Gentle wind blew eastward, sending ashes of the Mountain Doom away from triumphing People of the West. The Dark Clouds, once sign of Sauron's presence, faded away from the land of Mordor, finally allowing blue sky to take its rightful place. Among this withering clouds, shapeless spirit, once known by many names: Sauron, Mairon, Annatar, Gorthaur, the self-imposed "Lord of the Earth", was pushed back by the breeze, forced to watch how his armies scatter, how mighty forges he built, and tall towers he raised, prepared to arm his limitless army, fall like house of cards. How the empire he crafted for millennia falls into dust, the petty kingdoms of Easterlings and Haradrim he once subjugated tear down his banners from top of their castles, and proclaim a new era, without the Lidless eye. He observed how his carefully prepared and managed order turns to chaos.

But Sauron felt nothing, the scale of defeat overwhelmed him. All he could do now is let himself get carried by the wind, to finally admit...

- No… - He suddenly tried to defy his fate, move against it. – I will not cease!

He felt how easily wind push him, the shadow, a formless spirit, no matter how much he struggles, like a fish in the net.

- I don't want to! – He tried to roar, but only quite whisper could be heard. – I can't lose! I won't lose! Even if it means allying with the devil, I won't let myself perish!

And the Devil listened.

All the sudden, he couldn't feel the breeze anymore. Surprised, he opened his "eyes" and turned around to see absolute nothingness. - There was no air, no wind, no light, only the void. Sauron took good look at his smoke hands, which now he could hold in shape.

- Finally. - The Dark Lord heard the cold voice behind his shadow form. The voice, he hoped, he will not hear ever again. - You made it.

Fearing his nightmares fulfilled, he turned around to see the large figure, covered by smoke and shadow, bounded by numerous chains, made of shiny metal. But through the shadows, he could see pair of eyes, glaring like a flame, that withers with heat, and pierces with a deadly cold.

- Melkor… - Sauron whispered, and the First Dark Lord chuckled.

- It's been a while since someone called me by my true name, Mairon. - Morgoth said, and heavy chains, attached to his body, moved with him, and Sauron watched how handless arm, cuffed to chains made of shiny metal, appear briefly from the shadow. - Welcome to the void, my "loyal" lieutenant.

Sauron feared that this day will come, that he will stand before either him or Mandos, and face the divine "judgement". And yet, when it finally happened, he felt only anger.

- Don't you dare. - The Dark Lord hissed - During my reign, I achieved more than you did in entire millennia.

- All your "achievements" are nothing more than a mere fight for scraps I left. - Morgoth stated, amused a little.

- And yet it was I, who cut Valinor from the rest of the creation. Forever.

- Enough. – Morgoth' voice echoed across the boundless realm – I didn't spend so much time, effort and power in bringing you here, just to argue, nor to deliver your punishment.

- You don't want to punish me? - Sauron asked, not believing his former master in the slightest.

- Oh, I still crave to obliterate you for your betrayal. - Morgoth stated, his eyes glowed with unceasing hatred. - But it won't change the outcome of the War to End All Wars. It won't change the Dagor Dagorath. No, I have something special for you, something, which will put your skill to use, and earn, how they call it? Redemption?

- Which is?

- Listen. - Morgoth said, and at first, absolute silence fell upon them, but soon, Sauron could hear a whispers of life, of creation, just within his reach, yet so far.

- For entire millennia of this imprisonment. - Morgoth said with absolute spite. – My Brothers and Sisters force me to listen to the whole existence taking place beyond the void. Creation, which I cannot corrupt nor destroy. To remind me that, for no matter what I will do, there will always be life, and the great song will forever exist. But they made a mistake. - Sauron felt satisfaction in Bauglir's voice. - For the void is like a wall, separating me from the universe, and in each wall you can find a crack, too small for me to pass through, but large enough to listen, watch through or exploit. - Morgoth looked at his once first lieutenant. - And that's why I brought you here.

- You want me to walk into the unknown for your amusement?

- Not quite. - Melkor smirked. - I want to send you to world, which I observed for a long time. The world demanding… divine attention. The world, which will be a perfect for my plans.

Sauron thought for a moment, considering the opportunity Morgoth presented to him. A chance for a new start, a way to finally get away from Valar's attention for some time at least. But, most importantly, to avoid the fate worse than the death itself.

- What I will get from it? - Shadow asked, and Morgoth laughed.

- You still want more? That's Sauron I knew. - Morgoth said, and his stare yet again started to pierce through the Sauron's shadow. – Although weakened, am not as powerless as you are now. As long, as you fulfill the tasks I bestow upon you, I will fuel your essence, and you will slowly regain, what you once lost.

- Tempting, but for it to work you must remember. – We work together as equals, not master and subject.

- Equals? – Morgoth almost spat venom at the fallen Maia.

- We both are in very pathetic state. – Sauron pointed out, feeling the Morgoth's growing ire. – And even in this form, I won't serve you. I will work to further your goal of breaking this prison, but I have control over the situation. And I have my own plans to achieve.

Minutes have passed in absolute silence, both dark lords waiting, analyzing options they have. Only then, Morgoth spoke again.

- As long, as you make progress in breaking my chains, you can do whatever you wish.

Sauron's shadowy lips smiled in triumph.

- I take you already thought about that, no matter where I go, I will always be a shadow?

- Oh, don't worry about that. - Shadows around Morgoth rose like a wildfire, and soon fell upon the Gorthaur. - Your form is already arranged.

Sauron felt like his essence was being sent through seemingly boundless void, towards the dim, gray light at the end, from which he felt life.

- To our next meeting. - Were the last words Sauron heard from the fallen Valar.

'

Suddenly, a pool of black liquid started to shake, causing gathered beowolves to turn their attention towards it. Alpha growled, sensing a danger for its pack emerging from their breeding ground, and his pack also showed teeth. Soon, bubbles of hot air started to emerge from it, and whole black liquid violently boiled like water. Grimm walked back, not sure what is going on, or how should they react. Soon, large bubble started to form in the middle, like something big was making its way out, only for it to explode, revealing the infernal eye which set the entire pool, and few unfortunate beowolves on fire.

The Lidless Eye stared at the Grimm, further scorching many of them before they run away, making them screech in absolute terror while beasts tried to avoid this fiery death. Only Alpha stayed near the entrance of the cave, it's face half burnt, peeking inside and growling in rage.

The Eye landed at the rocky surface, and new being started to construct itself from the flames, pulling the black liquid from now half-empty pool, covering its essence inside. Then, Color started to change from coal-like black to more… human like.

"Human" with white hair opened his eyes, which were like molten metal, blinked few times, and looked at his body with amusement.

- How I missed that form. - He said, examining it for any potential defects, and, to his dismay, he found one - a lack of one certain finger. Sighing in disappointment for this obvious mockery, Sauron turned back to look at the pool he emerged from, now a deep crater filled with melted stone and glass.

Only when his back was turned, Alpha quietly leapt at him, angered over destruction of the breeding ground, but it felt the newcomers soul - Strange and powerful, shining like a Sun.

Clearly a threat which must die as fast as possible, while he is unaware of the danger.

When Alpha was mid-air, Sauron suddenly turned to it, vicious smile welcoming the attacker.

- I see you. - He simply said before he unleashed an inferno.

'

Sauron walked from the cave into the large forest, looking at the cloudless sky. He took a deep breath of a fresh air, finally not feeling a subtle, yet omnipotent influence of the Valar. This world was free from their presence. Ripe for a taking. A bright new start.

Sauron started to walk forward, first goal simple yet necessary - to find any form of civilization. He only wondered what kind of creatures beside that animal the great song spawned here. In worst case, he will just work with creatures with intelligence of an orc, but he can manage that.

He always did.

Authors note

I had this idea brewing in my head for a while now, and I hope once I get enough time, I will expand on this in the future.

And necessary disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.