"Goliath Onli-" Hey get outta there, I'm piloting this thing.
Coming to you not live from some where cold, in Florida. Thought Florida was supposed to be warm and sunny..
So, here we go. It's the final countdoooown! I'm not actually listening to that right now though I'm listening to I Still Believe by TIm Capello but that doesn't matter. What matters is what's going to happen in the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny. In the blue corner we have Weiss 'ice queen' Schnee! 5'7"? and weighing in at a staggering two pounds, armed with a silver toothpick! In the red corner we have the Mantis Creature of Grimm, I'd say about twelve feet or so? At least in height, length is even longer. Armed with a pair of wheat cutters. Place your bets folks! My Lien is Weiss-ly being placed on the feisty heiress hint hint. ..What do you mean I can't bet because I'm the author and I already know what's going to happen? Maaan that was gonna be easy money.
Anyway enough playing around, "let's get into the fight." *clicks on some select Rise Against songs to help with the writing* *also if anybody has played StarCraft II they know who I just quoted*
Why was she doing this? It was foolish. Her hands were shaking slightly for there was a very real chance she was going to meet Death tonight. It was too late to go back though and she'd never, ever forgive herself for running. The voice of reason in her mind had come back out to scream internally at her. Call Winter. Don't go down there alone. Another was shouting back.. There's no time to lose. Don't let this Grimm continue to humiliate you. Show it the error of defying a Schnee. That she tried to ignore but it was impossible. Though she still believed she was doing this for her partner's sake a small part of her knew and refused to acknowledge that her pride was also the issue.
Thinking back the shaking was probably also partly due to the turbulence of the Bullhead she was currently sitting in as it tore through the skies over Vale, heading for an all too familiar place. Forever Fall Station 5. Myrtenaster was in her lap across her legs with a satchel by her side. It had been completely silent for the whole trip so far until a certain voice called to her from the front.
"Y'know you're crazy for doing this right lady?" The pilot 'Flying Dog' stated rather humorously. Truth be told that was just a temporary codename for his current job of ferrying students to and from Beacon. With a rather curt reply Weiss told him to go back to being quiet and continue to do his job.
"I'm just saying Ms. Schnee. This is the third time I've taken you to fight that damn thing. One of these days I think I won't be going back for you but for a bodybag."
"You're being paid to fly, not to think." She exclaimed, a small bit of irritation in her voice.
"I shouldn't have taken the money. I wasn't supposed to be here today anyway and you're too young to be throwing yourself into danger like this. Kinda hypocritical considering my story but I won't bore you with it."
"Please don't."
"Cold." He said with a chuckle. "So what's the deal? This thing call you mean names?" ..Nothing. Tough crowd. "How's your friend? Still hanging on?"
"..There's no time left."
The man seemed to understand what she meant, after all he was the one who called in the incident before they arrived. It was once again quiet until a beep signified their nearing of the landing zone at which point Weiss started to stand and gather her things. One last glance over her rapier and a few test spins of the Dust chambers before she placed one hand beside the door, leaning against it and gathering her thoughts. A few deep but slow calming breaths.. A few moments to think.. They were there before she realized it, touching down just beside the track outside of the station grounds.
"Not having second thoughts are you Ms. Schnee? If you don't go in 100% you really won't be coming back. Hell I should be stopping you right about now, a 1st year even of your pedigree will have serious trouble just standing their ground against a Champion class Grimm." "I'm fine!" She snipped, taking another calming breath before watching as the compartment opened and taking a step back. The night was still cloudless, broken moon illuminating the eerily silent crimson forest as she stepped out. Hearing something fall with a thump she looked back to see the pilot canopy close, a red medical bag laying on the ground.
"You're gonna thank me after you're done." His voice came from the external speakers as the compartment closed.
"Thanks for the indirect vote of confidence? I'll call when I'm ready." The heiress stated. After all this time she was going deeper into the forest to find her reclusive target. The Bullhead on the other hand would be staying behind. Thanks to the two Huntresses Grimm activity nearby had been quite low so between the station defences and the Atlesian Knight-130s it was relatively safe there, even so late.
After grabbing the bag and hoisting it over her shoulder Weiss began to walk, with no particular location in mind. Just a general direction. The last time she looked back at the station it was a speck between the trees.
...
*approximately one hour later*
...
She had been wandering for some time now, how long she wasn't sure but she was starting to fear the Mantis had fled entirely. Suddenly she got this.. Feeling. A feeling of being watched. Her Aura was warning her. The Huntress stopped, rapier at the ready as she glanced left and right. Then.. Up.
Weiss barely had time to react as a blade came whistling from above, catching perpendicular on her own blade and resting on it by her head. Cold blue eyes met burning red ones as the Mantis was perched on the tree facing downward like some kind of killer laying in wait. Its four walking legs were stretched out to mostly encircle the trunk and hold it in place. No wonder it had the epithet of an assassin..
There had hardly been any force behind the scythe-like claw and the Creature of Grimm was barely bothering to put pressure down with it. Almost like it had been testing her. Then it did something the heiress would remember for a long time.
"Schneeeee.."
Her eyes widened slightly in shock. It had been almost like a hiss but it spoke. It spoke her name of all things. There was no doubt about it now. This was an old Grimm to have that kind of intelligence. With a dry and bitter reply of 'Mantis' she took a step back. Then another. Then a few more as the rapier was withdrawn. For some inexplicable reason her opponent did nothing but angle its head as she did so to watch before hopping off of the tree and staring at her.
"..This ends tonight. No more. I'm going to slay you here and now." With a confident and determined look in her eyes Weiss thrust her weapon forwards, the Mantis immediately crossing its foreclaws defensively out of reflex. ..Several moments later when there was no actual attack like it expected they parted and came back down to body level. Then its head tilted curiously before the insect Grimm stepped left and right while Weiss shook her own.
She was definitely in her zone now. Fully composed, stance taken as Myrtenaster was drawn back ready to strike. A single click and a white/gold Glyph appeared underneath her, taking the form of a clock face as a faint glow appeared around her body. Time Dilation. She'd need it to keep up with her opponent's speed. Strategies and tactics were already being formulated and decided on in her mind as she took the medical bag and tossed it by a nearby rock.
In a swift motion the Huntress moved forward leaving behind an afterimage as she went for a direct stab, countered by a horizontal cross slash that slid right through her midsection and bisected her.
At least that's what it had looked like but the attack was merely a feint as the fencer smartly juked backwards right as it moved, bolting forward once the blades passed through another afterimage. Her boots barely made a sound as they hit the tops before carrying her forward to try and stab at one of its eyes, leaping from the perfectly positioned foreclaws. Much to the surprise of both combatants that stab was a direct hit, piercing its target by just an inch or two before the Mantis flew back with a screech. If only she had gotten further she might have been able to kill it in that single shot..
Instead the rapier was removed, or rather the movement of the Mantis pulling itself away freed the weapon as the wielder landed with a smirk. "Game point.." Of course the heiress knew better than to think she'd made the results of the duel a forgone conclusion with that hit, but that didn't stop her from attempting to rub it in on the Grimm that had given her so much grief.
As it recovered and glared at her with its now dark bloody eye it started skittering around her in a circle. A wide one at that as if it were evaluating her, and she'd meet it by keeping her left side to it at all times. A hiss or low screech every now and then that she'd simply tune out. Perhaps this time IT had been the one to underestimate HER. A very costly mistake, one that struck home for the heiress as she got a firsthand look from the opposite side what that could do.
Finally ready, the Creature of Grimm shot forward with an overhand slice as another click signified a change in Dust. That claw embedded in the soil after being swiftly sidestepped and all it took was a cherry tap from the tip of her weapon to lock it down in a blooming formation of ice. Then the other claw came, from the side this time. A second click and the rapier gained a scarlet glow before bouncing the incoming threat back. Weiss took advantage of the opening to move, jerking left and right to avoid both of the foreleg stabs then jump. The following skyward slice left a large gash across its chest before landing on the ice-locked claw, spinning Myrtenaster in hand and catching it in a reverse grip before stabbing downward to sever it.
That elicited an almost earsplitting shriek from the Mantis as it skittered backwards, shadowy red blood dripping from the stump as the left behind limp disappeared in a burst of black smoke. With Weiss gently touching down and preparing to take another stance she'd smirk again. The training had really paid off that much was evident, or- ..No. Something was wrong. This was too easy.
She took a few paces back, grin giving way to a nervous but determined look again as her opponent simply stared and 'spoke' once more. "Stronger.."
It seemed to be referring to Weiss although her expression changed to a look of horror as she realized it also could be applied to her opponent upon seeing what it was starting to do. Not just the wound now but its entire body was starting to issue a black and red gas that obscured it from view. Strange and unnerving growls came from within as it twitched and spasmed, sucking the essence back in to reveal a meaner and more terrifying visage.
The Grimm's eye and foreclaw had healed/regrown, that was the first thing she noticed. Following another look over the heiress also noticed the changes in physiology. The legs had lost their tapered thimble 'shoes' and instead had long barbs along all four sides to end in long three clawed feet. The thorax had gained bigger spikes along the top and the white bone plate was thicker now, red lines running across like a spiderweb and glowing brightly. Those foreclaws it had were also sharper, thicker, longer.. The prehensile whip-like feelers extending from holes in the tips had also regrown and she would swear the Grimm had gotten overall.. Larger. The worst thing were its eyes though. The eyes were glowing just as brightly and they had dilated to a hideous degree. No longer spewing like a punctured fire extinguisher the crimson and onyx smoke simply came off of it like a light steam after the transformation finished.
There was no denying it had empowered itself somehow and that this could be very bad for the Huntress. However she couldn't let it daunt her and with a swallow retook her stance, Myrtenaster poised to intercept. The Mantis' wings flitted from its back, moving to increase its speed. Weiss would do the same as she refreshed her Time Dilation Glyph in preparation. Sure it was fast but so was she. At least that was the reasoning she'd arrived at. Though just how strong had this enemy gotten..?
The answer was given swiftly. Gone before she'd even processed it visually. All Weiss registered was a gust of wind and a searing pain in her left eye as she dropped. The Mantis had flown right by and practically slit it with a single lightning fast strike. Literally an eye for an eye. That irritated her beyond belief but she couldn't let herself lose composure now. Yes it stung with a pain indescribable but she stood her ground. ..After she got up anyway, but now the situation was very dire. She couldn't match that speed and now she was half blind and in pain.
The Grimm was toying with her. Again. The wings receded as the Mantis turned, letting out a low hiss and crossing its foreclaws in 'prayer' just to rub it in. How she hated it but what could she do now.. The Dust chamber clicked, Weiss having thought of a plan to counter that ridiculous speed should it try that again. Her rapier was thrust into the ground, her Aura swelling a bit as she released a large amount of Ice Dust and froze a good fifty yards of the earth in every direction. That'd likely not stop it from fighting normally but it'd think twice when traction was now an issue.
"Come and get me, I dare you to try and take the other one."
This was bad. Her left eye was out of action completely. It would be that much harder to fight now when she predominantly fought with her left side facing her opponent but she wasn't out of the battle yet. A few self-reassuring mutterings and the heiress was prepared to continue.
However even with the ice field in play the Grimm was still a very agile, swift, and deadly opponent. In the ensuing clashes she'd tried everything she could think of against it. Freezing its claws and legs only to miss or have the ice picked away before she could react, paralyzing Spark Dust bolts that went wild or hit its bone scythes to no effect, gouts and lashes of Flame Dust that while burning her target did little more than agitate it or cause some pain.. Melee wasn't much of a fair option as it had started to prove superior in that regard.
After what felt like a half hour of combat and what was probably for the fifth time that night Weiss was sent flying by a broadside smack of its foreclaws, hitting the ground and rolling to her feet before she'd even stopped. She was starting to feel the consequences of her exertion now and her Aura was starting to hit below half. Her rigorous training had definitely caused a significant improvement but it was starting to look like it just wouldn't be enough.
There was also that but she'd somehow never been able to get it to work.. No matter how hard she tried her Semblance just would not result in a summon. There was no time like the present for a few final tries though right? With a flick of her rapier Weiss started, creating a spiked dome of ice around herself and the icy blue glyph to keep the Grimm out. Not that she was confident it'd really hold up to a sustained attack if it committed to one.
But her efforts were fruitless. No matter how much she poured into the effort it resulted in nothing but a rapidly spinning Glyph and wasted energy. Gritting her teeth Weiss glared down at the now motionless seal after it stopped moving from her previous attempt. "Answer me.. Why don't you come?"
..There was no answer save for the sounds of hissing and scratching, plinking as her opponent started picking at the ice shell. The Glyph faded and with a growl Weiss took a stance, ready to give this Creature of Grimm literal Hell before she went out. There were so many things she had wanted to say, wanted to do. Visions of the brunette Huntress she had been proud now to call her partner and leader flashed through her mind as Myrtenaster also began to flash, glowing with runes and different colors of Dust. Funny that the last thoughts of her final moments would be of her. Why..?
As soon as the ice cracked on her side the heiress braced herself, tensing every muscle in her body before creating an Acceleration Glyph or two to give her some extra power. Then once it shattered, she charged.
Only to meet thin air as sparks, embers, and flakes spun by a small tunnel of air spiraled around her rapier's blade, the powerful attack unable to release without a target. Confusion was written across her face to be replaced by a scream of agony as something pierced her back and bound around her body and limbs. The scythe whips, and a foreleg with the three talons digging into her body spattering blood to stain the ice below. It was practically pulling her onto them before ripping them back out and flinging her across the clearing. This time she didn't simply roll back to her feet but barely managed to get to one leg and a knee, weapon stabbed into the ground as a prop.
It was over. It was too much. She was disabled and injured, low on Dust and weakened as well whereas the Grimm seemed to have been hardly exerting itself. The ice was also starting to melt despite the chill in the air of the night, having been weakened by her Fire Dust attacks in many spots and from constant abuse by the battling combatants. It hadn't been made to be very thick in the first place anyway.
She tried to refute it but it was painfully obvious now. She couldn't win. This was her at her best, in her prime, and she still couldn't slay the Creature of Grimm. Granted Weiss had performed marvelously and drastically exceeded her previous performances but in the end.. Again she thought of Ruby. Of herself and her failures, her foolishness and ignorance. She should have contacted someone. Anyone. Winter had been in the right. There was no sense in doing this alone. Now her leader, no.. Not even partner. Her friend was going to die before she'd really even lived and she had nobody to blame but herself. Stupid..
The Mantis was very clearly enjoying the taste of all the negativity and despair surrounding the heiress, ceasing its attack to scuttle around her with its foreclaws crossed and releasing low hisses. It started to approach after a minute or so of this behavior, raising a claw and readying to strike as all Weiss could do was look up and glare. A dark glare that hid the fear she was feeling of a cornered mouse against a cat. Then it jerked upwards in a motion readying to drop.
At that moment time seemed to slow to a stop, her surroundings simply fading away like a misty dream before complete darkness enveloped her in their place.
A few brief moments went by with nothing happening until someone's voice called to her. This left Weiss very confused as it almost sounded like her own.. Turning around to look where it had come from the sight before her gave her quite a start.
A mirror.. A tall elliptical mirror with a frame made of ice seemingly floating a few inches from the ground. It was then she realized that it wasn't dark, the space was simply empty and devoid. She could feel the hard ground but not see it. She could see herself and all the injuries however, all the pain from before thankfully gone.
The heiress went from confused to bewildered as she got up and paced towards the mirror, extending a hand to plant just her fingertips on it. Her reflection.. Didn't follow suit. Instead it was staring back at her with disdain, arms crossed and lips pursed.
"What.. Where am I..? Are you.. Me?" Weiss asked herself? figuring that it must be something more than a simple reflection. As she spoke the other Weiss shook her head and pointed at her. The real one. This was starting to confuse her in more ways than one.
"Where we are is obvious and of course I am. That's also obvious but those details are unimportant. What matters is who are you?" 'Weiss2' as she mentally named would ask, narrowing her gaze.
"I.. I'm Weiss Schnee." She wasn't sure why she answered or why she was asked in the first place..
"And what are you doing?"
"Apparently talking to myself." She replied almost under her breath, jumping slightly as Weiss2 made a buzzer sound with her voice and exclaimed 'wrong!'. "You're giving up."
Now it was obvious to the Schnee. This was all in her mind. The real her was probably still kneeling in shock awaiting a deathblow from the Mantis. As for the reflection.. That had to be some sort of separate conscience or something. Angrily she snapped back that she was doing no such thing before Weiss2 interrupted, snapping back just the same that she wouldn't be here if she was.
"What happened to all of that pride and brazen gusto you had? What happened to saving Ruby? Are you just going to give up like this?" "No! I'm not-" "Ah but you are. Instead of getting back up on your feet you were about to sit there and die, like a dog."
That got on her nerves and with a growl the real Weiss turned away from herself, clenching her fists. "I am not giving up. I can't.. But.. I can't do it either.. That thing is just too strong. I've tried everything even my Semblance. There's just no logical way to-" "Oh screw logic already you imbecile."
She whirled on her reflection, gritting her teeth. She was getting a taste of her own medicine and it was indeed quite bitter. "You threw logic out of the window when you not once, not twice, but THREE times refused to take good advice and instead ignored it to charge on blindly. I'm ashamed to put it simply, you're supposed to be the smart one. What happened to all the training father put you through? Are you really going to shame the family name like this? For all your talk of becoming a perfect Huntress you're making some amateur mistakes-" Weiss2 was cut off when a fist came flying through the mirror, shattering it completely and far too easily as the entire construct crumbled into snow dust/ice fragments and disappeared.
An exasperated and agitated Weiss was breathing rather hard, having thrown as much force behind that as possible before straightening her posture and throwing her ponytail back over her shoulder. That hadn't hurt her hand nearly as much as she thought it would.
"Feel better now?" Her voice called again. The Huntress spun, only to find the exact same thing she just destroyed floating behind her. Weiss2 had a neutral expression, her arms crossed and foot tapping as she awaited a response. Eventually she nodded, locking agitated eyes with herself.
"Good. Now. You realize the danger you're- We both are in right now, correct?" Another nod. "But you can't just surrender. No matter what you have to keep fighting, you have to keep moving forward. Giving up and saying it's impossible is the same as running away. It's not over yet." The reflection said, staring the real Weiss dead in the face as she spoke. Then she moved on, taking note of the Myrtenaster that was on both their hips.
"You say you can't use your Semblance but that's not entirely true. You summoned it once." "That was partially and possibly a stroke of luck-" The real Weiss started to state. "But you did it."
"I don't even remember how.." The heiress said, massaging her temples and wracking her brain. How HAD she managed to pull off a summon..? It was only the arm and sword but still. It had split her opponent, the advanced warmech in half with ease. If she could draw upon its full power..
"It's not a lack of skill or power, but your will." Another voice rang out. This one wasn't Weiss but rather..
"Will." Weiss looked up to see the face of Winter now in the mirror. Not the real Winter obviously but it sounded and looked so like her..
"Think back to what I told you. What Jaune told you as well." The woman asked, causing her to try and think back to the events of her second recovery when she had woken up to see the two near her bedside. The circumstances surrounding the engagement and result against the Mantis, and the discussion of knights and their roles.. Honorable figures that protected the people and slayed vicious monsters like Grimm. They fought for king and Kingdom, for the people.
"Think back to that moment when you first summoned it. Why do you think it answered your call when it wouldn't before? The Giant Armor Knight.. What purpose does it serve?"
"It serves to fight my enemies-" *pop* "Ow!" "Buffoon!" The reflection had actually reached out of the mirror to slap her in the head, except- The mirror and ice frame was gone now she suddenly realized as she looked back up. Her 'sister' was standing before her just as Weiss2 had been previously. Crossed arms, disapproving look, pursed lips.. Another lesson was in order it seemed.
"Knights are not zealous warriors for killing and fighting, though the Crusaders are a different story we're not going to digress on that topic. Please reflect on our words again, and think a little more on that moment. What purpose did you intend to strike with?"
When she had summoned the arm and sword.. Truth be told, it wasn't her primary focus, destroying the warmech. Yes it was a major concern but the biggest one was- "Protecting Velvet." "Precisely." The heiress placed her hand over her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was so obvious in hindsight..
That must have been the key reason Weiss suddenly seemed to realize. Her summon was not a destroyer. While Schnees could use their summons for battle and primarily consisted of Grimm, this one was a bit of a special case. The Giant Armor Knight was, at the core.. A knight. Granted it was a possessed armor and a Grimm but still technically it was a knight, just like the figures of old.
"You've been so concerned with pride and trying to kill this monster you forgot what's truly important. You've been so focused on mending your damaged ego-" "Hold on now-" "-that you put my life second to yours."
Her eyes flew open and her hands fell to her side as a third voice overtook Winter's, shifting to that of one she'd been wanting to hear for the longest time. Ruby Rose, whole and hale and completely uninjured. If it weren't for knowing better the Huntress would've broken down into tears and embraced her but it was still nice to see her alive and in good condition, if only a falsity.
"No, I-" "You went off against all odds when you could have just called someone for help! Winter even tried to help you, Yang tried to help you, and you turned them all down!" Her words stung more than any injury and despite it not being the real Ruby it still hurt.
"You're not perfect, and you're not a one-woman army! You can ask us to help you because we're a team. And Winter is your family.. If you can't rely on us.. I know you're scared too because you don't want anyone else to get hurt Weiss but this is what we all signed up for! To put our lives on the line for others. To slay the Grimm. Together. If I was truly the most important thing then you would have done everything you could, instead of trying to shoulder this all on your own.." She stated with sadness in her eyes, voice trembling. It was crushing and at this point it didn't matter whether or not she was real, Weiss had to look away for a brief moment before she could face her again.
"You can rely on others. Forget what your dad's tried to put on your shoulders. Forget this image you've had of being some perfect Huntress. I know it'll be tough but you have to accept nobody is perfect. Yet when we work together we can cover each other's flaws and weaknesses. I mean.. You're smart and I'm a quick thinker. You're overly cautious and I'm not sometimes. ..A lot of times actually." 'Ruby' said with a small sheepish smile. "That's what Winter was trying to tell you. Don't be afraid or ashamed. We all should be prepared for stuff like this, and we've got to work together to get past it."
She pondered her words for a good minute or two before closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh. "..I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge.. But I get it now, what you're trying to tell me. Knights are protectors. Defenders. I should be using- asking it to be my shield, not my sword. That's part of relying on someone else right? I.. I need to do like you said? I should be able to admit I need help and ask for it?" "Yes! You got it ooh I'm so proud of me! You. We know what we mean." 'Ruby', who was back to being 'Weiss' would say as she stumbled over her words and just generally started to confuse the real one.
"Now get back in there, and show that monster just what you can do." Weiss2 said with an encouraging and confident smirk on her face. She got one in return before it became a puzzled look.
"Wait! How- I've never been able to do it before, what makes you think- ..No. I need to believe. I'm going to win this. I have to. Not for myself but for Ruby.. If I don't win here it's all over.. But I'm not going in alone right? I don't care if it breaks every bone in my body. It's not over until I'm dead, but I'm not going to be the one to fall here." Her reflection smiled and nodded, starting to disperse and fly away like snowflakes in the wind as the darkness started to become true shadow and blacken her vision.
"There's that confidence again.. It's good though. Negativity just feeds those horrid things. Believe in yourself, me. If you can't then just believe in the me that believes in you!" "..Isn't that the same thing though? I mean you ARE me and- Ugh, headache.." "Dunce."
The two Schnees smiled, right before the shadow consumed everything and faded back to reality.
...
With a start the heiress' eyes opened wide, one of course still heavily damaged. That's when the pain returned and she felt everything again. It had been nice back in her mind but one couldn't and shouldn't escape reality. It was harsh sometimes but that was life. Tensing her body a surge of Aura signalled her return to the conscious world as the Mantis' claw jerked upwards for the final strike again.
"I may fall, but not like this.. Come on..! Lend me your power. Please.." Weiss said through grit teeth as Myrtenaster was yanked from the ground and leveled at the Mantis. Rather than killing it, her mind was full of other thoughts. Thoughts of Ruby, thoughts of Yang, and Blake and Winter and even Jaune. Her other friends and fellow Hunters. After all if she fell here they'd be incredibly sad wouldn't they? This wasn't about her. This was about them, for them. She had to survive. All her thoughts of taking it down were for that sole purpose, and for saving Ruby's life. The girl she cared for very deeply Weiss came to realize.
"And I'll lend you mine." She said with a whisper.
Then time slowed. Not to a sto, no, it was as if the world were moving slowly. The moonlight gleamed off of the deadly scythe as it reached the apex of its draw, starting to come down for her neck. Light instead of darkness would however begin to fill the area as an ice blue Glyph formed above and slightly in front of Weiss, a shining blade lashing out to catch it in a shower of sparks. That's when she saw it. The cold and frozen armor of the Giant Armor Knight's arm, holding its longsword in hand. The Grimm's eyes widened upon seeing this and immediately started to draw back.
"Thank you.." She sent silent gratitude to her guardian, struggling to stand once more. With this she was confident now she could likely take on the Creature of Grimm. It was a small but strong presence Weiss thought as she retook her stance, ready to strike along with her summon's blade. Red covered the rapier as she prepared to parry the incoming second claw, only to witness in awe as a second armored arm flew from the now wider Glyph to grab it by the end. Both..?
No. Not just that.. With a blast of chilling air and two heavy footfalls something emerged from the now humongous Glyph, radiating light from both it and the being that emerged. Once the Glyph faded the light did as well, revealing a towering armored form as it began to push the Mantis back.
The Giant Armor Knight in all of its glory had answered her call, and brought with it a powerful presence and a cold air that gave her chills just from being nearby.
Woooo! Big damn hero to the rescue! Coming in from the third corner, the Giant Armor Knight! Armed with a BFS made of cold steel and fury. ...I know it's technically just 'Giant Armor' but I get a knight-y vibe from it, and I mean.. Just look at the thing. Don't tell me that's a farfetched idea.
So like.. Turns out we had some changes in the break schedule today at work and I had more time on my hands than I thought so I figured why not? However in exchange this ended up being longer than I thought and I'm not stretching it to the 8k or so words it would be if I went all the way to the end of the fight with it. Next chapter will be kickass though as we see why this metal monster's appearance might be what completely flips the tables. With that in mind..
Inspectre Offline!
P.S. Oh right there was also some character development in there too. In case you were confused that's kinda why the story's called The Royal Test and I'd say she passed with flying freakin' colors. Still has to get past the final hurdle though!
P.S.S. I totally forgot but for those that didn't get it the chapter 4 title reference is to the N64 game Sin and Punishment.