Gary Norman watched from outside the pagoda window. He saw Cole and his Gudu-Xue friends get onto the top level and them cringing at the scene. Then he saw the other three groups coming up too. He had to admit that the Mount Huai people were better than the other more distinguished sects. He saw them freeze at Xiao's shout.

Cole froze and then he was rushing towards the window, ready to jump out and save his friend. If Cole was still fooling himself that he only thought of him as a friend. 

"He did it!" Hao of Xue Lake said. "We can save the maidens now."

"He's in trouble!" Stephanus shot back. "We've got to save him!"

"No he isn't. It's a signal that he destroyed the system. That's why Cole hasn't got shot by arrows a thousand times," a Pingyang disciple said.

"Fuck all of you." It was Jonah, the one who resembled Xiao the most of all the Mount Huai disciples. He scrambled after Cole towards the window. Belatedly, Gary realized that they were coming to the south side window - his window. 

He scrambled up from his crouching position and flattened himself against the wall. They would be too focused on saving Xiao. It was true, none of the vigilant vigilantes spared him a look. It was quite funny, really.

A stream of people rushed out of the window - all the Mount Huai disciples and the Southern Nines. Gary supposed it was because of Stephanus' influence. Personally, Gary could see why people liked Xiao, and he could also see why Xiao would die at an Anlang knight's hand one day. With his attitude, someone would have to put him in his place. He just might be the one tonight.

Inside the pagoda, the other three groups were slicing open the chains and slinging the maidens over their shoulders. Then they were running down and towards their boats. 

"You still haven't told me why you are here," Priest Eduard reminded him.

Gary smirked. "I just want to kill people - which ever side."

The priest narrowed his eyes. "Well, help me kill Xiao and Kara NandKen as you promised."

"What did that daoist priest do to you?" Gary asked.

"She was the one who decided to kick me out of this organisation."

Were you good enough for it? Gary chose to remain silent and watchful of everything. "What have you and Xiao been doing the past week?" he asked.

The priest threw his head back in silent laughter. "You would think all Gudu-Xue people were so righteous" was his reply. Gary narrowed his eyes. His mind was going to bad places.

The priest seemed to know what he was thinking. "It's way worse, I promise."

Cole and Xiao were fighting together seamlessly, their backs against each other. They literally plowed through the bandits' ranks, though more and more were rushing in - higher and lower ranked alike. He saw Cole's other brother, Owen, for a second at the far side of the yard, but he later found him running away over the yard wall. Many chose that route, which would only lead to them being captured by George and Lee's troops.

For a moment, Xiao and Cole found themselves next to Edmonton and Freyer. Xiao briefly told Cole of what happened. Freyer was pushing Edmonton back step by step, blow by blow. 

"We've got to help," Cole said.

Xiao shook his head. "Did you not hear what I just said about Edmonton? Let them tire themselves out first."

Cole glanced at him for a brief moment, looking half appreciative, half terrified of the bit of cunning.

Freyer and Edmonton's blades clashed and sparks rained down. In the brief shower of light, Freyer pushed Edmonton's blade down and moved the tip of his sword in. The metal met skin and red spread across Edmonton's chest. He fell onto the ground, splayed open.

"Now!" Xiao told Cole.

Together, they advanced on Freyer. Cole aimed for his torso while Xiao targeted his legs. Freyer, already tired out, was no match for their combined ferocity. And as Cole slashed open his shirt, Xiao took off a leg. Then Cole went in for the kill.

Many died or were injured under their blades, and many more by their hidden weapons. Xiao had, for the first time, fully appreciated Cole's hidden weapon skills. I'm lucky I'm on his side. As usual, between the two of them who were as solemn as childish, there was a competition going on. It was their way to push away the sorrow.

"You let that one go," Cole muttered to him.

"You let two more go than me," Xiao returned.

"I got one by a dart though," Cole said. "At any rate, I'm doing a much better job."

"Bullshit."

Then, a welcoming presence graced them. "What are you two babbling about? Don't we have bandits to kill?"

"Sir Laken!" Xiao greeted excitedly. "The maidens - "

"We got them off the island already. Rose was among them," he filled them in quickly. "Why were you screaming?"

"My brother died," Xiao told him. By this point, there was no feeling sad. There was no vindictive pleasure. There was just mindlessly killing the bandits for something to do.

Laken patted him roughly on the shoulder. He half expected him to say something like "people die all the time" but the older knight just started hacking at those around him.

Then a whistle sounded and all the bandits fell back. Like in Roche, this created a sort of discord among the knights. Then they were falling back too, so that the two sides faced each other. The grandmasters, now all together, gathered at the front of the line while the others on either side or behind them. Xiao and Cole were on the front of the line, their swords in hand. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when he didn't have to hold on to a sword tightly. Blood stained through his night suit, dyeing it an ugly brown.

Three people, robes as pristine as flower petals, walked out from the opposite lines. Standing at the front was a man with refined air. He was old, about eighty or so, but his posture was as upright and his features as handsome as any of the young men present. His eyes shone like a pair of lamps or a whole bonfire. The only indication of his age was his hair and skin that did not escape aging. Behind him were a man and a woman, one old, one young, who both wore white. Like the man, they were dignified and good looking. It was easy to deduce that these were the three newcomers Gary had mentioned a few days back.

The man spoke in a loud, sonorous voice. "Dean Maguire, Xu Liang, what is the meaning of this?"

Grandmaster Maguire stepped up. Instantly, half of their party took a step forward to back him up. Seeing this, the old knight shot a look back at them. Smirking a little out of embarrassment, Xiao took a step back with the others. "Kieran, Dorian, Kara," he addressed. "Surely you know why we are here tonight. You have about thirty maidens incarcerated in horrible conditions on that pagoda. That is justification enough."

Kieran Reynolds swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Dean, I recognise that," he said slowly. "That was why I let you carry out the rescue mission on interrupted. Yet, right now, you are butchering all the Anlang disciples. I think that crossed the line a bit, don't you think?" His tone made it clear that it crossed his line more than a bit.

Grandmaster Maguire bowed his head. "You're right, Kieran. Then, how about we reach an agreement? If you hand over the remaining criminals, we will leave the island in peace."

Before Kieran Reynolds could say a thing, the young woman, Kara, took a step forward. She smiled politely all around. "Grandmaster Maguire, I think your plan is a bit flawed. You guys have already killed so many of our ranks, why take away more as prisoners? Besides," her eyes hardened, "my brother Noah and our High Doctor were both killed. Don't they require some form of reprisal?"

"Looking at what they've supported? No," Xiao said. All eyes swerved onto him. Xiao suddenly became conscious of how his blood-stained clothes could paint a target of himself. But then, he didn't really care. He looked to the two grandmasters. "You two with your white beards and hair, why are you supporting this organisation? Why are you protecting the exact people who are tarnishing the Anlang reputation? Are you proud of them?"

Kieran Reynolds looked away. Seeing this, Xiao continued. "These are bad people you are protecting. How would that sound once the news is out? You must know that they are wrong. Call off the fight and help us get all of them into prisons and then we will have lunch together and all be good friends. How about that?"

Kara fixed him with a death glare. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Xiao of Mount Huai." For good measures, he raised up his chin and eyebrows. That did no good with him getting into Kara's good graces.

Dorian cleared his throat. "Xiao, you may be right in some aspects, but nonetheless, these are Anlang disciples you are massacring." He turned to look at Grandmaster Maguire. "Dean, how about you let us Anlang grandmasters deal with them? They belong to Anlang and not Gudu-Xue, after all."

"They are to be taken in for trials," Xiao cut in again. "They are outlaws of Xenon."

"Shut up!" Kara screamed at him. "You are a classic example of a Gudu-Xue disciple. Nosy, thinks that everything is your business -"

"Except this is my business, Knight Nandken," Xiao said with a fake smile. "Knights have the responsibility of upholding a sense of moral that you seem to be lacking. Hand over the outlaws and it will be all sunshines and rainbows."

One bandit ran up to the three at the front of the line and whispered something into their ears. After he was done, the two grandmasters looked at Xiao with hatred and Kara's eyes lit up. "Did you or did you not brutally murder two of the Anlang disciples? Did you tear Fyodor and Bell apart limb by limb?"

Xiao furrowed his eyebrows for a second before he understood. "If you are talking about those two who murdered my brother, yes, I did."

"And Noah Sherman?" Kara asked, voice quivering in excitement.

"I helped with that," Xiao agreed.

Dorian Hughes looked at Grandmaster Maguire. "Dean, Xu, look at your disciple. I can't believe someone would do such a thing."

"They murdered my brother," Xiao repeated. "Among many others. I would venture to say that they deserved worse."

Kara looked at Grandmaster Maguire. "If you let me kill him, you can take whoever you want away."

"I'll take it," Xiao said quickly. "I'll take all three of you at once." He never thought that they would give up the criminals without a fight anyway.

"Xiao!" A chorus of shouts ran out, from not only his close friends but people like Hao and Robbie as well. Cole grabbed his shoulders and attempted to turn him around but Xiao pushed him aside. His mentors glared at him but he only smiled back, infuriating them even more.

"He has a death wish," Reece muttered behind him.

"He always had one," Stephanus supplied.

Xiao grinned at this, eyes still on the three Anlang knights. "What do you say?"

People from both sides glared at him. So Xiao grinned widely and walked to the middle of the both lines. "I'm halfway to you. Do your side of the deal."

"After I kill you first," Kara snarled. She pulled out her sword, a bright white thing, and stabbed. 

Right when that happened, all the bandits rushed up towards the Gudu-Xue disciples. And at the same time, a bunch of Xenon soldiers jumped down from the yard wall.

Xiao's white teeth reflected all of the blades' shadow and lights in the night.