I'm just doing this because of the spoilers I saw. (Guilty) But this chapter is a bit focus on ROCK more than CTDK I apologize, it's for a reason
I honestly don't know what Episode 6 is about yet, I'm not a sponsor.
One Week Ago
The sun peaked over the mountains beyond the horizon, casting the sky into a beautiful sunrise-if the sun is not blinding them. The proud prestigious combat school of Beacon glistened proudly over Vale giving a feeling of safety and might.
"I'm afraid I don't understand sir." Cindy crossed her arms across her chest eyebrows furrowed. "I fail to see what makes us so interesting. We just follow orders and execute them with the best of our abilities."
CTDK stood in Ozpin's office, each equally confused of why only they were called here and not everyone else. Ozpin has not said anything for those said few minutes with the back of the chair towards them, but perpetual silence hung in the air like smoke, making them uncomfortable. Minutes went by with the ticking of the large gears in the room.
He stayed silent for a bit longer before his chair began churning turning him to face them.
"You have heard of us discussing about a Guardian to the people yes?" He began, eyes trained at them. "Then you may have an idea why you're here."
They looked at one another quickly before nodding.
"Sir with all due respect, we all as in the entire R.F.P decided we would not be such candidate of interest for a Guardian." Jay spoke up to him.
"And your reasons being?" Ozpin asked, taking a sip from his favorite mug.
"Our presence entice fear rather than the feeling of content, besides that we were trained to strike fear and be seen as heroic… " Jay trailed off her explanation, looking at the ground before sighing. "It's always safe to say to have someone from a combat school to take the role, to be looked upon and grant them hope, not some secret special operatives that knows battle tactics more than their own people."
"As much as we- the RFP or just us would be honored to be one, it's best to find someone that can be entrusted." Cindy placed a hand on Jay's shoulder sharing a concerned look.
"That's quite an observation you have there Delun," The silver-haired man slowly stood up from his seat, walking towards the full body window behind them, facing the shimmering mountains in the distance. "Though there is another reason why I called you here."
He motioned them with his hand to join him and the rising view. They looked over the cliff towards the land beyond them, highlighted in a orangish hue, the calm waters reflected the forest beyond it. Everything seemed at peace, no movements, nothing on the waters. Just silence and gentle swaying of the trees in the light wind.
CTDK joined beside him as ordered, taking in the early morning view, entranced by the fall beauty.
"I want to talk about the Hollow Mountain you discovered on your last mission." He said suddenly, making them snap out of their stupor.
"Sir?" Diane tilted her head in acknowledgment. "What about it?"
The Headmaster only leaned against his cane and takes another sip from his mug.
"What you discovered is the remains of the ancient temple for the Order of the Eclipse."
"The Order of the what?" Cindy asked.
"The Order of the Eclipse, before mankind dominated this planet- they called this planet their home, a ancient legion of many that littered the stars and beyond like Cyres Fulgrin, queen of the ice planet of Scyrus." The table lit up, creating a black flag, trimmed with silver edges and heralded around a silver quarter moon that covered half the three claw marks.
The table shifted to one of the models possibly taken from the expedition. It was a bipedal machine that made the Paladins look smaller and less armed. The box like body was carved with runes of unknown tongue, one of the arms a fist. The other what seemed like a cannon. A mask that represent a skull covered the face, settled between it's hunchback shoulders.
"None of the best of dust, semblance or anything could breach the barrier surrounding it." Ozpin takes another sip. "Or awaken the machines inside or move them."
"And several years ago, team ROCK made the discovery deep within the ocean- two ships that rivaled Ironwood's own flagship in size. Inside carried two hundred warriors each of the lost time." Ozpin paused briefly. "There was an invasion on their mission of White Fang, and during the battle, the ships went online suddenly when Cyres sent out a psychic blast, causing all four hundred of the ancient warriors to awake and ultimately awaken their leader- Mordred."
Ozpin pointed at the shimmering in the sky.
"There they are, Leviathan and Vengeance- their ships." As if on cue, the two ship's cloaking turned off, revealing the titanic bullet shaped aircrafts hovering high in the morning sky, A silver eclipse and three clawed herald proudly presented on it's hull. It's black unknown metal absorbing the sun rays before it flickered away in static.
"Are they here to cause trouble too?" Kelly asked.
The Headmaster shook his head.
"That's for ROCK to answer. I don't know their motivation."
Presently
Diane sighed, leaning back against the bench, her body sore and winded from the ordeal. Kelly is busy hammering away at the mini workbench at the edge of the training room, sparks flying as her hammer struck the metal of Ripple Corruption. Cindy and Jay were busy firing at targets in the distance, training with their non-dominant hands. Cindy don't need to worry much about aim with the spread fire she always have in the drum magazines. Jay- not so much, her bullets tore anything that is not attached to a pillar with a horrible aim.
"How's the upgrade doing Kelly?" Diane walked over to the taller girl who just slipped the entire piece of armor/weapon on her right arm and is now testing the individual digit and joints.
"Not…" She turned around, the gauntlet shifting into it's third, heavy gun from. She huffed slightly as the gears and micro engine cranked to life. "Not bad, can you insert the new rounds for me?"
Kelly motioned her head towards the workbench, one of her ammunition belt held all but three white tipped grenade sized shells. Diane paused and looked at the components, how a miniature hammer mechanism sat in front of the propellant base and behind the main charge. Four more charges sits in front of it and rested the four large .632 calibre bullets that is well known in the RFP to tear concrete like plastic and bare flesh and bone like glass.
Diane hurried over to Kelly's side, sliding open the manual hatch that sits on the side away from the faunus. She slipped the first cartridge in and slid the notch forward, sending a slight whirr as the gun began humming- meaning ammunition is loaded and ready.
"I'd step back, because I don't know the effects of this." Kelly warned before her mask drew over her face.
Diane trusted her judgment and takes a few long strides back, never taking her eyes off her. The familiar sounds of three clicks reach her ears as Kelly leans forward a little. She her then lower slightly and before she knows anything else, the first bullet rocketed out, jerking Kelly back slightly before the second through fourth sped out in relatively quick succession before the empty shell popped out, red and steaming.
The target of metal, concrete and a keratin were punctured through by the first three bullets before the rest of the rounds shredded the tough target until nothing but a wood stub is left of the target.
"Wow." Diane can only say as she sees the fate of the target. Kelly stood straight again, her gun shifting back into its gauntlet from.
"I'm surprised this worked." Kelly patted her weapon. Diane absentmindedly takes the oversized armored hand in hers and started playing with the individual digits.
"Umm-" Kelly's voice wavered slightly at the sudden contact. And that's how Diane figured out that this weapon can feel things touching it.
"Hey guys, we should get going otherwise we'll miss the match!" Jay shouted across the room to them.
"Coming!" The two ran after them.
In the Headmaster's Office
A large humanoid machine towered over the tallest student in the four schools. His mortal body has long since been replaced by metal, wires and gears. The mythical warhammer is as black as the night, etched with red glowing runes that stood as tall as it's wielder. The panoply the machine adorned is technologically beyond mankind's own. Unlike the rest of the shown warriors, his armor is more decorated, seals and inscription written in otherwordly tongue, a silver laurel sat on his single eyed helmet.
A cloak that is materialized out of shadows held by a brooch of his Order sat proudly across his shoulders.
In his right hand held the presumed mythological warhammer, God Feller.
He looked at the people in the room, the one eye shifting back and forth.
"I hate to be rude, but I question your sand all in this room's judgment on this case Ozpin." Mordred commented. Apparently he was here the entire time, observing everything while being hidden in the shadows on the room at any time.
"And I'm surprised that you can be still for three days and not have anyone notice you." Qrow responded to the machine.
"Unlike normal humans-we don't have aura." His gravelly voice cut through the gears of the room.
"So why are you here then." Ironwood walked closer to him.
Mordred rotates his body, looking at each of them in the eyes briefly.
"Beware, for your trust may prove fatal. Tread lightly with caution and don't take any steps back."
He paused for a second, optics narrowing slightly.
"Your temperance in the Temple of Kain and removal of the dark artifact, the Tome of Demons- I shall warn you that you that it has been misused and now it has taken attention of the fear in this place."
With that he melted into his own shadow and was gone from the room.
Needless to say, not just RWB or CTDK's jaw dropped in horror, but Mel and Cyres (who just sucked in a quick breath) did as well.
Yang launched the last hit. And there were security around her.
"Something is amiss." They all barely heard the whisper on the seats down from them. It was Akaia whispering to Rio. Her younger, heavily armored brother is here too. "Did you see the sudden image and hesitation?"
"A flicker but nothing more," He replied then turning to Cyres. "Did you feel anything?"
Cyres nodded slightly, but a bit hesitant. She can always feel disturbance in the ethereal realm.
"I guess Mordred was right." Cyres whispered back to Akaia.
Akaia melted into their shadows with an affirmative nod.
The rest of ROCK looked towards the other side in the back of the arena where they draw no attention, noticing the tall mechanical commander look at them for a second before turning on his heel and walked away, his retinue consisting of the six veteran bodyguards, the Forgemaster and the raven that is perched on his high shoulders followed him out with Akaia towards the back.
In the Fortress of Altimar
Mordred sat upon his throne of iron and silver, God Feller gripped loosely in his right hand. ROCK watching the video of the match with him, all equally mortified, except Mordred who chose to show any expression.
"Yang… She would never do that…" Mel was in disbelief and the rest of her team had to agree on that.
"What should we do?" Cyres asked as she placed a hand on Mel's shoulder, trying to comfort the youngest of the group. "Mel wants to go and prove her innocence."
Akaia looked at Rio and then to Cyres and Mel before turning to the old warrior.
"I'm afraid we can't get involved." Mordred spoke up. "There is a plan set into motion long ago and it's starting to bloom."
"What plan?" Rio asked. "What is going on?"
Mordred leaned forward on his throne, his one eye trained on the young prince.
"Argus has foreseen during our stasis that great strife will befall two kingdoms. Vale and Atlas." He explained, old joints creaking. "A path where our involvement will cause worldwide destruction."
"And you didn't warn them?" Mel voiced her concern, looking into the single eyed founder.
"It's best if I or we do not tamper with inevitable fates of kingdoms." He responded with his old, dull voice. "What is the point in wasting our breath when they fail to listen? That is also how the lost the moon in the war long ago, we've tried, but their thick skulls ."
"Should've we help settle matters before they arise? They fear us. We should use it to cast out own verdicts." Akaia spoke up, her armored body creaking slightly.
"Humans fear what they don't know." Mordred responded almost immediately. "And a million year old legion that is not of this planet can cause panic as we are more advanced than them."
"But." Mel's voice cut through his words. "You never said anything about our involvement."
Argus, who was beside them the entire time, leaned down to whisper in Mordred's ear before leaning back.
After several minutes of thought, Mordred hesitantly nodded. And ROCK cheered, eager to help out their friends.
"Fine, do as you wish, I can see no consequences in your actions." He leaned back on his seat. "But I will reveal who these "infiltrators" are…"
He beckoned them close and whispered their names to them. With understanding nods, they departed.
"Akaia." Mordred called out to his current commander. Akaia paused and turned to him, waiting for his wise commands.
"I leave the Fourth Company to you and your team."
"Thank you." Akaia walked off to rejoin their team as they waited for her at the giant brass double doors.
"So here's the plan- we go in and blow it up Mission Impossible style. " Mel announced bubbling in excitement. "Break open the cell-"
"No, we're not jailbreaking anyone with such a rash idea." Cyres chastised her.
"Well, Mel may have a point." Rio nodded as they walked down the torch-lit bronze halls.
"You best be kidding me." Cyres looked appalled that Rio, the logical one would agree. She looked at Akaia for sanity.
Akaia nodded to Mel's idea.
"See even Akaia agrees!" Mel made her point.
Cyres groaned, wondering how she got into a group of idiots who actions are worse that what they just watched.
"Actually, we're going to go visit a certain team first." Akaia said to them.
"RWBY?" Rio asked as they passed by the Fourth Company, all two hundred mysterious warriors standing attention for them. They paused before the hatch of their personal airship.
"Nope. CTDK." Akaia replies. She turns to the pilot. "Take us to Beacon!"
In the dorms of Beacon
Jay threw her scroll against the wall, the video instantly ended in a static flash.
"I don't believe this." Jay paced around their room, eyes shifting between blue and green. "She is innocent, I saw the video replay is different from all we say from the tournament."
"We all did, I snuck the tape remember." Cindy tapped her foot impatiently. "And I have to agree, Yang is innocent."
"What about our current mission? " Diane asked, pushing herself off the wall. "We still need to investigate the entity Kelly found in the mines."
Cindy was about to respond before Kelly's voice interrupted her.
"That can wait or we can try and get another team trying this." Kelly suggested as she tapped keys on her scroll.
"Or," Cindy started. "We can have a meeting to discuss this issue as we look into it together."
Things in the RFP is going to be heated up~