Grimm rounded up the group together.

“Alright let’s go over the plan. Team A will attack from the west entrance. There are some buildings which no one stays in. Katreena you destroy the buildings and cause a ruckus. The knights will come and then you and the boys attack. Team B will come in from the south entrance, after we hear the fighting begin. We’ll get the villagers out. Ezra will take the back entrance of the mayor’s home and get her out safely.”

“Okay. So when do we attack?” Ezra asked. Grimm looked to the distance and saw that the sun was still not set yet.

“In the morning.” He answered.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you went with team A to help us fight?” Fukato asked.

“No. Just stick to the plan and things will go smoothly. Once we get the villagers out we’ll come help.” Grimm said, he then broke the group for them to take their rest. Team A was the first to sleep. He sat alone near a campfire. His arms crossed and eyes closed. Thinking to himself.

Ezra not so quietly came over by the fire. Grimm opened one eye and caught wind of the swordsman coming. Ezra sat down and pulled from the fire a roasted chicken they caught and began to eat it.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” Grimm asked.

“I’ll be fine.” Ezra nonchalantly responded. “I just hope Anabelle’s good. We left her back with the rest of the horses in that other village.”

“What you did for her was admirable.” Grimm remarked.

“Yeah. She was the first friend I made on this journey. Can’t believe so much has happened in such a short amount of time.”

“That’s what happens when you’re constantly on the move. You see new things, and then other things start to happen. It comes to those who seek it, or those who get lucky.” Grimm replied.

“How about you? Did you have your own journey?”

“Not really. But i have had some….things happen to me.” Grimm said, unraveling his arms and grabbing some meat from the fire. “I used to have friends like. Even got married. Have you ever planned to get married?”

“What!?” Grimm mentioning marriage nearly made Ezra choke on his food. “No. I…..I never really thought about the idea. I don’t need to be thinking about that. What I need to be thinking about is why you guys didn't pack any actual food.”

Grimm laughed at the boy as he continued to chew.

“But where is your wife? Is she back at your home?” Grimm grew silent.

“She’s dead, her and my son.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Oh.” Ezra said slowly, removing the food from his face. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It was a long time ago. And that’s not even the worst of it.” Grimm said, finishing his food and throwing the stick away. He then stood up. “You know. I took in all these boys because I thought I could give them the life I wanted to give my son.”

“And you’re doing a good job. You got all of them under your belt. They respect you. That’s to be proud of.” Ezra remarked to the older man.

“Yeah. That seems to be my greatest achievement in the last 20 years.”

“Yeah, you gotta look at that. I think that’s your redemption. Like you said, when you seek things you get things.” Ezra said. Grimm chuckled at his statement.

“Seems you know what to say. It’s Surprising you don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Ehh…..” Ezra scoffed at himself.

The morning rose over the group. Team A moved around near the woods by the west entrance. Ezra snuck within the village and made his way close to the mayor’s home Team B waited for the fighting to begin.

Team A rushed into the village. Katreena looked over to the building Grimm mentioned. She winded up her fist and attacked the building, completely demolishing it.

Quickly after they hear knights footsteps coming. Five men in dark blue armor showed up before them.

“Hey! Who are you?!” One knight shouted. Katreena dashed over and buried his face into the street before he could raise his weapon.

“It doesn’t matter.” The tall girl said getting up from her downed prey. The other knights immediately tried to attack. Yet Justil jumped forward and cut down one of them. The others came and started to fight. This causes both the villagers and the other knights to take notice.

Team B started their infiltration. Grimm silently made his way into each home one by one and helped the villagers out. The rest of the boys aided them back to the other villages where the horses were kept.

Ezra got within the home of the mayor. One room was lighting up, and the smell of brewing entered his nose. He quietly crept over to the door frame, he looked in to see the mayor. An old woman with long black hair that covered most of her face. She was stirring a rather large pot of materials needed to make potions. However to her left was a man sleeping on the floor. She was tall, not nearly as Grimm, but taller than Ezra. His sparkling orange hair was laid out all over the floor. It seemed underneath the sheets he was wearing nothing.

Around lay a dark blue suit of armor, and a cat shaped medallion.

“Hey miss mayor. Come with me.” Ezra whispered. The woman did not respond. “Hey. Come on. We need to go. We’re already saving the other villagers.”

The woman finally heard him, and raised her head to him. She let go of the large spoon and stood up quietly to try and reach Ezra. The swordsman reached his hand out. However, another grabbed it. It was the sleeping man. He raised his head. Revealing sharp emerald eyes. The swordsman tried to break his grip. The man stood from his sleeping area. He then tossed Ezra through the nearby wall. Causing him to fly out into the village.

Ezra quickly rose back to his feet. He drew his sword, ready to fight. The man stepped out of the house, now fully clad in his armor.

“You’re going to try and fight me boy?” The man chuckled. “About time I got myself a worthy opponent. Things were getting boring around here. Come one pretty boy. Come show me what you're made of.”

Ezra refused to let the man taunt him. He leapt at him with great speed, bringing his sword down to attack.

Grimm successfully managed to get each villager out of the village. The rest of Team B was sending them off to the other village with the horses, so they can safely be escorted back to Cloudwick. He handed the other cloudroad disc to Mokil, and ordered him to deliver the people to Cloudwick safely. Grimm ran back to help Team A, however he was greeted by a much more horrific sight.

Ezra was being held up by his neck. Blood running down from his face and torso. His sword still in his hand. Grimm immediately recognized the man. And so did the other.

“Grimm.” the man spoke.

“Virion.” Grimm spoke to him. Revealing the enemy. The sounds of swords clashing didn’t break his concentration of the knight. “So you’re leading the invasion.”

“No shit asshole.” Virion yawned. He tossed Ezra over to the side. “Long time no see.”

The two men stared at each other viciously. “HEY!” Virion called his men. “GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE!” The footsteps started to get closer. Numerous knights came around the corner to meet their leader.

“Third Captain Virion. We’re sorry. Some intruders attacked and we were fending them off.” One knight reported.

“Yeah. i can see that. But whatever, not like there is really anything much we can do now. Just. Take down Grimm.” Virion ordered. The men hesitated. They looked to their opponent, and saw the tall figure turning to see them. Each of them feared the beast before them, for they knew who he was.

“It can’t be. They told us he had died.” One knight said. Ezra heard their words.

“Are they talking about Grimm?”

“It really is him. The previous third captain Grimm!” Ezra became confused at the name. “He used to be a part of the Serx Empire, but he disappeared 20 years ago.”

“That’s the one. Can we move this along now?” Virion said.