They were built so that the brave warriors of the old tribe,
Could live eternally,
And forever guard the lands of Albion.
Upon the time of need,
The immortal sentinels emerge from the stones,
Take up arms,
And fight to defend the land and people they serve.
Not every battle they had fought had ended in clear victory,
Despite this, they would never shy away from duty.
Their names have changed throughout history,
And each of them appears in a different legend or myth,
But in this tale,
All of them stood together for one moment,
To fight back an aggressor that none could slay on their own.
The great island of Britain had been invaded,
By a terrifying band of barbarians,
Who made the Vikings seem peaceful.
They were clever and well advanced,
Making the Romans seem thick and dumb.
Bloodthirsty,
They brought fear to those who lived quiet lives,
Used the peoples resources and left nothing.
They refused the people to worship in their own way,
Burnt the statues and temples,
Killing any who dared refuse their deities.
Dominating,
They ruled with a mighty fist,
But it would not last forever.
Four of the legendary heroes emerged from the circle,
Wandered into the nearest settlement,
And donned the weapons needed to protect.
A double ended sword for The Warlord Defender.
A great longbow for The Peoples Champion.
A thick spear for The Strong Woman.
A hunting hawk for The Voice of Men.
The four warriors went in search,
Hunting by day and by night,
Until finally they found the small army,
Spotted outside a mighty hill fort.
They were camped and ready to engage in battle,
But they were not ready for the great sentinels.
Using his stunning hawk, The Voice of Men spied their weaknesses.
He plotted and devised a plan.
Using her spear set alight, The Strong Woman launched it forth.
It burnt their camp to the ground.
Using his mighty longbow, The Peoples Champion shot one true arrow.
Striking the heart of their leader.
Using the double blade, The Warlord Defender made his way alone.
Cutting down every last survivor.
They showed no mercy.
They saved the people.
Forever remembered by each generation of the island,
In various ways and traditions.
Each of their enemies were forgotten,
Ridiculed if ever mentioned.
And this was true for the nightmare which had been ended,
So much so that the name of the barbarians is still lost to this day.
Once finished with their noble deed,
They retired back to the stones,
And once again stepped through to the other side,
Where they would rest until needed again.
The sleeping heroes of Albion,
Always watching,
Always ready...