//------------------------------//
// 2-3 Going Toe-To-Toe 
// Story: Renegade 
// by Slendy 
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A sharp ringing perforated Sora's eardrums as he stumbled out from the rocks around him, slowly keeping himself pressed up against a wall until his vision recovered, checking his hands for any slight fuzziness to his sight. Once a minute or so passed he checked around and found that Astra had survived, thankfully. "Hey, Astra?" Shaking her slightly the filly sat up much the same way, that was when she hopped to her hooves. "Woah, slowly, we fell pretty far."

"I'm fine, see?" She stepped back to show that, miraculously, her body was unscathed, smiling a little. "I-I think it's that aura thing Cinder talked about, it protected me." Just then, her body gave off a small, silvery sheen before dissipating.

"Huh, lucky," Sora smiled then frowned once he saw the way they had fallen was gone say for one passageway left for them to take. "Guess Cinder and W got trapped someplace else."

"I hope they're okay..." The whitette murmured, feeling Sora run his fingers through her mane.

"If I know Cinder well he's stubborn like her, they probably headbutted the boulders out of their way," Keeping the girl assured he took the vanguard, drawing one of his swords. "I just hope that Forsaken thing isn't with them? It tore the cavern apart like it was paper." The sight froze his heart that he almost got himself killed trying to fight it. The Forsaken wasn't like anything he's faced before, it had no real weakness.

Traversing the only viable tunnel forward the duo kept to the shadows as light poured in from afar, the whole cavern looked to be molded by molten rock, most of the surfaces were smoother than natural caves, and bumpy say for the center where the magma clearly flowed through. What unnerved Sora was that no history of Equestria speaks of volcanic activity under Canterlot, and this looked far too clean to be old. 

Ignoring the abnormal formation the pair winced at the glare of something bright ahead so hugging the left wall Astra tried to look ahead, feeling her vision clear. Dread and death hung in the air, it was so pungent she almost threw up, shaking off her stare. That was enough to put Sora on edge, peeking around the corner to investigate, a strong breeze striking his face.

"Um, Astra, I think we found the hornet's nest." Tilting the girl's head toward the exit she too shared his bug-eyed expression. It was as if the whole cavern ceased to be. Wherever they were underground, the world expanded into a massive open cavern over a black abyss below, like something out of an old game with an underground level.

Many rocky bridges and outcoves spanned the walls and pillars stretching out of the abyss like fingers. Across to their far-right was the biggest space available. Many mineshafts from decades ago laid in ruins. Minecarts pushed along by white-robed humanoids, the Infected. Rocks were broken down or tossed into the abyss. All of it made room for the centerpiece of the mine system's architecture. 

Three large black obelisks like angular 'Cs' were built atop the plateau. Several rings of onyx rock circled the structure three times, standing before it all were the Forsaken, itself hanging off one of the obelisks as its snarl reverberated off the gorge's walls. Standing by the third outermost ring was the tattered hero of another world, Robin, although now they knew better, Kranon was calling the shots.

"Interesting, I had expected the mercenary and her allies to have found their way here, I suppose your actions fared well," He mused up at the Forsaken as it clawed its way down the surface of the obelisk. "If you find any trace of them, ensure they merely stay out of my way." 

"Guess we're not expendable yet," Sora huffed, somewhat thankful for that atleast. Nudging Astra, he pointed toward the many bridges webbed across the gorge. "We can cross the bridges to another cave system but..." His finger fell. "I don't know where W or Cinder could be, and if Forsaken ends up prowling..." It was a tough call, they could see it, the very instrument that could end the world was there but past so many Infected.

For Astra, perhaps it was a foolish idea, however, she had learned from a talented mercenary that sometimes that's a merc's greatest asset. "He thinks we're still lost, he's not expecting us," She felt Sora's eyes on her while she devised her plan. "If we can destroy one of the obelisks the lure won't work, but if we send it flying into the abyss we can cut off his whole plan even longer."

"Thereby providing us with greater time, heh, it's... well, very risky," Looking to her with worry he knelt down to her level. "The second he sees us he'll not let us close to that thing, and I'd need something alot stronger than two swords to bring a sizable chunk of that ridge down."

Luckily for the ravenette, a pair of silver eyes gleamed all too similar to a hotheaded Sarkaz. "Leave that to me."





Sora had always wanted to say this. Taking a few steps back he readied himself for a running start, "Here goes..." Rushing toward a minecart, diving headfirst into the metal box as it swayed on the edge of a slope. Sitting forward Sora drew his swords, feeling his velocity increase once the old wheels started turning. The tracks rumbling beneath them with a sharp whistle of the wind. "Leeroy Jenkins~!" 

"We've got company." Kranon, who had heard the unfamiliar voice from afar turned to one of the tracks running parallel to the left wall in his perspective. Inside, only Sora could be seen. Both made eye contact before Kranon raised a hand. "How foolish, do not allow him closer." 

Under his word, several Infected Soldiers rushed across the rigidity railway, red Originium Slugs sloshing under the tracks to dissolve the tracks and derail the Aasimar. A few leapt down from the passages above. With a single stroke of his right, he volleyed the first Infected over his head, plunging his left through the second's abdomen, repeating his action while his minecart gradually leveled out. Once in reach, he braced his foot against the lip of the cart, launching forward and over the horde the second his cart yerked forward from the lack of continuous tracks.

Spreading his wings with a flash of light he swept down, sliding on his heels while twirling to decapitate two Soldiers, roundhousing a third once he took flight again. Drawing his right sword forward he poised the tip toward Forsaken who had begun to charge his crossbow. Sora's eyes hardened on the sight of said weapon, soon, it bloomed with a radiant glow that left the beast wailing from the sheer brightness. Twirling down onto one of the many ledges along the mineshaft's walls Sora kicked a Slug over the edge, carving another in two as it attempted to jump him.

At that point he crossed his swords, blocking a Soldier's own weapon while another moved into his left, on instinct his wings curled the Aasimar around to slash with a  long arc of silver, cutting it to ribbons as he threw the other high into the air with a single, powerful uppercut. Sora's eyes were never so focused before, this wasn't some average fight, this was by far the most serious fight in his life, for his home's life.

"Hyrah!" A twin, downward cross-chop tore up the tracks with a wave of wind and kinetic energy, flinging many Slugs backward. More moved in from the many shafts, this time it were the Acidic variants from Hoofprint, and even one of the other Sarkaz in robes as it raised a banner, enhancing the enemy's movement speed. "Oh no..."

Evading the blobs of acid that corroded the earth, Sora spun backward and rushed the frontline, reeling back his right sword, slamming it forward into a Soldier that split the horde. Twisting his handle on his left Sora spun around, carving a vicious spiral through the Slugs and Infected, using a Metal Crab as a vaulting point over the wave of black glass that tore a ring around the Sarkaz Sentinel. Using the banner to his advantage, Sora pressed his knuckle against the flat head of the staff, spinning over its figure before drawing his right blade down the middle, plunging his left through its lower back.

With his surroundings clear the ravenette gasped, feeling nails drag into his side, followed by a firey pain piercing the skin across his right shoulder. The Forsaken lunged with its recharged crossbow, tackling Sora over the edge as the two tumbled down a small strip and over the edge. Separating upon hitting solid ground. Sora reeled back to check his shoulder, seeing blood beginning to cauterize over the wound, his flesh stinging before he leapt back, evading the claws that nicked his side, followed by a lesser bolt from the crossbow, forcing his back to a wall. 

By now Sora was sweating and shaking. The Forsaken snarled, pacing to keep most of the Aasimar's blindspots covered while Slugs and Soldiers circled in, effectively cutting off any chance of escape, even above a few waited for him to fly out of reach of the ground units. "R-really starting to see holes in this..."

Kranon had observed this for a great deal of time, never allowing his guard to fall with the crafty Aasimar. Now cornered the corrupt Displaced spoke. "I fail to see what your intentions were? Your fight was tenacious and yet... you are all alone." Not even Sora missed the condescending tone in his voice.

"Oh, you know, just being a good distraction." He smirked, then a second passed and a blinding ball of silver struck Forsaken's jaw, sending the abomination clambering across the plateau until it fell over the edge, howling in rage although Sora doubted that would effectively kill him a second time. Between all of the Infected, Astra's aura shattered from her dive, leaving her a little fatigued as Sora rushed to protect her, keeping his stance wide and his eyes roaming over every target. "Nice hit."

"T-thanks, I hope I didn't take too long?" She murmured worryingly at the open wounds on his body. With a weak smile, he shook his head.

"Not at all, time for the next phase." 

"Right!" Astra pipped up, hopping onto his good shoulder in time for the pair to fly away from the lowered swords that broke the silence. Up above several Metal Crabs spun their metallic legs in an effort to peel their flesh apart. The first only met the back hooves of the filly while Sora inverted his rotation, hacking one through the center of its abdomen while booting the third far across the cavern, landing on the crumbling edge of another elevated walkway.

"You think I would stand by and allow a few measly insects and undead soldiers to handle the work?" To their fearful eyes, Kranon's hands began to split apart under his clothing. Everything up to his elbows appeared to glow with several rings of unknown origin, a dark purple hue overtaking his charcoal clothing. "I look forward to taking your power of flight, Aasimar."

"Come take it, Kranon." Sora sneered, completely silencing the beast. It was as if the air itself became deathly still, the two sharing a quick look before focusing on Kranon, although he was nowhere to be seen. Behind them, his form appeared in a small buzz of light, a hand-stretched toward the filly, the seal humming with dark light. Time froze and Sora's ear twitched with a shiver of adrenaline. "Astra!"

Sora swung around only to suddenly deflect a palm-sized beam of hot plasma while the left curve around with a familiar, rugged sword, his own skating against its face, locking both into the ground before Kranon vanished again, appearing to their left to violently kick Sora in his bloodied side, flinging the pair over the drop toward the Infected below. He was relentless, once Sora leveled out his wings he cried out as his magic was disrupted from another focused beam of light as it scorched from a small rupture to his right and left, Kranon standing above with both hands through separate ruptures.

The tears vanished and Sora crumpled to the earth, Astra grunting beside him while Infected shuffled closer, swords and Slugs slithering around them. "Sora, Sora!" She tried to shake him to his knees but he struggled, the many assaults taking a toll on his body. "That fall from before must've injured him internally, adrenaline kept most of the pain from affecting him until now..." Astra was effectively on her own and with no clue as to how to wield a sword, let alone with hooves. "No more aura so no more Seer semblance, maybe my eyes..." 

Thinking back to Hollow Shades she squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out noise as best she could. She had to try something, anything! Only picturing happy memories and thoughts, she let them fill her heart wanting to protect Sora and herself. She can do this, she can save him too! "Focus... come on," Blinking, not even a flicker of light refracted off the many swords that rose in her peripheral vision. Panic overtook her. "No no no!"

"Ugh..." Sora felt his eyes focus and... heat to his right? Without thinking his arms pulled Astra under his form, a moment later a large wave of fire burned through the Infected, a large figure sliding through the flames with a rising slash of a molten sword, sending a torrent of rising fire through the earth, blowing the many Slugs flying into the air, exploding like fireworks of slime. "Heh, hey Cinder."

"You have quite the reputation for instigating trouble, Prince Sora," The Hollow pony tapped Sora on the forehead before taking up a defensive guard with his blazing scimitar bound in his magic. "Come now, we have a Lure to destroy."

"Right, stay close Astra," Sora murmured, managing to shake off the dizziness for a moment longer. "Break!" Taking flight, Astra hid behind Cinder who performed a front flip, bucking the first Soldier in the jaw while slashing in a curved pattern through three Slugs, their acid not so much as grazing his ruined armor.

Grabbing one slashing for his flank by the nape, Cinder threw it into another Infected, building an intense amount of electricity in his left hoof, swinging it wide. "Hmph!" It wasn't meant for this but the gathered lightning instead fanned out, creating a wide arc of gold bolts to sweep the area, decimating a number of Soldiers and even another pair of Crabs, their bodies acting as conductors to chain a volley of lightning across the plateau.

Cinder helped Astra onto his back while retreating to the far left of the Lure, however, more poured in from the tunnels. Huffing, he ducked from another beam of plasma from Kranon, blocking several swords with his similar, dancing in an elegant blaze that rippled and scorched all in his path, Astra observing it all with wide eyes. "Keep your head down, lass." Conjuring another impressive conduction of lightning against his left hoof Cinder barely acknowledged the Metal Crab that spun into view of his scimitar, merely banishing it from his sight.

With a long spear of plasma, he volleyed the Splintering Lightning Spear high into the sky, seeing it multiply, honing in on the Obelisks that Kranon guarded against any and all interference from Sora, the boy keeping his distance. "Did you believe I couldn't predict what you were capable of, Hollow?" The Merchant hummed, hovering before the volley with his hand raised to discard the bolts, only his eyes widened, seeing they flew in the complete opposite direction, instead, a green blur spun by his face, the streaks of lightning passing by. "What!?"

"Of course, but who said I would go for such an obvious target?" Cinder mocked with a hidden smile as Sora flew down in a narrow cone, his swords crackling with bright silver bolts of lightning as his body roared like thunder, piercing the delicate foundations of the obelisks like a hurricane, his olive coat dancing behind him while he screeched to a sudden stop moments later. Many bolts of lightning flashing amongst the obelisks, scarring their forms.

Silence overtook the battle and Kranon chuckled in a dark, almost satanic tone. "Is that all? I expected more from the thorns in my side, I suppose I predicted a little too much from a few tethers." His mockery wouldn't last, eyes wide upon spotting Sora who banished his wings, pointing a sword up at the smug Vex.

"You're right about that, but I've been told my swords can leave quite the impression." He gave a wink and took several steps back.

*Thunk - BOOOOOM!!*

Instantaneously the obelisk became engulfed in fire and tiger-gold light, a large section of the plateau sinking forward while the foundations of the earth fell apart, a number of heavy stalactites crumbling into the surface due to the shockwave that forced many to shield their eyes and cover their ears while the air continued to wail. Up above, Kranon's eyes finally came face-to-face with the same, anxious teen he tricked that day as her blazing embers looked to him as though she crawled out from hell.

"You....!" Nothing could mistake that tone as the real being in control as both hands shook with rage. "How... how did you... there was no way your explosives could damage-!" His voice hitched, glancing back at the smirking Aasimar who nervously shuffled around the destruction and back toward his allies, W landing a few feet away.


"Why do I have the sneaky suspicion this plan is going to hurt?" Sora was apprehensive but followed along with the filly's cave drawings on the wall.

"Step one-" She wasn't really listening. Pointing to a stickman in a minecart with her in a cave. "-you use the old rail system to get the drop on Kranon and distract his Infected while I use my Seer semblance to find W and Cinder. Step two-" She tapped the sketch of herself with a bubble around her and Cinder hiding with W. "-Once I find them I'll explain the plan quickly and come back to hopefully remove that Thing temporarily."

"Wait-wait, how?" If anything she should be the last person to go near something as unstable as the Forsaken so she tapped her chest.

"My aura, I think I can use it a little more like a shield to ram him off the edge, it won't kill him but he won't expect it either, not even Kranon," She spoke with confidence not normally seen in a child but again this was a child raised with no memories by W of all people, sometimes that was a good thing. "I can handle it, promise." 

The two held eye contact a little longer, Sora crossed his arms while Astra pouted angrily until Sora reluctantly caved in, worried for what W might think if she were here. "Okay... just don't do anything too reckless."

She smiled slightly, the most she could. "Thank you - ahem, step three, Cinder will jump in and use his lightning spears and aim them for you while you fly at the perfect angle to strike the obelisks all at once," She tapped the sticks that acted as his swords, and the bolts that traveled around them. "Alone your swords might not do much but if infused with that amount of magic power they can leave them scarred enough for W to finish them off!"

Then it dawned on him. "Like with the obsidian boulder.... I weaken it and W can blow it to pieces afterward, hahaha, that's amazing!" He was genuinely impressed by Astra's plan


W held up her fingers nonchalantly. "Risky yet a plan you'd never predict," Her coy grin was enough to antagonize anyone. "How's that for a couple of tethers?"

Kranon remained stationary in the air, hearing rocks crumble past the now dismantled Lure, spotting the hook of a crossbow winch up Forsaken's form onto one of the rocky bridges, the monster pawing at the ground angrily. "I was going to give all of you an easy and painless demise, now I see that was very... pedestrian of me," He looked at his hand, inspecting both sides. "Perhaps a lingering ghost of this farmhand's sympathy runs through my veins still - he was foolish to think my power could be taken so easily."

The very earth let out a humungous roar, yet W kept her eyes to Kranon, raising her grenade launcher. "I'm not some cliche hero with some fancy monologue so I'll just save you time and say this," Their eyes met and fire met death in a tidal wave of tension. "I am nothing like you."

"...then you will die." With that, a rupture appeared, allowing the Merchant his chance to escape, leaving them all with nothing but piles of rocks and dusty old wood. Oh, and a mutated abomination of Originium. 

"W, why did you-" She put her hand up to stop Sora

"We've bought ourselves time to get things ready, he'll be back and we need others that'll hear us out to help when the inevitable happens," Much as she wanted to pull the trigger neither her nor her allies had any strength or resources left to pull off a counter-offensive against Kranon, for now, they only needed time. Looking ahead, the Forsaken was coming. "You need to get out of here and get everyone we can trust, otherwise none of us we'll be sitting pretty soon."

"What?" Astra blinked, hopping off Cinder's back as W turned away to face Forsaken. Lacking her semblance Astra still felt dread creep into her chest. "You... aren't coming? Why?"

"Hey, come on, we can still run before the Guard finds-" His hand gripped her wrist but stopped upon seeing her gentle smile and kind eyes.

"He'll just come after us," She didn't like it either but someone had to warn Equestria, anyone who would care to listen. She was... meant to do something else. "I need you to find people to help us."

"But for what? It'll take him ages to rebuild the Lure!" Sora yelled, not wanting to let her just slip away when he could help too. His whole body was locked with fright for the reckless Sarkaz that refused to budge, retaining her smile for his worry to build over. "Why... dammit tell me!?"

"Do you trust me?" Again the word 'Trust' was the subject that always cropped up. W had always was reluctant to trust people, Equestria turning against her wasn't very helpful and yet she met three amazing friends, one of which she... might feel more for, so that alone pushed her to try and do better. Robin fell to grief and anger, W couldn't allow that to repeat on her or anyone else like her. "Sora?"

His head bowed, biting his lip bitterly. His fingers pulled at her skin but ultimately fell, raising his head to hers, feeling her own fingers wrap around his wrist gently. "You come back... you come back!" He was trying to bottle up his emotions, poorly but she understood, letting him go as he helped Astra into his arms though the filly tried to pull away.

"Take care of Astra for me, Fly-Boy." She joked lightly, seeing him stare at her for another moment of hesitance.

"No, don't go!" She whined, trying to push away from Sora's arms. "Please, ma-!" She froze once she saw W give a small wink and flick of her hand.

"Be back later, kid, make sure to scold me," Turning away she didn't want to bear the sight of seeing Astra balling her eyes out, the last to pass by was Cinder, himself lifting a hoof to her leg, neither saying a word. "Don't get all sentimental on me now, Sparkles." She mused, hearing him snort.

"Good luck, my friend." One last nod and W was alone once more, left to stroll with a hum toward the Forsaken that prowled on the bridges, stalking her movements while scraping the earth with its crossbow. W lost her ability to smile, becoming featureless say for her eyes that could scorch the world, her antenna and ears twitching at the distant sobs of a filly and clank of metal. She had people to rely on, all her cards were out on the table, going all in.


"I am nothing like you."

"...then you will die."


The Forsaken cracked his neck making W shiver in distaste, adjusting her grenade launcher while holding a knife in her left tightly. Swallowing the lump in her throat the pair were at a stand-off. "Round two you ugly mother fu-"

W was forced to duck to his left, avoiding the claw's descent, followed by the hulking beast to bash her with the crossbow against her chest, throwing W across the walkway, rolling back onto her feet to spot the abomination thundering toward her like a rugby player. Keeping steady she felt her arm recoil from the launcher, fire, and debris showering Forsaken who tore through the smoke and into her bladed left hook, the knife lodged deep into its throat as it stumbled by her form.

Pushing up, Forsaken shook his head angrily and punched the bridge, turning on his knees and standing back up to face the boot that split a number of crystals from its marred skin. Forsaken retaliated, throwing right and left crosses towards W who quickly tilted each shoulder back to avoid, shoving his crossbow aside as it flashed. W then performed a palm-heel strike to its chin followed by a head grab as she pulled the torn hood down and cracked Forsaken's head against her knee, in sudden succession W spun on her left leg, striking out with a strong right kick, throwing the Infected into the ground.

Hooking her foot under her grenade launcher W flung it back into her hand, loading another shot as fire and kinetic energy staggered Forsaken, a few sparks from its crossbow splitting her left cheek yet she merely loaded another shot only for the grenade to ricochet off its weaponized hand while he charged. Gasping from the sudden swipe to her left hip W leapt away, feeling the same hand coil around her throat, sweeping her off her feet.

Gritting her copper-tasting teeth W spun her legs around the length of his arm, twisting her throat free until the crossbow's river smacked her forehead, the same hand grasping her ankle, thrashing her high and back into the walkway on her back, seeing her body to flail across the dirt painfully. Lifting her launcher vertically W didn't think before she shot another round high into the ceiling above, hearing it rumble and quake under the mountain.

The sudden disturbance caused a large section of the ceiling to collapse, raining down atop herself and Forsaken as the two ran at each other, avoiding the shower of massive collections of rock and granite. Neither cared to acknowledge the chaos breaking apart the bridges and their pillars. Forsaken swiped left, missing W's neck by a hair while she struck his knee, followed by an elbow to the jaw. A massive slab of granite soon separated them, only for Forsaken to kick the wall towards W, forcing the mercenary to vault atop the mass with Forsaken counterbalancing the opposite side. Positioned like a seesaw W's section rose, sliding down and over Forsaken's amethyst shots while dropping several grenades to disorientate the beast.  

The Infected rose after W, crashing through a boulder with a sharp turn, lacerating the edge of W's jacket and shirt. He did it again, the claws deflecting off the launcher's barrel while the stock smacked his shoulder. She leveled the muzzle against his face only for him to sway the second her M32 left the chamber. 

A large chunk of granite fell between them, yet the abomination barreled straight through it, tackling W to the ground, she was quick, however, shifting her elbows under her to push up with both feet, slamming them into Forsaken's abdomen. Unfortunately, the beast landed on a descending chunk of rock, forcing the debris to impact the ground faster, blinding W to the first that bruised her face, followed by a narrow evasion of the claws extended with crystals, stained with dried, fermented blood.

Rolling to her right, W procured two more grenades from her belt, hesitating for a split second about pulling their pins, but she reluctantly did so, hearing the cling of the timers. Moving to her feet she threw the two explosives at her feet, seeing the projectiles slowly clattering against the supporting pillar's face, disappearing into the darkness. Turning, she grabbed her launcher and fired a payload to throw off Forsaken's aim in time for his bolt to tear through the hem of her sleeve.

*BOOM-BOOM*

The twin eruptions shook the mountain and the rocky highway they stood on, from under both Forsaken's bloodied feet and W's, the cracks snaked their way up the pillar and across the surface of the bridge. An earth-shattering rumble made its way through their bones. Both looked at each other then to the only section that was unaffected by the ruptures, the plateau. Once the land shifted down by two inches the two broke into a fierce sprint for the safety of solid ground.

From under W's feet struck the severe lack of ground, her feet flying over the increasingly widening gaps. Forsaken gave chase, crawling over the top of a mound, utilizing fallen stalactites to vault toward W, crossbow once more missing her by a few strands of silver hair. W kept hopping between small slithers of stone, pushing off her toes at the very last second. Quickly, W drew two knives while sprinting for the last widen ravine between her and solid ground. Inverting her hold she leapt high, plunging either blade into the rigid wall, scrambling to brace the wall while her feet kicked for a perch.

Meanwhile, she spotted the crooked form of Forsaken lunge for her legs, willing to bring the mercenary down with him. Hoisting all her strength onto her right arm she threw her back against the wall, raising her grenade launcher, finding its muzzle pointed at its chest. "Tch, boom." Hissing the words the flash from her muzzle forced her to shield her eyes as the grenade erupted against Forsaken's chest, hearing it wail in pain as those screams plummeted deeper into the many chasms below, rubble tumbling after its form. 

"Hah... Get up from that." W breathed, grunting as her feet slipped against the sharp drop. With her bloodied left over the edge, she threw herself onto solid ground, panting madly while unable to lift even a finger. She was beaten, bruised, and sweaty. Yet, her ears throbbed at the consistent stomp of hooves.

Flipping herself onto her side she spotted another cave entrance. Unable to even mutter a groan of distaste her heart sank like her eyes. Cliffheart appeared, bo-staff drawn to her form alongside spears and shields, none willing to risk taking a step forward until their commander gave the word. He saw the destruction behind W and her exhausted state of simply attempting to stay awake.

"It can't be..." He had to shake his head, believing it to be a trick, and yet there she was, unable to move an inch. It almost felt... disappointing that his most dangerous hunt would conclude with his prey laying before him, unable to fight back. Sighing through a heavy breath he approached her. "So this is it, huh, nothing, not even a smile?"

"..." She stared up at him, coughing a few times. "...h-happy, C-c-captain...?" Her voice was so frail, not a trace of humor or sympathy, she was done.

"...quickly, grab me the iron cuffs and bring a stretcher, can't risk our magic with her," Cliffheart waved to his troops, watching W as her vision became blurry, her energy fading away to nothing. The last thing her ears could properly place was Cliffheart muttering under his breath. "...it's over."

To Be Continued...