The Infernal Castle.
That was the name Emma gave when the president provided what limited knowledge she and the other witches possessed about the phenomenon Class VII was now inside of. The same castle that had supposedly appeared to mark the final battle of the War of the Lions two hundred and fifty years ago. A place that should have remained sealed for all eternity.
And the place that would almost assuredly mark their final battle in this war.
Although they were offered the chance to bow out after liberating the Karel Imperial Villa, that Rean could sense Crow in this malevolent place made that an impossible request. And Rean needing to be there ensured that Laura and the rest of Class VII needed to be there as well. Even if that final battle was to be his alone she would ensure he would make it to that duel unharmed by the enemies likely awaiting him before that point.
Even just getting to this point was no small feat as they faced multiple hurdles in transit. The Noble Alliance had placed the Pantagruel between the Courageous and the Infernal Castle, leading to an aerial dogfight that Laura had wanted no part in – All of her skill and training meant nothing in such a battle, after all. Thankfully for her Towa and the rest of the Courageous' crew had proved their mettle as they deftly evaded the larger airship long enough for Emma to teleport her and the rest of her friends to the surface. Multiple Magic Knights stood between them and the gates, but Patrick and the rest of Thors once again proved their valor as they stood firm against the mechanical monstrosities, paving the road for them to reach the gate.
A gate that had been blocked by a magical barrier. It took Rean using Spirit Unification and channeling all of his power into Valimar's blade in order to break through long enough for them to enter. A task that had all but exhausted the Divine Knight, and although he tried to deny it, the pilot too.
"...And that is why I believe you should remain as part of the reserve team, at least for the initial exploration of this castle." With Valimar out of commission for a few hours they couldn't afford to leave their most powerful weapon without a guard. And given the sheer size of this place they were infiltrating it only made sense to keep two a few people in reserve to rest up while the others continue the mission.
"B-But..." Rean stammered while searching for a retort, "But what if you guys encounter Crow and I'm not there to support you?"
"Nope." Fie interjected with a grin, "We all know Crow is waiting for us at the top of this place. It's the most cliché thing possible, after all. And plus, with Valimar out of action what are you gonna do if he shows up in early? Challenge him to Blade?"
The swordsman gaped like a fish while Laura nodded her appreciation for the support. Most of the others seemed content to watch the spectacle unfold, but given the looks on their faces she was fairly certain they found the entire situation to be quite amusing. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage? "Do any of you have any objections to my suggestion?"
"S-Sorry, Rean, but I think it's for the best."
"We will need you and Valimar in the best shape if we are to have any chance at beating the Azure Knight..."
"There's virtue in patience. Rest assured your turn to fight will come."
"Stop trying to do everything yourself!"
"Honestly, Rean. We can take care of ourselves."
"You? I seriously doubt that. Still, I am quite confident in the rest of us."
"Do you humans have to argue about everything?"
"Haha! Sucks to be you, Rean!"
"Face it. You're completely whipped at this point."
As a kind and respectful person Laura did her best to keep the smug grin off her face at the unanimous support from her friends. She had a feeling she was quite unsuccessful in her effort. Still, at least she tried – unlike Fie - and that was what was important!
Being completely outnumbered Rean relented, "Alright, fine. I'll stay behind for now." Despite his opposition the wry grin on his face painted a different story, "I'm not gonna be here alone, am I?"
In the end he wasn't. Both Gaius and Machias volunteered to also remain behind while the rest of them carved a path forward. After a few final parting words of encouragement from Rean she and the majority of Class VII made their way up the stairs and into the fortress proper.
As she ascended the steps Laura took in her surroundings. The layout of the Infernal Castle defied all belief, and yet the thing she found most disconcerting was just how nonplussed she was about the whole thing. That Class VII had experienced the abnormal so often as to make something like this feel almost routine...
Hopefully there would be a return to normalcy after this because she was starting to worry that abnormal was becoming the new normal for her.
But while the layout of the interior didn't faze her much, the same could not be said about the monsters infesting the place. It was reminiscent of their foray into the bottom floor of the old schoolhouse, with practically every enemy opposing them being more deadly than the last. Emma had once again referred to them fiends, and the description seemed apt. Sentient weapons, headless knights, large statues, and even a badly-damaged Magic Knight opposed them as they made their ascent.
Nothing that Class VII couldn't handle after all the trials they had faced to get there, but Laura found herself both regretful and glad of her decision to leave Rean and the others behind. Regret because right now they could really use the extra firepower to progress through the labyrinthine castle more quickly. Glad because even though they were acquitting themselves very well on the battlefield there was little doubt in her mind that the toll of all these struggles would make itself known on them before long, so having reserves currently resting up was a good thing for their continued success.
After an hour or so of constant combat that ended with them ascending another flight of stairs the group of eight found themselves standing in front of a large door. Even if she lacked the ability to sense people that someone like Rean possessed she had a sinking suspicion that someone was behind that barrier, ready to oppose them.
And just like during their forays into the old schoolhouse and the spirit shrines there was a teleporter machine that would take them all back to ground level. Deep down she wondered if they had all been expecting such a device, as that was the best way to make their two party system work. Fie volunteered herself to test out the machine, and after vanishing for a brief moment she returned, confirming both that it worked and that Machias' reactions when startled were priceless.
...Jusis lamented quietly that he should have been the one to investigate the machine if that was the reaction he could have garnered.
Once everyone confirmed they were ready Instructor Sara opened the door and the eight of them warily entered. The room was a large arena with the only thing of note being the circular object at the far end of the place. An elevator upwards, perhaps?
"I knew you would be coming." Laura immediately recognized that voice as belonging to Duvalie the Swift. Indeed the Stahlritter knight was now approaching them, and she wasn't alone, either.
"My apologies for dropping in like this." Bleublanc the enforcer stood next to her, and unlike their previous playful encounter aboard the Courageous he actually seemed eager for a fight.
Duvalie cast a curious look around the place, "It is said that she, too, once challenged this legendary castle... There would be no greater honor for me than to be able to demonstrate my strength here!"
'She'? Laura had her suspicions, but it was Celine who provided the answer, "She's referring to the Steel Maiden, Ouroboros' Seventh Anguis. Although there are some who speculate her to be St. Lianne Sandlot herself."
"But that's impossible!" The Arseid nodded along to Alisa's outburst. That the Seventh Anguis could be the same as the legendary hero her family has revered for two-hundred fifty years ago had to be impossible...
Right?
"Hey! Weren't we saved by someone similar looking to St. Sandlot in Lohengrin Castle?" Millium's question left her feeling rather uncomfortable about the whole idea.
And yet there was one more piece of evidence to support that theory, "With a name like the Stahlritter it's abundantly clear that inspiration was drawn from the Lance Maiden and her Eisenritter if nothing else."
She noticed Duvalie was now looking directly at her with a smug smile on her face, "Indeed. She saw my potential and guided me in all her wisdom, graciously ushered me to new heights few could ever hope to reach. Someone from a mere branch like the Arseid school could never hope to compare!"
"...Interesting." Laura was finally starting to understand why it seemed like the knight had such an issue with her. For someone who was a member of what seemed to be the successor unit to the Eisenritter the Arseid name was a challenge to be overcome.
But she too had her pride. Eisenritter. Stahlritter. Chosen of the Lance Maiden. None of that mattered to her. She would not allow herself to lose to anyone, "The chance to face an opponent related to my life's goal is a gift I am rarely presented. Duvalie, it would be an honor to test my skill against yours."
...Of course even if she had her pride as a swordswoman she also had the maturity to keep a level head about the matter. "Neither to prove the Arseid school as more than a branch nor to defend its name, but simply so that together, we may both aspire to greater heights!"
"Ugh..." Was it petty of her to take the wind out of the now red in the face knight like that? Perhaps. Did she feel any remorse about her action? Not at all. Fie was probably to blame for that, but the younger girl wasn't the only one giggling at their conversation.
"Augh!" Duvalie stomped her foot on the ground angrily, "Stop staring at me like I'm some sort of naughty child! It's all very well to talk big, but it means nothing without the strength to back it up!"
"Well, enough prattle. Shall we begin?" Laura had all but forgotten about Phantom Thief B because of her dealings with the Stahlritter knight, but that changed when the enforcer drew his staff and summoned a pair of menacing looking archaisms to his side, "The famous Purple Lightning and her loyal students... Show to me the beautiful emptiness that lies at the very depths of despair!"
What an odd man. Most of their encounters with the thief were rather civil affairs, but his obsession with beauty led him to say and do such cruel things at the most inopportune of times. There was little chance at them avoiding a fight this time, so it was fortunate their instructor was there to oppose him, "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"
Having recovered from her earlier humiliation, Duvalie pointed her sword directly at her rival swordswoman, "Don't hold back, because I certainly won't! On my name as the foremost knight of the Stahlritter, Duvalie the Swift... You shall be defeated!"
Very well. The challenge had been issued and Laura saw no reason to not accept. She stared down at the supposedly older knight as she took her own stance. "Ready your sword!" Around her there was a bustle of activity as her classmates and instructor also prepared to face down their foes.
Given this was her third time facing the Stahlritter in combat Laura felt she had a solid grasp on how her opponent would act. She was the Swift through and through, which made her a rather impetuous fighter. With that knowledge in hand she was well prepared when Duvalie immediately tried overwhelming her with a burst of speed.
Her efforts to overwhelm Laura with a rapid assault were for naught as the blue-haired warrior stood her ground in the face the onslaught. During the past year she had faced so many individuals who were faster than her, such as Rean, Fie, Instructor Sara, Friedel, and Duvalie herself, While she would never consider herself to be a slow person, there was no denying that the Arseid style prioritized power over speed.
That simply meant she needed to adapt. She would never be able to match them in a contest of speed, so why bother? Let her opponent exhaust themselves with their rapid movements as they tried to overwhelm her from all angles. So long as she stood her ground and relied upon her insight of battle she could keep track of their movements, defend against their relentless assaults, and counter when possible.
"Take this!" Such lessons were proving to be quite useful as Duvalie launched a blade of ice at her. With some difficulty she evaded such an attack, but the Stahlritter had expected such a move and was upon Laura before she could recover herself. She had to duck her head to avoid the first strike before recovering enough to ward off the Ouroboros member's second with her sword. Despite the failure of her attack Duvalie smirked victoriously, "Your last victory was a fluke and it's time I put you in your place!"
"It does appear that you've recovered from your injuries. Glad to see you aren't foolishly charging into battle despite being unfit for it... again." Sadly her attempt at trash talking couldn't hide the stark reality of her situation. Unlike the last time she couldn't expect to outlast the knight. If she wished to prevail she would need to find a new opening to exploit.
"Grr...!" Even if her physical strikes were unable to find success her verbal one certainly did. With a howl of anger Duvalie charged towards her once again. Her speed was even quicker now, but Laura couldn't help but notice her charge seemed a little sloppier, as if she were channeling her rage into her movement. It was an effective tactic, but one that could be exploited by a disciplined opponent...
...Such as how she kicked her leg out at the last second as she dodged out of the way, causing the Stahlritter leader to stumble and nearly trip before recovering herself, "How dare you mock me with such a dishonorable move!? Fight me fairly!"
It was indeed a dishonorable duel, and were the circumstances not so dire she would gladly fight her fellow practitioner of the blade fairly, but now was not the time for that. The stakes were simply too high to mess around against a more experienced warrior. She needed to find a way to gain and advantage and end this quickly.
The sensation of a combat link being formed gave her a possible solution. Thank you, Fie.
While the former jaeger wasn't in position to interfere in Laura's battle, the knowledge she provided through the link was something she could work with. Just a few arge away Fie was putting the finishing touches on the archaism she had been battling. Thanks to Laura's unfortunate history with machines she understood implicitly what the sparking and shuddering robot was about to do and braced herself accordingly.
Duvalie was not quite so lucky.
The exploding archaism released a shockwave of energy that sent the knight airborne. Unlike Laura's attempts at tripping her there was no chance Duvalie would be able to right herself in time. Something that Laura was more than willing to take advantage of, having burst into action as soon as it happened, blade poised for a mighty swing on her helpless foe.
Despite being an enemy Laura had no intention of becoming a murderer if she could help it, and so she focused her strike upon the older woman's armor. The material that made up the protective plate proved to be durable enough to stop her blade, but not so much as to not suffer from the blow. The armor itself was rent where her blow had landed, causing jagged pieces of armor to pierce Duvalie's abdomen painfully.
Fighting stopped as eyes turned to the wounded knight. Given the way Duvalie was clutching her bloody side as she slowly rose to her feet Laura had a feeling that she might have even broken a rib or two with that final attack. Surely that would be enough for Duvalie to- "Haha... Hahahaha!" The crazed look in her eyes was disconcerting, as were her words, "You mock me. You insult me. You dishonor me with cowardly tactics... Do you really think I'll allow you to besmirch the swordsmanship that the illustrious Steel Maiden had taught me!?"
Duvalie's aura became visible as fury and madness seemed to consumed her, "You think I'll allow you to best me!? That will never happen!"
"Everyone! Watch out!" Yelled their instructor from where she had been battling the enforcer. A warning that proved to be very needed as Duvalie began moving so quickly as to create afterimages of herself. And in her berserk state she seemed to be going after any and every Class VII member that got in her way.
A resounding clang ensued as Laura managed to block one of her attacks, but Duvalie was not deterred in the slightest as she continued her assault against the others, much to her worry. Instructor Sara – despite her current battle – was capable of enduring such an attack, as was Fie, but could the others endure such a deadly blitz for long?
The situation had just become dire. It was clear to her that Duvalie would soon wear herself out with this reckless assault, but would Class VII be able to endure long enough? Not to mention they needed to remain relatively fresh for the battles to come...
They needed a miracle.
"I'm afraid they have to bow out for now, but not to worry! The real stars of act two have arrived!"
The Arseid heiress blinked in shock as a pair of orbal arts attacks drove the two Ouroboros agents back. Despite thinking they needed a miracle she hadn't actually expect one to arrive. And it wasn't just one miracle, but two, "Your Highness! Toval!"
"You had to have planned that." Despite almost assuredly feeling the same elation she did Fie managed to keep her expression to an annoyed deadpan.
The bracer gave an easy laugh in response, "Well, we weren't standin' around waiting for the right time to make our grand entrance, I'll give you that much."
"Speak for yourself." Prince Olivert, meanwhile, seemed rather offended by his companion's words, "And if you must know, Class VII, the situation in western Erebonia has finally turned in our favor. And as soon as it did, we made for the capital as fast as we could. Even so, we only just arrived."
Whether they just arrived or not was mostly irrelevant as Laura was grateful for the reinforcements regardless. She had the utmost faith in Toval's skills after seeing him around Legram for years, and Prince Olivert too was highly regarded as a capable warrior after his foray into Liberl. Surely the two of them would make a big difference.
And could her father have possibly come with the two? He had been with them in the west...
Sadly that wasn't a question she would get to ask, as the two arts users ushered Class VII to move ahead and leave the battle to them. Duvalie seemed eager to protest the point, but with Baron Bleublanc being enthralled by the prospect of fighting his 'rival' the knight didn't have much chance to stop them from reaching the elevator. Her frustrated yells followed them as they ascended further into the Infernal Castle.
Now that they had gained a respite she thought back to the battle just waged. It was clear to her that right now she wasn't quite on the level of her Ouroboros rival when Duvalie elected to go all out, but that didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. Her earlier words weren't in jest – That fight would inspire her to seek greater heights in the future.
Laura didn't know if she would ever face Duvalie the Swift again, but she vowed to herself that if it happened then she would be strong enough to hold her own against the leader of the Stahlritter.
Fie was uncharacteristically quiet as she and the rest of the present members of Class VII explored the second level of the Infernal Castle. It had nothing to do with the battle they had just escaped from as she had managed to make it through with nary a scratch despite the difficulty. Instead her thoughts were focused on their immediate future.
"Are you alright?" A concerned Rean asked. Thankfully they were able to find another one of those handy teleporters after the fight and between injuries or exhaustion Emma, Elliot, and Jusis had subbed themselves out for the three that had been waiting.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about who's next."
"Who's next? Why are... Oh." Eyes widened as he got where she was coming from, "You're thinking about Xeno and Leo, aren't you?" Rean seemed to understand that he was right despite the fact she didn't answer his question, "...I'm sure your resolve will be able to get through to them eventually. And naturally I and the others will be there to support you until it does."
It was a standard Rean thing to say, but it left her feeling a little better. Actually, his comment sparked an idea into her head. It was foolhardy. It was stupid.
...It was something she still wanted to do.
But that was for when they reached her brothers. For now the group of students and Sara continued their trek up the castle. The fiends on this level were even more powerful than the ones on the previous floor, and with a group this big it was difficult to navigate around without provoking fights. Sure the battles were still quite manageable, especially now that they had Rean and Gaius onto the team to give them a really solid front line for her to support, but the loss of their two best arts users also meant that it would be harder to deal with any serious injuries sustained.
Luckily they were able to avoid those serious injuries as they cleaved their way through waves of nasty spiders, serpents, and other assorted fiends from Gehenna, but minor ones were starting to pile up everywhere. Alisa had a nasty little cut on her face from a stray attack, Gaius had taken a rough hit when a fiend knocked him away, and even Sara was occasionally rolling her shoulder while wincing in pain, courtesy of either Phantom Thief B or old age.
Seeing all those injuries and fatigue made her think her stupid idea wasn't quite as stupid as she initially thought.
Fie couldn't help but feel the tinge of nervousness as they proceeded onward, which was odd as she could scarcely recall the last time she felt nerves from an upcoming battle. Fights had always been a simple affair to her, pitting skill, instincts, and even luck against the opponent with the end goal of surviving. The need to protect her loved ones had added a new wrinkle to the formula, but at its core the upcoming fight should be the same as all the others she's faced recently.
But while the upcoming fight would very much be a difficult one physically – Xeno and Leo were jaegers, after all – it was the mental component that frightened her the most. It was more than simply beating them in a fight, she needed to prove to them that she wasn't the same little girl they left behind. If she wanted answers to the questions that had been plaguing her she needed to show her brothers that she was capable of handling the truth.
And most importantly, she wanted to show her old family just how important her new one had become to her.
Fie nodded her head. She was convinced that her absurd plan was the right one.
After clearing out another wave of dangerous fiends and ascending ever higher the group once again reached a massive door. Only this one was different than the previous thanks to the crudely drawn picture of a green bird upon it. An image that confirmed her expectations and fears alike.
It was the symbol of Zephyr. Xeno and Leo were just beyond that door.
Even with her heart hammering in her chest she still felt the concerned gazes of her classmates upon her as they all understood what she did. Once they opened that door there was no going back. A comforting hand found itself on her shoulders and her eyes met the worried ones of Laura, "Are you ready for this?"
"Actually, that's what I wanted to ask." Fie admitted to her lover, "You up for another big fight?"
Laura was confused, but nodded her head regardless, "Of course. The fight against Duvalie was taxing, but nothing I couldn't handle. Why do you ask?"
Good. Briefly she turned her gaze from Laura and to Rean, but given he hadn't participated in the first section of the Infernal Castle she wasn't as worried about him. Instead she shifted her focus to the class as a whole, "I want to make a selfish request. Behind that door are my two brothers. There's no way they'll let us pass without a fight, but I want to prove to them how much I've grown."
She smiled softly at everyone, "You're all important members of my new family, but when I face Xeno and Leo I want to do so with only Rean and Laura at my side."
It wasn't surprising that her request was met with thunderous silence. A silence that was finally broken by a wide-eyed Alisa, "I'm sorry, but why?! That seems like a terrible idea!"
"I agree with Alisa." Machias added, "It's exceedingly reckless."
"C'mon! Me and Lammy wanna fight too!"
Gaius didn't say anything, but he nodded in support of their classmates. Of greater interest to Fie, however, were the reactions of her two chosen partners. Like Gaius they remained silent, but unlike the Nord they didn't give anything away as they looked at her curiously."
She opened her mouth to defend her choice... "Alright." Instead she found herself interrupted, "If the three of you are in agreement I'll allow it."
"Instructor!?" Most of the others stared at Sara in surprise, annoyance, or a nice mixture of both. For her part Fie had sorta expected such a comment, but she was still grateful to her mentor all the same.
Under all the looks Sara shrugged before giving a lopsided grin, "What? Would be pretty damn hypocritical of me if I said no after what I did in Aurochs Fort, wouldn't it? That being said, I'm placing two conditions on this."
The silver-haired girl nodded her head, causing Sara to raise one finger, "If you guys get in over your head we're stepping in. No debate." Understandable. Again she nodded, causing Sara to raise another finger, "Second: Those guys are gonna put you through the ringer, so all three of you are on the bench after this one. Gonna need you nice and fresh for the finale."
A little more annoying, but again she nodded her assent. Rean grumbled a little, probably 'cause he had just gotten back into the party, but it sucked to be him. He was their golden goose for the endgame and needed to be kept fresh for that one.
With assent given by the woman who had somehow become the closest thing she would ever have to a sister, Fie turned her attention to the only two people whose opinions mattered more to her. For his part Rean only needed an instant to give his thoughts, "I can't say I'm super excited to be facing off against those crazy jaegers again, but if you think this way is best for you than I won't refuse."
"My answer is the same, naturally. I am honored to prove your new life in combat against your old." Laura paused and let out a small giggle, "Plus, I suppose it's only fitting since I know my father will want to duel you at some point."
Fie paled a little at that thought. Watching Rean get tossed around by an overprotective Radiant Blademaster was bad enough. Experiencing it herself would be far far worse.
Ah well. The only way Laura's dad was gonna kick her ass is if they somehow survived this day, so perhaps it was something positive to look forward to.
With everyone in agreement – even if her other friends didn't look super pleased by the decision – Fie turned her attention back to the door. No more room for delay. With one deep breath to calm her nerves she placed her hands on the portal and pushed it open.
Normally when she entered a new room her first instinct was to take in her surroundings in detail, both to protect against ambushes and to ensure an escape route was available. This time, however, she did nothing of the sort. Instead her focus was entirely on the two individuals standing calmly in the center of the room.
"Wow. Talk about quick." Xeno, naturally, looked as relaxed and carefree as he always did.
Leo on the other hand appeared stern and stoic, "You've been advancing the castle at an impressive rate."
That they were the same as always was a comfort to the young girl. It made what was about to happen feel a little less final. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sara and the others hold back, leaving just her and her two designated partners for the upcoming struggle, something which the two jaegers noticed with upraised brows.
With a deep breath to steady herself Fie approached her brothers, "I want to know what happened a year ago. Why you all left me behind after the boss died... Where the others are, what they're doing now... I've wanted those answers for a long time. And today, I want you to give me them."
The two jaegers briefly debated among themselves before Leo surprised her with a nod, "The reason we left ou behind... was because that was the Boss' will."
"Before he went to settle things with the Red Constellation's War God, he gave us a message. He told us, if he died in that battle we should get you out of the corps once and for all. He knew the guild had gotten wind of the duel and knew the Purple Lightning would take you in."
To the surprise of everyone – including herself – she laughed. After calming down she explained herself, "Gotta admit, I kinda suspected that was the answer. The things I've experienced and the people I've met... Boss probably expected all of it."
"...I'm not so sure he expected all of it." Rean shrank back like a coward when both jaegers glared in his direction.
Should she throw him a bone? Sure. "Dunno why you're glaring at him. I've slept with Laura too."
"F-F-Fie!"
"Haha... I see." There was a very dark undertone to Xeno's laugh as he glared at the other girl as she too shrank back like a coward, "Even if we removed you from the jaeger life we couldn't remove the jaeger life from you, could we?"
"Just to be clear..." To the outsider Leo's tone remained unchanged, but she could tell how dark his mood had become, "They are the only two you are intimate with, correct?"
Fie rolled her eyes. For a bunch of paid mercenaries her big brothers could be stupidly overprotective. Should she be honest with them, or should she give an answer that was sure to drive them mad...? "For now, at least. Might change later on, who knows?" Drive them mad, of course!
"It's a shame we're under contract, because I believe we are due for a long talk." Leo hoisted his powerful weapon up and got ready for the fight. Xeno followed suit with his own rifle.
"W-Wait!" Normally telling a jaeger to wait just as a battle was about to begin was a dumb idea, but thankfully they were the exception to that rule, "What about my other question?!"
"That, we can't answer. Surely that comes as no surprise. You're no longer part of the corps. Outsiders have no business being kept abreast of our internal affairs."
Xeno followed his partner's words, "Still, if you really wanna know you could always beat it out of us. That's how us jaegers do business, right?"
The meaning was clear. The time for words had passed. The time for fighting was now.
...Or at least in a few seconds. She felt the need to get in the final words, "I'm not the same little girl you once knew. The one who always needed you to protect her. I'm strong now. Strong enough to protect my new family, even against you guys." Having the two people she loved the most at her side gave her the confidence needed for the fight, "...Let's do this."
Still, all the confidence in the world meant nothing if you didn't have the skill needed to back it up. While she had total faith in Rean and Laura her brothers were on Sara's level. In their skirmish at Garrelia Fortress she and Rean had struggled just to hold their own against Xeno. Having to face both of them with just the three of them...
They needed a plan.
That was something Rean was usually in charge of, but given her familiarity with their opponents it unfortunately fell to her, "Rean – Take on Xeno. You saw what he can do, but make sure to stay fast so he can't get a bead on you and watch out for his traps."
"Right!"
"Watch out for Leo's spike." She informed the other girl, "His weapon is huge, but he's a master at catching people off guard with his quick jabs."
"Understood."
Fie resisted her natural urge to charge in alongside the two, instead opting to throw down a smoke grenade to give herself an opportunity to vanish from their sight. For now she opted to wait for a potential opening to be made. Either that or she would help out anyone who found themselves in trouble.
...Something which occurred fairly quickly as Xeno used one of his favorite tactics of littering the surroundings with his javelin mines to trap his opponent and force them to divide their attention between the timed explosives and the deadly sharpshooter. Even though Rean was currently linked with Laura she could tell by his stance that he was about to use his Gale technique on the mines. Smart, but with Xeno hanging back that would leave him vulnerable. Was he fast enough to avoid the shots?
She wasn't about to wait around to find out.
Emerging from the smoke she darted towards Xeno at a full sprint, hoping to catch the older man with his focus down the scope. Sadly things didn't work out as well as she hoped as the Trap Master must have sensed her coming as he aborted his shot to swing his rifle at her. Evading the attack was simple enough, but doing so ensured her own attack accomplished nothing. Still, the objective had been completed as Rean had managed to destroy all the mines and was now finishing his technique by charging straight at their opponent in an attempt to hit him from both sides.
Xeno's response was to throw a grenade at her.
Was it one of the Trap Master's special tools? Had he precooked it? Would it kill her if she remained where she was? Lacking the answers to those critical questions Fie made the executive decision to get far away as quickly as possible. A smart call as the grenade exploded before hitting the ground in a blast of shrapnel and smoke, giving Fie the answers to those prior questions: No. Yes. Yes.
But Fie knew she couldn't waste time by simply dodging so she had turned that hasty retreat into a charge towards the other ongoing battle. What she saw didn't surprise her. She knew that Laura was strong as she could count on one hand the number of people she knew who possessed more physical strength than the Arseid and still have fingers left over.
Sadly for Laura, Leo was one of them.
Fie thought she had a good angle to strike the Behemoth while he was working to overpower his opponent in a clash of weapons, but as she got closer she realized she had messed up when Leo shifted his foot slightly before shoving off, pushing Laura back with all his considerable strength. There was no way to halt her momentum in time as she knew exactly what move Leo was about to use.
Brutal Spin. What the technique lacked in creativity it more than made up for in power as the well-built jaeger spun around with blade gauntlet at the ready. Knowing it was coming she used her gunblades to block the attack, but no amount of blocking from her small weapons was enough to protect her from such a strong attack. She grunted at the impact before marveling at the sensation of weightlessness as she was sent flying through the air.
That sensation gave way to agony as she collided painfully with the ground. With her head ringing it was hard to get her body moving, but knowing that neither of the two would ignore such an opening she struggled to her feet regardless. Sadly for her, however, by the time she got back to her feet Xeno had already taken aim with his rifle and fired at the defenseless girl.
But just before the round struck her a blur of black and the flash of steel filled her vision as Rean appeared to deflect the shot with his tachi. Any attempts at a second attack were put on ice as Laura used her greatsword to launch a shockwave across the ground in the direction of the Trap Master.
Fie felt a warmth in her body that was mostly unrelated to the pain from her previous hit. This was how it should be. She would protect her new family with everything she had, and they in turn would protect her when she needed it. As long as they were together they had a chance. And she knew just how to pull it off.
With a brief lull in the fighting she turned her gaze towards Rean and Laura. She didn't say anything, but she was hopeful that they could read her thoughts by look alone. Having done so she turned back to the two jaegers, "Nice to see neither of you have lost a step in your old age, but I'm gonna end it here and now! This is my technique, stronger than even the one Boss taught me!"
As expected, both jaegers stared at her in a mix of interest and wary caution. Time to put on a show.
Putting all the energy she had into her shaky legs the former Zephyr member darted forward as quickly as possible, pushing herself even beyond the limits she reached when facing the noble students the day before. To the others she must have appeared as a blur followed by a bunch of after images, but to her they were all just moving in slow motion.
And yet even at that speed neither Xeno and Leo were deterred. While neither of them were fast enough to keep up with her, both were experienced enough to counter her speed as they instinctively closed together for cover while keeping their eyes trained on her. Any attempt at launching an attack at them was aborted as one of them moved into position to intercept. There was no opening. She couldn't win the fight with her Shadow Brigade.
But she didn't need to win the fight even if she said otherwise. She was just the distraction.
"Termination Slash – Dawn!"
"Radiant Lion!"
Xeno and Leo were savvy veterans, and even with their focus on her they normally would have been capable of stopping the powerful attacks from the other students. But Rean and Laura had one final ace to play that not even she had expected – Instead of going after their original opponents they switched targets at the final moment, a move that actually managed to catch the two off guard.
Xeno was able to block Laura's powerful strike with his blade rifle, but as strong as that weapon was it wasn't designed to endure such an attack. The audible crack from the collision of weapons made it quite clear that the weapon had been badly damaged, even if the wielder remained untouched. Something which Leo could not say as he had been too slow to block Rean's slash, earning the massive man a cut nearly as massive for his failure.
Fie knew they weren't finished yet, but after launching such a ferocious assault she needed a moment to catch her breath, instead opting to watch the duo warily with weapons trained. Both of her companions opted to do the same as they returned to her side.
"Heheh... Hahaha..." Xeno looked up from his mangled weapon with a gleam of excitement in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine, "Gotta admit, that was pretty damn impressive."
Leo too seemed rather unperturbed by the blood seeping from his large injury, "You have indeed grown, Fie. As have your... friends. Very well. You've earned what comes next."
What comes next...? T-They weren't were they!? Her eyes widened in shock and horror as both jaegers were encased in a black aura. She didn't think they would go this far in a fight like this!
Her surprise must have been visible to the two elites, "We can answer your question from earlier... but I'm afraid our contract forbids us from letting you go any further."
"We've got our pride as a jaeger corps, y'know." The lanky man followed his partner even as their auras grew exponentially, "So as long as we live, you ain't takin' a single step past us!"
What came next was as expected as it was terrifying. War Cry. A skill used by the most elite jaegers to draw out all the latent energy inside a person, allowing them access to feats of superhuman strength. Of course doing so would negatively affect their bodies and the two would definitely be out of it for the next couple days.
But the next couple days didn't really matter for Fie. She wasn't sure they were gonna survive the next couple minutes at this rate, even with Sara and the others rapidly approaching clearly realizing that things had gotten out of hand. If her brothers were serious about keeping them away there was no way they would relent unless one side was dead. And they still needed to be ready for the next fights!
Fie glumly surmised that the situation had just gotten really really bad.
"Heehee. We made it just in time."
"Shall we go on the offensive?"
...Or reinforcements had just arrived to bail them out at the most convenient moment possible. It was totally cliché and honestly a little annoying, but Fie wasn't gonna complain as attacks were launched upon the two jaegers.
"Sh-Sh-Sh... Sharon!?"
"Claire! You're here!"
It was just as Alisa and Millium called it. She wasn't sure how the two had snuck into the room, but she also wasn't gonna complain about it either.
...Unlike Sara who was definitely complaining under her breath at seeing her two least favorite people.
"We'll handle them! Keep going!" Captain Claire's words were appreciated and Fie led her classmates around the new battle towards the elevator. With War Cry active the two enhanced jaegers were far more interested in the new threats than they were the retreating students, allowing them to reach the exit safely.
And yet somehow Xeno fought his bloodlust to focus his gaze onto her as the elevator began ascending, "Fie! The others in the corps are doing just fine! They're acting separately from us right now – to bring back the boss!"
"Wha...?" His parting words filled her mind with so many questions, but they would remain unanswered as her brothers disappeared from view.
Bring Boss back? What did he mean by that? Did he mean they were seeking out a replacement to bring back Zephyr? Or could it mean something else?
She knew those questions would haunt her for a long time, but unfortunately for her they were still deep in enemy territory on a mission of greater importance. She did her best to put on a strong front to ward off the concern on the faces of the others. She probably wasn't successful, but nobody pried. Good, 'cause they still had a long ways to go.
Or not. At the entrance to the next area was one of those teleporter machines and Sara was staring at her with the flattest stare possible, silently reminding her of the deal they had made before the fight.
She grimaced at the thought. How was she supposed to go onto the bench after what she had just experienced!?
