Loyalty Unyielding by Zlu and Luff

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The War of Wrath

In this chapter we're paying a small tribute to Blind Guardian's lovely version of War of Wrath. You can listen to it here: tinysong.com/R22F (the dialogue starts around 40 seconds).

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Chapter 7

The War of Wrath

* * *

In the ages that came after the quest of Beren and Lúthien, Melkor never managed to conquer the madness that he had plunged into after the loss of one of the Silmarils. Yet, despite remaining a slave of his own crown, unable to think clearly or do anything without its weight upon his brow, Morgoth retained much of his scheming mind and ruthless intelligence and over time his will spread over Beleriand.

Thus Melkor remained the Dark Foe of the World, great and terrible in the eyes of both his subjects and his enemies. But, as his deranged mind saw hidden threats in every word and gesture, the closeness than had once only begun to develop between him and Sauron, turned to naught. The Dark Vala did not suspect his first lieutenant of treachery as much as he suspected others, yet their conversations and meetings grew scarce as time passed until they became only those of military council or other affairs of strategic importance.

Despite that, those were great times for the forces of darkness and Melkor's minions flourished and multiplied, while the Eldar and those of the Men, that had not been drawn into evil, lived in fear and hopelessness. The days were dark, creatures of Melkor roamed across the lands freely and heavy curtains of smoke hung over the North.

It seemed that the darkness had triumphed and that there was none left to oppose it.

Yet then a time came, when one of both bloods sailed to Valinor with the Silmaril shining upon his brow and on behalf of Elves and Men, pleaded for the help of its masters. And thus the Valar harkened and were moved by the plea and over the seas and mountains they sent forth their great host. Led by Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, to the sound of his silver trumpet there marched the Vanyar from Undying Lands and those of the Noldor that never left the blessed land of Valinor. And among their ranks, arrayed in forms fair and terrible, there went the luminous Maiar and where their songs sounded and where their light touched, the reign of darkness began to crumble.

* * *

The realm of Melkor trembled, when struck down by Eärendil, Ancalagon the Black fell from the sky and turned the three proud peaks of Thangorodrim into dust and ruin as he collapsed.

The last anguished roar of the dying Father of Dragons echoed deep down in the bowels of Angband where Melkor was hiding. And as the echoes of Ancalogon's fall filled the dungeons, the Black Foe of the World was at last shaken out of his brooding apathy and looked about himself, as if he did not remember how he had got there.

Above him stood Sauron, his helmet in his hand but his his face overcast with shadow, "Listen to me, my lord" the Maia pleaded, his words partially drowned out by the dying scream of Morgoth's favourite dragon. "The field is lost, everything is lost. Thou must go now, while there is still time."

Sauron had not long ago arrived from beyond the walls of Angband. Until last moment, for as long as there still was any semblance of an army to command, the lieutenant of Morgoth had stood his ground against the host of Elves and Maiar that arrived from Valinor and the Edain that somewhere on the way had joined the army of the West that came to face the forces of Melkor.

Now however the forces of Melkor were no more. Those of his servants that after years of war had not yet been slain, abandoned their master's hopeless cause at last. The remnants of Orcs and Balrogs dispersed in madness and despair seeking to hide in the cracks of Arda, Sauron's faithful Werewolves were slain almost to the very last, while the mighty dragons, that only few days ago issued from behind the gates of Angband and caused such great panic amongst the hosts of Valinor were now one by one falling from the skies struck by the talons of the great eagles of Manwë that arrived, led by the mighty Thorondor himself.

They had lost, of that there was no denying. There was no more army. Sauron was no longer needed in the field, his place was here, by his lord. And now, as always, the Maia offered his advice and he hoped more than ever that his lord would choose to listen.

Morgoth harkened to him, yet at first it seemed that he did not really hear the words of his lieutenant. Then however Melkor spoke and in his voice rang clarity that Sauron had not heard in many years. "Nay, Sauron. There is nowhere for me to flee. Like in Utumno, the forces of Valinor have come for me and they shall not rest before they find me," thus spoke Melkor as he regarded his lieutenant. "I cannot leave... but thou canst. And thou shalt be the one to go, Sauron. In my absence thou shalt rally what is left of my troops and until my return thou shalt rule the forces of darkness in Middle-earth, like thou hast done in the ages I spent in Mandos," the Lord of Angband said, as his fiery eyes met those of his loyal servant.

There was no insanity in the eyes of the Dark Vala, only weariness and resignation. But there was no defeat. Morgoth firmly believed that he would return. He had fooled his brethren once, and he intended to do that once more.

Yet Sauron thought that this time he knew better than his lord. Since the day when Melkor was forgiven, ages had passed. They had since that moment taken hundreds of thousands of lives, they had tortured, mutilated, desecrated and blasphemed. He was afraid that thinking of today's defeat in the manner of those ages past, his master was being gravely mistaken.

"I beg thee, my lord, hear me and listen to reason. This time thy brethren will not be fooled... It is not just Eldar and Men but Maiar that we now fought against and destroyed, there is no mercy that awaits us in Valinor. Heed my words and save thyself my lord. With what remains of thy army I shall now cover for thee as thou fleest and then I shall find thee and join thee in hiding." Sauron reasoned as a choir of triumphant screams outside Angband grew louder, spelling their final and ultimate defeat.

Morgoth did not yield. "Nay, Sauron, the armies of Valinor shall not rest, until I have been captured. They will search for me and in the end they will find me. Rather than flee from my own stronghold and hide like a coward, this time I shall face them. Let them come. Let them cast me into Mandos for thrice as many ages, I shall once more outwit them. But if I return to find no allies, then my demise would be final," Morgoth rested his hand clad in dark metal, that Sauron had forged, on his lieutenant's shoulder and looked into the Maia's eyes. There was confidence and a promise of hope in Melkor's look, but unlike his master, Sauron saw clearly how small the chance was that Morgoth should ever return. "Thus, do as I command. Leave now and remain hidden. Rally my forces and rule in my stead. Yet do not forget, thou art my servant for all time," there was no threat to Melkor's words.

It was a statement of a fact, one that Morgoth finally saw clearly, having for once overcome the madness of the Silmarils. Once more he stood proud, determined and strong, though without hope of victory. The moment of clarity had come too late.

For a long silent moment Sauron gazed searchingly into his master's eyes. He wanted to believe it the way Melkor did. More than anything in his existence he wanted to believe that his lord would escape and that all was just a matter of time and ploys well played. But Melkor's sentence in Mandos seemed now almost too distant a past. The world was young then, and everyone deserved a second chance. Back then the Valar still considered Melkor one of their own. But not anymore. Now he was Morgoth, the cursed Black Enemy of Arda and a fate of a traitor awaited him. But what fate that was, they could both only guess.

Sorrow was in Sauron's eyes as slowly, he nodded his head, obeying his master's command. The words Melkor spoke rang true. After coming all this way from Valinor and all the nooks of the world, the enemies would pursue his master to the very end of Arda if they had to, and on their way they would annihilate every last of his creations. There would be nothing left to start the rebuilding from and Melkor himself, proud and haughty, would not stand becoming an endless fugitive.

But even though the enemies came here for Morgoth and they would not rest until they captured him, Sauron knew that he, Melkor's lieutenant, could slip through their fingers again. They would remember about him later, and look for him but who was he compared to this dark god the whole world hated? It was Melkor upon whom was turned the wrath of the Lords of the West and all the Children of Eru.

Although he did not believe that Melkor was right in thinking the Valar would once more fall for the same trick, Sauron could still hope that to be true. And with that hope in his heart, he chose to heed his master's orders.

"That I shall never forget. I will be waiting for thee, my lord. Where I go, thy name shall be feared and hailed and even if long centuries pass before we meet again, thou shalt never be forgotten." So spoke the dark lord's loyal Maia, yet rather than turn away and flee into darkness, Sauron lingered, unable to move. His mind had already decided but his spirit still refused to follow. His place was by his master's side - how could he leave him here, how could he turn his back and walk away now and from a distance look at Melkor's disgrace and fall? Last time when his lord fell, Sauron had not been there, last time the Vala was taken by surprise and not by Maiar and Eldar but by another of his kind and there had been nothing to be done. And finally... back then he had not yet let his existence become so completely entwined with Melkor's own.

"Very well, Sauron. What remains of my allies and my realm is thine to rule now. With thee are my hopes and my salvation. But now go, my loyal friend. Go, or all will be lost," Melkor urged the Maia. The hand that rested on Sauron's shoulder patted it gently and withdrew, as Morgoth's eyes shifted from his servant towards the grand entrance to the chamber. Already even as they spoke, the victorious Eldar and Edaine were breaking through Angband's last defences and fighting their way down towards them. "Go," Melkor said softly one last time, as he stepped away from Sauron, but did not look back to meet his servant's eyes.

Few levels above them doors were broken down and now more than ever time was of the essence. Knowing what had to be done and why, the lieutenant of Melkor one last time looked at his master.

"Until we meet again, my lord." The Maia said then at last and with bitterness in his heart and soul he turned away from Melkor, abandoning his master where he stood as he fled among the shadows and into the secret winding passageways that would lead him out of Angband.

Only as the Maia finally turned away from him, did Melkor spare a sorrowful glance after his servant. For long time then Melkor stood there alone looking into the shadows that had swallowed Sauron and as with every passing minute the sounds of the intruders grew nearer and nearer, so melted more and more the courage that the Dark Vala found for the first time in millennia. And when the foes stormed the lowest floor on which he was hiding, there was no confidence and courage at all left in his black heart and changing his mind, Melkor turned around and like a coward that he was, he tried to run.

But as he took flight, his feet were hewn from under him and he was hurled upon his face.

Then Melkor knew then that despite his assurance, he and Sauron would after all not live to meet again.

* * *

From high above on the mountain pass where the network of underground corridors led him, as a disincarnate shadow, unseen, Sauron watched the crowds of Maiar, Elves and Men part to make way for those of the victors that dragged his lord in chains behind them. He saw his master bound and wounded, his feet cut off and no Silmarils shining on his head anymore. In the forge of his own fortress, his captors had beaten Melkor's most treasured crown of iron into a collar.

Now, snapped around Morgoth's neck, the crown enslaved its master once and for all.

It was a bitter sight to behold and anger boiled in Sauron's spirit as he saw his lord this way. Yet it was too late to feel regret. Time could not be turned and the choices he had made could not be taken back. From this moment on, he could only go forward, thrive on mad hope and strive to make true what he had promised.

Right there on the mountain side, watching the host of the Valar with loathing, Sauron took a vow of vengeance and loyalty to his master. No matter how many hundreds of years it would take, just like he had done once already, so he shall again rebuild his lord's empire of darkness.

And then, when Melkor at last returned, he would have a kingdom to rule.

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Chapter End Notes

And now the news:

First of all, Zlu drew an illustration for this chapter:

We're also really sorry that this chapter is so short and sad - the next ones will be long and awesome! (Because no, this is NOT the end, in case someone is wondering. In fact, there are some quite amazing things to come next!)

But about that... as we're going away on holidays together now, and then Luff will have exams while Zlu will be passing her certification from programming, the next update will be a month late and chapter 8 will be up in the first week on February (4-5 February to be precise). We're really sorry and we promise these will really be worth the wait :3!

And meanwhile, to make the said wait less brutal, we will be updating with Sauron/Melkor illustrations or funny things every week on our blog:

angbandstyle.tumblr.com

so do visit us there!

And now, we would like to wish you all A Happy New Year! You guys are amazing and full of support and we love you dearly so have a lot of fun :3!