Chapter 38…

"Climb, ascend… over the battle-broken bodies of both man and giant…"

Asher pursed his lips distastefully. After exiting the prison wing of the strange facility he had found an elevator. Unfortunately it was inoperable, the wires in the control panel had been ripped out in an act of sabotage.

"For in their destruction you shall reap fear and loathing… and attain one step further towards your goal of immortality…" the stranger's scratchy and erratic voice growled out.

"What was that about?" Asher hissed, clenching his rifle tighter as he ascended the rickety service staircase he found; it was laid out in a spiral formation and the old steps led upwards to an uncertain fate.

"Something from my past… one of the few things I can actually remember," the stranger muttered. "I can't remember who the original speaker was… it might have been a hymn, or a poem of some kind."

"It sounded like a poem," Asher shrugged and narrowed his eyes as he neared the top of the staircase. "But now's not the time for poetics…"

"Now is the time for violence…"

"Agreed…"

In front of Asher stood a large steel security door, complete with a wheel handle. Asher shifted back to Remnant and grasped his bare hands around the cool metal, giving it a quick few tugs to the left. It gave way after a little bit of effort, the entire mechanism groaned and shuddered as the locks were undone.

With a quick push the door swung open and Asher stepped through it, his rifle held up at the ready.

The first thing to hit Asher was the smell. It was a sharp, almost metallic scent that seemed familiar, although he had trouble placing it. The fair haired boy took a few cautious steps forwards, imagining himself walking through a door so he could re-enter "the place."

Asher crept down the hallway, his form fluttering with ash coloured smoke as he turned the nearest corner. He found himself standing at the entrance of a very large room; rows and rows of worn out control panels stretched into the darkness.

Asher suddenly realized what the strange scent was… the smell of blood hung in the air. The source wasn't too difficult to find either, dozens of fresh corpses littered the room, sitting and festering in piles of their own life essence.

The grey eyed boy fought down the urge to wretch at the ghastly site, he felt his pace quicken.

"They have all been murdered," the voice of the stranger growled in his head. "There are signs of struggle and the bodies are fresh… do not return to Remnant yet. I would suggest that we find a quick way out."

"We agree again," Asher coughed out, walking to the center of the room and fighting the rising bile in his stomach.

"You are not alone! Stop for a moment!"

Asher suddenly heard it, the sounds of multiple voices. He was about to duck under a control panel and hide but caught himself, remembering that he wasn't technically on the same plane as Remnant.

"Listen to them… they may know of Verdant's whereabouts."

Asher craned his ears and stood bolt still as three strangers walked into his view. They were dressed in white and black fatigues and armed to the teeth; the casual way in which they walked and talked gave Asher all the proof he needed to know that these men were involved in the massacre.

"Look at this," one of the soldiers laughed as he kicked a limp body. "This guy has a pretty nice watch…"

"Had," one of his companions corrected. "I don't think he's gonna need it anymore…"

"Very true!" The third soldier chuckled, slapping the first on his shoulder pad. "Take it while you have a chance!"

The first soldier gripped the corpse by its wrist and pulled the bloody arm upwards. He fumbled off a nice gold watch, the slick skin around the corpse's wrist making a squelching noise as the device was pulled off. The first soldier held the wristwatch high in the air to authenticate it before slipping it into his vest pocket.

"Might as well scrounge around," the second soldier shrugged, slinging his weapon onto his back. "It'll be a little while before the other guys finish setting the charges…"

Asher had been standing right in the middle of these men throughout the entire ordeal, a look of disgust etched on his face. The dead men and women around them were without a doubt criminals… but did anyone deserve to be treated so heinously?

"How disgraceful," the stranger weighed in. "You should kill them…"

Asher narrowed his eyes at the stranger's suggestion. "I only want to kill one man… what's stopping me from just walking out?"

"Where? Into a winter tundra where you have no idea where to go?" The stranger snorted loudly. "Kill or incapacitate two of them and then question the third… I said I would help you so heed my advice."

Asher considered the stranger's suggestion for a few moments. No matter how awful these men were he had no immediate plans to kill them; they hadn't taken away what he cared about… not like Verdant had. But the stranger had a point, these men might give over useful information if questioned.

So there was a plan…

"Can you watch my back?" Asher asked, carefully approaching one of the soldiers from behind.

"Count on me… do what must be done…"

Asher imagined walking through a door, his vision turning grayscale for a moment as he re-entered Remnant. The soldier was so busy picking through pockets that he didn't know Asher was behind him; he gasped in surprise when the fair haired boy wrapped his forearm around his throat.

"Behind you!"

Asher held tightly onto the man's throat and spun them into a standing position to face the other soldiers, who had their guns up.

"Neither of you move!" Asher snarled, watching the soldiers tense. "If you move he dies!"

"Where the hell did you come from?" The soldier Asher was holding gasped out.

"He doesn't look like the rest of these stiffs…" One of the other soldiers mused.

"One of your friends was sent to kill me," Asher hissed out, tightening his grip on the man's neck.

"Casey?" Another soldier muttered. "You didn't kill him? Did you?"

"No," Asher shook his head. "I'm willing to tell you where I trapped him… but I need information first."

There was tense silence for a moment as the two soldiers in front of Asher chuckled.

"I don't think that's necessary, kid," one of the soldiers snorted. "Life's better without him around…"

"What?" Asher said incredulously, his grip loosening for a moment.

"Were mercenaries… we don't believe in that 'no man left behind' bullshit," the other soldier sneered, his guns still held aloft. "With Casey dead the rest of us got a bigger cut." The same soldier who had just spoken narrowed his eyes and pointed his gun at the struggling man in Asher's arms. "Kid, you just gave us a prime opportunity…"

"Wait!" The man Asher was holding pleaded. "Hold on!"

Asher gasped in shock as warm blood that was not his own sprayed on his face, his ears ringing from the reverberations of the gunshot. The soldier he was holding slumped limply out of his arms, falling to the ground and joining the rest of the corpses; the gold watch the man had just stolen fell out of his vest pocket and clattered to the floor.

"He always found the good stuff anyways," the other soldier chuckled, training his gun on Asher. "If it's any consolation… there's nothing personal about this…"

Asher grit his teeth and imagined himself walking through a door, his vision turning grayscale as he shifted out of Remnant's plane of existence. The bullet that had been intended for him sailed through his chest harmlessly; a cold sensation cropped up in the area but Asher felt no pain.

"What the fuck!" The soldier who had tried to shoot him roared, his companion looking equally perplexed.

"Look at these men…" The stranger spat in a hateful tone. "They have no honour… they would kill their own cohort if it meant more currency for them in the end. Leave one alive for questioning… but I implore you to kill them both when they have outlived their usefulness."

"I'm not a killer," Asher hissed, although he had to admit that he was rather tempted. "I won't stoop to their level…" The fair haired boy watched as the two soldiers pressed their backs together, rotating in place to scan the area.

"The only way to fight the wicked is to become wicked yourself," the stranger reasoned. "Do you think the one you will be questioning will be forthcoming with information? You will have to torture him… I will show you how…"

Asher bit his lip, his mind a maelstrom of thoughts and worries.

"Remember what is at stake here… we must find Verdant and kill him for taking away those you care about."

"Mauve," Asher whispered under his breath. "Rust…"

"I am not trying to plant a dark seed in you… merely explaining what must be done. Do not fear the moral ramifications of this… do you think anyone will miss these men?"

"Where are you, chicken shit!?" One of the soldiers roared out, pointing his rifle erratically in multiple directions.

"Kill one, question the other and then rid Remnant of this filth…"

After a few more seconds of thought Asher made up his mind. He marched right towards the soldiers, his legs phasing harmlessly through the corpses that littered the ground. He wormed in-between the space between their backs and unslung the pulse rifle from his shoulder. His vision turned grayscale as he re-entered the plane of Remnant. The sudden presence of his matter displaced the soldiers in opposite directions, sending them both flying.

Asher wasted no time, raising the rifle to his eye and peering down the sights...

Outside the blacksite…

"Don't be stupid, Sage," Verdant growled, taking another step forwards. "You know that this situation is hopeless."

"Were you going to kill me too?" Sage growled, feeling tears well up in the corners of his eyes. "What about all those talks… asking me if there was any love left between us? Were you just trying to soften me up? Make me trust you?"

"Truthfully, I meant every word in earnest," Verdant spoke in the most gentle tone he could manage. "I didn't want things to end up like this… not between us. There is still a chance for you to come with me, I know of a place where we will both be safe… but I need you to hand over the case to me."

Sage resisted the urge to send another ball of spit his uncle's way. "I can't trust a single word you say…"

"I have not yet ordered my soldier to fire, Sage," Verdant reasoned, a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Not even aura could handle a quick burst of gunfire at the range… I could have had you killed coming out of the bullhead. Does this convince you that what I'm saying is true?"

Sage stayed silent, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

"The person who wants this crown is very powerful and influential," Verdant muttered. "They will shelter you as well if I ask them politely… please consider what I'm saying."

Sage felt frozen, not from the weather but in the realization that everything he had been working towards had been for naught.

Asher was dead…

Honey was currently in danger…

His uncle nearly had the crown in his grasp…

What was he going to tell Mauve? That he was sorry? He was… but his words wouldn't serve as consolation.

Only one thing could now serve as consolation…

Sage growled, seeing his uncle's face harden like stone. The faunus boy maneuvered his thumb on his left hand to find the activation button for his shield. In a fluid motion Sage activated the device, watching the titanium plates tear through the sleeve of his jacket and unfold into its full height. He spun with impressive speed, slamming the door sized shield into the neck of the soldier who was holding him at gunpoint. The man's weapon flew out of his grasp and the soldier was left sputtering on the snowy ground.

Sage whirled back around to face his uncle at precisely the right moment, as a massive fist slammed right into the center of the shield. Sage skidded back, grinding his boots into the ground to create friction and come to a stop.

Verdant sighed and pulled back the hood on his parka. His neatly combed hair fluttering in the breeze of the snowstorm. The gangster's blue eyes turned to face the soldier Sage had knocked down, who was in the process of getting back up.

"You were worth every cent, truly," Verdant muttered. Sage watched in horror as his uncle reached over his shoulder, unslinging Asher's rifle from his back. The soldier had a look of horror in his eyes as Verdant raised the weapon and fired; the man slumped to the ground, his blood turning the snow red.

Sage never felt as angry as he did in that exact moment… watching his uncle hold his friend's weapon in his hands.

"You bastard!" Sage seethed, narrowing his eyes behind the viewscreen of his shield. "Even the men you hired to do your dirty work!?"

"Yes," Verdant chuckled, his hands clenched tightly on Asher's weapon. "Quite an efficient system, wouldn't you agree? Even now the rest of the men I hired are setting explosive charges to collapse this entire facility… what they do not know is that the detonator is rigged to activate the moment they are done… they too will not be escaping."

"You're not an animal!" Sage spat. "You're a monster! There are no other words that can describe just how fucked up you are!"

"Then it seems you will not be joining me…" Verdant sighed, flicking the safety on Asher's rifle and clipping it to his back. "A shame…"

There was no sense waiting around anymore. Sage wiggled the radio out of his sleeve and raised it to his lips. "Backup!" The faunus boy roared. "If you can hear me I need backup right now!" The faunus boy felt elated when the radio began to chatter in response.

Verdant smirked, which made Sage's blood run cold. "Clever boy… working with Ironwood this whole time. He handed you that crown, didn't he?"

"Yeah he did," Sage nodded, holding his shield up to cover himself as he took several cautious steps back. The faunus boy dropped the chattering radio and clipped the hardcase onto his belt where it would be secure; in a quick motion he reached into his jacket to pull out his submachine gun.

"I thought that might be the case," Verdant nodded, pacing to the side in a predatory manner. "It's why I left your friends alive… only they would be able to convince Ironwood to hand over the real crown to you."

"What?" Sage stuttered and froze in shock.

"A risky plan of mine, yes," Verdant shrugged. "Your friends would convince Ironwood to play along… and you would agree to whatever plan he offered you, because it would be an easier option…"

Sage took a step back, Verdant took two steps forwards.

"Ironwood can't hand over a fake crown because he knows it won't work, there is a hostage at stake, after all," Verdant clicked his fingers. "So instead he gives you the real one in a case with a tracker… I bet you pleaded with him to give you a radio so we could do the hostage exchange first..."

Sage had his back pressed against the nose of the bullhead. Verdant smiled unnervingly as he continued his approach, each step measured and predatory.

"And now, all according to plan... his task force is moving in to arrest me," Verdant chuckled darkly. "Ironwood once agains thinks he has won… this is a game of cat and mouse that has been going on for years, he is still so predictable."

"An entire armada is flying this way!" Sage yelled over the wind. "You have no chance! Even if you do kill me and take the crown you'll never escape!"

Verdant looked almost bored, raising his hands up in the air in an almost peaceful gesture. "My ride is already on its way… and your backup will not be coming here in one piece…"

Sage watched as Verdant reached into his coat pocket to retrieve his scroll. He unfolded the device and clicked on the screen… whatever he was doing couldn't have been good…

Sage daringly exposed his arm, pointing his machine gun at the ground and firing off a stream of rounds. The bullets ricocheted off the snowy concrete and angled upwards towards Verdant's hands. But it was too late, Verdant completed his task just as the bullets destroyed the device; green aura flared up around his uncle's hands to protect him.

The ground shook and vibrated as six large towers burst through the ground around the bullhead; displacing the snow they were hidden under as they rose from the concrete. Sage's eyes bulged in shock as the tops of these towers unfolded like blooming flowers, racks filled with missiles being revealed.

"No…" Sage whispered

"Why yes, anti-air weapons…" Verdant spoke gleefully, clapping his large hands together. "Are your teammates on any of the ships coming in? I hope you had a chance to speak with them…"

Sage steeled himself… he shouldn't have dropped the radio. It was nowhere near his reach and his uncle would surely try to stop him.

In the blacksite…

"So Verdant hired you to kill his staff and then blow this place sky high?" Asher questioned, holding the soldier below him by the shirt. "Why?"

"Were not paid to ask questions," the soldier gasped, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as his windpipe was constricted. "P- please… I- I told you all I know…"

"You will kill him at this rate… we need him alive for a little while longer…" The stranger warned.

Asher raised a hand off the soldier's shirt and held it up in front of the man's face. The soldier writhed in pain as a long tendril of smoke shot from his mouth, wrapping around Asher's finger like a lasso.

"Neat little trick," Asher muttered, observing the smoke permeate back into the wounds on his body.

"One of many… you have much to learn…"

"Please just let me go…" the soldier pleaded in a pathetic tone. "No more of this… you're freaking me out!"

"One last question, then you're free," Asher hoisted the man back up. "Where are the rest of your friends? The ones setting the explosives…"

"The reactor room!" The soldier gasped out as Asher violently shook him. "There's an old dust reactor down there! It was the perfect place to set up the charges!"

"How far along are they?"

"I dunno… it takes a while but they've already started!"

Asher nodded at the useful information and dropped the man. The soldier fell to the ground in a groaning heap, glaring up hatefully at Asher.

"Kill this one as well… if you leave him alive he will most certainly alert the others…"

Asher shook his head and sighed, he raised his pulse rifle and flicked off the safety. There were a few tense moments of hesitation… but Asher did what had to be done...

Back outside…

Sage flung himself to the side to avoid his uncle's strike, raising his shield to block and redirect a retaliatory strike with his semblance. Verdant released a pained growl, watching the aura around his hand repair any damage he might have sustained.

Sage took the opportunity to build some distance again, he couldn't keep this up forever. The faunus boy fired at the ground, richoteing an entire magazine's worth of bullets straight at his uncle.

The imposing man cracked a wry grin as the bullets impacted his chest, glancing harmlessly off his green aura.

"Sage…" Verdant chided his nephew. "I think you realise how futile this all is? I know your semblance and you know mine… how can we fight if we know each other's every move?"

"I just need to slow you down…" Sage huffed.

"For what? Or whom?" Verdant chuckled, sweeping his hand out in gesture to the missile towers. "Look out in the distance…"

Sage turned his head and peered out into the sky of the tundra; morning was approaching but the sky was still dark and filled with flurries.

But then he saw them… dozens of bright spotlights cutting through the dark. The howl of aircraft engines could be made out over the roar of the windy storm.

Sage choked out a breath when the first of the towers began to move. An eerie red light emanated from the mounted camera as the missile rack swiveled in the direction of the approaching taskforce.

A series of piercing whistles filled the air as the first salvo of missiles fired…