At the bay plaza, many Aquamarines are waiting. In one of the buildings right before the plaza, Beheaders come in and out. The way towards the plaza has four water walls across it, this being the shortest number of water walls to get to the bay plaza, with access from the sides having from six to seven water walls.

The building itself has a couple of floors. In the highest floor, the fourth one, Lady Aquamarine is overseeing over the battlefield. She sees the invading army, only four water walls away. Beheaders and Aquamarines crossing the water walls like they were nothing, while the same walls reject everyone else. She sees the way that connects to the bay plaza, full of Beheaders, in position, swords out, shields up, Auras engaged, in a colorful mismatch of yellow and red.

Ray and Daisy enter the fourth floor, filled not only with Lady Aquamarine, but the highest figures of authority of the Beheader Corps, directing and controlling the battlefield.

“Did you called for us, My Lady?”

“I indeed did Ray” answers Lady Aquamarine. Turning to him, she asks “any new reports of the strike teams?”

“Out of the thirty teams we sent, eighteen already have come back, with more than one hundred Aquamarines with them. They said have slain pockets of enemies that ended isolated thanks to the water walls too, apparently, they found many cases were this had happened.”

“Estimation?”

“Around three hundred, apparently. It seems they took advantage of the water wall itself, pushing them against them and letting the wall and gravity do the rest.”

“Good” says Lady Aquamarine. Turning to Daisy that is sitting by a table, she asks “Are all the members of the old Cathedral here?”

“They indeed are, My Lady” says Daisy with a playful tone as she stands up “We have some injuries between them, but sweet Lorelei’s strike team managed to get us all here safely.”

Turning back towards the battlefield, Lady Aquamarine overlooks the Beheaders present on the bay plaza all the way to the surrounding area “Can’t see her around. Did she went out again?” she asks, as she turns to the lower plains “Time is running out.”

“Did you wanted to ask something of her, My Lady?”, says Daisy, as she walks to Lady Aquamarine’s side.

“Yes. Not so long ago… part of the team we sent at the outlook came back.”

“That should be great news, why aren’t you so happy about it?”

Casting her eyes downward, she says “My daughter wasn’t with them. It seems she is in the city now, but she was separated after escaping an ambush.”

Putting a hand to Lady Aquamarine’s shoulder, Daisy says “Don’t worry. Tomoe is a tough cookie. She got that from you.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lady Aquamarine looks at Daisy, and answers “A cookie would crumble in the water channels.”

Daisy snorts “I would tell you to stop being a worrywart… but you are her mother, after all.”

Lady Aquamarine answers with a wry smile.

Sweety… hurry up. Stop making your mother die of worry.

“Don’t worry, My Lady. I already told Lorelei about it” can be heard from behind.

Turning, they see Amelia standing on the stairs. As she enters the floor, all of the authority figures turn to her, sharing a sign of respect, then turning back to what they were doing.

“Amelia…”

“You called for me, My Lady. I’m here.”

“I can see that. Welcome” says Lady Aquamarine, as a warm smile is drawn on her face “But how Lorelei would know where to look?”

“Don’t worry, My Lady. Titania and Lacus told her about the ambush, and based on that information she said Tomoe may be moving in the direction to the Red District. She will try looking around there.”

Lady Aquamarine stays a moment in silence.

This is the best I will have right now, uh?

After a moment of silence, she says “Amelia. I need you to prepare. Soon the water will rise, the lower plains will be flooded, and the styx sea will soon follow. The flood this time will be even higher than the usual.”

“How so, My Lady?”

“Look at the sky, Amelia. Those dark clouds. It is about to rain, and when clouds are as dark as these, the rain that follows is merciless. The bay plaza surely will be flooded this time around, way before the natural flood reaches its usual levels.”

“Ugh” says Amelia, as she overlooks the lower plains “I can’t even imagine that. It would be like actually walking under lake Butterfly, but with the water being savage.”

“That is why I need you to go and prepare. You will be by my side, but prepare to tame water out of the way if they become too wild.”

“Will do, My Lady” As Amelia says this, a flash of light catches Lady Aquamarine eyes, followed by a loud noise. Turning back to watch over the battlefield, fear and worry strike her heart, as she sees that one of the four water walls is gone.

“Someone tell me, what happened!?”

Olga answers “Isn’t this what they used to destroy the chains that were holding the drawbridge closed!? Fire taming can be such a terrible thing.”

Seeing over the battlefield, the Beheaders covering the way towards the bay plaza tighten, their Auras flaring their colors strongly. From beside the bay plaza, new two more teams come to the plaza, carrying more Aquamarines. She looks towards the lower plains, seeing how they are starting to flood, and looks upwards, only for her face to meet with the first droplets of the coming rain.

With them, Lady Aquamarine felt within herself rip apart. Her daughter or the people under her? But as soon as this thought crossed her mind, shame ran across her face. She already knows the answer, one of the many answers she made sure to drill into Tomoe even since she was little.

“Sweety” Lady Aquamarine whispers “come back soon… Make me proud.”

“Amelia” Lady Aquamarine calls to, turning to her as another explosion can be heard “Ready yourself, it seems neither nature nor violence waits for no one.”

“Yes, My Lady” Amelia answers, with a wry smile on her face.

“Olga!”

“Yes, My Lady!?”.

“Get the men ready. We are going to need to fight our way to the citadel. The flooding has started already, and its level is soon going to be higher than usual, so put the men in position. We will need to start sooner than expected.”

“Yes, My Lady” says Olga, as she runs towards the stairs.

“Daisy.”

“Yes?”

“Prepare the Aquamarines, and we will need help with the injured, especially with the boy that was screaming endlessly until an hour ago. We soon will need to go. Also, prepare the priests, just in case.”

“Will do” she answers, as she goes down the stairs too. The rain that just started, now got stronger, fuzzing sights even more.

“Ray.”

“Yes, My Lady?”

Silence. Lady Aquamarine looks towards the water walls, with now two being left up, and the light of the flames shining from behind it.

“You heard Amelia, My Lady. She told Lorelei about Tomoe. I’m sure she will be able to find her.”

After a deep breath, she answers “Thanks, Ray. Now, go and organize everyone, also, set the strike teams along the plains. We will use them in order to do surprise attacks from the sides, beyond the water walls, from where the invading army can’t predict where they are coming from.”

“Will do, My Lady.”

As Ray goes down the stairs, Lady Aquamarine looks up into the sky.

Keep yourself safe dear… I’m too old to lose anyone else.

Hearing steps coming up, Amelia appears again in the fourth floor “My Lady, preparations are underway. Please come, we need to abandon the building.”

“Will do”.

As Lady Aquamarine starts going down the stairs, Amelia adds “Don’t worry, My Lady, I know Cotton, she will be here.”

A smile crosses Lady Aquamarine’s face “How are you so sure?”

“I just know it. I mean, she is stubborn as a mule!”

Lady Aquamarine felt that she just had heard these words moments ago, but a third explosion changes her focus, leaving said thoughts on the side.