The Years of the Lamps

Before the Sun, before the Moon. Two great lamps stood on pillars at the world's poles, lit by Varda for the first dwellers in Middle-earth, Illuin blue in the far north on the pillar Helkar, Ormal gold in the far south on the pillar Ringil. The Valar made their home on the green isle of Almaren in the Inland Sea at the world's centre, and the first quickening of life in Middle-earth happened in their light. Then Melkor came in the night, hating the order of things, and threw down both pillars. The first world ended. The lamps shattered. The seas rushed in to fill the wounds. Almaren drowned, and the Valar withdrew west to Aman, and the long mistrust of Arda's making began.