AN: Hey all, it's been a month or two. Life has been hectic, the new job is great but I'm busy as hell everyday. Rest assured I'm still typing away. This chapter had changed quite a few times, but I figured its time to put something out. Enjoy!
Enemies. Friends.
Unknown time
Unknown location
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The initiation of Atlas Academy, Winter's first step into the world of Huntsmen, had gone wrong.
Every year, Atlas Military Combat School initiates its recruits in different with different missions. This year, the mission had been deceptively simple: Retrieve the chess piece hidden somewhere in Mantle.
There was, of course, supposed to be some controlled opposition. The Grimm froze solid in the subzero temperatures of Solitas, so they usually had hunting parties of low-ranking soldiers patrol the area, sometimes even the instructors participated.
But, what was waiting for Winter when she landed, was not Atlas military.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The Dust tipped cane clattered rhythmically against the snow-covered concrete. A bloody and battered heap on the floor, Winter winced at each beat, anticipating the next strike. She curled herself up, moaning.
"Get up, princess," the man said in a sing-song voice.
Winter obeyed grudgingly, tried to get up. A kick in the ribs sends her sprawling onto her back. She shielded herself from the inevitable rain of blows.
None came. She lowered her arms and glared at her assailants. They were dressed in Atlesian Military uniforms, but it was clear that none of them belonged in it.
Winter looked away, hot tears streaking down her face. She was, for the first time in her life, frozen with terror.
"We struck gold today, boys," The leader of the group barked, "looks like the information was good after all."
They howled and whooped with glee, like animals, like beasts. Winter felt the embers of rage burn in her chest, but terror gripped her heart like a vice.
She didn't even have the courage to look up at her assailant…at her would-be killer.
The man knelt, bringing himself close to her face. He stroked her cheeks gently, and Winter cringed away at the coarse touch. His face twisted into a snarl as he grabbed her hair and pulled her close. Winter gasped and hissed as she was dragged closer.
"Look at me," he growled.
Winter squeezed her eyes shut, and did her best not to whimper.
A violent punch snapped her head around, and she screamed.
"Listen here, bitch," the man snarled, "I paid good money to hunt you down. While I want to bring you back alive, I won't mind breaking a few bones. So be a darling, and cooperate, will you?".
"W-who are you?" Winter whispered, "Who sent you?"
The man smiled. She didn't see it, but she could hear it in her voice, "I am Ross Peach, bounty hunter, ex huntsman, and someone who's about to be very fucking rich once I sell you back to your father."
Winter wanted to laugh. Was this what it was about? It always came down to her father in the end, didn't it? She shook her head, knowing how that conversation would end. Her father was a prideful man, and while it was unlikely he would pay up, there would be a very substantial reward for the heads of her captors. "You dumb bastard. You don't know what he's like."
Ross tilted his head. "Oh my. I didn't realize the princess of Schnee dust company had such a mouth. Maybe she will show some respect…"
Winter gasped as the tip of he drove the tip of the cane into the back of her hand. She heard something crack.
"…once I teach her a few lessons. Hm? How about it?"
Winter tried to push the sharp tip off, but it dug in deeper as Ross drove it in. He twisted. She hissed, biting the edges of her lips to keep herself from screaming. She could feel her bones cracking under the immense pressure. Blood welled up, dark and thick, and wormed its way onto the snow.
Then, the man was gone.
Ross jumped back. He howled as he stumbled back, clutching his face. Blood dribbled from between his fingers.
"Winter, can you stand?"
Those words, spoken with such tranquil hatred and anger, made Winter shiver. It wasn't out of fear, but rather, she recognized the voice.
"C-cinder..." Winter whimpered. She sat up, to see Cinder standing in front of her. Black glass swords shone in the dull light, the tip of one slick with blood.
"Oh, oh you fucked up." Ross sneered. He didn't even have his Aura up; such was his confidence when toying with Winter. He shook off his teammates and started tapping his cane onto the floor again. A deep bloody wound ran across his face, a large scab formed rapidly, powered by his Aura.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"You that princess's servant or something?" Ross demanded. The rest of his team closed in, hunched over and ready. They already had their weapons drawn, an array of anti-Grimm hammers, swords, claws, and pistols.
"No," Cinder growled, "a friend."
"Well, there's four of us, and there's only you. I don't think you understand the situation you are in. "
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"I understand enough. You attacked my friend, so I'm going to kill you."
"Cin..." Winter croaked. She realized Cinder was not making a bluff. That initial strike had been aimed at the man's throat.
"Get up or shut up, Win," Cinder said flatly. Her tone softened, "are you hurt?"
Winter nodded, but she was hardly thinking. An icy pit had formed in her stomach. The realization that this fight was real, that their lives may be at stake, dawned upon her. She swallowed.
"Shame," Ross growled, "I'll make sure they won't find your bodies."
No more words are exchanged. None needed to be. Ross continued to tap his cane.
Tap. Tap-
On the final tap, the floor exploded outwards in an arc of fire Dust.
Winter screamed as the wave of fire washed towards her and Cinder. But, Cinder stood her ground.
The air suddenly got very, very warm.
The ground in front of Cinder glowed white-hot, and in a blink of an eye, it detonated upwards, dissipating the wave of flames in an instant.
Ross tutted in annoyance.
Cinder stood alone, facing the four huntsmen. Cinder turned and flashed Winter a small grin. She charged.
Winter watched, mesmerized at the vicious brawl. Cinder danced a violent ballet, twin blades flashing with almost hypnotic glows of red. She crashes the pommel into the teeth of Ross and catches his partner in the temple with a backward swing.
Cinder stumbles as a club crashes into the back of her head. She almost loses her footing, but she dodges nimbly aside at the last second while flashing out a retaliatory slash. She missed.
As the club wielder dodged back, the ground flash heated and detonated up, showering the group with molten glass. Cinder lunged forward, pressing her attack, but she stopped. Her foot was frozen on the ground, a block of ice dust encasing it. Ross snarled as he loaded in another Dust round into his cane.
Winter forced herself to her feet, ignoring the agony shrieking through her limbs. She could see the four were surrounding Cinder, trying to box her in.
She needed to help her friend. She needed to help Cinder. Consequence be damned, she would not let her friend die alone.
Cinder's curses were cut short, as the team advanced as a pack of beowolves. Winter' heard the distinctive shattering of Aura.
Ross jabbed out his cane from behind, his mouth streaming with blood and hatred burning in his eyes. Cinder looked around; her eyes widened. The tip of the cane had extended into a terrible spike. Cinder tried to turn, to parry, to bring her sword up. But with her foot frozen in place, there was little she could do.
"No..." Winter whispered. Time slowed down, "No!"
Winter saber sang through the air and took Ross's hand clean off. The cane clattered onto the floor and slid away, trailing a pool of bright red blood.
Ross stumbled back, his eyes wide in shock. Winter crashed her forehead into the man's shattered teeth and sent him sprawling onto the floor.
Only then did Ross seem to register that he had lost a limb.
As Ross lay screaming on the ground, blood pooling on the floor like a blooming rose, Winter stood back to back with Cinder.
Cinder flashed a proud grin at Winter. Winter felt the edges of her lips curl up in a smile.
Unknown to Winter, a small glyph formed in her hands...
...and started to glow.
Present-day
0500
Haven Academy Dorms
It was the surge of adrenaline that woke Winter.
Winter almost jumped out of bed, her body suddenly in combat-ready state. It took her a brief second to realize that she was not a helpless recruit anymore and that those events had transpired almost two decades ago.
Her heart still hammering, Winter sighed and sprawled herself on the bed and closed her eyes.
Cinder...
They would have made a good team.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Winter's eyes snapped open. In one swift motion, she whipped out Due Process from under her pillow and bolted upright, eyes scanning.
The sound wasn't from her dream, after all.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was coming from behind the window. Winter held her breath and listened.
What could it be? Her eyes strained in the darkness. The room was still, the wind did not disturb the air.
Was someone trying to get in? Another Spider?
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Sliding out of her bed, her bare foot touching the cold wooden floor, Winter crept forwards.
Her stiff limbs creaked and cracked at the movement, and Winter winced at the sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
She pressed herself against the wall as she reached out to touch the blinds. Winter waited for the sound to start again.
Tap. Tap-
Winter threw the blinds apart, Due process sweeping and searching for targets.
There was a flap of feathered wings, as startled birds flew into the air and disappeared into the night.
Winter signed, growling in annoyance.
Birds.
Fucking, birds.
What kind of bird taps against windows?
Winter had almost hoped it was some poor idiot, so she had the excuse to shoot at someone responsible for disturbing her sleep. Or at the very least, a certain man that could turn into a bird. At least she could yell at him.
She checked the time on her scroll and realized she had at most, an hour before her watch.
She was about to close the blinds when something caught her eyes. Her blood ran cold.
Hesitantly, she opened the window and slid a dirty piece of card in. It had been trapped halfway inside, meaning someone opened the window without her knowing.
It was a note. She swallowed, and read it.
Strapping Due Process to her hips, she pushed her way out to wake her men.
0730
Xiao Long residence, Mistral Below
"I'm heading out now, dad," Yang called back to her father, Tai, as she walked to the door.
Tai's head poked out from the kitchen. He was packing up breakfast leftovers, while the sink ran in the back. Yang had given up on reminding her father on water conservation.
"Okay. Are you coming back for dinner?" Tai called out.
Yang hesitated. She wanted to continue to help team CFVY with their hunt, but...
Yang looked at her father. He used to have a mane of blond hair, but now it was almost entirely grey. Deep wrinkles lined his face, and permanent eyebags hung heavily on his face.
Her father's getting old, Yang realized, but even so, he looked a decade older than people his age. Grief ages a person.
A pang of pain shot through her heart. They only have each other, now.
"Yeah," Yang did her best to smile, "I'm sure Lionheart won't give me a tough time."
"He better not," Tai smiled, "I'll kick his ass for overworking you."
"Dad!"
"Fine. Just a very stern conversation through the scroll, then."
Yang rolled her eyes, grinning.
Zwei, the family dog for over a decade, came skittering out of the kitchen, barking as he jumped up her leg. Yang ruffled the old dog on the head, "See ya, Zwei. I'll be back soon."
The dog yipped, as if in confirmation.
Picking up her motorbike keys from the table, she gently stroked the frame of two photos. Two pairs of silver eyes stared back up at her.
She ran her fingers along the wooden frame of the old, yellowing photo of a woman in white. She was beautiful, almost ethereally so.
Legendary Huntress. Super mum. Summer Rose.
"I'm heading out now, mum." She whispered.
Beside Summer's photo, was another, more recently taken.
Ruby Rose resembled Summer to a painful degree. The large energetic silver eyes, the black, red hair, even their smile.
"I'll see you too, Rubes." Yang ran her fingers across the glass, hoping for a brief moment to feel the soft warm cheeks of her baby sister. It was impossible, of course.
Yang pushed out of her cramped apartment, rented with what little money she had. Her father traveled back and forth Patch and Mistral every now and then, but despite his pleas, Yang did not want to move back to Patch.
There were too many memories in Patch. Happy memories, of a simpler time. Which was what made living there so bitter and painful.
But Yang never wanted to lay her eyes on the two gravestones that sat on a cliff overlooking the vast ocean. She couldn't. Not yet at least.
0730
Haven Academy, Upper Mistral
From the top of Haven, the Great Central Lake glistened with the rising sun, cast rainbows that sparkled and dazzled those that looked onwards into the grand scenery that is Mistral.
A few months ago, students would be all over the Academy, walking to their classes, bonding with their teammates, living the carefree life that children should.
But, the string of disappearances had them on edge. The faculty staff and Huntsmen security patrolled Academy grounds in place of laughing kids. Students traveled in groups from one area to the next, silent and orderly.
It almost reminded Velvet of the Atlas academy. She wondered how Haven Academy students would be like, had things been more normal.
Now that she really thought about it, she had visited all four academies on Remnant. The thought was accompanied by a brief wave of melancholy.
She would never see Beacon again. Even if it was rebuilt, it wouldn't be the same.
Velvet sighed.
'You okay, Velvet?' Fox's telepathic voice whispered in her mind.
'Peachy,' she sent back. She hesitated, 'Just worried. That's all.'
'You and me, both. I can see the tension in the air, and I'm blind.'
Velvet grinned at the weak joke. It wasn't like Fox to make self-deprecating jokes, especially about his condition. But, things right now were strained.
They were waiting for Coco to finish her conversation with the Nebula Violette, the team leader of NDGO. The two team leaders wore somber expressions.
The rest of team NDGO had pushed past team CFVY when they returned from their patrol. Octavia Ember, a woman Velvet had briefly been teammates with as part of team NOVA during her time in Shade Academy, had looked troubled. It was a crack in the stoic mask Velvet had known her to put on.
Something had definitely disturbed her.
Velvet tried not to eavesdrop on the team leaders' conversation, but having superior hearing made it really hard not to. That, her innate curiosity.
"Are you sure that you were followed?" Coco asked, her voice low, "Shit, Neb. How long?"
"I don't know," Nebula shook her head, "but we started noticing it after we discovered-"
"What are they saying?" Yatsuhashi murmured, his soft voice drowning out the already distant conversation.
"Shhh," Velvet hissed, to which the larger man cringed in apology.
"…they were in the walls, Coco." Nebula hissed, "eight of them. Wrapped in plastic bags like…" she didn't finish the sentence.
Velvet saw Coco visibly shudder, "And that was how many days ago?"
"Three days," Nebula gazed around. Velvet's eyes met with Nebula's briefly, and Velvet forced a smile. It wasn't returned. It was like the woman was still on high alert.
"We haven't heard anything on the news. Hell, Lionheart hasn't told us anything."
"Not surprised," Nebula said, "but something is going on, and I think it goes all the way up. The entire damn Kingdom may be rotten to the core."
"Quite the accusation," Coco breathed.
Velvet blinked. Surely, she heard wrong. Was Nebula suspecting the entire Kingdom of Mistral? Velvet knew Nebula wasn't the paranoid type.
"I'm serious Coco," Nebula rubbed her arms. It was the first time Velvet saw Nebula look so uneasy, "it's not like this hasn't happened before."
Coco nodded, "The Crown."
"The Crown," Nebula agreed, "But at least Gillian and Jax didn't leave behind mutilated bodies."
Velvet strained to hear more, but suddenly realized that she couldn't.
In the distance, a sound had been just loud enough to stop her.
"Look at that." Yatsuhashi pointed in the distance.
On the main highway cutting across the mountains that Haven Academy sat on, Velvet's eyes picked up what Yatuhashi was pointing at.
More than a dozen matt-black vehicles rumbled down the main highway through the southern entrance of Mistral Below. The windows were tinted black, but people did not need to see to know who rode inside those vehicles.
Outriders roared alongside the vehicles, the throaty rumble of bike engines almost sounding like fireworks as they gunned their engines.
Black vehicles often driven by Kingdom officials, and often for official business. But Kingdom officials, be they council members or other representatives, rarely traveled in such large groups. That only left one alternative.
"That can't be good," Yatsuhashi muttered as he watched the convoy roar past below them.
"Who are they?" Velvet asked.
"Most likely criminals," Yatsuhashi sniffed, "the organized type. Not to generalize, but Mistral does have its fair share."
"It's more than their fair share," Fox corrected using his telepathic link, "almost all our contracts here are dealing with them. Hell I won't be surprised if those contracts are being put up by them too."
Yatsuhashi bit his lips, "There's going to be a gang war. I haven't been back for so long, I almost forgot it happens."
Velvet shuddered. Vale and Atlas didn't have such issues, and Vacuo only had roaming bandits.
It may have been her imagination, but in that moment she could have sworn she smelled something. Something that all Huntsmen would smell sooner or later.
The overwhelming stench of blood.
0730
Mistral Below
In the early morning of Mistral Below, life trickled onto the streets like the steady flow of sand in an hourglass. Old, discolored cars, dusty motorbikes, and scooters zipped and weaved in between the painfully slow public transport. The citizens of Mistral walked on the roads, heedless to traffic laws and regulations, as drivers darted nimbly around the people with skills honed from years of practice.
An unmarked white van came to a stop on the side, earning a respectable honk and middle finger from an angry driver for cutting him off.
"What's his problem?" Cardin muttered, "you signaled, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Ren nodded as he put the vehicle in park, "but traffic laws in Mistral city like pictures in a menu. For illustration purposes only."
Russel grinned, "At least they have road markings. Vacuo doesn't even have roads."
"Can it," Winter said. Checked her disguise, and nodded. Today, she was a simple janitor. Her hair was hidden under a black cap, and if one looked closely they would see the small logo of Haven Academy on her chest.
Russel looked like a typical office worker, his collared shirts, fake glasses, and uncharacteristically combed hair looking ridiculously out of place. Ciel on the other hand looked perfectly comfortable in her office wear. Cardin simply mirrored Winter's own disguise as a laborer. Dark overalls commandeered from the Huntsmen Academy.
Ren was to remain in the vehicle, his facial scars and cybernetics were too hard to hide. So, they put him inside the vehicle with their mountain of weaponry in the back.
"Good luck," Ren said, as the team shuffled out of the vehicle.
Winter nodded and shut the door.
Winter strode down the dark streets. Mistral Below was permanently in the shadow of the upper levels, despite the rising morning sun.
Despite the gloom, the streets were alive. The morning market was being set up, usually manned by the elderly. Fruits, vegetables, and an assortment of freshly butchered meat lined each stall. In typical Mistrali fashion, customers haggled as they bought their morning groceries, trying to bring the prices down even by a single lien.
There were already several breakfast storefronts open, with morning commuters lining up to grab freshly prepared or precooked sandwiches and sweet milk tea.
The note had said to meet up at a building close by. Somehow, Winter doubted it was an ambush, but it paid to be wary.
As Winter pushed her way through the crowd, keeping her head down, she could see why it's a criminal underworld haven. Tattooed men and women sat, crowded together smoking and drinking early in the morning, their weapons on full display. Dirty children knelt on the street corners, hands outstretched, begging for a single Lien to by thrown their direction. Some older beggars either had missing arms or legs. They prostated themselves on the floor, while the masses walked by them, knowing whatever they Lien they give will go into the pockets of local gangs.
There was not a single officer in sight.
Winter shivered in disgust.
Before she knew it, she was where she needed to be. A crumbling, decaying building stood in front of her, just above the morning market.
She crept in. There were no lights, but the stairway was lit with several candles scattered through the structure. Gripping Due Process under her jacket, Winter edged up.
Winter walked up to the third floor, mindful of her footsteps. Even the scuffing of her boots on the dirty floor rang a bit too loud for her liking. Somewhere in the darkness, rats squeaked, and insects scuttled.
Room 343. The door was slightly ajar. Light shone through the cracks, brighter than the gloom outside. She could hear the garbled distorted sounds of the local news played by an old Wall Scroll. The sounds hung in the air like a spirit. Winter edged closer, and pushed the door open slowly.
The hinges creaked.
The room was lit brightly by a Dust lamp on the table. The Wall Scroll was perched on a table stacked with old books, casting its flicking glow across the room.
The room was empty. Winter pointed her pistol towards the adjoining bathroom, the only place a man could hide.
"Anyone here?" Winter hissed.
A shadow moved in the bathroom. No doubt someone bringing their own weapons to bear. "Say it," a voice echoed.
Winter hesitated, "Thus kindly, I scatter,"
The shadow seemed to relax. A woman in a simple red shirt and black pants stepped out, she sheathed a Mistrali katana into a complex Dust sheath. Winter's eyes widened. She recognized those eyes, but only belonging to the face of someone she held dear. Eyes of blood red.
By the brothers, they looked so alike it was uncanny.
The woman must have saw the glint of recognition in Winter's eyes. She offered a cold smile, "You're younger than I thought. Then again, my brother was always a sleazy bastard."
"You're Raven."
Raven Branwen smiled, "Hello, Winter Schnee."
Cardin sat at a table outside the coffee shop. He sipped his steaming cup of coffee, his scroll out as he swiped mindlessly. Underneath his sunglasses, his eyes were scanning the environment through the glass window.
On the opposite side of the road, Cardin spotted Russel and Ciel, joining a particularly long queue of a breakfast shop. The computer bag Ciel was carrying, along with Russel's work bag, contained anything but the items they need for their disguised jobs.
A fox faunus girl sitting beside him eyed the man up and down, her dead eyes glossing over him, before returning to her scroll.
Ah, the look of a tired student. Cardin grinned internally. He missed those days.
Out of sheer curiosity, he craned his neck to see what the girl was typing.
...the battle of Fort Castle was ultimately decided by the failed night attack led by General Lagune. The General, being inexperienced and a human supremacist, underestimated his Faunus opponents...
The girl coughed and sent Cardin a glare.
"Sorry," He said, backing off, "just curious."
"If you must know, old man," the girl sighed, "I am writing my history essay about the battle of Fort Castle."
"I'm not that old," Cardin huffed.
"Whatever," the girl sighed, "I have to hand it in by the end of the day, so please."
"You got that part wrong, though" Cardin said, "General Lagune wasn't a human supremacist."
"Oh, please don't give me bullshit about how not every human is-"
"No, not that," Cardin cut her off, "He had a wife, Snow Calli. She's a deer faunus. In fact, Lagune was one of the few that had was openly vocal about the treatment of Faunus prior to, and during the Revolution. That is why they assigned him, along with all the undesirables, to a place like Fort Castle."
The girl scoffed, "The battle of Fort Castle was the turning point of the war. Why would they assign someone like him to such an important place?"
"Strategically, it was insignificant. However, the victory scored there was the turning point for morale. The propaganda from that battle is incredibly significant."
The girl frowned, "It's not...strategically important?"
Cardin shook his head, "Why would they assign an inexperienced general, who is also a well-known hothead, there in the first place? "
The girl thought for a moment, pondering the point. She frowned, "If he was such an advocate for the faunus, to the extent of having one as a lover, then why did he launch that fatal night attack fulling knowing their capabilities?"
Cardin nodded, "It was in response to the Massacre of Castle Village."
"The what now?"
"Look it up on your scroll," Cardin gestured, "The faunus fighters separated the humans from the faunus members of the village, and killed them in a number of cruel ways. The three other faunus died there. General Lagune's wife, his seven-year-old daughter, and three-year-old son. They displayed their mutilated bodies for him to see, and lured the hot-headed General launched an ill-prepared counter-attack."
The student cast him a doubtful look. But eventually, returned to her scroll to search that piece of information up. Her eyes widened as she read the article.
"I...we never learned of this," She said softly, "we were just told that the human general overestimated the capabilities of his forces while not taking into account of advantages the faunus held at night."
In truth, Cardin was not overly enthusiastic about history. But, Dr. Oobleck, his history professor at Beacon, was right about one thing. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it...and history was full of bloody battles and tactics.
Cardin sighed, "History is incredibly sanitized for the schools. It's tricky to write about certain aspects of history when racial tensions are involved, especially for such a pivotal moment in history."
The student groaned, "I don't want to rewrite this damned essay."
"Don't have to." Cardin muttered, " Just give your professor what they want if you want good grades."
Cardin's scroll buzzed. He checked it and shuddered. It was from Ren.
Cardin you slimy bastard. Stop flirting with the civvies. Focus.
He could feel Ren glaring daggers at him, even when Ren was parked a few steps down the street.
He winced.
Sorry. He sent back.
Winter did not lower her aim. She circled around the room, Due process aimed squarely at Raven's head. Raven Branwen, leader of the Branwen Tribe. Mistral's bandit queen.
This had to be a trap, Winter thought. Members of the Brawen tribe, along with the Spiders, had actively tried to kill her at Jiuzhan Station.
But, something was stopping Winter from pulling the trigger.
"What business does the notorious bandit leader of Mistral have with me?"
"Put that away, girl," Raven sneered, "I'm not here to fight. If I wanted you dead, I would have slit your throat as you slept earlier."
"You would have tried."
"I would have succeeded," Raven said.
"Won't be the first time I've crossed blades with Branwen tribe now that you have allied with the Spiders," Winter sneered, "They didn't particularly impress."
"If that's true, I should be thanking you for executing those traitors," Raven's face darkened, but the mirthless smile remained, "The last loyal members of the Tribe lie cold and buried to the far east."
Winter slightly dropped her aim. Doubt and uncertainty wriggled in the back of her mind, but she wanted to see where this was going, "The Branwen tribe is no more?"
"We haven't been a tribe for almost a year now," Raven nodded, "the strong devour the weak...and we got devoured by the Spiders."
Winter's mouth went dry. From her understanding, the Branwen tribe had been the largest bandit group roaming Mistral. The Spiders must have a larger force than she anticipated. But, that was not important now.
"Then what are you here for?" Winter demanded.
Raven pulled out a chair and sat by the table. She gestured for Winter to do the same.
Winter cautiously followed suit and lowered her pistol to her lap. She kept the barrel aimed towards Raven.
"I see you've started working with my brother," Raven began, "Do you have any idea the scale and depth of the business he dragged you in?"
"I am not sure what business you refer to," Winter shrugged.
"Don't be coy. I'm referring to Ozpin and his spat with Salem. Qrow and I worked together for him."
Winter narrowed her eyes. Of course, Raven used to be part of Ozpin's circle. Whatever Qrow knew, Raven most likely did as well.
"I trust Qrow's judgment. But, in truth, it is a battlefield that I am not familiar with." Winter admitted.
Raven laughed. It was short and harsh, but the sound made Winter wince, "My brother is a fool. But, he is my brother. The fact that he involved you in this either means he really trusts you, or he really hates you."
Winter frowned, "Qrow has told me about you. How you have abandoned him. How you have abandoned your family. How you have abandoned Ozpin. I don't appreciate you calling the man left behind to pick up the pieces, a fool."
Raven's eyes flashed dangerously. Her smile dropped. She leaned forward, "Tread carefully, princess. I'm only telling you this because it is clear Qrow cares deeply about you. If you genuinely care about my brother, you need to walk away from Ozpin."
Winter stared at Raven and held her gaze. Conviction had hardened the pair of unblinking red eyes.
Raven continued, "Walk away from this battle. It isn't yours to fight. If you can, bring Qrow along with you. Live out the rest of your lives in peace."
"You don't think victory is possible?" Winter arched an eyebrow.
"I know it isn't possible," Raven snarled, "if Qrow says otherwise, he's a fool. If Ozpin says otherwise, he's a liar."
"Liar, huh?" Winter mused, "Strong accusations."
"Yet, it is the truth."
"I see." She said, anything but convinced.
Raven sighed, "Tell me, Schnee. Do you plan to have children?"
"What?" Winter sputtered, caught off guard.
"Doesn't matter with who. Be it my brother if it works out, or with someone else. Just answer me that."
"I-,"Winter paused. Where was Raven going with this? She swallowed, "yes. One day, if I survive long enough."
"After you do, you will still be fighting Ozpin's war. After you inevitably fall, your children will bear your burden for you. If they fail, then their children will continue, until no one is left," Raven held Winters gaze. Winter saw the woman's knuckles turn white as her hands curled into fists, "that is not a fate you want for the people you care about. It isn't too late for you. It will make Qrow unhappy, but it is for the better."
Winter softened. It was easy to tell words spoken from the heart.
Raven's gaze wandered off. It was as if she was ashamed. "I cannot turn back time, and undo the pain I have caused. It was ultimately for nothing. My tribe, annihilated. My closest friend, dead along with her daughter. My own daughter, charging headfirst into the grave. And my ex-husband left all alone without a clue of why his life is turning to shit before his very eyes."
Winter narrowed her eyes. She seemed to be genuine, that much was certain. But was there an ulterior motive?
As if reading her mind, Raven smirked, "You have no reason to trust me," Raven shrugged, "I know I have my fair share of blood on my hands. But your hands are not so clean yourself."
"True," Winter admitted bitterly, "but we are very different people."
"Maybe. Maybe not," Raven snorted. She regarded Winter for a moment, "Think on it, Schnee. Don't let revenge, love, or whatever bullshit cloud your emotions."
Winter shrugged, "the White Fang killed my family. I've bled them for that, and they bled my men in return. The Fang tried again not long ago, but this time under the orders of Salem. A lot of people died."
"So you want revenge?" Raven folded her arms.
Winter shrugged, "It's a nice bonus. I have reason to believe Salem's forces started this entire shit show five years ago. Might as well go for the jugular."
Raven smiled, "Take care that you don't bleed those that follow you dry. Sooner or later, you will be the last one standing."
"It won't come to that," Winter said instinctively, but even she didn't sound convincing to herself.
Raven snorted. "Fine. You are an adult. You can dig your own grave as I did mine."
The bandit queen massaged her temples, and stood up, shaking her head, "Although, if you're dead set on being Ozpin's pawn, I want you to do something for me."
Winter folded her arms, "I am not a pawn, nor am I a mercenary, Raven."
Raven barked a harsh laugh, "Your talents at death are not required. In fact, it is the opposite."
"Oh?" Winter arched an eyebrow.
"There is girl under Lionheart's wing," Raven began, still not meeting Winter's eye, "Yang Xiao Long. She does not see me as her mother, but that doesn't change that she is my daughter."
Finally, Raven looked at Winter again. Her eyes were hard.
"Lionheart will get her killed. She does not deserve that, and neither does her father. The man's lost enough."
"Why..." Winter cocked her head, "why can you not...talk to your own daughter about this?"
That look again. It was shame, Winter was certain this time. "We are not on the best of terms."
"I see," Winter grimaced, "I can't say I'm eager to insert myself in the middle of what is evidently a complicated family matter."
Raven winced. It was definitely a subject she isn't very keen on, "Do this for me, and I will help you with Ozpin's little errand."
"Oh?"
"Yes," Raven nodded, "in fact, we have a common enemy."
She leaned forward. Her eyes seemed to glow, "I think you know this by now, but Salem has influence over the Spiders gang."
Winter nodded. While she had no evidence, the timing and frequency of the attacks were enough to confirm enemy action.
"The Spiders bled my tribe. I've been bleeding them back. If we work together, we will severely disrupt Salem's capabilities here in Mistral. However, If my hunch is correct, you will be needing me."
Winter folded her arms, Due Process still dangling in her hands, "Need is a strong word."
"You doubt, but that only shows you do not understand the nature of what you face," Raven said plainly, "There is a Maiden. Here, in Mistral. And, she isn't on your side."
Winter arched an eyebrow.
Raven scoffed, "Please. Don't look so surprised. Maiden powers have changed hands several times, even before I was roped into Ozpin's service."
"So, you have knowledge of a Maiden's capabilities?"
Raven grinned, "Even better. I fought one."
"Remind me, Thrush," Ciel said while she battled with her pair of chopsticks, "how was I better at using these things before I got my hands replaced."
There was a snap, as the wooden chopsticks broke in half. Ciel bit down a curse. It was difficult to over-exert her newfound strength.
"Ciel Soliel, defeated once again by Mistrali cutlery," Russel sniggered, "I've asked you this before, but do you want me to feed you?"
"I..." Ciel shot Russel a glare.
"Say aaaaah," Russel dangled a piece of Mistrali Omelette in front of her face. The omelette was rolled up with thin pastry, rice and meat floss in the traditional east Mistrali manner.
It was something Ciel had been looking forward too. She did always have a taste for Mistrali cuisine. Now, her teammate is using that as a bargaining chip. One bite, in exchange for her dignity.
Ciel's face flushed red. The nerve of this man. Didn't he know how important food was to a Faunus raised in the mines?
She snatched the proffered piece with lightning-fast speed in between her fingers and devoured it in one bite.
She stuck her tongue at Russel who was still grinning, "Damn. If only you moved that fast during our timed runs."
Ciel's face flushed further, "Shut up."
She heard them before she saw them. Distant loud engines, rumbling towards them, cutting above the din of the morning crowd.
"What's the matter?" Russel asked, frowning.
"Incoming," Ciel said.
Black cars, most of them high end Luxury Atlas models, rolled into the market, bulldozing fruit and vegetable stalls along the way. Several sports bikes rumbled alongside the convoy, coming to a stop. The morning crowd shouted in anger and shock but soon fell quiet, their complaints dying in their throats when they see the individuals stepping off the vehicles.
A mix of masked, armored men, and individuals in dark-colored suits stepped out of the black vehicles. Armed with blades and firearms, it was clear who they were. Even the local gangsters made themselves scarce, not keen on challenging the largest gang in Mistral.
"Shit," Russel muttered.
Lamenting the loss of the breakfast, Ciel stood up as she sent a warning to Winter on her scroll. Stuffing at least two more bites into her mouth, she slipped quietly out of the shop with Russel.
"Think they'll start shit here? In this crowd?" She asked as she chewed.
"Oh, no doubt about it," Russel mumbled.
Ren knew there was going to be trouble when he caught sight of the ominous vehicles. He didn't even need his Semblance to see it.
From his back mirror, he saw a car slow to a stop beside him. The passenger was looking at a scroll, and pointed at his general direction.
Ren swallowed. It was either him, or Cardin that's compromised.
He called Cardin. The man picked up in an instant.
"Yeah?"
"You have incoming," Ren said. He watched as multiple armed men step out of their vehicles. The morning crowd backed away, and he could hear the murmurs of fear from inside his car.
"I know."
"I'll be circling. We won't get far is they start shooting here."
"Alright. You coming back to help?" Cardin asked, trying to sound casual.
"Do I need to answer that?"
"Cool."
Without saying another word, Ren put the vehicle in gear, and peeled off.
"You have crossed blades with a Maiden, and lived to tell the tale." Winter reiterated.
Raven nodded.
Winter swallowed, "Here? In Mistral?"
Raven nodded again.
Winter's mouth went dry. From her understanding, the only Maiden Salem possess…is Cinder.
Cinder Fall.
Winter wiped a palm across her face and took a deep breath. She had to remind herself that their friendship as a thing of the past. Hell, Cinder may not even recognize Winter if they do meet face to face.
Perhaps that will be for the better if they are going to end up killing each other anyway.
Her grim thoughts were cut off by the buzzing of her scroll. Melancholy and dread was suddenly washed away in a wave of frustration.
The team was calling her. That meant something was wrong, and she could hazard a guess as to who is crashing the party.
"Mirror 1, go ahead," Winter said into the scroll."
"Our arachnid friends are paying us another visit, somehow," Cardin's low voice sent back, "Overwhelming numbers. I suggest we move."
"Copy," Winter stood up, bringing her pistol to low ready.
"Problem?" Raven asked.
"We have incoming. Apparently, the Spiders have stopped messing around and sent an entire welcome part for me" Winter said simply.
"So you were followed," Raven sighed in disappointment, "I expected better, Schnee."
Winter shrugged, "They have been tracking my team with unerring accuracy, somehow. I do not know how, but it's not the first time."
Raven frowned. Winter realized that the bandit queen was concerned, "You do not know how?"
Winter shook her head. She checked her ammunition, and made for the door, "I think it's best for us to part ways for now. They are after me, not you" She paused, and looked back, "Although, you did say you wanted to bleed them."
Raven stared at Winter, and barked out a short laugh, "I see. A little demonstration is in order, then." Raven rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles, "Watch and learn, Winter."
"Mirror 1 be advised," Cardin's voice crackled again, "I saw several squads head towards you. We need to pull. Now."
"Copy. We're coming." Winter said.
"We?"
"Got a friendly in tow. Black hair, female, my height, has a katana. Check your fire."
"Copy," Cardin crackled back. There was a pause, "Shit, I think they saw me."
"Shit, I think they saw me." Cardin growled.
One of the suited men checked his scroll, and looked in Cardin's direction.
The armed group marched straight for him, their weapons clacking noisily as they came.
Cardin could smell it. The scent of blood.
Forcing his grin into a grimace, Cardin slowly reached into his jacket, his sweaty fingers gripping into the hilt of his combat knife.
A man in a suit, his black hair slicked back over his head, pushed one of the customers back into the shop, "You're not going anywhere."
"B-but." The customer stuttered, but was silenced as the suit put a finger to his lips.
He plucked the iced coffee from the customer's hand, and took a deep sip. He tossed the rest on the floor.
Cardin could see his own reflection in the suit's purple mirror sunglasses. Behind him, two others hovered, their black combat armour displaying the Spider insignia left little doubt who these people are.
"Come out, Huntsman. We know you're here." the suit growled to the shop.
It took everything in Cardin's power not to flinch. Tracked down again. How?
"S-sir." A middle-aged man, hunched and balding, scurried forward, "please. There must be a mistake. We don't have any Huntsman working here. Surely-"
One of the armoured figured stepped forwards and cannoned a fist into the man's gut. The man knelt down, retching and gasping for breath.
"Not here for you people, worm." the suit sneered. He looked at his scroll, "Then again, perhaps are you stupid enough to harbor our enemies."
"N-no!" the man gasped, "Never!"
Cardin watched the scene unfold. He lowered his head, feigning terror. He was starting to shake, not from fear but from adrenaline now seeping into his veins.
The suit drew out a revolver. Cardin almost shuddered. It was chrome, engraved intricately, and studded distastefully with Dust jewels. More of a decorative piece than a weapon, and probably cost more than his entire gear combined.
With a flourish, the Spider aimed it at the kneeling man.
He looked up, "Alright. I'm going to count to five. If Mr Cardin Winchester doesn't stand up, I'm going to shoot this poor bastard. One!"
Cardin almost balked. They knew his name.
The faunus student next to Cardin gasped, her hands shot up to cover her mouth. There were murmurs of panic.
"Two!"
Shit. Shit. Shit. Cardin had to think fast.
"Three!"
Cardin knocked his coffee off the table. The steaming hot liquid spilled all over himself. There was a loud crash sound as the ceramic cup shattered into pieces on the ground.
His mouth open, Cardin raised his hand timidly, "S-s-sorry."
The suit sneered and strolled towards him, "What the fuck are you playing at, huh?"
"I-I-..."
The revolver barrel was jammed into the underside of Cardin's neck, "I should fucking-"
The man never got to finish. His eyes widened in recognition, and that's when Cardin struck.
Cardin grabbed the man's hand and skewered his bayonet straight through his palm and into the coffee table. The revolver clattered onto the floor.
The suit didn't even have time to scream before Cardin cannoned his fist into the man's head. Amplified by his semblance, the Spider's neck snapped to one side at an awkward angle.
There was an audible crack as his neck broke, not that it mattered. With the fist-shaped hole Cardin made in the man's temple, a snapped neck is redundant.
The two armored men jolted, once, twice, and fell on their faces. Lie Ren emerged from the back of the coffee shop, suppressed pistol in hand.
He nodded to Cardin. It was time to go.
Unceremoniously, Cardin ripped out his bayonet. He paused, his eyes catching the screen of the scroll of the Spider had. Shrugging, he grabbed it and shoved it in his bag. Cardin got up. He looked over to the faunus student who was looking at him with wide-eyed horror and terror,
"Sorry about that," He said weakly, "I think that should give you an excuse to not hand in your assignment."
Perched on the rooftop of the one of the old, dilapidated buildings, a black bird watched the chaos slowly unfold.
It blinked, tilting it's head as if confused. It sat there, watching, observing.
In the cramped alleyways below, Lie Ren and Cardin ran out back of the coffee shop. Cardin activating his semblance, tossed a dumpster container twice his size into the backdoor.
Angry shouts and thumps echoed in the cramped alleys as Spiders kicked and beat at the door to no avail. By then, the two men had hopped in an unmarked white van and sped off, only to circle around the other side of the market.
Ciel and Russel vanished into an adjacent building. Scant seconds later, several armed man chased after them. A small ventilation window, most likely from the public toilet, opened. Russel slithered out, and landed with a roll. He turned back to catch Ciel in to arms when she dropped out of the window too.
The unmarked white van pulled up, and the pair hopped in.
The black bird blinked. A perfect mechanical eye clicked and whirred as it recorded everything.
It blinked again, before taking off into the sky.
Haiiro and his team of assassins launched themselves up the stairs, four steps at a time.
Dressed in full black armor, the insignia of the Spiders displayed proudly on their shoulders and chests, the paramilitary wing of the Spiders moved in for the kill.
While some of the White Fang still fought for their misguided fantasy of a cause, the Spiders fought for profit. Drugs, faunus and human trafficking, gun-running for the White Fang, torture and murder, there was nothing they weren't willing to do.
But, doubt wriggled in the back of Haiiro's mind. Lil Miss Malachite has ordered the death or capture of five people, one of them being Winter Schnee. The Winter Schnee.
Yet, the force tasked for this simple mission was enough to take and burn an entire village.
He concluded that this was either a provocation to Atlas itself...or the Schnee Dust Company has really pissed off the Spiders.
Regardless, this was going to be a cakewalk.
Haiiro checked his scroll, and pointed to the a door.
This was it.
Haiiro and his team stacked up at the door, weapons drawn. On the other side, is the target, alone and unaware. They didn't stop to question why she had come to Mistral Below. They didn't ask why her team was scattered in the area.
This is where those Atlesians will die. Schnee or not, she will die like everyone else.
Haiiro glanced at his fellow hitmen, stacked up neatly on both sides of the door.
They nodded.
He moved in front of the door.
Taking a deep breath, he lifted his boot ready to kick it in.
Winter Schnee burst through the door, knocking it off it's hinges and into Haiiro. Winter banged off three shots through the rotten wood, shattering the man's Aura and blowing out his spine.
Behind her, Raven flew forwards, a feral grin plastering her face. A monstrous Mistrali Katana, forged with blood red alloys, flashed.
Winter pivoted, her own saber slashing in perfect mirror symmetry to Raven.
The two men standing by the door fell backward, headless.
The two women launched themselves away from each other, blurs of red and white, into the stunned gunmen gathered in the corridor.
Winter's revolver boomed again, gunning down one man and shattering the Aura of two others before clicking empty. Aura gone, the men backed away, their rifles rising in panic and desperation.
Winter's saber flew straight into the first man's heart and buried itself to the hilt. He stumbled, dropping his rifle as he grasped at the sword protruding from his chest, gasping in horror and confusion. He juddered and died as his teammate opened fire, ventilating him in hopes of gunning down the white-haired demon charging at him.
Shots ricocheted off a shining shield glyph. Winter grabbed her sword from the falling body, and ripped outwards in a slash, severing the rifle and taking the man's fingers along with it. He didn't even have time to realize what happened before Winter split him from shoulder to hip in a follow-up downward strike.
He fell wordlessly. Winter spun around to support Raven, but stopped.
There was no need. Raven sheathed her blade with a click.
"Not bad," Raven said. She was smiling, "I can see why he likes you."
Ignoring the comment, Winter studied the Bandit Queen's handiwork.
Judging by the blood pooling around her feet, Raven definitely did the bulk of the work.
Scattered limbs still gripped to their weapons. Severed heads, their death screams still visible through their masked faces. Bodies, butchered and steaming, were cut open with such precision that each strike was in between armour joints.
It looked like an abattoir. Winter realized she didn't couldn't even count how many Raven had cut down at a cursory glance. But it was almost strangely beautiful in its own macabre way. The skill, the savagery, all executed in the time Winter took to kill five men.
Eyeing the blood-stained Mistrali Katana Raven wielded, Winter was aware that Raven, like Qrow, was entirely in a class of their own when it came to skill. Just another reminder that there were always bigger fish out there.
"You're good," Winter admitted grudgingly, "very good."
Raven rested her blade on her shoulder and flashed her a sly grin, "So I pass the test?"
Winter nodded, "We'll work out our terms of cooperation once get out of here."
"Terms of cooperation," Raven snorted and rolled her eyes, "You are such an Atlesian."
Ren did another round with his vehicle, slowly weaving in and out of the traffic. Streams of cars, motorbikes and other vehicles were leaving while civilians made themselves scarce. No one wanted to be around a gunfight.
"I think we're good for now," Ren whispered.
He parked briefly, letting other vehicles pass him. In the back seat, the team had already donned on body armor. Ciel hauled Ren his own vest, to which he threw on within a few seconds.
"Helmet?" Ciel offered, wearing her own.
Ren slapped it on his head and clicked it secure. Ciel tapped on it hard to ensure it was secure and nodded.
"Mirror 1, what's your status?" Cardin called into the radio, "We're at the pickup point. Please respond."
"Little busy right now," Winter's voice crackled back.
Gunfire rattled in the air. There was a distant muffled explosion that frowned the scroll in static.
Cardin waited for a few seconds. He cast worried looks at the other members. Russel has already pulled out the short-barrelled rifle he had concealed in his work bag. He snapped the folding stock in place and waited. Ciel mirrored him, and after a second through, started taking out Cardin's rifle too.
"Mirror 1, we're going in to support," Cardin said.
"Negative!" Winter growled back, "Place is crawling with hostiles. RV at point Charlie."
"But-"
"That's an order, Legionnaire!" Winter barked. Gunshots filled the channel.
The team hesitated and looked at each other.
There was no way they were going to leave Winter, but at the same time, faith in her abilities and experience told them otherwise.
"Drive," Cardin said, "she'll be fine."
"Right," Ren said bitterly. Everyone said the same thing until they came back in a body bag.
He stiffened.
"Ren?" Russel hissed.
"They found us." Ren spat. In the rear-view mirror, he saw blobs of red killing intent converging towards them, "I don't know how, but they fucking found us."
The vehicle shuddered and jerked violently. Sonorous clanging reverberated through the vehicle as the first shots were fired at them.
Throwing the car into drive, Ren peeled off as the Spiders found their prey.
A window blew out in a cone of fire and smoke, blasting a screaming man out into the open. He fell, his cries cut brutally short as he smashed into one of the parked cars.
Winter Schnee leapt out, gunfire chasing her. She dived and swung around mid-air. Winter emptied her revolver into the smoke as she fell. The fire Dust tipped rounds drawing luminescent traces in the air and sent the criminals scattering like insects.
Then, it went quiet.
The Spiders pushed through the smoke, coughing and choking.
That madwoman couldn't have gone far, they thought. The bravest of them leaned out of the smoking window, gun sweeping for targets.
A silver manticore Grimm rushed up, blowing the smoke away in a mighty gust of wind. Its talons caught the Spider leaning out and dragged him screaming into the air, before dropping him to his demise.
Winter Schnee didn't even notice. A Grimm summon still retained its Grimm nature, only now Winter held the reigns. She soared into the sky and closed her eyes.
She dismissed the Manticore, not wanting the people of Mistral to mistakenly believe that the Grimm have invaded.
Momentum carried as she soared upwards into the sky.
She looked off to the side. A large black bird flew alongside Winter, its black wings spread majestically open as it glided with her.
For a brief moment, Winter pretended that it was Qrow flying next to her, instead of twin sister. The thought brought a smile to her face.
Winter closed her eyes.
It was those brief seconds of peace and respite that made her feel the most alive. Those brief seconds of peaceful daydreams where everything in the world is right, kept her fighting, kept her going.
The winds kissed her cheeks, and the beautiful morning sun caressed her body in its warmth. She breathed deep, filling her lungs with the chilly fresh air of Mistral.
She opened her eyes, the moment gravity asserted itself.
Below her, flashes of light caught her attention.
A white van was serving erratically around in the streets below, pushing cars out of the way, driving on the sidewalk, and blaring its horn. It took a sharp turn and sped onto the highway. A string of black cars chased it. Tiny figures leaned out of the windows, and she could see the distinct burst of light from a muzzle.
Cardin had been right, there were a lot of them.
Her boys were good, but they weren't invincible.
Black glyphs started to glow beneath her.
A bullet shattered the side-view mirror, earning a colorful curse from Ren.
He accelerated and swerved, avoiding another blistering volley. The van was a simple Huntsman model and was not armoured with Atlas Military-grade alloys. It was built to withstand the hard bone claws and teeth of Grimm, not small arms fire from Huntsmen.
He looked back in his rear-view mirror. There were several cars chasing them, their occupants leaning out of their windows to shoot.
It was like driving through a hailstorm at high speeds. The vehicle rocked and rang as bullets and ricochets danced off its body in bright sparks of light.
"How the fuck did they know which car we were in?" Russel snarled.
"Fucked if I know!" Cardin shouted back. He had an idea, but this wasn't the time to discuss it.
Something big punched a hole straight through the armored back door. It skimmed around the interior like an angry insect, before cracking and cob webbing the windshield. Another hole appeared, then another.
Ren kept his head down as much as he could, but he still needed to watch the road. Cardin and the rest threw themselves on the floor.
They all heard it and knew it for what it was. The rhythm thumping, the sheer destructiveness of the weapon.
"Machine gun!" Russel laughed in disbelief, "The fuckers have a machine gun!"
The van might as well have been made of cardboard at this point. The vehicle was a damned deathtrap. Sunlight shone into the interior as the heavy machine gun turned the vehicle into cheese.
Ciel howled as a round punched through her plate carrier and into her. She coughed and choked, trying to catch her breath. Russel pulled Ciel behind him, shielding her the best he could.
"Ciel! Ciel!" Russel bellowed.
"I'm okay!" Ciel choked, "Plate slowed it, but Aura can't take another."
"Fucking kill him, then!" Cardin roared. He kicked out the back door with a brutal heave. The door flew off its hinges and barrelled into one of the chasing outriders. The bike swerved and crashed, sending the rider flying through the air and into oncoming traffic. His screams were cut short when a truck splattered him like an insect.
The three Legionnaires shifted into position, took aim, and opened up in a volley of death.
Hot brass danced and rattled around the confined space. The pressure of the gunshots felt like physical hot slaps to the face with each bullet fired. The sound was so loud everyone's ear started to ring.
The fusillade was so ferocious, several chasing cars swerved and crashed in panic, even as the return volley pinged and cracked off the chasing vehicles. Sparks flew off the black-armored frames like miniature fireworks, and the loud sonorous plink told them these cars were not standard build.
Cardin cursed, "They're armored, they're fucking armored!"
"Ciel!" Russel called out, his ears ringing. He shifted his aim and fired at the ties. There was a loud pop, and the leading car spun out of control.
"On it!" Ciel had unceremoniously tossed her short-barrelled rifle into the front and was pulling out her sniper rifle stuffed under the seat.
She spun around aimed. She flicked off the safety of her rifle.
Ren swerved the vehicle to avoid a car, throwing Ciel into the walls. The shot went wide, punching out the headlight of their pursuing vehicle instead.
"Steady!" Ciel barked, chambering another round.
"Shut up and shoot!" Ren roared back.
Ciel didn't even hear him. Her sensitive ears had taken the worst of the cacophony. Her head hurt, and the world was a dull ringing mess. She sighted in, guessing the position of the driver.
She fired.
The force from her muzzle brake was so huge inside this confined space, the Legionnaires flinched as if slapped.
Blood blossomed behind the windscreen of the chasing car. It swerved hard. Ciel could hear the machine gunner's scream before his vehicle got t-boned by another.
"Good shooting!" Ren yelled, but he knew no one could hear him. The constant blasting of hot air and burnt Dust told him that they were still busy.
Ren flinched hard as the side window smashed.
A biker roared up to him, machine pistol blazing. Ren ducked down low, taking around in his arm and another in his chest plate. One lucky shot pinged off his cybernetics, plunging half of his vision into static. His world blurred and fuzzed as the delicate machinery in his eye readjusted and rebooted.
Snarling, Ren jerked the wheel. The vehicle slammed into the motorbike. The rider yelped in surprise as the motorbike spun out of control, catapulting her forward, straight into the side window. She clung on desperately, kicking and scrambling at the broken shards of glass for a hold. She lunged for the wheel, and the Ren wrestled controls back with a violent jerk.
Ren glared into the black-tinted helmet of the rider, now hanging helplessly on the side of his vehicle. She shook her head, her non-verbal pleas as loud and clear as day. Ren's glaring red cybernetic eye refocused. Suddenly, the wide pleading turquoise eyes of the rider were uncomfortably clear.
Her eyes looked like Nora's when she knew death was knocking.
Turning away, he grabbed Ciel's discarded rifle and jammed it against the helmet's visor.
Ren clicked off the safety and squeezed the trigger. The firearm juddered violently in his hands. The helmet visor shattered. Bone, blood, and brains splattered within the helmet and onto Ren's unblinking face. The limp body fell under the rear wheel and vanished from view. He tossed the weapon onto the car floor.
Cardin reached down for a new magazine but realized he was out. He turned to the back seat to grab a new one. Something hit him from behind, the force launching him headfirst into the dashboard. His aura shimmered. Another pinged off his armor, glancing off at an angle, shattering the ballistic plate and rearview mirror.
"Ciel! Kill that motherfucker!" Cardin screamed as he wiggled himself free, elbowing Ren in the face as he struggled to slap in a new magazine.
"Shut up! Easy for you to say!" Ciel snarled back. Another shot, another dead driver.
Cardin paused, then he pointed into the sky, "There!"
Winter fell from the skies, shrouded with black glyphs. Saber glinting in the sunlight, Winter descended upon the enemy, a trail of black glyphs in her wake.
Then, Cardin jerked once, his Aura shattering. There was an audible thunk as his head snapped back. Fragments of his shattered helmet flew, hitting Russel in the face. His rifle clattered on the floor.
"Cardin?" Russel paused, noticing something was wrong.
Cardin looked at Russel, his eyes unfocused. Blood ran down his face from under his helmet. His eyes widened slightly. Then, without warning, he pitched forward.
Russel made to grab his friend, his brother in arms, but it was too late.
Wordlessly, Cardin tumbled out of the van and onto the road, crashing and rolling as he hit the tarmac.
"Cardin!" Russel screamed.