Ward begins to respond to Nodjeim and pauses as Jek begins to speak. "I don't even want to know. As for her, it's sorted because I doubt they knew the capabilities of the Bull. Before this started I was going to use Napalm on the damn thing. This whole thing has been a bit of a mess to fight through, no reason to be mad if their intentions were likely to help us." Ward says, then pauses for a moment. "And everyone watch their step once we go out that way, I don't want us falling into a bull-sized punji stick trap or something worse." Ward finishes

Lady Kaede comes barreling into the scene, running at a full tilt, ready to battle the Red Bull to the death, when she notices that it is a crumbled frozen pile of refuse. Confusion covers her stern face when she screeches to a halt, and looks around to the gathered group. “Has the foe been vanquished?  A pity. It seemed a foe worthy of an honorable fight to the death. If only I were the one to send it on to its glorious death!” She’ll then walk around and slap all her friendly warriors on the shoulders, her way of saying ‘job well done.’

(remember: she’s royalty, and is used to acting as such)

Suddenly, she notices the ground trembling with the approaching army…

Turning, she sees the cloud of dust being kicked up by the approaching army. Yelling out to her fellow warriors, she attempts to cheer them on-

“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near!”

Rum listens to all those around him, a frown crossing his face at talk of the arsonist that quickly disappears as Jek runs in and gives an update.

He is about to ask about Lelith’s trial when the Lightless turns and heads off again. Another time, he thinks, looking over towards his former band mate.

His reverie is disturbed by another that journeyed for a time with the Twilight Embers. He inclines his head to Lady Kaede, a gesture of respect. She is young and has been through much, and seems to be most comfortable with formality.

”The foe is defeated, Lady Kaede. That particular task complete. We need to know what comes next now”.

He looks to the sky, cups his hands to his mouth and shouts, “Keg, to me noble one!”.

Circling above, his Death Hawk hears his call and swoops down to land beside him.

”I will look from the sky. We can communicate through Gandalf and the mirrors”, he says to Ward.

Johnathan stops as he watches the red bull freeze over in an instant. Johnathan wipes the sweat above his brow as he tries to catch his breath. Finally, it’s over. Johnathan turns to see that despite their victory many were hurt in this fight and land destroyed. Even though they have completed their mission, the price was very high. An entire kingdom fell today because of us. Johnathan was still very confused on what happened to him. He felt some spell on him, he knew something was different but he can’t figure it out. He tries to conjure his black flames but they are still this bright white colour. Something is affecting my spells. Is it a good change or bad? And Echo was affected as well it seems huh. He mutters to himself. His internal questioning is cut short when Ward approaches asking for assistance. Johnathan turns to face Ward holding a flask in his hand. Sea water. With that the flask is filled with sea water. I’ll do my best, but this thing can’t release a lot of water at once. Johnathan grabs his cape and begins to fly around the buildings to put out any fires that he can see. 

Far away on the Carpet of Flying, Ereni pauses expressionless as she witnesses the Red Bull's frozen demise.  She looks around for further danger.  The army of undead descending from the keep, the tidal wave and earthquake having decimated them...  gone.

Her hand strays to the faithful dog, Joy, as she gazes blank-eyed at the utter devastation of Hagsgate, town and keep alike.  Burning.  Flames roaring as they have around a small forest cottage every night in her dreams.  There was once a girl named Ereni who might have cried.

No sadder sight than a battle won, save for a battle lost.

One of Ereni's infantry commanders had said so long ago, yet for once, she cannot remember his name, nor a gloomy anecdote to suit.  She and Joy fly back to help fight the fires, bringing water from the sea to the east as best they can.  She returns the Carpet of Flying to Ward when done.

In the distance, amongst the fleeing villagers, silhouetted against the flames of their burning homes, a centaur gallops back and forth, almost as if she's herding them, circling around and directing them west, away from the burning buildings. A plaid streaming from her shoulders flaps in the hot wind like a banner, defiantly putting out every spark of ash that falls on it. "Come with me!" she cries to each villager she passes. "The army is still coming---I will show you to safety!" When enough of the villagers have taken notice and started to move towards the west end of the town, she gallops in front of them and slows to a trot. The old bag of a set of pipes she puts under her arm, and the wail of the bagpipes, piercing through and soaring over the roar of the flames and the loud clashing of battle, makes a piper's summons to safety for the beleaguered townsfolk.

Rum looks to Godshell, "We stopped the Red Bull before it could do more damage, and before Ganon could get hold of it. Added to that we are all still alive, albeit singed, so I would say that is a win yes".

"Not sure everyone would agree", he says motioning to the figure on his knees sobbing. He has no idea it is the King of course.

"Someone should check if he is ok", he says to those around him as he mounts Keg.

"Come noble Keg, let us see what we can see", he says to the Death Hawk, and with that they take to the sky, circling to gain altitude before heading to the East. As they circle he gets a better view of flaming buildings but also see Stasolya, and hears her music, looking to help guide the villagers to safety. A noble task, he nods in approval, not sure if she would see.

After Ward sees the fires start to die down and finishes conversing with Gandalf he will kneel next to Lir. "I'm sorry it went this way. If you need to do anything, I understand. But the mare, she should be fine. I trust the people in Skyloft, if that gives you any peace. This place can be fixed as well, with time." Ward says, staring toward the ruins of the homes, touching a small patch of the burned grass and regrowing it with a flower in the center.

The village gets too hot to stand as the heroes wind down from the battle and begin to assess the situation.  Trying to put out the buildings quickly becomes a moot point; while some of the buildings do start to go out, most of them are beyond saving at that point, and the hottest fires boil the water and cold spells off before they can have a positive effect.  

     Hearing there is still an army of skeletons, Nodjeim heads off in that direction.  He may not get there in time to help but there is naught he can do here that is constructive.

As the fires prove impossible to extinguish or control, once she can no longer help there, Ereni grimly begs leave to hang onto the Carpet of Flying a little longer so she can head over to the keep to pick of any stragglers in the battle with the skeletons (600' range with no penalty, if it helps).

She considers leaving Joy, the faithful dog, with Lir, the weeping prince become king, but finds her heart hardened.  You stayed shut up in your keep and chose your monster of a father over the suffering of your subjects and the world.  Your tears are too little, too late.  As were mine.  Join the club.

Rum looks down on the scene of devastation where the castle collapsed on the main body of the skeleton army. A huge chasm currently sits between the rest of the army and the Auryn heroes.

At that moment Gandalf's voice comes through the small mirror, giving directions, and he quickly directs Keg to turn and head back to the village.

Keg swoops down to the village, slowing to hover in place briefly with powerful beats of his wings.

"It is time to go, fellow heroes. The magic of the mirrors wanes, we must return to Skyloft. If you have a mirror, use it, otherwise follow the music of the centaur, there will be a mirror there. Ensure the villagers make it through as well. The other heroes should be retreating too", he instructs the others.

"Away, noble Keg", he says and the Death Hawk flies over to Stasolya.

"Greetings, once again. A fine tune you play", Rum says to the Centaur. "It is time to get these people to Skyloft, the magic of the mirrors is soon to end", he adds as he lands. He jumps down and looks about to see whether Stasolya already has a mirror set up, and then takes out his own folding mirror from his pack. He sets it up in a suitable place for Stasoyla to direct villagers through.

Stasolya has gotten her mirror set up at the far end of the village, and villagers are beginning to file through it, with more of them following after as they see where the others are going. Standing up tall so that she can see, and continuing to play the noisy march on her pipes, the centaur watches, making sure that none of them get lost or need to be redirected. She nods and smiles to Rum in response, but keeps playing, so that the music will continue to guide the villagers to the mirrors.

Ward notices the heat and hears Rum before moving in front of Lir and looking him in the eyes. "Come now Lir. Your people need a leader, whether you wish to or not, that is your duty." Ward says, reaching out a hand but not forcing Lir up at the moment. 

An order is an order.  Ereni flies high on Ward's Carpet of Flying covering the retreat of the townsfolk and her companions through the mirror.  Seeing Stasolya brings up a strange mix of emotions, including both delight and guilt, but she pushes both those impostors aside as she always has.

She and Joy enter the mirror near last, once almost everyone else has gone through.

Johnathan tries his best to put out the fires but after seeing that it is having little to no effect he returns to the others. He listens as he is told about the evacuation and that the mirrors will not last long. As he approaches the mirrors that the villages are heading towards he notices Ward trying to bring Lir with him. He had a mix of emotions seeing Ward after the battle. On the one hand Ward helped complete the mission and together the parties killed the red bull. However, he also threatened the king which caused unnecessary fighting that resulted in the unicorns death. He approaches Ward and Lir. We don’t have time for this, we need to move now. Prince Lir, you may join your people if you like but I would act quickly, the mirrors won’t last long. With that Johnathan will head to the mirror with the people and walk through as soon as possible.

Lir comes to his feet, taking one last look around as Ward and Johnathan coax him toward the mirror.  The mighty warrior who had felled the Warforged so easily before is gone, replaced by the meek specter of a man.  He stumbles along, his helm in one hand, his mighty sword in the other, before lining up next to the mirror with his people.  

He doesn't go through until all of the villagers, most of them weeping or lost in despair of their own, step through to the other side.  Only then does Lir follow...  

Ward will wait till everyone has entered the mirror and looks back over the ruined landscape, the shattered form of the bull, and grows a small patch of flowers at the base of where the mirror was. Whispering a few words before stepping back into the mirror to Skyloft.