Chapter 7

Looking on at the figure of a man I believe to be no older than myself I felt every instinct in my body urging me to run like an unbroken horse however I already knew it was too late for me to run anywhere. I was too tired and my legs and arms had betrayed me.

This man in front of me had been heralded as a disaster...the incarnation of the wrath of god. a man so skilled in combat that not even the fiercest of knights would boast to be a match yet here I am staring at this monster who is locked on me like a hawk to its prey, I do not even intend to try and best him after the last bout I know full well I am not even close to his match but maybe if I run…I can escape whatever fate awaits me however looking at the state I am in I doubt I will get very far. I looked down to see my arm still lame from the impact of the Cavalrymen's strike and the pain from my swollen eye a sobering reminder from my last tussle if it can be called that with Marchog(1) Ritter, I found myself only able to come up with one plan in this situation "I SURRENDER!" my futile attempt of escape cut short due to my ill fated luck and misfortune.

Marchog Ritter approached me sword drawn and levelled at my throat even against an unarmed man this warrior showed no signs of an opening not even attempting to step closer than necessary he proceeds to look at me like cattle at the market and then all I remember is the sound of wind being pushed aside and the sight of the flat of a blade aimed at my head before the blackness overcome me once again...I have to state for the record what is this guys issue with knocking me unconscious at this point its just embarrassing.

I awoke bound and tied next too the other unfortunate fools who either got caught or failed to get any further than the camp, this time however our captors were not so lenient, the remaining soldiers of the baron bore the brunt of this as the elite troops of Marchog Ritter took it upon themselves to rid the camp of any negative influence quickly and swiftly making sure they were in our sight line as they beheaded the soldiers some of who are no older than 15 summers yet found no mercy and were met with a swift end at the hands of these men, a small hill of bodies was left at the end of it followed by a show of sheer terror as these men and boys were flayed, disembowled and had there heads placed into the void in there stomachs before being nailed to trees.

I would have been sick if not for the fact I had not been fed instead I found myself breathing heavily and vowing never to step out of line lest my luck run dry.

I could not figure out why these otherwise pleasant warriors had become so vicious until I saw what awaited us in the next villages...they were deserted and barren with no man, woman, child or animal in sight and then it hit me these men are winning a war without actually fighting the manner those men were killed served as a warning to the surrounding villages who got the message which read "LEAVE OR THIS IS WHAT AWAITS".

In the weeks and months of travelling to the borders of our lands, the disparity between our two lands forces became evident how is a rabble cobbled together by a baron supposed to defend against the Raven Guard of Hes led by the Marshog Ritter, the towns and villages laid to waste stretched across the entire land as if a scar had been left reaching from the barony of Avon to the far reaching border of The Hes Empire.

The gruelling slog had so far taken its toll on the prisoners numbers with the harsh conditions and the cruelty of our captors after our attempt to escape we started to dwindle till only the strong or capable remained standing dragged across the land as if we are no longer humans which I guess we aren't anymore we are prisoners and whatever fate awaits us when we get there.

We eventually arrived at the border between our countries, I remember hearing of the mighty walls that stood along the border defending us from our warmongering neighbours, these walls were rumoured to be 30ft tall and manned by the best of our kingdoms forces. The reality of the situation however was a sight that shocked me to the core everywhere I looked were the bodies of the brave men of Albion lying were they were slew as the younger soldiers of the Hes army picked the bodies clean of any armour or weapons before carrying the bodies and throwing them into a pit where the abyss was waiting for them, above this pit stood a man dressed in robes with golden chains hanging off his neck and holding a censure as his voice was drown out by sound of the soldiers beside us shouting and chains around our wrists and necks clanging as they were pulled taut between the prisoners.

As we entered the what may have been marvellous fort we were greeted by two lines of soldiers dressed in black plate armour all emblazoned with the emblem of the Raven Guard standing parallel to each-other welcoming the comrades back home and as the Marshog entered the cacophonous roar of these warriors nearly burst my eardrums as I became dizzy.