The Forgotten
Chapter 21

Lynden rode towards the town now appearing in the distance. Having the early start meant that he had nearly got to the city by late afternoon.

Reaching the peak of a nearby hill, he halted and gave his horse a pat on the neck before looking at the sight before him. Coming this way many times before he knew there was a great view, being able to make out the marketplace, training fields, keep and church. The marketplace always held a special place in his heart as all the varying colours that could be seen from the stalls made it so distinct and beautiful compared to the rest of the dull, grey place.

He saw black smoke rising from several places within Tocking vale. Frowning, he saw a large fire in the centre of the city with flames in danger of spreading to other dwellings.

Looking closer at the gates, he made out several figures running in every direction. Following them were three guards riding horses, cutting the townsfolk down as they ran.

Lynden’s steed seemed to have seen the murders and destruction itself. Breathing heavily and stomping its forelegs, it was preparing for battle.

He looked down at his companion, a grim smile on his face.

“Ride my friend, whether we die or survive let our enemies tremble in fear of us.”

The horse gave out a war cry and charged. They were a little over a mile from the outskirts to where the people were running, he would be there in only a couple of minutes.

Dust swept up from the horse’s hooves, a cloud of mist left in its trail. Many would cower in the face of a warhorse, and those who stood to meet its charge were often never heard of again.

Halfway there, Lynden drew his sword at his waist, preparing for his first strike. It was then that the first guard saw the charging knight approaching him. One giant warhorse donning silver and brown armour and the knight on top wearing deep brown armour like he had never seen but only read from stories. The guard gulped before readying himself, shouting for his friends to join him. they charged at Lynden.

The large warhorse dwarfed the smaller guards’ mounts as they began to buck in fear at the sight before them. Using it to his advantage, Lynden swung outwards from his chest to the first guard’s head.

Off-balance, the guard’s defensive blow was useless. The swing meeting the cheek of his helm and the blow making the guard fall from the horse, hitting the ground below him with a crack. The two other guards charged Lynden with swords held high. Lynden’s horse, knowing what to do, ran in an arch making one guard fall behind him while the other off to his left side.

One of the guards aimed a stab towards Lynden’s midriff, the knight parrying the blow, pushing it to the side. As his horse continued to ride past, it then bit into the guard’s legs, making them cry in pain. With a counter-attack, Lynden stabbed the guard’s stomach, penetrating his intestines. A fatal blow.

The guard fell forward on his mount. Lynden, taking no risks, drove his sword up through the lightly covered area of the guard’s armpit. His screams ended as he fell from his horse.

Looking for the final attacker and readying to charge, Lynden saw the last guard running back into the city, yelling “Lynden is here!”. He smiled at that remark, as he trotted through the gate in front of him.

Bodies laid everywhere as the mounted knight rode slowly through the street. Most were just commoners, some even children. A few guards were piled beneath broken pots and wood that many seemed to have used as weapons to protect themselves. The streets were otherwise empty of life apart from the passing moans of people in pain.

Lynden got off his horse looking for the source of the groans, he found an armoured mail guard. As he was about to plant his sword through his uncovered neck Lynden realised that is was Collop, one of the guards from the watcher tower.

Before Lynden had a chance to drop his sword and attempt to help the man, he heard a voice from a nearby window.

“He, he, he helped.”

It was a small boy who had a wound on his arm that had ceased bleeding. He was dirty and afraid.

Collop gave out a few chocked words after the words from the child in the window though were barely audible. Instead Lynden started to inspect his wounds yet without taking off the mans armour there was little he could do.

Before making a move to remove the mail, Lynden raised his head towards a side street where Reece and Draven walked from. It was the other two guards he had met at the watchtower that night. Draven initially stopped him and Reece the was the drunk holding the halberd. Collop was the other of the three guards stationed there who were ready to kill him. After they heard his story they appeared to believe him, and were seemingly willing to help him.

“He saved many people before other guards attacked him. We were too late to save him from the blow to his stomach.”

Acknowledging their help, Lynden replied, “Please help him and anyone else you can. Are there any others left fighting?”

Reece, in a military-fashioned reply, said to the knight, “A small patrol of troops in the guard turned on the king when he called for the execution of the masses. They took off their armour wearing only mail shirts, but don’t know how many remain.”

Draven then perked up, “We have also heard rumours that a small band of rebels have armed themselves with crossbows and other weapons. They have taken residence in one of the lower districts in an inn I believe.”

Knowing where Draven is speaking of, Lynden asks, “I’m not your commander, but I need your help. Will one of you go to the Wanderers Warren and ask for a woman called Jessica. Tell her to come to the market, I will meet you there.”

Reece spoke up “I will, general.”

“Can you ride?”

“I can sir.”

“Take my horse there, he won’t stop and you’ll get there faster.”

Passing the reins over to Reece he mounts, the horse moving off already aware of what it needs to do.

Lynden went over to his mount, whispering in his ear, “I’ll see you again in the beyond my friend.”

Draven, looking at what Lynden is wearing, said, “I’ve only seen that armour in old children’s books, I never thought it was real.”

Not hiding it from his ally, Lynden looked back at him and replied, “We were hunted for many years leaving few soldiers, and less commanders.”

Draven bowed to him low, “It is an honour. I have no right to ask, but if we survive, could I take the test?”

“It would be my honour.” Lynden bowing his head in appreciation and acceptance of Draven in return.

Sparing a moment to look at his friend riding into the distance, Lynden walked on down the street, Draven behind him pulling up Collop dragging him into a nearby house.

As the knight walked, his armour already stained with blood, holding his sword in one hand, his two-handed blade still sheathed on his back. Making his way through the destruction in only a few hours, he looked down at the horn at his waist, the horn that could be the end of it all.

Muttering to himself, “Not yet.”

Turning down pathways and streets, he saw the chaos had already left the area. All that remained were bodies that became less numerous as he got closer to the market. He hoped that many, or most people got away but didn’t hold out much hope, he knew some people in the army and he knew the king.

Ahead he saw a squad of ten guards marching down the street calling for those loyal to the king to come to bear witness to their ruler’s mercy and justice. Leading them was a man in a red uniform, that of an army general. It was Luken Redcliff himself.

Lynden had unfinished business with Luken ever since he skinned and ate his dog to annoy him. Having barely seen him since court where the king pardoned the incident, Luken never showed up to any military council as he was scared Lynden would end his life without a second thought.

The patrol saw him, laughing as the knight approached.

Lynden called out, “Luken Redcliff, The coward himself. Time to die.”

Luken’s face went pale as he heard the voice and recognised the figure. With his words broken, the fear overwhelming him he called to his guards, “Ki, kill him.”

The guards came at Lynden in rows of four, though clearly not seeing the width of the street and how little room there would be to swing their swords.

The guards seem to have already seen battle that day, their armour had several dents from maces and other blunt items. Some of them wore helmets while others had either lost them or decided not to wear them. All bore sweat dripping down their faces, the stains of dirt cleaned off slightly.

They were wielding a variety of weapons. Longswords like Lynden, maces of different sizes and spears. Some guards held their weapons with two hands while others used a smaller one with a shield. The two guards at the back of the rows of four held two halberds, for what reason Lynden was not sure as they were used for show not for battle.

Lynden felt ashamed at what stood in front of him, the shield bearers should have been at the front with short lines to give move movement.

Charging Lynden looked for a way to slow their movement as they could easily knock him to the ground given a chance. He looked around seeing many different items laid before him, some household items while there were also several weapons including a few spears.

Looking at the array of items, Lynden drives his sword into the ground to allow him to grab it again with ease. Seeing a partially empty water barrel, he pushed it onto the ground. He is not able to move it much with all the debris and bodies on the ground but able to use it as a makeshift barricade, slowing if not stopping their ramming charge.

The guards were nearly on him, having not let up their charge. Grabbing one of the spears, he hurls it as one of the guards in front. With only guard up front with a shield and so close to the others, it was an easy hit.

The spear punctured one of the guards in the centre. Dying instantly he crumbled to the ground, in doing so knocking the guard behind him over with the haft of the spear hitting the other guards in the front row.

The charge now was broken with only two guards from the left side of the flank having avoided the strike, getting close to Lynden.

Grabbing his sword again from the ground, he sidestepped the guard’s downward strike countering with the hilt of his sword to his head. No time to counter, another swing came sideways towards Lynden’s stomach. Able to parry the blow by moving his sword towards the ground and bracing the sword with his other by gripping the steel.

Deflecting, Lynden forces the guard’s blade to the ground, putting his left foot forward, turning in a circle to plant the blade in the guard’s stomach.

Another of the attackers had gathered himself, striking Lynden on the shoulder. The mace though bounced off the hard protective armour. The knight barely felt the blow and attacked the guard while he was stunned at the shock of his strike having no effect.

Having only one hand on his sword, he ducked into stabbing the guard through the hip though pulling the blade out from the side, breaking bones and cutting muscles.

As the guard fell to the floor, Lynden grabbed his mace, pulling it from his hand.

After dispatching the first few guards with ease, Lynden was able to take a moment’s breath as the troops in front of him hesitated. With a mace in one hand and a sword in the other, the next three guards were dealt with in short order. They had all come at him at once. With the dead littering the street, they were not able to manoeuvre so the deadly warrior in front of them was able to parry several strikes at once with his two weapons while striking back fluidly.

Six guards had now either died or were crippled beyond ever being a threat with four remaining. They were all on their feet, not moving and remaining a few metres out of striking distance.

Behind them, Luken walked up pushing one of the guards who fell forward, commanding, “Useless, I asked you to kill a single man.”

Before he said another word, Lynden had picked up another spear and threw it at his dog’s killer. It sailed through Luken’s heart, forcing him back so that the point of the weapon embedded it into the wooden beam of a house behind him.

The remaining guards were silent. Nothing happened for several seconds until two looked at one another, dropping their weapons they ran, not looking back and not being seen again. Another two guards roared at Lynden taking wild shots at him.

Calm, Lynden deflected their swings forcing them back paces until he launched an attack on one guard’s head with the mace, then ducking the next blow from the other guard. He struck again with the mace bringing it in an upward swing that impacted the guard’s chin. A loud crack could be heard through the street until silence fell.

Lynden looked at the death in front of him showing no remorse and even feeling slight satisfaction at ending Luken’s life. Although he wanted to make the man suffer for skinning his dog, the fact that he was now dead by his hand was good enough.