Chapter 12

Leonardo, Arthur, and the other knights made their way to Mordrid castle but decided to stop when they got to the woods that surrounded the castle. Leonardo and Lancelot went to the edge of the woods to get a better look at how Savanti had the castle defended. After a few minutes surveying the castle they made their way back to the camp to tell Arthur what they saw

"It seems that the best way to get inside is right through the front door, but I am sure that Savanti knows that and will be waiting for us" Leonardo said as all the knights were standing around him and each giving their own thoughts and ideas.

"I suggest we use the cover of night to get in as close as we can and then use the catapults to cover us as we make our way inside the castle" Alexander said.

"I got one question" Sir Galvin said.

"What is it?" King Arthur asked.

"How do we get through the gate that they have lowered, I mean we cant cut through the metal gate" Sir Galvin asked. Everyone looked to Leonardo but before he could answer another voice answered.

"I have a solution to that problem" Merlin said.

"Merlin, I didn't expect you to be here" King Arthur said as he greeted his old friend and mentor.

"I heard that you were coming here and decided to help out, now I know you have a problem with the gate so I will take care of it" Merlin told them.

"How do you plan on doing that" Lancelot asked.

"Trust me. I have a little something special that I have been working on, it's a exploding powder that is black" Merlin told him.

"You mean gun powder" Leonardo spoke up.

"You know of this kind of thing?" Merlin asked.

"yes, we use it all the time in my time. How much do you have?' Leonardo asked.

"About 2 barrels. Will that be enough?" Merlin asked.

Leonardo smiled, " Yes that will do nicely". Alexander walked forward and looked around and then smiled;

"I don't know about the rest of you but I am ready to go and save Renet"

"Agreed, but first we have one thing to take care of" Lancelot said and then looked over to Leonardo and then to King Arthur and nodded towards the king.

"Leonardo would you please step forward" King Arthur said. Leonardo looked and seen everyone smiling at him and he stepped towards the king.

"Please kneel" King Arthur commanded. Leonardo did as asked and then looked up to King Arthur. Arthur reached towards his sword and unsheathed it and placed the flat side of the sword on Leonardo's right shoulder and said;

"a knight must swear he will obey

to the eternal code,

eternal as the table,

a ring bound to honour.

A knight is sworn to valor,

his heart knows only virtue,

his blade defends the helpless,

his might upholds the weak,

his word speaks only truth,

his wrath undoes the wicked"

Leonardo repeated the words and kept his head down afterwards until he heard King Arthur speak again.

"Rise, Sir Leonardo, you are not a knight of the round table and a brother to us all" he said and then rested a hand on Leonardo's shoulder.

"Thank you, your majesty" Leonardo replied. Then looked over to see Lancelot and Alexander set down a large box in front of him.

"Well since you are a knight of the round table now, I suppose you start looking like one" Lancelot smiled and open the box and pulled out a chest plate with the symbol of a dragon on the front.

"Thank you, all of you" Leonardo said.

Mordrid Castle

Savanti sat on his throne as one of his guards came up to him and bowed. Savanti looked at him and then back out the window then turned his attention back towards the guard;

"What is it?" Savanti asked. The guard rose and looked at Savanti and answered," They are coming. They have been spotted just beyond the tree line"

"well then, get all of the men in position, I want to make sure that we give them a warm welcoming." Savanti told him.

"Yes my lord" the guard said and started to walk away before Savanti stopped him, "Remember, the turtle is mine, you can kill the rest, but the turtle is mine. Also, I want that sword, that is the reason I am here, if anyone kills Arthur, bring the sword to me"

"It will be done" The guard replied and ran off to get the rest of Savanti's undead army ready to fight. Meanwhile down in the dungeon, Renet was sitting in her cell when she heard a lot of commotion going on outside. She got up and stood on her cell bed and looked out the little window that was in her cell. She could see a whole army of knights on a hill not far from the tree line, and then she looked to the center and what she saw made her smile. There was Leonardo, dressed in full battle armor, and looking ready to fight. I knew he would come for me, Renet thought to herself.

Meanwhile back on the hill, outside Mordrid castle, Leonardo and the other knights waited for the signal. Just then, Lancelot and Alexander rode up to join Leonardo and King Arthur on the hill.

"The armor looks good on you" Alexander teased

"Thanks, so are we ready to go?" Leonardo asked.

"Waiting for your signal, your majesty" Alexander said to King Arthur.

King Arthur looked around at all his knights and could see that all of them were ready to go and he had never been so proud of his men, they were well trained and lived to do the honorable thing and now the time had come to fight their greatest enemy and they were ready to fight to the death. "Lets go" Arthur said and then Alexander raised a red flag that he was holding and that gave the signal to the men manning the catapults to begin their assault. The catapults started firing heavy stones towards Mordrid castle As King Arthur pulled his sword from its sheath and motioned to his men.

Leonardo lowered the face guard down as they rode into the fight of their lives.