[ Historical Museum vicinity, Southern Vaizen / September 22, 0078 13:21 ]
When Signum and Zafira arrived to the rendezvous point on a skyscraper roof not far from a museum, Shamal and Agito were already there. The wind tousled Shamal's hair as she stood motionlessly, staring at the Cradle floating high above the dome and the Bureau warships approaching it cautiously from above.
As soon as they landed, Agito sprung up from Shamal's shoulder and dashed towards Signum, hugging her around the neck. With a short smile, Signum petted her on the head, much to her delight.
"Habt ihr sie?" [1] Signum asked of Shamal.
"Jawohl," [2] Shamal removed the silvery band from a small pouch on her dress and passed it to Signum. Zafira drew closer to take a look.
The Kaiserkrone was just like on the picture, bright silver adorned with Belkan Triangles. However, it was too heavy to be silver and it glowed unnaturally, yet it wasn't a magical construct. Signum couldn't understand how it was manufactured and yet it felt strangely familiar in her hands.
"Wieso schießen sie nicht?" [3] Shamal interrupted their inspection. She returned to watching the Cradle and the Bureau ships. There were now at least six XV-class capital ships surrounding the Cradle and almost two dozen support ships. The Bureau had finally taken the threat seriously.
"Kollateralschaden," Signum walked over to stand beside her on the edge of the roof. "Eine Raumschiffschlacht würde die gesamte Stadt vernichten. Sie werden sie beim Aufsteigen verfolgen und erst im All zuschlagen." [4]
"Und wenn wir den Antrieb der Wiege jetzt sprengen…"[5] Shamal turned to her.
"Im besten Fall stürzt die Wiege auf die Stadt," Signum admitted. "Im schlimmsten… ein nuklearer Winter." [6]
Down below, the blue-clad Navy and Marine troops engaged the Gadgets. There were a lot of aerial mages among them but they stuck to low altitudes. It was only a matter of time before the Gadgets were routed and the Cradle decided to escape.
"Signum, ich bin mir nicht mehr sicher…" [7] Shamal began but couldn't finish the sentence.
"…dass es diesmal nicht gerade zu weit geht," [8] Zafira did it for her.
Signum stared forward. They couldn't tell whether she looked at the Cradle or the city down below.
"Wir haben die Krone. The Wiege wird dort kommen müssen, wo wir sie haben wollen," [9] Shamal added.
"Was denkst du, Agito?" [10] Signum asked of the small Unison Device perched silently on her shoulder.
"Testarossa, Zafira und du habt die Leute im Museum gerettet… Wozu hast du es gemacht?" [11] Agito asked quietly.
That made her mind.
"Shamal, bereite einen Dimensionssprung auf mein Signal vor." [12]
"Wohin?" [13] Shamal showed no surprise.
"Egal, solange es weit weg von hier ist und keiner uns verfolgen kann." [14]
Shamal closed her eyes and began whispering incantations to Klarwind. As she worked, Signum examined the Crown again. There was no doubt: the artifact was familiar to her, as if she had held it in her hands… in another life. She knew that feeling. It meant that she recalled a memory that the Book of Darkness had long erased from her mind.
"Bin fertig und warte auf dein Signal," [15] Shamal reported.
A sudden idea made Signum smile. As the others gasped, she placed the Crown on top of her own head and yelled towards the Cradle at the top of her lungs:
"Oi, du uraltes Drecksstück von Weltallsperrmüll! Willst du die Krone? Dann komm hol sie dir!" [16]
For a moment, nothing happened. Nobody but the Wolkenritter heard her shouts, as the battle raged down below… And then the Cradle began to turn.
"Shamal, jetzt!" [17]
In a bright flash of celadon light, the four of them were gone from this world.
[1] Ger. "Do you have it?"
[2] Ger. "Yes."
[3] Ger. "Why aren't they firing?"
[4] Ger. "Collateral damage. A spaceship battle above the city would destroy it. The will follow the Cradle to space and attack it there."
[5] Ger. "But if we blow up its reactor now…"
[6] Ger. "In best case scenario, it will crash into the city. In worst case… a nuclear winter."
[7] Ger. "Signum, I am no longer so sure that…"
[8] Ger. "…we are not going too far this time."
[9] Ger. "We have the Crown. The Cradle will have to come where we want it."
[10] Ger. "What do you think, Agito?"
[11] Ger. "Testarossa, Zafira, and you have saved the people inside the Museum. What did you it for?"
[12] Ger. "Shamal, prepare a dimensional jump on my signal."
[13] Ger. "Where to?"
[14] Ger. "Doesn't matter, just enough from here so no one can follow us."
[15] Ger. "I am ready and waiting for your mark."
[16] Ger. "Hey, you ancient piece of spaceborne junk! You want the Crown? Then come and get it!"
[17] Ger. "Shamal, now!"