Act I, Part XI: Homeward bound
Tinnurion had come before the mountains of terror, so called for it was here that the great Ungoliant had fled after the Darkening of Valinor and had spawned her children, the first and perhaps the greatest of the enemies of the Firstborn. Tinnurion attempted to cross them, but the terrain was hard to climb and much evil lingered there which he could not oppose, not without blade or mail or his former strength. Thus his survival lay in stealth and secrecy, as it had been since his escape from Angand. He wandered far and wide and at slow pace, and years passed ere he found his way to the pass of Anach from where he made his way south into more familiar lands. At long last he found the river Mindeb and it guided him to the great road out of Himlad.
Greatly he feared now to be pursued by the terrors of Nan Dungortheb, for on foot he would not outrun them, even if all his strength returned to him. Thus he chose to stay close to the eaves of Doriath on his way eastward. Seeing familiar sights he quickened his pace, for thoughts of the comfort of Nan Elmoth conquered his mind and eagerly he wished to return there and find perhaps his missing master of whom he had heard no word on his long and sorrowful journey.
When at last he reached the gloomy forest and found his way to the dim halls of Eöl, his fellows could hardly recognise him. A bent and timid shadow of his former self he seemed. His head hung low between his shoulders; as if he carried still a heavy burden of the mines of Angband. The anguish of his stay there still visible upon his face, so that now he looked like one aged among mortal men. Grieved by the state of their friend they lay him to rest and mended his hurts as best they could. But Tinnurion, barely at strength to speak, asked after Eöl, and his eyes had all the seeming of a child's, gullible and full of hope. But to him they could only relay the news of their hopeless hearts, and Tinnurion despaired, saying to them only:
'Woe to me who searched in vain,
woe to Eöl who lies surely slain.
Leave me now to rest and dream,
wake me not to starlight's gleam.
The days grow bleak and so will I,
no more I'll seek, my end is nigh.'
And as he said that all turned to black before his eyes.
