Weiss squared her shoulders, extending her blade out in a defensive stance, analysing Adam's own stance as he pulled the blade out of the dead man and returned it to his sheath.
Possibly an Iaido fighter, quick, strong attacks…she thought as the two started circling each other, he's more experienced, and battle hardened, i've only ever fought against sparring partners, and that was in the keep two years ago… Weiss took a deep, shaky breath to try and calm her nerves.
"Your move Schnee." Adam growled as they settled across each other.
"Of course it is." she muttered, suddenly bringing her sword back and lunging forward, with a gasp of surprise Adam pulled his blade out blocking the stabbing strike and countering with a powerful slash.
Weiss caught the attack on the flat of her blade and jumped back, bracing herself as Adam shot forward, she parried the blade and stabbed at Adams shoulder, Adam rolled away from her as he re-sheathed his sword, glaring at Weiss as she slowly stepped back. he let out a snarl as he charged forward, pulling his blade once more and ducked under Weiss's retaliatory strike and slashing his blade across her stomach; Weiss jumped away, looking down at her armor, now rent open with blood slowly trickling out, it was a shallow strike, nothing to be too concerned about, but as the White Fang exploded in cheers, she felt the true damage it dealt.
"First blood goes to me, Schnee." Adam said, flicking the blood off his blade and returning it to the sheath.
Weiss scowled and shot forward, catching Adam by surprise as her blade bit into his shoulder; she jumped back as he pulled his blade out and slashed at her chest, she parried the attack, knocking the blade up before going for his neck.
Adam disengaged from Weiss, sliding in the mud and gore as he did. The two glared at each other for a few moments before charging once more.
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"Did you see that!?" one of the privates whispered as they watched Adam and Weiss fight, the Atlesian Soldiers were still holding their Shield wall, tensed and ready in case Adams warriors decided to attack, but many were starting to get distracted by the battle between the two commanders.
"Yeah, she's like lightning, didn't think the princess would be a very good fighter."
"She was trained by the greatest instructors in Atlas." Blake muttered, catching their attention "that's the only reason she's doing this well."
"Lightning flash." the private breathed out.
"Lightning Flash?" Blake asked, looking at the Private.
"Yeah! She's a Lightning Flash." he said reverently.
"I like that! Lightning Flash!"
"Lightning Flash!" another exclaimed.
"Lightning Flash! Lightning Flash! Lightning Flash!" the century cheered, pounding their spears and swords against their shields.
"Idiots."the Centurion muttered, watching as Weiss continued to Parry and dodge Adams attacks, "She's barely keeping up with the bull's attacks."
Blake nodded, "one slip-up and she's dead…" she put her hand on her Katana, "I need to help…"
"You step in and the battle begins again," the centurion said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "and these boys can't hold off another assault."
"But if we don't do something she could die." Blake growled quietly.
The centurion sighed, reaching up and pulling his helmet off, revealing a rugged face with scars marring his features, a pair of lion ears peeking out of his brown hair, "we just have to have faith." he muttered, looking back to Weiss.
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Dodge. Parry. Riposte. Attack. Counter attack. Weiss was doing all she could to keep herself alive against Adam's relentless attacks, she had gotten lucky with her first two strikes, catching Adam off guard and throwing his rhythm off, but Adam had rallied, strikes much more forceful and precise, and only her quick reflexes had saved her from losing her head.
"You're tiring Schnee." Adam taunted, dodging around her attempt to spear his leg, he pulled his blade once more and nicked her left arm, making her stumble back, "or are you not even trying?"
Weiss let out a frustrated growl and struck once more, almost carelessly Adam hit her blade to the side and stabbed at her midriff, weiss quickly deflected the attack with her greave and lashed her arm out, catching Adam on the right side of his head, with a loud crack! Adam fell to the ground, his bone mask shattered beside him. Weiss stepped back, catching her breath as Adam slowly stood, glaring at her with red eyes, blood slowly trickling down from a cut just underneath his right eye where the bracer had hit.
"You little bitch." he growled out, stalking towards her.
Weiss raised her blade once more as Adam charged, his blows slowly driving her back across the field as thunder rumbled overhead.
"You think you're going to win this!?" he snarled as he battered the girl back into the mud, "do you think for a second you'll survive!? My path is righteous Schnee! Your death is all but guaranteed!" with a harsh slash he broke through her defense and gave a laugh of pleasure as his blade bit into her thigh, making her let out a scream of pain, "you're weak!" he yanked the blade out as Weiss stumbled into the mud, trying vainly to get back on her feet, raising her sword as he attacked once more, "Pathetic!" he thundered out, sending the blade flying out of her hands and back towards her men. "And you'll be remembered as such." he put the tip of his blade to her neck, "any last words? Schnee?"
Weiss glared at him, "will you honor our agreement?" she gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Our agreement?" he asked, slowly lowering his blade.
"My men go free, our agreement to this fight is that my men go free if you fought-" she let out a howl of pain as he brought his blade down, cutting her down on her left eye before stabbing her through her shoulder.
"I made no such agreement Schnee." he said with cruel smile, "your men will die like the filth they are! Their heads will be skewered and put on display in front of Mantle Keep! With your dead body being paraded through the streets!"
"You...bastard…" she muttered through gritted teeth.
Adam pulled the blade from her shoulder as the wind died down, leaving the field oddly quiet "It's over Schnee." he said, raising his blade one last time.
"NO!"
With a force and ferocity that Weiss had never seen in her, Blake slammed into Adam, sending him flying back across the muddy terrain, her hair whipping about her as the wind picked up with a vengeance, the sky opening up as a war horn sounded behind Weiss and the century came charging across the field, screaming and hollering as they did, Rain pouring down in sheets as the Atlesians went, soaking them to the bone.
"For the Princess!"
"Lightning Flash!"
"URA!"
"Slaughter them!" Adam shouted angrily, his own warriors surging forward, meeting their enemies in the middle of the field, only now there was no shield wall, no lingering concern for personal safety as the soldiers of the Legion leapt into battle, hacking and stabbing wildly and without regard for themselves, shields were forgone for daggers, The centurion himself wielded his Gladius in one hand and his helm in the other, stabbing and bludgeoning any poor soul to get within arms reach.
"Slaughter them all!" the Centurion snarled, quickly dispatching two warriors quickly, slamming his metal helm into another's face, "recover the Princess! COME ON YOU APES, YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER!?*"
"URA!" They replied as they formed a haphazard wall of death between Weiss and Blake, who was busily dispatching White Fang soldiers who were attempting to reach Weiss.
Weiss, renewed by the vigour of her men, forced herself to crawl towards her abandoned weapon, her face contorted with pain as she dragged her useless leg behind her, grabbing her sword and turned around to impale a pouncing white fang soldier through the neck, he let out a strangled, choking cry as she pushed him off, she watched with mixed emotions as he writhed in pain and panic, clutching at the gaping wound until the light left his eyes; with a grunt of effort she stood and pulled the blade from the corpse, "KEEP FIGHTING MEN!" she shouted angrily, blood trailing down the left side of her face, making her look like a vengeful wraith.
"The princess fights on!" the centurion shouted, hoisting an injured private to his feet; shoving a spear into the boys hand he pointed his own weapon to the melee going on in front of them, "stop bleeding and fight!"
"Princess!" someone gasped, making Weiss turn quickly, gritting her teeth as she put weight on her bad leg, Commander Bly had limped out, his bulky armor was gone and he clutched a simple dagger in his left hand, the spear was still in his side, now broken closer to the wound so it wouldn't get in the way, "we...we need to get you out of here."
'No." Weiss said, looking down at the muddy ground hesitantly, before awkwardly squatting and scooping up mud and pressing it into her leg, she let out a grunt of pain as she repeated the process on her shoulder, "that'll hold for now." she gritted out, looking at the commander, "are you good for a fight?"
He hesitantly looked at the fighting, fear and apprehension flashing in his eyes before he set his mouth into a grim line and looked at her, "guess we don't have much of a choice right?"
Weiss smiled wanly, hefting her sword once more as several white fang soldiers came charging at the two.
For the next few minutes Weiss waded through a world of blood and gore, doing all she could from her position to survive, several times she had stumbled and was only saved from the unforgiving ground by Commander Bly, who had needed her help staying up right as well. The two fought on as their numbers dwindled, soon the men were doing all they could to keep the raging sea of enemies at bay, many going back to back with their nearest ally, fending off attacks and killing when they could, Only blake continued to move among the enemy, falling into an almost possessed state as she moved between Faunus, stabbing, slashing, deflecting and parrying all the while engaging Adam when she could.
"Keep fighting men!" the Centurion roared, still dealing death even as an enemy spear shot through his stomach, with a snarl he cleaved the man from shoulder to hip, letting out a cry of pain as another spear pierced through his calf, forcing him to a knee as he pulled the spear from his stomach and shoved it into his attackers chest, "Keep fighting!" he called as two of his juniors dragged him back to their group as blood dripped from his lips, "keep fighting…" he trailed off as they set him down by Weiss, who was leaning against the commander as a private brought his war horn to his lips once more, blowing three sharp notes from it.
"BNNNT! BNNNNT! BNNNT!"
"Can it with the Horn Higgins! And help us fight!" a corporal snapped, slamming his shield into a Mouse Faunus, sending it back into its allies spear.
"What if the horns alerting friendly forces huh?" Higgs argued, blocking a sword strike from his friends blind side and skewering the assailant through the chest.
"Then I'll kiss you full on the mouth when they get here, until then SHUT UP!" he snapped, going back to back with the private as the man raised the horn to his lips once more and sounding those same three notes, and receiving several horns to the South, all sounding off in chorus.
Higgs and the Corporal looked shocked as the white fang stopped their attack as the horns sounded once more.
"Century!" Weiss called, "to me!"
The men quickly withdrew from battle and surrounded Weiss, shields and weapons ready as the white fang turned to the South.
"FOR ATLAS!" The war cry came as a line of horses burst through the tree line, Atlesian Guards and Legionnaires charged onto the battlefield with spears leveled, at their head was Sir Arc, his eyes alight with righteous fury as he leveled Crocea Mors, pointing at their enemy, sitting in front of him was Roran, wearing a helmet that was much too big for him and carrying a small dagger like a sword.
"CHARGE!" he roared as they slammed into the enemy's lines, horses trampling men under foot, spears impaling infantry men as they attempted to move out of the way of the cavalry charge. Men crying and horses shrieking as they were brought down by arrows and javelins, but still the charge continued, and then another cry came up from behind the riders and foot soldiers charged after them, joining the fray With Jora the Bull and Matthias at their forefront, Jora swung the large Warhammer in his hands; crushing chest plates and caving in helmets with each swing of his weapon, Matthias was right beside him, his old Iron blade gl
The soldiers of Mistral rode alongside Jaune, dismounting immediately after breaking the enemy line, the four were fighting in sync, movements like a choreographed dance of blocking, defending, and attacking.
The white fang were now scattered, trying in vain to re-establish their lines to push the enemy back, only for their efforts to be ruined as Jaune continued on his rampage to Weiss.
"I can't believe it." Weiss whispered, staggering slightly to be steadied by Blake on her right side as a force of twenty-five riders approached them, scattering enemy soldiers as they went.
"Believe it," Blake said, a rare smile gracing her features as Ren jumped from his horse, Lin-Chu following him shortly, firing off arrow after arrow against attacking soldiers.
"Weiss!" Ren called worriedly, running towards them.
"See to the men." Weiss said.
"Weiss please-"
"That's an order Ren!" she snapped, the healer hesitated before he turned to the commander, who quickly waved him off to the Centurion, who was lying in the muck with Higgs and the Corporal attempting to stop his bleeding.
"Well met Princess." Lin said, giving her a small dip of the head as their team set up a perimeter around her, "maybe an inappropriate greeting considering the circumstances."
Weiss just gave a dry chuckle, "they're improving." she said as she watched the battle. "Someone give me a horse."
"Ma'am?" Lin asked in surprise.
"We still have close to fifteen men," Weiss started, "and with the twenty-five you brought with you, we can launch an attack on their flank."
Lin blinked, then looked at Ren who shrugged helplessly, "then by all means princess, take my Horse."
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Adam was seething, first he was denied the pleasure of killing the Schnee by his former lover and right hand warrior, then during his fight with said lover his men were attacked from the south by a force lead by a Valesian Knight, and now they were being attacked not only from the South, but also from their Eastern Flank by a small group of warriors led by a now mounted Weiss Schnee.
"Adam! We have to fall back!" his lieutenant called, "our lines are broken! They're pressing the attack!"
"If we fall back we'll never get another chance to kill this Schnee!" Adam snarled.
"And if we don't then we all die! What's worth more? Our men or this bitch!?"
Adam glared across the battlefield to the Princess, who was currently striking down his men with precise attack, surrounded by not only foot soldiers, but cavalry as well.
"Fall back." he growled, "give the order to fall back!"
The lieutenant nodded and started backing up, pulling a horn from his side and letting out a single low blow, soon their men were retreating North.
"We fall back to Castle Utgard," Adam said as he and the lieutenant fell back ,'with luck we could-"
A scream of pure terror tore through the clearing from the north, followed by the howl of ravenous wolves, before Adams very eyes monstrous half men half wolf hybrids were charging into the clearing, tearing his men apart with razor sharp claws and knife like teeth.
The Branwen tribe had entered the fray.
"Kill them!" a short haired woman called out as she entered the clearing, her form changing into one of the monstrous wolves before diving into a group of cowering Faunus with a sick glee.
"Fall back to the west!" Adam called urgently, "retreat!"
"Adam! Watch out!" the lieutenant shouted, pushing him out of the way as one of the wolves lunged.
"Cordaire!" Adam shouted as the jaws clamped shut around the muscular mans shoulder, shaking him violently as the lieutenant pulled a dagger, stabbing it repeatedly in the side of the neck.
"RUN!" Cordiare snarled, "RUN!"
For the first time in Adams life, his nerves failed him and he took off running, ignoring the screams and cries of the dying and stumbling over the dead in a mad dash to the tree line, many of his warriors at his side.
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"Halt!" Jaune called to his riders as they watched their enemies retreat with the Branwen tribe Wolves at their heel. Behind them the fighting died down as the remaining white fang surrendered, falling to their knee's with their hands held high as the rain let up, turning into a fine mist,"Secure the prisoners." he ordered some of the men As Weisses small retinue limped towards them, only Blake seemed to be completely uninjured save for a scratch over her left eye, she rode alongside Weiss on a black stallion, "Princess Schnee!" he hailed her, urging his horse forward to her side, his eyes widening at the state of her armor, now caked in mud and gore, several portions of it were rent open, "you're injured."
"I'm fine." she said tersely, "my injuries can wait," she looked to the men behind Jaune, "those of you with Medical knowledge go assist our wounded!"
"Yes ma'am." several chorused, riding to where Ren was.
"Why didn't you tell me you were doing this?" Jaune asked Weiss quietly, "you know how dangerous it is to leave the castle-"
"You were unconscious every single time I went to see you Sir Arc, you were also injured, still are judging from the blood trailing out of your nostril." she said, making his hand come up quickly, her eyes narrowed as she noticed roran, "and you also brought a child onto the battlefield."
"He wouldn't take no for an answer." jaune muttered, "and i'm fine, no matter what Ren says."
"Indeed." she said, amusement tinging her voice. "Roran, how are you?"
"I'm fine…" he whispered, his eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"Incoming." Lin said, pulling an arrow from his quiver as he watched several wolves approach them.
"Hold your fire." Weiss ordered, turning her horse towards them, "if they wanted us dead they would've simply attacked." she rode forward as one of the wolves transformed, turning back into the short haired woman, fully nude with blood soaking the front of her chin and chest.
"Princess Schnee." she greeted with a demure smile, canines peaking out from her blood stained lips, "my name is Vernal, second hand to Chieftain Branwen."
"I thank you for your help today Vernal," Weiss said, bowing her head to the woman, both to honor her and to avert her eyes from the woman's nudity, "without you, i daresay we would have had much more casualties."
"I did not order my people into battle for you." she said, "the mongrels were retreating North, had I simply let them continue then they would have stumbled onto the tribe, and the safety of the tribe comes first."
"But through your action of protecting your tribe, you also assisted us in this victory." Weiss said, "and for that, I thank you."
Vernal chuckled, "and I thank you for showing us such a spectacle." she said, "never before have I seen feral fighting such as that, and most of my tribe can turn to wolves."
"That fightin' cost many a man their lives." Matthias rumbled, walking up beside Jora, who was pressing a strip of cloth to a gash on his arm, "sixty men rode out of town this mornin, fewer then ten of the originals are left alive."
"Then those ten should be counted as the best among you," Vernal countered, "they survived a battle designed in every conceivable way to wipe them out, and yet they still survive."
Matthias grunted, but said nothing.
"now, " weiss started, bringing her eyes back up to meet Vernal's, "we originally came out with the intent to speak with your Chieftain, in hopes of procuring peace."
Vernal raised an eyebrow, looking to her wolves, then back to Weiss, "I believe, after today, she'd be willing to listen." she said with a grin, "however, I doubt she'd be willing to allow you within a hundred yards of our camp with this many warriors."
"Then I ask that myself and Sir Arc are allowed to continue forward." she said, "along with our Healer Lie Ren and my Hand Maiden Blake."
Vernal mulled it over before nodding, "I believe that will be acceptable."
Weiss nodded and turned to Jora, "I leave you and Matthias in charge of our forces, as well as the prisoners."
"On me honor." Matthias muttered, nodding to Weiss.
"By your command." Jora responded with a large grin.
Weiss looked to the ten men still standing, blood, gore, and mud caked on their once shining armor, eyes tired but satisfied. They all stood at attention as Weiss urged her horse forward.
"You men proved yourselves today." she began, looking at all of them, "I am honored to have fought by your sides today."
"And we were honored to have been lead by you." Higgs said, making the other men nod their heads in agreement.
Weiss smiled, "rest, return to the keep with the others, you've earned it." she looked across the field to where Ren was finishing his treatment of Commander Bly, "Ren!" she called, making the man look up and quickly run over.
"Yes m'lady?" he asked, bowing his head.
"How are the wounded?"
"Most will live." Ren said, "Commander Bly and Centurion Vance are both unconscious, but with a little luck they'll pull through."
"Centurion Vance?" Roran asked worriedly. Weiss looked to the young boy, sympathy flashing in her eyes.
"yes...Centurion Vance." Ren said quietly,
Before anyone could move, Roran had jumped from Jaune's horse and ran towards the injured, "DAD!" he shouted as he ran.
"Matthias-" Weiss started.
"On it m'lady." he muttered, limping after the boy.
Weiss sighed, looking down for a few seconds before turning back to Ren, "Ren, you will accompany us to the camp."
"Yes m'lady…" Ren mumbled, Blake held a hand out to him and helped him onto the back of her horse.
Weiss looked at Vernal and gave a nod, "lead us on."
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Jacques Schnee sat atop his throne, glaring at the wall across from him as Captain Bale delivered the news, "and you're saying these men just...followed the Valesian?"
"Yes your majesty." Captain Bale said from his position in front of the king, Henry Merrigold stood beside him, looking anywhere but the king, "he called them to arms, and rode out instantly, in town he rallied a few more, not many mind you. But enough."
Jacques slowly stood up, walking towards a window, "have you heard anything else?"
"Nothing sir." Bale said truthfully, "none have returned yet...but we can assume the worse."
"Assume the worse." he mused, "maybe…" he turned to look at them, "order the legions back to the keep, if my daughter has lost the fight, then we can expect an attack."
"Your majesty, if I may-" Bale started.
"You may not, captain Bale." he growled, "dismissed."
The two bowed and turned, walking out of the chambers, "you were supposed to go with them Merrigold." Bale muttered to the young man. "I thought you had."
"Commander Bly refused to place me in the retinue when he found out Princess Schnee's Beast was going with her." Henry said, "said he'd rather lose her than me."
"That man is a fool, who's corpse i look forward to see." Bale growled.
"What do you we do now?" Henry asked.
"We bring the legions back into the keep." Bale responded, "and we wait, if by Nightfall no one returns then we know…"
"Will we move tonight?" Henry asked quietly.
"No. if they don't return by nightfall we inform the King that his daughter fell in battle,"
"And if she hasn't?"
"Then we deal with her." Bale said darkly, "but nothing further then that, until we get men closer to Whitley at Castle Black and truly get this ceasefire solidified we can't afford to act. If he escapes then that leaves a figure for the few loyalists to rally behind."
"Understood."
"Until then, you'll be acting captain of the guard, do try and put together a good force, when everything begins I want to make sure we have the upperhand, understood?"
"Understood."
