"The most terrible of the Maiar spirits who became the servants of Melkor, the Dark Enemy, were those who were transformed into demons. In the High Elven tongue they were named the Valaraukar, but in Middle-earth were called Balrogs, the 'demons of might.'
Of all Melkor's creatures, only Dragons were greater in power. Huge and hulking, the Balrogs were Man-like demons with streaming manes of fire and nostrils that breathed flame. They seemed to move within clouds of black shadows and their limbs had the coiling power of serpents. The chief weapon of the Balrog was the many-thonged whip of fire, and, though as well they carried the mace, the axe and the flaming sword, it was the whip of fire that enemies feared most. This weapon was so terrible that the vas evil of Ungoliant, the Great Spider that even the Valor could not destroy, was driven from Melkor's realm by the fiery lashes of the Balrog demons.
Most infamous of the Balrog race was Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs and High Captain of Angband. In the Wars of Beleriand three High Elven-lords fell beneath the whip and black axe of Gothmog. After the Battle under Stars, Feanor, the most renowned of Elven-kings, was cut down by Gothmog at the very doors of Angband. In the Battle of the Sudden Flame, he slew Fingon, High King of the Noldor. Finally, again in the service of Melkor, Gothmog led the Balrog host and its Troll-guard and marshalled the Orc legions and the Dragon brood, before storming and sacking the kingdom of Gondolin and killing Ecthelion, the Elf-lord. But it was here at the Fall of Gondolin, the Square of the King, that Gothmog met his end, by the had of Ecthelion, whom he himself had just slain.
In each of Melkor's risings and in each of his battles, the Balrogs were among his foremost champions, and so, when the holocaust of the War of Wrath ended Melkor's reign for ever, it largely ended the Balrogs as a race.
It was said that some fled that last battle and buried themselves deep in the roots of mountains, but after many thousands of years nothing more was heard of these evil beings and most people believed the demons had gone from the Earth for ever. However, during the Third Age of Sun the deep-delving Dwarves of Moria by accident released an entombed demon. Once unleashed, the Balrog struck down two Dwarf-kings, and, gathering Orcs and Trolls to aid him, drove the Dwarves from Moria for ever. As is told in the "Red Book of Westmarch", the Balrog's dominion remained uncontested for over two centuries, until he was cast down from the peak of Zirakzigil by the Wizard Gandalf after the Battle on the Bridge of Khazad-dum."
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