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For those Wondering
MoraBea Odyssey: MoraBea is a reference to Moralltach ("Great Fury") and Beagalltach ("Little Fury"), swords given to Diarmuid Ua Duibhne by his father Aengus(Celtic mythology). Odyssey is from Odysseus's Bow who was said to only work for him.(It felt fitting for reason explained in the future)
Tsume & Kiba: Quite literally Claw and Fang in Japanese.
Chapter seven: The Temple
I was beat.
Completely out of energy.
Quite frankly, I wondered why my body was still answering or why I was alive that matter. Yet my hand grabbed the extended one Kokuran was offering and, after a few unsteady steps, I was back on my feet.
The cavern now looking more like a hole in the ground, most of it's ceiling having crumbled during my battle. Rocks and dirt lay overturned and three dead Death Stalker served as explanation.
I looked at Kokuran, who was taking in the sight of the battlefield. He turned to me and smiled. His left arm had serious scorch marks and holes were visible where cloth had previously been. Blood ran over his right eye and he stood with a limp.
"How was the fire?"
He laughed without much energy at the question "Blowing out the fire was not the hard part... Doing it while half a dozen Ursa and twice as many very angry Beowolves attacked me... now that proved to be a challenge. Though, from what I see, it seems I got the easy job"
I chuckled, grunting in pain at the contraction of my abdomen.
A few more moments were spent in silence before we decided to head to the old temple. Getting out of the cave looked like it would be a challenge as the exit Pyrrha had used was totally blocked by rubble and the thought of wandering the cave system for another exit appealed to neither of us.
"I don't have enough strength left to muster my semblance." As I pondered the best way to tackle this new problem, I heard my partner sigh. I was suddenly grabbed by the back of the collar and a few flapping sounds later we were halfway to the ceiling.
I looked up to see my friend using his good arm to grab me as his powerful wings strained to gain altitude with the added weight. "I just... need to reach... open air" I heard him grunt.
The moment we passed the threshold of what used to be the ceiling, a great gust of wind caught in his wings and we were sent upwards at great speed.
Looking up to him again, I nearly screamed " If you drop me, I swear that I will find a way back from the dead just to kick your ass!"
His laughter was heard over the rushing wind. The feeling of being pulled up was far different from what I was used too and the distance from the ground no longer held any benefit other than a long fall before death.
We spotted the Old Temple as Weiss froze the Death stalker before it hit Ruby and the Nevermore circled back.
"We need to help them!" My partner screamed before pointing of in the distance.
To the west, further then the edge of the forest, a second Nevermore was rapidly approaching.
"The eight of them can take care of those two, but if that Nevermore makes it into the fray things will get ugly." I agreed with him, partly because he was right, but, also, because, as drained a we were, taking on the Death Stalker AND the Nevermore already harassing the group was beyond our strength. I signaled him to set us down at the top of the cliff.
As we landed, the commanding view allowed us to see the group running to the temple for refuge from the attacks. Kokuran's face betrayed his worries that in turn mirrored mine. How were we supposed to keep them safe from all that?
"We need a plan" The fact that I had nothing to answer enraged me. Surely I could do something!
'Use it... just this once' I shivered as the voice in the back of my mind reminded me of the burden still firmly secured across my back.
I sighed as I passed the leather tube over my shoulder. It's make was fine and a thin yet extremely resistant layer of alloy on the inside made the thing practically unbreakable. Opening the top of the tube, I slid my mothers weapon out: A bow.
Well it was more like two curved short swords that hooked at their base and made a string-less bow. The blades were still as sharp as razor despite not having been used in a very long time. Engravings on the hilts once joined together spelled the weapons name.
"MoraBea Odyssey" I whispered, almost afraid of the weight it would have on my tongue. Aiming the bow in front of me, I brought my fingers to where the string would be and a slight tingling sensation told me all I needed to know "Hi mom..."
Besides me, I heard Kokuran whistle admiringly "That is some weapon! Don't get me wrong... I love Tsume and Kiba..." He gestured to his Sai's "...But that his on an entirely different level of craftsmanship"
I turned to him and pointed to the Nevermore that was now almost at the Temple "Can you draw its attention?... I need it to hold still for a second... I have one shot in me"
He looked out to the giant bird for a moment before nodding "Yeah... I think I can manage that... But If you miss and hit me... I swear that I will find a way back from the dead just to kick your ass!"
Chuckling a bit , we shook hands aware this was a very dangerous plan.
Without a word, he flew off to intercept the Nevermore. I turned my gaze to the Battle down below as Jaune directed his colleagues against the Death Stalker. The sickening cracking sound that happened when the hammer girl nailed the stinger was heard all the way to the top of the cliff, where I was standing.
Shifting my gaze to Weiss and her teammates, I saw Ruby get catapulted towards the Nevermore and my eyes grew wide at the sudden understanding of their plan. It was either brave or stupid. The determined look combined with glee clear on Ruby's face as she ran up the cliff side told me it was a bit of both.
I walked back to the middle of the clearing atop the cliff and faced away from the cliffside, closing my eyes to concentrate, and started gathering what little Aura I could muster without my body breaking down.
It wasn't long before I heard a slashing sound and the characteristic noise of boots landing on rock. Ruby had made it up to the top of the cliff and the slashing sound indicated that the Nevermore had been decapitated. I stayed silent and facing away from her knowing the Kokuran's window would be soon.
A few moments later other steps were heard as the remaining seven soon-to-be-hunters reached their friend.
Jaune coughing and interrupting their chatter indicated that he had noticed me. They slowly approached and I turned to face them. I was in a sorry state. My long coat was ripped and bloody gashes were visible here and there. I heard their gasps at my state.
Pyrrha was the first to speak " How are you here? You were fighting the three other Death Stalker last I saw you?" That comment sparked a slew of questions from the other trainees.
"Shut up" Silence fell on the group
I felt bad for using such a harsh tone. Never the less I raised up two fingers "Two things... First, good job on killing those creatures... The stinger was a good plan Jaune and the beheading was... efficient. Second, I am surprised and quite honestly disappointed." The quizzical expression on their faces was almost comic
"That some of you do not know this doesn't surprise me, but that none of you do is shocking, especially with the standing of certain of the character assembled here" Yang's left eye twitched clearly annoyed at being rebuked by someone of her own age.
"What are you talking about?" She almost barked.
"Nevermores always come in pairs" I pointed up to the now very close Nevermore.
Before they had the time to react, I added "Don't do anything... you'll only get him killed...I have one shot at this"
Their mouths were open and their eyes wide, some with fear. They too had given their all in the battle and couldn't imagine taking on another creature of that size.
Blake was the first one to ask "Kill who... wait where is Kokuran?"
I pointed to the Nevermore whose flight path was now erratic. On top of it a slim humanoid silhouette seemed to be stabbing the beast repeatedly.
I aimed my MoraBea and waited.
The flight became harder and harder to track as the beast was reeling from the attacks on its back. It rolled over and flipped, but Kokuran always seemed to find his grip and keep stabbing.
I drew an imaginary string to my cheek and the glyphs on the bow began to glow, as I felt my Aura seep out of my fingers slowly creating an arrow of pure energy.
The beast, no longer able to bear the attacks, turned on its back in the hope of knocking off its attacker, but, once more, Kokuran managed to get to the skyward side of the Nevermore.
I let go of my arrow. The rush of energy left my hand at incredible speed and lodged itself at the base of the neck of the bird.
A single angered screech was heard as it slowly fell towards us, Kokuran grabbing on for dear life. As its falling trajectory took it over us, the Faunus jumped and with a roll and a tumble managed to stand by my side.
His arm immediately coiled around my shoulder as the beast crashed into the tree line. "Dont let go of me or I'll pass out and fall... hopefully in that order"
I couldn't help but laugh a bit as he whispered this to me "Don't worry, I can't move... that arrow took everything I had..."
We both laughed while 8 students looked at us bewildered.
Some heroes we were... bloody and unable to stand alone... but alive. We were still, somehow, alive.
This would be a very interesting adventure indeed.