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SUMMARY: Elran is part of a castles defences, trying to hold back the tide of invaders. An entry to the June writing contest and my 2nd story written in 10 years!

Holding back the tide

"Surely they must run out soon" Elran said. His arm was getting tired holding the heavy shield above his head. But he dared not rest it, above him the air sang to the tune of thousands of arrows falling upon the castles defenders, a veritable torrent of death raining down from the heavens.

He slightly shifted in his position, his back and shoulder muscles pressed against the cold hard stone of the castle's parapet. His companion next to him gave a warning look. The amount of arrows falling meant that no one could risk having their side unprotected.

"It'll stop when they are ready to attack" the gruff voice of Rhys announced "and then the real killing will begin."

Elran winced at the statement. He was not sure how he had survived the defence of the castle this long. A merchant by trade he had little by way of skills with the blade, but luck seemed to have carried him through. He offered a prayer up to Lady Jayana, the Goddess of Luck, that it would continue.

An arrow pinged off his shield, bringing him out of his prayer sharpish. Pain shot down his arm and shoulder as the impact stung his nerve endings, but the shield held and no deadly point stuck through the reinforced metal.

'It's easing!' someone shouted across the barbican. They were right, only a few arrows were landing now, obviously the last of the archers releasing what they had in their bows when the ceasefire order had been given.

'Elran, check it out' Rhys ordered. Fighting his fear, bile rising in his throat like molten lava Elran slowly eased himself up the parapet, trying to show as small a target as possible. Below the scene, yet again, took his breath away. As far as the eye could see there were soldiers, from the deep valley to the east right along to the great forest in the west. The scale was huge, far too many to count. Elran couldn't see how they would ever get out of this alive.

Fighting back his panic he looked directly downwards where he could see soldiers rushing into place, ladders being positioned and battering rams brought forward. For a brief moment Elran was reminded of ants running around on their own business, until he remembered that these ants wanted him dead.

Quickly lowering himself down below the sky line he turned to Rhys. "They're preparing to attack sir. Siege equipment being moved into place" the quiver in his voice gave away just how scared he was feeling.

Rhys looked at him square in the eyes then gave an almost imperceptible nod of the head, to Elran it felt like a message of solidarity and he clung to it like a liferaft.

'Everyone on their feet now' Rhys shouted, his voice easily carrying across his section of the castles defences.
'they're coming again and I'll be damned if I'm going to let them have this bit of wall just as it's getting comfy.'

A roar rang up from the throats of the defenders. Elran shouted as well, finding that doing so helped expel some of the dread he had threatening to unman him. Some of it.

Just then a number of crashes echoed across the battlements.