Loosing The End

[15 July 1099, Jerusalem]

"God doesn't give trials we can't endure."

Those were the last words my commander said to the platoon before starting the attack on the city before us.

After quick siege that lasted only a week, the tall yellowish walls that protected Jerusalem started to crumble, marching forward, ignoring the untimely death of our comrades and avoiding the arrows coming our ways, as per Jeoffry's command, we made our way toward the city.

--BOOM, BOOM

Fires raged on the battlefield, our warcry could no longer be heard as the loud noise coming from the crashing stones fired by the catapults dumpened all other sounds. Rising my shield I survived yet another storm of

arrow coming our way.

The enemy's fantry was in sight, now I didn't need to worry about other arrows coming my way for a while, instead a saber-wielding

flood of men came crushing toward us.

Skillfully avoiding the slashes and redirecting the hits I stabbed the enemy's chest with my longsword, as he fell to ground I could see the spark of life slowly fading in his eyes.

But I had no time to think, soon another took his place, the battlefield was ruthless, every time you cut down someone another would replace him. The sacred war was nearing its end but they wouldn't yeld easily. In the past few days many lost their lives from both side for the sake of god's will.

Blood splattered all over my clothes while a mountain of corpses lied on the ground and more the battle progressed the more they increased. Ralizing this vicious cicle of violence I couldn't help but ask myself if this was really what the lord had planned for us.

--SLASH

A stab to the thight made me snap out of my thought. The one before me was not someone i could take lightly, unlike the others he was wearing a full plate armour and tightly held an helbard with both his hands. The injury was sever, but not to the point couldn't fight back.

Rising his weapon he then slashed down, narrowly avoiding the hit I tried to slice his side only for my sword to meet the pole of his weapon. I didn't have time to be surprised as a stab quickly come toward my chest, dropping the shield I avoided the hit and grabbed his weapon, flinching in surprise for a moment he gave an opening, not missing this chanche my sword cut his head off.

Leaning on the sword stabbed in the ground and panting I reached for the shield before limping toward the breach in the enemy's last line of defense.

Shouting from the back of the battlefield, Jeoffry ordered to take the enemy's commader head to quicly end the skirmish with minimal losses but there was a serious flaw in this plan, he was nowhere to be seen.

Infiltrating the city while the others were distracted I looked for a safe palce to rest, entering a small house and sitting down I somehow stopped the bleeding by wrapping the wound with clothes and cathed my breath a little. The siege had been continuing for seven days, the fatigue and wounds had accumulated on my body and mind making this tiny moment of peace extreamly important.

After resting for a while I left the house, looking left and right for the palce where the commander could be hiding a huge construction that seemed like a temple cought my eyes. Slowly making my way toward it, a series of fortification could be seen around but no guards were in sight. It wasn't strange as most man were probably fighting on the battlefield or were already dead.

Sneaking inside, the lights were dim and the place lacked any sort of abbelishment. The only thing that stood out was a golden crate placed on a altar wich emitted withe light. Standing in front of it was a man wearing full plate armor with golden inlays and without the head piece while in his hands rested a simple greatsword, illuminated by the halo created by the misterious object behind he looked like an angel from heaven, no amount of words could suffice to describe the beauty of the picture created before my eyes.

Looking at me with deep brown eyes, spoke

"It's truly a pity, young warrior, now that you saw me I'm left with no choiche but to kill you... may the lord forgive me"

"w-who are you? What is this place? Are you the commander?"

As millions of question rampaged through my head, he silently nodded. He was the commanderand seeing how he didn't participate in the battle he probably wanted to protect this place.

The next course of action was clear, theonly thing left to do was for me to bring back his head and put a stop to this madness, or convice him to yeld.

"then, please, stop your man from dieing an untimly death. Yeld and save the-"

Cutting my speach he then said

"their fate is not mine to decide, and we won't yeld untill the last one of us has exhaled his last breath"

"Then so be it, bring it on"

Dashing forward with my shield upfront a stinging pain surged from my thight, gritting my teeth I ignored it thinking only about crashing on him to make him loose balance. Sadly my plan backfired, as soon as I came close enough he swiftly moved away and kicked my side, making me fly away for a couple of metres.

Regaining my position and once again rising the shield I invited him to attack.

Lifting his sword he quickly appeared before me slashing down, narrowly avoiding the attack cold sweat dripped down my forehead, I could bearly see his movement, If I let him take the initiative my defeat would be sure.

Mustering all the courage left in my hearth I once again tried to attack, stabbing his head he skillfully parried my attack, foreshadowing this reaction I forcefully changed the course of the sword. Thinking of finally hittinghim, cold hard steel smashed on my face as he punched my jaw.

Suddendly the word started spinning and my legs gave out, leaning on the golden crate I looked at the man in front of me as he approached with cold and noble demanor.

"you are better than expected, what is your name young warrior?"

He asked.

Slightly frowning I replied.

"Lucius"

"Good, I shall remember your name Lucius, now goodbye"

Thrusting his hand forward, the cold, merciless steel of the blade pierced through my heart.

If this truly was a trial then I had failed, like many others, and my life was the price of failure.

My vision became blurry, the legs gave out, and the sound around me started disappearing a my corpse lied liflesse on the crate. This is how I died...

...or at least the first time.