This is a story i made for a class of mine.. Its kinda long so sit back and relax.. (wrote this April of 2002)
I looked up to the stars as I heard the screams of my comrades falling to their deaths. I then saw the battlefield. The men slashing each other, falling down screaming.
King Stephen wanted to take Matilda hostage and he would sacrifice all of his followerâs to guaranty that he would get it. His cousin, Matilda, wanted to take the throne from him. We were now attempting to take Lincoln away from Matilda. We would fight their defenses and put them into a siege until she gave up.
I looked down at my bloody blade lifting it up, some blood dripping off of it. I smiled wiping my finger along the blade. Some of the blood from the sword got onto my finger. I smirked as I licked it off of my hand. I then threw my hand up, the blade in my grip. I gave out a loud battle cry as I began to run towards the rest of Matildaâs defenses.
I swung my sword at the first man that appeared to me. The blade of my sword slid through the manâs neck, his head falling to the ground followed by his cold limp body. I smirked as I then threw my blade at the next person at me. The blade hit the guy in the chest and he dropped to the ground. I ran by him and pulled my blade from his dead body.
At that time I looked up to the walls of the town to see Matilda looking down at the battle a grimace on her face. I sent my blade then at the next person with anger and hate filling my soul. The blade cut the man into two pieces. At that time I saw something I had never seen before. A black mist came from the manâs body and into my sword. I had stolen his soul.
The tip of my blade had now become black. The blood had cleansed off of it. The men around me now moved slowly about. I donât know if time had slowed down for me, or if the battle was over. Had we taken out the defenses?
I began to walk around looking at the many dead bodies around me. I saw one person, he looked like my friend Ridley. I kneeled beside him and pulled the axe out of his head. I could not recognize who he was.
I started my way back down the hill to the rest of the troops. As I got there I saw some shadows within my tent. I walked in and saw Ridley standing there going over the plans for the siege. âHail Tradion! Leader of the Forces of the Mighty King Stephen!â
I grinned looking at him, âHeh. Yeah, so what are you up to?â I asked him.
âJust looking at the plans for the siege. Canât wait till we Capture Matilda.â He replied hastily.
âIâm going to have you guard the camp and make sure nobody gets out of the town. Youâll take the 2nd battalion.â I mentioned to him. He replied with a simple nod.
That night was a rather rough one. I had been away from my wife for a few months now and I was really missing her. Hopefully she missed me too.
The morning came and I sent Loki with the 1st and 3rd battalions to relieve Ridley of his services for the day. Ridley came back with only half of the 2nd battalion. Matilda had tried to escape.
âDid you stop her?â I questioned him.
âI saw her but her and her troops retreated.â Was his reply.
I nodded and looked down thoughtfully. Who would I have take over tonight? Loki and Ridley would both need the night for a break. Feren would have to take over tonight. I would have to keep a close eye on him this time.
As night slowly crept up on me I told Feren that he would be keeping watch over the grounds tonight with the rest of the 2nd and 4th battalions. He set off and approximately half an hour later I set out to keep an eye on him. I wasnât sure if Feren would pull something this time but I wasnât going to take any chances.
Some time ago I had trusted Feren to do something for me and he had killed my Commanding Officer Kenshin. Feren was considered innocent and was kept within the higher ranks of the troops. If it had been my decision he would have been hanged or stoned.
I watched on as Feren set the troops to run around the town to see if anybody was going to get out from the other ways. He stayed at the gates to the town looking inward. At that moment something had crept upon me and began to strangle me.
As I awoke I saw Ridley and Loki hovering above me. I had passed out and left for dead and found by my troops soon afterwards. They had rushed me to the camp and I was resurrected.
âWhereâs Feren?â where the first words out of my mouth.
Ridley pointed to the bed next to me. There lay Feren, dead, his tongue sticking out of his mouth. His eyes in the back of his head. His cold limp arms rocking back and forth on his deathbed. His throat was sliced open and he bled to death.
I turned my head away looking back to Ridley and Loki. âDid Matilda escape?â I asked, a crack in my voice.
âWe donât know Sir.â Loki replied a solemn look on his face.
I nodded. âSend out battalions 1-3 to look for Matilda. Have the 4th battalion guard around the city.â Were the next words out of my mouth. If she had escaped we had to find her. I walked out of the tent and jumped onto my horse.
âIâm on my way to meet Stephen. I expect Matilda in our custody when I return.â I told the men. âLoki, I leave you in charge. If she isnât found when I get back it will be your head that I will have.â
âYes sir!â Loki replied a drop of sweat beading down his head.
I began my way to the camp of Stephen. The road there was long filled with many deadly creatures. However I made my way through them and into the camp of Stephen.
As I walked into Stephenâs tent he sat there on a throne looking down before me. I knelt down and looked to the ground. âMâlord. Iâve come with bad news. Matilda may have escaped last night. I also have reasonâs to believe there may be a trader upon our troops.â
âExplain.â Stephen replied.
âLast night Feren was killed while on duty and I was attacked and left for dead.â I answered.
âThis is news I wish not to have the burden of.â Stephen said, towering over me.
âIâm sorry Mâlord.â I replied regretfully.
âStand. I will be going with you to Lincoln. There I will take over.â He told me. I simply nodded in return.
Stephen began his way out of the tent and I followed him. He was lifted onto his white stallion and I brought myself upon my own. He led the way back to Lincoln. The entire way all I could think was âPlease have Matilda Captured.â
As we rode into the camp I led Stephen to my tent. Here I was excused and allowed to go look for my men. I raced my horse around the town in search of Loki. I eventually found him. âHave you found her?â I questioned him quickly.
He shook his head in fear. âNo Sir.â
I growled. âKeep looking.â I said as I rode back to the camp. When I got there I noticed somebody in the tent with Stephen. As I stepped into the tent I saw Matilda there with some of her men. She was questioning Stephen as one of her guards held him captive. I was ordered to drop my sword. This I did instantly. One of the guards grabbed my sword wielding it to him self as he then held a dagger to my throat.
âWhoâs this?â Matilda questioned Stephen.
âThat would be the commander of my troops.â He answered quickly. It was noticeable that he was afraid of death.
Matilda nodded walking towards me. âHeâs a rather handsome man isnât he?â She lifted my chin up with her index finger looking me over. âMuscular too. How would you like to become to leader of my troops?â
âI would never.â I told her looking her dead in the eye.
âSuch a shame. Oh well, off with his head.â She said. The man holding me hostage kneed me in the back dropping me to my hands and knees. He took the blade that he had taken from me and raised it above his head. He brought it down with a swift movement as I rolled to the left of it. I sent a kick to the back of his knee dropping him then taking the blade from his hands slicing his arm with it. I stepped on his head holding him down to the ground as I looked at Matilda.
âLet Stephen go or he dies.â I yelled to her. Holding the tip of the blade at the center of the manâs spine.
âGo ahead kill him. See if I care.â She said heartlessly as she snapped her fingers and the guy holding Stephen stood, taking Stephen with him. âBut if you do you know the consequences.â
âWould you kill your own cousin?â I questioned her.
âWhat do you think?â she replied grinning.
At this time I didnât know what to do. If I killed the man she would take Stephenâs life. If I didnât she might take his life and mine anyway. I let the man up from under my foot. He stood and sent a punch to my gut. I let it hit me. The man then sent a kick to my face as I was kneeling on the ground from the punch. It hit me drawing blood from my lip. âLeave him be.â Matilda said to the man. He nodded and picked me up. âIâm giving you one more chance. Join my troops or Stephen will die.â
I looked over to Stephen. Sometime during my fight with the man they had knocked him out. His head bobbed back and forth. My face turned towards Matilda as I nodded. She knew that I would not let Stephen die. âOn one condition though.â I said to her.
She smiled saying, âYour in little condition to bargain. Tell me your request though.â
âI get to take this manâs life.â I said pointing to the one that had hit me.
She simply chuckled saying âIf you can kill him go ahead.â The man began to walk away as she said this. He walked past my blade then looking down to it. He reached for it as I sent a kick to his face. The foot hit him knocking him over to the side. I bent down slowly picking up my blade pointing it at the man. I charged at him holding my blade to my side sending at the manâs leg. It bluntly chopped it breaking the bone. The man screamed in pain. I just grinned. I walked over to him picking him up by his hair. He groaned in horror. I raised my blade behind me letting the man drop. I closed my eyeâs as I readied myself to send the blade at the man. Suddenly I groaned in pain opening my eyes as I dropped my blade. The man had mustered enough strength to stab me with a dagger that he had hidden.
I fell to the ground the landing on the dagger. It jabbed through the rest of my body. I looked over to Matilda as she laughed loudly. That was the last image in my mind as I died.
I looked up to the stars as I heard the screams of my comrades falling to their deaths. I then saw the battlefield. The men slashing each other, falling down screaming.
King Stephen wanted to take Matilda hostage and he would sacrifice all of his followerâs to guaranty that he would get it. His cousin, Matilda, wanted to take the throne from him. We were now attempting to take Lincoln away from Matilda. We would fight their defenses and put them into a siege until she gave up.
I looked down at my bloody blade lifting it up, some blood dripping off of it. I smiled wiping my finger along the blade. Some of the blood from the sword got onto my finger. I smirked as I licked it off of my hand. I then threw my hand up, the blade in my grip. I gave out a loud battle cry as I began to run towards the rest of Matildaâs defenses.
I swung my sword at the first man that appeared to me. The blade of my sword slid through the manâs neck, his head falling to the ground followed by his cold limp body. I smirked as I then threw my blade at the next person at me. The blade hit the guy in the chest and he dropped to the ground. I ran by him and pulled my blade from his dead body.
At that time I looked up to the walls of the town to see Matilda looking down at the battle a grimace on her face. I sent my blade then at the next person with anger and hate filling my soul. The blade cut the man into two pieces. At that time I saw something I had never seen before. A black mist came from the manâs body and into my sword. I had stolen his soul.
The tip of my blade had now become black. The blood had cleansed off of it. The men around me now moved slowly about. I donât know if time had slowed down for me, or if the battle was over. Had we taken out the defenses?
I began to walk around looking at the many dead bodies around me. I saw one person, he looked like my friend Ridley. I kneeled beside him and pulled the axe out of his head. I could not recognize who he was.
I started my way back down the hill to the rest of the troops. As I got there I saw some shadows within my tent. I walked in and saw Ridley standing there going over the plans for the siege. âHail Tradion! Leader of the Forces of the Mighty King Stephen!â
I grinned looking at him, âHeh. Yeah, so what are you up to?â I asked him.
âJust looking at the plans for the siege. Canât wait till we Capture Matilda.â He replied hastily.
âIâm going to have you guard the camp and make sure nobody gets out of the town. Youâll take the 2nd battalion.â I mentioned to him. He replied with a simple nod.
That night was a rather rough one. I had been away from my wife for a few months now and I was really missing her. Hopefully she missed me too.
The morning came and I sent Loki with the 1st and 3rd battalions to relieve Ridley of his services for the day. Ridley came back with only half of the 2nd battalion. Matilda had tried to escape.
âDid you stop her?â I questioned him.
âI saw her but her and her troops retreated.â Was his reply.
I nodded and looked down thoughtfully. Who would I have take over tonight? Loki and Ridley would both need the night for a break. Feren would have to take over tonight. I would have to keep a close eye on him this time.
As night slowly crept up on me I told Feren that he would be keeping watch over the grounds tonight with the rest of the 2nd and 4th battalions. He set off and approximately half an hour later I set out to keep an eye on him. I wasnât sure if Feren would pull something this time but I wasnât going to take any chances.
Some time ago I had trusted Feren to do something for me and he had killed my Commanding Officer Kenshin. Feren was considered innocent and was kept within the higher ranks of the troops. If it had been my decision he would have been hanged or stoned.
I watched on as Feren set the troops to run around the town to see if anybody was going to get out from the other ways. He stayed at the gates to the town looking inward. At that moment something had crept upon me and began to strangle me.
As I awoke I saw Ridley and Loki hovering above me. I had passed out and left for dead and found by my troops soon afterwards. They had rushed me to the camp and I was resurrected.
âWhereâs Feren?â where the first words out of my mouth.
Ridley pointed to the bed next to me. There lay Feren, dead, his tongue sticking out of his mouth. His eyes in the back of his head. His cold limp arms rocking back and forth on his deathbed. His throat was sliced open and he bled to death.
I turned my head away looking back to Ridley and Loki. âDid Matilda escape?â I asked, a crack in my voice.
âWe donât know Sir.â Loki replied a solemn look on his face.
I nodded. âSend out battalions 1-3 to look for Matilda. Have the 4th battalion guard around the city.â Were the next words out of my mouth. If she had escaped we had to find her. I walked out of the tent and jumped onto my horse.
âIâm on my way to meet Stephen. I expect Matilda in our custody when I return.â I told the men. âLoki, I leave you in charge. If she isnât found when I get back it will be your head that I will have.â
âYes sir!â Loki replied a drop of sweat beading down his head.
I began my way to the camp of Stephen. The road there was long filled with many deadly creatures. However I made my way through them and into the camp of Stephen.
As I walked into Stephenâs tent he sat there on a throne looking down before me. I knelt down and looked to the ground. âMâlord. Iâve come with bad news. Matilda may have escaped last night. I also have reasonâs to believe there may be a trader upon our troops.â
âExplain.â Stephen replied.
âLast night Feren was killed while on duty and I was attacked and left for dead.â I answered.
âThis is news I wish not to have the burden of.â Stephen said, towering over me.
âIâm sorry Mâlord.â I replied regretfully.
âStand. I will be going with you to Lincoln. There I will take over.â He told me. I simply nodded in return.
Stephen began his way out of the tent and I followed him. He was lifted onto his white stallion and I brought myself upon my own. He led the way back to Lincoln. The entire way all I could think was âPlease have Matilda Captured.â
As we rode into the camp I led Stephen to my tent. Here I was excused and allowed to go look for my men. I raced my horse around the town in search of Loki. I eventually found him. âHave you found her?â I questioned him quickly.
He shook his head in fear. âNo Sir.â
I growled. âKeep looking.â I said as I rode back to the camp. When I got there I noticed somebody in the tent with Stephen. As I stepped into the tent I saw Matilda there with some of her men. She was questioning Stephen as one of her guards held him captive. I was ordered to drop my sword. This I did instantly. One of the guards grabbed my sword wielding it to him self as he then held a dagger to my throat.
âWhoâs this?â Matilda questioned Stephen.
âThat would be the commander of my troops.â He answered quickly. It was noticeable that he was afraid of death.
Matilda nodded walking towards me. âHeâs a rather handsome man isnât he?â She lifted my chin up with her index finger looking me over. âMuscular too. How would you like to become to leader of my troops?â
âI would never.â I told her looking her dead in the eye.
âSuch a shame. Oh well, off with his head.â She said. The man holding me hostage kneed me in the back dropping me to my hands and knees. He took the blade that he had taken from me and raised it above his head. He brought it down with a swift movement as I rolled to the left of it. I sent a kick to the back of his knee dropping him then taking the blade from his hands slicing his arm with it. I stepped on his head holding him down to the ground as I looked at Matilda.
âLet Stephen go or he dies.â I yelled to her. Holding the tip of the blade at the center of the manâs spine.
âGo ahead kill him. See if I care.â She said heartlessly as she snapped her fingers and the guy holding Stephen stood, taking Stephen with him. âBut if you do you know the consequences.â
âWould you kill your own cousin?â I questioned her.
âWhat do you think?â she replied grinning.
At this time I didnât know what to do. If I killed the man she would take Stephenâs life. If I didnât she might take his life and mine anyway. I let the man up from under my foot. He stood and sent a punch to my gut. I let it hit me. The man then sent a kick to my face as I was kneeling on the ground from the punch. It hit me drawing blood from my lip. âLeave him be.â Matilda said to the man. He nodded and picked me up. âIâm giving you one more chance. Join my troops or Stephen will die.â
I looked over to Stephen. Sometime during my fight with the man they had knocked him out. His head bobbed back and forth. My face turned towards Matilda as I nodded. She knew that I would not let Stephen die. âOn one condition though.â I said to her.
She smiled saying, âYour in little condition to bargain. Tell me your request though.â
âI get to take this manâs life.â I said pointing to the one that had hit me.
She simply chuckled saying âIf you can kill him go ahead.â The man began to walk away as she said this. He walked past my blade then looking down to it. He reached for it as I sent a kick to his face. The foot hit him knocking him over to the side. I bent down slowly picking up my blade pointing it at the man. I charged at him holding my blade to my side sending at the manâs leg. It bluntly chopped it breaking the bone. The man screamed in pain. I just grinned. I walked over to him picking him up by his hair. He groaned in horror. I raised my blade behind me letting the man drop. I closed my eyeâs as I readied myself to send the blade at the man. Suddenly I groaned in pain opening my eyes as I dropped my blade. The man had mustered enough strength to stab me with a dagger that he had hidden.
I fell to the ground the landing on the dagger. It jabbed through the rest of my body. I looked over to Matilda as she laughed loudly. That was the last image in my mind as I died.