Any of you surprised I actually followed up on one of my promises? And ahead of time too? Yeah I can hardly believe it myself, lets see if I can make a third update in a row. But for now I just wanted to make sure anyone wrapping up on finals had a chance to read before things get complicated moving out/in or about to travel.

Tried a little something different this time for narration near the end of this chap. and I made several edits and minor additions to earlier chapters that may be worth checking out - mostly a revision for the introduction to give more tense setting and flair; a section at the inn to explain why Konata, Yutaka, and even Miyuki use 'san/chan' spliced in as bosmer language, I know it's not but I can't get rid of it completely; and minor rewrite for the second chapter

Trial By Fire

-o-o-o-o-o-

They were right beneath the tower's ceiling now and so close to where the portal's energies were originating. A central hole in the red glass-like dome was their clue that another space existed above where the flaming column passed through. The final door barring their path luckily enough required the same key as before.

Above was a three level chamber where the magical flame was harnessed by a stone suspended by a chalice linked by heavy chains. The red dome bottom was actually of flesh stretched over the main shaft, leaving it taught and translucent like glass they had thought it was comprised of. Being Miyuki's first time catching this detail of décor, became a little pale as they stepped around the 'skylight'.

Spikes jutting from the walls acted as stairs to a second level ringing the chamber, while the third was made of the most grotesque display of flesh yet. Large meaty slabs of some unknown creature stretched and chained to stone beams forming a balcony next to where the flaming column's energy was contained. There awaited them a second Dremora.

This one however was not decked out in armor as the other had been, but instead a robe. And armed with a staff. Some yellow spell of unknown effect flew right over Kagami's head as she tried walking up to the last level, the slick meat saving her as her foot slipped. 'That's effective, just rain down spells as the enemy tries getting up only what a daedra with claws could.'

Her fall was halted however by Konata catching her by the hip, or more so by the butt. The elf just grinned and started pushing the Blade back up the slope, the pointed toe of her elven boots digging into the hide. Kagami went with it and prepared to charge the Dremora mage.

Meanwhile Miyuki traded her arrows for spell fire to at least distract the being, the arrows having no effect on some magic shield it had cast. The two soldiers then charging up the other end of the flesh balcony warranted the Dremora to also conjure a dremora spider as well to add to their troubles. Kuroi concentrated on the smaller summoned spiders while the nice big hammer Menien had taken came in handy dealing with the larger, smashing the weapon into the spider's side and right off of the balcony. A deadly enough blow that the conjured spider dissipated into thin air before reaching the bottom.

"Ready?" Konata crouched beside Kagami at the ledge, nodding as they were about to leap at the Dremora still trading spells with Miyuki. "Go!"

It seemed unsurprised at their charge, immediately leveling its staff in their direction. The flooring was slick and there was little room to dodge that Kagami didn't even try to, instead meeting the spell head on making sure to block Konata from the effect as well.

The elf called out in worry but the Blade continued on, driving her katana into the magical shield. It however slipped off of the barrier with an audible clang as if hitting a metal plate, a shield against physical weapons. For standard weapons that was, as Konata's Chillrend following right behind Kagami's strike, rather easily dispelled the Dremora's only defense in a cloud of frost. This time the plain katana did its fine work, slicing down from the left shoulder across the chest and out through the flank. Even the staff the Dremora attempted to block with splitting in two.

"Kagami you alright?" Konata asked as she sheathed the ice short sword and proceeded to run her hands around the other girl's armor, checking to see where the spell hit or if it may have even torn through.

"Hm – oh you mean that spell, actually I don't think it even hurt if I think about it." Kagami frowned. Stooping down she placed a hand on the split staff, attempting to read the magical signature it was supposed to affect. "…body alteration…speed?"

"It was supposed to slow you down and wore off that fast?"

"No more of a permanent effect, like a minor curse. I'll need something to dispel it since it is spell based. But speed isn't much of an issue for me, not like it was a heavy effect or anything." Kagami proved by walking around and stretching a bit, not even a hint of the effect slowing her down.

"I see~ Kagami can digest anything, even curses for breakfast!"

The Blade groaned choosing not to bite back, instead turning around to help Miyuki who was struggling to get across the meaty surface.

"So…" Kuroi started, staring intently at the spherical stone surrounded by the flame. It was about the size of a child's head but didn't look too difficult to handle otherwise. "How are we supposed to grab it out of there?"

The older guard beside her shrugged and hefted his hammer. "Migh' be able to jus' knock it ou'."

"No! Please wait!" Miyuki yelled out. "When removed, the portal may immediately collapse. Most likely leaving us trapped on this side as we are so far from the gateway."

That made them all pause to that thought. Menien however chuckled soon after. "Well there we hav' our solution. I don' mind, you ladies gave me a second chance to do this all proper like, so you all get on back through before I go knockin' this here stone ou'." The others looked very unsure of that, it was a gracious offer but…

"That's noble of you, but it's not going to work." Kagami started. "I don't like the idea of leaving one person behind to see that it gets carried through. Besides covering that much ground again would make this take twice as long as it needs to be and frankly we're all getting exhausted, we wouldn't make it in time before the enemy could put another force together and make you carry through too early. I know they haven't been very aggressive in opposing us, but that's leaving too much to chance. It could all be for nothing if they come after you alone."

The Blade finished by crossing her arms looking stubborn. "We don't have much time to come up with too many options, even if one could get us all out, but we need to hurry because I have a much more important mission beyond here. So maybe if we left … two then I'd feel more assured."

"K-Kagami?" Konata gaped hardly daring to believe what she was hearing. Would the Blade somehow force another person to stay that didn't want or need to?

The blonde ranger however had a few choice words. "Whoa hold on here missy! I may be middle aged but I still fully appreciate my life, and don't pretend that you didn't mean me to be the second one to stay – I saw you looking my way when you said it!"

"I don't deny it, you Miss Kuroi have a duty to perform just as I do. Yours to save what's left of your stationed city and mine to the empire." Kagami's voice was calm and still business like, but the weight of her words were underlined with a coldness in her eyes.

Kuroi glared back equally with fire. "Don't be so high and mighty girl. I know, how about we trade? I'm sure it's no different, just stand around all day and then let others take up the slack when something oh-so-much-more-important comes around when you're actually needed!"

"Fine." The Blade's simple reply caught the blonde and others quite off guard. Kagami thrust the hilt of her katana towards the forester and held the other palm out to receive the silver longsword in exchange.

"The mission is to get into Kvatch, find a certain someone - if he still lives, escape with him undetected cross-country to the hideout – you'll have to explain to the grandmaster, and then escort him to the capital. And throughout this entire endeavor don't expect any form of assistance while evading an army worth of crazed cultist of Dagon. You seem to have some decent skill with both magic and blade, you should do well enough protecting the last heir to the throne."

That slapped the ire off of the blonde's face. "The h-heir? ...we got news last night before the attack but, there's another heir?"

Kagami's expression remained blank as she nodded. "Yes the last and only still alive which was supposed to remain a secret, but as you've seen they very well know about his existence. I'll tell you the name of who you're looking for if you accept and I'm sure that Konata and Miyuki would continue to lend their support as they did for me."

"Kagami stop it!" Konata yelled, afraid that the lavender haired girl wasn't joking.

"Aaaagg!" Kuroi viciously rubbed at her head with both hands. "Alright! Okay I get it, you don't have to bluff."

"I'm not." Kagami's stare broke off as she looked down. "Seriously take my place…not like I've really have a stellar record, this way I can at least retain some semblance of dignity before I go. Then again it feels like taking the easy way out."

"Kagamiii!" There was a sharp sting to the Blade's cheek, Konata stood right before her now with a raised hand. "You…you don't really see yourself like this right, right?"

Kagami somehow still showed little response, her expression calm even as her cheek became red from the strike. "Konata. You don't know me, I've been blundering through ever since I was initiated and couldn't do anything to stop them from…my first assignment, the greatest failure of any Blade…"

Again the elf made to slap at the other cheek to snap her out of thinking like this, but this time was caught by the wrist. "Don't throw anyone's life away, even your own!"

"Brat!" The Blade started to show some irritation, yanking their arms down. "I'm not, who said anything about dying? Menien and I may be trapped on this side, but we'll be sure to give them a real piece of hell before we do."

"Sure will - it'll take Dagon 'imself to stop us!" The burly older guard chipped in.

"What of your important task Hiiragi?" Miyuki questioned, slightly confused by the turning of events. "Are you sure this is the best course of action?"

"This whole set up was guaranteed to require someone to stay behind, that's just like the daedra, and I already said my bit why it needs to be at least two of us. No offense, but I refuse to see either you or Konata stuck here when you have no direct involvement to this so it's between me and Kuroi."

The blonde was about to butt in to take it back, but Kagami held up her hand to let her finish. "Even if she was sarcastic making the suggestion, Kuroi does have a point. As a forester for these parts she knows the land more than anyone, so going cross-country all the way back to Chorrol should be no problem, and as Konata's sword teacher and what she's demonstrated I'm sure she even rivals me as a fighter. Our positions aside Kuroi is better suited for this than I am, I just happened to be the only agent available at the time anyway… Now, it's just a matter if she's serious about changing places or not." She pointedly looked to Kuroi to finally say her bit.

"I….I don't think you're kidding that taking on the mission won't be a walk to the bakery, but I'll take my chances." She had the decency to at least look a little guilty for swapping out of a necessary sacrifice as she handed over her own silver sword and laid a hand on the hilt of the katana.

The Blade however did not yet let go, her eyes steady on the blonde. "Vow that you will carry through. This is serious, the empire and possibly more hangs in the balance."

"I promise, I promise! Yeesh, I don't give my word lightly." Kuroi berated.

She didn't let up for another second before letting go and exchanging swords. "Konata, can I ask you the favor that she sticks with it?" Kagami looked over to the elf but received no response. "Konata!"

"eh…just thinking, that I could stay with you instead. That is…at least with the two of us we could turn it into its own adventure."

"No, I got you all roped up into this. Inadvertently one way or another." Kagami dismissed. A twinge of regret crossing her face at being reminded that if she had done her task properly in the first place protecting the emperor, it may have been possible none of this would have transpired.

Her muse was broken with Konata pulling her into a hug. "Please don't do this..."

"You don't even really know me Konata."

"-But I want to!" The elf's grip tightened as she held back a sob. "I want to know everything about you – what you like, what makes you sad, share all sorts of adventures with. I'm drawn to you Kagami and I'm not sure I even know why, but I am!"

Confused whether to be wary or touched at the declaration, Kagami could only really sigh at the gesture but smiled ruefully anyway and return the embrace for a moment, if a bit awkwardly. "Alright, all of you need to get going…Miyuki I'll entrust the information to you if don't have any qualms."

"I am fine with that and shall strive to honor your trust in me Hiiragi." The mage nodded solemnly. With a thought, Kagami decided that they couldn't leave off like that. "You can call me by name Miyuki, you never had to be so formal with me."

"Oh, I apologize H- miss Kagami."

"No need to ap- never mind." The lavender haired girl smiled again lightly, Miyuki was just polite to the very core. "Okay Konata that's enough, I need to tell her the details. Knew I shouldn't have let you get this clingy…"

Konata still didn't budge. Her long blue strands hiding away her face tucked into Kagami's shoulder. "Just a little longer…as payment for being your guide."

"Figured as much-"

As she reached for a bag of coins though, Konata suddenly reached out to her collar and pulled the Blade down to her height. "I'm staying!" Before Kagami could protest or argue, a gentle kiss met her lips.

Too shocked to respond, a tingling sensation other than what she was registering on her lips went unnoticed creeping up Kagami's body. It was of numbness that also prevented the Blade from pushing the elf away quickly enough before being aware of the paralyzing spell. Konata seemed desperate enough to pull one last effort to force her own decision.

But before the spell could fully take hold, Kagami recovered by recognizing the subconscious feeling of this happening before. When the emperor forced her to allow his death. Fighting against that sense of helplessness, her body gave off a slight flash of purple as the magic was instead absorbed and rebounded back into the smaller body. Konata's tight grip became weak and in moments was unconscious.

Miyuki had been commenting an "Oh my" in surprise at the display of affection, but with the spell's reversal quickly helped to catch Konata as she collapsed. "Konata-san!"

Kagami hadn't meant to do it, this was an automatic response of her body. What do you get with a Breton who has a bit of natural magical resistance, mixed with one born under the star sign of the Atronach who can absorb a degree of magic cast onto their being? A battery. Someone who was just about immune to magical effects while suffering without their own supply of magica to cast, except the spare amounts absorbed from what was cast onto them. It was why she used so little of it and was a bane to her despite actually being well taught in some rather powerful spells. For one, because it was tiresome if her non-rechargeable reserves were completely drained, and too big of a last resort to waste carelessly. Secondly…it was embarrassing, like as if it were another one of her flaws.

"…Idiot." Huffed Kagami, despite a light blush heating her cheeks. If the elf had mixed a charm spell alongside that, she might have really been suckered in even if she were prepared for it. "She alright?"

The mage proceeded to poke and prod Konata in several places. "A highly diminished level of mana, and…partial paralysis targeting fatigue. Effectively the backlash caused her to faint, she will be just fine in a short while."

"Well that solves that at least, now I can tell you both the details without her getting all hyped up or spoiling anything." Kagami shook her head looking away from the elf. "Kuroi – the one you're searching for is Martin at the chapel, the captain of the guard said he should still be there."

"Yeah, I think I know who you mean, the priest right?" Kuroi received a nod.

"And then take care in sneaking cross country back to Chorrol, there you will go to a priory near by. The grandmaster Jauffre will handle the rest, explain however you need to but my katana will serve as proof."

Miyuki gave a little gasp of realization. "Right where we met you Miss Kagami? My, I never would have expected that they had such involving roles within the empire."

"Exactly the point" The Blade reasoned.

They loaded Konata onto Kuroi's back, claiming that she'd just dump her former student and go on the defensive if they got into any trouble. Finding the slot in the wall they had originally seen the glow coming from the tower, they also agreed on a simple fireball as a signal flare for when they reached the gate. Soon after that, Kagami and Menien would remove the stone.

Any kind of goodbye seemed awkward at best in the wake of Konata's profuse actions, though Kagami saw it proper to also apologize to the only other one there she had somewhat gotten to know.

"Sorry I'll have to disappoint your mother Miyuki, in keeping you safe from here on."

"Do not concern yourself too deeply, that is why she forces no promise on anyone." Miyuki sadly smiled, possibly on some deeper matter. "However, would you happen to have a soul gem to spare? My staff has only enough charge for four more uses and if we are to make it back with no trouble, I will need to have my life sight unhindered."

"Not a problem, here in fact why don't you take this as my thanks for all your help." Kagami took care unwrapping a particular item, presenting to the mage a large semi-clear and white crystal with a notable shape.

Again Miyuki's expression became dumbfounded at the spectacular artifacts the Blade carried. "Is this…could not…it really?"

"…it is, don't tell Konata though. I'm sure you'll put it to better use."

With a nudge Kagami got the pink buxom to head down after Kuroi, giving a halfhearted wave as the three disappeared beyond to the passages below.

Not more than a few seconds later falling back against the wall, trembling slightly as she let her calm mask go with a sigh. "…what am I doing…?"

Menien similarly leaning against the wall nearby quirked a half grin. "Misery loves company eh?"

"…shut up…"

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Mmnn…?" The blue haired bosmer stirred. She had heard a grinding of stone on stone and it felt as if her body was on something in motion. Kind of disorienting the way the movements felt fluid though she knew it wasn't her own body doing them. Struggling to pry her eyes open, she was greeted to be facedown hovering just above ashen rock as Kuroi crept along the base of the tower.

What happened? Were they outside, why? Konata couldn't even really move to turn her head and find out for herself. Feeling only more drained for trying, her eyes drifted shut heavily and let out a small groan. "So Kagami did kill me for that after all."

"Oh you're awake already. Good, now I don't need to tote you like a potato sack." Kuroi shifted her blonde hair to get a better look at the elf's face resting on her shoulder.

"Awake, but not movin' ma'am." Konata spoke up with some difficulty.

"The way is clear ahead Miss Kuroi." Miyuki called softly in front, turning around she noted that Konata had regained consciousness. "We can stop momentarily in the next outcropping and administer a potion to get Konata-san on her feet."

"So we're just about half way to the portal already…" Konata contemplated after she finished off a fatigue restorative. Even as she stood and stretched to test out her limbs, her former trainer kept a sharp on the elf to make sure she didn't try anything stupid, like racing back to the Keep since her eyes once in awhile traced their way back in that direction.

"Don't make me cut a tendon and carry you again brat."

Konata just about jumped being so obvious. "L-Let's not get too h-hasty…I mean it's just…this isn't right." She shook her head to emphasize but her long time friend Miyuki placed a comforting hand to the elf's shoulder.

"Please respect her actions Konata-san, she believes we have the best chance of succeeding her task. Don't waste the trust she's placed in us…" The mage pulled her in further for an embrace, feeling the smaller girl's shoulders quiver in silent sobs being held back.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"You leavin' anyone behind? Lover, family?" Menien asked seemingly to pass the time.

For a time Kagami just sat there before letting up. "…Just my sister really, she's already adapted to living on her own though."

"Leas' me children were all grown and ou' living elsewhere …nah sure if me wife got ou' in time."

"Hn…" She nodded distractedly, more intent on gazing at the alien sky through the open ceiling of the chamber. "…all this is my fault."

"Wha's that?"

"Just so you know, you can blame me." Kagami hung her head, burying her face into her pulled up knees.

The old man let out a snort of disbelief. "…How so?"

"…I should already be dead…" She muttered off in a rather pitiful disposition, any semblance of her tough Blade persona having vanished. "If I would've just taken his place like I was supposed to, I broke through Konata's paralysis so why not his…?"

With that curiosity stated, she looked up sharply and seemed to regain some form of coherence realizing a trivial, but to her, very vital detail. Her magica absorption and refraction were automatic, nothing could get around them unless burst through directly knowing exactly what to counter in her natural resistances. Had the emperor somehow known her birth star? She didn't let many share in on that fact. ' - and probably the only one in the Blades who knows that is…Jauffre. Why would he pass on information like that about me?'

Noticing Menien's sideways glance she clarified. "For some reason it's like as if I didn't survive what happened, but was allowed to live, by both the emperor I was sworn to protect with my life and by the twisted leader of the cultists that murdered him…so I've been feeling like I'm only here on borrowed time just to make up for what I can. With no one of the Dragon lineage on the throne likely made this mess possible, so I need to atone for failing to prevent it from happening. Even if indirectly…I'm responsible that Kvatch was attacked, for countless deaths, and for why you were pulled into this like everyone else, ironically sitting right next to the one at fault choosing to stay. That's atonement come full circle isn't it?"

"…You an ogre in a pit or you lookin' for pity?" The guard growled back. "An' for the record, I walked in on here with my two own fee'. Everyone makes their own choices whether smart or out of their mind. How's it your fault if they kep' you out of it eh? If anythin' you're cleaning up their mess see, probably spared by them gods for somthin' bigger."

"Yeah, I was given the chance to rope together a group that can do what I can't… he told me to trust Luck in finding those who wanted to help before my final duty caught up to me. And I've accepted this so I won't eventually botch up our last chance to set it right."

Menien remained quiet for a bit searching for another way to broach the subject. "Don' you think they migh' still need you?"

"…no," She gently shook her head. "I've actually only known them these last couple of days. It was sort of fun traveling and learning about them, but I don't belong there and they're quite something themselves. Konata has some good instincts, lewd as they were, and Miyuki's great support…just hoping Kuroi follows through."

"Well yeh sure can plan and guess wha' the enemy does at leas', looks to be company don' like us stayin'." Menien dismissed as he striated up and reached for the hammer. Looking down at the chamber below were several daedra entering, urging them on from behind was another armored dremora starring right back at them.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"That should do it, we're here." The blonde huffed as she put down one of the pair of scamps around, the other nothing more than an ornament nailed ear to ear to the side of the archway.

"Thank goodness," Miyuki's shoulders sagged in relief "that was my last arrow."

"So how is…Kagami going to know that we made it?" Asked Konata. Maybe they would let her run back now? No even she knew that would be stupid, they had taken awhile just to ensure the three of them made it back. What was done was already decided and too late to change it.

"Miyuki right? Yeah she's going to send a fireball up as a flare." Kuroi pointed out. The mage indeed was concentrating on the spell, letting the energy swirl in her cupped hands. However she seemed to be putting more effort into it than what a simple flare required, her brow breaking a bead of sweat and the rising heat was sensible to the other two in addition to the hot molten surroundings. With a slight whine of exertion Miyuki let the flame leap forward.

Weightless, the spell flew strait on and on becoming nothing but a lit dot just about on the horizon. Soon the flaming speck impacted the tower's crest with what was sure to be a spectacular explosion able to grab anyone's attention up there.

"Nice aim there mage, and you made it to have a nice big splash effect so she'll be sure to notice. Now let's get outta here." Kuroi urged, one foot practically in the portal.

Miyuki was also about to follow but paused seeing Konata again hanging back. Sadly gazing up at the tower for the one she...

"Konata-san?"

"I'll be right there, just give me a second…"

"Alright, not too long though. Kagami promised about a minute." The mage insisted with worry, standing there for a moment herself before stepping through. Now only Konata remained alone, taking in the last visage of the fields of fire, searching for one last scrap of a reason or method to not leave the one she would miss most.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Back up inside the tower raged a tense and messy fight.

Kagami brought her hand forth to strike the daedra in the torso, palm out releasing magica into its form. The scamp combusted into flames and was flung back by the force right into a charging clannfear. Side stepping the momentarily blinded lizard, she then brought the sword in her left hand down to the backside of its head. Though the silver longsword was blunt compared to her favored katana, the adapted chopping motion was enough to break through the scales and sever the vertebrae without having to fully decapitate the beast.

That left another three daedra for her to handle, luckily all scamps, while Menien dealt with the dremora.

Though armored, the dremora kept its fair distance from Menien and his acquired hammer, especially as he was using the pointed pick on the back side of the weapon. If not for the thick shield it wielded apart from the crude sword in the other hand, it would've had to constantly back track instead of being able to go toe to toe with the older guard.

Similarly the dremora kept Menien at bay with the occasional spell, forcing him to step behind the crest of the meaty slope. And thus the two went back and forth trading ground.

In the midst of the fight though came what sounded like an impact to the tower's exterior and sent a little tremble through the structure. Looking back Kagami spotted some flames sweeping in through the slit widow in the wall. Thank Zenithar Miyuki was so smart to foresee they could have gotten distracted, switching the agreed upon flare for a full destructive fireball.

"Hold on just another minute – the others have reached the portal!" She called out for Menien, while kicking a scamp aside that was trying to block and cut down the one behind it about to cast a fireball of its own.

"Pull it now!" Menien shouted, even as the dremora pressed him right up to the ledge with Kagami. She would've helped him take the being down and then see to the stone, however several more daedra were pounding up the chamber to stop them. If they chose to drag on through the fight they would surely loose.

It was the last possible moment to ensure they could pull this off and still give the others time to make it back, any more and it would be too risky putting their effort to waste. Kagami jabbed the silver blade through the flames surrounding the stone sphere, hoping the softer metal wouldn't melt in the intense heat. Except that it did not dislodge the object as intended. The surface at the tip of the blade had peeled back and slid partially up its length, while the rest plunged through with a slight jolt of power flowing through the hilt. 'Is it molten?'

She tore the weapon out, which wasn't easy as the stone acted as if it had a grip, and changed her attack for a sweeping motion with the flat broadside of the sword. This time there was a clang against the stone with solid resistance. 'Flows around cuts and resists force…shit'

There was nothing else for it, she'd have to do something reckless. With a flourish Kagami sheathed the silver sword and quickly threw off her gauntlets while calling up the natural power granted to Bretons, a potent barrier that encompassed the entirety of the caster like a second skin that was as tough as dragon hide. It was a very useful spell for someone like Kagami since it didn't draw upon her limited magica and was quite powerful, only drawback being that it could only be used about once a day. This was one of those moments though it was worth using up despite there could be a more demanding situation soon after.

With her bare hands she reached in, flinching some as the raw magical flame washed over the skin, and curiously enough some even being absorbed. The stone itself remained solid in her grip and was surprisingly cool compared to the flame. Thankfully it yielded to her pull, though slowly as if being dragged through thick mud; at this rate if she wasn't quick enough the intense heat would turn her armor to slag and scald her to death on its own once the spell ended. Finally it tore free with a sharp tug and Kagami staggered into the back of Menien, continuing to shield the both of them.

But now that there was no stone to harness the flaming column, the raw energies shot even higher strait to the skies of oblivion, unregulated and in ever increasing amounts that made the entire tower quake. The dremora and his minion daedra backed away looking wary at the building pressure and began scattering for the lower sections.

Kagami was unsurprised the whole thing was going to blow. So much power now unrestrained, was exponentially overcharging and soon enough couldn't be contained in the simple form of a column. This place was going to go off like a volcano probably, no use running.

Resigning herself like that however was what allowed her to feel it. A pull. Looking down to her hands, the stone still clasped there felt like the one thing in the universe that wasn't shaking, stationary and completely unaffected by the surroundings. And it was having the same effect on her somehow, no longer feeling the heat or the shaking of the floor as it was about ready to tear itself apart.

'…this harnessed the power for the portals and made it possible to connect the separate planes…what if…' On a hunch she quickly grabbed the old man and led them to the side of the chamber where they wouldn't be flung off in the ensuing chaos, or for at least a while longer. Ignoring his undecipherable hollering over the white noise, she directed one of his hands to the sphere's surface with hers on the other side. Held between them the explosion of pure white washed over them.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Konata still felt torn to run back to Kagami's side, even suffer a dozen beatings by the Blade for her foolishness. What were the Deadlands when you had such an interesting person at your side to brave it?

Yet self preservation was screaming at her to cross over before she would regret something terrible, like a sense of something greater than just survival. Her last act in desperation had turned into a messed up goodbye, but what if it had to be a true farewell, to see the last of their life fade from each other's eyes? Was this any different though, letting Kagami and the old guard drag on until finally cornered by the daedra hordes?

However the gateway behind her suddenly gave off a different pitch of humming as its power began to wane. Turning around Konata's eyes widened seeing the flames unraveling, then again looking toward the tower in the distance helplessly, the top of which glowing brighter and brighter from the released energies.

Clenching her eyes shut tight, Konata ran.

A/N: Well I hope none of you got too upset at Kagami punishing herself, cause I don't think I'm quite done with that sense yet. A hint to the dark themes I may stir in later, just how much plot armor does any single character have? Some realistic twists.

Some of this initially sparked by the sudden realization that, heck if this wasn't a game how would anyone know that pulling the sigil stone could be a sacrificial action or not?