A Won Battle, But A Continuing War

And welcome everyone to the latest chapter of Team WA Volume 2! No guest reviews this week so let's dive right in!

Atlesian Android Command Center

It wasn't often Exo got both annoyed and excited about something going wrong. In this case, he was annoyed that he'd been led into a trap by none other than Ironwood and his little helpers. But he was also excited, because the ones who sprung the trap were the two Ursario brothers, and he'd been wanting a rematch. And thus far, it was shaping up to be quite a match indeed. Wayne leapt into the air, firing one of his SMGs while Aegis continued the charge forward on the ground.

The mercenary reacted by flinging a throwing knife in between the two, before appearing there himself and swinging his blade down on the younger brother. But his initial target proved faster than anticipated for a brawny half-bear Faunus as he held his ax behind his back to block the blow while Wayne fired a couple of precision shots in his direction, forcing him to leap back before engaging Aegis again. The two traded blows for a moment before the huntsman, surprisingly, leapt up and back, allowing his older brother to come sliding in before spinning and taking a few swipes at the mercenary himself, pushing him back before locking weapons with him. Exo purposely let his sword fall then, using his enemy's now forward momentum to grab his arm and attempt to twist it behind his back.

But he hadn't fought the more skilled older brother as often, so he was caught slightly off-guard when his opponent twisted his entire body around with his movement and swung for his leg. Exo was saved at the last second by teleporting to his throwing knife, only to duck a swing from a glass ax before taking a backhand to the face that sent him rolling back. It was only thanks to his instincts that the mercenary tucked and rolled back, managing to nab his sword in the process. The two brothers attacked in tandem then, one after the other as Exo was forced back little by little from the onslaught of ax and sickle blades.

'Gonna need to change things up a bit,' thought Exo as tossed his sword behind the two once again. The brothers moved to intercept it, only for the mercenary to instead pull out several throwing knives. "Suckers," he said, proud of his successful feint before tossing more than a few throwing knives at his opponents and around the room, keeping one in reserve, "now try to keep up!" He teleported to one knife then the other, either taunting or slashing at his now trapped prey.

In response, Wayne put his sickles together into his bladed staff while Aegis formed a massive glass shield. The two stood back to back as they desperately tried to parry each strike as Exo popped into existence in one spot before teleporting to another. "So this is what you had to deal with in the Vytal festival," remarked Wayne as he blocked one blow, only to receive a light cut on his leg with the next.

"It made for quite the annoyance," replied Aegis as he stopped a few blows, but still took one under his left arm, "good thing we trained for this type of situation." In truth, it wasn't so much training as it was preparing. The two dropped their defenses slightly as Wayne charged some of his semblance into his weapon, while Aegis put some energy dust into his glass shield. The whole time, Exo didn't let up his assault, cutting away at their auras piece by piece while either laughing or spouting out a witty remark.

"NOW!" Said Wayne as he dropped to one knee. Aegis replied by actually raising his shield in the air, where Wayne stabbed his weapon into the energized glass, causing it to detonate and send out a wave of energy and glass shrapnel in all directions. The force of the blast not only knocked Exo away but also scattered the knives that had surrounded them, allowing the brothers freedom of movement once more.

"Oh I am so over being tossed around by random explosions of light," complained Exo as he grabbed his sword once again.

"Too bad!" Said Aegis as he rushed in with flaming Morningstar spikes on his weapon, each one exploding upon contact as the wolf Faunus was staggered back before teleporting again. But his move was either anticipated or the elder brother just got lucky as he was knocked off balance by Wayne's left sickle on a wire. Aegis grabbed the reeling weapon and pulled hard, swinging his brother around the confined space as Exo teleported again, only to be met by the huntsman's knee to his chest. The mercenary stumbled back from the pain, feeling his aura dropping as he parried the next few blows before ducking and rolling under one strike.

Aegis took the initiative to charge in with glass armor forming over his arms, head and torso while Wayne fired his left weapon in SMG form in addition to activating the wind dust and tossing his other weapon behind him. Exo, not noticing this as he was currently blocking the SMG fire while watching Aegis close in, unaffected by his brother's attacks due to his armor, teleported on instinct to some of the scattered knives. Only to be disoriented as he discovered he was suspended a few feet in the air before gravity took ahold of him again. 'Oh shit,' he thought as he saw the two brothers rocketing towards him with glass and energized arms, 'my aura's about out.' Which was unfortunate for him as the twin clothes-line maneuver slammed into his body and sent him flying into the nearby wall, costing him his sword in the process.

"Okay, that I definitely felt," coughed Exo as Wayne and Aegis pointed their weapons at his face.

"I think that's what you call, punching out," quipped Aegis as Wayne gave him an 'are you serious' look.

"I couldn't agree more," said Exo as he used the last of his remaining aura to, not teleport. "What the fuck?"

"Oh yeah, forgot to mention," said Wayne as he sent a quick message on his scroll, "we figured you'd try that escape method again, so we had a few soldiers and drones scout out the area where you entered. Looks like they managed to locate your entry point and break up the mark. Which for you means, no escape teleport."

"Ha, and Watts seemed to think all of you were du-UUUFFF!" Exo was silenced by a quick curb stomp from Aegis, rendering him more or less unconscious as a pair of soldiers came in shortly afterwards and cuffed his arms behind his back.

"Clover," Said Wayne over his comm, "if you're hearing this right now, we got Exo in custody. Good luck on your end."

"We're wrapping it up now," said Clover, "and you should know the General is recalling all Ace Ops and huntsman to the academy, so I'd suggest getting there soon yourselves."

"On it, see you all in a few minutes," said Wayne as he ended the transmission.

"I thought the evacuation was still ongoing," said Aegis, "did something happen or is it over already?"

"Guess we'll just have to see when we get there," said Wayne before the sound of pained laughter drew everyone's attention.

"Oh it doesn't really matter whether you get there or not," said Exo as he spat a bit of blood out of his mouth. "Why don't you tell 'em how it really is, boss." As if in response to his statement, a screeching sound erupted from the bag Exo had brought as a Seer Grimm suddenly erupted from it. Wayne and Aegis trained their weapons on it, but the creature seemed to be in pain as its tentacled limbs contorted and retreated into its body before falling to the floor. The glowing red orb that made up the rest of it turned black then as dark mist emerged from it, forming into a woman in a black dress with pale, black-veined skin, red and black eyes and heavily bunned up white hair, Salem.

"So you two are the Ursario brothers," she said in an intrigued sounding tone, "congratulations on defeating Exo, futile as it is."

"Well well well," said Aegis, "after that illusion Emerald threw at us, the real thing is a lot less, intimidating than I expected."

"I'd say at last we meet," added Wayne, "but even now you use something else to do your work for you."

"Much like I once used your ancestors to help unify the world," remarked Salem.

"A plan which fell through terribly by your own hand if I recall," Wayne pointed out, "though I suppose we do owe you one for unlocking the power of the aura shadow and creating the rage mode."

"So you know the true origins of those states," said Salem, "how interesting. Not that it'll help you much in the current situation."

"Are we watching the same scenes unfold here," said Aegis as he made a show of throwing up a random video on his scroll, "because by my count, we're winning. Exo's down and Tyrian and Watts are going down as we speak. Not to mention Mantle's not a pool of negativity anymore, so the Grimm aren't gonna come running quite as quickly."

"Oh you poor things," said Salem, "victory was never their goal. My pawns were merely getting the stage set, for my arrival."

"Tch, I'll believe that when I see it," said Aegis, "you've spent how many centuries now working behind the scenes despite all the so-called power you possess. It kind of makes one wonder if you're really all you're cracked up to be."

"Oh I am so much more than you know," replied Salem, "including merciful, if you and your friends surrender the staff and lamp to me. The people of Atlas need not suffer any longer, all that is needed is acceptance. Your situation is futile and this is the only way you all shall live."

"Sure thing," said Wayne, "as soon as you accept that it was all your fault in the first place that Ozma left you."

"What did you say," responded Salem as she turned towards the huntsman, "how do you know that name."

"The same way we know how you got cursed to begin with," replied Wayne, "the lamp showed us."

"And boy did I feel for Oz there," said Aegis, "Revived, fried, revived and fried again. Thanks to your little fib he was probably called Refried Oz in the afterlife. But I guess it's a more exciting way to go than simply dying of sickness. Makes for something of a boring ending to a hero story."

"You had better watch your tone, Ursario," said Salem with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Or what," said Wayne, "given that you're a proven liar you were probably gonna kill us anyway. Though from what I recall the last people you slaughtered with your own hands was your children and your husband. Was divorce not invented back then?"

"You understand nothing," said Salem, "we were finally free to be together and Ozma chose those deities over me."

"But it was still you who started the fight which tore up your home and reduced your little babies to ashes," said Aegis dismissively, "ah shit, now I've got to work on getting the image of you and Oz getting intimate out of my head again."

"Truth is no matter how you slice it, neither of you were free," said Wayne, "you got yourself trapped in an immortal body, while Oz got booted back to earth where his soul has to keep reincarnating until his job is done. To be honest your motivations are, disappointing. I was hoping for you being the first Grimm or the culmination of some lost civilizations misdeeds, or the sick and twisted creation of a once pure being who lost their soul after being betrayed by us people. But no, all we got was an immortal hag who's upset that her one and only boyfriend dumped her."

"I mean seriously," added Aegis, "you've had centuries and you're still not over it."

"Ozma was my one true love and he betrayed me for the ones who put this curse on me!" Exclaimed Salem as a dark wind blasted forth. But the Ursario brothers weren't phased.

"And who was it that got cursed because she told the lie to said pair of deities in the first place," said Wayne, "then again I suppose you probably would've gone somewhere else in the afterlife if you went the suicide route. But now that I think of it, perhaps you're right in a way. Maybe it was all Ozma's fault. He should've just respected your dear Father's wishes and left you in that tower in the first place. Because you've done a splendid job, going right to one of your own making."

The immortal master of the Grimm's expression was priceless upon hearing that. Her teeth were bared and gritted, her fists were clenched so tight that her nails were likely digging into her skin, and she was absolutely shaking in fury. "It's been, quite, some time since someone other than Oz has been able to get under my skin," admitted Salem, her rage barely controlled at the moment, "so congratulations, you've made me angry. I had planned on revealing this later but now's as good a time as any."

Wayne felt a pain in his neck then, as if something had bit him. Then came the familiar, and currently very unwelcome feeling of him sliding into his mind, on the same mental plane where he'd usually face his darker self. "Well now," said Shadow Wayne as he stepped into view like so many times before, only he wasn't alone this time. "It seems we were both mistaken about the path we should take."

"What did you just do?" Asked Wayne as he drew his weapons, prepared to face down his shadow self and this new intruder, a mental projection of Salem herself.

"You may not have noticed during your fight with him," replied Salem, "but Exo managed to slide a little party favor onto you during one of his teleport attacks. A Grimm insect similar to the one I gave Cinder to suck out the maiden's powers. Only this particular one is meant to bring powers to the surface, the aura shadow in this case. The old technique I unlocked was useful, when I had control of it, but now I find it's as much a hindrance as it is a boon these days. Now then, enjoy being swallowed up by your own negative emotions." Her body transformed into mist then and fused with his darker self, forming a number of bony protrusions on his shoulders, knees and boots while his helmet was replaced with a skeletal replica. His glowing red eyes opened then, focusing on him before bearing his new Grimm versions of Wayne's weapons. And shortly afterward, the apparition charged forth.

About the Same Time: The Skies of Atlas

"This is more than a little irregular," said Jen as she and Tobias rode in the airship with a small collection of other military huntsmen.

"You mean being called back in the middle of an evacuation," Asked her Husband, "Or not getting any details as to why."

"Yes," affirmed Jen, "we still haven't finished with the evacuation and even if the number of Grimm have subsided a bit, there are still plenty of them out there."

"Well since we're on the way," said Tobias as he stood up and looked out the cockpit, "you said the Atlas Android Command Center is around here, right?"

"Affirmative," replied the Pilot, "though I wouldn't suggest a deviation if we can help it."

"Not even if it goes under following orders," Questioned Tobias, "two of the huntsman that need to head back to Atlas Academy are there. I got the confirmation that they've wrapped things up but for some reason a call hasn't been sent out yet for a pickup. Might be worth investigating."

"I mean I could at least do a quick flyby I suppose-," the pilot started to say before Jen and Tobias's scrolls rang.

"Ruby," said Jen questioningly, "what in the world is-."

"Ironwood's declaring martial law and abandoning the rest of Mantle!" Exclaimed Ruby's voice over the scroll, "He's going to use the staff to move Atlas because Salem's coming, we need to stop him before Mant-." The line was suddenly cut off as a red hand appeared on her scroll with the message 'blocked'.

"That's not good," said Tobias as his eyes scanned the other military personnel in the airship. Another notification came up, this time on their scrolls. It was a list of wanted posters, specifically of them, their sons and the rest of the teams from Beacon.

"Alright then," said Jen with a sigh, "before we get started, would anyone like to get off?" The unfortunate answer, was no.

One Atlas Huntsman Beat Down Later

"While I don't like fighting in confined spaces," said Jen as she made a motion of wiping her hands, "it does make for quite the good environment to use my semblance." Case in point, the numerous soldiers currently on the floor, twitching as their electrified limbs were currently unable to move thanks to the Ursario woman's paralyzing paws.

"At least yours doesn't threaten to burn up all the oxygen when overused in a confined space," said Tobias as he pistol-whipped the military huntsman he had a hold of into unconsciousness before pointing his revolver towards the pilot, "Now then, I believe we had a scheduled stop at that command center of yours."

"Uh, yes, right away," said the pilot who was currently sweating bullets despite the cool cabin. Fortunately, it did little to affect his piloting as the ship swung around towards the large, cylinder-like building. But something was off about it.

"My eyes might finally be starting to play tricks on me after such a long day," said Jen, "but is the building smoking right now?"

"No, that's what I'm seeing too," confirmed Tobias as they watched black smoke rise from a hole that probably wasn't supposed to be in the building. It was made clear how it originated very quickly when another hole was blasted out of the front of the building as a figure leapt out of it. "That's Aegis right there."

"But then where's, oh no," Jen gasped in horror as the figure responsible for the current destruction walked stepped out of the smoke and near the edge of the hole. It was their son, letting off the full force of the aura shadow. And his target seemed to be anything and everything in his way.

Once again, Salem demonstrates her ability to use plans within plans as one of Atlas's protectors becomes a potential destroyer. And speaking of potential, hopefully this chapter was potentially enjoyable for everyone and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as the Ursario's must not only fight one of their own, but anything Atlas can still throw at them. 'Til then.