AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support this series has gotten here and on Tv Tropes. I am finally back for more of this series after almost eight months working on other series. With it, we start of this season on aftermath from the introduction of the Old Man on the Mountain, who has a lot to say. Afterwards, we check in on the teams before the mission to finish off the White Fang Killers. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 51 – Path Towards Fate
The Old Man of the Mountain.
A few minutes after the attack, Kiritsugu, Sisigou, Roman, and Chloe sat across the Wraith of Death, "So…" Chloe spoke up first, "Who exactly are you again?"
I have already answered that question. You may call me The Old Man of the Mountain.
"Okay…" Chloe responded, "Can I call you Gramps for short."
… I do not mind.
"T-Thank you," Chloe responded but did not think she would call him that to his face again.
"Still, what are you?" Kiritsugu responded, "You don't look like a human, faunus, or even a Grimm."
"But he does remind me of one type of creature," Sisigou responded before looking to The Old Man of the Mountain, "Does the term Hassan ring any bells? They were we a group of people turned into humanoid Grimm from a type of Black Mud."
The name is unfamiliar, but the process has been what I have endured for many years.
"I see," Sisigou responded taking out a small black rock, "The rock that encased you in the mountain had a similar chemical composition to the Black Mud."
"But the exposure of the Black Mud was said to be reactive near-instantaneous to only a few hours." Kiritsugu responded, then looked to the Old Man of the Mountain, "You mentioned years."
And I did not lie. I have been imprisoned in that mountain for longer than any of your lives. Yet, I could not die, I could only wait until the walls had weakened enough for me to break out.
"I think your bomb in the cave helped with that," Roman whispered to Kiritsugu, then looked back to the Old Man of the Mountain, "Also, you ate Ozpin's head. We gonna talk about that?" He said before crossing his arms, "Does that mean he's dead for good now?"
Not quite. While his skull and brain will be digested, his soul will remain part of my being for a short timeframe.
"Oh," Roman responded, his checks lightly puffed, then swallowed his vomit.
"You said a short timeframe." Kiritsugu commented, "How long is that?"
Even he does not know. I am not a match to his form of reincarnation. With no other existing host, his soul will vanish after leaving my body, as it cannot return to his own anymore.
"So, you're communicating with Ozpin's soul right now?" Sisigou said with the Old Man of the Mountain nodding, "Even with what you did with his head, how are you able to hold onto his soul like this."
Tis because Ozpin's body holds a piece of my soul. Azrael.
"Do you mean that scary sword the Headless Huntsman had?" Roman asked, "That thing looked like your style."
Tis a blade that can kill those bound by the concept of death, and potentially those who are not.
"Well, I can see why you want to get it back." Chloe said with an uneasy laugh, "Let's change to a lighter subject, how did you meet Ozpin?"
He had sought me out many years ago with a mission. To kill Salem and assume the role as the new progenitor of Grimm in Remnant in order to restore balance.
"Oh," Chloe responded, breaking eye contact, "Her."
She is the Queen of Grimm.
The Old Man of the Mountain spoke with his eyes glowing with a blue flame.
If you serve her now, you must die.
"Hey, let's just calm down here." Roman broke the tension, "If I recall, there is some other lady we need to deal with first."
"The Woman in Black," Kiritsugu added, "Ozpin was about to reveal her identity." He said while looking to the Wraith of Death, "Do you know her name?"
…Yes, I do. And even Ozpin agrees, she is the more pressing matter.
The Old Man of the Mountain said before his flames faded.
The Woman in Black is Sessyoin Kiara. A Nun of the Church, but a Demon in disguise.
"That name, I remember it," Kiritsugu responded, "She was on the staff list to Clockwork Academy." He said before his fists clenched, "Where my family is right now."
"Illya and Irisviel," Chloe added her hands trembling, "Shirou and even Cinder are there too."
"Clockwork Academy?" Sisigou responded, "Mordred is there as well."
"Great, what are the odds," Roman responded, then sighed, "Anyone else there I should know about?"
"Well, I know she brought her friend Neo with," Sisigou said as he took out his scroll, "I need to call and convince them to leave."
"…Did you say Neo?" Roman responded, his voice slightly worried.
"Damnit, the calls are not going through," Sisigou said as the voice message was heard.
"I had the same issue," Kiritsugu commented, "I think our enemy is onto people looking for her by now."
"Hey, did you say Neo before?" Roman said as he grabbed Sisigou's right shoulder.
"What? Yeah, Neopolitan," Sisigou responded, "Come to think of it, she always wears the same kind of hat you have on."
"Oh, I see," Roman said, his voice still vacant, then smirked, "Must be a popular style." He then cleared his throat, his voice slightly returning to normal, "Okay, I say we go to this school and kill this nun bitch before she can hurt anyone there."
"What's gotten into you?" Chloe responded.
"Nothing," Roman said with a smirk, "Just a little more invested in this whole thing now." He said before looking to Kiritsugu, "You got a problem with me sticking around a bit more?"
"As long as you don't get in the way," Kiritsugu responded, then turned to The Old Man of the Mountain. "Can you kill the Woman in Black?"
I would require my sword first to give you a proper answer. With only my body, I do not like our chances.
"Then we get your sword back from the Headless Huntsman and make our way to Clockwork Academy." Kiritsugu said before looking to the others, "If we rush in now, it may put them all in more danger. Kiara still thinks she holds all the cards."
"Still, we have an ace with this big guy here," Roman said as she gestured to the Old Man of the Mountain.
I would not put all your confidence in me. After all, The Woman in Black may have the other Kings at this very moment.
"Other Kings?" Chloe responded, "What does that mean?"
Yang.
In the training arena abord the airship, Yang trained with Weiss. The blond brawler blocked the gunblades' strikes with Celicavalon, "Got to say, you're a lot stronger than last time we sparred." Yang said with a smile.
"I can say the same," Weiss responded with a smirk, "You're not as arrogant in your strength as you used to be."
"And you're not as ridged in your movement," Yang commented with a grin, "I guess the Ice Queen finally-" She said before Weiss saw an opening, holding her gunblades to Yang's neck in an X-formation, "Warmed up." Yang finished her sentence as Weiss smirked.
"I still don't like that nickname," Weiss responded, "Say it one more time and I might accidentally cut one of your hairs."
"Heh, we both have our buttons," Yang said before Weiss pulled back her gunblades, then holstered them. The blond brawler recalled her Celicavalon, then looked to the other end of the training arena.
There, the two watch Reines spar with the Malachite twins. However, Melanie landed a spin kick that sent the Princess of El-Melloi flying back into a wall. Yang and Weiss walked over to Miltia, who had her arms crossed, "Got to say, for being one of these Maidens of the Seasons," The red twin spoke, "She kind of sucks as a fighter."
"I can hear you," Reines said as she pushed herself up, "I am used to having Trimmau at my side when-" she said before the white twin rushed in and kicked her in the face.
"So, I fight with my sister all the time," Melanie responded with a scowl, "That's not an excuse to be weak when alone."
"Tsk," Reines scoffed, "…You're right, I am no good on my own."
"…" Melanie closed her eyes and sighed, "It's not fun when they admit so quickly." She then opened then to see Weiss approaching.
"How about we swap partners for a bit?" Weiss offered.
"Suit yourself," Melanie said before looking back to her twin sister with Yang, "But if we spar, promise you won't toss either of us into a wall."
"Still salty about that," Yang said with half-open eyes, while the white twin scowled, "Fine, I promise." She then looked over to Miltia, who pointed in another direction.
"I think he wanted to talk to you first." The red twin said with yang turning to the individual, seeing it was Adam.
Yang glared at him while speaking to the twins, "Wait here." She said before walking over to the White Fang swordsman, "What do you want?" the blond brawler said before crossing her arms, "If it's to spar, forget it."
"You don't trust me to hold back?" Adam responded.
"I don't trust myself to," Yang replied, "So, for the mission's sake, I will politely ask you to leave." she said while turning around, but felt Adam grab her right arm, "I asked you to-," the blond brawler said as her eyes went red.
"I need your help," Adam spoke.
"Huh?" Yang responded her eyes back to normal, "With what?"
"To save Musashi, I need to be ready in case my opponent intends to exploit my weaknesses." Adam responded, "And I need your help with the Schnee and the nurse to eliminate one of them." He said with Yang still having a look of confusion.
Weiss.
Weiss helped Reines up. "So, you intend to mock me too?" Reines asked, "Bring up how I said that practice was pointless at this stage in the mission."
"I was thinking it," Weiss responded with a smirk, "But we don't have time for that." She said with her eyes focused, "If you can't use this Maiden Power properly, it could be a liability in battle."
"I know that." Reines responded, "But this is not something I can master in a matter of a few days. And we only have a few hours left until we need to start the mission."
"Yeah, which is why we should make this warmup count," Weiss said as she gave Reines one of her gunblades.
"Our opponent will be a swordsman," Reines responded, "One whose skill could be far greater than anyone we know."
"My sister told me about how she fought a swordsman a few times who relied on skill and luck," Weiss said with a smirk, then began to clash blades, "Or rather, skill and unluck."
"You're saying we should just hope to get lucky that he makes a slip." Reines said as she went for swing after swing, but Weiss easily parried then all, "Need I remind you how unlikely it is that we can-" she said before Weiss stuck back at Reines' weapon, launching it into the air.
"Well, I also learned a bit from my team leader as well." Weiss said before she caught the gunblade in her right hand, "That you can use your skill to make your own luck." She said with a smile, "It's why she always had a plan, even if it seemed like she was winging it."
"Heh, that sounds a bit insufferable to work with," Reines responded with a smile.
"I manage… somehow." Weiss said before holstering her weapons, then looked over to Yang approaching, "Did you need something?"
"Uh, yeah." Yang responded, slightly in shock while looking away, "Adam wants to try something." She said with Weiss having a look of confusion.
Blake.
Caenis walked down the halls until reaching a room. Upon entering, she discovered Blake sitting with her legs crossed and eyes closed, "What are you doing?" The White Fang Champion asked the black cat faunus.
"Meditation," Blake answered, her eyes still closed, "Nightingale said this might repress my Mad Enhancement before the mission."
"Oh, I get it, you want to be alone." Caenis responded before turning around, "Bye."
"Wait," Blake said as she opened her eyes, "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Just wanted to make sure you would not get in my way." Caenis said as she stopped walking, but turned back to Blake with a scowl, "And that you weren't going to run away." She said with Blake scowling back, "I don't have time for cowards."
"…" Blake stood up, "You hate me because I am not her." She said with Caenis having a look of confusion, "Atalante, your teammate. Whom you trusted as a friend."
"Don't you dare speak as if you know her!" Caenis responded with her eyes filling with hate, "I don't fully understand what you are now, but she was more a faunus than you'll ever be."
"Think of me what you will," Blake responded, "But I am still going to fight for what I believe is right." Her eyes then focused on the White Fang Champion, "And right now, I know we need to stop the White Fang Killers by working together."
"…Tsk," Caenis said before scoffing, turning her head before walking away, "Just don't be late for our departure."
Blake responded in silence before resuming her meditation. Suddenly, a voice spoke in her mind, "No matter what you do, they will hate you." The voice spoke to Blake, "However, none will ever come close to the hatred I have for you." She said before Blake opened her eyes again, gritting her teeth before clenching her fists.
"I will not let you overwhelm me again." Blake spoke to the voice, "I am the one in control now."
"But for how long?" the voice spoke again, "When you are at your weakest, I will take control again. Then, you can be lost as a memory."
"…" Blake remained silent, closing her eyes again while taking a breath.
"Meditation will do nothing." The voice spoke again, "You will never have a quiet thought again." The voice spoke as Blake continued to remain unresponsive, "For a bookworm like you, this must be torture. You can never be alone. I guess this means you can never truly enjoy those little black bo-" the voice spoke before Blake punched the floor, her left fist indenting in the metal, "Touched a nerve, did I?"
"Tsk." Blake scoffed before looking at her left fist, seeing it unharmed, "I guess this is one plus to being a third of an Alter." She said before waiting for the voice, but was now meet with silence, causing her to sigh, "I need to get ready for the mission." The black cat faunus said before walking down the halls.
A few hours later.
Gathering at the airship dock, the members of the teams all gathered. Near the entrance, Blake and Weiss stood before Achilles, who had Nobu sitting in a wheelchair with casts on her legs, "Man, I feel so bad that I can't come with." Nobu spoke in regret, then focused on the white heiress, "So, you're going to have to fight for both of us." She said before smirking, "But if you do need some aerial support, I can rain some gunfire down."
"Don't overexert yourself, leave the rest to us." Weiss responded, then crossed her arms, "Besides, I think you might end up shooting me by accident."
"Eh, think of it as payback from last year." Nobu responded before having a focused gaze, "Come back alive, okay?"
"I will," Weiss responded with a matching expression.
Blake smiled at the sight before looking to Achilles, "I know you are not in the action, but we will need your help in case anyone is critically injured."
"Right, you can count on me any chariot." Achilles responded, "Still, stay safe down there." He said with her nodding back with a smile.
A short distance away, Nightingale spoke with Adam, "It was a rather sudden request, but it looks to have worked." She spoke before crossing her arms, "Still, are you sure this will not be a hindrance?"
"I'm sure," Adam said before looking to Yang, who avoided eye contact, "Something the matter?"
"…This doesn't change anything." Yang responded, then started to walk away, "And don't thank me for it either!" Adam smirked while watching her leave, then followed Nightingale into an airship. Yang walked over to Blake and Weiss, who had left Nobu and Achilles, "Well, this is it." She spoke to the white heiress, "Reines is already in our airship."
"Right," Weiss said before turning back to Blake, "Let's all come back here in one piece." The three girls then hugged one another one more time, then let go of each other before going to their designated airship. Weiss and Yang boarded with Reines turning to them with a nod.
A short distance away, Sienna spoke with Caenis, "Remember, I don't want anyone dying on this mission. That includes them." The Leader of the White Fang said while looking to Blake and the twins, but then looked back to Caenis, "And it also includes you."
"Speak for yourself," Caenis responded with a smirk and her arms crossed, "You don't have me to bail you out in a brawl, so don't do anything too risky." She said with Sienna nodding, "Okay…good luck." The White Fang Champion said before walking away but had a look of worry on her face. She started to walk away, but was about to pass Sigurd, "Keep her safe, or else." She spoke with the King of Warriors with a scowl.
"Of course, you have my word," Sigurd responded, then meet with the Leader of the White Fang. Caenis looked on before meeting with her group.
From a safe distance, Achilles and Nobu watched all four airships take off before flying in different directions. Aboard one of them, Nightingale piloted while Adam was in the adjacent seat. The White Fang Swordsman then adjusted his mask before looking forwards with eyes of focus.
AN: There you go, the mission is underway. As you could tell, this will be the focus on the next four chapters. The first will be Adam's, which you might be able to guess what he did, but I ask that you keep it to yourself until next chapter. Before all of this, we have the Old Man of the Mountain laying down some lore of this series before getting cut away. Next time he meets with a group, the rest of his time as King will come to light. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.