//------------------------------//
// You Have to Earn It 
// Story: Utaan 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	Cold vapors wafted out of Rainbow Dash's muzzle.

"This is it, Morty."  Her ruby pupils hardened, staring dead across the Cathedral.

Shivering, Twilight Sparkle glanced aside.  "What is it, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash didn't respond.  She couldn't.

Commander Seraphimus' voice rolled across the frozen chamber, its thunder resonating off the limbs of Herald, Talon, and Central Guard alike.  "Do not move a single muscle," she rumbled.  She and her fellow wingmates surrounded Rainbow's group from three sides.  Every pegasus and griffon had razor sharp spears drawn.  "Any further action, and you forfeit your putrid lives."

Logan sneered under his breath:  "Yeah, like you give a shit, Captain Bitcharoo—"

Flynn muttered out the side of his snout:  "Big Show, if there ever was a time to stuff it..."

"Mrnnnghhh..."  Logan clenched his jaws.  His fetlocks gripped tighter to the hilt of his axe, but he nevertheless remained still.  Ariel and Kepler stood with their limbs locked, nervously eyeing the soldiers surrounding them.  Bard and Wildcard loomed back to back at the rear while Theanim Mane and Echo tensely held their breaths.

Remna was having a great deal more difficulty.  Her green eyeslits flickered and she flexed a muscle to march forward—

But just then, Rainbow glared at her.  The violet bounty hunter instantly froze in place, albeit fuming.

"Captain," Seraphimus spoke without so much as moving her helmeted head.

A high-ranking pegasus lowered his blade and shuffled up to her side.  "Yes, Commander?"

"Send messengers to the north and south," she said.  "Round up the remaining battallions throughout the cavern.  Tell them that we've located the Rainbow Rogue and we need the rest of the army assembled here right away."

"Aye."  The pegasus signaled six griffons and pegasi.

The guardians nodded, relinquished their spears, and flew off in two broad directions.  Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie watched as they then spread out, covering the furthest ends of the unseeable hollow of Starkiss.

"And make haste!" Seraphimus called after them.  "The sooner we throw these criminals in irons, the sooner Verlax's Divine strength will be restored!"

"There are soldiers in the direction that they are going," Fluttershy murmured.  She gulped hard.  "Lots and lots of soldiers."

"No doubt where all of the guards stationed outside of Starkiss went," Rarity added.

"Shhhhh..."  Twilight insisted, squinting at the leader of the Talon ahead.  "Stay alert, girls."

"Alert for what, darling?"  Rarity shivered.  "Don't you see?  We're doomed!  P-positively doomed..."  Fluttershy calmly rested a hoof on Rarity's shoulder.  The unicorn's voice whimpered into unsettling silence.

At this point, Commander Seraphimus was marching slowly forward, her silver armor rattling with each menacing step.  "Such damnable darkness..."  Charcoal eyes sliced the air between them.  Enchanted blue light danced lazily through the cathedral's stained glass windows, giving the griffon's armor a spectral sheen.  "...the Blight has empowered you... but only so far.  I cannot fathom how such accursed strength carried you past the Star Fringes, but this demonic march ends now."

"Commander Seraphimus..."  A random soldier of the Central Guard spoke from behind the Herald.  She fell to her knees, clasping her battle-scarred fetlocks together.  "Please f-forgive us!  The windigoes attacked and... w-we had no other choice but to join—!"

"Silence!"  Seraphimus hollered.  Her eyes narrowed on the remnants of the Guard that had tagged along with Rainbow Dash.  "So long as the source of the Blight still draws breath, we will not give ear to your tainted words."  She inhaled, exhaled.  Cold, cold vapors.  "Of course the windigoes attacked you.  They feed on sin and cowardice... two things that the Great Unifier cleansed from this land through her gifts of grace and harmony."

"You weren't there, Commander."  The voice was calm.  It came from Lieutenant Keris, as smooth and sleek as the claw-steps he boldly took towards the leader of the Talon.  "If you were, you would have seen that the Frost Vessels were in league with the windigoes."

Schiiiiing!  Several spears swung towards the griffon's neck.

"Hold!"  Seraphimus raised her talon.  That and only that kept Keris from being skewered alive.  With a shuddering sigh, she muttered his way:  "I thought I told you not to move a muscle, Lieutenant.  Is there now any command that you won't stoop to disobey?"

Keris' magenta eyes narrowed.  "You wouldn't kill me."

"No."  Seraphimus shook her head.  "By Verlaxion's grace, I am the one who is here instead of Chandler."

"Huh?"  Raptr blinked.

After a deep breath, Seraphimus proclaimed, "The Minister of Defense has authorized me personally to ensure the Rainbow Rogue's seizure in Starkiss.  I, for one, believe that even the demon herself and her unholy army should stand trial before the foals of Verlaxion... in the Queen's very Court."  Her sharp eyes glinted in the stained glass light.  "Even if such a vile congregation does not deserve it, I am the one gracious thing standing between all of you and complete annihilation... such as that which Chandler has issued in Wyvern Point."

Theanim Mane and Echo winced.

Ariel's muzzle dropped.  "Wait..."

"The Blight's corruption spreads and consumes like a wildfire," Seraphimus said.  "But not anymore, if I have anything to do with it."

"Please, honorrable warrriorr..."  Kepler took a bold step forward, only to be held in place by Flynn's magic.  Spectacles rattling, he peered desperately across the room, speaking:  "What trravesty is this that you speak of?"

Seraphimus hissed, "You will be silent unless you are spoken to, traitor."  Her beak clenched.  "You, more than anyone else, cannot afford to test my temper."

"If my brrotherrs arre in dangerr, then I can afforrd to test anything!" Kepler said, his voice taking on an uncharacteristic growl.  His glasses reflected phalanxes of frowning, scowling faces.  The spotted hair on his back stood on end as he pivoted about.  "What has trranspirred at Wyverrn Point!  What is the meaning of all this animosity?!"

"Please," Theanim murmured aside.  "Remain calm..."

"You!"  Kepler glared.  "Self-prroclaimed purrveyorr of trruth!  Tell me!"

Theanim closed his eyes.  After a sighing breath, he spoke:  "As of the moment we left Frostknife, Brye Chandler of the Ministry of Defense had commanded battallions of the Central Guard to seek out the residents of Wyvern Point... and r-remove them from the sanctuary at all costs."

Kepler stammered, "Including the cost of blood?"

Theanim bit his lip.

Panting, Kepler turned to gawk at Keris.  "Is this trrue?!"

Lieutenant Keris slowly, solemnly nodded.

"Do not pretend to possess an ounce of dignity with your knowledge, Professor Mane," Seraphimus said, looking past the wyvern towards the center of the group.  "You foresook all responsibility for the Wyvern Tribe the very moment you joined up with these cretins from the west."

Kepler's limbs grew weak.  Hyperventilating, he slumped down onto his knees, grasping his head.  Ariel leaned over, tearfully, and gently nuzzled him.

"You are a disappointment to me," Seraphimus continued.  "To the Scientific Order... to the whole Court."  Her eyes swung from Theanim to Keris.  "But even worse..."

"Seraphimus..."  Keris breathed deeply.  He frowned.  "Let us go."

"I already did," Seraphimus said.  "And because of that, the guilt is all mine."  She gazed at Windburst, Starstorm, and Raptr in turn.  "In my anguish and self-loathing, I gave all of you up.  But I've come to amend that."  She took a deep breath.  "By Verlaxion's grace, the Right Talon has returned to gather up all her misguided flock."

"We are not misguided," Keris said.  "I gave you an opportunity to see the light... to hold a glimpse at truth."  His voice wavered slightly, "But now I see you are blind as ever."

"That is enough, Lieutenant—"

"A messenger of Verlaxion appoints a master of puppetry and corruption to the highest ranking of the Central Guard!" Keris exclaimed.  "After sowing pain and discord across the heart of Rohbredden, our Queen randomly decides to hand over her entire kingdom to a terrorist... and then proceeds to launch windigoes and frost vessels at her own foals!"  He spat, "Don't you see who's the real source of Blight here?!  It's not Rainbow Dash!  It's our Great Unifier—!"

"I said enough!"  Seraphimus hollered.  Her armor rattled as she fumed.  "Any second, the entire Central Guard will be here!  All I have to do is give the word and you will be annihilated!"

"Don't do this..."  Keris slowly shook his head.  "Don't destroy the Talon in one fell swoop, Seraphimus.  Chandler has dominated everything—and now he has control of you.  Please, open your eyes.  We are all that stands between this kingdom and complete civil war—"

"At one time, you may have afforded the benefit of a doubt, Lieutenant.  But that is long gone now."  Seraphimus slowly shook her head.  "Don't you see how I'm trying to be graceful here?  It is you who are blinded.  And it pains my heart that... it had to... come to... this..."  Her words trailed off as her eyes caught a figure shuffling towards Keris' side.

Wildcard strafed until he was in the center of Seraphimus' vision.  He stood fearless, tall.  His goggles reflected the paling Commander.

Seraphimus' beak hung agape.  "... ... ...Jordan?"

Bard quietly glanced at her, then back at Wildcard.

The feathered Desperado slowly, slowly nodded.

"How..."  Seraphimus exhaled... nearly whimpered.  "You're alive?"

"The message that he sent... the letter that I shared with you is no farce, Seraphimus," Keris said.  "Jordan survived all the hideous forces that this continent had to throw at us... to throw at him.  When he recovered, it was in the gracious hands of the Herald and all others who took refuge at Wyvern Point.  They allowed him to see beyond the veil that Verlaxion had erected all these long years to control us.  That is why he never 'came back' from the dead.  He sacrificed one vow for another, and has been seeking to restore peace across the kingdom ever since."

"A very difficult task at best with every Rohbreddenite essentially programmed to believe that Verlaxion is infallible," Theanim Mane added.  "As I once did."

"I know it sounds awful crazy-like," Bard spoke up.  "Even heretical to y'all guardians."  He gestured towards the opposite walls of the cathedral.  "But all you've ever been protectin' is a lie... and not just any lie, but one that's bein' twisted and polluted to stab y'all in the back!"

Theanim nodded.  "All because the entity in 'Verlaxion's' skin has been mechanizing a gauntlet for the Rainbow Rogue... even before the Tribes ever first went to war with one another.  And now you... and every soldier and guardian here—even us—have become cogs in the gearworks."

"This is not some cursed manifestation of the Blight, Seraphimus," Keris said.  He rested a talon on Wildcard's shoulder.  "This is our edge... our chance to finally throw a wrench in the whole mess and save our kingdom before Verlaxion runs it back into the ground.  Yes, the Rainbow Rogue has committed unfavorable acts... but she's also been restoring harmony across the Seven Seas and beyond.  Even you witnessed it on the path to Kunmane... and in Braum."

"Yer pal 'Jordan' was there in Rust and Shoggoth when she shone like a damn diamond," Bard said.

"And I was there to witness her unravel the secrets of this world in Nealend," Theanim said.  "Just as your Lieutenant witnessed more clues in the Quade."

"We're just scraping the surface of a dark portrait, Seraphimus," Keris said.  "Please... for the sake of everypony you've sworn to protect... you must let us go."

Wildcard took a bold step forward.  With his goggles locked on the Commander, he swiftly signaled and gestured in the air.  This occupied the better part of thirty tense seconds.

When he was finished, Bard bit his lip and looked across the cathedral.  Kepler huddled with Ariel, wiping his eyes dry as he looked up with a gaping expression.  Windburst, Starstorm, and Raptr held their breaths.

Seraphimus hung her head.  She shuddered once... twice...

"I..."  Rarity murmured.  "...I-I think it's starting to sink in!"

"Shhhhh," Fluttershy insisted.

Rarity and Twilight looked at her.

Fluttershy's eyes took on a sad glaze.

"Jordan... after so many long years... you're actually alive..."

Rainbow's marefriends looked up.

Seraphimus continued.  "I wish I could say that I was overjoyed."  She sniffled.  "...but I can see now how deep the curse of the Blight runs."  She lifted her head, charcoal eyes glaring beyond a tearful veil.  "And that joy I once had is shattered once again."  Her beak clattered, "I wish you were really dead, Jordan."

Wildcard gulped.

"Because if you truly were dead..."  Seraphimus slowly shook her head.  "...you would not have to bear witness to what I must now do."  She brought her glare upon Keris once again.  "By the righteous power granted me by Verlaxion and the Ministry of Defense, I must order all of you to surrender your arms or else surrender your lives."  Her delicate voice took on a familiar growl:  "Talon, stand down.  This is your final warning—"

Stifling a sob, Starstorm held a talon out.  "Commander—"

"Do not make me bring you back to Frostknife in pieces!"  Seraphimus' claws scraped the ancient stone beneath her.  "While our Queen's heart still beats, there is a chance we can draw the poison from your hearts... and truly restore the disease that you have unintentionally spread across this continent while under the Rogue's influence."

"She's..."  Twilight Sparkle huffed.  "She's not going to bend.  This will only end badly for—"  The unicorn became aware of a pink blur in her peripheral.  "Pinkie... what is wrong with you?"

"I-I-I don't kn-kn-know!"  Pinkie shook from head to tail and back again.  "But s-s-something is about to b-b-burst!"

Just as she said this, Rainbow Dash marched briskly to the head of the group.  All swords and spears pivoted until they were uniformly aimed at her.

"They didn't come here because I cursed them, Seraphimus," Rainbow boldly spoke.  There was no cracking in her voice—not even a mere hint of a shiver.  "They joined me because I helped them see the truth, and it brought them this far."

Seraphimus sneered.  "You..."

"They're courageous... brave... awesome..."  Rainbow's brow furrowed.  "Awesomer than you."

"You don't get to speak, demon," Seraphimus growled.  "Heed my words—"

"No, you listen."  Rainbow's limbs tightened as her hooves grinded against the stone.  "I'm giving you one last chance to buzz off.  Clear the path to Verlaxion and let us go.  This continent has given me a lot of crap, and I'm done with it.  I'm simply done."  Rainbow shook her head.  "I don't want to hurt anypony... but if you keep doing this stupid stonewall schtick... then you leave me no choice."

"Uhhhhhh..."  Twilight gulped, fidgeting nervously beside her anchor.  "...Rainbowwww?"

Seraphimus almost laughed.  "What are you even made of?"  Her eyes boiled between anger and disbelief.  "Clearly the unrighteous Blight has poisoned your mind as well as your spirit.  You don't get to dictate terms here, Rogue.  The wrath of the whole Rohbreddenite army hangs over your tiny skull and only I hold it in check."

"It doesn't matter."  Rainbow slowly shook her head, eyes plastered on Seraphimus.  "None of it matters.  It never did."  Her ears folded back as she growled, "Whatever self-righteous weight you're holding onto, drop it.  What I have to do is bigger than you.  It's bigger than me.  It's bigger than everyone and everything, and I won't let you ruin it."

"You won't let me?"

Rainbow frowned as she exhaled, "Last warning..."

Seraphimus breathed... fumed.  "How...?  How could a pathetic excuse for a pony like you corrupt Keris... corrupt Jordan?"  Armor rattling, Seraphimus glanced at both the Herald and the Central Guard.  "So many honorable souls... the Talon... the Order... all wasted.  And for what?!"  She marched forward past her line of soldiers, hissing.  "The Blight chooses its avatars carelessly."  She spat.  "Well you won't corrupt me.  Just look at you!  You're nothing!  You're weak.  Emaciated.  A sniveling little foal at best!  You can't even fly—"

FWOOOOOOOOSH!  Rainbow Dash took off.

Whump!  All breath instantly left Seraphimus as Rainbow plowed into her, wings spread.  The two sailed across the cathedral, shattering through an enormous stained glass window on the other side.  CRASSSSSH!

Ariel and Flynn gasped.  Theanim's eyes twitched.  Bard and Wildcard exchanged glances.

Members of the Central Guard spun, staring incredulously at the gaping window frame.

Echo was the first soul to exhale.  "Well then."  With zero hesitation, the sarosian snatched a poleaxe from a dumbfounded guard and launched it like a javelin, knocking five numbed soldiers to the floor in one fell swoop.  "Am I doing it right?"

The stonework danced with glinting blades and armor plates.

"Herrald—"  Kepler's voice rang as he threw a claw forward.

"Raaaaaaugh!"  Logan was already charging into the fray, knocking over several distracted guards with his axe-swings.  "Operation Buck-it-All is a go!"

"Dammit!"  Flynn fired beams of magic just as the soldiers rushed in, retaliating.  Ariel and Wildcard swooped overhead, slamming skulls and helmets while Bard parried with his staff.

Remna glanced left and right as chaos overtook the cathedral.  Slowly, a smirk drew across her violet face, and she charged massively into the phalanx of guards, knocking bodies aside with her impervious limbs.





Outside...

...Seraphimus fell.

Rainbow Dash flew.  Her pendant swung beneath her neck as she sailed into Seraphimus in mid-plummet, punching and pummeling with her forelimbs.  Whack!  Wham!  Smack!

It was after the fourth or fifth impact that Seraphimus finally woke up.  She stretched both talons out, clasping one of Rainbow's fetlocks.  Spitting up blood, the Commander thrusted her beak towards the soft middle of Rainbow's face.

All Rainbow had to do was flap her left wing and—FWOOOOSH!—the two twirled from their combined grip, throwing Seraphimus' aim off.  The Talon's leader's helmet made contact with the outer wall of the cathedral blurring by.  Clank!  "Oooomf!"  Before she could recover, Rainbow had rolled around until they were back to back.  The pegasus shoved her hooves, bouncing off of Seraphimus' flank.

The Commander's body pinballed hard off the icy foundation of the cathedral.  She spun... she toppeled... she flapped her wings and uprighted herself into a hover—but it was too late.

A spectral blur sailed towards the center of her foggy vision.  WHAM!  A blue hoof uppercutted Seraphimus from below.

"Grnnngh!"  Seraphimus spun backwards.  She spread her wings, dragged air, and uprighted herself.  Sweating, panting, she gazed across the hollow of Starkiss.  She saw buildings... ruins... sepulchers... but no pegasus.

"Haaaaugh!"  Rainbow came down from behind with a massive drop-kick.

Whump!  "Aaaugh!"  Snarling, Seraphimus spun, slicing the air with both talons.  She struck nothing but cold vapors.  Wings flapped.  Blue feathers flickered in Seraphimus' peripheral.  Then—WHAM!  Rainbow struck her again, this time kicking her in the back of the neck.  "Ooomf!"  Seraphimus spun.  The floor of the cavern sailed up at her.  She tried to gain some air, but she already saw the reflection of a prismatic streak sailing towards her in the ice below.  "Rrrrgh!"  Twirling around, Seraphimus produced several silver daggers.  Sch-Sch-Schiing!  With angry grunts, she launched the projectiles up at her foe.

Thw-Thw-Thwissssh!  The blades flew upward in a serrated cyclone.

Rainbow held her breath, effortlessly twirling in and around the knives.  Her marefriends twirled and bounced loosely against translucent lavender walls.  They could only watch with dumbfounded silence as Rainbow glided past the final wave of weapons, rolled, and impacted Seraphimus' breastplate with a massive kick. Whump!

Seraphimus took the blow hard.  She flew earthward—WHAM!—ricocheted painfully off the cracking ice... but somehow turned it into a backflip.  She already saw Rainbow Dash diving again as she flew backwards.  Sch-cl-cl-clankkk!  She extended her silver wingplates then folded them over herself like a shield.

Clannnnng!  Rainbow struck the armored limbs with the full weight of her drive.

Seraphimus slid backwards from the impact, her paws rippling through shallow puddles of ice-cold water.  She summoned a growl from the center of her being—one that turned into a howl of righteous fury that echoed throughout the heart of Starkiss.  She sprinted forward, twirling her body and swinging her serrated wingblades at Rainbow with every turn.  Schwiiiish!  Schiiiing!  Sliiiiice!

"Rainbow—!" Rarity squeaked.

Rainbow needed no warning.  She was already trotting in reverse, hovering backwards with strategic wing-flaps.  She dodged each of Seraphimus deadly swings with stupid ease, breathing only when she needed to, exhaling when it was allowable.

Seraphimus kept coming at her, forcing the fight through a forest of old statues and tombstones along the cavern's forsaken belly.  Her wingblades splashed sparks off of granite and shattered icicles.  At last, she overexerted herself, slipping on a rough patch of ice and gliding one meter too far.

Rainbow capitalized by vaulting over Seraphimus' body and giving her feline rear a swift kick.

"Grnnnfff!"  Seraphimus tumbled forward.  Wham!  She impacted a windigo statue, knocking its head off.  Before she could turn around—Rainbow Dash gripped her from behind and slammed her helmeted skull into the stonework again—Clank!—and again—Cl-Clank!—and again—CRACK!  A visible fissure formed across the Commander's silver helm.  Snarling, Seraphimus summoned the strength to wrap her tail around Rainbow's left leg beneath them.  She then lifted, hoping to throw Rainbow's weight off.

The pegasus countered by flapping her wings, lifting the two of them up.  She gripped both sides of Seraphimus' helmet like a giant egg and—WHACK!—headbutted the back of her skull.  Crkkkk!  The helmet shattered completely, exposing the griffon's feathery crown.

Then and only then did Rainbow Dash let go of her with a shove.  Breathless, Seraphimus slumped over a tombstone.  She turned around, teetering dizzily.  WHAM!  A blue hoof flew across her left cheek.  WHAM!  Followed by another hook to her right.  Grimacing, Seraphimus squinted out one eye and swung her left talon.  Swiiish!  Followed by her right ringblade.  Schiiiing!

Rainbow Dash dodged both attacks easily.  She backflipped, flapped her wings, and—Thwoooooosh—the mare flew forward, spearing Seraphimus down the center.  The two flew across the floor of Starkiss in a hard tackle, their bodies shattering through several stone effigies and tombstones along the way.  Sm-Sm-Smassssh!  At the end, they sailed through the decrepit wooden entrance of a sepulcher, littering the cold rock with splinters and icicles.





Back up in the cathedral...

"Shit!"  Flynn spat, backtrotting as he fired manabursts of dense telekinesis at the countless soldiers rushing them.  "Shit shit shit!"  He focused his horn on a pile of stones and flung them into the sides of two charging griffons.  "How are we gonna come out of this in one piece?!"

WHUDDDD!  Bodies went flying as Remna finished another one of her furious gallops.  "The Austraeoh's given us a window!  Just keep hitting them!  Raaaaugh!"  She threw her unbreakable body into yet another phalanx.

"Easy for her to say!"  Ariel hissed as she flew zig-zags overhead, dodging scimitar swings and spear throws.  "Where's Rainbow?!"

"Takin' care of business!"  Bard panted, uppercutting a pegasus with his pole and super-kicking an attacking griffon in the face.  "Rnnngh!  Now let's take care of ours!"  He glanced over his shoulder as two bodies rushed Wildcard from behind.  "Dubya!  Yer six!"

Wham!  Wildcard finished pummeling a soldier in the face.  He took a calm breath and—without looking—calmly threw his nightstick over his shoulder.  Cl-Clannng!  It bounced off both ambushers' helmets before landing in Bard's grip.

Bard instantly spun, tripping a guard with his staff and then slamming his helmet with the nighstick.  "Grnnngh!"  Inhaling, he tossed the nightstick up.  Wildcard flew overhead, grabbed it, and came down in time to parry a wave of attackers.  Bard stood back to back with the other Desperado, exhaling.  "Startin' to get a little tight here!"

"Just the way I love it!" Logan hollered, performing more broad sweeps of his axe.  He knocked several soldiers down while keeping the rest at bay.  "How 'bout it, huh?!  Who wants a skull castration?!  Step right up!"

"Yourr enthusiasm is rratherr prrematurre, brrotherr."

"Huh?!"  Logan looked over to see a solid wall of reinforcements marching in, spears drawn.  "Awwwwwwww poopsmears."

Kepler backed into him, his spectacles reflecting a sea of spears.  "Perrhaps we should considerr a trruce..."

"Rrrrngh!"  Remna threw off more bodies that were pouncing off of her.  "Not while I still draw breath!"

"T'ain't no joke, ya psycho!" Bard spat as he and Wildcard struggled to fend off the enormous cluster of Rohbredden's finest.  "On top of that, any second, the whole dayum army will be here!"

"Where... is... Rainbow?!" Ariel shouted, flying overhead once again.

"I don't know..."  Flynn panted, sweating all over.  His horn steamed as his wide eyes darted all around.  "...but we can't hold up any longer!"

"You won't hold your damn breaths," a frazzled soldier hissed.  Fresh bruises marked his coat as he headed the march, aiming his spear at Flynn's neck.  "The Commander gave you one last chance at mercy.  You broke it."  He reared back... then thrusted the weapon forward—

Whump!  Two members of the Guard who had followed the Herald rammed the officer to the side.

"Augh!"  The pony stumbled, then threw the other Rohbreddenites a death glare.  "What is the meaning of—!"

"You can't slay them!" a stallion stammered, shaking.  "Don't you realize what they know?!  Don't you understand what all of us have seen!"

"We need them!" another pony exclaimed.  "There's a threat to this land, and this isn't solving anything!"

"For the love of Verlaxion!" a griffon spat.  "Don't you want to see your family again?!"

"You would use her name in vain?!"  An opposing soldier pivoted about, aiming his spear.  "You... who sided with these cursed minions of the Blight—"  A rock flew into his head.  Clank!  "Aaaaugh!"

A mare in dented armor pointed her hoof, sneering, "We won't let you bring ruin to Rohbredden!"  Schiiiing!  She unsheathed a sword.  "Soldiers of the Central Guard..."

"...defenders of Frostknife—"

"Protect the Herald—"

"—destroy the ursurpers!"

Within seconds, opposing sides of the Central Guard rushed each other.  Swords sliced and spirits shattered.  The air rang with clattering shields and yelling voices.

Although the charging faction was barely a tenth of the forces Seraphimus had brought, it was still enough to relinquish some of the pressure from the Herald.  Flynn and Logan exchanged breathless glances.

"How about that?" Logan smirked.

"It's still a sucky f-fight!" Flynn wheezed.

"Awwww Hell..."  Bard twirled his staff across his wings and broke into a gallop.  "Good enough for me!  Dubya!"

Clakka-clack!  Wildcard joined both nightsticks into a rigid staff.  He swooped low, joining Bard's charge.

"Ain't no gettin' off this train we're on!"  Bard leapt, flying into the fight with a downswing.  WHACK!  "Woooo!  Desperadoes for life!"

"Job Squad!"  Ariel dove in after the two.  "Fall in!"

"Spirrit of the mountain matrron, prrotect us..."  Kepler ran alongside Flynn and Logan.  At last, Remna joined the charge, growling before throwing her mountainous weight into the thick of battle.

All the while, the Talon stood along the fringes, watching with bright hawkeyes.

"Crud..."  Raptr stirred, his tail swishing in every direction.  "Criminy criminy crud."

"Who do we assist?!" Starstorm exclaimed.

Keris panted.  He glanced at the shattered window frame.  "The Commander...?"

"Nowhere to be seen," Windburst said, talons tickling the frame of his crossbow.  "Believe me.  I looked.  She's all Rainbow's."

"You..."  Raptr gulped.  "You don't think that Rainbow will—"

"Lieutenant?!"  Starstorm stammered, staring at Keris with wide eyes.  "Who do we assist?!"

Keris gulped.  He glanced aside.

Theanim Mane and Echo huddled in the corner of the cathedral, far away from the battle.

"Just one more punch!" Echo insisted.  "That's all I ask!"

"For the last time, no!"  Theanim growled.  "You've done enough, old chap!"

"But—"

"We didn't come here to engage in a war!"

"Oh you gotta be bullshitting me, Theams!"

"I mean it!"  Theanim took a deep breath.  "If Rainbow's to have any headway whatsoever, then we must seek some sort of peaceful solution to this!"

Echo pointed at the ongoing battle.  "You call this shit peaceful—"  Whud!  The broad-side of a spear clocked him over the head.  "Derp?"  Thud!  He fell to the floor, hard.

"Echo!" Theanim gasped.

"Serves him right!"  A visually battered soldier snarled before spitting on Echo's body.  "Makes sense that a midnighter piece of crap would be assisting the Rogue—"

"Rrrrngh!"  Theanim jumped to his hooves, swinging.  "Assist this, you uneducated ruffian!"  WHAMMMM!  He uppercutted the soldier viciously.

"...!"  The soldier's head lifted up... then came tilting back down, sneering past a trickling nosebleed.  He loomed angrily over Theanim.

"Erm... eheheh..."  Theanim trotted backwards, his ears and tail drooping.  "A thousand pardons."  He gulped.  "Got caught up in the moment, as t'were.  Snkkkt!"  He sputtered for breath, his neck being lifted up in the crook of the massive stallion's armored fetlock.

"You'll be stuck up to the wall," the soldier snarled, raising his spear in the other hoof.  "A bloody banner for the rest of the Order to learn from—"

Swooooooosh!  Keris flew in, snatching the spear from the stallion's grip.

"Huh?"  The soldier looked aside, only for a massive swing of the spear to shatter his helmet in two.  WHACK!

Keris wasn't finished.  Using just one hand, he twirled and spun the staff, slamming the broadside of it across the guardian's upper body multiple times.  He finished with a downsweep.  WHUD!

The soldier collapsed, out cold.

Theanim panted, nodding Keris' way.  "Thank you, Lieutenant."

The rest of the Talon rushed over.

"Holy smokes!"  Raptr exhaled.

"Sir...?"  Starstorm gulped.  "Did you just choose for us?"

"I trust that you have eyes and ears, sergeant," Keris muttered while checking on Echo.

"Hrmmmff..."  Windburst exhaled.  "Works for me."  Cht-Chtunk!  With a flick of his wrist, he loaded his crossbow with a spread of ammo.  He then twirled about, squinted, and fired.

Thw-Thw-Thw-Thw-Thwifff!  Five bolts flew across the cathedral, landing meatedly in the legs, ankles, and fetlocks of several soldiers on Seraphimus' side.

As they fell down screaming, Starstorm unsheathed her daggers.  Schiiiing!  "Care to make your command more official, Keris?!"

"Yes."  Keris stood up.  "Neutralize anything that charges you or the Herald."

Raptr winced as he turned around.  "That's... a little vague..."

"Yes, well..." Windburst nodded towards a row of soldiers charging them.  "It's about to become a lot more concrete."

"Talon!"  Keris rushed forward on three limbs.  His magenta eyes flashed as he leapt on the first target.  "Form up!"

"Raaaaaaugh!"  Raptr dove in while Starstorm and her daggers sang alongside him.  The air filled with sparks and battle-hardened screams.





WHAM!  Seraphimus stumbled backwards from yet another heavy punch.  She panted and winced in the middle of the sepulcher, spitting up blood and mucus.  With a gargling snarl, she spun in a circle, swinging her wingblades high and low.  Schwisssh!  Schiiiing!

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings, juking and dodging in mid-air.  She took her time, monitored Seraphimus' wild offense, and timed her bucks carefully.  Whack!  Thwack!

Seraphimus teetered down a narrow corridor lined with stone etchings of windigoes and ponies.  In the haze of enchanted blue light, she dove at Rainbow once more.  "Rrrrrngh!"

Rainbow effortlessly ducked the attack, then came up—gripping the dull edge of Seraphimus left-wing.  Holding her breath, she jerked up—and came back down, smashing the metal plates over her knee.  Crkkkk!

"Auuugh!"  Seraphimus yelped in pain.  She slipped from Rainbow's grip, shuddering from a sudden chill.  Her left-wing blades had fallen loose, exposing her natural feathers to the vaporous air.  With an even angrier breath, she spun twice, swinging her right ring blades at different angles.

Rainbow jumped left to dodge one slice, kicked off the wall, and leapt over the other.  She somersaulted in midair, braced her hooves against the stone ceiling, then flapped her wings.  Fwoooosh!  She dove into Seraphimus' body, sweeping her up.  As the two flew down the hall, Rainbow swerved to the left, grinding Seraphimus' right wing against the ancient carvings, desecrating them lengthily.  Sparks flew as the stone wall ate at Seraphimus' remaining wingblade.  Soon, all the plates had popped off.  Seraphimus's battered wings hung limp, exposed.  Rainbow capitalized by kicking the Commander's numb body at the end of her flight.

Seraphimus flew backwards—

Smassssssh!

—shattering through an ice-covered windowframe of the sepulcher.  She rolled and tumbled across the cold floor of Starkiss, her pained grunts devoured by the enormous hollow looming overhead.  She quivered on the ground, struggling to get up.

Th-Thuddd!  Rainbow's hooves landed.  With firm steps, she closed the distance between the two of them.

Once the fight had cooled into a tense lull, Rainbow's marefriends recollected their senses, watching with baited breaths.

"Mrmmmff... grnnngh..."  Seraphimus heaved and shook.  Grasping onto the limbs of ancient statues, she struggled to pull her battered body upright—

WOOOOSH!  Rainbow flapped her left wing forward while in mid-march.

The gust of wind blew Seraphimus back onto the ground.  "Ooomf!"  Nevertheless, Seraphimus quivered, grunted, and pulled herself up again—

"Stand down."  Frowning, Rainbow flapped her right wing.  FWOOSH!

"Auugh!"  Seraphimus found herself propelled against a gravestone.  She rolled across the ground, hissed, then pushed her body back up on aching limbs.

FWOOOOSH!  Rainbow knocked her on her flank with another wingflap.  "This fight is over.  If you ask me... it never friggin' began."  She closed the distance between them, squinting.  "I'm not here to kill you or your kingdom.  This is not about any of that.  So... Stand.  Down.  Now."

"Mrmmfff... never..."  Seraphimus raised up, her back hunched.  She spat blood on the ground before tilting her head up, one eye squinting above a tarnished beak.  "I... am... snrkkkt... the Right Talon of Verlaxion..."

"Yeah.  I get it."  Rainbow's eyes narrowed.  "But you gotta be better than that.  You know how I became the Rogue?  Because for one measely second, I lost sight of what was most important, and it cost me.  Dearly.  I had to rediscover myself.  The only reason you ever came close to capturing me is because I let you."

"Rnnnngh—"  Seraphimus sprinted towards her, talon raise.

Th-Thwap!  Rainbow caught Seraphimus' limb in hers.  "But now...?"  Rainbow sneered.  "I'm better than that."  She slammed her forehead against the griffon's.

"Ooomf!"  Seraphimus fell on her back.

"And I always was!"  Rainbow trotted towards her again, panting.  "I just needed to know that I could earn it."

"Can't... b-be like th-this..."  She clawed and clambered away, pulling herself up weakly by the edifices around them.  "Must... m-must stop... st-stop..."

"You know why I'm unstoppable?!"  Rainbow reached down, grabbing Seraphimus and hoisting her up by her neckfeathers.  "What do you fight for?  An immortal Goddess... an age-old religion... a noble continent... six tribes and a million miles of ocean teaming with ancient culture.  But me?  All I fight for is everything."

"Mrmmmfff..."  Seraphimus sputtered, squinting up at her through one weak eye.  "...you... know... nothing..."

"Perhaps you're right."  Rainbow Dash nodded.  "We'll both have to live to figure it all out.  But for now..."  And she threw her hoof hard into Seraphimus' gut.  WHAM!  "Stay the buck down!"

"Hskkkktt!"  Seraphimus exhaled heavily.  Her one good eye rolled back... and she slumped hard to the icy stone below.  Th-Thud!

Rainbow Dash leaned back, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"Oh goodness..."  Rarity clamped both hooves over her muzzle.  "Oh my goodness!  Rainbow..."  She gulped.  "...did you just—?"

"She's alive, Rarity," Fluttershy said.  "Just out cold."

"Out cold and a half!"  Pinkie glanced at her body and tail—no longer twitching—then at Rainbow.  "Holy moley, Dashie!  Remind me never to steal your cupcakes!"

"She said it herself," Rainbow wheezed, catching her breath.  "She's been made the center of this whole operation, courtesy of Chandler."  Gulping, the mare shook her head.  "The only way to deflate this defensive line is to kick it in the knees.  I couldn't hold back any longer."

"And we'll talk about that later," Twilight said, pointing up at the distant cathedral where the fight began.  "Right now, if you're wanting to make an example—"

"Better get your blue butt back up there!" Pinkie exclaimed.  "Hers too!"

"Way ahead of you..."  Rainbow reached down, scooping Seraphimus' unconscious body in her forelimbs.  "Rnnnngh... dang it, if you're half bird... wouldn't you want to wear light armor?!  Grnnnngh!"

"Is there even anything to return to?!"  Rarity looked at Fluttershy.  "By now, they must surely be—"

"A lot of them are in pain," Fluttershy said.  "But I can't sense any fatalities.  At least not among our friends."  She gulped.  "If we wait here any longer though—"

"Yeah yeah... I hear ya... I hear ya!"  Then, with a massive growl, Rainbow finally lifted herself up.  With flapping wings, she carried Seraphimus back towards the gaping window of the cathedral.





Inside...

"Haaaaaugh!"  Remna rammed head-first into a trio of soldiers.  She spun about, panting—only to have two griffons and three pegasi pounce her from behind, punching and stabbing.  "Aaaaugh!  Damned... m-mortals!"  She snarled, flinging two off of her violet body.

More and more soldiers piled on, pinning Remna's figure to the ground.

"Guys!"  Logan grunted, parrying two swords and smacking a soldier in the face with the hilt of his axe.  "Remna's down!"

"Friggin' really?!"  Flynn launched telekinetic projectiles at the crowd.  "Is that even possible?!"

"If so, we're mega-boned!" Ariel exclaimed, twirling over the battlefield and dodging weapons.

"Eyes forrwarrd, brrotherrs and sisterrs!" Kepler insisted.

Swoooosh!  Raptr flew overhead, tackling a griffon while Ariel rushed in from the other side, bucking and punching the soldier senseless.  The rookie Sergeant shouted over his shoulder, "Half of them are down for the count!  But it's taken everything we've got!"

"Then give more!" Keris hollered, kicking a soldier in the face before standing back to back with Bard.  "Talon!  To me!"

"Uhhh... to me too!" Bard exclaimed, sweating.

Swoooosh!  Wildcard rushed in, followed shortly by Windburst and Starstorm.  The group formed a tight circle—Talon and Desperadoes—all the while fending off a ravenous wave of guards.  Off towards the side, the Herald and their Central Guard loyalists struggled to keep the fight even.  However, with each surmounting second, the relentless numbers of Seraphimus' forces gained the upper hoof.

"A noble attempt!"  Theanim hollered, shouldering Echo's weight as he limped along the outer fringes of the battle.  "But we must retreat!  Please, friends!  Before it is too late—"

"Raaaugh!"  A soldier rushed in, swinging his scimitar.

Theanim tried to dodge, but the sword grazed his shoulder.  Sliiiink!  Blood flew as the Professor yelped.  "Aaaaaugh!"

The soldier made to thrust his sword this time.

Thwap!  Echo's unshorn fetlock gripped the hilt.  The sarosian—suddenly awake—opened his jaw wide and shrieked into the soldier's ear.

"Aaaaaaaugh!"  The soldier howled as his helmet cracked down the center.

"Harrk!"  Kepler's voice barked.  "The prrofessorr!"

"Got it."  Windburst cocked his crossbow and aimed across the battle.  Thwiffft!  A bolt flew, skewering the soldier's leg and pinning him to the shattered windowframe of the cathedral.

Twnnnngh!

Right then, Rainbow Dash hovered outside the circular opening.

Rarity gasped at the impaled soldier.  "Oh my!"

"Professor Theanim!" Twilight's voice cracked.

"He's bleeding badly!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

"He's not the only pony..."  Pinkie pointed into the building, grimacing.

Rainbow panted.  "Time to put an end to all this."  She dumped Seraphimus' body safely onto the stone floor of the cathedral, then glided backwards from the window.  "Bard!  Keris!"

The companions in question looked past the fray.

"Rainbow Dash?!"  Ariel's voice called out.  She was swiftly pounced on from behind.  "Aaaugh!"

"Oh no—!" Fluttershy whimpered.

A ruby light pierced the air.  "Tell everypony on our side to brace themselves!"  And Rainbow soared off in a prismatic streak.

"Easy for h-her to say!" Logan grunted, encumbered by attackers on all sides.

"Where the Hell did she go?!" Flynn sputtered.

Wildcard slammed his nightsticks across a griffon's face, affording himself a brief moment to peer beyond the shattered windowframe.  In the process, he made out a rainbow figure spiraling about... then rushing towards them at monumental speeds.  His headcrest rose.

"Is anybody else hearing a high-pitched whistling sound?!" Raptr sputtered.

"Good Goddess..."  Keris gulped.  He grabbed Starstorm by the shoulder and threw himself to the floor.  "Talon!  Get down!"

"You heard the Lieutenant!"  Windburst yanked the yelping rookie as they too dove low.

Wildcard gestured to his buddy.

"Down!  Down!"  Bard gave a soldier one last punch before throwing himself to the floor.  "Everypony down!"

Wildcard and Kepler ducked low, as did Flynn and Logan—

FWOOOOOOOOOOOSH!  A fuzzy blue missile sailed in through the window, rocketed across the air, then out the entrance of the cathedral on the other side.  The entire flyby transpired within the span of a blink.

Less than a heartbeat later—

POWWWWWWWWWWW!!!  The building rippled with every color of the spectrum.  Statues shattered in an instant.  The rest of the stained glass windows broke, bathing the stonework with blue light that clashed with the rainbow bands.

And every waking soldier—"Ooomf!"  "Aaaugh!"  "Guhhh!"  "Ungh!"—was thrown off their hooves.  Bodies slammed into walls, support beams, and stone floor panels.

Remna soon found herself clear of all the guardians that had previously piled up on her.  She looked up, ears twitching to the sound of collapsing thunder.  Soon, the air was ripe with groans and muffled breaths.

While both sides of the Central Guard struggled to get up, the Herald and the Talon recovered with little difficulty.  They stood from where they had braced themselves, blinking awkwardly into the calamitous scene.

Kepler and Logan fished through the squirming bodies.  They pulled out Ariel—who was likewise breathless.  The pegasus leaned against Kepler's shoulder, bruised and bleeding in multiple places.  She nevertheless stared wide-eyed at the stillness all around.

By the time Keris and his fellow wingmates had recovered their senses, Rainbow Dash hovered back into the building.  With nimble wings, she shadowed the carnage, glaring at those still endeavoring to defend the Queen's legacy.

"Did I get your attention?  Good.  Now listen up."

"What..."  A soldier stripped his helmet off—if only to rub his aching head.  "...in Goddess' name was th-that...?!"

"A sonic rainboom," Rainbow Dash said, much to the gasps of her fellow marefriends.  "Something I can do in my sleep."  Her brow furrowed.  "Imagine what I can do when I'm really ticked off."

"You don't scare us," another soldier snarled.  "You're dead meat, Rainbow Rogue—"

"Shut up!"  Rainbow pointed across the cathedral.  "Can dead meat do that?!"

Several gasps and surprised murmurs filled the room as the group feasted their eyes on Seraphimus' figure.  The bruised, battered Commander stirred on the ground, too weak to get up... much less roll over.

"Oh goddess..."  Starstorm grimaced, holding a claw before her beak.  "Commander—"

"Shhh!"  Keris insisted, though he was marching over to kneel at the griffon's side.

"That's right..."  Rainbow seethed, glaring at the group.  "Your high and mighty Commander is defeated.  I could have killed her.  In fact... dial up the rainboom just a little bit... and I'm pretty sure I could have put all of you out of commission for good.  But I didn't.  'Cuz that's not what I'm all about.  That's not what any of us is all about!"

"Silence!"  A guard shouted.  "You're a liar!  On top of being a demon of the Blight—"

"This demon of the Blight didn't send you on a suicide mission!"  Rainbow swept her hoof through the air.  "Chandler doesn't care what he tosses at Starkiss or any of its windigoes, so long as it accomplishes Verlaxion's so-called will."

By now, Flynn had rushed over to Theanim and Echo.  He knelt by the Professor's side, examining his wound and bandaging it up as quickly as he could.

Rainbow continued.  "And Verlaxion's true purpose doesn't include the future of Rohbredden!  In fact, she's willing to sacrifice it just to get to me!"  Rainbow spat.  "Well, I'm not about to give her the satisfaction!  So I'm giving you all this once chance to buck off!  Now and forever!"

"We would rather die," spat a griffon, re-gripping his sword and shield.  "So long as you live... you're a threat to our Queen!"  Others around him nodded as he yelled:  "You're a threat to all of Rohbredden!"

Rainbow fumed.  She fumbled for more words—

"Forget it, Austraeoh..."  Remna limped towards her, gripping her shoulder.  She stared past a set of disheveled crimson dreadlocks.  "The great grandfathers of these idiots' great grandfathers were brainwashed long before them."  Her violet nostrils flared.  "You're preaching to a sea of would-be corpses."

"I h-hate to echo the mare's sentiment..."  Theanim winced as Flynn patched him up.  He leaned on Echo's weight for support.  "...but I b-believe your only pertinent st-statement was made with your entrance, Rainbow... mrmmfff..."

"Please..."  Rainbow gulped.  "Don't you get it?!  It doesn't have to be like this!"  She looked over the Herald as they gathered by her side, taking their stance collectively at the far end of the cathedral.  "There's truth at the end of this journey!  It lies in wait for me at Verlax's throne!  It lies in wait for all of us!"

Starstorm checked Seraphimus' vital signs.  With a calm breath, she turned and nodded at Keris.  Keris nodded back... then stood up to look Rainbow and the crowd she was addressing.

"Don't you want to be free?!" Rainbow exclaimed.  "Don't you want to have knowledge of what's going on beneath this stinkin' continent?!"  She frowned.  "Or do you wanna remain the 'foals of Verlaxion' for forever?!"

"Wrong choice of words, I'm afraid, Rainbow," Twilight said.

Rainbow glanced aside, sweating.

"You can't force them to give up something that's so ingrained."  She looked up at her hovering anchor, ears drooped.  "Not at this point."

"Are there any right choice of words with these cretins?" Rarity muttered.

"Please..."  Fluttershy gulped.  "We have to try.  Without us, these poor ponies will rip each other to—"

"You've murdered our Commander!" a soldier hollered, marching forward.  "And you expect us to just let you murder our Goddess?!"

Rainbow blanched.  "Seraphimus is not dead!"  She pointed down at the stirring figure.  "You can see for yourself that she's—"

"All I see is the Rainbow Rogue!"  The stallion and several more armored guards increased their pace, racing across the cathedral.  "And as Verlaxion is our witness, we end her charge tonight!"

As the building refilled with screams, Bard and the others braced themselves.  "Bridge is over!  Time for the chorus again!"

"I hear that!"  Logan held his axe high.

But before any of the soldiers could make contact—

"Rrrraugh!"  The other faction of the Central Guard flanked them.  Ponies and griffons plowed into one another, filling the place with chaos yet again.

"Look!"  Twilight pointed.

Rainbow's eyes bounced amongst the crowd—until her gaze came into contact with a few of the soldiers fighting on her side.

"We believe you, Rainbow Rogue!"

"You saved us back in the Star Fringes!"

"Now go!  Save all of us!"

"We'll hold them back!"

"For Rohbredden!"

"They're..."  Ariel panted, wiping the sweat and blood from her brow.  "...they're really throwing themselves in there for us!"

"Then let us throw ourselves as well!"  Logan made to charge—

"No!"  Remna grabbed him by the tail, hauling the heavy stallion back.  "This is our opportunity!  The only one we're going to get!"

"But—"

"The whole army will be here any second now!  We cannot last against that!"  Remna spun about, snarling.  "Herald!  Escort the Austraeoh to the throneroom!  Now!"  She galloped towards the window.  "That's an order!"

"You heard the lady!"  Bard retracted his staff and flapped his wings.  "No time for an encore!  Dubya!"

Wildcard flew over to Flynn's side, gesturing along the way.

"He'll be fine!" Flynn insisted, taping one last bandage over Theanim's side.  "I've stopped the bleeding!  If we're going to make some headway, we'd better do it now!"

"Yeah..."  Echo nodded.  "What baldy said."

Wildcard grasped both Echo and Theanim in his forelimbs... then swiftly dove out the window.

"Arriel..."  Kepler reached out for the mare.

She was flying away.  "I'm good.  I promise."  She grasped Flynn and flew after Wildcard.  "All aboard the Austraeoh express!  Next stop... Yaerfaerda!"

"I can't believe this shit..."  Logan grumbled, sheathing his axe and backing away from the fight.  He glanced up at Rainbow Dash.  "And you, ya holy blue turd... do those wings really work?"

"Guess we're about to find out."  Rainbow lowered, grasping Logan's left side.  "Kepler?"

The wyvern teetered in place.  His eyes performed a thousand mile stare past his spectacles.

Fluttershy sniffled.  "The poor thing..."

Rainbow barked:  "Kepler!"

Kepler shook out of it, grasping Logan's right side.  "Yes, Rrainbow one.  Rready and willing t-to serrve..."  With their combined strength, the two hoisted the portly earth pony through the round window, following the rest of the procession.

Bard grasped Remna's shoulders, pausing to look over his shoulder at the Talon.  "Y'all comin' or what?"

"Just one s-second!" Keris exclaimed, examining the bruises along Seraphimus' forehead.

"Lieutenant..."  Starstorm leaned in.  "We don't have a second."

"Either you came all this way to find somethin' real or ya didn't!"  Bard said, lifting Remna up and gliding out the window.  "Time to mosey!"

"This fight behind us won't last forever!" Raptr said, breathlessly gawking at the clashing soldiers.  "And the army..."

"Lieutenant..."  Windburst cleared his throat.  "The Commander made her point perfectly clear... even if she has no point."

"I know..."  Keris gulped, clutching his eyes shut.  He bowed his head, grasping Seraphimus' claws in his own.  "Go."

Raptr blinked.  "What was that—"

"Go!" Keris hollered.  "Go now!"

Rattled, Starstorm and Raptr nodded at one another.  They took a running start, then glided after Bard and Remna.  Windburst lingered at the doorframe, his expert eyes trained on the Lieutenant.

Keris sniffled.  He leaned his feathery brow to Seraphimus'... whispered a few kind words... then gently laid the Commander's unconscious body down.  Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyes—dry and determined.  He rushed across the cathedral and dove out the window.  Windburst joined immediately.

The two members of the Talon took up the rear of the group.  They escorted them down into the furthest depths of Starkiss... even as the dark shadows of the remaining army's converging halves descended upon the cathedral... completely overwhelming the brave bodies left behind.