Soleil could not help but notice that all the Magitech armor had pivoted to face their open mouths towards Calamity. Exposing the Mana Engines was necessary to fire the beam skills. Seeing as Calamity was no longer flying, she was as easy a target as Soleil had been.

Because all the previous beams had been so effective.

She had to give the Knights credit. They were determined. In this instance, it was most likely to just get them killed. Now how to prevent that?

Unable to think of anything better, Soleil led with the intent she had announced to Maeve.

Soleil strode towards Calamity, slowly realizing just how tall the amalgamation of the destructive power of mana engines made herself. Even if she counted her witch hat to provide her a little extra height, (which she did) Soleil still did not measure up to Calamity’s chest.

Calamity came to a stop.

Soleil did the same, putting them about the same distance apart that Brigid had been in the stoneyard. If this came to violence, it would end within a second.

Soleil projected her words for all to hear.“I wasn’t sure I would like the gift you gave me.”

Out of the corner of her vision, she noticed that even Maeve turned her head away from the task of applying [First Aid.]

“I did not want to use it lightly. But I needed you all to stop fighting. So thank you, for entrusting me with such a dangerous skill.” Soleil had hoped to add some sort of appreciation for the historical context, but she was being interrupted.

“The only gift I will grant you is a swift death, mortal.”

Soleil flinched. But Calamity made no motion to attack. If she wanted to kill Soleil, she could do so effortlessly.

And yet she did not. Soleil frowned. Was Calamity lying to her? Why?

A pointed question then. “What do you want?”

Calamity’s tail abruptly crushed the dirt underneath her. Soleil read it as frustration. Was Calamity refusing to speak plainly? In front of who? The Knights or Veilura?

She first claimed she would be with her after taking care of the knights.

Calamity looked almost amused. “Do heroes not rise to the occasion when faced with imminent calamity? Prove to me that there is a worthy exemplar among you.”

She was still willing to talk. Why not answer her original question?

Soleil looks around at everyone assembled one last time. An idea slowly began to form in her mind. She could only hope she wasn’t making a mistake.

Pouring Focus into [Fire Affinity,] Soleil drew from one of the more contained flames not in danger of spreading to the rest of the forest.

“Fine. I’ll put a stop to you.” Soleil found herself saying with a bit more defiance than was necessary.

Maeve’s eyes widened.

Her mother appeared to be coiling before springing into action.

Soleil gave them both a stern intervention. “Mother, Knight Adjutant Maeve, stay out of this.” She could only hope that listen long enough for her to try something.

Calamity raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Am I supposed to be scared of a single mote of flame? You do realize that fire mana is my domain.”

Well, there was only one way to find out. Soleil reached for her skills, before giving her opponent a confident grin. She really hoped this would work.

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Soleil planted her feet and willed her focus to [manipulate] the mote of flame with as much force as she could muster. Releasing the skill, the mote of fire mana spiraled in Calamity’s direction. Her ranks in the skill were weak enough that Calamity could have effortlessly side stepped it if she cared to.

Soleil locked eyes with the Knight Captain. “Now! Fire!” Flinging a hand out in Calamity’s direction, Soleil snapped her fingers. [Mana deflection] activated, mustering a paltry amount of mana to deflect her bolt of flame.

Whether out of intent to do so already, or a determined discipline to take every chance possible at stopping Calamity, the Knight Captain gave the command to fire.

All around an unconcerned Calamity, the Magitech armors unleashed their readied [Lightning beams.] Just before she disappeared in the convergence of lightning mana, the [mana detonated] at Soleil’s command. Calamity’s passive defensive skill shattered like glass.

Calamity screamed. All around her, the mana began to echo her pain.

This time [mana detonation] did not slip from her reach so much as it felt like it had been torn out of grasp.

A cacophony of mana crying out in pain made it impossible to focus on using skills or operating Magitech. All around her, the Magitech armors whined and shrieked.

Calamity began to stalk forward with murderous intent. Blackened and dead feathers fell in the wake of her wings as she and the mana around her refused to stop screaming with rage.

Veilura reached for Soleil’s sword. Without skills, her mother was useless as a Spell Shaper. But she would likely put up a better fight than Soleil.

Her daughter gave up the sword willingly.

The Demon Lord put on a brave face, but she was outside her element and attempting to single-handedly stop a force of nature.

Calamity backhanded the blade before winging her mother with enough force to send her flying.

Soleil stood powerless as Calamity approached. She still had a knife, but what use would that be?

What could she say? What could she do? Soleil closed her eyes, willing herself to block out the endless cacophony of screams and focus.

The sound of footfalls rapidly approached.

“Leave her alone!” Maeve shouted from far too close for comfort.

Soleil’s eyes snapped open in time to see Calamity whirl on the Knight Adjutant, effortlessly lifting her from the ground by the shoulder. “Stay out of this. Meddlesome human.”

Maeve flailed uselessly, glaring daggers at Calamity. “No!” It was everything she could do to punch, kick, and bite at Calamity in a harmless desperation.

Soleil reached for her knife before letting it fall uselessly to the ground.

No.

This wasn’t the way to save anyone.

“Okay.” She said, fists clenching. “We give up. No one here can stop you. So just stop playing with us. Do what you want. Pick your hero and kill them.”

What could they honestly do to stop her? Calamity was acting on behalf of mana. If she could just turn off their skills and mana engines, what could any of them even hope to achieve?

Calamity turned her eyes upon Soleil. Up close, her eyes were a terrifying marvel to behold. A pair of black pupils steadily held her gaze amidst a sea of furious fire mana burning around them. “Fine. We shall do this your way.”

Maeve fell to the ground in a clatter of metal armor hitting the ground.

Before Soleil could check to see if the Knight Adjutant was alright, Soleil was next to be lifted off her feet. Red feather wings extended as Calamity took flight.

It was everything Soleil could do to look down at her mother, Maeve, and the knights who looked on in horror.

I’m sorry.

Soleil could only mouth the words before she was out of time.

***

It took a while for Soleil to regain her composure long enough to speak. Flying was a frightening experience lessened none at all by who was doing the flying. “If you’re going to kill me. Will you at least answer my questions? Why were you evasive when we spoke before? What do you have to hide from the knights or my mother?”

Calamity had to adjust her grip on Soleil in order to meet her eye. “I needed a champion. And as much as I hate how you earned that position. Mana is no longer listening to us, furious at our use of [Mana Detonation.]”

Soleil swallowed nervously before picking her next words very carefully. “Why give me the skill then?”

“Someone had to receive it. Don’t get me wrong, little demonling. I still think Humanity deserves to die. But you all have roles left to play and I…” Calamity’s eyes burned as she bit back her words. “Unlike my sisters, I am open to being proven wrong.”

Soleil took that in for a moment. “Okay. How can I help?”