Chapter 1

Job was looking forward to his shift today.

He could see that his liege knight was in a good mood, meaning he wouldn't get kicked or slapped tonight, and such occasion were rare, very rare and it was on theses rare occasions where he received some sort of recognition some sort of relief.

otherwise on good days he was ignored and on bad he was beaten because He was still young after all.

He was just eleven summers the youngest squire in this tiny fort, it had been almost a year since he came to this mangy little court and the only thing, he learned was hoe to take a beaten but he was steadfast to see it through He just had to work hard and wait until he hit puberty to become a full-fledged knight.

Job felt exhilarated, he was standing outside the kitchen doors when he saw a small girl walking out and Job felt his stomach drop as he saw her.

Her brown hair fell in her face and she wore a yellow dress that was much too big for her thin frame. She carried a bucket of water as if it was the heaviest object in the world, and he was curious how it even fit her arms. Job didn't have many questions for this little thing. The kid stumbled as she walked, almost tripping herself up several times before catching herself.

Job watched silently, trying his best not to cry at her predicament, he felt pity for her he wanted to help but helping her would just cause both them unnecessary pain.

Then she reached the front door and stopped.

The child looked up suddenly and their eyes met and Job felt his heart skip a beat. The look of fear and uncertainty that passed over the girl's face made him feel something inside himself break and shatter, he was reminded of a time long ago, when he had no one.

The girl turned back to look at Job, a confused expression covering her face, but then she just opened the curtain door and stepped through.

Job smiled at her, thinking that it was best thing he could do.

When she was out of sight the smile dropped off his face,

he thought about his past

a year ago, he was that little girl,

a year ago, just like that girl he too had arrived with a group of refuges,

he too was given clothes too large his size and he too was given chores and tasks no one wanted,

he too spent days emptying shit pots, cleaning latrines piling up horse shit in the stables,

and he too was beaten when he failed to follow a rule,

a simple punishment but an effective one the thought came at him out of nowhere causing him shudder.

It had taken him a long while to realize that these people, the knights he thought were here to protect him and people like him

That theses so called knights they were cruel men, that they only cared for themselves and only themselves,

that they used their status as a knight to bully weaklings,

and that they treated their own knights with the same kindness and care they gave their livestock.

Job now knew what they called the knights; were slaves, animals, cattle, and horses, for the nobles and people like him in turn were slaves, animals, cattle, and horses for the people like his master.

Job felt ashamed to know that he was one of those things, a beast to be ridden or sold away. He had been raised to believe that all humans were equal, that all humans deserved respect and dignity, that everyone was equal and should not be discriminated against simply because of who they were born to be.

Job had believed that and for years he lived in a land where that belief was respected. But now Job was here in this god forsaken place and everything was wrong.

He soon released what his parents had told were lies like every lie it was a sweet thing until the cruel truth came at you.

"What you doing?" someone growled behind Job

Job startled and nearly jumped out of his skin;

luckily the person hadn't noticed the movement or they would have laughed at him for being scared of a lowly serving boy,

which was exactly what he was at the moment.

Job quickly regained his composure, turning around.

It was none other than his teacher, his master, his knight sir Doyle

"Nothing sire" Job stammered in a meek voice, bowing low

the giant man just grunted in response

"My brother is about to return go and prepare some meat and bread for him"

"Yes, sire right away sire"

with that Job turned to leave, he was going to go back inside the kitchens to prepare the meal,

"Maybe even find some ale to calm my nerves, or maybe some wine, or possibly whiskey,"

sir Doyle shouted behind him, causing Job to freeze in his tracks, he couldn't do that; he'd be kicked or punished if he was caught, and the idea of being beaten made him physically ill

"Sir?" he asked in his mouse like voice

Doyle sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he hated the boy, he hated his attitude, his cowardice

"Just don't get caught, now go"

"Yes sire" and with that Job left, he knew better than to disobey the knight's orders.

.......................................

Guy Scalding dragged his weary feet along the wilderness, his back draped by the setting sun.

Every one of his footsteps was accompanied by the dripping dark-red blood that trickled down the edges of his rusty Armor.

even though the pain excruciating he still trugged on,

determined to reach his goal.

His head was pounding, his ears were ringing and his eyes were hurting with each step.

Every inch of his body ached, and his muscles burned from fatigue.

Guy was nearing the end of his strength.

He was exhausted, hungry, sore, filthy...he felt sick and dirty.

He wanted to sleep, but he knew he wouldn't.

He knew this would be the last time he slept.

Guy would not give in to the exhaustion that threatened to overtake him.

His mission was important...so important that he had to keep moving, keep going, keep fighting.

The only way to achieve his objective was to endure. The only reason he continued marching forward was because he knew that he would reach it.

Guy stopped midstride and threw himself toward the river flowing just beside him.

The cold water flowed over his bare back but it did nothing to ease the pain he was in. he wanted to stop just to give and sleep,

but he couldn't with every last shred of willpower he had he got back again and began marching toward the fort.

he needed to reach them before it was too late.

Half an hour later Guy finally approached the fort.

He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he hadn't been attacked yet by whatever creatures lurked in the trees and darkness surrounding him paid no head to him.

But soon he saw the sight that gave him just enough strength to finish his task

The sight of countless tents and rising white smoke came into Guy's line of sight.

The gigantic makeshift village in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by wooden walls was bustling with life.

There were half-naked drunkards with upper bodies plastered with crude tattoos, savages ripping into the morsels of unknown origins, those smirking while sharpening the blade of their stone-made axes, and soldiers forcing fair-faced recruits into their tents.

This anarchic group of soldiers were focused on their own matters at hand. They were spending this evening as usual, even though no one knew if it would be their last.

Guy cursed these god forsaken men as made his way toward them ,

his legs wobbling like two drunken new-born lambs. The guards at the gates immediately noticed him, and called to him into the fort while continuously questioning him,

"What happened to Ya?"

"Where are Ya hurt lad?"

"The scouts are back; the scouts are back" one the three men shouted loudly

"Or rather the scout is back, ah only see the one" another one joked

but Guy barely noticed.

All he could feel was a strong desire to rest, to eat something solid, even a piece of stale bread sounded heavenly right about now, but he ignored it and marched forward till one of the guards caught him and he fell into his embrace the strong smell of alcohol invaded his nostrils

{these god dammed fools} Guy thought as he weekly grabbed the hem of the soldier's tunic and struggled with him, trying to get to the gates where his brother was, but the guard just held onto the boy's waist like a piggyback ride

"what's your name boy?" One of the guards asked him

"Guy" he answered

"HURRY! call the commander the h..."

But that as far as he was able to get before shutting up as felt the ground began to shake

And then the screams pierced the night.

Guy looked up at the sky and saw the silhouette of an eagle flying above him.

A few moments passed and then the bird disappeared into the darkness.

Another cry broke the silence.

"Guy bleeding hell what happened to ya"

Guy stood there stunned. That sounded like one of his brothers. He looked around desperately for any sign of them but couldn't do that either.

A single ray of moonlight illuminated the field where he stood

Then a flash of light fell upon them obliterating the other two men that stood near Guy and his helper

As Guy fell down, he relaxed and closed his eyes he was already too late they were already here, the guard holding him threw guy to a side and ran away all the while screaming at the top of his voice

"The Hun are attacking, the hun are attacking"

"Call the commander!"

"The Hun is attacking our camp!"

"The hun are attacking us!"

"We've got to defend ourselves!"

{It's too late} Guy thought again as he fell to the ground

he felt the tremors long before he saw the eastern imperial iron cavalry the ground shook like an earthquake announcing their arrival like the arrival of death,

and soon chaos broke out

The sound of weapons hitting each other rang loudly like thunder and echoed across the battlefield

There was an agonizing shriek of the men, and another flash of light appeared from the distance

Another loud roar echoed through the air as a bolt of fire fell upon the wooden gates of the fort

but none of it mattered to guy as Guy just closed his eyes he as he felt his consciousness slipping as the fort geared to fight the vicious Huns,

but it was already too late,

the last thing guy heard before losing consciousness was the ringing of the alarm bell and the neighs of fast approaching horses and screams of the frightened men as the hooves trampled them to dust

The last thing Guy felt was the cold hard ground as he lost consciousness and succumbed to the pain of the arrows piercing his flesh and bones that led his journey into the sweet embrace of darkness.