"Survival is an option, failure is not."
Going back to the dorms, the four girls of team RWBY saw little going by them except in a blur. Barely seeing the knocked over green trees, ruptured paths, and the white walls of the buildings that still stood looking like well-used scratching posts. Focused so narrowly now on their own little world while reliving the events of the past few weeks in the back of their minds as they walked and contemplated just how they had arrived at this point.
Once they passed the shattered door into their miraculously intact dorm everything seemed normal enough, were it not for the dust coating across the floors and furnishings. The broken doors and claw marks across the ground the Grimm had left behind in their hunt for survivors as they ripped through everything in their path. But at least the monsters had not found any unfortunate souls with which to paint the walls with blood.
Still Ruby halted outside their room, suddenly worried about what they might find. Anything could have been on the other side of that door, or perhaps nothing. Nothing to worry about or simply nothing. She did not know, what would be there or why she was hesitating. Weiss, Blake, and Yang were forced to stop to lest they run over their shorter leader who turned and regarded her teammates.
Her team, her friends, her family. Ruby couldn't picture a day without them anymore. And now they were returning home. So whatever lay beyond this door they were ready, she was ready. So Ruby pushed the door open.
Their beds had fallen down.
Loose books were scattered in between the makeshift bunks, covered by dust and bits of drywall from the hooks that had once supported Ruby's bed torn free by the erratic shaking of said piece of furniture during the battle.
Some trinkets on the desks had likewise topple over, their window had been blown open as well. But none of the many suddenly trivial things that had been hidden in just possibly what might have been behind the door materialized. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, Weiss went and knelt before the chest at the foot of her bed. Happily smiling as she cracked the lid.
"Thank God, fresh clothes!" The Heiress exclaimed holding up a sturdy white and black trimmed jacket.
Ruby and Yang giggled, Blake rolled her eyes, and then each of the girls broke off towards a separate destination within the dorm while Weiss searched for a complete outfit.
Yang quickly stepped into their shared closet, seeking her selection of hair products special ordered from all across the country which had been sorely missed down in the city. Blake began to reorganize the mess of hard backed books on the floor smiling fondly at seeing them all still present. Casting a quick glance over her left shoulder however when she crouched to check on her, personal favorites.
Ruby opened their window, letting the soft rustle of leaves from their tree fill the quiet ambience behind her and flushing out the stale air. One of life's simple pleasures that she had enjoyed even when she was a child back on Patch. But a flash of melancholy suddenly over took her. Remembering looking out from her own room many days and seeing her father out in the garden where he had been hard at work since sunrise on the flower beds.
She let out a low sound of fear and sadness from the back of her throat. An instinctive response to the potential of facing one of life's inevitabilities all too soon. Ruby did not know if her father was even alive, let alone where he might be.
And she was powerless to do anything about it.
The hidden ears beneath Blake's bow twitched and swiveled, drawn to the noise her team leader made. The rest of her quickly followed,
"Ruby?" The Faunus asked coming to her feet, the red Huntress sighed,
"I'm… worried about my Dad," Ruby muttered, her silver eyes cast down while Blake approached and laid her left hand on Ruby's shoulder.
Blake looked out the window as well, "I'm sure your Dad is fine. He's a great Huntsman, and he's got Zwei with him."
"Yeah, I know…" Ruby agreed, "It's just, after Uncle Qrow… I have a lot of hopes left."
Blake raised an eye brow, "Hopes? Plural?"
"Yeah," The little Huntress said before letting out another sigh, then turning around and taking Blake into a hug.
The Faunus was frozen with both arms half raised in reflexive surprise as Ruby wrapped her embrace behind Blake's back and laid her head on the taller girl's shoulder.
"I hope that I get to see him again," Ruby explained, "But after Uncle Qrow… I hope, that I didn't leave too much left unsaid… About the things that really matter."
Blake could not respond, thinking and remembering the things she had left unsaid so long ago as she gently returned the embrace. Her amber eyes drifted, first to the nearly forgotten black sword hilt peeking out from between the red sheets of the two fallen beds on the right.
But soon her eyes drifted again out the window to the distant horizon. It had been many hard days since the Faunus had last stood in this spot and the clouds had yet to release the sun from behind them this day. Thinking about the way home.
She too held those same hopes.
Weiss overheard everything, and found herself hesitating when she reached to lock her clothes chest. For she didn't have to wonder if there were anything's she had left unsaid in the past. Both to the family she had left behind and her father who, left them.
"A mild way of putting it," She thought to herself.
Weiss had her ways, as her family had always dealt with things by not dealing with them. Laying a heavy cloud of silence over things like death, discontent and moral quandaries. And she felt her heart growing fonder in the absence of her father. Something had changed in the man while Weiss was gone at Beacon. She could only guess what this epiphany had been. Though she would take solace that it happened, and also learn from it.
Which was what drew her attention to the noise that came from the closet Yang had disappeared into. Something heavy being shifted across the hard wood floor. Ruby and Blake parted and went back to searching for their belongings. Weiss took her clothes and stepped up to the partially ajar door.
The school had provided each dormitory with their own combination washing machine and dryer unit. Stuck securely in a nook at the back of the short wall in the shared closet. And after some fruitless moments of pressing buttons and looking into the washing drum Yang had cut out the middleman and dragged the machine out of place to check the source of what she was seeking.
Weiss however had no idea what her teammate was doing.
"Yang?" She spoke in question, "What are,"
"Lookin for water. Power is out, but I thought we might have water pressure at least," Yang explained, retightening a blue hose.
"I see," The Heiress said before being interrupted,
"Listen," Yang began, "I think I know what you're trying to do here. But really I'm fine."
Weiss blinked in surprise, "What do you mean?"
"I heard Ruby and Blake, if you're trying to have a moment too…" The tall blonde paused, "Crap I'm sorry"
"Well," The Heiress replied, "I think it is a good time to just, you know. Check up,"
"Yeah, yeah," Yang said, waving a hand trying to dismiss the conversation, "But I don't need to check up,"
"A bit of wishful thinking in a month is not checking up."
"I…"
"So am I supposed to think the biggest problem you have right now is no hot water?"
Unable to face the relentless the blonde sighed and gave in, speaking slowly to try and line out here thoughts to her persistent teammate.
"It's complicated," Yang tried to start, "I've still got questions. And the people I can reach about them, well one doesn't know the answers…The other I don't know if I'll believe him if I hear it again."
"…Oh," Weiss said, her blue eyes suddenly looking for a way out of this room and conversation.
One Yang was soon to provide, "Listen Weiss," The blonde began, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm just moving one day at a time right now. I'll be fine, I always am."
"Alright then if you say so…" Weiss acquiesced, "Well… Shall we go see about that hot water then?"
Two days later.
Co'Balt rubbed the tip of his right horn between two fingers as was his habit, "I don't know about this… But… Mrrh," Bemoaning out loud his usual inner most thoughts.
On his left Penny laid a hand on Co'Balt's broad shoulder in solidarity, "But you can't exactly hit this problem with your ax?" She asked, more confirming than questioning.
The Faunus pursed his lips, "…I wasn't gonna say that."
"I'm certain you can be just as adept at being patient as you are at hitting Grimm Co'Balt friend!"
"You're weird."
"Thank you."
Unable to be assuaged Co'Balt simply grumbled a couple words to himself and looked over his team leader's project one last time.
Cement blocks propped up the device the Primarch had finally finished welding together.
An octagon aluminum cage ten paces across, bracing bars ran back and forth across the tent shaped frame. Six lightweight dish receptors also salvaged from Atlas battleships covered three hundred and sixty degrees of reception and transmission. Powered by three packs of yellow lightning Dust crystals packed with eight shards each. A sibling to the completely sealed core of red fire crystals mounted on a gimbal at the summit of the little mountain of metal set below a directed opening made to send hot air upwards.
Pieces of metal ripped out of broken airships kept a score of salvaged circuit banks and computers together. Components far heavier than the giant would have prefer in this design. Yet any less and they wouldn't have the power to access the global communication net on the systems he wanted. If they were operational anywhere else.
Of course Kad knew of the existence of hot air balloons. Heating air to make it rise and lift something up to respectable heights. Though they were never a prime choice of transportation among the kingdoms compared to airships or water craft. To slow to outrun Grimm. And limited to what they could carry at a practical scale. But one would serve its purpose in this instance.
A massive balloon sewn together from the cannibalized pieces of two hot air balloons borrowed from some hobbyist houses, whose assembly efforts had been led by the young Winter Schnee, was draped across the walkways and green grass in front of Beacon's social science building. Hooked to the makeshift satelite by a large circle of steel linked meters of unwound power cables taken from public works warehouses in the city.
They would not be able to access nearly any of the considerable data backed up in the annals of the global net. But it would serve its twofold purpose, to hopefully plug the hole in the global comm system. And communicate through said system.
If anyone was listening.
Doctor Geppetto sitting on a stack of four little plastic crates in front of a large table that had been dragged out of the tower ruin. The doctor's ever present lab coat was in a sorry state, as was the old man's complexion and grey hair. But he remained hard at work with the four data stations in front of him, scrolling through sheets of binary and other code managing the program he had so painstakingly cobbled together.
Penny laid her hands on her father's drooping shoulders, gentle support the man direly needed.
"Are you well Father?" Penny asked the man,
The Doctor nodded, pushing his glasses back up his nose, "Yes my dear, a cup of tea and a good…"
He paused sucking in a deep breath and bringing his right hand over his heart, "…Yes, I'll be right as rain. Worry not."
The doctor then looked back to Kad, "I believe we are ready."
So with a nod the giant raised up his scroll and activated the ascension program in his un-bandaged hand, "Alright then… Let there be light."
Ten soldiers together donned their full helmets and visors to shield their faces from the blazing heat about to hit them. Together they moved to, knelt down and grasped the balloon's bottom edge and raised it up to their waists. The projector turned down, bringing the flaming core in their direction.
Slowly as the hot air washed over them the giant limp sack began to inflate and grow. Slack ran out of the linking cables and the steel loop began to lift and rise. The sergeant issued an order over their private link and his troops began to lift the balloon up over their heads, down, and up again rapidly. And now the noon sun's warming rays disappeared behind the towering shape.
The projector began to rise upright. Following the opening catching more and more and more hot air as it lifted. Until finally it was directly over the slap dash satellite which truly began lifting into the air. Dragging its mooring line of repurposed power cable being unwound from the giant spool manned by Team CRDL up and away.
Now nothing left to do for the young hunters but chew on the suspense, listen to the slow steady hiss of oiled bearings turning and watch as the platform kept rising, and rising out of sight behind the clouds.
Which very quickly became not enough for Yang.
Though she still refused to make eye contact with Raven on her left, the other Huntress in a mirror pose to Yang's. Arms crossed and head creeping back as they kept staring. Both stood motionless as statues. Part of yet, separate from the large crowd. The rest of team RWBY closer to the little command and control group further ahead.
Until the silence became too much for the blonde.
"So…" Yang said, just letting that simple word fall from her mouth before asking, "Are you expecting a call from anyone?"
She didn't look to see if Raven moved, nor did she hear any shifting so Yang didn't picture Raven shrugging in her usual manner before her twin replied, "No, and there isn't anyone I would like to hear from. Pretty sure they think I'm dead."
"Right…" Yang acknowledged. Returning to silence. A silence quickly broken again by Raven.
"Can I ask you something?" Raven said, now turning to face Yang.
The blonde still didn't move, deadpanning back, "Go ahead."
"What's your Dad like?"
The Huntress blinked in surprise. The answer she knew, Yang had a thousand memories of Taiyang and his love for her and Ruby as givens but suddenly couldn't find the words to paint a picture of her father.
"I don't know," Yang muttered, her lilac eyes leading her head down to the city skyline, "Normal. I guess, he taught me and Ruby a lot about fighting... He's funny and kind and generous. I don't know. He's my dad. You know."
Raven looked to the scorched ground, "No. I don't… I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less."
"What do you mean?" The blonde asked, growing concerned.
"You had a pretty normal life," Raven said, "Dad, 'close as you could get to mom, sister. Friends. School in the morning and dinner at night… I know you wonder why our mother left you with your Dad and then just took off… Think you found your answer yet?"
Yang took a moment of silence, "…To leave him a memory of their time together."
And the dark Huntress shook her head in response, "No… She did it because she was crazy."
"Excuse me?"
"…Look… Mom had her ideals… I bought into a lot of them for a while… But eventually I just got so damn tired… I didn't know what normal was…"
Yang stopped Raven, "Where are you going with this?"
"…It doesn't matter… You don't care. But I thought you deserved an answer."
"That Mom was crazy? That's not an answer Raven."
"Yes it is, you just don't like it."
Yang sputtered out a half angry retort, before managing to swallow her feelings and ask calmly, "Well… Again, what is all this about?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Raven…" Yang growled in annoyance.
Raven sighed, "Family, friends. What we have. What happened in the past… More so I'm wondering about what will happen next… I figured you should understand… Can't be angry all the time. So I guess I slipped, and I just hoped maybe…"
"Maybe what?" Yang asked,
"Same thing as always. That things could be different eventually. The future wouldn't be as crap as the past… Even though I know circumstances haven't exactly been favorable for,"
"We'll see Raven," Yang told her, "All I can promise is that, we'll see…"
The dark haired Huntress finally let out a deep sigh, "…Thank you."
"Eureka!"
Doctor Geppetto exclaimed in pure joy with a clap of his hands. The sharp sound severed another binding string of tension putting invisible weight on Kad's shoulders. The status was green across the board. They had reached the other networks. The gathered crowd shouted in triumph fists rising up together. Doctor Geppetto looked back to his daughter Penny and Ruby. Both girls had clasped each other's hands and started jumping up and down in synchronized excitement. The Doctor then looked to Kad,
"We have some ping… Barely," Doctor Geppetto inform him, "Atlas and… Mistral, we can proceed at your discretion."
Now they would see if anyone was listening.
"Major," Kad said that single word in command, sweeping his right hand beside them to where a red armored Atlesian soldier stood with his hands behind his back who then began to speak out a list of emergency military contact protocols for reaching the northernmost council to the Doctor. And as the soldier dictated these steps, Kad looked down on his right to the Faunus girl standing there.
Blake held her hands nervously together in front of her chest to keep from grasping at her bow while looking down at the doctor and awaiting her turn to take part in the plan. Until she felt the giant's hand on her left shoulder, and she quickly locked eyes with Kad.
"Are you ready?" The giant asked,
The Faunus girl wasn't sure, letting anxiety and the stew of feelings whittle her resolve as she shifted her gaze away again, "I mean… What if this is just?"
"Are you ready?" He repeated.
"I think," Blake answered, "It's just… It's just been so long. And, I left all those people for a reason you know… There was… So much hate,"
Kad nodded, trying to soften his tone as he continued, "You don't have to talk to anyone. Just get me a link… Leave your troubles in the past, at least for now."
Penny called out, "Ms. Belladonna we're ready for you."
Blake looked down and away, still mustering her courage. Courage she found randomly trying to glance up at the sky only to see the not so distant form of Sun Wukong giving her a reassuring thumbs up and a smile. One hesitantly but warmly returned in kind by the Huntress.
As the Faunus walked past them, Ruby and Penny looked up to the giant.
"So, Mistral and Vacuo?" Ruby asked,
"Send our link into their school message system, use the account," Kad said, speaking of the private tower account with which Cinder had conducted her business. Appropriated for their efforts now through access Kad had gained one night when he saw Cinder log in through the reflection in a mirror behind her in the Mistrali hotel they had been staying in.
"Send it directly to the Headmasters'," Kad continued, "Lionheart and Theodore."
Twin looks of surprise lingered on the girls' faces. Neither managing to react while the Marshal Szary limped a step closer to Kad's side after hearing that revelation.
"So, the plot thickens," The old Huntsman said, placing both his hands on the new black cane he had acquired recently, "Divide and conquer?"
Kad shifted focus down to him, trying to beat the question he felt coming, "Credit where it is due Marshal. Cinder ruled you out as a target almost immediately. She had been working on Ozpin's other two counterparts for years, looking for weaknesses, sowing doubt. Professor Lionheart got her team into the tournament."
"Hmm," The Marshal nodded, "…Lionheart. I shouldn't be surprised. Even before we had your conspiracy looming I told Ozpin he shouldn't have backed Lionheart."
Ruby spoke up halting the man, "Why is that? I heard everyone liked him."
"Indeed," Szary agreed, "But likeability was only one slice of capability. Lionheart was not cut out for the pressure of being a Headmaster, no spine. It was a political move under Ozpin's influence, simple as that. Give the Faunus a win in the global theater,"
"Really?" Ruby asked interjecting again,
He nodded, taking a moment to resettle the red coat back on his shoulders before turning back to Kad, "Theodore however, I expected more from him. So, how did you get to those two?"
"The tried and true method," Kad explained, "Same way anything gets to anyone on this planet. Fear. Fear of the future, fear of the Grimm. Fear of change."
Ruby blinked for a moment, "That wasn't what got to you though? Was it? I mean…"
The young girl found she couldn't meet the giant's gaze any more. Stuck on that very thought.
As was Kad.
"Well," The Marshal began again, breaking the stillness for a heartbeat, "…I can't argue with that, but diplomatically it might be better to save the brave duo from some embarrassment… But, getting them to talk. Is this fear still going to hold true while we're half a world away?"
Kad snapped out of his fugue and simply shrugged in answer,
Nearly an hour passed before the first response came through. A live channel from the Northernmost Kingdom through which a static warped female voice came through. Displayed on Doctor Geppetto's laptop as a new warbling audio bar.
"Whoever this is identify yourself, in the name of the Atlas Military," The voice demanded in an ironclad female snarl.
The red trimmed soldier snapped to attention out of habit, "General Cordovin, Ma'am! Major Henry Holz reporting! Identifier Two-four-echo-echo-eight-tango-zero, Ma'am. It's good to hear your voice General."
The brusque reply came quick, "Counter code. Alpha Romeo Tango Bravo."
The soldier paused, a frown of confusion growing. He looked up to Kad. The giant gestured with his right hand. Silently commanding to give the lady what she wanted.
"Hotel Omega Six Niner Five, General," He took in a breath, "Ma'am may I?..."
Kad's hand rose again into the air for silence. Still no less befuddled the Major complied and the group spent another ten minutes staring silently at the slowly oscillating audio bar in stillness so perfect it would have taken an airship crashing to distract them.
The voice of Cordovin came once again, "Our apologies Major Holz. Where is General Ironwood?"
Now the giant spoke, cutting off the Major, "Unfortunately James Ironwood is dead, General."
"What? Who is this!?" The distant woman asked in confused ire,
Kad straightened up his posture, "I apologize for commandeering your subordinate's security codes General. But I needed expedience to get to those in charge. You may consider me the defacto leader of the forces in the kingdom of Vale. And I speak truth, General Ironwood perished when the tower system went down. And Headmaster Ozpin as well later that day. I was given command by acquiescent choice of the Hunters, Soldiers and Civilian efforts whilst Marshall Wilde and the rest of our council was incapacitated. "
"…And why should I believe you? Moreover why does this concern the Atlas Military?"
Before Kad could call for a witness, for which the Marshall was already preparing to step forward another little notification popped up on the corner of the Doctor's screen,
"One moment General," Kad said before leaning down and pressing a button muting that call then another to open the new link.
Another female voice called out from the cyber void. Much, much weaker that the Atlesian officer's, both in temperament and volume. Only those with a senses of enhanced hearing could properly make out the words, "Blake? Is that you?"
Loitering on the edge of the group Blake felt her feline ears press down like her dropping stomach. But she looked up to the Huntsman who had so firmly spoke with, and also dismised the military force that had been looming over her and her people for most of her life and a part of Blake was compelled to come forward, "Ilia?"
"Yes! Blake… Blake, it's me! Where are you?"
Blake stuttered for a moment, "I… I'm in Vale…"
Unable to comprehend the apprehension she heard, Ilia took a moment in responding, "Well, are you hurt? What have you been doing? Did you come back to the White Fang?... Who's all there? Have you won?"
"It's, a long story," Blake replied, "But, I'm surprised you caught my message."
"Yeah… I've got to say. I wasn't really expecting to find anything. In these old sites… It's just, I had a feeling, after the battle…"
Now Kad interrupted the two, "Using outdated communication channels. Very poor security protocol, you might have compromised your operation."
"What? Blake who is that?"
The black haired Huntress looked up to Kad, outrage creeping onto her face at his hostile tone, "That's, that's Kad. He's a Huntsman."
"A Huntsman… A Human?" Ilia demanded,
"Indeed," Kad replied, "Though you shouldn't be surprised. The White Fang sullied its purity long ago."
"What are you talking about? Wait… Are you?"
"Where are you currently?" Kad asked, cutting her off.
Ilia didn't reply, once again Blake looked back and forth between the computer and the giant, "It's alright Ilia. You can tell him."
"… I'm in Mistral. On the outskirts of the city with a couple others."
"Do you know the whereabouts of the Albains?" Kad asked,
"…Perhaps,"
"Then go tell them 'they' wish to speak with them. And if those two play dumb. Ask them about Yuma."
Blake blinked her amber eyes, "What's he got to do with anything?"
Ignoring her Kad continued, "You can reach us on this channel. Though I believe the Mistral tower should be functional again. Sounds like you could use the upgrade in a proper access station. Or ask for permission from Headmaster Lionheart if you think his facilities could fare better. I expect a prompt response."
The giant then completely shut the link and unmuted the tab with Atlas, "Apologies General I was in negotiations with the White Fang."
Cordovin now shouted into the link, "What?! You are speaking with those animals!?"
"And you are not? For shame General that is how much of this began."
"I will not be lectured by…" The Northern officer's voice suddenly found a different target off screen, "What? I don't… Who?"
The call muted itself on the Atlesian side, the gathered Hunters in Vale all shared a quiet moment of puzzlement. Cordovin's voice soon returned.
"You're him aren't you?"
Kad tilted his head, "I'm not sure who he is General."
"I… Here wait one moment… No… Do you still have access to the public video archives?"
Many eyes found themselves on Doctor Geppetto who quickly turned to his keyboard.
"And what are we looking for?" Kad asked,
"You will know it if you find it in the trending video files."
So the giant leaned down and took the Doctor's computer tablet, seeking the place described in another data tab. It took him a moment sorting through useless fluff from reporters and random content idols both probably dead but Kad found it.
He found himself.
The video started focused on the cobblestone paths of Vale. With twin voices heavy with malice and an unearthly echo filtering through the sirens and strife filled sounds of a collapsing building.
"All comes to plan child…"
"As well as your end Huntsman…"
"You want me… Come and get me!"
A shaky, grainy video of his own self crossing swords with the two Grimm things in the police station. Standing toe to toe with nightmare monsters nobody even on Remnant could imagine. Static laced the picture and trailing shadows clung to the Grimm obscuring their otherworldly frames as ringing metal sounded around the heavy sound of their bodies crashing to the ground and bricks being pulverized like glass from deflected swings. Deepest darkest spawns of Humanity's great enemy that even these half glimpses of would chill the most veteran Hunters to the bone breaking their millenniums of silence.
And being flatly refuted by his presence.
Kad skimmed the archive. There was more, other video files from the same user, flashing images depicting Kad cleaving through Grimm with his fiery sword. Following the skirmish the giant remembered rather differently than the poor video showed. Hacking through the monsters like they weren't even there. While around him the four other young Huntsmen of team SSSN gave the creatures the best they could.
Yet the focus was clear, one man alone against the darkness. Facing nightmares made manifest and remaining unbent.
The Atlesian General spoke again, "Those managed to reach even us hear in Atlas moments before the network went down. We managed to purge the virus relatively quickly but the tower took some damage and we were to busy fighting Grimm and insurgents within our own borders to wonder about the rest of Remnant. People still found those in the recent archives and started sharing in the shelters... It was, illuminating to know of those higher forms of intelligent creatures. But more inspiring that someone could fight them, and the others so easily… Some, surmised that if anyone could have survived and organized in Vale it would be the giant."
Kad did not respond, seeing one video overlooked amidst other more dramatic kinds. This user explaining in a shaky voice some bypass he made through the Tower virus to get the videos up on the net. Hoping with what he knew would be his last hopes someone else might be able to use it while the sound of claws scraping closed in from all directions. It would not surprise Kad to learn somehow of a loophole Cinder left in her virus to let panic and chaos spread on the Dust net whilst the major powers were neutered.
But he did not want this focus on him.
Long unused scrolls that a few had remembered to bring were now being pulled out, Kad kept staring at the one in his hands.
"Sir?" The general from the north asked,
Pyrrha stepped up and tugged on the bottom edge of Kad's jacket. Tilting her head back at the data station as the giant contemplated what he was going to say on his new found fame. Because she understood. Both the strain that came from it, and what he must have felt having fought so hard to put power back in people's own hands. Kad did not want it, but in this moment they could use it. With only a knowing, shake of her head.
He took a breath, "Yes, that was me. Well met General, my name is Kad."
"Well met indeed," Cordovin replied, "How may the Kingdom of Atlas assist you?"
"Information would be a good start," Kad said, "How fares mighty Atlas?"
A few of his peers noted the little tone of theatric reverence the giant had taken. Yet remained silent and let him speak.
"…Quiet, at the moment. The Grimm pulled back several days ago, and the… Malcontents have yet to reemerge from their hold outs. But supplies and power are running low."
"And the council?" Kad asked,
"Several members perished in the fighting. But a few of their replacements and, even fewer of the survivors have attempted to maintain control. I have been the voice for the military."
"Then I must ask a favor of you General."
Cordovin did not answer, Kad still gave his request, "Summon your peers, I would speak with the council."
"I am not sure that is possible…"
The Huntsman was galled to say the least, "I reached out across the planet beneath a total communication blackout that no one was certain could ever be lifted. And you are telling me that you can't gather a small group of people as you've hinted you've already done?"
The line was silent for a moment, "…How did you manage this link anyway?"
"I have your foremost scientist an arm's length away General, now my request?"
"…Wait one, sir."
That last title she spat with bite of indignation before muting the link. Down at the Huntsman's side Marshall Wilde looked up to Kad again,
The older man asked, "Is this going to plan?"
Silence was his answer once again. Ended when the Doctor's tablet chimed signaling another incoming message.
The Marshall scanned over the identity and muttered, "I'll be damned… Leo."
He reached out a hand to open the channel, only to have it enveloped by the restraining grip of Kad,
"Wait," He asked the old Huntsman, "…Lionheart has been wearing a mask for a very long time. He always took it off in our presence to be the coward he is. As you said, we need to be diplomatic. Give him a moment."
Marshall Wilde furrowed his brow thinking, but soon relaxed and returned his hand to whence it came. Trusting the giant's intuition. After a few moments General Cordovin's voice came back through the ether.
"I have made your request known, but it will take some time for them to,"
Kad cut her off, "Thank you General. We have just received word from Headmaster Lionheart. Here I will patch him in."
And so he did, ignoring the General's half stuttered startled words. Until they were replaced with another's quiet in confusion, and no small amount of fear.
"Yes?..." The still sonorous voice of Headmaster Lionheart called. With a flatly raised hand Kad bid the Marshall to address his comrade.
"Leo… Making new friends I see," The old Huntsman said.
There was a noticeable pause from the other side "Szary? Is that you? How? Wait, wait I can explain."
"Save your breath good sir. I know everything…" Szary took a deep breath quelling his inner ire, "And I understand. I am here with one of your associates, connected to General Cordovin of Atlas. We have just retaken Beacon Academy. Yet Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood perished in the fighting."
"…I see," Lionheart said, "And, Cinder. Ms. Fall, where is she?"
The Marshall looked to Kad. He raised his hand again giving signal for the Marshal to continue.
"Cinder Fall is dead Leo… I did not have the pleasure of making her acquaintance. Before one of her disciples turned on her."
"…That's not possible. I mean. Nothing could have killed her."
"Incorrect again… It is complicated. But your conspiracy is as dead as its leader."
Lionheart laughed, a slight noise at first as his disbelief tore out its last roots and the Headmaster wheezed out a giddy sound of freedom regained, "Huh huu. Haha!"
"Silence!" Szary barked out, Lionheart's laughter stopped immediately, "Your part in all of this shall be determined and also punished in due time. However,"
Cordovin interrupted, "Wait, wait, wait… Marshal Wilde. It is, agreeable to hear from you. You as well Master Lionheart. But what is this about a," The woman inhaled and corrected herself, "Or, the conspiracy?"
The Marshal ran a hand back over his greying head, "Yes… The conspiracy… The thing Ozpin, and the rest of us… Myself included, let grow in the dark. Forces seeping their way into the cracks of our society... Which we knew all too well were there, but were content to sit idle with what little control we knew we had on this bloody world… Until it was too late."
Cordovin growled again, "Marshall… Mr. Amaranth, I do not have time for this. If you have summoned the Atlas council to make terrorist demands,"
Kad finally intervened again, "No, as the Marshal said. That plot is no more… But General, I will be happy to tell you all about the conspiracy as I sat at its ring leader's right hand."
"…Excuse me?" The general said, her voice several degrees quieter than before.
So Kad told them, almost, everything. Coming to Cinder. What he now knew as lies about a better world. Their schemes for chaos and the dreams for what would come after. How support was gathered and weaknesses were exploited in all four kingdoms. Until the time to strike was right.
And how he had gone along with all of it. Following the woman who had rescued and cared for him until finally Kad broke.
Cordovin did not respond. The giant spoke again,
"I know what I have done General, I know what blood is on my hands… This is no longer about,"
Without another word the link with northern Atlas suddenly cut from the other side. Marshal Wilde drummed his free fingers against his slung right arm
"That's not great," The old man nonchalantly mused, a complete act not betraying the stabbing shock he and many of the others who had witnessed the Atlesian's departure felt.
Kad scratched his chin before stating, "They'll be back… Lionheart."
The Headmaster's gasp of surprise came audibly through the link, "Gather the Mistral council. I would speak with them as well."
"…No."
The reply was deliberated yet decisive.
"As you said, the conspiracy is dead" Lionheart stated, "I believe that our business is concluded."
"One may assume yes," Kad said, his voice going low, "It's good you found yourself some courage over there on the other side of the world. But I assure you our dealings are far from over."
The giant paused to let the Headmaster try and argue back. The other Faunus stuttered out a few syllables before Kad silenced him again.
"For one, yes. Cinder is dead. However her pact with you, but more importantly at the moment the White Fang still stands through me. And if I need them to find a Headmaster in Mistral more agreeable to our goals then I shall have them do so."
The Marshal muttered into a fist, "Diplomacy Mister Amaranth," Reacting calmly to the jolt of fear that struck once the many saw the not so subtle threat in Kad's words. At the same time seeing in respect this obvious lie.
Kad spoke again his words harder than iron, "So Headmaster Lionheart, please gather whatever leadership is still in Mistral. We must take stock of our world and determine how to proceed."
Lionheart did not reply,
"I would hear you say it," Kad demanded,
The Headmaster replied with two words, "…Very well."
"Very well what?"
"I shall contact the council and inform them of your request…"
And just like that the young Huntsman's demeanor and tone returned to the friendly chords he had been holding back, "Thank you Headmaster. I hope to hear back from you within the hour. And to hopefully convene this meeting in the next twelve."
With that, Professor Lionheart cut the feed. Leaving the defenders of Vale alone in the world once again.
Ruby looked up to Kad, "Are we doing good?"
"More or less," came his answer, "Everyone knows we are here. And that we can, and want to talk. So now all we can do is wait."
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A/N - New Plan Fuck it!
Chapter will be in two parts cause a how much of the stuff is what it is. Next part half done. Be out when its out.