"Blake, Co'Balt go scout ahead, five minutes, then come back."

The bull Faunus nodded in acknowledgement to his team leader. Blake however had a quick question for the giant looing over them in this dark place, "What are we looking for?"

"I have a feeling you'll know it when you see it." Kad told her, then clarified himself, "Just see if you can find their camp then get back here."

The two of them walked away into the darkness. Kad turned, took Ignis off his back and sat down cross legged on the damp ground.

The tunnels were much larger in this sector. He still wouldn't be using his sword to its full potential and length but at least he could stand out of water. This was one of the last turning points with stairways to both upper and lower levels that he could remembered from the map. More routes branched off but from what Kad and the other Faunus could hear there was only one direction that would be worthwhile to go.

Yang tucked herself back into a corner, waiting and watching the entrances. Ruby came over and knelt next to Kad.

"How many do you think there are?" The little huntress asked.

He thought for a second, "No less than ten probably no more than a hundred. My guess maybe three or four dozen. With any luck they'll never know you guys were here."

That last phrase caught Yang's attention.

"You guys?" She asked.

Kad nodded, "Wherever they are I'll go in and speak to them. Hold their attention while you find our friends. I doubt they'll harm Weiss's father he's too valuable, and all the focus will be on him. So maybe the White Fang won't be watching the others as hard."

"That's a bit risky don't you think?"

Kad nodded, he knew fully well what he was proposing. The worst that could happen would be one of the Faunus ratting him out, and he wouldn't let it get that far. He hoped that the fear of Cinder's wrath or withdrawal from their arrangement would buy him a few seconds. Once they started talking Kad would try to get them to let the Schnee girls and the rest of his team go.

And with any luck none of them would hear anything that was said between him and the White Fang. If things went south he was confident they could rescue their friends. Maybe even the Schnee patriarch as well.

Kad looked over to the blond, "I can fight my way out of a few Faunus, I'm not going to try and take them all on. I doubt many, if any of them are trained Hunters."

"Yeah, okay." Yang agreed, before turning to stare back into the darkness. Kad knew where she was looking, but she had the thousand yard stare that Kad associated with very deep thinking. Yang wasn't really keeping watch.

Ruby noticed it to and walked over to her sister. Yang turned and tried to grin.

"So where did the mystery girl go to?" Ruby asked her.

Yang ran her fingers through the hair draped over her right shoulder. "Away, I guess. I don't think she found our new company agreeable. No offense Kad,"

"None taken." He replied.

She sighed briefly then continued, "I doubt I'll see her today again. But still, I'll take almost any one from Beacon over her any time."

"That bad?" Ruby asked, "She got you pretty good in your duel…"

"No," Yang corrected her sister, "She can fight but… was just getting creepy. I'm starting to think she wasn't telling me something."

"What did she say about your mother?"

"Not much," Yang's head sank down a bit. "I'll tell you everything later. But hey, what happened to Pyrrha?"


A little bit of light was spilling through a small barred hole, low in the wall they were walking along. Co'Balt went to the floor flat on his stomach to have a look, getting as close as his horns would allow. Blake turned and crouched next to him, keeping an eye up both sides of the tunnel ready to spring into action if they had any unwelcome visitors.

Co'Balt saw a very large round room, there were several levels and various archways blocking off other tunnels that seemed to ring around the whole empty space. It reminded him too much of some kind of hive.

He remembered a little bit from his history classes before Beacon. About the underground catacombs of old Vale, he thought this fit the descriptions of those places to a T.

Dozens of White Fang members crowded shaking their fists in excitement and yelling at the spectacle in the pit down below them.

A pack of lucky Faunus were pushing and shoving Mr. Schnee around in front of a raised platform which held a couple of lieutenants watching the beating. Cargo boxes were scattered all around the ramshackle arena. Filled with what Co'Balt could only assume were more weapons, Dust crystals, and bombs.

"Is it them?" Blake asked,

"Yep," Co'Balt said looking up to the other parts of the room. Shadows moved through the other archways. The bull Faunus started thinking,

Only guards actually guarding something…

He pushed up to a kneeling position then turned to Blake,

"Come on, I know where to look."


Soft sounds of running feet snapped Kad out of his reverie. His hand fell down to his knife just in case.

Yang stood up, and waved down the hall, Ruby took a few steps into the middle of the room unconcerned. So Kad relaxed a bit at their response. Their two Faunus teammates jogged up, Co'Balt skidded and stopped by Kad. And Blake came to a halt in the middle of the room.

Co'Balt slapped his leader's left shoulder, grinning in anticipation before outlining what they found.

"Not that far away. Big convergence center. Maybe an old subterranean fort merged with the newer stuff. Bunch of chums having their way with the big Schnee."

"Everyone else?" Kad asked him,

"Higher levels are being watched, we should move. Start looking there."

"Right," Kad slowly stood up to his full impressive height. He buckled Ignis back in its harness and then donned the tooled leather apparatus, confident he could avoid knocking the hilt on things he couldn't see above his head. Then the giant looked to the three girls, and his teammate.

"Get in. Get out. They'll all be looking at me," Holding up fingers on his left hand to count and emphasize the first two points.

They all bobbed their heads in understanding. Kad handed the rifle Uzipho over to Yang who gladly accepted Jaxon's fighting tool and half turned around to fix it on the belt above her mini skirt. Once the collapsed spear was settled Yang brought her fists up and then down, expanding Ember Celica on her wrists and racking shells into the shotguns.

Ruby held up Cresent Rose in its sniper form. Kad was a little worried about her maneuvering capabilities with a scythe as big as hers in a place like this. But she reassured him it wouldn't be a problem. The small stock and oversized charging handle flicked out as she tested the sights.

Blake took her Katana and collapsed the slender blade down in its hook form then chambered a round into the pistol. Kad removed the Dust rapier from his belt and handed it to the cat Faunus. She took the offered weapon and brought it up to join her cleaver sheath on the magnetized pad that usually held Gambol Shroud.

Co'Balt pulled up Keila, he spun the ax once in his right hand. Then hitched up his thick leather belt, which held Alicia's knife Detergeo safely snapped next to where his ax always sat.

Ruby grinned confidently at the other team leader, "Stay safe Kad."

He bowed for a moment, "Alright, keep out of sight. Only engage if necessary. I'll see you in a bit."

He beat his right fist into the opposite hand, then turned down the tunnel adjacent to the one that the others had scouted. It sloped down, and led straight to the party as far as his advanced hearing could tell.


"The herds are shut in byre and hut, for loosed till dawn are we. This is the hour of pride and power. Talon and tusk and claw. O hear the call! – Good hunting all. That keep the jungle law!"

These synchronized voices echoed in a frenzied chant beneath the city. Kad recognized the ancient war song the White Fang was so fond of singing. From back in the days when they didn't need to resort to guerilla warfare and other sneaky tactics.

His tunnel slowly started to level out, and he came across two guards standing by the lit entrance to the open pit. They jumped in surprise at the figure who suddenly materialized in front of them. The one on the left started to aim up, Kad moved and reached out his hands.

Before they could even shout n surprise the gaint's right clamped down on the carbine barrel and ripped it back out of the Faunus hands. Small clicks cracking finger bones hit his ears. Then Kad's left shot up and wrapped around the back of the same one's head.

Kad lifted the Faunus up and threw him at his comrade. The two fell down in an awkward pile which Kad stepped by after throwing the rifle down on them.

"You shouldn't play with guns," he joked to the two of them, who were too dazed to be annoyed.

There was a small black metal staircase hastily secured over the old crumbling bricks which led right down to the center floor. Faunus turned in surprise to stare at this massive form. Most of them were clustered around a hole with a rope dangling down into it, calling down insults and more threats of bodily harm.

Kad assumed that they had pushed Jacques Schnee down into it to further torment the man. The rope looked rather slack so he guessed their prisoner was probably still on his feet.

Several guards moved forward pointing their weapons. Kad raised his hands peacefully and even let a grin come onto his face.

Two lieutenants moved to the edge of the stage once they noticed their minions moving towards the interloper. Kad knew neither of them personally, but did recognized them as two Cinder had told him to keep an eye on. And his estimate of their numbers was pretty spot on, almost two dozen watching from higher places and nearly the same number all right in front of him. All going silent and on alert at the Huntsman's presence.

The thin metal buckled and bent under his boots as Kad slowly walked down towards all the Faunus pointing guns at him. He looked down at the closest one, a small short haired female with white deer antlers sticking up on her head through her black hood. With several gas grenades lined up on her chest.

Before she could blink Kad reached down and snatched one away, the arming pin remained with the off balance Faunus and Kad threw the device down the hole with Jacques.

The gas quickly filled the small space. A thin mist flooded out but didn't rise any further then the ankles of the nearest White Fang who looked down and stepped back in minor alarm. Kad heard a few ragged coughs and then the heavy thud of a body hitting the floor.

Schnee didn't need to hear anything that was about to be said either.

Kad walked through the Faunus crowd, they all parted and stood in his wake until he stood before the leaders grouped on stage.

The tallest one with bare arms in the full face masked waved his right hand, signaling his comrades to stand down. Many were dubious, the plastic ticks and shuffles from feet weren't one simultaneous noise.

The other higher up in almost all black, Adam, shifted uneasily. His compatriot walked to the edge of the stage and addressed the giant.

"You aren't supposed to be here."

He stated it with an edge of authority like he had some form of control over the Human.

Kad laughed once, "Well I guess the day is just full of surprises for everyone…"


Ruby, Blake, Yang and Co'Balt silently jogged along the upper levels.

Guards that once were diligently keeping their posts suddenly broke off to head back to the center structure once they heard what was happening.

Co'Balt leaned down and carefully peaked around the corner to witness two more bring hands up to their ears and headsets, glance at each other and then leave.

He looked back at the girls and then flicked his head, gesturing for them to follow.

Ruby aimed her scythe down the hall. The two older Huntresses flanked the bull Faunus creeping along with Keila in his hands. Ruby turned to scan their flank.

No one was coming.


"Imagine this," Kad said as he began to slowly step back, breaking eye contact and heading towards a stack of military crates close by. Watching more and more White Fang appear in the small arches along the rings of platforms jutting out from the old stone.

"You are in my shoes." He continued, "Still believing that a few goals and courses of action, that you agreed on with a mutual friend. The friend who generously provided you,"

He unlatched the top crate and pushed the lid open revealing ordered rows of large Dust crystals of assorted elements.

"With all of the things to jump start your rather slow revolution." Kad grabbed onto the crate edges, "Were still in place and on track."

"We know…" the first lieutenant growled.

Kad ignored him, no one noticed as he slowly palmed three crystals without looking at which type they were. Two in his right hand, one in his left.

"Well then… If that is true what happened this morning?"


Three guards were standing at the mouth of another tunnel around a sharp corner. Blake was on point this time. One amber eye ducked past the edge of the wall she was hugging. A ladder several steps back ran up into sub crawl spaces that Co'Balt was standing by.

Blake whispered to Ruby directly behind her, who then repeated the command to Yang who filled in Co'Balt.

"We'll charge on your go." She told him.

Knowing his part in their quick response to this obstacle Co'Balt nodded and smiled before he clambered up and disappeared into the narrow squeeze.

Blake snuck a quick glance back at her team, the sisters smiled. They were ready.

Soft echoes from Kad and the main group of the White Fang reached her ears but not even Blake could decipher them. And she had other things on her mind right now.

Looking again Blake watched a shadow several inches taller and broader than the biggest guard of the trio fall down silently from the ceiling and rear up. Light glance off the sharpened edge of Co'Balt's shotgun ax.

The back blunt side of the blade snaked around the middle one's throat. He barely had time to widen his eyes beneath his Grimm mask when Co'Balt pulled him back and pushed him to the ground.

Blake moved,

She jumped off a shadow clone, hit the side wall halfway up on her left foot and jumped at the Faunus on the far left.

The last Faunus on the right saw his friend go down and spun in panic, one hand reaching to his sword. Co'Balt pressed his opponent's head down, crushing his throat into the back of the axe choking the White Fang into unconsciousness.

Yang rushed the last,

Blake fell on her target, spinning her ribbon around his neck. Flipping back over his shoulders leaning and pulling the loop tight. The Faunus coughed and choked as the oxygen stopped flowing to his lungs. Dropping his rifle to claw fruitlessly at his neck until he passed out.

Yang's flying armored fist crashed into the swordsman's head and knocked him down and out in one punch.

Ruby walked past the three of them untangling from their opponents. She peeked into another tunnel and saw a soft green glow coming from a small side portal.


"Didn't your master explain this to you?"

Kad shrugged, "Well things have changed that's why I'm here."

Adam took a few steps forward, "Nothing has changed."

"If that was true," The giant countered, "You wouldn't have risked blowing our entire operation for a little bit of petty revenge."

The two lieutenants looked at each other, the tallest spoke again. "As you are well aware… there have been a few setbacks."

"Still no excuse for this." Kad said sweeping his left arm pointing at all the things around him.

Adam spoke ignoring Kad,"Our people needed a display. To prove that despite Torchwick's colossal failure in the Breach we are still strong."

"And that would happen when you took the council building and the communication tower at the end of the tournament. Just as planned…"

"We…"

Kad cut him off, "But still we can make the best out of this situation if you move quickly. I know you took other hostages."

"I won't…"

Again Kad interrupted, "Oh, you can keep Schnee. Threatening the daughters with his life might have worked even better."

He stepped in front of the stage, his head was basically at the chest height of all those standing atop the platform. The other Faunus behind began shifting again nervously.

"Give me the others," Kad said, "I'll have them keep quiet for a few hours so you can all get out of the city and preferably the kingdom."

"How are we supposed to do that?" The tall Faunus asked.

"You're smart people you'll think of something."

Without waiting for a response Kad turned and began walking back to the stairway, acting like he knew exactly where to look for the hostages.

Adam called out, "Stop right there!"

Kad sighed as he turned to look back at the Faunus, arms crossed and throwing on a bored expression.

"Why are you really here?" Adam asked,

Kad said nothing. Adam continued, "You have no idea what's going on?... You're plotting against Cinder, aren't you?"

"I'm protecting her plan from idiots like you. You're lucky." Kad took a few steps back in the direction of the stage. Now right in the middle of the room. The pit with Mister Schnee straight to his left.

"You're lucky this is salvageable. I'm taking the others and I am leaving. I expect you to fall in line."

"You can have the other girl, that's it." Adam relented, not wanting to get on or in the way of this supposed new side, "Our people have waited too long to settle for half our vengeance."

Kad corrected him, "The girl, and the Faunus."

That brought a pause to the White Fang leaders

Adam stepped back slightly, he brought his right fist up to his mouth and quietly coughed into it. His partner shifted and looked back at the final three Faunus behind him.

Kad couldn't understand their reaction. He was still expecting some outrage not whatever this was.

Adam slowly came forward again.


Blake bent and stretched down in front of the arch way aiming Gambol Shroud. Sweeping the little box room for threats just in case.

No guards,

Weiss stood quickly when she notice her feline companion. Blake was shocked, the Heiress's blue sleeves and white combat skirt were covered in blood. Her light blue eyes were red and puffy.

Blake stood and entered the cell.

To her right Winter had her head firmly pressed against her knees rocking back and forth, numb to the world and whimpering to herself. More blood coated her right shoulder.

Alicia was standing in the left corner, her hands were bruised and cut from trying to rip free from the chain and hook that held her in place.

Then Blake noticed the fourth occupant.


"That is going to be a… problem." Adam said slowly.

Kad didn't like the way he said that.

"Because?" He asked the Faunus.


The three unbound girls entered into the cell. Ruby gasped at the state of her partner, but went as silent as the rest of them when she noticed the still form lying next to Weiss.

She had closed his eyes respectfully but other than that hadn't touched Jaxon since she trying to save his life. Weiss had been trying to rest and recover her strength to use her glyphs. But what she just experienced was making that nigh impossible. Especially with the added threat that Alicia would be next and then one of the twins.

Yang blinked, she couldn't believe it, "Is he dead?"

Alicia sniffed and nodded. Co'Balt stepped into the archway and froze at the sight of his partner.

Weiss held up her hands. "Come on, get us out of here."

"Who did this?" Co'Balt demanded, voice cracking.


"Because I killed him…"

If the grand pit had been quiet before, it was deathly silent now.

Kad's superhuman heart rate picked up, his fists balled together around the stolen Dust crystals.

"Excuse me?!"

His voice sent the mass of White Fang commandos back a step. But the tall Faunus in the full face mask came forward.

"The Human doubted our will and we needed an example." He pointed a finger to the arena exit, "Get out, and tell your master our agreement is over. We will answer to slavers no more."

Kad spoke, his voice low and full of simmering rage "You'd better be lying to me. Because…"

This time it was the Huntsman who was stopped mid-sentence.


Co'Balt didn't even wait for her answer, half heard whispers were coming closer. And the only thing in his head was an instinctual need for blood and vengeance.

He turned and shot out into the tunnel Yang tried to reach out and grab him but was just too slow.

Two White Fang were approaching on the left hand side from out of the cell. They stopped and reeled back in surprise at Co'Balt's appearance.

He didn't say a word, face mired in a cold show of fury

Keila swung down over his head, the first Faunus in his didn't even move. The steel blade bit deep in a shoulder. With both hands on the ax Co'Balt punched up with his left, stunning the other wounded White Fang goon while grinding his weapon deep in gristle and bone spraying blood down the black and white uniform.

He pulled back freeing the gore stained steel. Then struck the ax head right, stunning the second Faunus. Co'Balt felt the familiar half bit of resistance of aura giving beneath his strike.

Keila twirled and his hands swapped places. The left fell down to the trigger and Co'Balt fired three times. One slug into the right's chest and one into his head, then a coup de grace into the other's face.


As the echoes of gunfire and howls petered out and faded, all of the White Fang present looked to the higher levels.

Adam shouted out, "Go! Don't just stand there! Get the prisoners!"

Kad looked up, over on the third level to where he had seen the flashes of fire that briefly filled the tunnel.

He knew exactly which weapon those thunder blasts had come from, and his heart sank as he realized only one thing would make Co'Balt angry enough to blow the whole mission.

Jaxon was dead.

Time seemed to slow.

His sorrow only last for a mere fraction of a second, as the deepest anguish he had ever felt was consumed in a burning haze and thought for just one thing.

Kad raised the crystal in his left hand.


Weiss crouched low and placed her hands on the floor.

Yang pounded her left hand and gauntlet down into the chains holding her teammate. One quick hammer blow snapped the restraints and the Heiress stood free once more.

Ruby was leaning out the door, more White Fang came up to her right. She fired twice forcing them to duck and stumble back in surprise.

Blake handed Weiss her rapier, she sighed as she felt the familiar grip fit in her left hand once again running her other palm up the slender blade. Drawing confidence from the Dust and metal.

Yang quickly snapped the handcuffs on Alicia. Without asking the former hostage took Jaxon's weapon off Yang and twisted the parts back into spear form.


The honeycombed tunnels were crawling with White Fang. Kad watched them all start climbing up from the arena or down from the heights heading for the tunnel and level with the prisoners and their would-be rescuers. From what he could gather his friends were probably straight up in front of him.

His powerful fingers crushed the Dust crystal easily and Kad's hand started to burn with cold.

The elemental touch shocked his system. Spikes of sensation ran up his arm and right into his head and heart. He felt a power within clearly form for the first time at his willful direction.

His semblance manifested, mingling with the elemental fury in his hand

Aura surging with strength Kad shouted and flung the glowing blue ball of ice to the left.


"Winter!"

The younger heiress looked up to her Huntress sibling. Weiss had her rapier pointed down at the small chain links securing Winter's hands. She drove the point through a small link the superior metal widened out and snapped the thin circlet. Weiss had to grab her sister's trembling hands and pull her up. Once she was on her feet Winter wiped the backs of her hands across her face and eyes smearing the tear marks and dirt. Eyes flicking around the room, still on the verge of a panic attack.

Weiss didn't hesitate, she slapped Winter just as she intended. A backhanded strike right into her cheek. The younger Schnee palmed at her stinging face in shock, mouth open gasping and trying to find some way to voice her outrage.

Weiss jabbed her index finger into Winter's chest, "Calm down and stay behind us,"

Yang punched and shot a fiery blast at the White Fang taking cover to the right. The concussion and heat wave kept them disoriented and wary of breaking cover.

Blake formed up on the left side of the door behind Ruby, she could hear Co'Balt yelling and battling with more Faunus coming to stop their escape. Alicia took her fallen teammate's weapon and ran out to help him.

Co'Balt blocked a sword slashing down, pushed the blade left and sunk Keila into the bearer's neck. Another Faunus jumped up stabbing on his right. Unable to parry Co'Balt shut his eyes and began to focus his aura, but the lunge never connected.

Uzipho hit the attacker's neck, scraped off his bit of soul shielding then deflected down and through the Faunus's heart. Eyes narrowed in anger Alicia pushed her target onto his back back, jumped onto his chest and twisted Uzipho deeper.

Ruby called to the two of them, "We have to go!"

Shadows of many, many more White Fang flickered further down the tunnel the two members of APRC were standing in.

Not even a second later the entire hideout shook, when the tunnel to the team's right was explosively flash frozen. Faunus were crushed and turned to ice, jagged spears of the magic element sprung out and impaled those who weren't directly in the center of the attack.


Kad looked right, ignoring the White Fang all around him pointing guns and drawing swords in slow motion. Their leaders on the stage turned back to grab their weapons.

He could feel the power from the two crystals in his right hand. A dull warmth from the burn crystal, and the needles of electricity from the lightning.

He dropped the second, Kad's semblance flared again as he pulverized the solidified fire, heat spread through his fingers. Throwing the flaming mass up into the other tunnel.

Fire exploded through all of the portals, Faunus in the epicenter were incinerated instantly. Their brief cries drowned beneath the roar of flames. Bricks were superheated glowing bright, reducing what remained of the outlying White Fang combust into flailing screaming torches. Making this tunnel impassable as well.


"Let's go!" Weiss shouted to the other six.

Blake looked back to Jaxon's body, "What about…"

Yang shook her head, "We'll come back. We've got to run."

Alicia and Co'Balt backed away, raising their arms against the searing heat from the hellscape that had just materialized in front of them. The bull Faunus heard their suggestion.

"No, I'll carry him." He said.

Weiss hated it but she had to agree with Yang, "He'll slow us down, we can get him later."

Alicia accepted her logic with a heavy heart, Co'Balt was still fuming. His teammate pulled on his left arm. "They'll be circling around. We have to go now."

Co'Balt took one last look at his partner, let out a single shout of anger. Then moved ahead taking lead. Straight towards the only way out, another side passage branching off on the right ahead of the new ice wall.

Blake could hear the sounds of running feet both high and low. More White Fang racing to find an alternate approach and cut them off.

She overtook Co'Balt heading down the dark path. Alicia followed behind her now back with her teammate. Weiss and her sister on their heels. Yang and Ruby aiming and watching the rear.

The scarlet huntress looked up at her sister, "What about Kad?"

Yang frowned, "He's on his own…"


The yellow crystal bounced off the ground, Kad heard the tiny clink of its impact.

He had never felt this strong before, his aura visibly glowed the same shade as his eyes.

The giant raised his right boot. The Faunus took aim. Their leaders flourished their weapons, more cutlasses an ax a long katana, and a chainsaw nearly as tall as its wielder.

Kad smashed his heel down. The whole cavernous room shook, even team RWBY and their charges felt their tunnel shake hundreds of meters away.

Outlined by lightning, yellow bolts arcing and snapping off his body. Kad's aura charged up with the fury of a storm. He raised and pushed out his arms, screaming a wordless howl of exertion and hate.

Waves of energy flicked out in one circular pulse and turned the Faunus closest to the giant into clouds of crackling smoke. Farther out others unbraced died as the pressure wave smashed into them and sent them flying back against the wall. Some survived, some even remained conscious. Crates flew in every direction, several with more unstable contents exploded. Dust crystals and powder now lay scattered all over the room. The elder Schnee was spared from the blast safe down in the hole.

Kad grabbed the black chain around his waist and spun the black steel out and high. Blinded and frenzied with betrayal and thirst for vengeance the Faunus terrorists jumped down and charged. These were the White Fang's best, savage zealots willing to give their lives for the cause. The ones pointed to the most when the term animals was hurled at the once peaceful organization.

Kad swung down into those closest to him, bones and bodies broke under his strike.

One White Fang still standing out to the giant's left, raised his rifle and emptied it at the towering glowing Huntsman. Bullets struck Kad dead center mass. His aura sparked but stayed strong. Kad lunged and whipped the chain at the shooter's neck. Bones were shattered killing him instantly, sharpened metal cut through flesh and lifted the White Fang's head from his shoulders. Others opened fire, running and shooting as the distance closed.

Fists and the swinging chain sent sprays of blood flying in every direction, Kad shouted out in challenge and the Faunus around him cursed and howled. All who came within the giant's reach met a quick and violent end from superhuman speed and strength loosed by primal rage. Until the only Faunus left standing was the one who had murdered Jaxon and the four closest to him.

Kad caught slack and pulled the steel up across his chest, spreading his feet and waiting for the others up on the platform. Three rushed forward to avenge their dead. Adam and the chainsaw bearer held back for a moment.

They leapt down swinging at Kad. He swung the chain again, the Faunus in the center was slashed in two. The steel passed through his body from lower right and out his left shoulder without even slowing down.

The Huntsman moved with the momentum, his left hand reached forward and caught the left Faunus around the neck. Kad raised him up and shook his catch once, turning his spine into dust and broken shards before Kad flung him like a ragdoll aside.

He brought his empty left hand down and smacked the longsword out of the right's hand. The lieutenant shrieked and dropped his sword from broken hands. Kad backhanded his right fist into the fox eared face and sent the Faunus flying backwards dead before his feet left the ground.

Mechanical growls and the swish of parting air brought Kad's focus back to the stage. The saw was coming in for his head held single handedly, extending his reach as far as it could go.

Kad raised his right hand and chain up. As he struck out, the giant felt his semblance move again. With his inhuman reflexes, Kad watched the brief pulse of light meet the spinning metal teeth before his flesh did killing the saw's momentum. The giant bent his hand and pushed the flat of the killing tool down and into the stage.

Tempted to see how far he could reach with his new gift, Kad swung up his left hand with the extremity straight up in an open palm strike.

He felt the push, saw the brief orange glint. The White Fang flew back as if struck by a battering ram. Leaving his weapon lying useless out of his grip in front of Kad.

Adam took a step back, awed, and wary of this pure destructive presence. He flourished his red sword, held the hilt back up to his left shoulder. Waiting to move.

The other lieutenant jackknifed up, Kad vaulted up onto the platform. Dropping the crimson dripping chain.

The Faunus raised his hands up in a fighting pose. The giant walked forward. The lieutenant swung as soon as the giant came within reach, a wild powerful right hook. But in the blink of an eye Kad blocked, their fore arms crashing together, then stepped and drove his right knee into the Faunus's stomach. Sending ripples of ethereal light across the Faunus's stomach, then Kad gripped his neck and almost casually sent the Faunus tumbling to the floor behind him.

Right next to the saw.

Adam drew his sword and smoothly struck at the Huntsman. But easily predicting and reading the movements Kad drew his knife reversed in his left hand then slashed the red blade up hard off course. Adam stumbled for a step, Kad let him recover, however quickly retaliated with a strike at the giant's stomach. Who simply slid half a step back and dodged the lethal edge.

The giant heard the quiet clicks of the other retrieving his weapon.

Kad sent out his right hand again, fingers wide and palm open. Blasting Adam back with another strike of his semblance while the Faunus overextended on his missed attack.

The throaty growl of the chainsaw ripped through the darkness. Kad turned back to this renewed threat swinging as he did. His knife met the spinning teeth coming at his face half an arm's reach away. Pushed the snarling weapon up and away, then in one fluid motion slid, lunged pushing the blade through the last dregs of aura. Up to the hilt in the Faunus's sternum where the giant left it.

Kad returned his attention to Jaxon's killer

Adam started to back away, mouth shut moving his head from side to side as he looked for an exit. Kad slowly walked forward his bloody fists held low and loose, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck with two short violent jerks.

"Bastard." Adam growled.

His answer was more silence. As Kad kept slowly pacing forward forcing Adam further and further back. Until there was no more room to run.

So Adam attacked,

With all the speed and power of a true Huntsman the Faunus leapt up, spinning like a hurricane. In the blink of an eye, the great red sword was in Kad's hands blocking the other cutting edge. Steel rung against steel. Adam began to fall towards the ground sheathing his blade again. Kad chopped down.

Ignis crashed against the sword Wilt. Adam's deflected the Dust fused steel even though his bones went numb from the sheer force behind the great sword that drove him to his knees.

The giant struck again, a wild swing up from the right aiming to cleave Adam's head from his shoulders. Again the Faunus just managed to roll with the blow, scraping his sword against Kad's.

Drawing the last bit of power he needed.

They each found their foe again in a heartbeat. Kad with both hands on the hilt of Ignis, in a defensive posture. Adam rising up from one knee.

A wicked smile splitting his face.

Shadows darkening around his body.


It was like a storm was brewing. He could feel the building tension just an arm's reach away.

Though he had never done it before the giant knew exactly what was happening.

Kad could sense the building power of another semblance.

He almost smiled.

"One strike?" The giant asked, bringing Ignis back on his left ready to swing with all his might.

"That's all I need…"Adam replied.

The Faunus leapt forward.

Wilt slid free of its rifle scabbard.

Darkness consumed the pit, broken only by the glowing Dust of the giant's sword and the Faunus's aura.

If any spectators had blinked they would have missed it.

Adam's semblance would have torn the giant in two.

But he wasn't fast enough.

Kad saw the other red sword flash out. He sensed the lethal power put behind the blow.

The giant swung at the unsharpened side. And cut the other blade in two.


One second they were each poised to strike, and the next the two combatants sped past one another. One raising up his broken blade before wide unbelieving eyes. The other twisting back for the follow through that would cut the White Fang leader in two.

Had that been the Primarch's intent.

He wanted the Faunus to see this coming.

The flat of Ignis crashed down, breaking his last thin layer of aura and sending Adam to the floor.

Choking on pain the defiant yell Adam wished to be his last words came out only as a pitiful groan of pain. Which was soon silenced as the great sword stabbed down.

A hand span away from Adam's face.

The Faunus looked up in pure shock and confusion at the looming silhouette that still faintly glowed with power.

Outlining the fist that crashed down and sent him into unconsciousness.

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A/N there will be an inconsistency for some unknown time into the future where Adam's sword is not broken. That will be fixed when I get to those chapters.