Raien: I think the Battle Vixens are still trying to wrap their brains around what just happened.
Ray: I didn't think they'd be that dense!
Lee: Well, Ray, we didn't exactly know that that Ice Wall was an illusion either…
Ray: So?! We trusted Thiji and he delivered! He always delivers, right, Thiji?!
Thiji: Well, I wouldn't go that far –
Ray: Oh, don't be so modest! With your mind you could probably take on all four of them alone! I mean, it's been nearly four months now; we've seen how they fight.
Raien: I kinda think that Elua is a cute one.
Thiji: She's an Elf, Brother.
Raien: That doesn't mean anything to me, except that it makes her that much more desirable.
Lee: What?
Raien: Come on, you never heard how Elves are in bed?! They're practically masterful at –
Thiji: Okay, let's not get too into that, please. We have to focus.
Raien, quietly: Killjoy…
Ray: I was kind of curious to know myself.
Thiji: With the Battle Vixens still in dismay and the Holy Saviors routed, we can clear the bridge before they catch up to us.
Ray: And, uh, what if the Holy Saviors do arrive? Then what?
The Wizard then picked up a cup of warm tea that he made for himself…
Thiji: It is the rule in war: if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, be able to evade them; and if weaker, be able to avoid them.
The others stared at him in silence as they attempted to piece together what the enigmatic Wizard had just quoted. Thiji would take a small sip of his tea before anyone would make a response…
Ray: So… we're equal, so we engage them?
Lee: But we're also weaker, so we should avoid them…
Thiji: But you are forgetting the Holy Saviors. There are four of us, and four of them, which makes eight, and that doubles our potential odds against the Battle Vixens.
Raien: So we divide them… by making the Saviors attack them!
Thiji, with a smile: Precisely so. The Holy Saviors have a grudge with Lupi and her sisters; we can use this to our advantage and weaken them both as a whole.
Ray: Holy hell… that wracked my brain a little. But okay, if you say so. Let's get this cleaned up and continue down the bridge.
The Gun-Knight shook his head of the thought and began packing up with the rest of his companions. After getting everything straightened out the four would resume their advance down the massive bridge. But it seemed too quiet at this point – far too quiet. The members of White Trinity looked around the immediate area, puzzled by the sudden silence, until they would hear something whistling in the air…
Lee: You guys hear that? That whistling sound?
Raien: Yeah, I hear it now…
Ray: Where's it coming from, you think?
Thiji: …
The whistling got louder and louder, and the air became warmer as well. However, before they could realize what was headed towards them – a large ball of flame – it had crashed down right in front of their feet, taking them by surprise.
White Trinity: WHOA!
The impact knocked them on their backs, hitting the marble pavement with a loud thud as the flames would dance around them for a brief moment before dying out. Thankfully their supplies were mostly undamaged, and as they rose slowly to their feet, and the smoke from the flames cleared, they saw three figures standing side-by-side – two of which jumped off the back of some creature, and the third landing beside them after disembarking from a large bird. A fourth figure was mounted on the back of the creature and let out a loud squawking sound – sounding like a bird as well.
The figures on the city limits' side of the bridge would be made apparent to White Trinity: Heal-Do, Elua, Aege, and their elder sister, Lupi, whom had now been mounted on the back of a large flightless bird monster known as a Peco Peco.
"You little boys just signed your death warrants!" taunted Elua as her pet falcon landed on her left arm. "Our Big Sister here is unmatched when she fights on the back of a Peco Peco!"
"Cross that bridge and you'll be sorry!" threatened the Blacksmith with her axe hoisted over her shoulder. Lupi did not say a word; she merely stared daggers down at the members of White Trinity. Her already seething hatred for them had begun to grow to even greater heights as she would raise her lance once more, keeping her eyes on her targets.
"End them, girls," the scarlet Knight commanded in a low yet intimidating voice before leading the charge to attack their sworn rivals. The Battle Vixens advanced upon them in full force, and their only means of escape was the other side of the bridge, but they knew for sure that they would be unable to evade or avoid them – so they would take the only possible action at this point – to engage them as well.
"So, they wish to end it here on the big bridge, huh…" Ray scoffed, attaching his gun to his sword.
"I feel like there's a reference to something somewhere in that statement…" Thiji commented, "And some sort of music that goes with said reference as well."
"They're not beating us without a fight!" said Raien, charging his Chakra. "They'll know the wrath of the clouds, even if I shall die doing so!"
"It was an honor serving with you gentlemen," Lee spoke, cracking his knuckles and neck and got into a battle stance.
White Trinity had charged towards the Battle Vixens with all they had, and the distance would close more and more, until they heard a voice in the air…
"Forward, for honor!"
A large blast erupted just inches away from the two engaging guilds, forcing back both parties a considerable distance. All they would see is a blinding light at the center of the bridge, and a large holy symbol about 2 inches from their feet. But what they saw next would be even more shocking…