(Disclaimer): I don't own the Elven King, Salendriel, Abraxil, Isis, Osiris, Unknown Swordie, and Knights of Heaven. I do own some of the characters and elves but they all pay respect to Crimson Twilight.
Chapter 1: Recalcitrance
"But my king," Lenaedir blurted out.
"Sit down." Meothrinas snapped back.
Lenaedir refused to sit and remained standing. "I will not."
Meothrinas glared at the ranger then his eyes shifted to the ranger's pointed ears.
"Just how many ears have they taken from our brethren? Don't you think yours are going to augment their collection along with your followers'?" the king muttered.
Lenaedir's eyes widened.
"If we don't act soon, we'll all be imprisoned in our own capital! I will bring our people to El mas and gather what we need there! Artifacts and…"
"And how do you plan on reaching that plateau without getting your ears pawned? Al de Baran has already fallen months ago and it has been turned into a playground for bounty hunters!" one of the marshals cut in impatiently.
"I will be dead lest you, Lenaedir, will attempt to recapture that town along with your petty forces!" another yelled and pointed to the ranger.
All the other rangers in the council room sprang up and began to yell at the marshals who also stood up after them. The council was in an uproar and some were even throwing scrolls at each other.
Everyone was yelling at each other except Meothrinas and Lenaedir. The two were staring at each other as if nothing was going on around them. The king looked around for a moment then called out.
"Stop this madness! Guards!"
Two hawk-helmeted elves clad in scarlet armor entered the room. Both of them had a large crimson shield with golden linings and a double-bladed glaive which they held in the middle. The two bowed in front of Meothrinas despite the chaos.
"Remove these rangers from my sight!"
At the sound of the command, everyone fell silent. Lenaedir picked up his files and stormed out of the room while his followers picked up their things scattered on the marble floor. The ranger turned to Meothrinas before disappearing into the wide halls.
"You'll never get away with this."
…………………………………
Necron sighed and put on his winged helmet. The 3rd raydric unit that consisted with forty raydrics was going to be assigned to keep watch on Al de Baran in case the elves would make a move to recapture Amatsu.
It was half past three in the morning and the raydric knight was still tired after a severe session with Lord Knight Salendriel.
"Pity that lord knight isn't going to come...but why is he sending me and Kael…?"
………………………………….
"Send the Knights of Heaven? Have you lost your mind, Sovivor?"
Haldivas looked at the Grand High Priest who was standing beside the throne.
"King Haldivas is something the matter?"
The high priest walked around the throne while the king stared at him.
"Abraxil Sovivor, are you even considering what damage they can cause to everyone including the non-hostile creatures? You must be..."
"My king….the murderers they called 'elven assassins' pose a great threat to our frail raydric army and there are thousands of other threats as well."
"But our church's army is not so frail. Even if they can sneak past the summit's outpost, let's just send Salendriel and his student instead of the Knights of Heaven."
"Hm…you may have a point but would you rather have your own forces killed along with the raydrics?"
Abraxil's eyes hardened but his grin sustained.
"Even if the raydrics are near the summit outpost, the Knights of Heaven won't leave any scars on them."
"You-you're supposed to be the…"
"Let me enlighten you, my king. Our church and kingdom are starting to lose influence on all the people beyond our stronghold. A little display of power would bring us much fame and glory wouldn't it?"
……………………………
An hour later, Grand High Priest Sovivor found himself standing in front of eight knights outside the abbey. The king has granted him the authority over the Knights of Heaven after their talk.
"Go, Sir Agranias. Kill everything around that forsaken mountain. Everything you see"
The knight called Agranias gave a salute to Abraxil. Seven other knights followed suit and mounted their special steeds upon Agranias' command.
All of them wore unique armor and carried different weapons of their choice. Their faces were hidden in shadows because the abbey porch embers weren't lit and Abraxil only used an orb of flames in his hand as a small light. All the knights wore a medal that had their names engraved on it with the title 'Knights of Heaven of Glastheim.'
The Knights of Heaven pulled the reins on their horses and faced the western gates. Abraxil turned on his heel and went back inside the abbey.
'Excellent. All is going just as planned.'
The violet gates opened as soon as the Knights of Heaven were lined up. Everyone stood clear of their path mainly because these knights would trample on anyone that would obstruct them.
Abraxil looked back at the Knights of Heaven before closing the oaken abbey doors. The fiery orb in his hand slowly dissipated, leaving the ceremonial room totally dark and eerie. Despite the darkness, the grand high priest sensed someone, one of his acolytes, come towards him.
"Excellency Abraxil…"
"I know what fate holds for us…and for those bastard raydrics that are always against what our church stands for, especially Salendriel's lapdog, Necron Lorthiras."
………………………………..
"Who's there?"
Necron drew his weapon, an enlightened zweihander, and tilted around. There was nothing in the sealed mines but he was sure he heard something make a sound. A scrambling sound that didn't belong to any of the porings that bounced around.
"Necron? Careful where you wave that thing…"
The raydric knight turned back. Kael and Kathris along with a few of the new raydrics approached him.
"I didn't expect her to be here with us…"
"I was raised by the elves, Necron. Bringing me here won't hurt at all won't it?"
Kathris armed her oversized crossbow with a large bolt.
Among other raydrics, the huntress and Necron used unusually heavy weapons. Hers was a ballista that she made which was strapped to her waist and could be aimed by lifting. It was more than four-feet long but was slightly thinner than most crossbows.
"So, why were you waving that thing around?"
Necron looked at his large black sword.
"I don't think it was a poring...but I'm sure it's something else."
Kael watched the porings bounce around them then bent down to pick up one of them.
"I'm not actually a veteran raydric but I've heard from your sources that the Knights of Heaven are actually…"
An arrow darted from above the sealed mine and bolted through the poring's slimy body, causing it to explode and splatter muck on Kael's face. Everyone else fumbled for their weapons.
Kathris bent down and pulled off the arrow from a large jellopy and examined it. The huntress got up and raised her crossbow.
"Enchanted shock arrow. These are kobolds."
She pulled the trigger using four fingers. The huge bolt sprang from the weapon and exploded on the place where the shock arrow came from. The force of the bolt knocked down a large portion of rocks and dust.
Before anyone could make a move, a barrage of arrows brought down a number of raydric archers behind her.
"Kathris…be more careful."
Necron channeled heat energies through his zweihander and launched gout of flames at another wave of arrows, causing them to dissipate midair. Kathris reloaded her weapon and regained her stance.
"You know, I wasn't going to get hit but thanks anyway…:
Kael tightened his grip on his broad sword and looked around. All was quiet except for the sound of clanking armor until a kobold emerged from the rubble. More of the blue-furred doglike creatures followed it.
"They're kobolds! To arms, everyone!"
The first kobold lunged at Kael who kicked up some dust at the beast and slashed overhead, cutting off the beast's head. The other kobolds stepped backwards at the sight of their brethren's blood on the grass.
From the corner of his eye, he could see zweihander being pulled out of another kobold's torso.
"Kael. These beasts wouldn't migrate here without a reason…"
Kael brought down his sword. The kobolds were starting to fall back but the next second they did, a chain flew out from behind them and entangled one of them. The sound of large enchanted steeds filled the air.
The kobold screamed as the chains slowly crushed its bones. Another chain flew out and this time, it pierced through its head, spraying brain tissues on its shoulders.
A knight emerged from the slope. He was mounted on a high steed and was holding the chains. Another knight followed him closely behind. This one held a large saber.
The kobolds ran to the higher slopes as soon as the two mounted knights approached them. The one holding the chains turned to his companion.
"Captain Agranias?"
"Our orders are to kill everything…kill them all while Aelumina's party take the elves."
The knight that was wrapped in chains charged and began to whirl his chains at the raydrics. The swordsmen were knocked away several paces.
Kael raised his sword but held his ground. Some of the raydric archers already had their bows stretched.
'Knights of Heaven? Are they mad? We're supposed to be…'
"Kael! Evade!"
Kael slid to the right, barely dodging the chain that struck a raydric archer straightly on the chest, causing the breastplate to break and letting blood ooze out of it.
"We have no choice. Defend yourselves!"
"But Kael, these knights are almost invincible! They'll wipe us out for good."
Kael looked at the raydrics who brandished their swords hopelessly against the captain Agranias but ended up being impaled.
"We have no choice, Kathris."
Necron raised his zweihander and raised it protectively over a downed archer. The large ebony blade was good enough as a shield. A chain bolted towards the sword and coiled around it.
'Lord Knight Salendriel didn't recommend this for just a normal use.'
The orb in the sword's hilt glowed in bright scarlet. Necron tightened his grip and tugged it severely. The chains coiled on it broke a minute before the whole blade began searing with heat.
"Futile effort, boy."
The raydric knight turned his head to the left only to be thrown against the rocky slope by Agranias. Before the mounted knight could drive his saber through the raydric's chest, a massive bolt flew towards his steed and knocked him off it.
"Captain Agranias, another target to the right." The Heaven Knight wielding chains called to him.
A figure appeared from the rubble created by Kathris' crossbow. He was a blonde swordsman wearing legion plate armor with Glastheimian runes. His lips curled into a smile after taking a few steps away from the debris.
"I think it's time to put away that sword, Agranias."
(A/N): The Grand High Priest in ancient Glastheimian times was the superior among the clergy. In real life, he was the pope; only that he has power over the Raydric Army and the Knights of Heaven.