The hike was grueling.

I huffed and puffed, alternating between a run, a quick walk, and being bent over trying not to puke in my helmet. The other Knights stayed ahead of me, waiting when they had to for me to catch up. Mike and Patrick made an effort to appear sympathetic. William made an effort to appear annoyed.

I wanted to resent him. I didn't let myself. Nynyane was taken, the world might be ending, and I could see why the Green Knight was in a hurry. The island was massive. We'd been moving for hours at the fastest pace I could manage. Apple trees eventually had giveng way to oaks and... I dunno. Deciduous trees, I guess?

Actually, Avalon was pretty nice. Underbrush was present, but not too thick. The way was uphill, but not steeply so. There were grasses and flowers and at one point I think I saw a deer. It was pretty as hell. If we'd been doing an afternoon hike instead of a death march for the fate of the world, I'd probably have been having fun.

"Hurry your ass up, Kevin!" William repeated himself for probably the hundredth time. I changed my mind. I did resent him.

"Come on," Patrick encouraged. He pointed at a gap through the trees. "I can see the village. We're almost there."

Panting and heaving, I stumbled the last twenty feet to the others. We stepped out into a clearing. Ahead of us, the ground sloped more steeply. A quarter mile up the big hill was a village. A town, really. When I'd heard about the village I'd pictured a couple of dozen huts with straw roofs. Instead, the buildings were made of stone, and there were a lot of them. The village looked big enough to hold hundreds of people. Maybe a thousand.

"Where's the wall?" Mike asked.

The Green Knight looked at him. "What wall?"

"I figured a medieval village would have a big fucking wall around it." The Red Knight scratched the back of his helmet. "You know. In case they're attacked or something."

"Avalon's a magic island," Patrick reminded him. "You can't get there without help from a priestess."

"They did have one," William pointed out. "A long time ago. They tore it down when they had to expand the village. In case of trouble, everyone's supposed to go to the keep."

"The keep?" I huffed.

"The keep." The Green Knight pointed. Behind the relatively level ground of the village, the island rose sharply. At the highest point, overlooking a cliff, was a squat grey structure. It was big, but it was ugly. It didn't have any towers that I could see, sitting like a big brick with lots of tiny narrow windows. It looked less like a magic castle from a storybook and more like a forgotten ruin you might find somewhere in Scotland. It didn't even have a moat. Disappointing, really.

I could see a road leading up to the village. We weren't close to it. William elected to trudge up the slope, and the rest of us followed. I gave silent thanks to a God I didn't believe in that he wasn't making us run again. When we were halfway up the hill, a woman in a white, no, A Lady in White appeared, sprinting down to meet us.

William didn't say anything, so we just kept trudging. The new Lady in White did not have the ethereal, otherworldly quality of Nynyane, but she was just as beautiful. He skin was the color of coffee. Her hair was the black of midnight, flowing and shimmering like a shampoo commercial. She shared the Lady in Tweed's high cheekbones and emerald eyes, but where Nynyane had seemed stern and regal, this new Lady looked more like smiles and song. Or at least, that's how I thought she'd look if things were less grim.

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The Lady in White's dress shone in the light as she ran. Or it was glowing. I wasn't actually sure. The whole thing reminded me of Gandalf in the second Lord of the Rings movie. I could make out the voices of other villagers behind her. They were yelling at her to come back. That it wasn't safe. She paid them no heed.

She didn't slow down when she reached us. She barreled into the blue knight, barely avoiding his rapier as he jerked it out of the way. "Father!" She cried. "I knew you'd come!"

Patrick froze, locked in the woman's embrace. After a moment, he managed to choke out, "Father?"

The Daughter in White pulled back, smiling and leaking tears. "Did mother not tell you?" She had an English accent, and her voice was silk and honey.

Patrick's weapons and armor vanished. He stared at the Lady, eyes wide. "Father?" he repeated.

The Daughter in White laughed. "I guess not." She released Patrick, sobering her expression. "As much as I would love to enjoy the moment, we haven't much time. Come. I'll explain at the village." She turned and ran back up the hill.

"Father." Patrick shook himself. His armor reappeared, and he ran after the Lady. The Red and Green Knights sprinted after them. I considered following at a walk. Then I realized Patrick's hot daughter hadn't even been breathing hard when she got to us. Was I seriously the only one here out of shape? Cursing, I ran after them.

I'd slowed back down to a trudge by the time I got to the village. I'd missed some of the interplay, but Patrick and the Daughter in White were hugging. The Blue Knight had armored down again, and he had tears in his eyes.

I was still breathing hard, but I managed to pant out, "What'd I miss."

Mike had his visor up. He gave me a grin, and held a hand out towards the woman. "Kevin, allow me to introduce Aoife." The name sounded like EE-fa. "She's Nynyane's daughter by way of the Blue Knight. Aoife, this is Kevin Shrive, slayer of vampires and White Knight." He frowned. "Wait, if you're his daughter..." He eyed her critically. "Shouldn't you be like fifty or something?"

"I am fifty," Aoife laughed. She let go of Patrick and shook my hand. Even through the armor, she had a firm grip.

"You don't look fifty." Mike was staring.

She gave him a smile. "Aren't you sweet?"

Mike continued to stare, his trademark Hide Your Moms grin slowly spreading across his face. I stifled a groan. Why'd she have to be nice to him? Now Mike was going to follow her around like a puppy. A big, dumb puppy. Patrick was growing a suspicious frown. I elbowed the Red Knight, hoping to snap him out of it.

He got the message, simulating a cough. "Anyway, we've got uh, stuff to do. What can you tell us?"

Aoife switched modes, moving from playful to grim so fast I wondered if either expression had been real. "Seventeen days ago, the Black Knight and four others attacked. They slew all of our fighting men and forced their way into the keep. Then they came back and took the bodies."

She glared up at the castle. For a brief moment, rage flashed in her eyes. Cold, deadly fury. When she continued, her voice was matter of fact, devoid of emotion. "That's all we know about them. There's something else out there. There's something out there. Some kind of monster. The wards keep it at bay, but..." she shook her head. "No one who leaves the village comes back."

"It was Wendigo," Patrick told her. "It's dead."

"Lit his ass up like a Christmas tree," Mike bragged. "He's just a pile of ashes, now."

Fury flashed through the Lady once more. "Good," said she.

"Hey," I interrupted. "Did you happen to see the Orange Knight come through here? He took Nynyane a few hours ago."

"No." She shook her head. "But if Mother has been taken, that means they've started the ritual." Aoife looked at the sky. It was overcast, but I got the impression the sun had started to sink. "We have a little time, but not much." She turned to William. "Sir Knight, we have lost many, but some remain who are wounded and ill. Will you lend us aid before you go forth into battle?"

The Green Knight stood straight, banging a metal fist against his armored chest and bowing. "It will be my honor, my Lady."

Aoife gave a regal nod. "Then let us do so, and be on our way." She glowered at the castle once more. "We have a ritual to stop, and vengeance to take."