Hey guys! Thunder here, and this thread is going to be the place to post all of those wonderful stories and lore that you guys have been creating in your minds. These stories could be anything from an epic battle to a tale of why there are no green birds. This story below is something that I created and it is about the siege of Zion, a massive fortress-city that is under siege from the fierce Emerald Blade, a tribe of Japanese Samurai Warriors who excel with mages and at killing. I hope you guys enjoy and any feedback is welcome!
The sky turned green as they threw themselves against our walls one more time. The green was a tell-tale sign that their mages were casting again, and there was nothing we could do to stop the destruction that was sure to follow. Our enemies knew no mercy, for they were taught that mercy only leads to loss of control, and the Emerald Blade is all about control.
The Emerald Blade has been sieging our beloved home of Zion for 4 days and 4 nights. It is actually surprising that we have been holding on for so long. The Blade has the best mages and magicians on this continent. The credit for our survival goes to Captain Gannon. He is the best fighter I have ever seen - well, except for maybe Tenshi no Shi (Angel of Death)- but I will talk about him later. Captain Gannon knows how to get the best out of his men, whether thatās through encouragement, intimidation, threats, bullying, compliments, or reassurances. Thatās why when the green-veiled forces of the Emerald Blade were assaulting our castle at dawn of the 5th day, Captain Gannon was right in the thick of it.
āHold your ground!ā growled Gannon as the green-veiled terrors came shrieking over the walls. āIāll skin the lot of ya if you let this hanky-coated lot of backstabbers get you runnin for mommy!ā Gannon always had a way with words. Our archers managed to stop yet another round of siege ladders, but they were running low on arrows. There were hardly enough for 5 more volleys per archer, and Gannon knew that one way or another this siege would be over by nightfall.
Suddenly, the front gate was blasted open as the sky gave birth to fire and lightning. For some reason, this fire and lightning was a dark, emerald green. I had a sinking feeling in my heart as I realized the katana wielding forces of the Emerald Blade were pouring into our keep. Gannon spat out a curse, and suddenly he was as calm as a lake on a foggy morning. The only other time I had seen him so at peace was when he lost his arm in a fight with DarkStrider.
āHold the line!ā yelled Gannon as he strode toward the fighting. āWe are not called the Kingās Hope just to fall apart at the first sign of a real fight! If you have any scrape of honor to the oaths you took, then you will not let them pass!ā The last of the reserve forces following him gave a roar of approval, and as Gannon clawed his huge Claymore off of his back, the Kingās Hope charged into battle for the last time.
The battle was mayhem. There was nobody to direct the carnage, for all of the generals were either in battle or retreat. The Emerald Blade were ruthless fighters. All of their movements- their swings, their parries, their sidesteps, their running and jumping and flipping around- made us look like we had bowling balls stuck down our pants. But the Kingās Hope would hold the line with their bodies spitted on spears if they must, because Captain Gannon told us to.
All around me, the screams of agony and roars of defiance tore at my ears. The smell of blood and death and fear coated everything in its rich embrace. The rush of adrenaline bloated out all thoughts, all other possible sensations. The only thing that you could comprehend was the fight in front of you. Slash, parry, dodge, shield bash and a bewildering series of sword attacks that left you with cuts all over, sweat on your face, and an enemyās look of surprise and terror as he realizes that his chest is plastered all over the ground due to the killing blow of your sword you delivered. Never before had I seen our forces fight with such ferocity. But Captain Gannon had commanded it of us, and we did as he commanded.
Despite the courage and determination of the Kingās hope, our line was being pushed back. Slowly, inexorably, the Emerald Blade pushed us deeper into the keep, even though every inch was soaked in blood and covered in bodies before we gave it up. The reason for our failure was covered in armor and wielded a samurai blade covered in blood. Tenshi no Shi, the Angel of Death. No man could stop him that day. Everything that came within the glittering arc of his blade would die. He fought in a grim silence, never, speaking, never giving orders or encouragement to his troops, and never once receiving a wound.
For some reason, the Emerald Blade pulled away from us for a few, glorious minutes of reprieve. As the Angel of Death strode out into the neutral line, I realized the reason for this cease fire. āI will fight Captain Gannon.ā declared Tenshi in a tone that said it would be unwise to refuse him. āI will fight Gannon and when I win, your forces will surrender, and if you win, my forces will surrender.ā His spoke in a clipped fashion, as if he had a hard time speaking English and he couldnāt understand why anyone would use such a disgusting language. He conveyed all of this without speaking, and at the same time his cold, expressionless eyes seemed to freeze men in place with fear. Every man in our force had a friend who died at his hands, and every man knew that he would never avenge his friend. Gannon, our one-armed general, said back in an equally cold and heartless fashion that I did not know he was capable off, said simply āAgreed.ā And then he charged forward with a great roar that said he would not be so easy to defeat, and the duel had begun.
Gannon, who wielded his massive two-handed claymore with one hand as if it were a toy, who had faced the armies of Bunnylandia for 10 days by himself, who had strode through the fiery, ork infesed wastes of Mordor as if he were going for a Sunday walk, who had bargained with the Devilās Mistresses and came out with the better end of the deal, who had cheated death again and again and again seemingly effortlessly, was pushed to his very limits in this fight with Tenshi no Shi. The Angel of Death was just too fast, to quick, to cunning, and he was gradually wearing down Gannon with small cuts and bruises that were impossible to block. Gannon felt a cold feeling in his heart as he realized the Oracle had been right; he had finally found an enemy he couldnāt beat. His huge swings of his Claymore that would have cut a man clean in half never even hit Tenshiās sword. Gannon realized that he had to take a chance, a gamble he swore that he would never do again, even though it meant he would be crippled for life.
As the Angel of Death once again swung his katana at Gannon, instead of dodging, instead of blocking, instead of doing what every sane man would do and put up a fight, he lunged into the swing. As he sailed through the air towards what had to mean certain death, he threw away his Claymore and dragged out his hunting knife, more suitable for cutting bread then facing the Angel of Death himself. The sword pierced Gannonās stomach, squarely in the middle of his belly. Without pausing, without screaming in agony at the mortal wound and sword sticking out his chest, he plunged his carving knife into Tenshi no Shiās throat, killing him.
After the Angel of Death fell to the earth, dead just as so many who had met his sword, the keep was silent. No one moved, no one spoke, no one dared breathe for a full minute. Throughout it all, Captain Gannon of the Kingās Hope stood there, coldly regarding the Emerald Blade even though he should have been on the ground dead with the sword sticking out of him like a huge pin. And then he spoke. āI have won. All of you must surrender to the Kingās Hope.ā He said so without grimacing, without any effort at all it seemed. He should have been dead from the massive wound in his stomach, but he was Captain Gannon of the Kingās Hope, and he would not lie down and die when there was a job to do.
As one, the Emerald blade threw down their weapons and knelt down with their hands behind their heads. As one, the Kingās Hope roared their approval and rushed forward to imprison their foes.
I, however, rushed forward and barely caught Gannon as he fell forward, exhausted and sick with death. I barely heard his whispered words as he died in my arms. āI gave my life for the kingdom and for you, my King. Preserve Zionās beauty for time and all eternity. You once told me after I saved your life that I could have any wish granted, and I told you that serving you was gift enough. Now, I want my wish granted.ā At this, I leaned forward, nodding my head and not noticing the tears streaming freely down my face. āMake sure that I have not died in vain, my King. Make sure that Zion will endure.ā And with that, Captain Gannon went limp in my arms, dead as all the enemies of Zion who had tried to face Gannon. He gave his life for the kingdom that he loves, and for that he will always be remembered.
