AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support this series has gotten here and on Tv Tropes. This is the chapter to kick off 2020, and it's a battle. Not only do we get a certain reveal, but the conclusion of this chapter is also a big moment. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 24 – It
Winter.
On the deck of one of the ships, a small airship landed near the vessel. With a bridge made of ice and black glyph platforms, the White Fang prisoners to board the airship. After the last member crossed the bridge, the hatch closed. The bridged fell apart as the airship took off. The only two left on the airship were the Atlas Military Specialist and the King of Warriors, "We were lucky," Winter commented, "None of the crewmembers aboard this vessel were particularly powerful."
"Yes, none were Heroic Spirit or Hunters." Sigurd commented looking across the sea towards the other vessel, "That ship should have been taken over by now by Brynhildr and Musashi." He said before scanning the ocean, "However, I don't see the middle ship."
"What?" Winter responded before she looked around, "Weiss, what did you-" She said before taking out her scroll, "I told you to send out a signal flare if the situation becomes too dangerous."
"You should have more faith in your little sister," Sigurd commented, "She is stronger than you give her credit for. From what I read, she almost won Grand Order last year."
"Don't judge me. I watched her match and know she is stronger than I was at her age." Winter responded, "I brought her along so she could get experience, not to put her in an early grave."
"I see," Sigurd responded with a single nod, then looked back to the waters, "You should be more honest about your feelings to her. If you keep up like this, she may see your treatment as you not wanting her around."
Suddenly, Winter paused her call, glaring at Sigurd with a cold gaze, "You're judging me about honesty?" She said as she lowered her hand, "After I discovered you and your wife have been hiding something since first arriving."
Sigurd turned back to look at Winter, "What are you talking about?" He said, his voice slightly appalled, "We all want the same thing here, the safety of Apocrypha and all living beings."
"I'm not saying we don't have the same ideals," Winter responded, "But you did not tell me about her powers."
"I see," Sigurd sigh, "You should already know that heroic spirits from Apocrypha are generally stronger than those from other-"
"I'm not talking about that power!" Winter interrupted, "Let me just cut to the chase." She said with Sigurd now glaring back, "Brynhildr, our Brigadier General and your wife," the Atlas Military Specialist said with a cold gaze, "Is one of the Maidens of the Seasons, The Summer Maiden."
A silence fell over the two over the open waters. After a few seconds, Sigurd finally spoke up, "…How did you find out?" Sigurd said as he closed his eyes.
"You didn't leave a lot of clues, except for your insistence on not letting me partner with her on this mission." Winter said as she crossed her arm, "I can read people very well and tell when they are holding something back." She said before pacing to the end of the boat, "Chaldea didn't have the information I was looking for, it's apparent you haven't told the Headmaster either. And I could not contact Ozpin with these suspicions." Winter responded, "However, I ran Brynhildr's information through the Church. Their process pointed out the truth about your wife's hidden power."
"You!" Sigurd said as his eye filled with rage, but Winter remained steadfast, "You got the Church involved in this matter?"
"I don't like to be lied to, especially in operations of life and death." Winter responded, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You don't know what it's like to be one of the Maidens. You become a target as soon as it is public knowledge. People will kill for this power and have done so in the past." Sigurd responded walking towards Winter, "Brynhildr, she did not ask for this, but the Summer Maiden's power was randomly bestowed upon her many years ago. We have kept it hidden and done our best to save as many people possible together."
"Then why join in this military operation?" Winter responded, "You are giving her a bigger spotlight for others to notice."
Sigurd closed his eyes again, "It was the invasion last year." He spoke, "We were too appalled at ourselves for not being able to help out more. When Zhuge Liang approached us about this new operation, we knew there was only one way to redeem ourselves." As he opened his eyes, he looked to the ship cross where his beloved woman was, "Brynhildr, she wants to save this world from the nightmare that is Grimm. In doing so, she cannot have the pressure of being a maiden pull her away from that goal." He then turned back to Winter slightly bowing his head, "On her and my behalf, I apologize for deceiving you. However, please keep this a secret. If your military were to learn that-"
"Don't worry," Winter interrupted, "I would not bother telling my higher-ups. They would find some way to make this a bigger issue than it needs to be and waste countless resources." She said with Sigurd slightly surprised, "As a General, I still prefer you over my current superior. At least you will admit when you have been found out." The Atlas Military Specialist side with a sigh, "In the future, just note that all secretes will become undone. In this world, you cannot hide the truth."
"I-I see now," Sigurd said with a smile forming with his bow, "Thank you very much."
"This conversation is not over, I still wish to talk with your wife on this subject," Winter spoke before she looked back to her scroll, "Oh, and you don't have to worry about the Church saying anything to either headmaster. She said it would be our secret." Winter said as she was about to contact her younger sister, "I believe her name was-"
"▂▂▃▃▅▅▂▂▃▃▅▅!" A monster roar cut off their conversation. Both turned to the direction of the noise, the other ship in the distance.
"W-What in the world!?" Winter said in disbelief, "That didn't sound like a Grimm, but what else-" Suddenly, she and Sigurd saw a red flare shot up from the ship.
"That's the signal, they need help!" Sigurd said before turning to Winter, who put her scroll away. The Atlas Military Specialist took out her duel rapiers, creating multiple black platform glyphs between the two ships. The two began to jump towards the ship, unaware of what was awaiting them.
Musashi.
On the deck of the third ship, not a crew member was left alive. At one end were a battered Musashi and Brynhildr. In the beloved woman's right hand was a recently fired flare gun. Both on one knee as they face there enemy.
It could only be described as a monster the size of a paladin, made of a greyish flesh. Its claws and long hair were as black as the night with a blood-red glow. Black chains bound around its arms and legs, going over its lower body armor. In its left arm was a massive double-edged battle-ax. One side was made of gold and silver, while the other were bloodstained jagged stones stuck to the weapon, "!" It roared as Musashi and Brynhildr gritted their teeth.
"What's this thing made out of?" Musashi said as she held her swords, noticing her blades were already dulling.
"▂▂▃▅▅▂▃▃▅▅!" It roared before rushing forwards. Despite the mass, the speed war near-instantaneous. Both fighters barely had time to dodge the vertical swing. The ax crashed into the deck, causing a fissure that slip down the ship. The shockwave collided with the water, creating a wave on impact.
"This thing's insane!" Musashi shouted, "If we don't kill it fast, we're going under!" suddenly her body glowed in a white aura, "No use holding back, I'll hit it with everything I got." She thought before her swords glowed in the same white light, "Come hither, my roaring sw-"
Abruptly, It turned to face Musashi. "!" It roared before leaping towards the swordswoman before she could finish her chant. Musashi gasped as she saw a fast-horizontal swing of the ax coming. She blocked by sticking back with her swords, causing the metal of her blades to grinds against the sword. However, the stones broke through her blades and the white aura. Musashi's eyes widened in terror at this being her end.
However, her body moved on its one, she was able to kick off the monster in the middle of the swing. While it was not enough to dodge, the last second move prevented the slash from bisecting her. Musashi held her arms in a blocking stance as the jagged stones crashed into her upper torso. She felt to bones in her forearms turn to dust as her muscles were being ripped apart. At the apex of the swing, her body was launched like a cannonball, blasting through the ship's hull before skipping on the water multiple times.
Brynhildr gasped in horror as It landed back on the vessel, "MUSASHI!" She screamed as the monster turned to her. Brynhildr gritted her teeth as she readied her lance. For a small moment, she closed her eyes. It scowled at this action, causing the monster to rush forward in a rage. As Brynhildr opened her eyes, a white aura radiated out her irises.
Approaching the ship, Sigurd and Winter rushed across the black glyph platforms. However, the King of Warriors noticed someone in the water. Floating on her back and unconscious, Musashi laid in the middle of the waters. His eyes then widened as the outline of black creatures were seen under the water. Sigurd dived of the glyph platforms, causing Winter to look to him in panic, "I'll rescue Musashi," He called out before spawning multiple green daggers, "Backup Brynhildr!" The King of Warriors said before punching the daggers towards the water, piercing the Grimm under the sea.
Winter nodded as she did not break stride, leaving only her glyph platforms behind. Upon arriving at the ship, she witnessed the battle already underway. Brynhildr's lance clashed with the stone ax, each collision reaching a shockwave the cracked the wood of the ship the stood on.
Winter then leaped high into the air, spawning three white glyphs overhead. Emerging from the glyphs were a white Grimm Beowolf, each leaping onto the monster with icicle fangs. As they sunk their teeth into the monster's flesh their bodies solidified into ice, "!" It roared as Winter laned near Brynhildr.
"What is that thing!?" Winter asked the beloved woman.
"I don't know!" Brynhildr responded, "The heat scan fooled us. It wasn't a mass of faunus prisoners, it was this thing in a cage!" She said as the ice started to crack, "I only know the name on the cage before It broke out." Brynhildr said before reposing her lance, "Megalos."
"▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▅▅!" It screamed before the ice Beowolves started to shatter.
"It's near invincible," Brynhildr said as Winter readied her weapon, "But we have to think of a way to kill it."
"What about your Noble Phantasm?" Winter asked.
"Only a direct hit would be enough damage," Brynhildr responded as Megalos fully broke free from the ice, "It would need to stay still for much longer than that."
"Understood," Winter said as she reposed her rapiers, summoned five more ice Beowolves, "I'll distract this thing while you take aim." She said before glaring back to Megalos, "Just don't miss." The Atlas Military Specialist then rushed towards the monster.
Brynhildr wanted to tell Winter to wait, that this would be suicide. However, the two women both knew this was the only option. Brynhild leaped into the air, ascending past the clouds. From the waters, Sigurd looked up to see his wife, knowing what she was about to do.
"▂▂▃▅▃▅▅!" Megalos screamed as he slashed through all five ice at once. However, their bodies faded into a white mist than covered his body. The mist solidified into a freezing wind, slowing his muscle movement. Winter dashed through the cold wind, unaffected thanks to her aura. She made her way behind the monster before slashing the back of the ankles. Normally, any creature would lose full control of their legs, but Megalos only slightly staggered. Winter jumped, reversing her grip on her rapiers. She stabbed both blades into Its neck, but they only pierced an inch deep. "!" Megalos shouted, bucking Winter off his body. He turned to see her in a stunned state. With one slash, he cut Winter in half. However, the body broke apart like ice shards. Taking advantage of the distraction, the real Winter ran up the left arm of the monster. With a double thrust, she stabbed Megalos in both eyes with her rapiers, driving the blades in as far as she could, "!" Megalos screamed as Winter let go of her weapons. A white glyph appeared near her hands, allowing her to create a massive twohanded sword. She gritted her teeth as she reeled back on the blade, going for a decapitation swing. In one swift motion, she hit her target head-on.
However, the ice great sword could not cut into the skin of the monster. The blade cracked as Winter gasped. In that moment of hesitation, Megalos violently radiated a reddish-black aura. The force of the aura blew away the mist, as well as knocked Winter away. She tried to repose but turned to see the monster right hand grab her. Megalos held Winter by her whole midsection, crushing her ribcage. The Atlas Military Specialist's eyes widened in agony as shards of her bones were piercing her internal organs. Megalos raised his right hand before slamming Winter's body into the deck, causing the whole floor to crack into shards of wood. Winter coughed blood as she knew her aura was completely gone now, as she looked up Megalos raised his ax over his head.
The Summer Maiden.
In the sky, Brynhildr held her lance close to her body. She closed her eyes before chanting, "I love him, I love him not," The beloved woman said before the glow went through her eyes, "I love him, I love him not," Suddenly, the Summer Maiden opened her eyes. She let go of the lance as it glowed with a yellow and purple aura, "I love, love, love, love…" Suddenly, the lance transformed, the pole changed to yellow as his spearhead became a more elaborate heart gem. The beloved woman reposed with the lance, aiming down at her target, "Brynhildr Romantia!" The Summer Maiden declared before diving at full speed, her swiftness dispersing the clouds within a quarter-mile radius. The aura from the weapon radiated for meters, cutting through the air without any drawback.
From the water, Sigurd and a barely awake Musashi watched Brynhildr descend like a shooting star. Back on the boat, Megalos was about to swing down towards Winter. But as the light grew brighter, she knew which attack would land first. Megalos took the spearhead to the chest, his screamed canceled out by the pulsating aura. Winter looked to see Brynhildr, who had a somber face as she closed her eyes. Winter shielded her own eyes as the light of the aura grew brighter.
A few seconds later, Winter opened her eyes. She looked up to see Megalos' corpse, the body fell to its knees as its mouth was hanging open. The lance now reverted to its normal size and left a foot-wide hole in his chest. However, the monster's back was completely exploded outwards. The spine was nowhere to be found as the organs fell out. As well, the back half of the ship was torn to shreds, on bits of driftwood remained as the only half barely managed to stay afloat any longer. Brynhildr despawned her lance as she helped up Winter, "It's over." She said to the Atlas Military Specialist.
"I see that," Winter responded as she stood up, looking at Megalos' body, "So, this is what a Maiden from Apocrypha is capable of?" She said with Brynhildr slight gasping, "I already told Sigurd, all three of us should have a talk." Winter said as the beloved woman looked down, slightly covering the small amount of aura still radiating from her eyes. Winter sighed as she took her right hand, pulling out one of her rapiers from Megalos' corpse, "In any case, we need to-"
"▃▅!" Winter heard the noise come from the body of the monster, causing her face to turn pale with horror. From the socket, a glowing red eye glared back. However, the eye then turned to the unaware Brynhildr. Winter looked to see the left hand on the monster grip the ax again. Without time to warn, she dove in the way of the swing. Her body acted as a median between the two, but the force of the impact launched both women to the front of the ship, "!" Megalos roared as he was coming back to life.
Brynhildr slight recoiled in pain before checking on the Atlas Military Specialist. However, her eyes widened at the sight, "Winter, your arm!"
Winter's left arm was a managed mess, only staying attached at the shoulder by a few inches of flesh. The bone was more than shattered, it was turned into powered that mixed with the blood, dripping on the deck as red glops. Even past her arm, her insides were twisted and reduced to mush, "It's…fine," Winter lied as she struggled not to pass out from the pain. Blood run down from the top of her head over her right eye, "Listen…get out of here…now!"
"What?" Brynhildr responded in shock, "I'm not leaving you. I can carry you back, it's no problem for us to retreat."
Winter pointed at Megalos with her sole rapier, "That thing is the problem, we cannot let it room free." She said as the monster's wonders started to heal, "Threats like this are what we need to save the world from." She said before the image of Weiss came to her mind, "It is what any huntress would do."
"Winter!" Brynhildr pleaded.
"…Even if I retreated, I'm already one foot in the grave." Winter said as her consciousness started to fade, "I don't have much time left…let me finish this…please."
"▂▂▂▂▃▃▅▃▅!" Megalos roared as he started to stand up. With his right hand, he pulled out the other rapier, snapping it like a toothpick between his fingers.
"…Fine then," Brynhildr said as she stood up, glaring at the monster, "We both fight it until it is dead for good."
Winter looked up with a smile and single laugh, "Don't forget,Brigadier General," She said before making another white summoning glyph, "I still outrank you."
Suddenly, a white Grimm Griffin appeared behind the beloved woman. To Brynhildr's shock, the creature grabbed her with its front arms, then flew over the deck, "WINTER!" Brynhildr called out, but Winter did not look back.
Sigurd ran on the glyph platforms as he carried Musashi. However, just as he landed on one, the platform faded. The two started to freefall towards the water until the white Grimm griffin tackled them, carrying them away from. The King of Warriors then turned to his wife, "What is Winter doing!?" He said, but then gasped as tears ran down Brynhildr's face.
Winter coughed blood as Megalos stood on two feet. She stabbed the deck with her rapier, causing a fissure of ice spikes to impale the creature. The icicles embedded in the still healing wounds in the back, able to stick at the organs. However, Winter knew this would not hold the monster for longer. She took out her scroll, the frame cracked, but still able to make one last call. Although, Winter wished she could have been able to make at least one more call than that. She closed her eyes, doing what she felt she had to do.
The white Grimm griffin started to fade, now too far away from its creator. Brynhildr caught Sigurd and Musashi, allowing the three to hover in the air. As they were about to fly back to the vessel, Musashi looked to their right. There, the massive airship they had been using as transportation was. However, Sigurd and Brynhildr gasped at the airship's weapon system readying. Sigurd knew where the guns were pointed, causing him to quickly call into command. "This is General Sigurd, what are you doing!?"
"Sir, we are opening fire on the last ship." An officer responded over the line, "Hitting it with everything we got."
"Who gave you that order!?" The King of Warriors shouted back.
"Lieutenant General Schnee, Sir." The officer responded with Sigurd having a look of shock. He then turned back the airship, seeing the cannon already primed to fire.
Back on the ship, Megalos broke free from the ice. His body fully healed as he glared at Winter, "!" The monster roared as Winter dropped her scroll.
"Let's see if you can regenerate after being blown to bits!" Winter shouted as she pushed herself up, grabbing her rapier with her right arm, "If you have any sanity left, remember this!" The Atlas Military Specialist said as she pointed her weapon at Megalos, "My name is Winter Schnee, a proud member of the Schnee family." She declared as the airships cannons were about to fire, "Even if I fall, that fact will remain true beyond my death!"
"▂▂▃▅▅!" Megalos howled before rushing forward, causing Winter to respond in kind.
As the two's weapons were about to clash, Winter had a small smile on her face. As time slowed in her mind, she knew this was the end. While most would see their life flash before their eyes, Winter only saw certain moments throughout her years. Each moment had the same theme. It was every time her younger sister looked up to her with a smile, "Weiss…" Winter thought as the airship unleashed its rain of destruction. The blasts of high-powered dust rounds and propelled metal were about to make contact, "What I just said about me, is true for you as well." Winter closed her eyes as cherished her last second, "Take care, little sister." In the middle of the ocean, the third ship exploded from the bombardment of missiles. Sigurd and Brynhildr watched as everything was annihilated, leaving nothing behind. After a few minutes of only artillery fire, silence then fell over the night.
Weiss.
Brynhildr flew to the landing platform of the airship with Sigurd and Musashi. Upon touching down, they entered the loading bay. However, the King of Warrior's eyes widened at the sight Reines' group, "What was that?" The Princess of El-Melloi shouted, "Who authorized that cannon fire!?"
"Musashi!" Adam said in a panic as he ran over to the swordswoman, helping her stand on her barely conscious legs, "What happened to you?"
"Uh…" Weiss spoke to Sigurd and Brynhildr, noticing someone was missing, "Where is the Lieutenant General?" she said as the two remained silent, their eyes still trembling. Weiss' started to tremble as well, "Hey, where's Winter?" She said as Reines and Adam realized it, the two slightly lowering their head. Tears began to form in the white heiress' eyes, "Please, where's my sister?"
"Weiss…" Brynhildr spoke up, a look of remorse in her eyes, "I'm so sorry."
At that moment, the truth had fully set in for Weiss. Her idol, her role model, the one she held above everyone else…her sister… had died. The white heiress' mouth remained a gap as she fell to her knees. With a permeate look of horror on her face, the tears ran down more than before, "Winter…" Weiss said as Brynhildr knelt, hugging the grieving girl. Weiss shut her eyes as she screamed, "WINTER!"
AN: There you go, the White Fang Rescue mission ends. However, not everyone made it out alive. Winter dies to put Megalos down for good. When I started this story with her, I knew she was going to die from one of these battles. She was fun to write and goes out like any huntress would want, taking down a threat to the world. We also have the reveal of the Summer Maiden, Brynhildr. While this one my not fit as much as Mama Raikou's did, that is kind of the point. As the story goes on, you will see more of how even Brynhildr does not like this power. Now, Weiss has a lot to process, but we will not be returning to her for a few chapters. Next, we go back to Clockwork Academy where another secret is about to be revealed. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.