Indeed, they were outside, in a vast clearing with thick woods beyond it... aside from the vast marshland that stretched out ahead of her.  The air was clean and pure; birds sang in the distance.

Before her, though... It was fifteen feet tall, and it was a giant suit of armor.  It appeared to be made out of some kind of shimmering scales, but the back was covered by what could have been a beetle's shell.  And it had a sword-- a gigantic sword.

"Oh, wow," Megumi said.

"Not bad, eh?" said Onyx.  She was grinning now, full of pride.  "The bones of titans, the scales of dragons, powers of all the elements together in one place.  If she'll awaken, nothing will stand before her."

"How do I get in?" Megumi asked.

"Walk up to it," said Onyx.  "If you're able to use it, it will open up for you."

Megumi did as she was told.

The armored figure knelt, and its chest opened, revealing a chair of some kind.

Megumi looked at Onyx and then headed inside.

Stepping into the Knight, the hatch shut behind her as she sat down.  Lights shone, but suddenly, she wasn't sitting in a chair.  She was standing outside, feeling the wind, towering over the five who had come out with her...

"What's going on?" Megumi asked.

"It's wonderful!" said Ella.  "You've awakened the Knight!  You're in it now... try moving around!  But maybe not too quickly-- the Knight should be very fast."

Megumi tried walking.

It was... surprisingly easy.  Except for the part where the world looked so small.

"Okay, so, uh, did I become this thing?" Megumi asked.

"You're the Heart of the Knight!" Ella called.  "You're wielding it, and it should feel just like your body!"

"This is certainly different," Megumi said.

"Try something more energetic!" called the gnoll.  "You're going to need more than just walking!"

"Like what?" Megumi asked, waving her arms.

"You've got a sword, don't you?" Raka called.  "Try it out!"

Megumi tried drawing the sword and took a few swings.

The sword swung easily, seeming perfectly balanced to her...

...There was a power in the blade, as she wielded it, there, at her command.

"What's with the sword," Megumi asked.

"It's the sword forged for the Knight!" Onyx called.  "It channels the power going through the Knight and you!"

"How do I use it?" Megumi asked.

"Feel your spirit and power as you fight!" called the tiny winged warrior, voice barely audible at this distance.  "You're a warrior, aren't you?"

Megumi tried to focus to try and see if anything happened.

It was, in fact, amazingly easy to focus energy into the sword, to feel its power growing as she concentrated.

"This weird," Megumi said.

"Are you having any trouble controlling it?" Onyx called, clearly concerned.

"No, this is just a new experience for me," Megumi said. "You can't do this in my world."

"Nor many in this world," the tiny Fae knight shouted.  "Few enough have that power!"

"No one in my world can do this," Megumi said. "My mind is being blow over and over."

"No one in our world can, either," said Ella.  "Not in that Knight.  And few enough Knights are left to us."

Megumi sighed to herself as she played around in the mech some more.

It was very much like moving-- it was part of her body.  But stronger, more powerful...

"Wait, who am I going to be fighting in this thing?" Megumi asked.

"The foul things that invade our land," said Raka.  "They first showed in the plains, growing strange spires of twisted metal out of the ground, sending their forces to attack us.  They've moved against all of us now, slaughtering without mercy."

"Okay, but what do they look like?" Megumi asked.

"...blades," said Raka.  "Metal, sharp, edged, pointed.  Stranger shapes, but always metal.  They do not carry arms, nor do they need to."

"They look like blades? Just blades? I'm confused," Megumi said.

"They look almost forged, but the metal is alive," said Onyx.  "Not like armor.  Not jointed.  Alive.  And like they are made of weapons."

"Have they tried to communicate?" Megumi asked.

"Only through slaughter," said Raka.

"Hmm. Strange," Megumi said. "How do I get out of this thing?"

"Kneel down, and think hard about wanting to exit," called Ella.

Megumi tried doing that.

It was, in fact, pretty easy-- the Knight knelt down and opened up, and she was in her own body again.

"That's going to take some getting used to," Megumi said as she climbed out.

"You did very well, though," said Ella.  "As I would have expected, My Champion."

Megumi froze for a second.

"Thank you."

"...I'm sorry," said Ella, bowing her head.  "I know my kind... bother you.  Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"It's not your fault," Megumi said. "I'm trying to deal with it."

"Is there anything that would help, though?" asked Ella.

"I don't know," Megumi said. "I'm working on it."

"All right," said Ella, uncertainly.  "...I will do anything for you, if it will help."

Samran cleared his throat.

"In the meantime, why don't you accept our hospitality?  I'm sure you must need rest, and perhaps food, after what you've been through."

"Yeah, you're right. This all still doesn't feel real," Megumi said.

"Alas, 'tis far too real," said the tiny knight, "as strange as this seemed to us."

The elf lead them inside....