Sanctuary II

As the survivors in the city below cheered on the orange skies over Sanctuary, a deafening roar bellowed out from the secondary Dreadnought once more.

The Dreadnought shook, and began to fall towards the now visible lands outside of Sanctuary, the colossal airship crashed against the ground, as something began to tear the metal apart.

Celeste picked up her comms device and radioed into the labs.

"Amber, reactivate city cities cannons asap" She commanded.

"I'll begin the start up sequence immediately" Amber responded.

Roisin looked at Syl, Dex and Keegan. The all gave each other a knowing look and took off running down the street, toward the shipyards.

The horrific fiend burst forth from the ruined Dreadnought, it resembled a mutated human, with darkened grey skin and pure white eyes, as it raised its arms, two more eyes were on its palms, then large demonic black wings burst from its back in a shower of blood.

"I am the bloody evolution of mankind's true inner darkness! We were destined for the darkness, to rise above all other races" The creature roared, in a voice that sounded like Varla's, in a much deeper tone. "Come and rejoice in the future of the Human race!" She laughed in a haunting booming voice. She yelled in pain, as the muscles grew more.

The dark miasma began to swirl around her as she walked toward the city, the city's cannons came online and began unleashing a barrage of energy at the Varla Prime. The effects didn't hurt her, instead, she absorbed the power and continued growing, until she towered above the walls. She cackled as she tore the darksteel walls apart with her bare hands.

Suddenly she was knocked backward by a cannon shot, the Varla Prime turned in the direction the cannon blast came from. It was The Wild Rose, piloted by Roisin, Dex, Syl and Keegan.

Varla Prime could see into the bridge of the ship, and saw Keegan staring at her, angrily.

"No!" She yelled as she grabbed her head. "I have no desire for these emotions!" Varla Prime roared, as she swung her arm at the ship, the ship moved to evade the attack, but was struck, destroying several major systems aboard the ship.

"We can't take her on, Roisin" Syl sighed.

"We're the last line of defence" Roisin shook her head. "If we fall, Sanctuary falls" She sighed as a console exploded at the back of the bridge. "Give her everything we have" Roisin frowned. Keegan looked at Roisin and nodded, then pressed several keys on his console.

The Red Rose unleashed its full compliment upon Varla, sending her falling to the ground once more. Roisin watched and waited for Varla Prime to move, but she remained stationary.

"Is she dead?" Dex asked.

"I think so!" Syl smiled, as he did, Varla threw out her fists and punched the ground, causing a large tremor, before getting to her feet. The city shook from the tremor, sending cracks through several buildings.

Roisin watched as Varla grabbed the ship and began crushing it with all her might. Everyone aboard the ship braced for the end, but it didn't come, the ship fell toward the ground with a thud as cannon fire echoed over the city.

But it wasn't the city defences, they had ceased firing. Roisin looked around the bridge, The Wild Rose was in ruins, the systems had died. She got to her feet and made her way to the broke window at the front of the bridge.

Outside was a fleet of fighter ships, unleashing their firepower upon Varla. Varla tried to resist, but there was too many, she fell to the ground with a thud. Roisin watched as one of the fighters landed.

"Who are they?" Syl asked, as he peeked out of the window, over Roisin's shoulder.

"I can't tell... stay quiet for now" Roisin said, as she hid in the shadows, Syl nodded and did the same, as he looked around the bridge he spotted Keegan and Dex were also watching.

The fighter pilot's cockpit door opened with a hiss, as the pilot, a female with a helmet obscuring her face stepped out. As she walked, grass seemed to grow beneath her feet. The pilot knelt beside Varla and put her hand onto her unconscious body.

The crew of The Wild Rose watched in amazement, as the hulking beast began to shrink, back into human form, as grass and flowers grew around the pilot. The pilot then looked at The Wild Rose and ran toward it. Roisin grabbed a metal bar, in case of attack.

The pilot climbed through the broken window, the grass stopping just outside. They looked around for signs of life, before removing their helmet.

"Come on, show yourselves" A familiar sounding voice called. Roisin gripped the metal bar tightly. "I wanna know which one of you daft kids ruined my ship" The voice laughed, as she laughed, Roisin dropped the bar and stood up.

"Auntie Lotte?!" Roisin gasped, Lotte turned to Roisin and smiled.

"Hey, kiddo" Lotte laughed.

"I'm 23 now..." Roisin chuckled, as she ran over and hugged Lotte.

"And I'm apparently something called a Crystalla... like my bunny friend" Lotte winked at Dex. "I assume by the fact the sky was already bright... you awoke?" She asked him.

"I... think so? I can heal people's wounds now, it seems" Dex smiled.

"Is that so?" Lotte grinned. "Well, you've kinda already seen my power" She nodded as she pointed to the grass.

"Restoration?" Dex asked.

"Yes, and yours must be... healing?" Lotte asked.

"It seems so" Dex nodded.

"High five for the coolest bunny boy and bunny girl ever" She laughed as she raised her hand in the air, Dex nodded and gave her a high five too. Keegan stepped forward and rose his hand slightly.

"What do we do about her?" He said, pointing at the unconscious Varla.

"Lock her up" Lotte shrugged. "Throw away the key... well not literally" She winked. The crew continued to catch up, as fighters landed across the city, and another Dreadnought arrive, bearing the sigil of Ishtall, coated in white and green.