The loss of Gil-galad

3

The First Age of Middle-earth was a time of great turmoil and darkness, as the shadow of Morgoth spread over the lands of Beleriand. His fortress, Angband, loomed in the north, and from its black gates issued armies of orcs, balrogs, and other creatures of shadow, bent on the destruction of all that was good and fair. Among those who stood against this darkness were the Elves of Doriath, led by King Thingol and Queen Melian, whose realm was protected by the Girdle of Melian, a magical barrier that shielded their kingdom from evil.

In this time of war and woe, Thariel, the second and younger daughter of Melian and Thingol, had grown into a wise and skilled warrior. Her heart was filled with the courage of her father and the wisdom of her mother, and her eyes held the light of Valinor, where she had been born. Thariel had been trained in the arts of both combat and enchantment, her hands as skilled with a blade as they were with the magic of song and healing.

The peace of Doriath had been shattered by news of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, where the forces of the Elves, Men, and Dwarves had been utterly defeated by Morgoth. The lands outside the Girdle of Melian were now overrun with orcs and wargs, and many of the free peoples were slain or taken captive.

Thariel, though young, felt the call to aid those in need beyond the borders of her home. She could not stand idly by while Morgoth's darkness spread unchecked. One night, as the stars shone brightly overhead, she approached her parents, her resolve clear.

"Mother, Father," Thariel said, her voice steady, "the time has come for me to fight. I cannot remain behind the safety of the Girdle while our kin and allies suffer. Let me go forth and aid those who stand against Morgoth."

Thingol's brow furrowed with concern, but Melian, sensing the destiny that lay before her daughter, nodded slowly. "Thariel," Melian said, her voice soft and filled with love, "I knew this day would come. Your heart is as bold as your father's, and your spirit as unyielding as the light of the Two Trees. Go, and may the blessings of Valinor go with you."