The Land of the Ancient Vyrajian Gods. Book 4. The Beginning of the War

By Elena Kryuchkova and Olga Kryuchkova

Excerpts from the book:
...With the advent of faith in Logos, raids only became more frequent. And now the Order of the Golden Cross decided to subjugate vast Slavic lands.
The raids forced the Slavs in ancient times to have at least a few loyal warriors who carried a military post at the outpost or sloboda.
Jaromir and his detachment, hiding, stood behind the trees. Suddenly, the sound of a war horn was heard — a kmet from the highest watch tower noticed the approach of the enemies and announced this to Bodrichi. The hearts of the warriors who stood on the suburban wall began to beat fast — the army of trained warriors in iron armor, which had once fought with the Byzantines themselves, was moving on them.
The other day Kolot ordered to take small children into the forest under the care of the priest. There is also to hide the harvest. Women and adolescents, armed, along with men prepared to fight back the enemies.
The iron army was slowly approaching the sloboda. Kolot peering into the distance, noticed some mechanisms. The blacksmith, famous for his skill and ingenuity in the sloboda, immediately guessed — the Saxons came with throwing mechanisms. The battle will be fierce and bloody.
And the blacksmith was not mistaken: before going on the assault, the Landmeister ordered to fire at the fortification from the catapults. And then, under the guise of siege towers, hastily built during the landing, take possession of the sloboda. The warriors of the sloboda had only two choices: either to die with honor, protecting their land, or to be captured.
Warriors vowed to fight to the death. They were joined by women and adolescents...
A big bird with silver plumage appeared over the city, singing sacred hymns in a human voice. Peering up, the inhabitants of the sloboda saw a beautiful female face in the bird.
“Sirin! Sacred bird Syrin! Gods are with us!” the unanimous cry of Bodrichi announced the sloboda.
Landmeister Hogerfest’s headquarters is located a mile away from the city. Marshal Kurt of Saxony was preparing assault squads. Meanwhile, the Landmeister and Grandmeister Voltingen planned further action.
The Grandmeister had high hopes for this campaign, for the treasury of the Order of the White Cloaks was noticeably exhausted. Grandmeister desires and love for luxury were immeasurable, as was his love for women. And the maintenance of a whole army of Voltingen's mistresses cost the treasury a considerable amount. Moreover, he intended to give a solid dowry for his daughter Eva.
The Landmeister unfolded on a camp table a map of Slavic lands.
“Now we are here!” with a confident gesture, he pointed to the map.
Voltingen intended to understand from the map: how long it would take to get to Velegosh, how the canopy of the camping tent was opened — an adjunct, a young Dane, entered.
He bowed respectfully to Hogerfest, recognizing him as the head of the allied group, and then directly to the Grandmeister.
“Speak,” said Voltingen.
The adjunct hesitated a little and looked down, said:
“A huge bird of silver color flies over the village of savages... She sings in a female voice. And advanced detachments report that that bird has a female face.”
Landmeister and Grandmeister looked at each other meaningfully.
“Where is my telescope?” cried Hogerfest, grabbed the device from the camping table and rushed away from the tent...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elena Kryuchkova
• Release date: Oct 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005248383

Elena Kryuchkova

Elena Kryuchkova started her creative path in 2012. She writes in different genres, such as: esotericism, fantasy, Slavic fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, post-apocalyptic and others. Has several graphic works. A number of her novels were co-authored with Olga Kryuchkova.She is inspired by various fantasy and science fiction.Loves cats and draws.

Book preview

The Land of the Ancient Vyrajian Gods Book 4. The Beginning of the War

Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

The Land of the Ancient Vyrajian Gods. Book 4. The Beginning of the War

Written By Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

Copyright © 2021 Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

All rights reserved

Cover Design © 2021 Elena Kryuchkova

Olga Kryuchkova

Elena Kryuchkova

The Land of the Ancient Vyrajian Gods

Book 4. The Beginning of the War

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Book 4. The Beginning of the War

This story is fiction and fantasy. And any similarity to real people or events are coincidental.

This story is completely fiction.

Chapter 1

In the name of Light, in the name of Rod, in the name of his strength! Perun sends blessings to those who call his. Strength and glory, firmness and rage, give us Perun in battle. Thunder manifested, be inspired, manifest your will. In the name of god Svarog give the warrior strength. To the son and brother, friend and warrior, manifest your will. Now and with and from circle to circle! So it was, it is, it will be so!

***

The Order of the Golden Cross carefully prepared for the invasion. The knights were perfectly equipped. The infantries and squires are dressed in chain mail armor. Archers — in double leather armor, so that a stuck enemy arrow stuck in it. The archers' legs were protected by metal greaves, and their hands were leather vambraces. The bowstring of Saxon bows was made from the guts of animals. And therefore, in the Saxon army there was a special unit for the protection of bows: archer masters who watched the weapons along with cats who stood in the service of the Order and drove rodents away from the tidbit in their opinion of the bowstring.

The knights wore metal armor over chain mail with the symbol of the Golden Cross engraved on them. For commanders and senior officers, the cross on the armor glittered with gold. Their heads were crowned with pot-like helmets with slits for the eyes, which made the Saxon Knight invulnerable, but at the same time clumsy. On the belt of the knights were two-handed swords forged in a single pattern. The armament of the infantry was pikes and goedendags.

Each army group was accompanied by a detachment of mechanics serving the catapults. This time, the catapults received a strict order from the Meister: to use burning ball only in case of emergency. For Meister Bassenheim hoped to capture a crop recently harvested by the Slavs. Over the past few years beyond Alba — the land of the Saxons, Teutons, Bavarians did not bring a crop. They were exhausted and overpopulated.

The crusaders who invaded the lands of the Slavs under the banner of Logos met unexpectedly fierce resistance. The outpost border with Saxony fought to the death, trying not to let the knights go inland. As soon as the knights began to approach the outpost of the Slavs, the commanders sent messengers to their Knyazs.

Slavic knyazs gathered squads and sent them to confront the invaders. The army sent by Knyaz of Lutici was led by Voivode Sbynya. The group of knights of the Golden Cross was led by Landkomtur Eric von Linsburg and his loyal Komtur[1] Conrad von Anvelt.

The army of Lutici met the Saxons in iron armor, in an open field. And that was the first mistake of the Sbynya. Archers of the Saxons and Slavs fired a myriad of arrows in order to hit each other. Arrows flew with a whistle and stuck in wicker willow shields and barriers. After the archers attack, the Saxon infantries began to attack. They looked intimidating, but Lutici with lighter weapons were not afraid.

There were two categories of warriors in the Saxon army: some with long, heavy pikes with a hook at the end, others with goedendags. The first line consisted of only pikemen, the second of only warriors from the clubs. Goedendags could not only beat, but also stab like a short, very heavy spear. The Saxons held its with both hands. The shield was not usually used. The warriors in each rank stood very tight, shoulder to shoulder. It was not very convenient for infantry combat, but necessary to repel the Slavic cavalry. Otherwise, an experienced rider could use the smallest gap in a number of pikemen to break into the line. At the same time, the second line stood at intervals — for an effective hit by a goedendags, space was needed. The first attack of the cavalry of the Lutici was repulsed by the Saxon infantry. The Slavs suffered significant losses.

Sbynya, hoping for the outrage of his cavalry, was mistaken. From the high hill where the tent was located, Voivode watched as the knightly heavy cavalry came forward behind the separated pikemen and easily crushed the remnants of his riders. The knights raced by a single iron wall, armed with long pikes. However, the Slavic infantrymen skillfully threw spears — they often reached the goal, but often did not pierce the solid armor of the Saxons.

Prove, Devana and Magura fought on the side of the Lutici like simple kmets, encouraging other warriors with their fearless example. However, the forces of the Lutici and the Saxons were clearly not equal...

The Saxon advance detachment broke through to Voivode’s tent. The kmets from the bodyguard showed fierce resistance, and even Sbynya showed exceptional courage. However, he could not resist in a fierce battle the young Saxon — the knight's sword cut his leather armor and mortally wounded. Voivode died instantly. So the prophecy of the Priestess of Chernava came true — Sbynya met a quick death. And it was not Ladomira that became its cause at all.

The surviving detachments of the kmets left the battlefield. Prove cried with despair. He gathered the remnants of the Lutici's army and led them to Stargard. Magura and Devana supported his decision and followed him.

Lutici suffered heavy losses and retreated. The crusaders, like locusts, plundered settlements and farms, ravaged the temples, local residents were taken prisoner.

The farm, located near the tract in which Ladomira had recently lived, was also attacked by the Saxons. Having defeated the main forces of the Slavs, the Saxons moved deep into their territories. The villages, the farms, and Stargard remained under the protection of the young Knyaz Gordunya, on whose weak temper the Lutici composed obscene stories.

Upon learning of the defeat of Sbynya, Gordunya fell into despair. Grids and courtiers close Knyaz, in particular the posadnik[2] Piast, persuaded him to defend the city to the last drop of blood. The faint-hearted Knyaz agreed with their arguments and ordered praise to the gods in all the city and home temples, especially Prove, the patron of Lutici. Piast together with Knyaz made sacrifices in the Temple of Prove, washed their hands with sacrificial blood, after which the posadnik assumed command of the defense of the city. Piast opened up arsenals and armed people, all the more so since the Knyaz’s squad remained in the city. The front and minor squads almost all died on the battlefield...

The women of the city also did not intend to stay away from the defense of the city, they prepared