"How many?" asked Yang, as Blake reported what she saw. She slunk back into the cave with all the sound of specter. The loner that went with her didn't make it back.
"I saw at least eighty Beowulves thirty Ursa but that was the front of the horde, they were rushing like a tidal wave, and she couldn't see its end." Yang nodded dourly and gave a heavy sigh.
"What was his name, the initiate who went with you?"
"He mentioned his name was Orpheus. Not that it matters now, I didn't realize what happened before it was too late." Blake stated making sure to avoid any unnecessary details and Yang's eyes started to flicker between red and lilac. For a moment Blake thought she was found out.
"His partner won't take this well." Yang stated finally looking toward a tall, broad shouldered and brown-haired man who kept a heavy cleaver at his back. Currently he was helping Lizzie tend to Garnet's wounds. Though he likely noted his partner's absence. Yang gave out a small, angered growl as she flexed her fingers, letting her anger and frustration out in small doses.
"This trial is fucked up! We'll be lucky to survive this let alone pass." She asked her temper venting momentarily after her outburst. She was rubbing her eyelids, now red from everything occurring in the last few hours and no doubt coupled with her worries about Ruby. If she were to... no no let's not go, there. She shoved it down and pushed that train into the darkest recesses of her mind before speaking trying to get the thought to drift away.
"You said the flares went off at the same time?"
"Within seconds of each other. It didn't seem."
"Plausible?" Yang cut off as she moved to check the ammunition of Ember Celica.
"I was goanna say realistic. Almost orchestrated."
"Well real or not there is not much we can do against a horde that size. How long till they find us?" Yang replied as she fiddled with her gauntlet's trigger mechanism, making it give a few empty clicks with a twitch of her fingers and then moved to replace the magazines.
"I'd be surprised if we last the night." Blake stated grimly which Yang nodded as if it confirmed her own suspicions before turning to Lizzie who despite the toll it took on her body continued to utilize her semblance over her partner Garnet who for now lay unconscious as he was healed.
"Lizzie!" the poor wolf practically jumped out of her skin with Yang's voice ripping her from her concentration and making her wince from the volume.
"Ye-yeah" She replied after regaining her sense, head turned but her body remained where it was.
"How long till we can move Garnet!?" the wolf faunus eyes widened at the question.
"No, if we move him, he won't make it, He can't even survive standing up!"
"Then we won't stand him up, can we make him a stretcher?"
"We'd need material. I could find some in the forest." Garnet gave an unconscious groan which escalated Lizzie's worry."
"Me and Blake will get it. Everyone else wait till we get back."
"Bullshit! He's dead anyway, we should move now!" Shouted Cardin who had at this point remained silently skulking in the deeper part of the cave with Russel, Dove and Sky. Apparently listening in on Yang and Blake's conversation.
"You got something to say Cardin."
"Your damn right I do! He's dead weight and I'm not risking my neck for a useless animal lover! Move aside and I'll put him out of his misery!" Yang had to bite back a snarl growing in her throat, and she could feel Blake's venomous glare focusing on the Mace wielding brute as he marched forward only to be met halfway. Orpheus's former partner was easily a match for Cardin in muscle and height, but his face was rough and scarred likely hailing from the slums of Vale city or the outskirts of the country. He stood in front of Winchester with his clever on his back and his massive burly arms crossed
"Back off."
"Cmon Graff I'm doing you a favor. Since she got your partner killed, you're not passing the trials unless someone else faces the music and the guy's practically dead anyway." Cardin gestured to Blake trying to get the man on his side by pointing out his now dead partner but surprisingly didn't move.
"Don't try and sweet talk me asshole we both know you're not doing this for my benefit. Now back the fuck off before I make you." Graff stated his voice rasp and tough reinforcing the impassive look he gave the other huntsman.
"You're a disgrace to the Huntsman Cardin, you'd break the Hunter's code to save your own skin!" Shouted Lizzie from behind Graff and a hand on her own weapon.
"Oh, don't tell me you believe in that idealistic bull." He never finished before Yang knocked him on his causing his aura to flare up in alarm as his nose shattered. Sky, Russel Dove stood of quickly weapons drawn but didn't step forward as Yang's body began giving heat and pressure that made them pause; that made everyone pause as even Blake and Lizzie could instinctual steps back.
"Fuck, you broke my nose!"
"You're lucky that's only thing I'm going to do to you and if I ever catch you bad mouthing the code again or worse trying to murder another student, I'll do even worse!" The hunter's code was the mantra all hunters followed, and it was one that was drilled into Yang's mind ever since she was a child fresh into the halls of Signal Academy.
"We strike at the evils of our nature, we overcome them and destroy them but not at the cost of the innocent, we take from the land what we must but do not steal from the helpless, we fight only to defend ourselves and our kin but do not slay for the pleasure of killing. As we face the dark no matter how alone we are or how long we watch we preserve our humanity. That's the code we are all meant to live by as Huntsmen. If you can't get that through your thick skull then you don't deserve to pass this trial... Now leave before I throw you out." Cardin paused suddenly afraid.
"You'd be killing me... I won't survive on my own."
"Should have thought about that before you tried killing someone else." Yang's tone left no room for argument. When he stayed still Yang spoke again.
"You'll be better off without me draining your aura." He didn't need to be told twice understanding the threat and quickly scurried out like a rat; Russel followed not long after.
"He's my partner, he dies I won't pass ether?" Yang nodded in understanding and let him leave without argument. The remaining seven initiates looked to Yang now."
"We should hurry, we can't stay here anymore."
It didn't take long to gather materials and without too much difficulty a makeshift stretcher of wood and Cloth was made with the latter being torn from Yang's uniform making a black and yellow bed. Blake scouted ahead at her own request since she was able to avoid the Grimm last time she went out. Yang stood at the group's head Gauntlet's armed and ready while Lizzie stood back keeping her ears open and munching on a protein bar, she had to help restore her aura reserve after hours of tending to her partner. Dove and Sky carried Garnet with Graff running alongside them, Yang didn't exactly trust them to run off after Cardin's outburst; But they did stay so that had to count for something. She brushed those thoughts away; she couldn't allow herself to think such things so close to the Grimm. In fact, it was a small miracle Garnet had passed out preventing any real negative emotion from emerging from his pain and attract the horde.
Northern Emerald Forest
A Beowulf's jaw was ripped from its mouth, and another found itself cut in twain before it hit the ground; It was all so slow. The world stood still while Ruby continued to run and fight, swinging Cresent Rose faster than what could possibly be perceived by human eyes right in front of a third wulf only for the blade to fall short it's face; but not the bullet that burst its skull and the Red Rose used the recoil's momentum to bash in the last of the Grimm's vanguard and caking both her and the blade in black gore. It took two seconds for her to butcher four Grimm before they realized they were even dead, and she didn't slow down to admire; she couldn't if the Initiates were to survive.
Jaune for his part could not comprehend at first what had happened. The Grimm were charging one moment and the next they were a patch of broken, disembodied, and dissolving corpses. It was only when he noticed his fellow initiate standing... no not standing, her body was moving slightly, vibrating from the sheer force of her semblance as if she was phasing out of existence. She stood in front of the Grimm like the Reaper of old from the legends his grandmother told him.
"You all alright?" She shouted out not daring to look away from the horde in front of her.
"We're fine." He grunted out, the pain from his wounds catching up to him forcing him to cover his rules in reflex.
"You're not fine Jaune, you can barely stand." Pyrrha interjected. The newcomer took a few protective steps back as the horde advanced.
"We'll you're going to have to run if you're going to get out of here." the Reaper Remarked aiming the barrel of her weapon center mass into the Grimm.
"You can't fight them on your own."
"C'mon we can take them!" Nora shouted.
"Either we stay and die, or you run to fight another day. My semblance can get me out, but you all need a distraction."
"I don't know if your insane or suicidal." Jaune remarked as the adrenaline wore off, everything hurt.
"I Could say the same to you." She remarked back, sparing a side glance to his wounds. The horde was charging now, a tide of gnashing teeth, massive fangs, sharp pinchers as Beowulves, Ursa, Roaches, and even a few Jaune couldn't recognize.
"C'mon Jaune, let's get you out of here." Pyrrha whispered taking Jaune's shoulder over her own to help him move as the pain increased.
"No, I-I can still."
"Do what your partner says, your injured and don't have a gun to shoot. Don't throw your life away for nothing." The reaper commanded him stopping any argument. It was almost time. Ruby rolled for sixes and stood her ground to give the others time; She didn't want a repeat of what happened at the landing zone.
BANG A Lunging Beowulf fell taking a bullet in the eyes making its head erupt as pieces of metal Ricochet into two others.
BANG A hooked Horror's scythe arm was blasted off followed by a shot erupting into its chest leaving nothing but gore. Ruby didn't stop shooting for a second as her internal clocked ticked. Ten more seconds.
BANG, BANG Double tap into an Ursa's eyes. She didn't hear anymore sounds of gunfire as the Initiates reached the field's edge.
BANG
Bang. Four more down as Ruby made a mental note to consider a modification for automatic fire to Cresent Rose. As the Horde finally got close, she parried crescent rose scything in a spinning motion to gain distance and then blasted forward in a burst taking up dust and debris slamming into an ursa and sending it flying away into its kin. She took a second to look around the Initiates were gone now fleeing northward and out of the horde's hands, now for the next problem
Getting out of the surround. They were a circle of black and white shrinking to strangle her. She inspected them quickly trying to find a weak point in the circle which was not forthcoming; She might have overestimated herself here. It wouldn't be long now and she readied Cresent Rose for a hard fight ahead. She heard something flying through the wind and for a moment she thought a Nevermore came to capitalize her bad luck, but she realized it was something else. three metal spheres with a pink heart design on each one landed in a section of the encircling horde exploding in a blast of pink and sending nearby Grimm back. Ruby managed to keep her feet bracing for their impact and didn't waste time racing forward through the opening.
She ran until she was well past the clearing slowing herself down but still caused a powerful gust of wind along with a few scorch marks on the forest floor. She stayed still catching her breath and letting herself gain a moments rest to deal with the strain her semblance put on her. For all her resilience and high aura capacity her, it did its toll, her aura did help with healing, but muscle still tore itself apart, and her speed was easily fast enough that an unprotected human would have had their neck snapped instantly. Her constant running around the forest didn't help matters. Even now her hearts pumped furiously to supply oxygen to her immensely heated body to the point her muscles and joints began to ache while her muscles felt like they were on fire as they began the process of healing. she could feel her aura speeding it along. It would take time regardless, Walking the rest of the way wasn't a terrible prospect right now.
She told Weiss to meet her at the ruins and hopefully she was there already. She considered double backing for the initiates, but it was likely they were making their way northward as well; provided they didn't stick around after sending grenades. She started walking giving herself time to recharge and recover from her semblance. The forest was quiet, but the last few hours made her cautious of that fact eyeing every tree and shadow for another Grimm; she found none thankfully. Perhaps her distraction worked more then she thought, and the Grimm abandoned this area completely in search of pray to the south. Yang was not going to believe this story... please be there. She buried the negative emotion quickly switching her train of thought to the time she made Cresent Rose. She got her design from a dream but to this day she couldn't remember it's details; They were always at the tip of her mind always just out of reach, it was annoying to no end, and it felt like she was missing something. Despite its flaws perceived or otherwise creating her was one of Ruby's proudest moments. Unfurling its blade for the first time, training under her mother the very next day, accidently cutting off some of Yang's hair in a spar.
She started to laugh remembering how a furious red eyed Yang chased her for hours screaming bloody murder... it died out now as she continued; she hated this.
"Hey Reaper Lady!" She heard a shout turning to see the other initiates in the distance with the ginger haired girl wavering her arms frantically with a madwoman's smile. She met them halfway observing them as she got closer. Most of them looked winded but beyond that were little worse for wear but the Blond one. Jaune, she remembered was a mess gripping a bruised and bloody wound on his torso and his body was wracked by cuts and bruises from battle. Was his aura depleted?
"I was getting worried you all didn't make." Ruby remarked.
"I could say the same, I was worried Nora's grenades might have hit you instead of the Grimm."
"Your grenades?" Ruby asked gesturing to the enthusiastic ginger.
"Yup! All mine and delivered thanks to my dear Magnhild!" She enthusiastically replied gesturing to her grenade launcher. A woman after her own heart indeed. She looked to the rest of the group.
"Wasn't that a hammer?" She asked. Nora grasped it and the weapon changed with the flick transforming into a warhammer that was taller than she was.
"Yep, and it's perfect for breaking legs!" Was it bad that she immediately conceived an image of Nora smashing the headmaster's kneecaps... nah. A grunt took her attention turning to the source.
"You alright...?" she dragged on.
"Jaune, I I'm fine." Ruby didn't look convinced. She could see the panic in his eyes, she looked to the others, then back to him"
"Hey if you guys want go on ahead, ill patch him up and catch up with you."
"I'd like to stay. He's my partner after all I don't feel comfortable leaving him." Ruby looked at the red head and mentally slapped herself. Seeing her this close and without any Grimm beating down her neck made her instantly recognizable; Not every day you meet the Invincible Girl herself.
"Alright that's fair." Ren and Nora left then scouting the route ahead to the ruins. Ruby finally spoke when they were out of earshot.
"You haven't unlocked your aura." The redhead stated wish a particularly harsh bluntness.
"What? Of course, I have it unlocked it's just depleted right now, give it some time and it'll."
"Is this a joke to you?"
"I, what?" Jaune asked not expecting the question.
"Is. This. A. Joke. To. You." Ruby emphasized gesturing to the environment surrounding them.
"We are trapped in a forest surrounded miles around by monsters who want to KILL us. All of us have been training for years for this test and we are dying and the only thing that keeps us alive is each other. So why in the name of whatever God you worship don't you have your aura unlocked?"
"I uh."
"Maybe now's not the time or place for this." Pyrrha interjected, Ruby turned to her noting her lack of surprise.
"You knew?"
"It was kind of obvious once his wounds didn't start healing."
"Then why the fuck didn't you unlock it?" Pyrrha squirmed under her gaze.
"We had met the others by the point, I heard the stories about what happens to fakes I didn't want that to happen to him." Well at least he has a partner who will watch his back.
"Understandable but that doesn't change the fact that him not having his Aura unlocked makes him a danger to you and himself. This isn't some training session, we are in a forest INFESTED with Grimm that are trying to kill us. If he can't heal with his aura, then that means he won't be able to keep up with you or me or any other Huntsman Initiate who has the advantage of an aura. The last thing you want here is to get slowed down and killed."
"Okay I get! Look I just wanted to do my family proud, to help people and make my mark. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." He was close to hyperventilating from the pressure, all the scenario's flooding through his mind earlier that morning returning in a tidal wave; his heart felt like it was ready to burst. Ruby gave a loud sigh of irritation.
"Next time you decide to fake into a school do a community college. Unlock his aura; and make sure he doesn't fuck up." She said with a huff.
"You you're not turning me in." Relief flooded his voice and he remembered to breath.
"No. I heard the stories too, murder, experimentation I've heard every single one back at Signal and I wouldn't be surprised if they were true. Also, I'll admit you do have some guts. Not just anyone can stand up to a horde of Grimm without aura; You might just make it." Ruby admitted the unexpected compliment settling in his mind.
"You'll have to talk with Nora and..."
"Ren." Pyrrha answered.
"Thank you. Anyway, yeah, you'll have to talk with Nora and Ren because if your partner noticed so did they."
"They definitely did but I can help with explaining things if you want Jaune." Pyrrha offered offering her partner a hand to help him up.
"You'd do that Pyrrha?"
"Of course, I wouldn't have asked to be on your team if I didn't want to be your partner. Now hold still."
"What. He barely had time to speak before she placed a hand on his shoulder closing her eyes, not completely getting what was going on.
"Close your eyes and concentrate, look within." Ruby suggested stepping back and watching the two. Now what was that supposed to mean?
Closing his eyes and left the quiet of the forest his mind started to wander. The last few minutes were a rollercoaster of emotions. He thought for sure he was done for. He was glad he wasn't he couldn't bear to look his grandfather, his family in the eye if he did. He never spoke of what he did in the war, but he saw his face every day and heard the whispers of people who saw him when they walked through town.
"That's Tiberius."
"That kid must be his Grandson, kid's got big shoes to fill."
"You're telling me if he's anything like his granddad he'll be in the history books before long." another said with a laugh. If he was anything like Tiberius, he wouldn't have needed to sneak in in the first place; He didn't even want Jaune to come to Beacon. He never said why but the truth was always there at the back of his head and filled him with shame. He just wanted to do prove him wrong, to prove he could help people, to prove... He wasn't a failure, a disgrace."
"Jaune, Jaune?" His name pushed him back as his eyes burst open taking a breath for the first time in what felt like a thousand years. His body was going into overdrive as broken bones bruise muscles mended and repaired with ease. He stepped back on instinct trying to steady himself, everything felt, lighter, it was like seeing everything around for the first time, the life of the forest around him was just overwhelming.
"Easy, easy. Getting your aura unlocked can be overwhelming at first. How are you feeling?
"Everything just feels, new, I guess. Like m seeing it for the first time"
"That's your Aura, your soul has been awakened and set free. As a result, it's projecting itself around you to protect and heal you and making you more entuned to the world around you. It's too difficult and long to explain here. When we get back, I'll be able to explain more. We should get moving before Ren and Nora get too far ahead." Pyrrha remarked keeping a hand on her partner in case he lost his balance"
"Right, um thanks Pyr." Jaune remarked.
The three walked off and met with Ren and Norra just up ahead with the ruined fortress in sight.
Beacon academy Headmaster's office
Merex eyed the data moving across his Scroll in rapid succession partially unbelieving of what he was seeing.
"Problem Merex?" Ozpin asked sensing the disbelief of his servant. Though he suspected what the issue was given what the monitors were showing him.
"The main body of the horde after Miss Rose's little stunt has picked up the scent of two groups of students. One of which we have visual confirmation is running to the barriers. We may need to deploy the Warrior's Guard to purge the horde before they can do too much damage." Ozpin moved his glasses from his eyes rubbing with his hands... He should have expected this give Miss Rose's stunt.
"Deploy the Guard."
"If we do so there will be no challenge in the return journey, we may get a higher percentage of survivors than usual." Glynda pointed out.
"I will deal with that myself. Deploy the guard Merex, I'd rather have a bit fat to cut off this year's batch then deal with anymore of Council woman Vermillion's nagging." He continued to stare at the monitor eyeing the horde moving ever closer to the hard light barrier bordering the school grounds chasing a horde of cowardly vermin. Focusing on its rear of wolves ursa... no no those would not do, ahh how perfect. He breathed in feeling his aura spread around and feeling the life of the earth, then the shadows and beating of wings. Feeling the whispers of something ancient probing his mind as he felt a turn in the wind as he shifted. Eyes closed and in focus he did not see the viewscreen where a single beast turned back north.
Trial Grounds.
The fortress that they found was not what they expected. It hugged the edges of the northern mountains with a semicircular wall ten meters high and wide enough for a single row of men to stand on the battlements and surrounded a large central keep that could be seen from outside its walls. The stonework despite popular belief stood mostly intact to the point where even the engravings on its walls were clearly visible. The massive wooden doors of oak and granite frames were similarly engraved in symbols and etchings the initiates could only guess the meaning of. She saw Weiss' distant figure standing in front of the massive doors with an active glyph cast at the door's entrance with her back to the open plains surrounding the ruin. It was only when she got closer, did she noticed the glyph covering the gateway was different not the white and blue design that was Weiss' signature but a golden glyph with a coat of arms featuring a shield with three weapons crossed behind it with a sword at its left, spear in the center and axe on the right. Weiss who seemed frustrated stared at the thing in annoyance like her glairs would force it open.
"Problem Ice queen!" She yelled at her partner announcing her presence in the most obnoxious way possible, at least to the Heiress.
"Took you long enough to get here." Weiss exclaimed nearly popping a vein at the quickly disliked nickname.
"If you were so worried you could have waited for me; or joined in."
"I wasn't worried about you. If you had died, I wouldn't pass the trial regardless of my own survival." Ruby gave a snort though Weiss couldn't discern if it was annoyance or amusement.
"Whatever you say Princess."
"Don't call me that!" Snapped Weiss cracking her composure. No wonder Yang always enjoyed getting a rise out of her when she was younger; this is fun!"
"If you're not going to help me disable this Glyph, go and stay out of the way."
"Alright, alright. What's the problem with the Glyph?" Ruby asked trying to calm her partner down, she would cut it out for now.
"It's a barrier that activated when we tried to open the gate."
"So how do we disable it?"
"Well, it has some type of key, but I can't figure out what, the runes on the frame are a dialect I've never seen. The only thing I can say for certain is the symbol within the Glyph is the coat of arms for the White Witch.
"White Witch? Like the first Huntress?" Ruby asked intrigued despite herself as she and perhaps everyone else in Vale had practically grown up on the stories of the White Witch.
"The very same." Weiss confirmed
"Ok so let think, the White Witch created the first Huntsman, showed us how to use Aura, encouraged people to start working together. Maybe infusing Aura with the Glyph?" Weiss shook her head.
"First thing I tried, nothing happened. though you might be on to something. The Witch's army wasn't an army itself. During the Great War they fought in small groups usually groups of two to four. They emphasized we needed partners to pass. Maybe the Overseers were being literal." Weiss hypothesized and they both looked at the large doors suspiciously.
"This thing didn't burn you or anything right?"
"No, no burns. It's just a giant wall which is partially why I think it might require a duel aura transfer; it didn't let me in, but it didn't refute me for having the wrong key like most glyphs would."
"I hope you're right." Ruby stated as she cautiously put her hand to one of the doors while Weiss did the same to the other. At first there was no reaction save the continuous drum of power from the barrier, but it started to glow as their two aura's mingled with the Glyph. It turned bright enough and quickly enough that Weiss barely had time to shut her eyes and even the rest of the group couldn't look toward the gate without being blinded. Ruby however managed to keep her eyes open and saw as the glyph began to dime and then vanish leaving only a door in its wake; One that was much easier to open. The doors creaked with age revealing the chamber within.
"Weiss you did it!" Ruby shouted with a smile!
"Of course, I did, was there any doubt." The White clothed heiress stated with no small amount of smugness."
"Well, I wasn't going to say anything."
"Oh shush." Even with her partner's annoying sense of humor Weiss couldn't help but smile; Things were finally looking up. The Ruby heard something in the distance, faint flapping almost like. Wings!
"GET DOWN!" She cried jumping out of her position as she heard something scything through the air with the shriek! The space she was in became covered by nevermore feathers. The others were lucky with Pyrrha and Jaune using their shields as cover. Ren managed to dodge the first Volley, but Nora got one in her thigh spilling blood as her Aura flared and tried to heal her; It was then She turned to her partner. Weiss was on the ground alive but hurt with a feather through the back of her shoulder...and Ruby was remanded of why she hated her dreams. The wounded Heiress tried to get up and Ruby didn't waste a second. she lunged at the heiress with quick steps to activate her semblance.
"Get Inside now!" There was no room for argument, and they rushed inside but Ruby didn't focus on that. She grabbed her rising partner and jumped just in time, if Weiss had been where she was a second longer, she would have had another feather lodged into her back puncturing her stomach. Ruby's side stung. She Weiss groan in pain but they couldn't stay here.
"Do you still have Aura?"
"B-barely." She coughed out.
"Then hold on." using her semblance with a passenger was always risky, unprotected by aura it was a death sentence. Their Necks would break in the decent or the trip itself, Limbs could be sent flying. There were dozens of possibilities for a violent death. She just had to hope Weiss still had enough Aura to mitigate the risk. It didn't even take second to get inside as the other's closed the doors behind them. Weiss was alive but disoriented as the sheer speed combined with her wound throw up a bit on the floor. Ruby held her and grasped the feathered spear in her back.
"Easy, easy. This is goanna hurt." She ripped it out as Weiss screamed, her aura covering the wound and beginning the process of mending it. Ruby looked around her, they were spread out across the room switching to the holes in the roof as they saw its massive form flying around circling for prey. If only Yang was here.
"What now?" Jaune asked from a deserted corner of the room. They could hear the beach screeching outside slamming into sections of the keep. Ruby kept Cresent Rose trained on the gapes in the wall. in case it dived in.
"Now, we have to wait for it to come at us." She replied
Auros Lower orbit, descending.
"Bolvar sat within an eleventh legion dread-claw as it descended through Auros's low orbit. He already heard the barking of the ramshackle ammunition the Orks fired at them from below.
"Well, the welcoming committee is pretty explosive don't you think." joked the ivory and gold armored form of Legatus a master of the legion's...particular brand of humor. It caused a few chuckles of amusement while the pod's hull shook from the force being sent at it.
"Yeah, it's almost like they are telling us to Flak off!" Bolvar spat back causing full out laughter to rear up from the group. As they felt the craft's weapons open fire on their landing zone; it was almost time.
"Hope the landing zone is clear, Last thing we need is another Hadrax eight." stated the dour form of Pompei as he ran the final checks on his own weapons and narcissium gauntlet.
"You worry too much, we got out of that just fine." Remarked Crassus whose left face was a panoply of grafted biotics replacements while his right side remained a mangled mess.
"Half your face melted off Crassus." Pompei deadpanned.
"True, yet I still stand thanks to your expertise."
"Barely." He muttered
"That's enough. Weapon's ready." Bolvar interjected grasping his Thunder hammer with renewed force as the pod landed. It opened with a large thud as they rushed out to the earth exploding around them from the Dreadclaw's melta cutters leaving dead xenos and dry burning heat in its wake. The first barely had time to contemplate what was going on before Bolvar bashed his skull into a pulping mess. Vox chatter sprung as his charge continued. Squads organized and moved to regroup with Bolvar and the rest of his squad for the second phase. They landed just south of the Shelter's utilized to defend the planet's population which currently suffered heavy assault from a massive Greenskin Horde which currently was too occupied to watch it's back.
The landscape once green verdant planes and rolling hills was ruined with heaps of earth and haphazard artillery bombardment breaking the land with the smoke is the distinct from the nearby Hab Shelter. Their first objective was to disable one of the three the Anti air battery the Greenskin's had procured firing on the fleet from the far side of an Ork camp, its massive form marking it as one of the only orbital defenses present on the verdant world. Ramshackle structures of xenos design littered the land around it from massive banners to dirtied hovels which served as a boon helping to isolate and limit the approaches the Oks could take channeling them into kill zones with squad Icarus and Lamia were already directing cover fire shredding them apart as they came.
"Lamia, Icarus continue laying suppressive fire while we regroup to push toward the batteries. Captain Dagon do you read?"
"I hear you Bolvar, the fifth company have landed east of your position the Xenos Stronghold had stronger defenses then we believed it will take time to clear out."
"Understood Dagon keep the fire of the fifth burning."
"Oh, don't worry about us we have enough promethium and Phosphex to light a sun, we'll see you on the far side!" The fifth company commander stated before tuning out the vox. Bolvar turned to his squad.
"Push forward!" Bolvar lead the charge his command squad behind him. Crassus the brazen monster he was kept up step for step with the company captain tearing through an Ork Nob with his Chainblade. Pompei and Legatus followed close behind. The second company was spread on landing but were now regrouping as the vox was live with chatter. Seargeant Acheron Nihlus and his squad had just finished clearing the eastern portion of the camp and carving their way toward the battery. They had managed to catch the Orks off-guard but that wouldn't las forever.
"Captain Xenos are encroaching from the Western portion; Squad Cadmus didn't make the landing." Another ten... no matter he'll kill ten times that many in revenge. His eyes sifted red with his anger, and he unleashed it using his brother's death as a source of strength ramming into next horde they faced smashing, cracking, breaking bones and skulls as the fury within him grew into a blinding rage.
"Captain. Captain." Bolvar couldn't hear Pompei over the sound of his hearts beating in his chest. An ork Nob charged at him it's klaw raised to deliver a killing blow before Bolvar's hammer slammed into its shoulder pulverizing it and its torso. Another moved at him but was blasted away in a hail of bolter fire!
"WAAAAAGH" The remaining orks charged but Bolvar was numb to their numbers focusing only on the head." He was a massive, armored beast fully encased in heavy metal and crude biotics firing with his shoota wildly. A stray round punctured into the captain's shoulder through a gap in his armor. His eyes were blood red and he felt hot and about to burst, and he could have sworn steam was starting to emanate from his armor.
"The Fire's consuming him. Acheron hit the horde's flank; Icarus provide us cover we'll deal with the Warboss!" Legatus shouted taking over command when it became apparent Bolvar was being consumed. He rushed forward none the less meeting the armored warboss in battle swinging his hammer to deliver a hammer blow into its mutilated skull. It caught the power weapon in its klaw aiming its cannon to fire into its chest. Crassus surged forward slamming into its armored side and sending it's shot wide and dislodging Bolvar's hammer. He brought his chainblade to bear into the body of the weapon slicing it in two in a storm of sparks as the warboss slashed across his torso with his claw. Blood and viscera poured from the fatal wound and sent Crassus down but as the ARMORED Warboss turned back it was met with Bolvar's hammer smashing into its face and causing the upper portions of it's to burst in chunks of metal and gore. The warboss' fall sent a shockwave through the morale of the Ork's sending them into confusion and flight; only when the last of them had fallen or fled did the rage fade from Bolvar's mind.
He was surrounded by a field of dead xenos though four astartes lay with them including Crassus. Pompei stood at his administering to the wounded astartes whose vitae was spread on the ground from the deep gash through his torso. Bolvar himself also began feeling the presence of at least a dozen wounds his body with fire no longer clouding his mind; thankfully none of which were nearly as fatal.
"How long?" Bolvar turned noting the presence of Captain Acheron his armor awash with xenos blood a power sword at his side. Bolvar noted the Black pauldron he had with the legion's Symbol a flaming Hawk marking him as one of the fireborn; was that his fate?
"This is the first episode I've had." He replied over a closed vox. Acheron nodded.
"I see. My squad will clear the battery to allow reinforcements to land. Afterwords though we should speak. The Curse of Fire it not something you should handle alone; We've lost too many brothers that way. Until then captain." Bolvar nodded as Acheron gave a salute before taking his squad to clear the batteries alongside squad Lahmia. Bolvar moved toward Pompei and Crassus.
"Stop squirming you'll make it worse." Pompei commanded dour and showing no concern even as Crassus spat out blood from his mouth.
"You try standing still when your torso's been Klawed." Blood erupted from his mouth immediately after which he spat repeatedly
"...Really? even now your making puns! Insufferable."
"Will he be alright Pompei."
"Sadly yes. I should be able to stabilize, though he won't be in the field for a while. He'll need more biotics definitely a few replacement organs." Crassus made to speak.
"Anymore remarks and I will just harvest your gene seed and be done with it." The apothecary threatened holding up his gauntlet." He then continued his ministrations beginning to close and mend the wound as best he could.
"Stabilize him quickly, I think more of us will need you before reinforcements arrive." The legion secured the camp as the remaining greenskins were wiped out and the battery fell silent before long. Confirmation of the first battery was soon followed by the second falling to the Dragon Guard of the First company though the third would remain contested by the fifth company. None the less with both batteries secured the Void Battle was now turning and the legion's bulk would hopefully soon make landfall. Until then they just had to hold.
It Lives! By the Emperor it Lives! Sorry it took so long writers block along with IRL drama made getting this out a trial on it's own. Good news is next chapter will be the final chapter of the Initiation arc which I'm very happy about This arc took way longer then planned to properly write out. But hey it's almost over and I a start getting things rolling again. I wont give a time frame for the next chapter as that tends to end up as a jinx more then anything. I also made a small Omake for taking so long and if you all find it enjoyable I'll do more here and there if not oh well.
Now as for the chapter itself the amount of time it took worked out as I was able to pace everything how I wanted and even figure out certain things I wasn't completely certain of before mainly in regards to Yang's legion and [Redacted]. They definitely have their Primarch's humor among other things. anyway that's me I hope you all enjoy the story and please leave a comment I would love to hear your thoughts.
Omake: IF the Emperor had a chatroom
EMP has created Interwarp chatroom
Emp has renamed chatroom "Family War council"
Emp has added Lion EL Johnson
Emp has added Primarch II
EMP has added Phoenician
EMP has added Lord of Iron
EMP has added I am SPEED
Emp has added The WOLF KING
Emp has added ROGAL DORN
Emp has added Konrad Curze
Emp has added Hawk Boy
Emp has added Iron Hand
Emp has added Primarch XI
Emp has added DOOMSLAYER
Emp has added Guilliman
Emp has added Mortarion
Emp has added The Crimson King
Emp has added Horus Lupercal
Emp has added The Urizion
Emp has added Vulkan
Emp has added Corax
Emp has added Alpharius Omegon
EMP: Everyone MY boys Welcome to the chat.
Rogal Dorn has logged on
Rogal Dorn: Father why?
Emp: Thank those boys in the 2nd legion, you'd be surprised what they can make when their left alone.
Rogal Dorn: That answers how; not why.
The Wolf King has logged on.
The Wolf King has changed The Crimson king to The King of Nerds
The Wolf King: We'll I'm sold.
The King of Nerds has logged on
The King of Nerds has changed his name to The Crimson King
The Crimson King: Fuck you Lemon!
Conrad Kurze has come online
Conrad Kurze has changed his name to Night Haunter
Knight Haunter: This will end badly
Multiple people have come online
Rogal Dorn: Agreed
Lord of Iron: Agreed
Guilliman: Yes
Corax: Yup
Hawk Boy: Very likely
I am Speed: Yes
The Crimson King: Definitely
Vulkan: It might not be so bad. I must be sure to Hug every single one of our nephews who made this possible! :)
