Returning to Osgiliath, Kael breathed a sigh of relief.
Moments earlier, he had sensed a terrifying power rushing toward Minas Morgul from Mordor. Realizing Sauron had intervened, he immediately Apparated away without hesitation.
There was no shame in retreating when outmatched, especially against someone like Sauron.
Even better, this time he not only completed his objective but also successfully destroyed the Minas Morgul fortress.
Without this fortress, Mordor lost its base for launching invasions against Gondor and other territories.
Seeing Kael return, Arwen approached with concern, carefully examining him. "Kael, are you alright?"
Kael shook his head with a satisfied smile. "I'm fine. Mordor's the one with problems. I set Minas Morgul ablaze. In the short term, Mordor shouldn't have the strength to invade Gondor again. I think Sauron must be furious right now!"
The check-in at Minas Morgul had also yielded the Room of Requirement's design blueprints. An excellent reward.
Minas Morgul wasn't too far from Osgiliath. The overwhelming Fiendfyre commotion was visible even from the city.
So when Kael informed the city-defending general that Minas Morgul had been destroyed, the Gondor general was overjoyed. He dispatched messengers to relay this news back to Gondor's capital.
Since Minas Morgul had been occupied by Mordor, Gondor had been on the defensive, forced to abandon Osgiliath's eastern district and the entire Ithilien region east of the Anduin River.
Now with this fortress destroyed, Gondor's pressure would significantly diminish. They no longer had to worry about Minas Morgul's Mordor armies pouring forth to create another crisis at their gates.
Bidding farewell to the city-defending general who kept trying to make them stay, Kael and Arwen departed in their carriage once more.
They followed the road continuously northward, reaching the border between Gondor and Rohan at a place called the Argonath. On both banks of the Anduin River stood enormous stone statues of the two kings Isildur and Anárion, Gondor's founding rulers.
With left palms facing outward and right hands gripping weapons, the statues faced north. They seemed to warn enemies to stop.
Here, Kael checked in and obtained the Two-Way Mirror's creation method.
Crossing the Argonath, they entered Rohan, continuing northward.
They passed the confluence of the Entwash and Anduin Rivers. This confluence was unique. The Entwash at its lower end spread fan-like into seven tributaries joining the Anduin, forming a beautiful, fertile alluvial plain.
At impassable rivers, the carriage-pulling pegasus would spread invisible wings, pulling the carriage low over the river surface, appearing to drive across the water.
Following the Anduin northward, they reached Rauros Falls.
Due to the massive elevation difference between the Emyn Muil hills and the plains below, the Anduin plunged into an abyss, forming a nearly kilometer-high spectacular waterfall. The roaring water could be heard from great distances.
Kael and Arwen drove their carriage beneath the falls, admiring the spectacular Rauros.
Waterfall mist drifted. Under sunlight, it formed a huge rainbow arching across the abyss like a bridge. After lingering beneath the falls, the pegasus pulled the carriage and leaped over the falls, reaching Nen Hithoel above.
Nen Hithoel formed when the Anduin waters exiting the Emyn Muil's narrow valleys spread wide. Its waters were nitrogen-rich and perpetually shrouded in mist, earning it the name Misty Lake.
The lake was beautiful. Kael and Arwen parked their carriage on Parth Galen grassland by the shore, admiring Nen Hithoel's scenery while studying their journey's check-in rewards.
Nen Hithoel held significance for Kael. In the future War of the Ring, Gondor's Steward's eldest son Boromir, would die here protecting hobbits Merry and Pippin.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli would hold a boat funeral, placing his body and belongings in an elf boat. The vessel would follow the river, plunging over the falls.
But due to the elves' unique shipbuilding craft, Boromir's funeral boat would miraculously survive the falls, carrying him into the sea. His brother Faramir would witness this boat downstream.
Boromir's father was the current Steward of Gondor, Denethor II. Boromir's death would leave Denethor heartbroken, causing him to despair about resisting Mordor 's armies, ultimately leading him to choose self-immolation when his other son Faramir, was gravely wounded.
After half a day at Nen Hithoel, Kael and Arwen continued onward.
The pegasus spread its wings, pulling the carriage, flying close to the canyon river surface until reaching the Sarn Gebir rapids.
Sarn Gebir was a Sindarin place name meaning "stone spikes." The entire rapids stretched several miles, with spike-like rock spires standing upright. Currents were swift. Whether day or night, no boat could pass safely.
Leaping over Sarn Gebir, Kael and Arwen's carriage traveled north on the Brown Lands east of the Anduin.
The Brown Lands were completely desolate and uninhabited, carrying an atmosphere of vast emptiness.
This had once been a flourishing land. In ancient times, when Morgoth's darkness descended upon the North, female Ents, the Entwives, crossed the Anduin, cultivating gardens and fields on this land. After Morgoth's overthrow, it became even more prosperous.
Male Ents, each breeding season, would cross the Anduin to meet the Entwives here.
However, in the Last Alliance war at the Second Age's end, Sauron implemented a scorched earth policy to block the Last Alliance armies' advance, dispatching great armies to utterly devastate this land, rendering it barren. It was henceforth called the Brown Lands.
For over 3,000 years, this place remained uninhabited and barren of vegetation.
The Entwives who had lived here vanished without a trace. Only male Ents remained. The race couldn't continue reproducing.
Listening to Arwen slowly recount this ancient history, Kael looked at this endless, desolate land with regret.
Sauron truly committed inhuman deeds, destroying such a fine land until not a blade of grass grew, leaving it a wasteland.
Such plains would be wonderful if used for farming.
Crossing the Brown Lands, they reached Mirkwood's southernmost end.
They were now close to Lothlórien.
So they crossed west over the Anduin, coming to Lothlórien to visit Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
Celeborn and Galadriel were very happy at their arrival.
After all, this was their first visit to Lothlórien after their marriage. Celeborn and Galadriel valued this highly, holding a grand banquet that all Lothlórien elves attended.
Arwen had long lived in Lothlórien, so she had many close friends here.
Beautiful elf maidens clustered around Arwen, curiously asking about outside affairs. Hearing her describe scenery and experiences along the way, they all showed yearning expressions.
Kael likewise told Celeborn about their journey's experiences, but their discussions focused more on regional matters.
Upon hearing that Kael had burned down Minas Morgul, Celeborn approved.
Gondor was an important force resisting Sauron's dark powers. Reducing their defensive pressure while weakening part of Mordor's strength was very advantageous for resisting Sauron.