The No-Longer A Knight

After raising the weapon high, Phillip paused. “Serving you has been our greatest honor.”

Cole looked away as the ax came down. He heard the impact. Unable to resist, he looked back and saw the bottom half of the Rogue Knight parted from the top.

Off to one side, Honor gasped. Eyes wide, she turned to Mira. “It’s back! I feel my power! It came in a rush. There were only hints before! It’s like it never left!”

Mira hugged her sister.

As Cole watched, the Rogue Knight’s armor dissipated, as did the full suits of armor of all the other knights besides Minimus. The knights lost stature. Some, like Oster and Desmond, wore other armor and gear underneath. Some were dressed in plain clothes. Several looked too old or frail to be warriors.

Nobody changed more than the Rogue Knight. Where the great knight had lain, a middle-aged dwarf sat up. He stood, slightly bowlegged, his stocky body barely more than three feet tall. He looked up at those around him.

“Sigmund!” Minimus exclaimed.

“Donovan,” the dwarf replied with a nod. “You kept your armor. I sensed something had changed within you.”

“Callista sealed my armor to me,” Minimus said. “She made my changing permanent.”

Chapter 38