“So how long have you known?” I ask Lynn.

“Since you gave me back my power. When I looked into your eyes I saw the same look I did when you were sent by your father to mine as a messenger of the darkness. You didn’t know it but I saw you when you pulled back your hood. And only princes are important enough to be messengers of the darkness.”

I just stare at her. What else can I do she’s found me out. All I can think is how careless have been throughout life to be discovered by a Chimera. And how can I claim to be the only true darkness master.

“Gradius did you hear me?” she asks.

“Yes, but what do you expect me to say. I’ve just found out that I’m not a master of darkness. The fact that you’ve found me out tells me I’ve been too careless with my secrets.”

“Then tell me my debt is repaid and there’ll peace between our nations so long as we both live.”

“It shall be done. Now go back to the castle before Mathius gets back. And don’t worry about me I’ll be back when I’m needed most.”

“But I told everyone I’d bring you back.”

“Then tell them there wasn’t enough of me left to bring back. Now go.”

She takes off into the forest. And as she leaves I think I hear a sob. But she was gone too fast too tell. And so I wait for the battle of the century. I only hope my honor is still good by the standards of Tagar. Other wise the world will fall under their rule and it shall not be me who leads them.

And so I wait. The horn of silver shall blow and my knights and I shall ride forth from the sky like the angles of lore.

Ψ

I wake far past dawn to a fierce rapping on my door. I get out of bed and make my way to the door. As I ease it open Malik stumbles through.

“My lord Mathius, the Tagars have broken through into our borders. As I say this they march towards us,” he says in short bursts.

“Good, bring in the supplies, double the wall guard, and seal the gate. Give the civilians one day to get in after that I don’t want anything coming in or going out of this city. Now go,” I command.

He bows and runs back through the door. If the Tagars want to sack the Dragok then we’ll give them a run for their money.

I spend the entire day checking over the walls and defenses. I have the second company bring in stones for the trebuchets, while the third and fourth companies patrol the forests and rivers near the castle for signs of enemy movements. Over the shift change I receive word that the Hangar camp has been burned to the ground and there are tracks marching away towards their own country.

While I’m walking back to the great hall after confirming the Hangar retreat I’m met by Lynn.

“Lynn, shouldn’t you be at practice with the others?” I ask.

“Brenden and Jeremiuth gave us the day off, my lord. And I’ve got nothing else to do but explore your castle,” she replies to me.

“Didn’t Gradius object to Brenden and Jeremiuth giving you the day off?”

“I haven’t seen Gradius in a few days, my lord,” she lies.

Damn he didn’t make it out when the Hangars burned their camp. That means he will be of no help to us in the upcoming battle. Now there is truly no hope for the Dragok.

“My lord, is there anything else you would like to ask of me?” Lynn implores me.

“No, just to say ‘watch your back’” I reply and walk on towards the great hall.



I’m awoken days later to the sound of war horns and the blood thirsty cries of the Tagar. I rush out of bed and to my balcony. And there spread out before my walls are tens of thousands of Tagar warriors. When I see them spread out before me I realize how truly doomed we are.

I arm and armor myself. My armor is steel and gold trim. The sword of the gold dragon is at my side. And my shield is draped across my back and my helm is beneath my left arm. When I leave my chambers my generals are waiting ready to ride.

“Are the men ready?” I ask.

“The infantry is still getting armed but the advance guard is waiting at the gate for your signal.” Malik announces.

“Tell them to withdraw to the keep. I won’t be the first to strike. We’ll wait for them to strike,” I proclaim.

“My lord, to not strike would mean devastation for the Dragok. We must strike the first blow,” Norack says.

“NO! I will not sacrifice my men. If we attack while the Tagar are ready and waiting we shall all die. We will wait until they are weak to strike,” I burst out.

That being said I walk away leaving them there stunned by my outburst.

“He’s just like his father, short-tempered and arrogant,” Norack whispers to Malik.



The rest of the day I receive reports of enemy movement. And the jist of it was this: the rear guard retreated into the forest to build siege weapons, while the rear rows set up their camp, and the front and middle rows continued to taunt us for our cowardice in refusing to meet them in open battle. I check over the entire army to make sure they are all ready to move at a moments notice. And I drew back the guards on the wall and set two archers to a rampart and made sure they stayed low and only showed their back plates when they moved.

I did this for two reasons. One: the constant moving of barley visible men should confuse the front ranks of the Tagar into thinking there are more men up there then there are. And two: the Tagars have men that can shoot a fly from five hundred yards away. And every few hours I made sure to stand above the gate. I took no guards and carried no bow. This was again for intimidation it sent across the message that: I need no help or tricks to strike you down only my sword. And so days passed.



Finally the Tagar began to weaken. Five days, and there supplies ran out. Seven days, they become weak and slow men begin to quake in their armor. And so through the night of the seventh day we prepare for battle. But whence the fires are lit the Tagars unleash their siege weapons. Pots of oil fly over the wall and explode upon buildings, roads, and people. I ordered water down to the city where the oil had spread.

And then a volley of flaming arrows flew over the wall and struck the oil soaked city below. The whole place erupted in an inferno. Houses crumbled in an instant, bricks exploded, the fires sprang from house to house, and the innocents caught in the middle of this chaos were incinerated. It took us until near dawn to gain control of and extinguished the fires.

Once the fires were out I called the men back to the keep. Now was the time to strike back. The cavalry mounted and followed me out to the gate of the city. We waited there until dawn’s fires rays peered over the castle wall. Then I gave the signal and doors drew back. And there before us lay a sea of red.

The Tagars were garbed in bright red armor, painted to match the blood that would be spilt this day. But I wasn’t fooled. I drew my sword and spurred my horse straight at their front lines, and behind me I heard my men spur their own horses after me. The archers on the wall revealed them selves and unleashed a volley into the front ranks of the Tagar. I twirled my blade above my head and the men formed into ranks, fifty long and five deep. The two front ranks held lances of ash, the next two bore swords of steel and shields of oak, and the final rank drew arrows of griffin and elm upon six-foot bows of yew.

The second volley from the wall bore into the Tagar infantry. Holes formed and I made for them at full tilt. My men’s lances lowered, their swords raised, and arrows pulled back full. I rolled away to the left and rode along in front of the Tagar. I rode along and waited. Then the rear rank unleashed their arrows and I reared around and made for the hole they created.

All my men followed me into the niche created by my cavalry’s volley. I brought my sword down into the helm of an elite, the steel tore through his thin leather cap and down through to his neck. I ripped it free as my lancers bore down upon the swordsman of the Tagar. We tore through the front ranks of our enemy. But at the rear ranks stood two rows of elites. All the lances had shattered and my men were scattered and isolated. I turned around to try and regroup them. But it was all for naught. They were thrown off their horses and slaughtered by the swords below.

I watched as my men fell one by one, but soon I was surrounded by elites with long spears. I saw my death in their eyes. I knew my people were doomed if I fell now. But in my greatest hour of need my infantry poured out from the castle led by Brenden and Jeremiuth.

My men tore through the surprised Tagar and overwhelmed them. Jeremiuth rode straight through to me and sliced of the heads of two elite, one by each sword. I rode back through the gap he created and joined my men in battle. We ran through the first squad of men and charged the second. But these men would not be so easily defeated. These men would not me surprised they were ready for us. As the first of men reached the front ranks of spearmen we were decimated. From behind the shield of the spearmen, elites and generals charged out. Half my men were killed in those first moments of the attack.

I drew the men back to the city, but before my eyes lay a scene of terror. Thousands of Tagar stood with their backs against my city wall. The men on the wall threw rock, dumped oil, and shot arrows. But it had no affect the one’s that fell prey to the rocks stood back up, the oil merely angered them, and their armor was too thick for the arrows to have any effect. But fighting through them was going to be better then turning around.

We charged into their ranks. We broke through after nearly an hour of fighting. But it made no difference they just shoved us right back and reformed their ranks. I looked back after we started the fight again. The main army behind us had been advancing the whole time we were fighting. There was only a fourth of the distance left before they would bore into our backs. All hope was truly lost for the Dragok.

So I did the only thing I could think of, I pulled the men back from the attack into the center of the two enemy forces. As we drew back I formed the men into a circle. I turned to them.

“Men, it seems we’re in a bit trouble. So even if we should all perish this day let’s make these hellions remember who we are. For even if we fall the rest of the clans shall live. So let us make these beasts remember our name, let’s make them pay for what they did to the Lioniesus and the others. Fight with me now noble men of the Dragok let us cast these fiends into the abyss of hell,” I say onto them. They raise there swords and shields and cry out for blood of the enemy.

I raise Gradius’ silver horn to my lips and blow a long blast. The men raise their horns as well and the sound of all those horns is just magnificent. And so the last stand of the Dragok begins.