Crystalla

The Wild Rose II accelerated towards the floating continent, dodging a barrage of energy attacks from the nanotech towers that stood tower around the far edges of the landmass. A lucky shot hit the engine.

"Direct hit, we're losing altitude" Ariel reported.

"Sound the alert to abandon ship" Roisin commanded, Ariel nodded and sounded the emergency abandon ship alarm.

"Does that include us?" Dex asked.

"No, we keep the ship going for as long as we can, give the others time to get to safety, then we follow" Roisin nodded.

"Right" Ariel nodded.

"Half of the crew has now left the ship" Dex reported as he tapped away at his console. Roisin focused on keeping the ship in the air, as another shot hit the ailing airship. "Everyone has left the ship" Dex added.

"Okay" Roisin said, standing up, as she did, another blast hit the ship, which sent it falling towards the surface, Roisin jumped back into her seat. "Brace for impact!" She yelled as she prepared for the landing.

The Wild Rose II, hit the ground, as various parts of the ship exploded. The crew on the bridge of the ship were sent forward, as the airship came to a stop.

"Ugh" Ashe groaned, as she sat upward, the dust began to settle, as she looked around "Is everybody okay?" She asked.

"I think so..." Roisin grunted.

"Ouch" Dex added.

"Well, we made it..." Ariel chuckled. Roisin smirked, as she stood up and looked where the viewscreen once was, in the far distance stood the ruins of the ancient city of Utopia, covered in the parasitic nanotech that was now being used by Infernus and Tartarus.

"So that is the home city of Lumina..." Ariel sighed.

"I guess, once upon a time, it was something to behold" Roisin replied. "Now the sight of it disgusts me" She added.

"Because of Lumina, or because of what it's become?" Ashe asked.

"Why not both?" Dex shrugged. Roisin stepped through the broken viewscreen onto the exterior hull of the ship, or what remained of it, the others followed.

"I guess we're quite far ahead of the others?" Dex pondered.

"Is the comms console still functional, Ariel?" Roisin asked. Ariel looked back inside the ship, to see the console burning.

"I don't think it'll be any use" Ariel replied.

"Then we go onward, and hope the others do too" Roisin nodded.

"We could leave a note on the ship" Ashe suggested.

"Good idea" Roisin smiled. Ashe nodded, as she grabbed a sharp shard of metal and carved a message into the hull of the ship. Dex gazed up at the red skies above, and the red planet that was visible through the tear in the sky.

"If we don't make it out of this" Dex began. "I love you all, Roisin, obviously, but also you, Ariel and Ashe. You've been like family to me, and... I guess what I want to say is... thank you" Dex explained.

"Yeah, it's been a blast. We've all been through so much, but it was always us four, we were the originals" Ariel smiled.

"I remember the day I met Roisin, she annoyed the hells out of me, but now I'd give my life for her. Ariel... you're my world, and Dex? You've always been the heart of this group" Ashe nodded.

"Ashe, Ariel, Dex, you three... I'd have never been able to do any of the things that I have done without you guys. None of you will ever know just how much you mean to me" Roisin sighed, as she looked towards Utopia.

"I guess we best get a move on, the end of the world waits for no one" She frowned, Dex put his hand on Roisin's shoulder and nodded. The four friends set out toward their final destination.