Two months by maeglin

An Ally of Lightning, Once

A veteran of the War of Wrath tells his tale.

The tales of Tulkas' deeds in the War fall far short of the truth, perhaps because our language lacks the words to describe them.  But I will try...

Angband had an outwall nigh thirty yards high, and at least as thick.   Another, higher wall lay behind, topped by trebuchets that launched a deadly fire upon our armies - a fire that burned through mail and skin alike.  All Mahtan's long labor proved vain, as Moringotto's fell fire consumed his armored siege engines as easily as it consumed the flesh of those who fought beside them.

No siege engine or living army that has ever been could have breached that double wall.  But where armies were of no avail, one sufficed. We drew back, half a league from the wall.  Tulkas gave our captains a nod, then ran towards it without a word, so swiftly my eyes could not follow him.  A heartbeat later, unbearable Light exploded off the hated walls, followed by a Supreme Wind that knocked all of us off our feet.  

Then came the earthquake.  The ground beneath us … I can only say it shredded.  Mighty crevices opened up and swallowed many of our soldiers.  Those who were not swallowed could do naught but cling to the ground in terror and wait for Endorë to stop heaving like the Sea in one of Osse's storms.  Alas, very few of the Edain survived that tremor, for with it came a cloud of fiery ash that burned even Elven lungs.

When it had finally cleared, we saw that a great gaping hole had been blasted through both walls.  Tulkas stood unharmed and laughing on the other side.  

The Elves lost perhaps a thousand men in those few minutes, but had we attempted to breach the wall ourselves - and we were preparing to try - we would all have died in the attempt.  Tulkas' wrath killed so many of us that day, but saved yet more.

That is what fighting alongside the Valar is like, my son, insofar as I can do it justice - which is, to tell the truth, not very well.  May you never have to learn it from experience.

And of our subsequent, desperate assault through that hole, led by Namo, I will not tell...