The beleaguered adventurers return to Shock's cave for respite and to check on the Song of Iluvatar and the Dischord.   Gwaelind is as calm as ever, but Delunaur is bound in chains on a seat of smooth rock.  It seems an Earth dragon shaped things for her.  Two stout columns of stone rise up and the chains are attached to them at a height just above Delunaur's head at standing height.  She sweats and her teeth are gritted as if she is in pain or fighting off something inside.

Behind her, on an earth-shaped table surrounded by enchanted rock-lights, lie the book Toben has been translating from and the one he had been copying into.

Klale takes a look at Delunaur. You are brave and strong of will, and you are exercising you ability to love and trust. And you are sweating. Here is water and a bit of salt. Take so your body may replenish itself.

Ano speaks with Gwaelind first in quiet tones. What do we know about what is happening to her?  What is it that is trying to corrupt her back to the life of a Discord.  We have learned of another power in play, something called The Other.

Ryland, in rare form, stands silently and awaits everyone's questions and answers.

Draugion stares at the scene in confused awe. He leans over to Ryland and whispers, "That chained up woman, what is happening to her? Is she being corrupted like that creature we fought earlier?"

As Toben enters the room, he bows his head slowly before speaking. "I do apologize for our lengthy departure. Things became much more complicated than expected, and I'm afraid we only managed to collect most of the items we need. We are at a loss as to where we can claim the tear referenced in the ritual, but we have the chalice, figurine, and blood."

He sighs heavily as he looks over at Delunaur in her distressed state. "I can tell her struggle grows harder with each passing moment. Her will is strong, but it won't last forever against Melkor's influence. Gwaelind, are there any possible leads we might be able to follow for the last component?"

Ryland leans in to a whisper back to Draugion. "She is the Dischord of Fire. A living embodiment of a celestial being. The man is the Song of Air. For every song, there is a dischord. You may be old enough to recall names like Gandalf. He, and they, are Maiar. Celestials in mortal form. And no, it isn't The Other that calls to her. It is Melkor. Chiefest of the dark ones. But Delunaur, she rebels against his will, and fights her nature as a dischord. That is why we were in the city of shadow and gloom. Toben deciphered ancient text that spoke of a ritual to free her. We are short an item though, and where to find it I cannot say".

Delunaur drinks, a sip at first, then more.  Some of the water immediately steams away at contact, but she does drink some.  When she is finished, she nods and looks somewhat better.

Gwaelind listens and watches.  When Toben arrives, he shrugs at the young scholar's question.  "I am at a loss to answer.  That you found the blood of the Ulari is, in itself, miraculous.  You must understand something of the Maiar.  We loose of ourselves when we manifest in this world.  Only the Valar are powerful enough to retain their full knowledge of being Ainur.  So while I am yet more powerful than most any mortal, I am still a finite being.

This Other that you speak of, I know aught of it.  If there was more to it, I might recall something.  Delunaur," as he says the name, he looks to her with longing and worry. "Delunar fights the corrupting bonds of Melkor.  Now away from Duath'gur's influence, we have had freedom to speak more openly.  Melkor was banished from this world by the combined might of the Valar and the Elves at the end of the First Mortal Age.  He was cast through the Door of Night into the Timeless Void."

Delunaur coughs.  "Th-  There is more.  Melkor is prophesied to find a way to break through the Door of Night and bring about Dagor Dagorath, the Battle of Battles.  Heed the words of the prophet as they were delivered to me by the whispers of my master:

When the world is old and the Powers have grown weary, Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World, seeing that the guard sleepeth, shall come back through the Door of the Night out of the Timeless Void; and all shall be darkness, for the sun he will turn to black, and the moon will no longer shed his light."

Speaking exhausts her and Delunaur hangs her head and seems winded.  She nods to Klale for more water.

Klale gives Her water. Ano, I think it's time to share Aashera's words  and actions, and so on.

Than I'm going to test the effect of singing.

The passage causes an expression if concern to form on Ryland's face. "Who or what rather is this "guard" that will fail to contain Melkor? Surely there must be a way to maintain his imprisonment, if he was able to be imprisoned in the first place".

"The Valar" is all Delunaur manages before flames wreathe her and her face turns into a nasty grimace.  It's as if the word 'Valar' drew something up in her connected to Melkor and all that evil and hatred bubbled to the surface.

Taking a chance and seeking peace, Klale being to put his heart and will into singing. No words, longing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU8RwT8ODHA

[Couldn't find a good male singing this.]
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:20, Thu 06 Dec 2018.

As Toben listens to Klale sing, he looks over to Ano. "What is this about Aashera?"

It's hard to say if she is telling the truth or not but she said that this Other is the one corrupting all the beings.  She said that Melkor seeks to enter this world in order to prevent the Other from taking this world.  We wont know much more until we meet with her for the peace talks.
 Until then Delunaur should be our first priority

Toben thinks for a moment on Ano's words. "The implications there are both concerning and hopeful at the same time. We parted ways with Aashera quite some time ago, and there's no telling how her experiences might be influencing her decisions and motives now. If it's possible that she has lost her way and turned towards Melkor, then what if she is the key last piece of the ritual? What if Aashera's tear is what we need? We might need to confront her sooner than expected if we hope to free Delunaur of her bonds."

From what I can tell see seems to believe she is working some where in between what we see as good and evil.  The elder dragons seem to be of Melkor but she seems to work with them out of necessity

"The line between good and evil does tend to blur in those who feel they are doing the right thing. Convincing her of otherwise seems a tall order, considering her rise to power and position in it all. I don't get the impression Melkor would appoint someone to her stature lightly. Still though, far be it for me to speak on behalf of someone you all know. Perhaps a silver lining can be found in the clouds of the looming storm ahead".

As Klale begins to sing, Delunaur closes her eyes and slumps, seemingly in relief.  However, the nimbus of fire around her springs up and her lips slowly form a smile.  This smile is not one of joy or contentment.  It is a twisted thing full of contempt.  When her eyes open again, they blaze with an orange light.

Then she blinks and shakes her head.  The fire goes away and sweat beads everywhere.  "Please...stop."

Klale stops. A thought strikes him, and he takes out Hard Time and examines it. Just maybe some remnant of the last dragon is on it.