1 Prologue

The sun was beating down on the vineyard outside of the city of Telkin as a man stands up from the grapes to he wipes the sweat from his brow on his forehead. Gylbart Darincul is a tall muscular man with darker skin that shows his time beneath the sun. His hair is clean-cut and is jet black with small streaks of white showing through despite not being that old of age. His beard mirrors his hair being neatly trimmed that surrounds a mouth that seems to be always on the verge of a scowl. Of course, he couldn't help this as he had a scar that was given to him years ago from a long-forgotten enemy. His eyes are steel grey that seems to be able to bore into you and lay bare everything you have ever done. Just right for the city commander of the Templar knights.

As he knuckles his back to help loosen his muscles, he hears a woman call to him. "Honey! Lunch is ready! Go wash up!" The woman ordering around the commander was non-other than his wife Ingrid. Her voice sounded melodic to him as he looks at her. Her belly looks quite big as she places her fists on her hips as he turns, walking toward her and their home for the past ten years. Her eyes are a sea blue that you could get lost in if you are not careful. Gylbart can attest to that since he does it almost on a nightly basis. "Thank you, my dear. I was just thinking that I needed a moment to come to see you." He says with a smile as he leans down to kiss her. She was shorter than him by half a head. He has always loved her long raven black hair since the first day he met her.

"Have you been getting enough rest?" He asks in a deep timber as he walks inside to a pitcher and a basin that is located by the front door on a table. She has always had a very strict rule about washing your hands before eating. He begins washing his hands as she comes waddling in after him, shutting the door behind her. She was already close to having the baby. Gylbart couldn't contain his excitement at their first child together.

She slaps his arm with a force that doesn't seem to belong with her smaller frame. "Don't you be trying to coddle me Gyl. I will still run this house with an iron fist if need be." She says in mock indignation even though there is a gleam of amusement in her eye. Gylbart dries his hands as he laughs at his wife knowing full well what that would mean if she did. He is currently dressed in a loose-fitting shirt that shows off some of his chest and dark hair that grows there. His loose cotton pants and soft leather boots are what he wears when he works in with the other workers. He has always refused to let people do things for him. Always the first to put himself forward for a mission or being first to engage an enemy.

Ingrid's dress matched her eyes being as blue as they are. Though she did her best to put up a strong front, she was breathing a bit hard from the constant moving around that she had been doing to help prepare dinner. Like her husband, Ingrid preferred to work with her hands and refuses to sit down and let others do it, much to his discontent. Gylbart rolls his eyes asking for strength, not for the hundred thousandth time in this marriage. He wouldn't change it for the world.

They sit down together at the table with bread and meat from the local market. "Thank you for the food." He says as he reaches over to hand out the food when a loud banging on the front door. Standing up quickly Gylbart moves to it opening up the door as Ingrid stands watching. Before them in the frame, stands a young man in chain mail with a white tabard and red cross brazen boldly across the front. "Report Miles." The laughing husband was gone. What stood there in his place is the true commander of the city. "Commander! We have an enemy attack inside the walls. The cultists have managed to open a rift here in the city and the force sent me to come to get you. Its all hands needed."

Gylbart nods as he walks to a stand that is positioned in the corner of the room. His armor and sword were displayed on it as he quickly suits up with the help of Miles. His broad chest now covered with the templar white with several insignias over his heart, showing his rank. "I am sorry dear. I will be back as soon as possible." He says as he walks over kissing her. She has a tint of fear in her eyes but she screws her courage in place. "You better be otherwise dinner will be cold." She says with a smile as he can't help but smile back. They head outside where two horses stand. One is a chestnut brown and stands fourteen hands high. It was slightly dancing in place wanting to run as it feels the energy of her rider. The other, however, stood stock-still as with only the occasional flick of its tail and stood almost 16 hands high. He was pure white as snow and is the commander's warhorse. Gylbart nods in thanks to Miles as he walks up and puts his foot in the stirrup and easily vaults himself up onto the horse in a fluid motion.

Squeezing his legs firmly against his horse Gylbart yells, "Ride fast Thrax." That was all his horse needed as he bursts forward like a cannonball shot from a cannon. With their capes flying behind them, Miles follows closely on his horse as they gallop toward the city. "They have infiltrated the northern part of the city and the local guards and knights are holding them in the streets to keep them from flooding through the town." Gylbart nods as he sees plumes of smoke rising from the city. Have they just barely started setting fire to the buildings or something? Gylbart asks himself.

Miles continues, "We have suffered some losses but we were lucky. Someone had noticed some suspicious activity earlier and let us know. Otherwise, they would have made it farther in."

Miles holds on tight as his horse jumps a rock that was in the way. "We have already sent hawks to the mages guild and the closest garrisons. They are on their way as we speak."

Gylbart nods again as the city rises further up in front of them as they begin climbing the slight climb up to the city. Its red rooftops and white buildings made quite the spectacle for anyone that has never seen it. It is a fairly big city and home to one of the best Templar training grounds. Many people flock here to train to be knights. Gylbart shakes his head from the errant thoughts and looks at Miles, asking "Where is Flitch at? I need my second. Also, where is calvary leader Juxton and how did they managed to open a portal?"

"Vice Commander is on the front lines helping to hold them back. Juxton is over in the barracks taking care of a small contingent of cultists that were trying to sabotage it." Miles looks up at the buildings as they fly by. "I don't believe they have a portal open. I didn't see any demons as I came to get you." Demons. This world's biggest issue is that it is connected to a demon world that is constantly trying to take it over. Its more than a headache, Gylbart thinks to himself before speaking. "Go help Juxton if he needs it and tell him to get his calvary out and circling the city. We don't need them coming around to flank us." Miles slams his fist to his chest in a salute as he veers away disappearing down a side street as the Gylbart continues at breakneck speed down the main road. He couldn't help the sinking feeling deep inside his gut, telling him this is going to be a very bad day and be glad that he didn't eat.

Those damn demon-worshipping assholes are going to pay for ruining my meal with my wife. He thinks to himself as he rides deeper into the city towards the chaotic symphony of battle and the haunted screams of the dying. Hearing the clash of steel, he reins up his horse as he makes it to the front line. Men and women clad in black cloaks and patchwork armor crash upon a solid line of guardsmen and templar soldiers. The effect of such a collision made it look like a strange moving force of yin vs yang.

A young woman looks behind at hearing the gallops of horseshoes and raises her voice in a cheer,

"The Commander is here! Push them back with all your might!" Vice Commander Flitch calls out as the soldiers raise a cheer as they push into the cultists. Blades flashing silver and crimson in the noon sun as blood spills from wounds inflicted on both sides.

The line staggers as the troops punch hard into the cultists causing them to falter. Gylbart jumps off his horse and quickly draws his sword drives into the middle of the fray.

"To me Templar! Push these foul bastards back to the hell hole they crawled from!" Gylbart yells as his silver blade flashes quickly killing cultists as the cheer is taken up by those under his command.

"For the Commander! For the Templar!" Multiple voices ring out as the defenders start to rout the enemy. A blade lands against Gylbart's in a deafening crash of metal and spark.

"Hello Commander. So good to see you." a voice rasps as a particularly huge cultist as his face gets close to his. Gylbart can see blood red eyes and edging of purple flesh on this man as clear indications of demonic corruption.

"So Regles, we meet again." He growls softly. Regles used to be a close comrade to Gylbart at one point but was found out to be helping cultists to infiltrate the towns and some even into the templar order. Gylbart exposed him and even wounded him severely at the time but he managed to escape.

"Time flies when you are helping plot a world conquering." Regles chuckles as the fighting intensifies around them as their blades meet in a deadly dance.

"I heard you were doing well commander. Hear you had a child on the way." Regles cackles as Gylbart's eyes begin to burn with rage, "I wonder what it would be like to take them away from you?" He slams his blade hard against Gylbart's as he realizes what their target actually is.

"You will not take my family!" Gylbart roars as his blade flashes faster cutting a deep cut across his opponent's chest letting purple blood flow out.

"You have already lost!" Regles screeches as he falls back as more cultists take his place covering his retreat.

"Commander! They are after your family and you! Get back to them now!" Flitch yells as she jumps to the front inbetween the commander and the cultists. "I will take command here and hold them. Go!" She calls back as her cloak is drenched in blood as her sword flashes claiming enemies left and right.

"Thank you!" Gylbart says as he feels a cold hand clutching his heart as he backs out of combat whistling for his horse. It runs along side him as he runs mounting him quickly before spuring the horse to a dead gallop.

"Please be safe." Gylbart whispers in prayer as the time ticks by. After what seems like an eternity, his house comes into sight.

His heart drops as he sees dead bodies of cultists and knights and horses laying about as he sees the house starting to burn as more soldiers and cultists fight. He sees his calvary leader bleeding and fighting Miles who is almost completely purple with horns growing out of his head as he bulges against his armor from his increase size.

"All of you will die Juxton! I have always been so envious of you all and now I can kill you all!" Miles screams in delight as his blood red eyes blaze with madness as his sword slams into Juxton's breaking it and leaving a huge cut down his face and taking his left eye. Juxton scream in pain falling backwards from the attack but doesn't fall as he tosses his broken blade to the side picking up a fallen templar sword.

"Miles!" Gylbart screams as he bears down on Miles as his blade flashes downward causing Miles to stagger back as he bears the brunt of force from a charging steed and powerful strike.

"Gylbart! You are early. Seems like Regles failed to keep you busy." Miles growls as he quickly turns blocking Juxton's attack before rendering him unconscious with a powerful right hook into his blind side.

"Now that he won't interfere. Come and let's finish this Commander. You have always been a blight in our side and deserve to have your family name wiped clean from the world!" Miles cackles with insanity as he steps toward Gylbart.

Gylbart dismounts from his warhorse as he squares off with Miles. "You have been conspiraring with demons and killed those who trusted you. For that you are sentenced to death." Gylbart answers coldly.

Their blades meet in a dance of death as the two fight back and forward. Sweat pours down both faces as one is aided by other world power and the other as years of combat training and experience.

In a final strike, Gylbart dodges a exhausted cut from Miles before decapitating him in a single swing. Gylbart lets out an exhausted breath before checking Juxton. Seeing he is still breathing, Gylbart dashes to the house as fire continues to grow. "Ingrid!" He yells as he rushed through the house as he finds her in the kitchen. "Ingrid." he cries seeing blood on her face but still breathing as he picks her up quickly. Her eyes flutter open before a sad smile flitters across her face. "Glad to see you back husband." She whispers before passing out.

Gylbart carries her outside just moments before the house collapses. Gylbart holds her close as he walks over to Juxton as more soldiers start to show up as Flitch rides up calling for medics and mages to take care of any wounded. "The enemy has been routed commander." She reports before seeing Miles and spits on his corpse.

"Fucking Traitor." She curses him before helping Juxton as Gylbart continues to hold his wife. Gylbart lets out a soft sigh as the medics take care of Ingrid though he is crying softly almost losing her to the surprise attack. He quickly wipes his eyes before issuing commands as his home burns behind him.