The afternoon sun glimmered on the TSAB building's sleek walls, and its shadow stretched along the streets below. The clouds had broken up during the morning and it had produced a comfortable warmth down on the streets.
Hayate was eyeballing a peculiar bird flying past her window, its wings fighting against the gravity and floating on the air currents. It had passed outside several times, probably chasing the high altitude bugs flying around, which was a good sign. It wouldn't rain during the day.
She had just finished her report of the day and were catching up on her backlog from the day before. A large quantity of them had accumulated during the night, with various priorities and sections needing attention. However, there was one who stood out in front of the others.
"Rein, have you heard the recent news about the Holy Twelve?" Hayate asked as she scrolled through the numerous reports showing up on her screen. A filled mug was next to it, filling the room with the subtle scent of freshly brewed coffee.
"The terrorist group? No. Has something happened?" Rein said with a frown and left her desk. She floated up next to Hayate and looked over her shoulder.
"Apparently they were sending unencrypted messages over a public network. One of our intelligence officers intercepted it and it turns out it had some quite detailed information. We now know their time and location."
"I guess that surveillance finally paid off, huh?"
"Yes, but it was a lucky shot. We knew they contacted each other, but not from where or how. We hadn't thought of checking the public networks since it's so open, but it seems that's exactly why they did it. We were lucky that officer was on duty."
"I'm glad we caught them then. It would have been a real problem if we hadn't," Rein said and shook her head disbelievingly. "Planning to assassinate an Admiral, especially during these times! They must be insane."
"People feeling betrayed often comes up with drastic measures. These guys were just one of many." Hayate closed the report and opened another one. The title said something about a problem with the helicopters. "I wonder what made them think about it in the first place though. Far as I know,that Admiral didn't have his hands in much politics."
Rein nodded thoughtfully and brushed up her eyebrows, making an effort to think hard. When no answer presented itself, she shrugged and flew back to her desk. Her screen pinged continuously, demanding her presence urgently.
Another ping was heard, this time coming from the door leading into the office, indicating a visitor outside. Hayate changed its status to green and unlocked it.
A middle-aged man in the Ground Force's uniform strode through and walked with determine steps up to Hayate's desk where he stopped and saluted. His face was expressionless, but a foreboding aura rose from the way he acted.
"Sergeant Helmer Koln reporting, ma'am."
"At ease. Is something the matter?" Hayate asked. She pulled up his file from the database and eyed through it quickly. Thirty-eight years old, Third Support Division, Squad Commander. Everything else looked ordinary and according to protocols.
Helmer put his hands behind his back and gave out a sigh before speaking. "Ma'am, the fugitive we had in custody at the hospital escaped approximately one hour ago. Judging from witness statements she rode away on that skeleton dragon in full armor. The guards were unable to stop her."
"What!?" Hayate almost shouted and stared at the Sergeant, who shifted nervously at the gaze. Rein had her attention on him too, shock playing on her face. "She was to be under constant surveillance. Did she incapacitate the guards?"
"No, ma'am. All of the guards are fine and accounted for. No one was guarding her room when she escaped. I don't know the reason why, but I give you my word I will investigate the matter and reprimand them appropriately."
Hayate sighed and rested her head in her hands, lamenting over what had to be done next. "Where did she go?"
"We aren't certain, but several of the guards spotted her heading to the south initially."
"Anything else?"
"No, ma'am."
"Then you are dismissed. Return to your post."
Sergeant Koln looked at Rein and then at Hayate. He rose an eyebrow in amazement and surprise while he saluted. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."
He turned on his heel and made a hasty exit out of the office.
"You aren't going to reprimand him?" Rein asked wonderingly after a few seconds of silence.
"I don't see the reason. He's not to blame for what happened." Hayate stopped scrolling through her reports and closed them all at once when something hit her. Her eyes searched around the office as her mind made its best effort to think. "That girl is a loyal soldier at heart. She doesn't trust us as Sigrid does. They were enemies in a world we don't know much about."
She shut down her screen and got out of her seat with theories racing through her brain. Her heels clicked against the floor as she arrived at her coat which she put on.
"Rein, we need to get her before the rest of the TSAB does. I don't want to think about what they will do this time and I don't want to risk it. That girl has vital information she will never tell if we go at her the wrong way."
"Why don't you tell them that?"
"They won't listen. Especially not after the last incident. Come on, let's go."
"Yes!"
They left the office in a hurry and strode down the corridor towards the elevator waiting for them in the far end. As Hayate and Rein entered it, a com window appeared next to Hayate. She made the call to the transport department that was taking care of the helicopters.
"I need a transport, fast. Make a helicopter ready for departure within the minute. I'm already on my way up," Hayate said.
The mechanic on the other side scratched his head and yelled to someone off-screen. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we are up to our shoulders at the moment. Didn't you get the message? All helicopters are suspended for flight due to maintenance and upgrades. We aren't allowed to take-off."
"Damn!" Hayate stopped the elevator immediately and told it to begin its descent instead. She closed the com window, cutting the pilot off, and banged the side of the wall with her hand. "That was what the mail had been about! Such an embarrassing mistake."
"Then it's either the car or personal flight," Rein said matter-of-factly.
"We can't request permission to fly. They will know what we are up to in that case. The car is our only choice."
"I hope the traffic is nice today," Rein said with a pout.
Hayate chuckled and called Signum. She answered within a few seconds.
"Hayate... This was sudden. What can I do for you?"
"Signum, the girl we had in custody at the hospital escaped. I'm on my way to Sigrid's apartment right now to get her assistance, just as last time. Can you make it there?"
"Yes, I'm only a few minutes away actually. Any backup?"
"We can't count on the TSAB to support us. We need to keep a low profile," Hayate said. "Vita is busy at the training range with new recruits and Shamal is out of town. I don't think Zafira is busy, so contact him and take him with you."
"Understood," Signum said and lingered for a second. "The last time we fought this girl she really put up a fight... Do you think we can handle her?"
"We have to. I'm sure Sigrid won't object to support us, and she have experience with her. I'm just about to get into the car now and get over there. See you there."
"Roger that," Signum said and terminated the connection.
*
"She escaped? How is that possible?" Sigrid said, aghast, when Hayate told her what had happened. Zafira and Signum waited outside the apartment while Hayate was inside, explaining the situation to Sigrid and Ragnar. Angelika was resting in the bedroom; her headaches had increased substantially the last few days for some reason.
"Breach of protocol, lazy guards; who knows?" Hayate said and shook her head. "She's smart, but you two know her better than I do. You've fought her before, haven't you?"
Her gaze fell upon Sigrid who shook her head. "Only twice, and one was here. I know I mentioned I've met her before, but that was only briefly. The only thing I can tell you, besides what you already know, is how she fights and why. You've seen a little of her expertise."
"You need to give me more than that. I need to know, because it may help us in the future."
"Yes, right. Give me a moment." Sigrid put a hand to her face and closed her eyes, trying hard to remember what she knew.
"As far as I know," Ragnar cut in while Sigrid was thinking, "unless it was false information, that girl is a special operative. She has knowledge of guerilla warfare and infiltration actions. She's primarily a close to medium range combat specialist thanks to her device. Their types are usually easy to defeat actually; you just have to apply a fair amount of overwhelming power and they fall quickly."
His face grew more grim and he crossed his arms in a moment of puzzlement. "The problem is that dragon. I heard you fought her before, but she was weak back then. With her strength restored I don't know how powerful she is."
"The first thing that dragon did when it appeared was to destroy a spaceport. I don't want to risk such an attack again," Hayate said.
"Yes, I don't wish to see that either," Sigrid agreed, interrupting her own silence. "What Ragnar said is true and from my experience the only way of defeating her is to grab her without the dragon. Handled separately, they shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"You got that?" Hayate asked into thin air. Zafira and Signum appeared on two com windows next to her and nodded in understanding. Rein had been silent for a good while and nodded too, having nothing to add.
"As to why she fights now... I guess she sees us as your allies. Hence, we are all against her. She probably thinks that if she escaped capture now she won't get a second chance. That's how it works usually on Cancri anyway," Sigrid said.
Hayate made a small nod and locked her eyes with Sigrid's deep blue ones. "I see. However, I think there is another underlying reason. Especially as to why she's after you."
"Me? What other reason is there than that we are enemies?" Sigrid looked at her with a surprised face, making her look completely oblivious to what Hayate was talking about.
"She told me about her mother, at the hospital a few days ago. I think the circumstances made her say too much and she also said she had sworn to hunt you down because of what happened. She was still weak and disoriented, but I have a feeling she wasn't lying."
Sigrid's eyes narrowed and she gave Ragnar a glance. He was noticeably discomforted by it, recognizing those eyes of command; the look that was given when something serious was going down. He stepped back into the living room to leave the two of them alone without questioning why.
"She isn't lying," Sigrid said to Hayate in a low voice, slightly hesitant. "It was a mistake of mine. It was something I've regretted ever since."
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
Sigrid shifted her stance nervously, but kept eye contact. "It wasn't relevant at the time. It's something I've never told anyone; not even Ragnar or Angelika."
Hayate nodded solemnly. "It's a big shame to carry and an unacceptable thing to do. Is that what you are implying?"
"Yes, you could say that. I let my emotions take over and I snapped. My squadron kept quiet about it. They showed extraordinary loyalty and for that I thank them in my heart. I wouldn't be standing here now if it wasn't for them."
"I know what you mean," Hayate said and gave Sigrid a sad smile of understanding. "I won't mention it in public, but I want to know what really happened. It might help explain more about Elisabeth."
"I'll tell you everything about it when you want to, as thanks for being so kind to me and my sister. I would never experience this hospitality back home under these circumstances."
The door to the bedroom suddenly inched opened and Angelika poked her head out. She looked like she had just woken up, with her hair a mess and her eyes half-closed.
"Sis..."
"Angelika, what are you doing up?" Sigrid went up to her sister's side and brushed her head with a gentle hand. Angelika rested against the door frame meekly, but she seemed agitated.
"I don't know. I think something happened in the parallel realm," she said. Her breathing was heavy and irregular. The strain on her body was heavier than usual, Sigrid noticed. "It might explain my headaches."
"The 'Parallel Realm?'" Ragnar asked, taking the question out of Sigrid's mouth. He appeared from the living room as the ruckus had probably told him something else was going on.
"It's a nickname," Angelika said and gave a weak smile. "It's where my mind eventually ventures and I hear things from it. Voices, strange signals. I can never make much out of it, but for a moment I thought I heard a girl in distress."
"Parallel Realm," Hayate mouthed to herself. She made a mental note to check it in the Infinite Library later. Even if the name was made up, there could be a reference to it.
"Angelika, what did you hear?" Sigrid asked with her voice firm and clear.
"Pain. Sorrow. A contract being made. Two names were mentioned; some girl named Elisabeth and some other entity calling itself Dysnomia."
"Dysnomia?" Ragnar repeated with a surprised look and eyed the others.
"Sounds like an alias," Hayate said. "Could you make out anything else?"
Angelika gave her an empty glance before a hint of recognition flashed over her face. "Ah, you must be Lady Hayate. Pleased to meet you." The blonde girl made an attempt to bow, but failed half-way through, having to be supported by Sigrid.
"Be careful, no need to strain yourself further. You should go back to rest," Sigrid said and nodded at Ragnar. He walked over to them in silence and picked up Angelika in his arms.
"I can walk by myself," Angelika protested, obviously embarrassed in front of someone she had just met for the first time.
"Yeah, but this way I can make sure you actually get to the bed," Ragnar said and chuckled heartily. Sigrid closed the door behind them and shared Hayate's puzzlement of what had been mentioned.
"What do you think?" Sigrid asked.
"I don't know what to think. I think we need to find Elisabeth and ask her directly to find out what's going." Hayate brushed her eyebrows and thought for a moment. "This Dysnomia entity... Have you ever heard of it?"
"Not at all."
"I need to check it later then. Maybe there is a reference somewhere-"
"Hayate." Signum appeared on her screen and interrupted her mistress. She didn't reveal any emotions except her usual self. "There is a lot of radio chatter on the TSAB main channels. It seems they have a more accurate location on where the girl is. I'll keep listening in, but I think we should get moving."
"All right. Thank you, Signum."
"I'm getting rumors about the air forces launching too," Rein said. "That means we probably can fly out there without drawing attention to ourselves."
"They are really not taking any chances this time," Hayate murmured with an increasing feeling of unpleasantness in her chest. There hadn't been so much activity in a long time. "Sigrid, get ready and come with us. Ragnar and Angelika don't have to come unless you want them to."
"They will stay here. Thank you." Sigrid turned her back to Hayate and went into the bedroom to get her knight uniform. It only took her a couple of minutes and after that she followed them out onto the roof.
*
"The sky is still clear. It won't be raining anytime soon," Zafira said as he closed the door to the roof behind them. The wind had picked up ever since they had left the office, but it was of no concern yet. It wouldn't impair their flight.
"Anything new from the grid?" Hayate asked Rein.
"No. They are still uncertain about the position, but it's the best they have. If we don't hurry we are going to be too late."
"All right. Signum, you take Sigrid and follow," Hayate ordered and set off into the sky in a flash of green with a small purple dot following closely. Zafira launched into the sky immediately afterwards in a blue lightning bolt.
"That's... fast," Sigrid said, awed. It was the first time she had been that close when they launched. "How are you going to- woha!"
Before Sigrid could object any further, strong arms closed around her shoulders and her brain pressed backwards against the inner wall of her head. The speed with which Signum launched almost made her lose consciousness.
The ground beneath them flew by so fast Sigrid couldn't make out any details. It was all a blur and it was so overwhelming she hadn't given a thought how high up they were.
"I'm sorry for the quick launch. I couldn't linger for too long," Signum said, barely audible over the soaring wind blowing past the two women.
"That's OK," Sigrid said in short breaths. She wasn't used to this height at all and she had a hard time getting air into her lungs. It wasn't that a big of a problem, but it was an annoyance nonetheless.
A com window revealed itself next to them and Hayate's voice carried through.
"I've sent the air force a warning. I doubt they will listen considering they never acknowledged my opinion earlier, but it's worth a shot. I hope they aren't there yet."
"We'll catch up quickly," Zafira said. His voice cut through the existing window, cross-channeling the communications. "With this speed it's only a matter of minutes."
"I'm not sure if we have minutes," Hayate said with uncertainty. "The chatter is picking up. Seems like they located them."
"Damn. Maybe we are too late after all."
"Oh no! This is bad!," Rein exclaimed suddenly.
"What is it?" Hayate asked urgently. Any negative implications now only made the situation worse.
"They found her. The air force will intercept in one minute. Yeez, they don't know what they are getting themselves into!"
"Who's in charge? There's got to be someone I can talk to over there."
"General Belnor. I think it's only his third assignment."
Hayate patched a call through to the General and waited for a response. It took several seconds before he answered. The background indicated he was in the air, close to a big formation of troops.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Yagami? What are you doing here?" The surprise on his face revealed that they had gone unnoticed until now. At least something had gone according to plan.
"General, pull back your troops. You can't take her head-on. We are on our way to support."
General Belnor raised an eyebrow at the request and chuckled. "Lieutenant-Colonel, don't you know who you are talking to?" The extra emphasis on her rank intended to make her feel small, but it barely registered in Hayate's ears. She was too focused to let anything obstruct her. "I'm here on direct orders of Admiral Tray, I'm not going to stand down because you say so."
"General Belnor, with all due respect, that dragon was responsible for the destruction of the spaceport a few months ago. We just don't want it to repeat itself."
A hint of revelation flashed in General Belnor's eyes, but he swiftly recovered from it. "First off, there are no resident areas around here. Any collateral damage is therefore minimized. Second, my troops are the finest you'll get and they fought hard to earn their respect. Capturing this dragon will be a great honor for them."
Hayate gritted her teeth and sighed. The frustration at the fruitless attempts gnawed at her. "General, do you prefer death over honor? Fighting that dragon is impossible for you. Pull back your troops and let me handle it."
"You are way out of line, Lieutenant-Colonel. Stand back and enjoy the show. We'll see how you like the report."
The communication channel disconnected and left the group shrouded in silence. Hayate clenched her fists in suppressed rage. On the horizon numerous explosions made themselves apparent, indicating the battle had begun. They were only a few minutes away as the noise took its time to reach them in the sky.
"Hayate, let's hurry," Rein said pleadingly. She looked at her with eyes of hope.
"Yes. Lets."
All four of them increased their speed, approaching their limits. The air soared past them even faster, making Sigrid temporarily deaf. She wished firm ground could place itself under her feet fast.
*
The scene stretching itself out before them when they arrived at the location was that of destruction and chaos. Craters flocked the ground and burned down trees showed off their disfigured features among the air force troops who had been forced to land. Both on the ground and in the air magic was flying past, everything aimed at Elly and Nidoha. Her shield, visibly straining itself under the pressure, reflected the sunlight with blue sparkles flying off against the mountains in the background.
"Signum, put Sigrid down somewhere safe," Hayate said and then looked at Sigrid through the com window. "Make sure to stay out of harm's way, but you know Elly better than we do. Support us from the ground and try to stay away from the air forces. If they see you I don't know what they will do."
"I understand. I'll do my best." Sigrid gave a tiny smile of assurance as solid ground appeared under her feet. A sigh left her lungs, thankful for not being in the air anymore.
"Good luck," Signum said before flying off again to meet up with the rest of the colored arrows streaking across the sky.
The first thing Sigrid did was to check her surroundings. She could clearly hear the battle continuing in the northwest, just a small distance away. The place where she had been put was in a particular thick part of the forest and the sky was almost completely covered by the roof of the trees. It was an ideal location to be set down, as she could move without being spotted from above. But she didn't how many soldiers were on the ground already.
She started running towards the battle, keeping an eye out for any movements. So far the only thing that moved were the occasional critter crossing her path and the trees swaying slightly in the wind. For a moment she could only hear her own footsteps as the explosions faded away and stopped.
She jumped over a few fallen trees in her way and tapped the small device in her ear. Hayate had given it to her before they had taken off; a tiny radio with sound only. The range was limited, but that wasn't a problem now.
"Is it over already?" Sigrid asked. The radio only had one channel which was encrypted. Only Hayate could allow further listeners.
"Negative. She's up to something and her shield is still holding. The air force is firing at her continuously, but she just shrugs it off." Hayate's voice came through in a sea of static and it crackled to the point Sigrid almost didn't hear what she said.
"Is she loading that beam again?"
"I think so. The air force is going to be hit." The desperation shone through and Sigrid knew it all too well. The casualties would stack even higher if the beam hit its intended targets.
"That shield is the only obstacle," she said and made her legs push on harder. "Disturb her, do something that puts her off balance."
"We are trying, but she's literally untouchable. As soon as we get close she either moves away or attacks full out. She's much more powerful than I'd imagined. I can't use my more powerful spells either since the air force is too close."
Another, small, explosion searched its way through the communications channel and that foreboding silence settled over the battlefield again.
"Shit, here it comes. Spread out!"
Sigrid saw the beam before she heard it. Through the foliage of the trees, she could see a rainbow colored sparkling beam sweep across the sky in a wide circle. Its impact didn't make a sound as it only searched its way over the sky, finding its human targets that Sigrid only could imagine dying before they could blink.
The noise came a few seconds afterward. It roared over the ground and the pressure blew leaves wildly around her. She put up her hands to protect her face and trudged on. Her radio crackled to life again, with static filling it yet again.
"Sigrid, do you... Respond if you can hear..." The short bursts of Hayate's voice reached her ears, but the energy still floating in the air interrupted her message.
"Lady Hayate, I can hear you. Are you OK?"
"Yes, we're fine." Her voice cleared up as time went on. "The air force only suffered few casualties. Most of them managed to avoid it."
"Thank goodness," Sigrid said to herself quietly. "Are they still giving chase?"
"No, it seems they are falling back. I think that beam hit home." There was moment's pause as Hayate checked something on her side. "Elly has changed her flight. She's coming towards you! She couldn't possibly have spotted you!"
"I don't think she did, but that dragon might have caught my scent. Damnit, I should have thought of that!"
"Fall back as far as you can, we are going to catch up to you and get you out. It was a mistake bringing you with us."
Sigrid searched the small patches of naked sky she could see. Nothing was there and she began to backtrack on the path she had come. She didn't believe she could get away from the dragon though. The sense of smell on those creatures were amazing.
[Above!] Forseti's sudden awakening made her jump in surprise and she instinctively dove to her right. There was no hesitation in her decision; it was pure combat experience.
From the sky above, Nidoha crashed down through the trees, splitting them in half and bringing half the forest down with her. She crashed into the ground and shook it violently, throwing Sigrid off balance. The pressure from the landing blew past her, throwing dust and leaves into the air around her, forming a thick fog of dirt that limited her vision to only a few feet.
[Two lifesigns ahead of us. They are looking for you,] Forseti said.
"Then we shouldn't let them find-"
Sigrid dove to her side again as brightly colored fluid spewed out from inside the fog. She rolled on her side and looked up at where the fluid had hit. The rock was scorched black on the places where the fluid was. It was the same thing as at the spaceport.
"You got lucky," Elly shouted through the fog as it began to clear and the stature of Nidoha with Elly on her back appeared. She seemed refreshed somehow, not at all tired from the major battle before. Her shield flickered when the dust settled on top of it.
"Stop this immediately, Elisabeth. You've already caused enough damage," Sigrid retorted. She got up from the ground and pointed Forseti at Elly. She noticed a faint blue arrow was getting closer in the sky, but she withdrew her attention from it and focused on Elly.
"I'm not going to stop when I'm unstoppable. I'm invincible! Nothing can stop me now!" She did the same with Fornjót, pointing the long silver-laced lance at the Knight Captain. "Look into my eyes, Norfolk woman. Look and see the truth behind it."
The tone of her voice was empty of sarcasm and Sigrid decided it wasn't a metaphor either. She squinted and focused on Elly's eyes, where something was brooding. Even from the distance Sigrid stood, she could clearly see a dark red color mixing in unnaturally with Elly's eyes. It was glowing slightly, only faintly visible against the dust still settling in the air.
She took a glance at Elly's extended arm too and confirmed the eerie feeling developing in her stomach. The hardened muscles and flowing veins in Elly's arm pushed out against her tight combat suit.
"You're on drugs," Sigrid said and shook her head. "I recognize the signs. Why did you go to these measures?"
"I'm fighting for survival, to live another day. All the honor bullshit your military spouts is useless and only serves to weaken you. I run on the policy that everything you can use is in your favor."
"What are you on? XGR? Combat Stimula K?"
"None of the sorts. It's a new one I got before I ended up here. Nebula 8."
"Nebula 8... You're insane! Don't you know what the side effects are?"
Elly shrugged and flicked her wrist. Nidoha stomped the ground with her massive legs and brought her head to bear to face Sigrid head-on. "Yes, I know the side effects. It will all be worth it when your head is placed on my lance."
Nidoha threw herself forward with her jaws open in an ear-shattering roar and Elly shouted with her in blind rage. The silver lance was aimed at Sigrid's heart, going straight for the kill. Sigrid prepared to dodge again just as her radio channel revived from its silence.
"Jump!"
She did as told and made a halfhearted attempt to jump. As her feet left the ground and Nidoha was a meter in front of her, Signum swooped down and picked her up. She was far too slow to have gone supersonic, and the sonic boom following them was probably just an illusion, but she was fast enough to snatch Sigrid before Nidoha crashed into the ground where she had stood.
"Are you alright?" Signum asked when they had gained a little bit of distance. The two of them were soon joined by three additional arrows flying alongside them. They weren't flying away from Elly, just orbiting around her high up in the sky.
"Uh, yes. Thank you, Lady Signum," Sigrid said in a state of shock. She was still catching up on what had just happened.
"What's wrong with her? I heard parts of it over the radio." Hayate's voice came through loud and clear now that the magical energies were gone. Sigrid put her confusion aside and repeated what she knew about it.
"Drugs. Nebula 8 to be exact; it's one of the most dangerous drugs ever produced on Cancri. It's banned almost everywhere."
"Do you know what it does?"
"Only the most basic. It makes one's mana capacity and regeneration go through the roof. Muscle strength increases, pain reception is softened... the whole thing. What sets it apart is that it's stronger than the rest and the side effects are very serious."
"Such as? I need to know as much as you do," Hayate said.
"Bleeding, nausea, coma. There is a lot and the fatality rate is rather high." Sigrid paused before giving the estimate. "Forty-five percent."
"She only got a fifty-fifty chance to survive," Hayate whispered.
"I don't know much about your medical technology," Sigrid said, "but proper medical attention might bring the percentage down. That's if we can get her to a hospital before her body suffers a breakdown."
"How long until then?"
"I don't know when she took it. I guess it was around the time she escaped from the hospital. The drug should enter its final stage within an hour if that's the case."
"We'll distract her somehow," Zafira added through a com window appearing. "Prolong the battle and when she starts to weaken, we grab her."
"Do it. Put Sigrid down again and we'll go back," Hayate said. From Sigrid's point of view she had stopped and floated in the air. Signum began to descend without objection and Zafira started to backtrack.
"No, that's no good. She'll ignore you and come after me anyway. It's better if we stick together."
"Ambush?" Signum offered.
"Perhaps. We can set a trap in the mountain opening over there," Sigrid said and pointed. The mountain cliffs approached each other, but left a small opening in the forest beneath it. It was a good spot for an ambush.
"Alright, let's do it. We don't have time to wait," Hayate said. They set off towards the area Sigrid had pointed out, with Nidoha setting chase after them.
The patch of open forest laid itself out before them quickly, the mountain looming in the background against the clear sky. They flew as low as they dared, almost scratching the top of the trees, so Nidoha would have a harder time identifying them. Still, that didn't seem to pose a problem for her, as another beam erupted from behind them and barely missed.
It passed them, leaving a chaos of air currents behind it, complete with an ear-piercing sonic boom, before it hit the ground. Trees disappeared in an eyeblink and only left behind scorched earth.
"Lady Hayate," Sigrid said over the radio, "do you have an applicable spell in this situation? Something that might hold the dragon down."
"I think I can take care of that," Zafira answered in his mistress' place. "Just get it down on the ground and I'll keep it busy."
"Right. Drop me in the clear down there so she can see me. Elly is still focused on me," Sigrid said.
"Are you sure?" Hayate said. "What if she unleash another of those beams again? You'll be caught in the blast."
"She won't. She wants to finish this personally."
Without any further interruptions they swooped down lower and dropped Sigrid off at the proposed spot. Immediately afterwards they split up in different directions, hiding amongst the trees not too far away.
Sigrid pulled out Forseti out of his sheath again and focused on the tiny spot growing larger in the sky. She could hear the dragons screech in rage faintly, its massive wings pumping the air around it to keep itself airborne. Sigrid could only imagine how Elly felt now, chasing her lost prey all over the battlefield in a crazy hunt for revenge.
When the dragon got closer, its skeleton structure and pointy edges appearing as a sore in the sky, another beam shot down against her. It was so sudden she could only jump to the side to avoid it, but to her surprise it steered off to the side instead. First she thought it was an error, which wouldn't be strange considering the distance involved. It hit the ground, again with the massive noise and heat flowing through the forest. Sigrid shielded her face as the warm wind flew past her.
It was only a second afterwards she figured out what Elly had been aiming for. Three excessively large trees made their final groan, losing their grip of the earth and began to fall against the area where Sigrid was. They towered over her, covering a large triangle of land which prevented escape to the sides.
She did the only sensible thing to do and tried to calculate their angle of impact. When she found it she hunched down, with Forseti plunged into the ground, and braced herself.
The trees hit the ground with the force of a bus hitting a stonewall and sent out a shudder through the stony earth, throwing up a thin layer of leaves and dust into the air.
"Sigrid! Are you alright?!" Hayate's shouting voice crackled in Sigrid's radio when the signal punched through.
"I'm alright," she said, slightly unsure, and stood up amongst the mess of entangled branches. She'd been lucky enough to figure out where to stand; the trees had hit each other at their tips, allowing small patches of passages. She'd only suffered small cuts on her uniform and bruises on the skin that hadn't been protected.
However, the diversion had filled its purpose. Forseti's warning to jump to her right almost came too late. Twenty small beams scorched the ground around her, throwing up pebble and more dust, leaving smoking holes. She avoided all except one, which hit her across her left shoulder. It barely touched her, but a yelp escaped her lungs at the sudden fire piercing it. Despite her resistant shoulder pads, the magic had been strong enough to go through it.
She ran out of the way and checked where Nidoha was after the attack. The heavy flapping of wings brought her attention upwards, where the dragon circled only a few meters above her. She couldn't see Elly on her back however. She had disappeared from Nidoha's back when Sigrid was busy trying to stay alive.
She was only alerted to her presence when Elly's spear hit the ground behind her. It sent ripples of energy surging through the grass and Sigrid turned to face Elly who had followed along with the spear.
That would have been the logical conclusion if it hadn't been for a soft thump behind her, which made her spin around again, throwing her off balance slightly. Now Elly was finally in front of her, with her glowing knife clenched in a tight fist and her face full of determination.
Sigrid, still having the momentum from misjudging her turn, tried to block the oncoming thrust from Elly. She deflected it from her head effectively, but stumbled because of it. The energy knife searched its way to her ribs instead where it slashed against the side of her armor.
Again a spike of fire erupted from the impact, while Sigrid's armor mitigated most of its effect. The drug rushing through Elly's veins made her corrupted energy spiral out of control and simply making contact with the knife could produce grave injuries. Without knowing the full damage potential, she couldn't let it get close to naked skin.
She let herself fall backwards to avoid another slice with the knife. She rolled on her back and flung herself up on her legs again and successfully blocked the next attack that came swiftly. The speed with which Elly was attacking was extreme. Sigrid's muscles screamed in protest at moving too fast to parry.
"Die. You must die. I can kill you. Die." Elly's constant rambling finally reached Sigrid's ears. The girl was almost in trance, repeating the same words over and over again. Sigrid had heard that the drug could produce similar results, but she had a feeling this was something else.
A large shadow began to grow bigger around them and they both looked up. Nidoha was falling down towards them, her wings entangled in something Sigrid couldn't determine. They both jumped out of the way as the dragon hit the ground. Zafira and Signum followed shortly and tried to keep the dragon suppressed by white spikes and flaming chains.
The abrupt interruption allowed Sigrid to catch her breath and reorient herself. She checked her wounds and concluded they weren't significant. The wounds inflicted by the spears and knife still oozed with heat and sent a burning sensation into her nervous system. The knife hadn't drawn blood however, and her wounds didn't impair her movement too much.
"Where did you go?!" she yelled, trying to draw Elly out from the confusion surrounding the area. "Are you so cowardly you decide to hide in the midst of battle?!"
It had the effect she had intended. Elly suddenly appeared on top of Nidoha's body and took a big jump into the air, holding the knife in front of her in a move intended to strike from above. Sigrid held up Forseti in response, clenching his opposite end with her other hand to defend against it.
When Elly landed straight on Sigrid's chest, blowing the air out of her in the process, they tumbled onto the ground and struggled for the upper hand. Both of them failed in getting anymore hits, until Elly finally stopped the rotation and ended up on top. Forseti had been slung away during the brawl and ended up outside Sigrid's reach.
"I win," Elly said with suppressed rage, gritting her teeth. Her eyes flared brilliant red from the drug and gave her an appearance of complete insanity. "Please die."
She braced the knife in her fist and aimed it for Sigrid's heart. Sigrid, acting in desperation rather than on combat training, threw up her hand in defense. Elly struck down with the remaining strength she had.
The glowing energy knife missed its intended target by a few centimeters. The glove protecting Sigrid's hand was pierced easily by magic and the knife dug itself into her hand. It burned up the flesh and nerves at the outer layer, continued through the skeleton and out the other side, throwing a cascade of blood on Sigrid's chest. She screamed from the intense, burning pain showering over her hand and clenched her teeth.
Before Elly could pull the knife out for another swing, Sigrid fought against her will to draw away her hand and instead closed it around Elly's hand. The knife continued to scorch the flesh - a faint smell of it began to infiltrate both of their noses - but Sigrid didn't let go, locking Elly in place.
With as much strength Sigrid could muster, she brought her other hand up in a devastating blow that caught Elly of guard. It hit her straight in the face, breaking her nose in the process. She fell into a heap and dwindled down next to Sigrid.
Only Nidoha's frantic whining could be heard now, but even that died down eventually when she realized her master had been defeated. Sigrid forced herself to sit up and looked at her injured hand. The knife had stopped its energetic behavior, but she let it remain. Pulling it out might further aggravate the wound. The blood hadn't stopped dripping from the blade and it felt like her whole hand was burning up. She hoped the medical facilities could fix it up fast after they got back.
"Fuck it... Damn you," Elly mumbled. Sigrid looked at the destroyed girl next to her. Elly's nose was crushed, blood spread out over her face. She was shaking noticeably too. The drug was beginning to wear off. That was only the tip of the iceberg for what was in wait for her.
"I can kill you right now, you know," Sigrid whispered. "I might be injured, but there is nothing stopping me from strangling you. Considering the circumstances, that might even be considered merciful."
"Shut... up."
Sigrid leaned in closer and whispered into her ear. "You'll be out for weeks, all thanks to that drug of yours. I have full control of your life during that time. I can decide when it's time for you to pass. When you lie there, being kept alive by a machine, being drained of that poison, I can walk in and laugh at you. I'll enjoy it, Elisabeth. Just as I enjoyed getting rid of that mother of yours."
"Sigrid, a helicopter is on its way." Her radio crackled to life, carrying Hayate's worried voice. "Are you badly wounded?"
"Nothing that can't be fixed," Sigrid answered and eyed the knife again with a pained expression. "Elly is pretty bad though. The drug is starting to wear off its initial effects."
"I'll tell them to hurry." The radio shut off once again. She looked at Elly, who was observing her with glowing hatred. There were no words to be said. Their eyes spoke for them.
2009-11-27, 17:49
Author
That's a rare talent around here.
Rawrg Kha is doing the same things as normal! *riptear* (It doesn't matter if that's what you did or not that's what it sounded like to a lot of us) 
and everyone else is 
or 
