Chapter 26
Wednesday April 12
Last night of the full moon
The weather was unchanged this morning, but no one in the camp was thinking about it. Everyone wanted to know what had gone on overnight. What was it that had attacked Alex, why did it seem hurt by attacking him, who was that voice? Sam interrupted the questions and the disbelief of the camp by calling everyone together before breakfast and holding a show and tell like the did at the ranch, with each of the three men showing something of their abilities. Then Sam explained about being in the Supreme Order of Christ, himself as Knight commander and Tom and Alex as his sergeants. He explained that the creature that attacked Alex was called an imp, that it was damaged by the blessings worked into Alex’s armor and the Holy Water his shirt had been rinsed in. The voice in the dark is something called a Nephilim, a creature that was half human and half angel. The meeting went on for a bit over an hour and Sam finally ended it by telling people he could not give them proof that answers they did not like were true, and that the upgrades to armor and items could not be done here or quickly. Sam also explained they needed one more sergeant for the order and that they would need 30 people to be foot troop and support people. That these people would be picked from volunteers, and nobody could join until they got to Each Ranch.
The meeting finished and people ate a quick meal. The group got back on the road, if all went according to plan, they should make the ranch sometime late morning to lunch time.
They had made it just south of the cabin where the raiders had hit just 5 days ago, the area is a cross road with three small creeks and a cabin just to the west. Marco and two of his men pulled up facing their mounts towards the building. Sam rode up to see what had caught their attention. There, past the streams and the cabin, maybe a quarter mile away a most stood the Indian he had last seen just under two weeks ago. Same cape and helmet, but the rooftop was less than shoulder high to him. He just stood there watching as the wagons and the cattle went by. Sam saw no sign of the dog, yeah dog. That Indian had to be over 20 foot tall, that means the dog from before was easily 8 foot at the shoulder. A dog that was 24 hands high when even the tallest draft horse they had was under 19 hands.
Sam was tempted to go check what this giant wanted, however the safety of the people came first. Sam had Marco detail a couple of riders to head to the ranch with Tom when they were about two miles out and they rode ahead to let the ranch get ready for all the people coming in.
When the group arrived they found Tom, Bull and Daniel consecrating the grounds for the new people. Looking around it seemed that there were also a few new people that had arrived while he was gone. He left Tom, Alex and a couple of the ranch hands to get everyone in the wagons settled in to their new short term home while He went to meet with Gideon. Each was still his ranch even if he did hope his family would come to Refuge with him.
Sam and Gideon met in his office and Sam brought him up to date on the details of the trip. Gideon brought him up to date on the news that Each Ranch had 11 new people from Stevensville and Florance. The news was that Bitterroot Valley was cut off at Lolo. A group of creatures, led by some giants had come eastward down Lolo creek and taken the town. They had set up fortifications cutting people off from Missoula. There had been reports of heavy fighting ongoing in the area. The enemy also was reported taking captives and raiding for supplies to about a mile south of Carlton. With the new information Sam decided that he and the group joining him would head out Monday to begin work on Refuge and some fortifications on the Big Creek. Maybe they could find a way to use the Curlew mines as an outpost.
Sam next went to meet with Bull to get a report of his activities. Bull reported that he had worked with Guide and sworn Gary Ulmer in as an initiate and his apprentice. They had been working on armor and weapons while he was gone. Daniel Brown had his gear upgraded and had been scouting Stevensville and the area north. They had started talking to the people heading out with them and had a number of recruits lined up. Sam told him of the trip and the encounters that had occurred.
Sam then retired to his tent to work on services for the rest of Holy Week.
Meanwhile
Alex was talking with Gregory Thorman, of Gregory’s Gold and Jewels, turned out he had joined the group headed up which is why his shop was closed. Alex had his eye on an Edwardian wedding band with vines and leaf work around the outside. They haggled a while over the price and then Alex had to talk with Tom and Bull to borrow some funds to buy the ring. With ring firmly in his possession he asked Tom to make arrangements for he and Jessica to meet on Saturday so that he could officially ask for her hand.
That evening Marco talked to Sam and agreed to take the reduction in rank to join the Lance. The stakes were just too high to refuse to be part of the unit. Sam got the rest of the Lance together including Gary Ulmer and any family that wanted to attend.
When the oath had been taken the men received the following notices.
“Congratulations, Marco Serrano, you have been invested by YHWH as a warrior cleric: +2 points Piety access to clerical miracles and rituals” the next read You have received Power Investiture (2) +2 IQ, Finally “Congratulations on achieving the rank of Sergeant in the Supreme Order of Christ: +2 reaction to allies of YHWH, -3 reaction to allies of the adversary”
The next notice read “Congratulations, Marco Serrano, as a Sergeant of the Order and Companion of The Champion you are granted: +2 Dex; +1 HT and +1 Str. You have been granted Air; purify, create, destroy, devitalize, essential air and wall of wind.
The six men of the Lance received the following notification: “Congratulations on fulfilling your quest “Formation of the Lance part one”” each man found he had a bronze (10 point) crystal.
New Quest: Form your 5 man troops. Reward Variable
New Quest: From/recruit Auxiliaries. Reward variable.
Continuing Quest: Create Refuge in the mountains. Reward variable
Continuing Quest: Seek Allies. Reward variable.
Continuing Quest: Protect the innocent. Reward variable.
The initiation over the group broke down into smaller groups talking and making sure Marco would see Bull for equipment upgrades the next day.
Watches were assigned and everyone went to their sleeping areas for the night. The newly risen full moon hanging low and huge in the night sky.
Sam looked long and hard at his bronze crystal. Skills, increase in stats, even making his Imbue power stronger, maybe a new power from God. All this danced in his head. Sam thought for a bit, things he could do. Shaking his head, he stood up and went to the root cellar. He fetched an apple and went off to the stables. “Hey Tairenach, having a good night boy?” His mount butted him softly with his head. Sam pulled out the apple and gave it to Tair, who promptly began to munch on it. Sam stood rubbing the stallion’s neck until he finished the apple, then he held out the crystal, “Here Tairenach, I think you getting stronger is a good way to help me. The stronger the team is the stronger we all are.” Tair nuzzled Sam’s hand then took the crystal and swallowed it. Outside they could hear the wolves begin to howl. Sam checked his weapons and headed out of the stables.
The riders with the horses and with the cattle were all having issues with the animals. The wolves howling had the beasts nervous and awake. The riders talked and sang softly to calm and reassure the animals. Tom sent extra riders into the herds and even used emotional sendings to the lead animals of calm. Jessica and Nessa came out to the herds and began a working. Jessica held a bundle, holly, birch and rowan wrapped around with a vine. She entered into the center of the cattle herd and began to sing, the words liquid yet discordant sounding, the howls of the wolves feeling less threatening, the sound of the song changing slightly painful to the ear, almost like the inner ear had hot sauce applied, the herd stayed restless but began to form the bulls facing outward with the younger animals and cows towards the middle. The feeling less of fear and more a hardening of resolve.
Nessa in the mean time had moved into the herd of horses. She ignored the warning of the riders that it was not safe and moved deeper into the herd. The horses were becoming more agitated as the wolves howled. Then starting near the middle the horses began to calm. The colts and the mares moving towards the center while the stallions and the geldings moved to the outside. From near the middle of the herd came a creature, it was the size of a draft horse. The legs looked more like an elk, than a horse, the tail was long like a puma, but with a tuft, it had a beard, like a goat and a long tri-color horn. The eyes where set to far forward on the head, not to the side like a normal horse the pupils slit like a cat. The creature moved within the herd that responded like it was the lead stallion.
There came a call from the rider on the north and the lance moved that way, coming across the range was a small pack of the omitaa-dainah. Sam and the Lance moved to position themselves in their path. Sam spoke a short phrase in a sing song sounding tone, raising his carbine and firing at about 175 yards. The bark of the gun, the sound and smell of the gunpowder, seemed to settle the nerves of the veterans. Seeing the first omitaa-dainah fall to the shot. The soldiers were settled, they were the line, those they loved were behind them, the enemy would need to go through them, and they would not yield. Sam, Bull and Daniel all raised their carbines, each with a bit of something extra to the bullet and fired again as the omitaa-dainah got to 125 yards. Bulls shot left a tracer like trail, the omitaa-dainah’s fur flaring up with flame. Sam’ target dropping, while Daniel’s flew backwards several yards. The lead animal threw it’s head back and let out a roar, loud, full of threat. Two of the four omitaa-dainah that were knocked down stood back up as a wave of dread spread from the lead animal. The three men fired again as Marco, Alex and Tom placed themselves alongside the others and drew their swords. The swords flared to life, fire covering the blades and casting a hellish red glow along the line of men. Bull’s tracer like round hitting the lead creature, Daniel’s blowing the already burned creature flying backwards. Then from the camp, the back of the wagon offset from the herds, the gatling opened up. The bulldog colt could put 3 rounds of 45-70 down range every second. While the omitaa-dainah could shrug off a couple of rifle slugs, these buffalo killing rounds hitting three at a time knocked them down readily. The pack turned and began to retreat from the heavy gunfire and flaming weapons. The members of the Lance advanced as soon as the bulldog stopped firing. They found two of the beasts were already dead from Sam’s ammo and two that were badly chewed up which they put down with their blades. The heads and hearts were removed and the crystals collected. The bodies piled together for burning at sunrise. As they rejoined the guard there was no sign of the creature that had been with the horses.
About 3 a.m. they heard the sounds of the omitaa-dainah again, this time it sounded like they were mixing it up with a pride of pumas. No one could decide which they hoped would win that battle.
Sunrise just could not come soon enough.
