"Step away from her," Samira told Beatrice and Mimi, and had a dozen skeletal warriors surround the gasping young princess.
Mimi gladly increased her distance from the undead, and Beatrice also saw no benefit in sticking too close to their many blades.
"You took your sweet time," Asuna said to Samira.
"Can't be helped that nearly all of my sisters are such disappointments," Samira said. "And you still wonder why you're never entrusted with anything that requires either brawn or thought."
"Weren't you the one entrusted with finding and bringing back Mary?" Asuna asked.
"She's found and brought back," Samira said. "More importantly, I can't believe mother let you take Melody out of the palace."
"She didn't!" Annie said for all to hear. "I came here to bring her back."
"And nearly get her and yourself killed," Samira looked at Annie like at an insect. "Honestly, I wanted to wait for to kick it, but Melody would have died before you. From now on I suggest you stick to prayers. Two losses in two days… What else needs be said?"
"I haven't lost!!" Annie screamed and a dark aura momentarily flashed out from beneath her robes.
"Only because Melody babysat you the entire time," Samira said. "Enough. The fight is over. Everyone put your weapons away. Purple Capes and their allies will come quietly with us. No one else dies. No one else gets harmed. I'll spend some personal quality time with them before brining anyone before our father or mother."
While Samira talked, Dhisana already went back to drinking from her last pouch.
"And what about us?" Zaki asked while playing pool.
"The representatives from the Guild can go back to copulating with each other," Samira said.
"Haah!? We help you clean up this mess and I don't even get a blowjob for—mfffmph!?" Neri grabbed Zaki from behind and covered his mouth.
"Don't mind him, he's just cranky from missing his morning ass-licking," Neri laughed nervously.
Samira stared at them without a reply.
"Like hell we're going with you!" Flavna shouted.
"Was it not your intention to go to the palace anyway?" Samira asked while additional soldiers rose up around Flavna and Ember. Rivaldo turned his back on Beatrice and Mimi and slowly walked back to Flavna.
"Not as prisoners to your unholy entourage!" Flavna said.
"The only thing unholy here is your taste palette," Samira replied. "You will not win. I would very much like to bring you all alive. As would our kind and merciful mother."
"That's a joke!" Beatrice said. "Last time I saw her mercy, she turned a couple of cowards into some mindless horror abominations. Hey, wizard hat lady! Do you want to check out if the one who summons the literal undead has a tie with the demons? Or maybe the so-called new priestess who's a sneeze away from showing her demon energies!?"
"N-No, the third princess's terrifying-I mean terribly impressive abilities are well known," Neri laughed while sweating profusely. "Some of us can conjure water. Others can summon fire. While some can summon loyal, courageous warriors of battles past. We're all different and… Special… Each in our own way. And it's not nice to judge others just for their appearance… Or the appearance of their abilities… So… Thank you for your… Help! And for your mercy toward your opponents! Long live the King and Queen! … Dhina, let's go!"
Neri dragged Zaki away who kept kicking and muffled-screaming. Dhisana emptied her pouch and took one more look at Ember before following.
Everyone silently watched the awkward departure of the trio.
"You got any bright ideas besides punching and kicking?" Ember quietly asked Flavna.
"…" Flavna clenched her fists.
"Thought so," Ember said as she raised her arms to the sides, pointing the palms of her hands in opposite directions and shouted, "Doomsday!"
She launched giant rocks engulfed in blinding, blazing fire: one at Rivaldo, the other at Samira.
Rivaldo was hit nearly point blank while a horde of skeletons jumped in front of the other rock before it could hit Samira. Both hits resulted in large fiery explosions. Before Flavna could react, fire surrounded her and swept her from her feet.
"STOP THEM!!" Asuna shouted when she saw a bird-like fiery object blaze across the rubble and quickly approach Beatrice and the remaining Purple Capes.
Rivaldo—partially on fire—ran to intercept, as it many palace guards. The undead rushed to form a wall around Melody on all sides.
A giant shining circle appeared beneath Rivaldo's feet. He fell through and fell out of another circle that appeared right over the heads of the biggest group of palace guards, promptly landing the giant beastkin on top of them. Another group of palace guards suddenly had burning skeletons falling on their heads. Gamesh then conjured a circle in front of him and was slashed at the waist by a thick crimson energy blade.
"You're not going anywhere," Asuna said with a victorious smile, holding her blazing, enhanced claymore in her hands.
Annie took up her hammaxe and ran screaming toward Beatrice and Mimi, dark energy storming around her. The Purple Capes got in front of their lieutenant and were crushed in seconds by the raging princess.
The fiery bird blazed a path to Beatrice and Mimi and engulfed them both just before Annie reached them. The scorching heat forced the wounded princess back while the fire bird blazed away to the nearest street into the city, taking Beatrice and Mimi from sight.
All the entrances were still blocked by onlookers, and those that did not run away in time were burned alive where they stood as the fire swept straight through them, setting everyone ablaze on contact.
"Follow the fire!!" Asuna ordered palace guards. She then walked up to the two bleeding parts of Gamesh's severed, organ-spilling body and added coldly, "I did promise to kill you four times."
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