Abner slowly lead his 11 behind him on horseback as well, out of the tent city.
No procession. No hymn of death or victory or the afterlife.
Just a line of twelve going to their death.
Beniah kept his posture and righteous knight like attitude as they rode.
Abner noticed and smiled.
"What?" Beniah rode up next to him.
"I hope this is the last one."
"Are you serious, Abner?"
Beniah's tone of voice raised. He was a good looking and loyal servant who rarely broke character nor the pomp and circumstance of the moment.
But he was annoyed, and it made Abner smile.
"It is time for the last Swordfall, Beniah. The houses must unite. One kingdom. Enough mothers have been left childless."
"Abner, you have men that are about to follow you to death. If you can spare their lives for whatever reason, or want to call it off..."
"No. The only way is forward."
Abner's eyes looked far away, thinking of all that was coming.
"Who did you send to find the giant?"
"Whoever who was left."
The group of horsemen looking for the giant were a sorry bunch. Hungry. Not well trained. Either too young or too old.
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The forest was so thick that the sun barely could break through, even in midday. The horses whined.
The soldiers heard the rumbles and saw the trees move. All together, they decided they were not the brave knights who were about to go to their death.
The giant made it easier on them.
The trees burst forward. The giant slammed into the middle of the group, landing on a horse and a rider. The soldiers yelled and screamed and tried to ride and attack.
The giant's huge arms swung, as the moving horses and screaming men blocked the site of him in the darkness. A soldier was knocked by the giant arms and thrown through the forest. Another soldier fell to the ground on his belly, and was grabbed and drug away, scratching on the dirt.
He was then split in half and thrown in two.
A huge spear was thrown from the giant, hitting a soldier and impaling him to a tree.
More screams, hooves, footsteps, and the large stomping monster, going back and forth, orchestrated a symphony of death through the trees.
The giant's bloody teeth came forth, as it looked to bite down on one of the last horses that survived.