chapter 28 lower cairn part 3
As they walked down the esplanade and into the town proper stinger tapped each of the triplets on the shoulder. Imparting a portion of his power enhancing aura into each one. With his highly addictive enhancement semblance. The triplets replicated with each step they took; they formed another clone. Just like their namesake, they continued their replication spree until all of Lawn Market street was full of clones.
Another tap on each of their shoulders he increased the longevity of the clones from a mere five minutes to twenty-five minutes. Within that time Shipman had slipped into the crowd of clones disappearing among the horde. Seamlessly blending into the uniformity of the clones.
He departed himself after empowering both Giens and Holmes. Leaving the pair to take up positions to guard the triplets. He did not need to give orders, everyone already knew their roles. So with a soundless jump, he leapt onto the rooftops. It was time for the hunt to begin.
]|[
-Four hours earlier-
In the throne room of her castle Salem watched on as all the shadows seemed to converge onto one point, seemingly sucking in all light. Darkening the room, the shadows rippled, bubbled, then from within the shadows Intrygant stumbled forth. Cold and shivering, his breaths visible. Arms tucked in close, frantically rubbing his hands together in order to regain some feeling.
'Oh my,' Salem thought. 'This bodes poorly.' just based on Intrygant's state. Given the frost that practically covered him from head to toe. Something that would never happen if Laruam was in the right state of mind. Something absolutely dreadful had to have happened.
The shadows rippled once more, from within their depths Laruam emerged. Even worse than Intrygant. Still in the form they had taken for this mission. She was absolutely coated in a thick layer of frost. To the point even her tears had frozen on her delicate cheeks. Her dress and stalkings were ripped and tattered. Barely doing their job of keeping her modesty intact. Blood not her own caked and coated her right hand. In fact, blood caked her dress in spots, yet she herself was unharmed if not positively covered in blood and filth. Her hair clearly fared no better than her outfit, burned and frayed it would need a trim if she kept this form for the foreseeable future, the bow and headband that once adorned her head was all but missing.
Contrary to the stoic continence of the other Blessed. Lined up in two rows on either side of her throne. Her twelve Blessed, or at least it would have been twelve, Salem lamented their loss every time she saw those empty spaces. She stood from her throne without pause and quickly made her way to embrace Laruam's slight form in a hug. Not caring for the frost nor grime, she embraced Laruam all the more.
Laruam knew in that moment there was no need for words, not here. There was no judgement, no scorn, no disdain, here they no, she could be herself. So she did. Laruam let the hurt, the shame, the grief, the betrayal. She let it all out. She cried until she could cry no more.
"Are you ok now, dear?" Salem asked, tender care clear in her tone.
Giving a tremulous nod, Laruam responded, "Y-yes, thank y-you," failing to keep her voice from wavering.
Gently Salem asked, " Dear, do you wish to keep this form or change?"
It was only with the briefest hesitation that Laruam decided. "I wish to stay as I am, at least for now." she did so, if only to honour the mercenaries of the pack. Trained Huntsmen all honorable, brave, strong, and fearless men. To honour Connell, she would keep this form. It was the least she could do for him, the charismatic leader of the pack that wormed his way into her heart. A man who she had truly cared for, even when they became enemies. Even when her spear pierced his heart. Out of kindness she sought by her own hands to end him and his men, rather than let them become a part of the cruel experiment that was the cursed mud. A truly ignoble way to die for men like them. It was better to die by her hand no matter how bad it would hurt, to see the light leave his eyes, to see him snarl at her in hate, to see that look of betrayal. So she hardened her heart and did the deed. Once he had entered the city, there was no escape for him, only two paths. Predation or death.
"Well then, let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" Salem said, breaking Laruam from her lamentation.
"B-but my lady, what about the meeting? Our reports on the progress of the experiment?" she sputtered.
"Bah, it can wait." Salem waved off Laruam's concerns.
"b-but , but,"
"But nothing, dear consider this a perk of being the one in charge. Besides, don't you think poor Intrygant over there would like a chance to get warmed up? And how many times have I told you to call me Salem?"
It was true the man had yet to cease his shivering and was turning blue just from proximity to her shadows, 'oops.'
Despite the outward signs of exposure, Laruam knew she would be just fine. Intrygant however would not fare so well, given his exposure to shadow travel in her current mental state. The near instant travel would have been thrice as cold. And all the more deadly for anyone not her without protection. It was Slapdash, the protection Intrygant had from her ring was at the moment.
Quickly she pulled back her shadows warming the room by several degrees. "Sorry," Laruam said, looking over Salem's shoulder to Intrygant.
He waved her off, "don't worry about it." It was impressive, he said that without stuttering. Given his shivering.
"Now let's get you cleaned up, dear," Salem said, as she led the currently smaller girl off. "We won't be long and the debrief can wait," Her Slagter hot on her heels.
]|[
It was in a minimalist office that acting clan head and leader of the Uzumaki coalition, Hideyoshi Uzumaki, sat. It was an office bare of any distractions, only containing a few filing cabinets, a desk and the chair on which he sat. He did however have an amazing view of the sea and the sealed tower. The lone building in their settlement that had no inhabitants. Sealed forever in time and space, blood locked to the line of the main family, it alone served as a reminder of their bloody past. A reminder of the sacrifices made for this second chance. The blood, the sacrifices, the loss, and the suffering. It was a reminder of all those things that the main branch gave up just for this one in a million chance. But it was also a symbol of hope, a new dawn for the Uzumaki clan.
It was that tower he looked at every time before going over the reports of everyone of his active shinobi. He did so even now while looking over the reports he had just received from Tenko, who seemed to get just a little restless just based on how curt his letter was.
'Ah, yes the young man did excellent work perhaps it was time to recall him from service for a while. Give the young lad some time off.' he thought as he pulled up his file on his desktop. 'He hadn't had a break in… two years. Now that could not possibly be right.' he scrolled down further and found his answer, ' ah, that explains it. A request for another tour of service.' he thought to himself as he read further. 'Well, at the very least Akai-chan will be happy.'
The young man was long overdue for the time off after all.
He continued through the report, finding that Bakeneko's team had contacted an 'asset' the information was good. And not long after that they made contact with one of the unknown entities, 'Kitsune.' this 'Kitsune' was clearly a shinobi. But the question was what clan did he hale from. And why were his and his partner acting so overt? Ever since making it to these lands. The clans and survivors of the last days of battle that made up the joint Uzumaki coalition had dedicated themselves to staying hidden. Despite the differences they had. The coalition had sought work together in this unfamiliar land. To infiltrate and work their way into every aspect of this new lands hierarchy. All the better to stay hidden. 'So why are they gaining such attention?' he wondered.
At the end of the report was the most wondrous of gifts, a sealed blood sample. A pulse of chakra, he unsealed the small ampule of preserved blood. His ticket to finding out just what clan this 'Kitsune' belonged to. It would mean a trip to the clan archives. He stood from his desk and left to do just that.
The archives in the building next to his own. Was one of the most secure places on the peninsula. Second only to the hospital, where detailed medical information was stored. So secure in fact that without a two-thirds majority of the coalition. Without a majority, one would need the approval of the shinobi and that of their clan head as well. The archives fortunately were quite different, only requiring permission from either himself as the leader of the collision, the Jonin commander, the Anbu commander Tsuchigumo, or at least approval from the head of the clan's scroll you wish to look at.
Entering the domed basement of the complex. An area covered in complicated seals meant for detection, protection, preservation, and detainment. He walked to the keystone seal resting on a dais before the twenty-one clan scrolls. All arrayed in a spiral sealing array recessed into the wall.
Placing his hand on the keystone, he let his chakra flow, affirming his identity.
With a twist of his hand and pulse of his chakra, he manipulated the seal, shifting its function from identifying a user to that of searching the archives.
Breaking open the ampule and letting a few drops flow onto the stone beneath his feet. Was all it took for the seal to trigger. And begin glowing a soft blue at first, then a vibrant royal orange of the main branch of the Uzumaki. A line of seals shot off past the twelve scrolls representing the clans that joined after the battle of Uzu, past the inner set of scrolls representing the seven retainer clans of the Uzumaki. Past the scroll for the minor clans and unaffiliated shinobi, even past the Uzumaki branch family scroll, right towards the dormant Main family scroll.
Once dusky and lifeless in its resting place, the scroll glowed to match the color of the surrounding seals. As it unraveled itself automatically, updating itself for the first time in nearly two hundred years.
The scroll unfurled itself. Baring the information contained within to him. "This will change everything," he thought as he continued to read.
]\[
From the moment they had landed, Naruto could sense the negativity that practically radiated from the region. Negativity he had attributed to the grimm. But Now that he was in Lower Cairn in the heart of this almost overwhelming despair, he could sense it now, all those negative emotions, hate, despair, loss, hopelessness, madness, he could feel them all. It was like the very air itself was saturated in the echoes of a massive amount of despair. It should have been like catnip to the grimm. Urging them onwards to experience more of that state of emotions.
Given the cloying state of the shear amounts of negativity that soaked the very air itself. He should have been more on guard. He really should have.
Within moments of checking the third block of houses in the city, he heard Coco's shriek of surprise. The whirl of her chain gun. And the telltale sound as she fired.
For her part when the horde identical of men came all bearing bats, knives, pipes, and pretty much anything they could get their hands on. Coco did not hesitate. She cut them all down without a second glance. She could do no less lest she be overwhelmed. Coco knew for a fact that Naruto was just inside this next house clearing it. She had no doubt Naruto heard her cry of surprise.
Thrown like it was launched from a cannon, the Nuibari impaled one of the many doppelgangers anchoring him to the spot. The line of steel thread attached went taught as Naruto lept from a second-story window sliding down the line into the horde. By the time he landed, four kunai had already found their marks. Driven home into the throats of four more men. Rather than go up in smoke, fade away, or simply vanish to the ether. Some popped into an ash cloud that filled the air, while others swelled like meaty balloons. As he landed atop the Nuibari, if only for a moment, all combat ceased. Then, as if on some unseen signal, the clones at the back of the horde rushed forward, not caring if they trampled their brethren. In fact, it only seemed to drive them onwards in greater numbers. As a cry of, " WITNESS MEEE!" rang out among the clones.
Even as their skin blackened and chared from the gas, the chant only seemed to grow the closer they got. No matter how many Naruto struck down with kunai, nor with the Nuibari, they kept coming. Of all the jutsu he had at his dare not use Shinra Tensei lest he preemptively trigger whatever they were trying to set off. Never mind what it would do to Coco should she not be anchored down. He knew his best bet was the iron sand, an ability he already had shown proficiency in, one that would not force him to further reveal his hand.
He had to work fast, splitting his attention like this would only last so long until he slipped up. From the gourd iron sand flowed steadily, pooling beneath himself and Coco until at long last one made it to a meat balloon. The moment it made contact, it ignited in a sudden violent explosion.
Both Naruto and Coco shot out into the evening sky, mere moments before the explosion. On platforms of sand. It would have made a lovely sight to behold had it not been for the pillar of smoke choking out the horizon and the massive crater in the ground and several blocks of buildings leveled to the ground.
Stinger watched it all with a manic smile. Never had the triplets displayed such destructive potential. They must have pulled out all the stops. "They had to have been holding out on me." he ruminated, " Gotta be sure to get them something nice when we get back. Perhaps a little boy or two, maybe a set of twins. They like symmetry and all that."
"Heh, heh," he laughed at his own little joke, as he leapt from his crow's nest, a small three story bakery with office buildings atop it. Stealthily following the pair.
His grin only grew when he saw the figures of Naruto and Coco float out of the smoke. He withdrew his twin Khopesh engaging the mechashift feature that turned his blades into a long all his weapons it was truly his favorite, Unlike most he felt that guns were such an uncivilised weapon, So impersonal. And nothing says personal like, 'I am taking the time to watch the light fade from your eyes,' 'like an arrow lacerating your liver, 'so I can watch you bleed out. He was ready to take aim, taking pleasure in the moments before a kill. That split second of ecstasy. He was interrupted by the sound of his two-way sparking to life. "Captain, are you there?" He scowled at the missed opportunity, the ruined moment, and let out a sigh, as the radio continued to blare in his headset. "Captain, hello captain are-"
"What is it Holmes?" He sniped.
" the other survivors that made it through the crash made it to the gates. I thought you would like to know." He relayed.
"Oh what a day, what a lovely day." he said. The cheshire grin he seemed to always wear grew all the more vicious, if that was possible. Insanity glinting in his eyes, "Holmes be a dear and activate the gate keeps defences would you kindly. And send Secco to observe them, would you kindly?"
"Yes, Sir!" He could hear the manic glee in the tone of Holmes voice alone.
Having missed the chance at the perfect shot, stinger shifted his bow back into its twin Khopesh form. Sheathing the weapons. "Well, I suppose it's better this way. Everyone will get in on the fun this way." he thought to himself.
"Oh, and Holmes before I go how are the triplets doing?" he asked
"Their good for another two or three rounds, sir."
"Right, and Dan, I know you're listening so get in position I know exactly what we're going to do."
It was only now leaping off the building he was on. Now that he had more time to think. More time to plan. That he was rather glad for the interruption. Now that he had seen them fight, gotten a better measure of their skills. He would let them gather, regroup and steel themselves for the gauntlet to come. For it would be no simple task. And all the more enjoyable for it. They had fired the first salvo; the die has been cast.
"So, please dear children entertain me." he thought as he made his way back to his men.
Arrow scowled as she watched a portion of the city be lost to that conflagration. She was sorely tempted to murder stinger for his temerity. Only held back by the orders her master had given her. Even now she sorely ached to snipe him with her bow. She would not even have to move to do it too. It would be as simple as breathing. A simple act she had done thousands of times over. Just one arrow and that would be that. One less monster in this world of lies.
Yet again she defaulted back to her orders to stop herself from making a hasty misstep. To observe the experiment, to its conclusion. Stinger was disposable. Nothing more than a rabid dog soon to have overstayed his usefulness.' knowing all too well that His actions today would mask their actual goal. All the better for it when he and his men were cut loose.
]\[
It was after class, Weiss had immediately pulled Yang away, separating from their team dragging the taller girl off toward the dorms. Walking hand in hand with her girlfriend Yang was rather giddy about the development when she heard the words, "Yang we need to talk," from Weiss. Immediately turning the blood in her veins to ice. She did not know what to think. It sent her world all aflutter. It was a given with the absence of their mutual Boyfriend only being a couple days now. That she was rather nervous.
"Did I do anything Wrong," she couldn't help but ask. A very reasonable question, all things considered.
Weiss snorted in amusement of the usually brash girl becoming a flustered mess, "no, no Yang everything is fine I just think its time I took you out on a date tonight. There are some things we need to discuss, however." she saw the worry on Yangs face and to ease her worries she said, " it's nothing major, in fact it could wait until Naruto gets back but I would like to get your , and before I forget you'll need to dress up for where we are going."
She leaned forward on her tiptoes to kiss the taller girl. A kiss Yang readily accepted, wrapping an arm around the other girl. Deepening their embrace, a hand roaming down and cupping her ass covetously.
"Mmmmnnn, Yang, we need to stop…" Weiss moaned.
"Why?" Yang grinned. Kissing her more.
"Because if we don't stop now. We won't have enough time to make my reservation Naughty girl."
"Oh, Naughty girl, am I?!" Yang said, her tone just this side of husky. Cupping Weiss's ass with both hands. Lifting the slight frame of the petite girl and pinning her against the wall just outside her room. One hand fumbling for the door latch, the other fondling Weiss's marvelous derriere. Kissing her way down Weiss's neck.
Finally finding the doorknob, she grinned in triumph. Pushing her way into her room. Nipping and groping at Weiss all the while.
"Yang!" Weiss gasped, grasping the taller girl by her shoulders, pushing her away. "We can't," seeing Yangs pout, Weiss corrected her statement, "at least not yet, I'd like to take my girl out on a proper date first."
Slowly, reluctantly, almost painstakingly Yang set her down back on her feet. "Ok, we'll do things your way then." Yang said. "But if we're doing this your way. Then I expect to be properly wined and dined, and no sex until at least the third date." she teased, kissing the smaller girl's forehead.
"Now go get yourself all dolled up," Yang spun her around. Giving her rear a hearty smack to get her going.
"Yang!" Weiss exclaimed.
Yang only grinned at the exclamation. Giving her a shooing wave with her hand. The other resting on the doorframe. And if Weiss put a bit more sway in her hips. Yang said nothing to address it.
She thought it though, " I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave." her eyes all but glued to her rear.
"Meet me at the port by six."
"Ok, Princess."
]|[
It was a bad idea, Illia knew. But she could not help herself being cooped up in that stuffy base in Mistral, so boring. So she snuck in with the group of ten that were going with Menma to Vale. Vale where Blake and Adam were stationed, the last time she had heard a word of their location. She couldn't wait to see them.
She hadn't regretted her choice when they made the grueling run across the mountains of Mistral, not even when they kept up that brutal pace until they made it to the Atlassian Ocean.
A trek they made in a record-breaking two days. And given that the men selected for this mission had yet to even complain about the pace, they impressed Illia.
Even on the relatively peaceful flight to a port city by the name of Lygos. A sprawling metropolis by the waters. She was so distracted by the sights she failed to notice the absence of Menma.
"Hey where did the Captain go?" she asked.
One of them snorted in amusement, she did not know who.
"You should know by now that the captain is faster than us, probably halfway to Vale by now. Everything is going as planned." Trifa said. She was the only familiar face out of the entire squad Illia recognized, "You would know this if you paid attention to the briefing. We'll head to Vale at our own pace," she added.
"R-right sorry."
"Don't worry about it just try to keep up, rookie." another man she did not know said. " We need to get to an airship; it'll be two days before we reach Vale. the Captain is faster, so he's already a day ahead by now."
She once more cursed the fact that she had opted to sneak onto this mission wearing the uniform of a grunt, hooded cloak and all.
]|[
It was with the sound of that massive explosion. That Pyhrra and Yatsuhashi's group doubled their pace from a light run, pacing themselves. Wary of any Grimm that may lie in wait. To an all out Aura enhanced sprint to the gates. With Pyrrha and Nora taking point, Ren, Velvet, and Fox in the middle, and Yatsuhashi and the resting Kurama trailing behind in the rear. This was the formation they ran in. they chose this formation to maximise their defensive options in case of an ambush.
Their paranoia was not unfounded. Moments after making it to the gates, the point defences of Lower Cairn whirred to life. Every cannon emplacement, machine gun turret, and even murder hole with nozzles. Sprayed, shot, and fired at the group.
"Nora, strong shield!" Pyrrha Sent, raising her shield to bare the onslaught ,yelling it at the same time so it echoed.
Stored sand surged to her command, rapidly forming a barrier that took the brunt of the blasts moments before it would have hit. Following the command, Nora latched onto Pyrrha's shoulder. With a hand wreathed in lightning.
Teeth grit, Muscles locked up, Pyrrha bared the momentary blinding pain of channeling another's aura through herself. Combining the two natures of Nora's aura with that of her semblance projected wall. Magnifying its durability. Allowing it to maintain cohesion without her direct control.
The others had not been idle either, "Coco, can you hear me?" Fox sent. Even as more and more of her sand poured forth. Creeping up the walls towards the entrenched defences.
"Yea, Fox, we're here, what's your status?"
"Pinned down by the defences. Someone turned them against us!" he sent.
"... got it on our way." Coco sent. Her tone however sounded like this was only going to get worse.
Pyrrha raised her free hand into the air, palm open. Slowly, she curled her hand into a fist. The sand under her control followed her will, compressing rapidly, destroying any of the town's remaining defenses. It was only moments later that both Coco and Naruto. Arrived on top of the devastated walls of Lower Cairn.
With one eye open from his perch on Yatsuhashi, Kurama idly watched the events play out. "Oi, Naruto!" It was this moment that Naruto watched through Kurama, that crystalized their determination.
"Yea, Kurama?"
"No matter what these kids make it through this."
"Yea, no matter what," in this they were both unified in their resolve.
AN/ happy belated new years guys, meant to get this out on new years (oops). But can I just say 2020 really sucked. Between COVID-19 and getting a new job, people quitting from the new job, cutting into my writing time.(it really cut into my writing time.) But any ways wow guys a new chapter already. It's been what 18-19 days give or take. But I have been thinking about this for a while now. And if you guys are willing was wondering if you guys would be interested in joining me on gaming nights at least twice a month. You may ask, but how would I pick the games. Well, if you guys are willing, I would revamp my (pat)reon. Holding votes there. Obviously it would be open voting for everyone. Obviously there would be bonuses to patrons. I would announce gaming days on my twitter of course. Again, if you were interested. I would like to know what you guys are interested in overall. And I would like to hear what you guys are interested in. Give me some ideas so I can expand my horizons.
my standard site posting list is rather obvious
check me out on twitter at /setsunatama3 for any announcements from now on.
notice I also post on the following sites
Wattpad at 773701195-the-maelstrom-of-remnant-chapter-one-exile
Archive of Our Own at /works/20596958?view_full_work=true
deviant art at: setsunatama3/gallery
fanfiction at: s/13280840/1/the-Maelstrom-of-remnant
Tumblr at blog/setsunatama3
due note that i post on my (P)atre0n first and they get early access to my work.
If you like my work, consider donating to my (P)atreon at setsunatama3 is creating fanfiction. And if (P)atreon subscriptions are not your speed, consider donating on KO-fi at /setsunatama3
