---
Everything around her was falling into ruin: Miata's bloody frame called for her, after she had ordered the girl to stop upon seeing her injuries. Galatea had but one arm remaining, and was doing her best to repair her pieced kneecap that had immobilized her. But their fragile truce meant little in face of Blood-red Agatha's might.
"This attack won't work!" Clarice pleaded, trying to make the soldiers around her see reason. "You already tried it, and it failed! You have no hope of survival!"
Galk gave her the same look he had had earlier. "Didn't I tell you? We will do everything we can. This is our only option to save the people of this city. If you assist us like your traitor, we might even succeed" he said, but his tone made clear he didn't expect any such help.
Another soldier approached. "The men are in their positions, sir!" he said, and Galk turned away from Clarice.
"Three!" he called, his voice clear over the pouring rain. "Two!" Dozens of men tensed. "One!" Eyes narrowed, judgments and corrections made. "Fire!" he yelled, and the spears flew.
But Agatha caught them all with ease. "Don't you see I'm not in the mood to play with you now?" she called. "Please, allow me to return them" she taunted, just before the first short sword pricked her neck.
"No!" yelled Galatea in fear, interrupting any cheering at the sight of the disembodied head. "That's the wrong target! Run!" she screamed, even as she frantically put more energy into regenerating her ruined knee. Sid cursed, seeing the fate of his men race before his eyes. Clarice paled at the immanent sight of men butchered in front of her.
"Got you!" taunted Agatha's disembodied head, even as Raki's broad sword cut into her hair's connection to the monstrous base with a mighty swing.
---
