Full Circle

Buffy was horrified when she heard Morgoth’s voice. She only hoped that he would show some mercy and kill her quickly. Nothing was worse than being trapped in a withered body. In all the Slayer’s years of life, no pain or heartache could compare to the bitter experience that she had suffered over these last twenty some odd years. Nothing!

Her body started trembling from the gust of cool air that had entered the chamber from the enormous opening in the floor. It had been somewhat stifling in the pyramid, and the sudden change in temperature was affecting the Slayer dramatically. By the sound of Melkor’s approaching footsteps, she could tell that he was in his ‘monstrous’ incarnation. Buffy continued to shield her eyes when she felt his enormous form beside her.

“Melisse,” he repeated. “What have they done to you?”

Huh? Thought the Slayer. Maybe she was having another ‘delusional’ moment, but to her, his voice sounded full of empathy. She felt him place something over her naked body, a blanket or cloak, before lifting her up in his arms. Buffy moaned softly. When the fabric touched her skin, it felt like thousands of razor blades slicing her flesh. The pain was so intense that she blacked out. Morgoth carefully wrapped her up. He was shocked when clumps of her once beautiful hair came out by the handfuls.

“I’ll always find you, my love. Always,” he whispered. Melkor Bauglir then jumped through the hole and headed down the secret passageway. “Destroy it!” he ordered the Balrogs that had accompanied him.

When their master was safely some distance away, his servants used their mystical whips to bring down the pyramid, thus closing the Hellmouth on which it stood. Thurin and his minions had barely escaped the destruction of their lands.



It wasn’t until Buffy was in Angband that she regained consciousness. For the first time in years, the Slayer felt no pain. Her body was numb. She lay there with her eyes closed; all she heard was the popping sounds from what she assumed was a fire. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and it took a few minutes for it to clear up. That’s when she saw Morgoth sitting beside the bed; her hand clasped between his two blackened ones.

“You’re awake, at last,” he said joyfully.

Buffy was flummoxed by his strange behavior. She was so weak that she was unable to vocalize her thoughts, but that did not mean that Morgoth could not understand them.

What have you done to me? She asked in her mind. The Slayer’s body was bandaged from head to toe with the exception of her eyes and mouth. She looked like a mummy. The cloth strips had a pungent odor that lingered around her body.

“I am healing your wounds, Melisse,” he replied softly. “The bandages have been soaked in a mixture of opiates and mineral oils that will restore the health of your skin. You have many deep sores that need mending. I will see to it that you are healed, personally.”

He didn’t know it, but Buffy was scowling at him beneath the layers of bandages. So many questions ran through her mind.

Why did you imprison me? What did you do to my powers? Why am I… Morgoth cut her thoughts off.

“Shh, calm down, my love,” he said as he kissed her bandaged hand tenderly. “I had nothing to do with your imprisonment! That I swear to you,” he said persuasively. “I love you. I could never do anything that vicious to my beloved. Ever.” Buffy snickered weakly. “When the rumor that you had disappeared reached me, I did not hesitate to send forth my spies to look for you. When that failed, I took it upon myself to join the hunt… and it was I who found you! So frail was your condition that it filled my heart with such sorrow that I had wept. It was then that I vowed that I would do everything in my power to heal your wounds, and seek vengeance against the culprits behind that malicious act,” he added as he continued to caress her hand.

“I will always find you, Melisse. Do you not remember me telling you that no barriers will separate us?”

Buffy was puzzled by his comments. While she knew that Melkor was one who took pleasure in mixing lies with truth, she perceived that he was speaking truthfully.

I remember, she answered. She locked her eyes on his fair form. If you didn’t do this to me, then who did? She queried.

He let out a heavy sigh. “That I do not know, but I promise you, that I will find out. And whoever is behind this will pay dearly. That is another vow that I will make to you,” replied Melkor. “Since you’re awake, we need to see if we can get some food in you. I shan’t be long,” he added as he placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the chamber.

Melkor? She called after him. He stopped and faced the Slayer.

“What is it, my love?” he queried.

Kill me. Please,” she requested in a faint voice. Buffy didn’t see how she could possibly recuperate from this ordeal. She knew that it would be agonizing, and preferred dying so that she could remake her own body.

“I cannot do that, Melisse,” he replied in a somber tone. “You do not yet have the strength to remake your flesh, but do not fret, I will help you.” Melkor gave her a smile before departing the chamber. She let out a heavy sigh knowing that she had only moved from one prison to another.

After he left the room, a gloomy Buffy finally took in her surroundings. She was relieved that she was not in Morgoth’s bedchamber. The Slayer did not trust the Dark Foe, but at this point, she was powerless to do anything about it. As soon as she was strong enough, she’d escape. She did it before and surely, she could do it again. There was no way on Eru’s green earth that she would become his ‘bitch’ again. One demon child was one too many.

True to his word, Morgoth returned carrying a tray in his hands. None of his servants entered the chamber, but Buffy saw many standing outside the room in the hallway. He placed the tray on the bedside table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He picked up the steaming bowl and turned towards Buffy.

“Let us start with some broth,” suggested Melkor, as be brought a spoonful of the brownish-colored liquid to her lips.

Buffy tightly pressed them together. Do you think I’m freakin’ stupid? I’m not eating that! It’s probably poisoned or… or enchanted or something, she said defiantly in her mind.

Morgoth chuckled, taking care not to spill the contents of the spoon on his beloved. “I assure you, Melisse, that the broth is not poisoned.” Buffy tightened her lips even more. “You do not believe me,” continued Melkor, his eyebrows raised in mock surprise. The Slayer’s eyes answered that question loud and clear: hell no! His smile widened. “I shall prove to you that my intentions are honorable,” he said before slurping the liquid from the spoon. “See. It is not poisoned. You need to eat. Come now.” He refilled the spoon and brought it to her mouth. Buffy obediently accepted the proffered soup. It was the strangest sensation to feel the warm liquid sliding down her throat. She was amazed that that one spoonful of broth had managed to awaken her dormant taste buds.

Tastes vitaminy, she commented as she licked her lips, eager for more.

“I have enriched it in order to provide you with the nourishment that your body needs,” Morgoth replied as he continued to feed her. “It will hasten your recovery.”

Apparently, neither one of them had considered that it had been a really long time since the Slayer had last eaten anything. Even though she gladly consumed the broth, her body wasn’t too keen on keeping said broth down. She vomited all over Morgoth. When her stomach was emptied, she continued to suffer from the ‘dry heaves.’ Melkor then had one of his servants retrieve a tonic from his stores to settle Buffy’s stomach. It would be a painfully slow recovery.

Six days later, the bandages were finally removed. Her skin appeared to resemble that of a newborn’s; it was pink and supple. The sores that had covered Buffy’s body had indeed been healed by Melkor’s ‘secret’ remedy. But the Slayer was still greatly disturbed by the frailness of her body. Despite her pleas, Morgoth refused to present her with a mirror. Losing all her muscle mass and hair (it had fallen out), was a tough pill to swallow, but she had an overwhelming desire to see how grotesque her actual appearance had become. No matter how much she persistently asked, her request was denied time and time again. Buffy concluded that she must have looked hideous. That would explain why Morgoth was working so diligently to nurse her back to health; he must have been disgusted by her appearance.

It took nearly two weeks before the Slayer was able to keep food down and start gaining some weight. Her weight had dwindled down to a measly seventy-eight pounds, and her muscles had atrophied so badly that she could not walk yet. Buffy literally had to relearn how to do the simplest of tasks. Regaining her powers was at the bottom of her list. She concentrated all her efforts on getting healthy so that she could return to her one true love, Maglor.

Morgoth’s waiting on her hand and foot was quite strange, but not once did he make any type of demand or threat; he was actually rather pleasant. Melkor even provided her with the motivation to endure the rigorous therapy sessions that he himself had designed. But do not think that the Slayer wasn’t skeptical of his intentions. She knew that he had to have some ulterior motive and that it would surface soon enough.

After five weeks, the Slayer’s weight had reached a paltry ninety pounds but she felt that she was strong enough to travel. Neither her strength nor magical powers had returned, but her heart ached to see her loved ones back home. Her love for Maglor and her people roused her to take action, weak or not. Buffy knew that she would only find ‘true’ healing back home in Ossir.

The Slayer had spent all of her time confined to her personal chamber preferring not to wander about in Melkor’s house of horrors. She knew that she was unable to help save those poor souls that were enduring their own torments deep in the bowels of Angband. Buffy didn’t want to happen upon some abused elf in one of the many passageways, so she refused to leave her chamber, until now. Perhaps she was having a ‘dumb blonde moment,’ or perhaps it was the effects of her imprisonment, but Buffy decided to approach Morgoth and ask him if he would release her.

Immediately, the Slayer noticed that she didn’t hold the same sway over the servants as she had last time when she was bewitched. There were guards posted outside her door, and they informed her that she was not allowed to move freely about the fortress without Morgoth. Buffy instructed the Balrogs to take her to their master. She was then taken to the great hall where he sat on his mighty throne in all his demonic glory, the bright jewels of Fëanor burned brightly on his brow.

“Melisse,” he started in a cheerful voice. Buffy found it strange to see him in that form, especially with that look in his eyes. “It is good to see you up and about. It seems that your strength is slowly returning.”

“Yeah,” she replied before clearing her throat. “That’s why I came to see you. I want to go home,” she said. Her voice sounded so small and many of the occupants in the chamber began to snicker and laugh.

“Silence,” ordered Morgoth. The room fell quiet. A small smile came to his face as he fixed his eyes on the Slayer. “I do not think that you are ready to depart these lands, my dear. It is mid-winter and you do not have the strength to make such a long journey.”

“I feel I’m ready,” she countered as cordially as possible. “If you could provide me with a horse, some furs and food for the trip, I should make it alright.”

“That is a bold request, Melisse, and one that is… costly,” answered Melkor.

“I’ll… I’ll pay you. When I get home, whatever you want… I’ve got gold or silver, jewels. Name it and it’s yours,” offered the Slayer. “I promise I’ll deliver the goods.”

“Hmm,” he began as he clasped his blackened hands together. “What I truly want, you did not mention.” Buffy shuddered at the thought. He studied her for several minutes before he spoke again. “I will grant your prayer.” She stood there in absolute shock as Morgoth ordered his servants to gather the items that the Slayer had requested.

An hour later, Buffy was escorted by a group of demonic creatures through the tunnel beneath Thangorodrim to its southern gates. Once outside, she discovered that the weather was atrocious! It was frigid, snowing and the wind blew from the northeast with such ferocity that the Slayer contemplated turning back. She figured that her safest bet was going to Himring, which was the closest realm of her lover’s kin. Surely, she would find welcome there.

The horse that she was riding seemed more eager to leave the Dark Lands than Buffy. She had only gone a couple of miles when she was bucked off the beast, who then took off with all her provisions. As the Slayer lay in the snow, she looked up at the heavens as the flurries continued to fall from the sky.

“What did I do to deserve this?” she queried aloud. She slowly got to her feet. Buffy was so screwed. There was no possible way that she that could continue the journey without food. Even though the Slayer was wrapped in furs, she still found herself shivering from the cold. With no body fat, there was no insulation to really protect her from the weather.

It was not long afterwards, that an embassy was sent from Angband to bring the Slayer back. Buffy had no other choice but to climb atop a warg and retreat to the fortress of Morgoth. It was unfortunate timing though. At that very moment, high above them flew Thorondor, mightiest of Manwë’s eagles, and with his keen eyesight, he watched with amazement as the Vala of Love willingly entered the Dark Lands. He perceived that the former lovers had indeed reunited and formed an alliance at long last. Quickly he headed to Valinor in order to deliver the grim news to the Powers, the northeastern winds hastening his pace.

With a heavy heart, Buffy entered Angband once again. She had no other choice but to wait until she was strong enough to survive in the wild. It didn’t help matters any that her powers had not returned, but the Slayer didn’t want to wholly rely on them either. Wits and strength had been the key to overcoming the many obstacles in her life. She couldn’t depend on magics to save her in every instance; they proved to be too unreliable.

Buffy couldn’t shake the feeling that Morgoth knew that her attempt to leave would fail. It now dawned on her that he seemed all too willing to let her depart, which was very unlike him. She would have to bide her time until she could find a weak link in his Household.

Morgoth held a great feast later that night and ordered Buffy to attend. Normally, she would have refused, but she thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to see if she could find another ‘Luthor’ to aid her in her eventual escape. Her hopes were soon crushed when Melkor insisted that she sit next to him as opposed to the opposite end of the table. This lessened her chances of finding a minion with wavering loyalty towards the Dark Foe.

Regardless, Buffy discovered many new faces in Melkor Bauglir’s hierarchy. She was taken aback to see that several of the demons that she and Morgoth had created on her last visit now held high positions within his realm.

“I see that you’ve noticed some of our offspring at the board,” he had said after they had begun the meal. He looked down the long table and nodded approvingly as he chewed his victuals. “You were essential, Melisse. Never would I have been able to put such fair faces on evil without you.” Alas, he spoke truly.

Many of those ‘offspring’ were seated at Melkor’s table; the beautiful ones had the ability to shape-shift. Some resembled elves, some men. These good-looking demons possessed hearts that were imbued with coldness, cunning and cruelty. Morgoth treasured them, for they served his purposes well. It would not be long before they entered Middle-earth with the sole purpose of earning the trust of its denizens, only to betray them. Buffy remembered all too well that that was the reason why they were brought into existence in the first place. What she didn’t know was that Morgoth had already sent his first embassy of spies into Beleriand, and they had already begun to integrate themselves with the elves in the various lands, including her own.

There were also those seated at the table that looked vicious and intimidating; one glance at them would instill fear into the hearts of those of the lesser races. Yet Buffy noticed something peculiar about these monsters, even from afar. Their hearts were not as cold as their brethren. There was an air of goodliness about them that had to come from her essence. Even though she was bewitched and doing evil deeds at that time, somehow Buffy was able to pass on to these creatures some of her own positive traits. But what really floored her was the fact that Morgoth didn’t seem to have a clue. He couldn’t perceive this ‘weakness’ in them. Finally, things seemed to be looking up for the Slayer.

After the meal, Morgoth rose from his seat and offered his hand to Buffy. He had never done that before, but she reluctantly took it due to his recent acts of kindness.

“There’s something I want to show you, Melisse,” he said as they left the chamber. Her heart was racing as they headed down passageway after passageway. They finally came to a large room constructed entirely from black marble - the entrance to his private chambers. Buffy definitely was hesitant to continue any further.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea! Why don’t I wait here while you get that thing you want me to see, and bring it back here,” she suggested as she pulled her hand from his grasp.

Morgoth looked at her with amusement. “You still do not trust me,” he commented as he returned to his ‘fair’ form for the first time since they had eaten.

“That’s right,” she replied as she folded her skeletal arms across her chest. Buffy’s attempt at being intimidating was too laughable in her current state; it only amused the evil Vala more.

“That is good,” replied Melkor, nodding approvingly at her response. “I could have crushed you a million times over since I’ve brought you here, I’m not about to start now. You are the mother of my only child, Melisse. Do you think that does not account for anything?” he asked. Buffy didn’t respond. “And I must say that I’ve noticed that you haven’t mentioned our daughter since you’ve arrived at my fortress. Do you not care about our child… or is it that you only care for the twins you’ve had with my former servant, Marto?”

Buffy’s jaw dropped open when she heard that. A cold chill swept over her body causing her to quiver. “How in the hell do you know about them?” she queried in an alarmed voice. She was freaking out over that revelation.

Morgoth chuckled. “I know everything that you’ve done. We are bound together, Melisse,” he reminded her. “I deem that you truly do not understand the significance of that, yet.” He put his blackened hands on her shoulders before continuing. “I know everything from Sussrúmnir to the Deeper Well to your upcoming wedding with Maglor, son of my bitter foe.” He softened his tone before he added, “But I don’t care about that. Not now, at any rate. There’s something of the utmost importance that I want to share with you. You’re entitled to know… since you helped in the making. Come with me. I hold true to my word. No harm will come to you while you’re in Angband.” His eyes seemed to be pleading with her.

“No funny business,” she answered wearily. “And no touching,” she added as Morgoth went to take her hand again.

“As you wish,” he replied. He opened the door to the spiral staircase. “Lady first,” offered Melkor. Buffy slowly ascended the stone stairs. By the time she reached Morgoth’s chamber, she was utterly exhausted. He helped her to one of the couches in his sitting room before retrieving a roll of parchment. He took a seat next to the Slayer, unrolled the scroll and laid it upon their laps. It was a map of Arda, but unlike anything that Buffy had ever seen before. Actually, she had only seen maps of Beleriand, none which were as detailed as this one.

“It’s a work of art,” muttered the Slayer under her breath. “The details… How’d you do this?” she queried.

He smiled proudly before answering. “I have worked on this for many years now, but that’s not what I want you to see. Take a closer look,” instructed Morgoth.

Buffy’s eyes scanned the parchment. That’s when she noticed these odd flame-looking markings all over the map. She pointed to one located in Angband. “What does that mean?” she asked, slightly bewildered.

“Do you not know? Come on, Melisse, of all people you should know,” Melkor replied with an air of surprise to his voice.

As she looked at the markings again, it finally dawned on her what she was actually seeing. “Oh, God,” she began as her gaze shifted to Melkor. “These are Hellmouths, aren’t they?”

“Ah, yes. You are correct, my dear,” Morgoth answered delightedly. His smile widened even more and for the first time since she had arrived here, she saw a sparkle in his eyes. He was excited. “They are more than just gateways to Hell; they are the gateways to other dimensions… ”

As he prattled on, Buffy recalled her last battle in ‘modern’ times when she and the other Slayers fought Morgoth’s armies in Cleveland. She saw herself running towards Willow’s portal, and then felt herself being pulled backwards through the Hellmouth into Middle-earth. The Slayer already knew this stuff, but Melkor had only recently discovered this new phenomenon. She was brought out of her reverie when she heard Morgoth say the following words:

“I have learned to master the art of traveling from Hellmouth to Hellmouth. That is how I was able to find you, Melisse,” said the evil Vala. His tone turned solemn before he continued. “Your own magics were used against you… as were mine. That strange structure where you were held captive… ”

“Was on a Hellmouth,” Buffy whispered, finishing his sentence.

“Yes,” he simply replied.

The Slayer sat there, totally dumbfounded. Who would go to such lengths to use Buffy’s own powers against her and why? Her eyes glanced back down at the map. To her horror, she counted over fifty Hellmouths in Beleriand alone! There were four Hellmouths in Melkor’s territory, and the Slayer couldn’t help but notice that two bordered Ossir, one to the north, the other to the west. They were everywhere. It then occurred to her that Beleriand was sitting on top of a time bomb. A time bomb that she and Melkor had created together. In that moment, she came to realize that sometime in the future, this part of Middle-earth would be obliterated from the face of Eä. Buffy’s eyes welled with tears as she became consumed with guilt. She shifted her gaze to the east. A tear fell from her eye when she noticed that Illyria’s realm was also located on a Hellmouth.

“I did not mean to upset you,” said Melkor as he pulled the map away before her tears could smudge it. He put his hand on her knee in an attempt to comfort her. “That was not my intention. I want to share this with you. You have a right to see the things that I’ve seen. I want to show it to you… to take you to worlds that you couldn’t even fathom.” His eyes were really sparkling now. “Let me you take you there… ”

“I don’t want to go. I want to go home to the people I love and who love me,” she whined as the tears spilled down her face. What the hell was Morgoth thinking? Buffy didn’t love him and there was no way in hell that she was going to take some trip with him to some mystical realm.

“I’m afraid that you’re in no position to argue,” he sternly replied. His tone had totally changed. Buffy assumed that his patience with her was running out. “You will go with me to these places because I say so. I am Lord of Arda and you cannot contest my will.” He stood and helped Buffy to her feet.

“You mean we’re going now?” she asked in disbelief. “I’m obviously in no shape to travel.”

“You didn’t say that a few hours ago. Let us go,” he replied before changing into his monstrous form. His bulky arms picked the Slayer up and he proceeded down the spiral staircase. When they arrived at that bottom-most chamber in Angband, they were greeted by an assembly of demons. It appeared that there would be many accompanying Buffy and Melkor on this trip. She remained passive, in his arms as silent tears streamed from her eyes. She couldn’t imagine what new horrors awaited her.

Sauron performed the spell to open the portal. One hundred demons entered, followed by Melkor and Buffy, and then another hundred demons. The sensation was as Buffy remembered except that she had no need to worry about staticy hair; all she had was peach fuzz. Even though Morgoth was new to the world of inter-dimensional travel, he damn sure managed to land gracefully on the other side. Something that Buffy had always found extremely difficult.

When the Slayer saw that new world, she couldn’t help but smile. Her smile was soon replaced by muffled laughter as she buried her face in Melkor’s tunic. As she glanced around again, she couldn’t contain her amusement any more. For the first time in years, Buffy was laughing hysterically. Morgoth and his followers looked at her as if she were consumed by some madness. They were unsure how to react.

“What is it?” questioned Melkor, half-laughing himself as his eyes scanned the landscape. “What is it that you find so amusing?”

Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes. “Let’s go,” she suggested. “It smells horrible here.” There really wasn’t anything of worth in that land unless one were obsessed with small crustaceans. Anya was right. There was a world with nothing but shrimp. The Slayer pinched her nose as she beat on Morgoth’s shoulder encouraging him to leave that smelly world. It was awful.

Melkor ordered his cronies to go back into the portal. They entered in the same order that they had arrived, and journeyed to the next land. Buffy’s reaction was quite the opposite when they reached their next destination.

“Put me down! Put me down!” she instructed Melkor, wriggling to get free. He set her on the ground. The Slayer shielded her eyes as she gazed towards the heavens. Not one, but two suns burned brightly in the clear blue sky. Buffy was in awe. They stood amidst a rolling valley of pastureland dotted with a variety of huge shade trees: oak, elm, maple and sycamore. “Pylea,” she uttered under her breath.

“What was that?” queried Morgoth. “Pylea? You’ve been here before, I take it.”

“Huh?” Buffy was taking it all in. Her eyes surveyed the landscape as she spoke. “Oh, no. I knew some people that had been here before … long ago.”

It turned out that Melkor brought her here because of her love of the sun. He had thought that since this place had two, she would be doubly pleased. And she was. It had seemed like ages since she felt its warmth on her skin. It was delightful! Buffy could never have imagined that that excursion would have brought her any happiness; it was the first time she had experienced any since her imprisonment. She lay on the soft grass and basked in the suns’ rays of warmth, paying no mind to what the others were doing.

Buffy had no idea that Melkor had planned on them visiting that dimension for one week. While his servants were busying themselves with assembling camp, Morgoth took off over one of the hills and disappeared for a time.

“You’re in my light,” Buffy had said when she didn‘t feel the sunbeams any more.

“There’s something I want to show you, Melisse,” answered Morgoth who had reverted back to his ‘fair’ form. The Slayer looked up at him with squinted eyes. “I assure you that you will be most pleased,” he replied, with his hands held out. Buffy grabbed them and Melkor pulled her to her feet.

“My Lord, Lady,” started an orch that was carrying a tray with a bottle and two goblets. “Would you care for some wine?” he asked.

“Sure,” replied Buffy. Morgoth filled a goblet and handed it to her before filling his own. He grabbed the bottle and he and the Slayer took off over one of the hills. “Ooh, that’s so good,” she said after taking a drink. “So, where are we going?” she asked as they neared the top of the hill.

“You’ll see,” he answered. Buffy’s eyes didn’t have to search the landscape long to see what Morgoth wanted to show her - a gorgeous crystal clear river that dropped over a forty foot bluff. At the bottom of the falls was a large pool surrounded by boulders of varying sizes. It was so picturesque that the Slayer yearned to sit on one of those rocks with her feet dangling in the cold water. Pylea was like heaven when compared to the likes of Angband; it was untainted and beautiful.

After Buffy found a flat rock that bordered the pool, she pulled off her boots and plunged her feet into the cool water. She drained her cup as Melkor sat beside her. “This is so pretty; feels like summer,” observed the Slayer before refilling her goblet.

“Do you want to go for a swim?” he asked.

“Hmm, no I don’t think so,” she replied lazily.

They sat there with their feet in the water, talking and drinking the afternoon away. As the day progressed, so did Buffy’s mood. Maybe it was the wine, but Buffy felt at peace, even in Morgoth’s presence. It was that whole comfort thing. By late afternoon, she acted as though she didn’t have a care in the world; something that she hadn’t done in a long while. It was at this time that Morgoth again suggested they go for a swim. This time Buffy said yes. She never gave it a second thought as she stripped right there on the rocks and dived into the cool clear water. Melkor soon joined her and they spent the last hours of the daylight swimming and frolicking under the falls.

It was Sauron who summoned them to return to the camp at sunset. When Buffy and Melkor reached the rocks, the Maia handed each of them a robe.

“The meal is nearly ready, my Lord,” said Sauron to his master before casting a hateful look at Buffy. “Your accommodations have been prepared as well,” he added with a slight nod of his head.

The Necromancer led the way back to camp. Buffy could see that many torches and lamps were lit in anticipation of the oncoming darkness. The camp reminded Buffy of a small village. She was definitely impressed with the ‘tent’ that belonged to Morgoth; it was ten times the size of all the others.

“Oh, Inanna, your garments have been laid out in a different tent. Let me escort you there,” announced Sauron as he linked her arm with his. Melkor gave a nod of his head before heading in the opposite direction.

Once they were inside the tent, Buffy saw a beautiful red gown lying over a chair. Immediately, she grabbed it and held it up to her body as the evil Maia stood there scowling at her.

“It’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed. “I don’t think red’s my most flattering color, but it’s the thought that counts.” She looked up at Sauron. “I know Melkor has an aversion to red.”

“Do you hear yourself?” he asked in a disgusted tone as he folded his arms across his chest. Buffy ignored him as she let her robe drop to the ground. Sauron averted his eyes as she slid into the dress. “You are thick, Inanna.”

“I don’t know where that’s coming from,” she replied.

“No?” he queried. “Let us take a look at things shall we. Why do you think you’re here?”

“Oh, well, Melkor said that we needed to take a little holiday after everything that I’ve been through. And I have to say that I agree,” she answered. “How do I look?” Buffy asked after she was dressed.

Sauron turned around and looked at her angrily. “You cannot tell that you are under Melkor’s thrall once again,” he commented with a shake of his head. “Let me tell you why you’re really here… here in this world as opposed to our own. Melkor has taken you far away from your… allies so that none can save you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she snapped back. “He’s my husband!”

The Necromancer rubbed his temples. His anger was growing. “Your husband, huh?” He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. “Listen to me, woman. Melkor has brought you here to impregnate you. He truly desires a son. Illyria has proven to be too troublesome. Why he has this obsession with you is beyond my reckoning, but he has it, nevertheless. I’ve toiled long and hard for his royal evilness and I will not be pushed aside for the likes of you or your offspring.”

“I don’t believe you,” she countered.

“No? Of course you don’t. Let me enlighten you a bit, dear Inanna. Melkor knows all that you’ve done. I wish that you could have witnessed his wrath when he found out about your children with Marto. And mark my words, any children that you bear that he hasn’t fathered will be killed! He has been manipulating you these many weeks, trying to earn your trust, and I see that he has once again succeeded.

“I will not have you thwart my plans! I have no other choice but to aid you in your escape again,” he said with a heavy sigh. “My master will see that I’m only looking out for his best interests.” Sauron then kissed Buffy. He broke the spell by giving her some of his own power. She could feel it coursing though her body, she felt stronger. When he broke away from her, he spat on the floor and wiped his mouth. The taste of the Slayer revolted him to no end.

“What… what happened?” asked a dazed and confused Buffy.

“Just shut up and listen to me,” instructed Sauron. He then told her how to open the portal and lock it on the other side. The Necromancer was more than capable of unlocking the gateway, but he wanted to make sure that she was far from Angband when that happened.

Buffy was hurt by Morgoth’s deception yet again. She couldn’t understand why she kept giving him the benefit of the doubt. It always backfired in one way or another. But now, she was ready to get the hell out of here, the sooner the better.

Sauron told her to remain in the tent while he created a ruckus to divert Melkor’s attention. When Buffy heard the commotion a few minutes later, she dashed out of the tent to the place that the Maia had instructed her to go. She performed the spell, entered the portal, and came out in the bowels of Angband. She used what power she had left to seal the Hellmouth shut. When Buffy turned around, she noticed about twenty-five demons standing there.

Shit, she thought to herself. Those two spells had drained her strength and she was in no condition to fight with anyone.

“Ishtar,” they all chanted as they fell to their knees out of respect. That stunned the Slayer. Regardless, she smiled, having recognized that name from ‘modern’ mythology.

“My dear Lady,” said a scary looking beast. “We are here to aid you in your escape. We are in fact devoted to you, the woman who gave us life. But you must come quickly before Melkor’s servants discover us.” It turned out that these were good demons although one could not tell by a mere glance. “I am Bellion,” the demon snarled as they quickly began climbing the stairs. “We have made all the necessary preparations for you, Lady. I deem that you’ll need warmer garments for the journey,” observed the beast as he gave her the once over. Buffy was still barefoot and her dress didn’t leave much to the imagination.

Buffy’s mind was racing. She couldn’t understand why all this crazy shit always happened to her. If it wasn’t Morgoth, it was Illyria, or someone else. How was it possible that she had made so many enemies in Middle-earth in such a short amount of time? And for the love of Eru, why couldn’t these people just leave her alone?

Bellion and his fellows garbed her in a thick sweater, breeches and boots. Apparently, Sauron’s powers had done something to her physically, as her hair was now shoulder-length. She didn’t feel as strong as she did before locking the gateway, but she was most anxious to get home. Buffy was given a sword, a knife, a bow and a quiver of arrows as well as enough provisions to make the journey to Ossir. There was no turning back this time. If the horse bucked her off, she’d continue the trek on foot. She was grateful knowing that she had her own ‘spies’ in Angband, and vowed to bring them to her realm one day.

Twenty minutes later, the Slayer galloped out of the gates of Thangorodrim. She was grateful to be covered in furs, as it was still very cold in northern Beleriand. The snowing had stopped and was already beginning to melt, making the ground slushy. Buffy had to go a bit south before turning east towards Himring. She couldn’t believe that she was free at last. Her hope grew the further south she went, but it didn’t last too long.

It was mid-afternoon when Buffy noticed a great number of riders heading in her direction. She counted nearly a hundred of them coming up from the south. She decided to stay her course, but it didn’t take long for the elven warriors to catch up to her. She was relieved when she saw the emblems that represented the House of Finwë, but she was not treated as a future member of that House.

The elves quickly formed a circle around her causing her horse to stop. The warriors had their weapons drawn and the Slayer was completely stunned by their behavior.

“Off the horse, witch!” she heard the leader say. She looked closer and saw that it was Fingon.

“Fingon,” laughed Buffy. “It’s me, Bella.”

A spear was pressed against her throat. “Do not make me repeat myself,” he said with such contempt that Buffy obediently leapt off the horse with her hands held up.

“What’s going on?” she asked. There was no reply. “Here we go again,” she muttered under her breath as the elves took all her weapons and supplies.