After they had packed their things and grabbed Wolf they rushed towards the entrance to the castle.

At the entrance was the chamberlain waiting for them.

The sound of the storm could be heard behind him.

When he saw them he bowed politely and said.

“His majesty wanted me to inform you that your father is set to engage the enemy on the morrow, he stresses that the letter is vital to the outcome of the battle and it must be delivered with all haste.

“Understood,” said Alex.

“Your father is currently several miles east of Lord Fabien’s territory,” said the chamberlain.

Alex nodded.

“Very well, a carriage has been prepared for you,” he said, before walking off to attend to other duties.

Alex took one look at the storm and then at the carriage before coming to a decision.

“Alice,” he said with a serious tone, turning to look at her.

“What?” she turned to look at him bewildered by his tone.

“Can you lead an army?” he asked.

“What? Why?” she asked flustered.

“With this storm there is no way the carriage will make it to my father before the battle begins, therefore I want you to take the carriage and take command of the third division in my stead,” he said as he grasped her shaking arms.

“What about you?” she asked worriedly.

“I will take a horse, however, due to the storm I will most likely only reach my father around the time the battle starts if I’m lucky, just in case I will be bringing all of the guards except for four that I will leave with you.”

“So tell me, can you take over the third division in my stead?” he asked.

Alice fell into thought for a minute before nodding her head.

“I can,” she said even as her voice trembled a little.

Alex nodded, and just as he turned around to leave he felt someone grab onto the back of his shirt and spin him around.

Suddenly a pair of lips were pressed to his.

After a moment he was finally released and he stared down bewildered at Alice who was flushed slightly red.

“Come back safely,” she said.

She then rushed out into the rain and clambered into the carriage.

The guards who had overheard Alex talking to Alice nodded at him and saluted before carrying Wolf who looked reluctant to part into the carriage.

Alex turned to his own guards who were about to follow them.

“Where are the rest?” he asked.

“They are at 35 LordsEnd, My Lord!” shouted the guard over the sound of the storm which was continually getting louder.

Alex nodded before turning to a servant and ordering them to bring their fastest horse.

Once the horse was brought out Alex hopped on and flicked the reins.

The horse rushed down the cobblestone road as the rain poured down on them drenching them to the bone.

Alex pulled his hood tighter over himself, he had acquired it from a passing servant.

He squinted in the dark as the horse raced down the narrow roads.

“LordsEnd” Read a sign at an intersection.

Once he arrived at the manor he jumped off the horse and ran towards the guard barracks.

“ALL MEN ON ME!” he shouted over the sound of the wind.

Quickly many guards rushed out of the barracks in states of alarm, several not even fully dressed.

“Who goes there?” shouted a guard pointing his sword at him.

Alex took off the hood of his cloak.

Upon seeing his face, the guards quickly stood at attention and saluted.

Alex waved at them and they quickly went inside the barracks.

“Is there an emergency, My Lord?” asked Brandon who had seemingly become the leader of the guards.

“Yes, I need you to gather all the men, prepare to depart in 10 minutes.” Alex said hastily as he grabbed his custom-made, black armor which he had asked the guards to procure from the city.”

“Where to?” he asked.

Alex turned around to stare at them.

“A battlefield.”

***

That night many citizens heard a loud sound seemingly overpowering the storm.

What they witnessed was over a hundred men garbed in black cloaks riding through the streets on horses, seemingly ignoring the storm.

As there was no one on the streets they had an easier time exiting the city.

Once on the muddy roads, their horses pounded the ground splashing mud everywhere as they galloped east.

Lightning crackled in their wake as the wind picked up sending the water spraying in their faces.

Nevertheless, they rode on unperturbed.

Animals who hid in the forest trees to escape the rain, scattered at the sound of the hooves thundering down the path.

“How much time do we have, My Lord?” asked a guard next to Alex.

“Not enough,” he grunted.

***

As dawn approached the horses suddenly came to a stop.

In front of them lay a village.

Or at least it was a village.

What lay before them now was a smoking pile of wood.

In front of each burned-down house, lay several spikes, upon which lay the family members' heads.

Not one life was spared.

Fury blazed in the eyes of the knights.

Even Alex thought this was a bit too gruesome.

With renewed vigor they took off east, ready to vent their anger at the enemy.

***

It was early morning and small rays of light peaked through the gray clouds,

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Rain continued pouring from the sky like there was no tomorrow.

Lightning flashed causing the scene to look beautiful.

However, the scene below would cause one to change their opinion.

There down below in the mud, a battle was raging.

Thousands of knights were squabbling in the mud as their heavy armor slipped and slid in the mud.

One shoved his spear into another's gut just as he slipped and was trampled over by a horse.

A knight with a mace swung it at another splintering his wooden shield and caving in his arm.

Just as he was about to raise it for the finishing blow, an arrow suddenly protruded from his neck causing him to topple over on top of the knight he had just hit.

The knight shoved him off and when he tried to look for his savior all he found was an arrow flying straight at him, quickly penetrating his skull.

The archer sighed in satisfaction as he knocked another and sent it flying, toppling a horse only for its rider to be ganged up on by two other knights.

As he prepared to knock another arrow he suddenly heard a loud sound.

It wasn’t odd for there to be a loud sound as the storm was raging; however, this sound didn’t come from the storm.

As others seemingly picked up on this sound as well, they all turned their heads towards where it was coming from.

There, just over the crest of the hill, rode a hundred or so riders dressed in black cloaks which obscured their faces.

The knights felt a chill up their spine at this sight, it was one thing for there to be reinforcements but for them to look as if the god of death sent them himself terrified them to the core.

Boom!

Boom!

The sound of the horses' hooves trampled on the mud made it all the more terrifying.

Very quickly they crested over the hill and pulled off their cloaks letting them fly away in the wind.

On their armor was a crest that sent chills through the Toryn army.

It was the crest of Rath.

And the knights bearing that crest couldn’t look more Wrathful.

***

As Alex and the knights approached the battlefield, Alex looked towards the command tent closest to him which should be where his father is.

He noticed several figures there but none of them were his father.

‘Seems he's in battle.’ Alex sighed.

Turning to face his men, he shouted.

“PREPARE TO ENGAGE!”

His knights roared in response pulling out their weapons.

Alex similarly pulled his shield and sword off the leather sheath attached to his horse.

He then quickly strapped the knife and a war pick to his sides as he raised his sword high.

“SHOW NO MERCY!”

“HOOA!!” came the resounding shout of his knights.

“WHOEVER SURVIVES! FREE BEER ON ME!!!!”

This elicited a much louder roar from the men as they approached the enemy.

The battling soldiers gazed at their fierce display with fear in their eyes.

“BRACE!!!” shouted Alex as they ran into the front lines.

Alex’s horse quickly smashed into an enemy knight in front of him.

The knight was sent flying before being trampled by a horse behind Alex.

However, it wasn’t only the enemy knights that were trampled.

Alex saw some of his men collide with allies as they attempted to run over everything in their path.

Alas, such were the horrors of war.

Every veteran knows the chaos of the battlefield.

In a battle there is no friend or foe, there is only death or survival.

Alex heard a whistling sound as an arrow brushed past his shoulder making a shallow cut in his skin.

The rain beat down on him, quickly washing away the blood as Alex’s horse continued ramming into everything in its path.

Out of the battling knights, an enemy soldier rushed out shield in front of him, in a desperate attempt to knock Alex’s horse over.

Just as Alex was going to swing his sword, a mace suddenly swung out of the crowd and smashed into the man's temple, sending him toppling to the ground.

It seems someone had missed their swing and hit him by accident.

Alex let out a loud laugh, almost maniacal in nature.

This is what made Alex feel truly alive.

On the battlefield.

Chaos.

You never know what might happen.

It made his blood pump.

Suddenly an arrow pierced through the neck of his horse, sending it crashing into the mud as its pained whines were drowned out by the storm.

Boom!

A huge thunderclap resounded across the battlefield bathing it in an eerie light as the lightning struck not far from the raging army.

Climbing out of the mud as it dripped down his armor, Alex raised his head in time to see a halberd flashing towards him from above.

Realizing he didn't have time to raise his shield, he quickly dropped to the ground and rolled to the side as the mud splattered all over his face.

Thud!

He vaguely heard the sound of the halberd striking the muddy ground and Alex quickly swung his shield out.

Clang!

He felt the vibration travel down his arm as his shield struck the enemy's leg sending him crumpling to the ground.

Wasting no time Alex quickly hopped on top of him and forced his face into the mud.

As the knight thrashed under him he forced his head down even harder.

Gurgle!

Alex heard the sound of the mud traveling down his opponent's throat as he could no longer breathe.

Finally, after another moment, the man stilled and Alex got up inspecting his surroundings.

Battles were being waged all around him, some were battling sword to shield while others were going at it fist to fist.

Some were trampled while others ganged up on opponents.

As he was scanning his surroundings his neck suddenly felt a cold prickle.

Turning around as he sensed danger he saw a man about to swing his sword down on him.

Quickly raising his shield he heard a sharp crack as his shield splintered sending bits flying into his arm.

Fortunately, he managed to deflect the sword.

As the man raised it for another swing Alex rammed his shoulder into the man sending them both tumbling to the ground.

The man’s grip on his sword loosened as Alex placed his blade to the man's throat.

The man quickly let go and used his mail-gloved hand to try to push the sword away.

Nevertheless, Alex relentlessly pressed down on his blade as it slowly edged closer to the man's throat.

That was when the fear set in.

The man’s eyes took on a crazy look as he quickly kicked out at Alex from the side.

Alex grunted as he was knocked over.

Quickly the man rolled over into the same position Alex was in before.

As his own blade was pressed against him Alex couldn’t feel more alive.

Compared to the man’s crazed gaze Alex’s gaze was only filled with one thing.

Survival.

As the man pressed the blade closer, Alex suddenly let go of one side of the blade, sending it smashing into the mud next to his head, missing it by inches.

The man looked surprised as Alex pulled out the dagger from his side and proceeded to stab it ruthlessly into the man’s gut where he found a chink in the armor.

The man’s looked at Alex with fear in his eyes as tears welled up in them.

He was scared to die.

The man couldn’t have been older than 20.

So young yet sent to his death.

Truly a shame.

Alex raised a finger to his lips as he looked at the man.

“It'll be over soon,” he whispered.

The man seemed to take reassurance in his words as the light in his eyes faded out.

Laying his head back Alex climbed to his feet.

Suddenly he jumped to the side as a stray horse came running at him.

The horse was quickly knocked down by a man with a mace who then turned his attention to Alex.

Grinning as he rushed over to Alex.

He rammed it downwards as Alex rolled to the side.

“You can’t get away from me!” he shouted.

Alex quickly sprang to his feet.

‘Shit this is bad, I don't have a shield so I definitely can't afford to get hit by that.’

Another blow came rushing at him and he ducked.

Quickly sidestepping he slashed his dagger sideways making a gash in the man’s uncovered legs.

His leg quickly crashed to the ground in a kneeling position as his tendon was torn.

The man looked at Alex fearfully as the war pick slammed into the side of his head, caving it in and sending him into the mud never to rise again.

Alex turned around and noticed one of his knights on the ground with an enemy looming over him.

Alex made a split-second decision and threw his war pick as hard as he could and watched it as it slammed into the back of the enemy caving in the plate armor but not penetrating.

Alex quickly dashed behind him and slammed his dagger into the man’s throat before picking up his war pick and rushing over to his guard.

As he arrived at the man and kneeled down, Alex noticed a large gash in his gut.

Alex sighed somberly.

It was too late.

The knight seemed to know it as well as he reached out a trembling hand in Alex’s direction.

Alex quickly latched onto the knight's hand and squeezed it tightly.

“I'm going to die, aren't I?” the knight asked tremblingly.

Alex didn’t want to lie to him so he nodded his head gravely.

The knight gazed into Alex’s eyes intently, tears staining his cheeks.

“Have I served well?” he asked.

Alex thought for a second before replying.

“I know the names of all who have served me well, what is your name soldier?”

“Johanass.” the man said as a slight smile curved his lips.

“Well Johanass it has been an honor to serve by your side,” Alex said as he squeezed his hand.

Johanass nodded slightly before he closed his eyes for the last time.

Alex stared at his face for another minute before getting up.

His body trembled as he looked around.

Now he wasn’t just fighting to survive.

He was fighting to avenge those who had fallen.

Not just Johannes.

But all those who came before him, and all those that would follow.

With renewed vigor coursing through his veins, Alex jumped back into the fray.

***

Alex stood silently atop a pile of bodies he had carved.

He gazed silently at the battlefield.

All that was left was silence.

Emptiness.

Alex heard the sound of someone approaching him from behind before a hand landed on his shoulder.

“You did well, soldier.” he heard a voice say from behind him.

Alex turned around to look at who had spoken.

Upon seeing the speaker's face he gazed into the shocked eyes of his father.

His father stumbled backward as he was stunned.

“What are you doing here?” his voice began rising in anger.

“The king sent me to deliver a message,” responded Alex's voice lacking any emotion.

Pulling out the letter from his pocket which had somehow managed to avoid any major damage aside from becoming slightly wet and dirty, he handed it to his father.

His father tore his gaze away from Alex to open the letter.

Quickly scanning through its contents he sighed as he rubbed his eyes.

“It seems there is new information that we have received from our spies in the Royal Alliance,” he said.

“Wonderful,” said Alex bitterly as he began walking in the direction of the command tent.

“Wait!” called his father from behind him.

Alex turned around to look at his father with hollow eyes.

“What is it?” he said coldly.

“I…” his father seemed to stutter.

“I'm sorry.” he finally said through gritted teeth.

Alex looked at his father surprised.

That was unexpected.

“I just… I just didn't want to see you get yourself killed.” his father said quietly.

Alex sighed.

“Well as you can see I can handle myself just fine so there is no need to worry.”

His father nodded quietly as they began walking silently towards the command tent.

“Where are you going next?” he asked.

“The king has ordered my punishment be that I take command of the third division and lead the charge against the front lines of the Toryn Kingdom.”

“Ah, so that is why I received the information about the Royal Alliance, it seems I will be attacking them while you attack the Toryn Kingdom.”

Alex nodded in acknowledgment.

His father sighed.

“Just, be careful okay?” he said.

Alex nodded as he walked to rejoin his knights.

Suddenly he heard his father’s voice behind him say.

“I'm proud of you, son.”

However, when he turned around, his father was already walking away to rejoin his generals.

Alex shook it off and quickly rejoined the 87 knights that were left out of the 115 that had come.

Climbing onto a horse that had been provided for them, he flicked the reins as his knights did the same, riding off under the blazing sun.