Chapter 60
Sauron, bound in chains, was brought back to the city of Rómenna in Númenor. Ar-Pharazon considered him his most splendid trophy, showcasing Númenor's unrivaled power to the entire city and kingdom—even the "Lord of the Earth" had been captured alive. This seemingly impoverished captive's cunning and toxic mind surpassed Ar-Pharazon's wildest dreams. Sauron's prison became the perfect breeding ground for his destruction. Over decades, Sauron orchestrated a slow, yet thorough, corruption that spread throughout the heart of Númenor.
Sauron was well aware of human nature, especially the weaknesses of Ar-Pharazon: greed for power, fear of aging, and boundless arrogance caused by victory. He did not rush for success, but chose the most effective disguise - humility and wisdom.
He first demonstrated his vast knowledge, answering Ar-Pharazon's questions about Middle-earth's geography, minerals, and even some ancient mysteries, his insights far surpassing those of the scholars of Númenor. His casual revelations about the weaknesses of the Elves and the hidden treasures of the Dwarves struck a chord with the king. He subtly complimented Ar-Pharazon's greatness, suggesting that only a king so powerful could truly endure. Soon, Sauron went from prisoner to the king's most trusted advisor, his chains removed, replaced by magnificent robes and a seat of honor near the throne.
Then, he began to systematically indoctrinate the people with his ideas. He took advantage of the longing for immortality and dissatisfaction with the bans of the Valar that had already spread throughout Númenor society, and packaged his dark philosophy as a path to liberation by "revealing the truth" and "breaking the shackles."
At court banquets and even in semi-public speeches, Sauron declared in a very persuasive voice: "The Valar are not creators, they are just a group of powerful spirits who have stolen the management of the world. They fabricated the myth of 'Ilúvatar' only to enslave all living things, especially to restrict humans, a race with unlimited potential." He claimed that the Valar banned humans from sailing west and pursuing immortality out of fear - fear that once humans mastered the secret of immortality, they would eventually surpass them.
Sauron presented the most provocative and deadly evidence: "You think that humans' pursuit of immortality is a delusion? You are totally wrong. The records of the First Age are absolutely true. The human named Meereen not only existed, but he succeeded. He broke through the blockade of the Valar and successfully reached Valinor, thereby gaining eternal life. The Valar knew this very well, but they strictly kept the news secret, allowing only the elves and their chosen 'pets' to enjoy eternity. Meereen knew the secret of eternal life, but chose to enjoy it alone, refusing to share it with his own people. This is the most naked proof of the Valar's partiality and Meereen's betrayal of all mankind." Sauron's voice was full of "righteous indignation". "People of Númenórean, you are so powerful and so wise, why should you be deprived of the right to pursue eternity by the Valar and that selfish Meereen?"
When the audience's anger and desire were completely ignited, Sauron timely introduced his "savior": "But hope is not lost. Before the Valar, before all the rules and constraints, there existed a truly unrestricted master! He represents power, freedom, and the possibility of breaking through all shackles. He is not the fabricated 'Ilúvatar', but Melkor. Those forces slandered by the Valar as 'darkness' are the key to breaking their rule and achieving true freedom and eternal life. Melkor is the 'giver of freedom'."
These words spread like a plague, spreading rapidly through the Númenorian nobility and the lower classes eager for change. Sauron's "erudition" and "frankness" won him many followers. His rhetoric against the Valar provided a "reasonable" and "noble" rationale for the Númenorians' long-suppressed rebellion and their desire for immortality.
Sauron's public pronouncements about Meereen had a profound impact on the Faithful, like a stone dropped into stagnant waters. They had always believed in Meereen's existence, but Sauron's confirmation from his enemy carried a different weight.
At a secret gathering place near the port of Andúni, the leaders of the Faithful were overcome with emotion and tears welled up in their eyes. "Even Sauron has been forced to acknowledge Meereen's existence and arrival in Valinor," an old man said in a trembling voice. "How can this be considered betrayal? It is clearly a grace from Eru, proof that the Valar have not abandoned humanity. Meereen's acceptance by the Valar proves that our human souls have the potential for elevation and blessing. His immortality is not selfish, but a miracle and hope bestowed by Eru upon the loyal, a symbol of the light of the Valar piercing the darkness."
Sauron's remarks about Meereen's "selfish possession of the secret of immortality" caused unprecedented divisions in Númenor society.
The King's followers took Sauron's words as gospel truth. They labeled Meereen a "vile thief," a "pet of the Valar," and a "coward who betrayed all of humanity." His name became a target of curses at noble banquets, a prime example of why we should strive for immortality ourselves. Any mention of Meereen's positive deeds was labeled as sympathy for traitors and superstition of the Valar.
The Faithful, on the other hand, see Meereen as "the embodiment of grace" and "a beacon of hope for mankind." In secret gatherings, they sing the praises of Meereen, seeing his arrival in Valinor as proof that the Valar have not abandoned humanity. Meereen's existence is a core pillar of their resistance to Sauron's dark teachings, upholding their faith in the face of despair.
The confrontation between the two factions reached a fever pitch. The King's Faction used their power to hunt down and persecute members of the Faithful, destroying their secret gathering places and burning any items bearing Valar symbols or positive references to Meereen. Meanwhile, the Faithful operated in deeper shadows, using Meereen's name as a codeword for mutual identification and encouragement.
Sauron intended to use Meereen's existence to prove the Valar's partiality and incite hatred, but he inadvertently instilled unprecedented confidence and cohesion in the Faithful. Meereen's very existence became their most powerful weapon against the Faithful's dark teachings—the Valar had not abandoned humanity. They desperately needed to find Meereen, confirm his safety, and gain his guidance and wisdom to resist Sauron's schemes.
Through the only remaining and extremely dangerous secret channel, the loyalists finally passed the secret letter containing Sauron's words and their own beliefs to Gil-galad in Lindon, begging the High King to help contact Meereen.
Gil-galad knew the gravity of this matter, so he immediately dispatched his most trusted Elf messenger, bearing a secret message and a safe route map, to secretly journey to Meereen's contact point in Middle-earth. Finally, in Forrington, near the Grey Havens, in the simple stone chamber of Círdan the Shipwright, where the sound of the waves could be heard, several exiles who had weathered many hardships and represented the core of the Faithful of Númenor finally met Meereen, exhausted by the journey.
When Meereen entered the stone chamber, the loyalist representatives were overcome with emotion. Ferrel stepped forward, bowed deeply, his voice choking with emotion: "Oh, heaven... the wonder of legend... Sauron's venomous tongue acknowledged your existence, yet twisted your wonder into treason. But we know... you are the beacon of light favored by the Valar for us humans. Please guide us, in this darkest hour, how can we protect the light within our hearts?" They recounted Sauron's words and deeds in detail in Númenor, their words filled with grief and indignation at the fall of the king and kingdom, and with a cherished appreciation for the hope that Meereen represented.
Meereen listened, a mixture of emotions. His immortality came from a long-forgotten otherworldly home, a place Esti had once told him was its final gift. He was heartened by the Faithful's steadfast faith in despair, yet he felt a deep weight of sorrow at Sauron's cunning and the fall of Númenor. He solemnly responded, "Your faith is the true strength. Sauron seeks to rend hearts with my presence, but Eru's grace is unstinting; it demands a pure heart and fearless perseverance. I cannot return to Númenor to undo the tide of change, but I will be with you, offering shelter and support to those who uphold the Light to the best of my ability." This meeting was like a lantern lit in a storm, a feeble light that pointed the way for the Faithful and strengthened their resolve.
Sauron's temptation took deep root in Ar-Pharazon's heart. The king initially only asked Sauron about Melkor in private. Under Sauron's extremely tempting description, Ar-Pharazon's dark desires were completely ignited, and he began a secret dark worship ceremony.
This secret faith became uncontrollable, and Ar-Pharazon, at Sauron's instigation, decided to openly break with the Valar. At a grand celebration, before all the nobles and common people, he openly praised Melkor as the "Supreme Lord" and the "Giver of Freedom," and declared that the true future of Númenor lay in the ways of darkness. The people and most of the nobles, already brainwashed by Sauron's words, erupted in wild cheers, completely turning to the dark side.
Public persecution began. Climbing the sacred Meneltarma to pray at the single altar to Ilúvatar became a capital offense. Those who dared to climb were arrested and sometimes publicly executed as a warning to others. The names of the Valar became taboo in public.
Sauron's ambitions did not stop there. He set his sights on the sacred tree in the palace courtyard, which witnessed the origin of Númenor and symbolized the ancient friendship with the elves. Its white flowers and silver light seemed out of place in Númenor, which was increasingly shrouded in darkness.
"Sire," said Sauron, in a voice like the whisper of a serpent, "this tree is a relic of the old times, the last fetters of the Valar and the Elves that bound Númenor. Its roots are bound to the corrupted covenant. Destroying it and dedicating your palace completely to the power of Melkor is the most powerful declaration of your renunciation of the past and your embrace of eternal freedom."
Ar-Pharazon gazed at Nimloth. The tree held so much history, its very existence akin to an ancient prophecy. He remembered his uncle Tal-Palantyr's sorrowful warning before his death: "The fate of Númenor is bound up with Nimloth. When the tree is destroyed, the fate of the land will be shattered." A strange chill passed through his heart.
"No," Ar-Pharazon rarely refused Sauron, "This tree... was planted by our ancestors, so leave it for now." He did not fully adopt Sauron's advice, and Nimloth survived temporarily, standing alone in the palace courtyard that was increasingly shrouded in darkness, like a weak symbol of the last conscience of Númenor.
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