Izac and Pyok arrived at the Abbey near noontime. They could smell fresh bread baking as they approached, lifting their spirits after a rough week of camping and hiding. They went around the back way to the stables and unlocked the latch by making a shield of aegis on the other side of the gate and lifting it.


    After they’d handled their horses they headed towards the kitchen, eager for a hot meal. While they were still in the yard Smaru came running at them from the chapel. "Izac, Pyok! Welcome back!"


    Izac jogged forward and hugged him, "Thank you, Smaru. We should discuss what we saw, but we''re really looking forward to a good lunch right now!"


    Pyok hugged Smaru as well, and over his shoulder he saw Andal running toward them from the chapel as well. He asked Smaru, "How is the search for a home for Andal going?"


    Andal caught up with them, and Smaru proudly said, "We won''t be finding a home for Andal. He''ll be staying with us. Show them, Andal."


    Andal made a shield of aegis, though it was dim, and made a dim sword of light shoot past it. He bowed, "Thank you, thank you."


    Pyok gawked, "How? That doesn''t… you''re a Templar now?"


    "That''s the power of prayer!" Smaru bellowed. "First night he prayed for the gift of magic, Nishir said yes!"


    "Amazing," Izac remarked. “All you did was pray, one time? I wonder what you could have said to strike such a chord with God."


    "I know." Andal told them. They all looked straight at him curiously. "I said I wanted the magic to kill Haverdash."


    Izac''s expression drops. "I see. Speaking of which, lunch is about ready, right?"


    Smaru nodded, "Yes, we might as well head there now."


    Izac continued, "Then we''ll eat lunch, and then Pyok and I have to tell you everything we saw. Pyok will be switching horses and leaving after lunch, also."


    Smaru''s brow furrowed, "Right away, huh?"


    They went inside the kitchen and sat at the table. Nombur had baked bread again, and they had beans, salted chicken, and grapes. Eating with the Templars was always fun for Andal. They had a closely knit brotherhood, and plenty of kidding around at the table. Izac and Pyok ate particularly ferociously. After lunch was finished a couple of Templars went to clean up the kitchen, but everyone else stayed by the table to hear Izac and Pyok give their report on the Haverdash.


    Izac started them off, "The second day we made it to Andal''s hometown. I''m afraid his perception of their landing didn''t tell the full story; there were dozens of ships lining the shore. These weren''t small ships either, they were full blown galleons."


    Someone interrupted, "So how many Haverdash would you guess there were in total?"


    "Something like twelve thousand were there our second day, just at that town."


    Nombur jumped in, "They''re at other towns?"


    "Yes, I''ll get to that, but there were other ships that landed at other villages."


    Smaru held up his hand to stop more people from interjecting, "Do continue, Izac."


    "We stayed at that town the whole day. They were constantly working, mostly building, doing occasional drills. They are totally transforming that town with their construction work. On the one hand that''s good for us, as it means they have a lot of projects to finish before they attack any cities.


    "After that we scouted nearby towns to see how they were affected, and we saw the same things that were happening at Andal''s village. Galleons had landed, and there was constant construction work. We covered seventy miles of coast, and in every town the Haverdash were there. Some smaller locations didn''t have ships going to them, so the Haverdash were sending out soldiers, to take smaller villages.


    "As for the people there before the Haverdash attacked," He looked at Andal, "There were none left at your village. I''m sorry."


    Those at the table turned to see his response. Andal lowered his head to hide his face, but answered, “I already knew.”


    Izac addressed the whole table again, “There are some left alive at the other villages, but not many. Those left are doing forced labor for the Haverdash, working on their building projects. Neither of the coastal cities, Nartav and New Bulfan, have been touched by the Haverdash.


    Lastly, when we were making the return trip we passed by Andal’s home town again. The ships had been moved to land at totally different locations, and we saw at least one in the middle of leaving. Our guess is that rather than shifting a ship a few acres down the coast, new ships had come in, and old ships had left. With that assumed, nine new ships had landed.”


    The oldest among them commented, “So they’re still immigrating. Their whole population might be coming over, and they’re too tied up in the logistics of that to attack anywhere major yet.”


    Another added, “So they’re vulnerable now! We should strike first!”


    Smaru looked at Pyok, “Is that why you’re leaving?”


    Pyok nodded, “I’m leaving as soon as we pack new rations for me. I’m going to the King’s court, and I’m going to tell him everything the Haverdash are doing.”


    The eldest added, “Excellent, but we should do what we can in the meantime. Izac, can you lead us in small groups to defend the isolated homes and villages the Haverdash would raid in the meantime?”


    “Absolutely I can.”


    Andal chirped up, “I want to go too!”


    Before anyone else could respond, Izac stood up and said, “Good. Pyok, let’s go get you packed.”


    "Hold on!" Smaru protested, "Shouldn''t Andal stay behind?"


    Izac leaned on the back of his chair, "If he hadn''t suggested it, I would have. Nishir suggested it first, it would seem, this is what Andal prayed about. Isn''t that what you told me?"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Smaru pursed his lips, "That is true."


    *


    The Haverdash were sending out small groups of soldiers to capture slaves and raid towns in the countryside. They moved quickly and were unpredictable, but after six weeks the Templars had successfully predicted the movements of the Haverdash to attack a village of just under 100 people who lived on a lone mountain peak. They’d been evacuating everyone in the surrounding villages as best they could, informing them about what was happening and helping them move to the City of Grace.


    This village had refused to move. This mountain top had been their home for hundreds of years, and so they would rather die than abandon it. Six of the Eleven Templars, including Andal, stood between the village and the nine Haverdash who were ascending the mountain. Smaru, Izac, and Nombur were there, as well as the eldest among them and the one who normally led the singing at chapel. Their names were Riafel and Savador.


    Andal was third in line so that they could defend either side of him. Everyone, including him, acknowledged that he was a weak link and needed that protection. Due to the ability of Templars to not only have their own shields, but create additional shields, the common tactic when working together was to stand in a line so that they could protect each other wherever needed.


    The town''s inhabitants were hiding in their homes. Many had volunteered to help, but the Templars had insisted that it be left to them. The Haverdash weren’t organized in any way; they were just running up the hill as individuals. That was actually understandable considering the fighting capacity of those who lived here, but if they’d known of the Templars perhaps they would have had more tact.


    Riafel called out when one of them was close enough for strained discussion, “Halt, Haverdash! We are the Templars of Hathor, the City of Grace, servants of Nishir! Your ravaging has not gone unnoticed, and now we bar your way! Turn back now if you value your lives!”


    The Haverdash stopped. He looked back as another one caught up to him, and they exchanged words. He looked back at the Templars as he chuckled, “Have anything better than Nishir?”


    Izac yelled back, “Insult all you want, but choose wisely! It is a mighty god we serve!”


    “Not glorious like Haverdash!” He barked back. All the Haverdash had gathered together now.


    Savador asked them, “If you’re so glorious, why do you attack small villages and avoid our cities?”


    He’d obviously struck a chord. They weren’t offended, rather, the looks they gave each other showed they agreed with that sentiment. One answered, “The words of Trots are absolute, and he says every living thing in the surrounding area should be made use of before the true conquest. We don’t have to understand.” They opened satchels on their belts and pulled out bottles, taking large swigs. Andal shivered at the sight.


    Smaru muttered, “Trots, huh?”


    The Templars raised their shields and shields of aegis in preparation. Andal’s was notably dimmer. The Haverdash closed in far faster than anticipated. They seemed to be in a dead sprint while at the same time encircling the Templars in an organized fashion. Smaru, who was in the middle with Andal, barely reacted in time to rush forward before they were encircled.


    The Haverdash had a moment of confusion. They were going to fight nine against six, but now one was running out on his own. The five of them who were close enough to divert and surround him did so, but the other four made it around the back of the other Templars to force them to guard their backs and not help that lone Templar.


    As the five jumped on Smaru, striking with swords and axes, he let loose a burst of wind with a mighty shout. The five Haverdash were flung off of him into heaps on the ground, and the other four Haverdash suddenly felt outnumbered themselves as the other five Templars turned and charged them.


    The Haverdash backpedaled quickly, but the Templars were outspeeding them going forward. They suddenly stopped and lurch forward, each one ramming into a Templar''s shield but leaving Andal trying to stop himself mid-run going out past the line.


    Nombur exclaimed, "They''re really organized!"


    The one who''d run into him to stop his movement gave a very breathy, "Thanks." and split off to jump Andal. Nombur didn''t react quickly enough to catch him with his sword, as he was watching the Haverdash''s and trying to avoid gagging, but he did react fast enough to fire a sword of light at him. The sword just missed his belly, but cut a two inch gash through his side. The Haverdash didn''t even react as it continued to run down Andal.


    Another Haverdash tried to break off from Izac at the same time, but he made a shield of aegis pop up right behind the Haverdash and stop it in its tracks. Izac shouted to Riafel for him to help. Riafel knocked his Haverdash away with a burst of wind, then made another shield of aegis next to Izac''s that locked his Haverdash in a corner.


    The Haverdash looked on in shock as Riafel and Izac boxed it in and stabbed it with both their swords and swords of light. It muttered a curse, and collapsed. "One down!" Izac yelled!"


    Smaru answered back, "Give me a hand!"


    He''d been delaying them with bursts of wind and strategic uses of his shield, but now one of them was on top of him and it was all he could do to hold him off as the other four closed on him.


    Savador cried out holy words, and beams of light stunned the Haverdash around Smaru. Izac and Riafel closed in and supported Smaru. He was able to kill one before they regained their senses, but then Izac and Riafel gave much-needed help.


    Savador kicked away the dead Haverdash at his feet and prepared for the one Riafel had knocked away who was charging at him.


    Nombur was rushing towards Andal to protect him from the Haverdash who had chased him down, but he was still trying to catch up.


    Andal had run as fast as he could. He made shields behind him, bursts of the strongest gusts of wind that he could, and a sword of light that shot at the Haverdash, but that had only slowed it down enough to where it hadn''t caught him yet despite actually catching him on the edge. That was the same one who Nombur had hit earlier, but it seemed that Haverdash just don''t react to pain.


    He had run as much as he could, and the Haverdash was going to be on top of him any second. He made it over to a house to keep the Haverdash in front of him, then raised his sword and shield up high. He was carrying a buckler since he wasn''t strong enough to use a heater shield, but at that moment he really wished he had a pavise. He made a shield of aegis in front of him.


    The Haverdash jumped on top of it, swiped Andal''s buckler away, and swung down with his sword.


    A pitchfork shot out of the window of that house, catching the hand of the Haverdash and stopping his sword in the air.


    He knocked the pitchfork down and stabbed through the window in one quick motion. Andal could just hear the silent gasp of the person inside as his breath was driven out. Andal stabbed upward, but he only grazed the Haverdash as he ducked to the side every so slightly.


    Andal turned and curled up to try and make the Haverdash sword glance off his chain mail, but Nombur caught up at that moment and shot a sword of light through the Haverdash''s back. He fell to the ground, and Nombur jumped upon him with his sword and finished him off.


    "Come on!" Nombur told Andal, "They''re still fighting over there!"


    They were able to surround the remaining Haverdash and pick them off, but not without injury. When there were only three remaining they stopped trying to win entirely, but didn''t try to live either. They just wanted to hurt the Templars in every way they could, biting and scratching and settling for superficial cuts with their weapons whenever they had a chance. One was able to throw up on Izac''s face to blind him and almost got a real stab in, but when the Templars outnumbered the Haverdash the sheer multitude of shields among them kept each other safe.


    Smaru cut off the head of the last Haverdash and fell on his knees in exhaustion. The Templars swarmed him and praised him for the drastic difference he made in the fight. Then they started congratulating each other. Andal didn''t join in though, he slipped away and went to the house that he''d backed up against when running from the Haverdash.


    Civilians were coming out of their houses, but not that one. He knocked on the door and waited patiently. A young man a little older than him came over from another house and tapped him on the shoulder. "Thank you for protecting us!"


    Andal answered quietly, "You''re welcome."


    A middle aged woman with tears in her eyes opened the door. Andal bowed his head an asked, "Can I come in and thank the person who saved my life?"


    She stepped to the side and let him in. Over by the window a middle aged man was holding a young woman in his arms. She had a sword shaped hole in her chest, and her blood was spilling on the floor. Andal bowed to her lifeless body. "Thank you for saving me."


    *


    The Templars who had been in the fight sat around the table with a couple of others who had stayed at the Abbey.


    Izac asked Smaru, "So what made you do that? Run forward and make half of them rush you?"


    "I just felt really uneasy about the situation. Watching them run up the hill, then when they started running at us, they''re just so fast and aggressive. I thought, ''I need to throw them off their game, right now.'' So I bet on myself to be able to keep them off me and give you guys an advantage."


    Nombur looked at one of the Templars who''d stayed behind, "They were fast. And strong. We were pretty caught off guard and got messed up there. We''ll do better next time though. It''s tough because they don''t react to pain, if you don''t kill them then your hit wasn''t any good."


    Izac added, "And these ones weren''t wearing armor, and they didn''t have shields. They expected to steamroll a bunch of untrained people without equipment and without magic, but they didn’t appear to be worried about fighting us in the slightest.”


    Nombur complained, “We have to fight people who don’t feel pain.”


    “I don’t think so,” said Izac. “When you cut them, they notice, and they don’t notice like you touched them. They notice like you just changed their life. And you did! They’re bleeding all over now, but they don’t shout, and they don’t flinch. I think they do feel pain, they just don’t mind it.”


    Riafel rapped his knuckles on the table, “They''re cursed for sure. We did get the name of one of their leaders, Trots.”


    There was a knock at the door. Andal got up, “I’ll get it.”


    Then Izac jumped to his feet and ran to the door first, “It’s Pyok!” He threw open the door and Pyok jumped in with a big hug. “Welcome back Pyok, you’re in good spirits!”


    “We’ve got an army!” He shouted. “The King is drafting his army as fast as he can, he’s gonna chase the Haverdash back to the sea!”