The Wars of the Valar by Fiondil

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Chapter 33: The Last Ayanuz

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33: The Last Ayanuz

The laughter continued to grow until a pinpoint of light came into existence where none had been previously and before them emerged the last thing any of them expected.... another Ayanuz.

Námo watched in fascination as one of their fellows from the Timeless Halls appeared, his aura a scintillating shade of golden-yellow that nearly rivaled the light of the nearby stars. It was even more interesting to see Melkor’s reaction. The Fallen Ayanuz actually cringed and his minions holding onto Manwë released their prisoner in surprise, whether at the sight of the new Ayanuz or at seeing their lord and master quail before him, Námo could not say. It did not matter, for he took advantage of the situation and thought himself in the midst of the enemy, grabbing Manwë and thinking himself away to where Estë and Irmo were waiting before anyone else could react.

Melkor actually screamed in frustration at losing his prize but he had little time to do anything about it for the newcomer had fully emerged and his first act was to grab the Urushigasaz and fling him merrily away and then seize Cosmoco and begin trouncing him, not giving the Úmáya a chance to retaliate before throwing him down one of the caldera until he disappeared into the bowels of the volcano, all the while laughing.

Námo, having left Manwë in Estë and Irmo’s capable care, then went back to where Oromë and the others were congregating to, as Vairë put it, ‘watch the show’. The stranger Ayanuz — and it was clear to all that this was no mere Máya but indeed one of the Ayanumuz — had apparently tired of Cosmoco and flung him away as easily as he had flung the Urushigasaz. Melkor screamed again in frustration and several of his minions pounced on the newcomer, who never stopped laughing.

"Come. Let us aid our brother," Ulmo said as he appeared among them.

"What about Varda?" Námo asked. "We cannot abandon her."

"Nor will we," Ulmo replied. "But let us first rid us of Melkor and his army."

"I will go in search of Varda," Oromë volunteered, "and at least determine where she has been taken even if I cannot effect a rescue."

Ulmo nodded. "That is well. Go. We will deal with things here."

With that, Oromë left, taking several of his Máyar with him. Ulmo turned to Námo and the other Ayanumuz who had joined them. "I think it’s time to end this."

They all nodded and with their Máyar thought themselves to where the stranger Ayanuz was still beset by several Úmáyar, although he did not appear unduly concerned, for his laughter never stopped. Indeed he was presently juggling two of the Úmáyar along with a minor asteroid that had strayed too close to the planet, flinging them one at a time towards the black hole sitting in the center of the system. One of the Úmáyar managed to think himself away in time; the other was not so lucky. Neither was the asteroid.

The sight of Manwë’s army appearing in their midst unnerved Melkor’s People and many fled heedlessly into the dark of Eä. Those that remained found themselves facing an army bent on vengeance for Manwë’s torture and Varda’s kidnapping. Manwë’s People especially were filled with fury and three of them, Eönwë, Fionwë and Olórin, decided to hunt down those who had fled, rather than letting them go. Their rage knew no bounds and Námo could see that they were fast succumbing to darkness, losing themselves as he had almost done.

"Stay!" he commanded the Máyar who were set on hunting down the fleeing enemy. "We have more important things with which to concern ourselves."

"They’re getting away!" Eönwë screamed in frustration. "They helped torture our lord and they’re getting away."

"No, Eönwë!" Námo proclaimed. "Only Melkor is responsible for..."

But Eönwë was not listening, nor were the other two. With shouts of anger and frustration they made to pursue the enemy forces. Ignoring Námo completely, the three went off. The Ayanuz muttered an oath. "We do not have time for this," he said to himself and then he did something he had hoped never to do — he exerted the full extent of his powers upon the three Máyar.

To Eönwë, Fionwë and Olórin it was as if a star had gone nova in their very midst. Suddenly Námo was before them shining in the fullness of his wrath, his normally pure violet hue now nearly incandescent, blinding them and bringing them to a halt. They stared at the Ayanuz in awe and trepidation. Never before had any of their masters exhibited such power, certainly none had ever directed that power towards them and they found themselves quailing at the sight of Námo before them.

"Ye shall not pass," Námo said with a coldness that rivaled the frigidity of the methane snows that blew across the face of Ashkadphelun’s largest satellite.

"But lord, they tortured our lord and kidnapped...." Fionwë started to explain but Námo did not give him a chance to continue.

"Do not defy me, my children," he said with all the authority of one of the Máhanumaz. "Ye will not enjoy the consequences."

"No!" Eönwë shouted, heedless of Námo’s warning and attempting to think himself away. "I won’t let them get away with it. They deserve..."

But what he thought the enemy deserved remained unspoken for suddenly Námo ‘grabbed’ all three Máyar with a single negligent thought and flung them back into the system, forcing them to incarnate as they fell from the skies of Nasarphelun to land abruptly upon the all too solid ground at the foot of Dáhanigwishtelgun. Even as they struggled to their feet, trying to orient themselves, Námo was there before them, also incarnate. His expression was forbidding and his will was implacable. The three Máyar went to their knees without any conscious thought of doing so.

Of the three, Olórin appeared to be the least defiant. Indeed, he had an expression that could only be called ‘adoring’. Lord Manwë would always hold his allegiance, but the Máya had a dim thought that perhaps a time would come when he might be allowed to serve the Ayanuz standing before them in all his glorious wrath. Eönwë and Fionwë appeared less cowed but they did not seek to defy Námo now. There was a look of frustrated defeat on Eönwë’s fair face. Fionwë was actually weeping.

"Did I not warn ye not to defy me?" Námo asked them, his voice low and dangerous. All three Máyar shuddered, not daring to look up. "Ye will remain incarnate until I say otherwise."

"But... but... then we will not be able to fight!" Fionwë stuttered through his tears, his look of disbelief mirrored in the faces of his two companions.

Námo smiled and all three cringed at the sight. "Yes. That is the general idea," he replied, then his expression went cold again. "Remain here... or you may climb the mountain and await us there. I will let Manwë handle any further... chastisements."

With that the Ayanuz who would one day be known as the dread Lord of Mandos, left them to rejoin the battle. The three Máyar stared at one another for a time before Eönwë sighed and gestured. "Let us start climbing."

****

All this while, the battle continued to rage. The newcomer from the Timeless Halls had inspired the other Ayanumuz and they had found new hope in his coming. By the time Námo rejoined his fellows the battle was all but over. Melkor had begun to realize that all was lost and with a final shriek of defiance he fled along with his remaining minions. The stranger Ayanuz looked about, his aura darkening towards orange with frustration and disappointment.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted, but they’re not very sporting, leaving like that," he said to no one in particular.

Námo found himself chuckling at the words and even Ulmo’s aura brightened with amusement. "Who art thou?" he asked, "for I remember thee not."

The stranger Ayanuz turned his attention to Ulmo and laughed. "Dost thou not, brother? Well, know that I am Tulkas."

"Ah... be welcome to Eä, Tulkas, my brother," Ulmo said formally and embraced him and gave him a kiss as between kinsman. The other Ayanumuz gathered around them and offered their own welcome and thanks for his aid.

"But where is the other one?" Tulkas asked at one point. "Where is the one who was being tortured? Is he not our leader?"

"Manwë, yes," Ulmo answered. " He is being tended to by Estë and Irmo. Come, let us see how he fares. Has anyone seen Oromë?

Námo shook his head. "Not since he left to search for Varda."

"Varda?" Tulkas asked in surprise. "What has happened to her?"

"Kidnapped by some of Melkor’s People," Námo answered. "It happened just before you came. Oromë and his Máyar are searching for her. If anyone can find where she has been taken, it will be Oromë."

"Let us see first to Manwë and then we will speak of Varda and how best to rescue her." Ulmo said.

They all thought themselves away, with Námo offering to show Tulkas the necessary coordinates, which the younger Ayanuz accepted. Soon, they were congregating on one of the larger satellites of Manawenuzphelun where Irmo and Estë were looking after Manwë.

"He is still unconscious," Irmo informed them. "It will take some time before he recovers but I do not think he suffered any lasting injury."

"Any news about Varda?" Estë asked but before anyone could answer her, a shriek of outrage echoed through the halls of Eä.

They all looked about, stunned. Even Tulkas’ aura showed that he was surprised by the sound. "That was Varda," Námo finally said. "I’d recognize that shriek anywhere."

"She’s not in pain," Ulmo ventured, "but I suspect that someone is."

"Can we trace it?" Yavanna asked.

"Find Oromë and...." Námo began but then Oromë was suddenly in their midst along with an outraged Varda.

"You should have let me finish him off!" she screamed at the younger Ayanuz, who appeared equally outraged.

"I was rescuing you, you ungrateful...."

"Oromë!" Ulmo shouted and the other Ayanuz stuttered to a halt, though it was obvious that he was still angry.

"I don’t need rescuing you interfering little...."

"Varda, that’s enough!"

Everyone turned to see Manwë standing there, his aura more grey than blue. Varda forgot her anger at Oromë to embrace her beloved. "My love! Art thou well?" she asked and then proceeded to encompass Manwë with her very self, not allowing him any chance to answer.

"How did she escape?" Námo asked Oromë in the mean time. Oromë was still seething.

"Not without my help, though she will never admit it," the future Lord of the Hunt said with a low snarl and was surprised when the stranger Ayanuz laughed. He gave them all an enquiring look and Námo introduced him to Tulkas.

"Varda has not changed," Tulkas said with another laugh.

"You know her?" Vairë asked in surprise. "I am sorry, but I do not remember you."

Tulkas gave a shrug. "Perhaps it would be more true to say I know of her, as I know of each of you, for though I elected not to come to Eä with you, I have watched the doings of the Little Kingdom with some interest."

Ulmo gave him a sharp look, looking somewhat affronted. "Is that what thou callest Atháraphelun?"

Tulkas laughed. "Nay, brother. It is what I call Eä, for is it not small when compared to the Timeless Halls?"

"Indeed. Yet it is large enough for our purposes."

They all turned to see Manwë there with Varda beside him. Manwë’s aura was returning to it’s normal steady blue, but he was obviously weak from his tortures. He ignored everyone for a moment to stare at Námo.

"A little rough on my Máyar were you not?" he asked suddenly.

Námo could not tell if Manwë was angry, but decided he did not care. "They would not listen to reason," he explained coldly. "I gave them fair warning. They’re making their way up Dáhanigwishtelgun even now. I told them to wait there until you were ready to claim them."

Manwë nodded, then turned to Tulkas, who had stood by, exhibiting unabashed interest in their conversation. "Welcome, Tulkas," Manwë said. "I rejoice in your timely presence."

Tulkas gave the Eldest his obeisance. "It took some convincing, but finally Atar allowed me to come."

"You realize you cannot return to the Timeless Halls now, do you not?" Manwë asked and Tulkas nodded, giving them another shrug.

"Atar said as much, but in truth, I was finding home too... constricting," he ended on a rather lame note.

"And so you decided to come here where there is even less space," Oromë responded with a grin and Tulkas laughed.

"Perhaps I should have said that I was finding my brothers and sisters less and less interesting. You looked to be having more fun and I was tired of missing out."

"Fun?" Aulë asked in disbelief. "You call what we have gone through of late ‘fun’?"

Tulkas shrugged once more and let out another booming laugh. "More fun than listening to Phanaínithil recite her latest poem."

The others all laughed and Vána spoke up. "Oh, I remember her! She was always reciting her poetry to whoever would listen."

"And even if they weren’t," Tulkas rejoined and they all laughed again, though in truth, there was nothing mean-spirited in it. Those who knew Phanaínithil smiled in fond memory of her.

"I hope she has improved somewhat after all this time," Nessa said.

Tulkas shrugged. "I cannot say." He gave them a merry grin. "Atar seems to like her efforts."

Manwë grinned as well. "Atar likes all our efforts, howsoever clumsy we might be."

"So what now?" Námo asked. "Melkor has fled and Atháraphelun lies in ruins."

Manwë sighed. "We rebuild, but first I had best reclaim my Máyar." He gave Námo a wry look and then he and Varda thought themselves away.

"I still would like to hear how Varda escaped Melkor’s minions," Vairë said then.

"And I want to hear how you managed to convince Atar to let you come," Yavanna said, addressing Tulkas. "I cannot believe he simply let you go."

Tulkas shrugged again, his golden-yellow aura turning a shade closer to bronze as he attempted unsuccessfully to appear nonchalant. "Oh, well... as to that... um...."

They all looked upon the newest member of their community with amusement. Ulmo chuckled as he grabbed Tulkas and gave him a warm hug. "Something tells me that there is a story behind all that stammering. Come. Let us join Manwë and Varda. I am sure they would like to hear your tale as well."

The others all smiled as Tulkas nodded, giving them a shy look and then as one, with Ulmo relaying the coordinates to Tulkas, they bethought themselves to Nasarphelun where Manwë and Varda were waiting patiently for three Máyar to reach the crest of the mountain and explain themselves.

****

Phanaínithil: (Valarin) ‘Bright Lily’. One of the Ayanumuz who remains in the Timeless Halls.