Category: Tolkien-Universe

Rating: T

Couples: Canon Ones

Warnings: AU

Chapter: 20

Copyright: Characters & places © By Tolkien Estate, Plot & OC´s © by me

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"So assuming that he can not discard his fana to escape the poison." Oromë murmured. "What could he do to counter it? If it's as bad as it seems..."

"Well, normal poisons have antidotes, or Songs to counter their effects." Estë sat in her throne, soft-candlelight eyes flitting to the dark shape behind her law-siblings. "But I cannot say how this is for metaphysical poisons. Likely they'd have to be destroyed... however that works for the metaphysical in such a context."

"For someone here, I'd almost suggest something like Varda's light to purge the nothing." Vairë pointed out. "But he doesn't really have access to that, at the moment."

"Perhaps if he had surrendered." The Queen of the Valar whispered, tilting her head. "But he certainly would not do that, I suspect. So then the question is, what will he... will they do now?"

"If removal doesn't work, mitigation's the next best thing." Tulkas drummed on his armrest with several fingers. "Pain-relief, in this case, at the very least."

"It takes an Ainu to affect another by Song reliably." Estë - as the Healer of the Valar - was thinking perhaps the hardest about it. "None of the Maiar that followed him are still able to use those kinds of Songs, at least with the power needed to counter a void-being of Virilomë's caliber."

"One of yours then." Yavanna stated the obvious. "I suspect none of ours, of those capable of some healing, will suffice either."

"Melyanna." It was the first time one of the Eldar in attendance spoke up. Ingwë stood with the other rulers of the elvish kinds in Aman at this gathering, on one of the coasts of Aman, hiding the light from the Trees from view. "It is said she is among Lady Estë's greatest Maiar, is it not?"

Omnious creaking answered him, the spider-shaped void-being voicing her opinion. "The Lady Virilomë wonders if he'd force Melyanna's assistance to deal with her poison?" Míriel was seated on Namó's throne, this time intentionally brought to act as translator for the Mistress of Nothing so the two Valar dwelling in the Halls of Mandos could focus on their on words.

"Definitely." The Arata on whose throne she said evenly stated. "He has no choice."

"Surely we cannot let him overrun Elwë's domain to get at her!" Olwë, as the brother of Melyanna's spouse, exclaimed.

"We cannot." Manwë looked tense to the eyes of his kin, though the Children could likely tell no difference. "We started the Battle of the Powers to safeguard the Children from him. We can hardly let him start right up again."

"War it is." Tulkas the Valiant declared loudly and clearly... and none of the other opposed the statement.

"War it is." Varda echoed instead.

"Will the Eldar be allowed to fight?" Finwë asked. "They are kin to us, the elves on the thither shores. Kith and kin we might be willing to leave in peace, but surely not in danger!"

"We brought you here to assure your safety." Nienna wept softly, as if she had heard her brother already announce the inevitable doom of the elves. "We cannot do so in war."

"Finwë is not wrong, though, when stating it is our business as much as the Valar's." Ingwë, High King of the Eldar in Eä, clearly stated. "He poisoned the minds of some our people, as surely as he was poisoned by the Lady Virilomë. He sought to slay the Noldor in Formenos, we too have debts to repay."

"Allowing you to assist will delay our movement, to allow the eldar to arm themselves." Vaná leaned forward some. "If we allow the elves to join, we must send ahead at least warning, preferably an advance force to head off any attack, unless we want to be too late and have him halfway into the forest when we get there."

A soft chitter came from Vairë's heart-sister. "The Lady Virilomë offers to be part of the advance force. She feels responsible for this, and feels her presence might cause pause, as threat for more. And at this point, she can handle starlight easily, if need be." As if the fact that while the Trees were not giving light, the stars were shining in full force.

The Weaver and the Doomsman shared a short glance. "We cannot risk Míriel in the cloak at such a distance, meaning one of us best join as a translator. We have Maiar that are learning the void-tongue, but none of them are close to fluent."

"Vairë then perhaps, and a few more of our Maiar under her command." The Elder King mused. "Not Eönwë, I require him here for the mustering."