Downfall: A Triptych by Himring

Chapter 1: Sauron

And here I was thinking that you had abandoned us, after creating all of this, turned your back, despite all your magnificent promises or threats. How hollow those sounded to me, quite early on! So, whatever happened, whatever we did, you were going to claim it had been your intention all along? How, then, did your intention even matter at all, for any practical purpose?

But now you have very palpably interfered!  Apparently even you can be pushed too far. Who would have thought it? Why now, rather than at any other time? Was this one time really so different from all the rest that you felt it justified restructuring the universe?

There is a lesson in it, I suppose. At least, others will draw a lesson from it, or pretend to. Excuse me if I do not sufficiently appreciate it. I am busy burning as my body drowns. It is a distraction.

Besides, what kind of lesson is this supposed to be? Another land sunk beneath the sea? Another million deaths?

It tells me nothing. I will just go on trying to tidy up, enforce order—even if I always seem to end up just shifting the mess from one corner of the house to the other and yes, maybe making it worse.

(But excuse me, the Fall of Numenor, Eru—what a mess, what a total, unholy mess!)

Even if I have to confess that I no longer quite remember why I wanted order so much. That I do not quite remember what order is supposed to be for.

Untidiness irritates me. Isn’t that reason enough? If life persists in being untidy, at least I will put it in boxes, sort it into drawers—whether it consents to go in, to fit, or not.

Chapter End Notes

Canonically, Sauron expected the Valar to kill the invading Numenorean army, but had not expected the scale of Eru's intervention, which was why his body was caught in Numenor's downfall and he returned to Middle-earth without it.