Chapter 15: For Those We Cherish

Frantic gasps for air were the only noise that pierced the girl's panic as she ran through the brush. Brambles, saplings and trees raced by her. Her heart beat like a drum within her chest. If it weren't for the task thrust upon her she doubted she would have been able to do much of anything. As it was she had a goal and every scrap of her willpower remained focused upon that task lest her fear claim her resolve. Even if it was just her, at least she could do this much.

All save two slept peacefully in the evening sun. Kirche and Tabitha stood on either side of Louise and watched her chest rise and fall, a small smile upon her oblivious face. Not but a few inches from that smile lay her still glimmering soul gem. The gentle music on the wind ceased as a third waking soul strode from the treeline. "The manticore sleeps well, but I suggest you finish your mission quickly. I only offer this aid as I have my own mission to accomplish." Sheffield spoke with mock cordiality and strode past them, returning her flute to her cloak.

Flashes of light within the building signaled the summoning of golems. Tabitha clenched her staff tight as she looked to the gem below. "Tabitha, you heard what Louise said, right?" Kirche's voice barely managed not to crack under her worry.

White knuckles signaled Tabitha's inner turmoil. "Even if… Even if we could be sure, it's barely a hope at all." Stress pushed words from her. This was the only way to ensure her mother lived. This was her only path. "You can stop." You could stop me.

Kirche raised a hand to her eyes and felt the tears upon them. Gently she rubbed them clear. "Long ago, I decided I would stand by you. Even if you are walking into hell, I'll stay by your side." Her mind set, Kirche stopped her tears and raised her foot. Even if it was just part of Tabitha's burden, she would bear it. Kirche's heel lanced downward toward the pink gem. I'm sorry, Louise.

As quick as lightning, a white blur whipped beneath Kirche's foot and tumbled away. Silently, Id thanked clever engineering for its expandable cheeks, Louise barely fit in its mouth even with them. The glancing blow from Kirche Zerbst unbalanced it, but it took only one tumble before it was back on its feet. Its red eyes met the surprised pairs of Kirche Zerbst and Tabitha Unknown. It would several moments before their brains deduced that they could simply attack Louise's body until it was no longer operable; luckily it was not without recourse. Direct contact with Louise allowed for a degree of manual operation; enough to force Louise's body awake at the very least. The eyes of Louise's body snapped open. "Kirche and Tabitha are enemies, evade!" A slight increase in perceived volume had the desired effect of causing Louise to act before processing the information.

Scrambling, Louise rolled out of the way of a blade of air only to hastily meet fire with her own as she back-pedaled to her feet. "What?" Louise barely managed to keep up with her confusion when Kirche sent a stream of fire toward her. Focusing her everything on a fire manipulation spell, Louise bent the fire away from her and dived away. Once again she was tumbling to her feet to just barely avoid being burned alive.

Knowing that returning Louise to her body was paramount, Id raced toward her even as she narrowly kept herself from sustaining irreparable damage. Still, Tabitha Unknown had predicted this tactic and buffeted Id with a wide blast of wind. Id's body received negligible bruising as it was sent tumbling away. Unavoidable wide range attacks. A new strategy would need to be developed.

"Sylphid, eat." Tabitha commanded the dragon behind Id.

A newer strategy would need to be developed. Id relied on his hearing to approximate the dragon's jaw and flipped backward to land on said dragon's head. "Louise, I am preoccupied with keeping you safe. Maintain evasion until I can return you to your body." The dragon roared as it whipped its head up, Id leaped backward again to avoid reaching undesired speeds and landed between the dragon's wings. Small but sharp claws dug into the crevices of the dragon's scales and held firm.

Again, Louise avoided a blast of fire, "Can't you just turn invisible?!" She yelled out in panic. Louise flung a haphazard blast of her own fire only for it to be swatted away by a flick of Kirche's wand.

Sylphid the dragon rampaged around trying unsuccessfully to buck her passenger. "Reestablishing derecognition is beyond my current limited processing capabilities." The dragon's wings folded and it lowered its belly to the floor. It planned to roll. An even newer strategy would be required. Another leap landed Id's body upon the grass; but that left it within reach of the dragon's jaws. This was an unfortunate scenario.

Louise rolled out of the way of a blade of wind and barely shielded herself from a blast of fire with her own only for a blast of wind slammed into her. Louise's back hit the ground and the air was forced from her lungs. Not good, there was no way she could get up in time. Louise's eyes looked toward the fire glinting on the edge of Kirche's wand. No! "Wake up damnit!" Derflinger's voice sounded as Saito rocketed into Kirche, his fist slamming into her cheek and sending her stumbling. Even as Kirche stumbled in surprise Tabitha's eyes met the blissfully sleeping face of Saito. "Saito wake up!" Derflinger screamed again. He could only control Saito's body for so long. A bullet of air raced from the end of Tabitha's staff only to disappear into Derflinger. Even though the attack was successfully absorbed, Saito's body crumpled. "Saito, I can't control your body and eat magic at the same time!" Damn it all. Why did his partner have to be such a lazy bum!?

Louise was on her feet and hesitating between running for Id and running to help Saito. Kirche was already preparing another offensive and Tabitha was reaching for Derflinger while maintaining a spell at the ready. "Saito! Tiffania is in danger!" Louise yelled out as she darted toward Id and the dragon that was currently trying to crush him.

Saito's eyes snapped open just as Tabitha's hand was about to reach Derflinger. Confused as he was, Saito disregarded Tabitha and sprung to his feet. As he got up, Derflinger yelled at him,"Kid, she is an-" Tabitha's staff impacted Saito's side and he stumbled toward Kirche.

Summoning a flame Kirche cursed her dangerous element and spoke, "Stand down and I won't hurt you or Tiffania." Said flame was winked out of existence by a hungry sword.

Still clutching his side, Saito stumbled to a halt. What was going on? "These two are enemies!" Derflinger's call to his partner was outlandish, but trusted. Derflinger sang as he was pulled from his sheath and leveled before him. It wouldn't be hard to disable the two of them without hurting them. Their magic was useless after all.

Tabitha was quick to give her rebuttal to Saito's overconfident thoughts. "Kirche, Louise." Tabitha commanded even as her staff impacted Saito's gut. Saito managed to block the second strike of the twirling foci purely on instinct. So fast was Tabitha's staff, Saito could hardly believe she wasn't using some spell to boost her speed. Derflinger's silence forced the realization that he was being pressed back by a girl half his size purely on skill alone. Again and again, staff met sword. Again and again, Saito gave more ground as the longer weapon pressed him backward.

Even as Saito gave ground, Louise raced to her familiar's side. Heat from behind her demanded precedence, however, so Louise whirled to meet Kirche's flame with her own. Kirche's flame curled around Louise. Even as the pinkette managed to just barely keep the flames from burning her, oxygen was stolen from the very air around her. The twin spells of flame extinguished, leaving Louise on one knee. Drenched in sweat, she panted heavily. Keeping her wand level, Kirche advanced toward the smaller girl carefully.

With Tabitha preoccupied with Saito, maybe, just maybe Louise could match Kirche. She could bank on Id being able to evade Sylphid, so she could fight Kirche in earnest… or she could turn and run for it. Kirche's steeled eyes gave Louise her answer. Turning her back would be a fatal mistake. This time, when one flame met another, it exploded between the two mages of the war element. As overpowering as Kirche's flame was, Louise could see the flaw. Flame took the path of least resistance, she would make one. Again and again, scorching heat clashed between the two. If Kirche's fire was akin to a claymore, then Louise's was a rapier. Constantly parrying, Louise never met Kirche blow for blow. Mobility was her strength and she used it wisely.

Heat danced between the two and Louise began to hope. Willpower was one thing she had plenty of. She was sure she had at least as much as Kirche and she knew she was using far less to match the Zerbst. If this stalemate could be held for just a little longer Kirche would begin to waver.

Saito cursed beneath his breath. His firearms were in the kitchen with Siesta, a sleeping Siesta, most likely. Tabitha twirled her staff in and around his guard. Probing here, testing there. Alone, each strike lacked power, but that meant there was no parrying to knock her off balance. Grunting, Saito let his mind race. He needed to get within striking range and get on the offensive. Problem was that Tabitha's form seemed perfect.

That was it! When Saito realized it, he nearly slapped his forehead. He didn't need to be perfect. Launching a thrust, Tabitha easily parried him as he overextended. With a smirk he let go of Derflinger with one hand. Tabitha's staff impacted his gut and pain lanced through Saito. He could bear that pain, though. His free hand curled into a fist and crashed into Tabitha's jaw. As frail as she was, there was no way she would be used to intentionally taking injuries.

Again, Tabitha's actions disproved Saito's overconfidence. She did not sail away unconscious nor even stumble, instead, she took the hit and reached out with a free hand of her own. Words of power left her lips even as her cheek swelled. Magic was sucked from her as Saito's sword sprang into action. Tabitha's empty palm pressed against Saito's chest and she threw as much willpower into the point blank cantrip as she could. "Buffet."

At such close range even Derflinger could not eat the magic fast enough. Hard air struck Saito's body like a train and threw him backward. Tabitha was already past him even as he landed on his back, his world spinning and body aching.

Saito's cry of pain warned Louise of the approaching Tabitha but there was little she could do. Sylphid chased Id further and further from her and fighting Kirche took all her wits. Tabitha was soon to be in striking distance. All thoughts of wearing Kirche out fled from Louise's mind and in their place panic began to take hold. There was no way she could hold against the two of them!

"Do not worry, Louise." Id's thoughts penetrated Louise's despair. "You were not the first I woke."

Alistair's roar cascaded across the hills and stilled the forest behind him for fear of the beast's rage. The massive manticore paid the maid atop him little heed in his blind anger. His charge was being attacked by her own pride! Wings folding, Alistair shook the ground when he landed. With barely a thought, he swiped the closest threat away. The red furred human tumbled like a rag before the other used wind magic to cushion her. The blue furred enemy slid to a halt next to her fellow traitor and glowed with healing power. Not a chance! Alistair pounced, crossing the distance in an instant. His claws raked toward the betrayers only to be stopped as the dragonling slammed into his side. Even in his rage, Alistair understood the sentiment of protecting one's master, but that didn't grant the dragonling any sympathy. Midair, Alistair twisted to face the dragonling and move his rider further from danger. Dragon fangs found only thick mane, but Alistair's claws rent scale and flesh.

Slyphid cried a bloodcurdling scream of pain as Alsitair's claws cut through her scales. Said scream halted as his Alistair's scorpion-like tail found purchase. Venom shot into the dragon, stealing her consciousness from her. The world faded she was thrown away with barely a surge of exertion. "Sylpid!" Tabitha's suppressed voice called after her familiar.

No! Not Sylphid! Tabitha cried, barely maintaining the healing spell and her composure. Kirche's wounds mended slowly, too slowly. Wounded as she was, Kirche stayed awake; breathing despite the massive gash across her chest and gut. She looked up at Tabitha, "Run." Facing this manticore was suicide as long as Tabitha was protecting her.

Tabitha shook her head, "No." I don't abandon my loved ones. Kirche smiled at Tabitha, and then grunted in pain at the simple action.

The advance of the manticore was stopped when a pair of winged stone gargoyles landed in front of Tabitha. Each bore a spear pointing toward the beast that sought Tabitha's life. A distinctly feminine voice called out, "I leave you alone for a few minutes and you mess everything up." Never in her life did Tabitha expect to be relieved to hear Sheffield. The repugnant woman hovered overhead on her odd manta ray golem with an unconscious Tiffania and Cattleya crumpled at her feet, arms bound behind their backs. "Normally I'd leave you to your devices, but I need you to cover my retreat. Consider this," She tossed a vial down to Tabitha, "a favor for you service." Tabitha recognized the healing elixir within and drained the restorative into Kirche's mouth.

Sheffield's eyes remained glued to the manticore throughout. The beast watched her; no, it watched the unconscious Valliere next to her. The raging beast leapt at Sheffield, its rider barely managing a scream as she held on with all her might. Sheffield scattered a handful of gargoyle seeds, summoning a veritable wall of stone gargoyles between herself and the beast.

Half of the gargoyles were mercilessly shredded, but the others clung to the beast and drove it downward. With a crunch, the great beast hit the ground, the shock of the crash scattering the gargoyles. Twisting unnaturally, the gargoyles got their feet beneath them and rounded on the manticore, ready to spring into action. The beast was smart enough to know if it jumped again it would be met above and below this time. It hesitated.

"Tiffania!" Saito screamed and wrenched himself to his feet when he saw Sheffield's other passenger. Rage boiled within him and chased out any thought. Derflinger cut through the first gargoyle and then the second without him even breaking a stride. Seeing its chance, Alistair crushed the remaining two in the blink of an eye. Now was the time to go, Sheffield realized. A glance downward revealed a healed Zerbst. Good, let them die in service of her master.

However, a flash of pink drew the eyes of all assembled combatants. With Id at her feet, Louise was coiled in an impossibly bright pink light. The solid light scattered, glittering in the evening air. A breeze kicked up Louise's pink and white mantle. The cloth fluttered behind her, gleaming with the evening sun and the radiating dark light of her staff. "Put. Them. Down." Louise commanded with narrow eyes.

Sheffield narrowed her own eyes in return. Based on what she knew, fighting both this girl and the manticore would be impossible. "Charlotte, if I am pursued, go ahead and kill the blonde inside." Tension filled the air between Louise and the unknown enemy before her. A smile spilt Sheffield's face. "Ta ta~." She sang and ushered her manta golem fly.

Louise's mind raced as her plan formed. "Alistair, take Saito and chase them, I'll protect Eleanor." The command in Louise's voice was so much like his master Alistair obeyed it purely on instinct. Saito did not need to be told twice and clamored aboard the beast when it lowered itself. Saito sat behind Siesta, the maid was frozen in place as every muscle clenched to Alistair. Before Saito could suggest she dismount, Alistair launched himself into the sky.

She would have to trust them. Louise let out a strained breath. Saito wouldn't have agreed to stay here with Tiffania aboard that manta construct. Besides that, Louise had a question for Tabitha. "Where is Montmorency?" Louise snarled with more venom than she knew she had.

Tabitha paused to evaluate Louise. This was her first time seeing Louise in this form. By all accounts, she was far more dangerous while transformed. Even when Louise narrowed her eyes, Tabitha refused to respond to her. Talking would only make this harder. "Kirche." Her tone expressed her plan to her friend. Experience born of battle guided the actions of the two. In one motion they twirled and launched their spells at the house.

Even as Louise's eyes widened in surprise, she was already calling her magic behind her. The memory of how she did it was vague, muddled by her rage in the fight against Wardes; but even still Louise managed to conjure her energy away from her staff and into four orbs behind her. Like an arrow, Louise lanced toward the house, black and pink energy erupting behind her. Not fast enough. Pointing her staff she fired a blast of magical energy. Far faster; her orb of destructive energy overtook the lance of fire and wind and impacted the ground before them. The resulting explosion crushed the attacks meant for Eleanor, but Louise didn't stop. She reached the house mid flip; rounding the energy behind her she flared her magic and halted her progress. Whipping her staff forward Louise formed the dark energy spearhead and cut through the follow up attacks. Once, twice, three times her twirling spear split and dissipated wind and fire alike until there was naught but smoke before her. Releasing a scattering barrage before her, Louise hoped to suppress her enemy for a few moments more. "Wake Eleanor and take her into the forest," Louise ordered her familiar.

Its claws could not detach from Louise's mantle fast enough. Id hit the ground with a stumble, its ability to maintain balance hampered by the recent massive g-force fluctuations. Objectively Id knew that riding on Louise had been the correct choice, but that didn't stop it from generating a little junk data in what was not annoyance. Half running, half teetering, Id scrambled inside. Louise remained vigilant as the smoke cleared, ready to defend until Eleanor was safe, yet no attack came. Mildly, Louise wondered if she had gotten a lucky hit with her blind fire. No, she was never that lucky.

With a flick of her wrist, Louise swiped the last of the smoke aside. What she found caused her breath to hitch. While the area around them was dotted with craters, Kirche and Tabitha had not moved from their spot. They were chanting. Had they both spent that entire time on incantations?! "Id?" Trepidation tainted Louise's plea for expedience.

"We are clear of the house; delay them while we make a full escape."

Louise gave Id barely a grunt of confirmation. Now she needed to interrupt whatever spells these two were planning on using. Louise shot forward. While close range combat wasn't her forte, if she was transformed, she definitely had the advantage over these two.

Twin voices sounded in unison. "Ifrit's Throne!" The wave of heat that exploded from the two instantly turned the grass around them to ash. A liquid orb of pure heat hovered above them, inches from their raised foci. Louise banked on instinct when the orb exploded into a hydra of flame serpents. Each trail of heat curved outward and then in toward Louise. Rolling this way, dodging that way, Louise skimmed the edge of what seemed to be countless attacks. She lanced upward only to weave in and out of a tangled mess of flame trails.

Louise fought panic as her skin was burned when she passed too close to a jet of fire. I need distance! Louise lanced away desperately out pacing the attack. The magical girl broke free for a moment, but whatever relief she had disappeared when a second set of flame trails curved down ahead of her. Louise's gaze shot ever higher to see the fiery sky above. The damn spell had launched numerous trails in a massive arc. It was a Founder-be-damned cage of fire! No place left to go but down, Louise raced to the ash below. All too aware of the closing fire behind her, Louise waited until the last second before she pulled up. Her own dark energy destroyed the dirt and scattered ash as she skimmed a hair's width above the ground.

The flame trails pursuing her did not have her excellent mobility. Trail after trail hit the ground just behind Louise, forcing her beyond her limits until her knee clipped the ground, destroying the last remnants of her barely held balance. How she managed to maintain hold of her staff even as she literally bounced off the ground like a rag doll, Louise didn't know, but she was thankful for it. Before she hit the ground a second time, Louise managed to get her staff below her and pressed her magic outward. Skimming just barely to a stop, Louise caught sight of her attackers and released a desperate flurry of blasts.

Before Louise's attacks could reach Kirche and Tabitha flame serpents lanced into them from above, detonating them prematurely. At least the act bought Louise the much needed time to catch her breath and study the attack. The orb that hovered above her adversaries created countless jets of flame overhead; most of which formed the cage of fire. When she had attacked, they had completely abandoned offensive actions. So they couldn't split their attention. One of them must be maintaining the cage while the other focused on Louise.

Three gouts of flame erupted skyward then lanced downward toward Louise. Eyes narrowing, Louise recognized another limitation. Heat like this couldn't be perfectly controlled, it needed to rise first. They would have less control near the ground. Smirking, Louise strafed along the ground in a wide circle. Even as ash clouded behind her and flames crashed into where she had just been, she raised her staff and fired. Each bullet of dark energy trailed wisps of pink and each blast was met with an engulfing flame.

This spell was like nothing Louise had ever seen. Wait, spell? As in singular?! They had used the same incantation, Louise mutely remembered. The magical girl cursed in realization. This was founder-damned Hexagon magic. How did these two know combination magic?! It was supposed to be known only by the royal families! She could only hope Alistair and his riders weren't in for a surprise like this.

The plains whipped by below them as Alistair flew after the one who stole his charge. Onboard, Saito looked at the maid in front of him. She had his pistol tucked into her belt and half clenched his musket to her chest along with a tangled mess of the manticore's mane. They were steadily gaining, but there would still be a moment before they caught up to Tiffania. "What are you doing here, Siesta?!" He called over the wind.

Said maid held on for dear life. Stuttering in fear she barely found the courage to reply, "M-Mr. K-Kyuubey said to get Alistair but he wouldn't wake up! I thought yelling into his ear would be a good idea!" Siesta tried and failed not to think about how high they were. Hunching down, she quivered with fear and clenched the musket tighter. At least she had the clarity to grab his firearms when she fled the house. Alistair jostled slightly as he flew through some turbulence which caused Siesta to shudder in fear and grip tighter.

Saito inwardly cursed. Siesta was scared enough to be a liability here. He needed to calm her, give her purpose. "I know this is scary! But you need to hold it together!" The girl had enough sense to grab his firearms before she left, so hopefully she had a bit more leftover. Reaching forward, Saito grabbed his musket but didn't pull it away. "Cattleya and Tiffania are counting on us! So, I need this." Siesta refused to move, but her grip slackened ever so slightly. Saito used his hand to remove hers and place it on the pistol in her belt. "Use this if you get into trouble!" The chances of her being able to do anything with that pistol was laughably small, but Saito understood that having even the slightest purpose helped. Hell, he was just barely holding it together for Tiffania.

Apparently, his idea was better than he gave himself credit for. Siesta grabbed hold of the pistol and leaned back enough for Saito to pull his musket free. Though her knuckles were still white from pressure, Siesta nodded. Tiffania and Cattleya were her friends; she couldn't hold Alistair or Mr. Saito back.

Siesta had no time to reconsider her grit, as a scattering of flashes signaled the summoning of several more of those stone gargoyles. Like a flock of crows descending upon an eagle, the constructs came in a clouded flurry. Alistair broke through them like a hot knife through butter, leaving shredded stone fragments falling behind. A blast of green fire awaited him on the other side of the gargoyles, but it did not touch him. The blast broke apart and was sucked into Derflinger harmlessly, "Thanks for the meal!" The sword called out in the excitement of battle.

Again, green flame was summoned by Sheffield and again, it was harmlessly absorbed. The gargoyle that had survived the Manticore's initial attack was easily lagging behind. Thinking quickly, Sheffield dove toward the lake and skimmed the water's surface. The dense gargoyle would gain far more speed from diving than the other two fliers. Sure enough, the manticore followed, intent on its prize. "Saito, behind!" Sheffield cursed as the demandable sword called out its warning.

Wheeling around, Saito saw the gargoyle poised to strike with its massive, twelve foot spear. In one fluid motion, he leveled his musket and fired. A chunk of stone peeled off the gargoyle and staggered it, but it made to raise its spear again. A second shot sounded and Siesta's shot pierced the construct's wing; staggering the beast even further. Saito would have been happy if his head wasn't currently exploding in pain since Siesta fired the pistol right next to his ear. His world danced as he shook his senses back into working order just in time to realize that the gargoyle was still coming. Throwing his musket with all his might, Saito praised whatever deity reigned in this world when the gun impacted the weakened wing, shattering it.

Wingless, the construct disappeared beneath the lake water in a great splash and Saito returned his eyes forward just in time for his head to collide with Siesta's back as Alistair unfurled his wings to stop abruptly.

"Good manticore, smart manticore." Sheffield teased while holding an unconscious Cattleya with one hand and a green flame in the other, inches from the sleeping Valliere's face. "So, how about a deal? You get one, I get one. Otherwise, I'll kill them both." Sheffield grinned when the manticore growled.

A growl matched by Saito's scowl. Damn it all. He needed a plan. Hell, he needed a miracle. Quickly taking stock of his surroundings for a chance, Saito's eyes widened as he found it. "You know…" He called out across the water. "You want to know something interesting?" Sheffield narrowed her eyes. The teasing in the boy's tone grated on her already frayed nerves. "Though I guess it might not be as effective here," Saito led up to his point, keeping his eyes locked with his enemy's, "But in my world, elves are immune to sleep effects!"

Though her arms were bound, Tiffania did not falter. No one threatened the life of her friend! Sheffield was still processing Saito's distraction when the elfling got to her feet, leaned back, and shot her head forward with all her might! An Elven skull struck a human one with crushing force. Blood spurted as a tooth flew though the air and Sheffield stumbled back. Dazed from her own attack, Tiffania stumbled and tripped over Cattleya, sending the both of them tumbling into the water below. Saito was up and diving before he knew it.

Siesta was but a hair behind Saito into the water. She may not have grown up in a harbor town, but she had spent many a childhood day in ponds. Almost as soon as she tried to swim she realized her folly. Her damn dress was preventing her movement! Reaching down, she tore a great strip up her travel dress. The action spun her just enough to catch sight of the scene above.

Alistair roared with rage when green fire collided with his face, pushing him back from where his charge disappeared beneath the water. The manticore desperately tried to rub the flames away only for more fire to scorch his fur. Sheffield pressed her advantage and summoned her remaining gargoyles. Without that boy's strange talking sword, it was a manageable task to keep the beast at bay. She still had one trump card left to play, and she could leave retrieval to it. Letting loose a piercing whistle, she began her attack.

While the sky raged above with gargoyles, fire and the screams of a certain manticore, Saito dived after the sinking void mages. His lungs burned, his body ached, but he pushed on with everything he had and more. His hands closed around the girls' waists and he pulled, but with little success. Damn it, the both of them were too heavy! Before Saito could even consider a terrible choice, another pair of hands grabbed Cattleya. In the murky depths, Saito could just barely make out Siesta. Releasing his hold on the pinkette, Saito swam up to the surface with Tiffania. The two rescuers breached the surface and gasped for much needed air. Weekend swimming lessons from back on Earth kicked Saito's mind into gear. Placing himself behind Tiffania and his arm beneath her's, he held her head above water. "Like this!" He called out over the sounds of battle above. Siesta followed Saito's example, not even second guessing the boy's orders.

The two kicked with everything they had and slowly made for the distant shore. The water shined from the flashes of green fire above, but they kicked on. Their soaked clothing weighed them down, but still they kicked on. The cold water chilled them to the bone but even so, they kicked on. Even as the last of their strength was drained, they kicked on. When they reached the shore, the duo scrambled up the grassy beach, half-dragging the void mages. Once again, Siesta looked to Saito for guidance. The boy had laid Tiffania on her back and pressed his ear to her mouth. "Not breathing!" The boy cursed and began pressing on her chest in quick repetitions. Siesta panicked, having no idea what to do.

Saito tilted Tiffania's head back and pressed his mouth to hers. Then the girl's chest rose. He was sharing breath! The realization was joined by watery coughs from Tiffania. The boy was still moving a mile a minute as he turned to see to Cattleya. Realizing that Siesta had no idea what to do, he cursed and scrambled through the grass toward her. "Partner!" Derflinger warned.

Saito turned to his left to see a very familiar and very unwelcome shape. "No shit…" He half cursed, half gawked at the figure before him.

Advancing with methodical steps strode a beast of a man, with his metal staff clinking against the ground with each step. Scars of pale flesh dotted his body with strange splotches and numerous stitches crossing every visible portion of his muscled flesh. His eyes were clouded and unfocused. His white beard and hair had devolved into an unkempt mess. The man's once pristine robes were now torn and stained with blood and dirt. Even disfigured as the man was, Saito recognized the person he had killed to defend Louise and Montmorency weeks ago.

Cardinal Tomas de Torquemada. "Begrudge not others, as even betrayed, Brimir did not begrudge his fleeing comrades." Siesta recognized the scripture the man was quoting, but the holy word sounded so wrong in the deep and raspy, almost gravelly voice of this monstrosity of a man.

Saito somehow found his feet even as tired as he was. "Check for breathing." He ordered Siesta. "Use your ear." Panic filled Saito's voice. He was only holding it together by necessity. Hopefully Siesta could do the same.

The maid's voice was filled with panic as well. "She's not breathing!" Siesta glanced between Saito and the terrifying form he faced.

Holding Derflinger before him, Saito carefully watched his opponent. The man stopped without a word, his gaze jerked around for a moment before his head unnaturally locked onto the girls beyond Saito. Following his gaze, Saito continued, "Press down on the center of her chest thirty times, about as fast as your heart beats, then tilt her head back and breathe into her mouth. Do not stop." Desperately, Saito hoped he was remembering his weekend classes right. Hopefully, improper CPR was better than nothing at all.

Saito's words must have been a signal for something, because a gurgling roar resounded from the man before him. "The demons broke before Brimir's holy wrath!" It took everything Saito had not to take a step back in fear.

Siesta pumped Cattleya's chest. Tiffania's rising and falling chest proved that Saito's words held truth. She could save Cattleya, she had to! A clang of metal sounded. Siesta did not look up even as she heard Saito cry out in pain.

Stumbling back, Saito felt like his arms were going to break after just one exchange with the Cardinal. The man hadn't even adjusted his stance! He just swatted his staff into Derflinger like he wasn't even trying! A methodical, jerky step took the Cardinal a step forward. "Damn it Derf, can't you absorb his magic or something?" Saito once again needed a miracle.

Still ringing from the force of the blow before, Derflinger shot back in annoyance, "He's enchanted with spirit magic. If you stab him with me, I might be able to eat some of it, but there is no way I can manage anything more." Saito spat the water dripping from his hair to his mouth out. If he could stab the man, he wouldn't need Derf to eat his magic in the first place! With no plan, Saito charged again, hoping for that miracle.

Siesta's hands burned with strain. Her eyes blurred as wet bangs once again fell over them. She continued compressions, then breaths. Again and again, she methodically tried to do something, anything. "Wake up Miss Valliere. As your handmaiden I am telling you it's time to wake up Miss Cattleya!" Another breath.

Suddenly, a cough! Siesta halted, staring down in disbelief when Cattleya's chest rose of its own accord. "Saito, I did it!" She called out, looking up just in time to see Derflinger swatted from Saito's hand.

Before the boy could even think of dodging, a massive hand closed around his neck and lifted him entirely off the ground. Even as his throat was being squeezed like a rag and his vision was blurring, Saito still kicked at the abomination with all his might. His hands found his hunting knife and he jammed it again and again into the arm that held him. Even with his arm perforated barely a dribble of half clotted blood plopped from it. The Cardinal did not even flinch from the pain.

With one final squeeze from the reanimated Cardinal, Saito fell still. "No…" Siesta frantically looked for help. Alistair was being driven further and further away and no one else was in sight. The limp body of Saito tumbled past and skidded limply to a halt. "No…" Again Siesta denied it. Cardinal Tomas withdrew the knife from his arm and flicked it away. The blade landed on the ground, scattering blood to the grass. Not even bothering with the numerous stab wounds, Cardinal Tomas once again strode forward. "No…" Siesta denied. Someone, anyone…

Someone, anyone… Louise considered pleading for a miracle but dismissed it. She would make her own. Ash clouded the air in a thin mist. Every time the residue tried to settle, Louise was sure to blast beyond it, narrowly avoiding any number of fire jets. Letting her leg connect with the ground, Louise rebounded to tumble over a low snaking fire. Mid-spin, she let off a salvo of energy at the orb above the two. Fire lanced downward to intercept her blasts once again. Louise stowed that bit of information as she hit the ground and skated away from the counter attack. This stalemate was going on for too long. Louise needed a game changer, something they wouldn't expect.

As she was thinking, the ground rumbled. Perplexed, Louise looked down to see the ground beneath her glowing red. Founder-be-damned. Louise rocketed upward just as the flames exploded beneath her. Louise's eyes looked beyond to the trails of flame that formed her cage. Had Kirche and Tabitha tunneled those flames all the way back?! How did they have this kind of willpower!? Above and below, the fire split into hundreds of thin trails; weaving around and trapping her in a cruel mesh of fire.

No, damn it! Everything Louise could muster was thrust before her, punching a hole in the fire to escape in. With a burst of speed, she left the hole just as it closed, singeing her heel as it did. Even then, more fire came for her. She darted and weaved with every instinct, every battle-won trick she had. The black energy behind her was the sole darkness in the unrelenting light of the fire. Vertigo overtook her as she lost track of up and down, only focusing on less fire, less heat.

No no no! Spinning and flipping with desperate acrobatics, Louise was unprepared when she hit something hard and tumbled away. Mutely, Louise recognized that she hit the ground even as her staff fell from her grasp. She pushed away the pain even as she rolled along the ground, kicking up a cloud of ash to stain the white and pink of her clothing a dim gray.

Louise skid to a stop. She did not wait to catch her breath; she pushed at the ground with all her might; wrenching her head up just enough to glare at her attackers. She did not fall to Fouquet, not in Romalia, not at Tarbes and not to that damned Cardinal. She refused to die here.

Across the field of ash and fire, Tabitha met Louise's gaze and faltered for a shadow of a moment. Steeling her resolve, Tabitha summoned her willpower. Now, she would end this. Fire once again lanced downward to Louise. As worn out as she was and without her staff, this was the end. Louise rolled to her back and glared at the coming fire. Louise did not look away as the flames raced toward her. Tabitha refused to turn away as well, Louise deserved that much.

The fire collided with Louise's prone form. A sea of fire rolled across the ground like a wave; turning even the dirt below to so much ash. Even protected as she was from the heat, Tabitha could feel it. The discarded staff flickered from existence. There, it was done.

When the fire cleared, a black form lay still, charred wand raised against the onslaught. Louise had died fighting. Tabitha tried hard to respect Louise; tried to flee the guilt consuming her soul.

Someone gasped for air. "No way…" Kirche broke the two's enforced silence in awe. Tabitha's eyes snapped back to Louise.

Nearly every inch of Louise screamed in pain. The parts burnt beyond mere pain began to glow as the faint pink light emanating from her soul gem regenerated her flesh. She panted desperately. Creating a dome with the basic fire manipulation spell and burning away all the oxygen had been a shot in the dark, but it worked. Thank goodness that fire of theirs lacked any concussive force. Just barely. Louise rose to her feet. With her head bowed, Louise managed to stand while hunched over. She looked up with her eyes, not quite managing to raise her head.

"I will not die here." It wasn't a demand, a plea for mercy or a battle cry. It was a statement of fact.

Clutching her darkening soul gem, Louise felt the onslaught of despair begin. Maybe it was practice, maybe it was the fact that she knew what she was doing, but now it was far easier to shut out all her despair. Let Id deal with that, since the pest wanted it well enough. Pink light exploded once more, cleansing Louise of soot and once again summoning her pink and white clothing. Burns faded in Louise's healing light, even as her soul gem darkened further.

The sound of intense sizzling drew Louise's attention behind her. Clouds of white foam expanded like think taffy over the ground. Louise smirked; she knew that steam. Out of the foam raced a form that Louise wished had arrived just a moment earlier. Unnaturally thick steam trailed from Montmorency's hammer as she bounded across the field of dead ash. Lightly, Montmorency landed next to Louise.

"You missed your dramatic entrance by about half a minute." Louise informed, still watching the orb and the duo.

Montmorency readied her hammer, collecting more and more steam around her. "Yeah, well, I still get to say I told you so." The two smirked. "When you left me behind in that field, I assumed Kirche pressured you into a prank or something. Not this." The joviality in Montmorency's tone darkened to venom as she spoke. "What's the plan?" The orb rippled and a plethora of new flame streams erupted.

"Take out the orb." Louise commanded as she leapt into action. Steam exploded upward into the coming fire, slowing it just enough for Louise to land on the head of the hammer. The gears within whirled to life and the hammer expanded. Montmorency put her everything into her swing. The Hammer arched, pushing the crouching Louise with it, launching her forward in a cloud of steam with all the strength Montmorency could muster.

"DERNIERE VAPEUR!"

The fire broke around the steam, red and white swirling in surreal combat. Then, a form wreathed in darkness pierced through, an arrow of nothing. The short instant that Tabitha used to observe was all the time that Louise needed to pierce the energy floating above the blunette. As hot as the orb was, it had no time to penetrate Louise's impromptu armor and it fell around her. The cracking of glass was heard and with it, the fire that blotted out the sky vanished; leaving only the ashen field as evidence of the fierce battle that took place here. Louise slowed to a stop far beyond the two traitors, just as two halves of a darkening red ball of glass hit the ashes below.

Just as Louise was a veteran, so were her enemies. Kirche and Tabitha whirled to launch their spells, only to have their legs swept out from under them by hammer. Kirche hit the ground hard, but the agile Tabitha was able to roll to her feet. Not missing a beat she prepared a javelin of ice to drive Montmorency from the prone Kirche. The ice faltered from existence when Louise's staff knocked into Tabitha's, driving the foci from her grip before Louise planted the butt of her staff in Tabitha's stomach, launching her onto her back. "Give up Tabitha, you two can't have any willpower left." Dark energy hummed at the end of Louise's staff.

It was true; Kirche was barely managing to correct her swimming vision after being knocked prone and Tabitha knew that without Hexagon magic she was no match for Louise. If they had another fire stone then maybe… Tabitha's eyes fell to the drained and broken glass ball sitting in the ash.

"Should we kill them?" Montmorency's grim voice snapped Kirche's eyes open in time to realize her wand had already been taken by Montmorency. The blonde girl stood over the Zerbst, ready for what Louise decided.

Tabitha teared up. She had failed. She failed her familiar, her mother, her only friend... They would all die because of her failures. "No. Classmates fight like this all the time." Louise spoke her light words with sobriety. "Don't cry Tabitha, Alistair is called Mr. Fluffles because he's just a big softy. Sylphid will recover just fine." Louise readied her staff and gripped her emotions. "Montmorency, watch them and see what you can do for Sylphid, I'm going after Cattleya." Louise did not wait for Montmorency's agreement.

Siesta placed herself before the giant monster of a man and spread her arms wide. Beyond him, she could see an inferno rage near the house in the distance. There would be no reinforcements.

"Stop." The undead cardinal advanced another step. No one was coming to help, it was all up to her.

"Stop!" Her pleading fell on deaf ears. She was the only thing standing between this monster and her friends. No matter what, she had to stop this man.

"Stop!" The back of the cardinal's hand swatted her away as one would a fly. Siesta landed dazed, her vision clouded with red. Shaking her mind clear, Siesta wiped her eyes clear and looked to her now red hand covered in the strange, thick blood of the cardinal. The cardinal was bleeding. Whatever bled could be killed. Siesta's wild eyes snapped to Derflinger, but the sword was beyond the cardinal. However, Saito's hunting knife lay but a few feet from her, dripping with the same blood that proved the monster was not immortal.

Even if it was just a little bit, Siesta would help. Her arm braced the ground and pushed the rest of her body up. Even if she was weak, Siesta would help. Her fingers closed around the knife as newfound strength flooded through her heart. Even if she had never chosen her own fate before, she was choosing now. Siesta would help her friends!

"I said stop!" Droplets of blood scattered from the blade as Siesta ran forward, blade at the ready. Hearing the maid approach, the Cardinal ponderously turned to her. Not even recognizing her as a threat?! Fine then!

Siesta ducked under the lazily slow backhand and twirled the knife into a reverse grip. Launching her own backhand, the blade pierced the man's chest. "Not enough!" Siesta yelled as she used the weapon as a handhold to lift her entire body upward. Her heel impacted the Cardinal's chin and sent him staggering back a step.

Still upside down and midair, Siesta wrenched her knife free and slashed across the man's chest. Faster than humanly possible, Siesta's arm blurred. In the span of a second, seven slashes crisscrossed the Cardinal's chest, tearing his tattered robes even further. Planting her free hand, Siesta flipped backwards and landed in a crouch between the cardinal and her friends. With her arms before her, she settled in a stance she just somehow knew. In the heat of the moment, Siesta mutely regarded the runes shining on her left hand.

The cardinal stumbled briefly; then unnatural steam began to emanate from his wounds. New scars formed where his flesh miraculously knit together. Power flooded Siesta, where it came from, she had no idea, but now was not the time to question it, she would help her friends. That thought locked safely in her heart, Siesta darted forward.

If the cardinal was a bear, then Siesta was a snake. For all his brute force, he could not touch her speed. In and out, she darted around his ponderous blows, her cuts becoming more and more innumerable. For every one that managed to heal, Siesta opened two more. The mantra repeated in her head, if it bled, it could be killed.

Far above, Sheffield's attention was drawn from the manticore. How could it need that much magic?! Connecting her sight briefly to her thrall, Sheffield cursed when she saw the maid and the runes on her left hand. That girl was the Gandalfr?! There was no way her thrall could win, incomplete as he was.

Biting out a curse, Sheffield turned her ray and left. Her gargoyles would cover her retreat and the beast seemed happy enough to return to the void mage. As terrible as this had turned out, it wasn't a complete loss. Sheffield retrieved the Founder's Prayerbook from within her cloak. Her master would be most pleased with the consolation prize.

Even with his body in ribbons, Siesta was surprised when the cardinal suddenly jerked to the side and ran headlong into the lake. Narrowing her eyes, she wondered if it was some sort of trick. For half a minute, she watched the water. The beat of leather wings drew her attention away. A singed and bleeding Alistair landed next to Cattleya. Leaning down, he nudged her sleeping form. "She's fine, Alistair." Siesta walked back to her friends. Tiffania and Cattleya both were breathing. Saito, Saito was sitting up, gaping at her.

"Holy shit."

Around the time Saito was cursing in the presence of Tiffania, albeit a sleeping Tiffania, Louise was coasting overhead as she watched Sheffield make her retreat. While she could possibly pursue, it would be foolish to leave Kirche and Tabitha. Even if everyone made it out alive, the two of them were going to provide answers for what happened tonight.