The Templar's Sword (Kindle Edition/ISBN 978-618-84874-4-4)

On the hills of the great slaughter

My eyes stung from the smoke and the sweat. I thought the unbearable weight of the scorching helmet would make my head explode. The arrows of the infidels ruined my shield and chainmail armour. Two of them were stuck in my burning body. My parched lips thirsted for water while a ruthless sun blazed on the arrows that flew like rain, hammering the crusaders who were fighting ghosts...

We couldn't see anyone due to the thick smoke but we could hear all over the shouts and pleadings of the wounded, who were wilting like reaped wheat. The atmosphere was stifling. We were melting, sweating under our heavy armours, and we hadn't even made it to one on one combat before the archers wiped out more than one third of us... We were thirsty, exhausted, and sluggish compared to sultan Saladin's lighter armour fighters. Blood was flowing like a river, soaking the dry and parched desert land. And it was only the blood of our own.

Shortly after our first wave of attack, we were ordered to make a desperate attempt to break the enemy's stranglehold! We couldn't see a thing but we set off galloping, all of us Order Brothers shouting, "Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini tuo da Gloriam".

I moved forward with my horse, skipped a fire, and then drove my spear into an infantryman that tried to throw me from the horse. The same ritual repeated with two others when, suddenly, we were attacked by the enemy's cavalry. Scimitars and swords clashed, exploding in light. Cries, clangs, and clamour. The world was on fire.

I threw my spear to a raging rider and drew my Templar's sword, pushing forward with my other brothers, clearing an opening. We slaughtered everyone relentlessly.

We had almost reached the tents of the officers and sultans when a new group, made of up of a thousand cavalrymen, appeared and intercepted us. At some point, among the din and the uproar we were hastily ordered to withdraw...

On the way back, I managed to break both arrows but the arrowheads were stuck in my body. I tried hard not to cry out loud as every move resulted in excruciating pain.

Our Commander called for me then -as I was quite familiar with the area- to accompany our rear commander, Prince Balian of Ibelinand Count Raymond of Tripolis, to a safe place.

I took three experienced attendants with me and we met the others. We were a handful of knights and a few feudal lords and their attendants.

The brave Prince Balian was in charge of the expedition and he asked me to ride beside him as his guide. He introduced me to the rest by saying:

"Brother John has been patrolling from Acre port to Jerusalem, protecting unaware pilgrims from the thieves who were making ambushes and slaughtering them. He often hunted them as far as here, the hills of Hattin, where their favorite hiding spot is and thus knows every inch of the area like the back of his hand."

We exchanged a couple of words among the clamor and designed a hasty escape plan that would take place at the same time as our cavalry's second attack.

During the attack, Prince Balian and I took the front while the rest soldiers took the back and sides in order to create a safe circle around the lords. As soon as the signal was given we attacked using the arrowhead formation and managed to open a path with our swords. Crossing a difficult trail among dried shrubs and undergrowth, we passed through the Muslim lines with no casualties.

On the way, the arrowheads stuck in my body hurt as we galloped and I lost a lot of blood. In pain and feverish, my vision began to blur. My attendants were concerned but I ordered them to remain silent because I didn't wish to slow the mission down. At some point, however, after we had covered more than one third of the distance to Tyre, I blacked out and fell from my horse.

My alarmed attendants dismounted and offered me water. As soon as the prince saw my condition, he ordered everyone to stop. Behind my blurred vision I noticed him speaking to the other lords and pointing to me. He then came near me and said:

"Count Raymond and I decided that you and your three attendants should make camp here tonight. We will continue to the port of Tyre and from there the Count and the rest of the lords will board one of our fleet's boat for the County of Tripoli. The arrowheads from your body ought to be removed and you need rest. Tomorrow morning you will continue to Tyre, where you will remain, as your wounds and your high fever demand special care. Thank you, Brother John, from the depths of our hearts, for your invaluable aid!"

"My prince," I answered, "I will accompany you to Tyre, if I have to do so dead."

"You won't be of much use to anyone if you're dead. Don't forget that we've fought together in the past and I am certainly know of your value. You are not speaking wisely. It is the fever talking. There is no reason for you to wear yourself as the danger has almost vanished. Besides, you don't have much fondness for ships if I recal correctly!" he said.

"It's not ships that bother me! It's sea travels!" I corrected him.

He burst out laughing, "Ah, right! Sea travels! Yesterday, we might have lost a battle Brother John, but we have not lost the war. We need you, Brother, so make sure you remain alive and come back to Jerusalem soon. Have courage and farewell."

We said goodbye and they galloped away.

My people gave me laudanum and then opened up my wounds with a seared knife, removed the arrowheads, and dressed my wounds. As if in a dream, I watched them unsaddle the horses and build a makeshift camp...

A few minutes before I lost consciousness I thought it was the 4th of July of anno domini 1187.

And that was only the beginning...