The lights that emenated from Alms’ eyes flashed. The electric blue glowed, tinged with frustration. While Alms was familiar with the exceptionally wasteful tactics of the IMC, it never failed to surprise him how easily they could throw their titan’s away. The blades dug into the Monarch’s titanium hide. Finding purchase, they refused to be pulled out. The problem was made worse when the Monarch grabbed Madrys. With the countdown started, Madrys became uneasy.

[color=0072bc]“Hey Alms, we should really think about escaping now.”[/color] Her usually bubbly voice came out tinged with concern. The glowing of the Monarch steadily increased in intensity as Alms raced through thoughts in his head. Then, in a sudden flash of insight, the simulacrum remembered the Plasma Rifle that hung across Madrys’ back.

[color=007236]“Severence! Jager! Praetor! Cover me, I’m going to be incapacitated for a moment!”[/color] Alms barked an order as he and Madrys left the knife in the Monarch’s skin. Then, grabbing hold of the rifle’s handle, the duo shoved the muzzle straight down into the pilotless cockpit. It was only moments before the core would have exploded when the two machines pulled the trigger. Never underestimate the destructive power of a Plasma Rifle, especially in the hands of Frederick Alms.

Immediately, the rifle’s payload tore through the center of the Monarch. With a noise that resembled the rending of a ship, the enemy titan crumpled upon itself as it was crushed by the ammunition. Dust and rock flew up into the air as the titan was pushed into the ground. Where once the Monarch and Madrys stood, there was only a crater. At the bottom of which stood a damaged Madrys hunched over the unrecognizable remains of the Monarch. Sparks flew from the missing hand of Madrys’ left arm. Across the battlefield a blood-curdling scream could be heard. It was her blessing and her curse. The very defectiveness that made her so powerful in combat also gave her this.

Madrys screamed in pain.

Without delay, Alms flipped through the manual overrides on Madrys’ dashboard controls. Arriving at his destination, Alms cut off the circuit for her hand. Almost immediately her screaming stopped, replaced with the whimpering of remembered pain. [color=007236]“Stand up, Madrys. Stand up.”[/color] With gentle cajoling, Alms pushed for her to stand, and she did. Sparks no longer flew from her stump, all power having been cut off. Her form stood tall over the corpse of the Monarch. An eerie silence followed as her engines revved in silence. Her eyes glowed with the same fear-inspiring blue of Alms’ own eyes. Then, with a small cloud of dust, she jumped from the crater. A legion was impaled with a sword as Madrys landed on top of it deftly.