Hall of Infinite Doors
"Just hold on!" you tell them, and you race onto the streets. You look this way and that, trying to find a water source. Your eyes widen as you spy something that looks vaguely like a well. You rush forward, and lower the container down into its depths. You hear a splash as the container hits the bottom and you pull the large bucket back up. Grabbing onto it, you try to lift it. You grunt and groan and pull with all your might, but you realize that with the water inside, the bucket is far too heavy for you to carry. Taking your sword, you cut the rope on which the bucket hangs (after placing the container on side of the well) and you slowly tip the water out onto the street. You do this until you feel you can carry it, and then you rush as fast as you are able back to the burning house.
You stand looking at the flames that seperate you from Amea, the woman and the child.
"When I dump this water," you call out to them, "You run as fast as you can towards me! Understand?" Amea nods her head. The poor girl is crying and the baby is screaming.
"Okay!" you shout. You pour the water onto the flames, dousing them for a few precious seconds. The old woman rushes out, clutching the baby, with Amea close behind. The edges of Amea's dress begins to catch fire, but she grabs it and puts it out quickly. All three of you run out of the house before it collapses upon you.
"Bless you, good sir!" the old woman's blue eyes reflect immense gratitude.
Amea grabs your hand, "Loste! You saved our lives!" Your heart swells. You smile.
But a cold look soon passes over each of your faces as you realize that the terror is far from over. The giants are running into the city, and only a few warriors stand against them. You turn to Amea and and the woman.
"Run Amea. You've got to run." you guesture to the woman, "Take care of her and her child. If you don't go now you will surely die."
"And so will you!" she cries, "You have to come with us, Loste! We need you to come with us!"
"Amea..."
"This city is gone!" Amea shouts, "If you stay here you will try to save what is already lost and die in vain. I need you to come with us, to protect us!"
There is no time to say anything more. As you look behind you can see the Anak coming closer and closer, chopping through the men as if they were the summer harvest.
"LET'S GO!" you shout. All three of you break into a run towards the other side of the city. Despair takes you as you realize you will not make it. Terrible screams and cries of agony reach your ears, and you understand that your screams will soon join the rest. The roars and howls of the giants strike fear deep into your heart, and for a moment you consider leaving Amea and the old woman behind in the dust.
Never. You shake your head angrily, you turn around and face the oncoming horde.
"NO!" you hear Amea scream.
"RUN!" you shout back. Why did you have to be so brave? The Anak grin evily to see a small boy standing up to them. They rush towards you with increased speed and hold their weapons above their heads.
Then a great miracle occurs. You see something dark dive from the sky behind you, swoop over your head, and rush towards the Anak horde. The magnificent bird's sharp talons tear the eyes out of the closest giant.
You look upwards. Hundreds of the large black birds dive into the Anak army, screaming and clawing ferociously. The Anak cry in surprise and alarm and try to fend off the birds, but the creatures are far too quick. The giants fall to the sharp talons of the birds.
Then comes the howl of wolves. The growl of bears. Creatures of all sorts rush into the city, already covered in the blood of the enemy, and rake through the gigantic army. You stand and watch in awe.
"Call them and save what I cannot." Woden's words echo in your memory. It was true. They did come when you called. You can see that the Anak, being attacked from all sides, do not stand a chance. Several are running already. If you did not call them, the city would die. But you did, you believed and asked for them, and now the people will be saved.
Amea comes up beside you. "What is this? Where did they--?"
You turn to her, "It's a miracle."
She looks at you and nearly smiles.
WELL DONE! YOU'VE SUCCEEDED! You have chosen to live in the world, to join it, and you live happily....At least, for a while. The Anak armies rage into the human lands and ravage it. You and Amea fight for your lives and the lives of others over and over until all things are done. The blade of war can only destroy. But peace and happiness can be found even in the most distressing of times, and that is what you find.
You stand looking at the flames that seperate you from Amea, the woman and the child.
"When I dump this water," you call out to them, "You run as fast as you can towards me! Understand?" Amea nods her head. The poor girl is crying and the baby is screaming.
"Okay!" you shout. You pour the water onto the flames, dousing them for a few precious seconds. The old woman rushes out, clutching the baby, with Amea close behind. The edges of Amea's dress begins to catch fire, but she grabs it and puts it out quickly. All three of you run out of the house before it collapses upon you.
"Bless you, good sir!" the old woman's blue eyes reflect immense gratitude.
Amea grabs your hand, "Loste! You saved our lives!" Your heart swells. You smile.
But a cold look soon passes over each of your faces as you realize that the terror is far from over. The giants are running into the city, and only a few warriors stand against them. You turn to Amea and and the woman.
"Run Amea. You've got to run." you guesture to the woman, "Take care of her and her child. If you don't go now you will surely die."
"And so will you!" she cries, "You have to come with us, Loste! We need you to come with us!"
"Amea..."
"This city is gone!" Amea shouts, "If you stay here you will try to save what is already lost and die in vain. I need you to come with us, to protect us!"
There is no time to say anything more. As you look behind you can see the Anak coming closer and closer, chopping through the men as if they were the summer harvest.
"LET'S GO!" you shout. All three of you break into a run towards the other side of the city. Despair takes you as you realize you will not make it. Terrible screams and cries of agony reach your ears, and you understand that your screams will soon join the rest. The roars and howls of the giants strike fear deep into your heart, and for a moment you consider leaving Amea and the old woman behind in the dust.
Never. You shake your head angrily, you turn around and face the oncoming horde.
"NO!" you hear Amea scream.
"RUN!" you shout back. Why did you have to be so brave? The Anak grin evily to see a small boy standing up to them. They rush towards you with increased speed and hold their weapons above their heads.
Then a great miracle occurs. You see something dark dive from the sky behind you, swoop over your head, and rush towards the Anak horde. The magnificent bird's sharp talons tear the eyes out of the closest giant.
You look upwards. Hundreds of the large black birds dive into the Anak army, screaming and clawing ferociously. The Anak cry in surprise and alarm and try to fend off the birds, but the creatures are far too quick. The giants fall to the sharp talons of the birds.
Then comes the howl of wolves. The growl of bears. Creatures of all sorts rush into the city, already covered in the blood of the enemy, and rake through the gigantic army. You stand and watch in awe.
"Call them and save what I cannot." Woden's words echo in your memory. It was true. They did come when you called. You can see that the Anak, being attacked from all sides, do not stand a chance. Several are running already. If you did not call them, the city would die. But you did, you believed and asked for them, and now the people will be saved.
Amea comes up beside you. "What is this? Where did they--?"
You turn to her, "It's a miracle."
She looks at you and nearly smiles.
WELL DONE! YOU'VE SUCCEEDED! You have chosen to live in the world, to join it, and you live happily....At least, for a while. The Anak armies rage into the human lands and ravage it. You and Amea fight for your lives and the lives of others over and over until all things are done. The blade of war can only destroy. But peace and happiness can be found even in the most distressing of times, and that is what you find.
