"Mother four cities have been set on fire," Agnes grips her wound as she looks at the woman. "The entirety of Rash county is behind this."
"My lady Krus soldiers have been spotted approaching the capital's preliminary defenses," a guard rushes towards the queen. "Rebels are coming from about every direction except the sea."
"Bring a healer to my daughter now," the queen gives the guard orders as he speaks. "I presume you five are with Agnes," the queen doesn't even look at them as she speaks. "You must be capable if Agnes stayed with you. I ask you to stand by my side during this assault and defend me and my daughter."
As she finishes speaking the air becomes filled with the sound of explosions as large plumes of smoke shoot into the sky. The sound of screams can be heard from across the wall that protects them.
The queen sighs as she looks at Katelyn. "All of you follow me the secondary walls won't stand for long," as she speaks, a healer runs over resting their hand on Agnes' wound. With a golden aura the wound slowly closes behind the healer's hand until it is as if nothing was ever there. "We will greet them in the throne room."
Without saying anything else all of them besides the healer are suddenly transported into the throne room. The queen snaps her finger and a group of musicians enter the room. Godwine looks at them confused, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Each of them sit down at the edges of the throne room. Katelyn looks around the throne room spotting a ledge high up above the throne. As she starts to run over to the spot Agnes looks at the queen as more explosions can be heard outside closer this time. The sound of bangs fill the castle until the cracking and snapping of wood fills the air.
"I Arabelle queen of Rer," as she speaks the entire castle fills with the sound of organs playing. Ominous and slow as she continues to speak. "Shall defend this castle and restore order to my capital then restore order to all of Rer," the sound of trumpets is added as slowly her clothes dissipate before quickly being replaced by royal armor slim and dense. "This is my country and none shall ever take it from me," as the sound of an orchestra joins the music, her hair that was once all down reaching past her shoulders is shortened without even a movement. In her hand a scythe made of musical notes slowly forms. "Come and face the music of Rer and the music of her Queen," she leans forward and within a second she's gone and the music that has enveloped the castle grows fast and intense. War cries fill the throne room as rebels and soldiers bearing the Krus emblem flood in.
The group quickly takes their battle stances Tasha back away using vines to constrict their enemies. As Agnes dances just as she did when they fought Chiasa for a few seconds they can catch glimpses of Arabelle as swiftly dispatches enemy after enemy. Each swing of her scythe fits perfectly into the music that fills the castle. Each strike is purposeful as if she was the one making the music. Celina deflects a strike unable to capitalize on the opening as she is swarmed, forced to simply defend as Katelyn fires arrow after arrow into rebels and Krus soldiers.
"Shit," Katelyn curses as she feels her quiver grow lighter with each arrow she fires. Her eyes dash across the throne room. As she continues to fire arrows running her quiver almost empty suddenly the quiver is refilled slightly in sync with the music.
Agnes gracefully dances through the battlefield to her own beat. Deflecting strikes whilst closely observing the continuous flood of soldiers. Each move is graceful as she defends herself cutting down those who dare make mistakes trying to attack her.
Godwine eyes dash from target to target as his almost bastion-like defense allows him to take advantage of the openings he notices. Elias fights slightly behind Godwine showing his prowess off. He slashes through the invaders with ease as the rebels slow and Krus soldiers begin to come in taking a slower and more precise approach.
"Leave this throne room now and I will forget this transgression," Arabelle suddenly appears before the Krus soldiers as the music slows taking a more thought provoking form yet still intense. "Stay and I will slaughter everyone here like the warmongers you are."
The captain of the Krus army steps forward smiling. At his side is an object similar to that of what the captain used to attack Agnes. "I don't think we will be running at all," the captain holds his left hand outwards and a line of soldiers step forward with long and slim weapons similar to that of a crossbow but yet again there was no string or arrow. The line of soldiers kneels down and aims the weapons forward. "You know those rumors that Nulfond was on to something amazing," he grabs the weapon at his side pointing it at Arabelle. "Well lets just say that they were correct," the weapons all click as the captain pulls a piece back the line following shortly after. Godwine throws his shield down in front of everyone as the holy wall forms in front of them yet this time it seems incomplete. Before Godwine had a chance to notice the throne room fills with bangs as the line and the captain pull back on a trigger. The holy wall cracks as the projectiles violently collide with it. Seconds later it breaks the shield returning to Godwine as the wall vanishes. The captain grabs his sword pointing it at Arabelle, the other weapon still held in his left hand. "You know for ruling such a pitiful nation you are surprisingly strong," the captain looks down at the front line watching as they fumble reloading their weapons. "These weapons are some shit when magic is involved," he scoffs as he watches their continued struggle. The captain lets out a sigh as he effortlessly and cleanly slices the head of every member of the front line off. "Kill them knights of Krus," as he speaks ten soldiers each armored differently step forward from the crowd of Krus soldiers.
Katelyn fires an arrow at one before they move but it deflects off the soldier's helmet. Katelyn scoffs as she holds an arrow at the ready, not pulling it back. Godwine stares down one specifically as Elias seems slightly shaken as two of them stare him down. Celina's stance slightly changes as magic seems to move around her more than normal. Katelyn watches the situation waiting for any opening. Tasha grabs a weapon off a corpse taking an unstable stance as her eyes jump from corpse to corpse. Agnes holds both her sword at the ready as she watches Arabelle, her mother, step forward as the music grows tense, almost mysterious each note in sync with her slow steps.
"Miss Arabelle, these aren't regular knights," Elias speaks nervously as he looks at the two staring at him. "They have to be the ten flames," Elias tightens his grip as he speaks.
The throne room fills with clapping as the captain slowly claps his hands. "That is a great observation Elias. You know, you could've become a flame if you wouldn't have just run away from us," the captain's voice becomes mocking as he smiles. "You were one of the king's greatest knights. But you ran away."
Off beat Arabelle moves swiftly bringing the inside of her scythe to the captain's neck. "Why don't you stay quiet from here on," as one of the flames quickly moves, swinging a curved sword at Arabelle as flames seemingly boost the blade's momentum. As the music changes to match Arabelle's movements she dodges the strike leaving a cut on the captain's neck. The captain falls to one knee coughing blood. Unable to speak, he simply points at Elias. A few soldiers emerge from the crowd quickly grabbing him and help him retreat into the crowd of soldiers.
The two flames who stared out Elias quickly charge toward him. Elias rams into one with his shield engaging in a clash with the other. Celina delivers a kick to another flame sending her backwards towards a wall. As the music grows in speed Arabelle engages in combat with four of them at once. She spins her scythe blocking the many attacks that come flying at her. Tasha is barely able to defend herself as one of the flames clashes with her. She knows she can't defend against a foe in close combat. As the flame produces a flame in the palm of their hand preparing to burn Tasha, Katelyn rams him with her shoulder. Agnes fights off one of the flames countering any pressure she attempts to put on Agnes. Yet even after delivering several cuts to the flame she doesn't back down nor does she seem to be taking any real damage. She breached the flames armor and cut her skin yet still the flame doesn't budge. Godwine is easily able to hold two flames at bay on his own. Godwine holds his advantage tight giving the flames no chance to retaliate. But yet again neither of the flames seem to be getting permanent injuries no matter where Godwine strikes.
"Why did you abandon us Elias!?" one of the flames begins to yell at Elias as the two of them clash before the other attempts to rejoin the fight getting their attack blocked by Elias's shield. "You could've brought all of Krus honor and glory!" flames begin to ignite at the grip of the flame's sword. "You ran away to join some pathetic mercs!" the flames spread reaching the steel of the flame's sword igniting his blade. The other flame stands dumbfounded at this flame. "To not only abandon one's duty but to also do so as someone as strong as you is truly disgusting!" As the flame stands dumb founded Arabelle notices and with a sudden drop in the music she disappears, slicing the flames head off before returning to the four she was fighting as if nothing happened.
Elias's eyes go wide as he watches the flame consume his sword. "You dumbass!" Elias delivers a kick to the flame knocking them both back slightly. "You can't control that flame!" Elias takes a defensive stance as he watches the blade burn brighter. His eyes shake as the flame runs towards him.
"You think I give a shit if I can control this!? If it'll kill someone as disgusting as you then I don't care!" The flame swings the burning blade violently, fire flying across the throne room interrupting the different fights. "When I kill you I will become what I am meant to be!" as Elias blocks the burning blade he can feel the heat. "Don't tire out just because of some heat! You've been traveling haven't you!? Doesn't the temperature on the road get so much worse than this!?" The flame begins to laugh manically as the different flames begin to disengage, jumping backwards behind the burning sword. "Yes that's it," as the fire burns Elias closes one of his eyes. Arabelle doesn't stop charging past the flame's burning sword attacking the disengaging flames. With a clean swipe one of them falls before even he himself realizes.
"Why are you doing this!?" Elias screams as he deflects a strike watching the fire fly in the air before he delivers a strong kick to the flame's chest knocking him back slightly. "Why do you mindlessly follow the orders of someone like that man!?"
The fire spreads from the sword engulfing his armored hand. "Because it is what I must do as a loyal flame of Krus!" as the flame shouts the fire does nothing but spread engulfing his entire arm. Slowly the clank of metal hitting the ground fills the throne room as even the musicians and Arabelle stop their musical performance as the fire becomes too much to ignore. The flame looks at the fire that has engulfed his arm and begins to laugh out of control. "Yes! Yes! Bring me to my most pure form and allow me to be reborn a new!" he brings the burning to his neck as he continues to laugh. The other flames take a step back, some notably shaking. One of them drops their lance running past the stunned Arabelle. He removes his helmet and as he does Katelyn gasps, losing her balance falling to her knees.
"What in the hell is your plan Fernand!?" The flame's face looks similar to that of Katelyn as she grabs the burning sword attempting to stop Fernand. "This is not what we are assigned to do!"
Without any signal of a second thought Fernand swiftly moves, cutting the other flame's fingers off. Fernand's head rolls on the ground before being consumed by fire. Shortly after his disconnected body becomes fully engulfed. No one moves as the fire burns until there is nothing but ash. As the room stays silent eventually a maniacal laugh breaks the silence, almost out of control, almost pleasureful. Slowly a figure grows from the ashes, but one of their arms is no longer there. The flames who lost their fingers sits on the ground watching. "Fernand what the hell did you do!?"
As the body is rebuilt all but the arm the figure turns looking at the flame. "I have become what every flame is destined to be," as he speaks blood flies out of his shoulder as a long wing emerges, sharp and dangerous. "Allow me to show you the power that every flame wishes to hold!" one of the other flames runs forward grabbing the flame that looks similar to Katelyn and dragging him back. "Do my fellow flames not wish to see our truest form?"
"You have caused Sari her fingers, why would we want to see anything you become!?" The flame helps Sari to her feet as another moves forward helping Sari to walk. "You have attacked a fellow flame you are no longer one of us," with those harsh words every flame backs away.
Fernand scoffs as the wing stretches outwards, its feathers shiny and sharp. Fernand stares down Elias before Arabelle rushes at him. Without even reacting Fernand raises the wing and the blade of Arabelle's scythe breaks off. Her eyes widen in surprise as the blade clanks onto the floor. Arabelle simply tosses the remaining parts of the scythe aside as the musicians stand up putting their instruments down. They straighten their clothes before one hands Arabelle a straight sword as the other manifests weapons into their hands.
"I ain't trying to kill the queen anymore," Fernand looks at the wing that has replaced his arm then glances at Elias. "I shall show you what you could have had if you just played your role."
Within a second he is face to face with Elias. Elias is barely able to dodge the slash from the wing as it nicks his cheek. Blood trickles down as Elias gasps, his breath rigid. Katelyn pulls an arrow back but before she can fire it the arrow snaps in half. Godwine runs towards Elias barely blocking every attack with his shield barely able to hold his balance. The flames simply stand back, afraid of what they are watching as Fernand's wing slashes through the musicians as they attempt to get involved and protect Arabelle. As Fernand attempts to slash Celina as she gets involved the wing stops and moves out of the way not touching Celina. She kicks Fernand in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards. Elias coughs as he regains balance.
"This is the work of a demon you and your friends need to get out of here," Chiasa speaks into Celina's mind as Celina watches Godwine block strike after strike from the wing. "The wrath of the wings is not something you humans can handle."
Celina runs towards Fernand as Elias follows closely behind. Katelyn pulls another arrow back this time she is able to shoot it. The arrow flies between Elias and Celina but is cut in half seconds before impacting Fernand. Celina uses wind magic blasting herself from one side of Fernand to another. Yet whenever she got close to the wing it moved out of the way giving them openings. Slash after slash they begin to break Fernand's armor. As they finally cut skin the wing begins to be set aflame. Fernand begins to shake his eyes, glance around the throne room as the wing is slowly brought to his neck. This time he seems to be resisting not wanting to lose his head once more. "Such an idiotic deal I made. I should've known you would fail to adapt," Fernand grabs the wing attempting to push it away as it gets closer, blood dripping from the palm of his hand as tears start to run down his face. "To cry and fight for your life after making a deal with a demon is truly pathetic." Arabelle and Agnes look at each other both their faces filled with fear.