This one was different from the others.

Kitaya didn't take her eyes off the masked assailant as she slid from Chaga's back. This one had one bold, red line painted across their mask, instead of the usual three vertical lines on each cheek. Her clothes were more form-fitting, hugging her bosom and hips, and accented by a ruby cloak that flapped in the breeze. I one hand she held a sickle, in the other was the chain attached to it.

"Jetei, take Chaga and get Jayer out of here." She didn't look back to see if he listened, not wanting to take her eyes off the masked woman. "I'll call the flyers to escort you to the field medics. Aldeheid, you go, too."

"No, I'm not leaving you," Aldeheid said from behind her.

She bit her tongue before she could start arguing with him. "Fine. Just watch my back." She channeled her magic and sent two gold ribbons snaking into the sky. They twisted and twirled into the air, the sign of a flyer in distress. "Krudi."

The Behemoth flew to her gauntleted hand, and she pointed it towards the masked woman. Silently, she sent up a prayer thanking the gods for Jayer. The woman should be thanking the gods for him too. Had she killed Aldeheid, Kitaya would've ensured she felt the sting of the Behemoth well into the afterlife.

A chorus of roars sounded overhead as three flyers circled overhead. They didn't need any orders. No doubt from their vantage point they could see what was going on and knew what was needed.

At Kitaya's command, Chaga bounded off to the west, following the lead of the escorts. That meant her only worry was making sure Aldeheid got out of this alive. He was already in bad shape on top of being infuriatingly stubborn.

The masked woman tilted her head at them and flicked Jayer's blood from her sickle before pointing it at them. Back-dropped by the raging battle and swathed in her red cloak, she was menacing sight to behold. But no more so than any adversary – monolith or immortal – Kitaya had ever faced.

"Be careful, kitten," Aldeheid said from behind her. "She's not to be trifled with."

Kitaya poised the Behemoth in front of her. "Neither am I." The world shrank around her, the battle fading away like a dream forgotten upon waking. It was only her, and the masked abomination that had the audacity to threaten her homeland.

The masked woman shot towards Kitaya, her cloak streaking behind her like a crimson wind. Their weapons clashed, and Kitaya gazed into the shadowy holes of the mask, letting her disdain known to eyes the lied beyond.

They separated and clashed again, over and over, circling each other in a deadly dance. The light from the spells winked off of their blades, and the resulting explosions shook the air around them.

The masked woman whipped out her chain, and it snaked over the grass towards Kitaya's legs. Kitaya dodged away and the sickle flashed before her face. Cheap distraction tactics, how unoriginal. She charged ahead, waiting until the weapon was inches from her face raising the Behemoth.

She hooked her spear into the crook of the sickle and yanked hard. The masked woman flew forward, face first into the blunt end of her spear. A crack rang out and the woman skidded across the grass.

Kitaya made a show of flourishing her spear. Not to be trifled with, hm? This degenerate would know the wrath of a royal-blooded Konian.

The woman staggered to her feet, holding her mask with one hand and her chained sickle in the other. Even over the cacophony of battle her incantation rang clear through the air. A familiar, golden light spilled from her hand, filling the cracks of the mask knitting it back together. Then she extended her hand skyward. Balls of fire materialized over her head, casting their orange light over the grass like tiny suns.

Their heat made the air around them waver and Kitaya's eyes water. Another cape that could spellcast? Probably the only trick this woman had up her sleeve, Kitaya decided. But this fire was probably another cheap distraction tactic.

She charged ahead, not slowing when the fireballs shot towards her. She sidestepped the first without breaking her stride, leapt over the second and came face-to-face with the third. Fire licked at her body, and her enchanted gear cooled against her skin to combat it. She wounded up her fist, gathering her strength before punching through the spell. The flames rippled outward and dissipated into the night air.

Above or behind? Kitaya wondered. The Lyberra were circling above, so behind would be the wisest choice. She whirled around an caught the glint of the sickle snaking for her throat, hungry for the soft flesh there. One twirl of her weapon sent it flying back whence it came.

Kitaya wasn't sure if she should be disappointed that Aldeheid was having trouble with this woman. But she'd come into this fight on the tail end. There could've been other unforeseen circumstances that tipped the scales against him. Either way, she wasn't too keen on fighting this one trick cape anymore.

But it seemed she'd waited too long.

A low keening resonated from the battle, sounding as though it came from every direction. Crashes rang out across the battlefield as hundreds shadowed figures descended from the sky. One landed between Kitaya and her masked adversary, its stone body gleaming in the fires and axe glinting with the thirst for blood.

The stone legion – Eriani's army of rock spirits. They stood twice as high as a horse, bodies carved from brilliant silver stone, and carried weapons from swords to axes to staves. Kitaya had never seen them in combat, only during demonstrations at festivals and celebrations. The Queen never had a reason to deploy them, until now.

"It took you long enough," Kitaya said.

The stone creature craned its head towards her, unamused by her quip. She could feel Eriani's seething presence wafting from it like a chilling draft.

The masked woman eyed the spirit up and down, before tilting her head. A blink later, she was gone.

"Coward." Kitaya shortened the Behemoth and tucked it into her belt before going to check on Aldeheid. He stood a ways away in the grass, standing over the motionless body of a masked invader. By the way his shoulders rose and fell and the way he swayed on his feet, it looked like he would pass out at a moment's notice.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes unfocused. Blood streaked from the edge of his hairline down to his jaw, mingling with the sweat glistening on his face.

"I should be asking you that. Here, sit down." She took him by the arm and eased him into the grass. "I'll call Chaga, then we can go to the medics and have them tend to you."

She raised her marked hand and compressed her magic into a ball of light. It shot into the night sky, arching over the battle like a golden beacon. She took stock of her own injuries, using the minimal light to examine the burns on her hands. Her wrists hurt as well, but apart from that she was no worse for the wear.

"You were incredible kitten," Aldeheid said. His words were slurred, making her wonder if the injury to his head was worse than it looked. "I had no idea you could fight like that."

"Well, I tend not to hold back when my Nation and my magician are being threatened. And It's a capes duty to protect their magician, in the same way it's a Konian's duty to fight for their nation." She spotted Chaga flying in from the west.

The Lyberra landed next to her and shook out his mane.

Kitaya helped Aldeheid into the saddle before climbing on in front of him. As they flew over the battle, she watched the stone legion eliminate the dregs of the masked invaders. At least one had escaped, she didn't care. Let that one be the messenger to let the realm know what happened to those who threatened the nation of lions.

A heavy weight settled on Kitaya's back as Aldeheid slumped against her. His hair tickled her cheek, smelling singed yet spicy. "Angel eyes?"

He answered with a groan.

"Talk to me, what happened back there?" She urged Chaga on a little faster, worry making her stomach quiver.

"She singled me out." His words were raspy and barely audible even though his lips were right next to her ear. "I don't know why, but it seemed... it seemed she was insistent on fighting me, and me alone."

"I see." Kitaya wondered if this had anything to do with what Nylarah had warned them about. "Don't worry about it."

"Kitten, why did..." He wheezed in a breath. "Why did Jayer help me? He hates me."

She flicked Chaga reins to urge him on faster. The field medics were in sight. Their small encampment was far west of the battlefield, incased in a shimmering barrier that warded off stray spells and unwanted guests.

They descended, landing close enough to grab the attention of the medics but far enough to not get in their way. Medics converged on them, pulling Aldeheid from Chaga's back and carrying him away.

"My lady." A medic knelt in front of her when she dropped down from Chaga's saddle, his long dreadlocks obscuring his face like a dark curtain. The broad gold stripe across his black uniform denoted him as the one in charge. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine," Kitaya said as the other medics tried to shove elixirs in her face. "Tend to those who need it most. I need an update on Jayer's condition."

He straightened, standing a head taller than her. "He suffered significant blood loss. We stabilized him and the flyers lifted him back to the castle."

"Thank you. That will be all." She waited until the head medic was out of sight before she collapsed in the grass like a ragdoll. A dull ache radiated through her bones, and her mind was numb from the stress of combat.

The stars winked down from overhead, and the scents of medicine mingled with smoke and the residual heaviness that magic left in the air. Kitaya didn't want to think about what this battle meant for their cause. Or for Kon. Or for Magika. She wanted to revel in this victory, however small and insignificant it may be.