A. N. I'm back!
Yeah, I'll admit that finishing and leaving behind my last fic was hard: after all, I had spent a lot of time making it (though it was fun as it could get!). But you know? In a way I didn't leave it behind. This idea that occurred to me can be seen as an extension of Tales of the Middle Ages. But then again, it's not the same thing. Oh, no. I must confess that I feel a slight fascination for the Sheikah, and though that's why I decided to put this up together I don't plan to make it as long as the other.
Well then! Before I begin, please let me refer to my last fic: for a better conception of one of the characters to appear in the future, check out chapter 5 of Tales of the Middle Ages. It's not absolutely necessary, but I think it might help a bit.
Enough! Welcome back those who know me already! Simple welcome to those that do not!
'Shadows follow all creatures, whether they be Men, Elves of Hylia. Yet, the fear or feeling of dread that all experience before them is not innate, though it is easily acquired as one grows into full-growth of mind, body and heart. Since the beginnings of their existence, Men have, above all other races, feared darkness. When in Hildorien they first awoke beneath the sun, shadows or night were not present; and they were content to live and breath under a lit sky. The men laughed, the women sang and the children played.
'But with the passing of time came the night. And when the Sun had sank beneath the western horizon, Men were afraid of the lack of sunlight; and they wondered and wept at the death of the Light of the World.
'There were amongst Men, though, a strange and obscure people that did not quail before night. Rather than cowing in fear and wonder, they rose their face away from their hands and looked into the night sky. "Behold!" their leader exclaimed, and his people beheld the moon and stars. "What is this that tries to mimic he Sun's light yet cannot yield but soft and white light?" he asked, and the people wondered at this. "It is a sign," some said. "Nay! It is a warning!" said some others. But the wiser remained in silence, for they perceived they had no answer for this riddle.
'Thus, the night passed to these people's grief and to all other Men's joy. But each day, when the Sun grew weary of its path across the sky and lies down to rest in the Western Halls, Men went to sleep and forgot about the night's perils; and the Dark Men came forth to behold the shadows once again, and they would find interest in darkness, though themselves would not be evil. Shadows may conceal evil, but they may conceal a great many more things.
'Wisdom and peace are amongst these last. And while Men wandered and fell prey of evils that lurk the world, Dark Men grew safe and wise amidst the shadows. And when Men had left the east to seek new relieves for their sorrows, Dark Men remained alone and in peace for many a long year, until one fateful day, when the Door that leads from the Sea was found…'
Turandir Morthol, first Lord of the Sheikah
Of Dark Men and the Hylia of old.
'Long had our forefathers dwelt in peace in the east of Middle Earth. Their wisdom grew and prospered steadily with the slow yet quick passing of the years. To protect themselves from the evils that roam the night, the Dark Men became strong warriors also. Thus, Dark Men, few though they were, became one of the most powerful races of the Secondborn when the World was young but ripe. Thence comes the ancient strength of us, the Shadow-folk.
'With the night's perils there came also the Dark Elves, a race of strange beings fairer than our sires in many ways and not bound to the death that is the fate of mortals. In an act of great kindness they became teachers of them and taught them in the ways of great wisdom. The lore of the folk of old increased greatly by this; and their lives may seemed harsh and unwholesome to the few Men that met with them by chance, but the Dark Men grew in mind and body and strength more than any, save by a few tribes of the west.
'This is told because the lore and strength that us Sheikah posses is matter of wonder to the Hylia even in these days of late.
'Our true origin, though, lies in a not too distant past. There once was a child of these Men of the Shadow, who were called by the Firstborn Moredain, that longed for adventure and strange new lands. Ben he was called, and in him many of the Dark Men sensed the true nature of his folk: bold, kind, lover of peace and quietness and shadows. When the moon was full, and the stars were dim beside him, the child would often wonder far away (as it goes for a child) from his tribe in the look for new things. So it was in his childhood, and so it was in his early manhood. And as he grew, his fares would be longer and more distant; and many other young men would often go with him.
'Now it chanced that Ben found the Great Sea, westernmost of the lands of his people's dwelling, after many a long day of walking with his companions in his search for the unknown lands. Four had accompanied him during his journey: Ban his brother, Bera the Strong-hand and Ifta and his wife Danriel, for women were held to be as worthy of glory as any man within the Dark Men. Together, the company had crossed the Great River, after beholding it in great wonder, and had come upon the shores of the centre of western Middle Earth. There, the greatest of doubts had come to them, for a thing of such size that stretched far beyond the sight of their keen eyes was unknown to them.
'But Ben said to their companions: "Behold! For we have found a lake that covers all lands greater than Arda. And was it not us those who found it, for the first time for the Dark Men? And look at its size! It is the greatest of things that I have found in the name of my kindred. How shall we name it?"
'Then Danriel the manhearted spoke: "How can you know that this has not a name of its own already? For we cannot know if people greater or older that us already have found the Great Water.
'"You speak truthfully, my wife," said Ifta, and then he spoke to Ben: "And I am sure that you would agree with Danriel. How do we know if no other has a claim over it already?"
'These words upset Ben in a great way, but he deemed them right nonetheless; and he decided to ask for counsel in later times, when the shadow of weariness would not be over him.
'After some nights of lingering near the Sea, they returned to the lands of the Moredain and spoke of the Great Water that was greater than any pond, river or lake that the Dark Men had ever seen. And among the youth of them a seed of desire for journeying with Ben was sown. But the elders were at unease, though they bade Ben to gather a few of his own kin and set way again to the Great Water. For they perceived the great promise of a new dwelling for the Men of the Shadows that quickly grow weary of the same lands about them. Thus, Ben, who was now called the Great Wanderer, gathered again a company and at once departed for the Sea.
'Again, Ban, Bera, Ifta and Danriel went with him; but a great part of his house joined him shortly afterwards on his quest also, and his father was named leader of the host. Ben loved his father, but it is said that he was not willing to be bereft of command in a journey that he had begun.
'"Why must it be that you are to lead our people in my stead even if I am present?" he asked his father on an afternoon when the host rested near a pond.
'"Because I am the elder of our house," his father answered to his discontent. "Therefore, I shall guide our people to their new fate, though I do not think that you should worry: none shall hold this event as my doing."
'"Still, I would have you yield the command of the Wandering Dark Men to me", said Ben proudly "For, was it not me who found the Great Water?"
'"Truly," said the elder, but he was unmoved. "But I have something you lack still, although I deem it shall not be for long: knowledge in the leading of a host. You have not yet come to learn that the fates of men under one's command is no small thing. What might happen if evil falls upon us and a man without experience is caught as a leader? Nay! I do not want to even think of it. But I say to you, my son: do not be impatient! For the time of your role as the leader of the Morandiri is not far off."
'Thus spoke Ben's father in wisdom. But the young man was proud, and he did not suffer being called unlearned in the ways of leading. He gathered a small group of faithful followers and spoke to them: "Behold the time of our parting. Since the elder will not yield command to the one who rightfully deserves it, I shall go. But who shall follow me in the showing of great friendship?"
'As mall number of those gathered refused his guidance, but the rest assented; and so it was that Ben the Wanderer left many days before the main host with a small band of trusted friends in order to reach the Sea ere his father, thus beginning the first of a series of events that would end in the finding of Hyrule.
'The band again reached the Great River on its eastern bank, and there they rested for a while. Ben and Ban were set in the greatest of the tents amidst the centre of the, but the rest of the company, of which there were two score of men and women, remained near the shallow banks. Then, when all were settled and at ease, Ben went to the great gathering about a fire in the night and spoke to them.
'"Ye who have followed me in great loyalty, listen to me!," he said with a great voice. "Behold the Great River that runs to the south of these alien lands about us. Do you think that it is great? Do you hold it as the greatest of the waters that you shall see? Do you feel the desire to remain nearby its shores and dwell in peace? It would not be strange if you do so; yet, I say to you: the Great Water by which we have left our lands is the mother of all waters, and this River is but a small child compared to where I lead you. So if any of you had the mind of remaining hither and make your house and home amidst the rocks and streams that end in the banks, do not doubt my word: that you shall dismiss this Great Stream as a mere tributary to the Great Water should you follow me to the end. Thus I have spoken, he who leads the faithful host of the Dark Men of Wander. Who will forsake my guidance?"
'None of the men or women spoke, but a great clamour arose from the company; and no Dark Man would relinquish the guidance of Ben. So it was that the first of the hosts of Men held altogether in a single company that headed to the Sea. That night, music rang, and many voices, fair and not so, sang many songs that the Dark Elves had taught our sires many a year ago from them.
Now that the Sea is not so far-off,
Now we shall march, to nightfall and moon,
Whatever our mind might be thinking of
To rest and to joy we shall arrive soon.
Dressed in the shade, darkened and fair
Huntress among, her people she is
Cunning with bow, of yellow bright hair
Maidens of dark, that fill us with bliss.
Clad in shadow, strong and yet kind
Warriors of Men, that shun evil's way
Leader among is Ben the Great Mind,
Who shall guide us to a new and fair day.
'So they sang, singing about the fair and strong maidens of the Morandiri, of the strength of the Dark Men, of their leader Ben the Wanderer and of their fate that was not to delay much any longer. And the night passed, with its stars and shadows; and thus came the day. The company returned to the tents and rested, in accord to their people's custom. But in that hour, when the sun is high and in the middle of the sky, wanderers from afar lands came across the encampment of the Dark Men and wondered at it, for it was silent when it should have been filled with the sounds of men, women and children. Elves they were, of the Sindarin Folk, and Lindwë was their leader. With silence, he approached to the tent in the middle of the bivouac and called in the fair voice of the Grey-Elves Aiya!, which is "Behold!", for he had seen the designs that adorned the tent of Ben before; many years ago when he had met the First of the Dark Men that had wandered and strayed even as near as the wood of Eriador. Then Ben was aroused and leapt outside.
'In surprise and great wonder he beheld the Elf, and it seemed to the leader of the Morandiri that he was the fairest of the creatures in the world. He bowed and greeted him and his folk with fair words in the language of old men, that was related to the Elven tongue having been taught by the Dark Elves. But Lindwë smiled and answered in Ben's own tongue: "Do not take me for a strange and divine lord, for I myself am not more than a mere scout in these wild regions. Yet I wonder: what might a band of the Secondborn be doing here, before the vast lands that outstretch ere the dominion of the Sea?"
'Ben was pleased to hear that the Sea was not far, and he answered as one that has been pleased: "I am leading my people to the Great Water, which you have named Sea, in the hope of finding a better dwelling for them and for myself also. I have found hope again, now that you tell me that the Shores of the Sea are not far away from us."
'But Lindwë was grieved by these news, and he spoke again to Ben and warned him of the wild lands that were outside the fair Beleriand. "The time for journeying you could not have chosen in a more dreadful hour," he said. "Have you not heard of the Dark Lord that lives in the North? North though his evil may be, he has many outstretched claws in the world, and far to the south of Eriador his minions wreak havoc as well.
'Ben was utterly displeased with these news, and he at once made his mind: that they would, then, have to fight through their way to the Sea, for none should stop them in their quest. But he thanked Lindwë and his folk for the tidings nonetheless and offered them rest amongst his company. To his great joy, the Elven band agreed and spent the rest of the day and the whole night amidst the encampment, singing and speaking in fair voices; and as dusk approached the Dark Men were aroused one by one at the sound of music and laugher. Thus the Morandiri had one of the most joyful nights of their, although many thought that the Elves had remained with them out pity instead of weariness.
'When midnight had come, and the moon was high above them, Ben and Lindwë were sitting away from the mirth in the centre of the encampment. "It is my wonder how you Men tolerate the night and its shadows as if they were peers to the things of daylight," said the Elf to Ben, and the man smiled. "This is most uncommon amongst us Men, as you might know already," he replied. "Most of my kindred fear the night and its beings, whereas we delight in the peace and quietness that it brings." He laughed when he gazed at the celebration again and noticed how Lindwë smiled also. "Merrymaking is strange to us, though we are not Men that spend their lives in mourning. Yet, the night is ever our faithful companion"
'"Then your folk deserve a new name," said Lindwë turning to Ben with a light in his eyes. "For it is not fit that so wise and peaceful a people should have a name that many relate to evil and wickedness. Dark Men love the shadows, but not what they might conceal; rather, they love the very nature of night: quietness and silvery lights. Therefore, I shall name anew your folk in the manner of us Sindar."
'Ben was silent and in wonder, for he had not thought ever of these matters with enough earnest ever before. But he became interested and asked: "I thank you indeed for your words. I would gladly be called something else instead of what most consider and evil word. How might you name us, dwellers of the night?"
'"That is not difficult," said the Elf laughing in his turn. "Do you not love the stars? Do you not love the night? Do you not love dim lights? Do you not love the shadows? Then I shall name ye the Daeridhrim, and may your folk prosper in the night that most of us beings of Arda fear.
'And Ben felt proud and great of being part of the Shadow Folk.'
A. N. As usual, my translations: 'Moredain' is 'Dark Men'; 'Morandiri', is 'Dark Wanderers'; Turandir Morthol means 'Master Pilgrim of the Black Helm', and that's one of my favorite names! Of him I will talk later on.
Well then! How did you like it? Am I being too much of a Tolkien fan? Next chapter will deal with the rest of the journey and with the finding of Hyrule, though I don't know if I'll leave it right there. Umm… let's see… No… Nope, my crystal ball tells me that I might make it a little longer. Don't despair! I swear it won't be much longer!
I would appreciate every well earned comment that I would receive, but I ask you please not to flame; I've seen pretty bad stuff out there and FF.net yet have never said anything offensive. So please leave a review when you leave. ^_^