The Shadow of Fire
Chapter 41: The Search
A/N: Hello. This sadly isn't Dagger of Faith, or Cynthia as some of you may know her as. This is her girlfriend speaking right now. Cynthia is in the hospital, and she wanted me to post for her, so I am sorry if there are any spelling mistakes. Also, have a merry Christmas!
April 23rd
12:38 PM
Weiss sighed as she relaxed in her bed room, her arms aching a tad from all her battles today, sighing as her Scroll rang out suddenly, causing the Schnee to groan in annoyance.
Weiss stormed over to one of her desks and plucked her Scroll up, opening it before freezing...
Inbox: 1
Sender: Geist Schnee
Weiss held the Scroll in shaky hands, ever so slowly opening the devices messaging system, the document springing to life before her eyes.
53122 7649938 4319 83 47 21
Weiss blinked at the message before her, taking a moment to recall what it could possibly mean...
Then it hit her.
Schnee code; one of the hardest to crack codes in the world. The reason? Every number has its own amounts of letters, words, or numbers, therefore the letter T could have thousands of meanings. The code system takes years to master, even decades...
For Weiss, it was no problem.
After translating the code on a sheet of blank printer paper, Weiss examined her findings...
Weiss, I am held captive. Trust no one. White Fang Base. Follow my coordinates given. If I can't be saved, I love you. -Father.
The message was followed by a few coordinates, and when Weiss wiped her tears away after reading the message, she searched for the location on her map app on the Scroll.
Weiss looked up and pocketed her Scroll, running next door to Saturn's room.
"Saturn!" Weiss exclaimed as she ran through the automatic door, the metal door locking itself behind her. "I need your hel-"
Weiss nearly finished her frantic yelling before one of Saturn's katanas suddenly impaled itself deep into the wall next to Weiss, less than an inch from her throat.
Weiss froze, gulping a little.
"Don't surprise me. I get startled easily." Saturn said from his desk across the darkened room, his bed somehow missing, in its place a black large desk with an ebony rolling office chair, the crime lord sitting in it, staring at her now.
"What do you want, Schnee." Saturn said, more of a statement than a question.
"M-message. From father." Weiss made out, scooting away slowly from the katana.
Saturn froze at the word "father," quickly standing up.
"Geist... He went missing, didn't he?" Saturn asked in a rushed voice, growling as Weiss nodded in response.
"Who."
"White Fang." Weiss answered.
Saturn let out a curse in anger, yanking out the katana from the wall, slicing a nearby dummy in half, the sand inside falling to the floor.
"I told her it wasn't smart... It was too risky... That I wouldn't help..." Saturn muttered, turning to Weiss.
"Touko Mikasa has your father, and I have a good idea where." The former crime lord explained, Weiss nodded.
"He sent some coordinates..."
"No need. We are going to Fort Scatter." Saturn said with a growl, putting his katana in his suits black jacket pocket.
"Fort Scatter...? The former military base in Vale? But why there?" Weiss questioned.
Saturn grabbed Weiss by the shoulders, looking her dead in the eyes.
"The White Fang executives and their backers have a meeting every year to discuss finances and new targets, and it's starting tomorrow. If Touko presents Geist to them..." Saturn suddenly paused. "Well, if we can get there on time, we can end the White Fang at its source..."
Saturn frozen suddenly, deep in thought.
"Yes... We can finish our work... Wait..." Saturn muttered once more.
The older man blinked a few times with his robotic lens, understanding everything.
"He kept it... He never got rid of it..." Saturn said in a low voice.
"Kept what? What's wrong Saturn?" Weiss said, concerned for her "friend."
"The Dust data we took... Chain of Dust sample data that could help create Dust from nothing...! That's why they need him now! Not for money, not for political gain! It's the Dust!" Saturn shouted, on a trip in his own mind, Weiss raising an eyebrow.
"Okay...?" Weiss said, exaggerating the word. 'What is wrong with this guy?'
"Weiss!" Saturn said, grabbing Weiss's shoulders once more, shaking her back and forth. "Do you remember my pet?"
"Gore...?" Weiss guessed, not really recalling its name.
"Touko isn't going to kill Geist! She wants his data to create more of them! That's why she was so interested in me! With your fathers data and my programming that was put into Gore... Vales military wouldn't stand a chance... She could make them on a factory level scale..." Saturn trailed off, paling. "That rabbit bitch..."
"We need to tell Orion!" Weiss exclaimed, turning to run out the door, Saturn bolting out after her.
This wasn't about money anymore. For Saturn, this was an act of war upon himself and his old friend.
Bridge
The Maelstrom
12:45 PM
Once the duo of Weiss and Saturn reached the main bridge of the massive airship, the pair immediately ran forward towards Orion, who was pressing a few buttons on one of the many computers, Cheshire standing awkwardly next to him, poking the floor with her shoes.
"So... It wasn't you?" Cheshire asked for clarification, Orion nodding as he kept working on the device.
"Why would I lie to you? If anything, I was wondering where you had gone. I figured Father scared you away or you just wanted to hang out with the Mortals like usual." Orion said with a hum as the computer screen flickered for a moment before dimming to black, Orion then cursing.
"All this time? And I just magically never showed back up home?" Cheshire growled.
"Hey, you've always been a trickster and a... Well, a cat." Orion chuckled.
"Then who did it?" The faunus Goddess questioned her brother.
"I don't know. Regardless, bringing mortals back to life is a terrible idea without Fathers approval. You were warned not to do it." Orion judged.
"But!" Cheshire swooned. "They were sooooooooo cute together! I couldn't just let the lovers die. Mortals are tooooooo cute!"
"Cheshire..." Orion said, turning as he felt the presence of Weiss and Saturn. "We will finish this another time."
"Fine." Cheshire huffed, walking off to the other side of the room, staring out the window at the sky.
"So." Orion said with a clasp of his hands, smiling happily. "What can I help you with Weiss?" Orion asked cheerfully, Weiss shoving her Scroll into his hands.
"What is this?" Orion asked with a frown, reading the location on the map.
"Location of a White Fang base. My father is there." Weiss growled, pointing at the location displayed on the small device.
"And you happen to know this because...?" Orion questioned further, thinking.
"I confirmed the location." Saturn stepped in to help Weiss, pulling a pen from his pocket, twirling it between his fingers. "He's there. Along with nearly every White Fang commander and sponsor known." The former crime lord added, smiling wickedly, his mechanical eyes changing colors. "I do believe this is what I joined your little group for."
"Is it now." Orion growled back. "You don't even know the reason I brought you all here, nor could you comprehend its importance."
"Try me."
The duo glared at each other, locked in a silent battle, as if either one was about to maim the other at any second.
"Hey!" Weiss shouted, the duo looking down at the smaller girl. "My father is locked in that damned base! If you aren't going to help us get in there and free him, I'm flying this ship myself to get him. With or without your approval."
Orion froze, deep in thought...
'This could prove valuable training...' The God of Fate thought with a mild hum escaping his throat.
"Alright. You've both made a compelling case. Why not." Orion said with a shrug, looking at Saturn. "Tell the others to get ready. We arrive there early morning."
"But of course, my lord." Saturn said sarcastically, rolling his lenses as he walked off down the exit hallway to talk to the others, Weiss looking up at Orion.
"Weiss, go get some shut eye. You woke up early and had a big day. We will need everyone at their best in the morning. Okay?" Orion asked with a warm smile.
"Got it." Weiss said with a smile back at her friend. "Thank you Orion... For everything."
"No problem. Now get some rest." Orion said, laughing as he shooed her off down the hall.
Fort Scatter
Vale
1:01 PM
"Madam Mikasa?" A man in an elegant black suit asked his friend and fellow business partner with a thick accent. "Thank you for inviting me so early."
"Why, it was no problem. After all, the heir to the White Fang must be treated with respect, Wallace." Touko said happily, speaking with the heir to her organization.
Wallace was the son of the late previous boss of the White Fang, Touko taking control for a time until Wallace was trained to run the massive crime network. Tomorrow would be the day that he takes office, Touko then returning to a mere agent of the group.
The duo were looking down at a large pit below their platform, where proto-type Grimm mechs were being built and housed, all thanks to finally breaking Geist's will and getting his data.
Wallace dropped one of his various papers on the floor, scrambling down to retrieve it.
Touko, who was wearing a simple white trench coat and navy jeans quietly pulled out a large bowie knife, plunging the blade deep into his hip.
Touko stepped back as her bunny ears flickered around at his screams of pain, kicking him off the platform next to the pair into the large room of proto-type Grimm mechs, the cyber Beowulf's tearing the man to shreds as Touko's two bow wielding friends and loyal troops walked up to her.
"Tell the rest coming that Wallace couldn't make it to our gathering." Touko ordered, smiling at her work below as her new pets roared for more blood.
Nothing stood between Touko and her organization any longer.
The Maelstrom
1:05 PM
Weiss slowly walked back to her room within the massive ship they all resided in, yawning as the idea of a nice long nap greeted her with open arms.
A black gloved hand suddenly gripped Weiss's mouth from behind her, the girl letting out a muffled shout in surprise as she was yanked into a nearby room.
"Weiss." Dagonus, the God of Death said with a low voice, his multi colored eyes regarding the heiress with interest as she coughed from being gagged. The odd thing was they were very foggy, like a murky morning.
"Dagonus! What the hell?!" Weiss growled at the Gods antics, not noticing his loathing look.
"Weiss. Listen to me." Dagonus said with a sigh, his form flickering to one of Dagonus on his knees, groaning as he held his head in his hands, seemingly in pain before his form flickered back to normal.
"Okay...?" Weiss said slowly, confused about the split second image of the God.
"I need your help. I have my mission for you. Payment for bringing you back to life." Dagonus offered a palm outward, a piece of court-like paper with a ebony pen spawning, floating above his palm. "All you need to do is take this craft back to Beacon as soon as you finish your job at Fort Scatter. Simple as that. I just want to be able to be the first to congratulate you all on your success." The God lied.
Weiss read the floating paper before signing it in blood red ink, the paper and pen exploding into dust, which blew away.
"Excellent." The God of Death said in a semi-happy tone, more glad than he had been moments ago at least. "I do hope you do remember to uphold your contract."
"Don't worry, I won't forget anytime soon..." Weiss said sarcastically, thinking about why he wanted her to do something simple like that.
"Good. See that you don't." One of the oldest Gods said with an adjustment of his void black suit. "Do take care, Weiss. I wouldn't want you to miss the party..."
And with that, the God of Death teleported away, leaving Weiss confused and worried, walking out to take her nap...
The Underworld
Realm of Dagonus
1:11 PM
As Dagonus returned back to his realm, he was greeted by his butler Eze, who offered his master a cup of tea in a gloved hand.
"No time, Eze. Thank you though." Dagonus said quickly, walking along past thousands of dead souls, all floating along in a river.
"Very well, master. In other news, two very powerful men arrived a few moments ago. They await you in the throne room." Eze explained, shoeing off one soul trying to crawl out of the flaming waters.
"Excellent." Dagonus said as he proceeded to his throne room, throwing open the grand doors to the room, spotting Xalveris and Rook by his map of the planet, and Vale.
"Very good planing, my nephew. Indeed, this plan will most likely result in victory." Xalveris noted, looking right at Dagonus. "Change of plans. Have the children and their Gods left Vale?"
"Indeed. On their way to a White Fang fort, could take a while. Possibly a few days... Master." Dagonus hesitantly said, the word sounding very foreign.
"Good. I want your forces to move on Vale in the next hour. We take the city now." Xalveris said with a wicked grin, looking up at the sky. "Oh dear brother, it seems I've finally won."
Dagonus nodded in understanding, walking off to go gather his forces, and find Sir Xenon to lead the assault. As the God of Death walked, his image shifted into one of him on his hands and knees again, groaning in pain once more before shifting back and exiting the room.
"Hm... It seems our friend here has a stronger will than anticipated..." Xalveris noted, deep in thought. "That could be an issue..."
"Even so, my lord, if he overcomes your influence, I will personally destroy him in your name." Rook growled, the black knight eager for battle.
"Hm. Indeed." Xalveris said before the duo teleported away, leaving the room empty.