The Darkest Knight

Not your Lassie

The 19th day of the Hunters Moon in the year 1233

Present Day
Outside of the Border town of Renoia near the Theives Forest
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Amynta steered his horse down the steep hill and towards the forest path.
The road was rocky and Overgrown from many years of unuse. It used to be a trade route between Renoia, Epilis and the Demtian village of Ammon, but at the start of the wars the Route was cut off.

These men in Red dyed Leathers were of Demtia, and Bore the insigna of the Demtian Army, that of a red Skeleton inside of a howling wolf.

The men were not wearing the heavy armors of the usual Militant force but still clearly heavily armed.

Every man carried some form of deadly weapon, weather it beings, bow and arrows, swords, knives, mace, or battle axe. This was no civil party.

"Halt!" Amynta called to the war party. "You are on Renoian Soil, State your purpose." He pulled his horse to a stop 50 feet from the enemy. The stallion restlessly stomped his hooves and tossed his mane, aware of the tension in the air.

The leader a large ugly man, laughed. His grey almost skeletal mare trotting ahead of the small army of 50 or so men, her white sightless eyes unnerving the Renoian men.

Something wasn't quite right with the horse.

The enemy men were a strange sight as well. Many of them clearly disfigured and disgusting. Some had grey, deathy pale skin and red almost glowing eyes, their teeth sharpened to a point. Few had no hair and looked as if a skeleton brought back to life with no muscle just bones and skin. Others had long black hair, pointed ears and long talon-like nails. The leader was a large fat man, with a troll like face, green hued, sikly looking skin, short pointed ears and a short mop of oily greyish hair. The entire troop smelled of death and the men themselves were covered head to toe in tattoos, dirt and blood and war paints.

Their horses, whom of which could barely be called that, as boney as they are, were drenched in sweat and blood an look as if they hadnt eaten in a moon. 

"I am well aware of were we ride, Lassie." The dirty man spit. His yellowing teeth flashing as he spoke.

The Renoian men grumbled at the disrespect towards their captain.

Amynta didn't bat an eye at the comment, suggesting his gender.

"State your purpose." Amynta growled. Raia stomped his hooves causing the ground to shake from the massive stallions hooves.

"Ya wee Lassie the leader of this pitiful group." Then man openly laughed. His soilders snickered.
"Ya, wound me. This is your Kingdoms defence, a wee lil lass and her pitiful army. Ha." He threw back his head in a loud laugh.

"My Captain could take down you and your Army single handedly." Hamish growled angrily. Swinging off his horse and stomping ahead of Amynta's horse.

"Hamish." Amynta snapped "know your place." The large man growled as Raia stepped between him and the ememy army. While the Enemy leader quietly watched the scene with amusement.

"Aye, but I am not here to fight today." The dirty, blood and grime covered man laughed. "Only to deliver a message from my commander." He glared at Amynta "you have two fortnights to surrender  before the Illiyan Royal army reaches your fortress. By then It will be too late as your men and your villagers shall forfeit their lives." The ememy army laughed.

The Illiyan Royal Army was the Demtian Kings own special force. The fiercest and most blood thirsty army chosen by the Demtia King himself to do his dirty work. This was no meaningless theat.

The Renoian men shuddered at the thought of such men at their forts gate.

"Admeyans don't surrender." Amynta calmly stated, and stood his ground as the enemy leader led his horse closer to Amynta's stallion.

"Then it shall be your Death." The man growled. His grey, white eyed beast snapped at Raia like a rabid dog showing a mouthful of razor sharp, shark like teeth and a forked tounge. The horse screamed in rage, and reared. Stomping the ground in pure fury and pulling on its reins to reach the Painted stallion.

Amynta was startled by the strange horse and Raia reared to get away from the beasts teeth.

The man laughed once more before turning the bony horselike beast around and charging back towards Demtia, his men following along behind him.

"What, the bloody hell was that Cap'n?" Hamish cried.

"I have no worldly Idea." Amynta whispered. He quietly but quickly spun his terrored steed around and headed back towards the fort.

Whatever just happened left chills down Amyntas back and the feeling of dread in his soul.