The Fairy wearing boots casts a spell resulting in large roots rising from the ground below, these roots forming magical barriers that pen in the five servants of the Central Sun. Great canopies of leaves prevent any escape upwards, energy arcing and coursing through the trees brought forth by the Fairy.

From Atlantic Avenue the first group of pursuing Fairies pass through the arbor barrier without issue, more than doubling the number of Fairies facing the five. Princess Elanor keeps a steady eye on Atlantic Terminal through the magically summoned urban forest she and her forces now find themselves within.

"We are not getting out of this one." Blanche says to Elanor.

Elanor parries a bolt thrown her way from the Fairy standing between them and the terminal and she marches towards her attacker, closing distance while knocking each and every attack into the ground with spectacular flashes of energy and asphalt. Elanor's sword lodges in the Fairy's staff when she makes her first strike.

With a wrenching movement Elanor rips the staff apart, and the Fairy takes a jump back. The other four servants hold off the other two dozen Fairies, and Blanche gives a grunt as the glowing eyes of Automatons start filling in the gaps between the leaves and tree trunks on the other side of the barrier.

"They aren't passing through the barrier." Blanche says to Bernice.

"Even if they can't, they don't need to. We won't win fighting like this." Bernice responds.

As Elanor attempts to pin down a flighty Fairy she sees a flash of light emanate from Atlantic Terminal. Disengaging from the Fairy, Elanor steadies herself, sword outstretched with the point focused on the center of the light. When she feels the light fire off from the terminal, Elanor rockets forward on a beam.

Eleanor meets the beam from outside the magical barrier at the same precise moment she hits the barrier from within. The barrier erected by the Fairies cracks, and shatters along the axis of Elanor's strike.

"Everybody get out!" Elanor screams.

Liv and Nora throw up shields of light to protect Blanche and Bernice as they make a full run for it. Once the first two meet Elanor at the breach, Liv and Nora retreat as well with all five escaping the Fairy barriers.

The Fairies give chase, easily traversing their own barriers while the Automatons locked outside the barriers swing around to give chase. Two dozen servitors exit Atlantic Terminal, providing cover for the five escaping from the trap to enter into the safety of the terminal. A light barrier prevents the Fairies and Automatons from entering the terminal.

Once inside the terminal, Elanor and the other four servants find it filled with servitors. The trains no longer operate, but the rail right of ways are used as safe travel corridors for beam travel, with servitors operating local shield points along the way east. A servitor approaches Elanor.

"We need to get east." Elanor says.

"You and everyone else." Answers the servitor.

"Do you have means of recharging ourselves?"

"Yes, but our local reactors are running at capacity. You will have to wait in line with everyone else."

Elanor thinks. The servitor most definitely recognizes her as a Princess, but this affords nothing.

"How long will the terminal hold with the forces outside being what they are?" Elanor asks?

"We are well entrenched here, but yes, this is not a tenable position long term. We evacuate in the next day or two, situation depending."

Elanor pauses, then asks, "Is there a way to cut to the front of all the lines?"

The servitor gives Elanor a hard eye, but softens and says, "Yes. We give priority status to those willing to play escort."

"Escort? Fine. I volunteer my team for escort duty."

The servitor chuckles once, "This is not an easy duty."

Elanor's face scrunches with a quizzical look, "Who is getting escorted that it would be so difficult on a guarded route?"

The servitor motions for Elanor to follow him, and Elanor lets Blanche, Bernice, Liv, and Nora know to stay put in the terminal foyer with a glance. Taken down and out through a service door, the servitor leads Elanor to a collection of a few dozen Humans, all of them awake, waiting in a back room of the terminal.

Elanor sees the confused and somewhat frighten Human faces and says, "They're awake."

"Yes, and that's why they are here. We need use of their abilities."

Elanor wonders what abilities beyond their resistance to the effects of the shroud and subsequent spells cast by the Underworld forces. The Central Sun is unaffected in the same ways already.

Elanor asks, "What's the planned use for their abilities?"

"We need to live and operate in the shadows."

Elanor frowns. Surrender. That's the plan. Surrender to the Underworld, even if it only means using their magic. That's how it starts, with using the magic.

"We can fight without using Underworld magic."

"No, we can't."

"It is not for us to use." Elanor says with force.

"What prohibits us from it?" The servitor asks, "We cannot wield Underworld power inherently, but Humans can. These are still living Humans and they are free to choose who they help. They all chose to be here."

With confusion written on Elanor's face, the servitor continues, "Yes, a number of Humans came to us, asking for help or for refuge. The reasons all vary."

"This will transform us, and the Central Sun, forever." Elanor says flatly.

"So be it." The servitor answers, "We transform no matter what, we may as well do what we must to survive independently. Are you aware of what happens to those of us taken prisoner?"

"No." Elanor responds.

"Prisoners are fed to the Moon."

"How, we can't die."

"Yes, we cannot die. All that are fed to the Moon are alive inside the Moon. They labor for the Moon now. The Underworld uses our power, so we must reciprocate in kind."

Elanor takes a good look at the Humans present. It's a tired group of people, most looking like they haven't slept in days.

"How many escorts do you need us to take?"

"Three is the max for a team of five."

"Give me three, you pick."

The servitor makes his choice, and Elanor leaves, returning to the foyer and her team with three Humans in tow.