Dead End

Antioch.

To call it a city seems to do it injustice. Over 200 towers spread over 30 miles of desert sand. It is almost a kingdom all its own. Once a bustling metropolis, now buried in gallons upon gallons of blood. Buried in the steel of blades blunt with use. Buried in clashes of faiths. Buried in death.

The knights of the combined armies of the crusaders stood on the battlements and in the streets yelling and screaming cries of victory. Half of them seemed lost in some trance like state pointing to invisible saints to whom they attributed their victory. The other half desperately looked around trying to grasp some glimpse of these holy spirits come to save them. Somewhere in the crowd Marcus Bohemond and Raymond the Count of Toulouse stood observing it all. Beside them, Peter Bartholomew with his arms raised held a large and rusted lance. A large crowd of knights kneeled before him as if revering the corroded relic. Behind him the Bishop Le Puy failed miserably at disguising his intense anger at what he was seeing. Casmir had to physically restrain the clergy man as he tried to pull Bartholomew from his make shift pulpit.

"Let the masses have their holy lance," Casmir whispered in the Bishop's ear.

"But it isn't real one. It is unthinkable!"

"It saved us from being massacred; I think that makes it holy enough."

"Blasphemy!"

War had not diminished Casmir's malicious grin. "There's no such thing for me," he said gesturing to his tarnished yet still recognizable crusader cross.

Elsewhere, far away from the rest of the army, Leon Belmont, Baron and regent of Sarn stood watching. He stood with his company of knights. Although it has never been an official edict, they tried to remain separate from the rest of the crusaders. Leon was glad of it. When they had marched under Mathias they had been undefeated. He was happy to say that they have remained so under his leadership. The taking of Antioch proved to be an odyssey. Holding would seem to require a miracle. However it was a miracle that Leon would not be a part of. He sent a message to the Bishop Le Puy, informing him that he was returning to Sarn for a brief respite. The reply came quickly.

"Must return with you. Make arrangements."

Leon crumbled the paper in his hand.

By days end, Leon was underway to return to Sarn. Following his company was the Bishop's caravan. The events of the previous year had seriously soured his relation with the Bishop, and thus he made it a point to not speak to him during the journey. The communication was purely via notes to one another carried by a messenger boy. The two men did not speak until a week into the journey when an unprecedented sight was beheld by all.

At daybreak, the caravan began to gather its belongings and prepare to continue to their destination. Leon was in his tent when a knight burst in speaking in a startled voice.

"Baron! Come at once!"

Immediately Leon ceased what he was doing only stopping to grab his gauntlet. Following the knight out, he was led to a small crowd of men huddled in a circle. From within he could hear screaming.

"Monsters! Demons! The devil!"

In the center of the crowd was a single man in torn clothes that revealed a scorched skin underneath. The man was screaming as two men tried to keep him on the ground.

"What happened here?" Leon demanded.

"This man just came running into camp, screaming and hollering as you see," one of the men answered.

"We don't know what happened to him. He just keep raving about monsters," another said.

Leon brought himself closer to the deranged man. "What happened to you?"

"B…Baron?"

"Yes, I am Baron Belmont," he said reassuringly. Tell us what happened."

"They were everywhere. Came out of the darkness. They burned us my lord, all of us. Everyone in my company. Dead! There was a man. In a cape. Black. Darkness! Wings. Monster! The devil!"

Leon tried to get the man to make sense, however it was no use. He ordered the men to call the medic and have him examined. As the poor man was raised, Leon noticed the man's hand. At first he thought his hands were blackened by some powder, however upon closer inspection he realized it was metal. Looking again at his garments he realized what he had thought was a simple dirty tunic was in fact melted armor being dried into the man's skin. Whatever burned him must have been as hot as the fires of hell to do such damage.

"Baron!"

Leon answered the call by running to the knight that had summoned him. It was from the look out post. He was about to ask what was wrong but the knight's hand gestured to the horizon. Almost unseen and gliding like a loose leaf from a tree, silhouettes marched across a hill in the distance. Their size was disproportionate with the distance at which they were being seen. However that was not the most incredible sight. Hovering over the giant figures was what seemed to be an army of flying creatures.

"Monsters." The look out guard said.

"Indeed, and they seem to be traveling in our same direction."

"Could they be heading for Sarn, Baron?"

"I pray not."

The knight's final question troubled Leon greatly. The direction the monsters were heading could easily bring them near Sarn. Swallowing his pride, Leon approached the Bishop about the matter. For the majority of the journey the Bishop remained in his specially prepared carriage. He left it only for the most basic of necessities. The inside of it was elegantly adorned. Once Leon was inside he thought it might have been bigger on the inside than out.

"Sortie? Monsters? Ridiculous. No." the Bishop said in a quick sequence.

"What?" was Leon's exclaimed response.

"You heard me. Perhaps I spoke too quickly. The answer is no."

"For God's sake why?"

"Don't you bring the Lord's name in this! Don't you dare. You tell me monsters are prowling about and have burned some poor fellow. And you want to sortie? Whatever for?"

"They are heading in a direction that may bring them into contact with Sarn. We are only two days ride from there. I think it important to the safety of the domain."

"I think that such a sortie would be foolish. We are in this land to fight heathens not monsters. If they are as hellish as you describe then we should give them a wide berth. Perhaps they are even doing the lord's work."

"How can you say that? He was a knight, a crusader!"

"Yes. Well it seems perhaps even some our crusaders have become heretics. Did you see those knights kneeling to that 'holy lance?' It was despicable. I wish the Pope to hear of this immediately. No. Leave those beings alone. Let God's will be done."

Leon left the Bishop loathing him more than ever before. The only concession he was able to win from him was to be able to leave camp immediately and ride ahead to Sarn with two knights. The Bishop felt it would be too unsafe to take with him anymore knights. Leon's heart pounded rapidly as he rode nonstop towards Sarn. His worry was great and unfounded he hoped. It was night when they at last approached Sarn. A chill began to ride down Leon's spine as he felt a sense of déjà vu.

Fire emanating from the center of Sarn made Leon's heart sink. There was no need to announce their arrival because the gates were torn down. Leon and his accompanying knights rode into a dead city.

"Hello!" one of the knights yelled.

One of the knights dismounted and walked to the nearest cabin in search of life. After a moment the knight walked out. Without turning to Leon or the other knight he went to the next door. Again he came out after only a moment but this time he addressed himself to the Baron.

"My lord," he began.

"Dead?"

The knight shook his head. "Alive. They are afraid to come out. They mumble of monsters!"

Leon ordered the men to continue searching the homes checking for any dead. Alone, he began to ride to the citadel. As he rode, he saw that slowly, the city populace began to exit from their homes. The sight of their ruling Baron was enough to comfort them into believing that it was now safe. However for Leon, the closer he came to the citadel, the more damage he began to see. Along the way he saw a great big crack in the wall of the city. Some of the attackers apparently entered through there as well. At last he reached his destination. At last he saw the first bodies. Brave knights stayed their ground and were burnt to a crisp. Many of the servants were still cowering in fear and refused to speak. Staring upwards he recognized the window to the Mathias' chamber. The light was on and the window opened outwards. Leon wondered why he came to notice that all of the sudden. He quickly disregarded the thought and began to run up the stairs.

"Sara!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Can you hear me? Sara!"

His search brought him at last to Sara's quarters. The door was ajar and Leon pushed it wide open. In the time that he had spent with Sara, he had entered her quarters many times. The room he entered now was a pale shadow of the one he knew. The stench of fire was still hanging heavy in the air. Everything had been burnt to dust. The east wall was nearly nonexistent and a hole in the ceiling revealed the upper floor. Leon was taken aback and stumbled backwards until he touched the wall of the outside hallway. His mind reeled. He denied the possibility that she was inside when it happened. On some unknown instinct, he turned and raced for Mathias' chamber. As he approached he saw a hand protruding from Mathias' room.

"Sara!"

Like the voice of a ghost, almost forgotten and weakened from disuse an answer came. "Leon?" The voice was a man's voice.

Reality seemed to become a dream before Leon's eyes. Sara gone. Now Mathias was awake. Laying face down on the floor, Leon could see that Mathias had struggled to from his bed and found his legs unable to move. He was pale from all his time kept in doors. His legs seemed to have failed him from disuse. Leon cradled his old friend in his arms.

"What happened, Mathias? Where is Sara?"

He spoke weakly and forced Leon to put his ear close to Mathias' mouth.

"Monsters…"

"Yes I know, I saw them on their way here. Tell me, where is Sara?"

"Castle…"

"What do you mean, castle? What are you talking about?" Leon asked almost yelling. Catching himself out of place he continued, "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Sara. Just tell me where she is, if you know."

"Gone. Not dead, taken."

"Taken? But who…?"

Finding some strength, Mathias spoke louder than before. "The monsters, they serve a vampire. You must follow them if you want to save her. This vampire, I have heard stories of him. He lives in a castle in a forest called Eternal Night. You must go there."

"How do I get there? How will I know?"

"Wherever they travel, they will leave a path of death and destruction. That will be your trail."

"I understand," Leon said. He then proceeded to lift Mathias from the ground carry him. Sitting him on his bed, Mathias stared back at Leon. There was a moment of silence between the two friends.

"My legs…"

"I know. There is no need to explain. I would not have you join me in your current state."

Mathias merely nodded his head. "Go then. Seek out your betrothed."

Leon turned and began to leave.

"Let nothing stop you," Mathias called after him.

"Nothing will," Leon said simply without turning back.

After Leon had gone, Mathias remained seated on his bed. After a moment he rose up from it effortlessly. He stood up on his own two feet and discarded his feigned weakness as he would a layer of clothing. He stayed where he was and looked on the deserted doorway. There was no turning back now. Had there ever been? Was this not the inevitable course laid before a year hence? For a split second he felt a slight discord arise within him. In this moment should he not feel elated? His plans were proceeding as laid out. Then the second died, and the next was born, and he was himself again. Yes, he was elated.

"I know, Leon. I know."

Although the armory had been depleted during the recent attack, Leon found what he need there. For speed and flexibility, he discarded his more extravagant crusader themed attire for an unpretentious one. He adopted a simple red and white surcoat to cover his single plate of chest armor. He maintained his silver gauntlet and added some leg armor to his black and gray-striped slacks. The only other adornments were the diamond shaped studs which acted more as a determent than anything else. On his hip he carried his sword, still the one that Casmir had sent him so long ago.

Leon was prepared to leave on the horse his knights had prepared him when he saw that Suchet and the rest of the caravan had arrived. He rode out and met him.

"It is exactly how I feared. This could have been avoided."

Suchet was standing outside his carriage overlooking the damage. He seemed speechless. Leon hoped this meant that somewhere deep inside of him, Suchet was admitting to himself that he was wrong. However his hope would have to remain only that.

"And where do you think you are going?"

"I plan on taking some of these men and pursuing these monsters."

"To what end?"

"They have taken Sara! I must get her back!"

"I'm afraid that will be impossible."

"Damn you, what did you say?"

"This city is in ruins. Its garrison is depleted. I need all of these men to remain here on guard. Furthermore, we are all here for a reason, an expressed purpose. We are here to fight the heretics, the heathens, and not monsters. There will be no unauthorized battles."

"Send for other reinforcements…"

"Impossible. Now that Antioch is ours, all forces will be directed at Jerusalem."

Leon breathed a heavy sign of desperation. "I will not abandon Sara to those devils."

"A single life must sometimes be sacrificed for the greater good."

"And you get to choose whose? I reject the assertion. I also reject your authority!"

"How dare…"

"How dare you sir? I see now what I should have long ago. You serve only your own self interest. You and others like you have come to this land with the best of intentions but use the wrong means. You have clouded the pureness of our goals. I see now that the true crusade to free the holy land will never be won by warring. God does not want us to kill one another and soak the sands with our blood. I believe he would rather us make peace."

"Very noble sentiment, Baron, however your idealistic world does not exist. They make war with us, and we must respond in kind."

"Perhaps, but an ideal is only an ideal until it becomes a reality." Leon's horse responded instantly to his commands and he began to ride away from the Bishop.

"Don't you ride away from me Baron Leon Belmont! If you leave now I will strip you of everything. We have given you all! A title, land, even this city was handed to you. Even the very sword you carry with you was a gift from us! Leave now and you will be nothing. The name Belmont will be cast down from hence forth. Do you hear? What will you be without us?"

Leon stopped his horse. Unbuckling it from his belt, he unsheathed his sword. Looking back at the Bishop, he held the sword with his outstretch hand.

"Then here," he began. His hand released the sword and it dropped down and sliced its way into the desert sand.

"Now, I am just what I was when you found me, a man."

A gust of wind filled the air with sand and then he was gone.

The wind that blew through Sarn did not stop there. Like a great sand storm and swept through miles of desert moving like an endless ocean wave. It found it's destination in the mammoth city of Antioch. The gates of the great city were closed and many closed their windows as the felt the effects of what they perceived to be a sand storm. In one room high above in one of its many towers, shabby made windows made their best attempt to protect its occupant. However, the man who lay on the floor of the room seemed little interested in the effects of the weather. He seemed even less bothered by the man who stood in the room that had not been there a moment ago. When at last he noticed the intruder, he did not even remember that he had locked the door to his chamber so as not to be disturbed. The question of how he came to be there did not enter his mind.

"Come to gloat have you?" he said in the broken voice of his drunken stupor.

"Not really, Casmir. I always knew that you were a second rate noble."

Casmir struggled from the floor to regain his seat. As he did so, he repeated the phrase 'second rate' laughingly.

"Marcus Bohemond has claimed Antioch?"

"Yes," he replied simply. "No one is willing to challenge him. And he plans on staying here instead of marching to Jerusalem."

"Just as I thought," Mathias said, as he made a gentle sigh. He seemed both pleased at his correct assumption and saddened by the ease with which he foresaw it. There seemed to be no surprises left for him. He returned his attention to the drunk Casmir. "I am here for a purpose, Casmir, not a whim."

"Aren't you bedridden or some rather?"

Mathias grinned slightly. "That's what everyone thinks." Mathias walked closer to Casmir and then circled behind him placing both hands on the head of his chair.

"I want you to deliver this message for me," Mathias said. "Are you listening?"

Casmir belched loudly then turned his head as far as he could to face Mathias before giving up. "I am all ears," he said with a sarcastic glee.

As if he expected Casmir to record each word spoken, Mathias began to recite his message. "I hate you. You know why I do. I sacrificed so much for you… Your rule is unjust and now I will make you pay. My continued existence will be dedicated to making a mockery of all that is yours. Know that you have made an enemy of me. Know that one day I will rule over this world of darkness that you have abandoned me in. I will make hell on earth." Mathias then stopped.

Casmir clapped mockingly. "Bravo!"

Mathias meanwhile came around in front of Casmir and bade him to stand. Casmir did so with difficulty. Mathias held him up so that he would not fall. He then seemed to embrace him as though he were embracing a brother.

"I know you will deliver him this message, Casmir." Mathias began again. "I know you can. You see I know that in the darkest of nights you prayed for my death. You swore you would see me dead before the end of this crusade. So you have. That is why you must tell him."

Casmir coughed and tried to separate himself from Mathias. At last his mind began to clear some. The abnormality of Mathias holding him in his arms seemed enough to awaken his senses. His strength however was lost, absorbed completely by the river of alcohol he had consumed over the past few hours. All Casmir could do was speak.

"Him? Whom do you mean by him?" Casmir asked.

"God," Mathias said plainly. He then placed his mouth to Casmir's ear and whispered. "Take this message to him, personally."

The blade that pierced Casmir was razor-sharp. He did not feel it as it broke through his skin. It entered through a spot chosen with the utmost precision to make him bleed to death, slowly. The first thing that Casmir felt was the light headiness. Mathias let him slip onto the ground face up. The body began to flinch somewhat as the blood began to ooze out of the body. Within minutes Mathias was standing in a pool of blood. He stood there and watched until he was sure all of Casmir's blood was running on the floor. He was sure he was dead when he felt the presence of Death flutter into the room to collect the man's soul. Death paid Mathias little notice. He was still becoming accustomed to his new place in the hierarchy. He knew that in short time, he would be subservient to the wearer of the Crimson Stone. Mathias watched the glowing orb form that Casmir's soul took on ascend upwards.

Mathias grinned sadistically, "Message received."

Just as Mathias had predicted, the monster left a trail destroyed villages and extinguished lives. Many times Leon felt moved by the sights he beheld and felt the urge to stop and help. Many times the survivors pleaded him to stay. Each time, he resigned only to give them the promise that justice would served and he rode on. Finally he came upon a dense fog. It was unnatural in that it seemed to form a barrier or division of some sort. Leon tried to ride around it with no luck. Finally he passed through and continued to ride for a length of time. The sky seemed to become enveloped by the fog and he lost all sense of night and day. Even the very sound of the world seemed to go mute. Eventually he heard the flapping of wings. The fog seemed to lift some and he caught sight of one of the monsters he had seen before soaring through the sky. When the fog had been completely lifted he motioned his horse in order to follow it. Leon noted that he had entered a wooded area, a forest. The flying monster was too high up for Leon to see any detail only its shape. Leon was pushing the horse forward at a breakneck pace. It was speeding through the forest and he saw that the woods were becoming increasingly dense. Suddenly, the horse came to an abrupt halt and Leon felt himself thrown from the horse. It took him a moment to recover. Looking upwards he saw that the monster was now circling above him. Then he saw that the monster seemed to change direction. It was diving towards him! Jumping to his feet, Leon ran to the horse. He saw that its leg had become tangled in the gnarled branches of a fallen tree and was stuck. Leon tried to calm the horse so as to get its leg out, but the intelligent animal could sense the imminent danger and panicked. Looking up, Leon saw that monster bearing down upon them. Déjà vu seemed to fill Leon as he sensed that he knew what was coming next. As if to confirm it, he saw the bright blaze of fire sprouting straight towards him. He leapt out of the way, managing to catch a brief glimpse of the creature. Its gray skin and horned head gave it a gargoyle like appearance. The flame engulfed the horse and all the trees around it. Leon ran from the growing forest fire. Gazing skyward, he saw that the monster was flying once more in straight direction. Looking back only to see the charred figure of his horse, Leon turned and began to run. Ignoring his body's pleas for rest, he turned his thoughts to Sara. He was moving hurriedly through the forest when suddenly there was a flash of light. The light receded and darkness began to swell once again. Leon's speedy figure disappeared.

The End…

The Beginning…