by Brian Davis
“You judge harshly. The men on this ship are courageous… so is Calvin the Terrible. I’ve saved his life once… he was being attack by hordes of barbarians. He is forever in debt with me. Now, with my aid, this ambulant that you seek shall be yours for the taken. All I ask in return is to aid me in our adventures of raiding ships and kings of lands.”
“Have you ever sought revenge on the ones who murdered your family?”
“I have dreamed it many times… and in my dreams, I have murdered the ones who were responsible.”
“Who were they?”
“I only know of one… I could never forget his face. He is a knight… body covered in a black suit of armor.”
“His face?”
“His face… he hides behind an iron mask of a face.”
Sir Vladimir’s eyes widen. He blinked them rapidly. She noticed his expression.
“You seem to know who this knight is? Have you too come across him?”
“Nay.” Sir Vladimir smiled.
“Someday, I would cross swords with him. I will peel that iron mask off from his face, to see the real image that hides behind iron. From what I learnt, he is called, ‘The iron-face knight.’ He wears a black cloak… a hooded black cloak with red trims. His chest plate has the image of the phoenix
“His league?”
“I know not of his league… know not of who he serves… perhaps he only serves himself. Like King Arthur, a knight but only serves himself. I have grown to understand that knights at times do not serve others, but themselves.”
“Arthur once served, but he became king, so he no longer needed to serve. It was perhaps through the Lady of the Lake that helped achieved this for him with the aid of Excalibur. I understand that you have learnt a lot.”
“Yes, as Queen of the Seas… I have learnt a lot from different lands that I have traveled. I too search for Excalibur. I could own a city with Excalibur at my reach.”
“Wise tales of dreams Sheena… for Excalibur is enchanted… only the Lady of the Lake possesses it.”
“If Arthur can achieve it from her possession, than so can I.”
Sir Franklin and the Paladins Knights continued to march forward through the vast lands. Sir Franklin and Sir Walter paused when they saw two trails split. One trail traveled to the west while the other continued to travel north. Sir Walter looked over at Sir Franklin.
“There are two trails… one for the north and the other for the west. Which one shall we take?”
Sir Franklin unfolded his map and stared at the directions towards the Fire Mountain.
“Both directions will guide us to the Fire Mountain.”
“Which one will be easier?” Sir Walter asked.
At that moment, a hawk hovered above them. The hawk squawked while landing on a branch on a tree next to them.
“A hawk!?” One of the knights pointed.
“I’ll get rid of that buzzard!” Another knight said while aiming his crossbow at it.
“Hold! Stay your hand!” Sir Franklin ordered.
The knight lowered his bow and Sir Franklin stared at the hawk, as the hawk gawk at him; and as if by magic, he heard Dorrella’s voice echoing in his mind.
“Sir Franklin… take the trail to the west and direct Sir Walter to take the trail to the north.” The hawk flapped its wings and flew away.
Sir Franklin lowered his head, staring at the ground.
“My lord? My lord?” Sir Walter called out.
“Yes?” Sir Franklin lifted his head at him.
“You’re acting strangely?”
“We are going to split up into two groups.”
“My lord?”
“You, take a group and follow the trail to the north. I’ll follow the trail to the west.”
“My lord, why are we splitting into two groups?”
“Do not worry… I will catch up with you in due time. The trails will meet up.”
“I don’t understand?”
“There is no need for you to understand. I’ve made my decision. Split the cavalry up and follow the trail to the north.” He turned and pointed at a knight. “You there, take your squad and follow me to the west! Let’s move!”
Sir Franklin quickly raced through the trail that led to the west while Sir Walter marched forward to the trail that led to the north.
The sea…
Sheena sat inside her bunker with a candle lit on the table. She looked through the loot that Sir Vladimir had stolen from King Francis. She held a gem in her and while staring at it as if she was lost in thought. Suddenly, her concentration was altered at the outside commotion above the deck. She quickly put the loot back inside the bag and blew the candle out. She stepped out of her bunker and hurried up the stairs to the upper deck.
She noticed the sailors standing at the edge of the front ship. They were fascinated by something, she knew. She cut her eyes over at Sir Vladimir who slowly stepped forward towards them.
“What is it? What’s startling the men?” She asked.
“I believe they spotted something up ahead.” Sir Vladimir mumbled.
She followed him to the crew of sailors.
“There’s a ship up ahead!” One of the sailors pointed. “It looks like a cargo ship!”
Sir Vladimir watched Sheena’s lips stretched upward like a bow into a smile. Greed was the reflection in her eyes.
“Lower the sails! Prepare to ram the rear of that ship! We are going to raid whatever plunder they have!”
The sailors lowered the sails and the ship sped forward at full speed. The sailors grabbed their weapons as they waited patiently. The lower body of the ship cut through the waves of the sea. Sir Vladimir jaws clenched. Soon, he took note; the front end of the ship will ram the rear of Cog ship. He cut his eyes over at Sheena who remained silent with a heavy gaze focused ahead at the ship.
“What’s the strategy?” He asked.
“There is no strategy! We ram the ship and we raid it.” She answered with clenched teeth.
Sir Vladimir blinked in slight shock. Indeed she was mentally mad, he knew.
“Brace yourselves!” She shouted as the front end of the ship sped closer to the rear side of the Cog.
At that moment, the frontend of the ship smashed into the side rear of the Cog.
“Toss the hooks!” Sheena demanded.
The sailors tossed the hooks where the tips of the hooks embedded on the side edge of the Cog. The body of Sheena’s ship raked against the body of the Cog ship. The sailors shouted in rage as they leaped onto the upper deck of the Cog. Sir Vladimir instantly leaped up onto the Cog’s deck, where he faced four armed assailants that were on the Cog.
Sir Vladimir stood side ways with his arms stretched out, while staring at the four assailants. To his right ten feet away from him, Sheena fought fiercely with her sword, swing from side to side, cutting the enemy on the Cog ship. She swung her sword, blocking the sword strike of her assailant. She now swung her sword downward in an angle to her right, slicing the assailant across his chest. She quickly turned sideways while thrusting her sword to her side, stabbing another assailant. She pulled her sword out and held it over her head while swinging the sword down, chopping another assailant on top of his head as he approached. She quickly pulled out her dagger and instantly threw the dagger to her left, the dagger found its mark directly into another assailant’s throat.
Sir Vladimir continued to stand sideways with his arms spread out like a bird’s wings. He quickly stutter stepped forward, sideways and paused as the four assailants stutter stepped forward and paused. He now lowered his arms to his side. The wind blew his white long tunic sleeves. The four assailants charged forward together and quickly, Sir Vladimir pulled out his arming sword and swung it across his body horizontally, slicing two assailants across their midsections. He instantly lifted his sword up and vertically swung it down on the third assailant, following by spinning his body in a half-circle and moving his sword sharply to the side, slicing the fourth assailan
t. All four of the assailant fell motionless to the deck, bloodied.
Sheena was caught in awe over Sir Vladimir’s skills in swordplay. She now drew her attention to her sailors who were still fighting the rest of the other sailors on the Cog ship.
“Man the deck! Search the bottom of the deck!” She demanded.
Sir Vladimir leaped up and performed a jumping front kick; kicking one of the assailant’s in his face. He landed and performed a side thrust kick to his right side, kicking another assailant in his midsection. The assailant leaned over in pain, while grasping his stomach. Sir Vladimir instantly swung his sword downward, slicing off the assailant’s head.
Another assailant approached with his curved sword in hand. He thrust the sword forward at Sir Vladimir. Sir Vladimir instantly tilted his sword downward, deflecting the assailant’s sword from finding its mark on his stomach. Sir Vladimir swiftly moved the tip of his blade forward on the back of the assailant’s wrist, cutting his hand off that gripped the handle of his curved sword. Sir Vladimir stepped forward while swinging his sword downward, slicing the assailant downward across his upper body.
He now slung his sword sideways from his body, and quickly slid it inside its sheath. He looked around as he noticed Sheena’s sailors cutting down the last members of the Cog Ship. He caught a glimpse of Calvin the Terrible swinging his chained mace, cracking the skull of his assailant. The sailors now gathered around Sheena as she stood in front of cabin that led to the lower deck.
“The loot must be inside.” She advised.
She cut her eyes over at Calvin the Terrible.
“Calvin…”
“My pleasure.” He stepped up to the wooden door and performed a front thrust kick, kicking the door inward.
Sheena and the sailors slowly walked down the wooden steps that led to the lower deck.
“Stay alert.” She warned.
They now entered the lower deck where the loot of food and gems were stashed in the corner of the deck.
“Gather up all that you can and bring it to our ship.” She ordered while marching up the stairs to the upper deck.
She approached Sir Vladimir who stood with is hands propped on his hips.
“You fought well… very well… I’m impressed over your skills in welding that iron of yours. It is very stimulating in watching you in action.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” He quickly changed the subject.
“Hmm… you seem distaste of what I do?”
“When I kill someone, I like to do it for a cause.”
“It is a cause… my cause… To answer your first question, yes; the loot was found along with food for us to feast. What are your thoughts now?”
“Simple… we torch the ship.”
“Set it ablaze?”
“Aye… for the dead can roast.”
“Why not toss the dead into the sea?”
“To pollute the ocean? Nay.” He mentioned while walking away back to Sheena’s ship.
Chapter 15
Contwaraburg…
A fortress stood in front of a town. The Oracles Knights stood around inside the fortress. Sir Mathews, the commander of the fortress walked down the brick steps to the Courtyard of the fortress. He watched some of his knights practiced in sword play and archery. He now drew his attention to the watch tower where a guard blew his horn. The knights paused in shock. The sound of the horn was simply the sound of trouble.
Up ahead, an army of Castilians Knights charged on horseback. The dust from the ground lifted from underneath the hooves from the horses. The knights were armed.
Sir Mathews directed his attention at the knights that quickly hurried to their post. The archers positioned themselves on the wooden planks of the outer wall of the fortress. Sir Mathews’ jaws clenched as he now held his large battle axe and stood in the middle of the Courtyard, facing the wooden gate. He knew the wooden gate wouldn’t withstand the batting ram that he Castilians used to ram the gates.
The Castilians Knights charged in full speed when they approached the fortress gates. The archers aimed their arrows down from the edge of the outer wall and fired a rain of arrows down on the Castilians Knights. The arrows struck some of the knights down from off their horses. Their horses snarled as the arrows penetrated through the horses’ necks.
Sir Cedric, the commander of the Castilians Knights, held his shield up protecting himself from the arrows. Sir Cedric pointed his sword up at the archers, and commanded his knights who carried crossbows to fire at the archers.
Sir Mathews paced himself inside the fortress. He pointed at some of the knights.
“Prepare the boiling oil! Lift it carefully up to the planks and pour it down on our enemies, while the archers continue to run them down with arrows!”
“Aye!”
“I want four archers to the right of the gate and four to the left, in case if they break through the gates, fire at will!”
“Yes my lord!” The archers positioned themselves next to the gates with their bows and arrows ready.
“Bring the battering ram closer to the gates!” Sir Cedric demanded.
“My lord,” a knight cried out, “the archers are keeping us away at bay with their arrows! There’s no chance we can bring the battering ram closer to the gates!”
“Curses! How in bloody hell are we supposed to overtake this fortress and land?”
At that moment, the clouds suddenly covered the brightness of the sun, and the sky slowly manifested into dark grayish colors. And soon, thunder roared. The archers looked up at the skies in awe. The winds picked up speed and howled.
Sir Mathews looked up with eyes widen in shock.
“My God… the skies were clear! How all of a sudden it changed into a storm…?” He paused and lowered his head straight at the front gates that were closed. “Of course… Merlin… it is the curse of Merlin’s doing!”
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning stretched down in multiple split links, striking the archers. The archers screamed in panic.
“Flee! Flee! Flee from the planks!”
A lightning bolt freely struck down and struck the wooden plank, splitting the plank in-half. The archers tumbled down, screaming in fear as their bodies crashed hard to the ground.
“My lord, a terrible storm has appeared out of nowhere!” A knight approached, panicking.
“It is the doing of Merlin! We brace ourselves on ground! Surround the court yard! They will be breaking down the gates with the battering ram! Knights… stand your ground!”
Sir Cedric pointed his sword at the gates.
“Bring forth the battering ram! Tear down those gates!”
The knights proceeded with the battering ram towards the large thick gates that were made out of oak.
Inside the Courtyard of the fortress, the knights prepared themselves for the invasion from the Castilians Knights. But suddenly, and without warning, the Courtyard’s ground rumbled. The knights staggered, trying to keep themselves from falling. Sir Mathews’ mouth dropped when he saw the soil of the ground turned soft and soon, a Skeleton hand emerged from the ground.
More corpse of skeleton-like appearance ripped upward from the ground. The knights charged at the corpse, slicing their limps and heads off. The corpse continued to move forward with sluggish arm movements. The corpse grabbed the weapons from the ground and attacked the knights. The knights fought ferociously as the skies flashed with lightning, and the drizzle of rain battered the ground.
Sir Mathews swung his battle axe from left to right, chopping the corpses’ bodies. He suddenly paused when he heard the loud sound of wood smashing inward. He fixed his eyes at the gates where the gates were smashed inward by the battering ram. The Castilians Knights charged forward with their weapons at hands. The Oracles archers fired their arrows at the Castilians Knights. Some were claimed a victim to the arrows, others surpassed.
Sir Mathews charged forward towards the Castilians where he met face to face with two knights. He swung his bat
tle axe to the right, chopping the midsection of his attacker. The body slung in the air from the force of Sir Mathews’ might. He swung the axe to his left when the second knight approached with his blade. The blade of the axe instantly across the knight’s chest armor, and the knight fell motionless to the ground in a puddle of blood.
Another knight approached from the front and Sir Mathews lifted his battle axe up and swung it down, splitting through the armor helmet, and cutting through flesh where the blood squirted out like lava.
Sir Mathews twirled his battle axe over his head that wore a mail chain. He rushed forward, striking down every Castilian’s knight that he approached. A knight held up his armored shield where Sir Mathews performed a front thrust kick, kicking the knight backwards. Sir Mathews swung his axe to the left, striking the shield out from the knight’s hand. He thrust the tip of the axe forward into the knight’s midsection, and with his might, he lifted the knight up and over his head while tossing the knight onto his back.
Sir Mathews slammed the bottom of his shoe down on the knight’s chest plate, pinning the knight down on the ground. He lifted his axe up as the knight screamed, anticipating death as it swung down, splitting the knight’s head like a melon.
Sir Cedric looked on as he watched the Oracles Knights fall one by one. He shifted his eyes over at Sir Mathews.
“Archers.” He summoned. “Now!” Sir Cedric commanded.
The archers with their crossbows aimed them at Sir Mathews and fired the arrows in blinding speed. Sir Mathews twirled the axe around in a circular motion, cutting the arrows out from the air. But only failing short, when an arrow found its mark on the right bicep. Another arrow found its mark on Sir Mathews’ thigh and another found its mark on his left shoulder. Sir Mathews’ grip loosened on the handle of his battle axe, and the axe fell to the ground.
“Secure the prisoner!” Sir Cedric demanded.
The knights surrounded Sir Mathews and tied his massive body with ropes. The rest of the Oracles Knights surrendered and the living corpses that rose from the ground instantly fell motionless to the ground.
The skies were now cleared and the rain stopped. The ground was soaked with mixtures of rain and blood, polluted with dead bodies. The surviving knights were shoved down onto their knees. Their arms hands tied behind their back with their heads held down in shame. Sir Cedric galloped forward towards the center of the Courtyard where Sir Mathews sat on his knees, hands tied behind his back and his head held down in shame. Sir Cedric slowly climbed down from the horse and approached him.
