Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of the Roots and the Rock. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own RWBY. Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.
Atem felt a horrid pain up and down his body. His scroll seemed to happen when it came down to it. Atem slowly seemed to climb to his feet. He had become far too in pain at the second to realize that there was someone in front of him.
Atem sighed as he slowly started to climb to his feet. He seemed a lot more tired and out of breath. A lot more tired than he had been a few seconds ago.
"Well, you're finally awake." Atem heard as he slowly started to climb to his feet a few seconds later. "I'm surprised you're still on your feet. I almost broke you like a candy bar." Atem also heard as he tilted his head at her.
Elm was standing over him, she rested on Timber as he sighed and rolled his eyes at this. She offered a hand which he accepted and was almost yanked onto his feet.
"What happened? You hit me with a hammer and my aura shattered, yeah?" Atem questioned while he raised his eyebrow at the woman.
"Yeah, I'm surprised that didn't do some permanent damage, must have been enough aura left in you," Elm responded to which Atem sighed and shook his head. "Hey, you didn't win or get into the Ace-Ops, but you did pretty well," Elm said as Atem nodded and tilted his head and tilted his head before he climbed to his feet.
He smiled at her once more. The pain in his body took some of the stings out of it. He felt more stinging in his spine, that much was clear. Elm looked at him as he stared around at her while he seemed to glance at her.
"You almost broke my back when it came down to it," Atem stated before he cracked his fingers. "Ow, that almost smashed me into dust. Guess I realized why the Ace-Ops are one of the few groups that are the cream of the crop." Atem stated before he sighed and rolled his eyes.
Atem leaned on the wall next to him as he rolled his eyes before he shook his head. His spine seemed to ack with pain despite the fact he was pushing himself more and more. He had been far more interested in what was happening. Far happier when it came down to it. This had ended one way or another.
He needed to end this sooner or later. Atem had lost and it was a lot easier to realize what was on the line if he honestly attempted it. He had honestly pondered what to say or do if he had lost on this scale. It had been a lot harder for him to adapt at the moment to changes like this, but he felt as if he'd manage at all the same. Honestly? It made him a lot happier when he considered it, but he doubted that was part of the problem. This had been something he had been dreading for some time and it seemed as if he'd need to do more.
"Well, I'm surprised the most your aura was able to take a hit like that. Honestly? Most people will shatter like a piece of glass and tear it into pieces. He's lucky to be alive like that if at all." Elm stated while she rolled her eyes at her possible teammate. "We don't know what to do next at the moment. Honestly, these things are going to be hard when it comes down to it." Elm added before she sighed and leaned at the wall next to her.
She seemed to point her finger at him while he tilted his head before he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. She had been a lot more open at the time. This had ended and it had been fun if not for the pain. She had become a lot more cheerful when it came down to it. She seemed to be happy when this battle ended. He was going to be on his toes at the time. They smiled at one another when this ended at the time.
He cracked his fingers before it seemed to come down to it. He crossed his arms across his chest stared at her. This was going to be interesting. This was honestly going to be hard when it came down to it. It had made him question what was going to happen if he couldn't stack up from her? How could he be a decent soldier?
"You know if the Ace-Ops are the most elite soldiers in Atlas? What happens if there's none of them around for the final battle? The enemy will go after you the most, that is how the war would work at least." Atem stated as he cracked his fingers and grunted in pain.
Not exactly a lie Elm thought. If she was going to be in the frontlines? Sooner or later Salem would find that they were some of the best soldiers in Atlas and make killing them her top priority to speed her conquest of Altas along. Yet? She couldn't relent simply before that. This had to be done, it had to end, and they had to fight.
"Even if she does? I doubt a thousand different Grimm are going to stop us. Clove always seems to have a plan no matter what and we keep fighting no matter what." Elm stated to which Atem sighed.
"Don't think I share the same optimism considering the Grimm don't seem to stay dead at the time," Atem said before he looked around sighed. "We both know that they will keep coming. If cut down hundreds? A few thousand will come back sooner or later. Honestly? I want to have those odds, but I also don't want to die for anything stupid. If we're going to die? Then it might as well be making it count." Atem added as he looked around.
This place had to be done quickly. He seemed to question what to say and do next, concerned with all of the power she had at her command. Yet? If he was honest? He knew this would end with bloodshed.
"And what happens if fighting ain't enough? These Grimm need to be stopped, but we also need a way to keep them down for good." Atem stated before he clicked his fingers together.
"Doesn't mean we stop fighting just because there's no simple answer," Elm said as she crossed her arms and looked around with a sigh.
She was honestly prepared for what was to come even if it was going to be dangerous. It was part of her job to be involved in this, part of her job to fight even if she hadn't expected it to. This had to end sooner or later. Even if it meant she gave her life.
"This honestly seems to be worse than anything," Atem stated before he shook his head and looked around the edge of the room. "There are far too many soldiers when it came down to it," Atem stated before he seemed to tilt his head to the side.
"Doesn't mean we can give up at the second. Some people are counting on us to be better." Elm stated before he rubbed at his temples. "We need to be better than this. Better than anyone or anything on the horizon. We both know what will happen if we stop fighting." Elm added before she glanced around before she stared around with some interest. It had become hard at the moment.
He wasn't going to simply back down and let it come to this. He had no small limit on this when it came down to it. There was a lot more riding on the line when it came down to it. She had been interested in this.
She had a lot more coming this way. What happened next at the second? What will come at the moment? It seemed as if they had more on the wall. This had a lot more coming.
"Well, it will be nice seeing more soldiers like you helping them on the frontlines of this war," Atem said before he sighed as he placed his weapon across his back. "Anyway? I lost, which means I'm going to need to make my way at the moment… At least it tells me I can improve. Get better. " Atem said while he clicked his tongue against his teeth.
Elm chuckled and rolled her eyes. She was well aware of the fact that he had tried his hardest in battle. It hadn't been enough to stop him, but it had been enough to show her that some of the specialists were skilled. This had been interesting and it seemed as if she was getting her point across more than anything.
"We need soldiers like you and me either way," Elm said while she crossed her arms. "The more we fight? The more soldiers we're going to need." Elm added as she raised an eyebrow.
Atem shrugged before more pain lanced across his body. he winced with pain as he tried his hardest to ignore it only to place a hand on his back while he seemed to question what to do next. He was honestly going to have fun at the second.
"What happens next?" Elm said while she seemed to rest Timber across her back. "I'll tell Clove to talk to you down the road and talk about another test in maybe a few months," Elm said while she leaned on the wall next to her.
"Maybe, but we both know what will happen next," Elm stated before he seemed to be curiously interested in what to do next.
"If you want. I don't think I'm the cream of the crop." Atem stated before he seemed to tilt his head before he seemed to tap on the wall.
It seemed as if he had a lot more on his mind as he slowly started to walk towards the door. He was honestly prepared for another fight… If it came down to it. He doubted this was going to go the way they assumed it had been, he doubted this war would come as bad as they expected it to considering they fought. There were a lot of people who had to fight when it came down to it. There will be more people at the time. this was going to be scary when it came down to it.
There was more going on than they cared to admit, more that would honestly hurt them at the second, more that would become worse or better considering what was to come. There were more problems, more that had to be dealt with given enough time and effort. There was only so much that could be dealt with given enough problems. This hadn't yet been over with, hadn't been coming down to it. Elm was going to be on the frontlines vs almost anyone or anything that came down the road, it hadn't entirely been fair, it wouldn't exactly be fair if it came down to it.
Still? He supposed that there was going to be a harder battle for them down the road. There was only so much that could be done, only so much that would complicate the war effort. It had been interested when it came down to it.
He was going to be ready for this. This had been an enlightening moment. Atem would be ready for it no matter ready.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that there will be longer chapters in the second. The next chapter will be delayed at the moment and will be 900-6500 words and will show more of Atem and Elm talking and such. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months at the moment. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!