Sauron's redemption

Chapter 1: the unlikely hope

In the land of Mordor, where the shadows lie, the Dark Lord Sauron brooded atop his dark throne within the menacing fortress of Barad-dûr. The fires of Mount Doom illuminated the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the barren lands. Sauron's mind was a tempest of schemes and domination, his will set upon bending Middle-earth to his dark desires.

Yet, amidst the darkness, a flicker of light dared to emerge. A light that was neither from star nor moon, but from a source long forgotten—a spark of goodness buried deep within Sauron's ancient spirit.

It began as a whisper, a voice from the past that echoed in the hollows of his heart, a reminder of the Maia he once was before his fall. It spoke of forgiveness, of redemption, and of a path that could lead away from eternal damnation.

Sauron shook his head, trying to dispel the voice. It was absurd. He was the Dark Lord, the embodiment of fear and power. There could be no redemption for such as he. Yet, the voice persisted, growing stronger with each passing night, until it was a cacophony that he could no longer ignore.

One night, as Sauron wandered the dark corridors of his fortress, lost in his thoughts, he stumbled upon a forgotten chamber. Within it, there lay a mirror, ancient and unblemished. Compelled by a force he could not understand, Sauron gazed into the mirror, and his own reflection stared back at him—not the armored figure of terror he had become, but the fair and unmarred visage of Mairon, the Maia he was before his corruption.

In that moment, a wave of emotions long suppressed crashed over him. Regret, sorrow, and a yearning for the light he once cherished. Could it be that the voice that haunted him was his own? Could it be that the key to his salvation lay within himself?

As dawn approached, the first rays of light creeping over the horizon, Sauron felt a stirring within him. It was faint, like the beat of a heart long thought dead. The path to redemption would be arduous, perhaps impossible. But for the first time in countless ages, Sauron wondered if there might be a different ending to his story—an ending where he could make amends for the pain he had caused.

And so, with the rising sun casting its final rays he thought for hours until night fell upon the earth. He first changed into his human form and gave himself a name Halbrand seemed fitting enough. He walked through the village of Bree and found a tavern which sheltered him from the coming rain storm. 

As the rain ended and the sun dimmed through the clouds he smiled and walked out of the tavern and continued his journey towards good.