Sanctuary

"This is a priority one rescue mission" Atlas sighed. "I know you and your mother don't get on at all, but, you and Ashe are the best Hunters the city has" He continued.

Atlas was behind his desk in the Command Centre of the Sanctuary Defence Force, speaking to Ashe and Ariel about the mission to rescue Amanda.

"I don't get why it is so important that we save her, honestly" Ariel shrugged.

"She has an eyewitness account of what lies outside the gates of this city, it is instrumental to learn of this threat so that we can protect ourselves and any incoming or outgoing airships" Atlas explained.

"Her report mentioned that there were refugees from Aranei heading here, won't they have more information?" Ariel asked.

"There is no guarantee they will make it here, we have teams out looking for them now, but saving your mother is quite possible given we know her exact location" Atlas pointed out. Ashe held Ariel's hand and looked her in the eyes.

"We've gotta go..." Ashe sighed.

"Why? She's never done anything for us" Ariel frowned.

"She saved Roisin, and my father died to save both your mother and Roisin" Ashe said. Ariel looked out of the window behind Atlas, to see the street lights already on, despite it being early afternoon.

"Fine" Ariel nodded. "For the memory of your father" She smiled as she looked at Ashe.

"Okay, we'll have you leave within the hour" Atlas began. "With any luck, this mission will be a quick and easy grab and run. Watch yourselves out there... please come back safe" He added.

"We will" Ashe nodded.

Several hours later, the stealth airship was nearing the Communications outpost, it had been equipped with high-powered lights that shone on the group below. Ashe was operating the communications panel, trying to get in contact with Amanda, while Ariel piloted.

"She's not responding" Ashe sighed. Ariel remained silent, and frowned, while she hated her mother, a small part of her still loved her, and the thought of actually losing her was getting to Ariel.

The outpost came into view, the tower was surrounded by fire, as unseen creatures surrounded the fire.

"Hey Ashe, come operate the lights" Ariel waved Ashe over.

"Right" Ashe nodded as she made her way to the control panel, she shone the lights on the crowds below to see hundreds of human looking creatures, staring back with deep red eyes.

"What the..." Ashe screamed slightly.

"They... are the people of Aranei?" Ariel's voice shook, realising that these were once people she grew up around, the servants, the teachers, the students, the soldiers, the butlers. Now all reduced to mindless aether starved beasts.

Ashe turned the light to the communications tower, to see Amanada clinging on, waving at the airship.

"There she is!" Ashe pointed.

"Right..." Ariel nodded as she steered the ship closer to the tower, and opened the hold door.

"A little closer..." Ashe whispered, suddenly a large screech echoed over the land. "Is that?" Ashe gasped.

Amanda jumped into the hold of the small airship, and quickly climbed to the front of the ship.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!" Amanda repeated. "It's a Demonhawk!" She shouted. Ariel panicked and swung the ship around, the left wing clipped the tower, which began to collapse, one of the engines also stopped working from the damage caused.

"Crap!" Ariel shouted. She pushed the ship to its speed limits, as the Demonhawk chased them.

"Ashe, get on the cannons!" Amanda commanded.

"It's a stealth ship! It doesn't have cannons!" Ashe yelled back in terror. Amanda was also shaking with fear, the starvation of aether had got to her too, and she felt significantly weaker.

The Demonhawk landed on top of the airship, which began buckling under the weight.

"This is it!" Ariel shouted, as the ship neared the ground. Suddenly a sonic boom, knocked the ship sideways, with the right wing narrowly missing the ground. Ariel quickly recovered and flew higher, the Demonhawk seemed to have also been hit by the impact of the sonic boom.

Another boom went off just behind them, moments later.

"Are we under attack?" Ashe said, looking out of the window.

"I'm not sure, but it helped us out regardless" Ariel shrugged, as she caught her breath. They at last seemed to be in the clear, Ariel put the ship into autopilot.

Ashe looked down at Amanda, who had fallen after the ship was hit with the sonic boom, she veins had begun to blacken.

"Mum!" Ariel yelled, as she ran over and knelt down by the side of her mother, grabbing her hand.

Amanda looked up at Ariel, her eyes slowly turning black.

"Ariel... please..." Amanda stuttered, Ariel was in tears.

"Don't leave me, mum, please! I've already lost so much..." She cried.

"Please forgive me" Amanda uttered, before falling silent, corrupted by the darkness.

The airship flew silently back to Sanctuary, as both Ashe and Ariel cried at the loss of Amanda.