One by one they arrived to say their goodbyes. He didn’t know how they all knew it was time, but somehow live was bringing them all together. The first to come was Rougaru. The silver bay stallion was a long-standing friend to his father. Their alliance was in place way before he was born, way before his parents were even together. The young stallion watches solemnly as Rougaru approaches his father, but he does not listen to their speech because he become focus on the curious colt following him. The seal brown colt didn’t seem to know what was going on, but his eyes were oddly fixed on Warsaw. Not even the colt kept his attention for long as another appears. His heart sinks as he sees his mother.

Vita Nova was a mighty intelligent Queen. She knew this was the end so she takes a place beside her fallen King with no words. Her loyalty melts his heart, but also saddens him more. One day Ironclad wishes he would find that sense of loyalty in a mate. His twin comes to stand at his side, watching, and even Tavas looms around the scene. She was clearly upset. She should be. Suddenly, someone was speaking and the words were not in favor of his dying father. Ironclad knew little of his half-brother, but he did know how he came about.

Father had not left a stone unturned in his stories. He had once kept them hidden from his sons, but the closer he got to them and the older they got changed him. Ironclad knew most of his father’s misdeeds. He made Ironclad promise he would be better. He would earn things the right way, but sometimes you still had to take what you wanted. He would just need to learn when those times were. Ironclad watches with steams of tears marking his cheeks as his white-faced brother confronts their dying father. As this goes on, Solomon appears. The stallion was silent, but his appearance alone spoke volumes to him.

Some of his siblings then arrive in a hurried mess. Brunhild, Claymore, Ysabel (who goes to Solomom's side), and even Torsten come to see their father off to the other side. Claymore was balling her eyes out before she couldn’t take anymore and runs off to find Zharko. Brunhild just watches in silence. It was hard to tell what she was even thinking with that face. Torsten seems sad, but he doesn’t let any tears fall. Probably too proud to cry in front of this many horses. Lastly, the Lagoon boss himself arrives. Cullen approaches his cousin with a nod of his skull and some encouraging words spoken before backing up to the back of the group. If anyone else shows up he does not know because his attention suddenly becomes all for his father who asks them all to leave.

Shock flows through his body because he doesn’t understand. Vita Nova protests, but he couldn’t hear exactly what was exchanged between them. Ironclad watches helplessly as his mother walks away from her fallen King, her lover, her mate. Tavas and Letavice soon leave her after, then Brunhild, then Torsten and Cullen. Ysabel leaves only once Solomon does. Solomon seems to be battling his emotions as Ysabel works to calm him while trying to keep it together herself. One by one they all leave until Warsaw was having to tell Ironclad to go. Tears pour down his cheeks in heavily as he finally turns and grants his sire his dying wish. When he left it was only Rougaru left standing there.

He couldn’t be sure how much time has passed since he left his dying father. Minutes? Hours? Who knows, but his guilt was a powerful force. Ironclad is driven back through the forest and towards the place his father laid. That was when he saw it all unfolding. Rougaru standing over his father lifeless on the floor, blood on his chin. ”No!” He shouts and thrusts his body towards him. Teeth reach out to bite at anything he could reach of Rougaru’s flesh. ”You were his friend! He trusted you!” He continues to shout and scream as he attacks the wolf of Atlantis.