RWBY: Son of Salem

Chapter 44

Marek

"You're joking, right? You want to fight this thing?!" Weiss asked.

"We've fought giant monsters before. This is just a tiny old lady... with one very big robot." Ruby told her.

"You little spider-roaches thought you could creep your way to Atlas?!" Cordovin shouted. "Well, let's see how your resolve holds out against the might of the Atlesian Military!"

Cordo readied her missile launcher and shot at the airship Weiss and Maria were in. Before it could hit however, it suddenly exploded. I glanced at Ruby and saw her cock her weapon while glaring at Cordo.

"SO BE IT!" Cordo shouted before turning her attention towards us.

Cordo aimed her cannon at us, ready to fire. Shooting a missile at us, Weiss suddenly rushed passed us and created a barrier to block the explosive. "When did-" I glanced back to see the airship behind us.

"That was close." Oscar let out a sigh of relief.

"We need to figure out how to stop Cordovin and protect the airhsip until we do." Ruby told us.

"Let's give her more targets to focus on." Jaune suggested.

"You mean us, don't you?"

"Look at that thing. It's not designed for small enemies." Jaune said. "It's probably meant for giant Grimm that come in from deeper waters. We can turn our size into an advantage. We just have to be smart."

"Maria, can you keep the ship out of harm's way?"

"They can take my driver's license, but I won't let them take this ship!" Maria smiled.

"Very reassuring..."

"I'll be more useful if I go with her. From up high, I can try to spot a weakness." Oscar told everyone.

"Well, he's not the only one who can grab a bird's eye view." Qrow said with a smile.

"I might be able to blind her with my semblance if I can get close enough." I added.

"You got some dust?" Ruby asked.

"Been saving some up since the train." I crossed my arms with a smirk.

Weiss looked to Ruby. "You said you needed me on the ground?"

Ruby smiled nervously. "Not exactly." she glanced at me. "You and Weiss stay here while we distract her."

"Got it."

Everyone then separated into their groups, JNPR rushing down the side of the cliff while Maria piloted the airship and Qrow and Ruby went straight up, Qrow in his bird form and Ruby using her semblance.

Cordo shot a dozen missiles at Ruby who started running along them, slowly making her way to the mech. Weiss went to help her leader while I stayed behind cover, readying my semblance.

JNPR got Cordo's attention, shooting at her to try and get some of the pressure of the others. "Surely you knew Atlas was the father of hard-light Dust, or do lesser kingdoms simply lack proper education?" I heard Cordo say.

"Cordo just activated shields!"

"I saw that. We need to find whatever's generating it." Qrow replied.

"You know, in video games, the weak spot's usually on the back of the giant boss!"

"Ruby, this isn't a game!"

"I'm just trying to- LOOK OUT!" I finally got enough dust ready and glanced out behind cover. The mech stomped in the water, trying to crush Weiss and Ruby.

"You are ants! You are lower than ants!" a second passed before Cordo shouted. "Ah! What was that?!"

"Until the shield's down, we're gonna have to get up close and personal with this thing." Qrow told us.

"Easier said than done!" Pyrrha shouted.

"Marek, are you ready yet?!"

I placed my fingers on my earpiece. "Yeah. Weiss, I'll need a pickup."

"Okay!"

Weiss approached on her queen Lancer and waited for me to get on. Once on, she took back off towards the mech. "So, what are you planning?" Weiss asked.

"I'll try to use as much of my dust as I can to obscure her vision." I replied. "If I can cover the windshield with my dust, it'll give the others time."

"Right."

"Get off of me!" Cordo yelled.

Glancing at the mech, I saw Ruby hanging onto her scythe with one hand. "Weiss!" I tapped her shoulder and pointed towards Ruby.

"On it!" I used my semblance to blind Cordo as Ruby let get go of the mech, dropping down just as we flew under her. I managed to catch Ruby and place her on the Lancer.

"What if we hadn't caught you?!" Weiss shouted.

"I knew you would!" Ruby grinned widely.

A few seconds passed before Cordo started yelling. "No, no, no, no!" I looked to the mech to see the shield had gone down. Nora took this chance to shoot her grenades at it.

Weiss took us around the back of the mech and towards Qrow and Ren. "Jump on!"

The two did so and we fly off. "I've had enough of you ingrates!" I looked back to see Jaune and Nora get hit by Cordo, breaking their auras.

"No!"

Cordo turned her attention towards us and shot the cannon point blank, destroying the Lancer and sending me, Weiss, Qrow and Ren on the cliff. Ruby tried to use her semblance but fell short. "Ruby!" diving towards the cliff, I slid off but caught myself, and Ruby, from falling.

"This is what happens when you think you know better than those rightfully in charge!" Cordo shouted.

Me and Ruby were sitting ducks, hanging off the cliff as Cordo approached. She aimed her cannon at us and started to charge it up.

I closed my eyes.

"...Calavera..." Cordo growled.

I slowly opened my eyes to see the mech with it's arm raised as if it caught something. She turned around and threw a missile at the airship, causing it to rattle.

"Oscar!"

End of chapter 44