This is a short story of my company leader, Commander Lars of the Lordless Knights.
He is the sole reason that my company is still alive.
The 12 Lordless Knights had just suffered 6 losses at the hands of a necromancer, a foe that the company or myself had never faced before. Corpse after corpse was raised until we were forced to retreat mid combat. Only 6 survived the encounter, 4 with grievous wounds. Nonetheless, we cancelled the contract and moved onto another settlement, one farther to the west. There, we received a contract to slay bandits holed up in a dwelling… presumably for stealing goods from the town elders cart. We decided to wait a few days to lick our wounds and revitalize our pride.
3 days later, the sun rises. Dawn has arrived. The men are ready, and in good spirits after a night of drinking and liquid courage. We set out to the west to face the bandits.
We arrive, shields and pole axes ready. There are 6 of us, and 7 of them, all raiders. They are armed to the teeth – chain mail, kite shields, flails, and other deadly weaponry. No matter, Commander Lars rallies the troops and prepares them to go into the fray.
After a long and arduous battle, things are looking grim for the Lordless Knights. Everyone has fallen but Lars. 3 of the bandits still stand, 2 in confident morale, charging up the hill to where Lars had tried to gain ground. They surround him. He stands, an ardent defender against skilled killers. Slowly, blows are traded. The clang of steel upon shield and sword upon wind. Finally, Lars is struck. Luckily, only his chain mail is sliced, and in very minimal fashion. This seemed to anger the wolf Lars. He strikes back, instantly killing the man to his front in a single slice. He dodges and bobs at the spear and mace coming his way. One after another. Whiff, whiff. The final bandit, the one with the mace, begins fearing for his life, now understanding that this is no mere man. This is a killer too.
Commander Lars stands over 3 bloody corpses, one of two survivors of the Lordless Knights’ toughest battle yet. He is brazen, a stalwart hero that will be sung of in the company for generations to come. His legacy born, and the company motto created in honor of him; “Fear the wolf!”
.