We set up camp later that night, once we were sure no scouts were following us. Coulter watched the path intently. Curious, I walked over.

"Whatcha waitin for?" I asked, and he jumped.

"Jeez, kid. You scared me." Coulter said. "My friend Daniel. He was following The Warlords convoy. He was supposed to be back by now."

"Why was he following?" I pressed. He shook his head.

"You ask a lot of questions. There's multiple reasons, most of which are confidential. But basically they have prisoners from the Cavern with them. We're trying to figure out how to free them. And... another prisoner." He said, and I let the subject drop. Clearly didn't want to bring up the 'other prisoner.'

I stayed silent for a moment, then asked another question

"How did you know my dad?" I pushed. He chuckled.

"Long story. How much do you know about the War?" He said.

"Not much. Only that the Alliance lost, and the Warlord took over." I shrugged.

"Fair. C'mon, you even been around a piglin firepit?" He asked. I shook my head. He placed his massive hand on my shoulder, and led me over to the now blazing campfire.

"Dean here wants to know about how we knew his dad. You all know the story. You were there. It was just after our Creed had graduated from Soulfire Bastion, and we were on our way to see the games at Argenta. It was at about this time The Wither Legion had begun its march to our glorious capital city, Argenta. The Pig King had been setting up a special task force to take on the legion, and he got the best of the best from all the Empires. And from the piglins, he chose me. Dean, Your parents were both part of it. You're dad hated me at first. Then we were friends. And then brothers. And when we failed to stop them, and the Warlord killed your mother, we found a place for the Pigmen to hide. It was an old piglin village, long since abandoned and forgotten. Some say The Silver King himself laid the foundations for The Cavern of Great." Coulter said.

I absorbed that, amazed at his storytelling skill. Sadie grabbed a case of some drink and a guitar.

"Thanks." Coulter said as she handed him the guitar. He took a breath, and started the song:

"Watch that old fire as it flickers and dies

That once blessed the household and lit up our lives

It shone for the friends and the clinking of glasses

I'll tend to the flame, you can worship the ashes."

He was about to continue when something crashed through the bushes. Coulter leapt up, axe in hand. A lanky piglin with a crossbow strapped to his back erupted from the underbrush, panting. Coulter relaxed.

"Daniel. What happened?" He pressed. The piglin held his finger.

"Give me... a minute... man... we just... ran like five... friggin... miles... Get me... a drink, dude." Daniel said. Coulter obliged.

After a few minutes, Coulter asked again.

"They saw me, man. It was bad. Kickin the pigmen around, killing the ones who fell behind... I only got one prisoner out before they started shooting."

"Were you followed?" Coulter asked. Daniel shot him a dirty look.

"Thank you, Detective Coulter, for figuring it out. Here's your bloody medal. Nah, but we lost 'em." He said.

"Who is 'we'?" Coulter pressed. This time, Daniel grinned.

"You're never gonna believe it, man." He said. Another piglin crashed through the bushes, panicked. This time, Coulter stood straight up.
"Clairesse?" He asked. She shrugged him off.

"Run, you idiots! We didn't lose 'em!" She bellowed. Coulter nodded, and started barking orders.
"What do you need me to do!?" I yelled at Coulter. In response, he picked me up like a sack of potatoes and chucked me in the wagon. I landed with a thud as all the air left my lungs. Coulter leapt into the driver's seat, and the hoglins lurched forwards.

A deafening horn sounded behind us, followed by the sound of a missile firing. It missed us, instead hitting the undergrowth to our side. I drew my sword, ready to fight. Two pairs of Wither Skeletons burst into the clearing, mounted on Skeleton Horses. They aimed longbows at us, and fired. I ducked, and felt the arrows narrowly miss me. Sadie loaded her crossbow, and let a bolt fly. It nailed the lead one in the head.

Another sharp whistle sounded as another missile narrowly avoided us and erupted into a ball of lightning. I turned back, and yelled to Sadie, "they're gaining!"

"No crap!" she yelled as she loaded another bolt.

The three remaining riders reached the sides of the wagon and, drawing their own swords, Lept off their horses. I narrowly deflected the first blow. Sadie dropped the crossbow, and drew a compact, small dagger. She jabbed at the nearest one, and he twisted out of the way. I brought Berserker down on the other, and he deflected it overhand.

"That's all you got?" He taunted. In response I aimed a kick for his knee. The skeleton wasn't expecting that, and fell down to his other knee. I brought my katana down on his neck, and his skull flew out of the wagon.

"That's what I got, dumbass." I said.

"Look out!" Sadie shouted, and something slammed into my side. The other skeleton swung, and I awkwardly knocked his gladius to the side. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the fourth drawing his longbow. I seized the skeletons' shoulders, and threw him in front of me as the fourth let his arrow go. The arrow lodged itself into his skull. I let him go, surprised at what I just did.
Sadie picked her crossbow back up, and shot the fourth from his saddle. She looked at me, and nodded.

"Good job, kid." She said. I was about to respond, but something exploded next to the wagon, and I was thrown off the side. I must have nailed my head on a rock, because the last thing I remembered before losing consciousness was two wither skeletons grinning over me smuggly.