And what a long story that would be! "Well, the synopsis would be as follows. I refused the summons of Mandos and wandered as a spirit, which was not quite as the Valar would have us believe. I grieved for my life and for the lives of all whom I had loved, but I was not in complete despair, and I began to heal on my own. And I also attempted to re-embody myself without the help of the Valar. When I was younger, I read some of the sage's books that grandfather had in his library, and some of those sages speculated that it was possible, that the body still exists in the love and memory of the spirit, and it can be rebuilt. Because after all, body is simply condensed spirit. I was having some success, and I rejoiced that soon I would be able to enter the world again and take an active part. But suddenly I was seized by a power greater than that of the Valar, and to my surprise. . . ."
He smiles. He still finds this funny. "I was snatched into a universe that must have been a variation of ours, for it looked like Middle-earth, except that the only people who inhabited it were the ones that power had snatched from other universes. That power was Eru, or at least the Eru of that universe, which was called Arda Marred. Beleriand and the isle of Numenor had both risen from the great Sea. I stayed there for a couple of years, in the village of Deepwood in the Ered Luin, working had to make improvement to the area and trying to help the inhabitants. Maglor was there, and Finrod and Galadriel, and Mother was there as well, for a little while. And, unfortunately, Morgoth and Sauron. But those two did not have the power they had had in the original universe, and they could make mischief but not destroy the world or any part of it. Anyway, long story. The place began to empty out until there were only four of us left, and we all departed."
He shakes his head a little; he had felt good about being there and was sad to leave.
"Next thing I knew, I was in a city called Hadriel. It was ruled by a pantheon of gods, but they weren't really gods, they were just very powerful energy parasites. They would stage events that were intended to evoke emotions from us, and emotional energy was their food. The task there was to survive all the dangers, survive the predations of the gods, and try to build community. Some of our family were there as well, and I made friends and worked on projects and created an organization called the Fire Brigade. After two years, I was sad to leave the people but not the place. It was time for me to resume my journey."
He laughs again. "And here I am on a train expedition through the Void! I'm happy to be here, and I am entertained by the whole situation. And I'm sure that your skills will be needed and appreciated, Father!"
"But tell me, are you free of the Oath? Because I am. I foreswore it shortly before I died, and it hasn't bothered me since. I'm wondering if death automatically frees us from it."
Danger, danger! Long post advisory. XD
He smiles. He still finds this funny. "I was snatched into a universe that must have been a variation of ours, for it looked like Middle-earth, except that the only people who inhabited it were the ones that power had snatched from other universes. That power was Eru, or at least the Eru of that universe, which was called Arda Marred. Beleriand and the isle of Numenor had both risen from the great Sea. I stayed there for a couple of years, in the village of Deepwood in the Ered Luin, working had to make improvement to the area and trying to help the inhabitants. Maglor was there, and Finrod and Galadriel, and Mother was there as well, for a little while. And, unfortunately, Morgoth and Sauron. But those two did not have the power they had had in the original universe, and they could make mischief but not destroy the world or any part of it. Anyway, long story. The place began to empty out until there were only four of us left, and we all departed."
He shakes his head a little; he had felt good about being there and was sad to leave.
"Next thing I knew, I was in a city called Hadriel. It was ruled by a pantheon of gods, but they weren't really gods, they were just very powerful energy parasites. They would stage events that were intended to evoke emotions from us, and emotional energy was their food. The task there was to survive all the dangers, survive the predations of the gods, and try to build community. Some of our family were there as well, and I made friends and worked on projects and created an organization called the Fire Brigade. After two years, I was sad to leave the people but not the place. It was time for me to resume my journey."
He laughs again. "And here I am on a train expedition through the Void! I'm happy to be here, and I am entertained by the whole situation. And I'm sure that your skills will be needed and appreciated, Father!"
"But tell me, are you free of the Oath? Because I am. I foreswore it shortly before I died, and it hasn't bothered me since. I'm wondering if death automatically frees us from it."