Chapter 7 Melkor

Melkor watched as three hundred marched eager for blood and gain glory, for they were to slay a great beast that has slaughtered hundreds. To his left stood a man that was two heads taller than him, It was the Beast the Northerners had marched to kill, and to his right stood a human-like figure who stood two heads shorter than him, he had the antlers of an elk, his skin as green as grass.

The three men stood atop a hill gazing at the approaching force that had set out to slay Beorn. As the three men watched the approaching force, one could notice the three had taken up arms, preparing for the incoming battle ahead. Melkor held two long single-sided blades made of steel, Beorn had a double-sided battle axe larger than a full-grown man, and Eoghan held two short bronze daggers at his side.

Behind the three men stood a number of different creatures. It was a force gathered by Eoghan to aid Beorn in this time of need. The creatures consisted of children of the forest, giants, and even a few green men.

Boern looked over to Eoghan "How many have answered your summon?"

"Seventy children, seven giants, and four green men."

Melkor's face held a hint of disappointment at hearing those numbers. "Well make do with what we have."

Eoghan nodded to Melkor. "Aye, we'll have quality over quantity in this battle." Eoghan looked to Beorn, hesitation could be seen in the large man's eyes. "What troubles you Beorn." The green man chuckled, "Don't tell me the mighty Beorn, the great bear, is scared."

Beorn grunted in annoyance "I've no wish to sacrifice our people's lives because of my mistake. I'll go down and try to negotiate with their lord, there's no need for so many to die."

Melkor scoffed at Beorns idea of negotiating with them. "Why would you want to spare them, they have burned and destroyed your people's homes and sacred trees, they will not listen to you, they may not even let you walk away. We have the high ground and the element of surprise, let us use it."

"I agree with Melkor on this Beorn, if you go down there, we lose the few advantages we have!" Eoghan exclaimed

Beorn Side eyed Eoghan and Melkor as he watched the Northmen march closer and closer "We would lose nothing. Stark knows me, he would never expect me to call for help. I'll go down and talk while you two stay here in case things go wrong. Should things go wrong, charge them, and I'll keep them preoccupied."

With his axe slung over his shoulder, Beorn began walking down towards the approaching force, hoping to avert the coming bloodshed.

"And how will we know when to charge" Eoghan called out

"When you see a giant bear!" Beorn called back

Melkor watched as Beorn descended toward the men, rage brewing within him "Why does Beorn wish to spare these men, he tells me stories of how they had burned and butchered many of your people, yet he does not wish to take revenge."

Eoghan sighed at Melkors question " Beorn is... He and lord Stark have a strange bond. Brandon the bloody blade is different from the rest of the humans, he has tried to make peace with our people, yet many of the humans do not agree with him, Beorn has talked much with the old lord, yet little progress has been made."

Melkor looked down at Beorn as he grew closer and closer to the old lord who led the host "If Brandon Stark is close with Beorn, then why does he lead a host to slay his friend?"

Eoghan shrugged "I do not believe he does wish to slay Beorn out of hatred or revenge, but he feels he must out of duty."

"And why does he feel he must slay a friend."

"Because Beorn had killed Brandon Stark's blood brother. The old man of the Wailing Trees. that old man was legendary among the humans. He saved Brandon starks life many times, he aided him in driving the giants away from the south, and he even saved the humans king, Garth Greenhand from an ambush."

Melkor nodded his head as he watched Beorn reach the Stark lord "I guess things are more complicated than I thought." He chuckled "I guess I'm losing my touch"

Eoghan smiled and looked at him "Beorn tells me you're a banished god, sent here as a semi-mortal being as punishment. He must have been jesting when he told me."

"He speaks true, while here in the strange new land I have had much to think about."

"Have you now? Beorn spoke you waged a devastating war from where you're from, plan to do it again?"

Melkor frowned "You know, for my crimes, I was sent to a place beyond reality. When I was there I had nothing but time, time to think about my role in creation."

"Oh, and did you figure out that role?" mirth laced Eoghans voice "Because it seems to me, you are still trying to figure things out."

"I have come to many answers to my questions, but many are still unknown to me."

"Then tell me oh great one, what has our new resident god concluded?" sarcasm ever-present "Because to me If someone told me to think of a god the first thing I were to think of, they would not have an identity crisis."

Eoghans posture shifted, He straightened up and fully turned to Melkor, his usual carefree attitude gone. "So tell me Melkor, what are you, for you do not act like a god, no, you seem more mortal than god."

Melkor did not cower under Eoghans scrutinizing gaze. He responded with the ferocity of a raging hurricane, the wind around Melkor whipped, and roared, his eyes blazed like an inferno "You mortals are all the same! You fear the unknown, you deny the truth no matter how many times you hear it till it's in front of you!"

The forces that stood behind Eoghan and Melkor began to draw weapons, all of them eyeing Melkor. He had become hostile and could threaten one of their greatest leaders, Eoghan.

Eoghan stood his ground, ready for the man Beorn took in, a man he did not trust, god or not, he would not risk his people for a man who had caused great ruin from wherever he has come from.

Melkor side-eyed the small army ready to attack at the first sign of him causing harm to Eoghan. He sighed, and the winds calmed, and the fire that was alight in his eyes died. "I was a god... once, and I no longer know if I am?"

Eoghan wasn't convinced "And how do I know you don't wish to start a war that ravages my home like yours?"

Melkor looked up to the sky "When I waged the war of wrath, I was different. When I first came to be, I craved to create, I was born the strongest of my kin, and I was given the greatest knowledge from my father, yet I was made to create, yet I was without the tool to give life to my creation. I craved more than I could reach, and I strayed from balance and chose my own path for I craved this tool, and slowly I was blinded by greed, rage, and ambition.

When I spent time in my prison, I realized I could have created great things without the tool. But by the time the war had come to an end, I had created something greater than anything I could have imagined. Some sanity then came back to me. I had gone mad, insane, I only desired

Eoghan slowly eased back and discreetly signaled for everyone to put their wea destruction and chaos. But when... when she came into my world, I changed." Eoghan raised an eyebrow "And who was it that changed you?"

A tear could be seen rolling down Melkors eye, the most vulnerable anyone has ever seen him. "My wife." Eoghan had cracked a smile at his answer

Melkor spoke with a longing in his voice "When the war had begun to look more and more like a lost cause, she had come to me, she had brought me back from my madness. But by then, it was too late, I had squandered my power, I had been greatly wounded, and my enemies had defeated my greatest servants.

When the war had ended I had shattered the very world twice over. I had marred the world permanently, and slaughtered millions who will lie in the ground for eternity."

Eoghan grimaced "And do you regret it all?"

Melkor pondered the question. He had been asking himself the very same question when he was first cast into the void.

"A part of me does regret what I had done. But not because I regret straying from the path my father had laid out. I still would not have loved my father's children, but I would not have waged such a meaningless war."

Eoghan did not flinch from blatant disregard for life. "Good"

Melkor eyed Eoghan "You do not seem concerned? Most would be disgusted and appalled at me. What makes you so different."

Eoghan chuckled "I've lived in these lands longer than most. I've seen many things few can explain, and someone claiming to be a god is surprisingly not a first for me."

Melkor raised an eyebrow "Truly? And did they turn out to be gods?

Eoghan snorted in amusement "No." He stated straitly. The one I speak of is Garth Greenhand. He might be blessed by his gods, but he is no god like his people claim."

Melkor chuckled "Mortals. They are certainly strange."

"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR" A great deep roar echoed across the land, it sounded like thunder raging across the sky, threatening any who dared challenge it.

Melkor and Eoghan looked down to where Beorn had been, where he stood now was a giant bear. It tore its way through the Northern force like a hot blade thru snow.

Melkor and Eoghan had not been paying attention to Beorn for Eoghan had not fully trusted the man Beorn had found at his front door.

Eoghan turned to Melkor, his face serious and ready for battle. "You have chosen to fight for Beorn, show us that you speak the truth." Melkor nodded to Eoghan, he looked down the hill, pulling out two one-sided blades of steel, it glimmered like the stars in the night sky. Catching the eyes of Eoghan, never had he seen such a thing.

Melkor had crafted them before he, Beorn, and Eoghan had departed to intercept the Coming force. He had gone searching for material and found the men of the land did not even use steel as weapons, but Bronze. He had easily found steel in the mountains which he used to craft the blades. They may not be Legendary swords of Middle Earth, but he was a master craftsman, a skill he used little before his banishment. His weapons would outshine even the mightiest of swords the humans of the continent wielded, and cut their armor like butter.

Calming himself from his surprise, Eoghan turned to the force behind him, calling out to rally them. "Brothers, sisters, today we fight the men who wish to take our homes and to burn our gods, they believe they are superior because they are many, but we are blessed by our gods, and our duty to the gods is to slay the invaders!" The force cheered for Eoghans speech

He turned to Melkor and nodded, Melkor swiftly began to descend the hill at blistering speeds, Behind him the charging force of the children of the forest, giants, and green men, and at the head was Eoghan, Leading them to battle.

Melkor jumped into the unsuspecting northern army, cutting down any who stood in his way. They were in disarray, they had prepared for Beorn, but not an army of the forest. Melkor slashed and pierced any man who thought they could stop the maelstrom that was Melkor.

He made killing look like a dance, he was precise and elegant, but ruthless and cruel at the same time. The twin blades cut even the greatest armor the men wore. He was just as deadly as the giant Bear the Northmen had meant to kill.

The Northmen charged the incoming force. The army was spread and in disarray from the giants swinging great trees and the Green men and children of the forest jumping through the army cutting any in their way.

As Melkor cut down another man he stopped and looked to see three more men charging him, two with spears and another with a bow staying back behind the two who charged him. Swiftly Melkor cut down one of the men, sidestepping his bronze sword, and cutting him down by the back. The second man tried slicing Melkors neck, but he was too slow, Melkor easily avoided the swing and tripped him, he fell to the ground as Melkor stabbed him in the back.

The third man was visibly shaking, he was young and terrified, this was probably his first-ever battle. He couldn't get his arrow to sit right in his bow. Melkor ran up to him and ended him with a clean swing to the neck.

As the man's head fell to the ground a cry much unlike the cry of a man went out. Melkor looked to where he heard it, his eyes landing on a young woman with eyes wide and full of tears. She had watched as Melkor killed the man.

He had learned much about the men of these lands and knew that women were not common on the field of battle. The man had probably been close to her.

As the woman slowly realized what Melkor had done her face full of grief turned to one of anger and aggression. She charged Melkor, picking up a sword of a fallen soldier and raising it high above her head, she let out a blood-curdling scream, facing death in the eye.

As she charged Melkor stood waiting for the coming attack, ready to strike the grief-stricken girl down.

Halfway to Melkor, the girl was grabbed by a man in Bronze and leather, he seemed to be telling her something, and soon yelling. Soon the girl started to back away from the man, tears rolling down her eyes before she started to run in the opposite direction of where Melkor stood.

Melkor watched as the man turned and faced him. He began to speak as he drew his blade.

"I do not know who you are but know this is the day you breathe your last!"

Melkor chuckled in amusement "Not one for the great speeches are we?"

The man's face was hard as stone. He did not respond to Melkors verbal jab. All he did was let out a great warcry that could rival Beorn's roar.

He charged Melkor's sword ready to pierce Melkors heart. Melkor parried away his sword and with a quick slash to his neck, Stieg, Housecarl of Brandon Stark, was no more.