-General-
The ascension of a champion of the Valar, a celestial phenomenon that had only occurred twice in all of history. But who was the first? Curiously, he was also a warrior blessed by Varda: the unmatched wise man and king of the Noldor, Fingolfin.
Such was the power he received from that blessing that he dared to face Morgoth himself, wounding him seven times and leaving a deep injury that would mark him forever, forcing him to limp until his final defeat at the hands of the army of the Valar. However, Fingolfin could not prevail against the Dark Lord; he fell after all his bones were broken in the heat of battle. And, although his life was extinguished, his feat ignited the hope of the free peoples—men, dwarves, and elves—instilling in them the courage that remained hidden under the yoke of fear.
In the Third Age, the second ascended one emerged, and once again it was a warrior of Varda. But this time everything would be different: the presence of the Queen of the Stars became manifest. She would not repeat the mistake of abandoning her champion to the solitude of combat, as she did not wish for Aldril to share Fingolfin's fate. Thus, she answered her warrior's call and remained by his side.
And it was fitting, for Aldril was not facing common enemies, but those creatures that Morgoth had hurled against the world in the first days of his arrival in Arda.
"My loyal Sword," she whispered. "I am with you. I will not abandon you. Let us together defeat these abominations whose names have been erased, let us make your deeds a verse in the great song of father."
Aldril took a deep breath and let the exhalation flow calmly. In his eyes shone an unbreakable clarity. Before him, countless creatures—from the smallest to colossal giants—stirred uncomfortably; they recoiled and writhed under the dazzling light with which Varda illuminated the abyss.
With his swords held high, he made an almost imperceptible cut, which was enough to sever the tentacles that were imprisoning Gandalf. The very flash of that slash also freed the Balrog, who, like a coward, let out a piercing scream before fleeing in a hurry.
"Go with Gandalf," Aldril said, turning his gaze to the wizard, who was watching Varda, still clinging to the champion, with fascination.
"But I can't leave you alone... and even less now that my Lady is here," Gandalf replied.
Aldril, serene, turned his attention back to the aberrations. Despite the pain the light was causing them, those monstrosities extended their deformed arms and tentacles in a desperate attempt to extinguish what was burning them.
"Leave this task to us," Varda whispered, giving a meaningful look to the Grey Wizard. "Trust me and my warrior. Your duty is to prevent Morgoth's servant from wreaking havoc as he escapes."
Gandalf wanted to reply, but at the words of the Lady he served, he fell silent. He lowered his head and nodded respectfully.
"I will cover your retreat," Aldril said. "They should be waiting for us on the outskirts. When they defeat the Balrog, do not speak of this place. Prevent others from coming; this place is my battlefield, and I don't want to divert my attention to looking after others."
"I leave it to you then," Gandalf said, before rushing after the Balrog, who had managed to force a path through the weaker creatures, crushing or incinerating them and leaving in his wake an ephemeral trail that soon filled again with nameless horrors.
At that instant, Aldril raised both swords and, with a movement that resembled a dance, unleashed gusts of silver and golden light. Each turn and each slash became beams that pierced the darkness, wounding and severing the abominations. Some were cleanly split in two, while others fell amid agonizing shrieks, consumed by the fire of the light.
"Go!" Aldril urged.
Gandalf did not hesitate; without losing time, he followed the trail of the Balrog, which was still visible in the distance.
Aldril, after clearing his path, looked up. Countless creatures swarmed around him like a dark tide: tentacles, claws, and viscous bodies intertwined in that abominable amalgamation. He understood then that, had he not resorted to his "experience card," his fate would have been certain death.
And yet, the irony was the very presence of Varda beside him: her long black hair, studded with stars, waved behind him as if it were a cloak.
[Experience Card: Maximum Strength — Limited Duration: 5 hours]
[Added: Strength and experience of Starscourge Radahn]
"Now I look like Radahn, consort of Miquella, with Varda at my back... am I imitating him? It doesn't matter, now's not the time to think about it."
Rising in splendor, Aldril crossed his swords. Radahn's martial dance came to mind: a devastating movement, lethal by nature, and perfect in that moment, as the enemies were gathering like an endless tide. Combined with Varda's golden and silver rays, that technique became the ultimate weapon against the abominations.
With a spin, he began. Beams of light exploded with every movement, illuminating the darkness as shrieks and growls tore through the air. Tentacles and claws rained down on him, but Aldril dodged them with superhuman elegance. And when a stealthy blow threatened his back, Varda's divine presence repelled it with her radiance, protecting her warrior and boosting the speed of his attacks.
The nameless creatures, no matter how much they massed together, could not touch Aldril or diminish Varda's stellar brilliance. Perhaps in another time they would have had the strength to overwhelm even the Valar, but after losing much of their power under Morgoth's yoke, they were incapable of resisting the combined force of a god and a warrior raised to his maximum potential. Moreover, the light itself seemed to corrode them, weakening them to misery: that's why, in their ancient hour, they had succumbed to the Dark Lord.
In the midst of the luminous dance, Aldril noticed something different. An unparalleled brilliance expanded in the gloom, so pure it seemed to be calling to him. The terrified creatures refused to approach; the mere proximity to that light was enough to burn them.
"The precious and divine light of the Trees," Varda said. "The long-lost gem lies here. No wonder we couldn't find it."
With a slight gesture of her hand, the Queen of the Stars released hundreds of sparkles that fell like a burning rain upon the creatures, clearing the path even more.
"It calls to you," she whispered to Aldril. "Just as one of its sisters called to your great-grandfather, this one awaits you. That is why you are in this place, my dear star. Go and claim what will now be the proof of your victory."
**
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