Written by yours truly and based on Tolkien's work.
I based it on events Tolkien mentioned but never described- Glorfindel's death at the hands of a Balrog during the First Age. I must warn you, though- I'm a huge fan of all of Tolkien's work and have read a good deal of it. Hence I refer to many things that those of you who have only read the book or seen the movie might not understand. If you haven't at least read the Silmarillion it may seem very foreign to you. I'd like everyone to offer their thoughts, good or bad, as I'm constantly revising my work. Hope you enjoy it. BTW, dots are supposed to represent indentions.
ValaraukoBy Eric Baker, aka mouse_clicker..........In the 473rd year of the First Age of Middle-Earth a great battle had been waged across the land of Beleriand. Being the 5th such battle of a massive war against the great malice, known to the elves as Morgoth, it brought about it a strong means of victory. Named Nirnaeth Arnoediad by the elves, meaning “tears unnumbered” in Quenya, it was the deadliest battle of the War of the Jewels to be fought save for the Great Battle, the War of Wrath, in which the Valar took it upon themselves to remove Morgoth from his worldly abode, destroying all of Beleriand in the process. During Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Morgoth unleashed his most feared creations, the Maiar known as Balrogs; great, beastlike creatures of immense size, with flaming manes, molten swords, and fiery whips. He had turned the tide of the battle with his minions, among others, and the elves suffered enormous losses. As they began to retreat, Morgoth tracked them down with his armies of orcs, each led by a Balrog. Chief among these elven armies retreating was that of Glorfindel, resident of the secret city of Gondolin in the Mountains of Echo. Close on Glorfindel’s flea was a troop of orcs and their Balrog captain.
..........Glorfindel ran at the end of his retreating army, quick to cut down any foe attempting to hinder them. As they reached a small hillock, Glorfindel ordered his soldiers over it to await his command. He trekked back down the embankment, anticipating the orc swath he knew to be following them. As he had predicted, a trudging army of swarming orcs filed into the valley at his feet. However, one such detail of his foes caught him off guard and sent an icy chill down his spine. Bringing up the rear of this great troop of orcs was Valarauko, a great spirit of flame and shadow. Valarauko ordered the halt of his army and looked mockingly upon Glorfindel.
..........“So, a lone elf-lord on a leisurely hike through the hills. What business have you in this great realm of Morgoth, Glorfindel?”
..........“Only to see my people safely home, Valarauko. I suppose someone of your stature would understand as much.”
..........“Indeed, that would be so, elf-lord, but I can’t have such a power go wondering aimlessly through my master’s land, not in these times. You pose a threat to us, and that threat must be destroyed. Though you are unprotected, I must rid my master of you.”
..........Glorfindel’s anger turned to pure hatred as the great army of orcs moved in around him.
..........“But to say I was unprotected would be a lie, great Captain!”
..........With a cry that filled the hearts of the orcs with terror, Glorfindel charged his own army headlong into his attackers. Tall elves with keen eyes cut through the embattlements of orcs, slaying all they came across. Valarauko was taken aback with surprise, not knowing what Glorfindel’s true power might be. Even so, the elves were far outnumbered and began to be pushed back out of the valley. As Glorfindel realised this, he finally drew his great blade, Avathar, and all the orcs shrieked in horror. With a yell, Glorfindel smashed through row after row of orcs, the incredible power of his sword slicing through all that opposed it, for this weapon he wielded was forged for him by the great Ainur Aüle in Valinor, and no mortal being could withstand it. Soon the great army of orcs was reduced to a mere handful, of which the remaining elves had no difficulty with. Hot with rage, Glorfindel crossed the valley intent on bringing down the army’s captain as well. He looked around him, eyes searching for the Balrog.
..........“Valarauko, show yourself, lest you prove to be a coward! No being can withstand the force of my blade!”
..........“A coward I am not, great elf-lord. However, I fear I may have overestimated the power of you. True, your great shadow-sword is mighty beyond all accounts, but you are a mere pawn without it.”
..........Glorfindel’s anger grew tremendously inside of him and his patience thin. Insulted beyond all measures by Valarauko’s arrogance, he tried one last desperate measure. Flinging his sword from his hand, Glorfindel seized a scimitar from a fallen orc. His mind bent on destroying Valarauko, he charged headforth at him, eyes blazing with malice. In acceptance of this challenge, Valarauko drew his own sword.
..........With a mighty roar, Glorfindel swung his orc blade with all his power at Valarauko. The demon lowered his sword to parry the blow. With nary a drop in rhythm, Glorfindel swung again, on the opposite side, his strike blocked a second time. Maddened with rage, Glorfindel gripped his blade with both hands, striking Valarauko’s own weapon with such force it shattered into thousands of shards that flew across the landscape. Glorfindel collapsed, his energy drained at last.
..........“Impressive, elf, but the battle has not ended. Rise!”
..........With that, Valarauko pulled from his belt a great whip with flaming tongues. Glorfindel gazed upward, peering at his nemesis through his daze. With a bellow Valarauko cracked it high over Glorfindel head, the tips of fire licking Glorfindel’s backside. Crying with pain, Glorfindel fell to his knees. The beast swung again and again, each time scraping Glorfindel’s back raw. Bearing scars across his entire body, Glorfindel again gripped the hilt of his orc scimitar. Valarauko laughed at him.
..........“You are defeated, great elf-lord. You can do nothing more. Soon your body will waste away to nothingness, a great victory for my master!”
..........Hearing this sent a rush of hatred coursing through Glorfindel’s veins. Tightening the grip on his weapon he stood. Valarauko looked down upon him with a smirk. Raising his arm, whip in hand, he sent it flying down at Glorfindel, whistling with such force his ears stung. Glorfindel stared at the Balrog. Crazed, he lifted his sword to ward off the attack. The whip coiled around his sword tighter than a knot, just as Glorfindel had intended.
..........With newfound strength, he ripped the whip out of Valarauko’s hand and flung it down into the valley. Surprised by Glorfindel’s cunning, Valarauko stumbled forward, dazed and petrified. Glorfindel took advantage of this and jumped up to Valarauko’s body. Clinging to his chest, Glorfindel twirled his blade in his hand and plunged it deep into the monster’s heart, thick, black blood flowing forth. With a tremendous roar, Valarauko staggered back in immense and unimaginable pain. Glorfindel let go of the sword and fell back to the ground, unconscious.
..........Valarauko, still bellowing in terror from his wound, seized the blade Glorfindel had ground into his chest and ripped it out. With his last bit of power left, the great Maiar used all his energy to split the cliff along a thousand faults, finally falling to the ground, defeated. What was left of Glorfindel’s army ran to his aid, but they were too late. Valarauko’s whip had dealt its damage, mortally wounding him. He had already died.
..........Even as they came to this fact, the cliff began to tremble. Retreating back beyond the fractures’ extent, they watched as the cliff collapsed under the great monster’s weight and plunged down to the shadowy depths of the Plain of Gorgoroth. In horror they watched as their own captain’s body fell with it and was crushed upon the jagged rocks at the foot of the high cliff. Broken and defeated, even in victory over their assailants, the fallen army of Gondolin trudged back through secret ways and hidden paths to their city, nestled safely away from the eye of Morgoth. Though they had triumphed in their skirmish, it was but one tentacle of Morgoth’s far-reaching might, and they were devastated by the loss of their great leader. The future did not look bright for them, despite the simultaneous death of one of The Enemy’s greatest and most feared minions. Without the will to go on, their race would surely fade away over the endless span of their lives.
The End 
Topic: Middle-Earth Fanfic (Read 11660 times)
