The Reformation Wars: Countdown to Catastrophe

Chapter 1

Deté 73rd, 995 A.D.

It had been another peaceful morning within the walls of the hall for Monterayne's Knights of a New Era before one of the men found his comrade dead on the ground.

A long-faced knight with messy dark blond hair named Manfred Rickland had been on his way to the dining chamber for a soothing breakfast after a fitful night's sleep when he'd rounded the corner and espied a limp form on the ground. The shaft of an arrow jutted out from the dead man's chest.

Manfred hurried over to get a closer look. His stomach dropped as he approached, forehead tensing as he contemplated the repercussions—another soul suddenly snatched into eternity, all future potential stolen from him. And worst of all, this man wasn't alone. In fact, he was only the fifteenth in a series of knights who had been mysteriously killed in the past few weeks.

Upon closer examination of the body, Manfred observed the man's sword hung halfway out of the scabbard. Clearly, he had seen his fate coming, albeit moments too late. Just to make absolutely sure, he checked for a pulse and wasn't the least bit surprised when he felt nothing.

With a deep sigh, Manfred rose to his feet and glanced down the stone-walled hallway. Upon spotting a black-haired knight emerging from a chamber down the way, he called to him and requested that he bring Tom Holt, the leader of the knightly order.

In short order, Tom arrived, and he knelt beside the fallen knight's body with a furrowed brow. His single eye glanced up at Manfred as he pursed his lips. "You found him just like this?"

Manfred nodded. "Just like that. I don't like this. Fifteen of our—"

"Seventeen." Tom corrected, "Andal here is only the third body I've examined today. But I share your grief."

"Why would someone do this?"

"I can't pretend to understand the villainy of murder, Manfred. All I can do is attempt to uncover the culprit."

"And how's that been going?"

Tom ran a finger along his sweaty brow as he rose to his full height. "It has been an exercise in futility so far, I'm afraid. Whoever is doing this has displayed great skill, not in completely covering their tracks, but in giving us only useless clues."

After Tom had waved a pair of knights over to take the body, Manfred clasped his hands behind his back and followed him down the corridor. "Can you even guess where they're from?"

"I couldn't begin to formulate a guess, not with facts backing me. They're as likely to be a Monteraynian insurgent as they are to be an Innutukian operative."

Manfred let out a long sigh. "I just wish things would go back to normal. The way they were."

"We all do. But we must deal with the reality before us. Now, I was scheduled to meet with Princess Kate over breakfast to advise her of the situation, and if you wish to accompany me, you may."

"It's up to you, sir."

Tom's lips twitched as if he wanted to smile, but didn't have it in him. "She seems to enjoy your company. I think you should come."

"Alright, then I will."

"Of course," Tom said with a sigh, "I only regret that I must report to her today, when the news is more dire than it has ever been."

"Yeah...that makes it worse than it would've been already. But she's smart, so...maybe she'll have a solution."

"I certainly hope so."