Kerri snarls and lunges right at Ironhorse.

She sighs, shaking her head. "It's sad that you need help from them, you've clearly lost your touch." She winks, chuckling. She draws her sword, the engravings on it glowing a bright green.

Ironhorse snorts and dodges Kerri's attack, ignoring Claire's comment. Two figures appeared through the steam on either side of them. They marched forward in unison, and the gremlins parted to let them through. Warriors in full battle armor, with helmets and masks covering their faces, stepped into the circle. Their insectlike suits looked like something from a science-fiction movie, somehow ancient and modern at the same time. Their breastplates bore the insignia of a barbed-wire crown. Drawing their swords, they stepped forward.


"Claire, get back," Ash muttered, squaring off against the armored pair coming at him.

He attacks the nearest enemy.

She frowns, rolling her eyes. "As if you could take them on by yourself without my help." She mutters, she, unlike him, was in perfect health, despite the bit of tiredness she has been gaining she was fine.

Her sword becomes brighter.

The gremlins attack Kerri

Claire was suddenly grabbed from behind. She was dragged to the edge of the circle, where the gremlins jabbered at me. Her captor was a third warrior.


"Claire!" Ash tried to follow, but the first two knights blocked his way, the sickly light glinting off their iron blades. Glaring at them, Ash flourished his sword and sank into a battle stance.


They lunged at him, swords sweeping down in a blur, coming both low and high. Ash leaped over the first and parried the second, knocking it away with a flurry of ice and sparks. He landed, spun to his left to block the savage back strike, and ducked as the second blade hissed overhead. Whirling around, his sword lashed out, slicing across one armored chest with a grinding screech. The knight staggered back, the image of the wire crown cut through and coated with frost.


They broke away for a moment, facing each other, swords at the ready. Ash was panting, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He didn't look good, quite horrible, actually. The other knights slowly began to circle him, coming at him from different sides like stalking wolves. But before they could get into position, Ash snarled and lunged. For a moment, the knight he engaged was driven back by the ferocity of the attack. Ash hammered into him relentlessly, his blade slipping through his enemy's guard to smash at his armor. Sparks flew, and the knight stumbled, almost falling. Ash's blade swept up and struck a vicious blow to the side of his head, ripping the helmet clean off.


The face beneath the helmet was Ash, or at least a long-lost brother. Same gray eyes, same ebony hair, same pointed ears. The face was a little older, and a scar slashed its way down his cheek, but the similarities were almost perfect.


The real Ash hesitated, stunned, and that cost him dearly. The second knight rushed up behind him, his sword slashing down, and Ash whirled too late. His blade caught his opponents sword, but the blow knocked the weapon from his hands. At the same time, his companion backhanded Ash with his metal gauntlet, striking him behind the ear. Ash crumpled to the ground on his back, and two iron swords were pressed against his throat.

Then one left the other to Ash to go take care of Kerri

Kerri snarls furiously and lunges at them, his pelt blazing.

The guard that went to get Kerri just snorts laughter. He snaps, and the gremlins try to crowd the kitsune

He growls at them, and tries to kill the nearest one.

The gremlins screech and try and dodge his attacks