Week 4: Sauron returned to Mordor. To defeat him, we could use the weapons gathered during the game, and put them to fight by writing for any of the unlocked challenges

Challenge (Alqalonde): They say music soothes the savage beast. Or does it? Write a story surrounding the idea of music and music-making as something that does not calm and soothe but, rather, energizes or antagonizes.

Summary: Aragorn discovers a beautiful harp among his posessions. But can he play it? (written in the frame of the game)

A/N: co-authored with Lirulin-yirth-k'aio

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Somewhere on the way to Mordor:

"Daenar, I fear we are lost..." Aragorn stood on a rocky hill, trying to look through the thick mist.

"Are we? I thought you know all paths here..."

"Yes, of course I know all paths here. I just don't know where *here* is..."

"Are you serious?" the vampire frowned.

Aragorn nodded wryly. "I'm sorry, the mist makes it difficult."

"Should I fly up and look?"

"Ah true, you have wings..." Aragorn looked at Daenar, as if realizing this fact for the first time. "And you tell only now?" he smirked. "Yes, that would be very helpful..."

"You haven't asked," Daenar smiled flying up and looking around.

Aragon sat down with a sigh, and awaited his return.

Soon Daenar returned with news about a village nearby. "Shall we go there to ask the way?" he asked with a smirk.

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "That's really not necessary. I know the way. But... it wouldn't harm to ask where we are..."

"Surely! Let's go... there!" Daenar waved his hand in the direction of the village

Aragorn nodded, and together they walked through the mist in the appointed direction, until they really found a small village, built at the foot of a hill. Aragorn told Daenar to wait for him at its border. After a while he returned with a relieved expression. "I didn't know we got so far to the south in the mist... We should go more to the east from here..."

"So now you know where *here* is?"

"Yes, I hope..." Aragorn had the grace to blush slightly. "But how should I thank them? I fear I have nothing of value..." he rummaged through his thin pack. Suddenly his hand touched something, that made a sound... a tune. With surprise he took out a beautifully carved harp.

"Oh, what is this?" the vampire inquired, raising his eyebrow. "I didn't know you are so much fond of singing and playing harp..."

Aragorn looked puzzled. "I... didn't know I have it. Hmm..." he struck a string, and smiled slightly. "Elrond used to play such a harp sometimes..."

"Did he teach you?"

"He... tried." Aragorn replied distantly, and struck some more strings.

"But he didn't succeed much you mean?" Daenar smiled

"Why? Are you implying he didn't?" Aragorn's play quickened - he seemed to really like the harp...

"No... you play well enough..." the vampire took a deep breath. His eyes flashed green..

Aragorn seemed happy with that answer, and didn't notice the flash, immersed in the music.

"This music... do you know what you're playing?" Daenar murmured

"Improvising..." Aragorn grinned widely.

"It's... the theme... the third theme, second variation..."

"Errr... what? You know it? But I've just made it up now..."

"I know it, yes... I've heard Eru play it sometimes. It's the theme of human race. From the music of creation..." Daenar looked really excited - and hungry.

Aragorn stopped playing, dumbstruck. "But... that's not possible..."

"Everything is possible if you play a harp that appeared in your bag out of nothing! And if you returned from the dead millennia after your death..." the vampire spread his wings in excitement even.

"Daenar?" Aragorn frowned. "What's happening? Are you alright?"

"I am... it's just the music... the music that is too powerful..." Daenar shook his head trying to drive away sudden dizziness. Green flickers in his eyes became even brighter. "Play more please.."

Aragorn looked at the harp, then at the vampire... and at the harp again. He began to play hesitantly, but soon the music quickened.

... the vampire listened to the music, breathing hard, nearly hissing... biting his lips... but it didn't help much.

But Aragorn seemed lost in the song, and did not notice his companion's reaction...

...Daenar sighed... closed his eyes, able no more to hold the melody within... and started singing the song that wasn't heard since the day of creation.

Aragorn missed a tune with surprise, but then his hands fell into the rhythm of the song again, while his ears quarrelled with his mind if what he is hearing is true...

...the tune was so sophisticated in its seeming simplicity... with some unexpected moves.... sometimes almost wild, sometimes very gentle..

Aragorn began humming softly, entranced by the song while he played.

Some part of Daenar's mind wondered what could happen if they sang it to the end, but larger part was entranced as well and sang further.

The weariness of the long journey fell from Aragorn's shoulders as he listened to the song, and he felt new strength in his limbs.

...suddenly the song stopped.

Daenar blinked several times and then murmured. "It's... the end... of the song I mean, not the world!"

Aragorn blinked a few times also, like waking from a dream. He felt something wet on his face. It were tears...

"Oh..." the vampire sighed again. "That was... something! I suppose lord Elrond never taught you to play this particular music?" he asked to conceal his nervousness.

Aragorn shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. "No... He tried to teach me, but... I didn't have much patience for it in that time..."

"Until you found this in your bag..." Daenar reached his hand to take the harp.

Aragorn hesitated, but then gave it to him reluctantly.

The vampire touched the strings gently... and winced. "No... take it. And don't give it to me. It's too dangerous... if I play it. If even you, a mortal one, produced some piece of the music of creation... I won't dare check what will I produce!"

Aragorn took the harp back slowly, awed still. He touched one string gently. Suddenly he smiled. "I will play for the people in the village. How better can we thank them for showing us the way?"

"Well, it's a good idea! They deserve it, surely..."

Aragorn nodded, and headed to the village square.

Daenar followed him silently, hoping the villagers won't be frightened of him. Sometimes people were... and it would not be good now.

Aragorn stood in the centre of the square, everybody who was outside looking at him - he has been a king, he should be used to it, right?, he reminded himself, but despite that he began feeling quite uneasy.

"Why are you hesitating?" Daenar asked mentally. "Is something wrong?"

No, nothing is wrong... Aragorn shook his head, and took a deep breath. Then he began playing... but the music was not the song that he played earlier... it was hardly any song.

Daenar watched him suspiciously.

Aragorn coughed, and tried to begin anew. The villagers began giving him strange looks... But the sounds that he got from the harp were discordant...

The vampire approached his friend slowly... put his hand on Aragorn's shoulder...

Aragorn frowned, and continued playing... or trying to play... the harp stubbornly.

"Sh-sh... don't think... just feel it..."

Frustrated, Aragorn stopped, and looked at Daenar. He nodded slowly, and closed his eyes. The looks of the villagers got meanwhile even stranger... Aragorn didn't heed them, and began playing from the beginning.

"Feel the music... don't try to remember, just feel... it's inside of you, it's your essence..." Daenar's mental voice was slightly trembling, as the sounds turned slowly into the tune.

There were a few tunes of the Song... He felt it as he touched the strings. Just when he had the feeling, that the discordant jangling is going to turn into real music, he felt a hesitant hand patting his shoulder. He turned, and saw one of the villagers, apparently a representative of the group in the corner of the square, looking at him, and speaking among themselves in hushed voices.

"Er... good sir..." the man began. "Look. We showed you the way. We really don't want anything for it. And we want to thank you for your... song. Here, we gathered some gold. Just promise us that you stop playing..."

"Oh, and he has just begun..." Daenar murmured. "It was going to be better, really..."

"Yes, I believe you..." the man said cautiously. "But we are not very musical here... Just take the gold and leave, would you?"
Aragorn, meanwhile, blushed deeply.

Daenar glanced at him with sympathy and a shade of sadness. "Maybe it was not meant to be heard by anyone.." he sighed mentally. "But... you've played *that* music..."

Aragorn looked at him thankfully, and sighed. "I'm really sorry for disturbing you. Keep the coins, and I will be on my way..." he turned, and walked away, stroking the harp absentmindedly.

Daenar followed him having cast one last glance at the village. No, they were not allowed to hear that... then it perhaps meant the end of the world was not so near...

Aragorn looked at him, and smiled wryly. "It is said about Maglor's harp that it inspires generosity from all who hear it... It is true, it seems...

"Was I also generous?" the vampire laughed quietly. "I felt more like... hungry. Or... like my power was restored."

"Hungry?" Aragorn looked slightly alarmed.

"It was only a feeling... not the real hunger."

"Really?" Aragorn sighed, and smiled slightly. "Good, because I'm not going to get wounded for you again..."

"Who would let you get wounded once again?!" Daenar frowned. "That was an emergency case.."

Aragorn smiled. "Good then. But..." he looked the vampire into the eyes. "...we played that music, didn't we?"

"We did. That is for sure!" Daenar smiled wryly and repeated half-dreamily. "We did..."

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Written (again) as a roleplay starring Mirach as Aragorn and Lirulin as Daenar. Inspired by the item in our inventory:

"Maglor's Harp: The beauty of music from this harp inspires generosity from all who hear it. Each week, you may collect the items and treasure from one location that you bypass."

and the comment of mods when we voiced our doubts about Aragorn's musical competence and the popularity of music in Angmar: "The discordant jangling of Aragorn attempting to play Maglor's harp is just what they like in Angmar, so he has collected the following extra item on his journey: (...)" But somehow, it turned in an entirely different direction...