…I ascend from darkness
And depart on the winds of space for I know not where;
My watch is wound, a key is in my pocket,
And the sky is darkened as I descend the stair.
There are shadows across the windows, clouds in heaven,
And a god among the stars...
—Morning Song from "Senlin", Conrad Aiken
Northern Gondor
The Rapids of Sarn Gebir
23 February TA 3019
A steady thum. A piercing cry. Far across the river orcs are cheering on the Eastern shore. The Ring Bearer looks up. A winged shadow descends, and darkness blots out the stars…
But the bow of Lórien never sings. The shadow falls. The Hafling is killed. The Ring is taken. The Fellowship scatters, and Sauron will have dominion even unto the uttermost ends of the earth. For against the will of the Lord of the Rings even the Powers themselves cannot stand.
Then—
A whisper. A voice echoes in the Void as it did Eä! long ago: Athâraphelûn Dushamanûdhân!
His servants shout: Akashân!
The Children cry out: Ae, Ae! Elio Adar, edraith ammen! Rehtië, rehtië, Á etelehta, Atar!
Silence. The Void swallows all.
Alone in Eternal Night the Dark Lord on his Dark Throne remains, chanting:
Ash nâzg durbatulûk, ash nâzg gimpatul, ash nâzg thratatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
AN: This is the poem that gave Madeleine L'Engle's A Swiftly Tilting Planet its name. As this fic is heavily inspired by that book, I thought it was only fitting to find a title of my own.
Amateur, hobbyist Tolkien linguist here, who'd appreciate any feedback on usage of his many wonderful languages. This fic will be heavily influenced by the internal and external histories of the development of the languages and dialects of Middle-earth. Did you know, for instance, that we have very few words in Valarin, yet one may have made its way via Sauron into Black Speech, the tongue he formed for the Avari he and Melkor had twisted into orcs long ago?
"Anthony Appleyard has pointed out that one word in Sauron's Black Speech, nazg "ring", seems to be borrowed from Valarin naškad (or anaškad? The word is isolated from Mâchananaškad "Ring of Doom", so we cannot be sure of its exact form). As a Maia, Sauron would know Valarin." -"Valarin: 'Like the glitter of swords'". Ardalambion.
[...c'mon, folks. You've got to admit that's cool.]
Sources: Ardalambion, Quettaparma Quenyallo, Parf Edhellen.
Divine Utterance, language unknown (possible Common Eldarin assimilation): Eä. "Let it be!/Exist!"
Valarin: Athâraphelûn Dushamanûdhân. "Arda marred".
Valarin: Akashân. "He says." [The Quenya word axen meaning "law, rule, commandment"(WJ: 399) is derived from this Valarin phrase.]
Sindarin: Ae, Ae! Elio Adar, edraith ammen! "Alas, alas, help (for one), Father, saving for us!"
Quenya: Rehtië, rehtië, Á etelehta, Atar! "Rescue, rescue, O deliver (us), Father!"
Black Speech: Ash nâzg durbatulûk, ash nâzg gimpatul, ash nâzg thratatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."
