Yes.

It's a little tl:dr, but if it's of interest, then here is some modified and amalgamated excerpts from Wikipedia about the Swords and the Knights:

It is not necessary for the Knights themselves to be Christians, or even traditionally religious at all; in fact, one known Knight was a Shinto Buddhist, another a Communist Atheist and a previous knight either a Muslim or of Ancient Egyptian worship.

Also known as the Knights of the Sword, the Knights are men (and, presumably, women, though no female Knights are mentioned in the books) chosen to wield one of three holy swords that God sent to Earth: Amoracchius (Love), Fidelacchius (Faith), and Esperacchius (Hope).

Much like the legendary Excalibur, the swords serve the righteous for a just cause. Each is reputed to bear a nail from Christ's crucifixion inside the hilt. They cannot be touched by "unclean" beings, although this protection can be disabled if the bearer attempts to use them in a dishonorable or evil way; the only known way to destroy a Sword is to use it to kill a truly innocent being. Such swords can cut through almost anything, including metal. The swords can also sense evil, which causes them to glow and to let out a buzzing warning. The latter two were explained as to be reforged, and so, all three were probably similar or identical weapons.

The three swords have Latin names which represent the three prominent Christian virtues:

Amoracchius (Love), a broadsword, currently possessed by Michael Carpenter. At one point, Michael speculates that Amoracchius may actually be Excalibur, as it it has never actually been altered like the other two have, and is speculated to be the sword the original Merlin was asked to find a bearer for. Using the sword, Michael can kill all sorts of otherwise immortal creatures including demons, fallen angels, and, in one case, a dragon that had captured Charity.

Michael is an expert tactician and hand-to-hand fighter, and he also possesses some spiritual power of his own. An aura of faith also surrounds him, protecting him from the touch of beings like vampires while his touch can burn their flesh. He is a devoutly faithful man, praying frequently. He sometimes gets visions from angels telling him what he is to do or where he is needed, but sometimes this guidance is a subtle skewing of chance ensuring Michael is at the right place at the right time that his aid is needed. He is an experienced carpenter and construction worker, constantly improving on his house to hold his growing family. As of Proven Guilty Michael has admitted to Harry that he feels his time as a Knight of the Cross is coming to an end, meaning that his death may be at hand.

Fidelacchius (Faith), a katana with a water-patterned steel blade and a wooden-cane scabbard, formerly possessed by Shiro Yoshimo, the Knight who trained Michael. It is now in the temporary care of Harry Dresden. According to Michael, Harry is the only member of the White Council to hold a sword in care since the original Merlin. Harry has not been inducted as an official Knight, and is expected to pass the sword on to a worthy individual who will reveal himself. Michael has asked Harry to do this as quickly as possible.

Esperacchius (Hope), a heavy saber (also described as a Recurve/Scimitar), currently possessed by a Knight known only as Sanya— a young Russian man of African descent with a bleak personal history with the Order of the Denarius as he was once possessed by a Denarian himself. He has claimed that the archangel Michael himself gave him his sword— despite this encounter, he claims to be agnostic.

The Knights are endowed with the power of Faith. Their Swords act as foci for their faith, and seem able to harm any supernatural being. The Knights are also frequent beneficiaries of seemingly coincidental events that either aid their cause or lead them to places where their assistance is required (such as Father Forthill's coincidental appearances at the Carpenter household in Grave Peril when someone is needed to look after Michael's children in his absence). Very little information is given on the Knights, though Shiro was revealed to be a descendant of Shō Tai, the last king of Okinawa. The only Knight to be featured prominently in the series is Michael.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Dresden_Files_characters#Michael_Carpenter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_swords#Jim_Butcher:_The_Dresden_Files
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dresden_Files#Knights_of_the_Cross

Yak.

 

You are an upload monster, Shezza.

 

Wow. I mean. Wow. There was a week or two of nothing and then -- BAM. Updates galore! You're spoiling us. This is incredible.

Only one problem, I see:

So he's got two things in his left hand? It's worded oddly, I think. You could do without one of those "left hand". It really interrupts the flow, as I had to think about it for a second (three hands?!).

 

The cane is the sheath for Fidelacchius.

It should be worded like this: "He held the cane- a sheath for the Knight's sword Fidelacchius, in his left hand and clutched his wand in his right."

Oh, and praise be to you Shezza, for the seemingly neverending updates.

May this recent torrent not come to a halt too soon.

 

What I meant about that comment, was that I had read the first six books, so I knew that he had thought that early in the first book. I was just trying to say that I thought it wouldn't be something Dresden would say out loud.

Harry would say it outloud, because the looks of confusion only please him, but Dresden doesn't go out to make people think he's crazy, it just happens.

I also know that he has used that Fairy comment before, but that one fit into the story quite nicely.

Nice ending, and nice introduction of Michael.

 

Probably meant "his", if I'm not mistaken.

Can't wait for Harry to kick some vampire ass.

 

Your a machine Shezza, not that any of us are going to complain, so do keep these marvelous updates coming

 

This looks pretty good so far.

But what are Thralls?

I'm sure you intend to explain later on in the chapter, but for those unfamiliar with the Dresden Series, it's confusing, almost to the point of distraction from the story.

Other than that, everything else seems okay.


Edit: Re-reading it, either a) I missed it the first time or b) Shezza edited and clarified. Either way, I understand the concept now. Thanks!

 

If they can't be freed... then why are they rescuing them and treating them like hostages?

 

That's why Harry (Potter) questions them. In one of the books the same question is posed and the same answer is given. Because there still human. Stupid but thats Dresden for you.

 

Actually, you are wrong. Thralls are subtly controlled. RENFELDS(sp?) are the brain dead brutes.

 

Nice to see the next chapter early, Shezza. I remember that quote about face-eating demons, wasn't that in 'Death Masks'? I haven't read Dresden again after White Night, but I do remember that one.

Unlike the last chapter, I can't pick a single hole this time. And I don't think it was ever specified how high Mac's ceiling was, so maybe even Harry had to watch it. Also, I was re-reading the first chapter, and you say the warden looked German. But in the TV show, as far as I remember, Morgan was Afro-American. The books never described him though, except saying he was a big man.

PS: I hope you give us a backstory about exactly why Dresden gives the sword back even though Shiro had specifically told him to keep it in trust, for the next Knight. Maybe it would've been better if Dresden had been there in the graveyard and had given the sword to Harry after being injured? Michael's having the sword is bugging me, especially since he told Dresden to keep Amoracchius (did I spell right?) in trust too in case he died. To me, that sounds like a remainder from God. I frankly expected Michael to die in Renegade.

 

So...did the bullets hurt Harry or not?

This part makes it look like he was hurt by them:

But then at the end he said he was able to shrug them off...

I assumed by the words "shrug them off" that the bullets did no damage, yet they tore right into Harry...

I'm confused.

I do like the idea of Harry being able to shrug off bullets though.

 

I took 'shrug it off' as to how well a Fallen can diminish the pain. The bullets still injured Harry, but he doesn't feel any pain because of Meciel.

 

I take it more as a combination of ignoring pain with a bit of quick healing to stabilize the wound.