The bear thrashed wildly, sending men sprawling before her. Duncan was only along for the ride, with no way of directing Artio's rampage; some GF users could control their partners, others couldn't. Many SeeDs refused to summon their GFs, preferring to leech off them like magical batteries. Regardless of technique, GFs were a potent force on the battlefield, as Visionary and Artio proved. Between them and the other SeeDs, the Galbadians didn't stand a chance, dropping like flies, but the pace couldn't last. After a brief flurry of aggression, Artio retreated, abandoning Duncan's body. He fell to his knees, exhausted from the combined trauma and exertion. Lucky the enemy was beaten or else he would have been far too easy a target.

As he gasped through the exhaustion, Duncan heard a sound that made his blood run cold; engines, powerful ones. A dark, angular shape appeared from behind the clouds, silhouetted against the evening sky. He could barely offer a bitter curse in response; nothing they had would even scratch that thing. He cast about at the surviving soldiers fled to salvation, desperate for a way out. Syrus was injured and likely couldn't run, Eika was still raging out of control... at least the other SeeD alright, if drained. And of course, three of his students were still missing so they couldn't just leave... As the options dwindled in his mind, Duncan came to the conclusion that they had only one option. He drew something from one pocket, a simple gun of wide bore. He watched in slow motion as the airship's main guns locked into place, praying that the others remembered their studies.

Drawing all his energy together, Duncan overclocked his junction drive as only he knew how, spamming Protect and Haste spells on himself and the others before firing the flaregun straight up. The shell rose with an unearthly shriek that could be heard for miles around, exploding in a flash of blood red. It signified the most desperate order a SeeD could be given. [b]'All hands, retreat! Every fucking man for himself!'[/b] Every Garden operative in the city would know what it meant, that a SeeD team was caught in an untenable situation and had broken. No support would be coming but they would make damn sure that the evac birds were at the drop zone, ready for a hot extraction. Duncan fled, grabbing Eika as he passed and barrelling over the side of the crippled tower. Even if Syrus wasn't up on his regulation, the other guy was a qualified Seed and would know what to do; Eika on the other hand, had completely lost it and Duncan would sooner take a bullet than leave one of his students behind.