Ezra lifted his word from the earth and held it ready to fight 2v2 against the dancer and Hulion’s 3rd captain.

“Ezra, don’t you have something to do?” Irene asked the swordsman.

“You can’t be serious. Didn’t these two defeat all of Grimm boys even while powered up.” Ezra came back with. Irene looked back to Ezra sternly. Nimul had risen back up while the two were talking. She kicked the large staff out of Irene’s hands, knocking it back. The dancer then came for another kick. Irene sensed she channeled tons of Force into her left leg. The sorceress lifted her leg off the ground and channeled her own large amount of Force into her left leg. Ezra sensed it and noticed that it was exponentially more than Nimul’s. And so did the dancer as well. She tried to back out, knowing the chance of attack was fruitless. As soon as her leg lowered an inch. Irene extended her own, and kicked the woman square in the stomach.

Nimul felt as the tall woman’s large foot covered most of her torso. The amount of pressure nearly made the woman vomit, but she was dealing with some broken bones at this point. Even more so, she was defeated. The kick sent her flying back through the battlefield. She fell on the ground completely unconscious.

Ezra and Sera were stunned by the display of power. Irene turned around to pick up her staff.

“Now get going. And don’t come back unless you have Nicholai.” She ordered Ezra. He nodded, mounting Anabelle and riding away.

“I had no idea she was that strong!” Ezra yelled while he and Anabelle rode through the wind trying to reach the village.

“She didn’t show that kind of strength when you two fought.” Anabelle replied.

“I know, that’s how my escape plan even worked. But I wonder if that was intentional….?” Ezra said. They reached the front of the village . Ezra stabbed his sword into the barrier, then swiped down. Once removing the blade. The barrier started to heal. So he cut into it more, making a large enough hole for the two to make it through. They didn’t stop advancing though. Even though they saw, in the windows of each home. There were still people in the village. Albeit many more. However right before the elevator was a group of knights.

“Damn!” Ezra cursed. The knights started to advance. He took his sword and ignited it. Then slash the ground, sending a wave of fire at the enemy. Some were taken out automatically. A few still stood. Ezra tried to refrain from using any large spells, and instead had to resort to using only the sword. He unmounted Anabelle. And charged at the men. He weaved through them quickly. Dropping each like flies around him.

He took a small breather. As he did. The villagers watched. They all were happy at his victory, recognizing him. They all rushed outside to thank the young man.

“Thank you so much!”

“Those knights harassed us for days!”

“We thought we would die!”

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The people pleading all rang inside of Ezra’s head. However, Anabelle. She noticed that Ezra wasn’t feeling any sort of the happiness they had. He didn’t feel unhappy, just, slight pieces of anger. Like he wanted to say something, but it wasn’t going to come out. For now, he just smiled with them, though the mare knew it was false.

“Ezra, what’s….wrong?” She said to herself. The swordsmen walked over and started to lead her over to the elevator. The two entered, and started to ride to the top. At first they stood in silence.

“Anabelle. You felt it didn’t you?” Ezra asked.

“Y-yes. Why….did you feel that way?” The mare concernly asked.

“When I first heard of the Freelands. I knew it would be a land of monsters and other troubles. So i prepared myself for such dangers. By training myself in many ways to defeat those threats. So I ask. If these people have lived here longer than me. Why haven’t they done the same?” Ezra answered. Making Anabelle concerned and contemplate his words. But not for too long. As they had reach the top level. “Don’t think about it. It comes and goes.”

The two started to head for Bennebs house. Ezra kicked in the door. His sword was already in han, ready to take down anyone who stood in his way. He quickly looked around, and there was noone. Except Nicholai and Benneb as a gold statue. Ezra saw the sorcerer and walked over with a smile,

“Well hello beautiful. I take my eyes off you for a minute and you're already in trouble.” Ezra playfully said as he knelt down before Nicholai.

“Oh look who came to play around. How about we skip the formalities and you take my pants off?” Nicholai played along.

“Good. We already have cuffs. Now to find the keys. But first. What happened to him?” Ezra said while pointing to Benneb.

“I’m what happened.” Era heard a deep voice behind him. Uziro had appeared behind the swordsman. He went for an attack. Ezra quickly deflected him. Yet Uziro was able to come back, and knocked the draconian through the wall, and out to the street. This man was just like the knight Grimm had quickly dispatched of. He had golden armor, and the same helmet with sharp teeth.

“Well that’s good to know. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that large cannon would you. Seems like your the one running things here.” Ezra questioned.

“He isn’t.” Another voice, albeit softer came to Ezra. He looked up, to see Princess Teresa. “I’m the one calling the shots.

‘Okay so who the hell are you?” Ezra questioned again. Making the princess angry.

“I’m Princess Teresa of the Hulion Empire! Bow before me or else face the wrath of my trusted knight Uziro!” She proclaimed as loud as she could.

“This guy, eh? Sorry Princess can’t do that. I’m here for Nicholai and to shut down that cannon.” Ezra said confidently.

“Oh. Is that so? Well then. You’ll be happy to know your on a time limit here. I’ve set the cannon to go off in 20 minutes.” Teresa stated. Ezra grew worried. “I can’t have anyone getting in the way of me finding the blueprints to Genesis. I know they’re here. And unless you guys surrender, or go home and leave me to find them in piece. Everyone inside and outside the village will perish.”

“You’re insane.”

“No. Just doing my duties. And before you go on about me needing both the blueprints and the cover. I already know about that. I knew Fayspell had the cover. And I was expecting to go and get it right after we got the blueprints. But you brought it right to me.” The Princess boasted. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I need to go collect it. Uziro. Kill him, and make Nicholai watch.”

Uziro leapt at Ezra with great speed. The swordsman blocked quickly with his sword.

“Yes Princess.” Uziro’s deep voice let out, as he stared at Ezra with the intent to kill.

Grimm had successfully finished fighting. He was now before the crystal holding the barrier up. He took his scythe and slash the thing to bits. With most of the power gone he was thinking of entering the village and freeing the boys.

However, something started to loom over the battlefield. Grimm and everyone else looked back to see the Serx Empire’s airships above. Flying past the mountain. Irene still had her barrier up, but Grimm feared Virion found a way to be rid of it. And he did.

The shipseach gathered in a formation. At the head of the bow. One lone mage stood with a large staff in hand. They all pointed them upward, then mana started to form above the ships in the colors of a rainbow. It then shot down, and completely broke through Irene’s barrier. The woman took a small toll of damage for this, but was still able to stand.

Grimm looked intensely at the warships. Looking for the most familiar face, and there it was at the center ship. Virion. He leapt from his ship, and took both of his hands, and slammed on the barrier. Causing it to break exponentially more.

With a much larger hole to enter. The ships started flying down one after the other. Once landed. They dispensed their own legion of knights. All led by the Serx’s 3rd Captain. Grimm slowly walked up to the docked ships as the knights came forth. But his eyes were only set on Virion.