Glorfindel was falling. Falling endlessly towards the abyss below him. And the grip of the whip on his leg told him that he was not falling alone. He heard how the balrog screamed in it's black cruel language. During the fight it had screamed in anger, now it's voice was full of fear. And all the time he was falling. Then came darkness. There was no pain, just total darkness. Glorfindel felt that some strange force started to draw him towards the light that he could see in the distance, like in the end of a long tunnel. The light was so bright that it hurt his eyes. In the darkness around him he could see faces. His squire Acandur was there, his beloved Acandur, looking at him with sad eyes. Dead eyes. And valiant Duilin, his expression full of grief. Behind Duilin stood Penlod, and many others. Glorfindel shouted their names, but he could hear nothing. And suddenly the darkness passed. Glorfindel found himself from a large hall. There were many others beside him. And Mandos was seated upon his high seat, giving judgement to the dead without mercy or cruelty. And Echtelion was there, tall and beautiful Echtelion, standing before Mandos. Glorfindel walked to his cousin's side, and hand in hand they waited for Mandos's judgement, with their heads held up - and still they were proud. Even before Mandos himself Echtelion of the Fountain was not afraid, and golden Glorfindel was no more afraid than his cousin.
Mandos spoke and his words were as hard as a stone. He spoke of the rebellion of the Noldor, the kinslaying at Alqualonde, of the burning of the ships at Losgar and of betrayal. But still Echtelion did not hesitate. "I do not know if it is true", he said in his crystal clear voice, "but it is said that sometimes Mandos can show mercy and return elves and men to the world". The thundering voice of Mandos answered that this was true. " Then", Echtelion continued, "I demand this right for my cousin. My heart tells me that worse will be the fates of elves and men alike if he remains here". And Echtelion spoke about their killing of balrogs, and their sacrifices for their people, the elves of Gondolin. He spoke about the Helcaraxe, Dagor Aglareb, of Un-numbered Tears and many other things. He told how he and Glorfindel had sat alone upon the shore in that fatefull morning when Feanor fled, and none of the Feanorians, but them, had remained. He told of the tears that Glorfindel had shed at Alqualonde on that terrible day. He spoke long and wisely, with bitter words, tearing apart all the accusations against his foster-brother. And miracle happened, Mandos believed, or perhaps he received a word from one who had power even over him. But at last he turned his fierce eyes towards Glorfindel. " So be it", he said. "You will go back and as a warrior who will devote himself to the fight against the evil, protection of the weak and service to others. Noble and powerfull you are, and so you will remain. Be as an equal to the great and magnificent, but humble to those beneath you.
The words of Mandos disappeared, it was dark again. Glorfindel was drifting towards a light again, but this time it was dim and did not hurt his eyes. And he heard the song of birds and the wind. Glorfindel closed his eyes and when he reopened them he was on the shore of a shallow fjord in the middle of high mountains. He knew the place well. He saw a lonely grave upon the shore, and golden flowers in bloom upon it. "So it will be", he said. " I swear an oath to protect all elves and free people against the evil. I will risj my life for them without a question. None shall be too insignificant to receive my help. I shall be the knight of the Golden Flower as before I was it's lord. I will always do my utmost for the free people, but if this is not enough none can demand more, not even Mandos or Eru himself". And he sat alone on the silent beach for many days and nights, listening to the wind on the sea. Remembering that night so long ago in a different land, on the other side of the sea, when Feanor had fled. It had been he and Echtelion against the whole world: but now he was complitely alone. And he didn't hear the sounds of the wind, but shouting men and clattering swords. These voices came from the past, but he knew that they were also the future.