Doll

[Gamling]

The doll sat at the far end of the luxurious bed, with white, silken sheets adorning the plush mattress. The doll gazed up at the equally white ceiling with fanciful borders carved from sturdy, expensive wood with its beady eyes in full view of the lavish marble floors with long, red carpets. A desk covered in books, ranging from child's fables to studies of arcana.

The doll was out of place in this lavish room, with a suit of black, spiked full plate far too big covering a rack, with a proportionate sword resting near the window which held the panoramic view of Aquor and Lake As-Garna, framed by satin, red curtains which only let a bit of star-light in. The doll suddenly tumbled as the bed tilted with the weight of an intruder, crashing into its' thigh.

A hand seized the doll, and despite its' stoic expression and its' sword and shield in hand the poor doll was helpless in this giants grasp. The giants green eyes peered down at the miniature warrior, and it gazed back, taking in the features of dark skin, a slender, arched brow, and the dreads which were slowly being undone by the opposite hand.

"This is wasteful, Helms guidance comes in the form of a rag-doll." a feminine voice uttered, Lauans' voice uttered as she sat down near her pillow, setting the doll down on the other side of the bed where it flopped. Slowly, she crawled into the bed, moving under the covers, eyes to the ceiling, laying in silence until sleep claimed her... waiting to awake in her unmoving, stiff stance, as if she were awaiting enemies in her sleep.

The need to seek companionship, familiarity. The need to fill a void, to indulge the offers of Lasvi, that desperate elf who had nagged and persisted. She hated her self for giving in, for her withering, all of her might and all of her defense reduced to this.

Sleep came with effort, but in sleep came peace, a restful sleep, rejuvenating. The morning dawn revealed wrinkled, unkempt sheets, a woman curled up in a comfortable ball. arms clutching something to her chest, a small, ragged doll.

[Gamling]

A rumble shocked the very foundations of the Enclave. The doll that found its' self perched atop an easel was knocked loose, and hit the ground with a dull thud. It's knees bent awkwardly in opposing directions. It's arms thrown over its head which laid upon the ground. Eyes pointed upwards, boring into the painting it was knocked from. Upon the canvas were crudely drawn clouds, with a bright yellow sun hidden beneath. Another rumble, except this time it was the armored heel of a woman that nearly crushed the tiny dolls body as it rushed by.

Lauan grabbed the scabbard that was always kept by her door, fixing it to her belt as she made her way into the hall which resembled a disgustingly wealthy villa rather than a barracks which it had been turned into. A torrent of knights spilled from all around the enclave and the foot steps were a cacophony that resembled rushing water which swept around the corner and poured down the stairs. Pulling down her hood, Lauan quickly pushed past her knights. All the preparation to delay the horde had just been that; a delay. Now was the time for fighting, for commanding soldiers and the bloody task at hand. Enchan and Ramza stayed themselves in the Enclave, only Kethoth, the Evoker dared lend his fire and ice to the battle.

The rain began, and another rumble.

Torrential drops nearly blinded sight of the gate, which was buckling under the weight of an impromptu blood-maim battering ram. Lauan drew her blade and lifted her shield, screaming above the rain.

"Infantry!... Form up!" She cried, the soldiers in black, spiked mail stood tall, awaiting direction.

Another crash against the gate, some wood beginning to splinter.

"Entropic Shield!" She cried out, and instantly the men took shape. The first line dropped to a knee, bracing their shields on the ground, locked together. The second did the same, creating a wall of steel in utter silence.

The gate buckled again, and almost opened.

Lauan raised her left hand. "Archers!"

She called out, towards the music store which had been filled with sharp shooters given the advantage point to the other side of the bridge. Instantly, a volley of arrows loosed into the flank of the blood maim column, several orcs falling into the river below.

The gate flew open, and without missing a beat the snarls of orcs heralded a surge of arrows, which bounced off of the shield wall. The first of the berserkers within Aquor rushed head long with abandon. Battle was joined.

The rain made it difficult to see, and the mud made poor footing for sword play. The gate had been taken, the dead filled the path into the tranquil little resort. The cries of agony and sorrow of the wounded and dying mixed with that of hatred from those still able to fight.

Lauans back slammed into the wood wall of the tailor, her armor saving her any damage. She knew what came next even with her head still reeling. She lifted her blade to catch the axe and redirecting its force into the wall next to her, put the savage beast chest to chest with her in this dance of death. Too close to swing her sword, she pulled her knife and stabbed for his throat, cut short by his hand catching hers centimeters away.

There was pause as the berserkers arm strained to keep the knife from his throat desperately. It was futile, and only made his death slower when the knife, at a snails pace sheathed its' self into his throat until the hilt touched his chin. His blood wept over her guantlets and she stared into his single eye until the life had fled from it. The body fell to the ground, which led her eyes to the grizzly sight of a losing battle.

Before her mouth could open to hasten a retreat, a great fire erupted in the center of Aquor. A ring formed from hellish bone and heat gave birth to an inhuman winged beast the size of two men. The creature stepped forth, and for a moment the battle paused as the orcs readied against the hellish influence on the battlefield. The piercing squeal that the monster released shook Lauan from her dazed state.

Her jaw hardened with determination but her body was weak from her wounds as she had no choice in watching through the rain and the blood the Red Wizards pets beginning to secure victory. Just then one of them lifted a knight from the ground like a child and held the man face to maw with it, drooling on its' prey. Lauan set her legs to purpose and shook off her battle fatigue. She peeled her limp body from the wall and hugged her shield to her flank, avoiding blood-maim axe and Demonic claw a-like as she weaved through battle panting heavy breaths.

Her blade struck true with a heaving, effort filled slash that tore the thick skinned demon's stomach wide open and sprayed its' life-blood unto the ground. The demon then vanished with a groan and the rest following suit as only a handful of knights remained to witness the the sudden crack. Not that of bone or metal, but the cry of a mountain as it slid off its base, collapsing in a great clamor of dust, sealing off Aquor from the rest of the world, and the bloodmaim.

The knight she had saved hit the ground with a dull thud. His knees bent awkwardly in opposing directions. His arms thrown over his head along the ground. Eyes pointed upwards, boring into the dark, cloudy sky, with only a hint of sun peeking through. Lauan kneeled next to him, and watched his eyes flick for a final time, before he fell completely still. The armor had pierced his lungs, which was made obvious by the pool of black blood around him. Her eyes stared into his for a long while until her head tilted upwards as a shadow approached.

"You served us well, commander. You have the enclave's gratitude." Enchan spoke in his bland tone, smiling down at her.

She remained silent.