Sir Alain watched calmly as the enemy surged forward, the hooves of the Chaos Knights steeds thundering across the bridge. Then he gave the signal to Sir Robert to advance towards them. As they galloped towards the enemy Sir Robert had to almost physically restrain the headstrong young Knights from charging suicidally into the dangerous Khorne cavalry.

As the Bloodletters and Chaos Warriors hurled themselves towards the bridge Sir Alain stole a quick glance over the river. The Fleshhounds were bounding along the far bank towards the ford, but they were some way removed from it yet. His Knights at the ford held steady. “Where was that foul Bloodbeast? Ah there it was on that distant hill. It was no immediate threat”.

With a bellow, the Crimson Knight suddenly charged towards the Knights Errant, his crazed battle lust blinding him to the obvious trap. The Knights Errant turned and as one retreated before the onslaught. Sir Alain felt a pang of pity for them. They would feel humiliated, but they would live. Had they been fully fledged knights of the realm he would not have ordered, nor expected them to turn their backs on the foe deliberately, but they were brash and reckless youths. A little taste of humility would bring them one step closer to true knighthood if they survived…if they survived!

The young knights outran the rampaging Chaos knights and suddenly the rear of the enemy cavalry was exposed to his Grail Knights. The trap was sprung as the Grail Knights lowered their lances and charged.

They smashed headlong into the rear of the unsuspecting foe, smashing riders from the saddle as they ploughed deep into their ranks. The Chaos knights balked and broke, fleeing before the irresistible charge, only to be cut down by the pursuing Grail Knights.

Sir Alain wheeled Sperran about to face the furious Bloodletters and Chaos warriors as they stormed across the bridge. He felt a moment of sadness for the once proud and fell Chaos knights lying broken and bloodied on the grass.

They were worthy foes, dark alter images of his own Grail Knights. They had a nobility and honour after a fashion. Yes they were warped, twisted and evil. Corrupted by the whisperings of their dark Master. But they had courage, they had unwavering faith in their God and they faced the foe in open and honest battle, eschewing the incomprehensible forces of magic. They had fled before his knights and been cut down from behind. He had sent them to their dark Master to explain to Him how this had befallen them. He doubted He would be as forgiving as the Lady.

Sir Robert pulled the Knights Errant together into battle order again as Sir Alain once again lowered his Lance, charging the rapidly approaching Chaos Warriors who had now crossed the bridge, with the fearsome Bloodletters close behind. The Warriors were no match for the irresistible fury of the Grail Knights as they smashed and hacked their way through the foot soldiers of Khorne, the handful that survived the initial onslaught ridden down to their deaths by the banks of the river.

As Sir Alain turned his cavalry about to face the hellish Bloodletters, he cursed loudly. Sir Parsifal had lowered his Lance and with a roar was charging recklessly towards them, his Errant companions alongside him! Sir Robert impotently screamed at them to halt, before furiously galloping after them. “No you fools!” roared Sir Alain, but he knew it was already useless. They were lost in that rush of euphoria that accompanied the adrenalin rush of the charge.

By the ford he also noticed the Knights of the Realm charging to meet the Fleshhounds as they rushed to cross. They were too far away for him to help, and even if he could, he had to somehow save these impetuous young knights before they were annihilated.

The Knights Errant crashed into the Bloodletters, cutting a swathe through their ranks. However, as Sir Alain readied his knights for yet another charge, three young knights were hacked from their saddles, as they fell, both they and their steeds were slashed and mauled by the merciless daemons.

Sir Alain charged once more as the Knights Errant were being pressed back by the snarling, slashing fiends, his knights barrelling into the rear of the beasts with such fury, the mystical bonds holding them to reality snapped! Howling insanely they disappeared like wisps of smoke vanishing in the breeze.

Sir Alain gasped for breath and looked towards the ford. His Knights of the Realm were finishing of the last of the Fleshhounds, and with relief he saw that all of them still stood.

Scanning the field of battle he searched for the hideous abomination that was the Chaos Spawn. It was nowhere to be seen. Maybe its dark Master had summoned it back, who knows, but it was gone and that was enough.

Lifting his helm he sucked in a deep breath. It was over.