*meanwhile, by the treeline*
{REN'S POV}
I'm so close to home, I can taste it. I led the army all the way here—the roads are too overgrown after months of no attention to be viable when you don't know the area—by memory. I only got more homesick as we passed by quiet, empty towns.

The first thing I see is the West Wall, standing tall and proud. It feels like homecoming.

I feel a tingle down my spine. It's too quiet. The atmosphere doesn't feel quite right. Something's off about my little safe haven. That's when I spy the hole; there's a gaping hole in the West Wall.

This field is where the enemy camp was, but no one is here. The enemy must've destroyed the wall and entered the stronghold. I start hyperventilating. We didn't make it in time. I was too slow.

Ma and Pops.

Jun and Hikari-sama.

Ebisu, Clara, Clarisse, and all the rest of the children who used to follow me around. Were they able to evacuate in time, or is everyone else dead?

The enemy could still be inside the stronghold right now. They could be ransacking our tents and homes, razing our crops and killing our livestock. Have they opened the gate and let their allies on the other side through already? I could be the only one left.

I look to the king. Izana-heika's expression is hard, but it reads more 'concerned' than 'uncaring'.

His older daughter is amongst those unaccounted for. He sent Hikari-sama to the Taj knight circle for protection, but we were the ones who received her protection instead. Now she might be dead. A wave of shame nearly bowls me off Chester's back.

"Ride in formation!" Izana-heika orders. "We may have a hard battle ahead of us!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone shouts, myself included.

I ready my spear, blinking until my vision clears. I'm gonna get revenge on every last one of them. I'll make the groundwater run red out of the wells. That's the price they'll pay for taking everyone I care about away from me when I couldn't protect them.

Chester paws at the ground and whines. He senses my bloodlust and wants to take the lead.

Izana-heika's white and brown speckled stallion snorts and stamps, making it clear that such a transgression will not be allowed. Chester is big, but the king's mount is bigger. Chester backs down.

Izana-heika cracks the reigns, and we all charge. I'm at the front of the pack. I'll draw first blood. I lower my body in the saddle, aiming my spear and horse at the gaping hole in the West Wall.

There's a pile of debris against the outside of the wall, including solid chunk that didn't break apart when it hit the ground. It's forming a ramp that the horses will be able to charge up.

Something's not right. There's a small part of my brain screaming at me to rethink.

This extent of damage could only be caused by a catapult. However, an object falls in the opposite direction from whatever is applying force to it.

If catapult ammo was fired at the wall from the outside, it would've caved inward. All of the rubble is on the outside of the wall, implying that destructive blow was dealt from within.

A few figures are beginning to climb through the wall's opening. I ready my bow, locking on.

One of the tiny figures barrels straight at us. A suicide charge. Surely the lone attacker knows they can't harm, or even slow down, a fully-armed cavalry.

"Woah, hold!" Izana-heika cries. "Hold your fire!"

His horse slows from a gallop to a canter to a trot to a walk. Then it stops fully and rears, kicking its front legs. The other horses, which have been mimicking the leader, also halt and begin rearing and neighing.

"That's Hikari!" Izana-heika says in amazement.

Hope blooms in my chest. Could it really be? Perhaps destroying the wall wasn't a way in, but a way out?

The figure trips and faceplants, then gets up and keeps going. Sure enough, the one charging full kilt at a herd of heavily-armed knights on horseback is none other than this kingdom's princess. Long, pale blonde hair whips out behind her, catching wind.

Look at her run! I want to cheer and cry and laugh. The princess I remember was strong, but her body often failed her. Before I left, physical activity this prolonged and strenuous would've knocked her flat for a long time in coughing fits.

Jun was right. Hikari-sama is just too cool!

Izana-heika climbs down from his horse. She's already crossed half of the field. He starts jogging, before breaking out into an equally desperate run, opening his arms wide. Hikari-sama leaps the last few feet into his waiting embrace.

"Daddy!" She screams, plowing into Izana-heika at full speed.

Hikari-sama wraps her arms around his neck and bawls into his neck loud enough for us to hear. Izana-heika catches and spins her around, wrapping his arms around her and holding tightly. His knees eventually give up and they fall together.

There are tears all around. Izana-heika has been stoic about his concern, but he's also been on edge the entire journey. He often pushed the knights and horses just a little too far or too fast.

"Dad! I missed you!" Hikari-sama sobs openly. "I've got so much to tell you! So much happened!"

It really is true. Everyone's okay! I didn't fail everyone! The Clarines cavalry trots at a much more relaxed pace to the opening in the West Wall, Hikari-sama riding with Izana-heika. She has yet to unlatch from his neck, and he keeps one arm around her.

Sure enough, more sections of the West Wall fall as we draw near. A moment of panic obscured the truth: it was a proud victory, not a defeat.

"Ren!" A familiar voice shouts.

"Pops!" I cry, searching. He's standing on top of the original pile of rubble, waving his arms frantically. My heart swells when I see him.

He's alive. He's unharmed. Ma is too probably, since she's a noncombatant.

I leap off Chester and land in a roll. The stone ramp made from a fallen piece of the wall is steeper than I thought. I clamber up it awkwardly. When I finally get close enough, Pops grabs my arm and pulls me into his arms, where I'm squeezed hard.

"Can't breathe, Pops!" I laugh breathlessly, hugging him back as tightly as I can.

"Welcome home, son." He whispers, squeezing me even harder. I feel tears hit the top of my head, and I can't help but cry myself.

It's good to be home.