-Hours earlier, inside the citadel-
Pearl stood guard in front of the opened door. Distant fighting kept her mind busy imagining warriors from both Legions ruthlessly fighting for their side to win.
Light clashed with Infinus. White with gray. Proven worth with tested worth. It was Imbushko's cycle repeating from the beginning. Conflicts reappear and disappear like brewing storms.
Knowing her partner was going higher without her caused her frozen heart to become uneasy. Pearl did not know what was going to happen when Ether was outside of her grasp.
Part of her reasoned with hope. He did go from living inside a forgotten bunker to living inside a Legion he made.
But another part of her argued back. The fact he was half Yonie made her believe he was not ready to face off against the stronger elites inside the Legion. Including Struto.
Time flowed without a care of what she thought. Which forced her to go upstairs. The dark steps were tainted with the orange from torches that hung from the walls.
It felt like she was stepping through stories Ether told her from time to time. She became fascinated with what he thought about when times were calm.
Her hand reached up for a doorknob at the top of the stairs. The second she opened it, a warrior slammed against the wall. They tried to recover back on their feet when Tellendor cut right through their throat.
"I can tell. He is in here..." Ether whispered to his weapon. "Outside, I bet. Right beyond those doors."
Pearl stepped through, watching her partner walk across the room. Stepping around the dead bodies of defending warriors. Despite being under a different flag, their deaths he respected.
The same second the doors came open, Struto grabbed Ether by the neck and sent him hurling off the balcony.
"WHAT THE HELL?!?" Pearl screamed.
Her weapon made its presence clear with a sharp ring. A sound Struto heard. He turned his attention to her, bringing out a decorated knife. Its handle respected his pride.
Jewels lined the hilt with a strong sense of confidence that was difficult to ignore. Pearl saw it, and even knew why he favored such a small weapon compared to something bigger and better.
"Such a shame you decided to leave us. But, by the looks of this siege. It's more than over. From here, it's the epilogue," Struto concluded.
Pearl wasted no time in dashing across the room to face off against the overconfident elite. Who returned the favor by dashing right towards her.
Executioner's blade struck loyal blood's blade. The resulting impact rung in Struto's hands, making him feel alive.
He pushed her weapon away, before sliding underneath her. When he appeared on the other side, Struto pulled his legs up and pushed her away. Pearl stumbled forward, not knowing what just happened.
Which helped her enemy by giving him an opportunity to tackle her down. Like it was programmed into her brain, Pearl knew if she wanted to survive. This fight had to go back on its feet.
Seeing the chance to land some damaging strikes in, Struto dug his knife between Pearl's armor plates. It pierced her lower belly, attracting cold blood out her wound.
Pearl grabbed Struto's arms, tugging them forward. Using the momentum, she pulled him over her head and slammed him on the ground.
Both Variants tried to recover. When they got up, they realized the other was back on their feet. To a Variant who bowed to Code of the Faceless, this was bad. But to Pearl, this was exactly what she wanted.
Digon answered a prayer she placed while circling around above the stronghold. It was a prayer of mercy and strength. To prevail when struggles wouldn't allow it.
Struto charged for another take down, only to be taken down himself with a powerful strike to his chin. The elite took a few steps back, dazed by the attack.
Pearl ran closer, placing a foot behind his legs. Allowing her to throw the Zegus to the ground. Now being vulnerable, he could only hope he recovered quick enough.
Hope was different from reality. Pearl used both hands to slam them down onto Struto's chest. Shattering the floor they stood on.
The ceiling parted, sending the fight to the floor below. Stone hid dead warriors underneath, while fine dust decorated everything around.
Rage built up inside Pearl's heart, forcing her to pull Struto out of the rubble by his shoulder. She looked deep into his helmet before using her other hand to strike his chin once again.
Before he could elevate to the second floor, Pearl grabbed him by the ankle before slamming him against the broken stone underneath.
"You hurt him, so you hurt a part of me!" Pearl screamed at Struto.
Time stopped for him. One second he was laying face down, the other he was against the wall. He lifted his head to see what was going to happen next.
"So the Legion will punish you equally," Struto snapped back.
Pearl slowly made her way closer. "You have to rely on them to stop a little girl. A burning hell calls to you."
She broke into a wild sprint. Shoulder first, Pearl slammed against Struto's chest and face. The wall was not strong enough to keep them inside.
Which sent them both across from each other. Realizing this was his chance to turn the tide, Struto forced himself to get back on his feet.
Defenseless, he knew his last resort was the Code he studied. Living by the same principle as Kas would mean he would fall in the same fashion: with praise.
Pearl dashed towards him, seething rage consuming her mind. Completely blinding her to notice Struto's jump and where he placed his knee.
As she retreat to recover, Struto grabbed her arm. Pulling her closer for a direct hit to the face. Dazing her even more. That's when he pulled her again, this time, throwing her over his shoulder.
She landed on the snow-pact ground. Snow mimicked dust as it outlined her body. Leaving her in a perfect position for repeated heavy blows to the side of her head.
Until an enraged Zesher leapt onto Struto. Throwing him off guard. Using what he knew about the Code of the Faceless, Ether pulled his body weight back.
Sending them both crashing down. Utilizing his bottom position, Ether fought Struto's head closer to his knee. Where he began to unleash a ruthless barrage of strikes.
One after one, his opponent grew to understand what it felt like to be on the receiving end of his arts. Being familiar with the Code, Struto knew how to get out of it.
Catching the next knee allowed him to headbutt Ether's stomach. Plate clashed with plate, but the impact was enough to still sting. Throwing him off.
Using what little time he made for himself, Struto grabbed Ether's shoulders and began to pull his forehead into the path his headbutts were going. Causing each one to hit harder and harder.
Until the pain was there. Knowing things needed to change, Ether ducked his head. Forcing Struto to guide the Zesher into hitting his throat.
Tellendor rested nearby, close enough to allow him to reach for it. The blade darted up to the elite, when it impacted his head. Only to get brushed off by his armor.
Pearl recovered, she wrapped her arms under his arms and pulled back. Sending them both off the downed Zesher. Knowing this was the time to fight back, Ether quickly made his way to his feet.
His mate and the opposing elite struggled with each other. Struto fought for top position, while Pearl did the same. Leaving the two stuck in a power struggle.
"LET HIM TAKE TOP!" Ether barked orders.
She heeded. Struto pinned her down, leaving his back exposed. Ether pointed Tellendor at his neck, before charging forward.
From the impact alone, Struto's head nearly came off. The defending elite went silent. An eerie amount of tranquility swept over the duo.
"Well?" Pearl asked while breathing heavily. "Did I mess up my reward?"
Ether shook his head. "You doubled it. I'll throw something extra in there, hopefully this time we get hints that there's a little one in your womb."
She threw the corpse off her body, sitting up below her partner. "Hopefully. I'm starting to fear I have the cracks."
"If doing it for the sake of kids doesn't work. The pleasure is always there, I guess," Ether tried to make light of her comment.
The two looked at each other. Silently agreeing they should return to their forces. Frosticus and Digon have been reclaimed. But the damage remains.
From far away, an entity watched. Secretly keeping track of their progression.