The Wretched Overgrowth has taken the lands of Wisteria.
I was prepared to do the dirty work myself, but I also have a number of people willing to do anything for me, so I see little reason to get my own hands dirty. It's quite nice, being in such a powerful position. Umbra continues to say I'm a natural at it and could take over for her in court, but I much prefer being the unassuming assistant who secretly controls everything through her.
We did have to delay a few hours waiting for nightfall, but now the assault is underway and in full swing. I'm perched on Umbra's shoulders using her horns for balance, and she's standing on a tall bluff overlooking the lowlands as they're consumed by fire and roses.
I feel bad for the mortals. Distantly.
But I told them to keep casualties to a minimum.
Still…
I tap Umbra's horn with a claw and lean forward to look into her milky white eyes. "Is this evil of me? I'm having these people killed just to talk with my ex…"
Her lips curl a touch. "Yes. It is quite evil of you."
"Hm. Hmmm…" I don't know how to feel about it. "Do you like that?"
"I know I ought not encourage such behavior, but I would be lying if I said I dislike it."
"Umbsy… Drag it, please."
"Um. Remind me?"
"Drag it. Drag racing. Straight line, as fast as possible. Give it to me in simple terms, however harsh they may be."
"Ah. Yes, my love. I do like it when you're evil. I also like it when you're very good. In fact, I quite like anything and everything you do. Regardless of your actions' moral standing."
"Thank the Goddess for that," I sigh, slumping over the top of her head with my arms forward. Vander just dive-bombed the castle and blasted it to splinters. A second later, the sound of the explosion thunders. "Do you think this will work? I'd hate to do it for nothing…"
"I don't see many reasons why it wouldn't. The only complications I suspect may come are twofold. Either Aurora assumes this to be another ambush scenario and responds in force, or Hildegard brings her squadron alone as backup. As for the former, I believe the small scale of this attack will negate Aurora's suspicions. As for the latter, I think it would be wise of Hildegard to bring others. Knowing what little I do in regards to her, I'm almost certain she will."
"Damn it. Complications. That's annoying." I sit up to scratch her head and play with her black hair for once, running it through my fingers and then beginning a small braid. "You… remember, right? Please, please, please… Don't hurt her. Please. And I'd prefer not to kill the others, if we can manage it. Please?"
"Mm. Hildegard will be safe, yes. The others? Possibly. That depends. If they attack on the spot, which is likely, I would prefer my generals do what is necessary to survive, rather than risk nonlethal measures. On the off chance they hold back, yes, we will do what we can to avoid violence."
"Thank you, Umbsy. Truly."
"Of course, Crimsy. Anything for you."
A few huge shadows whip through the night overhead before circling around and landing on their feet beside us in humanoid form. Rustling their wings before folding them–or shaking out a mane–Vander, Plutoryl, Alabaster, and Haunt assemble around Umbra and I, watching the fires burn and the roses swarm.
"That'll do it," Plutoryl huffs, lighting a cigarette. "Shame about Wisteria. Great food there."
"They'll rebuild," Vander mumbles. "That's what they do. These things. Mortals. If there's one thing they do best, it's surviving against all odds, and continuing onward."
"Against all odds? I understand the sentiment, but we did just successfully kill a few thousand of them. How's that for odds?"
"Shut up, jester."
I snicker with Plutoryl and Haunt.
Alabaster is grinding her axetail on the rocks. "Are we certain this is big enough? Should we take more of the valley?"
"It's enough," Umbra whispers, tail swaying. "In this instance, too much would be worse than not enough. We're–Oh."
A green sigil flares.
I read the writing aloud as it's being written. "Partial success. Eight daconids. Priority included. Flying fast. End. What? Priority?"
"Aye, that'd be your girl, snowball."
"No," Umbra hisses. "I'm her girl."
"Respectfully, Your Blindness, you're far too much of an old crone to be described as a girl."
"Shut up, jester…"
All of us laugh at that except for her.
I kiss her head a few times for reassurance. "You are my girl, Umbsy. I love you."
"Mm." She rubs her head against me and sighs. "Yes… Much better…"
"Here they are," Haunt announces, pointing skyward. "Flying fast indeed. Your orders, Umbra? Shall we signal or engage?"
"Hold." She remains motionless as the wind picks up and makes her inky hair flow in waves. "Let them destroy it first. Unimpeded. But yes, a signal. Something that says we're here, but not attacking. I want them to be keenly aware of us, even as they work at their duties."
"Right then," Plutoryl says, blowing smoke. "Who has the most recognizable magic? Not I. Nor my nephew. Alabaster, you hardly use magic at all. That leaves Haunt. Strike of lightning, perhaps?"
"Yes. But not mine." His head tilts back, stirring his white mane streaked with yellows. "Yours, Crimson."
I swallow my nerves and nod. "I'll do it. I can do that."
Lifting my palm to the sky with my fingers clawed, I draw upon my magic to create a sprawling and branching field of red electricity in the air. Not unlike antlers. Or a spider's web. It's big and it's bright; there isn't a chance it has gone unnoticed. With that, I lower my hand but keep a small spark going between my horns, giving off a bright red light so they know I'm still here watching.
"And now we wait." Plutoryl sighs, sitting on a rock to smoke.
The sky is falling over Wisteria. Fire, lightning, and ice pummel the Wretched Overgrowth from all directions. Just like before, we see the blasts well before we hear them. Watching the carnage very closely, I scan the chaos for any trace of her blue fire, finding it mixed in with someone else's green.
"That's her," I nod. "That's her blue. She's here."
"Phase one complete," Plutoryl hums through smoke.
Alabaster clangs the back of her axetail on the stone. "And what of phase two? We may not be underpowered, but we are outnumbered. Add to that the strain of trying to hold back and prevent lethal injury…"
"I've an idea," Vander announces, turning to Umbra and I. "You may not favor it, my Queen, but perhaps if Crimson were to appear as if she's alone, they're likely to be less hostile."
A cold darkness falls over her. "I hate that idea. But it may work. However, I'm not handing them an opportunity to snatch my Rose away from me. No, not alone. I will stand with her as Raven. The four of you, in the treeline. Be prepared for anything."
"Aye, lassie."
"Understood, my Queen."
"Works for me."
"Tight formation. Let's go."
Haunt leads them away and Umbra sets me on my feet, disappearing into red fire before emerging in her disguised form. Hells, she's always so unbelievably beautiful. After slipping on those smoky quartz glasses of hers, now dressed in a black linen shirt and dark gray trousers, she steps up beside me and grabs my hip to pull me close with her arm around me, her hand inside the pocket of my robe.
Beautiful and handsome.
Be still, my racing heart…
After the Overgrowth is fully ignited, I watch the dark shadows of the valley looking for any sign of movement. As time ticks on, I grow frustrated. I know she saw my lightning. I know she's aware of my presence. She wouldn't just leave Avi without at least checking for the source of that magic.
Would she?
Another few seconds tick by.
"Hm." Umbra tastes the air then pulls me backwards. "No, this isn't right."
"Wh–What? What is it? What's happening?"
"A reversal. They're attempting to ambush us."
"What? But why? Why in the Hells would they do that?"
"Capture and reconversion. Come. We must reposition. If it isn't already too–"
The cliffside ignites with blue fire.
The flames just as suddenly close in from all around us. Keeping a sharp hold on my waist, Umbra growls something under her breath but I can't hear it over the raging fires. They've encircled us in a small ring of sanctuary like the eye of a hurricane, and they're so hot that it feels like I'm being burned just by standing near them.
Umbra presses a hand to the center of my chest.
The unbearable heat tapers off into more of a harsh warmth.
And a silhouette approaches from amidst the blue inferno.
Hilde comes into sight. Her expression is empty of all but wrath.
"This is your one and only warning. Let. Her. Go."
Umbra's spine bristles. "You do not deserve her, zealot. I refuse."
"Then you'll die like all the rest, you fucking snake."
"You think you can hurt me? Defeat me? Kill me?" A dry laugh creaks out of her throat as Umbra drags her tailblade across the rocks, sparking flint the whole way. "Oh, how I wish that I could stomp you out like a fucking firefly. But I won't lift a finger to stop you from attacking me, Hildegard. Do you know why?"
"Enough talk."
"Ahh… You misunderstand. Talking is all that I will be doing. The onus of this conflict is in your hands alone. I'm not going to prepare for combat. I'm not going to strike first. I'm not going to strike at all. Therefore, only you decide what happens next. So? Attack me or speak with me. The choice is yours."
"And why the fuck would I speak with you?"
"Aren't you curious? Confused? I'm certain you've seen through me. You know who I am in truth. You know what I'm capable of. You know what I do to people like you. So why is it that you are being spared the Fallen Queen's unstoppable annihilation? Hm? Does that not bother you in the slightest? Wouldn't you like to know why? One reason. And one reason only. One which undeniably refutes the very root cause for this little tirade of yours. Though I imagine you will conjure some way to deny it all the same."
"Spit it out, snake."
"Crimson asked me not to hurt you."
Hilde's glare turns on me, but it doesn't last. She didn't see me. She saw me as something else. With her axetail raised and ready, she lifts her chin and demands, "Crimson's unerring kindness? That's your refutation? Of course she did. Because Crimson is a good person. And?"
"That's why. She doesn't want you to be harmed."
Hilde's expression hardens into a scowl. "Again. And?"
"I want to fucking erase you for what you've done to her," Umbra snarls, grip tightening on my waist as her plating bristles again. "Crimson does not want me to. It is her will that I have conceded to. Her choice. Not mine. If the Wretched truly were mindless slaves to my will, then why would she ever ask me to spare you? And why would I agree to do so? Hm?"
"Because she… You…" Hilde growls through bared fangs, her fingers clenching. "No. You're attempting to fool me, Deceiver. Every word of that was a lie. Crimson didn't ask you to do anything. You're only sparing me as part of some twisted mind game so you can make me fall for your filthy deceptions. No. Fuck you. I'm done with this nonsense. Fight back or do nothing, I don't care. I'm going to fucking kill you and reverse this damnable curse you've put on her."
Umbra's head turns and she looks through me.
I look up at her, scared, overwhelmed, and confused.
"Do you trust me, Crimsy?"
"W–With all of my heart, Umbsy. All of my being. Yes."
"This is calculated. I will not let them have you."
"Wh–What? Have me? What are you say–"
Her index claw stabs me through the chest.
Directly through my heart.
Something is being drained out of me.
It feels as though I'm withering. Shrinking.
Becoming less, and less, and less.
To my horror, my rose tattoos fade.
Umbra gently pushes me forward. "Go."
My pierced heart twists. Why? Why is she doing this?
She's handing me over. Releasing me. Again.
Hilde darts forth and snatches me up into her arms.
"There you are, Crim. I have you. You're safe."
I don't know what's happening anymore. I don't understand.
Hilde takes flight toward the night sky, bringing me with her.
I watch Umbra grow smaller with distance, my hand reaching.
Reaching. Reaching. Reaching.
Not far enough.