"Right." Ozend responded to Bumble. Alice's decision to protect her pride could very well cost her. A knight couldn't allow that. Perhaps someone following a different code would leave others to their consequences but that was not Ozend!

Heroically, Ozend rushed forward to reach Alice before she was nibbled upon by both ends. The dog-like silhouettes at his feet tripped him and he stumbled in the dark. The army of skittering and squeaking were terrifying in such a dark environment but there was a bright light outlining his goal. Alice still had her light in the hole. She would be their ace.

There was no choice to be made. Get Alice into the open or be swarmed. He struggled against the rats clamping at his limbs and rose up, dragging them with him. One latching to a leg lost hold and jumped around hissing. The one trapping his left arm was thrown violently against a wall. Ozend waded through the disgusting vermin to reach Alice's light.

"Hang on Alice!" Ozend swatted aside a few vermin in his way before sticking his arms in and pulling Alice out by her feet. She was hoisted into the air onto his shoulders to be kept safe. The guardian was breathing heavily but his spirits surged. "Come on Alice, show these rodents what they get for threatening the greatest wizard ever!" The giant rats grew thicker. "And her faithful knight!"