Author's Note:

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Duilin

The ground shook as violently as his heart in his rib cage. Was it possible to feel the tremors of the land churning under his feet and hear it with his ears? He certainly felt that way.

The monsters that approached him with each giant step that caused the earth to tremble belonged only in lore and old wives' tales to frighten children. And yet they were so very real. Beside him, he felt his brother shiver and give a breath of a curse.

"Stand strong, my brother," Duilin said. Derufin nodded tightly and hoisted up his bow.

There was only one way he could possibly think of to kill such a large and unnatural beast: an arrow straight through the eye. Their feet were large and almost round, and they left deep depressions in the ground as they passed. Duilin shouldered his quiver and sped on the other side of the high platform. His brother did the same on the other side, to allow the Oliphaunts to pass through. They were manned by dark-skinned men dressed in wondrous colours of gold and red. Their faces were painted with white in the likeness of skulls. They held large, curved horns in their hands. As they drew near, they blew through the horns and Duilin felt his heart vibrate in symphony with the horn's blast.

Their bows sang as they released one arrow after another. Most arrows struck their skin but it did them little harm. Their hides were tougher than armours of steel and impenetrable to arrows. They shot higher and higher. Duilin caught an Oliphaunt in his eye. It reared on its hind legs, nearly removing its riders from their carrier. Derufin brought down another. But one of the Oliphaunt was cunning; it swiped his trunk across the platform, bringing down Derufin and his men onto the lower ground like tin soldiers tumbling from a child's canister.

The Oliphaunt brought up one foot high in the air. Its riders cheered on as the foot descended, crushing his brother and his men underneath.

The scream that erupted from his throat could only belong to a wraith.


Author's Note:

Duilin was one of the two sons of Lord Duinhir and both later perished in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. They led their archer to bring down Oliphaunts, which was, in the beginning successful, until they were trampled.