"Deliah, what was that word I'm supposed to remember?"
"Override."
"Thanks. Activate Private Ashen suit."
"Nano-tech repairs forty-seven percent complete, Lieutenant Gonzales."
"Override nano-tech repairs forty-seven percent complete!"
Lights flickered briefly on the suit as it creaked open.
"You opened another suit? You surely must have god's blessings!" Sabbo exclaimed.
"Put it on, Duke Sabbo! There's no time now for talk!"
Duke Sabbo hurried to slip his arms into the suit, excitement removing any fear he felt out of his mind. The next thing he knew, Gonzales was pushing the suit closed about him. "I'm a Knight of the Star now?"
"You will be, I think. There's no time to explain everything. Just stay with your men while I check on the queen!"
"Of course I will! Stand and fight, men! They can't beat us now!" Sabbo exclaimed, as he stood with his sword at the ready and brushed a tear away from one eye with his other hand.
"Deliah, is the Queen safe yet?" Gonzales turned in time to see Deliah fly off from the entrance to the royal court with the queen holding on tight.
"We're just now getting up to the tower."
"Good. I see you now. When you get up there, bring down one of the suits to me. I'm going to make more reinforcements for us." Gonzales turned in time to slash out at another Kron warrior.
"How do I fly?" Sabbo asked.
"Just stay on the ground, Duke Sabbo. You don't know enough to fly yet," Gonzales said. He thrust his sword into an enemy soldier just as the man's sword clanked against his own armor.
"Land!" Deliah's feet kicked out at the same Kron soldier as Gonzales withdrew his sword. The enemy soldier toppled that much faster to the ground as she held out another suit and touched down on the surface. "I just grabbed one. I don't which one it is."
"Duke Sabbo! Read this for me. My reading isn't good enough yet."
Sabbo turned, and read, "That's the Private Williams suit."
"Activate Private Williams suit!" Gonzales ordered. Immediately, the suit opened. "I need the Imperial Guard over here who doesn't have his armor on!"
"You must mean me! I need armor!" Eusis' familiar voice shouted out. "I wasn't near mine when the alarm sounded!"
"I'll fill in for him!" Deliah shouted, as she leaped forward with her sword at the ready.
"Fall back to my voice and stick your free arm out to me! I've armor for you!" Gonzales shouted.
Eusis dropped back as instructed. He soon felt the hardness of a suit against his knuckles. Groping, he found the armhole and slid one bare arm inside. It wasn't until he pulled his arm around that he noticed that the suit was black.
"By his blessings! This is…"
"Put it on! Move your sword out of the way and get your other arm in!" Gonzales shouted.
"Just do what he said," Sabbo yelled, as he moved deeper into the fray.
As soon as Eusis placed his other arm inside the suit, Gonzales clicked it closed. "Trust your suit to protect your head and body. Just worry about your arms and legs. Deliah, fly to Cragless and alert the Squire!"
"Must I?"
"Do it!"
"Very well. Be careful! Five up!" Deliah flew off over the wall towards the town.
Gonzales raced off toward a group of raiders. He halted upon reaching them when a thought occurred to him. "Hover! Left!" he shouted, while picking up his legs and sticking his sword out so that the edge sliced about in a wicked circle. Immediately, two of the raiders collapsed from his assault. Unwilling to face him, the others dispersed. "Hover! Land!" Gonzales shouted, grateful to feel his feet beneath him once more, as well as halt his dizzying spinning. He leaped after the fleeing raiders.
***
"High Crag is under siege?" Moto asked, putting his suit back on and hearing Royal call his name.
"They're not just outside. They're inside fighting in the very courtyard around the Sacred Hall," Royal replied.
"Who else is under attack?" Moto asked.
"Yes, it could be a diversion meant to throw us off guard," Coffin said, as she picked up on the conversation. "We can't send everyone there."
***
"What a fight this is!" Sabbo exclaimed.
He fended off another blow from a raider while standing with three of his Imperial Guards. Two of them were already severely wounded. They remained alive only because he and Eusis had steadfastly defended them. Not far off, several proctors had fallen. Another was assisted toward the Duke by a proctor whose eyes exhibited his surprise at seeing two new Knights of the Star.
"Where's Sir Lieutenant Gonzales?"
"Over there somewhere." Sabbo motioned before fending off another thrust.
"I'm above you," Gonzales said.
"What about Sir Private Deliah?"
"She's with the townspeople. They're fighting their way up here to help us. Just don't lose faith!" Sabbo shouted.
"I see him now! He's carrying a wounded soldier up into the tower!"
Sabbo glanced around for a moment. "Okay, that's another one he's saved. Even wounded, those men will stand by their Queen!"
"When is Gonzales using his special power?" Eusis asked.
"I don't know," Sabbo said.
"It usually works on its own when god wills it," Gonzales said. "I think god is holding off because many of his followers are in the way."
"Of course! That must be why!" Sabbo exclaimed. "We must consolidate our forces in one place. Help these wounded men to the base of that tower. Gonzales, signal everyone to meet over there!"
Gonzales glanced down from the tower where he was depositing a wounded man. He spotted Duke Sabbo and Eusis as they retreated to the next tower beside his. "I see where you mean. It's certainly worth trying."
"Can anyone hear me yet?"
"Wong? Is that you?" Gonzales asked.
"Yes, I'm just now clearing the pass into Cragland. Moto relayed to me that I should assist you. Am I too late?"
"We're still fighting them off. You're not too late," Gonzales said.
"Thank you, god," Deliah said.
"Deliah, is god speaking to you?" Gonzales asked.
"Only through his actions in sending Wong to your rescue. I've been so worried about you. We still haven't cleared the way into the castle yet," Deliah said.
"Wong, are you the only relief sent our way?" Sabbo asked.
"Who's speaking?" Wong asked.
"This is Duke Sabbo speaking over the god voice. This is truly amazing. I can't see you or Deliah at all, yet I can hear you both as if you each stood next to me."
"Duke Sabbo? How can you hear and speak with me?" Wong asked.
"I'm now a knight. So is Imperial Guardsman Eusis," Sabbo replied.
"Duke Sabbo speaks the truth. He and I each have on a black suit now," Eusis said.
"We have two new knights? Gonzales, what in god's blessings is going on?"
"I followed Moto's suggestion when I realized that High Crag stood in danger of being overrun unless Deliah and I had more knights available. I succeeded in activating the Private Ashen suit for Duke Sabbo, and the Private Williams suit for Eusis when I saw that they needed armor."
"I'll be there soon," Wong said.
"I can already see you," Deliah said.
"Yes, I see the problem. They've got the narrowest part of the path blocked. I'll come in behind them. Then your men can break through," Wong said.
"Activate sonic," Gonzales ordered.
"Sonic activated. Target acquired."
***
"I'll guarantee that these prisoners won't be murdered this time. They'll talk before I'm done with them, too," Sabbo said.
Queen Neessha settled to the ground as Deliah flew down with her from the tower where she'd been protected during the battle. She strode over to look at Duke Sabbo.
"I think not. If you're now a Knight of the Star, then your eldest will rise to champion Castle High Crag. That duty will fall to him.
"
"My Queen, I meant only until he arrives. Certainly, the proctors and Sir Private Moto would be agreeable in permitting me to discharge those duties until my eldest son arrives," Sabbo said.
"My Queen, I'm not entirely certain that Duke Sabbo or Imperial Guard Eusis are Knights of the Star yet," Gonzales said.
"They have on the suits. They must be knights," Neessha exclaimed.
"My Queen, I activated the suits for them. We still need to see if I have god's permission to grant them knighthood as happened with Sir Private Deliah," Gonzales said.
"Ah, now the situation is becoming clear to me. How long will that be?" Queen Neessha asked.
"My Queen, until Sir Corporal Coffin returns with some of the official writings detailing the procedure. For now, I'm inclined to leave the suits in their care, except that they can't see to personal needs unless I release them. I remember how Deliah felt so uncertain until then. I'd rather not put them through the same uncertainty," Gonzales said.
"My Queen, if I may continue to discharge my duties as Defender of the Castle, I will see to restoring our defenses," Sabbo said.
"Yes, do that, Duke Sabbo. You and your men fought bravely today despite suffering grave losses. Your efforts will not be forgotten," Neessha said.
***
Sir Private Moto felt uneasy at entering Queen Elannia's elegant chamber, resplendent with colorful tapestries hanging from the walls and shown off in their magnificence by strong sunlight coming through her windows. She sat behind a polished, wooden desk with moderate piles of writings upon its surface, a fact that caught him off guard even though he knew that nearly all nobles could read and write. He hadn't given much thought to someone as high as a queen spending time reading, particularly as much as she had before her.
"What is the latest concerning High Crag?"
"It still stands in Alliance hands. Queen Neessha remains alive and well," Moto answered.
"How many were lost?"
"They're still sorting that out. What I've heard so far is that half the castle's Imperial Guards were killed. Most of the rest were wounded, some quite severely. The proctors fared no better."
"And the Knights of the Star? Did we lose any of them?" Elannia asked.
"Strangely enough, we might have gained two as a result of the fighting."
"That is indeed strange. Do you have the details concerning this development?" Elannia asked.
"Yes, my Queen. I'm listening to more as we speak. Sir Corporal Coffin is high above us relaying reports."
"In that case, just repeat what she passes on."
"Sir Lieutenant Gonzales opened two of the suits and placed those on two men who needed armor. Right now, Duke Sabbo and Imperial Guardsman Eusis are in black armor."
"Did you say Duke Sabbo?" Elannia laughed.
"Coffin, are you certain you heard Duke Sabbo's name?" Moto asked.
"It was repeated to me. I'm certain," Coffin replied over the god voice.
"Yes, my Queen. Duke Sabbo now wears the black armor."
Elannia laughed some more. "Well, it appears that he'll finally have a suit with which to impress the visiting ladies. I suspect he'll fly around in hopes of trying out more beds than his own."
Moto tried not to act surprised that Elannia knew of Sabbo's behavior. He concluded that one of the other knights had shared too much information. "Gonzales is waiting for Coffin's return so that the writings she carried here can be consulted."
"I see. Are you trying to remind me that we have Sir Sergeant Waleski to consider?"
"No, my Queen."
"It doesn't matter. If you hear anything that seems important, just speak up. In the meantime, what are your opinions concerning Waleski?"
"It's my understanding that she can fly now, though she's been restricted to her quarters."
"That's true."
"Since she can fly again, it seems to me that god has accepted her penance. Otherwise, why restore flight to her?"
"Yes, I suppose that's the explanation we'll have to use officially. You're not concerned that her suit might be wearing out?" Elannia asked.
"My Queen? I don't understand."
"You really believe that the black suits are from god?"
"I've heard recent information regarding that. My Queen, our conversation should remain private."
"We're here alone. Our conversation is already private."
"No, my Queen. My own voice is heard by any knights close by. I feel I should make our conversation more private. However, if I do, I won't hear any of the latest reports concerning High Crag."
"Very well, do what you must. You can catch up on the reports when we finish our discussion."
"Deactivate Private Moto suit."
Queen Elannia watched as Moto set his suit down upon the floor. "Are we private now?"
"We are, my Queen. You asked if I believe that our suits are from god. What I've learned recently indicates that they're not. However, I don't think many of my comrades are ready to learn that."
"You're far more intelligent than I expected."
"Actually, I'm quite ignorant. Sir Corporal Coffin educated me about this just before we arrived. I'm still reconciling this with my beliefs."
"Then you understand that we need your Order regardless of how it gained its power. I can't ask my people to increase the size of our military just so we can keep our kingdom free of the Kron Empire's rule. They've become comfortable with our prosperity gained from increased fishing and trade over the past century. That's why I'm asking whether the suit is wearing out as might happen to farming tools used too much in the dirt. Don't look at me in shock. I'm aware that tools and weapons wear out and break."
"I honestly don't know the answer. I believed that our suits came from god because they're not like any armor we can make. Now I have some doubts, but not enough to renounce god's intentions."
"I'm not asking anyone to renounce their belief in god. Like I stated, my court will accept your god's restoration of flight to Waleski as proof that she performed sufficient penance. All I truly want now is your opinion on whether your suits are finally wearing out," Elannia said.
Moto shook his head. "I really don't know."
"In that case, I want three of your knights stationed on Minius. Do what you must to arrange this. After all, you do have two new knights and you won't be losing Waleski. Oh, one more thing. I don't want Duke Sabbo or whatever name you give him stationed here."
Chapter 24
Duke Sabbo listened attentively as a proctor went over the commands. "Activate Private Ashen suit."
The assembled knights and proctors watched for the suit to open. Most weren't disappointed when it failed to do so for the Duke. Then again, they'd witnessed many failures in the past.
"What now, Sir Lieutenant Gonzales?" Sabbo asked.
"I'll try what the knights overheard and passed on to the proctors when I was sick," Gonzales said.
"Yes, I think you should," Moto said.
Coffin flipped through the writings. She selected a new leaf with fresh writing upon it. "I think I've found what you said. Try saying reprogram Private Ashen suit."
"Reprogram Private Ashen suit," Gonzales said.
Instantly, the suit worn by Duke Sabbo flashed weakly across the chest.
"Now tell it a new name," she said.
"What name?" Gonzales whispered, while covering his pike as he faced toward Coffin, again.
She hesitated, then said, "Tell it Duke Sabbo. That ought to work."
"Reprogram Private Ashen suit. Duke Sabbo," Gonzales said.
"Duke is not recognized as a legal rank. Repeat command," the suit voiced.
"Does that mean it doesn't like the name like happened with Deliah?" Gonzales asked.
"You're probably right. Maybe the first word has to be Private, Corporal, Sergeant, or Lieutenant. You better try again," Coffin replied.
"Reprogram Private Ashen suit. Lieutenant Sabbo."
"Promotion authority exceeded. P
romotion denied."
"Try Private," Moto said.
"Might as well," Coffin said.
"Reprogram Private Ashen suit. Private Sabbo," Gonzales said.
"Accepted."
"Mine said that word when I became a knight!" Deliah exclaimed.
"My god vision is changing just like it did before," Moto whispered.
Gonzales nodded as he observed within his own visor how one light suddenly switched off before another switched on in a lower location with a strange new set of symbols beside it.
"Duke Sabbo, try saying activate Private Sabbo suit," Coffin said.
"Activate Private Sabbo suit." Instantly, Duke Sabbo's suit opened. He pressed it closed.
"That's it! The new light is reacting to his instructions. Duke Sabbo, you're now a real knight," Coffin said. "Now we can try this on Eusis."
"Except I'm no longer a duke, am I?" Sabbo asked.
Proctor Meson shook his head. "No, you're not. Welcome to god's service, Private Sabbo."
"Reprogram Private Williams suit. Private Eusis," Gonzales said.
"It appears that you'll be escorting our new knights to Castle Staten Island tomorrow," Moto said.
Gonzales nodded. "After they receive some flight training."
***
"Warning. Available power reduced fifty percent."
"I think your god just spoke to me," Sabbo said. "Also, one of the long green bars just changed to yellow."
Gonzales stared at Sabbo in stunned silence as he considered the problem. "Don't repeat anything more after me, either of you. I need to call Moto and ask for his advice concerning this. Up!" Eusis and Sabbo continued to hover, following Gonzales with their eyes as he flew up until he was a mere dot. "Gonzales calling Moto. I have an unusual problem. I need your advice."
"What kind of problem?" Moto asked.
"Private Sabbo gave the proper magic command, but his suit is barely flying above the ground."
"I'm heading your way now. I heard him mention that god spoke to him. What did god say?" Coffin asked.
"Warning. Available power reduced fifty percent. I'm fairly certain I remembered that correctly," Sabbo said.
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