"Nero."

The general remained stock still, but aware and listening to his student's speech. All typical for him, but Griswal was certain there was some hint of forlorn gnawing at him from behind his eyes, as if there was a chance his words would be the last they shared. And such a chance there was, however strong Grado's commanders could prove to be. Jehanna had both the skill and numbers that Grado couldn't come close to affording as a whole, and staying in the keep with this plan underway was a death sentence.

"I trust you will keep our lords safe, Griswal?" Nero asked, as if he held any sort of doubt of the idea. 

The knight opposite him nodded once. "Just as you have, sir," Griswal confirmed, with something of a heavy heart. When you were within a company of stocky armor knights, you learned to read your comrades with no need for speech. And so it was how Griswal knew that as much as he wanted Grado's famed commanders to accompany them, they could not.

He seemed to be snapped free when the young cleric thumped into the knight's huge chestplate awkwardly in her fear of the situation. Griswal broke his gaze away from Nero, fearing he would not be able to do so again otherwise. "There is no need for apologies," the gruff man spoke lightly to the faithful lady, "You are safe among us allies. We will all protect each other." As he turned to the door with the heavy clunking of his armor, Griswal called out, "Time we hastened from the Keep!"

The armor knight tromped out from the throne room as quickly as he could afford, not able to look back. His armor rendered him the slowest of the escapists, but it made Griswal by far one of the most sturdy and tough, provided he could get to the front lines. As he entered the hall outside the throne room, Griswal witnessed the young prince of Renais already rushing into the western fray atop his mount. Of course, there was no shortage of action over where Griswal was, either - A wild-looking man speaking in hard, fragmented sentences stood his ground hardily outside, in the near company of a small band of delinquents and several confused Grado troops.

"I hold line. Buy time. You keep stone safe," The pelt-cloaked man spoke out. It wasn't a far guess to the Grado knight that he must've somehow meant the Sacred Stone, in which case he must've been something a bit more than he seemed. "Come! Faith man! We hold line! Show them light. Show them strength. Show them who boss!" As the wild man stood fast to intercept the incoming Jehannan fighters, Griswal thundered up beside him to complete the holding line. 

"Don't think you'll do it alone. We're all here to protect the Sacred Stone," the knight announced to Ret. Unhooking his chestplate to reveal it as a massive shield, Griswal drew his iron lance and prepared for combat. "And you lot-" Griswal shouted behind him, primarily to the delinquents, "I hope you're planning to make yourselves useful!"

[quote=Griswal]Move next to Ret, attempt Talk to recruit.[/quote]