Chapter 28: Fool's Mate
General Ironwood sat quietly in his office. His hands were folded, face resting on top of them, as he stared at the open screens in front of him. A camera aimed directly out into the distance, closely monitoring the giant Grimm Whale floating outside of Atlas. The second was an aerial view from Atlas, the glowing Hard-Light shields were ready for whatever was thrown at them. Every other camera was from the compound and the academy. The students had been told to remain in their dorms, but all of the Fourth Year Cadets had suited up, ready to defend their nation with everything they had.
His mind was racing. He replayed the message that had been sent out to the world, over and over again. He had lost contact with Amity, it was drifting on a northern course, and he didn't know where it would land. What was worse was the confirmation of Fat Man's launch. He didn't know how it had been launched, given he never gave his army the launch codes, but he had an inkling Watts had been involved. Penny was nowhere in sight, she had practically disappeared. Atlas was left defenseless, at least, in the way of their missing maiden.
His lack of sleep was finally catching up to him. Was he doing the right thing? Could he do more? All of his plans had been thrown out the window the second Salem had arrived. He had acted rashly and on his paranoia and fears. Those kids had been among the best Huntsmen and Huntresses to pass through Atlas Academy, Ozpin's trusted and loyal friends. A part of his Inner-Circle. He had violated a lot of their agreements after the Fall of Beacon, and things wouldn't have been so bad if Lionheart hadn't betrayed them all. He didn't want to fall to the likes of Salem, he wasn't going to die with his nation. No… He needed to defend Atlas, by any means possible.
"But is abandoning Mantle the right choice? I swore to protect all of these people when I became General when I became Headmaster of this Academy. Do I continue with this course or do I trust those kids again?" he asked himself, closing his eyes.
They had broken that trust. It was one thing to keep the secrets they had learned from Jinn to themselves, it was something else entirely to reveal confidential information. But, after a lot of thinking, he knew it had been the right choice. Robyn was a thorn in their side, she had been stealing materials that stalled Amity Tower. Because of that, Amity was drifting, but it had gotten the message out. He had to trust and hope that help came.
"Everything that comes after, everyone who has died and will die, will die in vain, if we start what comes after with an act of cruelty."
He slammed his fist against the table, the screens fizzling a bit before settling. Sonata's words echoed through his mind, like a sonic boom. She had been absolutely right. Abandoning the people was not what Ozpin would have wanted. Leaving them to their own devices was an act of cruelty, it is exactly what Salem wanted. Because that's all she wants, to destroy humanity. Well… he wasn't going to give her that. He rose to his feet, pressing a button on his desk.
A long audible beep echoed through the entire building as every monitor, scroll, computer, and television forced itself on. The Atlas Emergency Alert System was activated for the umpteenth time in the last few days, the feed cutting to a live camera. He took a deep breath, a firm look on his face.
"Citizens of Mantle… I have failed you. A long time ago, I took an oath as not just a General of Atlas's Armed Forces, but also as the Headmaster of Atlas Academy. This city was built upon the principle of bettering humanity. To seek the future with strength, dignity, and the pursuit of happiness and liberty. Instead, I made you feel weak, I stole away your dignity and destroyed your happiness. My paranoia has led me to commit a great number of mistakes, all of which I will take full responsibility for.
I should never have abandoned you. I should never have choked and squeezed you. Instead, I should have worked with you to ensure the safety of every man, woman, and child in both Atlas and Mantle. Look above you, at the storm that is approaching, that is the reality we face. That is the evil I failed to protect you from, knocking on our doorstep. I am ashamed that it has come this close, and I didn't once think to safeguard your security.
It is because of Mantle that Atlas exists, it is because of Mantle that Alcius, now Atlas Academy, was built. And it is because of Mantle, that Atlas will not stand back against the forces of Salem. Effective immediately, the Wanted Fugitives, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao-Long, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Alto-Marie Blaze, Penny Polendina, Pietro Polendina, Maria Calavera, and Sonata Piccolo, are no longer to be arrested. The Huntsman and Huntresses above shall be reinstated and given the title of Atlas Special Elite. Special Operatives Levi Athan, Weiss Schnee, and Sonata Piccolo shall also regain their former status. Effective Immediately, Huntsmen Qrow Branwen and Huntress Robyn Hill shall be released and pardoned for their crimes.
Effective Immediately, I approve their plan to evacuate Mantle's Crater using the remaining Schnee Dust Company Freighters in their arsenal. A list of available shelters shall be posted for refugees from Mantle to go to. And finally, this message is for Salem herself, because I know you are listening."
He paused for a moment, swallowing the lump in his throat as he stared ahead, his former emotionless face twisted into one of confidence. The sparkle in his eye had returned. He squeezed the microphone in his grasp tightly, holding back the urge to smirk.
"You may think you have superior numbers to us, you may think you have what it takes to defeat us. But know this. You are facing the might of one joined nation. We will not let you knock Atlas out of the sky. We will fight down to the last soldier if we have to because we are the last line of defense to protect the people of Remnant. You want the Staff of Creation? Well, come and get it."
He ended the message shortly after, almost laughing to himself. He could only imagine the look on that vile woman's face. He pressed another button, activating the comm system. "Winter?"
"Yes sir?"
"Retrieve Penny as swiftly as you can, if you cannot locate her then return to Atlas Academy. I need you and the Ace Operatives here and ready for what is to come. I will scramble the fighters, we must not let Salem enter Atlas City, no matter what."
"Of course sir, we shall continue looking for another while longer and return to the academy," she said, briefly pausing. "Sir?"
"Yes, Winter?"
"You are doing the right thing, thank you."
"No, thank you, for always being so loyal and sticking with me through it all. I was a fool not to listen to you and acted more like a heartless machine. Let us work together to fight back against Salem. Atlas will not fall."
The call ended moments after as he grabbed his scroll, sending a single message to the Atlas Air Force. "Prepare the Mantas for War."
With that final message, he grabbed what he needed and prepared his office. It wouldn't be long before it became the room for his war council to be held. The first war council to be held in Alcius since the Great War. He only hoped Atlas would survive to see more sunrises in the near future.
Location: Monstra
Cinder gasped as she regained consciousness, brow soaked in sweat. She looked around for a moment, clutching her chest tightly. Her throat was dry, making it harder for her to breathe. She shook the remnants of the awful dream she had, focusing on her surroundings for a moment, realizing where it was she was. Within moments, Emerald was kneeling down next to her, holding her hand tightly in her own.
"Cinder! You're awake, I was so worried! How are you feeling?" She asked, genuine concern on her face. The woman hissed, looking away from her as she sat up.
"You… you brought me back here?" she said, pulling her hand free from her grasp. She glanced back at Emerald, peering into her worried crimson eyes. "We failed."
"But you were hurt, I was just trying to help."
"I think she's had enough help." a voice said, causing the two to jump. Mercury strolled into the room, a small smile on his face as he looked at Cinder. "My, look at you… you've clearly seen better days. I'd be careful with her, Em, she went against our queen. You might end up getting burned worse than she has."
"Hey, Cinder's hunch was right! If we'd had support then maybe we would've-"
"Would you stop trying to protect her? She doesn't give a shit about you, or me, for that matter. We were just her pawns, we served our use and now she's gotten rid of us. We're not on the board anymore, so why should we risk our asses for her?" the silver-haired lad said, looking at Cinder, who was glaring at him. "Glare at me all you like, but you know I'm right."
Her Maiden powers manifested, flames surrounding her eye. "Both of you, leave. I'll let you know when you are needed next."
Mercury rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "Yeah… about that, Salem's got other plans. I'm not gonna be taking orders from you anymore."
She looked shocked for a moment, an expression of sadness flashing onto her face. Mercury didn't seem to care as he whirled around, looking over the collar of his shirt. "She wants everyone on the bridge, something big is about to happen. Probably has to do with that taunt the General tossed at us."
Emerald looked between the two, lips curving down. So many things had happened between them since the battle at Haven. She rose to her feet, not bothering to say anything to Cinder. She had so many emotions running through her mind, fear being chief among them. Did Cinder really not care about her? Did she just grab her off the street just to use her abilities? She couldn't have done that, right?
"Don't tell me you're worried about her, Em."
"She's my friend, of course I-"
"For the love of God, Emerald, wake up and look at the writing on the wall! Cinder has never given a shit about you, she's never cared about me. The only reason I joined her crew was because she needed an assassin and I needed money. Do you actually think I am useful to her? A kid with no legs and no semblance?" he snapped, glaring at the girl. "What about you? You think she needs your pickpocketing skills? She just wants you for your Semblance. Once you stop being useful to her, she'll toss you out like yesterday's garbage. Look how quick she was to replace us with Neo, that says enough about her."
"That's not true… she does care about us."
"Then why didn't she come straight to Evernight Castle after we left Haven, hm? Do you know why? Because she was at fault. She lost the Relic, we were just her pawns. Her revenge plan against Ruby failed, and it lost her the Spring Maiden Powers and the Lamp. I didn't need to be hit in the head with it to understand how fucked we were in that situation."
His fist shook as he looked at his friend, sighing as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Emerald… you aren't cut out for this, I can see it on your face. Cinder doesn't care about you and Salem… she just needs minions to do her bidding for her. Don't throw your life away for people who don't care about you."
"Heh… I should be saying that to you, Mercury, seeing as you are here too."
"I'm too far gone, Em. I've killed people, you haven't… whatever it is Salem is planning, it isn't going to be pretty. Just try not to get yourself killed, alright?" he said, earning a nod from the woman. He looked away, turning back down the corridor. "Let's not keep her waiting."
Emerald remained silent, glancing briefly over her shoulder at Cinder's bedroom. She sighed, walking after her friend. "Mercury is right, I'm here because of Cinder. My life is at risk because of Cinder. I was just a petty thief, not… whatever I am now. I gotta get out of here, I am not going to die at the hands of that witch."
xxx
Oscar coughed, clutching his ribs tightly. He was laying on the floor, blood dribbling from his nose. After a while, Hazel had stopped his beating. He didn't know how long it had been, the minutes blended together, his cries of pain echoing through the empty chamber. Salem had come to taunt him a few times, but he didn't relent. She just handed Hazel Lightning Dust crystals and had him punch the boy over and over. He kept his thoughts clear, focused on his friends, on Alto, the people he cared about the most. Somehow, that had gotten him through. Hazel had either gotten bored or had gotten tired because he stopped his onslaught shortly after.
His mind was swirling with fatigue. Since leaving Atlas Academy, he hadn't slept, eaten, done much of anything. He just focused on breathing and staying alive, his head shaking from every punch he had taken. His mind swirled, Ozma's voice cutting through the silence.
"I'd like to express again that this is my burden to bear, not yours. His grudge is with me," he said, causing the boy to cough loudly. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, poking at his blackened eye.
"No, it'll be even worse. He's holding back with me. I can tell." the boy groaned.
"I understand. I do. But you've done so much already. The least I can do is give you a break and try to get us out of here."
He shook his head, frowning. "We can't leave yet, now's our chance."
Ozma let out a chuckle. "Perhaps you have taken one too many hits."
The olive-haired boy shook his head, closing his eyes. "Salem, she knows she can't take on the whole world at once. So she doesn't. She has her followers work their way in, sabotaging things from the inside out…"
"Maybe we should do the same."
Oscar's eyes widened a bit, Ozma's laughter filling his mind. "Well, we certainly are similar, you and I. Maybe we have been presented with an opportunity."
He was cut off by the squelch of the door opening. Hazel stomped in, anger on his face. "Oh Great."
The man easily lifted him up, pinning him against one of the bone spikes. "Oscar please!"
"You don't need to fight this war, kid. Tell me what I need and we can be done." Hazel growled, making Oscar grumble. His eyes flashed brightly, his demeanor changing. He leaned forward a bit, looking straight into the man's eyes.
"Hello, Hazel."
"COWARD!" he shouted angrily. "All this time, it could have been you, but you had him suffer!"
He threw the boy to the ground, Ozma crying in pain. He managed to stand up, only to get uppercutted at the wall behind him, body crumpling. "Now, tell us how that damned Lamp works! The boy has suffered enough!"
Ozpin coughed, spitting a glob of blood to the floor, looking up at the man. "Why do you follow her?"
Once again, Hazel stomped forward, delivering a kick so hard that Ozpin lost all feeling in his chest. He slammed through one of the bone spikes with enough force for it to break. Despite this, he still managed to look Hazel in the eye, holding his chest tightly. "I know. I know how you see me. But her? Look at what she does, how is she the answer? Why not stop her?"
He stopped for a moment, pondering the man's statement, clicking his tongue. He came to a stop at a nearby bone spike, resting his arm against it. "Salem can't be stopped. She's a force of nature. I've seen it first hand, but you…"
The man growled, breaking off the spike, running his metal plate over the edge of it, sharpening it as if it were a knife. "You send children to their deaths for a cause you know has no victory. No end!"
"Someone has to try!" Ozpin exclaimed, forcing himself to his feet. "Salem isn't a force of nature because Salem can be fought! Unless she brings the Relics together if that happens-
He was interrupted by the chamber door opening. He looked over his shoulder, eyes widening when he saw Salem standing at the entrance, a smile on her face. "Ah, Ozma! Perfect timing. The show's about to begin."
"Show? What show?" he asked, only getting a grin from the witch.
xxx
Ozpin clenched his jaw as he looked at the floor, painfully kneeling before the throne. Beside him were the rest of Salem's minions, all of them kneeling. Hazel was beside him, keeping a close eye on him. Tyrian Callows was holding back cackles, Mercury and Emerald doing their best to ignore them. At the head of the pack was Cinder, the Fall Maiden had changed a lot since he had last seen her. The final person shocked him. Trivia Vanille, someone whom he trusted.
She had a firm look on her face, but he could tell she was scared. The moment she locked eyes with him, she gave him a firm look, a ghost of a smile flashing onto her face. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. His gaze was forced forward as Salem turned to face them, a look of joy on her face.
"We have good news! Tyrian has heard from our dear colleague Watts. Although he remains in captivity. It seems he has worked with General Ironwood and a young silver-eyed woman named Stella Silverstein to gain control over the puppet. I suppose he remains useful to us after all… and it seems there's another Silver-Eyed warrior for us to take care of." she said, smirking as she glanced at the Kingdom of Atlas. "I was planning on waiting a little longer, to make their fears go over the edge but… then the good General decided to taunt me. And well… I do not take kindly to that."
She placed a hand on Tyrian's head, the man looking at her with a sick look of love. It made Ozma's skin crawl. The woman shifted her look away from him, and toward the Fall Maiden, frowning at her. "Speaking of which, Cinder…"
"Yes, My Queen?" she asked, only for her shadow hand to begin hissing and smoking. She cried out in pain, grunting as she held it tightly.
"You chose to disobey my very specific orders just to fail. Again," she said, stressing the word, making the woman hiss with every tug of her arm. Emerald watched with widened eyes as the woman stood over her. Cinder briefly felt her neck, remembering the collar she had worn a long time ago, her breathing hitching a bit. "And I've come to realize… it's all my fault."
Everyone looked at Salem with shock, not having expected her to say that. Even Cinder looked taken aback by this. "My Queen?"
"You've fought your whole life, unwaveringly for what you want and here I am, holding you back instead of lifting you up," she said, holding her hand out. Cinder hesitantly reached for it, wrapping her darkened fingers around it. The Hound brushed up against Trivia, sniffing at her before growling, only to walk away. "You deserve so much more than I've given you. Go to Atlas, recover Watts. He can lead you to the puppet masquerading as the Winter Maiden."
The Hound approached Cinder, sniffing her for a moment before growling, making her cower back slightly. "Whether you or my Hound get to her first, you will finally have the Winter Maiden's Power, and I will have my Staff."
Ozma shot to his feet, fists clenched as he faced the Fall Maiden. "You'll only be helping her to bring about the End! For all of you!"
Hazel grabbed him by the back of his head, slamming him hard to the ground. Salem tilted her head slightly, giving him a saccharine smile. "You're too late."
Location: Tundra, 2 km Southeast of Atlas
"Did the hack not work?" Elm asked arms crossed as she leaned back against the ship. "How do we even know we can trust Watts or Silverstein?"
"We have confirmed visual of her leaving Amity. She appeared to be malfunctioning," Vine said, making the woman sigh.
"Well yes but… That Thanatonium missile was shot off, and it's been confirmed that the launch sequence was manually activated. The ping came from Stella Silverstein's Scroll. She said she cleared the bug of everything Watts added, but it's clear that he not only put it back but tied her scroll to the launch of that rocket."
"The rocket stopped though, so I'm sure Stella must have stopped it." Marrow said, glancing at the floor. "She probably hacked into Penny and took control of her. We should have gone after them instead."
"Grr! That's why I don't trust technology! Now we're wasting our time searching for broken junk!"
Winter, who was in the pilot's seat, turned to face the woman, glaring at her. "That is enough! You are Atlas Elite, act like it."
Elm bowed her head, looking away in shame. Marrow took a deep breath, staring out into the snow, only to hear a voice in his ear. He held his hand up to his ear, perking his ear a bit. He couldn't quite understand the message, but the voice sounded familiar.
"Um… ma'am, we're picking up an open comms broadcast."
"Play it." Winter said. He pressed a button on the screen, turning the speakers on.
"It's headed straight for Mantle! I repeat a large mass of Grimm is heading straight for Mantle. Please, anyone!"
Winter shared a look with Marrow, the rest of the Ace-Ops looking concerned. She looked at the panel, pinpointing where the message was coming. Finding it nearby, she took control of the ship, flying toward it. The ship slowly touched down on the tundra, the door flying open. Jaune's look of hope dropped the second he realized who had answered his call.
"Oh great, you guys," Yang muttered, crossing her arms. Alto's ears flattened against her head, standing a bit behind Yang. Harriet and Winter jumped out, only for Jaune to shorten the distance.
"Did you hear our message? It's right there! We need to hurry!"
"Where's Penny?"
"Are you serious right now?" the blond knight snapped, glaring at Harriet. "There are people in danger!"
"There are people in danger because you kids are acting selfish and-"
The ground suddenly shook, causing several shockwaves to move through the land. The group saw the darkened river of Grimm start shooting out of the ground, flying straight toward the bottom of Atlas. It struck the Hard-Light shields, bouncing off for a moment. The river seemed to solidify, hundreds of Grimm striking the shield with all of their strength, easily breaking through. The wave flowed into the underside of the Kingdom, thousands of Centinels burrowing their way in.
Back in Atlas, Ironwood clamped his hand over his mouth, staring at the screen as the mass of Grimm started pouring through the hole, bursting out within the Kingdom. The Centinels started spitting acid at the base of the Shield Generators, beginning to melt through the metal. The kingdom shook from the force of the Grimm burrowing through it. Every screen across the Kingdom turned on, the Atlas Emergency Broadcast System kicking on once more, air raid sirens echoing through the streets.
One of the massive ships shifted its course, blasting the river of Grimm with its plasma lasers, destroying the wave. It returned full force, a thick wall blocking out subsequent blasts. The Shield Pylon started to groan, the Hard-Light dome briefly flashing before it shut off, the protective field going down across the Kingdom. The outermost pylons started to fall, plummeting down over Mantle.
Within Monstra, Salem smirked, her eyes glowing with glee. "It's time."
The massive Whale groaned as it flew forward, heading straight toward Atlas. It crash-landed over the fields of the Agricultural District, the floating landmass shaking from its landing. Monstra opened its maw, roaring loudly as a wave of molten Grimm began pouring out of it. Megoliaths, Apathy, Teryx, Sabyrs, Manticores, Beowulf, Ursai, and Beringels emerged from the black and red liquid, moving full speed toward the kingdom.
General Ironwood's hand shook as he pressed his communicator, staring down at the city below. "Soldiers, forward march! Hold back the wave as best as you can. I want the Air Force to start airdropping drones ASAP! Ace Squadron, I want an air strike at the edge of the agricultural district, use everything in our power and make sure nothing gets into the city!"
He turned back to his desk, pressing a button. "Yes sir?"
"Prepare to evacuate all citizens into the subway. Prepare Manta Squad Omega and dispatch to every part of Atlas. All ships that can be spared will be sent to Mantle. Protect the Crater at all costs, is that understood?"
"Yes sir!"
xxx
Across Atlas, the citizens had been going about their day as the ground started shaking, causing most to stop in their tracks. The air raid sirens started blasting across the city, every monitor and billboard sparking to life, displaying the Atlas Emergency Alert System. General Ironwood appeared on the screen, a calm yet nervous look on his face.
"Citizens of Atlas, please proceed to the nearest underground subway station for shelter. This is not a drill. I repeat, proceed to your nearest underground subway station for shelter. This is not a drill."
One man narrowed his eyes a bit as he looked past the tall buildings, seeing a darkened shadow looming over them. Realizing what they were, the people started panicking, abandoning their personal belongings, scooping up children, and running through the streets. Cars veered off, crashing into light posts and other cars as everyone frantically raced away.
"Dad? Look!"
The man looked toward his daughter, seeing the Queen Lancer aiming its lance toward her. He ran toward her, pulling her back just as the lance struck the spot she had previously stood at. He realized how close she had gotten to death, and scooped her into his arms, holding her close as he followed the crowd toward the nearest subway station.
Back in the air, Winter had been flying back to Atlas at full speed. The Ace Opes were staring through the window, worried looks on their faces. Yang, Jaune, Ren and Alto had been surprised to hear the General had taken the Wanted Bounty off of them and had even promoted them to Atlas Elites. As they got closer, they witnessed the horror going on in Atlas. The Whale had crash landed outside of the city, and millions of Grimm were pouring out of it.
"Holy shit," Yang mumbled under her breath, face going pale.
"We can't get the Hard-Light Shields back up, sir! The Generators took too much damage!"
"Don't waste resources on them. Beta Squad, the Creature?" Ironwood asked.
"We tried bombs, missiles, we even fired those thanatonium charges at it, sir. The fucker took them all, didn't even make a dent!"
"Sir, Schnee here," Winter said, swerving to avoid some Terxys. "Penny is still MIA, but we've rescued Arc, Xiao-Long, Blaze, and Ren from the tundra. They saw a river of Grimm shifting through the ice and snow. It's responsible for the initial wave."
"It's terrible to hear that there's a second wave beneath us. Their main target must be the people of Mantle. Don't worry, I've dispatched Squadron Delta Epsilon to protect them for the time being." the General said, pausing briefly. "Jaune, Yang, Ren, Alto… I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier… we're glad to have you back. I'm glad to have you back."
"Of course, sir. We never lost faith in you. We all make mistakes, but at the end of the day, all of us want the same thing. We're at your command," Jaune said, hands folded behind his back. He peered through the window, seeing just how big the Whale was. "Gods, that thing is huge. Oscar was taken in there."
"What? What do you mean Oscar was taken? Does he still have the Relic?"
"Sir, this is Ren speaking. When we escaped from Atlas Academy, Cinder Fall came to steal the Winter Maiden's powers. Oscar faced off against her and she took the Relic from him. He was later taken by a beast we've dubbed "The Hound." it's a large, flying Grimm with the ability to talk and summon more Grimm."
"Oh come on, that's a load of shit. You are just trying to cover up your fuck-ups, aren't you?" Harriet hissed, only for Alto to grab her by her shirt, pinning her to the side of the ship.
"Listen here you annoying hack. That monster took the boy that I love to that evil bitch, and he's being tortured, beaten, and likely abused in ways I do not want to imagine. What Ren is saying is the truth, we all saw it. Stop acting like a fucking dunce and face reality. We have no reason to lie to you!" she said, letting go of the woman, looking away from her. "And your mohawk is tacky!"
She growled, about to strike the girl only for Elm to grab her arm, shaking her head. General Ironwood merely sighed.
"We cannot leave Oscar in there, we must retrieve him and the Relic of Knowledge as soon as possible," he said, pausing for a moment. "Our weapons aren't doing anything to the creature. Manta Squads, cease-fire, focus on secondary hostels, Command is coming up with a solution for the creature."
"What do you have in mind, sir?" Winter asked.
"We aren't making any progress on attacking the thing from the outside. But from the inside, it could be vulnerable, but we can't know for sure. The Science team is putting together a bomb, the basis of it being a thanatonium warhead. When it's ready, we'll drop it off as close to the target as possible. Then your team will deliver it on foot. Sending you rendezvous coordinates now."
"What about Oscar?" Jaune asked, a look of worry on his face.
"This mission is for the Ace-Ops, your mission will be to head inside that thing. I want detailed reports, descriptions, hell send me video of the damn thing if you can. Eliminate all hostiles on the inside if possible. Rescue Oscar and retrieve the Lamp. When we get your all clear, we'll have the Ace-Ops drop that bomb. Is that understood?" Ironwood said, earning a salute from the four huntsmen.
"Yes sir!"
"Good. Ladies and Gentlemen, get ready. This war is going to be messy." he said, the call finally ending.
"The General wants them to go in there, alone?" Marrow asked, a look of shock and awe on his face. "We can't let them go in there!"
"We'll gladly do it, Oscar is our friend, we can't leave him in there to die," Jaune said, heading toward the door.
"Wouldn't you do it for your friends, Marrow? For Harriet, for Elm or Vine?" Yang asked. The dog faunus looked away. Harriet and Elm had uneasy looks on their faces, while Vine just looked at the floor.
"We don't let feelings get in the way of making the right call. Trading four lives is stupid, but those are orders." Elm said.
"No, it isn't. For our friend, we'd do anything, whatever it takes, to find him. Because we care about him." Ren said. Jaune, Yang, and Alto gave him looks of surprise, with Alto's smile returning to her face.
"Hah, I really had you pegged as the most level-headed of the bunch, but I guess you're just as naive," Harriet said, shaking her head. "Feelings don't matter, the job matters. When you lose someone on your team, you replace them, move on. Just like your friend replaced Pyrrha, Just like Marrow replaced Tortuga, and Winter replaced-"
"No one is replaceable!" he shouted, shooting up to his feet. "Alto is more than Pyrrha's replacement. She's our friend, one of us. Part of our family, and she means a lot to us. Calling her Pyrrha's replacement is an insult to her memory."
His eyes widened a bit, words hanging on his tongue as he looked at Harriet. A swirl of crimson petals swirled around her body, despite the glower on her face. "You don't really believe that. You are furious about losing Clover, and you miss him."
Surprise flashed across her face instantly, replaced with anger as she looked away from the man. "You don't know anything about me. The General may have pardoned Branwen but that doesn't mean I have to."
Ren shifted his gaze toward Marrow, seeing swirling blue petals. Elm had a swirl of yellow and red and Vine had falling green petals. He glanced down at his feet, seeing soft pink petals falling around him, his eyes widening a bit. "That's why you lost to Team RWBY. You, you try to fight how you feel about each other, so you'll never truly work as a team."
"Shut up, you don't know what you are talking about!" Elm cried, about to punch Ren when Winter stood up, catching her first with ease.
"Calm down, everyone. The General gave an order and we must follow it to the letter, despite our own personal feelings. We will drop you off as close to the monster as we can. From there, you are on your own." she said, pressing the button, the side door opening. "If you are not back before we get the order, then we will have to do as the General asks. The payload takes priority, no matter what."
"We understand. We'll set a speed record," Jaune said, giving the woman a cheeky grin. Winter held back the urge to laugh, becoming serious. The Manta touched down on the very outskirts of Atlas, and hundreds of soldiers raced past them, screaming and shooting their rifles.
"Marrow, it's okay to be afraid, you know," Ren said, causing him to sigh. He shook his head, steeling himself.
"I have a job to do, and I'm going to do it."
Yang blasted herself toward the ground with her gauntlets, while Alto used her semblance to slow herself down. Jaune was already outside by the time Ren reached the door, glancing back at Winter. She had a swirl of petals around her, red, blue, yellow, and green.
"I can tell you're worried, but you have nothing to worry about." he simply said. Winter gave him a look of indifference, not acknowledging his words. She watched him go, her expression dropping a bit. She couldn't help but think about her sister, her brother, and her mother.
Location: Monstra
Salem had a smile on her face as she swept her arms around, each delicate movement carrying with it a small bit of energy. It was almost as if she was a conductor, telling her orchestra how high or low to play. She watched on as her army of Grimm continued tearing through the Atlas Army, tearing apart man and machine without prejudice. They could try, but they'd never get through them all.
Emerald narrowed her eyes as she watched her. She had a conflicted look on her face as she walked away from the throne room. She had finally decided it was time for her to go. She wanted nothing to do with this woman, and it was clear Cinder only cared about herself. With Cadence down in Atlas, and Cinder off to rescue Watts, it was the perfect chance. But she wanted to talk to Hazel. He was the only other one who she could trust. She steeled her nerves, turning the corner, gasping when she saw a Seer Grimm.
She closed her eyes, becoming invisible. The Seer drifted past her, continuing on its programmed course. She sighed with relief as she walked forward. It didn't take her long to find the room where Oscar was being kept. She cringed a bit at the sounds coming from it, accompanied by Hazel's grunts.
The boy was hanging above the floor, hands bound by a thick black rope. Hazel pulled his fist back, uppercutting the boy's abdomen, making him squeal in pain. He stood above him, wiping the blood off of his knuckles.
"That stunt you pulled. She'd have killed you if you didn't just pop up somewhere else. Still, you can make things easier on yourself and start telling the truth."
He slowly walked up to the teenager, who looked up at him, his eye was nearly swollen shut, face bruised all over. His clothes were covered in dirt and singed in the center, a bright red burn mark on his skin. He spat on the ground, chuckling a bit. "You never wondered why she recruited you? You, specifically, to help her find the Relics?"
"We share a vision. She's gonna create a new world order, no Kingdoms." Hazel leaned forward, glaring into his eyes. "And no Huntsmen Academies."
"New world order," he said with a roll of his eyes. "No. When Salem gets all four Relics, there will be no world left at all. Don't you get it? She's been alive longer than you can comprehend. All she craves now is release. Death."
He groaned in pain, his body being sent back, wrist still bound tightly by the rope. "Stop lying. Salem can't be killed."
He looked around, Ozpin shaking his head, blinking a few times as the man growled his words, anger drenching his voice. "When she came for me, I killed her over and over and over again. The longest she was gone was only a few hours before she put herself back together. When I couldn't lift my arms anymore, she showed me that through her, I could have the vengeance I needed."
"Oh, Hazel… don't you see? That is why she came for you. Because she could make you believe that this is what you needed."
"THIS is what you deserve!"
"Yes! I do deserve this, but Oscar? The people of Atlas, of Remnant? You haven't done what you've done for justice. You've done it for yourself. Because she pushed you to think it would help you." he said, straightening up. "Well has it?"
He remained silent, pondering his words. After a while, Ozma began speaking. He didn't care if Hazel was listening or not, but he just talked. He started telling his story, from the very beginning. How he saved Salem, how he died of sickness, how she went to the Gods and was left scorned. How she united the world against them and led to the World's Destruction. How he was tasked by the Gods to unite the Relics after Humanity became united, so they could all be whole. He told him everything. The man just stood there, listening to him, eyes narrowed in thought.
"So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face. That was the curse cast upon her by the Brother Gods. But if Salem can divide Humanity beyond repair, and bring all four Relics together, she believes her curse will be broken. The Gods will rule against us and destroy Remnant, once and for all."
He let the words settle in his mind, rolling his shoulders as he stood before the olive-haired teenager. "Nice story. But if Gretchen's death taught me one thing, it was never to trust you."
The man moved toward him, rage swirling in his eyes. Ozma closed his eyes, mentally preparing for the onslaught when Oscar cut through to him. "Let me speak to him."
"But Oscar-"
"You want him to trust them? Then trust me," he announced, earning a sigh from the man. His eyes flashed again, Oscar regaining control. He turned to the man, speaking as he lifted his fist, winding up a punch. "Her name is Jinn."
The brown-haired man lowered his fist, a quizzical look on his face. "You want her to come out of the Lamp? Just say her name. She can still answer one question."
The man grabbed a hold of Oscar's shirt, snarling as he stared into his eyes. "After all of that, you're just going to give Salem the password?"
"No. I'm giving you the password, and hoping you'll find all the answers yourself," he replied. The man let go of the boy, his look of anger shifting to one of surprise and intrigue. Just outside of the room, Emerald stepped away, trying to process what she just heard.
Location: Schnee Manor
Weiss finished redressing Nora's wounds, staring at her face for a moment. She brushed away the hair from her face, frowning a bit at her muttering. Ruby and Blake entered the room, a pair of trays in their grasp, filled with food and drinks. They set them down at one of the tables, with Ruby joining Weiss by the bed.
"How is she?"
"Me and Sona did what we could, but she needs a Doctor," Weiss said, glancing away from her unconscious friend. She noticed Sona on the other side of the bed, fully asleep, the exhaustion of the day finally getting to her. "She passed out not long ago. Running and hiding from Atlas soldiers and staying up for a full 24 hours will take its toll on anyone."
Levi's face was still locked on his scroll, watching the news feed. The Atlas News Network was in the thick of it, broadcasting the war on their doorstep. They had switched to various cameras, as the reporters were out, risking their lives to bring them a live feed. His ears twitched, looking over his shoulder, he took the cup Blake had held out to him, giving her a nod.
"Hopefully May's able to reach the others, I'm worried about all of them, especially Oscar," she said, taking a sip from her cup. "Stella is still setting up in your Father's study, so she probably won't be able to start our plan yet."
"Mantle will be okay for now, General Ironwood sent some airships down there to fight off the Grimm. We're running on borrowed time, but thankfully, it seems Salem is concentrating her main force on Atlas." Levi said, pocketing his scroll.
Blake stepped toward the window, partially opening the curtains. Lightning flashed every so often, accompanied by the flash of detonating bombs and missiles. "Salem's monster is making Grimm faster than the Atlas Military can kill them. The city won't stand a chance unless we stop it."
"What are we supposed to do about it, shove a bomb in it?" Weiss asked, lowering her cup from her lips. "Face it, we are outmatched against that thing."
"She's right, this thing is massive, bigger than the Grimm Wyvern that knocked down Beacon Tower. I don't think I could freeze that thing. Maybe if we joined our powers but-" she glanced at Levi, who just frowned at her. "-You've never used your Silver Eyes, and Stella is busy preparing for Mantle's evacuation."
"I'm sorry, Ruby. I should have been training my Silver Eyes. I knew eventually I would need them, but I kept pushing it off." he replied, glancing at his reflection in his tea, his eyes flashing briefly. "Besides, that Whale would just give the two of us a Whale of a headache."
"That joke fuckin' sucked, you know that?" Sona said, sitting up, glaring at them with a sleepy-eyed look. "What time is it?"
"I don't even know, 3 am? 4?" Weiss said, settling in front of the fireplace, staring at the burning logs. "Penny launched Amity, our message got out. Do we just wait for someone to come? If they even come."
The brown-haired girl frowned, staring at her reflection in her tea, the room flashing crimson for a moment. "How did it get so bad?"
May shot into the room, causing them to jump in surprise. She panted a bit, looking up at them with concern. "Fiona said your friends haven't been heard from in a while. Unfortunately, the last thing they're worried about is a couple of kids."
She turned around, heading for the door. "Come on, I've got the ship ready to head back and-"
"What? We can't leave."
"It's Chaos at the Crater! The Atlas Army is doing what it can but they need backup. People are dying."
"People are dying here too!" the former heiress defiantly replied. "Our friend is hurt, we can't just abandon her. Besides, don't you have family in Atlas?"
Her face darkened a bit, being briefly illuminated by lightning. She looked up at her, a firm look on her face. "No. Mantle needed me, and to the Marigolds, that meant I wasn't their son anymore. And I made sure everyone knew I wasn't their daughter. So fuck'em. They've got Henry, yours has Whitley. You get what I'm saying?"
"Family is family, through thick and thin. So no, I don't know about-"
"Which side are you on, anyway?" she screamed. Blake stood by her friend, giving May a look of anger. Levi shuddered a bit, sipping his tea. He hadn't seen Blake that angry in a long time.
"We've heard that before."
"Guys come on! There are no sides! We want to help everyone. We're all facing Salem together. And together is the only way we're going to get out of it." Ruby said, her voice silencing everyone. May let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms.
"How exactly do we get out of it?"
"We follow my idea, let Stella set up and we'll have those ships down at the Crater in no time," Levi said, setting his cup down on the empty tray. "Do you trust us?"
"I do, you know I do, but we don't have that kind of time," she said, looking away. "Fine, you guys stay here, I'll go back to Mantle and shore up their defense. We stay in contact, when those ships get there, I'll make sure the people get out."
"Great, Schnee Manor will be open to all refugees from Mantle. I'll see if I can start making calls, get the Staff back here, and start preparing food for them all. After spending the night in the cold, they need something to warm them up." Weiss said, holding her hand out. May smiled, shaking her hand.
"You're a good person, Weiss, far better than your Father."
"I've been told, now go, Mantle needs you," she said. May took off, not bothering to look back.
Location: Monstra
"He's a prisoner, Em. He's just talking out of his ass, he'll say whatever he thinks will get him out."
She bowed her head, glancing at her hands. "So, you're still going to Vacuo after everything I just told you?"
The silver-haired lad zipped his bag closed, swinging it over his shoulder. "Those are Salem's new orders. We have to figure out where Summer is and get that Sword. You know better than to disobey Salem."
She swallowed the lump in her throat, watching her friend heading for the door. "But-"
"Look, even if what he said is true, we can't stop Salem. You told me yourself, Hazel tried. He failed and he got in line. The big guy's not going to pick fights he can't win, and neither should we." he replied, looking away from her. She followed him into the hallway, the boy shrugging. "Besides, all of it is pointless anyway. Salem's not ending the world."
"Bahahaha! Of course, she is!" Tyrian laughed, making the pair jump at his sudden appearance. He walked around Mercury, resting his arm on his shoulder, his mechanical tail glowing violet with his poison. "You're surprised? Salem is destruction incarnate! Our mistress wishes to see the end of it all! There's no ideal more beautiful!"
He pushed the boy forward, his face darkening a bit. "If you couldn't see that from the start, you must be out of your mind. Bahahahaha!"
The murderer leered at Emerald stroking her chin with his mechanical tail for a moment. He pushed Mercury forward, heading toward their stolen Atlas Manta. "Now, come along, Mr. Black! You and I have a date with the desert."
Tyrian climbed into the pilot's seat, tossing his bag into the back. Mercury paused for a moment, giving Emerald a solemn look. He climbed into the ship, and within moments, their ship shot off into the distance. Emerald placed her hand behind her back, stopping her hair from blowing out of place. She glanced over her shoulder, thinking about Hazel and Oscar.
"I'm sorry, Mercury. But you've made your choice and I'm making mine. Screw Cinder and Screw Salem. This is not what I signed up for. Hopefully Hazel does what that boy asked of him and earns his trust. I would hate to leave him behind too." she thought, as she started walking back inside Monstra. She didn't notice a pair of brown and pink eyes watching her movements.
xxx
"Have you gotten through to anyone?" Ruby asked, causing Weiss to frown.
"No, and the people that have replied are far too frightened to leave the subways. Lower Atlas has been shut off, Atlas Heights is under lockdown and the Eastern Wards are too far. With the subway system down, none of them would be able to get through here, and the surface streets are full of Grimm."
"Looks like we're gonna have to start making food then," Levi added, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "I wish Alto was with us, she'd probably have a field day working in the kitchen."
"I hope my Uncle Qrow and Robyn were able to get out of where they were being held. They would certainly be a big help. But with everything happening so fast, I don't think the General was able to release them."
"We're gonna be on our own for a while longer, Ruby. I'm sure he'll be fine for the time being, we've all been through worse." Blake said, giving her friend a smile.
"I could fly back to Atlas Academy, and see what's going on. I can handle a few flying Grimm."
"No, Sonata, we need you here. I wasn't able to finish my pilot training, I'm barely able to co-pilot. May took our other ship and we'll need a vehicle to escape should we need it. I don't think the Grimm will push this far north but you never know." Levi said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Qrow and Robyn will be fine. I trust both of them."
Three hard knocks echoed through the foyer, causing the group to jump, hands immediately moving to their weapons. Weiss slowly moved forward, glancing at her friends before opening the door. Her face lit up the moment she saw who was beyond it, launching herself forward.
"Klein!"
"Ah, Miss Schnee! It's been such a long time!" the man said, eagerly hugging the woman. He was a short man, dressed in a black coat. He wore a tan sweater beneath it, along with a pair of matching slacks and shoes, a black bowler hat on his head. "I heard there was a patient here who needed my help."
"Oh Klein, I'm so sorry. It's my fault that Father…"
His eyes flashed Green for a moment, taking his hat off and holding it over his heart. "P-please don't worry, my Snowflake. It had nothing to do with you!"
Once again, his eyes changed, this time turning red. He placed his hat atop his head, his voice changing and even having an accent. "But it had everything to do with Jacques."
The pair entered the door, the man pausing to close the door. He turned back, surprised by all of the people in the foyer. They all relaxed, holstering their weapons as Weiss walked the man in. She turned to him, holding her hands together before herself. "Still, if I hadn't left, I wouldn't have gotten fired and-"
"You would have been trapped here, Snowflake, and you didn't deserve that kind of hell. Besides, I can tell you've made a lot of wonderful friends while I was away," he said, eyes falling to her mechanical arm. He stared at it for a moment, forcing a smile onto his face. "What happened to you?"
"A lot of things, don't worry, I'm okay," she said, brows furrowing. "Wait a minute, you said we had a patient for you. How did you-"
"Young Master Whitley!" the man said, eyes changing to light blue as he stepped toward the stairs, greeting the white-haired lad. "I'm so glad that you rang! May I please see the patient? I understand that it's urgent?"
"Yes, she's in Weiss's room. Just go up the-"
"I haven't been gone that long, Master Whitley. I believe I can find it." the man said with a chuckle. He nodded, allowing him to continue upstairs.
"You… called Klein?" his sister asked, causing him to sigh. He turned away from her, crossing his arms.
"That girl needed a doctor, I didn't do it for you."
"I know, and that's why it means so much to me," she said, a look of surprise flashing onto his face. She shortened the distance between them, pulling her brother into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Whitley, for leaving you here with Father, for letting you deal with Mom's drinking. I am a terrible sister."
"No, you aren't. Kids aren't responsible for dealing with their parent's decisions. They're supposed to take care of us, not… do whatever they did to us." he said, hugging her back, just as tightly. "I missed you… you never called, never texted…"
"I thought you hated me, but that changes now. I want to fix our relationship, I always have and will always love you. We need to work together if we want to save Atlas, okay?"
Before he could reply, a loud crash rang through the house, which shook slightly from the impact. Everyone drew their weapons, Weiss facing her brother. "Did you call anyone else?"
"No, I didn't… just Klein."
Ruby darted toward the door, throwing it open, eyes widening. There was a flaming smoldering crater in the front courtyard. She darted toward it, looking inside, gasping in surprise. Penny stared up at her, eyes flashing between green and red, her arm stretched outward.
"Ruby… I'm sorry," she said, her arm falling limp as she fell unconscious.
xxx
Qrow let out a hiss as a bit of dust fell into his eyes. He sat up, brushing it off of his face, glancing at Jacques, Robyn, and Ivy. Jacques seemed worried while Ivy was scared out of her mind, muttering things to herself. The only one with a calm look was Robyn, who just gave him a grin.
"Yep, not getting much sleep here either," she said, as he placed a hand on his forehead. Another distant explosion rang out, the hiss of jet engines causing them all to cringe at the loud sound. "It doesn't sound good out there. A soldier came by earlier and said the General had ordered our release, but then that Atlas Emergency Broadcast kicked in and we haven't seen anyone since."
"Face it, why would the General give a shit about us?" Jacques said, chuckling. "He's all but abandoned us. Though I am oh so grateful to know you two have been pardoned for your crimes!"
"There was no crime, asshat. Qrow didn't kill Clover, and that's exactly what I'll tell Ironwood the second we get out of here," she said.
"Doesn't matter if he's pardoned us or not, he still shoved us in here, still did what he did. I have a bone to pick with that bastard. I-" The man paused for a moment, brows furrowing. "Doesn't that sound like-"
He got to his feet, body glowing briefly. "GET DOWN!"
The wall exploded, sending debris in all directions. Robyn let out a groan, covering her face with her arm, only to see a large chunk of concrete falling toward her. She activated her aura, closing her eyes. A figure stepped into the room, heels clacking softly as she walked across the cells. Ivy looked up, backing away from the woman, hitting the bench behind her. The Fall Maiden turned to her, giving her a smirk before flicking a small fireball at the Hard-Light shield, making the woman cry in fear.
The doors to the Stockade opened, several soldiers pouring in, guns at the ready. One of them let out a cry, aiming at her. "It's her!"
Cinder let out a smirk, her eye glowing brightly as she twirled around, sending a wave of glass swords out, stabbing clean through the men's armor. Their bodies fell to the ground, howling in pain from the heat, bleeding out all over the floor. She ignored them as they let out agonized cries of pain. She grabbed a piece of debris, lifting it up with ease.
"You know, this is the first time I've actually been happy to see you," she said, holding her hand out. The man quirked a brow, taking it.
"Cinder," he uttered, being pulled to his feet. "What the... What are you doing?"
He became silent when he felt her Grimm hand on his mouth. "It's my turn to ask for something."
The man let out a feeble cry as she placed him over his shoulder, walking toward the hole she had blasted into the wall. Several more soldiers poured into the room, and she stopped to look at them giving them a smirk. She shot into the air before they could fire at her, blasting away from Atlas Academy.
xxx
"Ack… why?" a man squeaked softly. The sword that had been run through him left his body, glowing crimson for a brief moment before the blood was flicked off.
"God it's all the same, it's so boring," Cadence said, staring at the deceased man. All around her, she could see dead Atlas civilians, among them a few kids. They had been dead before she arrived at the park, but the stragglers needed to be taken care of. "I wanted action, I wanted thrills, this is just sad. I guess I forgot how stupid the people of Atlas really were."
She knelt down beside the dead man, his glass eyes still open. "Oh, but you weren't stupid, were you? After all, you saw a sword and you assumed I was a Huntress. Well, bad assumption buddy, I left that life ages ago."
An orange streak whizzed above her, flying through the tall building. She followed the smoke trail, seeing it was coming out of Atlas Academy. She smirked, swiveling on her heel. "Well, looks like Cindy managed to rescue Doctor Watts, how wonderful, she gets to atone for another fuck up. Yet here I am, still looking for that damned puppet!"
She looked back at a deceased child, who was clutching a bloodied ball in his grasp. "You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you? About yea tall? Long orange hair, cute freckles? Drinks oil and shits out bolts? Hahahaha!"
"Odette, I sent you out there so you could raise havoc in Atlas, not so you can talk to the dead," Salem said, causing her to roll her eyes as she tapped her comm.
"I know, I know. I'm just having a little bit of fun with these rich asshats. You wouldn't believe their reaction when they saw me. They thought I was here to help, boy were they surprised, hehe~"
"That's all well and good, darling, but remember, we must ensure the surface streets are crawling with Grimm. It'll make Ironwood start shooting down further in, paving our way straight to Atlas Academy. Monstra can't turn well with all those buildings in the way."
"Yes he can, you just want to see Atlas crumble, don't you, Mother? Well… Wish granted, because that's what I want to see too! Don't worry, I'll get started right away!" she replied, prancing toward an open street.
She stood at the center, looking around for a moment. Where she was standing was the very center of Atlas, marked by a large plaza filled with billboards. In the past, it had been called Alcius Square but now it had been changed to Atlas's Time Square, the top of the nearby building housed the oldest clock on Remnant, which had stopped chiming before the Elections. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the Emotion Orb, channeling her aura into it.
A thick, dark red miasma swirled around it, the screech, roars, and trumpeting of Grimm filling the empty street. Within seconds, a large hoard started moving through the empty streets, knocking aside cars, crashing into buildings, and destroying everything in sight. Cadence merely stood back, grinning as she saw it all.
"Oh how I've longed to do this! I don't know what Mercury was talking about, this shit is so much better than sex!"
Her ear perked up as a trio of Atlas Mantas swerved around one of the buildings, opening fire on her. Several Grimm came to her defense, acting as a wall as they stopped her from taking damage. She held her orb up, waving it down, a massive Beringel slammed onto the ship, letting out a roar as it bashed its fists against the cockpit windshield, breaking it with ease. The ship was sent spiraling, crashing into a nearby building, partially knocking it down. The others followed suit, being destroyed, their pilots torn apart by claws and teeth. She took a deep breath, exhaling through her mouth.
"Haah… nothing beats the smell of napalm in the morning, right fellas?" she asked, glancing at some disembodied heads, belonging to the Atlas Soldiers. She frowned, shaking her head. "Not much for conversation, are ya, oh well."
She stepped toward one of the Alpha Megoliath's, using its tusk as a stepping ladder. She climbed onto its back, grinning as she held the emotion orb up high. "Come on, today, we destroy Atlas! Nothing will be standing after we're done with it! Oh and Cindy, watch your back because I'm coming for those powers!"
With a screeching trumpet, the massive pachyderm stalked forward, leading its brethren through the barren streets of Atlas. When they were done with them, they looked like a shell of their former selves.
A/N: Pokemon Rejuvenation has consumed my life. Send Help.