We stop after a short walk away from the palace. Before us stands an old shabby looking building. Parts of the metal walls are rusted and the front door is of rotten wood. The whole building looks as if it would collapse at the slightest provocation.

“Well… we’re here… can I leave?” Annette says with a dark expression as we arrive at the Grey Knights HQ.

“Is it really that bad in there?” I ask.

“Oh, your tongue grew back already? I’ll have to look into that regenerative ability of yours when we return later.” Annette says with a dark smile.

Sensing danger in her statement I begin to back away making sure to not break eye contact with Annette.

“Sorry I was just joking around. Anyways back to the previous question. I can put up with the building itself… but just the building. Trying to deal with those fools inside for a long period of time is another story though.” Annette says with a darkened expression.

“What are you two waiting for lets just go in already.” Irina says, pulling the door open.

As we enter the Grey Knights headquarters there is only one possible thought that I could have right now, what the bloody hell is this mess. Trash and leftover food scraps littered all over the floor. Dirt paints both the walls and ground, concealing the original colour.

“Seems like it’s cleaner than the last time I was here. That’s good.” Annette says.

“Just wait one moment this is supposed to be cleaner than before? Also, can this place really be called a headquarters?” I ask.

“Yes, this place really is cleaner than before. If it was the same as the last time I was here, you couldn’t have opened the door without trash spilling out from the entrance. It was a complete mystery how those guys could come and go with the state the building was in. The place didn’t used to be like this and was probably what your thinking of when I said headquarters. It’s just the grey knights gradually dirtied the place and scared off all the people in charge of keeping the place functional. I had to ask them before if they were okay with people coming in to clean and renovate the place with some automated cleaning machines, but they told me they were fine as is. At this point we thought of forcibly moving them out due to complaints but when we tried… lets just end this here, I don’t even want to remember that.” Annette says as she moves us forward to begin the search for the Grey Knights.

After some effort getting through the piles of trash, we arrive at the first room of one of the Grey Knights. Just by standing in front of the door I can smell something strange coming from the other side… some kind of fishy smell.

“Hey, Annette whats this plaque say?” Irina asks, pointing to the wood plaque hanging next to the door in front of us.

“It’s the name of this room's occupant, Sir Fen.” Annette says. “I’m going to say this now but be very careful to watch your steps when we enter.”

Annette knocks a few times on the door before opening to a rather unpleasant scene. Without warning a fishy smell spreads through the air causing both Irina and I to cover our noses in a hurry. As Irina takes a step into the room she looks down to find she stepped on something.

“What’s this? A sock? Why does it feel moist… and this stain… don’t tell me…” Irina says as the colour drains from her face.

“So you realised, huh.” Annette says, making sure to avoid eye contact with Irina.

While I’m not entirely sure what they’re talking about, It’s clear the resident of this dirty room is out.

“Wha— I don’t remember leaving this door open.” A voice says from the hall. “Oh, it’s you, Lady Annette… and the ladies from the show fight a few days ago.”

“As you two have probably surmised this is Sir Fen.” Says Annette.

“But please call me Fenny, now may I ask what you all are doing here?”

“Mobilisation order. Be ready within the hour's end.” Annette says.

“Hmm… I see. Rather than follow that mobilisation order would you girls like to fool around with me and my socks?”

While I don’t quite understand the full meaning behind his words, Annette and Irina back away in complete disgust. Saying nothing Annette just nods towards Irina as she rushes up and punches Fenny, knocking him out and sending him flying into a pile of dirty socks.

“What’s going on? I mean I was a bit creeped out by what he said myself but was there really any reason to hit him?”

Annette gives me a pitiful look as Irina walks over and whispers into my ear, “He has been doing ‘this and that’ into his socks.”

Finally understanding why the room smelt so fishy and why they were so upset earlier my face goes red from embarrassment as I rush out of the room.

“Come on Eillim, aren’t you a bit old to be acting like an innocent maiden.” Irina says with a mischievous smirk.

“Shut up! Lets just go look for the rest of those stupid Knights and get out of here!” I yell as a start walking down the hall to look for the next room.

Our steps echo across the halls as we come up to an open space. A room that seems to be a lounge type area. Surrounding a table in the room are several people playing the same card game I was playing yesterday.

“Excuse me you lot but this isn’t the time for games, a mobilisation order has been issued for the Grey Knights!” Annette yells out, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

“Oh, why hello there lady Annette and the girls from that show fight a few days ago. What brings you all here today? While I’m still talking allow me to introduce myself, I am Sir Aye Jay and next to me here is Sir Tea Bee E.” Says one of the two people here that’s wearing a higher quality of clothing.

“Did none of you hear what I said?! THERE IS A MOBILISATION ORDER FOR THE GREY KNIGHTS! Now get moving!” Annette yells once again sending most of the rank and file soldiers scurrying around to get ready, leaving only Sir Aye Jay and Sir Tea Bee E with us.

“Hmm… yes, you did say that and of course, I’ll follow the mobilisation order but…” Sir Tea Bee E says trailing off as he looks towards Sir Aye Jay.

“I, for one will not be going.” Sir Aye Jay says.

“…” Annette is stunned by Sir Aye Jay’s sudden words but quickly regains her bearings and says, “Just what do you mean you're not going?!”

“Exactly what I said, I have more important plans. I have a date soon and I need to prepare.” Sir Aye Jay says as he leaves the room.

“Sorry about that. But don’t worry his subordinates will at least show up. Anyways I too must be going to get ready. I suppose I will be seeing you three quite soon.” Sir Tea Bee E says as he too leaves the room.

“Well at least one of them was a sensible person.” Irina comments once all the knights have left the room.

“For now at least… once we are in battle Sir Tea Bee E is like a berserker, running in head first without any regard to previous planning.” Annette says with an exhausted look.

“If that’s the case then I take back what I said. Why in the world do you keep people like that around? Well, I guess at least one of them will show up, so he’s got that going for him.” Irina says.

“In Sir Tea Bee E’s case, he is rather good at managing the Grey Knights finances… actually, without his help, none of the guys could probably sustain this place financially. They would blow all their money on who knows what. Sir Aye Jay, on the other hand, is only here due to past merits. He honestly hasn’t done anything outstanding in the past decade, even I wonder why he is still here. Anyways we’re halfway done, we only have three people of importance to find. Sir Zexis, the ace in the hole for the Grey Knights and Lord Pulk, the commander of the Grey Knights. I guess there is also Sir Sea Ten, he’s not really one of importance though as his maturity level is the same as Sir Fen.” Annette says.

We continue our way through this mess of a building until we arrive at the commander’s office. Unlike the rest of the building, this place is significantly cleaner… relative to the rest of the place anyways. As we approach the door we find a note attached to it.

Taking a closer look, it reads “To our esteemed guest Annette and friends, come outside to the front of the building, I’ll be waiting. -signed Lord Pulk. P.S. I have dragged Sir Sea Ten with me and Sir Zexis is sleeping somewhere, I’ll deal with him once everyone else arrives.”

“So… are we going to head back then?” Irina asks.

“Seems like it. Lord Pulk should get things under control, more like he is the only one who can make these guys do anything useful.” Annette says as she turns back the way we came.

Upon leaving the building, gathered around a myriad of vehicles we find all the captains we had met on our way here, with the exception of Sir Aye Jay. Alongside them are two others we haven’t met. Like the rest of the captains, Fenny aside, these two also seem to be in their late thirties. However… one of them looks a little strange, his eyes are rolled back. One of the men we haven’t met yet walks up to us, dragging the other behind him.

“I take it you saw my little message then. Miss Annette knows who I am but allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Pulk, the commander of this group of fools called the Grey Knights.” He then points to the man he was dragging behind him and says, “this here is Sir Sea Ten. Sorry for the sad state he’s in right now, he didn’t want to come so I had to knock him out and drag him with me. Unfortunately, Jay had already escaped, well not that he’d do much anyways. Well since everyone is here how about you get started on that briefing, Annette. What’s the situation?”

“Sure but not everyone is here. Sir Sea Ten is unconscious and Sir Zexis is still sleeping somewhere, aren’t you going to do something about that?” Annette asks.

“I can explain things to this idiot later, but your right. I will get him over here.” Lord Pulk says as he brings some kind of device from his back pocket and presses a large red button.

Just moments later we here a sound akin to an explosion as parts of the ceiling of the Grey Knights HQ start raining down from the sky followed by a person.

“WHAT THE FUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!” The falling man yells.

With an amazing feat of agility and acrobatics, he manages to land safely on the ground and quickly begins to yell, “Oi! Just what the bloody hell was that! Who is the son of a bitch who put a bomb underneath this old man's bed!”

Of course, no one steps up to confess. And having stealthily put his device away, Lord Pulk walks up to defuse the situation.

“Now, now, Elder Zexis, just calm down. We have some guests and a mobilisation order and the briefing is about to start.” Lord Pulk says shifting is gaze in our direction.

Having noticed us at last Sir Zexis approaches us and we finally get a good look at the so called ace. Long hair with signs of greying and a clearly aged face, yet despite his clear old age he showed he was capable of some impressive feats. Being able to move like that mid air is nothing to scoff at.

“Hey this old man isn’t normal, he’s a cultivator. And he is at a higher cultivation level than I am.” Irina says.

“Oho… this young lass has quite the eye. You are indeed correct I am a cultivator of the fifth stage with a fully formed Golden Core. This old man is nearing a breakthrough into the sixth stage. It’s unfortunate that the people in these lands know little in regards to cultivation. Anyways young Annette, what do the details of this order entail?” Sir Zexis asks.

“So I can finally get started then? Scouts report a large military force from East Lucia heading towards the Capital. We were to rendezvous with the main force together with you the Grey Knights, and act as reinforcements. And…”

Annette went on to more specific details surrounding the situation and getting into more technical points leading most of the Grey Knights to look at her with a dumbfounded expression, save for Lord Pulk and Sir Zexis.

At some point Sir Sea Ten had woken up and asked, “So what exactly does that mean.” Causing most of the others to nod in agreement.

“Haa… you guys really are just a bunch of muscle brains.” Annette says with a great sigh.

“To put it simply for you simpletons, we go, we fight enemy, help allies. Do you lot understand now?” Lord Pulk says.

Having realised the nature of the mission, everyone who didn’t understand has an excited face. All ready to jump into battle. Between the joint orders of Annette and Lord Pulk we all proceed to move out and ride towards the battlefield.