Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Albinor Chronicles Chapter 19
"Battle of Death"

By Marcus Pan

August 21, 003

The host of Karameikos marched southwest from Krakatos, a hundred-strong of the finest knights of the realm. And leading them atop a great, barded warhorse was Captain Karnack Knight, the newly commissioned officer of the duke. For days they traveled sending man and beast scattering before them. 'Twas nearly a week of uneventful travel before they reached their destination the grim and evil village of Death deep within the borders of Entropia. They were to engage the village in melee if needed, conquer it, then burn it. This was to be Duke Stefan's first major assault on the Duke of Death in open skirmish.

As Karnack and his men came over the slow, rolling hills outside of Death a loud trumpet sounded, echoing in the vales. From surrounding homes and barns and the farmer's fields came a tumult of men. They surrounded the army of knights and brandished picks, hoes, knives and torches aflame. The knights drew their longswords and closed formation, Karnack shouting orders from atop his horse. The people were villagers of Death, not regular infantry of the Duke of Death, yet there were many. Hundreds of them. Families of people under Aasgard's rule surging forth to engage the shining knights of Duke Stefan. Karnack rode amongst his troops preparing for the inevitable onslaught. The people of Entropia crashed into the formation of the knights and the battle ensued. It was a rather short battle, ending barely a half hour from whence it started, but many fell. The people fought on taking up the weapons of the fallen knights, some even taking the time to put on the chain mail that they wore as they fell in the dirt. Among the people were ten dark-garbed knights of Entropia wreaking havoc as they went, ordering the mob to battle as they could. Whenever a villager fell another would move in to fill the gap. A locked circle surrounded the knights and none could escape. Fighting on, Karnack rose his horse and leapt the circle. Landing atop and trampling some of the villagers in his way, he took off and bolted northeast back to Krakatos. The bodies of the slain knights were burned atop a great pyre, the flames lasting nearly all the eve after the battle.

Karnack rode on and brought the evil tidings to the duke. The people were rallying beneath Hector. Plans were made for another assault in the future, for it will not be long before Hector Aasgard, the Duke of Death, sends his own knights into battle. All knights of Karameikos fell and none of the knights of Entropia fell at the Battle of Death. However, the Duke of Death lost many of his subjects in the tumult. Karnack needed rest. He rested well so that he may lead his men into battle against Entropia again.

The above item may have been edited by the author since its first appearance in Legends No. 49.