Jay cussed at the sight before them. "How the fuck do we get through that?"

"We can get through it fine," Colt said. "She can't. We will go."

Amneris sent him an irritated look. "You see that shield? It's purple. That means only beings with a power higher than that of Celestials can break it. Ergo, no go. I'll do it."

"Amns, that is liquid Scarlet Budtorite. As in 'extremely deadly to Photon Guardians'," Jay said. "You couldn't even touch the stuff with your old body. Sure, this one appears to be stronger, but we don't-"

Her wings tore from her back, flaring with her anger. "I refuse to leave my daughter here because of some red glowing waterfall."

"Crystalfall."

"Whatever!"  

"He's right." Colt took her hand. "I know we need to get her back, but there has to be another way. We do not need both of you dying."

Amneris looked between Hathor and the two men. "You guys trust me, right?"

"Of course."

"Yeah."

She stepped away. "Then trust that I can get her back and go look out for company."

Colt and Jay glanced at each other, the latter shrugging. "Red heads. Whatcha gonna do?"

Amneris looked for a gap in the red falls. There were none. She cursed under her breath. This was going to be problematic. Her powers, which she could feel weakening with every second, would be useless as well. "Here goes nothing," Amneris said to no one. 

She dashed forward. Before she could stop herself, Amneris jumped through the thin laver of liquid crystal, vaulting over the stream forming below. She rolled to her feet on the other side, Hathor looking on in a mix of shock and amazement. Amneris placed her hand on the purple shield. "Hey, baby."

"Hey," Hathor said. "New look?"

Amneris looked down to find her form smoking. She could feel the crystal eating through her skin like acid. Even her wings were effected. She forced the pain aside. "Depends. You referring to the glowiness or the smokiness?" 

"Mainly the glowing." Hathor pointed at her mother's eyes. "The swirling galaxy look is a little creepy, though. Also, love the wings."

Amneris smirked. "Thanks. Okay, stand back." 

She raised her fist, slamming it into the shield. It shattered, raining down on the two women like purple glass. The chains holding Hathor vanished, as did the constant flow of crystal. It stopped falling from the ceiling, leaving only a glowing red stream. 

"Are you kidding?" Amneris yelled. "All I had to do was break the shield to stop that? Wow, I'm an idiot."

Hathor rubbed her aching wrists. "I'm not commenting on that." Amneris shot her daughter a glare which was ignored. "So, how do we get out of here?"

Amneris blinked. "That is a very good question."

"You have no idea, do you?"

"None whatsoever."

"And yet you're the one who always taught me to have an escape plan." Hathor crossed her arms with a huff. "The irony."

"I'm sorry. Who is rescuing who?"

The two women held each other's gaze. Hathor broke off first, running into her mother's arms. "I knew you'd come for me," she whispered. "I just knew it."

"'Course I'll come for you," Amneris said, stroking her hair. "I'll always come for you. You're my baby girl."

"I'm so sorry. If I hadn't let my guard down, then Dex and Nephthys wouldn't have got me, the Academy wouldn't be ruins, a lot of people would still be alive, and Troy wouldn't have-" Her head snapped up. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine. It looked worse than it was. Your friends are all fine. And what happened wasn't your fault," she added. 

"But they-"

"I know they came after you. That doesn't make it your fault. None of us knew."

"How do you deal with this all the time?"

Amneris smiled softly. Sadly. "Years of practice."

Hathor took a shaking breath. "Think I'm ready to go home now."

"All right. Let's-"

A single gunshot made Amneris look up. Hathor slumped forward. Amneris caught her before she reached the ground, cursing at the extent of damage the exit wound had on her chest. Her eyes scanned the above area for the attacker. A faint glinting of metal gave away their position. She hissed. Amneris lifted Hathor into her arms, flying somewhat wobbly and slowly with her injured wings to the other side of the glowing stream. She lowered her daughter to the ground. 

With a thought, Amneris appeared behind the attacker. She tore the rifle from their hands and fired three shots into their skull. The body was kicked into the stream below. Amneris didn't know if the liquefied crystal would have an effect on any other being with such a high concentration. Unfortunately, it didn't appear to. The body sunk into the red gloom. 

By now, Colt and Jay had come in to investigate the noise. Jay was crouched over Hathor. "She's gonna be out for a while," he said. "Thank the Gods for immortality." 

"Yeah," Amneris agreed, landing unsteadily beside them. "Though I do wish it had of happened when we weren't having a moment."

Jay coughed. "Your daughter just got shot through the heart and that's what you have to say."

"Deflecting," Colt said under his breath. 

"That's not something new, I'm afraid."

The three spun at a new voice. Amneris' wings flared at the sight of Nephthys. The sudden motion made her flinch, crystal still eating its way through her form. "What do you want this time?" she asked.

"Merely to congratulate you on a rescue well done." The woman clapped her hands slowly. "Though I must be the one to tell you this is as far as you go."

Amneris barked a laugh. "Yeah, no. We're leaving."

"We both know you have to leave the hard way." A hand was swept across the room. "Most of your power is useless now."

"She has enough," Colt said. "As do we."

Nephthys' brow raised. "Is that you, Assar?" His eyes narrowed in response. "It is!" The woman clapped her hands again, this time with cold glee. "I heard Tara brought you back but was unsure of the truthfulness. That girl has a way with words."

Jay looked back and forth between the three. "Wait, did she just call you-"

"Not now," Amneris snapped.

Nephthys clicked her tongue. "So nice to see you treat your underlings so well."

"You're one to talk." Amneris nodded behind her mother. "Your golden servant is yet to step into the light."

"Clever girl." Her smile because a distasteful frown. "I always hated that about you."

Amneris count off points on her fingers as she spoke. "Along with my looks, my personality, my powers, my choice of friends, the fact that I interact with who you call 'commoners', the fact I was chosen by Naiu over you-"

"Enough!" 

Aurelia stepped forward, golden lightning zapping between her fingers. "I do agree. Enough talking." 

The golden-haired woman held out her palm. Golden lightning shot from it, straight toward Amneris. Amneris raised her arms, a white shield surrounding her form. It wasn't enough. The red crystal had weakened her power too much. There was nothing she could do, not even move. The golden lighting shot into her form, sending her flying back into the red stream.

"Amneris!" Jay yelled as Colt cried out "Tali!" 

"Well," Nephthys said, patting down her hair, "that takes care of that problem." Her gaze landed on Colt. "Aren't you going to rescue her, Assar?"

Colt growled. He dashed forward, making to strike the woman-

Only for Jay to tackle him to the side as a shining black dragon crashed through the ceiling.