To Rise Above Shadows
Introduction
The great Maia Arien once again set sail from the Gates of Morn, standing at the prow of her great ship that bore the Sun: the last fruit of Laurelin. As she arched higher into the sky, she began to pass over the eastern lands of Middle Earth. Below her, the countless sands of the great desert of the South glittered. This was Harad, a country ruled by the Southrons, or Haradrim as they were often called. North of the desert was a black fog her eyes of bright flame could not pierce. However, she perceived an evil force within its confines. Her heart burned hotter at this, knowing that Sauron, servant of Morgoth, dwelt there in the lifeless land of Mordor.
Long ages had she watched the world from high above. She had seen the rise and fading of the Elves, the coming of Men, the building and destruction of the great cities. She had watched as tiny seedlings grew into towering trees; she had seen the entire life of a person from their birth to their death. One thing, however, had remained constant throughout the ages: the struggle between the forces of Light and Darkness. She herself was a powerful ally of the Light, for the minions of Darkness feared her and shunned her bright rays that forced them into the shadows. Morgoth himself had fled into the deepest pits of his fortress at her first rising.
Despite her power and light, she felt she could do little in this eternal war. Long had she watched the hearts of Haradrim become corrupted by the sly words of Sauron. They had also suffered under the rule of corrupt Nùmenoreans, which led them to hate and distrust all of that otherwise noble race of Men. Now those of the North shunned them as heartless savages forever bound to the Dark Lord's evil will, though there had been a time when they had looked up to her as a beacon of hope. Now they took little notice of her beauty and splendor, instead cursing her for relentlessly burning down on their parched land. Many a time she had whispered fervently to the winds of Manwë, asking for someone to guide the Haradrim's hearts back to her light, hoping that the Valar in the West would hear her plea.
Indeed, the Valar themselves had seen these events and others unfold in Arda. They sent the Istari: five wise Maiar who went among Men, guiding them to do deeds of honor and valor. Olorin, Curunìr, and Aiwendil dwelt in the North, while Alatar and Pallando, the Blue Wizards, traveled to the South and East. Soon, however, it seemed that the Haradrim and Easterlings were beyond saving, for the memory of the corrupt Men of Nùmenor was still burning fresh in their minds. They could not be made to believe those of the North could be trusted.
The Istari Alatar and Pallando soon faded out of the knowledge of the others, who deemed that they had ultimately failed in their mission, instead forcing their rule upon Men with their great sorcery; Dark Lords themselves, as it were. In truth, however, they had been forced to hide themselves, lest Sauron, who was far mightier than they (the least of the Istari), discover them and force them into his service. Knowing that if their powers were added to his he would be nigh unstoppable, they forsook it, instead only keeping their great knowledge. Soon after they took separate roads: Alatar, the greater of the two, to the far East; Pallando to the southern lands of Harad.
In the whole of the existence of Arda, the Blue Wizards indeed seem of little importance. In most ways they had failed: both Easterlings and Haradrim marched with Sauron in the War of the Ring, alongside orcs, Nazgùl, and all evil things that walked the earth. However, in small ways they did succeed; turning willing hearts, however few, back to the Light, sewing small seeds of hope for peace between all Men.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien's works, they belong to the Tolkien estate, etc.
Now that the my attempt at a dramatic intro is done…
…Welcome to my fic. First off let me say that I SWEAR ON THE PRECIOUSSS this will not be Mary Sue! Or a Legomance! In fact, I may not even mention said Elf…*hears shrieks of horror* Eheh, well, back to more relevant things: this is ever so slightly AU due to what I have done with the Blue Wizards, and the fact I'm making up cultural aspects for the Haradrim, but other than that it is canon (following the book, not the movie). Thanks very much for reading, and reviews as always are appreciated!
~Nerd_Anel, formerly DK Illuser
A/N: As you may have guessed in the intro and from the summary, I will be using a lot of aspects from The Silmarillion. If you haven't read it, you'll still get it, and if you have…well…you rock my socks ^^ Also, I know in a lot of material I've read, the Haradrim seem inherently evil and cruel. However, I believe that one cannot be automatically evil, and it's really your environment that shapes you, so I'll use that concept here.
2nd A/N: Heh, sorry I didn't make it clear, but this does take place during LOTR. In later chapters the exact time will become clearer.
Tarock- Thanks very much for reviewing! That line of Faramir's/Sam's is, in my opinion, one of the most poignant in the whole of LOTR. I'm glad you agree!