This Chapter is dedicated in loving memory to Don, a good man I have known my entire life who passed away early this morning. He has earned his place in heaven. Rest in peace, old friend.
Chapter 64: Of Things to Come Part II
Qrow groaned as he opened his eyes, glancing up at the dull grey ceiling of the motel he was staying at in Vacuo's capital. With a grunt, the shirtless Huntsman sat up from the frumpy old bed he had been sleeping in, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
He knew he must have overslept big time, since using his animal form for so long without rest usually left his body and aura drained, and so when he looked at the clock and saw that it was literally before sunrise he knew how long he had slept. He looked out the window and up into the sky and saw the shattered moon was beginning to descent and over the edge of the city.
"I can't waste any more time." He muttered to himself as he sat up from the bed and got to work, dressing himself in his usual long-tailed grey dress shirt and going through his usual morning rituals, getting ready to continue his mission. The veteran Huntsman at least made sure he had the bare minimum of uninterrupted rest in order to function throughout what would be another busy day for him.
As he poured himself a cup of water from a plastic container at a nearby table, Qrow went over the next steps in his head which he had formulated the night before; report to the Vacuo Ranger headquarters in the city and have them pass him any relevant information on the top gangs in town and whatever leads they had on Damien Ante, then his hunt could truly continue via those leads. And if he manage to spot some lowlife associated with a major gang, it would be easy to get any information he wanted out of them on any high-level member, followed by tracking the down and doing the same until he had a link to Ante.
From there it would be a simple matter of kicking ass until Ante spilled everything about the murder of Charles Meredith and whatever else the crime lord knew about Callows and the rest of the shadowy individuals he had been in contact with. And once he found Callows, the psychopathic assassin would be a firm link to Salem. He went over the routine and its accompanying strategy in his head several times as he used the soap provided in the adjacent bathroom as deodorant.
And should the situation require the intervention of the western Kingdom's military, the quick reaction force requisitioned by Lieutenant Santaro comprising of a couple of Bullheads filled with fully-armed squads of Vacuo Rangers would be his backup contingency plan. Qrow grimly thought of that as a last resort in the unlikely event he required some backup to take down Ante's associates and any other Red Fang agents.
It wasn't a solid plan, but none of his plans generally were and they usually worked out decently. Usually.
After checking that he had left nothing behind and Reaper was slung diagonally and attached to its holster, Qrow stepped out of the rented motel room and closed the door, locking it behind him. He disembarked down the staircase and walked past the empty ground level of the motel and set off into Vacuo's capital, following the map on his scroll to the Vacuo Ranger Headquarters as the street lights on both sides of the road lit his way.
He walked down the sidewalks, admiring the juxtaposition of slightly modernized buildings that had been there for a couple of decades or less mixing in with the old buildings crafted from sandstone that had been built a hundred or more years ago, or perhaps even several hundred when it came to the older district areas. Vacuo's capital was a strange mishmash of various forms of architecture and cultures, but his life could be described as such as well since he was raised in a bandit clan but was now a Huntsman who protected others, and was even involved in an insane conflict over the fate of Remnant itself, so he couldn't say his life was altogether consistent either.
Walking under a less-trodden walkway, Qrow stopped as a small group of birds which were startled by his presence suddenly burst out and took off into the slowly brightening sky above. Throughout his life birds had been his constant companion, even during the relatively innocent times of his younger years among the Branwen tribe. As the rest of the flock flew towards the gently glowing horizon, one of the birds simply fluttered down to a rusted steel trash can to the side. As his feet moved past the trash can, Qrow casually observed the bird and noting that it was a raven.
A glimmer of curiosity wormed its way through his heart and he turned slightly towards the raven but it didn't fly off the top of the trash can. Instead it simply looked right back at him, and let out a low, croaking call.
"Heh, friend of my sister?" He commented dryly, deciding to speak freely with no one around to hear him. He jokingly offered his arm out, and to his surprise the raven jumped onto his forearm, flapping its black wings a little.
Bemused, he smiled as it made another scratchy caw, "I know, I miss her too. We were one really messed up family, but I'd be dead if it wasn't for her. Our skills might be evenly matched, but she was always the better fighter of us both. I wish… I wish I could have returned the favor when she really needed it, then maybe she'd still be here. What I wouldn't give just to hear our usual bickering with each other like old times."
He then sighed, knowing that the words he had just spoken was more for himself than anything. However, the hard truth was that his sister was gone, and nothing could change that hard truth he had come to accept.
The bird cocked its head at him and croaked again, "Still here? Months ago out of the spur of a moment I chased a raven like you, hoping beyond all reason she had somehow came back, but I think it was just some bird. You wouldn't happen to be the same one, would you?" He added jokingly, reaching up with his other hand to give the raven's head an affectionate rub.
The raven simply stared at him before spreading its wings and flew away towards the end of the walkway and towards the Vacuoan skyline, quickly becoming a speck in the distance. Qrow sighed and remarked deprecatingly, "Didn't think so."
He shook his head a little and continued walking further into the city, his attention changing to focus on his mission at hand. Little did the Branwen brother notice the raven he spoke to land atop one of the taller buildings and continued to observe him.
Due to the height and uninhibited location the bird has chosen, it slowly became invisible to mortal eyes and shifted rapidly into the form of Raven Branwen.
The Guardian of Nothingness observed her living brother in silence as he walked away down the empty walkway, seeing him tuck his hands into the pockets of his pants and slouching a little in terms of usual posture. She resisted the urge to reveal herself to her brother, instead letting out a mournful sigh and looked downwards, a tear rolling down her red eye as she mentally replayed the words Qrow had spoken moments ago.
Not knowing of the ethereal entity observing him, Qrow let out a yawn and shook his head as he walked up a curling stairwell to the upper street level, only pausing at the sight of a small coffee shop which had opened for extremely early-morning business, its staff arranging the tables and chairs to serve customers for the day.
Despite his loyalty to his flask, the old crow knew that liquor wasn't going to help him wake up right now. So he sat at a stool near the counter and paid the kindly middle-aged human woman with tanned skin for a cup of strong-smelling coffee that was far better than what he had expected from a downtown coffee shop at this hour. He then leaned against the stone wall and slowly sipped his coffee, looking up into the mildly cloudy, pre-dawn sky and watched the sight of the moon disappearing over the yellow-brownish horizon.
He decided to enjoy this little moment of peace, because given what he had learned so far in his intelligence gathering mission the peace and quiet of the western Kingdom would not last for much longer.
It was six in the morning in Atlas, the bright rays from the rising sun slowly illuminating the enormous conical structure with a slightly tapered top which was built on an artificial plateau situated at the far side of the largest military base in the kingdom, rivaling skyscrapers in height. Like the rest of the buildings of the military bases within the kingdom, its mostly featureless concrete and steel façade was surrounded by many security gates and automated defenses, constantly alert for any kind of intrusion.
Housing many control rooms and separate operation chambers inside while being protected by layers of blast-resistant plating, anti-EMP armor and multiple formidable-looking anti-air turrets, it served as a worthy bastion in which the elite branch of the Kingdom's military forces resided and trained in, devoted to any covert missions and specialist assignments given to them by the Atlas Council. It was named Olympus, and it functions as the primary headquarters of the Atlesian military forces' S.W.O.R.D. special forces unit.
Deep within one extensive armory chambers, a certain android with sharply-cut black hair and bright blue electronic eyes sat alone in front of one of the armory's workspaces performing maintenance checks on his external weaponry, disassembling and reassembling in a methodical, routine fashion.
A short distance away from him at the far side of the huge armory his Mark II Full Armor Defense System powered exoskeleton suit stood proudly within its maintenance chamber, most of its weaponry stripped bare and attached to multiple electronic workstations through thick cables. The harsh lights set into the ceiling of the armory glinted off its polished armor, which was mostly flawless save for some superficial scratches sustained from the battle against the Red Fang cell.
What would have taken even the most proficient Atlesian elite trooper several hours to properly perform in terms of weapon maintenance was instead swiftly done in roughly twenty minutes by N1CK3L, and even at that the android was only using a small but noticeable fraction of his overall processing power thanks to an advanced auxiliary data-processing core unit integrated within his head.
Loud echoing clicks and clacks were heard as the individual components of the various weapons were systematically taken apart and laid on the surface of the workspace, then properly examined and oiled, before being reassembled back into their proper places once more and checked one last time and set neatly aside for the test-firing simulation that would take place in the virtual firing range later. Each of the android's fingers were more ambidextrous than any human or Faunus due to the advanced servos, and their rapid movements was almost hypnotic to watch as he continued in his weapon maintenance session.
Maintaining his weapons was somewhat calming for N1CK3L, it allowed him time to go over his recent experiences while doing something of use at the same time. There was also the fact that he could figure out new and faster ways of deploying his weapons, and formulating new strategies based on conclusive data analysis of the combat operations he had taken part in alongside Task Force Omega. However, he was currently thinking of his 'sister' Penny Polendina than his mission parameters.
Even when he was just little more than a head and a torso connected by hanging cables to various electronic monitoring devices within the laboratories of the Atlesian Special Robotics Research Branch, N1CK3L had listened to Dr. Polendina's many stories about her while he worked industriously on crafting the android's new body. Then came the times he walked around the senior robotics professor's personal lab on his prototype legs and came across photographs depicting her with his creator at various formal events and such at Atlas Academy, and finally he had watched the videos of Penny Polendina in action during various simulated environments multiple times, dissecting her manipulative combat style with several flying blades that comes out of a pack attached to her back.
It brought to mind just how different he was from his 'sister' and he couldn't help but wonder how she would react upon meeting him, though he could still make decent predictions as to the outcome of their first meeting, which was something he could go over yet again despite the many times he thought about it…
All of a sudden a familiar voice picked up through his auditory sensors from the entrance of the chamber he was occupying, "Alone again, my boy?"
N1CK3L turned his head to see Dr. Polendina dressed in his usual grey and white lab coat walking towards him while casually leaning against a simple wooden cane, the robotics professor's green eyes meeting his own shining blue ones. Like clockwork, the advanced android immediately stood up and saluted his primary creator, but the portly bearded old man gave a chuckle and waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, stop it. You don't need to salute me, N1CK3L."
"With all due respect Dr. Polendina, it's standard military protocol." The combat android argued.
"And we're alone, plus I'm not strictly military, just another scientist with a contract to them." Dr. Polendina said as he sat down on the bench beside the android, "By the way, I'm happy to hear that your first time out in the field was a success."
A small thought came to N1CK3L's regarding how his main creator could gain access to the headquarters of S.W.O.R.D. branch, but seeing that Dr. Polendina had been held in high regard by the Atlas Council due to his various inventions in various scientific fields, it was possible he could go wherever he wished as long as his security clearance and council approval allowed it.
"I am also satisfied with my performance, but I hope to be informed about the alterations to Drago Sanguine's body and what else it might entail." N1CK3L mentioned as he took a seat.
"Ah yes, I heard about that, though it's not my field of expertise." The robotics professor then inquired, "Did you mesh well with Commander Central and the rest Task Force Omega?"
"Commander Central was pleasant and reasonable, but the other Omega Troopers seemed to be wary of me." N1CK3L answered as his mind sifted through the expressions of the other members making up Central's hand-picked cadre when he was properly introduced by the commander of the Task Force on board the Retribution.
"Just give them time to adjust. Everyone is like that when it comes to newcomers, be it people or technology." Dr. Polendina scratched his hair thoughtfully.
"Query: Why is that?" N1CK3L asked him as he picked up the finished rifle in front of him and placed it to the side.
"Hmm? For some it's an annoyance of a new person on a team or the introduction of a new component into a system. Though I think the most common thing is that many fear being replaced." The old doctor stated simply.
"If that is the case, then do you think Penny will accuse me of trying to replace her?" N1CK3L asked carefully.
Polendina stared at him for a few moments but eventually cracked a smile, "No, N1CK3L. Penny has made many friends in her brief life and those type of bonds, especially the bond that she and I have come to share, aren't so easily replaced. While she can be naïve, Penny has learned quite a lot during her time out in the world, and she also knows that her friends wouldn't replace her with anyone. And given her personality, I don't think she'd be anything other than accepting towards you. What brings this on?"
"I am wondering how Penny will react to me. I have already run several simulations and calculations as to what could occur between us, though I do not have sufficient data on her to make a completely accurate conclusion." N1CK3L mentioned calmly.
"I know her very well, N1CK3L, and I can assure you that she will be very surprised and even overjoyed to know she has a brother." Dr. Polendina assured the android by placing his hand on N1CK3L's armored-plated shoulder.
"Brother…" N1CK3L said quietly, his gently glowing eyes meeting that of his creator, "She and I appear to be quite different though; from what I have been told her personality is far more human than mine, though with a noticeable awkwardness and a slight childishness to her, while I am more mature and direct."
"I suppose you can put it that way." Dr. Polendina nodded.
"And our programming are quite different as well. I know that she is a combat android like myself, but you clearly designed her with a non-military purpose in mind, while I was thoroughly designed for warfare. And even then, you had based her on your daughter whereas I wasn't based on anyone to my knowledge." N1CK3L mused considerately, "Therefore I can conclude that the entire purpose of Penny was to bring your daughter back, to 'remake' her so to speak, while I was made simply for battle."
The old scientist listened intently, quietly tapping his fingers on top of his cane and then replied, "If you looked at it that way, yes. Penny's overall design and personality matrix went through countless trials and tribulations before she was fully finished and ready, and as the years went by the people I worked with for General Ironwood copied my designs in an attempt to make intelligent combat androids like you, but unfortunately they couldn't get it quite right. I was later brought to refine the process and although they've made some headway, you were the first genuine success."
He took a small breath and added, "And even then when I collaborated with the other scientists from the Robotics Branch to create you, I came to the conclusion that without an advanced A.I. program you would be no different from the other mindless Atlesian Knight models used by the military. So, to make you capable of human-like responses and emotions I programmed you with the same personality construct program that I used to create Penny, with some modifications to the dynamic memory-processor matrix used in all A.I. programs."
"Is that not the reason why I can not only absorb vast amounts of information, but also learn and comprehend from my surroundings and interactions with others?" N1CK3L asked.
"Yes. The changes I made to your programming makes your A.I. core slightly more advanced than any other Atlesian androids to date, just like the time I created your sister." Polendina explained.
"If that is the case, then the personality construct program you used create our separate personalities must have come from the template of a human mind." The masculine android looked at him, "Whose mind did you use then?"
The robotics specialist sighed and said, "That's a story for another time."
"I see. In any case, I feel that I should thank you for giving me and my sister the capability to learn new things." N1CK3L gave a grateful nod.
"Yes, and while you still have some distance to go you are here. I personally think that stands for something, son." The old scientist informed the android.
"But neither Penny nor I are human," N1CK3L pointed out.
"Not literally, but more in a spiritual sense, if you'll forgive the term. You're not strictly an android foot soldier like the Atlesian Knights since having a personality makes you so much more, and while yours hasn't developed as much as Penny's, you will eventually become more than you are now. I know you will." Dr. Polendina said as he extended his right hand to place it on N1CK3L's armoured forearm, a smile on his face.
N1CK3L considered this and offered his primary creator a small smile of his own, "Thank you, Dr. Polendina."
"You're quite welcome." The scientist replied kindly, though his eyes showed a hint of the sorrow hidden within and a heavy burden seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders, "By the way, do you mind passing a message from me when you finally get to meet Penny in person?" The advanced android nodded, so Dr. Polendina leaned close and said, "No matter what the both of you do, you and Penny are and always will be my greatest creations."
"I will make sure she receives it, Dr. Polendina." N1CK3L said determinedly.
"Thank you." The aged scientist smiled with gratitude.
The sound of booted feet approaching the armory chambers' open blast doors caused both N1CK3L and Dr. Polendina to transfer their attentions to the open portal at the far side of the fully-stocked weapon room. A few seconds later the tall armoured figure of Commander Central entered the armory, walking over to where the android and his creator scientist sat, his advanced helmet tucked underneath one arm while his personally customized advanced assault rifle slung on his back.
"Good morning to you, Dr. Polendina." He greeted politely and received a nod of acknowledgement, then he looked directly at N1CK3L, "There will be a tactical briefing at operations room Delta Six shortly with regards to our new orders from Atlesian High Command. I was in the vicinity and thought that I would come over and pick you up as well."
"Of course, Commander. I am almost finished with my weapons maintenance session." N1CK3L adjusted the tracking scope of a long-range laser rifle in his hands and placed it on a nearby weapon slot with the rest of his other assorted weaponry.
"I trust that your conversation with N1CK3L is finished?" Central turned to look at Dr. Polendina who nodded his head, "Yes, we have heard what each other has to say. He's all yours, Commander Central. And please look after him for me, will you?"
"I will try my best, Dr. Polendina." Central inclined his head as N1CK3L marched over to stand beside him and then bid, "Good day to you as well."
"You too, Commander Central." The robotics specialist said as he watched both the commanding officer of Task Force Omega and his treasured creation salute him smartly before vanishing down the long corridor leading out of the military facility's main armory chambers.
A pair of children, one a boy and the other a girl, ran freely through the streets of the town of Himawari, their cheerful voices mingling with the other sounds that made up the bustling community. They grasped each other's hands tightly as they sprinted through the crowded marketplace, laughing as they ducked and weaved through the stalls and people, escaping the other kids who were chasing them in the game they were playing.
If one were to look at the running children, they'd notice signs of two different Mistralian societies; the boy was strong and swift despite his age, and was dressed in oriental-styled robes of blue, silver and white in addition to long grey pants and blue shoes. The girl who ran beside him was lovely and with a look in her eyes that hinted at a wildness, she wore a dress of palest gold and a tan-colored leather decorative harness in a distinctively Amazonian style, with protective red and orange arm guards on her forearms and a thin wooden staff clutched in her right hand.
Running into the lush green expanse of knee-high grass at the outskirts of the town, the pair continued past a sparkling lake and eventually reaching a clearing of sorts in the surrounding forest where they scrambled up a large tree off the path and hid among the dense branches and leaves, waiting for the other children to pass by underneath. They held their breaths and slid into the shadows, and soon enough they heard their pursuers running past their hiding spot, breaking up to continue their search for the missing players.
As the shouts died away and vanished, the boy gestured for his friend to remain quiet with a finger to his lips, before slipping nimbly down a couple of branches and poked his head cautiously out of the tree that served as their hiding spot. After making sure that they were alone he retracted his head back into the depths of the tree and nodded at the girl who was looking at him expectantly, then extended a hand for her to grip firmly onto as they descended the tree and dropped to the dusty clearing again.
"I can't believe they fell for it again." The girl quipped as she brushed some stray leaves from her shoulder.
"Even if we can't find this place, there are still other hiding spots I know around here." The boy grinned as he placed his hands on his waist, "That's why I always win. Come on, let's get back to town before they realize they have fallen for my trick again."
"And get back to hearing the elders talk about weapon-crafting and trading stuff?" The girl's smile dropped and she crossed her arms, turning her head to the side, "I would rather have a Grimm attack me than dying from boredom listening to the old geezers."
The boy's face looked shocked for few moments, probably because he had never heard his best friend talk about the elders of her clan like that. Sure, he was a bit stubborn when it comes to obeying the rules, but he still followed them as he had been taught to do, like every other child born to the tribe. But what intrigued him was that bit of rebelliousness in her personality that drew him to her. They had slipped out of his family courtyard and escaped the attentions of their caretakers just to have enjoy some fun with other kids in the town square.
"Well, you aren't wrong. I fell asleep a few times during those talks." The boy admitted and she smirked at him, before he asked "Would you like to see a beautiful place?"
She focused her fiery red eyes on him, "What do you mean?"
"Come on, trust me." He grabbed her hand and began to run again, this time down a certain dirt path that led through the forest towards the edge of the valley. Eventually they reached what looked like a derelict tower made of stone with a staircase cut into its pitted and weather-beaten exterior surface where young kids would reenact battles with wooden swords and shields pretending they were mighty warriors defending a makeshift castle against Grimm.
"We're almost there, give me your hand!" The boy reached down and grasped the girl's outstretched arm from the landing above, pulling her up they then clambered onto the top of the tower, and from the broken ramparts they looked across the wonderful view of the entire Kagayaku Valley along with the expansive yellow fields filled with gently bending fat stalks of corn stretching across the distance as far as they could see in the outskirts of Himawari. At the very edge of the valley the bright sun shone its rays through the low clouds moving through the clear blue sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" The boy said as he leaned on a block of broken stone that made up the parapet, his youthful face illuminated by the sunlight.
"You said it." The girl agreed as she tucked some wayward strands of her hair aside in the cool breeze, "Mistral has many gorgeous sites, I heard that the sunset seen from this valley was among one of the most beautiful places in Anima."
"And here is one of the best places to see it." The boy chuckled until he noticed he was still grasping her hand and quickly relinquished it, "Oh sorry."
She chuckled and playfully punched him on the shoulder, before changing the subject, "Anyway, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I'd probably become the chieftain of my tribe like my father and grandfather." The boy said, "But I would like to be something more, to make my life mean something other than looking after some silly family traditions."
"Why not become a Huntsman?" The girl suggested, "My parents already agreed to send me to Haven Academy to become a Huntress when I'm old enough, they're even preparing to give me basic training."
"Yeah, being a Huntsman would be good…" The boy turned his head a little to face her, "I want to be a true hero, who fights for justice and with honor, slays Grimm, protecting the weak and innocent who can't do it themselves. Someone like a Remnant Knight."
The girl chuckled, "Really? You know the Remnant Knights are just legends, right? How will you join them when you don't know where they are?"
"My father once told me he met them, so if he can find them then I can find a way." The boy replied firmly, "I wonder how though? Perhaps when I become a great warrior I will seek them out?"
"Then you better prove yourself to be a capable fighter, or they won't even bother to spare you a glance. So you better brush up on those fighting skills." The girl chuckled.
"I will remember that." The boy laughed in return, "And I'm sure you'll become quite the fighter when become a Huntress."
"Oh please." The girl rolled her eyes, "I know I'm good, but there's always room to improve."
The boy nodded and they both looked at the setting sun in silence as it sluggishly lowered on the horizon, its orange glow brushing over the tops of the forest and casting the Himawari and the entire valley with its stunning radiance.
It was several moments later before the boy spoke again, "No matter what happens when we grow up, we will still be friends right?"
"What are you talking about? Of course we will, you will always be my friend!" The girl turned and smiled warmly at him.
"Then why don't we shout our names from the top of this tower? My mother told me a legend that if you do that at sunset, the gods will then bless you with the strength and courage to achieve whatever you want to do." The boy suggested.
"You really believe that?" The girl asked a little incredulously, "I thought you dislike traditional stuff."
"Well, if we want to become whoever we want to be, it can't hurt to have a little extra luck, right?" He smiled in return and stood up, offering his open hand to her, "Shall we?"
She smiled and accepted his hand, saying "If you say so."
He helped her up and they faced each other, and the boy suddenly felt strange as he looked right at her; her eyes, her face, her hair… he couldn't help but realize she was pretty. He blushed when he remembered she was clasping his hands, making her giggle.
They both turned to face the slowly lowering sun in the distance.
"Ready? One…Two…"
"Three…!"
But before the shout erupted from both of their throats, the mental image changed to another time and place.
Night had fallen and the shattered moon hung in the inky black sky, which was nearly concealed by the large palls of smoke that rose from the burning town. The boy was now running for his life through the forest, escaping the roaring inferno that has consumed his hometown.
The sensation of intense heat lapped against the back of his neck, his robes wet and streaked with soot, and the agonized screams of men, women and children of the town fleeing and dying echoed in his ears as he kept running. Many of those screams belonged to people he knew and it tore his heart to pieces to know that they had given up their lives to delay the terrifying enemy as long as possible for him to stand a chance of escape.
After all, what can a young boy do against an unstoppable enemy bent on destroying everyone and everything in Himawari?
Clutching the sword that was an heirloom of his family, the boy continued to put as much distance between himself and the Grimm which had undoubtedly picked up his scent with a burning desire to kill. Hot tears of fear and anguish ran down his cheeks as he ran, branches and leaves cutting into his skin and robes as he burst through dense thickets. The forest seemed to close in from all sides as he sought to outrun the creatures that were gaining on him with every passing second, and his strength was finite. It was only a matter of time before he would fall prey to exhaustion and be devoured by the Grimm.
He never knew something so cruel could happen to Himawari, the people of the town were fair and reasonable, existing in harmony with the neighboring towns, and would treat visitors from other Kingdoms and other Mistrailian villages with kindness and respect. Aside from the weapons they traded, there wasn't any form of negative emotions that would warrant such a massive attack from the Grimm on his home. The last thing he knew before a distraction was created to give him a chance to flee into the forest was that of his father giving him the family sword which was his birthright, and his mother telling him how much she loved him and that he must go at once.
Wayward tree branches and leaves prickled him and tangled up his red-streaked black hair as the running boy burst through the last of the forests trees and bushes and finding himself on the lip of a tall roaring waterfall, part of one of the largest rivers in Anima that acted as a natural barrier against the Grimm, and if he crossed it he should be relatively safe from the monsters and find sanctuary in the settlements at the lower regions of the river. But there were complications: The same river was several metres wide at its smallest, and the closest bridge was miles away.
The boy looked back the way he came and knew that it would be a matter of seconds before the Grimm would burst from the tree line and be upon him. There was no time to backtrack and search for another route through the forest and to make matters worse, the storm from the previous night had caused the river to overflow, which would make swimming more of a challenge that it would usually be.
So that left only two options: a slim chance of survival by leaping into the waterfall, or certain death at the hands of the Grimm? One was hardly better than the other.
At as explosion sounded in the distance, the boy made his choice. He closed his eyes and murmured a prayer to the gods his family worshipped, and broke into a run towards the rushing river in front of him. Daring a glance back he got the brief impression of a trio of snarling Beowolves bounding rapidly towards him, their drooling jaws filled with rows of sharp teeth eager to feast upon his flesh.
The boy leaped into the churning waters of the huge river, disappearing with a splash which marked his end. Consumed from nature's merciless wrath, he went over the waterfall and vanished downstream, leaving the Grimm Beowolves howling in rage as they were deprived of their prey.
Sharp Strike opened his sapphire eyes, slipping out of his pre-battle meditations and found himself standing in front of the arming chambers of Tintagel's massive armory deep within the fortress headquarters of the Order, guarded by a pair of hulking armored Templar Guardians who had escorted him from his personal chambers once the summons arrived.
While he didn't know why the vision came to him during his meditations, Sharp Strike made a mental note to think long and hard on it later when he had the chance to. Right now, he focused his eyes forward at the entrance where a ruddy orange light glowed and deafening hammering sounds echoed from as he went about his work.
Hot, sweltering heat permeated the entire place and sweat beaded on every inch of exposed skin as the knight errant waited quietly and patiently for Forge Smith to emerge from his personal forging realm at the far end of the cavernous halls. The tall, black, featureless walls stretched into the distant ceiling high above, populated by huge brass cages filled with racks of every kind of armament imaginable used by the Remnant Knights in their endless war against Salem, her associates and the Grimm. The forges were hot and constantly in production, tended to by its stern master and the forge acolytes who listened and obeyed his every word to the letter. Aided by wondrous machines, they churned out Aegis Armor plates and assorted weapons of astounding quality, as well as various munitions and even uniquely crafted weapons for the many knights serving within the Knight Order.
Everything used by the Remnant Knights were made here in the immense forges, from the simplest bullet to the enormous cannon shells that used for the massive defense turrets on mounted on Tintagel's heavily armed battlements.
After what seemed like an eternity, the heavily armored form of Forge Smith emerged from his domain, his armored bootsteps echoing around the forges not unlike the constant hammering that served as the backdrop of the place. Holding Mjolnira in one huge gauntlet, he marched towards Sharp Strike who was clad in pale grey robes and black boots, and armed with the long promethean sword which was resting in its black and gold-colored sheath attached to a simple belt around his waist.
As the master of the Order's forges stopped in front of him, his elaborate armor illuminated by the countless fires burning around them, he placed his mighty warhammer head-down in front of him with a mighty echoing boom on the metal plates beneath him and crossed his large gauntlets over the top of its leather grip. The knight errant immediately sank to one knee respectfully and bowed his head in respect, the two Templar Guardians on either side of him performing the action at the exact same time.
Keeping his head aimed downwards, Sharp Strike spoke, "Honored Forge Master, I have come as ordered to receive my new armor and weapons in preparation for my duty as representative of the Knight Order."
"Come." Forge Smith rumbled in his impossibly deep voice before picking up his warhammer and walking away, Sharp Strike dutifully following him while the pair of Templar Guardians rose and stood as still as statues, their silver-lacquered armor and powerful-looking lances glinting with the lights of their surroundings.
The forge master led Sharp Strike towards an arming chamber where upon an arming rack, a gleaming Aegis suit sporting silver-blue armor plates stood, similar to the one he wore on his many missions across Remnant. However it looked to be slightly more elaborate in terms of design and structure, as well as having the outlook of being freshly taken out of the forges. The emblem of the Order was rendered clearly on the right pauldron, while the left was empty where the knight's personal emblem would be added later. An immaculately-made cloak of midnight blue hung from the shoulders of the suit, and despite himself Sharp Strike felt his blue eyes widen at the sight of such an impressively crafted masterpiece.
Forge Smith's words came again, "Are you ready, Knight Errant?"
Sharp Strike collected himself and nodded his head in reply, "I am ready."
Upon a command from Forge Smith a few of his acolytes came forward and relieved the knight errant of his relic sword and pale robes, respectfully stripping them from him and bowing low as they withdrew, leaving him in his inner black body-glove which would be the canvas upon which the Aegis armor would clad onto him. The arming rack disengaged and extended from its mounts, with additional acolytes gathering to assist Sharp Strike in the donning of his new suit of armor.
The young knight walked to the center of the arming chambers and turned, presenting his muscled back to the arming rack and spread his arms wide to accept the open embrace of his new suit of armor. He kept his eyes forward as Forge Smith's acolytes and machine arms from the arming rack ritually clad him with plates of silver-blue armor, feeling rerebraces and vambraces around his arms while cuisses were fixed to his thighs. Under the careful orders of Forge Smith his subordinates clamped the new breastplate with detailed inlaid script around the edges to the Knight Errant's chest, while others secured the sections of his torso and greaves, bolting him into his new battleplate along with armored boots and gauntlets. He lifted his head as the gorget of his new suit locked into place, followed by the clanking sounds of both pauldrons also being fixed into position. During all this while he also smelled the tang of lubricants and machine oil and felt the intense heat caressing the sweaty skin of his neck as a pair of machine arms with tiny drill extensions and laser lances cutting his personal emblem into the plates of his armor in a small shower of sizzling yellow sparks, adding the final touches to truly making the armor his own.
Once all was done, Sharp Strike looked every inch a formidable knight like the rest of his brethren.
The arming process was finished and silence fell, and the armored knight took a few steps forward to get a feel of how his brand-new suit of Aegis armor measure up, feeling quite satisfied when it followed his movements perfectly like a second skin. He then looked at Forge Smith who turned and took a similarly freshly-crafted helmet from a pair of forge acolytes who offered it to him, and the knight errant bowed profoundly as the master of the forge came forward silently and placed the helmet upon Sharp Strike's head, covering it completely and locking with his gorget with a soft hiss of locking seals.
As Forge Smith withdrew he picked up his mighty warhammer once more, and his acolytes all stood in a perfect circle around the armor-clad knight errant at a respectful distance, "Sharp Strike, Knight of Remnant."
The young knight immediately stood still and waited for the forge master's next words to be spoken, and soon enough the deep voice came again, "Look to your personal wargear and it will protect you."
"We guard our Aegis armor with our lives." Sharp Strike intoned gravely, bowing his helmed head slightly
"As your Aegis armor guards your life." The forge master spoke the next line of the armoring ritual.
"As it has done so for the countless knights before me." The young knight spoke solemnly.
"Honor their deeds and sacrifices, all given in defense of Remnant." The heavily-armored giant boomed.
"We serve only the Knight Order." The knight errant said grimly.
"Honor the wargear of the Remnant Knights." Forge Smith slammed his mighty warhammer on the forge's ground with a loud doom which echoed through the cacophonous environment.
"We shall perform our duty until our final breath." Sharp Strike finished.
The acolyte who was holding onto Sharp Strike's sword came forward again and knelt slightly as he presented the weapon to the knight errant who took it with both hands and belted it back to his waist. He then saw the master of the Order's forges standing aside as another pair of his acolytes respectfully presented a long metallic casket to Argentius' protégé.
He looked to Forge Smith who inclined his head and gestured with a gauntlet, "I have considered your request, and accepted it. Your new weapons have been remade to your specifications, along with some additional improvements to them."
Placing his gauntleted hand on the specialized gene-lock, Sharp Strike heard a hiss of escaping air as the weapon casket split down the middle and retracted its metallic covers on either side to reveal its contents. As he looked inside, the young knight was stunned to see a pair of equally long swords occupying the interior of the casket, their newly-forged forms glowing as they reflected the forge's burning fires. One sword's hilt has a distinct red gem set into its blue-black grip, while the other had a dark blue theme to it, and they both had further in-built with firing mechanisms within the pommel and hilt sections which Sharp Strike had requested himself.
"Hong Long and Lan Feng." Sharp Strike whispered to himself as he picked up both exquisitely-crafted long swords, giving them a few experimental swings in the air and found that they were perfectly balanced and fit his gauntlets' grip flawlessly. Sliding his new weapons in their accompanying sheaths and magnetically-locking them to the back of his new armor, he turned and bowed gratefully to the master of the forge.
"You have my deepest gratitude, Forge Smith." Sharp Strike said as he kept his helmeted head low.
"Aye." The forge master's voice echoed around his domain, "I entrust them to you now, and may Hong Long and Lan Feng serve you well in the trials to come."
"You have my oath that I will serve them well in return." The knight errant replied with clear conviction, placing one of his gauntlets on his chest-plate, "Protect the innocent, survive the trials, serve Remnant."
The huge knight brought one large gauntleted fist to his winged griffon breastplate with a thundering crash before echoing the creed, which his acolytes chanted in kind.
"Now come, the blessing ceremony awaits." Forge Smith picked up Mjolnira and gestured for the young knight to follow him.
Ruby settled into a chair in the living room area of Team Beacon's dorm, letting out a small sigh as she began brushing her hair. She had managed to claim the first shower by using her Semblance to speed past Yang and Weiss, something she did every now and then which both of them claimed was cheating, but all's fair in Ruby's view.
She looked up as Sun came by, dragging his feet as he went to get a morning drink from the coffee he shared with Coco and some of the older kids, something the others, and even her dad and uncle, had essentially forbade Ruby from drinking at all times until she was 'old enough', whatever that meant.
"You okay Sun?" She asked, remembering the hard time he had last night with the homework Oobleck had given them.
He grunted before looking at her with his tired eyes and saying "Let's just say that given the choice between Oobleck's homework and fighting Cinder on my own, I'd say bring her on."
Ruby giggled as Nora bounded into the scene, having overheard Sun. "What about taking on Salem?" The bubbly orange-haired girl asked daringly.
Ruby froze for a brief moment and glanced at Nora, somewhat surprised at the boldness of her joke.
Sun groaned and remarked "Homework or the Queen of Darkness? Hmmm... Let me weigh the pros and cons and I'll get back to you."
Both girls laughed as he went on into the kitchen, and Ruby looked to her friend and said "Hey, you mind not making jokes about Salem?"
Nora looked at Ruby curiously, "Oh, you're still a bit nervous about her." She realized.
Ruby slowly nodded, "Yeah,"
Nora nodded and said "No problem, I know it's serious, but sometimes when you make fun of something serious or scary, it becomes less imposing, y'know?"
Ruby considered this and slowly nodded, "I guess that makes sense. So, Jaune and Pyrrha didn't mention anything about their crystal meditation session last night. Did they say anything to you or Ren?"
"Well, not really. They made it sound like they learned something really crazy but they didn't want to tell me and Renny, or anyone else, just yet." Nora told her.
"Really? That's weird. Any idea what it could be?" Ruby inquired.
"Nope." Nora answered simply, "But, uh... don't let Jaune and Pyrrha know I told you. They seemed kinda uneasy about it last night and said they wanted to wait and figure stuff out before they tell us."
Ruby nodded and said "Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut. Well not entirely shut, but you get the idea."
"Thanks, Ruby." The hammer wielder said with a smile before hopping up and saying "Now if you'll excuse me, I got some showerin' to do."
Ruby watched as her friend retreated back into JNPR's room, but deep down Ruby still found Nora's joke about taking on Salem alone unnerving.
Amethyst woke from a deep sleep, grunting a little as she gained consciousness, and mentally noting that she hadn't suffered another nightmare, something she was thankful for. Instead of being covered in sweat, she instead felt slightly sore, which was also something she was strangely thankful for.
The Spring Maiden pushed herself up from the bed, still clad in the Huntress gear she had worn during her hastily-made escape plan. Noting the familiar ceiling she realized she was back in her bedroom chambers of the monastery. Everything was as she had left it before her escape, although her personal combo-weapon Gembreaker was placed on a stone table out of her reach across the room along with her traveling pack containing essential items she required while traveling around Remnant.
As she wiped her eyes and blinked away the after-effects of whatever the Eternal Warriors had drugged her with, Amethyst realized that the knights who had been assigned to guard her had clearly been reluctant to engage in any sort of combat with her, resorting to trickery and non-violent measures. While she was a Maiden and was capable of wielding incredible power, she was nevertheless still human and could be hurt by physical attacks once her aura was broken. Amber had been proof that Maidens can be killed just as easily as anyone else.
But whoever had shot her with the tranquilizer had obviously used a high enough dosage to eliminate her aura and keep her asleep for a few hours, as the purple-haired Maiden could see that it was already morning from the sunlight seeping through the closed windows of her room. Sight and sound gradually returned to her senses, and soon she had full control of her limbs once more as her body shrugged off the effects of the tranquilizer.
"You're awake," She turned her head to see Wind Runner standing a short distance away from her with his arms crossed and whatever expression he had hidden behind his helmet. Judging from his body language the Spring Maiden knew he was far from pleased with her actions.
"Thank you, Sir Exposition, Knight of the Stating The Obvious Order." Amethyst replied snarkily, rolling her eyes as she stood up and gingerly shook her arms to make sure she could feel her fingers, "How long was I out from whatever your fellow knights shot me with?"
"A little over four hours." The Knight Vanguard spoke softly but guardedly, but his normally polite tone changed in the next instant, "Amethyst, what in Oum's name did you think you were doing?"
"Doing what I thought was right." The Spring Maiden snapped, her usually cheery outlook absent.
"So does your version of doing the right thing result in landing one of my scouting knights in the monastery's infirmary with frozen limbs, damage to the monastery's outer walls, and the competence of the entire detachment under my command being called into question?" Wind Runner gestured with a gauntleted hand, "My superiors won't take kindly to this act of defiance, Amethyst."
The Maiden turned her head away, a little belligerently, "I don't regret it, and it could've been way worse had my Semblance kicked in. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if you won't listen to what I told you."
"This is very serious." The Knight Vanguard dropped his vambrace-wrapped arms and kept his gauntleted hands at his sides, "What you've done has put yourself in serious jeopardy, considering that agents of the enemy could have very well get the drop on you had you left our protection to go to Vacuo on your own."
"Oh please, Wind Runner. I was travelling across Remnant on my own long before I met you and the knights, and I've been careful in concealing my identity the whole time it was just me and one or two agents the Guardians trusted keeping their distance while they watched over me," Amethyst waved a hand dismissively as she turned and eyed the Knight Vanguard.
"I have no doubt of that." The Remnant Knight argued, "But look at what happened to the Fall Maiden, who was somehow identified and tracked down, before being attacked by Cinder Fall and her associates. That is what we have been trying to prevent happening to you, given the changing nature of the enemy we face."
"Then you know that it's even more important that I get to Vacuo and see Heliosia!" Amethyst blurted out as she turned sharply to face him, "I told you about the dreams I have, and it's getting more and more terrible with each night! What else do you want me to do other than stay here in Mistral?"
"Amethyst, listen to me." Wind Runner lowered his voice with a tiny hint of pleading in his tone, "I already informed my superiors on what you have told me, and immediate actions are being undertaken as we speak to bolster the defenses of the western Kingdom and protect the Summer Maiden. You have my assurance that your fellow Maiden won't come to any harm."
There was a brief pause before Amethyst spoke again, "I know, but as you said the nature of the enemy is changing, and that means they are out there somewhere, planning or even putting their plans into motion even now. If my dreams are right then something's going to happen to Vacuo. Something big, something bad. And I would rather be by Heliosia's side than here at the other side of Remnant when things get bad."
Wind Runner brought one gauntlet to touch the front of his helmet and sighed, "Please tell me you did not just use my words against me."
Seeing that she was slowly getting through to him, the Spring Maiden pressed on, "Look, there's no harm even if I go to the Vacuo and meet up with her with you knights in tow, since you're still performing your duty by protecting me wherever I go. Besides, if the Relentless Crusaders protecting Heliosia have taken as much precautions as you have with me, then I'm pretty sure I can pass through Vacuo relatively undetected when I get to Shade Academy and meet her in person."
"We've spoken of the heightened risk of having two Maidens in one single location." Wind Runner's blue helmet lenses flashed dangerously in the morning sunlight, "If the enemy so much discovers anything that both of you are there…"
"Yes, I know they would probably launch their attack to get both our Maiden powers." Amethyst gestured with her gloved hands to get her points across, "How about this? No matter what happens in my dreams, you help me get to Shade Academy in the Kingdom of Vacuo. Should what happened in my dreams somehow come true, you and your knights would be able to perform your duty by protecting not one, but two Maidens. And should the events in my dreams somehow not come true, at least I can meet Heliosia and warn her properly before we go our separate ways again, and that would at least make me more… cooperative in future."
She paused and looked directly at him, "After all, my little gambit last night wasn't supposed to work; it was supposed to make it clear how desperate I was to save a friend, a sister. So by allowing this, I won't act up anymore. So what do you have to lose?"
The Knight Vanguard was silent for several moments, before walking over to the stone table tapping it with a finger while considering what Amethyst had just said. The sound of his finger firmly tapping against the surface of the table and echoing around the room was like the constant pounding of a drum. Amethyst knew that whatever happened next would decide his actions which would either help her or hinder her further.
It was a while before Wind Runner turned to face her once more, "I noticed that you didn't ask forgiveness for your recent actions. Did you even consider the possibility that you may be wrong?"
She returned his stare, "During my studies at Beacon, I learned that it's better to take action than do nothing. From what I saw in my dreams, I know for some reason that it could happen no matter how many precautions are taken. The enemy is definitely on the move again, and I'll be damned if I don't do something to help Heliosia and prevent anything like what happened to Amber."
Wind Runner nodded, and Amethyst noticed a distinct change in his body language as though the Knight Vanguard had passed some sort of judgement, "Amethyst, you did what you felt was right, and caused quite some trouble in the process, but I can see that in your eyes when you said that you truly believe there is a risk of what you saw in your dreams becoming reality, and to someone you care deeply about. I've been there myself, when performing my duty as a knight, and because of my inability to make the right decision at the most crucial moment someone I called, respected and loved as a brother paid the price. A moment of hesitation, no matter how small, could mean the difference between life and death, and I swore never to make the same mistake again. That was why throughout my service to the Order I often act desperately to save anyone I can, no matter what it costs me."
For a moment the Spring Maiden didn't know what to say, as it was the most that she had ever heard Wind Runner speak since she met him. She prayed that he would help her, because she had already put her point across and she would not back down now, not when she had already poured her thoughts out to him.
"So are you going to help me or not?" She asked, more to reassure herself than anything.
In response the Knight Vanguard picked up Gembreaker and tossed it to her, the girl caught it in one swift motion. He then turned and walked to the closed door of the room, opening it, "I've heard all I needed to, and I have made my choice. Come with me."
Amethyst hesitated for a second, before slipping Gembreaker into its holster and striding towards the open door, noticing Stone Claw and Moon Hunter standing outside, with the shadows of other Eternal Warriors populating the corridors beyond. When the other two Remnant Knights tensed, Wind Runner made a calming gesture with his hands and they immediately relaxed, Stone Claw's hand slipping away from his weapon.
"Where are we going?" She asked Wind Runner as they walked away from her borrowed chambers into the monastery.
"To convince those who have not heard about the truth." The Knight Vanguard answered, before tapping the side of his helmet and spoke into a, presumably, private communication channel, "Storm Bringer, I require your assistance."
Moments later, they were standing in the communications room of the monastery and facing the holograms of Headmaster Ozpin, Headmistress Luna, General Ironwood, and Grand Knight Master Seraph. Wind Runner stood with Amethyst at a respectful distance from the quartet of holograms, while Stone Claw and Moon Hunter both stood on both sides of the room's entrance. Amethyst noticed a new addition however, a knight wearing navy blue robes with silver-grey lines over his personal Aegis armor and holding a long grey rod within his right hand which had a Wyvern-shaped head with a yellow Dust crystal protruding out of its mouth. He had his hood up and his face was concealed by a silver helmet decorated with ancient script on the surface of its plates, so she didn't know what he looked like but she could sense that there was some kind of concealed power radiating from him, not as powerful as hers but something to consider.
She was also pretty sure that the prognosticator was quietly observing her, but she kept her purple eyes forward as she focused her attention on the shimmering holograms who she needed to convince in order to make sure the horrors in her nightmares wouldn't come to pass.
"We have heard of the… misunderstanding with regards to the Spring Maiden." The heavily armored form of Seraph clad in his elaborate Aegis suit said in a deep rumbling voice, "Despite the developing situation in Vacuo, Knight Vanguard Wind Runner has requested this emergency meeting to be made as soon as possible, and so we have all answered, except for Headmaster Argo who is currently indisposed with his teachings."
"And I will inform him later on the details of this meeting." Ozpin mentioned with a tiny incline of his head.
"Let's just get this over with." Ironwood crossed his arms as his face turned severe, "I have to attend another session in the Atlas Council later, and there are other important matters requiring my attention."
"Very well, to the matter at hand then." Seraph continued as he turned his winged helmet to look at Amethyst directly, "Recently, my Knight Vanguard attached to the Spring Maiden has mentioned that she had been experiencing alarming visions of a horrible attack and the nightmare from last night was more specific. She apparently saw the Kingdom of Vacuo and Shade Academy coming under attack by our enemy, aiming to steal the Summer Maiden's powers."
"And it's become more and more frequent as the days go by." Wind Runner spoke carefully, gesturing to Amethyst, "She cannot even get one night of sleep without being tormented by those dreadful visions of death and destruction."
Despite her relatively neutral body language, Headmistress Luna's facial expression looked a little uncomfortable at what she was hearing at the moment.
"Is this true?" Seraph looked at Amethyst who nodded, "And is that why you fought with your protectors despite their repeated assurances that proper action would be taken?"
"Grand Knight Master, I take full responsibility for what happened…" Wind Runner began but was cut off by a chopping motion from his superior.
"Let the Maiden speak for herself." Seraph stated firmly.
Amethyst looked at the leader of the Remnant Knights and replied, "Yes, I've been having those dreams for a while now and they've been getting worse. And yeah, I caused some... damage, I was actually counting on my escape plan failing, in part due to the ton of precautions your Knights have undertaken, making it incredibly hard for me to pull off an escape without resorting to harming them, but most importantly it was nothing but a gambit to let you all know that I am a desperate woman and I'm dead serious about saving the only friends I have. I will never give up until I personally make sure Heliosia is safe."
As usual, the Grand Knight Master's face was as unreadable behind his helmet, but varying expressions were seen on the other faces belonging to the three Guardians of Remnant. From their positions behind Wind Runner and the Spring Maiden, Moon Hunter turned to Stone Claw beside him and whispered, "Well, you have to at least respect her conviction."
The knight with extendable talon-gauntlets grunted, "Tell that to her victim lying in the monastery infirmary with frozen limbs and dented pride."
"Amethyst, the Vacuo Council has taken a very firm stance about preventing something like the fall of Vale from happening to this Kingdom." Luna said in a cordial voice, "Besides fully mobilizing the Vacuo Rangers and the Desert Guard, I've also managed to convince the rest of the council to implement several additional security measures to keep both Shade Academy and the city as safe and secure as possible."
"And I'm telling you, whatever you've done, it's not enough." Amethyst retorted, "Not if you're going to face what I saw in my dreams."
"And from what we've been informed, you witnessed the aftermath of a devastating Grimm attack Vacuo's capital, with Salem herself among her agents?" Ozpin said as he gripped his fingers around the knuckle-guard of his cane.
"I saw a lot of death and destruction, and an agent of Salem successfully stealing the powers of the Summer Maiden. It was vague and unclear at first, but I've seen those dreams enough to know what I saw." She involuntary shuddered a bit, flashes of those horrible dreams appearing in her mind and disappearing just as quickly.
"I don't mean to refute your dreams," Ironwood mentioned quietly, "but could those nightmares possibly be born of something like say, your deep-seated anxiety and emotional fear?"
The glare Amethyst shot the Atlesian General was scathing in its naked ferocity, so much that Ironwood could not help but look at Ozpin and raise a questioning eyebrow. The leader of the Guardians of Remnant Order simply gave an equivocal shrug of his shoulders in return, while Seraph seemed to be in deep consideration enough not to notice.
Eventually the armored warrior's hologram turned to Storm Bringer and said, "Perhaps we require a... unique perspective in this regard, someone who can confirm the visions the Spring Maiden suffers from. Storm Bringer, please come forward."
"I am here. What is your command, Grand Knight Master?" The prognosticator said as he stepped smoothly forward and bowed his hooded and helmed head.
"Can you take a look at the dreams Amethyst has been experiencing? If the danger is as serious as she insists, then we may need to reconsider our current course of action." Seraph rested one of his gauntlets on the pommel of the sheathed Excalibrus.
"As you command, Grand Knight Master." Storm Bringer replied before taking a few steps towards Amethyst, gesturing for Wind Runner to step back and then extending his free gauntlet towards her, saying, "Take my hand, then close your eyes and concentrate on what you saw in your most recent nightmare."
"Sure, I can do that," She said, offering out her hand before warning him with "But make sure you don't look anywhere else, or I will literally kick you out of my mind."
Moon Hunter let out a grim chuckle from Moon Hunter who was quickly silenced when Wind Runner looked sternly in his direction. The prognosticator nodded his head, "Duly noted. You have my oath that I will only see what you would show me and nothing else."
So the Spring Maiden and prognosticator joined their hands together and the blue lenses of Storm Bringer's helmet flared brightly almost instantaneously, his grip noticeably tightening on his wyvern-head staff. Soft litanies and incarnations could be heard echoing throughout the communications room as Storm Bringer presumably slipped into the Maiden's mind to be personally shown what she had experienced in her nightmares. The observers present simply remained silent, while wondering about the outcome of the prognosticator's mind-reading.
None of them saw what happened next coming.
Wind Runner had never, in his long life of service to the Knight Order, heard a prognosticator scream before, much less an experienced one like Storm Bringer. They were said to be a peculiar group within the already clandestine Order, gifted with abilities that seem to be stuff of legends and capable of performing impressive feats that would seem all but impossible to normal knights, not to mention they could all shoulder any amount of pressure or burden given to them. But what escaped the detachment's prognosticator's helmet was something out of the darkest nightmare, an ear splitting howl of pure agony that echoed through the entire chamber and caused many of those present to wince or recoil.
The prognosticator, who had served with Wind Runner for several missions and had faced down countless terrifying Grimm types that would have even the bravest of Huntsmen and Huntresses think twice about fighting, dropped his force staff which clattered to the cold stone floor and released Amethyst's hand, his gauntlets flying to his head and dropping to his knees with a loud crash of armor. His shoulders twitched violently and blood could be seen dripping out of the lower edge of his faceplate, crimson droplets splattering on the clean floor as Wind Runner dashed forward to help his comrade who was writhing in pain.
Amethyst opened her horrified looking eyes and was about to move forward only to be hauled back by Stone Claw and Moon Hunter who wrapped their gauntlets around her arms, and Seraph's voice boomed loudly, "Amethyst! What did you do to Storm Bringer?"
"I-I didn't do anything! I only showed him I've been seeing in my dreams!" She blurted out before roughly squirming out of Stone Claw and Moon Hunter's tight grips, just as the prognosticator held up a shaky hand for their attention, his convulsions finally passing as Wind Runner knelt down beside him and looking carefully at the shimmering azure lenses of Storm Bringer's helmet.
"Storm Bringer, are you all right?" Wind Runner asked urgently as the prognosticator took several calming breaths and disengaged his helmet's lower faceplate to wipe away the remaining blood leaking from his nose.
"Yes, I witnessed what the Spring Maiden saw in her dreams, specifically what happened to Vacuo's capital. I saw it being attacked by countless hordes of Grimm, and despite facing fierce resistance from the Kingdom's forces and the Relentless Crusaders they still manage to mortally wound the Summer Maiden and steal her powers." Storm Bring said as he slowly pushed himself to his feet once more and looked at Seraph carefully while taking his staff from Wind Runner, "Nothing remains after their combined attack, only corpses, ashes, and ruins. A Kingdom and a Maiden laid low, its population butchered, and the fallout could possibly lead to something similar befalling the other Kingdoms."
"Are you sure?" Seraph asked in a serious tone, while Ozpin, Ironwood, and Luna all wore various expressions of unease on their faces.
"On my honor as a prognosticator of the Order, I swear that what I saw in the Spring Maiden's mind is true, or as true as a dark vision can be." The Eternal Warrior prognosticator mentioned a little shakily, his grip on his staff rather tight, "She genuinely believes that those visions could very well happen, and after seeing it for myself I'm forced to agree."
After hearing this, Ozpin and Luna slowly nodded thoughtfully, but Ironwood remained impassive, "While I'm not particularly inclined to place my trust in dreams and visions, I still require solid proof that our enemies are planning to attack the Kingdom of Vacuo."
"James, I believe that both Qrow and Winter had already gathered quite a bit of information on that front." Ozpin turned his head to look at his fellow Guardian from Atlas, "Damien Ante and his Enforcers have been sighted in Vacuo, large shipments of Dust has been stolen from warehouses and cargo airships across Anima, and the Red Fang cells present in Vacuo suddenly becoming suspiciously quiet for some unknown reason, it's abundantly clear that the enemy is already planning to put something into action."
"Nevertheless, placing two Maidens in one Kingdom is going make them both vulnerable targets." Ironwood pointed out, "Especially when Vacuo has shown to have deep-rooted mistrust of Atlas."
"I'm afraid that can't be helped, General." Luna's hologram spoke up, "During the Vytal Festival in Vale the images broadcasted before the communications blackout did show Atlesian knights gunning down innocent citizens, and we all know from history that the people of Vacuo already dislike Atlas due to the events of the Second Great War. It doesn't take much to cast the northern Kingdom in a negative image, even after your names were cleared. I cannot help my people's stubbornness."
"Despite everything Atlas is still trying to earn back its trust from the other Kingdoms slowly." Ironwood answered, "So that means even if I can send Atlesian troops to bolster the defenses of the Kingdom of Vacuo, the amount of political and bureaucratic red tape to cut through will still be quite sizable."
"I am afraid that is unfortunately true, even with my help." Luna agreed morosely.
"And if we're faced with the possibility that Salem and her agents could be launching an attack soon, waiting could prove disastrous." Ironwood noted.
In that moment, Wind Runner saw an opportunity and took it, "Guardians, if I may speak… I have something I've noticed from this discussion that I wish to share with you." He shared a look with the Grand Knight Master who nodded his helmet in return, and ignored the quizzical look from Amethyst.
"Very well, let's hear it." Ozpin gestured with a nod.
"While bringing the Spring Maiden to Vacuo is a dangerous choice, it isn't without its benefits either." The Knight Vanguard explained, "On one hand, we can alleviate Amethyst's fear that Heliosia might be attacked to assure her that her fellow Maiden is safe, and that would help to ensure her cooperation in future. On the other hand, should the enemy mount an attack on Vacuo, then they would have to fight two Maidens and two detachments of Knights when they possibly would only be expecting one, and Amethyst's presence might give us an added advantage against them if used properly and at the right moment."
"Finally!" Amethyst threw up her arms in exasperation, "At least someone here has some common sense!"
"That's a good point, despite the evidently increased risk." Ironwood grudgingly noted.
"And if that happens, we'd definitely get some payback for what they did to Amber." Amethyst growled.
"Then it is decided." Seraph turned his head back to face Wind Runner, "We shall allow the Spring Maiden to go to Vacuo and meet the Summer Maiden, but only for a short period of time. If there is no sign of Salem's agents, then Amethyst will leave Vacuo to return to Mistral, but she would still be constantly protected by her assigned knights."
The other holograms of Ozpin, Luna and Ironwood gave their agreement one by one, with the Atlesian General giving Amethyst a hard, long look before giving his own nod.
"One more thing," Ozpin looked at Ironwood directly in the eyes, "I feel that we shouldn't take any chances, and provide all the security we can. Since Team Beacon knows not only of the Maidens, but of our enemy, would it not be wise to have them go to Vacuo as extra protection? And seeing as the Mobile Airborne Command Ship Hyperion One has completed its construction, wouldn't it be an excellent opportunity to give its pilots a test drive by sending Team Beacon to the Kingdom of Vacuo on its very first journey?"
Ironwood considered it and said "I suppose that's acceptable, from what reports I have received your pilot Ross is adapting well to the advanced controls of the Hyperion One and the company of his co-pilot." The Atlesian Guardian agreed, "Since N1CK3L has requested to meet his 'sister' Penny, I think it would save us some considerable time by having him on-board as well."
"You have my thanks, James." Ozpin managed a small grateful smile, "Send Ross over to the base right away."
"Of course." Ironwood finished.
"There you have it, Amethyst." Seraph focused sights on the Spring Maiden again, "We have given you our agreement, and I will give orders to send a stealth prowler airship to your current location shortly and to depart tonight. We wish you a safe journey."
"Thank you all so much." The Spring Maiden felt herself finally smiling after such a rough night. She bowed thankfully to them, "I won't forget your kindness, understanding and empathy in listening to me and Wind Runner, and I also promise you that I won't do anything to endanger myself."
"That is all we ask of you, Amethyst," Seraph replied, "Be on your guard at all times, and if you see anything awry, be sure to inform Wind Runner or Storm Bringer immediately."
"I'll be sure to do that." Amethyst said, bowing politely.
"And Amethyst, try not to put anymore Knights in the infirmary." Seraph added, a wry tone to his voice.
"Uh, I'll try not to." She joked lightly in reply.
This chapter was co-written by Relentless Crusader
I hope to God Amethyst leaving makes sense, as I felt it was needed in order for the story to progress, but I was concerned about her coming off as stupid so Relentless Crusader, Leaf Ranger, and I worked out a way that we think works.
If you liked this story fave, follow, and review, or leave a kudos, a comment, and hopefully bookmark it too. Some feedback on what's good and what's not would be appreciated, thanks for everything guys.