Puddleopedia | Entry / Losing

Babajaga

I am tired. So tired. So very tired.

My hands are numb, and my body aches. The edge of my sword is dull, after numerous encounters with the undine. I want to rest, I want to lie down in the meadow feeling the warmth of the earth beneath me and the scent of flowers around me. I know I cannot. The way to the meadow is closed. I'm in a misty place, surrounded by wraiths, and I bleed. Profusely. The only warmth I feel comes from the stone beside me, but it cannot compete with the cold from those surrounding me.

I didn't want to be here! I wanted to fight beside my love, the noble Sleipnir! I have only seen him twice this day. Only brief moments of happiness, a quick kiss, a wave of farewell before he charges into the battle once again in Perdition. Oh, how I long to be with him! But I know I cannot, I must stay, here , where I am. So many a brave and strong warrior has ventured down, that even my untrained skills are needed desperately here. We are few now, many are asleep, and many more fallen, and we are losing..

We have been pushed back. Wave after wave of undines have cornered some of us near the Dialyths. There is no escape, the room is filled with wraiths. Only a few feet away I see Healery and Anduil, both bleeding badly from several wounds. They stand in silence, Healery focusing all her spirit into healing both herself and the valiant fighter. The beast close to them will hopefully stay interested in me and not the easy prey so near. This is my main mission now, to stay upright as long as possible. To give them time, time... I take a small step back and fend off some blows with my shield.

From the south I hear the battle raging still, how long they will last I do not know. They are surrounded too... There cannot be many left standing, and when they fall, the army of undine will come north, to where we are...... Leaning my head against the stone again, I catch the eye of Healery and Anduil. In their eyes I recognize the same despair as I feel. We all know.....

I am so tired, so tired. So very tired.

The battle has been going on for months, and it feels like years. First the soulglasses, then the tears that destroyed so many wondrous places in our lands. And now this. The Final Battle, the great battle. Where many will fall. This the prophesies have foretold.

If I could but sleep! A little while, a quick nap here against the stone we are protecting with our lives. Oh how I wish it would pulsate, replenishing my body and soul with new energy! But it too is silent, as we are. Waiting.

A movement, I raise my head. Anduil is approaching the nearest wraith with his axe readied. They are both healed now. A glimmer of hope, a sudden joy in my heart. Can we ? I ready my axe too, lowering my shield as I move in. As the wraith falls and is vaporized by a powerful hit from the Zo warrior, I feel a sudden disturbance from the wraiths surrounding us. As though they only now realize that leaving this little trio alone was a fatal mistake.

At that moment, the brave ones fighting to the south fall. And the remaining swarm of wraiths focuses on us, and I can hear their murmuring as they draw near. No time for more than a tired smile as Healery, Anduil and I stand back to back fighting a battle we know we will lose.

Then I hear it: a roaring sound coming from the south. It´s a flaming one! With a vengeance the flaming bluebie cuts through the horde of Wraiths and Greater Wraiths, leaving nothing behind. And with a cry of victory on my lips, I fall-knowing that at last I will have a chance to rest, for a little while.