InsaneJournal

Prompt #5: What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear?

I've faced Morgoth, the most evil of all the Valar. I've been chained on a mountain to die. I've fought more battles than I can count. I've killed for vengeance, for an oath, for greed. I've killed to stay alive. I've endured poverty and near-starvation. I've fought balrogs and dragons, and all the fell beasts that ever spewed forth from Angband. I've seen the destruction of Beleriand itself and, out of sheer madness, hurled myself into a chasm of fire. I don't think there's anything left for me to be afraid of.

I think what drove me the most though, through all of that, was that I was afraid to fail. I swore an oath, made a promise, and the consequences of failing to uphold that oath were so terrible I could not even comprehend the possibility of failure. When my father was alive I could not bear for him to see me as a failure (although I think he always did, right from the start). After he was gone, I could not bear to be a failure in the eyes of the Valar, or in my own eyes. And even now, so long after, I still have that trait. Failure is never an option.

Comments welcome