Hall of Infinite Doors
You must not let the giants through the gate! You know, that if they do get through, an immense slaughter will follow and all will be lost. You rush forward towards the gate to brace the double doors.
Unfortunately, to your great humiliation, you are smacked hard in the head by a large chunk of wood as the soldier who was carrying it turns about unexpectedly.
How embarrassing.
Darkness folds about you, the sounds of the battle cease, and you drift backwards in comfort.
You dream.
A man stands before you. He stands tall, taller than anyone you have ever seen. A long, grey beard falls past his beltline and nearly touches the floor. A wide green cloak flutters in the ensuing wind, a wind that rips and tears at everything in an attempt to pull it loose. This man, however,stands like a tree against the storm. A patch covers what would probably be a missing eye, and his right hand clutches a great spear, a spear covered with several strange markings.
-You are lost- he roars above the grating wind.
"Yes."
-Your passage through the door gave you a gift, a gift that has saved you and will surely save you countless times more-
"I suppose it will," you stutter, "Um... and what gift are you talking about? May I ask. My lord?"
-I am no lord of yours. I am Woden- the man looks very serious.
"Of course... Woden. Right," you jump as a magnificent bolt of lightening shakes the land around you. Fields and fields of grass stretch farther than your sight can reach. You wonder where you are.
-All things and manner of men can speak and hear you as you can do likewise. Such a gift can save you in your peril, young one-
"What do you mean?" you ask, confused.
-Watch- Woden reaches down, grabs your arm, and pulls you effortlessly to your feet. In an instant you find yourself at the very top of a hill. Below you stretches miles and miles of forest. The storm, however, roars and boils without change.
-I can call some creatures, young boy. I can call the eagle and the wolf, but I cannot call the others- Woden turns to you, and to your amazement, his stoney face cracks and a smile briefly touches his lips. -You can call them all-
You stare at him. "Me?"
He nods. Then, the man outstretches his arm and waves his hand over the forest.
-Call them-
"But..." you frown, "I don't understand. How?"
-Call them and save what I cannot-
"I don't know how to call them." you say angrily.
-You have to do this. You have got to-
You are about to say something when a bolt of lightening fries you out of your mind.
"GET UP!" you are awoken to a soldier pushing you up against a stone wall and shaking you. "GET UP!" he screams again, "THE DEVIL'S AT OUR DOOR, MATE!"
You shake your head in an attempt the fling the cobwebs from your skull. The soldier drops you back in the mud as another tremor shudders through the earth. You realize that the Anak are still trying to get through. Holes are ripped into the gate, and several giants thrust their spears through them to try to skewer somebody. A few men attempt to do the same, but most of them are madly rushing back and forth carrying braces for the door or simply pressing themselves up against it. You grab a spear and are about to join the fray when the door practically explodes and a shower of wood and steel rains down upon you.
The gate is down.
Unfortunately, to your great humiliation, you are smacked hard in the head by a large chunk of wood as the soldier who was carrying it turns about unexpectedly.
How embarrassing.
Darkness folds about you, the sounds of the battle cease, and you drift backwards in comfort.
You dream.
A man stands before you. He stands tall, taller than anyone you have ever seen. A long, grey beard falls past his beltline and nearly touches the floor. A wide green cloak flutters in the ensuing wind, a wind that rips and tears at everything in an attempt to pull it loose. This man, however,stands like a tree against the storm. A patch covers what would probably be a missing eye, and his right hand clutches a great spear, a spear covered with several strange markings.
-You are lost- he roars above the grating wind.
"Yes."
-Your passage through the door gave you a gift, a gift that has saved you and will surely save you countless times more-
"I suppose it will," you stutter, "Um... and what gift are you talking about? May I ask. My lord?"
-I am no lord of yours. I am Woden- the man looks very serious.
"Of course... Woden. Right," you jump as a magnificent bolt of lightening shakes the land around you. Fields and fields of grass stretch farther than your sight can reach. You wonder where you are.
-All things and manner of men can speak and hear you as you can do likewise. Such a gift can save you in your peril, young one-
"What do you mean?" you ask, confused.
-Watch- Woden reaches down, grabs your arm, and pulls you effortlessly to your feet. In an instant you find yourself at the very top of a hill. Below you stretches miles and miles of forest. The storm, however, roars and boils without change.
-I can call some creatures, young boy. I can call the eagle and the wolf, but I cannot call the others- Woden turns to you, and to your amazement, his stoney face cracks and a smile briefly touches his lips. -You can call them all-
You stare at him. "Me?"
He nods. Then, the man outstretches his arm and waves his hand over the forest.
-Call them-
"But..." you frown, "I don't understand. How?"
-Call them and save what I cannot-
"I don't know how to call them." you say angrily.
-You have to do this. You have got to-
You are about to say something when a bolt of lightening fries you out of your mind.
"GET UP!" you are awoken to a soldier pushing you up against a stone wall and shaking you. "GET UP!" he screams again, "THE DEVIL'S AT OUR DOOR, MATE!"
You shake your head in an attempt the fling the cobwebs from your skull. The soldier drops you back in the mud as another tremor shudders through the earth. You realize that the Anak are still trying to get through. Holes are ripped into the gate, and several giants thrust their spears through them to try to skewer somebody. A few men attempt to do the same, but most of them are madly rushing back and forth carrying braces for the door or simply pressing themselves up against it. You grab a spear and are about to join the fray when the door practically explodes and a shower of wood and steel rains down upon you.
The gate is down.