Disclaimer: HARQ is a fanwork of the Rooster Teeth Animated Production RWBY. All characters from the original cast of RWBY are owned by Rooster Teeth.

Special thanks to eliort on for their artwork contributions. Thanks to Hector for editing.

xxx

It happened with all the abruptness and mystique of a magic trick. One second, the flare stood out like a splash of red paint on a portrait of the sky. The next, a hundred black dots swarmed the air like flies disturbed from a trash pile.

"Get under something!" Maya bellowed. She snatched Percy by the arm raced for the corner of the loggia.

"Not this crap again," Rip yelled, "this is getting so-" Rhod heard him yelp in surprise.

"Complain after we take cover," Hesh snapped, "Azeban, get Rhod moving!" Rhod was vaguely aware of his own name. There were so many Furies overhead, and with such speed, that he didn't entirely believe his eyes. His left arm was tugged sharply.

"Rhod," Ohlone grunted as she yanked fruitlessly on his hand, "come on!" He moved as if his feet had turned to stone.

Tired. Ah'm so tired. Falling against the wall, Rhod's face pressed into an ancient bas-relief. He took it in with a confused expression. Depicted in stone was a hundred smaller figures arrayed against a giant, scorpion-shaped monster. At the fore, a lone archer tensed a bow.

How. Rhod thought. How on Remnant does anyone fight these things? It's like nothing be enough.

Avian cackling chased the young warriors into cover. All of them except one.

"What is she doing?" Rhod heard Ohlone hiss.

"What are *you* doing?" Maya shouted. Rhod finally tore his eyes away from the bas-relief and saw that the courtyard, sun-drenched a moment before, was flickering with the shadows of innumerable circling Furies, casting a shadow so great it was like the sun itself was nothing more than a dim, dying light. A lone figure in black stared upwards, stoic as the carven images around them. Xanthus drew her pistols and began to fire.

On the far side of the courtyard, he saw his own team huddled behind the slim pillars of the loggia. Hesh was scanning every direction with rapid, half-crazed eyes. Rip had plastered himself to the wall, too shocked to move.

His heart fell when he saw Azeban there as well. Her ears were swiveling rapidly after all the noise before them. She caught his eye and a look of shame crossed her face.

"No!" Ohlone shrieked. The archer raced out into danger. Rhod, still not entirely in control of himself, realized he was following only when he snatched Ohlone up in his left arm.

"I'm right here," Xan rasped at the circling Grimm, "right here. Come get me!" The large guns in her hand were taking their toll, meager as it was. Surprised squawking crescendoed into a hellish wave of crowing. Rhod's boots pounded the uneven stones and he hooked his right arm out, aiming for Xan's waist.

He was lucky she was too distracted by her own rage. At the last moment, her eyes shot to him as he entered her peripheral vision. She fixed him with a furious stare as instinct had her pivoting on one foot in an effort to break free. He nabbed her around the middle, wincing as one of her guns misfired by his ear. There was the wheezing cough of a ricochet behind him as the bullet stuck the masonry.

He collapsed into the cover of the loggia once more, dragging the girls right along with him. Azbean was over them in a second.

"Rhod! Xan! Um..."

"Ohlone Falc," the archer groaned, rolling out of Rhod's grip.

"Get off me, you Atlasian numpty!" Xan snarled.

"Yer welcome," Rhod said, letting her slide out from under his bulk. Xan shot him a glare. She looked ready to wallop him and Rhod braced himself for just that chance..s.

"Xan," Ohlone said, in a sharp, warning voice that shocked all of them, "Rhod just saved us."

"Hmm, sure," Xan said. Ohlone put her hands on her hips and stared her down.

"What were you doing?," she asked, Xan's eyebrows shot upwards."That was stupid and dangerous. You are perhaps the meanest person I've ever met but you are also the only one of us who had any practical experience before today. Our team needs you-"

"What team?" Xan snapped. "We don't have a team! Percy screwed that up for us!" She crossed her arms and glared at the floor. Ohlone, undeterred, waited ten seconds for another outburst.

"Get that out? Good. You're the only one on our team with any experience. But you are not the only one here. Maybe Percy got lost because his partner wasn't helping him? Maybe he feels awful about it? Maybe you couldn't even be bothered to help him get to cover when we're all in danger?" Ohlone pointed towards the far end of the loggia. Maya and Percy were pressed into a corner, making the most of their limited space.

Rhod was too busy watching the exchange to notice Azeban. The Faunus' tail and ears drooped as she listened to Ohlone's indictment. The mist of fury vanished from Xan's eyes and she actually looked ashamed.

"I'll go get them out of it," she grumbled.

"No," Hesh's voice snapped across the small corridor, even at a whisper, "nobody

move. Stay where you are!"

A cloud of Furies descended on the courtyard. The vultures landed in mass, covering the roofs and courtyard in a shroud of black feathers. They hopped and cawed. Their wrinkled heads swiveled about and cast their beady red eyes in every direction.

Rhod found himself pressed into the same space as Azeban, Ohlone, and Xan. The spot was cramped already and his own bulk made it harder. A fact that Xan noted with a critique of his weight.

"Uh, Rhod," Azeban whispered, "do you mind if I...like. Well." He looked over his shoulder. His partner was pressed against his back, trying to keep the edge of her boots from entering a pool of light.

"Aye?" Rhod asked, keeping his voice low.

"Oh, jeez," Azeban's face turned red, "can I, like, climb onto you?" Rhod shoved his fist into his mouth, wincing at the taste of his own glove, to keep from chuckling.

"Alike a...piggyback ride?" he said. Azeban pulled her twin braids across her face in embarrassment but nodded.

"Aye. O' course." He felt her scramble up him, her weight barely pulling on his large frame. He shifted his hands back, grasping the girl's calves to steady her. It was calming to hold her there. It made him think of carrying his little sisters around.

Gods, how he wished he might get to see them one last time.

What madness made ye think ye could be a Hunter?

"Great," Azeban sighed, whispering in his ear, "I'm gonna die holding onto someone's shoulders like a five-year-old. Hesh and Rip can't see me, right?" Rhod smiled and glanced at their teammates. They were busy having a nearly wordless argument with each other. Rip was waving a little blue vial of Thunder Dust in Hesh's face. Hesh's contributions were mostly emphatic, unmistakable gestures of refusal.

Not this time, Rip, Rhod thought, filling in the words he imagined Hesh wanted to say, these buggers will swarm ye if ye step outside. If'n ye could get a blast off they'd be too high for it to do enough damage.

A light flicked on in Rhod's mind. He dipped his fingers to his belt.

"Hey," Azeban said, readjusting her grip, "what are you doing?"

"Ah willnae lie," he said, slipping a dynamite charge loose with the tips of his fingers, "a hoora bad idea." He held the red stick up to her. Azeban went cross-eyed trying to look at it. She chewed her lip but, after taking in the whole situation once more, nodded.

"Wha'," Rhod said, "really?" She gave him a sharp-toothed grin.

"Aye," she whispered, "but we have to get everyone on board."

"So tell us," hissed Xan, Ohlone nodded awkwardly.

"Sorry," the archer said, "impossible not to eavesdrop." Rhod rapidly, quietly, explained the power and potential of his two remaining sticks of dynamite.

"Lots o' Grimm. But these," Rhod said, "set off a couple hoora big blasts."

Xan opened her mouth, looking caught between mocking him and yelling at him. Ohlone's hand slapped over it at once.

"The only idea we have," she said into Xan's ear. Xanthus glared at her but gave a curt nod. Ohlone released her.

"You," Xan said, in a low rasp, "are insane, Atlas."

"Hey," Azeban hissed, "don't talk to my partner like that."

"A couple bombs, ringtail, will shred a whole lot more than just Furies!" Rhod rolled his eyes.

"Scare 'em up into the air, afore that," he said, "c'mon now, Ah'm no idgit. Blow 'em up in the sky."

"Yeah," Xan sneered, "how are we going to get the bangers up there, ey? Ask one real nice-like to carry them? Or was Atlas just gonna huck 'em and pray to the Elder brother?"

"Er," Rhod said, "Ah was 'opin...Ohlone might be able to shoot 'em?"

Ohlone snatched one of the sticks from Rhod's hand. She peered at it closely, taking in the shape and calculating the aerodynamics of it. She tested the weight and then drew a black, fiberglass arrow from the quiver at her hip. Her tongue poked out of her mouth as she concentrated.

"Yeah," she said at last, "I can make this happen."

"This is the stupidest plan," Xan snarled.

"Noted," Rhod said, "Rip and Hesh need to 'ear our wee plan. Them two as well." He gestured toward Maya and Percy. Azeban scanned the distance between herself and their teammates.

"No good," she said, "too much exposure."

"Much as I hate to say it," Xan said, "we need pretty-boy and his sneaky semblance."

" Xan stood up, pressing into the pillar, and took off her hat. She waved it in broad strokes at the two teens trapped across the courtyard.

Rhod watched Hesh, who had been trying to puzzle out their discussion from afar, start to dance with frustration. His eyes were filled with outraged terror and he made clipped motions for Xan to stop.

The surly young Huntress, whatever else she might be, wasn't totally without caution. She stopped as a curious Fury hopped close to the pillars of the loggia. Azeban tensed up on Rhod's back. Ohlone hid her face in her hands.

The creature turned and bounced back towards the flock. Rhod was afraid to take the breath he'd been holding, sure it would be too loud.

Xan grinned triumphantly. Maya and Percy had turned towards them, fully focused on their position. Percy, Rhod noted, had even taken his helmet off to see better. Xan jabbed a finger towards the ground next to her. Maya leaned forward, cocking her head. Xan pointed at Percy and then the spot once more.

"Get over here," she hissed. Maya gave an exaggerated, frustrated shrug.

Xan grit her teeth in a silent snarl.

Maya had raised a fist to her chest, right over her heart, and thumped it twice. Then she held up two fingers in the shape of a V. Xan's face twisted with fury.

"Is she trying to tell me to shove it?" she ground out.

A gesture in Rhod's periphery drew his eyes to Hesh. He was pressing his finger to his lips, looking as grim as the Ankou statue they'd seen earlier. He pointed in Maya's direction and then at himself.

Rhod reached out and tugged at Xan's pant leg. She gave him a withering look.

"Get her to look at Hesh," he said. Xan rolled her eyes but stabbed her finger to the left, down the loggia. The jaguar helmet turned that way, to everyone's relief.

Hesh lined himself up, extending enough of his body out to be seen.

"Oh, be careful, Hesh," Azeban whimpered.

He thumped his heart twice and raised a V with his fingers.

"What?" Xan asked. Ohlone gave a little gasp and then covered her mouth.

"Sorry," she said, "I think its hand signals. Like military code level stuff. That one is to identify yourself." She demonstrated the little thump and peace-sign gesture, grinning. "V. For 'Vale'." All of them, Percy and Rip included, watched the two go back and forth. Their heads moving like a crowd at a tennis match.

Hesh tapped his chest then the side of his head. Maya held up a finger, in a universal 'one second' gesture, and unstrapped her own helmet. Her black hair fell around her broad shoulders as she shook it loose. Her face bare, she nodded and tapped her ear.

Hesh shook his head. He tapped himself and then his throat.

Not throat, Rhod realized, buthis vocal cords. Can't tell ye the whole plan via finger-wagging.

Maya must've understood, she pinched the bridge of her nose gestured to the entire courtyard. Hesh shook his head. He pointed at them again. Maya shook her head and gestured, with clear irritation, at the Furies.

"Back to this," Xan muttered.

"Xan, last warning or I'll cover your mouth again," Ohlone hissed.

"Come on, Hesh," Azeban said, "you can do it. Think of something." Rhod glanced at her.

"Its all about imagination," she whispered, "he just needs to think." Hesh pressed his forehead against the pillar, eyes squeezed shut in frustration. Rhod noticed Rip hovering by his shoulder, clearing dying to know what was happening but wise enough to stay quiet. Rhod snapped his fingers, drawing looks of horror from his immediate comrades and, luckily, Hesh and Rip.

He pointed above his shoulder at Azeban.

"Rhod," Azeban groaned quietly, "just cut me a break." He shushed her gently and pointed at her pouting face. Rip stifled a laugh. Hesh turned to quiet him and suddenly grinned with an epiphany.

Partner. Tha's right, Hesh. Hesh grinned at Rhod and tapped the side of his head with a wink. He grabbed Rip's elbow and yanked him out into view with him. Rip eyes got really big but he valiantly stayed quiet. Rhod glanced back at Maya.

Still watching, thank the Brothers. Maya looked between the purple and grey-clad warriors. Hesh used both hands to signal. He thumped himself with one and pointed at Maya. She nodded slowly. He thumped Rip twice, ignoring the sour look his partner gave him and pointed at Maya again.

The tall girl put her hands on her hips, facing twisting in thought.

"Oh, come on, big girl," Xan muttered, "it's so obvi-" Ohlone covered her mouth with both hands and refused to remove them. Xan's outrage was obvious but, thankfully, she swore revenge with her eyes only.

Maya slapped her own forehead as she caught Hesh's meaning. She nabbed Percy by the shoulder and drew him forward. Everyone held back the sigh of relief that passed over them when Hesh, smiling weakly, tapped his head and nodded.

Percy for his part of communicating was shaking his head quite rapidly. Maya pulled him aside and knelt down. What words they exchanged, Rhod could not tell, but after a long moment Percy nodded, though he looked utterly petrified. Maya hugged him and helped him put his helmet back on.

Maya sent Hesh one last hand signal. Both hands extended left and right, down the only two avenues of the loggia. Hesh pointed right, toward Rhod's group. Maya nodded. Percy nodded and then vanished from sight.

"Ok," Ohlone said, "time to tell Percy the plan." Xan struggled but Ohlone didn't budge. "Sorry, Xan, but this might be a good policy." Xan's eyes flashed and Rhod seriously wondered if she might bite.

There was a long, anxious moment of waiting before Rhod felt an invisible finger poke him in the side. He almost bit his own tongue to avoid yelping in shock.

"O-ok," Percy stammered in a soft whisper, "what's g-going on?" In hushed voices, they brought Percy in on their desperate gamble. He remained invisible throughout but, Rhod noted, the steadily increasing metallic shimmer of his armor gave away his opinion. Percy was scared witless. Not so much that he couldn't criticize the idea.

"B-but how you g-gonna put the dynamite on O-Ohlone's arrows?" Rhod couldn't control himself enough to avoid wincing at that very pertinent question. Percy's armor began to make a small racket as he shook. A few Furies started twisting their heads in interest.

Xan shoved Ohlone's hands away and stared hard at the empty space where Percy stood.

"You are clanking like a tin tap-dancer, pretty boy," she hissed, "don't worry about that and move on with the message. Take it to those two." She jammed her thumb over towards Rip and Hesh. "Chop-chop. And quit trembling so much."

"C-can I squeeze by?" he asked hopefully. The small corridor was crowded by their desperate attempt at space. Rhod and Azeban shared a pained look. Ohlone wrestled with the horrible feeling of saying 'no'.

"You take the long route," Xan said, "and you take it now." The shaking noise faded away slowly after a moment. Xan snatched the end of Rhod's flannel shirt and ripped off a long strip of it. He almost complained.

"Give me those dynamite, Atlas, and you, chatterbox," she said to Ohlone, "pass over some arrows. While I do this you two figure out how we kill the Grimm without killing ourselves."

"Ok," Ohlone took a deep breath, "is there a trigger delay on this?"

"Aye," Rhod said, "aboot ten seconds. We'll need 'em in the sky afore you twist trigger."

"Just ten?" Ohlone said, giving the dynamite an uncertain look. Xan had wound the first explosive around one arrow, tying it off in a sloppy little bow. Azeban sighed in Rhod's ear.

"Gimme, Xan, I'll make sure the whole thing doesn't come apart. Sorry, Rhod, try not to move too much." She lifted herself so she sat on Rhod's shoulders, giving her a delicate balance to use both hands. Her ears twitched as they scraped the the loggia's ceiling.

"Awright," Rhod said, his peripheral vision cut off by his partner's knees, "so count a' ten. Then fire."

"Loose," Ohlone said, "you 'loose' an arrow not...you know it isn't important. Like at all. I chatter when I'm nervous."

"Just when you're nervous, ey?" Xan groused, looping the other explosive-arrow together.

"Xan, hand me that one before you drop it," Azeban said, passing the finished product off to Ohlone. The archer looked it over and tested the weight. She frowned.

"What?" Rhod asked. Rhod's helmet suddenly pressed down over his eyes, pushed by Azeban's left hand.

"Sorry," she squeaked, "almost lost my balance."

"These'll pull to the right when I loose. I'll need time to line everything up." Rhod could hear the doubt beginning to flood her voice. "Maybe this isn't a good idea. If it goes wrong, we're... we're dead. We should come up with something else. This is too-" she was cut off. Rhod wrestled his helmet up a little and saw Xan covering Ohlone's mouth.

"You're nervous. I can tell cuz you won't shut up."

"Ohlone," Rhod said, "ye'll 'ave a ten-count. Aim where the buggers bunch up. We dinnae need to kill 'em all. Just scatter 'em. Ye think Percy's got to Hesh and Rip yet?" Azeban handed off the other arrow and carefully climbed down to hang on Rhod's shoulders.

"Yeah," she said, uncertainly. Rip was staring at them, hands gripping his hair, with eyes the size of dinner plates. Hesh's face was pinched with thought but the beads of sweat running down his neck gave away his doubts. He seemed to meditate for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling, then he gave them a firm nod.

Rhod watched the lad whisper something to an empty bit of space and then press himself against the wall. When Percy tip-toed up to them, he managed not to stutter. He gasped everything in one, quiet breath.

"Hesh says to split up and come at them from at least four sides. He'll take the corner down there with Rip. Rhod and Azeban need to take the one further up. After I get back to Maya we'll jump in from our side. Xan and Ohlone, he didn't know your names but I told him, are supposed to take the corner past him and Rip. When you're ready, let him now and he'll start moving. He says he'll give everyone ten seconds before he and Rip start attacking."

"They'll see us moving!" Xan snapped.

"I don't know," Percy said, irritation under the ever-present fear in his voice, "Hessian said it!"

"It won't matter," Azeban said, sliding down to her own feet, "if we can drive them into the air that's where they'll congregate. Go tell Maya."

"Can I-" Percy started to say.

"Long. Route." Xan growled. Hesh and Rip flattened themselves against the wall to admit Percy as he went back. Rhod stood, grimacing at the pain in his legs from squatting, and hefted his hammer. Azeban drew her glaive, machete style, and gave his hand a quick squeeze.

"Hey," she whispered, "I'm sorry for being kinda an ass earlier." Rhod smiled and fixed his helmet on properly.

"Naw problem," he grinned, "Ah dinnae give piggyback rides to people I dinnae like."

"Great," Azeban said, frowning, "I'll never hear the end of this, huh?" Rhod glanced at the Furies.

"Ah hope ye never do, Azeban, truly." Percy materialized back with Maya and gave her a rundown of everything. Rhod feared they'd lose momentum if the girl didn't like their plan. But Maya sodlieried right away, donning her helmet and giving them all a stoic nod.

"Ok," Ohlone whispered, nocking the dynamite arrow in her bow, "let's do this."

"Hang back until you see at least half of them taking off," Xan said, waving away any potential protests about how that mettled with Hesh's plan, "then get stuck in with those bangers. You'll have them totally off of you, focused on us. Chatterbox, waste either of them and I'll be very sore with you."

"Yeah," Ohlone said, "of course, right."

"So breathe," Xan said, "and prepare yourself."

The moment that followed stretched itself out into an hour as all eight of the warriors prepared their trap. Rhod locked eyes with Hesh and gave him a grin.

Grey eyes flashed with lightning. Hesh pulled Rip along with him. They raced through the loggia, the pillars flashing them in and out of sight, like an old time projector.

"One Minami River," Ohlone counted, rooted to her spot, with a tremble, "two Minami river."

"Go!" Azeban hissed. They spun around and made for the far end. Rhod willed his feet to move quickly. Quiet wasn't an option for him. Indignant, questioning cries started up throughout the courtyard as the Furies took notice of their movement.

He didn't have time enough to see how everyone else had moved into position. Hesh's voice, when he shouted, nearly made Rhod drop his hammer in surprise.

"Vale and King Simon!" A chorus of cries followed him in.

"Alala!" Percy's voice cracked as he yelled.

"We're a-hunting!" Xan cried, laughing over the crash of her guns.

"Alsoda!" he heard Azeban cry, in a language he'd never once even heard of. He answered with his most bearlike bellow and stepped into the sunlight.

He stomped a Fury before it could fly, feeling an unfamiliar thrill as the bones cracked under his boot. Quicker than he'd moved yet, he snatched a squawking beast straight out of the air and then splashed it against a pillar.

In hundreds, the Furies rose, black and cackling like a coven of fairytale witches. The mass of them chose to circle, while the few dozen that stayed near the ground split off to pick at the children.

"Eight Minami River!" He heard Ohlone shriek over the cries of Grimm and Hunter.

A rapidly blinking red light seared across the black flock of monsters. It vanished in the mass of swirling feathers like a shooting star disappearing into the night sky.

Then it burst like a supernova.

The blast was loud and, for a moment, robbed Rhod of all sound. He was pelted with a rain of chunky, seared meat and feathers. He was shell-shocked. The Furies that hadn't been caught in the blast weren't faring much better. He saw two of them actually fly smack into each other and plummet to the ground, like something out of a cartoon.

"Where are they going?" Rhod heard Ohlone say. He's eyes darted to the explosive-arrow nocked across her bow. The top was dark. He heaved a sigh of relief.

In the sky, the black cloud of Furies, halved by the explosion, was dipping and rising off in the direction of Beacon. Around the edges, some of the vulture-monsters were ripping each other to shreds but not in so great a number as to diminish the remaining flock.

"Mayhaps," Rhod slurred, slowly coming back into himself, "they're hoora confused." He gave a drunken swing of his hammer and sent a Fury splattering onto the courtyard stones.

"Don't wait," Xan shouted, "finish off the rest before they get their feet!" Rhod's teammates set to that task with fierce energy. Hesh carved up Furies left and right, managing to marry graceful wings of his saber with the cold efficiency of a butcher. Azeban did not move an inch without thrusting her glaive, spear or blade end, into one of the dazed creatures waddling on the ground, too dazed to fly.

Rip, with a casual look on his face, simply wandered around touching them with his right hand. The beasts under his fingers spasmed and dropped dead from little zaps of Lightning Dust.

Percy and Maya made their own efforts with shortsword and bloodletter, respectively. Xan, of course, was unparalleled in the savage undertaking. She refused to use her guns except as bludgeons. Otherwise, a black bootheel was her weapon of choice and it claimed a dread price amongst the surviving Grimm.

Rhod slumped to the ground, watching the battle-turned-massacre reach its end. His helmet clicked audibly against stone as reclined on a pillar. A second later he began to laugh. Pure, disbelieving laughter.

"We o'ny did it," he said to Ohlone, between deep brassy guffaws, "we o'ny went an' bloody did it! 'Orion' Falc!" Ohlone, endearing herself to Rhod all over again, actually blushed and smiled shyly. She looked for all the world like a bashful goalie, not quite believing she'd made the game-deciding save.

"It was a team-eep!" Maya, covered head to toe in patches of dark blood, had snatched the archer off the ground in huge bear-hug.

"Who's a big, bad Huntress?" she said, ripping a laugh from her partner with a little spin.

"Me!" Ohlone yelled.

"Finally shut up and do something useful. For once." Xan said, grinding Fury's head into pulp under her heel. She gave Percy a sideways glance. "Good to see you get involved for once, pretty boy. Hey! Talking to you, Percy." The armored youngster was breathing heavily and leaning against a pillar. Xan rolled her eyes and wrenched his helmet off. "Take a breath, for god's sake, before you pass out."

"Th-thank you, Xan," he said. Xan used her sleeve to buff some of the blood off his helmet.

"Yeah, you're welcome," she said. Rhod felt his eyelids fluttering closed, sleep dragging him down deep inside himself now that the danger had passed. A gentle shake woke him up.

"Oi," he mumbled, "c'mon now, let a man rest, ain't Ah earned that?" Azeban's smiling face was framed by the clear blue sky.

"That and more," she said, softly, "well fought, Rhod. More than that, well planned. Come on, partner. You can sleep when we get back." Rhod crawled himself up the pillar and back to his feet. He and Azeban strolled over to join Hesh and Rip.

"Wha' was that word ye screamed earlier? All-soda?" Azeban snorted.

"Alsoda. It means 'let's go'. Back home its...well it's just a word. In an old language. From my people." Rhod squinted at her.

"Ye dinnae mean 'Faunus' do ye? Ye mean yer family." Azeban nodded.

"Where's home?" Rhod asked. Azeban stopped and considered him for a long moment.

"Rhod," she said, halting, "it's not that I don't trust you but...you see...I can't just-" a huge hand settled on her shoulder.

"Ah'm from Atlas," Rhod said, "and Ah have two little sisters."

"Mistral," Azeban said, brightening, "One older brother. Six little ones."

"Hoora big family," Rhod said. Azeban nodded and she felt the vice-grip on her heart loosen.

"...good chance that was our exfil they were chasing off," Hesh was saying as they approached. He had whipped a cloth from somewhere and began to wipe down his saber with care. Rip, limbering up and looking nervous, shrugged.

"Don't say that," he said, "please, Hesh? You're probably like, one-hundred percent right, but just please don't say that, dude. My heart can't take. I swear I've aged forty years, today."

"We wait?" Azeban asked. Rhod yawned, loud and long.

"Seems like some of us could use the rest," Hesh said, a little smirk on his face, "outstanding work, Rhod. I admit I had my doubts about your plan but...well, the results lay softly melting around us." Hesh's nose twitched and he sneezed as the rotting stink of the Grimm.

"Tha's me," Rhod said, "hoora smart and full-up wit' good idears."

"We might-" Hesh's idea, plan, or opinion was lost under a horrific wail from outside the Mausoleum. Rhod's exhaustion gave way to fear. Hesh spun around on his heel and raced for the gates. Rip, sputtering, chased after him. Rhod and Azeban follow.

"No," he said, as they beheld the clearing on the far side of the dead river. Dozens of beowulves had emerged and caught sight of them in an instant. They leaped about, smacking the ground with their clutching paws, snarling and baying. Four pairs of feet raced up behind Rhod.

A large shape, like an overgrown elk, emerged from the treeline and stood at the back ranks of the throng. Azeban made a like she'd been touched with a hot branding iron.

"Wechuge! Oh, oh! Inside! Everyone inside! We can't out run it!" As if hearing and understanding her words, the Wechuge leaned back its antlered head and let loose another hideous wail. The Beowulves howled in response and began to lope towards the little bridge that spanned the river's side. Xan gave a scared caw of laughter.

"Of course," she said, "the one side that we didn't rig to blow. We're trapped like rats!" The first Beowulf to get within thirty feet of the bridge began to snarl at them, rising on its haunches to beat its chest. Ohlone acted one instinct, Rhod couldn't blame her for that. She nocked the first arrow handy, the one tied with his last dynamite stick, and loosed. He dropped his hammer and raced after it.

"Rhod!" Azeban's cry of alarm was far away. He bounded down the steps, skirted the rim of the riverbed and grappled the monster on the bridge as it rushed to meet him. The arrow lodged in its shoulder, taunting Rhod with the bright red against the dark, shaggy fur. He reached out and twisted it.

One Minami River. Two Minami River. He snarled in the things face as they wrestled atop the little stone bridge. He dug his heels in and pushed. A half-dozen monsters had crowded up behind the first, eager to surge around their comrade and swamp him. The first Beowolf, a blinking light speeding up at its shoulder, tumbled back into them.

Eight Minami River. He heard Hesh screaming at him to turn back and run. It intermixed with another, long wail from the Wechuge.

Nine. He breathed deep and summoned his aura. He smelled deep, dark earth and heard the ringing of metal on stone. He had not died in the shadows of the mines and he refused to die in the sunlit woods. The Grimm surged forward like a black wave and he thrust his hands out to stop them.

Ah will not move. Ahwill not be moved.

Ten. He shut his eyes. It did not keep out the blinding light, orange, angry, and fringed with black smoke. But just before it bloomed, he saw the shimmer of gold that signified his semblance.

In the less than ten seconds it took for the blast to happen and vanish, Rhod's life flashed before his eyes. Stone flew past him and glanced off his stomach like grains sand against a cliff.

Then, spent, his aura did not shatter so much as fall apart like a disintegrating wine glass. His legs vanished from beneath him and he bit the inside of his cheek as his shoulders smacked into the ground and his vision went blank.

xxx

Editor Note:

Hello all, so sorry for the repeated delays. We've been having a rough month but that seems to be at an end. This chapter has gone through a few versions in the interest of quality, but we're satisfied finally with how it shaped up. We hope you're ready for this arc's epic conclusion!

All forms of feedback are welcome, so please leave a review if you like. This story will upload new chapters on a weekly basis, so check back next Sunday for an update. Thank you for reading!