It was a foggy day, and one of many firsts for the Aerie. Sonera had fled. Even with all her bravery and strength, the girl could not bear to face the truth.
She wasn't particularly good at retreating, truth be told, achieving little more than a stumbling flight. Even a child could track her in such a state.
"You need to find her." Ivy pointed with her baton. "Lunae!"
The princess was in a state of shock, kneeling in the sand as she stared at the many grains with a hopeless expression.
"Listen to me!" Ivy grabbed Lunae by her shoulders. "She needs you!"
Lunae sounded almost offended. "For what? To convince her to kill you? I can't do that to her."
"You don't get it, do you?" Ivy's voice was becoming increasingly distorted. "Yrix isn't playing games. She will kill Lila. She will kill you."
The heiress faltered, seemingly on the precipice of collapse. She was rather surprised then to find Alia as her source of support. A wordless frown from the dancer told her all she needed to know about high-stress impairment.
"Sorry," Ivy coughed.
Alia rolled her eyes. "Just take it easy. You'll hurl if you're not careful."
Lunae was in a similar state, having stumbled into Rena's embrace. Yet her fears felt far more alien, as if something might burst out of her at any moment.
"It's either three of us live," the heiress begged. "Or two of us die."
Lunae hesitated. Her ocean-colored irises had changed into a greener hue. Ivy could tell she was desperate.
"Please, for me."
"Okay," Lunae whispered. "I'll try."
The princess disappeared behind a sea of Psionic butterflies, only to emerge mere inches from Ivy's face with a warm embrace.
"Good luck, Ivy," she whimpered. "I love you."
"You too, princess." Ivy managed a smile.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Stop," Sonera groaned, clawing at a mossy wall like a sickened beast. "Stop!"
She felt fairly pathetic, all things considered. Sonera needed no sickening dirge to blame for her condition. The pain and dread were all her own.
"Don't ask me to," Sonera panted. "She's my friend."
The thought of Lila only made things worse. Sonera let out a low growl, exhaling as if she had been stabbed, before collapsing to her knees. She had given up.
By then she could already sense Lunae approaching from behind. But the princess had no empty platitudes to offer. All she could give Sonera was her silent embrace.
"I can't do it," Sonera happily buried herself in her partner's bosom. "I can't..."
Lunae had never seen her assassin so desperate before. But she understood why. For all her tendencies, Sonera was fiercely loyal to her family.
Slaying Venra back on Mars was only marginally difficult. She was a traitor. But Ivy was practically blood.
"Wherever I go," Sonera struggled to say the words. "It's always me? Isn't it?"
Lunae remained silent. Her support was all Sonera needed. That sick, twisted corner of her soul almost wanted to encourage the assassin.
It was Ivy or Sonera.
She had a choice.
But the princess was remarkably resilient, casting off her inner conflict for grim determination. Whatever happened between Sonera and Ivy, she would not interfere. If only Lunae could see then how proud that would have made her mother.
"Lunae," Sonera looked up at her like a lost child. "Why are your eyes green?"
"Don't mind all that."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Ivy!" Lila bolted into the bedchambers, causing a gust of wind to billow against the curtains. "Ivy!"
She didn't take long to find her partner; the heiress's sluggish advance was managed only with the aid of Alia and Rena.
"Lila," Ivy offered a weak smirk. "There's my girl."
Lila rushed to her side, peppering the heiress with a few concerned nudges.
Alia handed Ivy over to her partner with a sigh. "Listen, I've already given her some of my Ambience, but she needs to rest before the big fight."
"Thank you." Lila's desperate gaze caused Alia to nearly falter. "You too, Rena."
"Hey, it's the least we can do." Rena shrugged. "Been a shitty day for all of us."
Lila wasted no time planting a kiss on Ivy's lips, her trembling breath threatening to smother the heiress.
"Hmm," Ivy muttered. She wanted to show strength. But in truth, she was just as desperate. "Lila..."
"Hang in there, baby girl," the Earthling shuddered.
"I don't wanna see you go," Lila cried. "You don't have to-."
Ivy's loving smile was matched only by her panic. "It's for you."
"T-then just forget about me!"
Ivy pulled her in for another kiss, forcing Lila to surrender.
"I love you," Ivy muttered under their shared breath. "It's not an option. Besides, who'd want to live in a world without you and Lunae?"
Lila mustered her last joke. "S-she is kinda too hot to die, yeah."
"It would be a real shame."
Ivy had never looked more beautiful with her determined stare. Even the pain behind her eyes had swept Lila off her feet. The reminder then that it would all be over soon had her sobbing again.
"I just-." Lila hesitated. "I need you to understand."
"I know."
"I love you."
The Earthling fell onto her partner, inhaling as much of her fragrance as she could.
"You'll miss me," Ivy rolled her eyes playfully. "My silly little pervert."
She kissed Lila on the forehead, shrouding her agonizing expression from the Earthling. A few tears could be felt trickling down her chest. But Ivy remained focused on the fight ahead.
"We don't have long now. Yrix is done giving breaks."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
High above the Aerie, Yrix stood pensively as her subordinate continued to debate the Arch-Flayer's plans aboard their command deck. Her mood was noticeably worsened after Lila's outburst. Everyone could see it.
"Is there a risk of rebellion, or not?" Executor Premus snorted through his furnace of a mask.
Yrix waved her fingers through the air, contemplating which words she should use to compel the loyal brute. "Does the word insurance mean anything to you?"
Unfortunately, Premus was not so easily swayed like his peers. He had a growing distrust for Yrix's students and was no doubt searching for an excuse to cull the remaining flock.
"We were your insurance for the Infestare. Do your specimens pose a similar threat?"
"So what if they do?" Yrix sighed. "You can handle it."
"Very well," Premus responded to what he believed was a challenge. "I will deploy the fleet in low orbit."
"That shouldn't be-."
"If there is a rebellion, I will answer it myself. Arch-Flayer."
"Do what you want," Yrix groaned. She knew the Daregen cared little for his own preservation. "Just don't dare fire till I give the order."
Premus looked as if he was to protest. But upon surveying the colosseum, his confidence improved. He then pointed towards the largest podium with his brick-like hands. Yrix practically yawned in response.
"Sure."
"You seem troubled," the Daregen's coarse voice rang in her mind. "I will deal with them for you, if there is indeed a problem."
Yrix showed unusual restraint in her response. "Just...leave Sonera to me. Handle the rest, if you must. And if possible, capture the little Earthling."
"You favor her?"
"Serix would be terribly upset if I killed her."
Premus seemed to respect that name with an approving nod. Among all of Yrix's odd tendencies, her affection for the pilot made the most sense to him. It was the matter of human students that perplexed all but the Emperor himself.
"Understood, we deploy now." Premus performed a salute. "I only hope this will be the end of it."
"It will," Yrix promised.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Mina cradled her fallen sister in silence, only averting her gaze once a sudden gale struck her face.
"Hm?" She looked skyward to see a fleet of angular vessels descend on the Aerie. "Look, Dina, the stars are falling."
"Isn't that a little overkill?" Rena's squeaks had been carried by the wind. "Who the fuck do these guys think they are?"
"Perhaps we'd forgotten how bad things were when we first got here." Alia held her hand in her own. "Too busy making love to each other."
"I don't regret a damn thing." Rena shrugged. "What are we gonna do about it?"
"Absolutely nothing." Yrix appeared behind them with a hiss. "Now come with me."
Lila nearly jumped out of Ivy's arms. The heiress, however, remained perfectly calm. She had accepted her fate.
"Where, exactly?" Rena complained.
The Arch-Flayer pointed towards the east with her spindly finger. "The colosseum, of course."
Lila could feel Ivy leaving her grasp. "Wait!"
"It's okay," the heiress smiled. "But I have to go now."
A single look from Yrix shot down any hope Lila had of prolonging the exchange. She wasn't exactly playing around anymore. That much had become certain.
"You may watch her from the stands," the Arch-Flayer mused. "I imagine she'll need your support."
Lila was done cussing her out. All she could do was give her partner a last goodbye.