Don't take that mask off!

Adam recalled the urgent whisper of her voice as his blade stabbed through an Ursa's head, felling the dark creature.

A scar is the mark of warrior, a brand is the mark of property. You must never show it here!

Those words had never departed him in the near decade since he had heard them.

The mask wasn't ever to come off, not until he proved that he wasn't anybody's property. That's why it burned him so much that those punks had nearly done so and he had needed a child to save him. Worse than a child; a traitor, the very scion of the Belladonnas and their kakistocracy.

What's more? He had been grateful, grateful for her aid.

"Aarghh!"

He shouted as his entire body glowed a bloody red and he sent his aura through the more than a dozen Grimm that had surrounded him just a second ago. The deep fury he was enmeshed in was attracting tons of Grimm and in addition to his aura scaring his peers away, the former general was alone for the most part and he was making the most of it; massacring wave after wave of the Hoard.

Back in Mountain Glenn, Professor Oobleck had Weiss on his back in a fireman carry as he also supported Blake in their trek through the ruins. Blake's injuries hadn't been nearly as severe, but as they had been laced with poison, she wasn't able to keep on her feet alone. Her opponent had used something that wouldn't kill her, not immediately at least.

"Be gentle," Roman complained as he was dragged behind with cuffed hands and a sour attitude,

"perfect skin doesn't just happen; not being chafed by a brute with cuffs is part of the secret."

Almost as if out of severe annoyance towards the red-haired fiend, Blake fell to her knees, her body trembling in an epilepsy-like state.

This phenomenon had accompanied them so far in their short journey, the poison was clearly at work. As it wasn't too potent, her aura would be sufficient to fight it off. That would require rest though, something they wouldn't be able to get unless they moved to a more secure part of the ruins.

"Will she be okay?" Perry, the white fang soldier asked worriedly.

"So far as we get to shelter in time, I'll be able to treat her properly," oobleck responded, curious as

To why he seemed to be worried about Blake.

"Okay then," he nodded before delivering a blow to Roman with his shackled hands, which discombobulated the thief and made it easy for the faunus to straddle him across his shoulders.

"This way he won't slow us down," he declared, "you can treat her on time." The professor was surprised by this but decided to keep his questions to himself for the time being. He pressed a

Button on his hip that unshackled the faunus.

"We'll be even faster now," Oobleck said as he lifted the faunus princess with his now empty hands and picked up speed towards the edge of the ruins.

It's pretty naïve to imagine that he won't make away with his accomplice, he thought to himself as he turned back to see the faunus following him dutifully, as though he wasn't free to escape when he wished. It's a bet I'll have to take though.

Back in Beacon, Penny was on a balcony outside the perimeter that had been marked out by the Atlesian Knights and Huntsmen as the limit of the 'school project'. She heeded the general's orders but still watched the entire field, seeking to gain as much helpful information as she could. Still, the weapons and Semblances the students used weren't as easy to read through as that. Some weapons and objects were magical items, some made with techniques that were passed in certain families, and mysteries to even the advancement of atlas. Some were just plain confusing. Still, she watched, knowing she'd learn at least something.

"Ahh!" She heard a scream in an area about a block away from the perimeter.

She zoomed into the scene, and saw that it was an old man, and there was a Cauldron prepared to descend upon him. She looked around, there were supposed to be AK's on that already, the beast should have never even been allowed past the perimeter in the first place.

Penny knew that the general would be displeased that she had disobeyed orders, but she knew that there was something he himself valued over the absoluteness of orders. With that in mind, she flew

Straight at the Cauldron, tackling it just as its claws were about to strike the senior.

In a few seconds, the Grimm only existed in past tense and Penny was prepared to leave.

"T-thank you," the elder said as he went down, prostrate before her, expressing his gratitude in the sincerest fashion he knew how.

"Oh no, sir," Penny said as he descended towards him, trying to ignore the fact that she was staying longer than she had intended, "I'm of Atlas, it's my duty and pleasure to help those in need. So please, raise your head mister."

"Atlas?" He asked, fearfully raising his head, "I used to live there once."

The lips which spoke these words were covered in scars, as was the rest of his face. Penny wasn't sure how to react exactly, she had seen many a hideous Grimm, but never had such a gnarled sight been associated even remotely with human anatomy before.

"It seems i have shocked you, dear," he said as he raised his hands – of which each finger bore a ring – to cover his face as though he hoped the shine would divert attention from his disfigured visage, "my apologies."

"It's not that sir," she placated him, "I'm sorry for looking surprised, I was just worried that those were wounds from your encounter just now. You once lived in atlas?"

"Yes dear," he said wistfully, "I was even in our great Kingdom's service. I had once worn her insignia proudly as I carried out my duties."

"W-what happened?" She asked, feeling the deep sadness and resentment in his statement.

"I went mad," he whispered, his face contorting in savage smile, making the gnarly scars seem straight up vomit-inducing, "that's what they told me at least."

An uncomfortable silence settled on the pair, stifling Penny.

"Sorry about that," he said suddenly in a cheerful voice, "reliving old days… come to think of it, they were probably right."

Penny was still a bit worried, but the senior's genuinely upbeat laugh helped disperse that.

"Please," he said removing one of his rings and offering it to her, "have this. It's not much, but Please accept it."

"Please sir, no," the red-haired pinocchio protested, waving her hands to refuse the gift.

"Please," he begged, his voice cracking with emotion, "you would be doing this old maniac a great honour by taking it."

Penny was still uncomfortable with the idea, but she saw that it meant a lot to the old man so she accepted and allowed him to slip it onto her digit.

"Thank you, sir," she said as she wrapped her hands around him, "i need to carry you to safety now,

where do you live?"

"Steoul," he said as he allowed himself to be lifted off his feet and into the air by the android.

On the few occasions she had carried people, they had generally expressed surprise and sometimes exhilaration. The old man seemed indifferent to it though, he gave off a vibe that wasn't dissimilar to that of the general's. As she flew through the air, her attention was captured by the ring he had given her. It was strangely beautiful; the golden band with a black strip across it giving off an

Almost magical vibe that didn't allow her look away from it.

"Your ring is beautiful sir," she said as she moved through the air towards the city's western area,

"I'm honoured that someone who served Atlas Faithfully too would gift me this. Um, i never did get your name sir,

Mine's penny."

Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the ruins, Dr. Oobleck was treating Weiss and Blake. While Perry watched the surroundings. They had gotten out of the range of the interference and help was on its way, but they would have to use land vehicles because the Schnee heiress wouldn't fare well on a flight.

"We're not likely to have any company soon," Perry said as he walked up next to the Huntsman, done with his scouting, "how is she?"

She's stable, a few hours of rest and she'll be okay."

"That's good," he said as he sat down next to Roman who was now also sporting a gag.

"Why do you care?" The professor asked, his eternally curious nature getting the better of him, "I know the Fang doesn't care for each and every faunus."

"Yes," came his response as he pulled his mask off revealing a young freckled face, "she's still the

Princess of menagerie though. And as everyone knows: it's an honour to die for a princess."

"And duty to lay down life for a princess," Oobleck inputted, reciting the words from a Manegerian

Nursery rhyme, "I had assumed you were Valean from your accent."

"My family moved from Menagerie when i was really young," he stated as he levelled his gaze at the professor coldly, "an arduous journey as you may know."

His response was a slight nod.

"Fortunately, I was too young to remember most of it," he said as he pulled his shirt up to show a scar on his stomach with a smile, "I got a souvenir though."

The professor studied the scar; it had been gruesome, but age and a careful hand made sure that it wasn't as terrible now. Still, the scarred skin ran across the child's stomach in a pattern that would have been intriguing if it didn't make one feel like hurling.

"Is that why you joined?" He asked after Perry had covered it back up.

"A scar from a wound that I don't remember that hasn't inconvenienced me beyond being really gross," was his sarcastic reply, "that's not an even remotely convincing backstory. You clearly don't teach them drama at Beacon."

"No less ridiculous than risking your life for someone just because she's a Princess, I'd say," came his neutral response. "why did you join then?"

"My question first," he objected with a hand held up, " when we fought, how did you discover my position?"

"My Semblance, Innersloth Hack allows me to map out an area completely," he revealed, much less hesitantly than the white fang member had expected, "I knew you were there before you even took a shot."

"Hack is right," came his response accompanied by a laugh, "I cased virtually every corner of these ruins, took you moments to render that useless. Your turn then."

"Same question."

"It's nothing you'd be interested in," he responded while running his hands through his hair, "how

does someone become a terrorist? He sees a movement that stirs something up in him, he meets people he can call his brothers and then…? He sells his soul."

"You've sold your soul?" Came the question that was Dr. Oobleck's response, once again asking

Two questions in a row.

"When you get back, look up the name Yue Lao on the crime index," his now ice-cold voice- a perfect contrast to the bright red eyes behind his glasses- replied, "I sold my soul quite a while ago.

It opens your eyes to things though."

"For example?"

"W-"the boy's sentence was cut midway as he fell unto his backside, the crate he had been sitting

On crumbling under his weight, "Ouch! Darned Merlot Industries trash, can't even make a decent eat."

"Did you say Merlot Industries?"

"You ask a lot of questions old man," he said in irritation as he kicked the already broken crate,

"Yeah, you'll find stuff from there all over the ruins."

"Interesting."

"I guess."

"You're familiar with the Goliath Grimm?" The professor asked suddenly, adjusting his glasses.

"Of course," he responded, "what, they gonna attack us here?"

"No," came his own reply, "but they have a smaller symbiotic partner, the ox catcher. One of such creatures is on its way to us."

Perry had been joking.

The Ox Catcher was a cruel creature, much smaller than the goliath, but only a little less intelligent. Though a flying Grimm, it was adapted fully to hunting on land. It scarcely ever attacked settlements, but found sport in attacking livestock, destroying crops and dust mines because of the pain and negativity that followed.

"We can't realistically outrun it, especially not with these two."

"Your plan?"

"We use the tunnels," he said, "you've studied them closely, so you should know a path that reliably leads us into the wilderness. My Semblance has a very limited range unless I've surveyed the area at least once. I can assist by helping us avoid any dangers in the tunnel, but that's all."

"Sure," he said after taking a little while to consider the proposal, "we'll have to leave him though."

"Why?"

"I've poisoned him," perry stated matter-of-factly, pushing his glasses up his nose, "the gag in his mouth has a noctus and smoke mixture. You may be able to treat him, but certainly not before the Ox Catcher gets here, so we have to leave him."

This declaration caused the professor to turn his face suddenly to the subject who he hadn't noticed was being uncharacteristically quiet. The redhead was pale and weak-looking, cold sweat forming a layer around his body.

"Why?" This time, there was a hint of anger in the professor's question.

"I wasn't confident I'd be able to escape with him and should he be captured… let's say I don't want his talkative nature to get the better of him."

He took a break from his explanation to clean off his glasses, "besides, this way, i can carry one of them, ensuring we get there quicker."

He could also serve as a distraction, the huntsman thought, not proud of such a consideration.

Bartholomew wasn't a heartless man, despite the fact that Roman was a criminal, he found no pleasure in leaving him to the clever and cruel catcher. Still, he wouldn't barter the lives of his students, especially when it wasn't assured that he could save him. Seeing Perry lift Blake gently,

He grabbed Weiss and followed suit, but not before giving Roman his weapon and uncuffing him.

Although the Ox Catcher enjoyed sport, it was used to much larger groups of people and it wasn't

far-fetched that the group would bore it quickly, it was rather likely in fact.

However, should it decide that they were its prey, the tunnels were the only places they could conceivably evade a creature of such dexterity and intelligence.

"That song is dumb,"

Perry said to the kindergarten teacher about the song he had just taught to them, "who would die for a girl?"

"The princess is more than a girl. It's an honour to die for her."

"Sure thing," he responded in contempt to what the old fool was telling him.

"Once more then, class."

"It's an honour to die for a princess

And duty to lay down limb and life for her

It 's my pleasure to fight for her majesty

At her order. I ' ll leap to the sky and pluck her the stars … . "

"You want to know what?"

Perry asked as he traversed through the tunnels as he looked at his markbook.

"Left," he said, ignoring his own question for a few seconds, "a few hundred metres in the other direction and we'd meet a dead end."

They had been at this navigation for hours. Although Perry was familiar with the tunnels, some of the easier paths couldn't be traversed while they also carried the girls/

"You're young," Dr. Oobleck said, rephrasing his earlier question, "how long have you been a member?"

"I virtually formed the White Fang in Vale," he said cockily, as he adjusted the glasses on his nose with a bright smile, "it was three years ago!"

"The Mena Massacre," Oobleck responded, knowing the most significant event that happened that year in the world of faunus.

"Exactly!" His bark of a response came, speaking volumes of the excitement this person currently felt, "can you imagine getting the news? It's difficult to see faunus in regular broadcasts, not to

mention seeing them telling faunus to rise up against oppression. It was thrilling to say the least!"

"I can imagine," came the doctor's dry response, "still, you were a child then, 13 at the most.

Forming a copycat terrorist organisation is as you say an 'unconvincing backstory'."

"You're not wrong," he said as he inspected his map before making another turn, "it's almost unbelievable that i was able to do this much. And yet, here i am."

"You seem very proud of yourself."

"I am. I got to be one of the engineers of my race's salvation. There's few things as exhilarating."

"What of the original White Fang?" Oobleck questioned, following him closely and noting his every move, "they've begun their expansion into vale, haven't they?'

"They are allowed to help but this isn't their operation, it's ours."

"Interesting."

"You're thinking 'I've captured a major player then'," perry said, intruding into the Huntsman's thoughts.

"Something along those lines," he admitted, "although saying I've captured you may be a stretch."

"I know your people are waiting there for us," he said gently, "i'm more than willing to try and fight my way out of this, but let's do it civilly."

"What do you want?"

"All I want…" the white fang member said, whispering the last part into the professor's ear. A bewildered expression appeared on his face, but he still nodded in acceptance.

"Let's go then."

Several hours had passed since the Black Wave began, and now the hoard had effectively wiped out and the students thoroughly exhausted. It had been difficult, with the perimeter needing to be pushed back by a few streets because of how ferocious the Grimm had been. Still, the planning was fool proof, and a victory for Vale. Still, it was a wave big enough to take out a sizeable part of the city, and

Therefore, casualties were still recorded.

Amidst the fainting and treatment and relief of friends and family as they found each other. And as the emergency responders and the military searched for survivors, and the Huntsmen aided as much as they could, Adam walked exhaustedly away from the scene of the battle, spent but not needing medical assistance.

The red bull stopped his march suddenly as he spotted an empty house that was partially destroyed in the battle. He walked into it absent-mindedly, not exactly sure what he was doing.

The youth stared at one of the corners of the living room and walked towards it, ramming his horns into it suddenly.

What am i doing? He asked himself as he repeated the action, harder this time, I should stop this, it's stupid.

Still, he continued, hitting harder each time, not sure of anything other than the fact that this exercise was pointless, but proceeding to do it any way.

"Adam!" Came a curt voice from behind him, one that caused him to take a sword stance suddenly,

A force of habit. The voice came from a lady, her voluminous black hair waving mysteriously, ignoring the absence of a draught in the house.

"What happened to them?" He asked after a few seconds of calming himself down. He was referring to Yang and Ruby who were bandaged and stacked on the lady's shoulder.

"Injured," she responded approaching the former general, "they had a clash with the White Fang."

"I see." His reply wasn't in his usual bold or brooding manner, it was spoken with deep shame, as though he wasn't confident to look at her straight.

"You've been using apathy again." They hadn't met face to face in years, but she knew in a second.

She pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you," he whispered, leaning into the hug and feeling safe for a short time.

"You have to go now though," he said, "I'll take Yang and Ruby back to school."

"Okay," she agreed, releasing him from her embrace, "take him too."

She pulled a small dog out of nowhere and handed it to him.

"Wh-"

"He's Port, Barry's dog. He was carrying a message that would reveal the fang's current base, I stopped him. He's cute though, isn't he?"

"He is," Adam admitted petting it lightly, "still, the general had been aware of the incoming wave,

meaning he had been informed ahead of time. WDT's aren't that accurate, especially considering that they came from underground."

"I'll look into it," was her response as she turned way with a wave, "be well, Adam."

He gave a small nod by way of response as she tore another fissure in space and walked through it.

"Sixteen!" Jaune shouted,

Declaring his Grimm kill count.

"Twenty-one," came Cardin's own declaration gloating as he toted Executioner onto his shoulder.

"Come on guys, it was team effort," shouter, the one with the lowest number of kills at seven, said.

"You're not wrong," Cardin acknowledged, "this new armour is… weird."

He declared, bringing his teammates' attention to his new armour. The suit went from a dull grey to pitch black, his now golden emblem boldly contrasting with it.

"Speak for yourself," came Shouter's response, "I look good." He twirled around, showing off his jacket and his emblem; a green star with four others surrounding, each one getting duller as they moved clockwise.

"Have to admit it, your uncle knows how to give gifts," Jaune said as he looked at his own outfit

Which was, for the most part, the same. Although his armour was more plated and his emblem was boldly slapped across his breastplate with the Pumpkin Pete's logo overlapping it. Although the cute rabbit's eyes had been crossed out crudely by none other than their team captain.

"You're not wrong," he agreed with a shrug, "let's head back to Beacon, I'm exhausted."

In response to this, Shouter leaped onto his team captain's back.

"Me too, let's go then." Cardin eyed him for a few seconds before shaking his head with a small smile and walking forward as instructed.

"Coming?"

"Yeah. Just… nervous i guess," came Jaune's response, although he didn't make any effort to move.

"You should, Pyrrha's going to kill you," Shouter, who had apparently gained a new parroting habit in his time away, said as he urged Cardin to keep moving.

"Chin up," Cardin said, "you're a real Huntsman in training now, no way she won't be happy to see that."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Maybe he had been expecting too much.

Team NVL, as he had heard they were now called, weren't around for the wave because they had

Been posted to the outskirts. It had been a few hours after the attack had begun though, and they

Had returned and were offering their aid in reconstruction, first aid and whatever else they could.

Maybe that was why, he thought to himself as washed the battle off himself in the shower. Maybe that was why she ignored him after her initial surprised "Jaune, you're back." Because she was

busy. She hadn't been too busy for Cardin and Shouter though.

"Hey, know where team SYBR's at?" The brute had asked her, to which she replied "they were posted to Mountain Glenn, in the southeast. Seems they missed it too."

"Yeah, I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad one."

"Job of a huntsman, I guess."

"You're not wrong. Either way, really need to hit the sack. See you later."

"Yeah, I'm glad that you're back."

What did she mean she was glad he was back? He remembered when she wanted to break his leg for picking on him, but now they were best friends?

The fourth-generation arc warrior walked out the shower, glaring at his team leader intensely.

"Grow up," Cardin rebuked without turning his face from the book in his hand, "you left all of a sudden. Without so much as a goodbye, she had to hear it from the principal. If you think that she's just going to welcome you back with open arms all of a sudden, then you know nothing about girls."

"I grew up with seven of them," he said with a sigh, "I think i know what they're like. You're right,

I'm just being a kid about this. Thanks."

"No problem."

"Wait are you reading?" the question was asked with exaggerated

"Push off, we've been fighting all this time outside Beacon, we're behind academically."

"Sure. Well, the Vytal Tournament is coming soon, that's the priority."

"Who do you think our first match is going to be?" Shouter mumbled out, snack in his mouth as he pulled up on a bar.

"We'll have to wait and see."

"As much as i don't like it, there's not much else we can do."

That was James' conclusion after he had presented the facts of the Grimm attack before Ozpin and the rest of the inner circle.

"You may be right," Glynda declared, in rare agreement with the Atlesian general, "a better course of action doesn't seem evident to me."

"Okay then," Qrow said in over the phone, as he wasn't able to avail himself for the meeting in person. "I'll be devil's advocate. Anyone else feel inclined to mention that he's a kid?"

"A kid that plotted an attack that caused the deaths of dozens of people," was James rebuttal, "and

Is apparently the mastermind behind Vale's White Fang, which has caused many more."

"Speaking of that," Glynda inputted, "isn't that claim a little tall? He's no doubt resourceful as Oobleck told us, but still, forming a terrorist organization seems out of his league."

"The markbook that Oobleck retrieved from him contained, among other things, specific plans of White Fang operations for the past two years, including this attack."

"Convenient."

"Maybe," Ironwood admitted, "but Roman Torchwick also testifies to this. We picked him up in

Mountain Glenn while investigating, he was abandoned by the Fang therefore he has no reason to lie to protect them, especially when it helps him gain a measure of… levity in his sentence."

"All I'm saying is that he's a kid," Qrow joined back in, "we're going to start executing kids now?"

"If they pose a danger to our kingdoms then yes. He's been personally responsible for the death of many more children."

"The council's already decided his fate, why argue this with us, James?"

"Because he's hoping one of you will come up with a stronger argument than he can," Ozpin said, finally joining the deliberation, "but you won't, because he's right. As uncomfortable as it makes

everyone in this room feel, we can't let so much blood go unpunished because he's a child. As the Council has already declared, he shall be executed. Meeting adjourned."

"You're awake."

That was the first thing that weiss heard when she opened her eyes.

"I was about to tell them to pull the plug."

The crass comedy came from her cousin, Cardin.

"You're back," she whispered, her way of saying 'push off, i want to sleep'.

"I am. You took quite the beating."

His words sent a slide-show of painful memories rolling in her mind. It was a little difficult, because of the fog her mind was in, but the pain screamed through the mist and reached her in high definition. It sent chills through the petite princess' frame.

"That bad, huh?" He asked worriedly, moving "take a rest, you'll be out soon."

"How're the rest?"

"Okay," he answered, "they're all up and about now, none of them had it as bad as you. Of course, they were still pretty close."

"The Fang?"

"Apparently, their mastermind has been captured." The brown-haired student could scarcely keep his emotion in check as he answered her question, "he'll be executed tomorrow."

"What time is it?"

"A little after 2 am. So i guess it's sorta later today."

"Yeah."

"This was with your things," Cardin said, raising a sabre from underneath her bed. The weapon surprised her, and she sat up, trying to organize her thoughts.

"I-it's yours," she finally said after a while, "Castle would have wanted you to have it."

"Yeah right," he laughed, "he'd hate it if an oaf like me ended up with jade essence. It's much more your speed."

"I-"

"You lost Myrtenaster in the battle," Cardin said as he pushed the blade closer to her, "for the meantime at least, use this."

"Thank you," she said as she grabbed the sword and held it in her hands, "I-i didn't do anything. I couldn't get it back f-from her."

The grace and prestige of the Schnees couldn't be found anywhere on the heiress' frame as it shook erratically from the intensity of her sobs.

"Even when it was there in front of me," she continued, her words at first barely audible because

She swallowed them along with her tears and then because they turned to a wail at the end. "I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry."

Cardin clenched his fists tightly. Seeing her cry never stirred up any good memories.

"None of that matters," he finally managed after a few moments, "the execution's in a few hours, rest for now."

"I'm honoured that the great General Ironwood would visit me,"

Perry declared dramatically, as the very man walked in, "my friends usually just get a priest."

"Only soldiers need to confess their sins," the general responded taking a seat next to the youth,

"you, are still a child. A child for whom there may be a way out."

"I'm not interested," was his response, "I'm not going to let you ease your conscience. I am

going to die, by your hand and you'll be forever tortured by it."

"There's a long list of things that will forever torture me," came his reply, the gravity of his words intensified by his steely blue eyes, "is it worth you losing your life to be another item?"

"You do your best, General, you're a good man." Lao started all of a sudden, his red eyes staring honestly at the general from behind his spectacles, "but you're blind. And my people are suffering for it."

"And you think destroying or subjugating humanity will solve that?"

"Of course not," perry responded almost in amusement, "that's not our goal, that won't solve anything. We believe in… controlled chaos, let's say. General, we're suffering because the lives of

Faunus aren't a priority to you."

"Fair enough, you have hundreds of responsibilities," he took a solemn pause, his eyes no longer focused on the general. "but what you need to know is that we're too much of a threat for you not to make us a priority. You'll see."

"You've gotten my attention now. There doesn't have to be any more bloodshed."

"Oh, but there does," he countered, his voice rising on the last word and continuing in that fashion,

"bloodshed is what got your attention, bloodshed gave me this audience, bloodshed is necessary."

"I'm afraid that i must agree," James finally declared after a lengthy pause, "precisely why you must be executed tomorrow. Bloodshed is the only way that people will listen."

"I'm glad that we're in agreement. I truly enjoyed our talk, but now I'd like to rest, see you tomorrow, general.."

James walked out of the cell, the faunus' humming accompanying him out.

A great crowd assembled before the CCTS.

Hundreds of faces looked up. They looked for the man who had killed their families, the one who had destroyed their homes, they looked up to spite the monster, to show him that they weren't afraid of him.

Perry didn't much care about them. He was about to die, these people were inconsequential. Still, he scanned the crowd, hoping to spot her.

He did, he hadn't been the choice sniper for nothing. She had her head down, just as he'd expected, just like that time.

He laughed at himself; he seriously couldn't be reminiscing at a time like this.

Still, what else can I do now? He asked himself as he looked down at his feet, observing the transparent platform he stood on. There was a plethora of different lights shining through, lightly illuminating his person, the lights came from dust. The platform he was on wasn't there for decoration; it was the weapon that would be used for his execution.

The Light of Judgement, a creation of the Atlesian military. He had never seen it in action, but it was said to vaporise the target in seconds. Perry wasn't the first member who had met his end but he was the first to go out in such a spectacular manner. He may have been flattered, had his heart not been lodged in his throat; brave as he was, death was a terrifying imperative.

If he would die no matter what then maybe he could be resigned to the whole matter. However, he knew that he could get out of this. All he needed to do was plead, along with valuable information, he definitely wouldn't be incinerated. He wouldn't be killed, he would only be a traitor.

"May i have a few words?" He asked, his voice not as sure or firm as it had been in the cell just

hours ago. James allowed it, he didn't like it, but he felt he should be allowed a final request.

The crowd that had been aggressively chanting and calling for blood suddenly became uncomfortably silent, as though surprised that the monster was allowed to speak, that something with such a black heart was even able to.

"What's the matter?" He asked loudly, the feeling he evoked in the crowd apparently giving him

courage enough to, "you can only bare your teeth when you know I'll be silent, huh?"

"I had a whole speech for this, really. I was going to tell you how you're all pathetic and how the

Fang would rise no matter what."

"Instead," he said as he looked up, droplets of tears shining in his dawn-speckled glasses, "I'll say

that I'm not afraid!"

He was desperate to be heard.

"I have no regrets!"

He was desperate to be believed.

"Only cowards go to H-"

He had wanted to say something. He had wanted to finish his final declaration. He'd never be able to do so now.

Light of judgement had assured that. His declaration had been swept away with the ashes.

"Wait!"