What Do You Know Of Darkness?
Halbrand felt you go limp in his arms. Pulling back from the kiss, and upon seeing your lifeless expression, he surrendered uncontrollably to his grief. The screams of lamentation that roared out of him were unmatched by all that had gone before him and all that would come after. He pulled you closer to him, clinging to you hopelessly, rocking back and forth. No other sounds filled the air. Even the wind fell silent to let the king grieve. The longer he cried out, the worse it got. For his voice started to change. And not just from heartache to rage. But from Halbrand... to Sauron. Slowly but surely it happened, little by little the darkness crept into his sound, fusing together with it, to reforge a voice the dark lord had not used in almost an age.
The wind that blew past him suddenly blew from him. Each being was affected by it, fear sweeping over the city. Even your brothers could no longer hold onto you, and they stumbled back on the road, filled with terror. Power began to pulsate outward from Halbrand, wave after wave of it crashing through the air. The only one unaffected by this change, was Galadriel. Her grief was cascading from her eyes still, as her blonde locks fanned out behind her. But she did not move. She dared her sight to leave you and find Halbrand. The moment she did, she was greeted with a familiar face. The face she remembered from her own visions: wrath personified. A pallid veiny face. Eyes with red edges. Black slits for pupils. Pure evil.
Halbrand was no more. Sauron had returned.
Suddenly the sky boomed with roaring thunder, nature screaming for the dark lord now, and the sunlight was swallowed up by twisted swirls of menacing cloud that were darkening by the second. The wind from Sauron picked up in speed, becoming a gale of grief that threatened to level Pelargir itself. Galadriel turned her head to watch as the masses behind her struggled to stay on their feet, with dirt, dust, and leaves breezing quickly through them, stinging their eyes and filling their mouths. The fear now was enough for them to run, scattering away as fast as they could, hoping to escape the malevolence of the being who was once their king.
Though Sauron had other ideas. Lightning shot down from the storm overhead, striking hard the people who fled, incinerating the unfortunate struck soul on the spot, and setting alight those in the immediate vicinity. Soon, dozens of people were on fire, running and screaming in agony. Arondir did not hesitate, launching an arrow aimed straight for the dark lords head. Sauron caught it with ease. And the next one. And the next one. Still, Galadriel was controlled by her pain, her shock. She did nothing, for she did not know what to do. All hope was lost.
Sauron gazed back down at you, and slowly, placed one final kiss upon your forehead. In feeling the cooler touch of your skin, tears silently escaped him, landing on your face once more, just as the rain from the sky began to fall again, the storm manifesting his lament. Galadriel saw smoke begin to rise from the corpses of the burnt, as their flames were extinguished. No other people had dared to run, their fear now holding them in place in the town square, lest they die horribly. Though, their chances of remaining alive were not high. As Sauron removed his lips from you, he whispered words in black speech into your ear. Words you would never hear. These words caused your body to catch fire. Your love stood, the wind from him slowing, and all who were present watched as your corpse burned, a funeral pyre on the street of the city you had wished to call your home.
The rain from above did not put out this fire, despite the droplets falling into it. Sauron ensured the flames endured, watching with his snake like eyes as your body was quickly reduced to ashes. The fire had been so powerful, so searingly hot, that not even your bones remained intact. All that was left of you and your mark on this world, was your crown, your dagger, and your wedding ring. Galadriel's sobs entered the air as the image of you destroyed now before her broke her out of her shock. Sauron leaned down, taking the circular symbols of your queenship and your love into his hand, sliding the smaller object on his finger to join it with his own. Raising his right arm, his palm over your ashes, the dark lord whispered more black speech. The wind picked up again, though this time, it lifted your remains up, and they whirled in a spiral around your love. Sauron smiled, and it was not of evil. It was of love, as he felt your spirit around him. Then he watched as you were carried along on the air, in the direction of your home.
Galadriel's eyes darted to your blood that had stained Sauron's tunic, all that was left of you now in the place where you died. Where she had taken your life. Another clap of thunder roared overhead as the loving smile disappeared from Sauron's face, replaced with an expression of pure fury. "The city of Pelargir has decided it's own fate," the dark lord's voice boomed, not a trace of Halbrand's tone to be found within it. "If you will not have me as your king… then you will have me as your enemy…" Galadriel turned her gaze back to the citizens, watching a small group of them congregate, with Arondir seemingly discussing a plan of attack. This was the moment she finally decided to act.
Picking herself up from the wet street, she hastily ran to Arondir's side. "We cannot best him. We will die trying. Our only play is to convince him to let us retreat." the she-elf implored.
"You saw what he did to those that attempted to retreat!" Arondir exclaimed, "We will not survive this day, Galadriel. And we will not die whilst fleeing in fear."
Galadriel cast her eyes on the people around her. Bronwyn matched Arondir's resolve, Theo was trying desperately to imitate it, but Olwenna, Padrig, and the few others… the terror was clear in their eyes. Nothing would abate it. "Understand this… if you do stay… your fate will be extraordinarily worse. Sauron will not just kill you. He will maim you. He will torture you. He will strip you limb from limb, separate the skin from your flesh, and keep you alive as he does it. Do not let your pride interfere. If we are to die, I do not wish you to suffer that fate."
Sauron began to cackle in amusement. "Galadriel… my sweet… don't ruin the surprise. Why must you insist on draining the fun out of everything?" This caused the she-elf to sigh in frustration, as her mind was cast back to the feeling of his body trapped within hers, your dagger to his neck. One simple slice then and perhaps all of this would have been avoided. Perhaps you would still be with her.
"I will wait for death no longer." spoke Olwenna abruptly, sprinting towards where the dark lord stood. "No!" protested the she-elf, but the lady ignored her. She picked up your dagger from the ground, holding it aloft in the air as she charged towards him, and he did not flinch at her approach. Sauron effortlessly grabbed her forearm as Olwenna began to bring the weapon down, holding her in place, his slitted eyes staring menacingly into hers. "I am glad my love is not here to see this… in fact… she would likely have ended you herself." A wicked grin slowly crept upon his face, and he brought down Olwenna's arm so that your dagger embedded itself in her gut. "So I suppose it is rather fitting that it is her blade that takes your life now."
Padrig cried out in the distance and ran fast towards his aunt. Sauron moved his hand to cover Olwenna's ensuring her grip remained on the hilt as he then moved the blade up through her torso, stopping in the centre of her chest. The fair auburn woman was now a ghost as her body collapsed to the ground, the dark lord removing your dagger from her flesh. Padrig arrived in that moment, hysterical, his adolescent voice breaking and squeaking as he cried. Sauron could not stand it, and without hesitation he swiped the blade across Padrig's throat with such force that the poor boy was almost decapitated. He now lay lifeless on the ground beside Olwenna, and no remorse was to be found in Sauron's eyes. He was done with such pitiful sentiments.
The storm continued to rage on, the rain intensifying, droplets landing hard against the skin of every being left alive in the town square. The darkened clouds overhead were illuminated with consistent lightning strikes, igniting the sky, the thunder now so loud Galadriel felt as if her eardrums might burst. She looked over at Sauron, who was drenched like the rest of them, as he stood over his freshest victims, watching as their blood flowed into the rainwater on the road. The she-elf was unsure if you would approve of what your love had just done. Then her eyes were caught by your brothers, who stood together but alone, in the distance off to her left. The two men of Númenor had yet to choose a side in this war, and Galadriel hoped now to reach them.
"Azrahin… Târikun… your sister chose the light… she would want you both to do the same." They both looked at Galadriel, stunned. Târikun burst out laughing. The noise was unsettling and empty. "Light… dark… what does it even matter anymore? All three of you chose 'the light'… and now none of it remains. The only light in this world was our sister… and you snuffed it out, elf!" Târikun hissed at Galadriel, a man consumed by his loss, now devoid of reason. The she-elf knew in that moment your brothers were not to be saved. At least not yet. Azrahin limped towards Sauron, his younger brother following, the dark lord turning his head slowly to look upon them. No words were exchanged, but an understanding came between them. Sauron nodded his head slightly, and let the two men walk away alive.
With their backs fading into the horizon, the dark lord returned his focus to his enemies before him. Galadriel could see his eyes from across the square, as they had begun to glow as if on fire. His skin had become so pale it was almost translucent, the veins within him not only visible on his face, but on his throat, and his hands. Sauron began to stroll slowly, deliberately towards Galadriel who was at the forefront of the group of would be rebels. "I must know… elf…" he began to speak, that sinister voice piercing the air over the sound of the rain on rooftops nearby. "You love me… do you not?"
The she-elf felt all eyes burn through the skin of her back, their judgment was palpable, and sadly, deserved. She could not bring herself to reply to him, yet that was all the admission the dark lord needed. Sauron snickered, enjoying making Galadriel squirm under the glare of her allies. "You loved my wife…" he uttered, still clutching tightly to your dagger and diadem. Each step of his boots on the wet pavement were like notes of a dark symphony, building to a crescendo as he edged closer to where the she-elf stood. "Yet you betray us… you dare to end my life… and you end that of my love, our love instead. Before I steal your light from this world… I ask you… why?" He came to a halt, his body mere inches from Galadriel. She stared up at the dark lord defiantly from under her brow.
"Because despite my feelings, my love for you both… I have a duty that is much greater. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."
"You have failed your duty. You and I are now back where we started. Drenched and anguished."
Galadriel's lips trembled. "I… I did not wish to kill her-"
"AND YET YOU DID!" The dark lord's voice was like a sonic boom as he screamed at her, the wind blowing fast from him once again. Though still, Galadriel stood her ground. The only thing moving about her was her hair cascading out behind her back, and her tears that fell silently down her cheeks. "I wanted to save her. Care for her, after you were gone. I do love you, Halbrand, but I was right, you are beyond saving."
"If you love me, elf… stay with me. Rule by my side in my queen's stead. Take up the offer I once gave you. Bind me to your light. Save me." He was practically begging Galadriel to accept him, and her face became marred with confusion. For she swore she could hear the honourable tones of Halbrand emerging in Sauron's speech. In a split second she made a choice, and it was one that she made selflessly. "Let these people live, let them go… then perhaps… I might consider it." The rain finally began to ease, and sensing his calm, she raised a hand to the face of the dark lord, cupping his damp and pale cheek, staring unwaveringly into his eyes of flame.
Time stopped. In this moment it was only Sauron and Galadriel, small smiles creeping into their expressions as they thought of you. The one they had both loved and now lost. They still had each other, and with your spirit to strengthen them then perhaps their bond might be enough to stave off the darkness for good. As Sauron had put it, rule by his side in his queen's stead. The two of them shared an understanding in this timeless instant, as Sauron mimicked Galadriel's gesture of affection. The she-elf closed her eyes at his touch, the sensation seemingly restoring her to the reality of what had occurred, and what would occur should she not act now that she had the chance.
She had a duty. Greater than her own desires.
Moving with speed like the flashes of lightning Sauron seemed to control, Galadriel took hold of your dagger from within his hand and jammed it deeply into his chest. The face of the dark lord went even paler if it were possible, his evil eyes widening with shock at the sudden violent blow and the betrayal with which it had been struck. "Run! Do it now!" Galadriel shouted at the dozens of people still behind her. The wet footsteps of the survivors slammed across the ground as they took off as fast as they could. One thing the she-elf did not expect, was footsteps coming towards her.
"We shall not leave you, my lady." It was Arondir, his loyalty everlasting.
"Now is the time to escape, not fight, dear Arondir. Sauron is mine, and mine alone." she hissed, not removing her gaze from her wounded enemy.
"Galadriel-" Theo attempted to no avail. She turned her head to look at her allies, hoping the urgency on her face would reinforce that in her tone. "Please. My life is forfeit, you have the chance to win again someday." Reluctantly, Arondir nodded, accepting he would not sway his elven commander, and he, Theo, and Bronwyn left Galadriel's sight, which now returned to Sauron. Her hand was still on the hilt of the dagger buried within him, almost mirroring the fatal blow she had struck you only minutes ago. She twisted it, slowly, causing Sauron to cry out in pain, letting a little bit of her own darkness come out in the process. "Fool." she spat at him through gritted teeth. "It is as I said when I rejected you. I will never be at your side."
Galadriel removed the blade from his torso, blood spurting outward and onto her dress. Then in one final strike, she aimed your dagger directly at his heart, penetrating it with all the force she could, Sauron gasping as if short of breath. He raised shaky hands to hold her face in a final caress, as she watched the flame dwindle in his eyes, fighting back her tears. Galadriel had wished there could have been a way to save him, another option for her to choose that could keep him alive, keep him with her. For part of her did feel as if she was truly betraying you now by ending Sauron's life. By ending Halbrand's life. Though despite the unhinged rapture she had felt being tangled up in your bodies last night, she knew all roads lead here. The three of your destinies were indeed entwined, the light had been chosen, and Middle-earth had indeed been saved.
Sauron could not speak, and losing his strength, collapsed helplessly onto the pavement beneath him. His eyes, like yours, were now shut. The rain completely stopped, and slowly, sunshine peaked through the clouds as they began to lighten and disperse overhead. Galadriel trembled, overwhelmed by the plethora of emotions she was now feeling. Disbelief, heartache, relief, joy, grief… it all washed over her simultaneously as the defeat of the dark lord at long last finally sank in. Closing her eyes, she pictured her brother, Finrod, and his smiling face, beaming with pride. "It is done." With that, Galadriel removed her eyes from the body of Sauron, and strode away in the direction of the people of Pelargir, her mind now on healing them and repairing the damage that their king and queen had wrought. She did not look back.
If only she had.
For she would have seen the blood of the dark lord pool no longer on the ground, but return back into the flesh where it belonged. She would have seen his slitted fiery eyes open once more, and his body, very much alive, rise from the ground. She would have seen him smile wickedly as he turned to walk slowly away, heading out of the town square. She would have seen him transform his physical self into a black winged creature, clutching your crowns between its jaws, flying up and over the city of Pelargir.
She would have heard his malevolent cackle on the wind.