"Therefore
Ilúvatar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the
Void, and the Secret
Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World; and it was called
Eä."
The Silmarillion
Valaquenta
A mysterious power, never explained in detail, that seems to represent the principle of existence and creation. Little can be said of it for certain, though it seems to be identified with, or at least connected to, the Flame Imperishable of Ilúvatar. When Gandalf met the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, he spoke of himself as a servant of the Secret Fire. It has been conjectured that these words referred to his fire-ring Narya, but it seems unlikely that he would reveal this to a bitter enemy. More plausibly, Gandalf's words identify him as a servant of the power of Ilúvatar.
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- Updated 21 January 2009
- Updates planned: 1
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