Chapter 31…
Verdant Bulwark took a single step forwards, scattering the pebbles left over from his impact into the ground. His entire form radiated hostility, from the tightly wound muscles of his forearms to the cold, calculating glow of his blue eyes.
The remainders of Team MARS tensed, keeping their weapons at the ready.
"Game plan, Mauve?" Rust whispered, trying his best to be secretive.
"Kick his ass…"
"Not much of a plan…" Asher groaned, switching his rifle from semi-automatic to burst fire. "Do we pile on?"
"Yes-"
"I can hear you three…" Verdant growled, his face as hard as granite. "If you don't start this… I will…"
Asher didn't need to be told twice, he immediately opened fire. Mauve and Rust followed behind his opening salvo, training their weapons on Mantle's most infamous gangster and slowly walking forwards.
But Verdant didn't even flinch… he didn't move at all…
A wall of lead crashed into his halted form, dozens of bullets of varying calibers crimped against his shining green aura and clattered to the ground uselessly. The magical barrier that drew its strength from his soul was seemingly unharmed by the onslaught, not dropping even when Rust emptied the remainder of his shells into it.
"That's all you can offer me?" Verdant raised an eyebrow, taking note of the shocked looks on his opponents faces. "I'm a little disappointed…"
Verdant kicked off the ground with inhuman speed, his legs moving so fast they were a blur. He darted around a blast of buckshot from Asher's shotgun and danced around Mauve's haphazard pistol fire, rapidly closing the distance between him and the team.
As Verdant approached, he reared back his fist in preparation for a vicious punch. In the few seconds that Asher took to turn his gaze away and reload his rifle, Verdant struck. He dodged a powerful kick from Mauve and sent his fist sailing into Asher's faceplate. The hoodie clad boy let out a strangled gasp as he was blown off his feet, his rifle flying off in an unforeseen direction.
"Asher!" Mauve roared, lengthening her blades into short swords and releasing a flurry of strikes. Verdant held his ground and blocked the weapons with his bare arms, he caught Mauve on a downwards strike and twisted his hand to snatch her wrists. Rust rushed behind him and reared up his axe but Verdant was faster, lashing out a donkey kick that caught Rust in the gut and forced him back.
Verdant still had a struggling Mauve caught in his grasp. She shot her leg forwards to kick him between his legs, but her foot was caught when he clamped his legs onto it. Now immobilized and off balance, Verdant spiked his head down in a headbutt that knocked Mauve off her feet and onto her ass.
"Mauve, Rust… clear out!" Asher warned, now back on his feet and having retrieved his rifle. He was holding the trigger down to charge an explosive round and held the rifle sight up to his eye.
Verdant showed no worry, holding his ground and even allowing Mauve and Rust to escape. Asher unleashed the volatile round and it hit true, impacting Verdant's chest and obscuring his form in a massive fireball.
The three members of MARS panted as the smoke cleared, Mauve joined Asher at his side, readying her weapons and holding them in a defensive position.
The smoke cleared… Verdant was still standing exactly where he was. His clothes seemed a little singed, but he was otherwise unharmed.
Verdant released a low whistle as he slowly stepped forwards. "That is a fine weapon, Asher. I remember watching your team's match of the Vytal tournament… I must say that I was immediately smitten…"
Asher said nothing, he pursed his lips behind his helmet. Off to the side he spotted Rust reloading Ruination, the large boy shot him a grim nod as he slipped the last few shells into the loading bay of his weapon.
Asher leaned into his partner's side and whispered. "Mauve… time to play chicken…"
Mauve chuckled next to him. "You lead…"
They both sprinted forwards at once, Asher was already charging up an ice shot before his first step made contact with the ground. While he and Mauve's fighting styles didn't mesh all that well, they could still compliment each other in battle. They were both highly maneuverable in combat, but Asher focused on suppressive fire while Mauve preferred hit and run attacks.
So they came up with a loose term of "chicken" for their joint attack pattern. Mauve would do what she did best… and so would Asher.
Asher roared in challenge as he closed the distance to Verdant, who was still holding his ground. Mauve broke away from his side as Asher crouched into a slide, keeping the barrel of his rifle low. Verdant was now anticipating a charged shot to the legs and leapt upwards off the ground to avoid it…
Which was exactly what Asher wanted...
The helmeted boy snapped the barrel of his rifle upwards at the last second, the volatile round exploding from the barrel and making contact with Verdant's right arm. Ice bloomed like flowers on the limb, coating the arm in a heavy layer of ice and freezing it solid.
Now off balance, Verdant yelled in rage as he tilted in the air. Rust reached out with his semblance to speed up the process, a heavy gust of wind tumbling Verdant onto his face as he slammed into the ground.
Now it was Mauve's turn. The lynx girl pushed off into an aura infused jump and charged her semblance, landing a downward curb stomp onto Verdant's cheek as he tried to get up. She followed this up with a spinning kick and slash that made the big man's aura shimmer.
"DAMN YOU!" Verdant roared as he struggled back to his feet. His cold blue eyes were now alight with malevolence and fury.
Rust sprinted behind the gangster and reared up Ruination for a sideways strike. He fired off a shell as he spun to build momentum, but the strike went wide when Verdant ducked out of the way. The green haired gangster pivoted in place and swung his frozen arm like a bat; but Rust anticipated this and used his semblance to blow Verdant off course and make him stumble.
Asher darted in with his semblance from the front, unleashing a blast of shrapnel with his double barrel before dashing away in a flurry of smoke. Mauve leapt from behind with her knives outstretched, but was smacked off her feet when Verdant swung back around. He smashed his frozen arm into Mauve's face at high speeds, shattering the ice and freeing his limb.
Mauve fell onto her back and lay on the ground moaning, her aura crackling as she struggled back to her feet.
Now freed from the ice and able to use both arms again, Verdant spun low to the ground and lashed out his leg. He drew his rifle from his back as he simultaneously tripped Rust, disarming the large boy with a downwards kick that left him sprawled.
Verdant spun to avoid Asher's gunfire and propped himself up on one knee, raising the black rifle to his face and beginning to squeeze off shots. Asher used his semblance to dart around and avoid the heavy rounds, his form now wreathed in smoke. Asher rolled over a table and spun to avoid a shot as he approached the interior wall of the warehouse. The helmeted boy kicked off the closest wall and drew his pistol, firing wildly at Verdant as he used his semblance to twist around mid-air.
But he wasn't fast enough… a lucky shot from Verdant caught Asher right in the chest, forcing the air from his lungs. His aura blocked the shot, but he was left sprawled on the ground and struggling to catch his breath.
Behind Verdant, Mauve had gotten back to her feet and grabbed her knives, firing off a shot into the back of Verdant's knee. Verdant howled and dropped his rifle, spinning around to face Mauve with rage-filled eyes. He ducked under a swing from Rust and sprinted forwards with great speed, roughly grabbing Mauve by the throat before she could run. He lifted her up, his brawny fingers digging into her failing aura as she grasped uselessly at the throat.
A whoosh of air behind Verdant indicated imminent danger, so he spun around to put Mauve in the middle. A blast of poorly aimed buckshot from Ruination slammed into Mauve's back, destroying the last of the lynx girls' aura. Mauve howled in agony as the hot shrapnel singed her windbreaker, but it thankfully did not penetrate her skin.
"MAUVE!" Rust and Asher yelled in near synchronicity. Verdant growled under his breath and tossed the limp girl to the side, her weapons scattering.
"FUCK YOU!" Asher roared in rage, raising his rifle to fire recklessly as he sprinted forwards. Verdant allowed his aura to block the bullets and turned his attention away to face Rust again, engaging in a battle of fisticuffs with the taller boy.
Rust roared in agony when Verdant snuck a punch under his arm and struck him where his liver was.
Asher crouched into a slide as he approached Mauve's side. Her face was paler than usual and her breathing labored, but her eyes were still open.
"Are you alright?" Asher asked gingerly, patting down Mauve's shoulders to look for injuries.
"Fine," Mauve spoke hoarsely. "Aura blocked the worst of it… go help Rus- ASHER!"
Mauve had been cut off when Asher disappeared from view, having been tackled off his feet by Verdant. Asher was now pinned against the ground and was powerless, screaming in pain when Verdant punched him so hard his helmet flew off his head. With his face now exposed Asher was left reeling by two haymakers that left his face bruised and battered.
Asher's head throbbed in agony, as if an axe blade had been driven clean through his scalp. Even though he was being pinned, the punches were the least of his concerns. Asher felt his throat begin to constrict as the smoke of his semblance began to suffocate him.
In a desperate move he used his semblance to blast off in a different direction, where he hoped Rust was. He and Verdant were sent tumbling by the high speeds of Asher's semblance and the latter was left groaning in pain and confusion.
Still sputtering and choking for breath, Asher began crawling towards his helmet.
Verdant shot back to his feet with lightning speed, raising his arm to block a downwards strike from Ruination. Strangely, the axe now bit past his aura and into the skin of his forearm, but it was stopped by an unforeseen force before it could do any legitimate damage. Rust's breath left him when Verdant lashed out a foot into his stomach, making him double over as his aura crackled.
Rust watched in revulsion as Verdant used his other hand to touch the fresh wound on his forearm. A dabble of blood clung to his calloused fingertip as he moved it to his mouth and sucked off the liquid.
"Sour," Verdant grimaced as the wound on his arm closed. "It's been a long time since I've tasted my own blood…"
Verdant sprang forwards, not offering Rust any respite as he unleashed a flurry of brutal strikes. Rust yelped when Ruination was kicked from his hands and he was forced to hold up his forearms to block Verdant's punches. The gangster left no openings, his strikes were hard and numerous… seemingly without end.
A sneaky kick smashed Rust's knee, bringing his hefty aura reserves to dangerously low levels. Verdant was about to finish Rust with a final punch when a helmeted Asher came screaming out of nowhere, wrapping his legs around Verdant's back and clinging to him like a monkey.
Verdant roared in agony as Asher pushed the barrel of his pistol into his neck and repeatedly fired. His aura kicked in just in time to stop the projectiles, but he was left with several burn marks on his skin.
"STAY DOWN THIS TIME," Verdant roared, bucking like a bull to force Asher off. Rust watched helplessly as Verdant grabbed Asher roughly and tore him from his back. He spun Asher around and brutally pile drived the boy into the ground.
Asher's grey aura flickered and shattered, the smoke around his form dissipating as the helmeted boy lay still.
"ASHER!" Rust cried in terror, trying to get back to his feet. He threw a sloppy punch but Verdant caught his fist, retaliating with another haymaker to Rust's liver. Rust roared in agony as the last of his aura depleted. He could do nothing to defend against the dozen or so strikes Verdant pelted him with.
Rust crumpled to the ground, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Verdant stood victorious over the three hunters in training. He wiped his forehead with his brawny forearm and swept his gaze across the ruined interior of what was once a bustling warehouse. The two dozen or so "employees" were watching the fight from the sidelines, taking cover behind tables and crates to protect themselves from the carnage.
"All of you!" Verdant roared, bending down to pick up his engraved rifle and slinging it onto his back. "The authorities will be here soon so bug out! Those of you who I put in charge of it… contingency plan!"
The reaction was instantaneous. The two dozen or so smugglers rushed around to fulfill their superiors demands. The men who were still stuck in Asher's ice bomb were freed by their comrades and quickly fled the building. A handful of employees stayed behind as per Verdant's orders, disappearing into the back rooms to grab the materials necessary for the contingency plan.
"Well then-" Verdant began, but he roared in pain when an electrical shock impacted his leg, forcing him to one knee as the limb spasmed. The gangster grit his teeth and reactivated his aura, turning his head to find the lynx girl responsible.
Mauve Tempesta was still conscious… she was reaching for one of her guns…
Verdant seethed under his breath and stomped over to the prone girl, crudely kicking the weapon away from her outstretched hand. A pair of bloodshot amber eyes stared up at him, filled with hatred and anger.
"You're more resilient than I anticipated… all of you were," Verdant groused, crouching down to Mauve's level. "It's been a long time since I've fought Huntsman and Huntresses… and for students you put up a good effort…"
"Fuck you…" Mauve spat under her breath.
Verdant tilted his head and smiled. "You have a lot of fire in you… I can respect that…"
"You're an animal!" Mauve hissed, her bloody nostrils flaring.
"I am," Verdant nodded with a sigh. He stood back up to his full height and shuffled his feet. "I hope you can learn from this…"
"Enlighten me…" Mauve struggled, her hands grasping weakly at the ground. "What was the lesson?"
"That no matter how good you three thought you were, you were still defeated by one man… I never attended a formal academy… and yet I beat you…"
"So what… you wanted to humiliate us?"
"Truthfully yes, I felt the urge as I watched from the catwalk," Verdant admitted. "Your handling of my men was theatrical… needlessly theatrical… I knew then and there that you three had a lot of pride," Verdant bent his knees down again to whisper in Mauve's direction. "In all honesty… I don't enjoy hurting people… but tearing down the strong and the proud puts a smile on my face."
"Why? Because you think you're better…?"
"No," Verdant shook his head. "Because I think it's silly to believe that there is anything more to combat than simple violence. I don't waste time with theatrics and grand shows of bravado, I simply kill who needs to be killed… like you said, I'm an animal…"
"I-"
"Enough…" Verdant interrupted, standing back up and beginning to walk away. The employees who had stayed behind were now exiting the backrooms, each holding a crate of fire dust. "I will not kill you three… I shall allow you to live…"
"Why?" Mauve spat.
"Funny," Verdant chuckled as he spun to face the injured girl again. "I've never heard someone argue against me sparing their life…"
Mauve wisely stayed silent.
"Out of pity, I'll offer you this," Verdant said quietly. "If I kill you and Sage finds out… I doubt that he would be so cooperative with me…" The gangster stopped for a moment, moving his hands to begin rolling down his shirt sleeves. "If you three are wise… I suggest you leave Atlas and never return…"
"If you think that were going to leave our friend to the likes of you," Mauve growled, struggling to push herself up off the ground. "You're sorely mistaken…"
"Still so prideful," Verdant sighed. "I suppose the beatings weren't enough… let me help you come back down to Remnant with the rest of us…"
Mauve's eyes bulged in shock when Verdant reached into his boot and drew out a combat knife. He stomped over to the lynx girl and reached his brawny hand down, grabbing a handful of her long silver and purple hair and yanking her up by it. Mauve shrieked in pain as Verdant lifted her onto her knees, she weakly pawed at his hands to alleviate the pressure.
Verdant placed the combat knife against her long ponytail, a few inches past the base of her neck; with a single cut he sliced through the hair. Mauve clattered to the ground once Verdant lost his leverage, her forehead slamming against the concrete.
Verdant tossed the massive clump of hair that was once Mauve's ponytail on the ground in front of her, directly in front of her face where she could see. He stamped his foot down on the silver and purple strands, grinding it slowly into the ground in front of Mauve's eyes.
"You were much better in those tournaments," Verdant sighed. "I remember betting on you once and winning quite a bit of money… you were always an entertaining pick. But having just fought you myself… you're not all that special…"
Verdant turned away from the leader of his nephew's team. His employees were now shattering the fire dust crystals on the ground; they had removed all the sensitive papers from his office and were tossing them on the flames. The interior of the warehouse was beginning to fill with smoke.
Verdant paused for a moment… a new idea crossing his mind. He turned around and walked back to the three incapactiated members of Team MARS; he stopped and scanned his eyes across the three broken forms.
Mauve Tempesta was glaring at him hatefully, Rust Zephyr was lying on his back and moaning in pain and Asher lay still… the shallow movements of his chest being the only indication that he was still alive.
Asher was the best choice in this scenario… there would be minimum struggle.
Verdant picked the helmeted boy's weapon off the ground, taking a moment to admire it before tucking the rifle under his arm. He then grabbed its owner by the ankle, haphazardly dragging him towards the exit as the flames grew.
"ASHER!" Mauve Tempesta wailed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! BRING HIM BACK!"
Verdant frowned as he got to the door. He reached down and slung the limp Huntsman over his shoulders like a sack of flour before exiting the burning warehouse, his remaining employees lining up behind him to escape the growing inferno.
For the first time in a very long time Mauve began to cry.
She cried over many things… the fear of her own mortality, the frustration that came with being beaten… even the destruction of her hair (even if it was a little shallow of her).
But nothing hurt her more than seeing the man she had grown to love being dragged away like a limp corpse.
Mauve bawled like never before… tears streamed down her pale cheeks like dual waterfalls.
"Mauve…" A hoarse voice whispered. Mauve wasn't sure who it was… the smoke in the room was growing thicker and the flames were licking ever closer to their location.
"Mauve," the voice called again, but it sounded deeper now… deep and familiar… and soothing…
"Mauve," Rust yelled one more time.
Mauve weakly turned in her prone position to see her teammate standing up. He was in absolutely awful shape; his clothes were stained with blood and dirt and his right eye was bruised black.
"Rust," Mauve gasped out, her throat as dry as sand. "We need to get out… can you…?"
"I'm coming," Rust wheezed. The giant boy collapsed to one knee and picked up Ruination, attaching the weapon to his back. He retrieved Nimbus and Static and slipped them into his coat pockets before turning his attention to Mauve.
As gently as he could, Rust reached down and picked up Mauve's battered form, hoisting her up in a bridal carry.
"Hard to breathe in here," Rust wheezed through the smoke. "Where did he take Asher?"
"I don't know," Mauve choked, tears streaming down her face. "I don't know…"
"Breathe, Mauve… breathe…" Rust soothed as best he could, nearly slipping on some spent shell casings as he trudged through the flames. "This isn't over yet… Mauve?"
Rust looked down at Mauve and his heart stopped. She had fallen unconscious in his arms and while her shallow breathing indicated that she was still alive, that would soon change if they didn't escape the building.
The large boy quickened his pace, turning his body to the side and barging through the door into the lobby. The warehouse was now burning like a tinderbox, flames licked the drywall and made the lobby sweltering hot.
With one last grunt of effort Rust kicked open the door and stumbled into the refreshingly cool air of Mantle's industrial district. He crossed the street to put some distance between them and the burning building and gently set Mauve down on the bench he had rested on earlier in the day.
The warehouse now looked like a depiction of hell. Angry red flames engulfed the massive building with jets of flame shooting from the now destroyed windows. The crackle of gunfire rang out as the bullets caught in the inferno heated up and exploded.
Rust braced himself and covered Mauve when several explosions shook the building; he could only assume that the missiles he had seen being transported were responsible for that.
The gargantuan boy kept Mauve shielded with his body right up until the authorities finally arrived. The high pitched wail of sirens grew in intensity as fleets of firetrucks, police cars and ambulances screeched to a halt on the adjacent streets. First responders rushed around in droves, searching for wounded or helping to put out the growing fire that was engulfing the block.
Several paramedics surrounded Rust and Mauve. Rust watched in silence as Mauve was placed on a stretcher and wheeled in the direction of an ambulance. The large boy was instructed to take a seat on the bench as the paramedics began tending to his more immediate wounds.
He would have to explain their way out of this… if the elderly looking officer with the hawkish face stomping in their direction was any indication.
"Witnesses say they saw you two leave the building," the officer snarled, crouching down to eye level and glaring into Rust's eyes. "Explain…"
"Were Hunters in training…" Rust truthfully explained. "We- We saw a criminal element in the building and decided to intervene…"
"Bullshit," the officer sneered. "If there was a criminal element you should have called us… why didn't you call us?"
"I-" Rust blanched as he tried to formulate an excuse. "It's complicated…"
"Then we're gonna sort it out at the station," the officer growled. "We'll see to it that you both receive treatment… but we're holding you both for questioning…"
Rust nodded and twiddled his thumbs together, hissing when one of the EMT's pressed a sterile pad against a cut on his cheek.