Of the End Of Days

By Daughter of Fëanor

Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkein's work, or characters, or Mandos' prophecies. None of the characters are mine. The only thing that I own is a little bit of this plotline, which was JRRT's idea in the first place.

"…Thus spake the Prophecy of Mandos, which he declared in Valmar at the judgment of the Gods, and the rumour of it was whispered among all the Elves of the West: when the world is old and the powers grow weary, then Morgoth shall come back through the Door out of the Timeless Night; and he shall destroy the Sun and the Moon, but Eärendel shall come upon him as a white flame and drive him from the airs. Then shall the last battle be gathered on the fields of Valinor. In that day Tulkas shall strive with Melko, and on his right shall stand Fionwë and on his left Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, Conqueror of Fate; and it shall be the black sword of Túrin that deals unto Melko his death and final end; and so shall the children of Húrin and all Men be avenged.

Thereafter shall the Silmarils be recovered out of sea and earth and air; for Eärendel shall descend and yield up the flame that he hath in keeping. Then Fëanor shall bear the Three and yield them onto Yavanna Palúrien; and she will break them and with their fire rekindle the Two Trees, and a great light shall come forth; and the Mountains of Valinor shall be leveled, so that the light goes out over all the world. In that light the Gods will again grow young, and the Elves awake and all their dead arise, and the purpose of Ilúvatar be fulfilled concerning them. But of Men in that day the prophecy speaks not, save of Túrin only, and him it names among the Gods…" ~Mandos; The Quenta S19 (Q II), The Shaping of Middle-earth

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Of the End of Days

Of the Last Battle, Fëanaro knew little. Long had he abode in the Halls of Mandos, where few now remained, among them himself and all but one of his sons, the Ever-cursed, they called themselves. Nothing he knew of the dealings of Arda, being wrapped in a cloak of his own thoughts.

Long ago had he repented of his reckless deeds, and berated himself endlessly for his folly at Alqualondë, and cursed himself more harshly than had ever his kin. He would not speak to his sons, and gathered no news of Arda, so certain was he that never would he be released from Mandos' timeless halls. He preferred rather to sit apart and reflect on the follies of his short life.

But even a coward cannot run forever, he knew, and when once more he was approached by his sons, he felt in his heart that he must not refuse them yet again. And well that he admitted them, for the Valar had sent his sons to beg him to aid in the Restoration of Arda Unmarred.

And Fëanaro hearkened to their words and the plea of the Valar, and he perceived that at long last he might atone for his rebellion against the Valar in ages long passed. So the Valar again clad him in hroä, and his sons also, for they were not to have no part in these great deeds.

They were told how Melkor had once again entered the world: by his persevering malice, he had at last woken again his servants old, the Orcs, and the Uruloki, the Valaraukar and the Vampires, and Gorthaur the Abominable, and all the evil creatures in the World hearkened to his call, and they wrought great ruin in Arda. And Melkor the Morgoth thrust himself against the Door of Night, and being in the beginning the mightiest of the Ainur, and had witnessed and aided in the Shaping of Arda, he broke the door, and came again at length into the World.

And his first act was to send his servants against the Sun, and the Valaraukar came in great force against her, and they broke the vessel in which the last light of Laurelin was carried, and it fell from the sky. And they smote the Moon, and the light of Telperion was destroyed, and Tilion fought, with Arien by his side, and they were aided by Ëarendil, who came out of the Night with the Silmaril on his brow. Together, they struck down the Valaraukar, and slew many, and wounded more. But Melkor escaped the assault of Valinor, and fled to Endor, where he raised a great Army, and Gorthaur was again in command.

The remnants of Men in Endor fought valiantly against the forces of Melkor, but alas, he was returned to the peak of his might, more dreadful even than he had been in Elder days before the ruin of Beleriand. The waning forces of Men were swiftly overwhelmed, and none of the great race of the Secondborn would have remained, but for the coming of the Army of Valinor.

For the Valar had, as has been told, returned to the sons of Fëanaro their hroäs, and now they led the Noldor of Valinor in battle, for it was not Fëanaro's fate ever to bear arms again. And they fought beside Ingwë and Ingil of the Vanyar, and Elwë Singollo and his brother Olwë of the Teleri, who had swiftly readied many ships for the passage to Endor. And the coming of the Army of the West renewed hope in the last remnants of Men, and they fought together, and the Children of Illuvatar were again united. And they drove out the forces of Melkor, and Gorthaur fled in terror, and his foul creatures ran about like leaves in the wind.

But in the West, battle reigned even in the Blessed Realm. For Melkor had waited until the great Army of the West had departed, and Valinor less protected, and then he made his great assault. And the Valar and the few Elves that remained in Valinor were taken at unawares, and Melkor and his demons destroyed Tirion upon Tun, the fairest city of the Noldor, and Alqualondë, the Haven of the Swan, and came even to Valimar. And there Tulkas strode to meet Melkor, and they fought. Long they fought, and none could gain the upper hand. And Eonowë, herald of Manwë fought upon Tulkas' right, but Melkor was mightier than both.

And as those in Valinor began to lose hope, there came out of the West a great fleet from the Sea of Night. For as the Army of Valinor had come to the aid of Men in the hour of their defeat, so Illuvatar had sent a great host of the Secondborn to aid The Blessed Realm. And leading them were all the great leaders of old, and their head were Beren Erchamion, and Turin Turambar, and Elessar Telcontar, last of the race of Numenor long diminished in Arda.

While Beren and Elessar led their host to the defeat of Melkor's demons, Turambar went alone to the deserted city of Valimar, where Tulkas and Melkor fought. And they were amazed, but Melkor lifted his fist as if to crush the Man. Then did Turambar spring aside, and he hewed at Melkor, and slew the foul body in which he walked. Thus was the House of Hador avenged for their misfortune and torment at the hands of the Morgoth. But the work of Restoration was not done.

For now all was night, as it had been in Endor before the Sun and moon, and only the stars of Varda Tintallë gave light to the World, for Morgoth had not dared to come against her or her works. And the World was Broken, and the Silmarils retrieved from their long homes by Earendil. And then Fëanaro was sent for, and the Valar asked again of him if he would surrender to them the Silmarils, and break them, and give Light to the World once more. And this time Fëanaro did not deny to them their request, but he said to them:

"To thee shall I willingly surrender these works of my hand, for I repent of my folly, and would repair the hurts I have caused. But these things are dear to me, and I cannot bear to break them. Therefore I ask that this duty fall to my eldest son, for by my deeds he was the most hurt, yet was the only one who dared to rebel against them." *

And the Valar took pity on Fëanaro, and the Silmarilli were given unto Maidros**. And he broke them, and gave them up to Yavanna Kementari***, and she rekindled the Two Trees with their light, and a great blaze of Light spread out over Valinor. And the Valar leveled the Mountains of Valinor, and the Light was no longer contained, but spread to every corner of Arda. And the Army of the West, that remained in Endor pursuing the remnants of Melkor's armies beheld the Light, and they rejoiced, and as they watched, the World grew young again, and the Ainur became again youthful, and the Eldar relived of their cares, and the Eldar that had abode in the Halls of Mandos for years beyond count arose again, and their life was renewed, and all rejoiced.

And then it was that Eru Illuvatar spoke to the Ainur, and to his other Children through them, and he said to them:

"Now hast ye achieved all that ye were meant to do, and the Wrong of Melkor banished forever. And the Secondborn hath achieved greatness far beyond that which ye expected, but that they were from the beginning meant to do. And Arda hath been Broken and Remade, and Light hath been restored. Now sing together before me, if you so will it, and the Second Music of the Children of Eru shall begin"

And all of Eru's Children sang before him, the Ainur and the Eldar and the Secondborn alike. Then the themes of Illuvatar were played aright, and took being in the moment of their utterance, for all then understood fully his intent in their part, and each knew the comprehension of each, and Illuvatar gave to their thoughts the Secret Fire, being well pleased. And the strains of the Second Music fell about the World, and it was Unmarred. And after a time - none knew how long it was, for the Music was timeless- the Music slowed, and ceased, and the Children of Eru looked again on Arda, and saw that it was Remade and Unmarred, and the Light of the Trees flowed out over the World. And the Children of Eru shall forever live together in harmony, within the Bliss of Arda Remade.

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NOTES

*It was pointed out to me that Maglor also rebelled against Fëanor's commands: he tried to persuade Maedhros not to steal the last two Silmarils. But since Fëanor has been in seclusion since before then, he wouldn't necessarily know this.

**I use the older version of Maedhros' name, because it fits in with the period when the prophecy was written, and Tolkein was still using that spelling. Besides, I like it.

***I know that in the prophecy above, it says that Yavanna breaks the Silmarils. But it was also said: ''In those days the Silmarils shall be recovered from sea and earth and air, and Maidros shall break them and Palúrien with their fire rekindle the Two Trees and the great light shall come forth again, and the Mountains of Valinor shall be levelled so that it goes over the World, and Gods and Elves and Men shall grow young again, and all their dead awake...'' (The Shaping of Middle-Earth, pp. 40-41.)

I choose to go with this version, mainly because Maedhros is my favorite character, and frankly, I think he deserves it.

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THE END