(You know, I got some help with from Fallen Warden for this chapter here. So thanks! And thanks for over 8,000 views ladies and gents. Now on with the show.)
Scraping Old Wounds
Third Person POV
As the Huntsmen and Huntresses-in-training stood there, most of them wondered what was even happening. As for Axel? He was terrified that they were going to die, or that whoever this person is may be he'll end up causing something that would not be good to happen for them.
While at the same time, Klaus was looking through to see all of what makes these young men and women tick. Thanks to a Semblance of telepathy. And as this happens cultists dedicated to the King in Yellow make their way to encircle the building...armed with weapons supplied by their friendly neighborhood weapons supplier Stallion Industries.
While one of their minds was hard to pick through, namely the one belonging to Uriah Greene. Klaus has what he needs to know, and who to target first.
"Now." Klaus speaks up in his usual monotone voice, "You may come at me in any way you wish: one at a time, two at a time, or all at once...it won't matter. I will defeat you all the same."
Hearing this, each one of them figured that going all at once would give them a great advantage. But for Cthugha? He has a different idea.
The first to make a move is Klaus, using the chain-blades that he has come to call the Teeth. He starts to whip them around to strike at a distance, causing the group to disperse with some of the more range based fighters like Ren and Uriah firing at him to try and keep him distracted in hopes one of their friends gets in close to land in hits.
With everyone else making a rush towards the man in yellow robes, Klaus merely watches with mild displeasure. Bringing back the Teeth and swinging them around to cause a wild tornado to send the people charging at him to be sent flying back.
Klaus turns his gaze over to his first target: Ren. He then swings his arms toward him, the chain of the weapons wrapping around Ren before pulling him towards Klaus. "Shit! Ren!" Uriah yells out.
Once within striking distance the chains rapidly unwrap themselves around Ren causing him to spiral to the ground.
Which was when he started hearing him
"Lie Ren, I know of what happened to your parents." The voice of Klaus echoed inside of Ren's mind, with the huntsman in-training covering his ears thinking that he could block out what he was saying
"Butchered by a single Grimm before Oniyuri was even built fully."
"Shut. Up." The voice of Ren says within his own mind for Klaus to hear, his voice cold but with a rising anger to it.
"Good riddance I say...if they cannot handle themselves against a single Grimm than they deserved to die." The voice of Klaus progressively getting louder
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Ren yells, desperate
"And contrary to what you believe, they were born without purpose, lived for no reason, and died for nothing. In the end all your parents were nothing but pawns of fate and destiny, it was going to happen one way or another. If they were still alive today, then they would find you...lacking. You're only a step above your weakling of a leader, you are ultimately subpar."
Ren lets out a low growl of anger, before roaring out in fury. Charging after Klaus, who merely side steps him with the Teeth wrapping around Ren yet again before swinging him into the wall.
"REN!" Nora cries out in a panic, rushing over to him who's only barely able to move. "Ren? Are you alright?" She asks, her voice frightened
"Nora...enough...talking."
"Ren..but you're hurt I-"
Ren grips the cheerful valkyrie by her wrist, his face twisted by anger that he still has. "I am sick, and tired of having to keep you in check! So for once in your life! SHUT! UP!" He lays into her, causing Nora to feel hurt.
"Ren...I..."
"Nora. You are a cheerful ball of madness and joy. But there's one thing that gets to you. Losing." A voice echoes within her mind
Her attention turns over to look him, he hurt Ren, and did something to make him angry. Which causes her to be angry too, tightening her grip on Magnheld she lets out a war cry as she leaps to smash his head in.
Only for Klaus to take a step back before the hammer smashes him, with a swift kick to the chest she's sent sprawling to the floor. And this keeps repeating again and again, until Nora is panting and bruised. She has to keep fighting no matter what happens.
"I know you very well Ms. Valkyrie. An orphan who has no one to go to except for Ren. But you aren't together-together, right? So why should he care about you? You always wanted to be together yet you always deny it. Afraid of getting humiliated by the only person who you think cares about you? Afraid of your Ren ignoring you? Then what is it, Nora?" Klaus asks curiously, Nora looking at him with weary, wide and pleading eyes. Her expression pitiful, 'please. stop.' it's saying
"I...I..." She stutters out loud before dropping her hammer, falling to her knees, and nearly smacking face first onto the floor.
Klaus shakes his head, "I'm sorry." He whispers, low enough to where no one may hear but himself. But he's interrupted by Uriah coming before him and starting to slash at him with his knives with the bronze and green a blur, however Klaus keeps to side stepping each slash. He then trips Uriah, catching him by the arm, Uriah lets out a low growl before throwing a punch.
Which Klaus manages to catch, right before twisting his arm causing Uriah to let out a scream of pain.
"'Honor among thieves'." Klaus' voice enters within Uriah's mind, "That was once what you believed. You were one who honestly believed that you may be able to do good for people, despite what you do. A sad dream that was always going to be crushed. When will they find out I wonder? What will they all think of Uriah the liar, the thief, the criminal...what will she think?"
There's a pause as Uriah clenches his teeth from both the pain and trying to ignore what he was saying.
"I can't help but feel that there is something familiar about you. Maybe we are not very different from one another, don't you agree?" That's the last thing Klaus speaks before breaking Uriah's arm, causing another cry of pain
'Oh God, we're already three people down and this guy hasn't even broken a sweat.' Axel thinks to himself, tense and looking between those left standing: Himself, Yang, Ruby, Pyrrha, Jaune, Silas, Roy, Weiss and Blake
The next two people who start to attack together are Roy and Jaune, with Roy trying his best to either punch him or slash with the wrist claws. With Jaune trying his best to get in a hit, with Klaus blocking their strikes. With a swing of the Teeth he sends Jaune flying back with the chains ensnaring Roy who is then kicked to the ground.
"You can't change anything." The voice of Klaus speaks in the tinkerer's mind, "You can't change anything. You can't change anything. You can't change anything. You can't change anything. You can't change anything. You can't change anything. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOUCANTCHANGEANYTHING." The voice repeatedly says growing louder and louder before reaching a demonic pitch
Roy understands what he means, and all he can do is just lay there on the ground muling over those words.
As for Jaune? He makes his way back up to his feet, and charges on despite how thoroughly he'll be thrashed. Klaus shakes his head and brings the Teeth down on Jaune before giving a knee to the face to follow up.
"You must realize that you are the runt of the litter, Jaune Arc. Obviously it is due to the fact that you are a FRAUD. While these young men and women around you have given blood, sweat and tears in order to make their way to where they are now. You took the easy route and LIED by taking fake transcripts to enter Beacon Academy. All because you wanted to be a hero, all because you wanted to do your family proud. To have your siblings say 'Tell us about Beacon when you come home! And teach us!', to have your mother say 'No matter what happens I'll still love you, and I am happy you get to go to the place that will help fulfill your dream', to have your FATHER say...'I am so proud of you son.'" Klaus echoes in Jaune's mind, who can only be filled with shame.
"I just...I just wanted to be a hero." Jaune counters weakly
"I have to say, it's PATHETIC. You're weak, pathetic, and ultimately useless Jaune Arc. You will NEVER be able to reach the same level as your peers and comrades. And I wonder, what would your family say and think when they find out you are a LIAR." Klaus finishes before throwing him into ceiling.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha calls out before he falls to the ground in defeat
But the one who takes Jaune's place in fighting is in fact Weiss, thrusting Myrtenaster with a few strikes hitting home. However by taking a trick from dirty fighting Klaus grabs her by the hair and slams her into the wall.
"I have to say that you truly are a piece of work." Klaus speaks with an almost bored tone of voice, "Weiss Schnee, heiress to a legacy that has been corrupted by your father's own hubris. You should realize that you have deluded yourself into thinking that you may very well repair the damage he has done...when you cannot, because it is easier to continue to hate than to forgive."
"No! You're lying!" Weiss replies, using her rapier as a crutch to try and bring herself back up
"And your 'friends' as you put it? Well, it would be a shame if they were to stop seeing you because after all! You are a princess while they are lowly commoners, you have everything that one may ask for in life but lack the one thing that YOU want, friendship."
"Stop! Please just...stop..." Weiss says pitiful and weakly, getting to a knee
"While you want to see yourself as kind, selfless and humble...you are quite the opposite in reality: selfish, haughty and arrogant. When they are all gone you will be begging to a higher power to have you not be alone again, but none will answer. Because of a simple reason: you are destined to be alone."
Weiss can only devolve into telling herself "No." over and over and over and over again. Right before Klaus brings a catwalk ontop of her.
'What's even happening? This isn't even a fight.' Axel thinks, scared for what will come next
Cain's POV Beacon
I worry that the children have not come back yet, although it may be a message from Ozpin for doing this. I'm still worried for the worse
CAIN! WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM!
What? What do you-
THEY'RE DEALING WITH ONE OF THE CABAL! THEY'RE BEING BEATEN BADLY!
Damn, I'll bring along Dula for this
You gotta hurry.
I stand up and start to run off to go and find Dula.
Damn me, damn them, damn everything! It's not something I had even considered!
Third Person POV
So far Klaus is going trough these children easily, six down. Six to go.
Pyrrha makes a charge for the man and the two begin to clash with one another, still while the Teeth are connected to chains they are still able to be used like swords for facing down the lady of war who is trying her best to defeat him for what has transpired this night.
But her Semblance is of no use, the Teeth are made from bone. And so Pyrrha can only fight on harder,
"Pyrrha Nikos." A voice in her head whispers to her, "From what I have learned about you, you are a talented young woman: Regional Tournament champion three years in a row, graduated at the top of your classes before coming to Beacon, and still even now you are a great warrior in training. It all means NOTHING in the grand scheme of it all. Have your talents allowed you to save lives? Have you changed ANYTHING that is wrong with the world? People expect you to be a paragon, a guardian, a sentinel against those who would seek to destroy or undermine the race known as humanity. You even believe that if you keep acting good and selfless that you might very well change the status quo. But here is what will happen: in the end, you will die believing that your sacrifice will mean something...when it will mean NOTHING. And your friends? Well, the first school you went to has them abandoning you after leeching off your fame for themselves. And here? History may repeat itself, and when everyone you know has used you up...they will toss you aside."
What she has only heard causes the lady of war to relent, with the man taking advantage of it by smashing her into the floor.
In her place for fighting is Silas, yet he can only be caught by his tail and slung into the wall. Klaus darting over to knee him hard enough in the stomach to cause the breath to escape out of his lungs
"Do they know?" Klaus asks, "Do they know that you still lust for revenge? That the voice in your head seeks to kill them? Ignorance is bliss isn't it? Until history repeats and your old friend kills your new friends and your love right in front of you, all because you held your chance on merely a hope and a prayer. You're a fool."
"Ouch! Stings a little don't it?" The Black Dog asks, leering
"As for you."
"Wai-...oh fuck, you can see me."
"Yes. I can. And I have something to give for you." Klaus says, he plants a message into the Black Dog's mind for only it to see.
"Well! I'll keep in touch!"
With the conversation done Klaus slings Silas aside, with Blake jumping in and letting a barrage of strikes loose. With Klaus wrapping the Teeth's chains around her, ensnaring her.
"When faced with a situation that would be considered to be hard to handle, one who's strong and courageous would try their hardest to succeed. You? You run, you run away and NEVER look back. What did you do when confronted with the fact that your first love has become a ruthless killer? You ran. When you found that your current one is able to become a beast? You ran. When you accidentally revealed your true nature to your friends? You. Ran. A question now, when you have no where else to run to...what will you do then? Cowards die in shame Blake Belladonna, but you? You make even the most sniveling and pathetic of the lot a paragon of courage in comparison."
Once finished Blake is spun by the chains, around and around and around. Going faster by the second before she's launched into the wall. Into her stead comes Yang going for hits into the face or the stomach in hopes her blasts from Ember Celica will go right through him. However despite these attempts the more experienced of the two trips her up by the legs before smashing into her with an axe kick.
However Yang tries to get up, with only more weight to push her down and prevent her from moving.
"Yang. Xiao. Long. You seem to be the picture of what people enjoy: fun-loving, easy-going, someone who can be seen as a friend or looked up to. Your friends care about you, and you care about them...but wouldn't it be a shame if they lost trust in you? For them to send up seeing you as a monster and leaving you all alone with no where to go, for you to cry with no one to hear you. As for your goal of finding your mother, I have all but one question for when you find her. What then? You believe that finding your mother will lead to life suddenly getting so much better for you, that your father will snap out of being a sniveling wreck after losing his second love. It's a tragic dream. And as for your drive to protect your sister? Your friends? Your father? Your love? Well...there will come a day where they will die, and you will not be able to do anything but WATCH. And you'll be the only one to live...and harboring guilt over their deaths, you will realize that the world is a mad design. And you will happily embrace oblivion."
"No, it won't-" Yang tries to say, yet can't due to all the weight being pressed down upon her. Grabbed by her neck she's merely tossed aside like a ragdoll. Filled with fury for what's happening to her friends all around her, Ruby actually manages to catch Klaus off guard with a strike of her scythe.
But who needs to beat someone physically, when the mind is such a more...delicate target?
"You Ruby Rose...are naïve to a fault. Your mother died and I know for a fact that she died because she wanted to protect you yet here you are, training to become a huntress. Same job as your mother. Wonder what she would think of you? She was going to quit being a huntress after that mission that got her killed so she can become more of a mother and so you can live safely. Exactly the opposite of what your mother would have wanted, risking your life on the line. You spit on the legacy of Summer Rose... and with a smile on your face."
Seeing her hesitate Klaus blasts Ruby back with full force, sending her back.
As for Axel? The whole fight he was paralyzed with fear, and now?
Panic.
Axel's POV
Goddamn it. Goddamn it I'm a coward! I just stood back as I watched them get tossed around like dolls. And this bastard is looking me straight in the eye now. And I'm not going to run, no...he hurt my friends? I'm going to try my best and break him in half.
With a wordless roar I rush him with a rocket-propelled strike, getting caught with a sharp kick right into my stomach. There's enough pain there I can feel myself go limp as a wet noodle, my eyes going temporarily white from the pain.
I can dully feel myself slide off of his leg. And fall flat on my back.
"Did any of you know?" He asks, I think he's speaking to everyone. "Did you know that your friend here has had knowledge of who I may be?" What the hell is he talking about? "He knows the group I work for as the Cabal. He knew that my organization existed, but did he tell any of you about it? 'For their own good' the poor child has deluded himself into thinking, he could have told you. But yet he chose not too, he chose to lie and play you all for ignorant fools."
I try to say something, anything so that I can get him to stop. Nothing comes out. "And now as for you Axel Lind..." he leans over me, those blades of his ready for slicing through flesh.
"Let us see if they may trust you now."
But there's soon another voice, the voice seems familiar...it's Dula. "FUCKING SHOOOOOOOGGOOOOOOOOOTHS!" He screams out in absolute fury. The doors are blasted open and in comes the barrel-looking guy and...Cain. Blood sabers in hand. A look of cold anger plastered his face
"I ask that you leave now." He says in a low tone of voice, "Else I make you pay for your crimes."
"Hmph. Ozpin has his work cut out for him, if not even twelve can defeat the weakest member of the...'Cabal' you call it? And for you? You come in telling telling me that you'd make me suffer for my sins?" The man gives a somber chuckle, "And he must be desperate if he's willing to recruit you Cain."
"The first murderer."
Those are the last words I hear before blacking out, and I am only confused, angry, and terrified.
2 Hours Later
I catapult awake with a start, in cold sweat and panting. Wide-eyed.
"Well, seems your finally awake." Someone says, looking to my left Professors Scale and Peach are sitting in chairs.
"What're you guys doing here? Where am I?" I ask, mumbling a bit. The two of the exchange glances before looking to me. "Mr. Cain brought your team along with teams RWBY and JNPR here...to the medical bay." Scale says taking off his triangle sunglasses.
I feel my heart sink as I look down, I failed them...and they probably don't trust me now. I look back at the two who seem concerned, "Are they...here?" I ask
"Err...no, they're not." Peach says with a sad frown.
"I managed to heal them." Scale says holding up his hands, they glow a warm...grey color with the sounds of twinkling filling the room. They stop glowing as he puts his hands on his lap. "Sorry I got to you last I-"
"No...you're fine." I mutter sitting up in the bed, "I'm gonna get going...I'll see you both tomorrow."
"Mr. Lind?" Scale asks with concern evident in his voice, "You sur-"
"Yes. I'm sure." I tell him before leaving, out the hallway there's my bag along with Cerberus near the door frame. I pick up both bag and sword before leaving. I can't go back to them, no...but there is two that don't care...hope I don't end up fucking that up too.
I head to the dorms hallway, and make my way up to the door. I let out a heavy sigh and knock on the door...and opening up the door is Tulip dressed in pajama clothes consisting of a nightshirt and bottoms.
"Oh! Axel, is something wrong?" She asks curiously
"I'm fine...mind if I come in?" I ask, she gives me a nod and moves out of the way for me to walk in. With the rest of team VOLT looking at me.
"Somethin' you want there Axel?" Ahri asks curiously
"Do you...do you guys mind if I stay in your dorms for a while?" I ask
"How longs a while?"
"...A while."
The fox faunus looks to her group of friends, all of them giving a nod. "Don't sweat it. You got a sleeping bag?"
"Yeah. In fact I'll get to sleep right now, so good night." I say pulling out a sleeping bag from my bag, climbing inside. I close my eyes.
Ain't life a bitch?
Third Person POV
"I once again would like to say congratulations Schwarzy!" Ash says leaning on the yellow-robbed man who sighs
"I think I may have went overboard..."
"Pffft! Don't worry about it! Besides, we can now take a break since they won't be so much of a problem anymore...plus maybe Roman's little solid he's doing for me is about finished."
Ash smiles to himself, Oh yeah...gonna need just one little touch. When have mercenaries ever harmed anyone?
Dula's POV
I watch the eleven humans before me, although an encounter between enemies would normally end with bruises or maybe death. They seem to have been stabbed in their emotional testicles metaphorically speaking.
"Up now! Come on! Come on!" I say, they seem to slowly wake up one by one before they're all looking at me.
"Hello there! I am an associate of your friend Axel, I am Dula."
(Alright, with that done I must leave this to say. 'Ok maybe I did alright who knows?' tell me what you all think. You know the drill, thanks for reading.)