It was a sunny, yet overcast day in the Levant. A column of soldiers march from Syria, north to the shire of Rum. Mounted sergeants rode at the front just behind Tancred caring the banners of Antioch. Behind them the column was filled with Antioch men-at-arms. In the center of the column a group of oxen pulled six carts. The carts were filled with iron chests that had massive locks on them.

It wasnt long before the column left the borders of Antioch. There was a large expanse of land to traverse before they would arrive in the small shire the crusaders controlled on the black sea's southern coast. It was well past noon, and the sun had completely vanished behind a dark and sinister cloud. It looked as if rain was inevitable. As the sky grew darker the column entered a region where the road based between two high hills. Tancred could no longer sea any of the terrain except for what laid ahead.

The hills began to slope back down and they were entering level terrain once more. Thunder could be heard far off in the distance, and it slowly began to rain. Tancred let down his guard slightly, the rain he hoped would be a good omen. It hadnt rained in weeks, and the cool water running down his face was a nice change from the burning heat of the sun. Then he heard a sound, ever so slight through the rain. An all to familiar sound, but it was to late. An arrow striked through the helm of a man-at-arms at the front of the column. He fell to the ground without a sound. The column came to a sudden stop, as the rain cut loose. Ahead of the column horsemen and camel riders charged the column. The column was trapped still between the high sloping hills, and Tancred knew he had to act.

CHARGE! Tancred screamed at the top of his lungs as he spurred his horse onward. The mounted sergeants pursued quickly after him, blades at the ready. As the rode into a more level terrain the spread themselves out into a line. Tancred knew his sergeants where outnumbered twenty to one, but they had to hold off these riders until the column could get into position.