A studious man stood with his hands clasped behind his back while staring out of the passenger window of an Atlas bullhead. He was a stalwart individual with unwavering conviction in every action, and he'd stop at nothing to ensure the safety of those he was obligated to protect.
Almost like a machine, the man could filter out all emotion and reach the most rational choice in any given situation.
That was the kind of man he was.
General James Ironwood of the floating kingdom, Atlas.
James was a tall man in a white tailor-made military coat wearing a red tie and suit beneath. His expression was constantly stern befitting a man of his station, and the trimmed beard he kept on his face gave him a matured look of authority and command.
He was the epitome of a military man, and yet no man can be expected to always make the right decisions. Machine-like or not in his drive and mettle, he was still human and carried doubts and emotions.
Reaching out a hand, he clicked off the video feed displaying a live meeting with none other than Beacon's headmaster, Ozpin himself.
Of the many leaders in Remnant, James was one of the few involved in Ozpin's Shadow War, aware of the truth of the world, and the real enemy beyond the Grimm. However, recent matters were escalating far beyond anything James could have bargained for.
"Port, Oobleck, and Glynda are dead…"
James took a moment, and shut his eyes, his teeth grinding over his molars, and his heart heavy.
Ozpin looked like he'd aged, or rather, his expression was haggard by regret and guilt. Many students had died, and even now, to prevent chaos, news was being suppressed. It was a stop-gate measure, but one that was bound to collapse eventually. Understandably, as a true leader, Ozpin was pushing on regardless of his personal sentiments.
It was because he had to, not because he wanted to, and James could grudgingly respect that.
Glynda and the others had been-
James abruptly shook his head.
There was no time to afford any sort of grieving for the departed in wake of the coming upheaval.
Countermeasures must be placed now before any more loss can be experienced.
"It's likely that Cursed Arm has affiliated himself with Salem, if not in a subordinate relationship than in a cooperative one. Few if any can refer to Salem as a witch and live to speak of it."
Cursed Arm.
It was hard to believe at first, but considering that James already knew of magic's existence, the intel regarding a prophet or an agent of the God of Darkness held merit.
"Avoid contacting the right arm at all costs. I do not personally delve into the wickedness of curses, but one touch, and death will swiftly follow. Further reports indicate the existence of a shadow that accompanies Cursed Arm. It appears immune to attacks in its formless state, but students have reported tangibility in the moment it attacks them and pulls them into the darkness. The light of the Arc's banner proved an effective ward, but ordinarily light does not carry the same effect. The shadow is likely magical in nature. This to say, we can predict where the next attack may occur."
Vermillion, capital of the sun.
Research into harnessing the energy outputted by Vermillion's sun had seen improvements after Dr. Polendina of Atlas reached an accord with Vermillion researchers. It was discovered that the energy could be stored in Dust, and then loaded into bullet cartridges that were extremely effective against the Grimm. Dust could also be coated on the weapon of a Huntsman to apply extensive burns with every cut.
In this manner, Vermillion's sun becomes an exceedingly valuable resource. Considering the nature of the harnessed energy was likely magic-based, it could prove effective against Cursed Arm and the shadow that follows him.
Naturally,
"You must not allow Vermillion's light to be swallowed by the darkness."
James recalled the words he'd spoken with Ozpin, and the gravity of the tone.
"We have reason to believe that the kingdoms will fall under attack shortly after an incident in Vermillion starting with Vale during the height of the Vytal Festival. I do not know how the events correlate, only that losing the newly manufactured Dust rounds and coatings will prove detrimental in a coming war for survival."
James tightened the grip of his clasped hands, expression growing steely.
"I know that you are tasked with the protection of the Vytal Festival, and on that we are cooperating extensively, but I intend to send an elite group in Vermillion's defense. Are you able to divert your forces, or barring that, spare some personnel?"
Taking in a deep breath, James reopened his eyes and continued staring out into the sky, no longer lost in thought. Ozpin's forces had taken a considerable blow with Glynda, Oobleck, and Port's loss, but from the grim undertone, it was like Ozpin was telling James to be prepared for Atlas and his own people to suffer casualties.
James made up his mind. He needed someone that he could trust to get a better read on things.
"Winter." He called.
A young woman with long white hair tied up into a ponytail approached. She wore a similar white military coat that was sleeker and came with suspenders that held up her trousers. On her waist was a holstered sword resembling a rapier with an elegant curved guard and a sleek blade.
"Sir!" The woman saluted.
Her name was Winter Schnee, Weiss Schnee's older sister and a successful military woman: a member of Atlas's Elite Specialist Division.
"I have a mission." James said, not wasting any time.
The bullhead and the Atlas fleet that followed behind it were already on route to Vale. The next stop over was the only chance to send a covert unit.
"Solo or cooperative?" Winter didn't blink, delivering a studious response. Her chin was craned up, and a flicker of pride graced her features. "I excel in either course-"
"With Qrow Branwen, his sister, and a Rose Mercenary."
Winter made an odd face, like she was constipated and doing her best not to show it.
"...P-Permission to kick a drunk off the team."
James sighed.
Good luck, Specialist. He knew the feeling all too well.
"Denied."
This was going to be a problem.
Archer furrowed his brows.
It had all come and gone so fast that he didn't realize he'd been strong-armed until he found himself taking a leave of absence from Beacon, and in a Bullhead to Vermillion with Qrow.
He hadn't thought about it before, but Summer could be a scary woman when she wanted to be. Rather, it was similar to a veteran able to force an issue without others realizing she was forcing them until it was too late.
Summer hadn't been the leader of Team STQR for nothing. All the people that comprised that team were characters with strong personalities, making it a wonder that Summer managed to lead them.
Archer shook his head and tried to ignore the pair of red eyes boring holes into his back.
He wasn't the only one on the bullhead to Vermillion. The Branwen siblings were coming for more security, Raven more than Qrow to get them out of dire situation if need be.
Of course, that was under the impression that Raven wasn't mad enough not to ditch Archer if push came to shove. Easier to loot a corpse than a person, and Raven would certainly know.
"Lay off already," Qrow elbowed Raven. "Not the best way to ask for a weapon."
"He's a thief."
"Wow, the irony in that statement."
"Shut up, Qrow."
"Have you tried saying please?"
Raven grunted, the nonsensical advice entering one ear and out the other.
Suddenly, it made sense to Archer about where Yang's single-mindedness stemmed from.
It was genetic.
Qrow shrugged at Archer, indicating that he'd tried.
Shaking his head, Archer gestured to Qrow to not worry about it before promptly ignoring the heat in Raven's glare. He had better things to consider than to imagine if Raven was measuring the size of his coffin.
Yang had wanted to come with Archer to Vermillion, but Summer had Yang do something else in preparation for a predicted attack on the Vytal festival. In the same way Archer had been led along, Yang couldn't even offer a protest until there was no longer a point.
Archer sighed, but inwardly grew contemplative.
How did Summer know?
Was what she said actually real?
Foreknowledge, prophecies, and timelines were complicated aspects with contradictions and redundancies.
If Summer's eyes could really see into the future, it would explain how she'd managed to secure hidden pieces before Archer had intended on their discovery. Her actions in and of itself, would change the timeline, but could it really be that straight forward?
Was the described usurpation of Vermillion's sun a direct cause of Summer's intervention or a work of fate?
Archer hadn't planned to target Vermillion at such an early stage, but everything changed if he was already going there.
The potency of the mana perpetually stored within Excalibur Galatine's overloaded form wasn't something he could pass up, especially as Archer wasn't Shirou with the original Spirit Origin. That aspect was clear due to his lack of an astral form. However, morale was dropping on Beacon and Ozpin's side.
Archer was trying to cross a tentative tightrope that he had to navigate just right in order to obtain a desired result.
Too much darkness leads to no light, but a single spark can draw forth hope.
Assuming Summer's prophetic abilities were true, it might be best to let her achieve a few short term goals to keep the flames of resistance alive.
Where there's hope, there's a will.
To take back Excalibur Galatine's magic energy or not?
Archer would decide before arriving in Vermillion.
Vermillion was a Kingdom of hope for the Faunus throughout Remnant. For all the good the faunus had been able to build in Menagerie, it was still a wasteland where the Faunus were deported out of sight and mind.
The first Faunus Kingdom was different. Vermillion represented more than just an immigration hotspot from Menagerie; it represented the culmination of several years of Ghira Belladonna's work as the leader of a civil rights advocate group known as the White Fang.
Where the older kingdoms had been hesitant to establish trade with a fledgling Vermillion, the White Fang under the leadership of Ghira provided unwavering support until the kingdom stabilized and trading with the other kingdoms began in earnest.
Racial differences aside, money was money, and lien talks as the language of merchants. With a surplus cash flow, the cost of living gradually decreased while development saw increased growth.
Vermillion's capital had become a small metropolis illuminated by the light of a miniature sun that never died. To maintain day and night cycles, a large rotating dome was erected around the sun with a spherical diameter of roughly twenty-feet. From that dome, the sun's energy was harnessed into electricity and working power for Vermillion's development.
The sun served as Vermillion's most attractive investment, and the most effective deterrent for the Grimm wandering outside Vermillion's walls.
The initial settlement had just recently grown to the specifications of a Kingdom, and that fact filled many Faunus with pride.
Some more than others, but with Ghira as a voted leader, the moderates were currently in control.
"Adam, I need you on your best behavior. An Atlas specialist is arriving as a special envoy to convey a matter of some deep importance. The radicals listen to you and Sienna, so keep them in line. Don't make me regret this choice."
Standing with his head craned up, Adam Taurus frowned while watching two bullheads land and the passengers disembark at one of Vermillion's only aircraft zones.
On the left was the bullhead from Atlas, and on the right was the one that came from Vale.
Adam was suspicious about the timing of arrival. Both sides seemed to be deliberately coordinated, and the way the occupants of the bullheads appeared to know each other wasn't lost on Adam.
The woman with the bitch Schnee white hair looked utterly repulsed at the disheveled man reeking with the scent of booze.
Winter, Qrow, Raven, and Archer had arrived in Vermillion.
Adam carefully approached them with a measured gait.
'…Why were they here?'
He still didn't know, but his hand did caress the handle of his sword.
Adam did not take kindly to human kingdom representatives, let alone a Schnee, but he did well to learn to hide it unlike many other Faunus who held deep seated grudges.
In contrast, Ghira was the picture of accommodating, going to the extent of organizing a warm reception on word of Atlas and Vale reps paying a visit. The exclusion of the Albain brothers was likely for the best, but to be honest, Adam wouldn't personally mind if they caused an incident.
Then there was Sienna.
It was wisdom that caused Ghira to exclude Sienna from the welcoming group and tasked her with another assignment instead. Although she could maintain a poker face, she'd been the head of the more radical members of the White Fang.
Courtesy could be shown, but respect?
Even Adam struggled with that, and Sienna would have none of it.
Adam had grown to hate politics with their fake smiles and gestures.
Winter Schnee had arrived in Vermillion wearing diplomatic immunity, while Raven and Qrow came under the guise of Beacon representatives.
If Adam was a lone ship, he would have long since burned his sails and capsized under the banner of revenge and prejudice, but it was different now.
He'd never taken that first step to kill, and instead became a teacher and central figure in Vermillion's Huntsman and Huntress Academy. He'd even raised a team with the intent to trump all competition in Vale's Vytol Festival. If things worked out on Blake's end as well, then Vermillion's prestige would be cemented.
In contrast, if Vermillion was dragged into a political dispute, then the cash flow could be cut off, and development would immediately slow. Faunus' livelihoods would plummet, and everything Ghira and the White Fang had been working for may start to crumble.
Too much was at stake for Adam to act on impulse, especially with how weak Vermillion's position was as a new Kingdom. To set the record straight, Vermillion was the lone jackal surrounded by old wolves.
Support was therefore needed to maintain Vermillion's current growth projection and safety standards. Security and law was dealt with by Sienna who had been put in charge of a hunting and enforcement team.
Adam envied her. He'd rather be there than here, but Ghira seemed to reluctantly start believing in him ever since he started teaching other Faunus children in Vermillion's academy.
Then there was the last member of the diplomatic group.
Adam found his attention drawn to Archer, memories of their first encounter coming to mind.
"We meet again," Archer offered a hand.
Adam paused and considered the gesture. Out of all arrivals, Archer was the only one Adam wasn't particularly put off with. At least they had a history of fighting on the same side.
"Hn," Adam grunted, but eventually shook Archer's hand. "Why are you with them?" He asked.
In hindsight, Adam should have expected the answer as Archer was a renowned mercenary.
"A mission is a mission." Archer said.
The edges of Adam's mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"Do you take assassinations?" He asked, full of deep meaning while glancing at Winter with unconcealed loathing.
"Can't say I don't. Depends on whether they are scum or not."
"Oh they are. Can't you tell? There's a tyrant standing near us."
"Don't test your luck Taurus." Winter snorted, a hand palming the handle of her sword in preparation for combat. "You're a petty thief and a brute at worst. Count yourself lucky that you have no murder charges or we wouldn't be speaking cordially."
Winter approached Archer and nodded at him. "Your reputation precedes you. Surely you would not do business with Taurus's ilk?"
"Better than a family of slave drivers."
Adam seethed up until a look of revulsion appeared on Winter's face. Qrow had approached Adam.
"Relax. That's an ice woman." Adam frowned as Qrow dexterously hung an arm on his shoulders, but shifted his impression a second later. "Queen of the uptight bitches. Don't take anything she says too seriously."
Ah, this human was a human that could see the truth…?
Adam hummed before pushing Qrow away and then coughing into his hand to regain his composure. He addressed Qrow in a new light while Winter twisted with disgust.
"For a human…you are acceptable."
"In that case, how about I let you in on a secret?" Qrow whispered with a voice that was practically screaming. "The stick up Winter's ass is stuck in far too tight to ever be pulled out. What you need is a specialist to-"
Bang.
Qrow ducked as a sword tried to decapitate him, missed, and then shattered the ground.
Winter's expression was cold, but her cheeks were flushed red in rage.
"I hate you. I hate you so much. I can't believe we're associates."
Adam watched in silence. Was there a way to learn this power to get under even a Schnee's skin? The Albain brothers would definitely be interested.
"That's cute, babe." Qrow pointed snide finger guns while Raven rolled her eyes in the background. "As long as I'm here, I'll rock your world."
"The only world you're going to rock is-"
Winter suddenly tripped, a wisp of bad luck causing her heels to slide and her body to fall forward onto her face.
"See," Qrow wiggled his eyebrows at Adam. "Rocking her world."
"RRraragh!"
Winter stormed off ahead, fearing her restraint was at the point of breaking. She refused to be the cause of an international incident with her face to be plastered on the front page of the Atlas Daily for murder.
Qrow quite loved the new autonomy feature of his Semblance. It was what he was the most thankful to the Huntsman of Red for, but unfortunately this wasn't a vacation.
Countenance growing firm, Qrow stared at Adam.
Beneath the facade of his amusement, Qrow was merely finding a way to distract himself from loss and what was to come. It was why he drank.
"I believe Ghira is expecting us," Raven cut in.
Adam didn't deny it, and merely nodded. Unlike with Archer, he'd rather not speak to anyone else.
However, Archer had other plans and began to stray from the group.
"Where are you going?" Adam asked suspiciously.
"This part won't be needing me." Archer answered, sharing a look with Qrow who was confused at first, but then remembered that Summer had met up with Archer prior.
"Let him go." Qrow reasoned with Adam who knit his brows. "Vermillion is under threat, and Archer was hired to help contain it."
Adam paused, expression hardening rapidly while Archer used the opportunity to split away.
There was hardly a reaction from Adam, a sudden epiphany coming to mind.
So that was the reason.
From the very beginning, Qrow, Winter, Raven, and Archer had been tense as if an attack could occur at any minute. People of their station weren't ones to put on an act of deceit. Therefore, there had to be some grain of truth.
Adam picked up his pace, more doubtful yet curious if anything.
"This better not be a joke."
Sienna Kahn was no pushover. The angrier she got, the more of a grudge she bore, and the stronger her Semblance made her. This made her a perfect leader to personify the resentment the Faunus had against humans, but incidentally, it made it impossible to be reasonable if she got worked up.
Putting a Schnee in front of her wasn't the best idea, and hence Ghira had her on patrol duty.
She was a fierce tigress, and few if any would willingly provoke her, but even she could tell that she'd been sent to patrol Vermillion's outer perimeter in order to cool her head. There was nothing to be found here. Nothing but trees and the boonies where no one goes except for the odd Grimm that she could easily take care of.
It was nothing but forest surrounding the outer perimeter of Vermillion. The walls had already been constructed, but workers were now working to make them as high as those in Vale and Mistral.
Grumbling to herself, Sienna's tiger ears drooped, the dark stripped colourations that made a pattern over her skin flaring with Aura as she reigned in her own Semblance.
"Captain, do you see that?"
Sienna wasn't alone. A uniformed bird Faunus with hunting gear was accompanying her. The wings on his back made him excel as a scout and early sentry on lookout. He could fly a short distance to notify the watchmen on the towers, or to flee from Grimm other than Nevermore. He held only a gun, trained to keep his distance from an enemy to better utilize his strong points as a Faunus.
"What?" Sienna asked, sighing.
What was there to see here? Bushes, trees, or was it a pretty flower?
"That person."
A person? Here?
Sienna immediately threw off her nonchalance, her senses heightening as her tiger tail swished back and forth.
All Faunus possessed keen night vision, and Sienna was no exception.
She followed the direction of her junior enforcer's gaze, and then saw a cloaked skull masked figure clearly. The cloak appeared to be a dark and oversized rag, but the way it eerily blew in a still wind was unnerving.
Sienna shook her mind off of idle thoughts.
"Identify yourself!" She demanded.
No answer.
Instead, the emotionless porcelain of the skull mask continued to stare at them in silence.
What sort of fool wanders alone in Grimm infested territory outside the protection of any Kingdom. There was something really odd about this encounter that was scratching Sienna in all the wrong ways.
Her intuition was screaming at her.
One moment the skull mask was standing in the distance, and in the next, he appeared silently standing next to them.
"Sienna!" Her junior called, flapping his wings and trying to gain distance.
Meanwhile, Sienna immediately equipped the whip she had wrapped around her thigh and instantly lashed out with it.
The whip was deftly caught, and Sienna soon found herself overpowered and pulled closer, a painful kick digging into her stomach and rattling her organs.
The impact sent her flying, her Aura protecting her from a collision with a tree trunk, but the internal reverberations made her retch.
In contrast, her junior got off with the skull mask barely touching him in the air with a weirdly long arm.
"Dammit," Sienna cursed under her breath, quickly getting up onto her feet while clutching her stomach.
"Captain, I don't feel good."
Sienna gnashed her teeth at her junior's lack of grit as he flew over and weakly landed beside her, feathers falling from his wings.
"Of course you don't, bastard kicks like a freight train." Sienna gripped tightly onto her whip, Aura coating the weapon in a fierce glow. "Suck it up, the most you got was a love tap."
"N-No that's not what I meant."
The voice sounded weak, desperate if anything, eventually causing Sienna to harbor doubts.
She craned her eyes towards her colleague and only then noticed the stunningly pale pallor of his complexion.
All the while, the skull mask bastard was just standing there with some sort of dripping blob in his right hand- Wait.
That bastard…what was he holding?
A Faunus's night vision was all too clear, far better than any human's.
Sienna and her junior's palms grew clammy all at once.
In the skull mask's right hand was a beating heart that spasmed as the grip tightened.
"C-Captain."
The voice was turning into a pained shriek, rattling Sienna as her observatory skills went into overdrive.
The heart and her junior, there was a correlation.
Sienna's partner began convulsing, clawing at his chest as the fingers squeezed.
"It hurts! I-I can't breathe."
"What is going on?! You still have Aura. How can it hurt?" Sienna's expression finally grew rattled. "What sort of Semblance can-"
Squelch.
Blood splattered.
Sienna took a step back, watching blood and pieces of flesh drip between the skull mask's fingers, the heart crushed into pulp.
The junior enforcer seized up, went limp, and then died. A moving darkness ominously pinched up from the ground, caught him, and then engulfed him, leaving not even a body behind. The shadow appeared and draped itself over the skull mask.
Sienna swallowed, hairs rising behind her neck.
It didn't make any sense. None of this bullshit did despite an odd sense of incongruity born from familiarity.
A part other felt as if she'd seen this man before, something she'd seen shared in her scroll.
She couldn't explain it, but the result was evident.
Fear finally began to bleed in.
The skull mask dashed towards her.
"...what the hell are you?!"
She tensed, leaping several feet backwards, but the skull mask abruptly halted his pursuit and eerily stared at her in silence.
Why? Why did he stop?
In the gap between them, light poured out from the rotating structure that contained Vermillion's sun, briefly illuminating the gap between them.
Just like the Grimm, the skull mask seemed apprehensive of the light and stood rooted long enough for Sienna to catch her breath.
Nerves taut, she blinked her eyes, and in that instant, the skull mask disappeared.
He vanished?
She tensed for an attack that never came.
No, he retreated?
Sienna shook her head, cold sweat matting her brows before she dashed back to Vermillion.
She had to inform Ghira.
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