The Departure of the Elves
The Host of the Powers in panoply resplendent descended without heed to the abode of Estë and Irmo. The great fields of poppies and pomegranates, the emerald rivers and the silver mists, the slow piping of noxious flutes played by unseen musicians. All these wonders who surrounded their abode were made for the living and those who bore bodies of flesh. They were invitations to rest and respite, heavy with perfumed musk. Few even among the Firstborn would see at first the horrors hidden in such fairness. There were bones among the viridian grass and worse than corpses. For some who had come here still lived in a fashion and slept fitfully as the world moved around them. Their spirits fled to the side of Irmo, they still breathed and yet were just as unmoving as the restful dead. Still these perfumed traps were nothing to the Aïnur for whom flesh is just the passing of a thought. They trampled it without care and without effort for they wore their warlike visage.
Who among the great ones was the most frightening to behold, none can say for no Elf beheld them in the fullness of their fury. It was said later that Yavanna had taken the form of the greatest of all lizard queen who walked the world before the Host Dolorous came to it. And she fought with claws and fangs even the Mountain-Maker her spouse was at her side. Varda was white and lambent as the moon and she descended pulsar-quick with the beating of the seven wings of her lord. She sought Irmo and Estë even in the smallest notes of the music for like all the Valar she is vast as the cosmos and smaller than a grain of dust. Ulmo came in the thunder of rushing waters and the strength of earth breaking. Yet even Tulkas who was like lightning and tempest and the wrath of the Father splitting the heavens, even Mandos in whose steps sound died, even Nessa the Dancer three-headed and many-armed with sistrum, drum and trident could compare to Melkor king of Arda in majesty. For he was like flame and ice mingled, like stars burning and darkness rising. In his hands was the light of the Allfather and it screamed and sung. At his side was Arien came from the sun as a pillar of fire and a column of incense smoke.
They beat at the gates and roared their challenges and yet they had all been deceived. For they thought Irmo and Estë were like them, great lords and teachers and creators. They thought there would be armies and hosts and a battle like the war who had sundered their palaces of radiance. Yet this assault had not been helmed by the two and they had sent Ungoliant into hiding as they knew they could not win. The gates of their abode were thrown open and the host of the Westerners came into mist-shrouded hallways. There in green, always in green they found themselves divided. For Irmo and Estë dwelled not in Arda but like Mandos with Valinor, they had made a realm for themselves outside of the universe they thought a prison for their bright souls. And so the Valar assaulted Lorien realm of Irmo called Lorien. Their brother had cast all traces of flesh and the body and noting but the smallest of chain chained him to the physical. In the fog of his thought, the mists of his memories, the whole host of the Powers could dwell at ease. And yet each was alone. Even those who had spouses were separated from each other, for the first time in the ages of Eä.
There they began to understand. For Irmo and Estë had willingly diminished turning their arts against their very selves. And the shape of the Children of Eru was always for them a mask. Irmo had seen his vestment of flesh wither away until nothing remained but images. He was the Labyrinth where everyone is alone and unjoined. He was a nightmare and a story, alien as the unlight of Ungoliant and perhaps more terrible. For those who walked the roads of fancy under the stars of sorrow, were surrounded by mirrors and in them were all they could have been. And it is said that each of the Aïnur from the smallest soldier to Melkor himself walked among images of what would have transpired if they had fallen from grace. Some would later say it was horrid as they ran in worlds ravaged by their hands. Yet others would whisper they had seen their greatest ambitions realized, their merest whims indulged and had gazed upon the fields of paradise. And even in the mists who swallowed thought and sound alike, they heard the great cries the highest among them let loose when they gazed in their temptations realized.
And loudest among them was Melkor who saw himself a spirit of boundless malice and fetters gnawing at himself in his bitterness.
Estë was still moored by flesh but even as Irmo had become unsubstantial, she became unseen. She walked in a swarm smaller than insects, hidden from even the keen sight of the Elves. And as the Powers walked in the maze of her husband's thoughts, she came to them in their distraction, as a leech works invisible and unfelt, joining her flame to theirs. She did strike the weak with visions and dimmed the light of their spirits, waning their might with poisoned kisses. Yet even to the strongest she came, and whispered with the voice of their own thoughts, inciting them to let loose their power in bursts who affected her husband not at all. Yet Estë and Irmo grew stronger for it as the leech borrows the blood of its prey and the worm feeds on carrion. Long was the battle, while all lesser powers serving the Shadow fled to the four corners of the world to await the time. The Two hoped for victory, by the turning of brother against brother and surrender to their arguments made in the language of emotion. Yet as they had been underestimated, so they underestimated their opposition.
For even as all wandered the mists of Irmo, they could not be kept indefinitely of their friends and their loves and their kin, or even Arda itself. One by one the Host found each other. Let it be written that such finding and reunions began not with the mightiest but the weakest. They braved the paths of nightmare and gazed upon the visions that had taunted their companions and friend dragged friends from the mire of perturbation and the roads of regrets. Last to be rescued was Melkor whom they found alone in a world of death and carrion, refusing to budge, convinced as he was that his path would lead to the darkest end imaginable. Unreachable he seemed by word or deed until Arien came to him in the brightness of her raiment and she joined with him even as Varda spoke of what she had beheld of what she could have been and cried in the arms of Manwë of the Seven Wings.
And each of the Valar understood they could have been the Marrer and led the Discord in the clash of raging music before the Throne of Eru. And they knew what shadows lurked even in their hearts. It is said this bound them to inaction later on for they feared to become images of fear and torment to the Children. Yet in the present they found Irmo and Estë and they chained them with dread fetters before taking them to Valinor where Nienna had been kept under guard as she did not participate in the siege. They would come in later ages to go to her for counsel, mighty as she was in the ways of grief and many subtle lies she would tell to drive them to despair and suspicion of one another and even themselves. Still they put her confederates to judgment and sentenced them to dwell in Mandos' Halls for three thousand revolutions of Arda around the star of Arien.
And to the Firstborn it was issued a choice, to come with the host to Valinor and dwell there in peace everlasting or remain in Arda. Oromë brought Ingwë, Finwë, Olwë and Elwë to the domain of the gods and they saw the Trees whose light bathed a land where it seemed to be no evil. They enjoined their people to follow the Valar to their land and there was a split among the Elves for there were those who refused and are called Avari, the Unwilling. Those who traveled were divided in three hosts. Two of the them, the Vanyar of Ingwë and the Noldor of Finwë came easily but the greatest host was called the Teleri and they broke up in many groups until at the last one of their chieftains Elwë came upon the eaves of the dark forest of Nan Elmoth where he was ensnared. Choose 1
[] Came to him under the eaves Melian with the nightingale voice. She found him fair of form and mind and lovely beyond compare. She loved him with the violence of the Discord and came upon him as a cloud of darkness and enchantment. She prevailed upon him to sleep near the ancient trees and among the chirping of birds she knew him as husband and turned his thoughts to begetting. When he awoke he turned many of his people into the Sindar, the grey elves who would be closest to the Umaïar in counsel and companionships. And in this time the Nephilim were upon the surface of Arda.
[] Came to him under the eaves Ungoliant the Spider but not in her accustomed form. As a dark pit did the forest swallow Elwë's following. Yet in the Unbegotten, Ungoliant found what she had sought without searching and she took him as consort. From the Unlight came forth the Sindar who understood the secrets of shadows and like their queen cast webs of swallowing shadows. Alien they seemed to other Firstborn, almost faded to nothing and yet pliable and strong beyond compare. They rode the daughters of Ungoliant and served in her train as they departed for hidden strongholds and perhaps in time would even cross to the shores of Valinor to accompany her in her darkest deed.
[] Came to him Olorin who was accounted the wisest among the Umaïar and who had deved deep in the mysteries of the Discord. He came upon Elwë in many form, some fanciful, some terrible, some sad and he exposed to him the truth of the world as the Three saw it. Elwë understood the world would change and everything fade and that dross will always be found among pearls. Embracing the eternal denial of the Three he swore himself to their cause even if he bound himself to Olorin of the Maïar. And for him did the spirit take female form for a time and bore him a daughter, fairest of all who walked the world, dream of what lies beyond the Music. The Sindar would be wise in craft and sorcery, understanding the illusion of the world and wielding it to their advantage.
