The tide of battle swept them apart, and he knew not who gained vengeance against that wight. Yet he knew vengeance was visited, for the wights began to crumble as the Bretonnian's brought their strength to bear. The Parravonians were making good way now, one in particular stood out for his valiant fighting style. He had slung his blue and yellow shield over his back and was wielding his longsword in both hands, carving a path through the enemy with his mighty blows. Often it seemed he was in danger of falling, yet caught himself just in time - or braced himself with a thrust of his sword into one of his opponents.

Sir Robert could see the enemy was in disarray and led a group of his knights around the back of the wight's formation to attack their rear. Now fully surrounded, the wights quickly fell. Sir Robert himself was poised to fell the last of the enemy, when he was beaten to the strike by the fierce Parravonian he had seen earlier. This knights armour was battered in many places and his surcoat rent and torn, yet his strength seemed unquenched and his sword split the skull of the wight an instant before Sir Robert's pierced its chest. The Parravonian turned to Sir Robert and said "It's not the Great Boar of Parravon, but it will do for now". Not knowing quite how to respond to this puzzling statement, Sir Robert bowed to his companion, saying "Sir Robert de Giselles. I am honoured and delighted to make your acquaintance." The other bowed back, answering "Sir Cadfael. The honour is all mine, I am sure." Then added, with a fierce gleam in his eyes, "Come, the battle is not yet over and there is much glory left to be won!" So saying, he turned and galloped off to join the other Parravonians, who were now advancing towards a company of skeletal spearmen.

Looking around, Sir Robert saw that the Parravonians easily outmatched the spearmen but were threatened by a unit of undead cavalry that was positioning itself to flank them. Quickly, he raised the standard as a rallying point and charged to intercept them. As they crashed together, Sir Robert felt a sword smash into his shield with such strength that it nearly unhorsed him. Around him many undead soldiers were sent crashing to the ground by the force of the Bretonnian charge, although a few knights also fell. Dazed by the blow dealt to him, he swayed in his saddle and only just recovered in time to divert another blow from the undead champion who led this unit.

He recovered and aimed a blow at his opponent, who turned it away with a sneer. Looking at him, he saw a pale face with dark eyes burning with the fire of damnation and two sharp fangs protruding from his mouth. He froze, realising that this was no wight he faced but a vampire, one of the lords of the night. His opponent saw his fear, and smiled, saying "Well may you tremble, mortal, for you look upon your death. You cannot hold us back, for you cannot destroy us, and what you cannot destroy will destroy you." As the vampire swung again, Sir Robert came back to life, lifting his sword instinctively to ward off the blow, then riposted, managing to cut a ribbon from the vampire's cloak but without reaching its body.

The vampire aimed another blow at Sir Robert's head. He raised his shield just in time to divert the blow, but at a cost. The blow that would have surely split his skull split his shield instead, only being stopped by the boss. The impact numbed his arm which fell by his side as the vampire drew back its sword out for another blow. Desperately, Sir Robert lunged at the vampire, but the other easily caught his clumsy thrust on his shield and turned it aside. The vampire held its arm high, ready for the killing blow, and smiled pitilessly. Sir Robert sat helpless, his shield arm numb and unresponsive by his left side, his sword turned wide by his opponents shield. The vampire's sword began to descend.