Re: Battles.
Ichabod is born to fight battles such as these. With his long, lean years in the Continental army to bolster him these guerrilla tactics combined with the supernatural element are especially suited to his skillset. He fights hard and relentlessly, making swift and keen kills when and where he can.
True to his word, he brings the key to Purgatory with him. Though he has no idea if it will work or not, he believes that it is his duty to try and give his newfound comrades what support he can. Therefore, with the key in hand, he extricates himself from the thickness of battle. He speaks the incantation and discovers that the door materializes. And though he promised Abbie that he would not be the only one to go through it, the moment the door materialized he was filled with dread. If they do not take my bait, I must go through. I must assist my comrades despite my own desires.
But when the door opened, Purgatory did not appear upon the other side. It was, in fact, a mere glass sleeve in the midst of the forest. Ichabod walked through the door once. He walked through it twice. Thrice. Nothing happened. And in the midst of his rage and relief, he shattered the glass door. When he hit his knees, he felt the hot breath of a wolf upon the back of his neck. And that wolf received a glass shard in the neck.