Dragan cut through Maximus' plant-men with Lone's two swords, clearing a path for Tamaki to run through, "Go on ahead, Tamaki!!
"You got it, Mister Dragan!" Tamaki, a credit to his sect, dodged and weaved his way through the plant-men's attacks, climbing the stairs past.
"Sword burst!" Dragan yelled. He thrust his sword out and the mana thrust out all about him in sharp points, accurately piercing each of his enemies in the chest.
"Seal the cracks!!" Maximus yelled. He literally spat a bolt of lightning, electrocuting a half-dozen plant-men alongside the walls.
Dragan leaped up and smashed near the top of one of the wall cracks, shattering one of Lone's swords. Simultaneously, Maximus tossed his shield at another. The two open paths collapsed, sealing them both in debris.
"Where's Lone?" Maximus raised a fist to Dragan, and they tapped their knuckles together.
Dragan averted his eyes, "Saw his girlfriend. Jumped off the steps. Nothin' we could do."
Maximus nodded, "That kinda day, huh?"
"No kidding, got any potions?" Dragan picked up a rock and tossed it to kill a plant-creature sneaking up on Tamaki, "I'm fresh out after tearing some cursed spines out of my hand."
The dark-haired, blue-winged dovahkiin snorted, "I don't. One of these plant-people tore up one of my wings with its weird thorn-stick. Where's your axe?"
The red-headed giant shrugged, "Elf thing that's chasing us while this whole place is exploding. Normal weapons don't hurt it."
Maximus clanged his spear against his shield, "My faith will pierce a hole in his defenses."
The giant crossed his thick arms, looking down, "Really, dude?"
The holy warrior clanged his shield again, "The spearblade's made from Tyrion steel-- a silver alloy. Might do better?"
Dragan started up the steps, "We're withdrawing, don't do anything dumb."
"Wait."
Stopping, Dragan slowly turned his head back. "Come on, man. Forget about it."
Maximus grit his teeth, "Is she dead?"
"...Yeah. Don't do anything stupid, Maximus."
The Flamebriar Monarch approached at a walking pace, slowly ascending the steps as if floating. Spines covered its thick armored body, arms of elongated woven strands of vines dragged on the floor beside it.
"Go," Maximus commanded.
Dragan grit his teeth and breathed deeply into his nostrils. No more words needed to be exchanged. He turned to sprint after Tamaki.
...
Lone fell over the side of the platform, watching Madison's form growing smaller and smaller. With the air rushing past him, he was finally able to gain relief from the sweltering heat inside the tower.
"I WONNNN'T LET YOUUU!!" Madison shrieked.
She jumped off the platform after him, summoning a swarm of her insects to power her flight. Why was it so hard for Lone to die when he wanted??
He had lost his swords when he blacked out. But he still had the rest of his gear! Lone began throwing hatchets, a short sword, even his water canteen at Madison-- but all of it was swallowed by the black mass of her insect swarm.
[I am with you, Father...]
Lone felt the warmth of mana coursing through his veins. Boss Tycon's mana was quick, direct, filled with the power of rage and cunning decisiveness. His daughter's mana... was different. It had warmth. It had a soft and stubborn strength. It was silvery bright, filled with innocence and hoping desperately for tomorrow.
As downtrodden as Lone felt... Trudging each day through the insurmountable pressure, through pain, tears, and loneliness... He could not deny that he was loved.
"Yeah. Let's go... Yaeger."
He named her. She felt his intentions. The link between them forged, she gave it her all.
[Father...]
Yaeger channeled her mana through Lone, a silvery glow enveloping his form and freeing him completely from Madison's influence. He had control of his body!
[I'm not afraid any longer! Let's face Mother together!]
"Right," Lone nodded, "I won't let you down!"
Silvery wings sprouted from Lone's back, halting his descent. This was mana. Lone felt his fingers, felt his pulsating heart. His senses were heightened, feeling the ebb and flow of the heated air, hearing the sounds of Maximus fighting against the Flamebriar Monarch.
Yaeger's unending mana coursed through his meridians. Lone finally understood why Boss Tycon never acknowledged his usage of Skills. If he could channel Yaeger's mana into his Whirlwind Attack, he'd be able to defeat anyone in Invictus.
Lone turned mid-air to face Madison. With his mana-enhanced vision, he saw each individual flying insect in the tens of thousands that comprised Madison's 6 black wings.
Her eyes were full of incredulity and seething hatred, "You... DARE use my children against me?!?"
Yaeger called out, an ethereal voice heard by Madison and all her children, [I won't let you hurt Father!!]
Lone reached out, forming a living, writhing greatsword comprised of Yaeger's silvery mana, "I will protect my friends AND my daughter, Madison!"
...
Maximus deflected the Flamebriar Monarch's vine arm with his shield, simultaneously throwing his body out of the way. The vine went on to smash a hole into the wall.
Maximus narrowed his eyes. He couldn't get caught by that. He held an advantage at range against the Flamebriar Monarch, like he did fighting against Seldin Korr a moon prior.
His mana had been steadily depleted by fighting the Monarch's plant-men, so he was reluctant to wage a prolonged fight. However, the creature had proved resistant to his lightning attacks.
He tightened the grip on his spear. It was a great risk to get into the Monarch's melee range.
The dark ram-skull figure glided forward like a ghost. Its voice was a powerful, foreign whisper, and Maximus felt as if it spoke behind his neck, "(BURN. RETURN TO DUST.)"
With a flap of his great blue wings, Maximus rose into the air. Pointing his spear downward, he charged most of his mana reserves into his most powerful attack, "Howling Tempest!!"
Battering winds crashed into the Monarch, invisible walls of force smashing it off of its footing. But just as Maximus was beginning to see hope, vines from where the creature's legs would be jutted into the stone floor. As it right itself, it waved its vine arms in a cross, nullifying Maximus's spell, "(I. AM INEVITABLE.)"
Maximus landed. His spell didn't work. He lifted his silvery spear-blade to examine it. It was a gift from the Archbishop, herself-- emblazoned with the symbol of the Silver Flame. Regardless of whether the silver alloy would affect a fae, its effectiveness as a tool to smite evil was unmatched.
Beyond the spear, his opponent stood, shrouded by a robe of black thorny vines. The ram-skulled Monarch spoke, "(THY GOD. CANNOT SAVE THEE. PALADIN.)"
Maximus pointed his spear forward, lowering his stance to charge, "If I must fall here in order to bring you down, then so be it."
The creature raised its arms, tilting up its red-eyed mask. Wings like black branches began to sprout from its back, "(AND WHO. ART. THOU??)"
Maximus charged forward as a streaking bolt of lightning, his spear aimed at the heart of the enemy, "I am MAXIMUS of Sol Invictus and victory will be MINE!!"