RWBY: Shadow Company
Chapter 16
"Argh!" The white fang soldier cried.
It was a flash grenade. Its bright light was blinding to a Faunus's eyes. Deafened by the noise, Blake wasn't quick enough to avoid it in time.
Blake stumbled back and hit the wall.
Adam nursed his eyes and blinked a few times to regain his vision. He turned to the others that crouched in fear. Some of them began to scream.
Adam drew his blade, "The shadows are on their way. Don't stay here. Get to the exits!" He ordered as he ran for Blake.
"Let's go, move. You heard the order." One of them said.
But as soon as he finds Blake, more grenades have popped out from the vents. Adam noticed it and shielded her from the blast. He ducked down and wrapped his arms around her, "More flash-bangs! Shield your eyes and ears!" He shouted as he braced her close.
But the others weren't so lucky. They were too slow to react in time. The grenades sent a wave of lightning and thunder. At least that is what it sounded.
"I can't see! What the heck is going on!?"
"My ears! I can't hear anything!"
"It's a trap! We need to get out of here now!" Shouted a grunt.
"They're coming for us! We're doomed!" One hugged his knees to his chest.
After the grenades had stopped, they thought that it was over. But the lights were still out, and the door didn't open. But Adam wasn't going to count on it to stay closed.
Soon they heard a loud pounding from the door. The shadows were trying to break into the room.
They ran to the back.
"Leave the train! Get back to the exit now!"
"But the exits are all blocked! We can't get out!"
"Then find another one, or make one!"
They began to bash the thick steel walls open. Most of them went to the back of the train, trying to pry the door open.
Meanwhile, "We'll get you out. Don't worry!" Reily said. She tried to pry it free with help from the others.
"Please, help me!" She begged as the hatch continued to crush her.
"Use the flares! We can't use our night visions!"
"No! Not here. You idiot, it will ignite the dust. You'll blow us all to sky-high!"
"But we can't see after those flashes. We need light."
"Blake, look at me. Are you alright?" Adam asked as he checked on her. "I think I'm okay. Thank you, Adam."
"I got you, Blake. We'll get you out of here."
The flares lighted up the room again. There was no explosion. The hatch above was still stuck. "They'll be here any second if we don't leave," Blake said.
Adam nodded.
One of them decides to go for a vent, "Hey, over here. There's one vent that we can use." She said. She entered but met with a gun barrel aimed right at her face, and she gasped.
"They're he-!" She tried to scream but stopped as the shadow fired. A bullet ripped through her head. Her body fell from the vent and slammed, and what was left was a mess.
And soon, the fight for their lives began as more shadows crawled out and fired their guns.
"Shadows!"
"Take cover!"
"The shadows are here! Run for your lives!"
"All of you, stop pushing!"
They ran for their lives. Blood began to spill from their bodies. They started to bunch up next to each other.
Pushed and kicked, some had fallen to the ground and stepped on.
"Take cover!" Blake yelled as she shot back at them.
In the chaos, they tried to fight back at the shadows that hid in the vents. Some had tried to cover their comrades from the side. But it did little to stop them, and more continued to fall.
They heard one of them speak, "Hunt them down."
Adam lost his grip.
"Blake!" Adam yelled for her. Being pushed away from each other. But his voice was drowned out by their screams. He reached out his hand to grab her but failed.
"Grab my hand!"
"Adam!" Blake did the same. But they were knocked back by their comrades.
Blake began to yield in the chaos. Their screams clouded her mind to think clearly as fear and death had filled her thoughts. And Adam was nowhere to be seen, "Adam?"
Blake looked for him, "Where are you?" She tried to listen to his voice.
But it was too loud for her to hear him. A stray bullet hits her in the arm. It was the first time she got shot. The pain that she felt was horrific. And her blood began to spill from it.
She began to shake in fear and screamed with the rest.
"Blake!" Adam cried as he watched her. He raged and pushed towards her, "Move!"
Soon light entered the room, and it came from the hatch. The woman who was trapped is now free. "It's open! Get up here now!" Reily screamed.
They scrambled and climbed up the crates, carrying bags of dust.
"Climb!"
"Blake! I'm here." Adam hugged her. Blake held him tight, crying in his arms.
He nurses her and brings her to the hatch.
"Blake, listen to me. We have to go now, okay? Reily has the hatch opened." Blake manages to nod.
Adam held her hand tightly.
As they were about to leave, Blake fell to the ground as someone shot her in the leg.
She clutched her leg, "Argh!"
"No!"
Adam checked on her, "Hold on. I'll carry you out!" He held her up bridal style.
"Leave the dust! Get out of here!"
The shadows broke through the door.
"The door to the next car is opened!" One shouted as he and a few others aimed their rifles at the door.
They tossed two grenades.
"Shit, they're using smoke. We can't see through that!"
"Oh, just fucking great!"
"Why did they stop shooting at us? What's going on?"
Out from the darkness and the smoke, "What is that?"
Red dust swords and shields glowed in the dark. It sends shivers down their spines.
"Centurions, form testudo!"
They formed a shield wall, their swords poised and ready to kill. One of the white fang grunts shot his rifle at them, but it did nothing to their shields.
"Advance!"
"Blake, don't fall asleep!"
"Open fire!"
"Blake!"
"Blake? Hello." Nora waved in front of her face.
Blake opened her eyes and sighed. The breeze felt nice, and the sun was shining bright today. And the silence was just right. And there was no war around her.
"Yes, Nora?"
"Break time is almost over. I mean, I know we just killed a pack of Grimm not too long ago, but it wasn't that tiring." Nora said.
"I'm not tired, Nora." Blake gets up from her spot. "Also, you did most of the work."
"Nora, stop it. Let blake have her rest. She hasn't fully healed yet." Said Ren.
It's been a week since she first got here. She should be resting back at the house. But Blake wanted to get a head start.
She did visit her parents from time to time. It was hard to see her mom in a coma. To think that she was like this ever since she left. It felt so long and yet so wasted.
She wished that she didn't leave her home. There would hardly be a difference if Blake left the White Fang for good. But now, what can she do?
"Where's Reily?" Asked Blake.
"Over here," Reily tapped her shoulder.
"Ah! Don't do that." Reily and Nora laugh.
Ren shook his head.
"We still have to finish our patrol. After that, we can wrap things up and head back." Said Ren.
"Let's get to it."
Blake checks her gear before moving off. The armor she wore was from them. And it felt good to wear it. She never knew how the shadows had such good gear. Maybe that Arc brand was behind it.
She'll have to do some research on that.
She takes out an old photo and stares at it.
Nora stared at the photo in her hand.
Blake noticed, "What?"
"So. Is that guy your boyfriend? This Adam guy?"
Blake laughed, "No, he's my mentor. He was always there for me since I was a child. He trained me. He was like an older brother to me."
"Oh yeah, Adam was a big softie to Blake." Said Reily.
"Hey, sounds like a great guy to me." Said Nora.
"But why didn't he choose to leave with you?" Ren asked.
Blake sighed, "Because they needed him. He's the best that we have. There used to be more officers. But after the shadows came, a few stayed. But there is one other. Lagune was his name."
"Huh, that name doesn't ring any bells."
"Yeah, but Adam can be a-"
"Wait, you smell that?" Nora sniffed the air.
"I'm sure it's nothing, Nora."
The smell of smoke filled Blake's nose. "Something's burning." She said.
"Woah, look at that." Said Nora.
"Oh no." Said Blake.
It was an outpost.
"Not much on the radar, Nora. It looked like this is place has been picked clean." Ren kneeled and picked up a chewed boot.
"Could it be the big mama?" Nora asked.
He shook his head, "No, the big one would have swallowed the poor man in one piece. So this must be done by its buddies."
They heard a roar in the distance.
Ren tossed the boot aside, "We should get going."
/-/
On the outskirts of Mistral, a couple of bullheads landed on the grass. As the ramp dropped, the soldiers from the golden company ran out.
"Shit! We almost died back there. That bastard knows how to shoot."
"He just came in out of nowhere. It was like he knew we were there."
"Did you see him move? It was like his reflexes are off the charts."
"All of you, stop talking and get the wounded out! And bring that Schnee over here!" Shouted the commander.
They carried Weiss out of the airship.
She looked pale after the party. She was still sleeping, but the device on her back continued to hum as they loaded up onto the vans hidden carefully in the trees.
"We'll travel in groups of three. Change into these uniforms and get in the vans."
"Hey, you sit in the back."
"What, why?"
"Because the uniform we are wearing doesn't allow Faunus to drive their vehicles."
/-/
"Is she safe?" Adam asked.
"Yes, Adam. She's safe. At least for the most part. Her injuries will take some time to heal."
He winced.
"I'm sorry, Ghira. Had I not reached her in time, Blake wouldn't have been," Adam paused.
"But you've brought her back, Adam. And you're still alive. That's more than I could ask from you."
"And I would do it again. Blake means a lot to me." Said Adam.
"How bad was it? The raid, I mean."
Adam sighed. He took a deep breath and sat down on his bed, "What can I say? They trapped us and tried to kill us all. I barely escaped with my life. Centurions. It just had to be them."
Ghira nods, "They's a reason why they are known to be the best. And going against them is a death wish. They are the last thing you would want to face."
"We didn't have a choice on that matter," Adam smirked.
"Don't dwell too much on it. It's over now."
Adam paused, "I wished I didn't leave. Is Al-, uh Ares still around? From the Black Angels?"
"Ares? Oh, I see. Well, I just talked with Ares last night. He's still around. Why do you ask?" Ghira asked.
"Just checking. That's all. So, about Schnee's death." Said Adam.
"Death will do little to change the labor force. They are making it worse for everyone."
A/N
Hello.
So, looks like Adam is a little different from canon. But I hope it's a good difference. And there is a reason for that.
I hated how they made him. So I made Adam a character for Blake to improve on herself. Also, Adam's first design is cool.
Also, I wonder why Adam knows Ares.
And as for Weiss. Don't worry, Frost and Leon are coming to the rescue.
The Black Centurions finally made their debut. Hopefully, it turned out well. So I basically based them off on the Roman Army. If the name didn't give it away. Each chapter of the shadows has a distinctive feature about them.
Thank you for reading.