Knights of the Three Kingdoms- Volume 1 Page 5

  “Something spawned out from the swamp and claimed Sir Richard!” One of the knights shockingly protested.

  “The swamp is alive…” Sir Fredrick’s eyes broadened in fear. “Spread out… search for Sir Richard!”

  Sir Alexander and the rest of the knights looked around, puzzled from the many voices of dismay from the knights that traveled east.

  “Something is wrong!” Sir Godfrey said.

  “Man your grounds!” Sir Alexander ordered. “Spread out, but only three feet apart from each other!”

  The knights spread out in a circle formation. A knight approached a tree that was covered with vines. All eyes danced around. All were silent. Suddenly, a large hand emerged from behind the tree and grabbed the knight around his throat. The knight screamed as his body was forced backwards into the swamp. The knights quickly surrounded the tree, baffled, as they desperately searched for the knight that was taken under the swamp.

  “Something is out here my lord!” One of the knights cried out. “Attacking us by surprise one by one!”

  “Proceed forward, quickly!” Sir Alexander ordered.

  Suddenly, Sir Alexander paused along with the knights as he witnessed ripples in the swamp up ahead. Something was emerging. Sir Alexander’s mouth dropped when a large humanoid-swamp thing emerged from the swamps, and stood in front of them. The humanoid-thing towered thirteen feet with large massive arms that were covered with mash and vines. Its body was covered the same. It slowly advanced towards them with stiff-like movements.

  “My God… what is that thing?” Sir Godfrey asked.

  “I don’t know… but prepare to attack.” Sir Alexander advised.

  The knights surrounded the swamp-like thing. Two of the knights charged while swinging their swords, cutting the arms and body of the swamp-like thing. Their blades penetrated through the soft tissue of the thing. The thing quickly swung its large massive arms-like trunks, striking the knights with force that flung their bodies into the air, where their bodies splashed motionless into the swamp.

  Sir Alexander’s eyes widened.

  “Our swords have no effect on it!” The knights cried out.

  The swamp thing grabbed a knight and lifted him up above its head. The swamp thing tossed the knight fifteen feet away, where the knight’s body struck the bark of a tree. The knight fell motionless into the swamp.

  A knight threw his spear at the thing. The spear thrust into the swamp thing’s upper torso, penetrating through its body. The swamp thing continued to advance forward. The swamp thing’s massive hand covered the top of a knight’s head. The thing’s fingers clenched tight around the knight’s cranium. The knight screamed as his head crushed inward like an egg from the powerful fingers of the swamp thing.

  The knights stumbled back in fear. The scout knights from the west and east returned to the center where the rest of the knights faced the swamp thing.

  “Armed the arrows with flames!” Sir Alexander ordered.

  The scout knights quickly dipped their arrows in oil, while one of the knights sparked flint and amber together to create fire. The knights quickly placed the tips of their arrows into the fire, while the knights in the center aggressively fought the swamp thing with their swords, spears and battle axes. Bodies continued to be slung in the air easily by the brute strength of the swamp thing. The scout knights rested their flaming arrows on the bows, and drew the bowstring back, aiming the arrows at the swamp thing.

  “Fire!” Sir Alexander ordered.

  The knights fired multiple of flaming arrows at the swamp thing. The arrows penetrated the swamp thing and flames instantly crawled over the body of the swamp thing, covering it in flames. The swamp thing continued ferociously to attack the knights.

  “The flaming arrows have no effect on this thing! It continues to attack us!” The knights screamed with panic voices.

  “Scatter behind the trees!” Sir Alexander ordered.

  The knights quickly spread out, hiding themselves behind the trees in the swampy area. Suddenly, large swamp bats hoovered in the air and dove down, attacking the knights. The knights swung their swords above their heads, cutting the swamp bats. The five of the scout knights aimed their arrows upward towards the swamp bats, firing at them. The six other scout knights continued to fire their flaming arrows at the swamp thing.

  Sir Alexander stood behind a tree. His eyes were affixed to the horror of the swamp thing.

  “Merlin… Merlin…” He mumbled. “Merlin if you can hear my cries… I need your help.”

  The swamp thing continued to advance forward and suddenly it paused, and without warning, it slowly submerged into the swamp. The swamp bats quickly flew away. The knights lowered their weapons. Sir Godfrey approached Sir Alexander.

  “That thing… it sunk down into the swamp! Did we kill it?”

  “I… I know not! Perhaps Merlin had helped us.”

  “Merlin?”

  “Aye. I called out to him for aid.” Sir Alexander paused and looked up. “Those swamp bats are no longer a threat, they too had retreated.” He drew his eyes at Sir Godfrey. “We mustn’t wait around here any longer! We need to advance out from this cursed swamp area in haste!”

  “Aye.” Sir Godfrey said while turning around. “Knights prepare to move in haste! We must not stop at any cause!”

  Chapter 6

  The Castilians Knights stood around on solid ground in a forest. They stood at their campfire with their tents setup. Sir Godfrey stood in front of a campfire with four of the knights. He moved his eyes and saw Sir Alexander standing by a tree alone. He knew something was bothering him.

  Sir Alexander’s back faced the campsite. He stretched out his left arm with his hand placed on the bark of a tree. He was lost in deep thought. His eyes blinked when he heard the steps of someone approaching from behind.

  “My lord… you’re burden in deep thought.” Sir Godfrey said as he approached him.

  Sir Alexander slowly shook his head.

  “We lost a great amount of knights in the swamp.”

  “Aye, but we managed to survive the onslaught of that cursed thing.”

  “I shouldn’t have taken that trail through the swamp!”

  “You’re questioning yourself. The men can see it. They are questioning your leadership.”

  “Do you not blame them?” Sir Alexander turned and faced him. “I led them to despair!”

  “You led them to victory!”

  Sir Alexander shook his head and turned his back.

  “If you question your judgment, than you’re not a true leader.” Sir Godfrey said while resting his hands on his hips. The king gave his trust…”

  “I know what the king gave!” Sir Alexander harshly interrupted. “I am too young to lead an army of knights!”

  Sir Godfrey quickly grabbed Sir Alexander’s shoulder and forced him to turn around.

  “Leadership doesn’t come with age… it comes with courage and confidence! The men need to see that confidence in you! The king sees it… Merlin sees it in you! It is up to you to see it in yourself! If you show any lack of courage or confidence, than the men will revolt against you! We’ve come too far to turn back now! The lands are upon your shoulders. It is you who can unite the lands and end these chaotic times! The families have been at war for forty years! It’s time to end it! We all have confidence in you… you need to show it! Wear it proudly like the suit armor.”

  Sir Alexander lowered his eyes and slowly gave a nod.

  “Now my lord, what is the next plan?” Sir Godfrey asked.

  “We set a scout up ahead. Some of the men will fall behind at the camp.”

  “Alright… I will take lead of the scouts.”

  “Nah.”

  “My lord?”

  “It took wise words for me to hear from a valiant knight to strengthen my weakness.” Sir Alexander admitted.

  Sir Godfrey nodded.

  “I will lead the scout up ahead.” Sir Alexander continued. “I need you to fall be
hind and take command of the knights at the camp until I return. This way the parties can be divided, in case of a surprise attack; we won’t be caught in a pincer formation of an attack by our enemies.”

  Sir Alexander advanced with six scout knights deeper into the forest. There were now miles away from the campsite. The six knights cautiously followed behind Sir Alexander. Their swords drawn as they continued through the forest. The trees towered, shielding out the light from the sunrays. There were large bushes, plants and vines scattered over the area.

  “My lord, we have pressed to far from the campsite. Our reinforcements won’t arrive in time if we were in need of them.” One of the knights disputed.

  “Nah. We are elite knights. If a threat opposes us, I have faith that we will be apple to overcome whatever that opposes us. We continue forward to make sure that there are no possible threats await us. Stay alert.”

  The knights continued and suddenly, one of the knights paused as a hog squealed and quickly dashed out from behind a bush. The knights tensed and pointed their swords as their focuses were drawn to the hog that leaped into another bush. The knight clenched his jaws and slowly shook his head.

  “Curse that beast of a wandering pig.”

  Sir Alexander twisted his lips into a slight frown of disappointment. He turned and the rest of the knights followed. They continued further into the forest. Suddenly, Sir Alexander stepped on a lever of a twig and quickly, he saw a bed of spikes sprung up towards him from the ground. Sir Alexander hopped back while falling on his rear knee in a squatting position, and swinging his blade horizontally in front of him, slicing the bed of spikes that were made out of oak. His eyes widen while blinking while he remained motionless in shock. The knights behind him held their swords up near their faces.

  “My lord!” One of the knights took a few steps forward in concern.

  Sir Alexander stretched out his left hand sideway, halting the knight’s step. The knight paused as everyone remained silent and still. Sir Alexander remained squatted on one knee with his blade in his right hand, stretched out to his right side. His eyes moved to the left, slowly to the center and finally, to the right; viewing anything that seemed uncanny.

  “My lord!?” The knight mumbled as Sir Alexander slowly stood.

  He lowered his sword.

  “Traps. We must be close to the enemy’s campsite.”

  “Should we proceed?”

  “Aye. Stay close and alert.”

  Sir Alexander and the knights slowly moved forward. At that moment, the sound of a twig snapping caught the knights’ attention and soon, an arrow traveled through the air in blinding speed at one of the knights. The knight ducked and the arrow found its mark in the bark of a tree. The knights were stun as they now turned to their left where the arrow came from. Quickly and without hesitation, a large net fell from the tall branches of the trees. Sir Alexander instantly looked up as the net continued to fall over them.

  “Lookout!” He warned as he quickly performed a front roll while the net fell over the six knights.

  Sir Alexander rolled to his right knee. He turned and stood in shock as noticed the thick rope to the body of the net was pulled, forcing the net to swallow the knights. At that moment and without noticing, Sir Alexander’s right foot stepped into a circled noose that was on the ground. The rope quickly pulled back, yanking Sir Alexander’s right foot up from the ground, lifting his body up, and hanging him upside down.

  The sword fell from Sir Alexander’s hand. The knights yelled in dismay as they tried to cut through the thick net that was made out of leather.

  “Stay your hands! Stay your hands!” Sir Alexander warned as something out of the norm slowly emerged from the bushes on the both sides.

  The knights’ eyes stretched.

  “My God… who are these small dwarfs-like people?” One of the knights asked.

  They continued closer to the knights with their bows and arrows aimed high at them. Sir Alexander frowned. The knights paused, staring down at them. They noticed their captures’ features. They were short in height… ears pointed upward like a wolf.

  “Elves…” One of the knights shockingly said.

  “Low… lower your swords.” Sir Alexander ordered.

  “My lord?”

  “Do as I say!” He demanded. “If we don’t, I’m afraid we’ll be target practice to their arrows.”

  The knights tossed their swords to the ground. One of the elves looked at another elf.

  “Odrežite jih. Zdaj so naši zaporniki. Odpeljali jih bomo v vašo vas.”

  “I… I do not understand their tongues?” One of the knights said.

  “We will understand by their next actions.” Sir Alexander suggested.

  One of the elves aimed his bow and arrow up at Sir Alexander. Alexander closed his eyes and squint them, preparing for the tip of the arrow to find its mark in him. The bowstring was released and the arrow cut blinding in the air, finding its mark on the body of the rope. The rope snapped in-half, forcing Sir Alexander’s body to drop hard on the ground. The elves quickly surrounded him and secured his hands together with thick ropes. The elf shot another arrow at the net, snapping the thick rope in half, and forcing the knights to fall heavy to the ground.

  Chapter 7

  Paladins Knights continued to march up a large hill. From a distance, large mountains with white peaks towered upward towards the sun. Sir Franklin rode on his black horse. He paused with his knights that were dressed in black armor. Up ahead was a small town-like village. Sir Walter galloped on his horse and paused next to Sir Franklin.

  “That village up ahead,” Sir Franklin asked, “What is it called?”

  “It is called Bathum. It is a village that is protected by the Castilians.”

  Sir Franklin nodded with a smirk.

  “Not anymore. We re-claim it to the Paladins.”

  Bathum…

  The villagers stood around in front of their homes and shops. A male villager walked across the dirt road to his home, caring wood. He paused when he heard a set of hooves striking the ground. The sound roared like thunder. The villagers stopped and looked towards where the sound came from. The wood from the villager’s hand dropped on the ground and his eyes widen when he saw hundreds that seemed like thousands of knights on horseback galloping forward. The male villager sighed and walked to his home where his wife and two children stood. Concern showed on their faces. The male villager stepped inside his home. His wife blinked, but remained silent. Her husband stepped out with a long sword in his hand.

  His wife mouth dropped as she grabbed the youngest child… her daughter. The son stepped out with a hayfork in his hand. The rest of the villagers armed themselves and stood in the middle of the road, waiting for the intruders to approach. Everyone was silent as all eyes were glued to the knights on the horse that continued to gallop towards them from a distance. Their jaws clenched when they realized the speed of the gallops has changed.

  Heart racing… their grasp on the weapons tightened, as they knew blood will be spilled on the dirty ground under their feet. For this day, they will protect their families and village… for this moment, courage will rise as they wait, knowing that death will stain the grounds… The knights on the horses charged forward as they now entered the village. The men cried out in anger for battle as the villagers raised their weapons and charged forward. Bodies flew back from the powerful force of the horses’ movements, trampling over the fallen villagers. Bones cracking… blood spittle-out from their mouths. The knights swung their swords, cutting the villagers, as they fought desperately for their lives.

  Sir Franklin sat on his horse and watched along with Sir Walter. Some of the knights climbed off from their horses with their sword in their hands, preparing to attack the armed villagers. A young boy at the age of thirteen raised his hayfork at the knight. The knight swung his arming sword downward, slicing through the body of the hayfork and splitting the young boy’s head from his forehead to his chin. The boy�
�s father fought furiously while swinging his sword wildly. Sir Franklin watched silently. The boy’s father was now cornered by two knights. One of the knights swung his sword downward at the boy’s father’s head. The boy’s father held his sword sideways up, and blocked the knight’s sword from finding its mark. A third knight approached from behind and thrust his blade forward, stabbing the boy’s father in the back. The blade penetrated through the spine and the tip of the blade stuck out from the father’s stomach.

  A river of blood poured out from the man’s mouth as his lifeless body instantly dropped to the ground. A hundred of the Castilians Knights entered the village from the rear. They were armed. The Paladins charged forward in an ocean of armor and iron clashed together. The sounds of death-cries lingered in the air. Sir William of the Castilians Knights fought with two battle axes in his hands. He twirled them around in a circular motion, slicing and chopping through the Paladins Knights.

  Sir Franklin shifted his eyes to his left and stared at Sir Walter. No words needed to be spoken from Sir Franklin’s lips. Sir Walter knew what Sir Franklin’s wishes were. Sir Walter slowly climbed down from his horse with his arming sword drawn from its sheath. He slowly advanced forward. Eyes locked on Sir William, as Sir William continued to claim the lives of the Paladins Knights. He paused, five of the Paladins Knights laid motionless on the ground in front of his feet; all slain by his battle axes.

  His eyes locked onto the Sir Walter while the rest of the knights fought. Nothing mattered to both men, as they slowly advanced forward toward each other. One thing possessed in their minds, and it showed in their rage of stares… death. Both men reached the center of the road… both men stared directly at each other… waiting for the first move by the other. They examined with their eyes… body motionless… handles from their weapons gripped tightly… eyes seemed to be frozen without a blink.

  Suddenly, Sir William stepped forward, zigzagging his movements from left to right. Sir Walter moved his sword in a full large circle in front of him, waiting for his attacker to approach closer. Sir William approached and swung the mighty axe with his right hand. Sir Walter quickly swung his sword to the left, blocking Sir William’s attack. Now, Sir William swung the left axe towards Sir Walter’s midsection. Sir Walter quickly performed a thrust front kick, off to his right, the sole of his boot, striking Sir William’s forearm, preventing the axe from cutting him.