Twelve Trinity sunblades, five hundred normal sunblades. Yuriko targeted the eight incarnations surrounding the planar core. She didn’t know how her Trinity sunblades would affect the core, and she feared that if they hit, she would doom the plane to complete destruction. The core was what kept the plane together. It was the source of the Veil, it was also what kept the land compressed against itself and what armoured it against Chaos’ corrosive tides. If the core broke, so would Rumiga.

In fact, the Chaos Duke’s act of assimilating the core meant he was assimilating the plane itself. Rumiga would become the Chaos Duke, and the Watcher would become the plane. And everyone living on it would only live at his leisure.

Realmheart belonged to the Empress in the same way. And as long as one lived within, one was subject to the ruler’s Will.

Yuriko wondered how her Mum, the Progenitor, and the Clan could bear it. Their lives were subject to another’s whim. Yuriko knew she couldn’t. Not now. Back when she was ignorant, it was fine, but the blindfold had been ripped from her eyes.

Her attack wave just got past the vanguard incarnations and in the blink of an eye, they were halfway to the circle. Just as she thought the vanguard would jump back to defend, they instead pressed towards the two Legates and Eli’Theria.

Yuriko swore under her breath, “Swarm fodder!”, as three of the circle incarnations turned away from the core and threw up barriers. The sunblades slammed against it and were stuck. The Trinity sunblades exploded against the barrier, ate it up and broke it apart, just in time for another wave of sunblades to pierce through before the barrier reformed.

A hundred blades got through, four hundred got stuck, and Yuriko had another five hundred on defensive manoeuvres. The defence was automated by the Ennoia as she was less concerned with the Watcher’s attack getting through and more with dealing an effective blow. But the circle incarnations threw up another sticky barrier and caught the rest of her sunblades. Quick as thought, she commanded them to explode in Radiant fire.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The barriers fluctuated but didn't disperse. The Radiant energies ate at the Chaos, but the latter was quickly replenished. Yurikko noticed ambient Chaos and Animus flow from the core towards the circle incarnations even as the barriers completely recovered.

Eli’Theria pulled back closer to the two Legates, who also converged positions. Three incarnations were attacking the Legates now, while a single one was being toyed with by Mum. Magma tentacles, silver snakes, and obsidian cranes burst out of mandalas which were quickly reformed whenever the Watcher aimed a dispel at Eli’Theria.

The earth rumbled and the core sphere grew just a tiny bit more translucent. Then, a beam of green light shot out of the sphere. Yuriko swore as she activated the Adamant Guardian Seal. the pillar had kinetic force and shoved Eli’Theria back until they slammed against the wall. Legate Segawa jumped towards Legate Brygos and both used their Domains to defend.

Iola’s barricade shattered continuously while she conjured more shards, but Jiro Segawa’s water barrier just bent and flexed. Hmmm, was that actually water? She wasn’t sure, and the barrier transitioned into an orb that distorted and claimed the Chaos light. It had the effect of pulling the energy away from the others so it was a reprieve either way.

Yuriko sighed in relief and pushed against the force pinning Eli’Theria against the wall. The circle incarnations hadn’t moved from around the sphere, and the four vanguard incarnations pulled back into a row. Each one had an awful smirk, but none of them spoke. Because of Legate Segawa’s actions, the force pinning them had weakened and they were able to get back on their feet.

Yuriko glared at the incarnations and readied another set of Trinity sunblades. Mum hadn’t paid attention to the attack and had continued casting another spell. Yuriko could feel Sadeen’s weariness through the Colossus Core link, as well as the stubbornness to persist.

As soon as the light pillar faded away, Yuriko flung six Trinity sunblades at a vanguard incarnation and sent a second wave as soon as she determined where he dodged to. The Chaos Lord twisted away from the attack, but she ignited the sunblades and they exploded in a destructive fury. This time, the incarnation was caught by more than one blast.

Legate Segawa still held the green orb that he absorbed from the light. It pulsed and rippled, and gave her a feeling of immense danger. Three incarnations attacked him but Legate Brygos defended against their attacks with her crystalline shards.

The one she hit with the Trinity sunblades looked a little bit worse for wear. His clothes were burnt and his other arm was not just blood and bone. Her leg was damaged, too, and from his expression, it looked like the Chaos Lord didn’t expect her attack to actually hurt him that badly. The earlier hit had only burned his skin after all.

He glared at her with narrowed eyes, then smirked. His lips pursed then he mockingly whispered, “Did you find him yet?”

Yuriko gaped at him for a moment before realising what he meant. Anger. Rage. And it wasn’t just hers. Mum’s wrath flared and it bounced between the two of them, flaring the raging bonfire to the skies.

“Where. Is. My. Brother.” She bit off.

The incarnation grinned, “Leave and I will return him.”

For a long moment, Yuriko couldn’t say anything. She hesitated. What was more important to her? Her family? Her brother? Or Rumiga? Her friends? Her home? If she left with Mum, what would happen?

No.

Mum’s voice thundered in her ears. The word echoed in the chamber, and everyone paused for a long moment.

Die.

The word was filled with so much rage that Yuriko could barely breathe. The Mishala Mien lashed towards the Chaos Duke’s incarnation. It lashed towards all the incarnations, and in doing so, became too weak to affect them completely. The incarnation in front of them coughed a gobbet of blood, grinned at them with red-stained lips and said, “Indeed. It is time.”

Huh?

“There you are!” A voice yelled from above them.

Huh? Who?

Yuriko couldn’t help but look up. She blinked.

Legate Segawa.

Huh.

Snickt!

“Hagh!” A short gasp.

Yuriko’s gaze turned towards where the Legates were.

A blade of green light burst from Legat Brygos’ torso. The Legate Segawa that stabbed her clicked his tongue in annoyance. The thrust had been off centre, missing her heart but definitely went through a lung.

“Iola!”

The other Legate Segawa, the real one, yelled and charged at the fake. The fake’s face twisted into a sickeningly smug grin as he leapt away. The sword of green light, which had been the pillar before he absorbed it, was left stabbed into Iola Brygos. Her crystalline armour cracked and started to disintegrate. Segawa grabbed the weapon and flooded it with his Animus, bursting its form and returning it to light.

“Too easy…” the fake Legate laughed.

White hot rage warred with fear in Yuriko’s head. How? When? Back when he first came out of the Fysalli? How could they not know?

But then, the incarnations didn’t exactly feel like Chaos Lords…or maybe it was too subtle for her? He was the One Who Watches and Waits, so perhaps his Domain was that of espionage? Yes, that made sense. Quietly watching everything like a creep. And of course, his power would be useless if he was easily seen.

No, no, no!

What should she do? What can she do? Three Knights Domini were supposed to be able to match a Knight Imperious or a Chaos Duke, but they never got a chance to combine their strengths against the duke! Fear slowly replaced rage, but she kicked it away. She couldn’t stop now. She couldn’t freeze now.

But she did.

She could only watch as Legate Jiro and Mum rushed towards Legate Brygos. Mum immediately began casting a spell. It created a sphere around the stricken Legate, but it didn’t seem to be a healing spell. Legate Brygos fell to her knees. The crystalline helm broke off, revealing a pale face. She groped at her belt, shakily pulled out a talisman. She slapped it into her the gaping hole though her chest. Runescript lines lit up with Animus.

Huh? The wound wasn’t bleeding? She didn’t see any blood even when the sword stabbed her. Was it because her physique was also refined into her Ennoia crystal? Either way, Yuriko could tell that the wound hampered Iola’s combat ability as it looked like she was using her Domain to keep herself alive.

“Tainted… wound…” Iola gasped.

“Rotter,” Jiro swore. “Deceiver!”

“Now, now. You come here hoping to slay me. I’m well within my rights to defend myself.” The Watcher chided them.

“Your acts will kill everyone living on Rumiga!” Legate Jiro Segawa yelled.

“So they will. It’s not as if I didn’t give you enough time to leave,” The incarnation pointed to Eli’Theria. “I certainly warned her.”

‘He’s wasting time.’ Mum said mentally to Yuriko. ‘Every second wasted brings him closer to complete assimilation.’

‘What do we do?’ Yuriko asked desperately.

“I don’t know.’ Sadeen answered. ‘Unless…’

‘Unless what?’

‘Eli’Theria. Your Animus engines and Chaos converter?’

The animating spirit hesitated, ‘I can overload them and cause an explosion. But I’m not sure it will be enough.’

‘Mum!’ Yuriko yelled, not quite believing that Sadeen could so easily sacrifice the Colossus. And also surprised at the fact Eli’Theria was willing. It was a good thing it wasn’t feasible.

Wait, why should she feel relieved? They would fail soon…

The chamber trembled and the sphere became even more translucent. She noticed one of the circle incarnations approach the sphere, and once his palm touched the surface, the incarnation was siphoned into the core and merged with the incarnation within. Or was that the true body?

‘He doesn’t have a true body,’ Mum said sourly, ‘Rather, all of them are his true bodies. As long as one lives, all live.’

‘Then how can we win?’

Mum was silent for a long, long moment. Then, ‘I don’t know.’ There was more than a tinge of despair in her mental voice. ‘We…we might have to cut our losses.’

‘But!’

‘Rumiga is simply a frontier plane. Imperials aren’t even the majority force here. Our family is safe. All of your friends and their families can be evacuated. But if we wait too long, then they will perish.’

‘No, Mum! Don’t you see? He wants us to leave. He wants to remain uncontested! Why would he keep offering to let us leave if he is confident in winning? If we go, then we’re only falling for his trap!’

‘I agree, but I see no alternative. We must retreat. Legate Brygos’ life weighs more than the rest of the Imperial Rumiga. There are less than three hundred Knights Domini in the Empire. The loss of one is greater than the loss of a frontier plane.’ Mum’s voice turned cold. Oh, so cold.

Yuriko felt cold too. Mum…why?

She gritted her teeth. No! She cannot give in.

But out of the corner of her eye, she could already see Legate Jiro Segawa readying to retreat. His face was impassive, but she could see he was resolute. Legate Brygos’ face was filled with regret and resignation.

Worse of all, she could see the mocking smirk on each one of the Chaos Duke’s incarnations.

Another of the circle incarnations walked up to the sphere and merged with the assimilating body. Eleven bodies left. How long before it is done?

Yuriko could feel something in her begin to break. Hopelessness filled her mind, and her heart was heavy.

No.

NO!

Damien!

DAMIEN!

There is a way. His voice filled her mind.

‘Who’s that?!’ Mum yelped, surprise and fear tinged her mental tone. Yuriko ignored her.

‘What way?”

Allow me to take over. For the last time.

‘Yuriko?’ Mum pressed.

‘Can you win.’

Yes.

‘Do it.’