S.C.E.N
Hello everyone and welcome to the fourth chapter thank you for reading.
Chapter 4: Emerald forest part 1
Morning broke over beacon, the campus was silent all the first years were all still asleep barring a few empty sleeping bags. Salem was the first of the four to awaken; she sat up and stretched, then checked her watch and let out a very quiet sigh, but she decided to get up, she threw on her light grey tracksuit pants and her black long-sleeved t shirt and left the atrium.
Salem was walking through the hallways when she heard a pair of footsteps followed by a tapping noise on the ground, she turned around so see professor Ozpin sipping his coffee "good morning miss Velaros" Salem was surprised by Ozpin's sudden appearance "g-good morning professor" and gave him a small bow. Ozpin adjusted his glasses "how was your first day" Salem thought back to the previous day "I think I made the right choice by coming here". Ozpin nodded "from what I've gathered you have already made acquaintances" Salem smiled "yeah I have" Ozpin gave Salem a small smile "well that is good, well I best be off, I will see you at the clifftop for your initiation trial later" and he walked off.
Salem returned to the atrium and woke her newfound friends up "come on guys wake up we've got to get ready" the other three girls lazily sat up and doing various stretches and yawning, Emerald rubbed her eyes "what time is it Salem". Salem checked her watch "its seven thirty" Emerald sighed "that's too early what's the rush" Salem sighed "well by the time we get organised with our gear and eaten there will not be a lot of time to get to the cliff edge". Neo nudged Emerald with her foot and showed her scroll and shrugged "she has a point Emerald" Emerald sighed in defeat "huh fiiine" Cinder chuckled a little, Salem gave them all a smile "alright then let's get going".
The four girls were at their lockers; Cinder went into a cubicle to change; suddenly something caught Salem's eye and turned to see a tall red-haired boy with a red shirt, with a black waistcoat with red buttons and black trousers, Salem gasped "Adam?" The boy referred to Adam Smiled at Salem "well if it isn't Salem, I see you made it into beacon" Salem rubbed the back of her head "yeah I got an exceptional offer, I'm surprised to see you Adam how have you been" Salem couldn't tell him the real reason she got in. Adam continued to smile "really, that is amazing I knew I seen something in you" Salem gave Adam a small smile.
Emerald was listening and found an opening "hey Salem who is this guy" Salem turned back to Emerald and gestured one hand to Adam "this is Adam Taurus he was my senior at Signal he helped me train". Adam gave Emerald a small bow "I see you have already made friends that's great Salem" Salem turned back to Adam "yeah I think this will be good for me" Adam smiled and turned to Emerald "look after her for me" Emerald saluted "you got it". Salem puffed her cheeks and blushed "I'm not a kid Adam" Adam chuckled and put his hand on Salem's head "I know, well I better get going" then Adam walked off.
Ten minutes later
The girls were already in their full combat gear. Salem wore her normal gear with her weapon holstered on her back. Cinder had her black blazer and black jeans, her weapon was a whip made out of a flexible metal with a button on the top of the handle, and it attached to her belt.
Emerald wore a dark green leather skinsuit with two white straps that run parallel down her body to the ends of her boots with pouches around her belt and her weapon was two gauntlets with retractable blades and a band of various sizes of blades around the top of her thigh.
Lastly Neo wore a white jacket with a black hood, black pants, white leather boots and under her jacket is a black shirt, her weapon was a silver short lightweight sniper rifle with a reinforced steel recoil pad at the back, etched into the side of the barrel was the words "my voice".
The four girls looked at each other then all nodded in unison and made their way to the clifftop. As the four walked Cinder was inspecting Emeralds outfit "isn't that outfit a bit tight on you" Emerald chuckled a little then turned to Cinder "I like to be as flexible as I can and besides my blades aren't my "only" weapon in a fight" she gave a wink at Cinder and flash of red ran over her face.
Emerald then inspected Cinder "what about you, isn't your gear a bit stifling I mean it looks good on you, but you look a bit too covered up". Suddenly Cinder's expression dropped to an almost sad tone and you could almost see a hint of terror in her eyes, but then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and it broke her state "are you ok Cinder" she look up to see Salem with a concerned expression. Cinder pressed her hand on Salem's hand and smiled "yeah I'm fine, to answer your question Emerald this is more or less the uniform for the students in Vacuo I have made a few modifications to it".
Emerald gave Cinder a slightly surprised expression "ahh I see, sorry if I made you uncomfortable Cinder" Cinder shook her head "no its fine Emerald" Then Neo pushed forward in front of the girl with a worried expression and she held up her scroll "if you two are quite done with fashion design, we should get going". Cinder and Emerald both looked at Neo; Emerald rubbed the back of her head "yeah you're right Neo" and everyone nodded at Emerald's response and ran for the clifftop.
When the four arrived, there was bunch of students surrounding the clifftop all chatting away about what the trial might be and how the teams are going to be picked, the girls were also curious about what was going to happen. Then a voice spoke behind them "good morning students I see everyone is here" and everyone turned around to see Professor Ozpin sipping his coffee along with Professor Goodwitch who was just standing by him with a stern expression.
Professor Goodwitch stepped forward "good morning I'm only going over this once so pay attention, this is the Emerald forest and inside it there is a temple inside with relics, your objective will be to simply obtain this relic unlike last year the partner and team selection will be based on compatibility so we will be monitoring all of your actions and reviewing them during the initiation but first Professor Ozpin would like to say a few words.
Ozpin stepped forward, taking a swig of coffee "thank you professor Goodwitch for your explanation; students listen well, the forest is full of dangers most notably is the grim that reside within the forest, do not hesitate to cut down every grim that comes your way or you will die, this test is to not only prove your compatibility but your survival and combat skills as well".
"Students I wish you the best of luck"
The girls were surprised by what the professors had said; "well that was intense" Emerald was the first to break the silence everyone nodded. Salem noticed Adam a few spaces behind her. He was talking with two girls and another boy with red hair and a black bowler hat, the girls appeared to look like twins one had a red and black dress and the other had a white dress with a fur collar.
Salem gave Adam a small wave; Adam noticed and waved back Salem nodded then moved to a platform.
After about ten minutes later everyone was on the launch pads ready to go; Ozpin stood forward "students I wish you all the best of luck, begin" and one by one the launch pads started launching students in to the sky.
Salem braced herself for the launch, a moment later, she was thrust towards the forest she opened her weapon and split it into two, using her semblance she slowed herself and planted her blades into a tree and climbed up onto a branch "phew, that was simple enough ok better find go find someone" and she dropped from the tree. As Salem landed she stopped to hear her surroundings encase he could hear someone, but then Salem heard a low growl behind her followed by several more.
Instinctively she jumped forward and turned around and four beowolfs jumped out they had black with red spikes running up their arms and a red mask with black scars all over it and eyes that were burning with red Salem ginned "you fellas wouldn't happen to now where the ruins are". The first Beowulf leaped towards Salem and with her two blades by her sides, she slid under it slicing its stomach from head to tail and dropped to the ground dead: Salem then stood up and turned to face the other three "I guess not".
Salem reattached her weapon and dashed forward towards the middle one and it went to swipe with his right claw but Salem dodged to the left and spun the blade upwards cutting its head off. The other two were stalking her from either side keeping Salem in the middle; her eyes were switching left and right then both pounced at the same time so Salem back flipped and the two collided with each other, they both got up turned to face Salem and both of their eyes went silver.
Salem immediately froze up, she knew what those eyes meant before she could react one of the beowolfs almost seemed to chuckle in very demonic tone and it did something Salem knew was impossible; it started to speak.
"I… Remember… you"
Salem was confused and terrified by the grims words; she had never met this grim before and yet for some reason she knew it was not lying "what do you mean I've never seen you before" Salem thought she was going mad; actually speaking to a grim". The grim chuckled menacingly "oh but you have my dear; in the forest". Salem's eyes went wide her pupils were physically shaking with rage "w…" before Salem could speak the grim spoke again in its deep demonic tone.
"I believe your name is Salem if I recall your parents scream…"
"WHERE ARE THEY, TELL ME!" Salem interrupting the grim. The grim started laughing maniacally; suddenly a metal cable wrapped round its neck, and with a yank the grims head separated from its shoulders, followed by a ball of fire, which collided with the other grim, and burned to ash.
Salem dropped to her knees then turned her head to face this surprise attacker only to find Cinder emerging from the trees running towards Salem; crouching down beside her holder Salem's hand "are you all right I heard your scream and came as fast as I could" Salem couldn't process what was going on her head full of confusion and rage but managed to reign herself in a bit "yeah I'm fine now thanks Cinder" Cinder didn't believe Salem for a second, even though she hadn't picked up what she said the desperation in her voice was something she as familiar with, so she pressed a little bit further "are you sure". Salem looked up at cinder and met her eyes; there was still a hint of terror in her eyes, but she gave cinder a weak smile "I'm fine, that grim just brought up an unpleasant memory that's all and I froze" Salem picked herself off the ground "but now I'm all thawed out and ready to kick some ass".
Cinder gave her a smile and stood next to her then both ran into the forest together.
Emerald was strolling through the forest whistling cheerfully when she heard heavy thumping coming towards her, she readied herself attaching two long blades onto her gauntlets and retracted them back, so it only extended to half its size.
As the thumping came closer the ground started to shake and then emerged a large grim that vaguely resembled a rhinoceros but instead of skin it had hard red segmented armour plates all over its body the tops of its back had several spike running down its spine and three horns on its head that curved back on itself on the top one just above the nose, one on its forehead and one on the top of its head.
"damn just my luck I run into a Trino" Emerald thought to herself but, proceeded to smile at it "and what do I owe the pleasure of your company sir" it stared at her with furious red eyes then it started paw the ground preparing to charge. In an uncanny burst of speed the Trino raced towards Emerald but moments before it should have made contact Emerald disappeared and it ploughed into a big thick tree getting its horns stuck in the tree.
Emerald appeared behind the Trino laughing "Olé, that's one point to me big guy" and she thrust her gauntlet into a space between its armour stabbing into its flesh. The grim roared furiously and pulled itself free leaving a big hole in the tree. It turned to face Emerald again but this time it leaped towards her and smashed his head into the ground Emerald jumped out of the way but the shockwave produced by the Trino caused the ground to shake causing Emerald to lose her balance a little and in the second it took her to right herself the Trino swung its head sideways slamming into Emeralds chest, which sent her flying into a tree hard casing the wind in her lungs to escape "guhh that hurt, I think you got a rib there buddy" she coughed a small bit of blood and sat herself up against the tree the Trino started to paw the ground again this time there wasn't much Emerald could do except watch.
It charged forward pounding the ground hard, eager for the kill. Emerald closed her eyes then she heard a noise like energy followed by a quiet 'crack' of a gun; she opened her eyes to fine her surrounded by a ball of energy she looked at the Trino which was suddenly thrashing around wildly then noticed its eye had been shot; Emerald smiled "what took you so long".
Emerging from a far away bush Neo stood up and pulled down her white hood with angry pouty face then pointed her rifle towards the grim Emerald nodded with a grin and stood up clutching her ribs "your right ill get this done, thanks for the assist" Neo nodded with a smile. Emerald looked at the Trino and ran towards it. It was still reeling from the sudden loss of its eye but calmed down as Emerald approached, it went to thrust its head forward but Emerald again disappeared a moment passed then, then the Trino felt its hind leg being sliced, then the other. This caused the grim to drop and roar with rage, it tried to turn to face the attacker but three rifle shots hit its face directing its attention away as it turned its head Emerald appeared on the other side and sliced one of its front hamstrings and it collapsed completely defenceless.
Emerald moved to the front of its head it turned to look at Emerald with the same fire it its eye "looks like I win big guy better luck next time" and she raised one of her gauntlets aiming a blade towards the working eye and pushed a button on the side which launched a blade from the gauntlet and it pierced through its the grim stopped completely and finally turning to black ash.
Emerald dropped to one knee clutching her side and breathing heavily, neo came running over and put a hand on Emerald's shoulder. Emerald looked up to see neo with a look of worry, she smiled and cupped Neo's hand on her shoulder "I'm fine Neo just catching my breath"
Emerald stood up and turned to Neo "lets get moving and fine the others" Neo frowned with determination and nodded, and they ran towards the centre.
Hello readers that's the end of part 1 of the emerald forest I hope you guys enjoyed reading it