Chapter 7 – Where Sauron Would Hide
Minas Morgul
TA 2063
The Istari met at Rhosgobel to hear about Gandalf's attempt to identify the Necromancer.
"Did you get a good look at him?" asked Saruman.
"No. I never saw him. He fled before I got inside." said Gandalf.
"He left without a fight. That's not like him." said Saruman, frowning.
"Well, maybe he was ready to return to Mordor, and this gave him an excuse." said Gandalf.
They decided to watch the entrances into Mordor. If he passed by them on the road, they would see him.
"He'll almost certainly take the road from Dol Guldur to Cirith Ungol. Then, he'll either enter Mordor from the north, or circle around the mountains and approach Minas Morgul from the west." said Saruman.
"The road to Minas Morgul is faster. That's probably what he'll do." said Gandalf.
"Let's split up and set a watch on both ways into Mordor. If we get there before he does, we'll see him." said Saruman.
One Other Place
TA 2063
They watched the roads into Mordor for several months, but in all that time, they did not see Sauron attempt to enter his former realm.
"There's only one other place he could have gone, his Eastern Fortress." said Saruman.
The Eastern Fortress was Sauron's bolt hole of last resort. It was built when he served Morgoth, during the wars with the Valar. He used it not for defense, but for concealment.
"We don't even know where it is. All we know is that it's so far east and south of Rhûn, beyond the reach of the Valar." said Pallando.
"Assuming it even exists." said Alatar.
"You think it doesn't?" said Saruman.
"No one's ever seen it. 'A fortress wreathed in flame'? That sounds like the stuff of myth." said Alatar.
Sauron's Eastern Fortress
TA ~2080
Saruman climbed up the ridge of a hill and got his first good look.
The walls had fallen into disrepair. Plants were growing from the cracks between the stones. The encircling flames had gone out long ago. Saruman's shoulders sagged in disappointment.
Alatar and Pallando caught up with him and stood at his side.
"So, this is it?" asked Alatar.
"We've found abandoned fortresses before. What makes you think this is the one we're looking for?" asked Pallando.
"See the black smudges on the ground? Those are burn marks. If you look closely, you can tell they go all the way around the fortress. This place was once girdled with a ring of fire." said Saruman.
"It looks like it was occupied recently. I mean, more recently than Morgoth's time. Otherwise there'd be nothing left but a pile of rocks." said Pallando.
"I expect Sauron came here to hide after Morgoth was defeated. He disappeared for over a thousand years. We didn't see him again until he joined the Elven Smiths in Eregion." said Saruman.
Saruman studied the fortress more closely, looking for any signs of occupation. There were none.
"Shall we go inside and look around?" asked Pallando.
No smoke came from the chimneys. Grass was growing over the path leading to the main gate. The roofs looked like they might collapse at any time.
"No, I think we've seen enough. It's been abandoned." said Saruman.
Wherever Sauron is now, he isn't here.[1] Saruman thought.
"He didn't go to Minas Morgul. And obviously he didn't come here either. Those were the two places I thought he'd go. Where should we look next?"
"I don't think we need to." said Alatar.
"What?" said Saruman, not understanding.
"We did what we set out to do. We drove Sauron out of Mirkwood, and as far as we can tell, out of Arda as well. In any case, he's gone. We're not going to find him." said Alatar.
"If it even was Sauron in the first place. We never actually saw him. We don't know for sure who was in Dol Guldur." said Pallando.
"Well, I'll be off then." said Alatar.
"What?"
"I'd like to spend more time in the East. The Far East of Arda has never had much attention from the Ainur, and I'd like to make up for that." said Alatar.
"And I was sent here to be a friend to Alatar. So I should stay with him." said Pallando.
"You're leaving the Istari?" Saruman said in disbelief.
"Our work here is done." said Alatar.
[1] Yes, he is.