As the men sat beaten and tired on the open deck of the USS Oklahoma City, the admiral stood perched on a raised platform above. His captain joined him on the catwalk, still confused as to where the mysterious castaways had come from.
The two officers propped their hands on the railing and stared out into the open sea. Questions that should never be asked hung in the air, begging for answers. The captain knew that at some point he’d be told to never speak of it again. But in this moment, he simply couldn’t resist.
“How did you know they were going to be there, sir?” he finally asked.
Admiral Parker considered the question with deep thought. “Because he told me they’d be there.”
“Who told you?”
The admiral nodded in the direction of the tall castaway resting on the deck below.
“He did. Cameron Lyle.”
Epilogue
Hyères, France – 1292 AD
Three torches maneuvered sharply through a subterranean corridor. The walls were cut from earth, the floor littered with loose stone. Several hundred feet below the tower of Saint Blaise overlooking the Sauvebonne Valley, they hurried with determination.
The labyrinth of caves seemed to lead nowhere, but the cloaked figures continued, their torches guiding every twist and turn. After a dizzying rush, they finally arrived at an open chamber.
Candles flickered along the rounded walls, illuminating the complex with a bright orange fog.
The three hooded men stood before a room of battle-hardened warriors, intellectuals and politicians. At least forty, they counted.
The tallest of the three stepped forward, flanked by his accomplices. Through tired eyes and a dusty beard, Cam pulled the hood from his head and gazed upon his audience.
“Gentlemen,” he began with a booming voice. “I want to thank you for joining us this night. Our numbers may be paltry, but our power shall be massive.”
The crowd remained attentive, anxious to hear the words of such an infamous warrior. They’d been beckoned here tonight by a man many had only heard of through legend.
“Some of you are Templars, some Teutonic Knights. And many of us fought together at Aizkraukle and Acre. Shoulder to shoulder, shield to shield,” Cam rallied. “Others among us are scholars, pagans and Christians. Yesterday, we were knights without an order. Tonight, without order, we are no more!”
The audience sprang to life with battle cries and confirming shouts. Beside Cam, a man raised his torch above the group—a finger missing from his left hand. The warriors quieted again, hanging on every word.
“We come together here, beneath our vestige of Saint Blaise to begin a new journey!” Cam shouted. “On a battlefield unlike any we’ve ever known.”
Rand clenched his jaw at Cam’s side. He pulled his hood away from his face, revealing deep scars and gray stubble.
Cam’s tone shallowed to a tranquil harmony, he was speaking with heart now. “You were each chosen for your bravery and intellect. Our mission now is to protect the greatest gifts ever given to humanity, to protect the knowledge of mankind and all that shall come from it. Our lives are no longer in the hands of any god or nation, but in the grasp of history. We are now and forever the keepers of mankind’s lost wisdom. It is with great honor that I inform you, we have in our possession the lost libraries of Alexandria and Constantinople.”
The men gasped in disbelief. The treasures of Alexandria had been lost nearly a thousand years ago, its existence shrouded in myth and folklore.
“And the future holds even more revelations and wisdom that will need our protection,” Cam refrained.
Scanning his eyes across the room, he saw courage, honor and bravery in every direction.
Michael stood at his side with a formidable smile, his torch held high, urging his brother to continue.
“Tonight!” Cam yelled, his voice echoing through the catacombs, “We…are the Knights of Medina!”
The underground cavern erupted with a thunderous roar, the men raised fists and cheered their new Grand Master. The group gathered here tonight would forever be known as the first order of the Knights of Medina. As their cries rang untethered throughout the ground, Michael leaned in and hugged his brother.
“We finally made it, Cam. Now let’s go home.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T.J. Champitto is an American novelist with a talent for suspenseful storytelling—creating fast-paced adventures that gently weave realism and science through an extraordinarily vivid lens. With his debut novel, The Medina Device, Champitto has burst onto the literary scene as an exciting new author who is poised to unleash more thrilling works.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed The Medina Device, please leave a review online—anywhere you are able. Even if it’s just a sentence or two. It would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
TJ
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