Chapter 3: Rebirth of the King

As Roland and his sisters ran to the battlefield where the trapped huntsmen and huntresses were, Grimm began to approach the three of them. As they all readied themselves for battle, Artheo's voice echoed in Roland's mind, "Young Roland, my descendant, listen to my words. You will find that this blade is far superior to any other you have wielded. Dispatch the incoming Grimm and you will get a taste of its power…" Roland did as instructed and cut down the Grimm in single strokes like they were nothing. Scarla and Ella watched in amazement by the sword's power. Roland, too, was amazed by its power. More Grimm approached in the distance. The ancient king's voice echoed again, "Infuse the blade with energy and you will be able to release a wave of energy to assault enemies from afar…" Roland obeyed, and he saw the runes on the blade glow when he infused his energy into it. He swung his sword and a wave of royal blue energy was released, taking out the approaching Grimm. Suddenly, three Ursas jumped out at the three of them, attacking them all at once. Artheo's voice spoke again, "Raise your shield. You will find that it is superior at blocking attacks than any other shield…" Roland raised his shield to protect his sisters and found that he easily blocked the attacks of the Ursas. He countered and took one out, while his sisters dispatched the other two. "The sword and the shield are composed of a special metal that is stronger than the normal steel used to create weapons,"Artheo told Roland. "Hence, it gives the sword more striking power and the shield more defensive capabilities." Roland looked at his sword and shield, amazed by the power they held, and the three of them continued advancing and arrived at the plaza, where the huntsmen and huntresses were trapped.

"So now what?" Ella impatiently asked.

"Hang on give me a minute," Roland replied as he assessed the situation. Alright, he thought. How do we get them out of there? We need to create an opening for them to escape and find a position to fall back to in order to stage a counterattack. Hmm… Roland looked around and saw Mirlen's Library. That's it! We'll go there! Still, how can we break the siege? Artheo's voice echoed in his mind, "You can infuse more energy into the sword to unleash a more powerful attack or multiple attacks at once. Take care in that it will require more time…"

Roland's eyes opened after hearing the advice of the ancient king. "I got it!" he said as he relayed his plan to his sisters.

"You think it will work?" Scarla asked.

"Of course it will work!" Ellla retorted. "It has to work!"

"Ella's right," Roland said. "This has to work or we've lost! So take whatever doubt you have and throw it away! It will have no use here." Scarla and Ella steeled themselves at their brother's command and advanced to the roadway between the plaza and the library. "I'll create and opening and you two lay down covering fire until everyone escapes," Roland commanded. "Got it?"

"You got it!" his sisters replied. Roland then held his sword with both hands and infused it with energy. The runes began to glow blue followed by the sword itself. Roland swung his sword down and released a large wave of energy that plowed through the Grimm before him. The huntsmen and huntresses that were trapped saw that an opening was made for them, amazed by the attack they saw. "This way, hurry!" Roland called out to them. Scarla and Ella then laid down covering fire to maintain the opening. Roland also picked off any Grimm that threatened his sisters. The huntsmen and huntresses all complied and retreated to Roland's position. "Fall back to Mirlen's Library!" he commanded. They all retreated to the Library and the Rigorm siblings reunited with their parents. "Mom, dad!" Roland called out to them.

"Roland?! Scarla and Ella?!" his parents exclaimed.

"What are you three doing here?!" his dad asked him. "I thought I told all of you to stay in the shelter!"

"We saw that you guys were surrounded. We had to do something!"

"I couldn't sit and do nothing while you two were in trouble mom and dad!" Ella protested.

"Besides, we all took care of each other!" Scarla added.

"Look, why don't we talk about this after the battle?" Roland asked. "I've got a plan to get us out of this mess!"

"Fine, but we're going to have a chat with you later!" Dak replied, still angry at his children.

"What's the plan sweetheart?" Lilina asked Roland.

"Now that we're in the library, we retake the two sanctums surrounding it and close the gates. That will force the Grimm into a bottleneck by taking the main avenue to the library. We'll then focus our counterattack there and close the gate, forcing them into the plaza."

"Alright, then what?" Dak asked him.

"What's our supply on red dust crystals?"

"We don't have much but there's a store not far from here," another huntsman replied.

"Alright, I need a small team to go there and get as much as available. Once we force the Grimm into the plaza, we place the crystals there and ignite them. The explosion should wipe them all out," Roland said.

"But how are we going to do that?" a huntress asked him. "We're vastly outnumbered."

"If we do nothing, we're going to die anyways. Our families and friends are still here, we need to protect them. Who's with me?"

"Yeah!" Scarla and Ella cheered. Everyone started to rally, but the Grimm caught up to them. Seeing their large number, everyone began to lose hope and Roland was scrambling to figure out what to do. He began to feel power well up inside of him. Artheo's voice spoke again, "Do not falter! Unleash the true power within your sword: the X-Blade Slash!" Artheo's voice said. Roland obeyed instruction and charged forward. He charged his sword with energy and the mark on his left hand began to glow. Then the runes, the blade and the "X" on the guard began to glow as well. He then swung his sword in the pattern of an "X" and a royal blue "X" appeared. Once it fully emerged, it became two waves that simultaneously flew forward at the Grimm causing many of them to be sent flying. Everyone recognized the attack as the signature attack of Artheo, and noticed that Roland was holding X-Calibur. Everyone marveled at what they just saw, inspiring them to rally and counterattack. "Everyone split into three teams. Two teams will capture the sanctums and one team will hold the line here. Also, get a small team to gather the dust from the store!" Roland commanded. He selected the strongest members to hold the line, the quickest and stealthiest to head to the store, and divided the remaining group into two teams to capture the sanctums.

Roland and his sisters led one team to the northern sanctum while Dak and Lilina led another team to the southern sanctum. The Grimm divided themselves in order to pursue their prey. Roland's team quickly ousted the Grimm that invaded the northern sanctum thanks to the blade he now carried and the teamwork everyone displayed. The battle at the southern sanctum went just as smoothly and both were secured. After closing the gates and leaving some troops to maintain the sanctums, the bulk of each team returned to help the team holding the line. Not long after, the small team returned with the dust. "Alright, place the dust in a pile in center of the plaza. Do not engage unless necessary," Roland ordered the small team. "Alright, everyone advance! Drive them back!" The Grimm were then driven back with Roland as the spearhead with his legendary blade. The Grimm were driven back to the gate and were forced into the plaza once the gate was closed. The small team returned after placing the dust. "Is everyone accounted for?" Roland asked.

"Yes sir, the dust is in place," the huntsman replied. Both were surprised by how Roland was addressed. "Alright, I need long-range fighters on the walls! Aim for the dust!" he commanded. Sharpshooters, along with Scarla and Ella, climbed onto the wall and targeted the dust crystals. "Fire when ready!" Roland called out. The shooters hit their marks and the dust ignited. The explosion filled the whole plaza, wiping out the majority of the Grimm. A few still remained. "The enemy has suffered a great loss!" one of the shooters calls out.

"Great plan big brother!" Ella and Scarla praised.

"Excellent! Nice shooting!" Roland exclaimed. "Now, open the gates and advance into the plaza. Let's send these guys packing!" Everyone shouted in agreement. The gates then opened and huntsmen and huntresses alike pour out to finish off the Grimm. "Victory! We have victory!" everyone calls out after the Grimm were routed.

"Alright, let's assess the damage," Roland said. "Check the Library and make sure nothing's been taken, and check on the civilians in the bunker." Everyone then went out as ordered. Roland's parents then came to him and his sisters to talk with them. "Mom, dad," he said. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"We're sorry mom and dad…" Scarla and Ella added, hanging their heads low.

"I just had-" Roland began to say before his dad cut him off.

"Stop son," his dad said. "You three more than made up for saving us all. You three handled yourselves like true huntsmen and huntresses today. Actually Roland, you handled yourself more like a captain on the battlefield. You're a natural leader in how you turned a no-win situation around to a victory." His father smiled at him. His mother hugged him and said, "I'm so proud of you sweetheart!" She then hugged and kissed her daughters saying, "I'm so proud of you sweat peas!"

"And who would've thought that X-Calibur was here and that you were chosen to wield it!" Dak said. "So how'd you know?"

"Well," Roland began. "I heard-" Roland was cut short when he heard Artheo's voice, "Do not celebrate yet. An evil still lurks here!" Roland looked around and saw a huntsman approaching. "Some books were stolen from the library!"

"What?!" Roland exclaimed. They all then left to investigate. They entered the library and found a secret door to a room that was recently opened. "This was here?!" Dak exclaimed. They investigated the room and found books containing several powerful spells and clues to the location of several treasures. Two tomes were missing. "It all was a distraction," Roland said. "Someone must've been using the Grimm. They must've studied the library thoroughly if they knew this was here. I thought the Grimm were behaving far more organized than usual."

"What? You mean controlled?" Dak asked.

"How else do you explain what happened? We need to form a search party. Those books will most likely prove to be dangerous in the wrong hands." They then left the library and headed to the bunker. After questioning the citizens, they said that one of them was behaving oddly and slipped out of the bunker and was headed towards the library not long after Roland and his sisters left. "…After that, we don't know where the young woman went," the citizen told Roland and his family.

"Wait," a huntsman said. "Isn't that her out there?" A young woman was seen headed towards the gate.

"Quick, after her!" Roland commanded as he ran off in pursuit.

"Roland wait!" Dak called out, but he was too late. Roland continued his pursuit and caught up to the young woman just outside of the city. "Hey you!" Roland called. "Stop right there!" The young woman turned around and said nothing. "Who are you?" Roland asked. "I haven't-" Roland stopped as he saw the woman carrying a bag that was weighed down by two heavy objects. "Wait, you took the tomes! Give those back!" Roland demanded. The woman simply smiled smugly as her eyes changed into pink and brown as well as her hair. She then got out an umbrella and charged at Roland. Roland raised his defenses and blocked the attack. Despite her small size, the woman attacked with deadly precision and avoided every attack Roland threw at her. Gah, Roland thought. I can't hit her at all! She's too quick. Alright think, how does she attack? Look for an opening. If I can't get to her, I'll just let her come to me. Roland then took a defensive stance and blocked and avoided the woman's attacks. He then began to notice a pattern in her attacks. She seems to favor strikes to cripple or kill her opponent, Roland thought. Alright, how's this?! After the woman attacked, he thrust his shield forward, causing her to recoil, and followed up with a strike. His sword connected only to see the woman shatter like glass, and he found her behind him. He then took several blows before he recovered. What was that? he thought. I had her but it was an illusion. Is that a semblance of some kind? If so, how am I even going to hit her? Artheo spoke once again, "Reach out and touch her with your hand. That will deal with her illusion…" Roland blocked another attack and touched her shoulder, causing a mark, the same as the emblem on the shield, to appear. The woman began to counterattack once again. Roland applied his same strategy from before and created an opening to counter. The woman simply had a smile on her face as Roland's blade was about to connect. "Focus now and close your eyes!" the ancient king commanded. Roland stopped his attack and complied. He closed his eyes and could clearly see the mark he left on her: it went from black to glowing blue. He opened his eyes and they began to glow blue as well. The woman faded before him and Roland saw her prepare to attack from the rear. Roland turned to counter and landed another attack. The woman then got a troubled look on her face as she saw that she could no longer create a glass illusion. Roland looked in amazement. Is this…? Finally, my semblance has awakened, Roland thought. It looks like I can mark my opponent using my aura and negate their semblance. It's just like Artheo's power in the legends! Roland continued the battle and landed another attack. The woman tried using the illusion again but nothing happened again.

Artheo's voice echoed again, "When you infuse energy into your blade, let it remain to give your physical attacks more strength..." Roland heeded the advice of the ancient king and advanced. He infused his sword with energy, causing it to glow, but did not release it. He saw that his attacks were stronger for short time. His strengthened attacks broke the woman's defense, and Roland landed a decisive blow. He then charged his sword and released another X-Blade Slash. The "X" wave made contact and the woman was swept off her feet and was dragged into further destruction. Her bag was knocked off of her and Roland retrieved it. He looked in the bag and found the two missing books.

The woman then got back up, despite being wounded, and prepared to attack. Roland stood ready and then heard his parents and sisters approaching. The woman then got a scared look on her face and retreated, vanishing before Roland could react.

"Roland!" Lilina exclaimed. "Are you alright sweetheart?"

"I'm fine mom…" Roland said, out of breath from the fight. "I managed to recover the tomes but the thief got away."

"Never mind that," Dak said. "What matters is that the tomes are recovered and that you're safe."

Scarla and Ella came up to Roland and gave him a hug. "Don't run off like that!" Ella demanded. "Do you know how worried we were?!"

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Scarla said, her eyes filling with tears.

Roland hugged his sisters back. "I'm sorry," he softly said to them. "Everything's alright now, so don't worry."

"So, why did the enemy go through such trouble in getting these books?" Dak asked.

"Let's find out," Roland replied. He got out the books and opened them, after handing one to his father. The one Roland had contained pictures of monstrous-looking Grimm and their locations. Roland turned to and found a page depicting a dragon-like Grimm depicted to be sealed in a mountain near Beacon Academy. The other book showed four relics and their locations at the academies of the kingdoms. "No way…" Roland said.

"It's a good thing you stopped that lady from taking these!" Ella said to Roland.

"Yeah," Dak added. "Who knows what she could've done with this information."

"I don't think it's that simple," Roland replied.

"Huh? Why not?" Scarla asked.

"That woman was carrying a scroll," Roland continued. "I was hoping to get it, but I could only get the tomes back. It's very likely she already has the information she needed on it anyways. She probably took the tomes as insurance."

"Hmm, you're right," Dak said. "I'll need to contact the Vale council. This could be serious. For now, let's head back."

While the Rigorm family returned to the city, Roland said, "There's still something that doesn't add up. How did the Grimm even get here? There was no mass negativity to draw them here."

"We found a black crystal that was emitting negative energy," Lilina said.

"We stopped when we found it and destroyed it," Dak added.

"I see," Roland replied. "That still doesn't explain how organized the Grimm were behaving."

"I know," Dak replied. "Unfortunately, no one has any clue why they behaved that way. You might be right son in that someone or something may have been controlling them. For now, we need to focus on rebuilding our city." As all of them began to return to the city, Roland's sword glowed and Artheo appeared before him and his parents. They all looked at Artheo, amazed. "Roland, is that?" Dak asked.

"Yeah dad, that's Artheo. I'll explain later," Roland said.

"You have done well my descendant. You drove away the Grimm and upheld your honor throughout the entire battle. Now you must master the new power that has awakened within you. Now then, I have imparted all the wisdom you need. I now leave my sword with you. Farewell…" Artheo then vanished.

"Thank you, King Artheo. I promise to never wield this sword in vain or in dishonor."

The Rigorm family then returned to Crealot and saw the ruined state the city was in.