Inspectre Online.
Went to go play some Advance Wars DS, considered a bit more Monster Hunter Generations when I thought naaah it's FANFIC TIME buddy! Again. 'Bout two hours after I posted the last chapter. Maybe hour and a half. Hoping to start my Advance Wars x RWBY crossover fic this month if that's what I'm going with. Hardly gotten any input when I threw a few ideas out last time but that's okay 'cause that's what hats and paper slips were invented for!
Sidenote. I HATE Black Bombs. Hate 'em. Okay maybe I screwed up big when I accidentally ended my turn instead of moving my units but that was only like 2/5ths the problem. Terra Maw, Sonja. As Eagle. Everything woulda been fine but nooooo. That one totally broken unit is the only thing stopping me from liking Dual Strike more than AW2. Seriously, it's that awful. Low fuel but far movement range and when it explodes, everything within like three tiles loses 5 HP. Max HP for units is 10 and luckily it can't kill them, just drop them down to 1, but STILL. Also it's about as fragile as a paper airplane. Basically a suicide bomb that's expensive as crap. Can completely flip a battlefield over though. If I knew my away around Action Replay and coding I'd find a way to prevent them from being buildable units.
Anyway enough about my gaming woes. It's time to answer mail and start another chapter!
At Beloved Knightmare Union: *does the Pyrrha 'hello again!' thing* *..again 'cause Wynaut* It takes a special talent to pull something like that off. Yang will get more screentime along with Blake in the other sidestory, which won't be as long and will be more connected to their own thing than this story. That said with it being in the same timeframe we will. I purposefully left Ruby out of the trip to her home but that would have been sweet wouldn't it? Yeah, Ruby's already dead and this isn't going to be a Tragedy so.. Yah. Major death, hmmmmm. Weiss not gonna die? HMMMMM. Is he joking? Is he hinting? Is it none of the above? Wait and see. Torture, good thought but nah. And rape, eeeeh I really skirt around that subject. I'll probably never detail something like that, and even referencing it I likely won't do unless it's in an already M+ fic. ..That big of a cliffhanger? Heh. Heheh. HAHA.
...
Yeah it's gonna be frikken' hueg. That's how.
At Fate-chan2015: Oh wow welcome back. Hmmmmmmaybe. I'll put in something sweet in the chapter after this for ya.
At Andilite: Shifty? That's it? Wait until we find out who he reeaally is. It'll blow your flippin' skullmeat. As for Raven well she is a vampire hunter by trade so it's not entirely unbelievable. Plus as she says, Weiss believes it and she personally knows Weiss cares a great deal for Ruby so it's kinda to be inferred that Raven trusts Weiss. No worries!
At djjohns94: I haven't actually seen it but I know what you're talking about so sorta. Just for a bit. There will be a few moments here and there. Believe it or not that's a bit meta, as a reference to a reference. In one of the Blade movies what'shisface is waiting for Blade to get back, waiting in the base and kicking back in a chair as he eats cereal and watches The Powerpuff Girls on a little TV sitting on his workbench. Also I don't mind the length of my A/Ns and people are free to skip 'em if they wanna miss out.
Hey anybody remember that one person that got mentioned for like a paragraph way back a couple chapters ago? Yeah turns out he's kinda, in the words of Charlie the Unicorn, 'pretty freakin' important'. At least for this chapter.
ALSO like I said LAST CHAPTER. This story is gonna take a sharp dark turn. Some of you may or may not cry and be filled with angry 's understandable. Don't drop the story though 'cause you're gonna miss out on how it gets better. A lot of you ditched out and/or raged when I killed Ruby 'cause y'all didn't pay attention when I said this story wasn't gonna end in tragedy, or on a bad note. Kinda not my fault but sorry! You see how that turned out, Ruby isn't permadead so just wait until next chapter!
Might not be until Monday or so depending on my hours. Or might not even be next week. I have to find wifi every spot and after Sunday we go to Lebanon, Tennessee. I'll be working on it of course buut actually posting it.. Yeah. I could have it done tomorrow (not) but if I don't have internet I can't upload it.
Clack. Clack. Clack. The bag was in hand, her pace swift as she entered Graham's room. Hopefully for one of the last few times. Ruby's blood.. The smell enticed her even from inside its container but she knew she could not succumb to desire and drink it. Her eyes adjusted to the pale light before the skeletal one came into view. Glad was she to see that he was studiously at work, various boney limbs doing things like grinding up ingredients or mixing various substances. Two- Wait, four. No six. Eight? It looked like he had modified himself to support three extra sets of arms for the frenetic work he was undertaking and didn't even spare so much as a glance back when Weiss arrived.
"Oh good, you've obtained the most crucial part. Now I require the minotaur blood. I assume you don't have that yet which would be a good thing as it does need to be rather fresh. All the ingredients do really but this one especially so."
She looked at him rather skeptically. There was no jesting humor in his tone, no witty snarkasm or rampant references being made. Graham actually seemed.. Serious. Not that she was going to complain. Far better that he stay this way in her opinion.
"Just set it down with the rest of the things. Now, before you depart I need to give you two items. You'll most definitely need the first and the second.. I'm not entirely sure. You are the daughter of the Ice Tyrant but even so I feel your next foe will be a bit of a problem.."
"You know my father?" She asked curiously, carefully placing the bag on top of one of the boxes. ..Who was this creature? Such vast and rare knowledge, purported magic power..
"We go back quite a bit. Actually we were once enemies. I attempted to defeat him and claim ownership of this castle after I'd already defeated the matriarch and patriarch of the Zahne family, but Tundra.. He's an incredible enemy but I don't think I need to tell you that." He chuckled. "I was faced with destruction or salvation at the cost of my freedom and so I chose the latter, and I've been entombed here ever since."
"I knew you weren't just some inane thrill-seeking necromancer." Weiss crossed her arms, tapping her foot with an expectant look on her face. "Spill it. What are you really after here? You don't gain anything from helping me, unless.. Father ordered you to?" It was a logical assumption to make but not one she entirely believed. Despite looking like the most pissed-off vampire to ever stare at the sun for too long his heart still beat with a love for his children. Even so..
"Oh no, though he did approve of this little experiment. Under conditions. That's a secret though Ms. Schnee. For me to know and if this works out, for you to find out." The way his hollows glowed with the same kind of green light cast by the moon above the grounds made her uneasy but she hid it well, ignoring his low laughter. Reaching for something on the altar where presumably Ruby's new body was still being created, he reached back and held out something. Whatever he had said he was going to give her it seemed. As she took them and looked them over, a glass flask with a mouth shaped like a set of animalistic jaws and a form fitting cork and a box about the width of her head, he explained. "Put the minotaur's blood in that flask, it's specially made for a reason. The box.. I suggest you don't open it unless you run into serious trouble. It's.. Hrm. How do I put this? It's basically a 'press X to not die' button."
The vampiress narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he was trying to be funny. Sensing what she might be thinking he'd continue before she had a chance to ask anything.
"I don't know how modern you vampires have become but I've been keeping a close watch on both human and inhuman societies through my cult. It's somewhat of a reference to some of those 'video games' where you quickly perform an action to prevent immediate death or injury, or some kind of failure. You'll figure out what the item in that box is for when you open it, but don't use it unless you have to. It's a Zahne family relic and can be quite exhausting if you're not used to activating it."
"It's an emergency item then."
"Pretty much. You're going to that place aren't you? The Red Devil's Den, where King Adam's tribe claims territory."
That explained a lot of things, like how he knew what was going on on the outside or how he could even possibly presume to know where she'd try to obtain minotaur blood from. If Graham knew her father then he also knew of the conflict between Adam's tribe and the Schnee family. Which while the minotaurs themselves weren't a major threat on their own, that man-beast's rise to power made them more unified and more powerful. Plus the minotaur king himself was an opponent they were forced to recognize. At least he stayed on the edge of Vale and never came near Atlas or the Zahne castle.
"I don't know if you plan on fighting him or not, but consider obtaining his blood a secondary objective. It doesn't HAVE to be his and I don't want you putting yourself in unnecessary danger but if you do attempt to do so.. Be careful. If worst comes to worst, use that relic to escape. I highly advise against actually trying to slay him yourself. You could inflict some wounds for what you need but as far as defeating him in single combat.."
"I fear no enemy, but I know when it's proper to engage and when to retreat. Thank you Graham, I'll be back soon."
Her cape swished behind her as she turned to walk away, still holding the flask and box in hand. She put the flask away while continuing to look over the box which was clearly quite old and had the four winged bat symbol on it. What could possibly be inside..? According to what Graham had said she hoped she didn't have to find out. For the brave face she put on she did feel some nervousness at facing the mighty minotaur king. Much like the orcs or the vikings while they appeared savage and bloodthirsty, they were actually quite cultured and weren't as dumb or as violent as people thought. Not without good reason.
As she disappeared down the hall and soon from the world the skeleton paused. Without any kind of word, motion, anything akin to a summons a robed figure warped into being behind him into a one knee kneeling position.
"My liege."
"The demon thinks he's being clever but I can feel his taint around her. Undoubtedly.. Hmm. ..Here's what I'll have you do."
Something akin to incomprehensible disembodied speech and a hollow whisper came from Graham, the necromancer nodding and then rising before warping away again. This left the lich to stare blankly ahead before turning back to the altar. Now where were those bones? Reaching for something on the other side when his hand accidentally knocked a case to the floor he reached down to pick it up, some kind of jewelry falling to the ground with a clink as it had incidentally opened.
"Hm? What's this..? Wait. If this is the Suncross then what's in the- ..Ohh dear this isn't good."
...
*outside the Zahne castle's bridgeway*
...
"-and I would've loved to see a second movie. Maybe the new planet they made and the return of the Drej or something?"
"You know how most movie sequels turn out."
"C'mon, think about it. Titan- Oh helloooo."
The two dullahan knights paused their conversation to glimpse a woman walking towards them. A rather attractive blonde dressed like a secretary from some rich company, modest maroon skirt and black stockings, a white button up shirt with only a few buttons undone, and silver dress shoes that clicked on the wooden bridge as she moved. Her hair was up in a bun and a pair of glasses resting in front of piercing hazel eyes. Eyes that looked between the two males accompanied by a friendly smile as she stopped upon their request for identification.
"Natasha Veisen. A representative of the Crossbreaker faction-" Blades were drawn and held at angles but she kept speaking. "-and I wish to speak with the heads of the family." No wonder she managed to step through the fog shrouding the ground level of the castle, or had the nerve to walk through supernatural lands such as these. No humans ever did so so she must be a vampire in disguise.
"Crossbreakers.. You've got some incredible guts to come here after attacking one of the Zahne princesses." The first knight growled, a mix of blue and white flames filling his eyes as his sword began to crackle with black lightning. It dissipated quickly when the woman revealed herself as a member of the reformists however. The other didn't lower his guard so easily.
"Reformists..?"
"They used to be a unified coven but there have been rumors of infighting and divides, the old ones becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans and the others either not sharing in their violence or converting to the practice of coexistence."
"I assure you I am of the far latter, and wish to come clear up the details of those rumors with the Zahne family. We are sorry about that incident and would like to inform the masters that not all of us ally ourselves with those rather spiteful monsters. I wish there was something we could do about them but the treaty.. We cannot act against them without provocation, or if they've been found to be unjustly attacking humans without the purpose of feeding.."
"Rank politics, don't get me started." The man turned and nodded towards his partner, who with clear cynicism calmed himself and sheathed his own weapon before opening the portcullis. Natasha would bow her head politely and then head for the castle. "Another knight will escort you to them. It's merely a mandatory formality but one must be at your side at all times. I hope you understand."
"Of course."
...
The two dullahans watched her enter, the door closing behind before the first then shook his head. "Wish I could go out and find me a woman like that. Talk about sway, hooo. Hey, where are you goin'?"
"To take proper precautions." The second said curtly, giving the female vampire about two minutes to be inside before he went in himself. Distrust was written on his helmet covered features in bold capital letters.
"You're just bein' paranoid. Besides, she couldn't possibly pull anything in a place like this. If she did she'd be killed thirty times before she hit the floor. ..Great, guess I have to be the doorman." He grumbled, his armor glowing white for a moment as he phased through the metal portcullis and stood by the lever.
...
It was rather impressive. The sheer age of this castle was immeasurable by the naked eye, dating back at least several thousand years. Not only other blutsaugrs but also the shambling dead and other types of undead walked amongst them. The headless knights, peerless with steel, the robed ones that reeked of death and the decaying arts, and the woman would have sworn she heard the whispers of a banshee floating outside the upper levels of the grand building. Currently she was being taken to the royal hall where the closest family members tended to congregate, but as luck would have it she and her escort were intercepted by a dashing figure with dark and spiked silver hair..
"Prince Loue!" Immediately the knight saluted, awaiting acknowledgement from the boy before going at ease.
"Hmm.. I have to ask what kind of promotion you acquired to tend to such a lovely flower." His charm was turned up to 8 as he flashed Natasha a grin and a wink, receiving an amicable smile in return.
"She's here to speak with the masters about a sensitive matter sir."
"Well.. How unfortunate. My other parents are away on a honeymoon and father isn't here at the moment. Princess We- Zahne is off on some errand and my other siblings had something important to take care of." Whoopsie. He'd almost slipped up and used her first name. Around an outsider that was a big nono.
"I see. Very well then, I shall remain with her until such a time as she departs or one of them arrives."
"No need, I'll see to her safety." Loue affirmed. Her guard made a bit of an 'uhh' sound but when the woman wasn't looking he flicked a gold coin into a piece of exposed flesh through a gap in his armor and made shooing expressions with his hand. Without another word the two were left alone and the prince would take her hand, pressing his lips gently to the top. "Prince Loue of the Zahne royal family. Might I humbly ask your name?"
"Oh my, a true prince charming. Natasha." She replied, giggling at his display. "I take it you'll be my new 'gardener'?"
"For such a fine and vibrant young flower you are I'd have taken his head for the privilege."
Now switched up to 9, and seemingly working his charm had her following as he lead her away from the royal hall and towards the top of the castle into its four spires. He really didn't have any ulterior intentions in mind in doing so but how he did like to be the ladies man. It was a fun little game to him, one that he made sure his partners enjoyed. Perhaps he could also fish out whatever she was going to speak to the heads about. The soldier had regarded it as sensitive so it must be something important and Loue had an inkling as to what.. Some might think he was trying to bed the vampiress but it was one of the few places one could be guaranteed privacy to talk about such a thing.
The prince took his time in bringing her there, also playing tour guide as a fellow vampire of a high ranking coven would be able to appreciate the majesty of the place they lived in. She was amazed at everything, from the magnitude of its construction to its actual age which Loue stated to predate even his grandfather's existence as well as the surrounding landscape. A permanent eclipse.. That had to be an immensely strong and ancient magic at work.
Finally they reached the top of the living quarters, the young vampire leading her by the hand still towards his room. Natasha however ceased following him and would glance on down the hall towards another's. The at present three knights stationed there carefully watched them without making it obvious they were doing so, being of the utmost disciplined class with the prestige to guard the masters they weren't the type to start gossiping and giggling like monkeys in front of such a scene.
"Come my dear, my living area is this way."
"Err, pardon me prince but could I inquire which room belongs to the lady that was attacked by our nefarious kin?" Natasha asked innocently. When Loue pointed out Weiss' door she then looked towards it wistfully, clicking her tongue. "I'd have hoped to speak to her personally as well. If it's not too much of a problem.. Might we wait there?"
"You'll find it much more pleasant in my own quarters. I stock the finest wine and my interior decorating sense is much greater than my sister's.." He said with a scoff, blowing a few locks away from his face. When the woman gave him a bit of a pout he conceded, running a hand through his hair. What harm could it do? Plus there was the hook, now for the line and sinker.. "Very well. Though in exchange.. I'd like to know of what you speak. I could not get any answers from her myself but I assume you speak of the incident with the Crossbreakers."
"Yes, that is indeed the case." Natasha let out a forlorn sigh, adjusting her glasses.
"I see. Ladies first.."
"Prince Loue, Princess Zahne asked explicitly that nobody be allowed into her room unless she is present." Or not.
"Hmm? Did she now? Well that complicates things."
"Oh do be a dear and let us in won't you? Even if we promise not to-"
"No. Access is prohibited."
Shut down like an E-stop switch she bit her lip as Loue explained trying to reason with them wouldn't work. These were handpicked paladins of the dullahan class undead, and were incredibly strict. They followed orders without question and were capable of enforcing them rather easily if pushed. Which made it convenient because it would work in his favor..
"Except to another royal. As a born member of the Zahne family I request that you give me entrance."
"Sir."
"I'll deal with my sister. Do as I say before I make it a demand."
"Yes sir."
With a bit of a smirk Loue bowed his head and motioned with both arms for Natasha to enter as the room was opened for her, and despite their stubbornness the lady still beamed at the quarter guards. She got disdainful looks in return but nothing more as they moved back to their posts in silent overwatch.
Closing the door behind them the prince watched as she took a long look around, jokingly wondering aloud if a female's room just simply felt more at home for her. Which she answered rather humorously by asking if he'd never been in a female's room before.
"Don't let my boyish charm fool you my fair lady, you and I both know I'm older than I look."
"Oh? Hmhm.. Tell me, does age come with.. Experience?" Swiftly but not roughly the woman took ahold of his cloth and used it to push him into a sitting position on the bed, straddling him and bringing one hand up to his face. The sudden action admittedly made him both a little heated and a little uncomfortable at the same time.
As he felt his cheeks turn a bit pink he tried to keep his composure, confidently looking her back in the eyes and proclaiming that he had enough of both. How did things end up like this? It really hadn't been what he was aiming for but he wasn't sure if he should complain or not. Loue then winced as he felt one of her fingernails just barely cut into his face along the side, just enough to be both a bit pleasurable and painful.
"Such a handsome young man, so well mannered.. ... ..Heh. So foolish."
His heart skipped a beat. The cheerful and friendly smile from before twisted into a devious and malicious smirk as Natasha then leaned and pushed him flat on the bed. Something was wrong, very wrong. Loue went to get up but found that his upper body muscles weren't responding as they should. His legs were starting to lose their feeling as well. He was paralyzed and unable to do anything but breathe. The cut- Her nails were poisoned.
"I should thank you for being so kind, so.. Thank you. I did really enjoy your company but you drew the short straw. It's a pity you have to die. I can't have you revealing me after all. Such a shame, the prince of the Zahne family poisoned in his sister's room. Supposedly it happened when a member of the Crossbreakers came. Which of them can really be trusted these days, hm..?"
He watched or rather listened in horror as the vampiress got up and began walking around the room. It took her only a few seconds to find what she was looking for but when she did..
Ruby jerked awake, becoming very alert and very aware someone was picking up the ice mirror her soul was housed in. At first the girl smiled thinking that it'd be Weiss' face to greet hers as she looked out of the mirror's edge. That smile quickly became a look of horror as pitch black eyes bore into her silver ones, accompanying a deviant smile. "Found you.."
She screamed. In a split second the door exploded coming off of its hinges in pieces as the three paladin knights stormed into the room. Their weapons were brandished amidst flying sparks of black electricity as their eyes filled with fire, slowly spreading out and around Natasha. Even with the odds stacked against her she looked ever so joyous to see them. The first swing split the wall behind her as an onyx crescent wave emerged from the tip of the knight's blade, showering the area with sparks. Had she not turned her body and leaned aside it would have bisected her from top to bottom. Cackling, her fingers would twitch and crack as the darkness within her eyes began to creep out onto the skin around them like tendrils. As the woman began to rise into the air her voice would call out in a sweetly sickening reverberation.
"Let us play.."
...
...
"Excuse me! Ma'am!"
"Ah!"
The female jumped as someone called to her, running quickly to her side before looking around.
"I don't recognize you.. Where is your escort? All outside persons must be accompanied by one of the Twilight Knights or a member of the royal house."
"Oh I'm terribly sorry. I was following the one calling himself Prince Loue but he suddenly had some urgent business to take care of and sent me to find someone. Would you please take me to the castle exit? I suppose I'll have to meet with the masters at some other time."
"Er.. Very well then. I'll see you to the bridge."
The vampiress beamed, falling in line after the knight and tucking a blackened mirror under her arm. It pulsed a few times every couple of seconds but nothing could be heard from its screaming occupant, even as her phantasmic hands pounded on the edge from the inside..
...
*the outskirts of Vale in a heavily wooded area*
...
Refreshing. That was one word for it. The trees were thick and healthy with canopies that a healthy amount of sunshine could stream through, clear rivers coursing through the fertile earth as the grass brushed across her ankles with every step. The air itself was remarkably clean and had a good scent. If it weren't for the most pressing matter of obtaining the final ingredient for Ruby's resurrection she'd have considered sitting down to simply enjoy and partake in the splendor of this area of nature.
"I didn't think places like this still stood. Not around human settlements.. *sniff* ..Getting closer."
The stench that suddenly pervaded the air on a level imperceptible to humans had Weiss change her course a bit, fondling the flask in her hand in anticipation. Her objective was a mantra repeated in her head as if she'd forget along the way. Kill a few minotaurs, get their leader's blood somehow, then bolt like a bat out of Hell. As much as she wanted to simply tear his head away from his shoulders, she knew it was more than likely she wouldn't be able to take him head on.
King Adam the Vengeful. A notoriously powerful minotaur that awhile back forcefully wrested control of this tribe and became its warchief as well as its leader. The result? A stronger and more unified tribe that no longer had to live nomadically between the countries and could stake claim on their own territory. Sure it was still between Atlas and Vale but now they no longer were threatened by other nomads or invaders and had a permanent residence. King Adam himself was infamous for his ferocity in battle and his ability with a sword. Unlike most minotaurs who used large hammers, maces, cannons, and axes, he used a massive tower sword for fighting. He also had the totem of the tribe, the war axe Tarvos, although it was more of a ceremonial piece than an actual weapon and only used for special rituals.
Rituals like executing captured trespassers into his lands, which in the past had consisted of vampires. One or two of which had been members of the Schnee/Zahne family. Retaliation had been swift and brutal, and left both sides regretting their aggression. Neither dared stray too close to the homes of the other nowadays with an exception every now and then. Weiss knew of the history between her family and the tribe of course and thus had no compunction in making them her target for her last objective.
She did however realize the dangers of trying to fight such a beast so instead of that, she'd find a way to get close hopefully without antagonizing him and then quickly attack, draw the blood she needed and somehow get it into the flask, and then escape. It was a great idea she thought. No real fighting needed.
Except it sounded like someone was already fighting, judging by the bellows of a minotaur and the snarls of something beast-like coming up ahead oh say forty yards or so. Form coalescing into a shadowy spiral it ascended up the closest tree to reform where she could then proceed to jump and glide across the branches unseen. It wasn't another minotaur so perhaps it was hunting something. It wasn't often their kind hunted the normal way, they tended to use traps or large crossbows so hearing the sounds of clashing steel made the vampiress curious.
When she finally got close enough to view the combatants Weiss was in for a surprise. Standing tall and wielding a huge eight foot sword was a beastly looking humanoid with copper colored fur, a darker spiky mane of it flowing from the back of its head to its waist where an equally spiky tail swished back and forth. He, judging by the shape of his musculature, clearly held the upper clawed hand as he swung his sword and knocked away the battleaxe the minotaur was carrying. It let out another loud bellow, watching its weapon hit the ground before looking back to its opponent. Just in time to catch the blade with its face, burying down to the neck and almost splitting its head in two. With a sick wrenching sound the blade was pulled free and shook off as the monster fell dead to the dirt.
Realizing that there were no more of the creatures to kill nearby the canine humanoid then stuck his sword into the earth, fur shedding and disappearing as his large frame shrunk down a bit to something more normal for a human. White streaks filled his hair which now came to his shoulders, ears rounding out as his muzzle turned into a regular human face. When it was all said and done there stood a familiar figure, clad in naught but a pair of black jeans, black gloves, and a studded collar. A 6'7" figure that she'd swear she met before..
"..Would you quit starin'? Never seen a man's body before?"
That attitude and the way he hefted that oversized piece of metal over his shoulders.. And that scent of dog. Blech. It could be none other than Rave Pitch, the husky (as in dog variety) male werekin from the night she met Raven. Right off the bat they had a bit of a rough meeting but it seemed underneath the rocky exterior he was something of a decent person.
Still didn't do any favors for how Weiss viewed him which was from a distance until he looked up directly at her, clarifying he was speaking to the princess.
"Sheesh. About time you showed up too. So ya gonna take some of this before it dries up or what?" The male asked, poking the dead minotaur with his bare foot. Wait. Was he talking about.. He couldn't. There was no way he could know. Unless somehow he found out from Raven?
"I'm not quite sure what you mean.." Total lie and a test of the waters.
"She shoulda said somethin' earlier.. Tch. Listen, let's just say I owe somebody and they asked me to come here and kill one of these things for you. Can't say who-"
"Mrs. Branwen."
"Yeah pretty much." Rave admitted without any attempt at denial. "She sounded pretty upset on the phone.. Besides, I couldn't tell her no anyway. Ever tell ya we went to school together?"
"Something along those lines was mentioned. Listen, Rave. I do truly appreciate the help but this isn't what I seek." He cocked his head, looking between the body and then here a few times before asking why she was there in the first place if she wanted minotaur blood. "What I want is the blood of their leader."
"Oh, alright. ..Wait you want WHAT? Are you frickin' crazy kid?" Twitch.
"For the last time don't call me a child, and I'm not crazy! ..It's just a bit personal is all. That said, I suggest you don't come after me. I plan to get what I need and then be gone. I'm not staying to carry you out or actually fight him."
"Just snatch some of his blood out of spite so you can taunt him about it?"
Weiss smirked. That sounded like a good plan, however she needed the blood for a far greater purpose. Still she could go on to laugh about it later.
"I still say you're crazy. Even I wouldn't wanna get near that guy."
"Then just go home with your tail between your legs. I'm not asking you to hold my hand here or get yourself involved in my affairs." Whoosh. Just like that Weiss was gone. Over a growl he would watch her back fade into the forest beyond before turning around. Fair point she made there. Wasn't his problem. All Raven asked him to do was come take down one of the minotaurs so Weiss wouldn't get herself killed trying to do it herself. Not like he had any personal motivations to go any further than that.
Which is why he cursed himself for turning back around a few minutes after he'd started walking away, bolting in the opposite direction. She'd never let him hear the end of it if she found out he ditched her in this place and the girl never came back.
...
...
As he made his way through the forest and towards the den of the minotaur tribe Rave started to notice a few things. Not that he could ignore them since they stuck out like flaming sore thumbs that were quite literally on fire except in this case they were more.. Freezing sore. Frozen solid. The way along to the warren was basically littered with various 'sculptures' of minotaurs encased in ice, no doubt the handiwork of the Schnee girl. That actually impressed him considering that in his eyes she looked like one of those spoiled princesses one saw in movies. Then again he'd never seen her fight, only heard a few things here and there about the members of the Zahne family.
When he finally reached the entrance it was to the sight of yet another beast-kin becoming her next magical arts and crafts project, roaring as ice worked its way out from a frozen lance that had stuck into her back from the ground. Two others were heavily weighing their options, simply rushing in no longer one that was being considered after the third had already just demonstrated how badly that could turn out.
"Grrrah! What do you want, vermin?" One shouted, waving his great maul at her.
"What I want is to meet with your leader, Adam. I know he's here.." Weiss spat, looking down at them with disdain. Figuratively speaking. Even the shortest of their kind so far had been no less than seven feet tall.
"That is King Adam to you, bloody maggot spawn!
"Watch your tone, I might not leave you in one piece like I graciously have your fellows.."
That instantly shut him up and he would look over towards the other one, snorting and shaking his head. He really didn't want to be frozen period but still.. Against their better judgement the two put their weapons up and would turn to walk further inside the cave, indicating that she should follow. From behind the rocky outcropping he'd been leaning against to watch Rave stepped over to her, arms crossed with his sword dangling diagonally on a sling he'd tied around his chest.
"I recall someone telling me that they'd have to be quite insane to come here."
"Oh bite me lady. You owe me big time for this."
"I'm afraid I don't possess any currency but I just might have a bone I could throw you."
"I'd say I got one too but I don't go for pipsqueaks like you."
Thus began the start of a beautiful friendship as they and snipped at eachother. Together they followed after the minotaurs, delving further than either of them would have liked. Weiss herself was starting to think she was going to regret not simply taking the first blood sample she could have and ran. Why was she doing this again..? Her and Ruby's lives weren't worth fulfilling some petty vendetta..
There was no turning back now unless they wanted to run for their lives, pride withholding that option. She and Rave both earned disgusted and derogatory looks from the other beastmen dwelling in the den but their two escorts guaranteed none of them would do anything stupid too. The man was starting to think he smelled a trap when they finally breached a large opening in the tunnel, and what await them was something Weiss was both glad and afraid to see.
King Adam the Vengeful himself. Standing at around ten feet tall he didn't look like most of his brethren. For one his dress was different. Unlike the assorted fur, hide, leather, and cloth of their own outfits he wore a lot of bone armor over minimal decency covering hide. What it was made from the vampiress had no clue but it was compiled together from several different large creatures, bound around him with many leather straps and composed of shinguards, a chestplate, pauldrons, vambraces, and a skull mask shaped much like his own head. The upper half anyway. Being a minotaur he had cloven hooves and digitigrade legs, the shortest layer of fur covering them and a paintbrush style tail swishing about agitatedly as he looked down upon the two from on his earthy rock-carved throne bedecked with totems. His chest and arms had no such fur but were marked all around with red tribal tattoos, as was his his mask which had two holes for the long and imposing horns jutting from his bull-like head. Red tufts of fur topped it, the same color as his tail.
And from him exuded an air of dominance and might, one that put both Rave and Weiss on edge as they were beckoned to approach. There were several dozen.. At least twenty other minotaurs gathered in the room along the circular wall. Those weren't good odds.. Especially since the warchief sitting on his throne was clearly not pleased by the way he snorted and his muscles tightened.
"So.. A leech and a mutt, the next ones to come waltzing into my domain like they own the place.. I assume you have a very good reason for it since you're not still trying to kill the rest of my brethren." He spoke with ire unhidden and unbidden in his tone. Doing her best to swallow her nerves Weiss would nod and step forward.
"I do. He's simply a tagalong."
"Hey what-"
"I've come to make a request."
The king looked at her for several moments without saying anything before reaching up to scratch his chin, ears twitching.
"A request? Pah! What makes you think you have any right to do such a thing? Aside from what you've done, I've no reason to oblige a creature like you. Although.. Maybe if you can get on all fours and ask nicely.." The male spoke with what she felt was a condescending smirk. She know how to play his game and how to play him. After all they were such an easy species..
"Really now, and here I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to fight another Schnee."
This had Rave wide-eyed and a wave of voices started up as the minotaurs started suddenly speaking amongst themselves. A Schnee? Weren't they a royal vampire family over in Atlas? One of the few known in any degree to the public, though some of their members never revealed themselves as such. The discussion was reaching a loud crescendo when King Adam slammed his fist on the arm of his throne and called for silence, leaning forward and narrowing his gaze at Weiss.
"Schnee.. The audacity.. How DARE you set one foot inside my home! I blatantly refuse whatever it is that you seek. Consider yourself graced by the spirits that I have been in quite the good mood lately and might consider letting you leave alive if you beg for your pathetic life."
"What I request is a duel. One on one. You and I, and nobody else." She responded, crossing her arms and awaiting his answer. Which she knew already what it was going to be before she even asked. She could practically hear the cogs whirring in his head. They clicked rather swiftly and before she knew it he was up off of his seat and pulling a ridiculously huge tower sword from behind it, the handle thick enough to bludgeon a man to death and the blade even bigger than the one on Rave's own sword. It gleamed, shining red from being made of an almost translucent red crystal and thrummed with a mystic power as he drug it on the way to them. The weredog took a few cautious steps back as Adam approached. Weiss herself was internally screaming and sweating bullets, looking up at the incredibly muscular and fearsome beastman but she didn't back down. To some very little degree he admired that, and chuckled hoarsely as he in turn looked down at her.
"..Hh. I've no time to waste dirtying my hands with a brat. You wouldn't even be entertainment." Crud. That was something else she considered but she didn't think he'd really take that option. The minotaur king turned, walking away with a snort as he raised his free hand up and clenched it. All of a sudden there was another chorus, bellows and grunts coming from every direction as the horde dug their hooves into the ground and shook/lowered their heads like they were about to charge. Weapons were drawn and raised, Rave spinning around and holding his sword up at an angle.
"Well it was nice knowin' ya. Hope you know how to throw down."
"Don't be so dramatic.. Just watch."
As they started to advance, some barreling down recklessly and some simply running Weiss held up her palm and took a deep breath. Both eyes were closed before she placed it over the black and red one, holding her head and wincing as magic power began to surge around her. Then her other eye opened and Rave would swear it was actually glowing.. And then it released.
A deathly cold chill erupted from her being in every direction, expanding outwards to fill the room as ice began to grow in its wake. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, everything was coated in a layer of frost no less than two or three inches thick. As it swept over the charging beasts they too were instantly coated in ice, affixed where and how they stood. Even the great King Adam felt the icy wave as it washed over his back, a simple flex breaking the layers before they could fully form. He spun back around with a furious roar, his weapon leaving a gash in the newly formed ice floor as it came around with him.
"You.. I will utterly destroy you for this transgression! I'll leave not even your cursed ashes behind!"
"Hey uh.. He looks kinda mad."
"Oh.. You don't say..?"
Rave caught her as she stumbled backwards, her eye back to normal and the other open again as she tried to catch her breath. What the Hell was that? More importantly could she do it again? It seemed not as she was struggling to stay awake just after using it.
"Don't go dying on me now. Or- Oh crap here he comes!" The man reached up for his weapon's hilt just as shadows rose to swallow them, pulling them down and slipping underneath behind the warchief as his sword came up and over to smash into the area they'd just been standing. It split, chunks of ice flying everywhere from the impact.
"Grr.. Despicable wretch. You won't leave here alive!" Something was taken from his belt, some kind of horn that he blew for several seconds. Runes writ across the instrument glowed and then suddenly a widespread series of sigils inscribed into the surfaces underneath the ice all began to do the same.
"No.. A barrier.." Weiss gasped, her eyes widening.
"A- We're stuck here!?"
"I'll meet your challenge, Schnee welp! The mutt as well, it makes no difference!"
The vampiress forced herself to stand, pushing away from Rave as they both jumped aside. Otherwise they would have been utterly obliterated by the flying sword that was thrown their way. He actually threw it and with precision, the wind coming off it brushing over them as it whistled pass and smashed into the wall before falling by the throne.
As Rave took a stance with his blade held up out in front of him at an angle, Weiss looked around. The exit, even though it was clearly not blocked off, she could tell they wouldn't be passing it. Not without breaking the enchantment on the room. The only way they'd be doing that.. Well she wasn't exactly a mage of that field of study. The only way was to kill the enraged warchief. It seemed despite Graham's warnings they were going to have to battle him anyway.
She was really starting to regret letting her distaste for the male get the better of her but right now her entire focus was being shifted towards how to defeat the barbarous bull-man in front of them. Charging straight for Rave he attempted to run him right over, the weredog having none of it as he tried to take him down at the legs with a horizontal cleave. For his bulk and size Adam was surprisingly fast and because of its width got an easy catch on the flat side with his hoof, shoving it to the ground before it could connect. Then he punched him across the room and into the wall, leaving a nicely large crater in the ice as the man hit the floor.
"..Weak. This blade however.. I must concede you've a respectable amount of strength to wield such a fine weapon. Not that it will do you any good." Again he charged, again Rave was up to meet him before something tripped him by tugging on his ankle. Both of the minotaur's fists came down into the wall where his head had been a moment prior, showering them both with cold fragments and breaking all the way through to the rock behind it. Rave then lashed out with both legs, shoving him back with a kick to the stomach before hopping up and trucking into him. ..Except while he boasted a comparable amount of strength that the king still yet outmatched him on, the king was also a lot heavier. Thus he didn't even budge and would grab the weredog male before slinging him back and forth into the floor by his leg, tossing back clear across the room where he slid to a stop at Weiss' feet.
"Are you quite done?" The princess asked, leaning over and looking down at him with her arms still crossed.
"Bite.. Me.. Kid.."
"With your permission. I can try one more thing before we run out of options. Well.. I run out of options. You're free to continue trying to wrestle that monstrosity."
"Uh.. ..." That had been a joke and she took it seriously. It was common knowledge however that vampires got a temporary boost to their powers and abilities when they fed, but.. "You sure you wanna do that? I don't think he's gonna let us catch a break."
"I'll take care of that. Now hold still."
They both glanced to the side as they heard another mighty roar as well as the grinding of crystal on ice. Adam had retrieved his huge sword and was charging as fast as he could, dragging it along and slowly raising it for an attack. Weiss suddenly lifted her hand, palm out, and then clenched it as she punched the floor. Rapidly a dome of ice grew around the two of them and long pikes would jut from the outside, shorter barbed spearheads dotting in between them like some kind of barbed bunker. Letting out a derisive snort the minotaur king gave it one good whack with the flat side of his blade, breaking off a few before reaching back with it. Red sparks began to dance across its great surface..
...
"H-Hurry up and get this over this."
"Not embarrassed, are you Mr. Pitch? It's not like I'm doing this because I want to, in fact I might just get sick and die from whatever you might have rolled around in last."
"Seriously, hurry up dammit!" *crunch* The whole dome shook and a few cracks could be seen from the inside. Taking a breath Weiss would kneel down, grabbing his shoulders and burying her fangs into his neck. He let out a groan that she really wouldn't have minded not ever hearing as she started to feed, taking in his blood as fast as possible. It.. Wasn't actually all that terrible. In fact it was quite hearty, as if one were eating a juicy steak. Of course it wasn't as good as Ruby's had been but it was up there. Though she'd take that little opinion to the grave. Her power was returning, enough for what she planned to do and just that. If not.. Well she didn't want to think about the consequences.
...
"Come out.. Come out and face me! Or do you feel content to hide in your little hole like some kind of insect? I'll gladly crush you like one if that's what you prefer!" Adam roared. He lifted his sword up high for another empowered smash from its broadside and had almost connected when the dome exploded in his face, forcing him back a few paces to brush embedded shards from where they had managed to reach through his armor and exposed flesh.
What started to emerge from within brought a chill up his spine. It was dark, twisted, unholy. Something that had once been Weiss Schnee and was now a stretching gaunt figure with blackened skin and glowing red eyes. She didn't seem to be wearing anything but the darkness covered her like a second skin, white spikes, claws, teeth, and bones all visible as she rose. Ten.. Fifteen.. Twenty.. She/It was starting to dwarf him, long spine-like claws long as his arms flicking and twitching as it let out a blood-curdling gurgle. Like some kind of ghostly baby. Long white hair billowed in the release of a constant force as her mouth opened wide, wider than should be normal and she let out a haunting scream that chilled him to the core. Even Rave, her ally, was looking at her like she became a possessed demon and in appearance that was somewhat of a good comparison. As Weiss started to descend on the shaking minotaur both sets of claws reached out, the tips edging closer to him..
*SLAM*
His fist came flying up, striking right below the center of the horrifying figure and sending something crashing into the ceiling before dropping to the ice with a crunch. The once hideous apparition then faded away like smoke as the shadow magic dissipated.
"Insolent. You forget I have faced the Schnees before and lived to tell the tale! I know of your ice magic and your shadow weaving.. My heart beats with a fury too hot to freeze! I do not feel fear, I instill it! Remember this in whatever Hell you go to when I take your head!
Adam had just about to chop Weiss in half as she lay on the ground, cradling her bloody jaw and silently lamenting what felt like a missing fang or two when something cold and sharp pierced his side and threw off his aim. "Well that didn't friggin' work! Any more tricks you can pull out of your magic hat princess?" Rave yelled sarcastically, wrenching free the still mostly intact ice spear and again trying to stab the minotaur king with it.
"Ooouuch.. I'm going to feel that for awhile. Damn.. Damn it! What else can I do?!" Weiss yelled at herself, still holding her head as she staggered to her feet. Her temporary partner was doing his best to keep the beastman occupied with a handful of makeshift spears before he drew his attention and ran to go get his own sword back. There was a sharp pain in her side and she clutched it, feeling something amiss there. Broken bones? No, that wasn't- The box. The one Graham had given her. The emergency use item. He'd said to only use it if absolutely necessary and there seemed like no greater time than the present. Quickly taking out the now somewhat concaved container she pulled it open, raising an eyebrow at the contents when they were exposed. A..
A set of fangs? Gleaming white hollow fangs. More like dentures for a creature wanting sharp teeth. If it was a relic of the Zahne family perhaps it belonged to a member so old their own teeth fell out from sheer age? ..Ew. They looked and smelled clean though. She hoped Graham wasn't pulling her leg here. Carefully Weiss slipped them over her own and pressed them down. At that moment her entire world turned to one of pure pain.
...
Their blades clashed, sparks bouncing off with every strike as Rave stared down- Err up the minotaur king. Both of them refused to fall, growling and glaring daggers at eachother as they stepped back and swung to lock together again.
"What is a mere mutt against the power of the mighty bull? Surrender, and I'll consider sparing your life. The girl however is forfeit."
"Sorry, not my style. I ain't gettin' my ass kicked by a fat cow like you."
Adam's eye twitched in irritation behind his mask as he snorted, pushing down against the weredog when suddenly there was an explosion of power that threw them both to the ground. Their weapons went flying. Rave was first to his feet as the bull-man kept rolling, so he was first to see just where the blast had originated from.
What he was about to witness would be even more terrifying than what he'd seen earlier.
Like some kind of morbid pulsating cocoon darkness ensorcelled her entire being, wrapping it and hiding it from view before it began to rise into the air. The unholy energies it was letting off froze him and King Adam to the core, forcing them both to take a shaky step back as it began to tear. Something that could only be described as unadulterated malevolence could be glimpsed within before the shell started to break. In a violent burst it tore open, four great wings dark as the void flapping out as dark winds swirled around the one they were attached to.
Her fangs were longer now, expression twisted grotesquely as both eyes sought out her prey. Gone were the colors, the only thing remaining an infinite darkness in the sockets that formed crack-like designs in the skin around them. Like spiderwebs they grew across the rest of it making her skin onyx colored, claws growing out in the shape of deadly sickles both outward and up to the first joint. Her quartet of bat wings had white slash marks across the membranes, piercing eyes adorning the back like some kind of moth.
Such was the all-consuming terror her mere visage inspired neither of the two males could even move, let alone the fact that her tremendous power had them practically glued to the ground. Slowly her knees curled up and her arms drew in.. Wings pulled together slightly.. Then she screamed, spreading her limbs and wings out to their fullest extent. Her voice was like a banshee's and the resulting shockwave sundered the ice and ripped it from the earth as raw hatred disintegrated not only what was left but also the collection of bull statues littering the room. Rave and Adam clutched their heads, covering their ears as waves of magic followed and once again put them back down on the dirt.
Weiss would loftily lower to the ground, not quite touching it as she hovered about a foot over. Crackling and flexing, her razor sharp sickle-tipped fingers were itching to dig into something's flesh and right now there was a big red target painted dead center in her field of view. As Rave tried in futility to get back up his vision started to fade. It was too much. The sheer magnitude of the vampiress' current power was overwhelming. Even suffocating.
His last few seconds of consciousness were of Weiss' hideous lashing talons, shadows trailing in the wake of those scythe nails as they blurred back and forth. King Adam's body being brutally shredded into blood and gore was the last thing he saw before blacking out.
...
...
...
"*gasp* *huff* *huff*"
Weiss blinked. What.. What just happened? The last thing she knew she had put on those vampire fangs and there was a stabbing pain in her center, then.. Nothing but feelings of anger and rage. Oh gods what was that sme- Blood. Blood. It was everywhere. All over her clothes, her face, her arms.. She was absolutely drenched in the stuff. Was any of it hers? A short sniff said otherwise. Wait. The dog man. Where was he? Where was King Adam?
The latter was accounted for, his crystal blade broken into pieces and his body reduced to nothing but bones and the back half. The front had been grinded away as if on a whetstone wheel, deep gouges in most places running all the way through his dense muscle tissue and straight into the skeleton even. The former.. He was laying on his front, unconscious but otherwise alive. ..Great. Well she already reneged on her statement of not staying to fight and if he didn't wake up soon she was going to seriously carry him out. She disliked him but she didn't hate him, and abandoning someone who had tried to help her without standing to gain anything for doing so wouldn't sit well on her conscience. Though if she were the old Weiss Schnee..
But first, the blood. Where was the- Oh right. The vampiress mustered up a little bit of power to extend her shadow, dropping the precious if a bit unnerving flask into her palm. Then she'd kneel by King Adam's bloody corpse, popping the cork and getting ready to drain some of the crimson liquid into it. She almost jumped when the flask's mouth seemed to move and like a red wispy smoke blood started to suck into it. 'Really.. Really disturbing' Weiss thought to herself.
It filled rather quickly and as soon as it stopped drinking the topper was put firmly back into place. Finally.. The last objective was complete. Now to go pick up the weredog male and his stupid overcompensating sword.. Weiss stumbled a bit, her legs feeling weak. Really her entire body felt drained. What on earth WAS that thing? Some kind of enchanted accessory? Speaking of enchantments the barrier was gone along with all of the ice so that was one more obstacle out of the way. Slowly but surely she made her way to Rave, her breathing a bit ragged and her eyes half-lidded.
They shot open wide when another dark presence entered the room. Something foul, something malignant and demonic. In her weakened state she was too slow to catch whoever it was as they put an arm around her collar and neck, the other squeezing her wrist so hard she felt it might break. The flask fell to the floor, thankfully not shattering and instead bouncing.
She struggled, despite her condition. The person that had a hold of her though was simply much too strong and in much better condition than she. Her heart was racing, fear coursing through like a river as shadows flicked at her feet. There just wasn't enough power for her to stop her assailant. Only one last thing she could think of to escape if she predicted right, an icy wind flowing around her upper body putting a cold chill over both her and the one holding her. Weiss was too late to attack. With one swift violent motion the hand on her wrist came up to her chin, the other shifting. With a sickening crack her head was twisted aside, body being dropped like dead weight to the floor. The vampiress didn't move. Her eyes glazed over and became pale as the male leaned down and picked up the flask of minotaur blood. Then they looked over her before tsk'ing.
"Natasha has obtained the girl's phylactery and the Ice Tyrant's daughter is disposed of.. All according to plan. Another silver eyed lineage comes to an end, and soon, the entire race.. Lord Vortogk will be most pleased.."
The false priest stowed the flask into his robe with a solemn nod, leaning down to close Weiss' eyelids. ..Something was eating at him but he wasn't sure what. He supposed it didn't matter. Slowly he turned and began to walk towards the exit of the late minotaur king's hall, leaving to report to his master.
...
*constant Chrome crashing when I try to put a divider line here maybe it's a length issue*
...
Aw gee darn it Weiss is 'dead'. Such a shame. She had a good unlife ahead of her. Plus she was only two days away from retirement. And she had a girl back home she was gonna see after her service was over.. Oh and like, she was gonna buy a house and get a dog and a car.. Pay off the mortgage..
In all seriousness, eurgh. That hurt to write. Plus Ruby's soul is in peril. The bad guys are winning and there just doesn't seem to be any hope in sight for the good guys! People are dying! Evil is spreading! ..Sound familiar? 'Cause that's what's happening on the show. Also if you guys didn't know, October 22nd is the new volume premiere! GIT HYPED. Also also, anybody keeping up with the RWBY manga? Or RWBY Chibi? Both are kinda amazing and if you don't know of either, check 'em out.
Sokay, lots of bad stuff happening but things will get better! Promise! You just have to stick with it. I mean if everybody who got upset when (censored for spoilers) died quit watching RWBY there'd be like no fanbase anymore. Although we miss 'em, and I know what they 'said' ('they' also said Neo has a voice actress but aside from a few noises (Metroid Prime style?) she has had no actual lines of dialogue and it'd be wierd to have her speak now) but I'm holding out hope they'll come back somehow. (censored once more) is a (beep boop) so they can probably do something there, and (whoopsie) was one of my favorites but I don't see any major reason to bring them back, even though it'd be cool. That said I will do the happy no pants dance if (hello again!) returns. ..Mah feels, bruh. Mah feels..
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