Mikoto slowly looked around as the battle raged. She readied herself, closing her eyes, calming herself. She slowly spread her legs, raising her right arm, her left hand between her breast touching the metallic orbit hung around her neck. He'd told her the orb was a piece of heaven. And had given it to her to stop the Archangel Michael from destroying the earth. It freed her from the limitations of being earthbound, shredding the shackles of her reality. She defeated the Archangel Michael.

She ran her fingers over the orb and grinned. And nodded to her waiting elites, signaling them it was about to begin. The barrier rolled out like a tidal surge. The electricity cracking, popped, crushing as it plowed over her enemies, leaving smoking remains behind.

The air at her feet brushed along the dirt, coiled around her body like a serpent over the tight black armor, lifting strands of her long brown hair, her smile widened, her dark red eyes opened, the color of the Blood Moon. Electricity rolled along her arm to her hand to the tips of her fingers, shooting across the air. A thunderous roar followed. The white-hot blast struck the meat of his thigh, the stench of burning flesh and the sound of sizzling meat quickly raised in the air, mixed with the sounds of battle. Bahamut raised his head and roared in pain.

He released his hold on Katrina's Dragon's form, her body turning human and falling to the earth. Ruiko rushed forward with her arms raised, her hand spread wide, using magic to slow her descent.

Bahamut's leg exploded just above his knee, flying off behind him, hitting the ground, and rolling until it stopped. Unfortunately or not, it rolled over, crushing many of his forces. His massive body teetered with nowhere to go but to obey the laws of gravity. He dropped, crushing more of his troops as they scrambled to safety.

He bellowed as he fell, hitting the ground. Hot wind and dust rushed from underneath his wounded form like a desert dust storm. Raspy, painful low agony carried on the copper-colored dust.

When it cleared, she could see his cold dark eyes focused on her where she stood with head cocked, those eyes just as hard. He slowly opened his mouth, and a magical array formed. He was about to use dragons' breath. A massive bright white ball formed in his mouth.

"Too late…" Mikoto said, clicking her tongue.

A white-hot blast exploded from her hand, hitting Bahamut between the eyes, blowing out the back of his head. His body jerked, slumped lifeless, like a sack of spoiled meat. She turned her attention to the other beast charging. Humanoid, broad horns of the bull curved up to the sky, a bluish ball of fire between them. The face of a bull with huge elephant tusks, heavy shoulders wrapped in scales, its chest-covered armor plating, thick heavy scaled legs broke the ground, charging towards them like an Olympian sprinter.

"Bye…" she said with no emotion, firing another white-hot blast.

It punched against his armored chest, a chunky red explosion from his back, killing him instantly. He ran for a few more meters before the body tumbled, rolled, and stopped. And behind the burning remains, many of his forces were wiped out by the same blast.

Suddenly, a massive ground explosion sent tons of debris into the atmosphere.

Mikoto looked up at the sky. Another Dragon. This one is large, like a Komodo lizard with enormous leathery wings attached at the shoulders, smaller wings on its hips, an armored tail curled towards her, massive mouth opened wide, and magical arrays formed at both ends as it is ready to fire again.

Mikoto sneered and fired lightning from her long beautiful bangs as a bright blue explosion resonated from its tail. It fired again. Their shot struck each other, exploding in a brighter than bright light.

"Crap!" Mikoto quickly covered her eyes, "Can't see… Dammit…"

She dropped her head, covered her eyes with her hand, and took a deep breath as she wiped her eyes, looking up quickly blinking, "where is it!" She yelled. No answer.

She could hear the firing of the gauss mini rail guns. The ugly thud of small projectiles hitting flesh faster than the speed of sound.

She cleared her vision, looking at the sky. The flying Dragon was in retreat, miles away. "Bitch…" Mikoto growled, taking her stance. "Fly all you want, but unless you're in another world… I've gotcha…." She said, clicking her tongue.

Dust swirled around her heavy black boots, up her legs, around her waist, the ends of her hair fluttered, electricity coiled around her right arm towards her hand, to the tip of her fingernails.

The roar of a white-hot explosion, a long trail of burning air, a deathblow looking to split the Dragon in half longways. Suddenly, it swerved. "What!?" Mikoto said as her eyes went wide in surprise. "how? Miscalculation?" Her voice waned, watching its vector altering at the last moment. "Impossible?!"

Striking the flying beast along the right side of its body, its rear leg and right wing tumbles through the air, followed by a painful humanlike scream.

A rumbling caught her attention. Taking her eyes off the falling Dragon. The ground shook, cracked, and broke as the earth suddenly surged.

"Mikoto!"

Surprised by the familiar voice, Mikoto turned to see the portal open. With his death, Bahamut's magic no longer existed.

Anastasia had been the one who yelled. Gabriella ran, carrying Katrina in her arms. Ruiko quickly followed. "Hurry! The portals collapsing." Ruiko Saten yelled over her shoulder, "you need to…" she didn't need to finish her sentence. Mikoto knew.

"Retreat!" she screamed, looking around at her Elites.

The battle is still raging. Her small forces overextended, "now… That's an order! "She raised her hand over her head. "One… Two…"

They all turned and ran towards the portal. "three!" Mikoto clenched her hand into a fist and screamed. Large black clouds formed, a massive electrical storm rolled over a cloudless sky, and lightning crashed, sending wave after wave of electricity coursing through air and earth.

She turned to run, "what the…."

(The ground is surging… Little Misaka spoke…)

"That's not me…." Mikoto said as she ran.

(Something is coming up… there… Little Misaka said, quickly blow it!)

She didn't finish her statement.

The ground erupted, sending millions of tons of dirt, debris, and dust mixing with the electrical storm. The sky grew heavy with coppers and reds. Giant dust clouds caught fire and burst, sending balls of flames raining down.

Among the chaos in the sky and ground, a Shadowy image slipped within the dark heavy cloud of dust. A painful low moan played as a behemoth rose from the depths.

(Another one?!)

Mikoto could see her comrades flailing like puppets without strings. A large black mouth opened in the dust and swallowed them like treats.

"Nooooo!" she clenched her jaws, "Nooooooo!" electricity shot across the ground. Mikoto rushed into the dark cloud, raised her hand, and fired, "don't you dare!" Her railgun ignited the cloud, and the dust exploded, catching fire and engulfing the beast and her vampires. A miscalculation on Mikoto's part. But they were vampires. She knew they'd recover.

The unexpected enormous shock wave hit her. She gasped, dropped to her knee, readied herself for the following impact.

A painful roar filled her ears. Another explosion and heavy wet thud of something hitting the ground like hail. The heavy whump shook the ground.

(you took its head off!)

Mikoto's ears rang, her eyes blurred, and her forces scattered, crawled across the rocks in confusion.

"Hurry!" she heard Anastasia's voice in the deafening silence.

Mikoto raised her head. Her vision clouded from the dust and procession of the shock wave and glanced over to the portal.

Emma and Sylvia fought to hold Anastasia, her elder wolves doing their best as Anastasia raged, screaming her name and trying to get through the portal.

Another explosion and the soil lifted as a giant snake-like head rose from underneath, lifting with it the bloody stump.

"two heads…" Mikoto gasped, "what the fu…." watching in dismay as it rose through the dust. The rays of the twin suns gave an eerie yellow glow around its shadowy form.

She quickly took a deep breath, snarled, and rushed towards it, iron sand forming in her hand, vibrating like a chainsaw.

"Mikoto…

No…

The portal…"

She ignored her cries.

Mikoto leaped, running across the vertical face of the plateau, jumping on its back, raised her arm.

The whip rose high into the air, snapped down, cleaving its head in two.

A gigantic explosion sent her flying, hitting the ground, rolling, and tumbling until she stopped.

She was on her knees, coughing and choking, wiping the blood from her mouth as she raised her head. She was far away from the portal. A wry smile hung on her mouth, seeing Anastasia fighting with everyone to get through the portal.

"Damn…" Mikoto said softly in resolve. "you always did like the attention, Anna."

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and rose to her feet. Started running towards the portal. Each step was faster than the previous, each breath deeper than the last. Her eyes focused as the portal runes flickered.

"It will be close…."

She sees the ground move from the corner of her eye. "another?" She said. Fearing another attack from under the ground.

(No… Little Misaka quickly spoke, too small.)

"Stephanie!" Alexis yelled from the portal. She was standing just outside the portal. Making sure Anastasia wouldn't get past her. She yelled. Looking in the opposite direction.

The small dirty figure slowly staggered, caked in blood and dirt.

"Crap…" Mikoto said, changing direction, "gotta get her… Alexis will never forgive me." Another dark form rose from the debris. She stood up, shaking her head, looking around in confusion.

"Another?" Mikoto smiled dryly. Just not my day, is it?

"Cana! " she yelled to the dazed little vampire. "RUN!"

She quickly obeyed. Taking her first step towards the portal, dragging her right leg. "She'll never make it…."

Mikoto rushed over, snatched Stephanie by the collar, and threw her like a center fielder throwing a runner out at the home plate. Her tiny body tumbled in the air, hit the ground,

and bounced.

(she'll survive).

Alexis screamed Stephanie's name, rushed out from the portal, caught her, turned, and threw her through it.

(runners out… little Misaka chuckled. Man, I do love a good baseball game.)

"Cana!" Alexis yelled," Hurry!" bending over and holding her arms out like she was a small child running toward her.

Mikoto caught up to Cana. Caked in blood, sweat, and dirt, the little vampire looked at Mikoto with begging, distressed eyes. She knew what the little girl was thinking. A foolish little girl. A warmth spread over Mikoto. She remembered the first time she'd found her.

(Reminisce later.) Mikoto chuckled. You can be such an ass.

"Go, mistress!" The little vampire spoke. Her worry is clear in her eyes.

Mikoto smiled softly, "not without you… Cana."

A quick soft smile appeared on the little girl's face, but just as quickly, Cana shook her head, "no… You mustn't…."

Mikoto interrupted, "I'm the Queen... "

She wrapped her petite body in her arms and spun around like a discus thrower, "tell everyone…." She whispered, "I love them all…." Cana sailed through the air.

Alexis watched as she rocketed towards her, her eyes wider, "oh shit… She's not going to bounce…."

She was right.

Alexis braced herself, watching the expressions changing every few feet as Cana screamed.

Little Cana slammed into her chest, pushing them both through the portal. It flickered a few times, and the runes of the magical array slowly stopped turning.

Mikoto ran faster and faster. Anastasia screaming, Emelia screaming. She felt their fear, their pain, and then it was gone.