Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
So, here we go. We have come to the final assault on Angband, and end of the war with Morgoth.
Let's get to it.
Chapter 40- Break the Gates
(July 31, 2021)
As the sun rises over the landscape of Beleriand, a fresh round of artillery fire impacts Morgoth's lines. In the shadow of Thangorodrim, US and Allied forces are advancing on Angband itself.
After the death of Ancalagon, it hadn't taken long before the rest of the dragons met their fate. Almost all of the rest were killed. With the number of dragons killed, a few fighter pilots were credited with enough kill credits to earn the title of ace.
Once the dragons were dead, the Allies launched their counteroffensive. The 77th Infantry Division launched a charge towards Angband well ahead of the rest of the army. Although it cost them more casualties, it caused a lot of chaos among Morgoth's armies, allowing the rest of the army time to organize a counterattack.
General Abrams had ordered a few divisions pulled off the line due to extensive casualties. The 6th and 28th Infantry Divisions, along with the Spanish Army's units and the 3rd Marine Division, had pulled off the lines and been ordered back home. However, the forces that had been sent through the portal in Nevrast to reinforce the region and relieve the 2nd Canadian Division have all been committed to the front lines, as two new divisions that have come through the portal, the American 45th and 90th Infantry Divisions.
The Allies had quickly returned to Anfauglith and destroyed all of Morgoth's armies in their way. Once they had been fully relieved, the battered 77th was ordered back to Nevrast. Despite sustaining almost 50 percent casualties, the 77th had held their positions and counterattacked alone. Already, eight members of the division were to be awarded the Medal of Honor, and the 77th was shaping up to be one of the most decorated divisions of the war.
Now, the Allies have the upper hand. With a major armored attack by the 1st Armored Corps, the 49th Armored Division, and the 10th Panzer Division, Morgoth's armies had been shattered. Now, a small force cobbled together of the 4th Infantry Division, the 2nd Armored Division, and the Americal Division are within sight of Angband's gates.
In his M1 tank, Lieutenant Stewart grits his teeth as the tank's gun fires again, sending a HEAT round into the midst of the Orcs facing down the 4th Infantry as the last line of defense for Angband. They are now just 2 miles from the gates of Angband, and pressuring the final line of defense as hard as they can.
Stewart looks through his commander's sight. Right then, a pair of B-1 bombers fly in and drop their entire load of 1,000 pound bombs. The bombs explode in a series of violent explosions, killing hundreds of Orcs and breaking their lines. The tanks of the 4th Infantry charge, breaking through the Orc's lines.
"Breakthrough achieved! All units, charge towards the gates!" Stewart calls over the radio. The 4th's tanks and, east of the 4th's position, the hundreds of tanks of the 2nd Armored Division push forward, smashing right through the enemy lines.
The armored charge is the final blow. What little remains of Morgoth's army that hasn't already done so breaks into a full rout and flee away from the advancing Americans.
"This is Lieutenant Stewart! The path to the gates is wide open!" Stewart says as his driver guns the engine, and his tank speeds towards the gate of Angband.
Within minutes, a wall of tanks, drawn from both the 4th Infantry and the 2nd Armored, has assembled in front of the gate to Angband. A full 150 tanks, parked no more than a foot apart, their guns all trained on the gate. Together, they wait for a pre-arranged signal. Then, all at once, each tank commander hears over their radio, "Ringil! Ringil! Ringil!" The name of Fingollfin's sword had been chosen as the signal to start the final attack.
"Fire!" Stewart orders, and his tank, along with the 149 others in line, fire their main guns, the HEAT rounds hitting the gate. The tanks reload and quickly fire again. The tanks fire nine volleys in total, artillery behind them joining in with their own shells. The gate is engulfed in flame and smoke from the multiple hits.
After their ninth volley, the tanks cease fire and wait for the smoke to clear. As it does, they see that the gates of Angband have been badyl mangled, and multiple holes big enough even for tanks to pass through blown in the gates.
"Gates have been breached! Move in!" a lieutenant colonel in charge orders. The tanks begin advancing towards the gates, and in less than a minute, Stewart's tank rolls through the gap, the first of American forces to enter Angband itself. At last, the US has entered Angband. Morgoth is at the end of the line.
(August 2, 2021)
Deep in the pits of Angband, a team of US soldiers from the Americal Division, accompanied by several Vanyar, moves slowly through a tunnel at the very bottom of the mines. Ever since US forces first entered Angband two days earlier, the Allies have been methodically destroying the fortress while searching for Morgoth. The upper parts of Angband have been unroofed and its towers thrown down.
Now, teams of American troops and Elves are searching the lowest parts of the Angband's mines for Morgoth, who has still avoided capture. Tulkas and Aule, both of whom had arrived after the dragon counterattack, are on standby to confront Morgoth once the dark lord is located.
As the American troops move slowly down the tunnel, they are all to aware that if they find Morgoth, they have to treat the situation with utmost care, knowing that even in his weakened state, he could easily crush them.
Right then, one of the Vanyar whispers, "I can sense something. A great darkness. Not far ahead."
The American troops stop for a moment, then the lieutenant in command activates his radio before saying into it in a quiet voice, "This is Lieutenant Sterzic, 1st Battalion, Americal Division. Believe we might have found Morgoth's hiding place."
"Report position," the response comes, and Sterzic relays their general location. The guy on the other end reports back that help will be on the way as soon as they confirm a sighting.
Sterzic and his squad, along with the Elves, make their way down the tunnel, slowly rounding a corner at the end. The entire time, the American troops have their assault rifles raised and aimed outwards while the Vanyar have their swords drawn.
As they round a corner, the Americans see several arches leading off of the tunnel. And in one of them, they can see the faintest of lights.
Sterzic waves the group forward, and they come to the arch leading out of the tunnel. Sterzic holds up a fist to signal them to halt. Then, Sterzic leans around the corner to see through it. Instantly, the sight that hits him almost freezes him with pure fear. However, he manages to jolt himself back before being paralyzed with fear. Sterzic looks at the soldiers and Elves with him and mouths the words, "It's him."
All of them nod as Sterzic heads a short distance back down the passage. He quickly gets on the radio and says, "This is Lieutenant Sterzic. My team has eyes on Morgoth. Send the big guns ASAP before he tries to move and we have to engage."
"Understood. Sending the big guns," the controller responds. Immediately, up in the ruined upper levels, controllers inform the three individuals tasked with bringing Morgoth in: Tulkas, Aule, and Eonwe. Immediately, the three set off into the deepest pits of Angband, ready to confront Morgoth.
Down in the mines, Lieutenant Sterzic and his team maintain their positions, stationed right outside the entrance into the chamber where Morgoth has hidden himself. For what seems like an eternity, the small team waits outside the chamber, just listening for any sound coming from the chamber.
Finally, they hear footsteps, but coming from behind them. As the group turns their heads, they see Tulkas, Aule, and Eonwe rounding the corner.
Sterzic raises a hand and points several times towards the entrance to Morgoth's chamber, and Tulkas and Eonwe both nod in response. Then, after seeing that all of his men are ready, Sterzic motions everyone forward.
The American troops burst into the room with the Vanyar. Tulkas, Aule, and Eonwe follow immediately behind them.
As the Americans enter, they get their first real look at Morgoth. The towering dark lord, clad in black armor, the only skin visible his face, which is so terrifying it sends fear rippling through the Men and Elves. Resting on his head is the Iron Crown, with the two Silmarils resting in it.
The Americans feel fear rippling through their bodies, but also feel some calm with two Valar and a Maiar behind them. Sterzic is able to suppress his fear as he aims his assault rifle right at Morgoth's face and shouts, "US Army! Get on your knees, you son of a bitch!"
Morgoth feels fear as he sees both Tulkas and Aule before him, with soldiers to reinforce them. Morgoth shies back towards the far wall, hands held out in front of him. "Please, Lord Aule, Lord Tulkas. Have mercy. I know I have been defeated. I see now the error of my ways. Please, let me speak to Lord Manwe and plead my case to him. Please, let me parley," Morgoth begins to plead with his enemies.
"Oh, just shut up. Take him!" Sterzic shouts. Sterzic and two of his men fire their assault rifles, grazing Morgoth's neck and face. Morgoth recoils, holding his hands to his face and neck. Tulkas rushes Morgoth, grabbing the dark lord and slamming him against the rock wall. By now, Morgoth has expended so much of his strength he cannot hope to resist Tulkas' immense strength. As Tulkas holds Morgoth against the wall, Eonwe charges forward, wielding his mighty sword that Aule himself had forged long ago. With several powerful strokes of his sword, Eonwe hews Morgoth's legs beneath the knees. With little restraint, Tulkas then throws Morgoth to the floor. The chamber shakes a bit as Morgoth's body hits the ground.
The Americans and the Vanyar surround the fallen dark lord. "Don't you dare move or we will light you up," Sterzic growls, holding his assault rifle about a foot from Morgoth's head. Sterzic then turns to one of the troops who's carrying a heavy backpack and says, "Wilson, you know what to do."
Sergeant Wilson nods and steps forward, crouching down beside Morgoth's head while Tulkas keeps the Dark Lord pinned and Aule begins to bind him with the chain Angainor. Wilson sets the backpack down and from it pulls out an acetylene torch and a welding mask. Wilson, who had extensive welding experience from his teen and early adult years, slides the mask on, then powers up and lights the acetylene torch before he sets about cutting the Silmarils free from the Iron Crown.
The US commanders had decided to send each search team with a torch to use to cut the Silmarils free. Since the crown was only forged from iron, a torch could easily cut through it.
Morgoth tries to squirm free, but Tulkas and Aule are holding him too tight. Despite the aura of dread Morgoth exudes, Sergeant Wilson keeps working. It doesn't take too long at all before he's cut the first Silmaril free. Having been warned one could burn the hands of the unworthy, Wilson is a bit concerned just in case he's not worthy enough for the jewels, but feels safe with his thick gloves.
The Silmaril, of course, hasn't even been affected by the torch. Wilson carefully removes the Silmaril from its place in the crown and sets the Silmaril in a small chest that had been provided to him. Wilson then proceeds to cut the last Silmaril loose, completing it very quickly and setting the second Silmaril in the chest before closing it.
After turning off his torch, Wilson packs away his gear and stands up with the chest. As he does, Sterzic gets on the radio and declares, "This is Lieutenant Sterzic of the Americal Division. We have Morgoth in custody. I repeat. We have Morgoth in custody, and the Silmarils have been retrieved."
Across the Allied forces, the news spreads like wildfire. And all over Beleriand, members of the Allied forces begin to cheer and celebrate. For the war is finally over. Morgoth has been defeated and the Silmarils reclaimed.
Victory belongs to the Allies.
And, I'll end the chapter there. I hope this was a good one.
So, next chapter will start the aftermath. This story will last anywhere from 4 to 8 more chapters, depending on how much I decide I want to cover. Next chapter will be up soon, so until it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!