Story:Alto/Chapter 5

“Ample forest and rich mines, but none state claim?” Barbarus laughed at Delta's explanation of this strange village.

“The villagers there call it home, and I am among their senate. Is that not making a claim?” Delta asked. He wondered if Barbarus could hear the annoyance laced in his voice. Feel it beneath his mask.

The two, alongside Roland, stood in a small, firelit room with a square table between them. Two maps exist -- one on the table and one on the wall -- both depicting the same desert. Yet only the one on the table has a town nestled in the forest. It is drawn in crudely compared to the rest of the map, a separate entity from what the cartographer intended. But, for what little space there was to work with, it is quite detailed. The rings of the town preserved and the tower made prominent.

“Dull.” Roland finally spoke up. The two turned to him, one confused and the other with masked curiosity. Roland stayed silent.

“Roland. Speak.” Barbarus commanded.

“Weak. Not worth killing.”

Ice ran down Delta's spine hearing this. Only now did he realize that Roland had an aura, and it was stone cold. He began to understand why Roland was considered the champion and personal guard to Barbarus before this meeting, but even in their initial meeting he hadn’t felt the hulking warrior as he did now.

“Bah!” Barbarus walked up to Roland. “Coward! If weak, just slaughter!”

“Silence.” This, as well, was the first time Delta had heard anyone stand up to the king. “Barbarus coward. He preys on worms.”

Words began to leave Delta's lips, but they were not allowed to form.

“Leave. Ready maps.” Barbarus ordered and the magician obeyed. He then turned to Roland. “Ready dolls.”

“No.” Roland squares up to Barbarus. The two stand in each other's face, prepared for whatever was about to happen.

“Forest next.”

“Roland not going. No glory there.” The two spoke like hunters stalking prey. Their eyes locked onto each other.

“Glory? Conquer is glory!”

“Greed.” Barbarus gave a sideways glance at the simple remark. “Barbarus only want more. Barbarus couldn't handle true conquer.”

“Better than Roland. Roland blind and lazy!”

The two brace themselves. Roland reached for his knife and Barbarus widened his stance. Each ready to prove that he isn't a coward.

“Oh, I forgot one thing.” Delta reamerged. He paid no mind to the sight he walked in on. “There is a mild complication. A demon blocks the path.” This caught Roland's attention. “A wolf the size of a man. It is known to chew up any who tries to invade the forest.” With that said, he left.

The two remaining look at each other. Silence, then disengagement. “Roland will go. But only to fight wolf.” Barbarus nods. “Afterwards, Barbarus alone.”

Delta smiled while leaning against the wall, listening in. With everything in place he walks off to fulfil his obligations. Although he had hoped to learn more about these dolls. He had heard them discussed as an army, of sorts, but little information would be given to an outsider.

“Roland will help fight after wolf.” Barbarus orders. No response is given beyond a dismissive grunt. The two head off to ready things on their end.