Albia
"More like stupid and reckless, if you ask me," Replied TrueStriker.
"Reckless, huh? Sounds a bit like you." Guardia teased mildly. A few seconds later, he appeared before them.
"Might as well tell you now," he started, his breath a bit heavy as he turned to Zane. "Ended up fighting Sovereign, kept him occupied, until he...lost control. You can see one of the results here." Hanso tried to keep his voice neutral, even as he kept his gaze away from his broken arm. Zane looked at the arm worriedly. It was clearly broken, and that might have even been an understatement. They would have to have the new Gold Tribe Healer look at it. "Saved by a Blaziken that did something to knock Sovereign unconscious. Like I said, he's down, or was when I left, but nowhere near dead."
"Well, at least you're all right...more or less." Zane said, adding an encouraging smile for the joke at the end. Zane looked around. "So, any of you know what in the world that large explosion was?"
Guardia's eyes fell to the ground, before she turned her attention to another Aerodactyl. She fired another jolt of Thunder from the sky. Zane could tell she was trying to postpone having to give an answer. "...Calamity." She said finally. The one name was enough for Zane to know what it meant. He looked off to the area where the fight with Ignitus once was held. He didn't say anything more on the subject. They would get there chance later. At least, he hoped they would. Zane took down an Aerodactyl with a Thunder Wave, moving in and finishing it off close range once it was on the ground.
"How'd he go crazy this time?" TrueStriker asked them, motioning to Defender with his head. Guardia shook her head in response.
"Don't know. He just started doing it while we were fighting Ignitus." She said, charging up another Thunder, and releasing it at an Aerodactyl. Defender, who before this didn't seem at all interested in the conversations at hand, suddenly jerked up in response, adding his own take to his condition, as well as the state of Albia, at least that's what Zane believed he was referring to.
It was strange, but as Zane had been hanging around this Defender more often, he almost felt as if he was beginning to understand what he was saying. He believed he was saying that they should run from the city, abandon it before more died. At least, that's what it felt like he was saying. Zane didn't know how to bring him out of his state now to find out otherwise, and the imminent threat of the destruction of the city was more pressing than Defender's condition.
"We stay and protect Albia, Defender. We take it back. If we don't, any citizen still in the city will perish. And even if all of them left, Albia was once home to many of these soldiers. General Hazone and Sword and Shield were born here as well. Do we really leave it to destruction? I certainly won't."
Zane looked up to the skies. Aerodactyl still flooded everywhere, but many Alpha Alliance flying Pokemon have stepped in and slowly began picking them off. If the rate continues, they could very well prevent all of the city from being destroyed, but it would still have high casualties. He went back into action, eager to see this done, no matter the cost. General Belas, who had been commanding from not too far away, approached the Gold Tribe.
"Ah! Noble Gold Tribe. Excellent to see you still fighting the good fight!"
"How're evacuations going, General?" Zane asked.
"Quite well! We've sent off most civilians from their homes. We don't think we can get to everyone, but it should be alright..."
Guardia stopped attacking another Ancient and turned to the General. "Should be alright? Are you kidding me?"
"Now now, don'-" Belas began, interrupted again by Guardia.
"It's not alright! Citizens are dying here! They're losing their homes every second. Destruction is happening all around! We've got to stop this!"
"It's all right, Guardi-"
"IT'S NOT ALRIGHT! We can't lose this! We were supposed to protect them! We're supposed to protect the cities! Instead, we're letting them all BURN!" As she said this, she let out a large Thunder in the area, sparks of the attack flying all over the place, hitting mostly Ancients, but a few of them shocking some of the Gold Tribe around.
"CALM DOWN!" Belas bellowed, shaking her until she stopped. "We've got it under control. The Ancients won't be in the city for long, I wager."
Zane gave Belas an raise of his eyebrow. "What did you do?"
"Ah, well, actually this time, I'd have to give the credit over to someone else. You remember your friend you rescued in the torturehouse, Kivir Sveenis? Well, while in Shine City, he hatched a plan..."
***
Gallant was intercepted by an Archeops, being propelled through the air against its own behest, being thrown at the Sawk by her powers. He managed to kick the beast out of his way, causing him to land in a position. The Siren, who had planned the Sawk's landing, prepared an attack for him, and launched the thunderbolt right at him. For a second time, he was shot directly by the Sentinel and flung backwards. This time, however, he didn't have the strength to stand immediately back up. The wear of the battle and the injuries that it causes him were catching up to him. He lay there, motionless and unable to defend himself again. With no one around to help, he knew what this had meant.
Or so he assumed. An unlikely figure emerged onto the rooftop where the battle had been going on, and approached the Siren. It was Sentry of the Sentinels. "Siren. Auron's ordered the retreat of the armies and the Sentinels immediately. It's time to go."
In a similar instant on another part of the city, The Inferno appeared before Sovereign. "Auron has commanded the immediate removal of our forces here. We have something urgent to attend to."
Frost scurried through the city, killing Alpha Alliance soldiers as they passed her by the dozens, still angry that she lost not one, but three Gold Tribe prey in the battle. The familiar but unpleasant appearance of Scar of the Sentinels further made her angry, knowing whatever his reason for tracking her down, it couldn't be good.
"Frost. Time to go. We're needed somewhere fast."
"...Are you joking? We're not done here. Look how much more devastation we can cause!"
"We are leaving, Frost."
"No! I refuse. I'm not running again like in Eternity! I let too many of those Gold maggots get away!"
Scar crossed his arms, tilting his head to one side. "You are disobey an order from Auron? Do you have any idea what he will do to you?"
Frost gritted her teeth. She knew what the risks were if she disobeyed. She sighed. "...Fine. Lead the way." Scar nodded, and proceeded outwards. Frost began following sulkily, but turned back to where major fighting had been occurring. In the midst of the fighting, she believed she spotted someone familiar. She took one more look at Scar, who was continuing onwards out of the city. She knew the risks. But right now, she didn't care. She had a score to settle with the Gold Tribe.