Chapter Text
Melkor and Manwë laughed and pushed at each other as they made their way back home. It had been a few years – maybe a couple dozen, them never caring how long their expeditions took – since they left to travel into every corner north of their home. They had already explored the whole continent and were becoming more and more curious about the continent on the other side of the great sea. Their Mom had not told them much, so they made it their next target after they arrived home.
First, though, they wanted to spend some time with their Mom, regale him with their presents and stories of what they experienced. Then, even if they had to beg, they would make Eru agree to their next trip.
“Do the puppy eyes. Mom always caves in whenever you do them.” Melkor suggested. Although neither could completely comprehend what puppy eyes were, they knew it was their first weapon to disarm their Mom. They often escaped punishment once Manwë employed them.
“Perhaps we should cook Mom’s favorites.” Manwë hummed, not thinking his Mom would fall for the eyes when he was already an adult. Another concept they failed to grasp but still used.
“He likes everything we do.” Melkor sighed. It was becoming harder and harder to make their Mom happy, what with these constant trips. “Maybe-”
Their good mood and planning were cut short when they noticed a figure hovered over their Mom. Their unconscious Mom. Immediately, they got ready to attack, uncaring of their well-being before what they felt was a powerful foe. However, they would do the impossible for their Mom. Manifesting their magic, they pointed it at the figure that looked up at them and easily stopped their attacks with a mere smile.
How?
Alarmed, they once again readied their magic.
“Fear not, children, Eru is fine.” The figure appeased while retreating with their hands up. A sign of peace, as they had learned from Eru. Neither Melkor nor Manwë lowered their guard as they slowly approached.
Melkor gestured at Manwë to pick up their Mom while his eyes never strayed from the being that made his body tremble. He hated the feeling of helplessness, of weakness, of being at another’s mercy. If only… “Mom’s fine. Just passed out.” Manwë informed with relief in his voice.
Melkor did not allow himself to relax. “What did you do?” He glared at the figure.
“Let me present myself first. I am Fate.” The figure smiled. When the identity of the being was revealed, both Melkor and Manwë felt a massive pressure. As if they were shackled onto something unescapable. “Pick Eru up. We have to talk.”
The brothers looked at each other and had a silent conversation, trying to decide if it was a good idea to follow Fate. They already had their Mom, so they could just leave. Yet, there was the fact that Fate was stronger than them. For sure not only stronger, but faster, too. Even if they ran, they had no guarantee that they would be able to escape.
They decided to follow the greater being.
Stepping into the house, they saw Fate placing a few chairs around Eru’s bed. The brothers terribly bristled seeing the being acting so naturally in their home. Worse was that Fate knew which one was Eru’s bed. Manwë put himself in front of Melkor to stop his brother from acting recklessly. Melkor was very explosive and often got in trouble with their Mom because of it.
Like the time they wanted to go out for the first time without their Mom. Their Mom, of course, said no. Then, Melkor… got angry and the whole house collapsed.
“You build a new house and I’ll see if you can go on your fun little trip.” Their Mom did not yell at the outburst, he just threw the ultimatum at Melkor.
Obviously, Melkor, the rebellious youngster he was, defied the orders and attempted to leave on his own. Only to find that there was a barrier around the house that prevented them from leaving. No matter what Melkor tried, he could never tear it down. If Manwë was not implicitly punished together with his brother, he would have marveled at the barrier’s might.
From that debacle, they learned their Mom was very strong despite his small figure, and that he was as stubborn as a mountain. Or even more than that. Even after Melkor built the house, they had to wait for a century so their Mom could let them travel. Manwë was of the idea that Melkor had their Mom’s temperament. That was why the two clashed constantly.
There was something Manwë could not deny, though. Melkor loved their Mom very much. So, he let his older brother pull two chairs away from Mom’s bed and gestured at Fate to sit in one while he sat on the other, face to face. Manwë put their Mom on the bed and sat on the last chair.
“Speak. What do you want?” Melkor demanded, crossing his arms.
Fate looked from one brother to the other, before resting his gaze on Eru’s body. Before Melkor could react, Fate spoke.
“Fifteen children Eru will birth.
Fourteen great ones.
Thirteen against one.
Twelve joined.
Eleven servants they will have.
Ten centuries for all to be born.
Nine homes they will have.
Eight are those above them.
Seven pairs of eyes looking.
Six songs to create the new world.
Five main races will live.
Four deaths.
Three Ages for darkness to be gone.
Two Deities doing the impossible.
One Ring to rule them All.”
Silence.
A sigh.
“Please tell me it’s not a prophecy.” Eru grumbled.
“Mom!” Melkor and Manwe cried out, jumping to their feet and immediately hovering above Eru.
“I’m fine.” Eru smiled at his children. “Welcome back.” Extending his arms, he demanded some hugs.
Fate chuckled at the pile on the bed. Death was probably dying of envy up there. “Rather than a Prophecy, it’s this world’s destiny. It had a different one before.” Before Eru Ilúvatar wished for everything to be gone. “For the cogs to run, you first have to Sing.” Fate explained to the three that remained on the bed.
“Sing?” Eru asked, confused.
“Sing.” Fate repeated. “I have to go. Take care of her.” Like that, the Deity vanished.
“Her?” Melkor was the first to react and immediately queried Eru.
Eru opened his mouth, paused, and closed it. How to explain your children they were going to be older brothers? Did he have to tell them about how babies are made? Though, Eru considered the most difficult thing to explain was the fact that they only had one parent raising them. Did half-Deities actually care about that?
“‘Fifteen children Eru will birth’.” Manwë recited, then looked directly at Eru. “There will be another thirteen.” He concluded. Eru nodded. Manwë did not know what to feel about that. He wanted to be happy, yet he could not. On the other hand, he was neither sad nor angry. He felt nothing.
Melkor was another story. He was bubbling with all sort of emotions.
He felt a bit betrayed; were they not enough for their Mom? He was also angry; did their Mom not trust them with such an important matter? He was curious to know how having a tiny little sibling would be like. Then again, he was confused to know how that little sibling would be born. That took him to a more important question, or questions.
“How were we born?” Melkor expectantly looked at Eru.
“Ah, well…” Eru stuttered. “You… you called to me. I went to look for you, and there you were.” He badly recounted the birth of his children.
“That’s too vague.” Manwë accused.
Eru helplessly chuckled. “It is, isn’t it?” He hummed and searched for better words. “I used to live in a world similar to this. A mirror of it, you could say. When you were ready to be born, you really called to me. One day, I just went to sleep and woke up here, where I knew I would find you. Tall and imposing like a mountain.” He looked at Melkor. “Calm and ethereal like a spring.” He turned to Manwë. “How you were born is the less important matter. What matters is that you are my children and this world is now our home.”
Eru would probably never know that he actually created that other side of the new world for his children to have a place to call home. Something he did not have millennia ago.
“That’s still confusing.” Melkor frowned, not comprehending how the ‘going to sleep somewhere and waking up elsewhere’ worked. But that did not let his thirst for answers to dwindle. So, he went straight to his next question. “Who’s our Dad?” He knew Fate was their new sibling’s Dad, but what about his and Manwë’s.
Eru made an expression that neither Melkor nor Manwë could identify when he answered. And he did so in a tone they thought was exclusive to them.
“Death.”
Melkor wanted to press for more answers, yet Manwë stopped him. Although Manwë did not know what their Mom felt for their Dad, he was sure that it was complicated. The same complicated as Fate seemingly not staying for the birth of their new sibling, and most likely would never be there to raise the child. Perhaps, when their Mom was ready, he would tell them about their Dad.
.
.
.
Death opened their eyes. Master was… not calling him. What was it, then? Weaker than a call. Stronger than just a casual mention. What was it that Master needed?
It took Death a bit to realize their surroundings. The sun above. Trees in front. Grass below. Laughter behind.
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Death turned and stared at the small figure that stared back. Two others joined the latter. “What do you see?” The one with white hair asked, his eyes flittering around to spot whatever had his Mom’s attention.
Eru grabbed the hand from the one with dark hair. Dark as…
Death looked down at their hand. They felt something. Warmth. Master’s warmth. Death pulled it closer.
“Mom!”
Safely ensconced in that warmth, Death… sighed. “Master.”
“Death.”
Death opened their eyes. Order and Chaos stood in front.
“They are about to Sing. Want to come and hear?” Chaos asked with his trademark smirk.
Death looked down at his hand.
“Yes.”