Crusaders III: The New Age 1.15

2.5           Selene.

Unlike his father, the new Crawler held half his Windingo form in the Main frame with his long fangs on all his limbs and thin furred coat on his upper body. His expression showed his fangs on the jaw when he heard the lady creature spoke its name. He had done his share of killing these werewolves on the land.

"I am not here to fight you but to assist you." Selene spoke out. "Like you, I am a discard of the packs. The Tiberian Pack only survivor is I. I have come far to seek you. We shared a common foe; the Vampires."

The Vampires and werewolves are foes for eons but the later was not a killer unless provoked. They only seek a life without fear of being hunted but it was never fulfilled as Man and others have hunted them. Their other breed, the forest wolfs were fouled by Man with their evolution and genetics tampering that now the other breed hunts all including their own. Crawler had hunted those wild ones when they come too near to the walls.

"I know you cannot speak, but you can read minds and communicate by it." Selene spoke to him, but soon they were alerted to the presence of some intruders. They were the enemies of the Queen Wolf and thirst for her blood. That was then, and with the passing moons, she was his constant companion. They hunted together, and communicated by signs and at times, by howls. Selene avoided the other packs and would cling to him for comfort. She had called him the Quiet One. It was the relationship that Crawler could not reconciled, but that was to end soon.

Crawler and Selene were on at the forest after the hunt; she was in her human form running with him, although at a slower pace. They were taking a slow run back to the hideout of Crawler when Selene stopped him.

"They have tracked me." Selene reverted back to her other ego and snarled her fangs. At that moment, three dark leathers figures appeared before them. On their back were not rifles but the long handle machete that was the favored weapons of the Vampires Brigade. He had encountered one of them before, some years back in the wasteland and he barely made it out of the fight alive.

Crawler crouched down with his back bent forward, his upper limbs braced on the ground for the coming attack. The Vampires spread out before pulling out the machete. They did not attack him until he moved to stand in front of Selene. It was then Selene attacked first but not at the Vampires but at Crawler' back. It would have ripped the spine on Crawler if not for Sergei's shot. The shot from the Colt hit the Wolf Queen at her extended right hand with a hole blown at the palm.

"Aargh!" Selene pulled her wounded hand back and rolled onto the side. She looked up and saw approaching duo. She screamed out and revert to her original self; the ego of the shape shifter. In her true self she was one of the Vampire Queen; then a lady with dark flowing hairs dressed like the Vampire holding onto the wounded hand.

"Attack them!" The Shape Shifter commanded the Vampires to draw out their machete blades. The trio spaced out while another two arrived to assist the half Man Windingo creature.

"Allow me", the lady dressed in leather rushed forth and swung her right hand. From it, the long streak of the laser whip appeared. Its swing got the middle Vampire figure on the left forearm and tore into the flesh severing the arm. Then she pulled back and lashed it out in a forward motion making it thrust into the Vampire on the right. The Vampire did try to deflect the whip but was too slow in intercepting it. The whip penetrated the Vampire into its chest and out in the other side.

The shape shifter saw the odds are against them and shouted for a retreat. The two remaining Vampires disappeared into the darkness alongside with the shape shifter.

Crawler looked towards the two and decided to run to hide but he paused on hearing the familiar voice of the Man from within the walls. He recognized the Abbot and held his stay there.

"Protector, please stay. These are the Crusaders." Abbot Adrian explained to Crawler. Meanwhile Sergei was studying the half Man Windingo before him. He was sure this could be the elusive Crawler who went missing some thirty years ago. He was never seen since then.

Meanwhile Crawler was overwhelmed by the scent he was getting; like the one he was to find but had remain elusive till now. He looked at the two strangers but he found the lady more interesting.

"The Vampires!" Abbot Adrian who had walked over to examined the dead adversary. "These are from the Vampires Brigade. They used to plague the land right after the bombing but had disappeared for some time now."

"We must get to back to the monastery before more arrived." Abbot Adrian advised the trio. 

Othello the Legatus Act 2 Part 1.22

Prologue 14

The battle with the Gauls had ended but there was one more to be fought. A Tribune, the nephew of a member of the Senate, who was in cohort under Cassio, stood at attention in the tent facing the tribunal comprising the Legatus, Pilus and Praefectus.

"Lacus Marius, how do you plea your action?" Othello asked the young man standing before him. That man in his action had led four good legionnaires into a trap and left them to die while he escaped.

"I have no guilt of my action. We were outnumbered and the Evocati with me, told me to run while he cover my escape. I did it to come back and report on the situation." Lacus replied to the Legatus. "I did not shrink from my duty as told by the Praefectus. I may be ...."

"The favorite nephew of Torius Marius, but here in the Legion, you are just another legionnaire. You stand and fight like one with them, from Evocati to the Hilites, but you chose to run like a rabbit on the field." Praefectus Iago prosecute on the man standing there. "I have witnesses who claimed you ran first when you saw the Gauls."

"The Evocati asked me to run to inform the others. I did.." Lacus replied in which Iago interjected.

"Lies! You ran because you were scared. You are a disgrace to the Legion." Iago told him.

"I was not. I may be a Tribune, but status, but I fought well for the legion." Lacus lashed back. "Do not speak ill of my name, or......"

"Or what? Called on your Uncle? I been through worse." Praefectus Iago replied. He then noted that Cassio was whispering to the Legatus and it was bad omen as predicted by himself.

"Tribune Lacus, you are designated to work with the supplies from now. Let it be known that this conduct would be recorded in the scrolls. Dismissed." Legatus told the young man while Iago was fretting to argued but he saw the look on the Legatus.Once the young man had left the tent, Iago confronted his Legatus.

"Why did we released him? What did Cassio had said to you that you left him off lightly?"

"A trade off for his other skills. His linked to the member of the Senate augurs well for us with the supplies. I can do without six legionnaires, but to lose the supply or be delayed on that, would have more than six of my legionnaires killed." Othello replied. "It was a strategic move."

"And to whom shall we pay tribute on the death of those six?" Iago asked.

"They are Roman legionnaires and would be accorded the full honor upon death. There is no excuse for denying them that, but for Lacus, he would continue on. Those are my orders."

Iago looked to the Legatus and muttered to himself; "Its obvious that the charms of one other have override mine." 

Devils Own ( A Steam Punk and Mystic Tale ) 1.5

1.5.

Irina stepped forth with the tray of accessories that will be attached to Kassius uniform. The later held out his hands with the legs spread for the adornment. Greaves were fitted onto his thigh with the hard leather bound with the mail chain face on the outside. The knee high boots were given the twin daggers with the serrate blade edge stuffed in the right side, while the right boot held the foot long stick with the retractable blade. On the waist was the nine inch length air pistol with the metal balls clip containing nine shots each. The balls are propel by the combustible air that was stored in each projectile casing when on impact will released the metal balls to a distance of a hundred feet. On the belts are the three spare clips along with gas and flash grenades. On his upper arms, the same design greaves were attached, while on the lower arms was covered with the right vambrace that held the hidden retractable blade above the wrist. The one on the left wrist was an improvised vambrace with the spring loaded dagger. On his bag was the leather case that covered half his back. Inside it were his spare clips, more thin wires that was his basic tool for climbing and at times, to secured things and also medical supplies. There was a rounded metal canister slung below it, which held the three hundred metal balls on the clip tube to the air rifle he was to carry. The two feet length barrel rifle fired a metal ball over a distance of over four hundred feet in a continuous rate at a hundred shots per minute or three shots per pull of the trigger.

“Kassius, I have placed the potion in your vest.” Irina reminded him of the deadly potion that he was to consume if ever he needs it.

“Thank you, Irina.” Kassius smiled at his friend. “I won’t promise to come back on time, but I will be back.”

Irina then led the assassin to the bird of prey; the metallic contraption that he had fashioned from the normal bi-pedaled two wheeler with the modified steam engine, and retractable wings.

“Kassius, I want it back in the same condition.” Irina reminded him. “It took me some hard work to get this works.”

“I won’t promise but I will try.” Kassius replied before he fired up the steam engine to create the combustion gas that would work the power over the steam piping’s. He then felt the pulled of the steam power and lifted his legs. The bike sped off the perch where it was resting while its wings activated by the lever opened up for the glide motion. The wings slide back in a drawback motion to build up the speed. The spot which the bike took off was the alley behind the shop. He gunned the bike speed and then moved the wings forward to spread open. The bike wings leveled the contraption up as it sailed on the high winds with the rider adjusting its ascent. The bike sailed past the building roofs and then pushed by the rider, it would soar into the skies before it choose a more lateral descent route.

When the bike reached a certain height, the pull of gravity pulled at it. The rider will then release a lever on the rear of the bike to push out the balloons. A set of balloons filled up from the helium canister will leveled the bike’s descent before it stabilized at that height to remain on a horizontal flight path. By then Kassius had reached the heights of the lower hills and with it, the scenery of the land was revealed to him. He recalled the meadow and the streams that he had traveled by many times; recalled the ones where they had been his only source of relaxation while laying besides his only love. It also showed the long painful trail of his escapes while he struggled to make it back upon completing his tasks. With that thought, his mind faded to his last task of removing a noble of the ruling family in a neighboring land. In that task, he had to endure three weeks of spying on the heavily covered fortress, and finally he made it in to kill the noble. His escape was equally long with the pursuers on land and air using the dirigibles.

“I will be back.” Kassius mumbled to himself as he righted the bike heading towards the land where Lord Tannen would lay in the peace soon after he done the tasks. 

Othello the Legatus Act 2 Part 1.21

Act Two Scene 3 Part 2

The others have left the tavern leaving only Iago and Cassio. The later was on the verge of breakdown. Iago thought of getting a drink for the man, but he knew that was the last thing the one wanted.

Suddenly Cassio stood up.

"I am left with nothing. I have disgraced myself." Cassio spoke up. He looked to the bar and blamed it on there.

"The wine was the labor of my woes." Cassio then downed his head onto his chest. Iago approached the dejected man. He had served with the man, and despite the vengeance in his mind, he felt the sympathy on the other.

"That's not true." Iago pacified the other. "You were ....drunk. Othello had been drunk before. Remember in Milan, Othello struck the Senator there. He was restraint and kept in the castorum for one week, until the Emperor sorted the quarrel."

"Yes, that I knew. He was insulted and retaliated in kind. But I was not insulted. I was drunk when I was to be on guard. I am ruined. Ruined for life in my name."

"Ha! I thought you would had been ruined if you were hurt on the body, but you have only a flesh wound there." Iago point to the forearm. "If that closer to your chest, you would had being fatal or be dying by now. But your name? Please, Cassio. That can be mended with many wears, coins or gold or even power. So why are you feeling dejected like that."

"My name ruined, my rank destroyed." Cassio looked to Iago. "You are still a Centurion. I may not be for long. It would vanish soon."

Iago looked to Cassio and sighed. So the man still harped on the lost of his rank. The purpose of my vengeance. He decided to extend his comforting friend.

"You need to see him." Iago point to the upper level. "Please see him. He may be angry, and once he had settled down, he would have you reinstated. He was there to make a scene for the Lusitania aides."

"No, it can't be that way. I prefer he demote me than to accept me back on my failure as his Pilus." Cassio shook his head. "I was drunk; it may be once, but if it did happened, it may again."

"Those may be into me." Cassio point to the wines behind the bar. "I may take them again. I would then be raving mad again. Lunacy in my uniform......"

"Stop it, Cassio." Iago wanted a vengeance but not this humiliation. This was humiliating for a fellow Centurion to subject himself to such acts of self destruction. 

"Did you see who attacked you?" Iago changed the subject, hoping that would deflect the self pity that Cassio was feeling..

"My attacker? Yes,..... But no. I cannot recall. It was dark." Cassio muttered back. "Oh, the wine erased my mind."

"Please stop on the wine. Tell me what did you remember on the fight?" Iago was getting agitated.

"I can't. Don't push me. It was all dark, and I was drunk....." Cassio was stopped by his friend. "Don't asked me agin. I know my predicament. He won't accept me back, not even as a Centurion."

Iago stepped back and looked at the man.

"Stop blaming the wine. We all drank it, and liked it. You are only a lower tolerance than us." Iago shout at him. "You are a Pilus."

"I was and not anymore. He won't forgive me." Cassio continue on his self pity.

"Tell me of your attack. Did you see the man who did this?"

"No, I can't remember. It was all dark and so fast. I only knew I chased him here." Cassio  shook his head and buried it into his hands. Iago saw then the vengeance he wanted to have. He would kill two birds with one stone.

"Desdemona? She would be your answer." Iago told him. "She is his love. She would be your angel. She could tell him about your better qualities. You would be back in his good records soon."

Cassio looked to Iago and can be seen that his face was getting lighted up. He started to smile and then nodded.

"Thank you, Iago. You may had saved my career. I would see her in the morning. I would charmed her to talk on my behalf." Cassio stood up and then left for the doorway. Iago sat down and took a goblet of wine.

"You assisted me in moving the plans ahead." Iago looked to the wine. "As a villain, I gave good advice; good and honest. He would asked her to woo back his honor, and she would do as he asked. Othello, the fool would jump the cliff if she asked. He would not know. He was not to know that the devils played their best hands when they held their faces expressionless or better still to side the foes. A deceiving look that even the holy Gods would be swayed by that lie."

"While she soothe his ears with Cassio good points, I would write the script for Othello to read in his voice. It does not matter what he hears, but what he speak matters more. With more he speaks of that was opposite of her whispers, they would be tore apart." Iago took his drink and got up to leave the tavern.

Crusaders III: The New Age 1.14

2.4           Crawler

The years of isolation have instilled in him, the self preservation mode; avoid contact with any living creature except to kill or be killed. He was into his thirtieths year of existence on this world; born of a father and mother. The later was a native of the land who died on giving birth to him, leaving him to spend his years with a father who does not communicate in words at all. It was not that his father was mute but he was an abomination as claimed by many; a product of the forest beings. His father cohabitation with the mother gave birth to a new abomination; one with permanent features of both sides. He was raised in the wild by his father, learning the old ways and nurturing the wildness in him.

But soon he was left without a father and mentor. It was for over seventy five years now he roamed alone. Just before his father died, the older Windingo passed to the younger one a set of gloves. The younger one was asked to remember the scent, as it would be the one he would served as he had done for over several hundred years.

The son of the Windingo roamed the wilds until he was pursued by hunters. He soon found a calling like his father once did; to seek the one he would one day served, but there was none to guide who it was yet many had hunted him. He soon found his way to this new forest land but it was an ideal place to be isolated with the nearest man settlements miles away, with the hunt abundant. There were the usual clashes with the others but no one could out fight it. Like his father before, the ferocity of his was deadly as the fangs that tore the flesh off the others. There were wounds but they healed themselves but the bitter memories remained the worst of the wounds.

That was to end when the devastation of the land began by Man again. Once what was his deep forest and river, now reduced to flat dry lands with dried river beds. Like the others, he ran too from the devastation but it was everywhere and eventually he found these caves. He went into the caves to hibernate. It does not offer much but it offered shelter and moisture to quench his thirst. The food was plenty for a while; untended creatures and fleeing ones like him, but soon he had to settle on the predators that shared his need for food.

One day, he chanced on the arrival of the hunters and he flees again until he came to this long wall. There he saw a need; the predators are abundant but there was a serving need to protect the wall. Why was it, he knew not to asked but he did he felt was needed there. He preyed on the predators that prey the helpless Man, but he would not be with them as he was not of theirs. He roamed the walls boundary and killed those who encroached it.

That day during the blackness of the night, he found a new scent; one which he was enticed to followed on. He never did have such a desire but this time it was just over powering. He followed the scent and saw the new arrivals, but he dare not approached them. It was not fright but an awe that held his move. He moved back to his own cave and rested there with the uneasy feeling.

Soon he picked up the familiar scent; the ones which were carried by the wolves. They been some lately but they did not attacked him, but rather snarled at him. This new scent was different; this one intend to hunts in his territory. The figure got up and followed the trail of this new predator. He soon came on the other who had sat on the high boulder looking down at him. Like him, it had a frame like Man yet its body was covered with furs and the expression on the face was that of the wolf.

He sniffed at the scent and memorized it well. The other slowly got up onto its haunches and then looked to the dark skies. If it was a full wolf, it would have howled but here it just stare at it. Then it looked down at him before it leaped off into the other side of the boulder. He followed to the rear of the boulder to seek it, but the wolf was gone. Instead standing before him was a young female of Man descent with red eyes that looked into your soul.

"Hello, Windingo." The female figure spoke. "I am Selene, Queen Wolf of the Tiberian pack. I have been seeking you for a long time."

Devils Own ( A Steam Punk and Mystic Tale ) 1.4B

“Come forth, Kassius of the Devil’s Own.” Senior Master Galeb voiced out while he stepped forth to receive the assassin. “This tasks should you accept it would be your ninth and if you are successful, you would be accorded the honor of being the next new Master.”

In the records of the Devil’s Own since its first task, there were once eleven Masters appointed but only seven survived that morning. The others were either dead or killed by other assassins. The Guild of the assassins hold an intense rivalry among themselves, and inter Guild fighting was common. Some of them held their assassins in high esteem for killing these masters. One such Guild was the Dark Princes.

“Know this, and be cautioned as many of your rank had been told before. The ninth task represented the most difficult one as it means fighting the ones that will rival your skills.” Senior Master Galeb spoke out. “The Dark Princes would also be sending one of theirs to match your skills in the task. They like young anointed to be masters.”

The Dark Princes was a rival Guild which also trained assassins for hire, but their methods are more driven by sorcery and trickery than real tactics and skills. They are governed by the seven Princes, which took their names from the Princes of Darkness. Lucifer their leader had vowed to challenge the Masters of the Devils’ Own in any task that would propel the assassin to the new level of being named a Master.

“Kassius, you were never a good disciple of the Masters. Your skills are not tuned to the highest level, yet you are ranked with them. It was once said that your inherent ability to excel was that of the belief of luck, but I think it was never the reason. You have an uncanny ability to make use of the things around you that made the different. Who would ever thought that the Masters would need to be more than adept in their skills of fighting, and learned more of the weapons of fighting. You had shown us that we cannot maintain the old methods, but to embrace the new inventions that you had revealed to us.”

Kassius smiled at the words from his mentor and personal guardian, since he was enrolled into the Guild as a child. He admitted that his martial skills were below the best in the ranks, but he does fight with unconventional weapons. He had a good friend who designed them for him, and also served as his personal valet in the comfort of the body.

“I do not know why Irene had to spend so much time to acquire such skills and above all, having to spend it all on you alone.” Master Galeb sighed. “My own daughter spared by the laws of this Guild from being a disciple. However she had excelled herself into the inventions and included you into her heart as her lover. I do not know how to prize that relationship but I am impressed in how it helped you so far.”

“Enough of the trivial matter. The assassin needed to be brief on the coming tasks.” Master Halen interjected. The younger master had envied the assassin for his ability to survive the tasks and taken the liberty of what was to be his.

“Our treasury had been filled with the payment and the task must be delivered.”

“So be it.” Master Galeb looked to the assassin. “Hear this, and be heard only once. The Devils’ Own had been paid to remove the one named Lord Micheal Tannen formerly of the Higher House. The assassin would be Kassius Maevick for his ninth task assignment.”

With that announcement, the clash of the cymbals resonated in the corridors to announce that assassin had been called on for the new task. Such was the tradition of the Guild for generations. The assassin took his leave of the Masters. Just as he was to exit the main doors, Master Galeb stopped him.

“Kassius, I need to speak to you alone.” The older Master approached him and then whispered to him. He then spoke out loud for all for all to hear.

“Heed my order, Kassius. When the time comes, do as I have mentioned.”

Kassius was to question but he knew his place and kept his words to himself.  He took leave of the Hall, while Master Halen approached the Senior Master.

“Master Galeb, you surprised me at times. Whispers and low tones are not your mode of communicating. Yet of late, you have been using it.” Master Halen spoke to the older man.

“One could not adapt when the situation ask for it.” Master Galeb replied. “Nothing remains constant, only change.”

“More riddles, Master Galeb.” Master Halen spoke up. “Do you know of something all of us ought to share?”

“None is there to share when it’s already known.” Master Galeb smiled and then excused himself.

Devils Own ( A Steam Punk and Mystic Tale ) 1.4A

1.4.

Kassius patted the polished exhaust cylinder that pushed itself out from the rear section of the bike-flyer. The contraption came with a small steam engine that would propel the bike forward while the four cylindrical helium filled balloons would raise it up to the skies. He climbed on the leather seat that was designed for one rider. He pushed the lever to ignite the flaming tubes that would heat up the treated liquid that would generate the heat to power the engine. He could increase the steam by pedaling the bike let it glide over the clouds with its retractable wing that span over twelve feet. One thing great about riding the bike-flyer was the garb that goes with it. Lord Tannen had a good collection of riders clothing’s, but he was no rider. He was more of a modeler; a wall plaster model than a real rider soaring the skies like a real flyer. A moment later, he was there in the skies soaring like bird.

Kassius was to accept the ninth tasks of his profession as the assassin. The ninth task was the golden one as an assassin before he gets initiated to be a Master. He walked into the Main Hall as per instruction. The seven anointed masters were all there waiting for him. The Masters were all dressed in the ceremonial robes over the plain tunic. The robe was an elaborate embroidery design with the motifs of the daggers and the assorted weapons while the emblem of the masked face was shown in the center of the back. Each master carried a cane of over three feet in length which was part of the fighting skills they were all taught. The cane had a dagger inside it which can be propelled out with the hidden switch. The one who stood in the center was the Senior Master; he also holds the Horn of the Guild which symbolized his rank. The Horn was shaped like a cornucopia, crafted from the bone of an extinct creature. It was reputed that the horn was once belonged to Zeus from his infant years. It was said that the horn when called on will rallied the followers and allied factions to assist the Guild. It was sounded only once in the history of the Guild during the third year of their formation when they were invaded by the reigning King then.

Kassius held back his smile for once he had done the ninth task he would be called the Eighth Master. He was dressed in the new set of uniform; the dark suit with matching leather vest over the white tunic and the hood that was drawn back from his head. His long tresses of hair was braided and tucked neatly into the uniform, while his hands were covered in the leather glove allowing only the fingers to be seen. No one was allowed to be armed in the presence of the Masters, but each of the named assassins is themselves a weapon with their skills. With each step he took towards the Masters, he felt the exhilaration of being celebrated for these tasks which was the pinnacle of his rank.

The Main Hall was a rectangle designed with the high full colors drapes for the wall décor in between the Hall of Fame list; a total of forty six assassins had made that list. Their numbers were not permanent and fluid. The current lineup of assassins remained only six on the roster. The Hall was devoid of any other furniture which the Masters had declined for they were not sure how many would be needed at any time. The ambience of the Hall was dimly lighted by the oil lamps that lined before the drapes, like in the olden day. The Masters had forbidden the influence of the new gas or electrical lights that had lined the corridors of the Guild. Their numbers were not permanent and fluid in the lineup of assassins.

Tweet...tweet...13/08

I am out of town and will be posting tomorrow.

Please be advised

Othello the Legatus Act 2 Part 1.20

Prologue 13

Roderigo stood at the far end of the harbour with his cloak around him. He was wondering why was he following these stupid commands of Iago, but his thoughts were stopped when he saw the Cassio. He held onto the shield he had acquired and readied his gladius. According to the plan, Iago would come to his rescue but he must initiate the attack.

"Legionnaire!" Roderigo heard the call but he refused to respond. Cassio was upset on that and approached him.

"Answer me, man. Your name and Tesserarius?" Cassio shouted as he approached the dark covered person. "Are you a guard or ..."

"Halt! Who are you? Answer me or I shall strike at you." Roderigo took the offensive approach. He raised his shield to hide his body from Cassio.

"I am Pilus Cassio." The Centurion replied and then saw the raised shield. His right arm reached for the gladius, but stopped at that.

"Are you the one who lust after the serving maids in the tavern?" Roderigo made up that, to startle the other. While Cassio was trying to reply in his drunk state, the other rushed at Cassio with the shield. The later saw the move and with battle honed instinct, he dropped back to avoid the shield.

"Hold your action, stranger. I am not your enemy." Cassio tried to reason with the other. He still can't make out the person in the dark. His moves were clumsy and the later was pursuing on.

Roderigo strike out at the centurion with the gladius, but Cassio was experienced in many battles, stepped back and drew his own gladius. He staggered in the move because he was still intoxicated by the wine. He was to shout but Roderigo rushed at him. They fell onto the flooring, and wrestle there when their weapons were discarded. Roderigo punched at the other and pulled himself up. He saw the gladius and reached for it. Cassio kicked at Roderigo before the other could use the gladius.

Cassio rolled over and got up. He was in time to move his body but the gladius cut his left forearm. He lashed out with his arm and pushed the man away. He then ran for help. His body was still fighting the wine and made him ran in a clumsy manner. He managed to the Tavern and called for help.

Othello the Legatus Act 2 Part 1.19

"Please do not make me tell on my own Legion. I am their officer and also their friend. Cassio is my superior and it would shamed me to tell on him." Iago bow to the Legatus.

"Speak, Praefectus Iago. I command you." Othello told him.

"As you commanded, Legatus." Iago looked to Cassio who had his face faced down. "I was in here with the other aides, having the drink when Cassio barged in. He said he was ambushed by someone and was wounded. I treated him, and then another came in with Montana at the rear. The lights were dim and it was dark at the doorway. I could not make out who he was, but Cassio attacked him. Montana stepped in to stop the fight and ended up in the fist fight with Cassio. We pulled them apart and that was when you arrived."

Othello glared towards Cassio, but Iago stood in between the two.

"Legatus, even the best man in his worst days may sometimes do the stupid things. Cassio was only trying to capture the man who attacked him but the other had escaped. He would remain unknown but he had offended Cassio. Any worthy man of his pride would do justice to that injury."

Othello stepped up and pushed Iago aside. He approached Cassio, and spoke to him.

"Micheal Cassio, you were one I held much respect. I gave you the command as my second on that respect, and above all trust that you would performed to the fullest." Othello looked away at Iago. "You failed me. As of now, you are no more my second in command, Praefectus Cassio."

"Othello, what happened here?" It was Desdemona who stepped down from the upper level with Emilia.

Othello looked to the person and smiled.

"You are awake?" Othello feigned the surprise to see his love. "I apologize if we awaken you from your sleep."

"They can sleep through a Tempest, if need be." Othello added in to calmed the situation. The others laughed at that remark which Desdemona shied off with a giggle. Othello then walked to her and asked that she go back upstairs.

"Iago, take over the command." Othello told the other. "Have the healers attend to Montana and Cassio."

With that Othello rejoined his love at the stairs.

  

Crusaders III: The New Age 1.13

2.3           The journey south

The journey down the continent was without any incident as we encountered only wastelands devoid of trees and vegetations. There the ruins of previous settlements which had withstood the bombing and then the corrosive elements of the weather but there were no living creatures to be seen. Not even the hounds would survive here as there are no preys for them to hunt. Soon we were to reach the place that was once known as Pskov; where a monastery had survived the war. The place had started off as a monastery and then grew to become a town but the unique feature of the place was not so much its monastery but the place was a bastion for the locals since the sixteenth century. A wall surrounds the monastery and town giving its inhabitants protection. Where it once withstood great army, today it withstood the predators of the wasteland.

They drove there to seek the abbots there with our meals and shelter.

"The caves at Pechersky were used by monks looking for solitude long before St. Jonah built the Faith of the Dormition of the Theotokos into the hillside near the caves in the late fifteenth century." She trusted Sergei to give her updates while they were having their meal there with the abbots.

"The monastery was constantly under attacks or sieges as it was an important outpost of the Russian nation then. It defended against many from the west to invade over the land but it was during the middle of the sixteenth century Pskov-Caves monastery rose to its greatest level of prominence under the leadership of St. Cornelius, abbot of the Pskov Caves."

"St, Cornelius enlarged the monastery caves, moved older Faiths’, built the Faith of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1541, and the Faith of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1559. Between 1558 and 1565, St Cornelius had the stone wall built around the monastery including a stone Faith dedicated to St. Nicholas over the gates of the monastery. He also encourages the preaching of Christianity to the pagans in the occupied cities of the area during the Livonian wars. During his tenure as abbot the monastic population of the monastery increased from 15 to 200, a number that has not been surpassed since." Sergei paused in his tale to offers thanks to the Saint whose abode he then had seek shelter.

Abbot Adrian, the current leader here then took on his partake into the latest that happened there.

"We survived the war with barely our lives and most of the monastery in ruins but we persevered and built it back. The later was the walls as we found refugees seek our shelter for protection against the heinous creatures that roamed the wasteland. Like lambs to the lions, we were at a loss then until our numbers grew for us to hold the defense." Abbot Adrian looked to his fellow abbots and sighed. "There was a man who came to helped us. He brought us food which he had hunted and protected the walls. But he would not admit himself inside the walls. We did not ask why then but soon we did. Or I did as I was ever curious to know more on the man."

"I had him followed; smeared my body with the remains of the lands, and tracked him down. Or it was he who tracked me down. I was set on my two hounds when he came to my rescue; killing both with his bare limbs."

"I saw the man whom had given us protection. He who was not a man and yet he respected or feared as he was one. He was a descendant of heroes that once roamed the lands when there were forests and rivers. His descendants were feared and yet their whereabouts never known. Fame and mystery travelled with their kind. Even the books spoke of such creatures that assisted the Crusaders."

It was then whom Sergei exclaimed out in surprise.

"It can't be that you have found the squire of Sir Gerald Black." Sergei asked the abbot. "He who was recorded as part man and creature; an abomination but shown the nature to serve God and to protect his master and the descendants."

"Please forgive me, my brother in faith." Abbot Adrian made the sign of prayers and held onto his hands before his face. "We were given the sign that the Crusaders would once ride and you came. So we ....."

"You had come to meet the one known as the Crawler." Sergei replied. "It would look like our path was well guided by hands unaware to us."

"But how did you know we were coming?" Geranium asked. "I myself did not know we would seek shelter here until we saw the light."

She then recalled that they saw streaks of lights that were seen on the skies which led them here.

"My child, you may have seen a miracle. An aurora form by Lake Peipus could be the sign." Abbot Adrian commented back. "The war did not dry the lake although its water was made undrinkable but its banks now nearer to us."

"Three hundred or maybe four hundred million years ago, the entire territory here was covered by a sea. It slowly subsided by earth movement and of course the making of man's earth shattering technology; the lake was formed and reformed by the later to what its today." Geranium frowned at Sergei who had intervened with his geographical knowledge.

"Tell me please, Abbot Adrian. I need know more about this ..........protector of yours." Geranium asked.

Then was the time to reveal the last member of the Crusaders.