Arhen
This will never have same overbearing presence as Lucille's aura did the moment she got serious.
But it doesn't need to even contend with Lucille's to give the impression that this thing before me, is obviously the strongest thing I have ever seen during my time here.
Weiss was strong, watching her handle the Grimm like that had pretty much cemented that in my mind.
But this Grue was more powerful, far more powerful than even Weiss. And I'm pretty sure that even she can feel it's ominous aura.
I didn't have time to think about the quest before I could see it's hand swinging fast towards my head.
Quickly, I ducked to the side and started running around the tunnel. Weiss started shooting at it from her corner, but I could only see the bullets hit it's body and sink into the darkness.
As it roared at her, Weiss pointed the tip of her rapier at it. Forming in the sky, were six translucent glyphs much dimmer than Lucille's, but similar to hers.
I momentarily experienced a wiff of nostalgia upon seeing those glyphs and remembering what they were capable of.
And as expected, the glyphs shone brightly before firing beams of light at the Grue.
Each beam pierced right through it's body in rapid torrents like a shower. But as the Grue stuck to the darkness, it grew bigger and the wounds that Weiss had inflicted upon it had begun healing faster than Weiss can damage.
Adding two more glyphs, she Increased the intensity of the light beam torrent. But as the Grue took more and more damage and healed from it, all of Weiss's attacks just seemed to make it angrier.
As the light beams stuck to the Grue's body like thorns, I could see the shadows beginning to converge upon it's body as it slowly started growing in size.
When it reached half the size of the rusted machine and quarry, it shrink quickly to about the ceiling height of a house, but the afterimage of it's previous form still showed in the form of deep purple miasma. Depicting the figure of the Grue crouching and building strength.
I ran towards the Grue, sword in hand. Through the corner of my eye, I could see Weiss spin the chamber of her gun again before a green glyph formed beneath her feet and she blasted her way to the Grue.
But we were far to slow.
The Grue started to growl as the miasma was absorbed into it's body, then it screamed.
And as it did. It unleashed a shockwave of dark energy that spread across the tunnel and shook the mine.
-12,561 HP
I couldn't tell which part of my body that I needed to shield. The dark energy pelting my body felt like constant fluxes of needles stabbing at my skin, while my ears continued to ring, while feeling like they are being stabbed.
Weiss and I were launched back by the force of the attack. When the Grue relented, I finally felt the force behind the attack as I was driven to my knee.
Through the corner of my eye, I could see Weiss bleeding from her head. She looked at me at the same time I was looking at her.
When we looked back, I was facing a giant incoming claw.
For a moment, I felt a small impact towards my side before I was suddenly pulled backwards into the air with a sudden force.
It took me a minute to realize that Weiss grabbed me and jumped away from the attack before it can reach me.
She unloaded all six rounds of her revolver into the Grue during the short moment it missed it's attack. It didn't damage it of course, but it was staggered for a bit before quickly regaining it's balance and roaring at us.
"We're not going to be able to beat this thing." I stated.
I could feel Weiss's eyes on me after that comment, but she held her tongue. "Attacks don't seem to work, it's healing faster than the damage we do to it."
"So what do you suggest?"
"That we escape."
Her eyes narrowed. She must've throught that I'll try making a break for it once we do escape.
I would, but I still need to fix the System Scan. So any efforts of escape are rendered moot until I solve that massive pain in my hide.
"You can do as you wish to me when we escape, for now, I ask that we at least cooperate. Lest we die to this creature."
She held her frosty stare until she closed them, faced away and looked at the Grue.
I could only take that gesture as her begrudging agreement to a temporary truce.
"What's your idea then?" Weiss asked. Manifesting a glyph in midair and pushing atop it to avoid another incoming claw.
I looked around near to the opening of the tunnel.
A long rusted frame suspended the ruined foundation of the quarry. The base of that frame was just behind the Grue.
"I need you to confirm something."
"The abandoned machines are all remnants of a quarry that was destroyed long ago, correct?" I asked.
"As you can see. You slaves were placed here mainly to draw the entity that destroyed the quarry out."
"Therefore, I can only surmise that the entity before us is that same perpetrator." Weiss explained.
"Do you think that it's capable of doing so again?"
She pulled us atop one of the rusted machines that suspended towards the tunnel. "What are you insinuating?" She asked.
"We trick it into cutting the metal base behind it. Causing the foundation to collapse, momentarily providing our route of escape but only for a short moment."
"And it can only happen once." I stated.
"Are you even going to be able to make the jump?" Weiss asked, obviously referring to the notion of my abilities being inferior to her's.
That is probably the one flaw in this idea. If I don't meet the requirements for the obvious Dexterity check that I'm going to need, then I'm probably going to end up dead.
Quietly, I whispered. "Status."
Name: Arhen
Age: [???]
Race: [???/Homunculi
Title: [???]
Tier: [???] [???]
[Level: 21] [Exp: 6,152/10,689]
[HP: 23,151/47,916] [HP Regen: 571HP/sec]
[MP: 6,465/7,875] [MP Regen: 206MP/sec]
STR: 34
VIT: 34
DEX: 28
CON: 45
INT: 36
WIS: 31
CHA: 28
Remaining Stat Points: 23
I've gotten decently strong, but in order to make a jump of that level, I might possibly need to put all the remaining Stat Points into Dexterity.
Assuming each time that I level up, I get 1 point added to each stat, it should be possible to get my Dexterity to a point where I might make it if given a running start.
However, before I even got the chance to adjust my stats, I felt the wind split in mid air. And for only a split second, through the corner of my eye, I could see the Grue's claw--elongated by the surrounding shadows, speeding towards me.
Before the claw could reach me, Weiss kicked me of the rusted machine and dived away from the claw.
However, unexpected to even her, before the claw could drive itself into the rusted metal of the machine, it curved in one motion whilst in the air and glided towards me.
This didn't look good. It had a big opportunity to land a blow on me whilst I was in the air like this.
Attempting to divert the direction of my fall, I raised both my arms and clenched my fists, then I threw my body to the side and tried to perform a small spin.
CON Check l Req: 20 l Current: 45 l PASSED
As I turned my body, the claw narrowly missed my chest and stomach and managed to deliver a large slash against my ribs.
-8,649 HP
I landed in a way that forced me to roll on the ground. My inner chest was stinging with pain as blood began to ooze from it.
The wound is severe, but the movement and functionality of my body hasn't been effected in any way thanks to [Gamer's Body].
I'm fighting like I don't feel pain from any wound inflicted upon me. Perhaps that is what makes the skill so terrifying.
Regardless, the [HP Regen] is starting to kick in. And following the echos of gunfire and roaring, I could see Weiss trying her best to hold the Grue back.
Thankful for the breathing room that she's given me. I hurriedly assigned all my bonus stats into Dexterity.
Name: Arhen
Age: [???]
Race: [???/Homunculi
Title: [???]
Tier: [???] [???]
[Level: 21] [Exp: 6,152/10,689]
[HP: 20,783/47,916] [HP Regen: 571HP/sec]
[MP: 6,465/7,875] [MP Regen: 206MP/sec]
STR: 34
VIT: 34
DEX: 51
CON: 45
INT: 36
WIS: 31
CHA: 28
Remaining Stat Points:
Dexterity was now my highest stat. And the very moment I broke through 50, I could feel a large pulse run through my entire body.
I did some light stretching and jumping. Noticing the ease and swiftness of moving each part of my body.
The Regeneration kicked in and healed up most if my health to a decent amount. Probably to the point of being able to take two shots of that screaming attack from earlier.
Weiss right now was keeping it's attention with gunfire. In order for the plan to work, I need to to be focused on me.
"Skill Display, [Fatal End]."
[Fatal End] [Level: 1/25] [Cost: 150 MP] [13% Sword Proficiency]
Description: Turn STR in base Attack into pure shearing force that scales with Dexterity and has a chance of inflicting bleed.
Does (Base ATK (20%)DEX) Slash Damage. Has a small chance of inflicting [Bleed]
User gains a passive 10% Increase to DEX and suffers a 5% decrease in STR during use.
It's a shame that [Fatal End] Isn't a skill of the [Swordsman] Class, and thus I won't improve my Proficiency by using it. But the skill was probably the only one suited for combat that I had on me at the moment.
Feeling like Weiss had held the Grue back enough, I began sprinting towards it.
Weiss continued shooting it, mixing rounds of her silver bullets with salvos from her white glyphs.
She stopped the moment that we spotted little spikes continuing to grow out of the Grue.
With an ear-splitting scream, the spikes shot out of it's body and scattered against the entire tunnel. Ricocheting against every known surface until the very ends of those spikes wedged themselves sharply into the ground.
Weiss managed to avoid most of the spikes by shooting herself into the air and using a glyph she summoned beneath her to launch herself out of it's range.
The black spikes had ricocheted from the rusted machine, tearing it asunder before speeding towards me in the same manner as a bullet.
I looked away and continued sprinting. As I ran faster and faster, I began to taste the fainted pang of blood without ever seeing the red pigment.
The sounds of my heartbeat reached the very back of my ears, completely eclipsing the sound of my ragged breath. And feet sliding against rough stone.
Again, I heard the spikes cut right through the air and speed towards my position.
I changed my sprint and directed it to the side, just as the spikes managed to pierce the ground with harsh bangs and booms. One by one.
The last one nearly caught me off guard, but by straining my muscles, I managed to jump into the air before the spike could manage to sweep me off the ground.
The three that followed me from behind circled me in the air, before they all dove towards me at once.
I grabbed my straight sword with my non-dominant hand, and while using the momentum I received from twisting my body in midair once more, I pulled it out of the sheath and used [Fatal End].
In one swing, I managed to parry all three of the spikes away and send them stabbing into the ground below.
They originally crashed into the blade with intense force, but I managed to push the spikes back with the skill.
I could feel that the impact effected the blades durability. There were signs of folding along the edge. But held up strong, regardless.
Taking a deep breath, I stared at the Grue as it faced me with it's gleaming, empty eyes.
Good. It's focus is on me.
I began sprinting towards the remains of the quarry foundation. The Grue responded in a roar as it lifted itself from the ground and floated in the air.
Small amounts of dark energy gathered in small streaks from the shadows, until the collective energy in the Grue's hand was just one big orb.
It then raised the orb in the air, and in the same way that spikes launcher from it's body, a salvo of dark orbs began to rapidly shoot out from it.
If the spikes from earlier were compared to bullets, then the dark salvo that the Grue just cast may as well have been faster in my eyes.
I looked back only for a moment to confirm that the Grue was targeting me.
I looked away and back at the rusted quarry, speeding up.
Some of the dark blasts curved and were shooting straight towards me with some coming from the side.
I stopped for a short minute and instead dashed towards the quarry and under the Grue. Which it's arm was just frozen by Weiss and thus distracted by her.
For a short moment, as I passed under the Grue, I stole a glance at Weiss.
She was beginning to sweat through her brow, with some of the blood from the injury earlier being wiped off her forehead.
Her rapier was pointed at the Grue, while it's hand that was previously blue, was now frozen solid.
The Grue began to collect shadows again, then, it shot out it's spikes from the frozen hand and broke the ice.
Her eyes momentarily caught sight of mine, also stealing a glance before facing the Grue again.
I could only glance back as I continued running. The Grue looked back at me and remained unaware of Weiss at his side.
She crouched down and held her rapier in both her hands. Then she sprinted towards the Grue before summoning a glyph and vanishing.
Appearing only as a stream of white light that rapidly flashed through and around the Grue's body.
The only thing I could perceive were painful wails and roars of the dark entity. As the white light glided through it's body, leaving massive cuts and lacerations that healed as quickly as it was inflicted.
Weiss returned from the light and started running along with me.
The moment I head her heels, I spun around and faced the Grue.
For the single moment that Weiss ran passed me by, she gave a small nod and continued to sprint. Leaving me to deal with the Grue that followed her in sheer rage.
The only stable pole of the rusted quarry laid just behind me. And as the Grue charged at me and launched it's claws for the chance of an attack, I used [Fatal End] and in one swing, I managed to deflect it's arms in such a way that the momentum caused it to miss.
Just then, I heard the sound of a gunshot and the side of the Grue's face exploding in flames.
I could only assume that Weiss was providing some sort of covering fire. Each time she shot a round, it's resulted in a firey explosion somewhere on it's body.
Eventually, it grew enough and swung a powerful arc with it's hand, in a single motion, it blew away the flame and smoke. Then gave a roar as it charged.
It first threw it's large claw at me. Using the ruins of the quarry as leverage, I jumped high into the air, only just avoiding the claw that crashed into the metal frame.
The Grue managed to catch me of guard, sending some of it's spikes shooting out from the arm resting in the frame.
In that time, I could briefly hear the sound of my heart pulsating before desperately using [Fatal End] to briefly bring enough strength whilst in midair to parry and redirect their collision.
Proficiency Level in Skill [Fatal End] has increased.
Only lightly cutting against my arm as I fell through the air and plunged my sword into the rusted ruins by instinct.
STR Check l Req: 40 l Current: 34 l FAILED
The moment my blade caught onto the metal, my grip had nearly slipped.
My straight sword started cleaving through the metal, and I began siding down regardless.
Then, my sword caught on something and tilted upwards. Then almost as easy as I did, it slipped off the crevice alongside myself. And now I was falling through empty air.
I looked back at the ground, and saw the Grue staring at me and bracing it's knees.
Suddenly, it demonstrated a powerful leap into the air with it's arm bearing claws, and reeling back it's fist. Preparing to attack me.
Similar to how I reacted with the spikes, I slightly spun my body till I was falling leg first. Then I held the sword with both my hands and aimed for the lower frame of the ruin.
During that, the Grue made its assault, swiping the air and missing my body. It's claws simply cleaving right through the entire front half of the rusted frame.
The moment I plunged the sword through the rusty metal, it acted similar to what happened before.
My sword continued to tear the through the fragile metal while my hands continued to slip.
Before I slipped, I braced my legs on the already fragile frame and lept of it into the air, before landing on the ground, rolling, then proceeding to sprint towards the foundation.
The rusted foundation began to bend at the rip and shearing of the cut in the metal made by the Grue's attack.
Creaking and breaking apart at the seams, the foundation finally snapped and started falling down on the Grue.
The corners of the rusted quarry fell onto the sides of the stone in the tunnel and snapped as well, but one of the beams stayed locked in place by the stone.
Weiss dashed towards the falling rusted beams, and began to make her way towards the large hole at the top, continuing to jump from falling beam to falling beam.
I took a deep breath, then began to follow suit.
Bending down and taking a deep breath, I launched into the air towards the first falling beam.
DEX Check l Req: 50 l Current: 51l PASSED
I managed to land of the first falling beam and launched onto the next one that stuck into the stone for a bit before falling.
Running up the beam and launching off it into the sky, I saw Weiss, highlighted by the backlight of the moon and grey sky, jumping from beam to beam and using her glyphs to get across.
The beams started shaking, and for a moment, I heard a huge roar before a series of thuds and metallic scrapes reached my ears.
I looked back and saw the Grue actively following us, jumping across the falling beams with long and powerful leaps.
Barely missing my body when the Grue's arms shot out towards me, it curved towards Weiss who was still making her way outside.
Gritting my teeth, I jumped onto another beam before running up the stone for a short second and leaping of it into the air just behind Weiss.
She only had time to look back at the oncoming claw before I appeared in front of her and split the Grue's arm apart with [Fatal End].
5 Rep with [Weiss Schnee] for covering her back. [5/100]
The Grue barely had time to roar in pain before the wound in it's arm regenerated, and I fell towards one of the beams stuck into the rock at the side.
I managed to stick my sword through it for balance and not to fall down any further, but before I could even stand I spotted the Grue's newly reformed arm shooting straight towards me.
But before it could, through the corner of my eye, I spotted a flash of white. Then suddenly I was in the air being held by someone at the waist, watching the claw speeding and crashing towards the beam I was just on.
Admittedly, I was a bit surprised when Weiss jumped down and dragged me away from the attack. But I'd chalk that up to the sudden gain in reputation.
She was getting warmer the longer she stayed in air, then suddenly, she was glowing with a small blue hue.
The moment the hue appeared, she blasted her way pass some of the beams onto one of the frames that lay at the top of the quarry, then she launched off that and dived towards the last cross beam lodged in stone.
Blowing it apart with her gun, the rusted beam fell towards her. And as it did, she managed to get her feet on the rusted beam and leap through the gaping hole from the beam.
We remained in midair for a bit before swiftly falling on the snow at the outside. Watching as the Grue grabbed onto the remaining beams tossed at it and climbed them.
Weiss and I stared at the oncoming monstrosity, before an idea clicked in my head and I walked towards the hole.
At first, amongst the chaos I had forgotten about the bag I had taken with me into the mine. But as I untied it from my waist, I realized that I took this dust for a reason.
So while the Grue was climbing the beams, I held the bag from the bottom and threw it to the side. Casting the Fire Dust into the tunnel he was just inside.
As intended, somewhere near towards the Grue, a single crystal shattered and started a chain of severe explosions alongside the Grue's face and body.
Sending it back down into the tunnel with a firey blaze, and burying it within the countless rusted beams and ruins of the quarry it destroyed.
I didn't get a notification as I walked away from the hole. That means that the Grue is most probably alive. And that I've successfully escaped from the Grimm and mine.
The moment I heard the familiar click of a gun reloading after a brief period of ambiance, I couldn't help but produce a small sigh as I feel the gun being pointed at me.
Slowly, I took of the leather holster with the straight sword still sheathed inside and dropped it to the snow.
"I did say that you could do as you wish after we escaped." I started.
I turned my head slightly to look at her. "You're going to shoot? I am an escapee after all."
Weiss's eyes narrowed. "Confirm something for me." She stated.
"The Overseer under the bed in the far cell, and the Half-orc buried beneath the rubble. They were both killed by you, weren't they?" The way she worded the question seemed tantamount to an accusation rather than a statement.
Must have let that slip during the fight. However…
"Why don't you suspect the other overseers?" I questioned. Her eyes remained narrow and sharp.
"They wouldn't have been able to make their way to the 50th vein." She stated. "Nor would they be able to fight the Grimm or that thing down there."
Interesting. So what exactly made Weiss so sure about that statement?
I looked down at the barcode at my neck. Were they weakening us somehow? Through these binds?
Weiss took the information of every slave in the mine, but haven't taken account of any individual strengths and weaknesses. Nor has any clue.
Not that I'm an advocate for equal humanitarian treatment, but how could she have possibly known that any normal slave would've died at this point?
Looks like there's more to Weiss Schnee than I thought. I originally had likened her to a fake Lucille lookalike. But I see that I was incorrect.
They hold quite similar traits. Although faint compared to those she's inherited from Shiro.
"I see. So, will you shoot me?" I asked.
Weiss tilted her head. "You don't talk like a slave."
My own eyes narrowed. "Am I supposed to?"
Weiss pulled back at the hammer.
"Perhaps. But you seem to think that I won't shoot you." She stated.
"You won't."
"What makes you so sure?"
Silence rang over the frozen Forest, right until Weiss walked slowly towards me, and knocked me into the snow.
Her legs spread across my body as she rested he gun and aimed straight down towards my head. "You still think I won't?" She asked.
"Yes."
My finger moved to the sight of Weiss's fingers moving towards and pulling back the trigger slightly.
Her grip gets harder and harder as her finger began to shake. Then, she froze. And slowly, her fingers moved away from the trigger, but kept it near the guard.
Weiss hummed as she stared at me in what seemed like contemplation.
2 Rep with [Weiss Schnee] for your competency earning her begrudging respect. [7/100]
"You don't act like a slave either." She stated. Some of the hostility she carried had faded during that comment.
"I'd liken you to a shepherd." I said.
"Shepherd?"
I hummed in affirmation. "Yes. And myself the dog. Or mayhaps the wolf that eats the flock."
Weiss seemed to get the reference, as her eyes narrowed ever more slightly than they did before. "What happened to the other one?" She asked.
"I ate him. I'm the new dog now." I said.
Weiss slowly dropped her gun to her side. "Oh?" She questioned.
"That's why, you won't kill this dog."
She stepped off for a bit and moved around until her back faced the backlight of the moon. Her silver hair blinded me as she took heavy strides closer to me, stood there and stared at me.
I was confused, but I didn't dare let it show on my face. She was thinking again.
I found myself wondering what exactly could she be thinking about. She's quite obviously keeping me alive for a reason.
The metaphor about the dog and the shepherd was obviously an attempt to call her out without her directly knowing that I am aware of what she'd planned.
My body tensed the moment she grabbed the hem of my clothes and pulled me towards her, only to glare at me.
She's got Lucille's glare. Perhaps that why it was a bit unnerving just looking her in the eye.
"Arhen, correct?" She questioned. Then continued regardless.
"I want you to remember something." Her grip on my clothes grew tighter, almost choking me.
"The shepherd can kill the dog just as easily as she does the livestock." She threatened.
"But, will you?"
She stayed silent for a while, and during that time, I heard the familiar sound of car engines and squeaky wheels.
"You certainly think highly of yourself." Weiss chided.
She and I were blinded by the incoming sedan's front light. Luckily it stopped just before a few meters of Weiss.
I heard a few car doors swing open, and many heavy footprints hit the snow. Another group of sedans pulled up, each with a caravan of metallic horses following them.
Weiss loosened her grip until I could breath again, then she somewhat tossed me into the snow and began to walk closer to the cars headlight.
"But…"
She stopped for a moment, then turned her head back and looked at me.
"Perhaps I won't for the moment…I'm still undecided."
Weiss
The first thing that she thought while in the sedan was--how could things end up this way?
Somehow, once again she had found herself getting aptly bandaged by her head servant Klein, who had managed to assemble some of the Schnee Guards and overseers to assist her at the mine.
Little later than she would've liked, considering her and the unusual slave--Arhen. Had already dealt with the entity that endangered her.
Speaking of--she could already see him getting roughly shoved into the caravan they've brought. She and the overseers camped near the mines entrance for a while after it was cleared of the Grimm for visibility to improve.
She was slightly later than scheduled to return, considering it's Thursday morning already. But that was the fault of herself coupled with the unexpected encounter.
She winced, her hand stung again as Klein redressed her now reopen wound. The head wasn't too bad, she thought. Nothing that having a bath won't fix.
In hindsight, they really shouldn't have stayed for so long.
"How many are left, Klein?" Weiss asked.
She looked in the eyes of the artificial human, he looked away with a grimace.
Weiss knew he was hesitating. The way he avoided her judging sight spoke highly of how much he was hiding.
Eventually, he caved. And roughly spoke. "36, madam."
Weiss couldn't deny the shock that the number sent down her system. 36? That was roughly a third of the amount she accounted for yesterday!
She buried her head in her palms. And she was supposed to sell most of them. The survivors of the Grimm attack were a paltry amount at best, better suited for the paltry crime lords in Mistral.
Some of them had physical signs of bad health while the others were riddled with disease.
This was bad. Really, really bad.
She sighed. At the moment, there was nothing she could do. It's daylight now, they've spent the night at the entrance to the mine.
"Madam Weiss?"
Hearing the call she turned and looked outside. Arhen was sitting at the back of the caravan, and one of the soldiers that put him inside was currently making his way towards her, with the straight sword he was using in hand.
"The slave had this in hand, my lady." The soldier presented the sword to her, and in silence Weiss took it and kept it at her side.
She then went back to looking at the caravan, or specifically Arhen. The most unusual slave she'd seen.
He was staring back at her through the little spaces between the sheet metal of the caravan.
"What should we do with him, mam?" The soldier questioned, also sending a glare towards Arhen.
"Leave him, I've got plans for him." She raised up the sword until it met her sight. "I'll be keeping this for the time being." She said.
Weiss thought back to the earlier fight with the entity in the mine. Arhen was supposed to be one of the many weakened slaves kept down there, but the way he fought didn't dictate that notion.
And as she hopped back in the car and gave Klein the notion to start driving, she couldn't help but think in her desperation that...
He would make good product for the sale at the auction.
Weiss had no idea why, but that line of thought had given her a sick feeling that ran like bile through her throat.
She frowned. No. That would be a waste. She thought.
Especially if he ended up a concubine for a noble with self-image issues.
But that left her with the question, what exactly is she going to do with him?
And as she frequently looked back at the rear window to check If the caravan was still following them, she sighed and instead took out her scroll and held it against a pedestal on the front seat.
She'll delegate the situation of Arhen to her future self.
Her scroll opened a display that seemed like a large azure screen. A keyboard appeared just beneath her as she fervently typed and sent Whitley a message.
He responded quickly with a video call. His smug smile appearing as a flashing icon that Weiss reluctantly clicked on after breathing once, twice, then three times.
"Morning, Weiss!" Whitley greeted, brightly through the screen.
She looked around the place where her little freak of a brother was sitting. It was to well lit to be his room this time of day. Also too well kept.
He also was a little quick when answering her calls this time. She found it weird, but didn't question it. Lest he was busy with something yesterday that she was better off not knowing.
"You're up early." Weiss responded. It was safe enough to highlight what she'd noticed without allowing Whitley to elaborate.
"How'd you know?"
"I do have the time on the Scroll, you know." Weiss chided, lifting up the scroll and placing her coat on her lap before setting it back in place.
"Oh, yeah. That you do have." He yawned with his arms stretched out wide. "Guess I'm still half-asleep."
Whitley then proceeded to fold his arms and lean closer onto the screen. "So what do you need?"
Weiss pulled out a flash drive and stuck it into the side of her scroll, then after rapid typing and clicking, she began a file transfer.
"Surprisingly, your plan worked. I'm sending you the data now." Weiss stated.
She could see Whitley raise his single eyebrow and dart off the screen, before returning a few minutes later with a laptop in hand.
Even behind a screen, Weiss could here the familiar pang of an alert. And Whitley furiously clicking. "A Grue, huh?" He chided.
"You know what it is?" Weiss questioned.
For a rare moment, Weiss could see her brother loose his scummy-morning smile and instead brandish a serious frown. "I'm more surprised that you encountered it. They're only supposed to appear in absolute darkness."
He looked into the screen. "How did you find it?" Whitley questioned.
"It was in the 50th vein. The one with the damaged quarry."
Whitley held his chin. "Interesting…" he trailed off after that comment, preferably thinking. She assumed.
"So how are you doing after all that?"
"I'm fine, make sure that the data makes it's way to Jacques." Weiss stated.
Whitley stared at her, half smiling like a loon with a sense of melancholy hidden behind it. "That's cold, Weiss." He stated.
She ignored his previous comment and looked back at the caravan. Good, it was still there. That's one thing she got right this day.
Weiss narrowed her eyes as an idea formed. In one motion, she turned back to the screen.
"Whitley, I'm guessing that you already know the password to the Schnee Archives." Weiss accused, lightly shaking as the sedan rode over a hidden stone in the snow.
Whitley chuckled on screen as he fiddled with a fork that he balanced on his plate. "Oh, Weiss. Have you forgotten that I'm the admin for the archives, dear?" He questioned, smugly.
"Run a check on the Slave Folder." Weiss commanded.
He pouted for a bit at the cold response but eventually followed her words. Whitley dropped the fork and shifted his seat till he faced his own laptop. Then he began typing.
Afterwards, he looked back at Weiss. "ID--3886, Mineshaft B32." She recited of a tab on her scroll.
"ID--3886, B32." Whitley mumbled while proceeding with a series of mouse clicks and typing.
After which he stopped, and for the moment, he completely froze.
Weiss furrowed her eyebrows as she looked between the extra tab on the Scroll and the video call. "Where's that information, Whitley?" She asked.
His response to that was only to close his eyes and smile. "I can't find it." He stated.
"What do you mean you can't find it?"
"I don't know, it's encrypted. The level of coding is beyond me or Delta's intellect." Whitley complained, lightly rubbing his forehead in frustration.
"You're the head of intelligence, Whitley. Why don't you actually try being intelligent?" Weiss spat in equal frustration.
For some reason, Whitley gave a small chuckle despite her insult. "I'm glad to see that you haven't lost that wit."
The chuckle made Weiss feel a little guilty. "Whitley--"
"I'll send you what I have regardless. Not sure that it'll help as much as you want it to, but it's all I got." Whitley responded, whilst looking at his computer and again typing as fast as she would regularly text.
With a small bell as a notification, she faced the oncoming file transfer and was met with Whitley's unusual smile. A bit scummy, with a little of detected hunger beneath his blue eyes.
She frowned as she stared back at him. "I need to go now. Jacques is calling me. Good bye for now, Weiss."
Weiss remained silent. Not that she could say anything, since Whitley interrupted her and closed the call before she could question him.
She was tempted to focus her thoughts and dwell on the exchange that happened just now. Which was obviously far different than the one that happened in the clinic.
But nevertheless, she sighed and calmed herself down. The transfer was complete.. Whitley had done what he could, whatever use that was.
They were quite deep in the forest now. The ride was getting smooth with the lack of sticks and stones on the path, they were getting close.
Looking back at the caravan for one last time, she sat back down in her seat and opened the document that Whitley sent.
The moment she did, her eyes widened in sheer surprise and morbid confusion.
"What the hell am I looking at?"
New chapter done. Things are getting quite deep now.
Do tell me if the fight was to your liking. The Grue is obviously not dead and will be dealt with later.
Until then, see you next chapter.