Chapter 14. Change in the darkness
It was as black as the void when Leo opened his eye's and looked around him. As light slowly started to coat the area around him Leo could start to make out mountains in the distance , looking down he saw he was standing on a lake of ice and beneath the ice black water could be seen swirling around.
As he looked behind him he saw someone standing there looking at him, it was like looking in a mirror only the one that starred back had pircing gold eyes, fanged teeth and claws out of his fingertips.
"Who are you" Leo asked.
"Why I'm you of course, Well the other you that is." The doppelganger answered with a fanged smile.
"What do you mean the other me" Leo demanded.
"Where do you think all that power came from" it answered
"It came from my heritage, the Ironhammer blood." Leo answered
"Ha. Do you know why the Ironhammer's all have that power?" It questioned.
"I was told it was given to us after the first maidens become corrupt by Salam to protect them and if needed to eliminate them." Leo answered angrily not liking the interrogation.
"Arr so the little Ironhammer does know something, but you wernt told the full story"it replied
Leo said nothing just glared at himself
"Us Ironhammers have always had this other side, this side filled with unrivaled power because when the humans and Grimm were created we were also created as a moderator to stop either side from taking over, Over time the Ironhammer's mated with humans and later with faunus which fractured are powers into what you see now, me and you - we are just fragments of what we could be if we became one." It informed as it held out it's hand for Leo
"If your saying that I'm not human or faunus then who am i" Leo demanded
"We are called Berserkers, we are the keepers of peace between the 3 races and also the enforces if one or more gets to out of hand" it said with a sober expression.
"So what happeneds if we join. Are you going to take over or am I still going to be me."Leo asked looking at the still outstretched hand.
"Well, first of all, today has showen that you need much more training, before you couldn't even 10% of my full power, but no I will not take control but instead I will provide assistance when I see fit or there is no other way, when you get stronger we well talk again" it said
"And if I don't like that plan" Leo spat.
Taking a moment befor talking.
"Then this is where your life finishs, I well only offer this deal one last time" it said sticking it's hand out again.
"... fine, I guess I don't have i choose" Leo gave in and shoke his doppelganger's hand.
"Then let us return to reality" it said with a sober smile.
As consciousness returned to his body Leo could feel the soft mattress and warm sheets of a bed, slowly coming to the conclusion that he was no longer on the battlefield Leo slowly opened his eyes.
As he eyes adjusted to the low light of the room Leo noticed he was in a small room with only the bed he was in a small table and a chair in the corner oppersete the door.
Sitting in the chair was Scarlett fast asleep with her hair undone and fallen over her face and she was no longer in her combat gear , he could hear her soft snoring from the bed.
"It's good to see your finally awake" a voice said from beside the door.
"Oh hey Glynda, how long was I out for." Leo said with rasb in his voice.
Stepping closer to him to get a better look
"Just after midnight, You made the deal didn't you?" Glynda asked with a worried tone.
"How did you know that" Leo questioned keeping his voice low to not wake his sister.
"Because your eyes are now gold and your teeth are as pointed as Espers" Glynda answered matching his low voice.
"Wait what, really?" Shock creeping into his voice as his fingers went up to touch his new teeth nearly cutting himself on them
Glynda held up a small pocket make up mirror for Leo to look in, his eyes widened as he saw the shine of his gold eyes looking back at him.
"Ook I didn't know that would happen." Leo said.
"Why dosnt dad look like a faunus" Leo asked looking at Glynda.
"That's because he was never given the choose of the deal." She said as she leaned against the wall.
With a tilt of his head Leo just looked at her.
"Ok, from what your father told me just after you were born is that not all Ironhammer's get the chance to become a berserker, only every few generations is one choose by some unknown force and only when one will be needed to save the world." Glynda informed him
"So your saying I have been chosen to save the world by some unknown force" Leo said in a annoyed but still in a low tone
"That's just what your father told me, if you want more information you had better get it from him because I've told you everything I know. Glynda said defensively.
Taking a step towards him Glynda placed a hand on his covered knee. "If you do need some help with everything that's happaning and it's probally just going to get more confusing I'll do what I can to help" she said in a uncharacteristicly caring tone.
"That as a teacher or as my godmother." Leo said with a sober expression and a raised eyebrow.
"Both" was all she said before leaving.
"How long you been listening sis" Leo said out loud.
"How did you know I was awake?, and long enough to know something's wrong, but I figured that out while I was treating you after you collapsed." Scarlett said as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and came to sit on Leo's bed.
"Um what's up with your eyes and teeth, you look like you could be Espers brother." The redhead said getting closer to have a look at Leo'sL new golden eyes and fanged teeth.
"Ha i don't know i woke up like this, apparently dad know more about this so I'm thinking I go home next chance I can to talk to him about it." Leo repiled as he leaned back on his bed exsorsted both physically and mentally.
" is it weird to talk with those fangs" Scarlett asked as she poked the tip of Leo's new fanged teeth.
"Lol that's what you ask?. Yes it is weird, I feel like they shouldn't fit but they seem to work without slicing up my mouth, just going to take time to get use to them." Leo laughed making a almost growling sound as he did.
"I only asked coz i can't ask Esper coz his have always been pointed, now that I know you ok I'm going to go check on my other patient" Scarlett said as she got off the bed and headed for the door.
"How bad were they" Leo asked
"There ok, a few broken ribs and one of his legs is smashed to bits , luckily it was a prosthetic, I'll give you a full rundown in the morning. Plus I'm sure the teacher from Haven well as well" and with that Scarlett left the room leaving Leo to drift back to sleep.
Opening his eye again Leo expected to be in a new place but he was still in the bed from last time he woke, breathing a sigh of relief he swung his legs out of bed he noticed he was still in his combat pants but wasn't wearing a shirt or his boots, looking around he saw them clean and folded on the chair.
After get dressed Leo look out the window and saw the sun was just starting it's ascent he figured it must only just be morning. Stepping out of the small room he saw they were staying in a sort of Barracks so the room he was in must have been one of the infirmary rooms. Looking around he noticed a long table in the middle of the room and sitting around it was Esper and Olivia and a large man with emblem of a shield with a tree on it.
"Look who's finally awake" Esper called out looking over at the sound of Leo's boots on the wooden floor.
"Holy crap Leo what happened to your face, you look like Esper" Olivia said once Leo sat oppersete her coursing the other two people at the table to look at him.
"I didn't know there were to faunus on your team" the man said
"There's not, this is our team leader Leonardo Ironhammer and he's human...well atleast I thought he was" Esper said exstremly curious as to the appearance of Leo's new features
"Iv got a few things to tell you guys that happened while I was out cold,and id rather tell you guys later on when we have some piviacy." Leo said rubbing the back of his head
" Its all good every team has there secrets, by the way I'm Foresti Stone teacher from Haven in charge of team CNEM." The man called Foresti Stone said.
"Nice to meet you Mr Stone, I hear you have a report about the situation here" Leo said shaking that teachers hand.
"Sure do. Was going to tell Glynda but she said you are in charge of beacons team so I'll give it to you, once we've had breakfast that is, the girls should be nearly done cooking" Foresti said and as if on cue the to mentioned girls from team CNEM walked out of a kitchen behind Leo. One had dark skin and green hair and was carrying a plate of bacon and susages and the other one was the girl Leo saw the first time he woke only this time she was wearing a red singlet and jeans but left her midsection exsposed, she was carrying a large plate of pancakes.
"Leo this is emerald" Foresti indicated the green haired girl.
"And this is Cinder. Team leader of CNEM and the one you save from the Grimm when you landed on them." He explained and pointed to the jet black haired girl who sat down next to him.
"The names Leonardo ironhammer but everyone calls me Leo. I take it uv already meet the rest of team" Leo Welcomed as he held his hand out to shake.
"The names Cinder Fall and this is Emerld Sustrai it is very much a pleasure to finally put a name to your face, I didn't realise you were also a faunus, how deliouse" Cinder said with more then a little seduction in her voice , whispering that last part so only Leo could hear but Esper also heared
With a quick look at Foresti who was busy eatting a piece of bacon. "Its not something we like to advatise. People get a bit touch otherwise." Epser answered for Leo as he helped himself to some bacon and susages.
"I just wanted to thank you for coming to our rescue yesterday. Not only my own life but the lives on my team members and especially with helping are injured muppet." Cinder said still with the seductive tone in her voice and she placed her hand on Leo's upper thigh as she turned to him and leaned forward slightly towards Leo.
"No problem, just doing our job" Leo said complestly oblivious to Cinder's subtle advances towards him.
After a few moments of silent eatting Scarlett came out of the infirmary followed by a tall boy with grey hair and thin prosthetic legs.
"Hey guys I'm all better thanks to my beautiful red haired nurse." The boy said.
"What happened to your legs merc, you look like a plucked chicken." Emerald laughed stuffing bacon in her mouth.
"Suck a dick Em at least my semblance is usefull" Merc said sticking his tounge out at his teammate as he awarkeadly sat down and was a about to reach up to feel Scarletts hair when Esper spoke " I wouldn't so that. You want her to break your legs again?"
Before anyone could say anything a glass shattering sound drew there attention to the new arrival and last member of team CNEM. A little girl with brown pink and white hair walked out of a mirror that had appared.
"It seems the whole teams finally hear, Leo this is Mercury Black and the lovely lady here is neopolitan but she perfures Neo, also she's a mute so don't exspect her to use normal communication methods," Cinder informed Leo again placing her hand on his thigh but once again to no avail.
"Nice to meet you all. Holy crap are those custom made prosthetic legs" Leo said complestly lost in his love of mechanics over Mercury' s legs and moved down the table to get a better look leaving Cinder subtly pouting that only Scarlett saw as she said next to her partner putting her across from the other team leader.
"Yer I made them myself although there only my back up legs so there's nothing special about them they all I have left till I get back to Haven and repair my smashed ones. " Mercury said after swallowing two pancakes and a hand full of bacon in one mouthful.
"Well I'm pretty handy with my hands if you want me to have a look your old legs" Leo asked with a straight face.
"So we just gping to let that one slip through the cracks?...ok Then sure can't hurt to have some who knows what he's doing take a look at my legs. Em over there once tryed to help but I think she was secretly trying to kill me by overstuffing the dust in the hydraulics" merc said, reserving a slap to the back of the head from Emerald.
"Cool well I'll come have a look after it had a chance to get a feel for what's happaning around here." Leo said as he finished off his 3rd plate of food.
Once everyone was finished eatting they started to head off to do there own thing.
Neo went back to bed, so did Emerald, Mercury went off to check on the state of his legs. As for the girls of team LEOS they went to get there combat gear on coz they knew that once Leo had finished what he needed to they would be heading out to hunt, as for Esper he headed for the top of the clock tower which sat in the center of town.
Just before Scarlett left she placed a hand on Cinder's shoulder drawing her attention.
"You might want to be more direct with my brother if you want him. He's not that good with understanding emotions or subtle advance's" Scarlett whispered to Cinder.
"I'm not sure what your talking about" Cinder replied matching the whisper.
"Oh come on girl I can see Exsactly how you feel about him, I'm not trying to be the prorective sister I just want him to be happy, he's already done so much for me that i want to help in anyway I can and at the moment that's giving you advice on how to approce my iron skulled brother, just take your time and be less subtle and more direct" Scarlett whispered back
"Mmm I didn't realize it was that obvious I well try hide it in future. Thank you for the advice I will keep it in mind" Cinder thanked as Scarlett went off to there room.
"Well looks like it's time for that report you mentioned Foresti" Leo proclaimed as he came to sit across to him and next to Glynda
"Haha I guess so, well first of its good to have back up. We've been here 3 nights now and everynight besides last night we've been attacked by the Grimm and not like a small pack if them, hordes like the one you dealt to when you arrived, Which in it's self is strange but we've seen at the start of every attack a large Grimm flying always just out of each" Foresti reported
"What the Grimm look like"Leo interrupted
"It looked like a lancer queen only it's limbs were fatter and it had 6 wings instead of 4." Foresti answered.
"Mmm interesting, Summer you get that" Leo asked into his scroll.
" affirmative Captian. I have scanned the known Grimm categories and only one fits the description you have given me" Sumner said displaying a holographic projection off Leo's scroll.
"That's a bone weaver" Glynda exsclamed with confusion.
"You are correct Mistress Goodwitch. Bone weavers are exstremly dangours in groups but alone very easy," Summer answered
"They are one of the only reported Grimm to have a hive mind that makes them behave differently to regular Grimm, this makes them harder and easyer to hunt, if the hive queen is killed then the whole network shuts down and the rest stop but it also means that they are more likely to attack someone to close to the queen," Glynda said As she filled in for Sumner
" that is very true,they also produce a sort of Grimm honey that lures other types of Grimm in and then they frenzy after being exposed to this sustance coursing then to attack nearby villages like this one." Summer informed The 4 hunters.
"So it's pretty safe to say that these bone weavers are the main course of the attacks but how do we stop them" Cinder asked out loud
"If they're going to attack the second we go for there queen which is going to be the best target we need speed and stealt" Leo said mostly to himself.
Looking to Glynda "I'm thinking Esper and Scarlett get in and do the deed since they are the best we have in both speed and stealth" Leo said
"I think so but I'm just worryed they might not have the firepower to punch through a queens armor plates." Glynda replied deep in thought.
"Summer could you please bring up a image of a bone weaver queen." Leo said
"With pleasure Captian, there are two states of the queen has. One where it's got no armor and is pre hive and it's main state once it's established a hive, once it's established a hive it grows plates to cover it's body compleatly but it can't move once fully established" Summer informed them and displayed both models.
"Ok let's assume it's in it's main state, how do you plan on punching through that amount of armor." Foresti asked looking at Leo who was staring at the image.
"I got it, I could create a timed explosive device and have Scarlett carry it in with Esper." Leo proclaimed as he looked at everyone.
"I see a few problems with that plan, first one is how are we going to locate the hive, second is where are we going to get that much dust from there's only a small amount of it in this village and third even if you could get that much dust how would you get it there it would weight a tonne" Cinder said
"Ha don't you worry I have all that planned out already, Esper is are fastest scout so he should be able to find the hive if he hasn't already, I brought enough pure dust crysles to level a small city and Scarlett can change the weight of any object she's touching so the weight isn't a problem" Leo smirked as he leaned back in his chair.
Cinder opened her mouth to protest once more but couldn't think of anything to protest about and she realised that she had been bested in strategic planning which had never happened before, she had a few mix feelings about this realisation for one she hated being second place but she also had never found anyone that could be classed as her intellectual equal before now
"Haha I can see your boy here is full of tricks Glynda" Foresti roured with laughter.
"That he is" Glynda replied proudly.
"So boy what are the rest of us going to do before this big bang you promise." Foresti asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"We're going to be the decoy while Esper and Scarlett sneak in," Leo said with a his devilish smile spreading across his face and exspoding his new fanged teeth making it even more demonic sending a chill down Cinder's spine.
"Well, it got a few things to do if I want to have both the bomb and Mercury' s legs finished by tomorrow." Leo said as he got up and headed for the main door.
Once he was outside he toke a deep long breath, breathing in the crisp mid morning air of the village, a click from behind brough his attention to the girl who just stepped through the door.
"I just wanted to personally thank you for saving me yesterday. If you didn't arrive when you did, i don't think we could have held out much longer."Cinder confessed.
"Ha don't worry about it, we were just doing our job as hunters." Leo brushed off making Cinder blush slightly, as quick as a striking snake she kissed Leo's lips before spinning on her heels and dashing back inside
Once she was inside Esper could be herd through the coms" well scar looks like you were right she does have feeling for him"
"Haha told you, I know how a woman feels when she's in love, I guess you both owe me 10 bucks when we can back to beacon." Scarlett said through the coms at Esper and olivia.
"You guys bet on my love life." Leo shouted angry into the comes while heading for the silver wing.
"We knew you wouldn't make the first move so we bet to see if Cinder would, Scarlett was the only one that said she would" Olivia laughed
"You lot are terrible" Leo breathed defeatdly
"Ok guys in a serious note we need a team meeting at the silver wing. Obviously we have a few things to go over" Leo said in his commander voice.