A Lawbringer's Oath

Oaths Come Due.

It has been 8 years since the fall of Apollyon, and the beginning of the great war. For many years the Knights, Samurai, and Vikings have waged war against each other, fighting over territory and the few resources of the land. The Knights have suffered the most in the great war, only winning the third year of the war. The Vikings have been the most victorious taking territory furiously and without mercy. The Samurai has proved a challenge as well but most have had thier hands full with the Viking Raids. It was the first season of the ninth year and the Vikings and Samurai have retreated back to their homes, but now there was a change in the wind, and favor would smile upon us this season.

The day was cold and the snow was slowly receding and the sun was out shining on the village I was residing in. I have seen my share of war and wanted no part on the frontlines. So I hammered away at steel, crafting armor and weapons for the townsfolk. But as I was hammering in the bevels of a new sword and a boy came to the shop and called for me.

"I'm looking for Sir Gaisig, do you know where he is."

"I am Sir Gaisig, what business is it of yours?"

"I have a message for you," he said reaching into his bag.

He handed a scroll to me with a green wax seal, bearing the mark of the Iron Legion. I haven't gotten a message like this since I had taken my oath to be a Lawbringer. I was sworn in by Holden Cross, the right hand of the Lord Warden. Oaths of a knight were sacred and to be upheld no matter what no matter the circumstance. A Lawbringer is a weapon of justice and a shield of the people, bringing order to a land where it is needed. Our armor has no equal and is the toughest amongst any other knights and we wield the most versatile weapon ever crafted, the poleaxe. Designed to deal with thick plates of armor or to open it to expose the flesh. I broke the seal of the message and opened it to read it.

"My dear friend,
I write to you with a heavy heart, asking for you to take up arms once more. We are in need of leaders as well as warriors, and you are the greatest I know of. I ask for your council and to fight as my commander for the battles that are to come. Meet me in two weeks time at the Shard, there is where we will meet to discuss our battle strategy.

Sincerely,
The Lord Warden"

The Great Lord Warden was asking me back to service to lead his forces against our enemies. I have no love for Kings and politicians that prefer to better themselves while thier people suffer. But I was willing to put my feelings aside for the Lord Warden for he was a true warrior wanting to fight for his people. True leaders lead on the frontlines with the soldiers they command, not behind some nice chair in a fortified castle. I stowed the letter and called for the apprentice boy of the forge:

"BOY!"

"Yes, sir?"

"I am in need of your help, come with me."

I led him to a chest I stowed in the back of the shop, in it held my armor and near it was my poleaxe. I put on my chain shirt and the boy helped secure my breastplate and the other pieces of my armor. Once everything on me was secure I sent the boy to the stables to fetch me a horse. I grabbed my poleax and looked upon its blade, many lives had been ended by this weapon, and I still remember each one I took. All great weapons have names, mine was Rivalen, it's a strong name that means to desire to have a strong and stable community, like the tenants in my oath. I kneeled down and recited my oath before leaving the forge.

"I swear to thee that I will be the shield that defends my people. I swear that I will be the sword that slays thine enemies. I fight to make this world a better place, for those that will come after me. For God is my Judge, my lord the Jury, and I the Executioner. I ask my god that he have mercy upon my enemy, for I shall not."

I exited the forge and found the stable boy with a saddled horse waiting for me. He helped me mount the horse and he handed me my ax once I was on it. Before I rode off I took a small pouch from my belt and handed it to him.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Payment, tell your father thank you for allowing me to work at his forge."

"Will, I ever see you again Mr. Gaisig?"

"... I hope so."

With that done I rode onward toward the Shard to meet with Holden and the other warlords of the Knight legions. The shard was where the great war started, the fortress where the Blackstone legion was defeated, but when all factions declared war on each other. Hopefully, now this war would come to an end and soon.

0=l========>

I finally arrived at the gates of the Shard. The grounds show what happened on the day of the great siege. I could still picture the catapults hurling boulders set ablaze, the warriors that soaked the ground with their blood, and the ringing of swords as they clashed. The brass statues of knights that guarded the gates towered over me as I passed under them and made my way to the stables to tie up my horse. The stable man that was present asked me who I was.

"Who are you and what's your business here."

"I am sir Dain, I come seeking council with the Lord Warden."

"The Viking Slayer? I'm sorry to keep you waiting, the Lord Warden and the others are gathered in the war room."

Viking Slayer, I hated that title, but it was what I was given by my soldiers after my siege of the River Fort. We were outnumbered and we were not expecting reinforcements anytime soon. Our orders were to take the fort, giving us easy access to Valkenhiem. Our commander thought it best to attack the eastern wall and flood in. I advised against it, we didn't have the men and casualties would be too high to have sufficient forces to guard the fort. Our commander took an arrow to the head as soon as we reached the wall. I lead the charge and took the fort with the other officers. I Slayer 40 seasoned warriors that day and we suffered 50 casualties out of the 150 that we had. I was honored by the Lord Warden and given the title. I butchered those warriors and I was given a medal for it, that was why I left because those warriors were also my people. I was a bastard, the son of a Viking father, and a knight mother. Born after a Viking raid in a small village, thrown to the wolves for being the spawn of the enemy. I made myself a blacksmith crafting the armor for warriors that fought the people I was born from. Pfft, Viking Slayer.

I approached the war room and opened the doors to see the Lord Warden's council discussing their new strategy for the war. Holden Cross was there, the general of the Lord Warden, and Mercy, the Lord Warden's spymaster. There was also Stone, a commander of the knight's fortress that guarded the citadel and oversaw the training of new soldiers to fill our ranks. They were other members as-well but who're faces I didn't recognize. I placed my poleax by the door and removed my helmet.

"Ah Sir Gaisig, thank you for joining us." Said the Lord Warden.

"I keep to my oath, my lord I am at your service," I replied.

"Very well, as we have discussed Holden will lead our main forces to the north-western seaboard of Ashfeld where he will continue north to gain and hold territory from the Vikings. Meanwhile, you will be reinforced by the black prior knights led by our new ally Vortiger."

"With all due respect my lord, but you wish for me to defend our land with fanatics loyal to Apollyon's ideals, the very knight that started this war in the first place?"

"Yes, because they will help turn the tide of this war. We need help from wherever we can get it."

"We all took oaths of peace and devotion to our people, the Black prior are warmongering fanatics. My men will be enough!"

"You will do as your Lord Commander orders!" Yelled Holden as he slammed his fist into the war table.

There was silence in the room as the tension between me and Holden. But I backed down there was no reason to oppose, despite the situation.

"I am at your command my lord, I would ask however I choose my officers before leading my forces north."

"Very well."

I bowed before him before making my exit, I didn't like the thought though of working beside fanatics. But I will do as my lord commands and defend the north. I retired to the room that the Lord Warden has set aside for me and took my rest for the night. As I fell into my slumber there was peace once more, but when the sun rises there will be war.