They shoved the trio toward Ironhorse, who waited for them in the middle of the tracks, swishing his tail. His iron mask gave nothing away. "GOOD," he snorted. "KING MACHINA WILL BE PLEASED." His red eyes fastened on Ash, who was barely able to stand, and he pinned back his ears. "DISPOSE OF THEIR WEAPONS," he ordered disdainfully.

Ash's face was twisted in agony. Sweat trickled down his brow, and he clenched his teeth. He watched the iron knight take his sword to the edge of the tracks and toss it into a ditch. There was a soft splash as the blade hit the oily water and sank from view. A second knight did the same with the bow.

"THE ARROW, TOO."

Ash's doppelganger approached, yanked the Witchwood arrow from Isiea's sachel, and tossed it into the ditch with the rest of the weapons. That was it, then. Game over. They had failed.

Isieas frown deepens, just a little.

Miserably failed. They hadn't even made it to Machina and they already lost.

Ironhorse looked both the girls over and snorted steam. "NO FUNNY BUSINESS FROM EITHER OF YOU," he warned, blowing smoke at them. "OR MY KNIGHTS WILL WRAP SO MUCH IRON AROUND THE WINTER PRINCE THAT HIS SKIN WILL PEEL OFF HIS BONES." He coughed flame and swung his head toward the waiting fortress. "LET'S GO. KING MACHINA AWAITS."

Isiea stays silent, quietly thinking of ways to get out of this, mulling over each option wordlessly.

Lise didn't care about Ash, but she did care if he died because of her. So she didn't try anything. For now.

It was a torturous, nightmare march toward Machina's tower.

A length of chain had been wrapped around their waists, attaching them to Ironhorse, who walked briskly down the tracks without pausing or looking back. Beside them, Ash wore another. He kept stumbling, barely managing to keep his feet as they followed Ironhorse down the railroad tracks. Gremlins cavorted around them, poking and pinching and laughing at our torment. The knights walked to either side and refused to let Ash step off the iron tracks, shoving him back if he tried. Once, he fell, and was dragged several yards before he finally got his feet under him again. Angry red burns crisscrossed his face where his skin had touched the metal tracks.

Isiea continues to quietly, mentally make a battle plan. She also makes sure to remember where their weapons had been discarded.

Lise felt bad for Ash, and even worse that she couldn't help him.

The sky clouded over, changing from yellow-gray to an ominous reddish-black in a matter of moments. Ironhorse stopped and craned his neck, flaring his nostrils. "IT'S GOING TO RAIN SOON."

Lightning flashed, filling the air with a sharp tang.

"QUICKLY, BEFORE THE STORM HITS." The horse stepped off the tracks, breaking into a trot as thunder growled overhead. It was either keep up or be dragged. Ash stumbled and fell, and this time he did not get up.