When the firefight ws over, the bodies of both machine and man were strewn across floor of the warehouse. His back was against the wall before he pulled out a medkit and removed the cover. Pain echoed throughout his body before it disappeared, a small comfort for the communist soldier. Pavel looked around to see the eyes of his men staring back at him either through their gas masks or their naked eyes.
These men... they all looked up to him to bring them back to Revolution, but that would never happen. Over the years of fighting against Hansa and the Nazis, their loyalty for their major would die with him. He pitied them, their deaths would become his burden amongst the soulless machines that betrayed him. Was this General Ironwood's plan? Get rid of the people here.
Sirens outside began screaming with gunfire and people shouting. Something had happened while he lay there in this strange place. Still, it was comforting to know that he would join his men.
As much as he was a great believer of the great Communist ideals, he wondered about Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory those old men used to talk about before they were sent to Lubianka. Was there a place for someone who didn't believe in the afterlife? It would be a shame that his actions in life would bring him to place full of fire.
The warehouse doors opened with those policemen drawing their guns. Their reactions expressed the horror of the sight before they took note of him.
Pavel tried to talk, but didn't have the strength when their voices couldn't be heard. His breathes were deep before his head rested back on the wall. Then he fell into a deep slumber.
[Powerwolf - Army of the Night]
The casualties between the White Fang and the Rangers continued to rise given that they were fighting in the open. However, Colonel Miller noticed Hunter and Khan fighting that was far beyond anything he could have imagine. They were just too efficient and might be superhuman if he thought about it.
Yet, he paid little attention to the brother gods as he raised his Hellbreathe and fired streams of hot ball-bearings at three masked soldiers firing back in the open. Thankfully, they fell to his weapons before charging his weapon.
One of the Bulkheads flew close to the ground, but this was different compared to the others. When the doors opened opened, a large black blur landed on the ground revealing its arachnid appearance. A black scorpion with many eyes were screaming with rage when it ran towards to the soldiers.
The colonel knew the threat was greater than anything he could have imagined before he called to his men. "Concentrate on that fucker! Bring it down!"
Every Ranger unleashed all they could before one of them became its victim. It's stinger struck one of the men and tossed him away into the sea of Grimm. The beowolves descended to claim him, but like all Rangers he left the world with an bang. The ground shook as the pack were riddled with shrapnel.
Despite all of their effort, the scorpion Grimm was taking all of its firepower without the effort. More bulkheads arrived onto the battlefield with monsters arriving in variety. Many of the Rangers took their steps back while protecting their last route of escape to D6.
Khan stood beside the colonel as he dropped all of his weapons.
Out of concern for the old man, Miller wondered. "What are you doing? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?"
He glanced over to the military man and brought a warm smile. "My friend, tell your Rangers to keep their distance. My brother and I will take care of the problem." Khan walked forward and confronted the hoard rushing towards the apocalypse survivors. "My warriors of the Golden Horde, rise and serve your khan once more."
To the surprise of the colonel, golden silhouettes of strange steppe knights appeared from the grass alongside Khan. Then they rushed towards the Grimm with their swords drawn, striking into their numbers of the monsters. More of these ancient ghosts appeared, some on horseback, others with different weapons. They clashed into the army of darkness while the bystanders were awed by the old man's fearlessness.
Knowing the fight was changing in their favor, Colonel Miller rallied the men. "Rangers, push them back!"
So they did, many shouting an age-old battle cry in the Russian army.
"Ura!"
Artyom looked over his shoulder as Winter was inside of the second tube. When the headmaster began pressing the buttons on the control panel, the Ranger was worried about her. He had said they were going to be merging one person's soul into another. If anyone had told him about this in the Metro, he could have called them delusional. Yet, this world and its remarkable things he couldn't describe said otherwise. However, Winter was evidence that it was possible with her power alone.
The knight of the apocalypse stood on guard as he drew his Hellbreath and charged its battery pack. He prepared for the worst as he became Winter's vigilant guardian. Looking through his sniper scope, Artyom's eyes focused on the elevator, the only way into this place.
However, the elevator closed and it meant that it was being used. Someone was coming, unless Ozpin called someone down to join him, which he didn't.
The Ranger's finger reached for the trigger as he warned the headmaster. "Someone's coming down." He said.
Professor Ozpin was quick to reply. "Just a little more time and it might work."
The machine behind Artyom's back began to whine to life as he looked over his shoulder, only to see golden energy transfer from Amber into Winter's tube. When the energy arrived, the specialist screamed in agony before returning his focus back to his duties. The specialist had to endure the pain if the fate of this world depended on women like her.
Her cries didn't comfort him, but he didn't want to interrupt the transfer. As his eye looked down the scope, the elevator doors opened as three figures stepped out.
Then the screaming stopped. "Sir, what happened?"
However, Ozpin spoke up. "Specialist Schnee has received the last of Amber's aura into her body. She's probably in comatose after given that much energy." He walked beside the young man with his staff in hand. "Are they here?"
"Da." Artyom replied. "Three people, a brunette in a red dress accompanied by two others. One is in grey while the other appears to be a bit emerald color."
"I see. When the fighting starts, do your best to keep them away from Amber and Winter. I know that you are no huntsman and you'll be fighting against far more capable enemie-"
The Ranger interrupted him with his own words. "With all due respect sir, I survived the apocalypse and the monsters it brought. I'll be fine."
"You might not live to see the next day."
"I'll give you some insight about us Polis Rangers. If not us, then who."
"Those are some fine words to live by."
"... and die by." Artyom replied. "I'll fire the first shot." The young man's finger pulled the trigger as the projectile flew from his makeshift railgun and towards the trio coming after them. Then he noticed something, the ball-bearing flew through the women in the emerald color. "Something is not right." He said before turning on his red laser-sight.
By the time they were in talking distance, their true appearance was revealed when they were closer than before.
The headmaster lunged towards the girl in the red dress while the other two charge for him. "Shit!"
The one in the grey jumped up in the air and started kicking his boots after him, but shotgun shells rang out as he rolled to the side and aimed his weapon. However, the girl in the emerald colors fired her machine guns after him before he ran while firing his weapon at her.
Then she stopped when her weapons extended themselves and revealed their chains to him as the blades took ahold of his. The girl tried to pry it out of his hands, but he held a tight grip before charging up the battery. He slammed the barrel onto the chains as the large voltage reached to her hands. Her screams were enough for her to release her handles.
However, he failed to account for the boy.
A shotgun blast knocked his railgun out of his hands before he looked to his left to see the gray-haired boy smirk at his loss. He began to commit himself to a roundhouse kick, but the Ranger landed on his back while he drew his automatic shotgun. His Shambler barked with buckshot and forced the boy to dodge his gunfire.
When the last shell was gone, he sprinted away from the duo before they began to circle around him. Artyom used this moment to slip shells onto the clamps as he eyed their movements. They were strong, but he had to hold out long enough for the headmaster to rescue him.
The girl fired her guns before he replied in the same way. Dodging her bullets, Artyom looked around for the boy, only to see him bring up one of his boots and aim it in his direction.
He slid to the ground while slipping one of his grenades out of his pocket with a lit fuse. The ruse forced him to jump away before the explosion.
After he rose from the ground, the Ranger looked around, only to see the headmaster call out his name. "Look out!"
Artyom turned his head around as an projectile flew towards him. The arrow knocked his shotgun out of his hands before he was at the mercy of the duo. Thankfully, there were still more weapons left. His hand reached for his Kalashnikov and readied himself for the next attacks. However, he was caught off-guard when a forceful kick slammed his head onto the ground.
Despite the fact he couldn't contain his surroundings, he brought up his assault rifle and found one the girl running around him with her barrels aimed after him. When he pulled the trigger, he watched as her aura flared up before he noticed someone on the corner of his eye.
He was met with a large boot as he felt his mind feel the concussion he received. At the same time, his helmet was on the ground, its visor shattered and his weapon tossed aside while a warm liquid seeped out of his uniform. Looking down, the young man found an arrow in his body.
When Artyom looked up, he saw the brunette in the red dress walk towards him. "Keep him at bay!" She ordered while the other two followed her orders to the letter. Her eyes stared into his soul while a smile came after it. "It appears you've made a foolish mistake to join Ozpin and get caught in a mess you were never supposed to deal with. I could just kill you right on the spot for keeping what's mine away from me… or she could use you. After all, Emerald and Mercury seemed to have a troubled time trying to kill you."
"Who are you?" He wondered.
"Me? I am the next Fall Maiden." Her left hand transformed into a black arm as she grabbed him by the throat.
He tried to pry the black arm off, but to no avail.
"Join my master and you won't have to worry."
Was she truly giving him a chance? Why should he accept? She came here with the intent to take away a life. Now that Amber was perhaps gone, he began to think of the specialist. Winter was still in her tube, unaware of the fighting he participated in. This girl was going to kill her for that power. No, he wouldn't allow it. Winter had to live, saving himself was not worth risking the world. An old habit came in as he released one of his hands while confronting this girl. "No."
His trench knife stabbed into her arm before she screamed in agony. "If you won't serve in life, then you'll do better as a Grimm!"
A piece of her was released as the Ranger felt his body become consumed by this black goo that the girl gave to him. It almost reminded him of D6 as he reached for his trusty revolver, the very one that killed the Dark One. He found himself in a predicament before he heard someone cry out in rage. "No!"
Glass was shattered behind him before a blinding white blur rushed past her and slammed into the girl who did this to him.
"You will not harm him!" When the light began to stop, he saw Winter standing with her sword drawn.
However, there was a dark foreshadow on the girl's face. "It's too late."
The specialist turned towards Artyom, but she was right. There was nothing he could do. The goo had spread and taken control of everything in his body. He stood up with his revolver drawn, but was aimed at the very woman he fought for.
The goo whispered into his mind. Kill! Kill! Kill! Give what belongs to Cinder! You will belong to Salem.
There was only one option left…
He felt sorrow that this was how Winter was going to finally see the last of him. Artyom jerked the remains of self-control to bring his revolver towards his head. "Forgive me, Winter." Before his finger pulled the trigger.
Author's Note: Something new for a change, right?
Ronmr: If Pavel's house is anything to go by, it is going to be awesome.
Gamerman22: Indeed…
Guest: Stops the transfer of Amber's soul into Winter's just like canon?
Ha ha ha - no, nope, nyet, nein.
In case you haven't noticed, I don't do stories just like canon. I think outside the box.
TheShadowOfZama: You know, I didn't even think about the Winter-Fall Maiden bit. I just thought it would bring an interesting dynamic between Artyom and Winter. Now to the review.
I really appreciate your detailed reviews. They're surprisingly helpful.
Psihopatul: Yeah, you don't mess with Russians.