Hailwing's desperate move paid off, but John's kick came in a split-second after, his leg cracking the warrior's ribs like rolls of cardboard. The impact pushed him farther from John, and the two were then plummeting too wildly to maintain their struggle.

His skin numb from the wind, Hailwing grimaced and tried to make eye contact with John. He wanted to get one more good look at him. "Seek me again!" he tried to say, his broken ribs stealing his breath, the roaring air silencing any remaining sound he could make.

Then they were at ground level. The violent sound of wind suddenly halted, as did just about every other sound in the world, as Hailwing crashed into the very edge of an island and felt his body explode with heat and pain. His consciousness left him just after that moment, and the limp body slid slowly off of the grassy surface and into the water.

Slowly sinking into the sea, Hailwing's corpse dropped lower and lower into the depths until his shattered body was surrounded by a blue mist, eventually transforming into a bright blue aura. A moment later, and he was gone.

His consciousness didn't come back after the conclusion of the battle, like most living creatures who were killed in a Citadel arena. He reappeared near the entrance of the Citadel building, standing with arms crossed, locked into the same pose as always, to be summoned into battle once more when requested. Built from concrete and the imagination of the powerful monks of the Ai'Brone, the statue was a waiting tool once more.