9-1: Perception

"Well?"

Even if he had been ignorant of the local language, there was no way the Xelor could've mistaken the black-haired warrior's tone as anything but malice. Weapon drawn, eyes narrowed, voice low... The blade-wielding maniac seemed fully intent on inciting conflict, and it was clear to Nox that the crazed local had no intention of pursuing a more civilized method of discourse.

Nox wasn't alone in noticing this little fact either, the air thick with tension as restless shadow beasts began to move. The wolves and bears gradually closed in around the two, encircling the Xelor and the moron in a ring of fur and fangs as they slowly trudged around them. Likewise, the boars and lizards took action in their own way, their bodies braced downwards against the rocky ground as they readied themselves to for their mindless charge.

Understandably, the black-haired lunatic responded to these motions with his own, the grimace on his face growing more severe as red eyes flickered between Nox and the encroaching shadow beasts.

About the only one who seemed to maintain a reasonable expression was Nox himself. Honestly, this was quickly getting out of hand; Even Igole was acting on the tension, and Nox had literally just disciplined the stupid beast. Were all individuals in this ridiculous world incapable of coherent thought and sensible communication?

"Oh, so we're going to settle a little disagreement first? Fine by me."

Evidently so. The armoured mummy clearly saw the crude grin plastered on the other man's face, and all it took was a glance to understand that the idiot was in no state to talk. Instead, the idiot braced himself, a firm grip locked around his weapon as the red-eyed warrior settled his gaze squarely on the largest of the shadow bears.

That action was met with in kind, as the bone-studded monstrous bears returned a crimson glare of their own, murderous intent aimed solely at the warrior, as the creatures unleashed a threatening roar.

Then, without another word, Nox focused his will, igniting powder fuel as he forced his power onto the area around them. With a single gesture, Stasis burned away dust, drawing forth a burning wall of embers and ash on the rocky terrace as the Xelor separated himself and the deranged local from the utterly incompetent shadow beasts.

"As usual, fools are the same no matter where you go."

His tone was resigned, thoroughly disappointed as Nox shifted his attention away from the beasts, ignoring their hesitant snarls and general confusion as his focus returned to the warrior.

"Uh... What?" The warrior who wore a completely blank expression on his face.

"I can understand the beasts to some extent, since their sapience is... limited. However, you have no such excuse." The Xelor's mask flickered with light, the closest equivalent of sarcastic eye-rolling he could muster. And muster he did, as it was all a deliberately gesture to thoroughly display his sheer irritation at human warrior. The sheer absurdity of the conclusion that the man had made was at a level of foolishness that he only expected from his Grambos. And the unwillingness that warrior had to converse only soured the Xelor's impressions.

"Unfortunate, but it seems that a general lack of intelligence is the norm for you locals, rather than the exception." Nox crossed his arms, a dejected sigh droning out from beneath his mask as he turned his body fully to face the warrior.

A few seconds passed.

"Wait a sec! Did you just call me a-"

"Yes, you imbecile." He emphasized the word, irritation growing in his voice as his eyes narrowed. A few of the smaller shadow beasts pulled away from the flaming enclosure in response, retreating further from the blaze as the Xelor held back another sigh. Did he seriously have to explain it his reaction? Ordinarily, he wouldn't expect to, but the indignant glare on the warrior's face was answer enough, and Nox continued his words. "If you had a modicum of sense, you'd immediately recognize the fact that that pile of burnt refuse belongs to me."

"... What?"

More confusion the fool's face. As well as the obvious irritation, but Nox ignored that part. Instead, took a measured breath, as the Xelor resisted the urge to apply his palm to his mask, a feat of great willpower that ultimately ended with him releasing another exhausted sigh. "Tell me... If subjected to intense heat, what do you suppose would burn away first? Flesh, sinew, and bone? Or cosmetic fabric?"

This time, the silent pause was much shorter, as the annoyed look on the warrior's face quickly flashed to one of recognition, before settling on a thoughtful frown. Perhaps there was some hope for the idiot, unlikely as it may seem.

"Indeed. Now, unless you believe these shadow beasts have acquired an affinity for textiles, who do you suppose these bits of cloth belonged to? Your hallucinated, nonexistent victim? Or, more sensibly, myself?" Honestly, that sort of conclusion would've been one that any reasonable person would've drawn from the situation, especially since there was absolutely no indication of any other 'victim' in the vicinity.

Yet, in spite of the Xelor's completely sensible words, the warrior was thoroughly unconvinced. Instead of the gradual face of comprehension that Nox had expected from the black-haired man, his opponent's expression remained a permanent frown, red eyes narrowing as the blade-wielding lunatic kept a firm grip on his blade.

"You must think I graduated yesterday or something, huh?"

"Oh, I assure you, I have no such delusions of your mental capacities."

At that, the man shot forward, a blur of silver and violence as the warrior closed the distance between himself and the Xelor.

Nox twitched in response, a clockhand of metal, fire, and Stasis flashing into view, his palm no longer empty as he brought his weapon outwards and upwards. Without a hint of surprise, the Xelor parried the warrior's charge, his mask's emotionless visage in stark contrast to the local's angry smirk.

"Funny guy. Real hilarious." The man pulled back, dodging out of the Xelor's reach as he returned to the scorched crater. "But like I said, I'm not some greenhorn huntsman. I've seen enough people with Semblances that can make a body disappear, and it's not like I don't know a few tricks myself. And who knows what crazy Semblance you have under your sleeves. Really, you'll have to do better than that if you think I'm going to fall for your crap."

"Semblances?" Suddenly, Nox was far more interested in whatever it was this idiot had to say, whatever irritation he once felt quickly replaced by curiosity as he kept his gaze on the warrior. After all, it was a term that he had run into only once or twice during his entire information gathering session in Everblue, and it was one term that always eluded him. "... What exactly do you mean by 'Semblances'?"

"... Didn't you hear what I just said? Cut the crap already!" Rather than be helpful, the violent warrior bolted instead, disappearing from view as he kicked off the ground in a single burst, his body suddenly arcing through the air. The man's blade followed behind him, moonlight streaking through the night air as he descended towards Nox, before snapping forward as the warrior brought his blade downwards in a blinding sheen of metal that -

That Nox promptly warded with a shell of pure Stasis. Metal met unrelenting energy in a deafening impact, and the air itself crackled and shook at the sudden onslaught, as violet lightning shattered the wind. The raw force of destruction manifested in front of the Xelor, a single explosive burst that exceeded anything mere dust was capable of, and one that tore through the wind with an unnatural thunder.

An unnatural thunder that was immediately joined by bestial snarls.

Unlike his last attack, the warrior's subsequent retreat was far less graceful, the sheer force of the explosion knocking the human away. It was clear that he was ill-prepared for Nox's defense, barely able to retain his balance as the warrior half-stumbled onto the ground, only to be met with the rampaging charge of a shadow bear that took advantage of his disorientated state. And yet, even with his staggered motions, the warrior still had enough sense and reflex to roll out of the way, dodging just in time to avoid the tumultuous slam of the creature's clawed forearms.

Fortunate for him, perhaps, but that particular brand of fortune quickly disappeared as two more beasts followed the first, the creatures apparently no longer content to sit in silence. It was clear that the shadow bears were sick of simply remaining idle, and had desired some form of conflict of their own.

Not that the creatures' desires were relevant.

Before they could act again, all three of the bears were cast in flame, their angered cries immediately replaced by baleful howls as Nox ended their interruption.

The eyes of his mask were slanted downwards, the glow within the lens illuminating wildly as it visibly marked his irritation. Nox spared only a single glance at the three new smoldering spots of ash and smoke, as Stasis continued to rage around him.

His time was precious, and he had absolutely no desire to allow these idiotic beasts to waste that time. These shadow creatures were just as expendable as any other minions that have been under his employ, and Nox made that fact perfectly clear to the rest of the useless animals as his gaze slowly passed from creature to creature.

"... Why did you just...?"

This time, the local's expression carried more confusion than malice and that dull look was enough to inform the Xelor that the warrior was finally willing to listen. That particular fact, coupled with the stress relief that came from quelling incompetent minions, was enough to curb Nox's irritation, and he relaxed his posture as he turned to face the black-haired individual proper.

"Like I said: I wish to learn more about what you meant by 'Semblances'."

More malice fell away, replaced by equal parts incredulity as the warrior's eyes widened. "You... You're serious, aren't you?"

"Indeed." As he spoke, Nox dispelled his weapon, his tone a tad more civil as he turned his attention to the warrior proper.

She had no idea how she was supposed to react, nor what she was supposed to think about everything she had learned from Ozpin.

Of course, Amber didn't doubt the headmaster's words, as she knew that the man had absolutely no reason to lie. It wasn't like the man had anything to gain by falsifying his statements. And even if he did lie, the Valean huntsmen registries, as well as the Atlesian, Vacuan, and Mistrali documents that that old man had procured from wherever he grabbed them from didn't.

The maiden simply couldn't deny the fact that there was no huntsman that fit Mills' name and description.

"What if he's just an unregistered huntsman?"

That had been her first response, and one that, even now, resonated most strongly in her mind. Unregistered and unlicensed huntsmen were a common occurrence; just as aura-skilled individuals were born in the cities, so too could they be born in outlying villages. Wasn't it reasonable to assume that Mills was such a case? Yet, that too was shot down by the headmaster.

"If any unregistered huntsman was skilled enough to gain the favour of the mayor of Everblue Port, then shouldn't there be rumours of said huntsman in neighboring villages? Such strength and talent rarely appears overnight."

And Amber knew that Ozpin wasn't wrong about that fact. Of all the villages she had visited on her way to Everblue, the maiden could not recall a single one that mentioned Mills' name. Sure, there was always the slight possibility that he came from somewhere further south, that there actually was some unmarked village out there that did know about the man... But she also knew that she didn't have the luxury to find such a village. After all, If Ozpin was wrong about Mills, and he really was just some unlicensed prodigy huntsman, then nothing bad would happen.

But if the headmaster was right?

If everything Ozpin told her about her target was true, then Mills was an existence that required nothing less than the power of a maiden to subdue. He was an existence that was fully capable of controlling hordes of grimm, coupled with a power strong enough to lay waste to a fortified White Fang bastion overnight. Mills was someone that could twist the threat of grimm into a far greater monster, then use that monster to bring the Kingdoms' most well-funded and technologically advanced military campaign to a standstill.

Most importantly, an existence that, at this very moment, Qrow was facing off against by himself.

Amber willed herself to move faster. Aura coursed through her legs as she launched herself above the treeline again and again, streaking through the air with every step. Magic wrapped around her, the air in front of her parting to allow her passage as the wind behind her carried the maiden closer and closer to her destination.

Every so often, a beast of grimm lunged up to face her, whether it was an overeager Beowolf, or a small flock of Nevermore that thought her an easy target. She scarcely wasted time on them, and her responses were always pure reflex whenever such creatures appeared, as her staff met with the monsters again and again, bludgeoning or propelling them away with single, decisive strikes. Instead, the brown-haired huntress kept her attention forward, her eyes flickering to her scroll every so often as she drew closer and closer to Qrow's last confirmed location.

Last confirmed location... That was what the headmaster said, and those words tore away at woman's hopes about Mills. After all, if this was all just a misunderstanding, wouldn't Qrow have responded by now? If it was anything other than the worst case scenario, wouldn't he have attempted to make some contact?

Once more, the maiden landed. And once more, grimm appeared, as the creatures rose up in greater numbers. A throng of Beowolves quickly surrounded her, easily surpassing a few dozen creatures, each of the beasts snarling as the monsters bore their fangs at the woman. This was enough to tell the maiden that she was drawing closer and closer to the main horde of grimm. Or, perhaps, she was already in it, lock in combat with the army that Mills spotted.

The army that he could've been controlling at this very moment.

An Alpha Beowolf was the first to lunge forward, the beast just one of many as its leapt for her throat. In return, the maiden brought her weapon forward, the blunt end of her staff suffused with aura, easily splitting through the bonemask of the monster as she ended the creature's unnatural existence in a single thrust. Smoke bled out from the deceased grimm's head, yet the woman paid little attention as she immediately brought her weapon to the side, her staff spinning through the air in a deadly dance as she struck down two more beowolves that thought to ambush her.

Two more tried their luck. Amber's foot carried her up the first, while her staff forced the second into the ground, a single fluid motion that brought the maiden away from the group as she vaulted up into the air once again, activating her magic yet again as the wind carried her away.

If Mills really was controlling this horde of grimm, then why did he warn her about it? It was clear that the creatures had their sights set on the city, and that they had the numbers to raze it to the ground. If they had been unprepared, then Amber had no doubt that Everblue would've been nothing more than another ruin in the wilderness. But now that they knew of the threat, the city was prepared for the worst, and could hold out for reinforcements from nearby huntsmen or soldiers. At the very least, the city had a chance to survive.

Something thundered, and Amber's thoughts were immediately quelled. Trees fell, and a foreboding sound echoed through the air as the very earth itself quaked with a rhythmic pulse. It was a low thrum, and one she simply could not miss, even as her magic carried her through the air. Slowly, her eyes turned to the source.

... Perhaps that was why Mills told them.

The woman's face blanched, and she held back an empty chuckle. Now it made sense to her. If he really was a being capable of controlling grimm, of controlling monsters that fed on nothing but negative emotions, then it made perfect sense that he'd make use of those negative emotions. And what better way to do so than to introduce a bit of hope? She, of all people, knew that the worst kind of despair was the kind that came immediately after hope.

The beasts were slow and unrelenting, their steps steadily crushing more and more of the undergrowth as they moved unopposed.

What sort of hope could you possibly have when you hear about grimm attacking the city? The hope of warding them off, of course. The hope of triumphing over them, and protecting the ones you hold dear, of fending them off just long enough for nearby huntsmen and Vale's military forces to arrive. Even now, she could picture the relief the townsfolk and garrison would feel after they conquered the horde of demons, the seemingly inexhaustible swaths of Beowolves or creeps or Boarbatusks. or whatever. Especially for people in the wilderness, that type of hope was the strongest.

For a single moment, a rocky outcropping stood in their path. That moment passed, and there was nothing more than a pile of rubble, another trampled part of their unshakeable path.

So it made perfect sense for Mills to warn them. The false huntsman was apparently completely confident in the army he had under his control, and the maiden understood why. Beowolves, Ursai, Nevermore... All these were manageable to military garrisons and straggling huntsmen, and Mills knew that. He also knew that no amount of huntsmen or military reinforcements could hope to fend off the monsters before her.

The eight Goliaths strode as one, their approach heralded by deafening trumpets and ruinous roars. It was little comfort that they were alone in their group, with nothing but the walking behemoths traveling onward as they approached, not from the western mountains that the original horde had appeared from, but the southern hills and plains of the Grimmlands beyond.

Even if she, a mythical maiden whose powers were born from legend, were back at Everblue at this very moment, she knew she couldn't possibly hope to protect the entire city. Likewise, if she fought alone... well, she could kill one, maybe a pair unscathed if she had enough time and space to maneuver. More if she decided to be reckless with her actions. But at the same time, these eight monstrosities moved as a single herd, and their eyes glimmered with a dark intelligence that told her exactly how dangerous it'd be to fight them alone.

At that moment, the front-most Goliath stared up at her, its crimson eyes boring into the woman as the monster unleashed another blaring trumpet, the foreboding sound directed solely at her, as though taunting the maiden with their coming approach.

It knew that it could win. The grimm knew their victory was assured, and it was plain to see why.

Yes... if she looked at it this way... If everything Mills had this army all along, and acted solely for the sake of crushing the town with grimm, then everything made sense. From his sudden appearance and integration into the city, to his mysterious knowledge of the army's presence, to the fact that he left her alone to warn the garrison. Heck, even the fact that his house was a cave outside the city! Each and every one of these things could've been explained if he was acting for the sake of crushing humanity the same way grimm did.

Her expression fell, and the maiden came to a stop, lightly landing on an ancient tree as her eyes settled on the distant herd of Goliaths. She had to do something.

If she fought them here, if she gave everything she had... how many could she really take out before she expired? Would the remaining goliaths reach the city before huntsmen or the military arrived? What if she takes too long, and the rest of the grimm end up joining the fight? Even magic had its limits, but would it be...?

... No. Not yet. Whether she chose to fight now or fight later, Amber knew that, at the very least, there was still something she had to do first. Without wasting another moment, the maiden took out her scroll, quickly tapping in a few numbers into the device as she divided her attention between her call and the environment around her.

Just as she finished entering the number, a Beowolf clawed its way up the tree. As a dull tone rang out from her scroll, a small flock of nevermore descended from the sky. Lightning crackled from her hand, and the wind gradually began to pick up, as another electronic hum echoed into the air.

"Oh, Miss Amber, is that you?" A voice answered. The maiden nodded, but was facing away from the scroll itself, choosing to remain silent as she heard the Mayor's words come out through the Scroll. "I've done as you instructed, and have finished relocated the townsfolk into the shel-"

A storm came, both from skies above and from the maiden's palm, ancient powers manifesting just in time to interrupt the man's words.

"A-ack! What's going on? Is everything okay?"

Still, the maiden remained silent as she brought her staff downwards, completely focused on her surroundings as she struck the wayward Beowolf with a single solid impact. Lightning danced again, and Amber's eyes flickered with energy, marked with the symbol of her powers as she stared the grimm around her. Just like that, the grimm fell, struck down by the nature's wrath as the winds gradually began to subside.

Finally, as the last visible trace of her power faded away, the maiden turned back towards the scroll, her gaze solemn as her eyes fell onto the holodisplay. The mayor's worried face came clear on through video call, and she was certain he could see her own expression, her eyes furrowed as she slowly collected her thoughts.

"It miss Amber?"

Or so she tried. Instead, a familiar voice interrupted her, as the sound of clamouring motion welled up in the background.

"Mister Mayor, did you say Miss Amber?"

Another second voice rang up, and the voice's owner appeared moments later as a familiar child, a certain energetic girl, popped up in front of the mayor's face. The owner of the first childish voice soon joined in, as the youngest of the three children crawled up the mayor's back, waving wildly from the man's shoulders.

"H-hey! Be careful!" Much to the mayor's chagrin. "I-it seems that these children want to speak with you. I understand that you're busy, however, and- hey! Wait just a moment!"

"Hee hee!" The third of the childish trio appeared into view, joining the youngest as he too leapt onto the mayor's back. And, as the image of the mayor and two kids disappeared from view, it wasn't hard for the woman to guess exactly what had just occurred. Still, the maiden's chest rose for a few moments, the sudden sight of the energetic children and their antics in stark contrast to the wilderness around her.

But even that sense of joy quickly fell away, as she saw the expectant look in the little girl's eyes. Amber knew what the girl wanted to ask well before it left her lips. "Did you find Mr. Mills yet?"

"I-... You see, about Mills..." She also knew that it was a question the rest of her siblings had as well. How was she going to explain this?

After all, she had talked with the children long enough to know how they felt about the man. Even now, the young girl's expression was more than enough to remind Amber of how much time those three kids had spent with the false huntsman, as well as how much they enjoyed those moments. How could she tell those three children, none of whom were even a decade old yet, that the man was not who he seemed? That Mills had spent the past three months with them, not because he earnestly wanted to, but simply for the sake of... of...

Huh?

"Miss Amber?" The girl's voice rose up again, and that innocent tone resonated in Amber's mind.

That's right... She had talked with the children long enough to know how they felt about the man. Sure, she had only spent a day with them, but at the same time, she had spent an entire day with them. Not a full day, perhaps, but long enough to watch the enthusiastic cheers of the three children as they played in the park.

Long enough to, at the very least, catch a glimpse of the carefree life they held. Whether it was during the long stretches of tutoring and homework, or the smaller bouts where the children caught insects or butterflies, it was clear that they enjoyed those moments. And, just as importantly, she was also there to witness Mills himself as he happily taught them without asking for a thing in return, fully invested in nothing but the three kids' well being as he kept them company.

If all Mills wanted to do was act for the sake of crushing the city, then... would he really spend time and effort doing that? Would he look and sound so content with helping out those kids? He freely chose to keep the three kids company, rather than perform the task that the mayor had assigned for him, after all. Didn't that mean something?

And just as importantly... if he really was just faking it, wouldn't she have noticed? Wouldn't the children?

The maiden prided herself on her intuition. It had carried her through so much of her life so far, and was as important to her as her maiden powers themselves. And it was because of her intuition that, during her first meeting with Mills, she decided to postpone her mission. She had decided to put her mission from Ozpin on hold, just because her gut told her that letting Mills spend time with the children was the right thing to do.

As for the children? Well, kids were smart. Maybe not smart in the usual sense, since they could be naive at times, especially depending on their upbringing or circumstances and such, but...

"Are you okay, Miss Amber?"

They were definitely perceptive. Maybe not always at things adults consider important, but they still had their own sense of clarity all the same. The impressions and frankness a child could behold weren't things you could really ignore, and she was no stranger to the notion that, no matter how much an adult tries to hide things from a child, they'll always suspect something. Really, children have a strong sense of intuition in their own right.

Another thundering stomp, another trumpet from the deadly grimm as a blood-curdling roar filled the air. They were closer now, and-

"Eeek!"

The maiden's thoughts ground to a halt, immediately replaced by an instinctual cloud of worry and dread as she heard the cry of a scared little girl. Her heart raced, her blood chilled, and her nerves seemed to numb for a moment as she turned back towards the screen.

And that's when she noticed something. That sense of dread that had filled her thoughts... It was familiar to her, and one that she recognized.

It was a sense of worry that she knew personally, of course, but... that sensation was one she also remembered within another, as well. A person whose voice had been filled with the same crushing concern that she felt now, a tone that she remembered with clarity as he informed her about the army of grimm in the first place.

"Are you okay?" It was Amber's turn to speak, and the maiden's voice was finally calm now, her eyes softened as she stared at the Scroll, her tone carrying a bit more strength as she stared at the child. A smile gradually formed on her face, a reassuring gesture meant for both herself and the child on the other end as she spoke once more. "Don't worry. I'll take care of the scary grimm. It's my job as a huntress, after all."

Maybe this was all just wishful thinking. Maybe she was just being childishly optimistic. All things considered, she might've just been deluding herself, considering everything she had seen out here, as well as all the information that Ozpin had told her.

"R-really...?"

"Yes, really."

But that didn't matter. She was a huntress, which meant that she was both a warrior, and a symbol of hope for the people around her. So really, wasn't it also appropriate that she held onto hope as well? The maiden's smile widened, and the tension she had in her chest slowly ebbed away as she settled her gaze on the child.

"I'll make sure everything turns out alright."

"... Even for...?"

Amber couldn't help but nod. Children really were perceptive. "Of course. I promised, didn't I? Just make sure you all stay together, okay?"

"Un!"

That was enough to quell the rest of her worries. Weird, wasn't it? Maybe she was just moving too much in the moment, or maybe she was more smitten with those children than she thought, but... either way, the maiden was able to put her concerns to rest. Saying a few final farewells to the girl, as well as a quick instruction to return the Mayor's stolen Scroll, Amber ended the call, before settling her sights back on the task before her.

Eight Goliaths. A horde of grimm. A missing crow, and an unlicensed huntsman.

Once more, the maiden gathered herself, focusing her aura to her feet as she sent a single text message to Ozpin.

Yep, a text message.

That was all she needed to do on that front, and really, all she could do at the moment. Turning away from the lumbering Goliaths, Amber focused her attention on her original goal, her eyes fixed on the distant mountains. As if on cue, a flare of flame erupted in the distance, and with a final sigh, the maiden flung herself up into the air.

After all, she didn't have time to idle about; An army of grimm was steadily approaching, and she still had two idiots she needed to find.

A/N: Apologies once again for the delays. I'll just... stop bringing them up from now on, and just force myself to update. As for the story itself... Can't help but feel like the presentation's different this time around, especially with the whole stream-of-consciousness on Amber's section of the story. Doesn't help that the story developed in a different way than what I originally intended, but I still like how it ended up. I'll probably add a few more edits to it later on, though, but for the most part... Enjoy!