"It is told among the wise that the first war began before Arda was full-shaped."

This war began because Melkor wanted to rule the world alone. But Tulkas was able to defeat him and Melkor fled and left Middle-Earth so that there was piece for a long age.

Now the Valar began to shape the earth and because light was missing, Aulë built two mighty lamps which were filled with light by Varda. One lamp they raised in the north of Middle-Earth and it was called Illuin. The other lamp was raised in the south and it was called Ormal.

Now that there was light, the Valar took their first home on the Isle of Almaren in the Great Lake. And it came to pass that the Valar were celebrating a great feast :

"Now therefore the Valar were gathered upon Almaren, fearing no evil and because of the light of Illuin they did not percieve the shadow in the north that was cast from afar by Melkor; for he was grown dark as the Night of the Void."

While the Valar were singing and dancing, Tulkas became tired and finally fell asleep. At exactly that moment Melkor came back to Middle-Earth without being noticed by the Valar. In the North he built his fortress Utumno.

"And though the Valar knew naught of it as yet, nonetheless the evil of Melkor and the belight of his hatred flowed out thence, and the Spring of Arda was marred."

When the Valar found out that Melkor was back they fought against him and in a terribly war almost everything that the Valar had built so far was destroyed again. Also the two lamps and the home of the Valar on the Isle of Almaren were destroyed, but the Valar couldn´t defeat Melkor because he was able to flee to Utumno and hide there.

Thus ended the Spring of Arda.

Now the Valar took their new home outside of Middle-Earth in the Land of Aman, the westernmost of all lands upon the borders of the world. There they built their new home Valinor, and also the great mountains which were called the Pelóri. They also built the town Valmar and there, before its western gate, was a green hill, called Ezellohar. On this hill Yavanna sat and sang a song of power in which she set all her thoughts of the things that should grow on earth. And suddenly two trees began to grow on this hill.

"The one had leaves of dark green that beneath were as shining silver, and from each of his countless flowers a dew of silver light was ever falling, and the earth beneath was dappled with the shadows of his fluttering leaves. The other bore leaves of a young green, their edges were of glittering gold. Flowers swung upon her branches in clusters of yellow flame, formed each to a glowing horn that spilled a golden rain upon the ground; and from the blossom of that tree there came forth warmth and a great light. Telperion the one was called in Valinor, but Laurelin the other was."

Thus began the Days of the Bliss of Valinor.

While the life in Valinor was now peaceful, Middle-Earth still laid in darkness and Melkor still dwelt there. Only Ulmo, Yavanna and Oromë sometimes left Valinor to visit Middle-Earth.