AN/ well i meant for this to be out on friday but we can't all get what we want.(part of the delay was also once of the ladies i work with burned her face while cooking at work. So i was kinda in the weeds for a few days.) I worked a thirteen and a half hour shift so I passed out when I got home and was out like a light the day after as well. That friends is why this is coming out on sunday. Anyway I still intend to host gaming nights at least once or twice a month. I figure I could live stream it while I am at it. If you guys are interested.(can't be that hard right?) and I also intend to revamp my (Pat)r3on. And offer character sheets, a timeline and the maps that I base some of the cities on. Once I get enough patrons. Would any of you be interested in that? I also intend once this arch of the story is over to go back to writing lemons (I dropped that for the time being to focus more on my plot.) i also intend to put a potential game of the month poll on my twitter so look for polls there. If you guys are interested. I will take it down if no one votes. In which case choice will fall to me.

Without further ado onto the chapter

chapter 29 Lower Cairn part. 4

48 hours earlier

Connell knew he was probably making the biggest mistake of his life. Just what was he thinking chasing after a girl. A girl he could arguably say he barely knew. Seven weeks was barely enough time to get to know someone after all. It was almost all but impossible to truly know the kind, outgoing, compassionate young woman. Not only was she all those things, but had the skills to match as well.

Had it not been for the cajoling of his men, he would have never worked up the courage to chase after her, never admitted to himself that he loved her. He would have continued to go with the flow. Not anymore, he was going to get his girl. 'No matter what, ' he pledged to himself. Pushing more aura into each step of his sprint. Pushing himself to move all the faster.

They had even passed up on a contract in Sumire for this.

"Come on lads, if we can't keep up with the captain then what good are we?" his second-in-command Emer cheered.

A cheer of agreement rang out. As everyone of his ten men speed up to keep pace.

But what they could not, would never know that they were running headlong into death's embrace.

]|[

"You guys ok?" Naruto asked, while he and Coco floated down to the ground on beds of sand.

"Yea, we're good, just a bit shaken up." Nora said while supporting a still trembling Pyrrha.

"What about you guys?" it was Velvet who asked. "You guys look like you ran into some trouble."

"If what you meant by trouble is a horde of Psychotic evil exploding clones, then sure we just had a bit of trouble, Bun-Bun," Coco teased, clearly Sarcastic, making light of the obviously grimm situation.

"Coco!"

"Right sorry Vel, wrong time and place." Coco apologised with a sigh of frustration. Reaching up to run a hand through her dark locks. "Anyway, we need a plan. It looks like raiders have taken the city. We can hope that they haven't taken the castle yet and fight our way there." Coco proposed.

"Or we can take our chances and wait out here with the grimm at our backs and raiders at our front." She continued, "and hope that just maybe that once we miss the check in about…"

Coco checked the time on her scroll, "Shit, seven hours." all humor was gone from her tone. "We need a plan. And for the record, i'm against staying out here."

"Well, for starters, from the research I've done, Lower Cairn is essentially a fortress." Naruto said, pulling out his scroll and activating the hollow graphic map. It showed not only the entire city, but the lone route they would need to take. "The whole City is really just one big Death trap for invaders really from the walls to the main streets. That only allows one way to approach." he moved a finger along the interactive hologram, a red line trailing behind the digit. From their current position, right up Myers avenue, along the half mile that was Shawcross Road. right up to the Alvarado inner gatekeep. Then onto the last stretch Stone row and then lastly Lawn market street. "if we go in then, we go knowing that if the raiders have taken the city and have control of the defences. But hopefully not the Castle itself."

"We need to be wary of the buildings, alleyways, and any visible part of the wall along the 'Royal mile'." It became rather clear just what his map showed of the city Showing not only the 'royal mile' the best path to get to the castle itself but all the side streets perfect for defenders to set up ambushes, and sneak attacks.

"We need to be especially cautious of these points, here, here and here." Naruto's map lighting up, highlighting several choke points along the way. Worse yet was nightfall was already upon them. And it did not need to be said that they definitely did not want to be caught out at night outside the walls. In what was likely enemy territory.

"My vote is we make our way into the city and find a bank or something close to it we can hold out for the night." Naruto added, "we don't want to get caught out by the grimm nor those raiders. Our best bet is inside those walls. Whether we like it or not."

"I can't help but agree," Yatsuhashi said, "I too have no wish to tempt fate with the grimm."

"Well, you know we have your back fearless leader," Nora stated, "Seconded," Ren agreed.

"Well shit, now that you say it your right." Coco voiced her agreement.

Fox followed, giving a silent nod of approval. Pyrrha's thumbs up, and Velvet's meek, "ok," in the face of her obvious crush.

Upon that unanimous agreement, teams CFVY and NNPR began the trek back into the city. Strangely, though, was the lack of any opposition to their entry. Even the automated defences lay dormant, if only for the moment. Only raising their paranoia all the higher. Even as they made their way along Myers Avenue. Past the crater that was once part of a residential district where both Naruto and Coco had encountered the legion of exploding clones.

It was only now that the smoke had the chance to clear that the true devastation of the blast was revealed. Only now, just how close they had come to death. For the apartment complex, the set of houses that they were looking into, along with part of a primary school. They did not know what the name of the facility was. The sign of the building having crumbled just like half of the school itself. Just like the surrounding area had collapsed into rubble or become uninhabitable. Water and sewage from the sewers readily flowing into the crater.

They took a side street to avoid most of the crater. Before getting back onto the main road. Until they found a mostly intact church. The name on the sign stated it was the Kirk of ST. Bennett. While it was not the most secure of buildings, it had high walls surrounding the property and cemetery. And decent sightlines from the front and rear. Surrounded as it was by the graveyard.

From their position they did get a glimpse of one of the many monuments to the famous playwright Monty Oum. a large and elaborate obelisk atop which sat a glowing white statue of a kneeling angel. Hands and wings outspread to the heavens.

"I'll take first watch and try to get some sleep," Naruto said as the others settled in for the night.

]|[

Ruby flitted around the room with nervous energy. As giddy as a spring maiden. Eagerly helping her sister get ready for her date tonight. Picking out dresses, tops, and skirts left and right. She dare not touch Yang's golden locks. And with the little she knew about makeup… yeah, it's best not to talk about it.

"Ooh ooh, Yang, what about this one here?" Ruby exclaimed, paused, looked at the dress in hand, frowned, then disappeared in a burst of petals. Her comment of, "Never mind, it doesn't quite match." Echoing on the wind as she disappeared back into the closet.

Yang Idly watched all this happen through her vanity mirror. Just a little Bemused by the display. A small smile on her lips at her sister's antics.

Yang paused midway in applying a bit of blush to her cheeks. Either she was going insane or was that three of Ruby she was looking at in her mirror. Indeed, there were three almost hazy copies of the little red reaper fluttering about her room. When she glanced in her mirror once more.

God, she'd gotten faster, like an adorable hyperactive chipmunk given speed and a heaping helping of caffeine. She needed to be stopped before she dug a rut in the carpet.

Turning to face her speedster of a sister Yang could not help the grin that split her lips. "Ruby, how about you slow down a bit there speedy, and take a break," she said.

All at once the other two copies of the reaper vanished. Depositing two dresses on the bed. Just before they faded out. Leaving her sister holding a rather bold dress in hand. It was a backless and sleeveless practically skin tight dress with a high neckline and thick collar that would cinch around the neck like a choker. With a diamond cut out that would show quite a bit of cleavage, if not for the sheer veil of fabric that would hint at said cleavage. With a slit on the right side with a section of a pleated white mini skirt that stopped mid-thigh, while a majority of the skirt was hidden under the orange fabric of the dress that stopped at shin length, just enough that it would show a bit of leg. Most importantly, it was a vibrant burnt orange, with white along the trim and with the shear fabric being an opaque stylish black. All in all, it was a beautiful bold dress her sister had picked out.

Yang knew from the moment she saw it in her sister's hand it was the dress she wanted. She plucked the garment from Ruby's hands. "I think I'll take this one Rubes, thanks for all the help."

"But- but - but, Yang, you haven't even seen the other ones yet." A mulish Ruby all but whined.

"No but's Ruby," Yang said, "besides maybe Weiss needs some help." She goaded.

A glimmer of something passed through Ruby's eyes. Was it excitement, glee, a devious sort of jubilation? Yang did not know. As her sister vanished in a burst of petals, an impish grin breaking out across her face the last thing she saw. Before her door opened and closed with an audible slam.

And that was all the confirmation Yang needed to know that Ruby did this on purpose. Yeah, she'd definitely get a kick out of this. The puckish little rascal.

There was an audible exclamation of, "Weissss I CAME TO HELP!"

And a cry of, "Ruby NO!"

With a snort of amusement, Yang went back to getting ready for her date. There was no time to enjoy the schadenfreude after all.

Yang lent her attention to the dress in question once she finished her makeup and her hair that she styled so that some of her locks were pinned in a bun, leaving the rest of her mane to hang free. She noted that there would be no wearing a normal bra with this one. She would have to go with one of her strapless bras for this. 'First things first though,' she mentally remarked as selected a lacy set of lingerie and then finally her strapless, backless bra to go with the dress.

After putting on the dress, Yang slipped on a pair of orange strappy high heels to go with her dress. Now she was ready. The only question was if Weiss was ready as well. Eh, if not then at least she could watch the resulting disaster. A bit of schadenfreude did wonders for the heart, after all.

]|[

With the first of many lessons with Cinder done, Menma went in search of his target for coming here, Adam. The fool boy had squandered the chance given to make a name for the faunus in this Area. he had one task, an easy task compared to what was happening in Atlas/ Mantel, or even the rampant corruption of Mistral that Sienna had to deal with. Vale after all was a centrist kingdom in comparison. Conservative, but not to a fault.

Where were the Fang funded free clinics, the food programs, the organised peaceful protests to police brutality? Better yet, where had all the funds sent over to help build schools or organize unions?

With his lack of info, Menma knew that things in Vale were suspect concerning the White Fang criminal activity aside. Even with the little he gained from the clone network, he believed. No, truly hoped that Adam was in the right here. That surely there was some angle Taurus was playing at here. Even if it caused trouble in other kingdoms for the Fang as a whole. Menma knew he was no Saint himself. And neither was any who joined the Fang.

His anger only grew as he charged down the empty subterranean tunnels that made up mountain Glenn's subway system and the current base of the Vale branch of the White Fang. Fellow members quickly made way. Almost desperate to get out of his way. As he searched for the current target of his ire one Adam Taurus. The boy was not in his quarters, nor in the mess hall, his office, or in the current command center. And to make matters worse, Menma was distinctly aware of the grimm that crept on the streets above. Like little annoying gnats buzzing overhead. Only they were little balls of negativity that he was constantly aware of. And It took actual effort to ignore their constant presence with his negative emotion sense.

He was sorely tempted to go out and annihilate the filthy beasts, if only to lessen his building fury. Menma only stopped when he caught sight of his current quarry. The smug air Adam gave off only annoyed him further. Surrounded as he was by a retinue of his sycophantic followers. Merry and laughing, looking like they had just gotten back from a patrol. The signs of light combat evident. Making it abundantly clear he had done this on purpose. A childish power play, to be sure. One that served no other purpose than to piss him off.

Menma inhaled then exhaled, releasing any frustration he may have had. Quickly mastering himself. Lest he acts on his violent urge to talk to him, violently, repeatedly, with his fists. "We need to talk." he said as he approached.

"Sure, but can it wait? We just got done with a patrol." the bull faunus asked. But what it felt like was a demand thinly veiled as a compromise.

"of course, meet me in the command Center then. In an hour," Menma agreed, knowing that he would not refuse in this situation. Doing so would only weaken his position, making him look poorly in the eyes of his men. Giving his tacit approval before walking off to explore more of the underground maze of tunnels.

Or at least that was his intention when a petite brown blur bowled him over only a few corridors over. With an excited cry of, "Captaaaaiiin!"

"Owww," Menma groaned, peaking an eye open to see some of the men from his squad and Trifa standing above him, bemused looks on all their faces.

"Ilia?" He asked.

"How?" She flushed, her entire body going a bright pink, her hair changing to a bright blue to match. Scrambling off of him in embarrassment. A hand going to her now mask less face in shock.

"You dropped your mask." He snorted, holding said article up for her to see. "So just what are you doing here squirt?" Menma sarcastically said.

"Not a squirt," Ilia mumbled. Crossing her arms, pouting.

"So Trifa how long did it take before our little stowaway broke cover?" he questioned standing up brushing himself off.

"Oh, it was almost immediately after you took off, Captain." she laughed.

"Well then, it looks like I owe you 50 Lien, Trifa."

"I believe it was 200 Lien, captain." she corrected.

"Fine," he grumbled.

Slapping the aforementioned 200 Lien into her outstretched palm. "Anyway, where are Yuma, Kuga, Ash, and Senka?"

"They went out to scope out Vale." she said, shrugging. "We know it's nowhere as bad as Atlas. But from what we saw the fang is not welcome here in Vale. at least the Faunus as a whole are given better rights here, decent pay and protections. The police however discriminate against Faunus. Especially any who wear the mark of the Fang."

It made him grimace; it was never supposed to be like this here in Vale. The White Fang is supposed to be a beacon of progress in Vale. A movement of progressive change. And the foolish boy was ruining it. Instead, they were enemy number one. Wanted by not only the police but also by the hunters of Beacon. "Yeah, I noticed that."

Their conversation went on like that, the pair getting up to date on their view of current events. Ilia stood by her frustration building all the while. 'How, just how'd they know?' She thought, 'when did they? Damn and blast it all!'

with her mounting frustration it was not long before Ilia finally lost it, boiling over, reached the end of her rope.

"When did you figure it out?!"

There were so many ways to describe the outburst she had, in a fit of peak, stomping her feet like a child. Menma only found it amusing.

"When?" he all but laughed, "mmmn, well would it make you feel any better if I said from the start?"

"No," she huffed, crossing her arms like a petulant child.

"Well, if that answers your questions, then I have a meeting to get to. Go get yourselves settled in, oh, and before I forget Ilia…"

She stiffened under his gaze and that ominous smile. "Y-yes."

"I believe… You need to be punished for abandoning your post like that, it's rather fortunate that Senna left it up to me." His grin grew to almost mischievous proportions. "so meet me for training every morning, fooorrr..." her dread only grew as he dragged out the vowels.

"I think the duration of our time here. What do you think, Trifa?"

"Mmmnn, I think it's rather fair for the stowaway." Trifa hummed, Ilia's hopes and dreams of escaping punishment died a fiery death.

"Later you two." He waved, walking off.

]|[

It was finally time, time for the ritual of ascension, for one more to be accepted and join the ranks of her blessed twelve. A joyous occasion, yet all the same it filled her with a sense of melancholy. While it saddened Salem to fill the seats of those lost to the eternal sleep. Those lost who she held in the highest of esteem, Fortezza the unmoving, Voima the force, Seherin the diviner, all fell in battle. Then there was Errako the Wiseman, and Cetus the leviathan. The last of her cherished original pillars. Her only solace was that with their passing on into eternal sleep. They passed on a portion of their power, a part of their very soul unto their successor. Just as she gifted a part of her soul to them. They would do the same. And with it, a piece of them would live on forever, a part of her.

Salem's mood only darkened when she thought of the thirteenth pillar, the renegade, the traitor, deceiver, the liar, the thief, the fool. The man responsible for the current state of things. Personally Responsible for the eternal sleep of two of her pillars. Before slipping away into the night. This had never happened before in all her years she had never lost two pillars at once. Nevermind losing another three pillars not more than a year later under suspicious circumstances.

'No, not today, it's time to move forward, not dwell on the past.' She resolved. It was time to do better. Salem strode through the doors of her throne room. Doors opening with a slight pulse of her magics. Laruam on her right, Leere on her left, and her Slagter at her back no more than three paces behind as always. Ready to defend at a moment's notice.

Within the massive hall, each of her blessed ones stood in position, each stood in crisp black uniforms with silver trim, their soul weapons bared. To her left was Erudit within his left hand he bore his soul weapon. An elegant tome at the center of which lay a round sapphire jewel along the face and spine were embossed with the name the Song of Ilium. Next to him was Tisserande, who lent on his weapon Aos Sí an ornate cane with silver inlays on the black shaft.

On her right was Artemisia, she bore Tauropolos a mighty bow as her soul weapon. Next to her was Intrygant, a pair of sabers, one with a dragon head on the hilt named Krakow, the other named Drosia with the head of an eagle resting at his hip.

Salem strode forward, right up to the dais where her throne laid. Laruam and Leere took position on either side, both summoning their respective soul weapons. The shadows around Laruam coalesced in her palm, taking the rough shape of a large spear. The shadows encroaching upon the very flesh of her arm giving her an almost ethereal ghost-like appearance. Wisps of shadow flowing off her form.

Leere's arms seemed to burst into flame and light almost snuffing out the shadows cast by Laruam. What rested in both of her hands was a pair of curved daggers with white hilts and blades the color of blood.

Salem sat upon her throne, right in the wellspring of her power. Knelt before her was Slagter awaiting her orders. "Bring them in my Slagter." she commanded

He stood with a flourish, heels of his boots clicking on marble as he rushed to do her bidding. It only took him a scant few seconds before he was wheeling someone covered in bloody bandages from head to toe. Following him were two men and one woman, one of darker skin and broad of shoulders. The other lightly tanned skin, a scar under his left eye, with silver hair. The last was the woman she was an amazon of a woman with dark skin. Bigger than either of the two men besides her practically towering over them.

Circumstances had led each of them to her, whether it be a desire for revenge, devotion, or even desperation. She stood from her seat, her once tan skin fading to its normal ghostly white pallor. Veins of black standing out in dark relief upon her skin. She judged their reactions, none so much as flinched, 'Good,' she smiled.

"Each of you has come here for your own reasons. They matter not, for if you accept you shall live a life beyond human understanding, for in joining you shall achieve immortality." she walked closer, stepping down the stairs of the dais. "For in joining our fates are tied, infinite and everlasting." With each word she uttered, she could feel the souls of those long past, the souls of those who entered eternal sleep, resonate with her own. "I offer to you my power, my body, my soul, my magic, everything I am to you." Her arms spread wide, "let my ambition become yours and yours will be mine."

Her magic flowed, flooding the room with power. "And so I ask you once more, will you tie your fate with mine? Will you sacrifice as I have?"

Salem's magic pulsed, resonating with the auras of her blessed. And from the ground before her at the bottom of the dais, a lone plinth arose. On it was a cauldron. Within rested a crimson liquid. The culmination of her life's blood made manifest. A deeper crimson than blood.

One of the two men strode forward, the taller of the two. His eyes bound by cloth. He showed no hesitation in his stride. Settling at the base of the pedestal. He held his arm above the chalice. And brought the other down with a blade in hand, severing his own arm just above the elbow. "When I came to you, I had nothing but my fists. I lost everything. My family, my home, even my name was worth less. You gave me purpose. Made me more than I am now. You gave me a new name. As always, I'm your faithful servant, Charon. And if, it is a sacrifice you require than there is no better sacrifice than my fist." he pledged. Collapsing to his knees, bleeding profusely.

Salem felt it the stirrings of the souls of those that came before. It came at first like a thready pulse. And with each passing moment it grew stronger, resonating with her soul as it did with his. 'A worthy sacrifice indeed.' Salem thought, her smile growing even as he swayed from blood loss. Breathing heavily, 'Oh dear, we cannot have that.'

"Erudit, heal him. Restore his arm."

Charon slumped forward, almost hitting his head on the cauldron, before a gentle pulse of Salem's magic stopped him mid motion. And gently set him down on the ground.

Erudit stepped forward, his tome in hand glowed a soft blue. A series of lines only now visible filled with light originating from the gem at its center. The latches that kept the book bound were undone. Bindings came unbound, Pages shifted and fluttered until the grimoire shifted to a bright purple. Pages stilled, and the book floated from his hand. Erudit rested his hand on the tome. He uttered the word, "Asclepius," And from it he drew a staff. Wreathed in a purple glow. A snake wrapped around it. He tapped the wound with his cane.

Charon's stump was wrapped in that same purple glow. Blood flow ceased and slowly at first, like water flowing in reverse patch work in nature. The wound mended. Bit by bit until a new arm grew to replace the one lost. The only sign that he had lost an arm was the circular scar around his arm.

"That should do it," Erudit clapped the tome shut in one hand with his proclamation. The stave in his hand fading back into his book, the bindings sealing it once more than the grimoire closed shut.

Charon sat back up, marveling at his restored arm. "Charon, I thank you. However, if you are to serve-. No, if you are to join my blessed and become a part of my family. Then you shall do so whole and hale." a chalice formed in her hand, "now stand up." he stood, "Never falter." a stream of crimson flowed from the crucible and into the cup. Salem drank from it. "Now affirm your oath and drink." He drank, his body felt like it was on fire. He doubled over on his hands and knees. Overflowing with power, with vitality. A sense of a vast connection to something greater, older, powerful. He was so distracted he had almost missed what Salem was saying.

"When you came to me you were Hazel Rainard, weak and broken. You only lived for revenge. So you served. And it was through service you became Charon. My loyal ferryman..." The souls of those long past resonated with her own, especially Fortezza, reaching out from their bond. As she settled on a name that felt right. "And now you are reborn as my Agrios, my mighty defender." And with the bestowal of a name, a new soul weapon was born. Yet it was nameless and thus formless.

"Now stand and give voice to the epithet that dwells within your soul." newly named Agrios stood dwelling on the command. It took a moment before it came to him.

Agrios spoke the first words that came to mind. "Lethe." with those uttered words earth flowed. And covered both of his hands in gauntlets colored a deep blue so dark it was almost black.

"Good, now take a place next to your new brothers and sisters," Salem purred. She had not even had to ask who would take the pledge next.

Slowly, painstakingly, the burned form stood from the wheelchair on trembling legs. Each step had to be agony, an excruciating hell. They were so covered in bandages that not even their gender was unidentifiable.

They rested both hands on the cauldron, panting for breaths that would not come.

"I-I have," they said in a raspy voice. In fits and gasps, "nothing to give, nor to offer," they let out a raspy cough. Hacking up a bit of blood in the process, "I have no lands, stripped of any titles that I had." -gasping cough- "My h-husband, son and da-daughter are de-ad. Murdered by the men who did this to me." They found the same blade that Agrios once used. "All I have to give is my life. I offer to you everything I am to you." Their trembling hand went deadly still. "so please grant my most fervent wish. If I am not a worthy enough hecatomb. Please avenge my family!" They drove the dagger toward their heart.

The blade bit down deep into flesh. However, it was not their own. For the dagger had found its self buried deep into the hands of Salem herself. She grunted in quite the bit of pain. Regretting it somewhat that in her haste to stop the blade. She had opted to use both hands to forestall the blade. Rather than just a forearm. As she wrenched the blade from limp, stunned, bandaged hands. Wincing in sympathy as blood leaked through the wrappings. Letting out a hiss of discomfort, she levered her right hand further up the blade. And her left lower at the same time. Until her left was free. Then, in one swift movement, she yanked the blade from her right. Wounds rapidly closing.

Even now, as Salem looked on at the practically catatonic person before her, she knew not why she moved. She just did, in that moment she truly felt with all her soul and those of her bonded long passed on the eternal sleep. Had resonated so strongly. That she just simply could not let them die.

The blood that seeped into the bandages made contact with the crucible. It was more than enough for Salem to get a glimpse into her mind. "Dear child, you have told me how you suffered. Experienced horrors unimaginable..." she paused.

"Truly horrible…" with a flick of her wrist, the blood that Salem spilt vanished. "I am no saint, no lawgiver, I have no mercy to give. What I do is not right, nor is it wrong, it just is. If you are ok with that then please give me your name?"

"...th," it was so quiet Salem missed it. "If you are to join me, then I would have you speak up dear."

"M-my Name… is Ze-Zenith." There was a fire in their eyes when they said it.

"Any last name?" Salem asked.

They shook their head in the negative, "no not one that matters. Not anymore."

"I see." Salem had a sad, mournful smile when she said it. "You have given much and lost more than most." She held out a hand as a chalice full of crimson rested in her palm.

"Drink." Salem softly urged.

Zenith took a step back, hesitation clear in their posture. They shook their head; then exhaled. The fire was back in their eyes.

Wordlessly, they took the chalice and drank.

Power flowed through them. Sharp and brutal, it felt like every cell in their body was burning away. They fell to the floor writhing in agony. Power unseen in centuries poured forth from every pore on their body. Burning away any imperfection. Literally remaking them from the ground up, flesh boiled, roiled, bones broke then mended then broke again, blood vessels ruptured. Muscles tore and reformed.

And yet despite the pain, even as their flesh and bandages alike burned away, they never let out a scream, never broke eye contact with Salem, even through the violent convulsions. Never did they show doubt.

All too soon the tremors lessened; pristine skin replaced scared, ravaged flesh. Not a blemish in sight. Making it rather clear that Zenith was in fact a woman. Of Atlassian descent no less, just based on her aristocratic cheekbones, her soft features and pale skin. Rapidly growing Hair the color of spun gold, eyes one a deep sapphire, the other a deep emerald green. She was a rather endowed woman just above the average height for her size, the peak of human fitness. The ravages of time and her burns where nowhere to be seen.

She rolled over onto her back, not caring for modesty, "that… fucking… hurt." Zenith groaned.

"Well, to be fair, you experienced a rather extensive rebirth." Salem freely admitted.

"Yeah, thanks for that. I honestly thought the most I could hope for was that you'd avenge my family. I was happy enough to die for that."

"you are worth so much more. Now rise." Salem commanded.

She rose to her feet, showing no shame in her nakedness. She was in the presence of lady Salem. One who knew her very soul. There was nothing to hide. Not that she would anyway.

"Seírios, that shall be your name. You shall be my brilliant knight, Seírios." Salem declared. A soft smile adorned her features. "Now it is your turn. Grace your weapon, no, your partner with a name of their own."

Closing her eyes, Seírios meditated, feeling out the source of power that dwelled deep within herself. Of all the possibilities only one felt right, "Sopdet the guiding light." the moment she spoke those words aloud she felt a weight rest itself in her hands. She opened her eyes to see a sword resting within. Not just any blade but a long sword, one in fact that bore a striking resemblance to one she knew all too well. One her deceased husband wielded. There were differences, to be sure. With an azure gem that rested in the center of the crossguard right where the blade met the guard. Where his blade was black, hers was a dark midnight blue. Further, there was space enough to fit her hand in the gap where the gem rested for a two handed grip. They only broke her gaze from her blade when a cloak was draped around her shoulders. Looking behind her, she saw Intrygant who led her away with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

It was time for the next to be chosen.

]\[

Some would say that of all the things Stinger was good at, being patient was not one of them. That, of course, was a given, since the last person to say it to his face was buried in an unmarked shallow grave somewhere. That he would blame on his poor impulse control. Something he had been working on as of late.

In fact, it was the very reason he had ordered his men to pull back. And have Secco observe. They set everything up to go off just after three in the morning. Stinger looked to his watch, noting that it was 2:57. Only three more minutes to go. It was also thanks to Secco that they could rig traps around the area of the church and underneath it too. The goal of this operation was not in fact to fight them, but lead them on a merry chase throughout the city. They only needed to buy time to win. That, and he really wanted to see what the cursed mud would do.

'5… 4… 3… 2… 1…' stinger counted off in his head until he heard the telltale rumbling of several high grade explosives going off. It was easy to see from his position in the second gatekeep that the church had all but collapsed. 'Looks like secco had done too good of a job' he couldn't help but think. Shrugging, he discarded the thought. It was time to get into position.

He could see the rubble shifting through the binoculars he borrowed. Good, they survived. It would have been a shame if that killed them after all. He flipped the switches for the P.A. system. With a manic grin, it was time to make an announcement.

]|[

Grunting, Naruto pushed another slab of concrete out of the way. Eyes flashed red in annoyance. Had it not been for the sand used to fortify the chapel. He knew that they would have fared much worse. "You ok?" the blonde asked, holding out a hand for Velvet to take.

"Y-yeah, I'm good. I was able to save my camera. But I can't say the same for most of the hard light dust I brought, though. It got buried in the explosion." she flushed in embarrassment.

What was not said was how fortunate that it was just the hard light dust rather than the high velocity rounds, the 40 mm HE rounds and all the variations of said rounds, the many flavors of .30-06 rounds Pyrrha used, the various .45 caliber rounds both fox and ren preferred, or even the 7.62 monster rounds Coco used. No, all that extra ammo was secured in scrolls he had given to each of them. While it was a shame that Velvet had not gotten the scroll with her spare dust, it was not a total loss. If they made it out of this, then they could come back for it later. If the scroll was destroyed, then while a minor loss, yes. The dust contained within would be rendered inert. Before fusing together. One of many reasons one did not simply brand themselves with any old storage seal. Things tended to get messy when the seal in question was damaged.

He paused mid-motion of offering a hand to Ren. "Screeee," Distracted by the blaring screech of a sound system coming to life.

"Ahem, hello is this thing on? Testing 1… 2… 3… oh, it is, well, good! Hello children, I'm Stinger of the iron order. And I shall be your host for tonight's entertainment. Hahaha," his manic glee was clear in his voice. "The rules of the game are simple. Find and defeat each of my hounds. Do this and with each one to fall you gain a dose of the antidote…" he paused, letting what he said sink in.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," he laughed, failing to hold his manic laughter at bay. "Ha hahaha, oh sorry. Right, now where was I? Oh, yes, now you may wonder just why you need an antidote. Well, I'll tell you. Thanks to the rather industrious work of one of my men he introduced an artificially made airborne virus that closely mimics the symptoms of VX gas with a bit of a personal twist." it was only now that he was explaining things that the reality of the situation set in. "for you see he modified it just so, just that little bit so it's a slow, agonizing death. A few of my favorite symptoms are, paralysis, hallucinations, bleeding from the mucous membranes, insanity, and severe mind breaking pain!" he exclaimed as if he were discussing the weather. "While some of you might be immune, most of you are not."

Naruto's eyes flashed crimson as an absolutely massive torrent of sand poured from the gourd resting at his back. It surged forth rapidly, towering over buildings, demolishing them and making quick work of any traps within. Naruto was absolutely done with this, done with listening to this man's useless bleating. He would kill him, his foolish men. And snatch their stupid souls in recompense. Then he could take his time and find the cure for his friends. Torture it out of their very souls. Show them that even death would not end their suffering. Only oblivion would end their suffering.

The defences of the second gatekeep only lasted a mere handful of minutes before falling silent against the torrent of iron sand. Iron sand infiltrating the delicate wiring for all the complex machines, disabling them while leaving them intact overall. It rapidly spread, surging right over empty abandoned buildings. And through the streets. If this fool man thought he could hide from a sage of six paths. When he was being this obvious, then he was sorely mistaken.

In a directed mass. The tidal wave of sand positively flooded the ancient cathedral. Naruto found it ironic. Of all the places this animal had hidden away, it was a place of worship. A place of god. Well, since he had chosen this place as his final resting place, Naruto could make it quick. While Stinger alone was there. It mattered not he would die all the same as would all of his men.

Stinger stood alone, stock still, staring at what could only be his end. Yet he still maintained that damnable grin. As if he knew something Naruto did not.

Just as the sand was about to crush him, he spoke words that gave Naruto pause.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that we have hostages? Who have already been exposed to the virus? And what's worse, they have no aura unlike you to shield them from the worst of the effects." Stinger elaborated, "if you don't play along with our little game. Then I'm afraid you'll never find the hostages. And as a result, they'll be damned to a slow, agonizing death. Now if you understand this, then pull back all your sand. Now!"

Naruto grit his teeth and obeyed. his sand withdrawing. He was not a monster he would not, could not endanger the lives of any would-be survivors.

"Now to set up some ground rules. And I think first among them should be none of that bullshit you pulled just now. So no drowning any of my men in sand. Second, there are eight of us spread out throughout the city. For your group to find. If you can defeat us, then with each victory you shall get one dose of the cure. There needs to be a time limit, obviously. Hm, it's 3:30 right now. So we'll give you until 6:00 on the dot. That's two and half hours. Win and you get the hostages and the cure. Fail and not only will the hostages die but we'll destroy the remaining doses of the antidote." the psychotic killer declared, "now let the games begin."

He made his declaration. Five signal flares shot up into the sky.

'If this was the way they wanted to play things then fine,' Naruto thought. Opening his flack jacket, he withdrew Samehada from the seal that rested on the fabric. With a mighty thrust, he jammed the blade into the ground. Removing the Nuibari, he handed it to Velvet. "I know it's not much, but here take it. You should be able to use it well with your Semblance."

She was honestly a bit shocked he knew about her Semblance. Velvet also knew all too well that now was not the time to question how he knew. Taking the Nuibari in hand, she nodded her acquiescence.

"You okay, Whiskers?" Coco asked, putting aside his ludicrous display of power for the moment. "You seem tense." Resting a caring hand on his shoulder.

The blonde sage took a breath, letting out a sigh. "To be honest, no, no, I am not fine. I am beyond pissed right now."

"That man is the type that enjoys creating chaos and death for nothing more than his own amusement." The sage all but growled. "we can't trust a single word that comes out his mouth. For all we know, there is no cure or hostages. He could even be lying about everything."

Coco was silent for a long moment before she spoke, "Yea, I know, that may be true but we can't let him get to us. If there is a chance that he is telling the truth, then we have to take it." This was so unlike her normal brash self. Being the voice of reason was a first for her. "Still, I figure we need to split up for this one. I know we shouldn't; that we should stick together but we're short on time and it's the only way if we want to save all the hostages."

"you're right. thanks coco."

"no problem, Whiskers." she smiled.

With a nod, each of them separated into pairs. There was very little time for second guessing. Each of them heading off in the separate directions of the signal flares. Naruto left with Pyrrha to hopefully find Stinger, even if they doubted he would allow himself to be found so easily once more. Nora and Ren left off in the direction heading just west of the castle. Velvet and Yatsuhashi took off to the east. Leaving Coco and Fox to take the northern direction.

All too soon, only moments after they made their way past the ruined inner gatekeep. Coco and Yatsuhashi were ambushed. Earthen spikes launched from the ground had nearly impaled the pair.

They had only just avoided death by inches. Jumping backwards to avoid the spikes as they emerged from the ground. Warily they stared in disbelief as a man peaked his leather clad head out of the ground as if he were swimming in water. Giving them a rather pointed glare of hate. He bit down on his fingernails nervously Muttering. "Oh, no, I missed. Now I need to hurry or Cioccolata will be angry again."

He dove once more back into the earth to begin his attack once more.

]|[

Arrow and her men watched and waited safe in the castle's keep overlooking the crown square and what was within it; within the castle's crown square dwelled the wretched egg that was the Cursed Mud. what was once a writhing mass of flesh and not. Had formed a thick shell not unlike an egg. Deep within, it pulsed like a beating heart. Tendrils of its mass leaching out in all directions, like veins thick and black, pulsing in time with the core. Cracking the very ground it sat upon, like a cancerous growth it continued to grow without end. Eager to escape the confines of its shell.

"have the flight crew on standby and ready to leave at any time." She ordered a subordinate.

"yes ma'am." her subordinate rushed off to comply with his orders.

As she watched on already she could see micro fractures within the shell. It would not be long until it hatched.

chapter end

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