The thunder called down by Saruman was apocalyptic; boulders shattered, trees burned, and the surroundings became a wasteland of charred earth.
Such terrifying devastation was Saruman the White's full power unleashed.
Kael, protected by Galadriel's barrier, watched and couldn't help being frightened.
He realized that if Saruman's goal had truly been to kill him, and if not for the wizard's overconfidence, he might not have survived.
Yet this fearsome force was powerless against Galadriel, the mightiest elf in Middle-earth.
Galadriel raised her Water Ring, forming a vast water shield that blocked countless lightning strikes with ease.
She stood tall and unshaken, whatever chaos stormed around.
Saruman looked at the shining ring on Galadriel's hand with deep wariness and envy.
Much of Saruman's alliance with Sauron was driven by his desire to obtain the secrets of ring-forging, to make a ring more powerful than the Three Elven Rings, even rivaling the One Ring itself.
He had once been the only wizard to come willingly to Middle-earth, tasked with helping its peoples resist Sauron and the darkness.
But when Círdan chose to give the Ring of Fire, Narya, to Gandalf instead of him, he grew jealous and resentful.
Later, Galadriel gathered mighty minds to form the White Council, inviting Gandalf to be its leader. Gandalf declined, recommending Saruman.
But Saruman felt no gratitude. Instead, he considered Gandalf insincere.
Seeing Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond, bound by their Elven Rings, form a natural alliance only deepened Saruman's sense of exclusion and jealousy.
His betrayal was no accident but a long-building result.
Even without Sauron's temptation, Saruman was bound to drift apart from the Council.
"Your Isengard has fallen to us, Saruman!" Elrond called, using the Air Ring, Vilya, to summon a storm that swept away the thunderclouds above. "You have no escape. Yield and face judgment!"
Gandalf also channeled the Fire Ring's power, strengthening his allies' resolve and weakening Saruman's.
For the first time in history, all three Elven Rings worked together in battle, united against Saruman.
"Hmph, you may have your Elven Rings, but I am not lacking!"
Saruman's sneer widened as he revealed a golden ring, sliding it onto his finger with deliberate ceremony.
The sight struck them like a physical blow.
That cursed shape, that terrible gleam… it looked exactly like the One Ring. Horror flashed across every face as the same terrifying thought seized them all: had Saruman truly claimed Sauron's master ring?
But then they remembered the Ring was still safe with Tom Bombadil. Gandalf regularly checked on its status to ensure Tom did not lose or forget it.
With the golden ring on, Saruman's aura soared. The dispersed thunderclouds reformed and grew even more immense.
The sky instantly darkened, thick clouds blocking out the sun. Hundreds of miles of land plunged into gloom, with thunder visible even from distant regions.
Saruman flaunted his golden ring. "Behold my masterpiece, fit to match the Three Elven Rings, perhaps even surpassing them! Even united, you cannot stop me!"
The others' faces grew grave.
The Elven Rings were born not of conquest, but of a longing for understanding, creation, and healing. Their pursuit was not of ultimate power.
Saruman's ring was crafted ruthlessly for pure might.
The devastating power he displayed now truly threatened to overwhelm the Elven Rings.
Saruman unleashed a magical blast, assailing the defenders, while countless lightning bolts crashed down, threatening to incinerate them all.
Lady Galadriel's water barrier, beset by thunder and Saruman's attacks, began to shrink under the strain.
Gandalf held up a fiery shield to help defend.
Elrond and Kael launched the counterattack.
Elrond, blade shining, smashed through Saruman's magic and pressed the attack at close range.
Kael Apparated rapidly, harrying Saruman with hit-and-run spells and distracting him, in concert with Elrond's offense.
But Saruman was formidable. Outwardly an old man, but in battle agile and deadly.
He parried Kael's surprise attacks and wielded his staff to kick back Elrond's blows, unleashing shockwaves to drive him off.
"Reducto!" Kael flashed behind Saruman, casting a shattering curse as Elrond struck from the front.
For a moment, Saruman was beset on all sides.
If he defended Elrond's sword, Kael could land his curse. If not, he risked being struck by Elrond's blade.
But Saruman's response was prompt. His golden ring cast a flaming shield around him, blocking both attacks at once.
"Haha! You struggle in vain. I am the great Saruman the White! None can defeat me!" he boasted, expanding his flame shield toward Elrond and Kael.
At that instant, Smaug the dragon suddenly lunged down, biting Saruman and his shield whole.
With forceful jaws and a torrent of dragonfire, Smaug tried to crush and burn Saruman.
Caught off guard, Saruman found himself trapped inside the dragon's mouth.
"Courting death!" Saruman roared, bracing Smaug's jaws with his staff and unleashing a blast of lightning.
Lightning exploded in the dragon's mouth. Smaug shrieked in agony and crashed down, temporarily losing his fighting strength.
Saruman escaped in a dreadful state. His beard, hair, and robes were charred black.
"Smaug!" Kael called in concern, but there was no time to check. He blinked behind Saruman and let loose a Cruciatus Curse.
"Crucio!"
Saruman resisted, but the curse tore through his staff and wracked him with unendurable agony.
His face twisted in pain, and he howled.
Yet his will was immense. Even so tortured, he remained conscious, countered with a magical blast, and hurled both Kael and Elrond away, then called down two more bolts of lightning at them.
Kael Apparated in midair to dodge. In the next second, he grabbed Elrond and brought him back beside Galadriel and Gandalf.
"Saruman's Ring gives him power far beyond any of us individually. We have to scatter the storm clouds. Don't let him use lightning again!" Elrond said gravely.
Galadriel nodded. "With Vilya, you can command the weather. You must clear the clouds. I'll defend you."
"And I will support you!" Gandalf said, pouring the Fire Ring's power into Elrond.
Kael, unable to help, said. "I'll keep Saruman busy."
He Apparated from place to place, harrying and distracting Saruman.
Elrond raised his left hand high, Vilya shining, chanting ancient Quenya spells.
The winds responded, gathering into a massive tornado.
The roaring wind grew ever stronger. Boulders lifted, giant trees uprooted.
Protected by Galadriel's barrier, Kael and the others were spared, but even so, their cloaks whipped violently, and it was almost impossible to keep their eyes open.
Outside the barrier, Saruman's expression changed.
When the tornado surged toward him, he drove his staff deep into the earth, anchoring himself like a rooted tree.
Though tossed inside the eye of the tornado, on the verge of being swept up, he managed to hold firm.
The tornado, like a colossal dragon, pierced the sky and clouds. It sucked the thunderclouds away, ripping them apart and swallowing them.
For a moment, a gap opened in the heavens as the black clouds were devoured. Pure blue sky and sunlight returned.
The tornado dispersed, leaving only pulverized stone and shattered wood.
With the storm and lightning gone, Galadriel and Gandalf could finally join Kael and Elrond in fighting Saruman.
"Saruman, your power is spent. Surrender!" Lady Galadriel called, her beautiful voice resounding with undeniable authority, golden and silver hair radiating regal strength.