Chapter 4 – A Human Wall
While eating out with Felicite at a
nice restaurant, she waves her hand in front of my face.
“Huh? What is it?” I ask.
“You’re supposed to be paying
attention to only me on our day together. Is something wrong?” Felicite asks.
“Nothing really. I’m sorry.”
“Do you miss Claude? It’s been a
while since we last saw him. Is everything okay with him?”
“Yeah. He moved with his family to
a military base where he’s finalizing his tests to become an Assault Knight.”
“He moved? I thought he was doing
his tests here in the city. How come you didn’t tell me before?”
“I was busy with tests of my own to
become a city guard. I’m still nervous that I start next week and even more
nervous that we’re getting married next week.”
“Don’t be. You have the rest of
this week off so let’s enjoy it together.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
The day that I spend with Felicite
is slow but sweet. We visit places in the city that we’ve been planning to such
as museums, parks, and restaurants. I get a special discount for every place
that costs money to get into and special reserved seats at places like
restaurants because of my new job. After going to a concert at a theatre, we
head back home and hope that tomorrow is even better and it seems to be that
way. We first go to a marketplace that is holding an annual celebration of
everything Equus from our special foods and music to plays and weapons. Many
different people from other kingdoms are visiting for this reason, which makes
the city more crowded than usual. I’d hate to be on guard duty today because of
the amount of people I have to check on and allow or, God forbid, deny access
to the city.
The entire day sours as soon as I
hear the sound of a deep horn and the sound of drums indicative of an incoming
orc attack. In addition, I hear the sounds of church organs that signal to all
guards and soldiers off duty to get their weapons and armor and join the fight.
As the warning sounds are going off, the guards and soldiers follow protocol
with some escorting the civilians to safety while others are moving to the
gates to defend them. This is bad. Even with the visiting soldiers, I don’t
think this battle is going to go well because of our thinned-out numbers.
“What’s going on, Aegeus? Who is
attacking us?” Felicite asks.
I could just tell the truth without
telling Felicite what the church organs mean, but I don’t think that would be
right. Still, I have a feeling within myself to take her and my family to
safety while letting everyone else deal with the attack. Why did you have to be
away at this time, Claude?
“Orcs are attacking us and the
church organs playing say that all guards and soldiers off duty are called to
help. I can tell you’re worried, but don’t be.”
“So, are you going to go help?”
I want to say no, but that wouldn’t
be right. That’s not who I am. That’s not who God designed me to be.
“Of course. I am a guard of the
city after all,” I say with as much confidence I can muster.
Felicite seems to have bought my
display of confidence and nods to me and says, “You should hurry then, hero.
I’ll be praying for you like always!”
I simply smile and wave as we go
our separate ways. Going to the nearest guard post, I armor up, get my shields,
and join the guards and army as we head outside of the city to meet the enemy.
The Assault Knights and city guards stand in front of us while I and several
other guards stand in front of the gates. Above me I see Conte giving his
message to Commander Maxime before wishing me well and running off.
“Faithful men and women of God and
His Holy Church, we have an arduous task in front of us,” Commander Maxime
says. “A horde of rogue orcs descends upon us in our moment of weakness. We are
outnumbered and do not know if any help will come in time. Regardless of that,
we will stand and fight. We are the walls that protect the Church and Her
people. A shield does not shrink from being hit nor does armor crack under the
threat of pressure, therefore, we will do the same. We will defend our loved
ones with our very lives and offer them as a sacrifice for our Lord, Jesus
Christ. To Him be glory and honor forever!”
Together with the rest of the
guards and soldiers, I say, “To Him be glory and honor forever!”
“Amen!”
“Amen!”
The horde of orcs appears after our
amen as if waiting for it and charges straight for us. Our archers rain down
arrows on them to thin out their numbers before our Assault Knights meet their
charge with their own. Because our numbers aren’t what they should be, some
orcs make it past the knights and head for the gates. I, along with the other
gate guards, ready ourselves as we take the brunt of their attack and then
counterattack. The fight at the gates spreads us out allowing me to swing my
shields wildly around to knock off the heads of my enemies and knock them down
so I can crush them with the weight of my shields. One heavily armored orc
riding a black horse tries riding into the gates to try to break through them
on his own, but I get in his way, taking the brunt of his charge and knocking
him off his horse.
After killing his horse, I face off
against him and am immediately met with a flurry of attacks from him and his
two large axes that look too heavy for any normal man to wield with just a
single hand. Nevertheless, I endure his attacks and push back against him to
get some breathing room and some respite from the constant onslaught.
“Who do you think you are?” the orc
says.
“A defender of the Church.”
“Is that all? Do you know who I am?
I am Diederich! Executor of royalty, slayer of hundreds, and ruler of armies. I
have orchestrated this attack with ratmen and beastmen to take over and
plunder your city just like the others I’ve set my sight on. What about you?”
It takes me a second to think of
who I am and my notable qualities, but I eventually say, “I am Aegeus, and like
I said already, I am a defender of the Church!”
“Ha! I’ve killed dozens of mere
guards like you already and you will be no different!”
Again, Diederich unleashes a flurry
of attacks on me and I do my best to defend myself. Knowing that I can’t be
playing defensive this time, I try to counterattack with blows of my own. This
leads to us having to exchange blows one after the other and both of us being
heavily injured. It isn’t until we both stop attacking do I feel the weight of
my injuries start to weigh me down.
“I’ve survived worse than you,
guard! You won’t be the end of me!” Diederich says.
Silently, I pray to God to give me
the strength to finish this fight. By the time it’s over, I can’t believe it as
I stand over the crushed body of Diederich, and yet, I can’t feel anything.
Leaning up against the gates, I hold my shields at the ready for any more
attempted attacks on it as I feel my life slipping away from me. In front of
me, I see that few of my fellow guards and soldiers remain and there’s another
incoming horde of orcs coming. Are they friendly? Regardless, as pass on from
life to death in one breath, and see that I’m seeing myself and the battlefield
from above. Looking around me, I see an angel who is suspending me in midair.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“St. Michael the Archangel. I have
been watching and interceding for you and now I am here to place you in Heaven with
other heroic guards who have died in service to God and His Church,” the angel
says.
“What about them down there? Will
my city be overrun?”
“No, it will not. You and the
others defending the city held out long enough for the noble orcs that were hunting
the rogue ones to catch up to them and reinforce the city’s guard. Look.”
Going back down, I see a mass of
orcs reinforcing my allies from all sides. When the fighting is over, they come
over to my body, which is still standing propped up by the gate.
“Who is this noble guard?” an orc
commander asks.
“That’s Aegeus,” Commander Maxime
says. “He died in combat against that orc leader, Diederich. I should’ve helped
him, but I was stuck fighting in the battle and couldn’t reach him in time. He
leaves behind many who loved him including a woman he was going to marry soon.
I’ve failed him.”
“Be proud and save your tears for
his funeral, commander. Aegeus has served his God-given purpose to the letter
and should be given as much honor as possible, especially since he defeated
such a notorious criminal by himself.”
Looking back to St. Michael, I ask,
“What about Felicite? What will happen to her? I’ve left her without a husband
to marry a week before her marriage.”
“She’ll grieve for long, but she’ll
find happiness and you’ll reunite with her one day in Heaven,” he says.
“I see. Then, I’ll be watching and
interceding for her, my family, friends, everyone in the city, and the Church
from Heaven. I want to give them all as much help as I can.”
“And you shall, noble guard. Now,
enter into your well-deserved rest by your Lord’s side.”
The End
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