The Mask of King Arthur, Book I: Haern Cleddyf

Chapter 12: Viva la Viraconium

It was going on towards late afternoon at Caerleon, and two of the four holy men had departed the city for elsewhere, when the remaining two hood figures and the Dux Bellorum were interrupted by a panic-stricken man who came bursting through the door to the Round Table.

"My lord Ambrosius!" Glewlwyd Mighty-Grasp cried out, as he ran into the great hall. "The kingdom of Powys is under is under siege! They are pleading for king Arthur's aid!"

"Slow down, Glewlwyd!" Ambrosius rose from his chair, raising an arm to calm his gatekeeper.. "Who is attacking Powys? What is going on?"

"The dragon Draig Wen, he has risen from his burial place at Dinas Emrys!" Glewlwyd gasped out in Reply. "He is ravaging the countryside, and has left several towns in ruin!"

"The dragon your father buried, he has risen from his long slumber." Carantoc stated, looking toward Ambrosius."The Saxons have woken him up, in the hope he will bring ruin to the Britons, and give the invaders the advantage."

"The great beast will not rest, until he has burned all of Britannia to ash." Efflamm added. "But fear not, Cantaroc and I can aid you, with the power of our lord in heaven!"

Ambrosius sat, thinking for a moment, before replying. "Kai, rally a dozen of the cataphracts, and gather Gwen and her archeresses. We shall make our way to Viriconium to face the white dragon." Standing up from his throne, he looked over towards Carantoc and Efflamm. "Our holy men can come along, as well, to aid with the power of their prayers."

Everyone in the great hall acknowledged the Dux Bellorum's words, then everyone quickly rushed to fulfill his orders.

Twenty-four of the Pendragon warriors- twelve Cataphracts, twelve archeresses, including Bedwyr and Edyrful- accompanied King Arthur and Gwen and the quartet of holy men. The twenty one figures on horseback snaked their way across the countryside, forming a line to better defend themselves. As they crossed the border into the kingdom of Powys, the Pendragons took notice of the burnt villages and scorched landscapes.

"By Saint Catherine, this is horrifying!" Gwen Gasped. "All those poor woman and children... that dragon is a butcher!"

"Aye, my lady... Most Dragons are." Eydurful muttered bitterly. "We've had these beasts back home in Ireland, and they are just as brutish and cruel. If it weren't fer our hero Cú Chulain, dragons would have overrun our island."

"Well, we are not going to let these monsters tear our island apart!" Bedwyr stated boldly. "We will stop Draig Wen, and rid Britannia of his evil forever!"

All of the accompanying knights and archeresses gave a rousing cheer of agreement to Bedwyr's boast, as the entourage snaked it's way towards thew kingdom's capital. Finally, they arrived at the Walls of the old roman city, and the porter of the gate called out;

"Who goes there?" He exclaimed from atop the great wooden stockade. "Be ye friend or foe?"

"Open the gates!" King Arthur called out. "The Pedgragon warriors are here!"

As soon as the guards looked down upon the travelers from Caerleon, they moved quickly to open the giant wooden gates. As Arthur and his warriors trotted into the city. Looking around, they noticed the city was an interesting mix of stone and wood. The slowly crumbling roman walls and building stood side-by side with new roman-style buildings made of timber. Several homes and businesses made of wood and covered in red roof tiles lined the site of the old basilica, and the ruins severed as a back wall to the old timber buildings. The whole city was like a beautiful wooden butterfly, slowly shedding it's stone skin as it renewed itself.