AN: Here it is! More Bastion! More fighting! In this chapter, we see team ARKM plus thier chaperone battle the patriarch! And we get a hint of the rapid pace this fic is about to pick up and its going to get rough! So buckle up! This starts heavy and won't let up so here we go! Let's get a fight!
"Patriarch!"
Uzepi shouted at the top her lungs as the looming abomination finally with a tremendous effort, and with a horrible screeching sound tore apart the massive metal doors barring its path. Ripping hem apart like they were made of cloth and not what had to be old wall forged metal as it lumbered into view.
It was even more massive and terrible than Jaune thought. As the massive abomination lumbered into the church. Thud! The enormous metal body heads were tossed to the side like they were mere twig as it's six massive arms flailed out. Each one was longer than a small building and thicker an entire bullhead. With six long obsidian claws each longer than a minivan at the end that looked like they could tear apart reinforced titanium.
As the monster looked down at Jaune, it's dozen searing gold eyes seemed to lock onto him as it's massive maw opened realign road after for of stalagmite teeth that seemed to be curly sharpened as a long serpentine tongue rolled out of its jaw. The about was even more massive up close. As Jaune saw what he thought to be a mere four stories tall abomination of nature was now closer to six stores at full height and-
"What the hell is that thing!?"
Jaune shouted as the monster gave a deafening roar that sent him to his knees, with ringing ears and blurred tear stained vision as Uzepi cursed at the top of her lungs
"That's a Patriarch! It's what we were sent here to kill!"
The woman yelled her purple eyes glared at the monster as she raised her pistol. She fired the time with share FSH! Soun filling the ria s the usually lethal purple energy bounced harmlessly of the monster hide as it bellowed again send team ARKM and their chair to their knees as its massive chiton form began to lumber towards them.
"Oh shit! Not today!"
Kage yelled turning to face the abomination in front of him as a leering jawline of horribly long teet glared down at the boy as he raised his Gatling cannon to face it.
VRRTTT! The cannon on his left spooled once as it began firing up at the monster as shells longer then his hand and thicker than his arm encased in a highly explosive shells tore into it's hide. Tearing apart the monsters upper chitinous armor making it scream in pain before-
WHAM!
"AHH!"
Kage screamed at the top of his lungs as faster than a bullet. The monster slashed down at him. As talons, the size of minivans attached to an arm longer than most buildings tore down at him with the force of a meteor. As the massive dark obsidian claw met power armor master crafted by ancient armorsmiths, in a battle of technology versus nature. The biological versus the pinnacle! Of year after year of human warfare, the accumulation of humanities desires to not only survive but overcome its challenges! And was torn apart like wet paper.
"GYAH!?"
Kage cried out in equal parts pain and shock as his armor was ripped neatly in half, torn apart like a can of dog food and rendered useless as three massive claw marks appeared on his right leg before pop!
His aura popped and broke as his semblance kicked in and failed, as three massive bleeding gashes appeared on his right leg followed by three more in his chest. Tearing long ugly slashes along his upper body making him cough up blood as he stumbled out of his now ruined power armor. Flailing onto the shattered alter ground coughing up blood and bleeding all over the ground.
"Kage?!"
Mika cried a hint of real worry in her voice as she saw her friend mauled by the monster as he pulled out his bolt pistols.
BANG! BANG!
He fired two rounds that merely bounced off the monsters chitinous skin as it roared again.
"Take this!"
Uzepi yelled reaching int her back and flung a small grey satchel at the thing, which latched on its face and-
BANG!
A terrible explosion rocked the things body as the satchel charge detonated making the monster tettered once appeared to be about to topple over. Before righting itself with a massive bellow that made team ARKM's ears bleed as it fought it's way back. Its massive legs bending and scraping the metal they stood on and-
"Form up! Do not get distracted!"
Jaune yelled taking out his sword as it happened. The flaming cordon they had already so desperately made and tired of defending was failing. As more of the minor abominations ran past Mika's flaming cordon and-
"~Boss man~! Kage is hurt! I-
"I know he's hurt! Mika if you don't keep up the pressure on them then we are all going to die! And that means Kage to!"
Jaune shouted another creature half on fire hopped out of the flame and ran for him. Six long leering chitons arms that glowed a sickly yellow on the firelight looming out. As Jaune snarled striking out with Crocea Mors and running the thing through with its own weight and momentum.
Allowing it to gut itself as he kicked it's still warm corpse off of him as-
"Fall back! Fall back!"
Uzepi said firing futilely into the patriarch as it roared slamming down a building size arm, tearing apart half the alter they stood on as it broke clean past a fire wall. Smashing the fire and allowing a tidal wave of lesser abominations to swarm forward to them.
"Where?! Where can we go!?"
Jaune shouted at her. Hacking and slashing the wave of monsters that now swarmed past the broken firewalls as he fell back into this team. Gutting and dismembering any monster that got to close to him and-
"Give me some time and I'll et us all out of here!"
The woman yelled as Jaune swore.
"We don't have time! We are all out of time!"
"Then make some time!"
Uzepi yelled falling to one knee and pulling out a small brown package as Jaune swore. The battle was lost. That was clear as day. The cordon was broken and shot to all hell. The monsters slashing attack had broken past the firewall. Extinguishing one whole section of it allowing the tidal wave of lesser things to flood in.
As this happened, Mika was no longer busy establishing the cordon but helping Kage. Who was grimacing in pain bleeding out on the floor as she helped him up on one arm. As a wave of monsters closed in on them.
Crack!
The hard shots of Crescent Rose filled the air. As Ruby made a desperate attempt to kill both the massive abomination and holding back the horde of lesser things as the patriarch bellowed slamming down its enormous arm at the blur of a pest.
Crashing into the ground and barely missing Ruby and Jaune. Not squishing them into red past as dozen of lesser monsters swarmed the area as the bigger one raise a mighty clawed hand to smite Jaune where he stood it happened.
"~I have short hair! And am faced with a few complications so if you know man!~"
That eerie music that had once haunted him began to play in Jaune's head as he felt the change.
Pain. Fear. Anger. Loss. Grief. Soor. Hatred. All burning in Jaune's chest as he glared at the enemy. Time stopped and slowed to a complete still as the monster roared a silent roar. As all feeling left his body, as the roar fell on deaf ears as time fell to the wayside as Jaune glared at it as the beast slammed down, it's hand down with the power of a freight train as Jaune felt it.
KERSHT!
Thud!
A sound of metal cutting bone and the burning flesh filled the air as the monster cried out as one of it's titanic hands was cut off.
FISHT! Bright red blood sprayed out from the monsters severed limb as Jaune sliced it clean off. As Jaune looked in shock as the reeling monster crying in anguish as he saw it, a look of pure shock spread on Jaune face as he looked down to see his sword and it was glowing.
"~ As the leaves fall on the ground my soul is goin round n round and round!~" The song sand as Jaune looked to his sword and froze.
It was glowing a bright blue color as it seemed to literally pulse with life as he looked to the screaming monster, the horde of lesser ones seemingly sensing the distress of their leader seem to swarm him as Jaune acted on instinct.
Acting more on feeling than anything else, he held out a hand to the horde as he felt a drain on his body. Like a battery that had its power ripped out of it as a small blue ball appeared in the palm of his hand. Hovering silently in mid-air before shooting out from his hand impacting straight into the center of the horde as it roared as-
KERSHT!
The sequels and screams of the horde filled his ears as the hoard cried out in torment. With terrifying shrikes and cries as the swarm was stopped dead in thier tracks as dozens upon dozens of glowing blue javelins appeared out of the ground. Striking out from the floor and skewering the monsters where they stood. Turning them in macabre shishkabobs and-
"Jaune?! What the hell is that!?"
Ruby asked firing into the lesser horde as those that avoided being turned into impaled ripped sunder corpse ran around them.
"~So if you dare! Break the spell-
"Semblance! He found his semblance!"
Kage shouted as he fired into the towering abomination as he fired into twin enemies as Uzepi swore.
"I don't know what you are doing blondie but keep doing it!"
She shouted as she fiddled around with what now looked like twin silver beartraps? On the ground as-
"AH!"
Jaune showed as a stealthier monster snuck up on him before yanking the shield from his hand. Tossing it back across the room as-
THUD!
"NO!"
Jaune screamed at the top of his lungs as the things titanic leg smashed down on his shield. Sending it crashing into the depths of the church as Jaune felt his heart freeze and break as his the monster that ripped it from his glared at him.
As it lurched forward, its six long sinewy arms grasping forward as its long obsidian claws came to rip out his intestines, and plunge into his soft flesh-
"GERSHT!
The monster cried as long glowing blue sword appeared in Jaune while handing as he ripped the thing in half. As Jaune blinked in surprise as he now held twin swords in his arms. One made of hard metal the other made of an ethereal blue substance, which looked like his regular sword but with a corkscrew-like blade as it simmered and shook with raw power as Jaune grinned.
"Team ARKM! Rally to me!
The boy said as the monsters renewed their attack as the humans found their fighting spirit. As the monsters swarmed Mika once again set up the flame cordon. Making it impossible for them to be surrounded. As Ruby and Kage once again worked intended to kill any wall crawlers or any other sneakier enemies, that sought to encircle them.
As the looming patriarch still spewed a fountain of bright tried blood form, it's severed hand roared at Jaune in anguish fixing all of its eyes on he fighting humans that dared to harm it. The boy grinned as he held both swords up to it as it slammed down another massive clawed train at him.
"Take that!"
Jaune yelled as he sliced off his fourth limb form the titanic monstrosity. Making it howl in anguish as his blinking blue sword cut through its thick chitons like flesh like a hot knife through butter. As the monster cried out, Jaune smiled as he sliced another him off, using his regular glowing blue sword pointing the bright blue blade at the beast, who was not retreating in pain. As it roared in anguish this massive lumber limb falling backward as Jaune grinned as he jumped forward to slash at it with his regular sword.
This was it! Jaune did it! He had a semblance! A kick-ass one at that! He could make weapons, shield and even traps! With nothing but a thought! As long as he could think of it, he could make it happen! He had made glowing swords that slice enemies in two! Shields that could bash open skulls of the monsters with but a tap!
Hell! He could even shoot out bolts of pure energy from his fingertips! That tore through bone and sloughed flesh as he annihilated the enemy, every attack felt like a drain on him but his adrenaline-fueled mind paid it no head as they battled the enemy.
As he pushed the abomination back, his chest swelled as he finally saw his chance. The time was now! He could kill this thing! He had already severed four arms of it and now it was down to the end game! He just needed to slice of its ankle taking it to its knees and then slicing off its head! With that, he was finally a real hunter in training and not just-
"CRACK!"
Just like that, all hopes of victory died in an instant as one heartbreaking sound filled his ears. As time stopped once more as Jaune's sword, Corea Mors stopped glowing blue as bit into the monster's leg and snapped in half.
KERSHT!
The formely unbreakable sword snapped like a twig against the things ankle as the monster's eyes widened in something akin to surprise. As Jaune felt his mouth drop as his other sword shimmered and vanished into thin air. As it turned into mist as his shattered sword was split apart.
Vanishing into midst as he looked down at his scroll as he felt his soul fail. Zero. Jaune had literally zero aura left in his body and-
"GAHH!?"
Jaune cried out as he felt his guts being ripped out. A pained scream left Jaune's mouth as hot blood spilled from his teet, filling his mouth with the taste of iron as one of the monsters sensed his weakness stabbing into his guts with its bottom pair of arms, impaling him nearly all the way through and lifting him into mid-air.
As twin sickly sinewy stabbed directly into his guts, tearing apart his now aural ess defenses as his eyes widened in shock and pain. Making him cry out in pain as burning white to agony entered his world. As the monsters taloned claw ripped into this stomach lifting him up off the ground, as it's second highest pairs of arms. Slashed down onto him, as the taloned claws raked down his face as the middle claws ripped into his chest.
Tearing apart his usual heart-shaped armor like it was wet paper and making three long gashes alogn his face. Making him cry as more hellish burning pain filled his body as his vision was blurred red and was blinded by his own blood. As the monster slashed down his face as its long serpentine tongue slathered over his face tasting his blood before it opened, its massive jaws full sharpened nearly foot-long jagged teeth and filling his nostrils with an awful case of halitosis as it bit into Jaune's neck.
Making him scream in agony, as its teeth sank into his flesh. Biting clean through bones and tissue making Jaune mind go back in pain. As it began to rip out his throat before Jaune snapped. Stabbing forward as like a kicked dying caged animal as he jabbed the broken, shattered remains of Crocea Mors deep into its guts. Eviscerating the monster as the light died in its glaring sickly yellow eyes as it went slack.
As the monster fell down carrying Jaune with it as he howled slashing out its limbs from his body.
Kicking it away for him as a large force gripped his bleeding form as Uzepi yanked him off his feet and began to drag him away.
"We are leaving!"
Uzepi said gripping Jaune forcing him backward as he saw the world collapse.
Jaune watched in slow motion as the remainder of his team was torn apart. As Uzepi pulled him he saw Kage howl as one of the monsters, landed in front of him. Slashing his chest open and spraying the ground with blood as-
Crack!
Its head exploded in a shower of blood and gore as Kage fell back as Ruby appeared firing Crescent Rose inot the monster freeing Kage before turning to Jaune. As her silver eyes widened in shock and fear Jaune saw the two monsters fall from behind her.
"On your right!"
Jaune thought as Ruby was born down from behind. One monster taking her down to her back before Crescent Rose slashed it's head off. As Ruby shot up as a cry left her throat as a monster slashed at her leg. Splitting it open and spraying its face with her blood and-
Crack!
Ruby fired one last shot as its head popped open like a grape. As she fell back as six more swarmed over her-
BANG! BANG!
kage reappeared limping bald blood pouring from his chest as he fired into the horde attacking Ruby. Firing faster than Jaune had ever seen him shoot. As he blew apart the monsters, yanking Ruby to her feet as Make appeared at his side. Pouring flamed onto the monsters. Before letting out a long gout of fir on the patriarch as it roared in anger.
As it screamed Uzepi yanked Jaune again as his word spun and his vision went dim as his entire world became a rolling ball of blood, fire, gunshots screaming and-
FSIHT!
The sound of piercing metal filled his ears as twin silver hooks shot out from the bear traps? Of all things as a pair of what looked like a pair of bicycle, pedals appeared on them. Creating a long silver line that went form the base of the church to somewhere in its upper reaches as Uzepit began to bark orders.
"Kage first!"
She said as the bleeding form of Kage, grunting, bleeding profusely from his chest and swearing like a drunk sailor. Shuffled on the bicycle pedals firing twice more into the horde before placing twin feet on the pedals and-
VRT!
He was yanked off the ground by some type of pulley system as he shot up inot the ceiling. Like he was yanked by some gigantic hand or a claw machine as Uzepi began to shout.
"Smith! Rose! Now! Me and Arc are leaving with or without you!"
Uzepi bellowed as the bleeding from of Ruby and the still pristine form of Mika shot forward. Both putting one foot on a pair of petals as they held onto one another as-
VRT!
They were yanked off the ground before Uzpei did the same to him.
"Hold on Arc!"
She yelled as the boy coughed up another lung full of blood as his vision swam before-
VRT!
Jaune grimaced as a massive hand slammed into his chest. As his world spin into a kaleidoscopic realm of pain and nausea as he was yanked off the ground by the pulley. Slamming him up forward and yanking him up and past the glaring and sill on fire monstrosity of the patriarch.
As the abomination glared at him with rage-filled eyes. it slashed forward with one pair of it still uninjured claws, snagged one of the lines yanking it free from the ground as twin feminine screams filled the air.
As Ruby and Mika's line was ripped from its hooks as the pair of girls were sent flying off of their lines and into the black unknown as Jaune saw his best friend flying off into the black darkness of the underground area as he felt his heat snap.
"NO!"
Jaune yelled as he shouted out loud as he was yanked off the line of the pulley as he was thrown through a broken roof into the glowing white light of the outside world.
"Ruby!? RUBY!? MIKA!? Where-
"Not now Blondie! Kage! Call the ship tell them we got a crisis on our hands!"
Uzepi said as Kage finished patching up Jaune's wounds, helping the boy as he cried in pain. Well, that was a stretch as Kage could only wrap up the young boy with a somewhat clean cloth. As he poured aura regeneration liquid on it, making him scream in pain as he gripped his leg as he grins his pain after Kage finished removed his tattered chest plate.
As the boy, cried Kage sighed as he felt some of his leader's pain. Besides the fact that both of them had massive chest wounds that while not immediately fatal would definitely kill them if they did not seek medical attention and soon. Both young men lost thier armor in this battle. Jaune lost whatever the hell he wore as a loos skirmishing outfit. And Kage doubled the loss as not only had he lost his original handmade master crafted artificer full body red plate mail. He also lost this brand new power armor and the weapon that came with it!
A loss that made him wince in pain as the only silver ling was the S.T.C.-
The S.T.C.! Kage had given the invaluable piece of technology to R-
"Ruby! We need to go back for her and Mika!"
Jaune hissed as Uzep shook her head at him.
"No can do kid. You saw what happened to them. They got tossed through the roof. As far as we know, the two of them are dead, and I won't risk the lives of the living for the ones of the dead. Now get up. We have ground to cover for our evac."
Uzepi said checking her slim pistol her hard purple eyes glaring into Jaune as he ground his teeth.
"Ruby is still alive! Mkia and her are probably lost hurt-
"Dead. You mean they are dead right now. Sorry kind you girlfriend is gone."
Uzepi said shrugging her shoulders at the boy. Shift her light greyish brown flak jacket as Jaune bit his tongue.
Igonor the searing pain in his neck, stomach and face and eyes as he yelled
"She's alive! I know she is! We need to dine him-
"You are feeling grief. Look, kid, I get it. I really do. No one likes losing their squad members in the field. Especially on a mission like this."
Uzepi said as Jaune beg to glare before a roar of engines filled the air as the bullhead they flew in on soared above head as Uzep clapped her head.
"Ok kiddos! You see that? That's our ticket home now no more mopping! TIme to move out!"
Uzepi said pointing to the low hang craft hover over half a mile into the broken city scale as jaune glared at her. Ruby w alive. He knew she was alive and he was going to save her. Whether Uzepi wanted him to or not.
"It hurts...
"Come on Ruby! We have to make it!"
Mika said happily lift her friend forward as the two girls began thier journey. The pulley after the monstrous thing yanked on their cords had deposited the two girls somewhere deep in the cityscape.
Slamming both of them crashing clean through building a wall and severely injuring Ruby. As when she woke up, her right li was nearly split in half, with what now counted as her femur spilled in two. As strange brackish fluids that looked like a cross between motor oil and blood spilled, form her legs.
Making her cry in agony as Mika finally found her and began to help her walk.
"Structural integrity compromised. At the current rate, we have less than thirty percent functionality in our left leg. Our right one is down to eighty. Ammunition is at a critically low level, and our ribs are fractured. The jagged feeling in our chest is our right lung. It has been punctured by a rib and is now bleeding."
Her eye said as Ruby grimaced in pain taking slim note of how it said our and we and not her body being damaged. As the two shuffled through the dull grey rust covered city streets, the first howls found them.
As the girl titled their head the sound fo whatever those strange creatures were filled their ears as Mika paused.
"Mika? What are you going? They are going to catch us if we stand still!"
Ruby said taking a much-needed back to rest on Mika's shoulder as the usually chipper girl turn to Ruby slowly. Her face devoid of any emotion and appears to be little more than a blank slate
Her usually sharp mermaid where eyes now dull and hollow akin to that of a doll as she spoke in a monotone voice.
"Ruby. I like you."
Mika said in a tone that sent chills down Ruby's spine as she gulped.
"I... I like you two?"
Ruby replied as Mika gave her an unreadable glare.
"You are my friend. One of my best friends. And I do not want to see you hurt."
"Same here! That's-
'But I will not die for you."
Mika said pushing Ruby away from her as Ruby cried out in agony as Crescent Rose shot out form her hands into scythe from. As the girl gripped onto it still bleeding from her leg as she supported herself on Crescent Roses extended form.
"Mika?! What are-
"Ruby. You are walking to slow. At this rate, the things will catch us. I like you, but I am unwilling to die for you."
Mika said in a disturbingly toneless voice as Ruby began to panic.
"Then what?! Are you just going to let me be eaten-
"Of course, not silly!"
Mika said back to her use perpetually happy self as a switch flipped in her mind.
"I can't let my best friend be eaten by some nasty monsters! Now, can I?"
"Then you will help me!?"
Ruby asked das Mika nodded.
"Sure will! Now you either grip my shoulder and start jogging! Or...
"Or?"
Ruby asked as Mika's face once again lost all cool as he pivoted to Ruby and pointed her flamethrower at her as its pilot light flickered on.
"I said I wouldn't let you get eaten. And I meant it."
She said as the flamethrower began to cook...
"Ok! Everyone up! Now!"
Uzepi yelled as the three of them finally ran past the duct filled streets reaching thier evac point as Kage had to literally force Jaune onto the bullhead as she gave the city one last look before sighing.
Ruby and Mika were gone. There was no sense waiting for them here now and-
"There!"
Kage yelled suddenly pointing off into the distance where a happy go luck sociopath and bleed reaper. Both moving in an awkward jog as a literal sea of chitons monster followed behind them. Giving chase as almost cloud of dust claws and talons followed them.
"Well, I'll be. K! Take us to them! Kage put some covering fire will you?"
Uzepi asked putting one-foot on the crafts open door, as she gripped the side of the ship as it lifted off.
"Ruby!?"'
Jaune shouted as the craft shook and tuned as Kage got one side mounted Gattling cannon.
"On it boss."
He said in an indifferent voice, grunt as his bleeding form sat on the side of the turret as he gripped it was handling and swiveled it toward the horde.
BRRTTT!
The side cannon tore into the monsters. Putting a stream of steady projectiles the size of his hand into the enemy, as it split bloody gouts into the monsters.
As dust power cannon rounds tore apart the enemy in brutal shoer of offal, this head form should obliterate torsos and tossing bodies far into the air.
As the ship roared to the struggling girls, Uzep kicked out a rope ladder, to Mika and Ruby. As the two girls gripped the ladder as Uzpei smacked the side of the ship.
"Pull them up!"
Uzepi yelled as the pilot began to wince up the rope ladder up. As Kage let out a steady stream of fire that while impressive was ultimately useless as the hundreds of monster were still streaming up to face them.
As the girls finally came up as Jaune reached over to them helping Mika on board as she tossed Ruby into him s the boy snatched her out of the side.
"Ruby!? Rub?! Are you o-
"OH SHIT!"
The voice of the pilot yelled through he bullets speakers. As a building collapsed in on itself, as the massive form of the patriarch bleeding or its score of wounds as it roared at the top of its lung. As it turned its eyes to the ship.
"Take us out of here! NOW!"
She said as Jaune pulled Ruby and Mika up to the ship as the pilot looked back to them from the cockpit and nodded.
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
Kiriko said as the ship turned around before burning at full speed. As the ships, violent thrusts forced the ship away from the towering bleeding monstrosity as it gave them one last deafening below of a roar.
As Uzepi struck the back on the craft where Jaune was cradling Ruby like a small child as Kage fins firn and walk not the back closing the side door as she stepped inside as team ARKM and their chaperone speed of inot the day leaving the city of abominations as the craft rocketed away from them.
"The fuck happened!?"
Jaune shouted as Uzepit as he held a now sill Ruby. Kage had bandaged the girl as best as he could. And Uzepi was actually a trained medic that saved Ruby's life.
As she stitched up the girl's leg wound. Patching up the leg before giving the Grimm prognostic that Ruby would need even more implants.
As the woman turned a tired face to Jaune as she sighed.
"That. Was what we call in the Bastion staffrooms as a verified Cluster Fuck."
The woman said with a sigh putting her massive arms on her head as Jaune glared at the woman.
"You called that thing a patriarch! What the hell was it and why were we sent them to kill it!?'
Jaune shouted as the woman's gaze became hard as she glared at him.
"Becuase it's our job kid! When we are told to come to the city to eliminate a target, we do it!"
"Eliminate!? We were her to scavenge! Not kill anything!"
"That was the pretense! We had a secondary objective!"
"And that was!?"
"To see the level of hostile infection and assess the appropriate force needed for the reclamation of the city."
"And you did not tell me about this!?"
"No, I did not. I do not have to tell you an Oum damned thing Jaune! You are mine! My subordinate! I make the rules! I call the shots! And I get to decide when I share classified information with a bunch of snot nose brats!"
She shouted as Jaune glared at the man feeling his blood been to boil nd-
"Jaune.. it hurts.
Ruby said in her forced sleep as the curb given by Kage that knocked her out like a light. As she now clutched his bloodstained pant leg as Jauen dropped to his knee.
"I'm here Ruby... Don't worry you are going to be fine."
"Don't lie to her Boss. You know she's screwed."
Kage said sitting next to Ruby and sighing heavily as the leads back in his seat. His three lang white bandages wrapped around his chest, as his now aura less body could no longer heal him as he grimaced in pain.
"Kage! How are you so calm about this!? Mika almost died-
"No, she didn't."
Kage said simply as he closed his eyes as his massive muscled chest was still bleeding as his bandages were now a deep crimson color as Jaune blinked owlishly at him.
"Kage, Mika was gone! She was in the city-
"She was in no danger."
"How can you say that!? She-
"Her semblance. As long as she uses it, she's fine."
"Her semblance? S-
"She's immortal."
Kage said flatly keeping his eyes closed as Jaune froze.
"Immortal? You said that before but you don't mean-
"Yes. Yes, I do. Jaune she is immortal. She can not die."
Kage said in a flat monotone voice as Jaune turned to the smiling girl int he back of the bulkhead humming to herself with her eyes closed kicking her legs happily in the air.
"Immortal? as in-
"As in she can not die. Period."
"Is it because of her resemblance?"
"Sure is."
"What... what is her semblance?"
Jaune asked honestly as kage frowned still closing his eyes.
"She's a damned virus.'
Kage said simply as-
FSHTT!
"Oh shit. Ludo's calling."
Uzepi said pulling our her scroll from her side as she breathed in deeply.
"Hello? Sir?"
The woman said as she put the scroll on speaker.
"AH! Uzepi! How are you doing?"
The headmaster of Bastion voiced asked as it filled the bullhead interior as Uzepi gulped.
"Fine sir! Just fine!"
"Excellent. And the mission? Was it a success?"
The men as the woman grimaced.
"Negative sir. We found the patriarch damaged it severely, but we failed to kill it."
She said as long pregnant pause filled the cabin as all eyes turned to her as a sight as heard on her scroll.
"I see. How is the level of the infection in the city?"
"Extreme."
"What is your recommendation?'
"Burn it."
Uzepi said in a cold voice as a loud sigh was heard from the other side of the scroll as Ludo groaned.
"What a shame. Ah well did you manage to find any old world technology?"
The man asked as Uzpie turned to Kage who looked down at the body of Ruby. As he bent down to her putting his hands behind her back reaching into her hood and pullout out a silver octagon?
Of all thing as he turned to Uzpepi and shook his head.
"That is a negative as well sir. We found nothing of value."
"I see. Thank you for you work Uzepi. I look forward to your after mission report."
The man said as he turned off the scroll as Jaune glared at him .r
"What was that about?"
He akes as the woman rubbed her temples.
"That was me getting back at a man who almost sent me to my death."
She said as Jaune froze as the woman give him a harsh, brittle laugh.
"Jaune. Don't think for a second that I like going on these missions. Don't get me wrong! I love a good fight but when I have to fight things that I unprepared for because some crazy son of a bitch wants to see how far a team of first years can go with minimal information and almost no training?"
"Even I get a bit pissed."
Uzepi said sitting down in a metal chair as Jaune blinked thrice before sighing as he gave up on anger sitting down alone next to Ruby as he turned to his chaperone.
"Uzepi... What was that thing?"
Jaune asked the woman feeling too drained to keep up being hostile as she sighed heavily into her seat.
" A relic from a long, long time ago kid. A type of weapon meant to wipe out your enemy without risking any of your own people."
"So... A bioweapon?"
"Not really. Think of it as an engineered life form that you can drop one, of these things when they are small behind enemy lines. And in a few months, they have turned the enemy into little bite-sized pieces."
Uzepi said taking out a cigar from her vest lighting it and smoking it as Jaune felt his breath leave his lungs as he rubbed his head. Looking at the destroyed sword, and thinking of his lost shield. His armor was rent and torn. His weapons ripped from his body. He was defenseless now. Even with his semblance Jaune was basically harmless as he forces the negative thoughts from his mind as he looked down to Ruby.
"What about Ruby.. can we fix her without giving her any more implants?"
Jaune aksed as she froze as she took a deep draw from her cigar and puffed out a massive cloud of smoke as she grimaced.
"Yes. If you take her to the doctor of Bastion. You can fix her with no need for any more mechanical components."
"Doctor? haven't we gon to the doctor's office before?"
"No. You went to the Mechanicus office. That is the defacto medical spot for Bastion, but it is not the official medical ward of Bastion. There is an official ward that the only registered doctor of Bastion will treat you."
"Then why don't we take here there?!"
"Becuase kid, only the type of people, go to the Bastion doctor, the mad, the suicidal and the desperate. No one else goes to see him and those who also do none come back. Now sit down and sleep. I'll talk to Ludo for us os we don't get excited k?'
She askes sinking into her seat as she sighed as the ship roared onward.
"Is that all Uzepi?"
"Sir. Yes, sir. We came we got overwhelmed, and we were forced to extract ourselves sir."
The woman said as a broken battered and bleeding forms of team ARKM stood in front of the headmaster as the man nodded his head. "Fine. So be it. Team ARKM. You have done well this time."
"If you call failing doing well."
Miss Heil said as Jaune glared t the woman as she rolled her burning red eyes to him.
"There, there Miss. They did their best, and I can not fault them for that. Besides they will only have a days' rest before thier next mission-
"Next!? Sir, we are going out so soon?!"
Jaune asked as Ludo nodded once.
"Yes, mister Arc. You are an elite student now, and you can not afford to rest. You will be given one day to recuperate. Until then you have not only lost your armor but your weapon as well? Report to the coordinates that I will send to your school to find the Death Korps quartermaster and request a commanders uniform and the accompanying armaments to go along with it. They will know who you are.'
The man said as Jaune nodded.
"Sir."
Jaune said bitterly as Ludo turned to Kage as he fixed a cold glare on the boy.
"Kage.'
"Sir?"
"You have also taken damage in this mission. Tell me how do you intend to fight without your armor?"
"I have my guns, sir. And I will request that the Mechanicus make some more for me."
The boy said as Ludo raised his eye to him.
"The Mechanicus do make a nice set of armor, but they will not do it for free. Tell me, Kage, what are you paying them for their services?"
The man asked Kage he his glare as Ludo grinned a cruel soulless smirk.
"Kage. I'll have you know that anything the Mechanicus would want I will also most likely want. And if you were to... depart with some of thier payment to me, I would be more than happy to reward you for the effort."
"Sorry, sir. I am only asking for help. I do them favors with data reports only."
"As you say. Just know that I ma always than open for business, and if data mining should no longer prove marketable, I am always happy to lend a hand to my best. Dismissed."
The man said as team ARKM turned and-
"Oh wait! I just forgot! Jaune. Ruby. Kage. Mika. Uzepi has personally informed me that you found no old world technology on your mission. This is true correct?"
The man asked as Jaune, Ruby, Kage, and Mika shared a look before Jaune stepped up.
"Sir. That is true."
Jaune said in a frim voice a Ludo nodde dhsi head.
"I see. And since an Arc never tells a lie I see no reason to doubt you! Dismissed."
He said as Jaune and his team gulped as Uzepi gave him a grateful look as team ARKM as one and left the room.
"Bed!"
Ruby shouted as she flopped onto her team ARKM bed as she hit the bird a collapse.
Team ARKM was a hot mess. As the vast majority of the team was wrapped up in tight beige bandages, and barely able to walk in a straight line. Kage's chest was wrapped over with over four rows of them, as Jaunes entire upper face was covered in them as well.
As Ruby's femur was spit and replaced entirely with pure metal. As her entire right leg bone from her feet to her hip was now made of hard metal as she flopped onto Jaune's bed as she flopped onto the impossibly soft Bastion beds as Jaune sat next to her. With the sole exception of Mika who was still utterly pristine in condition with not so much as a smudge of her furs as all of team ARKM had thier collective teeth kicked in. With a list of injuries form the nurse that Jaune did not even want to think about let alone deal with as she sat on his bed and rubbed Ruby's head.
"We made it Rubes... We made it...
Jaune said as he looked on at his broken shatters sword.
Crocea Mors was an Arc family hear loom, passed down for well over centuries. Going from hand to hand of Arc descendants. Carrying them into battle after battle. Protection Arc fighters from Grimm and man and everything else that Remnant could throw at them.
And now? Now it laid shattered broken next to useless in his arms. As he looked down at the jagged swords shattered frame, looking into his equally shattered visage as he sighed deeply rubbing his batter head, Jaune's face as a mess.
Three long messy claw marks ran down his face. Starting at the tip of his head, right where his beige bandages began and making a tiro on long jagged scars tissue that went form the tip of his still blood splattered hair all the way down past into his chest. Where over three dozen sharp incisions rested on his neck and shoulder where the monster had bitten him.
As he rubbed his head he felt a profound sense of loss in him as he mourned the loss of his sword and shield as he felt the loss of history in his hands as he looked down at it.
It's like I was never worthy of it.
Jaune thought as he sighed deeply-
"You two need some help."
Kage said holding out a pair of cigarettes to Jaune and Ruby as they to snatched them out of his had as Mika sauntered up to them with her flamethrower held high.
"Need a light?'
She asked as she lit four separate cigarettes for team ARKM as Kage took a seat at the foot of Jaune and Ruby's bed. As Ruby and Jaune took a deep satisfying drag from their cigarettes. As the teens felt the struggles and stress of thier first official mission finally melt away. At they both blew out loud clouds of smoke into the room Ruby cuddled into Jaunes lap as the boy wondered how the hell Ruby could be so soft. Seriously!
It was like being cuddled by a little red cloud! And if not for fear of Yang's wrath he would be tempted to reach out and touch the cloud and-
Why are you scared of her? You could take Yang now.
Jaune thought as he blinked twice releasing a held breath and wondering just how far he had come in his time in Bastion. And just how strong he had gotten and how strong he was in comparison to his old friends. Back then he was a weak kid with a sword and shield and a winning smile that was not so great and no semblance. Now he did have a semblance. A strong one at that. He could manipuate his aura into any physical object so long as he could picture it in his mind. And he could make as much as he could but it would drain his aura.
Good thing I have a lot. Just like Pyrrha used to tell me. You have a lot of aura Jaune. More than even me! She would say ofter as Jaune grimaced. Did... Did she think I was weak to? She said I was special, that I had potential but did she really mean that? Or was she just lying to keep me close?
A thought that had not entered his head since he had just usually considered himself to be weak. But now? Am I weak? I mean I'm not invincible, the scars on my face, chest, and gut show that but I'm much better than I was back then.
Could Ren, Blake or Yang take on the Deadlands? Could Nora or Weiss take down the Kernel? Could even his partner Pyr take on a patriarch and come out alive? Could any of his friends...
Friends... there was that word again as Jaune found himself truly wondering if he had any real friends in Beacon. Did the other members of team RWBY think of him as a friend? Or just a liability? He knew Ruby liked him. He was her best friend. And he knew the members of his own team loved him like a brother and more in his partner's case. Though Ruby had brought out the point that maybe just maybe his team thought of him as more of a cute frightened animal that was in need of twenty-four-hour protection and was less than likely to see him as an equal.
Hell! She even went as far to say that he was not growing under their protection but actually stagnating under it! Ridiculous! Nora and Ren loved him and Pyr would never let him stagnate! But that was neither here more there and she only brought that up once a lifetime ago as he pushed the thoguht to the side of his head.
As he thought did he have friends back at Beacon? Jaune thought as he felt a dark feeling enter his chest as his mind began to race.
Did anyone really trust him? Did they respect him? Where they really his friends? With his real friends like Kage. Mika. Hino. Zach-
Jaune froze again as he blinked twice in the dim room light. Since when did he think that they were his friends? Was it when the bleed with him? Fought with him almost died for him?
As much as he liked or he thought he liked his friends at RWBY he knew on a deep level that they would never die for him. They would not risk thier lives for him. Like his Bastion friends, his real friends would do.
Jaune thought to himself as he turned to Kage.
"Help? What do you mean help?"
"Simple. We got our asses handed to us today. And we need some time to get ourselves together. To lick our wounds and be able to stand on our own two feet once more."
He said in a lazy voice as Mika sat on the floor and laid her head on his lap as he rubbed her long flowing silver hair lazily with one naked brown hand.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Simple. In Bastion, there are four powerful entities that exist inside the school. The Death Korps. The Piercing lancers. The Mechanicus and The followers of the light. You need to ally yourself with one of them."
"One of them? I don't even know them. How no why would I ally myself with people I do not even know?"
"You do not know them. But I do. I am well connected to the Mechanicus Jaune. Tomorrow I will write you and Ruby a letter of recommendation to them."
"Letter of recommendation? The hell is that?'
"Oh trust me Jaune. You and Ruby got your shit kicked in but it's not all bad. Let's just say I brought back a little something-something that is going to put us all in pretty high regards with the tech priest. And after they streamline this stuff? Well, let's just say that our armor issues will be dead and gone. But until then, wait till tomorrow. Go to them after you are rearmed you will see what friends in high places can do. Until then? Let's just rest."
Kage said laying his head back on Jaune bed as Mika curled up in his lap as Jaune sighed as Ruby cuddle into his lap.
"Jaune.. let's do it tomorrow. We have the day off."
Ruby said as Jaune sighed.
"Sure. Why not. We'll go see the Meachicus tomorrow."
Jaune said sigh heavily as Mika tossed her ax inot the wall setting of the light with a loud THWACK!
Hitting the light switch with her ax and bathing the room in darkness as Kage sighed.
"Was that necessary?"
He asked as she snuggled into him.
"Nope! But I wanted to!"
"Right...
Kage said as Jaune felt his eyes close as he thought, to hell with what Yang thinks about me. If she wants to fight me, she can come and try it. And take an aura Crocea to her neck for the trouble. She and the rest of team RWBY can come at me as well. He thought as he wrapped his arms around the snuggling ball of red different of him.
Wrapping them up in thier bright red blankest of their bed as he pulled Ruby into him as Ruby almost purred in delight as she curled into him as soft snoring noises came from in front of him instigating that his other members were fast asleep. A state of being he would soon join as he was tired, his legs hurt, his chest hurt his entire body felt like he had been run over by a truck. And Jaune knew his life was only going to get worse before it got better. If no When. It got better Jaune said to himself as he closed his eyes gripping Ruby's small form to him and let the darkness take him as team ARKM went to bed.
An: Here we go! Team ARKM suffered their first defeat! The patriarch wins, Our boy has a semblance! Jaune has lost his weapons and armor! kage is about to make a deal with the devil! Team ARKM lied about the S.T.C. and now is the time for the internal Bastion Politics! Look forward to infighting! Backstabbing and just general chaos! As we delve into the varied and powerful inner factions that keep Bastions wells turning! As we delve into our next arc and go right back into the action! Until then thanks for reading. If you follow me Game on is next so until then!
Omake.
Omake. Hero of Remnant. Part 13. Best laid plans.
"As you all can see. There is a significant amount of insurrection in the city."
Pyrrha said as she walked around the briefing room as Jaune rubbed his temples as he wished he had shot the woman when he first met her. As the beautiful inquisitor talked.
"We need to make a decisive action. I have pinpointed that all disturbance in the area to one focal point here. As you can see this is near the warehouse where you rescued me and my entourage."
"We did not need rescuing."
The green haired woman Emerald? Said as Mercury smirked behind her sniper rifle raised ever so slightly to her. Not to the point where it would garner suspicion but just enough so that he could blast her brains out in a moments notice if he felt like doing so. Jaune approved.
As he turned to Pyrrha a steaming bowl of tea was placed in front of him as the rich warm aroma of spearmint filled his nose he smile once.
"Thank you, Ren."
"Your welcome commissar."
Ren said sliding inot his side as Jaune turned to Pyrrha.
"Why don't you call in hunters for this kind of thing? I mean we are Guard and we are the best the Imperium has to offer but why not just call in the big guns?"
Jaune asked as Pyrrha but of a beautiful but fake smile. As she pointed to the blue holographic display as it shifted to show a far off point of Atlas.
"All nearby hunters are currently busy in a pacification operation in the far north of Atlas right now and can not be called in to help."
She said as Mercury snorted.
"BS. The only thing worth mentioning up there is small towns of imperials. No way Monty's finest are to busy up there to help."
Mercury asked with a snarl Jaune smirked.
"Easy there, Black. The inquisitor probably does not want to say the word Necron and scare the piss out from the city."
Jaune said as Pyrrha froze as if she had been shot as Emerald nearly coughed up her own tongue.
"How the hell do you know about the Necrons!?"
She demanded as Black raised an eyebrow.
"Necrons? What the hell are they?"
"They. Are a myth. A badly reported unproven myth spread by heretics and traitors only. Something I am sure this commissar is not. Isn't that right Jaune? You are not a traitor are you?"
The beautiful woman asked as Jaune snorted at her.
"Sure. You say that now until we find ourselves facing down a wall of Gauss cannons with nothing but las guns and frag grenades. Then we will be singing another song."
Jaune said as Pyrrha ground her teeth.
"Commis Arc. While I am aware of your contributions to the Imperial Creed. You are not above reproach."
She said giving Jaune a warning glare as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Ehh? Maybe not but while I"m here I might as well be honest with you."
Jaune said hoping not get banned from being anywhere near the inquisitor as she blinked owlishly at him. Her emerald eyes shining brightly as she cocked her head at him.
"You... You speak your mind to me...
"I do."
"I... I am an inquisitor...
"You are not the first I've met."
"She is Pyrrha-
"You keep saying this but who the hell are you? Everyone seems to think you are some bigshot or something? I know you are an inquisitor but are you so great?"
Jaune asked as Emerald looked ready to pop a blood vessel as Pyrrha gave a melodic laugh?
As she fell over to her side laughing racuously as she smiled at him.
"Why! Why I never! No one has ever talked to me so candidly! Jaune Arc your reputation is well deserved!"
Pyrrha said with a look Jaune only saw on swirl barmaids and woman with less than honorable intentions as Jaune felt the hairs rasing on his neck as he felt like he was about to be forced to do something incredibly stupid and deadly as-
"Commissar! We have news from the front!"
Oscar sad bursting into the command ten as Jaune sighed.
"What's the matter, Oscar? Didn't I say that this was a private meeting?"
"Sir! I know but there is news from the city!"
"And that is?"
"Sir! The faunus are attacking the civilians!"
Oscar said as all jaws but his and Pyrrha's mouths dropped as he sighed heavily. Well, there goes my easy day.
Jaune thought as Pyrrha smirked at him.
"Well, Jaune. It looks like we will be heading into the field together again. I have a mission to finish and the men could use a commissar. And besides I for one would not mind the company of a man of such blunt honesty. And I am not so bad to look at don't you think?"
The woman who would later grow to be Jaune's most important person in his life and the single greatest thorn in his side said as she flashed him a melodic smile.
"Fine. I have a reputation to uphold after all."
Jaune said as he gripped Crocea Mors as he readied himself to get shot at. Again.