Act I Part III The First Battle of Beleriand
There came a time in the reckoning of the Elves, when their days of peace and plenty came to a swift end. Melkor, soon after called Morgoth by the Noldor, destroyed the two trees of Valinor and came to his dark tower of Angband where his greatest thralls Sauron and Gothmog had long prepared his war upon Beleriand. A vast army of orcs gathered hither and were ready to be set loose upon the unwary Elves; the Sindar, the Falathrim and the Green Elves of the East. But the Dwarves of Mount Dolmed had espied the enemy's great host, and they warned King Thingol of this grievous threat. Then the king bade them to bring arms and armour of iron and for the first time in the history of the Elves they prepared for the woe and sorrow of war.
For many songs are yet sung and many tales are yet told by the Elves of Doriath and beyond of the First Battle of Beleriand, in which Denethor of the Laiquendi was slain and his proud people broken. But recounted here shall only be the deeds which bear upon the fate of Aeglirion Naugrimdil, as thus he was called in those days.
Having gathered all the strength that he could muster, Thingol of Doriath marched his forces across the plains of East Beleriand; their standards caught high in a western wind, their freshly forged spears and shields shimmering like something star-like. The land lay silent under a clouded sky; few stars lit their path across the plains. But few leagues were they removed from Denethor's forces who had suffered great losses at the hands of the enemy and were forced into retreat. Trumpets called aloud the coming of King Thingol, whose banner had never before been born into battle, and its tunes were carried across the plains with the wind. But carried not far enough they were, for they were still too far from the battlefield, and no aid could come to Denethor yet, but with their keen eyes the soldiers of Thingol could yet witness woefully the grievous scene of Denethor's demise upon the hill of Amon Ereb.
Here now marched also Aeglirion, in iron raiment clad and lance in hand, whose craftsmanship he beheld in much wonder. But his thoughts were bare as he tried to close rank with the other Elves, and a shadow of doubt fell upon his heart. Through the many raised lances he could discern in the distance the dire meeting between the orcs of Morgoth and the Green-Elves. With sore eyes he beheld their last hour and many about him murmured dark words and some fell into despair. But Thingol, seeing his forces disheartened at the worrisome fate of the host of the Laiquendi, called aloud:
'Alas! The stars are veiled at our approach, and under clouded sky too our allies make their final stand. But have heart, Elves of Doriath, for Denethor has not yet fallen and little does our enemy suspect the sting of our lances, but we shall give it to them in deliverance or vengeance nonetheless!'
And at these words so aptly spoken his forces found anew their courage and gave in no longer to despair, but instead marched fleet-footed to the aid of Denethor with vengeance on their minds. Aeglirion too cast off all shadow of doubt, even if only for a brief while. For as battle was upon them, Lord Denethor and his valiant warriors had already fallen and there were none left to aid but many left to avenge. And upon the slopes of Amon Ereb, they fought their greatest battle yet, filled with fury and wrath for the loss of the Laiquendi. Aeglirion too fought with a fiery spirit, and his lance slew many before it broke, and the bite of his great sword, which he swung as if he had known battle before, had his foes on the run. The clouds above them gave way to starlight and the orcs were slaughtered and routed and those who escaped fled into the axes of the dwarves of the Ered Luin who had come down from their high homes to lend their aid; though the battle had already been decided. Thus ended the battle upon Amon Ereb, and at great cost East Beleriand was saved.
Far to the west, the Falathrim were less fortuitous in their dealings with the orcs. Cirdan had been forced to retreat into his port city and was their besieged long before the Noldor arrived to the North and caught the enemy's attention. Thingol returned his forces to Doriath to wait out the coming war between the Noldor and Morgoth, and with him came Aeglirion who had survived the First Battle of Beleriand.
