"Okay, I see a barbed wire fence, guards patrolling the perimeter, several watch towers, and I bet Nine is inside one of those tents. I best report this to Mostima and the others. No doubt she will try to think of a plan." Is what Fiammetta was thinking as she was conducting recon of the Reunion headquarters that they had managed to locate near Mount T'ien as told by the black-haired lung that Talulah and Yua had interrogated a few days ago.
The liberi had kept a low profile while scouting the camp of Reunion so as to not alert the group of her presence. Mostima, Yua, and Talulah were hiding in a cave not too far away, now that the red-haired liberi had all the information that she needed Fiammetta decided to sneak away and report what she had found to the others. She hoped that with this information, a plan could be formed that would finally put down Reunion for good.
In the groups hiding place, the other three were waiting for Fiammetta to return. Yua had volunteered to carry out recon with her, but the liberi refused the offer. She told the lung that if two people went, there was a greater chance to be spotted by Reunion. Mostima told Yua that Fiammetta was an expert at reconnaissance so that there was no need to worry about her. This didn't ease the worry of the white-haired lung. She was pacing around in the cave and was getting more and more anxious as time went on.
Yua was really beginning to fear for Fiammetta's safety. "Calm down, Yua. Fiammetta will be fine. Nothing has or will happen to her, I assure you." Mostima tried to ease the lungs worries. "What if something has happened to her Mostima? She could be in trouble, and we might not know about it. I say we go and look for her. We can't just stay here and do nothing while Fiammetta is possibly in danger." Yua responded to Mostima and expressed her concern.
"Yua, if something had happened, I'm sure we would have heard gunfire by now. Plus, Fiammetta has a radio with her, and I'm sure she would have sent a call for help if she needed it by now. So stop pacing around. you're starting to make me worry now." Mostima assured Yua again and told her to stop her worrying and pacing around. Yua was about to protest, but a voice spoke out, and Yua realised who it was, "Everyone, I've completed my reconnaissance." Fiammetta informed everyone in the cave.
The white-haired lung looked towards Mostima and could see a smirk on her face. The blue-haired sankta knew that her friend would be fine. Talulah wanted to know what Fiammetta had found, so she began to question the red-haired liberi, "What did you find out, Fiammetta? What do Reunions defences look like? How many people is Nine commanding? What's the best avenue of attack?" The draco asked several questions for the liberi to answer.
Fiammetta then began to explain everything in detail to the other three. The liberi grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and began to draw a diagram of Reunions headquarters from her memory the best as she could. The liberi described the defences she saw, the estimated numbers of Reunion, and the layout of the headquarters. After her explanation, the four of them discussed what was the best way to attack, each one of them put their ideas forward.
This conversation lasted over two hours until all four of them agreed on a plan of attack, "Right, this is how it's going to work. Talulah and Yua, you two will approach from the ground, but wait until me and Fiammetta have begun firing from our position. Me and Fiammetta will be in position high up on the cliffs, and both of us will attack from height. This will make it difficult for Reunion to attack us if we are high up. They will have to come to us, but if any of them try, you two are to stop them. Once Reunions numbers are thinned out, you two are then going to head into the headquarters and find Nine. I trust you know what to do then Talulah. I want to spare any Reunion members who surrender, no need to senselessly kill. Can we all agree on this plan?" Mostima asked everyone when she finished her explanation of the plan of attack.
Nobody objected to the plan put forward. Once their meeting was concluded, Mostima told everyone to get some rest and to wait for nightfall, that is when the attack would happen. Yua thought to get sleep, but the white-haired lung couldn't find rest. She wanted to speak to Mostima, the lung had questions that she wanted answers to. Yua walked up to the blue-haired sankta who was about to get to sleep and decided to speak to her, "Mostima, I know you said to get some rest but there are some things I want to know. I don't know if I'll get another chance to ask this, especially since I could die if this plan goes wrong. So please, can you answer my questions?" Yua pleaded to Mostima. Mostima replied, "Of course, Yua. What is it you want to know?" The lung composed herself before asking the sankta what she wanted, "It's about my mother and father. It's also about me. You explained to me that my father is from another world. You also told me about my alien blood and originium arts. What I want to know is, did my mother know what my father was? Did you and Kal'tsit tell her? Also, did you tell my mother about potentially getting infected so I can use my originium arts? I want the truth Mostima." Yua asked Mostima with a hint of anger in her voice. The lung thought it was selfish that all this information was hidden to her, and nobody told her. It would hurt more if Ch'en knew and kept it a secret from her.
Mostima sighed when Yua asked her all this. The sankta could sense the hint of anger from the lung and could understand why. Mostima knew that Yua deserved to know the truth, "No, Yua. We never told Ch'en about your father or your alien blood. Both me and Kal'tsit thought it was best to keep it from her. Ch'en already had so much to deal with in the future. Finding out about your alien blood and your originium arts would only have only made everything more stressful for her. Ch'en's main goal was making sure you were safe, if she found out about your alien blood and a possibility of you getting yourself infected just so you could use your originium arts would have only added more to her plate. Ch'en would have been constantly worrying you would deliberately have gotten yourself infected if you found out, so both me and Kal'tsit kept it between ourselves. I understand your angry Yua, but there's no need to be mad at Ch'en. Be mad at me and Kal'tsit all you want, but trust me at the time we kept it a secret for both yours and your mothers sakes." Mostima truthfully answered Yua's questions.
Yua could tell Mostima was being sincere with what she told her. The white-haired lung was still a bit angry with not knowing earlier, but it was comforting that she didn't need to be angry at her mother as well. Yua could also understand the reasoning why Ch'en was never told and it did make perfect sense, the lung knew if she knew the truth at the time she definitely would have done whatever it took to get infected with how reckless she normally was. Yua thanked Mostima, then decided to pull out a bedroll from the Penguin Logistics vehicle and get to sleep for a few hours. The upcoming battle with Reunion was going to be a vicious and bloody affair, and the lung was certain it was best to get what rest she could before the battle...
All four occupants of the cave woke up after several hours of rest. When all of them stepped outside, they were greeted with the stars and the night sky. The group knew now was the time to attack. No doubt most of the members of Reunion would be asleep, and only a skeleton crew would be up and about at this time of night. Mostima quickly went over the plan again to make sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do. Everyone nodded, which signalled to the sankta that they all understood the plan from earlier. This gave the blue-haired sankta confidence. Once she was ready, Mostima told everyone to move out and head to Reunions location as a group.
The four of them were as quiet as possible while moving, none of them said a word and kept very close to each other so as not to lose sight of one another. After an unknown time of walking, the four of them could see Reunions headquarters in the distance. The four of them then split off from each other into two groups, Yua and Talulah kept approaching from the ground while Mostima and Fiammetta started to move up the cliff near the headquarters.
The draco and lung carried on approaching the headquarters until they decided to stop and find a good hiding spot that was as close as possible without them being detected. Once in position, both of them waited until Fiammetta and Mostima had started firing on Reunion from their own position, neither would move until then. The waiting for the lung and the draco was agonising. Both of them wanted to end all of this right now. Aunt and niece carried on waiting until a loud explosion was heard, Fiammetta had launched a grenade that had exploded in the headquarters. This was the signal Talulah and Yua were waiting for.
The two of them got out of their hiding spot and began running towards Reunions headquarters. More explosions reverberated through the area, Mostima and Fiammetta were hitting Reunion with everything they had. A blast of Mostima's magic hit one of the guard towers, which caused it to collapse. The collapsing tower fell on top of several Reunion members who were trying to locate where the attacks were coming from. The weight of the tower that fell on top of those Reunion members killed them instantly.
More and more of Reunion were coming out of the tents, and their numbers were beginning to become too much for Mostima and Fiammetta to keep under control. By this time, they had located where the two were and began advancing on their position. Unfortunately for Reunion, they didn't know that Yua and Talulah were approaching from the ground. Both aunt and niece could see the group approaching and drew their weapons. They were ready for a fight.
Talulah formed a ball of fire in her hand and threw it at Reunion. Several members were killed by the explosion, and Yua finished off the remaining stragglers with her sword. After they were finished with the group, the duo kept their advance going while more explosions were hitting the headquarters.
Talulah and Yua kept going until they arrived at the headquarters, the barbed wire surrounding it had been destroyed by Mostima and Fiammetta. Many tents had caught fire, and all of the guard towers had either collapsed or also caught fire. Yua believed she had just returned to the future with all of the carnage happening around her, the lung however focused on why she was here, Yua tried looking for a red-haired pythia.
Yua couldn't find the pythia but did see several members of the charging towards her. The lung did the same and engaged them all in battle with fire and explosions all around her. Talulah could see her time-travelling niece fighting members of Reunion. The draco was about to join Yua in battle, but a wall of vines sprung up from the ground and blocked Talulah off from her niece. Talulah immediately knew who had done this. She turned around, and standing about twenty feet away from her was the person who she had come looking for: Nine.
Talulah could notice the look of rage on the pythias face, and this caused her to smirk, "I've got you now, Nine! It's over for you and Reunion! Surrender now, and nobody else needs to die here!" Talulah shouted at her former comrade. The red-haired pythia however wasn't going to surrender, " I'll never surrender, Talulah! Reunion will not fall here!" Nine shouted back. Nine drew her own sword and got into position. She was ready to fight Talulah to the death.
Talulah was disappointed that her former comrade didn't want to surrender, but deep down, she expected this outcome. Talulah already had her sword drawn and began to charge at the pythia. Nine did the same, when the two swords connected the ground beneath the pair shook and cracked, this was going to be a vicious battle between the two..
From their position, Mostima and Fiammetta were still firing attacks into the headquarters. They had taken out many members of Reunion and could see two fights happening below them. Yua was fighting a group of Reunion, and Talulah was fighting a red-haired pythia. Both of them could only assume it was Nine. The fight between the draco and pythia was intense. Each strike was shaking and cracking the ground beneath them, Mostima had heard of Talulah's power but was in awe of seeing it first-hand.
From what the blue-haired sankta had seen from all the female members of Ch'en's family, all of them were remarkable fighters. Even Yua, despite her disadvantage of not being able to use her originium arts like her mother and aunt, was incredible in her own right. Fiammetta was looking at the white-haired lung fighting her enemies and was impressed by her fighting prowess. Even though the liberi wasn't impressed by Yua when they first met, that had changed now. The lung had earned her respect.
Yua was cutting down the members of Reunion with incredible ease. The lung was a typhoon of blood. All of those who stood against her fell at her feet. Eventually, after seeing many of their comrades fall to the lung, those that were remaining decided to drop their weapons, "Stop! No more! We surrender!" One of the Reunion members shouted when he dropped his weapon. Yua could see that many had surrendered but didn't completely trust them, "If you truly wish to surrender, then step away from your weapons!" she ordered them. The members of Reunion did exactly as Yua asked and stepped away from their discarded weapons. None of them wanted to risk doing anything that caused them to be killed by the white-haired lung.
Yua then ordered them to get on their knees and to put their hands on their heads. Again, same as before, they complied with the lungs request. Seeing that her enemies were pacified, the white-haired lung told them to remain where they were. She knew she had to help her aunt defeat Nine. Yua told the members of Reunion that had surrendered to stay in their position, Mostima and Fiammetta had their weapons ready and would use them if they tried anything.
Yua looked towards the wall of vines summoned by Nine and could hear the sounds of fighting behind it. The white-haired lung decided to scale the wall to help her aunt fighting on the other side. The sooner this battle was over, the better. On the other side, Talulah and Nine were both in bad condition. Both had numerous wounds from their battle. Talulah was about to charge at the pythia, but Nine summoned vines from underneath her, which then wrapped themselves around her legs. Talulah was going to use her originium arts to burn the vines away, but Nine summoned more vines, which this time wrapped themselves around her arms, which completely held the draco in place. Talulah was defenceless, Nine had a look of satisfaction on her face. "It's over for you, Talulah! I told you the next we would meet would be your last! Reunion will not be stopped! We will be seen as equals or will crush those who oppose us! Now get ready to die, Talulah!" Nine screamed at the draco.
As soon as Yua reached the top of the wall, the lung could see Nine approaching her aunt, who was currently being held in place by vines. Yua could feel her heart in her throat when she saw the pythia about to kill the defenceless draco, "No! Get away from my aunt, you monster! I won't let you hurt her!" Yua screamed as she leapt from the wall towards Nine.
Just as she was about to kill Talulah, Nine could notice a shadow above her. Looking up, the pythia could see a white-haired lung coming towards her. Nine didn't have time to get out of the way, Yua had landed on her before she could do anything and the force of the lung landing on her caused Nines sword to fly out of her grasp. As soon as Yua was on top of Nine, the lung began to viciously lay punches into the pythia. Nine tried to defend herself from the assault but the battle with Talulah had worn the pythia out, It didn't take long for Yua to break the pythias guard and begin to brutally beat her.
Talulah looked on at the scene of Yua beating Nine in horror, while the draco was thankful for her niece coming to her rescue, the vicious beating she was giving her former comrade was too much for her to stomach, "Yua! Stop! That's enough! It's over!" Talulah ordered her niece to stop her attack, but Yua didn't stop. The lung was completely overcome by a red mist. The vicious attack continued.
Talulah soon felt the vines around her loosen and knew what It meant. Talulah ran over to Yua and immediately pulled her off Nine, "That's enough, Yua! You have won! Stop this at once!" Talulah screamed in her niece's face in an effort to calm her down and bring her back to her senses. Yua could hear her name being shouted, which caused Yua to bring her anger back under control, "Aunt Talulah? You are okay! What happened? Where's Nine?" Yua questioned her aunt when she was more lucid.
The draco didn't answer. She simply looked down at Yua's hands that were covered in blood. The white-haired lung followed her aunts gaze and could also notice her hands were dripping with blood. Yua then turned around and could see the lifeless body of the pythia behind her, Nines face was completely unrecognisable. Yua knew what she had done. In her blind rage, she had beaten the pythia to death. The blood dripping from her hands was Nines...
Yua nearly broke down at this realisation. She felt horrified with what she had done, Yua had killed someone who couldn't defend themselves. One rule Ch'en had taught her from a young age was never to kill someone who couldn't protect themselves. Killing someone who was defenceless made you a monster. It didn't matter if they were an enemy. Showing mercy to a defenceless enemy showed you still had your humanity, keeping your humanity during war showed you were not a monster like the seaborn.
"I killed someone who was defenceless...I'm a monster. I'm no better than Reunion! No better than Skadi!" Yua was beside herself. The white-haired lung was shaking as she was looking at her bloodstained hands, Talulah could see her niece was in distress and tried to comfort the lung to the best of her ability. Talulah gently pulled the white-haired lung into a hug. The draco could hear Yua muttering that she was a monster over and over again, "No, you're not a monster, Yua, I promise you, you are not. I've seen real monsters in my life; you are not one of them. Nine was a monster. She chose her path, which involved carrying on killing innocent people. I know that you would never kill an innocent being. So stop calling yourself that, Yua." This speech caused Yua to whimper in Talulah's arms.
The draco didn't know if Yua believed what she said, but at this moment, but right now, she was going to be here for her niece. Reunion didn't matter at this moment. The seaborn didn't matter, and Skadi didn't matter. All that mattered was Yua...
The battle between Reunion and Talulah's team was over, Reunion was finished. Mostima and Fiammetta had come down from the cliff and were watching over the members of Reunion that had surrendered. The two didn't know what had happened between Talulah, Yua, and Nine. Neither knew the result of the battle between the three behind the wall of vines. The wait for them both was agonising. The longer the wait went on, the more both of them began to fear the worst had happened.
The duo's fear was eventually quashed, however, when the wall of vines began to burn. When the vines became nothing but ash out stepped forth from the flames was holding with one of her arms wrapped around a shaking Yua. Mostima and Fiammetta ran towards the pair. They were ecstatic that both had survived their fight with Nine and put an end to Reunion.
The two wanted to speak to the lung and the draco. When the sankta and liberi were closer, they could see a grim look on Talulah's face. "Reunion is finished. Let's just get out of here. The Yanese authorities will find out about this place real soon. We need to leave before they arrive." Talulah told the two in front of her. Mostima and Fiammetta wanted to ask what happened, but Talulah and Yua walked past them. The remaining members of Reunion ran towards the flames of the vines to check on their leader, but most of them had an idea what happened...Reunion was finished.
The walk back to their hideout was in complete silence. Reunion was done, but nobody was in the mood to celebrate. Now that Reunion was defeated, Mostima knew that a bigger battle was about to come; a battle for the future of Terra. They would need to return to Rhodes Island along with Talulah.
However, nobody knew about the mighty clash that was currently happening at Rhodes Island...