Chapter Seventeen; Revelation, Part One
Professor Haze burst through the doors of the dormitory to see most of her students finishing their preparations. When the students noticed Ember, they ceased what they were doing and looked to her. Many more of her students also began flooding the first floor from the upper parts of the building. They needed the guidance of their young professor, one who was barely three years older than most of the fourth-year students among the group.
"Alright everyone, the airship docks aren't far," Ember stated. "However, there's a lot of Grimm between here and there, so we'll have to fight our way to safety. Stay with your teams and don't separate from the group. If we stay together and watch one another's backs, we'll all make it outta here, I promise you that."
The students believed every one of Professor Haze's words. They all began to draw and activate their weapons before streaming out of the front door of the dormitory.
Teams BLAC, AYST, and STON were towards the back of the crowd as they began to leave the building. Apollo and Oliver rudely pushed past the members of Teams BLAC and AYST, the former of the two boys shot Bianca a disdainful glare as he passed her. Meanwhile, Tawney and Nikolas remained behind the two teams, they shook their heads at their leader's and his partner's actions.
"Jeez, you would think losing in the qualifiers would've humbled him," Cyrus said.
"I doubt he has a single humble bone in his body," Ebony stated.
"He's been holding a grudge against you guys since that match you know," Tawney interjected. "Now's not the time to be focused on things like that though."
"Have you tried telling him that?" Ebony inquired.
"We did, he wouldn't listen to either Nikolas nor I," Tawney replied.
"Let's worry about that when we're on the evac-ship," Bianca said.
The silver-eyed warrior's teammates and friends looked to one another for a moment before nodding in agreement. The ten of them then followed after their classmates.
The students and their professor emerged from the dormitory, the situation in the academy had grown worse in the few moments since they arrived. Many more Grimm had begun to swarm the academy; Manticores, Lancers, and Nevermores roamed the skies and swooped down on any unlucky enough to fall into their sights. All the while, Beowolves and Beringels scaled the steep mountain walls near the evacuation points at the airship docks. Worst of all however, a Sphinx circled the skies above, looking for prey.
"Ok everyone, let's move!" Professor Haze shouted as she motioned for the students to follow her.
The students followed their professor through the academy and the hordes of Grimm, fighting the entire way. The monsters attacked from all sides, but the student's lines held strong. Teams stood together and partners back to back as they fought, and Professor Haze gave help where she could. They fought as if their lives depended on it, which they did.
At the head of the group, Professor Haze roundhouse kicked a Beowolf and sent it flying past herself. Behind her, Scarlet Winchester of Team SSGE smashed the beast's head into the concrete with her morning-star mace.
Lucas and Alyssa had been separated in the fighting. As he fought, he backed into someone or something. When he turned to strike, he saw it was Tawney and lowered his weapon. Then, a Manticore came flying at the two of them. Lucas combined his weapons to form his bow and together the two archers loosed arrows into the beast, killing it before it reached them.
Oliver chopped a Beowolf in half with his kukri and then switched his weapon to its pistol mode and killed a Beringel that was about to attack Apollo from behind. The boxer turned to his partner and nodded to him in thanks.
Alani and Yin carved a bloody path through the Grimm, their years of training together in the Southern Isles had already made them a potent duo. Meanwhile, their teammates Roy and Ebony fought near back to back. Roy used all the elemental dust at his disposal; fire, ice, lightning, and wind, to keep the enemy at bay. Ebony had abandoned her weapon's rail-sniper form in the melee and instead chopped down Grimm with its battle-axe mode.
Alyssa found herself surrounded by Grimm. Despite this, none of the beasts were able to touch her. Her parries were swift, her blocks stalwart, and following them were devastating combos of punches and spinning kicks.
Bianca was knocked to the ground by a Manticore. As the Beast Pounced to finish her, Cyrus rushed between them and stopped it with one of his aura barriers. He quickly deactivated his semblance and thrust his sword into the beast's mouth, killing it.
As Bianca jumped to her feet, the sphinx landed in the melee. Ember rushed past her two silver-eyed students at the beast, they opted to give her some backup. Once the professor got close, she leapt in the air and delivered a back-flip kick to the beast's chin, shortly after that, Bianca and Cyrus charged in and slashed at its front legs. The beast reared back and flapped its wings, sending out a gust of wind that nearly knocked its three attackers off their feet.
"That thing's tough," Cyrus stated.
"Let's clip its wings," Bianca said as she combined her sabers to form her scythe.
Cyrus nodded to his partner and then turned to Ember, "professor, make us an opening."
Ember turned to her two students, "will do."
Cyrus and Bianca held their respective weapons in one hand while wrapping their free arm around one another. The Professor then charged forward and leapt in the air, delivering a swift and powerful kick to the beast's face before jumping away. As it shook the attack off, Bianca activated her semblance, shooting both she and Cyrus towards the monster. When they got close, they separated from one another and slashed the beast's wings off in one fell swoop.
As the Sphinx roared in agony, Ember rushed back in and slammed its head into the ground with a powerful dropkick. Shortly thereafter, Cyrus and Bianca jumped from the beast's back and swung their weapons down on its neck, decapitating it.
The students and their professor continued to push through the ranks of Grimm and eventually neared the evacuation zone. As they entered the airship docks more Grimm began to descend upon them. They were aided slightly by some Atlesian soldiers led by the female Centurion, Agent Omega. She rushed forward to cover the students and shot down many Grimm with her dual PDWs.
"Apollo, look out!" Oliver shouted.
A Nevermore swooped in and grabbed Apollo by the shoulders and began to fly off, but the boxer wasn't going out like that. "Let go of me you son of a bitch!"
Apollo managed to get one of his arms free and began violently punching the Nevermore's other talon. It soon let go and Apollo fell to the ground, but he had miscalculated how high he was.
He hit the ground, his aura already low, wasn't able to fully dampen the impact and it shattered. He both felt and heard the crack run through his leg. He let out an audible cry of pain as he grabbed it. Both the femur and fibula in his right leg were broken in the fall.
Apollo froze as he heard a bestial growl near him. He slowly turned to see an Alpha Beowolf creeping up on him from his right. His teammates and professor noticed this and rushed to his aid, but they weren't fast enough. The beast pounced as a flash of white shot past Ember and the rest of Team STON.
He screamed what he believed to be his last as he shut his eyes and raised his fists to desperately protect himself, however the pain of claws and teeth tearing into his flesh never came. Apollo opened his eyes to see white rose petals descending around him. When he looked forward, he saw Bianca standing between him and the Alpha. The beast was sliced clean in two as its body evaporated.
Professor Haze and the rest of Team STON soon arrived. Oliver and Nikolas helped Apollo up and supported him as he stood on his one good leg. They began to carry him away, but the boxer spoke.
"Wait, wait," he said to his teammates. Apollo then looked at the girl he and his partner had bullied mercilessly over nearly the past year as guilt and regret filled him. "Thanks Bianca."
Oliver looked to Bianca as well as he gave her a gracious and apologetic nod.
"It was no problem," Bianca replied.
Nikolas and Tawney looked to one another and smiled at what had just happened. Perhaps this would be the catalyst that will change their leader for the better. Oliver and Nikolas then carried Apollo away as Tawney followed, prepared to cover them if they were attacked.
There was a host of other people at the evacuation site from all the other academies when the Beacon students arrived. Oliver and Nikolas set Apollo down with other severely injured people. Near immediately an Atlesian medic began tending to his broken leg.
Ember Haze stood at the entrance of the zone counting her students as they passed. She knew she had forty-one teams with her, one-hundred-sixty-four students in all that made the trip from Beacon to Haven. As she counted, she suppressed the hope in her that all had survived, only a miracle could ensure that. However, counting by groups, she soon reached the magic number, but she wasn't sure about it. She kept the possibility open that maybe she miscounted. It was only the reality of their situation after all.
As she turned to follow her students into the evacuation zone, she saw a great flash of white light come from within the Academy, the telltale sign of a silver-eyed warrior in battle. Ember knew there was only one other of them besides Cyrus and Bianca in the whole Academy.
"That idiot," Ember said under her breath. She then took off running towards the academy.
Yaara turned and saw her professor running, "Professor Haze, where are you going?"
Ember turned slightly, "don't worry about me, just get in line for evacuation. If I'm not on the transport with you all, I'll be on the next one out."
As Ember ran through the campus of Haven, she heard the sounds of battle all around her, but she homed in on a certain point. As she rounded the corner of a building, she saw yet another great white light, along with a silhouette of several Grimm being vaporized. After the light dissipated, she saw the members of Team SLVR finishing off a few stragglers among the Grimm.
She ran up to the four students, all of whom were in their battle attire and fully armed. "What the hell are you all still doing here?!"
Before her teammates could speak in her defense, Sierra stepped forward. "It was my call. I'm not gonna watch from afar again as my home gets burned to the ground!"
Ember was about to retort, but something stopped her. She knew the sentiment Sierra had, after all, they both grew up during the civil war years, as did Sierra's teammates; Luke, Violet, and Russell. They had all lost something.
"Fine," Ember stated. "If you want to defend your home, then come with me. But, you, Sifu, and I are going to have a nice long chat after this." She then turned to Sierra's teammates, "you three are gonna get an earful too."
Team SLVR was taken aback slightly and were no doubt intimidated by Ember, but nonetheless, they all agreed. The five of them then ran off towards Haven's main hall to meet up with Neptune, Scarlet, Sage, and Arslan.
At Haven's main hall, Scarlet, Sage, and Arslan were reeling from what Neptune had told them. They couldn't believe what they had heard; maidens that could control the elements, magical relics that when brought together could summon gods who'd judge Remnant and possibly destroy it, and above all, Professor Pine had the spirit of a millennia's old wizard from a by gone age inhabiting his body.
"You all doing ok?" Neptune asked them.
"Are we doing ok?" Scarlet retorted. "I'm sorry, but we should be asking you that. Man, what have you been smoking?"
"I'm being serious," Neptune replied. "And for your information, I haven't smoked anything in my life."
"I believe him," Arslan said.
"Same," Sage added.
Scarlet looked to his compatriots with disbelief, but then sighed. "I guess I'll go along with this too, what do we have to lose?"
"Your lives," a voice called from the balcony overlooking the ground floor.
The four professors turned immediately to see Rouge, Jet, and Nilah standing above them. The three of them then dropped down from the balcony to the ground floor, where they faced the professors.
"Rouge," Neptune said as he drew his trident.
Seeing this, Scarlet drew his sword and pistol, Sage drew his great sword, and Arslan took her wide and low stance. In response Jet drew his serrated ballistic short-sword and Nilah drew her Tessen War Fans.
Neptune pointed his trident at the Summer Maiden, "good luck getting the relic. Because unless your lady friend there is the Spring Maiden, you're not opening the vault."
Rouge chuckled, "oh Neptune, this is why you and your friends in Oscar's inner circle haven't been able to track me down. You think, you know what I want, but you have no idea."
"What do you want then?" Neptune inquired.
"Your head," Rouge replied laconically.
"Bring it," Neptune said. "You may be a maiden, but you're facing four fully trained huntsmen, with only children to back you up."
Rouge sighed, "you're arrogant and naïve, just like the rest of your allies." She then looked past the headmaster, "Lioness, if you would."
"Yes, my lady," Arslan said.
Before the three other professors knew what hit them, Arslan shot out her rope-dart and wrapped it around Scarlet's neck. The huntsman unintentionally dropped his weapons as he struggled to free himself. Meanwhile, before they could assist him, Rouge drew her retractable short-swords and attacked Neptune while Jet and Nilah took on Sage.
Sage quickly blocked a dual attack from both of the Dusk twins with his sword. With one powerful shove, he pushed the two of them back.
"You're strong," Nilah said behind a manic smile. "This is gonna be so much fun!"
"Sister, stay focused," Jet said apathetically.
"Oh, I am focused brother," Nilah replied. "Focused on how much fun I'm gonna have with him!"
"Fucking psycho," Sage said to himself.
Jet and Nilah then lunged at the huntsman and attacked the large man in unison. Their attacks were quick, and they easily dodged and parried the lumbering slashes of Sage's great sword. They chipped away at his aura little by little.
Scarlet desperately reached for either of his weapons, but whenever it seemed like he was getting close to grabbing it, Arslan tightened her rope-dart around his neck. Slowly he began to lose consciousness.
"Hang on Scarlet, I'm coming to help!" Neptune called out to his friend.
Rouge descended upon him and struck the headmaster with her swords, knocking him to the ground. "Don't lie to him, he's going to die, and so are you and your other friend."
Scarlet finally lost consciousness from the lack of air. When his body fell limp, Arslan released her rope-dart from his neck and walked up to him. In one hand she grabbed his chin, and the other, the back of his head. She quickly and viciously broke his neck, killing him instantly.
Neptune heard his friend's neck snap and looked in his direction, "no!"
Neptune pushed Rouge away, and in a blood rage, charged Arslan. He swung his trident wildly at her, but the strikes only hit air as she effortlessly dodged and parried them. "You killed my friend you fucking traitor!"
Arslan ducked under Neptune's next strike and then rapidly punched him several times in the chest, before then roundhouse kicking him in the face. He dropped his weapon as he slid away from her.
As Neptune went to pick himself up, he saw Jet and Nilah shatter Sage's aura. Nilah slashed him in the chest, drawing blood, and then jet stabbed him in the back, delivering the killing blow.
Before he could do anything, Rouge walked up to him, shooting flames from one of her hands. His aura blocked the attack for a moment, but then his too was shattered. Rouge halted her flames before she burned the headmaster.
Jet and Nilah restrained Neptune by grabbing his arms and holding them behind him. The headmaster knew he was beaten, but he didn't show it.
"You know, normally I'd cleanse you with fire, but I have to maintain a certain… plausible deniability in all this," Rouge said. "Any last words headmaster?"
Neptune looked to Arslan, rage and hate filled his eyes. "I hope you live forever."
Arslan didn't break eye contact and stared down her former ally as Rouge drew one of her short swords. In one swift motion, she cut Neptune's throat. Jet and Nilah let go of him as he choked and watched as his lifeless body fell to the ground.
"Neptune, no!" A voice shouted from the entrance way of the main hall. Rouge and her allies turned to see Ember and Team SLVR standing there. The five of them had arrived just as Rouge killed the headmaster.
"Sifu, what is all this?" Sierra asked.
Arslan stepped forward, there was a stern look on her face, "I told you to evacuate, what are you still doing here!?"
"Don't try to change the subject Sifu," Ember stated.
Arslan sighed and looked to Rouge for a moment. The maiden nodded her head, and Arslan turned back to Ember and Team SLVR, "Mistral has betrayed its people, and now it's time for a change. Come with me and I'll explain everything in detail once the battle is finished." Arslan held out her hand.
Sierra began to walk to her Sifu, but Ember put her hand in front of her. "From the looks of things, it's you who've betrayed Mistral and its people."
"Well this is certainly a turn of events," Rouge said. "Lioness, I take it you can handle this rabble, whatever it may take."
"Yes, my lady," Arslan replied.
"Very well, we'll be off then," Rouge stated. "Let me know if your students and their friends decide to come around."
Rouge, Jet, and Nilah then began to head out the back of the main hall. Since there were no substantial shadows around, they couldn't use Jet's semblance to escape the building.
"Sierra," Ember said, gaining the attention of her friend. "Take your team and go after them. Don't let them escape, no matter what."
Sierra looked to Ember and gave her a confident nod.
Arslan stepped in their paths, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that. Just listen to me please."
Before Arslan could continue, Ember attacked, allowing Team SLVR to rush past them and after the maiden and Dusk twins. Arslan blocked her former student's attacks and jumped away.
"Do you know what you've done?" Arslan asked.
"Yeah, they're gonna stop your murderous friends Sifu," Ember replied.
"No, you've sent them to their deaths," Arslan retorted.
"I know Rouge is a maiden, but have you no faith in your pupil and her teammates Sifu?" Ember retorted.
"You obviously don't comprehend the true power maidens possess," Arslan said. "I couldn't beat her."
Ember was taken aback by Arslan's words. Maybe she was right, maybe she did unknowingly send Sierra to her death. 'No,' she thought to herself. Sierra was strong, one of the strongest people she'd known in her life. Even without the power of her silver-eyes, she could defeat Rouge, or so she believed.
Back at the airship docks, things were getting harry. A pair of fighters with VDF markings flew through the swarms of aerial Grimm. One was taken down by a nevermore, while the other made it through relatively unscathed. It proceeded to strafe one of the transports and the people around it, killing many, including a few Atlesian Soldiers. It took fire from the defenders as it flew off, the transport it attacked, falling from the docks and crashing to the ground, killing all those on board.
The Beacon students and many others nearby looked on in shock and horror at the blatant war crime that had been committed. They couldn't believe that the Kingdom of Vale would do this sort of thing. There was nothing they could do though, except watch.
Yaara continued to pace back and forth at the entrance of the evacuation zone. Her fellow students were getting closer to being evacuated, but there was still a long line of people before them. That's not what she was stressing about, however.
"Dammit, where's Professor Haze, she should've been back by now," she said.
"Yaara, what's the matter?" Bianca asked, as she and her teammates walked up to the older girl.
"It's Professor Haze, she ran back into the academy after we got here," Yaara replied. "I know she's a huntress and can handle herself, but still, it has me worried."
"Well, we can't just leave her behind, can we?" Bianca asked rhetorically. She then turned to her teammates, "lets go find the professor."
Alyssa, Cyrus, and Lucas all nodded in agreement with their leader. The four of them then ran out of the evacuation zone and back into the academy. Nearby, Team AYST saw their friends leave the evacuation zone.
"What are they doing? Are they crazy?" Roy asked.
"I don't know, but we should give them some back-up," Alani said.
Team AYST then ran out of the evacuation zone as well and followed their friends, quickly catching up to them.
Within Haven's main hall Ember and Arslan circled one another as they prepared to fight. Each one was in their stance; Arslan's was wide, low, and looked rigid, while Ember's looked loose and off-balance.
"I still don't understand why you've betrayed us," Ember said.
"I haven't betrayed anyone, Mistral has betrayed its people for the last time," Arslan retorted. "Many hundreds of thousands died as the civil war raged. My entire team was killed; Reese, Nadir," she choked up for a moment, "my husband Bolin. All of them died trying to protect the people, while the council sat idly by and did nothing!"
"You're selfish, you know that," Ember said. "You know damn well the council couldn't do anything. Mistral, the city itself, was under siege for most of the war, they wanted to help the rest of the kingdom, but they were unable to. And you're not the only one who lost friends and family during the war. Both my parents were killed during the first siege, and Sierra's entire village was slaughtered by one of the militias. Everyone she'd ever known, dead, before her very eyes."
Arslan sprung from her stance and struck at Ember. The two martial artists traded blows, blocks, and parries. Arslan was rigid and disciplined in her attacks and blocks, while Ember drunkenly dodged and parried her Sifu's attacks. After a moment, they jumped away from one another.
Ember chuckled, "you know, I thought you, Sierra, and I had a happy family once you took us in. You were more than our Sifu, we thought of you as our mother, and each other as sisters. You and I may have not always seen eye to eye, which led me to choose Beacon over Haven, but I never once regretted thinking of you as my mother. And even after seeing how far you've fallen, I still don't." A tear fell from Ember's eye.
"I share your sentiments, I truly do," Arslan replied. "But you obviously don't see things as they truly are. Oscar, Neptune, the council, they would all cast you aside on a whim if it meant furthering their goals, they don't care for you or anyone for that matter. But Rouge, she truly cares for those who follow her. If you'd just join us, I can convince her to spare Sierra and her team, and the three of us can continue to rebuild our family." Arslan again held out her hand.
"No," Ember stated. "While I still think of you as my mother, you threw away our family the moment you sided with her."
Arslan sighed, "then you've forced my hand. I'm sorry, my pupil."
"I'm sorry too, Sifu," Ember replied.
They took their stances once again and charged one another. It was professor vs professor, huntress vs huntress, and above all, student vs master. This fight was for real. Every punch and kick was thrown with more than just the weight of their bodies behind it, but also the weight of their emotions.
Ember threw a right hook, which Arslan easily blocked with her wrist. The master then threw several quick punches to her student's abdomen, stumbling her back.
Ember reeled from the attack. She placed her hand on her chest as she heaved and caught her breath. The student charged her master. She leapt in the air and threw a quick kick at Arslan's face, a blow she easily cross blocked with her forearms.
Arslan pushed her student back, and counter-attacked. She threw a palm strike aimed for Ember's temple. The student leaned back and dodged the strike. The master shot her rope-dart at Ember's leg, entrapping it. She then yanked on it, sending her tumbling to the ground.
Ember quickly rolled out of the way as Arslan attempted to stomp on her. Before she could stand, her opponent kept attempting to stomp on her, narrowly missing each time. Ember then quickly reversed the direction of her roll, forcing her master to jump over her to avoid falling.
With the brief moment she had been allotted, Ember kicked herself up and back to her feet. She then charged Arslan once more and this time she managed to land several powerful strikes to her master's head and body. She concluded her attack by connecting with a kick to Arslan's stomach.
Arslan slid back from the force of her student's attacks. She held her stomach as she breathed heavily. "You've gotten better."
"I had a great master," Ember replied.
Arslan chuckled slightly. She then popped the joints in her neck and shoulders before throwing off her red sash and yellow robe, leaving her in just her black pants, chest-wrap, and shoes. She began to hop back and forth on the balls of her feet.
Ember cautiously approached her master. When she got close and threw a punch, Arslan deflected it and countered with a swift kick to her student's jaw, knocking her back. Every time the student got close, the master would parry her attack and counter with some type of kick.
After one of Ember's unsuccessful attacks, Arslan threw a round house kick to her head, an attack the student easily blocked. However, the master quickly pushed off and connected with a powerful reverse kick to her student's temple.
Ember stumbled back in a daze, but Arslan gave her no opportunity to recuperate. The master attacked her student mercilessly as Ember attempted to dodge and parry her attacks. Kicks and punches were thrown to the body and head, none of which Ember could protect herself from.
Arslan hit Ember with a left-right cross, followed by an uppercut which sent her student flying back. Her aura was shattered before she even hit the ground.
Ember tried to stand as Arslan walked over to her. The master grabbed her student by the hair, gaining an audible "gah!" of pain from her. She raised her hand and formed it like a leopard's paw, however as she made eye contact with Ember, she froze for a moment.
Tears fell from both their eyes as they looked to each other, both remembering when times were simpler and happier. All the days spent training or spending time together, the injuries that Ember or Sierra had obtained, that Arslan treated as a mother would. Through the good and the bad, they always knew they had one another. They, along with Sierra, were truly a family. But those days were gone now.
Arslan shut her eyes as she changed her hand's form to a fist and then stuck out her index and middle fingers. She then struck Ember in a pressure point on her neck, knocking her out. She couldn't bring herself to kill someone she cherished more than anything in the world. She couldn't kill her own daughter.
As she looked over her unconscious student, she pulled out the dagger portion of her rope dart. She pressed it to her own side and sliced a deep cut in it, to make it seem as if she too was a victim of what had occurred in the main hall. She then walked over and cut a hole in both her sash and robe before then wiping the blood off her weapon around the cuts. Clutching her side, she walked out a side exit of the main hall.
As she was about to leave, she looked back to her unconscious student. An expression of sadness and regret filled her face. "Why couldn't you two see reason." She then exited the building.