The Knight Lords:

Duty Over Blood.

Property of: Francis M. Liswaniso II

Completed on 04/28/2014.

Published on 10/05/2014

The Knight Lords: Duty over Blood.

The Knight Lords were an ancient Order. One of noble warriors formed by the fabled King Pelyon, the legendary King who united all the crowns of the Midlands under a single banner and ushered in an age of peace after centuries of senseless wars. The Knight Lords were unlike any band of soldiers, they were few in number, Fifty they were and always have been .They bore with them swords of great power, enchanted by the magic of old by the Mystics of the Black Crusade. Also, upon each of them the Mystics bestowed the strength of a hundred men.

Though not immortal, all those who followed in the bloodlines of the first Twelve who were selected by King Pelyon himself at the birth of the Order, were blessed with unnatural long lives, and would serve as their forefathers had before them, and would take a seat in the chamber of Twelve Thrones. Their loyalty bound not only to the throne nor to the crown, but to any who acquired the crown through the honor of single combat, yet bore a just heart, and would rule also with mercy and kindness.

However, generations following Pelyon’s unification of the many nations, hordes of Barbarian Warlords accompanied by legions of undead warriors, marched from the South and laid waste to the Capital which was then ruled by the wise King Galden, a descendant of Pelyon himself. The unsuspecting citizens of the midland capital were caught unaware, and many were put to the sword, and the spear and the axes of the invaders from the south. The warriors of King Galden fought valiantly, but to no avail. The Knight Lords too were among those who fought, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers at which their foes had come.

The first twelve who were selected by the King, ordered the remaining Knight Lords to flee into exile, and swore an oath never to return until one who is just, merciful and kind, sat upon the throne once again. As a final act of loyalty to their now deceased King, the Twelve sealed the legions of the Undead with what little enchanted power they had remaining. However this act was costly, for they too were sealed, and forever took the form of stone monuments that stood as sentries to a gateway at the foot of the highest of peaks. And there they remained, silently keeping watch…Until our very day.

 Night had fallen, and the full moon had risen high into the night sky. Its pearl rays illuminated the entire expanse of the green grasslands of Stone Keep, the fortress where the Knight Lords had fled to four generations ago when the Barbarian Warlords invaded. Hidden deep within crater yet surrounded by a field of green grasslands, the Keep was a colossal mass of gray stone from which the fortress was carved, and it rose high into the sky. From the highest point, the sentries stood watching, shielded from the eyes of outsiders, yet little was hidden from their own.  

“What do you see? Anything unusual?” Asked Kheldon, a young Knight of the Order. He was tall with short golden hair, and his eyes, as blue as the clear waters of the Lawaren seas. Like all of the Knight minors of the Order, his armor was black. Only the more senior Knights, the Knight Lords, wore the famed midnight blue armor.

“I see nothing.” replied Tren, while gazing over the wall of the topmost tower, his long dark hair catching the summer night’s breeze. “The reports of wondering Barbarians in our lands this far from the Capital sound ridiculous.” Tren added.

Keldon sighed, “You know what they said about Lord Nharis.” Said Kheldon walking towards him. “The healers say he is beginning to see things. Old age perhaps.” Kheldon said looking into the distance. He looked at Tren, “You should go rest now, I will take over from here.” Tren gave a quick nod and went down the grey stone stair case behind them. The sun rose over the horizon and Khledon remained where he was on the top of the tower, still keeping watch.