Athea smiled at him and said in a gentle voice, “Please, just do what you can do to stop giving ground. The other five will be done with the church soon.”
Sharven gave her a nearly imperceptible nod, turned toward the damned. Bellowing a war cry, he charged as he roared and cursed their existence. Dropping his shield to the ground, he switched his ax to his left hand and drew his Spatha. Revig followed suit and the two men became an immovable barrier of whistling and whirling blades.
With Athea and Liana using their slings in support Sharven and Revig, the group, began pushing that damned back. Back at the church the flow of the damned pressing through the doorway began to slow.
“Maarika, can you see Sharven and Revig?” Athos asked.
“Not anymore. For a time, it seemed as if they were going to be pushed out into the square, but now they have disappeared down the road.” Maarika replied
“Jerry and Gor, go support Sharven and Revig. I think Baltazar and myself, can handle the church from here.” Athos said.
“And what am I chopped liver?” Maarika asked.
“And Maarika of course. We wouldn’t yet be drawing breath if not for her prowess with a sling.” Athos hastily added.
The compliment caused Maarika to smile. Jerry and Gor hastily crossed the square and began double timing it up the Via Dolorosa. The two men were surprised by what they found. Expecting to find Sharven and Revig back peddling to a horde of the damned, they instead ran into bodies littering the ground.
About a dozen feet past the first bend in the road they came upon two shields decorated in the colors of the 5th Babylon, “What would possess them to drop their shields in the midst of battle?” Gor asked.
By way of reply Jerry shrugged his shoulders. Step by step, they had to walk cautiously as they picked their way over the corpses of the damned. The fresh injuries inflicted upon them still oozed purple blood. In addition to these non-lethal injuries, at least non-lethal to a damned, all had at least one skull penetrating blow to the head.
Jerry whistled and said, “What in God’s name came through here and butchered the damned in such a manner? Could this have been Revig and Sharven?”
Gor, eyes wide, whispered, “Could two men alone be capable of such carnage?”
The two men resumed their journey down the road. Before long, their ears registered the sounds of battle. They walked around a slight bend in the road that carried them around an ancient building. A building so ancient, that it predated the construction of the road some seven hundred years prior.
As the road straightened back out on the other side of the venerable structure, they came within sight of Sharven, and Revig. Their mouths dropped open at the sight of what they beheld. The two men were a blur of motion as they fought the horde. Lacking a shield, they had to use the ax in their left hands in place of their shields. This was done, in order to buy them a moment to slay a damned with the Spatha’s they wielded in their right hands.
They bought themselves precious seconds with these non-lethal blows, and on occasion were able to land head shots with their axes while simultaneously delivering one with the Spatha in their right hand. At other times, in order to buy them precious seconds, they were forced to land non-lethal blows to the chests of attacking damned. When this combination of events occurred, they were able to take a step forward up the road.
Seeing the two men in action, Jerry and Gor instantly understood where the excessive blade marks on the corpses of the damned came from. Their eyes could hardly believe the carnage they were witnessing. Trained to use shield and but a single weapon, only Baltazar had ever come close to the blur of motion they saw.
Jerry’s trained eyes quickly noticed something else. Sharven and Revig were covered in sweat. Even as they watched, the movements became progressively slower. They’re wearing themselves out. Jerry thought to himself.
“Let’s get in there and give them a breather.” Jerry said
Gor nodded and they slipped their way past Athea and Liana, “Sharven and Revig, you boys look like you could use a break. Step behind us and we’ll take over.
The two men nodded gratefully for the relief and stepped behind Jerry and Gor. Once they were able to catch their breath Sharven in his gravelly voice said, “Thanks, brothers.”
Jerry and Gor quickly found that reverting back to the traditional Skutatoi tactic of shield and ax, forced them to begin giving ground. They simply couldn’t kill the damned quickly enough to avoid being pressed backwards. In addition to having to yield ground, they had to be careful as they retreated. The ground was littered with corpses and slippery with the blood of the fallen damned. Even with the support of two slingers and the occasional Spatha thrust over their shoulders, or through openings from Gor and Revig, the damned pushed them back.
Back at the church, the damned flowing out of the building began to slow, and finally dropped to a trickle. Athos and Baltazar, began advancing into the building. The afternoon sun gleamed through the priceless stained-glass windows of the sanctuary, casting multihued streams of light into the chamber. As the last of the damned fell to their blades, the two men paused and admired the beauty of the scene.
“It’s beautiful!” Maarika exclaimed as she interrupted the awed silence of the two men.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Athos said.
“I did not know that glass could be infused with color in such a manner.” Baltazar said.
Surprised that the two men were gazing at the scene in the same wide-eyed wonder that she was Maarika turned to Athos and said, “You have never seen anything like it either?”
Athos shook his head, “No, the churches I grew up in could not afford the expense of glass in their windows, much less stained glass such as this.”
“Very few artisans have the skill to infuse glass with colors. If this building weren’t fashioned completely from marble, the glass alone, would have cost more than the rest of this large structure.” Baltazar added.
The trio stared for several more moments committing the sight to memory. Their eyes took in the subtle changes to the light as mid-afternoon sun slowly descended toward the horizon, “We’ve got to get on with it. The other six are buying us precious time to get this cross. Let’s not waste it.” Athos said.
Baltazar nodded, “Indeed.” He pointed up the center aisle and said, “It’s just as Gor described. The sanctuary follows the hill upward. See that natural stone set into the wall there behind the altar?”
Athos and Maarika nodded before Athos said a simple, “Yes.”
“It’s hard to tell with this light shining in our eyes, but that could be a cross mounted on the stones and cast in shadows.” Baltazar said.
“Yes, I see it too. Let’s go get it.” Athos replied.
The two men, followed by Maarika. Sheathed the axes in the holsters mounted on their backs and strode briskly toward their goal. As they left the light being cast through the stained-glass windows by the sun, their eyes adjusted to the gloom of the room. As soon as their eyes adjusted Athos was able to see that Baltazar had been correct. Nearly a hundred feet in front of them in the back of the sanctuary was a cross mounted upon the natural stone set behind the altar. Golgotha, the very place where Jesus Christ had been crucified by their ancient ancestors.
As they approached the altar, Maarika let out a low whistle, “That looks like a giant block of solid gold.”
As Athos made it to the altar, he reached out with his hand and touched it. The golden surface of the altar was cool to the touch and had a familiar texture to it, “It really is gold!”
“Emperor Constantine truly spared no expense.” Baltazar said.
“I don’t think it was Emperor Constantine. Remember what Gor said. The Persians carried off the cross to their capital Ctesiphon when they took Jerusalem a generation ago, and burned the church I doubt they would have left behind a solid gold altar.” Athos said.
As Baltazar circled the gold altar, he pointed at a cross symbol on the front, “You’re
right, this is the symbol of Heraclius.”
“It’s a shame we don’t have a wagon and a team of horses to carry this away. I think we could buy our own province with this much gold.” Maarika said.
Both of the men’s jaws clenched at the mere suggestion of looting the altar. They squared their shoulders and turned toward Maarika with nostrils flaring, “We cannot desecrate God’s church. Especially mere feet from where our lord and savior Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for our sins!” Athos roared.
Maarika, startled by their sudden rage, raised her palms and smiled at the two men, “My apologies. I’m unfamiliar with your customs.”
The two men relaxed at Maarika’s penitent words, “We are only here for the cross. It will be placed at the head of the Imperial Army. Once there, it will inspire our men that the Lord Our God has not forsaken them. With light in their souls and fire in their hearts they will drive the damned out of this holy place and back into the dark, dank, hole, they emerged from.” Athos said.
The two men walked past the altar and approached the large stone set in the back wall of the church. They looked up at the wooden cross that towered over them with awe and reverence. Athos and Baltazar, dropped to their knees, crossed themselves, and gave thanks to God.
After several moments Maarika broke the silence, “We’re short on time, remember?”
Athos looked over his left shoulder and nodded slowly, “Aye.”
The two men climbed up on top of the rock of Golgotha that the cross was set in. They reached out tentatively with a single hand each and touched the True Cross, “It’s warm.” Baltazar said.
Athos nodded, “Yes. Do you feel that tingling coming from the grains of the wood?”
“Yes. The Holy Spirit must be imbued within the cross!” Baltazar exclaimed.
“Let’s pull it out together.” Athos said.
Athos and Baltazar placed their other hand upon the cross and working together slowly lifted it out of the hole. As the bottom of the cross emerged, they were surprised to see jagged splintered wood at the bottom, “There are pieces missing.” Athos said.
“I guess all of those splinters your priests brag about having, perhaps did come from the cross.” Maarika said.
“I can’t believe how heavy it is.” Baltazar said.
“It’s a miracle that Jesus was able to carry this after being tortured,” Athos said.
“No, not a miracle, remember he got help from Simon of Cyrene.” Baltazar said.
“Let’s work together to get it outside. You take the bottom; I’ll carry the top.” Athos ordered.
Baltazar nodded and said, “Yes, sir.”
The two men, working together, carried the cross out into the afternoon sunlight, “Let’s drop it in the middle of the square and go see how the others are doing.” Athos said.
“You want to leave the cross here in the square on the ground?” Baltazar asked.
Athos nodded, “It’s not like there is anyone around here about to steal it.”
“As you wish. Hopefully we can figure out a way to disengage the others from the damned and get the cross out the east gate.” Baltazar said.
“In the time of Jesus, Cavalry hill used to be outside of the city, so the eastern gate can’t be far from here.” Athos said.
The two men, followed by Maarika, crossed the square, and began walking westward up the Via Dolorosa. Before long, they came upon the bodies left behind by Sharven and Revig. Baltazar gave a low whistle at the sight and said, “Did they find an army that we didn’t know about?”
“Surely a hand full of men couldn’t have inflicted such carnage upon the damned. Look at these bodies. They weren’t just struck in the head. Several of them were sliced multiple times. Who could have done this?” Athos asked.
“Let’s head up the road and find out.” Baltazar replied.
“Are you sure we want to?” Maarika asked.
The two men ignored her and carefully picked their way past the bodies. In addition to the bodies making footing tricky, the ground was slick with purple blood. Soon, they could hear the sounds of battle as they came upon a bend in the road. The bend, worked its way around an ancient stone building, “It sounds like they are just on the other side of this building.” Baltazar said.
“Make ready.” Athos said.
The two men, took their shields from the hook on their backs that held it. Next, they drew their axes from the holster set in-between their shoulders. As they rounded the corner, Athos’ heart sank. Jerry and Gor were slowly back pedaling against a damned horde. Athos’ eyes followed the horde down the road. It stretched as far as he could see.
“Why can’t anything ever be easy?” Athos asked.
“Aye, Lucifer’s will certainly seems to be ascendant of late.” Baltazar said.
At the sound of their voices Sharven and Revig turned and saluted, “Did you find the cross?” Sharven asked.
Athos nodded, “Aye. We removed it from the church and brought it outside into the square.”
“What do we do next?” Revig asked.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to disengage from the damned, grab the cross, and make our way to the east gate, and outside the city.” Athos said.
“Then what?” Liana asked.
“We walk around the city, and make our way back to the horses. I remember there being a wagon in the yard outside the stable where we left them. We can hitch a couple of the horses to the wagon and go find Constan and the rest of the Tourma.” Athos said.
“A little less talk, a little more help.” Jerry said, his voice laced with fatigue.
The four men, turned to look and their eyes grew wide in horror. The damned, tired of being denied the most direct route to their meal, had begun to climb atop each other. Within moments they were clamoring up onto the roof tops surrounding the road.
“My God in heaven.” Athea said as she flung a stone at a damned standing atop the shoulders of another and pulling itself on to the roof. Her shot true, the stone hit the damned’s skull with a dull smack and sent it tumbling to the cobblestoned ground below.
“They’re going to get above us again! Gor shouted and then added, “Do something!”
Several of the damned had reached the rooves of the buildings that loomed above the road to either side and started running toward the group, “Full retreat!” Athos yelled.
Joining the other two ladies, Maarika pulled out her sling and added her fire. Thanks to their efforts, the damned atop the rooves were being dropped at a furious pace. Unfortunately, there were far more damned, than there were slingers to kill them.
Athos and Baltazar moved forward, and forcefully pulled Jerry and Gor behind them. They brought their shields up together, slamming them into the seething mass of the damned and brought their axes down upon two of their heads.
Creating a momentary gap, the two men turned and joined the rest of the group in flight, “Run!” Athos bellowed.
“Where are we going to re-stablish the line? We won’t be able to outrun them for long.” Baltazar asked in-between breaths.
“The Church of the Holy Sepulcher.” Athos said.
“What about the Cross? It’s in the middle of the square.” Baltazar asked.
“Jerry, Gor, Revig, Sharven, the Cross is in the square. Pick it up and carry it back into the church when you reach it!” Athos yelled.
Jerry responded, “Yes, sir!”
Athos cast Baltazar a sidelong glance and said, “We’ve got to buy them a few extra seconds to secure the cross.”
As they rounded the bend in the Via Dolorosa that went around the ancient building Baltazar said, “I was afraid you were going to want to do that.”
“Maarika, Liana, and Athea, can you come back to us? We need your support.” Athos’ commanding voice boomed.
As the two men ran, Athos spied a spot where the road seemed to narrow and pointed at it, “There seems like a good a spot as any.”
“As you wish.” Baltazar replied.
/> “Now!” Athos ordered.
The two men whirled about in tandem, raised their shields, and thrust them into the oncoming horde of damned. Before the two men could bring their axes down upon the first two damned. Three damned, right in front of them, were felled by well-aimed stones that came from behind.
“Thanks for the assist.” Baltazar said.
As Liana took aim at another damned and took her shot, she smiled and said, “You’re welcome. Now focus on not getting yourself turned into a mid-afternoon snack.”
Baltazar unconsciously nodded and said, “Yes, dear.”
“Ladies, try to focus on the ones atop the rooves. We’ll keep them back here on the ground. If they are about to leap upon us from on high, please kindly let us know.” Athos said.
Athos and Baltazar went to work fighting the horde. The undead in front of them were mainly adorned in the loose flowing woolen robes that the local population favored. The robes were dyed a variety of colors from dull black, and browns, to brighter reds, and blues. Most, to protect themselves from the sun, also wore a wrap around their heads. Many of these, untended since August, had begun to unravel and the lose fabric hung about their shoulders.
Those that were more well to do in their previous life had clothing with inlaid designs sewed into them using different colored threads. The designs ranged from simple embroidery to intricate patterns stitched into the cloth using a variety of colors. In addition to the colorful designs sewn into their clothes, the rich often had jewelry made of silver. The richest amongst them wore gold, or a precious metal inlaid with semi-precious stones set into them.
Athos and Baltazar fought as one against the overwhelming horde of the damned. As arms and teeth of the dead sought to grasp and tear the flesh upon their bones, they killed damned after damned. The weight of the putrid bodies pressing against their shields threatened to bowl them over. Their muscles strained to hold back the weight of the horde as the two men kept their left feet planted on the slick surface of the road. With their right, they maneuvered about as they swung their axes time and again.
Athos brought his shield up to block one of the damned reaching for him. The lips of the former citizen of Jerusalem had rotted away causing its face to be set into a permanent toothy leer. The stench of its foul and fetid breath washed over Athos and the two opponents came face to face over the top of his shield.
Byzantium Infected Box Set Page 100