Now Fingolfin, seeing that his people became numerous and that they had an alliance with Men, pondered once more an assault on Angband.

"This counsel was wise according to the measure of his knowledge; for the Noldor did not yet comprehend the fullness of the power of Morgoth; nor understand that their unaided war upon him was without final hope, wether they hasted or delayed."

But only Angrod and Aegnor were of like mind with the King and thus the desgins of Fingolfin came to naught.

But when the sixth generation of Men after Beör and Marach were not yet come to full manhood, Morgoth suddenly sent forth great rivers of flame that ran down swifter than Balrogs from Thangorodrim and poured over Ard-galen. Thus began the fourth of the great battles, the Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Fire. Many Elves and Men were slain by Balrogs, dragons and Orcs. The sons of Finarfin bore most heavily the brunt of the assault and Angrod and Aegnor were slain. Finrod Felagund only survived because he was saved by Barahir and when he returned to Nargothrond Finrod swore an oath of abiding friendship and aid in every need to Barahir and all his kin, and in token of his vow he gave to Barahir his ring.

During this war the pass of Aglon was forced and Celegorm and Curufin had to flee to Nargothrond. Maedhros was able to defend the great fortress upon the Hill of Himring and to close the pass of Aglon so that the Orcs could not enter Beleriand by that road. But Lothlann was destroyed and also the fortress upon mount Rerir was taken by Orcs.

"Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld the utter ruin of the Noldor and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him."

A great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar. Thus he came alone to Angband´s gates and challenged Morgoth to came forth to single combat. And Morgoth came. The rumour of his feet was like thunder underground and he issued forth clad in black armour. He stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned and his vart shield, sable unblazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud.

Morgoth tried to slay Fingolfin with a hammer but each time Fingolfin was able to spring aside. He wounded Morgoth seven times but at the last the King grew weary and when Fingolfin stumbled and fell backward, Morgoth set his foot on Fingolfin´s neck.

Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, most proud and valiant of the Elven-Kings of old. Great was the lamentation in Hithlum when the Fall of Fingolfin became known, and Fingon in sorrow took the lordship of the house of Fingolfin and the kingdom of the Noldor; but his young son Ereinion, who was after named Gil-Galad, he sent to the Havens.

Now Morgoth's power overshadowed the Northlands and many of Barahir's men became outlwas. They were hunted like beasts, their wife and children were slain or fled and their dwellings were destroyed. "Their bed was the heather and their roof the cloudy sky."

Two years after the Dagor Bragollach Sauron took Minas Tirith by assault, for a dark cloud of fear fell upon those that defended it. Sauron made it into a watch tower for Morgoth. Step by step Morgoth's power got even stronger and many Elves were captured and forced to use their skills in the service of Morgoth and by Morgoth's spies lies were spread among the free Elves.

It is said that at the same time te Easterlings came to Beleriand and though Morgoth tried to use them as his servants, many of them made alliance with the Elves. But there was only small love between the Edain and the Easterlings.

At the same time the Haladin fought a great battle with the Orcs and they won and the Orcs did not cross the Teiglin for many years after. Húrin and Huor also took part in this battle but being with a company that was cut off from the rest they were pursued to the Ford of Brithiach and they were saved from being slain only by the power of Ulmo who let arose a great mist that hid them from their enemies. By Thorondor they were taken to Gondolin which no Man had yet seen.

In Gondolin Turgon recieved them well and asked them to stay in his city. But Húrin and Huor desired to return to their people. They swore never to reveal the counsels of Turgon and to keep secret all that they had seen in his realm.

"Now when Turgon learned of the breaking of the leaguer of Angband he would not suffer any of his own people to issue forth to war; for he deemed that Gondolin was strong and the time not yet ripe for it's revealing. But he believed also that the ending of the siege was the beginning of the downfall of the Noldor, unless aid should come; and he sent companies of the Gondolindrim in secret to the mouths of Sirion and the Isle of Balar. There they built ships and set sail into the utternmost west upon Turgon's demand, seeking for Valinor, to ask pardon and aid of the Valar."

But the seas were rough and wide and they were all lost.

Rumor came to Morgoth of these things and he sent even more spies to Beleriand. But he recalled his Orcs again to Angband for he knew that he did not yet have the power to make a final battle. Thus Beleriand had a few years of piece again.