Knights of the Otherworld REWRITE

by Ten-Faced Paladin

(REWRITE of KOTO). Destiny has always been a focus to the people of Ever After. However, Destiny is not so easily predicted or controlled. A force outside of Giles Grimm's written pages has forced itself into their world. A meddlesome mage, with the power of Prophecy, sees a solution outside of the context of their stories.

3. Chapter 3

I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. I am only writing this for fun.

Knights of the Otherworld

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 3: The Bat Knight and the Royal

We begin our newest chapter not on Arthur Pendragon, but arguably his best friend, Lance Beauregard, one of the new Knights of the Round Table alongside his friends and classmates.

He certainly has all the looks and charm for a Knight of the Round Table. No doubt he will be exactly what some deserving princess needs for her Happily Ever After.

*sigh* so charming…

(***)

Village of Book End - Library

"And there you go. Now bring it back by next week," Lance grinned charmingly, flirting with the girl who checked out the book he was handing her. "I'd sure miss you if you didn't."

The girl let off a fit of giggles, blushing adorably as she turned and headed out of the library with a shy 'goodbye'. Lance grinned, watching her go. He would have never guessed that so many beautiful girls would come through the library on any given day. It sure alleviated the boredom for the days he had to watch the front desk.

"I thought you were supposed to be checking out books, not girls," Darren joked as he wheeled a trolley of books

"Who says I can't do both?" Lance grinned back. "With so many damsels running around here, and more coming in for school, I can chat with them all and do my job."

*SLAM!*

Lance would deny to his dying day he had yelped in a high pitched tone when Rex slammed a heavy encyclopedia on the desk next to him. Darren's cackling would prove otherwise even as he wheeled his trolley away. The would-be King of Storybrooke High frowned as his palm rested on a thick book he had slammed down. His gaze was on his fellow knight with an annoyed frown, making Lance gulp mentally. When Rex wasn't happy about something, he tended to make that opinion known quickly.

"You claim to be doing both at once, but is that not your stack to replace?" Rex frowned, pointing to a stack of returns Lance had taken in.

Lance glanced over his shoulder to the stack of books he had been absently filling a trolley with since there was a rash of returns. He was quick to realize that it was full to bursting with books now that he was paying attention, "Um, I just had to get through the lineup."

"Permissible, although I have a feeling that the line would have moved much quicker if you weren't flirting with every pretty woman which was in that line," Rex said pointedly.

"Uh…it wasn't with every girl," Lance tried to defend himself. Rex's deadpan stare made him quail under its unimpressed intensity. "Okay, okay! I like to flirt. What's wrong with that? I'm single and if they told me they were taken I'd stop!"

"In and of itself? Nothing," Rex admitted. "But whenever girls get involved, you tend to lose focus on what you're doing and instead focus on them. We were all able to notice that before Merlin even brought it up in the last training session."

Lance grimaced. During their last training session, Lance had managed to do moderately well, able to block and defend Merlin's strikes. In the middle of it all, Lance's phone went off, telling him he had gotten a message from one of the many girls he had become Fablebook (Ever After's Facebook) friends with. By sheer reflex, his hand went for his phone. By the time he realized what he had done, Merlin clocked him, putting Lance down like a sandbag.

"Okay, it's a bad habit sometimes, but I'm pulling it in when it's important," Lance insisted.

"Admittedly, you're trying," Rex nodded, leaning back. "Although I distinctly recall Gwen putting you on your back before you got that message."

"Yeah, sure taught me to try and show off in a fight," Lance groaned. The idea was to show off for Gwen during spars, but she swiftly put an end to that by putting him on his back during their first spar. Lance learned to take them more seriously after that.

Rex nodded, remembering that amusing event before continuing, "But I'm noticing a trend that Harry tells me is constant. When girls get involved, your priorities change, even if you're supposed to be doing something else…like making sure the lineups are expedient like you're being paid to do."

Lance sighed, "Okay, okay, I get it. Ease up flirting while on duty."

"That's all I ask," Rex nodded. "And once you put those books away, your shift is over. I'm taking over."

"Yessir," Lance saluted, moving to move the trolley while Rex took his place behind the desk.

(***)

Lance certainly has been fitting in Ever After since his arrival. It would be easy to mistake him as a prince charming rather than a knight in shining armor.

He's got it all, even a cute, flirty, bad boy side. *sigh*.

Ahem, yes, but being a knight is quite different from being a prince. There are responsibilities that come with the title that are much different from a prince's.

(***)

Free of the library's duties, Lance was quick to head out to head to one of his preferred hangouts. He had a number of places which included Hocus Latte, the Multi-Hex, and sometimes the Dragon's Lair Arcade, trying to break the records that Gabe had been making almost daily. That day, Lance had his heart set on Hocus Latte and maybe flirting with the cute, freckled, barista that he'd see there.

Unlike many of his friends and teammates, Lance felt like coming to Ever After was an awesome opportunity. Not for anything like education or something so mundane. What Lance saw as the golden opportunity was his chance to step up and become a big darn hero.

Lance would admit, and his brother could certainly agree, that Lance liked being in the spotlight. He liked attention and often strove to do things which would help him stand out. Be it in his sports exploits with the basketball team, or having the hopping social life, Lance felt like he truly shone in the spotlight.

Back home, despite the fun he had, Lance was feeling like life was stagnating. Everything he did which got him into the spotlight, others had done plenty of time before. Sports trophies? Those things had numerous names on them for people who had done the same. Be at the right parties? Those were getting to be a dime a dozen, especially during the summer. Lance wanted to really stand out, make a name for himself, and do something totally unique to him.

That was why coming to Ever After was such a golden opportunity in his mind. In a world where fairy tales were real, Lance could become the hero of his own story. He was already a Knight of the Round Table, meaning he was already on the track to be that hero. Even if there were thirteen other people who could say the same, each of their armors were so different, Lance would stand out even if they were all together.

Now all Lance needed was a leading lady.

He was a jock, and he could admit that. With that came some behaviors which were expected from jocks. In Lance's case, he liked to flirt with ladies and he was good at it. With his good looks, confidence, and experience he could leave girls flushed and giggling with just a few well-placed compliments. He liked dating and being in relationships, although he would admit he hadn't found one that seemed like it was more than just fun so they would always part ways after a while.

In Book End, so far, it seemed like every girl was a fairy tale dream. Every girl he met so far was pretty, frashionable, and just all around beautiful. Lance was spoiled for choice on who his next girlfriend might be. Of course, the competition was fierce. Being fairy tales, so many of the guys were literal prince charmings, a girl's dream guy. Lance knew he would have to step his game up in order to prove to the princesses he was a true knight in shining armor.

'The question is, where do I start?' Lance pondered, crossing the street. 'Aside from the odd Sheerghost, Arthur's fight with that Solospider was the only action we've seen. The odd thing is that everyone seems more excited about Arthur winning than worried where it came from.'

In a show of diligence, Lance did sign up for Fablebook right after getting his new phone. Using it, he learned more about Ever After High and…admittedly wondered if there were children of some of the fairy tales he knew like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and others. Getting active on social media in Book End let him see the public result of the Solospider attack. As predicted by Merlin, once the monster was destroyed, everyone seemed more focused on Arthur and his suit, chatting about how King Arthur had returned to Ever After. It seemed that the fairy tale mentality of everything was fine once the monsters were gone proved true.

As he began walking by the Beanstalk Bakery, Lance just shrugged, 'Ah, it's a problem for later. We're able to protect people and the barrier's still up so only a trickle of the monsters can get through and…HELLO!'

Lance's thoughts abruptly stopped when he spotted a particularly pretty girl sitting at one of the tables in the bakery. Long flowing blonde hair, baby blue eyes, pale white skin tone, a red and white princess gown themed dress, and had that perfect appearance between beautiful and adorable in one incredible package.

"Blue-eyed, blonde, and built. All the checkmarks!" Lance grinned excitedly. "Okay Lance, time to get your knight on!" Taking a calming breath, he put on his most charming smile and prepared to go and make his move.

(***)

Apple White was a princess on a mission. That mission was to find her Knight in Shining Armor!

Like many of her friends, she was eager to hear more about the sudden appearance of the next King Arthur. Blondie's mirrorcast had been shocking with the appearance of the monster that attacked Raven. Everyone was shocked at the sight of the monster, even thinking it was some kind of staged event. That was until the monster tried to hang King Arthur by his neck.

Everyone also recognized that Raven Queen was there. Some worried she may have had something to do with that, but Apple knew she didn't. While it would be a great step to becoming her nemesis, Raven just wasn't the type to do that kind of thing to someone. Besides, Raven was more about doing things herself rather than relying on minions.

Still, seeing the video on the stream and then hearing that the next King Arthur had come to Ever After, it got Apple excited. As the next Snow White, Apple was always on the lookout for who might be her future Prince Charming. Most people thought that it would be Daring Charming, the Big Prince on Campus. Apple could admit she liked Daring, and he liked her, but neither of them had even tried dating yet. Apple just didn't feel the spark she expected to feel and none of the other princes in the school made her feel that excitement of her one true love like her Prince Charming should have given her. She was prepared to settle for Daring, but she always wondered about that spark her mother told her about in regards to when Snow White met her own prince.

Hearing King Arthur returned, Apple got excited. What girl didn't dream of meeting dashing Knights in Shining Armor who would rescue damsels and fight off monsters? Still, if King Arthur reappeared, then Apple wanted to see if he was her Prince Charming, or maybe could introduce her to the Knights of the Round Table who were no doubt following him! Surely one of them would be her Prince Charming!

Apple tried to get Raven to share what she knew about Arthur, but Raven was frustratingly stingy about sharing details, or even the phone number she managed to get. Apple really couldn't blame her though. With a heroic knight who was that dashing, any girl would try to keep him to herself for as long as she could, even if she was a villain like Raven.

So Apple decided to spend the day in Book End and try to find Arthur herself and welcome him to Book End, which being the daughter of Snow White was just the proper thing to do. Then perhaps they could talk and she could see just how charming he was, or get introduced to his court.

But finding him was proving more difficult than she thought.

"Phooey," she pouted as she stirred her coffee. "Where could any of them be? I checked Betty's Blacksmith shop, checked the Knightly Emporium, the Mighty Steed Dealership. Where else in Book End would knights like to go and hang out?"

She was so sure at least one of the Knights of the Round Table would be hanging out in one of those places. Weren't knights always looking to make sure their equipment was always in top form? Weren't they always preparing for their quests? So far, any place which related to that sort of thing turned up nothing.

Well, Apple White certainly wasn't afraid of a little hard work. Retrieving her mirrorphone again, she began typing up search requirements to see what other places in Book End. She absently hummed one of her favorite tunes, unintentionally calling some birds to come and chirp along with her.

(***)

Mirror World - Beanstalk Bakery

The Mirror World was deathly silent as it always was. Life was almost entirely absent as the monsters wandered, staring hungrily at the world which was barred from them.

Staring through the glass of a store which faced the Beanstalk Bakery was one of many such monsters. It was humanoid, but more lithe and nimble. Its body was armored, the inner pieces being a verdigris green while the outer portions, like the front chest and arms, were copper-colored. Emerging from the arms were thick extensions shaped like equine legs which followed the curve of its arms. Emblazoned on the chest was a gazelle skull symbol. Its face was elongated with four red eyes and a silver grill mouthpiece. Growing from its head were a pair of bronze horns like a bighorn sheep which grew out sideways and curled behind its head into sharp points.

This was a Magazelle, one of the many types of Zelle monsters which populated the Mirror World.

The Magazelle was intently watching the goings on of Book End. So many juicy morsels were right there, almost in arm's reach but just outside of it. The sight made the Magazelle's stomach rumble in demands to be fed. This in turn soured the Magazelle's temper as it wanted to feed, but found the way blocked.

Finally, the Magazelle let off a roar, losing its temper, and slammed it's head against the barrier which was keeping it from feeding. There was a resounding echo from the monster being repelled, making it stumble back. Huffing, it stared at the window, but stopped when it realized the window had changed. The barrier which flared to life when it tried to hit the window, now sported a long crack through its surface.

Now encouraged, the Magazelle charged at the barrier again. Lowering its head, it crashed against the damaged barrier with its full momentum. The impact was loud and followed by a smashing noise. The Magazelle let off a hoot of glee, seeing the way clear. Eyeing the juicy morsels it could snap up, it picked a gold and red one before diving through the glass.

(***)

Eeeeeeeeee!

Lance winced when he heard that now familiar screeching tone. He then couldn't help but begin to grin as he realized he was about to debut. Looking around, he tried to find where the monster was going to emerge.

"Come on you ugly sucker, where are you?" Lance muttered, trying to protect his ears while looking at anything reflective.

The glass window of a store across the street rippled before a bronze armored Magazelle charged out with a hooting shriek. It began to charge across the road, its gaze zeroed in on the blonde which Lance had been preparing to hit on. His eyes widened, thoughts of flirting temporarily vanished.

"Princess, look out!" Lance shouted, charging to intercept the monster.

Apple blinked, looking up. She was used to people calling her name, making declarations of affection towards her. This was a tone of voice she wasn't used to hearing. Looking up, she saw a handsome boy running towards her, near panic on his face rather than adoration like she was used to seeing.

His eyes weren't on her though, which was again something Apple wasn't used to seeing when it came to boys. Following his gaze, her eyes widened when she saw the bronze, horned monster charging at her, leaping at her with a beastial snarl and arms outstretched to snatch her.

"KYAAAAAA!" Apple screamed in maidenly fright.

In the apex of its leap, Lance crashed into the monster, knocking it to the ground. Both tumbled, before Lance came out on top. Pushing down at the Magazelle, he slugged it across the face to try and stun it. It grunted from the impact, but winced as the armor of the monster proved painful to hit. It worked, making the Magazelle flinch, but it snarled and kicked at Lance's chest, knocking him back.

Lance pulled himself up to his feet as the Magazelle did the same, "Okay, now to really get my knight on!"

He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his Advent Deck. Lifting it, he presented the bat emblem surface to a polished planter which surrounded the Beanstalk Bakery. His V-Buckle appeared in the reflection, spinning down to wrap around his reflection's waist which likewise appeared on his actual form.

Straightening up, Lance grinned and flexed his arm as he twisted at the waist to make a pose, "Henshin!"

Sliding the deck into the buckle, it activated and grayscale armor folded over his body before it solidified. The boy named Lance was now clad in a navy blue suit which sported sockets on the shoulders and knees. His torso armor was styled in the pattern of a bat's wing with silver sections and navy blue indents. His shoulder pads pointed up like the tips of bat wings as well. His helmet appeared almost identical to a knight's helm with a gold band in the middle while the visor's edges rose up like a pair of bat ears. His silver mouthplate also had the impression of fangs, enhancing the bat motif. Holstered at his side was a thin metal rapier which had a bat-shaped guard, his Dark Visor.

Apple gasped in delight from where she was hiding behind her table from the monster. The next King Arthur had a suit of armor appear like that! Quickly believing she just found a Knight of the Round Table, she frantically pulled out her mirrorphone so she could begin to record what would be a happily ever awesome debut!

The newly debut knight chuckled and pointed at the Magazelle which seemed to grow wary of him, "Alright creep, you just crossed the line, trying to attack a damsel so fair. So now, you're up against Lance Beauregard, Knight of the Bat. I am Sir Knight, the Black-Winged!"

Apple resisted the urge to squeal in delight at such a heroic introduction. It sounded so dark and mysterious, but said so proudly and heroically.

Knight drew his sword and squared down against the Magazelle. The Mirror Monster snarled and charged at him, leaping through the air with natural agility. Knight stepped back, avoiding the landing monster and it swung its armored fists at him.

Knight dipped and ducked, stepping back to avoid the strikes before he lunged and saw his opening. His blade swung in the air before it struck the monster's exposed torso in a shower of sparks. The Magazelle grunted, flinching back from the blow. Knight saw his opportunity and pressed on, slashing several more times. The Magazelle was agile though, managing to avoid several strikes.

"Ho, aha!" Knight spoke, swiping at the monster, "Dodge, turn parry, thrust," he followed the actions, recalling his steps from his training. "And Spi-*KRACK!* His words were cut off as the Magazelle managed to slip through his guard and headbutt him, forcing Knight to stumble back with stars in his eyes.

"Ow…okay, need a bigger sword," Knight huffed. He quickly drew a card from his belt. The Magazelle jumped to try and attack, but Knight spun out of the way, kicking the monster in the back to get some breathing space.

Knight quickly sheathed his sword before pulling pn the feet of the bat ornament of his sword. The wings opened up, revealing a chamber for the card. Knight placed the card inside, showing a black and silver lance, and shut the device.

[Sword Vent!]

Bursting from the window the Magazelle came from, a lance flew to Knight's awaiting hand. It had a silver handguard with a black shaft inlaid with gold and his emblem in the handguard. Gripping it tightly, Knight returned to the fray against the Magazelle.

The Magazelle runted and jumped into the fray, swinging at Knight with its fists. Knight grunted and lifted his Wing Lancer, catching the blow against his guard. Turning his sword, he tried to push the monster aside. A turn and a swing, he tried to strike at the monster. It grunted, crossing its arms as it blocked the blow in a blast of sparks.

Knight grunted, pushing back. Undeterred, he charged and thrust like he was using a lance. The Magazelle jumped to the side before crouching. With a hoot, he leaped at Knight, headfirst. Knight lifted his blade and the Magazelle crashed against it. Knight grunted and stumbled back, landing back against the wall of a building.

"Oh no!" Apple gasped, seeing her new hero pushed back against a wall.

Knight huffed, ignoring the slight pain in his back as he stared down the Magazelle as it was preparing to jump for another attack. Knight acted quickly, drawing another card. The Magazelle let off a cry as it jumped again, aiming for another crushing headbutt as Knight slid his new card into his Dark Visor.

[Guard Vent!]

Knight pushed himself off the wall as behind him, the window rippled before a black blur emerged from the glass, attaching to Knight's back by the sockets in his armor. It appeared to be a silver and black bat with the wings acting as a long, flowing cape.

Knight grabbed the edge of the cape and lifted it up to act as a barrier between himself and the Magazelle. All who were watching wondering if the new knight had lost his mind. Their eyes widened in shock when the Magazelle crashed against the fabric of the cape before Knight threw his arm and the monster was thrown back by the recoil.

"Thanks Darkwing," Knight praised to the armament on his back, which made a shrill squeak. Gripping his Winglancer, he charged at the stunned Magazelle. He swung hard as the Magazelle tried another sloppy charging headbutt. The blade came down and crashed against the monster's head in a shower of sparks.

The witnesses winced as a screech echoed through the air. The Magazelle stumbled back, clutching its head. One of the horns had been severed, leaving the left side of the monster's head looking unbalanced, the broken horn on the ground with a smoking stump.

"Whoops! Looks like I gave you an uneven cut there," Knight mocked. "Lemme fix that."

The Magazelle snarled, clutching its head in pain. Snarling, it took a leap, flipping over Knight's head before it ran for the window it emerged from. With a leap, it dove into the glass, vanishing as it fled back to the Mirror World.

"Man…" Knight huffed. Now he was going to have to go hunt the thing down and report to Merlin about the break in the barrier. Gripping his Winglancer, he prepared to go after the monster…

"My hero!" Knight turned around, only to find himself glomped around the waist by Apple. He stumbled slightly, surprised to suddenly find his arms full of a happy blue-eyed blonde. He looked down at her, seeing her eyes sparkling in happiness, "Oh my wonderful, heroic knight! Thank you so much!"

Knight suddenly forgot about the Magazelle, chuckling as he rested his weapon over his shoulder, "Well, heh, it was nothing. Just a knight's duty to rescue a damsel in distress, right?"

"Ooooh, you even show such humility! You're a damsel's dream!" Apple gushed, releasing Knight. She immediately cast her eyes over his form, appreciating the knightly figure he cut, "Hmm, dashing cape, polished silver, knightly posing. Navy blue isn't a color you see on a knight, but it totally fits your theme. Oooh, I barely have to do anything! How Happily Ever Awesome is this?"

"Oh? And what does the fair lady seek me for?" Knight asked with a chuckle.

"Why else?" Apple tittered, looking cutely adoring. "I'm looking for my Prince Charming, or maybe my Knight in Shining Armor," Apple then blinked in realization. "Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself, have I? My name is Apple White, daughter of Snow White," she even finished with a proper princess curtsey even if she didn't have the full gown on.

"A pleasure, princess," Knight chuckled, giving a bow back. "I'm Lance Beauregard, a knight of Camelot."

"I know, I heard your incredible introduction!" Apple beamed. "Ooooh, Sir Lance, even your name is knightly!"

"Aw shucks, thanks," Knight chuckled. "Well, I didn't imagine that my debut would have me rescuing a real princess."

"Then this might just be destiny at work," Apple smiled. "I would love to meet the brave knight who came to my aid. Would you like to sit down with me?"

"It would be my pleasure," Knight grinned. Reaching to his belt, he removed his Advent Deck. His armor, and his Winglancer shattered off. His cape swooped up and dove back to the Mirror World. Some witnesses blinked, confused as to what happened but Apple was too enamored with Lance's knightly charm to really notice.

His armor gone, Apple did another check of Lance and she couldn't help but nibble on her lip as she liked what she saw. Lance was not classically handsome like Daring Charming, but he had a more solid and humble handsomeness around him. It all served to make Apple more excited, feeling like she was in a whirlwind as everything was playing out like it was destiny.

Lance couldn't help but take in Apple's beauty now that he was able to see her up close. Now he could take her in properly, she really did fill out the triple B's. She was energetic and flirty with the cute way she would bite her lip and eagerly talk to him, but was also as graceful as any princess could hope to be. As a bonus, she was eager to get to know him just like he was hoping to get to know her. Seeing mutual enthusiasm in a girl he had his eye on just made the entire flirting process much more fun.

"Well, if a lady asks for it, I just can't say no," Lance grinned.

Apple beamed and quickly captured Lance's arm in her own, "Wonderlandiful! You're new to Ever After, right? I can show you around and we can get to know each other."

"I'm in your care then princess," Lance smiled charmingly, making Apple's pale cheeks turn pink.

(***)

Book End - Library

Arthur hummed as he slipped books back onto the shelves. When the group wasn't training, Merlin was really taking advantage of having fourteen live-in employees. He wasn't unfair about the part-time hours he gave them to work in the library, but it was pretty clear that he was enjoying having so many 'minions' he could order around to deal with the little things in the library he thought were considered boring or mundane.

With the books shelved, Arthur moved back to the front desk where Kevin was idly reading through one book or another which had been returned.

"Just one book?" he asked, getting back to his chair.

"Business is slow right now," Kevin replied. "Mira says it's because with the students coming back, all of the locals are getting busy so they aren't coming to the library as much."

"Oh," Arthur nodded. It was a school town after all so a lot of the local businesses had their best times during the school year. With as many students going to Ever After High as it seemed, there would be plenty of business to keep the locals busy.

Deciding to amuse himself since the front desk was dead at the moment, Arthur pulled out his mirrorphone and began checking for messages.

"Hoping to hear from your new friend?" Kevin asked. "What was her name…Raven, right?"

"Yep," Arthur nodded, opening his app.

"Supposedly the next Evil Queen of Snow White's story?" Kevin asked.

"So I've been told," Arthur nodded. "To be honest though, she's really nice and doesn't want to be like her mother. You can tell just by looking at her."

"Hm," Kevin nodded, flipping through his book.

Arthur opened up his phone to Fablebook, the Ever After equivalent to Facebook. Scrolling through the tabs, he had seen that Raven had fired him off a message. Always happy to talk to a friend, he popped open the message to see what she had sent.

NotSoEvilQueen: Hi Arthur.

DragonKnight01: Hi Raven. What's up?

NotSoEvilQueen: Catching up on some reading I've been meaning to do. My roommate is off hunting for you or your other knights so I finally have some peace.

"Uh oh," Arthur grimaced.

"What?" asked Kevin, looking up from his book.

"Raven says the next Snow White is looking for us," Arthur reported. "Maybe looking for her next Prince Charming."

"Oh. Is this what having fangirls like?" Kevin chuckled. Arthur cracked a grin before he began writing a response.

DragonKnight01: Oh boy. How bad? Fangirl or is she thinking like a princess?

NotSoEvilQueen: Bit of one, and bit of another. She was out the door before I could ask, but I think she wants to see if you or one of your knights could be her Prince Charming.

Arthur frowned slightly as he pondered that. Since becoming friends with Raven, he did get a bit of a crash course in the who's who of Ever After High. Apple White's name came up, mostly because she was Raven's roommate and she often complained about Apple's determination for them to be frenemies and achieve their destinies together. Something Raven wasn't so keen on. Talking about Apple tended to drift towards her Royal clique and some of the other popular students at school.

DragonKnight01: Wait, isn't she with some prince charming already? Daring or whatever his name is?

NotSoEvilQueen: They've never made it official according to her. I guess Apple wanted to keep herself available for whoever her destined Prince Charming might be.

DragonKnight01: Well, if she ends up here we'll point her at Lance. He loves to show off for girls so the rest of us can get away while they charm each other.

NotSoEvilQueen: LOspeLLZ. One in every group I guess. But I thought knights liked to show off for damsels.

DragonKnight01: Ah, you know me. I don't like getting fawned over. I'd rather just hang out with people who are more chill, like you.

CrazyTeaCozy: Ooooh, you two are as sweet as a tea cake!

NotSoEvilQueen: Maddie!

Arthur chuckled and set his phone aside as Raven began to chat with Maddie. As much as it sounded like a joke, Arthur hadn't been kidding around when he said he would just throw Lance at any princesses or damsels trying to chat with him or get his attention. Blondie's mirrorcast had gone viral since it captured the fight with the Solospider. Anyone who had seen Arthur in the library since seemed shocked to see him there. Some tried to question him, others tried cozying up to him, but Arthur used his part time job as a reason why he couldn't talk and escape them.

Still, the frequency of such events was slowly increasing as word began to spread and more students began to come to Book End for school. Considering the action in the video of the mirrorcast, people were going to be talking about it for a while.

*bing!*

Arthur glanced at his phone as another message came to his chat. He first thought it was Raven talking to him again, but then realized it came from the chat room, Knights of Camelot. Thinking one of the others had an important message, he quickly opened it.

BatKnight02: Hey y'all! Just scored a date with the fairest in the land! Thank you Magazelle!

Along with the chat was a photo of Lance grinning, clearly as a selfie. With him in the shot, giving a beautiful smile was a girl with long blonde hair, pretty blue eyes, full red lips. Both were clearly having fun if their smiles meant anything.

"That was fast," Arthur blinked.

"What is it?" asked Kevin, looking up from his

"Lance might have gotten a new girlfriend. I think this has to be a record. The school year hasn't even started yet," Arthur commented. "Apparently he fought a Magazelle to meet her."

"He did?" Kevin pulled out his own phone and opened up to the Fablebook. As he opened it, he saw the front page. It was filled with multiple videos posted about a 'new Knight of the Round Table'. The comments were lighting up about 'how heroic' it was, or people commenting on Apple White gushing over him.

Kevin quickly tapped on the video, letting it play. It started as Lance dove into the fray as Knight. The fighting continued for several moments before Knight managed to strike a critical blow and sever one of the Magazelle's horns. The monster, clearly wounded, decided to cut its losses and dive back into the Mirror World. Knight looked like that he was going to follow, but the blonde princess suddenly jumped into the scene, starting to gush over Knight. Knight promptly began showering her with attention as they chatted and the video ended.

"That idiot!" Kevin cried. He quickly opened the chat and began typing a message.

GazelleKnight10: Lance, did you chase the Magazelle? Merlin said they hunt in packs! It will come back with help!

DragonKnight01: Lance, please respond!

PhoenixKnight08: LANCE!

(***)

Book End - Cafe

Lance and Apple did have a stroll through Book End, Apple eagerly showing off all the hottest spots to hang out at. Lance knew plenty of them already from his own explorations, but he politely allowed Apple to show him around. She kept a gentle, but firm grip on his arm like any lady did with a gentleman as they walked.

Lance had to admit that Apple was every bit the princess she looked like. Her movements were graceful and poised without really trying. Her voice was melodious, like she could break out in song at the drop of a hat. Of course, he thought she was pretty from a distance but up close she was radiant. She also gave off an aura of kindness and charm which Lance couldn't help but be at least a little smitten by.

He had dated girls who were pretty before. Some aspiring instagram models or girls who came from the rich side of town. Without trying, Apple was leaving them all in the dust, but was as kind and humble as any ordinary person. She didn't expect to be treated special, and even waited for a family of ducks to cross the street in front of them before they continued walking.

It just strengthened Lance's resolve to not blow this chance with a girl this amazing.

Their casual tour came to a cute cafe where they took seats and got some snacks and tea to enjoy. It wasn't as big as the Haberdashery and Tea Shoppe, but it was cozy and calmer for those looking to just relax and let their minds wander.

Of course, the two were getting plenty of attention. Apple was rather famous around Book End, being the next Snow White, and Lance had gotten some serious attention as the video about him was swiftly going viral. Her fellow fairy tails were either taking the chance to get tables to try and hear the gossip, or others were circling the block to try and look casual and see what Apple was up to.

Fortunately, both of them were used to being the center of attention so they weren't bothered by it.

"So, Sir Lance," Apple daintily stirred her tea. "Please tell me about yourself."

"Just Lance, please princess," Lance chuckled.

"Only if you call me Apple then. I insist," Apple giggled.

"Alright then Apple," Lance nodded. "Well, to be honest I only came into knighthood recently. Before, I was just an ordinary high schooler. But then, well, I guess you could say destiny called and I was ready to accept it."

"Wow. So you're newly knighted?" Apple gasped.

"By Merlin, court wizard of Camelot himself," Lance nodded, earning a gasp of awe from Apple. "He's the custodian of the Round Table until a new King Arthur is ready for it. New knights were needed and Merlin used his hocus pocus to figure out we were the best ones for the job."

"Oooh, so which destiny do you think will be yours?" Apple asked eagerly. There were so many knights who were members of the Round Table over the ages. So many heroic knights coming to Ever After to follow King Arthur had a lot of her friends fall into excited speculation and Apple was no different.

"I do fancy myself a fine Lancelot," Lance grinned. "Been training hard since I got knighted and Arthur is my best friend, so I think destiny might be pointing me in that direction."

"Wow," Apple smiled dreamily. Everyone knew Lancelot was one of the most chivalrous, skilled, and most charming Knights of the Round Table. Her mother admitted during one of their 'girl talk' times that she was so charmed by Lancelot during her time at Ever After High. Despite disappearing, plenty of people remembered their heroic stories.

Still, she could swoon later, right now she just had to know more about Lance! Taking a sip of tea, she decided to press on, "Well then Lance, what else can I know about my Knight in Shining Armor?"

"Well, I'm an open book," Lance shrugged. "Lessee, I'm a bit of a jock, love basketball and I'm good at it if I do say so myself. I've got a twin brother, fraternal. His name's Harry and he's a knight too. I'm the more outgoing of us, but he's the more studious one. Sometimes he keeps me from doing something a little too crazy," he winking in a conspiratorial way at Apple, "But I like to think he didn't need to be worried. I know the risks and can laugh when I get egg on my face."

Apple beamed prettily as she heard Lance's description. So far, she was liking everything she was hearing about Lance. He was clearly brave, chivalrous, and definitely charming. Friendly, handsome, and very nice. Hearing him talk about his brother said to Apple he had strong bonds with family and his brother certainly sounded like he could be a good advisor.

"Well, let's see," Apple hummed. "I'm an only child, so I think you having a twin sounds nice. I like to sing and dance when I get the chance. I'm very community-minded, like to help people in need and make life better for everyone."

"Very nice for a future queen," Lance praised. Apple was starting to sound way too good to be true. She was like some Mary Sue out of stories. Then again, they were in a fairy tale world and she was geared to be the next Snow White, one of the kindest, most beautiful, and all around perfect stories of all time. In that context, maybe it wasn't so weird that someone could be so good. It certainly made Lance see Apple as even more attractive.

'This is going to be a good day,' Lance thought with a smile as he continued his impromptu date with Apple.

(***)

Book End - Library

After Lance refused to answer his phone, or perhaps did not even know that the others were trying to contact him, Rex immediately called for a meeting. Fortunately most of the others were working their shifts at the library. Others who were at another place in town were quick to return when they got Rex's rather pointed message.

Mirror Monster on the hunt. Everyone return at once. A life is at stake!

Thirteen of fourteen knights were able to arrive promptly, allowing all of them to be circled in the middle of the library underneath the tree which grew in the middle of it. A table had been set up with a map of Book End on it and Rex was situated at the front and Merlin standing at the edge of the room, patiently watching in case the teenagers needed his advice.

"Glad to see almost everyone can attend," Rex frowned. "For those of you who didn't check the chat, it seems Lance had fought a Magazelle today, but rather than finish it, he apparently decided that a girl fawning over him was more important and let it get away."

"Oh godmother dang it Lance!" Harry hissed, facepalming

"Are you joking?!" Max gaped. "He actually let it go so he could flirt?"

"Doesn't he know monsters just come back if they don't get what they want the first time?" asked Rob, confused at the sheer…incompetence Lance showed.

"Probably too busy with his social media or trying to impress me when we got that lesson," Gwen grit her teeth. "Harry, what is wrong with your brother? Does he do this all the time?"

"He's always been girl crazy since he discovered girls. Once they get into the picture, common sense tends to fly out the window," Harry sighed the sigh of the long suffering.

"It's why he never made varsity on the basketball team," Arthur shook his head. "He'd skip practices or get distracted on the bench or even do something risky during games if it meant he'd impress some cheerleaders or girls in the stands. He's good, but if enough pretty faces get involved, he starts getting cocky."

"Dude," Kyle blinked. He looked at Gwen, "Am I that bad?"

"Let's not find out," Gwen shook her head. "Rex, are we hunting for that monster now?"

"Precisely, since Lance couldn't find it in him to do his job," Rex growled. "I will coordinate with Merlin here with Mira's help to cover where we can. Everyone will be split into teams of two and explore the Mirror World to try and hunt this Magazelle down before it tries for a meal a second time."

"So who goes where?" asked Tristan.

"You and Kyle will stake out around the Multi-Hex Theater," Rex pointed at the map. "Gwen and Gabe will cover the shopping area. Rob and Kevin will cover the residential district. Ben and Gawain will cover main street. Max and Darren will patrol the streets, covering the gaps between these areas."

"That's a lot of ground to cover," Arthur frowned. Book End, while quaint in appearance, was still a large place. "What about Harry and I?"

"You two, knowing Lance best, are going to track him down and light a fire under his butt," Rex replied. "If he still has that blonde with him, all the better since we know the Magazelle will be hunting after her. Smack him upside the head and remind him just what is at stake. Preferably without causing a panic."

"And remember that this Magazelle has a broken horn," Kevin reminded everyone. "It's at least marked so we know which one we're looking for."

"But can't you just use your Zelles to track it down?" asked Rob.

"Not all Zelles run in the same herd," Kevin shook his head. "My herd is docile so long as I feed Gigazelle and he passes it on to them. The others are not as patient or kind."

"Any chance you know enough about Zelles and their habits to figure out where this one might go?" asked Rex.

Kevin snorted, "Not even close. Gigazelles maybe, but I don't have any of the higher breeds as part of my herd. I can guess, since they're the same subspecies but it's a shot in the dark at best even if Merlin adds his two cents."

Max tapped his chin, "But it will still be hunting, right? Or would it need time to recover because of the damage it took?"

"Common sense would dictate that the Magazelle might need time to soothe its wounds, or at least get used to the pain after it lost a horn like that. I imagine like any animal with horns, it would feel like it broke a bone," Merlin finally spoke up. "But considering it must be ravenous, it may not be willing to go that far lest it lose track of the girl. What worries me is like Kevin said, Zelles are a herd mindset Mirror Monster."

"Meaning?" asked Gabe.

"It will likely get reinforcements, either to overwhelm Lance as payback or distract him so it can get to the girl," Kevin frowned.

"Exactly," Merlin nodded. "Magazelles are higher in rank than Gigazelles or Megazelles, so I don't think it will have a hard time finding help."

"Dang it Lance," Arthur growled. Lance was his best friend, but there were times he made Arthur want to pull his hair out with his shenanigans. Back home, it was just annoying. Here, lives were at stake and it seemed that he hadn't really gotten that yet.

"Then we have no time to waste," Rex huffed. "Everyone, let's go and if you find Lance, give him a boot up the butt for all of us. If you manage to find and/or eliminate the Magazelle, make sure we all get the message."

Everyone nodded and the meeting quickly broke up as they dashed for their assigned areas. Time was not on their side and they had a lot of ground to cover. Many of them just hoped that they could find Lance and his date before the Magazelle got the endurance to try again.

Otherwise a princess was going to get a very Bad End.

(***)

Oh my gosh! I'm at the edge of my seat!

Calm down Brooke. I'm sure the Knights of the Round Table will save the day like any good heroes.

But Mom! That monster could come from anywhere!

It could, but the Knights are working hard to find their comrade and save the day.

I hope so, Dad.

(***)

Book End - Streets

Arthur and Harry both moved through town, looking for their missing comrade and his date. They had gone to the various hotspots in town that they knew of. The Red Shoes Dance Club, Hocus Latte, the Haberdashery & Tea Shoppe, and some of the others which had been recommended to them, or they heard about.

Arthur heaved a sigh as he checked his phone while coming out of Hocus Latte. Looking up the road, he saw Harry approaching him, "Anything?"

"Aside from everyone there telling me how awesome the fight was, Lance and Apple left after the action was over," Harry frowned. "Supposedly to have some time alone together or something. No one knows which way they went."

"Crud," Arthur frowned. He closed the screen on his phone, "No one's seen any signs either. That Magazelle is laying low or it's just in a spot waiting for the girl to be by herself."

"It's not going to lick its wounds forever," Harry nodded. "Do we know anywhere else they may have gone?"

"We're all new here and we barely know any of the locals," Arthur frowned. Being so new, none of their group really knew Book End all that well. They knew the main points to visit, but Book End wasn't a small place and had plenty of stores, shops, and places to hang out or spots to go on dates at.

Harry perked up, "Wait, that girl you said you met. Raven, right? Maybe she might know?"

Arthur blinked, but then nodded, opening up his messaging app, "Right. Maybe."

DragonKnight01: Raven, where are good spots to go on dates and have some privacy but aren't part of the usual spots for the student population?

After a few moments, there was a reply.

NotSoEvilQueen: What!?

DragonKnight01: Lance, one of us, fought a monster today and now he's on a date with the girl he met. He let the monster go and Mirror Monsters don't give up on prey. It is going to come back and probably at a time where he isn't there to protect her! He's not answering his phone and we need to find them and fast! If you know anyplace, please let me know!

NotSoEvilQueen: Oh. I know there are some cafes which are kind of cozy. They're on some side streets and used more for locals who want to get away from the ruckus students can cause. Yarns and Nobles has some cozy corners I heard couples like to use. I'm sorry Arthur but my dating life isn't exactly hopping.

DragonKnight01: No, these are good. Thank you Raven. If you know who the girl in the video of the attack is, please find some way to contact her! If she's still with Lance, all the better!

NotSoEvilQueen: Right. Be safe!

"Anything?" asked Harry.

"Yarns and Nobles for one," Arthur reported. He was already scrolling through his phone for the search feature. "We start checking the side streets. Let's look up cafes, smaller restaurants and businesses. Apparently there are a bunch of them geared more for the locals and tucked away."

"Okay, Yarns and Nobles is on this street so we check there first," Harry nodded. "Any hits?"

"A few popped up," Arthur nodded. "We'll check them all out if we have to."

The two began to head back down the street towards the bookstore, hoping against hope that their friend was there.

(***)

Mirror World - Book End

The Magazelle sat crouched on top of a fire escape, absently rubbing its head where the missing horn ended. It's four red eyes showing a laser-like focus as it stared down at a casual cafe. Its gaze focused on a reflection of the patio, showing the people where there were none. Two in particular were its focus. The golden hair was unmistakable on its target.

Watching for several more moments, the Magazelle perked when the two got up and began to leave the cafe. Huffing, it let out a hoot into the air before leaping down to the street level. A pair of hoots followed and two humanoid figures emerged from the alley.

They were clearly Zelles, being the same shape as the Magazelle with the same face and four eyes. One was a deep blue with yellow panels on its armor, sporting straight horns. In its hand was a forked sword, styled much like a Zelle's head with a wide guard. The other had dull purple armor with brass patches while its horns were twisted like giant drills. In its hand was a staff with a zelle head motif with drilled prongs set on top.

These were lower ranked members of the Zelles, the Megazelle (blue and yellow) and the Gigazelle (purple and brass).

The Magazelle looked at the two monsters before letting off a hoot and began hopping down the street. The two followers watched it go before following, keeping a respectful distance away from it.

(***)

Book End - Ever After High

Lance and Apple casually strolled through the front gates of the famous school, coming up to the main building. Lance couldn't help but gape at the sight of the building, building around the beanstalk which reached up into the sky.

They walked to the far end where the doors to the dorms were. Lance brought Apple to the doors where they finally came to a stop, "Well, this is it I suppose."

"Yes. Still, thank you so much for rescuing me today Lance," Apple beamed.

"Ah, always ready to come to the rescue of a fair damsel like you," Lance grinned. "I hope this won't be the only time we can see each other."

"Oh, we'll see each other again for sure," Apple smiled, quickly fishing out her mirrorphone. "Here, let's share numbers so we can…talk again."

Lance happily exchanged numbers. Apple made sure to put a star next to the new contact, ensuring it was in her favorites list. Nodding happily, Apple put her phone today, "So, just one last thing I have to do for a knight so brave."

Lance blinked, but stopped when Apple leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek. Lance blinked, but began to grin as Apple leaned back, "Well, way to make a fellow feel appreciated."

"A damsel has to show proper thanks after all," Apple tittered. "Will I see you when the school year starts?"

"Absolutely," Lance grinned. "I'll keep an eye out for you."

Apple and Lance split with final goodbyes and Lance strolled back down the hill and into Book End. Strolling through the streets, he couldn't keep the grin off of his lips at the time he had with Apple. She was beautiful, elegant, kind, and just all around an amazing girl. She was every bit of the fairy tale princess he was hoping to meet since coming to Ever After.

Checking his phone, he saw that he was in the late afternoon as he saw the library in view. Whistling a jaunty tune to himself, he came up to the front doors and pushed his way in. Stepping through, he saw Mira at the front desk.

"Hey Mira, you're on shift?" Lance greeted with a wave.

Mira looked at him and her face was unusually stern, "Lance, report to Rex on the double, you are in some serious trouble."

Lance blinked, "Uh, what?"

Mira didn't say anymore, but just pointed down the isles towards the center of the stacks. Lance stepped forward and went to the middle of the library where a table was set up. Standing at it with Merlin was Rex, both pouring over a map and constantly checking their phones.

"Hey," Lance caught their attention, "Mira said something was up? Did I miss something?"

"Miss something?" Rex scowled. "I would certainly think so. While you were busy flirting yet again, you let a Mirror Monster get away!"

Lance winced, "Okay, well, yeah, but Darkwing's still okay for food for a while…"

"Lance, did you even listen to how I explained the habits of monsters or were you too entranced by the Fablebook profiles of girls you were hoping to chat up?" Merlin frowned. "Monsters, when they pick a target, do. Not. Give. Up! That Magazelle is going to come back, and now that princess you decided was a higher priority has a target on her back and you left her alone!"

Lance blinked, "Wh-what?!"

"This is exactly what I was telling you earlier!" Rex scowled. "Once a pretty girl gets involved, you completely drop everything else in your all-consuming desire to impress her! You neglected your duties just so you could run off and have a date! Now unless you tell us where she is, she is going to be a sitting duck for that monster!"

Lance blinked again, reeling from the utter fury that Rex was pointing at him, but also the implications of what he was being told began to come to register in his mind. He began to pale as it hit him, "Oh crud!"

"Lance. Girl. Where? NOW!" Rex roared.

Lance snapped to attention, "I took her back to the school and-!"

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

(***)

Ever After High - Dorms

Raven was sitting at her vanity table, tapping at her phone. Hearing about the appearance of a monster, she did find the video about the appearance of a new knight. To her shock, the girl he rescued and was clearly fawning over him in the video was her roommate, Apple White.

Somehow, Raven just wasn't surprised.

She had tried calling Apple, for once having a reason to use the number Apple all but forced on her as her future 'frenemy'. Since she was on a date, Raven knew that Apple likely wouldn't answer, but she had to try. Arthur sounded deathly serious about that monster coming back for a second shot at eating her.

She was trying to find possible spots Apple could have taken the knight on a date to try and get to know him. Knowing Apple, it would have to be someplace perfect for a damsel and a knight in shining armor to be cozy and get to know each other. Apple would want romance, privacy, and probably something fitting for a princess and her knight. Sadly, Raven was coming up short since besides the popular places, she didn't know that much about smaller places in Book End. She wasn't a local and her social life wasn't exactly varied in the first place.

As she was scrolling through another forum, the door to her room opened and Apple came dancing inside, a glowing smile on her face.

"Apple!" Raven gasped. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm wonderful!" Apple giggled. "I had such an exciting day and I met a total K.I.S.A.!"

"I heard," Raven nodded, getting up. "But, listen, Apple, Arthur was hexting me and said-!"

"Oh, the next King Arthur?" Apple blinked. Her eyes then lit up, "Oh, Raven, we could totally hang out with them together! You and Arthur, me and Lance, we could totally try double dates and meet all the other Knights of the Round Table! We could introduce our other friends who haven't found their Prince Charmings yet!"

Raven rolled her eyes. Trust Apple to keep focusing on Destiny and her friends who haven't found their destined loves, focusing on Happily Ever After instead of right now. Raven sighed, "Apple, listen, Arthur was hexting me and he was telling me about that monster that appeared today-!"

"Oh, Sir Lance took care of that nasty little thing," Apple waved Raven off, moving to her own vanity table to fix her own face. "It was dreadfully exciting but so amazing to see Lance being all heroic and charming."

"Apple, listen to me!" Raven groaned in exasperation. "Arthur said since that monster wasn't destroyed, it's going to-!"

*SMASH!*

"Whoo, whoo, whoo!"

(***)

Book End - Streets

Arthur and Harry, striking out at the places they thought that Lance and his date may have gone to, decided to double back to the library to see if Lance had come back that way. Coming to the front doors, they entered to hear the sounds of Rex shouting at someone, and when Rex was yelling, everyone could tell.

"He came back," Arthur deadpanned.

"He did," Harry agreed.

The two walked towards the center of the library, preparing to try and calm Rex down and then coordinate to find out where Lance's date was and track down the monster. They came upon Lance sputtering to reply, realizing what he had done.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

"Apple!" Lance cried, spinning around, nearly crashing into Arthur and Harry in the process. "Oof!"

"Good timing," Merlin shook his head. He stepped forward to the trio, "If the girl is at the school, it's going to be too far away for you guys to get there on foot and if you tried going through the Mirror World, you'd run out of time before you could get much fighting done."

"Then what do we do?!" demanded Lance.

"Transform and enter the crystal tunnel that's the gap between," Merlin answered. "I put something together to help you guys get around in emergencies like this."

"I'll contact the others and have them head towards Ever After High to back you up," Rex added. "Now get moving!"

The trio nodded and moved to the mirrors circling the area. All three lifted their Advent Decks, Harry's revealed to be a magenta color with a stingray emblem on the front. Their V-Buckles appeared in the reflections, wrapping around their waists and appearing on their actual forms.

"Henshin!" the three declared, sliding the decks into the buckles. Grayscale armors appeared around them, covering their bodies before solidifying. Knight and Ryuki's armor filled with color, as did Harry's with a bright magenta color.

His bodysuit was black with magenta gauntlets and greaves. His torso armor was mostly magenta, styled like older armor with straps over the shoulders and silver sides. His shoulder armor was bowl-shaped, magenta with yellow trim. On his left arm was a magenta stingray-shaped shield called the Evil Visor. His helmet was smooth, the faceplate being two curved silver plates with eight slits for the visor and silver mouthplate. The rest was magenta with a barbed ponytail hanging from the back.

"Let's go!" Knight leaped at the mirror, phasing through the glass. Ryuki nodded and looked to Harry, "Ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be," Harry nodded, stepping towards the glass, "And the name's Raia."

All three knights passed through the glass, finding themselves inside a tunnel of glass, filled with sparkling lights and panes of glass which were as clear as crystal. It was a beautiful sight, but the severity of the situation prevented the three from appreciating it.

"So where are our rides?" asked Raia.

Clopping noises echoed through the tunnel, prompting the three knights to turn. In a veil of sparkles from the tunnel, three horses emerged from the far end. They at first glance appeared armor from head to hoof, but closer inspection revealed that the three horses were constructs. The horses were colored by their respective knights and had the knight's emblem below their necks and on their hind flanks.

"These horses are built from materials in the Mirror World so they can survive there. They're also fast, able to get you where you need to go, hopefully before anything terrible happens." Merlin's voice echoed through the tunnel to his charges.

"Then let's mount up!" Ryuki nodded. Coming to his horse, he hefted himself onto the saddle. Knight and Raia did the same as they took the reins of their respective steeds. "Hyah!"

With a loud neigh, the three horses started charging down the tunnel, glass sparkling as they went and going much faster than any normal horse could.

'Just hang on Apple!' Knight thought desperately.

(***)

Ever After High - Dorms

"AAAHHHHHHHH!"

Apple's scream echoed through the halls of the dorm before the door to her and Raven's shared room slammed open. Both princesses ran for their lives, racing for the stairs. Doors opened and other students peeked out to see what the commotion was. Seeing the two running in the hall, some at first thought Raven was practicing villany with Raven.

"Woo woo woo!"

Those thoughts promptly died when the Megazelle and Gigazelle crashed into the hallway, chasing after Apple and Raven. Squeaks of fright and shock echoed as students slammed their doors shut to keep the monsters out. The Zelles had their focus strictly on their prey, so didn't try to take advantage of the people who were gaping at them before their senses came back.

"Raven, can't you blast them with magic or something?!" Apple shouted in fright as the two girls ran.

"I'm trying! My spells just bounce off them!" Raven huffed. Concentrating her power, she threw another orb of raw magic power at the pursuing monsters. The Gigazelle was the target and it raised its staff in defense. Like the Solospider previously, the orb bounced off and crashed into a portion of the wall, leaving a hole after exploding like a firecracker.

Hitting the stairs, Raven huffed, looking at the pursuing monsters. With the adrenaline, she suddenly remembered something from her last encounter with a Mirror Monster. Running with Apple, she quickly made a gesture with her hands, creating a line of magic across the doorway of the stairwell just as the monsters reached it.

The Megazelle let off a bleat of shock before it came crashing down from the magic tripwire, crashing down a flight of stairs before crashing on the landing in a heap.

"Yes!" Raven grinned.

A snarl from above announced the Gigazelle as it jumped over the tripwire. Raven gulped and kept running down the stairs after her roommate. The Megazelle was quick to recover, despite the epic fall it took, and began hopping down the stairs after the pair.

Thanks to the bulky forms of the Zelles, their pursuit of the two princesses was limited thanks to the narrow stairs. To the princess' advantage, there were no ready reflections the two monsters could use either to try and get ahead of them, allowing the two to get a bit of a lead on the monsters.

The two reached the bottom floor of the dorms, panting and huffing. Apple looked at her roommate in a panic, this was so far outside any of her princessing or damseling classes! "R-Raven, what do we do? You saw these monsters before, right?"

Raven panted, struggling to remember everything Arthur had told her about Mirror Monsters, "O-Outside! No reflections out there. They can't stay in this world very long. We can just wait them out!"

The girls ran for the doors, almost slamming them open as they ran to get to the forest, the fields, anywhere there wasn't a reflection. The monsters have to give up before long, right? Raven distinctly recalled Arthur saying that Mirror Monsters couldn't survive in their world for very long before they had to leave.

Running around the side of the school, they heard the distinct sound of the Zelles crashing through the doors behind them with their hooting call. They made it to the front of the school, running down the main walkway.

*CRASH*

The sound of breaking glass followed with the appearance of the Magazelle forcing itself from the reflection of the school's polished brass plate of a front sign. It landed in a crouch, snarling as the girls skidded to a halt.

"Back. Back right now!" Raven gasped. Both turned, but froze at the sight of the approaching Gigazelle and Megazelle, both snarling with a clear look of hunger in their eyes.

"Oh no!" Apple whimpered.

The girls found themselves trapped. The Zelles were fast and could easily cut off another avenue of escape and had them outnumbered. Raven grit her teeth, conjuring more magic to her hands, but it flickered as her fear and slight exhaustion began getting to her. Apple pressed against her back, trembling with tears in her eyes.

Raven gulped as the zelles drew closer, finding herself thinking of her newest friend, 'Arthur, please…'

"Sir Lance, please help me…" Apple whimpered, staring at the voracious monsters drawing closer.

Eeeeeeeeeeeee!

The three Zelles suddenly stiffened, their heads spinning as they all heard a familiar tone, although Apple and Raven blinked, surprised that they suddenly stopped approaching. The brass plaque in front of the school suddenly began to ripple, as did a pair of windows at the front of the school. In a flash of silver, three metallic steeds emerged with loud neighs, leaping onto the grass. More than that, each one had an armored figure on their backs, charging towards the scene.

"HAAAAH!" Knight roared, charging to the fray. His Dark Visor raised, he slashed down, striking the surprised and knocking it aside in a blast of sparks. The Magazelle cried in pain and was pushed back, rolling across the ground.

The Megazelle and Gigazelle spun around, but were met with the charging force of the red and magenta armored horses which crashed into them. Both went down in heaps, nearly losing their weapons in the process.

"Arthur?" Raven gasped in shock.

"Sir Lance!" Apple cheered.

The three knights dismounted their horses, forming a protective ring around the two princesses. The Zelles regained their footing and snarled, taking in their opposition. The Megazelle and Gigazelle, lower in terms of ranking within their herd, saw they were not in an advantageous position. They lacked outright power to confidently fight the knights on their home turf. With that in mind, the two turned and began running, charging for the school.

"What?!" Raia gasped.

"After them!" Ryuki snapped. He glanced back at Knight, "Can you handle the Magazelle, Lance?"

"Yeah," Knight replied coolly, drawing a card from his belt.

Raia and Ryuki glanced to Knight, realizing he sounded more serious about this than anything else. Feeling secure about what was happening, the two knights ran for the school. They watched the two Zelles leap at the front doors, vanishing into the reflective glass windows and didn't hesitate in following, diving into the glass and leaving their comrade behind.

(***)

Mirror World - Ever After High

Ryuki and Raia jumped out of the glass of the doors, landing in a slight crouch. Looking around, they saw the grounds of Ever After High, although reversed. The welcome signs for the incoming freshmen and returning students were reversed and more difficult to read.

"Where did they go?" asked Raia.

"They couldn't have given up," Ryuki frowned. "Not with a superior and food nearby."

Walking onto the grounds, the two tried to see where the monsters had gone. Walking for a few moments, they heard the distinct sounds of the Zelles coming from behind them. Turning around, they didn't see the Zelles behind them. Instead, they came down from above, striking the two knights with downward strikes. Both cried out in pain and stumbled back while the Zelles pressed their advantage.

Raia lifted his Evil Visor shield, letting it take the blow from the Megazelle before he pushed it aside and punched the monster in the face. The Megazelle grunted, stepping back. It gave Raia his opening and he kicked the Megazelle in the chest, making it stumble back. With his breathing space gained, he swiftly drew a card from his deck, revealing a barbed whip. Raia then pulled the tail on his stingray-shaped shield, pulling the back open to show a hollow inside. He slapped the card inside before shutting it.

[Swing Vent!]

Raia lifted his hand and in it appeared a magenta barbed whip like the one depicted on the card. Gripping it, he stared down the Megazelle. The monster snarled and and lunged, swinging with its sword. Raia blocked with his shield before he swung his Evil Whip, catching the monster's sword arm, barbs digging into its hide. A sharp yank had sparks fly from the Megazelle's arm, making it roar in pain, dropping its sword as it backed away.

Raia pulled back his whip, gripping the edge. With a shout, he charged and began swinging his coiled whip, using it as a close range weapon. Its solid form and barbed edges made it just as effective at close range as it was at a distance.

The Gigazelle lunged, thrusting its bident at Ryuki's chest. The red knight grunted and dipped out of the way. He tried to reach for his belt to draw a card, but the Gigazelle was fast and lunged with a second strike. Ryuki moved again, letting the weapon dig into the ground. He lunged before spinning with an elbow strike which struck the side of the Gigazelle's head.

The monster grunted in pain, stumbling back from the strike to its head. Ryuki quickly saw his chance and drew a card, slipping it into his Drag Visor.

[Sword Vent!]

The Drag Saber appeared, landing in Ryuki's grip. He charged forward, swinging his weapon at his opponent. The Gigazelle raised its weapon, blocking the blow with a shower of sparks. Both pressed at their respective arms to try and push the other away.

Ryuki grunted and knew he had to break the stalemate. Shifting his stance, he spun on his ankle and the Gigazelle stumbled from the sudden lack of resistance. Turning around, it was met with Ryuki's sword crashing against its chest. It yelped in pain, stumbling back from the bow.

The Gigazelle and the Megazelle backed away from the fight as Ryuki and Raia faced them. The magenta-armored knight was huffing for breath, more than Ryuki.

"You doing okay?" Ryuki asked, eyes not leaving the Zelles.

"Yeah…not used to this yet," Raia nodded.

The Zelles got their bearings back before abruptly jumping. They suddenly jumped up to the side of the school before bouncing in different directions. The two knights spun to try and keep up with them, but the monsters were very quick. They bounced off ornaments in the front yard, the fountain, before lunging at the two.

"GAH!" both cried out, struck from the high speed monsters, both being knocked to the ground. Ryuki pushed himself up, watching the Zelles lunge again. Gripping his sword, Ryuki dove to avoid one strike and Raia rolled out of the way, avoiding strikes which left gouges in the dirt.

The Zelles jumped back up to window ledges on the school, gripping them to keep up there as they hooted and snarled at the two knights.

"Really? They're playing keep away now?" Raia asked as he got back to his feet. "We can't even jump that high in our suits!"

"Only when I can use my Final Vent," Ryuki sighed. He could guess that the Zelles were going to keep using their new tactic to try and wear them down or end them once they were tired from the numerous strikes.

Ryuki pondered what to do, but then a bit of sudden inspiration. Turning towards Raia, he charged towards his fellow knight in a full on sprint, "Harry! Shield!"

"Huh?" Raia turned, but then yelped and lifted his shield up. Ryuki jumped, landing against Raia's shield before he kicked off the shield, adding with Raia's arm strength to push back against being knocked over. The two working together, and the suits which enhanced their strength to incredible levels, Ryuki was launched up into the air towards the two Zelles, both stiffening at the sudden and rapid launch of their opponent.

"HAH!" Ryuki roared, slashing his sword. The blade met the Megazelle, making it shriek and crash into the Gigazelle. Both lost their grip and began falling to the ground. Ryuki came down, landing in a crouch before pulling away to meet with Raia. The two Zelles were not so lucky, landing on the cobblestone outside of the school with loud and almost sickening-sounding cracks.

"Where the heck did you get that idea?" Raia asked, stunned that something so…exaggerated even worked.

"Saw it on a tv show once. Figured it could work here," Ryuki shrugged. "Now let's end this before they get up!"

Ryuki drew another card, depicting his Drag Claw. Raia drew one of his own, this one depicting a sword being reflected on a pane of glass. Both opened their respective Visors before placing the cards inside and activating them

[Strike Vent!]

[Copy Vent!]

The Drag Claw came down from above, landing in Ryuki's free hand with a growl and slight burst of flame. Once it was there, to flashed white and an orb of white flew to Raia's free hand. It engulfed his hand before it solidified into a perfect copy of the Drag Claw.

Ryuki glanced at the weapon, and then to Raia, who merely shrugged. Groaned and grunts from the Zelles announced their slow recovery from the fall they took. Acting quickly, the two knights reared their arms back before thrusting their Drag Claws forward, unleashing twin streams of flame. The dragon fire crashed against the struggling Zelles, eliciting a scream from the pair before they exploded in a large blast.

"Whew," Raia huffed, dropping his arms. "These were just low members on the herds?"

"According to Kevin," Ryuki nodded. He stopped when twin lights of energy began to rise from where the Zelles met their demise. "Okay, let's feed our guys and then get back to Lance."

"Right," Raia nodded, dismissing his Drag Claw to draw another card.

(***)

Ever After High - Front Walk

[Sword Vent!]

Knight caught the Wing Lancer as it emerged from the Mirror World. He took a stance, eyeing the angry Magazelle, "I let you go once. I'm not going to make that mistake again!"

The Magazelle snarled and charged, running directly at Knight. The Bat Knight didn't hesitate and did the same. They met as they swung at each other, Knight's sword meeting the Magazelle's arm club with a shower of sparks. Both grunted, pushing at each other and trying to overpower each other.

"Go Lance!" Apple cheered.

"Come on!" Raven rolled her eyes, pulling on her roommate's arm. "This isn't like when Daring shows off!"

"Huh? What? But we're saved!" Apple insisted in confusion.

"Not until that thing's gone!" Raven retorted.

Knight grunted and pushed back before starting to swing at the Magazelle. The monster retaliates with parries before making swipes of its own. Knight parried what he could, but kept his feet going, making sure the monster didn't overwhelm him and outmove him.

The Magazelle grunted and swung its arm to parry a strike from Knight's weapon before jumping up, landing a double kick to Knight's chest. A kick from a Zelle was no little thing. Knight was taken clear off his feet and crashed into the front fountain, cracking the stone which made up the main spout before falling into the water.

"Lance!" Apple gasped in shock.

Knight grunted, pushing himself out of the water, unable to see well thanks to the water beading on the visor of his helmet. Still, he could see the blurred form of the Maagzelle charging towards him. Fumbling with his buckle, he drew a card and hastily slapped it into his Dark Visor, not even sure what it was.

[Trick Vent!]

Knight's form flashed before four black blurs emerged from him, solidifying into four perfect copies of himself took up the fight against the Magazelle. The monster found itself surrounded as the Knights began to take turns striking at the Magazelle while it was distracted by another Knight.

"Oh, sweet!" Knight chuckled, lifting his sword and charged into the fray with his duplicates.

The Magazelle took several strikes before it snarled and took a big jump, bouncing around the area. The multiple Knights tried to see where it was going, but its natural speed kept them from seeing it clearly enough. This prevented the Knights from racing before the Magazelle would jump and strike. It's limb smashed through a Knight, shattering the double like glass.

"Ack! Crap!" Knight cried, shielding his eyes from the glass shards in reflex. As he tried to get his bearings back, the Magazelle struck several more times, smashing the other copies and leaving Knight by himself.

The Magazelle kept bouncing and Knight tried to see where it was going. It proved fruitless as the Magazelle bounced off the fountain and struck a passing swipe, nearly knocking him down again. Knight groaned and got to his knees.

"Okay, too fast to see, but…" Knight pondered what to do.

"Wooo!" the voice of the Zelle hooted and Knight dove to the side, feeling the air being disturbed near his back from the Magazelle attempting to strike him.

Knight got back to his feet, seeing the Magazelle jump at its high speeds again. Realizing while he did so, there was the sounds of the Magazelle as it hopped off something. It was mocking him, trying to scare him. The sound was a clear indicator of where the monster was when it landed on something.

Knight started to fall on a reflex. He was an active athlete and was good at it, when he wasn't distracted by cheerleaders. Part of that skill came with knowing when another team member, or an opponent was near him when he couldn't see them. Part of that was helped by keeping mobile, but in the basketball courts, it also helped to hear their shoes on the floor and how loud they were.

This was just higher stakes.

"Woo, woo, woo!"

Three spots away…

"Woo, woo!"

Two spots, getting ready.

"WOO!"

Strike now!

"HAH!" Knight spun around, swinging hard with his sword. He heard it more than saw anything and felt his blade strike before a flash of sparks temporarily blinded him. A screech of pain echoed with the strike and Knight readied his guard.

Shambling back, the Magazelle was thrashing in pain, clutching its head which was noticeably absent of it's second horn. Said ornament was smoking at the broken end on the ground at Knight's feet. The Bat Knight huffed, his heart racing, but saw his chance.

"No second chances," he muttered, drawing a card which sported his emblem on a blue background.

[Final Vent!]

A shrill screech echoed through the air before a large bat emerged from the school's polished plaque sign. Its legs, head, and the frame of its wings were a dark navy blue metal while its chest, feet, and nose were a silver color. A blue gem was set in the middle of its chest, the only bright color on the monster's body. This was Knight's contracted partner, Darkwing.

Knight began charging at the struggling Magazelle and Darkwing swooped down on its contractor. The monster attached to his back via sockets in the armor and the wings smoothed into a flowing cape. Once attached, Knight leaped up into the air, rising above the battle.

Starting to come back down, Knight took aim at the magazelle while pointing his Wing Lancer down at it. His cape, Darkwing's wings, wrapped around Knight, forming a giant black drill which spun in the air. Its speed increased dramatically and the Magazelle could not try to jump out of the way in time. It let off a shriek before the attack struck, causing an explosion of fire like the Magazelle was a bomb.

Darkwing flapped its wings, quelling the flames as the Magazelle's life energy rose into the air. The hungry monster flew through the air and swallowed it before diving down into the Mirror World via the water of the fountain.

Knight huffed, adrenaline making his heart pound in his ears as he was kneeling on the ground. Standing up, he dropped his Wing Lancer, letting it vanish back to the Mirror World as well. Looking around, he saw Apple and Raven hiding around the corner of the school, watching the events.

"Apple?" he asked, wanting to see to her wellbeing.

"Sir Lance!" Apple cried, running out from her hiding place. She ran straight to Knight, ignoring the charred grass as she threw herself into his arms. She clutched him tightly, burying her face in his armored chest.

"Aw Apple, I'm sorry," Knight sighed, hugging her. "It's all my fault. If I didn't let that thing go…"

"You came back," Apple shook her head. "You came back and protected me again. My Knight in Shining Armor."

'I don't feel like I'm shining right now,' Knight thought to himself as he continued to comfort Apple.

Raven watched the two and her shoulders drooped, the tension of the event leaving her, but she was still worried about Arthur. Fortunately, she soon got her answer when Ryuki leaped from a window at the front of the school, the new pink knight next to him.

Ryuki stood up, looking around before his eyes fell on Raven. He visibly slumped in relief as he walked over to her, "Raven, are you okay?"

"Yes," Raven nodded, but her face didn't match her words. Taking a breath, but it turning shaky, "No…" The fear and adrenaline of the event were crashing down on her and she was fining herself overwhelmed by it all. "Arthur…they were…they were trying to eat us…"

"I know, I know," Ryuki stepped forward and Raven caught him in a hug. "But they're gone. We destroyed all three of them."

Raven trembled, trying not to cry, "They're all gone?"

"All gone," Ryuki reassured her. "They're not coming back."

He looked to Raia who was glancing a little awkwardly between his fellow Knights. Ryuki just gave him a nod and the magenta-clad knight nodded and leaped back into the Mirror World to fast travel back to the library.

Ryuki and Knight had some people to help through their experience.

It took some time, the sun had set by the time that Raven and Apple were fine to let the two boys go. They escorted the princesses back to their room, fortunately being let to take their armor off. Arthur and Lance feared the dorms would have some kind of magic keeping them out like out of a story book, but with the events that went on, no one seemed ready to stop them. Many people gave curious glances outside of their dorm rooms, but a glance kept people from trying to swarm them and ask questions.

Once the girls had calmed down, Arthur and Lance left the dorms and headed back towards town. Arthur was quiet as he walked and Lance was in deep though with his hands in his pockets.

After they passed through the gates of Ever After High, Lance managed to find his voice, "...I screwed up."

"I know," Arthur nodded. "Harry and I have been telling you for a long time that you're going to get in trouble with your showing off. Especially once girls get involved. Just because this is all in a fairy tale world doesn't mean the stakes aren't as high as they would be back home."

"Yeah," Lance nodded. "I won't let this happen again. I'll be a better knight."

"That's all we need," Arthur patted his shoulder. "I don't think you'll get away from Rex's scolding though."

"Eugh," Lance groaned, earning a chuckle from his friend.

(***)

Ever After High - Headmaster's Office

Milton Grim often tried to paint himself as an upstanding figure. He wore a fine blue suit jacket and vest with a fine tie. He had black hair perfectly combed with white streaks at his temples showing his age. Even his small mustache was impeccably styled. He always showed the best side and always made sure his students were always ready to do their best and take up the destinies of their parents…even if their destinies weren't always so happy.

Currently, though he was not in the best of moods. Normally he would be, considering rumors of King Arthur and his knights returning to Ever After had everyone excited. Milton did not truly take stock in gossip, but part of him was hopeful. No, his sour mood came from the fact that his very school, Ever After High, his pride and joy, had been invaded by a trio of vicious monsters that tried to devour Apple White, the next Snow White!

Oh, and Raven Queen too. Snow White needed her Evil Queen after all.

Fortunately, the next King Arthur and two of his knights intervened and rescued them. Milton was certainly glad for that, but he just wished that they could have done it without so much destruction! A large patch of grass had been burnt to a crisp, portions of the ground were torn apart, and the front fountain had been broken and made a muddy mess around it. The Brownie Union was certainly earning their pay when they managed to fix it all so quickly while no one was looking.

'Ugh, but the expense!' Milton grumbled to himself, writing out the payment to the union for their emergency work.

His intercom buzzed to life as his secretary, Trollsworth, spoke on the other end, "Headmaster Grimm, one Mr. Merlin here for his appointment."

Milton wanted to roll his eyes hard and steeled his reserve. Dealing with Merlin was always a major headache. He was just thankful the man didn't have a child as equally aggravating as him going to his school. Tapping the button, he reluctantly spoke up, "Show him in Trollsworth."

The doors gave off a sound of unlocking and they opened, announcing Merlin's arrival. The man grinned as he entered, wearing his pristine suit, his robes, and holding his staff, "Ah, hey there Milton! It's been too long!"

"Not long enough," Milton grumbled. "Alright Merlin, let's not beat around the bush. What are you here to troll me about this time? The community budget meetings aren't until next month."

"Oh, no, I'm ready to roast you hard then," Merlin laughed, taking a seat in front of the man's desk. "No, this is about something I'm taking seriously. I'm looking to enroll some students here at your fine educational institution."

Milton quirked an eyebrow, "Enrollment? Is this about those rumors I'm hearing about a new King Arthur fighting monsters in town?"

"Nothing gets by you," Merlin grinned, but it was not much of a compliment. "Well, let me set it to rest. I in fact do have the next King Arthur and thirteen members of his court here in Ever After and looking to enroll in your school."

Milton's eyes nearly bulged in the shock he felt. The story of King Arthur had been considered a famous tale, although a lost one since the last King Arthur and his court didn't even sign for their destines and fled from Ever After on the day of graduation when it was time for them to take up their stories. It was why Milton changed Legacy Day from graduation in the students' fourth year to the current date in their second year. He deeply feared such a prominent story vanishing would mean disaster for their world, but fortunately, it seemed nothing happened. Still, Milton worried about it.

"How…how many of them? Who?" Milton managed to ask, but now his calm reserve was clearly broken.

"Lessee," Merlin played coy. "Gawain, Galahad, Bors, Dagonet, Kay, Tristain, Hector, Lionel, Mordred, Guinevere, Lancelot, Bedivere, Percival, and of course, King Arthur himself."

Milton's eyes widened further at hearing those names. All of them were prominent names in the stories of Camelot. The fact Merlin managed to collect so many heirs for those stories, with a little work, they could possibly restore much of the legacy of Camelot!

Milton began to grin, "Merlin, let's talk enrollment."

(***)

And so, Lance, Knight of the Bat, learned a valuable lesson on responsibility and to take his duties as a Knight of Camelot much more seriously.

An important lesson to learn, but a valuable one. One of many these knights will learn as they are set to begin their time in Ever After High.

Oooh, I can't wait to see who they'll meet next!

To Be Continued…

OMAKE CORNER

The Knight's Armory

Sir Knight, Knight of the Bat

The armor of Lance Beauregard, it holds some light armor, made to be fast and light to allow for high speed strikes in battle. It takes on a more knightly appearance, affording a more thorough defense.

The main equipment of this suit is the Dark Visor which comes in the form of a rapier sword. It is light and offers moderate reach for strikes. The blade is light, which offers fast but only light damage in battle.

Lance's partner with this suit is the Mirror Monster named Darkwing, a giant biomechanical bat. Like many of the larger Mirror Monsters, this contract offers a number of battle options for its contractor.

Knight's Advent Deck focuses more on melee combat. The primary weapon in the set is the Wing Lancer, a heavy lance-shaped sword modeled after Darking's wings. There is also a defense in the form of the Wing Wall which has Darkwing attached to Knight's back, its wings forming a protective cloak. The deck also offers support tactics with the Trick Vent which creates multiple copies of Knight to help him fight.

The Final Vent of this contract is the Flying Lancer, a technique which has Knight come down from above with his Wing Lancer pointed at the target. Darkwing, attached to Knight's back, will wrap its wings around him, forming a large drill to strike down a target.

(***)

Beyond the Looking Glass

Zelles

Zelles are a breed of Mirror Monsters which are based on antelopes and gazelles. They are all known to be very fast, sometimes fast enough to attack and run away before a knight can hear the sound of the monster's approach. They come in a variety of types, although they share similar body shapes and armor styles.

Megazelle is one of the lower ranks, often armed with a two-pronged sword. They can come in a number of colors, usually yellow and dark blue. They are often identified by their straight, blade-like horns.

Gigazelle are slightly higher in their hierarchy, but their lack of ornamentation much like the Megazelle hint they are lower in the ranks. Often they are seen with purple and brass armor and skin. They come armed with a bident with two prongs. Their horns are twisted like drills, identifying their breed.

Magazelle are medium in the hierarchy, often covered in bronze armor with green flesh. They don't wield any weapons, often being strong enough to not need them. They are very easy to identify their horns being large and twisted like a bighorn sheep.

A/N: Well, this took me a bit longer than I intended. And in the organized effort to track down the monster, I seem to have unveiled Raia sooner than I expected. Still, he'll get his own proper intro chapter like all the others.