Having reverted to a child's body, Kael inevitably faced numerous troublesome complications.
His tiny frame struggled with even basic tasks—climbing stairs became an exhausting ordeal. Holding his wand proved awkward with small hands, let alone wielding his staff properly.
Steward Edward and the castle servants, upon first seeing the rosy-cheeked, tender-faced child, initially assumed their lord had somehow acquired an illegitimate child from some unknown liaison.
Only after Kael's irritated confirmation—and Gandalf's patient explanation—did they finally accept the shocking, almost dreamlike fact that this small child was indeed their transformed lord.
Besides enduring others' perpetually astonished gazes, Kael had to deal with something far more concerning—Arwen's suddenly erupting maternal instincts in full radiant bloom.
Arwen constantly attempted holding him like an infant, inconspicuously pinching his soft cheeks, personally preparing special elven children's food for him, and even hand-sewing adorable children's clothes in his size.
Kael felt genuinely frightened by Arwen's overwhelming enthusiasm.
He deeply feared that if this situation continued unchecked, Arwen would only retain "maternal love" for him instead of romantic feelings.
He would absolutely cry himself to death if that happened!
So Kael made a painful but necessary determination, his small face set with comic resolve. He firmly refused Arwen's doting attentions before immediately preparing to brew Aging Potion.
Aging Potion's required ingredients weren't particularly complex or difficult to source. Kael had steward Edward collect everything needed—within just two days, all necessary materials had been gathered and delivered.
Then Kael waved his wand dramatically, setting up a cauldron that stood nearly as tall as his current diminutive height.
He carefully poured in 2 pints of red wine and 0.5 pints of prune juice, brewing the mixture over medium heat.
Kael stood precariously on a small wooden stool, gripping the long stirring rod with both tiny hands, straining with effort while stirring counterclockwise until the liquid transformed into deep purple and began bubbling steadily.
When the liquid reached a rolling boil, Kael ground 2 ounces of Hairy Fungus into a uniform paste using a mortar and pestle, then carefully sprinkled it evenly into the simmering cauldron.
Then he continued working hard, stirring clockwise with the heavy stirring rod for a full ten minutes.
After ten minutes of continuous stirring, Kael felt his small arms becoming extremely sore and tired.
Now that he was so young again, his body had grown much weaker, making Kael very dissatisfied. He was eager to quickly restore his original strength and capabilities.
As he stirred persistently, the liquid's color slowly lightened, gradually becoming light purple.
Then he retrieved 2 ounces of pre-ground turtle shell powder. While continuing to stir steadily, he added the shell powder to the cauldron, adjusting the flames to low heat for gentle brewing.
After another eight careful minutes, when the cauldron's mixture had turned cream-colored, Kael waved his wand to levitate the cauldron from the heat to begin cooling.
After sufficient cooling, he used fine gauze to filter out the turtle shell powder from the liquid, then returned the strained potion to heat.
Then he meticulously cut 5 plump caterpillars into uniform thin slices, adding half to the cauldron while simultaneously adding measured dried, granulated bat tongue.
Throughout this process, he maintained constant clockwise stirring.
After eight minutes passed, he added the remaining caterpillars and bat tongues, stirring counterclockwise exactly twice, then promptly extinguishing the fire.
After extinguishing the flames, Kael's movements didn't cease. Holding the stirring rod with determination, he continuously stirred to accelerate the potion's cooling.
After stirring for fifteen exhausting minutes, Kael finally stopped, using his small hand to wipe accumulated sweat from his flushed face, exhaling deeply with relief.
Looking at the perfect milk-white liquid in the pot, his red, sweaty face showed a deeply satisfied expression.
He carefully portioned the cauldron's potion into individual crystal vials, then retrieved one Aging Potion bottle, gulping down its contents in one decisive swallow.
Aging Potion's duration and effects depended entirely on preparation skill and concentration.
Average-level Aging Potion—one drop's effect aged the drinker one month, maintaining that age for one day.
But Kael had Potions Master Professor Snape's detailed notes for guidance, so his expertly created Aging Potion possessed the best possible effects.
One drop's effect aged one full year, lasting one month before wearing off.
So Kael, calculating his needed age carefully, directly drank 20 drops of Aging Potion at once.
As he consumed the potion, his entire being seemed caught in time acceleration, rapidly growing before his eyes.
In a blink, he transformed from a two- or three-year-old child into a handsome twenty-something youth.
Conjuring a full-length mirror to check his current appearance, Kael nodded with satisfaction.
Though slightly younger-looking than his previous age, he had at least recovered his handsome, mature appearance.
When Kael emerged from the potions laboratory to meet Arwen, seeing a distinct flash of regret cross her beautiful face, he immediately felt his heart ache.
What was this regret about? She didn't want the handsome fiancé standing before her but preferred a little child instead?
Since she apparently liked children so much, they would simply have several in the future, Kael silently planned with determination.
Meanwhile, far to the east in dark Mordor, within the towering Barad-dûr.
In a suspended iron cage, a twisted, pathetically emaciated figure huddled in misery. Large pale eyes revealed a terrified expression, staring at the dark shadow-shrouded evil specter lurking outside, trembling uncontrollably.
Imprisoned in the cage was Gollum, the One Ring's previous owner.
After the One Ring had been picked up by Bilbo deep in Goblin-town's tunnels, Gollum had obsessively attempted to reclaim his "precious" by any means.
So he had left the Misty Mountains, searching everywhere desperately for Bilbo. He tracked the hobbit to Dale, learned Bilbo had departed there, returning to the distant Shire, and then retraced the entire path.
But entering dangerous Mirkwood, since the forest had been recaptured by the Woodland Realm, Gollum was quickly discovered by patrolling elven scouts.
Chased relentlessly by vengeful elves, Gollum could only flee south in terror, eventually arriving at the ruins of Dol Guldur.
There he accidentally overheard news of Kael from a wandering orc's loose mouth.
Gollum remembered Kael with hatred. Deep in Goblin-town's depths, when he had tried tracking Bilbo Baggins to seize back his Ring, this black-robed wizard had discovered him, nearly taking his miserable life.
Gollum knew the thief, Bilbo Baggins, who had stolen his precious, was close friends with this black-robed wizard. Hearing the wizard now lived at Isengard, he traveled south, desperately wanting to secretly gather information about Bilbo Baggins's location.
But arriving at Isengard's well-guarded outskirts, he found himself blocked by vigilant Dunlendings patrolling the perimeter, completely unable to approach.
So he searched for another way—attempting to cross the mountains from Isengard's eastern Fangorn Forest, hoping to secretly infiltrate Isengard from that direction.
He was again viciously attacked by wrathful Ents and Huorns dwelling in Fangorn, nearly dying within the hostile forest.
Still terrified from that experience, Gollum nevertheless lingered around Isengard's outskirts, desperately trying to find entry opportunities.
Heaven rewards persistence—finally he waited for what seemed like a perfect chance.
Gollum witnessed those Dunlendings guarding Isengard's outskirts departing, marching east to provide military aid to Rohan.
Gollum danced with excited glee, thinking he had finally waited for the golden opportunity to infiltrate Isengard.
But before he could enter Isengard's territory, a massive ancient frost dragon leading many sub-dragons suddenly attacked Isengard with devastating force.
Watching Isengard erupt in fierce apocalyptic battle, ice and fire constantly interweaving violently, explosions endless, and Gollum's corrupt heart filled with overwhelming fear. He didn't dare approach even half a step, only cowering and hiding in the far distance, his face twisted with terror.
Especially seeing the frost dragon descend an entire iceberg from the sky, threatening to raze all of Isengard to frozen ruin.
Gollum's fearful heart completely overcame even his desperate desire for the One Ring. He fled frantically and desperately outward, not daring to linger one more second.
He ran eastward without thinking. The residual dark power from long-term Ring corruption deeply embedded in his body made him instinctively sense Mordor's eastern summons, running in that direction without conscious thought.
But before actually reaching Mordor's borders, he was coincidentally swept up into a violent tornado by Saruman riding magical tornadoes while fleeing to Mordor. Gollum was carried helplessly all the way to Mordor itself.
Gollum had carried the One Ring for hundreds of corrupting years. His body, twisted and corrupted by the Ring's malevolent power, was already deeply branded by its dark influence.
So upon falling into Mordor's territory, he was immediately discovered by Sauron's all-seeing Eye.
Gollum was thus dragged to Barad-dûr Tower, falling into Sauron's cruel hands, tortured and interrogated relentlessly about the Ring's current whereabouts.
"Gollum, tell me now, where is my One Ring?" Sauron's voice filled with dark, seductive power that promised both relief and torment.
Gollum desperately tried saying something, opening his mouth wide. But nothing came out—not a single word.
Seeing this apparent defiance, Sauron thought Gollum was deliberately trying to conceal information, erupting with terrible fury. Dark power like writhing tentacles wrapped around Gollum's frail body, continuously tormenting him with excruciating pain.
Gollum wailed in unbearable agony like a candle flame guttering in fierce wind, possibly extinguishing at any moment.
But Sauron's all-consuming desire for the One Ring transcended everything else, even making him temporarily forget about the Philosopher's Stone that could reshape his physical body. He remained single-mindedly focused on retrieving his precious Ring.
So before obtaining definitive One Ring information, he absolutely couldn't kill Gollum, no matter how satisfying that would be.
After torturing Gollum to the very edge of death, Sauron finally stopped, continuing his interrogation. "Speak immediately! Where exactly is my One Ring hidden? Otherwise I will transform you into an undead creature, constantly roasting with dark fire for all eternity!"
Gollum sobbed and sniveled pathetically, his eyes showing extreme fear, too weak and broken to even move.
With his miserable life seriously threatened, the dual personalities warring in his fractured mind suddenly switched. He became the more human Sméagol personality.
The Sméagol personality possessed more survival instinct than the Gollum personality. He finally managed to organize language despite his terror. Fearfully clutching his throat, he explained weakly, "I...I want to say...but, but I can't speak it! There's...there's something preventing me from speaking! Don't kill...kill me! Please!"
Hearing Gollum's desperate explanation, Sauron's flaming Eye narrowed with sudden interest. The imprisoning iron cage instantly melted and dispersed like water. Dark tentacles brought weak, trembling Gollum directly before him.
Sauron approached Gollum closely, his terrible dark eyes seemingly able to see through flesh and bone, constantly probing Gollum's corrupted body for answers.
"Try again, saying the One Ring's exact whereabouts," Sauron commanded with absolute authority.
Gollum opened his mouth, desperately trying to say "Bilbo" and "Shire." But his mouth simply opened and closed uselessly, completely unable to make any sound whatsoever—even indirect hints refused to work.
Just then, Sauron's vast perception instantly captured a trace of mysterious foreign power interfering.
"This is oath magic power? Not directly targeting him personally, but making everyone who knows One Ring information unable to speak about it?" Sauron perceived the truth with terrible clarity, his dark aura surging violently throughout his towering form. "Someone is actively trying to hide my One Ring from me! Who dares?"
The next second, the giant flaming Eye atop Barad-dûr directly locked its terrible gaze westward.
"Someone capable of using oath magic...Dragon Smaug...black-robed wizard Kael, is it you?" Sauron's voice echoed with growing certainty and rage.