–Legend 32-

-Castle Crashers-

…..

The skies of Luna scrolled by at some rate of knots. Stars and their light; rocks and their dust were whipped into a single passing blur as Team Rosenkreuz made for The Moon's opposite face.

"...And then Blake looked me up and down and said, 'Now That's a Katana!'"

Ruby burst into giggles, barely contained by her hands covering her mouth.

"I'm fairly sure of what 'Katana' means in this context...and yet I still don't desire clarification," was Weiss's snickered statement.

"Keep your smut stories to yourself, Yang!" Ruby said, her composure returning.

"Just saying…" Yang said over the comms of their ship. "When you two are ready to go the full Monty Oum..."

"Yang!" Ruby cried. "We gotta stay focused!" She giggled through her statement.

"Indeed," Weiss said from the pilot's seat.

"Alright…." Yang said dramatically. "Princess, what do we got on The Archers location?"

"They are currently stationed in the colony base knows as 'Anchor of Light'," she said, referring to her scroll, currently connected to the Lunarian network. "It is there that the asset will be delivered."

Ruby nodded. "How long til we get there?"

"Thick end of twenty minutes," Zwei answered.

These minutes passed quickly enough, The Anchor of Light coming up to meet them.

"Preparing for approach…" Weiss said, initiating the landing sequence. "And...Transmat!"

The three of them were beamed to the ground, just outside the base. Unlike the colony of First Light, there was no mistaking the purely utilitarian purpose for which The Anchor of Light was designed. Lunarian soldiers and workers were thrumming about the place, making ready for the arrival of the Warsat and its chaperons.

Among the bustle, there stood a lone soldier. Her appearance was made notable by the embellishments of her uniform, as well as her apparent Faunus traits.

Ruby lead her team the short distance to the base's entrance, meeting the small Faunus girl at face.

"Team Rosenkreuz?" did she say.

"Present and accounted for," Ruby said.

The girl nodded, her sheep ears bobbing. "My name is Fiona Thyme, I represent The Archers. The team is…" she head bounced from shoulder to shoulder. "...anxious to meet you."

"I'll bet," said Yang with a huff.

Fiona beckoned them inside the base, talking as she walked. "I know Armstrong and his people have been giving you a hard time and all, but not all Lunarians are hostile to Guardians really. They're just kind of a...vocal minority."

"M-hmm," from Ruby.

They passed through a few corridors, heading underground as they did so. At an intersecting corridor did they pass a duo of armed guards, both of whom staring them down. Ruby kept her eyes forward, focusing on following Fiona.

"Hey, Rose!"

Ruby turned at the gruff male voice hailing her.

The first of the guards looked upon her, his dark eyes unblinking. He lifted one corner of his mouth into a grin. "You were awesome in the tournament." He held out a fist.

Ruby, her own grin in place, met it with her own. "Thank you."

Down several more corridors and a freight elevator, did the group come to a pair of massive double doors.

"The Archers are here in the command room; well, half of them anyway," Fiona said. "Uh, try not to take what they may say personally. They know you're here to help."

Ruby gave a sideways nod as Fiona pressed a button on the wall, the doors sliding open smoothly.

She lead them down a short flight of Linoleum stairs, the echoes of their footfalls attracting the attention of the room's occupants. Ruby could feel the burn of their collective stares upon her and her team.

"Rosenkreuz, meet The Archers." Fiona turned, her hand held out in formal introduction.

"Elm, The Foehammer."

A tall and statuesquely muscular woman stared them down, her brown eyes blazing.

"Vine, The Flame Chaser."

Long and limber, the pale man inclined his close-shaved head.

"Marrow, The Dusk Ranger,"

The young man tipped his chin upwards. "'Sup," he said, his shaggy dog tail wagging. His eyes then fell on Weiss...and her lower extremities. "Nice legs, Snow Angel."

Weiss hissed at him while offering a sardonic curtsy.

"And this," Fiona said, "is Joanna, The Surgebreaker."

Tall and imposing, did the dark-skinned woman turn to meet them. She crossed the room slowly, her eyes set firmly on Ruby. Upon her now, did Ruby behold the sharp and masculine angles of the woman's face, made even more so by her deep scowl. "Ruby Rose…" she said. "The Tower's little...champion."

Ruby could feel the rising heat that her blood was quickening through her body. She may have had to look up to meet her eyes, but Ruby grimly held Joanna's stare.

"Hey. Me and the gang...we were wondering…" Joanna only whispered this, intentionally muffling her speech with a hand over her mouth.

Ruby, willing to play her little game, turned her head to offer an ear. "What's that?"

Joanna leaned in slowly, her mouth hovering just over Ruby's ear with intimidating intent. "Can you blush?" was her whispered question.

Ruby could feel Yang and Weiss tense up, their light flaring inside them.

Marrow chuckled, his smile miles wide. "Here we go, baby!"

He and Elm shared a fist bump.

"Ruby. Show her who she's dealing with!" Zwei said in her head.

She needed not his urging.

Ruby paced a short circle around her challenger then. "Oh, I get. I see now…" She and Joanna had reversed positions, Ruby's back to the remaining Archers. "You lot have been training your whole lives to get where you are. And here come these Guardians, stealing your thunder." She tilted her head, smirk lopsided and potent. "I'll bet if you had the chance, you'd love to take me out, wouldn't you?"

Ruby rubbed her hands together, an anticipatory shudder of Arc energy running through her small body. "Ooooo...this is exciting!" She reached to her thigh, a throwing knife now in her left hand.

Moving as one, The Archers immediately trained their weapons on her.

A motion from Fiona saw them stand down.

"Okay, here's your chance." Ruby spoke to her Ghost then. "Zwei, disable revival protocol."

Both Weiss and Yang's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry….but, do what!?" Zwei said.

"Disable revive," Ruby said firmly. "And don't re-enable until I give the code phrase."

"...Done," Zwei beeped.

Ruby then, held her knife to her chest, the tip of it's blade pointed squarely over her heart. "C'mon...what are you waiting for? I'm right here." Ruby blinked not the once during all of this, her gaze as steady as the knife in her hand.

Joanna shook her head, turning to Ruby's two aghast teammates.

"C'mon! What are you looking at her for, you need permission?" Ruby said, drawing her attention again. "Or maybe you need a little bit of incentive, huh? Okay, I can help you with that."

Ruby then twirled the throwing knife in her hand in a dizzying and dazzling display; it whistling as it cut through the air. Joanna's eyes followed best they could, and just when she-

-Ruby had slapped her with her opposite hand.

"What's the matter, miss that?" Ruby taunted, knife held aloft. "It's okay, I can do it again."

She twirled the knife again, rapid and deft; the thing spinning like a flywheel in her hand.

Joanna's eyes darted about as they trailed it, her ready to react to-

-Ruby's hand meeting her face again.

"Kill her!" Elm roared. "Drop her and I will crush her Ghost!"

"C'mon, you need a manual?" Ruby thrust the knife into Joanna's tensing hand. "Do it!"

"Take her now!" Vine cried.

Joanna charged the single step separating them, the knife raised.

Ruby intercepted this graceless lunge, her right hand clamping on Joanna's incoming wrist. Ruby circled behind her larger adversary, twisting the woman's arm as she did so. Ruby's boot met Joanna's heels as she swept her legs from under her. Ruby then loomed over her attacker, the bayonet of Crescent Rose pointed squarely at her face. "You're bold for someone who can only die once. At least you've got that."

She straightened, her pulse rifle slung over her shoulder. "If anyone else wants a go, you don't have to look for me." The Archers were then subject to the silver of her stare as she swept her eyes over the lot of them.

Just then, there came the sound of slow applause. Its source was revealed as a new entrant walked onto the scene.

The Archers- even Joanna, wounded in both body and pride- jumped to attention.

The new entrant took the center of the room, a hand upon her cocked hip. "That was impressive. It's about time someone knocked Joanna down a peg."

Fiona, almost stumbling over herself to do so, moved to the woman's side. "Rosenkreuz, this is Robyn, The Swarm Shooter."

Ruby looked the woman over, remarking the handsome and angular features of her face, accentuated by her olive skin and violet eyes.

Robyn stepped forward, her gait languid, but commanding. "And you must be the Guardians that Armstrong was going on about."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he had nothing short of glowing praise for us."

"There were some rather...colorful descriptors in his report, yes. But you'll find that not all of us share the disposition." She looked firmly at Ruby. "You're here to help with The Castle, right?"

"We are," Ruby said.

Robyn nodded, offering her hand. "Then on behalf of Luna's people, I thank you."

Ruby shook the woman's large hand. "Just tell us how we can assist here."

Robyn smiled as she made for the terminal on the room's opposite wall.

During this Zwei said, "Uhh, Ruby? That code word?"

"Oh right," she said. "Code word: White Rose."

Yang chuckled, the tension leaving her. "Ruby….that….was bad-ASS!"

Weiss marched up to her girlfriend, wrapping her arms fiercely around her neck. "Too badass…" she whimpered. "She really could have hurt you. She could have…" she moaned this into Ruby's neck.

Ruby returned Weiss's hug. "Please; she couldn't do anything to me."

Weiss kissed her then, Ruby relishing the fearsome pressure of the Warlock's mouth. "Next time you decide to risk your life, give me an advance warning, so I can kill you before you get the chance."

"Noted," Ruby laughed.

"Ladies, if you're quite ready?" Robyn called from across the room.

Team Rosenkreuz formed up with The Archers before Robyn and her great screen.

"This is mostly for the Guardians in our midst here today," did Robyn begin. "As I'm sure you've already learned through those darling little machines of yours, we will be accepting delivery of The Warsat coming up from First Light today. From here, we will escort it to its final destination of The Archer's Line."

Weiss raised her hand then, while simultaneously asking her question: "If I may ask; how exactly is the asset going to be delivered here?"

A few of The Archers grunted through their smirks.

"Armstrong's fleet just so happens to be in possession of the largest freighter ship on Luna, The Moonsong," Robyn said. "This base is playing its layover because The Moonsong is far too large to settle upon the foundation of The Castle, therefore, we'll be escorting it for its journey's remainder."

Rosenkreuz nodded.

"Though The Moonsong will have what protection they can give it, we Archers will be providing extra security to ensure the asset's safe arrival."

Robyn turned to the screen then. "Unit one should be en route any time soon, so we should-"

"I knew my ears were burning!" This came from a man who appeared upon the screen, flanked by two of his uniformed comrades.

"Clover, The Pole Lancer; Harriet, The Risk Runner; and May, The Dark Lighter," was Fiona's informative introduction to Rosenkreuz.

"Thanks for the introduction, Fi, but pretty sure everyone knows who we are…" The man's teal green eyes focused in on Rosenkreuz then. "Or at least they do now."

"Tch!" from Harriet, her scowl readily apparent.

"Harriet's feelings aside, we're glad to have some extra muscle. Isn't that right, Lovebird?" The last part of Clover's statement, along with its blown kiss, were directed at Robyn.

Though her arms were folded, her face professionally stern, there was no missing the rising of color in the woman's cheeks. "Clover, my love, we are in the middle of the operation that could secure Luna's future. At least a modicum of professionalism would be appreciated."

"Bah!" Clover said heartily. He flicked a charm in the shape of his namesake attached to the open lapel of his sleeveless vest. "You got enough of that for the both of us."

"We're in the air, sir," This came from May, her eyes currently on the Scroll in her hands.

"Affirmative," Clover said back. He turned back to Robyn. "ETA, about forty -five minutes." He reclined back in his seat, hands behind his head. "What's for dinner tonight babe? Shoulda known better than to skip breakfast…"

Robyn only shook her head in comedic dismay. "We'll talk when you get here."

Clover's wink was the last thing on the screen before Robyn signed off.

Her fist to her mouth then, did Robyn clear her throat pointedly. "Alright then." She turned to behold Archer and Guardian both before her. "The asset is en route. Let's look alive people."

The room then came alive with the flurry of readied weaponry.

Robyn, taking point as she lead the way from the room, stopped suddenly, a dire address on her lips. "Rosenkreuz," she said.

The three girls stood at attention.

"I know the three of you can more than hold your own, and I'm grateful for your help here today. But Luna, is our home, that means we call the shots here. If one of my Archers gives you an order, you follow. Clear?"

"Yes ma'am," was the reply.

Robyn then turned to her charges. "And keep it reasonable, people. This is the operation that will secure the prosperity of Luna for lifetimes to come. I won't be tolerating any foolishness from any of you. Got it?"

The Archers were as one as they belted, "Yes, sir!"

And from there, the lot of them were lead from the room, reversing the trip that Rosenkreuz took previously.

During this, Yang whispered to Fiona: "You coming with us?"

"Uh..yes, but no," the sheep Faunus said. "I'll be on station, monitoring events from the outside."

Yang nodded sideways at this. "You have a code name like the rest of them?"

Fiona held her hand out before her. In her palm bloomed a small localized spacial anomaly. And from it, did she produce her scroll. "Fiona, The Pocket Infinity," she said with a smirk.

Weiss stopped in her tracks. "That is...incredible," she said, eyes widening.

"We can nerd out later, Miss," Fiona said. "I think you girls need to catch up with the group."
Indeed The Archers were quite the ways down the corridor already.

Rosenkreuz hurried after them as the base known as The Anchor of Light came alive around them.

Topside, did Robyn lead her squad around to the base's aft, soldiers saluting them along the way. In stationary formation now, were their collective eyes turned to the starry Lunar sky.

"Hey, this is Fiona. Everyone read me?"

"Loud and clear, Fi," Robyn said into her Scroll. "Holding position until arrival of unit one and the asset."

"Solid copy," Fiona chirped. "I'll keep an eye on the sky; send out an alert when they're ten minutes out."

"A-firm, Fiona. Hill out."

Ruby only heard any of this passively, her eyes and thoughts then were on the weapons of The Archers around her.

'Worldline Zero…' she thought, noting Joanna's sword. 'And Marrow has a Mida Multi Tool…'

"Yeah…" Zwei said in her head. "These people are packing some pretty serious weaponry."

Many a Lunarian soldier had congregated on the outskirts of the scene now, making ready for the immanent arrival of The Moonsong.

All around her, Ruby could feel the rising tide of Light coming from their congregation then; Arc, Void and Solar energies flared in anticipatory unison as everyone watched the sky.

And then…

"Uh...uh-oh…"

The head of every Archer and Guardian looked to Robyn.

"Uh-oh, what, Fi?"

There was a pause. "Oh, no, no, no,no!"

"Fiona, out with it!" Robyn shouted.

"Fallen!" Fiona shrieked over the comms. "They're...they're attacking The Moonsong!"

"They're what?!" Elm roared.

"Clever devils…" Vine muttered. He armed his two-handed Glaive, The Edge of Intent.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" crackled from their collective Scrolls then. "We've been engaged by Fallen air forces! We've…" a brief and panicked pause. "We've been breached! Hostiles intend to gain access to the asset!"

"Dammit!" Yang cried. "We can't help them from here! What do we do!?"

Robyn's Scroll was in her hands. "C'mon, Clover, answer. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon baby…"

"Not a good time, Robyn!" Clover roared as he answered the call.

The group piled in to behold the scene on the small screen.

Clover's feed jittered and jerked as he did what he could to keep the thing somewhat stable in his one hand. His other hand saw him firing off rounds with his hand cannon.

Screams and shouted orders came from every direction. Gunfire, human and Fallen both, reverberated from every wall. "Harriet! Head for the engine room! I don't know if they intend to take this thing down, but make sure none of those fuckers get in!" was Clover's order.

Harriet dashed from the spot, Arc energy crackling in her wake.

"Clover! How far are you from Anchor of Light!" Robyn shouted at her Scroll.

"Too far…" Clover muttered. "How the hell did they close in on us so fast?!"

He had little time to ponder this before a cry came over the comms:

"Incoming from starboard! It's…" The man's panicked intake of breath resonated for miles. "Light of Luna, what is that!?"

"Clover!" Robyn moaned.

On the screen, Clover could be seen with May and several of the ship's crew at his side as they stared out of a bay window.

"Ketch!" Clover called. "Fallen Ketch incoming!"

"That thing is bigger than The Moonsong!" May shouted.

The mighty Fallen cruiser cast the umbrage of its airborne shadow over The Moonsong, blocking out the stars in the sky.

"Where the fuck is Armstrong's fleet!?" Joanna cried. "They need to be flanking that thing!"

"They're tangled up with the rest of the Fallen's air forces!" Clover was on the move again, his Scroll shaking wildly. "Damn if the fuckers don't outnumber us two to one!"

May put an arrow through the skull of a Fallen Vandal. "We have to get to the cargo bay! That's where the Warsat is!"

"Then that's where we need to be." Clover gave a signal to the soldiers flanking him. He then looked straight into his Scroll. "Robyn, make ready on the ground. If we do somehow make it to the LZ, we're gonna be coming in hot."

Robyn nodded, the motion loosening the tears brimming in her eyes. "Will do." She kissed her fore and middle fingers and pressed them to the screen. "Clover, I love you."

Clover returned the gesture on his end. "And I you, my Lovebird." He looked to the group as a whole. "Good luck, Archers. See you on the ground."

The group looked to Robyn as she tucked her Scroll away.

"How do we proceed, sir?" was Vine's question.

"We do as Clover recommended. We make the landing zone as ready as possible."

The group nodded.

"I got a bad feeling…" Marrow mused, his tail wagging.

"What is it?" Elm asked.

"If the Fallen are attacking the Moonsong in route…"

"Then they know where it's going," Ruby finished.

"Everyone, take up defensive positions around the perimeter!" Robyn shouted at the soldiers in the vicinity. "I want everyone's eyes on the skies!"

Ruby looked to her partner. "Weiss, your ship has weapons, right?"

"A limited battery, but ja," said the Warlock.

"We're going up. They're gonna need help against that Ketch."

Weiss nodded, readying her Ghost.

"What should I do?" Yang said to her team leader.

"Stay here with The Archers. If The Fallen come for the base, they'll need all the help they can get driving them off."

Yang gave Ruby a Titan salute.

"You're with me, Striker," Joanna said. And they were off for the perimeter.

"Incoming!" was the call from a watch tower.

Everyone's weapons were trained on the threat fast approaching from the east.

"Wait!" cried Weiss. "It's mine! It's friendly! It's friendly!"

Weiss's new ship, The Outrageous Fortune, screamed in from orbit, settling over the base.

Elm reacted to late to Weiss's call and loosed a dual rocket barrage from her Two-tailed Fox. "Dammit!" she cried. She whipped around to Weiss. "Move that thing, they're tracking!"

"Windig!"

And with no time to spare, did the ship tear into orbit again, the rockets just missing it.

"You fucking idiot!" Elm roared, lowering her rocket launcher. "You called an unidentified aircraft over our airspace during a heightened alert!?"

Weiss had attracted the glares of many a soldier.

"I...apologize," she said smally. "I...did not think…"

Ruby squeezed her shoulder. "Don't sweat it. Let's just stay focused on the mission.

Weiss gave a nod and them initiated the transmat.

….

Ruby and Weiss both aboard, were flying at max propulsion through the sky, on their way to the fray.

"Ruby, there are two things you must know." Weiss said, flipping switches on her dash and above her head. "My battery is quite limited; maybe enough for a few salvos. And I am not a fighter pilot. I will do what I can as a Guardian, but do not expect anything...eccentric."

"I know," Ruby said. "Whatever help we can give them is more than enough for me."

"We are in range of their comms," Windig reported. "Opening a channel now."

"Dammit! We're not making a dent in that monster! It's armor is too strong!"

And that's when they saw it.

Looming as it was over the battle below it, it took up a monstrous swathe of the Lunar sky. At the epicenter of the fray, was the freighter Moonsong, harried as it was by Fallen air forces.

"Traveler, look at that thing…" Ruby gasped.

Weiss hands were tight on the controls as they approached. "How do proceed, commander?"

"Let's see what we can do about some some of those bogies; take some heat off the Lunar fleet." Ruby's eyes were in constant motion as she beheld the spectacle of the dogfight before them.

Weiss nodded grimly. "Roger." Then said she through gritted teeth, "Engaging!"

Even strapped in as she was, belts crossed double over her chest and again over her thighs, Ruby was pressed into her seat by the ship's incredible engine power.

"Skiff at one o'clock!" Was Windig's call out.

Weiss adjusted her course, closing at speed, Arc rounds bursting in the air around her vessel. "Releasing!"

A volley of sidewinders whipped through the air and found their target. The Fallen craft was set alight as it sank from the Lunar sky.

"Great shot, Weiss!" Ruby cheered. She would have pumped a fist in the air, but centrifugal force was already weighing upon her as Weiss accelerated through the fray.

"On our six!" Zwei cried out.

Weiss violently rolled the ship into knife-flight as heavy Arc munitions rattled the air around them.

"Holy-!" Ruby's cry was trapped behind her gritted teeth as Weiss rolled the ship in the other direction.

She gunned the engine as she swung into a horizontal arc, the marauding skiff just swimming into view.

"Release!"

The missiles locked on their target, did they rip it shreds.

"Yahoo!" Zwei cried, his shell twirling.

"Unregistered gunship! Identify yourself at once!"

This came over the comms as Weiss looked to get to the edge of the conflict, away from immediate danger.

"This is Guardian Weiss Sch-"

"Incoming!" Windig screamed.

Weiss climbed rapidly, plastering pilot and passenger both into their seats.

The threat behind them was diminished in short order, cover fire from a friendly ship dispatching their pursuer.

"Guardians…" came the rumble through the comms. "Well, any enemy of theirs is a friend of ours." There was a short pause. "I need all ships focused on that damn Ketch! That's the Mother Ship! If she goes down, The Fallen are done!"

"We've been trying!" came the response. "We don't have the weapons to punch through its armor!"

"Weiss, what can we do?" Ruby asked.

Weiss shook her head. "Not much. My battery is depleted."

Ruby looked to her left, out the ship's window. She watched the Fallen monster holding its position over the embattled Moonsong. That's when she formed her idea. "Our guns may be empty, but we're sitting in a pretty big projectile right now…"

Weiss turned to look at her Hunter partner. Ruby looked back at her steadily, willing her plight through her gaze.

"Okay…" Weiss breathed. She turned back to the controls. "Okay... Okay…"

Windig had caught on now. "Needless to say; we've only one shot at this…"

Weiss nodded, the motion spasmodically perpetual.

She reached her right hand back, extending to Ruby. Ruby took in in both her own. Weiss turned in her seat. "Ruby, I love you…"

"I love you too, Weiss," Ruby breathed.

Weiss righted herself, left hand on the controls, right hand in those of her girlfriend.

"Remember girls, we're right here."Zwei and Windig floated at the front of the cockpit, casting a reassuring light over the both of them.

Weiss took a few steeling breaths. Then did she whisper almost inaudibly: "There is no spoon…"

And she gunned it.

The battle whizzed by them in a blur.

Ships both hostile and friendly were soon behind them.

The Ketch, looming large, loomed larger still as The Outrageous Fortune closed in, gathering speed all the while.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

And then they made impact.

….

Guns cracked.

Light flared.

Screams echoed.

As promised, The Fallen had assaulted Anchor of Light.

Yang's shot gauntlets were fully deployed as she launched explosive Solar rounds at her quarry. Beside her, Joanna launched ferocious strikes from Wordline Zero, evaporating Dregs as she did so.

Robyn loosed an arrow from her Strident Whistle combat bow, it finding its home in the throat of a Captain. "Dusk Ranger, incoming!" she called, seeing a Skiff deploying a fresh wave of Fallen soldiers.

"On it like paint!" The Faunus came alight with Void Light, it forming the shape of a bow in his hands. He took leaping aim at the center of the rabble and let loose. The bright projectile flew true in its path, embedding itself in the ground.

The Fallen warriors scattered as fast as they could, but even then there was no escape.

BYOOOF! The Void arrow burst, collapsing space around it. From this anomaly, it launched a web of Void tendrils, ensnaring the escaping Fallen. Encumbered and made volatile, they fought to escape the anomaly's grasp.

"Surgebreaker, go!"

Arc Light bursting from her body, Joanna launched herself like a cannonball at the entangled soldiers. Lightning conducted through the Voidlight, creating a blinding explosion that evaporated all caught in the blast.

A cheer rose from the base's soldiers.

"All Fallen forces have been neutralized." Fiona said over the comms.

Even then, the soldiers kept their wits about them and their weapons ready.

"Hold on. Something big closing in on your location…"

Yang loaded fresh magazines into her gauntlets as she spun slowly on the spot. "Celica, got anything?"

"No, I don't-"

"Walker!" Fiona cried. "Find some cover, NOW!"

A Fallen Skiff roared in, dropping from its belly a six-legged, armor-plated monstrosity.

"The Fallen cast their final judgment…" Vine charged his Solar Light as he readied his weapon.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Yang cried.

"Just stay back, rookie!" Elm said.

Yang scowled at her. "Listen, I-"

"Uh...might wanna follow their lead on this one, Sunny…" Celica said.

The Fallen tank, its weapons primed, launched a heavy Arc volley at the watchtower. Shrapnel and screams exploding in the aftermath.

"Dammit!" Robyn cried. "Archers, form up! We know how to take this thing down, so let's act like it!"

"Right. Kinda shot my wad already, sir.." Marrow said, Mida Multi tool primed.

"Supers up front!" Robyn called. "Everyone else, covering fire!"

Robyn, Elm, and Vine formed the front line as the others fell back.

The Fallen Walker lumbered around to face them, it's primary cannon projecting its laser sight right at them.

"Foehammer, cover us!" Robyn cried.

With a cry, Elm mustered her Void Light and shaped it into a dome around her and her team.

The warhead from the Walker exploded upon it, shaking the ground around them.

"Come then, hit my shield!" Elm taunted the armored monster.

The Walker obliged as it unloaded its Arc munitions.

Elm only laughed, her Void energy glowing brighter all the time. "Partake of my Light, friends!" she said heartily. "And strike this monster down!"

All within Elm's shield came aglow as their bodily Light peaked.

"Archers, unleash!" Cried Robyn. "Go for the joints!"

Coordinated gunfire and elemental energy rained from their unit.

The Walker waddled this way and that, overwhelmed from the assault.

Robyn let fly a flaming arrow from her blazing Solar bow. It exploded upon contact with its target, the Walker's left foreleg. This, combined with the assault it already withstood, finally saw it collapse. It's damaged leg buckled as The Walker was rendered mobile. It shuddered and smoked and whined as its "head" extended, revealing a glowing red heat sink.

"Finish it, Flame Chaser!"

The Vine launched himself in a blaze of Solar Light at the crippled tank. He landed atop the thing, Edge of Intent poised over the exposed heat sink of its extended "neck".

"Fie on you, Devil. And begone!"

He struck down, Fire and smoke exploding from his weapon.

He glided gracefully from the epicenter of the explosion, landing lightly before his comrades.

Cheers rose from the survivors of the battle.

"Well done, my Archers," Robyn said to her team as they regrouped at the base's center.

"That's the last of them, for real this time," Fiona sighed. "I'll get a unit together and search the rubble for survivors, and treat any wounded."

"Copy, Pocket Infinity," Robyn said. She looked to her team. "Stay frosty, people. The Moonsong is still in danger and is all likelihood bringing company with it." She cast a look to the sky. "Oh, Clover...please don't do anything rash…"

Joanna turned to Yang. "Your teammates are up there, yeah?"

"They are," Yang said with pride. "And they're gonna bring that Warsat down in one piece. Bet on it."

Joanna only grunted as she folded her arms.

Guardian and Archers then, in the aftermath of the assault, looked again as one to the skies.

…

-End of Legend 32-

…..

A/N:

Well, this one took a little bit longer in writing. I tell ya… Pokemon Scarlet is one helluva distraction! That aside, if you liked what you read, a follow or favorite or review would be much appreciated. If you didn't like what you read, I thank you for reading this long. See you again and take care.

-B. D. Skunkworks