For Better or Worse...

[cbraund]

Since the most popular vote was for a new story, here's the teaser to a new one! Tell me if you think I should continue it, I don't really know if the concept is good enough to...

By the way, if anyone's read Bernard Cornwell's Arthur trilogy, read it, it's good, and this story is based in the same era, except Arthur is the King, not the Protector, and I've added in favourites such as Malagant, and of course Camelot.

*******************************************

Arthur laid his sword carefully down on the Round Table.

"I swore I would never fight another battle." he said in a voice thick with exhaustion. "But now it seems I must."

"The Saxons have renewed their offensive." Lancelot, Arthur's deputy, spoke loudly to the other Knights.

"Then I think it is time that we kicked them off British shores for good." Gawain shouted, bringing laughter and shouts of encouragement from the other knights.

Arthur smiled. He wished it was that easy.

"There is one problem with that plan. Malagant of Powys actually seems to be in league with them, and is tying up our ally, King Lot of Gwent." Arthur nodded in respect for Guinevere's father. "And now Siluria, the troublemakers in South Wales, choose to attack our allies to the west, Kernow. Coincidence? I think not."

Lancelot and Gawain looked at each other, being two of the few knights that realised the significance of this. That meant true Britains were turning against other Britains and supporting the Saxon invader! Also, tying down Dumnonia's allies with such attacks, forcing Dumnonia to send some troops to both nations to help them survive meant that much of the army wouldn't be there to fight the Saxons.

It meant that the best must fight the Saxons to ensure their defeat.

The Knights of the Round table rode out from Camelot with Arthur at their head the next day. Guinevere stayed in Camelot.

They were leading half the army to do battle with a Saxon army three times their size.

*******************************************

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Malagant laughed as he led the force up the river bank.

It was the bank of the river Severn, and their destination was Camelot.

*******************************************

Thoughts? Comments appreciated! Should I continue this or not?

Chris AKA Nemesis

[civman2000]

! What else do I expect from a story of yours ?

[johncmcleod]

excellent so far. The only problem is it has Arthur and the knights of the Round Table in it, who are characters who have been in novels, and no offense, but it makes it worse. Argggggggg I thought I was being original when I wrote my newest story taking place in medievel times, but then a bunch of people write ones in the medieveil ages write as or before mine is coming out. Oh well. And, since you're one of the premier writers of this forum, I was wondering if you could critique my newest story at http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...threadid=52508 If you think I copied you (my story is a lot like yours) I didn't because I wrote mine before I read yours, honest. And anyway I think I posted mine before yours, so it doesn't really matter.

[cbraund]

I'll have a look later, not got much time now, but I'll read it tonight.

Anyway, I've had a quick glance, and it is set in the world stage, whereas this one is set purely in Britain, with the nation divided.

So I can't see that there will be that many similiarities.

Chris

[Metaliturtle]

((Metaliturtle suddenly has an angry thought)) WHERE THE F*CK did the sweet move of taking over other civs capitals and creating 2 new nations GO??????!?!?!?!?!?!?! I loved that feature and it really ticked people off in MP when I did it too.

[Metaliturtle]

Oh and um, Sweet story CB ((PS does anybody know why I have hit points and experience percentages now?))

[cbraund]

EDIT: It was Pellinore of the Silurians, not Malagant of Powys on the river bank! Sorry!

**************************************************

Arthur's infantry ran away, leading the Saxons towards the forest where the archers waited.

As they neared, Arthur's feared longbowmen opened fire. The Saxons began to fall.

Now Arthur gave the signal. He began to charge down the slope with his Knights of the Round Table, and his other knights. His light cavalry had also ran around the backs of the Saxons, and now charged at their rear.

The infantry began to attack once more, and the Saxons were being attacked from all sides now, with the remaining side being a steep cliff.

Some fought like madmen, others ran. Soon those fighting were killed, and the fleeing broke through the cavalry.

Now the knights charged behind the routed Saxons, and began to cut them down one by one.

It was yet another glorious victory for Arthur and his knights.

************************************************** *

"Why were so many Saxons in Britain?" Arthur asked the captured King of the Saxons again.

"We are fleeing the Romans." Arthur's translator told him what Aelle, the Saxon ruler said.

"The Roman legions are marching once more." Aelle said in broken English.

"The legions?! But Rome was falling!"

"Then General Maximus took control, and he leads Rome to great victories." the translation came.

"So the Saxons fled the mainland for Britain?"

"Yes. The Roman legions are deadlier than ever before."

"Are they coming this way?"

"Probably as we speak."

Aelle then grabbed a knife from Arthur's belt, and stabbed it into his own heart.

"Treat my people well." came the translation of his last words.

Arthur shook his head, mortified by the man's words of Rome.

Rome had abandoned Britain a hundred years before, and now they were to return.

Well, at least the Saxons have been finally defeated, Arthur thought.

*************************************************

Pellinore led his men towards Camelot. They were dressed as men from Gwent, and called out to Mordred, Arthur's son, to let them in as they had an important message from Gwent.

Mordred, being young and foolish, ordered the guards to open the gates.

The Silurians charged in, overwhelming the unprepared and small guard. Camelot was a fortress that could be defended by a few, but only if the enemy wasn't let in.

Mordred, only just eighteen, realising his mistake, drew his sword and charged at Pellinore.

Pellinore side stepped, and swung his sword, decapitating Arthur's only heir.

He was here on a mission, to kill Arthur's heir, and to make his own.

He rushed up to Guinevere's room, then smashed the door open.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"I want you to bear me an heir, witch! Mordred is dead, and you shall bear me an heir that can rule Siluria and Gwent when Lot dies!" he grabbed her and pushed her back onto her bed.

She screamed, and realised he was right. Worst of all, she was also now Arthur's only heir, which would immediately pass to any son she bore. If Pellinore made her pregnant, her child could rule Gwent, Siluria and Dumnonia. And if Arthur and Lot died soon, then Pellinore would be ruler as his protector.

"Never!" she screamed once more.

"Now bear me an heir, b*tch!" Pellinore jumped on her. He knew that she would kill any son of his, so he vowed to himself to return to Camelot when she was due, and take his son home to safety.

**************************************************

Arthur heard the news on his way home. Camelot had been raided by Pellinore!

He spurred his horse onwards, leaving his army behind. The Knights of the Round Table followed him.

When he returned to Camelot, he found Guinevere a broken woman.

"He raped me." she cried into Arthur's shoulder.

When he had heard the full story, Arthur stood up with a look of determination on his face.

Lancelot knew that look. It was one which meant Arthur was incredibly angry, and about to do something about it.

"Siluria just became our first target in the war to re-unite Britain to fight the Romans." Arthur growled.

"But highness, Pellinore will have returned to his castle by now. We don't have the time to take it, Britain must be re-united before the Romans come!"

"Then we force the rat out of his hole. We will burn every Silurian village and harvest that we come to and force Pellinore to fight us or rule a land of no value."

Lancelot knew it was cruel, but Arthur wasn't in a kind mood.

Siluria must die to save Britain.

********************************************

I know it's a bit boring now, but I promise you it will get better.

Comments appreciated!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[Richelieu]

Great story, and great story writing! We need more like you!

[DarkCloud]

I actually like it

Part II is better than Part I

and the Saxons fleeing the Romans is a masterful stroke of genius.

The 'battle' was a bit brief however

But overall it was very good.

[cbraund]

"Why haven't they come down from those damned mountains yet?" Arthur murmured thoughtfully to himself.

"Sir, a slave escaped from a farm in the mountains is here. I suggest we talk to him." Lancelot had noted the arrival of the fair-haired girl ten minutes before.

"Bring her to me." Arthur instructed.

The girl was brought before him.

"Why does Pelliore remain in the hills?" he asked her.

"We have cattle that we are eating your Highness. There are even a few storage sites up there where harvests have been stored."

"Damn." Arthur muttered. "Okay, you may go, you are free."

"Thank you Lord." she smiled with joy at the news that she was no longer a slave.

Lancelot's face lit up too. She was only two years younger than he, and would make a fine bride, he was sure.

*****************************************

King Pellinore loathed fighting Arthur.

His longbows, a new weapon known only to Dumnonia's weaponsmiths, were the only archery weapon capable of piercing the leather shields and armour that everyone wore.

His knights were the only ones in Britain to wear armour, chainmail he had brought from his time in Brittany. Also Pellinore had hardly any mounted men, as Siluria was a hilly country with little use for powerful warhorses.

And Arthur's shieldwalls were the best trained in Britain, trained to perfection by the man himself.

But now Pellinore had an advantage. He had to kill Arthur so his son would rule southern Britain. And he had a way to do it.

Elaine, that peasant girl had given Arthur the information he had told her to. Siluria was not yet eating its cattle, and was in actual fact still eating from the granary of Pellinore's castle, but Arthur wasn't to know that.

So he would ride up the hills that surrounded the mountains, and straight into Pellinore's trap.

*******************************************

Arthur led the knights into the old Roman fort, closely followed by his spearmen. The slave girl had told them that there was a grain store in the middle of the compound.

There was the building, he saw. He galloped over to it, and peeked in one of its windows.

Hay?!

He glanced down, and realised the floor was carpeted with the stuff. These are stables, he laughed to himself.

But where were the horses?

Then the great gates, the only entrance to the fort, began to close.

The few pickets Arthur had left outside must have been taken out without giving a warning, Arthur thought wearily.

That would mean he would have to fight his way out.

Then he realised. Why would Pellinore lock them in here, knowing he couldn't hold them forever, and it would be impossible to assault the fort with Arthur's men inside it.

Lancelot called from the ramparts he had just inspected.

"Arthur, there are spikes on the walls! There's no way out, and Silurians are at the base of the walls to kill any man who does get past the damned spikes!"

Arthur began to think hard about how he could break down the gate, knowing it was possible somehow.

Then the flaming arrows began to pour into the compound, many landing on the thatched roof of the main building.

Arthur gasped in horror as he realised what was happening. The fort was being turned into an inferno!

He spurred his horse towards the gate, with Lancelot next to him.

Arthur stared helplessly at the smooth oak gate. There was no way to scale it, and nowhere to attach a rope to pull it open.

They were trapped, he realised. And they were going to roast before they died in agony.

*****************************************

More will be posted later! Comments appreciated.

Chris AKA Nemesis

[civman2000]

Nice twist! It would be nice to have them die in the fires and then write the rest from the other people's point of view, but I know that's just not you're style

[cbraund]

The muttering old man stalked the battlefield without any thought for the battle that raged around him.

He was a Druid, the feared priests of ancient Britain. Druids could walk even in the middle of a battlefield and not be injured, for the soldiers were terrified of a Druid's curse.

An arrow came to close, and the old man betrayed the feeble image by catching the arrow and snapping it.

He looked weak, a deception that had been deadly for many men.

Now he walked without a care in the world towards the gate of the fort.

The soldiers, scared of a Druid, let him past. Many murmured that he wasn't a Silurian Druid, but many more thought he was, and was going to cast an invisible wall charm to keep Arthur's men inside forever.

Instead he reached for the bar which kept the door locked, and began to lift it.

"How dare you, Druid!" Pellinore grabbed him and threw him away from the gate. He feared Druids too, but not enough that he would let one interfere with his killing of Arthur.

The old man's hood fell back, revealing his face, and the word rushed around the crowd about who it was.

Now the Druid got to his feet, and pulled a small globe from his pocket.

He lit the string protruding from it on the fire that was there to light the arrows on, then threw it at Pellinore's feet.

Pellinore looked at it in alarm, fearing that it may be a Druid curse stone.

He looked closer, as it exploded with a huge bang and tore his body into scraps.

The men closest were burned, and those for many yards around were covered with his blood and flesh.

The Silurian soldiers, shocked at such a spell, backed away from the Druid and let him pass towards the gate.

He lifted the bar, and opened it.

*******************************************

King Arthur led his men out, hearing the bang outside and seeing the gate open.

There he saw a feeble old man, who he recognised immediately.

"Merlin!" he cried, shaking the Druid's hand.

"I see you got yourself into another fine mess." Merlin reprimanded him.

Arthur smiled as his men began to slaughter the Silurians, only accepting the surrender of those who laid down their arms.

*******************************************

Siluria was defeated, and Arthur's soldiers went now to Gwent to help King Lot, leaving a small garrison in the Silurian capital.

Some men on the walls of the castle had seen Merlin's magic, and it spread like wildfire through the Dumnonian men.

"What was it?" asked Lancelot.

"It was a ball containing gunpowder, an explosive substance the Chinese made. Very expensive, and very hard to get hold of, but very effective."

"The Chinese? Who are they?" Galahad asked.

"A creation of Merlin's mind, like those camels and elephants he tells us all of." Arthur laughed.

*******************************************

More to come tonight! Comments appreciated!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[cbraund]

Merlin left us that night.

Arthur was livid. We were going to Gwent to save Lot and his kingdom from Powys, and Merlin was leaving!

"I have more important things to be doing." Merlin said with contempt, as if he was unable to believe that Arthur thought it was a big deal.

"What's more important than saving Britain?!" Arthur shouted.

"Saving the world!" Merlin yelled, laughing, then stalked off into the night as silently as he had come.

"He always exaggerates." Arthur shook his head in mock despair. Merlin had always been like a father to him, and so he found it impossible to get angry with him.

Then, Arthur found it hard to get angry with anyone.

************************************************

Arthur returned from his meeting with King Lot optimistic.

"I have told him what Merlin told me, and he is as confident as I that the Powysians will be destroyed on our shields!" Arthur yelled to his troops.

They cheered, and turned back for more mead to drink.

************************************************

That the Powysians would come today had been the only useful information Merlin had given Arthur, which allowed the allied armies to be ready. Merlin was a master of disguises, and had managed to slip into the enemy's camp to see them preparing for battle.

King Lot was left to command the huge shieldwall that was the allied army, while Arthur and his knights went to try and outflank the enemy.

It was in a gorge that the battle would happen, with cliffs either side. Along it led the only Roman road into Gwent, and therefore the only possible way of leading an army through into it. Malagant knew it, and so did Arthur. Both were happy with where the battle was to be fought, Malagant because he needed to destroy the allied army to ever invade Gwent, and Arthur because the gorge meant that the shield wall couldn't be outflanked.

But the allied army was only two thirds as strong as the Powysians, who had allied the nations to the north behind them.

But the Dumnonian troops were confident. Arthur had never lost a battle, and he wasn't about to start now.

**************************************************

The knights, led by Arthur, charged along the top of the cliff on the right hand side of the gorge.

They were to enter the valley from the other end, and attack the enemy from behind, driving him onto the allied spears.

Arthur led them into the gorge, and spotted Malagant's army ahead.

"Charge!" came the order, and led by the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur's knights charged.

Until they saw the shield wall. Malagant had a shield wall at his rear!

The horses wouldn't charge a shield wall, and Arthur couldn't blame them. It was a deadly array of spears and shields which could easily spear a horse.

"Malagant must have been expecting us!" Lancelot shouted.

"Maybe he just guessed my tactics." Arthur cursed himself for underestimating his enemy.

Gawain rushed over to Arthur, and whispered a possibility in his ear.

Arthur turned pale. Of course! If Malagant knew that they might try this, he might try another shield wall to box Arthur's knights in this gorge!

Arthur looked back towards the entrance of the gorge, and sure enough, another shield wall was forming.

"Both walls are Malagant's personal guard." Lancelot warned. That meant they were the best spearmen in Powys.

Arthur tried valiantly to get his horses to charge the enemy line, but they steadfastly refused.

The shield walls closed in, and Arthur realised he was trapped.

**************************************************

Arthur's knights marched towards the shieldwall blocking the way out, and they were confused at what he was doing, but continued to advance.

Then all the knights dismounted, and formed their own line.

They charged at the shield wall, but it held firm.

The Powysian spears broke on the heavy mail armour of the knights. The only disadvantage of the armour was it was slow, but the knights being in a line stopped them being mobbed and their helmets taken off and then being decapitated, as was the practice.

The heavy cavalry swords the knights carried tore through the leather shields, that were only supposed to hold against spears and arrows. The spears, too, were broken by the huge swords. Some of the Powysian men drew swords, and a few knights were killed by well aimed stabs, but in doing so the men left the safety of the wall, and opened their backs to a stab from another knight.

The shieldwall collapsed as more men began to die, and the others realised the fight was futile against so many knights.

They fled, and the Dumnonians quickly mounted their horses once more, just ahead of the other shield wall which was now charging.

Arthur led the slaughter of the running men, decapitating himself their leader.

Then the knights rushed back along the cliff to their own lines to find out what had happened in the battle.

**************************************************

They arrived in time to see Lot in the middle of his shield wall being beheaded by Malagant, who was in the middle of his own.

The Gwent men began to falter, then run. This left gaps in the lines that Malagant's men charged into, and the Dumnonians realised the fight was futile now they were outflanked.

They began to run also, and now Malagant's line broke as his men began to charge after the enemy.

Arthur and his knights put themselves between the fleeing soldiers and Malagant's men, and slaughtered the few who came near.

Malagant wasn't a fool, and ordered him men to get the hell back into their shield wall.

Faced with that obstacle, Arthur was forced to retreat also. But he had saved the battle from becoming a rout.

But it was still a loss, the first defeat he had ever known.

**************************************************

King Tewdric of Gwent was proclaimed the same day so he could lead Gwent's army alongside Arthur's, but that wasn't what he decided to do.

He told Arthur he regretted it, but he had to make peace with Powys.

Arthur, ever calm, tried to talk him out of it, but just nodded and walked away once he realised Tewdric's mind was made up.

"You can't win them all." Lancelot said, sensing Arthur's disappointment.

Tewdric's peace would allow Powysian troops free passage through Gwent, which meant that they would be free to invade Dumnonia with their two to one odds against Arthur's army.

But one obstacle stood in their way, a strong fortress which commanded Dumnonia's northern border.

Camelot.

*************************************************

Yet more to come later! Comments appreciated!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[civman2000]

great battle! I love merlin, even with the little he has done!

[cbraund]

Merlin appeared in Camelot that night. He had apparently been in fishing villages, listening to the gossip of fishermen who had seen strange boats in the Channel.

"The Romans." Arthur groaned.

Merlin nodded.

"You must fight them with everything you have Arthur, for their legions are more deadly than ever before. The Romans have learnt the ways of the barbarians that hurt Rome, and now use their own methods and their enemy's methods to beat an opponent."

"They have cavalry?" Lancelot asked.

"A bit, but mostly they rely on their powerful shield walls to defeat a cavalry charge. As I hear Arthur himself found out, no horses will charge a disciplined shield wall."

Arthur muttered a curse about Merlin under his breath, and the Druid spat on the floor to avert the curse's evil, a traditional Druid thing.

One of the few Christians in the room, an arrogant priest known as Bishop Sansum snorted in disgust.

"You vile toad! When the Lord comes to earth he will punish you for your pagan ways!" Sansum roared. Even Arthur was sick to death of the man, but he had been appointed by the Christians of Dumnonia to be the head of the Christian church, and Arthur couldn't remove him without causing rebellion.

"Well you'd better hope he punishes me for this." Merlin smiled coldly as he smacked Sansum's cheek with his staff.

"Oh Lord, I am coming to be blessed! The vile pagans strike me, and will kill me for doing your work!" Sansum cried in yet another of his martyr speeches. The first and best had been the time that Arthur had held Excalibur to his throat and threatened to cut it if Sansum didn't give Arthur a loan from the Christian church for a war against Siluria years ago.

"I will not kill you, Christian dog, for it would be cruel to your God, forcing him to meet you!" Merlin laughed at the pathetic display.

"Stop toying with him Merlin, and tell me, are you coming to help us against the Romans?" Arthur demanded, knowing that his army would be more confident with Merlin at his side.

"How will you stop the Powysians, Lord?" Gawain asked.

"I shall leave Galahad here with 50 men to defend Camelot. That should be easily enough to hold the enemy until we return." Arthur spoke of the youngest and least experienced Knight of the Round Table, Galahad.

"We must march tonight." Merlin nodded, then kicked Sansum in the crotch after the man insulted him again.

*****************************************

Arthur led the men to Durnovaria[MODERN DAY DORCHESTER], a southern Dumnonian town, where the Romans were said to be landing.

Sure enough, the fishermen reported that the galleys of Rome were sailing right towards that town, and now Arthur prepared for battle.

It was going to be a vicious one, and even if he won against all the odds, he still didn't know if he would have a kingdom to go back to with the Powysians attacking to the north.

But he put on his best scale armour, mounted his horse and put Excalibur in its scabbard, and then held his spear and shield.

He was going to war.

*******************************************

Sansum groaned as he felt the bruise on his cheek.

"That is yet another reason we must cleanse Dumnonia of pagans," Sansum said to the impressionable young Galahad.

"What is the main one?" asked the Christian knight.

"To prepare for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ in four years time! He is coming in the year of our Lord 500! He will not come if there are still pagans in Dumnonia!"

"What about the rest of Britain? The north is all pagan." Galahad pointed out.

"Our Lord will lead us into battle to destroy the non-believers, but first we must secure the kingdom for his return!" Sansom repeated the sermon he gave so often.

Galahad looked confused, and turned back to his meal.

******************************************

More to come later on! Comments appreciated!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[trickey]

great! keep it up!

[cbraund]

The Romans charged the sheild wall one more time, and finally the Dumnonians were scattering.

They were fleeing! The battle was won!

The Roman commander knew that Arthur was his deadliest opponent, and now that opponent was beaten.

The Dumnonians ran back along the foot of the steep valley, covered by Arthur's few longbowmen and cavalry.

The knights hadn't even had a chance to charge against the Romans, as even when they threatened to outflank them the Romans formed a square shield wall to repel them, similar to the Dumnonian shield ring tactic, except the Romans carried strange rectangular shields.

Also, the longbowmen were useless unless they could hit the face, as the Romans wore thick breastplate armour, and their shields were now covered in copper, a lesson they had learnt from defeating the Franks.

The Romans formed turtles so they could ignore the longbowmen, and slowly began to advance along the valley. The knights couldn't attack them due to the long Roman spears, and the deadly slingshots who had already killed Gawain by slinging a stone into his face.

Now the Romans marched forward to victory.

******************************************

"Let's hope Merlin does his bit." Arthur smiled as the Romans advanced into the trap.

From the top of the hill, loud crashes, bangs and booms were heard, and lightning was seen in the pouring rain. The rockslide had begun, and now the Romans calmly stopped their turtles moving, and braced themselves.

Merlin looked down from above, happy with the common men pushing the rocks. He watched eagerly.

The rockslide threatened to engulf the Romans, but their formations stood firm like cliffs against the sea, and most of the rocks were channeled between the Romans.

Others bounced off the Roman shields, and while their weight may have been enough to a man-held shield downwards, as happened at the centre of a few turtles, it wasn't enough to buckle the shields on the outside of the wall, which kept the ceiling of the wall standing.

Then a huge boulder hit, crushing most of one turtle. The Dumnonian men cheered, as it meant another legion down, but there were more.

The Romans had survived the landslide with only one battered legion hurt.

Then came the explosions. Merlin had thrown down a number of wooden balls the size of a man's head, filled with his gunpowder and with fuses lit, and some had gone into the middle of the legions.

Two legions disappeared in the fireballs, and two more were thrown back by the force of explosions near them.

All of the legions were now in disarray. The shield walls had been momentarily broken.

Now Arthur's men charged.

The Dumnonians came not in a shield wall, but in a murderous rabble, the way the old British people fought.

The Romans knew that they were doomed, and began running for the shore. Their leader tried to rally them, but his head was removed from his body with one swing of Excalibur.

The Romans were fleeing Britain, and a few made it back to their boats, about two legions' worth.

The rest were slaughtered.

The men onboard the boats breathed a sigh of relief. They were home free.

Then they saw the war galleys of Kernow, the small kingdom to Dumnonia's west. Its King had decided to repay Arthur for him dealing with Siluria by sending his famed war galleys to destroy the Roman boats.

The Romans prepared for a fight, confident of their boarding skills.

But Kernow sailors didn't fight that way. The galleys got closer, and some threw bundles of hay onto the Roman galleys.

The Romans left it there, bemused by the enemy's behaviour, and preparing to board them.

Then the bowmen of Kernow lit their arrows, and fired them into the bales of hay.

They were soaked in an oily substance the Kernow men had found caught fire easily, and now they did so quickly.

The Romans tried to put the fire out, then began to dive into the water, where they either drowned or were speared as soon as they reached land.

Britain was safe, and Arthur had won his greatest victory.

*******************************************

Then came the news.

"Sir, Galahad has declared that you died fighting the Romans, and he took control of Dumnonia as a Christian King, supported by Sansum!"

"He won't be hard to remove." Arthur was hurt by the betrayal, but not worried by the prospect.

"But sir, that's the thing," the aide panted. "He opened the gates of Camelot to Malagant, to come to peace talks! But Malagant killed him and the garrison!"

"So Malagant has Camlot?!" Arthur was worried now, as Malagant had more than enough men to defend Camelot and make it an impenetrable fortress.

"And Guinevere." the aide said unhappily.

Arthur groaned. "And what of Sansum?"

"He fled south, but he heard that you are alive, and so now is raising a Christian army to destroy you, and then just defend Dumnonia against Malagant, not retake Camelot."

"And what of Dumnonia's pagans?" Arthur asked.

"All the ones within Sansum's reach are being slaughtered to cleanse the earth for the coming of his God." the aide was almost crying now. "They killed my family sir!"

"Don't worry, we'll get revenge." Arthur said with a determined look in his eye.

The Christians had caused too much trouble, and it was time for them and Malangant to pay.

******************************************

More to come later! Comments appreciated!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[trickey]

very good! IMHO i think you might want to try making your battles a bit longer.

[cbraund]

To be honest, a) I'm crap at writing battles! and b) I'm trying desperately to get this one finished quickly so I can get on to my new one, since this one seems to be losing in the finals anyway.

Anyway, the rest will be up later, don't expect too much I'm afraid, but I promise that the new story will more than make up for the battles in this one!

Chris

[cbraund]

Sorry it took so long, but here it is, the finale!

*******************************************

The Christian army appeared on the hilltop infront of Arthur's army, known as Lindinis, and Lancelot had to stop himself laughing out loud.

They were pitifully armed, in a shouting mob, and with a few on ponies, donkeys or old horses.

Arthur's army was in a shieldwall. There were some Christians who served him, but were Christians who believed in peace with all man, not kill all pagans like the madmen at the top of the hill believed.

There were even women and children in the baying mass, and Arthur shuddered to see them.

Few of the Christian army had spears, and even fewer had shields.

Some had swords, others axes, and many more just knives and pitchforks.

They charged down the hill in a rabble, led by the men on animals.

Three even rode huge bulls which charged towards the shieldwall with their horns lowered.

"Stand firm." came the order from Derfel, captain of Arthur's shields.

The Christians weren't even going to try to outflank the shieldwall, as Derfel had been scared that the might. Then he would have had to form a shieldring, one of the more hated tactics.

But they were charging straight for the army. Now the longbowmen behind the shields fired, and the storm of arrows flew through the air to begin the slaughter of the rabble.

The bulls reached the shieldwall only to be impaled on spears. Their momentum carried them through the wall, but it quickly closed back up behind them.

The riders were ruthlessly killed, as were the bulls to stop them going crazy with pain. They would make a fine victory feast when they retook Camelot, Lancelot grinned to himself despite the slaughter.

Stupid Christians he thought. Damned well deserved it for being so stupid as to try and rebel against Arthur!

But Arthur was looking in despair as the Christians impaled themselves upon spears and swords.

They were beginning to gain the upper hand by sheer weight of number. Arthur and his knights would have to act soon to rout the Christians as planned, but he had one last hope.

"Can you do nothing, Merlin?"

"They're Christians, they don't believe in the powers of the Druids! I might be able to scare them, but they believe they are fighting for their God, and so they will not surrender! Anyway, Christians are fools, they deserve it anyway!" Merlin spat on the ground to avert the evil of Christians.

Now Arthur's war horn sounded, and his knights charged from the wood.

The Christians, seeing Arthur at the end of the knights, broke away from the shield wall, and either ran towards the knights or away from them.

Now the shield wall broke, but to attack, not because a Christian had breeched it.

Arthur plunged his sword into the Sansum, who was trying to get his army to attack Arthur, and drew Excalibur to begin the slaughter.

A child picked up a spear and thrust it towards Arthur's face.

Arthur knocked it aside, and to his shame killed the boy. There was nothing else he could do, as the child was intent on killing him.

"The waste of it all." Arthur cursed as he killed another man.

Merlin had stopped beside Sansum, and was obviously taking pleasure in torturing the dying man. Arthur ignored it, knowing that was what a traitor deserved.

The Christians were fleeing, and the longbowmen chased them with a flurry of arrows.

Arthur had won his kingdom back, but now he knew he had to retake his capital.

*******************************************

"Camelot." Arthur said in awe. He had seen it many times, but it still deserved admiration, and when it was defended by a huge army like Malagant's, it was a sight to behold.

"Wish we'd never designed the place to be so damned impenetrable." Lancelot smiled. Camelot had wells that drew fresh water from a spring deep in the hill it was on, and farms inside that harvested enough to feed a thousand men, let alone the eight hundred Malagant had. Arthur had only five hundred men.

Arthur nodded in agreement, but Merlin snorted in disgust.

"Impenetrable? You don't know the meaning of the word!" he cackled.

"It's strong on every side." Arthur argued.

"On every side but one." Merlin corrected him. "The walls have no roof on them, nor does the courtyard!"

"But we are not birds that can fly!" Lancelot ridiculed the old Druid.

"Don't ridicule me boy, or I'll turn that pretty wife of yours into a toad to match her personality!" Merlin turned on the knight.

"So how do we get in then?" Arthur asked quickly to save Lancelot from Merlin's wrath.

Merlin revealed his plan.

******************************************

Merlin tied a loop in the end of the rope, and handed it to the longbowman, the best in Arthur's army.

He gave him his instructions, and the longbowman fired.

They were on Caer Cadarn, a big rocky hill that overlooked Camelot.

The arrow went over the ramparts, which were free of men since it was a cold night, and they were in the towers warming themselves by the fires. The loop settled over a turret on the far side of the rampart, and Merlin pulled it tight. Camelot had turrets on both sides of the walkway to give the archers some protection even when the enemy had was in the courtyard.

He then tied it to a rock further up the hill, so it formed a "rope bridge" as he called it, just above the men's heads.

Derfel was the first to use the strips of leather that Merlin was handing out, taken from the leather armour of some of the dead at Lindinis.

He hooked it over the rope, and held on as he jumped off the ridge.

He sailed down the rope, and on to the ramparts of Camelot.

*******************************************

More warriors followed, then the archers. By then Derfel had led an attack to capture the gate, and the alarm had been sounded.

But most of the warrios and archers were now across, as more rope bridges had been made to carry them to Camelot.

Now the archers were in the gatehouse, and defended by Derfel's men. The archers could rain death upon the enemy in the courtyard, and there was no way for the enemy to attack other than up the staircase or along the ramparts, both ways only allowing one man at a time to attack.

The gates were opened and the drawbridge lowered, and Arthur led his knights into the courtyard, to begin the massacre of Malagant's army.

******************************************

"And where is he?!" Arthur demanded of the man he knew was Malagant's second in command again. The battle raged around them, but Arthur wanted to know where Guinevere was. He had just been told she was with Malagant.

The terrified man told him, and Arthur slit his throat, tired of giving mercy to enemies who would then continue to plot to try and bring him down.

Lancelot's horse was dead, and Arthur called to him.

"Take mine! I'm going to look for Guinevere!"

Arthur charged his horse close to a stairway, then jumped onto it from his horse. Lancelot rushed over to climb onto Arthur's horse.

Now Arthur charged through the passageways, his scale armour presenting an almost invincible enemy to Malagant's men, who got out of his way.

Arthur still beheaded them though, to guarantee they wouldn't stab him in the back.

Now he charged into Guinevere's room, where he found Malagant with a knife to her neck.

"Let her go." Arthur hissed.

"Never. One step closer and she dies." Malagant growled.

Arthur charged, knowing Malagant would kill her whatever he did.

Malagant slit Guinevere's throat, then charged at Arthur, dropping the knife and drawing his sword.

The two men met in the middle of the room, and Arthur swung Excalibur hard, but Malagant blocked.

They struggled, but then Malagant landed a blow on Arthur's hand, and he dropped Excalibur.

Malagant swung his sword, and Arthur ducked, falling over a chair behind him.

The chair broke under the weight of his armour, and he fell to the floor.

Malagant sensing victory closed in, and raised his sword for the killing blow.

Arthur closed his eyes and waited for it, knowing he had nothing left to live for.

******************************************

Arthur opened them again when he heard a scream.

Malagant fell on top of Arthur, a knife in the back of his neck.

Guinevere, as strong willed as ever, had ignored her own pain and inevitable death to pick up the knife, and had plunged it into Malagant's neck.

Arthur threw off the dead Malagant, and hugged Guinevere, whose blood dripped down his armour, and some seeped inside.

Arthur called for Merlin, and he arrived soon after.

"You have your victory Arthur." he proclaimed. "Britain is yours."

Then he saw Guinevere, and rushed over to help.

"Put Excalibur over the wound!" he ordered.

Arthur complied, and was amazed to see the wound healing.

"How?" he asked.

"Your sword is a Treasure of Britain, one of the sacred objects the Gods gave us." Merlin told him.

And seeing that, Arthur believed him, for the first time.

*******************************************

Stupid ending I know, but only one I could think of!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story, comments appreciated and thanks for those already!

Chris AKA Nemesis

[civman2000]

yeah, he should've died IMHO. In response for your question after I left the chat: sure you can have MAD in the contest even if running it!