Chapter 3: Echoes of the Wraith

It was a strange sensation—one moment, I felt the hot fire of the burning town on my flesh, and the next, the pain faded into a distant echo. I was falling, or at least, it felt like I was. Weightless. Endless. But it wasn't darkness that greeted me. Instead, I saw light, shapes, and voices—none of which were my own.

I'm not dead. At least... not in the way I thought.

No, this was something else. Something beyond flesh.

images burst before my eyes, vivid and detailed, as though I were standing inside them. But these weren't my memories.

I watched as an elven child, brilliant and curious, played under trees bathed in eternal light. The land was peaceful, its splendor radiant with the perfection of Valinor. His laughter, the sparkle in his eyes—it was familiar, yet foreign to me. Celebrimbor.

That's his name. I wasn't just witnessing someone's memories. I was inside his soul, living his life in a strange, detached way.

Years passed in the blink of an eye. I saw him grow, forge beautiful things under the shadow of his grandfather, Fëanor—the legendary smith who created the Silmarils. He admired Fëanor but feared the path his family was taking. The greed, the lust for power, was consuming them. Celebrimbor watched his father Curufin and the other sons of Fëanor fall deeper into obsession as the Silmarils devoured their hearts.

But Celebrimbor refused to follow. He stayed behind, rejecting the doom that awaited his kin.

Now the scene shifted, and I was with him in Middle-earth. Time passed differently here—years flowed like water. Celebrimbor, now an accomplished smith in his own right, worked among the Elves of Eregion, leading the Gwaith-i-Mírdain.

He was restless. His craft, though legendary, never seemed to satisfy him. He craved something more. Something grander.

And that's when he appeared.

Annatar

The figure of Annatar was compelling, his words smooth and persuasive. Celebrimbor, eager for greater accomplishments, was drawn to him. Together, they forged the Rings of Power—masterpieces imbued with unimaginable potential. Even as they worked, I could sense Celebrimbor's growing unease. A whisper of dread gnawed at the edges of his mind, but his ambition blinded him to the true nature of their partnership.

The betrayal came swiftly. When Annatar revealed himself as Sauron and donned the One Ring, the horror of Celebrimbor's realization was palpable. His joy turned to despair as he understood the gravity of his error.

War erupted. Sauron's armies descended upon Eregion like a relentless storm. I felt Celebrimbor's desperation and determination as he fought to protect his people, using his skills to forge defenses and weapons. In those moments, he was a beacon of hope, standing firm against the Dark Lord's onslaught.

But it was not enough.

Eregion fell. The destruction was overwhelming. I experienced every scream and every blow as Sauron's forces ravaged the city. The most haunting memory was yet to come.

Bound in chains, Celebrimbor faced Sauron. The Dark Lord loomed over him, demanding the locations of the Rings. Despite the brutality of Sauron's torture, Celebrimbor's spirit remained unbroken. He gave up the Seven and the Nine, but the Three Elven Rings remained hidden.

Even in the face of such pain, Celebrimbor's resolve never wavered. His defiance was a testament to his unyielding spirit, a final act of resistance.

His death came as a cruel mockery. His body was paraded as a trophy, but his story didn't end there.

In the void between life and death, I found Celebrimbor's restless soul. He lingered, a wraith bound to the world, unable to find peace. Our souls began to merge, his memories and pain becoming part of me. His voice echoed in my mind, now intertwined with my own.

Together, we were more than the sum of our parts. Celebrimbor's fierce resolve became my own, driving me forward with renewed purpose.

"We share more than just a fight. Our struggles are the same, our goals aligned. Together, we will not falter. Our enemies will face an unyielding force, one that will not be overcome."

Celebrimbor's presence lived on within me, his legacy now a part of my own. We had become something new—stronger and more determined.

"Your fight is my fight. We both stand against the darkness, driven by loss and the will to resist. Together, we will be the light that pushes back the shadow."

My enemies will find no weakness!, no mercy! , only the absloute power of us!

The world's darkness would meet its match. I would be the beacon standing against it.

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