The Union 23 The Oath

Henry caressed the back of his horse

Behind him were a hundred Tulosans Knights ready for action. They hid behind a nearby hill. Other groups of soldiers were also hidden in other locations. The scouts confirmed that the refugees will pass in front of them soon.

"Nervous? Hahaha I never thought that the famous First Spear would be nervous in a mission like this. It's not like we're fighting actual soldiers" A voice told him. He turned and saw Prefect Romel leading his horse towards him.

Romel was the Prefect of the Whistler Cavalry. Like him, Romel was young. But unlike him, Romel seems to enjoy this task of killing civilians so much. So much in fact that the lunatic personally volunteered the Whistler Cavalry.

The Whistler Cavalry were a group of light cavalry specializing in hit-and-run tactics. Both horse and rider barely wore armor. The horses themselves were chosen for speed rather than charge power. In the battlefield, their job was to harass enemies from all sides. He had actually seen their performance many times before. It was not bad, but he would be lying if he said it was impressive.

"Return to your post Prefect. You have no business being here. You will get trampled upon by my Knights' charge if you stay here" He told Romel.

"Oh? You're boasting about the charge of your Knights." Prefect Romel raised his eyebrow

"Nothing of that sort Prefect. I'm just…worried about your safety" Henry gave a meaningful smile

He was actually telling the truth. He had always been annoyed so much by Romel that he was actually restraining himself from slapping the hell out of the smug face of the lunatic.

"Ha! Worried about my safety? Is that a threat Prefect?." Prefect lunatic asked him.

"Why would I threaten you? We are 'friends' Prefect Romel. Friends don't threaten each other. Or are you saying that we're not friends Prefect? In that case then do heed my warning. A man's patience, after all, is not infinite." He smiled.

"You sure talk tough boy. You Knights think that you own the army. " Romel turned his horse around. Henry was delighted to see the lunatic's face frown.

"Whistlers" The Centurion shook his head. He then put his hand on Henry's shoulder "Don't mind them Prefect, all they do is talk and run. We Knights are still the gem of the army."

"Knights you say" He gave a bitter smile. Knights don't do things like this, he thought.

"Um.. What's the matter Prefect?"

"Nothing."

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After a while, the refugees finally arrived. They formed a long line that stretched for several kilometers. Even though there were thousands of them, their numbers were lower than the General's estimate. Because of this, Henry felt a little relieved.

The refugees had no idea of the ambush so when the blaring of the horns began to echo throughout the plains, they were confused at first. But then the charging horsemen finally confirmed their worst fear. It's an ambush.

Thousands of horsemen galloped towards the refugees. The thunderous noise of hooves filled the plains with an uncertain atmosphere. Some quick-witted refugees formed groups to deter the charge. Others ran for their lives.

Henry was, like always, charging at the front of the column. The target of his unit were the refugees at the front. The refugees at the front of the line were composed of sick and injured people, the old and children. Since these particular group of people were slow, they should dictate the pace of the entire column. If they were put at the back, they would have been left behind by the rest.

The general put the Knights in charge of them because he values the knights. Contrary to the muscular and youthful miners at the back, these refugees had no way of fighting back.

Henry closed his eyes. He should not look at them because their faces would just haunt him with guilt. Henry opened his eyes a little to take a look at his sword. Normally, the knights would carry lances but this particular task has no need of shock cavalry. Henry had seen his sword bathed with blood many times before- blood of enemy soldiers, of traitors, of rebels and as of lately, innocents. At the moment his sword was still clean but it will be drenched in the blood of children and the elderly soon.

Henry's unit was just about a hundred meters from the refugees. He looked forward and then cursed himself for doing so after seeing their faces. He then saw a little girl, only a few years older than his sister. The girl's clothes were dirty maybe due to the fact that they had been travelling for days. The refugees didn't run. They don't have the ability to. They must have known already that running would be futile. So they just stood and waited for their doom. The little girl hugged his grandfather. The old man knelt to comfort his granddaughter.

Why are you hesitating? You must do this! You are a soldier of Tulosa

But they are civilians. Knights don't kill civilians

It doesn't matter. Orders are orders. You're just following your orders.

Would you be able to sleep at night after this?

But if you don't do this, you will be a traitor to Tulosa!

If you do, you'll be a traitor to yourself.

"Halt!" Henry shouted as loud as he could. The entire unit ceased the charge just a few meters from the refugees.

"What's the matter Prefect?" The Centurion asked. He tried to act like his will is strong, but his voice was trembling.

"Go! Run as fast as you could! Don't look back" Henry shouted to the refugees. The refugees ran as fast as they could. They did not dare look back. The little girl gave Henry once last look before running away with her grandfather.

"Prefect.." the centurion blurted.

Henry knew that the Knights he brought with him also felt the same. They detested the ways of General Sigurd but still followed his orders.

Henry did not answer the centurion. Instead, he recited the first line of the Knight's Oath.

"I am the wall of the people" Henry shouted. Nobody made a sound but after a while, a knight recited the next line.

"The refuge of the weak" The Knight said

"I purge evil" Another Knight said

"And vanquish the unrighteous" the rest of the Knights joined.

"I am the sword of justice"

"The spear of morality"

"I am the banner in which the truth stands"

"Even in a cruel world"

"Even if I'm alone"

"Even for all eternity"

"I will always be"

"Because I am a Knight" Henry finished

The Knights were silent for a while. Henry can see that they felt the same way as he does. At that moment, they understood each other. What they were doing was wrong. It was evil. A Knight should vanquish evil, not partake in it.

But the silence was broken by the arrival Prefect Romel and his Whistlers. They were drenched in blood.

"You let them go Prefect" Romel said with an unfriendly voice. He wiped his sword with a cloth.

"This is not right Romel." Henry answered

"This is war!" Romel shouted " We are soldiers. Our job is to kill not to decide what's right or wrong"

"You're free to decide for yourself but my Knights had enough of this"

"Well, in that case let me finish your job for you. I will not tell General Sigurd about this. Thank me later" Romel said as he ordered his Whistlers to charge at the refugees.

Henry was not prepared to stop Romel. In just a few seconds, the Whistlers were already charging at the refugees. Henry did not waste time and ordered his Knights to stop the Whistlers. But Whistlers were light cavalries, they were faster than Knights.

" Stop! Romel stop! I order you to stop!" Henry screamed. He screamed so hard that his throat ached. But it was too late. The Whistlers reached the refugees before the Knights. They slaughtered them all. The old, the sick and injured, the children, none of them escaped. Henry personally saw Romel bury his sword into the little girl he saw earlier. The girl died after a few moments.

Henry cried. And then his vision darkened. How? How can they be so heartless? These monsters don't deserve to live. Romel needs to die! Knights vanquish evil and evil right now is in front of him!

He grasped his sword and charged towards the Whistlers. His target was Romel. Behind him, the Knights also charged. These people are scums of the Earth!

The Knights slammed against the Whistlers. Henry thrust his sword into Romel. Romel blocked with his own sword.

"This is treason Prefect Henry!" Romel shouted

"Shut your mouth!" Henry turned his horse and charged Romel again. He tilted his body and stabbed his sword towards Romel's stomach. His blade entered Romel's body. He pulled out his sword and kicked Romel's chest. The Prefect fell off his horse.

Around him, the knights were slaughtering the Whistlers. But then more units of Whistlers were already charging towards them

"Prefect go! We will hold them of" the centurion shouted.

" How about you?" Henry doesn't want to leave him behind.

"Don't worry about me Prefect." The Centurion smiled "This is retribution for my sins. May all those Castonians forgive me"

"Then this will also be my retribution." Henry declared

"No prefect" The Centurion shook his head "Take the rest of our brothers with you. They need you."

Henry thought about it for a while but in the end he decided to run with the rest of the Knights. He had a responsibility to his knights.

"Goodbye Centurion Hinds" Henry offered his arms to the centurion.

"Goodbye Prefect Henry" the Centurion grabbed Henry's arm. This is a common salutation among equals because at this moment they have neither rank nor hierarchy.

Henry escaped with a handful of Knights. That same day, he decided to head for Solon. They can't go back to Tulosa now. They are traitors already. Even if the Castonians decide to execute them, then that would be better than being executed by their fellow Tulosans. It was the Castonians they owe, not the Tulosans. The surviving Knights agreed and followed him to Solon.

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When General Sigurd heard of Henry's betrayal, he was furious. He wanted to kill Henry with his own hands. He wanted to chase them . But before he could order his soldiers, one of his scouts delivered an interesting piece of information. The third prince of Castonia, Timothy, had been staying at a camp somewhere in Mercus plains for a while now. Some of his reinforcements had been delayed. Currently, the Prince only had 2000 militiamen.

Sigurd smiled. Henry could wait. He had a Prince to kill.

Chapter end