Within the old tombs, the Gears stacked dozens of concrete blocks against the steel doors they had just sealed. The loud banging and roars of the Locust on the other side echoing around them as they barricaded the entrance.

Marcus set down another block, Carmine and Cole continuing the task as he turned to Dom who was checking on Pyrrha who had been set on the floor and propped against the wall.

When the red-head had taken off in the middle of the firefight, the two friends had tried to go after her only to be pinned down when the Locust began to close in. Marcus had watched as what was obviously a Locust bigshot killed Kim before turning on Pyrrha.

He didn't think twice and ran to get her out of there. Only to get a front row seat when the girl shouted, throwing her hands at the large Locust and sending it flying into the building on the other side of the street.

Marcus didn't dwell on it too long when he saw Pyrrha collapse, picking her up and running toward the tombs where the others were. Dom covering them as they got inside and slammed the doors shut behind them.

"How is she?" the scarred man asked.

Dom looked up, "Out cold. Whatever she did took a lot out of her. Must have used a lot of that aura stuff she was telling us about."

Sending one last look at Pyrrha, Marcus pressed his ear piece;

"Control this is Private Fenix. Lieutenant Kim is dead. So we've fallen back inside the tomb and we need a way out of here."

"Repeat Delta, Kim is dead?" asked Anya from the other end. Her voice in disbelief.

"Confirm Control, KIA."

"Roger that. Um...there's a courtyard on the other end of your building. That's your best bet."

Marcus nodded, "Copy that."

"Well, we sure as shit can't stay here." the Gear with blonde hair and goggles on his forehead from Alpha team said sarcastically as he approached.

The scarred man looked him over once before making an assessment, "You're Baird."

"Yeah, that's right asshole. Question is, who are you?" Baird snarked back before looking at Pyrrha's unconscious form. "Or better question, who the fuck is that?! How the hell did she do what she did to RAAM?!"

"RAAM?" asked Dom.

"The big bastard that killed the LT. He's a Locust General. We definitely stepped into the shit with him lurking around." Baird answered, "Don't change the subject. Who is this chick?!"

Marcus rubbed his eyes, "It's a long story. Right now we need to worry about-" the whole building suddenly shook, followed by a bellowing screech that reverberated through the walls.

"Shh! Everyone quiet!" Baird whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Don't. Move."

"What was that?" Marcus whispered back.

"A Berserker. She can hear us. She can SMELL us." the blonde replied, his grip tightening on his lancer.

X

Elsewhere within the tombs. A massive creature stood over nine feet tall covered in stone-like armor with spikes along the back of its neck and shoulders. It's large feet stomped the concrete beneath it with each step, struggling to break free from the chains that bound its wrists that were held by a pair of Locust drones.

Its sightless eyes flickered around, sniffing the air as an array of scents passed its powerful nose. Freezing for a moment, the Berserker screeched, grabbing the chains and flinging the two drones into a pillar and a wall respectively before barreling in the direction of the smells she picked up.

X

Back with the Gears, they all stood grouped together aimed in the direction the Berserker could be heard.

"Oh shit." the only helmet wearing member of Alpha squad muttered, shaking in terror. "W-We gotta get out of here. We gotta get the fuck outta here, man!"

"Dude, chill the fuck out!" Carmine told the other Gear who continued to panic.

"Fuck you, man! I'm getting the hell outta here!" the other Gear shouted before running down the hall and rounding the corner.

"Gyules!" Baird called after him, only for them to hear a loud crash from the same corner.

The flames that flickered out of sight showed them the Berserker appear and begin to mercilessly smash the terrified Gear into the floor. His screams echoing as his arms and legs were torn off, blood splashing the walls and floor, his cracked and dented helmet rolling out and settling in the puddle that began to form.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. After that the Berserker slipped back through the hole in the wall it made and out of sight.

"Oh my god." Dom muttered, backing up a step.

"Control, this is Delta. We have a Berserker in the vicinity. Please advise." Marcus said tensely into his comm.

"Hold your fire, Delta! Standard weapons won't work!" Anya whispered loudly back. "Do you still have the Hammer of Dawn?"

Marcus looked over at Dom and saw him hefting the targeting gun with a nod. "Affirmative, Control."

"You've only got minutes of satellite coverage. Get her outside and use the Hammer. That's the only thing that'll work."

"Wilco. Delta out." Marcus turned to the others, "Alright guys, sit tight. We came here to help you, and that's what we're gonna do. Dom, let's go." he said as he and his long time friend prepared to head out. Pausing to address Carmine.

"Carmine, stay with Pyrrha. Keep an eye on her."

Anthony nodded seriously, "You got it, Marcus." The two friends grouped up before venturing deeper into the tombs with the intention of taking out the tank-like creature stalking the halls.

Unknown to the group, a pair of emerald eyes blinked open. Having heard the situation happening around them.

X

"So what's the plan, Marcus?" Dom asked as they entered a wider chamber a ways from the entrance.

"Well, unfortunately, all we've got to do is get her to follow us." Marcus replied as they moved as quickly and quietly as possible.

Dom shook his head, casting a glance back the way they came. "Think she'll be okay?"

His friend was silent for a moment, "Honestly...I don't know. Still trying to get used to the fact that she's from another planet that trains kids to fight shadow monsters."

"Can't say I'm not thinking the same." Dom became lost in his thoughts, "...Benedicto would have been about Pyrrha's age now…" he said out loud.

Marcus stopped and looked back at his brother in all but blood. He had a feeling that Dom was projecting paternal instincts toward the young huntress, having lost his own children on Emergence Day. "She's not Benedicto or Sylvia, Dom." he said calmly.

Dom shook his head, "I know that, Marcus. It's just...I know that she said she's a trained...huntress was it?" he asked, getting a nod. "But she's still a kid, lost in all this shit. And she willingly joined up to help us after what happened to her before. And you saw her after she split that Wretch in half."

"I did. She's not used to how bad shit can get." Marcus answered honestly. "But there isn't much we can do about it now. She wants to fight, so we let her fight. And try to pick up the pieces along the way if we can."

The duo continued through the tombs, feeling the ground and walls shake every so often making them tense up. Wondering where or when the Berserker would appear.

They got their answer when they entered the corridor beyond the chamber they had just been in. After only a handful of steps, the wall at the far end exploded inward. The hulking, armored form of the Berserker stood in the new opening, snorting and growling as it searched for prey.

"Dom, move!" Marcus said as the beast snapped its head to look their way. Screeching before charging the Gears like an out of control freight train.

Marcus and Dom ran into a nearby doorway and into a wide room with a steel door on the far end. "Dammit! It's locked!" Dom said when he couldn't get the door to open.

Loud footsteps drew their attention to the doorway they just came through. The Berserker stomped into the room, sniffing the air trying to find them.

Knowing they didn't have a whole lot of time left, Marcus grit his teeth and raised his lancer. Revving the chainsaw and causing the Berserker to whip her head in his direction. "That's it, over here bitch!" he shouted as the beast roared and charged toward them.

The duo dove out of the way just as the beast crashed through the door, nearly taking the entire wall with it.

"Well, that worked." Dom commented.

"Come on. We gotta get this bitch outside and drop the Hammer while we still can." said Marcus as they went through the large hole. Sneaking around the stumbling Berserker and stopping at another door, preparing to repeat what the scarred man had done before.

X

Back at the main entrance, Cole, Baird and Carmine all stood with their grips tight on their weapons as they heard the distant shrieking of the Berserker accompanied by the whole building shaking moments later.

"That bitch will bring the whole fucking house down if those two don't get her out of here." said Baird as he looked at the ceiling above them.

"They got this Baird. Can't believe we're missin' the party." said Cole. "Yo, Carmine. What do you think...hey, where's little red?"

Anthony spun around and found the spot Pyrrha had been resting empty. "Uh oh."

X

The third and final door exploded from the wall along with several chunks of the frame. The Berserker stumbled out into the courtyard outside the tombs, snarling at the air and swinging her massive arms around trying to hit the ones she had been chasing.

Marcus and Dom slipped out behind her and got some distance. "Alright, Dom drop the hammer!" Marcus said with his lancer ready.

Targeting-gun aimed down range, Dom pulled the trigger and painted the Berserker. Unfortunately, the weapon beeped loudly as it locked on. The large armored Locust spun around at the noise and screeched before charging at them.

"Shit!" Marcus shouted. Emptying a whole clip into the Berserker's head in a desperate attempt to slow it down even slightly. But she just ran through the bullets as though they were rain drops. The two gears leapt aside as the beast crashed through the planter they had been standing behind and sent debris flying everywhere.

Dom rolled back to his feet and painted the Berserker again, the already partial process completing as the telltale beam of ember energy burned down from above and scorched the monster where she stood. The Berserker flailed about screaming as the super-heated beam caused its armored skin to glow red, and best of all weaken.

"HIT THE BITCH NOW!" Marcus shouted, opening fire on the still glowing Berserker. Dom switching to his own lancer and joining him, the combined barrage managing to pierce the weakened armor and spill blood.

The Berserker snarled, bringing up her arms to block the slugs peppering her body. Her armor cooling off in seconds and becoming hard as stone again. Now enraged, the beast shrieked before charging after the closest target, which happened to be Dom.

"¡Mierda santa!" The man shouted as he dove out of the way, the Berserker flying past him and slamming into the wall and nearly collapsing it. Dom scrambled back to his feet and went to pull out the Hammer of Dawn again, only to find the magnetic rack on the back of his suit empty.

"Fuck!" He looked around and couldn't find the weapon nearby.

"DOM!" Marcus shouted as the Berserker swung herself around and screamed, preparing to run Dom down and crush him where he stood-

Another ember beam shot down from the heavens and scorched the beast where she stood. The Berserker screeched in agony under the intense heat, her insides boiling the longer she was under it. The attack fizzled out after a few more moments, the beast continued to flail around attempting to cool itself off before another beam struck it dead on.

The Berserker collapsed to her knees, her struggles slowing before she collapsed to the ground. Face slamming into the burnt ground, body going still.

Marcus and Dom approached the dead juggernaut, making sure it was really down for the count before looking around for the source of its demise.

Both men were surprised to find Pyrrha approaching them with the Hammer of Dawn in hand. "Hope you don't mind, it looked like you needed help." she said with a smile.

The two gears chuckled, "Good save, kid." said Marcus before getting on his comm. "Baird, Cole, Carmine. It's all clear, meet us in the courtyard."

"Gotta problem, Marcus. Pyrrha's MIA." replied Carmine, sounding worried.

"We know. She's here. Took out the Berserker." replied the scarred Gear.

"No shit?! Man we gotta see this!" Cole said before the line went quiet. A few minutes later the three other gears joined them, immediately taking in the smoldering corpse of the Berserker.

"Damn, little red! That's one hell of a kill." the former thrashball player said while kicking the large Locust.

Pyrrha shrugged, "Dom and Marcus were in trouble, I couldn't just sit by."

Marcus walked away from the others and pressed his earpiece, "Control this is Delta, come in."

"I read you Marcus. Colonel Hoffman is coming online." said Anya.

"Report." The Colonel demanded.

"We're here with Alpha. And we have the resonator." Marcus stated gruffly.

"Hmm, uh, very good. Stand by for new orders." Hoffman replied, sounding a little surprised at the mission's success thus far.

Marcus turned to the others and found Baird checking on the resonator on Cole's back. "You guys alright?"

The blonde shook his head as he stood up, "We need to get out of here. It's gonna be dark soon."

"So?" asked Marcus, wondering what had the other man so spooked.

Before Baird could reply, the Colonel came back on the comms. "Delta, we now have a secondary target. You will deploy your resonator in the Lethia Imulsion Facility, due West of your position. And you're in charge now, Sergeant Fenix. As of now."

" 'Sergeant'?" Baird said incredulously. Marcus didn't rise to the barb, or the sudden field promotion as he pressed his earpiece.

"Copy that. We're clear for Ravens."

"Negative. Area is too hot for choppers. You'll have to find another way.

Marcus shook his head, "Copy that."

"Typical," Baird scoffed. "Don't give the smart guy a promotion. No, no, give it to a jackass instead."

Dom took a couple of threatening steps toward him but was held back by Carmine and Pyrrha as Cole got between them. "So we gotta hump this thing to the factory, or what?" asked the former thrashball player.

"Nah, screw that. I got a better idea." said Dom as he pulled out his tac-pad and brought up a map of the area.

"Oh, yeah? What is it, smart guy?" Baird said sarcastically.

"Enough!" Marcus barked, silencing everyone. "Let's get moving."

"Hold up there, Sarge." Baird stopped them before pointing at Pyrrha. "We still need an explanation about her. Taking away the fact she's pretty much a civilian, there's still the matter of what she did back out on the street."

The newly appointed Sergeant pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. He turned his gaze to Pyrrha, "You feel like taking care of his curiosity?"

The young champion saw that all eyes were on her and took a deep breath, "Well, I'm not really from around here…"

X

After telling her story a second time, and showing her scroll along with the information saved on it, as well as showing off her semblance and aura to the gears, she had effectively shut down any doubts and remarks from Damon Baird.

The engineer of the group had her scroll in his hands and went over it with calculating eyes. "This is the most advanced fucking thing on Sera, bar none." he said once everything had been revealed.

"So…all kids where you're from are trained to fight these Grimm? And you all have some kind of superpower?" asked Carmine, still trying to wrap his head around it all.

"Essentially, yes," said Pyrrha. "I was actually a local champion four years in a row in my home country back on Remnant."

Cole laughed loudly, "Hell yeah! Good to know I'm teamed up with another champ!" he boomed while holding out his closed fist, getting a fist bump from the young red-head.

Baird handed her the scroll back, "So this aura stuff? What is it exactly? Some kind of natural energy field or something?"

"Not in so many words. Aura is the manifestation of our souls, brought out to protect us from harm in combat." the young huntress explained.

The blonde shook his head, "That doesn't make sense. The whole superpowers thing is strange enough, but to literally use souls to protect yourself? Sounds a bit ass-backwards to me."

"I can prove it, if you want," said Pyrrha.

"Uh, how exactly?" asked Dom, now interested along with Marcus.

"I don't know if it'll actually work, but I could unlock someone's aura. We're taught when we're older how to do so for anyone who should need it." said the huntress.

The gears looked to one another, weighing the idea in their heads. "I'll do it." Cole said, raising his hand. "You only live once, right."

Pyrrha stepped in front of the former thrashball player, "Just close your eyes and relax, Cole. It'll probably feel weird at first, but it's a part of you."

The others took a step back as the girl placed a hand on Cole's chest and closed her eyes. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."

When the chant ended, Pyrrha's aura flared to life. A moment later, a flicker of gray outlined Cole's body before it flared as brightly as hers. The gear's eyes snapped open with a gasp, stepping back and looking down at his hands as he felt energy coursing through his whole body.

"Cole?" asked Baird, he and the others in disbelief of the light show taking place in front of them.

The energy slowly seeped back inside of Cole and he blinked, "I…shit…I feel amazing!" he exclaimed with a wide grin. "I feel like I can take on the whole fuckin' world!"

"Easy there, superman." said Dom before he noticed Pyrrha swaying on her feet. "Whoa! You okay?" he asked, keeping her steady.

"Yeah. In order to unlock someone's aura you have to use a bit of your own. And with the constant use since I got here without too much rest it's a little exhausting." she explained.

Cole looked concerned, his excitement disappearing with the knowledge that it cost Pyrrha her stamina. "I'll be alright after a bit of rest, so no worries." the huntress went on when she saw the worried looks.

"So, any idea what power Cole's gonna get?" asked Carmine.

"Each semblance is unique to each person, they tend to unlock themselves when we need them most," said Pyrrha. Cole looked back down at his hands again as if willing something to happen.

Marcus took that moment to take charge, "Alright, we've spent enough time with all this. We better get moving if we hope to get to the imulsion facility before nightfall."

The squad regrouped and made their way in the direction of their objective. Cole and Dom sticking close to Pyrrha as they left the courtyard.

X

On the other end of the tombs in the battle ravaged streets, a group of Locust drones were digging through a pile of rubble inside a building. One of the drones grunted as they tossed a slab of bricks aside before a large fist struck it in the chest and sent it flying out of the opening.

The pile shook before General RAAM stood up. Shaking the debris from his armor he stomped out of the building with the drones scrambling to get out of his way. A deep growl rumbled in his chest, recalling the small human that had somehow thrown him into the building.

He would be sure to track down the little ground walker, and tear her beating heart from her chest.

RAAM.

The General perked up, hearing the voice of his queen within his mind.

This human, she is unique. Not from this world. Find her and bring her to me, alive. You're free to do what you please to the ones she travels with.

RAAM released his clenched fists. His queen's orders were absolute and he wouldn't deny them. He would simply take his rage out on the other ground walkers in the meantime.

Grunting a few orders to the units around him, they all began to head out. It was time to start hunting.

X

A/N: It's been a while since this one was on my radar, but I saw an opportunity to give it an update and I took it without a second thought. Read and review and I'll get back to it as soon as I can. Till next time!