It was two hours after Captain’s unusual request that Team Blonde finally were in eyesight of their new temporary home.  To their confusion, another Wyervia had been waiting in the port, seemingly abandoned.  Although a port, Bryn was still a<span style="font-style: italic">new</span>port that had been established mostly at Master Guilford’s request.  Most supplies to Palaugrim came through the Southwestern dock.  For a Wyervia to be here.. Unusual.  However, the craft had definitely been decked in Gless’s colors so it was unlikely to be an enemy’s.  They’d deal with it when they got to Bryn.  After all, there was certainly nothing they could do about it at the empty port.<br/><br/>When they came within shouting distance of Bryn’s outer walls, they were finally greeted by the local garrison: “Halt! Who goes there?!”<br/><br/>“Gless’s Squad Ten, under the command of Seraph Lethe.”  Adair stepped forward to respond, his voice easier to project over the remaining distance.  From where they stood, Team Blonde could hear the murmurs of confusion on the ramparts.  After all, Bryn would not have been expecting a visit by a Seraph out of the blue.<br/><br/>“You may approach!”  Someone finally responded, his voice lacking its previous authority.  Cricket exchanged an amused look with the others but the squad’s approach was otherwise unremarkable.  A Knight with the badge of a platoon leader welcomed them, face carefully impassive.  His subordinates, however, didn’t share such mastery of their emotions.  Confusion was evident in their expressions though all muttering paused with their approach.  “How may I help you, Master Lethe?”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Please,”</span>Despite her worries, Lethe at least remembered to smile this time,<span style="color: silver">“May I speak with the commanding officer here?”</span><br/><br/>“Of course.  I’ll lead you myself.”  The Knight stepped forward with a bow before walking forwards into the town.  The eight members of Squad Ten followed silently, more interested in the town then their silent guide.  It was after they’d been walking a few minutes that Lethe realized something.<span style="color: silver">“Are we headed towards the center of Bryn?”</span>Both the platoon leader and Adair turned to look at her, their puzzlement echoed in her expression.<br/><br/>“Yes.”<br/><br/>Lethe’s brows furrowed in confusion but she said nothing, simply nodding her head in response.  Odd, she would have expected the commander to be near the garrison she’d spotted by the walls.  Perhaps he was talking with the mayor?  The civilians and the Pristine Knights needed to coexist peacefully after all.  The sound of splashing water drew her from her musings even as their guide shouted out in greeting, “Master Guilford!”<br/><br/>The white Knight startled at the words.  What?  Blue eyes immediately scanned the direction the platoon leader was facing and sure enough, a familiar man with dark blue hair stood by the water fountain she’d been hearing.  Around him was the famous Team Prissy as were Lance and four others.<br/><br/>“Are those the Crests?” Cricket muttered from behind her and was answered by Leon’s breathy, awe-inspired “yes..”  The starstruck response broke through her surprise and elicited a snicker.  Even after being around her, Guilford, the Pure Magic Squadron, and being a member of a famous squad in its own right, Leon still went fanboy for the Crests?  Valiar seemed to catch her train of thought because the man batted his eyelashes at her in exaggerated fashion, earning another snort.<br/><br/>“Master Guilford.”  At least someone had retained their composure, but that’s why Adair was her Vice Captain.  “It’s a surprise to see you here.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Yes, what brings you here?”</span>Lethe echoed after a reprimanding glare at Valiar, her smile mitigating the accusation of her inquiry.<br/><br/>In the middle of his discussion among the members of both Squad Eight and the Crests, Gil heard a call for him. With his prior thoughts still in mind, the male Seraph turned his head slightly to the direction of the voice. The southern platoon leader was there and behind him were some unexpected visitors. Vice Captain Adair was the first to give him greeting.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Adair."</span>he responded in kind though it was rather rushed. His surprise to see them here was muffled by the grave thought that lingered in his mind.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Lethe."</span>he greeted his fellow Seraph in the same manner, much to his distaste for sounding unwelcoming.<span style="color: #0080FF">"We came to pay our respects to Knight Brynhildr."</span>he continued on.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Though I could ask the same of you."</span>he finished, turning fully to face the newcomers.<br/><br/>The smile faded from her face at the mention of why they were here.<span style="color: silver"> “… business..”</span>She finally responded awkwardly, well aware of the countless ears around them that were interested in the answer.<span style="color: silver">“If I may speak with you in private?”</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Business? Talk in private?</span>Gil already had a foreboding sense of what it was related to. Still, it would have to wait. One of his knights went missing and<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>he could not put aside so easily.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Of course, Lethe. Though I hate having to brush it aside now, one of my knights are missing,"</span>he paused to look around.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Fiona is nowhere to be seen.. or felt."</span>he ended with a sigh then turned to Lethe once more.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Sorry, might I trouble your knight Leon to try and sense for Fiona?"</span><br/><br/>Lethe glanced in Leon’s direction.  The blonde had thankfully recovered from his sudden fanboyism and was the immaculate professional Laith tried so hard to present them as.  Leon nodded and closed his eyes, extending his senses.  He ignored the plaza they were in; the presences of the three teams would blind out any other presences and he assumed Master Guilford had already tried the area.  After a moment, he opened his eyes again.  “Nothing.”<br/><br/>The grim news was expected, naturally. Had those people in red armor succeeded in taking Fiona, obviously there would be no trace of her presence anywhere near, and Gil recognized and respected Knight Leon's superb sensing capability.<span style="color: #0080FF">"It is as I feared then..."</span>Gil trailed off, putting on a contemplative look.<span style="color: #0080FF">"She was last seen going out of the East gate,"</span>he recounted.<span style="color: #0080FF">"nobody had seen her since."</span><br/><br/>“To the East?”  Leon repeated in surprise, “I felt something way out that direction when we were walking here but it wasn’t very strong.”  He shrugged, “I assumed it was a scout, especially after it vanished.  Probably someone going undercover.”  Now he looked uncertain, “Is Fiona capable of hiding her presence?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Not that I'm aware of. I have always been able to sense her presence whenever she's nearby, and she most definitely does not have that weak of a presence."</span>Gil feared for the worst. Hearing Leon say that he mistook the presence for a scout could only mean that she may have been weakened to that point.<br/><br/>“Then it’s probably not her if her presence—”<br/><span style="color: silver">“Care!”</span>Lethe suddenly shouted even as Guilford and Cora called out to their squads as well.  Luna appeared in one hand as the other gathered holy light.  Her squad was one step behind in settling into defensive stances even as the air seemed to shimmer.  With no fanfare, a woman with dark hair and battered red armor appeared and staggered forward, falling to the ground.  Bloody hands scrabbled for purchase as she tried to push herself up, succeeding only in lifting her face off the ground.<br/><br/>“Hur-hurry!”  She gasped to the defensive troop in front of her.  “They-they’ve got her...”<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Do not attack! Nobody move! I know this woman!"</span>Gil roared for everyone to hear. Squad Eight and the Crests were the first to lower their guard, most of them if not all, recognized the battered woman.<br/><br/>Akira rushed past everyone else and pulled the woman into his arms, letting her head rest close to his chest. He frantically looked at Cora who seemed dazed by his actions yet no words have been said. Cora simply understood what he meant and rushed over to begin healing the woman of her injuries. "Dear Light... such savagery..." Cora muttered as she examined and healed the gravest injuries first.<br/><br/>Guilford walked towards them and leaned in, not close enough to block Cora from natural light but just enough so he wouldn't have to shout at the injured.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Who has her?!"</span>Gil's voice still thundered even at conscious restiction. It was more out of concern rather than anger. "T-the.. ene..my..." she labored the words out, wincing in pain as Cora's healing began to take effect.<br/><br/>The enemy?! What would they want with Fiona? Gil struggled to piece the puzzle together. As far as his knowledge extends, the enemy she clearly referred to, would rather be interested in wiping them out than taking them captive,<span style="font-style: italic">especially</span>someone from a Seraph squad.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Why did they take her?! What are they planning?"</span><br/><br/>By now, the woman's injuries have healed to a point where most of the severe ones have been treated. Trust Cora to do well with healing! The woman, however, rejected further aid and brushed Cora's hand aside. She pushed herself out of Akira's arms and struggled back to her feet. She was still dazed but looked at Guilford with grim-filled eyes. "There's no time to explain—the God of Sin will walk the land again if you don't get her back. Quickly now!  Follow the traces of this ward,” She drew an unfamiliar seal into the air with a glowing fingertip, “before it breaks completely. This is all that I can say."<br/><br/>Help delivered, the Guardian once again formed the same seal she used to escape captivity and vanished into thin air.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Mobilize your troops immediately.  Assume Bryn is at battle.  Send one of your men to the Wyervias and inform Rayitas and Rasova immediately.  I want their reserves here as soon as possible.”</span>The platoon leader snapped to attention at the sudden commands and ran off back the way they’d come.<br/><br/>Having been given a method to track their missing squad member, Gil felt a faint light of hope in his heart. It would have been fine if it was the Guardians who took her for he knew they wouldn't harm Fiona, but for the enemy? It was disturbing, and greatly worrying. Gil was just about to take the seal left by the Guardian when Akira suddenly caught his extended arm. "I'll do it." he said firmly. "I'll track her. All of you just follow my lead."<br/><br/>Gil had never seen Akira determined like this. Agreeing to it, Gil allowed the other to take the seal. He turned to Lethe for a brief moment and frowned.<span style="color: #0080FF">"We'll talk later Lethe. I need to find my missing knight first. Sorry."</span><br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “We’re coming with you of course.”</span>Lethe responded with a frown of her own.  Did he honestly think she wasn’t?<span style="color: silver"> “Which way, Akira?”</span><br/><br/>Grateful to hear her words, Gil could only say<span style="color: #0080FF">"Thanks.. I owe you one."</span>He received a scornful look in response, owed her what?<br/><br/>Akira then closed his eyes, channeling his senses into the seal that was now printed at the back of his right hand, he began to feel faint traces of a familiar presence getting dragged farther. "Eastward." he answered. "They're on the move, we have to act fast." Having said that, Akira bolted off toward the East gate.  As one, the others followed him, creating a stampede of twenty odd Knights.  Out the gate they ran, following the road until Akira suddenly swerved off the path.  Into the forest they plunged en masse, branches and leaves breaking under their feet in a cacophony of sound.  All were so intent on the darting black figure in front, they might have been forgiven for their inattention.<br/><br/>A massive paw swiped at them, forcing the group to scatter.  There was a bellow of rage before a head snapped at them with massive jaws.<br/><br/>“Cerberus!” Cora shouted in surprise, dodging out of the way of the attack.  “Care to the right!” another voice joined hers as a titan appeared, arm swung back in preparation.<br/><br/>The warning came at the right time. Guilford and the rest of his squad managed to dodge safely. The Crests did just the same. Akira paused to look back towards Gil, eyes asking the unvoiced question. Guilford then turned to his Vice Captain,<span style="color: #0080FF">"Alfrei, Hyuga, Silver: go with Akira and continue tracking Fiona. Leave everything here to us."</span><br/><br/>Adair jumped forward, shield ready to block the Titan’s axe, the two meeting in a terrible screech of sound.  Only the aura of Light’s Blessing around him kept the shield from shattering.  Seraphim appeared immediately afterwards, one glowing fist slamming into the Titan’s thigh.  Up near its head, flashes of blond, grey, and silver flitted around as Deimos attacked.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Lance had engaged the three headed monster of a dog, one spear smacking one head’s nose and the other blocking a swipe that sent him sliding backwards.  Vlad jumped into the empty space, Joaquim and Georg one step behind.  Between the three of them, they kept the Cerberus’s three heads on them, leaving the flanks open for attack.  With the flanks now vulnerable, Cora circled to one side in sync with Alona. The two ladies executed a practiced combo from the flanks. Cora pounded away at the left head with her hammer while Alona mercilessly sliced and diced the right head with her sword. Finally, the other three who acted as bait all fired powered Banish bolts after Cora and Alona broke off their attack.  The impromptu combination sent the Cerberus reeling back in pain, followed by an ear-shattering roar of rage.  All winced at the sound and then had to retreat when the beast lashed back in response.<br/><br/>“There.” Leon pointed towards a spot next to the Cerberus, directing YunQiao’s fire ball in that direction.  A tail lashed out towards the surprised Natalia but was intercepted by the black-haired Knight’s spell.  “Captain.”  Lethe didn’t even spare a glance as one of her Heaven’s Judgment swords sent a<span style="font-style: italic">Banish</span>towards wherever Leon had indicated.  She herself was busy keeping track of the activity around her, her blades gleaming as they came and vanished at her discretion.  Though they would react accordingly on their own, they were more lethal when she paid attention.<br/><br/>Guilford fell from the sky, sword poised to decapitate the Cerberus’s leftmost head.  With all three heads’ attention on his tank and rear guard, the necks were exposed for an easy kill.  He felt a flicker of unease and then something was knocking him out of the air.  He caught a glimpse of a familiar silver blade before it was struck, the metal vanishing under the strain.  When he landed, a black-armored man waited for him.<br/><br/>As a swordsman, Guilford had developed a sense of understanding if going up against a fellow swordsman. One look at the black-armored person that had knocked him out of the air, Guilford could tell that the other was indeed very skilled with the blade. Slowly rising back to his feet, Guilford swished Light's Requiem once to clean out the dust from having grazed the ground when he landed. The air around the two suddenly became tense, like the elements around them were reacting to their intent. Who was this guy? Why did Guilford feel this unease should he make the first move? Why does he have this feeling that he would be easily defeated by this man? Still, he had to focus! Instinct told him that one simple mistake would spell his doom. Pushing his thoughts aside, it still took another second for the Seraph to realize that his swordarm was still numb from having haphazardly blocked the previous attack.<br/><br/>Guilford stood there disturbingly still, contrary to his more offensive nature. The man in black armor appeared to have little interest in the other battles around them; though the visor was not facing Guilford directly, the overwhelming pressure Guilford felt from the unknown man was evidence that<span style="font-style: italic">he</span>was the focus of the black knight's attention. When the numbness from his arm subsided, Guilford finally settled into his stance. The black knight responded with a mocking tilt of his helmet and then a come-hither motion of his free hand, demanding Guilford to come at him instead.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Is he that confident about his skill?!</span>Guilford wondered internally. The only time a warrior should ask an opponent to attack first is if that warrior had absolute confidence that he was better than his opponent. Irritating, yes, but Guilford knew he couldn't afford to be reckless. Closing the distance between them, Guilford raised his sword for an overhead slash. His speed was not something to be taken lightly, nor was his aim. However, with a simple yet masterful sway back, the black knight cleanly avoided the fast strike with ease. Taking advance of Guilford's momentary loss of balance, the black knight countered with an upward slash of his own. The Seraph saw the blade coming but barely managed to dodge it in time. Three strands of his hair drifted slowly to the ground, cut by the black knight who had yet to take a step forward.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>"How far off are we Akira?!" Silver asked the former scout who ran full speed ahead of them. The other simply looked back without breaking speed and grumbled. "I can't get a clear read yet, but we're getting close!" he yelled back at his companion.<br/><br/>Silver frowned at the knowledge but kept his senses alert. From the corner of his eyes though, Silver noticed the unwavering gaze the other two with them had in their eyes. They were surprisingly calm, no doubt rooting from an obvious trust in their teammate. He could almost tell what they were thinking, almost...<br/><br/>"She's still alive." Silver huffed while ducking beneath a low hanging branch along their way as they ran. Alfrei simply looked at the man and nodded. As much as Alfrei and Hyuga wanted to believe that, there was just no way to be sure without actually seeing Fiona for themselves. They might have calm expressions now, but underneath it all laid a turbulence of emotions.  They had already lost one squadmate here; they weren’t losing another.<br/><br/>"We're getting close!" Akira suddenly yelled. "Over here!" he added, veering off the path and coming to a stop before a steep ravine. The others took a few seconds to catch up but once all of them made it before the ravine, nobody could believe their eyes. At the pit of the ravine, a threatening swirl of Sin circled around, serving as a barrier for what could possibly be a cave entrance.<br/><br/>There was no time to waste in formulating a strategy! Alfrei's worry got the best of him. He coated himself with several layers of Prayer before jumping down first, followed by Hyuga, who not once mumbled a single word of complaint. Akira turned to look at Silver, "Fiona's down there alright—I can feel it!" The larger man gave the former scout a nod before the two of them also jumped down the ravine.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Who are they?”</span>Lethe snapped out, not expecting an answer.  Blue eyes tracked the approaching black-armored men.  They looked like the Sovereign Palaugrim troops but at the same time not.  Valiar glanced in the direction she was looking, mouth still chanting the script for the buffs he was blessing on his teammates.  “No idea.”  He responded as he finished the incantations, drawing his sword.  “Heads up to the left!” He shouted in warning.  There was no visible response from the members of Squad Ten still engaged with the Titan.<br/><br/>Lethe drew Luna and started towards the troops.  Their deliberate advance, and the way they ignored the Cerberus and Titan, was enough to tell her they weren’t allies.  Seeing they’d been spotted, the men broke formation and started rushing her, spreading to encircle her.  To their surprise, the various attacks were deflected as eight blades appeared around her, parrying the strikes, even as she kept running through, knocking men and weapons aside with her charge.  Another blur of color approached from their side.  Alona cut through the surprised men with ease, leaving bloody gashes or scarred armor everywhere her sword touched.  There was a rumble below her and she jumped up as the ground underneath her erupted.  A Pure Sinner jumped out of the ground, gnarly hand reaching out for her.  The armored men didn’t even seem surprised and instead headed towards the others.  The redhead gritted her teeth in irritation.  She couldn’t leave the Pure Sinner alone, but it’d be hard for her to defeat it with just her sword.  Sinners were easy enough to carve up; Pure Sinners had too much magic to be taken down so easily and she wasn’t<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>skilled with holy magic.<br/><br/>She lashed out with her sword but hit a barrier.  Damn it!  “Leave this to us!”  A voice shouted at her as a Knight ran by, a braid of purple trailing behind him.  His attack carved a gash in the Pure Sinner’s leg before a massive Sin ball slammed into the location he had been standing.  A blast of Banish struck the Pure Sinner that howled in defiance, its barrier trying to stand up to the ferocity of the attack.  A petite, white-clad Knight was scowling in response, eyes focused on her spell.  Master Lethe and probably a member of her squad—Alona shook her head and ran back towards the armored troops—no doubt they’d be enough to handle a Pure Sinner.  Her time was better spent dealing with those she was more effective against.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Gritting his teeth to suppress his emotions, Guilford settled into his stance again. This time, the black knight tilted his head to the side, as if asking Guilford if he was done. Being on the other end of mockery was not a very pleasant feeling. This must be how Eve felt back then. Guilford knew he was a good sport, but this black knight was starting to get on his nerves.<span style="font-style: italic">Calm down! Don't let him get to you! Don't lose focus!</span>Guilford repeated the words to quell his swelling anger. It was all about landing the first blow. Whoever managed that would gain control of the pace.<br/><br/>Guilford attacked again, this time with a combination in mind. Eyes focused and senses heightened even more, Guilford began his flurry. First, a sideways slash coming from the left aimed for the neck. It was dodged with ease by the other as expected. Using the momentum gained from the slash, Guilford transitioned into a full circle spin and launched a follow up slash to the mid section. This time it was parried by the black knight's sword. Having his angle of attack changed by the resistance between the two swords, Guilford expertly twisted his wrist a little to the right and launched an overhead downward slash. It was blocked by the black knight. However, this was more of a feint aimed to lock the black knight's sword in place. With his free hand, Gil channeled a Banish bolt and aimed for the black knight's head. He fired without hesitation but the black knight simply jumped back to avoid getting hit.<br/><br/>The black knight, much to the Seraph's surprise, clapped three times after their exchange. Was he complimenting Guilford's effort? How vain could this guy get?! Guilford dashed forward and thrust his sword first, followed by a rapid succession of slices and slashes. As much as Guilford hated to admit it, he was already fighting this guy at the peak of his current sword skill! However, despite how hard he tried, Guilford felt like he was an open book, his moves perfectly read by the black knight. Amidst the torrent that was Guilford's high-speed attack pattern, the unknown knight would simply pick out which moves to counter, which attacks to evade, and which feints to ignore, all with pinpoint accuracy too! Realizing that he was not getting anywhere with his offense, Guilford backed off to catch his breath. He couldn't touch him! Light he couldn't land a single blow!<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Swords drawn and Prayers cast, the four knights began treading the Sin infested grounds in search of the cave. The taint was so thick it hindered their vision with a dark purple haze, they could feel their skin crawling even under the effects of their own Prayers. Just how much taint was here anyway?! Deep down, Akira, who was once again in front of the pack, could only hope that no monstrosity like Eve was here.<br/><br/>"<span style="font-style: italic">Repent!</span>"<br/><br/>The three looked towards Alfrei who had taken the initiative to change his form of protection. Though he was not able to clear out much of the taint with it—given how his Repent was easily reduced to a 2 meter radius around them—he at least managed to ward off a good measure around them for improved vision. It didn't take them long to find the cave’s entrance thanks to his spell.<br/><br/>"You shouldn't burn up too much magic. Who knows what we'll find in there..." Silver warned the young Vice Captain.<br/><br/>"Fiona." Alfrei responded. "We'll find Fiona inside. If anything else gets in our way, we'll just have to beat the Sin out of it! That's all there is to it..." he finished and proceeded on, keeping his Repent spell up. Akira followed Alfrei with his gaze, admiring the determination the young one had to finding their teammate; it only made him want to try harder too.<br/><br/>Focusing on the seal once more, Akira tried to pinpoint Fiona's location to get an exact reading. It was hard at first due to the weakened presence but he was not about to give in. Akira didn't want to have to do this but given the circumstance, he would make an exception.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"All-seeing Light, grant unto me the power to find that which I seek!"</span>After the short chant, Akira's eyes flared with white flame. It took him a couple seconds to adjust to the sudden influx of Light's Wrath in his eyes before turning toward his companions. "I found her." he said confidently. "This way!" he added before dashing deeper into the cave, into the thick of the taint.<br/><br/>It didn't take long for them to reach where Fiona was. Horror gripped their hearts at the sight of the female knight hanging upside-down. Some pieces of her armor had been taken off, leaving only the ones that covered her sensitive parts. She was covered in bruises, slash wounds, and much of her pretty face had become so swollen she was barely recognizable! All of this was evidence of without a doubt, extensive torture. How cruel!<br/><br/>Akira's hands curled into fists in rage. Alfrei was about to run towards Fiona but Akira blew past him and got there first, cradling the tortured knight in his arms and calling for her while skillfully cutting her free. "Fiona! Fiona!" he cried out. "Can you hear me?! It's me, Akira! We're here to save you!" he continued on, nudging Fiona's swollen face ever so carefully. It took Fiona a while but she just moaned in pain and moved her head, trying to smile through her swollen lips.<br/><br/>"Say nothing milady.." Akira whispered, channeling his healing magic into his free hand and doing the best he could for her. "I won't let you die. I promise!"<br/><br/>After being taken aback by surprise at such a passionate display from Akira, Silver and the others rushed over to help heal the tortured Knight. "She's lost a lot of blood." Hyuga stated his observation, pulling out several things from his pouch, including his not-so-patented miracle powder. "Let's just do what we can and get her to Cora as soon as we're able." Silver instructed the rest as he began directing his healing magic into the most critical areas.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>As the third Pure Sinner fell to the ground, Lethe looked around her grimly.  Somehow a ridiculous number of Sinners, Pure Sinners, armored troops, and random creatures of lore were appearing.  One Cerberus was already on the ground as was the first Titan that had attacked.  Another Titan was currently keeping Joaquim, Seraphim, and Natalia busy while a Bahamut had Adair, Cora, and Deimos engaged.  Cricket was battling some half-naked, blue-skinned woman, seemingly kept at bay by the freezing aura around her.  She dodged a thrust from some random assailant, kicking him back to get her some space.  A swing of Valiar’s sword sent the man dropping unconscious to the ground.  The cleric gave her a grin before turning back to deal with the next assailant.  A flash of orange hair caught the edge of her eye and she turned, half expecting to see Lance there.  Instead, a cheerful looking demon was running towards Bryn, led by a familiar brown-haired woman.  The two demons from Santa Olivia!<span style="color: silver">“Knight Lance! To me!’</span><br/><br/>Lance jerked at the sudden shout of his name, just evading the Sinner’s strike.  A reverse swing of his spear decapitated the Sinner and it fell to the ground twitching.  Just because he was a Pristine Knight again didn’t mean he adhered to the Council’s “save the Sinners” preaching.  Sinner saving came not in the middle of battle when his friends and comrades were at danger for his mercy.  A hand settled on his shoulder.  “Captain wants you.” The pressure vanished before he could even turn and he saw one of Lethe’s Knights—the dull-looking blond—effortlessly absolve a Sinner.  Lance wavered: as skilled as his Crests, Guilford’s squad, and Lethe’s squads were, they were still outmatched.  However, Lethe had clearly needed him.  An impassive yellow stare caught his even through the flurry of battle, clearly asking him, why aren’t you gone yet?  The Lion shook his head once to clear it and then ran in Lethe’s direction.  He had to trust his friends and comrades.  An order was still an order.<br/><br/>For some reason, Lethe was dashing<span style="font-style: italic">away</span>from the fight, heading back towards Bryn.  Confused, Lance started to speed up to try to catch her.  Maybe she could explain what she was doing.  As they travelled closer towards Bryn, Lance started to notice—why wasn’t the presence of Sin diminishing?  Were there Sinners attacking Bryn as well?  The thought was enough to get him to speed up when suddenly the earth rumbled as if cracking apart.  It was a disgustingly familiar sensation.  Eyes widening, Lance sprinted towards Bryn, dread and fury rising within him.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>The two demons vanished from her sight but she could still feel their toxic presences, high in the air above.  Shit!  Lethe leapt off the ground, Heaven’s Judgment blades spreading out to catch the air as the ground below her buckled from the sudden impact of the orange-haired demon’s attack.  She landed in the open area that led up to Bryn, seeing a massive indent on the ground just outside the town’s walls.  The men on the wall were all shouting, some drawing magic for spells no doubt.  Had the demon missed?  Why attack outside the town?<br/><br/>Lethe vanished and teleported to right above the outer walls.<span style="color: silver"> “Don’t attack them!  Maintain the defensive barrier!”</span>She ordered before she was whisked away, up into the air where the two demons floated.  Those Knights would do little, if anything, against the demons.  Better to spend their magic more usefully on the barrier than waste it on attempts to scratch the demons.  She lashed out at the two demons but they vanished with mocking ease.  All three women reappeared on the ground, Lethe with her sword drawn back defensively, the orange-haired demon with a wide grin, and the brown-haired one with an amused smirk.  Brown eyes crinkled with sadistic glee as she waggled her fingers in greeting.<span style="color: teal"> “Hello dearest Thea.”</span>a familiar voice jeered as the flesh on the brown-haired demon rippled.  Short brown hair lightened into honey blonde and lengthened into a familiar hairstyle.  Brown eyes shifted into teal and then a familiar woman stood there in the militaristic outfit the demon had been previously wearing.<span style="color: teal">“What a pleasure to see you again.”</span><br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Vic.. torie?”</span>The demon flourished a bow before deadly teal eyes focused on her.<br/><br/>“Watch out Lethe!”  The shout saved her from being bowled over by the sudden hammer strike.  Well, she was still bowled over, but at least she’d gotten a feeble defense up. With how much pain she was in when she peeled herself up off the ground, Lethe doubted she would have survived if not for Lance’s warning.  The Lion had run forward to strike Victorie but the demon just laughed and jumped back, travelling too far in that one leap to be struck.  Lethe murmured a healing spell over herself, letting it soothe away the keen edge of pain.  Looking over the battlefield, she saw the orange-haired demon up in the air once more, arms drawn back.  She shot off the ground on unsteady feet, wings beating to catch the wind.  The demon was forced to abort her strike when Lethe appeared in her personal space, a sword lashing out at her chest.  A teleport and she was safe, but the white-haired dollie that had hurt her last time reappeared beside her.  The two engaged in a maddening game of tag before Lethe was knocked out of the sky by a flying body.  Lance and Lethe tumbled on the ground, limbs smacking against each other as they struggled to stop their movement and get free.  Eventually both fumbled to an upright position, just to have their balance threatened when the earth trembled under their feet.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Lights!”</span>There was another indent in the ground.  Lethe had no idea why the demons were attacking<span style="font-style: italic">outside</span>of Bryn when her calculations had placed the anchor firmly within the town’s limits.  However, clearly the demons thought otherwise and she could take no chances.  The attacks might still disturb the seal or her calculations could have been off.  She ran towards the next spot the demon had aimed for, lifting her Heavens Judgment blades up to channel her spell.<span style="color: silver">“REPENT!!”</span>Not the best choice, but she’d had no time for anything else.  The aura around her shuddered as the hammer head hit it, holy light fizzling as it came in contact with the demon’s Sin.  The two forces struggled before the weapon was finally withdrawn hastily.  Lance appeared in its stead, clearly having aimed to destroy the weapon.<br/><br/>“Lethe?” he inquired with a quick of an eyebrow.  Why was she defending empty ground from the demon’s attack?  The minor earthquakes it caused weren’t<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>troubling.<span style="color: silver"> “We can’t let them attack this area.”</span>The Seraph gasped in response, eyes already tracking the two demons.  She dashed off towards the next target, Lance beside her.  “Why?”  Lance’s confusion was palpable even as he followed her.  This time, their combined defense were enough to block the attack.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">”Just trust me.  This area around Bryn is critical.”</span><br/><br/>“More critical than the fact the God of Sin might walk again if we don’t save Fiona?”  Lance countered angrily, “more critical than killing those demons for what they’ve done?!  All those wrecked villages and dead..!”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Yes!”</span>She screamed back at him, her response cut off as the hammer struck the earth another time.  Their argument had distracted them from the more important issue: the demons.<span style="color: silver"> “So help me Light, I will die before this place gets wrecked!”</span><br/><br/><span style="color: teal"> “That can be arranged.”</span>A droll voice spoke up from behind them, startling both into turning around.  A vicious hand grabbed Lethe by her hair and dragged the Knight backwards, the Knight stumbling over her feet to try to stay upright.<span style="color: teal"> “Hello my dear little liar.  I think you have bigger issues to worry about than Vulcalina.”</span>Victorie’s smile widened even as she punched the Seraph in the face.<br/><br/>“Lethe!”  Lance took a step forward towards the other Knight but was stopped by the screeching of metal meeting metal.  He pivoted towards the sound just to see scattered keyblades littering the ground, only two still in the air holding up against the orange-haired demon’s attack.  She was crazy!  She was in a demon’s grasp and..<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: silver">“I will die before this place gets wrecked!”</span></span>Shit.  She really would.  With an anguished look at Lethe and the blonde demon, Lance ran towards the orange-haired demon.  He still had no idea why in the Light he was defending an empty piece of land, but if this was what Lethe was willing to give her life up for…<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Seeing Guilford break off his attack<span style="font-style: italic">again</span>, the black knight brought his sword up to his shoulder and shrugged. The gesture made Guilford's eyes darken with anger. Now this dark one was just trampling on his pride! It took a tremendous amount of self-control for Guilford to keep himself from lashing out. But the black knight just had to do it! Obviously meaning to insult his skill, the black knight sheathed his sword and balled his gauntlet-covered hands to fists. He jumped up and down a few times to test his footing before settling into a fighter's stance. Though unsaid, the message was crystal clear:<span style="font-style: italic">I can take you barehanded.</span><br/><br/>Beneath the calm exterior and his still form, Guilford was burning with near-uncontrollable rage. He was exhausted, Lights he was even though he hasn't used magic at all! Still, his Seraph's pride was not so cheap to just let anyone, and he meant<span style="font-style: italic">anyone</span>, simply trample and dance upon it! With all this rage built up inside him, if he attacked now, Guilford knew that he would lose. He needed to discard all thought, abandon everything that held him back, put everything he stood for on the line, and just focus on this one strike that he was about to commit to. If this black knight came out here just to play, Guilford vowed to make sure he would regret it!<br/><br/>Tuning out every distraction on the battlefield, Guilford began to hear his own heartbeat, not taking his eyes even once off of the black knight. It was still too fast; he was still too tense! Guilford needed to calm himself down even more. Taking several deep breaths, the Seraph listened as the sound of his heartbeat gradually slowed down, until it was a constant slow rhythm. The black knight was nice enough to not make a move, perhaps the only thing Guilford could grudgingly thank him for. He had just given the Seraph all the time he needed to prepare a true strike.<br/><br/>Mind set and resolve steeled, Guilford raised his sword forward once more.<span style="font-style: italic">Here I go!</span>he said to himself, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly before dashing towards the black knight. It felt like eons had passed when all it took was a mere few seconds to close the distance between them. As soon as he entered striking range, Guilford brought his sword up to attack. The black knight was about to counter him with his fists when he suddenly stopped midway in hesitation. Perhaps it was Guilford's devotion to the attack tipping him that something about it was off. The black knight tried to reach for his sword again but Guilford's own sword came down upon him in an instant.<br/><br/>The sound of metal slicing through metal resounded until the tip of Guilford's sword now faced the ground. Time stood still between the two for a good moment, until movement came from the other first. Guilford watched the black knight stagger back, grasping his chest armor instinctively and checking his hand for blood. There was none. Although Guilford knew he had hit the black knight, he also understood that his attack was too shallow to even wound him. In the last second, the black knight still managed to sway back and avoid a potentially lethal blow by the skin of his teeth. Truly, this man was a formidable foe.<br/><br/>The black knight and Guilford stared at each other for a long second before the black knight lifted his hands in a slow applause once more.  After four claps, the black knight dropped his hand to his sword, lifting it just enough to show the blade’s keen edge, a clear reminder.  He could kill Guilford any moment he wanted.  Instead, the stranger let the blade slip back into its scabbard.  He turned to look in the distance, tilting his head inquisitively.  One finger lifted to tap at his ear as if telling Guilford to listen.  Warily, Guilford also turned his attention that way.  In the distance, he thought he heard..<br/><br/>Movement captured his attention away.  The Black Knight was turning around, showing his back to him!, and walking away!  There was no backwards wave, no acknowledgement at all.  The Black Knight just walked away without a care in the world, leaving Guilford in the suddenly silent battlefield.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Lethe scrabbled for purchase against Victorie, trying to get herself free.  She couldn’t call her keyblades to her; she needed them to defend against ‘Vulcalina’s’ attacks.  She spared a thought to reinforce that command to her keyblades; she wanted them to stop Vulcalina, not defend her.  She’d.. somehow get out of this.<br/><br/>Somehow was the key word because right now, with punches raining down on her face and chest, she wasn’t quite sure how.  It was hard to think with the way her head was being jostled about and with Victorie screaming at her from above.  Another punch had her feet buckling from under her, now only kept aloft by the hand in her hair.  Victorie stepped away from her yet somehow she didn’t fall.  She was suspended, held in place by invisible bonds.  The blonde lost her manic smile, expression settling into smug certainty.  Between two hands, a blade of Sin appeared—the same one she’d had back in Luciano.  “I love the irony of this.”  Victorie commented idly, swinging the sword lazily.  A twist of her wrist slid the blade along Lethe’s calf, leaving an unhappy welt there.  Prayer glowed weakly around the Knight, unable to stop such potent Sin.  Her holy magic was too weak right now.  She’d need Light’s Blessing.<br/><br/>She called upon her divine magic, shakily bridging the gap between the divine and the physical realms.  For a second she thought she’d failed.  The world had gone white but there were black lines everywhere.  Countless strands crossed this way or that way, moving to an unforeseen master’s whim.  These threads crisscrossed all over her body, seemingly locking her in place, if strings could somehow hold her aloft.  Or could they?  She struggled to move her leg away from the approaching Sin blade but the lines held her firm.  Pain flared and she could see the fizzle of Sin against her limb.  She needed to break these lines.<br/><br/>Her fingers twitched but Luna refused to appear.  There was a tugging sense as if Luna was<span style="font-style: italic">trying</span>to respond but something was holding it back.  Maybe it too had been caught in this mess.  Alright. Brute force then.  Victorie was still saying something but Lethe wasn’t paying attention.<br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: silver">brighter than the highest noon.. redder than the blood that flows..</span></span><br/><br/>Syndra stopped her lazy strikes when a sudden unease struck her.  The little liar was near unresponsive but there was no way it was dead.. Impossible.  She took a cautious step forward and realized—the liar’s eyes were<span style="font-style: italic">glowing</span>.  She suddenly became aware of the<span style="font-style: italic">presence</span>around her.  Fuck.<span style="color: teal">“Vulcalina! Get us away!”</span>The orange-haired demon appeared obediently and enveloped her, teleporting them far into the sky above as light exploded around the brat.  They were too far to be injured but she felt all the strings in her hand go slack.  The lines she’d so meticulously set up—destroyed in one instant.  Annoying.  She’d gotten careless.<span style="color: teal"> “Ignore the brats.  I’ll take care of them.  Just focus on hitting what I told you.”</span><br/><br/>“Okay! Anything for my bestie!!”  Vulcalina chirped even as she deposited the scowling Syndra on the ground.  With another teleport, the demon was back up in the air.  She’d been having fun playing with the orange-haired one but if Synddy-chan wanted her to make a winking face on the ground.. well.. alright then!<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Cricket surveyed the battlefield as he hopped away from another attack, one wrist wiping sweat from his face.  It wasn’t going too poorly, but it wasn’t going particularly well either.  The Knights here were all some of the best the Immaculate had: both Seraphs’ squads and the Crests.  However, their opponents were no slouches either.  The armored men had shaped up into good opponents and even now, many were still fighting in defensive groups.  A ridiculous number of Sinners and a few Pure Sinners were flooding the field as well; those were definitely a case of cannon fodder but cannon fodder could still hurt.  Against a thousand clumsy strokes, even one could hit and cause damage, as the gash in his left arm reminded him.  And then there were these<span style="font-style: italic">ridiculous</span>monsters.  Seriously!  Two cerebi, three titans, that ice lady from earlier, a flock of harpies, and he didn’t even know what that upright dragon thing was supposed to be.  Organic mecha?!  Where in the world were these creatures coming from?<br/><br/>He dodged out of another strike only to hear a scream of pain from behind him.  He whirled around to see the petite cleric stumbling away from the blade he’d just dodged.  The brunette was kind enough to not say anything but he still felt a bit bad.  Had she been expecting him to block it?  He didn’t really do<span style="font-style: italic">blocking</span>…  Nonetheless, he swept down and lifted her up, dashing away with her in his arms.  Captain had made clear he was<span style="font-style: italic">always</span>supposed to protect the medics.  To be fair, he knew exactly where Valiar was (standing by Leon and YunQiao, as usual) and what danger the old man was in (nothing the three of them couldn’t handle).  He couldn’t have been expected to memorize the new cleric’s position, now could he?  He’d just met her!<br/><br/>Cricket dropped down beside Valiar, placing the injured girl in the middle of the defensive triangle YunQiao, Leon, and Valiar were maintaining.  His sword snaked out to lop off a reaching Sinner hand and then he pushed an Absolve into the Sinner’s gut, letting the holy magic burn away the impurities.  Valiar grunted a thanks and turned around to survey his patient.<br/><br/>“I’m fine!” The girl protested, one glowing hand holding her shoulder.  When she removed her hand, only the bloody tear in her clothes suggested there used to be a wound.  The older cleric simply turned to look over the field and bless all the Knights within his reach.  Cora slipped into his spot on the circle, hammer ready for whoever advanced next.<br/><br/>Cricket shrugged and hopped away.  He’d made his amends; how was he supposed to know she was that good at healing?  He stopped by Seraphim and joined her in taking down a troop of the armored men.  They stumbled away from the vengeful woman’s attacks, her body wreathed in Light’s Blessing for the extra attack, defense, and speed it gave her.  It was easy enough for Cricket to clean up alongside her and then he moved away.<br/><br/>Adair was also glowing with the presence of Light’s Blessing as he blocked another attack from the frantically casting Natalia.  A massive rock appeared from seemingly nowhere and dropped upon the manticore, giving both Knights time to dash away.  Hmm, maybe they weren’t doing as well as he’d thought.  A more critical eye scanned the battlefield.  Most of his comrades were on the defense, only Seraphim, Deimos, and the redhead Crest seemingly unrelenting forces.  The back of his neck prickled uncomfortably and he dashed back towards Valiar, arriving just in time to stop a lethal blow to the cleric.  Leon had pushed the older man out of the way in a futile attempt at a human shield.  They were not doing very well.<br/><br/>Grim brown eyes turned on this monstrosity: a minotaur this time.  The beast swung at him and he deliberately made himself block the blow.  The people behind him wouldn’t be able to evade.  His body shook with the impact.  He was ridiculously lucky the minotaur was using his fists as Cricket was pretty sure his arm would have been shorn off if it had been a blade.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">“Take Light’s Blessing and make it your shield.”</span><br/><br/>Konan’s words echoed in his mind and he plunged into himself, drawing upon his source of divine magic.  He hadn’t mastered it yet, but hopefully it’d give him enough strength to keep his comrades safe.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>What did the Black Knight wanted him to hear? Confused as to why that man retreated, Guilford found himself idling for thought. It was rare of him to lose composure in the middle of battle, but how that man acted had thrown him off his groove several times in their short-lived, unconcluded duel. The sound of a shriek managed to catch his attention, his eyes tracing the origin of the sound. Soon, it was made clear that one of Lethe's knights had activated Light's Wrath. The outright effect however, was something less to be desired. Using nothing but what his eyes could see, it was easy to surmise that every single one of the enemies on the field were now attracted to that carefree-looking knight. How in the world did he manage to become Mr. Popular was beyond Guilford. At the very least, he looked like he could use a hand...<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  Cricket ran as fast as he could, pumping his legs and arms as quickly as he could.  Behind him, a stampede of Sinners, Pure Sinners, those armored men, and a minotaur followed him.  The first hint that something was wrong when everyone on the battlefield had frozen the moment he’d tapped into his Light’s Blessing.  As if scripted or mind-controlled, every eye had slid in his direction and Cricket had felt a sense of foreboding slither down his spine at being the focus of so many eyes.  He loved being the center of attention but… uh.. this was a bit much.  The second hint something was wrong had been the way<span style="font-style: italic">every</span>beast had taken a step in his direction.  His third hint, fourth hint, and the confirmation that something was<span style="font-weight: bold">terribly wrong</span>had been the second and third steps the enemies had taken in his direction and then suddenly<span style="text-decoration: underline">every</span>one was rushing towards him.<br/><br/>Cricket had done the sensible thing.<br/><br/>He’d ran for it.<br/><br/>“WHAT THE LIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTTT!!!!” He screamed as he kept running.  Adair appeared beside him, Light’s Blessing flaring around him as the younger man flared his aura, trying to draw some of the Sinners’ attention.  Vlad was trying to draw some of the attackers to him as well to no avail.<br/><br/>“What did you do?”  Adair hissed as he knocked a Sinner aside, making some of the pursuers trip at the sudden roadblock.  It was hard to keep running and defend but Cricket clearly needed help.  Deimos appeared near the front, his various copies striking out at the running enemies.  They all seemed too intent on Cricket to realize they were being killed and more enemies stumbled to a halt as the corpses interrupted their paths.  Alona was striking down the flanks.<br/><br/>“I DON’T KNOOOOOWWWW!!!”  Cricket wailed, snatching his braid close to him.  That man had almost cut it off!  There was a screech from above and the manticore Adair and Natalia had been fighting earlier swooped down, claws outstretched.  Seraphim appeared in a flying leap to knock it off trajectory, a whip snaking out to snag the falling Manticore before it was swung into a tree.<br/><br/>They had run out of the clearing they’d been fighting in and were now headed Light knew where.<br/><br/>Planting both feet solidly on the ground, Guilford tapped into the Divine Realm. Seeing that many of their adversaries lined up made perfect sense for what to do, and for<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>he needed full power. The solid footing was just so he wouldn't be blown back. It was not his intention to show off his Light's Wrath no, far from it. That comedic knight just presented him with a great opportunity to even the playing field a little. Waves of Light began rising from Guilford's body as he continued to allow power from the Divine Real stream unto him. It took him a good minute to charge his sword and being with enough power to fire off a similar attack he previously used in Santa Olivia. Pulling the sword back with his right hand, Guilford yelled at the top of his lungs,<span style="color: #0080FF">"Get clear now!"</span><br/><br/>Cricket jumped high in the air as Adair swerved to the side.  Seeing his allies move out of range, and having noted that Cricket was safely in the air, Guilford slashed forward, unleashing a stream of white light from his sword that shot forward and mowed down those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"That takes care of that..."</span>he huffed in short, labored breaths as his Light's Wrath immediately dimmed to a fizzle. He knew he couldn't fire off more than three of those at full strength, but there was another place that required his attention.<br/><br/>Turning his head towards the direction of Bryn, Guilford realized just how desperate the fight over there had gotten. Lance's presence was waning; and Lethe was being pushed to her limits.  The pulse of divine magic from her had been confirmation enough of that. There was no time to hesitate! Not even recovering fully from the strain of firing off a big move, Guilford made a run for Bryn. He could only hope he makes it in time.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>She’d only reached the fourth line of the incantation before she released the pent up Light’s Blessing, blowing away the lines that had surrounded her and, she realized afterwards, many that had covered the battlefield.  Lethe had little time to appreciate her handiwork before Victorie re-appeared with a vicious downward strike.  This time Luna responded immediately and Lethe smoothly lifted her sword to block the strike.  In a mimicry of their previous battle, the two entered into an exchange of blows, neither getting the upper hand.  The earth rumbled around them, muted compared to the previous attacks.  Both women looked in the direction of the epicenter.  Lance was struggling to stay upright, apparently having diverted the attack to the side.  One eye glowed blue and Lethe peered at the scene through the divine realm.  She could still see Sin seeping into the ground from the attack, but not as much.  Lance had been able to neutralize part of the attack.  Her eyes swept around her.  The ground was covered in patches of Sin, some more concentrated and some weaker.  She couldn’t see the seal, assuming it was here, but all this Sin couldn’t be good if it really was here.  They didn’t have that much time left.  Lance looked ready to collapse if the weak aura around him was any indication and while she felt relatively fresher, she couldn’t handle both demons at the same time now that Victorie was adamant on killing her.<br/><br/>She blocked the next strike and the two were captured into another dance of blades.  The smile on Victorie’s lips just made it worse.  They both knew this extended battle was to her detriment.  Every moment spent captured here was another opportunity for Vulcalina to finish her work.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Speeding through the expanse between him and the town of Bryn, Guilford finally began to see forms of people fighting take shape. He was getting closer! Assessing the situation from afar, Guilford noted that there was only one above ground level. It was waving around a massive hammer and every time she brought it down, Guilford felt tremors on the ground getting stronger and stronger as he drew closer. Directly below that orange-haired hammer freak was Lethe, managing to keep some other woman at bay. She was fighting on par with her swords and it didn't look like she needed immediate help but Guilford had an idea.<br/><br/>Calling forth his Light's Wrath again, Guilford concentrated every bit of power he channeled to his sword. It wasn't the brightest idea to use an object as a conduit itself but he needed his physical strength if he wanted to have success with what he had in mind. A shrill ringing from Light's Requiem filled his ears.  It sounded like the blade itself was rejecting the immense amount of power being fed to it. Guilford prayed for the sword to hold on a bit longer.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Lethe! Lock her down!"</span>he yelled as he finally got close enough.<br/><br/>Both women froze at the shout and turned to look at the approaching man.  Victorie’s eyes widened at the sight of the incoming Light’s Wrath.  She immediately moved to run away but a pair of arms wrapped around her.  She struggled away but the liar held her close, wrestling to keep her still and fairly upright.  Her hands flailed at the barnacle attached to her, sword cutting whatever flesh it could reach but the Seraph stayed attached to her.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Gil! Kill her!”</span>Lethe screamed and looked above, ignoring the various cuts Victorie was decorating her with.  Vulcalina was more important right now.<span style="font-style: italic">Palaugrim</span>was more important.<span style="color: silver">“Hurry!”</span><br/><br/>That hammer freak wasn't exactly the target he had in mind but Lethe sounded frantic enough that Guilford had no choice but to comply. With the blonde locked down, Guilford leapt once, landing exactly on the woman’s shoulder with his left foot. Quickly using his right a second after, Guilford stomped hard on her head to go aerial and after that hammer wielding freak. With the ringing of Light's Requiem getting louder and louder, Guilford knew that the sword was already near breaking point; it was right in the nick of time too. Grabbing the unaware demon by her foot, Guilford pulled the demon hard enough to yank her towards him. The startled demon managed to look at him but before she could react, Guilford ran his sword through her body and fired off the concentrated power he had stored. There were no screams, no cries of pain, just the loud sound of his Light's Wrath burning the demon to a crisp.<br/><br/>Sure it wasn't the prettiest way to go even for a demon and yet.. had she delivered that one last blow, Lance would have surely died blocking it. Just what in Light's name was he doing playing<span style="font-style: italic">Whack-Me</span>with this demon?! Nevertheless, target eliminated. Guilford kicked off the falling demon corpse and backflipped once before landing gracelessly on the ground. The moment his feet touched the earth, his knees buckled causing him to lose balance; firing off two in a row was too much even for him, and having ran all the way here didn't help either.<br/><br/>The hammer fell from nerveless fingers, tumbling gracelessly to the ground. It hit with a foreboding rumble and the ground beneath it cracked ominously. Lethe stumbled from the sudden impact, too weakened to keep holding on. She fell gracelessly onto her butt, blue eyes staring around her dully. Why wasn’t the trembling stopping? Gil had killed that orange-haired demon! Surely.. surely Palaugrim was safe now right? There was another ominous<span style="font-style: italic">crack!</span>and Lethe forced herself to her feet. The world.. was still shaking.<br/><br/>The other demon couldn't comprehend what just happened, not quite yet.<span style="font-style: italic">Vulcalina... died?</span>She died without completing her mission?! Unforgivable! She backed off immediately from the little liar and even ways away from Eve's plaything. The odds were against her now. They may look tired, but experience told her that these brats should not be underestimated. Cursing inaudibly, the demon was forced to do the only logical option at the moment...a strategic retreat.<br/><br/>Once again they were granted respite. Guilford surveyed his surroundings as he clambered back to his feet. Lethe appeared to be in shock, and Lance.. well, he'd make it if the sheepish grin he has was not proof enough. Still, the ground beneath their feet kept rumbling and rumbling; a definite cause for worry. Having cleared out majority of the enemies beyond Bryn's borders, Guilford trusted that the rest of their respective squads could handle the mop up.<br/><br/>Guilford looked to the skies upon catching sound of an incoming Wyervia. It forced a landing just ouside Bryn followed by a scout coming out of it and rushing towards them. Talk about reinforcements! What happened to the knights he heard Lethe request for?<br/><br/>"Master Guilford! Master Lethe! Dire news! Dire news!" he kept yelling in panic as he drew close to the Seraphs.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Calm yourself."</span>Guilford ordered the scout.<span style="color: #0080FF">"What happened?"</span><br/><br/>"It has begun!" he informed them. "Palaugrim is under attack!"