8-4: Ignition

A huntsman's work was never done.

Of all things he had learnt throughout his entire career, that lesson was the one that had ingrained itself the most into Qrow's mind. From the time he had just been some ignorant freshman punk at Beacon, to the day his team had received their first official mission as certified huntsman, the man had known first-hand how much time and effort went into his chosen profession.

And that's before you considered all the extra stuff Ozpin had him doing.

Either way, he was very much familiar with the amount of work that came with his position, which was why he didn't bat an eye when the old man had assigned him with a completely new task. Sure, he would've appreciated a break or something, especially since his latest job had been assigned seconds after his little scouting report on Rhinestone... but if Ozpin's expression at the time was anything to go by, his task was important. And considering the fact that it included Amber, it was probably necessary for the stability of the Kingdoms or something.

So, the huntsman had made his way Southward, his concern growing with every copse, mountain range, or grassy clearing that he had passed.

Amber was a big girl, and had a relatively good head on her shoulders, which was why she had been given free reign to operate on her own. Sure, she didn't have the same freedom that Qrow had, what with his unique abilities, but the girl still had a great deal of autonomy as to how she conducted herself. At the same time, the lack of a team to fall back on, coupled with her own unique abilities, meant that communication between herself and Ozpin was just as important to her missions as the missions themselves, and that was a fact that he was certain she understood.

Which was why, when Ozpin had told him that he hadn't been able to contact Amber, it was clear that something was very wrong.

That thought was at the forefront of Qrow's mind as he settled down at a lone tree, his body resting against the forgotten oak for a few moments as he caught his breath. His attention fell to his Scroll, quickly reviewing some of the messages Ozpin had sent him since his last period of respite, only to scowl at the lack of new information. Just as before, there had been no contact between the Headmaster and Amber, and worry steadily grew in the huntsman's mind as he began listing off the reasons why. None of them were good, of course, so he stopped just as soon as he had begun, trying to focus on other things as he waited for his aura to return.

Yeah, his aura. Ordinarily, his aura wouldn't be so taxed from travel, but given the urgency of this event, coupled with the fact that her last confirmed location was at one of Vale's furthest settlements, Qrow couldn't slack with this. Time was a luxury they couldn't afford to spend, so his past few hours had been nothing but ragged travel, pushing his body to its limits as he made his way from the Kingdom's eastern-most mountain to the southern-most coast.

Really, why the hell did Rhinestone set up their secret ethically-questionable lab somewhere so damned inconvenient?

The man released a sigh as he felt some of his aura return. At least he was getting closer, right? Really, this rest stop should be his last, and as soon as he managed to climb that mountain, he'd be in full view of the coastal town. From there, he'd be able to figure out whether Amber had left the city or not. Heck, if he was lucky, then the girl had just gotten sick of Ozpin's nagging or something, and had decided to take an extended nap somewhere. Or, his personal favourite, found an inn and-

...Huh?

Qrow's thoughts were interrupted as he noticed something... move? flicker? in the distance. The motion itself was slight, almost imperceptible given how far it was, but there was definitely something about that mountain over there that had caught his attention. The huntsman's eyes narrowed, focusing on the landscape as he tried to pick out what it was he had seen in the mountain's shadow... Only to realize that he wasn't looking at shadows.

Or rather, he was. Except these particular shadows were angry, murderous shadows, bearing jagged teeth and ivory bone plates as they washed over the distant landscape, the muted colours of white and red drowned out by the tide of blackness as they trudged westward. Almost immediately, he turned back to his Scroll, thumbing in a number to his contacts list as he hopped up a tree, trying to get a better view of the worrying sight.

"Qrow?" Ozpin's voice sounded out, confused by his sudden call, but Qrow ignored it as his sights settled on the creatures. "Have you foun-"

"We've got a problem."

That was all he needed to say. Just like that, his conversation companion fell silent, waiting for the huntsman to continue as the red-eyed warrior peered into the distance. Beowolves, Boarbatusks, the occasional Ursa... the things that populated the horde were nothing big, scarcely a threat on their own. Heck, he couldn't even see a damned nevermore or anything in the sky; only a bunch of ground-based murder beasts that seemed to walk with a purpose.

Which meant that this was a big problem, since the lesser monsters would never work together like this unless something else was pulling the strings. With a grimace on his face, the huntsman turned back towards the scroll. "I'm about ten minutes or so from Everblue Port, and I just spotted a lot of grimm out here. All heading the same direction I'm heading."

"Same direction?" Ozpin's voice was low as he took in the information, his eyes narrowed as he stared back at the huntsman. "... How many?"

"A lot." No other words sufficed. Silence fell as the corner of the Headmaster's lips curled downwards, turning a contemplative look in his eyes as he stared back at the huntsman.

Qrow, for his part, turned away from the Scroll once more, his eyes falling to the distant crowd as he tried to spot something, anything, in the mass of grimm. There had to have been a driving force behind their movements. Were they being led by an ancient grimm? Or did an incident occur at the settlement, one that was serious enough to draw the attention of so much grimm? Or maybe... Amber had found the mummy from before, and this was simply the result of that.

The huntsman didn't know for sure, but if they were going to help stem the tide of grimm, he needed to find out.

"I'm going to get a closer look. In the meantime, could you see if there are any other huntsmen in the area? Especially any of em with big names. We could definitely use all the help we can get at this point."

"I'll try my best, but... unfortunately, besides a few scattered elements, there aren't too many active huntsmen in the region. The earliest I can-"

And then Qrow stopped paying attention. Did you really blame him? One moment, he was listening to Ozpin's little run-down, but the next? Fire. Thunder, lightning, all that good stuff. All of it just exploded in the distance, striking out from the mountain in a stunning display of raw power.

"... Qrow?"

"No time, Ozpin."

Already, the man was pocketing his Scroll, moving to cut the call as he checked his aura levels one last time. Satisfied that it was good enough, the huntsman turned to face the Scroll, giving the headmaster a single look. "I think I just found Amber."

And with that, he was off.

The maiden was worried.

Of course, her exterior was perfectly composed, and she wore the model expression of an experienced huntress as she approached the town gates once more. Just because she had been concerned about the situation didn't mean she was going to inspire panic or doubt. On the contrary, her job at the moment was to do the exact opposite of that, by instilling a sense of stability and calm in the people around her. That was why her pace had been equal parts swift and measured, betraying no emotion in her posture as she arrived at the town walls.

Still, that didn't mean that Amber wasn't worried about their entire situation. If anything, the calm she had forced herself to step into only made her concerns more pronounced, and the maiden had to struggle constantly with the nagging fear inside the back of her mind, all in an effort to make sure none of it showed on her face. Hopefully, she had succeeded, as the woman slowly stepped into view of the settlement's gatekeepers, giving them a polite nod as she made her way to the apparent captain of the garrison.

"Hey! Amber, right?"

It was the man who greeted her first, and the woman couldn't help but rais an eyebrow at the man's enthusiastic expression, still not used to his sudden shift in tone. "Sorry, for ditching you back there, but uh... yeah. Didn't want to bother him, you know? Especially since last time, we did, he-... you know what? Nevermind. And if he mentioned anything about my mace and a desk lamp, could you just let him know that we'll make it up to him soon?"

Amber stared blankly at the man, not entirely sure how to respond to that... statement? Question? Admission of property damage? For a few moments, the woman had forgotten the immediate threat on her mind, giving way to a bout of confusion as she struggled to respond to the man's sudden words.

"Oh. He didn't mention anything about it? Right then, forget what I just said. Nothing important anyways." And with that, the man nodded to himself, apparently clear of the issue as he gave the woman a single glance, before making his way to one of the defensive turrets of the city, only to lean and rest against the metallic construct. "... So, was he alright? You said the Gale kids were worried about him or something, right?"

At that those words, the maiden's confusion faded away, pushing the Guardsman's curious anecdote from her mind as she settled her eyes on the man. Once more, Amber's expression shifted back into her mask, maintaining her composure as she approached the garrison commander. "Actually... it seems that Mills has made a worrying discovery. He felt it necessary that we return here to inform the town of his findings."

"... We?" The man rose from his spot, giving Amber a dubious glance, before sending a very deliberate glance to the empty space beside her.

"Yes. We." Her mask broke a bit as she answered the question, releasing an irritated sigh as she gave a look over her shoulder. That edge faded, however, as her gaze shifted from her lack of companion, to the northeastern mountain ridge where that companion had ultimately traveled to. "... Originally, he had suggested that both of us return so that we can organize the town more effectively. However, on our way back, something caused him to suddenly change his mind, and he left for the forest without another word."

"Organize the town? For what?"

"Before I tell you... Could you tell me what you think of Mills?" She saw the man's expression grow defensive, his previous concern replaced by a frown as he gave her a look. Almost immediately, she raised a hand, trying to placate his sudden suspicion. "N-not like that. I mean, I'm still new here, so I don't know much about the man. It's just that... he said something concerning, but seemed extremely sure of what he said. I just wanted to know if he did that often, and what to make of it."

"Oh. Is that all?" Once more, the man relaxed, whatever doubts he had fading away as he gave her a shrug. "Yeah, okay. I can sorta see where you're coming from. I'll admit, Mills is a bit weird like that, but he means well. Especially if it's stuff relating to grimm, you know?"

Amber's eyes narrowed at that statement, concern filling her as she listened to the guard. If that was the case, then... She needed her horse.

"There's plenty of times where he'd warn the garrison of an impending grimm attack or something, like if a swarm of Creeps was getting two close, or if a group of angry Ursa were stomping near our patrols. Not too sure how he did it really, but he'd always find out about them before our Sentries did. Heh, it sorta annoys them too, since they're not too appreciative of him doing their jobs." The man chuckled to himself at that recollection, the slight smile on his face lasting for a few moments before the rest of his mind caught up.

"Wait... I-is that why he said to organize the town?"

The maiden only nodded, her motion slow as she stared at the garrison captain. That was enough to snap the Guardsman's tone back to a more serious one, the man immediately shifting his posture to rigid attention as he stared at her.

"... How many?"

A frown formed as she stared back at him. "He wasn't entirely clear on that... All he said was that they were 'of a significant number'."

The moment she had said that, the man's expression fell, immediately turning away from her as he ran to the other gatekeeper. She couldn't exactly hear what they were talking about, but after a few seconds, that gatekeeper retreated into the walls, and the Garrison Captain returned to her. "Huntress Amber. As the Captain of the local garrison of Everblue Port, I would like to formally contract your services on behalf of our city."

Amber was surprised by the sudden change in tone, but... that was irrelevant. She had already decided that Mills probably hadn't been lying to her about the impeding grimm assault, and now that she seen the town's reaction, her worries were cemented. Slowly, she gave the man a nod, taking out her own Scroll to register the contract proper, as-

An explosion echoed out.

All eyes turned to the source, just in time to see fire and lightning descend on the distant mountain ridge. Or did it ascend from it? Either way, the sound rippled through the air, as a billowing cloud of dust and smoke rolled off in the distance. Everyone stood silent, stunned at the sudden noise, turning to each other, then back at mountain as concern filled their thoughts.

It was then that Amber's scroll rang out, drawing a confused yelp from the maiden as the device signaled its existence for the first time. Truth be told, she had completely forgotten about it, due to its sporadic connection with the CCT lately. However, now that she was back in the town, it seemed that it had decided to work once more, and the girl quickly answered it, concern on her face as she was greeted by the sight of a worried headmaster.

"Ozpin?"

"Amber, there you are. We've been trying to reach you for the past half hour. Is Qrow with you?"

"The past half hour?" The maiden blinked at that statement. Had her scroll really lost connectivity for that long? The CCT was unreliable out here, sure, but not that unreliable. And she wasn't that far from an information hub, either... Her brow furrowed as she stared at the man, before the second half of his words reached her. "W-wait, Qrow? No, of course not. Why would he?"

Ozpin frowned. As in, truly frowned, displaying a solemn expression that was equal parts rare and concerning, as he stared back at her.

"I believe we may have a problem. But, first off, there's something I must tell you about the huntsman named Mills..."

A metallic sigh echoed from the Xelor as he stared up from his latest action.

All around him was the faint wisp of the Shadow Beasts' black smoke, seeping away into the air as it rose above the carnage around him. Though, admittedly, carnage was not the best phrase to use, given their tendency to disappear upon expiration. Still, it wasn't necessarily inappropriate either, given how many he had faced on his way up here.

When he had first spotted the Shadow Beasts through the eyes of his Noxines, he had been... hesitant. Concerned. Worried, even, as the beasts have shown no shortage of malice towards the humans of this world. So, when he had detected the presence of the excessively large horde, necessity had dictated that he and the huntress woman relocate back to the coastal settlement, where some manner of defense could be raised. As such, for a time, he had traveled with the woman named Amber, idly ignoring her incessant questions as he kept an eye on the impending swarm.

So imagine his surprise when, during one of his Noxine's scouting flights, he spotted what he had initially inferred to be the leading intelligence among the Shadow Beasts. And imagine how much his surprise grew when he saw that, standing at the front of the pack, staring atop a rocky crag at the coastal town below, was none other than a particular Shadow Wolf with a very familiar accessory attached to its neck.

"Igole."

Nox's voice was low as he spoke out, though the name no longer held the same meaning it once carried. Really, for the Xelor, quite a few names had long lost their meaning... Whether it was the nations of Bonta or Amakna, or perhaps the legends of the Eliotrope or Grougaloragran ... even the Cube itself had lost all of its importance to the man, now that he stood in this shattered world.

At this point, what mattered to the man was his goals in this world. And as it stood, that coastal town was instrumental to those goals. Admittedly, as loathe as he was to admit, he might've also placed a bit more importance on the inhabitants of that town than he had initially anticipated. Regardless, his circumstances and motivations dictated that he preserved that town for the immediate future. Which ran contrary to the apparent actions of the Shadow Beast before him.

The Wolf stood, eyes fixed on him as it carried itself with... doubt in it step? It was clear that something had motivated the wolf, as the beast was no mere base creature like the other some of the Shadows that had once followed the Xelor. Yet, despite his interactions with the Beasts, Nox never truly understood them, and this applied just as much now as it did then. Still, it was clear that they could be reasoned with, given enough application of force... And since his arrival here at the mountain summit, he had shown no shortage of force.

"I will not presume to understand what you are doing here." The man's voice was simple, almost conversational as he approached the wolf.

Two more Shadow Beasts jumped in the way, an irate bear and some foolhardy boar creature that didn't know their place, both staring at him with crimson eyes as they snarled at him. The boar was the first to lunge forward, only to be cast off from the mountain by a blast of raw elemental fire. The bear's attack came after, as equally shortsighted as its now-deceased brethren, its massive claws arcing down at the Xelor. Of course, that idiotic creature was quickly stopped as well, as a single burst of raw Stasis shot through the beast's chest, the purple energy still crackling in the air as Nox solved the second problem.

"Nor do I understand why you or your associates persist in such... foolish endeavours."

The Xelor spared only a moment at the fallen Shadow Creatures, glancing at the smoking remains before shifting his attention back to the Shadow Wolf. And this time, as he stared at the foolish creature before him, Nox's eyes narrowed, a single focused glare of utter vexation directed at the beast. It had not quite reached the level of incompetence he had seen in his Grambo subordinates back in the World of Twelve, but it was certainly drawing close. "... However, I must request that you cease immediately."

For a few moments, the wolf stood frozen, staring at him with a curious look on its face, remaining silent as it seemed to... listen? Well, perhaps 'listen' was too strong of a word, but at the very least, the creature had heard him. He was quite sure the beast wasn't fully capable of comprehension yet, but Nox still couldn't help but feel a moment of surprise when he realized that the creature's intelligence seemed to exceed that of its lessers'. Yes... Perhaps he could work with this, especially if-

The Shadow Wolf howled. Soon, a dozens its imbecilic brethren joined in, apparently disregarding their circumstances as the air was filled with their pathetic cries. Whatever hope of salvaging this situation was lost, first when the frontmost wolves dropped onto all fours, then when the ground itself literally exploded.

Nox blinked, not quite sure how those two actions logically followed one another. His answer came in the form of a massive snake, its visage a stark contrast to the rest of the Shadow Beasts, and the man couldn't help but stare at the creature with some curiosity. Of course, curiosity was fleeting, and as the creature dove down at the Xelor, he found his thoughts of dissecting the creature quickly replaced by thoughts of simply eliminating it.

The Xelor dashed to the side, a single hop sending him away from the snake creature's point of contact with the earth, as the spot he had stood moments ago turned from rocky ground to fractured crater.

And while he had expected the beast to foolishly toss itself at him, he hadn't quite expected the creature's second head to follow, apparently unaffected by the first head's self-inflicted concussion as it snapped out at the Xelor, its giant fangs bearing down on him in a single lightning descent.

It seemed that this particular conflict required... exertion from his part. It was a fact that the Xelor did not enjoy, and he held back an annoyed sigh as he burned some Dust. Elemental fire began mixing with the forces of destruction, Stasis and Red Powder swirling together to form a torrent of pure energy. It was an overtly flashy gesture, one appreciated by neither the irritated Xelor nor the mindless Shadow Beast, as the monster's head promptly collided with a wall of solid flames.

"As you can see, your actions are useless. Now, cease your pointless struggles, and-"

Whatever words Nox had to say were quickly smothered by the giant snake, the first head having already recovered from its assault as it wrapped around the Xelor in one blinding motion. Its quick recovery and almost-blinding display of reflexes were certainly commendable, and the Xelor had to admit, he did not expect the tactically suicidal follow-up of the creature so soon after its physical attacks had failed.

But, the beast had proven its willingness to throw its life away. And while the Xelor could've simply deflected its attack again... there were only so many warnings you could give before the actions proved pointless. So, as the beast tried to vainly constrict Nox, he began gathering his energy once more, picking out a cartridge from his pocket as the snake monster released a baleful cry.

Hmm... Since the beast was so insistent on discarding its life, the least the Xelor could do was ensure that the creature's death was productive. As well-versed as he had been in elemental fire, Nox had not yet explored the other elemental powers contained in this world's Powder Fuel, but now that an opportunity had presented itself...

The Xelor smiled. He molded the Stasis inside him, feeling it burn away at his core, ignoring the flare of heat as he forged it back into Wakfu. The beast around him seemed to quiver at the action, the giant snake releasing a snarl as it attempted to tighten its constriction around Nox. But in spite of the creature's efforts, there was simply nothing it could do to stop the Xelor, and its struggles remained ignored as Nox began focusing Wakfu into elemental air.

...No. Elemental lightning. An interesting distinction, to be sure. And it was a distinction that the Xelor embraced, as he invoked his power on the elemental powder, as he willed Wakfu into it.

Fire met Lightning, and both were forged through the Energy of Creation. Metal acted as the conduit, and in a single focused thought, Nox melded the energy into the Dust. Almost immediately, the Xelor braced for the resultant explosion, as the cohesion of the energies of Wakfu seemed to melt away. Yet, in spite of his expectations, it was the opposite that had occurred, as Wakfu unwove itself back into raw energy, before lacing into the elemental forces that had surrounded the man.

The raw power was stable... far more stable than he had ever witnessed before.

Curious.

But this curiosity would have to be explored later. For now, Nox exerted his control over the elemental force, and in a single moment, all that was not the Xelor ceased to be. An explosion echoed outwards, emanating from Noximilien Coxen, as everything except his form was ripped asunder. Everything, from rock to Shadow to even his disguise, had been torn asunder by the deafening explosion.

The snake, once a behemoth of shadow and malice, had been disintegrated into nothing more than dust. How fitting.

And just like that, his Wakfu was drained, the empty wisps of spent energy lingering in the air for a few moments, before flowing back into him. As always, it would take some time for him to invoke the power again, especially since he now lacked a Dial. But, as he stared at his bandaged palm, still gripping the cartridge of lightning dust as the metallic harness of his arm echoed with energy, the man found it hard to care. After all, the elemental powers of this world were certainly an appropriate substitute.

Slowly, the Xelor stepped away from the exploded remains around him, giving only a single glance to the pile of burnt fabric and molten metal that had once been his disguise. "... I must say, I rather enjoyed that particular outfit. It certainly took a great deal of effort to get right, even more so since I hadn't worked with the material in ages." His gaze flickered away from the remains, shifting to the Shadow Wolf once more. And this time, the beast actually seemed to listen, its crimson eyes focused solely on the Xelor as he approached the stupid mutt. "But you wouldn't know about that, would you? Such a thing is far beyond your competencies."

The rest of the Shadow Beasts were silent as they stared at the Xelor, none choosing to move. Perhaps it was his display of power against the snake, or perhaps it was simply due to the fact that he now brimmed with elemental lightning, but Nox knew not the reason. Regardless, this situation suited the Xelor just fine, as he tore his attention away from the collared wolf to the rest of the useless rabble that had gathered, leveling a glare at each and every one of the creatures.

Slowly, each of the Shadow Beasts returned the stare, not quite as malicious in their expressions as they gazed back at the Xelor. Good. They were being more reasonable now. He didn't have time for their ignorance or idiocy. Instead, he gave them all a single glance, his very spirit boiling with irritation as he focused on the senseless beasts, before issuing one final command to them.

And they would follow that command, or they would die.

"Go."

It was simple, both in its delivery, and the emotion the man threw behind it. He would not tolerate their presence any longer, and the shadow beasts understood that as much as he did. With a single hand stretched outwards, he laid the path for them, and one by one, they began to move.

"Not you, Igole." The collared Shadow Wolf stopped, and the Xelor mentally flinched. It seemed that, for some reason, the creature had picked on that particular name, and had been conditioned to respond to it or something. Nox released a complicated sigh, mentally berating himself for even using it in the first place. But, the damage was done, and the idiotic Shadow Creature had been imprinted with it, so he had to tolerate it. "... You will remain here. I do not suffer insubordination lightly."

The wolf seemed to understand, and gradually made its way to the spot beside the Xelor. At the very least, the situation wasn't completely unsalvageable, if the animal was still willing to listen to him. Really, the last thing Nox needed was for the Shadow Beasts to rally around the idiotic animal again in some nonsensical display of... mutiny or whatever it was the wolf had intended.

Without another word, the Xelor turned his attention back to the crater, slowly watching as smoke faded away, idly taking in the scene around him as he attempted to figure out what to do with the Shadow Creatures. Really, now that Igole had delivered them to his doorstep, Nox couldn't very well stay at the settlement anymore, could he? Especially not if they were so damned imbecilic, and refused to listen to his words.

Lightning struck a shadow boar that had refused to leave, ending its brief existence as Nox turned to the remaining beasts that, for some inexplicable reason, chosen to linger. But after a few moments, even those creatures dispersed, either because they understood the Xelor's order, or they were no longer physically capable of it. Either way, all that was left was the collared wolf and the Xelor himself. Well, that and the still-smoking crater that carried what was left of his elaborate outfit, charred beyond recognition as some scavenging crow pecked at it.

Wait... crow?

That was curious. He hadn't recalled seeing any such birds in this region before. Still, from what he knew about those scavengers, they were often interested in little trinkets or scraps, so it wasn't necessarily odd to see it examining the remains of his outfit. Really, it was inconsequential, so the Xelor quickly turned away from the bird, settling his attention instead on the Shadow Wolf beside him before shooting a glance down the mountain. "... C'mon, Igole. Let's see how badly you messed up this time."

"So." But before he could move, a voice echoed out from behind him.

Nox turned around, the sudden words catching him off-guard as he stared at the source, only to find a familiar face glaring back at him with red eyes. "They do understand you. I thought it was weird how you kept them around, but now that I know that..."

"Excuse me?"

"No." The man drew his weapon, snapping out the sword in a single, elaborate flourish as he stared at the Xelor. "You're gonna tell me what the hell you've got planned with your little mess of grimm."

The man gestured around him, drawing Nox's attention to the rest of the Shadow Beasts. The Xelor frowned, partially because he had no plans with those creatures in the first place, but partially because he felt absolutely no desire to communicate with one of the fools who had attacked his previous stronghold. Even if he did attempt diplomacy at the time... it was clear the man had no intentions of doing so again.

"And after that?" The man's hand fell to the crater, pointing at the charred remains of his outfit, drawing no small amount of confusion from the Xelor. "You're gonna tell me who this poor soul was, so I can actually put a name on his grave."