It burned. It still burns. An unyielding and terrible pain that wracks my tired body. I'm so sick of these empty and meaningless shores. All that once was is lost now; no one remembers. No one...not one. Except me. I remain on this side of the sea, lost and hopeless. There is no hope left in my bones. I feel like I'll just cave in one day. Here, they have abandoned me. This part of the beach is always dark, the sun never touches the sand. It never has. The mortals avoid this part of the beach for they say it is haunted. Maybe they are right, only I am not dead. But I cannot leave until I am forgiven. Ever will I walk these shores with no hope of redemption. The sun shines only a few feet away and three children play in the waves. I need only take four steps and I will enter into the light. But I do not. I remain in the dark, watching those who cannot see me. Thus might it ever remain. The harp in my lap grows suddenly heavy and I lift it as if possessed. The notes come to me naturally and my voice rises into the stars only I can see. Two of the children do not change, they continue their games, but one...one turns and stares into the darkness and meets my eyes. She seems to know that I am there even though her eyes cannot pierce the shadows. She watches me for as long as my harps sings. When my song is quieted, she turns her head away, but her eyes remain on me for the longest time. Suddenly, as if in a flash, she is gone, leaving the two children playing happily by themselves not noticing nor caring that she is gone, almost as if she was never there. Only she could see me and only I could see her.
In front of me suddenly she stands; only now she is grown. She extends her hand to me and I take it. Her gaze swivels from me to the horizon and then back to me. A finger; pointing home and then she is gone. "Return home, son of sin. You are forgiven." a voice echoes in my ears and I shake my head fiercely. No, never forgiven. I pick up my harp and turn to go...
Behind him, the children stop their play to watch in awe as the sun touches the dark-caked sand for the first time ere the sun rose. Illuminated in it's translucent glow, something sparks in the waters. But Maglor's face is towards the shore and he does not see it...