Slowly Adam's awareness centered back down from the nothingness of the void he had been forced into. The Faunus quickly ran a mental check on his condition, his head was just one dull aching mess as was the rest of his battered body. Wary of this situation he tried not to move. Attempting to wake up while still appearing unconscious.
"I can hear your heart beat and saw you gasp, you're only fooling yourself friend."
He knew that voice, spikes of ice shot through Adam's blood that had nothing to do with the bodily harm he sustained. All his limbs were locked with stiffness, and it hurt to breathe when Adam slowly pushed up off the ground where he had been lying flat on his back. As he came to a sitting position Adam had another spat of panic, he no longer felt the familiar weight and enclosing feeling of his Grimm mask.
The voice spoke again, "Looking for this?"
Adam managed to open his eyes but that barely helped. The room was pitch black, the only dull glow of light came from the giant's Dust blade he was casually leaning against his right shoulder the unseen hilt sticking up behind his head while he was sat on a large block of severed masonry. What really drew Adam's attention was the pool of shadows around the tip of the sword.
Shadows of a slowly dissolving Beowolf.
Its fur flesh and bones were slowly turning back into whatever the beasts were cast from. Kad lifted the mask he had stolen between his massive index and middle finger.
"Now that's twice I saved your life," The giant said.
"Twice?" Adam hissed through clenched teeth and another wave of dull pain.
"Well once," Kad corrected himself, "Plus I didn't kill you back at your base."
That was the moment Adam noticed they were not in the hideout anymore. Shadows traced the shapes of the pillars and small corners of this little man-made room in the earth that he had never been to before. Part of him relaxed, yes the Huntsman hadn't killed him.
Yet.
Kad continued, "Now, I do have some questions. And you are going to answer them."
"Why on Remnant would I do that?" The Faunus snapped back.
Kad sighed and spun the mask a few times. Adam decided to just cut to the chase, "If you take me to the surface…"
"But you haven't answered me."
"You haven't asked anything." Adam retorted,
The giant stood, leaving Ignis stuck standing in the now bare space on the floor. Its sharp point piercing through a good hand span of concrete and rock. Kad began to slowly pace back and forth behind his little rubble seat. Five paces to one wall and then ten to the next, passing the mask from one hand to another.
After one circuit Kad stopped and spoke, "So who told you to go after the Schnees?"
"Your master Human," Adam growled low and sore.
"I find that a little hard to believe…"
Adam tried to shrug a little but could only raise his shoulders so far. "Believe what you want it's the truth, ordered from her own lips… We needed this. Recruitment's almost nonexistent and our ranks are deserting by the hour."
He paused and sucked in a wheezy breath. "We would have been slaughtered within minutes of the uprising even with the robots on our side. If those of us left even had the stomach for it."
"Against a bunch of lazy and under trained peace keepers who've never set foot outside of Vale? Get serious. There would have been plenty of time to assault the council and take hostages before back up arrived, don't exaggerate."
"Don't give me lip Human, this is your fault."
"You forced my hand."
"You should talk to your master more often… She told me about you."
"Did she tell you I was supposed to kill you if you got out of line?"
"This was sanctioned you son of a bitch!"
The steel tip of Kad's boot collided with Adam's stomach, several pops and cracks followed the ribs snapping.
The Faunus coughed and curled in pain, "What do you want!"
"Was it hard for you?" Kad asked, "Taking a life just like that? All to prove a point?"
Adam blinked in surprise, "What?"
Iron crept into Kad's tone, "The Faunus you, made an example of."
The response was stuttered in confusion and agony, "…Why do you…care? He was nobody…"
Kad loomed over him, "He was my teammate. He was my friend. I always thought that you Faunus were better than that."
"Better then what?"
"Better than the mindless drones and enforcers we allied against."
A sharp crack broke the back and forth talk, Kad snapped the Grimm mask in his hand as easily as he had pulverized bone only a few short moments ago. Anger boiling his stomach and causing his hands to tremble. Very little was stopping him from carving the Faunus up into little tiny bits. And those restrictions were slowly being eroded away.
Choices approach.
A question was rising in the back of Kad's mind…
He didn't like it…
Who was to blame?
Adam held up his right hand to try and placate his captor. "Look…Go and get the Schnee before the Atlesians come and you will be forgiven, I swear."
Kad continued, completely calm ignoring the Faunus, "That is not for you to decide anymore... But I wouldn't worry too much. Your strike teams usually operate under radio silence for a while."
"Right…" Adam feared where the Huntsman was heading.
Kad stepped back to his sword, and gripped the silver wrapped hilt coming to a decision
"That gives me a little time. But… You killed my brother."
The elementally charged weapon screeched as rock scraped against steel when Kad ripped Ignis from the ground. Fire swept down the sword, banishing the blackness around them. Adam attempted to push and scramble backwards in a vain attempt to escape. But beneath his panic and fear a deep part primal of him knew his end had come.
The blow came swiftly, a dexterous twist of his hand brought the killing edge in line as Ignis drew back and lashed out in a mercifully blink of an eye.
Lifting Adam's head free from his body.
"For Jaxon…"
It had been almost two hours since the earthquake had shaken them all to the bone. And the young Hunters who had accompanied Kad down into the tunnels and those they had freed from the White Fang's clutches still hadn't stopped running. They had lost track of time moving through the shadows dodging the White Fang and looking for a way out of the deep tunnels they had been driven into like a pack of frightened rabbits.
Blake and Yang were up front searching for a ladder or anything that could lead them up from the ancient depths. Winter had calmed down somewhat, still huddling close to her older sister who hadn't said a word to her since their escape. Ruby, Alicia and Co'Balt still kept a close eye behind the little group, watching for any more White Fang that might be pursuing them. But so far none had caught up with the trainees.
Thoughts of their missing leader passing through the minds of the bull Faunus and his teammate were being kept silent.
Blake took a sudden right turn, looking up into the black unknown of a larger tunnel.
"Here," She said to her companions.
The younger heiress questioned their change of course, "Why? Just because you say so?"
Weiss didn't even let the black haired girl lash back at her sister. She seized Winter's left arm in a vice grip and marched her up to the tunnel mouth then scolded her, "You don't get to make decisions."
The dark and damp corridor turned out to be much shorter than all the others the seven had collectively, walked through, fled through and been carried through that day so far. And more importantly it came to an end that wasn't just a wall of mortar and bricks.
It ended with a pair of wide and tall twin rusted iron doors locked, bolted and chained up tight as a bank vault. But those were simple challenges to overcome.
Yang waved for Ruby to come forward, "Come on sis, you brought your master key right?"
The scarlet huntress nodded raising Crescent Rose. Blake and Yang both backed up behind their leader as she took aim and fired.
Sniper bullets made short work of the locking mechanisms, the old metal sparked and flew to pieces. After Ruby had finished and was swapping magazines, Blake and Yang moved up together and took hold of separate sides of the doors twice as tall as they were. The ancient portal groaned in protest for only a moment before swinging open and revealing what lay behind.
The city of Vale.
A small back trash laden alley beneath an unknown highway ferrying the good citizens of Vale safely back home.
Packed with a whole platoon of Knight combat androids and their Paladin overseer standing out in the blinding afternoon light.
As one, the robot strike force turned their heads and scanned the Beacon students. Rifles rose in unison. All the members of RWBY, APRC and Winter froze in place.
Heavy mechanical feet crushed the old stone, the paladin leveled its energy cannons at the young group. By some unseen signal the robots suddenly lowered their weapons and the walker came through its crowd of escorts moving aside and standing at attention like an honor guard.
The war machine sank down to its knees and lowered its weapons. The pilot's house bowed forward, armored plates shifted and collapsed back on themselves as the pilot emerged. Outfitted in the Atlas standard infantry man's armor with white upper plates, half faced helmet and black trimmed everything else. The young man dropped down to the ground and approached looking straight to the twin Schnee heirs.
"My ladies," he said with a slight bow, "It is good to see you alive."
Weiss scowled, "Where is General Ironwood? We know where the terrorist camp is."
The soldier nodded "Very good mam, we expedited our timetable when we felt the quake. Hence my presence."
"Quake?"
"All across the city," He explained, "Gave a bunch of people a right fright."
He took a step back and waved his right arm towards the empty road behind his paladin amidst the support pillar. "A gunship is on its way to take you to the command ship,"
He looked to the two Faunus and three other girls. "Your… companions will be held and transferred to Beacon after questioning."
That sent all their hearts racing with a bit of panic, Weiss intervened, "No, that flier is going to take my sister to the command ship. The rest of us will lead you to the camp."
"Mam I must…"
She stopped him, "You can't insist anything, unless you want to insist on digging outhouses at one of the poles for the rest of your life."
Weiss shoved her sister forward. The younger Schnee looked back, surprise etched on her face at what her sister had turned into during her time away from home.
The soldier looked back and forth between the sky and the group of trainees then finally acted. "As you wish my lady, but we still must wait for reinforcements."
"Yes off course, do what you must. Find me some clean clothes immediately."
He bowed and held out his hand for Winter, she turned up her chin and marched calmly out through the androids completely ignoring the flustered soldier who followed in her wake after pointing his scroll at the paladin which activated and turned. Following the slave program its driver had just turned on.
Alicia questioned the remaining Schnee "How long till help gets here?"
"If you're worried about your leader," Weiss replied, "I'd be more worried about all those White Fang commandos if Kad shook the entire city with what he was doing."
Blake raised an eyebrow, "And your father?"
Her teammate slowly turned around anger on her face, but not at the black haired Faunus,
Weiss held up the edge of her now crimson combat skirt, "This blood, is on his hands. My father did nothing to save Jaxon, he didn't even bat an eye when that animal gutted him. He didn't fight when that bastard Adam said we three were next. And I mean that animal Blake. They were not misguided, they were monsters."
Weiss sighed, "I thought…" Then hung her head and whispered, "My father is beyond saving."
Belladonna's eyes went wide at the name Weiss had dropped in the middle of her tirade.
"Who?" She asked.
Weiss blinked in confusion, Blake clarified, "Did you say Adam?"
Their shocked expressions were nearly identical now. Weiss's free hand shot up to her mouth, as she remembered their talk that night in Mountain Glenn and what Blake had told them.
The one who had trained her, a fully-fledged Hunter in all but name going up against a student.
No matter how exceptional.
"Oh my god," The heiress gasped.
"Kad's in trouble." Blake said turning to the rest of her team, who were slowly putting two and two together.
Co'Balt huffed and crossed his arms, "If this Adam was within arms-reach of Kad he probably got his spine pulled out through his asshole."
"That seems horribly inefficient and disgusting Co'Balt."
The little group of hunters jumped as one and turned to the voice coming from behind them. The giant form of Kad Amaranth slowly walked out and into the light, bloody and dirty but very much alive.
Unlike his teammate in his arms.
Jaxon's lifeless limbs were crossed on his chest unmoved by the movement of Kad's long strides and while his head rested against the crook of his leader's left elbow.
The shorter six parted preemptively before him, Yang, Alicia, and Ruby on his right. The others on his left. But he stopped on the threshold of the old doorway.
"What happened?" Alicia asked brusquely.
Kad gave her an honest answer, "Blood for blood."
"All of them?" Co'Balt said.
His leader nodded, and Co'Balt punched his left palm in satisfaction.
Weiss looked up to the taller boy, "My Father?"
"He's alive, with a scroll. Safe. The Atlesians will get him." He shifted his grip on Jaxon then looked uncomfortably at Weiss, "Unless you want us to go?"
She shook her head, "Let him stay there and rot."
Yang thought that was cold even for the heiress, "Really Weiss?"
She didn't get an answer, Weiss took a few steps towards the giant.
"Look," She held up her bloody hands and dress, "I tried, I'm so sorry I couldn't save him." Her normally measured voice was frail with emotions.
A heavy sigh came from Kad, "Thank you."
Tears pooling in her eyes Weiss nodded and prepared to move out of his way, but Blake stepped forward next to her. Kad didn't understand her expression of fear.
"What happened to the other?" Blake asked.
He thought for a moment, "What other?"
"Tall, reddish hair and horns, usually dressed in black."
"You mean the one who murdered Jaxon?" Alicia said venomously.
Blake didn't respond, she just looked to the giant for his answer.
Kad grimaced and thought for a minute, "He's dead Blake. I killed him."
Her eyes bulged even wider, and the cat Faunus nearly started hyperventilating. Weiss grabbed onto Blake's arm to steady her friend.
"He attacked me," Kad lied mostly, sinking down onto his left knee so he could look her in the eyes. "And he received what he deserved. I'm not sorry Blake."
He stood and turned his hips to the left. The broken sword Wilt in the rifle sheath Blush were stuck through his chain belt by the small of his back, the hilt sticking up to his right next to Kad's fighting knife.
Blake composed herself and slowly reached out, ducking beneath Jaxon's swaying feet and taking the weapon from Kad. Gripping it tight and staring down the familiar length. Yang stepped up and put her right hand on the Faunus's left shoulder in support.
No one else said a word as Kad slowly looked each of them in the eyes,
"Come on… let's go home."
"Engines?"
"Optimal."
"Munitions reserves?"
"Loaded for bear."
"Sensor systems?"
"Nominal errors, recalibrations scheduled."
"Communications?"
"One hundred percent as they were."
"Navigation?"
"On course my lord."
The status listing was randomized just to keep the officer on his toes, the great silver handed Primarch nodded in approval of the status on his flagship. His trusted shipmaster had not missed a step in the report and diagnostic while Ferrus was too occupied to do it himself.
Nor was the old man intimidated by the Master of Mankind sitting in the raised center chair from where the gorgon usually commanded the vast bridge of the Fist of Iron. Or his golden bodyguards spread around with the rest of the cybernetic Astartes of the legion on the command deck.
Ferrus waved his right hand rustling his black robes, "As you were captain."
The much smaller naval officer bowed and began another circuit around the bridge stations.
The Emperor was not concerned with these trivial matters, the 52nd was one of the finest expedition fleets and He trusted them to do their jobs well. His eyes were closed and his fingertip pressed together as He meditated on the progress of the Great Crusade.
A dozen of his missing sons now at least located. More and more of the galaxy falling into compliance. Horus exceeding expectations for his future role. And the foundations for his crowning glory and ultimate gift to humanity taking shape.
The tenth Primarch was always amazed at how still his father could be when He was musing, the Emperor's chest barely moved with His breath beneath His many red robes. Ferrus felt a bit of pride that the most powerful man in the galaxy felt safe enough as his guest not don His usual panoply of war.
Still, the powerful psyker wasn't only thinking on corporeal matters. The Gellar fields were essential barriers between this sea of emotions and the interlopers from real space. But to one such as Himself they were simple to at least glance through and lightly sense the flow and tides of the Warp.
Without even opening an eye The Emperor spoke to His Primarch, "And our arrival time?"
"Moments my lord."
"Good."
The expedition fleet battle group, fifty vessels strong, was a sight to behold re-entering normal space in near perfect formation centered around the Fist of Iron. The massive Gloriana class battleship which dwarfed all of its accompanying sister ships and escorts.
But this great war machine couldn't even come close to the massive bulk of rust and metal scattered through the void of the Spacehulk before them.
A few unguarded whispers of surprise snaked through the bridge. The Emperor stood and narrowed His now open eyes. This was not where he had seen his lost son.
Just as stunned as his crew but sensing trouble Ferrus turned, his heavy boots clanking on the deck plating. "My lord?" he asked.
"No," His father said, answering the undefined query, "Something is very wrong."
The Emperor turned his inner eyes deeper through the Immaterium. Searching for an answer while the lesser beings broke into arguments.
The shipmaster wove through the data stations looking back to comm station linked directly to the Navigators. Ferrus outpaced the old naval man and almost slammed his fist down on the delicate equipment.
An image crackled into being. The small group of three eyed mutants jumped at the sudden appearance of the Primarch's visage, his hard eyes swept over everything and everyone present.
"Where are we?" He demanded.
One green robed Navigator came forward and knelt out of custom and respect, "We are where His Majesty commanded us to, my lord."
The armored giant huffed in anger, "Incompetent creatures…"
He looked to the captain waiting patiently by his side, "Command the fleet to hold position." Ferrus ordered
A quick nod was his response. And the gorgon stepped back to his father's side.
The Emperor had not been paying attention to the process of moving the multi-million ton warships into and out of the Warp. Taking this brief respite to think and plan other aspects of the Crusade. They were more than safe from any direct empyrean assault with Him on board. But as he looked deeper, and deeper investigating…
The Warp is the molded and shaped raw collective psyche of the universe. These forms it takes could be influenced or could be an influence themselves. Currents used for the simple task of space travel or inter planetary communications to far more devastating purposes.
Looking…
Searching…
He felt… the echo of a presence. Gone now but no doubt something had influenced their voyage. Too subtle for him to notice then, brave enough to act, and strong enough to trick the entire fleet of Navigators into thinking they were sailing true.
Like looking through the keyhole of a door, but someone on the other side held a mirror.
It had deflected their attempts to lock onto the planet He had sensed the lost Primarch on and shifted it too another gravitational field. This massive shamble of ancient starships and rust floating through this random sector of the universe.
"Where are we?" He asked Ferrus standing to the right.
He looked down to a data slate offered to him by a space marine watch officer, "Several systems away from our target. We were lucky not to crash into a star, or worse."
"Indeed. Send for reserve Navigators from all of the ships and recalculate our route to…"
Shouts came from the front of the bridge, officers relaying warnings from the sensors and the ensigns manning them. The shipmaster spoke with a few of his underlings then looked to his lords.
"We have incoming."
A pool of light collected and shone in the holographic display in front of the great iron chair.
The battlegroup's positions glowed, the massive outline of the space hulk was straight in front of the line. However many, many smaller contacts were breaking away from the wreck and accelerating at attack speed straight towards the Iron Hands. The irregular flight patterns, ludicrous velocity and unstable energy readings identified the contacts.
"Greenskins." Ferrus snarled with a growl full of disgust for the barbarian xenos.
The Emperor scowled, His missing Primarch would have to wait.
"Prepare for battle!"