We had built a makeshift wall of broken wagons and carts during the night, and stood behind them, our weapons at the ready.  The Citadel cavalry roared at us, attempting to be intimidating as they beat their weapons against their shields.  I was reminded of scenes in every epic movie I had ever watched, where a force that outnumbers them surrounds the heroes. Like in Zulu.  The fierce enemy taunts the heroes, and then attacks.  I set myself for the assault.

            Whether it was the Alamo or Zulu, in the films the good guys just stood waiting to be attacked.  Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost, but they always waited.  I knew that it was childish to think in terms of “good guy/bad guy” in this situation, where the men in my camp belonged to both sides, but they had all developed a viewpoint that was determined to preserve life overnight.  I was not about to give up on them.

            “Men,” I said loudly, turning towards the circle, “We are surrounded.  We are outnumbered.  We have seen friends die tonight, and it is possible we will see more before this day is over.  But I ask you now, in the name of God, to follow me!”

            I shouted that last sentence, and then turned and drew my sword with my right hand, leaping over the cart behind me by pushing off its top with my left hand.  I had apparently chosen the perfect moment, for that is when the cavalry chose to charge.  My sword blazed with a piercing white radiance as the enemy roared and came forward at full speed.  I roared back, and found that mine was not the only voice.  Every single one of the saved men came to my side as we collided with the horsed company of the Citadel army.

            Leading our desperate charge, I swung my sword from side to side, slashing at our foes with inspired fervour.  I felt my sinews strain as I let loose blow after blow, achieving a level of concentration that felt meditative, as if God were helping me in the battle.  As I looked at each soldier who fell before me, I saw that they were not wounded by my blows.  Instead, they sat up and joined our side, pulling Citadel troops from their horses.

            They fought bravely, only working to disarm their foes, wrestling the cavalry to the ground even as they were pierced by spears and swords.  I wept as men about me died following me, and worked all the harder with my sword.  It shone with a blazing intensity, and in its wake my fallen men rose up again, unharmed.  I felt God’s love surge through my body even as I reached a point where I should have been physically exhausted, and it kept me going.

            The sun rose over us as I knocked over yet another horseman and pierced him with my shining blade, leaving him unwounded yet changed.  I looked up as the sun kissed the earth, and smiled.  Everyone around me was on our side, no one was an enemy anymore.  No one was hurt, no one was dead, and we all began laughing and embracing each other.

            That’s when I heard an angry roar, and looked to the west.  An enormous infantry had approached during the night, thousands strong.  I realized what the thunder had been in the night, as they stomped their feet up and down as they marched towards us.  They were at least twenty times our number, and there was no way we could fight all of them as tired as we were, even if we had greater numbers.

            The enemy bore down on us with murder in their eyes, and all I could do was stand and watch them come.

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