300 Holy Warriors

Luther Berthold stood where his reply from Cardinal Rothas had instructed him to go. Pondering the chain of events that led him to where he was standing now. Atop the 12 foot tall, twin gate wall separating the upper and lower half of the Causeway to the Holy City of Haven. Below the lower Causeway was burning and strewn with the Dark followers of the dead god, Bes the Depraved. Through the smoke and flame the next wave of fanatics, homeless, mercenaries, and displaced former holy men and women were gathering from New Haven to try and bring their wanton destruction down on the Holy City of Haven.

Only hours before on the 26th of Majestic he had been a half hour behind CrIsis departing Haven. Only scant minutes before the massacre behind him on the Sun Bridge and the Path of the Four Winds Bridge leading back toward New Haven. Both clergy and non-clergy alike angry at the wrath thought brought upon them when Xerx’ses of CrIsis slew Bes. Having just survived the complete destruction of the Dome of Celestial Virtue they wanted vengeance! Onward they came destroying and burning any structure on one of the two great stone bridges. They the murdering the residents of the bridges!

During the massacre Luther received a magical pigeon message about what to do next based upon a vision the good Cardinal had received from Horus the Avenger! He looked up and followed the cryptic instructions as though his life had depended upon it. Left, right, right, up, left, right, left, left, straight, and in hindsight it absolutely did. He ran and slid belly down through the gate as it shut closed when the guards had realized something horrible had happened within the town after the explosion in New Haven. The cloud could still be seen in the air above as he escaped to the Causeway Gatehouse. From the Causeway Gatehouse those watching could see the city forces begin to engaged the mob beginning to burn and destroy the north side of the town.

As night drew down it became clear the military force of the city was being overrun at a ratio of 2 to 1. By the time night drew down on the 26th of Majestic the northern portion of the city was burning in several locations. The city’s military forces have created two barricades:

1. from the southwest corner of the Causeway to the western outer wall,
2. and northeast corner of the Holy City to the eastern sea wall.

Only ten percent of the horde had gone to the northeast corner because most of the priests of the Holy City lit the fire major stone bridge: Path of the Four Winds Bridge. The other ninety percent made their way to the Causeway they funneled into a wide column. All of the 24 guards two Priests of Horus, and a Mind Mage that looks like they bear Timirian descent looked stunned at marching group of 9,000 angry now divorced ex-priests, divorced ex-followers, New Haven residents, and various sailors hired at a moment’s notice to bring the Holy city low. Priests of both Light and Dark are murdered before the gates of the Causeway! Luther gets his bow and joins the guards on the roof of the Causeway gatehouse. When he saw one of the priests being tortured he shoots them and the mob member holding them.

Explaining to one of the guards shocked by it that the dead can’t be tortured and may find paradise among the Ma’ip. They nod and soon Father William joins them and he surveys the forces being held back briefly crossbow and arrow fire from the guardsmen and Luther. Father William addresses everyone and Luther reveals himself and his orders as a Witch-Hunter in training. Father William introduces him to the Commander of the Guard, Sir Henryk Falconer. Sir Henryk asks Father William to send all the servants and able bodies to help with the defense and messages back and forth. He urges Father William to return to the Temple to protect the Twin Pyramids of Osiris. The Mind Mage erects a psi-barrier just above the ramparts leaving the slits between them open for shooting. Some of the guards get the supplies from the gatehouse and drop the bars on each of the two gates. The mob tries to get up to the gates and the small amount of arrow fire makes the approach difficult. The Mind Mage uses the torch fires of the mob to work against a number of them setting the crowd ablaze.

All the reinforcements that arrived were told to bring anything to reinforce the gate and prevent it from being busted through. As Luther joined in holding back those trying to scale the wall with his Yellowwood Bow of the Sun Tree he heard the cries of one of the gates breaking. A nod from Sir Henryk had him slinging his bow at he drew forth Standrok’s Stalwart Saber and go help defend the gate with its broken beam! Most of the Priests had retreated to their temples knowing if needed that means the gates were breached.

It was midnight when the attack against the wall had a reprieve. Some of the former Priests of Bes came forward and produced and hourglass and gave the defenders this hour to decide if they wanted to die here or allow them entry in exchange for their lives. Sir Henryk had been wounded and Luther stood on the wall and parleyed with the now former Priests and heads of this mob.

Former Priest, “Who defends the liars of the heavens?”
 
Luther replies, “Luther Berthold, Witch-Hunter in training of the Church of Light and Dark! If you and yours surrender we will let you flee the city to never return!”
 
Former Priest, “HAHAHAH! Boy you, your comrades will burn with your gods for not defending ours and abandoning us to the wrath of the Golden Spawn of the Old Ones!”
 
Luther yells, “YOU BLASPHEMER! Your mob will break upon this wall, none shall desecrate the Holy City!”
 
Former Priest, “HAHAHAH! Boy, you and those with you have an hour before we storm the wall, pray well.”

The mob retreats and they can see doors being brought forth to help build a makeshift ramp. Several of the guards came to Luther and asked why did he taunt the mob. Something caught Luther’s eye while he was being yelled at. The guardsmen kept asking him why he was aggravating the situation and all he replied was “Faith” and then cocking his eyes to see how close the true object of his attention. Soon Luther smiled at his small group of questioners and when they demanded what was so important that he was not paying attention he just pointed behind them and said, “That.”

Everyone turned behind themselves to see what Luther pointed at. Two female Ramen, one dressed in white and gold and the other dressed in black and red are walking with the remaining warrior priests, few Knights of the Order of the Dawn, and those remaining members of the Priests’ families willing to fight. Both Ramen come up and clang the metal capped butt ends of their spears on the stone. Banner flags on each spear signify Horus and Anhur! They explained that they volunteered to assist given that this member of the faithful valued every temple in the Holy City. People turn to where they point and see Luther standing.

In unison both of the twin female Ramen lionesses speak, “Valor and bravery should be rewarded, so with us we are 300 Holy warriors to hold back the just under 9,000 attackers. If we can hold them back long enough and cause enough damage then the bulk of the Military forces should be able to route the attacking forces from the rear.”

One of the Guardsmen that had been wounded asked the twin female Ramen lionesses, “How are we supposed to do that when outnumbered ten to one?”

Luther raises his hand and the twin female Ramen lionesses nod to him to speak. Luther climbs up to the Gatehouse wall, “It has fallen to us, to defend Haven, and we will make our preparations as well as they can be made. None of us took their god from the fanatics facing us now. No fanatic of the mob army now coming against us was a lost follower when the Oathkeeper killed Bes. A fight I saw with my very eyes! We fight over an offence we did not give, against those who were not directly involved in the offence of battle betwixt celestial figures! We defend this city, not to protect these stones, but the people living within these walls be they LIGHT or DARK!

Cheers went up from among the assembled militia! The twin female Ramen lionesses bid Luther come forward and once he does they bade him kneel. Then they bid everyone not a knight touch Luther and kneel as well. Those present do so and the few Knights of the Order of the Dawn join the Ramen in front of the kneeling militia.

With their spears upon Luther and the swords of the Knights of the Dawn upon the closest of those touching him, “Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Safeguard the helpless. Make sure when you strike only one hit is needed to achieve victory. Never lie, even if it leads to your death; that is your oath,” both Ramen slap Luther while the Knight slap those their blades touch, “And that is so you don’t forget it. Rise a knight… rise a Knight of the Dawn!”

The group walked to the ramparts of the wall, its two gates and looked out at the mob thousands strong and made their stand. With two roars at the hours end the mob charges the Causeway’s gatehouse!

When dawn rose on the 27th of Majestic Luther was holding the head of Anhur’s Ramen as it lay dying she looked at Luther and thanked him for helping her last longer than her twin. The Ramen spoke her final words, “Kings may move a vassal, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before the Scale of Souls, you cannot say, “But I was told by others to do thus.” Or that, “Virtue was not convenient at the time.” This will not suffice. Remember that, Luther.” With that the second Ramen closed her eyes to the world.

His face bloodstained, coat stained and torn Luther looks up to the remaining 27 members of Holy Warriors defending against Bes’ mob.

Vision of these chronicle of events was recorded on the 29th of Majestic after being seen another vision by Rod Rambler

Art by AZ-Rune Art, commission him at: artist@agodrebuilt.org
Additional “Battle” Lineart provided by Dyer Rose / @BasiliskOnline on Twitter.