Unlike the dark, silent abyss of the Central Plains, the depths of Valinor were filled with light. Pearls and gemstones shimmered everywhere, embedded in coral and stone, while the crystal-clear seawater allowed sunlight from the heavens to penetrate all the way down to the seabed.
As a result, the seabed of Valinor was extraordinarily beautiful.
Countless marine creatures swam freely through vast coral reefs and flourishing seaweed forests. Strange and magnificent underwater landscapes stretched endlessly in all directions, forming a living tapestry of color and motion. The mermaids led the way, introducing Sylas to the scenery as they descended.
According to their explanations, these underwater wonders were part of the Undersea Gardens of Ulmoa and Ossë.
Lady Ulmoa was a gentle and compassionate ocean sovereign who loved all creatures of the sea, fish, seaweed, coral, and currents alike. It was said that her long hair spread throughout all the seas of the world, calming raging waves and protecting sailors from disaster. For generations, the shipbuilders and mariners of the Teleri elves revered her deeply, and in ancient times, the people of Númenor honored her with devotion comparable to that shown to the Valar themselves.
Yet this gentle ocean queen was not always mild.
After the Kinslaying at Swan Harbor, Lady Ulmoa wept for the innocent sailors who had been unjustly accused. In her grief and fury, she stirred immense storms that shattered many of the stolen ships, drowning both vessels and crews alike. She also placed powerful enchantments around the coasts of Aman, causing ships without permission to lose their way and wander endlessly, unable to reach Valinor.
As for Ossë, the ruler of the restless seas, his temperament was far harder to grasp.
At times, he possessed the vastness and generosity of the open ocean, forming deep friendships with the Teleri elves, teaching them shipbuilding, guiding their voyages, and aiding their passage across the sea to Valinor. At other times, however, he was violent and unpredictable, harboring storms and darkness within his nature.
Long ago, Ossë had been seduced by Morgoth and rebelled, unleashing catastrophic sea storms that shattered coastlines and drowned entire regions. Only through Ulmoa's persuasion did he return to the service of the Valar. Even so, his volatile nature remained.
Thus, sailors both revered and feared him, offering prayers before voyages to placate his wrath and avoid disaster.
Led by the mermaids, Sylas descended deeper, until they reached the very heart of the ocean floor.
There, within a carefully maintained domain adorned with countless starfish, coral branches, pearls, and crystalline glass, stood a magnificent seashell palace.
The palace gleamed with gold and nacre. Massive transparent columns, formed of hardened sea glass, were inlaid with enormous pearls and gemstones, illuminating the deep sea like a submerged sun. Dense schools of fish circled the palace endlessly, hesitant to approach yet unwilling to leave.
Ethereal singing echoed throughout the waters.
The songs praised the beauty of the sea, the majesty of Ossë, and the gentleness of Ulmoa. The melodies were infused with magic, calming the surrounding currents and stilling all turbulence. Fish drifted dreamily through the water, wholly captivated.
Countless mermaids sang as they tended the sea gardens, guiding shoals away, weaving silver-blue robes from flowing seawater, pruning coral and seaweed with graceful motions.
Their beauty seemed unreal.
Long snow-white hair floated around them like blooming flowers, while their tails shimmered with iridescent scales that reflected countless hues. They drifted through the depths like sacred spirits, radiating a soft divine glow.
Sylas followed them through the seaweed forests and into the seashell palace.
Inside, the floors were paved with jade, the windows formed of flawless crystal glass, and the halls were adorned with immeasurable treasures. The palace was both majestic and serene, embodying the dignity of the ocean itself.
Within the grand banquet hall, Ossë and Ulmoa sat upon towering coral thrones.
Their forms were majestic yet indistinct, shrouded in sacred divine radiance. Their bodies seemed to merge with the surrounding seawater, though they sat upon thrones, it felt as if the entire boundless ocean was their true form, exerting immense pressure from every direction.
Ossë's presence was like a raging sea, vast, violent, and overwhelming.
Ulmoa's was like a gentle tide, soothing, encompassing, and endless.
Stillness and motion, fury and compassion, opposites intertwined into a single, harmonious existence.
Sylas had only just entered the palace when he immediately felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him.
This was not the two Sea Lords deliberately suppressing him, nor an intentional display of dominance. Rather, it was the sheer disparity in realms of power that naturally produced this effect. Especially the presence of Ossë, in Sylas's perception, that vast and turbulent power was even stronger than Gandalf's true form after returning to Valinor.
There was no doubt about it.
Among all the Sea Lords Sylas had encountered, Ossë was the strongest. His strength ranked among the very highest of oceanic powers, perhaps even approaching that of Ulmo himself. Sylas knew with absolute certainty that if conflict were to occur here and now, he would have no ability to resist.
Suppressing the pressure in his chest, Sylas stepped forward and bowed slightly, his manner calm and dignified.
"Great Sea Lord, Your Highness Ossë, and Your Highness Ulmoa, Queen of the Seas,"
he said respectfully.
"It is an honor to receive your invitation and be welcomed as a guest within this magnificent and tranquil undersea palace. I am Sylas, a sorcerer from the Central Continent."
Upon the coral throne, a pair of deep blue eyes, vast and profound like the open ocean itself, slowly focused on him.
They seemed capable of containing the entirety of the sea.
A gentle yet resonant voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Welcome, Sylas. Your name has long been known in the Central Continent."
"When the rivers of the world carried news of your deeds, they also carried your name to my ears. I have been curious about you for a long time."
"When you sailed upon the seas, I wished to invite you below, but the time was not yet ripe. Now that you have stopped at Swan Harbor and set foot upon Aman, the moment has finally arrived."
"That is why I asked the mermaids to invite you here."
Beside him, Ulmoa, her presence gentle, sacred, and endlessly deep, spoke in a soft, soothing voice that flowed like a calm tide.
"Please do not feel constrained, Sylas. Though we dwell in Valinor, we have always observed the world through the rivers and waters of Arda."
"We have long been aware of you."
"You were able to defeat Sauron, and through your own will and effort, you completed the ascension of your soul and reached your current realm."
"Such an achievement is worthy of respect. That is why we took the liberty of inviting you here so abruptly. I hope you do not take offense."
Sylas shook his head humbly.
"Your Highnesses are too kind."
"To defeat Sauron was never the accomplishment of one individual. It was the combined strength and sacrifice of countless beings across the Central Continent."
"As for my own achievements… they were merely the result of fortunate circumstances. I truly do not deserve such praise."
Ossë waved his hand lightly, a faint smile appearing in his gaze.
"You are overly modest, Sylas."
"You may not realize this, but you are far from an unknown figure in Valinor."
"Even among the Valar, there are many who hold you in high regard."
"For instance, Mandos has expressed admiration for you. He foresaw that you would bring a different kind of change to Arda."
"And Manwë, King of the Valar himself, has spoken favorably of you. It was he who granted you permission to set foot in Valinor."
Hearing this, Sylas was momentarily stunned.
He had never imagined that someone like himself, a mortal-born sorcerer, would receive such recognition from beings of that stature.
Seeing his surprise, Ulmoa spoke gently to reassure him.
"Do not feel burdened by this."
"To receive the favor of the Valar is itself an honor, but it is not a chain."
"It simply grants you a certain standing and respect within Valinor."
"More importantly…"
Her voice softened, yet carried immense weight.
"You now possess the opportunity to become a Valar's apprentice, to learn divine knowledge at their side."
"Remember, this is an opportunity that countless elves, even after ages of devotion, may never obtain."