TheKing-Hero Barbaros

Started 1.5.17 - Ended -

Chapter 1

As I slowly remove my iron helmet the chill wind blows against my face. It felt like they were on fire but, I quietly ignored the pain searching for my target.

I finally see him after scanning the enormous army in front of me. He was sitting on a horse moving with the slow march of his army.

Both he and the horse had full metal armor. It glistened from the sun that shined brightly from above.

I slowly look down at my bow. My most cherished possession. Passed down to me by my father and his father before him. It was sleek and dyed the color of midnight.

From inside the cover of the trees and vegetation that surrounds me, I notch an arrow and raise my bow, pointing towards the sky. I slightly adjusted according to the wind, aiming a little right of my target.

I release the string of the bow. I watch as it pushed the arrow into the air where it takes flight toward the target.

The contact of the arrow hitting the armor could not be heard over the deafening sound of the marching army.

The arrow protruded out of the man. He seemed to rock back and forth on top of his horse before finally collapsing.

The horse didn't seem to have noticed the person riding it had died. It kept walking to the rhythm of the army.

I slowly step back, causing the dry leaves to crackle as they break apart. I wince slightly. I scan the inside of the forest, making sure that no patrols were near me.

I slowly move back into the forest, careful not to make too much noise.

After walking for roughly ten minutes I finally come to a small clearing where ten soldiers were waiting with a horse for me.

I scanned looked at my men and nodded. They wore full metal armor with my noble emblem painted on it. The emblem was a red cross that had a snake curling around it.

We slowly make our trek back to my small army camp.

It was a small area with tents set up. There were roughly one thousand men, all in armor waiting for my return.

I look them over remembering the promise I made to my father before he died.

I must protect my father's lands and his people, I say, trying to reassure myself.

I walk over to my men thinking of all the ways that this could end. I steeled myself for what must be done. With only one thousand men going against their army of roughly fourteen thousand troops, this was practically a suicide mission.

I frowned, I had sent a rider to the capital to inform the king days ago but still haven't gotten a reply. I was worried we would be the only forces standing against this mighty army.

The army was from the south of our kingdom. They came from a country called The Thenin Empire. They were known for the large military prowess.

They had recently set their eyes on my small amount of land that bordered their country, but this was their first military action against us.

I had lived here for many years and knew there was a valley with a small forest in the bottom. The enemy forces would be corralled into the forest that would act as a choke point.

The enemy would probably expect it since we hadn't tried to push them head on. This was going to be a horrific battle.

I decided we would wait until they had to march through the small forest to attack. I tired myself thinking of other ways that would raise our chances of winning, but with only limited time this was our best option.

Only about twenty of my men had horses so it would take about 10 minutes to reach our destination.

We started marching toward the forest. The sun was slowly slipping out of sight, giving rise to the light of the moon.

We reached our positions right as the last of the light dipped below to horizon, leaving us with the chill of the night air. We took up positions inside the forest to protect ourselves against arrows and to hide ourselves.

As we quietly waited you could hear the faint sound of the army marching towards us.

The clank as their metal shoes hit the ground. I could hear it over the sound of heavy breathing that showed my anxiousness for this battle. I looked out toward the enemy army as it slowly approached.

It was a normal military arrangement with spear men in the front flanked by sword men. The archers were marching behind the sword men so that they would be protect from rushing enemies. I was curious how their army held together after I killed their commander.

The sound of their feet hitting the ground was deafening as they marched closer and closer. I could finally out the person in front of the spear men.

It was a woman in full metal armor. I thought my eyes were betraying me, she had an emblem of her king on her armor. Only generals are allowed to have a king's insignia on their armor.

Then it hit me, the man I shoot off the horse was a decoy, and this was the army's real leader.

I cursed my lack of forethought. I thought we might have a chance since the army didn't have a leader but this changed things.

My soldiers were standing behind trees and crouching behind bushes. They were trying to make themselves invisible.

Only the rustling of leaves and the slow marching of the army could be heard in the night. I shifted uneasily hoping that this would end well.

I placed my men in a V formation, forcing the enemy into an area where they would be attacked from all sides.

The sound of leaves crunching and sticks breaking told me that the enemy had finally entered the forest. They carried torches that caused dark shadows to fall on the ground.

I thought it was odd that the general stayed at the front of her army. It was the most vulnerable position, especially in this forest.

She had two men beside her with short swords in one hand and torches that glowed a bright orange in the other.

I was worried, this was no ordinary set up especially for in the forest. They must be planning something I thought.

That was when the enemy army halted their advance. Quickly returning the forest to a silent land where you could even hear a twig break.

The silence was interrupted by a hundred archers moved just outside of the forest A man came running by them with a torch lighting their arrows.

They were going to burn the forest down!

The archers lifted their arrows and shot. The flames seemed to leap into the air toward the back end of the forest.

They were trying to trap us between their army and the fires. How did they know we were here!

I looked at their general, but couldn't see her face.

We were trapped, this would be a fight to the death. I placed my bow on my back, pulling a sword out for fighting. I shout, CHARGE! The troops seemed to come out of everywhere as my men stood from their hiding place. They knew that there was no retreating out of this battle.

Simultaneously, their general drew her sword and shouted charge to her army. They seemed to rush forward with their spears and swords, ready to slash and kill anything that moved.

I was the third person to meet the enemy onslaught. The first two died almost immediately by the spear men.

I ran for the general thinking if I can kill her we might rout the enemy. Forcing them back to their lands.

The general stepped forward and our swords collided with a loud metallic clang. She quickly pulled her sword back for another strike.

Our swords meet again dulling their sides. The swords scrapped together, forcing me to come near the enemy.

She skillfully kicked me in the leg, making me move backwards as she pulled her sword down for a vertical slash. It would have been a fatal blow if I hadn't rolled out of the way. I quickly got to my feet