Ever the days on Númenor were changeful and hard-fought in these times, but none the less the days that had just passed stood out. A whole of three people were leading the race and it was close. In the end, however, there was not the slightest doubt that
the guy who be short was the one who should be lynched. The univocal will of the village dictated it, nothing else. Absolutely nothing.
“The choice has been made, the guy who be short.” declared
Gil-Galad “Now forswear that phantom Eru, and his lackey Manwë, or face your death!”
“Why should I forswear Eru? I am no Faithful!” protested
the guy who be short “Moreover, I have a feeling you are going to kill me anyway!”
“If you renounce Eru and Manwë and accept Melkor and Annatar as your gods, then your life will be spared.” he was assured by
Kitanna “But you must choose now!”
“I love my life, and all Arda and Númenóre even as it is now,” the guy who be short then answered sadly
“but if I must choose between Sauron and Manwë, then all else must come after. I will not bow unto Sauron, nor to his master!”
A spirit, grim but clean, shone in his eyes as he was grabbed by
Durelin and
Kath.
“What now shall we do with him? How do we want this Faithful to die?” asked
the Saucepan Man, but nobody answered him and a silence befell all. Nobody had given this a thought until now.
Shyly,
Thinlómien spoke up:
“What about a catapult?”
“A catapult?” all asked disbelievingly.
“Why not hurl the guy who be short out of Númenor? Let him fly from the Land of the Star, just like his fellows – or almost.”
“That’s retarded” Nogrod judged.
“Well, I don’t see you coming up with anything.” Thinlómien said finally, and so it was decided.
The knowledge and craft of Númenor was still high in these days, so the catapult was built together in little time. Still, it had grown dark when they were finished and
the guy who be short was placed in the machine. No star shone on the island in these moments, as if the Valar were turning their eyes away from this fell deed.
“Ready!... Steady!...”
“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” muttered
Nogrod.
“Go!”
And in a beautifully high arc, which delighted his mathematical senses for the short time,
the guy who be short flew from the Land of the Star - with no star to guide him.
The guy who be short never again was seen among living Men, and his fate this tale does not tell.
“See! It worked! It worked! Let’s do it again!” said
Thinlómien enthusiastically,
“What about Mänwe?”
In exaltation over their success the Númenoreans cheered and went to
Mänwe’s hut searching for him.
While the village was coming for him,
Mänwe was a picture of misery:
“Faithfuls! Faithfuls! They’re coming! They’re everywhere! I can’t take this pressure! Ahhh!”
“Mänwe, we have come to lynch you.” the
Legate of Amon Lanc told him
“Well, we didn’t exactly vote you... but we’re in a really good mood right now. You surely understand.”
“Lynch me? Ah! I’m no Faithful, Faithful, Faithful!”
“We know,” answered
Hookbill,
the Goomba “but, you know, you had your chances, and you failed us twice.”
Lamenting
Mänwe was dragged up the hill and put into the catapult.
“Ready!... Steady!...”
“I still think it’s retarded.” it came over
Nogrod’s lips.
“Go!”
But, oh! it did not work this time. The structure of the catapult failed and in a loud noise it crashed and drilled
Mänwe straight into the ground. Sheepishly,
Thinlómien looked around and reproachful her eyes were met.
“Fine, I still think it’s a good idea!”
*~*
The Dead:
Macalaure (mod) -
brutally killed by Faithfuls in Night One
Garin (ordo) -
decapitated with a scythe on Day One
Holbytlass (ordo) -
committed suicide to revive Garin in Night Two
The Might (ordo) -
committed suicide to help Holbytlass reviving Garin in Night Two
Roa_Aoife (Tar-Míriel / cobbler) -
stabbed to death on Day Two
Rikae (High Priest of Annatar / seer) -
killed and reformed into a ship by Faithfuls in Night Three
Glirdan (ordo) -
another one who committed suicide to revive Garin
Brinniel (ordo) -
executed on Day Three
Rune Son of Bjarne (ordo) -
disassembled by the Faithfuls in Night Four
the guy who be short (were-faithful) -
flew from the Land of the Star with no star to guide him on Day Four
Mänwe (ordo) -
killed by a malfunctioning catapult on Day Four
The Living:
Durelin
Gil-Galad
Hookbill the Goomba
Kath
Kitanna
Lalaith
Legate of Amon Lanc
Mithalwen
Nogrod
The Saucepan Man
Thinlómien