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“I cannae believe this,” Sam smiled. “Holy shit! It is Excalibur!”

Nina could not contain her emotion. She wept with joy and awe. Kostas was on his knees, speechless and ecstatic at the event he was privileged to be part of. When the sword protruded halfway out of the rock, Purdue laid the shield down and pulled it from the mound.

The monumental experience had them all emotional, but the weather was becoming too dangerous. Flying would be perilous at the time, so they elected to find a bar to kill the time in. Made of iron and magnetite, just like the shield, Excalibur was magnificent. Far from the shiny, perfect prop used in countless films, it denoted true battle efficiency in its worn metal. There was no denying that it was a formidable weapon made with impeccable artistry. Its steel sang softly as Purdue swayed it while they walked.

“Mind if I slip my sword into your sheath?” he teased Nina, aiming the huge sword for the scabbard on her hip. Her look of warning had the men laughing. She took a deep breath and thought about the man who pulled the sword from the stone. He was a king, he had a castle, complete with his own Round Table, after all.

She winked at Purdue and said, “Well, maybe just this once.”

END