Night had come quick and as Xander was about to leave, the castle was saying their farewells outside near the castle gates.

Xander pulled himself up to sit on Blade's back and looked back at the royal family that he had been sworn to protect since his seventh birthday.

King Charles was smiling and Queen Cecilia nodded her head at him. Callum nodded his head and Christopher was waving.

Xander put on his helmet and held up the kingdom's flag before he rode off past the castle gates, heading north.

When he had gotten far enough into his journey, he stopped into some of the darkest woods he had ever been a witness to.

Xander got off of Blade and patted the horse in a special way...it was a nonverbal signal to make a fire.

Blade breathed in and fire came out his mouth and a fire formed on the ground but didn't spread.

Xander smiled a bit and made a small bed from the things he had prepared while Blade laid down on the grass.

"Keep watch while I sleep?" Xander asked after taking off his helmet and laid down. The horse neighed quietly in response.

Xander started to slowly go to sleep and a dark smoke appeared around Blade.

There was suddenly a man sitting in the horse's place. He got up and put a blanket over the knight. He sat down next to his human friend and watched the fire. He was lost in his thoughts...until he heard something coming.

Weird looking lizards ran out from the darkness and Blade glared at them, making the lizards scream and turn back.

The lizards ran for maybe an hour before climbing up a large wall to crawl inside a deep, dark cave.

"....Watch them." A deep low voice growled and after a few seconds, the lizards ran back out.