Black Paladin
Chapter 3: Complications, and to Vale
AN: We finally meet one of the girls. :)
I received a message on my scroll from the Mayor's office
Your pass to Vale has been approved, upon the completion of your term of service.
Mayor Morrison
I was ecstatic. I could leave, in 2 months.
I looked around at my team for this takedown, 4 of the best from the year above me, and 1 from the year below me. All diehard supporters of the regime back home. We were sent to kill a Giant Nevermore. We could see it on our scope, as our short range gunship got us closer. Then, when the light flashed red, we jumped. We all had a landing strategy prepared. Some were slowing their descent with glyphs, some with guns. Me? I was using my daggers to slow my descent, and land exactly like I wanted to. Top that.
After we landed, we began our short hike to the edge of the cliff. As we approached, we could hear the Nevermore, and it's chicks talking. Well I could.
I had missed being able to talk to someone about anything after Canim was killed about a year back against a particularly territorial Deathstalker.
He was quickly avenged and laid to rest.
As we looked over the edge, we could see the cave it had set up in and, on my signal, we descended the cliff face as quietly as possible. As we got to the entrance, we threw ourselves inside and drew our weapons. As I was about to give the signal, semi-automatic fire clippe my aura, and I turned. The one below me by a year, but still older than me stood smirking.
"Why did you think I volunteered for this mission!" He called. "You have been a pain my my father's side for too long! I will…" He began his triumphant rant, as a Nevermore head fell, and bit him in half.
Stunned by the death of a comrade, and his betrayal just before, no one was ready for the Nevermore, or it's children. They streamed us, and with Flaros I cooked them as them came, but some of my comrades weren't so equipped. Several of them got torn apart by the swarm of baby Nevermore, and the mother would occasionally bite at one of us, shattering our aura, if not killing outright.
The last 3 of us regrouped, and I called to them, "One big fire wave, see if we can thin the flock!"
We gather together and using the most powerful fire glyphs we could, layed waste to everything in the cave. Everything but the mother Nevermore, she got broiled and you could see the pale/red skin below the feathers all down the front. She launched more feathers at us, and I hid behind an ice barrier. The other, weren't so lucky, they got shredded by the feathers. I looked up, and threw out a Grimm aura, and it stopped. I walked forward, and I finished my mission.
I came back to town, my clothes shredded. Bags the size of grapefruit set below my eyes, and a burning in my soul.
I knock on the gate, hard.
It opens slowly, and I go underneath it immediately.
Waiting for me is Mr Steel, Mr Morrison, and the enlistment officer. My glare is heartwarming. "Yes?"
"We wanted a situation report from the team." Mr Steel says.
"We killed it." I say, waving to either direction. "We made it back."
"How exactly…" Mr Morrison demands.
"Well if your son hadn't decided to use his SMG on me, not say the Nevermore, or it's kids, we may have fared better." I say.
"What kids?" Mr Steel demanded.
"Well the nests of newly hatched Nevermore kids. And the very angry mother." I say.
"Our intelligence…" Mr Morris began.
"Was garbage." I say. "At minimum three full nests of newborns, and one Elder Nevermore. Not the simple Giant Nevermore sans kids that you promised. Oh, and ya, the moron with an unsilenced SMG, that apparently, you sent to kill me. How precisely would you like to explain sending your son after me?"
"I um…" Mr Morrison looked very...disturbed.
My smirk was toxic. "I truly apologize but he was really stupid. I mean: a) had he waited some 2 minutes, I would have blown about 90% of my aura of the flame wall, and b) he could have enlisted some of the others, most of them probably wouldn't have minded, but noooo. Not only did he try when my aura was full, and not enlist any help, he tried before the job was done." I began walking toward the town. "I am done, call me in the morning to assign me my next shift. Until then, move."
"We have some bad news." The enlistment officer began. "While you were gone, one of the faunis destroyed the gunship coming into town. We will be investigating, but until then we will need people to remain active."
"That's wonderful. I have 2 months of my turm left. I will do what I can here." I smirk, and walk away, leaving several angry men behind me.
"Why did you do it so soon?" The first man asked. "We needed it to be later. He is still in the service, he can still leave in 2 months."
"We needed to do it this month. Next month's ship was going to be the SDC's walkthrough, if anything happens while they are here they would end our contract, we can barely afford to do business as is." The second man says.
"Not with the gunship down." The third man said. "He would need…"
"He has been asking about spending longer out in the forest." The second man said, "Several weeks."
"So, let him." The first said, "Maybe he will piss off something he can't beat."
The fourth sighed, "He is looking for a way out."
The first says, "So let me see if I can understand the situation. We want him to ether die in the field, or stay in town. Why not let him leave?"
The fourth slapped him, responding, "He is the undisputed powerhouse of his age group, if not the town, even Mr. Steel can barely touch him. If he leaves morale will drop, and when that happens, young people will leave in droves regardless of how little chance they have. They will show up as a group and that will be the most tempting offer anyone could ever take. A group of trained hunters willing and able to whatever is necessary to live comfortably. For every organization in the world it would be a gold mine, criminal or not."
The second looked to the third, and began "What do we think it will take before he will conform."
The third said, "He won't. Very simple."
The fourth looked to the other 3 and nodded, "We need a new plan."
I looked down at the paper the office had put forward.
General Notice:
Obsidian Vulcain had been determined to require light service for the next several weeks. Do not allow subject to take field jobs, or bounties.
Do Not Inform Subject
Mayor Morrison
The first time I say it, you could see the anger build in my face.
Today, however was special. My last day. The office lady stepped back, and I forced myself to calm down. The last thing I needed was to visibly Grimm out. I took a breath, and my eyes faded from red to my natural-ish coloration.
I stepped forward, and try reasoning with her, to no avail, and as I begin to lose patience asked, "Is there anyone with more experience in the deployment office I can speak to."
"Sir, I have worked in the mayor's office for…" She began.
"You are new to the real world then." I say leaning over, looking into the back, "Veronica!"
The new girl gets a disgusting look on her face. "Excuse me, but I am…" Which is quickly quashed when I place my hand on the safety glass, and it cracks, in a perfect outline of my hand.
"VERONICA!" I call louder into the back, "Some new tramp is manning the desk, and needs a lesson in real world problem solving!"
"Hey!" New girl demands.
"You worked on the mayor's desk. Sorry, for the mayor's office. You don't have the paperwork required to get me a city job, and I can't have the random select, so I need someone capable at this desk."
"You will need to draw from the randomizer." She demands again.
"The random works very specifically. I got a wall job 2 cycles ago, and for the Massive Deathstalker job, I was assigned city because it was a team op, and required planning. Random then excludes the last 2 from the roll, and therefore I have a 99 chance out of 100 to get field, unless I get paid time off. The 1 out of 100 constant." I explain, "Or you go bl..beg the mayor to sign an X3, ordering me to a specific district."
She gets very red at my insinuations, and gets on her scroll, she calls the mayor, and gets an X3 signed and dated sent over as I suggested. She puts my name at the top, and signs my marching orders.
She sends me the relevant data, and once again adopts a hideous parody of a smile. "There."
"I will need the associated card." I say, failing to hide my disgust.
She has one printed on my side if the glass, and I take it, turn to the random selection terminal, and insert instead if the scroll as normal, the new card.
The machine hums for a moment, and spits out a green card, with the audio message, "X3 accepted. Field duty assigned."
The new girl gets a truly devastated look. "But...but...the work order!"
"X3, command forms for field work. Issuable only by the mayor cosigned by the attending assignment agent. X1 is the city, X2 is the wall, and X4 is paid time off. FYI, an X3-A is what you wanted to assign me, as it exempt only that job from the randomizer." I say, swiping my green, and opening the doors. I feel for the 3 dozen rationed, and the 4 weeks of water I carry as I leave.
I smile. The world is good.
AN: The classifications of Grimm I am using is slightly different than others I have seen, and wanted to clear any doubt.
6 basic ascending classes:
Newborn (Young, little to no armor. Easy mode)
Standard (Unmentioned)
Giant (Big and spiky, see Jaundice, that is my definition of a giant Ursa)
Alpha/Massive (Bigger and meaner than an giant, and/or has a pack)
Elder (Bigger, meaner, and smart, understands and adapts to fighting style)
Undiscovered/Legend (See the Dragon/Nuckelavee. Biggest, Meanest, and packing seriously unpredictable or extra abilities) [Ex. The Grimm dropping blobs, other unique and strange powers]
When I realized I couldn't make it to Vale alone, I decided I needed to enlist some help. By help I of course mean I got together some Grimm. In this case, I got a small group of the the newborn Nevermore, and essentially condensed them into a decent sized Nevermore. I created a chair connected to a saddle, and felt like a true king. I let the Nevermore carry me across the continent. One nice benefit of having a Nevermore fly was the lack of time wasted sleeping. We made nice time, a total of 8 days, not the 14 I estimated before.
After we got to Vale, or more specifically, crossed the threshold of where I felt cameras would extend. We landed and I absorbed the Grimm. It was something I picked up recently. It allowed me to, just that, absorb Grimm, it had the fairly logical side effect of making the next Grimm extension easier, especially if it is from the same species. As I land in the forests to the north of Vale, I settle down for another night in my tent, and munch on another ration pack. I pulled my atlas, and looked. I had about a day's walk from Vale proper.
I looked around at the city, in abject awe. I was used to single or double story buildings, and the occasional warehouse. These towers were glorious.
I could do without the random thugs thinking they could extort me however. I sheathed my sword after the dozenth or so group of men in suits, and those tacky red glasses, tried to demand my money.
I finally had the papers I needed to apply for Beacon. I was filling them out back at my room, and after almost 2 hours of paperwork...scroll-work? Whatever. I was done, and finally submitted the application and tests required. Then, almost immediately I received a message.
Thank you, undersigned, for your application to our most prestigious school. You have passed the educational side of our entrance exam, please report to Signal academy in Vale proper at 4:35 PM today. By signing this document you acknowledge this requirement.
Office of
Glynda Goodwitch
Dust Combat Professor,
and Deputy Headmistress
I snorted. A Combat trial. Nice. I looked at the corner of my scroll, and saw the time. 4:01 PM. I pulled a map of the city, and got a route to Signal. And I raced off.
As I got there, 6 minutes to spare. I knocked on the door, and it was opened by a young man.
"Professor Qrow is observing initiation rounds today, please…" He began in a monotone, "Oh, you are here for those aren't you? Come on in."
I walk behind him, almost in shock at the facilities they had to use, and only at the junior hunting academy. What would Beacon have?
We got to a large training room, mats covering about two thirds of the floor, and bleachers covering the third at the edge facing the door. As we walked in, I saw a gruff man in a white coat, and a highly recognisable sword at his back. He had come to Spartum, three? years ago looking for prospective recruits for an outreach program Vale was implementing, however the mandatory service restricted us from leaving. He, like all others before him, went home disappointed. I walked up, and sat in the line of others that looked about my age.
The man with the clockwork sword called, "You didn't do well enough to pass Jacob. Cardin Winchester, continue. Obsidian Vulcain please attend the mats."
The six something blond, with the mace stood over a small brunette on the mat. I stood, and walked down to meet him.
"Since he still isn't here, how about…" The clockwork sword began, until I coughed, catching his attention. He looked up, and as our eyes met, I could feel his emotions, and shuddered. "If you can't handle a little sarcasm, you can't be a hunter Obi."
I was about to retort, when I smirked. "I actually kinda like that. Obi Vulcain." I nod, shaking off the emotional abyss I just bore witness to. Much like Grimm, I can feel emotion, I suppress that, however eye contact is just too easy to pick them up from. I guess they aren't called the windows to the soul for nothing.
The man picks up his scroll, and begins, "Initiation fight between Cardin Winchester and Obsidian Vulcain. Observed by Qrow Branwen. You will need to show a superior combat ability, control, and adaptability. Begin!"
As Qrow yelled, Cardin charged, mace over his head, like some kind of bull. I side step, and draw Balta. As he passes me, I create a glyph, and blast him back to the other side of the ring. He stood, pissed, and charges again, this time with the mace to his side. I smirk, and as he got closer, I jumped over his mace, and while he did try, I jumped far higher than he had expected, and land a decent distance behind him, and level Balta, before firing a bolt of lightning. It struck his mace as he tried to block it, and it passes through his mace, striking him in the face, much to his surprise. It through him bodily into the wall, and drops his aura into the deep yellow. He braces against the wall, and stands again, then he tosses some fire dust into the center of his mace. I allow him to do whatever he is doing, and when his mace catches fire I am pleasantly surprised. Especially when it launches a fireball at me. I swipe Balta, deflecting it, and charge, he braces, before getting to him I swipe my sword, leveling a whip of lightning, throwing him for a loop, than landing a devastating slash across his neck. Bringing his aura to nothing, and ending in a wonderful display of power.
"Good match. Now Obsidian Vulcain and Veronica Gray." Qrow says.
A very short girl with a gladius, and a shotgun walks down. Well more swaggers down. From the crowd, a tall blond calls, "Kick his a.." A powerful glare levels from Qrow, and she pauses. "Butt, I was going to say butt." She defends, lamely.
She nods, and swings her gladius. I draw Diva, intent on giving them a show.
"Initiation fight between Veronica Gray and Obsidian Vulcain. Observed by Qrow Branwen. You will need to show a superior combat ability, control, and adaptability. Begin!" So he doesn't have a different script for all of us. Ok.
She charges much like Cardin, but she has her shotgun out, and begins firing. I dart left, but doubling back enough to keep out of her firing range. As we collide, her sword seems to be in two places at once. As I block her gladius, clipping her shoulder with a short slash, she hits me with another blade, and I notice her shotgun has blades sides, and fires to inflict more damage. Smart. I take a half step back, and use Diva defensively, putting it at angles that block both impacts, and she knows if she goes around I will hit her harder with the other side of my rapier. For a moment we sit in deadlock, until I draw a knife from my outer sleeve, and strike at her, hard, directly in her hand holding her shotgun. She drops it, and I sweep it behind me into my off hand, while jumping back. I give it an interested twirl, and charge, her eyes show fear, knowing she is defeated. I swipe with her shotgun, and she jumps, and then Diva emerges from behind me, morphed into her handgun form. She pales further, and I smirk, firing, ending the match.
The Armor Piercing tip, a specialised form of Grimm armor seen on the tips of Elder Nevermore feathers, designed by nature itself to pierce armor, then shatter in an attempt to kill anything inside the armor. These hit aura like truck, they have a small explosive charge, which causes an explosive damage, almost like a face full of shrapnel grenade, adding together for a truly aura devastating punch. Fortunately, she was in high green. If not…
"That concludes the match. Both of you step off the mat, next we will have Yang Xiao Long, and…' Qrow begins.
"Obi Vulcain." The tall blond in the back yell, jumping up, and all but teleporting out onto the mats.
"Ok." I smirk, as she draws two gauntlets, than look to contain incendiary or explosive rounds, red can mean several things.
Qrow sighs, ""Initiation fight between Obsidian Vulcain and Yang Xiao Long. Observed by Qrow Branwen. You will need to show a control, restraint, and maturity. Begin!" I turn at the change of pace.
Something Yang exploits viciously. She launches herself up, and lands a wicked right hook, augmented with her shotgun, which are definitely explosive. My instinctive defencive plates crawled up and took most of the blow, but my aura took the hit, and almost dropped into the yellow. She looks impressed I am still standing. I put Diva away, taking a smooth step back, and draw Balta again, and then separate them into Flaros and Glacem.
Something I probably should mention while it's relevant, sucker punches aren't something I have ever liked. And it shows, like how a layer of Glyphs slowly become visible on both Flaros, glowing a bloody red. And on Glacem, a heart stopping shade of white. My eyes sweep up to hers, and I can feel they shifted to red.
She seems to have noticed as well, and she...smiles. Thats new. She digs deep, and I can feel as she calls forth anger. Her eyes burn a red. It gives me pause, before I smile. The eye color change is a historical statement of an extraordinary powerful semblance. This might be fun.
I level Glacium and fire a burst of ice, all but nailing her to the floor. She pauses, and then I level Flaros at her, and a beam of fire carves forward, enough to cut a standard tank in half, but not quite devastating to a person with aura. I level it for about a second, and afterward, with a smile on my face I drop it, and when it clears, that fades quickly. She stand there, smirking, her hair a blaze, and glowing gold, while standing straight up. She cocks her gauntlets, and cracks her neck. Before she is suddenly on top of me, swinging for the fences. I duck and weave almost on instinct, while planning my next move. As she over extends, I swing, hitting her arm, and as is floats around in a fiery halo, a bit of hair. As she streaks past, the crowd gasps. Both of us look down, and see about 3 inches of golden blonde hair. Her eyes widen, and her whole body catches fire, extensively. My eyes widen, and suddenly she is faster and stronger than I could have predicted, and any semblance of technique disappears, she goes full berserker. I block with Flaros, it glows for a moment, as it begins absorbing the fire, and you can see her aura begins to slowly decrease, as mine rises. A plan occurs, and I get closer, and run Flaros around her like some kind of demented vacuum, she pick up the pace, and still throwing fireshot around me, she she drops from green to yellow, and then I strike, a massive blow with both of my swords, knocking her backward across the room, leaving an indent of the reinforced wall, and she falls nearly boneless to the floor, almost in the red. Then she stands, and slams her hand together, creating a shockwave I can feel from across the room. One that cracks the ground below her, and further crumbles the wall behind her.
She charges, still glowing, and spewing fire. I stop her with an icy wind, coupled with a blast toward her feet, before recombining to Balta. She bends to smash the ice containing her, as I let loose a highly charged blast of lightning. She breaks it, and dodges, blasting over, and landing a devastating blow, on Balta. Normally I would be concerned, but given the forging process she is basically indestructible. That doesn't mean it can't be knocked from my hand. It goes flying, and land as Qrow's feet. I draw Diva, and transform her, being as slippery as I can. I felt the impact through Balta, I do not want a face full of that. I slash it expertly across her lashing form, and she is in the red, but that doesn't seem to stop her. Then, having been corralled around the room, stumble on the shattered floor, use my control of my clothes, and leap backward, pulling on all of my knives, forming two rings of four. One at the lowest part of my shoulders, one at the waist. She charges, and all for her hits catch the knives, being stopped completely, as I step about the few that get through, and have the knives hit her mercilessly, not doing anything but slow her down, I realise this stalemate can't last. It doesn't. As Balta come within reach, I extend to get it, overextend. She lashes out, and catches me directly in the chest, throwing my back into the wall with more force than I could imagine, as I catch her side with a whip from Balta on the backswing. It shatters the low green of my aura, and shatters her from it's position in the low red. Both of us fall into unconsciousness.
An: Long one. I really wanted him to meet the girls this chapter, but it simply didn't pan out that way. See you next time.