Heartened by this turn of events, Barton and his companions set out to turn back Koshac’s thralls before they reached the Bay. They ventured into the frozen wilds and were set upon by wolves, and varkers, and shaldu, before finally discovering the horde. Knowing their foes numbers and nature, they returned to the Bay to plan a defence, warning towns and villages as they travelled, leading these refugees to a new home. But when they arrived, they found the worst had happened, the people of the Bay were taking up arms against one another.
Barton and his companions spoke once again to the Order and finally gained their support. In an effort to counter the evil that was gripping the people, agents of the Order appeared at every skirmish and battle and interposed themselves between the combatants, declaring that war could not be allowed to occur. All the while, Barton’s companions captured the leaders of the five peoples and brought them together at the Belltower in Dunstable. Barton showed them there what was coming, he brought a captured thrall to them and ordered them to make peace, or face the creature themselves.
With the five peoples joined in a holy vow to defend the Bay from darkness, the armies were united to make a stand in the west. Koshac’s forces had grown in number, and the army of the Bay was vastly outnumbered. Barton stood at their head with Baron, and the Alder, the Graf, and the Governor, and the Vidame and together they led the charge. Unfortunately, the battle was brutal and bloody, and they were forced to retreat.
Their numbers nearly halved, the army was disheartened when they regrouped at the Friar’s Wall. Many wished to return home and see their families once more before they met their fate, others began to bicker and blame one another. But Barton Butter would not have that; he would not allow them to fail now. He thought of Voland, the creator, the wielder of the holy flame, and he lit a torch to ward against the darkness.
Barton walked through the camp, and he sat with group after group, and with each he shared a prayer to Voland. It was not an appeal for strength in a time of desperation; rather it was a prayer of thankfulness for the life they had all been given, thankfulness for the holy flame that burned within each person, thankfulness to the being who would give of itself to aid others. As he left each group, he used his torch to light one for them before moving on. The army drew strength from this prayer, and this gesture, and eventually they all rose from their camps and stood at the ready and awaited the coming dark.
Finally, when night had just barely fallen, on the winter solstice of the second year of the Freeze, the thralls of Koshac appeared. But the army did not charge, they simply waited, torches in hand. And when the thralls drew closer, the army did not draw their weapons, they simply waited, torches in hand. And when the first thrall reached Barton Butter he wielded his torch as a club and set the creature aflame. As wave upon wave of thralls reached the army they were all set ablaze by the flame of the torches. Finally Koshac the Lich himself approached and wielded his dark magic and soldiers fell, but the others did not break, they simply stepped forward to replace their fallen comrades.
Barton Butter himself stepped forth and challenged Koshac, and the two battled. The Lich struck Barton with the cold of death, and Barton struck the Lich with the fire of life. Finally the Lich was set ablaze by Barton’s torch, but Koshac’s skeletal hand gripped Barton tight and the two burned together. In that moment, the battle turned, the thralls became aimless and mindless and the army surged forth and burned the undead beasts to the ground.
Barton Butter’s charred body was laid to rest in the Belltower in Dunstable, and the Bay named for the hero who had brought them all together. The faith of the people was rekindled, and they strove to work together to survive, as they did at the battle of the Friar’s Wall. Barton Butter is what made the Bay different, he is why the Bay survived, but with over a century past since his sacrifice, it is becoming less and less clear if his legacy will last.
Friday: Races
No comments:
Post a Comment