The blast caused everyone to go flying. Concrete slabs and thick coils of metal wiring were suddenly airborne, creating a deadly situation for those in the room. A wave of lighter debris passed over them like thunder after lightening.

Caterina waited for the dust to settle before lifting her head up. Pulling her arm away from her face, she realized what had happened. She had been pushed to the ground, shielded by Father Havel. "Vaclav?! …Why???"

Trails of blood jaggedly fell down his face but he smiled in spite of his wounds. "Didn't I tell you? I care about you. We all do." At his words, her eyes clouded with wonder and confusion.

During the chaos, Tres also felt someone nearly attack him when they were trying to push him out of the way. He was lying on his side while someone else was sprawled on top of him- like a spider- trying to shield every part of him as best as they could.

His head turned, "Why did you rescue me?"

Zelda shook as she forced herself to move. "I wasn't about to go through your death, my death and six months without you just to see you die here."

If Tres had been human, he would have blinked then. But she was glad he wasn't human and that he was created just the way he is.

He started to respond but a vibrating; clanking, metal-scraping-concrete sound grew louder. Everyone peeked out from their caves of twisted rubbish. Millions of small and large flesh colored pieces rolled together, coming from everywhere. They attached themselves together and began to form a little girl again.

"This is one of her greatest weapons, self-recovery," Caterina mentioned quietly in awe as she watched. Off in another part of the building, something broke. Whatever it was made enough noise for them to hear the thunk.

"What was that?" Sister Kate whispered.

In horror, the ex-duchess moved slightly and yanked the black button from under her. Holding it up she said, "We've got to get out of here."

Vaclav's eyes widened and he shouted across the room, "William! This place is about to come down! We need to leave immediately!"

Professor and Leon ran over to them, dodging chunks of now falling roof. Yelling so everyone could hear him he pointed, "Vaclav, Hughe take care of Caterina! Leon, help Tres if you can. Sister Kate, ready the Iron Maiden! As soon as they board- take off and don't stop until you're in Vatican air."

"What about you and Zelda?" she asked.

He glanced at the Seth Machine, at the end of its rebuilding process. "We'll be fine. Now go!" They nodded and sprinted away, now trying to make their way through the perilous falling building.

Professor and Zelda faced their enemy. "I'm sorry for involving you and having you stay behind," he apologized.

She smiled, "Don't be. I wouldn't have left you here anyway."

The robot version of the Empress didn't wait for them to finish their conversation. She swiped a sword across Zelda's stomach, causing even more damage to her already injured body. The former nun clutched her abdomen and danced away from the swinging blade.

Gritting her teeth, she spat, "Good thing that doesn't hurt. Otherwise I might be afraid of your little butter knives."

This seemed to make the Seth Clone angry. In a child-like voice it muttered, "Crusnik 03. Activation 40 approved." Her eyebrows frowned and her eyes glowed ruby. Her hair levitated and she focused her gaze.

William said in shock, "Does it have Crusnik abilities?!"

The Empress Clone locked onto Zelda.

"Watch out!" he cried.

A strong hand shoved her out of the way, flinging her to the ground. She glanced back up, "Tres!!"

Strange ice formed on his boots and rapidly worked its way up, encasing his entire body in a block of frozen water. As if knowing what was going to happen, he closed his eyes as it finished covering his face.

"Tres… Tres!!!" She jumped up and ran to him. Professor grabbed the back of her dress and yanked her backwards in time. The roof caved in and separated them from Tres and the Seth Clone.

She wriggled and cried, "Let me go! I've got to save him!"

"If we stay any longer we'll die! And if we die who's going to save Tres? Who's going to protect all the people we care about?!"

She froze. "You're… right. Let's go… but we're coming back for Tres no matter what."

"I promise."

Accepting this, she turned and fled from the nearly demolished capitol.