The Last Duel (New)
The Last Duel
Sunset froze.
They knew she was here.
Well, of course they know that I'm here; they weren't calling out for the sake of it.
Or … maybe they—?
"Oh Sunset?" the Siren called out in a sing-song voice. "Sunset?"
No, she's not just testing the waters. She knows I'm here.
Did she sense the spell masking Councillor Emerald? But then, the last time that she sensed that, she thought it turned out to be nothing — Cinder kept my secret — so how could she be so sure that it was something now? And how would she know it was me?
Does it really matter? Isn't the important thing that she knows I'm here?
Yes. Yes, it was. Knowing the how of it might be … interesting, to some people, but it paled in comparison to the brute fact of Sunset's discovery.
Of the discovery of Sunset and Councillor Emerald. How certain could she be that the Councillor was here? How could she be sure that Sunset wasn't alone? She could, it seemed, pick up on Sunset's magic, at least when it was being used in that way, but she'd already demonstrated that she didn't know what it was. It tingled on her senses, but she didn't know that it was magic, not for sure; she didn't know that it was concealment, she didn't know who was really there. She hadn't known that Sunset was there, only thought someone might be, and she had been convinced by Cinder that she had imagined it. That had been Sunset's hope in coming back here: that, having sensed something once and been told that it was nothing, the Siren would dismiss the sensation if it returned again. Sunset had hoped that it would be like smelling smoke: if you checked everywhere and couldn't find a fire, then you probably wouldn't check again even if the smell persisted — not that day, anyway.
Evidently, Sunset's hope had been misplaced in that regard.
I brought Councillor Emerald into danger.
He brought himself into danger; I came with him to make it a little less dangerous.
She looked behind her at the Councillor, who was as frozen as Sunset was, staring at her, his face still and hard to read, especially in this lack of light.
Sunset motioned with one hand for him to stay still, stay where he was. The Siren couldn't be certain that he was sure, couldn't be sure. She thought there was someone else with Sunset, but she couldn't know that. If Cinder would keep faith with her again, then the Councillor might yet escape detection until it was done.
Sunset straightened up and walked the rest of the way down the corridor, emerging around the corner that had been her hiding place before, stepping into the command centre, the heart of the Valish Defence Force.
In a room that was full of people, few of them marked her. Most of those present were staring at the monitors and consoles that lined the walls, some of them occasionally tapping away, not doing a great deal, Sunset had to admit. There was a door open on the right-hand side of the room, and more light was coming in from that doorway than the rest of the building put together, it seemed. There were a couple of guards and a couple of officers who were not actively working at any of the consoles, amongst them General Blackthorn. The guards were looking at Sunset, and the Valish General turned his attention towards her briefly, a sneer of contempt crossing his face, before he returned his attention to the monitors.
But it didn't matter if most of the people in the room weren't paying any attention to Sunset because Cinder was there, standing in the middle of the dark chamber, and Cinder was looking right at Sunset.
Just as she had done before, but Sunset was starting to doubt that she would get so lucky a second time.
Cinder stared at her and said nothing. Despite the lack of light, the obsidian blade in her hands yet managed to glisten.
"Cinder," Sunset murmured.
Cinder didn't reply.
The Siren stuck her head out from behind Cinder; her lustrous ponytail drooped down towards the floor. "Hey there!" she cried. "It's nice to finally meet you at last! I'm Sonata Dusk—"
"Charmed," Sunset muttered.
"—and I know who you are, obviously," Sonata said. She smiled, a wicked thing that showed too many teeth, like the smile of a shark. "Yes, I know all about you."
Sunset's eyes narrowed. "I doubt that very much."
"Oh, you'd be surprised," Sonata said. She started to step out from behind Cinder as she went on, "I know that you're from Eques—"
Sunset raised her hand, a bolt of magic shooting from her palm towards Sonata. Cinder raised her own hand in turn, and Sunset's bolt went wild, careening off to one side to slam into a monitor just to the left of a Valish soldier. The monitor exploded, making the soldier jump as sparks flew and shards were scattered across the floor.
Someone grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed the destroyed monitor; they didn't look at Sunset while they worked; they just got on with it.
You deflected it? Cinder, what are you doing?
Sonata had retreated back behind the safety of Cinder's body. "That was close," she said, her hands on Cinder's waist as she peeked out from behind her. "Thank you, Cinder; I don't know what I'd do without you."
A wordless growl rose from Sunset's throat. "What have you done to her? Cinder, step aside; leave her to me!"
Cinder's face twitched. Her muscles seemed to be warring with her will as a momentary scowl appeared upon her face, then faded away again. She did not move, nor did she speak to Sunset.
"Cinder isn't going to do that, are you, Cinder?" Sonata asked. "Cinder's my … pet."
Sunset bared her teeth in a snarl as she took a step forward, hands knotting into fists.
Cinder raised her black blade, pointing it at Sunset.
Sunset came to a halt. "Cinder!"
"Cinder, Cinder," Sonata repeated mockingly. She giggled. "Cinder can't answer the door right now, Sunset Shimmer."
"What have you done?" Sunset snarled. "How could you do this to her?!"
"What did I do?" asked Sonata. "I sang her a song. Just a song. A song about wrath and anger and vengeance, a song that she preferred to any melody of yours."
Sunset shook her head. "Cinder," she said. "Cinder, come on, you … I know you're in there. I know your strength, I know the fire that burns within you, I have felt it! I know who you are. You're … you're better than this! You are Cinder Fall, no one's slave—"
"'No one's slave'?" Sonata repeated. She cackled with laughter. "A slave is all she's ever been. She was a slave to her stepmother, a slave to Salem, and now, she's a slave to me—"
"No!" Sunset cried. "You are yourself, always yourself, to no one's will beholden but your own. Cinder, you can fight this, you can beat it—"
"The way that she beat Pyrrha?" Sonata asked. "The way that she beat Team Sapphire? Let's face it; this girl doesn't have a great win record, does she?"
"Then what do you want with her?" Sunset demanded.
"Well, she's got potential, I'll give you that. Potential that she's never used, potential that she's held back by the limits that she's put on herself. I think that she might be able to do a whole lot more without those limits." Sonata stroked Cinder, running her hands up Cinder's side and down again to her thigh and touching upon the back skin of her leg where her red dress ended. "Plus, it's nice to have a big, strong girl around the house. You never know when you might need one." She smirked. "Or enjoy one."
"Don't you—"
"Oh, now you're gonna pretend that you care what happens to her?" Sonata asked. "That you care what's done to her? You didn't care last night, did you?"
"'Last night'?" Sunset repeated. "I … we spared her life."
"She wanted to die, you idiot; what do you think she was doing?" Sonata demanded. "She wanted to die — which sounds pretty stupid, I gotta admit, but it was what she wanted — and you know, if you had killed her, she wouldn't be here now. Because, you know, she'd be dead. But you didn't want to do that. You couldn't give her what she wanted; you didn't even care to try. You just turned your back on her and left her for me. Didn't she, Cinder?"
Cinder bared her own teeth now, bared them like a hound at Sunset as she nodded.
"But don't worry," Sonata said. "I'll take better care of Cinder than you ever did."
"Let her go."
"Bored now," Sonata said. "Bored of talking about Cinder anyway; is that really what you want to talk about? Too bad, let's talk about you; actually, no, first, let's talk about who your friend is and where they are."
"I'm alone," Sunset said.
Sonata chuckled as she looked up at the dark ceiling. "Has anyone ever treated you like an idiot?" she asked.
"No," Sunset said.
"Sometimes, it's nice," Sonata said. "Sometimes, it's easy to be treated like you're stupid, like you just don't get it, like you could never possibly amount to anything. It's nice and easy because the people who think of you that way will never see you coming." She put a hand on Cinder's shoulder, stroking her back and forth. "Will they, Cinder?" She chuckled again. "But there are other times, I gotta say, when it's really kind of annoying, and you want it to stop."
The smile faded from her face. "Don't treat me like an idiot. I know you've got someone else back there; I know that you're hiding them with Equestrian magic, the same magic that you used to hide them, or yourself, or someone else a little while ago, when Cinder covered for you because she's a bad girl. I had to sing her another song to make sure that didn't happen again." The smile returned to her face. "So either they get out here, or Cinder is going to fill that whole corridor with flame, and we'll see if your magic protects them from it."
Sunset raised her hands, both of them wreathed in green as she prepared to conjure up a shield to cover the corridor from the flames. "Yes, let's see that, why don't we?"
Sonata stared at her. Then she pouted as her raspberry eyes narrowed.
"Okay," she said through gritted teeth. "Okay, I'll … you've got me with that one, I guess." The smirk returned to her face. "How's it going retaking the battleship, General Blackthorn?"
"Marines and armed crew are moving to storm the bridge now," General Blackthorn replied. "Until then, we're still in control of the entire remainder of the vessel."
"Including all the guns, right?" Sonata asked.
"That's correct."
"Alrighty then," Sonata said. "How about this? Either your friend comes out right on a count of three, or I'll suggest to General Blackthorn here that it would be a good idea to start dropping shells on Vale?"
"He wouldn't," Sunset said.
"Oh, you'd be amazed at what these boys will do for me," Sonata said. "One—"
"Wait!" Councillor Emerald cried as he emerged from around the corridor with his hands up. "Wait, please. Don't shoot. There's no need. Here I am."
Sonata's eyes widened. "Aspen Emerald the First Councillor! Wow! I don't know who I was expecting, but I was not expecting this! It's an honour for you to be in my presence."
"Who are you talking to?" General Blackthorn asked, looking around the room.
"Oh, right, yeah," Sonata said. "Take the spell off."
"Why would I do that?" Sunset demanded.
"Oh, General—"
"Okay, okay!" Sunset snapped, shuffling over to Councillor Emerald and placing a hand upon his shoulder. "I told you to stay where you were."
"And I told you, Miss Shimmer, that my own life mattered little compared to the good of Vale," Councillor Emerald replied.
And how are you helping the good of Vale, exactly? Sunset thought as she dispelled the enchantment that she had placed upon him.
The Valish soldiers cried out in surprise as, to them, Councillor Emerald suddenly appeared out of nowhere. They raised their rifles, training them upon the Councillor.
"Wait!" Sonata cried. "Wait, wait, wait, there's no need to shoot him—"
"He is a traitor to Vale—" General Blackthorn began.
"Yet," Sonata said. "No need to shoot him yet." She licked her lips. "So, what was your plan, exactly? The two of you were going to come down here and … what? Order General Blackthorn to stand down in the name of the First Councillor?"
"Something like that," Councillor Emerald murmured. "Or persuade him to step back from this insanity."
Sonata giggled. "Did she not tell you what I was?"
"Miss Shimmer told me you were a magical creature," Councillor Emerald said. "But I thought that surely … General Blackthorn! You can think what you like about me, you can disagree with my decisions, disdain me all you like, expose me to the people if you wish, but to fire on the city of Vale? Upon your own people? On the word of this … girl! You're a soldier of Vale, an officer; how can you do this?"
"I don't need traitor scum to lecture me upon my duty to Vale," General Blackthorn declared coldly.
"On the night when you send soldiers into the streets threatening to shoot anyone who stirs out of doors, on the night that you order one of your ships to fire upon the Atlesians, it appears you do," Councillor Emerald snapped. "Martial law? Curfew? War with Atlas?" He looked around. "You are all soldiers of Vale! This is your kingdom! Your city! Damn it, doesn't that mean anything to any of you?"
"Vale will be stronger for this," General Blackthorn said. "Hard men produce good times, but good times produce weak men." He looked at Councillor Emerald. "We have grown weak indeed, and the weak men have produced hard times for Vale. Well, out of these hard times, we will produce strong men who will bring about a strong kingdom, proud and self-reliant and—"
"And burned in the fires of Atlesian bombs?" Councillor Emerald demanded. "Overrun by grimm? Gods, man, we should be thanking all our lucky stars that General Ironwood is only attacking this base, that he's only destroyed one ship, not sought to carry retribution into every corner of the city!"
"You're wasting your breath on him, Councillor," Sunset said. "She's the one you should be speaking to." She nodded towards Sonata. "Do you actually believe any of the things you've got him saying? Do you really think that Vale can win a war with Atlas? What's your plan here?" And what does it have to do with the Relic? She thought, but didn't ask because there should probably still be some secrets that Councillor Emerald wasn't privy to.
"Of course they can!" Sonata declared. "The gallant sons and daughters of Vale are going to take their city back from everyone who's ever tried to keep it down, inside and out. There's a camera through that door, and a broadcast feed. General Blackthorn is going to take the First Councillor through there, and he's going to confess to helping cover up what you did, you naughty, naughty girl. And then the noble general will execute the traitor—"
"Over my dead body," Sunset said.
Sonata shrugged. "If you insist."
"You do realise that the Atlesians are about to break through and get down here," Sunset said. "Or do you think your brainwashed Valish soldiers can hold them off?"
"I don't know what's going to happen," Sonata said. "But maybe I'll sing to them next."
"You don't care who wins, do you?" Sunset declared. "The chaos is all you want, the fighting, the anger, the despair. You just want to dance in the ashes while the fires spread."
"You said that, not me," Sonata replied. "But what do you want, Sunset Shimmer? What's an Equestrian doing all the way out here? What do you want?"
"Why don't you stop hiding behind Cinder, and I'll show you what I want to do?" Sunset growled.
"Okay, so you were planning to— right, gotcha, that actually makes sense," Sonata said, pointing at her. "It was kinda stupid of you to come down here all by yourself, but I can see why you did it. I bet a smart unicorn like you has a spell to cover her ears if I start singing, don't you?"
Sunset didn't reply. There was no reason to show Sonata all her cards.
Sonata huffed. "Fine. But you know, it doesn't have to be this way. You could, work with me here … work with me here? You and me, Equestrians, sticking together, could make a pretty sweet team?" She beamed eagerly.
"I could make a pretty sweet meal for you, you mean," Sunset said.
"Well, as my partner, you wouldn't be so selfish as to keep all of that delicious Equestrian magic to yourself, obviously, but you wouldn't be like this!" Sonata cried, tapping Cinder on the hip. "You'd still be you. I mean, let's not pretend you're a hero or anything. I don't know why you came here or who sent you, but I know that nopony comes from Equestria to this dump except because they got kicked out or they're running from something. And I know what you did. I know that you've already betrayed this city once."
"Once," Sunset admitted. "Doesn't mean I'll do it again."
"Why not?" Sonata demanded. "What's here for you?"
"The tattered shreds of my integrity," Sunset said. "And my ability to sleep at night."
Sonata rolled her eyes. "Boring."
"Also the fact that you seem so thoroughly obnoxious that I already wanted to stuff my ears up so I don't have to listen to you anymore," Sunset said. "The thought of spending a prolonged period of time in your presence makes me wish for a slow and painful death at the hands of the grimm."
"Well, that's just rude!" Sonata said. "It's fine if you want to say no, but there's no need to be like that about it! Honestly, that was … wow, was that uncalled for." Sonata ducked back behind Cinder. "Cinder, kill her for me. And make it slow and painful like she wants."
Sunset drew Soteria from across her back. "Step away, Councillor," she said. "This is likely to get … a little unrestrained."
"Keep your eyes on him, fellas," Sonata said. "Leave Sunset to Cinder."
"Guns on the Councillor, men," General Blackthorn commanded. "Ensure the traitor doesn't escape."
Sunset didn't look, but out of the corner of her eye, she could just about make out Councillor Emerald sidling along the wall away from her. The Valish soldiers were aiming at him — even the younger officers had drawn their sidearms — but so long as they didn't shoot, and so long as Sunset could get past Cinder to deal with Sonata, then he should, if all went well, be fine.
If all went well.
If Sunset could get past Cinder to get at Sonata.
If.
Cinder took a step towards her; her eyes were fully green, all trace of the smouldering amber colour gone from them, buried.
"You don't want to do this, Cinder," Sunset said. "I know you don't. Come on, Cinder, I know you can hear me!"
"Are you sure about that?" asked Sonata.
"Yes, I am!" Sunset shouted. "And you must be too, or you wouldn't be keeping Cinder as this … this puppet, for you to move around at your convenience, to do as you say and nothing more."
Sonata chuckled. "Then why don't we see what Cinder has to say about that, huh?" She started to hum. Sunset cast the spell to muffle her ears, because she didn't trust Sonata not to try and ensnare her with her Siren powers. She'd have to be a fool to trust Sonata that way. Instantly, her ears were filled with a ringing, all other sounds driven away, smothered beneath the ringing like that sickly green light that smothered the amber of Cinder's eyes.
The amber that returned to Cinder's eyes. There was still green there, a ring of green around her eyes, but Sunset could see the amber too, just as she had when she had seen Sunset and lied about it to Sonata.
Sunset smiled, certain that Sonata had made a mistake — a mistake for which she would pay dearly.
Cinder said something to her; Sunset could see her lips moving, even though she couldn't hear the words. Cinder paused for a moment, as though she were expecting an answer. When none was forthcoming, her brow furrowed, she cocked her head a little to one side.
Sonata stuck her head out from behind Cinder; her mouth was shut, and she mimed zipping up her lips.
Sunset dropped the spell, ready to pick it up again the moment Sonata started to sing once more.
She didn't. Instead, it was Cinder who spoke, for the first time — to Sunset — since last night, when Sunset, Pyrrha, and Professor Ozpin had interviewed her.
"Hello, Sunset," she said.
Sunset's smile widened. "Cinder—"
"What are you smiling about?" Cinder snapped. "Are you so confident in your victory that you grin like a loon before the first stroke falls?"
"Confident in my…" Sunset repeated, as the smile faded from her face. "Cinder, we don't have to do this. You don't have to do this, you can fight this, I know that you can, you've done—"
"Perhaps I can," Cinder declared, cutting Sunset off once again. She twirled her black glass sword in both hands. She grinned wolfishly as she went on, "But, in the circumstances, I think I'd rather fight you."
That had not been what Sunset had been hoping for, or even expecting. Her eyes widened. "You … you want this?"
"Always," Cinder whispered, her voice a gentle caress even as they discussed the prospect of more forceful contact to come. "I think that, since the night we met, there's been a part of me that has wanted this: to cross swords with you, to see which of us is the stronger. Don't you feel the same way, don't you want to find out?"
"I already know the answer," Sunset said softly. "I don't want to fight you, and I certainly don't want to fight you on the orders of that thing cowering behind you!"
"Harsh," said Sonata.
Sunset ignored her. "She … she's wrong, in what she said. You must have heard her, calling you a slave, saying that that's all you'd ever been; well, she's wrong. You're not a slave; you're more than that, so much—"
"Silence!" Cinder roared, flames springing up out of the side of her right eye. Her whole body trembled. "Do not … don't pretend, don't you dare pretend that you care about me, don't seek to play upon my feelings—"
"I do care," Sunset said. "I care about you."
"You left me!" Cinder bellowed, taking a step in Sunset's direction. Sunset retreated back a step in turn. "You…" Cinder shook her head from side to side. "You left me. I sought a death last night. A good death, a noble death—"
"There's no such thing as a noble death," Sunset muttered. "Dead is dead, and any one as cold as all the rest."
"So instead, you left me alive," Cinder growled. "To be caged, to be humiliated, to be hauled before the baying mob; instead of a swift end by a swift sword, you condemned me to a show trial and slow death for the gratification of the crowds. You left me to that. You took what you wanted, you turned around and walked away, and you left me, to—" She stopped, her whole body tensing, her face constricting into a pained snarl.
I left you to Sonata. To this.
"I … I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Cinder, I had no idea that … I should have realised that … I didn't want to see you die."
"You mean you didn't want my blood on your hands, but you were perfectly willing to turn your back and let it stain someone else’s?" Cinder demanded. "Such care, such compassion; truly, your heart overflows with the milk of kindness."
"I am a coward, I own it, but my feelings—"
"You had more concern for Amber last night than you had for me—"
"I offered you all of myself!" Sunset yelled. "I offered myself up to you! In the Forever Fall, after we had escaped from Merlot's tunnels. Come away with me, I said; let me help you, I said; let me heal you, I said; I was going to take you to my home! I was going to leave everything behind, and everyone! FOR YOU! I offered it all to you, and you … you refused me! You!" she repeated, jabbing her finger in Cinder's direction. "You wouldn't have it, you wanted to … I don't even know what you wanted, to kill Pyrrha? To get yourself killed in the glorious old Mistralian tradition? To bend your knee and back for Salem, to do her work until she'd used you up and thrown you away? Maybe I should have let Ruby cut you open last night, maybe that would have been a kinder fate than this, but I'm not the one who decided to start a fight in the middle of the street, and I'm not the one who decided to … don't come at me like I didn't give you a chance. I gave you more than that. You made this cage for yourself as much as anyone else made it for you."
Silence fell in the darkened command centre. Cinder stared at her, eyes wide.
As her anger faded, Sunset began to realise that not all of that outburst had been particularly wise in the circumstances; however true it might have been — and it was true; whatever mistakes Sunset might have made, she wasn't about to stand there and act as though she'd never given Cinder a chance to turn things around — even a Cinder who was not in thrall to a Siren was not likely to be impressed by it.
"Cinder, I—"
"Enough," Cinder grunted. She half turned away from Sunset, clutching at her head with one hand. The fire around her eye died down and disappeared from sight. "Enough," she repeated as she looked at Sunset once again, straightened up, and gripped her glass sword in both hands once more. "Enough talk. Let us speak not with the words you weave like silver, but with our blades which do the night resemble, here in this place that is as black as night."
And my emotional state which is becoming more sable by the moment, Sunset thought.
"Siren song has not robbed you of your eloquence, then?" she asked.
If Cinder had smiled at that — or even smirked at it — then Sunset would have had hope; as it was, she only bared her teeth in Sunset's direction. She drew in a deep breath. "Goodbye, Sunset," she said.
She raised her sword up above her head.
Soteria leapt from Sunset's grip, held by telekinesis instead of hands. The green glow of Sunset's magic surrounded the hilt of the black blade, hurling it through the air towards Cinder's heart.
Cinder parried. Soteria leapt away, Sunset manoeuvring the sword with a deftness that her hands and feet could not have managed as the black blade danced around Cinder, assailing her from this direction, then from that, from above or from so far below it was swiping at Cinder's ankles; Cinder turned, ducked, dived, parried again and again; while Soteria preoccupied her, Cinder's attention was off Sunset herself.
Sunset prepared a battery of magical spears as quickly as she could; she had to be quick because though Cinder might not notice them, Sonata might, and they were aimed at Sonata. Sunset flung them when they were still half-formed, flickering spears of magic lancing through the air towards the Siren.
If Sunset could only get her, then—
Sonata yelped as the half-formed spears descended on her, throwing herself to the floor as the magical missiles slammed into the wall behind her; half-formed or not, they were still powerful enough to wreck consoles, shatter monitors, blow chunks out of the wall behind them.
Sonata scampered for the open door with the light spilling out of it. "I'll be in here if you need me!" she cried, chuckling nervously as she hurled herself through the open doorway; she didn't shut it, but Sunset lost sight of her, wherever she was in the next room.
She cursed inwardly. There goes my best chance.
She flung Soteria at Cinder once again.
Cinder caught the blade with one hand, closing her fingers around the black sword.
Sunset pulled at the ancient weapon, but Cinder had a vice-like grip around it; though the edges must be biting sharply into her aura, she clung on.
She clung on, and Sunset could see the inside of her hands begin to glow where she held the sword as Cinder used her semblance on it.
She's going to melt the sword. She's going to break it like she did Crocea Mors.
She didn't. Instead, Cinder flung Soteria back down to skid across the floor and halt at Sunset's feet.
"I'm not in the mood for cheap tricks, Sunset," she said. "And I'm not a nuisance for you to distract while you get on with your real work; right here, and now, in this place, and at this moment, I am your real work, your only work. Take this seriously. Take me seriously. I have that right."
Sunset levitated the sword back up into her hand. "Believe me," she muttered. "I'm taking you very seriously." Why do you think I wanted to cheat to try and remove the need for us to fight?
Cinder smiled, and as she smiled, the fire returned to her eyes, the corona of the Fall Maiden, or the half of the powers that Cinder had stolen. She let her sword slip into just one hand while a fire erupted in the other about a foot high, the flames flickering and dancing upon her palm.
The firelight danced in Cinder's eyes as she stared at it for a moment. "And so am I," she said as she flung the fireball at Sunset.
Sunset held up one hand, conjuring a shield around her upon which the fireball dissipated.
Cinder's black-painted lips curled upwards. She flung out her hand, and a jet of golden fire, like a dragon's flame, poured out of her hand towards Sunset. It flowed around Sunset's shield like water around a rock in the middle of the stream; it engulfed her, hiding Councillor Emerald, the command centre, and even Cinder herself from Sunset's sight. The whole world was gone; there was only the fire that surrounded her shield, that beat upon it, that sought to devour it. The shield held firm, but Sunset could feel it consuming more and more of her magic to retain it in the face of Cinder's assault.
Sunset regretted that she couldn't warn Councillor Emerald to get down; if he'd heard her, then it simply would have warned Cinder too. She burst her shield, turning it outwards in an eruption of energy that spread out in all directions, hurling the flames aside, knocking back Cinder and Councillor Emerald — Sunset hoped he wasn't too badly hurt; she could only console herself with the knowledge that he'd told her to put Vale's interests ahead of his own — and the Valish soldiers in the room with them as well, at least those that weren't too far away.
Cinder was thrown against the damaged wall behind her. Sunset started to run for the door, the door behind which Sonata waited, and while she ran, she flung bolts of magic from her fingertips, striking the Valish soldiers before they could recover themselves or get in her way; those that were down, she made sure stayed down; those that weren't down yet, she put down; even General Blackthorn fell unconscious before her magic as Sunset sprinted for the door. If she could just get to Sonata, then—
Sunset felt herself grabbed from behind, strong arms enveloping her for a moment, lifting her up off the floor — her legs kicked futilely — before throwing her aside, into the far wall of the command centre, where her head slammed into a monitor or something or other; the glass cracked before Sunset fell backwards, tail first onto the floor.
She scrambled upright to find Cinder facing her once again. She'd recovered just a tad too quickly from the blast, it seemed.
I should have teleported in there.
Teleported where? I don't know what's on the other side of that door. Besides, I wouldn't have been able to hit all the Valish soldiers if I'd done that.
Would that have mattered?
Possibly, if I couldn't deal with Sonata instantly.
"You said," Cinder growled, "that you were going to take me seriously."
"I'm not sure I can beat you," Sunset said. "Isn't that serious enough?"
Cinder raised one eyebrow. "Flattery will get you nowhere," she said. One corner of her lip rose. "But please, don't let that stop you."
Her glass sword shattered in her hand, obsidian shards swirling around her like visible air currents before some of the shards reformed into a dagger in her hand.
Cinder didn't take her eyes off Sunset for a moment as she threw the dagger, which slammed into the floor just in front of Councillor Emerald's hand as he reached for the rifle of one of the unconscious Valish soldiers.
"The next one," Cinder declared magisterially, "will go through your head. Sit still and wait for orders from your betters, you who are worthless, counting for nothing in battle or debate."
"It's alright, Councillor," Sunset said. "I've got this."
"You tell me you're not sure you can win, you tell the Councillor everything will be fine," Cinder murmured. "Hurrah for consistency."
Sunset didn't reply, except for charge at Cinder, Soteria drawn back above her head.
Cinder rushed to meet her, her own sword pulled back for a slashing stroke in turn.
The two came together like rival bulls, trampling across the field in their eagerness to reach one another, heads bowed and horns at the ready, but before the two clashed, Sunset teleported behind Cinder, letting her rush forward into empty air. Sunset turned, bringing her black sword down on Cinder's back—
Cinder turned too fast, faster than Sunset, her black hair flying around her as she spun like a top to parry Sunset's stroke. Black steel and black glass clashed with a ring before Sunset drew back. Cinder followed up, slashing at Sunset from high and then from low. Sunset managed to parry both, retreating towards the door.
Cinder seemed to look over Sunset's shoulder, noticing the door there, and she began to attack only from the left, forcing Sunset to shift rightwards, to move away from the door and towards the centre of the room.
Cinder twirled theatrically, her skirt rising as it whirled around her, purely to show that she could, that she was so fast that she could pull a stunt like that and Sunset still couldn't land a blow on her.
The worst part was she was right; she parried Sunset's attempt to take advantage of the turn with an ease that she made look effortless.
I might as well try and fight Pyrrha with the sword as try and win this way.
Sunset loosened her arms, almost willing her strength to leave them; when Cinder struck her sword, Sunset did not resist; she let Cinder sweep the blade out of her hands with a ringing stroke.
Sunset raised her hand and blasted a bolt of magic straight at Cinder's chest.
This close, Cinder had no chance of deflecting it with her semblance; it hit her squarely where Sunset meant it to, blasting Cinder backwards like a ragdoll, slamming her into the wall.
Sunset advanced on Cinder, firing a second blast from her palm, and then a third. The second hit her, making her writhe as though she'd just been shocked, but the third turned abruptly away from Cinder to burn through the wall nearby.
Cinder's teeth were bared in a vicious snarl as she launched herself at Sunset, flames burning from her hands and feet to propel her like a rocket. She closed the distance almost instantly to slam bodily into Sunset, bearing her backwards into the corridor from which Sunset had emerged not long ago. The two of them crashed into the wall, but Sunset felt as though her aura took far more of the brunt than Cinder's did. Cinder's eye was aflame, not only the corona of the Maiden, but her eye itself seemed to be burning brighter with an inner fire as she grabbed Sunset and turned her around.
Sunset struggled and squirmed in her grip, but Cinder was stronger than she was, and more physically accomplished. Sunset tried to blast her with more magic from point blank, but Cinder had her by the wrists and kept them well away from her.
Indeed, that was part of the reason she was manhandling Sunset like this, to remove her ability to use magic in that way.
Sunset found herself forced to the ground, in spite of her struggles, hands pinned down in front of her, Cinder straddling her back, one hand around Sunset's neck.
"Here comes a monster to gobble you up."
No, Cinder just wants to kill me.
Sunset felt the hand around her neck begin to burn, fire lapping at her neck, licking at her chin and at her fiery hair as if to teach it the difference between mere red and gold and real fire. Sunset squirmed, she struggled, she writhed and wriggled, but Cinder's grip was too strong, her pressure too great, Sunset could not escape.
But she could still use magic, just not in the form of direct attacks.
Her hands glowed green; if Cinder noticed, then she didn't react; perhaps she felt that burning through Sunset's aura was the best response she could make.
Sunset fumbled with her telekinesis as the flames devoured her protection. She could feel it dropping, feel the heat of the fire, feel the discomfort that was nevertheless only a fraction of the discomfort that she would feel if her aura broke. So she groped with her magic, feeling for the guns of the Valish soldiers where they lay on the ground.
She felt them, a rifle, and then another. Sunset winced at the heat that licked at her neck as she lifted the rifles up into the air and aimed them, she hoped, at Cinder.
Telekinetically, she pulled the triggers.
Bullets thudded into the floor; it was hard to aim properly without being able to see what she was aiming at, but Sunset could tell by her wincing that at least some of the rounds were hitting home.
Cinder let go of Sunset’s neck, and Sunset felt the Valish guns ripped from her telekinesis and flung across the command centre; Sunset guessed that Cinder had hit them with a wave of fire, the impact force of her magic overwhelming Sunset’s own.
But just as Sunset’s magical grip on the guns was lost, Cinder’s physical grip on Sunset’s wrists had also loosened a little, loosened enough for her to free her right hand.
She grabbed hold of her own left wrist and, with a touch of her aura, activated the last remaining lightning dust infused into the metal vambrace.
There wasn’t a lot in there — she hadn’t had the opportunity to replace the dust that she’d already used; it wasn’t as much as there normally would have been — but it was enough, enough to see yellow lightning rippling up Cinder’s arm, snapping and snarling and tearing at her aura. It was enough to make her recoil, jerking and twitching.
It was enough to let Sunset throw her off, rolling away as she fired another bolt of magic from her palm. Cinder managed to dodge that one, letting the magic fly past her shoulder into the ceiling, but it was enough of a distraction to let Sunset put some distance between the two of them.
Sunset summoned Soteria into her right hand and then put her telekinesis to work frantically undoing the strap that kept her left — and now wholly discharged — vambrace on.
Cinder summoned her glass weapons back into her hands, forming two blades now instead of one: a pair of glass scimitars. Flames leapt up both swords, the obsidian half concealed beneath the flickering flames.
Cinder was smiling as she charged, one sword ahead, the other drawn back for a sideways slashing stroke.
Sunset threw the vambrace at her telekinetically. Cinder swatted it aside with a sweep of her sword.
Sunset teleported away from Cinder before she reached her, reappearing with a flash in the mouth of the corridor. Cinder turned on her, her smile fading a little, snorting with irritation.
She charged again. Sunset had time to take her glove off her left hand and let it fall to the floor.
One hand gloved, one hand bare, she gripped the hilt of Soteria.
Cinder sprang at her as furiously as a tiger, slashing with this sword and then that, hurling herself against Sunset with wild abandon. She didn’t bother to defend herself, she seemed to have no fear that Sunset would break through her guard, she simply attacked and attacked and relied upon her speed and strength to keep Sunset at bay.
And she was not wrong to do so. She was so swift, and every blow that Sunset parried jarred her arm. Sunset retreated into the wall and had to teleport again to open up more space between Cinder and herself, but Cinder just attacked her there once more, and the pattern resumed. Worse, with every blow that Cinder struck, every time one of Cinder’s burning blades clashed with Soteria, Cinder caused the flames of the sword to burst outwards, momentarily consuming Soteria and singeing Sunset’s aura a little.
Sunset was very definitely on the backfoot, she could not match Cinder with the sword, she had no hope of matching it, it was just not where her skills lay.
But if only Cinder’s confidence was to rise a little higher; surely, she had to be exultant by now; surely, she had to see that the victory was nearly hers.
There was a light in Cinder’s eyes as she drew back both swords at once, the burning blades nearly touching her hair before she slammed them down in simultaneous slashes across Sunset’s chest.
Sunset parried the stroke, the burning swords slamming into Soteria like waves into the sea wall.
Now was her chance. Sunset let go of the sword with her left hand — her bare hand — and grabbed at Cinder’s hand.
Cinder dropped one sword and grabbed Sunset’s outstretched wrist, around the sleeve of her jacket, so that their skin didn’t touch. The flames died from the glass sword as it hit the floor between them.
Sunset grunted, she pushed against Cinder’s grip, trying to reach her hand or her face, but Cinder’s hold on her was as iron.
Sunset tried to kick Cinder’s leg, but Cinder shuffled her foot aside, and the kick didn’t land.
Cinder’s glass sword collapsed into fragments, fragments that flew up in the air, dancing round Sunset like torn up paper caught by a breeze, nipping and biting at her aura. Sunset winced, but she couldn’t move because Cinder held her fast.
Cinder’s hand began to burn.
Not again!
Sunset couldn’t reach Cinder’s face, she couldn’t touch the skin of her hand, but if she held her hand palm down, then she could fire a smattering of magical bolts out of her fingertips to hit Cinder in the ankle, around her anklet.
Where Sunset’s foot had failed, her magic did not; the bolts struck home, Cinder recoiled her glass-clad foot and was momentarily off balance.
Sunset lunged forward, slamming into Cinder, knocking her off her remaining foot as they both fell down to the ground.
Sunset hammered Cinder in the face with Soteria. Cinder let go of Sunset’s hand. Sunset reached for Cinder; she could use her semblance to—
A gunshot rang out, followed by Councillor Emerald howling in pain.
Sunset’s head snapped up, her eyes widening.
Sonata stood over General Blackthorn’s unconscious form, a pistol in her hand.
Councillor Emerald lay against the wall, clutching his side, groaning in pain.
Sunset raised her hand.
Sonata looked at her, and a beam of raspberry light leapt from her mouth and slammed into Sunset. It hit her with all the force of a charging goliath, it was so powerful. It lifted Sunset clean up, away from Cinder, carrying her through the air and slamming her into the wall. Sunset shattered all the consoles and the monitors upon her impact, and the sparks and the short outs bit her aura as she sunk down to the floor.
She can do that? None of the books said anything about her being able to do that.
Sonata’s eyes gleamed, and so too did the large red gem, the size of a playing card; it glowed in the dark room.
She opened her mouth, and another beam burst forth to slam into Sunset’s chest. Sunset cried out as the beam, the incredibly strong beam, burned through her aura until it broke, a green light rippling across Sunset’s skin.
There was a burn mark on her cuirass, just beneath the setting sun emblem, where Sonata hadn’t stopped until just after Sunset’s aura broke.
“That was a little too close,” Sonata said.
Cinder climbed to her feet. “You interrupted!”
“To help you out!” Sonata said. “You were losing! Again!”
“I was not beaten yet,” Cinder insisted. “I was going to turn the battle around; her magic was … her life was mine to take.”
“Then take it,” Sonata said, gesturing to Sunset. “I still need him sort of alive,” she added, gesturing to Councillor Emerald. “But her? I don’t need her alive at all. So have at it. Do whatever you want with her.”
Sunset raised her hand. Her aura was broken, but her magic was not; she fired a bolt straight at Sonata.
It was turned away by Cinder’s semblance, disappearing into the corridor beyond the room.
Cinder didn’t look at Sunset. “You … you want me to end her?”
“Mistress,” Sonata said, softly but with an undercurrent of danger in her voice.
Cinder’s jaw tightened. “You want me to finish her for you, Mistress?”
“Uh huh,” Sonata said. “And afterwards, see if you can wake up General Blackthorn; I kinda need him on his feet.”
Cinder stalked towards Sunset with a slinking gait, hips swinging, feet crossing over one another, looking like a cross between a catwalk model and a lioness stalking the high plains.
Sunset could not take her eyes off her. Was this it? Was this how she was going to die?
Am I going to lose because I didn't realise how powerful Sirens could be?
If I die here, if Cinder kills me like this, then… Sunset glanced at Councillor Emerald, his hand pressed against his side, blood seeping out from between his fingers. Then Councillor Emerald will die too, and Bramble will grow up without a father.
And anyway, I … I don't want to die.
To die would be … just awful.
She conjured up a shield around herself, a protective bubble of green magic between her and harm.
Cinder's eyebrows rose. "Come, friend, you too must die," she said.
"Eventually, but not yet!" Sunset squawked.
A spear appeared in Cinder's hand, a spear of flame, of fire given form, glass abandoned for now in favour of a weapon of pure magic. It was crudely made, but from what Sunset could make out of its shape, it almost resembled Miló.
That meant something, but Sunset was in no mood to try and puzzle out exactly what it meant.
Cinder held the weapon in one hand, like a javelin, poised to thrust it down upon Sunset's shield.
She closed her eyes, though the flaming corona of the Fall Maiden still burned in her right eye. She scowled and, with her free hand, clutched at her head as though she had been seized by a sudden headache.
Cinder's body trembled.
Yes. Yes, Cinder, come on. Fight it, I know you can.
"Cinder," Sunset whispered. "Cinder?"
Cinder opened her eyes. "I suppose we'll never know which of us was the stronger now, will we?"
Sunset opened her mouth a moment before she managed to get any words out. "Considering our relative positions right now … some might call it settled."
"Some," Cinder acknowledged. "But not I. You see…" She drew back her fiery spear, and took a step back with one foot, her whole body poised to throw.
Cinder spun on one glass-clad toe, whirling around to throw the spear of fire at Sonata. It struck her in the back and side, piercing her through and through, its fiery tip emerging out of her stomach.
Sunset's eyes widened.
Sonata didn't cry out. She didn't scream or shriek. She barely let out a gasp of breath leaving her. She made as if to clutch at the spear, but didn't quite, her hands almost closing around the weapon but not quite managing it.
She collapsed to her knees, a squeaky sound like a thin reed emerging from between her lips.
Cinder stalked across the command centre towards her. She knelt down beside her, one hand upon Sonata's shoulder. "I was defeated by Pyrrha Nikos," she whispered into her ear. "I was defeated by Team Sapphire. And thanks to you, I was denied my victory over Sunset. But Lo! I have triumphed over you at least, Mistress."
Sunset couldn't see Sonata's face, but found that she could imagine the look of shock the Siren must surely be wearing now, assuming that she could comprehend her position through the pain.
As for Sunset, she dispelled the shield and climbed, only a little unsteadily, to her feet. She kept her eyes on Cinder and Sonata even as she sidestepped her way towards Councillor Emerald. There was a first aid kit on the wall, and it hadn't been broken by the amount of crashing around and slamming into things that Sunset and Cinder had been doing, so Sunset levitated it into her hand as she approached the Councillor.
Cinder's spear disappeared, dissolving into nothingness, the magic that sustained it dissipated. Sonata fell forwards onto her face. Cinder rolled her onto her back. One of the Siren's hands clutched futilely at her injury, the other reached for Cinder as her lips moved.
Cinder batted her hand away contemptuously. "You seem to be having a little trouble speaking," she observed. "Good. I am no one's slave. I am no one's puppet. I am Cinder Fall, and I am…" Cinder trailed off, without saying what she was.
Sonata's hand dropped to the floor.
Cinder blinked and shook her head violently from side to side. She glanced at Sunset, there was no trace of green left in her eyes, there was only amber there now, and then looked back down at Sonata Dusk, lying unmoving before her.
"Do you mock me now?" Cinder asked softly. She raised her voice, yelling, "DO YOU MOCK ME NOW?" She roared wordlessly and kicked Sonata in the ribs. She grabbed at the spiked collar around her neck, pulling and tugging at it, tearing it in half as she wrenched it from around her throat and flung it down on the floor beside Sonata. Then she kicked the body once again.
"Do you mock me now?" Cinder demanded for the third time. "You bleeding piece of earth, I am…" Once more, she trailed off. She tossed her head and ran one hand through hair that had become a little bedraggled.
"Sunset," she said, "I—"
"Cinder, there is normally nothing I would like better than to bandy words with you, but I'm a little busy right now," Sunset muttered. She had the first aid kit open in front of her, and both her hands — she had pulled the blue sterile gloves on over both her hands, for both good hygiene and her semblance — were on Councillor Emerald, gently moving him away from the wall so that she had a little space. She took his jacket off, trying to be as gentle as she could despite the need for haste, and then her hands began to glow green as she used telekinesis to work more swiftly than her fingers could have: unbuttoning the Councillor's shirt, lifting out a sterile dressing in its sealed plastic wrapper, and a safety pin too.
The Councillor's injury was bad. There was no getting around that; he had a nasty-looking hole in the side of his belly, and it was bleeding. What was worse, Sunset thought that the bullet was still in there; there was no blood on the back of his shirt as she took it off.
Someone was going to get the bullet out if he was to have any chance, but it wasn't going to be Sunset, and it wasn't going to be here.
"What I'm going to do, Councillor," she said to him, "is hopefully stop the bleeding, and then that ought to hold you until I get you to a doctor. Someone who can get that bullet out without doing even more damage."
Councillor Emerald looked pale. There was sweat on his brow; in fact, it was all over his face. His chest rose and fell.
"Yes, well," Cinder murmured, "I'll leave you to get on with that then, shall I? Goodbye, Sunset." She started to walk away, her glass slippers tapping on the floor.
"Wait!" Sunset shouted. "Where are you going?"
"To be revenged!" Cinder called out as she disappeared from view around the corner. "On the whole pack of them!"
Whole pack of who? Not me, it seems, but Pyrrha? Amber? Or do you just mean Tempest Shadow and Bon Bon, if you still say they're Salem's agents? Who are you going to try and kill next, should I be worried?
Sunset shook her head. She had other things to worry about now, more immediate concerns than what Cinder might do if — and it was a big if — she could get out of here.
Telekinetically, she tore open the bandage pack and levitated out both pad and bandage. She pressed the pad against Councillor Emerald's wound, pressing it hard enough that the bleeding stopped, or at least didn't get any further than the white pad itself. She began to wrap the bandage around his middle.
"Go," Councillor Emerald said, his voice hoarse but audible.
"'Go'?" Sunset repeated. "Yes, Councillor, we're going to go as soon as I've done this—"
"Go after her," Councillor Emerald said.
Sunset was almost surprised enough to stop working. Fortunately, she didn't, but it was a close run thing. "Go after … you mean after Cinder?"
Councillor Emerald nodded. "Stop her. Before she can … you have to stop her."
"No, what I need to do is get you to someone with real medical training," Sunset said. "Which I will in just a second." She finished wrapping the bandage around the Councillor, wrapping it several times around for good measure before using the safety pin to pin it in place. It was rough work, and not nearly adequate for a gunshot wound, but it was the best she could do at the moment. A specialist would take over soon enough.
"Miss Shimmer," Councillor Emerald said, his voice almost a growl. "You promised me that—"
"That I would put the good of Vale over your life, yes, Councillor, I've not forgotten," Sunset said. "But, to run through three points very quickly: first, my aura is broken, and Cinder's is not, so any renewal of fight between us would be a very one-sided affair; two, she's a better fighter than I am, and my … particular skills might not make up the shortfall in that regard, especially with no aura; third and finally and most importantly, it is my earnest, sincere, and unbiased judgement that the good of Vale is better served by the survival of its First Councillor than by preventing Cinder from getting up to whatever nonsense she has in mind at the moment, and since I'm the one who isn't currently bleeding to death, it's my judgement that we'll be following in this instance." She began to pull his shirt and jacket back on, leaving the buttons unfastened but with at least something to preserve a degree of modesty until they reached a hospital.
She wasn't actually that worried about Cinder; at least, she wasn't worried about Cinder on behalf of Vale. She wasn't sure who, exactly, Cinder was going after, but she was certain that Cinder didn't aim to bring down Vale or bring about carnage in the streets. Even if Sunset hadn't been so sure of that, the danger to Vale would have had to have been very great indeed for her to have prioritised stopping Cinder over saving Councillor Emerald's life. Kingdoms needed leadership, after all, they could survive body blows more readily than they could survive being without a head, and that need for leadership went double for places that had already suffered bodyblows. Vale was going to be in enough confusion tomorrow morning without the death of the First Councillor to contend with.
In this instance, Sunset was fortunate that a cold-blooded pragmatism such as Ruby might have been proud of dovetailed in perfect harmony with her natural inclinations.
"So let's hear no more about that," Sunset added as she took hold of the Councillor's arm and pulled it over her shoulder. She started to stand up, pulling Councillor Emerald up with her; the weight was harder to bear without aura to enhance her strength, but she just about managed it. "And let's get you—"
"Not yet," Councillor Emerald said. "I need … I need to address the people, address the kingdom." He paused for a moment. "Is it done, Miss Shimmer? Is it … the magic, is it—?"
"Broken?" Sunset asked. "I think so, yes; I'd be amazed if it wasn't. Alright then, Councillor, they said the cameras were through here, didn't they?"
She half-helped, half-dragged Councillor Emerald across the room, trying her best for his sake to avoid the unconscious forms of the Valish soldiers — and the dead body of Sonata Dusk. What would all the soldiers think when they woke up, General Blackthorn and all the rest? Would they remember what they had done? What would they think of themselves tomorrow?
She couldn't know the answers, and ultimately, there was little enough time to ponder them.
Sunset pushed the door open into the next room, which was largely bare except for a bright lighting set up designed to throw light upwards into the face of whoever was standing in front of the camera set on a tripod just before the lights. Wires ran out of the camera down to a laptop set on a little table on the floor.
Sunset grabbed the laptop telekinetically, levitating it over to her as she helped Councillor walk around both lights and camera until he was standing in front of the camera, in the full glare of the lights which shone in both their faces.
In the laptop screen, Sunset could see what the camera was seeing: both Councillor Emerald and Sunset herself, although her face was not wholly in the frame, there was enough of her to make out who it was, and that she was supporting Councillor Emerald, although you couldn't see his wound; the camera didn't go that far down.
As far as Sunset could tell, and admittedly, she wasn't an expert in this kind of programme, everything was set up to go; all she had to do was push the right button, and they would hijack the CCT feed just the way that General Blackthorn had before. Or rather, they would activate the emergency broadcast system, which didn't sound as sinister.
"Are you ready, Councillor?"
Councillor Emerald nodded. "I believe so."
"Then you are on," Sunset said. "In three, two, one." She pushed the button. "Go."
Councillor Emerald took a deep breath. "People of Vale," he declared, unable to disguise the shortness of his breath, the pain in his voice. "My name is Aspen Emerald, your First Councillor. I am addressing you, from the headquarters of the Valish, Defence Forces. There is no cause, for panic. The attempt…” Councillor Emerald closed his eyes. “It appears that, General Blackthorn and his senior officers, have begun to suffer from a kind of, mass delirium, the origins of which, are as yet, unknown, but will be investigated, as the highest priority of the Council, once the current exigencies, are over. It was General Blackthorn, in the grip of this delusional state, who tried to discredit me, by releasing malicious, and false information, regarding my involvement in the Breach, and that of Miss Shimmer. But I will not allow, the legitimate, civilian government, to be overthrown, especially not by a group suffering, from poor mental health. I have relieved General Blackthorn, of his command, and detained him, for his own safety, and the safety of others, until his condition and those, of his fellow officers, can be properly investigated, and treated with all due care, and attention. As First Councillor, I order all units to disregard, any orders issued, by General Blackthorn, to cease hostilities against the Atlesians, and to return to barracks, or to their positions, defending our city. To General Ironwood, I ask that you cease hostilities against us, and accept my heartfelt apologies, for any losses incurred, by your forces at the hands, of confused and misled elements of, the military. People of Vale, I tell you, there is no curfew. There is…" Councillor Emerald stopped, bowing his head, screwing his eyes tight shut.
Is this too much? Sunset thought. Should I cut the feed now?
Councillor Emerald opened his eyes again. "I won't tell you that there is nothing to fear. I must confess that there are things to be afraid of. A grimm horde has mustered outside our walls, and its attacks on Vale, have already begun. For that, reason, I am ordering an immediate, evacuation of the outer limits, behind the safety, of the city walls. Take only, what you need, and move with haste.
“But our enemies, lie outside the walls, not within. Our enemies are monsters, not men. I have no doubt that our huntsmen, whose skill has been amply demonstrated, in the recent tournament, supported by our Atlesian allies, and by our loyal defence forces, will, with the courage and good heart for which we Valish are well known, deliver our city from all perils. Have courage. Have heart. And have hope, the darkness will not endure. It will be morning in Vale once more soon enough. Thank you." He looked at Sunset.
Sunset took that as her cue to cut the broadcast.
"Well said, in the circumstances, Councillor," she said, as she let the laptop drop to the floor with a clatter. "But are you really going to make General Blackthorn take all the blame for this?"
"'Blame'?" Councillor Emerald murmured. "No, not blame. Pity, in all probability, for his … condition. But better to be pitied than to be blamed, no? I’m afraid some consequence … regrettable, but unavoidable, the moment he became, the face of this … the face of this. Hopefully, some way can be found for him, to be successfully treated and to slip away into obscurity."
"I suppose," Sunset muttered. "He’ll probably need some kind of treatment once he comes around."
Councillor Emerald hung his head. "Will he remember what he has done?”
"I’m not entirely certain," Sunset admitted. "The books didn’t cover that part, although Cinder seems to remember well enough. Anyway, all of that … it can wait. It doesn’t matter right now. Stay with me, Councillor, just a little longer, while I get you to help." She began to help him back towards the door; they would go back the way they had come, if only because that was the way that Sunset knew. "You're going to be fine, Councillor, just fine.
"Stay with me."
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And so Sunset and Cinder battle on, and what a battle it was! Magic, fire and tactics and a pretty good parallel of Star Wars to boot. I liked that Cinder was the one to kill Sonata; makes it poetic that one of her slaves got the better of her. And it makes it funny that she interrupted Cinder’s time of glory and paid the price. I wonder if we will have the resolution of a 1 on 1 between these two in the future, maybe as a spar? It would make good for both of them, I imagine. (And it would actually make it so Sunset can learn more magic tricks and how to actually use her sword as a human for the next time and be more capable as a fighter, she has a lot of potential, I think V4 onwards may explore it best.)
Cinder broke through her spell because of her pride and her wish to see who between her and Sunset was the best, and now she is after the ones who betrayed her in the first place; Amber and her gang. It seems like we are going forward towards the end of the Volume at this pace. We now only need to deal with the Grimm Horde and Amber & Co. but I imagine that it won’t be as easy as before...
So Sunset and the Councilor were able to stop Vale’s Betrayal, and didn’t even need the ground troops from Atlas! Let’s see how things will unravel from here, and I am excited to see a SAPR reunion now that Sunset finished her mission.
Excited for next chapter!
Ahh… the feeling that the theory that you had not happening. I really thought that you were setting up Penny to be the one to fight Cinder since you changed what her semblance was from the first run.
All thing considered though this was well written, and I’m glad that Cinder was able to do it by cutting her own strings.
I mean, Cinder got the final blow on Sonata, but I feel if it weren't for Sunset's silver tongue, it might've not gotten to that point, so I consider it a win for Sunset. Of course, Sonata's interference in the duel costed her life. Now... will Councillor Emerald live? I Sincerely hope he will. The VDF is out and with the Councillor's last broadcast, Ironwood will suppose Sunset succeeded. Will Sunset be able to confirm privately to Ozpin and Ironwood that the Siren is dead?
Looks like Emerald is gonna have to keep another of Sunset's secrets since Sonata blabbed that Sunset has magic, is from Equestria and even is a unicorn.
Aside from getting Councillor Emerald medical attention what will Sunset do now? Her aura is broken (not that having aura made a difference when Sunset took back the prison in the original), so unless she gets to Jaune for a quick recharge, she's gonna have trouble.
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She may have also mentioned in that discussion with Cinder that Sunset had full on been prepared to leave everything behind in order to take Cinder somewhere beyond the reach of the kingdoms and away from whatever crusade she was on originally. Now, that could go in a couple of ways, since on the one hand it could be viewed as taking a monster guilty of crimes against humanity and protecting them from justice for their crimes... but on the other it could be viewed as her trying to end Cinder's threat with empathy and a lack of further bloodshed. Yes, her crimes against Vale would go unpunished, but there wouldn't be more of them happening at all.
Then again, I kind of want to see a scene of Sunset and C Emerald, sitting there as they wait for aid, where Sunset explains her semblance and how it unlocked... and that seeing the true nature of Cinder and how Ashley became her makes it impossible to hate her, despite everything she has done.
And so Sonata Dusk, Siren of Equestria, is forever felled, never to sing again! And with her death, Salem has no incentive to free the others upon Vale.
Cinder is set free again to hunt down Tempest and Amber. The spell is broken, Blackthorn relieved, and the proper chain of command restored. The threat from within is no more. And as much good as Atlas’s efforts were in saving lives, it’s for the best that Vale was able to get its own house in order before Atlas compelled them to do. That will immensely help in managing to fall out.
But all of this was possible thanks to no small effort of yours, Sunset Shimmer. Rainbow Dash and Blake helped save many lives, but it was Sunset who prevented another Great War and saved Vale. This will never be forgotten. And the night is still young!
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It would be certainly be an interesting conversation regardless, given what Councillor Emerald just all found out.
"Yeeeah... hate to say it but Bramble won't get powers like mine... Also, I'm technically an alien."
We gonna get a nice chapter of what everyone else is thinking here? Be interesting to get the reactions of the world who are watching this unfold-- are they watching this unfold? I know they saw the start of the Grim attack but did they also hear General Blackthorns message?
I don't know man, from my perspective, i can see a lot of red flags. Why do i get the feeling that the councilor is not going to survive?
Also, regarding the balance of the fight and them showing what they could do, i think you've done a good job. I think Cinder would have eventually won, but Sunset did put up a good fight.. tho she could have done more with her powers. Use electronics and debris to trow at Cinder to distract her, teleports behind her (nothing personal kid), use the environment to her advantage, she could have used a big flash of light to temporarily blind Cinder and then strike. and so many more, but, i am satisfied with hiw the fight turned out. Sunset had no real chance of winning, i mean, she probably has a chance of winning, but only if she goes for the kill. This whole time Sunset fought not to kill, but to subdue. Fighting someone while you are trying not to kill them is much harder. Yeah, i actually think that if Sunset fought Cinder with the intention to kill, she could have won.
Also, when Sunset said that she literally would have give everything she had to Cinder, that was nice. That was powerful emotions right there, especially because Cinder didn't have any real comeback to it.
I just realized something. Sunset out here be like "i can fix her". Sunset is that type of girl, huh?
It always hurts when I read the loss of a Dazzling, but I suppose things really were beyond the point of mercy or diplomacy this time, let alone redemption. And this it could lead to an interesting arc of the sisters seeking vengeance of their own (assuming this version of them cared enough about Sonata to want to of course). And I didn't fail to notice that while Cinder tore off Sonata's collar, there was no further mention of her Gem. And I now do so wonder what is to become of it...
I wonder how else being made a doll has affected Cinder. How different will she be tomorrow after Sonata and Salem made her a prisoner in her own mind? As this is an MLP crossover, I am reminded of a profound moment from another Hasbro series.
And as Sunset helped the Councilor back towards the elevator, back through the command center, she spared a glance at the unconscious Blackthorn, and the... bloody spot where Sonata Dusk should have been.
(Play ominous_music.wav)
Sunset: "Oh, klatznik!"
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I honestly considered something like that, but in the end it was just a bit too much and made things too complicated.
I'm glad to know that General Blackthorn, who (through the manipulation of his own emotions) incited a revolution that almost destroyed Vale (and left countless citizens dead), will be given the benefit of the doubt and have the punishment of his crimes reduced to pity; whereas Sunset, who was given a no-win choice and chose the option that gave Vale the best chance of surviving an invasion of Grimm (with only six casualties), will be derided as a traitor and vilified by everyone, including herself, for the remainder of this story.
Beautiful.
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I mean, not really? Aspen just put the blame on the Breach leak on Blackthorn, so the civilians will most likely believe his word over the madmen so for everyone else Sunset is innocent.
Sunset is blaming herself because she knows that if she was in the same position she would choose the same thing, and now even Ruby isn’t that mad at Sunset anymore (as we see in Knight of Roses chapter).
Things are moving much more smoothly on the rewrite and Sunset seems to be forgiving herself more quick here than in the OG story.