Busy weekend.
Spent what was suppose to be a rest day/s into a dancing session. All in the name of grades. Ah yes, I'll be able to use these very important dance moves to my future career. Totally... but, perhaps, in their defense, I just had three days on school time instead of the usual mon-fridays because of the new year celebration, of which, Happy new year, lads and gals, so, in other words, I should stop being a bitch and get this week over with.
Still annoyed at the lack of my usual sleep sessions though...
Now, shall we begin?
_- A Place To Call Home -_
Everyone was silent. Nobody moved. All activities were halted as they gaze at the abomination before them. It was perching on top of the armored vehicle with one of its avian-like hands grasping at the face of the deceased night prowler- examining it with faint interest, Jaune morbidly thought.
"Greetings, People of Bastion." It begun," I, Apostasy, Harbinger of end, Lord of the skies, one of the three great beasts that rule Remnant itself and, above all, Ruler of the Valean territory, demands you mongrels to answer for your crimes against my Kingdom." Apostasy declared, standing now on its full height, Ten and a half feet tall, with an even larger span of black wings spreading proudly behind him, as its dark scythe made their weaponries look like a laughable discount to its malevolent capabilities.
"This…" It held the deceased huntsman, displaying it for them all, as its feathered back slowly gliding behind while the two holes on its beaked head seems to bore right through their very own souls with each movement of its lithe physique. "Thing." It spat, voice brimming as it continued, "This mongrel and its kin dared to step on my lands without my permission. Do you not have anything to say before I send the full might of my horde to your fortress?" Apostasy demanded.
"I do." Jaune heard Oscar declared.
"Ah, the wizard who started it all." Apostasy demurred," Well then, state your case Ozma of the old world." It mocked; voice unperturbed by the myriad of forces standing against him as it continued to exude an aura akin to a proud ruler humoring a mere peasant.
"I, Oscar Pine, the Founder, Leader of the Bastion, Maker of the Sentinel creed, invoke the right of living and demand you, and your horde, to leave at once before I bring the full might of the Bastion on your head, Apostasy of the three beasts." Oscar challenged back. After a while, the feathered abomination hunched its back- they tensed, waiting for something to happen, but instead they paused as they watched the feathered abomination suddenly quivering- It was laughing and Jaune didn't forget the fact that everyone, except Oscar and the faction leaders present, gave uncertain glances to each other, and, by the looks of it, he wasn't the only one unpleasantly surprised at a talking abomination- let alone one that exhibits sentience and absolute confidence towards the Bastion's full might.
"What, pray tell, makes you think that you could destroy me?" Apostasy responded, after regaining its composure.
"Honestly, even I am not quite sure about that... However, I am very positive about this- NOW!" Oscar suddenly shouted, then Jaune felt the air shift around him as arrows flew behind and towards the inhuman beast- of which, Jaune saw Apostasy scoffed for a moment before it raised its left wing and deflected the projectiles with disturbing amount of ease. However, Jaune then saw Raven throwing herself forwards into the abomination, blades drawn, but dismayed when the Lord of the skies used his black scythe to block Raven's blade midair with little to no effort at all as they then continued to took a deadly dance amidst the encroaching barrage of arrows.
Suddenly, Jaune then heard distant squawks from up high, looking up, his face paled as he saw a flock of black humanoid figures diving into them. Someone shouted, then Jaune saw a group of white armored individuals, with equally pale shields, took order of the resulting chaos as they begun to herd Bastion's defenders in distinct formations.
"You." One of them shouted, snapping Jaune from his frozen state as he pointed at him," Do you want to die, boy? Get in the circle! The sentinel order protects!" He shouted as Jaune gave a quick nodded, running with haste towards them. But just as he was about to enter inside their shielded formations, Jaune felt something hard greeting his back then suddenly he found himself rolling down the grounds.
A growl- no, something akin to a bird's squawk and a human scream suddenly beckoned near him. Rising up, or trying to, Jaune paused as he saw two black feet greeting his vision before he felt himself being picked up. Not a second later, he was now rising in the air as he felt something grabbing his back and pulling himself upwards to the nightly skies. Jaune tried to trash and free himself, but, unfortunately, the only available weapon on him, his wooden spear, is currently laying at the ground where he was knocked out.
"Someone!" Jaune shouted," H-help me- " But cut himself off when he braced himself for the abrupt velocity downwards- Forcing Jaune to use a basic landing strategy that he learned from Beacon (Thank gods that he didn't nod off on one of his training sessions with his Pyrrha). After successfully not reenacting his first beacon initiation landing, it seemed someone managed to hear his cries and killed the creature that attacked him as a wooden spear, identical to his, was now lodged into the inhumane-bird like attacker a few feet behind him. Jaune then, after shakily standing up, tried to survey his surroundings and look for the person who saved him- but was interrupted when a familiar sensation hit him and gave him quite the stagger.
"It's me." Nora Valkyries whispered while raising her head beneath his chest, and he, dutifully ignoring the painful death-grip hug, sighed in relief.
"Nora… S-saw you earlier." He managed to spur out.
"Yeah, I'm one of the skirmishers in the batch- wait," Jaune then saw her face suddenly narrowed as he felt his entire being quiver" Jaune! Why are you here!? And your awake now! Why aren't you in the infirmary zone - "Nora paused mid-chastisement, prompting Jaune to look behind and stared in awe as they witness the combat between Raven, and Oscar, giving their all against the talking beast, Apostasy. It was a battle on an entirely different level as Jaune saw highly skilled hunters go toe to toe with an equally formidable monster. The two hunters were using the same strategy that Jaune remembered the Founder and the large huntsman in black armor- Hazel, he recalled, from their earlier fights with the abomination he encountered in the supermarket. However, with growing concern, Jaune eventually realized that they, despite their trained synergy, individual skills, and inspiring tenacity, were not having an easy time with the arrogant beast. With each attack from Raven, it was all blocked with Apostasy's own weapon in huntsman-like skills and, when Oscar tried to take the occasional opportunity to stab his cane, it was immediately blocked by the huge black wings or Apostasy flew above- then dash back down, like an eagle diving for its prey, delivering its own counterattack in response with inhumane reflexes.
"Jaune, we got to go and proceed to the upper cliffs" Nora begun, nudging Jaune back from their current situation at hand. "The headmaster's contingency plan is currently in effect." She explained, knowing that trying to help the Founder and Raven would be an exercise to an untimely death with their current levels but, as Jaune nodded back, he paused as he realized something.
"Headmaster Ozpin is here?" Jaune asked, hopefully.
"W-well it's complicated- but, yes, yes he is here." Nora answered, strangely looking back from the ongoing fight.
"W-who else is here, Nora? Is Phyrrha- "
"Jaune! No time to explain! Get going."
"O-okay…"
_- A Place To Call Home -_
Turns out, to Jaune's imminent relief, it wasn't, from what he heard, just the Headmaster of Beacon's survival that was guaranteed on the Bastion.
"Ms. Goodwitch." Jaune greeted, automatically and, for the first time, in relief instead of dread at seeing the combat teacher.
"Mr. Arc, it pleases me to know that one of my students survived and managed to arrive here. Now, proceed to the inner lines of the contingency defense force." His combat professor acknowledged, nodded, then quickly ordered as he ran towards the lined defenses of white armored individuals- the sentinels, Jaune identified as it seemed that another order of them is present on the cliffs above the surface area.
"Jaune Arc, my boy, is that you?" Recognizing that tone of voice, Jaune looked up from his panting state, expecting to see a certain professor, but, paused as he saw not one, but two of Beacon's huntsman professors.
"Professor Port! And Prof- D-doctor Oobleck… I'm sorry for your loss."
"It's fine, as the head researcher of the Enlightenment faction, I can still contribute to the Bastion even in this state, Mr. Arc." Doctor Oobleck responded, eyes and aura still looking sharp from his wheel chair as Jaune filed another faction detail to the back ends of his mind (he'll have to ask the Doctor once Jaune have time about that one) when he took noticed on the bandaged stump taking precedence over the missing right leg. However, from the looks of his other professor, it seems that the apocalypse provided another unusual change-
"My, I know that look! Hah! Told you Bart! my youth still shines in this old body of mine!" Professor Port bragged, rightfully so, because from what Jaune could discern from the old man… He was buffed. Professor Port was muscular. The iconic flabs were now replaced with serious muscle definition. Only the bushy eyebrows and shiny moustache remain standing above the proud body as the man himself basked on Jaune's shocked face.
"Uh… c-congratulations?" Jaune managed to mutter out, but, just as the old, and muscular, professor Port was about to go on another tale of his more muscular youth physique, his teammate, Nora Valkyrie, Brother gods bless her soul, interjected.
"Professors, are the contingency plans for the adjusted placements on effect?" Nora asked, tone lacking her usual old humor as the older hunters quickly nodded and confirmed.
"Contingency plans?" Jaune queried.
"On the event that the surface area be breached," Nora begun," The next placements of troops, preparation for reserved combatants, and, more importantly, the adjustment of infirmary and non-combatant zones, takes place- transferring infirmary patients, like you, Jaune," She added with fervor that made Jaune winced," to the upper cliffs, away from the middle cliff, which is where we are currently at." She explained.
"Will you come with me?" Jaune asked but dismayed when Nora shook her head.
"I'm sorry Jaune, I can't, I must stay with the others and prevent the horde from getting to the upper cliffs."
"Then, I'll stay as well. I can still fight."
"Jaune, you have a broken arm, even if you have a weapon, you would only put yourself at risk." Nora explained, voice and tone unperturbed to any arguments.
"B-but…"
"Jaune, my boy," Professor Port begun," Do what the young lady says. Remember, this isn't running away from a fight, it simply means that you're surviving for another day." The professor stated, voice unquestionably serious, as, after a considerable amount of contemplating, Jaune finally relented, sighed, and gave a surrendering nod. They were right. After all, how can Jaune help them with a broken arm? But, as the teacher further advised, He considered the merits of simply giving his all by continuing to contribute to the Bastion, and to the people that saved his life, by doing simple tasks that would serve well with his current state, once he made it to the upper cliffs...
"Besides," Professor Port suddenly whispered, "I'll be asking you to do the same for my colleague." But, apparently not that kind of low tone (Port's exaggerated hand that is 'blocking' the hushed conversation between them probably didn't help with the secrecy anyways) because the green haired professor on the wheel chair besides them suddenly gasped indignantly.
"P-port! You can't! T-this is a very, very, rare opportunity to be this close to live specimens! W-what about my research and, in the name of science, knowledge to what these creatures really are!" Professor Oobleck reasoned, but Port merely shook his head in disappointment, and disapproval, with the same stubbornness as Nora to whenever Jaune tried doing something questionable, of which, Jaune himself can only gave a sympathetic look to the immobilized doctor.
"Did you really think that I, Professor Port of Beacon, most handsome (Jaune doubted), and the strongest huntsman alive on the Bastion, wouldn't noticed your eyes looking the other side when the call for evacuation commenced, Bart! " Port accused, bushy eyebrows raising in unison with Oobleck's growing despair.
"Y-yes, actually-"
"Jaune, my boy, get him to the elevators."
"No! You can't!"
"Sorry old friend, but I really, really, can."
_- A Place To Call Home -_
Turns out, Professor Port, can.
Jaune let that part sink in as he, currently holding the wheelchair handle of a very disappointed huntsman professor in front of him, look down the ascending grounds as he tried to relieve all the tensions from the ongoing invasion down with promise of safety upwards. They were on a makeshift, but sturdy, wooden platform being lifted to the upper cliffs by a rope mechanism. Surveying his surroundings (for the umpteenth time, totally not because he feared falling down a hundred-meter drop), he saw four guards, two were huntsman trained (Jaune noticed the sword to axe weapon transformation when a curious ram faunus child asked the older man for a demonstration while the younger hunter took the extra watch), whilst the other two were regular guards armed with a bow and arrow, but, Jaune noticed, they were all wearing green hoods.
"Don't worry, Mr. Arc, the Rangers are the faction that houses the Bastion's finest marksmen." Doctor Oobleck answered his unasked question.
"How many factions are there?"
"Enough to give the horde and Apostasy himself a pause."
"… What was that?"
"Hm?" Oobleck gave him a glance, prompting Jaune to continue.
"Apostasy. An abomination that speaks. I-I never encountered one before…" Jaune queried.
"Ah," The doctor hummed, eyes staring at the distant mayhem, not a second later, he begun," Well, to answer the surrounding conundrum towards our uninvited guest, first, you must know what he, and his kind, is, Mr. Arc," Oobleck then paused, took off his glasses, wiped them, then continued," Tell me, during your encounter with the abominations, what was the first thing you noticed?" He asked, teaching tone reserved for classroom sessions bringing itself forwards.
Jaune took a moment to think, remembering the moment where his father took down a lone abomination charging at them while they were on their first week of leaving Ansel and his first time seeing up one close. "They look like a disease infecting a healthy body and turning it into something else- something worse. An abomination." Jaune answered whilst choosing to forbode the fact that his deduction was based on one of Bruce Willis's zombie films.
"An excellent, and reasonable, deduction Mr. Arc." Oobleck praised, unaware of Jaune's surprised face. "An unexpected and, without a doubt, the most dangerous form of biological strain against all life in the history of Remnant itself was my first hypothesis as well. However," The doctor suddenly paused, body now leaning towards a lone crow-like abomination flying towards them- a straggler from the horde, Jaune realized, body tensing, before giving another relieved sigh as it was quickly taken down by one of the Rangers. Afterwards, when the coast was clear, the professor spoke again, "During one of my expeditions towards the fourth hive- it's what we label to a population of abominations that exceeds the capacity of a small village – that I was tasked to excavate for potential information in regard to the origin of the abominations at the time of the Founding. "
"My fellow huntsman researchers and I encountered a corrupted. Not our first bout with a hunter-class abomination. However, this particular corrupted was the most powerful one I've ever fought and it took the lives of half of my crew, and my right leg, to finally exterminate the mad beast. But, like the entity that introduced itself as Apostasy from earlier, it has the capacity to speak."
"We captured it. However, at the time, it was our first encounter to someone infected that offered signs of sentience, hence, after recovering from the initial shock, we were on the headway on the fact that corrupted people are merely sick patients that contracted an unknown disease that spread from the aftermath of Remnant's siege towards the eventual extermination of the entity known as Salem."
"Salem?" Jaune couldn't help but asked.
"The source of grimm, Mr. Arc, and, before you ask, no, I'm afraid the emergence of the abominations brought about the disappearance of grimm. So, no one knows where our old enemies went… Some say they were wiped out by the abominations; others imply that the abominations are the new grimm, but I advise you to refrain from arriving to sudden conclusions without an absolute and solid truth. It might save you from a leg or two. However, if you really desire to know the truth, then asking the headmaster would be the best bet."
"Now, where was I? Ah, yes, we were under the assumption that the abominations came from a biological strain- but we were awfully quite… wrong." Doctor Oobleck stated, voice tense, as Jaune listened," Revealed as we were in the process of trying to treat the corrupted patient and, very naively, thought that the treatment was working when the patient recompensated with signs of returning to a healthier mindset- a human mindset." The professor then paused, took of his glasses, wiped them again, and looked at him with utter seriousness.
"So, they're not a disease?" Jaune asked, anxiously.
"Jaune," Oobleck begun after a short bout of silence," What I'm about to tell you is the type of information that would make you doubt the very fabric of our reality."
"Apostasy and his kind, they do not belong here. Not on Vale, not on Remnant, and, certainly not from our own universe."
Jaune Arc had a lot to think about.
_- A Place To Call Home -_
Next chapter will be uploaded in Jan. 19 (Monday next week)
Yes, I have chosen to portray Professor- *coughs* sorry, Doctor Oobleck as some sort of mad scientist in the middle of a post apocalyptic Remnant while, his colleague, Professor Port is fucking buff because there's not a lot of the usual luxuries that this Remnant has and, thus, the man had lots of opportunities to distinguish those glorious flabs. I regret nothing. Incidentally, if I haven't explained it well on the previous chapters, Jaune doesn't know that our favorite parasitic headmaster is currently residing on Oscar Pine's head.
Anyhow, see you till the next chapter and stay safe you lots.
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So, what did you think of this chapter?
Please leave a review, if you want to.
Criticisms are welcomed.
And I hope that you have a fine day today.
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