《Divine Lunacy》


 Chapter 1: An Unfriendly Knock

    The two large doors into the alter room were suddenly and violently pounded, briefly opening just to be shoved back closed by the men inside. These men were the most spiritual of all people in Worland, and thus the biggest target of Eldenbrough''s Crusade. Years of division and indecision within the separate holds of Worland left no united standing army to fight back against the steel plated invaders. Due to this division the greatest men of Worland, those who shared a connection with the Gods, were left squirming and cowering in the once great halls of this divine temple. It made Boethia sick.


    Gripping her long sword she stood in a battle ready posture, in preparation for the Knights of Eldenbrough to burst through the doors. Almost as if on queue the doors blasted open off of their hinges, sending the feeble monks flying to the edges of the room, some even being crushed by the massive wooden doors themselves. Running inward through the created entry were men clasped in steel, head to toe, and ready to kill. Those who stood in between Boetheia and the Knights raised their hands in fear and submission, only to be swiftly executed by the sword without a thought.


    Boethia charged at the enemy, she being the only combat ready individual within the whole temple had caught the men off guard. In their minds this was going to be little more than a loot and purge... this thought was interrupted as the man closest to Boethia lost his head to her monumental sword. She was to protect this shrine at all cost, as was her sworn duty as a warrior priestess. The Knights all ceased their senseless slaughter and zoned in on her, only to be met with her superior fighting skills. One man charged at her, lifting his sword above his head with both of his hands to strike her down only to find his belly cut open right through his armor like it was tissue paper. They all charged at her now, all equally unequal to her skill, each falling one by one. Eventually it came down to one man who was being spectated by an amused audience of his peers fighting this beast of a woman. Both were fatigued, both were covered in blood. All around them laid the disfigured remains of cut up knights and priests.


    Boethia let out a roar as she sluggishly swung at her remaining opponent, only for the man to raise his sword and parry, resulting in his blade being cut in half. In astonishment the Knight looked at his now useless weapon, as she ran him through with her sword. Just as this happened, King James of Eldenbrough brushed past his lowly soldiers.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "When my adviser informed me of a warrior priestess guarding this temple''s artifacts I didn''t think that you''d prove to be this annoying." Boethia pulled her sword from the Knight''s torso as he sat on his knees "You''ve killed many of my Knights, Oligarch rabble but Knights all the same." As the knight fell over on his side, James pointed toward the alter "Are you really sure that you want to die for this? It''d be a shame for a warrior of your stature to die in a fit of such useless resistance." Boethia raised her blade and pointed it at him, the blade dripping with the blood of her latest kill. "Very well." James then drew his sword and flipped it over the back of his hand. "Your death shall be put in a epic honoring this war, I guarantee you." With that he charged at her, shield and sword in hand. Boethia, exhausted from slaying a great many knights, feebly swung her sword at James which he shield bashed out of his way. As Boethia was losing her balance James took the opportunity to take a step toward her in order to run her through with his sword, only for Boethia to trip him with a new found prowess. One of the men who were spectating, hidden within the crowd, suddenly yelled out. "The alter is giving her power!"


    Boethia''s eyes glowed with white light as power radiated from every fiber of her being. Looking up at her on his back James gasped as she swung down at him, almost dealing a death blow that would cut any man in half. "Enough games," James spat at Boethia as he rolled onto his feet. "Now you die!" Without wasting a moment James charged yet again at Boethia, who was already swinging her sword toward him. He met her sword with his shield, resulting in a bone chilling shriek of metal as his shield was cut through, the blade inches from his forearm. Not at all phased James used his shield to push the blade that Boethia wielded into too much of an awkward angle for her to maintain a grip on, causing her to release the weapon. James also discarded his shield. He flipped his blade and made one final push to execute her, only to find the back of his calf slashed causing him to fall to the floor. Unbeknownst to James, Boethia had two backup daggers which she was more than profiecient with. Going in for the kill she rushed to the back of James, intending to swiftly slit his throat when she felt a sharp pain shoot through her stomach. James had turned the blade toward his back, where Boethia had run into. James let go of the blade, stood up and watched her as she clasped it, gasping with wide eyed shock as the mystical power of the shrine left her body. As she was walking backwards, growing weaker and weaker, James walked up to her and punched her in the face with a resounding crunch of her neck; she was killed instantly shooting a pulse throughout the entire temple.

 Chapter 2: Unprecedented Strength

    James briskly walked outside of the temple''s deceivingly humble cave entrance to discover a massacre. His men, not the feeble barbarians, laid torn apart on the ground as if devoured by wild animals. James'' eyes squinted in rage, whereas any other man''s eyes would widen in terror. James'' tunnel vision focus on the bodies of the deceased evaporated as he heard the muffled screams of horror to his left. He glanced over and saw a mountain of a man, clad in animal skins, lifting up James'' General, Alan Windback by the neck. James had always thought that his General was a sizeable man, a good 6 feet tall, but he was utterly dwarfed by the size of this enemy barbarian. What was once a man of excellent stature was now a man that resembled a bullied child. Alan Windback was hand picked by James for his family¡¯s past loyalty to the crown, a trait frequently found more and more lacking by the pompous nobility of Eldenbrough. This General who was once the envy of the entire military might of Eldenbrough looked pleadingly and hopelessly at James as his neck was snapped like a twig, shooting blood everywhere like a popped tomato. This thing had just decapitated him with his hand alone.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this!¡± James shouted, almost in a shriek, raising his sword toward the savage.


    Laughing, it scoffed ¡°More play things!¡± without a thought the beast threw the body of Alan Windback toward James, which he swiftly ducked under, only for the decapitated limp body to slam into the horrorsticken knights behind him. James charged at it in an irrational and uncoordinated sprint, barely holding footing over the men¡¯s limbs that once hailed him. James had one thought and one thought only booming, neigh, throbbing through his head, ¡°You shall die!¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    James closed the distance in seconds as the monster placed itself in a battle ready posture, equipping a massive two handed axe. James slid on the ground and cut at its ankles, narrowly avoiding a devastating axe blow. Each moment that James engaged with this enemy was a moment in which he could perish.


    ¡°I am Boudawin!¡± it yelled as it haphazardly swung in all directions, each time grazing James. Luckily for James this brute¡¯s might was matched by his dexterity. Unluckily for James it took one fatal error and all would be lost. James had to end this quickly and he immediately found his opening for attack. After Boudawin swung out of his power zone James slashed at Boudawin¡¯s chest. Boudawin stopped and took a step back. Hot blood sprayed throughout the immediate surroundings of the two. James let his guard down, dropping his shoulders, assuming that the beast had been slain. Turning around he faced his men and raised his sword into the air.


    ¡°That felt good,¡± it laughed pleasantly. James barely turned to face it as he was bludgeoned into the air and across the battlefield. James had no emotion, no more hatred, no more anxiety. He thought this was how he would die. He muttered ¡°Okay.¡±


    James slammed into the opposite hill of the temple. Almost paralyzed it took every fiber of his being to move, let alone stand up. Fed up with the theatrics his honor guard sprang into action and charged at Boudawin. For minutes all James could hear were the screams of terror as his most trusted men rushed to their deaths merely to buy James time. Without warning James was grabbed by two of his men, dragging him away toward the safety of their lines. With consciousness fading James heard Boudawin yell out over the sound of limbs tearing.


    ¡°I am death and I am here for you!¡±