Of the Darkening of Valinor

           WhenManweheardofthewaysthatMelkorhadtaken,itseemedplaintohimthathepurposedtoescapetohisoldstrongholdsinthenorthofMiddle-earth;andOromeandTulkaswentwithallspeednorthward,seekingtoovertakehimiftheymight,buttheyfoundnotraceorrumourofhimbeyondtheshoresoftheTeleri,intheunpeopledwastesthatdrewneartotheIce.ThereafterthewatchwasredoubledalongthenorthernfencesofAman;buttonopurpose,forereeverthepursuitsetoutMelkorhadturnedback,andinsecrecypassedawayfartothesouth.ForhewasyetasoneoftheValar,andcouldchangehisform,orwalkunclad,ascouldhisbrethren;thoughthatpowerhewassoontoloseforever.

           ThusunseenhecameatlasttothedarkregionofAvathar.ThatnarrowlandlaysouthoftheBayofEldamar,beneaththeeasternfeetofthePelori,anditslongandmournfulshoresstretchedawayintothesouth,lightlessandunexplored.There,beneaththesheerwallsofthemountainsandthecolddarksea,theshadowsweredeepestandthickestintheworld;andthereinAvathar,secretandunknown,Ungolianthadmadeherabode.TheEldarknewnotwhenceshecame;butsomehavesaidthatinageslongbeforeshedescendedfromthedarknessthatliesaboutArda,whenMelkorfirstlookeddowninenvyupontheKingdomofManwe,andthatinthebeginningshewasoneofthosethathecorruptedtohisservice.ButshehaddisownedherMaster,desiringtobemistressofherownlust,takingallthingstoherselftofeedheremptiness;andshefledtothesouth,escapingtheassaultsoftheValarandthehuntersofOrome,fortheirvigilancehadeverbeentothenorth,andthesouthwaslongunheeded.ThenceshehadcrepttowardsthelightoftheBlessedRealm;forshehungeredforlightandhatedit.