The windows of Lucentower shattered, raining glass and stone and fire over the defenders. Rikka tried to run for cover, but found none. The glass cut her skin, and falling debris turned her arms black and blue. Through the smoke and gas she could only see vague figures, but couldn't know if they were friends or foes. She let loose her arrows against them all the same. The battlefield smelled of death, and Rikka could not step back without stepping on someone who had fallen, Zakenna or human alike. All formations and cautiously planned strategy had been abandoned; at Lucentower's fields, chaos reigned.
Rikka called out to her fellow Precure, but heard no answer, only a cacophony of screams and blasts and fire. If anyone called out to her, she could not tell. Zakenna swarmed her, and though she disposed of them with ease, their numbers appeared to have no end. The walls and the gate had fallen, and Rikka could no longer tell where it was that Lucentower's defenders still held their ground, for the Zakenna came from every direction, and from above as well. They clawed at her, struck at her with their swords and axes. As a Precure, she was agile enough to avoid almost all of those strikes, but the sheer amount of Zakenna meant that, every once in a while, one would land a hit on her. Her wounds smoked in the cold air, and blood pooled wherever she walked.
The corpses of the Zakenna piled up, leaving less and less space to move and to fight. They appeared out of nowhere, suddenly surging in the smoke which allowed Rikka almost no vision. Everything around her was confusion, and only the huge shape of Lucentower itself allowed her to locate herself. The walls were gone, swallowed by the poison gas, just like all the houses constructed around the tower, the training fields and all else. It was almost like the world was gone. It might as well be, for all that Rikka could tell. And she would perish alongside it, sooner or later. Her magic now strained her body, and the exertion made her feel as though her muscles were being pulled apart, yet there was never any opportunity to rest. She couldn't tell how long she had been fighting.
Not long enough for there to be an end in sight. She cried out, again, hoping someone would answer, but no call came, as she feared. She roamed the dust and smoke, wondering if she should seek Lucentower or continue to fight outside. The Zakenna forced the choice unto her; they were too many, a hideous swarm, and she found no respite from their onslaught, so she fought on and on and on until her hands were so bloodied that she struggled to even hold her bow. She set it aside, and used her own fists. They ached, and with each impact on an enemy they broke yet again, her shattered bones cutting into her flesh. They were so twisted now that she wasn't even able to let loose her bolts accurately. Rikka felt her teeth with her bloodied tongue, and amidst the taste of iron she found she was missing some of her teeth, and others were in splinters. She began to cry. Even when the Zakenna struck her with mace or blade, their blows didn't hurt nearly as much as her own body did, as it fell apart. She breathed in the foul smoke, and when she saw once again figures in the dust, she was certain that they were foes, that they had come to cut her down. Maybe she should let them. How could she keep going, wounded as she was? But still she moved forth to meet them. To the end, she was a Precure, and even if her defiance amounted to nothing, she would not lay down and die.
Instead of death she found Precure there, but not all. March and Moonlight, alongside Liz and half a hundred soldiers still bearing arms. More were fallen on the ground, perfectly still, but the ones that still lived fought on bravely. The archers' arrows had long since depleted, so they fought with sword and spear and rocks and whatever they could find.
"Rikka," Yuri called out to her, relieved. "I feared I had lost you."
"Not yet," she shook her head. "The others?"
"Guarding the queen," said Liz. "Where they are now, I do not know. We lost them in the smoke, and looking for them would be suicide."
"Not that we'll live past this anyways," Nao shrugged.
"We're still fighting," Rikka told them. "I looked for someone, anyone, for the longest time, and I feared I might be the last one to live… Lucentower is being bombarded, and soon Dark Fall will enter. I don't know if any guards remain at the entrances. We must go."
"Lucentower may have fallen already," Liz pointed out, "as you said, you don't know if it's still guarded. If not, it could be too late."
"If it's not too late," Yuri said, "then we must be there to defend it. Come, Rikka, lead us through this smoke, and we will follow."
She had never imagined Moonlight to ever be the one to follow her, but Rikka guided her despite that. She knew the way, more or less; the noxious vapors were far too thick and foul for her to see past them, but she knew the general direction she had come from, and knew that she would find Lucentower there. Yuri stood right behind her, and then took her side, while Liz and Nao guided their remaining soldiers. Diamond could not see further than three or four meters ahead, and even the troops right behind her were too distant to even notice, but she trusted they would be there.
Light returned momentarily as fires fell on Lucentower once again, exploding and unleashing their voracious blazes. Nao's gusts blew them away, and Rikka joined her frost to the gales to extinguish some of the flames, for whatever good that might do. When the fire died down, darkness returned, and the vile smog. Rikka coughed, and her eyes burned, overwhelming her with the urge to cry, to vomit, to fall. She stepped over bodies of friend and foe alike, for Dark Fall's artillery did not discriminate. She ran, trading blows with each Zakenna on her way, drops of blood flying through the air when she moved. Lightheaded, she only noticed Lucentower stood before her when she nearly crashed against its stones. Battered, broken, the tower still stood, but damaged. Past a pile of rubble she found an entrance, an opening where large windows had shattered. Rikka was the first to step inside, and to her horror she saw that there were already Zakenna inside, facing against the few guards that still remained there.
Lucentower shook, and its ceiling began to crumble, falling onto the Zakenna, crushing some where they stood, but they rained down onto the tower's guards as well, covering them with dust. Rikka rushed into the fight, wielding a spear of ice, clumsily, but well enough to pierce through the light armor of the Zakenna. They were many, too many, and had taken the corridors and hallways, but Moonlight's barriers held them in place for Liz to conjure spells to barrage them, luminous blasts that turned their bodies into small shards of light. It did not seem to matter how many fell, however. More kept coming from all directions, through corridors to the east and north, through holes on the wall, through openings above and through the windows, and some small but fast winged beasts even squeezed through arrow slits to claw at Diamond.
They held the line for as long as they could, and after a while the dust had settled and the poison that poured in from outside was alleviated, if only a little. Whatever the reason the artillery had stopped, Rikka was thankful, but just briefly, because when she looked around she saw that, while there were still more Zakenna rushing into the tower, dashing past the corpses of their fallen companions, the fifty soldiers they had come with were now only thirty, and there were now enough gaps in their defense for the enemy to slip past. More jumped from above, coming from the ruined staircase, but now there were not only Zakenna, but, her cruel grin a dreadful sight, Viblis as well, of whom Hikari had spoken to her allies. One of Dark Fall's commanders, fierce and sadistic, holding a long dagger in one hand and a sword in the other. She licked her lips when she saw how thin the defenses were now, and shouted a command to her troops, ordering them to rush past the overwhelmed defenders and butcher everyone in hiding. Gleefully, the Zakenna obeyed, ignoring the spears of the guards, ignoring even the Precure, madly seeking the underground hideouts.
She couldn't afford to lose any time; though it might be in vain, Rikka turned back, running along the Zakenna, icicles whirling around her and cutting through them, and huge chunks of ice rose to bar their path, but Cure Diamond was so tired now that her magic was frayed; the frost was brittle and shattered on impact, easily, so the Zakenna moved forth unimpeded, barely delayed. They blocked her path, as there were too many of them, far too many, and already Rikka could hear screams as they neared the sheltered populace. Drawing her bow and arrows, she took aim at the distance, knowing she could not halt their advance, only delay it, only, perhaps, ensure that as few monsters as possible made their way to the shelters… But Rikka knew all too well that the people in there were defenseless, and just a few Zakenna were more than enough to butcher them all… And yet, what could she do but fight nonetheless? Cold water seeped between her bleeding fingers as she advanced as inexorably into the darkness as the enemies she pursued. And at the end of the stairs leading down, past the thick blackness of the mass of Zakenna, she saw a light.
Torches flickered as people wept, and the sound of metal clashing and of wood splintering grew louder. They were the sounds of fighting; perhaps the non-combatants were not as defenseless as Rikka feared. Still, they would be no match to the Zakenna, so Diamond did not ease up. Barely able to stay on her feet, she sent icicles through the bodies of the Zakenna ahead, punished them with bolts of frost and her own fists when necessary. She couldn't feel them anymore, which was somehow more terrifying than the constant pain. As she stepped past the broken down doors, she collapsed onto the floor, aching, weary, unable to go on. Fraily looking up, she saw weapons in the hands of children and old men, all of them bravely charging against each Zakenna that made their way there. Rikka felt a gentle hand on her back, then another on her arm, helping her rise. She did not have the courage to face them, to see who she recognized, or to count how many had died. She heard her mother's voice, coming from somewhere behind her, but she did not look back. She just continued to fight.
To what end, she couldn't tell. She fought because she must, but there was nowhere to run, no salvation to be found. More came to her side, armed with hammers and kitchen knives and cleavers, waving torches to burn the Zakenna, or simply punching them, kicking them, throwing themselves against them, shouting not in fear but in defiance, now. Rikka, she heard someone call to her. A girl's voice, one she seldom heard, always keeping to itself. Saki. There was warmth in her voice, kindness and hope despite this dreadful situation. As torches fell from dead hands and darkness grew, shadows encircling the last defenders, a bright light repelled the Zakenna, who shielded their eyes, shying away from the luminous force. But the glow did not hurt Rikka's eyes, and instead she felt refreshed, unafraid. Saki walked up to her, but she was no longer merely Saki, but a Precure again.
"How?" She asked, full of wonder. "I thought you could not…"
"Without Mai, I cannot," she said. Closing her eyes, she made a fist, and breathed deep, as if remembering her own strength, now regained. "But she is here," her hand touched her chest. "I feel her. I hear her voice. Though she is far away, I feel her touch and remember her warmth. Our hearts are connected. It has happened once before, when her life was in danger. And now it is mine… But I'm not afraid anymore."
"I am," Diamond sighed, and spat out blood. "We are still outnumbered, and our queen is nowhere to be found. We are nowhere close to victory."
"The only time to abandon hope is when death's darkness envelops us. We're still breathing. Kiriya," she called the boy, who nervously walked up to them, holding a mace. "I wish you'd have told us before that you knew how to fight, but that doesn't matter. Will you come with us?" He nodded, avoiding Rikka's gaze. "Let's go, Diamond. You're right. We're nowhere close to victory yet, but if we die, at least we'll die fighting, and not cowering. Mai is in danger, too. I don't know how much time she has, and I can't do anything to help her, distant as we are, but if this is the end for me, for us, then I'll face it. Will you?"
"You don't have to ask me that," Diamond said. She had gotten so used to seeing Cure Bloom as this meek, sad girl, helpless now that her powers were gone, but she was no child, and when she could still transform, still fought alongside Egret, she was as experienced a Precure as anyone here save for Moonlight. Her strength and resolve should not come as a surprise. "The artillery seems to have stopped. Let's make the most of it."
No further words had to be said. The three made their way up the stairs, together, Kiriya lagging behind but still putting all his strength behind his blows, his mace smashing against the heads of the Zakenna, while Bloom, unbloodied and with plenty of strength, was the first to crash against the Zakenna at the stairs, and soon they were running away instead of towards the hideout. There was no getting past Cure Bloom, and whenever a foe seemed to threaten her, Diamond's arrows sought them, felling them one by one. Weakened as she was, this might well be all she could still do, but it felt like it was enough. When she returned to the surface, to witness Lucentower still crumbling, still burning, it was the screams of the blazes that she heard, but when Saki's magic descended upon the ruins, gleaming a verdant light, the flames died down, and, instead, flowers began to bloom in their place, if meekly.
Only a dozen sentinels remained now, the rest dead or wounded, shielded by Liz. Moonlight and March led the defense, and each fought many Zakenna at once, their speed keeping them safe, and when Bloom took their side, suddenly the odds no longer seemed entirely hopeless, though they remained terrifying. With the promise of an easy victory fading, Viblis's face revealed fear and worry, and she joined the battle instead of screaming orders; as a fencer, her skill was mediocre at best, but Moonlight had been fighting for hours now, and the whites and silvers of her dress were now bloodstained, and so, weakened, even a middling opponent matched her. Kiriya's arrival, then, drew a reaction from Viblis, but only briefly. She opened her mouth to say something, in outrage, but that momentary distraction was all that Moonlight needed to get the best of her; their blades were locked, and Moonlight let go of hers, catching it with her free hand, and in a quick rising movement she sliced through her wrists and buried the silver light of the sword into her enemy's skull. Though weakened, nothing could rob Moonlight of her skills and her speed.
Their commander slain, the Zakenna quickly fell into a panic, half of them routing aimlessly and the other half making a pitiful attempt at striking at the Precure, but they were disorganized creatures, and without proper guidance they cut down and run through. When they were gone, finally, Rikka fell to her knees, and closed her eyes. The battle was not over, she would be a fool to believe that, but it was over for her. She had bled all she could, suffered all she could withstand, but she would die if she kept going. Mother, she whispered when she was lifted off the ground, it was Moonlight's touch she recognized. She wanted to be held, to be told all was well. But whatever it was that Yuri told her, she did not hear it. Instead she let the darkness take her, and though she hoped it would not claim her forever, she was too exhausted to fight it.
The Choiarks dragged her by the arm, at first with an attempt at gentleness, but as soon as Mai resisted, they turned to violence, and with their numbers they overpowered her. She was a fool to be caught, in truth, knowing the state of Last Light, but she was no meek bird to live in a cage, and she needed to see the village, its people, and ensure that they fared well. But, even concealed by the night and leaving the communal building through a hidden passage, she was found by a dozen Choiarks on her way to Kenta's house. It could have been bad luck, or Hosshiwa had more eyes around Last Light than Mai expected, or perhaps the townsfolk had grown weary of all the deprivations they had been subjected to and finally decided to cooperate with Mirage's cronies. Whatever the reason, it did not matter. Now was not a time for paranoia, for what good would it do her in Hosshiwa's manor? Her captors guided her through the well-guarded gate, and she heard the steel scream as the gate was slammed shut behind her. Once they reached the garden, Mai abandoned the effort of resisting, as now she was surrounded by enemies everywhere. And as Mai, not Cure Egret, she was helpless to face them.
She was seated in an ornate living room, on a comfortable but hideously purple couch, and soon Choiarks arrived from deep inside the manor to bring her a bottle of wine, pouring it on a cup. Poison? No, if they meant to kill her, there were easier ways to do it. Mai just stared, and in minutes she heard footsteps as Hosshiwa and Namakelder approached; the former looked like she hadn't slept in days, the latter like he had just been awakened from a nap. They sat before Mai, who then understood that the wine was not for her, but for Hosshiwa. She looked around, and saw more empty bottles and cups scattered all over the manor, and Hosshiwa's steps were clumsy, ridiculous.
"Was this your idea, or Mirage's?" Mai asked them.
"Ours," Hosshiwa said, and though her words were a bit slurred, they were surprisingly easy to make sense of. "Our queen has more important affairs to deal with in her Tower, so this dirty work falls on our hands."
"In truth, Mirage may be my match in laziness," Namakelder sighed, "as, considering her power, I'm sure she could wipe you all out and put an end to your rebellion."
"Why hasn't she done that, then?"
"Perhaps you would like to ask her," Hosshiwa said. "Tell your friends to surrender and we'll take them to the Phoenix Tower. You will be punished, of course, but it will not be nearly as grim a fate as that which awaits you if you continue in your current course. So for your sake, for the sake of your friends, I suggest you back down."
"And for your sake as well, no?" Mai understood the fear in their eyes. "Mirage expected you'd have put an end to our Rainbow Rose by now. Will she punish you for failing, is that why you've grown so desperate? You understand that once she's done with you, you'll be cast aside all the same, don't you?"
"You don't know that," said Namakelder. "Girl, you presume to know much, but we have worked with Mirage faithfully for years, even before the Death of the Stars. Or did you think it was a coincidence that the pieces all fell so easily into place? That Hosshiwa would arrive just as Last Light might have delusions of independence and disobey our queen? That Oresky was so easy to locate, so easy to sway to our cause? That I made it so easy for you to be freed by your fellow Precure, that you might believe me when I said I turned to your side? I always was. You know, you may judge Mirage harshly, but do you think she would have gone to such lengths to guide the Red Rose if her intention was merely to dominate it?"
"So you speak for Mirage, now?" Mai asked. "I must admit I never saw any of you as loyal. Still, you're only repeating her words, aren't you? Do you truly believe what you're saying?"
"Does it matter?" Hosshiwa rose. "The truth is, it had always been Mirage's intention to steer the Red Rose from the shadows, as she has done for hundreds of years, and to allow things to continue mostly as they were, but, this time, free of folly and error, of corruption and rot. Because to begin anew, the world had to be purged, as one sets a field ablaze for new life to grow. It was your disloyalty and your curiosity that forced Mirage's hand. You could not obey, and now look where you are."
"You think I'm afraid," Mai said. "Of what? That you'll cut my throat? That you'll kill my friends? That open war will destroy Last Light? I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of anything now."
"Fine," Namakelder groaned, then took Mai by the arm, guiding her deeper into the manor. She did not protest, nor did she resist. She knew she could not, and if she must die now, she would keep her dignity. She had little else left to treasure, now.
As more and more Choiarks had been assigned to patrolling Last Light and its surroundings, and searching for the Rainbow Rose's rebels, few remained in the great manor, so it had fallen into disrepair, dusty and soiled, unsightly and breaking. Chandeliers were no longer alight, so the manor had fallen under an unpleasant darkness, but it was towards the light that Mai was guided; up a flight of stairs, and another, to the top of the manor, a wide balcony surrounded by metal railings. From there, they could see much of Last Light, and Mai could catch glimpses of Choiarks facing off against the Precure as the denizens of the village ran away, seeking shelter. Oresky led twenty Choiarks against Echo, Wave and Aria. Namakelder bellowed, demanding their attention, and for an instant the fighting came to a stop.
"We have her," Hosshiwa said, dragging Mai towards the edge of the balcony, a dagger pressed against her throat. "You surrender her life if you continue to struggle. This is no empty threat," she said, sinking the dagger into Mai's right arm. Mai bit her lip to avoid screaming in pain, and felt the knife tremble, held by Hosshiwa's quivering hands. She does not want to do this, Mai realized. She did not expect it would ever come to violence. With a dramatic gesture, Hosshiwa raised the dagger and let scarlet drops fall down onto her garden. "Lay down your weapons and let the light wash over you as you put an end to your transformations. Then you will come here and hand yourselves over. That way, no one has to die."
A lie. They all had learned what fate awaited traitors of the Red Rose, so there was no way they would agree to Hosshiwa's demands. But that did not make the bite of the dagger hurt any less, nor did it ease her fears. Cold sweat fell on her, but it was not hers; it was Hosshiwa's. She had never killed anyone, that was obvious. That was no surprise: why would a wealthy lady like her ever have to fight for her life, or take another person's? Even the way she had stabbed Mai betrayed her hesitation. If she meant only to draw blood as a threat, she would have needed only to press the blade against Mai's skin. It was desperation that drove her, but that was no less terrifying than cruelty, in its own way. Faced with no other options, despair made monsters of even the most upstanding people, and Hosshiwa was definitely not among those in the first place.
"We cannot do that," Ayumi raised her voice. "If we hand all of ourselves to you, then what would stop Mirage from just killing us all?"
"The same will happen if you don't surrender."
"I think not," Echo remained defiant. "If you could overpower us, you would have done so long ago. You're afraid. You know you might die fighting, and even then victory is not guaranteed. The same fear we have. So it would seem we are at a stalemate."
"How cold of you, letting your friend die," Hosshiwa said, the blade touching Mai's throat now, but only barely. From a distance, however, the threat might seem real.
"I'm not," Ayumi shook her head. "Take me instead," Mai wanted to tell her not to do this, that it was madness, but Hosshiwa had her mouth shut, so she could only look down. "It's the least costly way of doing this. Take me for your hostage, lock me in your Tower, and Last Light will be yours. You can even torture me, hurt me, kill me. But leave Mai out of this. She is no longer a Precure. This is not her battle."
Mai winced at the words. It was true, harsh as it was, but she didn't want to see it like that. I am still a Precure, she told herself, but was she, really, when she could not transform, when she was all alone, when Saki was gone forever?
I'm not gone forever. I'm with you, always, and you with me.
She turned her head, frightened, and nearly had her throat cut. It was Saki's voice she had heard. The voice that now she knew only from her dreams. Yet she could not mistake it for anything else. She tried to reach out to Saki, but of course she was far too distant, and her voice was gone.
"Think about it," Ayumi insisted. "I know it's not Mirage's intention to kill all of us. Or what would her Rose even be, but empty? Take me to her. If it's the only way to end it without blood, then I'll be happy."
"Come, Hosshiwa," said Namakelder, "I've no doubt that Mirage will be thankful that you've resolved this situation without excessive bloodshed. This Rainbow Rose is but a trifling matter for our queen. She has greater concerns, and will be thankful for peace."
"You're just saying this because you don't want to fight," Hosshiwa retorted, clearly sharing his intentions. Even Oresky shouted his consent at their plan, saying that he did not want to lose even more of his soldiers. Was that caring on his part, or did he not want to see his power wane? "You," she pointed at Ayumi. "You will come here."
"Let Mai go, first," Ayumi said. "And gently. Then I will make my way there myself."
"No," Hosshiwa demanded. "I am not naive, Cure Echo. You will come here first, and then Mai will be let go. And harbor no delusions of having us descend there to meet you, so you can stab us in the back. This is the final offer we're willing to make."
"Very well," Cure Echo relented. "I see there is no other way."
Fool, Mai would have cried out if she could, but Hosshiwa's fist kept her mouth shut, and, besides, it took all her concentration to disregard the pain. She felt her blood slithering down her skin, slow, cold, and she shivered. She watched the Choiarks that guarded Hosshiwa's manor make way for Ayumi, who then disappeared inside.
She waited. Sweat dropped down from her forehead to the blade pressed against her throat. And again she heard Saki whisper in her ear. I'm not afraid. I have you with me. So you don't have to be afraid, either. She wanted to believe that. She wanted this nightmare to end, she wanted to embrace Saki once again, to feel her voice as more than whispers in the wind. And she wanted Ayumi to be safe. This was not supposed to happen, no one was supposed to exchange their life for hers…
Hosshiwa turned, and Mai with her. Ayumi stood before them, defiant, and upon Namakelder's command, approached. Mai looked her in the eyes, hoping to beg her to turn back, but she gazed upon a strange emptiness, unlike the eyes she knew so well.
"Hm," Hosshiwa pulled her dagger away from Mai, but did not let go of her hostage. She licked her lips. "You know, now that I think of it… I don't think I can trust you, Cure Echo. Yes, indeed…"
Everything happened all at once, then, and Mai felt like she was weightless, swayed by the winds around her, and everything was so distant. Hosshiwa plunged her dagger into Cure Echo's heart, but there was no blood to be shed, for the knife found only air. Ayumi was not there. Instead, she revealed herself behind Namakelder, but this was the true Echo, not one of her illusions: she wrested his weapon away from his hands, then tried to shove him away, in vain. Mai wanted to help, but before she could, Hosshiwa's blade was deep in her stomach, and she was tossed away from the edge of the balcony, hitting her back hard on the railings, and then she fell. Last Light was upside down, and all around was red, her red, her blood, but she could not hear the fighting, only the roaring wind, and Saki's sweet voice.
And the ground approached slowly, gently, for Cure Egret fell like a feather, and upon placing her feet upon the grassy patches of Hosshiwa's garden, the pain was gone, the dagger had fallen, and even her wounds were closed. No red stained the white of her silks, no fear remained on her face. She extended her hand, and though she could not see Bloom, she felt her touch.
She flew. The air gracefully bent to offer her safe passage, and she landed on the great balcony delicately, right before Namakelder. She struck him, but the blow that threw him against the railing was not only hers, but Saki's as well. She fought with doubled strength, with the power that had only known defeat once, during the Death of the Stars, but never again. She closed her eyes, and imagined Saki clearly, perfectly, beautiful and strong. She didn't need to see to fight, not now that she found her love in the darkness, and she had the wind to guide her.
Forward. She listened to the call of the breezes and her fist smashed against Hosshiwa. Egret, Echo called out in fear, but again the wind warned her of another knife headed towards her. She moved to the side, and, finally opening her eyes, saw Hosshiwa stab at nothing. She conjured the might of the winds, and her enemy's beautiful frills were blown to become a huge blotch of pink, her hat floating away as she was knocked to the floor, clutching the railings to save herself.
The wind died down, just as the sounds of battle below. And Cure Bloom stood before her, smiling. Saki, Mai called out, but already she felt her leave, led away by the last remaining breeze. This time, unlike the others, however, she was not pained, she was not afraid. She didn't mind saying goodbye, knowing that they would meet once again.
Their masters defeated, the Choiarks surrendered with little hesitation. Namakelder, Oresky and Hosshiwa were brought before all the Precure, and though Oresky demanded a clean and honorable death, Namakelder pleaded for his life. Hosshiwa, however, said nothing. Her eyes saw only the dirt beneath her.
"What is to be done with them?" Seika asked. "I suppose the first thing we must do is restore the village to what it was before Hosshiwa's, erm… Sanctions."
"Yes, but what of them?" Cure Nile asked. "They are enemies… Servants of Mirage."
"She will not trade our lives for anything," Hosshiwa said. "We've no value as hostages. Cut our throats and be done with it. We lost. Either you kill us now, or Mirage will imprison us in her mirrors for our failures. I'd sooner choose death than slavery."
"There are other choices," said Mai. "You were Mirage's tools, like so many before you. I don't want your blood. I want only truth, I want all that you know. What are Mirage's desires, how did you come into her service?"
"Like all others," Namakelder said. "She promised me my heart's desire, all in exchange for some help. She preys on humanity's greatest folly: we can never know the worth of our souls until we have sold them. Peace, I wanted. Tranquility and rest. Not a life of work and pain and struggle, and then an agonizing, slow death. Then our dreams align, Mirage told me. I was foolish enough to believe her, because it was easier. And when it became too late, I had no choice but to help her build the world she dreams of."
"Power," Oresky admitted. "I was disgraced, a failure in all I ever tried. As a commander, I led my men to their graves with my mistakes, but Mirage could give me another chance… Another opportunity for me to prove my worth, and to be part of something truly great."
"You're not getting any of this maudlin nonsense from me," Hosshiwa said. "I have some pride, and have no desire of begging for my life with a pitiful tale. But I've no desire to die, either… Fine, I suppose. There's not much we know about Mirage that you haven't already had the displeasure of learning, but if it'll keep me with an intact throat another day, I'll share what I can, for all the good it will do. Do not believe Mirage will simply allow this to go unpunished, and we are quite close to her…"
Mai nodded. Perhaps this was the best they could achieve. As Mirage's underlings were escorted to the communal building by Mika, Kanae and Orina, so that they might question them, Hosshiwa and Mai crossed gazes for an instant. The woman did not want to hurt her if possible, but there was no apology in her stare, no regret. Mai thought that, perhaps, this should make her despise Hosshiwa. Instead she pitied her.
And then, as the crowds dispersed and the Choiark went about their business, whatever it was, Mai found herself alone with Ayumi. The two sat next to one another on a park bench, and Echo rested her head on her friend's shoulder. Mai said nothing, and dwelled within her thoughts. She had seen Saki, she was certain of that. The bond that kept them together was powerful, but she had only ever heard her, felt her, remembered her, even in the most vivid occasions. But now she had seen her. Had something changed, or had Ayumi worked her magic in more ways than one…?"
"Hey, Ayumi," she called out.
"Hm?"
She closed her eyes and breathed in deep the pure air, realizing then what mattered and what didn't.
"Nothing. Nevermind. It's still early in the day. We should get something to eat."
Though Dark Fall's artillery had ceased bombarding Lucentower, its assault was in no way blunted: Zakenna beyond count ran through Cure Rouge's flames, and though many were consumed by the blazes, far more managed to get past, weapons in hand, to be repelled by the few defenders who remained near the gate. Rouge stood next to Mirai, Jun, Kay and Emily, their backs turned to Marine, Isaac and the queen. Half a dozen spearmen remained to guard Hikari, their spears skewering each and every Zakenna that dared approach her, but they were not enough, and just minutes ago there were more of them.
It was a matter of time. The moon was concealed by red smoke now, and Lucentower seemed to be infinitely distant, lost in the thick crimson. Poison filled Rin's lungs, and her steps were reduced to meek limping, and underneath her feet she crushed her own fallen teeth - thought they might be anyone else's, really. The wind fanned out her flames until her massive blazing barrier became but embers and cobblestone ablaze, painful to the invaders but not as strong a defense as she would like. The witches, too, tried their best, but their spells were more useful for repelling the beasts than destroying them, and old Isaac had gone out of breath long ago; he looked as though he might collapse at any moment, dead from exhaustion. Erika continued to command the powers of water, enveloping the queen and her last defenders with steam when her magics joined with Rouge's, concealing them from most of the Zakenna, but that was only a small relief from the relentless invasion.
It was only the light that shone around Queen Hikari that kept them going: though the queen did little to fight, choosing instead to shield her allies with barriers of gleaming glass, around her burned an aura of warmth that gave Rin some courage. Not much, but enough to keep fighting, even as all hopes were gone.
No more than that, though; the defenders did not give any ground, but beyond that they had no plans, no ideas on how to win this battle. As if they could. It seemed that the most they could accomplish was kill as many of their enemies as they could before they, themselves, were slain. A grim thought if there ever was one, but it made her fires burn with a little bit more force, filled with strength she thought she no longer had. In time, though, the fires burned low again, and the steam began to die down, revealing their position to the endless horde of Zakenna that had crossed the gate. Rin could only tell them and the darkness apart when the light shone on them, but even the lights were now growing weaker; the lights of the fires that raged around them, the magic that the four witches so desperately conjured, and the light that emanated from the queen. They all dimmed, and at last all that remained was a pale blue light.
A rose. Through the ashes and the trampled grass, it bloomed in defiance, right in the midst of them. Was that what Rin thought? She had no time to find out: Zakenna began to bump against her, but they did not attack her now. Instead they just continued to run, not towards the great tower but towards the harbor, crying as they fled from something Rin could not see in the darkness. Save for the fires beyond the walls, there was nothing to witness.
Isaac was the first to collapse under the wave of Zakenna, but Erika followed when over a dozen of them clutched at her, pulling her hair and bringing her to the ground, where she was violently trod upon, unable to rise. Rin held on to Kay for as long as she could, for she was the one closest to the girl, but the witch was just washed away by the crowds. Rin felt something hit her stomach, and the pain took her balance away, and she fell. As she did, she saw that only the queen remained standing tall, while Jun and Emily struggled, holding hands. And Mirai was crouching, shielding the blue rose with her body as she was trampled by dozens of Zakenna. Her face was bloodied and her right hand so twisted that it might be impossible to fix… But she was burning, glowing, smiling, and took in the light of the rose.
Brighter than the sun at its most luminous apex, the light enveloped Mirai's companions, and threw the Zakenna away, forcing them to flee, burning them to nothing but the captive spirits within them, finally freed. Able to breathe again, Rin's bloody nails dug into the soil as she found the strength to force herself to rise. Veiled by the holy light of the Precure, Mirai was something more now than she was moments ago, her bloodied rags now free of any stain of violence, just like the rest of her body. The blood was gone from her face and her lips, and her broken wrist, though not yet healed, did not appear to be such a grievous wound. And behind her eyes, though it was still Mirai, there was something different, stronger, more determined, like all that was childish inside her was gone and she was now, if not a woman grown, older, mature.
She did not rush to meet the Zakenna at battle; instead she shielded her companions, surrounding them in a bubble of light that could not be pierced. Perfectly transparent, Rin could see the Zakenna outside, crushing one another and trying to move forward by pushing whoever was on their way. And when she looked to the north once again she saw a light in the darkness, then another, hundreds of them lighting up the night, and behind the fearful shrieks of the Zakenna, Cure Rouge heard the thunder of horses.
Like fires they illuminated the darkness, these knights of the Hope Kingdom, the glint of their spears driving the Zakenna away in a panic. They came through the fallen walls and broken gate, the salvation of Lucentower. Flags of the Hope Kingdom were flying high, but on their fabric, right where the red hearts should be, blue roses had been stitched instead. More and more rode into Lucentower with each passing moment, and Rouge, exhausted, bleeding, weakened, could only watch in breathless awe. Mirai's barrier held on, saving them from being trampled by the Zakenna that still tried to flee, but there was nowhere for them to go but to throw themselves into the seas to drown.
Amidst the Zakenna she caught a glimpse of their general, Uraganos, discarding his weapons and his armor in his attempt to flee, but just as he ran past the transparent barrier, his face split into pieces as a huge blazing spear sprouted through it, and he collapsed, twitching, burning. And its wielder was Cure Ace, triumphant, fire following in her wake, making ashes of the Zakenna. With a wave of her hand, flames gushed onto the battlefield, but they always avoided her own allies, seeking instead the Zakenna with covetous glee. They were like a wave, the flames, spreading like liquid and melting all Zakenna on their way. Hers is a temporary power, Rouge recalled Queen Hikari explain Cure Ace's power. The fires that burn brightest also die out the fastest. Rouge's fire had lasted this nightmarish battle, but now Ace's would bring it to an end in minutes.
Wisps rose from the burning fields: the freed souls of the Zakenna. Vile creatures made by vile magic, but now they needn't suffer anymore. Nobody here had to suffer anymore, now that the battle was over. If anyone had survived, that was. As the smoke dissipated and darkness returned to Lucentower, Rin struggled to see anyone standing, save for the horsemen who had come to their rescue, of course. The witches had collapsed, exhausted, while Isaac was just as weary, but Erika, Hikari and Mirai still stood. Of the three, only Mirai didn't look like she was about to die. Now that she finally had time to breathe, she stared at her hands, and looked down at her own clothes with disbelief. A miracle, she called her transformation… But miracles were mere coincidence, and Rouge knew it was far from one, for a blue rose to bloom just as Cure Ace brought her own Rose to rescue them. That was the true miracle, perhaps, that they came in time to save someone.
With the siege at an end, the survivors gathered outside the ruined tower. Most were wounded, some were dying, but they all had the same expression of fear entwined with relief that it was over. Everyone would have liked to rest, but with Lucentower in ruins, there weren't even real beds anymore. The ground was good enough, in truth, but the queen summoned her surviving allies to meet before the gates, for Aguri wished to speak to them. Rin would not protest her queen's orders, though she felt she should: it was no time for meetings, but for mourning, as already the dead were being piled up, and would soon be buried. But, Rouge suspected, the queen did not have a choice either: with a great deal of her defenders now dead or maimed, it was the Hope Kingdom's army, brought by Aguri, that would make up the brunt of their forces.
"Is everyone here?" Aguri asked. All the Precure were, save for Diamond, who had passed out, and was now under her mother's care. once Aguri confirmed that Rikka was well, and likely to survive, she faced all who answered her summons. She was Cure Ace no more, only a child, and Rin found it hard to accept that they were the same person. "Good, good. I could not have arrived sooner, not without alerting Dark Fall of our approach, at least. As promised, I bring you the knights of the Hope Kingdom, all six thousand of them. And you needn't worry about feeding them and whatnot, as the Hope Kingdom will be bringing more supplies in the coming weeks."
"How did you gain their allegiance?" Cure Moonlight asked her.
"Dark Fall had delusions of occupying the Hope Kingdom," Aguri explained. "Goyan had sent some captains he trusted to oversee the takeover of the Hope Kingdom. I sent their heads to the Kingdom's ruling council. So, in the end, Dark Fall allowed me to gain the trust of the Hope Kingdom. Which, might I add, is unlikely to remain a kingdom for long, given the total extinction of its ruling dynasty during the Death of the Stars. They are considering their possibilities now, whether they will become a protectorate under the Blue Rose, or, perhaps, meld with the Garden of Light."
"So the whole continent is the Blue Rose's now," Liz said. "Well done, Ace. Now we hope the Red Rose doesn't decide to crush us."
"The false Rose is of no concern," said Aguri. "Not now, at least. Dark Fall is sailing to the mainland, you see. I intend to allow them to cross the Crystal Ocean, because they outnumber us severely and we can't afford to fight them right now. But when they're caught between the two Roses, well… You've seen what happens, actually. The Zakenna laying siege to Lucentower had nowhere to run but the sea, when they were caught between your walls and the Hope Kingdom's cavalry. We may even save the Red Rose, wouldn't that be just grand? Of course, we'll wait for an opportunity, but I don't intend to let the mainland burn down, so we won't delay."
"That's fine," Hikari said. "It's not like we have much of a choice, as we have no ships. Will the Hope Kingdom provide us with them?"
"Of course," Aguri said. "They've been sitting prettily and uselessly on their harbors, but once the continent is free, they'll take us to the mainland… And, on that topic, I'm afraid we cannot yet rest as much as we'd like. Glimmergate remains occupied, and the longer we delay, the longer we give Baldez to act."
"You can't mean to march on Glimmergate now," Rin protested. We're half-dead. We need to tend to the wounded, we need to recover, and-"
"Your house is infested with insects. You crush some of the ants who have come to eat your leftovers. Do you wait, then? Do you spend some days finding the strength to find the nests and dispose of them? No. They would simply return. It is the same with Dark Fall. They nest in Glimmergate, festering there, and they can recover far more quickly than you will. If we allow them to amass their strength once more, then what have we gained here but survival? Victory is hollow if your enemy continues to threaten you. So we will march to Glimmergate tomorrow. And there we will put an end to Baldez. Now, I'll ask that you excuse me. I will ready my knights, and wait for you outside the gates. Do not delay, Queen Hikari. I have fulfilled my part of our deal, and have saved you. Now do your part."
"...Catastrophic, sire," said the witch to Baldez, her crystal sphere showing the destruction that fell upon Lucentower, and the banners flying in the wind, blue roses all around. Kaoru did not look away from those images, and neither did her sister. Michiru might smile at the sight of Dark Fall's defeat, but Kaoru had some more restraint. And then the glass began to shatter as the magics that allowed the witch to scry the battlefield died with the last of the Zakenna. "The losses are-"
"The loss of Zakenna is not a catastrophe," Baldez said, his voice growing in ferocity with each word he snarled. "Death is their purpose, for they are only hollow shells, so don't tell me of their catastrophic losses. Tell me of victory, tell me they have at least killed the queen, tell me that the Hope Kingdom's arrival has amounted to nothing, for Lucentower had already fallen and all inside were butchered. Come, tell me that, or you will number among tonight's losses."
"Sire, I…" She began to shake, and stepped away from Baldez, but he simply approached, closing his fists. "Please, you must not-"
"Each moment you spend doing anything but preparing Glimmergate for the coming assault," Kaoru intervened, distracting Baldez just enough for his witch to have the time to walk away. Not that there would be anywhere in Glimmergate that was safe for long. "Michiru and I know more about the Precure than you do: this is why you brought us here, no?"
"You should at least listen to us," her sister said. "How many Zakenna were lost at Lucentower? How many remain in Glimmergate? What of the defenses of the Gilderfort?"
"There are no defenses on the Gilderfort," he said, unaware of the folly of his words. "It was victory we needed at Lucentower, one so overwhelming that there would be no one left to challenge Dark Fall's rule of the continent. We have ten thousand Zakenna spread across the city, but have spent everything we had to take Lucentower. All our siegecraft, our explosives, our poisons… None of it remains now. In a hurry, perhaps our chemists can brew some concoctions, but not enough to halt the counterattack."
"Flee, then," Michiru advised. "If you believe there are no hopes, you would be foolish to fight. I don't expect the Precure will accept a surrender, unless you bind them by honor. In which case, the boy could serve an important purpose…"
"Surrender?" He screamed, launching spit onto Kaoru and Michiru's faces. "Belzei gave me lackwits for advisors. Or perhaps me means to sabotage me, yes… Is that your purpose, girls? Lead me astray so that I won't be a threat to Belzei in the future?"
"Sire," Kaoru spoke coldly, "there were numerous occasions where you asked us to handle your letters and documents in your quarters, retrieving them while you were asleep, and preparing reports of the progress of the war effort that you would read in the morning. Belzei is a simple, direct man: if his goal was to eliminate you, you would have died long ago. We have access to your food, to your equipment, to your quarters, and to your unprotected throat," upon hearing those words, he instinctively took his fingers to his neck. "Killing you would be not at all difficult, nor would it be profitable in any way, because we are stuck in this city that's about to be besieged, the same as you. Our fates are tied."
"All the more reason for you to present my corpse to the Precure, that you may earn a pardon."
"That would make it a foolish strategy to tell you all this, no?" Kaoru asked. She could not see her sister's face, for she did not avert her eyes from Baldez, but she hoped that Michiru understood the game she was playing and the plot behind her words. "We have betrayed the Precure. If we were to betray you and deliver you to them, they would be all too happy to burn us next to you."
"Like I said, flee," Michiru repeated.
He considered the proposition for a moment, but then disregarded it, groaning.
"Flee… Walk away from my power, from my support, from all I've achieved in my life… Belzei will win, that is inevitable, but if I run, then Dark Fall will hunt me down. And even if they fail to find me, what will I be? A mouse, hiding until death, his purpose unfulfilled. Not that Belzei would ever stop searching for me. He knows that I was the most loyal retainer of the Dark King, and allowed my body to be turned into his vessel. Without me, he could not have unified Dark Fall and the Dusk Zone, but once his victory is complete, I'll be a threat. I was to strengthen my position here while he gallivanted in the mainland, losing a great deal of his soldiers to the Precure."
"Will you die, then?" Kaoru asked. He had no answer for her. "You may not like your options, but all save one lead to your death. Life spent in hiding and unfulfilled may be painful, but what of death? Will you stay, then, and willingly cast yourself into the unknowable abyss? If there is a hell, sire, then death should frighten you. It frightens me."
"I do not wish to die like a coward," he said, "and it is just as cowardly to run. What do you propose, then, save for reprimands? Surrender, you said… We have the queen brother as a hostage, yes, but would she relent for his sake? We've never sowed any trust either, so she has no cause to believe me when I say I'll spare his life, because I might as well have killed him already."
"You haven't, though. And you can show him from atop our walls, and trade his freedom for our lives. The Zakenna will have to be destroyed, so you will lose your power, but you won't die. As long as you draw breath, you can still fight. The true surrender would be to die, then. Unless you think you can hold Glimmergate, this is your best hope, sire. Our best hope."
"Fine," he said, after some thought. "You have the right of it. This misfortune… No matter. Dwelling on it will not change it. But hear this, girls, and listen well: I will not die quietly, nor will you sell me out to the Precure. If they demand my blood, then I will give it to them, yes, I will drown them in it, and in your blood, their own, and the queen will watch her brother die. If I must lose, then I will do everything in my power to make sure the Precure cannot call this a victory."
Limping, Rikka clung to Yuri's arm, her own body aching all over. There was no small amount of scars on Yuri's skin, but she concealed her pain well enough. They had not been allowed enough rest before Aguri put the army on the march, and though Rikka could have stayed behind in Lucentower's remains if she so desired, she wanted to see the end of this madness and war.
Glimmergate reeked of smoke and ash. Ablaze, the city was proof of Dark Fall's evil: if it could not win, then it would destroy everything. No one would win, the smoke declared. Reaching the Gilderfort became a matter of saving something of this ancient city. And though the massive palace was tantalizingly close, Rikka had been in Glimmergate long enough to recognize that it was not a city to be crossed carelessly, quickly. She told that to Aguri, who ordered the knights of the Hope Kingdom to move cautiously, to inspect each and every road and abandoned home for magical traps, or for ambushes prepared by Zakenna. We are too slow, Rikka lamented upon finally crossing the bridge at the center of the city, at which time night had already fallen, though the fires that blazed beyond counting painted the sky a bloodied red.
A thousand Zakenna mounted a pitiful resistance at the bridge, but Marine's magic brought the waters to life and washed them all away. Elsewhere, they were pestered by skirmishers who struck from afar, then fled when chased. But in this darkness the Precure did not find the same insurmountable horrors that threatened them at the walls of Lucentower, and slowly the realization that they had won burrowed into Rikka's head.
We won, she told herself again, so that she would not forget. The Gilderfort was still in enemy hands, and Glimmergate still burned, but Dark Fall could no longer mount a meaningful resistance here. That they hoped to destroy the city alongside themselves was proof of that. But there were just buildings, and all that burned was wood and stone. Even if they were lost, the Garden of Light endured. Life would return here, in time. She looked up to see the banner of the Blue Rose held by a knight of the Hope Kingdom, its colors tinged with the orange of the blazes. Hope. The rose of miracles had won this victory, and its prowess was now beyond doubt, as was its righteousness; by her side, Rikka saw the living miracle, Mirai, chosen by the Blue Rose. Even Aguri could not explain why a rose had bloomed right next to her, and granted her powers as it had granted to Kurumi. Miracles defy explanation, she told Rikka. An insufficient answer, but Diamond was happy to be alive, to have won.
Barricades burned along the way to the Gilderfort, and the streets were guarded by Zakenna. They fought to the end, never fleeing, and when death brought them release, Rikka wondered if that meant they were now at peace. She hoped so. It was worse than death what Dark Fall wished to sow: it was obliteration, it was slavery, it was evil. It was not just life that the Precure fought for, but freedom and humanity. She recalled the Jikochuu that had taken her own homelands, and how above all else they were the Selfish's way of dehumanizing their foes.
The great gates of the palace were shut, and arrows rained down on them from the walls. Moonlight shielded the besieging forces, while Rikka raised her crossbow and took aim at the defenders above: her hands still hurt, and she struggled to move her fingers, but she could do this, at least. They had brought no battering rams with them, nor did they need any. Queen Hikari's magic spread across the walls and the steel gates, imbuing them with all manner of colors, and just as the spell became more intense and Rikka expected the walls to come down ruinously and for the gate to be torn asunder, instead it opened slowly, gently, obeying the queen's unspoken commands.
At the palace gardens, blood fed the flowers as it was shed by knights facing the Zakenna. To the end they fought, those creatures born of darkness, and spiteful as their master they were, for even with no hope of victory they still tried to maim their foes, that even after they take the castle they would suffer wounds so severe that this could not be called triumph. Rikka counted herself fortunate to be able to fight from afar, because the battle at Lucentower had made her weary and weak, and were she forced to join the melee, her wounds were sure to mount.
Of Baldez's lieutenants, only Circulas remained, and he faced his end with bravery, challenging the queen to battle before the withered violets. An honorable foe might have had the offer accepted, but Hikari did not judge Dark Fall deserving of such a fate, so her archers all took aim and skewered him with half a hundred arrows, his body falling onto the dirt, blood spilling onto the brown.
When the way to the palace was clear, Hikari and Aguri were the first to step towards the great door, followed by the Precure. The stone shattered upon being struck by Moonlight's magic, giving passage to the Cures. Inside, they found no resistance, only emptiness. An eerie silence drowned out the lingering sounds of fighting in the distance, and Rikka shivered. Something was gravely wrong here. There were no Zakenna, and none of Dark Fall's soldiers, and not even the palace's staff, cowering. There should be many, Hikari explained. I know Dark Fall would not have put them all to the sword when they conquered Glimmergate, or the palace would have crumbled long ago.
Indeed, she had a point. The stones and glass windows were clean, immaculate, and all torches and candles were blazing as usual. All doors were closed, save the one leading to the throne, left half-opened. Fearfully, Hikari pushed it to the side, and at once she retched.
The stench of death was overwhelming. Piles of corpses were left on the way to the great pearly throne, and upon it half a dozen dead still had their eyes wide open, faces frozen in horror. Some of the dead were soldiers of Dark Fall, humans who chose to follow their cruel ways, but many were just servants of the Gilderfort, chandlers and sweepers and cooks. Some had huge red lines on their throats, others had purple lips and vials of poison cracked next to their bodies.
And then, laughter.
"Your Majesty," a man's voice called out, and stepped out of the shadows, his sword pressed against the neck of a young boy. The queen's brother. And just behind him were two women, the ones Erika had told her about. Michiru and Kaoru, twice traitors. "You are too late. You have failed your subjects. It was your surrender that could have saved them all. And now only you can save your brother."
"Sister, I-"
"Hikaru," she spoke softly. Baldez ordered the girls behind him to stand there, said that if they made any move or said anything, he'd slit the boy's throat. "Hikaru, I'm here. Don't be afraid. I'm here."
"You'll let me go, and you'll have the boy," said Baldez. "You will not seek me in the future. You will-"
"There are no guarantees you can ask of us," Aguri walked up to him. Despite his threats, Baldez did not harm Hikaru. "You have lost, and you know it. You cling to your empty hopes but if you truly believed you could emerge unscathed, you would not have done this butchery. And, besides, Queen Hikari is not in command for the time being. I am."
"And who are you? Some child…"
"Aguri Madoka," she said, and flames enveloped her. "Rightful liege of the Trump Kingdom, scion of the Blue Rose, chosen of fate," as she became Ace, Baldez's hand began to shake. Rikka hoped Aguri knew what she was doing, the risk she was taking. "Let the boy go now. I will face you now."
"Why should I? Why should you, for that matter?"
"Because I want to face you in single combat, of course. My Rose needs a victory, you see, and when I sail across the Crystal Ocean to meet the rest of your allies, I mean to present them your head so they know what awaits them. In return, I offer you this: if you slay me, then we surrender. My fellow Precure are weary from fighting, you see, I believe you can take them on. If you kill me, feel free to present my head to my knights and they will follow you."
Aguri did know what she was doing. Unfortunately, what she was doing was madness. Rikka raised her voice to protest, but Cure Ace silenced her.
"Come, now," Aguri said, almost bored. "Hand the boy over to his sister, and face me," she pointed her spear at Baldez. "This is your only hope, after all, and as my destiny is to purge the world of abominations like you, I would love to test my mettle against your skills. If I cannot best you, after all, what hope have I against Belzei?"
He did as he was asked. Aguri ordered the Cures to step aside, and alongside Yuri, Rikka moved back, next to a pillar that was far from the dead piled up near the throne. Hikaru ran to his sister's arms, and all eyes watched Aguri with anxiety and even anger. All but Yuri's. Yuri trusted her.
Baldez swung his huge sword against Aguri, who stepped aside, sparks lingering where she stood. Baldez rushed against Cure Ace, slashing again and again and again, mad with rage and desperation, but Aguri needed only to move away from his blows. Gracefully, quickly, she predicted the man's every movement, and her movements were sudden as fire, and blazes gathered on her fingers, igniting her spear.
The burning shaft pummeled Baldez's legs, setting his tunic ablaze. While he screamed, Cure Ace was silent, serene. When she was caught between her foe and a pillar, she found no room to maneuver, but lifted her spear to block the strike. Baldez drew a long dagger from his belt, and tried to shove it into Aguri's heart, but she lifted her leg and struck him in the wrist with her heel, loudly shattering his bones. The dagger fell to the floor, and a pained Baldez slashed wildly, faster now, and after gesturing with his mangled hand, chains burst from the stone, from Aguri's own shadows, black chains of pure darkness, and they wrapped around her arms, pulling her down and keeping her in place just long enough for Baldez's sword to cut right through her.
No blood was shed from her torn body. Instead, fire burst through her wound and her body split in twain, all of it burning, all of it turning into a monstrosity of bright red flame. In vain, Baldez swung at it, but was enveloped by the blazes, and shrieked in agony. From the fire itself came Aguri's voice, composed and in control.
"I've no Starfire to devour your evil," the fire crackled. "For that is the Red Rose's way. The fire I wield is purer, older, stronger. Now, be cleansed by the light of the Blue Rose, the first light cast upon this world, and the last light you'll know."
The shrieking stopped, and the flames grew too bright to gaze upon. When Rikka finally found the strength to open her eyes, the flames were converging next to where Baldez had been, and from them, Ace emerged unharmed and proud. As the flames died down, she was Aguri once again, but nothing remained of Baldez save for scorched marks upon the stone.
"A waste," she said, looking at all the dead. "But at least one life could be saved that would have otherwise been lost. Now, Queen Hikari," she faced her, still cradling her brother, "these were not exactly the terms of our deal, but I believe you'll find them better. Apologies for any concern I might have caused. It was necessary to fool him."
"So you were lying?" Erika asked.
"Of course. You would have killed him, I'm fairly certain, and even if he tried to leave, I had given my soldiers orders to execute him immediately. I only gamble with the lives of those who are willing to risk themselves. All the same, the two of you…"
"Kaoru, Michiru," Erika ran towards them, smiling. "You're alive. I'm glad. That's more that can be said for most of the people here…"
"The ones we could not save," Michiru explained. "You'll find many more in hiding in the larder, and in tunnels leading to the dungeons. When we realized Baldez's intentions, we hoped to save as many as we could, but he reached some first…"
"Saki," Kaoru cried out. "Saki was with you in Lucentower. Tell me, please, is she well?"
"She is," said Rikka. "Hurt, but alive, and she fought as a Precure once again, if briefly. It was thanks to you that she was saved, right? You have saved so many people from Dark Fall's grasp…"
"Not enough," Michiru lamented. "We did what we could, which was very little, and had to compromise often."
"The people who still draw breath thanks to you would not say you did very little," Aguri remarked. "Now, I know very little of you, but I wish to-"
"We have no time for this," Kaoru interrupted her. "You must know… Belzei has sent a message to the mainland, knowing that it will reach the Precure as well. Eighty thousand Zakenna, soon to cross the Crystal Ocean. Surrender or be destroyed, the message demands."
"That's what they always demand," Yuri sighed.
"Is this what we need to know?" Nao asked. "Eighty thousand Zakenna… That's a lot. That's a damn lot. Not enough to sweep over the continent, but enough to bring nightmares."
"The Precure have liberated much of the mainland," Michiru explained. "Nightmare and Eternal remain, but they may be defeated soon. With the full force of the mainland, the Precure surely expect to face eighty thousand Zakenna in a grand battle to bring an end to the wars faced since the Death of the Stars."
"And rob us of our glory," Aguri said. "We must be there to face Dark Fall, for it is only the Blue Rose that is fit to save the world. With the might of the mainland, can they face eighty thousand Zakenna?"
"Yes, with difficulty," Kaoru said, then looked down, as if afraid. "But the matter is… We have stolen correspondences between Belzei and Baldez. The claim of eighty thousand Zakenna is a lie. Belzei's hope is that the Precure there will reach the same conclusion we have."
"You mean…" Rikka felt she was beginning to understand it, but no, it could not be. It was too horrible.
"Belzei wants to face the Precure in the open field," Michiru said. "A prolonged campaign might extinguish his resources, and after all that they have achieved, Belzei won't be foolish to ever expect the Precure to be destroyed unless he can be sure that he has crushed them. So he means to draw them to battle, and threatens them with a vast and fearsome army, but one that can be beaten."
"So the truth is-"
"It's not eighty thousand Zakenna," Kaoru said. "It's more. More than the Precure can defeat in open battle. Much more. Hundreds of thousands of Zakenna will swarm the mainland and kill every single living thing, whether they surrender or not. Belzei does not hope to wage a war of conquest, but one of annihilation. Eternal emptiness, the promised end, in the words of his loathsome advisor… The Precure must know, lest they fall into Belzei's trap. Because if they do, they will lose, and before the end of the year everything in this world will be dead."