The red sword rang with every strike.
Humming and cutting through the air. Accompanied by the crunch of breaking bones and the quick hiss of parting flesh as the Daemon's forms returned to smoke. Kad struck high at the leaping Daemons. Down through their black legs and up through their arms. Bodies burst into smoke while the Primarch gave ground.
Ignis came fell left to right in a two handed blow into another Ursa. Its thick armored plates held this time against the Dust sword. The Grimm moaned, but leaned back trying to pull the flaming sword embedded in its bulk out of his hands. Its twin to the giant's left lurched forward.
The beast's legs flashed away with a crack of false lightning. White claws still tried to drag its bulk forward along the ground. Until Alicia jumped over one burly arm and put a bullet through its skull.
The shorter Huntress held her fallen teammate's rifle up to the sky in her left hand. Detergeo sparked and shimmered as the Dust flowed again through her knife. White bolts flew into the wolves. Kad finally ripped his sword free of the Grimm and cut across right to left through the stunned beasts in long swinging strokes.
Well placed and short lived glyphs tripped up the howling horde while Alicia cast out more bolts of Dust. Leaving the monsters helpless before her leader and his sword. His black chain swung out and dragging the monsters into his reach
Kad's empty left palm landed on the head of one last Ursa. Holding the Grimm still as he slid Ignis' edge and up across its throat. Then flicked the great sword back down and swatted away another reptilian Creep.
Alicia swept her right arm up and spun. Three red bolts flew from the wake of her knife and set the last Beowolves ablaze. They stood and howled in pain to the sky. Uzipho barked three more times, bullets ripped through their exposed throats out the back of their necks.
Further out the Daemons still sought their troublesome prey.
The ground rumbled beneath the Goliath's massive feet as it drew near.
Only one thing in the world could shake buildings and the ground like what Kad was seeing all around him. The subtle shaking and the endless little sounds only he could hear as the tremors of footfalls approached.
They had finally gotten out of sight when these last Grimm fell. And Kad intended to stay that way.
Flying Grimm screeched and circled around in clouds of smoke drifting up from the burning hulk of an Atlesian battleship. Its violent crash had spread flames and thousands of liters of fuel through multiple rows of houses. Some not completely abandoned.
It provided a perfect screen for Kad and Alicia to slip into a narrow gap between two relatively untouched buildings. The giant went first, pressing his back up against the brick work. Focusing his senses, judging distance of the nearest Goliath.
The Daemon stepped closer. Alicia's labored breathing quickened with fear as her adrenaline faded.
Kad didn't know how keen the Grimm's own senses were. The reek of smoke would mask their own scent well enough, but he didn't want to risk the beast hearing them. He wrapped his right hand up around Alicia's mouth, pulling her closer to his side and muffling her breath. Her own hand clutching Detergeo went to her mouth, trying to pry away his callused fingers.
Kad held firm, raising that thumb back to the street.
And the slowly growing shadow swallowing the light. The ponderous footfalls slowing yet still drawing closer.
Seconds slowed to a painful crawl.
They were so close he could hear it breathing. Deep in and out rushes of air. He pictured its head swaying back and forth looking for the two of them. But the even breaths turned to a roar and the Grimm turned away.
Kad braced himself when the building at their backs shuddered. Tiny bits of debris flew down into the alleyway. Kad ducked down to shield Alicia, pulling her close. But the monstrous creature hadn't found them, it was moving off crushing through homes heading to the south.
He finally let go of his partner. Together they walked back up the alley to check the street for any more Grimm.
Alicia simply blinked and swore, watching the smoke clouds further over the roof tops. That view plus their up and close encounter with the Goliaths had truly set the scale for her of what was happening to Vale.
She looked back over her left shoulder to the looming giant. Kad however appeared surprisingly calm as he scanned for any Grimm. Seeing none he, passed around Alicia onto the sidewalk. Gesturing with his fingers signaling her to follow as he headed west.
"Hey… Kad?" Alicia said once she finally found her voice after a few steps into the ruined city.
"What?" He asked.
"We're in trouble aren't we?"
Kad didn't answer. Ducking his head below tattered awnings and second story balconies as he moved along.
Alicia continued, "I mean. How's one Headmaster gonna help with all of this?"
She swept her right hand up to point to the distant carnage as they moved. Kad didn't see her gesture, but his eyes narrowed.
"One step at a time," He told her. "Find Ozpin and the others, get back to the stadium and hunker down."
"If they're even still alive…" Alicia said.
That made Kad stop and turn, "They're fine. No circling Grimm low. And the Goliaths tore off after me. They're fine."
The reassurance didn't carry as much weight as he thought it did. Alicia's head still hung low, and she didn't meet his eyes.
He crouched down, "What is it?"
Finally his partner looked up, "Come on? Aren't you even a little bit, like. Unnerved by…" She paused trying to find the right words.
"Just, all of this?" She waved her right arm up.
Kad frowned.
Of course he was. No sane person wouldn't be. But the feeling was just, detached. The sense merely framing the many problems he needed to tackle. He didn't know what the next few hours might bring any more than the next person.
But he knew people were counting on them. And that was all he needed.
"We'll get through. Alright?" He said, gently laying his right hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through."
"Okay."
Pyrrha jumped, twisting and turning through the air over the alpha Beowolf that was chewing on her shield.
Its head turned with her arm. She jabbed low at the next Grimm in line, spearing the Boarbatusk between the eyes as she landed. The Daemon's ivory canines cracked grinding against Akouo', laying its paws on the little shield to hold the young champion still in place.
Jaune shouted and chopped down with his sword. Decapitating the wolf in a single swing.
High above their heads, a Nevermore screamed crashing its black wings against the air. Clapping the shadowed wings together and raining a hail of feathers down on the young Hunters. Jaune shouted in warning, moving forward to raise his shield Pyrrha.
Thin green beams shot the deadly projectiles out of the air. Cutting them all to pieces before they could run anyone through. Two blue blots of Dust spiraled up, crossed their paths and exploded on the Grimm's wings.
The doomed bird screeched flapped in panic. Unable to stay aloft under the weight of ice it crash landed hard on the edge a roof in front of them. The broken pieces doing little to cushion its fall as it rolled and spilled onto the road.
Yang pushed past the two Heiresses, Weiss saw her plan. She held up her palm and summoned a glyph in the air. Right in the blonde's path. Yang jumped, touched on the glyph and then jumped again, yelling and flying at the Grimm.
Her gauntleted fists cracked down on the top of its head, fingers locked together. The giant head cracked on the ground as Yang fired down and flipped off. The Nevermore shook its head. Roaring at the grinning Huntress. Happy to finally be back in her element and focus, even if only for a moment.
Yang rushed forward again, swinging her fist up into the open maw. The shotgun blast tore through sending bloody fragments and smoke out the back of its cracked mask.
"Are we clear?" Ruby asked, walking out through the ruins of another home. Crescent Rose collapsed to its rifle form in her hands.
This was the third pack that they had to fight through on their way to Ozpin and Qrow. And she knew that there would be more after them soon enough.
"We're good," Yang said, rolling her neck loosening up. "One more street."
Ruby nodded, and turned to the rest of their group close behind her, "Blake, Ren, Nora. Take the lead."
The three of them quickly broke into a jog out on point. The rest fell in behind them, eyes on the skies and the shadows around them. As they moved Raven stepped closer to Yang.
"What are you going to tell your uncle?" She whispered. Instantly killing Yang's little moment of relief and oblivion.
"I don't know." The blond replied. "Let's just hope he doesn't notice anything really striking about you. How much do you look like his sister?"
Raven shruuged and Yang sighed, "Just keep behind me and don't make eye contact, got it?"
Raven spoke again, ignoring the venomous addendum "And what about, him? "
"If he's alive we'll see," She knew exactly to who the dark haired Huntress was referring.
Yang still had doubts. A great deal of doubts. If they managed to make it through the day then she would ask a few certain people, a few certain questions. But for now she was trying to put all distracting thoughts out of her mind.
Nora slid to a stop in the middle of the abandoned road. Spying the first stranger they had seen since the stadium. The tall grey haired scythe wielder standing guard over the Headmaster of Beacon in a little stairway waiting for the young Hunters to approach.
Ozpin was sitting a few stairs up, clutching his side with his left hand as he tried to focus his aura to pull himself back together.
Qrow swallowed down his relief that his nieces had actually found them. Putting on his stoic façade even as Ruby ran up and threw her arms around his neck. Her infectious smile wore away after a moment however and he let one corner of his mouth slide up.
Ruby still beamed at him, "Hey!"
"Easy kid," He said pushing her gently back to the ground.
The others circled close facing away from the teachers, still on the watch for any Grimm, Raven kept back out of sight around a corner.
Qrow looked to his nieces, "Is the stadium still secure?"
"Last time we checked." Ruby answered him.
More roars floated through the air. The Grimm had their scent.
"But we gotta go," RWBY's leader said pointing back the way they came. Qrow nodded and turned back around to sling Professor Ozpin over his shoulders. The barely conscious teacher holding on as best he could to his colleague.
Qrow nodded to the group, "After you."
"I don't get it. Why don't they just attack already?"
Co'Balt glared left, over to his fellow ax-man, "How about you stop flapping your lips and pay attention Auburn."
The shirtless Hunter merely huffed and shifted his grip on the weapon in his hands, balanced against the rocky edge of this two story tall barricade.
"Probably 'enjoying themselves' too much," Cardin said, standing over to Co'Balt's right.
The three of them had been up here for what felt like hours already. The rest of Cardin's team lounging as best they could on the lower barricades. Each of the group taking potshots with some of the Dust carbines behind them whenever some lowly little Grimm poked its head out.
Cardin swept his eyes over the no man's land once more, "You think they'll be back soon?"
"Shut up…" Co'Balt nearly growled, in an annoyed tone. Not typically one for speculation. He trusted that everyone would be back eventually, and any other conjecture just irked him to no end.
"Eyes up boyos," Auburn suddenly said, nodding up towards another Grimm pack slowly edging around through the ruins further out, the little forest of spikes on their backs swaying through the shadows. The black tips of their noses pointing to the sky and the scents carried on the wind. But they weren't looking to the barricade. They were looking back north.
"Shit," Co'Balt swore once he saw what had drawn their attention.
The Grimm were always aggressive. Every species would attack without any provocation.
Charging after helpless prey. Destroying any Human built thing they came across. And any time they were challenged, offended from having that aggressiveness returned on them. It was guaranteed the Daemons would retaliate. Which was why half of the pack that appeared out of the ruins split off to go for the barricades one more time when several explosive grenades arched down into their midst.
Now only a few of the giant wolves were rushing for the group escorting the professors. Ruby made a mental note to thank whoever had drawn off the Grimm as she swung and shifted Crescent Rose up to its scythe form.
Qrow snapped his sword down and shot the legs out from underneath the Grimm charging at him. And in the blink of an eye, folded his blade back up and pierced through its skull with one snapping lunge as it fell.
Ruby spun down under more claws swinging for her head. She jumped forward, spinning counterclockwise. Her scythe blade hooked back and pulled through muscle and bone taking the Beowolf's white head off.
Blade stabbed her katana up through another's mouth and brains before it even moved its bone claws an inch. Gunshots ripped through the Grimm, their dead smoke spiraling away into the air. Hammered down and gutted by their keen edged weapons as they ran for the makeshift wall.
Co'Balt pulsed his semblance and cut up, splitting a Beowolf's jaw in two and sending the beast spiraling up. Cardin swung smashing this last Grimm in midair down against the jagged rebar and sharp edges protruding from the debris wall in front of him.
Quick gunshots and flashing blades from their companions made short work of the rest as they clawed forward reaching for their blood. Opening up the route for the approaching group, hands reached down to pull their comrades up and over.
But Co'Balt was starting to panic, losing his composure at not seeing his two obviously missing teammates.
As they moved down the barricade and headed toward the stadium the bull Faunus stepped close to Pyrrha, her shield slung on her back and her spear Akouo in her right hand.
"Where's Kad? Where's Alicia?" He demanded grabbing onto her left arm.
Ragged cheers and a little bit of applause came from the students and civilians crowding close as they saw who Qrow was carrying. The red-haired champion paused for a moment, Jaune stepped in close on her right.
"We got separated…" Pyrrha told Co'Balt, blinking away adrenaline rush fading from her veins and trying to pick her words. "There were Goliaths. And Kad…"
"What? And what?" Co'alt asked when she paused, tightening his grip on her arm, "Tell me!"
"This… Thing..." Pyrrha looked back to the north. Jaune spoke up in her brief silence.
"Kad went after this big Grim," He told the Faunus, "And Alicia went after him."
"And you just let them go?" Co'Balt said, his eyes narrowing with slowly shifting disbelief.
"Alicia said he'd be fine, before she left."
Pyrrha found her voice again. "We still had to find the Professor."
Jaune spoke again, "Co'Balt it was crazy. They bought us time and,"
"And where the fuck are they?!" Co'Balt snarled, Pyrrha shrugged off his hand.
"Calm down, I'm sure they'll be here soon," She told him. Pyrrha would have said more, her mouth was half opened to do so. But the bull Faunus turned around angrily and stalked back to team CRDL and Auburn at the barricade.
Jaune and Pyrrha looked at each other silently for a moment. Jaune merely shrugged and trudged after the others heading into the stadium.
Pyrrha took one glance back at the boys then slowly followed in her team leader's footsteps.
Yang started to maneuver Raven away from the pack once they got inside of the building.
Hanging to the rear of the rapidly growing group, hoping to disappear and sort out her supposed sister when the most prying eyes were elsewhere.
It worked except for one certain Faunus.
Blake felt their presence grow distant as she walked. So she began to slow her pace until she could safely turn around and see where the two of them had gotten to.
The blond noticed her partner's movements. And flicked her head signaling Blake to follow them.
Past the tall cloaked stranger whom no one had paid any closer scrutiny to just yet.
During the lulls in fighting trainees had scrounged together what little medical supplies they could find and set up a small area in a southern hallway on the first floor of the stadium for their wounded. Those who had either limped back or been dragged away from the front lines by their friends who had patched them up as best they could.
Students' clutched bloody bandages and swallowed down screams that hadn't been completely silenced by what little pain killers the unexpected Atlas medics had brought with them. Shifting and trying to get as comfortable as possible on the piles of towels and donated clothing that more often or not just served as pillows for the poor youths on the cold concrete floor.
Qrow laid Ozpin down on the ground as gently as he could. The old Headmaster still groaned as his injuries shifted, but he quickly contained his cries.
Professor Goodwitch stood and stopped the crowd that had followed them in.
"Back up everyone. Give us some room," She tried to shout over the hum of whispers.
Students began to step back slowly. Herded along by the blond teacher, waving her arms and pushing them back towards the front section of the stadium.
Qrow looked down to Ozpin being examined by a helmet-less white armored Atlesian. He quickly checked the professor's pulse and scanned the data readout on his wrist mounted scroll.
The medic looked up, "He'll be fine, but he needs to rest," The man said before standing up to return to others in more dire need.
Ozpin breathed in and out a few times trying to steady his pain level. He held out his hand to Qrow. The scythe master tried to be gentle as he took the offered hand.
"He's right." Ozpin said, "Let me rest. But go find out what…"
Ozpin grimaced and wheezed, "Find out what is going on."
"Gotcha."
Sporadic gunfire and powerful Daemonic roars still hit the stadium.
None too subtly reinforcing the fact that they were nowhere near out of the woods yet. All the young Hunters quickly fell in behind Goodwitch, heading back towards the stadium entrance.
She began picking out team leaders and their immediate partners as she walked. Calling out names and dismissing the others to go find somethings to do as she lead her chosen few to what some among the students were already calling the war room.
Earlier Coco Adel had brought her team into this large conference room to start planning out the task Kad had given them before he left. It seemed like a quiet enough place.
And the silver haired man in a lab coat all alone on the left side of the massive table currently wrestling with something on his scroll on the table was glad for the company.
One of Coco's team had found a large steel bowl and had flipped it upside down on the mahogany conference table in the middle of the windowed room to focus their designs.
Others walking by had stopped in briefly out of curiosity. Professor Goodwitch being one of them. And slowly a small diagram of their predicament built from odds and ends had taken shape as the day wore on and others added to their little tactical display.
Looted boxes and random books for buildings to the north. A not even remotely to scale line of rocks meant to show the broken Wall. Piles of smaller odds and ends were added as the barricades took shape.
Various tiny markers that only team CFVY knew the meaning of were laid out to show some surprises they had made, or were under construction. Currently being wired up and programmed to the scroll in Velvet Scarlatina's hands. She sat at the head of the table furthest away from the main door while her team leader stood to her right next to Dr. Geppetto.
The rabbit Faunus paused as this large group entered. She recognized Sun, Neptune, Jaune, Pyrrha, and surprisingly to her, Ruby and Weiss, and a nearly identical copy of the familiar icy eyed Schnee. Followed by a handful of others and a taller Huntsman wearing a short red cloak. Some students pulled out the leather seats and sat down heavily, others chose to stand and wait for commands.
Penny beamed when she saw her father. The old man held out his arms for an embrace.
"Miss Adel, Miss Scarlatina," Goodwitch said, nodding to the girls respectfully
The teacher turned back to Ruby and Weiss, noting the prodigy girl and the scientist nearly next to her. Dr. Geppetto raised a finger to his lips, motioning for Penny to remain silent for now.
"Where are Mr. Amaranth and Miss Redstone?" Goodwitch asked.
Ruby briefly explained.
Voices murmured to each other, their mood turning sour at news of the giant's absence.
But all were silenced by Qrow when he spoke, "What's the plan Glynda?"
She took a deep breath, pushing up her glasses, "The plan... Is…"
Goodwitch was hesitant. Velvet spoke up in enthusiastically her silence, "We've got it all sorted out. Caltrops, stake pits, staged collapses to block streets, rigged Dust bundles."
She stood up and stepped close to Goodwitch holding out her scroll, displaying several red buttons and number sequences beside them, "And these buttons right here will blow up the gas mains north of the live power poles we've got set to trap,"
Goodwitch's eyes went wide, "Is that safe?"
Velvet blinked, "Well if you just don't press the buttons, sheesh."
"Thank you, Velvet," Goodwitch said, gingerly returning the device and looking back to the display to gather her thoughts.
"So are we fighting?" Qrow asked.
"What?"
"Are, we, fighting?"
Goodwitch examined her students, "Some seem set on defending this place."
Qrow nodded, "Okay."
"But," Goodwitch clarified, "We need to start making plans to evacuate."
The silence was palpable. Everyone present paused and briefly held their breath.
Sun spoke, throwing his hands up and down outraged. "But after all we've?..."
She raised a hand, "Yes. All you have done… All of you."
The teacher sighed, "If any of you have some sense of honor that needed to be satisfied. I don't think anyone could find you wanting today. But this battle is over."
She swept that same hand down. Pointing out the ramshackle diagram in front of them, "Without any outside support we can't hope to last. Wouldn't you agree Qrow?"
The scythe wielder shrugged and huffed a noncommittal noise. Pulling his flask out from behind his back.
Glynda looked down to all the young faces, "There are seaworthy ships, and several airliners ready to launch in the port. The Atlas soldiers found a few gunships and bullheads as well. We shall start evacuating as many people as we can and head for Patch."
"Run away," Weiss grumbled. Answered by a few muffled agreeing tones around the room.
"Run. And survive," Glynda said, "Surviving is how we win."
Dr. Geppetto spoke, "And just let the Grimm have Vale?"
"Have you solved the problem with the CCT yet Doctor?"
"No," He answered truthfully, "But I believe if I can get on site…"
Goodwitch didn't hear the rest of his explanation, and the good doctor quieted himself as she spoke again.
"Then it's settled. We shall start marshalling."
"He's back! He's back! Kad's back!"
A single male voice faintly echoed through the halls of the stadium. Sounding out the good news reported from outside.
That was all it took for the youngsters gathered close to practically leap to their feet and push around their teachers following the voices. Professor Goodwitch stammered and tried to calm them down, but no one was listening.
Soon enough only five people remained.
A thoroughly exhausted Winter Schnee about to collapse on the table in one of the wheeled chairs. Penny stayed glued to her father's side watching while the old man observed the two Hunters.
"Qrow…" Goodwitch began
"I'll tell Ozpin," He replied, "And start helping get the wounded ready to move."
With that he turned on his heel and took a left out the glass door to return to the infirmary. Hands jammed firmly in his pockets and head bent low. Penny and her father returned to the scroll still intent on battling this virus plaguing the communication system.
Glynda breathed deep again, adjusted her glasses and started off for the stadium front.
He turned at the sound of high heels.
Goodwitch was startled. She had not noticed this man before.
The stranger was extremely tall in a stance that spoke of muscles but fluid grace. Wearing a long dark cloak over his close bound tan robes. His flowing hair shaded the man's features, and how he stood had his head outlined by a panel of lights which made it that much harder to distinguish his identity.
Goodwitch composed herself. Subconsciously smoothing her outfit down into place.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
The tall stranger stepped closer. Nodding politely and waiting to be addressed.
She blinked in his shadow, "Who are you?"
Now he bowed slightly. And spoke in his quiet yet commanding voice, "You may call me Aurum."
And he spoke again to answer the next question undoubtedly coming, "I am looking for my son."
Glynda was surprised by that. But the teacher in her well used to dealing with parents quickly composed itself,
"Well… What is his name? Perhaps I know where he is?"
"No. That will not be necessary," Aurum replied, dismissing her assistance with a wave of His hand.
"Are you sure?" The professor asked.
"Yes, but thank you. I will know him when I see him. You are," He laughed and gave a sly aware smile, "Very busy at the moment… I am not here to get in the way."
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A/N Have I mentioned I'm making up half of this stuff as I go? As in moment to moment not broad plot which I have pretty much down and done.
Probably a given, like all writing. Still looking for a beta, or someone who can point me in the direction of them instead of me asking here.
This chapter was going to be longer and had some slight alterations. But I think this is good.
So it's going to be after this a little inventory of characters, then my attempt to bring Khorne's eyes upon me, winding up for… I think I've said too much
And oh yeah. Let's play spot the part where I just started rushing to get a chapter out, even though I'm under no concrete deadline. Maybe did a good job editing, maybe not.
Ready, set…