Chapter 7: Betrayal at Dawn

The company rode blind through the mists, darkness falling swiftly in the woods. Richard called a halt, cautioning all to remain vigilant through the watches. A grim cast shadowed each knight's face as they readied camp, knowing an enemy lurked in the gloom.

Richard took first watch, pacing the perimeter with his naked sword drawn. The quiet presses close as a shroud, he thought with foreboding. No owl calls or beast cries break the eerie stillness.

In the small hours before dawn, a rustling snapped him to alertness. He gave a low whistle, and the camp stirred, grasping weapons. But as Richard peered into the mists, only faint movement betrayed an intruder's fleeting form. With a roar, he gave chase, crashing helter-skelter through blind thickets.

A flash of steel glinted ahead. He barreled into a yawning ambush as figures leaped from the mist. Friends or foes, he knew not, only that blades were drawn to kill. He parried two strikes, feeling a dagger slice mail on his arm, then a chilling voice sounded close behind: Yield, fool, and I may grant you a clean death!

William.

Richard spun to face his once-brother, panting. Traitor...why? How could you betray all for which we fought?

A humorless grin split William's scarred face, madness dancing in his eyes. I see the truth now: power and glory are for the taking, not waiting like you for scraps from the master's table! The life of a servant wasn't for me! Drefan showed me freedom to seize my fate, and I will not be chained by scripture's codes ever more!

Their eyes met in one fracturing instant of recognition, and then William lunged with a guttural roar. Richard barely parried the flurry of savage blows raining down as more assailants emerged from the mist. He was alone and outnumbered, with no chance to call for aid.

A blade slipped past his guard, biting deep into his thigh. He stumbled, parrying weakly, but more wounds opened on his arms and flanks. Through a red haze, he glimpsed William raising his sword for the deathblow—and beyond, two silhouettes crashing through the woods, bows singing.

Lady Sophia and the last faithful knight engaged William's men, felling two with well-placed shafts. Richard dragged himself up desperately one last time to face his enemy head-on. You were my brother, William... I loved you. Now that you've chosen your path, go, and may God show you mercy, know that I forgive you and Yeshua want's to as well. 

As William prepared to kill Richard lifting his sword for a deathblow. Richard thrusted full-force at an opening in William's defenses. Steel pierced mail and chain, grating against bone as Richard bore his entire weight behind the killing strike. William gasped, dropping his blade to clutch uselessly at the wound, bleeding his life away. His look of utter betrayal was the last thing Richard saw before turning away, leaving his once-friend in tear's. As they had once rode together as brothers in arms. 

Now only Richard and Sophia remained on a quest darkened by the loss and shadow of evil's manipulation. As the mists swallowed all signs of the carnage, Richard continued to weep for brothers fallen to corruption's snare. But dawn would come, and with it a light of God to see them through even this darkest of nights.