Mairon had exhausted himself rather early on as he tried to fight and didn’t realize how weak a human body is.
He slumped, even dozing off from sheer exhaustion as they traveled on horse-back. Because of this, he didn’t even realize where they were. He could barely hear the waves as his hearing had been muted.
It took a while for Sauron’s words to sink in properly – for the disgusting meaning behind them to take root in Mairon’s mind. He had been worried before, maybe even afraid – but now he was terrified.
They would doom him to literally rot…! To have his body that was made to be eternal become a rotting, decaying prison. He’d be frail, he’d become worthless, he’d be ugly and rotten, and it terrified him.It was terrifying for many reasons. Being frail and weak like a kitten was not an experience he enjoyed, and just the thought of being trapped in a body of flesh that was constantly decaying was beyond horrifying.
His vision…!! His many goals…!!!! How was he supposed to be able to get Melkor out of the void if he rotted away in his brother’s tower!? Would he even end up in the void afterwards? Or would he go wherever humans go when they die? Would he ever see Melkor again…?!
“Brother, please…!” he tried, barely more than a whisper, just before Sauron turned to Ji-Indur to free him.
Mairon was pale by now, silent tears trailing down his freckled cheeks as he could barely even feel the pain in his scalp at all. He could feel his bond to Ji being severed – could feel how that part of his fëa was being cut from him, and he gasped, choking and coughing as it felt as if Sauron was tugging at something within his chest – tugging at his very heart.
It was uncomfortable, but not agonizing, and he could handle it.
He had lost Ji – he knew that and there was nothing he could do to get him back. He still didn’t know what it was he had done to make Ji hate him so – He had been a kind master. He had punished him when he disobeyed, of course, but nothing more than that. Ji-Indur had chosen the ring – he had chosen his own fate – Mairon really didn’t think he could be blamed for it at all.When Ossë spoke directly to him, the amount of his tears increased and he whimpered. How could Ossë use that against him now…!?
“Cousin, please…! I didn’t…! I didn’t know you didn’t want it…!!! You said you forgave me…! You said yes! You spent time with my wolves – with me – you laughed…! You smiled and-and I…! I didn’t know…!!! Please don’t let him…! Please…!! I’m sorry…! I’m sorry! I didn’t know – I swear I didn’t know I hurt you! I only wanted to be good to you, I swear! Don’t do this…!” he begged, until Ossë lowered him and pressed him against Sauron’s chest.
That was when his pleading turned into pure screams of terror. He squirmed and fought, like a cat that was unwilling to be held he twisted and turned in a desperate attempt to escape his brother’s grip. In his terror he reverted from common tongue to valarin – his fear warping his speech into their native tongue.
“Please no! No! You can’t do this! I’m begging you – I’ll do anything!! I didn’t know! I DIDN’T KNOW!!!” he sobbed. “You can’t do this!!! I will atone from my sins in any way you want! Harm me like I did you! Whip me – flay me – I will accept all of it! Eat me alive and crush my body – but I’m begging you not to lock me into a rotting prison of flesh…!!! Please! I must – I can’t – I will never be able to see Master again…! I’m begging you!!!”
“Silence!” Receiving the thrashing figure into a vice of an embrace, Sauron bared his teeth at his brother’s ear. “You will see Him again. We will see him together. But it will be I who frees him, not thou.”
It took no more than an instant to restrain Mairon’s trebling hand, corpse-cold and bent like a dying spider; another to slide the gold ring off its crooked finger.
Fixated on the glittering prize, he replied without sparing the wraith a glance. “Mordor belongs to me now. Your brethren are free in that they may choose to stay and serve me, or resign themselves to a mortal death. Their decision matters little. Their rings are mine, and there will always be more men eager for power.”
Then his smile flashed white in the darkness. “Thank you, Cousin.”
The two rings flashed, joined together at their point of contact like a symbol of infinity, then pooled together into One. The burst of light that followed was like the collapse of a star, an explosion of light and a inward surge of pressure so great that for a moment it reversed the tide.
From the water’s edge, the great fell beast keened and caught its balance as suddenly a scouring wind escaped the vortex, hot as a desert sandstorm that crackled with lightning. Out of the tempest Sauron emerged, seeming larger than before, his stride grander, a feeling of inescapable gravity surrounding him as he walked.
Exhaling a plume of white steam towards the moon, Sauron shut his eyes as the thrill of having expanded doubly in reach and power caught up with him in a rush of new sensation, an elated laugh bubbling out of him.
“Incredible,” he gasped, turning his ring-bearing hand over before his eyes, as though he could not comprehend the sight of it. Still marveling at himself he reached down and as if an afterthought, plucked Mairon off the sand, draping him over one arm as though he were no more than a length of damp cloth.
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