A/N: This turned out longer than anticipated; coming in at 15.6k words. So that should tide ya'll over under the next chapter~

Enjoy... I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this one, hehe~


Whispers of Saturn

Chapter 19: World Ender

Something wasn't right.

Enterprise knew that the moment she stepped off base, her seemingly-infinite rejuvenation dissipating out her body as fast as the wind could snatch it. It was more than just that however; she physically felt weaker, her eyesight and hearing felt less acute, even her scent of smell felt almost muted.

The truly unsettling thing however, was Helios' response to her worried queries. Or rather, the complete lack of it. When she reached out to the entity in her mind, it just ignored her. Not brushed her aside or didn't hear her – oh she knew it heard her mental queries – but it just flat-out ignored her. Almost like it was focusing its ethereal attention on something else. Something... more important.

'The other gods?' Enterprise couldn't help but wonder, her brow creasing with worry.

She wasn't the only one feeling the oddness in the air. Essex walked by her side, matching her every stride but her shoulders locked into a tense line, as if knowing something was off. Zuikaku and Shoukaku kept pace fifteen feet to their left, murmuring between themselves worriedly – frequently casting their gazes up to the sky. The evening sky was darkening with thunder clouds, fast approaching and bringing with it the ominous boom of thunder.

The four of them formed one of several carrier task forces, ready to deploy their planes to bomb their opponents should it become necessary. None had summoned their planes yet for fear of giving away their position and losing the element of surprise, but the stillness of the air only worsened the tepid anxiety in the air, all of them just waiting for something to go wrong.

Enterprise didn't expect it to be Zuikaku's radio that triggered it.

''Nn?!'' Zuikaku's right hand landed on her ear, wincing as she tapped into her intangible radio, carried over from her ship form. ''Y-Yuudachi-san? What is- what? S-Slow down, I can't understand what you're...''

Zuikaku went silent, her face deepening into a very worried frown, her footsteps slowing to a complete stop. Shoukaku stopped as well, gazing in concern at her sister-ship as she listened to Yuudachi's words. Enterprise instinctively drew closer to her brunette companion, cautiously scanning the open field around them lest they be ambushed; prompting Essex to do the same, holding her crossbow at the ready. In the open they were exposed, but they couldn't afford to traverse the forests to the north lest they be ambushed in close quarters. They didn't have the manpower to back them up like a couple days ago.

It was a full thirty seconds before Zuikaku finally responded. ''A-Alright, alright... um, crap... er – I'll send some planes over to help make sure Atago's gone, and... shit... I-I'll contact Vestal and have her be there right away! Just, just keep them alive, alright?! Yeah... t-they'll be fine...''

Zuikaku's hand slipped from her ear, a grimace marring her features. ''Atago attacked Squad A-3. Yamashiro, Shigure and Yukikaze are badly injured. Maya and Takao too.''

Shoukaku's expression shifted to alarm. ''All of them?!''

''Yeah.'' Zuikaku nodded bitterly. ''Yuudachi was the only one who didn't get hurt, thanks to Maya. Mikasa turned up just a minute ago out of nowhere to help, but without a Repair Ship there's only so much they can do...''

Essex frowned deeply. ''What about Atago? She still in the area?''

''No idea.'' Zuikaku shrugged, summoning her rigging and summoning several planes; laying her hand on the back of her sword. ''Yuudachi said she arrived to find Takao and Maya bleeding badly, but she didn't know what happened to Atago. Given there's not a body, she probably got away.''

''We'll have to keep our guard up then.'' Enterprise concluded, watching as Zuikaku launched a squadron of bombers, taking flight.

''Yeah...'' The brunette nodded in agreement. ''Hey, mind contacting Vestal for me?''

Enterprise hummed an agreement, placing a hand on her ear. She closed one eye and focused, instinctively knowing how to tune her radio to Vestal's signal; not unlike mentally turning a dial. Static buzzed unpleasantly in her ear for a long few seconds, sharp crackling and distorted screeches piercing the buzzing interference – before she felt it 'click', suddenly feeling an invisible connection to someone thousands of metres away.

''Enterprise?'' Vestal's voice was briefly confused, then swiftly worried. ''Is something wrong? Who's-''

''The others and I are fine.'' Enterprise cut Vestal off before she could fret, all but hearing Vestal relax. ''Zuikaku just got a transmission though; said it came from Yuudachi. Her group got ambushed by Atago and have a lot of wounded; badly wounded.''

''Understood. I'll have Washington accompany me and we'll head out immediately. Arizona should be in range to stabilise them until I arrive. Coordinates?''

A quick question fired at Zuikaku gave Enterprise the answer, swiftly relaying them back to Vestal – and with a quick good luck and hastily murmured 'come home safe', Vestal cut the connection. Enterprise smiled slightly and lowered her hand, dipping her head towards Essex; signalling for them to move up. Essex obliged, shouldering her crossbow and taking the lead, their group forming a loose diamond shape.

They barely made it ten feet before Enterprise's ears twitched, an oddly familiar sound tickling her senses. She paused in her steps and frowned, tilting her head up as she honed in on the sound. A rumbling roar sort of sound, not unlike a car engine... or plane engines.

Enterprise's eyes widened. ''Incoming!''

Flashes of golden light lit up the stormy clouds, the distant patter of machine guns piecing the air. Zuikaku's bombers were shredded in seconds, exploding into billowing plumes of fire and smoke – before a large wave of Zeros came roaring out of the clouds, roaring over the group. Enterprise hastily raised her bow and drew an arrow back, launching her own fighter planes into the sky, swiftly joined by some from all her companions – over a dozen fighters roaring into the air, opening fire and the massive black wave of Zeros slowly curving back around for another run.

''Spread out and take them down!'' Enterprise barked, drawing back another arrow.

A blue arrow shrieked past her courtesy of Essex, matching her golden arrow in speed; both projectiles transmutating into another small squadron of fighters. However any plans of retaliation suddenly took a back-seat as a distinct, frightening sound pierced her ears – a loud, shrieking wail, unique to the planes of one nation. Ironblood.

Essex heard it too. ''Bombers, coming from-!''

Too late. A cacophony of rupturing explosions erupted all around, kicking wild pillars of dirt into the sky; fire and shrapnel madly blowing around from the countless explosions. Enterprise stumbled, briefly losing her hearing in her right ear before she shook it off, ignoring the aching ringing sound. The explosions died down after a second, leaving her with aching pain in her right leg but little else, mercifully.

Worry spiked for her companions but she reluctantly pushed them from her mind, telling herself they would be alright. Instead she drew back another arrow and let it fly, transforming it into another squadron of fighters – the four planes giving chase to the Stuka bombers. Machines guns rattled and gunned down several of the bombers as they tried to evade, the thick mass of planes working against themselves as they left too little room to manoeuvrer.

However that didn't diminish the fact there was just too many of them. Easily fifty, maybe seventy bombers, Enterprise calculated – her mind racing as she tried to count the incoming fighters, drawing back yet another arrow with practiced ease. It flung free and transformed into more fighters, her four planes seemingly so infinitesimal compared to the hundred plus Zeros rapidly racing towards her.

'Odds could be worse...' Enterprise smiled grimly.

As if to reinforce her hope a flurry of ten friendly Zeros launched into the sky, opening fire upon the incoming wave; knocking down several of the enemy fighters with a hail of machine gun fire. There was no more time to watch however; a wince marring Enterprise's visage as a literal hailstorm of bullets rained down on her, the dark sky becoming alight with thousands upon thousands of golden bullets.

Instinct took over and the carrier threw herself down, landing in one of the holes created by the bomber's payload. The hole wasn't deep but it helped protect her from the worst of it, bullets rattling overhead and impacting the dirt all around her, spitting small spurts of brown all around. Seconds passed before the hailstorm stopped and the wave roared overhead, passing by and allowing Enterprise to stumble to her feet again – unleashing another golden arrow and tailing the enemy fighters with her own.

'Bombers... ten seconds...' Enterprise roughly gauged how long she had, hastily stumbling out her foxhole and unleashing another arrow – running across the hole-laden field as fast as she could.

She spotted Essex a couple dozen feet away, kneeling in a deep hole and firing arrow after arrow, knelt in a traditional crossbow stance. A part of her wanted to instinctively go to her side but Enterprise held back, knowing this wasn't the time nor place to stay close. Grouping up just made them a bigger target.

Three arrows left her bow before the Stuka bombers came back around, their shrieking engines making a spike of unease lance through her. She abandoned her most-recent arrow and threw herself into a crater, pushing her back against the messy dirt incline – and winced as a deafening chain of explosions battered the battlefield around her, dirt and debris pelting her face as one bomb exploded only half a dozen feet to her right, leaving her ears ringing painfully.

'Fighters... five seconds...' Enterprise counted down each moment, dropping her bow entirely and raising her right arm up, bracing it with her left. 'Four...'

'Three...'

The roaring engines grew closer. 'Two...'

Machine guns rattled, golden bullets pelting the dirt around her crater. 'One!'

The first Zero just barely passed overhead when she activated her [Starlight] – and from her open palm shrieked a blindingly bright silver beam, screeching high into the sky and absolutely obliterating a passing fighter. The planes clearly didn't expect such an attack, over a dozen of them getting caught in the stationary beam and getting cleaved in half the moment they flew through it, their bisected forms detonating into fantastic plumes of fire and debris mid-flight.

A second silver beam shrieked into the air, cutting a wide swathe through the fighters – courtesy of Essex. Enterprise smiled tightly and cut her beam off, one hand flying to the rim of the crater and pulling herself up as she observed the damage; counting short of two dozen fighters falling through the air. However she didn't linger; grunting as she hauled herself out her makeshift cover and rushing over into another two dozen feet away, wisely not sticking in the same place for too long.

Her ear crackled, her innate radio going off – Shoukaku's voice swiftly filling her ear. ''Head for the treeline north of here!''

''You go, I'll cover!'' Enterprise barked back, cutting the connection – not a second too late, as the Stuka's curved around for another run; their shrieking engines preluding their bombing run.

Whether out of confidence or adrenaline Enterprise stood up, extending both her hands and firing off two thick beams of silver light, carving swathes of destruction through the tightly-knit bomber squadron. To her grim delight they split off into two separate groups, forced apart by her lasers for a few seconds – before they refocused solely on her, soaring straight down at her. She ducked back down into the hole just as the first bomb fell, a rush of heat stinging her shoulders as a bomb detonated scarcely a few feet away, the earth around her rapidly provided less and less cover as the bombs eroded her defence.

Two seconds of silence passed after the last bomb fell and Enterprise sprung out of her foxhole, her boots thumping against the upheaved dirt as she rushed northwards. Seconds passed and her heart pounded in her chest, mentally counting each second as she awaited the Zeros to circle back around and fire at her...

..except, they backed off.

It took Enterprise a solid five seconds to realise the sound of their rumbling engines was getting farther away, not closer. The carrier's heavy footfalls slowed and she turned around, chest heaving from exertion and eyes flickering across the darkening sky, darting about as she searched for her opponents – spotting the Stuka's disappearing back up into the clouds, their whining engines fading until they were gone entirely.

'They had the advantage here... so why...?' Enterprise couldn't find an answer. Why give up the attack when they held all the advantages? Mercy? Hardly. They wouldn't have ambushed in the first place if they were going to be merciful.

Part of her surprised Graf Zeppelin was participating; the woman didn't seem the type to help Akagi and Kaga out, considering how reserved she was to anybody outside of the Ironblood. Though considering she's in league with Bismarck, she supposed it was possible Bismarck just ordered her to do it. Still, that only made her more confused. Why would someone as ruthless as Graf Zeppelin abate her attack, especially in tandem with Akagi and Kaga's planes...?

''Enterprise!'' Essex's shout snapped Enterprise from her worried thoughts. ''C'mon, let's not stick around! Shoukaku says she saw the Zeros heading further north!''

''Understood!'' Enterprise barked back, shaking her troubled thoughts off and hastily rushing after her companions.

Even though entering the forest was a risk, one they had previously avoided, now they couldn't afford to stay out in the open. The advantage of surprise had been lost and staying out in the open was a deathtrap; at least within the forest they had camouflage and cover to hide behind. Fighters they could perhaps deal with, since their machine guns usually only inflicting minor wounds unless they struck something vital like an artery or eye, but with enemy bombers in the sky there was no reason to take the risk.

Branches snapped underfoot and shrubbery rustled as Enterprise ran through the forest, hearing movement to her right; Essex darting out from behind a tree a split-second later. The two carriers shared a brief nod before continuing their paths undeterred, heading north. Only when they were deep into the forest did Enterprise begin to slow, confident that they were safe for the time being.

Essex followed suit, her fast run slowing to a light jog, the two ending up beside a tall oak tree. ''Crap... you think they heard Zuikaku's radio?''

''Maybe.'' Enterprise shrugged, focusing on getting her breathing under control and scanning the forest around them. ''Akagi's from the Sakura. She probably knows how to intercept Zuikaku's transmissions.''

Essex ran a hand through her hair, breathing an explosive sigh. ''They had to be waiting for us. No way they could summon nearly a hundred planes in the time it took them to detect Zuikaku's transmission.''

Enterprise merely grimaced in response, not disregarding that possibility. Because it meant that if it was true, then Akagi and Kaga were expecting them. Waiting for them to come face them personally. A challenge, Enterprise had no intention of avoiding.

''Let's keeping moving.'' Enterprise finally responded, grunting as she straightened up. ''There should be a big clearing half a mile north-west; if there's anywhere Akagi and Kaga will be, it'll be there.''

Essex bobbed her head. ''Got it. You take the lead; I'll radio the others.''

With a sharp affirmative Enterprise spun on her heel, her feet swiftly carrying her into the forest as she broke out into a steady run, side-stepping trees and foliage as she went.

It didn't take more than a few minutes to near the clearing, their superhuman speed carrying them there post-haste.

Enterprise knew Akagi was there long before she reached the treeline, instinctively sensing her old comrade. The air itself felt heavier and smelled of ozone, a foreign sourness thick in the atmosphere. The closer she got the more aware she was of being watched, yet when she dared to look around she found a sky bearing nothing but rumbling grey clouds, no persons visible to watch her.

It was only when she neared the treeline did she realise who was watching her. Wahr'rot.

She was in Wahr'rot's territory now. Not Helios'.

'Is that why I feel strange...?' Enterprise looked down at herself. She didn't feel necessarily weaker – but she felt... suppressed, if she was to put a word to it. Like her reaction time had slowed down while her brain moved at normal speed.

She frowned at that, a spike of unease worming around her heart. She couldn't afford to bring anything less than her full power to the fight. Even if it was solely her reaction speed, a minor lag in her reflexes could prove fatal. However, there was nothing she could do about it, and a mental probe earned nothing back from Helios either. If anything, her connection to the cosmic entity seemed almost strained. Like Wahr'rot was interfering with it.

Enterprise's frown deepened and she reluctantly dispelled such thoughts, turning her eyes ahead as the trees thinned around her, cutting off into a wide clearing. Essex murmured a low, almost-nervous curse from a step behind her; both of them gazing up the slight hill to where two figures waited for them, one bearing a broad grin and the other a look of absolute stoicism.

Akagi and Kaga.

''Welcome, Enterprise.'' Akagi crooned in a sickeningly pleased tone, her voice carrying easily. ''Did you enjoy our welcoming gift?''

The Grey Ghost tipped her hat back, unfazed. ''Your aim could be better.''

Akagi's smile thinned a touch. ''Are you perhaps offering to help us practice~?''

''Maybe.'' Enterprise pointedly gazed up at the sky. ''Though I wonder if Graf Zeppelin will continue to be involved.''

''Mm... she's quite generously offered her assistance, considering we're at a disadvantage.'' Akagi replied lightly, her crimson gaze shifting to the right. ''After all... four on two is hardly fair.''

Leaves rustled and Zuikaku walked out the shrubbery, grimacing as she realised she was detected. Shoukaku languidly trailed behind her, expression hard for once and without a trace of her usual teasing flair. The two cranes were a few dozen feet away from the Eagle carriers, prompting Kaga to discreetly tilt her body towards them; ready to react should they launch a surprise attack.

''We don't need to do this, you know.'' Enterprise intoned, hoping to hope that Akagi would see reason.

The dark mirth in her rival's crimson gaze diminished that hope. ''Hoh~? Getting cold feet now of all times, Enterprise? What happened to that bluster of yours~?''

''Bluster?'' Enterprise tipped her hat down, sucked in a deep breath – and summoned her bow back to her hand. ''How many times do I have to remind you...''

With a flash of silver light a luminescent silver arrow phased into her hand, perfectly fitting into her bow. ''...not to look down on me, Akagi.''

Enterprise raised her bow and fired without delay, the silver arrow screeching across the distance and impacting the hill; erupting into a roaring plume of silver light, swiftly deteriorating into silver-tinted smoke. Akagi and Kaga leapt out of the smoke barely harmed, and within a heartbeat a roaring tide of burgundy fire bloomed to life around Akagi, rushing down in a wide tide towards Enterprise. The carrier narrowed her eyes and summoned her [Starlight], unleashing a beam of it and cleaving through the fire; narrowly avoiding cutting Akagi's fox ear off.

Raging blue fire erupted not far behind Akagi, swiftly sweeping down to Zuikaku and Shoukaku. Enterprise felt a spike of worry but pushed it down, trusting in Zuikaku's skills. She had trained with her; she could handle Kaga. She had faith in her.

''Essex! Pincer!'' Enterprise barked, leaping back just as the raging burgundy fire began to sweep towards her.

''Got it!'' Essex fired back, rushing around to the right.

As Enterprise expected Akagi focused solely on her, the majority of the burgundy fire bellowing towards her in a wide wave. The silver-haired carrier narrowed her eyes and extended a hand, concentrating an orb of silver energy into her hand – and just as the fire began to tickle her fingers, she crushed the orb. Instantly a shockwave blew out around her, so strong it blew the flames apart and gave her the chance to lunge through the brief gap in the fire, rushing towards Akagi.

The fox-woman's smile dimmed and her eyes narrowed, amusement disappearing. With a flick of her wrist the flames converged inwards like a whirlpool, singing the tips of Enterprise's fluttering jacket as they soared to protect their master. In a flash a silver arrow the size of a lance appeared into Enterprise's hand and she threw it, launching it like a javelin and causing it to detonate against the flames – a loud eruption of burgundy and silver power rushing out.

''...not bad.''

A pyroclastic serpent rushed out towards Enterprise through the smoke. It made it halfway before a silver laser split it clean down the middle, the two halves rushing out in a pincer shape – only to be diverted to the right as Essex fired a blue bolt at Akagi. The flames swallowed the arrow and the ones that followed, but the brief few seconds of distraction gave Enterprise time to raise her bow, summoning a gold arrow to hand and letting it loose; allowing it to manifest into a small swarm of bombers.

Akagi spat a curse, fresh flames roaring into existence and surging up to the planes. Two of the four were swallowed the pyromaniac's fire and destroyed near-instantly, but the other two soared up higher; and dropped their bombs. A chain of eruptions lit up Akagi's position, the fox-woman leaping out of the after-smoke with a deep scowl, her kimono sleeve torn and blood dripping down her exposed arm.

Enterprise met Akagi's gaze evenly, landing on the scorched and simmering grass while drawing back another arrow. In response Akagi let loose a fresh wave of flames, all-consuming and ravenous – only for Enterprise's arrow to pierce straight through it. The fox-woman tilted out of the way but it still cut her shoulder, a thin spit of blood shooting out from the minor wound. The arrow swiftly transformed into another wave of bombers and they ascended before the burgundy flames could touch them, disappearing into the clouds.

Suddenly she detected something else in the clouds – her eyes going wide as the distinct, harrowing whine of bomber engines pierced the air.

Akagi grinned wickedly. ''I intend to win by any means possible, Enterprise.''

No words could be shared before a thick swarm of Stuka bombers came dive-bombing out of the thick overhead clouds, their shrieking engines whining through the air. Enterprise scowled and raised her free arm, unleashing a laser of [Starlight] and cleaving a dozen planes apart with a single swathe; but there was easily a hundred in the air, and all with their sights on her.

Heat rushing up to her left side alerted her of the danger, a curse flying through her mind as she leaped aside – but the burgundy flames chased her, singing the tip of her coat and nearly igniting it. She spun and crushed an orb of [Starlight], the resulting shockwave blowing away the flames long enough for her to think – and to hear the distinct click as bombs detached from the planes carrying them, the howling whistle of falling ordnance ringing in her ears, no cover to protect her.

'...that's it...!'

Enterprise's boots hit the ground and she threw a hand down at the earth, her Gift manifesting in her hand – and as her hand hit the ground the energy detonated into a protective dome of silver light. The utter brightness stabbed into her eyes but she kept feeding her Gift, twitching as she felt something hit her impromptu-shield repeatedly; bombs. The chain of explosions lasted for several long seconds before they stopped, and after two seconds of nothingness Enterprise cut off the flow of power, allowing the glowing dome to dissipate into wisps.

The carrier stood up tall, meeting Akagi's unamused eyes, and flashed a thin smile. ''...not bad.''

Akagi twitched, visibly incensed. Anything she wished to say however was lost as the roar of bombers filled the air, and her own bombers dove down alongside Essex. A shrieking tide of burgundy flames surged up to meet them, devouring the falling bombs without a hint of effort. Enterprise didn't let the distraction go to waste, summoning a lance-sized arrow and throwing it towards Akagi, letting it detonate into a raging plume of silver-tinted smoke.

Seething chaos flames shrieked through the silver smoke not even a second later, just as Enterprise hoped. She leapt aside and rushed closer, shooting a glance over at Essex – and as one they both fired their shared [Starlight]. Twin silver lasers shrieked of their palms, attacking Akagi from two different angles. Akagi clearly hadn't anticipated Essex to have a Gift; a scream tearing itself from her throat as Essex's thin laser cut two of her brown fox tails off, the furry appendages hitting the burnt grass with an inaudible thud.

''BITCH!'' Akagi shrieked, utter fury marring her expression – and in turn the flames around her exploded, nearly doubling in sheer heat.

Enterprise grimaced and raised her bow, unleashing another gold arrow. To her surprise Akagi snapped a hand up and grabbed it, unheeding of the damage to her hand and ruthlessly snapping the golden arrow, causing it to break apart into motes of gold light. The fox-woman fixed her with a seething look, so utterly hateful it took her aback. This went beyond rivalry, beyond jealously. It was pure, venomous hate.

With a bellowing roar twin crests of burgundy fire lashed out, attacking both her and Essex in unison. Enterprise retaliated with a laser of her own, cleaving through the fire and forcing it to split into twin streams; faster but easier to dodge. She leapt over one and took the brunt of the second with her bow, wincing as her fingers were burnt by the searing heat in seconds. She forced herself through the pulsating pain and made it through the fire, swiftly lashing out with another gold arrow – this one cutting through Akagi's underarm, transforming into even more bombers in the air behind her.

The whining engines of Stuka bombers suddenly pierced the air again and Enterprise cursed, only now remembering them. She spun on her heel, raising her hand to shoot down some more with her Gift – only to hear the distinct thrumming of fighter rotors.

TATATATATATAT-

The bombers had barely ducked out from the clouds before machine gun fire let into them, a swarm of Eagle Union and Royal Navy fighters diving behind them chewing apart the Ironblood bombers. What few Ironblood fighters were there swiftly whirled around, unloading into the new targets, but they were outnumbered two-to-one now; burning chunks of plane debris falling like rain down onto the battlefield.

Enterprise recognised the planes swiftly. 'Hornet, Illustrious... seems like Essex got to them in time...'

Confidence flooded her heart and Enterprise turned, meeting Akagi's furious gaze – and raised her bow, taking aim once more even as debris fell around them.

''Shall we continue?''

X-x-X

''Zuikaku!''

Zuikaku grunted in acknowledgement, dropping to her knees and ducking under the shrieking sapphire flames; wincing as it narrowly avoided hitting her ponytail. She slashed up with her sword and dispelled the flames with her Gift, [Fateful Wind] – the whipping winds cutting the fire apart with ease.

Kaga shot her a briefly annoyed look, one Zuikaku returned. The two of them were evenly matched; their Gifts pretty much countered each other. Zuikaku's wind cut apart her fire, but her fire could push back her wind on occasion. That left their riggings, but with Shoukaku backing her up Kaga wasn't in any position to overpower them. She may be from the illustrious First Carrier Division, but that didn't mean crap when she was in a two-on-one without her sister to back her up.

Swiftly Zuikaku rushed to close the distance, her fighters coming in overhead and peppering Kaga with bullets; the Kitsune replying with a dome of blue fire, protecting herself. It lasted long enough to stop the fighter's bullets before Zuikaku swung her sword, razor-sharp winds blowing the blue flames apart and causing an array of small cuts to appear on Kaga's body – eliciting a sharp grunt from the fox-woman, her expression tightening as blood was drawn.

''You're slow...!'' Kaga's barked, raising her arm.

Zuikaku's only warning was the air heating up before pillars of sapphire flame erupted from the earth, melting the dirt and stone beneath her feet. The carrier winced as her right arm was briefly engulfed by the fire, searing pain shooting through her before she yanked the limb back; her sleeve obliterated and her skin marred with ugly burns. She pushed down the stabbing agony and refocused on her foe, running her hand along the flat of her sword and retaliating with a wave of bombers, letting them transform mid-flight.

Kaga's eyes narrowed and she flicked her wrist, causing her [Flames of Tsukuyomi] to converge inwards – forming a shield that incinerated the bombers mid-flight, their frames disintegrating near-instantly from the sheer heat. However with the flames in front of her Kaga couldn't see the twin cranes, and the moment she dispelled the fire – she found Zuikaku right there, already swinging her katana down in an overhead strike.

''Tch...!'' Kaga raised her rigging, blocking the blow with her flight deck.

The katana sunk in an inch but not more, rendering Zuikaku immobile – something Zuikaku soon realised the error of. Seething sapphire flames left Kaga's free hand, impacting the crane dead-centre in the stomach and shooting her backwards with a shriek of pain, part of her crimson dress disintegrating near-instantly and her stomach taking the brunt of the damage. As if by some miracle the flames diverted off to the side before they could do too much damage, glancing off her midsection and burning her side instead. A painful, but far less lethal wound.

Kaga clearly intended to press the attack – had Shoukaku's planes not intervened. A chain of explosions engulfed Kaga, the Kitsune's bark of pain signalling she was still conscious from the air-strike. Shoukaku quickly followed up, her expression coldly determined as she swept a hand out, directing her fighters down and causing the planes to open fire; a hailstorm of bullets raining down on the stunned fox-woman drawing rivets of blood all over.

Sapphire flames swiftly blossomed around her and converged, forming a miniature dome to shield her from the outside – giving Kaga some brief breathing room.

'Since when... did those two... get so strong...?' Kaga wondered in disbelief, forcing herself to stand up straight. 'Have they really... kept up their training, so intensely?'

The thought struck a chord inside Kaga. She had been training a lot too, as had Akagi – but mainly on her Gift. She had confidence in her rigging, that she had perfected it as best she could. Sure, she could always grow stronger, but she always assumed she had neared her maximum potential. Any gains she could achieve would be miniscule, so she vetoed training her planes in favour of her newfound Gift, one that vastly outmatched anything a rigging could muster.

And yet, here she was, losing to her juniors. One of whom was barely experienced with her Gift, and one who didn't even have a Gift in the first place. Logic dictated that her flames should simply overpower them, that it would just take a single crucial blow and it'll all be over, but fate itself seemed to be against her. They just wouldn't stay down, no matter how many hits she landed nor how badly she singed them.

Had abstaining from training her rigging... made her weaker?

''No...'' Kaga's lips thinned, her fangs showing as she snarled. ''I will not lose...!''

Around her the flames grew in intensity, shrieking in tandem with her prideful fury. She swung her arm out and blew away her dome of sapphire flames, summoning to her hand three blue shikigami planes.

''For Akagi-neesama...'' Kaga whispered heatedly, speaking more to herself than her opponents. ''For Amagi-dono... I refuse to fall here!''

The flames screeched in agreement, and with her mental beckoning they surged forth in a tidal wave, sweeping over the forest floor and igniting countless trees. Zuikaku and Shoukaku leapt over the main wave before Kaga didn't give them room to breathe, sweeping her hand out and summoning countless tendrils of sapphire fire, converging on them from all directions.

Autumn wind slashed out in all directions, frantically trying to counter the pyroclastic serpents – but there was too many. They encircled the duo mid-air, engulfing them in a literal orb of fire; and closed in on them.

BOOM!

The flames roared as they erupted like a bomb, the frothing fireball detonating into a glorious plume of lunar splendour. Kaga let the flames rage for several painfully long seconds before dismissing them, intent on seeing the damage she dealt. The result was, while intended, surprising.

''Nn... y-you got me good, aha...''

''Shoukaku-nee...!''

Kaga met Shoukaku's dryly-mirthful eyes, surprised to see Zuikaku only lightly burned... and Shoukaku to be greatly wounded. Her kimono barely covering her modesty and hanging off her curvy frame, her hair singed at the tips, ugly and painful-looking burns marring her formerly-flawless skin... she had clearly taken the brunt of the attack for her sister. That, in itself, was not surprising.

But how did she? It was from all directions. There was no way she could've blocked it unless-!

Kaga's eyes widened. ''You-!''

BOOOOOOM!

All thoughts in Kaga's skull were immediately extinguished as a titanic, daresay divine cataclysm erupted in the distance. Blinding gold light exploded out in a terrifyingly huge dome, so massive it took up half of the horizon and blew apart the rain clouds over it. The earth violently trembled beneath her and the Kitsune stumbled, gasping in shock as the entire forest seemed ready to collapse into hell itself – parts of the battlefield splitting apart and rupturing, large chunks of ground rising while others descended, leaving gaps as big as ten feet wide all over the place.

''What... is that...?'' Kaga whispered in disbelief. ''Such power...''

For a split-second she thought it might be the gods themselves intervening, such was the terrifying majesty of the explosion. Her mind raced for a reason of who could be responsible, who wielded such powerful gold light – and as she thought back to one day in particular, she found the answer. On the day she walked by the Royal Navy training halls early in the morning, and laid witness to a certain queen firing a golden laser from her sceptre. Queen Elizabeth.

''M-Monster...'' The word slipped from Kaga's shocked lips unbidden, cold fear stabbing into her heart.

She always knew the infamous Iron Queen was strong... but this strong? Strong enough to create an explosion that huge; powerful enough to cause earthquakes from miles away? It was ridiculous. Stupid. Completely, utterly-

-terrifying.

Suddenly a loud boom behind her snapped Kaga back to attention, glancing behind her and gazing back at Akagi. Her brunette sister was gritting her teeth and had a bleeding hole in her side, one hand clutching her wound before she deliberately cauterized it shut – screaming through her teeth from the pain. Seeing her sister in such pain ignited a moral dilemma in her heart, almost tempted to call Akagi off, to beckon for their retreat.

They were outnumbered and outgunned. It was only a matter of time until Queen Elizabeth made her way over after whatever battle she had waged, and then it would be over.

But if Akagi refused to leave... then she would remain fighting, even if it meant her sinking, once again.

X-x-X

How many arrows had she fired?

The question struck Enterprise as she let loose another gold arrow, ignoring the ache in her burned arm as she drew back the string again. Akagi disintegrated the soaring arrow before it could fully transform, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the silver arrow that followed – a hiss of pain escaping her pursed lips as the arrow detonated into a plume of star-speckled light.

Enterprise's expression tightened as she landed, her foot nearly slipping on the distinctly unstable rubble. The cataclysmic explosion had rendered the battlefield even more hazardous, and put her at a disadvantage – she needed long sight-lines to fire her arrows and lasers, whereas Akagi could just weave her flames around the landscape; evident by the myriad of singed-black earth and rock. They were still evenly matched thanks to Essex's continued intervention; constantly hitting Akagi when the carrier least expected it, distracting her long enough for Enterprise to get back up again and return fire.

''Mn...'' The carrier grimaced as baleful heat tickled her cheek, forewarning her of the danger.

With quick reflexes she dropped down onto one knee, tucking into a roll; but the tip of her cap caught fire as the wave of burgundy fire swept overhead. The fire was smothered as she rolled, leaving nothing to distract her from sweeping a beam of silver [Starlight] to her left, cleaving through the stone and eliciting a shout of alarm from Akagi, the fox-woman hidden behind her flames.

Enterprise stumbled to her feet and quickly rushed up the incline – before jumping down into the ditch on the other side, created by the rupturing ground. She pressed her back against the wall and took a few seconds to breath, her chest heaving with how much she was panting. Dodging bombs was one thing. Dodging a near-infinite supply of flames was another, doubly so when she was exhausting herself mentally with overusing her [Starlight] so much.

Someone jumped into the ditch with her and she nearly lashed out with a reflexive beam of light – only to relax at the sight of Essex. Their gazes met and they shared a grim smile, their myriad of injuries making them look like they just climbed out of a furnace. Burns, ruined clothes and soot, dried blood and open wounds... Vestal would be pissed when they got back.

''How are you on mobility?'' Enterprise asked, nodding towards her companion's legs.

Essex shifted from foot to foot. ''Decent. Not perfect, but I'm still too fast for her to hit half the time.''

Enterprise nodded, summoning golden light between her fingertips and drawing another arrow. ''Good. Keep hitting her flank, I'll draw her fire. Regroup here in five minutes; I'll make sure to delay her.''

''You got it.'' Essex gave a quick, mock-salute – before bending her knees and jumping up, one hand grasping the edge of the ditch and yanking herself up while firing her crossbow with her free hand.

Furious curses came from Akagi and a bellowing wave of fire roared over the top of the ditch. Enterprise pressed her back against the wall of dirt and counted down in her head, her rapid heartbeats distracting her only slightly – and as she reached the number five the fire passed overhead, leaving the air clear. She put her foot against the wall and kicked off it, spinning mid-jump and firing the arrow into the sky.

The sound of the booming arrow drew Akagi's attention, twin fireballs lobbing towards her not even a second later. Enterprise cleaved them in half with her own Gift, detonating the fireballs prematurely and allowing her to land on her feet, leaping back to put some distance between her and Akagi. However the Kitsune had cottoned onto her game, no longer trying to close the distance and instead continuing to hurl increasingly accurate fireballs at her, each one detonating into plumes of raging burgundy fire.

Enterprise's expression tightened and she dodged the incoming orbs, returning fire with a laser and successfully hitting Akagi's leg, earning a pained growl from the woman. The wound slowed her down enough that Essex managed to score a hit of her own, a laser piercing through Akagi's shoulder and causing her arm to abruptly go limp, the ligament cut. Or rather, obliterated.

''Pesky bug...!'' Akagi snarled and swept her remaining hand behind her, the destructive wave of fire briefly enveloping Essex – before the blue-haired carrier leapt out of the fire, grimacing deeply and with embers clinging to her blackening forearms.

Akagi clenched her fist, causing all the flames to suddenly surge upwards, threatening to engulf Essex – causing the aforementioned carrier to go wide-eyed, an inaudible curse flying from her lips. Enterprise hastily raised her arm and fired, a beam of pure [Starlight] screeching across the distance and just-barely missing Akagi's hand and soaring past-

-only to curve a hard right and pierced through her chest.

For a moment, time stood still. Enterprise stared in shock, her disbelieving eyes soaking in Akagi's expression as it morphed into shock, the beam of silver light protruding straight out her chest.

Time resumed and the remainder of the beam left Enterprise's open palm, following the impossible right-angle turn and escaping out past Akagi's gaping chest, wisps of silver light fluttering through the gap where her heart was. For a split-second Akagi was frozen, her hand numbly coming up to touch the gaping hole in her heart, no blood dripping from the cauterized wound.

''A... Ah...?'' Akagi slid her eyes up – and met Enterprise's equally shocked eyes. ''What did... how did...?''

''I'm sorry, senpai.''

Enterprise swivelled her gaze to the left, her eyes landing on a battered and bruised Shoukaku. Her kimono was in shreds, burned all over and her flawless pale skin was marred with ugly burns. Just walking was visible difficult, each step deliberate and a limp in her left leg. Yet what caught Enterprise's attention the most, was Shoukaku's face.

She was crying. Silent, trickling tears that dribbled down the curve of her round face, almost indistinguishable from the rain that was slowly returning in the abrupt absence of Akagi's searing flames.

''Shoukaku...?'' Akagi's voice was a whisper, stumbling a step. ''You...?''

Shoukaku smiled sorrowfully, the curve of her cheeks only accentuating her tears. ''You're a really d-dumb senpai, you know? Not once... not once did you even ask if I had a Gift. Maybe if you did, I wouldn't have had to do this...''

Akagi took a step closer to her old comrade, stumbling down to her knees. Shoukaku continued like she hadn't moved.

''[Fateful Crane]. That, is my Gift. The ability to manipulate fate itself.'' Shoukaku continued, the rain beginning to fall heavier on them all. ''Even if Enterprise-san missed... if fate decides your time is now, you can't stop it, s-senpai...''

''I'm sorry...'' Shoukaku raised her bloodied and burned hand. ''But... I refuse... I refuse to let you kill my companions, because of your damn pride!''

Her trembling shout echoed throughout the still air, nothing but the falling rain and the crackling fire answering her.

Akagi stared in open shock at the white-haired crane, her brain simply unable to compute the information given to her. Her mind stuttered and faltered, failing to process the lack of heartbeats or her rapidly-numbing appendages. What little burgundy fire that remained around her rapidly dissipated into nothing, leaving the pouring rain to pound numbly onto her scalp.

Dimly the carrier registered Kaga letting loose a terrified howl, calling out to her, but the words felt numb. Crimson eyes of disbelief met Shoukaku's tearful ones, a thousand unspoken apologises in her eyes and a thousand more to come. Had Shoukaku been the one Wahr'rot tried to warn her of, and not Zuikaku? Had she been wrong all along?

Shakily Akagi shifted her knee forwards, outstretching her hand towards her former comrade, her former confidant – and fell flat on the dirt, her strength leaving her.

'Why...?'

The thought echoed in Akagi's skull, her mind turning towards that one word over and over again. It was impossible to think, her mind itself slowing down and circling back around, strangely refusing to leave that thought. Her body felt numb and her Gift wouldn't respond to her. She tried to breathe but her chest only tingled. She tried to speak and her lips slurred a wordless wheeze. Nothing but the pouring rain pummelling her fading hearing reached her mind.

'Why...?'

Akagi's vision blurred, the scorched-black dirt going out of focus. Even though she was less than an inch from it she couldn't see it, something hot stinging her eyes. She wanted to wipe them away on instinct, but her body didn't react. She was dying.

She was dying.

Something in her heart pulsated. 'No...'

Images flashed in her mind. Amagi, Kaga... her family. She wasn't ready to face Amagi yet. She wasn't strong enough, not graceful enough – not good enough. She hadn't achieved all that she said she would, fulfilled every promise, defeated every Siren she claimed she would – she had so much to do, so much to achieve! She couldn't die here, she couldn't... she...

'I...'

Amagi's face flashed in her mind. Sweet, loving, always there for her. Supportive and motherly, proud but gentle. Someone who she always wanted to do proud. Someone who fate took away.

'I...' Akagi's breathing slowed. 'I... refuse...!'

Something eldritch touched her mind. Wahr'rot. Its touch was invasive and ugly, wiping away all thoughts of Amagi and whispering ceaseless nothings to her, a million voices taunting her. Beckoning her. Teasing her. She couldn't understand what they wanted.

But she understood what they were offering.

'I refuse...!' Her body twitched, her numb fingers curling into the scorched dirt.

Shoukaku entered her mind. Her lovable idiot of a kouhai. Sharp-tongued but wise, protective but kind. She loved-

Her face was wiped from her mind, devoured by the voices.

Akagi's chest seized with new, unnatural life. ''I...!''

Thinking became impossible. Intangible weight built in her skull, her mind stretching to its limit as something dark took residence and dug its tendrils in deep, all thoughts of 'love' leaving her mind. Stolen by the ancient entity flooding her nerves. Parts of her body regenerated of their own accord, ethereal energy restoring her body back to prime condition.

And in some mad fervour, she screeched.

''I REFUSE!''

Something snapped – and Akagi screamed as divine burgundy flames shrieked into existence around her, ungodly power shoving itself into her soul and tearing her apart at the seams.

Enterprise could only stare in shocked disbelief, gazing at the spiralling pillar of seething burgundy flames that surged high into the sky, evaporating the falling rain and punching a hole in the clouds, the sheer heat of the flames melting the earth and threatening to ionize the air around it. The ground around Akagi was obliterated, consumed by the ravenous flames and growing so hot Enterprise was worried she'd catch on fire from being so close. But even with the deafening roar of the flames – it did little to stifle Akagi's agonising screams.

''Nee-sama...!''

Enterprise's eyes shot to the side, alarm filling her as she saw Kaga rushing in. ''Kaga, wait-!''

Too late. Kaga touched the edge of the burgundy fire, no doubt trying to pull Akagi out of it – only to scream herself as the flames hungrily shot up her arm. Enterprise was moving in a heartbeat, running towards the divine pillar of fire and yanking Kaga back by her tails, throwing her back before the flames could consume her entirely.

The white-haired fox hit the ground and rolled, and didn't get back up. Alive, but unconscious – and with horrific burns marring her entire right arm and shoulder, what little skin left blackened and still sizzling.

Within The Crimson Purgatory I Rule

The pillar of divine flame pulsated, and Enterprise paled as she watched the deep burgundy colour darken, twisting inwards and becoming an onyx black, so dark it seemed to absorb light itself. There was a terrifying majesty to it, feeling the increasingly hot heat against her skin until she started to feel light-headed, the oxygen around her thinning as the flames devoured them ruthlessly, hungry like a mad dog.

Over The Finite Sun I Preside

'What in the world...?' Enterprise could only stare, a cold weight bearing down on her soul as the deafening words boomed around her, spoken not by any mortal voice, but by something far, far older, twisting its voice to fit their infantile language.

Extinguish We May, But Not Before Immolating The Heavens

Twin crimson eyes gleamed in the midnight flames, the roaring fire making them waver and flicker like twin embers. They ascended the pillar like some ungodly tall giant, never growing in size yet seeming so petrifying when hovering several dozen feet up in the air.

By Our Word, The World Will Remember Our Name.

With a calamitous rush the flames whipped inwards before blowing outwards, streams of onyx fire charring the landscape and forcing Enterprise to leap back, dragging the unconscious Kaga with her.

The black flames dissipated swiftly, lasting barely a few seconds before they faded. Enterprise's eyes shot up, honing in on the individual hovering in the air, wisps of black fire still clinging to their frame. Nine fox tails swayed slowly without a breeze, fair skin and partially-exposed breasts greeted her, no chest wound in sight; instead replaced by a horrifying webwork of crimson threads that patched the skin between her breasts together.

It was Akagi's eyes that earned Enterprise's full, undivided attention, however. Midnight black sclera that backed against their tiny crimson pinpricks, so small she almost didn't notice them against the sea of blackness. And as they stared down at her with alien emotionless, she realised a single, utterly terrifying fact.

This wasn't Akagi. Not anymore.

This was Wahr'rot.

''World Ender: Amaterasu.''

The words were spoken in Akagi's voice, yet her mouth didn't move – her voice transmitting through the air around them, booming in its intensity.

''Akagi...?'' Enterprise whispered. She wasn't sure what compelled her to break the silence; some deep-seeded, desperate hope that her old rival was in there.

Akagi turned towards her slowly, no emotion in her eyes.

Then the air heated up.

Enterprise's eyes widened. ''Mov-!''

Searing, blistering black fire erupted all around her in massive pillars, the sheer intensity of the heat making her eyes sting. Hastily Enterprise grabbed Kaga and ran, leaping through a gap between the roaring black pillars and landing on the rapidly-drying earth, leaping again a split-second before another pillar shrieked into existence, incinerating the air where she had previously stood.

Enterprise landed on a discarded log, throwing Kaga deeper into the forest and whirling around, her instincts screaming a warning. Not a second later a tendril of black fire shot past her, scorching her thigh and ripping a gasp from her lips. Her hand snapped up and she shot a thick beam of [Starlight] towards Akagi, the possessed fox-woman leaping through her own fire without a hint of pain, her skin blistering from the heat. Her beam didn't make it halfway before a pillar of flame engulfed it too, dissipating a split-second after its duty was done and leaving Akagi free to lunge in closer, one hand outstretched as if to grab her.

''Duck!''

Enterprise followed her instinct and obeyed, throwing her weight to the right – and dodging the beam of silver light that shot through Akagi's shoulder, incidentally passing through the space where Enterprise had previously been standing. Akagi paused mid-step and tilted her head to the side, glancing back towards the grimacing Essex.

''I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, Akagi, but like hell I'll let you burn Enterprise! You'll have to get through me first!'' Essex proclaimed and raised her hand warningly; wisps of silver light congregating in her palm.

Akagi said nothing, merely turning towards Essex – and an absolute tsunami of black fire suddenly appeared around her, rushing out in a massive wave. Enterprise took the opportunity to manifest a silver arrow, grasping it in her hand and throwing the lance-shaped object – only for Akagi to reach up and grab it, and incinerateit before it could detonate. Akagi didn't even deign to turn towards her, a rushing wave of black fire screeching towards her with twice the speed that Akagi's normal Gift did.

''N-Nn...!'' Enterprise grit her teeth as her arm was caught in the fire, utter agony shooting through her nerves before they went completely numb, stilted agony stabbing at her shoulder; the only part not caught in the searing fire.

The carrier yanked her arm out the rush of onyx fire and gripped her bow tighter, her fingers numb but retaining their grip. Desperately she tried to summon a golden arrow to summon more planes but Akagi was on her before she could think, suddenly lunging at her with cold ruthlessness. The very air around the fox-woman was so hot it made her vision blur, and when Akagi made a swipe for her face the tips of her hair got singed and nearly ignited, the caustic burn of ozone attacking her nose.

Whirring engines roared overhead and a barrage of bombs fell from Zuikaku and Shoukaku's planes – but they were incinerated before they even hit the ground, a thick serpent of onyx fire shooting up and consuming the ordnance. The attack however distracted Akagi for a brief half-second, granting Enterprise the time to bend her knees and kick off the ground, desperately trying to make some distance from the near-literal deity.

Enterprise landed on an uneven patch of ground, stumbling as her foot slid. The single second granted enough time for Akagi to attack – and Enterprise's mind went blank as her rival's fist buried itself into her stomach, and exploded.

Her mind stuttered and faltered, wind whistling in her ear. It was only when she hit the ground neck-first did she realise she was blown back, wheezing in air as she tumbled to a stop. Her left hand blindly fumbled out, searching for her bow, but it had gotten lost somewhere mid-flight. She cracked her eyes open and her vision blurred, the charred hellscape greeting her; sickening blurs of black, orange and red meeting her eyes.

It took Enterprise a moment to push herself up, coughing ragged as she climbed to her knees, her stomach tingling with pain. When she dared to glance down she could only see a mess of black and angry red skin, a strange hollowness in her abdomen. She wasn't sure she wanted to see, so she looked up-

-and found herself staring into Akagi's eyes.

The fox-woman stared at her with eerie emotionless even as whipping torrents of onyx fire lashed out in the background, holding Zuikaku, Shoukaku and Essex at bay. Silver lasers and orange-tinted wind slashed through the raging bonfire but they were fighting a losing battle, unable to overpower the divine flames that were empowered by the control of a god.

''Akagi...'' Enterprise croaked, stumbling to her feet. Her knees buckled but she forced herself to stand, grunting as they wavered beneath her.

Akagi said nothing, simply walking towards her with that same slow gait, completely expressionless.

''This isn't you...'' Enterprise tried to reach out, to see if Akagi was still in there – but her pinprick eyes didn't show any recognition. Just absolute nothingness, as if she was so far beneath her notice – Wahr'rot notice – that she wasn't worth the effort.

The air began to grow hotter as Akagi grew closer, the dirt crackling beneath them. ''Snap out of it...''

''Think about Kaga...!''

Akagi paused mid-step, and Enterprise's hope soared. Then something dark flickered through Akagi's eyes, all too familiar to the silver-haired carrier. An emotion she had seen far too many times, and one she never wanted to see, even if she knew she was deserving of it. Hate.

In what felt like a heartbeat Akagi was moving, lunging at her with a fist cocked back, onyx flame burning around her clenched fist. With her face contorted in hate, a snarl beginning to cross her features, she looked like an angry god coming to claim vengeance. Enterprise mustered every ounce of energy she could, willing her power to protect her-

-only for a person to step in front of her.

BOOM!

An explosion erupted in front of her and Enterprise went flying head over heels, gasping as she landed hard on her back. She threw a hand out and dug her fingers into the dry dirt, slowing her tumble to a stop; her shoulder aching from the hard jolt. For a moment all she could do was blink, stuck in a daze as her mind stuttered and failed to register her surroundings, unable to snap out of it.

''F-Fuck...''

The rasping, pain-filled voice, however, did snap her out of it.

Enterprise jerked her head up so fast she gave herself whiplash, her blurry eyes gazing across the war-torn battlefield – until she laid eyes on the woman laying a few feet ahead of her, laying on her back. One hand was wrapped over her stomach as she kicked her legs, clearly trying to get back up but failing to muster the strength; her chest jerking up with a painful cough.

Essex.

'No, no no no...' Enterprise tried to stand but her knees failed her, sending her stumbling down to her knees – but even then she crawled, clawing through the dirt as she rushed over to her companion's side.

''Essex...!'' Enterprise's voice was hoarse – whether from the ungodly temperature around them or an injury, she couldn't tell; her throat so scratchy it almost hurt to speak. ''Why did...?!''

The blue-haired carrier coughed, giving her a strained grin. ''Heh... c-can't let you... be the hero... all the time... eh?''

Enterprise slid one arm under Essex's back, trying to get her other underneath her knees. ''Idiot... don't do something so reckless! We need to fall back; Akagi's too strong as she is, we can link up with-!''

''I ain't... going anywhere, senpai...''

Confusion filled the elder carrier. ''What do you-?!''

The words died on her tongue as Essex let her arm drop, revealing the full extent of the damage. Her blue dress was burned away, alongside everything beneath it. Skin, muscle, organs – there was just a massive, fist-sized hole in the centre of her abdomen. Not even her spine had been spared, the two severed joints of white marred black by the intense heat of Akagi's fist, her insides partially cauterized by the heat – but even then she was still bleeding, profuse amounts bubbling out from the parts not seared shut.

''Essex...'' Enterprise whispered, ice-cold fright slithering through her veins.

The blue-haired woman laughed – a ragged, wheezing sound that came out more grim than amused. ''Hah... it's just... a f-flesh wound... ha... ha...''

Enterprise shook her head in frantic denial, panic bubbling inside her. She jerked her shoulders back and threw her jacket off, hastily yanking it around and pressing it onto the gaping hole, unheeding of Essex's strained groan; pain flickering across her visage. She pressed down hard, trying in vain to slow the blood flow. Someone had to have seen the destruction, they'd come see – and they'd call Vestal, and then-

-and then?

'She's too far gone.'

The thought hit her like a bucket of cold water. Enterprise shook her head furiously, unheeding of the hot sting in her eyes as she pressed down on the gaping wound, feeling her jacket slip inside the hole due to its sheer size. Her thick black coat was soaked in a matter of second, the biting scent of copper stabbing at her nose and making her sick. Blood never bothered her before. That didn't mean she didn't loathe it.

''S-Senpai...'' Essex shifted; wincing as she moved her upper body, but not her lower half. No spine to move it. ''Get... get out of here...''

Enterprise pressed harder. ''I'm not leaving you!''

Essex coughed; crimson ichor dribbling down the side of her cheek. ''Akagi... is still out there... she'll... come back.''

Enterprise shot a glance up. Akagi was fighting Shoukaku and Zuikaku, the twin cranes desperately trying to avoid the pillars of black flame that erupted around them; burns marring their bodies. What was more frightening was the fact that Akagi didn't even look focused; she had the same expressionless, almost disinterested expression on her face that she first had. She wasn't taking this seriously. She didn't need to; she was leagues above them now.

No... she wasn't leagues above them. Wahr'rot was.

Essex groaned again, immediately earning Enterprise's undivided attention. She pressed down hard on the wound, refusing to accept how drenched her jacket was becoming and gently lifting Essex's upper back up.

''C-C'mon...'' Enterprise murmured desperately. ''We need to get you... we can...''

A lithe hand suddenly grasped her own, pulling it off the jacket on her stomach. ''Nn... I'm... finished, senpai. Just go.''

The carrier shook her head furiously. ''Are you not listening?! I won't leave without you!''

''If you don't... then we're dying here... together...'' Essex grit out, grabbing her by the shirt. ''Don't die... for my stupid ass...''

''I'm. Not. Leaving.'' Enterprise reiterated heavily, clutching the bleeding woman close. ''I can't leave without you.''

Essex's visage softened, a sparkle of pained mirth in her orange eyes. ''Keh... guess I really am... important to ya... huh...?''

''More than you know.'' The silver-haired woman murmured, wincing as Essex coughed sharply again; spitting out some blood before it could clot in her throat.

An explosion ruptured in the distance, the heat brushing over them even from such a great distance. Enterprise could only watch it helplessly, all her strength seeming so worthless in that moment. All her training, all her practice – and this was the result. Her kouhai, her lover, dying in her arms and her other lover battling to save her life against a literal deity.

''Mn...''

Enterprise shot a look down, giving Essex a hard shake. ''Don't fall asleep... please...''

''I ain't...'' Essex murmured, her breathing slowing down. ''I'm... I'm holdin' out just... fine...''

Enterprise clutched Essex tighter, a quivering laugh escaping her throat; stinging tears running down her cheeks. ''S-Sure you are...''

Essex tried to laugh too, but it came out more like a slow cough. Enterprise pretended not to notice how pale she was getting.

''You know...'' Essex's voice was quieter, almost a soft murmur. ''I always... kinda wanted it like this...''

''What?''

''Death.'' Essex said, her gaze sliding up to her face – staring as if soaking in her visage for the last time. ''I always... thought it'd be... kinda nice, to die in your arms... y'know...?''

Enterprise's chest trembled. A laugh or a sob, she didn't know. Probably both.

''Hah...'' Essex gave a weak laugh too, her lips twitching up. The movement was forced.

Slowly Essex's orange eyes slid off her face, gazing up instead at the evening sky; partially concealed by the columns of black smoke rising upwards. ''It feels... unfair... you know? We just... got close... and then... this... happens...''

Enterprise tried to speak but her throat closed up; nodding quickly instead.

Essex drew a long breath, her eyes sliding further to the side; never leaving the evening sky. ''Don't... do anything... stupid... I'll be... waiting... for... you...''

Enterprise opened her mouth to speak – only for her breath to hitch in her throat as Essex continued.

''I'm coming... Ausburne...''

A beat. Enterprise didn't release the breath she held, gazing down at Essex's delicate face. Her orange eyes remained open, unblinking... and gained an almost-glazed quality to them as the light left her eyes. In her heart she felt something slowly refill, the muted hollowness in her soul repairing itself... taking back the Gift she had given Essex.

Enterprise shook her. ''Essex...?''

Silence.

The carrier shook her again. ''Essex... y-you...?''

A sob wracked at her throat, the truth clear as day – yet he denied it. She shook Essex again and again, garbled pleads to wake up escaping her tightening throat, but Essex never shifted. Her head lolled off to the side and her neck bent at an uncomfortable angle, almost making her seem like a doll. A beloved, cruelly taken doll.

Explosions ruptured in the distance. Through tearful eyes Enterprise gazed up, her eyeballs stinging from the roaring heat in the distance. Movement flickered and she noticed Zuikaku. That was right.

Zuikaku was still out there.

Akagi was still out there.

Something shifted, a pulse echoing in her heart. Through the torrent of emotions pounding in her skull she could feel a heavy presence begin to arrive. Helios. There was no words she could say to it, no screams she could make to express her emotions. No amount of anguished cries, furious yells nor terrible wails could convey what she felt. Helios didn't acknowledge a cent of it. Maybe it didn't understand it; maybe it just didn't care. Enterprise didn't know.

What she did know, was what it offered. A mental nudge, an incoherent murmur. It didn't penetrate her mind with words, as if the mere act of contacting her was difficult, but the deity conveyed the offer regardless.

An offer of power.

Enterprise took it.

Shine And Sparkle

The words boomed in her skull and in the air around her, spoken not by any mortal voice, yet when she tried to focus on it she couldn't describe what the booming intonation sounded like. A voiceless voice.

Rise Far and Reign Down

She loosened her hold on Essex, gently laying her down on the ground. She swept her hand over her glazed eyes, mercifully shutting them.

Tendrils of Piercing Hands

Enterprise stood, her skin tickling with etheric power.

Unfaltering And Flawless

What tears she still held were disintegrated, her skin thrumming with power. Reassuring her. Supporting her. Protecting her.

Accurate And Lethal

Her gait was slow, crunching burnt dirt beneath her feet. Up ahead Akagi turned to face her, tiny crimson pinpricks suddenly honing in on her.

Ten Thousand Eyes That Glisten

Enterprise met the possessed Akagi's eyes unflinchingly. She wasn't afraid.

Unshackle The Tears of Heaven

Akagi snarled, the black flames around her roaring in challenge.

And By My Command

Enterprise inclined her head, gazing down at her opponent with glowing silver eyes, her sclera painting itself the deepest of blacks.

Reign Down Onto All My Enemies

Her body felt weightless, her feet lifting off the ruined ground.

For All The Lights In The Sky Are Stars

She raised her arm, hand outstretched.

And All The Lights On The Seas Are My Enemies.

In a single second, speaking without moving her tongue an inch – Enterprise spoke.

''World Ender: Andromeda.''

Then the world was engulfed in silver light.

X-x-X

Zuikaku wondered if her heart stopped when Akagi charged Enterprise. She was sure it stopped when Essex threw herself in front of the silver-haired woman; both blown back by the explosion and tumbling down into a shallow ditch.

Of course, her first emotion was panic. Then following swiftly in second was anger – and anger she gave into, unleashing bomber after bomber at Akagi, swinging her sword so wildly her arm hurt and casting sweeping waves of lethally-sharp wind, cutting Akagi's kimono to near-ribbons. The relentless attack succeeded in drawing Akagi's attention, the fox-woman almost-idly shifting her gaze over to them.

Then the temperature skyrocketed, and pillars of black flame suddenly erupted out of the earth around them.

''Nn...!'' Zuikaku winced as the flames licked at her heel, scorching her footwear and forcing her to be barefoot; the jagged stone and dirt stabbing into her sole.

That was the least of her concerns however. The brunette swallowed as Akagi slowly began walking towards her, the very earth beneath her near-instantly blackening just from her presence. Without a single gesture the woman summoned a small ocean of black fire, launching it out like a massive tidal wave too big to dodge. Zuikaku grit her teeth and called on her Gift, swinging her sword in a mad flurry and sending out whipping winds to disrupt the flames; carving a small gash in the thick wall.

It came at her fast, giving her no more time. She leapt through the small gap, wincing as pain stabbed at her legs and shoulders; tendrils of evil fire nipping at her already-burned skin. She landed on smouldering dirt, the ground painfully hot against her bare foot, but she had no time to think about it before a serpent of black flame was rushing towards her with a screech.

It never reached her. Shoukaku stepped out in front of her, gritting her teeth as she used her landing deck to take the brunt of the blow; but even then a lot of the fire slithered past, scorching her arm and shoulder badly – but the white-haired crane didn't fall back, stifling her cries as she took the blow.

''Shoukaku-nee!'' Zuikaku caught her sister when she fell, the black flame serpent dissipating into wisps.

''I-I'm fine...'' Shoukaku gave a tight smile, failing to hide her pain. Her landing deck was completely ruined, parts of it melted if not outright obliterated. ''I can't seem to use my Gift on her anymore... aha...''

Zuikaku grimaced, flickering her gaze up to Akagi. The alien-eyed woman just stared back, still maintaining that infuriatingly slow walk, as if there was no rush at all. As if it didn't matter how much distance was between them.

''Guess you can't turn fate on a god, huh...?'' Zuikaku tried to jest, but it came out grimmer than she intended.

She stiffened as Akagi moved; a slight bend of her knees was the only warning. Then she launched herself at them with godly speed, outpacing a Destroyer with her enhanced speed. Zuikaku threw Shoukaku aside and raised her blade, gritting her teeth as Akagi's fist struck the flat of her sword; a shockwave rupturing the earth beneath them and destabilising the ground at their feet.

The edges of her clothes began to hiss and ignite, prompting Zuikaku to hastily leap back – but Akagi gave no quarter. She lunged with mechanical but ruthless ferocity, a bellowing crest of midnight fire erupting from her swinging arm and scorching the crane's legs – a sharp cry of pain escaping Zuikaku as she fell, crashing down onto her shoulder with a wheezing gasp. She pushed herself up and quickly tried to stand; only to cry out as her legs stabbed in protest, giving out under her and leaving her a tangled mess.

The temperature around her rapidly skyrocketed, and when Zuikaku snapped her head back – she found Akagi lunging towards her. That was until a fighter plane spiralled down and crashed straight into the fox-woman, disintegrating in seconds but still sending her skidding back a dozen feet.

The eerie part was that Akagi didn't blink. She looked like she barely registered the plane at all – simply flexing her shoulders, and causing the temperature around to reach near-apocalyptic levels, the air warping around her and the turning the blackened earth around her into molten slag. Instead Akagi shifted her gaze to the right, and as Zuikaku followed the possessed woman's gaze... she found her staring at Shoukaku.

Zuikaku's heart dropped. ''Shou-!''

Too late. Akagi was off like a flaming bullet, covering the distance in seconds. Shoukaku leapt back, another airborne plane curving down at an impossible angle, the power of Shoukaku's [Fateful Crane] warping the world to her whim – but the aircraft was disintegrated before it reached Akagi.

Shoukaku tried to retreat. Akagi was faster.

''Ghk-!''

Akagi's fist buried itself straight through Shoukaku's chest, punching out her back and jerking Shoukaku back a step. The searing flames around Akagi dimmed almost instantly, rapidly blackening Shoukaku's chest but not outright incinerating her, almost as if the flames themselves struggled to restrain themselves, to not obliterate the person in their grasp.

Shoukaku coughed, eyes barely open due to the sweltering heat. ''A-Ah... I guess... I... deserve that...''

Akagi said nothing, her tiny crimson pinpricks gazing intently at Shoukaku's face.

The white-haired crane smiled tightly, raising a trembling hand and cupping Akagi's face. Her hand began to blacken in seconds, her nerves incinerated before she could feel any pain. She didn't release Akagi's cheek, instead gazing deep into her eyes – conveying all the things she never said. Good and bad, wrong and right; everything was conveyed in that single instant.

Akagi's crimson pupils expanded slightly, a flicker of awareness shooting through them.

''Ahh... so... you're still in there...'' Shoukaku wheezed, her smile loosening as her life-blood left her. ''I'm sorry... for being... such... a silly... kouhai... Akagi...''

Shoukaku's hand slipped off her cheek and the crane's head lolled, the last of her strength leaving her. Akagi stared at her intensely, something almost like emotion simmering in her tiny pupils, fighting to be released.

''SHOUKAKU-NEE!''

Akagi turned-

-and then a great presence crashed down on the possessed woman, instinctively making her pinprick gaze shift over. Enterprise, with glowing silver eyes and pitch-black sclera.

The fox-woman snarled, her flames roaring in challenge – and then a blinding silver flash blanketed the world.

X-x-X

Was this what it felt like, to be a god?

The thought struck Enterprise, her mind almost idly coming to the conclusion as pure, unadulterated power flooded her veins, so powerful it felt ready to burst out her very pores. She felt her bones tremble and ache, her blood boil and freeze, her muscles lock and loosen – her body straining at the seams to not self-destructive from the raw power that filled her frame, nothing but blinding silver light radiating around her.

An intangible pressure pressed down on her mind, stifling her thoughts with near-physical weight. Enterprise grit her teeth and pushed against it, knowing it was Helios but refusing to become a puppet like Akagi had been. She couldn't tell what the deity precisely thought of her resistance, but the fact it suddenly started pressing down on her mind twice as hard conveyed its annoyance.

Just as she began to falter beneath the godly weight, the light around her began to dim – and the weight lifted with it.

Enterprise released a breath, savouring the chance to suck in a fresh one through purified air. The silver light around her waned, dissipating into lilted wisps. It took her a moment to realise she was floating, blinking slightly as she slowly descended back onto the scorched ground; burnt dirt crunching beneath her boots. A light haze lingered over her mind, no thanks to Helios, prompting her to raise her right hand in a daze.

Nothing was there, but she could feel power simmering at her fingertips, begging to be used. And use she did, focusing on the thrumming power for only a second – and a blindingly bright, glowing silver bow appeared in her hand, exactly the size her original bow had been. Even though it was made entirely out of [Starlight] it felt solid, thrumming gently in her grip as if reassuring her of its strength.

''Hm...?'' Enterprise noticed a flicker of movement behind her.

The carrier blinked as she looked back, her eyes landing upon a single large silver wing. It hovered behind her, attached to her shoulder blade – and when she rolled her shoulder it followed her movements, solid as her bow was. The design of it almost made it look like an angel's wing, oddly enough. Enterprise, the one-winged angel. Poetic.

Any idle thoughts disappeared as she registered a presence ahead of her, the haze over her mind finally clearing enough to think straight. Enterprise shot her gaze up, her eyes hardening as they laid themselves on Akagi. The fox-woman glared back at her, black flames roaring around her in incoherent challenge. She wasn't sure if it was Akagi or Wahr'rot bellowing the challenge.

''Hmph...'' Enterprise coldly raised her left hand, summoning a pinprick of silver energy between her index finger and thumb. ''So be it.''

She let the arrow loose, and with a boom it launched free – crossing the distance instantly. A roaring eruption of silver light exploded outwards, the ground beneath her trembling from the sheer strength of the explosion; whipping winds blowing past her in a shockwave. The winds hadn't even settled before a screeching black pyre shot up and out the silver after-smoke, curling inwards and lunging straight for her.

Enterprise narrowed her eyes and raised her free hand. Power buzzed in her palm, and a blinding silver beam shrieked out – spreading outwards and utterly consuming the flames in a massive cone-shaped laser. Twin black flames shot out from both her left and right, curving in to pincer. She acted on instinct and focused on her shoulders, causing twin spheres to fizzle into existence; launching themselves at the unholy flames and detonating into raging plumes of silver, blowing away the fire.

'...left.' Enterprise swung her bow in that direction, tactical wisdom crystal clear in her mind.

Her bet turned out to be right – a figure sheathed in black flames skidding to the left, crimson pinpricks glowing amidst the darkness. Enterprise fired the silver arrow in her fingertips instantly, the booming arrow crossing the distance like a lightning bolt and striking true; engulfing Akagi in the raging plume of radiant light. A rasping yell echoed from the crackling smoke, and Akagi came barrelling out, hateful snarl barely hindered by the burns marring her right arm.

Enterprise bent her knees and leapt back, throwing her free hand out mid-air and unleashing a beam of silver light, sweeping it across the ravaged battlefield. The piercing light cleaved through dirt and rock – and a chain of deafening explosions followed suit, silver-tint smoke blossoming in the aftermath. Akagi narrowly avoided the lethal laser, a cyclone of black flame raging around her; before it lunged out towards her in a single massive wave, raising nearly three dozen feet into the air.

Yet, despite being faced with a tidal wave of fire – Enterprise felt no fear.

'Get...back!'

Her hand snapped out, a radiant sphere shooting out – and the sphere erupted, a powerful shockwave rupturing the earth beneath it and blowing a massive hole in the flame-wave. Enterprise leapt through the flames post-haste, the tips of the fire licking her ankles, and generated a lance-size silver arrow to her hand. Not a second too late, as Akagi was upon her like a demon from hell, claw-like extensions protruding from her knuckles.

Enterprise swung her spear-sized arrow, meeting the black flames halfway. Her silver arrow cleaved through the flames and cut a deep trench across Akagi's collarbone – but the fox-woman felt no pain, snarling and continuing her swing. Agony shot through Enterprise as the other claws slashed through her stomach, the sudden pain making her nearly blank out for a second. It was only a split-second, but Akagi reacted with god-like speed.

''Nn- gah!'' Enterprise gasped as a fireball exploded in front of her, the heat singing her skin and sending her flying backwards.

Her boots hit the ground and she dug her heels in, gritting her teeth as she slid to a stop. Three serpents of black fire rained down on her above, two fireballs to her right and Akagi herself lunged from the left. Enterprise fell into her instincts, drawing back a lance-sized arrow and firing at the fox-woman, forcing her to block it and delay her a second. Her etheric wing curled around her right side and blocked the fireballs; shrieking blasts of midnight fire utterly negated by her magical wing.

The carrier leapt back to avoid the three falling tendrils, watching them crash into the scorched earth and erupt into towering columns of fire. Movement caught her attention and she swung her eyes down, swiftly firing a laser and cutting a swathe through the ground, followed by a chain of harrowing explosions – silver smoke briefly obscuring Akagi's position. She didn't wait for her to reappear, swiftly leaping back and landing amidst the smouldering trees, half of them still on fire.

'Hm... what if I...?'

Enterprise focused, not daring to shut her eyes as she drew on her Gift. In seconds sparkles appeared around, miniature star-like glows appearing and rapidly morphing into dozens of floating spheres, silver and luminescent. A billowing storm of black fire seethed in front of her, blowing back the lingering silver smoke, and prompting Enterprise to swing her arm out – and charge.

Akagi let loose a feral snarl, rushing to meet her halfway; her arms becoming engulfing in seething black fire. Just as they neared melee range Akagi sensed the danger, her pinprick eyes widening – before all the spheres following Enterprise imploded, a chain of powerful explosions annihilating the world around the two – not destroying, but utterly annihilating.

Enterprise didn't wait for the smoke to fall. She lunged through the lingering wisps of silver – and grabbed Akagi by the face. Her hand burned but she bit back her pain, releasing a rumbling growl of her own as some of Helios' influence seeped into her mind. She kicked off the ground and jumped, dragging Akagi up with her; the fox-woman snarling and releasing a wild pyroclasm around them. The searing flames burned her arm but Enterprise didn't let go, gritting her teeth as she ascended higher into the sky; appearing almost like a rocket in flight.

Just as her momentum began to bleed off as she spun – and threw Akagi down with all her strength, taking great pleasure in seeing the fox-woman crash into the battlefield, kicking up a huge dust cloud. Not taking any chances she summoned half a dozen silver arrows in the air around her with naught but her will, spending only a single second to aim; before she threw her arm out, and fired.

BOOM!

The arrows detonated in a chain, half a dozen plumes engulfing part of the scorched battlefield. Enterprise fell down fast, gathering her [Starlight] into a single large arrow – and just before she landed on Akagi's position she let it loose, letting it erupt into another raging plume of silver. Her boots touched gritty ground and she knelt, transferring her momentum down before immediately kicking off again, soaring through the air and spinning on instinct.

Instinct saved her. Akagi chased after her, a deep wound in her shoulder and burns marring her body, yet the wounds barely seemed to slow the possessed woman down. Multiple streams of black fire snaked after her faster than she could reach the ground, forcing her to form a sphere and crush it again, blowing back the tendrils with the shockwave.

That was what Akagi wished for however – using the shockwave to kill her momentum and fall to the floor, burying her fist into the earth. A streak of black fire shot across the ground and before Enterprise even hit the ground, a pillar of roaring blackness shot up.

''Nn!'' Enterprise grit her teeth, gnawing agony stabbing her back before it went numb.

The carrier stumbled out the pillar of flame and landed unsteadily, skidding to a stop. She raised her bow defensively, panting from the exertion and mental toll, forcing her power to concentrate into an arrow – a big one. Her power swirled, a miniature whirlpool of power gathering at the tip of her bow as the arrow grew in intensity, so bright she struggled to see through it. One second she held; two, three-

Akagi burst through the fading black pillar, snarling. Enterprise let the arrow loose, striking Akagi in the shoulder and inverting her momentum – sending her shrieking back nearly a hundred feet, crashing into a slab of upturned rock and utterly engulfing her in a huge eruption of silver radiance; the earth trembling beneath her feet.

''K-Kh...'' Enterprise knees wavered but she held strong, shoving down her weakness. She refused to fall here.

A whisper touched her mind, like an old memory long forgotten. She acted on it without hesitation, gathering her power into her bow. An arrow formed, the lance-sized projectile rapidly glowing brighter as he pumped her power into it. However she didn't fire; sweat running down her forehead as she condensed it further, squishing even more power into the arrow. Seconds ticked by with dreadful slowness, her mind straining as she tried to keep her senses about her, focusing both on the technique and Akagi's position.

She needn't have bothered. A frothing crest of midnight fire screeched out of the earth, curving upwards like a sickle and crashing back down onto the earth, immolating whatever was keeping Akagi pinned. The fox-woman rose out of the molten slag around her, her silhouette blending in with the raging fire behind her, and revealing the ferocity laid bare on her visage.

Enterprise didn't wait any longer. In a heartbeat she raised her bow high – and fired the thrumming arrow straight into the sky.

SKREEE~!

It whistled as it screeched skyward, the sound so sharp Akagi instinctively gazed up at it, something approaching confusion flickering through her face. The arrow neared the apex of its arch, briefly disappearing into the clouds-

-before with a loud boom it exploded, a massive flare of light blossoming outwards – so intensely bright it was like a second sun, visible across the entire continent. Akagi stared up at it, transfixed by the blinding silver light.

It took Akagi a second to notice the numerous sparkles. It took her two seconds to react. It took her three to snarl, black flames roaring around her.

And it took four seconds for ten thousand arrows to fall, and on the fifth second – they struck.

Akagi's twisted flames surged up, devouring the falling arrows with ravenous desire – but there was too many. A blistering chain of explosions pummelled down on Akagi's flames, pushing them down and down until there was none left. Even then the arrows didn't stop, brutally crashing down onto the fox-woman and engulfing half the battlefield in a chaotic series of silver-coloured eruptions, domes and plumes of light peppering the earth as arrow after arrow struck true, so powerful it shaped the landscape around them.

Thirty seconds of pure, unadulterated annihilation passed – over three hundred arrows relentlessly pummelling the earth per second. The earth ruptured and broke, segments of earth collapsing down into the raging typhoon of destruction. All around them the forest trembled, the unnatural earthquake felling hundreds of trees miles away and causing fissures and ravines to split open, the earth giving way beneath the etheric destruction.

Slowly the wrathful arrows slowed, the last hundred striking the newfound gorge and causing a chain of eruptions – the myriad of plumes lingering for only a scant few seconds before they faded, their energy used up. A heavy smoke lingered, tinted a sparkling silver until the high winds blew them away.

Enterprise walked over to the edge of the massive crater, descending the ragged decline towards the centre.

Akagi was on her knees, bloodied and beaten. Not a single part of her skin was unmarred, be it with blood, cuts, bruises, burns – everything short of death and disease marred her body, and even then the former didn't seem too far off. Yet the deity possessing her didn't stay down – and before Enterprise's cold eyes she watched Akagi shamble to her feet, her right arm gone and her left leg not supporting her weight at all, forcing her to lean on her right.

''I'm surprised you survived that.'' Enterprise spoke for the first time, her voice ringing clearly throughout the crater.

Akagi said nothing; her heavy panting clearly audible even amidst the rumbling of earth around them.

Enterprise narrowed her eyes, raising her radiant silver bow. The movement prompting Akagi to react; turning around... and running. Full on bolting it as fast as her legs would carry her, clumsily leaping up the rim of the crater even with a failing leg, the sound of crunching bone distantly reaching her ears.

Enterprise immediately drew back an arrow, taking aim at Akagi's back as she ran-

-only for her vision to blur.

'No!'

Enterprise panicked, focusing on Akagi's back and trying to aim – but her bow moved left and her vision swayed right, her aim simultaneously too far off yet directly on her enemy's back. Her fingers weakened and the arrow flew, whistling through the air – but it dissipated into wisps of silver light before it even reached its target, harmlessly brushing past her.

Akagi glared back at her, teeth bared – and fled over the rim of the crater, out of sight.

Enterprise took a step to follow; only for her world to invert. The last thing she saw was the approaching dirt-

-and then everything went black.

X-x-X

''Nn... a-ahh... haah...''

Akagi crawled. Her head hurt. Her soul ached. Her heart tore itself open. She couldn't think straight, her lungs couldn't get enough air, she was disoriented beyond belief and the ruined forest around her looked so painfully similar she couldn't navigate other than crawling northwards, pleading she stumbled upon the shrine soon.

SNAP!

''Ga- Nn!'' Akagi bit her bottom lip hard, stifling her cry as she felt her ribs repairing themselves, snapping themselves into place. ''Stop... that!''

Something bubbled in her throat, and she barely had the coherency to lean back before she threw up – a thick black fluid escaping her throat, burning her insides as it left her. She shuddered and wiped the copper-scented fluid away, the substance burning her fingertips like acid. She had thrown up so much of it she was sure it wasn't coming from her stomach.

Bthnk ehye Ng mgehye'bthnk

HEALING THEN FIGHT

Akagi screamed as Wahr'rot's voice pounded her skull, the deity's voice so much louder than normal that it physically hurt. ''G-Get... out!''

Bthnk ehye Ng mgehye'bthnk

HEALING THEN FIGHT

Helios throdog mghri

HELIOS POWERFUL

Bthnk ehye Ng mgehye'bthnk

HEALING THEN FIGHT

Helios throdog mghri

HELIOS POWERFUL

Bthnk-

HEALING-

Akagi let loose a mad scream and clawed at her chest – her nails running over the faux-skin. ''Shut up...! Shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP-!''

''JUST!''

''SHUT!''

''UP!''

Silence.

Akagi panted, glaring at the sky as if it was the source of her problems. Silence rung clear in her skull, and she felt Wahr'rot retreat from her mind... for only a while. It would be back soon.

Akagi didn't care. The fox-woman dragged herself over to a fallen log, a trail of blood left in her wake, most of it squirting out of her partially-regenerated arm. She curled all her fox tails in on herself, tucked herself into a ball – and then finally let the dam in her heart break.

''Hi... hic...'' Akagi's eyes burned. ''I... I didn't mean to...''

Lost alone in a ruined forest, hidden away from the world – Akagi finally broke; weeping for the sister she crippled, for the rival who she stole from... and for the crane who's wings she so cruelly clipped.

X-x-X

''Incoming...! Shit, she's-!''

''Keep firing! She'll hold!''

''Oh god...''

''Enterprise...! Stay with me... Enterprise? Enterprise?!''

''What should we do about her, sir?''

''...whatever necessary. Field 11B-Type40; they'll need all the help they can get.''

''I just saw Hornet take a big hit there... crap, is she still up?!''

''She'll last! Just get these planes in the air and buy us some time!''

''Don't you dare die on me Enty... don't you... p-please, don't...''

''Vestal, Arizona's returned from the field hospital!''

''G-Get her here immediately! We need everyone to...!''

''She won't make it, sir.''

''Have some confidence.''

''Since when did I not?''

''Keep on firing! We've got 'em on the run!''

''Y-Yeah...''

''Oi, you alright there... oh shit. Medic...! Medic!''

''We're losing her again – Arizona, wire her up again. I'll try find some more epinephrine, just keep her stable!''

''...her chest isn't moving, Vestal...''

''Wha- c-crap...! Grab that syringe over there, I'll-!''

''Animaus is moving in again.''

''Tch... time for Ember to rend that bastard a new one...''

''H-Haah... hah... so this is... how it ends... huh...?''

''Stay awake Captain, you'll be fine. I've supplied you with-''

''I know damn well... what you stabbed me with...''

''...but d'ya think... I can fuckin' keep breathing... without a damn lung, squid...?''

''We're losing her!''

''C-C'mon Enty, don't do this... s-stay with me, come now... I-I-I'll-!''

''Allow me.''

''K-Kaga?!''

''She won't wake up.''

''She will.''

''You have too much faith.''

''You have too much cynicism.''

''That doesn't change the fact she needs to wake up, sir.''

''I know – but she'll wake up when she's ready.''

''If, sir. If.''

''There's no ifs here, Ash. She'll wake up... she always will.''

''It's time to wake up now, Enterprise~''

X-x-X

''Haah...!''

Enterprise jolted up with a wheezing gasp, blindly spasming for a second as her mind tried and failed to operate. Lights stabbed her eyes and she rolled over, clawing at the thin sheets beneath her, fingers digging into the material. Thin, paper-like. Medical. Hospital.

The carrier gripped the bed frame, taking solace in the cold metal. Her eyes adjusted to her sudden awakening, focusing in on her surroundings – and just as she guessed, she was in the medical ward. Plain white walls, beeping machines and sterile scents greeted her as she sat up, her long legs swinging weakly over the edge of her bed, the darkness of her hospital room seeming so much more intimidating in the chilling silence.

Alone and out of sight, Enterprise ran a hand through her hair.

And in the silence of her room, her mind was drawn to the final voice she heard; the name slipping from her tongue like bittersweet liquorish.

''Y... Yorktown?''

[END]


A/N: In a previous chapter, someone noted how nobody in a relationship had died. Spoke too soon, eh~? Ain't nobody safe... and Enty isn't quite out of the fire yet.

See you next time in Chapter 20: Purgatorium~

A teaser for next time:
Taihou, even in her insane state, wasn't blind – restraining herself from lunging forth. ''Wretched wench... do you think I'm afraid?!''

In response – Roon laughed. A pretty, fluttering sound that utterly failed to mask the malice that rapidly bubbled inside her.

''Haha... afraid? My dear Taihou... you've not even begun to know fear.''

For the first time in several weeks – Roon opened her eyes fully.