Sanctuary

Back in Sanctuary, Atlas and Lotte we're still fighting off the Fiends at the gates. The two had been repelling the hordes for hours and were getting tired.

"I can't keep doing this for much longer" Lotte panted, as she continued swinging her blade.

"Stay strong, Lotte" Atlas said as he held out his hand and cast an energy boosting spell, before resuming his defence of the city.

The two continued fighting with all their might for the next few hours, eventually the hordes began to dwindle, and they were afforded some time for rest. They sat resting against the open gate, Atlas took a swig from a bottle of water.

"It's okay defending the city, but..." Lotte sighed.

"I know" Atlas nodded, looking defeated. "Eventually we will all succumb to the darkness" He frowned. "Like... Amanda did" He said, putting his head in his hands. Lotte nodded and looked at the city lights.

Suddenly a roar brought Atlas and Lotte to their feet, they both summoned their Celestial Weapons as a Demonbull, a hulking deformed bull, stepped into the light.

"What the..." Lotte gasped.

"Go for the horns if you can" Atlas nodded as the two charged at the bull. Atlas ran along the bull and cut its side with his blade, the bull roared and instinctively kicked him flying, knocking him unconscious.

"Atlas!" Lotte shouted, as she called for him, the bull turned its gaze to her. "Come and get me, you big bastard" She grunted, she charged at the bull's head, but jumped before she reached it and slashed one of its horns off.

"Yes!" She celebrated. Her joy was short-lived as she dived towards the ground, the bull moved it's head suddenly, impaling her on its horn. "Argh!" Lotte yelled in pain, the bull charged at the wall, smashing its horn into the steel structure, killing Lotte.

Atlas stirred, minutes later to see the Demonbull had gone, presumably into the city. He ran toward the gate, before stopping. He noticed the lifeless body of Lotte, by the gate.

"No... it can't be..." Atlas clenched his teeth. "Not again!" He yelled as he ran over to her, shaking her, as if trying to wake her from a dream. At that moment the sound of several jets could be heard, people wearing darksteel coloured power suits landed outside the gate, and a large imperial Airship drifted close to the city, shining high-powered beams of light down at the ground before it.

One of the suit wearing people walked over to Altas.

"Do you require medical assistance?" They asked.

"I... I'm okay... it's my friend..." Atlas said, with tears rolling down his cheeks. The suit wearer called over another.

"Take her back to the IDS Valkyrie, see if we can't do something" The suit weared ordered. The other nodded and picked her up.

"Wait! Who are you people?" Atlas asked.

"We're the remnants of the Araneian Empire, we were over near Farenai when this all kicked off. I'm an Imperial Scout Leader, or was" The Scout Leader explained.

"We need assistance, fiends have gotten into the city" Atlas explained, his mind distant.

"We'll take care of that, I'll have you take back to the Valkyrie to have your wounds seen to" The Scout Leader nodded.

The Valkyrie slowly flew over the city, illuminating the streets in a harsh bright light. The light sent the fiends scurrying away into any dark corners that they could find. As the airship came to a halt, people came out of the buildings they had been hidden in, as they walked into the light, small clouds of dark miasma left their bodies.

Later that day, aboard the Valkyrie, in the medical labs, Atlas watched as the doctors pulled a white sheet over Lotte and pronounced her dead, and recorded the time. Once again, Atlas had lost a person that he loved, broke, he laid on his own medical bed and stared at the harsh white lights that illuminated the room. He listened to his heart monitor slowly beeping away, as he closed his eyes. He couldn't stand this ha