Relic Doll

Chaos ran towards the castle gates, right behind the woman on her horse. Shaking his head he whispered to himself "Well, that's one less person to help us search for this box."

 

Several times, Alastor clashed with Dolls who seemed to be very interested in parting Rhue’s head from the rest of his body. He was amazed at how smoothly the things moved, seeing how they were part machine. Or entirely machine even. What was up with that? They neared the castle and saw one of the warriors he had seen earlier crush another doll. Alastor was about to make a remark when a loud sound filled the air. The large man crumbled to the ground, and for a second, Alastor froze. A rifle. The man hadn’t even stood a chance. Nor did any of them, if more rifle bearers showed up.

He cursed and turned to the man that seemed to be blazing tiny needles around. “How about taking down some of those fliers? I can handle them on the ground.” Could he? He disliked large battles, and was used to kill his targets swiftly. How long before he came tired and reckless?

 

The Asher cousins watched as their group continued to tangle with the dolls. A rifle was fired, bringing a large man to his death. Some of the dolls flew through the skies, wreaking havoc on the summoned.

"This had better be worth our while,Tris, it's already costing us a great deal of time," Zach said.

A doll made its way closer to the cousins.

"Patience, cousin... I'm sure the money offering will be very generous." Tris responded.

"They're movements are better than I anticipated. If we were summoned to engage with relics, it shouldn't be much of an inconvenience, as long as I'm not fighting alone."

The doll approached with a weapon drawn. Zachariah's sword was already drawn, due to not having a sheath for it. He narrowed his eyes, timing the doll's steps. He reluctantly got into his stance, because he wasn't being paid yet. He put his helmet on and locked swords with the doll.

He had a habit of always fighting with a smile. This fight would be no different. From the beginning, the doll was the stronger of the two, backing Zach up with power swings. He used a flash to temporarily stun the doll and get an angle at its shoulder. Zach sliced the arm off cleanly, taking away a great deal of power. With the doll not at its full strength, the fight became increasingly easier for Zach, widening his trademark smile. His sword sped up, slicing one side of the neck before the other. The doll's other hand was sliced off, rendering it useless. Zach slammed his sword into the concrete.

"Perhaps you would like to dance. Care to hear one of my tunes?"

"Zach, NO!!!" Tris tried to plea with his cousin.

"Very well," Zach said with a sigh, still smiling.

After pulling the sword out, he chopped the doll to pieces.

 

Stage two progressive,

Smoke wafted through the castles windows and rested like stringy apparitions in the entrance hall. The hall stretched upwards on a slight angle, lined with stone women holding spell books swords and lances. The Drakan a long time ago had considered women the champions of the land that had changed drastically when Rhue’s brother Arakane had taken his place on the throne. Above the walls of the hall seemed to reach skyward narrowing two a steeple like point. Rhue carried Raskia across the hall with the group behind him. It was dark the only real lighting was a fleeting candle up a head that appeared to be moving towards them. No doubt someone was coming to greet them. Raskia’s rune of courage had sunk away from his mind as she weakened.

Out side the screams of the Drakan could be heard, a group of palace guards rushed past Rhue and the group to stand at the doors where relics had already began to gather scratching and hitting the door, speaking there numbers and jibber. The top of the hall opened up into the throne room and Arakane sat in his seat, looking as if he had not one care in the world.

“Brother,” Rhue hissed. His contempt for his brothers aloof stance on his throne made him feel sick. He had never wanted the throne and been glad himself that he was the younger brother. But when Rhue had shown signs of making a promising king Arakane had sought out to destroy him.

“This is the group?” Arakane asked in disbelief. He looked them over then glared at Della who stood by his side blood spattered up her arms her sword dug into the stone as she lent on it. “well now beggars can‘t be choosers or so the saying goes he muttered.”

Rhue clenched his fists and stepped forwards, “His grace should think wisely before mocking the people who have killed for your kingdom. I think his grace also does not realise that his kingdom is faltering and will soon die, with you. These people are hand picked and paid. A man paid for battle might think twice of its worth if the payer is ungrateful for his services.” Rhue turned to the group, “Please ignore my brother.”

Arakane let out a melodic laugh that made Rhue feel sick. Raising from his throne he pointed at Raskia, “you‘ll get no where with out her and it would appear she is finished. The dolls will storm the palace soon and we will all die. Just like before Rhue the people will blame you.”

Arakane sauntered from the room with grace and Rhue glared at his back. They were working for a king that did not care for these people let a lone his own. He lived only for beauty, only for the things he could see.

“No doubt Lord Arakane will die, dishonoured or not I‘m the only liable heir to take his place, his son is to young even if he lives and Drakan law won‘t allow him to take the throne until he is of age. I will pay you. We will have to move your payment to a safer place and have Raskia repaired. After this there is a tunnel that travels through the back of the castle and the mountains. It will lead us out into the Skroll woodlands. This is the last place. The companion and Arakane‘s son were seen. Servants witnessed them leave the castle with the box of the world. Until then you need to stand at the castle doors and help push back the dolls until we can take leave.”

 

Dareon took in every word, thinking carefully over them as he reached his ears. He cared little for payment. He was here because it was his way to wander. To leave those things behind he wished to forget, in favor of better memories yet to be made.

The muffled sounds of battle rose from below. His mind had been taxed, but he had some resolve left in it. And as long as there was resolve, there would be power.

"Tell me where to go, and I will hold them." He said calmly.

 

Stage two interactive.

It was truly horrid, how could a king do such things with so little regard for his people. There was no time to worry about it for now. He would do what he could to keep the people from leaving. But he felt his hope was being crushed. There would be little chance if any that the kingdom could be repaired and that was if they could find the box of the world.

Rhue sent servants to carry Raskia down to the doll maker as Della liked to call him then he went with Della to order the servants to hide the treasury. In the companions bed chamber there was a tunnel leading away from the castle. It was originally made so that the women and children of the castle could avoid death when the castle was under siege now however it was an tunnel into an unknown place that could well have changed over time. The servants got to work placing the items into the small chamber that first opened beneath the floor then lead into the tunnel.

Leaving them to their work Rhue scurried down to the doors of the castle to help defend them. There would be hours yet before they could leave. Rhue was uncertain that the dolls would allow them those hours.

 

Dlieza was breathing too quickly and shallowly, she felt lightheaded. She was glad the hall was large and the doors were large because she was unwilling to leave Spook outside to be destroyed by the mindless mob. She had slid from his back and he stood with his muzzle tucked into her shoulder, a large animal's way of hiding.

She stroked him and tried not to be fearful. It would only set him off worse.

But the unearthly sounds coming from outside of the doors made her skin crawl and her eyes prickle. Dlieza was worried at the talk of a tunnel as well. If it was meant for smuggling people out of the castle how could she take Spook?

"I don't know what to do," she said to the man who had created the fireballs, "I'm not a warrior, I don't know what to do" A few tears streaked down her cheeks as she looked at him pleadingly.

 

"I don't know what to do," she said to the man who had created the fireballs, "I'm not a warrior, I don't know what to do" A few tears streaked down her cheeks as she looked at him pleadingly.


"Do not cry, for you're in the best of company, milady," Zach interrupted, talking to the frightened woman with a smile. "Fear not."

Tristan wanted to shake his head at his cousin's cockiness, but understood Zach's reasoning for the boastful talk.

"I think you'll fare rather well, my dear," he added.

"No harm shall befall you without befalling us first. After all, if nothing else, 'tis our job," Zach said as he looked at the doors, examining the damage already done to them.

 

Chaos nodded his head to the crying woman. "They're right. Don't worry about it, just do whatever you can."

He was partially lost in his thoughts while talking. What is so special about this box, why did it cause him to wake up, why is it making relics go crazy and the scariest thought of all, will I end up like them.

 

"I don't know what to do," she said to the man who had created the fireballs, "I'm not a warrior, I don't know what to do" A few tears streaked down her cheeks as she looked at him pleadingly.

Two others offered words of comfort. Words had power, but indeed they were only words. The pleading, the sadness and desperation in her eyes went beyond words. It couldn't be spoken, nor could it be calmed by speaking.

Without a word, Dareon took a step toward her and embraced her lightly.

 

Rhue, frowned at the tender words of the others, he understood Dlieza’s position well enough. Della would have chosen she for the way she controlled horses. Not only controlled them but gave them a friendship most people could not do. She was important to the group however they couldn’t spend to much time consoling her. She needed to gain inner strength not become dependant on other party members.

He moved closer to guards feeling strangely out of place. He had to remind himself he was here for the human console. Not to worry about paid members or to worry about a doll that couldn’t give him the same kind of regard. He wished the doll maker would hurry with Raskia’s repairs. Time was wearing thin as were the wooden doors.

 

Dlieza felt much as she was sure that Spook did when she soothed him down. As the stranger embraced her she was able to control her breathing again and the wild flutter of her heart smoothed out to a more normal, though still rapid, beat. She leaned against him slightly for a moment, unwilling to stop the comforting, then she stood straight and said simply, "Thank you."

She left Spook, his lead rope dropped to the ground which would keep him still from force of training, and went to help the others with the doors.

 

Dareon nodded simply at her thanks, glad that he had calmed her fears if even in a small way.

He turned now to the business at hand; the legion of Relic Dolls about to burst through the castle doors. They needed to buy time. Dareon tried to calm and settle his mind for the effort to come. He wondered at how long exactly it would take before he collapsed.

The wind blows with noise and force, but the firm, unmoving roots of the tree are not swayed.

He closed his eyes, centering himself.

 

Still concentrating his energy on the door, Zach could only hear the footsteps of her. As the woman came to help with the doors, a corner of his mouth turned up.

"Good to have you with us," he started. "I shall have your name when it's safe."

 

"Okay," Dlieza said, "if it ever is. Point me to where I'll do the most good."

 

Raskia swept through the halls her relic radiating hope, though she ached. Her head was shaven back, he she any concern for her appearance no doubt she would have wept however she did not. She moved towards the large doors of the castle to gather them. The lead rope of her own mount and two others in hand. Della had been wise to send the serving lad out to retrieve them even if he had died on his return. She was well armoured in a chain mail breast piece and heavy plate gauntlets and pauldrons. As she reached them Rhue shot her a look of concern that gave her a strange twisting feeling in her stomach that she did not like. His concern bothered her, there was no need for it. She took her place with the others at the door and waited for Rhue to give command of their leave

 

"I think right here's as good a place as any," Zach replied.

He put his back to the door and noticed there was a man with his eyes closed. Zach looked at Tris, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps he's mid spell..." Tris offered.

"Perhaps."

 

Rhue looked towards Raskia, she looked sickly. In his entire life Rhue could not remember a moment in which she looked weak. She nodded at him and he turned to the group.

“Leave the guards to their posts and follow Raskia and I.” Rhue ordered. Raskia hadn’t waited to hear those words she mounted her horse in the hall and let the lead ropes of the other two horses drop, putting her heal into her horse she ordered it on. Then stopped dead in her tracks turning back to the group. A large splintering sound seemed to travel the hall and the first of the doors wooden boards broke away. The hole was instantly filled with flailing hands desperate to reach in and grasp what they could. A guard suddenly slumped to the floor with a wooden picket lodged between his shoulder blades.

“Don‘t stop,” Rhue shouted to Raskia, “move!”

 

Such fascinating things. Some could fly, others keep moving after losing both arms and the one that was with them couldn’t die of old age… To live forever, what would that be like? He stared at the hole in the door and gripped his remaining kama tighter. Only half a minute or so before his rune was cooled down, so holding on to this one wasn’t really worth the trouble. He hurled it towards the hole, pinning one of the arms to the heavy wooden door.

He grinned. It wouldn’t stop them. He doubted the things could even feel pain. Never to die and never to feel pain… He wondered if the Dolls even needed to breath. Or eat? Such fascinating thins…

Right. Move. Alsstor shook his head and turned on his heels, tapping the first of his runes. He appeared 5 yards forward and took two steps before tapping the second, again teleporting 5 yards forward. “They’re just Dolls.” He said out loud, before starting to run.

 

“Leave the guards to their posts and follow Raskia and I!!"

“Don‘t stop,” Rhue shouted to Raskia, “move!”

Tristan, reluctant to leave the soldiers to what looked to be their doom, turned and mounted his horse shortly after his cousin. If the dolls got through the gates there was no way they'd be able to fight them off, there was no point in dying for nothing, especially if they had a chance to end this war. He hurried his horse after Zach's, who wasn't too far behind Raskia.

Raskia, Tristan noted, even without hair was still breathtakingly gorgeous. Tristan was overcome with a surge of hope as he caught up, riding next to her.

 

"Come on," Dlieza cried, "Wyndhoof can take more than one rider!"

She scrambled up on a small decorative statue in the hall and vaulted from there to Spook's back, waiting briefly to see if anyone wanted to ride with her.

 

Zachariah watched as the lady jumped onto her horse's back. A smile crept on his face.

"Come on," Dlieza cried, "Wyndhoof can take more than one rider!"

"I already have one, but your technique is impressive nonetheless," Zach responded.

 

Chaos nodded at Dileza's call and flew onto the back of the horse. "You focuse on steering this thing, and I'll keep anything chasing us at bay."

 

"Good enough!" Dlieza called back and allowed Spook to surge after the other horses as he'd been trying to do. She worried about the others but how could she take everyone?

 

Raskia looked to Tristan whose horse fell into a canter besides her. In an act she saw as strange considering the circumstances they were in she smiled at him. Before looking forwards again as she lead the horse towards the companions chamber.

She reached the chamber and jumped from her mount walking it within the chamber she opened the hatch on the floor revealing the chamber and the tunnel. She breathed in relief the horses would fit and they would escape here without harm if everyone got here in time.

“In here,” she ordered the group. Looking down at the silhouetted tunnels, their final escape.