The Ancient World Order

Chapter 21: Miranda Telea of The Empire

Black smoke rose over the trees of the forest. Miranda, with Sir Matt and three other knights, had in secret separated from the rest of their party two nights before. She prayed that their departure had been unnoticed by anyone who might follow them. Wilfred had urged that her meeting with Brad Ambeder would remain secret. A last desperate hope to sway Brad from starting yet another civil war.

"My lady, stop!" Sir Matt shouted as he tried catching up with Miranda, riding her swift white mare. They were dressed in dark shaded robes, to mask their appearance of nobility. "We have to be cautious. We do not know what lay beyond the forests!"

"Atorn!" Miranda shouted in quick response, without looking back. She had realised, as the black thick smoke was covering the skies, they were too late. Brad had followed through on his threat of attacking Atorn. Cleansing the last part of his lands from the influence of the Church of Magnus. "I must see it for myself!"

"There is nothing to be done!" Sir Matt shouted back, looking at his fellow knights. "We can't let you near any danger. By the orders of Lord Wilfred himself, we swore to keep you safe, at the cost of our very lives!"

"There is no more safe. Don't you see that?" Miranda snapped out in anger and despair. "We need to know what's happening. Wilfred needs to know what's happening!"

On the way through the forest, they spotted a group of fleeing farmers. They were screaming in panic.

"Stay back!" Sir Matt roared to Miranda as he blocked her path. He had reluctantly agreed to follow Miranda through the forest to see what was happening to Atorn, in a return from Miranda to be cautious.

Miranda complied, she remained behind the cover of Sir Marden.

Black riders emerged out from the far trees, apparently hunting the farmers. As one farmer fell, a black rider caught up to her and struck her in the back with a long sword. He didn't stop as he continued his pursuit for the rest.

"We have to help them!" Miranda cried out as she witnessed the slaughter.

"Turn back!" Sir Matt snapped. "We don't know how many they are!"

"They will all die!"

"We don't even know who they are." Sir Matt snapped yet again. "Perhaps it's Ambeder men."

"It doesn't matter!" Miranda cried out. "I don't care who they are. We must protect them! What is all your chivalry worth, if you don't protect the weak as you have sworn an oath upon!"

Sir Matt looked long and hard at Miranda. He made a grim face as she had called out his honour. "Line up!!" He commanded his knights, as he spotted more black riders emerging.

Swiftly they formed a line, knee by knee, to charge the black riders in their pursuit of the fleeing farmers.

"For Magnus, for Wilfred and the Empire!" They roared while charging ahead.

Miranda jumped off her horse and took cover behind the trees. She was watching as her escort rode off to meet the black riders.

One by one, fleeing farmers got cut down as they tried to make their escape. A futile attempt it was. At foot, there was no way to outrun the black riders. A younger man tried to climb up a tree, only to get pierced by a flying spear launched at him.

The black riders were spread out and frantically focused on their slaughter. They didn't seem to have been noticing the incoming Sir Matt and his men charging at them. They switched to a small wedge formation, just seconds before intercepting three black riders, who chased a small group of children. By perfectly placed sword strokes, the black riders fell off their horses, dead before they hit the ground. The terrified children carried on running out of sight.