<span style="font-weight: bold">â€œSo what if thereâ€™s another member joining the group, Iâ€™m sure you knights wouldnâ€™t mind a few more meat shields being added to your collection. Weâ€™re all here for the same reason no matter how ridiculous it may seem, stick to it alright? Since weâ€™re all obviously here because the big brave Knights are afraid of the spooky forest, why object to more company or scoff at those who attempt to lighten the mood? If youâ€™re worried about looking out for the group and donâ€™t want to deal with too many people, then you shouldnâ€™t have agreed to be in a group. Whether we like it or not weâ€™re all in this together. Iâ€™ll do my part as long as you do yours. â€<br/><br/>"Are we to press on?"</span><br/><br/><br/>As Mira spoke, Deidrich let out a slow breath and turned to look at the group with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I am sorry," he said with a slight sigh, a hint of disappointment in his voice, "that you believe yourselves sacrifices. You have been asked to accompany us, not because we need your protection, but because we need your help. Do not underestimate yourselves, for I have no intention of doing so."<br/><br/>"And yes, Sanctioned, I believe we shall."<br/><br/>With this, he began the march foreword once more, following after the path Eva had disclosed for them and motioning for her to take the fore.<br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><br/>â€œOh you donâ€™t have to admit it. If you get truly frightened you can hold my hand.â€<br/><br/>"If youâ€™re scared you can hide behind me if you like."</span><br/><br/>Quinn, through this, was busy raising an eyebrow to the young apothecary and her jibe at him. He might have responded had he not caught Sydney's slight as well, and turning to look at the man he only narrowed his eyes and murmured in a vicious undertone. Deidrich seemed to be addressing the others, so these two were his to deal with.<br/><br/>"Remember who it is that holds your leash, dog." He spat with a quiet smirk. "I am afraid of neither your need to prove yourself the monster you are nor this forest, and if you see the need to try my patience then I might see the need to reevaluate your freedom."<br/><br/>"We've wasted enough time." Holt said pointedly from behind the group, nodding grudgingly to Sydney and motioning to Eva and Deidrich, who had already begun the march once more. He was about to make his way foreword, however, when the piping started.<br/><br/>The sound could very well have been the wind through the trees at first, a twisting and winding thing that was less song than rhythm, but as it continued it began to make itself more insistent. The more attuned of them would begin to realize it wasn't natural just before it would start to make itself apparent in Adalwolf.<br/><br/>At first the world began to slow and tremble, sensations becoming more vivid and anticipation building and boiling. His step faltered, and as he stepped away from the group finally the rasp of metal as he drew his sword caught Holt's attention.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Holt, the forest is waiting for us to make our move..."</span><br/><br/>"Eh?" Turning to see quite what the ranger was talking about, Adalwolf's first sweeping blow caught Holt by surprise but met only steel. Faster than most men his size, the crossbow swung back over his shoulder in his right hand at the same time his left jerked its blade up and out. He parried with a reverse grip, Adalwolf's blade sliding down the flat of his own across his forearm as he danced back and swore.<br/><br/>"Chain and Shackles, man, what the devil's gotten--" he started, his eyes wide and a snarl on his lips before he caught the piper's tune and saw the fog that crossed Adalwolf's eyes. "Someone stop that racket! It must--" He would have continued had he not had to turn aside another sweeping blow. Though heated, the ranger's blademanship was not his own--in the fog infested warrens of his mind he was cutting through legs and chitin, not steel and flesh, but damned if he wasn't strong and quick about it. Holt quickly had to let his precious crossbow drop, kicking it to the side to draw his second blade in order to match Rocco's frenzied cuts.<br/><br/>From the front of the line, Deidrich and Quinn heard the commotion and turned to make heads or tails of it. With a quick look between them, the older knight began to head after Rocco and Holt with long strides that ate the ground, Quinn drawing his blade and beginning to scan the trees.<br/><br/>"We're under--" He started, but was interrupted by the sharp sound of an arrowhead shattering against the steel of his armor. Though sharp as a razor, the stone tip was hardly a match for the heavy metal. Another trio of arrows snapped out from the trees above them, however, this time aiming for softer targets--Sydney's exposed torso was enough to draw the attention of two of them, and another still snapped out for Mira.<br/><br/>What had begun in the mind had turned real enough--the war for Needle had begun.