Having completed the first stage of creating the Philosopher's Stone, Kael temporarily stopped.
The next step? Transform the black stone into white stone. But that required a catalyst.
And this catalyst would only come when Mercury appeared in the sky.
Middle-earth's Mercury was named Elemmírë. It showed up three times each year, though the timing varied. Kael could only figure out this year's exact appearances by consulting star charts in Orthanc Tower and getting help from Elrond.
According to Elrond's calculations, Mercury's first appearance this year would be March 8th. Pretty close to now.
But before Mercury arrived, Kael traveled through the fireplace to Lothlórien to visit Lady Galadriel.
The second stage needed her help. Or rather, the power of Nenya, the Ring of Water she wore.
Galadriel had known about Kael's Philosopher's Stone project for a while. She agreed to help right away.
They were White Council members, after all. She wouldn't refuse.
Plus, this concerned Arwen's happiness. She didn't want to see her personally raised granddaughter choose to abandon immortality like Arwen's ancestor Princess Lúthien had.
So Galadriel came with Kael to Isengard's Orthanc Tower, bringing Arwen along.
Saruman had transformed Orthanc Tower into a wizard's tower with magical amplification properties. Perfect for magical experiments.
That's why Kael chose to conduct the Philosopher's Stone's second stage at the tower's top.
On Orthanc Tower's platform, Galadriel and Arwen stood at the edge, watching quietly.
Kael drew a seven-pointed star magic circle with dragon blood to contain the formation's energy.
Mercury was different from other celestial bodies. It wouldn't appear around midnight but during dawn and dusk transitions.
When the morning of March 8th arrived, before dawn broke, brilliant Mercury rose from the east. Earlier than the sun itself.
When starlight hit Orthanc Tower, Kael activated the seven-pointed star formation immediately.
At the same time, Galadriel raised her right hand. Nenya, the Ring of Water, blazed with brilliant light.
All water elements between heaven and earth seemed summoned by her. Pale blue elemental torrents flowed continuously into the formation.
Mercury in the sky resonated too. It cast down a blue starlight beam that fell directly into the formation.
Starlight descended like a pillar from the heavens above. It caught everyone's attention.
On the northern Lonely Mountain, Dwarf King Thorin Oakenshield gazed toward the southwestern light.
"What's that place?"
"Your Majesty, that should be near Isengard. Used to be White Wizard Saruman's territory, now belongs to Black-Robed Wizard Kael," a subordinate dwarf answered.
"Kael..." Thorin's expression was complex as he stared at that pillar stretching between heaven and earth. He stayed silent for a long time.
In Mirkwood, father and son Thranduil and Legolas also discussed the starlight pillar.
Now that Mirkwood's giant spiders had been mostly cleared out, the Woodland Realm had completely reclaimed the forest and renamed it back to Greenwood the Great.
The old forest road crossing Greenwood had been restored. Eastward it could reach Lake-town and extend to Dale, the Kingdom Under the Mountain, and the Iron Hills. Westward it could reach Beorn's house on Greenwood's western edge, even cross Old Ford over the Anduin River, and pass through the High Pass across the Misty Mountains to reach Rivendell.
"Father, is Kael channeling starlight? He's amazing! First he summoned Saturn and Sirius, now Mercury!" Legolas gazed admiringly at the southern starlight, full of reverence.
When the Elven race first awakened, they saw bright stars in the night sky. So they held special reverence and love for stars, with an instinctive affinity for starlight's radiance.
Thranduil nodded approvingly, gazing at the starlight with admiration before instructing his son.
"Kael's no ordinary person. I can't predict his future, but it'll never be mediocre. Legolas, remember to maintain friendship with him. This'll benefit both you and the Woodland Realm."
Legolas disagreed with his father's calculating attitude. He said seriously, "Father, Kael's my friend. Whether he's mediocre or not won't affect our friendship!"
He drew his wand from his waist. With a wave, a silver-gleaming elk Patronus emerged from the tip.
The elk Patronus was massive with huge palmate antlers, similar to Thranduil's mount.
It gracefully darted through the forest before approaching Legolas, affectionately nuzzling him.
Legolas lovingly stroked his Patronus before telling Thranduil.
"This Patronus Charm was taught to me by Kael. It's a manifestation of my heart, containing my will to protect the Woodland Realm, you, Father, our people, and my friends. If my protection becomes mixed with interest calculations, my heart won't be firm anymore, and my Patronus will leave me."
"Father, I don't want to become someone who seeks only profit. Just as your feelings for Mother remain eternal, I'll give my most sincere friendship to you, our people, and my friends!"
Hearing this, Thranduil looked at the elk Patronus filled with sacred, hopeful, and protective aura. Finally, he patted his son's shoulder with comfort and love.
"You've grown up, Legolas! Maybe the thoughts of us old-fashioned folk aren't suitable for now. Follow your own ideas!"
Getting his father's approval, Legolas smiled happily.
Unlike reactions from Lonely Mountain and Mirkwood, distant western Mordor also saw the starlight projection.
Sauron's giant flame Eye atop Barad-dûr Tower focused directly on Isengard, activating the palantír to spy on secrets there.
But Orthanc Tower currently had Galadriel, Middle-earth's most powerful elf, stationed there. Sauron's spying gaze was instantly detected.
Through the magic circle's projected starlight, Galadriel erupted with holy radiance. Her eyes became blazing white pupils containing brilliant starlight.
She looked directly into the void with divine majesty, making eye contact with Sauron's Eye across vast distance.
"Sauron, servant of Morgoth, this is no place for your spying. Your sight has no power here!"
Galadriel pronounced judgment like divine speech.
The next second, thousands of miles away atop Barad-dûr Tower, the Eye seemed struck heavily. Instantly stripped of spying ability.
"Galadriel!" A voice grinding teeth in rage came from Barad-dûr Tower, filled with unwillingness and hatred.
Saruman gazed at the light pillar toward Isengard, his face full of jealous hatred.
That had been his territory originally. Now others were reaping the benefits of his work while he had become homeless, having to lodge on others' land. How could he not hate?
"Soon! I'll reclaim Isengard soon. Kael, Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond... prepare to bear my wrath!"
Saruman muttered hatefully in a low voice.
Then he looked at his experimental results with excitement and anticipation.
Before him lay many eggs of various sizes. Some are crossbred from dragons and fell beasts. Some from Mordor's dark giant lizards and dark titan pythons crossbreeding. Over a hundred total.
These dragon eggs emanated an evil aura. Before hatching, Sauron had implanted his controlled evil spirits into each egg one by one.
Like werewolves harboring evil spirits, these dragon eggs were also inhabited by evil spirits. Once hatched, they'd not only become more powerful but also be completely controlled by Sauron.
Of course, as the creator of these dragon eggs, Saruman possessed secondary control over the sub-dragons after Sauron.
"Saruman, how long before these dragon eggs hatch and become battle-ready?"
Sauron's dark shadow appeared in Saruman's laboratory, asking directly.
Speaking of this, Saruman immediately showed confidence. "These dragon eggs need only a few months to break shell, and they grow quickly. Three years to maturity. Then we'll have a sub-dragon flock!"
But Sauron seemed unsatisfied hearing this. "Still insufficient. Continue breeding more dragon eggs. I want sub-dragon legions capable of sweeping all forces. This timeframe can also be shortened."
With that, vast evil power surged from Sauron, continuously pouring into the dragon eggs.
The dragon eggs became increasingly evil, like demonic eggs filled with dark aura.
As if time accelerated, all dragon eggs began rapid incubation.
Finally, accompanied by cracking shells, ferocious evil sub-dragons emerged from the eggs.
Among them, sub-dragons crossbred from dragons and fell beasts were most powerful. Nearly matching true dragons. Though entirely black without dragon scales, they couldn't inherit ice frost dragon Glam's cold breath ability but inherited fell beasts' sonic attack capability. They produced sounds causing dizziness and fear.
These sub-dragons had two legs plus a pair of bat-like wings.
Next were sub-dragons crossbred from dragons and dark giant lizards. They had four legs and wings, looking like winged lizards.
These sub-dragons could fly but lacked cold breath ability. Their teeth were poisonous. Being bitten would cause infection, weakness, and death, making them sub-cold dragons.
Finally, the third type were sub-dragons crossbred from dragons and titan pythons.
These sub-dragons had no wings or feet, with spikes running along their backs to their tails. They looked like scale-covered giant serpents.
These serpentine sub-dragons inherited neither dragon appearance nor cold breath ability, not even poison. They relied solely on physical strength for attacks but were the largest among the three crossbred types.