The Cain and Abel thing... most likely Tolkien did get that as an influence, he's Catholic after all.

Immensely atmospheric.

Just wanted to say that I adored this

I found this to be a beautiful story. It seems to be a bit redundant to say that there’s a powerful sense of history in it, given how often history is referenced throughout the story, but it felt almost tangible to me here; like I could feel the memories of Maglor’s wanderings and all the people and places he saw leave and vanish to time, and there were plenty of places that made me tear up a little, particularly with the slaying of the last dragon, and when he realized he no longer remembered the faces of his family. This story was certainly full of surprises that made me care a great deal about Maglor and his wanderings, and it was fascinating watching him encounter humanities stories; how he was compared to Orpheus for his singing. How he compared himself to Cain for all the murder and destruction he caused in the name of his Oath, and how he saw the history of Middle-Earth play out through different reiterations as the world forgot its old history. All beautifully done.

There’s one more piece of human history/mythology that I think can be compared to Maglor, or rather what he does for the history of Middle-Earth by passing it on to a child. It’s very much in line with the Epic of Gilgamesh where, despite failing to obtain immortality, he found a way to have his story passed on so that he might at least be remembered down the ages. Like the tablets that contained that story, Maglor is the last vessel holding that ancient memory, somehow surviving the many thousands of years, and now passes on that history to a willing ear. Very well done! My hats off to you for such a well told tale. :D

I take it that this borrows more heavily from the movie than from the book? In the book it’s described that Sauron had already fallen in his battle with Gil-Galad and Elendil, his physical form mortally wounded, and that his spirit fled once Isildur cut the ring from his finger. It’s in the movie that Sauron advances on Isildur and loses his finger to his defensive response.

Again, beautifully written. :)

A wonderful story. And by the way, was the little boy in XX Tolkien?

Poor Makalaure...

This is amazing! Heart-wrenching for sure, but beautifully rendered

... Was that Tolkien?...

This was a very good series of stories... Nice!

How did I miss this gem? Truly, beautifully, heart-rending.

this was absolutely beautiful!

Well done indeed! I really enjoyed reading this-sneaking it in during work. Maglor is such a wonderful and tragic character to write. His long perspective has so much potential. The interconnected nature of all of the Elves and their families can become daunting and muddled, but you fielded it expertly (better than I ever could) and gave life to so many characters that see so little attention or development. Thank you

This is really beautifully written, but also heartbreaking. A wonderfully combined piece of work that ends with a ray of hope. Good work :)

Oh. Oh that was. I don't know, but it was sad and terrible and so very lonely, and then you end it like that, with that little gleam of starlight-through-cloud. My thanks.