(Featured Story in Spanish) Ardith Cuthberht is the daughter of the powerful duke of Harzburg. When she was a girl she lost her beloved mother and as a grown lady the man she loved was sent to battle in far away regions. One day Ardith found a seve...
After meeting with the remaining battalion leaders, strategies were outlined counting on the veracity in the statements addressed by Monsignor Bodicelli in his letter. If everything was true, they would proceed and this mix of superstition, ancient lore and faith would be the key -in fact the only way- to victory and their salvation. On this fantastic formula relied the whole empire's safety, as incredible as it seemed.
The senior officers retired to give instructions to the soldiers under their command. Archers and crossbowmen were instructed on how to utilize the holy water and oil in their weapons as indicated in the highest priest's missive. Edmund finished putting his garments and armor assisted by his page when Geoffrey, the messenger sent by Lord Aelderic, ran into the tent.
"My lord, Edmund." Geoffrey knelt in front of the general in reverence.
"Arise messenger. What do you want? And you must to be brief for we are getting ready for the battle." Edmund's tone was severe.
"Milord, you shall listen to what I must say. I have something very important to tell you." The messenger stood up and told him everything that happened in the mansion Cuthberht before he left to the southern regions and what he found out in Swabia about Leila.
"For God's sake! All this... This can't be possible! These are terrible news! How one of these creatures made its way into the mansion? Almighty God, my beloved is in great danger... if it's not already too late for her! And I am here in the other side of the world... No, please, no! I need to think clearly... If anything ever happens to Ardith, I'll die in grief. I can't die here, I must go back to save her!" Edmund ambled uneasily from one side to the other in the tent. Everyone's face dropped. There were not vampires only here in the south, but everywhere... They've been for centuries feeding on humans, living amongst humans and humans were so ignorant, so selfish in their preconceived and inducted thoughts believing that they were the Crown of everything created by God! His faith crumbled and overpowered by wrath and despair the man hurled tables and chairs, kicking off everything he had on front of him. Edmund felt so much impotence and frustration, his hands tied by his responsibility with the empire and church unable to do something to save the woman he loved.
"Lord Edmund, what do you want me to do now that you are informed and aware of the situation?" Geoffrey asked, nearing carefully to the enraged general.
"You must leave immediately, but first take supplies and a silver dagger with you and hand one of those cross pendants to your neck. You need to get out of these fields infested by demons unharmed and make it to Harz before it's too late for Ardith."
Edmund walked to a huge ebony cross hung to a tent's wall and kneeling in front of it, he prayed. "God cover with your providence those who live in the Harzburg castle. Look at me, fighting this battle on your behalf. Please command your angels to guard and defend the woman I love for me. Cover me and my men with your precious blood and shield us. I beg you to send the archangels to stand by men, your men too, against these legions. I implore you to keep this demon named Leila away from Ardith until I return. In your name I pray, Amen."
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