Knights Blessed by Moonlight: Chapter 1 – March of the Army of the Night

Chapter 1 – March of the Army of the Night

Our targets are in sight and we wait for the command to attack. The weather is perfect for battle, and yet, it is unnatural because of whatever profane magic the Cult of Light is using that radiates from their crosses that stand tall in the city ahead of us. This land of Noctua is typically cloaked in constant night with either the stars or moon lighting it up, but the cult has somehow brought the sun into these lands. My friend and protector of the Pope comes up from behind me almost scaring me. His robes and darker than the black armor typical of a soldier like me and his owl mask can be frightening to look at, especially since his golden eyes that are indicative of a native of Noctua can’t be seen through the eyeholes of the mask. The blades that he carries stick out from his sleeves and seem to have a bit of blood on them.

“Is everything okay, Irsuto?” I ask him.

“Yes, Umberto. After scouting out the enemy’s defenses, I say that they’ll be no trouble for us to overtake. Just be mindful and keep your mind on God because being in that light makes your mind feel weightless,” he says. “How goes the watch? Is Ludovico still eager to get into the fight?”

“The watch has been fine and Ludovico is just as eager as everyone to get this crusade started. This profane magic that has brought their false light to our sacred land is sickening to see and even more sickening is seeing them use statues of Christ as their own and pretending to be the one, true faith.”

“It irritates me as well,” Irsuto says as he looks at his slightly bloodied blades before immediately looking back up at me and then looking behind us. “You’re not going to sneak up on me. Give it up already, Ludovico.”

The fool, Ludovico, gets out of the bushes and walks to us with the typical trouble-making smile on his face. Since he’s a soldier like me, I see his golden eyes and can see his ashy black skin. He wears lighter armor than I do, has a short sword, and a smaller shield all of which are colored black with gold trim on them with a gold moon and cross similar to mine.

“I’ll get you one day, Irsuto,” Ludovico says.

“If couldn’t get me when we were kids, you won’t be able to get me now since I am trained to sense when I am being sneaked up on,” Irsuto says.

“So, are we going to attack soon?”

“I already told his holiness what I saw, so yes, we’ll be attacking soon. Speaking of which, I should be getting back to his side. You two should as well in a few minutes.”

Irsuto moves with inhuman speed back to camp and is gone as if he were never here in seconds.

“That guy. I swear his position as one of the Owl Knights has made him even more distant and protective than usual. Umberto, do you think we’ll ever hang out like we used to?” Ludovico says.

“Why? Because you want another shot at that bartender you always try asking out?” I ask.

“Hey, the last time I checked she was single and our conversations lasted much longer. She was even smiling throughout our conversation rather than giving me her typical scowl. Man, I pray that I get a wife as easily as you did. How’s Coletta doing?”

“Fine.” Should I tell her that she’s pregnant? No, that’d make him more jealous. “I’m sure we’ll all get together after this crusade is over and you’ll get another shot at getting that bartender to actually go out on a date with you. She probably will when you tell her about our victory over these heretics.”

“Then let's get this over with as soon as we can!”

By the time Ludovico and I get back to camp everyone is assembling in their formation and are armed, armored, and ready to fight. Ludovico heads up to the back, Irsuto is at the very front standing by the side of the Pope and his generals on their horses, and I head to the group just behind him.

Turning around, Pope Tramonto the Fifth slams the bottom of his papal spear into the ground and then says, “Faithful men of the Church, my fellow brothers and sisters. We have let this infestation of heresy fester in our homeland for too long. This Cult of Sun were once our fellow brothers and sisters who corrupted themselves by making pacts with heathens, heretics, and other such traitors of God and the natural order. They have not learned from history and should be pitied, but nevertheless executed without mercy as mercy so that they may see the error of their ways and for the crimes they have committed.  Remember what co-mingling with traitors got us.”

Pope Tramonto the Fifth points to the hole in the center of his head of his skull helmet. Continuing he says, “Let us not also forget that the mistake of betrayal that took us from an age of sailing the seas of stars and space and technological advancement to an era where those things are nothing but ruins and scraps. Nevertheless, we will rise from the ruins of the future’s end and take humanity up to new heights so that we may be closer to God. Be brave! Be without fear! Because today, we fight and die in His name!”

We all let out a battle cry before we are led into battle. Charging ahead into the city that the cult is holding, we are immediately assaulted from within because of the effects of their artificial sun’s light. Thoughts of turning away, turning on our own, or trying to convince everyone around me to do the same enter my mind.

“Think of Coletta. Think of your children,” I hear a voice in my head say.

It’s then that I remember being back home and feeling as if I am truly back there. The eternal night sky is as beautiful as always and the cool breeze feels refreshing, especially after having trained and dealt with Ludovico and Irsuto all day. Coletta leads me on by the hand with a smile on her face and encouraging words as she always does. Now, we’re back home enjoying one of my mother’s homecooked meals and sitting around the table. This feels like paradise, and yet, something’s wrong about it. It isn’t until I hear the distant voice of Ludovico do I remember where I actually am and pray to get out of this spell.

I pray, “Lord, lead me on and strengthen me against these temptations. I offer the pain of this cross you’ve given me as penance for those of the Church, those outside of it, and the souls in Purgatory. Let its heavy weight crush the weak man I am and make me into the man I am meant to be.”

Soon after the prayer, I open my eyes to see that I’m back on the outskirts of the city. Many of the men seem to be in a trance while the others are charging forward aided by those who are using a dark fog spell. In the distance, I see that a couple of the cult’s crosses are broken and the light of the artificial sun is retreating.

Ludovico is shaking me and saying, “Wake up, Umberto! Help the others with the black fog!”

I do so as I conjure black fog to mask our movements and further dull the effects of the artificial sun, and then say, “I can’t believe that the effects of that sun got to me.”

“I’m surprised that it got to you and the others before we got close. We can’t let it bother us now because the heretics have sent their forces against us. Get ready!”

Unsheathing my sword and raising up my shield, I head into the chaos of the battle. I immediately cut the head off a charging enemy, cut at the legs of the next before crushing his head with my shield, and then parrying the blow of another before stabbing them in the chest. As I continue fighting and the enemy numbers begin to thin and retreat, I see the Pope, the generals, and Irsuto driving them back.

“Follow the example of his holiness and charge ahead!” Ludovico says along with a few others.

We follow the Pope’s example and charge into the city, however, everything around me turns into a light gold and everyone disappears from my sight. Again, I silently pray as I guard my mind against the soothing feeling that threatens to corrupt it.

“Umberto, an honorable knight and nothing else,” I hear a voice say.

That’s all that matters because that’s all I am and what God has made me to be.

“And yet, you’ve always wanted to stand out more. I know you do. You may be one of the elite knights of Novus, but you’re just one of many. Ludovico can make everyone smile and encourage others to move on and Irsuto is a skilled fighter and guardian of the Pope, but you? You’re just another face in the crowd of men and women with golden eyes and black skin. No one will remember your actions or even your face and name. Your children will look more up to those around rather than yourself.”

I want them to grow up to be better than me anyway, and if I’m such a bad example, then it’d be better for them to follow the example of others anyway.

“You don’t believe that. I know your true feelings. You want people to notice you just like how everyone else does.”

You may know my feelings, but you don’t know what I believe. Vade retro Satana.

“I am not your enemy. I’m a friend. Come, sit with me.”

The light clears ahead of me and I see a man sitting by a table. His appearance is blurry to me and seems to go back and forth from appearing to be like Ludovico and Irsuto. My legs don’t listen to me as I drag my feet to walk towards him.

“Why continue fighting? Why start this crusade against your fellow countrymen and faithful worshippers of God? The people of this city became happier once the sun shone on them and accepted our truth.”

“It’s your truth, but not the real truth. We tried converting you from your errors, but once you put this blasphemous spell over the city and other settlements, we had no choice but to use force since you used your magic to make people think as you do.”

“We were only able to do so because a majority of people believe as we do. The rest saw the wisdom in our words once the spell took effect and they truly began to believe the truth we were preaching in the name of Christ. Why won’t you do the same?”

“Because you preach a false truth. A lie. A perversion of the gospel. I should cut your tongue out right now for using the name of Christ improperly and without any reverence in your voice.”

“Isn’t peace a mark of God? Look at what your life could be like if you joined us.”

Before me, I see my family and friends together on my farm enjoying themselves in the sunlight.

“Peace is one of the marks of God, but a just war is another one of them,” I say as I slash my sword at the man who disappears in a haze.

The light around me has suddenly shifted and I seem to be in a church of some kind. Looking outside of one of the windows, I see that I’m back in the city with my allies pushing back the enemies outside. Hearing the sounds of heavy footsteps makes me quickly turn around to see a small group comprised of ratmen, beastmen, orcs, and dark elves.

“These people of different beliefs and cultures came together because of our truth. Can your religion say the same?” I hear the voice say in my head. “I can already tell you that it cannot because the war it has waged on other truths hasn’t ended even after the space sailing age of humanity ended and the Earth was forever changed because of it.”

“Such was God’s will.”

“Such was God’s punishment for us. Noctua is cloaked in constant night for one despite it being the nation where the Vatican is and its people will never know the joys of the day because of the consequences of war. Other places are fiery hellscapes, transform men into beasts, or are populated with walking corpses. Why reject the light of peace and embrace the darkness of war?”

“Because your light is false. Here, let me show you true light.”

With my will, I cast a spell from my eyes that shoots out a light that blinds my enemies allowing me to easily cut them down one by one. By the time the few living ones regain their sight, it’s too late for their numbers to matter as I clean up the rest.

“If that is your answer, then I will fight you as well,” the voice says.

Out of the light of the Church, a knight clad in white and gold comes out armed with a sword and shield. His attire seems to be an inversion of mine, which makes sense. All evil is a perversion of goodness so this is no different. We fight and mirror each other’s attacks leading to a stalemate as each attack is met with another and being defensive only leads to a staring contest.

“I was like you once,” the man says. “A soldier who would only give up fighting for the Church when I was dead, but the truth that came from the Cult of the Sun, I dropped everything and thanked God for it. Now, I’m no longer a nobody who lives a mundane life and a replaceable soldier. Now, I’m an important part of God’s plan to instill peace in the world once and for all.”

“It sounds like you have a problem with self-importance,” I respond. “I, on the other hand, will be satisfied with being just another sword and shield used by God if that’s my only purpose.”

“You’re too humble.”

The fight begins to go in my favor as my enemy goes on the offensive and I take the openings I see after blocking, parrying, and meeting his attacks with my own until he’s on the ground with only a sword in his hands while his other arm is cut off.

“Perhaps, but you’re not humble enough,” I say before crushing the man’s head with my shield.

After I exit the church, I rejoin my allies and help blot out the artificial sun freeing those who were under its spell and restoring the natural darkness of the world. The Pope gives another one of his rousing speeches as the citizens of the city thank us for saving them. Some time passes and a celebration dinner is set up for us. While I eat by myself, I look around at everyone who is happily celebrating, drinking, and eating. Ludovico sits by me with a plate overflowing with food that is hardly hanging onto it.

“Why are you sitting alone here instead of being with everyone else?” Ludovico asks.

“I just wanted to be alone and rest especially after what happened during the battle. Besides, you usually say that you need to be by yourself when you’re hitting on a lady,” I say.

“Eh. I think I’ll wait until I get back home until I hit on anyone. I also feel off because of that spell and what I heard during it, but those were nothing but temptations and empty promises. We shouldn’t dwell on them nor let them get us down. You’re a great man, a great soldier, and an even greater friend.”

Leave it up to Ludovico to smile at me even as he is on the edge of drunkenness. To our surprise, Irsuto sits with us with a plate of food and a glass of wine of his own.

“Irsuto! I’m glad you came to sit with your old buddies and here I was thinking you’d be sitting with the Pope and other important people,” Ludovico says while leaning on Irsuto.

Irsuto nudges him away and says, “They offered me a seat with them, but I respectfully declined because I wanted to sit with you guys. You are important to me after all.”

“Ha! I’m happy to hear it despite you saying it in such a monotone matter-of-fact way.”

“Don’t be drinking too much, Ludovico. We have many more battles to come and this celebration is only for the night.”

“You’re no fun like always. Why don’t you lighten up a bit for once?”

“How about you stop being an idiot for once?”

“Because it’s one of my many charms unlike you who doesn’t have a charm to speak of.”

As I listen to Ludovico and Irsuto go back and forth while eating, I’m reminded of the old days when this was more common for us, and can’t help but smile. Yeah. I think this is the right life for me no matter how meager and spread out the joys become.