Climbing out was a tricky option. They would have difficulty carrying everyone out. A couple might be left behind.
The runes on the steel mesh walls that surrounded them in the pit gleamed every now and then. The shifters couldn't recognize the writings but it seemed familiar. Some place, some where else had similar marks...then they remembered.
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In the bowels of Angband where Morgoth had tortured, experimented on and locked away the previous shifters there were similar markings in that strange language. Was it black speech? It surrounded the dungeon walls and spoke tales of the Morgoth's might, vigor and endless charitability.
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They could understand some of the runic words and inscriptions but not most of them. Words such as, 'Valar', 'Fight', 'Key' and 'Door' were able to be seen. The shifters remembered such terms from Morgoth's way of addressing the Valar, how he continually mentioned that the Giants would fight against them, how they were the key to his prison in the void and how they would open the doorway for him to escape.
Sigeric found no chairs but snippets of rope had fallen. Though, alone, the ropes would not be able to help them escape. There was also the bundles of hay that lay at the floor of the pit.
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Deslan swung to one side of the cliffs, the hook had grappled to a boulder and his chainsawrd rocked against his chest as he bashed into an alcove, landing just inside of it. It was small enough to hold him and he could finally relax. The flashflood continued below him and the skies began to erupt in rain, letting down additional water which fed the flood.
[user avatar="https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/6427581/avatar/small.1500927951.jpeg" name="Riko son of Pdor son of Kmer"]6427581[/user]
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Eonwe was dragged through the streets of Valmar past crowds of blonde-haired Vanyar elves who looked at him with a mixture of pity and disgust. Mineltar pulled on his chains whilst the other Scions helped him along towards the Dome of the Elder King. The Dome was golden and filled of light that gleamed as bright as the sun. Similarly to all the buildings in Valmar which had golden domed houses, cleaned streets, pure grounds, temples of worship that put every other shrine in Arda to shame; richly gowned females and proud males in aristocratic tunics and robes.
His head was hung in shame as he was taken to the Dome of the Elder King and entered its golden halls and silver floors. He was bloodied, they beat him more on the way when he attempted to convince them of his actions having no malcontent. They did not believe him. Or, did not want to believe him. He was thrown down onto the silver floor once they reached the throne of the King. He refused to look up, to meet their eyes, to meet the King's eyes. So, he kept his head bowed and remained silent. A few minutes passed as he heard shuffling around him before the King spoke.
"Eonwe Urion. You are brought before this council as you have been found guilty of disobedience to the Valar, guilty of aiding in the release of the Unspoken One, guilty of forging alliances with the enemy and guilty of being resurrected. What say thee in thy defense?"
Eonwe kept his head bowed and spoke, unwilling to look the Elder King in the eye.
"Lord of the West, King of Arda, Manwe Sulimo, forgive my misbehavior. I am guilty of misconduct as I saw it unfit to slay innocents but I am not guilty of releasing the Constrainer, and I am not guilty of forging alliances with the enemy for the Giant Shifters are not our enemies. And," he continued, "I am innocent of being resurrected. I do not know who re-incarnated myself. All I know is that I am here, beneath you, oh Lord of the Breath of Arda." This was met by some whispers before Manwe spoke.
"You may not have been a part of Ilmare's betrayal but you still aided in her ploy. The Giants are the enemy. They have been since their consummation by the Unspoken One. It is quite obvious who resurrected you, Eonwe Urion. It was the Unspoken One, reviving a consort to his plans in order to delay his inevitable death. You are found guilty of these. However, if you choose to answer this question you may be granted freedom to return to serving me." Eonwe heard his booming voice pause.
"If you were returned to Middle-Earth with the orders to slay the Giants, would you?"
Eonwe closed his eyes and looked up to see Manwe, magnificent, almighty, absolute, sitting on his throne with his brothers and sisters around him. Hundreds of Ainur flooded the Elder King's halls: Varda, his wife, sat nearby whilst Ulmo, his closest lieutenant sat next to him. Yavanna, Tulkas, Nienna, Este and Vana occupied the remaining seats. Oddly, Namo, Irmo, Orome and Aule were absent. He swallowed and answered.
"They are innocent of the fate that destiny has placed upon them. Illuvitar commanded us not to slay. And I shall no longer slay innocents, even for you Manwe." He said, staring into his master's cold blue eyes.
The Valar looked down on him in silence. Something passed between them. Nienna began to weep just as Manwe boomed out,
"You have chosen your fate, Eonwe Urion. May the void bear you no warmth. Take him to the Halls of Mandos. He shall be returned here within a fortnight for his public execution."
Eonwe's hair was grabbed by Mineltar and he was dragged backwards across the floor and thrown out the halls of the Elder King. The Scions restrained him and pulled him through the Dome and out into the city. He said nothing. Did nothing. Felt nothing. No, that was wrong. He felt something. Dread. Absolute utter dread. A tear escaped his eye as he hid his face in shame while they dragged him through the streets of Valmar.
