Crusader's Legacy

[SKILORD]

Chapter tonight?

Perhaps it is so.

[SKILORD]

Chapter 10: For lack of Hope

The Next Chapter, for those of you who have been dying for it. It's a refined model, thankfully. I've composed new Counter Factual and used that as a testing ground for some new literary techniques.
I may post it later, I have yet to produce a satisfactory title for it, but I can tell you that it is very good, the basic 'South wins the Civil War' model with a few interesting twists. I probably wrote it mostly out of hatred for Mr. Turtledove's 'How Few Remain-Great War Series.' Which are, in my eyes, the worst possible take on an Independent Confederacy.

But while you may care deeply about that, That is for another thread, a thread I may well anticipate, but a seperate thread regardless.

This is he story of Crusaders. This is their Legacy.

-

"Vivere militare est" He nodded to his aide.

"Ita," he nodded, "Ita Vera."

"Where will they strike next?" He unfolded a map, pointing to the assorted mountains of Rome.

The aide shrugged. Pointing at an asorted set of peaks to the north.

"That would be a brilliant move, victory there would grant them passage to the seven sacred hills. They would probably crush us with such a blow, but imagine he cost. They have no need to take a sea route, they have a border with us and I am sure their knights can reach us faster on land."

"Not if they were the troops from the Celtic front. They've declared truce and need not stay there. From there sea is the more direct route anyways. They aren't knights either, the Indians favor elephants."

The General sighed. looking at the map he muttered.

"It's over. Isn't it."

His aide nodded solemnly.

-

"We're out of nails, I'm sorry."

"Are you sure? Can you fashion nothing for my horse? We have a message to deliver."

The smithie, a fattening older felow whose white hair flew confusedly in whatever direction length would permit. His utter lack of beard was remarkable, though he unsurprisingly lacked teeth.

"We're out of nails. What is so hard for you to understand?"

"This is urgent!"

"Take it yourself then."

"I won't make it without that horse."

"You shan't rent her without a proper shoe on her. I shant apply some nonsence of a shoe. What could be so important anyway?"

He had been vowed to secrecy. Though his dark eyes parried with the thought of divulging the secret to this doddering old fool he realised that he couldn't. if he was overheard he might as well not go.

He tossed downhis hat angrily, storming off muttering.

"For want of a nail, the shoe was lost."

he scribbled it down on his pad as he dashed off to make a go at delivery on foot.

-

They surrounded him, an evil looking sort, probably not Indians, if the Indians had made it so far his message would not have helped anyway.

He wanted to run, to escape, they were mounted, he would never outrun them.

"For want of a horse, the message was lost," he thought as they ransacked his clothing, looking dumbly at the runes they could not read.

-

Roman generals did not lead from the front. It was a rare occasion that Ceaser did, but Pompey was no Caeser, he perfered things to be done in the classical, coldblooded style.

He surveyed the battlefeild, from his hill, pleased as the Romans stood strong against the Indian invaaders.

He laughed to a nearby legatus.

"Rome may well survive this after all." The smile was wide.

He turned to the battlefeild.

"Why isn't the Right flank advancing?" it was true, the knights stood still, unmoving.

"I....I dispatched a messanger sir. They should have received his message by now."

The Elephants charged the silent flank, catching the knights by surprise and overwhelming them. The Indians held a Roman flank, Pompey would shift his troops, but he already knew it was lost.

"For want of a message, the battle was lost."

-

Upon the ships the battle was perceived silently. Maps were arrayed befoere the ruler and god of India.
"The Sacred hills next. The Romans will be devastated if we burn the birthplace of Mars.

Gahndi, emperor of the Indian empire he had forged with his own two fists looked across the deep blue of ocean to the creen studded mountaintops of rome, the marks of war were apparent from even the vantage of the sea.

The quiet racket of a paddle in the water awoke him from his reverie.

"Sir, the battle is won. We seized th flank and crushed their troops. It wasa slaughter."

"On to the sacred hills then. The very heart of Rome."

"No," Shiva soothly denied them.

"It is not the heart of Rome?"

"The sacred hills. Are Rome."

-

"Empres fall, sir. We are simply the next."

Caeser glared at the advisor.

"Any chance of negotiation?"

The advisor chickled, "They play for keeps."

"So, no negotiation. No hope in heaven."

"That sums it up sir, very nicely."

"No."

:What sir?"

Caeser's eyes were aglow.

"What sir?" He repeated for good measure.

"No hope... but heaven."

"Don't follow."

"Leave then. I must speak with Mars."

Mumbling about superstition the Advisor left.

Cackles of Laughter soon followed him up the hall, it wasn't Caeser's voice, he reqalised. Too deep. Too... Godlike.

[SKILORD]

Look at the mad feedback.....

I could wrap this up quicly if it borse you that much....

[vovan]

Well, I haven't had much time lately at all. But now I have been able to read through the whole thing and all I can say is: wow!

Awesome stuff as always, SKI! I liked this story a lot when you just started it and now it is getting even better. Please keep writing, SKI, I, for one, would be quite saddened if you wrap this up prematurely. Good luck, and may the inspiration be with you.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Now now young SKI dont go getting all uppitty on us, I like it and wish you to continue. Truth is Ive only just seen it and replied straight away, you certainly kept us waiting long enough for an installment so a little more patience with us would be desirable.

[SKILORD]

sorry then.

Thanks then.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Salright.

[SKILORD]

Blessed are the Peacemakers is done and up, I can devote more time here now.

[SKILORD]

Chapter 11: The Godless

The metallic clang stung his ears. It was all he had left to offer. He had plotted long with Caeser to perfectr his surprise. He had apparently failed, he cracked a grin as his body, a body he supposed now, fell to the floor. Mortality was a funny thing.

Shiva's curved blade finished the swing, as the Gladius enchantingly rolled away from the limp hands, a hypnotic noise followed in it's wake.

"Ah, how the mighty have fallen."

The new voice took Shiva by surprise, Mars grunted his last breaths in stammering confusion. Shiva turned his head.

Cernunous grinned back at him.

"Again?" Shiva asked. A perplexed glare reflected back from the craggy horned face.

It became apparent that Cernunnuos had regained his bearings. His eyes lit up and he spoke.

"No. No, of course not. We are both tired. I would rather crush you when I recover."

"You trust me?" Samaharamuti asked, grinning.

Mars grunted for the last time and then lay dead, blood seeping from his lips. This caught the attention of the Indian and Celt for a moment before they turned to each other.

"No, I don't. But I trust my sword."

Shiva nodded.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing really.Just came to watch the show. I suppose we shall meet again?"

"We don't have to."

"But we must. Do you think that the process can be stopped. In the end, there can be only one. You know this as well as I. I don't relish the thought of fighting you, I saw you and Mars. Peace has no hope. Not until one stands, uber aelles, as Tiw would say."

Shiva frowned.

"One day perhaps. But I have the Romans to deal with first"

"Deal as you must. It is right to kill the godless ones. It is the way of the godless to die."

-

Marcus Secundus had once been an advisor to Caeser. No-one before him, though the crowd was massive, would have ever guesssed this. His toga waas unstained, much like a preists.

Marcus was no preist.

"There is no god." His voice boomed before the masses. Who took aghas looks upon their faces. He stood before the Great temple, tat first building Caeser had built in Rome. Marble veins bled slowly away from the wound which took it's daggar of a pulpit upon them.

"Mars is dead, and Mars alone was God. I call you people to see this. We shall stand tall, We need no petty god to govern our affairs!" His fist was raised to the heavens, defiantly.

"Your like have come before. You have always been wrong."

Marcus eyed the stranger in the crowd, a sneer in his visage.

"Mars hsa always struck them dead," He raised his arms away from him, baring his chest to the sky, "If you live, exhalted Mars, then strike me down for the blasphemer I am."

Silence swept across the expectant crowd, a few near the front backed away, fearful.

Nothing happened.

His arms fell.

"Do you see?"

The crowd stared dumbly, a man cried out,

"He lives!"

Marcus frowned.

"Thank you captain obvious."

The man smiled proudly and turned to the crowd, "I'm a captain!" he exclaimed, leaving to spread the good word.

Marcus sighed. He had lost momentum to the fool.

"So join me my freinds. We shall worship none, we shall build swords rather than temples. We shall defend our homeland ourselves, not ask the pity of a dead god."

Cheers rose with fists matching his own. The very heavens shuddered at the volume.

-

"What do you think your doing?"

Marcu looked up from his papers, "So the king makes housecalls now?"

Caeser sighed, uncomfortable, "We make exceptions when our kingdom stands threatened."

"Don't worry." Marcus put his pen back to the parchment and turned his eyes away from Julius.

Caeser shook his head quickly, surprised.

"What do you mean."

MArcus looked up, pity in his eyes for the ignorant.

"Your day is over, naught can be done. Surrender yourself to destiny and enjoy what remains of your life."

Caeser sneered, "My life is eternal," he took up his Gladius, "Much unlike yours."

Marcus lazily pulled a knife up and slid it across the king's arm. Blood came forth excitedly.

Marcus looked up.

"Leave this house. I shall grant you a Kingdom as long as I\it pleases me."

Caeser stammared, backwheeling for the door.

"I still have followers." He turned and ran for his chariot.

To the swinging door he muttered, not bothering to look up from his writings, "So does Mars."

-

"We've met stiff resistance to the East sir."

"Legions? Pikes? What do the Romans hae left?"

"It seems to be peasants. An army of them."

Judas shrugged, "What of it? Simply slaughter them."

"They are building lines, crude soldier work at best, but they fight and die. We die as well, general, and they have many more than we."

"So? Bring the catapaults and use those. It should frighten them off."

"Their determined sire. And besides, our artilarry has fallen behind, it would take weeks for it to catch up on the unpaved dirt and mud. Our supply lines are broken, they would have no direction to go in. We cannot get the catapaults."

"We shall win. They are only peasants."

"They have a rallying cry, can you explain it for me?"

Judas sighed, "I must be off to fight real armies, what is it?"

"Deus Mortuus Est" (NB: My Latin if foggy, I didn't take it this year, methinks the cases and declensions are right, correct me if not)

"God is dead." with this he turned and left, not bothering to remember it.

-

A daggar their banner, swords unsheathed, they marched with ironically religious zeal.

"Deus Mortuus Est!" shouted from very marching tongue. The heavens quaked and the mountains shivered. With every raised sword and torch came another chance at freedom, another loss worth dying for. The numbers swelled, the mob of romans marched on angrilly. A storm on the horizon.

The armed masses had found a strength they had never known before.

God save the Kings.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Most excellent chapter(some minor typos) and very good change of direction and pace.

[vovan]

Nice. Sorry, I didn't comment on this earlier - I didn't notice you posted a chapter.

Any ways, I agree with Chris here: it is a very good chapter. Good stuff. Please keep the goods coming.

[SKILORD]

Yeah Chrisus, I like the new direction too.

Maybe I'll post a chapter tonight sometime.... I don't really know.

My thoughts are that I'll finish Crusader up before I start on the next story for my CSA anthology.

That will be either Indivisible or King and Country, but if you wanna comment on that go to the Peacemaker's thread.

[SKILORD]

Next Chapter soon, the last week 9of my life has been dominated by study for the AP European Exam which I will finish with tomorrow.

God Save Me.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Looking forward to it friend.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Ive just voted for you in the hall of fame thingy me bob saying what an excellent writer you are! so its only fair you should write us some more. please.