Darker than Night by Luxa

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Fanwork Notes

Originally posted as part of the Silmarillion40 event.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

While hunting, Amlach and Maedhros are pulled from their excursion by a surprise messenger, who asks them to take on a task great than either of them realize. They should have realized that finding traitors is no small task.

Major Characters: Amlach, Maedhros, Melkor, Original Character(s)

Major Relationships:

Genre:

Challenges:

Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate

Warnings: Torture

This fanwork belongs to the series

Silmarillion40
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 9, 175
Posted on 5 October 2017 Updated on 5 October 2017

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

Darker than Night

Comments

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Another Amlach story! And what a ride, from the almost frivolous colour and bustle of the hunting party to the horrors of Angband. The beginning and ending of this story could hardly be more contrasting, and yet it ended on a high note for me. Amlach makes an excellent companion, and I'm glad he confronted Maedhros about his behaviour - and that he not only got an apology, but a much bigger acknowledgement of how much he is worth to Maedhros. As a reader, I can see how well they work together through Amlach's intuitive adaptation to Maedhros' weaknesses, to Maedhros without a moment's doubt trusting him to sort the situation out when he is too shaken to do so, through the way they work in sync to execute the spies, and their final "we've got work to do". It was gratifying to see that Maedhros isn't taking this high level of effort from Amlach for granted, and that Amlach isn't so lovestruck that he'll put up with anything. Thus, in spite of the many gruesome details that you didn't shy away from, this focus on their companionship made the ending - well, almost a happy one for me. (You're turning me into an Amlach fan, it seems!)

I like the way you've developed the relationship between Maedhros and Amlach here from their earlier encounter in Belegost!

It is an interesting idea (and powerful plot device) that Amlach is in a better position, as an outsider, to spot the traitors than Maedhros or the refugees.

And you also make the most of Amlach's angle as as (relative) outsider in the descriptions--the hunt, the messenger from Doriath, Angband, and so on.

Wow. This vividly captured one of the darkest, most disturbing aspects of this universe. Part of me wanted to reject this detail in the original Silmarillion when I read it: wait, escapees from Morgoth are in turn rejected by their own people? And part of me sees where it fits.

You portray the horror for the captives, for Maedhros, and for the human observor really disturbingly.