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Canto II Upon the bridge of the tower dark and tall over rushing river, sleek and black as ice stands one whose beauty outshines deepest horror. Starlight on her face and power in her voice she stands a solitary island of light in darkness, and hope in despair. A weak and lonely but defying voice she hears from the depths of the terrible tower. Can it be that he yet lives? She answered the song with one of great power and Thû the Abhorred with his flaming eyes saw her from the window of the vast tower’s pinions and knew her. He smiled wrapped in black thought. Wolves he sent out of such terror and strength and hate enmeshed in the sinews of their being that greatest warrior beneath their flashing gaze would tremble and fall. But she moved not from her place on the bridge, and as the wolves came one by one, as leaves in the wind their lives were snuffed out, and the burning hatred innate to their being was wrested from them; for Huan the Wolfhound, friend of the Eldar, hound of Valinor, grabbed their throats and slew them all. Yet Draugluin with bleeding throat escaped, and with his final breath revealed to Thû that Huan was there. Then cloaked in majesty and fathomless dread Thû himself took on werewolf’s form, greater than any that had ever been, and stalked away to win the bridge, for he knew the fate decreed for the Hound of Valinor. Thû’s approach was filled with such terror that even Huan at first leapt aside. But soon the baying and yelping and tearing of their fight rang out so that many who heard it fell to great fear. Yet no diabolical, sigaldric force could overthrow Huan of Valinor, and Thû was pinned down with sharp teeth to his throat. And though shape he shifted could not free himself from the vise-like grip of the maw of his foe. Then Lúthien came with shining face and glass white hands and said to him, “Thou,” her voice was strong, “shall for e’er be rendered bodiless to come quaking back to the feet of thy Master. Scorn and torment ye always shall feel unless unto me the key to this tower thou renderest now.” Thû the great coward, disloyal and treacherous gave to the elf-maid the key and the power of Tol-in-Gaurhoth, and betrayed his Master, as the wicked do, who serve only themselves. Then Huan released him and at one he rose up In vampire’s form. O’ershadowing the moon eastward he sped and to Taur-nu-Fuin came, filling it with nightmares tangible and real. Then Lúthien again in all her power and might and beauty unknown to mortal tongue showed forth her power and called out to the Isle. Who knew but she what was in her words as great as castles and crashing sea waves, as beautiful as the gleaming Two Trees as powerful as the bright light of Anar? The wolf tower trembled from foundation’s core. The pinions quaked and the dark stones shook and loosened themselves from the grasp of the others and fell, fell, fell, tumbled and piled. They cracked and shook ‘neath pale moonlight and the breaking of treacherous, jagged rocks filled the valley and the silent night. When it ceased at last no rock was left on top of another, all lay in scattered and petrous ruin. Emerging slowly from winding tunnels and cracked openings rise captives at last to the outward world. Their poor eyes shielding from pale moonlight, and with joy rejoicing over newfound freedom. But Beren comes not, and Lúthien fears. Not heeding the captives or cries of wonder that escape from their lips, or wondering glances, she looks in the stones frantically searching for a way to get down to the dark dungeon’s tunnels to find her beloved. Through dark passages running and calling with desperation his name. She fears too late she has come to his aid. In a swoon of anguish and dark lament unhearing, unseeing, motionless Beren lies next to the body of Finrod Beloved. His heart is numb, he hears not when she calls nor her pattering feet. She finds him thus, and fearing him dead, falls upon him, and descends into forgetfulness deep. But Beren, awakening from dark chasms of deepest despair, sees her beside him, her shadowy hair, her quivering lips, her soft white hands, and then she awakens. They gazed upon each other in utter silence, and through the jagged stones the light of the dawn shone upon them once more.
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