Upon the red hill

[Aegis]

In a colorless world, atop a colorless hill stood Lachdanon, Paladin of Rel.

Around the hill there was arrayed a great host of Orcs.

And among them walked a great line of Dasarian soldiers.

Single file they marched until the first man came up to the base of the hill, looking up at Lachdanon, he asked "why couldn't you save me?"

And behind the man an orc stepped forward, his ax rising... and falling, and the man fell dead at the base of the hill, his blood staining the ground red.


Lachdanon raised his sword, and stepped forward to avenge this evil. But the orcs moved up the hill to stop him, and though lachdanon killed them for every orc he dropped, there was always another to take its place.


As lachdanon fought, the next soldier stepped up to the base of the hill, and she looked up and asked "why couldn't you save me?"

And behind her an orc stepped forward, his ax rising... and falling, and she fell dead at the base of the hill, her blood staining the ground red.

Lachdanon saw this, and was enraged. He would not allow this to happen. This was why he was a paladin, to protect these people was his purpose. And so he cleaved into the orcs with every power he possessed, taking them down two and three at a time... and it didn't matter, because there was always another to take their place.

And in this way time passed. Each soldier stepping forward to ask, only to fall after.

Until at last there lachdanon stood. bowed with grief and covered in gore.

Upon the red hill.

And all around him there lay the dead, both orcs and men.

And there surrounded by death lachdanon beheld one final person approaching.

Clad in golden light, she stepped forward to the base of the hill,

and smiled up at him,

and asked

"why couldn't you save me, Lach?"

and behind her an orc stepped forward, its ax rising... and-


Lachdanon woke with a yell. And did not sleep again that night.