The group was taking their safe stroll down towards Dustgarde which came over the horizon. Anabelle glanced over to Ezra every second to see if he was still walking straight, same for Katreena. Irene walked ahead of Everyone, while Grimm stayed to the back. They were unsure if any of the Serx Knights had penetrated the barrier and were potentially coming for them.

Anabelle felt the emotions of all those around her. The children were scared, some of the adults as well but some were more angry and worried than anything. Irene was completely content. The mare felt nearly nothing from the group's strongest adults and Katreena. Ezra was more somber. Perhaps he was thinking of Nicholai, just as Irene was.

“Does anybody know how far we are from Dustgarde?” Irene asked.

“From what I remember we should be getting close.” Ezra answered.

“We are. In fact. I’m sensing something.” Grimm said. Irene began to notice as well. Especially with the sounds of weapons clanging together. Irene stopped the group. They continued to listen as the weapons clashed. “Ezra can you fight?”

“Yeah.” The swordsman replied as he took a large inhale. He stood completely straight. He and Grimm walked together up over the cliff. To their sights was Dustgarde, caught in the middle of a battle. Serx Knights were covering the village. “Shit. We going down there?”

“If we can clear their ranks quickly then maybe we can lend a hand. There’s a large group by the skull of the dragon. They are going to run into the village. If they do.” Grimm started.

“They’ll be pinned down.” Ezra concluded. “I can get them from here. Shoot a large enough fireball at them to-” Ezra turned to Grimm, and saw the man in a deep thought while looking towards the soldiers. He then stood upwards, and started to walk down the hill towards the battlefield, then he began running and got further away every second. Ezra started to give chase.

Grimm approached the town and stopped. He pulls out his scythe and slowly began to walk forth. A cold mist started to surround him, ever growing around so that it slightly froze the buildings. Each step he took left snow in it’s wake. The fighting above started to slow. Both the Serx Knights and the fighters of Dustgarde gazed back to the large man.

“Is...is that the black knight we heard so much about? Dammit. We can’t deal with him right now.” A Dustgarde warrior yelled.

“No. That’s….that’s Grimm. The most feared warrior in all of the Serx Empire.” A knight in blue said back up in fear.

‘What the hell? Why are they afraid of this guy? Isn’t he on their side? Fuck where is that bastard Granius?!”

Grimm continued forward. He walked past the Dustgarde warrior and right up to the young knight.

“The stories are real.”

“Exactly. And I’m trying to save you all from the same ending as those stories.” grimm spoke to the knight bringing his face down to him.

“I….I...I can’t do that. We knights served directly under the emperor himself. Same as you once did. We were told you deserted us. THE SAME WAR WE FIGHT IS THE ONE YOU ABANDONED! You had every chance to make the empire's dreams come true, and you turned your back on it. You may be stronger than us. But you will never be a knight like we are.” The young man scolded the older man. Grimm didn’t want to attack. These young souls stood where he once did. Virion or some other long lost friends must have spoken of his desertion. However the young man was right about one thing. This is war, and Grimm wasn’t on his side.

Ezra came rushing through. Burning away the cold with his flaming sword, as the knights were blasted away.

“Hey Grimm. I know you use ice, but im gonna need you to stop freezing up on me. I don’t want another situation like last time.” Ezra said standing straight. He strutted side to side. “Shit. That was what I needed. Get the energy flowing. Now where Granius. I hope he’s not mad at me”

As the swordsman spoke a large axe swung down near him. He quickly dodged in time. Granius stood before the swordsman.

“You’re damn right I’m mad! Where the hell did you lot run off to?” Granius yelled.

“Oh we went to Cloudwick.” Ezra nonchalantly responded.

“You could have helped with the cleanup. And now this! Dammit! Oh hey Grimm.” Granius greeted the other warrior.

“Hey. looks like you could use a hand?” Grimm asked.

“Yeah. We got the children in the tower. How about you take watch there, while me and pretty boy rush the rest of these guys out of here.” Granius asked back.

“Yeah sure.” Grimm said, leaving for the tower. Ezra and Granius ran to the skull of the dragon, meeting the force head on.

“So I’m sure I know what’s eating Grimm. These boys, he sees his face in everyone. It has nothing to do with his desertion. A man can go wherever he wants.” Ezra said.

“It’s what he leaves behind that haunts him. Guess this is Grimm’s nightmare.” Granius spoke through the battle as well.

“Well then. A man like him with nightmares. Guess anything is possible.” Ezra commented. “How the hell did these guys get here. I thought there was a barrier covering most of the Freelands?”

“They have their own mages as well. Which means they must have found some side to enter from.” Granius explained. “Shit. there’s too many of them.”

As the two kept fighting a shadow loomed over them. From above a large man dropped his hammer in between them.

‘Dammit. This guys huge. Bigger than you or Grimm.” Ezra complained. The large man lifted his hammer once again and readied for another strike. However, a vine wrapped around his arm. Then more covered his body, completely restraining him. Irene came up between the two warriors. The large man was subdued.

“Umm...she with you?” Granius asked.

“Yeah.” The swordsman answered.

“You said that they have opened apart of my barrier.” Irene said to Granius.

“Yeah. They won’t be able to get any of those ships through but enough mages on the inside could weaken the barrier to the point of breaking it.” Granius informed Irene of the possibility.

“How many men do you have?” The tall sorceress asked.

“In the village about 200.” Granius answered.

“With Grimm’s help we could stop them and close the hole.” Irene talked to herself while pacing.

“We’ll have to beat the force here.” Ezra butted in with an idea.

“No. You will take the children somewhere safe. This village is already falling apart. They can’t stay here.” Irene came back with.

“I agree with her. I’ll also send Ashley with you. Do you have somewhere to take everyone?” Granius asked.

Ezra thought about one possible location, and the only that came to mind was Sarabell. It was his only option and hopefully he could get the backing of the mayor.

“I do. But how will you guys find me afterwards?” Ezra asked.

“I’ll find one of my advisors. They’ll be coming with you as extra fire power.” Irene immediately answered.

‘Ashley also has some strength to her as well. And the kids love her so she’ll be easy to follow.” Granius continued.

“Alright. Guess that’s the task now. I’ll go find Grimm.” Ezra left to the two to find the older man. Granius and Irene went off to gather their forces. He made his way to the tower where Grimm was standing watch. To his surprise there were no enemies nearby. “Hey. We got a plan.”

“What is it?” Grimm asked.

“Irene and Granius are going to close off a hole the knights put in her barrier. They want you to come along.”

“What about you?”

“Oh. I can’t fight with the big kids. I have to take all the kiddies with me to somewhere safe.” Ezra pouted.

“Where will you be taking them?”

“A village called Sarabell I found.”

“What? I’ve never heard of a village like that? How the hell did you find it?” Grimm frantically questioned.

“I’ll tell you later but first.” Ezra started. He looked up to stare the man in the eyes. “You need to get your head in the game.”

“My head is in the game.” Grimm responded.

“It may be. But you're letting your past get to you. Look. I get what you don’t want to do.` Those boys. The one’s you’ve raised. They’ve been captured in Cloudwick. Think about this. These men in the Serx army look at you the same way your boys do. And guess what they see. A man they need to overcome. And if you falter over them. Noone comes out better.” Ezra said. Making Grimm’s eyes widen in realization. “I get you don’t want to kill them. That’s not really my style even if we are at war. People always say that it's okay to be scared. I say fuck that. In battle nothing should be feared. Because both sides are doing the same thing. And if you’re scared of another man with a weapon, then you will never be worthy of wielding one yourself.”

Grimm was breathless at the young mans words.

“Fine. Let’s win this war then.”