“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.”
The dwarf nodded. “My power was borrowed. Same with Morgassa, even though she had sole claim to it. Eventually, it had to end.”
Cole frowned. “Morgassa worked a changing on me. She separated me from my power. But it didn’t go away when she died.”
“Then she must have used her own power to do it,” the dwarf said. “Her native power.”
“Makes sense,” Honor agreed. “Callista said that Morgassa used to be a shapecrafter. She must have used shapecraft on Cole and Callista.”
“I worked for them.” The former Rogue Knight sighed. “The shapecrafters. I was no one of import. A lowly servant. Which is probably why they assumed they could control me. They did, at first. But within a week I had turned. Even after receiving great power from them, I still don’t understand the art they practice.”
Cole could hardly believe that this little man with the soft voice was the Rogue Knight. “Your name is Sigmund?” Cole asked.
The dwarf cleared his throat. “Correct. And Minimus is my older brother, Donovan. He never served the shapecrafters, as I did, to my shame. When I came to him and offered to make him a knight, he agreed, but insisted on keeping his small stature. He has always been more comfortable with his height than me. He embraced it with the nickname he invented.”
“It was good you made your armor large,” Minimus said. “Otherwise, you would have lost your legs.”
“My armor was big,” Sigmund said. “But I never altered my body to fill it. Since my armor moved with me as if part of me, there was no need. The choice to keep my hidden body small saved my feet.”
“You caused a lot of trouble for such a little guy,” Jace said.
“Never underestimate a man based on his stature alone,” Minimus chided.
“I have much to answer for,” Sigmund admitted. “I have made many more enemies than friends.” He went and knelt before Honor. “I will submit to whatever punishment you see fit to inflict.”
“You used my power well,” Honor said. “In the end you returned it voluntarily. You may have made enemies among the shapecrafters and the power brokers of Elloweer, but you have earned friends as well.” Honor looked to his men. “Are any of you ashamed of your leader?”
Phillip, a lean farmer in his forties, went down on one knee. “I would die for him.”
The other former knights knelt as well, heads bowed. Minimus knelt too.
Honor surveyed the wider area, taking in the sea of unconscious changelings. “I move we continue to keep the true identity of the Rogue Knight a mystery.”
“Prudent advice,” Sigmund said. “The Rogue Knight and his company are no longer. Divulging our past will only harm us and our cause. Let our enemies wonder who we were and where we have gone.”
“I remain,” Minimus said firmly.
“Aye,” Sigmund replied. “You do. And you are now free from any obligations to your former captain. Which may mean we ought to separate for a season.”
Minimus folded his arms. “I would hate to draw suspicion in your direction. I will go with Twitch. The lad needs a champion.” Minimus turned to Twitch. “Will you have me?”
“Yeah,” Twitch said, astonished and pleased. “Of course. Renford won’t know what hit him!”
“My usefulness may have decreased, but I will not forsake the rebellion,” Sigmund said. “It was the Rogue Knight’s cause, but it is now mine as well.”
“Mine too,” Desmond said. “And I’m happy to train any men who want help learning to fight without the aid of enchantments.”
All the other former knights shared their willingness to serve.
“We are yours to command,” Sigmund told Honor.
“Then rise,” Honor said. “The people who Morgassa possessed begin to stir. We should leave this place. I suggest we return to your encampment. Joe and Brady deserve to know what happened. We can make further choices from there.”
Cole looked out at the army of collapsed bodies. Here and there, bewildered people were sitting up, hair matted, faces smudged with grime, male and female, old and young. So far, only fifty or so were awake out of the thousands in view. Most rubbed their temples, as if troubled by headaches. Ripples of motion passed through the mass of bodies as more people stirred.
“They’re waking up,” Dalton said.
“There will be great commotion soon,” Desmond warned. “We should gather our surviving horses and depart.”
“And the masks,” Jace said. “We can’t leave them lying around.”
Honor came over and put an arm around Cole. “Can you travel?”
“I think so,” he said. He still felt woozy. And oddly stretched.
“You look pale,” she said. “We can put you on one of the horses. Skye too.”
“I think I’m all right,” Cole said
Honor kept an arm around his shoulders. “Everyone contributed today. But you saved us. Without your power, the fight would have been lost. Morgassa didn’t see you coming. Everything you did caught her off guard. I underestimated you and your friends when I first met you, which isn’t fair, since I met you when you rescued me. Thank you, Cole.”
“Sure,” Cole said, embarrassed but pleased. “But I don’t know—you were the one who finished Morgassa.”
Honor shook her head. “Morgassa was finished when your Jumping Sword came to life, along with Jace’s rope. He’s amazing with that thing.”
“They’re out of commission again,” Cole lamented. “For now, at least.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Honor assured him. “We should go.”
Cole went to retrieve his cougar mask. As he bent down to pick it up, everything went black.
CHAPTER
39
NEW MISSIONS
Cole awoke swaying atop a horse, bound to the saddle. Oster led the steed. Cole faded in and out of consciousness for some time, only really awakening when they got him down off the saddle at midnight and fed him. Even after the drowsy day, he slept through the night without trouble.
The next two days passed in a series of groggy, disjointed moments. Cole was either semiconscious, strapped in a saddle, or else eating or resting. His body felt depleted. His muscles had the stiff soreness that sometimes follows overexertion. Light worsened the ache behind his eyes, so he kept them closed a lot.
By the fourth day, he began to feel more like himself again, though whenever he reached for his power, he found nothing there. After having consciously perceived it, the absence was profound.
Cole finally noticed that Minimus and Twitch were gone. Dalton informed him they had departed from the battlefield in the opposite direction. Cole regretted not getting to tell Twitch good-bye or wish him good luck.
Lashed onto a different horse, Skye showed a similar lack of vitality. Cole supposed it should come as no great surprise—they had both been invaded by the same corrupt power. All the others Morgassa had changed probably felt the same way, though there was no way to tell, since they had left the former changelings behind days ago.
On foot with some horses, it took six days to cross the distance they had traveled in a matter of hours as animals and mounted knights. By the time they reached the encampment, Skye looked more like her old self, and Cole felt much more alert.
“Did you get her?” Brady cried, running out of a tent to greet them.
“We got her,” Cole told him.
Behind Brady, Joe emerged from the same tent, a sword strapped to his side.
“She’s dead?” Brady asked. “For sure? Did you chop off her head?”
“Morgassa is no more,” Honor assu
red him.
Brady looked around at the company. “Where’s the Rogue Knight? What happened to the other knights? Why is Oster back to normal? Why doesn’t Minimus have his armor?”
The chattering questions made Cole laugh. He wasn’t alone.
“You won’t see the Rogue Knight again,” Sigmund explained. “He and most of the other knights are gone. I’m not Minimus, by the way. He survived, though.”
“What about the old lady?” Brady asked.
“Callista died bravely,” Honor said.
“Everybody keeps dying,” Brady said.
Cole knew how he felt, but he wasn’t sure how to respond. The deaths were hard enough for him to deal with—how was he supposed to help a much younger kid figure it out?
“Is the Rogue Knight dead too?” Brady asked.
“Not really dead,” Sigmund said. “Just gone.”
Brady paused, brow scrunched. “What do we do now?”
“That’s the question,” Skye said, dismounting.
“We’ll discuss all that soon enough,” Honor said. “First, let’s get settled and see where we stand with supplies.”
For the next little while, the former knights busied themselves about the camp. Some brought out food stores. Others claimed spare weapons and gear. Cole helped tend the horses. By the time he finished, Desmond and Joe were handing out breakfast.
Cole sat on a log and munched on a sandwich made from a biscuit, a thick slice of cheese, and a plump sausage. Once the food was distributed, Joe came and sat by him.
“The knights didn’t need to eat,” Cole noted. “Why so much food?”
“They had a lot for me and Brady,” Joe replied. “They liked to be prepared. We have enough stores to feed all of us for a couple of weeks.”
“We won’t be here nearly that long,” Mira said, taking a seat next to Cole. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “How do you feel?”
“I’m fine,” Cole replied honestly.
“Completely fine?” Mira probed.
“My muscles are still a little sore,” he admitted. “It’s probably from riding tied to the horse for so long. I don’t sense my power at all. Otherwise, I’m good.”
“You were really wiped out for a while,” Mira said. “I was worried.”
“I didn’t feel too bad right after the battle,” Cole said. “I must have been running on adrenaline.”
“You were probably in shock,” Joe said.
“After we eat, Honor wants to talk about where we’ll go next,” Mira said. “Are you all right to travel hard?”
“Sure,” Cole said.
Jace came and sat by them. “I wish Morgassa shook me up a little more,” he said. “It would be nice to get to ride a horse.”
“Jace!” Mira scolded.
“What?” Jace complained. “My feet hurt.”
“It’s okay,” Cole said. “He’s just mad his rope is dead again.”
“Don’t remind me.” Jace groaned. “You saw how fast we won once I had my rope.”
“There were a few other factors,” Mira said.
“Not too many,” Cole said. “Jace was awesome.”
“At least somebody gets me,” Jace said, taking a large bite of his biscuit.
Dalton came over. “Honor wants to talk to everyone.”
“I just sat down to eat,” Jace griped.
“You snooze, you lose,” Dalton said, popping his last bite of sausage into his mouth.
“You can eat while we talk,” Mira pointed out.
Everyone gathered at the center of the camp in a loose circle. Honor and Sigmund stood in the middle.
“We have a plan,” Honor said. “It’s time to take our rebellion seriously. We’ve stalled for too long, mustering support, waiting for the right moment. The shapecrafters are unleashing too much mayhem. They, and my father, must fall before they destroy the five kingdoms. I don’t know how many Morgassas we can survive. It’s time for the Unseen to arise. And we must find my other sisters.”
“Where are they?” Brady asked.
“Based on their abilities,” Honor said, “we can assume Constance is in Zeropolis, Destiny is in Necronum, and Elegance is in Creon. As the oldest, Elegance is the most able to care for herself, and since Creon is the farthest kingdom from here, I suggest Mira, Joe, and her friends go to Zeropolis and find Constance. Desmond and Oster have volunteered to accompany me to Necronum in search of Destiny. Whoever succeeds first can move on to Creon.”
“Brady will stay with me and my men,” Sigmund said.
“But I’m almost taller than you!” Brady complained.
“You’re not taller than my men,” Sigmund told him. “Raul will remain with us to offer protection and training. We’ll get the rebellion heated up here, then branch out to other kingdoms. Without our changings, we’re free to cross borders.”
“What about me?” Skye spoke up.
“We deliberately left your path open,” Honor said. “You’re now the Grand Shaper of Elloweer. You’re free to follow Callista’s advice and visit Trillian or to do whatever else you deem prudent.”
“I never aspired to be Grand Shaper,” Skye said with little emotion. Though she seemed to have physically recovered, Skye had acted subdued ever since the fight with Morgassa. “I’m not equal to the office. I’m good with seemings, but I’m little better than an amateur when it comes to changings. I’ll have to visit Trillian if I hope to succeed in my new role.”
“You don’t have to go to him,” Mira said.
Skye shrugged. “Only if I believe in the revolution. And I do. The contest with Morgassa revealed my limits. A strong Grand Shaper could lend much support to the Unseen here in Elloweer. Though it makes me feel like a frightened child, I’ll go to Trillian and learn what I can.”
“Very well,” Honor said. “Are there any objections to the plan we have presented?”
“No objection,” Cole said. “But Dalton and I will also be looking for our friends. Especially Jenna. Otherwise, we’ll help Mira, like always.”
“Understood,” Honor said. “We’ll do our part to help you succeed.”
“Can’t I go home?” Brady asked.
“Not yet,” Honor said. “Maybe not ever. At least not to stay. Once you’ve been to the Outskirts, Brady, you tend to get drawn back in. We’d send you home if we could, I promise. Your best hope is the Grand Shaper of Creon, who is in hiding at the far side of the five kingdoms. For now, you’ll have to accept Sigmund’s protection and remain in Elloweer. You will not be forgotten. I’ll do all I can to get you home.”
“I’m looking for a way home too,” Cole said. “I won’t forget you if I find a way.”
“Okay,” Brady sighed.
“Anything else?” Honor asked generally.
Nobody spoke.
“Then I suggest we stay the night here,” Honor said. “We can split up and travel in the morning.”
As the group dispersed, Cole and Dalton followed Joe. “Tell me about Zeropolis,” Cole said.
Joe smiled and shook his head. “None of the kingdoms are like Zeropolis.”
“Are you excited to go home?” Dalton inquired.
Joe paused. “Zeropolis is the kingdom I came from, but it isn’t my home. I’m from Outside, just like you two. Before all this, I lived in Monterey, California.”
“Really?” Cole exclaimed. “Why didn’t you say that before?”
Joe shrugged. “Never came up. I’m not big on talking about myself. But it looks like our fates are tied together. Can’t say I mind. You kids are pretty remarkable.”
“Have you tried to get home?” Dalton asked.
“Sure did,” Joe said. “With a vengeance. I made it back. Didn’t stick, though. It’s like they say—people forget you, and you get sucked back here. Brutal combo.”
&nb
sp; “Do you think we can find a way to get home and stay there?” Cole asked.
“Believe me, I’m just as interested in that as you are,” Joe said. “I’ve never spoken with the Grand Shaper of Creon. It would be worth a shot.”
“But first we go to Zeropolis,” Dalton said.
“That’s the plan,” Joe acknowledged.
“How is Zeropolis different from the other kingdoms?” Cole asked.
“In Zeropolis, shaping is used largely as fuel,” Joe said. “It also gets used to produce building materials. In some ways, they’ve surpassed the technology we had on Earth. Zeropolis makes the rest of the Outskirts look primitive. You’ll see.”
“You don’t sound excited to go back there,” Dalton observed.
“It’s the least friendly kingdom toward the rebellion,” Joe said. “The Grand Shaper of Zeropolis sided with the High Shaper. He’s his right-hand man. Plus, I have . . . personal issues. I volunteered for a mission that took me away from Zeropolis for a reason.”
“Why?” Cole asked.
For a moment, Joe looked very weary. “It’s a long story. I’ll fill you in sometime. On the bright side, Zeropolis has many conveniences you won’t find elsewhere in the Outskirts, and I know my way around there. We’ll talk more later.”
Cole and Dalton spent the next few hours scouring the camp in search of gear they might need. In the end, they had more than they could carry. After stashing it in a tent, Cole and Dalton sat down on a cot.
“You okay?” Dalton asked. “You still don’t seem quite right.”
“I’m trying,” Cole said. “You’ve felt your power. You’ve used it. Imagine if suddenly it was just completely gone.”
“I’d hate that,” Dalton admitted.
“Plus, that whole fight was horrible,” Cole said. “I really felt like I was dying.”
“We were almost goners,” Dalton agreed.
“I’m worried it’s just going to get worse,” Cole said.
Dalton smiled. “Then we’ll just have to get better.”
Cole felt his mood lighten. “You’re right. It’s all we can do. I wonder where Jenna is right now.”