North of the Undying Lands by Queen Elizardbeth
Chapter 1: The Wizard and Wolf
In the beginning, there was Erü.
Erü, who is called Illúvatar, created all.
His first creations were the Ainur, the Holy Ones, into whom he put His Flame Eternal, blessing them with freedom of choice and their own will. With them, He lead the Great Singing and playing of music, from which all form, emotion, and light in the Halls of Eä were created. For a time, all was well, but soon, discord was woven in a battle between two themes.
Erü's eldest and most powerful son Melkor, who is later named Morgoth Belagur, sought to make his own theme greater. He brought many others to play with his theme rather than their Father's, and from this disharmony in the Ainur came all wickedness, strife, fear, and pride that reside in the hearts of those who dwell in Arda. And so, the Children of Illúvatar could be made corrupt.
The First Children of Illúvatar, who call themselves the Eldar, but are named the Elves in the nations of Men and Dwarf, were not easy to corrupt. The Valar, the pure siblings of Melkor, brought the Eldar to Valinor before Melkor's influence could manifest itself among them, but exceptions still remain. Finwë's eldest son, Curufinwë, who was called Fëanor by his mother, lead the Noldor house into exile after Melkor's rape of the Silmarils and slaying of Finwë. Maeglin, son of Eöl the smith, betrayed King Turgon of Gondolin in exchange for the hand of his own cousin.
But the betrayals of the Eldar do not compare with that of the Edain, the Second Children of Illúvatar. They are the men, the night-fearers, the short-lived. Of all nations and races in Middle Earth, the Edain are the easiest to corrupt.
The horses hooves pounded across the moor, bruising the ground as it charged away from the smoke.
Run.
The wind whipped the rider's face, his hair pulled back revealing the birthmark for which he was named.
Hide.
His sister clung to his back, tears streaming down her eyes as their family's screams echoed in her head.
'Go!' Valacirca's grandfather shouted, hastily handing him a round stone wrapped in cloth. 'Take your sister and the stone to my brother Ceneli! He is near the coast, and he will take you in, do you understand?' The young wizard's tongue betrayed him as he tried to answer the aged man, and the attackers rounded the corner before it loosened. 'Go!' Cenelem drew his sword, and slapped the horse's flank, sending it fleeing from the burning village.
"Circa, stop!"
His sister's plea drew Valacirca from the past, and he saw that the horse was nearing the edge of a chasm in the earth.
He jerked back the reigns, and the horse came to a halt a few yards from the wide crevasse. Valacirca turned to look at Merrigold, her eyes wide from the fear still fresh in her mind. "Can we stop now?" she murmured into her brother's back, "Waddles sounds tired." The large horse below them grunted in agreement, his plump body heaving with each breath, not tolerant of such speedy endeavors.
Valacirca bit his lip and looked across the rolling land, unsure if his paranoia of eyes unseen was rightly needed. "Y-yeah. I think we can stop now," he muttered as he slid off Waddles, his body aching in pain from a night and day of riding West, to where their great uncle presumably lived. He turned and aided his sister in stepping down from the horse, her red and pink clothes the only color in the dull land.
"Why did grandfather want us to go to Ceneli?" she asked, adjusting her mother's quiver across her back. "Wasn't he banished for something fourty-ish years ago?"
Valacirca slid his staff out of the straps on the horse and sighed, not sure of the answer himself. "I think he accused someone of something, and there was a fight. Father never liked to speak of it."
"Huh. Do you think Lady Varda will tell you?"
The young wizard chuckled darkly, leaning on his brown wooden rod, the blue crystal in it's head glowing faintly. "I haven't heard her since she came to me five years ago. Also, I doubt she 'blessed me' just to simply force two old men to hug it out."
"It's still pretty cool that she gave you that staff, and she put the design of some of her stars on your head! You weren't even fourteen yet!" Merrigold smile at him as she stroked Waddle's mane, the horse bent down to devour the grass. "You've got good things coming, brother!"
The corner of her twin's mouth twitched, and he then began to walk in a wide circle around them, murmuring in the elvish tongue as he gently waved his staff. "Arwenamin, aa' vara tel' Seldarine mallen lye." His staff glowed a bright blue, and a ring of light about twenty feet in radius glowed on the ground around them.
"What did that do?"
"Protection spell. As long as we're within it we can't be seen, heard, or smelled." His eyes darted to the horizon, the Moon rising to make his journey across the sky before the sun even set. "It'll last until morning, so we will want to make an early start…" Valacirca's eyes scanned the horizon nervously. What if someone followed them? He didn't see orcs or wargs with the raiders, but he wasn't careful to change their direction during the ride, so they could have easily been tailed. He turned to look at Merrigold, who was unrolling blankets that were stored in the saddle bags.
"Well if we're making an early start we better get some sleep," she sighed, smiling up at her brother. "I'll take first watch bro, you get some sleep."
"Are you sure?" Valacirca ask hesitantly, not sure if his sister was up to the task.
"Of course! Waddles and I will make sure nothing enters the circle, right boy?" Waddles lumbered over at the mention of his name, nuzzling Merrigold as he knelt down next to her. "You'll be fine, Circa. Get some sleep!"
The wizard sighed in defeat, and wrapped himself in the thick blanket. He placed his staff on the ground next to him, and, almost as soon as he rested his head, he felt himself slip into dreams.
Valacirca found himself facing a fountain, with clear blue water flowing out of the mouths of silver swans. The basin was filled to the brim, and light shimmered out of it like the reflections of stars, but the world around the fountain was black and void. But the wizard's eyes did not focus on the fountain, but instead rested upon the woman siting at the fountain's edge.
The woman was robed in dark blue, and many jewels were woven into her dress. Sapphire, ruby, diamond, and emerald glowed gently in the fabric that fluttered slightly by their own accord. But the gems paled in comparison to the woman's face. Her dark eyes were framed by hair as black as night, and her skin glowed with power. No mark of time marred her porcelain skin, but her eyes shimmered with memory of eras before the world itself was fully formed. The eyes met his own, and a motherly smile graced her features. She stood and stretched out her arms in welcome, her body seeming to tower over him.
"Valacirca," her voice echoed throughout the void, "It has been so long."
The young man immediately dropped to his knees and bowed before her. "Lady Varda," was all he could whisper as he felt his lips fail him. The presence of any Ainuar, especially one of the Valar, in dreams was desired desired by many, but it often meant that doom was soon at hand.
"Your thoughts are not deceptive," She said, her approaching footfalls making no sound in the dark. "I do bring tidings of woe, but I also bring words of wisdom." She placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pulled him up to face her. "Both your fate and your sister's are tied to the doom of your uncle, and you must continue West to meet with him there. The time with him will not be of peace, and terrors that have not been seen since the fall of the Dark One shall claim dominion again. You must aid your uncle, and you must break this deception that has arisen in the North."
She placed a hand on his face, and her eyes filled with concern. "You will meet another member of your doom tonight, and know that, though you may not wish anything to do with them, they will be a part of your fate now, and until the Unmarring of Eä."
She removed her hand and pulled him into an embrace. "You bear our Sickle so you may be known as our harvester, now wake and prepare for that which Illúvatar has planned."
Valacirca's eyes shot open, the entire dream clear in his memory. They were to continue to their great-uncle's, and he was meant to meet someone tonight. Who in Arda could be of such importance? He sat up to talk to Merrigold about his vision, but he was met with a hand clapped over his mouth.
"MMMMPH," he instinctively reached for his staff, but Merrigold's face turned towards him, her usually cheerful eyes serious and focused. She slowly removed her hand, and placed a single finger on her lips. Valacirca opened his mouth to ask what was the matter when he heard the cause for her alarm: a long, single howl rode on the wind, and it was followed by a terrified shriek.
"What was that?" Merrygold whispered, her hand griping Valacirca's arm. Her brother gave no reply, but stood up, clutching his staff. The hill on which they were sleeping conveniently gave them a good view of the surrounding landscape, and the waxing Moon lit the undulating moor. At first he spotted neither man nor foul beast, but then a white dash to the north caught the corner of his eye. A snow-white horse was galloping towards the hill and chasm, its rider clad in violet, and behind it charged…
"Merrigold, draw your bow, NOW!" Merrigold knocked an arrow, and aimed towards the horse. "What is it?" she muttered, her voice barely audible over the violet rider's screams.
"Wolf," her brother replied, "A really big wolf."
The wolf in question was currently bearing down on its prey, its maw snapping at the golden hair flowing out behind the rider. The rider turned sharply, hoping to cause the wolf to stumble, but the beast's footing kept the pace, and the horse charged up the hill.
"Get on Waddles. When I give my signal, start shooting at the wolf. Keep shooting at it once it gets to me." The wizard whispered hastily, pointing his staff in front of him. Merrygold nodded, and climbed on the horse, preparing her bow. The rider was approaching quickly, charging straight at Valacirca. It was 30 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet-
"NOW!"
Valacirca leapt aside as the wolf howled in pain, an arrow sinking into its neck. He struck the beast's snout with the head of his staff, the hide and skin smoking against the blazing crystal. The wolf turned to face this new adversary, but as soon as it exposed its back three new arrows sprouted from it's hide.
The rider drew her horse to a halt, twisting in her saddle to see the new players on the field. She sensed the magic in this spot, and saw that her suspicions of sorcery were confirmed by the staff that the young man wielded. She was hoping that whomever had casted the spells that hid these two from her sight would aid her against the werewolf, and she was glad that she was once again correct.
The woman on a very fat horse rode in circles around the wolf, sending shaft after shaft into its foul flesh. The monstrosity turned his glowing red eyes at mounted woman, and she let bow falter, paralyzed by the fear the wolf send into her. The wolf then returned back to the wizard before him, and lowered its body, preparing to pounce. "No!" the rider screamed, urging her horse forward. Her horse leapt over the wizard, and slammed into the foul beast, knocking it aside. Merrigold snapped out of her trance, and, drawing her final arrow, sent it flying into the wolf's snarling maw. The beast choked on the arrow, its metal point sinking deep into the back of it's throat, and Valacirca shoved his staff's head into its open mouth.
"CAELA IE'LLE"
Light burst from the wolf's mouth, eyes, and nostrils, and the air was filled with the smell of burnt flesh. The wolf jumped away from Valacirca, and it attempted to turn away from the source of its pain, but its paws broke beneath it. The beast raised its head, giving out one final cry in agony, and it fell at the young man's feet, black blood flowing down its back from the metal points of Merrygold's arrows.
"Ugh" said Merrygold as she slipped off Waddles to stand with her brother. "And I thought it smelled bad before we fried it's guts." She strode up to the wolf and began to collect her arrows, yanking them out of the bloody hide.
Valacirca approached the beast's head and inspected it. The wolf was far too large to be any ordinary warg, and a malice radiated off of it. It's limbs were oddly portioned compared to the rest of it's body, being nearly an extra foot longer than the legs of other dogs, and spinal vertebrae stuck out of it's back like a small mountain range, and it's teeth were jagged and crude.
The wizard noticed a small patch of skin on the left cheek of the wolf where no skin grew, seeing multiple gray lines crossing the black flesh. He stretched out his hand to to touch it, but a sharp cry made him halt.
"Stop, you fool!"
He turned to look at the rider, who still towered above him on her horse, blue eyes glowering at him from under the violet hood. "Dost thou know what that foul creature is? Or dost thou wish to see Mandos sooner than any other?" Her voice was sharp, and her eyes cold.
Valacirca briefly returned her glare before moving back to the wolf. "You seem quite bold to insult the ones who just prevented you from visiting Mandos yourself," he muttered, brushing back the matted fur that stretched over the skin. His eyes widened at the symbol the lines made: a great crown, with three diamond-like shapes across the brow, and below it an ax and a war hammer crossed. Valacirca took a step away from the wolf, and glanced at his sister who finished ripping her iron barbs out of the creature's flesh.
"Merrigold?"
"Yes?"
"You remember how Father told us about those weird demon wolves?"
"The werewolves? Yes."
"It appears we've just killed one."
Merrigold ceased wiping the putrid blood onto the werewolf's hide and stared at her twin. "Really?!" Her voice was overly happy for one who had just fought a demon-possessed monster, but the excitement of such a victory was somewhat understandable.
"Look," Valacirca pointed at the brand with the end of his staff, the crown seeming to absorb the blue light, "That's the symbol of Morgoth." His sister gasped at this and met her brother's eyes in astonishment.
"How old is this thing?"
"I'm not sure. Angband was the final place where werewolves were bred, so it has got to be at least six-thousan-"
"AHEM!"
The twins turned around to face their guest, who had descended from her horse and lowered her hood. Her face was square-shaped with high cheekbones, and was framed with golden hair and elegant bangs. Her eyes sparkled blue, and her lips were full and red as a rose. A small circlet of gold sat upon her head, and she was adorned with diamond earrings and a necklace of pearls. Valacirca noticed that her ears were pointed, and her skin radiated power. He would have thought the elf beautiful if it were not for the prideful disdain that marred her features. Her arms were crossed in impatience, and her eyes were barren of any kindness.
She glared at the two, waiting for some recognition from the Edain that stood before her and had given her little to no heed. "Will you two continue to ignore me as you marvel over the corpse of an ancient horror? Or will thou actually appreciate company when you receive it?"
Merrigold wrinkled her nose at their guest as Valacirca raised an eyebrow, ready to send the werewolf's would-be victim away. "While we do enjoy company, we are not ones to appreciate those whom we save and then don't even thank us."
The elf's face turned red with anger, "How dare…Do you know who I am?!" She hissed at the twins through her teeth, her fists balled.
Merrigold inspected her up and down, and smirked at the enraged Eldar. "You're clearly an elf who has no idea how to care for herself in the wild. You're wearing fine silk robes and some pretty nice jewelry, but you clearly are unarmed out here. You have on some nice perfume which probably got the werewolf on your scent in the first place. You are, quite simply, helpless."
"Helpless?!" The elf screeched, "I am Tiunelu Fornumen, daughter of Precoth Fornumen! I am a Noldor elf of the Havens! My father fought for Fëanor during the battle with the Teleri, from which he came victorious! I saw the fall of Nargothrond and Menegroth! How dare you call me helpless!"
Tiunelu's chest heaved with wrath as the twins took a step away from her, fear in their eyes. Valacirca stepped forward, his calm appearance masking his own fury.
"You are a Noldor, you say?" He brushed his brown hair out of his face and his brown eyes met the elf's blue irises, "Well my sister and I are both Dúnedain, descendants of Tar-Elendil, fourth King of Númenor. Merrigold is her name, and I am Valacirca, son of Denelem of the house of Filbrick."
The elf scoffed. "Valacirca?" Tiunelu raised her eyebrow in disbelief, "Denelem must be a very bold man to name you after the creation of Varda."
The wizard felt his sister grab his arm, likely planning to restrain him if necessary, but he remained calm. "Say what you will," he sighed, "That is my name, and it was given with Varda's approval."
"What do you…" Tiunelu's tongue knotted itself when she saw the Edain lift up the bangs that covered his forehead, revealing there the mark that looked identical to the constellation shining above them. The elf was filled with fear and wonder, unsure how to respond to such a statement.
"Lady Varda gave me this staff five years ago, and she blessed me with this mark," Valacirca glared at her, "She has not revealed to me my doom, but she assured me not long before you joined us that it will soon come into effect."
The elf was silent for a long time after this. She herself had been told in a dream to head north after she was waylaid on her way to Rivendell, and she recalled the Sickle being present in the message. After the wizard ceased glaring at her, she said slowly, "To where does thy path lead?"
Merrigold crossed her arms as Valacirca raised an eyebrow. "We make for the Icebay of Forochel. We seek out Great-Uncle Ceneli, as our own home was destroyed." Tiunelu bit her lip nervously, uncertain how her next statement shall be received.
"I shall join you."
"Pardon?"
The elf sighed bitterly, her pride difficult to abandon. However, if she desired to return home, she would likely be safest traveling first to the coast and south from there. "I will join you until we reach the sea. Ulmo still has dominion over those waters, surely he will preserve my life as I return to the Havens."
Valacirca was about to object, but he felt his sister tug on his arm. "Circa, talk. Now." He allowed himself to be pulled aside by Merrigold with their backs to the elf, their hushed voiced barely audible over the wind.
"What should we do?"
"I'm all for leaving her."
"Circa!"
"What? She's very rude."
"True, but she hasn't wronged us. At least, not yet."
"Do we have to?"
"What would Varda want?"
Valacirca groaned at this. He had nearly forgotten her message that another member of his doom would join them that night. Please, he begged, Please tell me it's not this elf.
But the more he pleaded, the more certainly he felt that she was, in fact, the one of whom Varda spoke. He sighed, and met his sister's brown eyes.
"We need to take her with us," he muttered dejectedly, "This meeting is not by chance."
"Alrighty then," Merrigold turn back to the elf and gave her a hesitant smile, "You can come with us until Forochel."
"You have my thanks."
And with that, Tiunelu turned to her horse and pulled a blanket of her own out, and made herself a bed upon the grass. Valacirca turned to see his sister's eyes droop, her body swaying with exhaustion. "Go ahead and sleep," He whispered, "I'll take the watch until morning."
Merrigold smiled at him before lying down next to her horse. "Thanks, Circa."
Valacirca pulled out his old pipe and looked at the stars above, planning their journey come dawn.
Far in the north, past the realms of Angmar and Gundabad, a man robed in gold slowly opened his single eye, a smile spreading across his face.
"So," He rose from his throne of stone, carved to look like Edain and Eldar supported him in agony, "It appears your kin has that which you his from me, my old friend." He came to the cliffside, from which a man hung by his arms, chained to the rock by his wrists. "Don't worry, Cenelord," the Wizard smiled, prodding the man's twig-like arms with the pointed end of his staff, "I'll see to it that you will be reunited with them before the End."
Notes:
Gravity Falls is owned by Disney, all Tolkien-stuff is owned by the Tolkien Estate, none of this is mine, blah blah blah.
I hope you all enjoyed the first Chapter! This is the beginning of my Arda AU, which takes place in the Lord of the Rings Universe. I'll try to update on a regular basis, but I don't make any promises.
Most, if not all, characters will be Gravity Falls characters in this story. I will mention the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion quite a bit, but none of the characters will actually appear. Tell me what you all think! I really want to make this one good!
I hope you enjoyed this first Chapter! This is the start of my Arda AU, which takes place in the Lord of the Rings Universe.