And I'm back.
"Ha… Ha…" Jaune's rhythmic breaths fall in sync with the patter of his steps as he runs toward his destination. Tension high, he grips his sword tighter. Each corpse he runs pass only amplifies his worries as each second matters for the rescue of the White Fang members and the stranded children. I have to make it there in time.
Turning the corner, a Boarbatusk pops into his vision. Despite the abrupt meeting, the creature still immediately responds by curling itself up to a ball, preparing for an attack. That is, if Jaune had not predict its behavior. Dashing to the Boarbatusk, in one smooth motion he picks it up by the horns and cut open its belly with his katana. With one last death shrill, its guts and intestines leak out and begin to dissolve. Not letting go of the body, he stares at it to verify the researcher's information.
As the last of the body dissolves, a centipede clad in black and small white bones the size of his palm jumps out. Attempting to get away, it only slithers a few inches away before Jaune crushes it underfoot with a crunch. That confirms it. Levitus is here. It's time to face my welcome party. Straining his ears, he can hear gunshots in the distance echo through the hallway. And I'm guessing I'm close. Deathstalker Series: Cutting Edge.
The black muck spews forth from his bracelet, the cold and rotten feeling passing through his hands as it moves on to his weapon. After engulfing the blade, the fluid seems to sink and dissolve into the material, giving the weapon a much more sinister shine.
With preparations done, he charges toward the origin of the gunshots.
Captain Sybil continues her ceaseless fire at the onslaught of Grimm creatures. Her fingertips have long become numb from the countless times she has pulled the trigger. The lengthy battle's fatigue causes her aim to stagger as she struggles to find stable footing in the pool of sweat on the floor. As she shouts out orders instructing for specific squads to resupply and to reposition to more vulnerable positions, her thoughts are dominated by the choices that led her life to this situation.
She joined the White Fang when it was still a nonviolent organization, after the Faunus Rights Revolution felt like it was the first step towards concrete change. Like many others, she believed that by obeying their requests, Faunus and humans can one day stand as equals. And she continued to obey, even when they began militarizing. She continued to obey, when they started arms training. When they offered her rank. When they commanded her to pull the trigger. And, when they ordered her to capture Grimm and children as hostages.
But that did not mean she remained steadfast in her faith. It wavered, with each request slowly melting down her resolve like the finite wax off a flickering candle. And when they finally ordered her to abandon the innocent, to use the children as bait to save themselves, that flame went out, as she can no longer convince herself that the ends justify the means.
So for the first time, she disobeyed. She had lied, telling the squads under her command that they were to act as diversion until reinforcements came. She took the one in a million chance that she could atone by saving her comrades who shared her faith, rather than the more likely ending where only her and a selected few live to bear yet another sin.
But look what that's achieved. She glimpses at their makeshift barricade and her depleted comrades, grimacing at what her choice entails. Each one of them continues to fire, hanging on life by a thread, but there is no hope in their eyes. They follow through with their routine, because they will shortly die if not, but accepting they are only delaying the inevitable.
As she reaches for her last cartridge, a temptation runs through her thoughts to lay down her weapon. To admit her lie, accept her karma, to tell everyone to drop their weapon so they can face a quicker death. To just give up.
It's easier to just end their lives now. To end their pain instantly with a bullet through their head than to suffer as the Grimm rips them into pieces. Rather than seeing their comrades die next to them, knowing they are next, knowing how… how inconsequential our fight has been.
As she takes her last breath, to give in to the allure and to give the final command, she hears a thunderous roar that draws her attention. Looking to the source of the sound, she finds an Ursa Major slumping to the ground, revealing an outsider wearing a Grimm mask and dressed in a cassock.
With flowing black hair, the woman immediately blitzes toward a nearby Beowolf. With a movement terribly precise and cold, she cuts off the arm that threatened to pierce her through, following through with a smooth arc to behead the creature. As the corpse collapses, the creature's blood gushes out, brandishing her and her weapon in a red malevolent aura. Bathing in the demonic appearance, the women nonchalantly continues to strike down her enemies as she stabs down at an oncoming Creep.
The scene was so sudden, so eerily beautiful that Sybil lost herself in the stranger's presence. A cacophony of roars bought her back to her senses, as the countless Ursas and Boarbatusks resume their charge toward her and the newcomer. However, the creatures' screams are like a muffled whisper compare to the howl of defiance at death that clamors from her companions. Picking up the cartridge, she refound her hope at the end of the barrel. She pulls the trigger not because she must, but because she believes that it will be their salvation.
With each shot, she feels a ever growing smolder in her heart, burning away the dreariness and fatigue she has felt. Her allies reciprocate in kind, their expression a stark contrast compared to their eyes sunken in despair a few moments ago. The weapon in her hands that seems so heavy before becomes almost light enough to float on its own. When she takes one terse glance behind her at the children they were protecting, she sees for the first time a weak smile from them. She lets out a sigh of relief as she finds her decision validated.
But the Grimm care little for her ideas of hope or salvation. Even if they and their unforeseen help work together to kill more than enough to avenge all those that have died, the creatures continue to pour in. Before the bodies even disappear fully, another Grimm has taken its place. When their ammunition dwindles down to its last remains, the harbinger of their end crawls forward.
The Deathstalker eclipses over them, its claws scraping out and creating indents into the walls. Blocking off the entire hallway, it restricts their escape, forcing them to face the horror. Stomping and crushing the disintegrating Grimm, it flings off a Faunus body from its stinger, landing it in front of the barricade. The creature's expression remains the same, but its presence alone laughs at their futile resistance, calling for their demise.
An uncomfortable silence fills the air as everyone freezes in terror at the monstrosity, knowing their bullets will do little. All except for one. Their defender races headfirst toward her adversary, katana upraised and a grin plastered on her face.
It was this that reminded Sybil of the legend among the White Fang, of someone they aptly nicknamed "Vale's Akuma." Masquerading as a nun, she is said to be the one to cut down all of Vale's enemies, all with a smile. Destroying countless bases, stopping a myriad of operations, each person that met her only describes her as 'deadly.'
If that is the case, then I know what I have to do. "Lieutenant, get something for me."
Jaune rolls underneath an incoming swipe from the Ursa, taking a shallow cut into the creature's torso before pivoting around an assaulting Boarbatusk. Without any time to stop or to confirm the kill, he steps in between the space made open by the failed attack, only to face an oncoming Beowolf. Maintaining his momentum, he severs the creature's left arm, pushing through the small breadth of space he created.
Like clockwork, he continues this cycle in order to charge unrelentingly forward, only using his attacks as a means to create the next opening for him to step through. The lone Huntsman pushes through the sea of darkness with his sword lighting the way; he forces his own path forward, the gunfire is his guidance of direction, and its intensity the confirmation.
Finally reaching a Grimm that has its back turn towards him, a quick slice brings the beast down, revealing the scene he has been searching for this entire time. The White Fang soldiers standing behind makeshift barriers of chairs, tables, and cages all look at him in surprise, expressions that all quickly change into relief. He has little time to admire the sight in front of him as he locks eyes with a nearby Beowolf. As the creature begins to bend its body down in preparation to slam into him, Jaune steps into range to cut off its arm, setting it unbalanced as he follows through his slash to behead the beast.
Seeing their fallen comrade, the remaining Grimm roar in unison as they run at him, threatening to swallow him up in the pitch-dark horde. Putting his senses into overdrive and taking a defensive stance, he spares no excess capacity for any idle thoughts as the mass of claws, muscle, and teeth threaten to rip him into pieces.
The battle passes by in a blur. Kicking away and deflecting a rushing Boarbatusk, his muscle memory allows him to narrowly dodge an Ursa attempting to restrain him. One step into the next, his practiced footwork allows him to evade the perpetual number of attacks. However, each movement becomes more and more costly to his stamina as it becomes increasing difficult to dodge.
Following through with his steps, he finds a Beowolf already waiting for him where he finished his stride. With this unexpected behavior, his left arm reaches up to block the claws as his blade barely cuts through the Grimm's stomach. The sudden pain causes him to instinctively step back into an Ursa's grapple.
Crap. Levitus is allowing them to adapt! Struggling to break free, he sees a group of Boarbatusk all charging up, ready to skewer him. Goliath Series: Reinforcement! The murky liquid flows forth from his bracelet, coating up and dissolving into his arms as he resists with the newly fortified strength. I have to...! He escapes the hold just in time to flip the Ursa into the Boarbatusks' path, causing the two to damage each other.
"Ha… Ha…" I'm spending way too much energy just trying to dodge. I have to change my strategy. As the fluid continues to flow down from the bracelet and binding to his arms and legs, he can feel the burn of muscle fatigue fade away. The skill only inhibits the fatigue. So I have to make use of this while I can. Shifting his weight, he changes his stance to one that allows him the greatest opportunity to make decisive strikes.
An incoming swipe. Left hand block, cut its leg. Pain. Next target. Three Beowolves surrounded. Behead the one that's one step too fast. Claw grazes cheek. Cut. Pain in calf. Stab the Creep. Snap leg back in place.
He lost count of how many he killed. He lost count of many cuts, grazes, and bruises he suffered to get those kills. And he undisputedly lost count of how many times he repeated to himself, I can do this.
As another Creep dissolves in front of him, he prepares to cut down his next target, only to find himself lacking any adversaries near him. Looking around, he quickly discovers the reason why.
A Deathstalker forces its way through the hallway, its size cause it to scrape against the sides of the wall. Preventing the other Grimm from passing, it approaches Jaune, the creature pinches its pincers threateningly, before flinging an unrecognizable corpse behind him. He does not have to look behind him to guess the reaction from the corpse's comrade-in-arms.
Despite the outrage he should feel from how carelessly and degradingly the corpse was defiled, or the fear he has from facing such an enemy alone, or even the repercussions if he falls, all he can feel… is excitement. A fight with an enemy he barely defeated with a team, his exhaustion at peak, but being able to use his full abilities… It's a challenge.
Lunging towards the monster, he keeps his focus on the creature's stinger. In the narrow space, the pincers lack room to make full use of its mass and momentum. Baiting out an attack, he finds a timing where both the pincers lose their momentum while swinging back, using that opportunity to jump onto the creature's back. The Deathstalker starts shaking violently, trying to throw him off.
No way! Stabbing his sword into a small opening in its exoskeleton, he uses it as a lever to maintain his grip, completely sealing off the pincers from reaching him, as well as being out of its line of sight. Now I just have to worry about the stinger, but it shouldn't even be able to see me. As the thought passes through his mind, the stinger arches straight toward his head. Dodging through pure reflexes, the stinger scratches the side of his Grimm mask, the force of it nearly enough to throw him off. What the hell?
As the stinger lashes out for another attack with unforeseen precision, he scans around to see four Beowolves behind the Grimm, all staring intently at him. Damn, that's right. Levitus can exchange information remotely, so I can't make that kind of assumption. But in that case…
The stinger whips toward his head again, as if afraid of allowing him to grab hold of it if it gets any closer. How predictable! Foreseeing the attack, he does the one action the creature has no way of predicting: he leans forward. As the stinger swings over his head, his left arm reaches out, grabbing at his previous location to grip at where the tail and stinger connected.
The creature convulses even more intensely, slamming its pincers and face into the walls in an attempt to get him off. However, with his reinforced strength, Jaune is able to maintain his hold, sealing off all possibility of a counterattack.
Goliath Series: Corrosive Spray! From his palm, a dark brown solvent permeates, eating away at the skin of the beast. The tail tries to pull back in vain, Jaune's grip too strong for it to break free. As the skin burns away to reveal the flesh, he squeezes even tighter to separate the two parts. The stinger plunges down, cracking the exoskeleton. The tail swings around vigorously, covering him in blood, all the while the monster screams in pain.
To finish executing the creature, he repeatedly stomps on the stinger as if it were a nail; each time the stinger digs deeper, the monster screams louder, helpless as Jaune carves out the creature's demise. As he applies more force, the spinal fluid and blood sprays out like a fountain, causing the scene to look like something from a gore movie. Finally, with a resounding crack, the stinger pierces through its spine; with a cavity through its body, the Deathstalker falls with one last screech.
Removing the blade, he jumps off the corpse, ready to face the remaining Grimm reinforcements, despite the fact he can barely muster enough energy to stand. However, as the Deathstalker's body dissolve, the other creatures look at him, not taking a step forward. In an anticlimactic finish, they all turn around, leaving him in a daze. What the hell?
As the legion of Grimm leave, covered in a malefic mist emitted from the corpses of their fallen comrades, Jaune notices one particularly strange Grimm. In the center of the group, the creature resembles an Ursa Major in all ways but one. An extensive flesh nerve extends from its head, holding up an eyeball that perpetually rotates and scrutinizes everything in its vicinity. Looking at his direction, the eyeball grinds to a halt and adheres to him. The pupils dilate as its attention locks onto him; the red blood vessels bulges grotesquely and intensely, made more distinct from the contrast on the white of the eye. Chills run up Jaune's spine, shaking as goosebumps spread and sprout on his skin, as the unconscious desire to run away from the monstrosity's gaze and fixation rises up from within him. As the creature turns around the hallway, it pauses for one last glance at him. With two more eerie blinks, the creature finally withdraws.
So that's the form Levitus's body is taking this time? I really hope it didn't learn too much from this encounter. Not to mention, how many Grimm did he gain control of?
Once the entirety of the Grimm are out of sight, he allows himself to lean on the sword, gasping strenuously to give his body the oxygen it lacks. He can not help but feel proud of himself. Did you see that? Qrow, I knew I can do it. I can be the hero, just like Master. As his sense of danger passes, he can feel his muscles loosening up.
Wait, why is the floor suddenly so much closer? As if there were a delay with his senses, he finds himself planted face first into the floor. A small pain can be felt from his back, but he fails to recall any suffering wound there. Suddenly, he senses someone grabbing his shoulder and flipping him over. Unable to resist, he looks straight at a White Fang member with two fox ears sticking out from the top of her head.
"Thank you for saving us. I understand that this is hardly any way to repay that favor, and for that, I apologize." The woman takes a deep bow. "However, if we were to follow you to return to Vale, we will be turned into the authorities, incarcerated with jail or involuntary servitude. We… cannot do that."
Jaune attempts to open his mouth to protest, but his body fails to respond. Darting his eyes around in an attempt to object, he notices the taser in her grip. No! If you leave, you won't have a chance to atone! You'll just be a wanted fugitive everywhere! If that's the case, then it's… it's like I didn't save any of you at all.
"Captain, we have to go. Sensors picked up several Vale airships incoming." The woman nods at her subordinate's notification. "I will repay this debt for saving us eventually. But not today." She starts walking away.
Her subordinate looks hesitant to leave, whispering, "Shouldn't we… finish her off? If there aren't any witnesses, then-"
"Are you suggesting we desecrate her good-will by killing the one who saved us?" Despite unable to see her expression through the mask, Jaune can hear the resentment in her voice. "If we do so, we are no better than the ones who forced us into this situation. In addition, to have a human go so far for us…" The woman pauses, finding it difficult to vocalize her thoughts as she looks at Jaune thoughtfully. "No, we will not kill her."
The subordinate fails to come up with a verbal response at her well-reasoned answer, responding with a nod and a simple salute. As the two leave, Jaune sees the remaining White Fang members follow them, some giving him a curious gaze as they pass. One even gives him a slight nod of approval before leaving. At the very back, the group of children follow them, with a kaleidoscope of emotions ranging from fear to relief. I'm so glad… they're alright. But where are they going to go?
After they all leave, Jaune still has not regain control and is forced to lie there, staring at the blank white ceiling. Despite the fact I couldn't bring them in, I can't help but just feel so darn happy! The tingly feeling as his Aura works to repair his wounds and fatigue reflects his mood. He struggles to keep his eyes open. Ah. The kickback is happening. Looks like I pushed myself a bit too hard, huh?
Before he closes his eyes, he sees Qrow looking over him with a self satisfied grin. "Good job, kiddo. Looks like you barely missed kicking the bucket. How about a drink to celebrate?" The last thing he remembers seeing is Qrow taking a swig from his flask in his typical lackadaisical fashion. And though it could have been his exhaustion or shock from the damage he took, but Qrow's eyes appears much softer than he last remembered.
Cinder is quite pleased with herself. Since her last operation, she has no longer received any reports of a particular thorn on her side. With a small hum, she continues working on the papers that organized out her next operations and backup plans. Though she usually kept the information on her scroll, the recent tool she was given has left her feeling rather paranoid at the prospect of using electronics.
A knock on the door gives her a bit of a jump. There should be little reason for someone to visit this late. "Who is it?"
A monotone voice replies back. "It's Azura, mistress. I have a report from Fort Harty."
Cinder gathers up the papers, putting it within one of her hidden drawers before locking it shut. Walking over, she unlocks the door before sitting down again. "You may enter."
A woman with a hime cut red hair, extending past her shoulders, walks in. Her light blue eyes reflect like a tranquil lake, giving no impression of her interests or emotions. Though her white pouf dress with red and black hem is unkempt, it fails to mask the harsh beauty of her face, nor the cold severity of her demeanor. Without a change in expression, she curtsies in front of the desk before speaking. "The base was invaded by Vale's Akuma, as expected. About fifteen percent of the White Fang stationed there returned to us, but the researchers and Rable were both captured." She hands Cinder a vanilla envelope. "Enclosed are the exact details."
Cinder could not help but let out a sigh of exasperation. "So she lives, as expected. I should have assumed that inflicting that kind of wound would do little but slow her down."
"Mistress, that is the reason I have come to disturb you at this hour." Azura hands her a scroll with a video queued up.
Playing the video, Cinder squints to catch the details on the distorted video. The scene is as she expects, the Huntsman fighting off the horde of Grimm with an obsidian blade. Though the movements are stiffer than she remembers, she does not find anything particular of note.
The video reaches to a part with the Huntsman in an Ursa's hold. Struggling, she has difficulty breaking the grasp until a golden bracelet materializes in her left wrist. There, the video pauses, showing the bracelet shining brightly.
The faintest of smiles escapes from Cinder's lips. "I see. Looks like Ozpin has already found himself a replacement. In fact, it is one we are familiar with." She returns the scroll back to Azura. "Inform Emerald and Mercury we are to return to Vale earlier than planned. Looks like we have a family reunion to attend."
With a nod, Azura reaches out to retrieve her scroll, her own golden bracelet reflecting on the screen. "Yes. I look forward to reuniting with one of my esteemed sisters."
And done! Sorry if the chapter was less humorous than the previous ones, was hard to make it that with this mood. But next arc will be some SoL, so look forward to it! Thanks to Ordon and masterofbones for helping proofreading and commenting on this chapter!