Hall of Infinite Doors
You feel ridiculous. The armour they gave you is far too big, the helmet is loose
upon your skull and the boots wobble on your foot with each step you take. Night
has fallen and you are one of the guards assigned to patrol the outer wall of the
city. They taught you a little of how to use the spear, but the weapon still feels
only cumbersome in your hands. The short sword Sigord gave you is still strapped
to your side, and if a fight comes you would probably feel most comfortable using
it... though you've never killed anyone, or anyTHING before, except for a rat. But
that was with a trap. You didn't have to do it with a sword (though you'd probably
have no regrets with killing a rat, but that's not the point) or a spear. You
wonder how you will handle it.
Good God, what have you gotten yourself into? You've joined the war. You had no
other choice... right? You cannot survive without defending yourself. You have to
fight with these people.
A cold breeze cuts through your clothes and makes you shiver. You walk the stone
wall back and forth. Every soldier you pass gives you no heed, their faces stone,
somber, but alert. Darkness shrouds every part of the land below, and you wonder
how you will be able to spy the enemy before they attack. The moon is bright, but
there are many clouds in the sky that float by to shroud it.
"Yur new, aren't ye?"
You spin around to see a young girl standing behind you, holding a large basket
covered with cloth. She seems to be a bit younger than you, but she looks as if
she has the confidence of a woman. I suppose she might have to, you think. War
hardens people, even children.
"New? Yes, I guess I am..." you shift uncomfortabley, "How can you tell?"
She smiles, "You look afraid."
"And why shouldn't I be?"
"Oh. I meant no offense sir." her smile fades, "We're all afraid, I grant ye that.
But ye look as if ye don't know what to expect."
"I come from a place far away from here," you say, suprised at your own openess.
You suppose its just because you haven't spoken to anyone for hours. "I come from
a land where I don't have to deal with any war. That's why I don't know what to
expect."
"Oh," the girl smiles again, "That is why ye talk like that."
"Like what?"
"Strange."
"So do you." the corners of your mouth lift a bit. It's nice to have company on
this silent night.
The girl looks down at the basket, lifts the cloth off a bit, and hands you some
bread.
"Eat." she says. You take the small bun and eye it hungrily. It's still warm.
"Thank you," you say gratefully. "Is this what you're doing up this late at night?
Feeding us?"
"Oh, we don't get to sleep that much anyways," she sighs, "So, this is what I do
to pass the time. My father's a captain. Did ye know that?"
"No." you say, surprised.
"Anyways, I have got to go feed his soldiers." she puts the cloth on the basket
and turns to go, "So long, young soldier." You watch her walk down the length of
the wall to hand out the bread.
"What's your name?" you call to her.
"Call me Amea." she turns and answers quickly, as if she was expecting the
question.
"Call me... Loste."
"Loste?" she gives you a puzzled look, "Alright. Bye Loste." She then turns and
walks away.
"Funny girl," you say to yourself.
Out of the corner of your eye you see a light. You jerk your head to get a better
look, but see nothing. What was that? Did it come from the forest?
upon your skull and the boots wobble on your foot with each step you take. Night
has fallen and you are one of the guards assigned to patrol the outer wall of the
city. They taught you a little of how to use the spear, but the weapon still feels
only cumbersome in your hands. The short sword Sigord gave you is still strapped
to your side, and if a fight comes you would probably feel most comfortable using
it... though you've never killed anyone, or anyTHING before, except for a rat. But
that was with a trap. You didn't have to do it with a sword (though you'd probably
have no regrets with killing a rat, but that's not the point) or a spear. You
wonder how you will handle it.
Good God, what have you gotten yourself into? You've joined the war. You had no
other choice... right? You cannot survive without defending yourself. You have to
fight with these people.
A cold breeze cuts through your clothes and makes you shiver. You walk the stone
wall back and forth. Every soldier you pass gives you no heed, their faces stone,
somber, but alert. Darkness shrouds every part of the land below, and you wonder
how you will be able to spy the enemy before they attack. The moon is bright, but
there are many clouds in the sky that float by to shroud it.
"Yur new, aren't ye?"
You spin around to see a young girl standing behind you, holding a large basket
covered with cloth. She seems to be a bit younger than you, but she looks as if
she has the confidence of a woman. I suppose she might have to, you think. War
hardens people, even children.
"New? Yes, I guess I am..." you shift uncomfortabley, "How can you tell?"
She smiles, "You look afraid."
"And why shouldn't I be?"
"Oh. I meant no offense sir." her smile fades, "We're all afraid, I grant ye that.
But ye look as if ye don't know what to expect."
"I come from a place far away from here," you say, suprised at your own openess.
You suppose its just because you haven't spoken to anyone for hours. "I come from
a land where I don't have to deal with any war. That's why I don't know what to
expect."
"Oh," the girl smiles again, "That is why ye talk like that."
"Like what?"
"Strange."
"So do you." the corners of your mouth lift a bit. It's nice to have company on
this silent night.
The girl looks down at the basket, lifts the cloth off a bit, and hands you some
bread.
"Eat." she says. You take the small bun and eye it hungrily. It's still warm.
"Thank you," you say gratefully. "Is this what you're doing up this late at night?
Feeding us?"
"Oh, we don't get to sleep that much anyways," she sighs, "So, this is what I do
to pass the time. My father's a captain. Did ye know that?"
"No." you say, surprised.
"Anyways, I have got to go feed his soldiers." she puts the cloth on the basket
and turns to go, "So long, young soldier." You watch her walk down the length of
the wall to hand out the bread.
"What's your name?" you call to her.
"Call me Amea." she turns and answers quickly, as if she was expecting the
question.
"Call me... Loste."
"Loste?" she gives you a puzzled look, "Alright. Bye Loste." She then turns and
walks away.
"Funny girl," you say to yourself.
Out of the corner of your eye you see a light. You jerk your head to get a better
look, but see nothing. What was that? Did it come from the forest?