At dusk, when the sun sank into the western ocean, two brilliant stars slowly rose together from where the sun had disappeared in the west.
One flickered with white light; the other glowed like fire.
They were respectively Eärendil's Star (Venus) and Carnil's Star (Mars).
On the platform atop Orthanc Tower, Kael stood at the center, with a mithril furnace before him and a magical array drawn in mithril beneath his feet, covered with countless mysterious runes.
Elrond, Gandalf, and Arwen stood quietly outside the formation.
As Kael activated the magical array, continuously channeling magical power into it, the mithril runes emitted silver light, and the entire Orthanc Tower seemed to awaken, trembling slightly and producing barely audible humming sounds.
Elrond and Gandalf simultaneously raised their hands, the Ring of Air and Ring of Fire on their fingers flashing with light as air and fire elements continuously poured into the magical array.
With the help of the two Elven Rings' power, the magical array erupted with greater might.
Air and fire elements from hundreds of miles around were summoned and gathered, forming a sea of elements that surged into the magical array.
At the same time, Eärendil's Star and Carnil's Star in the sky also connected with the formation, respectively projecting one white and one red beam of starlight into the magical array.
The two pillars of starlight descending from heaven were very conspicuous in the night sky—visible from the Lonely Mountain in the north to Gondor in the south, from Eriador in the west to Mordor in the east.
Everyone was surprised by this phenomenon while also finding it expected.
After all, such phenomena had appeared repeatedly this year, making them accustomed to it. Even though two beams of starlight appeared this time, they were only briefly surprised before speculating about what Kael was doing.
After so many phenomena, occurring either at Weathertop or Isengard, almost everyone with connections had guessed these phenomena were caused by Kael.
While everyone watched those two beams of starlight, at their source—high in the firmament—a beautiful ship sailed through the heavens and cosmic star-sea. Its hull was pure white, oars golden, sails woven of silver like the moon, with a swan-necked prow.
Aboard stood a tall half-elf with a white bird on his shoulder.
He wore a crown with a brilliant Silmaril embedded at its center.
Bathed in the Silmaril's radiance, he also emanated light, making it impossible to distinguish the true light source. One could not look directly at him, only see a blurred outline.
When starlight was channeled down to earth, it immediately caught the attention of the figure on the ship, who cast his gaze down, following the starlight.
Everything happening on earth was instantly visible to his eyes.
After withdrawing his gaze, he gently stroked the white bird on his shoulder: "Arwen, our granddaughter also has her beloved—quite an interesting young man."
The white bird on his shoulder responded with melodious calls.
He listened carefully to the bird's calls before laughing: "Let me help them then."
With that, he burst with brilliant radiance, the Silmaril on his head becoming incomparably bright, illuminating the starry sky.
On earth, atop Orthanc Tower, Kael was maintaining the formation, continuously channeling power from Eärendil's Star and Carnil's Star.
Suddenly, he looked up at the sky in shock.
The others also raised their heads skyward.
They saw Eärendil's Star in the sky become incomparably brilliant—its radiance even comparable to the moon.
Then a thicker, more brilliant beam of starlight fell straight from the ninth heaven, directly entering Kael's magical array.
This was power more pure and sacred than starlight—seemingly stellar essence itself.
"This?" Kael's eyes widened, filled with shock and confusion at this sudden change.
What was happening?
No matter how powerful his magical array, it could not possibly channel such pure stellar essence, could it?
Elrond and Gandalf outside the formation also showed surprise but then understanding.
Seeing Kael's confusion, Gandalf explained with a smile: "Don't worry, this is Eärendil's gift to you—a blessing no one else has."
Elrond also said: "Eärendil's Star is essentially a Silmaril. What's projected down now isn't just starlight but the power contained in the Silmaril. It can help you refine a higher quality Philosopher's Stone—don't waste it."
Hearing their explanation, Kael understood.
He remembered that Eärendil's Star in the sky was Eärendil himself sailing the ship Vingilot through the firmament.
Eärendil was Elrond's father and Arwen's grandfather.
The origin of everything traced back to elf princess Lúthien and human hero Beren.
After Lúthien and Beren took a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown and experienced various trials, Lúthien became mortal and lived out her remaining brief years with her beloved Beren.
The Silmaril was then passed to their son Dior, who passed it to his daughter Elwing.
During the Third Kinslaying, Fëanor's sons attacked where Elwing lived to seize the Silmaril. Elwing jumped into the sea with the Silmaril while young Elrond and Elros were captured.
Sea-god Ulmo pitied Elwing's fate, reviving her as a great white bird wearing the Silmaril, flying to her husband Eärendil's ship Vingilot.
Guided by the Silmaril's light, they reached Valinor and met the Valar, pleading for them to save elves and men oppressed by Morgoth.
The Valar hallowed Vingilot and raised it beyond the Door of Night. Eärendil wore the Silmaril on his head, sailing through the firmament as the "Star of High Hope"—Eärendil's Star.
So this was benefiting from Elrond and Arwen's connection, receiving a meeting gift from Eärendil?
Kael speculated thus.
But this unexpected blessing Kael found quite welcome. He guided the projected essence power from Eärendil's Star and power from Carnil's Star (Mars) into the furnace.
Under the dragon blood flames' burning refinement, they gradually fused into the golden liquid in the flask, reacting with it. Elrond and Gandalf also continuously channeled power from the Ring of Air and Ring of Fire.
Time passed bit by bit.
The next morning, when the sun rose from the east, Eärendil's Star and Carnil's Star temporarily disappeared into the starry sky.
Atop Orthanc Tower, the magical array continued operating. The stellar power accumulated overnight filled the formation like countless scattered stardust, making the tower's peak emit brilliant starlight even during daytime.
As if a star were embedded atop the tower.
The Dunlendings living closest around Isengard had seen those two godlike starlight projections since last night. Now seeing starlight still shining atop the tower, countless Dunlendings' eyes filled with awe and worship.
Some Dunlendings even revered Kael as divine.
Atop Orthanc Tower, dragon blood flames burned continuously in the furnace. Due to abundant fire elements, the fire was very intense, with temperatures reaching unprecedented heights.
The double-necked flask containing golden liquid was instantly vaporized, leaving only a mass of golden liquid suspended in the furnace, unchanged despite the flames' burning.
Instead, catalyzed by dragon blood, it continuously absorbed air and fire elements while fusing with power from Eärendil's Star and Carnil's Star.
Finally, a barely visible red speck appeared in the golden liquid.
Like a drop of crimson in gold solution—very conspicuous.
Just this tiny red speck emitted brilliant red light.
The red light ignored barriers, shining through the furnace onto Kael.
Suddenly, Kael felt his thinking open up, his mind becoming crystal clear—like wearing the Crown of Wisdom with accelerated thought processes.
His ability to understand and comprehend the world around him also rapidly improved.
He seemed to enter "enlightenment"—spells, potions, alchemy, and everything he had learned became incredibly clear in his mind. He began gaining deeper understanding of magical knowledge and theory.
Simultaneously, his magical power surged at tremendous speed.
Gaining such benefits, Kael felt delighted.
But his joy did not last long as his consciousness gradually fell into illusions—desires from his heart's depths being amplified, beginning to disturb his thinking and attempt to take control.
Kael could only use Occlumency, employing his mental fortress to resist these desires.
But these desires originated from his own heart's depths, merely amplified now. Mental fortresses mainly resisted external mental and spiritual attacks, unable to completely isolate inner desires.
The amplified desires were still manageable for now.
But based on previous experience, as more golden liquid transformed to red, inner desires would be infinitely amplified.
Kael worried whether he could survive the final trial.
If he could not, not only would the Philosopher's Stone fail, but he himself would be controlled by desire—no different from those corrupted by the One Ring.
The only difference was that those corrupted by the One Ring became its puppets, while he would become a puppet of his own desires.
Outside the magical array, Gandalf, Elrond, and Arwen naturally noticed Kael's condition and showed worried expressions.
Elrond frowned with grave expression: "This time will be longer and more difficult than before. If Kael can successfully resist all desires, his spirit will become completely perfected, and the Philosopher's Stone created will be most perfect and flawless."
But achieving this was extremely difficult.
Even Elrond himself could not claim he could resist all desires, especially those from the heart's depths.
How much more so for young Kael? Elrond was not very confident.
He was even prepared that when Kael could not hold on anymore, he would wake him in time to prevent being controlled by desire.
Of course, then the Philosopher's Stone would not be perfect—like Nicolas Flamel's Stone that granted immortality but could not prevent bodily aging.