Post by The Stranger on Jul 24, 2008 23:22:32 GMT -5
Galahad had marched for months, and finally, the moment was upon them. He had seen sights few he knew would ever see; the meadows, the fields, the mountains, the forests, and the ocean. The ocean, it was so beautiful, a gift to man from the Seven. He was starring at another ocean now, a rampaging one, of black under black.
The enemy, the 'Basilisks', were not of these lands, he was told, but monsters of a far off kingdom, set on destroying these lands. Killing the sons, and raping the women, while burning all in their path. If they crossed the Deep Den, they would no doubt cross paths with his farm. 'They must not do that.' he thought to himself, as before him, the shadow men crawled over the land, and into the Den. Above, the sky was dark and ominous, as thunder rolled over the mountains, and rain began to pour.
He was placed in the van, in the front lines. His old horse whickered as the rain fell, and the dirt turned to mud. It would not be long. As the commander gave his speech, he hefted his lance. It was made of plain oak, made by himself. Raising it at the end of the inaudible speech, he yelled in unison with the rest, as the war drums began to beat, and the charge was signaled.
Kicking his horse forwards, Galahad pushed his horse forwards, down the side of the hill they were perched on, as they came down upon the Deep Den, and the Basilisk banners beneath it. As he came upon the enemy, his horse was breathing heavily, and as he was about to strike an enemy soldier, the horse tripped on the mud, sending the lance astray and Galahad into the man, knocking them both to the ground.
By reaction alone, as his body was stunned, he drew his sword and slid it through the mask of the man, killing him. 'Seven, guide my blades, and woe to my enemies,' he prayed silently, before rising to his feet, blood on this mail, and mud on his boots, drawing the other sword, and breathing deep. The horse had broken it's neck in the fall, poor lady.
As he raised his eyes, he saw the enemy had regained their pose against the initial shock, as a face swung his halberd at Galahad, aiming for his face. A slower man would have caught it, though Galahad had the Seven on his side. Ducking the swing, Galahad dragged his sword across the man's belly, spilling his innards, before moving forwards. Dancing aside from two men, Galahad spun from a swipe at his life, before lunging in, putting both swords in one of the man's chests. The man coughed blood up, as it leaked through his mask, as he died standing. 'To the seven hells with you,' Gal cursed, but he soon took a blow to the back. The cut was shallow, for the chain mail absorbed most of the damage, though he felt it, as he spun to find another soldier brought to him.
The man tried another attempt at Gal, hoping to cause more damage, though the next attack was not as lucky as the first. Galahad was bigger than the man, and raised his sword, stopping the polearm dead, as he made the man share the same fate, as his right sword cut through the man's neck, spilling his lifesblood, appeasing the Stranger.
Galahad looked above, sighting the fortress, and made his way towards it. His two blades twirled and sliced, killing many of the men of the lizards, though he was glad to find that despite appearances and rumors, their blood too was red.
Three more men fell to Gawain's blades before he turned to march on towards the castle, the armies blurred together now, as enemy and friendly were mixed. Killing one more man, Galahad kicked the man in the chest, after pulling his sword from the body, though as he looked up, he found himself covered in a shadow. The shadow of a very large man, wearing a more distorted mask than the rest. Grunting the large man moved forwards, shaking the earth, as he was at least 25 stone, and more than a head taller than Gal. Shocked initially by the mere size of the man, and the maul he held in his giant hands, Galahad walked back slowly, before slipping a little in the mud, though he regained his balance, and his senses.
'The Warrior be with me,' he prayed, advancing towards the man, lunging forwards suddenly, before raising both of his swords, ready to bring them both down in a low side sweep. However, he did not get to finish, for just before he brought his swords down, the mammoth dropped his club down, landing where Galahad was, if he had not rolled to the side. Coming up beside the beast, he brought his sword down upon the thing's leg, cutting deep and causing a moan of pain, before it swung it's free hand at Galahad in a backhand motion. Raising his other sword to block the blow, he succeeded in cutting the beast's hand, though it was too powerful, as it knocked him down.
Coming to his feet again quickly, Galahad avoided another swing of the club, before he lunged forwards at the thing as it was in it's follow-through. Jumping up towards it, and planting a boot on it's injured leg, the monster opened it's mouth in agony, as his boot pulled on the exposed muscles, and Galahad raised both his swords above his head, before bringing them both down as they crossed into the giant's mouth, and coming out on opposite ends of it's neck, as blood sprayed.
It stood still for a moment, one of it's huge eyes visible through the mask, wide and unseeing. As it fell backwards slowly, Galahad pulled his swords out of it's head, pulling out tissue and muscle, leaving a mess. Around him, men and soldiers cried in triumph at seeing the massive soldier lie dead. No doubt it had taken many lives.
Some of the other Basilisk men looked upon in fear, as Galahad continued his killing spree, before finding another horse, no doubt belonging to a dead or lost knight, and mounting it. It steered well and was very strong. It kicked at first, though he calmed it with a touch, before pushing it forwards to cause more woe upon the Lizards. The battle raged on, before a cry went up and the main bulk of the Lizard men pushed forwards, pulling away from the battle, as Galahad reached the Deep Den, to find a murder scene, bodies everywhere.
The Lizards killed men on their rampage out, though those left behind were quickly disposed of. The battle was over, and the men stood hunched, or leaning, many treating their wounds. Everywhere bodies lay, corpses here and there, even half a foot and arm could be seen strewn on the ground. They won the battle, though they lost the day.
Galahad to Master Swordsmanship.
Galahad achieves Expert Battle Strategy.
The enemy, the 'Basilisks', were not of these lands, he was told, but monsters of a far off kingdom, set on destroying these lands. Killing the sons, and raping the women, while burning all in their path. If they crossed the Deep Den, they would no doubt cross paths with his farm. 'They must not do that.' he thought to himself, as before him, the shadow men crawled over the land, and into the Den. Above, the sky was dark and ominous, as thunder rolled over the mountains, and rain began to pour.
He was placed in the van, in the front lines. His old horse whickered as the rain fell, and the dirt turned to mud. It would not be long. As the commander gave his speech, he hefted his lance. It was made of plain oak, made by himself. Raising it at the end of the inaudible speech, he yelled in unison with the rest, as the war drums began to beat, and the charge was signaled.
Kicking his horse forwards, Galahad pushed his horse forwards, down the side of the hill they were perched on, as they came down upon the Deep Den, and the Basilisk banners beneath it. As he came upon the enemy, his horse was breathing heavily, and as he was about to strike an enemy soldier, the horse tripped on the mud, sending the lance astray and Galahad into the man, knocking them both to the ground.
By reaction alone, as his body was stunned, he drew his sword and slid it through the mask of the man, killing him. 'Seven, guide my blades, and woe to my enemies,' he prayed silently, before rising to his feet, blood on this mail, and mud on his boots, drawing the other sword, and breathing deep. The horse had broken it's neck in the fall, poor lady.
As he raised his eyes, he saw the enemy had regained their pose against the initial shock, as a face swung his halberd at Galahad, aiming for his face. A slower man would have caught it, though Galahad had the Seven on his side. Ducking the swing, Galahad dragged his sword across the man's belly, spilling his innards, before moving forwards. Dancing aside from two men, Galahad spun from a swipe at his life, before lunging in, putting both swords in one of the man's chests. The man coughed blood up, as it leaked through his mask, as he died standing. 'To the seven hells with you,' Gal cursed, but he soon took a blow to the back. The cut was shallow, for the chain mail absorbed most of the damage, though he felt it, as he spun to find another soldier brought to him.
The man tried another attempt at Gal, hoping to cause more damage, though the next attack was not as lucky as the first. Galahad was bigger than the man, and raised his sword, stopping the polearm dead, as he made the man share the same fate, as his right sword cut through the man's neck, spilling his lifesblood, appeasing the Stranger.
Galahad looked above, sighting the fortress, and made his way towards it. His two blades twirled and sliced, killing many of the men of the lizards, though he was glad to find that despite appearances and rumors, their blood too was red.
Three more men fell to Gawain's blades before he turned to march on towards the castle, the armies blurred together now, as enemy and friendly were mixed. Killing one more man, Galahad kicked the man in the chest, after pulling his sword from the body, though as he looked up, he found himself covered in a shadow. The shadow of a very large man, wearing a more distorted mask than the rest. Grunting the large man moved forwards, shaking the earth, as he was at least 25 stone, and more than a head taller than Gal. Shocked initially by the mere size of the man, and the maul he held in his giant hands, Galahad walked back slowly, before slipping a little in the mud, though he regained his balance, and his senses.
'The Warrior be with me,' he prayed, advancing towards the man, lunging forwards suddenly, before raising both of his swords, ready to bring them both down in a low side sweep. However, he did not get to finish, for just before he brought his swords down, the mammoth dropped his club down, landing where Galahad was, if he had not rolled to the side. Coming up beside the beast, he brought his sword down upon the thing's leg, cutting deep and causing a moan of pain, before it swung it's free hand at Galahad in a backhand motion. Raising his other sword to block the blow, he succeeded in cutting the beast's hand, though it was too powerful, as it knocked him down.
Coming to his feet again quickly, Galahad avoided another swing of the club, before he lunged forwards at the thing as it was in it's follow-through. Jumping up towards it, and planting a boot on it's injured leg, the monster opened it's mouth in agony, as his boot pulled on the exposed muscles, and Galahad raised both his swords above his head, before bringing them both down as they crossed into the giant's mouth, and coming out on opposite ends of it's neck, as blood sprayed.
It stood still for a moment, one of it's huge eyes visible through the mask, wide and unseeing. As it fell backwards slowly, Galahad pulled his swords out of it's head, pulling out tissue and muscle, leaving a mess. Around him, men and soldiers cried in triumph at seeing the massive soldier lie dead. No doubt it had taken many lives.
Some of the other Basilisk men looked upon in fear, as Galahad continued his killing spree, before finding another horse, no doubt belonging to a dead or lost knight, and mounting it. It steered well and was very strong. It kicked at first, though he calmed it with a touch, before pushing it forwards to cause more woe upon the Lizards. The battle raged on, before a cry went up and the main bulk of the Lizard men pushed forwards, pulling away from the battle, as Galahad reached the Deep Den, to find a murder scene, bodies everywhere.
The Lizards killed men on their rampage out, though those left behind were quickly disposed of. The battle was over, and the men stood hunched, or leaning, many treating their wounds. Everywhere bodies lay, corpses here and there, even half a foot and arm could be seen strewn on the ground. They won the battle, though they lost the day.
Galahad to Master Swordsmanship.
Galahad achieves Expert Battle Strategy.