There's nothing to purify in this untouched planet," Talandar representing the Purifiers started a conversation.

"Even if there's no sign of infestation in this planet, we have committed to help the peoples of this planet and evil will be purified there."

"How so?"

"You're going to find out."

Artanis went to the war council to talk to Rohana a preserver who said, "I've always thought Terrans are primitives."

"Terrans possess technology, though not as advanced as us. The technology in this planet doesn't exist and the peoples there are not exactly Terrans."

"So that means the peoples of this planet are primitives."

"I wonder what it is like down there," the Dark Templar Matriarch Vorazun muttered as she wondered.

Artanis then had a meeting with Alarak, Selendis, Vorazun, Rohana, Talandar, and Karax. "We'll all be going down there to a meeting," said the hierarch.

"Perhaps there is something we can learn from the meeting," said Rohana.

"We can better understand the situation there," said Selendis.

"Even if the technology doesn't exist on that planet, I would like to see it," Karax spoke with curiosity.

"I hope that we can have something useful against Amon from that meeting," said Alarak.

"Let's see what evil is there to purify," said Talandar.

"We are with you, hierarch, until the end," Vorazun spoke with a supportive tone.

Jim made a short trip back to the Hyperion and in the bridge. Horner said, "Welcome back, sir."

"Matt, we'll be going to a meeting in the House of Elrond in Rivendell."

"Since you have been there before according to your book, I would like to see it."

In the armory, Chief Engineer Rory Swann said upon seeing Jim entering, "Look who's here."

"We're in Middle-earth, it's a fantasy world."

"Fantasy world?"

"Yeah, there will be elves and dwarves in that world. I guess you will find your cousins there," Jim joked with him.

"It's a good thing that I'm not only one who is short," Swann laughed.

In the cantina, the Spectre leader Gabriel Tosh said, "Ah, here's our man. How can I help you?"

"We're here in Middle-Earth and we're going to a meeting in the House of Elrond in Rivendell."

"You had once mentioned that you kept that planet a secret. It's a good opportunity for me to see it. I will attend the meeting, brother."