13

A Mind Full of Scorpions

Ren turned from his position atop the ramparts, placed near the front gate, when he heard the horrendous crack. The enormous gate to the town splintered under the force applied, wood groaning under the strain of Grimm assault. His hands went still, his weapons silent, as the entrance was breached with a sound he had not heard before. Pieces of the gate flew in every direction and the archway above it crumbled to the ground.

"Mr. Berg!" The young huntsman shouted out as he watched the bald man tumble into the spreading dust. Shortly a bone chilling shriek rent the air and Ren found himself rooted to the spot. It was impossible to not remember what had made that sound. The rider-creature Grimm that had caused the devastation of his home ten years ago strode out of the dust with methodical hoofbeats.

It's head twitch inhumanly while the horse-like second head snorted, a black puff of smoke flowing out of it's nostrils. Dragging behind it was two long arms and trapped in the grip was Berg, blood flowing from his head.

Another piercing scream and the beast flung the huntsmen out into a nearby building. A series of thunks sounded from nearby and several bright pink explosions went off in the monster's face causing it to wail in pain and lash out randomly with it's elastic arms. Nora came running up besides Ren one hand clamping down on his shoulder.

One look said it all and he was shaking his head, clearing himself of what held him in place. There were no other hunters on this part of the wall and it would be up to them to stop the Nuckelavee. After a quick nod of thanks, the black haired boy jumped from the ramparts down towards the creature. Hitting the ground, Ren started running in a circle and firing at it. Nora jumped off right after him while he had it's attention and swung her hammer down at the horse-like head.

With a quick reaction Nuckelavee lashed out with one of it's whiplike limbs and sent the red headed girl flying across the ground and with it's other hand swept Ren off of his feet, grabbing his legs. His head cracked against the ground as the creature flung him into a nearby building.

He gasped as he got up and stared out the hole he had made through the wall. It stood there, neck cracking as it's head twitched to and fro as if waiting for them. The creature's patience didn't last long as it screamed and charged the building Ren was inside. With a quick rear onto it's hindquarters the Nuckelavee slammed it's front legs down onto, and through, the roof.

Ren dashed under it's legs as the ceiling came down, slashing at various points on it's underbelly. The hide was far tougher than he realized and his cuts were shallow and weak as the hunter dived out behind the creature. He rolled into a sprint to gain more distance before it turned towards him again.

His mind flashed back to his childhood and the place where his parents had died. It was in that village that he had first met Nora amidst the screams, flames, and death all around him. Back then he had quailed in fear as the people he knew were cut down one after the other by the Grimm. No more, he decided, he had become a huntsman to prevent tragedies like that and he refused to let it happen once again.

With an uncharacteristic growl he leapt forward towards the monster, he could feel his teeth being barred as he unloaded yet another burst into the flank of the creature, his vision narrowing he barely noticed his long-time partner shouting his name.

The Nuckelavee reared up as he approached and Ren was forced to dodged to the side as the fore-hooves hammered down on the spot he had just occupied. The whiplike arm caught him in his blindside, stumbling him. The black-haired huntsmen looked up just in time to see the head of the horse half exhale a thick black cloud towards him.

The caustic cloud impacted something and was directed harmlessly around him. The object was a pink umbrella held by a small, scowling girl in a bowler hat. Twirling the umbrella she cast a glance at him and then looked back to the creature before slowly drawing forth her weapon from it's hidden sheath.

Before the monster could attack this new threat several fireballs impacted it on the side eliciting a pained shriek. Ren looked in the direction they had come from and spotted three figures coming towards them. One was a man and identifiable as Roran while the two women, unmistakably huntresses, were unknown. Doubtless they were the rest of the man's team.

One huntress wore a black dress with glimmering orange designs embroidered all around it and atop her silver hair, which was in a front braid, was a witches hat. Ren stared at the object in her hands and confirmed that yes, indeed, it was an old fashioned broom. The other woman had very short, dark hair with bulging muscles that would have made Cardin weep in jealousy. Resting casually on her shoulders was a massive kunabo, a spike club, made of metal.

"Silvia. Olivia." Roran spoke, hefting his halberd, "You two take the gates and stem the tide of Grimm coming in. The kids and I'll deal with the Nuck."

With nods of confirmation the two women rushed off and passed the creature, towards the ruined gate. The Nuckelavee made to attack them as they rushed by but it's attention was grabbed as a streak of green and silver rushed forward, scoring a deep cut across the creatures chest. With a roar it flailed at the huntsman who dodged the strikes almost effortlessly.

The beast hesitated as Roran stepped back and took position next to his younger proteges, "Alright kids, I need your heads in the game. This guy's Dangerous with a capital D."

Ren got up and stood next to Neo and Roran with Nora coming up and hefting Magnhild, "Let's break it's legs!"

"Hey Squirt. Firecracker." Qrow said, his eyes focused on the opponent before him, "I know you prob'ly got questions but that's for later. Right now we gotta deal with this guy."

The man in question's smile grew wider at the huntsman's gaze, "A true hunter enters the fray!"

"So, who're you? Since you seem to know me."

"Tyrian Callows, at your service." A deep bow with his hand across his chest, "I am but a servant of her holiness."

"Salem." The name was spit out like an insult and Ruby looked to her uncle at the unfamiliar name. The girl's mind raced as she worked through everything she knew. It wasn't Cinder's doing but the man was definitely related to her. From his attitude she assumed they were rivals, but if they were enemies he wouldn't be trying to take her like this, would he?

She shook her head and dispelled the thoughts, tucking them away to focus on the fight in front of her. Picking up Crescent Rose, which she was euphoric at holding again, she positioned the blade and barrel behind her with one hand on the firing mechanism and another on the bolt.

With a cackle the man charged at her uncle, the biggest threat. Ruby spared a look at Yang, who was charging towards the man, and Jaune who sat with his guard up. Even not knowing what to do the blond boy nodded at her, signaling that he had her back.

While Qrow and Tyrian were trading blows Yang came in like a rocket. Just before impact as the faunus raised his tail to guard, the blond shot both her gauntlets down at the ground and launched herself in a flip above his head. Firing down mid-air the man was force to bring his blades about to block the shots which QQrow took advantage of, kicking him hard in the stomach and sending him flying across the the battlefield that was the street they stood in.

"Go reinforce the wall kids! I'll handle this!" Qrow shouted back at them, causing Ruby and Jaune to meet each other's eyes across the street.A short nod and the set off towards front entrance to Kutsuri.

Tyriasn ran to the side, firing at the fleeing pair. The elder huntsman couldn't get there in time to block the shots that flew towards them. A grunt sounded from behind them and Ruby turned back to see her sister's golden mane, her back towards them and arms blocking her face. She had taken the shots on her aura.

"Go! I'll stay and help Uncle Qrow, you guys help against the Grimm!" She turned her head towards them and they could see the crimson of her eyes, "Don't worry Ruby. This guy won't get past me."

With urging from her best guy friend Ruby tore her eyes away from the fight and set them on the gateway, the top of which could be seen above the buildings. Or at least it would have been if it was still there. A spike tore through her heart as she realised the gate was breached and shot off in that direction. Determined to save as many lives as possible. Jaune ran behind her but soon faded as she but her speed to the fullest.

Yang turned from watching her sister leave back to the dead man before her. She was angrier than she had ever been before. This wasn't like the time someone had cut a lock of her hair, or when she had found out what had happened to Ruby on top of Beacon Tower. No, someone had tried to kidnap her little sister right in front of her. Her blood boiled and fists ached to sink into the man's face.

Every fiber of her being screamed that she needed to kill this man to keep her family safe. She could vaguely hear her uncle shouting at her but she ignored it as she zeroed in on the brown haired man her uncle was engaging with. The two seemed to be on even footing and Yang was sure that her uncle could take him but the berzerker wasn't going to leave anything to chance. She was going to make sure he wouldn't be able to get to Ruby even if she had to put the guy down.

Lowering her stance the blond launched off towards the man, coming in low and under his guard. Tyrina's eyes flickered towards her and his tail rushed to meet her. She could see it clearly, it was moving slower than before and she dodged it by a fraction, feeling the wind of it's passing on her cheek. Her right fist rocketed into his side, catching him off guard but it wasn't enough.

The man bounced back with the punch and tried to take some distance but she wouldn't let up. She swept at his legs with hers and he jumped, delivering a vicious kick to her head, causing her aura to deep even more dangerously low.

Qrow stepped with his weapon in sword form. Wielding the massive weapon with incredible speed he pushed the man back as they traded blow for blow, their aura flaring with each hit. Not one to be left out Yang used Ember Celica to propel herself up and attempted an axe kick to the top of Tyrian's head. He caught the kick on the arm and paid for it by taking a jab at the midriff from Qrow.

Yang still shook off the incessant words coming from her uncle, crimson eyes burning in the night as she focused solely on her prey.

Tyrian managed to lock his blades around Qrow's disarming him with a twist of the body. His victorious smirk was wiped from his face quite literally when the huntsman punched him straight in the face and continued the combo on the surprised faunus. He wasn't even allowed to recover when Qrow went to retrieve his weapon as Yang once again rushed him in a flurry of combos.

Left, right, left, right, kick, uppercut.

Yang flowed together her moves, her mind clear and focused. She had gone so far into the rage she had come out the other side. A calm anger she had never felt before filled with one, deadly, purpose. She no longer felt the light, glance blows he landed on her. Damage to him being her only goal.

With one final burst she aimed all her power into her right fist. Her balance failed her as a small piece of rubble shifted under foot. The small stagger cost as the faunus stepped aside, her fist sailing harmlessly by and her semblance once more petered out, it's power spent.

It burns.

That was her first thought as she looked down at where it burned. Something was buried in her stomach. The brown appendage was attached to the manic man standing before her. It was his tail. The hot pain blossomed in her stomach.

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

They both screamed. Her at having been stabbed and him when a large sword slammed down and severed the offending appendage. Tyrian stumbled back, cursing. With promises of vengeance and threats the man fled back into the darkness as Qrow stood over his bleeding niece.

Slowed he lowered himself to her. She couldn't remember having fallen to her knees.

"It's okay firecracker. I'm here. He's gone." It was all she could do to nod. The burning was spreading like fire, "I'm gonna pull it up and bandage you up." He tore off his cape, ripping it into strips.

"Take a deep breath and grit your teeth." Nodding, Yang pulled a lungful of air and clamp her mouth shut. In one pull the huntsman pulled the stinger free with a sickening sliding feeling accompanied by pain, lots of pain. The slash she had gotten from Adam was nowhere near being stabbed like this.

It stung when he put pressure on the wound and dressed it, though the burning sensation was still there. Qrow slung one of her arms over his shoulders and picked her up in his arms. Quickly he took her inside the hunter's lodge, laying her down on the couch.

"I'm gonna go help the wall and make sure he doesn't go for Ruby." When she tried to get up he pushed her back down, "No. I'm sorry Yang. I'll return as soon as I can."

Even as he rushed out the double doors Yang could feel her strength being drained away by the fire spreading from her gut. She could only lay there in the dark as screams rent the air and bullets responded to the nightmare outside the walls. Sweat soon caked her forehead and her breathing became labored.

In the dark she whimpered.

Ruby skipped along the rooftops at semblence enhanced speeds. The familiar weight of Crescent Rose in her hands and her new companion, Rose Thorn, at her hip. Wide gaps she cleared with a proppelling shot from her scythe.

The reaper skid to a halt at the edge of a rooftop, the battlefield of the gate came into view.

It was chaos.

Dozens of Grim were spilling through the gate and only two huntresses were there to keep it in check, losing battle that it was. Not far away was a large, horse-like, Grimm in the midst of death throes. It's arms were missing as it screamed in futility at the man in front of it. With a single slice the huntsman, Ren she noticed, decapitated it. An incredible amount of black smoke oozed out of the dematerializing body.

Using Crescent Rose to slow her descent Ruby jumped off the building to rejoin her friends. Ren had his hands on his knees and was catching his breath when she ran up to him.

"Ren! Nora! Are you guys alright?! What was that thing?"

"That was the Nuckelavee. A dangerous Grimm that has plagued this region for decades." It was Roran who answered her. He was also out of breath and leaning on his halberd slightly, "Where are the others that were with you?"

"That's right! Some strange man attacked us. It sounded like he wanted to kidnap me. Uncle Qrow showed up but Yang stayed behind to help my uncle deal with him." Ren and Nora shared a concerned look while Roran's eyes grew hard.

"What about Jaune?"

"Here!" Said boy exclaimed as he ran up, panting. He had sprinted the whole way and even then was no match for Ruby's speed. She laughed nervously and apologized for leaving him behind.

"Alright people. The town's still in trouble and we have a job to do." All of the young hunters nodded at once and readied their weapons. With a deep breath Ruby shifted Crescent Rose behind her. Jaune put his shield up, blade held high, point forward. Ren reloaded and Nora cracked her neck.

As one they charged into the melee and she quickly lost sight of the others as she focused on the task at hand. A Beowolf sprung up in front of her, claws sweeping in to gouge out her eyes. Ducking low the young reaper cut it down at the knees and ended it's life by burying the tip of her scythe in it's chest.

A fireball came out and incinerated the Boarbatusk that was about to charge her and a cheerful woman with silver hair and a broom. She cheerfully waved at the younger girl before casually planting the handle of her broom into a nearby Beowolf, a spike emerging from the tip. Pulling it out and spinning it like a baton the bristles of the broom glowed and she batted a fireball at another Grimm.

Ruby stopped and was almost slammed into by an Ursa, would have been if it hadn't had it's head smashed in by an incredibly muscular woman wielding a large club.

"Keep your head in the game kid." With just a terse sentence the woman was gone leaving Ruby to slice an incoming Bewolf from shoulder to hip, bisecting the creature. One after another the young girl slaughtered the creatures of Grimm but when she cut one down another emerged.

After her fifteenth kill Ruby turned to the next threat, an Ursa. She shifted to the side dodging it's clumsy attack and taking it's arm in return. The creature howled and the reaper drew her weapon back for another beheading slice. A sudden pain lanced through her left arm. The artificial arm seized up, reacting to her as she felt the phantom pain.

The large creature howled in pain and swung down with it's arm before being cut to ribbons by a series of slashes from a scythe. Her Uncle Qrow stepped from behind the creature, his face a forced smirk.

"C'mon Squirt. How much am I gonna have to save your life?" She gave him a quick pout before firing Crescent Rose at another Beowolf.

"Ugh. That wasn't my fault!"

"Whatever you say kiddo. Listen Yang took a hit, she's resting in the lodge. So don't worry."

She spared a glance at him from the corner of her eye, worried regardless but she trusted her uncle if he said she was fine then she was.

She turned back to the horde before them and took another, steadying, breath before swinging into action again.

Weiss hurt all over.

Her aura was low. Gone in fact, if her her scroll was to be believed. She tried to lift herself up but froze when she heard the crunching of footsteps.

Grimm?

If it were then this might be her fate. She didn't have enough aura to withstand much of an assault and who knew what kind of injuries she might have had from the crash. Her rapier, Myternaster, was impaled a good distance away. She could reach it, provided her legs worked. If not she'd be cut down by a Beowolf before she could make it.

"Search for survivors and dig out any salvage you can." It was a deep, feminine voice that sounded out and Weiss cheered internally at that fact. Humans meant help. Humans didn't mean certain death.

"Pleas. Help!" She raised her weak voice as loud as it could carry. Someone heard it because she heard the footsteps hasten towards her. Several pairs entered her vision and she looked up. The two men looked rough and carried crudely made weapons. The turned to someone she couldn't see yet.

"What d'you think boss?"

A woman entered her vision. Blood red eyes and long black hair hung down to the small of her back. She was dressed in matching colors, carrying a white helmet with red markings.

"I think we just hit the jackpot."

Weiss' last thoughts as the boot rushed towards her face was that the woman looked strikingly familiar.

As dawn's first rays touched the village of Kutsuri the one thing that hung in the air was silence. The din of battle had subsided and the victors had been determined. Ruby Rose sank to her knees, her body shaking from the exhaustion of the past several hours of fighting. The other hunters were in similar states. Jaune was splayed out on the ground, chest heaving. The black mist of dissolving Grimm was thick in the air.

But even as exhausted as she was Ruby felt elated. The town would survive. It felt so good and her heart soared as she realized it was because of her and her friends. They had finally made a difference. Qrow and the other hunters could still move, though barely. But the rest of them were littering the ground and unable to move.

Jaune crawled over to her and together they stood up, leaning on each other to support themselves with pure willpower. They slowly picked themselves up and started making their way towards the lodge.

She had a sister to check on.

A/N: Okay. Posting this late in the day because real life sucks but hey, it's still Saturday for me so win.

But yeah. Weiss is now in the hands of the Branwen tribe.

But I suppose you want to talk about the elephant in the room. Or, well, the dragon. Sorry Yang. But I guess your dad DID warn you about missing.