V. S F T15 TH 0F FEBRUARY, 2632 AD, YE START 0F YE CIVIL TWILIGHT IN WINTRY KINGD0MS 0F BRITANNIAACTIVATI0N HATH BEEN M0ST SUCCESSFUL, SIRE, EVEN M0RE S0 THAN I DARED T0 DREAM. BUT H0LDN0W TH0U STILL, WHILST I MAKE THESE MACHINES T0 FIT THE STANDARDS 0F THE 0NG0ING ERAYE MENTAL FACULTIES SHALL BE REAWAKENED, D0 N0T BE ALARMED……downloading public information…………updating…………synchronising………February 15, 2632, 19:59 UTC“I am awake.”“Yes, sire.”“Merlin? You have… awaked me?”“at is true, sire. I am glad to see your very essence and your mental facultiesare safe and sound, my King. How do you feel?”“I feel… most different. It is all rather difficult to describe, my friend.”“e confusion is quite understandable, sire.”“I am in darkness, Merlin, with open eyes. Have I gone blind?”“No, sire. Ah, do you not remember? Let me tell you again: You are merelycarried within your noble Steed, rather than in its saddle. And thy new steed, andthy new armour, shall bestow you new knowledge. Behold, sire — you can nowsee the hour <strong>of</strong> the day, in most precise way.”He had seen nothing. Now, he could see the time and date within his vision— yet, it all seemed strange. Merlin had, as usual, su a curious habit <strong>of</strong> showingnew things at su a fast pace that his mind was oen le spinning.“Yes, I remember now, Merlin. I… remember what thou told me in yesteryear.”“I have awakened you, for it appears evil threatens the lands, my King. Areyou fit to lead the Knights, sire?”“I am, and I shall do as I have sworn to do.”“And your fellow Knights are here, awaiting your commands, my King.”
King Arthur remembered.He remembere where he was, what he was, and what he was doing.He was overwhelmed by how strange this all seemed right now, but he hadto go on. If Merlin said the times were dire, then he needed to act fast.“My King — I, Sir Lancelot, have awakened. I feel most curious, sire, likewisetrapped within the darkness <strong>of</strong> this peculiar device.”“And sir Galahad hath awakened as well. Most ready to fight aside my father,sire.”“Sir Kay is ready to serve, sire. And I do say I, too, feel perplexed.”“Sir Percival is ready, sire.”“Sir Tristram is ready for your orders, sire. ough I shall say my bales stillseem behind me.”Arthur stood by, listeing to his Knights report to them how they were onceagain ready for action.“Merlin, where are we needed? What dost thou see in thy crystal ball thistime?”“e vile demonic enemy hath landed in lands <strong>of</strong> Gauls, sire.”“And what do the Gauls need?” Arthur said, not sounding entirely convincedthis was as pressing as Merlin thought.“Sire, you f<strong>org</strong>et you have been aslumber for millennia”, Merlin said, slightannoyance in his voice. “e world has anged mu. I do not have the time toexplain it in detail, for the peril is imminent and great. Suffice to say, the Gaulsare now everlasting allies <strong>of</strong> all kingdoms <strong>of</strong> Britain, and peace has reigned forcenturies in our corner <strong>of</strong> the world. It even appears to me that all good Britonsare fighting alongside Gauls as we speak.”“I shall take your word on it, then, friend. How is the situation on this balefield?”“A strange daemonic enemy has landed its fortress-ship near the forts <strong>of</strong> Paris.I estimate the defenders could repel the aa — with a very great cost, aer manylong days.”While Arthur couldn't see him, he felt Lancelot stir within his own steed withthe news. “Dire news indeed, if true, you wily necromancer!”“And why should I lie about su threats, Sir Lancelot?” Merlin asked. “Donot f<strong>org</strong>et that it is by this wily necromancer's power that you yet live.”“Point taken”, Lancelot said. “Sire! I vow I shall vanquish the evil foes!”“If we do not act, sire, there is a ance the defenders <strong>of</strong> the realm will fall, asthey have fallen in other grim fields <strong>of</strong> bale. While they may yet prevail, I fearthat without our help, this aa would weaken them considerably, even destroythem uerly. ey could survive this aa, but not next, nor one aer that orthe one that follows it. We must show our strength to the enemy. We must crushthe enemy here, no quarter given.”
- Page 1 and 2: NaNoWriMo 2010 WinnerUrpo LankinenN
- Page 3: Prologue
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- Page 52 and 53: V. S F Tworlds, feet just weren't t
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loaded, and she still had no idea w
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It suddenly started to look to Dale
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the family honour a lile bit too fa
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“No, the fuing knight! I'm not le
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“I will”, Plaerman said. “Now
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“Good!” Daleworth shouted. “H
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Part IIIForces of Heaven
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XI. T Mto upgrade some of the parts
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XI. T Mderstatement was allowed, no
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XII. T Q“Fellow Citizens of Earth
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XII. T Q“Warm climate, hell yeah!
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XII. T Q“Take cover, everybody!
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XIII.Once and Future… and Forever
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XIII. O F… FShe flined a bit as
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XIII. O F… Fsame as it always h
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EpilogueNovember 25, 2632, 19:35 UT
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ContentsContentsI We Held the Line