Temple Sword

Chapter 210 Two Andronica

1326, St. George's Month (April)
Thessaloniki, Eastern Roman Empire

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The spring sun has just risen from the horizon, casting a warm golden color on this bustling city.St. Theodora Monastery stands in the embrace of the Aegean coast, and the white dome looks more pure under the soft sunlight.

Within the stone walls is the home of the faithful and a sanctuary for all sorts of people.The soft singing of monks often echoes in the corridors with murals, filling the air full of spring life with a sense of sacred presence.

Standing in the quiet garden, Romanus is surrounded by the tranquility of his surroundings, and he doesn't even know he's meditating until sunrise.Hearing the soft rustling of the leaves in the morning breeze, an inconspicuous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He was only 12 years old when fate brought him through the gates of this sacred place.That year was the year 1281 after the death of the Roman Emperor Michael VIII and the succession of his son Andronicus II.

That year, his parents were killed by a terrible disease, and Romanus became a frightened and helpless orphan, wandering alone in the world.

After the Feast of Our Lady and winter was coming, he stood outside the walls of this monastery, too weak and cold to move on, and the monks who sympathized with him took him into the monastery.

The food and shelter in the monastery were simple, but for Romanus at the time, it was a blessing in heaven.He found his home within the hallowed walls, and the acts of kindness of the monks changed his life forever.

He found solace and found his purpose in life in the monastery. The monks taught him the true way of faith and the meaning of God's love.

Romanus believed ever since that he had found his true calling, that he was destined to be a servant of God, a shepherd leading others on the path of salvation.

Under the guidance of the wise and gentle Abbot Theophilus, he has a deeper understanding of the virtues of humility, compassion and wisdom. In the darkest hour of his life, the old abbot is like a never-ending The lighthouse that guides him on the right path.

To Romanus, the old abbot was like his father.

After Theophilus' death, Romanus was chosen to succeed him as the new abbot.He had never imagined that he was worthy of such an honor, but with the support of his brother monks and the grace of God, he swore that he would dedicate his life to this monastery, to live up to what the old abbot had taught him.

Romanus has spent 45 winters here, and over the years he has seen many spirits come and go, each with their own story and journey.

Some found peace and redemption within the walls, while others continued on after a while.

Regardless of their path, Abbot Romanus always welcomed them with open arms, for he, too, was a lost and broken soul seeking refuge in a world of torment.

He has infinite gratitude for the new life he has been given and strives to bring God's love and grace to others.But there was one person he couldn't guide, and no matter what Romanus tried, that person seemed unmoved, as if he had given up all hope before he set foot in the monastery's gates.

The man was neither native nor Greek because he didn't speak any Greek when he came here.At first the abbot thought he was a Turkic from the East, but he claimed in Latin that he was a Christian from the West.

About a year and a half ago, that man appeared at the gate of St. Theodora Monastery. He was dressed in ragged clothes, and wore a black cloak with blood and stains, and his eyes were dazed.

It was a somewhat cold late autumn, which should be two weeks after the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the monks reported to Romanus about the mysterious man, the head of the monastery immediately recalled that it was the same when he came to the gate of the monastery. It is this time.

As usual, Romanus received the lost traveler and provided him with food and shelter. The man said nothing at first, and the abbot didn't ask much, but told him to stay as long as he wanted.

But when he was about to get up to leave, the man stopped Romanus.

"My name is Antal, and I am a knight from the Kingdom of Hungary." The man said in Latin, and then continued to eat without saying a word.

The head of the monastery raised his eyebrows lightly. His monastery has accepted all kinds of people, including Latins who escaped from pursuit, and nobles or royal families who were blinded, but it was the first time they encountered Hungarian knights. back.

However, Romanus just nodded and did not pursue the question further.He noticed that there were two swords hanging from the knight's waist, one with a silver cross handle and the other with a golden lily decoration.

He knew the coat of arms of the golden lily, the house of Anjou in Naples, and when he was a boy Romanus had often heard news that Charles I Anjou, king of Naples and Sicily, was about to invade the Roman Empire.

But somehow, Charles did not come to the East with his army before his death.Some said it was because civil strife in his own kingdom had prevented him from contemplating the preparations for the expedition.

However, the Anjou family who gave up the Eastern Expedition plan later ascended the throne of Hungary. The great-grandson of Charles I, Charles Anjou became the first Anjou king of Hungary.

If what this slovenly man named Antar said was true, he should be a knight loyal to Charles Anjou of Hungary and a follower of the Holy See.

The abbot did not know how he came from the west to the coast of Thessaloniki, nor why he left his homeland.But in this sanctuary of God, all right and wrong should be judged and forgiven by the Lord, so he left his curiosity behind and returned to his daily life.

After finishing his long meditation, Romanus finally took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, then opened his eyes, and saw the Hungarian who had just appeared in his memory leaning against the stone pillars in the corridor of the garden, with his hands crossed Put it on your chest and look at yourself.

"Antal," the head of the monastery looked at the man with a gray cloak, a beard and long hair not far away, and said in Latin with some surprise, "you got up very early."

"I haven't slept soundly since a long time ago, Abbot Romanus. Also, you can speak to me in Greek," Antar said in a somewhat stiff Greek, his voice still as emotionless and hopeless as ever , "I find that being awake gives me more peace than sleeping."

Romanus looked into Antal's eyes. In the past year and a half, they had very little in-depth communication. This so-called Hungarian knight never came to him, and he always stayed quietly in the corner. Not a single prayer was said, not a single confession made.

"Maybe," the head of the monastery suggested cautiously, "you can try to open your heart to the Lord, so that you may find the answer you want and regain peace in your sleep."

"You don't know my past, Master Monastery," Antal laughed stiffly, but there was no smile on his mouth, "God no longer responds to me, and I no longer desire His response."

"I don't know," Romanus admitted, "but if you want someone to confide in or confess to, I've always been here, Antal."

"Thank you, Abbot, but I doubt that the ears of the Greeks will be able to hear the confessions of the Romans."

"We all believe in the same God," Romanus said. "All people are equal before the Lord, so I don't see that as a problem."

"You are such a strange person." Antal looked up at the increasingly bright sky, as if seeking an answer, but shook his head in disappointment after a while, "Do you think revenge is a sin? Father?"

"Of course," the abbot nodded without thinking, "because the Lord once said..."

"'Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,'" the man interjected bitterly. "Yes, I know, someone once said that to me."

"Then...?" Romanus looked at Antar with some doubts.

"The Lord must have thought I was a sinner, but in my opinion, what I did was not a sin," Antar said. "I've been waiting for God's judgment, but it seems like He has given up on me."

"God will not give up on anyone," the abbot replied, "but in order to receive His forgiveness, you must reflect on yourself and then repent. His love knows no bounds, His tolerance has no limits, and you must have faith."

"Do you know, I also stayed in the monastery for a while before," Antal glanced at Romanus thoughtfully, and then said, looking at the jasmine clusters beside him, "At that time, I was just a Boy who doesn't understand."

The abbot tried to hide his surprise, but raised his eyebrows casually.He'd never asked about the past of the man in front of him, but today, Antal seemed to have more to share than usual.

"The small room I lived in couldn't fit anything except a bed, and it was right above the dung pile. Those people put me there on purpose," the man recalled. "So compared to those, the residence you provided me is simply a palace-like enjoyment."

Romanus knew what Antal's room was like here, for that was where he had lived before as a monk.A simple wooden bed, a small table and a chair, and a small window overlooking the Aegean Sea.

"So you were also a monk in Hungary?" the abbot asked tentatively.

"No, I'm a knight." Antal replied simply, with rare pride in his tone. "A Templar, at least I used to be."

"The Templars..." Romanus repeated.This identity may cause unnecessary trouble in this land, and people tend to associate the Latin knights with the looting and fall of Constantinople.

"I know what you are thinking, but my ancestors, like other Templars and hospital knights, did not participate in the Fourth Crusade," the Hungarian knight seemed to have seen through the thoughts of the abbot, and immediately added Said, "The Venetians abandoned the defense of the Holy Land for the sake of profit, and only knights who have no honor at all will join them."

"Not everyone is familiar with this period of history. They only see the glory of the past and the misery of the present," said the abbot. "As for what happened in the middle, no one will blame themselves. The Fourth Cross The Army is obviously a good excuse to blame, so you'd better hide your identity."

"That's my old life, Abbot," Antar said. "There is no Templar now."

Just as Romanus was about to ask about the dissolution of the Knights Templar by the Holy See, a little monk ran into the courtyard.

"Master Abbess!" the boy blushed and panted, "There is an army coming here from the east!"

"Don't worry, Daniel, speak slowly! What army?" The old man walked up to the boy, and Antar also cast a curious look at him.

"I don't know, their leader is riding a horse, and the others are walking! There are about 100 people!" said the young monk.

"Have you seen who it is?" asked the abbot.Since Michael VIII regained the old land of the empire, Thessaloniki has been relatively safe. He doesn't know who will come here with the army.

"Not Turkic or Latin," the boy said in a softer voice, glancing at Antares behind Romanus, "it's the flag of the double-headed eagle, but I don't know which Barcelius it is."

Regardless of whether it was the old emperor Andronika, or the young Andronika who had just been crowned co-emperor last year, Romanus didn't know what the purpose of their army was.

But he had a hunch that it wouldn't be a good thing.

"Wake up everyone," ordered the abbot, "and I will meet them myself."

Not long after, Romanus, who was wearing a black robe, came to the east gate of the monastery with two accompanying monks, and looked at the heavily armed soldiers surrounding the ancient building.

Under the banner of the golden double-headed eagle, a man who looked like an officer dismounted.He has a neat beard, a red cloak behind the chain armor and shoulder pads, and a delicate dagger sheathed at his waist.

Inside the door of the monastery, a few curious monks poked their heads out and looked out, wanting to know what happened.Antal joined them not long after, and his gut told him that no good would come from an army coming to the monastery.

"I am Emmanuel Valleolo, Protosebastos of the empire," the man who looked over forty glanced at the monk in front of him, and introduced succinctly, "Bong Andronica By order of Paleo, I need to search the entire monastery."

"I'm the abbot Romanus here. I don't know who Andronica you're talking about?" Romanus stood between the army and the monastery, as if blocking the soldiers with his body.

"Of course it's the younger and more capable co-emperor Andronika," the man named Emmanuel said without thinking, "Old Andronika will lose the entire east side completely." What are you doing, how could you send someone here?"

"I see," the head of the monastery put his hands behind his back and nodded. Only the people behind could see the old man holding his hand tightly, "No matter which Andronica it is, here is the sacred You have no right to search the monastery, and the Patriarch will not allow you to do so."

"Isaias can't even write his own name, he's just a puppet of old Andronica," Emmanuel said without the slightest respect, "I got reliable news that you holy The Abbey of Theodora had harbored criminals, heretics, and usurpers for years.

If I remember correctly, Alexios Doukas Philanthopenos also came here after being stabbed blind.

It was a joke that old Andronica couldn't bear to be completely blind even for committing treason, and even pardoned him two years ago, and let him lead the army to Philadelphia again. "

Antal, who was inside the gate, didn't know who the man with the long name they said was. In fact, his knowledge of this ancient empire was really limited.

He knew that this was the Eastern Roman Empire of the Greeks, and it was the shadow of the owner of the entire Mediterranean Sea. He knew that Constantinople, named after their emperor, was a great place that was many times bigger than Buda or Visegrad. The city, which fell to the Venetians and the Franks during the Fourth Crusade, was recaptured by the Greeks.

He knows the name of Paleolio, they are the royal family of this empire, and this Emmanuel Paleolio should be related to both emperors, but from what he seems to know about the current emperor Andronica II The world hates it.

Thinking of this, Antal shook his head, why did they set up two emperors?In Hungary, Charles Anjou spent more than 20 years eradicating obstacles just to become the only undisputed king. In the Holy Roman Empire, Louis Wittelsbach and Frederick Habsburg turned against each other because of They both want to be true emperors, can the two highest ranking rulers really coexist harmoniously?
These sudden thoughts shocked Antal, he hadn't thought about similar problems for a long time.

All this time, he had been thinking about his revenge.

The mercenaries who ravaged his manor and slaughtered his men were dead, and so was Mikolai, but why didn't he feel satisfied?He felt that he was still living alone in the thick and oppressive darkness, without any relief.

Revenge did not bring him any redemption, and as Lakfee said, he has burned all the bridges behind him.

He arrived at his former estate in late autumn of that year, where the farmhouse had long since been changed beyond recognition, and anything that could be moved had been taken by thugs, thieves, and bums.

Weeds are everywhere, the roof of the house is not much left, the doors and windows have long since fallen apart, and the state of the banquet hall in the back is even worse.

After time and the gnawing of sojourners, there is no longer a place for human life.So after a brief stay, Antares began to walk west aimlessly.

He didn't know where he was going, and for a while he even thought about having Miklos Gutkleder catch him and punish him for his crimes against military orders, but in the end he came to the sea and spent the last money he had on him. On board a Venetian merchant ship.

Before boarding the boat, Antal didn't even ask about his destination, he just wanted to leave this land without any hope.He didn't know what he was looking for, maybe God's judgment, maybe his own repentance, but whatever it was, he hadn't found it yet.

The quarrel suddenly interrupted his thoughts, and saw the soldiers pushing Romanus away, taking up weapons and trying to force their way into the monastery.

"I can't let you in!" The abbot, who was pushed away, opened his arms and stopped in front of the soldier leader again, with determination in his slightly trembling voice.

"If you don't hide any criminals or enemies in your monastery, you have nothing to fear!" Emmanuel ignored Romanus' obstruction, and moved him away by pressing the old man's left shoulder, "Let open!"

Soldiers stormed the monastery, and the friars, totally unprepared for violence, watched in horror as the mob drew their swords and began searching every nook and cranny of the building.

When these people began to look for evidence that the monastery was harboring fugitives, two soldiers stared at the quiet and gloomy Antares. After looking at each other, they walked forward with suspicious eyes.

"He doesn't look like a Greek," said one of the slightly thinner soldiers.

"Are you Latin?" asked another, stouter soldier, frowning.

"No. I'm Hungarian," Antal replied truthfully, "from the West."

"There's never anything good from the West," said the stout soldier. "What are you doing in this monastery?"

"Look for answers, and if there are no answers, find peace," the ex-Templar said with a soft sigh.

"Everyone who escapes to the monastery has their bullshit excuse," the thin soldier told his companion. "That bullshit is of no value at all, and I say we should arrest him, we can't risk This suspicious Turk stays here."

"I'm not a Turkic person," Antal said with some annoyance, and then paused for a while, looking around.The abbot of the Romanus Monastery is being supported by two little monks, his eyes are full of fear and sadness.

After thinking for a moment, Antal asked, "Are your ears as bad as your head?"

The faces of the two soldiers turned red immediately, "What are you talking about? You barbarian?" The thin soldier pointed his sword at Antal, and cursed while spitting.

Antal directly pulled out the lily flower sword he had just brought from his room from his waist, and knocked the soldier's dagger flying with a pick blow, and then knocked him to the ground with the hilt of the sword with his backhand.

Seeing the knight's long sword flashed from under the cloak, the stout soldier froze for a moment in panic, and then realized what had happened. He picked up the dagger that had been unsheathed and stabbed at Antal, but this man called Turkic The man easily dodged the attack, and after turning around, he kicked the soldier on the back of the calf, causing him to kneel on the ground.

The sound of fighting attracted more Greek soldiers around, a burst of chaos erupted in the courtyard, and more soldiers joined the battle, but after at least five or six people fell down, they realized that this mysterious swordsman was far away. on top of their fighting abilities.

He formed a small circle in the center of the courtyard, defusing all kinds of attacks that came at him like a dance, and at the same time retaliated non-lethally.

His sword cut through the air, and for a period of time, no soldier could even enter the deeper part of the monastery without his blocking.

The leader of the soldiers also witnessed this scene. Unlike his group of recruits who have not experienced much war, Emanuel has spent 22 winters in blood and mud, and he can see at a glance that this is going on. The man who took his soldiers down one by one was in the same category as he.

They are all men born for war.

"Stop!" Emmanuel had had enough of his men's embarrassing performance, and loudly ordered the soldiers to stop.Antar also took a few steps back, but still maintained a vigilant fighting posture.

"You are good at fighting," the voice of the leader of the soldiers praised more than anger, and the anger came more from the incompetence of his soldiers, "Who are you?"

"Antal," Lily Knight replied panting slightly, "a wanderer from the west."

Emanuel chuckled, but it sounded more like an uncomfortable choked sob, "You and I both know that you are not a homeless person, at least you were not before, you are a fighter, a fighter who has killed countless people."

Antal did not deny or admit the bearded man's statement, "The good people here saved my life. They are all devout believers who are good at doing good, and there are no so-called criminals in the monastery."

"As I said, if the accusation is wrong, then you can let me search the entire monastery instead of trying to obstruct it." Emanuel shrugged and said.

"This is a sacred place. Secular forces must fear God. If you are not a good Christian, how can you lead your men to victory?" Antar looked into the eyes of the soldier leader, But the latter was unmoved.

"No matter how pious I am, or how many times I pray, the East will still be eaten away by the Turks," Emmanuel said disdainfully, "If this works, why do we still lose to heretics and heretics? "

"Victory is indeed not obtained by seeking, but earned," Antal nodded, "but no matter how many victories a person who disrespects the Lord has, he will not be able to earn people's respect."

Emmanuel looked at this mysterious man with interest, thinking that he is a special person, perhaps more valuable than this search mission, and if Andronika saw him, she would definitely think the same.

So he cleared his throat and said to the wanderer from the West: "I can order my men to leave and let this poor monastery go, but I have one condition."

"What conditions?" Antal asked.

"You have to come with us," Emanuel replied, "I don't know how you got here, and I don't care why, I only care about your ability.

You need to join our cause and serve the Emperor of the Romans, Andronica Paleolio.But I have to warn you, a storm is coming, and if you choose to say yes, there is no going back. "

I have never turned back, Antar thought to himself.His eyes met Romanus's, and the old man frowned in confusion, as if telling him not to agree to their terms.

But Antal only hesitated for a moment, then nodded to the soldier leader with firm eyes.

"Please give me some time."

"No problem," Emanuel nodded in satisfaction, then beckoned his soldiers to go out with him, "We'll be leaving in 10 minutes."

After the soldiers left the courtyard of the monastery, a worried Romanus immediately walked to Antal, "You shouldn't do this, you don't know what's going on in the empire now, they might kill you. "

"You are always thinking of other people, Abbot," Antal smiled, he didn't notice it himself, since he came here, he seems to have regained the feelings that some people should have, "This is also That's why I'm doing it, and I know why you're holding them back and not letting them in."

Seeing that Romanus was a little surprised, Antal continued: "I just don't talk much, but it doesn't mean I'm not observing, I know you take in those who escaped from their secular world,

Who knows, maybe there will be the criminals they're looking for, because you never ask about their past, and you're the same with me, and you have my endless gratitude for that, but it's going to get you in trouble in the end, Even disaster.

You even let me keep my weapons, but you shouldn't trust people like that.I say this because I know, because I have been betrayed by men I trusted, my wife has become a nun, and my only son is lost with me, some of whom are long dead.

Next time a stranger shows up at your monastery door, you should be more vigilant. "

The old man froze for a moment, the wrinkles on his forehead tightened, and then slowly loosened.

"But today, the people I received saved the entire monastery," Romanus replied with a smile, "This is the Lord telling me that what I did was right.

Antal, I never gave up hope, and neither should you.Although I don't know your past, I think you are a good man, your wife should be a pious sister, and your son..."

The head of the monastery paused for a moment, and slowly said: "And your son may still be alive... Please don't look at me like this, maybe you have accepted his disappearance as death, but even if the hope is too slim, you don't want to die." should give up.

You must have worked hard to find him, because a good man is a good father.Maybe we have differences of faith, but I swear I will pray for you for the rest of my life, for your safety, and for your family. "

"Thank you, head of the monastery," Antal tried to restrain himself, but the voice in the deepest part of his soul began to sound slowly for some reason, making his long-sleeping heart beat again and again, "I I think this may be God's arrangement for me, and since he has replied to me, I will gladly accept it."

In the east, far away from Hungary, in this ancient empire that existed for thousands of years, Antal Bator picked up his sword and his past again.

(End of this chapter)