Chapter 58

It was an early morning and the rising sun was cresting over the cabin and the local forest that surrounded it. There was a slight chill to the wind and in the distance birds were singing. There were no other noticeable sounds around; being out so far from the rest of civilization as they were.

Yang was already awake as she approached one of the windows inside the house. The sun shined down a golden light through it and onto her face as she gripped the bottom of the window and pulled it upwards; allowing the gentle cold breeze to flow through the building. She inhaled deeply the scent of the morning air and smiled as her lilac eyes looked to the surrounding area of grass and the bordering light forest. A soft groan came from behind her as she turned to see Weiss sleeping upon the couch with Neo laying on top of her; her head resting atop her chest.

The blonde grinned as she made her way towards the couch, leaning forward and looking down over Weiss. She placed her cold hands against either side of the sleeping girl's face and spoke in a gentle tone, "Weiss... Weiss wake up..." She smirked as her friend's expression tightened in discomfort. "Weiss your card was declined..." continued Yang as Weiss let out a whimper in her sleep, turning her head to the side. "They closed your account... They're taking your stuff as payment...!" Weiss turned her head to the other side as Yang's words continued to poison her dreams.

Her voice was sluggish in her sleepy state as she groaned out, "M- My clothes...!"

Yang decided she had caused enough harm as her voice raised, "Everyone's laughing at you Weiss, wake up!"

"I'm still relevant!" Weiss sat up suddenly, her eyes darting open with worry as Neo fell off the couch with a thud. It took a moment for Weiss to realise she was just dreaming as she glanced down towards Neo who was rubbing her forehead with her hand. She felt two cold hands slap against both of her cheeks and she gave out a yelp at the cold sting.

"Good morning!"

She turned to glare at the culprit that had disrupted her peaceful slumber, "Yang!" Weiss' hands came swatting at her as she leaned over the couch in an attempt to hit her back, but she was out of reach as the blonde simply laughed while taking a few steps back.

"Yang, stop teasing her," Blake's softly spoken voice carried from across the room as she entered from the hallway. Weiss noticed that her movements seemed less stiff as she turned to face her, still leaning halfway off of the couch. She felt a hand grab her wrist and yank her forward as she fell to the floor with a thud; Yang had pulled her when she was distracted.

"Done!" Yang's smug voice was accompanied by a matching smile as she made her way towards Blake who offered a sigh in return.

Weiss grumbled as she looked up, Neo was knelt down besides her; offering a hand to her with a smile. "Ah, Neo..." Smiled Weiss in return as she took her hand into her own. The two paused for a second before Neo lifted her up to her feet. It seemed although all the frustration towards Yang had vanished from Weiss.

Yang watched the two as she stood besides Blake, leaning towards her. "Pfft. Sappy," she snorted before Blake's hand pressed against her face and slowly pushed her back.

"You could learn something from them you know?" Blake glanced towards her partner through the corner of her eye as she moved her hand away from her face.

Yang paused to regard Blake with an unsure gaze before chuckling and waving her hand dismissively, "Nah." The Faunus sighed and rolled her eyes.

Weiss peered back over towards the two as she spoke, "When are we leaving might I ask?"

"We'll grab some food first, and then we're gonna get going I think," Yang answered as she stretched her arms above her head.

From then on the group remained within the cabin for some time as Yang prepared and served their breakfast. During this time the blonde had informed both Weiss and Neo of their destination; Mistral. None of those present had been there before and so it was likely to be a new experience. Outside of the cabin the airship remained, its engines idly throttling as it warmed up for its long journey. The broken chimney above the house had a white sheet draped over it; upon the sheet was the crudely drawn image of a chimney.

After an hour or so the four left the cabin and approached the airship, the ramp had already been lowered as Weiss, Neo and Blake boarded the vessel. Yang paused however as she turned around to look at the cabin and upon noticing the chimney her expression turned sour before boarding the ship herself. Slowly the ramp lifted with a mechanical sound before locking in place and the engines started to thrum back into life. Around the ship fallen leaves and dust blew about as the jets started to lift the craft from the ground.

"You're an asshole," commented Yang as she crossed her arms, her lilac eyes glaring up at the camera in front of the four.

"Hey, given the like, time-frame, I did what I could. I'd like to see you build a chimney in one night," replied the pilot as the ship ascended even higher. From the windows they could now see above the canopy of the surrounding forest. Soon the ship was once more soaring through the sky as the four white ribbons trailed behind it, one awkwardly flew in front of the jet and was burnt away in an instant; leaving what remained of the ribbon to slowly float back down to the floor as it was left behind.

The journey for the most part was uneventful. The ship flew away from Patch and over Vale. The city itself seemed much like it had been since the fall of Beacon; there was a lack of activity in general with few cars upon the streets. It was still quiet, still in fear of what lurked above it within the abandoned academy. Upon the tower the frozen dragon-like Grimm remained; unmoving and stone-like.

But today Yang and her team would once again see sights they had never before witnessed. To the east of Vale were large mountains that proved to be a natural barrier against the creatures of Grimm that lurked further within the continent of Sanus. The mountains themselves could be seen for miles and were likely the largest upon the continent itself, the airship had no issue in passing through and over them.

Upon the eastern side of the mountains the terrain flowed down into large grasslands and untamed forests. Repeatedly had the kingdom of Vale attempted to expand into these regions but the density of the Grimm had always proven to be too large a task to handle. As a result it was rare to find people upon the eastern coast and where there might be a village or two they would always be susceptible to attack with the lack of local hunters to protect them.

But some part of the wild and untouched landscape seemed peaceful and charming. To see lands that man had not altered nor shaped; a land where nature was free to keep its original design. Yang wondered just how peaceful it might be if not for the Grimm; to be in the forests that few had dared enter or explore and to see ancient trees that had stood for hundreds of years without the influence of humanity. If one day the Grimm could be eradicated completely she would prefer if such lands remained untouched if only to preserve what they are and represent; a land that remained as it was meant to be.

The airship lowered considerably as it reached further towards the eastern shore of the continent, the sea before them was rougher than the one between Sanus and Solitas to the north but the distance was shorter. It was as if the sea was being channelled through this small gap and became more tumultuous as a result. The short distance did of course mean that they could already see the continent of Anima however, which was home to the kingdom of Mistral. The destination they sought was the capital of the same name but it lay on the eastern half of the land, meaning they would fly over most of the kingdom in order to reach it.

Anima was a wild and unique land which was home to large cliffs and rocky terrain upon its east, untamed marshlands and bogs in its west and to the north a chill and snowy forest tundra. The south considered of various broken islands that created an archipelago; the weather there was far more tropical than the rest of Anima. There was also a large lake; the largest in Remnant, smack in the middle of the landmass. When compared to the other continents of Remnant, Anima truly was an odd mix of varying climates and terrain.

Mistral was located on the south eastern edge of the large central lake and there were various smaller cities and town dotted throughout the land. Though the city of Mistral was the height of the latest fashion and prided itself upon its theatricals and its finer luxuries of life, the kingdom itself was comprised of a much greyer alignment. The kingdom had a vicious reputation for being a shady and dangerous place outside of the main city. The further away from Mistral you found yourself the more likely you were to bump into a roaming group of bandits and cut-throats, as well as Grimm.

That isn't to say the the continent of Anima is inhospitable however, for there are kinder folk living within smaller communities. The good people of Anima struggle daily for survival and as a result they have become known to loss and other hardships. Because of this they can be more compassionate to those who suffer similar troubles and will often come to the aid of those in need. In Anima, if you do not unite with your neighbours you fall alone, preyed upon by the fouler inhabitants like vultures upon a wounded beast. This also leads to the fairer folk being far more grateful if given assistance but this comes also from a result of not being wealthy; gratitude is as equal to gold for them.

The airship crossed the small sea that separated the two continents as it now found itself flying over thick marshlands. Yang turned once more to the window as she gazed down, the swamp seemed calm from above. The thick canopy sheltering whatever was beneath it but now and then she would spot a clearing as a small lake would dominate the surrounding area, too deep for the otherwise greedy trees to plant their roots beneath. Though she spotted something however, something that seemed to appear from the canopy and clutch at the branch of a tree. She strained her eyes as she made out the white plating across its form and what seemed like a large and folded bat-like wing. Her sight caught a glint of red from what she assumed to be the head of the creature. It was a type of Grimm she had never seen before.

Yang turned back to the others, "Hey guys, there's something down there." The three raised their heads curiously as she turned back to the window, the ship was now moving away from the creature but it still clung there above the canopy, watching them with an almost statue-like presence. She squinted her eyes as she noticed something else, the canopy was moving; rustling. "What the-"

Her voice was cut off in surprise as countless black shapes burst forth from the greenery below. The pilot's voice sounded through the microphone, "Oh fuck me!" The creatures swarmed into the sky as they launched up towards the craft that tilted heavily to one side as it began its evasive manoeuvres, veering sharply into a turn as it lowered towards the ground. The four passengers each grabbed whatever they could find as they felt gravity shift, they could also hear something; a dozen screeches that were rapidly becoming louder. The creatures blared out their cries as multiple thumps against the craft could be heard from outside and accompanied by the heavy flapping of wings. The pilot's voice was heard once more, and although his words were as light-hearted as ever his tone seemed different, "Ah you little shits!"

Something black speared through the window closest to Yang, for the split second it was there she thought she saw a thin, slender tail as dark as the night with an almost spear-like point. She covered her eyes from the glass as the ship shifted sharply while it rolled over completely, attempting to shake off the creatures that had latched onto it.

The pilot screamed, "Get out of my safe space!" The aircraft began spinning wildly, the g-force was becoming taxing upon the body as Yang shut her eyes tight. The screams of the creatures were only increasing as more no doubt started assaulting the ship. Another window shattered, but it wasn't one in the back. She then heard the pilot scream again, but it was in pain. An explosion rocked the entire vessel as something was destroyed, one of the engines. Yang opened her eyes, quickly glancing to the right as she saw the others trying to protect themselves from flying glass and anything else that might threaten them.

From the window she saw a flash of green. Leaves, no, it was trees. They were crashing. A large knock smacked against the ship as gravity became non-existent and the glass flew in every direction, the screeches from the creatures quickly dispersing as the airship flipped and rolled through the forest. Before they came to a stop Yang felt her head smash back against something behind her, from then on her vision turned to black.

After an unknown amount of time the first person to find themselves awake was Blake. Her golden eyes slowly opened as she glanced around her surroundings. Her head felt light and dizzy and her arms were hanging limply above her head. As her eyes focused she noticed that shattered glass was attached to the ceiling, she was upside-down. With a shocked gasp she turned her attention to Yang, she was asleep and in a similar position to herself. There was something behind her though, something looking in through the window. A large animal skull with thin red markings upon it, a bat-like nose and large protruding teeth. The two red eyes burning within the sockets of its skull looked to her before it retreated through the window, the sound of its wings soon flapping away. A creature of Grimm unlike any she had seen before.

She looked to her left and saw that Neo and Weiss were both okay, or at least as okay as they could be in their current state. Blake groaned as she reached her hands to her belt and unclipped it, falling against the ceiling of the airship with a thud and the crunch of glass beneath her. There was also the threatening sound of creaking wood, as if something was about to break. Her eyes widened as she looked to the window, poking her head out from it. She saw that the soggy marshland ground was beneath them; they were suspended by something.

A groan came from behind her as her eyes darted to Weiss. She cautiously approached her friend as she opened her ice blue eyes, "B- Blake...?"

Blake reached her hands up to her belt, prepared to catch her if needed. "We crashed, stay still."

Weiss dropped from her seat as the belt was unclipped, landing securely thanks to the help of Blake. Her eyes searched around before finding Neo. "My... Head..." Weiss frowned as she reached a hand up to her head in pain. Blake gently placed her hand upon her shoulder in a comforting manner before she moved to pull Yang from her seat. The creak of wood sounded once more as the balance of the ship was agitated further.

"Grab Neo, we need to get out," Blake unbuckled Yang and caught her as she did with Weiss. She gently laid her upon the floor as she stood to her feet, reaching her hand down to a small emergency handle on the exit ramp and trying her best to pry it open. She turned the handle and unlocked the ramp but the weight of it alone was too heavy to push up.

Weiss continued to hold her head as she once more looked up to Neo. She steeled herself against the pain as she reached up her hands to undo the buckle of her belt. Neo's almost non-existent weight proved a valuable fact as she caught her in her arms. "What about-" started Weiss as she turned to look at the door that led to the cockpit. She hadn't noticed it before but there was some sort of outwards dent in the steel of it.

"Try and-" struggled Blake as she pushed against the ramp, "Try and open it if you can..."

Weiss nodded and lowered Neo to the ground as she approached the door to the cockpit. Her hand reached and grasped the handle as she tugged. It was locked. "It's not opening..." Weiss looked back to Blake who returned the glance, after a brief pause of silence she frowned and gestured for her to help her with the ramp. Weiss nodded as her hand hesitantly left the handle of the door, moving to assist Blake.

Together they pried open the ramp as it extended up, granting them a small gap to drop out from. The height was fairly high but not impossible to survive. "You take Neo first," Blake stated as she held the door up with both hands.

As instructed Weiss moved to pick Neo up into her arms, the glass crunching beneath her boots as she knelt down and looked out from the drop. "I'll... I'll try and secure the area," Weiss said before dropping through the gap with Neo in her arms. She landed safely as her eyes darted from left to right.

Blake paused before reaching an arm back to pull Yang towards the exit, "Weiss!" Blake called as the woman below looked back up to her. She seemed to pause as she peered to the front of the airship however, her expression shocked. "Weiss, get ready to catch her!"

Weiss looked back to Blake and hesitantly nodded before lowering Neo down to the muddy floor, freeing up her arms. She saw Blake try as carefully as she could to push Yang from the aircraft, the blonde falling from the sky as Weiss caught her. She almost fell over from the weight but succeeded in preventing any further damage.

The Faunus took a final glance to the door that led to the cockpit. If she let go of the ramp now she wouldn't get it open again. The ship had stopped creaking as weight had been removed from it. Looking down she dropped through the gap, the ramp closing shut after she did so. Landing to the floor she glanced around. The sun was already setting and they were lacking a suitable place to camp. The ground was swampy as far as she could see with only sparse spots of solid ground and there were sounds in the trees; rustling leaves and snapping branches. They weren't safe.

"We- We should go..." Weiss' voice was almost shaken as she stared back up to the airship. Blake narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she turned to see the offending sight. Her eyes widened. The ship was impaled nose-first against a thick branch that entered the cockpit. The branch and the nose of the ship were covered in large amounts of dried blood.

The group had received a grim welcome to Anima.