His lungs were beginning to burn from the cold air and the sea spray as he ran, standing idle was not an option. Why was it so cold? Pressing harder and harder he began to think allowed, a habit he found drew her attention when he needed it urgently.

"Why isn't she responding? Please, answer me!" 

She usually knew when they were in danger before Emile did and would typically alert him. This wasn't like her. She wasn't responding now.

This battle was also unlike that before. The entity chasing him was much more powerful than those prior.

After multiple missed shots the gunship had him dialed in and was preparing a final barrage from it's main armament. At this point the crystal attached to his left arm began to shift, climbing his arm to his shoulder and creating a domed shield on his back.

The crystals stiffened preparing to take the brunt of the molten tungsten hurtling toward him, this rooted him to the ground. He was immobilized.

The sound of the artillery hitting its target was like nothing ever heard before, and Emile was going to witness it first hand. Not something to be excited about.

The sheer force of the molten tungsten hitting his back at such speeds would be enough to both tear through steel and melt rock, but the crystal formed shield should theoretically be just adequate to repel it. He began to count the seconds from the piercing noise of the shot.

" One, two…"

The bolt hit him like a freight train and slammed his face into the white sand that was once beneath his feet.

Emile struggled to get up with a mouth full of salty seawater as the gunship looming over him prepared another volley. 

SLAM! The molten metal hit the shield again and splashed around him siering the sand in a radius from the shield turning it to liquid glass, but before it could seep around the dome to his hands it cooled and hardened creating a dense shell that was boiling hot to the touch. The gunship would show no signs of stopping until it knew he was terminated. That was protocol. All Emile could do was hope his shield held out until he got hold of her.

"What are you doing up there?" He yelled aloud as the gunships barrage drew to an end.

But before he had any time to relax, Emile heard an uncomfortably loud revving noise coming from above him, indescribable.

SLAM...CRACK! The force of the last bolt had fractured his crystal shield. The dome couldn't take much more and both he and the beast knew it.

Emile finally begged out to her pleading with all the will in his heart.

"AQUA!!"

And then a whisper.

"Wah...WHAT!?"