Uprising Part 3-The Battle

(The is part 3 of my story Uprising. If you missed parts one and two, be sure to read them as well.)

KNIGHTS

The sun rose that day, shining across Alazar’s castle. At the edge of the forest, a group of disillusioned citizens made camp. They brought all the weapons they could carry plus all the fury and cunning born of the starvation and senseless deaths at the hands of their king.

Bewildered scouts rode the short distance to inform the knights and their king that despite rumors to the contrary, the rebels did in fact show up for battle.

King Alazar scowled at the weary, out of breath scout.

“How many are there?” The scout took a deep breath and removed his leather helmet.

“We are not certain, my liege. It could be twenty, twenty five or many more…they are hiding amongst the trees, we do not know how many there are.” The king struck the scout in the jaw.

“You don’t know?! What good are you? Why are you being paid for your services?!” The scout lowered his head. “Away from me, and not another word.”

“Yes, sire –” He moved to salute but the king grabbed him by the throat.

“I said not another word!” The king smiled and eyed the man wickedly, “You will ride for the enemy’s camp, and do not return until you have defeated all of them single-handed!” The king threw the soon to be deceased scout to the ground.

Another scout arrived from the forest and after witnessing the previous exchange, decided to remain silent. King Alazar, with still bulging eyes, turned to the young man.

“Scout! Ready twenty-five knights, plus the other scouts! And no more. We should be more than enough to send these rebel vermin back to where they belong!” The scout nodded readily and left without any hesitation.

REBELS

The Leader — whose name was kept secret deliberately — eyed the castle from the woods. Now that all of his fighters had arrived and guards had been posted, he could finally relax. Meals were being cooked, and it was no secret that his forces were there. The surrounding forest had been tempered, should the king or his knights get too close. It was time for some relaxation, before the battle.

The Leader settled on a bowl of bacon and potato soup. A hearty meal would do him some good. He plunged the spoon into the bowl and –

“Aaaaaaah!” A seemingly crazed scout charged into the rebels’ camp on horseback! The scout wore full leather armor, minus a helmet. The rebels who had no armor and only single swords, surrounded and drew their weapons. But because the scout was mounted, he immediately charged forward and the rebels could only move away or get trampled.

The scout caught one of the rebels however, and gutted the man from behind with his long sword. He spun the horse around to look at the other rebels. More disgruntled citizens emerged from the forest.

The Leader ignored the soup on his lap and called at the attacker.

“Do not do this! You are vastly outnumbered!” The Leader motioned for his fighters to hold their swords out and point them directly at the attacker, everyone followed. “No one lower your swords, I order you!” The attacking scout considered another charge but knew he could only retreat, or risk getting stabbed. The rebels moved forward gingerly and surrounded the scout, while avoiding his horse’s rear legs.

The scout eyed them all repeatedly, unsure of what to do. He could not help but respect their bravery.

The Leader addressed the scout again. “Why are you attacking us? This a battle you cannot win, alone at your enemy’s camp…why?”

“By the king’s orders. I made mistakes in my duties, and he ordered me to my death.”

“You do not have to die like this! Are these orders really worth carrying out?” The scout shook his head. “This is why we fight! Our arrogant king would rather send us all to die whether by sword or taxation, just to avoid any inconvenience to him!” The scout dropped his sword into the dirt and dismounted. “Take this man away.”

The scout was led to a tree trunk, where he was tied up. The rebels made sure to avoid the western edge of the tree.

THE BATTLE

Three knights rode to the center of the battlefield. Rather than take any further action one of the knights waved a large black flag with a yellow patch of two hands shaking, signaling for terms. The Leader of the rebels smiled slyly.

“If it is terms they want, we will offer them.” The Leader turned to another rebel before getting on his horse. “Good sir, send for the special guests as soon as we depart this meeting.” The man nodded. Two rebels made way for the center of the battlefield, the Leader and another masked man.

First Knight Calborn addressed the two knights with him, but turned toward King Alazar, who had remained with his men at the rear.

“Another futile attempt to get an enemy to accept terms!” Calborn enunciated every syllable hoping his king could read his lips or figure out what the knight meant. All of which the knight would deny later, naturally. “Malkor being human again is about as likely as these scum accepting terms!”

“An interesting way to begin negotiations,” said the Leader evenly. Calborn turned to him, somewhat startled.

“How brave of you, to arrive with only one man and nearly unarmed.” Calborn looked at the masked man with the Leader. The man in the mask did not appear to react at all. The Leader scowled slightly, coldly.

“You signaled for terms?” asked the Leader. Calborn nodded calmly.

“King Alazar is prepared to offer you and those with you, amnesty.”

“Amnesty?!”

“Yes, just that! If you depart now and return to your homes, our king will carry on his just rule as if this affront, this offensive affront, never happened. You enemies to peace will go away, free.” Calborn then wondered if he could have been somewhat more diplomatic. The Leader spat on the ground.

“Is that all you have to say?” Calborn smirked. “You were expecting a bribe?” The first knight nearly chuckled.

“What I was expecting,” said the Leader, “was a king’s leadership with concern for his citizens. As a former knight of that king, I am beyond offended. I am outraged at his contempt for us!” The knights turned to leave. “We will never accept these terms!” the Leader screamed out. Calborn turned his horse around.

“Wait!” called the masked man. Calborn turned all the way around. While Calborn was turning Carron Vant removed his mask and added something else to it. Calborn was shocked.

“You…How! You betray your king! Carron, why?!” Carron motioned for his horse to ride up to the knight’s horse.

“I have the seen the lack of compassion in practice, and the lies that our king has told his knights. No, these people deserve better. But as a former knight as well, here. Take this mask.”

“I will do no such thing…”

“Please take it, to remember our time in serving King Alazar together.” Calborn removed his plate gauntlet and took the mask. Carron Vant immediately rode off with the Leader toward their camp. Calborn immediately regretted taking the mask as it was now full of broken glass shards. The knight’s right hand was sufficiently sliced.

“Send for the special guests!” ordered one of the rebels. Four horses were whipped and rode toward King Alazar’s castle, each horse was unsaddled and dragged huge heavy burlap bags on the ground.

These bags were large enough to carry three or four men inside them.

King Alazar turned to the knights around him. “What do you make of this?” No one knew what to expect.

“Looks like free horses for us,” said one of the knights.

Calborn made it to the edge of the camp and upon seeing the charging horses, called for others to stop the beasts. The royal knights were all trained horseman and they immediately did so. The horses were calmed but the bags they carried were not. King Alazar was concerned and moved forward on his horse.

What the king did not see, was that several members of his castle staff had moved to the side of his encampment. Everyone seemed to be calm, the opposite of those who were ready to go to war.

Calborn realized what was going on in the burlap sacks.

“Zombies! They brought the dead here!” Shouted Calborn. King Alazar was concerned as well. “Slay them!” shouted the First Knight. Calborn drew his sword and so did those around him. The knights began to put down the zombies. Alazar observed the zombie killing.

“Send for the other guests!” shouted the Leader. Four more horses charged at the royal camp but these zombies were tied at the wrists by a rope that could break under the pressure of a galloping horse, as was the case here.

Alazar smiled triumphantly at his knight’s efficient work. “Is this all they can muster?” The king turned to the battlefield and saw sixteen zombies coming toward him. “To arms!” The king called out the obvious order. The rebels had already begun charging for the royal camp along the zombies and would engage the knights soon.

Calborn glanced at the knights around him and saw the group who were refusing to fight. He rode for them and ignored his king’s order. “Why do you refuse to fight?”

“Some of these rebels are our own family members. These aren’t mere thieves, sluggards who refuse to pay taxes! They are starving because our king does nothing to help them!” Calborn immediately regretted speaking to them.

“Now wait, our king has given official reports to the contrary!” Calborn yelled back. “If that is what the reports say, then that is the truth. Our king would not lie to us.” A rock was thrown at Calborn’s helmet.

“It’s all lies!” The castle staff members also wore armor and carried swords, and took their blades to Calborn.

Calborn was a brave, valiant fighter but no one can win against ten others. Despite his armor, the sword strikes still did damage to Calborn and he fell. One of King Alazar’s loyal subjects was now lifeless in full plate armor. Rather than take their leave, the enraged castle staff moved to keep fighting alongside the rebels.

Alazar joined his knights and swung his sword at the zombies. The undead hoard bit and clawed at his armor but the king had the finest plate in the land, not one got through. That is, until the zombies attacked their horses.

Royal horses did wear armor but wild, hyper aggressive zombies bit and clawed at wherever they could. The horses were terrified and kicked wildly or reared up, and those that did soon fell to the ground. Alazar and a few of his knights fell to the ground. And zombies being zombies, piled over the knights and horses.

Only a few knights were crushed under the weight of their horses and the zombies.

The rebels arrived right behind the zombie pileup and made sure to attack from the outskirts of said carnage traps.

The Leader commanded the rebels from the rear, as the castle staff ran toward him. Other rebels backed up toward the Leader instead of charging, wary of these royals. The royal staff responded by dropping their weapons.

“We were wrong, our lying, thieving king deceived us!” shouted one of the castle guards. “Let us help you!” The Leader was skeptical but he knew he had to make a decision now.

“You want to help me? To help us?” The now former castle staff members nodded fervently. “Don’t let the knights retreat. Cut them off before they can!”

Amongst the pile up, King Alazar managed to escape by dismounting just as his horse fell. He had to role toward the back a few times, but he got away as the zombies bit at his horse. He ran toward the castle.

“HELP! Please, I, your king, need your help!” Shouted Alazar, desperately. No one at the castle responded because there were none nearby. The king was distraught. What had he done?! The king was surrounded by rebels and zombies, and no knights or assistants to help him. And his son was now a zombie, as well. Alazar still loved his zombie prince son however, and ran toward the training grounds.

Alazar was so troubled by the ordeal that he dropped his sword and shield without noticing it.

The knights had slain the zombies and stood on their feet to face the rebels, only to be plowed by horses. The well-timed attacks and waves of zombies had been more the enough. The number of knights who remained was even lower now.

The Leader called for a retreat by blowing a stout bone horn, his fellow rebels came toward him. The knights had the same idea and moved toward the castle, only to come face to face with the castle staff, who now pointed their swords and shields at the knights.

Only eight knights remained. The Leader called for a display of a plain white flag, which asked the knights if they wished to surrender.

“Malkor!” Shouted Alazar, as he ran toward his son and hugged him.

“Errrrrr” said Malkor, who was clearly a zombie. “My son, you are still with me. All is not lost!” The king took off his helmet and tossed it. He hugged his son even closer now. Malkor tried to bite his father in the neck, Alazar dodged this.

“None of that. My son, we need to make way for the outer lying lands. Come with me?” The king started to leave while his zombie son tried to chase after him. The king in his delusional state, merely waited. “Come on!” The rope broke and Malkor the zombie ran for his father then tackled him. King Alazar was savagely bitten about the neck and face.

At the center of the battlefield the knights knew they were out of options. That is, until they found Calborn. A young, newly appointed knight tried to wake up the wounded but only resting, knight.

“Calborn!” The young man called out. He shook the veteran knight. The rebels exchanged curious glances.

“Aaaaaah!” Calborn yelled with what was left of his throat.

Claaaaaaang!

Plate armor collided with plate armor, as Calborn — also a fully armored zombie knight — bit at the young man. Zombie Calborn held him there, and tried to remove the young man’s helmet.

Rather than come to the young man’s aid, the knights admitted defeat and surrendered to the rebels.

Their weapons and armor were confiscated. Those who had died whether knight or rebels, had their brains pierced before they could go full zombie.

The Leader meticulously guided everyone through the process of cleaning up the battlefield. Soon the Leader would appoint himself king, and install his subjects as staff. Then it was a matter of redirecting those loyal to Alazar, hopefully without conflict. Alazar’s former subjects would be allowed to do remedial work until they had earned the Leader’s trust.

The Leader was also overjoyed that the knights had not invaded the rebels’ forest base, as he would have had to set all the trees ablaze.

Confident that a new government would be installed, the Leader and his subjects entered the castle, their new home. They dubbed it Castle Freedom. Having a new home, army, and the castle and all its riches would give these rebels new lives of comfort and strength.

Things would have ended well for the Leader. That is, if only he had anticipated Alazar having turned the non-combatant castle staff into zombies.

THE END?