"Rowan Mercer," Finrod said quietly as he removed a ring from his hand. "This was given to me by my father when I left Valinor. Today, I give it to you. From this moment on, if you ever need my aid, no matter the cost, I will answer. This is my vow."
The ring was wrought in the shape of two emerald-eyed serpents entwined together, their heads meeting to cradle a golden flowered crown. The sigil of the House of Finarfin.
Rowan accepted it without hesitation and slipped it onto his finger. The moment it settled, he felt it. This was no mere ornament. Power from the Sacred Trees lingered within it, and it could serve as a casting focus far superior to an elven blade.
He trusted Finrod's promise completely. History had proven that the elven prince never broke his word.
"We don't have much time," Rowan said, lifting Sauron's fallen sword. "The middle line won't hold much longer. We need to return and reinforce it immediately."
The stone giant Rowan had animated earlier was no match for a true dragon. If they delayed, the central defenses would collapse.
Finrod nodded and issued orders at once. "Badu, take a small detachment to Hithlum. Inform the High King of what has happened and tell him to reinforce this gorge. If possible, have Fingon lead troops to the center. The rest will return to Gondolin with me."
Fingon was Finrod's cousin and the strongest warrior of their generation. If anyone could stand against Sauron again, it was him.
"There isn't enough time," Rowan added. "I can use spatial magic. I'll take you ahead."
Mounted travel would take far too long. Finrod agreed without hesitation. After a few swift instructions to his captains, he and Rowan vanished.
Several apparitions later, they reappeared above the elven city.
Gondolin was already burning.
Compared to when Rowan had left, fewer than a third of the Light Elves remained. Fewer than two hundred human warriors still stood. The white stone statue Rowan had animated lay shattered, and Angrod and Aegnor were locked in desperate combat with the dragon, their armor nearly destroyed.
Below them, Bregolas and Barahir led the remaining humans alongside the elves, defending what little remained of the walls against Balrogs and endless waves of orcs.
"Kill the dragon first," Rowan said sharply. "It commands the central host. Once it falls, the rest will break."
Sauron had escaped. This one would not.
They charged.
Angrod and Aegnor were clearly outmatched. Even together, they were being driven back. Another half hour and they would have been dead.
"Die, beast!"
Finrod was hurled forward by Rowan's momentum, blade blazing as he struck for the dragon's neck.
The dragon sensed the threat instantly. It abandoned its assault, belched a wave of fire toward Finrod, then turned and fled without hesitation, ordering the Balrogs and orcs to cover its retreat.
Rowan stared. "Unbelievable."
The creature was powerful, but unlike Balrogs, death was final for it. Caution ruled its instincts.
"Apparition."
Rowan vanished and reappeared directly above the fleeing dragon, his body swelling rapidly.
"Giant's Form."
He expanded to nearly thirty meters tall and crashed down onto the dragon's neck. Lightning surged through his muscles as he drove both fists down, smashing the dragon's head into the ground.
The impact stunned it. As it wrenched its head free and tried to turn to breathe fire, Rowan locked it in place, gripping the skull and forcing it down.
Magic would not suffice here. The dragon's resistance rivaled Sauron's. This had to be physical.
The dragon thrashed, trying to flee even with Rowan clinging to it.
"Still trying to run?" Rowan growled.
He shifted position, slammed a knee up under the dragon's jaw, snapping its mouth shut, then wrapped his legs around its neck in a brutal hold, locking it in place.
"For the glory of the Elves!"
Angrod, Aegnor, and Finrod struck together.
Three sacred blades blazed with golden light, their power merging into a single radiant arc. Rowan released and shrank back to normal size as the strike fell.
The dragon's head flew.
Thus ended the first of Morgoth's dragons, slain before it had even ruled a single day.