Chapter 16: The pride of a king.

She found a ship which did take her across the sea to the island, she did pose as a normal person, a human being going over to search for work and she had taken a somewhat aged look so nobody would get tempted to try something funny. The journey was uneventful but she did listen to the sailors and their gossip and she realized that things really were bad. The king seemed to be firmly in the grasp of the captured maia, but in truth he was the one who was the prisoner. They said that Ar-Pharazon never went anywhere without Tar-Mairon as he now was known and those who were faithful to the olden days and the valar were in grave danger. The maia tried to eradicate them and some spoke of human sacrifice and horrors to terrible to describe.

The harbour was grand and CeKay did realize that Numenor in fact was a very powerful nation, and that it had great resources. The statues guarding the entrance to the harbour were grand, the city itself quite lovely and the roads leading inland towards the Meneltarma and the royal palace well made. The population seemed to be well off and happy and CeKay did wonder if they truly knew what they had in their midst. She got off the ship and wandered off into the harbour city, she was looking like a normal human woman, above her youth but still strong and capable of working.

The city wasn't that grand, this wasn't one of the large harbours and yet it held a grandness which told her that these people were fond of exaggerations. She managed to find an inn where she could stay and she had money, she had made sure that everything about her made sense and backed up her story. She was a widow, her husband had been a sailor who had been to the island often enough and she wanted to work. At the inn the landlady did allow her to stay the nights for free if she did help out with the laundry and CeKay did agree. She was capable of working way harder than any human being but she did hide that, she just showed that she was hard working and willing and after a couple of the days the owner asked if she would contemplate working there permanently. CeKay had found that this place in fact was a good place to start from, there were lots of travellers coming through the inn and if she did work serving she could hear all the news she wanted and more.

She did agree and got a small room of her own and the landlady was a very warm and gentle person who knew how to make money but she wasn't greedy and she treated her staff very well. CeKay had presented herself as Khaya, it was a very common name among the humans which did inhabit the coasts of Ennorath and she had managed to learn the local dialects so well nobody would suspect anything. She did wash rooms and served at the tables and the inn was rather famous for its good food so there was always a crowd there. CeKay had understood how people think, she was too old looking to tempt the men but she acted very maternal and her gentle ways did make many trust her enough to open up.

Most there were sailors but there were also merchants and farmers and others who did travel and she got a fairly good image of the society after a few weeks. The upper class was like a world of its own, the commoners knew little about them, other than that they were the ones in charge and that they could make your life very miserable if you didn't do as you were told. The taxes had risen over the last years, the new advisor did force the king to fill his coffers with coin, and there were ships built. Some said that the king wanted to go to war again, but against whom?

CeKay had a suspicion, and it made her feel chills. She already knew that the king was terrified of growing old, of fading away. Everybody knew this, there were whispers of all the strange things he had used to do to remain young. Some of the sailors spoke of rare and exotic fish which was brought to the king since their meat was said to increase your vigour. Others spoke of him drinking the morning urine of young lads and some more sinister rumours replaced the urine with blood from virgins.

CeKay did not doubt that there was a core of truth in it all, and she was growing more and more curious. The queen was said to be little more than a slave in her own home and there was no love between her and her spouse. She was said to be of the faithful and perhaps the king kept her alive just to show everybody that he had the power over her. But CeKay got a good view of the population and the attitudes she discovered were shocking to say the least. She realized that Sauron did spread his poison everywhere and it was falling on very fertile ground. Everybody were convinced that the elves were evil and that they got their beauty and long life by stealing it from humans. Many did believe that the king was blessed by the gods and that the belief in the valar was blasphemy and that there was only one God and that Tar-Mairon was its high priest and would show them the road to greatness.

CeKay also saw that not everything was as nice as she previously had thought, the clean streets and well organized society did hide much misery and poverty too and the lack of beggars in the streets was a bit odd. The landlady had stopped CeKay one evening as she was off to the market to shop for groceries, her eyes were a bit haunted. "Khaya, whatever you do, do not stay outside after dark, you are only a woman and…There are dangers out there"

CeKay did nod and pretended not to understand but she had heard the mumbling among the merchants, of people who did disappear. There were families which were eradicated since they were of the faithful and their belongings did fall into the hands of the dark maia soon enough. The wealth of the island was great but it wasn't distributed by fairness at all. Some families were powerful and others not and the power seemed to follow the favour of the king.

CeKay did work at the inn for a couple of years, she learned a lot about how this society did work and also a lot about who was who. She was rather sure that the king was planning on a campaign and that his target was Aman.

It was insanity, even if the king did manage to get an army across the sea the valar would wipe them out like you swat a fly. But the harbours were busy with the building of war ships and capable men were drafted everywhere. CeKay was glad she was camouflaged as an aging woman, she was safe from the drafters. But she did see that the families which were in favour of the king got more and more influence, they started to gather all the wealth in their hands and also all the influence. Those who were faithful were hunted or so everybody said and the whispers were low and discrete when such matters were discussed. CeKay pretended to be too simple to understand and she didn't participate in the discussions at all, she stayed at a distance and used her superior hearing for all it was worth.

The image she got was not good at all, and the rumours of a temple dedicated to the dark vala were disturbing. CeKay knew she had to check this out, but she had no reason to leave just yet and she stayed there, listening and storing information.

The trade was slowing down, the ships didn't leave for the mainland anymore and the population had become rather paranoid. There seemed to be a fear that even those who weren't among the faithful were in danger now. They said that children in special were in danger, and that the high priest did demand more and more blood. He had promised that he could make Ar-Pharazon immortal, that the king could crush the valar for hadn't he successfully conquered the mighty Sauron?

CeKay was not surprised, above all humans did fear death and the powerful more than the commoner since they had so much more to lose. One evening in autumn the inn was visited by a very haughty nobleman who wore the sign of the followers of the new faith and he was an unpleasant being for sure. He had bought the inn, it had some debts and he had managed to gather it all and the landlady couldn't just pay it all in one go. He wanted to transform the place to a more lucrative business and CeKay did know what he did mean. He wanted to change the inn into a brothel and the landlady was in shock and aghast. She was an elderly woman and had worked there her whole life and now she was in danger. If she ended on the street she would disappear, everybody knew that now. If you were out there on your own you would simply vanish.

The new owner had already employed a new manager of the site and CeKay did manage to convince the man of the wisdom of keeping somebody there who the sailors knew and who knew how to cook and clean and also were female and gentle enough to have a positive influence on the women. The most weighing argument was two huge rubies she discretely gave the man and he did agree with her after that, whole heartedly. CeKay was told to stay since she was a good worker and she did, for a while. But the place soon turned into something she couldn't stomach at all. She knew that humans had lusts which were difficult to excuse and this place was made to satisfy even those. There weren't just women there, but also children of both genders and she wanted to do something to ruin this new horror but she couldn't without exposing herself. She had to lay low and continue to keep an eye on the dark maia and she did soon realize that this new establishment did provide her with a new insight into the things which were going on in the upper class.

Here the scum did arrive, those who saw that dark maia and his belief as a nice opportunity to gain wealth and influence. She listened to those who did work getting kids for the brothel, and learned that those who weren't pretty enough went to the temple. Also the wives and daughters of those faithful who were caught did end up at the brothels before they were sacrificed. It made her feel sick and she knew she couldn't stay any longer. She had to check this out. So she left one evening, she took the few things she did own and started the long journey to the peak of Meneltarma. She did shed the disguise after a couple of days and travelled in camouflage mode. Nobody saw her, she could walk freely.

The inland became more and more elaborate, gorgeous orchards and fields with flowers but it was a stiff and artificial beauty and most who worked there were little more than slaves. The tall peak of the Meneltarma was lovely in the distance but CeKay felt a tingle down her spine. There was darkness there, and evil. She followed the main road across the land and there were much people there. Here and there you could find inns and she knew that Numenor was a rather large island, there were cities and villages and the population was rather large. As she travelled she did realize that there were some of the faithful left. They were very hidden though and the inland had valleys and areas where the king had little influence just yet. It seemed that the king was too consumed by his insane plan to really bother with the few people who were left of those who still followed the old ways and even that darn maia didn't manage to switch his thoughts onto pursuing them further.

CeKay didn't need to rest, she kept walking and the temples and palaces were impressive but the dark miasma of the main temple was still in the air. The beauty couldn't hide it at all. CeKay did decide to snoop around, she went to the royal palace first and she found it terribly over decorated. Once it had probably been lovely but Ar-Pharazon had added all sorts of statues and gold to it and it did hurt your eyes. The servants were silent and scared, the king had concubines who were terrified too and the queen was a proud and strong woman who now was more or less broken. She had no power left, and her days did consist of endless boredom and fear.

CeKay did not stay there when the maia was present, she knew he would sense her but she felt how his being did repulse the queen. He loved to humiliate her and CeKay was angry, and also rather shocked by how petty he was. It was a human trait, and not one a maia should suffer from at all. Was he becoming weaker? More human?

She was wondering what he really was thinking, did he truly believe that he could have his vengeance through Ar-Pharazon? The king was powerful with a huge fleet but CeKay was a realist. They didn't stand a chance and was Sauron really so petty that he wanted to seek vengeance on the world by destroying an entire nation? CeKay didn't think he was above that and she wondered if the king at all knew that he was being used.

But she saw Ar-Pharazon in the flesh and knew that he was a man who never would turn around and change his ways, he was firmly believing in the words of Tar-Mairon and he was convinced that he was doing a great thing for his people. Why should the elves have immortality? Why should they enjoy life eternally when humans had to grow old and die? They had been tricked for sure, the valar should give them what they truly deserved and Tar-Mairon was whispering sweet words of greatness to the king who swallowed them all. CeKay was far from charmed by the king, he was a man well above his best age, his hair and beard shot with grey and silver and he could perhaps have been handsome once upon a time but now he was letting himself go and he didn't see that at all. He did feast every day and he did eat like a pig. CeKay did hide in the palace one evening when Mairon wasn't there and she saw how he drank enough wine to drown a horse while stuffing himself. You wouldn't feed a pig in that manner. He could afford the best and showed it too, opulent clothing, expensive food and the best entertainment.

He was fat, the fingers swollen and the face red. CeKay knew that this man was in danger of dying every moment, his heart couldn't really be all that healthy with a diet like that and she was shocked to find that he was indulging himself in every possible way. There were pretty boys there, all living in fear and he would use them for his own pleasure rather often. CeKay did in fact discover that the king did use also the dark maia in such a manner, she was truly shocked. The heap of blubber who was the king was mounting the maia? She realized that Tar-Mairon did know how the human mind works, the king got a kick out of it, out of humiliating the maia and Sauron allowed him to do it, just to tighten the grasp he already had around the king's throat. Ar-Pharazon was being manipulated by a true champion and he wasn't wise enough to see it. The queen did and she did nothing to stop it for how could she? Maybe she even did gloat a bit, knowing that the so called Tar-Mairon would let the king taste his own medicine sooner or later.

CeKay did roam the corridors and saw that much of old had been removed. Portraits of previous kings had been taken away and also statues and other things made to memorize the past. Ar-Pharazon did place his own likeness everywhere like some spoiled kid and CeKay did find the portrait of the first king in the basement. It was just thrown into a heap with other things no longer useful and she felt a sting of sorrow. Elros had been a good king and she knew this well. Now the white tree had been torn up and replaced by a temple dedicated to the dark vala and the population was becoming more depraved by the year. It seemed as if wealth did that to people, their consciousness could be told to shut up if they received enough money and after a few months CeKay wanted to visit the temple. She had often wandered around the palace in the disguise of a servant or slave, seemingly very busy with some sort of work and she had seen how the so called high and noble now regarded themselves as something way above everybody else.

The whole island was permeated with fear, not visible but it was there, underneath all the splendour and pomp. Nobody were safe and it was common knowledge, if some slave or entertainer failed to please the king their fate would be a grim one and CeKay did witness how people were being hauled off. Now it wasn't even hidden anymore, it would happen in broad daylight and there were groups of people wearing dark robes wandering about chanting praise to the bringer of eternal life. CeKay did remember the end of Morgoth and had to snicker, they should have seen what it was that they truly were worshipping.

But she left the palace and she went towards the temple. It was a grand building but ominous and very sombre looking. The yard in front of it was paved with black marble and the structure was made from a mix of that rock and red one. CeKay had seen lots of nasty structures before, but this was just shouting "beware danger" to high heavens. A huge statue of Morgoth was erected outside of the entrance and CeKay made a grimace. It didn't look like the dark vala at all, it was a very beautified version. There were devout worshippers everywhere, humming and chanting and CeKay did sneak through among them, invisible and very careful.

There was an even greater statue on the inside, it was so huge and overly decorated it was ridiculous and in front of it was a slit in the floor through which flames did dance upwards. An altar was placed between the slit and the statue and it was covered with a thick layer of blood. The smell had to be absolutely atrocious but with that many people crammed up together nobody did notice. The scent of sweat and perfumes mingling was way worse. There were some priests wandering about, they did look as if they were high and she was rather sure that they were. The eyes had a strange expression and the faces were oddly twisted, as if they were seeing things they really shouldn't have been able to see. She had a suspicion that this power came with a rather nasty after effect.

The bodies of the people who were being brutally murdered were probably just thrown into the fire and CeKay was rather sure that the flames were being fed from below. It had to be natural gas and the Meneltarma did resemble a volcano so it could be volcanic in origin. She would have grinned if anybody had been able to see her. Perhaps there could be a way to mess with these hypocrites? Make the sacrifices a bit less fun for a few days? She did think that they were worth it and she did find a secluded alcove and released some nanites. They were to reproduce and then get to work and she slid out of the temple feeling a bit naughty. Any kick she could give Sauron's arse was one she would love to give. She remembered what he had done to Tyelperinquar and many others and it was so well deserved.

Then she did visit the dungeons which were placed underneath the temple, it was filled with people, of all ages and creeds and most were terrified. They knew what their fate was and CeKay wished that she could save them all but she couldn't. If they vanished the men working for the maia would just drag others in there. There had to be a way to slow things down. If she killed them the result would be the same, more death. So the only thing she really could do was to make the sacrifices harder over the days to come. She hoped that her idea was a good one. She did kill a few, elderly people who were already dying and some children she did want to spare from the destiny which was awaiting them.

She did find herself an abandoned building she could use as her head quarters, it was rather derelict but standing and nobody went there. It had been a storage for gardening equipment and now it did only house bats, rats and dust. CeKay didn't need much, she made sure that nobody could enter and then she set off to the barracks where the soldiers of the king were trained. Most of the men were being prepared for a war to come and she was impressed by the efficient way everything was organized. She did strongly doubt that it was the king himself who came up with everything. This did smell of Tar-Mairon and she remembered how the lieutenant of Morgoth had kept Angband under a tight leash. He had been efficient if nothing else and these men were top notch. Too bad it would be useless, she made a grimace. Few of these were believers in their king's new religion, they obeyed because they had no choice.

She couldn't save them, she wanted to raze the whole temple and everything within it but she would be exposed then and it felt frustrating knowing that she had to let the valar decide the fate of everybody. They had probably learned little from her visit and she wondered if she maybe should visit them again, just to give them a heads up warning about the king and his madness. But she decided against it, it was way too funny to watch how far they would allow Sauron to go, before they realized what a rat he truly was.

The next day the temple suddenly became overrun with rats, and the guards had a horrible job getting rid of the rodents. CeKay had realized one thing about Sauron in this guise, he was just as bound as herself. He couldn't reveal how powerful he truly was, that would cause suspicion and thus he had to sit there fuming in anger as the guards did clear the temple of the rats. CeKay did also know that he did worship his former master, and his belief was genuine. He did try to bring his master back and CeKay wondered if it was due to loyalty or something even more odd. But he did seem to be completely dedicated to the vala and he would never stop if he had the hope that it would bring Melkor back from the void.

CeKay wasn't there when the flame suddenly did flutter and died, she did only hear the horrified chatter of the assembled worshippers and she grinned. The gas came from deep in the earth and followed cracks in the rock. The nanites had closed of the cracks and the gas did seize to flow and thus no fire. The priests were hysterical and the offerings had to be stopped that night. CeKay was laughing to herself.

She did make sure that the soldiers were getting stomach trouble, she made the water in the royal pool turn a ghastly colour of pink and she had a lot of fun. She felt that she was allowed to do some mischief, it was all small and petty crimes but they did offer her some outlet for her frustration.

The dark maia did manage to get the gas flowing again, by making a small earthquake very discretely. CeKay was impressed but it had drained the maia of strength and for the next nights others did the sacrifices. Ar-Pharazon did try to speed things up, he was eager to go and the ships were getting ready in the harbours. CeKay was there too, adding some wood worms to the wooden ships and causing some annoying minor accidents. She felt that she had the right to do it, but it didn't slow down the mad king at all. His queen tried to talk some sense into him but she was ignored and locked up and CeKay was in the harbour when the fleet started to leave the island. It was many ships, a whole flotilla of huge war ships, all carrying many men and good equipment and the royal ship was of course in front, a white giant which had to be a nightmare to steer.

Tar-Mairon was not with the king, he had convinced the king that he wasn't needed, that the mere sight of the mighty fleet would make the valar surrender. CeKay was rather sure that Sauron was afraid that the valar would seize him and throw him straight into the void to join his former lord. The palace was in a state of slight panic now that the king was gone, everybody were running around like headless chickens and CeKay knew why. They had no idea of what to do. Tar-Mairon was ordering people around for a while before he went to the temple and CeKay had a very bad feeling that evening. The fires were blazing before the temple the whole night and the sound of screams could be heard all over the city. Now that Ar-Pharazon wasn't there Sauron could show his true colours and he was slaughtering people, laughing as he went.

CeKay was wandering around in the orchards to calm herself when she suddenly felt a familiar presence, it wasn't a maia she knew but a maia still and not one of the lost ones who served darkness. This was a maia who did serve Lorien and it was a female. CeKay did frown. "What are you doing here?"

The female did look nervous. "I have come to warn the faithful, they have to get away from here. Something horrible is about to happen"

CeKay did sit down. "Do explain please?"

The maia bit her lower lip. "It has been seen, by my master. They have to leave if they want to live. I felt you were here, you need to know it too"

CeKay sighed. "The valar, they know that Ar-Pharazon is heading their way aren't they?"

The female had a hroa with long silvery hair and deep green eyes, she was very pretty. "Yes, they have seen it from the Taniquetil, all depends on how mad he truly is. If he does attack…"

CeKay did nod. "I see, have you warned everybody?"

The female did nod. "Yes, they know, and will leave soon. But the queen… She doesn't want to leave this place!"

CeKay did tilt her head. "I will see if I can help her. Thank you for the warning"

The maia did fade out and became invisible. "It is my duty"

CeKay did make a grimace. The valar would punish the island for this, beyond doubt. It was an arrogance which couldn't be accepted and she got up and walked on. She wasn't afraid for her own safety but she knew that many would die and of them there would be innocent lives too. Not everybody did agree with the king and his advisor but the old days were being forgotten and when you don't know otherwise it is easy to believe those who claim to have all the answers. Was there anything she could do? She had no idea, she would have to wait and see what happened and it was a bit nerve wreaking to say the least. It would take days to sail over to Aman and she was rather sure that the valar would try to make Ar-Pharazon turn back, storms and currents would be against him but she was convinced that it wouldn't be enough. The man was an idiot, and stubborn to boot.

She did release some of the stress by doing more acts of defiance. She did give the huge statue outside of the temple a set a genitals, of a rather pathetic size compared with the whole statue. She did also cover many of the statues of Tar-Mairon with very sticky mud and filled the soles of the boots of the royal palace guard with either lead or sharp spikes. She had her fun, she hadn't been programmed to know what humour was but now she did knew and she had been grasped by a sort of "devil may care" attitude. At least it did prevent the dark maia from being too alert and ready for the retaliation which had to come. She did notice ships which did leave the harbours, small seemingly humble fishing vehicles and she knew that the faithful were fleeing the island. She hoped that they would make it to the mainland.

CeKay did try to push the queen into leaving too but it was impossible. She couldn't show the woman what she truly was, and posing as a servant or handmaiden had little effect. Tar-Miriel was more a prisoner than a queen and even with her husband out of the way there were plenty of obedient guards there who would prevent her from escaping. And where would she go? The island of Numenor had no allies anymore, they had made enemies out of the elves and people of middle earth and she was born and raised in a palace. Her knowledge of the world was limited to say the least. CeKay felt a bit frantic, what would it take to make that human understand that she was in grave danger? That they all were facing a disaster of epic proportions. Tar-Mairon walked around looking incredibly smut and CeKay did feel like releasing some nanites and tearing that pretty face apart but she did fear that the innocent would suffer afterwards. Sauron was going to want revenge for sure.

CeKay had wandered to the peak of Meneltarma several times now, she was studying the skies and she did discover that there was a glow out there, far away. It spoke of fire and CeKay did fear the worst. She did wish that she had been like the elves, able to speak from one mind to others. She could have sent a warning to the population, to tell that danger was coming. But it was no good, it would result in chaos and panic and even more death. She could remember a case of panic, she had once seen a recording from one of the moons of the planet Adhariad in the Chosla system. The scientists had discovered that a huge asteroid would pass by in just a few days time and the gravitational pull would disturb the orbit of the rather large moon. It would spiral down towards its mother planet and impact after about six months and unlucky enough somebody did leak this to the media. The result was a mayhem CeKay had been shocked to read about. Ships had collided in the air, desperate to get off world. People had been murdered for a place on a ship, the prices of everything did sky rocket and society did collapse completely.

She didn't want to see that again, perhaps it was best to do nothing, if they were to die than they wouldn't have to suffer days of terror beforehand. She was sitting on top of the peak when she felt the earth tremble, it was distant at first but then she heard the earth groan and the towers and buildings started to sway and she heard screams and the sounds of things collapsing. There was a feeling of falling and she realized that the island in fact was sinking a bit, and she felt the presence of the valar. Now they were far from inactive, and she did also feel something more. A way stronger presence and it did make her a bit nervous. If Eru himself was in on this it was going to be spectacular and also very deadly.

People started to flee the cities, some ran towards the peak and the devotees of Morgoth did leave the temple, the building was buckling and fell apart as if some giant was pushing down on it. CeKay wasn't afraid for her own safety, she would be okay, no matter what happened. But it hurt her to watch the utter despair of the people. She saw that many of the ladies from the court were running towards the peak, the queen was among them and CeKay did hesitate for a moment. Then she did see Tar-Mairon, he was standing in front of the collapsed temple and did look as if he had lost every semblance of sanity, he was laughing and hitting his fist in the air towards the west, screaming in the language of the valar and he was obviously convinced that his power was enough to save him and his followers.

The island shook again and CeKay did gasp as she did see a huge wall of something dark rising out of the darkness. It was a wave, a monstrous wave and she did switch to infrared and saw figures within the water. Huge creatures which had to be the maiar of Ulmo and she was almost impressed. They did know how to do this with grandeur. Cekay did transform, she did retake the form she had claimed as she did hunt the freezing oceans of the north and she heard the voice of Ulmo in the wind.

The wave was soon there and she did see that some of the maiar did fly through the air, snatching people and bringing them with them. Why she did not know but she did suspect that these were humans whom the valar wanted to spare, that they wouldn't want them to die. She saw that the queen was clinging to the spire erected at the top of the peak and as the thunder of the wave became deafening CeKay did see that one of the blue haired maiar did grasp the terrified woman and then she was gone. The wave was towering over the island, moving way too slowly for it to be natural and the screams and pleas for mercy did fall on deaf ears. CeKay did feel a faint sorrow, the place had been grand but it was corrupted and there was no way to escape the wrath of Eru and the valar.

She did dive onto the wall of water, sped up towards the surface behind the crest and saw how the water did crush everything, washed the very rock itself clean of everything as the land itself did sink back into the earth from whence it had come. There was a maelstrom there, a boiling inferno of debris and foam and she saw that Sauron was clinging to a huge piece of floating wood. He did look like a drowned cat and CeKay did hiss, she wanted to really punish that bastard but somebody came to the maia before her. A massive whale like creature with enormous teeth and a huge head did shoot up from the sea and grasped the maia and the wood in one go and shook both violently before gulping down the maia. CeKay would have laughed, the body Sauron had made himself would most certainly be destroyed and she did doubt that he could make himself a new one that fast. He had lost a lot of power.

The water did churn for quite a while, CeKay did see that maiar did bring people away, in bubbles of air and they seemed to change, into a different form. She was curious but she did want to learn what had happened to Ar-Pharazon and she did approach one of the maiar. It was a female with long silvery blue hair and a fish tail and the creature did smile at her. "You are the one the valar have mentioned, the one from outside yes?"

CeKay did nod, she was moving through the water without problems and she did see that the maiar were working to avoid damage to the coasts. "Yes, that is true. What happened to the fleet?"

The maia did click her teeth and snickered. "Oh it was grand, it was magnificent. The idiot did think that he could break the ban of the Valar and invade and he did in fact reach the shore. I think our masters wanted to see if he truly was arrogant enough to tread upon sacred land like it was his right to do so"

CeKay did feel an odd energy in the water and she realized that the wave was just the beginning. The every world was changing. " And?"

The maia giggled. "They did make the very soil of the land flow, like waves and it did bury him and the entire army, there are mounds there now and they will stay buried until the end of days."

The ocean seemed to shiver from bottom to surface. "What is happening?"

The maia did call out, it did sound like whale song and the other maiar did gather there. "They are changing the shape of the world. It will no longer be possible to find the blessed realm for those not welcome. Only the elves and others who are invited can sail to Aman now, it is beyond the spheres of this world"

CeKay felt shocked, a dimensional shift? There was some massive calculations needed for that and the energy? It was indeed a grand feat and she had to grin, the vain and proud king, buried beneath hills of mud and soil. It was fitting.

"What do you think will happen to Sauron now?"

The maia did shrug "His hroa is destroyed, he may return to his old homeland, but he won't be very powerful. Good riddance"

CeKay let herself fly up to the surface again, the sea did seem calm now and she did set a course for the shore. She wanted to know what had happened to the faithful who had managed to escape and she found that the ships had gathered in the north and were safe. People were scared for they had felt the earthquakes and the disturbances in the air. Some wanted to sail back to see what had happened but they were told to stay. CeKay knew that Numenor was gone, and from now on things would be very different.

The faithful who had escaped did try to build a new realm and CeKay decided to stick with them for a while. After all, she had never lived among humans before and she was curious. So she did become part of the household of one of the noblemen who had escaped and she was rather sure that this hadn't been the end of Sauron. He would return and she would be ready for him. The next time she would be way more proactive, she did not want to see more good people die because of that wicked minded creature. No, she would strike and strike hard and then they would see who the winner would be.