In the words of Melian.

She was a handmaid of Lady Vána
Bright is her raiment of gold;
Her hair streams like glowing fire
Beautiful is she behold;

Her eyes set like bright gold rays,
As she stood on the hilltop amidst the sky of grey;
Bright she shone from sight far away,
like colours of a Sun before it was made;

Light traverse whither she goes,
Flowers blossoms at the gentle tread of her sole;
Many of hosts awe upon her splendour,
Never waning her beauty endeavours;

When Melkor had finally found her, he was swooned by her beauty, but before he could reveal himself to her, he resort to cloth himself in a fair mantle as that of a fine prince, to hide his real form, and thrusting himself, he beseeched Arien to take his troth, and promised her a kingdom of her own, where she will be a Queen and him, the King.

Often he would seek her, and of they went, up as far as many leagues away from her abode, into the hills, dells, and the vales; thereafter she meet Melian the less. In disguise Melkor put on his pretense to lure Arien into his net, but she were undecided, though greatly was she tempted by Melkor's proposition. This grevious matter will then be hidden not from the seers, so Arien thought to herself, even as Melkor plead her not to reveal his plans. When Lady Vána had sought her to no avail, she became troubled and filled with wonder, for she had a keen foresight that Arien was not anywhere nigh her abode, and watches not the keeping of her garden.

As Melian was Arien's closest friend, she bids Melian find her, and Melian felt a sense of dread. For not long she caught a glimpse of two figures by the slope of a hill behind a beech. And Melian called to Arien and said to her: 'Lady Vána has been troubled by your absence. I beg thee make haste and return ere the Lady's mood fail whence even i might not sustain.' But Arien hesitated and said nervously, 'I will return but in a little while. Beg i may to leave us!'. Melian was dismayed but turn towards the other, and she asked: 'Who might this fair prince hither be?' But he would utter not his true name but calling himself by other names. And Melian her eyes could not pierce the shadow within him to reveal his true self, thus both being deceived. (for he is but more powerful than that of the Maiar).

Melian return with tidings brought much to the amazement of Vána. 'Of this name of his i have not heard since the Beginning of the Ainur nor whence Arda were yet shaped, if it doth hidden from my sight!' For all the names of the Ainur that descent hither none were hidden from the Valar. Vána began to seek the counsel of her peers, and it revealed soon to Melian that the Maiar were being ensnared.

It was said that when Melkor came once again to the halls of Manwë, Sauron did not go with him, for he dared not approach the Valar, and he hides still and await his new Master's bidding. In that time, Sauron chanced upon the Maiar of flaming spirits under the subterranean walls of the hills nigh to the eastern shores of Almaren. In great labour they were, toiling days unnumbered in the darkness, delving and moulding of stone beneath the mountains in the shaping of lands in Aulë's work. And Sauron's voice came down from the dark tunnels of earth, seemingly in a fair tone:

"O fiery ones who toil under great incessant labours of your master, behold ye the Prince of your kindred, for I bring good tidings from the Valar. Your days of hard toil and grinding works are over. You have endured hardship and the rule of your master for many ages untold, and need not endured longer, my brothers. For there is one Valar whom had took pity on thee, and will deliver thou from thralls, and grant you rest and rewards which thou deserved; if thou will serve him."

It was said that those who hearkened to his voice became enamoured by his words, for it seem true to them that they were made thralls by Aulë, and that they were weary of their labours. Of one voice spoke from the dark:

"Who dost thou speak of this Valar? Whither shall we find him?"

And Sauron answered:

"He is here, if i may bid you now to leave thy pitiful holes and follow me."

"Aye.", echoed others from the deep. It was said that these were some of the earliest followers of Melkor, and Melkor was pleased with Sauron; some he gave to Sauron's command as bounties. The fair appearance of these spirits were later corrupted by Melkor and became dreadful apparitions of Fire, whom later known by the Elves as the fell Valaraukar, or by Men, they were called Balrogs. But Melkor gradually learned that there is another the Greatest amongst their kind, whom no fire nor even waters could contend save Ulmo himself, and from the Valauraukar he learned of one named Arien, but she dwell not under the mountains or hills, nor toil under the earth and stones; and thereafter ever his ears listened for tidings of her whereabouts through his spies.

As Aulë look out from the balcony perched on top of his hall, his heart was troubled by the silence under the mountains, where all work seems to cease; coupled by the missing of one of his great servant. And he thought,

'What clouds of deceits shrouding the deeds elsewhere unbeknownst? What treachery and malevolent arts could had come to the works whom i summoned?'

Now Melkor has the power over the Flames, yet he still had naught over the Waters. Hence he tread upon the shores of isle of Almaren, and call upon the vassals of the water that he might draw to his allegiance, which then his powers would be complete to contend with the might of the Valar. Thus he met with Ossë, riding on the whirlwind of the sea towards the shores with his spouse Uinen, and Ossë came to Melkor and said:

'What doth ye seek of me, O Vala?

And Melkor said unto him: 'I had seen thy powers upon the waters of Ulmo, yet why must thou tarry the waters for long under the shadow of Ulmo?'.

'Nay, under no shadow i tarried nor dwelt.'

'If that be so, come forth and dwell here no further, for there are plenty of space yet in Arda and the seas are wide. Join me, and together we shall explore the empty confines of the sea and perhaps we shall find innumerable treasures and riches untold.'

At this, Ossë pondered a while and said to him: 'If that place which thou speaketh true, am i not still a messenger of Ulmo, and when he bids me, will i not come unto him?'

But Melkor replied: 'A messenger you might be, but a slave you are not! Yet, if we were to work together, maybe you need not be one. For i promised thee for the help if thou shall bring unto me, i will make you as great as Ulmo himself, and your own kingdom of sea you shall have a rule! Thus, no messenger nor servant you will be any longer.'

And it seem to Ossë that he echoed the same sentiments, and his heart yearning ever to upscale the unknown sea leagues beyond this plains. But Uinen was troubled; for his wish seem perilous. She said to him softly, 'My Lord, shouldn't we seek the counsels of Ulmo for such grave matters?'

'My Lady, am i bound to oaths under the deeps of the sea of Ulmo that i must seek his counsels ever and anon? Or will you not follow me whither i will go even it came from a Vala?' Uinen was troubled by his words and answered, 'Of these oaths, i do not have any power over it, nor i will gainsay any counsels of Ulmo, or any of the Valar. But i will follow whither you may go, whichever counsel you may choose.' But Uinen's voice drawing seemingly softer: 'Yet, i heard of Melkor that he was no longer a Vala, thus cautious you need be Lord.' At this Ossë was filled with doubt, and he turn towards Melkor and asked, 'What doth thou request of me, or shall have me do?'

'The sea has many ears, yet if thou listen and wait a while longer, thou shall hear my voice in a time, and aid thou shall bring to me. Yet denounce your service to Ulmo and serve me; not as a Master as thou shunned it, but as a helper, and your reward will i promise.'

It was said that Ossë stayed his thoughts for a while before he yielded to Melkor's offer, yet this treason was never hidden from Ulmo himself in the beginning. (as Melkor said true: 'The sea has many ears.') And Uinen was utterly displeased, but reluctant to abandon her spouse.

Thus herald the Fall of the Maiar of the Ainur, the most treacherous of the evil deeds of Melkor before the birth of the Firstborn and Men; likewise, his deeds did not end here.

Next : The Temptation of Arien

It came to pass when the full strength of Melkor had arisen, out of the depths of the burning Flame, so was the darkening of the lands about Almaren. And as the shadow of Melkor drawn close to the stony stairway that leads to halls of the Valar, Melkor proclaimed:

"From stone to ash and ash to stone, i had risen once again, and i shall be put into shame no longer. Am i not of the Valar also, that i had no part of the share of my brother's kingdom? Nay! Hither i will be the rightful king! And i shall call upon my summons, my own servants and maids, with unquestionable authority therein to rule and to overrule against; and none shall step over my crown. Woe to thee to ignore my pleas! Verily i said unto thee; grant me the kingship of Arda and perhaps my anger shall abate."

To this there were no answer echoed within the halls, and Melkor's voice grew louder:

"Is my brother sleeping that he will not heed my calls, or doth not he welcome me from his halls anymore?"

At this the voice of Manwë echoed from within the halls:

"O Brother, has thou forgotten the time we last spoke of these matters? Thy request or pleas shall be heard only from the prayers of Eru. Yet whither thou hast gone whence i beg ye to stay and seek the counsel of the One?"

For Melkor both feared and hated the name of the One, and dared utter not His Name, said:

"Of Him abode His own domain and His Rule is in the Timeless Space; yet of Arda we dwelt this domain and thus is Ours to lord it and rule by will. Doth not His laws that binded His domain shall come also and thus be bounded with Arda? Nay, the Hither Lands shall be Ours for the taking, and Ours to rule; and shall not be binded by any laws nor counsels save us!"

And of Manwë he spoke:

"Yet the creation of Eä comes from Eru alone. Through the voice of Eru alone, comes forth the Ainur, thus He alone is the Master, from the beginning of Creation till the End of Days. Thus doth not as we pleased but unto His purpose as sung from the beginning of time. Is my Brother not part of the Music also and had he not understood the ways of Illúvatar? For to each He gave different Gifts so that each may present their works of their gifts to achieve His ultimate purpose. Yet the mind of Illúvatar is mysterious, for we only a part of His mind were revealed and yet some part were still hidden, but we question not His mind, until the time when it shall be made known to all."

Thus Manwë had spoken enough, yet Melkor not fully understood them, but grew hot in his heart and in hatred towards his brother and all the Valar, and pledged that war will come to the Hither Lands in nigh a time.

Thereafter a time, it seem to Manwë beheld from afar strange clouds of grey hovering the sky, drawing ever nigh to his halls, and the air filled with dread. Somehow Yavanna felt the tremors from the depths of the earth crawling up to the roots of her gardens and were dismayed, and from the dreams of Irmo, he saw many tall and dark brooding shapes took form.

For in his secrecy, Melkor pondered and devise his vile schemes to usurp the kingdom of his brother, and he knew that in order to achieve his goal, he not only had to contend with one but many amongst the Valar, and his strength alone would not suffice. Hence he would need some that would join him to form his own circle of dark forces, and the easiest and foremost targets would be those whom are seemingly 'weaker' than himself, if not better. His target would most likely be of the Maiar, the 'lesser' Ainur. And he would sought whatever ways to draw the Maiar to swear in his allegiance, at first not by force, but by his most effective methods; his words. For Melkor has acute skill in devising his lies, disguising its hidden purposes and making the sound of his words seemingly sweet and colourful to the ear of the listener.

It was said that he had first approached Sauron who himself were wandering in places alone in the pursuit of great knowledge and hidden treasures in uncharted lands, though at first his skills was only set to works in offering to Aulë. But it seems Sauron has of mind like Melkor, ever searching for greater knowledge and power, and wishes upon that power only for his own gain. Thus with great ease Melkor succeeded to entice Sauron to join him; by promising great gifts and power unimaginable. Of Sauron, he was not only wise in the skills of crafts, but also in his tongue, like Melkor (though he was unwise in his part to serve another master), and he was appointed as Melkor's second-in-command, an offspring of Darkness. And in due time, his work was slowly perverted by Melkor's malice, driven by lust for the riches and share of the spoil.

Hence befell the first fall of the Maiar, wise and great in the lore of that people. But Sauron was not the only evil fruit that Melkor had come to harvest upon. As were told earlier, in the dreams of Irmo, there were many.

Now the city of the Valar had grown to its peak of splendour, tall in its full stature and majestic in the midst of Middle-earth , like a great crown upon Arda. The island, in which they abode at first were named Almaren, in the Great lake in the middle of Arda. The Valar had begun shaping Middle-earth as purposed by Illúvatar since the beginning of the Music and the visions that were behold to them. In that time, Middle-earth was still at an infant stage, and they built and delved mountains, sea streams, lakes, hills and brought order to them, and Yavanna began planting the land with her seeds that she devised. Of the Fires of the World, they were subdued and buried deep beneath the hills, with the help of the fiery spirits.

Now Melkor had seen all that was done, and little he did in aiding the Valar, for his desire is ever drawn towards kingship and dominion over the realm, and he grew impatient. For great might was given to him by Illúvatar at the beginning before his discord; and that he thought that he should deserve the crown on his own. He began to seek Manwë his brother, in the halls of Taniquetil, to beseech him of this request.

Melkor

'O Brother, when shall thou grant me thy kingship and share thy kingdom with me? For I had part also in the aid of the labours of Arda. Do ye remember not long ago that I was once a great part of the Music of the Ainur?'

Manwë

'Thy kingdom thou shall have a share, my brother, if thou had put in good works into Arda in accordance to our Maker. But of thy kingship, these matters thou and I shall seek beforehand the prayers of Eru, for these are grave matters which I cannot be of judge.'

Melkor knew what was said and remembered that once long ago Illúvatar had spoken to him with shame about his dissolution, and he knew what will befall him shall he be under the judge of Eru again.

Melkor

'We shall see.'

Manwë did not fully understand what he meant, moreover Varda was beside Manwë, and she look into Melkor's eyes and perceived his hidden thoughts which are perilous. Melkor stared into her terrible eyes and fled in their presence, and he hated her ever since. Manwë was dismayed.

In a period, Melkor brooded in the darkness, and resorted to rethink his strategy, for all the powers and knowledge that he had the most part, he only desired to turn everything according to his own. First, he desired the Light, and when he could not have it for himself alone, he resort to descend into the Flame below, burned with fire and wrath, down into Darkness; and unto Darkness became his dominion. Thereafter, in darkness he used most of his evil works upon Arda, and desire to filled all the living things with fear.