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Doran was the first to know the orcs were here, but we all knew about two seconds afterwards. He shouted to us.

"There're at the forest edge!" was all he managed to say, and then a two foot wide rock came whizzing over our heads, and into the wall of a building. The building lost the wall on the other side, and the entire thing collapsed, magnificently inwards. There was a cry of alarm.

"They've got a trebuchet!" I shouted. Mykerinos, he was dressed in full plate armour, spoke.

"Not quite, Alduin. They have catapults. Evacuate the outer city civilians into the inner sanctum,Sergeants! The bombardments will last some time yet."

The sergeants rushed down, and promptly spread out going down different streets.I could hear their voices.

"All civilians to the inner sanctum. The half orcs are firing catapults, so you must evacuate."

The Dul'Ihanri citizens appeared to have done this before, because they quickly and quietly started heading up the road towards the single bridge to the inner sanctum.

As I looked up there, I could see the dark silhouettes of the first crossing the remote bridge. It stood beside a cliff of sheer rock, at least fifty metres to the bottom. We had learnt that the inner sanctum was in fact a myriad of tunnels in the mountains, which led Simba to the belief that the humans had once, some time ago, come out of tunnels and lived in the sun, but still had tunnelling and underground life in their blood. That inner sanctum was just the foyer to the maze of the Dul'Ihanri.

We all ducked as another rock missile flew over the top of us. I spoke to Devlin.

"Mind if I go over there? I resent being fired at."

"What's your intention?"

"I'll just make a few passes with my spot lights on. It'll give them something to think about."

"I'll join you, Alduin. I am growing weary of this."Simba replied as a third projectile landed in the city.

"Good. Let's cause some havoc." Brendan rubbed his hands.

"I'm afraid you can't go, Brendan."Devlin said firmly."The others are bullet proof, you aren't."

Brendan sighed, but admitted it, and as Simba changed, I did so. His rotors beat hard against the air, whipping it into eddies that made the banners fly. He took off, and headed over the wall towards the orcs. I ignited my engine, and rose into the sky. Simba was already half way there when I changed to horizontal flight, and the flame out of my engine was white as he got within range to use his weapons.

Eight rockets streamed from the side pods, heading at the forest.With a series of mini explosions, light streamed everywhere, illuminating the way for me. I saw a catapult, and headed for it.As I did, I switched on my lights.

The result must have been terrifying as I dropped a bomb.The squat explosive detached, and landed fair and square beside the ancient artillery, and exploded.

To those at the gates, the entire catapult was blasted sideways up into the air, splintered to match wood. Orcs dived everywhere as debris rained down. Trees fell down, and there was a eruption of chaos. My engine was already a fading dot as I headed away, going some distance so I could turn for a second run.

As it turned out, I didn't bomb a second time, I just flew around shining my lights on everything for a few minutes. Simba refrained from gun fire, and after a while we headed back to the gate tower.

The bombardment carried on through the night, and Devlin ordered all of us to get some sleep. Mykerinos backed him up.

"They want to break us, fire rocks at us until we break. Get some sleep in the building directly behind the wall. That is the small barracks.We will alert you if anything happens."

The firing continued through the night, and even Devlin joined us sleeping. Occasionally one of us woke to a huge crash as a boulder landed, but most of us slept soundly. Mykerinos and a token force stood on top of the guard tower over the gates, watching the orcs.One of them had a horn, which we would know was the signal for the foe attacking.

It was six when I awoke properly, and I rushed out, weapons on shoulder.The sun was rising,and I saw the red sky. I climbed up the guard tower, and there was a two man guard, one with the horn.

"How goes?" I asked them.

"Still firing away. All the civilians are in the sanctum, armed with what we have no need for." one replied."The orcs will probably attack soon, they don't like to attack when the sun is high in the sky, and not all of us are awake."

Mykerinos had caught a few Z's, and joined us not long after this.He seemed rather happy for a lord whose town was besieged.

"Ah, Herald."

"Pardon me, Mykerinos, but all that yesterday was a joke we were having together. I would prefer Alduin."

"Certainly. You are refreshed?"

"Yes, my lord. When will these creatures attack?"

"You are spoiling for a fight, Master Alduin? They will charge soon, but they will break upon the walls like water on rock.For hundreds of years we have been attacked by these creatures, but they have never taken the inner sanctum."

"So they have got into the city?" I asked. Mykerinos nodded, smiling slightly.

"A few times. They do not care for our gears, books, and such, they just want us killed, so it normally ends with us hiding in the inner sanctum, until they have had enough. It doesn't take long with the sun in the sky, they barely stay a few days."

Devlin came up, and almost yawned as he ducked a rock that was accurately lobbed from the outskirts of the woods. The rock in question pulverized the remains of a small house.

"Morning Alduin, Mykerinos. How is the waiting game going?"

"Not too badly. I think they'll be moving soon." Mykerinos nodded. I checked my rocket launcher for shells.

Underneath us, the gates were struck fair and square by a projectile. The doors were broken apart as the heavy boulder hit it, and Mykerinos shouted.

"The gate has been breached!All personnel to the main gate to repel besiegers!"

There was a throaty cheer from the forest, and a huge roar as the entire orc army began to charge forwards. Mykerinos spoke to us.

"That's never happened before, but we must leave, now. The soldiers will guard our retreat to the sanctum."I heard the horn blast several times urgently.

"We're staying."Devlin said. I grabbed my rocket launcher, and aimed it at the centre of the swirling ranks of orcs coming towards us. Down beside the main street, most of the adventurers had rushed out, hearing the rock land on the ground beside them. Javid shouted.

"Quick, phasers out!"

There was an explosion, as I fired the Sraw. The shell left a white trail of smoke as it impacted amongst the centre of the leading orcs. Devlin was already beside me as I started reloading, watching the expanding fireball. He drew his pistol, and started firing methodically into the throng. I heard the sharp crack of Javid's sniper rifle, the twin slightly softer cracks of Thomas' pistols, and the unnatural sound of the phasers as they sang, white pulses racing over the field and earthing on the ground or hitting orcs. The pulses crackled over the frame of any orc who got hit, and they slumped to the ground. But the orcs were gaining ground fast, for they numbered many thousands, we numbered eleven, plus guards.

The guards were using bows and swords, those on the towers were just pulling out bows as the orcs came within range. I fired my second shell, and then changed into my lightning form, diving off the parapet and pulling out of the dive mere feet from the ground. I flew over the massed ranks at about two feet above them, and saw many clap their hands over their ears with the deafening whine and roar my engine produced.

The bows twanged, but the orcs got to the main gate, and the Hunted drew hand to hand weapons. Time drew her mace from her backpack, and many swords were drawn. Thomas was the only person who had no melee weapon, his dual pistols sufficed. Then the two parties met. Devlin vaulted off the tower to join Draco, as he and Brendan let go flame jets, and Winslo, who dumped an lightning bolt. Winslo had no edged weapon, being a sorcerer, he in fact used a six foot gold coloured staff, which had a crystal orb on top. The orcs were slightly checked by the fire, but then charged with a vengeance.

Winslo whirled his staff around his head, and brought it down on top of one orc. Immediately, the orc shivered, and fell down, ice forming on his frame. Time swung her mace, and delivered a devastating uppercut. I bombed the grassland, and fired my machine guns, and the harsh clack of the guns made for a perfect cacophony. I imagined Hell would be like this, and as I swooped over the gate tower, the orcs shrunk in my presence.The soldiers, with their bright and shiny swords, fought briefly, and then shouted.

"Retreat to the sanctum!"

I screamed overhead again as Devlin let go a huge burst of flame, easily twice the power of the other dragons. The orcs broke briefly, and the adventurers turned and ran up the main road. I banked along the main road, and hovered in front of the orcs. I was buying the group some time, and as the orcs charged at me, I let loose with my heat seekers, my missiles, and another hail of gunfire, until I had no ammo left in my guns. The heat seekers were lost, and spiralled every direction. The missiles hit things, and the machine guns scored chips from the road.The orcs turned and ran, and I changed, running the opposite way.

Chugging a bottle of Lift Plus, I charged up the road, adrenaline fuelling my lack of power. I would pay for it later, but right now I needed it. Devlin was last in the line, he was covering the adventurers as they ran, and behind him was Grant and Brendan. The orcs were fast, and were slowly catching up. Then we came to the bridge.

The orcs had learnt, and were submitting anyone who crossed to a barrage of arrows. Everyone but Time, Draco, Dev, Grant, Brendan and myself had crossed, and beyond about twenty metres of stone bridge was a very small but thick door. It was open, and Simba at the door. Draco went first, and the arrows flew thick and wild. Most were firing from down in the valley, but a few were firing from captured towers in the city itself. Time went in a series of bursts of speed, and the arrows whistled around her. Then us four remaining went together.

We got half way across, then things got bad. Grant, who was leading, gave a small cry, and pitched forward. He hit the ground hard. Brendan came to a halt, and turned.

"Brendan, get him inside!" Devlin screamed, his voice filled with venom. He started firing his pistol, covering the rescue operation. I drew my Eryx, aiming it into the orc bowmen. One arrow bounced off my armour, and then I fired.

It was a meteor strike. The projectile whistled downwards, and impacted on the ground. As it did, a huge expanding fireball lifted everything around, some undergrowth and lots of orcs, in every direction. There were screeches, and I reloaded as Brendan picked the limp Grant in his arms, and ran for the door. Me and Devlin followed them, and I got to the door just after the Hell fire dragon. But I didn't enter, yet. Simba spoke.

"What are you doing?"

"Wait." I said, aiming my rocket launcher at the bridge as the orcs that had been chasing us set foot upon the single span bridge.

"Going down!" I shouted, firing the rocket launcher. This time, it was so close that I was knocked back a few steps, but I could see that the bridge now lay in ruins, the stones still raining around us, and a ten metre gap where the bridge had been. I was standing on two metres of wrecked bridge, and I scooted inside the door, and Simba shut it.

"Clear the way!" Winslo shouted, as he rushed over to Brendan, who lay down Grant on a table. Three arrows had hit him, two in the chest, and one in the leg. One shaft hung menacingly from his breast, and I knew that Grant was in serious trouble.

"We need to get him back to Arachno!" I shouted."I'm taking him back! Draco, contact Silverine, we need a crash cart at where ever the glowers are putting me." Draco nodded, and I grabbed Grant's hand. He grabbed it, as Valmeero took my hand.

"You're not going by yourself." I teleported.

We arrived.Grant was on the floor, and I could hear a cart coming down the corridors, a glower moving extremely quickly towards us. Valmeero picked up Grant, and carried him quickly towards and past the glower, me in tow. The crash cart arrived, pulled by Alecto and another dragon, and Valmeero laid the wounded panther on the bed. We hurried towards Arachno's suite. I ran ahead, but there was no need. Arachno and about five other doctors and nurses were there. I held the door open as the crash cart was wheeled in, and I saw Arachno's look just before the door shut.

Slightly unwell, I fell backwards against the opposite wall, Valmeero beside me.

"Alduin, what..." Valmeero didn't know where to begin. He hadn't been watching, and I told him what had happened. Valmeero looked intensely upset, and I mentioned just how scared Arachno's look was. This sent us both into depression. I drunk another bottle of Lift Plus, the adrenaline wearing off as I was no longer rushing around.Silverine turned up, and demanded to know what was happening. This took about ten minutes to explain, and Silverine didn't say a word after it, just turned and walked off. Half an hour passed, fifty minutes. An hour before anyone came out. Then Alecto came out, his face solemn.

"It's not looking good." he said, looking down."Arachno's doing his best."

I stood, cold fury burning through me.

"Valmeero, we are going back to Dul'Ihanri."

Valmeero stood, and took my hand limply. He was dejected about the news, and as we teleported, I realised that Valmeero probably had a bit of anger to expend. Good, so did I.

We arrived back at Dul'Ihanri, and everyone looked at us. I saw the hopeful, scared faces. Salbar's fingers were crossed, and Draco's face was one of slight horror at my own grim complexion. The window slits had been covered with wood, the reasoning being that there were so many orcs firing at the windows. Winslo asked the question.

"Is he alright?"

"Arachno's face looks worse than I do, Winslo. Alecto says he's doing his best."

Draco howled. This was a death sentence from one of Central's best doctors. The mournful cry sent shivers down my spine, and I felt warmth surging through my limbs. I turned to the magician, and spoke.

"Winslo, I want your pistol."

I discarded my rifle as I holstered the bunny's pistol on the other side of my belt. I loaded a round into my Eryx, and Devlin spoke firmly.

"Wait a second, Alduin. You can't go out there, it's swarming with orcs."

"Which is exactly why I'm going. That causeway is going to be a blood bath by the time I'm finished with it. Those bastards shot Grant, and not until the skies rain red will I forget the pain I heard him feel. Brendan, I need your flame thrower to give me enough room to fire this."

Brendan stepped forward. Draco stepped forward also.

"I'm coming."

"Good. Clear about five metres, so I can fire this, then bets are off. We will make a charge to rival the songs of old."

As everyone cleared the centre of the hall, I stood in the centre of it, my loaded Eryx pointed at the wooden door which throbbed under the constant hammering. Draco bent low, and blew a small fire underneath the door. There was a yip, and a series of clanking noises. Then hell broke loose.

Draco opened the door. Brendan and Draco let go with twin bursts of fire that scored black lines on the stone causeway. The orcs fell back in disarray. I waited three seconds, and as the dragons moved, I fired another shell. As I finished, I charged, Draco and Brendan beside me. Time shouted something, and I heard a multi thronged roar in answer.

Twenty metres of causeway had been cleared, so I was heading at a far rate of knots as I brought up both pistols. Draco was already firing into the valley. I brought by two pistols up, and fired blindly at the narrow mass in front of me. Orcs fell back and aside, and into the valley either side. Bursts of pulse sang past me as I forced my way forward, and as I looked back, all the Hunted were on the causeway, firing their weapons. Furthermore, the guards of Dul'Ihanri, and Mykerinos, were following in an orderly march, their shields in a tortoise formation. Brendan over took me, and as the dragon lowered his pistol, his jet of flame spoke again.

Then we met the orcs. They were already half turning, and Brendan's round house swing sent one of them into several others. I drew my sword, shouting incoherently, and slashed at the nearest orc. He blocked the wild swing, but in doing so left himself completely open for a mace that was swung over my shoulder. He went down like a stone, and I glanced at Time.

"Good shot, my lady."

"Can't have the men doing all the work.That is so traditional."

As the charge continued, I loaded another Eryx round, and loosed it into the midst of the bowmen again. I fired a second at the cluster behind, and then dived off the causeway, changing into my Lightning form.

All the Hunted were scattered along the causeway. Javid, sniper he be, was at the top, firing his rifle with unfailing accuracy.Simba, who preferred his tech, was beside him. Salbar on the other hand, was beside Time, his dual swords creating a whirling wall, and woe to anything that got in the way. Devlin and Draco had dived into the valley beside the cliff, along with Valmeero, and were now blasting the close orcs with searing jets of flame, and phaser blasts. Rejuvenated by the Lift, I dumped another two bombs in the midst of the orcs, and my missiles streamed from my craft, sending up clouds of dirt and flame. The orcs in the city were evacuating, trying to lend a hand to their comrades on the field, who were starting to fall back under the weight of the unnatural tech. They were being fired at from the causeway, from the air, from the ground by the cliff, and their morale faded.

Then Salbar came to the end of the causeway. This did not deter him, and the line spread rapidly at the orcs. The Dul'Ihanri guards charged with trained practice with swords into the orc centre, and the Hunted took either side. And all this time, the screaming of the noisy jet beat up the turf with cannon and missile, until I had run out of both. My mere presence caused orcs to turn and run, like a Ring wraith. I finally landed behind the orcs, changing into my bionic form. Drinking a third bottle of Lift, I started firing my RPG until I had naught left to fire. The orcs were now in a three-way crossfire, from Dev, Draco and Val at one side, the press of men and other species from a second, and a virtual madman cutting off retreat.

The entire final battle, from my charge on the causeway, took two hours. I was out of ammo, energy, and my phasers were reading they were over heating. But the orcs had fled.They had taken the fourth option, running slightly to one side of me into the forest, where their catapults lay, dormant and unused. Their operators had long since run.A shred of their initial force made it back to those covering branches, and after a small circle of orcs fell in the centre, the entire company met in the centre of the field. Broken weapons, dead bodies, a few ragged banners, large craters and smoke littered the battlefield. I can say in mitigation that most of the craters were my fault.

Devlin wiped some sweat off his brow, and clapped me firmly on the back.

"That was some charge, Orcmaster."

Mykerinos came forward. He looked at the field, and spoke.

"I think we shall have no trouble from them, ever again. That was immensely heroic of all of you."

"How fared your company?" I asked.

"A fair few died, and died well. Lady Time seems to have been hurt slightly, as does Doran, but nothing that can't heal in the future."

"What!"I said,"They dare hurt a lady!" I stormed away from the centre, and found my canine companion at the causeway, nursing a wound in her arm, gashed by some orc blade. She smiled at my expression.

"I'm fine, Alduin.It isn't that bad. Simba's just getting his medicine kit together."

"Time Dancer, how dare they hurt you. If you want, I can hunt the survivors down?" I bowed to her. Time dancer laughed.

"Your presence here suffices, Alduin."

Doran walked over, limping slightly.

"Now I see what they meant by looks killing, Alduin.Your face was a picture of hatred."

"Did they get you, Doran?"

"Only slightly."the black and purple wolf smiled."But only after I decimated most of them."

"Good show." I replied, as Javid walked down the causeway. He was unharmed, the only one not covered in dirt, and he was counting his remaining rounds.

"One, two, three, four. I used ninety six rounds." he looked at me, and smiled." Alduin, shall we arrange a trip back to my planet?"

"Good idea.I used the remainder of my shells." I said, lifting the empty rocket launcher gently.

Val came over.

"Deity of choice. Three of us, hundreds of them. And we won!" he smiled faintly. He looked slightly feverish.

"A bit over heated, Valmeero?" Simba said, coming down the causeway with a bag in his hands. He handed a gel pack to Valmeero, who promptly placed it against his forehead. Then he fixed up the two wounded adventurers. Meanwhile, I sat down on the causeway. Suddenly the loss of all the soldiers, of Grant, the wasted lives, brought a song to me, and I sang, my quivering voice filling the battlefield with sadness.

"The lonely grave so bleak and grey,inscribed with the words that, only say.

"Here lies a soldier known only to God, what cause brought him here, where he now lies in peace?"

The lonely grave so bleak and grey, inscribed with the words that, only say,

"Here lies a soldier known only to God," and the trees on the slope murmur softly,

"Who's loved one is this, and he's so sadly missed?"

The lonely grave so bleak and grey, inscribed with the words that, only say,

"Here lies a soldier known only to God,"and the winds of the desert whisper

"What brought him here to this desolate place?"

The lonely grave so bleak and grey, inscribed with the words that, only say,

"Here lies a soldier known only to God, what cause brought him here, where he now lies in peace?"

The sorrowful words of a old man who has gone through many battles echoed across the plain, and many turned to look at me. I swept some dirt of my metallic forearm, and changed back into my human appearance. A solitary tear ran down my face, and Salbar, who had come over, looked likewise about to cry with pent up emotion. There was no victory in war, just carnage, and even though I had fought because they shot Grant, I felt no pleasure in the killing now. Grant had been avenged, and that was an end of it.I turned and walked straight up the causeway, and entered the door.There were several guards, and they bowed to me. I went over to the table, and picked up my rifle, holding it like a child holds a precious toy.

The women and children were coming out, and they looked at me in fear.This devil spawn had come in, wiped their enemy off the face of the earth with his friends, and looked like everyone else. They shuffled past me and down the causeway. A tiny child, no more than six, came over to me.She held up her clenched fist, and I took a small stone from her. She skipped away happily, while I stared at the stone.It was just like any other stone, albeit slightly smoother, and I placed it in my pocket.

That six year old child would never know war now. Anyone who could be a threat to her had been defeated heavily, and would probably never try and attack again. Such was the impact we had had. As I looked at her as she walked down the causeway and through the field of carnage, I thought, was it worth all this sorrow? As I held the stone through my pocket, I thought it might just be. I smiled a bit, and fell asleep on the spot.

I woke. It was morning. Monday, to be precise, although each culture has their own variety of days. I was still lying on the table, but the place was deserted.The door still hung open, the carbon streaks of dragon flame over the entrance.As I walked down, I found myself repulsed by the charred streaks my RPG had caused.The battlefield had been cleared of people, and the bodies of the dead orcs had been heaped into a pile, and was burning in a huge funeral pyre. One of the guards was at the bottom of the causeway, and came to attention.

"Master Alduin, sir. I was ordered to escort you to the main hall once you had revived."

"Thank you. Wait, aren't you the guard I insulted in the main hall?"

"Yes sir."

"Can I say in advance I'm sorry?"

"That's quite alright, sir. I was informed you were lacking in energy, and were thus a little out of sorts.Think nothing of it sir."

"You have an exceptionally forgiving mind,my man."

"Thank you, sir."

We walked across the field, and the weapons of the fallen were strewn haphazardly around. Stepping over broken swords, I looked at the burning fire.

"How many people were killed?"I said, dreading the answer.

"We counted eight thousands of them sir, we ourselves lost five hundred, about a third of our guard company."

"At least the citizens of Dul'Ihanri are safe."

"Yes sir." the soldier duly agreed."All those brave men who died would be glad their lives were not given in vain."

I stepped past the wreckage of the gates, again noticing the ice lingering from Winslo's staff, and the carbon patches. Around were a few demolished houses, and many citizens were setting to rebuilding with tools. The children played in the streets and the debris, shouting and yelling. Suddenly a rather bizarre scene began. Two small boys ran down the streets, arms out wide, as if pretending to fly.

"I'm Draco, I'm telling you!He's a awesome dragon!"

"Yeah, well I'm Devlin!"

A girl joined the party, and spoke icily to the two boys. She held nothing in her hands, but looked firmly at the two.

"I'm Lady Time." she said firmly. The boys looked at her, and then agreed. They turned to run up the hill, only to see Draco step from a derelict building. Behind him, it came down in a single stroke, and Draco spotted me.

"Alduin, you're awake."

The boys turned and looked at me, then at the dragon, and then at me again. They turned and ran off, slightly scared of the two of us. I came over to the reptile, and sat down on the step to the house, as Draco did the same.

"I trust you heard that." I smiled.

"They've been running up and down the street for the last ten minutes, it wasn't exactly hard." Draco chuckled."I recorded it all too. I was looking out for you, I heard you had collapsed after the battle."

"I had, Draco, I was absolutely exhausted. My rocket launcher is empty, my stomach is empty, my mind is empty, and my adrenaline was empty. Where's some food?"

"Mykerinos is getting his cooks into gear, they are making a large banquet for all of us."

"Good. I'm starving. Can I sit beside Devlin while you show that to him, I can't wait to say what he says."

"It was rather amusing. My name will linger with the children as the creepy bugger who can throw flame and fights for good."

"Pity they won't remember me."I grinned,"I'd like to be a historical figure."

"The way you charged down that hill, it looked pretty historical. I've got all that on record as well."

"Oh good, I always wanted to see myself go spastic."

"Yes the blue core was fairly amazing."

"Blue core?"

"The energy forming around you, like a magician does when he's about to cast a spell."

"You're kidding?"

"Yes, but your face was worth it."

I thumped Draco on the arm. He merely winced.

"O.K., that pays you back for the lord title. I don't expect to hear anything more about it."

"That wasn't in front of everyone."

"Yes it was. I just recorded it." I grinned, as we set off up the hill. Draco rolled his eyes.

All the Hunted were outside the main hall, talking. I drew a hacky sack from my backpack. I like playing the game, and often tried to see how many times I could kick it before it hit the ground. As I booted it up, Draco noticed it.

"Game of yours?"

"Yes. Keep it from hitting the ground, and no hand contact." I said, stalling it briefly, and then kicking it over to the dragon. His foot work was exceptional, and he controlled it well.Then he kicked it over to me, and after a few kicks, I passed it over to Devlin, who was watching in amusement. Soon all the Hunted were in the game, and the ball bounced off fur, scale, and flesh in a wide spread example of spectacular control. All of them were naturally good at this.

Some of the moves were pretty smooth. Devlin, master he was, bounced it off the inside of his foot, over his shoulder, and then whacked it with his tail to Thomas, who kicked it up high, and then performed a spinning kick, kicking it hard in mid air to Brendan, who trapped it with his chest, and let it roll all the way down his leg before passing it back to me. Unfortunately his aim was off, and I had to almost perform the splits to save it from the ground. With my legs describing a very obtuse angle, I managed to kick it up long enough for Time to come over and control it.

Meanwhile, Mykerinos came out, and caught the hacky as it was passed to him. He seemed unsure what to do with it, as we realised what had just happened. There was a small laugh from one or two of us, and Mykerinos passed it to me. Then he spoke.

"My lords, and lady, the banquet is prepared. Please come in."

We followed him through the great doors into the hall