The Hero At the Gates, Part I

I. Korlan lived in the Kingdom of Bellteer, in the capital city of Magoss, working as a guard on the city walls, even better, they stationed him up top. Didn’t have to talk to those who came in, just walked his route, kept a decent eye out, if he saw anything out of the norm he would close the gate, and give a loud shout. A perfect job for an old soldier who had spent two long decades out on campaigns, the work was easy, not too much stress on aging joint that were no strangers to pain. It was on a cool and sunny morning, Korlan walked his circuit quite leisurely, he’d been up a bit late in the taverns, and was still unsteady on his poor feet. He heard a cry from a man down the wall who scanned the meadows with a long spyglass, the guard said,”Hark, it’s the princess Man’ee, and her entourage is galloping fast!” Korlan ran to the main gatehouse turret where levers waited holding the portcullis, this was his post in tough situations, they’d been trained, and were all ready for this. But as he looked out, he soon realized that the dust cloud thrown up was much too large, it could be no highwaymen chasing them, this big it must be a cavalry charge. Moments slipped by and his fears were confirmed, thousands of horsemen, dressed up all in black, the Hrethwite Horde, who ravaged the lands, with the army gone, nothing held them back. There lead riders were now hacking away at the rear of the princesses entourage, some of them tried to fight, but most just fell, all slashed up and abandoned by the Gods… Fine silk stained crimson by long curving blades, and they were still a quarter-mile away, if Korlan did not shut the gates quickly the whole city they would pillage and slay. Korlan hesitated, wondering if Princess Man’ee might just push her way through, then close the gate behind her rapidly, savages would get in, but only a few. They could handle a handful of Hrethwite, even though they were either old or green, but all hope of this did soon fade away when Korlan looked back out upon the scene. The horde had enveloped the princess, and her entourage so quickly dissolved, their hope had disappeared, so close to home, just one hundred yard’s distance from the wall. When Korlan sas the mob descend on her there was no more reason for him to wait, sixty thousand souls lived in the city, he hit the lever, and down came the gate... CONTINUES IN PART II.