King Vogt and the Guardians of the Round Table
– by Mario Cresibene
Chapter 2 – The Rise of Sir DeLauter and the Scarlet Knight
In the previous chapter, King Vogt and the Guardians of the Round Table had fallen to the dishonorable
usurper Lord Hinch, suffering an early defeat in the Wild Card Tournament and the Battle of Lake Erie. Today, as the Guardians returned to the battlefield, the outlook seemed grim. Yet, as with all quests, it is through the trials of many that the bravery of the few is revealed.
Needing more magic than even his archmage Carl Willis could provide, King Vogt called one of his young squires aside.
“Kneel, squire Chase,” he commanded. Obediently, the young squire knelt before his king, eyes wide with anticipation. King Vogt drew the legendary sword Excalibur, laying it across the squire’s shoulders.
“And now rise, not as a mere squire, but as Sir DeLauter. Take your weapon, and join us in battle!”
The newly knighted Sir DeLauter seized his sword and shield and ran into the fray, joining his brethren in what he knew could be the final battle they would face together. Beside him marched King Vogt’s chosen champion for the day, the stalwart Sir Bibee, accompanied by the finest knights of the Round Table.
From the first clash, the battle proved fierce, and the untested young knight was thrown into the thick of combat. Sir DeLauter soon found himself surrounded, faltering under the onslaught of the enemy. A mighty blow struck him, causing him to drop his shield and leaving him exposed. But just as one of Lord Hinch’s minions prepared to strike him down from behind, the brave Sir Bibee charged forward, his cat of nine tails thrashing through the ranks, saving the newly knighted youth from certain disaster.
The tide soon turned in favor of the Guardians as Sir Valera stormed into battle, disarming the fearsome Sir Mize and scoring a critical point. Yet the enemy struck back with reinforcements. Two knights of Lord Hinch’s battalion surrounded a Guardian, separating him from his comrades, and Sir Báez struck swiftly, evening the score at 1–1.
Both Sir Bibee and Sir Mize led their sides valiantly, but the strain of battle began to take its toll. Recognizing their limits, each commander retired his champions to summon the next line of warriors. The struggle continued—a relentless dance of offense and defense—neither side able to claim another point… until a new figure appeared upon the summit of a hill.
Clad in a gleaming suit of scarlet armor, the mysterious knight appeared atop the hill, a long lance in his grasp. The morning sun caught the glint of his armor, blinding the enemy below. The scarlet knight lowered his lance and charged down the slope, sowing confusion among Lord Hinch’s ranks. Sir Kwan, Sir Schneemann, and Sir Naylor joined his charge, striking with perfect precision; together they dispatched five of Lord Hinch’s men and turned the tide decisively in favor of the Guardians.
As the enemy retreated in defeat, King Vogt approached the scarlet knight.
“Who are you, brave knight?” he asked. “Remove your helmet so that we may know your name.”
The knight lifted his helmet, revealing a smiling face beneath.
“It is I, Sir Playoff Rocchio, my liege,” he declared proudly. “When you or your Guardians are ever in need on the battlefield, look to the eastern sun, and I will be there.”
“We owe you much, Sir Rocchio,” King Vogt replied.
“No, my liege,” Rocchio answered. “It is we who owe you. Your leadership gives us strength when all seems lost, and it is your holy quest for the Commissioner’s Trophy that summoned me here.”
“Then I ask you to join our cause, brave Sir Rocchio,” King Vogt declared. “For we need knights such as yourself, who arrive when they are needed most.”
And so, with the Guardians of the Round Table at his side, King Vogt rode off with Sir Rocchio at his flank, victorious in the day’s fight.
Thus concludes the second chapter of this epic fight, and tomorrow shall bring the final, deciding battle of the Wild Card Tournament—where one side will triumph, the other shall fall, and destiny shall decide the day.
