Walls shattered and people howled. Bodies fell and mages wrought magical destruction. Longbowmen protected their walls as much as they were able, as the assault continued, despite all that the Assembly combined forces tried.

Somewhere a wingless dragon moaned, and his head reared up out of the ground. He met the eyes of the angelic warrior called Ioder, blinking and recognising him as friend. Wounds still bled, and the steel skin of Delath still could not hold back all the weapons of the Brotherhood army. But he growled, and he took what help he could, and turned back towards the seige engines. They clattered, though already severely diminished, and continued to fling rocks into the air, continued to thunk large bolts against the walls of the city. He huffed, and his tail rose out of the earth as a whip of energy as he then glanced over to the city, and heard the screams of the people. Tilting his head at Ioder Delath roared softly, waiting for the beautiful being to form a plan.

For the dragon was willing for anything.

Elsewhere a beastly being who had not been seen all battle long burst into existence. He had not been here, but rather had been holding the forces at Tylermerande. Another battle, another world, another devious tactic. All by these people whom once the Gilded Lily had deigned to call friends. And now ... Now.

Now they threatened everything they held dear. They threatened the livelihoods, the happiness and the families of those who had fought hard to earn them, and who trusted in their faun matriarch to protect that for them. Indeed, the brotherhood thought that they were doing good - extracting what they called a corrupt Assembly from their place. But what was better than democracy, even if it were just the early stages of that political ideal? Order and freedom were paramount, and the country had already been through a civil war.

Radasanth did not need a second war. And the people knew that. They remembered. They sang about it in their songs and spoke about it in the poems and stories which the creature who now arrived a thousand times before. Because he had spent a many long years with them. Because he had mourned with them. Because he was soul-bonded to the matriarch who had changed the rights of the whore throughout this, her birth city.

Philomel. She whose heart, already broken, had shattered like the great clashing of her swords now.

Clashing against the steel of the man she was in love with - but who had ripped her heart asunder.

"Why?" she cried, not for the second time as she fought her lover. "Why, why, why?"

But what answer was there to give but that which had been given before? They fought, equals, her speed more and far faster than any other creature alive, and his strength exceeding. But beyond that they were even in sword play, her two white blades even to his single, weaving around their skills and knowledge, keeping a rhythm in the same way they knew one another's bodies. And around them a quint of Lily Warriors, who ranged in weaponry and skill, all watching with beady eyes.

The creature stepped slowly from the ether, the portal closing beneath him as he rose from the depths. A small, red fox was he, with a long brush tail, and golden eyes. He watched his beloved Philomel scream in rage, dodge a blow and fight back with her own, feeling her heart ache and her deep sorrow through their connection.

Veridian the earth spirit watched the two familiar people fight, both on either side, both full of anger and frustration. He knew though, that this was her fight and hers alone, and thus he kept back like the Gilded Quint around them.

Somewhere hooves could be heard. Champion hooves as a great sudden surge of horses, the joint Assembly Cavalry, rode down the main street. They were led by a red suited captain, who blew on a great horn, riding a black stallion. Cantering, some galloping, they charged into the war, not stopping to ask as the two fighters and ex-lovers pressed their mettle against one another.

Philomel screamed in fury, tears running down her face as fast as the horses. She threw a heavy hoof down on the ground and an earthquake ran through the earth right at the one she had loved ... Shinsou fucking vaan Osiris. She hissed, Veridian hissed with her, ready to lunge and defend when she needed.

The Cavalry surged on, spilling into the main field through the broken gate to take what lives they could. At other breaches in the wall the Brotherhood came forth and the longbowmen retreated, signalling to the inner wall to prepare their own defences. Smaller but neater seige engines of their own. Bells rang out, calling for the city to empty, telling the people to find shelter, as above in the Steel Hall the Assembly itself still hid.

As Sebastian held onto his dagger. As Philomel cried her sorrows. As Veridian watched his beloved suffer. As Delath waited for the destiny of the city.

As the meteor grew closer to the world, and the real thing to fear in the world beyond war began to become clearer.