Harsh Age

The King stared into the horizon from atop the outer wall. The sky was grey, the air wet, and the wind pushed around his long ashen hair. He was ready, adored in plate and chain, and sword at hand. He watched the rider as he approached the city. It was a black knight atop a grey stallion. The knight removed his helm and showed his brown hair. The two exchanged no words, but spoke volumes. “Open the gate!” the King ordered as he began walking down from the wall. He walked out onto the field as the great iron gate opened.
The knight dismounted and approached, “Your Grace,” he said kneeling.
“Did you do it,” Farsfirus growled, his voice gruff and raspy.
“Kill my family Your Grace? Yes,” the knight said rising.
“You took an oath Jack.”
“Thirteen of them. I’ve only broken eight.”
The King drew his blade! “You forsook your brothers in arms, your King and your honor!”
Sir Jack drew his sword slowly, “We can fight if that's what you want old man; maybe you’ll kill me, but you’ll never beat what's coming. The Vale will have its Queen.
“My grandsire built this country; my father grew it, and I have defended it. Xares has the best archers in The Vale, and the Knights of 13 are the finest fighters in the world--you know this. Your men will die before they can touch the wall.”
Sir Jack paused for a moment and smiled, “Do you smell that your Grace? That stench on the air? It's not men that march for the city. The Queen has sent me to deliver her terms. If you bend the knee and pledge yourself to Queen Lexius you will be spared. If you do then you will soon face the sins of your forfathers, and you will have 24 hours to evacuate the city.
The Old King grew wild! He swung for the Knight! Jack ducked; slammed Farsfirus, and thrust his sword down! The King swung, and knocked the sword from Jack’s hand; he swept his leg and dropped the Knight! The two got back up and stared each other down. Sir Jack sheathed his blade, “Is this what you want? To be remebered as the King who let his people die for his own pride? Your'e nearly a century old Farsfirus. Bend the knee and live out your last years in peace with your family.
"I'll have my peace when I'm pissing on your corpse."
I will give her your answer.” Jack said, putting his helm back on. With that he mounted the steed and rode off. ************************************************************************************************************************************
King Farsfirus stood in the middle of the courtyard as the Knights began to enter. “Welcome Sir Drake of Albion, Sir Eadwin of Dog’s Hold, Sir Henry of Marpass, Sir Benjin of Wolden, Sir Alec of Weston, Sir Arthur of Furt, Sir Keaton of Adburry, Sir Robert of Easton, Sir Tormund of The Golden Hills, Sir Borus of Iron Alley, and of course Knight Captain Sir Castor of Rainholm.”
The eleven Knights circled around the king and stood tall with their hands on their swords. Each wore custom armor to distinguish where they came from, and their swords all had unicorn head pommels. The Knights all knelt down and Sir Castor spoke, “You summoned us your Grace?” “Indeed,” The king said, gesturing for the men to get up. “Your brother in arms Sir Jack has forsaken his vows and pledged his sword to the Dark One.”
“The Giant Slayer? It can’t be,” said Castor.
"Desire makes fools of us all Sir Castor."
"By god," the Knight whispered.
"They are leading an army of the dead to us as we speak. This is unprecidented, and if anymany wishes stand down I will not stand in their way."
 Sir Castor stepped foward and knelt. "We stood beside you against Giants, Your Grace, and we will stand beside you against the dead."
The King smiled, "We have twenty-four hours before they are here. Sir Castor, you and your Knights will get everybody you can out of the city before they arrive. Once they are to saftey you will return and defend your city. This is my final order to you.”
The Knights all bowed their heads and left the courtyard. *************************************************************************************************************************************
The King and his army were a mile south of the city waiting. The putrid stench only grew with each waking moment. They could be seen on the horizon now, a wall of green and grey, maggot infested, flesh with two riders in front.
“Advance!” The King ordered.
As the two sides got closer Jack and Lexius could be seen. She was a short, thin woman with long white hair and cold amethyst eyes.
“Shield wall!” The Farsfirus boomed.
The soldiers fell together and formed a wall of iron and wood. The King fell in with them and they began slowly advancing.
Lexius dismounted her horse and snapped her fingers; all the shields blasted apart! Shards of iron and splinters plunged into the men’s skulls and sunk into their eye sockets! Sir Jack stuck his sword forward and the corpses began barreling forward! They bit into necks and chewed off noses! The plunged cold iron weapons into the bellies and heads! Each soldier that died rose only moments later.
“Retreat, fall back to the city!” The King commanded.
 They got behind the gate just in time as the dead slammed into the bars! The guards began plunging their spears through the gaps but they wouldn’t die.
“You have to hit their heart, you dolts! You men there reinforce the men on the wall! I want every ballista manned and firing! Bring out the tar and for the love of God start dropping rocks!”
The Army of the Dead had them outnumbered ten to one but the humans had walls. The rocks and ballistas blew apart the Draugr and the tar melted them away but still there were too many. Lexius stood a distance away just watching her puppets slam themselves into the stone wall and iron gate. This lasted for months and slowly the King’s army grew less and less and so did their food. Any reinforcements they received only added to the Dead’s numbers. Slowly the walls began to crack and the Draugr finally burrowed their way in. The fight was in the streets now as the dead began tearing men apart!
Sir Jack broke his way in and headed for the gatehouse. He cut down the men atop the battlements and headed for the chains but met an old brother, Sir Eadwin stood against him. His armor silver colored plate with orange trim.
“Bend the knee, Eadwin,” Jack ordered. “Swear fealty to your Queen and you will mantain your title. You have my word.”
“The Knights of 13 don’t care for titles,” Eadwin countered, stepping closer
“Fine,” Jack groaned, swinging his sword! The two blades met, and Jack drew a knife and stuck it through Eadwin’s visor. The Knight grew limp and Jack threw him from the wall. He pulled the chains and opened the gate for the army.
The brave soldiers of Xares turned into the dead and the thatched roofs of home were lit ablaze. What few families remained were disemboweled and turned. Eventually the middle gate was opened as well as the inner gate. As Sir Jack-The Giant Slayer made his way for Castle Brun warriors crept from the shadows and surrounded him. It was his ten brother knights. No words were exchanged before the clashing of steel. Who dealt the blow is lost to history but that is where Sir Jack made his last stand. As the Giant Slayer’s blood flowed down the cobbled street Lexius approached. The Knights blocked the road as she bent down to Jack. She closed his eyes and shed a tear. She rose slowly, and took a step. The Knight’s all threw down their swords, but Lexius flicked her wrist and snapped the Knight’s necks. ****************************************************************************************************************************************** Farsfirus stood alone in the throne room and Lexius blasted the doors open. The King raised his head, “So youre the one. Not what I expected.
“And what did you expect?’
“A big nasty green snake.”
“Oh yes, I’m his replacement. He was big and nasty all right. I'm a much kinder model wouldn’t you agree?”
“Replacement? So you can be killed.”
“I am immortal, and I will rule from that chair of yours old man, for all time. Now will you bend the you pile of dust or do I have to add you to my army?”
“When you get to be my age you don’t kneel,” Farsfirus growled
“I understand,” she said as she plunged her hand into his chest! The King grunted and she pulled out his heart. He fell to the ground and the crown fell before Lexius. She was about to pick it up when someone spoke, “Don’t Lexius.”
She turned around to find a wizard garbed in green holding a black ring. She grew as white as her hair, “Harkon, impossible.”
“Quite possible. My friend told me where to find it.”
“No.”
“Oh yes Lexius. I guess Jack didn’t love you as much as you loved him,” he said, sliding the ring onto his finger, “Forgive me mother,” he whispered.
Lexius clutched her chest and began screaming. Her skin started to burn away along with her flesh. In the end she was nothing but ash. Harkon clenched his body and took in the power. He turned to see the one of the Old King's men. The Wizard twirled his wrist high in the air and disappeared into a cloud of green smoke.