Fan Fiction ❯ Imprisoned ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: All nations, events, and characters, etc., besides the general plot and few characters created by myself, belong completely to Tolkien.

A/N: This story takes place early in the Second Age of Middle-Earth, and deals in reference to many events in the First Age. Other than the few definitions supplied, all events, times, and characters listed were written in mind that the reader has read The Silmarillion, and will be hard to understand otherwise. It also should be noted that all events may not be chronologically correct, or events/characters/lands referenced to accurately, and I ask that if any error is found, that I would be notified. (Flames are very welcome.)

Imprisoned

Prologue

In the still darkness, when the moon was loath to grace its light onto the wasted land below, a dark figure thundered across the blackened hills, solitarily riding in unexplained haste. The black stallion flew as though carried by the wind, and his rider betrayed no sign of uneasiness at the unearthly speed. Glancing behind him, his dark cloak whipped about madly at the sudden turning of direction, and he quickly turned back around and carried onward. Looking determinedly ahead, his gaze hardened, and betrayed no doubt or fear, as a single statement was muttered, drowned by the wind and heard by no one:

I flee again, Utumno, and I pray against my return…

Urging the stallion faster, he saw naught of what direction he rode, nor any signs of being pursued, to which he did not doubt would be heard soon enough. Along the horizon, seen only by the obstruction of the stars, the rider recognized the Ered Luin, and, in a sort of mad desperation, strained his horse as fast as the stallion could go, ducking his head to lessen the effect of the wind.

Faulting, the cloaked traveler panicked as the sound of pursuing hoof beats assaulted his ears, and, as the horse himself panicked as well at the apparent danger behind him, stumbled and skid to the ground, tossing his rider to the unforgiving earth. Skidding to a halt against the rocks, he lay still, shutting his eyes in defeated submission. He listened as the pursuer dismounted and heard the clinking of steal against the rock-strewn ground before he was knocked unconscious and taken back to the deepest pits of Utumno, in Hithlum*.

Many a time had this prisoner fled with no hope of succeeding, doomed to forever be held captive in the land of the fallen Valar. For the relentless jealousy, malice, and lust for power housed by Melkor had slowly grown. And after his defeat in the Battle of Powers and the Great Battle, he had grown weary of fruitless toils for these things he desired. Many times had Melkor used trickery and deceit to bend the minds of his enemies, but his power waned. His un-healing wounds burned him a constant reminder of his failure to control life and conquer Arda itself. And though he was feared by many, fear did not give him rule, and he wanted rule- badly. This prisoner was his key to regaining the power he had been denied for so long, and none of the Valar would stop him. They no longer possessed the might of the light of Illuin and Ormal*, nor of the Silmarils*, and with this advocate he could overcome all obstacles. Was he powerless? No. He just wanted, no, he needed more. He would breed anew his arsenal of trolls and orcs and dragons, and this battle would be won. There was no overcoming of him this time. This single creature he would manipulate and thus manipulate all.

Hello, Eä , Morgoth is back from the Void…

~^~

*Illuin and Ormal- the Lamps of the Valar- two lights made by Aulë and set atop two stone pillars to give light to the Spring of Arda (the dwelling place of the Valar on Arda). The pillars and the Lamps were destroyed, however, by Melkor, which marked the destruction of the Spring of Arda. (Afterward, the Two Trees were grown by Yavanna)

*Silmarils- the Silmarilli- the three jewels containing the light of the Two Trees, made by Fëanor, who loved them greedily. Melkor stole them after the Darkening of the Valinor, and placed them in his crown (though he suffered un-healing burns on his hands). Beren cut one of the jewels out, that eventually became the light source of the star Eärendil (and thus the light in the Phial of Galadriel). Of the other two, one was eventually cast into the sea, and the other was cast into fire (after being stolen from Eönwë , who retrieved them from Morgoth's crown.)

* I have no idea where exactly Morgoth's fortress was built, but, keeping in mind that it was constructed in the northern parts of the conquered Beleriand, one can only assume… I would greatly appreciate it if someone could tell me where Utumno really was... (I have no clue…)