The man lunged forward, using his shield to block his opponent's attack. He closed in, hooking his foot around the other man's leg, and yanking it out from underneath him. The infidel fell, and the man's sword followed after, piercing the man's head and brain.
All around him, his brethren were fighting the same, driving back the Saracens as they fought to reclaim the Holy City. It was brutal, chaotic, and the stench of death hung over the air. But they would not give up!
"Allahu Akbar!"
The battlecry of the infidel alerted the man to his attack, and he turned in one smooth motion, raising his shield as he went. The sword clashed off it, and the man plunged his blade into the Saracen's gut, cutting the infidel's stomach wide open. His enemy fell to the ground, and the man turned once more to battle.
"DEUS VULT!"
The cry left his lips as he charged another infidel, driving his foe back. The Holy Land would be reclaimed! The City would not fall! The standard of the Knights Templar flew high, held aloft by his comrades. The sun blazed down upon the war below it, as carrion birds took their place in the sky.
"Polendina, what's going on?!"
The man sighed, running his hand through his hair, which was getting whiter, and less and less full, with each passing year. James Ironwood, on the other hand, seemed to be getting more robust, and more loud.
"I've told you before, Ironwood, I don't exactly know! All I know is that the air is warped and distorted over the Kingdom of Vale, and it's getting worse. I can't give you anymore information than that!"
Ironwood sighed, and began pacing. Something was happening over the Kingdom of Vale, something unprecedented and he didn't like that.
He turned to a desk and put his Scroll atop it, watching as it lit up and a number was dialed. It rang twice and then connected, and a screen turned on to reveal Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy and Ironwood's longtime friend.
"James," Ozpin said calmly, setting his mug down, "I trust you have news?"
"Only that it's getting worse, Oz. Are you sure a mass evacuation isn't necessary?"
The older man shook his head.
"No. That would only cause a panic, and mass hysteria. Furthermore, there would be no good way to explain the situation, and the truth would not only be believed, but most likely ignored. We will have to weather this and see what it is."
Ironwood growled, but held his tongue. Ozpin was right, and James hated to admit it. He hated feeling this useless.
"I'm coming down there."
"Are you sure," Ozpin asked, raising an eyebrow, "Your duties as General and Headmaster come first, after all."
"Of course he's sure," Doctor Polendina chimed in, leaning into view from where he sat, "If he sits around here any longer, either he's going to go stir crazy, or I am! I cannot concentrate on my work with him breathing down my neck like a Beowulf. Put him to use down there, Ozpin."
"Very well then. I'll have preparations made for your arrival, James. But please, be discreet about this."
"If you insist, Oz," Ironwood said, "I can have my Captain look after things while I'm gone. I'll be there soon enough."
He picked up his scroll and the call ended, before turning to leave.
"Polendina, keep monitoring this anomaly, I want to know what happens, down to the smallest detail!"
"Aye aye, General!" Polendina said with a salute, though if the man was being serious or not, Ironwood couldn't tell. He quickly walked out of the room and down to the hanger, where a Bullhead would be waiting for him. Within minutes, his Captain joined him.
"Sir," she said smartly, matching his brisk pace, "Is everything alright?"
Ironwood forced himself to remain calm as he walked, and nodded to her.
"Yes. I'm leaving for Vale for a meeting with Beacon Academy's headmaster, Ozpin. I want you to look after things while I'm gone."
"Yes sir!"
"Good. I'm counting on you, Schnee."
The young woman saluted as he entered the Bullhead, and stood there as it took off, turning and leaving only when it was out of sight.
Back at Beacon, Ozpin sighed. The situation concerned him too, but nothing would be gained by worrying and overreacting.
"Glynda, make sure there's a room set aside for James when he arrives. "
"Very well."
The woman left and Ozpin let out a sigh now that he was alone. What was happening above his Kingdom?
The infidel roared as he jumped off a roof and at the man. He crouched low and brought his shield up, allowing the Saracen to crash onto it, before throwing him off with a mighty heave. His enemy crashed into the ground, and the man quickly strode over before his opponent could recover, and brought his sword down upon the man's neck, beheading him.
The Templars had made it into the Holy City itself and were routing the Saracens, striking them down where they found them. Justice was swiftly brought upon the infidels and their standard flew strong. The man himself was part of a large party that was wandering the alleyways, clearing out the rabble that hid there.
One of his party called out from an alleyway, and he rushed over, the others right behind him. They turned the corner slowly, weapons at the ready, shields up, but what they saw wasn't an infidel.
"Deus meus," one of them breathed quietly in awe. The man felt inclined to agree, and muttered a quick prayer under his lips.
The alleyway led to a dead end, but that wasn't what caught their attention. No, it was the way the area in front of them seemed to stretch and bend, the very air visibly warping before their very eyes.
"Witchcraft!"
The word was whispered harshly by one of the others, but it resonated through them all, and they tensed up. They didn't want to be near it any longer, but someone had to stay there and keep an eye on it while the others notified the pope.
After some debate, the man offered to stay with three others while the rest left to bring the pope to that area for an exorcism. The four were on guard and on edge, stuck between keeping an eye out for Saracens and keep an eye on the area.
The man knelt down with his head bowed, sword in front of him, and muttered a prayer. A shout startled him and he stood up in time to see the air warping more violently. It looked like the distance did on a hot day, but far worse. It seemed like the very world there was stretching out further and further than possible, and it disoriented him and his companions.
They quickly began to back away, the other two in the rear keeping an eye out for an ambush. Just as they were almost out of the alleyway, the youngest of the group tripped and fell, too disoriented to get up.
The man cursed, sheathed his sword, and ran back for his comrade, helping him up and rushing to the end. A shout from one of the others caused him to look back and see the walls around them bending. They weren't going to make it. He shouted back and threw his comrade at the other two.
They caught him and one ran off with him, the other shouting for his brother in arms to hurry, arm outstretched. The man ran forward, reaching for him, and then suddenly all went dark.
"Ironwood, we've got activity!"
Those words caused the three adults in the room to snap to attention, and they turned to the screen to see Doctor Polendina sitting there, worry written across his features.
"What's going on," Ironwood demanded, "Have you pinpointed its exact location?!"
"I have," the doctor said, "It's right above the Emerald Forest. The anomaly is expanding rapidly, and there appears to be a heat signature inside it! I-I think something's coming out!"
"Send us the coordinates," Ozpin said, standing slowly, gripping his cane tightly, "We will head over there at once and confront it ourselves."
The man nodded and the screen went dead, though a second later, Glynda's scroll chimed. With the coordinates in hand, the two Huntsmen and single Huntress quickly left, being sure to avoid any students along the way. When they arrived at the spot, it became obvious that something was going on.
The air was stretching and lengthening, the trees around them warping, twisting and bending at unnatural angles. Ironwood pulled his gun out, while Glynda readied her crop. Ozpin stood there calmly, both hands on his cane, his eyes sharp and focused.
The wait was not a long one.
With a loud bang, the air shifted violently and the three adults felt their stomachs lurch as their equilibrium shifted. It didn't last more than a couple of seconds, and died down. However, all was not the same.
"Look!"
At Glynda's exclamation, both men turned to the direction she pointed. There, stumbling as if he'd just gotten up, was a man in armor.
He looked like a knight from old tales, with plate armor covering his arms, shoulders, and legs. He wore a white tabard with a red cross stitched onto it, and wore a large flat-top helmet with a spike on top that covered his head. They couldn't see his eyes, and he was covered in blood, some fresh, as though he had just been in battle. On one arm was a large metal shield, with the same white backdrop and red cross as his tabard.
Ironwood's gun was up in an instant, but Ozpin pulled it down, whispering "wait!" as he did. The man turned to them, and drew his sword in his left hand, pointing it at them and causing them to tense.
"Quis es?!"
The man shouted at them, but they couldn't understand the language he spoke, and this only seemed to aggravate the man more.
"Úbi sum?!"
"Easy there," Ozpin said, holding one hand out to try and calm the man, "We mean you no harm."
"Nōn intellegō! Loquerisne linguam latinam?!"
"Ozpin, I don't think he understands us," Glynda said quietly, never taking her eyes off the armored man in front of them.
The man suddenly took a few quick steps towards them, shield held close to his body, sword still pointed at them.
"Oz," Ironwood said quietly, every muscle in his body tense. He begin to raise his gun once more.
"Wait, James," Ozpin hissed, startling the two with him, "We don't know if he means us harm or not. He may be just as worried as we are, maybe even more so. Let me try and calm him down."
He looked back at the man, and slowly, knelt down and set his cane on the forest floor. The man in front of him watched his every move, but it was difficult to see what he was thinking with that helmet on. Ozpin then slowly stood up, and held his hands up, showing he was unarmed.
"Hello," he said slowly, taking one step forward so he stood in front of Glynda and Ironwood, "My name is Ozpin. Do you understand?"
"Nōn intellegō!"
"Glynda," Ironwood said quietly, getting the woman's attention, "I'm going to shoot if he tries anything. I need you to cover me in case the situation goes sour."
The deputy headmistress nodded, and slowly, ever so slowly, moved to the side. The man noticed the shift, and tensed.
"Siste!"
They froze and the man advanced two more steps. He stopped short, turned to the two behind Ozpin briefly, then back at the Headmaster.
"DEUS VULT!"
The sudden yell surprised them and the man charged at Ozpin, shield held in front of him, sword held high.
"OZPIN!"
"JAMES, NO!"
It happened in an instant. Ironwood lifted his gun up and fired off a shot, the bullet speeding past Ozpin's head. It collided with the man's shield and tore through it, passing through his body as well. The man gave a gasp and stumbled, a spray of blood flying out his back.
He weakly ran a few more steps before collapsing, sword and shield slipping through his hands as he fell to the ground, which was quickly beginning to be stained red.
Ozpin ran towards the downed man, ordering Glynda to call a Bullhead to their location immediately, and to request medics on board. Ironwood stood there for a minute, adrenaline pumping through his veins, before he slowly made his way over to his friend.
Ozpin was kneeling by the man, and Ironwood stood behind him.
"Oz, I-"
"Not now, James," Ozpin said grimly, "We'll talk later, I promise. Right now I need you to put pressure on this wound. Quickly!"
Ironwood hesitated briefly, before kneeling down and doing as his friend asked. Ozpin slowly and carefully lifted the helmet off the man's head, and both men looked on in surprise.
The man was young, possibly in his early to mid 20s. He had sandy blonde hair, and the bluest eyes they'd ever seen. He stared up past them, seemingly not even noticing them. He was muttering under his breath as he gasped for air.
"Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum..."
"I'm sorry," Ozpin said quietly, staring at the young man, "We'll get you help, I promise."
Faintly, in the distance, they could hear the sound of a Bullhead getting closer, and Ozpin could only hope that the paramedics got there in time to save him.
"Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra..."
Author's Notes: So, this was a little plot bunny that I just had to try and write out, to see if it actually worked the way I hoped it would. It's based on an idea I had floating around for a while now; if a Knight Templar fresh from the Crusades somehow wound up on Remnant.
This was the result. Let me make it clear here and now, there are NO plans for turning this into a full fanfic. Not yet. I'm just testing the waters here and seeing if it piques anyone's interest. I also have too many other fics that I need to concentrate on before I write out this one.
And finally, everything the Templar said in this was entirely in Latin, both from my own study of it and from trustworthy websites. No Google Translate here, though you can use it to try and understand what he's saying. That's one of the things I wanted to see if it would work, one person's dialogue entirely in another language with no translation. Yes, I AM aware that they would have been able to speak English even back then during the Crusades. Making him speak only Latin was a conscious decision on my part.