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Friday, October 26, 2018

Three Knights

Sir Denson galloped through the snow covered forest clad in armor.  Made through a mix of modern combat armor and medieval style Denson's armor appeared protective yet strange. It was crafted to be comfortable while moving around. There was a lot of moving around done by Denson. As a Knight who became a Champion Denson was granted access to the finest smiths of his world and a few other worlds. For nearly eight years he wore this armor after becoming a Champion. His organization was growing swiftly through the recruitment of warriors, Knights, fighters, bowmen, gunners, sharpshooters, thieves, former bandits, some mobsters, and of course pirates. They had hundreds of men who were stars on their own worlds who learned combat skills and proved to be good killers. Many of them were the sort he had been searching for after leaving the Black Coats. Five years after graduation he had been shanghaied  into its service. Two expeditions, one arduous campaign, and three years as a commanding officer.

He had to meet two of his old colleagues from the academy where his own father taught. All their lives they knew each other since childhood. Every year they had their differences, squabbles, and heated discussions. In the end they stuck together as chummy's and close to being brothers. Up ahead was the path that had to be cleared every week. Heaving snow fall, rain, storms, and large herds of beasts moving about causing branches to fall, trees to collapse on the road covering the path. On his steed Bob Sweetheart Denny as his wife now calls him had to leap over a few branches, and one log that was sitting on the road. It was strange to see this much obstruction on this road. Bob slowed his steed to a trot as he saw more branches and logs sitting on the path. Looking around he studied how these branches were placed while keeping an eye on the trees.

"That pathfinder is going to get a beating before I am done with him." he said to himself. His anger boiled a little as he looked around astride his automaton horse constructed in a lab to replace the horses who often froze in these conditions. Replacing the steeds with mechanical ones gave them an advantage in every terrain possible. However the wiring and circuits had to be protected from the elements. Bob studied the branches closely noticing some of them had been cut. Branches and trees cut up for obstructing a path meant two things sabotage, and ambush.

Before he got his steed moving he heard a twig snap followed by movement. He drew his war mace that hung next to his sword. On his left he had the khanjar dagger, and the shield with pieces of metal for bashing an enemies face in. Hanging on the saddle was his spear that folded up. Like any hero and knight would he armed himself with the shield. Bob drove his steed in a circle as no more than twenty-nine mutants of the M.O.R. came out of the woods. His automaton steed did not panic like a living horse did, which was another advantage. Squeezing the handle of his mace it extended out to a half a foot longer so he could have better reach. Being the Crusading Champion he was Bob did not hesitate to begin cracking skulls and smashing faces.

Forming circles and zigzagging back and forth Bob Denson crushed the ambush with ease. Astride his metal steed he went for their heads, shoulders, and crowns. He hardly gave the mutations a chance to even swing their weapons. In his mind he knew why his reputation terrified them. However his sweet loving wife with a heart of gold was even more terrifying than he was at her full power. This forest was fortunate not to have her hear otherwise it would have to pray for heavy rain to kill the flames. He hardly looked at them at all since not one mutant looked the same either they had a certain skin color or mutation whether it was extra limbs, extra heads, huge bodies, skinny bodies, or strange spider like legs. Others had stumps for feet and some big heads for chomping. When the last mutant of the M.O.R. ambush was bashed in the face Bob resumed his ride to down the path. He had to catch up to Frank Swanners, and Garrison Enkerrel at the abandoned stone lodge along the path. Putting his own steed at full gallop Bob pressed on to meet his fellow knights.

Going down the path Bob Denson finally spotted two figures up ahead one wore a tunic of black and blue with his Kite shield, and the third in Dragon Red and silver. As he rode up to the two knights their own armor could be defined. Frank Swanners a former Swan Knight of their home world donned a blue and black colors that resembled his house. His armor appeared more like combat armor the Guardians wore that he coated black and blue. Garrison wore armor fitting a Dragon Knight that was coated red and silver. His half helm had the shape of a Dragon's upper jaw. Frank Swanners was armed with the Kite Shield, the swan's sword, and halberd. Garrison wielded his axe, heater shield, bow and arrows on his back. Apparently they were also ambushed at the abandoned lodge.

"I see you two have been busy killing more mutations." Bob exclaimed cheerily putting on a grin as he trotted up to them.

"Bob!" Both cried out with joy. Each one gave him a greeting of their own after seeing him several months ago.

"What took you?" Frank asked in mock earnest.

"Ambushed up the road. The M.O.R. scum lay down branches and trees they cut up to obstruct the path." Bob gestured towards the path he had come from.

"How many Mutants?" Garrison asked him.

"Just twenty-nine or so I made short work of them." Bob said boasting on how quick he was.

"Twenty-nine mutants against one Male Godlikespawn Champion Knight with a monkey tail. Now that is very much a joke according to Grand Master Gathrum." Garrison pointed out trying to mimic the man's voice. Bob chuckled along with the two other knights he was clad in white like a Brother of a Crusader Order.

"Many call you the white knight still. Even though you are a clansman." Frank said quoting another great leader of the Order.

The trio of Knights settled down and pressed further down the path. It was more of a cake walk until they came upon a small fort along the road with a tower parallel to it. Both fort and tower were to garrison twenty to thirty archers, and infantrymen. Each of these outposts would be given an additional dozen crossbowmen and six Guardians. As the trio rod up to it they discovered it was besieged by a force of six hundred mutants. Arrows flew down on the mutants as they tried to break down the gates to the tower and the fort. Bob looked at his two friends who nodded to him as a yes. Although they were few in number they still knew the terrain well and had the element of surprise. Frank, Garrison, and Bob did cycle charges down the ranks of the small horde. Each one retreated into the woods going back and forth. Each time they cut into a tree using axes that were equipped on the steeds. Bob and Frank kept up the charges while Garrison fired arrows into the ranks from the woods. Doing these cycle charges and chopping at a tree from an angle caused twelve trees to fall on the horde. Each one was a tall pine tree. To their misfortune none of the trees were light on fire which would have far more devastating effect.

Neither of them were done when the trees fell on the horde. Acting as their true race would the trio descended on the Mutants showing no mercy to any trying to get up or lay wounded. Each one had a shield and unsheathed his blade. Blades pierced flesh, pierced thin armor, slashed limbs off, decapitated heads, and speared bodies. Whenever they were surrounded they each sheathed swords and used their longer weapons in a small circle. Arrows from the fort showered down on the larger groups reducing the numbers the knights had to face. He stomped on the heads of mutants who were crushed by the trees or held pinned by a branch. Many of these pinned down Mutants became easy targets. There was no stopping now as they took on the Mutant horde that foolishly went after them while the defenders loosed arrows on them. As a team they went down the path that the fallen timbers allowed them to take. Going down these created pathways they left a trail of bodies before going to the next path. Whenever Mutants got smart and jumped over the timbers the archers on the fort loosed hell on them relying on the heavy doors to hold against the horde. Bob used each of his weapons before dual wielding at the gate. When they finally got to the gate there was not much left of the horde. He enjoyed taking advantage of the situation when it came to combat. Using his mace in one hand, and his sword in the other he slaughtered the Mutants at the gate. He stood over the corpses of the slain Mutants victorious. Bob Denson looked around and saw no one else had come to challenge him. The Champion, Knight, and Former Pirate gave out a war cry of victory. His two friends did the same letting their roars echo through the woods.



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