Xiao and Cole poured over the map John handed them to familiarize with the geography. The fortress was built in Mount Roche, a small mountain far from the civilians. There were only two roads leading to and from the place - one Frank had blocked, the second was to be cut off by the main forces converging. Both marvelled at the details of the map and the plan that John developed.

"He can be a general, that one," Xiao said to Cole. "A commanding general who can actually win battles, not the ones we've got right now thanks to all the cronyism."

Cole laughed. "I believe it."

"He's done it right," Xiao continued. "Got a family, a kid, and the brains."

Cole didn't comment.

When the time came, Xiao and Cole followed John and the rest to the base of the mountain and waited. They watched as dark shapes flitted through the night. John led them closer to the mountain. Then, commotion was heard inside the fortress. With a wave of his hand, John led them into the battle. The soldiers of the local government surrounded the place.

Xiao and Cole ran side by side. When they neared the gate of the fortress, virtually no defense awaited them. The few bandits were hacked down and they tore threw the fortress. On the inside, however, a different scene played out. The bandits and knights were mixed together in a fight. The two shared a glance and jumped in. 

Even though they never trained together, they worked together well enough. Especially with Xiao throwing out well aimed darts once in a while, they were unstoppable for the untrained bandits.

Soon, the number of people on the battlefield lessened. Xiao only hoped that it was the bandits' number that was decreasing. Throwing a glance about, his hope was answered. He and Cole moved in deeper into the fortress, often yelling at people to surrender. 

Xiao utilised the moment to practice the Lightning Sword sequence. At first, he was well aware of everything going on and his every move, but then, everything else faded away and it was just his sword and the enemy. Until, that was, Cole screamed out.

Xiao whirled around and fixed his eyes on the subject of Cole's fright. Standing there, against the innermost layer of defense, was Jason. On either side of and behind him stood at least fifty bandits. The other bandits who were fighting quickly retreated and the fight broke apart. Jason laughed. "Welcome."

Cole took a step forward. With his dazed sort of gaze, Xiao couldn't be sure whether it was voluntary. Cole's grip on his sword was slack and he didn't look all that fierce. "Jason-ge, why are you here? Why are you supporting - "

"I'm supporting my own people, little brother," Jason said. "As you should."

"Why do you align yourself with the Ravens?" Xiao demanded.

Jason laughed, throwing his head back. "The Ravens! You've got to be kidding me. Maybe I wanted to cause havoc on Xenon, at first, I admit. But now it's a matter of Anlang versus Gudu-Xue. And Cole, of course," he added as a delayed thought. "I don't give two fucks about the maidens but more about the rights of Anlang."

Xiao took a breath to rebuke him but Cole was faster. "What about the chivalry code? You are supporting an organisation at fault, Jason-ge! Come back with me to Wen River, that's all I ask for. And Gary and Owen," he turned to his other brothers who Xiao hadn't noticed, "please, come back. Apologize to Grandmaster Pye and you will be safe from all sanctions - "

"I have nothing to apologize for," Jason said. "This repression has been going on for way too long. We could be at fault, but this will be just the right opportunity to show these pretentious brats from their sacred sects that we can control Xenon."

Cole was shaking. Not being able to see his face, Xiao didn't know whether he was shaking from anger or sadness. Either way, he needed to speak up. He addressed the whole of the crowd in front of him. "I don't believe that there is only one sensible Anlang Sect Disciple here. Is Cole the only one who understands that abducting maidens and affiliation with the Ravens is wrong? Do you want your sisters to be taken away? If you want to fight for the Anlang Sect, be on this side of the battle."

Jason laughed again. "Xiao-ge, how was jail time?"

"Don't you talk to me," Xiao hissed at him. "I haven't got time with a rapist!"

"Rapist?" Jason repeated. "Are we - "

Xiao cut him off. "You were molesting Rose at the back of Mount Huai! Who do you think shot you three darts? You've lost to me once before. Surrender before you lose again."

Jason sneered, not even bothering to address his crimes. "Alright then. One on one, me and you."

"No, stop!" Cole yelled. "Jason-ge, see sense will you? Come to Wen River again - "

Jason barely spared him a glance. "I didn't think you were this corroded with the Gudu-Xue alliance's philosophies. I knew you weren't much fun but - " he lunged at Xiao mid-sentence.

Cole gasped but Xiao was prepared. He blocked the sword and swung his own at Jason's neck. Jason blocked it too and retaliated. The month they've been apart, Xiao had improved far more than Jason. Within ten blows, Jason was struggling to block his Lightning sequence, much less attack back. Smirking, a gleam in his eyes, Xiao pushed him back. Jason's forehead glistened with sweat. 

With a quick jab, Jason's leg had a hole in it. With another, his shoulder was sliced open. Jason cursed as blood rushed down. Xiao made to kill but something else caught his eyes. Standing to the side were three men, one tall, one short, one red-faced. They were his brother's murderers. Instantly, his attention on Jason waned. Taking that opportunity, Jason disappeared into the crowd, hand over his shoulder. 

Xiao let him go.

Seeing that their leader left, the rest of the bandits rushed away. Instantly, the battle restarted again. Xiao almost flew across the yard to his enemies. They were running away just like the rest of the bandits. Xiao's sword went threw the tall one. The other two saw him and they fled. Xiao tried to follow but he caught in the mob and had no choice but to fight. There was an overwhelming amount of bandits.

For a brief moment, when he was without an opponent, he found himself face to face with Gary. Xiao glared at him but didn't move his sword. "For Cole's sake, I'll let you go," he spat at him before launching himself into a fight between two bandits and a twenty something knight who had slighted him. The knight seemed shocked at his aid but was grateful. Xiao glared at him too before leaving.

They gradually captured most of the knights, though some ran away. Xiao looked through all of the captured bandits and to his disappointment did not find the remaining of the two murderers. Cole came over.

"Hey."

Xiao looked at him and smiled despite his frustration. "Hey."

"About Jason," Cole began, "thank you for not killing him."

Xiao smiled wryly. "Believe me, I tried."

"It was the murderers, I know."

Xiao looked away. "Two out of three fled."

"Let's go check out the rest of the bandits of captured," Cole suggested.

By the way he spoke, Xiao knew that Cole felt guilty because of his brothers. He knew that Cole would throw himself into helping John in order to feel better. Thus, he tagged along.

They walked down the slope to where Frank was standing with soldiers bustling around him. More bandits, low ranked soldiers and highly skilled night walkers, were tied up and gathered together. There were dead bodies too, waiting to be buried. Xiao scrunched his nose at the intense smell of sweat and blood.

Cole, however, rushed forward and clung onto a corpse. Xiao and the rest of the people stared, frozen on the spot. Xiao felt a sense of deja vu flood over him. He had done the exact same thing to Bradley's coffin. He watched silently as Cole weeped over Jason and he felt sad too. Jason would have been an asset to the world had he not been the way he was. But Jason had really been a disease that one would do well to avoid and Cole needed to see that. 

So Xiao came up and laid a hand on Cole's shoulder gently. He felt Cole's shaking. "Come on," he urged softly. He didn't know where they would go, only that they shouldn't stay here. Jason wasn't worth the tears.

Cole ignored him but remained by Jason. Pursing his lips, Xiao stayed by him until all the prisoners were taken away and the other bodies followed. Finally, two soldiers came for Jason's. Xiao's hand tightened on Cole's shoulder slightly. "Cole, they are burying him. Let's go."

Cole nodded meekly and got up. Xiao made to follow the soldiers to the grave but Cole shook his head. "I don't want to see it."

Xiao nodded. He reached for Cole's hand and squeezed, an action which Cole returned. But when Xiao took away the force, Cole didn't let go.