Chapter 60
The door burst open. "Jacques Schnee! Due to recently received evidence, I'm placing you under arrest!" Ruby had her scroll in her left hand while she deployed her right gauntlet. The table of councilmen leapt to their feet, except Jacques who raised his hands in surrender at the weapon aimed towards him. Ruby's eyes scanned over the room, pausing on Robyn who was for some reason there, and stopped on Ironwood. He nodded.
Ruby placed her scroll onto the table and, with a couple of taps, projected the video Weiss' mother had given her into the air.
"A-arthur Watts? But he's dead!" Councilman Sleet said as his face went pale.
"How did you not catch this James!" Councilwoman Camilla asked, voice full of fear.
"We had a suspicion he might have survived, hence our upgrades to Mantle's cyber-security. However, it appears we were too late." Ironwood answered. "This does throw the election into question as well."
"Is this really the time?" Ruby asked with a roll of her eyes before turning back on Jacques. "What did you give Watts?" Her voice took on an edge as the Dust-thrower part of her gauntlet deployed, aimed squarely at his face.
"I… I well… I didn't do anything wrong!" Jacques stammered his way through, trying to find some excuse.
"No one believes that. You worked with a criminal to win an election. What did he get?" Ruby deployed her other gauntlet. With both pointed at his face, Jacques swallowed nervously.
"A-alright! Fine! I gave him my access codes! Those the SDC has for the heating grid and those I got as a councilman." He finally caved, eyes filled with hatred. "I demand to see my lawyer!" He added, though nobody heard him.
Everyone in the room, bar Jacques, had gone pale. They all understood just how bad this situation had become. Ironwood tapped a hand to his ear and began speaking in a low, anger-filled tone. "Clover. Prepare to sortie and get some soldiers in here. Jacques is under arrest."
"Now look you can't just-!"
"Shut it, Jacques. You've endangered all of Atlas and Mantle for your petty desires. You'll be lucky not to get life for this." Ironwood scowled, interrupting.
"My lawyers are the best. I won't just sit back and let you-"
"Jacques, you don't seem to understand. You've just committed treason. The death penalty is a perfectly valid option." Ironwood's words finally shut Jacques up as the doors opened once more. Clover and a trio of soldiers entered with a salute.
"Sir. We've just received word that Grimm are advancing on Mantle and the heating grid has been turned off."
"Understood. Watts has access to everything. Deploy who we can to Mantle. We need some way to stop Watts…"
"Copy that sir!" Clover said. "Rose. Let's move."
"Just a sec." Ruby reverted her weapons, grabbed her scroll, and stepped away from Jacques to allow the soldiers to clamp gravity bola's around his wrists. "Ironwood. Tell them about Amity. We need their support."
"Hm. I'm not so sure." Ironwood replied.
"These people care about Atlas and Mantle damn it! If we can't trust them to have the cities' best interests at heart, then they don't deserve their positions. But they do."
Ironwood was silent for a moment as he gazed between them all. As his eyes fell on Clover, the Ace-Op leader nodded. With his support, Ironwood sighed and nodded himself. "Alright. Go and protect Mantle. I'll bring them up to speed."
"This is the right call. Thank you." Ruby smiled and left the room, following after Clover. As she re-entered the main hall she ran into Ilia, who was on the stairs looking confused.
"Ah, Ruby! What's going on?"
"Mantle is under attack. Jacques gave Watts everything he needed to take us down."
"Oh, you found out Watts was here then?" Ilia asked, sounding a little disappointed.
"Yeah. You too?"
"Sort of. A… a butler here said their security had some odd occurrence and the boy Schnee was shaken and I assumed... I guess you found more concrete evidence?"
"A recording of their meeting. It was luck I stumbled upon the one person that could give me everything I needed. And I made a promise I'll need to keep, but for now…"
"Mantle. Right. Let's go then." Ilia nodded firmly and rushed out the door. As Ruby made to follow however Oscar appeared from outside and motioned her over.
"Ruby! I think we should tell Ironwood everything!" He announced, causing Ruby to blink.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I… I think we can trust him. He's fighting hard on our side and he deserves the truth, just like we did."
"Okay. I don't think he's in a state to really be trusted not to lose it but… if you think he can, I'll trust you, Oscar."
Oscar's eyes widened in surprise. "Alright. Thank you, Ruby. I'll go tell him now and then get back to the academy. Stay on defence with the Relic."
"Good. I'll call if I need you." Ruby nodded to him before sprinting off and out the door to where several Manta's had landed. Sharing a nod with her friends and allies the shuttle lifted and flew off, heading down towards Mantle.
The Battle for Mantle had begun.
"Sabyr's on the left! Ilia, hold them off! Penny, we need to take down that Megoliath now!" Ruby ordered before switching to her petal form and dashing beneath the massive Grimm's body.
Ember Emortus clicked as she unleashed her Dust Thrower, blasting Frost Dust over the creature's legs. It roared in pain as it was frozen in place, ice sealing its legs and feet to the road beneath them. Penny flew over its back, firing green lasers into its hard, tough body. She let out a sound of annoyance as she realised they hadn't done any damage.
"Break a tusk!" Ruby shouted out. Penny immediately turned her blades around, focused the energy into a ball of pure green and fired a massive laser. The Grimm screamed in pain as the tusk glowed a bright red from the heat until it snapped off. Ruby and Penny both flew out to catch it.
With a shared roar the pair flew forward and impaled the tusk into the beast's neck. The Megoliath's scream turned into a low gurgle before it collapsed and began to dissolve. After a very quick breath, the pair turned to help Ilia, who had slain a third of the oncoming Sabyr's.
Crescent Rose sang as it sliced through the tiger-like Grimm. Lightning Lash crackled as its namesake lightning lashed the beasts, shocking them to death. Floating Array clicked moments before firing several vibrant lasers through the remainder. A dozen monsters fell in moments, followed by the soft sound of the lights turning back to normal.
"This area is clear! Gather what necessities you can and head to the nearest shelter! Move, move, move!" Ruby ordered, causing the shocked citizens to get into gear. She ignored the thanks they provided and turned to her friends. "You two good to head to the next sector?"
"I am combat ready!"
"I'm ready."
"Then let's go. We've got people to save." Ruby smiled and grabbed Ilia's arm. The next moment they were a cloud of petals, zooming upwards and following Penny to the next dangerous zone.
"No further." Pyrrha whispered as she stepped forward, her blade cutting down another Sabyr. Before her stood the largest hole in Mantle's wall. Destroyed AK units and dead soldiers littered the ground as a legion of Grimm sprinted through the shattered wall.
The people had all been evacuated or had fallen, so she was practically alone. She wasn't entirely of course. A team of soldiers in the area and Harriet was with her. She would be fine if anything happened.
Sucking in a breath Pyrrha summoned the power lying within her. Wind whipped up around her, pulling her into the air to hover a few feet off the ground. She released her breath, pushed her arms forward and thought of what she wanted to happen. Cut them down.
A wave of wind blasted out from her outstretched palms. Grimm went flying at first, but then the wind shifted. It changed from a wall of force into thousands of sharp blades of wind. Screeches reached her ears as Sabyr's, Beowolves, Megoliath's and even a few low flying Nevermore and Teryxes were cut and slashed apart.
Hearing calls of celebration from behind her Pyrrha smiled and floated forward. A Sabyr leapt from a nearby building, only to be thrown away by the wind swirling around her. A speeding Harriet punched it to death before it even hit the ground.
She flew into the hole and sent off blasts of wind, ice and fire to push the Grimm back and slow down the amount entering the city. The soldiers and Harriet backed her up, slaughtering any who made it past her.
"No more shall pass! I am the Invincible Girl! I am a Champion! I am the Fall Maiden! None of you shall pass!" Pyrrha roared and launched dozens of bolts of ice, spearing all the Grimm before her. She was already panting from exhaustion, but she kept going.
The Grimm seemed never-ending, so she needed to have neverending stamina.
She would not let any more through.
"Yaaaaaaaa!" Jaune roared and charged.
"Rwaaaaa!" A Beowolf, covered in ice like all the other Grimm on Solitas, roared back as it charged.
The two met in the middle. The monster's heavy arm came down, its claws threatening to cut Jaune in twain. He felt no fear, however. A Beowolf was nothing to him now. His Aura shone across his body as he used Amp to increase his defence.
The claws skittered off of his shield, unable to do anything at all. Despite all the weight it had behind its attack it couldn't even budge Jaune, who pushed its arm away with his shield and slashed upwards with his sword. A gurgle could be heard as its head was separated from its neck.
Heavy gunfire sounded as Ren put down a pair of Sabyr's. Another pair came from the other side but they were met by a pair of glowing yellowish arms, which grabbed their heads and bashed them against the ground, smashing their bodies and slaying them with ease.
The trio of Jaune, Vine and Ren continued down the wide street, joining up with a few soldiers and a few dozen civilians. Including many of the kids Jaune had helped guide over the time he spent here. He smiled.
"Alright, guys! Let's go! Safety awaits!" His bright grin and shining demeanour helped to inspire them all, especially the children. And when they smiled and took charge to get everyone into organised lines?
Well, nothing was as calming as a child's innocent smile.
"Three on the left. Four on the right."
"Got it. Dove, Sky. Take the left. Russ, have my back." Cardin ordered after Sky reported their incoming prey. The trio nodded and rushed to comply before the Grimm could reach the incoming shuttles behind them.
Cardin smiled as he raced forward. His body felt light, and not just because of the Gravity Dust in his armour. It felt good to be running around Mantle fighting Grimm. Was it the fighting, or the saving that exhilarated him though? He didn't actually know. But in a way, it didn't matter.
Save lives and kill Grimm. This is what I signed up for!
As Cardin sprinted towards the four Sabyr's, Russel started to clash his daggers against each other, throwing thin blades of ice forward at the oncoming monsters. They didn't do much damage, but they had another purpose anyway.
As the ice cut into the beast's bodies and limbs it slowed them and weakened them. Cardin licked his lips and raised his mighty mace. "Come on and die you bastards!" He yelled with a manic grin.
The Sabyr's all jumped at him and he swung.
The Executioner crushed the skull of the first, followed through into the second and turned it into mincemeat. It carried on, slamming the third into the fourth and bringing them to the ground and splitting their heads open. The ground cracked beneath his mace as it finally came to a stop. A pair of headless bodies smacked against him, but he ignored them.
Once again he felt that rush that his Semblance gave him. After a few moments, the strength boost he was granted for every kill he made faded, coinciding with the disappearance of the Grimm corpses, and he was returned to normal. With a laugh, he drew his weapon back and rested it on his shoulder. The others had slain their Grimm with ease too.
"Another victory for CRDL! And more people are safe and sound! Good work team." He congratulated them.
"You too, Cardin. Never get tired of seeing you smash open some Grimm heads." Russel laughed.
"Ha. Well, you'll see it plenty more today! Make sure your Dust is ready. We're in for the long haul here."
Cheers came from those they'd protected. It felt good. Really good. Almost intoxicating.
I can really get behind this saving stuff.
A loud boom shook the street as Elm fired a pair of rockets straight down the long road, exterminating a pair of Megoliath's. Nora let out a joyful whoop and fired some grenades at another one.
The crowd behind them let out terrified shrieks.
"We got this!" Nora shouted, following it with a cackle as she and Elm raced towards the one she'd fired at. Its faceplate was cracked and broken, its eyes wild and red as it tracked their movements.
Synchronized from their weeks of training the two drew their hammers and slammed them into the monster's forelegs. With a confused roar, its front collapsed as its legs went out from under it. Capitalising on its vulnerability the pair leapt on top and then brought their hammers down.
With a deafening sound, the pair crushed its head and then let off an explosion in the centre, turning its head into dust as they jumped off.
As they landed, nearby screens turned on. Ironwood took to the stage, with Robyn showing her Semblance to prove what he said was the truth, and announced to all of Atlas and Mantle that Salem was real and that Atlas would use all its might to evacuate Mantle. And when the screens shut off, cheers went up all around the city.
Morale had been restored.
Things had changed quickly. Mantle was under attack. Atlas was helping. Ironwood had revealed the truth.
"They were supposed to go to Vacuo. Atlas was meant to be left for last. Why? Did Salem change the plan? Was it those brats?"
Cinder scowled. The truth evaded her. What she did know is that all the heating had gone off. Watts must be here. Those deaths must be from Tyrian. Just those two though? Well, I suppose it was effective.
Letting out an angry sigh she left the apartment building, avoiding the pools of dried blood. "Oh yes. Thank you for letting me stay here. It was quite pleasant." Those she spoke to gave no reply. She let out a laugh.
Soon Ruby Rose would end up just like those bodies. Cinder would make sure of it.
Her thoughts remained on the girl she would take joy in punishing as she summoned her power and flew upwards, leaving Mantle and heading towards the place her life had changed. The first place she had gained power and taken charge of her life.
Atlas hovered high above her. But soon it would fall and lie beneath her boot.
A/N: I return! Apologies for the sudden two-week break. I came down with a rough cold and writing proved... difficult. Better now and back into the swing of things. The Battle of Mantle begins, with the teams mixed up a little. Ruby, Ilia and Penny begin to form a new team together and take down the big Megoliath a little easier thanks to using lots of Dust! And the other major change being Pyrrha going all Maiden on the Grimm army. Meanwhile, Cinder has appeared... but without Neo, she had to bunker down in Mantle instead of Atlas. Neo's stealth was such a massive boost for them in canon, but here Cinder relies on the chaos unfolding in Mantle to make it up. How well will that go for her? Well, we'll find out.
I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time!