Chapter 8 : The Holy knights

LOCATION : SANCTUARY, NEW VATICAN ( THE GATES)

TIME : 11:42AM

DATE : 10TH FEBRUARY, 2077AD

The gates are opened and a group of individuals dressed in knightly attire walk in; their attire consisted of chain mail armor with a red cape.

A well built male walks before them inside with a stately demeanor with his head held high as he walked past the adoring priests and nuns who had come to welcome them home with hymns and dancing.

They walk on for a while but are stopped by a group of priests who walk up to the man that led the knights procession.

"Commander Alexander, forgive my rudeness but I must ask that you and your personal guard of thirteen warriors come with me at once."

The clergyman requests with a bow.

"Hope all is well??"

Alex asks in a calm voice.

"We cannot divulge anything at this point and ask that you come with us has the Pope has ordered for your presence."

The clergyman replies.

"Really??.... We haven't even had time to get some rest and we are already getting summoned to the office of the Pope??"

A female knight accompanying Alex remarks with a frustrated look on her face.

"Calm yourself, Xena. Let us heed the call of the Pope and hear what he has to say first."

Alex says.

"Fine but if it's another mission…."

The female knight referred to as Xena trails off as Alexander turns to looks at her.

"Come with us."

The clergyman says after which he turns with the rest of his group and they begin to walk towards a group of vehicles lined up.

"Let's go."

Alex orders the knights with him as they follow the priests into the vehicles.

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LOCATION : SANCTUARY, NEW VATICAN ( OFFICE OF THE POPE)

TIME : 2:42PM

DATE : 10TH FEBRUARY, 2077AD

Alexander and thirteen other knights are led into the pope's office by a lone monk after which he closes the door behind him.

"Your holiness."

Alex does a slight bow with the other thirteen following suit as they greeted John.

"You are finally here. I was wonder how long it would take you to get back from your mission."

John remarks with a calm voice as he stared out his window.

"I apologize for the amount of time it took I and my men to take care of issues, we had miscalculated quite a bit on the mission but now we are here, I hope all is well."

Alexander replies with the other thirteen standing quietly.

"Unfortunately all is not well Alex my boy."

John turns to face the knights with a solemn look on his face as he gestured for them to take their seat as he did same.

"What is wrong, your holiness??... Please tell me."

Alex asks, his interest thoroughly peaked by John's words.

"Haven is about to be overrun with the undead. The forces of hell is making a move on one of our cities."

John replies putting his face up to seeing and hearing a huge sigh.

"What??... Invasion of Haven??... How did this happen??"

Xena asks with Alexander throwing a glance at her.

"When did the news get to you??"

Alex asks with a curious look on his eyes.

"This morning. Kirei came to inform me that Haven was asking for our help, they are in danger Alex."

John replies.

"We must honor the call of our brothers and go to their aid at once."

Alex remarks with determination as he rose to his feet.

"Alex don't tell me…."

Xena trails off again as Alex glanced at her.

"I knew you would understand which is why I asked that they call for you.

Move quickly and provide assistance to Haven and it's forces, crush the enemy force and show hell that we humans are not going down without a fight."

Johm asserts in a firm voice with Alexander nodding his head in the affirmative.

"Do not fret, your holiness. We shall go at once and provide our assurance to our brethren in need. Let's go."

Alex orders as he turns to leave with the other knights heaving sighs of frustration as they followed after him.

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"Captain, I don't understand this. We are just coming back from a mission, we could at least rest a bit before leaving."

A male knight remarks as he walked behind Alex.

"For how long shall we rest??.... A day?, two days??, A month??.....

Do you not realize that time is of the essence Joshua, We cannot afford to take a day off while the apostles and disciples are working hard out there, we have to do our own bit as knights else what would people think of us??."

Alex questions the knight leaving the latter speechless.

"Still captain, at least let us rest a bit. Going into a battle exhausted is suicide, isn't that what you have told us??"

Xena asks with Alex coming to a halt and turning to face all thirteen knights behind him.

"Xena, Joshua, Samson, Uzziah, Arthur, Amina, Elizabeth, Diana, Jacob, Rehab, Deborah, Hannah, Liam."

Alex calls out all thirteen warrior names as they stare at him.

"...I know that this may sound selfish of me but I really want to go help those people, I don't want innocents to suffer all because I needed a little rest, I want to do my part.

I know it's selfish of me to try and involve you in my schemes but the truth is that I have come to count on each of you and your capabilities, I know for a fact that I won't be able to do what I want to do alone so please help me."

Alex requests in a calm voice with all thirteen knights feeling awkward with his request.

"Come on cap, you know you don't have to ask us to come with you, we are gonna follow you wherever you go but the thing is that we really do need some rest."

Samson, a muscular red head with a peculiar scar across his cheek, remarks.

"It would be best to send the spies ahead. You can lead the vanguard in after a day's rest."

Hannah, a brunette with a slender figure as well as an aquiline nose and cat shaped eyes, adds.

"Alright then, As you wish. I shall do as you have suggested now come with me."

Alex obliges after which he turns to walk away with the knights following after him.